By The Fireside

Adventures
This post is a little bit photo heavy so I won't write much. I've been meaning to post these for a while, they are from a camping trip me and a couple of friends took back in May. I don't want to toot my own horn but I'm quite pleased with how my skills with a DSLR are coming. The fact we were somewhere absolutely beautiful helps a lot though.



New (To Me) Blogs pt4

Month In Review

I cannot believe that is has taken me nearly the whole month to share all the blogs I found while I was on my break. Truly crazy. It's pretty lucky I had this post though, my cold is still running rampant so all my free time has become curl up with the dogs and do nothing time. Then again, I haven't exactly missed much, the weather here has been dull, grey and rainy pretty consistently all week. 

So, here it is, my final group of New (To Me) Blogs, you can look back over the other blogs I have found by clicking here, and I will have a slightly smaller collection coming up in my monthly review for June. I'm also going to update my favourite blogs page on the side, so all the new lovely ladies I have found will be included too. I hope you find something you like! 

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Monday Link List

I love this print from Because It's Awesome. It was originally done for the Japanese relief efforts last year, but after discovering it on Pinterest this week I really want it. 
 
These old fashioned butter mints look absolutely lovely. Plus I love goodies without the baking. 
 
I'm totally obsessed Steotch, they do the coolest cross stitch I have ever seen. This one in particular makes me very happy. Be careful though, some of their designs are NSFW. 
I love this image. 
This graffiti on Kelburn Castle is absolutely amazing, it looks like it will be getting removed soon to protect the original stone though (they added a later of concrete for the artist to work on) so if you are in Scotland go see it while you can. You can check out a news story on it here.

  • Jen at A Little Bird Told Me spoke about a comment she received about being too old to wear disco pants and questioned if you can become too old to blog.  
  • RebelRousHer moved to her blog to wordpress with a lovely new layout and an amazing first outfit, I love that dress. 
  • SillyGrrl posted about what a general day is like when you work as a web designer from home. 
  • After seeing the amazing design at Steotch I was so excited to find a website that converts images to cross stitch patterns. I used to love doing cross stitch when I was younger and would love to start doing it again. (via Regretsy)
  • Rachele at The Nearsighted Owl posted about the word fat and her attempts to embrace it and use it without negative connotations. 
  • I love the idea of using a natural deodorant but so many store bought ones are disappointing. I'd love to try this recipe, plus it sounds like it would smell lovely. 
  • Breanne at Flattery posted about her style evolution and got me thinking about doing one of my own (I suspect it would be far more embarrassing that hers was though). 

New (To Me) Blogs pt3

Month In Review
Awww, you guys are the best. Thanks for all the sympathy. Still feeling a bit under the weather but it seems to be subsiding. Luckily I had most of this post all sorted out earlier this week, so all that remains for me to say is my usual disclaimer. If you don't want your photo included, or would rather I used a different one please let me know and I will take it down. I hope you find something you like in this mix and have a great weekend everyone.

A Quiet Morning

Happiness Is...




Last week I was round visiting my parents to have a quick catch-up. I got left alone in the kitchen for a little while and I got thinking about how incredibly lucky for so many reasons. I have a great relationship with my parents, and at the moment have the ability to see them as often as I like, but more than that I have the time and the resources that I can just sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee when I want. Anyway, I had my camera and snapped this photo just before my parents came back downstairs. I'm so pleased with how it turned out. 

On an unrelated note I seem to have caught some horrible bug, just writing out this post has really taken it out of me, so if I am not around the next few days that'll be why. Summer flu is always the worst, I'm just hoping I can get it over with quickly. 

Grey Skies

Adventures
I have a little bit of a love/hate relationship with Dundee, I honestly don't think I would ever go there if it wasn't for the fact a few of my dearest friends call it home. I got to see a whole different side to it this time though, I had never bothered to explore the city before and despite the grey weather (you wouldn't believe it is summer would you?) I found some bits and pieces that I thought were really beautiful. Here's just a couple of my photos from over the weekend. 







The French got back from work a little earlier than I was expecting so we spent the majority of the weekend and the past few days just enjoying one another's company. He leaves again in just under two weeks so we are trying to have as much fun as possible before then. If I'm not as visible online over the next week or so that will be why. 

Oh, and you possibly wouldn't guess it from this photo but the dog next to Mania is actually her aunt Scalliwag! They've got very different faces (Mania's mum is a Siberian Husky) but you can kind of tell if you look at their coats. They are too cute together. 

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Monday Link List

Don't you hate it when you can't find an original source for an image? I wish I knew where I could get this poster but so far scouring the internet has turned up nothing. Simple but so lovely.
I found this via Little Chief Honeybee's Things I Love Thursday and thought it was so adorable. Such a lovely way to celebrate your anniversary. Plus Portia and Ellen are such an adorable couple.
Kate over at Scathingly Brilliant had her 5000th sale in her Etsy shop, Flapper Doodle, this week so I decided to take a look at what she has up there at the moment and I totally fell in love with this print. For just over a fiver I think it would make a lovely moving present to myself.
This is such a great attitude. Again, I don't know where it comes from originally, although I found different versions on a number of websites. I think I need to print this out or something so when I am having a bad day I can look at it and remember how ridiculously lucky I am. 

  • SillyGrrl posted her own guide to saving money. I'm generally not a big spender anyway (although everyone has their off days) but there is some great advice in there if you are saving up for something special. 
  • Melissa from Bubby and Bean posted about the loss of her dog, it's a really poignant post and a great reminder if you have pets, how incredibly important to them you are, and to be the person your pet thinks you are.
  • I don't know how I missed this, particularly as I am a huge Harry Potter geek, but JK Rowling did an 800 word piece of fiction about James and Sirius which you can download free on GoodReads. I wouldn't exactly describe it as a prequel but it is an interesting read. 
  • I tried making cupcakes without butter this week and thought I might share the recipe with you. They were actually pretty great, not quite the same texture as cupcakes but some of the sugar caramelised on the top which was delicious. I would definitely do this again, even if I did have butter. 
  • I couldn't help but be dismayed when I read about Lennox, he's a dog who has never attacked anyone, never shown any signs of aggression, and lived as a family pet before being taken away because he looks like a dangerous dog, and is now set to be put down. I urge you to read more about his story or sign the petition here. 
  • Maria from Frills 'n' Spills blogged about her diabetes, sharing her experience of it and how she feels it has made her and stronger and more determined person. 
  • Little Chief Honeybee's latest Honest To Blog touched on taking time to stop and smell the roses, something I am actively trying to do. I've been feeling a little stifled recently and I think I really needed the reminder that some things come in time, and there is no point in rushing my life forward without a specific goal in mind. 
Have a great Monday!