Folding a t-shirt in 2 seconds

... as described on videojug.com

Sloe Gin

I've been meaning to try making sloe gin for ages and this year I finally got round to it. The demijohn was half filled with Tanqueray gin (only the best!) then topped up with sloes and sugar and then left for weeks and shaken around every few days. We cracked it open on Friday night for a pre-Christmas taster and all ended up very merry... it was great, sweet because of the sugar but with a sharp tang from the sloes, and the colour was wonderful. Final verdict is don't bother coming round for a taster... it's not going to last that long!!!

Cheeeeers, and cherry mistmas!!!!

De-cluttered!!!

It's 31 October, the deadline for me to have sorted the clutter in my dining room and make it re-usable again, and as you can see I made it with a few hours to spare. There are still some things in the room which I just can't find anywhere else for so they will have to stay there for now but at least the room is once again usable. I need to re-decorate as I'm not sure about the red and also fix up two more blinds on the narrow windows in the bay, and I also need to start work on the spare bedroom as some of the stuff from the dining room has ended up in that room. Verdict on the de-cluttering process? It was good to have a clutter buddy who I felt I couldn't let down, so thank you Grace and I hope your de-cluttering is going to work out OK, and also encouragement from Angharad and some of my friends, who have been watching and commenting on my progress. Thanks for your support everyone and I hope you are impressed!

Progress!!!

OK Grace, now I'm feeling really smug! How's this for progress. I've thrown lots of stuff out, put all the chairs I am in the middle of restoring up in the loft, and left loads of things outside the front of the house with notes on for people to take if they want them (and they all went within a matter of hours). There's still quite a bit to do but at last I can see the carpet. I'm now down to the hard core clutter and I've no idea how I am going to sort it out but whatever it is it has to happen by the end of the month. I think I'm on target how about you?

The time has come ...

I have to unglue myself from Flickr and all the other distractions and sort this room out. I'm turning into a bag lady, hoarding rubbish. I don't understand why I do it. The parts of my house that I actually use are completely clutter free, verging on minimalist (you can see a pic of my living room elsewhere on this Blog as proof of this). But now, with the help of my Flickr friend Grace I am going to get this sorted. We are now "Clutter Buddies" and will be supporting and encouraging each other in our endeavours to clear the clutter from our homes and lives. OK Grace, here we go... this is the awfulness I have to deal with. I'll try really hard not to just move it to the other room that is like this... ahhhh, I might not have mentioned that... there is actually another room (a bedroom), possibly even worse than this, that I have to sort. It's not much use as a guest bedroom as there's currently no room for a bed as you can see!



My deadline for sorting the dining room out is the end of October... that's October 2007! I'll post some follow-up shots to record progress and will be checking out Grace's progress on her de-cluttering and reporting back on that too. Wish me luck... slap my wrists... tell me I'm not the only one who does this... send me words of encouragement!!!

Yo Yo

I'm finding my new yo yo very therapeutic and I'm particularly enjoying hooking up with J to learn all those new moves
yoyoguy

Viki

This is my friend Viki on her birthday in June. The three of us (Viki, Ann and me) went to the King Charles Head pub at Goring Heath just outside Reading for her birthday lunch and in the evening we went to a friends big party at the Student Union which happened to coincide with Viki's birthday. Great opportunity for us all to dress up and we all looked really hot! Haven't been to a "Do" like this in ages and it was nice to be watched and noticed by lots of men, and to catch up with lots of people I haven't seen for a while. Great birthday Viki ... memorable especially for that mad phone call from the two of you in the early hours of the morning with the report of your drunken exploits on the walk back to Ann's flat. Serve you right that you both suffered really badly the next day!

SP

Another self-portrait this time with the glasses. I could produce a long list of everything I see that I don't like but I've been told off by my friends for doing this and they're right of course. I should trust people to be attracted by who I am not what I look like ... I know ... but can I just mention those lips, they're not exactly what you'd call "kissy lips" now are they ... and there are lines that seem to have appeared overnight, and my nose is too long, and ........ OK, OK, I know, I've got a really nice personality - but isn't that what they say about people who are ugly!!!

SP

This is one of the few shots I have of myself without my glasses, and for that reason it's quite flattering. Everybody else sees me with my glasses on but that's not what I see nor how I think of myself and for this reason I want others to see me as I really am. And if you look carefully you can just see the strap of my red polka-dot bikini which I intend to wear throughout my holiday with my friend Viki in August!

Clutterfree zone

Clutterfree zone, originally uploaded by Red Snapper9.

I've never really understood how it is that some parts of my house are so clutterfree whilst others are just a mess. (You can see examples of this in the photos of my desk earlier in my Blog). It's as though there are two sides to me which need to be nurtured - the creative person who needs to have lots of things around her to stimulate her imagination, to leave her mark on the world she occupies; and the other person who needs simple and calming spaces. Perhaps I need the clutterfree spaces as a respite from the busy mind side. I certainly have a tendency to be manic and this may just be an extension of this. Whatever the reason I know that this simple space is important for my sanity and is hence an interesting insight into my character, and my taste ... I don't do chintz!

Dr Viki in her "woman of the night" coat!!!

My very special friend Viki taken on our Dolls trip to see Cirque du Soleil in January 2007. She is everything that a friend and friendship means. She is an amazing woman, very bright, attractive, funny, loving and generous (and single!) and my world has been brightened forever through knowing her. I don't think I tell her often enough how important she is to me so this is my public declaration to make up for that. Looking forward to holidays ahead relaxing, swimming in the sea, drinking wine, soaking up the rays and checking out the local talent!!! Love you Viks, more than I think you know!!!

Drawing

This image hit me directly I saw it posted on Ditch the Kitch's photostream - you can see the original photo here. The light and textures are wonderful and I couldn't resist seeing if I could draw something that would do it justice. Denis is a constant inspiration to me for the way in which he pushes the boundaries and creates wonderfully vibrant and intense images. He is warm, sweet and adorable, and I love the alchemy he works!