The last of my June photo challenges and hello July!

Why am I finding time just slipping away? I didn't feel 100% yesterday so didn't feel up to blogging my Monday shouts and today I have all of yesterdays chores to catch up with so am not sure when I'll get time to shout out for the wonderful blogs I have discovered.

I will post my photo updates from the photo a day challenge. I have a few June ones to share and also the new July ones (am still having a ball with this!)

June 26th- Where I shop. I got a skateboard for my son for his 6th birthday.

June 27th-Bathroom

June 28th- On the shelf.

June 29th- Soft. Well it is fairly self-explanatory...my baby boy's soft curls!

June 30th- Friend. This may seem like a strange thing to have as
a friend but I was slightly seedy from indulging in too much wine the
night before...so these babies were definitely my besties!

And so the July photo challenge begins!

July 1st- Self Portrait. I am still trying hard to get as many photos of me as I can.

July 2nd- Busy. I kind of cheated on this one as I couldn't get inspired on this day so I
used a photo I'd taken ages ago in Calais, France of a busy bumblebee.

July 3rd- Best part of my day. We had the school's olympic torch relay coming to our school and I had
organised a special Maori welcome for the other school. There was flag waving and singing and Oly was given the NZ flag to wave. She did it with such vigor! It was fantastic to see my wee "pommy" daughter getting back to her roots and waving the flag with so much excitement!

July 4th- Fun. As part of his birthday treat Osk and I went to Lakeside Shopping Centre
for shopping, lunch and a film. It was nice to have some alone time with him without the monster!

July 5th- On the floor. I was covering in a Year 10 History lesson... this is my camera and handbag on the floor under my desk.

July 6th- Chair. A collage of my fave chairs from around my house, technically one is a couch but I love snuggling up on it so felt it should be part of the photo!

July 7th- Garden. I am feeling quite pleased with my garden at the moment, everything is starting to bloom and the fruit is ripening. I managed to pick enough currants to make some home-made Ribena!

Well that's it so far, it's so much fun to look back at all the photos I've taken since I started doing this challenge in April. I am thinking of making a big canvas picture using the printsgram.com service to make a huge collage.

I hope the day is treating you well...I am off now to get stuck into the housework...ewwwwww there is a huge pile of ironing beckining I HATE IRONING!

What is your most loathed household chore?

xx P xx

June photos so far...

I'm still loving the photo a day challenge and have managed to take almost all of the pics this month, all bar 2 that I didn't get to do...I just couldn't get inspired on those days, which I hate!
Have you started the photo a day challenge yet? I really encourage all those I talk to to get inspired and get on board. It is so easy, you really only need a mobile phone that can take photos and you're away! It has become one of the first things I check each day...what is the photo challenge I need to do today? Is that a bit sad??

June 1st -Morning...a night in London away from my babies...a girl could get used to the lie ins!

June 2nd- Home made cider...very dangerous stuff!

June 4th- Close up..playing with one of my phone apps here, trying to make early morning/no make-up eyes look ok!

June 5th- Sign...Diamond Jubilee celebrations in London with my gorgeous family!

June 6th- Hat...amazing how a quick snap can be transformed into something quite cool with the help of a few phone apps! This photo was literally taken at the last second with me bunging a hat on my head, holding the phone up, clicking and hoping for the best!

June 8th- Drink...best coffee I have had in a long time from The Squeeze in Leigh on Sea!

June 9th- My view today. It was a sunny, beautiful day and I had accomplished quite a lot! I was in a glass half full mood!

June 10th- Best bit of your weekend...discovering a wee slice of home in Southend, it was just like sitting in a Wellington cafe!

June 11th- Door. I always smile whenever I see this door...home! I am also very proud of the beautiful clematis, that my mum got me last summer, that is growing so well!

June 12th- From a low angle...peace descends on my classroom, it is break time and the kids have all gone out!

June 13th- Art...from one of my all time favourite artists...my baby boy! He's included us all...Mummy, Daddy,himself,  his 2 sisters and the dog!

June 14th- Time...a shot of the clock I made for Oly's kitchen (still needs some hands though!)

June 14th- Time...another time picture I created using a new phone app I downloaded...I think I am a tad obsessed with photo apps!

Well that is June so far for me. I really hope my photos perhaps inspire someone to have a go and get snapping, it is absolutely addictive and a great way to catalogue your day to day life.
I hope everyone's Thursday is treating them well and thanks for stopping by.

xx P xx

Monday shouts and wedding fun!

Well after a week of grappling with my comments, getting them sorted then losing them all again I think I have finally cracked the comment saga. I did manage to get a few from lovely friends and readers I have since lost them in a revamp...but all is not lost as new comments now show up so happy days!

It has been a fun filled weekend here in Chez Madness with Jubilee festivities high on the agenda.Friday celebrations were held at all of our respective schools (mine, my husband's and my son's), recuperating on Saturday and back to it on Sunday. While we avoided London and it's heaving crowds we did watch it on the tele and I have to say despite the horrendous weather it did look like a pretty special day! Sunday saw the wedding party of two close friends so I am feeling a tad jaded this morning- but happy that it was for a very good cause! I love weddings and haven't been to one in AGES! After much toasting and dancing and we rocked home at about 1.00- such a late one for a granny like me!!! Needless to say Oly was up bright and early this morning so I am sure I will be feeling pretty rough come about 3pm today!

Taking our photo in the loo just like all the teenagers are doing!

I also had a lovely addition to my growing collection of cameras welcoming a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 into the fold. My super amazingly generous, super sweet husband knew I'd been drooling over it for a while now, but would never have been able to afford to buy one...well on Thursday I got home from work to be handed a box containing my new baby! I was a very happy girl and so excited to get snapping. I have taken a few pics but still need to get my head round it all as I am not getting the photos I quite want or am capable of getting form this camera just yet. I have been doing some reading up and taking notes on getting the most from my cameras, which actually leads me on to my first shout out for this week quite nicely.


Monday shout outs today...

Digital Photography School
Exactly what it says on the box really. This site is full of amazing tips and ideas on getting the most from your camera, no matter what sort you have. I get regular emails from them with weekend projects to improve your photography and I am constantly on there searching for answers to problems I may be having. If you are an amateur, budding or professional photographer there is something on here for you, well worth a visit!

Domestic Imperfection
I found this first cause I was attracted to the name...hehe it is so how I am-Domestically Imperfect! There are lots of fun and pretty ideas for things to do round your house and I have used a couple of the tutorials in my house.

Frugalicious Me

Def: Fru*ga*li*cious-adjective

1. To live economically, yet deliciously fabulous!

This blog was created by the owner to 'inspire and encourage women to embrace creativity and live a beauty filled life, while not breaking the bank'. I love the absolutely gorgeous look of this blog and it is a great collection on ways of living fabulously on a shoestring. There are literally 100's if not 1000's of ideas for DIY projects, recipes, re-purposing, revamping and how to be frugalicious (such a cool word)! This is a definite must see blog for those of us who want to live a champagne life style but only have a beer budget.

Wit and Whistle
A lovely blog written by a self proclaimed design nerd. The lady who write this blog has a Bachelor degree in Graphic Design and as a result this blog is full of amazing, quirky, fun sketches and designs. She owns a greeting card shop Wit and Whistle and does all of the designs for the cards herself...they are very cool! There are also bits and bobs to have a good read through and get some inspiration from...well worth a read through!

Well that's it for this Monday's shouts, time for me to get going and catch the train into London to meet up with my oldest (have known for the longest/not the age oldest) friend before she heads back home to NZ to live. Let's hope London isn't too madly busy still...haha famous last words. Wait for the Twitter updates I am sure they will be all about the awful crowds!
Hope your Monday is as fun filled as mine is sure to be. Thanks so much for stopping by.

xx P xx

 

May photo a day challenge updates

Just a quick post today to update my May photo a day challenge photos. If you ave not already done so I highly recommend visiting Fat Mum Slim and taking part in the photo a day challenges. It is so much fun and really not as big a time commitment as I'd first thought. The real challenge is finding different ways to interpret each days brief.

Here are my photos for the last 6 days.

May 5th- Bird. Some shots of birds from around my house. The middle picture is a print done by a good friend of mine, I absolutle love it and it is perfect in my kitchen.

May 6th- You. Me, me, me and me. Getting to like this self photography challenge I have set myself.

May 7th- Someone who inspires you. My Nan. I really miss my Nan as she lives in NZ and I am in the UK. She has done so much for our family,does amazing work for cancer charities and all round fabulous lady... she is awesome!

May 8th- A favourite smell. I couldn't choose just one, I have so many smells I adore that invoke so many memories. This is a selection of fav smells in my kitchen.

May 9th- Something I do everyday. Take photos!

May 10th. A favourite word. This isn't my only favourite word but it is definitely way up there on the list.

May 11th- Kitchen??? This one is making me think!

Well work is calling, better go and do some planning!!! I hope you are all having a wonderful Friday and that you have an equally fantastic weekend (praying for a bit of sun here!!)

xx P xx

I will never be the woman with the perfect hair, who can wear white and not spill on it.Carrie Bradshaw - Sex and the City

April photo a day updates and dabbling in taking self portraits

All dark and mysterious

I have been dabbling with self portraits. I suddenly realised that I have NO photos of me at all, as I am always the one behind the camera...and as I have noone who can take pics for me I have been taking them myself. I got some ideas from a great blog I stumbled across A Beautiful Mess. The writer is so creative and the blog is full of amazing photos and ideas. Here are a few of my first attempts...I am fairly pleased with my efforts so far.

Thought the colour filter on this was really cool,
 I used my Pictureshow app for this.

                                       

                                             Lolly and Mummy

Love the colours on this

Here is an update on my pics for the April photo a day challenge from Fat Mum Slim. This has been the first time I have really done anything like this and it is quite addictive. I have had the opportunity to use some awesome apps for my phone- 2 all time favs have to be Instagram and Pictureshow. Will do a post about these maybe to show off my experiments!
I am really looking forward to seeing the May list that will be out tomorrow!

April 15th- Sunset- love the effect I got using one of the Instagram filters- it blacked out the "ugly" details from the houses and just left this great silhouette.

April 16th- Flower. This is a ring I made a few years ago from felt- I really love it and get a lot of comments whenever I wear it.

April 17th- Something I don't like- GIANT piles of washing to fold and put away!  They seem to breed in my house!

                                   

April 18th- Hair. My mad haired family...curly, curly, curly.

April 19th- Orange...squashed all over me just out of shot!

April 20th- Bottle, a bottle full of love!

April 21st- Something I drew. Did this while I was sitting with my class during art. They were doing portraits of their family and learning to use oil pastels...so I had a go too!

April 22nd- Te last thing I bought. Yay my very own domain name...so exciting (for me anyway)

Well hope everyone has had a great weekend and is ready for the week ahead.
xx P xx