LOVE: Miss Potter

I had the chance, over the Christmas period, to watch Miss Potter once again. There are a dozen reasons why I could watch this film again and again.





1. Apart from The Wonderful Renee Zellweger
2. The Marvellous Ewan McGregor (he sings!)
3. and their charming love story,
4. it is partly shot in the Lake District where I grew up. There is nothing quite like seeing The Lakes on a widescreen. It captures the great green and peace of the beautiful part of the world I call home.

5. The rebelliousness and necessary independence of being a woman in that era whilst going against the grain.
6. The use of vocabulary (great inspiration for our regular game of Scrabble on the iPad).
7. It keeps me entertained with it's snapshots of her childhood and then back to the present day.
8. I love this era of corseted, fancy dresses (the many petticoats and buttoned bootlets); the lady's lifestyle of leisure; the vintage decor and the outrageous humour of their conversations.
9. The searing tragedy of that wonderful story.
10. The way her drawings come alive and are so cheeky!


"There's something delicious about writing those first few words of a story.... mine took me here, where I belong"

Metal Monkey

Thanks to a good friend of mine, with whom I work, I have been very interested in Chinese traditions and celebrations so, thanks to Wikipedia and the wonderful people who populate it, I found out that I was born in The Year of the Monkey with the elemental sign of Yang Metal. Which I have to say I'm ecstatic about as I've always been crazy about monkeys and after reading the attributes of Metal I am positive that it describes me very accurately! Incidentally, Mr. Sweet is Yang Fire Dragon which is the only thing with power over Metal... I think I'll keep that quiet....

The qualities associated with metal are

-firmness 

-rigidity 

-persistence 

-strength 

-determination 

The metal person is controlling, ambitious, forceful and set in their ways as metal is very strong; and they are self-reliant and prefer to handle their problems alone. The metal person is also materialistic, business oriented and good at organization and stability. However the metal person can also appreciate luxury and enjoy the good things in life. Just as metal can conduct electricity, the Metal person has strong impulses and generative powers and can bring about changes and transformations for those who come into contact with them. The negative emotion associated with metal is grief, while the positive emotion is courage.

Gemstone Peridot 

A Better Homes & Gardens Christmas

source: Better Homes & Gardens

No Place Like Home

source: SOHO House

Dream House, Dream Bathroom, Dream Bedroom

images via Soho House, Babington House Somerset


I would be quite content living here.

Meditation to Tame the Mind

In an effort to be more focussed and less consumed by what's around me I have wanted to start meditating and listening to myself for a while now. I've come across some strange meditation ideas in the past but this one, inspire by the goop blog, is one that I can do without feeling like I'm getting nowhere. 

Reinforcing your power of hearing you sit upright or lie on your back with your knees raise lightly with a cushion and listen. That's all. When your mind starts to wander you start practicing discipline by making yourself listen again and again. To everything. And anything. Every new noise is interesting, though it wasn't before, and you start to chill.

After my first shot I feel that I want to do it every day.  It's an easy way of stepping into the world of meditation without much effort and maximum effect and without feeling like a complete nonce - which is nice!

Organic or Not Organic?

I remember stocking up on food in a supermarket in Switzerland when I was in my mid teens and seeing organic fruit and vegetables for the first time. I couldn't tell the difference. I didn't know the difference either.


Over the years I have started to understand the importance of eating organic food. How we protect our environment by not supporting harmful pesticides use and, more importantly, to maintain our personal health. Obviously the distinct taste difference is a huge plus (strawberries actually taste like they should!) and the similarity in price now means that it is much more feasible for your budget.


Dr Andrew Weil has a website which I often turn to for guidance when it comes to my health. Here's what he says about organic food. And, interestingly,  foods you don't have to buy organic.


What about you? What organic food do you eat?

Let It Be Spring!

Kimichi & Blue Tulle Dress £45 at Urban Outfitters

You know when you wish so hard for snow and one day it appears.
And then it just keeps coming. More of it. Every day.
It's nice I guess but now I'm longing for Spring and warmth.
Dwarf narcissi, a fresh, pale palette. Those delicate streams of sunshine telling you to wake up again.

So, I'm just gonna dream a little and put together my Spring wardrobe. Here's what I've come up with so far.

JANUARY: FLAT ATTACK!

When you've celebrated a wonderful Christmas and survived Hogmanay all I ever want to do is "Spring Clean" - myself, the flat, my man, anything I can get my hands on! And that to the extreme! 

For the next week I will be sprucing up the flat until it's gorgeous not only so that I can breathe again but because we're having our first Bridesmaid's Weekend soon so, I want the flat ready for guests which means it has to look it's best.

This week's plans:

MONDAY - Clear out clutter 

From:

• BEDROOM - in the bed storage, under the bed
• CLOTHES - hanging, in drawers, shoes
• LARDER 
• KITCHEN - cupboards, on top, fridge, drawers, table
• WINDOWS - sills and shelves
• BOOK SHELVES - craft boxes, on top, boxes on top
• top of dresser
• BATHROOM - storage shelves, lying around

Sort by deciding what you want to:

1. keep (DON'T keep if you haven't used it in the last 6 months)
2. sell on gumtree or eBay
3. give to charity
4. throw out or recycle

I make sure that once I've done one room I don't put anything back into that room and gather everything that's going out in one area - ready to go!

TUESDAY - Get It All Out

Get as much as possible out of the house.

• Charity: things I definitely can't reuse myself but still in good nick
• Recycle: ie. what the council takes with them - plastic bottles, cardboard, paper etc.
• Rubbish - gets picked up on Thursday
• Christmas decs and anything else you need to keep but don't need in the house to the garage

WEDNESDAY - Organize Paperwork

• IMPORTANT into appropriate files
• goals paperwork into folders
• RUBBISH - define by asking yourself - if I can't find this again will I survive or can I get it replaced?
• ACTION - still to do something about

THURSDAY - CLEAN

1. Front Room: vacuum under sofa + dresser, dust, wash on top of book shelves, clean windows + sills, wipe down radiator, clean mirror, clean ornaments
2. Kitchen: clean cupboard doors, clean fridge, defrost freezer, clean window + sills, clean tiles, clean countertop, clean table, wash place mats, wash floor, wipe down radiator, clean ornaments
3. Bathroom: wash floor, vacuum, clean window + sill, clean storage shelves, clean shower, clean loo, clean wash basin, wipe down radiator, clean mirror
4. Bedroom: wipe down radiator, vacuum, dust side tables, clean window + sill + shelves, wash over bed hanging, clean mirror jewellery box, clean ornaments
5. Hall: wipe down shoe storage, beat door mat, vacuum, clean window, wipe down back of door, clean ornaments

OTHER THINGS I'D LIKE TO DO TOO:

1. repaint front doorstep
2. brush down door to remove cobwebs and dust
3. hang up gargoyles outside
4. look for bulbs for the windowsill
5. paint canvas with base colour
6. wash the curtains
7. wash cushion covers
8. freshen up cushion covers with upcycled jumper roses etc.
9. finish frame around the mirror
10. patch up paintwork on kitchen chairs

With a busy week ahead of me I'm going to get to it! I'll let you know how I get on!

Cheers, Jess

New Year Resolution 2010

2010 is going to be a BIG year for me. 

• I am turning 30 - Yes, I know I only look like I'm 22.... Thanks....
• I am getting married to the man of my dreams - and I'm nowhere near organized
• My brother is getting married in May to a wonderful girl I am happy to call my sister in law
• We are having our first Family Reunion this summer

And yet I still feel I should be setting myself a few challenging New Year Resolutions....

Crazy, I hear you say? Highly likely. I think I'm crazy too.

So after much consideration I am going embrace my already frugal state of living and set myself the challenge of 

living frugally in 2010

Radically changing your lifestyle like this is quite difficult so I plan to take this one step at a time and make it longterm resolution. The reasons behind it are:

1. I firmly believe that millionaires are made from scrooges
2. I strongly believe that we already have enough mass manufactured things in the world and we should use and reuse what we already have
3. I want to buy my own house in the next couple of years
4. I think we can live off less and why shouldn't we?
5. Living frugally is a good skill to learn and it makes you thankful for what you already have

So, I would like to:

• make birthday/christmas/anniversary presents and cards including wrapping
• make everything I need from what I already own
• if I do have to replace something I will do it by buying secondhand
• only make investment buys - eg. basic wardrobe of clothes, sturdy furniture, good quality linens - so that they will last longterm
• not pay someone to do something I can easily do myself for a better price 
• recycle and upcycle everything I can get my hands on
• make my own home decorations - easter & christmas
• shop for the best bargain for everyday things like milk, flour etc

Longterm I would love to:

• grow my own vegetables, fruit and herbs
• make my own natural medicines for basic ailments
• make my own beauty treatments
• have my own chicken to provide me with eggs
• be able to sew well enough to provide myself with stylish clothing
• make my decisions prioritising myself and the environment

This involves perfecting some skills old and new skills like:

• baking - breads, cakes 
• sewing - patching, buttons, clothing 
• knitting - scarves, hats, gloves, presents 
• body care - beauty treatments, hair cutting 
• budgeting 
• growing herbs and tomato plants
• natural therapies - aromatherapy
• how to look after chicken

I am looking forward to this New Year Resolution. Many of the points are things I have been living by or working on for at least the last year but this year I am dedicating my way of life to it. I don't want to compromise our comfort and style so I think this will be the challenge.

Here's to 2010! 

May it be a year of looking inward at ourselves and our priorities; at being creative and thankful rather than keeping up with the Jones's and their fashion fads. 

May it bring us more joy, love, satisfaction and... savings! 

REVIEW: RoC Retin-Ox+ Intensive Eye Anti Wrinkle Care

PROBLEM: Having not used an eye cream for at least 3 months and having many late nights, a wishy washy diet and a good amount of stress, I felt my eyes needed some attention. There was no firmness, wrinkles (small and large!) and dark rings under my eyes and in the inner corners.

I bought this Anti Wrinkle Eye Care serum very cheaply (eBay: £1.42 + 99p P&P) online, a couple of weeks ago and have patted it into the whole eye area almost every night and morning since.
From about day 3 I felt that my whole eye area had firmed up and now I no longer have smaller wrinkle and the whole area feels smooth and tauter. It has done nothing for the darkness under my eyes but I always use concealer and I feel that applying makeup onto the now smooth eye area has made a big difference.

The cream is silky smooth to touch and you need very, very little for both eyes so it will last for a very long time. I apply it at least half an hour before bed and about half an hour in the morning before makeup because it takes a little while to absorb.

I am happy to continue using this product and would give it a high rating. I am, however, looking forward to finding the "miracle eye cream" out there that will tighten, smooth wrinkles and lighten up my bags.

If anyone has any suggestions please leave a comment.

Thanks!

REVIEW: Billington's Natural Molasses Sugar

Once in a while I come across and item that I wish I could tell the world about and, guess what?, this is the perfect place to do this. So, in future, anytime I feel the need to give my opinion on something you will find it here.


My first REVIEW is for .... sugar. Yes, sugar. 


This rich dark brown sugar is soft, moist and finely grained and it smells so good. Excellent in chocolate recipes, I have just made Orangey Spiced Gingerbread with it and I wouldn't, couldn't use anything else.
Try it out!

www.billingtons.co.uk

Unrefined Cane Sugar
The ultimate dark brown soft sugar

Molasses if the ultimate soft brown sugar, packed full of natural cane molasses and has the deepest colour and richest flavour of all sugars. Perfect for Christmas and dark chocolate cakes, mincemeat and is excellent in ethnic cooking, marinades and barbecue dishes.

Not all brown sugars are the same: many are only brown on the outside; underneath they are really refined white sugar which has been coated to add colour and some flavour.
Billington’s sugars are different. They are unrefined so the sugars are very simply produced with the aim of locking in, rather than refining out the natural molasses of the sugar cane. It is this difference that gives unrefined sugar its superior flavour and natural colour.

Product of Mauritius Storage Note: Billington's Sugars are all-natural products from the tropical island of Mauritius. If they become hard (mainly caused by cold, dry weather) pour sugar into a medium bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave overnight and the sugars will reabsorbed the moisture. Next morning the sugars will be soft, moist and ready to use in your favorite recipes. Do not refrigerate Billington's Sugars.

Plants @ Mum's House

Aloe

Common Name: Aloe

Genus: Aloe

Species: vera

Skill Level: Beginner

Exposure: Full sun

Hardiness: Tender

Soil type: Well-drained/light

Height: 60cm

Time to divide plants: June to August 

This easy-to-grow succulent forms dense clumps of
fleshy,light green leaves with soft toothed margins.
Spikes of tubularyellow to orange flowers appear in
summer, but rarely in the UK. It is best grown as a
houseplant in the UK. Grow in a mixture of
loam-based John Innes No 2 compost with additional
sand or perlite for increased drainage. Apply a balanced
liquid feed during the growing season and reduce
watering in the winter. It should be kept at a
temperature no lower than 10 degrees C. It has been
given an Award of Garden Merit (AGM), which is for
plants of outstanding excellence.

Looks good with:

Ceropegia linearis subsp woodii
Aloe variegata

Christmas cactus

Common Name: Christmas cactus

Genus: Schlumbergera

Species: x buckleyi

Skill Level: Beginner

Exposure: Full sun, Partial shade

Hardiness: Tender

Soil type: Well-drained/light, Dry, Sandy

Height: 30cm

Spread: 30cm

In their natural habit of the tropical rainforest
of south east Brazil schlumbergera form large
plants that grow on the forest floor. They are
grown for their bright tubluar flowers, often
appearing around Christmas, at the ends of
flatten stems. They make excellent indoor plants
and look very effective in hanging baskets. Place
in a cool room and flowers will last six weeks.
Plants can be propagated by leaf cuttings taken
in spring or early summer. S. buckleyi has
arching, bright green stems made up of segments.
The flowers appear in winter and are deep pink,
red or white. Grow in cactus compost in bright
but indirect sunlight. Apply a high potash fertiliser,
such as tomato feed, every month during the
growing season and reduce watering after flowering
has finished.

Golden barrel cactus

Common Name: Golden barrel cactus

Genus: Echinocactus

Species: grusonii

Skill Level: Experienced

Exposure: Full sun

Hardiness: Half Hardy

Soil type: Well-drained/light

Height: 60cm

Spread: 80cm

Time to plant seeds: March to May 

The golden barrel cactus is armed with golden
yellow spines. Spines grow from areoles,
modified leaf stalks, and are arranged in rows
up and down the plant. It quickly grows to about
10cm (4in) in the first few years, then taking
many years for it to double its size. In its native
Mexico, plants can eventually grow to around
90cm (3ft) wide, but cultivated usually only grow
to around 30cm (12in). Feed plants once a month,
during the growing season, with a high potash
fertiliser. During winter, do not water the plants
but just keep them moist otherwise they will rot.

Weeping fig

Common Name: Weeping fig

Genus: Ficus

Species: benjamina

Skill Level: Experienced

Exposure: Partial shade

Hardiness: Half Hardy

Soil type: Well-drained/light

Height: 200cm

Spread: 150cm

This is one of the most elegant indoor plants
with its graceful weeping branches bearing
glossy dark green leaves. Grow in a loam-based
compost in full light, but not direct sun. From
spring to summer feed every two weeks with a
balanced liquid fertiliser and then sparingly in
winter. It has been given an Award of Garden
Merit (AGM), which is for plants of outstanding
excellence.

NHM: Fairytale Wolf

Natural History Museum Annual Photography Exhibition

In 2005 I was in the NHM and they were 
charging crazy entry prices so 
I didn't get to see the amazing photography. 

It's good to know you can see a range online now. 

This one flabbergasted me particularly.

Exercise Reduces Sick Time Better Than Drugs

 

By: Jen Mueller

As cold and flu season quickly approaches (or has already arrived if you live in my house), questions arise about exercise and illness. Is it okay to exercise if I have a cold?How soon after an illness can I return to regular activity? A lot of us are going to get sick this year, so it's good to know what to do if it happens to you. But what about preventing illness in the first place? We take our vitamins and eat our fruits and vegetables, but can exercise help protect you from getting a cold? Research says "yes."

According to an expert from the American College of Sports Medicine,"multiple studies have shown a 25% to 50% decrease in sick time for active people who complete at least 45 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (such as walking) most days of the week." The protection that regular exercise offers is far greater than the protection drugs can provide, according to the article. So instead of taking a pill, take a walk to help ward off a cold!

Despite your best efforts, you might still end up getting the sniffles this winter. So what are some guidelines to follow when it comes to exercise?

• If you've got a cold that's above the neck (runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, etc.) then you should be okay to exercise if you're feeling up to it.
  
• If you have a cold that's below the neck (in your chest), or if you have other symptoms like a fever or swollen glands, it's better to rest.
  
• Listen to your body. If you're not feeling good and you push it too much, the illness can end up hanging around longer.
  
• Once you're well again, ease back into exercise. You might find it takes a week or two (or maybe even longer, depending on how sick you were) to get back up to your pre-illness level.

Do you notice you get fewer colds now than you did before you became active? Has being fit helped you fight off illness?

Eight Health Benefits of Stinging Nettle from HealthMad.com

This morning after snipping up my experimental bunch of 2 ft long dried nettles I had collected in the summer, I made my first dose of tea. As it was boiling I was wondering to myself if I was doing myself more harm than good and I'm glad to say it's all good! Have a look at what I found: 



Eight Health Benefits of Stinging Nettle | HealthMad


Stinging nettle, or commonly know with it’s botanical name Urtica Dioica, is a plant growing in the tropical areas around the world. The homeland of nettle is Brazil and other South American countries. It is also abundant in Northern Europe and Asia. Nettle has a well-known reputation for giving a sting when the skin touches the hairs and bristles on the leaves and stems. It grows 2 to 4 meters.It has white,green and yellow leaves. When someone feels being stung by nettle, this is actually because of the irritants in the nettle. Some of those irritants are formic acid,histamine and acetylcholine. After this little introduction about stinging nettle, let’s talk about our main topic, that is, the health benefits of it.

Here is some of the well-known curative properties of nettle.

1. It is used as diuretic
2. It is used to treat anemia since nettle leaves contain high amount of iron content. It also helps to formation and coagulation of blood cells.
3. It is used in the treatment of arthrites and rheumatism
4. It protects respiratory and urinary problems
5. It decreases the risk of eczema and other skin disorders. Additionally, it is used in asthma treatment.
6. It is used in the treatment of benign prostate
7. It is used in the treatment of sinusitis and rhinitis
8. It protects hair loss (Alopecia)

Also this:

The benefits of nettle leaves.

THE NETTLE, a stinging plant grows wild in the jungles and forests of Papua New Guinea. Many villagers in the rural communities use it as a remedy for pain relief, muscle aches and back problems.

They use the plant’s leaves with its tiny needle-like spikes to rub it on the part of the body that aches and the aches just simply vanish within minutes.

I have used it often but I boil the leaves in hot water until it darkens than I remove the leaves and drink it as herbal tea.I now affectionately call it ‘nettle tea’. I often drink two cups in the morning as an energiser. My experience with nettle has shown me that it also has other benefits as well.

It makes the skin, particularly the face glow. It also helps in hair growth and cleanses the blood from possible clotting.

My friends wife lives in a rural village recently gave birth with the assistance of midwives. She drank nettle tea every morning to stop the heavy bleeding that resulted from the childbirth.

I drink it every morning to boost my energy levels but the benefits are unlimited.

You can use stinging nettle as a soup base and add shitake mushrooms, or seaweed. Or make it into a tea  (which is what I did). The base of tall plants isn't very good to eat anymore so chop it up and leave it in a bucket with water until fermented and use as an excellent compost for the garden.

Thanks Baz

Enjoy your body, 

use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people 

think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever 

own.. Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.