10 things... to blog about

joining in with shimelle's '10 things on the tenth game' is one of my favourite blog features. knowing that playing along brings lots of new readers to my little unremarkable space makes it even more fun. so in honour of all those bloggers stopping by for the first time today, i thought i'd share some blogging inspiration. today's list is 10 great blogging prompts.

1} write a letter to your past or future self. share what you have learnt and what mistakes were important to make.

2} give your opinions on some recent news. be brave and put your thoughts out there!

3} write a guide on how to...

4} write a guide on how not to...

5} share your notes on the best blog posts. big up some of your favourite bloggers and think about why they inspire you. 

6} finish the following sentence. this may surprise you but...

7} say it with photos. leave out the words for a change and show your day in photos (like mine back in april)

8} talk about your hometown. it may be boring to you, but to somewhere else it could be an exotic place. i've been meaning to share some of my favourite places in manchester for a while now.

9} make a list (hula seventy has some brilliant lists).

10} tell the story behind one of your favourite photos.

do let me know if you use any of these ideas, i'd love to hear your take on one of these prompts. check out 10 things written by other bloggers at shimelle's blog, and some of my previous 10 things here.

{em} x

10 things... to do instead of watching tv

hello! well it's the 10th again. my google analytics dashboard tells me that these "10 things" posts are consistently getting the more hits than any others. talk about pressure!

today i decided to write about things to do instead of watching tv. don't get me wrong, we have more than one tv in my house, and i love nothing more than an episode of the simpsons, but i also try very hard to keep a good balance between that and some more wholesome activities. so on to this month's ten things...

1} listen to music. and i mean really listen. turn the lights down and listen to the words. dance in your living room.

2} read a book. i posted my latest must read list a few months ago. pick up a book and really get lost in it. read your favourite childhood book and remember how it made you feel the first time.

3} write a letter. seriously, i can't remember the last time i wrote a proper letter. i do know i have a huge stack of beautiful writing paper just waiting to be used. i miss the excitement of finding an envelope on the mat (or one that wasn't a bill anyway). take some time to write to someone you love, stick a stamp on it and make someone's day.

4} get outdoors. climb a hill, walk a dog, see how fast you can run then recover while having a picnic in the sun. i can't wait to crunch through the leaves under my feet and feel that chill in the air this autumn. here are some of my favourite ideas.

5} learn a new skill. have you looked how much free stuff there is out there on the internet? you can learn almost any language, learn to cook, learn to code, learn to sew, all with free online resources. the bbc has a great website i've been using to keep up with my french.

6} make a scrapbook. save money by making your own "smash book". stick in all those ticket stubs and shopping lists that gather at the bottom of your handbag. make a record of your life right now using words and pictures and crayons if you like!

7} play a game. why save board games for christmas or card games for casinos? get some friends together for a game night. make nibbles and a score board but try not to let the competition get the better of you!

8} do something crafty. check out craft gossip for a squillion ideas for things to make. i find there's something incredibly soothing about making things with my own hands. even if they do turn out wonky and imperfect. and i always think a friend who doesn't appreciate a hand made gift isn't worth having!

9} redecorate using stuff you already have. pop a new picture in a frame, make a display out of your favourite books, move around your bits and pieces so you notice them and enjoy them again. surround yourself with things that make you happy.

10} read my blog, leave a comment, say hello, or if you want to make me really happy, click to be a follower over on the side bar!

sorry about that last sneaky one - i couldn't resist! if you haven't done already, check out other "10 things" posts over at shimelle's blog.

{em} x

10 things... to do with old glass jars

hello! this is the third month i've played along with 10 things on the 10th (how's that for commitment!), and i'm really excited to share this one with you.

one problem with me is that while i hate clutter, i equally hate to throw anything away that might one day be useful. i guess i'm a real oxymoron. for this reason i have a cupboard full of empty glass jars, and to justify their shelf space, i often try to find new things to do with them. i originally thought i would struggle finding 10 uses, but when i started jotting them down i had more, so you can be sure these are the best of the best!

1} make little pot for a little plant.

2} use a jar as a place to collect bits and bobs. make a home for lost buttons and coins from the bottom of your pocket.

3} combine with some sturdy card, and you have a fool proof method for catching spiders (or anything else thats loitering around!). 

4} wrap a jar in wool (or "yarn"!) and make some pretty decor for your home. this one is sooo cute!.

5} make your own tiny terrarium. there's a great tutorial here. this is exactly the sort of thing i'd do when staying with my grandma 20 years ago - i lurve all things mini!

6} tiny jars make great crafty storage. i use jars to organise my ribbons, buttons, whatsits and doo-dahs.

7} store home made salad dressings and they'll be nice and airtight.

8} pop in some pretty stones and a little candle for a cute candle holder.

9} get a head start ready for christmas and make a cookie in a jar gift. i've never tried this but i love the idea. there's lots of recipes here.

10} long tall jars make a great make-shift vase. tie some ribbon around the outside and pop in a handpicked flower (or pinwheel if you have more paper around than flowers) to bring some colour to your home.

if non of these take your fancy, i suppose you can always put them in a recycling bin and let someone else give your jars a new life. see other great 10 things lists at shimelle's blog.

{em} x

10 things... great holiday reads

well it's july now which means it's summer holiday season. whether you are going away or just enjoying the sunshine everyone needs a good holiday book for company. as you probably know i'm a total bibliophile, so i thought i'd make this month's 10 on the 10th list: my favourite not-so-hard-going, read-it-on-the-beach, great holiday reads.

1} summer sisters - judy blume. if you ever read judy blume back in the 80's like i did, you'll want to read this just to relive that feeling of setting up a tent using your bed sheets and reading the naughty bits over and over. (i wasn't the only girl that did that!)

2} mystery man - bateman. half comedy, half detective story. laugh out loud funny and gripping to the end. so good we have 2 copies in my apartment, both of which are falling apart from use.

3} a room with a view - e.m.forster. a fantastic classic about finding yourself, with some summer romance thrown it. read this after a day of visiting museums and other cultural stuff.

4} addition - toni jordan. a quick, quirky read. deals with serious issues but light enough not to get you down. read it on the beach.

5} the body in the library - agatha christie. a classic who-dunnit, and who doesn't love miss marple?

6} la's orchestra saves the world - alexander mccall smith. lovely touching story, in paperback it's perfect size to fit in your beachbag.

7} confessions of a jane austen addict - laurie viera rigler. how many times can you fall in love with mr darcy? plenty! read this on a summers evening with a cup of tea.

8} lullaby - chuck palahniuk. i feel i should give a strong language warning on this one, but if that doesn't bother you, this is a crazy good read. one of my all time faves!

9} my booky wook - russell brand. the only biography i've ever read - i laughed all the way through. read this by the pool.

10} blacklands - belinda bauer. a thriller written from some unusual perspectives. really well written and unputdownable.

no more holidays for me now until the winter, so i shall have to console myself by lounging on the sofa with a long island ice-tea and a book. all in the name of research of course!

{em} x

10 things... that are fun to do outdoors

i've had an outdoorsy post in my mind for a while and shimelle's "10 things" idea gave me just the excuse i needed to finally write it!

people often comment on how many outdoor hobbies i have, which i always think is weird as i don't see myself as a dirt under the finger nails type of girl at all. i hate the idea of camping, or being knee deep in dirt, but i do love the green of the country side, the feeling of sun on my face, and all the wonders of nature. given the option to write about any ten things of my choice, outdoorsy fun came to mind straight away. (and yes - there is one thing that is fun to do outdoors that i am purposely leaving off my list - but i imagine you can guess what that is)

1} horse riding. i took up riding at the age of 25, when all the other people at the stables were either 6 year old girls, or incredibly experienced adults. i thought it was pretty much too late to learn, but i was wrong. the rush of galloping through the country side and the joy of getting over a jump - no matter how high - are only heightened by the fact that i know a few years ago, i couldn't do any of this!

2} sailing. whether it's little boats or impressive yachts, sailing is great fun once you know the basics. i'll be the first to admit it's preferable to do it somewhere warm an sunny than anywhere on the british coast line, and that's why we reserve this as a holiday hobby. an added bonus is that it's really easy to tan (or alternatively - burn) with the cool breeze that's powering your sails on your face.

3} hiking. now this is a great option for a cheap day out. just throw on some sturdy boots, pack some sandwiches and a map, and go! whether it's ben nevis, or the local park, there's a great feeling of achievement in getting to the top of a hill.

4} yoga. this is on my wish list. i've always wanted to try a yoga class outdoors, preferably by a lake or somewhere equally as serene! where i live it's unlikely to be a nice experience, but a girl can dream.

5} geo-caching. for the big kid in all of us - there's nothing like finding some buried treasure. go to www.geocaching.com for all the details. if you don't have a gps device, you can test your map reading skills. you'd be amazed how many people are loving this craze right now. there's probably a cache buried right by your house and you wouldn't even know it.

6} kayaking. the best way to enjoy a nature reserve is on the water. from a kayak you can spot all kinds of things you might miss on foot. plus it's a great upper body work out. at tarpon bay on sanibel in florida, i've seen dolphins, sharks, manatees (or is the plural manatee? i never know!), and all kinds of birds, from the seat of a kayak.

7} via ferrata. a fantastic combo of hiking and rock climbing, this makes a great change from a usual mountain climb if you can get to a place to do it. using iron pegs and ropes already drilled into the rock, scale rock faces that would have been impossible on foot. i've enjoyed some of the via ferrata routes in the dolomites in italy, and there's also the honister slate mine in the lake district for a great day out.

8} explore country estates. as you may already know, i'm a huge fan of the english country estate. but not just the indoors. when many of those national trust houses are closed up for the winter, there are still grounds and gardens to wander around. the best kind have orangeries and follies to explore.

9} jogging. just fling on some trainers and run, any time of day you fancy. how great is that? getting fit and it's totally free.

10} nothing at all. my personal favourite. just sit on a picnic blanket and admire everything around you. listen to bird song or car horns. watch the breeze in the trees or the people passing by. smell the freshly cut grass or in my case, the freshly baked bread from the nearby factory.

i hope at least one thing here has inspired you. what's your favourite thing to do outdoors?

{em} x