Tuesday, January 25, 2011

I Quit Day One



http://www.healthcare4me.ne/



Finally decided enough is enough and today is day one of no smoking with the help of patches. So far so good, and I am going to post here once a week and let you know how it's going, helps big time that my hubby and our daughter have taken the same decision.

Wish me/us luck

Found the above picture through google and if I feel weak will look at it and hopefully become instantly strong again.

Any words of encouragement you might have will be gratefully
received.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Five in the Bed (Ok 4 were books)


Having been flattened  by some horrid flu bug last week that left me with only just  enough energy to lift a book (lucky).  I took to my bed armed with copious amounts of tissues, water, cough medicine oh and of course books.  Could have found the toilet paper hat very useful too! curtesy of


 Restless by William Boyd 
"During the long hot summer of 1976, Ruth Gillmartin discovers that her very English mother, Sally, is really Eva Delectoskaya, a Russian émigré and one time spy."




 Engleby by Sebastian Faulks
When the novel opens in the 1970s, he is a university student, having survived a "traditional" school. A man devoid of scruple or self-pity, Engleby provides a disarmingly frank account of English education.


The Almost Moon by Alice Seabold
Clair Knightly and her daughter Helen are locked in a relationship so unrelenting that it has sucked the air out of both of their lives.


Ghost story by Toby Litt
Agatha and Paddy were to have a baby. They bought a new house on the south coast. But then something happened and they found they couldn't fill their new home - no matter how they tried.


I enjoyed all of them except for Ghost story which I have not finished and not sure if I will. I read 4 chapters and then put it down and unless someone tells me it's worth continuing then it may stay down. Would love to know if you have read any of the above and what you thought of them.



Monday, January 17, 2011

Featuring "The Flowerpress " + Fabulous Giveaway


I  was recently browsing Etsy and came across this wonderful shop called TheFlowerpress and fell in love with it. Necklaces,rings, earrings,brooches and more all recycled from T-Shirts and used in such a clever way that I had to buy one of her adorable necklaces. It arrived beautifully gift wrapped and I am wearing it right now and yesterday I wore it as  headband.

The girl behind the Flower Press is Anne Pinaglia, a multi-faceted late twenty-something. A little over a year ago, Anne packed up her pug, left her home and career in nonprofit work in Portland, Oregon, and moved to Paris, France to be with her long time boyfriend. Not yet having a work visa, she poured herself into her passions, one of which being music, joining forces with the Paris-based English band This is the Kit, playing a plethora of instruments from the Autoharp to the musical saw.




During the summer of 2010, taking two weeks to walk from Porto, Portugal, to Santiago de Compostela, Spain (following the old pilgrimage routes of Saint James), she ran across a necklace made from used fabric. Admiring it, she inquired and was told that it is a longstanding Portuguese tradition to use old fabric and turn it into "new" items. With this in mind, upon her return from Spain she gathered some old tee shirts and started cutting.



"I really didn't know what I was trying to make, I was just testing my creativity," she explains. Slowly but surely, those old tee shirts were turned into simple necklaces, and within a matter of months those simple necklaces became more elaborate, with collections of brooches, earrings and even up cycled clothing added into the mix, some of which are even stained and colored with tea, wine, and vegetable extracts.

Anne adds that she gets tee shirt donations often, and laughs "people must think it's a bit odd when they see my excitement after handing me an old white tee shirt with holes in it. In my mind, I'm already thinking about the size of the necklace and the type of tea I will use to stain it." Those tee shirts would have otherwise been thrown away; after an hour in Anne's hands it is given new life (and hopefully a new home!).

Now at four months into its life, the Flower Press has seen - and continues to see - success, both at craft fairs and on Etsy. "For me it's not just the sales that mark its success, but the response that I get so often on my pieces.


Anne has made a special pair of earrings valued at $10 that one lucky winner will be able to have for their very own. These earrings are (of course) made with up cycled tee shirts which have been stained a lovely soft pink colour  with loose-leaf floral tea. Hanging on silver-plated wires and hoops, they would make a lovely addition to your valentines outfit!




 


Simple Rules to Enter:


1)Please follow my blog yes you know it makes me smile:)

2) Please visit Anne's shop and pick your favourite and post here only takes a few minutes of your time http://www.etsy.com/people/theflowerpress

If you would like to follow Anne on Twitter here she is : http://twitter.com/#!/FlowerPressShop

This giveaway will begin January 17th, 2011 and end at 11:59 pm EST on Feb.7th 2011. It is open to anyone worldwide to enter so come in and have a go. Random.org will pick a winner!

There is no limit as to how many times you can enter! oh and Happy Valentines Day.

Good luck and thank you Anne.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Henry Lee Stradford Photographer



I love meeting people and Twitter is one platform availible today that allows  us to do just that. I came across Henry Stradford who calls himself an amateur photographer (who takes in my opinion very professional pictures) currently living in Japan with his wife and daughter. I wanted to share some of his wonderful shots with you.

I will add his link so you can discover more if you like what you see here.   You wont be dissapointed.









There are many many more beautiful photo's to see and for me they are crisp, interesting and beautiful pieces of art in their own right.

 

http://www.henrystradford.com/

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Share your Dreams with me!


I have had several really weird dreams over the past few years, and one I will never forget was this.  I was walking along a path with my mother (I was about 7 or 8 in this dream) she met a friend coming back along the path and they both stopped and  were chattering away and laughing about what I have no idea.  Meanwhile I had to just stand there holding my mum's dress (so she knew where I was I guess).

Anyway this little sausage dog appeared on the path heading straight for me and proceeded to sniff around my feet, then it started to bounce round me whilst yap yap yapping and was beginning to drive me mad, my mum and her friend however, totally ignored this yapping sausage, so I took a deep breath and tried to mimic the bark in an attempt to scare it away from me. However, I then found myself sitting bolt upright in bed  barking and bouncing right back at that silly dog, and went into a fit of laughter. I think my man thought I had lost the plot when I recovered enough and was able to tell him the dream. That was over 20 years ago but it is as clear as if it happened yesterday. I have never tried to analyse it but just might one day, who knows what it might reveal!

Feel like sharing your funny,scary or weird dreams with me? I would love to hear them.  I have a few more dreams I remember clearly, How about a Frog drinking Gin & Tonic!  but that can wait.


If your interested into trying to analyse your dreams then have a look here.

Welcome to Dream Moods! http://www.dreammoods.com/


You are entering the mysterious and fascinating world of dreams, where the rules of reality do not apply. We hope that Dream Moods will help you make sense of your dreams and achieve a better understanding of them.

picture of cute dog from  a-idioteca.blogspot.com
Two ladies Gossiping  from www.ancientrails.com

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Sticking Your Neck Out in Style

If your looking for a statement piece then here are four stunners for you. From Vicki one really funky necklace to draw attention like an electrically charged MAGNET!  To Londi's stunning felt and zipper necklace, Monica's ingenious  necklace made from tyres and finally a beautiful necklace made from T-shirts. You girls are amazing and I can't wait to see what you come up with next!!


http://www.etsy.com/people/VickiDianeDesigns

http://www.etsy.com/people/londicreations

http://www.etsy.com/people/dutchfeltart

http://www.etsy.com/people/theflowerpress

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Day 1 2011


I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has  read, followed, commented or just looked at my blog since  starting it last March.  I have had the privilage of running a few wonderful features and giveaways for some of the very talented people on Etsy, and have  made many friends with people from all over the world. May this year bring you all that you have wished for and more.

Happy New Year

Much love and hugs to you all
Krishenka
xx
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