other peoples junk

Ok, confession...so I said to myself I wouldn't take anymore junk until I had completed all my to do's and found a place for all the items waiting for a new use in the shed!

I swear  I walked past this for the last week and yesterday evening....have you noticed it's getting dark earlier? Sorry I'm side tracking...

 I took it, off the street, it was calling me saying "hey, I'm still here, take me with you!"

So yeah I took it off a heap of what looked like someones moving out junk.  So just to prove I've not got a problem with collecting trash this is going to be something really special, a chandelier type structure.  Definately not a 30 minute project but something lovely hanging above my table for the coming cozy autumn/winter months...

There is so many possibilities...

remodelaholic.com

tipjunkie.com

via curbly.com

I've got to say I peed my pants a little when I saw that middle image, tiny plants hanging in jars, oh my goodness!!!

Watch this space ;)

big peoples wishlist

all images via urban oufitters

I get a little excited now it's that time to layer up! Autumn is finally creeping in upon us and the mornings are feeling alot cooler all of a sudden! I don't suppose it's too soon to ask Santa for a few bits ?....

Hand held devices

I couldn't access my blog earlier, you see my laptop's had it and is on it's last legs poor thing! Also I really didn't know how much you need the letter 'g' until the letter 'g' needs to be thumped a few times until it appears on screen! Arhhhh! Sorry I mean Arghhhh!!!

Earlier I made a point to turn off the TV, laptop, phone and just play with Nelly and tidy about the flat with no digital distractions...

it was peaceful and she seemed more content, not sure if I'm imaging this or want to admit that between giving my children attention I do tend to check my emails, send a text, that kind of thing if I'm honest and I know for a fact that other people do, I see it every day I could even go as far to say!

Anyway as I sit typing now after dinner I find everyone of us except baby is using some kind of electrical device.

You have 14 year old son on a mobile phone...

12 year old son on an Xbox...

10 year old daughter jumping around to a Nintendo Wii...

and me smashing away on my antique laptop...

I guess I shouldn't really be admitting all this...

but my point is, I'm always telling the kids to turn something off or moaning that they're not listening when they are using said computers/phones/etc yet I'm sometimes doing it myself. I really need to pick wisely when to grab their attention and be sure to have set times for digital usage then OFF.  No distractions or auto conversations where they or I are not really listening.

I probably should pretend we are going for an evening stroll with the dogs now and write a post on that but it's my turn on the Nintendo ;)

c/o  cellphonespywarereviews.com

Are we becoming a dumbed down society?

Are we all unhealthily attached to our mobile phones?

How much time do you and your children spend online? 

young mothers

After what I'm convinced is baby brain knocked my confidence to finding a nursing post when Nelly was around 3 months (in theory this was simple, in reality she is now 9 months, still exclusively breastfeeding plus I'm now single) my head lately has been whizzing around trying to figure out where I'm to take my skills, experience and training and what direction to go... I'd like to think I'm an inquisitive and motivated person and have been seeking a new 'path' in a way...

a few personal points lately also led me to where I'm taking this post...

I stumbled upon permaculture not so long ago (more about permaculture in an upcoming post) and the people care aspect really got me thinking...

about the 'types' of people who could benefit from network/community support...

which then, led me to search for available services available for teenage mums...

which in turn led me to search for blogs written by teenage mums...

as with any ideas and thoughts a web of never ending observations, thoughts, images etc accumulates and you arrive at a destination of sorts!

stay with me here!

the nurse in me has been checking out NICE guidelines and I am aware I have a long way to seek before I arrive at the bigger picture of available support...

however.... in case you were wondering...

• the UK still has the one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Western Europe
• about one in 15 of all births are to young mothers (those under 20)
• teens are three times more likely to suffer postnatal depression than older mums
• teens are also a third less likely to breastfeed than older mums...

(ref: Department for Children, Schools and Families Publications, 2008)

the statistics go on, and on, and on.....

I'm still thinking about all this and what's being done and what needs to change...

I can't help feeling personally this is a social class issue rather than an age issue and this is where society is missing the point...

I've also asked my Facebook friends list to play a word association game when you mention the words 'teenage mum'... no Jeremy Kyle jokes as yet...

Is there enough support for pregnant teens?

Has society swept them under the carpet due to the public perception of teenage mothers?

What is your initial association with teen mums?

Were you a teenage mum?

Are you a teenage mum?

What can multi- agencies (healthcare, schools, charities, etc) do to improve services to teenage mothers and mother to be?

the long hair debate

I'm definately not the first person to admit I spend way too much time browsing Pinterest.  Especially of an evening when all the kids have gone to bed.

I stumbled upon this picture...

Now in 2009 I had a very similar cut, it was easy(ish) to maintain and after having long hair it felt liberating to chop it all off.  This cut in my opinion is lovely!

 Fast forward 2012 and my hair is long again now, longer than its been for a long time!  Not intentionally, I just have an allergy to the hairdressers and tend to visit maybe once a year, no joke! I can honestly tell you I have not been to a hairdresser since that chop in 2009!!! 

So... I saw this pic on Pininterest and mentioned to an unnamed friend that I really think it's time I go for something like this again....

and here comes the debate.  Her response was I must not as I need to enjoy having long hair while I can because once you're 'old' long hair just doesn't look right so I'll have the rest of my life to wear it short...

WHAT??!!!

Apparently, in her humble opinion and many others for that matter (I've been on Google) long hair should be avoided as we age...

HHHMMMMM..... really?....

Like I said I've been on Google...

c/o http://www.theage.com.au

c/o http://soloroadtrip.com

c/o beautifulhairstyles.com

c/c  http://www.telegraph.co.uk

What do you think, can women of a certain age (I don't even know what age we're talking here?!) pull off long hair or do you prefer it cut short and neat?...

sunday snapshots

from where I sit feeling so ill with a headache and sore swollen throat... I've not been ill in so long so going to be a lazy day if that's even possible with this lot! I'm sure my body is telling me the cold weather is coming and I really don't suit the colder months.  This time last year I was pregnant and the only time in my life I've not felt the cold...what does pregnancy do to change your norms?... I think I need to live in warmer climes, if you had the choice where in the world would you wish to live, and why?...

Other peoples junk

It's funny how it is now quite fashionable to find and thrift these days.  Growing up being kitted out in car boot sale clothes and hand me downs we were always told if anyone asked to say our Auntie bought an outfit!  I kid you not! There's a flip side to everything and sadly now it's become cool, it makes my hobby sometimes harder to grab things before anyone else wants them or the charity shops where I find a piece I love charge ridiculous prices under the heading 'vintage'.  Is anyone else noticing this?

Anyhow, rant over, I definitely wanted to post about things I acquire when I had the idea to blog and what to blog about.  So to start me off so that I don't leave out all my favourite finds I'm going to do a back track of my top 5 favourite 'other peoples junk.' Just to catch up.  Then I will continue to post as and when I find stuff.


1. faux fur coat, cancer research, £30 - an uncharacteristic splurge just because I'd always wanted this style and colour and knew it would cost way more new. Turns out it was barely a season old at the time and originally retailed at £245 by Reiss!!

2. my beloved desk, noticed dumped beside an alley walking back from school one day,begged a lift back to rescue it, I originally had it in Kitty's room but it now resides in the corner of my living room piled with books, sewing machine and various to do's.

3. wardrobe, freecycle, therefore FREE! :) just love it, especially the handle and little labels inside!

4. fish tank, carboot sale, £6 !!! Accessories included, 3 danios not included, couple more fish to be added I think! Bargain! 

**please note it is important to cycle your tank before adding any fish and if buying a used tank be sure it is cleaned and prepared thoroughly before adding new fish .I had this running for 5 weeks before adding the danios and picked them for their hardiness.  So far they are thriving but I am not in any way knowledgeable regarding fish keeping so all advice to be sought from an expert :)

5. my shed, yes you heard right, my 8x6 shed, yet another lucky freecycle ad and couldn't believe my luck that it was in such good condition.  Only thing I had to buy was the screws!

Ooops did I say 5, sorry but I just can't leave out 'Rusty' £20, car boot sale, so make that top 6 ;)

What have you bought or found recently that was a steal?.....

*please excuse the TERRIBLE picture quality! All photos so far on the blog are taken with my phone :(

I hope to change this soon and would welcome any advice regarding good choice second hand cameras, but for now I'll just have to make do :)