tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80980173282436545632024-03-05T16:34:41.040+00:00Glitter MountainOpalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-48997612450502069522018-01-07T19:53:00.000+00:002018-01-07T19:55:11.391+00:00Cookfest7 days into the new year and I have lost 2 pounds! Woohoo! Not sure how I achieved that because I fell off the wagon rather a lot in the second half of the week when I found a huge bag of Christmas spiced biscuits in the cupboard that were too delicious not to eat and of course once the bag was open it had to be finished off before the biscuits went soggy, right? And I kind of accidentally ate a few other things that were a bit naughty too BUT overall there was a lot less junk than I have been inhaling the last few months, so YAY. I actually did pretty well with meals and MOST of what I ate was healthy food from the Happy Herbivore plan.<br />
<br />
Today I spent a lot of time cooking. 5 hours cooking! I think I racked up a week's worth of Fitbit steps just walking between the cooker and the fridge. It wouldn't normally take so long (the HH recipes are generally quick and easy) but I was being good and inputting every ingredient and weight into MyFitnessPal which made it take quite a lot longer, but it's OK. It kept me off social media at least ;-p<br />
<br />
I cooked up 12 meals, 6 lunches and 6 dinners. I also ate one of them - 'Oh My Greens! noodles' and had it with a cup of Lady Grey tea.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Xs06vibPjy35TKpOnd-6GtevnaBCWdvZ4wFbzpL5-JiQY1Ve_7qpvfxsMX2RQvsfzSYYhll8ya8rVDPY6KnmTagwUWsD9hWM3j7OVUeyjxc7ToyC457Kt-7-PNgNgh0LW9Ir0Okhe6M/s1600/20180107_184034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1161" data-original-width="1600" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Xs06vibPjy35TKpOnd-6GtevnaBCWdvZ4wFbzpL5-JiQY1Ve_7qpvfxsMX2RQvsfzSYYhll8ya8rVDPY6KnmTagwUWsD9hWM3j7OVUeyjxc7ToyC457Kt-7-PNgNgh0LW9Ir0Okhe6M/s320/20180107_184034.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Maybe I'm just being a bit British but the only thing I don't like about the HH meals is the overly amusing names. I'm sure it's probably necessary as a selling point to make things more fun but ugh. The food is usually decent and tasty but I like a name to describe what I'm eating, not make me laugh. Mr O asks me what I'm eating and when I say 'Bodacious Butteritos' or 'Broccoli Poppers' I just get laughed at and asked 'yeah but what the hell is that?') Anyway, I digress. Amusing name aside,The noodle soup was massively filling and tasted really nice. So filling, I didn't want my dinner until really late in the evening: Taco Poppers.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyJcgbMeiK5xpxBb61iM9PNoNesWtSMYbHKBuOPV-yBY5mQphZpDtPeEmrMxd8I0un3TE-OVS9j-8syWXipu1s6t0c8UI5-FJ5hYa75mW7NEhLe458UuL12ZSl9OXveSM46zugHvpSTQ/s1600/20180104_194656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1270" data-original-width="1600" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyJcgbMeiK5xpxBb61iM9PNoNesWtSMYbHKBuOPV-yBY5mQphZpDtPeEmrMxd8I0un3TE-OVS9j-8syWXipu1s6t0c8UI5-FJ5hYa75mW7NEhLe458UuL12ZSl9OXveSM46zugHvpSTQ/s320/20180104_194656.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
They're meant to be eaten with Queso Sauce, which I don't like - not any fault of the recipe, but it's basically a type of vegan cheese sauce, and I never liked cheese sauce even when I did eat cheese. So I made vegan ranch dressing instead. There's not much food that doesn't taste better with a drizzle of some sort of cool yoghurty thing on top.<br />
<br />
In other news: the No Buy continues. I have been very good with money the last 7 days and not spent anything I didn't absolutely have to spend. I kept in budget for the weekly grocery shop for the first time in a bazillion years. And I somehow resisted buying anything in the January sales even when people all around me are squealing about how they bought some shoes for £4 or some such amazing price. 7 days down, 93 to go...<br />
<br />
<br />Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-64067354808853324172018-01-01T19:37:00.000+00:002018-01-01T19:37:35.252+00:00Happy New Year!<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Image result for happy new year" height="176" src="https://happynewyear2018x.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Happy-New-Year-2018-Images-4.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Happy New Year! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Hopefully you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. Mine was actually really laid back and chilled out, spent playing computer games with the family. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Now it's the 1st Jan and I am putting those resolutions into action. I'm not back at work until the 4th and I'm not really going anywhere until then but this morning I got up and put some make up on even though nobody will see me but my husband and son (and they couldn't care less what I look like). Nothing special just some concealer and mascara plus a bit of lip balm, and some Body Shop coconut body spray, but I felt nice. I also put on a bracelet because I'm trying to get used to wearing more jewellery.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I also weighed myself. Once the scales had finished shrieking in alarm and I'd got over the shock I recorded it on my apps - I'm going to be using the Fitbit app and MyFitnessPal. I weigh 9 stone and 12 pounds. This isn't a whole lot considering there's people on the TV who weigh over 600 pounds and can't even get out of bed, whereas here I am still technically within the normal BMI range, but it's quite a lot for me as my best healthy weight is 8 stone and 7 pounds and my current weight is the heaviest I've been in years. 8 stone 7 is the weight where my joints stop playing me up so that's what I will be aiming for: a loss of 19 pounds. I've also taken my measurements and recorded those on another app; this is the first time I've done this so it will be interesting to see how my measurements change as I get healthier.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Luckily one side effect of all the junk I've been eating over the festive season is that I'm actually pretty sick of junk and my body is craving something healthier, so today was day 1 of eating decent food.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I started by having this for lunch:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<img alt="Image result for aldi mediterranean quinoa" height="320" src="https://www.fiddespayne.co.uk/uploads/1/0/0/5/100506126/s678521393674569792_p44_i1_w1000.jpeg" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
'Mediterranean Quinoa' from Aldi, with some tomatoes and cucumber.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2EGaurZil5XJa-WBvmaWb-lwEMJjvX3iEQj4vOx971gbqf_OmDVjhKw55TQF3PQQK4tXnRNnJ52GW6oTirmrL0ZdEq8474K1LUBW7ybkPyjZmZKC6hll7r7MjPHiKx38h9laWddm-rs/s1600/20180101_185815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1413" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2EGaurZil5XJa-WBvmaWb-lwEMJjvX3iEQj4vOx971gbqf_OmDVjhKw55TQF3PQQK4tXnRNnJ52GW6oTirmrL0ZdEq8474K1LUBW7ybkPyjZmZKC6hll7r7MjPHiKx38h9laWddm-rs/s320/20180101_185815.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MKg0FOCXrMowBwOj7qzL66a0xNJPvPrOtmmEsqPo8ZEOJ3Xtw78obnZmrizvx4rBgWPtGK9P1-KdnmkvUuuT8rA9PGukjBApfTHRO9OG1QHoQIxZzUSS43fgvoOlTntCOHdC5UwMDrg/s1600/20180101_190035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1600" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MKg0FOCXrMowBwOj7qzL66a0xNJPvPrOtmmEsqPo8ZEOJ3Xtw78obnZmrizvx4rBgWPtGK9P1-KdnmkvUuuT8rA9PGukjBApfTHRO9OG1QHoQIxZzUSS43fgvoOlTntCOHdC5UwMDrg/s320/20180101_190035.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">I've decided to start using the <a href="http://www.getmealplans.com/">Happy Herbivore</a> plant based meal plans again; I've used them a few times in the past and always found them pretty easy and tasty, filling enough that I'm not left feeling deprived, and, importantly, not expensive!! They work really well for me because I'm the only plant based eater in our family and it takes all the thought and most of the effort out of what to cook for myself, and all the meals can be cooked in advance at the weekend and just reheated later. Normally by the time I've cooked other stuff for the other 3 people I can't be bothered to do something fancy for myself so I usually end up getting a sandwich or some quick oven-junk food instead, but this way if I batch cook at the weekend I can guarantee a zero effort meal for myself all week long. You can get them in a 4 person menu, or a smaller 2 person version which is ideal for me as I can use one portion for dinner and use the second portion for lunch the next day. This is a 'Buffalodilla' which I had for dinner today and it was delicious. Excuse the presentation, I was starving and couldn't wait to eat!</span><br /><br />In addition to quinoa it contains wheatberries, olives and some other stuff and because it cooks in the microwave in 1 minute it's my usual fallback for 'quick and easy whilst still reasonably healthy' lunch food. I often have this for work lunches but I am going to try and start having something a bit cheaper and home made. This was just to tide me over a bit whilst I got cooking on the other things I had planned...</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-29247066231544274162017-12-29T16:56:00.000+00:002017-12-29T16:56:18.887+00:00New Year's Resolutions (Cliche but Necessary)<img height="180" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/52d6d1ede4b0b322e9c7a2ea/t/5868187b9f745649513998eb/1483217027877/" width="320" /><br />
It's the 29th December 2017 and I am planning which changes to make in 2018. You might want to get a chair and a cup of tea because this is going to take some time.<br />
<br />
HEALTH<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSKDl_MbVzpeouNQSfSXBVyO-LmkrgaouTNYA4j9u1eeO6NwetPTQ" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSKDl_MbVzpeouNQSfSXBVyO-LmkrgaouTNYA4j9u1eeO6NwetPTQ" /></a></div>
My health has been pretty terrible for a while now. I constantly have colds, like literally every 2 weeks or so I will come down with apocalypse-grade lurgy that renders me all but bed ridden for days. I am done with being sick all the time. DONE. So I'm going to try and do something about it. I've always been a bit of a sick-note when it comes to colds and what not - it's a family trait unfortunately - but I keep thinking back to the one time - about a year, 3 or 4 years back now - when I actually caught very few colds and the ones I did catch were only mild and short lived. The main things that were different about my life then were 1) I ate more healthily, 2) I exercised regularly and 3) I was less stressed in general. It's well known that immune systems are boosted by good nutrition and regular exercise and that stress damages your ability to fight disease. I may not be able to do much about stress (although I am going to try) but I can definitely do something about the other two and that's got to help, right?<br />
<br />
FOOD<br />
<br />
I have allowed myself to get into absolutely appalling eating habits. I have lived on junk food and what I call 'filler food' - not necessarily junk, but stuff that fills you up without necessarily being nutritious, for waaaay too long. I am aware that this is a combination of comfort eating and convenience eating, as well as a bad habit. It needs to stop.<br />
<a href="https://www.city.ac.uk/__data/assets/image/0005/352643/Tim-Lang-sustainable-diets-The-Conversation-thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for food" border="0" height="213" src="https://www.city.ac.uk/__data/assets/image/0005/352643/Tim-Lang-sustainable-diets-The-Conversation-thumb.jpg" width="320" /></a>My weight is not technically a problem if you look at things like NHS BMI targets etc but I am over a stone heavier than I was when I was healthy, and as I have Ehlers Danlos syndrome, that extra weight is bad because it's causing me to have hip problems again. So whilst my main target is just to improve the quality of what I put into my mouth, if that results in me shedding a few pounds it's a bonus.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
EXERCISE<br />
<br />
<a href="about:invalid#zClosurez" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" /></a>Biggest new year's resolution cliche ever, right? I need to get my arse in gear and get moving. I hate exercising outdoors (apart from walking, that's OK) so this part of my resolution is going to have to involve going to the gym. I have one at work, which is cheap, and literally 3 minutes walk from my office, so I have literally NO excuse not to go there. Other than feeling a bit sheepish and embarrassed when I rock up for the first time in 2 years immediately after New Year and start exercising, thereby proclaiming to the entire gym community (which includes various people I work with on a daily basis) that why yes, this is a new year's resolution, feel free to judge and laugh etc. But I guess I will just have to suck that up and get over it eh?<br />
<br />
STRESS (and FUN)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpQCwq4ishakDpihcSPRbhZjLiUX4wP23KfXz4e2K5OCO-dXbeVf0P3FQzSrs5v3LylBEojYFIBUE8TTr-479HmclqFT8M_N9_s0X1cS4rUSJYjlxwhEjj5SbJ4L5SOnQCeB4cqo3cfM/s1600/25ea1d9067331d21294fe436758c944b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpQCwq4ishakDpihcSPRbhZjLiUX4wP23KfXz4e2K5OCO-dXbeVf0P3FQzSrs5v3LylBEojYFIBUE8TTr-479HmclqFT8M_N9_s0X1cS4rUSJYjlxwhEjj5SbJ4L5SOnQCeB4cqo3cfM/s1600/25ea1d9067331d21294fe436758c944b.jpg" /></a>This one is a little bit out of my control because there are various things going on in my life which are very stressful but also unavoidable and all I can really do is ride out the storm. However I have decided that it must be possible to at least minimise my stress somewhat. I'm hoping that better food and regular exercise are going to help. I'm also going to make a big effort to get more sleep (I am a terrible night owl) and also to give myself permission to switch off from whatever stressful things are happening and do something fun for myself at least once a day. I'm going to try and keep blogging, because that's fun and therapeutic, and I'm also going to try and get back to writing. I'm going to read regularly, because I love reading and it's hugely escapist, but it's fallen by the wayside these last few years.<br />
One thing I want to spend LESS time doing is playing on my phone. I can literally lose HOURS scrolling through social media and in between the interesting updates from friends and family there's also a lot of negativity and pointless crap. It's actually really depressing and draining, not to mention addictive. Instead, I'm going to play video games, because in similar fashion to phone-scrolling, you can switch off your brain (the part that worries) and just focus on playing, but in a fun way rather than a 'look at this picture of a starving puppy/ guess what terrible thing a politician just did again/ here's a news article about some kids who got murdered' way. It's important to be aware of these things, but not to the extent I flood my brain with it 24/7/365 and end up depressed and distraught at how shitty the world is - even if you try to help, there's always one more terrible thing that's out of your control and it gets to you after a while. <i>I need some down time.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<a href="https://toggl.com/photos/time-management-tips-toggl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for time management" border="0" height="257" src="https://toggl.com/photos/time-management-tips-toggl.jpg" width="320" /></a>I'm also going to try and practice better time management at work. One of my biggest stressors recently has been having to achieve miracle-grade levels of work with insufficient levels of staff. This is through no fault of my own, and is unlikely to change any time soon, but I tend to get overwhelmed and lose focus, then spin my wheels doing stuff that's less important, which wastes time and makes things worse. I see some A-grade use of calendars, white boards and to do lists on my horizon, to help me stay focused. As well as forcing myself to delegate work, which does not come easily to me.<br />
<br />
APPEARANCE<br />
<br />
<a href="https://d9np3dj86nsu2.cloudfront.net/image/82190b1f767b9f76340b2403d6900a3e" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for appearance" border="0" height="163" src="https://d9np3dj86nsu2.cloudfront.net/image/82190b1f767b9f76340b2403d6900a3e" width="320" /></a>One of the little things that always used to help me with stress was taking some time to pamper myself. I've let that slide. I'm going to try and fix that because I know how much better it makes me feel. I'm not going the whole hog and becoming high maintenance but I am going to make the effort to do my hair, nails, make up, to actually bother with jewellery, and to wear clothes that I like and which make me feel good. I'm also going to make an effort with my skin as I have basically done nothing for the longest time and I deserve not to be dry/spotty/whatever any more.<br />
<br />
CLUTTER<br />
<a href="http://rcubed3.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Clutter-Blog-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://rcubed3.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Clutter-Blog-3.png" /></a>I have pretty significant hoarding tendencies and have done my whole life. Not "Hoarders" TV show grade hoarding, but enough to be an issue. It was terrible when I was a child. I've got a lot better since then but I'm far from perfect and it gets worse when I'm stressed. And I've been stressed for the last 3 years, so yeah. My house could definitely do with some work. I find that very overwhelming to deal with so I've been putting it off but I need to do something now because it's on the verge of becoming a really big deal. I've recently been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome which is a big part of the problem tbh - one facet is that I get very easily overwhelmed if I don't have 100% control of my life, and decluttering items that I've previously dealt with by careful stacking and hiding in cupboards etc can be messy and overwhelming!! So I'm going to need to do it gradually. It's also very difficult for me as I also tend to get very attached to everything, but that's another thing I'm going to have to get the hell over because otherwise I'm going to drown in my own junk by this time next year.<br />
<br />
FINANCES<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="about:invalid#zClosurez" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="data:image/png;base64,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" /></a>This is a big one and significantly linked to my hoarding tendencies. I waste waaaaaaayyyyy too much money buying crap I don't need to try and make myself feel happy (and really just achieve adding to the pile of things I need to declutter as well as adding to my debt mountain). I realise that this is a problem. I am going to try and do something about it. Miracles take longer (especially when dealing with a problem that's taken years to build up) so I am not going to set my sights too high and start talking about being debt free within a year or any tosh like that. However I am going to set myself a challenge: <i><b>No Unnecessary Purchases for 100 days. </b></i>Henceforth to be known as 'The Great No-Buy'. Starting the 1st January, before I buy something I am going to have to think: do I really need it? Do I have something else that I could use instead? Obviously things like food and medicine are still allowed, although I have to try and keep expense there to the minimum (I am a bit of a food hoarder and tend to buy things 'for later' or 'just to stock up' and this is not going to be allowed during the no-buy. I am going to try and use what I already have instead). I can still get new school shirts for the Boy when he can't fit into the old ones any more. I can still buy shampoo when I'm out of shampoo - but I have to use up all the stockpiled shampoo first, or come up with a really good reason why I can't. I can't buy new make up because it looked nice/was a colour I don't already have.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-77653470028157319152017-12-27T19:07:00.001+00:002017-12-27T19:07:36.245+00:00She's alive!!<img alt="Image result for new year's resolutions" height="219" src="https://www.gentlemenhood.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/new-year-blog.jpg" width="320" /><br />
Wow. It's been a REALLY long time since I last dusted off this blog and did something with it, huh?<br />
<br />
Sorry about that. Life has been pretty... complicated. For a ridiculously long time. I'm lucky I still have any vestiges of sanity at all, never mind the ability to blog. I'm not going to bore you with a long list of the things I've had to deal with but just rest assured it hasn't been pretty and honestly I'm done with ALL of it.<br />
<br />
Anyway this is my attempt to get my metaphorical sh*t together once and for all and try and get back to blogging, and indeed life in general. That doesn't mean that things are simple again or that everything is hunky dory - far from it - but it does mean I'm pretty sick at dragging along in the aftermath of chaos and I'm ready to try and carve out some sort of normality and fun in what is otherwise one long stream of OhMyGodWhatTheHellAmISupposedToDoNow.<br />
<br />
So yeah. It's nearly new year's eve 2018. The perfect, if slightly cliche, moment to make changes to your life and try to dig yourself out of the poop pile life saw fit to bury you underneath until now.<br />
<br />
It's probably best to assume that any and all resolutions and improvements I have made previously on this blog have gone a bit down the toilet by now and I'm basically starting from square 1. Keep your expectations low, people...Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-25103199326454354482014-02-02T09:48:00.000+00:002014-02-02T09:48:45.720+00:0031 Days of CheapnessI found a great frugal food website the other day: <a href="http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/">Cheap Family Recipes</a>, and I'm really excited to share it with you!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhd4wD7Q3nFWwsz4aUlenHoSj3i-ECXLoyG_aZX0KxNziLP7f86qQC-AOs3zxVPLkgxb7Xvcx5p9snWlXKMq8V5WCQbNL4O3faPLRtZpxAIu2pCu2ic7lNgA1z7y9xnECyihbwRZ_iG8/s1600/homepage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhd4wD7Q3nFWwsz4aUlenHoSj3i-ECXLoyG_aZX0KxNziLP7f86qQC-AOs3zxVPLkgxb7Xvcx5p9snWlXKMq8V5WCQbNL4O3faPLRtZpxAIu2pCu2ic7lNgA1z7y9xnECyihbwRZ_iG8/s1600/homepage1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
The authors of this site have provided meal plans and shopping lists for incredibly cheap family eating. They claim that, if you follow the meal plans and shop wisely, you can feed a family of four for a month, for about £100. The recipes look tasty and well balanced, and they have two plans on offer: the vegan version, and a version that includes meat. They also offer the whole thing FOR FREE. I'm sure you won't be surprised to learn that I am rather excited to give this a try. Starting tomorrow, I will be following the Cheap Family Recipes 'option two' vegan meal plan for 31 days.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9rf-semIjT_T-9gfKe-aUFgLFqMAbmdg2m_L8BYOIJA5_D3eQPwdZImGBqJfjsc9A0V0i_L8hFiPEAkian5gtP5GGPkx2Wf1x2ScdamYTugA-jpoE4sn0va-ZBO-s7WCw7dtLiWTUqM/s1600/curry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9rf-semIjT_T-9gfKe-aUFgLFqMAbmdg2m_L8BYOIJA5_D3eQPwdZImGBqJfjsc9A0V0i_L8hFiPEAkian5gtP5GGPkx2Wf1x2ScdamYTugA-jpoE4sn0va-ZBO-s7WCw7dtLiWTUqM/s1600/curry.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Bean Curry (pic taken from http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now, a few disclaimers. The prices on Cheap Family Recipes were calculated in 2010. Prices have gone up exponentially since then, pretty much everywhere. So I am under no illusion whatsoever that this will be quite as cheap as they're claiming. BUT the principle is still sound. The recipes still use very cheap ingredients so I'm interested to see how cheap it'll be to eat like this in 2014.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvwP12HWwWT4EVP1ZEH-jWjD2PgHT74qa-F50bkX2LES1ubgbr67Mi1ydKj-3wLB_ANKd7vSAHiQVbUMYW__oJv-SZDN2lim7D1twHhEEfCpHOZT2a4NtN0O31YDTPbPW9hDmCSehOYU/s1600/tartetatin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvwP12HWwWT4EVP1ZEH-jWjD2PgHT74qa-F50bkX2LES1ubgbr67Mi1ydKj-3wLB_ANKd7vSAHiQVbUMYW__oJv-SZDN2lim7D1twHhEEfCpHOZT2a4NtN0O31YDTPbPW9hDmCSehOYU/s1600/tartetatin.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Onion Tarte Tatin (pic taken from http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Also, I am not feeding a whole family with this plan, as I am only carrying out this experiment on myself this time. So I have cut all the quantities down to single-person amounts, except where it's something I need for everybody in the house anyway (like potatoes), where I've just bought in bulk like I always do. I'm not sure yet how much it's all costing, mainly because I already had half the required items in my cupboard anyway, but I''ll work it out and put a list up soon.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdbMpDbQGfHKHNlZrPsGZNvSTZQmx5lDIUEuAVemUFdhkWFjcquT6rDg75DU0PYoHwKifPFZKBDZwf-_X6MdHCPB38ho0aAqx0btzTdWW5xpzr4-zV0xQjiz7enaZYpygEuwjtoaaQ1g/s1600/pastaredpepper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdbMpDbQGfHKHNlZrPsGZNvSTZQmx5lDIUEuAVemUFdhkWFjcquT6rDg75DU0PYoHwKifPFZKBDZwf-_X6MdHCPB38ho0aAqx0btzTdWW5xpzr4-zV0xQjiz7enaZYpygEuwjtoaaQ1g/s1600/pastaredpepper.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Red Pepper Pasta (pic taken from http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm also keen to see what happens to my body if I start following this plan. I need to go completely vegan again because of the effect dairy has on my skin (Psoriasis, spots and what not) and lungs (asthma), but I've been struggling to drop the last few non-vegan things I eat at the moment, because it's just easier to grab something convenient than make the effort to make a 'proper' vegan meal (and I can't afford ready made vegan convenience food, which is super expensive). I'm also interested to see if it will affect my weight. I'm pretty much smack bang in the middle of the healthy range if you go by my BMI, so it doesn't really matter if I stay there or even put on a little bit here and there. But I eat way too much junk food, which obviously will not be part of this new menu plan, so I won't be surprised if I lose a few pounds over the next month. If that happens, that's okay. As long as it's not more than a stone I'll still count as healthy.<br />
<br />
Watch this space for updates!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-89971488299582175812014-01-26T11:53:00.001+00:002014-01-26T11:53:19.540+00:00Cheap vegan cream of celery and potato soupI shot myself in the foot by saying I'd get back to blogging soon didn't I? Pretty much as soon as I posted that, I came down with the mother of all nasty viruses (thanks to my germ incubator of a child) and was flat on my back for AGES. Today is the first day I am even vaguely able to think about looking at a computer screen without my head splitting in half! Anyway, I wanted to share this soup which I made the other day in a rare lucid moment between coughing and sneezing and passing out on the couch like some sort of zombie. Due to being ill, I had been neglecting the grocery shopping and my fridge was rather empty. So I invented this quick and easy comfort food with whatever I could find.... cream of celery and potato soup!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzGUKqCU_wLvye2WdgmECHAMiL8uXZVe8jFYcCgzkjZsebjHNO_uRZ8FRJGzi7rSOZInVYx892wrxETeVHmF9jLmoB64Qdlx1Mnk7OjNh6mlvyKxNJe0kXwcZ8sFOUBjJiHORZQu1l4E/s1600/soupy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzGUKqCU_wLvye2WdgmECHAMiL8uXZVe8jFYcCgzkjZsebjHNO_uRZ8FRJGzi7rSOZInVYx892wrxETeVHmF9jLmoB64Qdlx1Mnk7OjNh6mlvyKxNJe0kXwcZ8sFOUBjJiHORZQu1l4E/s1600/soupy.jpg" height="275" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Chop, and throw into a pan:<br />
One head of celery, one onion (I only had red ones, which was fine except it made the soup a bit grey looking. If you want green soup, use normal onions instead). Three cloves of garlic (this was me trying to kill my virus. You might want to use less). One potato. Add enough vegetable stock to just about cover the contents of the pan, bring to the boil then simmer it until everything has gone soft. Pour in about half a cup of soya milk (if you're not vegan you can use cow's milk instead). If you like it lumpy, heat through and serve. Otherwise blitz it up with a stick blender. This made enough for two big bowls of really thick soup. I had mine with hedgehog bread and it was really tasty!Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-26335519617360476582013-12-31T10:35:00.000+00:002013-12-31T10:35:34.838+00:00Happy New Year from Glitter MountainWow... it's been a pretty long time since I blogged hasn't it? 7 months and not a peep!!<br />
<br />
2013 was a bit of a mess, unfortunately. We had a whole ton of bad luck: money, health, work, and a death in the family. I pretty much quit the internet while I was trying to deal with it all... there's only so much one person can handle, after all. But I'm back now and quite surprised to see I still have some subscribers! Thanks for being so patient ^_^<br />
<br />
I have lots to show you. Watch this space!!<br />
<br />
<br />Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-75484637836063544402013-05-12T23:34:00.000+01:002013-08-24T21:39:08.425+01:00CollectingThe next topic is Collecting and we are supposed to talk about the things we collect. Well sad to say, I am a total hoarder and always have been. When I was a child I always had at least 4 or 5 different collections on the go, Dolphins, My Little Ponies, books, Tigers, little horse ornaments and god knows what else and my room was pretty hard to move around in or find anything because of all the stuff I used to collect and keep. Now I'm older I have had to try and keep my hoarding instincts under control so that my house won't be completely swamped with things!! I still permit myself a few things though, because at the end of the day they make me happy and it would be a sad world if I deprived myself completely! One thing I have collected for years is paper weights. I have about 30 of them dotted around the house and they are beautiful. But my main thing is...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-6sYGoihHs8sQC3NkFpmj1hS4h2Dty_AhTslwUHnTpLiCP5Eu7NyzBoGLq7U_CX0GAdLoOPI0L2ItbBFbdKk8Axy4qqClRlAWDK2Gsy41JAv-rvSfcxo1ybMhHhxVsWM4CjQjomwnT8/s1600/eye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-6sYGoihHs8sQC3NkFpmj1hS4h2Dty_AhTslwUHnTpLiCP5Eu7NyzBoGLq7U_CX0GAdLoOPI0L2ItbBFbdKk8Axy4qqClRlAWDK2Gsy41JAv-rvSfcxo1ybMhHhxVsWM4CjQjomwnT8/s320/eye.jpg" width="309" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Make up and nail polish!</div>
I'm sure it is no surprise to anybody who knows me or who has been reading this blog for any length of time, that my main collection is nail polish. I also collect lipsticks and eyeshadows (the picture above is my eyeshadow collection). It may, however, be a surprise to some of you that there is a really good reason WHY I collect these things. When my son was born, for the first three years of his life I suffered from severe post natal depression and post natal psychosis. Life was very dark and hopeless back then, since I hid my condition and it went undiagnosed and untreated for a very long time and I didn't get any help until the child was three years old. Nail polish, and then make up, was actually what saved me in the end, or at least it was the first step in my recovery. My sister in law was staying with us, and one day she painted her nails, then offered me the bottle to do mine too. I had not worn even a scrap of make up for longer than I could remember - but out of politeness I took the bottle and painted my toenails. It felt so weird having something about me feel pretty for once. But it also felt good. So the next day I did my fingernails too. And then I tried a little make up, and then I did something with my hair for a change, and then I bought some new clothes and suddenly I felt like a human being again for the first time in three long years. I have collected nail polish, and to a lesser extent make up, ever since then - and I always will, because it reminds me that I am important too and deserve to look nice and have nice things. Nearly all of my stash is drugstore or mid range; I have very little high end stuff because as nice as it is to have a drawer full of Chanel or Dior, I find it hard to justify the amount they cost when finances are tight.<br />
I have two Helmers, one for polish, the other for make up, and I spend soooo much time just rearranging the things in them, taking them out, looking at them, having a little play with this colour and that, it's so therapeutic and it makes me really happy.<br />
<br />
What about you - what do you collect and why?<br />
<br />Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-15434497425068590952013-05-12T08:08:00.001+01:002013-08-24T21:39:56.200+01:00Book LoveToday's next topic is Book Love.<br />
<br />
Now I have to say that nowadays as a full time employee, mum, wife and blogger, I don't get much time for reading any more, and when I do it has to be on a Kindle because allergies have made it hard for me to keep paper books in the house any more -sob-. But as a child and in my teens and early twenties I was a total book addict. I never had a book out of my hand and if I had nothing to read I felt physically deprived. I remember once when I was a child and sitting on the loo, I couldn't even last the few minutes until I got out of the bathroom so I sat there reading the back of the toilet roll packet just for something to read!! I didn't know back then but this was actually a side effect of having Dyscalculia which I have had all my life... dyscalculics tend to compensate for having learning difficulties with numbers, by being really good with reading and words instead, and boy did I over compensate!! I especially loved fantasy books, sci fi, and also the classics which I found in a local book shop for cheap and had a whole collection of them. I had hundreds of books and loved them all. It's hard to pick out favourites from all the books I love or have loved but here are two of special significance to me: the first 'proper' book I ever read, and my favourite book as a child.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Xy2dZ20b5LRYrJnqxaHkfmXIze2bBxihd6TemmsjVgD_4EClfvC45PpYgauGgDKOBDQTM9uI6BhSpvmjYhH3wwzgi9tHYw-uYLs4KYoh5oeHDLlibj76QK8FvSvqnY0AI0GhPVJVZLE/s1600/watership-down1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Xy2dZ20b5LRYrJnqxaHkfmXIze2bBxihd6TemmsjVgD_4EClfvC45PpYgauGgDKOBDQTM9uI6BhSpvmjYhH3wwzgi9tHYw-uYLs4KYoh5oeHDLlibj76QK8FvSvqnY0AI0GhPVJVZLE/s320/watership-down1.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>
The first 'grown up' book I remember reading is Watership Down. I could read by the time I was 4 years old. Partly because of my dyscalculia, partly because I was rather precocious back then anyway, and partly because my mother disapproved of the new system of Phonics they were teaching at the time and therefore she made darn sure I could already read before I started school. At the age of 4 I was reading more fluently than most people twice my age and once I started school they just didn't know what to do with me. At 5, given the 'Roger Red Hat' book learn-to-read series everyone else in my class at school was reading, I finished them all in less than a week. After a bit of consternation and trying to make me read other books for kids my age (which all lasted me about 5 minutes before I was back asking for something else to do), the teachers just gave up and let me pick whatever I wanted from the top class' book shelf. I chose Watership Down, which everybody thought was waaaaaay too hard even for me. I finished it in three weeks flat and all the teachers pretty much fainted lol. They let me keep the book and I still have it today and love it even now.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAiVtKSmewIxjhyphenhyphenTzV6GvPpe5Xx82xvKsQHelgiBW9Pr-6oowD2k5vuRDWhr9PK2tJuSAqLzNAl86c-J44LBvFHIm34evTCIal-33CMqizISztmuYZ65umqsLaF6aJt6z0BohkBGseJ48/s1600/62111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAiVtKSmewIxjhyphenhyphenTzV6GvPpe5Xx82xvKsQHelgiBW9Pr-6oowD2k5vuRDWhr9PK2tJuSAqLzNAl86c-J44LBvFHIm34evTCIal-33CMqizISztmuYZ65umqsLaF6aJt6z0BohkBGseJ48/s320/62111.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
The Swiss Family Robinson was my favourite book for years as a child. Dad picked it up in a charity shop and gave it to me as it was one he'd been fond of as a boy. I absolutely loved it and pretty much read the ink off the pages. I loved the stories of desert island life, the way they survived in the wilderness and made themselves such a lovely home from sheer resourcefulness that in the end when rescuers arrived, they decided to stay there rather than leave. When I was older I saw the movie and I HATED it. Hollywood-ised to death, it was nothing like the book... gone were the fascinating tales of survival and the intricate details of how they'd designed this that or the other gadget to make butter or string, made their own fishing nets, or how they protected their little farm area from wild animals. Instead they'd been replaced by cheesy shmaltz and stupid scenes of brothers (who in the book had been decent and sensible) suddenly turned into hormone crazed idiots, fighting over who gets to dance with the girl (why do they have to bring sex into everything??). Even now the movie gives me rage just to think about it. I consider it pretty much the worst movie I have ever seen, just because of how far removed it was from my childhood memories of this lovely story and part of the reason why I rarely watch a movie that's based on a book unless I have already read the book first and seen what it was really supposed to be like!<br />
<br />
That's it for Book Love for me. How about you? Which books did you love as a child?<br />
<br />
<br />Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-49885324094777712312013-05-12T07:24:00.002+01:002013-05-12T07:24:50.075+01:00Travel DreamsMorning, sweeties!<br />
<br />
So having caught right up with the blog every day in May challenge, I wound up with a killer headache that lasted two days and BINGO, I'm behind again. It was so annoying, but my head hurt too much to even look at a computer screen.<br />
<br />
Never mind though because both of the topics I've missed are fairly short ones, so rather than ignore them I'm going to catch up all over again. First up is Travel Dreams : if you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? This is quite a hard one since there's a lot of places I would love to visit, however if I had to pick just one it would be the place I love so much, I even have it as my blogger user picture:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-OI15dSlT9McQ1FlOhc7kaFL_PdJFy20bi4ltXxcyU7Q6OQJMwUoGKm5mVK4A6yKE4LUVJMom89lYWwAMukuDjuOhlq-_pW2Ey8n_sOUVFcqtQjC99hh27DXJOGrnKThr9GVkbe5fZY/s1600/393497_195805957178973_870412746_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-OI15dSlT9McQ1FlOhc7kaFL_PdJFy20bi4ltXxcyU7Q6OQJMwUoGKm5mVK4A6yKE4LUVJMom89lYWwAMukuDjuOhlq-_pW2Ey8n_sOUVFcqtQjC99hh27DXJOGrnKThr9GVkbe5fZY/s320/393497_195805957178973_870412746_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barbados</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Caribbean! I have always wanted to go there, ever since I was a child. I've always been kind of cold blooded - I'm cold pretty much all the time, and the UK leaves quite a lot to be desired when it comes to hot and sunny weather for most of the year - so anywhere that's tropical and warm sounds like my idea of heaven.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LVQE1IY2CQ1gpGUqod48zd3cP7ldeThLimwoi2bJDphQQ9lrHm7ZqsnpOdi_sLCuxkWt8QXFIs-PSVLf67Dgo57XUp7Awp6aQrvF26ekLqvjY3cwljDjVShKbScO1DQummy2IwnQ9PQ/s1600/Carib.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LVQE1IY2CQ1gpGUqod48zd3cP7ldeThLimwoi2bJDphQQ9lrHm7ZqsnpOdi_sLCuxkWt8QXFIs-PSVLf67Dgo57XUp7Awp6aQrvF26ekLqvjY3cwljDjVShKbScO1DQummy2IwnQ9PQ/s320/Carib.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
One day when I was about 10 my mum and I were talking about what it would be like to live somewhere warmer than the UK, and if so which sort of place would we prefer. She said that there were dry heat places like deserts, and tropical places where it was more humid, and so on. We looked at pictures of different hot places and when I saw photographs of the Caribbean islands I thought they were the most beautiful places I'd ever seen. Ever since then I've been entranced by all things Caribbean! The landscape... the food... the people... the music... even now a Caribbean accent leaves me weak at the knees. Though I have never actually been there I have promised myself I will go one day, though I'll probably have to win the lottery first to afford the plane fare!<br />
<br />
How about you - where would you love to go?<br />
<br />Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-37263543119544732742013-05-09T23:36:00.001+01:002013-05-09T23:56:53.144+01:00Favourite Social Media ChannelDay 9 of the BEDM challenge and this time we have to talk about our favourite social media channel!<br />
<br />
While I wouldn't say I'm completely obsessed with social media, it definitely plays a big part in my life. There are so many channels now and so many people use at least one of them - friends, family, colleagues and so on - that it's hard not to be influenced by social media in some way these days. Probably my most used of the social media channels is Facebook. Once upon a time I actually used MySpace instead, but over time it became more populated by young teenagers, bands etc and it wasn't the same any more. Not that there's anything wrong with teens or bands, but I am neither of those things and whilst I do like music, that's not all I'm into. So I went and checked out Facebook and the rest is history.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvjbZSTtjbKldOQJCWPGnvomESzZiXV2TTFFcN6AR5rUlxNfSpcW9iOsnPw3KpNGEEejOVyrzmuTm5Ulbeh0srVrKMTg_y0dpivCTl-sJJ9KBzDwsAE3pxWLpo_TvC8m_h0TMyqrzMjw/s1600/facebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvjbZSTtjbKldOQJCWPGnvomESzZiXV2TTFFcN6AR5rUlxNfSpcW9iOsnPw3KpNGEEejOVyrzmuTm5Ulbeh0srVrKMTg_y0dpivCTl-sJJ9KBzDwsAE3pxWLpo_TvC8m_h0TMyqrzMjw/s1600/facebook.jpg" /></a></div>
Facebook has a special place in my life because through it I have got back in touch with a lot of old friends, family members, people I used to go to school with, people who live too far away from me to visit, and so on - since I have a bit of a phobia of talking on the telephone, and have never been too good at writing letters, there are many people who I probably wouldn't have had anywhere near as good a relationship with if I hadn't been able to do it this way. I even met one of my closest friends through Facebook; she was a friend of a friend and we added each other because of that and the rest was history. Facebook has also been a lifeline for me during those times when I've had little or no social life otherwise; when I've had no money, or was too busy taking care of a newborn to leave the house, or for some other reason that got in the way of me having a life beyond just work and home. These were times when I could have been incredibly lonely, but because of Facebook I was able to stay in touch with people and feel reassured that someone still cared about my existence (and likewise I've been able to do the same for other people too). I like how you can put as much or as little effort in as you want, be that long messages on each other's statuses or walls, or just a simple 'like' of a picture or something that somebody's shared, letting them know that you've seen it and you think it's cool (man do I wish they would have a dislike button too though). I value likes as much as actual messages, it only takes a second to click 'like' but it still lets the person know you're there and you're thinking of them in some way. I use Facebook as my ranting post, soap box, a platform for sharing triumphs and successes, and a way of recording important moments in my life. I put loads of photographs on there, which means not only do my friends and family get to see them, but also I can look back through them and through old statuses and what not and feel nostalgic/proud/sentimental/amused etc over each of the things I've done and seen. It's a bit like an electronic scrapbook of my life... I have always been AWFUL at keeping diaries and journals, and organising photographs, but now that Facebook exists, it does all of that for me. If I could only pick one type of social media, it would probably be Facebook.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih27sILQVYLhviNR88Tibkf10FWRPnG-fXTn7Cv8nDzhigKwXCFFvZk0yJlPv-_yywRuA8dRVXB75R6k83_u43Itzi-LpGyCmYbPsRiGWetKO5jg8TckLwk6B8jk8Zo2BiNvANvd8do30/s1600/twitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih27sILQVYLhviNR88Tibkf10FWRPnG-fXTn7Cv8nDzhigKwXCFFvZk0yJlPv-_yywRuA8dRVXB75R6k83_u43Itzi-LpGyCmYbPsRiGWetKO5jg8TckLwk6B8jk8Zo2BiNvANvd8do30/s1600/twitter.jpg" /></a></div>
Lucky for me I don't have to stick to just the one though! Next up in my list of favourites is Twitter. I have to say that for the longest time I didn't really get on with Twitter. Unlike Facebook, hardly any of my 'real life' friends are on there, so when I first started I didn't really have anyone to talk to and there isn't exactly a 'find me some random people to make friends with' button either lol. But I persevered, starting off by following celebrities and then finding people who also liked those celebrities, and then on to bloggers and other interests of mine. Once you've got a few friends you add more from amongst their friends too and it soon grows. Twitter is, for me, primarily a place I interact with the blogging community (both directly and also by clicking on bloggers' links to their latest posts), find out what's new and exciting in the world of nail polish, cosmetics and fashion, and to a lesser extent, keep tabs on what my favourite celebrities are doing. Unlike Facebook, most of my friends on Twitter are people I have never met in 'real life', but I have been able to get to know some really great people, with similar interests to me, who I probably would never have come into contact with otherwise.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwl4DnHGFxm7hybdFAPUwqyJFHIDDu0efLAOvxV1fLo6sDnXOnWw5lOkvT72yhiMIrsIiVatOE0JIgtCBESUHhrjl3_4pp4UWMSSWHPZ3lcw-BFB6OeLZfyDskv3NAWT_1UvZjuRHHVk/s1600/insta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwl4DnHGFxm7hybdFAPUwqyJFHIDDu0efLAOvxV1fLo6sDnXOnWw5lOkvT72yhiMIrsIiVatOE0JIgtCBESUHhrjl3_4pp4UWMSSWHPZ3lcw-BFB6OeLZfyDskv3NAWT_1UvZjuRHHVk/s1600/insta.jpg" /></a></div>
A more recent addition to my list has been Instagram. I used to hear about this photographic social media thing that people had on iPhones and wonder what all the fuss was about; when they brought it out on Android phones I had to give it a try just out of interest and nosiness lol. Initially I thought it was a bit of a boring gimmick but again that was because I didn't have many people to follow at first. Once I'd followed a few people I quickly became hooked; I just love seeing those little snapshots of people's lives and sharing a few of my own too :)<br />
<br />
That's about it for me; I know there's tons more (Google+, Foursquare, Flickr, Tumblr, YouTube and all the rest) but really I try and limit it to just these three as I don't have time to spend on keeping that many things going. I can easily lose whole evenings just on Facebook alone and I try not to let social media swallow up my entire life, which could happen quite easily if I tried to do everything! Also I try to remember that social media has a dark side. As well as the fact it can easily steal all of your spare time if you let it (time I should be spending with my family!) the internet is full of creeps and weirdos. Sad but true, bad people have access to social media too! Because of this I have my own personal set of social media rules that I follow at all times - most of it is common sense but I will list them here anyway as it is so important to protect yourself when online these days.<br />
<br />
1. Use privacy settings correctly. Most of them are set by default to 'open', that is every man and his dog can see what you're doing and saying and uploading. This is fine if all you're doing is talking about how great your latest lipstick purchase is, but not so much if it's something more personal. If you're not OK with random and possibly dodgy strangers seeing that picture of you in your bikini, those settings are going to have to change.<br />
<br />
2. Limit the amount of personal information you share, especially if you have chosen to have slightly more relaxed privacy settings that allow strangers to see your activities, or if some of your friends are actually people you don't really know. People have been burgled because they told the world exactly where they lived, then put up statuses letting the world know they were off to work and wouldn't be back for x number of hours.<br />
<br />
3. DAMAGE LIMITATION. Watch what you say, do and upload - some things just have no place in social media, and for good reason. Even once you have your privacy settings right, you can still come unstuck and once it's out there, you can't always get it back. Sometimes people get hacked. Sometimes sites change the privacy settings without warning. Sometimes one of your so called friends turns out to be a troll or a gossip monger and before you know it you're in trouble because you said something and it was taken the wrong way, or passed on to someone you didn't want to share it with. I try always to look at what I'm doing and saying and imagine what might happen if that picture got into the wrong hands or if the wrong pair of eyes saw what I'd written. I don't like the answer, then I just don't put it on the internet!<br />
<br />Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-15329417572893405322013-05-09T07:04:00.002+01:002013-05-09T07:04:29.090+01:00My First JobMorning, lovelies!<br />
<br />
Just a quickie to try and catch up with the Blog Every Day in May challenge, as I'm running a day behind! I posted about pets yesterday but I also need to post about my first job!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJ2W83iOwBo2U_eyOP8xFPXICT8n280Vj6hy27EyMjeNKTDUqwFAmKnwVz87_4EuR979sSODOoAl6OoLv5qe-ov0A8OfCrKR83qaYAgywx_ExEQWy_euxTbM31r86Ja-BWz_n8ETDbPs/s1600/6e0fa0ec-b69b-4b66-8386-96ac07aea897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJ2W83iOwBo2U_eyOP8xFPXICT8n280Vj6hy27EyMjeNKTDUqwFAmKnwVz87_4EuR979sSODOoAl6OoLv5qe-ov0A8OfCrKR83qaYAgywx_ExEQWy_euxTbM31r86Ja-BWz_n8ETDbPs/s320/6e0fa0ec-b69b-4b66-8386-96ac07aea897.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
OK so I already mentioned that I grew up in a pet shop, so obviously I worked in there at weekends once I was old enough to help out, but that wasn't paid. I also did a paper round for a while, but my first PROPER job was working in Boots the Chemist! I started as a Saturday girl, working on the make up and perfume counters. Looking back, this is probably where my addiction to make up started! We got ~20% discount on everything and also we were allowed to buy any spare/discontinued/damaged testers we wanted for cheap. My first make up stash consisted of lots of high end testers, wish I still had them all!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5bjYKMh9Cs5eGYQj4Tghakg2IwUxtL42n7weQ6jRMv5dpblR4SvNoDWBVN-swsxmdL13GR7OCkgMlMmzobh8OK1lwTVny0hswjzb612vWsMtzZsMmErg7CzqT0NxKc44x7bHeGGwZLM/s1600/cos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5bjYKMh9Cs5eGYQj4Tghakg2IwUxtL42n7weQ6jRMv5dpblR4SvNoDWBVN-swsxmdL13GR7OCkgMlMmzobh8OK1lwTVny0hswjzb612vWsMtzZsMmErg7CzqT0NxKc44x7bHeGGwZLM/s1600/cos.jpg" /></a></div>
I worked with the make up for several years, selling both drugstore/cheapy make up and also some higher end products. There was Elizabeth Arden, Revlon, Ultima II, Estee Lauder, No 7, Dior and Clarins.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAa2p0JiY-wUHvIhjlOL5xSZDIYwYF95f-PZ4ZUa2paoIkCX0tx8CAbM2zM4qWoXt0QdpaZnJLCqz4N3DIBvUc7BntkPtyomDLkuedbki7wzrZ6HAmzHJYl5Q4rklfJ1HXZlSdxv0WKU/s1600/gty_cosmetic_store_jp_121011_wb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAa2p0JiY-wUHvIhjlOL5xSZDIYwYF95f-PZ4ZUa2paoIkCX0tx8CAbM2zM4qWoXt0QdpaZnJLCqz4N3DIBvUc7BntkPtyomDLkuedbki7wzrZ6HAmzHJYl5Q4rklfJ1HXZlSdxv0WKU/s320/gty_cosmetic_store_jp_121011_wb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the store I worked in, but it looked a lot like this (just a bit smaller)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Being just a Saturday girl meant they wouldn't let me have proper make up training and there was always this 'them and us' thing going on between the cosmetics consultants and we lowly Saturday staff. We weren't considered good enough to actually do makeovers or help people choose make up. However it often got so busy that we ended up doing it anyway - and I had quite a few customers (especially the older ladies who tended to also be the ones buying the more expensive items) decide that they much preferred me to the consultants and there was even one lady who spent at least £50 a week on high end products, who wouldn't buy anything at all if I wasn't there! So the consultants caved in and let me do pretty much the same job as them. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawtirG3_yNvHVv8lSkapMvDuG70wypQXiihokTQ5-0yiT5XUsxz-_Ql4veDcwCd0PplCp9joQTTaTx3rqXAeuEnNdR9X7eifJSWjz2CfB7KiOXmR-F9TxMZxxa8BS3I0JagKAC37pag8/s1600/75d8e777f48e78eb3b1ae6fffc026efb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawtirG3_yNvHVv8lSkapMvDuG70wypQXiihokTQ5-0yiT5XUsxz-_Ql4veDcwCd0PplCp9joQTTaTx3rqXAeuEnNdR9X7eifJSWjz2CfB7KiOXmR-F9TxMZxxa8BS3I0JagKAC37pag8/s320/75d8e777f48e78eb3b1ae6fffc026efb.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When I was at Uni my job changed and I worked in the pharmacy instead. It came in very useful for familiarising myself with pharmacology (which was relevant to my degree, Biochemistry) but I did miss the make up! Luckily I also stacked shelves in the evenings and got lots of time to play with the drugstore make up at that point, so I wasn't completely cut off even if I wasn't actually applying it to anyone's face :-p</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So there you are.... the reason for my make up addiction! The one thing I don't miss is the perfume counter. It was nice smelling all the perfumes, but lots of customers insisted we spray our own wrists for them to smell (instead of their own, or those little card tester things) and by the end of the day after 9344573984573948 sprays of different perfumes I used to stink to high heaven and it wouldn't even wash off in the shower when I got home. Old ladies on the bus would say 'excuse me dear but you're wearing far too much perfume'!</div>
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-77003887518309787382013-05-08T22:56:00.001+01:002013-05-08T22:57:41.838+01:00PetsI was meant to put this post up yesterday but when I got home from work I was just so tired that all I could do was ignore the laptop and go straight to bed! Do you ever get days like that, random days of extreme sleepiness? I have no idea where it came from but I feel better now I've had some sleep!<br />
<br />
Anyway the post from yesterday is about Pets, and even though it's a day late now I'm still going to write about it because it's a topic I was looking forward to. I grew up in a pet shop and we've always had a lot of animals around, honestly it doesn't feel right to not have at least one furry face about the place! We have five cats (because I'm a cat person), two dogs (because my husband is a dog person), two corn snakes (my husband's) and a load of tropical and cold water fish (jointly owned by the man and the boy). Our friends call our house 'the zoo', because as well as having plenty of our own, we have a habit of rescuing animals that are in a bad way, nursing them back to health and then passing them on to someone else who will love and care for them the way they deserve. If I talked about ALL my pets this would be the longest post ever so I'm just going to stick to the cats and dogs for now. Warning... it's going to be picture heavy...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQdFfze_SB_0W6v_kRykbNP-P7AIRV5_56T2I3fOIxMzf9whbG4yorZ-bK7p1p1OZdKCD5O6KTcaA_OwpOc4CY0G8th8sWwPliHKPYy0sW1iVn2VgJphmcx627usHocX9rxj2tKcHpcHg/s1600/Rosie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQdFfze_SB_0W6v_kRykbNP-P7AIRV5_56T2I3fOIxMzf9whbG4yorZ-bK7p1p1OZdKCD5O6KTcaA_OwpOc4CY0G8th8sWwPliHKPYy0sW1iVn2VgJphmcx627usHocX9rxj2tKcHpcHg/s320/Rosie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This is Rosie. She used to live wild on a farm, having litter after litter of kittens and she'd never had any love or affection from anyone in her entire life (about 6 years). She was full of worms, covered in fleas, and she'd been sunburned so badly that her ears and nose were a mass of scabs (the edges of her ears had completely dropped off!). We took her into our house about a year and a half ago with the intention of finding her a new home elsewhere once we'd cleaned her up and got her spayed, but she was so lovely we had to keep her! Being a wild cat we thought she'd be scratchy and feral but I have never met a more affectionate and grateful cat in my life! She gets on your lap the instant you sit down and cuddles you to death, puts her paws around you like a real human hug, and just sits and LOOKS at you like she can't believe she's actually getting some love. She refuses point blank to go more than 3 feet outside the back door and most of the time won't even leave the house, it's like she's saying 'been there, don't like it much, I'll just stay here on the nice soft sofa, thanks'.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1MDQ9xY4TmBqfPW3rZ6l0sPhEoK7IRht0DiGQLA8C6R1CRkZkpiiFa8RmT3ydzsQ__-pKJFNk8feXQr8Nq3XwinIkiWG1OPoewyOKcBd0UnQgNyfdL0sv-0qOcupHnNYFr-mBA6yQLQ/s1600/Poppy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1MDQ9xY4TmBqfPW3rZ6l0sPhEoK7IRht0DiGQLA8C6R1CRkZkpiiFa8RmT3ydzsQ__-pKJFNk8feXQr8Nq3XwinIkiWG1OPoewyOKcBd0UnQgNyfdL0sv-0qOcupHnNYFr-mBA6yQLQ/s320/Poppy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This is Poppy. Poppy is such a lovely cat, she loves cuddles and ambushing the dogs, plus she is a talking cat - you can literally have a conversation with her. You speak, then she will miaow, then you speak some more, then she miaows her answer, and so on. It's so cute! We got her as a kitten, again from a farm where she and lots of others just lived rough and fended for themselves. She was so dirty that we actually thought she was brown, until we washed her (twice!) and black fur gradually emerged from beneath all the dirt. She had also never been treated for fleas or worms and was so covered in fleas that she now has a severe flea allergy :( We keep it under control as much as possible with flea treatments and steroid injections to stop the itching but even with that, all it takes is for one flea to bite her and she's an itchy mess for ages, licking and scratching until she loses half her fur and makes herself sore all over. Despite everything she still manages to be so adorable and loving, and she rules the roost putting the dogs and the other cats in their place. She has 'small dog' syndrome... she's the smallest cat in the place but she acts like she's ten feet tall and she is definitely the boss!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEj9HTyTLsON4wKkW79V3BKW_WIxZc8XBkkTStQbYAhoiA0Hn6Du7XhiTEqpeORtYNVBTXR-4E9_BG2z-7GM3aNNn2MnI1ovPUSBTyLTuECpRaAq9dHqOHB_9k2WIpZJK_rtFO0BvjzA/s1600/merlin2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEj9HTyTLsON4wKkW79V3BKW_WIxZc8XBkkTStQbYAhoiA0Hn6Du7XhiTEqpeORtYNVBTXR-4E9_BG2z-7GM3aNNn2MnI1ovPUSBTyLTuECpRaAq9dHqOHB_9k2WIpZJK_rtFO0BvjzA/s320/merlin2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Next up is Merlin. He has been here the longest and is my gorgeous Fur Baby! Merlin was found emaciated and roaming the streets of Southampton, nobody knows why or what happened to him before that but he's been nothing but pampered and spoiled ever since :-) The day I saw him for the first time, he was in a cage in the shelter; all of the other cats in the place were busy hiding and avoiding contact with everybody that visited, but Merlin came right up to the bars, put both his paws through, and did everything in his power to touch me and get me to give him a cuddle <3 that did it for me and he came home with us the very next week. I've always said that he chose me, not the other way round! The vet thinks he is part Maine Coon as he is over 7kg in weight and almost the size of a Jack Russel dog; I have always had a soft spot for really big cats <3 We had to install a dog flap for him as he can't fit through the regular cat sized flaps at all! Even though he is huge he is so placid and gentle, he just lets the other cats steal his food without so much as a grumble. I have had to start feeding him in the bathroom because the others haven't worked out how to open the door and he actually gets to eat in there instead of watching everyone else clean out his bowl :-p</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Oh, and he always lays like this:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJL7piCZlk42UX27OBsLI81f_ChFMIF8uCPGZwyZvQ2cPdcwT6BGIwegn0QCbJ6WgtZ6bIeCnKLo1VZPtr8Er7RXwPSZqQcC8iAPrH_JXIM3_fbT1M_yojg9oDmLFG4WvGBAU8svKS-rk/s1600/Merlin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJL7piCZlk42UX27OBsLI81f_ChFMIF8uCPGZwyZvQ2cPdcwT6BGIwegn0QCbJ6WgtZ6bIeCnKLo1VZPtr8Er7RXwPSZqQcC8iAPrH_JXIM3_fbT1M_yojg9oDmLFG4WvGBAU8svKS-rk/s320/Merlin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Elegant, eh? Ps. I'm the only person allowed to tickle that tummy. Everyone else gets bitten, but not me, because he's Mummy's Boy :-p</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vvYPos38rpn0oBXyASXnRP9GjoaOkdA4RtB9keb7916JegG0fzdvqg1Yc8_e10nbFIZqm2Uszvn4f0Leb-Bf6-d9zMZpgUjGlwFYrS6K4sXNC9XywHWJ6bQDNBxuum-lDN90bgwxDm4/s1600/Morpheus+and+Pheonix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vvYPos38rpn0oBXyASXnRP9GjoaOkdA4RtB9keb7916JegG0fzdvqg1Yc8_e10nbFIZqm2Uszvn4f0Leb-Bf6-d9zMZpgUjGlwFYrS6K4sXNC9XywHWJ6bQDNBxuum-lDN90bgwxDm4/s320/Morpheus+and+Pheonix.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The last two cats are Phoenix (in the window) and Morpheus (in the foreground). These are the only animals we have that aren't 'second hand' - they've never known any hardship and have been here almost since they were born. Morpheus is a talking cat - he says Meh-woh instead of Miaow and it sounds just like he's saying Hello. He is such a cuddle monster and loves his long snuggles in bed - sometimes he gets carried away and wants a fuss when I'm sleeping, so he'll bat me round the face demanding tickles at 2am -_-. He's the first cat I have met who really, REALLY loves his tummy tickled, I mean rough like you're tickling a dog. He just loves it and won't bite when he's had enough like most cats do! He also wanders around the house shouting at the top of his lungs if he can't find anyone to fuss over him and he feels lonely! Phoenix his sister is the trouble maker and all round scatty cat of the household. If there is a bang or a crash anywhere in the house you know it is her knocking stuff over, hunting invisible mice, getting into mischief etc. She is obsessed with the feel of smooth surfaces under her feet, especially shiny cardboard boxes (like shoe boxes) and mirrors, and spends ages just running her paws over them like she's trying to dig a hole (but without her claws). Every window, patio door, TV and low down mirror in the house has paw prints and streaks on it because of Phoenix!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJi76u-lS52KZQvhr8fItHMiLPBnZ0Dx8x-r4xrRb1qGp4JUKtxSuQ01YfnxjmX_WEb0eyrgk0_T3gZ-WHlyM2Nx3KSJeSQBLHtFaPm6JlFStjW2QrP2nK2VF8nh5bwe558GFD37E21E/s1600/428174_242185455874356_472099000_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJi76u-lS52KZQvhr8fItHMiLPBnZ0Dx8x-r4xrRb1qGp4JUKtxSuQ01YfnxjmX_WEb0eyrgk0_T3gZ-WHlyM2Nx3KSJeSQBLHtFaPm6JlFStjW2QrP2nK2VF8nh5bwe558GFD37E21E/s200/428174_242185455874356_472099000_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who put those paw prints there?? It wasn't me, honest!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOzZCmo6ZYYfwGIzFglwOVqDlm9DRr7EIYkvSWNOXSzxnDXipBmkiFRcpDiQ2pyYCShou3XH_NASkKMg2Rs36DazqF9mbwFPDE3g0ZAxEkVzOCKRjFqHHXRmIF4mAUP5935BLzvdkbek/s1600/phoesnake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOzZCmo6ZYYfwGIzFglwOVqDlm9DRr7EIYkvSWNOXSzxnDXipBmkiFRcpDiQ2pyYCShou3XH_NASkKMg2Rs36DazqF9mbwFPDE3g0ZAxEkVzOCKRjFqHHXRmIF4mAUP5935BLzvdkbek/s200/phoesnake.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had to put Oscar in a bigger tank just to save him from being catted to death!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I couldn't list all the cats without showing you the dogs, too...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BLJd733v7iSMZVxaRfGabmoiUp118KNjhlcQQWkxCW321Qk4gRwi_pZgs5pZTMo6IefgdUifG_EwWoMXUn0b_baOU5KyuK6hBZ9c5jqYLeKdVyV-75jrGzK_BhI_KHtg-l3gv_G690k/s1600/jasper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BLJd733v7iSMZVxaRfGabmoiUp118KNjhlcQQWkxCW321Qk4gRwi_pZgs5pZTMo6IefgdUifG_EwWoMXUn0b_baOU5KyuK6hBZ9c5jqYLeKdVyV-75jrGzK_BhI_KHtg-l3gv_G690k/s320/jasper.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This is Jasper. He was locked in a shed without any bedding or food and covered with creosote because they'd painted the shed with him inside it. His entire nose and ears were covered with blisters and you could see every one of his ribs. Now he's a pain in everybody's butt but very loyal and funny, loves to dig holes in my lawn and sit on my sofa when I'm not looking. He makes everybody laugh and he's clever too. He knows 'sit', 'stay', 'down', 'off', 'in your bed' and 'go wee wees'. Oh and if you say the word Chewy to him he goes bonkers with excitement knowing he's about to get a chewy treat bone :-p<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnuodVfy4ukqRNPVU9QqakZqioONnS4Po7x1eiikr8iO3HlOEkDewbF_dLBaUV82iwv5Vjcv7BZbQK0dB-ND74Qr_HXleCeIw-pniDpUn_TMXk8IfDon5L_qqLlVPyyaUshu1HiXz4Tw/s1600/alfie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnuodVfy4ukqRNPVU9QqakZqioONnS4Po7x1eiikr8iO3HlOEkDewbF_dLBaUV82iwv5Vjcv7BZbQK0dB-ND74Qr_HXleCeIw-pniDpUn_TMXk8IfDon5L_qqLlVPyyaUshu1HiXz4Tw/s320/alfie2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Last but not least is Alfie. He's a miniature Yorkie who came to live with us because his owner had cancer and couldn't take care of him any more. Alfie is a proper handbag dog who likes to be carried around like an accessory as much as possible (he doesn't like walking very far, the lazy so and so!) and I swear he secretly wishes we'd tie ribbons in his hair and paint his nails. Like Poppy he has no idea he's tiny and would happily try and tear a bear apart if he got the chance, although he's deadly afraid of the dishwasher and shakes like a leaf whenever it's running. He's very proud of himself in this picture because he and my son had just won the school dog show :-D<br />
<br />
So that's the tribe. As you can imagine it's kind of busy around here but it's worth it! There's always someone to cuddle, someone to laugh at, and someone to keep your feet warm in bed. I love watching them all and seeing their different characters, it can be hard work looking after so many at times but it's rewarding too. I wouldn't change them for the world! (Well, apart from that time Jasper chewed my new lino in the kitchen............)Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-38022906411588252782013-05-06T22:02:00.001+01:002013-05-06T22:02:30.334+01:00Bank Holiday!So today's post for Blog Every Day in May is about the Bank Holiday we just had here in the UK and what a lovely day it has been! 21 degrees nearly all day long, it felt just like Summer and boy did I ever need the sunshine :) I wore flipflops today for the first time this year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATuBOZNexucLnhJljeT4O4-CRy_EMBU0ueRq__K8nayyD3DP2YVimSE01SkCwXggJ2IK5nFc9PI5F35xklLp4_7GbofkOAPWYRfxbLq2yvU4br1cd9jionktAEbc6_xfmul9lMIBOYlQ/s1600/947128_447731085319791_1423852235_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATuBOZNexucLnhJljeT4O4-CRy_EMBU0ueRq__K8nayyD3DP2YVimSE01SkCwXggJ2IK5nFc9PI5F35xklLp4_7GbofkOAPWYRfxbLq2yvU4br1cd9jionktAEbc6_xfmul9lMIBOYlQ/s200/947128_447731085319791_1423852235_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div>
<div>
Originally I had planned to get the family out and do something for the day but nobody could decide what to do, since we are currently on an even tighter budget than usual this month it had to be something that didn't cost money or need a long drive. The man had a lie in and the kid and I got up and ummed and aahed over what to do for ages. We thought we might make our own bread, then go and have a picnic, and then watch some movies at home. However the kid's cousin randomly turned up just as we were about to get off the sofa and then a friend of theirs appeared too, and all the plans kind of fell by the wayside.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6LnZ5ruVXzxrSV-EySvispmVHFY0upzq0uaBxRVGQR1bUQoXWfgmfomZ3PmTBVZ6J8BJgBcNvfFNXKpHXkwqN0SZax94kd5qmy9dpHXvMgakf7ARK4dAZYJ5OioaZgJRBZ5lnHMztP4/s1600/mine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6LnZ5ruVXzxrSV-EySvispmVHFY0upzq0uaBxRVGQR1bUQoXWfgmfomZ3PmTBVZ6J8BJgBcNvfFNXKpHXkwqN0SZax94kd5qmy9dpHXvMgakf7ARK4dAZYJ5OioaZgJRBZ5lnHMztP4/s1600/mine.jpg" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The kids played Minecraft for a while and I finished all the laundry. It's been so nice having the sunshine this weekend as I've managed to finish ALL the washing and also get it completely dry, on the line, for free and without cluttering the house up with clothes airers drying indoors, yippee! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKSqEOBAJd3iI93mqSlok_O9Bru7A62s27PjaulWSgMYi5oyVhY9Z7UAHBcTWNq4bjow6GOGTvG8nfSniY8Xj3w_ZS6h0_STzbkbop6wYsDR12zHeLgt_zDd9DESeIz2JtrN1rNQ0YSY/s1600/EqR.cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKSqEOBAJd3iI93mqSlok_O9Bru7A62s27PjaulWSgMYi5oyVhY9Z7UAHBcTWNq4bjow6GOGTvG8nfSniY8Xj3w_ZS6h0_STzbkbop6wYsDR12zHeLgt_zDd9DESeIz2JtrN1rNQ0YSY/s200/EqR.cover.jpg" width="118" /></a></div>
<div>
Having a long weekend has been great too because I'd already done pretty much all the housework and anything else I needed to get done by the end of Sunday - so I ended up spending almost the whole of today sitting out in the sunshine and sunbathing, reading my kindle (I read a whole book today, from start to finish, yay), and socialising with my husband and my sister in law. It was so lovely and relaxing! The kids got ice cream from the ice cream van and they also went up to the village shop for sweets, then they played outside until they got too hot and had to go back indoors. We did try to fill the paddling pool but it's sprung a leak :( I also had a lovely soak in the bath, completely undisturbed which is a rare occurrence around her!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WbpGbdHqTPqR-VlzG4fbPT123fsBQ56PCbwXtUoq3lwbUyraUs2pOqeAPlFm-eh00LtEzqQt1SgCvAafXRWcTWs-1x1E8ZRgDyrTF_vis4E_bxHxYe0Kem0ElG-2U92_RE6N0RFCOq4/s1600/49105main_popcorn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WbpGbdHqTPqR-VlzG4fbPT123fsBQ56PCbwXtUoq3lwbUyraUs2pOqeAPlFm-eh00LtEzqQt1SgCvAafXRWcTWs-1x1E8ZRgDyrTF_vis4E_bxHxYe0Kem0ElG-2U92_RE6N0RFCOq4/s200/49105main_popcorn.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div>
The evening was great too, once it was just the three of us again we made home made popcorn (which we have never done before, so that was exciting enough by itself lol) and all sat watching a movie together like our very own cinema at home. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh81lL6e9GAf1hPVpCFiqGvYcH92nylAZhth-PclBdx_RY3Z1kZWD2ays7N3BdZelXVGv4qZowzo1rVgLyQH96Cw0mo5jNBjmmBCVHvE2O-96UN1jYkTkXZgRtA6hZa9-w4IH8uszQ7J8/s1600/Rango2011Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh81lL6e9GAf1hPVpCFiqGvYcH92nylAZhth-PclBdx_RY3Z1kZWD2ays7N3BdZelXVGv4qZowzo1rVgLyQH96Cw0mo5jNBjmmBCVHvE2O-96UN1jYkTkXZgRtA6hZa9-w4IH8uszQ7J8/s200/Rango2011Poster.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
<div>
So all in all we had a mishmash of a day doing whatever we felt like, rather than 'proper' activities like we'd originally intended to do, but the kid told me as he went to bed that 'today was awesome' so I must have done something right!!<br /></div>
<div>
I wish every weekend was 3 days. And that they were always that sunny. Just a shame I have to go back to work!</div>
</div>
Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-75833314273672303742013-05-05T16:22:00.000+01:002013-05-05T16:22:00.105+01:00Fit and HealthyIt's day 5 of the Blog Every Day in May challenge and today's subject is Fit and Healthy - What do you do to stay fit or be a healthy individual?<br />
<br />
This is a good topic for me as being fit and healthy is never very far from my mind. I have a few health issues including Asthma and Psoriasis, which tend to get worse if I don't eat a healthy diet, and I'm Hypermotile, which amongst other things, means my joints become very painful if I allow my weight to creep up too high. I'm not a fitness freak or a health nut by any means but I do try and look after myself wherever I can. I do this in three main ways:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxpIpUjSKJFevcjxLpQmVrbSm2jqJUDnMdhBZYPIOHfwM-wzm-AF598tDCwatrDFaUGdc9QMAFhYDG2TnrFGjW9i_LNf2sIFRsDVE-kOQZeHAxVX89V4WpMEImy98CijTEiE908y1nS8/s1600/veg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxpIpUjSKJFevcjxLpQmVrbSm2jqJUDnMdhBZYPIOHfwM-wzm-AF598tDCwatrDFaUGdc9QMAFhYDG2TnrFGjW9i_LNf2sIFRsDVE-kOQZeHAxVX89V4WpMEImy98CijTEiE908y1nS8/s200/veg.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
1. I'm vegetarian. Actually I'm very close to vegan, as dairy products trigger my asthma and I have to limit my consumption of milk based foods. It just so happens that I'm vegetarian primarily because I don't like the taste of meat, but to be honest I am glad I turned out this way. Vegetarians, on average, have a lower rate of heart disease, fewer cholesterol problems and lower blood pressure than people who eat meat. They also have a much lower chance of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and various different types of cancer, and they're much less likely to be obese. Of course it is possible (and easy) to be vegetarian or vegan and still have a terrible diet - just like it's absolutely possible to eat meat and have a very healthy diet indeed. The two things are not mutually exclusive. However I have made a point of educating myself about proper nutrition and how to achieve it, and I try to keep an eye on what I'm eating and make sure it's high in the good stuff, with the right proportions - and low in junk food. I eat a lot of vegetables, fruit, pasta, potatoes, rice, lentils, beans and so on. My meals are usually low fat and I try to cook from scratch rather than living off processed food. Yes, I still eat cake, cookies, chocolate, veggie burgers and the like. I just eat them in moderation and if the scales are creeping up a bit higher than I'd like, I put the doughnut down and walk away!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5Y7h5YjUCoPVBcCNXLqgwC2Br4f0I9cP0qdFcILOEI73CIjP8zr2V003D5g_w59sPim-78mxgqtiN8xdjurP8fWiEbu_xy7VQFHZNBZ_UhsaUJ1CMNulPuj42nr9YU2EyR7ZaN6VCHA/s1600/185510_392083934217840_2078062243_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5Y7h5YjUCoPVBcCNXLqgwC2Br4f0I9cP0qdFcILOEI73CIjP8zr2V003D5g_w59sPim-78mxgqtiN8xdjurP8fWiEbu_xy7VQFHZNBZ_UhsaUJ1CMNulPuj42nr9YU2EyR7ZaN6VCHA/s200/185510_392083934217840_2078062243_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
2. I keep active wherever possible. I do find it hard sometimes, especially on weekdays when I've been at work all day and I'm tired. But at least a couple of times a week I will try and get on the treadmill and walk for a while. I also try to find ways of adding 'hidden' exercise to my daily routine. I deliberately park ten minutes' walk away from work, so that's 20 minutes of walking a day just going to and from my car. When I'm in the lab, I try to work standing up as much as possible. When I'm home, I get involved with my son's activities. It's amazing how much it adds up when you join in with kicking a ball, walking around the park, flying a kite, building a snowman, playing a bit of tennis etc. Kids have so much energy that just keeping up with them is exercise in its' own right. They are nature's way of keeping us mums fit and healthy!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94wQwSzNMEC2o6G3qxuPvEVWVRFb1Wtq5zxk03kYQGDVAgLd98gWANbJVRbIYNl6XAGhUnZ2DB7dzrAeMR0m4HpIgsH6Sb7TVdSthdNNTch-g2QJ3No7ccX_qlO_cmgnL7IWiCBQjCIs/s1600/no-alcohol.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94wQwSzNMEC2o6G3qxuPvEVWVRFb1Wtq5zxk03kYQGDVAgLd98gWANbJVRbIYNl6XAGhUnZ2DB7dzrAeMR0m4HpIgsH6Sb7TVdSthdNNTch-g2QJ3No7ccX_qlO_cmgnL7IWiCBQjCIs/s200/no-alcohol.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
3. I rarely drink alcohol. No, I'm not a righteous teetotaller, frowning in disapproval at anyone who likes the occasional glass of wine... if you like to drink, then more power to you. It just isn't for me. Once upon a time, I had the worst immune system ever. I kid you not, I used to catch a cold literally every two weeks, all year long. Most of the time, the colds would last a minimum of a week, if not longer, and as soon as I got over it, I'd catch another one within days. I'd have THE WORST symptoms, too. I've never been one to just curl up and die the instant I get sick, but honest to goodness I have lost count of the times I've had to phone in sick at work because my cold was just that bad that I couldn't even drive (or see, or talk). It got to the point when my doctor began getting worried, and decided maybe he needed to send me for tests to see what could be wrong. At the time, I used to drink - not super heavy, but I'd have a glass of wine with dinner most evenings, occasionally a little more. But one day I read an article that said one unit of alcohol reduces your immune system by HALF, for a minimum of 8 hours. Plus, my dad had just been diagnosed with cancer of the rectum and the doctor had point blank told him, this type of cancer is almost always caused by consumption of too much alcohol over a long period of time. I was so desperate to stop being sick all the time, and so horrified by what happened to Dad, that I decided to quit, for six months, to see if it made a difference. By the end of the 6 months I couldn't believe the difference. I had almost completely stopped catching colds. The ones I did catch, were only mild, and only lasted a maximum of two days before disappearing as if by magic! Nowadays I only drink once in a blue moon, for special occasions. And I still hardly ever catch colds. I even managed to avoid catching the flu when everyone else in my house had it over Christmas last year. I have to say that giving up alcohol is probably the best thing I ever did for my health and I'm so glad I decided to give it a try!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8o6TR0ub28LtNGkdx3dwZWWKKV_Itt9bvr1imZDKMOX1I7d1_bqpeUu1r4WIfZ44ddZba9ldMQdyzYAqjLoHFK0GIWpk-b5jQ2bk3giGknvHgZe6ypPNjWETDhh-6-cqDBBMcLD6uOw/s1600/garf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8o6TR0ub28LtNGkdx3dwZWWKKV_Itt9bvr1imZDKMOX1I7d1_bqpeUu1r4WIfZ44ddZba9ldMQdyzYAqjLoHFK0GIWpk-b5jQ2bk3giGknvHgZe6ypPNjWETDhh-6-cqDBBMcLD6uOw/s200/garf.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
So what else could I be doing to stay fit and healthy? Well, I could be sleeping more. I used to stay up until the early hours most nights... I lost count of the number of times I'd wake up on the couch having fallen asleep at my laptop at 3am. It just isn't good to do that sort of thing all the time, you know? In more recent times I have cut back on the late nights, but I still rarely crash before midnight, and since my husband gets up at 5.30am, in reality I get less than 6 hours sleep most nights. Not enough. I would like to start going to bed earlier on weekdays at least, so that's my next target. And although I am fairly active, I would like to build on that too. I have noticed that the more I exercise, the more energy I have - so that, combined with more sleep, can only be a good thing.<br />
<br />
How about you? How do you stay fit and healthy? What sort of things do you do, or what are you planning to do in the future?Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-50211131870060044572013-05-04T10:42:00.000+01:002013-05-04T11:43:42.428+01:00Five Fave Blogs!Morning everyone! It's Saturday, day 4 of Blog Every Day in May! Today's topic is Five Fave Blogs and we are meant to talk about 5 blogs we love, and why.<br />
<br />
I thought this topic was going to be easy but I was so wrong! I read so many blogs and they are all awesome in their own way. It was SO hard to narrow them down to five! To make it easier, I decided just to pick beauty blogs as that's what I read most of, and because Glitter Mountain is primarily a beauty blog too ^_^<br />
<br />
So here they are, in no particular order:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.nail-art.fr/"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIJoKuQQAwxXC8ZssD4VWPXv_v8MD7FJxS-I3shX2pXwXtYOlicuvB7ZI7gRlWA5zmPToGaWDmuIFHwl-kL42LUNrn8HItWGrJq4mBlrAmYwO0aCnKUO5vp5yQZYpjDbgMQUHt47M08A/s320/Os-aquarium_5.png" width="320" /></a></div>
First up is <a href="http://www.nail-art.fr/">Tartofraises</a>. This blog is actually the main reason I got interested in nail polish in the first place, and also inspired me to try and grow my nails long for the first time. Ophelie, who has the kind of nails I'd kill for, reviews polish, but also does the most stunning nail art I have ever seen,<i> bar none. </i>There are beautiful, clear photos and also video tutorials if you would like to reproduce the nail art on your own nails! Tartofraises is written in French, but don't let that stop you visiting if you don't speak French already - most browsers have an option to translate into other languages, or else you can use Google Translate :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.scrangie.com/"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7wGLj_OSOC_d1TYAbP2JcoaF1-lboclLE9tLdlgi5QvafdSWs_dGOyMNQ8LupAYeMDbZVkDJsWnG-3phZSN6aSq-2tgLZf__n1uqprzG40MUhAI9B1pHd2asPJmX0jiZP-Z8pH34E-Ac/s200/armsandarmory3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Next is <a href="http://www.scrangie.com/">Scrangie</a>. This lovely lady has a bajillion followers, and for good reason. She has just about every swatch of every polish you're ever going to need, and tons of reviews of other make up products too. Her pictures are clear, accurate and awesome, and she pulls no punches: if she doesn't like something, she isn't afraid to say so. This is the first blog I go to when I want to find a swatch of any colour and I only look elsewhere if she doesn't have it!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://domyhandslookfatinthis.blogspot.co.uk/"><img border="0" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7D5biuz0AwFFBE_hhU9ZXIDeRH9MsxGYei_ajBtgK45_rqQH1yM9KsgW0jQ3IBEPMw2tosMJ5JW-9OrCeW9WHQxq8-Oh87Blf-YCCcpBmhjg8N-L6uic4L_IPjDix91oASYNyJIa15JM/s320/NailBlog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The next blog on my list is <a href="http://domyhandslookfatinthis.blogspot.co.uk/">Do My Hands Look Fat in This?</a>, a blog owned by a very good friend of mine, fellow polish addict, Dutch ex-pat and all round sweetheart Hilde. I have passed many hours discussing polish with her when I should have been working (oops) and I have lost count of the number of times I've been feeling down about something, only for the postie to turn up with a care package of nail polish from Hilde - just to make me smile. She doesn't have many followers yet but she deserves more!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ninasbargainbeauty.blogspot.ie/"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHd_mdywzy9Dx4eCXQDAbSCgy2wzxKA8d8t2WxN9JauyNXBrqaG_iuOnFLRcRSMzOFdsiEa0MYeOOMpK5oOg6LFJqfU500MxjVcBQ3R0WQhL3MezCdUhmCIsO4es595IY3M7oi28QWBs/s320/ebay+shop+078edited.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Fourth is <a href="http://ninasbargainbeauty.blogspot.ie/">Nina's Bargain Beauty</a>. Nina is a mum of 5 who lives in Ireland and blogs about all sorts of beauty products in her spare time. I absolutely love this blog and check it every single day. I love her writing style, she is so open, honest and enthusiastic about everything (how she has that much energy with 5 kids underfoot I will never know!) and reading her posts makes me feel more like I'm having a chat over a nice cup of tea with a good friend than just reading someone's blog. I also love that the products she talks about are affordable - luxury items are lovely, but there's only so much time I want to spend reading about things I can probably never have!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.indianvanitycase.com/"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghXa6-LKOTD9U8dK5GCM0cqsq0kfeGq8TPBVdNf2vmxygWpdjpomPTuI-GTwyRRxPXLNocfY15sSCDK5UXrpdqxBHnJ3a9SoKJwbRAac4O1JM0qF0xOy9qDQSFMpjw7f3tFXM5k__9rU/s320/banner+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Last but not least is <a href="http://www.indianvanitycase.com/">Indian Vanity Case</a>. I have very hooded eyelids which make it very difficult to wear eyeshadow and still look good - as soon as I open my eyes, my lids pretty much disappear and you can't tell I'm wearing anything! Cynthia has similar eyelids to mine and quite frankly amazing skillz when it comes to eyeshadow, so all of her tutorials are perfect as far as I'm concerned. She also has a similar skintone to me so I love to read her make up reviews - mostly because if it looks good on her, it'll look good on me too!<br />
<br />
How about you? What are your favourite blogs?Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-43288694249912236562013-05-04T00:34:00.000+01:002013-05-04T00:34:11.320+01:00A Day in the Life of OpallineSo it's day two of the Blog Every Day in May challenge and the topic is 'A Day in the Life'.<br />
<br />
I have to say I was a bit dubious about this one as my daily routine isn't exactly exciting, especially on a Friday when I'm always so tired from working all week! But never mind, let's see how it goes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJANjHHJlug8ijqM-9sMI8IWkMQLK7f9pMOOXj1hOnm0yfRuiref-Rugl6XJJcU-3GKvYsfLcA3J-yu1SOZNZ8jK7UT7YUUQUdfYPd3R5UES2cnzoptsJorYf_al3bZ-AvGqg8W3MExzE/s1600/480169_273169266109308_1710570485_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJANjHHJlug8ijqM-9sMI8IWkMQLK7f9pMOOXj1hOnm0yfRuiref-Rugl6XJJcU-3GKvYsfLcA3J-yu1SOZNZ8jK7UT7YUUQUdfYPd3R5UES2cnzoptsJorYf_al3bZ-AvGqg8W3MExzE/s200/480169_273169266109308_1710570485_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
6.30 - 8.00 Get up, shower, get dressed, put on make up, have coffee. Feel smug that it's fish and chip day at school, so the kid won't want packed lunch today and I only have to make stuff for myself. Realise that, because it's the end of the week, we've actually run out of most things that could be vaguely considered 'lunch'. Consider boiling up some rice or pasta for a quickie salad. Cheat by packing a dried Batchelors Savoury Rice mixture and some carrot sticks instead. Feed the cats and dogs. Chivvy child into getting dressed and out the door. Spend a moment looking at the grotty mess that is my living room and wonder how it could have got that bad in the space of an hour and a half.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKSZmpUen1DmO4g_qm-udmQTIox3P_B-vbeO-Q8iU2nCOO2RHzld2HiZ5KcZKrDtlkVL5jPsI3GF6zks7SChfzCfER4P6EXAhVF1wuayVwJb1P__gohMMpn9sY6gHhn6zxylEgQUV9Es/s1600/199428_342815969144637_643254781_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKSZmpUen1DmO4g_qm-udmQTIox3P_B-vbeO-Q8iU2nCOO2RHzld2HiZ5KcZKrDtlkVL5jPsI3GF6zks7SChfzCfER4P6EXAhVF1wuayVwJb1P__gohMMpn9sY6gHhn6zxylEgQUV9Es/s200/199428_342815969144637_643254781_n.jpg" width="155" /></a></div>
<br />
8.00 - 14.00 Drive to work, leaving child at his Nan's house to have his breakfast and watch TV until school. Spend several hours at work finishing off the things I've done all week, filing, typing up experiments and data and making sure the analysers are topped up with enough reagents for the weekend. I like Fridays - I work flexi time, so during the week I try and work enough extra hours here and there that I can take a half day off on Fridays and be around for when the kid gets home from school. Of course because this weekend is a 3 day weekend, the time reallllly dragged (why does it always do that before a holiday?)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRKd8JdCLFLjXXFfm9xOniBJtGpHe3HckNrduOFGGZ09RuIYWg0dO6WzsrXjsdXxzrgaFBZj0kIDUNDyeajzY6fibDjnlYU_lMRo_oczxR6HKhHA_YefA2aGQ3dMCMYYTB1KEIEWGCcU/s1600/374217_188500844576151_102433215_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRKd8JdCLFLjXXFfm9xOniBJtGpHe3HckNrduOFGGZ09RuIYWg0dO6WzsrXjsdXxzrgaFBZj0kIDUNDyeajzY6fibDjnlYU_lMRo_oczxR6HKhHA_YefA2aGQ3dMCMYYTB1KEIEWGCcU/s320/374217_188500844576151_102433215_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
14.40 - Get home. Get mobbed by hungry dogs and cats who seem to think that just because I got home 3 hours earlier than normal, they should get dinner 3 hours early too. Attempt to convert the living room and kitchen into something that doesn't resemble a bomb-site for the weekend. Child appears, then goes to the park to play with his friends. Sister in law appears, so stop doing housework and make coffee instead. Husband gets home shortly after, so make coffee for him too.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXi6U6Xt7jgLoFfj-2E-GwcdhfLLrauAtaSvEP_NCWyQOhub_NT7ncBHJJpDFYteTWLSquWSM7xLK4p9UjN8cDPJf5ATpIAPlSq_dggtuxvurzXzOdYaEplBhr_Yk39BjPhHhi_UoLMwo/s1600/ra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXi6U6Xt7jgLoFfj-2E-GwcdhfLLrauAtaSvEP_NCWyQOhub_NT7ncBHJJpDFYteTWLSquWSM7xLK4p9UjN8cDPJf5ATpIAPlSq_dggtuxvurzXzOdYaEplBhr_Yk39BjPhHhi_UoLMwo/s200/ra.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
15.30 - Water the veggies (can I call them veggies yet when they're only about 1cm tall?). Have heart failure when a giant spider runs over my foot. Try to work out what to do about the ants that seem to be setting up a next in my courgette tub.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVyyQ2ZPqhMdC70HeyAowJxccqOzLwkwau24HNzJ1tsXmSE-Goew5YNR_cdV5_20L4PEF_CN1zIw1zRsv6-uK-8jKVarqHPVtODZSbg7LxNN6EnXFS6mK8Vk6ExbesXdM6jqUB6AnQiI/s1600/ASDA_van1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVyyQ2ZPqhMdC70HeyAowJxccqOzLwkwau24HNzJ1tsXmSE-Goew5YNR_cdV5_20L4PEF_CN1zIw1zRsv6-uK-8jKVarqHPVtODZSbg7LxNN6EnXFS6mK8Vk6ExbesXdM6jqUB6AnQiI/s1600/ASDA_van1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
16.00 - 17.00 Realise the house still looks like a dumping ground and do some more tidying. Reboot the dishwasher and the laundry. Asda van arrives with the weekly shop (FOOD!!). Unpack shopping, cook dinner for child and husband, call child home from park to eat it. Realise that kid can't find his phone. Spend fifteen minutes searching the park, then have bright idea to call the phone. Husband answers it because it's at home on the couch where we already looked three times and didn't see it. D'oh.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mWa6cRxt0W8pps9bf7C8sIp6iWafbJdWLAMnW7-mblmpIIXvAfhMkOhmVH4z7kcfMplHPE_LK7RZMoJt344QPX1vkA70oRyRYW-PeH7n2SZ_LL_357tN9TYhts_0FJWoHESBfsFrG8I/s1600/sand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mWa6cRxt0W8pps9bf7C8sIp6iWafbJdWLAMnW7-mblmpIIXvAfhMkOhmVH4z7kcfMplHPE_LK7RZMoJt344QPX1vkA70oRyRYW-PeH7n2SZ_LL_357tN9TYhts_0FJWoHESBfsFrG8I/s200/sand.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
18.00 - child goes to friend's house for a bit. Realise that I forgot to cook myself any dinner. Despite arrival of new exciting veggies and other food, having spent all this time tidying and cooking for other people and putting new groceries away, now I don't feel like cooking anything 'proper'. Too tired. Eat sandwich instead. Tell self that this is okay because I had a cooked lunch (savoury rice totally counts as cooked, I mean I had to microwave it for 15 minutes and everything, right?).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MSiSTOs7ihNSceuxNGqtWgjc68hG3QjRfpJ-c1NmTF-1CN25usv7JhqB8bfNq-YLGqg7ZW8Q9SH7WovsbZ1uiT4PcmJPwBRbPhnVRMUAHWfqJLxnY1-unARt1MLWHdmehTs5WAkxNgM/s1600/bakery_story-slide-253-1346272549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MSiSTOs7ihNSceuxNGqtWgjc68hG3QjRfpJ-c1NmTF-1CN25usv7JhqB8bfNq-YLGqg7ZW8Q9SH7WovsbZ1uiT4PcmJPwBRbPhnVRMUAHWfqJLxnY1-unARt1MLWHdmehTs5WAkxNgM/s200/bakery_story-slide-253-1346272549.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
19.30 - Finish tidying up and spend a few minutes serving up cakes, macaroni cheese, stew and jasmine tea on my phone. Marvel at the irony that I'm too tired to cook myself any actual dinner, but I'll happily spend hours on Bakery Story and Restaurant Story cooking imaginary food instead.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDRvIFUjjA8ytMLiWNiy4luv0PqzzzqAwj3dGHi9C8C7YV2JX5fak27iiWaXq_ij1sCbiN88EOOYPt2N8yPHQmgr0k_SWjouxiocndqqL8uWE-g7Fpmqbatj-0Lyqk6nXiLTDilQRk5Y/s1600/Hey-Arnold-Season-1-Episode-17--Abner-Come-Home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDRvIFUjjA8ytMLiWNiy4luv0PqzzzqAwj3dGHi9C8C7YV2JX5fak27iiWaXq_ij1sCbiN88EOOYPt2N8yPHQmgr0k_SWjouxiocndqqL8uWE-g7Fpmqbatj-0Lyqk6nXiLTDilQRk5Y/s200/Hey-Arnold-Season-1-Episode-17--Abner-Come-Home.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>
<br />
19.45 - Cakes served, spend some time with the kid (who's reappeared from his friend's house) watching Hey Arnold. He's obsessed with this show at the moment (a bit like I'm obsessed with cute cooking game apps, maybe?)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczcNHDBgRBj5McoyIuv75u0X_sSrg4tCOS7pfzLpi4WmnCiplXHs0PMv4urLxjLHrifKJvQ8twQQmP7Ws0Eq66jj6srxbPSqbQHtaAc24e9irQE5xoAWtZg2XiYMBU7bJU2pmWP6Y5iI/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczcNHDBgRBj5McoyIuv75u0X_sSrg4tCOS7pfzLpi4WmnCiplXHs0PMv4urLxjLHrifKJvQ8twQQmP7Ws0Eq66jj6srxbPSqbQHtaAc24e9irQE5xoAWtZg2XiYMBU7bJU2pmWP6Y5iI/s200/download.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
20.30 - 22.30 Kid's bedtime. Make the mistake of giving him a cuddle on his bed before sleep time. Wake up almost two hours later having accidentally fallen asleep - whoopsie, well I did say I'm always tired on Friday!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0_OyhkFJyXqBnqaKtXIWDwJt18IKoc1PhVkEnrFybtN1mFBclxmfFr9EO5WifrQv8MCYCtkcVPlwiHe0VtNRwd4z4H0V2vJVG45CvWEmRHFPHV9kt1b0ps162KFtfOqlcJnQn2mmVHU/s1600/la_notetaking.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="81" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0_OyhkFJyXqBnqaKtXIWDwJt18IKoc1PhVkEnrFybtN1mFBclxmfFr9EO5WifrQv8MCYCtkcVPlwiHe0VtNRwd4z4H0V2vJVG45CvWEmRHFPHV9kt1b0ps162KFtfOqlcJnQn2mmVHU/s200/la_notetaking.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
22.30 Time to relax. Would have had somewhat more of this relaxation time if I'd not fallen asleep, but never mind. I guess sleeping counts as relaxing too. Ignore the fact the downstairs seems to have reverted back to rubbish dump status since I went upstairs (how does that happen??? Are there special mess gremlins that emerge and rumple the place up while your back is turned?). Spend the rest of the evening on the sofa writing blog posts, reading blogs, writing role playing posts, checking Facebook, Twitter etc.<br />
<br />
And that's it! Not the most exciting of days but the weekend ought to be better! What did you do today? Any plans for the bank holiday weekend?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-8507510051181329792013-05-02T22:19:00.001+01:002013-08-24T21:43:58.166+01:00Spring is HereHey, happy Thursday! Or as my son puts it, Happy Slope Day. He heard me saying that Wednesday is Hump Day, and immediately christened Thursday, Slope Day. He says it's because after the hump comes the downhill slope towards the weekend... I think it's cute :-D<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Anyway I've signed up for the Blog Every Day in May challenge over at h<a href="http://www.rosalilium.com/2013/04/blog-every-day-in-may/" target="_blank">ttp://www.rosalilium.com/</a>, so hopefully you will be hearing a lot more from me than usual for at least the next 31 days! Of course I didn't see the challenge until the 2nd, one day after it started, so technically I already failed!! But I've decided to do it anyway - I probably won't make the entire month anyway but it'll be nice to see how many I can get through!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Today's topic is 'Spring is Here' and right on cue, our new tulips have started flowering. There have been daffodils around in the hedgerows too for a while now, though none in our garden apart from one tiny narcissus by my front door, which the cat managed to stomp on before I could get a picture.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzPi-PybhzkWpVTGTc03_CMvTFEwJfyLOmPBJC32luvz8z-1EP0qiUSutdeUMtBnUDE6GgCd8a9fQzbqR3oaIuq9pufiK3f3xNkOYCc7XM6y4TGCYaloyPWUO09np5ZuArDfDVww4AJA/s1600/tulips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzPi-PybhzkWpVTGTc03_CMvTFEwJfyLOmPBJC32luvz8z-1EP0qiUSutdeUMtBnUDE6GgCd8a9fQzbqR3oaIuq9pufiK3f3xNkOYCc7XM6y4TGCYaloyPWUO09np5ZuArDfDVww4AJA/s320/tulips.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We planted the tulip bulbs a while ago, and a load of leaves came up - but then March turned back into Winter and we had frosts and horrible cold weather galore. I was really worried that the tulips would be too frosted to flower but I needn't have been concerned! There are also some pansies in this picture which Mr Opalline planted last weekend, and near the back is one of our Mint plants, miraculously coming back to life (like a leafy Lazarus!) after a long cold winter of pretending to be dead twigs.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Ovki7lO046ioAL7z8CfHxz9ZYRJ8kZksBM548qKzfwurExAtiaLgtf3iNOIA_Yu47PeZODWWYybCkmyHIxIM1QVa9UgftYRxaTjdPG_5j2f2LnNPI2cOFd2bp2VTQi1XRYEQJDVGiNw/s1600/943664_446183018807931_2025345293_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Ovki7lO046ioAL7z8CfHxz9ZYRJ8kZksBM548qKzfwurExAtiaLgtf3iNOIA_Yu47PeZODWWYybCkmyHIxIM1QVa9UgftYRxaTjdPG_5j2f2LnNPI2cOFd2bp2VTQi1XRYEQJDVGiNw/s320/943664_446183018807931_2025345293_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
It's Spring in the greenhouse too! Suddenly we have tomatoes, herbs, and all sorts of other things emerging from the compost.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7Nv1EFTGlJmEdLtacb-x_muyfF37TFoFH52SO56mRaDmoDJ9FkN6pei_QHSzMQX_hDW-54fjiz5IqdLMnC0FGltNLs8HNhVaPi3YfIeVf4mp-QSDUhf9ddUmcogNXGESMmLmtm1GehU/s1600/946901_446183365474563_605596729_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7Nv1EFTGlJmEdLtacb-x_muyfF37TFoFH52SO56mRaDmoDJ9FkN6pei_QHSzMQX_hDW-54fjiz5IqdLMnC0FGltNLs8HNhVaPi3YfIeVf4mp-QSDUhf9ddUmcogNXGESMmLmtm1GehU/s200/946901_446183365474563_605596729_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5kSRyv4DJmvSxAOpA6n_VhFjcmjBwYQewDP4BEEps_q8NQLjX6DJhX4GwfwY51lK3A2U6XX5oMBEpxOoB5bd333t6_JhxkNzqDYU46p9Hg9fL3V1WGvT7tHXBGCNgyAN0W_kRumjAqg/s1600/197780_446183158807917_1651856484_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5kSRyv4DJmvSxAOpA6n_VhFjcmjBwYQewDP4BEEps_q8NQLjX6DJhX4GwfwY51lK3A2U6XX5oMBEpxOoB5bd333t6_JhxkNzqDYU46p9Hg9fL3V1WGvT7tHXBGCNgyAN0W_kRumjAqg/s200/197780_446183158807917_1651856484_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Radishes and peas too!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I can't wait to see what else comes up. Really hoping the vegetables do well this year, what with all my attempts to be frugal with the groceries I could really do with some free vegetables!! Last summer was so dismal that nothing really grew at all. Let's hope that the glorious sunshine we've been having recently is a sign of more to come!</div>
<br /></div>
Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-86041704601630976152013-04-26T00:49:00.003+01:002013-04-26T00:49:26.856+01:00Superdrug Vitamin E Skin Care : SPF 15 Moisturising Day Cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I have such a lovely treat to share with you today! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
One of the things I mentioned in my post about beating adult acne (<a href="http://glitter-mountain.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/beating-adult-acne-7-steps-to-better.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>) was the importance of keeping your skin moisturised. In the past I have struggled to find a moisturiser that suits my skin, ie. acne prone, combination skin, with dry cheeks, but also aged over 30. I need something rich enough to deal with the fact I am no longer a fresh faced teenager with dewy skin that barely needs moisturising at all, but at the same time it needs to play nicely with acne prone skin (which most 30+ products don't). I got pretty sick of forking out £12+ for a so called wonder product that turned my face into pizza in two days flat and ended up in the bin, so for a long time I just got by with a completely inadequate teenage oil free anti-acne moisturiser topped up with a pump of serum here and there. Until now. Enter Superdrug Vitamin E Moisturising Day Cream.<span style="text-align: start;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgtpINuXTxuyLC-eTX47yD9m2IsIqplUoFq7Y0zV_8P3o1qk4BEWAw5eBlqQFyio1ere0Attq6ldU0sLcQEaZ0UwIQbFESLnPJwwgcPV5xwmQzxeT1ivFubtqcjsmCthWDWbHE6lkv3Y/s1600/day+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgtpINuXTxuyLC-eTX47yD9m2IsIqplUoFq7Y0zV_8P3o1qk4BEWAw5eBlqQFyio1ere0Attq6ldU0sLcQEaZ0UwIQbFESLnPJwwgcPV5xwmQzxeT1ivFubtqcjsmCthWDWbHE6lkv3Y/s320/day+1.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I was just browsing the shelves in Superdrug one day when I stumbled across their Vitamin E range which was on a 2 for 1 offer at the time. I'd already tried their hot cloth cleanser and nourishing oil and loved them both, so I thought maybe it was worth picking up some of the other things in the range. I got two different day creams, a night cream, and an eye cream. I'll be reviewing them all here soon but for today here is the SPF 15 Moisturising Day Cream.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrHg69V59tkIJp3QFNGwoncoIPUypt2no47ivntTBo5ZliHdOWvEAvWIpSdgi8mg__62qtyLf9D0sfNtTLAfBN7MH-FrpHh1zuQnzzWP9HUPG4mwuNy9mK_QSQsPhk96jnChlol3LOyM/s1600/night+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrHg69V59tkIJp3QFNGwoncoIPUypt2no47ivntTBo5ZliHdOWvEAvWIpSdgi8mg__62qtyLf9D0sfNtTLAfBN7MH-FrpHh1zuQnzzWP9HUPG4mwuNy9mK_QSQsPhk96jnChlol3LOyM/s320/night+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
All of the products in this range have the same scent, which is gorgeous. It's a subtle smell, reminiscent of coconut or possibly sun tan lotion.The cream is rich enough that it leaves my face feeling beautifully moisturised, but not so much that it is still sat on my face feeling greasy half an hour later. I hate that!! You know when a cream is so rich, it just won't sink in, and the stuff turns to gross little beads on your face if you rub it? None of that here. PHEW. It takes just a few minutes to sink in and then I'm ready to go. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
It contains SPF 15 (important if you don't want wrinkles!) and most importantly of all for me it doesn't make me break out at all. Since using this cream, my skin has looked one heck of a lot better too. My dry cheeks aren't dry any more, my greasy areas are behaving themselves, and my skin is actually starting to 'glow' for the first time in I don't know how long. I knew this was the right moisturiser for me after I'd been using it for a week... my son kept touching my cheeks and when I asked him why, he said 'because your face is so soft and smooth now Mum!'</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
One of the best bits? Even when it's not on special offer, this stuff only costs £2.99 for 100ml! Honestly the only bad thing I can think of to say about it is that it's in a jar and not a pump or a squeezy tube - so it's marginally less convenient to use without getting cream stuck underneath your nails. But seriously? At under £3 a pop I really can't moan... I'll just spend some of that money I've saved on a little spatula to scoop it out with instead!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-18022247296919184762013-04-22T23:15:00.000+01:002013-04-22T23:17:52.083+01:00African Black Soap<div style="text-align: left;">
If you read my article about Adult Acne <a href="http://glitter-mountain.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/beating-adult-acne-7-steps-to-better.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> you may have noticed me singing the praises of African Black Soap, and for good reason; it's pretty much the best thing I have ever put on my face. Made by hand in Africa (I get mine from <a href="http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/spirit-scents-2013?_trksid=p2047675.l2559" target="_blank">THIS eBay seller</a>, who gets it from a fair trade woman's cooperative in upper east Ghana), African Black Soap is a traditional herbal soap made from cocoa shells, plantain skins, coconut oil, shea butter and water (no nasty chemicals - SLS etc not welcome here!). It has been used for hundreds of years and is legendary for its' abilities to treat acne, eczema, body odours, dry skin, rashes, ringworm and just about every other skin condition known to man. You can use it all over your body and even as a shampoo (I haven't tried it on my hair but apparently it's good for itchy scalps too.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRm9f2XgZi0LXKLHAN8jq7UOuUUuinXjLUbZtuoHxzv_cKzduCLxSGmsUTsBcWgoCRo0zdGNvxYwLHPrf-JhQJxT51xCjW-lFM0OipIWsUy5MlIPJWF6dMGs-mH6wAJUJ7POow-YjCzww/s1600/black+soap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRm9f2XgZi0LXKLHAN8jq7UOuUUuinXjLUbZtuoHxzv_cKzduCLxSGmsUTsBcWgoCRo0zdGNvxYwLHPrf-JhQJxT51xCjW-lFM0OipIWsUy5MlIPJWF6dMGs-mH6wAJUJ7POow-YjCzww/s320/black+soap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm not going to lie... it looks pretty terrible. It's brown and lumpy and weird looking: everyone in my house calls it 'Mum's Turd Soap' and pulls faces whenever I happen to leave a piece in the soap dish with the regular soap bar. But believe me, appearances are deceptive and I am more than prepared to deal with the way it looks for the results it has given me. This stuff is <i>amazing</i>. In my first two weeks of using this soap, it cleared up ALL of the active acne on my face (acne which was even resisting the effects of Quinoderm, previously the only thing that even came close to curing it for me). I went from having at least 3 or 4 active spots at any given moment, to none at all. By the end of the third week, most of my stubborn blackheads that just. wouldn't. quit. despite years of trying to treat them had also vanished, and the few that remain are also decreasing. Two months later, I haven't had a single breakout. My skin is smoother, the patch of psoriasis that always tries to appear on my nose seems to have given up and gone away, and all my old blemish marks and acne scars are starting to fade too. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD0DoG_THffjt8YwhI3MtX472Di5LQpVk5y9pCT9Hju-Lsql9MB6AFFxrc1fD7xCBQ3adgElHvuAJymCWAwIWgKMPHMoqgSdahRahV7B7BVdVOqUhv642pnhrOH5d9TxuvpHBFkidiiH0/s1600/black+soap+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD0DoG_THffjt8YwhI3MtX472Di5LQpVk5y9pCT9Hju-Lsql9MB6AFFxrc1fD7xCBQ3adgElHvuAJymCWAwIWgKMPHMoqgSdahRahV7B7BVdVOqUhv642pnhrOH5d9TxuvpHBFkidiiH0/s320/black+soap+2.jpg" width="292" /></a></div>
<br />
The type I have is unscented: it smells a bit earthy and herbal due to the fact it's a natural product but nothing offensive or overpowering. I have seen scented versions too but can't vouch for them as I have only tried the regular kind. You can also get it pressed into solid bars or made into a liquid form in a pump topped bottle. Be careful if buying bars, especially if they are a commercial brand rather than the hand-made kind; many of them aren't 'proper' black soap at all. Instead they are a commercialised and beautified copy of the real thing and, while they look more like 'regular' soap bars they won't have the same medicated properties. Proper black soap is brown, not black (some companies add black dye to theirs), crumbly and a little soft. You can also get it with and without shea butter added; I'd recommend always getting the shea butter version as it can be a little drying otherwise (though no more than any other soap and this is easily rectified with a good moisturiser afterwards). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><u>What I like about this soap:</u></b></div>
<div>
It's basically the holy grail for acne. This stuff has achieved more results for me in 3 weeks than 20 years of conventional acne treatments combined.</div>
<div>
It's natural and gentle, has no nasty chemicals or additives</div>
<div>
It's fair trade!</div>
<div>
It's cheap and lasts for ages (£5 worth is about 6 months' supply for me as a daily facial soap).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><u>What I don't like about this soap:</u></b></div>
<div>
Let's just say it's never going to win a beauty contest :-p</div>
<div>
If used on broken skin/active acne it can sometimes sting a little (nothing unbearable though and worth it for the fact that acne will soon be gone anyway!)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-87979907275746524652013-04-20T00:36:00.000+01:002013-04-20T00:40:19.392+01:00Beating Adult Acne : 7 Steps to Better SkinAlright people, it's TMI time. (Yes, I know it's not Thursday. We'll call it TMI Friday instead, okay?)<br />
<br />
Today I'm going to talk about Adult Acne. It's going to be a long one, but hopefully it will help some of you ladies who, like me, have been struggling to get clear skin despite no longer being in your teens.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://oi39.tinypic.com/mjp9nl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://oi39.tinypic.com/mjp9nl.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
I don't think there are many people whose faces didn't turn into dermatological pizza at least to some extent when they were teenagers, but for some people the hell doesn't stop when puberty subsides. 1 in 5 adults between the ages of 25 and 40 will suffer from acne and at least 80% of those are women. One of those women is me; I've spent the last 20 years fighting my own face (at least that's how it's felt) and quite frankly, it's been a long, expensive and emotional road. Until now. I'm glad to say that I have finally beaten my acne!!<br />
<br />
This is how my skin looks now, sans make up.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0DjXwac9kJYExfu_h5HZeln4j0yf_BE490evJvF_HpydTHkx3oLEjX1h33BqRdkYrVzOUA8KwNfDXcDaRtcm7lD0ij5z1oJnb9htc3FgtIhoI1TnwMmFK977b9qwIkLt6rmiUF-lgEY/s1600/skin+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0DjXwac9kJYExfu_h5HZeln4j0yf_BE490evJvF_HpydTHkx3oLEjX1h33BqRdkYrVzOUA8KwNfDXcDaRtcm7lD0ij5z1oJnb9htc3FgtIhoI1TnwMmFK977b9qwIkLt6rmiUF-lgEY/s200/skin+1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRva4REMST-VI4Pm1thnXuAMn1MNiJB9hricxaFBpNBxf7FkT4O5rpris7DMVSXxGiEfGVkhd2QQxgkRQalHsDCPbYNDlBRvP0K-5NJypoEAz2PMfB143sFNHJ40apKCmEFMI83wvo5Bo/s1600/skin+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRva4REMST-VI4Pm1thnXuAMn1MNiJB9hricxaFBpNBxf7FkT4O5rpris7DMVSXxGiEfGVkhd2QQxgkRQalHsDCPbYNDlBRvP0K-5NJypoEAz2PMfB143sFNHJ40apKCmEFMI83wvo5Bo/s200/skin+4.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
It isn't perfect by any means. There are still blemishes, and acne scars, but it's a world away from the way it looked this time last year (pictures <a href="http://oi42.tinypic.com/14436tu.jpg" target="_blank">HERE</a>, <a href="http://oi43.tinypic.com/2ai0cy.jpg" target="_blank">HERE</a>, and <a href="http://oi44.tinypic.com/2jf13bm.jpg" target="_blank">HERE</a>, hidden behind links to protect the squeamish!) and I can honestly say my skin is now the best it's looked for 20 years!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdaxrP7VN1hgQi6UOFzfpnYsIfr08K1LIBEG8j-yqZ8GzLHIr7ZECCwLg5X-zr8VqVQDInjzfnRNBBw3GJTwuarS6ghZr7pnT0R9BGsHxfjK4UfLsmCfkxClLWao7kg9a1lMs3LcSOV4/s1600/skin+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdaxrP7VN1hgQi6UOFzfpnYsIfr08K1LIBEG8j-yqZ8GzLHIr7ZECCwLg5X-zr8VqVQDInjzfnRNBBw3GJTwuarS6ghZr7pnT0R9BGsHxfjK4UfLsmCfkxClLWao7kg9a1lMs3LcSOV4/s200/skin+3.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
There's a ton of information about acne out there, but the trouble is, it's usually conflicting and confusing, and often just tries to sell you stuff (which is frequently nothing but snake oil anyway). Looking back at all the things I've tried, I realise that I wasted a lot of time and money on barking up the wrong tree entirely! There is a whole list of things I wish I'd known a long time ago: it would have made my struggle a lot easier and shorter! In the interests of maybe helping some of the other reluctantly spotty ladies out there, here is that list. Please note that I am NOT a dermatologist. I'm a biochemist, so I know a thing or two about science, but I wouldn't even begin to claim that I am an expert in skincare. These are just the things that I have learned help my own skin and they may or may not help you too.<br />
<br />
<b><u>1. Seek medical advice</u></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yfOy14gwCg4LcyfElnNFPtf_ozW928M7UFoj2u3uzca1662bK_mo4tTIXk5mtkLPv8rw1PUG7NnSc-oKhKVkANsEWr8hGsTGwNJfSmr6a8ZorkWAf3NGFxzSVhyphenhyphenO9oIqoS4MJV1J1pM/s1600/doc1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yfOy14gwCg4LcyfElnNFPtf_ozW928M7UFoj2u3uzca1662bK_mo4tTIXk5mtkLPv8rw1PUG7NnSc-oKhKVkANsEWr8hGsTGwNJfSmr6a8ZorkWAf3NGFxzSVhyphenhyphenO9oIqoS4MJV1J1pM/s1600/doc1.jpg" /></a></div>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
If you have acne, the first place you should go is the doctor. Do not be afraid that your skin is not bad enough for medical intervention, or that the doctor will laugh you out of the room. He won't. He has a whole arsenal of things that can help, as do Pharmacists (though there are some things only doctors can prescribe). While they may not be as attractively packaged or pleasantly scented as things you buy in the drugstore, the chances are they'll work a lot better and will cost you less money in the long run too. While you're showing your acne to the doctor, also have a discussion about whether or not you need to change your method of birth control. Acne is massively influenced by hormones, whether that's our own, or the artificial kind we use to stop ourselves from having babies. You can use all the acne treatments in the world but if your skin is freaking out over hormones (whether that's too much, too little, or the wrong kind), you're going to be fighting an uphill battle all the way. Often, starting, stopping, or changing the type of birth control you use, can make a huge difference to your skin. You may need to be patient and try a few things before you figure out what works best (and for me that was the progesterone implant), but believe me, it's worth persevering.<br />
<br />
<u><b>2. Keep it Simple</b></u><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzlIrTU4q_hhpdBE9MCg9ZOGeHCKIuFXQRYC0ByoXr7y9eAXa8OStqQh_Y-BwCaHGe2kleOBdHovNmi8ClV0rblkLXZQDU0IO0vzGh7bLOVXfc4Bz3MwE7__KczvFVLIaGbLSFJmFcAEw/s1600/skincare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzlIrTU4q_hhpdBE9MCg9ZOGeHCKIuFXQRYC0ByoXr7y9eAXa8OStqQh_Y-BwCaHGe2kleOBdHovNmi8ClV0rblkLXZQDU0IO0vzGh7bLOVXfc4Bz3MwE7__KczvFVLIaGbLSFJmFcAEw/s200/skincare.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>
<u><b><br /></b></u>
It is very tempting to rush out and buy every acne face wash, gel, cleansing wipe, scrub and cream you can get your hands on, and then scrub the life out of your face hoping that the spots will magically go away. Try not to do this as it can actually be counter-productive: acne products (especially those aimed at teenagers) can be very harsh and drying to the skin and it is very likely that your face will reward your efforts with twice as much acne as you had in the first place (I speak from painful experience here). Choose just one or two key things that you know definitely work, and stick to them; your skin will thank you for it.<br />
My daily skincare routine only involves two specifically anti-acne products: Quinoderm cream (reviewed <a href="http://glitter-mountain.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/quinoderm-and-tmi-thursday-update-3.html?showComment=1366408693224#c8112163126528626586" target="_blank">HERE</a>), and African Black Soap, which is legendary for its ability to help treat pretty much any skin condition from acne to eczema and everything in between (I'll be reviewing this soon).<br />
<br />
<b><u>3. Keep it Moist</u></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3PTx8GuEgPIJl5RdMw2_P8nscG1Z3u7VGVjzcUN1gOamyH3R2YI1mqhm6M0qB4w0zsRNcbQy1nuEWEpSxz-dhArqdp_WV3O2THH5b1fCNDj_ZuB1fsrkH6zt_AgH17xCrfVkKHT_LY0/s1600/vitenite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3PTx8GuEgPIJl5RdMw2_P8nscG1Z3u7VGVjzcUN1gOamyH3R2YI1mqhm6M0qB4w0zsRNcbQy1nuEWEpSxz-dhArqdp_WV3O2THH5b1fCNDj_ZuB1fsrkH6zt_AgH17xCrfVkKHT_LY0/s200/vitenite.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
I make sure my skin is moisturised well at all times. It might seem like a bad idea to moisturise: people can get paranoid about greasing up their skin and think that moisturiser will cause their acne to get worse. Actually it's quite the opposite. You NEED moisture. Dry skin is unhappy skin; it will produce extra sebum to try and fix itself and extra sebum equals extra acne. The trick (which might require a bit of trial and error) is to find a moisturiser which will suit your skin, especially if you have dry areas - it's a myth that acne prone skin is automatically greasy skin, ya know. You want something that is simple and gentle, but not so rich it will block your pores. Things which say 'non comodogenic' are usually good, as they are supposedly not pore-blocking. Things which leave your face still feeling claggy over half an hour later are generally bad - ideally it should disappear into the skin within a few minutes and leave it feeling moisturised, but not greasy. My current favourite is the Superdrug Vitamin E range (again, review coming very soon!).<br />
<br />
<b><u>4. Keep it Clean</u></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-23rT2cyIvjt5vNunvr59UHax8PFRAcczYJy4_S9eYhY7SdMAurmyfVPNADt7wnsnbs-V1hyPhQBonYcqddhEpzOZaOiVZbF6nDmGf2Glq7gxHj9pE6JhucWK_tGEPSJRt-evXFbnOTQ/s1600/facewash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-23rT2cyIvjt5vNunvr59UHax8PFRAcczYJy4_S9eYhY7SdMAurmyfVPNADt7wnsnbs-V1hyPhQBonYcqddhEpzOZaOiVZbF6nDmGf2Glq7gxHj9pE6JhucWK_tGEPSJRt-evXFbnOTQ/s1600/facewash.jpg" /></a></div>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
This might seem obvious, but nevertheless, I can't stress it enough: DO NOT SLEEP IN YOUR MAKE UP. I don't care how pure and wonderful the packaging claims it is. That make up has been on your face all day long, picking up germs, dust, sweat, debris, grease and dirt, and if you don't take it off before bed it's all going to sit there all night too, having a right old party in your pores, which will more than likely get blocked and infected. Nice. At the risk of sounding like a right old minger, I always used to sleep in my make up and take it off the next morning. I didn't think it made that much difference, but it really does. Now I take it off every night before bed and my skin is so much better for it. If I forget or get lazy for a few days, I soon wish I hadn't!!<br />
<br />
<b><u>5. Check Your Make Up</u></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4p4AeUTDFt7nksFoc44c-r87YRaM9FIPxOHKa8lvAOwKtHVG-g0CZjc9UrTtKoN1uWH1Z1GvYTnuWT0x5N2qhJyJpY8Zyol7FaG_nZG_z7MsJx-5onvnnrgc-XI7Q7dD4-6RekDbt8A/s1600/mpf.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4p4AeUTDFt7nksFoc44c-r87YRaM9FIPxOHKa8lvAOwKtHVG-g0CZjc9UrTtKoN1uWH1Z1GvYTnuWT0x5N2qhJyJpY8Zyol7FaG_nZG_z7MsJx-5onvnnrgc-XI7Q7dD4-6RekDbt8A/s1600/mpf.jpeg" /></a></div>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
The day I switched from traditional liquid foundation to mineral powder foundation, my skin all but cheered. It turns out all that make up I was using to hide my acne, was actually part of the problem: I can wear as much powder as I like, but if I drift back to liquid, I get maybe two or three days grace, then dermatological Armageddon occurs. I'm not saying that powder is the holy grail, or that liquid foundation is evil; but everyone's skin is different and it's very possible that certain types of make up, ingredients or additives just don't agree with your face. (Silicones, waxes, fragrances and SPF are just a few things which tend to cause problems for acne sufferers). It's definitely worth looking at the things you put on your face and maybe trying to use different formulations for a while, to see if it helps.<br />
<br />
<b><u>6. Check Your Diet</u></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrp3zx5fjgZWhzTJ8I6SKxf4z8rM1deLTIE3mtnAldIDltqzwd2sMdWiK37T_LQwQhyphenhyphen7xYTllOXfFsseicq6ZgMHNuvfwE5Bs3qhv98bTCKXE-pTg6sZsIVnWAfGHTmOC9vRSvWJDW7DE/s1600/veg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrp3zx5fjgZWhzTJ8I6SKxf4z8rM1deLTIE3mtnAldIDltqzwd2sMdWiK37T_LQwQhyphenhyphen7xYTllOXfFsseicq6ZgMHNuvfwE5Bs3qhv98bTCKXE-pTg6sZsIVnWAfGHTmOC9vRSvWJDW7DE/s200/veg.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
Studies have shown that a bad diet does not automatically cause acne. However, there is evidence from both clinical trials and observational studies to suggest that diet CAN make existing acne worse. Particular culprits include dairy products, sugar, saturated fats and processed foods, so if you currently eat a lot of these, it might help to cut down. Dairy is definitely a trigger for my skin: the more I eat, the spottier I get, and my skin is definitely better when I avoid junk food!<br />
<br />
<b><u>7. Be Patient</u></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACSo6Enq8fALErwZe0SX1Du-3caW7MPfs3blmX-QTr7ix59PfYQi7XfqZ9TqqaOQgdH3yBn92gkgbhlZOgR6fONZ_6O_p8CY2Vnz-7-Gz94hpHjDpYdl4zvwKHhSqOiV7qCLMecYdmAw/s1600/CalendarClipart.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACSo6Enq8fALErwZe0SX1Du-3caW7MPfs3blmX-QTr7ix59PfYQi7XfqZ9TqqaOQgdH3yBn92gkgbhlZOgR6fONZ_6O_p8CY2Vnz-7-Gz94hpHjDpYdl4zvwKHhSqOiV7qCLMecYdmAw/s200/CalendarClipart.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
The only thing that Acne does quickly is get worse. Whatever you try, if it doesn't seem to be doing much, give it a reasonable amount of time before giving up and trying something else: a couple of weeks if it's a cleanser, a couple of months if it's a treatment cream. If you've changed your birth control it may take even longer: it took almost a year for my skin to settle down from the enormous flare up I experienced when I started using the depo injection, though with the implant that I eventually switched to, it only took a few weeks for my skin to normalise. Go figure.<br />
<br />
And... that's it! 7 steps to better skin. It worked for me, and I really hope it will help other people too!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-28918252082226278832013-04-17T22:01:00.000+01:002013-04-17T22:01:45.843+01:00The Body Shop: Shea Body MistAre you all enjoying the nice weather that's finally starting to appear? Though it's a bit hit and miss at the moment, with rain one minute and sun the next, hopefully it'll settle down soon and I can finally stop wearing so many layers of clothes! One thing I like to do once the weather gets warmer is break out all the body mists and lighter perfumes that have languished in my drawer all winter; I tend to wear stronger scents while it's cold since there's all that thick knitwear keeping the fragrance from reaching people's noses!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioyw06TD9z9o0wojYxXD1ClhUc_pt1yRbsgW73oj5-Lb638HVkQTw0iAfTP0WwyVa2Dr0haddYVtUurT1I_ESInt6BOFKu01sUXLg2OMgUns_aRnchqqNpINOfADSCpxlT-yBiHexXSj4/s1600/shea+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioyw06TD9z9o0wojYxXD1ClhUc_pt1yRbsgW73oj5-Lb638HVkQTw0iAfTP0WwyVa2Dr0haddYVtUurT1I_ESInt6BOFKu01sUXLg2OMgUns_aRnchqqNpINOfADSCpxlT-yBiHexXSj4/s320/shea+1.jpg" width="167" /></a></div>
<br />
In honour of the impending spring, and because I had such a good experience with the Coconut and Moringa scents I reviewed <a href="http://glitter-mountain.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/body-shop-coconut-and-moringa-body.html" target="_blank">here,</a> I decided to treat myself to another of the Body Shop's lovely body mists: Shea. Like the others in this range, you get 100ml of product in a glass bottle, though they seem to have gone up in price since the last time I was there; they used to be £7, now they're £7.50. Still not a bad price considering how much you get, though.<br />
Scent wise this is really, really lovely. It's sweet, nutty, earthy and creamy, a little bit like coconut, but fresher and more subtle. It's a lot weaker than the Moringa and Coconut scents, though - this may be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your own personal tastes, for me it's a bad thing as ten squirts usually wears off in about three hours for me, whereas the same amount of sprays of the Moringa and Coconut would last me pretty much all day. This wouldn't be a problem if it came in a plastic bottle, as I could just throw it in my bag and top it up during the day, but I'm reluctant to do that with glass.<br />
<br />
<b><u>What I liked:</u></b><br />
It smells GORGEOUS.<br />
The packaging is understated, but attractive. The glass makes it feel and look more luxurious than it would do if it were plastic, plus I like the way each bottle has the central image (nut, flower, fruit, whatever) with the Body Shop logo superimposed over it - simple but pretty. I have all three of my Body Shop mists out on my dressing table as they're too nice to hide away!<br />
<br />
<b><u>What I didn't like:</u></b><br />
It doesn't last as long as I'd like, and while for many people the more subtle scent will be a plus, I would prefer it to be a little stronger. I'm thinking of getting the Eau de Toilette in the same scent and layering the two for a longer lasting and stronger effect.<br />
The bottle is too large and fragile to carry in a handbag.Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-72995371159962589642013-03-16T07:26:00.001+00:002013-03-16T07:33:58.913+00:00Diet Coke QuornAnother food post for you today!<br />
<br />
Something I cook quite often is Diet Coke Quorn. The first time I heard about cooking with Diet Coke, I thought it sounded a) gross and b) insane. Coke's a drink, right? Why would you put it in your food? But I was intrigued enough to try it, and surprised when it tasted amazing. It's kind of like sweet and sour.<br />
<br />
This dish is vegetarian. It's not technically vegan since Quorn contains a small amount of egg white, but I'm putting it up anyway because the Quorn could easily be replaced with tofu, extra vegetables, soya pieces, tempeh, chick peas/garbanzo beans, chunks of vegan sausage, or whatever else you fancy. (It could also be replaced with chicken).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5ByovAYufNwg5PZc-ZsmoZreu1Wg6TyWaBG4Uh1_oaBWujy03eQok423QfY5C7Nz2amxgsgzhA4dWudA97m5kRK1hnGhfwm4CmnGOdc0X7pNvLvaViuGlufBRCCVc39ian_1cvvIQrA/s1600/IMAG1210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5ByovAYufNwg5PZc-ZsmoZreu1Wg6TyWaBG4Uh1_oaBWujy03eQok423QfY5C7Nz2amxgsgzhA4dWudA97m5kRK1hnGhfwm4CmnGOdc0X7pNvLvaViuGlufBRCCVc39ian_1cvvIQrA/s320/IMAG1210.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
It's also probably not the most attractive thing to look at, but trust me. It tastes awesome and is stupidly easy to cook.<br />
<br />
Recipe:<br />
Throw one large, chopped up onion into a pan with 1tsp oil, or if you're low fat, a few sprays of Frylight and a splash of water. Fry for a minute or two until soft.<br />
Dump 225g of rice into the pan (I used long grain, brown basmati, but it doesn't really matter what you use). Add one can of diet cola (I am far too cheap to buy actual Coke - I use cheapie own brand supermarket stuff and it works just fine), and watch the cool fizzing effect.<br />
Add 240ml of water and a vegetable stock cube. Toss in some Quorn pieces (or whatever you want to use instead) and some vegetables (whatever you have hanging around is fine. I used carrots and red peppers here).<br />
Simmer until the rice is cooked (time will vary depending on the type of rice you chose but it'll be somewhere between 10 and 25 minutes) and has absorbed all the liquid. You will need to keep an eye on it, stir it every so often, and probably top up the pan with a bit of extra water here and there, unless you really <i>want</i> half cooked rice welded to the bottom of the pan.<br />
Eat. This made enough for three very filling portions, and cost very little. My husband (meat eater) ate two out of those three portions. He is always happy to eat vegetarian food as long as it fills him up and tastes good, so that's a great recommendation right there. Oh, and if you follow the Slimming World Green/EE Plan and use FryLight instead of oil, this dish is Syn Free!<br />
<br />Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-18926404796168662962013-03-15T22:33:00.003+00:002013-03-15T22:33:45.637+00:00Google Reader (and possibly GFC) are going!So you may or may not have heard the news that Google will soon be retiring its Google Reader service - whilst GFC is not automatically closing, once Google Reader is gone, GFC will become somewhat redundant and the general opinion seems to be that it won't be long before they get rid of that too.<br />
At the time of writing, I have 154 followers. I value absolutely every single one of you equally!! However since the vast majority of those 154 currently follow me via GFC you can probably understand that the thought of it ceasing to exist fills me with dismay.<br />
So. If you currently follow Glitter Mountain via GFC, please check out my sidebar where you will find following widgets for my Bloglovin', Hellocotton and Networked Blogs accounts, as well as my Twitter account, where I post links to all of my latest posts. (You can also subscribe to an email feed).Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098017328243654563.post-54117691536770884142013-03-02T07:39:00.000+00:002013-03-02T07:39:59.472+00:00Super Soup! Everybody loves a bargain, and I have a great one for you today!<div>
Browsing the shelves at Asda last weekend I came across these little treasures: ready prepared bags of ingredients for making soup. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbF0U-IseFQuADP_ptliqgQ9Uz6TcEtNc2S6LAZ437ScEGPxT7lpPKnWRhy2NJuFl1VbEsRhshHtMJ6Ldz-suTqh0krRYTUPkr3jDomdjbhoEt1vn26f41v8zKbdYi7Le3NGecfdTCzW8/s1600/IMG_0804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbF0U-IseFQuADP_ptliqgQ9Uz6TcEtNc2S6LAZ437ScEGPxT7lpPKnWRhy2NJuFl1VbEsRhshHtMJ6Ldz-suTqh0krRYTUPkr3jDomdjbhoEt1vn26f41v8zKbdYi7Le3NGecfdTCzW8/s400/IMG_0804.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
I don't normally buy many ready-prepared vegetables (except frozen or tinned ones), because it's nearly always cheaper to buy the unprepared veggies and peel and chop them myself. But seriously. Look how cheap these are! Normally just £1, I got them on special offer for 85p a bag. Each one contains almost everything you need to make a litre of soup, no chopping or peeling required. All you need to add is water and two stock cubes. Bargain!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTB0fwMLnB8F-wDisyX6S66NN6okXC1WTDF6ZJTWb76Ktefhoz7ah5hAMzNyNW0RePdLMKabuFgIGTnBIB9BzsaRPL8hkJKcAL4aXaZU9Z3vRs1SDjNbs5uJ2B0OuFGCj9vMysaIBBDWk/s1600/IMG_0805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTB0fwMLnB8F-wDisyX6S66NN6okXC1WTDF6ZJTWb76Ktefhoz7ah5hAMzNyNW0RePdLMKabuFgIGTnBIB9BzsaRPL8hkJKcAL4aXaZU9Z3vRs1SDjNbs5uJ2B0OuFGCj9vMysaIBBDWk/s320/IMG_0805.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
Here's Leek and Potato (which also contains onion and parsley), all ready for cooking. The instructions say you can whizz this soup up in a saucepan in about half an hour, so it already ticks the 'quick' box as well as 'easy' and 'cheap'. However, I was feeling especially lazy today, so I slung the whole lot in the slow cooker (which took all of 10 seconds - that's my kinda cooking, y'all) and left it for 8 hours while I went to work. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcXbG2aFdm_Ogsjux97TlTuQ4_qiTR4ss8n2RO_7kSKCuOjbqVhGDNcR-7ST1h1aSj_olh5g7d21KMGGSIV2jFcNP0EE9HIK8_ZPHxuAjRBGbC3TPdhd79Nf5K7KiTEQwUCcbOHUb6Ig/s1600/IMG_0808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcXbG2aFdm_Ogsjux97TlTuQ4_qiTR4ss8n2RO_7kSKCuOjbqVhGDNcR-7ST1h1aSj_olh5g7d21KMGGSIV2jFcNP0EE9HIK8_ZPHxuAjRBGbC3TPdhd79Nf5K7KiTEQwUCcbOHUb6Ig/s320/IMG_0808.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
Here's the end result, after a quick blitz with a stick blender. My 85p packet made enough soup for four people. It was also delicious and full of win. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirOgDEQ7Q7G1_Q6hMxIfyc9R2br1JSuuojnB1Vg_IR-bg8-IL1XPzv2hCDcFaRD_6H8Ob4z2K-1ggjfXanSAM30lRwDto0kQ6zcPJOMy0EA9d3iVXKCtymAEH_CvI6SmFBBP55Cf-HkNI/s1600/IMG_0809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirOgDEQ7Q7G1_Q6hMxIfyc9R2br1JSuuojnB1Vg_IR-bg8-IL1XPzv2hCDcFaRD_6H8Ob4z2K-1ggjfXanSAM30lRwDto0kQ6zcPJOMy0EA9d3iVXKCtymAEH_CvI6SmFBBP55Cf-HkNI/s320/IMG_0809.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
Next up was carrot and coriander (again there is onion in this too). I was feeling a bit experimental by this point, so I only added half a litre of water, so it would be super thick and chunky.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjprn20OiF0Y8KCQxmTC0n9ZnvRbI_s24nF-FiHuNAzLN3jqDdHh9-dIfPF-AV8x7L_fTnc70GCIoSNvN-pzo1cVKoz1EdWA-WTc8dmuB6ie5HXRib-KMOby7anF5IZTzf7ZUVndGle5Q/s1600/IMG_0812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjprn20OiF0Y8KCQxmTC0n9ZnvRbI_s24nF-FiHuNAzLN3jqDdHh9-dIfPF-AV8x7L_fTnc70GCIoSNvN-pzo1cVKoz1EdWA-WTc8dmuB6ie5HXRib-KMOby7anF5IZTzf7ZUVndGle5Q/s320/IMG_0812.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
Another quick blast with the stick blender, and presto! Chunky carrot and coriander goodness that tasted every bit as delicious as the leek and potato, and so thick it was practically a stew. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I was already feeling smug about the yumminess I'd created, so imagine my delight when I totted up the overall cost. I made 6 bowls of delicious and healthy soup for £1.70 (large ones, mind - I don't do small portions. I was stuffed after one bowl and two slices of bread) That's less than 30p a bowl. There was no added fat whatsoever, and if you're following the Slimming World green plan, you'll be pleased to learn that this is completely syn free. Even better, I spent less than 5 minutes actually making it all. Cheap AND lazy :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Opalline Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00465708454337499071noreply@blogger.com0