Summer Haze

I'm moving to New York, cause I've got problems with my sleep

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:01:00 +0000

Everything's been crazy for the last month, hence the whole cyber absence (I'm sure everyone really noticed and missed me ;))

In the last month, I've had mocks, random house guests, relative house guests, an exchange, and a week in New York.

New York was brilliant, especially since I hadn't been there ever, so everything was new and exciting and I could be a totally cheesy tourist. Also, my exchange group had a barbie that we took pictures of everywhere. Isn't she awesome?

My exchange, Amrita, also got me hooked on strawberry milk. So I've been drinking that, procrasinating and not revising for my Maths GCSE and end of year exams, and not doing too much crafty fun stuff, so I haven't had much to post of late... The only creative thing I've done lately is sketch. And those are awful and I refuse to share!

Anyway. All of this to try to prove to myself I haven't abandoned this blog entirely and also to inform you all that I'm currently trying to figure out how to move to NYC.

Flapjacks

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:55:00 +0000

Last year, I was at Henley (cause I'm well posh...) in the queue to pay for some lunch. On a table near the cash, there were loads of wrapped up baked stuff - brownies, cakes and flapjacks.
In front of me where three american girls/women, who were all looking at them:

American Lady 1: Do you want one of these things?
American Lady 2: What's a Flapjack?
American Lady 1: Oh, they have those here everywhere.
American Lady 3: I think it's like a Blondie, these weird British people don't call them that though.
American Lady 1: Oh the British are so weird. Why do they come up with different names for everything, it's just confusing.
(everyone was looking at them a little funny now, cause they were shouting. And also, Henley is full of 'those weird British people.')
American Lady 2: Why do they say they are oat bars then?
American Lady 1: It't the weird British again. They think blondies have oats in them.
American Lady 3: Maybe they don't know what oats are?

Yeah. So it turns out they don't have flapjacks anywhere but here then... If you happen to be American, and have no idea what they are, go off the oat bar description. Not the Blondie one... Although we don't have blondies here for some reason. Hmm someone should do something about that...

Anyway, the recipe I use is from my little sisters Usborne Beginner's Cookbook:

175g Margarine
175g Demerara Sugar
2T Golden Syrup
225g Rolled Oats

1) Grease a tin, preheat the oven to 160 C
2) Melt the margarine, Demerara and Golden Syrup together in a pan, but don't let it boil.
3) Take the pan off the heat, mix in oats.
4) Spread the mixture in the pan, put it the oven, and cook for 25 minutes or until golden brown
5) Take them out and after ten minutes, cut them into pieces, and then leave to cool.

Existentially Fraught Free Throws

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:29:00 +0000

I've not been posting much lately, to the point that this is hardly active. I haven't spent as much time looking at other blogs/participating as usual/as I would have liked. Cause I'm in one of those moods. Creative-y stuff is not happening to me at the moment. All my creativity is being sucked into my art coursework (who am I kidding, I haven't done any actual work on my art in ages. Woops) Anyway. I can't explain myself as well as Stephen Chbosky can, so here you go:

So I'm not feeling half as bad as Charlie. But you know, meh. And now some things have become like Gus's existentially fraught free throws. Like, what's the point.

Woah, though. This is coming off way more depressing that intended. It's all good. I'm just a dramatic person (also, I think you should really go read The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, and The Faults In Our Stars, if you haven't already. Cause then a) You would know what I am taking about, and b) they are really really really good books.)

Anyway, I haven't totally entirely disappeared. And since I am great at lists, I'm going to give you a list.

1) I have just finished baking Flapjacks. I shall tell you about these tomorrow (although because it's me, it probably won't go up until the end of the week. Apologies in advanced)

2) Last Sunday I read the aforementioned Faults. In two hours. I then gave it to my friend, and she read it in one sitting. We then gave it to another friend who read it in a few days. In the last week, three people have read my copy, and two other people have gone out and bought it cause I have been raving about it so much (I would like to thing they thought it sounded great. It may just have been cause they realised I wouldn't shut up until they bought it) I'm going to talk about it later ( I would have already, but I couldn't have two book posts in a row. Sadly, I'm not kidding, I do worry about such trivial things) but in the mean time. I would like to urge you for the second time in two hundred words to go read it. Now.

3) I still have loads of fur fabric. I'll be making another teddy bear. Be prepared it will be awesome*

4) I've just watched Easy A and Pretty in Pink in Spanish, and while I can honestly say it was not that enlightening, it was pretty funny. And also, I forget how great those movies are.

5) I really want to make glittery shoes. So that should be happening soon too.

6) I dyed my hair red. It didn't work. This is irrelevant to my blog entirely. I just wanted to share. Also, I wore a skirt and a top without a jacket and I didn't freeze today. This excited me to no end. And then someone pointed out that this was global warming in action and I kind of freaked out a little.

*awesomely badly done. Like I said, be prepared

The Graveyard Book

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 10:43:00 +0000

So I felt I should talk about this great book that was sent to me by Haley in her care package that was just way better than the one I sent her. I have a feeling that this is one of those books that if I talk to anyone about though they will just be like 'OH MY GOODNESS, WHY HAVEN'T YOU READ THAT ALREADY' If you feel like that, then sorry. I really have no idea why not. If you haven't read it, then I do have to say 'OH MY GOODNESS, WHY HAVEN'T YOU READ THAT ALREADY.' Go read it.

It's one of those great kids books that is the reason for kids books still existing. You know, like the first few Harry Potters, before they became YA, and the first Anne of Green Gables and Shug and other books like that that make up for the dodgy series like Animal Ark, or what ever it was called, (although I did read and love those. But that's partly cause I read everything when I was little. I was Head Librarian = Not all that cool a child. I don't have any regrets.)

Anyway. The Graveyard Book is a story about Nobody Owens, who's whole family is crazy-murdered when he is only a tiny baby. He manages to escape some how, and crawls to the graveyard, where is is given the Freedom of the Graveyard. Which basically means he gets to grow up with Ghosts, and he has special Ghost powers.

And if that doesn't sell it for you, it has beautiful pictures. I take the same line as Alice from Alice in Wonderland on that one. Books are always better with pictures.

Seriously, this books is something I wish I had read when I was younger, because it is so inspiring, but one of those books that I still got a lot from now. And I love Haley very much for sending it to me.

And on a side note, I just got home from a great week skiing in Switzerland with my Family. I learnt no German sadly (no literally, all I can say in German is 'I am a Donut' and a bit of dodgy stuff about the Nazi's from history class. People don't like me much there...) But I had a great week all the same, and also that is my lame explanation of my absence from the Blogosphere over the past week...

Apologies

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:21:00 +0000

Hmm. I feel like I have been less around here than I should be or would like to be. I would say that life is getting in the way, but I don't have a life so... No it's more like all the reasons that I don't have a life are getting in the way. In the last week I have had a rowing race, in minus three degree weather, and let me tell you I have never been in so much pain. Also, everyone has started setting homework (I was like 'homework? what's that?') and of course there was the three and a bit hour meeting after school on Monday where we planned our trip to Madagascar. Which is great cause I now feel like I am raising money towards something, not just for the sake of it.

Anyway, because of all of this, I haven't really got any big projects on the go (okay, the socks, but I actually haven't touched those since last week, shh.) I have a fair few smaller things on the go though, so I thought I would share those today:

1) My wall, which I am immensely proud of though it's no where near finished:

2) One of the Friendship Bracelets I have been making for (guess what?) Fundrasing:

3) Okay it's not a project, but here's my ticker for Fundraising:

4) I am reading a great book at the moment, which I shall review/talk/gush about in due course (by the end of the week, when I am finished)

5) I have been listening to great music recently and it is making me really happy. Also, my dad and I agreed on the musical theme of our skiing trip next week. It's going to be a fab week of First Aid Kit, Joni Mitchell, Bright Eyes, and Tracey Chapman. (Also the ski trip is a source of great excitement)

(That was a pathetic project list. Most of that was rambling thoughts. Shh)

Mars Bar Squares

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:13:00 +0000

So, more baking, more fundraising, more squares. I know, boring, whatever.

Anyway, earlier in the week I made Mars Bar Squares, which I have to say are pretty much the best thing ever, although Lucy disagreed ('Emma, they have chocolate' 'And?' 'And I don't like chocolate' 'YOU WHAT?!?') So that was my shock realisation of the week. I mean, who doesn't like chocolate?

Anyway, these yummy squares are sticking to my ridiculously easy non-baking thing that I have going on. They came out of a book compiled by my grandmother's friends of sandwiches and squares (which has incidently become my favourite cook book. I promise you need nothing else in life. Except tea is nice occasionally)

Okay, for the first bit:

Four chopped Mars Bars

1/2 cup of Butter

3 cup Rice Krispies

Melt butter and Mars Bars on a low heat, mix well with a whisk. Turn off heat and mix in krispies. Press into lined pan. (Also, here's the bit where I tell you that the measurements could actually not matter less. I used about five cups of cereal and five chocolate bars and it was fine.)

And then, heat until melted:

1 cup of chocolate

1/4 cup of butter

And spread over the bottom layer. Then put it in the fridge to set, and cut into squares. And then, you know, eat them.

WIP Wednesday: Lavender Lace Socks

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:45:00 +0000

After finishing my first pair of socks for the year, and being ahead of target for my 6 in 2012 sock challenge, I took a day to rest, and then I started my next pair (Actually, I just needed to go get the wool for the second pair but whatever.) Anyway. The pattern I am using is Carpe Diem and it is probably the nicest sock pattern I have ever seen.

I haven't got far yet (there was a bit of frogging and re-doing and stopping and getting confused at the beginning) but I am really happy with how they look at the moment.

Also, this is the first time I have done Lace stuff before, so that's exciting. And also, this should be my first pair of 4 ply socks finished (I made one sock for my friend last year... I still have to get around to the second pair. It will happen Georgie, I promise)

And other stuff that is happening, I hit 500 pounds for my world challenge, which was a huge deal for me. Not quite as impressive admittedly as Lucy's 1000 pounds but you know... She is just too amazing. Also, I got my Care Package from my friend Haley. Ah. I am still smiling, four hours after opening it. It is the best thing ever, so much better than the one I sent her. She is amazing too. Why do I know so many amazing people? It's kind of intimidating...

Waffle Socks

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

So, about a week after I finished the first sock, I have also finished the second sock. Yay!

But also, it was all a bit of a pain. Not because of the amazing pattern, but because I am a lazy numpty. Basically, I a) couldn't be bothered to go out and by more yarn. So I used some from my stash which I knew would be b) impossible to get a pair out of since I only had half a skein of and even then I didn't c) decide to do parts of it in another colour, like a normal person would. So when I d) ran out of wool while doing the foot on the second sock, I didn't e) try and figure out which colour would work best for the rest of it. No instead I f) used so random wool that was floating around in my room, which g) looked rubbish, and h) wasn't even the same weight as the other wool. Eventually I frogged that and i) used some left over grey wool which turned out fine:

They are only for me anyway, and I'll just wear them around the house and under boots, so it won't be a problem... just kind of silly... Oh well.

So Much Baking

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:57:00 +0000

So it has been a while, cause I am kind of lazy and I have realised that I am doing far too much. This last week has been insane (Homework, Tests, Fundraising, Sport Stuff, DofE admin...)

Anyway, this post it sort of related to the craziness. World Challenge fundraising this weekend involved (for a change, not) a lot of baking. I held another football match out side the football game with Sophia, which involved a lot of creepy drunks, and some funny ones:

One guy came up to us and gave us five pounds. He asked what he could get for that.

Us - Well, everything is a pound, so five of whatever you want

Him- Right so how many things can I get?

Us- Five...

Him- If I gave you five pounds, how much can I get?

Us- Um, five?

Him- You have had too much to drink

Us- Haha, no.

Him- Yes, you are. You keep changing your mind about what I can get.

Us- ...

Finally he picked up five things. Then he turned around and walked straight into a pole.

Anyway. All in all, the game was a huge success, and we did even better than last time!

I am also really proud of the cupcakes I made:

The next day, I had a far less successful bake sale at my brother's rugby club. It was still nice though, and my muffins were fab.

I'll put up the recipe tomorrow, I am really lazy and don't want to get the cookbook now. It is from Nigella's Feast though, and they are banana and butterscotch, but I used chocolate chips instead.

A Lightening Scar

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:20:00 +0000

So the final thing for my friend's care package:

It is just a super simple headband I made watching TV, but I think it's quite cute all the same, even if a little useless. It's the second one I have made like it, although the first one didn't have a scar on it.

Right so, I am going to tell you how I made it, even if you don't care, cause other wise this post will be sure short and not at all useful/have a point. Which wouldn't be a change but whatever.

Alright, so I used size five needles, and some red heart wool that claims to be DK but is totally not, and way more like 10/12 ply. I cast on 12 stitches, and just knit it like this:

First row: knit

Second row: k2, p8, k2

And repeat, so you end up with a garter stitch border and stockinette stitch otherwise. And then I made myself a chart for the scar:

Which is super lamely coloured in, cause Paint was being stupid, and also I was too lazy to do it properly. Oh well.

Now I can't wait to mail this package! (Ugh, why is everything closed on Sunday, my only day off!)

In other news, John Green's new book came out, and I am trying to figure out how long it will take to get here from the US...

Treats and Crackers

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 10:24:00 +0000

This past week I have been being a very good child and actually botherd to try to raise some of the 3645 quid that I have to get for a year and a half's time from now. I think I made sixty pounds this week, which is what I am supposed to be doing but... yeah. That's not happening. Anyway.

Part of what I have been doing is selling baked stuff at school, which means that I have been, well, baking.

The two things I have been making are Rice Krispie Treats, and Chocolate Caramel Crack, or Toffee

Crackers, or something of that variation. My family tends to just eat them and not bother with a name.

Anyway. They are both basically the easiest thing in this entire universe to make, so if you are ever short of time, I would seriously recommend them. That, and you know, they are super yummy.

The Treats are literally the easiest thing. They have all of three ingredients:

6 Cups of Rice Krispies (I bet you never saw that one coming!)
A bag of Marshmellows, which I know is the least helpful measurement ever. I use about 300g.
40g of butter.

Okay, the method is really difficult. Listen close:

1) Over a low heat melt the butter.
2) Chuck in the marshmellows and melt those too

3) Mix in the Rice Krispies and take it off the heat
4) Chuck the whole gloopy mixture into a lined tray with sides thing that definitely has a better name...

5) Take a large strip of waxed paper and with the waxed bit down, press on the gloppy stuff and it will magically even out.
Okay, done. Couldn't be easier.

(That may not be easy to understand. The recipe is also on the Rice Krispie website...)

And then there are the Chocolate Carmel things. Which I still haven't decided what to call.

These are slightly more difficult, but still take about ten minutes.

Okay, Ingredients:
200g Soft Brown Sugar
225g Unsalted Butter
200-300g of Good Quality Chocolate
Enough Saltine Crackers to cover the base of your tray.

1) Pre-heat the oven to 200 C

2) Cover your tray in crackers

3) Over a low heat, melt the butter and sugar, until it starts to boil. Mix with a wooden spoon while it boils for three minutes. now pour over the crackers.
4) Put the tray in the over for 5-6 minutes.

5) Chuck the chocolate pieces on top, and leave it to melt/cool down a bit. Then spread the chocolate and put the whole thing (once it has cooled down) in the fridge overnight. Then just break it up.

Wasn't that easy :)

(Also, my friend Lucy has also been baking for this, but her stuff is ten times more impressive. You should go check it out)

WIP Wednesday: Blueberry Waffle Sock

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:44:00 +0000

So, Work In Progress Wednesday people.

At the moment I am only working on one thing, and it's part of my new years resolutions list (yay for pretending that that may get done :)) I am knitting (rather slowly, cause I can't do them fast yet) some really pretty socks.

I'm just turning the heel at the moment, a point I had hoped to get past before posting this, cause if you have never knit a sock before it probably just looks like a deformed potato at the moment to you. And I am really proud of it, so I was hoping it would be more sock-like when I came to posting it. But it's Wednesday, alas the only day that starts with W to alliterate with WIP, and even though I know there is nothing from stopping me from doing a WIP Thursday say, I am afraid I am just not indie enough for that. And tomorrow it would probably still look like a deformed potato...

Okay, end of non-interesting rant. The point was, there is a sock that is yet to look like a sock that I promise will one day look like a sock :(

Mixtape Making

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:48:00 +0000

Okay, so maybe not mixtapes, cause I don't even know where I would buy a cassette from anymore, or how I would record something to it, or who (except me,) actually has a cassette player.

So, Mix Cd's, but that is less catchy. Mix CD's are what I spent this evening doing.

Inspired by RookieMags post a few months ago, my friend Haley, who lives in Florida and I are sending each other care packages. Which include music (yay!) and other things, like posters and books and stupid little badges and other normal stuff like that.

Anyway. It took me an embarrassingly long time to get the playlist from the computer to the CD's I bought on the way home from school today (so I may have wasted like three CD's in the process...) and cause I was feeling cheap, I didn't buy any CD cases, so I had to make one of those as well.

So I am rather proud of that. The cover says 'Music You May Hate' cause she is super picky about music, and also I put some Taylor Swift in there to annoy her... And then I just cut up an old NME and stuck in on my makeshift CD jacket.

Delirium - Lauren Oliver

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 17:14:00 +0000

So, if you read my post about my new year's resolutions, you would have seen that I wanted to read 50 books this year, which comes out to a little under a book a week. Totally do able. I think? Maybe...

Anyway, Delirium was book number 2, after The Lovely Bones which I don't really know what to make of. Disturbing, and very well written, but kind of like, ew, why am I reading about this?

I picked them both up at a charity store on the way back from my local library. I always forget how rubbish that library is, and it's actually really sad. It would be great, it's really near my house, and seems to have lots of books, but somehow I never find anything I want to read in there. It even has a YA section, but that has nothing but really really shudder inducing 'OMG, that boi over there totes fancis me yeah?' kind of books. And I am like, OMGNO. HE DOESN'T. GO GET SOME REAL ISSUES ALREADY.

Back to the point, I had read Lauren Oliver's first novel, Before I Fall last year, and had loved it. It was beautifully written and really interesting. It was a concept novel that was still written well, with interesting characters and a really good message.

I was a little weary of Delirium though, as it was described on the back as a 'Margaret Atwood meets Twilight novel' by Grazia. I am not a fan of Twilight. Twilight too makes me shudder (Dude, it is not cute in the slightest that there is an 150 year old vampire watching you sleep, while trying to resist killing you. Okay? Okay.)

Having read the book though, I can see why they linked the books. It's a forbidden love story, but not because the guy is about to murder you. Also, there is none of this, 'Hi, what's your name?' and then about ten minutes later 'I would die for you I love you so much,' which also seems to happen a lot for some unknown reason in stories.

I also really liked the other main aspect of the book, where Lena begins to question her whole world. The book is set in a dystopian future of the US, where they have found the cure for love, as they have decided it is the cause of all evil. Without love, they are taught, it is possible to be happy. She is a few weeks away from getting cured when she meets Alex, who doesn't believe in the cure. And as she falls in love with him, she too starts seeing things differently.

I thought it was done really well, the whole story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you are going to read it though, you may want to wait until just before the second book comes out. Cause there is a major cliffhanger at the end, and I don't know how I am going to wait till it comes out...

Let's See What My Resolve Is Like

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:16:00 +0000

So it's come to the point in time where I make a list of all the things I need to do better, and thereby make my January even more insufferable. Because not only have the holiday's finished, and not only is it blisteringly cold and the rain is consistently pelting down onto the already saturated ground and the whole world is the same shade of grey and its just generally crap, but also now I have a list of things that I must do lest I fail at everything ever in life blah blah blah.

Not that that stops me ever, and this years list in especially long:

Like I said, long, and certain to make January miserable. What are all your resolutions this year?

Now That That Is All Over...

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:52:00 +0000

So I hope everyone had a great Christmas, and you were all able to spend time with your families and friends and stuff, and also on a more materialistic note, you got cool presents :)

I am happy to say that my Christmas was great. My family managed to avoid any major disagreements, and I got great presents to boot.

Now that it's all over however, I am starting to get excited/worried about the new year. Last night (technically this morning actually, it was really late) I started making a list with my friend. I am currently at ten so... Looks like I will have a busy year ahead of me.

Also, I started thinking about this past year, and Sophia (who sold cookies with me earlier) showed me this video.

As I find posts without pictures look a tad sad, here are some the crafty gifts that were given in my family this christmas:

The bottom two, I made. The scarf for my sister, and the hat for my brother. The top (very impressive hat) my mum made for my dad. My sister also made from the same pattern for my dad, and both rather outshone mine stuff...

Christmas Eve

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:47:00 +0000

(Just in case you hadn't noticed!)

Anyway. At the moment my Fam are all downstairs watching Alvin and the Chipmunks. Which, y'know, I should probably join in with. Bonding and all. Also, by this time tomorrow, I guarantee everyone will be fighting. So I should probably be making the most of it. Oh well.

Instead though I am desperately trying to finish my Crafty Christmas presents, which all seemed like a great idea when we were safely in November... Now not so much. I have two WIP's for my siblings, which I seriously need to sort out and the hours are slipping away from me people! In the mean time though, I am procrastinating by stalking the NORAD Santa Tracker thing. Which is one of my favourite pastimes :)

I will most likely have an update tomorrow (it looks like there will be loads of crafty presents in my household this year!) but if not, Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating. Or, Happy Fifth/Sixth day of Hanukka. Or...

I'm starting to get confused now, so let's stick with Happy Holidays people. That's general right?

Selling Loads of Cakes and Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:35:00 +0000

Saturday (yeah, ages ago) I had this massive cake sale (which was the one that I made these gingerbread for) with my good friend Sophia. Who is seriously not my twin, I promise we are not at all related. I am talking to you, strange drunk santa guy.

Anyway. We had tons of stuff (I am talking over 200 baked goods) and I was stressing out, because this was my kitchen counter about 10 minutes before I was supposed to leave for Sophia's:

It was kind of my own fault though, because I had been watching SVU with my mum the night before instead of decorating them (unless you are Sophia. In which case, I was totally ready when you called that morning like I said.)

We set up a table, a couple blocks down from the football stadium, at the end of Sophia's road which was closed for foot traffic. Within about ten minutes I could see two Police walking towards us in those bright yellowy green jackets. They were walking super slowly, in time with their hands behind there backs, and it was stressing me out to no end.

I swear it took them a good twenty minutes to get to us. They stopped in front of us, and I swear I thought I was going to pass out. If they were going to shut us down... I mean, 200+ baked goods people. What were we going to do with that? (actually, it would have been fine. Sophia and I both have brothers.)

So the Policewoman goes, 'What are you selling?'

'We are s-selling, um, cake...' We say looking down.

She looks down to read the sign we had stuck to the table.

'World Challenge, eh?'

'Y-Yes, ma'am'

'I did that, that was great. Here's two quid. Good luck girls!'

And then the Policeman goes, 'You guys should get a bigger table next time!'

And then the walk off doing their slow walk again. So that was great.

The whole thing turned out great in fact, (well, expect for the sub-arctic temperatures, which made my amazing crushed velvet skater dress an even less appropriate choice of attire, and the afore mentioned drunk santa guy who wouldn't shut up) and we made quite a bit of money to put towards our trip. We also only ended up with a few things left, which I have managed to eat most of, and in the process teach my mum the expression food baby. So, you know. Good stuff.

And then there is the explanation as to why this is about four days late. Well, I wish I could say something interesting (Actually, I could, you guys wouldn't be able to tell if I made something up, but whatever, that would be mean) but basically, I couldn't be bothered to sit up right to type because I was lying on my bed watching Modern Family. For around four days straight. And then I needed a shower. And now I am typing. Yeah, that's all.

2012 Diaries

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:24:00 +0000

Last week, I wrote about my Poundland Presents. Wednesday night, I finally finished them (and oh my goodness they took ages. It got kind of annoying...)

So these are the five that I got done. They were super easy (although, I am seriously not joking when I say you better not underestimate how long they will take you to do.)

I mostly used magazines and newspapers. Actually, I mainly used stylist and style, because I love the layout and design they have, and also they are free (yeah, them being free is nice...) Anyway. I cut out the cut/pretty/interesting bits, and also any deep quotes that I found. Another great thing about these magazines was that they had really cool titles that worked well for spines. (see picture below)

I arranged all the little bits (some of which I had also printed off) on the books, and stuck them on with PVA. Which was much easier when I got some proper glue. Word of warning, don't use any of that school glue that has been in your cupboard since you started reception. It will be gloppy and cause you to go insane. I speak from experience.

So, stick pieces of paper on with glue, and then cover in that plastic stuff. Now, I don't know what it is called aren't I super helpful?) but it is that clear plastic sheet stuff that is sticky on one side. You can get it anywhere, and it means that the paper won't rip off the books straight away (cause that would be sad.)

And here is a picture of three of the ones I finished. It's only here cause I am really proud of them :)

Gingerbread Making Craze

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:10:00 +0000

I probably have to start by explaining that I am doing World Challenge and I am going on a trip to Madagascar for four weeks in July 2013. Which is really exciting, but also means that I have to raise a ton of money.

To help raise money, I am having a bake sale with my friend outside her house just before a football game. She lives right by the stadium, and they get loads of foot traffic. We are just hoping that some of these people will like cake...

Anyway, that is how I ended up making four times a old Food Tech Gingerbread recipe. Which takes quite a while! I always forget how long it takes to roll out dough.

Once I got the dough sorted, it was really fun:

Above is a nice picture of a cookie being cut out. I now cannot remember why I felt the need to take that picture.

Here is a cookie tray, filled with cookies. Again, fairly self explanatory, but who cares. They look freaking awesome.

And then here are the first few that were done. I think I did around thirty in total, which still leaves a whole ton for me still to do. Not that I have any idea what I am going to do with anymore cookies. I am not joking when I say that half of my freezer is currently taken up by these retched things. And I didn't even get to eat one!

So aside from the fact that I have a few non-helpful pictures and my cookie making escapades were a little flat, here is the recipe, cause it is good and quite easy:

350g Plain Flour

1 Teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda

2 Teaspoons Ground Ginger

100g Butter

170g Light Soft Brown Sugar

4 Tablespoons Golden Syrup

1 Egg

(This is double the recipe. But, that is only cause I still am not sure how we used to make a recipe that called for half an egg...)

1) Heat oven 190 C, and get the tray ready.

2) Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ginger into a big mixing bowl.

3) Rub in butter until it gets to breadcrumb consistency, and then add the sugar.

4) In a separate bowl, mix the syrup and egg together. Then add these to the dry stuff. Mix it all loads until it turns into a nice roll able dough.

5) Roll it out, and cookie cut. You can re-roll so don't worry about that too much.

6) Cook till golden brown. Careful, cause they go from white and pasty to singed pretty quickly. The recipe says 12-15 minutes, but mine were starting to burn after around 10.

Have fun cookie making :)

Thoughts about Knitting

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 22:56:00 +0000

So I love knitting. No actually, it's really fun and all. But sometimes if kinda gets me down. Cause it's like, oh hey guys! Take a look at my deformed sock made of super expensive wool that has taken me hours and is still not that pretty.

And my friends are like, 'Oh, our friend who will be an old cat lady as soon as she can pass for over twenty.' They think the knitting thing is pretty funny. Unless I do it in public, in which case they are like:

'Emmmaaa. Put it away, ugh, you are soo embarrassing!' and they sorta sound like kids with embarrassing parents. I would be a great embarrassing parent. That is plan b, if the whole old cat lady thing doesn't work out.

So while that is all fun, it is a bit sad that when I am casually stalking my friends friends youtube accounts (okay, the fact that I do that is admittedly a little sad) and it's suddenly like, wow, this person can SING. and they are FUNNY. and guess what, they are also PRETTY. and turns out they have a VERY COOL room.

and I am still sitting here with my slightly deformed sock.

More Christmas Related Things to Fan-Girl Over

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 07:29:00 +0000

Yesterday, my mummy went to an annual christmas cookie exchange. So now, suprisingly we have a ton of christmas cookies. Which is nice.

Also, if you can see those yellow squares in the front? I live for those squares. They are the best thing ever and I will be making loads of them, as my mum got the recipe this time (I love my mum)

To go along with the whole good food cause it's Christmas thing, my secret santa got me this mug, with mini marshmellows inside it. I think I showed everyone in the whole of Hammersmith, it was really exciting. And the hot chocolate was good.

Santa Hats FTW

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:58:00 +0000

So as you can see from this picture, I have a really cool santa hat.

What you can't see from the picture is that it is literally so worn out that there are holes in it. Seriously, I love that hat. Anyway.

Today at tennis there was a christmas hat contest, and even though I thought they were kidding, I brought mine. And I won a WH smith voucher, so turns out they weren't kidding... Who knew?

Sadly though, as it's breaking, I think I am going to have to make one to replace it. Yet another project for the upcoming holiday's I think!

Poundland Presents

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:12:00 +0000

So here are two facts you might want to know:
1) Getting people Christmas presents is pretty much my favourite thing to do
2) I am a total cheapskate, and I am always broke anyway

This year I have actually managed to accommodate both issues though, and so I am giving everyone something from Poundland. But it's decorated, so it's cool, see?

This is the first one I have done so far.

And this is the first one again, cause I have yet to do any others...

And here is the stack I still have to do....

Should be fun. In the mean time, I need to go back to pretending I am revising my chemistry...

I'll post a How-to with tips and things later in the week (once I finish my pretend revision.)

In the mean time if you like poundstores like me, you should go read this. It made me a little less worried about how much fun I have in them.

Reasons to be Happy (#1)

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 14:46:00 +0000

1. We are two days into advent. It is now fully acceptable to break out old Christmas CD's, wear santa hats and eat a ton of mince pies.

2. S Club Seven are supposed to be reuniting, here's to hoping they can 'bring it all back' (okay, maybe we don't want ALL the early '00s back, but whatever)

3. This happy mix tape

4. Less than three weeks until the days start getting longer again.

5. Boots 3 for 2 Christmas specials. Enough said.

Written 3/12/11