What I learnt in my week off

Photo credit

Hello all and welcome to a brand new week. I hope it's getting off spiffingly for you. I can't believe we're in the last week of February already, time really does go too fast. Well, I'm back for my week off from blogging and I'm feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and way more inspired than I was at the beginning of last week. If you're wondering what on earth I'm talking about when I say my week off from blogging check out my last post to fill you in. 

For me blogging is a hobby and I don't want it to be a stressful thing and it was feeling a little like that last week. I felt stuck for posts, I had no inspiration to write anything at all and I any creativity had died somewhere. So I knew I needed a week off and it's done me the world off good because I'm back with five blog posts for you this week, that's one every week day, that I'm really excited to share with you so I hope you like them.

Today's post isn't something super exciting but a little one about the things I learned, or reminded myself of, in my week off and the things I need to remember every now and again all the time I'm doing this weird blogging thing. 

Numero Uno. A break is good for creativity. 

Sometimes a good, well earned break is all you need to get those creative juices going. Set the thing to one side, don't look at it and don't think about it too hard and it will come to you. 

Two. Planning posts is key.

When I first started the blog I planned every post I wrote at the beginning of each week so that whether I scheduled ahead by five days or wrote a post the night before I had a clear plan for what I wanted to say and didn't forget any important points. Some posts are better written then and there but I find just jotting down a few points I want to make helps me create a much better post. 

Trois. Being inspired by other blogs isn't copying. 

I read other blogs every day and follow my favourites on bloglovin. Sometimes I'll think oh that's a really good idea I'd like to do something like that. Obviously I'm not going to copy the blog post exactly but taking something away from another blogger's post and using it to inspire your own isn't a bad thing. Linking the original into your own post and letting the blogger know is also a great way to make connections, everyone loves to see their posts inspiring others.

Four. A lifestyle blog is anything and everything you want it to be.

Everyone's lifestyle is different so every lifestyle blog is going to be different. And it doesn't have to be about expensive candles, your latest trip to Paris or a recipe featuring ridiculously healthy ingredients to be successful (although we all love those posts). Write about your lifestyle, if you try to be something other than you it won't work.

And finally Five. Views are not what it's about.

Although every blogger loves getting more views with every post, and new followers on bloglovin for me that's not the be all and end all. It's great don't get me wrong and of course I want as many people as possible to read what I'm writing and feel inspired by it like I do with my favourite bloggers but I started this as a hobby and so I want to keep it fun and carry on posting what I want to and not what I think will get me more views or more followers. Again being you is what makes a blog succesful, trying to be succesful won't work.

So that's it a few little lessons I've learnt recently and will continue to remind myself of. Hopefully you'll get something from this too. 

What lessons have you learnt and like to remind yourself of?

Until tomorrow

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin | Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads

A blogging break

You can now follow me on Pinterest to see all the things I'm loving and lusting

If you like my page on Facebook you will know that this week I am taking a break from blogging. This week is a little hectic and so was last week. Jack and I have got a lot of things due (insurance, van stuff all those good things) and we've been tied up in trying to sort all those things out alongside trying to find new jobs. With all this going on, although I've got heaps of exciting posts and ideas at the moment, I just haven't had the time to sit down and write them and get them scheduled to go up. 

So this week is a bit of admin week for us, and me and the blog. I've given myself a week to get back to being super organised with blog posts and scheduling and promoting so hopefully I won't need another random, unscheduled break for a while. 

Sometimes you just need a week off to chill away from the blogging world and at first it kinda feels like you might be letting readers down. But in the long run that's definitely not the case. If a week away is what you need to be a better blogger - reorganise, re-think and just to get back into the swing of things then that is what you have to do.

This week I've been planning so many blog posts for the next few weeks and even some exciting collaborations that I'm so excited for you guys to see. Don't forget you can follow me on heaps of social medias to keep up with what I'm up to when I'm away from the blogosphere this week (links in the side bar and the end of this post). 

Until next Monday, 

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin | Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads

A valentine's post

'Love means never having to say you're sorry' is a famous quote from 1970 movie, Love Story. Let's be honest they got a lot of things wrong in the 70's: men in platforms, afro hair for everyone and patterned carpet. Well I'd now like to add this quote to the list because I think love means, among other things, admitting you need to say sorry and saying sorry because you actually care. 

So here's all the things I'm sorry for, well there's probably more but here's some of them:

I'm sorry I can't drive so you have to do those long horrible drives everywhere

I'm sorry I always try to get you to come for a run with me even though I know you hate running

I'm sorry I always so no to seconds but then nick some of yours

I'm sorry I stole your KitKat and told you hadn't making you think you'd gone crazy by eating it or losing it for two whole weeks

I'm sorry I have a tendency to break things over the value of £20

I'm sorry I made you sleep with the light on one night because I was paranoid someone was going to break in

I'm sorry I wake up from crazy dreams in the middle of the night and have to tell you about them right then

I'm sorry I ask stupid questions 

I'm sorry I get drunk and want to sleep on the bathroom floor and continually ask me if you love me

I'm sorry this post is probably a bit personal

Enjoy Valentine's Day everybody, for cheap ideas on how to spend the day/weekend check out last years post.

Until Monday,

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin | Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads

A review | The water diviner (2014)

Image credit

OPENS 26 Dec (Australia) 3 April (UK) 

Russel Crowe's directing debut was nothing but stunning. The Water Diviner, an Australian made film that will make you reconsider what you thought of Australian film, is the story of a father trying to recover his sons bodies from the battle fields of Gallipoli so they can be buried at home as he had promised his now deceased wife. The film is deep in symbolism and story telling and as he did in Lord of the Rings Andrew Lesnie shows he has a great knack of portraying beauty in landscapes when it comes to cinematography. 

At it's heart The Water Diviner is a story about the grief and loss of war but proves that when it really comes down to it no one really wins at war despite the opening scenes that see Turkish soldiers rejoicing as Australian fleets leave the shores of Gallipoli. When Crowe's character (Joshua Connor) meets the men responsible for his sons death's and eventually comes to view them as friends the film reveals the power of forgiveness had has the same kind of air as 'The Railway Man' in which Colin Firth becomes friends with man who tortured him during WW2. The film becomes an exploration of Turkish culture and respectful dissertation that the Turks were losers too. 

The beautiful scenes of modern day Turkey make the flashbacks to the darkness of the battlefield even more poignant. The switch from faultless, water colour feel Turkey to dark and grainy battlefield is textbook but it's definitely effective. Each time the switch occurs you feel your heart sink as you prepare for death, sickness, and the screams of dying soldiers.

There are problems with the film such as the annoying slow motion scenes that seem completely without purpose. The love interest in the Turkish hotel was also an annoying element that seemed unnecessary and these were the parts I found most boring as they added nothing to the parts of the film that were so well constructed and portrayed. I felt the film had a very rushed ending. Not in that I wanted to know more at the end but I felt the final few scenes were rushed through. 

However, it is all grounded in Crowe's strong performance and a reminder of the power cinema can have on emotions when everything is so in sync as it is here. 

Have you seen the film? What did you think and what other films should I go and see soon?

Until Friday, 

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin | Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads

It's okay to feel homesick

The first thing to know about homesickness is that you're not alone in how you're feeling. Anyone who's travelling away from home for an extended period of time is going to miss home, you wouldn't be human if you didn't. The second thing to know about homesickness is that, believe it or not at times, you will get over that feeling and it does go away. And the third thing to know about homesickness is, on those days where it doesn't feel like it's going to go away, it's not hard to deal with. So let's start at the beginning.

To be honest, you'll probably find yourself missing family and friends nearly every day but there's a big difference between missing them because you want to tell them things or wishing they were there too, and crying because you want to go home and see them and be with them. There will be occasions, when for no particular reason, you feel particularly homesick and you'll probably be missing one particular thing.

I remember one morning, I was stood in the bathroom on one of the farms we were working on, brushing my teeth and I just turned to Jack and cried 'I miss Molly, I want to cuddle Molly' (Molly being my dog). But after a couple of hours the feeling had gone. I mean of course I still missed her but I didn't feel the need to cry about it. 

How did I get over it so quickly?

1)  I got busy. I went out and did the work I had to do which helped take my mind of it. If you're not working, read a book, draw, write. Just get creative and get busy. 

2) I stopped for five minutes and looked through photos on my phone I'd taken before I left to come to Australia. That might seem a bit of an odd thing to do, but I always find it helpful. 

3) I looked at pictures of the awesome things I've seen and done helps. A reminder of why I'm travelling and why I'm away from home and suddenly everything is in perspective.

Travelling is a once in a lifetime opportunity, mostly, and even if it isn't the experience will never be the same twice. Enjoy it. Home will still be there when you get home but living and enjoying the present is the best thing you can do.

At times it feels like you're never going to not miss home and that's okay. But taking your mind off it by keeping busy, telling yourself why you wanted to travel and reminding yourself off all the awesome things you've done and are yet to do is sure to make you a little less homesick. I would regret it so much if I went home and the first sign of homesickness. I wouldn't have done half the things I've done and I'd now be sat at home wishing I was still here saving up money to go and dive in the Great Barrier Reef. 

For some people homesickness can be a persistent bugger, I'm lucky for me that it's been relatively fleeting moments of homesickness but I think if it was me I would write a list of all the things I still wanted to do and see and just think about what I'd be missing out on if I went home. I'd also take the first opportunity possible to talk to my parents. Go through how I'm feeling, getting it off your chest and getting advice from the people who know you best is sure to help you out. 

My biggest message here is really try to stick it out, really think about why you're away from home and talk about it with others because you definitely won't be the only one. The last thing you want to do is regret not being there when all the friends you've traveled with are uploading beautiful photos onto Facebook and Instagram. 

Homesickness does suck, but regret sucks even more. 

Have you ever felt homesick? Let me know how you dealt with it in the comments below!

Until Wednesday, 

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin | Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads

Make it YOURS banana bread

Banana bread is one of my favourite sweet treats and it's all the rage at the moment with bloggers and vloggers all over the place getting in on the banana bread band wagon. And today I'm going to add my two cents worth. I love this recipe of mine as it's super easy and all the ingredients are things you'll have in your cupboard but it's also a recipe that I've tried and tested with other varieties of ingredients and it's worked just as well. I call this my versatile banana bread as you can literally use what ever's in the cupboard that you think will work, or healthier alternatives, and it probably will - or at least it has done for me so far. So scroll on down and enjoy the end result.

You will need

285g of plain flour (I've also used almond flour and it's worked fine)

1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp of salt

110g of butter (or coconut oil, olive oil spread whatever you prefer works here)

225g of sugar of your choice (for the loaf pictured above I used brown sugar, but caster works and so does agave syrup)

2 eggs

4 very ripe, large bananas, mashed

85ml buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk normal milk with 1 1/2 tsp of lemon juice works, or almond/soy whichever milk you prefer) 

1 tsp of vanilla extract

N.B Make sure you use vanilla extract not essence, extract is taken from the vanilla bean where as essence is just a bunch of artificial flavours - even if the recipe says essence, use extract it's far better

How you make the magic happen

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4

Grease and line a loaf tin 

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt together in a large mixing bowl

In a seperate bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy

Technique - creaming by hand: I like to use a fork for this and mash the sugar into the butter until it's combined, keep going until the butter has gone soft, fluffy and slightly lighter than it was before.

Add the eggs, mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla extract into the sugar and butter mixture and combine

Once you've done so fold in the flour mixture

Technique - folding: For this a spatula or wooden spoon is best, cut down through the middle of the two mixtures, across the bottom and up the side and turn the bowl a quarter turn each time you do this, you will see the two mixtures turning on top of each other carry on until they are well combined. You may find it easier to do half the flour at a time. Keep folding until the flour has disappeared.

Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in the oven for a around an hour. The bread should be golden brown and well risen. I tend to check mine every five minutes once it's been in the oven for about half an hour as sometimes you'll find the top might start going brown before the inside is cooked. If this happens just cover the top with tin foil which will will allow the rest of the loaf to continue to cook but will prevent the top from burning. 

Once it's cooked remove it from the oven and leave to cool for about ten minutes in the tin before turning on a cooling rack. 

I like to serve my banana bread warmed with butter but it tastes great cold and on its own too. 

How do you like your banana bread? Let me know if you try this recipe out in the comments below. 

Until next time, 

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin | Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads

Reviewing resolutions

Happy February everyone. Yes, the second month of the year is officially upon us (which is a little hard to believe, it's all going so quickly already) and that means we've all already had a whole month, 31 days to be exact, to get to grips with our resolutions and start working to make sure we don't get to the end of the year feeling we've let ourselves down. 

I set myself five resolutions for this year and I'll be honest I haven't done a particularly good job at making a start on all of them but here's a little review and a look at what I've been doing towards each one over the past 31 days. 

1) Be more consistent with my exercise routine. 

So far this year, apart from walking Bear and Charlie near on every day, I've done little to no exercise. More on the no scale here. I don't know why, I've had the time, space and means to do any exercise I desire but yet I've done none of the usual workouts or runs. I have been walking the dogs for roughly 30 minutes everyday so that's something I suppose but not quite what I'd hoped. So all in all this resolution will be one I'll really focus on throughout February. 

2) Get up earlier.

This has been relatively successful. Apart from weekends I've been up by 8am everyday and my goodness do I feel good for it. I feel a lot more energised and ready for a full day of doing stuff so I'm glad I made this resolution. This month I'll be trying to combine my getting up earlier with the regular exercise and hopefully more progress will be made. 

3) Take more photos.

Again this has been pretty successful. I haven't taken a photo everyday but I've taken more photos when I've had days where I'm taking photos. I've definitely documented more and I'm so glad about that because, particularly while I'm doing such fun and new things while travelling, I don't want anything to go forgotten. 

4) Make the healthiest choices.

This one has been successful for the most part too. Weekends not always, sometimes I find myself indulging a little on Saturday and Sunday but not anything to bad and let's be honest it's the weekend. However, on the whole I've felt like I've been a lot healthier throughout this month and like the waking up earlier it's definitely made me feel better - less lethargic and less bloated. 

5) Reading resolutions.

Yep I'm combining all of my reading resolutions into one for this monthly occurrence on the blog, mainly so as not to bore you and so you might actually get to the end of the post. So my reading hasn't been too good. I didn't even finished one book in the last month which is disappointing for me. I'm finding the book I'm reading to be on of those books where once you've picked it up you don't want to stop but getting to it and picking it up feels a bit of an effort so I think that's got something to do with it however, I'm hoping to finish it in the first week of February and then we'll be more on track. I've got some good books I'm really looking forward to getting to so keep your eyes out for a review soon hopefully.

So there we go, mostly the resolutions are going well I feel. How about you? How are your resolutions going? Don't forget to let me know in the comments.

Until Wednesday,

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin | Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads