What to do next?

2 weeks ago, just before our holiday, I was told I wouldn’t have a job after tomorrow. It sucks. It really does. I like my job. I like the people. Yes the company is a bit old fashioned and it’s been restrictive in what I can do and say for a ‘social’ role. And I had hoped to change this attitude.

Any way – I am now job hunting. In an effort to not have to answer too many questions about what I am going to do now I’ve not really announced it to my friends. I’ve let it drip through. I suspect many still don’t know. 

For those of you who want to know what I plan to do next, this is it - I have chatted with the boy and he tells me full time puppy mum is not a career so I have gone and got some job interviews lined up – interviews for jobs I’d really like. Jobs that will keep me in digital roles. Jobs where I'll be able to continue learning and growing. I've had some wonderful people helping me too. 

But inevitably, there will be a little time off in between. A little time where I’ll have to tighten up on my frivolous spending - goodbye San Pellegrino Lemonade, goodbye Graze boxes, goodbye random Etsy purchases. But also a little time I can concentrate on me. And so until I find a job I’ll be spending my time doing things that I like and trying to get me in a great place. I'll of course be sending out CV's and scouring job sites - but this doesn't take up the full day, so the rest of the time I'll be trying to eat a bit healthier. Running a bit & 30 day shredding. Taking a roll of photo's for Rhiannes photo swap. I'll be spending too much time on Pinterest. Catching up on Project Life {really catching up - i have months to fill in} Trying to teach the puppy that biting is not fun. Planning my Christmas crafting {yes, I said it, and I'm not the only one} Getting stuck into 30daysoflists.  Finishing off the odd projects I’ve started and run out of steam on. Watching the latest season of True Blood {shhhh with your spoilers} I might even try and make a dent in the 31 Things list. And if I can get the offering perfected, launching an Etsy shop. 

Oh, and I can pretty much guarantee I'll not be watching Jezza!

August Break week 4/Instagrid Party

A little bit late, but we had a holiday to contend with - a week in cornwall on the boat. Eating. Drinking. Sailing. Camping. It was the boys first time on the boat. And the puppies. I think they both liked it. Flash thought the boat was his new castle, and completely didn't get that when the tent door was zipped up he couldn't get through it.

1. Puppy on boat - the first morning. He was properly confused.
2. Dramatic skies. 
3. The boy at the helm
4. Icecream at the Helford
5. High Tide
6. Ben Ainsley's postbox at the Pandora
7. Mylor
8. A 'short' 6mile walk
9. A little seaside graffiti. 

August Break week 3/Instagrid Party

I'm a little bit behind on posting, but there's been a holiday to get ready for and some job news so forgive me;

1. Flash rocking his new lifejacket. 
2. New kicks. Box Fresh as the kids say. 
3. In the woods 
4. We’re defo too old to be in the leadmill. But not for Jamaican lager beers! 
5. Sunset from Kettlebells 
6. Puppies. My friend Zoe’s mum has 10 boxer pups. I wanted to steal them all 
7. Cakes I made for a bbq.
8. We’re trying to get Flash used to his lifejacket. 
9. My GB themed Graze box

Postagram

If you know me in real life, I apologise. Your post boxes might be about to take a hammering – I have just found Postagram – a service that lets you use your Instagram pics and send them as a postcard. The picture even pops out of the postcard to keep. I love instagram. I love snailmail. And whilst I only found it last week, so haven’t used it yet – I am pretty sure I will love Postagram.

I know it’s not new technology – I mean I used to love the function on my old Vodafone contract whereby I could text a picture, the message and an address to them, and they’d send it as a real life postcard. It made for the perfect parents/grandparents/boyf at home postcards. Sadly Vodafone stopped doing it and my contract changed any way, but having another app that lets me send a pic and have it delivered on a postcard again, well it makes me happy.

Have any of you used it? Or do you have any recommendations for other mobile phone pic -> postcard apps?

August Break / Instagrid

I decided there wasn't a whole lot of point posting the same pics for the #augustbreak on Instagram and here every day, so i'll be posting them in with the Instagrid party.

1. the view from our other office - it takes forever to get home from this office, but we get to sit and look at this.
2. Flash had a gunky eye, so being new puppy parents we took a vet trip - he's fine, and they weighed him - 4.1kg.
3. I bought us some new Sheffield artwork. Absolutely love it.
4. The new project I am involved with The Travelling Notebooks {please click and come join us}
5 & 6. Sunny morning walks.
7. Millhouses park at sunset.
8. Sleepy puppy
9. The Broadfield - some might say we go too often at the moment, we say its a great new local.

If you want to follow me on Instagram, I'm 'ohgoshem'.

The Travelling Notebooks

The other week I met with fellow Sheffield blogger, massive foodie and all round creative, Missie Cindz, to talk crafting and the likes. She also introduced me to her fabulous new notebook range, aimed to get people to fall back in love with writing again. Cindy hasn’t launched the notebooks yet, so I don’t want to give too much away, but I don't think she'll mind me saying there are 3 different notebooks, each with super fun themes – Recipe, Snap and Ready.

In Cindy’s own words each book has a one word title that defines it’s personality/character, supported by a line or two to reinforce its meaning and encourage you;
SNAP - life is like photography, use the negatives and develop. 
RECIPES - breakfast, Lunch, Life....and everything in between. 
READY - Pretty things. Clever Words.  

As we were chatting the idea of turning each of them into travelling notebooks blossomed, and so, to coincide with the launch of Cindy’s books later this month, we’ll be sending a set of notebooks out into the world for you all to see, read and complete.

Not sure what a travelling notebook is? 

The idea behind a travelling notebook is that you sign up to receive a notebook - of your choice or random, you choose and we send the notebook to the first person on our list – they write/draw/stick/craft (whatever they want really) their pages and post it on to the next person on the list, and so on, and so on, until the book has, travelled the world, is full and, fingers crossed, is posted back to us. 

Which notebooks will be out there?
We'll be sending the 'Recipe' notebook out and asking you to fill in your favourite recipe, or your family recipe, or even a recipe you want to try. 

'Snap' will be going out with the instructions to add your favourite photo to it, or to describe your favourite photo, or to simply talk about photography and you. 

'Ready' will be going out asking you to talk your favourite things - maybe a moment, a possession, a person. All about the things you love and treasure the most!

How do I get involved?

If you’d like to join in, head over to The Travelling Notebook Project blog and fill in the form below. As soon as the books are off the printing press they’ll be winging their way to you.

 When you've finished your pages take a picture, or scan or blog your pages and email them to us at thetravellingnotebookproject@gmail.com.

 If you're planning on blogging your pages, please do let us know so we can tell the world. Blog badges are available at the bottom of every page on the travelling notebook blog - right click the image and save to your desktop.

And if you tweet/instagram your pages, tag them with the #travellingnotebooks

Four

At the vets!

Three

Sleepy Puppy.

Two

It might take me over an hour to get home, but I do love working from our head office. 

One

Seriously, butter wouldn't melt right? 

We knew teething would be starting soon, the excessive chewing of anything soft - arms, duvets, toys, and clearly cushions started a week or so ago, and yesterday we noticed he's lost a tooth. Right in the middle of the bottom row.