Blogtember Challenge Day 30: Blogtember: A Month in Review

Hi honeys :)
It's the final instalment of the Blogtember Challenge! Oh no!! I'm so going to miss waking up and checking to see what the latest prompt is, writing & posting my own post for the day and then going to twitter to search for the #BlogtemberChallenge to see what everyone else has written.

Day 30: A farewell coffee date. Take some time to breath, sip a warm drink, and share with your new blogging buddies. If you'd like a prompt: how did the Blog-tember challenge go for you? Any surprises? What was your favorite prompt, or what would you like to see included next time?

The Blogtember Challenge has been the first time I've taken part in such an extended link up, lasting as it has for a whole month.  There has been such an amazing sense of community, of openness & friendliness among fellow bloggers taking part. Thank you so much and sending heaps of hugs to the lovely Bailey Jean for organizing Blogtember.  It's been a wonderful experience and I wouldn't hesitate to join another similar link up.

In the Day 28 post (which you can read here honeys) I wrote about the highs and low points of the month, choosing my favourite posts.  So I sort of feel like this post, the month in review, has already been partially written. I would like to add a few things however.

Thanks to this challenge I've learned a few things about myself, and I've also re-discovered a few others I'd forgotten, and it was nice to be reminded :)

1. I love blogging :) I really do! I love having this outlet for thoughts, feelings and creativity.  I love that it's helping me to document (and look back on) the work we're doing in our home, I love that I'm always making notes to myself about prospective blog posts :)

2. I've discovered that I actually enjoy having a target to meet.  The prompts were all there, posted by our lovely Bailey Jean to follow each day, and we all had 24 hours to post on that days topic.  I really wasn't sure at the beginning how I'd cope with having a post to write, edit & illustrate with a graphic every day, and a target of when it had to be posted, but you know what? I loved it :)

3. Again, I wasn't just writing (which I really enjoy) I was writing "to order" with the topic chosen for me. This in itself was unusual for me.  When I've written before, I've started with a blank page, put my hands on the keys (or picked up a pen/pencil) and stuff comes out :) This challenge has boosted my confidence, does that sound odd?  It's shown me that I can write for others, not just for myself and I'm so grateful for that.

Going forward, I think this experience will be a huge benefit to my blog. I've learned how to manage my time a little better, in order to get a post written, edited & published on time. It's made me realize too how important this little blog has become to me.  Even if no one else ever reads it, it's my voice in the world, when the world has moved on without me these past few years.

If you've read any of my waffle dear ones, thank you so much for keeping me company, it means more than I can say. Sending heaps of hugs & wishes for a fabulous weekend honeys (what? Thursday is nearly the weekend isn't it? :) xx

Blogtember Challenge Day 29: Favourite Blogging Resources

Hello again honeys :)
Still playing catch up with the last couple of posts in the Blogtember Series.  We've reached the penultimate post and I feel equally excited to have gotten this far in the writing challenge & sad that it's almost over. 

Day 29: What are your go-to blogging resources? What would you recommend to a beginner?

Well, this is awkward :) Being a beginner myself & positively still having so, so much to learn, I'm not sure what I can bring to the table on this prompt. So, I'll share what I've found immensely useful so far, in the hope that it can help someone out there.

Blogtember Challenge Day 28: Highs & Lows of Blogtember Month

Hello again honeys
It's been a busy, busy few days so I'm playing catch up with the Blogtember Challenge.  Now this will be a pleasure to write, the highs part anyway :)  So, here we go,  Day 28: What were your highs and lows for this month?

Let's start with the high spots of the past month shall we?

Blogtember Challenge Day 27: My Latest Fashion Wish List

Disclaimer: I have not been paid to promote any of these products, I'm writing this as part of the Blogtember Challenge.
Hi honeys,
I'm sorry this post is a little (lot) late today, but I worked a late shift tonight, so I'm just home and wanted to post this while it's still day 27 :)  We're now on to the last few days of the Blogtember Challenge & it's kinda sad because I've really enjoyed taking part.  So huge extra squeezy thank you hugs to the lovely Bailey Jean of Brave Love for organizing it, it's been wonderful!

So, today's prompt was: Sept 27th: What's on your wish list? Be sure to include links so we can shop, too ;)  OK, time for some retail therapy honeys :) Now, if you've read any of my blog you'll know I don't go out much, work & hospital appointments are about it, so I tend to do my clothes shopping from George at Asda because 1. it's where we grocery shop & 2. I love their clothes :)

So, here it is, this is my wish list :)

Blogtember Challenge Day 26: How I've changed in the past year

Hello honeys,
Well, here we are in the last few days of the Blogtember Challenge. It's been a lot of fun & also the first time since I started this blog in late January of this year, that I've tried to blog every day, which although challenging at times, I've actually really enjoyed.  Thank you so much to the lovely Bailey Jean for organizing a whole month full of writing prompts for us to follow. Do visit her blog, Brave Love, and say hello honeys x

So, todays prompt is:  Sept 26th: How have you changed in the past year?

This is a really interesting prompt.  On first reading, I immediately thought, well I haven't, but of course we all do. In my case, after a little thought, I can think of a couple of areas I've changed, maybe even improved in :)

1. Writing

I'm blogging.  I've always written honeys, but never in the organized, structured way that blogging has encouraged me to.  I'm not just writing, I'm writing regularly.  Blogging has given me something to focus on, to channel my creativity (such as it is lol) into. Best of all, I can use it to document our work in organizing our home.

I was in the break room recently at work, scribbling a few notes into my always present tiny notebook (you never know when a new blog post idea will pop up) when a co-worker asked me what I was doing. I told him I was scribbling some notes for a blog post & he said "are you a blogger? that's so cool!"  You know what honeys? It is cool, it's very cool & I love it x

2.  Organizing

We've always been packrats :) We've collected too much stuff throughout our married life and earlier this year we decided we were fed up with the clutter. So, we're now more focused on creating some kind of order through organizing our home.  It's not an overnight process though unfortunately, but we'll get there eventually & with hubby on board too, at least I know I'll have a giggle along the way :)

3. Coping

Finally, and this is a little personal but I promise honeys, this is not an invitation to a pity party. Those I don't do.  Over the past year or so I've been forced to admit to myself that I'm not as able as I used to be.  I've been battling chronic illness for over 15 years, and that whole time I've tried to keep living as if there's nothing wrong.  I suppose I thought I could fool myself, not let it beat me.

Well, I can't seem to fool myself anymore. I get tired very easily, to the point of being flat out drained after my two shifts at work each week. One of my biggest fears is not being able to work, or of my employers seeing how tired being there makes me and taking my job away. 

So I've had to become very adept at hiding when I'm tired.  At least while I'm there.  Life seems to always be a series of "trade offs."  Which irritates me if I'm honest.  If I want to have a chance of getting through my shifts at work, I now have to completely rest for a day or so before and I'm left so drained for a day (s) after.  I dislike this intensely, that in order to keep working I'm forced to give up other things, for example there are so many things I'd love to be getting on with at home, but simply don't have the energy. 

I need to find a better way to cope, I do feel like the arthritis is starting to get the better of me, and I simply can't allow that.  Sometimes I'm very thankful for my stubborn nature, it's what keeps me going.  Home is my "safe place." when I'm home I can just be me and don't have to worry that anyone sees how tired I am.

Till tomorrow dear ones, sending heaps of hugs your way xx

Blogtember Challenge Day 24: Fall Bucket List

Hi Honeys,
Apologies for this being a day late, but I can't seem to get images to upload onto blogger anymore.  You wouldn't believe what I had to go through to get the image below uploaded! Additionally, I can't edit anymore, so the spacing & line breaks etc are all over the place, it's infuriating! I'm so sorry of this looks a mess, I really am. I don't have any control over it anymore, it's a battle even to get it to publish :/  I think the time may have come for me to start thinking about moving my blog honeys :/

So, on to (the slightly late) day 24 of the blogtember challenge, today's prompt is: Sept 24th: Your fall bucket list. What do you want to do before winter rolls around?

I hate to sound really boring but all of the things I want to have done before winter arrives involve organizing projects around our home :)

We're still de-cluttering, still finding treasures (& memories) from through the years, along with a whole lot of "what on earth did we keep this for?" stuff  :)  We do have a few projects planned, though how many of them we actually accomplish before the end of the year, we'll see.  That's the great thing though honeys, whatever we don't get done, we'll start on again after the holidays :)

It would be fabulous to just twitch my nose & have it all done & dusted (did anyone else adore "Bewitched" as a child?) but we can only do what we can do I suppose, with life & work getting in the way at times.  So, one of the things I'd like done is the cupboard in the back bedroom, which right now is full of boxes. I'd like to organize this and have an actual clothes closet.

I know honeys, I've been spending too long on Pinterest again :) But there is a cupboard with great potential being wasted housing boxes of stuff that haven't been opened in years, and I have no room for my clothes & shoes dammit :) Hee hee :)

There is also some work still needing done in the kitchen. We're hoping to install a new worktop for instance, and we've new shelves (still in their boxes in the back cupboard) to put up in there too.  That being said, I'm quite pleased with what we've managed to do so far, there is now a designated baking cupboard for instance, which holds my assorted baking trays & silicone bakeware we've managed to collect. I love silicone bakeware! It's so easy to use & a breeze to clean :)

We made a good start on the cupboard under the stairs last weekend & threw lots of "why on earth did we keep this?" stuff out :) We're hoping to get it finished this weekend & maybe make a start on the back bedroom which we're switching from having a single bed to a double, so that might mean (hubby) tweaking the furniture placement a little :)

I'm hoping to share our little organizing projects as we get them done honeys but right now blogger doesn't want to allow me to upload images, I'll need to find a way around that, or (and this is scary) try to figure out how to move my blog :/

I hope you're having a great week honeys, till next time, sending heaps of hugs your way xxx

Blogtember Challenge Day 22: A Few of My Favourite Fabulous Blogs

Hi honeys
This has to be one of my favourite prompts so far in the Blogtember Challenge. Sept 22nd: Introduce us to 5 blogs you read on the regular, and tell us why!   Thank you to the lovely Bailey Jean at Brave Love for organizing this Blogtember Challenge.  All of the prompts have been fun, some challenging but this one is just wonderful! What a great way to share the love, so here are a few of my favourite fabulous blogs.

I really do love this prompt! It's so great to be able to recommend some of the places I love to go hang out. Places that inspire me & make me smile (even on not so great days.) The only problem I had was to only pick five! Here they are though, some of my favourite wonderful, fabulous, beautiful blogs, do visit & say hello.  Let's all share the love honeys xx

Blogtember Challenge Day 21: Fall Favourites

Hello again honeys
Apologies for the lateness, I'm only just making it on time for day 21 of the Blogtember Challenge, with many thanks to the lovely Bailey Jean of Brave Love for organizing this month's prompts. It's been such fun to take part :) I've been so drained today, but I wanted to post.

So today's prompt is: Sept 21st: Fall Favorites. What do you love most about this season?

OK, I have a confession... I've never liked this time of year. It makes me sad because summer is over and we're rolling (too fast) towards winter.  I'm entirely a Spring & Summer person so autumn & Winter have to be tolerated in order to get to Spring Summer again. I dislike the cold, and the dark. In Scotland it can be dark before 4pm and doesn't get light in the mornings till after 9am at times.

That much darkness for months on end can suck the life out of a person, I need sunshine. What can I say, the stork obviously delivered me to the wrong place, I should have been delivered somewhere warm & tropical where I could hang out laundry all year long :)  So, what can I find about autumn that I do like? 

Blogtember Challenge Day 20: A Day in the Life of Rosie

Hello honeys :)
It's a real dreich day here, it's raining outside, a little chilly, & the skies are so grey :/ We do however, thankfully, have the Blogtember Challenge to be getting on with, organized by the lovely Bailey Jean at Brave Love.  Today's prompt is:  Sept 20th: Share a day in the life. Pictures, timelines, stats, however you like.

I've been thinking how I can describe an average day in my life for you, without causing you to nod off for a nap :) My life is, on the face of it, quite dull really, but I do love it.  OK, so fetch a pillow and blanket just in case, and here we go :)

Blogtember Challenge Day 19: For what it's worth honeys x

Hi Honeys
Hope everyone is well today. I'm exhausted, having stayed up to watch the results of the Independence referendum.  So today we've reached day 19 of blogtember, organized by the lovely Bailey Jean of Brave Love.  Today's prompt is Sept 19th: If you could give one piece of advice to a large group of people, what would it be?

All I can offer you honeys is what life has taught me, so far anyway :)

We only have one life, and everyone always feels like they have all the time in the world. We don't. Time passes so, so fast. So, here it is, for what it's worth.  

Blogtember Challenge Day 18: Sometimes it's the journey not the destination :)

Good morning honeys,
An early start today, as always, and today it's back to the blogtember challenge, organized by the lovely Bailey Jean at Brave Love, this has been such a lot of fun :)  Today's prompt is: Sept 18th: Tell a tale of traveling, a city or country you've been to or a favourite vacation

This is a tougher prompt than it might seem honeys.  I don't travel, you see.  I like to sleep in my own bed at night. Bit boring I know but there it is :) Everything I need to make me happy is to be found within the walls of our happy little home.  In the scheme of things, I live my life in a very small goldfish bowl, and that's fine by me :)

Last year however, we took a trip to Edinburgh with three dear friends and had a fabulous time in spite of.....

Blogtember Challenge Day 16: Most People Don't Know This But....

Hello again honeys :)
Welcome to day 16 of the lovely Bailey Jean's blogtember challenge, today's prompt is: Sept 16th: "Most people don't know this but..."

So, the above graphic might have given you a clue but... I LOVE Halloween :)

Blogtember Challenge Day 15: My Mood Board

Hi honeys
Back again with day 15 of the lovely Baily Jean's Blogtember Challenge.  I really have been enjoying this challenge & I'll be sad when it's over.  Thank you Bailey Jean, I'm loving this whole experience xx

Today's writing prompt is Sept 15th: Make a mood board. Are you brainstorming a room re-do, or are you dreaming of glamping with gal-pals? Share a collage of any kind!

So honeys, here it is, here is my mood board. I had such fun making this  :)

Blogtember Challenge Day 14: My Blogging Journey

Hello honeys
I hope you're all well & have had a fabulous weekend so far.  So today we've moved on to day 14 of the lovely Bailey Jean's blogtember challenge.  Todays prompt is: Sept 14th: When did you start blogging and why?

I started my blog in late January of this year, so I'm still very new to it all, but I'm enjoying it immensely.  I love blogging, I love the strong sense of community that exists.

Blogtember Challenge Day 13: Relationship Status

Hello honeys
Another fun day in the blogtember challenge. Today's prompt is: Sept 13th: Your current relationship status. If dating/married, give us a glimpse of your story! If single, share about this special season.

OK, fair warning, I'm about to be sickeningly sweet. Abandon ship if this stuff makes you nauseous :)  Still here? Cool! I love my husband. There, I said it.  I don't just love my husband, I adore him. I love everything about him. I love his laugh, I love his smile, I love that we can sit in a room for hours, perfectly quiet and I wouldn't want to be any other place, with any other person in the whole world. Ever.

Blogtember Challenge Day 12: Our (really boring) Hogmanay Tradition :)

Hi honeys
Todays prompt in the Blogtember Challenge organized by the lovely Bailey Jean at Brave Love is a fun one. 

Sept 12th: Tell us about a favorite tradition. It could be a family tradition or from a holiday, university, you-name-it. What makes it so special?

Being a Scot I thought I'd tell you about our unusual (and to others probably incredibly boring) Hogmanay tradition :) As you might know Hogmanay is the Scottish new year.  As a child I can remember parties with family & neighbours popping in, being given diluted lime cordial to drink and the thrill of being allowed to stay up till after midnight!

Blogtember Challenge Day 11: My Inspiration

Hello honeys,
Today we're on to day 11 of Bailey Jean's Blogtember Challenge and today's prompt is:  Sept 11th: How do you stay inspired? Who inspires you the most?

Blogtember Challenge Day 10: 10 Things I like about Me!

Hi Honeys
I have to be honest, this has to have been the most difficult thing blog post I've ever had to write.  I've been trying to write todays post in Bailey Jean's Blogtember challenge Sept 10th: List 10 things that you love about yourself! Let's kick that negative self-talk outta here!  and all I've had on this page is a little cursor blinking at me as if to say "well........?"

I am my own worst critic. Are we all like that? is it just me? If I'm paid a compliment, even by hubby, closest person to me on earth, my first reaction isn't to feel happy.  Instead there's an immediate little voice in my head saying "that was kind."  Like I'm some lump that doesn't deserve daylight much less a compliment, so it must be pity, right?

Blogtember Challenge Day 9: Personality Types

Hi Honeys,
Welcome back for day 9 of Bailey Jean's Blogtember Challenge. Today's prompt is to write about our personality type.

Sept 9th: Let's talk personality types. Introverted? Extroverted? Unsure-troverted? ;)

Bailey Jean gave us a link to an online test, meant to determine our personality type. My results said this....

Blogtember Challenge Day 8: Music that Moves Me

Disclaimer: I'm not being paid to recommend any of these artists or albums. This post is written as part of the Blogtember Challenge, and as such, I'm listing my favourites. I hope that you like them too x

Hello again honeys
Here we are on day 8 of the lovely Bailey Jean's blogtember challenge.  Today's prompt is:  Sept 8th: Music that moves you. Are you a Spotify addict or a Pandora guru? Tell us your favourite artists/stations!

I adore music. It keeps me sane like nothing else when the world gets a little too much to cope with, which is often. When I'm feeling stressed, overwhelmed or even just have a desperate need to chill out, I put on headphones, disappear into my favourite music, feel my shoulders relax & the stresses just melt away.