The Bottom of the Ironing Basket

What's The Magic Word?

2012-01-28T12:34:00.001Z

I had a huge response to my "What Are Your Non-Negotiables?" post earlier this week....

I was also asked where the above print , which I included in the blogpost, was from.

I can tell you that it is from the Little Minnows Design Etsy Shop

- it's available in many different colours and I would say is perfect for any number of locations,

personally I think it should be in every office, train station, classroom and street!!

Little Minnow Designs

Friday Fabulousness....

2012-01-27T05:00:00.000Z

My husband left this morning for his annual five day "Boys Skiing Trip" to Austria and so, in amongst the various childrens activities that regularly feature in our week-end, I have also lined up for myself....

four mini-projects, three books, two movies and one boxset....bliss!!

Since I began taking Cookery classes last autumn, my enjoyment of the art of cooking has increased enormously....

I am taking a French Cookery this term which I am absolutely loving.

Last Monday I made a Gratin Dauphinoise and then on Tuesday, as suggested by the teacher, I tried it with spinach - both were delicious.

Tomorrow I am planning a Navarin a la Printaniere aka French Lamb Stew for dinner, possibly a French Onion Soup on Saturday and for my class on Monday we will be creating a Ratatouille and a Fennel, Tomato and Garlic Gratin.

Vive La France!!

Happy Week-end!!

Instagram Photo A Day Challenge....Days 11-20

2012-01-26T14:27:00.002Z

Day 11 : "Where You Sleep"

Day 12 : "Close Up"

Day 13 : "In Your Bag"

New ASOS oversized clutch contains - book, pens, keys, handcream, lipbalm, money, mittens, mints, DKNY Pure perfume, photos of my children, shopping list for French lamb stew....

Day 14 : "Something You're Reading"

Day 15 : "Happiness"

Planning a trip & dreaming of holidays....

Day 16 : "Morning"

Sunday morning, 8am....Kenwood House, Hampstead Heath

Day 17 : "Water"

Day 18 : "Something You bought"

We know him as Mr Bird....bought for my son when he was born....

well chewed and snuggled, slightly faded, his constant and much loved night-time companion....

Day 19 : "Sweet"

Cookies....Chocolate Chilli & Orange and Cranberry

Day 20 : "Someone You Love"

My children - through the years....

See here for Days 1-10....

There are Barnes & Noble coupons available for "something you're reading".

2012-01-26T10:47:00.001Z

Last weekend I saw old friends down in Dorset and after supper the four of us snuggled down in a squashy sofa in front of the fire, fought off our two black labs who thought the sofa was a marvellous idea, and looked through old photo albums of our child- and teenager-hood. Every picture was a vivid memory.

My own children are grown and out of the house now but those albums, some with hand-printed black and white photographs from Lyn’s days as an art student were a timely reminder of just how lovely it is to have captured moments of the present that all too soon become moments of the past.

So if you’re still using your mobile phone camera to capture times that never come around again, now could be the time to consider upgrading to a real digital camera.

They’ve never been easier to operate and it’s never been simpler to share the results with family and friends via Picasa or Flickr.

I’m a devotee of the film camera – I still have an old Canon AE-1 Program and love the results I get with black and white film, especially after I did a course and ended up building a darkroom where the children, their friends and I had glorious fun watching images come to life by the light of an infra-red bulb.

But some years back I gave in to the digital world and bought a Canon 1D – marvellous but as heavy as a brick! – then traded it in for a very slightly lighter Canon EOS 5D, which I’ve used happily as far afield as Kenya, South Africa and Japan in my day job as a journalist.

I also have a Canon G9 (you’ll notice a product bias) which is a fabulous compact with lots of scope. It’s now been replaced by the G12) but my son has taken it to India and across Europe and it never let him down, even in the dust thrown up by the motorbikes and World War 2 Willies Jeeps he was following. He loved it so much that eventually I gave up and bought him one of his own.

However, if you are not planning a professional career and simply want a good, reliable camera to photograph your family, you have several options, depending on your budget.

You may like to have a pocket-sized camera that you can take anywhere with you. Panasonic Lumix do a great option here – it’s tiny, and slim enough to go in any pocket, no matter how small (mine goes in my handbag, or if I’m out riding across Ashdown Forest, in a little Crumpler pouch on the saddle). But it has many options for different conditions, even shooting directly in black and white.

Panasonic does another range under the Lumix label - a miniature SLR with interchangeable lenses. It’s fantastic fun to use, it can go almost everywhere with you – just sling it over your shoulder and (unlike my big Canon) you don’t need to be a muscle-bound Amazon to carry it. I have liked Panasonics ever since being introduced to them as they use Leica lenses – and you can see the difference. And I had a good chance to test this one out by photographing the BMX World Championships at the Olympic stadium with a great little telephoto lens attached.

Olympus, another great name in cameras - the Olympus Trip was the first real compact camera - does a similar SLR range that gives you portability with quality too.

Above all, though, the main element of the camera is the person behind it. It’s perfectly possible to take good pictures with almost any equipment if you have a good eye. Even with a mobile phone! Henri Cartier-Bresson, the father of modern photojournalism, would agree. He described the ‘decisive moment’ when a great image is captured. ‘Oops! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever,’ he said. You have been warned.

Buying the right camera can be a real investment. If you're looking to spend a few hundred pounds, paying by a low APR credit card could be a possible way to help you spread the cost. Looking for cards that offer rewards as you spend and a 0% period on purchases could also be a good idea before you buy – just be aware that if you don't clear your balance before this period ends you will be charged interest.

(This is a sponsored post written by Natasha French)

Exquisite Escapes....

2012-01-25T15:10:00.000Z

Sarah writes the beautiful blog Haute Design.

She is currently writing the most wonderful travel posts for the blog This is Glamorous and yesterday, as part of her "Take Me Away" series, she wrote "Inspiration for a Romantic Getaway"

I think this is no. 116 in the series now....

Sarah has written about a variety of destinations with suggestions of how to travel, where to stay and where to eat, all accompanied by the most gorgeous images.

If you are looking for some travel inspiration or simply want to lose yourself in an exotic or foreign destination, go take a look....

Pastels in the Kitchen

2012-01-25T10:48:00.000Z

image

Champagne Range Cooker : Appliances Online

Polka Dot Cookie Jar : The Weed Patch

Classic Kitchen Scale : Amazon

Pastel Blue Smeg Fridge Freezer : Appliances Online

Green Kitchen Chair : Maisons du Monde

What Are Your "Non-Negotiables"?

2012-01-24T14:12:00.003Z

Reading Oprah's O magazine a few months ago, I came across a feature on the "The Power of...." in different (famous) people's lives.....

the power of showing up, the power of style, the power of seizing the moment.

In this feature, the actress Jane Lynch spoke about The Power of Authenticity.

She spoke about the four things which considers to be "non-negotiable" in her life - for her they were :

Boundaries, Commitment, Honesty and Food and Drink

It got me thinking about what my own non-negotiables were?

Having pondered this for quite some time, this was what I came up with....

Being Myself

I like to think that I am always myself.

I have good boundaries and a pretty clear vision of what I feel is best for me - and for my family.

I don't feel the pressure to do something just because someone/everyone else is doing it....

I know that it's perfectly okay to say no.

I was recently in a situation where I knew that I was expected to say yes to something, something that I knew everyone else was going to say yes to - but I really didn't want to do it, it just wasn't me.

So I said no.

And I knew that those who were my friends would totally understand and not mind one bit....

and it didn't really matter what anyone else thought.

I was chatting about it this very issue to a friend last week and she said something along the lines of how she admired how what other people thought never seemed to matter to me.

My friend is someone regarded by everyone who knows her as an "alpha female", she's terrifically successful in her career, very accomplished and super-competent....

BUT she worries terribly what people think about her - even the people that she admits she doesn't like!! This seems to me, of course, absolutely crazy (and a waste of time) and I tell her this repeatedly!

If you are decent, kind, considerate, have your own opinions and are happy to voice them in a positive way - and people still don't like you....then, I guess that's just life!

Being a mother, I also feel very aware of demonstrating to my children the huge importance of being your own person and staying true to yourself.

My children are both very socially able and both "group" people so I already feel that they are both pretty good at listening to others, empathising and sharing.

My son is a leader whereas my daughter is a follower - she's in a school class with some ~~right little madams~~ very challenging young ladies and I know as the teen years are fast approaching us, so the issue of peer pressure will become even more present.

All I can advise is be yourself, stay strong, go with your instincts - and not someone else's - because they are usually right.

Good Manners & A Little Consideration

Please and thank you.
Written thank you notes.
Good morning....how are you....have a good day....isn't the sunshine lovely?
Holding the door open for people, not pushing, apologising if necessary.
Recognising hard work, good work, generosity, selflessness.

via Little Minnow Designs

Smiling. Making eye contact.

Listening.
Acknowledgement.
Awareness.
Appreciation.
Please. Thank You. Smile. And repeat.

Reading

I've always been a reader, all my life.

When I was young it was my escape, I'd find a warm, quiet place and literally read all day, I visited the library 2-3 times a week.

I've been that person who has missed their train station because I've been so engrossed in a book.

I love books, they transport me, educate me, broaden my horizons, distract me....

I've had times in my life where I haven't read as much - when my children were little babies for example....although to be honest, even if it's midnight when I get to bed, I'll still read for 10-15 minutes.

I tell my children that reading is a gift and I truly feel that.

Books are my happy place, I always carry one with me,

I miss it when I'm not reading and my day is better when I get to pick up a book and lose myself, even if it's just for a short while.

I could do a day without coffee or bread but wouldn't want to do a day without reading.

Calm & Solitude

I live a busy life in a busy city, I am in the school playground twice a day, I am in the supermarket often, I have coffee with friends at least once a week in a busy coffee shop, I live within 5 mins at most of the majority of my friends. And I have two active children who love to talk!

I love being with friends but I absolutely appreciate solitude and my own company too.
I'll happily go to the cinema/for a coffee/out to lunch by myself - unlike my husband who thinks it's pretty odd to want to do any of those activities alone!

I love the hustle and bustle of a city and wouldn't want to live anywhere else...
but I know I need total peace and quiet on a regular basis, a little calm, time where I don't need to talk, no music, just silence.
It centres me, grounds me, reassures me....connects me with myself.

Jane Lynch was a little more succinct with her words and descriptions of what each of them meant to her....

I long ago realised that I just don't do succinct!

My non-negotiables....

Being Myself

Good Manners & A Little Consideration

Reading

Calm & Solitude

What would your non-negotiables be, the things or the behaviour that are essential to your day and your emotional and mental wellbeing?

Happy Tuesday!

Friday Fabulousness....

2012-01-20T10:54:00.000Z

via Dustjacket

via Wildflowers

The best parts of my week....

making an incredible french onion soup in my french cookery class on monday

finishing the brilliant "Unbroken" - an absolutely extraordinary book of a true life story

not gaining one.single.ounce so far post Detox .....and continuing to juice

finally moving my Dad to a new and so-far-very-lovely nursing home after seemingly encountering every single obstacle and hurdle possible over the last few months....hoorah!

listening to my son's life plan - professional football player until he's 47 (apparently they ask you to stop playing then)....

then Rock Star.

(oh, I cannot wait to see what this little man becomes!)

booking summer flights....woo hoo!

A busy week-end lies ahead...

off now to make some Italian meatballs and take my daughter out for lunch.

Have a wonderful week-end!

The JuiceMaster Detox....

2012-01-18T15:17:00.002Z

In December the lovely people at Philips asked me if I would like to participate in the

Worlds Biggest Juice Detox,

a "7lbs in 7 days" juice detox starting in January.

I've never done a detox - or a diet - before but January seemed like the perfect time for it.

I was right.....

I did the 7lbs in 7 days Juice Detox last week....

I lost 10lbs - and 6 inches!!!

I'm thrilled!

Over 14,000 people worldwide took part in the Detox and being part of a very large group of people doing it most definitely made a difference -

I tweeted about it, commented on FB on the Philips homepage and in doing so felt not only accountable, but totally supported throughout the week.

Jason Vale, aka The JuiceMaster, has a great and very comprehensive website here....

He was on Twitter all week and also posted live videos every day which I found very inspiring and helped to keep me focused.

He's super-enthusiastic, down to earth and practical - with an inspirational energy of the kind that would probably have you climbing Everest if he asked you to do so!

The Juice Detox consisted of 6 juices & smoothies each day, at three intervals plus water and mint, lemon or fennel tea.

I love fruit and veggies so actually really enjoyed the juices.

They are also very satisfying, I don't think I actually had 6 juices on any day of the detox, I was just too full.

You are told which juices to drink but the book is full of alternative recipes so you can easily find an alternative.

It wasn't easy every day....

I have little or no willpower and can easily talk myself into eating/buying anything with all kinds of justification, but reading the JuiceMaster books during the week helped me really think about what I was doing and why I was doing it....

Days 2 & 5 were most probably my most challenging days.

I don't drink a lot of tea and coffee though so didn't experience any withdrawal headaches during the programme.

From Day 3 onwards - as the website had said - I did feel a noticeable increase in my energy levels and my skin was noticeably softer and moisturised.

I exercised most days during the Detox....I walked more than usual (10K+ steps each day), I worked out with Wii Just Dance and I power-walked - my 8am Sunday power-walk turned into a run, that's how energised I felt by the end of it!

Philips very kindly provided me with the most fantastic juicer in order to do the Detox and I can't recommend it enough....really easy to take apart, clean and put back together.

I used the Philips Avance - you can literally put whole fruits in, no real chopping required - I juiced whole apples in seconds, the juicing process could not have been easier.

It's a centrifugal juicer which removes every drop of juice from the fruit, when you empty it out the residual pulp is totally dry.

See here for the Amazon reviews.

I needed a lot of fruit but the "7lbs in 7 Day" book gives you a shopping list - preparation is key.

The book comes with a wallchart/planner so you know just what juices and ingredients you need at any given time.

Strangely, I am already missing the detox programmme and since Monday morning I can honestly say that I have thought about everysingle thing that I have eaten. I didn't crave anything in particular last week but thought how much I would enjoy certain things post-detox - but in fact, I have only wanted to eat very healthily and didn't have my first cup of coffee until today!

I would recommend it 100%, right now I am doing the Turbo Charge programme which follows the 7 Day Detox - having juices during the day and a light and healthy dinner at night.

I will definitely be doing the 7 Day Detox again very soon - I'm already thinking of doing it next month, not only did I lose weight but - most importantly - I felt really good - cleansed and detoxed.

Although my children eat more than their share of fruit and vegetables, an added bonus was they wanted to make juices too.....
my daughter was able to use the juicer herself and had fun creating her own juices.

Thanks so much to Philips and to Danni & Luke at Ketchum for their invaluable and constant support.

Golden Globes 2012

2012-01-17T13:40:00.001Z

Kate Beckinsale in Roberto Cavalli, she always gets the Red Carpet so right.

Jessica Alba in Gucci

Helen Mirren seems to make my list every time, she never seems to look anything less than amazing on the Red Carpet. Here she wears Badgley Mischka.

Michelle Williams in Jason Wu

Lea Michele in Marchesa...this girl does Red Carpet glamour perfectly!

Natalie Portman in Lanvin

Dianna Agron in Giles

Heidi Klum in Calvin Klein Collection

The beautiful Julianna Margulies in Naeem Khan

Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang....

I want total glamour on the Red Carpet and Sofia always seems to bring that.

I love Kate Winslet BUT didn't love her dress or her shoes.

And please Kate find a new "Red Carpet face" and stop doing this one!

Meryl Streep is so luminously beautiful...surely the most gorgeous cheekbones in the world!

Jessica Biel.....so beautiful but really unusual choice of dress.

Claire Danes....beautiful from the back but I wasn't crazy about the front of the dress.

And finally....the very handsome Uggie from "The Artist" :)

A Little Creativity....

2012-01-17T11:49:00.000Z

Over Christmas my children and I spent time reviewing and playing with the new uDraw Gametablet - it's available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and also Wii, which is what we tested it out on.

According to PlayTHQ...."uDraw offers an entirely new way to play on video game consoles....it encourages creative expression, keeps minds active and offers uniquely engaging gameplay that can be enjoyed by the whole family. It's the first console-based artistic tool of its kind".

As a family we are new to any kind of console based games or really any type of electronic games....we have only recently bought a Wii.

We received with the uDraw the following games : Pictionary, Studio:Instant Artist and Disney Princess Enchanting Storybooks.

Pictionary took a little working out - but this was primarily since I was the one setting it up and most types of instructions tend to leave me confused, it's been fine since that first time - and as a family we loved it! Lots of fun and a game we have returned to.

My daughter loves anything artistic or creative and absolutely loves the uDraw Studio:Instant Artist game....it seems that you can do 1001 things on it, she produced some amazing designs. You can also use the "Remmy the art guide" on it and take art lessons...you really can spend hours on it, it's very clever and lots of fun. My daughter is 10 but my 6 year son was also able to use it very easily too.

It would seem that girls never truly grow out of Cinderella and princesses, because she also enjoyed playing on the Disney Princess game too :)

My children have both continued to play with the uDraw, they like the creativity of it, it's more than just a game and that's what appeals to me as a parent too. It's definitely something they will continue to use, not something that will be consigned to the back of the cupboard for the rest of the year :)

A Fabulously Foodie Friday....

2012-01-13T13:37:00.001Z

Yes, I have been on a juice/smoothie only detox all week and yes, my mind is on food....without a doubt.

It seemed a good idea, while I have 2 days of the detox to go, to have some delicious images to focus on :)

And my thoughts are never far from a French summer and eating al fresco....

It's a beautiful day in London, I've just been for a a brisk walk around Highgate Woods, enjoying the warmth of the sunshine.

Thank you so much for all the lovely comments on Monday's Where I Live post, I loved reading them.

Happy Weekend!!

Instagram Photo A Day Challenge....Days 1-10

2012-01-11T20:25:00.000Z

Day 1 - "You"

Day 2 "Breakfast"

Day 3 - "Something You Adore"

(my son as a secret agent)

Day 4 - "Letterbox"

Day 5 - "Something You Wore"

I wore these red sparkly shoes to a friend's "Saturday Night At The Movies " party when I went as Dorothy. Ridiculously high but so much fun, I love them!

Day 6 - "Makes You Smile"

Sticky up hair at bathtime :)

Day 7 - "Favourite"

(Chai Latte)

Day 8 - "My Sky"

Day 9 - "Daily Routine"

I'm participating in the World's Biggest Juice Detox this week.....this was breakfast :)

Day 10 - "Childhood"

I'm not going to tell you exactly how old he is but this bear was a gift on my very first Christmas!

He lives on a shelf and is in very good condition - isn't he lovely?!

It's harder than you think to take one photo every day....but it's lots of fun too!

The Instagram Photo A Day Challenge

Where I Live....

2012-01-08T23:47:00.004Z

1. I live in London.

I've lived here since we moved from Wales when I was six years old.

I grew up in south London (Dulwich and Clapham) until my mid 20s and have lived in north London (Hampstead and Muswell Hill) since then.

I've both lived and studied abroad for long periods of time and, although sometimes I dream of living in the south of France or moving to New York City, I absolutely love London.

It's the sense of history and tradition, the theatres and the museums, the parks and green spaces and most definitely the people. I am a city girl and I love the buzz and the busyness of London.

London is full of neighbourhoods and I love this in particular. I live within walking distance of two Underground stations and am 10 stops from the very centre of London, yet where I live is very green, very family-orientated and has such a strong sense of community - as has everywhere I have ever lived in London.

2. I live in an apartment.

Muswell Hill borders Highgate and Hampstead and is a 50/50 mixture of crazy-expensive houses with postage stamp-sized gardens and enormous apartments mostly occupied by young professionals.

It is a strange thing but, apart from 3 years when we bought a house when my daughter was first born, I have lived in apartments all my life.

My parents lived in very old and elegant apartments owned by my father's then employers and when my mother left my father with three young children and not a stick of furniture to her name, we lived in a series of apartments.

Muswell Hill is full of 1930s architecture and I live in a beautiful 1930s mansion block with wood panelled stairways and lovely views. We have plenty of space, are 4 minutes from school and every shop I need is within walking distance.

We might move within the next couple of years but in many ways I will be sad to do so....

apartment living suits me very nicely....I love having everything on the same level, we have lots of space and the fact that we don't have tons of storage space suits my decluttering nature perfectly :)

We lived in an another apartment in the same block when we first got married and I have spent both my pregnancies here, so I have so many happy memories.

Muswell Hill (Canary Wharf in the distance)

3. I live in my neighbourhood.

I can walk to East Finchley and Highgate Underground stations, the dry cleaners, Marks & Spencer, the library, Starbucks the chemist, the cheese shop, the butchers, the Childrens Bookshop, post office, the cinema, the pet shop and the hairdressers. Every one of my children's friends lives pretty much within a stone's throw away and preschool, school and, pretty soon, secondary school are within 4 mins of our front door.

I rarely drive because I simply don't need to, if I want to meet a friend for lunch then the lovely cafes at Highgate Woods or Kenwood House on Hampstead Heath are within walking distance, as are a huge variety of other locations.

For coffee, the gorgeous Danish coffee shop with the windows that soon steam up and the warm cinnamon bread that they serve fresh from the oven at 9.30am every morning is my current favourite.

(There is also the very good chance that if he's not away filming, you'll be seated next to Clive Owen as I was the other week. Hard to concentrate, that much I can tell you ;))

I live in a city of 10 million people....but my butcher and the ladies in the supermarket know me by name and always wave to me, I go for coffee, the people smile and ask how I am (and vice versa), the Children's Bookshop remember what books my children have read recently and if I need any help, I can call at least two hands worth of friends immediately.
I love local. I live local.

Not my desk. Not my kitchen. But what a fabulous space!

4. I live at my desk.

Or rather I live at my kitchen table since this is where my laptop is to be found and where I write, work, email and read the newspapers online.

We're not on the ground floor so the view from my kitchen window is trees and sky - plus squirrels and blue tits, I love it.

I love my kitchen - it could be bigger, it could have a large island, even more cupboards and a walk-in pantry.....BUT it does have a large table with enough room for me to sweep my papers etc to one side and still have plenty of space to work and read. It has my aunt's dresser which houses A Lot Of Stuff including my collection of pretty jugs and my favourite teacups.

It also houses, possibly most importantly of all, the radio, the programmes are the soundtrack to my day, and the kettle for my many cups of Earl Grey.
It's my favourite room in the house.

My current favourite piece is an old leather chair recently that I bought from a junk shop recently.

I have friends who have the most fabulous junk shop finds - this was my first purchase so I'm very happy with it :)

However, passing one local shop recently, I saw this chair outside....it's the kind of "old" dark red leather I imagine you'd find in the Bank of England, dark wood, filled with what must be horsehair, slightly worn but so comfortable, perfect for reading and working in.

Today's Instagram photo - "Favourite"....my leather chair

5. I live in my kitchen.

I love my kitchen. wherever I've lived and wherever I live in the future (and even if I have an office), I know my kitchen will always be the warm heart of my home.

Oddly, as I spend increasingly more time working at my computer in here, I also am spending more time cooking in here, inspired by some new cookery books & my recent cookery courses.

The mantelpiece is filled with tealights and candles, there is a large canvas on the wall of my daughter (a favourite photo taken while sailing in France), my children do their homework here....
and here we sing loudly and dance madly together.

This piece of writing was completely inspired by the wonderful writer/screenwriter/film director Nora Ephron (You've Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, amongst other movies).

I read her book "I Feel Bad About My Neck" at Christmas - it's a great laugh-out-loud funny read and I absolutely loved it.

She lives in NYC and one of the chapters in the book is called "Where I Live".

So....where do you live?
Want to share? :)

Friday Fabulousness....

2012-01-06T14:02:00.000Z

amazing New Year's Eve fireworks in London

now this is a pantry....

This week my children returned to school and I returned to my daily routine....

my new book "The Happiness Project" is already having an effect on me and I have found myself falling, almost without realising it, into a new daily routine which is proving astonishly more effective and efficient for me.

And I'm only on chapter 4 ;)

Morning coffee with friends prompted discussions about plans and hopes for the New Year....

with encouragement and positivity all round.

If girls ran the world, I'm sure things would get done so much quicker ;)

The weather has been crazy in London this week - high winds, rain and hail.

Today it's cold and sunny and I am planning to head up to Hampstead Heath for a long and bracing walk this week-end.

Oven baked lamb and potatoes with rosemary for dinner

(it's not often that I talk about my cooking but this is the most fabulous dish from my Italian Cookery class last term)

French Cooking begins next Monday and I'm also heading back to the gym,

possibly just as well now that I've seen the planned recipes for the term!

Have a great week-end!

Working on my January Instagram challenge :)

A Handful of Happiness for a Thursday....

2012-01-05T15:30:00.000Z

I'm reading the most fantastic book at the moment

The Happiness Project

a funny, inspiring, thought-provoking, fascinating read.

Recommended to me by my lovely (and very wise) friend Meredy over at Count It All Joy ,

I know I'm going to be blogging about it.

Has anyone else read it?

Happy Thursday!!

A Photo A Day....

2012-01-02T19:06:00.002Z

I read about this Instagram challenge while reading Natasha's lovely blog this morning....

I am not a very good photographer

and I put Instagram on my iPad & iPhone ages ago and have never used it -

despite continually admiring everyone else's very cool and fun Instagram shots!

So here goes....want to play along?

Day One : "You"

Day Two : "Breakfast"

(cinnamon raisin bagel & fruit tea)

Here's hoping that my photographic skills will improve along the way....

and the photos become a little more interesting ;)

Hello 2012....

2012-01-01T21:54:00.004Z

I'm so happy that it's 2012,

I have the strongest feeling that it's going to be a Really Really Good Year.

When I look back to the post I wrote on January 1 2011 , I can hardly believe it was whole year ago.

I also wrote a list of things I wanted to see/do/accomplish during the year....and I did many of them.

It was a great year for me in so many ways.

I travelled to Italy twice and France three times, spending a blissful and unprecedented three weeks there for our family summer holiday.

I wanted to spend more time on my blog and I did.

I wrote more posts this year, my "Wellness and Wellbeing" theme in November was the most popular and inspiring (thanks to some amazing guestbloggers) subject I have ever written on and I made many new friends and connections.

I feel very proud of my blog but, more importantly, I love blogging more than ever!

I am so happy to be still writing it and loving it so much, 2.5 years on.

It's definitely one of my "happy places", I get so much from it and am still amazed and so flattered that people comment, share, give of themselves - and donate.

I have so many fantastic readers.

I am very excited to see what 2012 brings for The Bottom of the Ironing Basket.

One of the things I wrote on my list was "speak to Dad at least once a week"....for various reasons that just hadn't been possible and was not how our relationship had been for a few years.

Little did I know that was about to change drastically....

after he was rushed into hospital, we were told in March that he would be lucky to get through another couple of months and several times I raced across London, doing the 90 minute journey in record time after getting "the call" from the hospital.

Amazingly, here we are on the first day of 2012 and he is still with us.

He lives in a nursing home now though and there he will remain with my brother and I responsible for him and still attempting to make the best possible choices for him.

I truly know now that you never ever know how strong you are until life gets really serious and you have no other choice.

Hope springs eternal though, as they say, and I start 2012 with excitement, energy and feeling very positive. I can't help myself really, January 1 seems like a huge blank page for me.....ready to be written on and for new things to happen.

One thing I do know is that good things rarely just happen....you need to make them happen.

Luck might come into it, but it's often more about hard work.

And so, I do have a plan....another list...places I'd like to visit, personal goals, dreams and aspirations.

My friend Kim wrote a great piece over here ....

we've been good friends for a long time now and I know she often chooses a word which sums up her hopes for the year.

I've been thinking about this all day but ended up not being able to choose just one....
accomplish, focus, plan, explore, achieve, believe

all of the above are on my list.

(one of my favourite quotes....)

I want to do the things that I truly love doing...I think it's the only way.

How often do we hear people say "do what really makes you happy"?
I'm following my heart this year, seeing where it takes me, saying yes and moving forward.

This year I need to challenge myself and edge myself out of the comfort zone I can sometimes find myself in.

Starting my Philips PerfectCare Project definitely pushed me in the right direction, I began cookery classes (Italian & Thai) last term and next week I start French Cookery :)

I want to consolidate certain things and try new ones.

I feel this can be an amazing year.

Most importantly, I want to surprise myself.

I want to get to the end of 2012 and be totally exhausted - in a good way of course!!!

I want to look back and know it was A Year To Remember....

having done things I wanted to do and also thinking "wow, I never thought I'd do that!!"

Here's to a wonderful, exciting, eventful, inspiring, challenging and happy 2012!!

For you and for me :)

Goodbye 2011!

2011-12-31T17:50:00.002Z

I am so ready for 2012....

I feel like standing outside my home with a huge sign reading "2012....This Way Please - and Hurry Up!"
I cannot wait to sit down tomorrow and make those new year plans.

We've a lovely Christmas- albeit a germ-sprinkled one- we've eaten, played, watched films, danced, laughed...and then eaten some more.

We've hibernated and really really enjoyed our party of four.

My 6 year son has talked non-stop about Father Christmas, having tried to stay awake for him, he's 100% certain that he heard bells and he continued to wonder why reindeer are so messy every single year, leaving carrots and water awash in the special bowl we leave under the Christmas tree every year.

He's disappointed that we had no snow in London....he has concluded that Father Christmas is very busy and can't always get around to arranging everything.

The magic of Christmas is truly alive and well in our home, long may it continue.

Anyone who reads my blog knows that I love to read and this holiday has provided some quiet time for me to do that....

I've read six totally different books, which for me is just bliss.

Holidays are also the perfect time to declutter, re-organise and generally cleanse.

Never happier than when I'm sorting out a drawer or a cupboard, I've emptied, tidied and cleared....

donated to the local shelter and charity shop and given items away on Freecycle.

I'm also considering a sideline in batteries, phone cords and coloured pencils ;)

I feel cleansed, re-energised and totally ready for a new year to begin!!

Tonight we are heading off to watch the London New Year fireworks, wrapped up extremely warm and armed with blankets and hot chocolate.

Happy New Year everyone!!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T12:46:00.001Z

photo by Bill Carter

Stockings are hung, gifts are wrapped, the fridge is groaning, mince pies and Christmas pudding are ready, Christmas movies watched and books read.

The house smells beautiful, candles are lit everywhere and my children are wrapping presents in the living room.

After a trip to Bath on Monday for some Christmas shopping and a wonderful lunch, we've virtually hibernated this week, just enjoying the holidays, watching Christmas television, baking and loving the fact that we were avoiding the scrum in the shops.

It's been absolutely lovely....

although somehow the germs got in and I have a terrible cough/cold, a raging headache and a nose as red as Rudolph's....blech :(

Still, 48 hours to go, I'll be fine....I hope!

I wish you a very Merry Christmas wherever you are....

full of love, peace and happiness....and just a little magic.

WE DID IT!!!!

2011-12-22T13:23:00.002Z

We Did It.

Exactly 14 days ago, I wrote about Project Generator

where my goal was to raise USD$800/£511

for

Barb's Home of Angels in Uganda.

I had the crazy idea of raising the total before Christmas,

without really realising that Christmas was only 2 weeks away!

Some kind people blogged and tweeted about it, spreading the word....

donations came from all round the world....

many of them from people I don't know at all.

the kindness of strangers....

We have raised EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS....

the Home needs a generator to function on the 3-4 days a week when the electricity simply doesn't function.

They will now have that generator.

Fabulous. Fantastic. Brilliant. Excellent.

I'm so happy!!!

A huge massive enormous thank you to everyone who donated -

be proud for making a difference and for caring.

....we did it....

Wanted : 13 Kind Hearts....

2011-12-18T18:10:00.009Z

Regular readers will know about Project Generator

This is my special project where I am aiming to raise USD$800/£511 for an electricity generator at Barb's Home of Angels in Uganda.

I had the crazy idea of doing this by Christmas when I started the project just ten days ago....

but with the help of blog-reader donations and blog advertising revenue

an amazing $787 has been raised....

just $13 to go!!!

Please help....please please please donate,

I so want to reach the total by Christmas.

Just one dollar-one pound-one euro is all is takes.

Every single penny goes directly to the Home.

I am also offering advertising on my blog and donating the revenue to my project -

let me know if you want details or know anyone who might be interested.

Feel free to blog or tweet about this and spread the word -

thank you to those lovely people who have already done so.

Please send payments via Paypal -

payable to me : sla212 at hotmail dot com

The fantastically lovely and amazing Edwin - who originally inspired Barb to start the Home of Angels - and Alan who will be the youngest resident of the Home which it opens.

Please help.....thank you so much.

Happy Friday....

2011-12-16T13:52:00.033Z

School is finished and now we are ready for some Christmas loveliness!

Christmas movies galore, days at home, visits to friends and baking some treats.

Snow and sleet in London this morning and very cold tonight.

Cottage pie, hot chocolate and organic wines for dinner tonight, yum!

The winner of the Vogue subscription giveaway is Pink and Pain Mom.

Please contact me with your details!

Happy Weekend!

The Tree Is Up!

2011-12-14T22:58:00.001Z

(not my actual tree)

Finally, our Christmas tree is up and all the decorations are complete....

it looks beautiful.

It's the one part of Christmas that I like to be just so, everything else I am quite relaxed about....

my daughter & my husband choose the tree

always a real tree with lots of white lights (never coloured!)

the decorations are assorted, colourful and sentimental....

the children in their new Christmas pyjamas

hot chocolate and mince pies

watching "Elf" and/or listening to Christmas music

one child hangs up the Christmas stockings & switches the tree lights on for the first time

the other one places the star on the tree as the final decoration

My final task is to sit and plan Christmas menus and food shopping....

I need some Christmas party food ideas ....

some desserts for parties next week....

It's beginning to look an awful lot like Christmas!!!

To enter the Vogue subscription giveaway, enter here

(an annual subscription to your own country's Vogue magazine)

To donate to Project Generator, please see here

a dollar, a pound or a euro

Payments via Paypal to sla212 at hotmail dot com

77% of the total raised so far....AMAZING!

Thank you SO much!!

Rockefeller Center Christmas tree

I saw "New Year's Eve" last night at the cinema....

it made me laugh and cry....

....what's not to love about NYC, New Year's Eve and a little romance : )

Monday Sunshine + Vogue Subscription Giveaway....

2011-12-12T16:42:00.007Z

....bearing in mind that my motto this year is "focus, breathe and enjoy" during the Christmas season,

several hours spent shopping with the crowds this morning was a challenge to say the least!

Most of my shopping is done thankfully....

because I won't be in a hurry to repeat this morning :)

There is not much Christmas spirit to be found in queuing at a checkout!

And so....

1 beautifully sunny day in London

5 more days of school

2 trips to the pantomime

30 mince pies to bake for the class party

1 carol concert to attend tonight

1 secret santa gift bought, 1 to buy

1 baby christmas tree to buy for my Dad

2 christmas lunches with friends

10+ gifts to wrap tonight (before little eyes can see....)

1 long christmas food list to write

2 pair of christmas pyjamas bought

Please donate to my Project Generator appeal....

just one pound-dollar-euro helps so much, more than you can even imagine....

so far I have raised 63% of my goal amount of USD$800/£511 which is incredible!!

a huge thank you to everyone who has donated so far.....

My friend Kim is having a lovely giveaway over here -

donate to Project Generator and you get a extra entry :)

Number 3 in my Christmas giveaway is a year's subscription to the gorgeousness that is

Vogue magazine -

I did this last year - one gift per month all year round - what could be better?!

To enter just be a follower, leave me a comment & I will announce the winner this Friday.

If you want to donate to Project Generator (or have done so already), you get an extra entry!

Tweet the giveaway for yet another entry!

(You can enter wherever you are in the world for this giveaway)

To donate, please make a payment via Paypal to my paypal address which is

sla212 at hotmail dot com.

Just one dollar or one pound - please help.

Every single donation goes directly to the Home in Uganda.

Thank you!!

I am guest-posting about my Christmas thoughts over here - come and see me!