The baby list

Another big gap between posts I'm afraid!

Well, it's been a busy few months - pregnancy symptoms, trying to stay awake at work, ticking baby-related chores off a gazillion to-do lists and, of course, buying all the baby essentials, while trying to not get ripped off...easier said than done.

I trawled the internet for the ultimate baby list and finally settled on Mothercare's version, which seemed extensive (like them all!), but also with a pinch of common sense.

It's expensive, it's exhausting, but I'm finally done.

Here are a few of my main purchases...



The pram

It took me a loooong time to decide which pram to buy. It seemed like the biggest and most important decision. After reading a million reviews, asking parent friends what they thought, and a few trips to Mamas and Papas, we (ahem, I!) decided on the Sola 2. For some reason, the lime green version was half the price of the red or black version - I actually preferred this colour, so happy days!

The seat lies flat and is therefore suitable from birth, which means there's no need for a cumbersome carrycot. I was a little concerned about this as we're having a November baby. However, the carrycot was an extra £70, was very big, and I really believe that a foot muff will keep the little one cosy enough.

The pram arrived last weekend and I'm still trying to work it all out. But now it's here, it seems very very real.

The car seat

Another of the big and important purchases. I actually bought this with the pram at Mamas and Papas as there was an offer on at the time. The car seat can be extended as baby grows, so hopefully it'll last us a while. We took advantage of the car seat fitting service as well. The member of staff was so knowledgeable and friendly, and gave us a chance to try it out before we left. It's very simple to fit in the car, without the need for an (expensive!) isofix base. I loved the orange colour, but decided to go for the more baby-friendly black option.

The cot bed

Even though the Little One won't be sleeping in the cot bed for a while yet, my Dad wanted to get us something as a baby gift, and this seemed ideal. It's from Argos and was in the sale at the time. It's much bigger than I anticipated to be honest, but hopefully that just means it'll last longer. It seems very sturdy and I really like the simple but elegant style it has.

The moses basket

So, I've read on many a forum that these are a real waste of money as babies only use them for a few months. Therefore, in an effort to save a few pennies, I bought a second hand one from Gumtree. The basket hasn't been used, and the stand is in great condition. I paid £20 for both, and after a bit of research, I've found that the basket is actually from John Lewis (£35) and the stand is from Mamas and Papas (£30) - so a great save. I also found a (new!) mattress on ebay for £8.

All in all, it has been an expensive process, but I've also managed to grab a few bargains along the way. There are always sales around and it's definitely worth waiting for them, especially for the big purchases. Also, there's nothing wrong with second hand baby stuff. You might feel like you want to buy all new for your first born, but to be honest, mums generally take good care of everything they buy and you can get better things for the new member of your family, for less money - definitely worth it in my opinion.

Only 6 weeks to go now...!

The pram

The car seat
The cot bed
The moses basket

A Beautiful Mess - the app!

So I've been searching high and low for a cheap and easy to use programme to edit photos. And I've found one, at last.

I've been following A Beautiful Mess for a while on Instagram but I've never seen them advertise their awesome app. I bought it yesterday (79p (or just over a dollar) - bargain!) and I'm already hooked. I still need some time to play with it properly, but the first few photos came out pretty well, I think...

                                

                                        

                                         

Very basic at this point but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it. Anyone else loving the app?

My favourite blogs

What really got me started with writing my own blog, was the sheer amount of good blogs already out there. And I'm constantly finding more. The list is growing and growing, and I'm doing less and less work. Ahem, even though I only read them in my lunch hour, of course.

So, here's a round up of a few of my favourites:


Florence Finds is a blog by new mum Rebecca. She talks about her beautiful baby girl, Bea, her home renovation projects and her capsule wardrobe.

A Cup of Jo is written by full time blogger Joanna Goddard who is a mum to two gorgeous and funny little boys. She blogs about everything and anything - easy supper recipes, fashion trends, cool NY apartments, and everything in between. She also posts very regularly, at least a couple of posts a day.

Seeds and Stitches is the combined effort of mums Davina and Hannah, two crafty and ethically minded women who blog about magazine shoots, craft events and family life in general.

A Baby on Board is a new find for me. Being pregnant meant that I couldn't resist googling popular pregnancy new mum blogs, and this came out top. And it's easy to see why. Gill, a mum of two, writes beautifully and funnily about the ups and downs of life. A definite favourite.

Have you got any blogs you'd recommend? I'm sure I could find time to read them...

Big News...

Apologies for the lack of posts, once again - this is becoming a bad habit, isn't it?

But today, I'm here to share some wonderfully beautiful and exciting news...we're having a baby! And this little bundle of joy should be with us by November.

It might sound awful saying this now, but I've always been unsure about starting a family. The responsibility. The pressures. The sleepless nights.

What if I want to sit and read all day? Or go to Paris for the weekend? Or go to Glastonbury?

Well, all that has changed, and I'm beyond excited. The Other Half and I have been together for almost seven years, and as he's nearly six years older than I am, has always been a little broody. Whereas, I certainly have not. Don't get me wrong, I looove playing with other people's kids, and am a pretty good entertainer, but having a child of my own? Wow, that's something else.

We started talking a bit more seriously about it last summer and by New Year 2014/15 we were sure that 2015 would be the year. We went to Thailand and theeeen, I was pregnant. I'm now in my 17th week and getting a pretty decent sized bump.

Life has already changed quite a bit for me. Thankfully, I'm over the major bouts of sickness and headaches, and even though I'm still pretty tired, I'm starting to feel a little bit more like 'me'. Well, except for the sleepless nights, the back ache, the lack of appetite, the ever growing bump and a million other little side effects that no one ever tells you about.

All those side effects aside, I'm enjoying being pregnant. The Other Half says I look 'glowing' at the moment and the bump is changing from being a 'fat belly' to a 'pregnant belly' - the other day, I was actually offered a seat on the bus because of it. Oh yeah!

I'd really love to get more into this blog from now on, and even more so when I'm on maternity leave, but who knows how things will go. I'll just have to wait and see.




Photos:
Glastonbury
Onion
Bus sign

Hello again!

So, another big gap between posts - sorry about that.

Last time I was here I was on my way to Thailand, and boy did we have a great time! The Other Half and I, my Dad and his Partner spent 2 weeks in the sun, eating Massaman Curries, having massages, drinking cheap beers, going on boat trips and reading.

Oh yeah, the Other Half also proposed!

I honestly couldn't believe it. We've been together for just over 6 years and I'd almost given up. He's romantic but very very subtle. I've hinted and hinted. But the Boy did good. He chose my ring, made sure it was the right size, hid it for half the holiday and...went down on one knee. He's a keeper!

And now we're home and on a mission to (not plan a wedding as everyone wants us to!) sort the house out. We need wardrobes, a sofa bed for guests, a bathroom cabinet, wall hangings and...we need to sort out the rising damp. Boo. We've had a couple of people in and it's going to cost us upwards of £2,000...for something that needs doing, but that we can't actually see. Oh the joys of being a homeowner.

Anyway, this is a bit of a rambling post. To be honest, after getting home from our holiday and getting back into the swing of things, I intentionally didn't blog or use Instagram for a while. I was worried that I was developing a serious case of Instagram Jealousy. Admiring everyone's perfectly decorated houses and staring longingly at illustrations or crafts they'd created, wishing I had the time to invest in these things. It was getting me down.

So, on holiday, aside from texting my mum and brother about the engagement, I switched my phone off. It was bliss. I wasn't constantly checking for emails or updates, and cursing that I had no time to do the things I wanted to do.

And it's been great, for a while.

It's given me the time to realise that my life is pretty great and I don't need a blog or Instagram. However, last night I was curious, and had a sneaky peek at my last post. And it was good. I enjoyed reading it. And I enjoyed writing it last month.

So, I'm never going to be a big successful blogger, but this is a good way for me to ramble on about things, express my opinions and have a good old rant.

And as for Instagram, I've resistsed the urge to post anything since returning to the country, but I do love to look at all the pretty photographs. I'm not 100% convinced it's a good idea for me to keep looking through the photos, but I do love the ideas I get from certain posts with regards to baking, crafts and illustration. Maybe I just need to sieve through the people I follow, and use Instagram as a very useful and inspirational tool, not an app that turns me into a big green eyed monster.

Anyway, rant/ramble over - enjoy the rest of your week everyone! xx





Photos:


The Thailand ones are my own
Comparison is the thief of joy
Comic strip
Niki Pilkington

Craving creativity

Well haven't I been quiet recently? Sorry about that, life has gotten in the way.

Recently I've been feeling unfulfilled. I've always had trouble loving my job, primarily as I'm a translator - nothing very exciting but it pays a decent wage. However, a year and a half ago I managed to get a new job (still translating!) and all of a sudden I didn't hate it any more. Now, I'm not saying that I love it either, but you get where I'm going with this.

However, recently I'm so bored at work. Maybe it's just a phase, or maybe this is it. It feels unbelievably depressing to think that this is what I'll be doing for the next 40 odd years. Sigh.

I'm not sure what else I want to do. Or what I can do. I just know that this isn't it.

I love being creative. I love learning new skills, trying things and doing what I want to do. I know, I know, I need to pay the bills. But surely, there must be a better balance than this?

I have all these ideas in my head, all the projects I'd like to start and all the new skills I'd like to master, but I just haven't got the time. What is a girl to do?

I hate being in work all day, planning my evening so I can have at least half an hour of crafting. Only to get home later than expected, more exhausted than expected and then having no time for me. It's getting me down.

Hopefully you haven't clicked on this blog hoping for an answer as I don't have one, yet. I'm determined to figure this out, but I'm unsure how to do that right now.

Oh life is so hard.

Don't get me wrong. My life isn't really that hard at all. I have a good job that pays well, I have an amazing boyfriend, we bought our first house last year and we're off to Thailand in a few weeks. What on earth is this girl moaning about?

I've always been a worrier and I guess this could just be one of my worrying phases, a time before we potentially start a family, when I potentially have less time to myself. A time when I'd like to have a few crafting skills under my belt so I could potentially, one day, maybe, make some money out of it.

I'm very realistic (or pessismistic?) here and know that to make a decent amount of money out of crafting is hard. Like, really hard. But it would be nice to cut down my hours translating so I could do a bit more of what I truly love.

Anyway, I'm glad I have this blog, even if I don't contribute very often. It feels like a diary of sorts where I can ramble on about what's bothering me, and hopefully find that someone else feels exactly the same.

Happy Thursday Everyone - have a good one! xx

Bulb photo
Brain photo
Creativity photo

The joys of Paperchase

Oh how I love Paperchase and The Works.

I know, how incredibly sad? As a 27 year old, surely I should be excited by the idea of going shopping for shoes at John Lewis or a pretty dress at Debenhams, but nope. The other day I went shopping and spent hours (really!) at Paperchase and The Works.

So, Paperchase is my all time favourite, but sometimes I just can't justify the price - and that's where The Works comes in handy.


As you can see, quite a few things have a "£1" or "Buy 3 for £5" sticker on them.

I could easily spend a fortune in Paperchase, on things I really don't need. Here are a few things I love but haven't bought...yet.







Birds on Wire notebook

Dreamscape Snack Set

Indigo Dreams Ceramic Teacup

Bison with Feather Headdress Card

Crayon Yellow Ball Point Pen

I don't need any of these, but I do love them all the same. And as I gave them my email address in the shop the other day, I get 15% off my next purchase. Hmm, what to buy?


Have a great weekend everyone!

Friday Night Meatballs

Recently I read about Friday Night Meatballs. A craze started by a woman from Philadelphia last year, and I love the idea.

Last year she sent an invite to all her Facebook friends, saying that every Friday night, she and her husband would prepare a meal and that they were all (up to ten people!) invited. All they had to do was let the hosts know by Thursday night if they could make it and show up with either wine, dessert or a side. Simple but brilliant.

It feels like we've lost the art of entertaining. Everything seems to have to be perfect and that puts a lot of people off the idea of hosting.

Don't get me wrong I looove preparing for a shindig at ours, and tend to go all out...

...but it shouldn't have to be this perfect every time.

What's wrong with inviting people over for something as simple (but delicious!) as spaghetti and meatballs, no grand table displays, no gift bags, possibly not even a super clean house? All that matters is that people get together, get to know each other and enjoy their Friday nights together.

I'm not sure how the Other Half would feel about me inviting people over every Friday night as it's his favourite time of the week - come home, TV, beer and pizza.

There's nothing wrong with that, and I really would hate to disrupt his tradition as he enjoys it so much, but maybe I could introduce it once a month, and see how it goes?

It sounds so ridiculously simple, but I love it. Simple. Cheap. Effective. Have any of you started anything similar?

25 random things

Recently I came across an article that mentioned the 25 facts craze that was around a few years ago.

I completely missed it and so thought, as it's a brand spanking New Year, I'd give it a go now. It was waaay harder than I thought it'd be. So, here goes...

1. I love collecting pretty rocks on the beach and now I have a LOT. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all of them, but I'm just drawn to them everywhere I go.

2. I hate talking with people on the phone, and find it very tiresome. Sorry mum and dad!

3. I absolutely love watching fireworks and will stand in the good old British weather for hours to enjoy them.

4. I read every single page in a book, from the dedication at the front, to the thank yous at the back. I have no idea why, I just do.

5. I love candles and go through a million (maybe not quite!) of them a year. There's nothing better than coming home, putting the heating on and lighting a few candles. Relax.

6. I wish my brother lived round the corner. Not in Sydney. Boo!

7. I don't know exactly how much I earn (not much!), but love that I don't really know. There are more important things in life than money.

8. I need a lot of time to myself or I can go a teeny bit crazy.

9. I also love the thought of spending the whole weekend on my own, until about 3pm on the Saturday, and then I crave some company and can feel extremely lonely and sad.

10. I try to do some sort of craft project every day. This can be anything from folding a quick origami crane to doing a full blown string art project. It's more likely to be the first option if I'm honest.

11. My full time job is translating from English to Welsh. I enjoy my job and never really dread the thought of going to work BUT I'd absolutely love to have a job that involved and element of creativity.

12. I write a ridiculous amount of lists and sometimes need a list for my lists. Please tell me I'm not the only one?

13. I cycle to work at least three times a week, depending on the weather. I love the freedom, but sometimes also love the bus (did I just say that?) so I can have half an hour to myself to read before work.

14. I go home to North Wales around six times a year, but wish I had the time to go more often. Damn you A470!

15. I, despite being a woman, find it impossible to multitask. Don't expect an answer when I'm cooking, watching television, reading...

16. I've been with the Other Half for over six years, and we met through Match.com. He hates to admit this, but I really don't care - we're still together!

17. If I'm nervous, I play with my ear or earring. The Other Half always comments on this little quirk of mine.

18. I've written a diary every day since I was 9, which means I have 18 diaries. Woo, I feel old.

19. A surprising amount of people call me 'Welshi', because I'm just so damn Welsh.

20. I am the clumsiest person in the world and always have at least a couple of bruises on me and have no idea where they've come from. My latest was a big black smudge on my arm - a lovely addition to my pretty Christmas dresses.

21. I'm obsessed with yellow. The only rooms in the house which have been (half!) decorated are yellow based. Our bedroom has yellow curtains, lampshade, cushion and throw, and I've just painted the kitchen a bright shade of yellow. I love it.

22. My favourite book ever is Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernières.

23. I wear pants over my tights - no, not to be like Superman, but to keep my tights from sliding down and being uncomfortable. Surely I'm not the only one that does this?

24. I treat my 'Notes' app as a 'fun' app that I check as often as Facebook or Instagram - I just love ticking things off my list...

25. If I could have one skill that I'm amazing at, I'd love to be able to draw.

So, do you feel like you know me better? Or maybe I've just managed to freak you out by how random I can be at times? Either way, this was fun!

New Year Resolutions

This year, I have ten resolutions I'd like to stick to. Possibly a little ambitious, but we'll see...

1.       Be Siân

So, I’m always Siân, but sometimes I find myself apologising or lying about something I’ve done, purely because I’m a little embarrassed by it. What’s wrong with wearing an unflattering (but oh so comfy) big grey jumper whilst doing cross stitch and planning a trip to all the local charity shops? Nothing. I think I’m pretty damn cool.

2.       Drink less

Right, I’ve tried doing this one before and have always always failed. That glass of white wine after work is just too tempting. However, this year I plan on making a real effort. The Other Half and I have agreed to have a ‘dry January’ to start us off, in the hope we’ll see the benefits and keep it up, or at least cut down on our nights out. I’m thrilled already as on our first alcohol-free weekend we (ahem, I!) painted the kitchen, we (hmmm, he!) put shelves up, we went out and bought several lampshades and other bits and pieces for the house, we had a meal out and went to the cinema. And it all probably cost less, or maybe the same, as a night out in Cardiff.

3.       Watch less TV

I’ve also tried to stick to this one many times before and always fail. As you might remember, I gave this a pretty good go a few months ago and managed to get so much more out of my evenings without TV. However, a nasty cold, along with Christmas, meant I slipped back into the old routine. Get home, change, make food, and watch TV. That’s it. This year I really want to change this.

4.       Stops ‘saving up’ fun activities for the weekend

I’m not sure why I do this, but I do. I have a ridiculously long list of things I want to do - a variety of craft projects, new baking recipes I want to try, and films I want to watch. But, for some reason, I clear my list of things that need doing during the week and hope I have time on the weekend to do what I want to do. It never happens. I end up being too tired, and watch TV all weekend, and am seriously annoyed on Sunday night when I haven’t accomplished anything. I can change this, easily…I hope.

5.       Do less chores

Maybe most of you would’ve put ‘do more chores’ but as mentioned in number 4, I concentrate waaay too much on the things that ‘need’ doing when, in reality, nothing ‘needs’ doing. I need to relax and let things go. The kitchen doesn’t have to be cleaned today. The hoovering can wait another few days. Chill out, you’re turning into your mother! Gasp! ;-)

6.       Stop feeling guilty

I do this a lot. And for silly little things. I feel guilty if I leave the house for a few hours on the weekend when the Other Half would like to spend time with me. He could’ve come with me. I feel guilty for not calling home. Mum and dad could’ve called me. I need to relinquish some responsibility so I have a better sense of balance.

7.       Stop procrastinating

I tend to think of all the things I want to do, make a list and then do nothing about it. If I’ve thought of something fun to do or somewhere interesting to go, just do it. Don’t wait around for the ‘perfect’ time to do it. Which leads on to…

8.       It doesn’t have to be perfect.

I have a bad habit of not starting something until I’m well and truly prepared. For example, I had an idea last year to start writing a book that contained all my favourite recipes and craft projects. Nothing fancy, but I thought it might be something any children I might have in the future would like – almost like a food/craft/idea diary. I went out and bought a pretty leather book. And it’s still empty. What’s the point of waiting and waiting for the ‘right time’ – it’s better to do something that’s alright than to not do it at all.

9.       Eat better

A couple of years ago I lost 23 lbs through Weight Watchers. It was a lot of work counting points and getting up early to do some exercise but I was full of energy, looked and felt better. I swore I’d never put any weight back on.  However, I managed to put an impressive 24 lbs back on!
I’m not really that fat but I feel sluggish and lack energy, and never really love what I’m wearing because I could do with losing a few pounds. So, here we go – I’m determined to lose a bit of weight but am being realistic about this – a stone would be good.

10.   Make an effort with my friends

This shouldn’t really require any effort, but being a bit of an introvert I find it difficult to accept invitations. My friends (my lovely ladies!) are great but I let them down quite a bit and don’t show up. I must do better, because every single time I seem them, I go home feeling better than when I got there. I just need to remember that.

So those are my resolutions. Not sure how many I’ll stick to, but it’d be amazing if I could wouldn’t it? Let me know what you’re promising for 2015.

Pics from:

Etsy

Golly Slater

What Lady Likes

Debbie Mumm

Telegraph

Awakenkinesiology

Spydersden

The Nester

Align Files

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