#BEDM Day 31: My Blogging Journey

It's been 3 and a half years since I started this blog and I can't believe I have kept it up for so long. That really makes me proud. I don't really care how big this blog gets, it's just nice to have my little area to write down what I've been up to.

I have a seriously bad memory so having this blog has helped me remember all the good things that have happened to me these past few years. Like an online scrapbook. No matter what happens I want to carry this blog on for as long as I can.

I want to have adventures and new experiences and record them right here. I want to share my hopes and dreams and try and make them come true. And I want to do my best to spread a little bit of happiness that will make people smile. So if you want to come along for the ride, then you're welcome to stay. Here, have a cookie.

#BEDM Day 30: Buzzfeed Style List

Why my cats are mental...

Luna likes to nibble on your toes

Pickles likes to sleep with bubble wrap

Luna likes stealing washi tape

And eating pens

Pickles likes to sit like a human

And stand like one.

And lie down like one.

Luna likes to blend in 

Pickles likes to pretend he’s a baby

Luna likes to pretend she’s a blind

Pickles likes to try on shoes

And these are only the things that were caught on camera!

#BEDM Day 29: Passion Projects

Ever since I was 19, I have always had a side project that I have worked on in my spare time. After I shut my vintage shop and jewellery shop 2 years ago (wow has it been that long?), I have had a gap in my life where they were. Even though my side projects are never really successful, I still enjoyed the fun of them.

Jewellery making and vintage were never things that I have loved all my life - I just kind of fell into them. Maybe that's why they never worked. However, one thing that I have always loved since I was a kid was stationary. Though I wasn't a fan of school I still looked forward to buying new school supplies every September. I have always been passionate about making things and remember clearly the days when my parents used to hide the kitchen scissors from me because I used to keep taking them to use for my projects!

So when I was deciding what new project I could do; stationary and Etsy shop jumped into my head. So say hello to Polkadot Party, my etsy stationary shop! It's not quite open yet but here's a couple of things I've been working on for it.

Let me know what you think!

#BEDM Day 28: Nostalgia

All of my favourite things in the 90s:

TV

Hey Arnold
I loved all the little stories and Helga was awesome. Plus Arnold had the best room!

 

Source

Kenan & Kel
Who loves Orange Soda? Kel loves Orange Soda. Is it true?

Source

Sister Sister
This show really made me want a twin sister!

Source

Sabrina the Teenage witch

Source

Books

Babysitters Club
I still have so many of these lying around!

Source

Sweet Valley Twins

Source

Stuff

Stamp markers

Source

Beanie Babies
Don't forget, if you take off the tags then they won't be worth as much...

Source

Rollerblades
Tamagotchi



Activities

Riding my bike
Playing hide and seek
Trying to sell my drawings to my neighbours. I made a nice profit of mini chocolate bars.
Passing notes in class

Source

Paper fortune tellers
I made so many of these!

Source

Fashion

Massive sweatshirts paired with leggings
Scrunchies - I had all the scrunchies!
Body glitter - A must have for the school disco
Stick on earrings

Source

What takes you back to your childhood?

#BEDM Day 27: Hometown

I've lived in so many places over the last 27 years that it's hard to say where my hometown is. The longest I spent in one town/city were my teen years in Newark, England for 8 years, followed by Manchester (minus the hiatus to the South) for 7 years and my 5 years of primary school in Aberdeen, Scotland. I guess I would have to say Newark. Because I moved the least in this town. 2 houses in total. Which for me is pretty damn impressive. That and your teenage years are quite an important stage in your life. It's where you are shaped, where you tend to become the person you are today.

I will honestly admit that when I lived in Newark, I wasn't the happiest. I was a lonely kid who's best friend was my mum and I would retire to the TV room and stay there every day after school. Newark was a dull place to be a teenager in the noughties and I was constantly plotting my escape. There were no high street shops to speak of (apart from New Look, Dorothy Perkins and Etam), no cinema and it was home to one nightclub. Our second house was on a new estate that had nothing and there was no public transport to speak of.

Though it wasn't all doom and gloom. My last year of Newark was a happier one when I was in my second year at college and went to parties at friends houses. Thanks mum for driving me. Oh and Accessorize opened! I will admit I was excited. I will give it credit though, it made me super determined to get out of there. It pushed me towards Manchester as it was further away and it pushed me to get my drivers license ASAP.

Things have changed a lot since I left 9 years ago. They have a cinema now, ha ha. And our estate where our family house still resides has actually become a small village now with a couple of shops and a pub. Walking around today (last year really, I haven't been back since Christmas!) I can appreciate the beauty of the place. It's gorgeous and full of history. The buildings are a mix of centuries past in the market square and there's lots of cute cafes and restaurants. It's an ideal place if you're raising a young family or are retired.

As much as I like my hometown of Newark (now!), my heart will always belong to Manchester - the first place I could truly call home. I fought to get here and I fought to get back. I really don't see myself leaving. It may have taken moving 25 times but this nomad is here to stay.

What was your hometown like? Did you plot your own escape?

#BEDM Day 26: Wanderlust

As I missed this post on Sunday, I decided to do it today instead.

I have a dream to drive across the USA. Topher and I decided that when we do eventually get married that we will do this for our honeymoon. Take a month off and hit the open road! Here are some of my cannot miss destinations that I've added to my wishlist. 

Visit the Statue of Liberty in New York

Cliche but I have visited NYC twice and have missed it both times. I am determined to make it next time.

Source

Climb the hills in San Fransisco

Source

Take a helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon

I've been to the Grand Canyon before with my family but my mum is afraid of helicopters so this remains on my to-do list. 

Source

Visit Disney Land

I visited about 15 years ago but barely remember anything so I would love to revisit and see where it all began!

Source

Stare up at the Washington Monument in Washington DC

Source

Go to Salvation Mountain

Source

Eat Lobster in Maine

Source

Stay at a Wigwam Motel

Source

Sit on the Giant Rocking Chair in Ohio

Source

Eat gumbo in New Orleans

Source

Get a cake from Carlo's Bake shop in New Jersey

Source

Take pictures in the Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas

Source

I've got an ever-growing pinterest board for this trip! One day :)

What are your must do's for a USA road trip?

#BEDM Day 25: National BBQ week with Jack Daniels barbecue sauce & Eisberg

* In collaboration with Jack Daniels Barbecue Sauces & Eisberg

Someone really needs to tell the sun it's National BBQ week. It doesn't appear to have got the memo...

Either way, being British we will do what we always do. Prepare for a barbecue,  then end up cooking everything on the grill and in the oven. Inside. It doesn't bother me either way, I still end up with delicious food!

I was lucky enough to be sent some Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey BBQ glaze and also some Eisberg non alcoholic wine to try out so they were the ideal additions to my barbecue  We had some friends over this weekend to watch Eurovision so decided to have a barbecue on the Sunday. 

Slightly hungover but still in the mood for a tasty drink, the Eisberg Chardonnay was a god send. We made it into a refreshing mocktail.

Ingredients:

1OOml Eisberg Alcohol-Free Chardonnay

Cubed ice

Juice of ½ a lemon

1 tsp vanilla sugar

Cranberry juice

To Garnish:

Strawberry

Orange Slice

Method:

Add 100ml of alcohol-free Chardonnay to an ice-filled wine glass.

Add the juice of ½ a lemon, 1 tsp of vanilla sugar and a splash of cranberry juice.

Garnish with a strawberry and a slice of orange

Delicious!

Eisberg are available to buy in Morrisons, Waitrose, Tesco, Asda, Nisa Local, Londis, Budgens, Spar, Ocado, Bargain Booze & Slurp.co.uk

As well as making the usual burgers and hot dogs etc, we decided to use the Jack Daniels glaze on some chicken wings. I've been converted to chicken wings the last couple of weeks and Topher loves them so I slightly adapted this recipe I found on their website. 

They're super easy to make and after you've made the marinade and sat the wings in them for a couple of hours, you just have to stick them in the oven. Simple and so tasty. Topher especially made some interesting noises while eating them so it's a thumbs up from him!

You can get Jack Daniels barbecue sauce from most major retailers including Tesco & Nisa.

Also, we still had a couple of the cocktails from the previous Eurovision evening to finish off. We made Sangria for Spain/Portugal & White Russian's for Russia. 

And I was so pleased with the bunting I had made that I kept it up for the barbecue and only took it down when Pickles started to eat the French flag...and the Swedish flag. Kittens will be kittens right?

I really enjoyed making cocktails and barbecue recipes so fingers crossed we get good weather this summer as I would love to have more parties and actually use our barbecue and courtyard. Fingers crossed!

Happy bank holiday!

What are your favourite additions to a barbecue?