House Clearing For Pleasure!

I have been ridiculously busy for what seems like ages. I have been on this course for the job centre and on days when I wasn't there I have been having a clearout in my house with my mum.

This means that finally I have got it done properly. We have thrown out so much stuff I couldn't believe it even fitted in. Well, it didn't. That was the problem. We have one final room to finish (mine) and then I might (might) finally be on an even keel. I am really loving having some actual space in the house at last too. I also found an old friend (I am still a student/hippie at heart.)

Rainbow coat!

The trouble was all the stuff I have been holding on to for years with that foolish belief that I either need it or want it. I don't need it. My mum has helped me say goodbye to things I was holding on to merely out of sentiment. Though she did stop me from putting my wedding dress in the recycling. 

I have instead put it away again and hopefully will eventually get around to using the material to make something else that I might actually wear. It is a beautiful colour and it would seem a shame to waste all that fabric. I quite want to make it into a 50's prom dress style. But then I have nowhere to wear it, so why bother...

I have also started being more proactive and thorough with my job searching. I am trying to apply for something every day though this is not always possible (unless I do go for that butchers job Universal Jobmatch is convinced I could do). I also have refused to apply for the jobs as catalogue distributors that abound on there.

I have finally got a bite and have an interview for a Teaching Assistant role. Unfortunately it is on a voluntary basis, but it would give me great, up-to-date, experience which I think is lacking from my current CV.

To this end, having thrown out tonnes of my old clothes, I have been shopping! I bought a waterfall cardi and some new leggings the other week but really wanted to buy a lightweight jacket that I saw in the shop. The no money issue raised it's ugly head though.

So I waited for my next Jobseekers Allowance payment (which is the one I get to do stuff for me/madam with (the other one just goes on rent)). I went back and bought the jacket as I really think having a smart jacket is an investment in lieu of the job I want to get. I also saw a lovely, smart winter coat which would mean I could stop wearing my incredibly dull but practical anorak. And smart enough to wear as an overcoat when going on interviews. 

Smart. Though having to take the photo in a public toilet with the sink getting in the shot is less glam than I hoped for!

My mother very kindly paid for it and I gave her half the money and will give her the other half next month. I really can't re-iterate enough how lucky I am to have such supportive parents. Madam and I would struggle so much without them. And I wouldn't have a washing machine, still!

As part of my Fast Track 2 Work course from the job centre I did a mock interview, which was tailored for a TA role, this was great as it made me do a proper interview but in that controlled, safe environment. It was conducted by people who work for the local council and they gave us really great feedback on the answers we gave. I still hated it though! I was so nervous before I went in and did waffle a bit. But I did ok, and I felt more confident on the answers that I had prepared.

Nervous!

My interview was originally scheduled for Wednesday last week (5th) and has now been moved to Thursday this week (13th). So I am also getting the chance to get my nails done properly before I go. I have told Becky at my favourite nail place that I am having to be sensible this time and she was sad as we usually try and make my nails as fun as possible. It's £15 which is not *that* much given it lasts a minimum 3 weeks and I do want to look as professional as I can (chipped polish is a no-no!)

So, um, yeah. Think I have rambled on enough for today. Hope you're having a good week!

minbeasts and where to find them

Yesterday we did very little, aside from me going to the gym so in the afternoon I decided to give myself a manicure. I'm still rather shaky when it comes to doing my nail art, but I figure the more I practice, the better! This time I went for little clouds and I gave madam a ladybird on each thumb :)

 

 

 

In the evening I set about making a top for madam with my lovely elephant fabric. And I very nearly got it all finished except I realised I could do with some thinner elastic to thread through round the top. So my plan is to do that tonight or tomorrow evening, once I've got the right width to do it with!

 

 

 

Today we went on a minibeast hunt! We went to the Country Park and met up with a nice lady called Bev who took us into the woodland where there was another lady waiting for us. She explained about how  to collect our minibeasts and the best places to look for them.

 

 

 

So armed with our kit, and a log sheet to record what we found we went on a hunt. We had fun shaking some trees to drop what was in them onto a sheet and then we managed to get some into the pot and have a good look at them. We also managed to catch a hoverfly so madam could have a look at its markings.

 

 

 

We then went back into the woods and set about making a minibeast out of some air-drying clay. Madam chose to make a ladybird and we shaped it and added legs with some sticks and then drew on some markings and added little stones for the spots. Madam also gave it a leaf for a sunhat!

 

 

 

We then took our creation out into the Park and found a place to put it so that the next time we're out for a walk we can take nanna to find it. At least, if it's still there we will! By this point madam was getting bored so we headed back up to the car park and found an ice cream (not sure it was lost ;)) and ate that in the shade before heading back to the rents to give them the car back.

 

  

making madam over

New day, new post. We *finally* got round to getting madam's school jumpers sorted out for September. This whole task has ended up being more complex than you would have thought. We'd been told many conflicting bits of information about where and when we could source them but success is ours. Two jumpers, £2 each. Get in!

 

I was asking madam if she was ready to be a big schoolgirl now and what would she be wearing to her new school (she's worn a mix of uniform and her own clothes to nursery).

 

She told me she needed her grey skirt, white top, new jumper, grey socks and school knickers (no, I'm not entirely sure what "school" knickers are, either) and a bow in her hair. Because *all schoolgirls have bows in their hair, don't they, Mummy!* Umm, if you say so... I'm not sure how we're going to achieve this trick with her hair still being so short. After the infamous nail varnish incident which I can't believe was actually 3 months ago already!

 

And after that incident, and the one where she covered herself in my eyeshadow you'd think she'd have learnt to just leave things alone. Especially as she gets in so much trouble after them! But no. Last night she stole my nice new lipstick and coloured herself from head to foot in a dark pink shade. And it took two baths and a lot of soap to scrub it all off again.

 

apparently last time she used my eyeshadow as a lipstick and then some lipstick for random colourings...

It makes me laugh that she complains about the scrubbing when I wouldn't have to do it if she would only behave herself... I'm also *really* hoping that we'll move out of this phase soon. She seems to have been colouring herself in for years... I have to keep reminding myself that partly I should be impressed at her inquisitive nature. But mainly it's still really annoying!

 

I have given myself and mother a new project to get ourselves involved with. Madam is going to a Fairy and Pixie day at Burnby Hall and part of that involves a costume competition. So yesterday mum and I bought three different colours of netting to help make said outfit :) I am quite looking forward to getting to do a sewing project with my mum, we've never done one before.

 

Speaking of sewing projects, I haven't actually progressed with any of my other plans, which is annoying me. I really want to at least get the pieces cut so that I can get on with the sewing asap.  

strawberries on your fingers and on your cake

I have given myself a manicure before writing today. Which means a couple of things. 1. I am typing really strangely, 2. I now have nails that look like strawberries (thanks to the fabulous essbeevee for the tips )3. I can now not get my phone out of my pocket... So, sadly, no photo's to show you how good they look.

 

At least not today anyway!

 

I still have major issues with painting my nails on my right hand. I even managed to develop a tremor when trying to do the polka dots. So some of them are distinctly dodgy!

 

Madam and I had a whale of a time making our cheesecake yesterday afternoon and I promised a photo of the completed article. For those of you who follow me on social media I apologise for spamming you with this pic collage, but I really love it :)

 

 

 

It tasted flaming good too, I have to say! My mother gave me the most humongous slice for my pudding. There was a slice left which we brought home with us and madam did attempt to persuade me that she could have it for breakfast! Nice try... I think she'll find that she can share that with me later.

 

If anyone's interested the recipe is amazingly simple, it was just part of an advert in Heat magazine this week *I didn't buy it* 

 

100g melted butter

200g crushed biscuits

397g tin condensed milk

300g soft cream cheese

2 lemons.

 

That's it! You mix the butter in with the biscuits, spread them into the base of a 7-inch tin and shove it in the fridge to set.

Mix together the condensed milk and cream cheese until smooth (I found I needed to give it a bit of a whisk) and then add the juice of the two lemons and watch as the mixture magically thickens.

Pour over your chilled base and then bung it back in the fridge for a couple of hours. Decorate as you see fit.

 

We used fresh strawberries but I was thinking that, as the mixture is quite nice and lemony, you could top with lemon curd! :) I was also debating using lime juice as the acid, or orange for a sweeter finish.

 

Would be nice to add a bit of zest in to the mix as well, for a more grown up pud.

 

You can see I spend a lot of time thinking about these things, can't you...

 

I've been shopping this morning and I did buy another tin of condensed milk to go into my store cupboard. It'll make a great "crap, unexpected visitors" dessert... Obviously, as long as you get slightly more than half an hour for prep!

 

Ooh, my nails might be dry enough to try reaching my phone... You'll have to excuse the dodgy bits around the edges, I'll tidy them up later.   

 

 

I hate having to hold your hand like that to get a good photo of nails... Could be misconstrued!

 



running away from it all

Went for a lovely long walk this morning with my friend Tabatha Tweedie ,who writes a really great blog about dressmaking, and her little ones. Madam insisted on taking her bike, which did cause slight endangerment on occasions, but was fairly successful.

We had a nice chat and I updated her on my fun with eviction activities and she updated me on her plans too :) Lovely. Sadly, we did not plan in cake this time, but I'm sure now the weather is cheering up we'll be able to meet up and do walking (and possibly cakings) again soon.

I didn't blog yesterday as I was in a bit of a stress mode and couldn't focus my brain to it.

Madam decided she was running away yesterday afternoon. Now with most 4yr olds this wouldn't get far. But mine is jolly independent and confident and did make a fairly good break for it. She had been playing in front of my parents house on the cul-de-sac with the little girl from across the street. They had been riding their bikes up and down and were having great fun. But the little girl had to go somewhere and madam wanted to go to.

She came inside to get her coat on and told me what she wanted to do. I told her that she couldn't invite herself to things and that she couldn't go. She told me she would just go back to riding outside the house, which I said was fine as long as she kept where I could see her and remembered to get to a pavement if she saw a car.

But she then headed straight off to the other end of the street and with me shouting for her to make sure she stopped at the end proceeded to turn up the next street. As I was in bare feet I went back in the house for my shoes and then headed after her. However, when I got up to the top of the next cul-de-sac she was nowhere to be seen. I headed down the street and to the next one over. No sign of her.

I headed back to the house for coat and phone and decided to try the local park before I rang the police. As I rounded the corner before crossing the road I saw her crossing a bit further down. Fortunately the road was remarkably empty for once and she crossed safely. I managed to catch up with her at the park and made her come home. She was of the opinion she should be allowed to play!

After we got home I was trembling with both anger and relief whereas madam curled herself up on my dad's chair and promptly fell asleep. She slept for a couple of hours and I calmed myself with a coffee (not sure that's very calming) and a bit of distraction from the TV.

I have kept the front door locked since as she keeps attempting to escape again. She's very independent, as I said.

My parents have just got back and I have had to apologise for the mess madam has made in her bedroom with my mums old nail varnish (which she also used to make blue highlights in her hair). I think we might actually have to cut her hair to get it out...

Which kind of helps me make the decision about whether I'm going to get her hair cut or not!