Hello my lovelies,
It’s summer and it’s hot! Tomorrow is due to be 32 degrees!
This definitely calls for some yummy summer recipes and ideas so I’ve done a round up to keep you all hydrated and enjoying the weather. Check out the links below.
Bright blessings,
Mrs R
x
Hello my lovelies,
I’m back today to show you what I’ve been up to the past couple of weeks.
I made a niffler! He looks a bit like a pot bellied duck but I could only find a pattern. Zero instructions. It was an extremely frustrating week. But he’s finished and my daughter loves him.
We’re calling him Ned.
Ned the Niffler.
And as you can see, he’s ready trying to nick my belcher chain.
Yesterday, Missy and I spent some quality time making these potion bottles to hang on the tree. Thankfully, we didn’t need to use a glue gun for this. Did I mention that my glue gun blew up. In my hand. Bang! Smoke! Me: *freak out*
Glue gun: 1
Me: 0
We used super glue to glue the corks in instead of hot glue.
Please excuse the dust on our wood burner! Super embarrassing!
Besides the potion bottles that I got from The Works for £1, I had everything else for this craft project at home.
I bought the labels from an Etsy shop a couple of years ago when I participated in a Harry Potter craft shop. I’d say all in this project only cost me about £2.50
Winner, winner chicken dinner!
I’m still in the process of making the gillyweed label which didn’t come with the set from the etsy shop. Once that’s done, I’ll have a little set of 6 potions or ingredients for our potter tree.
Next up, a Dobby figurine made out of felt. He’s probably going to be as good as the niffler!
Bright blessings,
Mrs R
x
Hello my lovelies,
I’ve ditched the housework today and decided instead, to do some crafting. You see, while browsing youtube a few weeks ago my daughter saw a tutorial for Harry Potter Christmas tree baubles and has asked if we can have a Harry Potter Christmas tree this year. I’ve of course, said yes but she has no ideas I’m taking it a few steps further. More on that in my next post. So today, DD and I created our first tree decorations.
Before we go any further, I just want to point out that I also don’t like the bakers twine hanging the baubles to the tree. These will be replaced with bauble hangers at Christmas. I really didn’t fancy going up to the loft to get the Christmas decorations down to retrieve the hooks.
So, these baubles are actually really clever little shot baubles that my BFF picked up for me from a car boot sale for 20p. When I saw them, I knew they’d be perfect for a potion baubles one day. Didn’t realise I’d be doing a HP themed tree so soon but it’s all good.
The potion baubles were really easy to make. I just designed some tiny labels on my computer, printed them off and stuck them onto the front of the baubles. I covered the bauble with one coat of glitter mod podge and allowed them to dry. Et voila!
I’m so pleased with how they came out. It’s a pity that you can’t really see the glitter mod podge but it’s there. The glitter is subtle and I think it will add a lovely dimension on the tree.
The signs in the background are more of an upcycle than a from scratch project. I got them from Primark for £5 and while I liked the signs they were attached with black ribbon like you can see in the picture.
The way it was wouldn’t work on the tree because it would be too long. We simply removed the ribbon and the staples and glued on butchers twin. The twine is cut quite short so that it doesn’t hang too long on the tree and get in the way of other ornaments.
I love projects like this. Not much to do for big impact.
I hope you enjoyed the post and if you did, please leave me a message.
Bright blessings,
Mrs R
x
Hello my lovelies,
I’m am soooooooooo excited to share my baby with you. As you all know, I’m a die hard Harry Potter fan and with the release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, my love for the wizarding world of Harry Potter has grown. I’ve had a planner of sorts most of my adult life but this is the first time I’ve had planner peace because my planner now is a complete reflection of me. Introducing, my Harry Po
I found this Finsbury real leather filofax at a charity shop for £2! I know, it was a real bargain. Over the past two months, my planner has really blossomed and come together beautifully. I’m so proud of it.
First of all, my family bought me a Harry Potter themed pandora-knock off bracelet and while I loved it, it kept getting in the way and caught on things so I recycled it into a planner charm for my filofax. I added Gryffindor colour beads and love the way it turned out.
From the top you can see the washi tape paper clips I made to mark some pages. I have tabs running along the top and right hand side of my planner.
My chocolate frog and Deathly Hallows charms decorate the bottom.
This is the inside cover and the first things you see are some bits I’ve collected. The dashboard was made using some scrapbook paper and an image I found online. I added the little baby hedwig pic I found online as a type of tab to help me turn the page. Of course, no journey into the world of Harry Potter would begin at any other place other than platform 9 3/4.
Tiny Hedwig owl by Cryptid-creations
I made the paperclip behind the Godric Gryffindor chocolate frog card using a large wooden button I found at The Works. The Knight Bus licence was made for me by Woozelmom in a swap. Woozelmom makes the most A-mazing themed craft projects. Check out my previous swap post about the wonderful things she sent me.
On the other side of my filofax cover is a tag from a pair of Harry Potter pyjamas that I got for Christmas which was addressed to Harry. I kept it because I thought it was cute. I then have some washi tape samples that I use in my planner to decorate pages. Above that is my miniature Marauder’s map. I love it! It was a printable from Britta Blvd and you can find the link to the printable here. The snitch card is one I got from a RAK from Storm in a tea cup gifts. They do lovely themed subscription boxes. 
From this view, you can see the tabs are planning, lists and occasions as well as a little peep of Pigwidgeon.
Through platform 9 3/4 the first thing you see is of course a Hogwarts Express ticket and my personal information that I’ve blanked out. I figured that if my planner got lost I’d be distraught and would hope that someone would contact me to give it back.
I’ve also added mine and my daughter’s vital information such as allergies and medication that we take. God forbid, we are ever in an accident, our information, along with my husband’s contact details are printed there as an emergency contact. 
Then comes the Hogwarts express which naturally follows on if you go through the barrier at Platform 9 3/4. I love the Hogwarts silhouette tab on the right of the page.
On the back of the Hogwarts Express poster, I keep my owl sticky notes and tabs and my main goals for the year.
The next first actual section is my planning section. This seems like a subject Hermione Granger would be adept at which is why I place a picture of her here. Again, I found this online through searching Google images here .
Turning the page, there’s a quote from Ron Weasley, who was talking about Hermione at the time and then my lunar calendar. Most people think I’m crazy logging the lunar cycle but I find that the cycle of the moon really has an affect on my moods.
The pages that follow include dates for the academic year, weekly prompts for when I’m planning my week, yearly calendar, my future log page where I write down all events and dates to remember as I find out about them, my perpetual calendar and my Yearly planner calendar pictured below.
The Knight Bus ticket was another gift from Woozelmom and I’ve laminated it to keep it nice.
This Dumbledore quote is on the other side of my weekly prompts list and next to my future log pages.
My favourite picture of Newt Scamander graces the list section divider.
And one of my favourite moments of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them is on the other side of Newt along with my to do list pages. Link here.
My brain dump pages follow on from the To Do List pages. Don’t you love my pencil wand? I made it using a pencil, hog glue and paint. 
The occasions divider where I can plan any entertaining we are doing, birthday parties etc.
Another Dumbledore quote and some birthday plans for my daughter’s birthday party.
The next section is dedicated to my pen pals and contains their addresses and a log of letters written and received. I love the little tab topper of Pigwidgeon. Hogsmeade poster here.
One of my favourite characters and quotes from the series along with my pen pal letters sent and received log. Picture here. 
The next section is a where my daily planner pages start. The photograph was taken when my daughter and I visited Platform 9 3/4
A map of Hogwarts follows and then it’s my monthly goals. I like to set out my monthly goals along with my weekly intentions. More on those pages to follow.
Here are my page per day pages. I created them in powerpoint where all my pages are created. I love how my page marker turned out. It has my morning and evening routines printed on it.
My weekly intentions page is for things that I intend to get done during the week. I like the term intentions better than to do list.
My finance section comes next. The snitch picture can be found on etsy here.
Another Dumbledore quote found here.
I haven’t shown my budget which is personal but I have shown some blank expenses pages and online purchase log pages. I’m not sure about you but I sometimes forget what I’ve ordered especially if the items will take weeks to arrive such as some items ordered from China. My purchase log keeps me updates of what is still to arrive.
My personal section comes next.
My transfiguration (weight loss measurements) come next and there are a few of these pages to help keep me on track. I adore Luna. I can’t find where I got this picture from but if you come across it please message me and I’ll give all due credit.
Then there’s my cosmic ordering pages come next – they’re basically manifestation pages by another name. If you are unfamiliar with the concept, check out the book The Cosmic Ordering Service or the website on the link above.
Because my work can take me all over the area, I like to keep a log of where I’ve worked that isn’t my usual base and I have titled these pages Muggle Business. Then there are pages for the Books I’ve read, books I’ve got on order at the library and books I want to read.
Next comes The Burrow which is Swish cottage or our home.
I keep things pertaining to our home here such a cleaning schedules, family schedules, details on family members such as clothing sizes and needs, wish lists etc. Gryffindor poster can be found here. 
Then there’s menu planning. This adorable owl pic can be found here.
I plan my weekly menu here along with any shopping that needs to be done. Again, I can’t remember where I got this picture from but if you know the source please let me know.
Next comes my freezer, fridge and freezer inventories
There is also a page for writing down items I need to stock up on.
The last section is for writing where I keep blog post ideas along with my book ideas and notes. I love Vincent van Gogh paintings and this Hogwarts image done in the van Gogh style is just phenomenal.
At the very back, I have a little pocket folder that I made to keep stickers, a couple of birthday cards and my Morrisons savers stamp folder. What would Hermione do image can be found here.
I could go into so much more detail about the way I use my planner but I’ve run out of time! This has been a lengthy post!
I hope you love my planner as much as I do.
Bright blessings,
Mrs R
x
Hello my lovelies,
Spring has finally sprung! It’s been a little temperamental here in England with one day being the warmest day of the year so far and the next being chilly and windy. But that’s England for you.
I’m sure you’re wondering why I have decided to change up the entire calendar year that has pretty much stood the test of time.Changing the New Year to 20 March is a pretty ludicrous thing to propose. Of course I’m not going to petition parliament with my request, it’s just a personal thing; but hear me out.
I’m not sure who came up with the idea to have the New Year start on 1 January but it was a pretty rubbish idea. I understand that life can seem lackluster after Christmas and people need something to celebrate. Any reason for a tipple! I’ve got nothing against celebrating the fact that the following day will be the 1st of January. However, I do have a problem with trying to get anything done in January. Or February, come to think of it. They are rubbish months where morale is low and I don’t know about you but I feel my worst in these months.
Most people decided to crack on with New Year’s resolutions in January and almost every single person I know has failed to start a new regime at this time of year. Think about it for a minute. The weather is crap. It’s cold, it’s miserable and gray. You don’t feel like starting anything new. You don’t feel optimistic or in any right frame of mind to make life changes. It’s a grim time of year to be doing anything besides getting your Hygge on. So what do we do? We write a list of all the things we want to change in our lives and within a week, we feel like useless wretches because we haven’t been able to even start on the goals we set ourselves. Can you say counterproductive?
I don’t know about you but the closer I get to Spring which is mid March, the more optimistic I feel. The sun shines brighter, the days are getting longer and suddenly, I feel more energetic. I feel optimistic. I feel ready to start doing the things I’ve been meaning to. See what I mean? It just makes sense!
Just after Christmas is the best time to start thinking about the things you want to change. January and February are the time to finalize that list of changes and to get ready. Wanna get fit? Buy those new trainers in January. Wanna start eating healthy? Do your research so come March, you’re good to go!
Who is with me?
Bright blessings
Mrs R
x
Hello my lovelies,
I was completely knackered on day 3 and forgot to blog. Then the rest of the week kind of ran away from me.
Day 3 wasn’t as bad as day 1 and 2. I was in ketosis although I did feel tired and a bit grumpy. It was a long day at work and to be honest, I had a hot bath and got into bed before 8 pm.
On Thursday, I ate cheesy scrambled egg for breakfast with Waitrose aromatic pork and herb chipolatas, salami and cheese roll ups (here I used Maasdam cheese slices) and for dinner since I was so tired, I had grilled bratwurst with cherry tomatoes and some homemade chilli mayonnaise. For the chilli mayonnaise I just used mayo, a dollop of tomato puree and some chilli spice.
I woke up on Friday feeling like I had slept so well! As a rule, I am not a great sleeper but can honestly say that I’ve slept incredibly well this week. I felt great all day and guzzled water like it was going out of fashion. Not because I had to because I was on a diet but because I wanted it! That’s a first for me!
I ate some of the keto quiche lorraine I had made on Wednesday morning and did a kind of mezze packed lunchbox for work.
Before work I needed to run some errands. When I stopped for a break, I had thought that I could no longer have coffee out. You see, my poison of choice is a caramel or gingerbread latte. Both of which are high in sugar. For those who don’t know, milk is naturally high in sugar. I didn’t think that coffee shops did pouring cream in their coffee but upon asking at Costa, I learned I was able to have a black coffee with sugar free caramel syrup with pouring cream! It was so good.
For dinner, I made a chicken fajita salad (I made the mix myself using a recipe online) and served it with avocado.
I was so excited by dessert! It’s a quark and sugar free concoction that came out so yummy!
Strawberry keto pudding: Makes 4 portions.
Mix 1 sachet of strawberry sugar free jelly with 200ml of boiling water and 85ml cream. Mix to dissolve the jelly crystals.
Mix in 1 scoop Vanilla or strawberry whey powder and a tub of quark. Beat to mix with an electric mixer.
Pour into four glasses and allow to set in the fridge. Top with a dollop of cream and a berry.
I would not suggest blackberry as in the picture as they were too sour to eat!
**************
Saturday’s breakfast was more quiche Lorraine with a spoon of leftover chicken fajita mixture. Nothing special there but tasty.
I had to go food shopping over lunch time and landed up eating 4 hot pepperoni sticks as I was shopping. Nothing fancy but it was lunch.
For dinner, we had a bbq with friends and my diner was bbq food at it’s best. Salad with feta cheese, pork belly and a spiced chicken thigh. Oh and a dollop of garlic allioli. Total heaven! Again, I felt great yesterday and got so much done. I spring cleaned and washed windows. Inside and out. Now, if you know me, you’ll know that I do not wash windows. But, I had so much energy and felt like washing windows.
I’m not sure if this is cause for concern…. not the energy part but the washing of windows? Definite cause for concern.
Today was mothers day and hubby made breakfast for me:
I weighed in this morning and I was down 4 lbs! As I explained in the beginning, I had been playing at low carb since January and had dropped and gained the same half stone about 4 times. Today, that half stone is gone and this time for good!
Since we were spending the day at Legoland I made myself a packed lunch because I didn’t know what would be on offer that I could eat.
I had half a bag of pork scratchings (the other half I ate last night at the bbq in lieu of crisps), cheese wrapped bacon slices, some leftover feta from the bbq and some salami slices. Simple and yummy.
Dinner, was a mish mash of leftovers. There were burger patties from the bbq, some creamed spinach and courgettes that was leftover from earlier in the week. I also roasted some radishes, having seen these on a youtube channel. Not impressed. They weren’t good.
I made a new quiche for the week and it’s an asparagus, mozzarella and feta cheese quiche. I’ll post the recipe later in the week.
My verdict for going on a keto way of eating? It’s incredible. You can eat food with flavour that’s so satisfying. It’s tough at the beginning but if you stick with it you can expect a MASSIVE reduction in cravings, loads of energy and an incredible clarity of thought.
Yes, you read all that correctly. I am not craving the foods I used to enjoy. I’ll see wine or sweets and go, ‘oh, I love those! But do I want them? No thanks.’ I haven’t missed the things I used to eat and I don’t feel deprived at all.
Win-win I think.
Bright blessings,
Mrs R
x
Hello my lovelies,
Day 2 has been a bit better. I found I was able to get up earlier than normal because strangely, I felt like I could. So I got up and made breakfast for the family and whipped up a crust less quiche Lorraine. I added onions too. It was incredibly tasty.
At work, around 11:30 I was really hungry and landed up eating my packed lunch but not the nuts. I couldn’t believe I was craving food despite the fact that I had drunk so much water.
When it was my actual lunch time, I ate a chicken breast with some coleslaw and cucumber slices. I was actually hungry…again!
After lunch I got the same slump as yesterday but I pushed through on loads more water (I got through 3 litres today!) and when I got home I had a coffee with cream and the nuts. I felt better after I had rested for a while.
I tested for ketosis with my ketostix and I’m happy to report I’m finally there. I’m hoping the keto flu won’t last much longer and I’ll be full of energy in the next few days.
Dinners was roast chicken with cauliflower rice fried in butter and garlic. Super tasty! I had thought the cauliflower rice would be gross but I was pleasantly surprised.
Fingers crossed tomorrow goes well!
Bright blessings,
Mrs R
X
