tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36572372166288907362024-03-25T08:14:27.823+00:00nosaferplaceBIBLIOPHILE. YOUTUBER. FANGIRL. SPOONIE.nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.comBlogger336125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-11948427827697071522023-10-05T17:08:00.000+01:002023-10-05T17:08:09.011+01:00BRIDGE BY LAUREN BEUKES | REVIEW <b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEwf8akSGCl3XCWcFmwCuI6a8wFe1ab-aPYQxyyNgo-vbUnXZ6JwOvdmQ6wpumd1OTAoycLWXkicENLeyRuQeOD7HEtkYa2DBJT69xFQkQomkfNygnbVt_OVByLO0rIMW-j14N4X4Ye51dq3LqDtMywQHreSMpgpUKv9SN-eSpi1OUj9EpCklrUU-I0u8" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="339" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEwf8akSGCl3XCWcFmwCuI6a8wFe1ab-aPYQxyyNgo-vbUnXZ6JwOvdmQ6wpumd1OTAoycLWXkicENLeyRuQeOD7HEtkYa2DBJT69xFQkQomkfNygnbVt_OVByLO0rIMW-j14N4X4Ye51dq3LqDtMywQHreSMpgpUKv9SN-eSpi1OUj9EpCklrUU-I0u8=w142-h218" width="142" /></a></div>Bridge </b><br /><b>Rating</b>: ★★★★<br /><b>Buy or Borrow</b>: Buy<div><b>Source</b>: Early proof copy (out now)</div><div><br /></div><div><div><i>Bridge's maverick scientist mother Jo is dead. Now she's examining everything Jo left behind. Which is when she finds her big secret. Is it a drug? A gateway to other worlds? Jo believed so.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Bridge is desperate to see her mother again. Will do anything, risk anything. Including search for her in those other realities. What she doesn't know is that others are after Jo's secret. And some believe anyone it touches must be destroyed. Bridge? She just wants to find her mom...<span><a name='more'></a></span></i></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I'll preface this review by saying that this book is <i>a lot</i>. If you're wanting a light-hearted, easy-going book, this is definitely <b>not</b> the book for you. This novel isn't just fast-paced, I'd say it's speed is more <b>full throttle</b>. Not only is it thought-provoking, but also mind-blowing. It's <b>not possible</b> to label this book with one genre; it does almost cover them all in some way, shape, or form. <i>Thriller, horror, sci-fi, action.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Bridge </i>follows our lead protagonist, Bridge. Oh, but my friends, <i>the word truly does have a double entendre</i>. Bridge's mum has just died and she's working through her grief, along with her mum's belongings. Her mum mentions, "<i>frozen assets</i>". She doesn't expect the assets to literally be frozen in a tupperware of leftovers, but <b>Bridge makes a huge discovery</b>.</div><div><br /></div><div>What she's found could change the world. With her new discovery, Bridge visits <b>dozens of alternate realities</b>, and is convinced her mum has left her this clue as a way of finding her. However, the dreamworm isn't all that it seems, and Bridge finds herself right in the middle of a <b>dangerous game</b>.</div><div><br /></div><div>When you sit and think about the themes that this book tackles, it almost feels<i> impossible</i> that so much is crammed into one book. But whilst reading it, everything feels natural and nothing feels forced at all; <i>but that's just my opinion</i>. <b>Politics, identity, friendship, death, good vs. evil, power, chaos vs. order</b>, to name just a few. </div><div><br /></div><div>As a character, <b>Bridge can be quite frustrating</b>. She's filled with flaws, but it's difficult not to root for her. She can be selfish, and make rash decisions, but essentially, you as the reader want the same goal as her; <i>for Bridge to find her mum</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>The reason I've rated the book four stars is because at times, I did feel<b> overwhelmed</b>. I'm not particularly into science, or have any kind of science smarts. For this reason,<i> a lot </i>of the scientific explanations simply went <b>straight over my head</b>. However, if you love your science fiction, I have no doubt that you'll enjoy these parts of the novel.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's <b>brilliantly written</b> and the world building within realities is fantastic. It becomes easy to tell them apart as you become more familiar; and the same goes for the characters. You'd think multiple of the same character in varying realities would become confusing, but Beukes manages to keep them separate, and the reader well informed.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Bridge</i> is a <b>non-stop thriller </b>that will leave you gripping the edge of your seat in anticipation. The twist at the end was brilliant, and not where I expected the story to go at all. I find those the best kind of books. If you're looking for a book that is <b>outrageously unique</b> and will frazzle your mind, <i>Bridge</i> is the book for you.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Have you read Bridge by Lauren Beukes? I'd love to know your thoughts.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-14095763823429165292023-10-05T09:00:00.006+01:002023-10-05T12:38:43.767+01:00Book Recommendations For Young Men | GUEST POST BY LUKE PALMER<h3 style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-size: small;">Book Recommendations For Young Men by Luke Palmer</span></div></h3><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><b><br /></b></div><div>1) <i>Are you Experienced?</i> – William Sutcliffe</div><div><br /></div><div>For 14 year old me, this book blew the lid off of who could be an MC in their own story and, for at least the few weeks that I was reading it, I genuinely felt like William Sutcliffe had used *me* as a muse for Dave. His snarky-disdain-as-cover-for- uncertainty-and-something-akin-to-yearning pretty much summed up my late- teenage years. </div><div><br /></div><div>Dave fails, miserably sometimes, and frets and worries and frets some more before failing all over again. The whole premise of the trip around which the novel revolves is almost unbearably awkward, and the scene after Dave eats an ill-advised burger will haunt me forever, but behind the snark, Dave perseveres. It’s not the travel-brochure kind of enlightenment, realising your own shortcomings, but it’s probably far more valuable than twisting your own leg around your neck at a yoga retreat in the Himalaya. </div><div><br /></div><div>This was a wonderful introduction to a world of books with vulnerable, uncertain young men in them, who knew they weren’t perfect but got on with stuff anyway. Boys who weren’t ‘role models’ in the untouchable sense, but friends who would commiserate with you and celebrate wherever and whenever they could. Which, if you stop to look at any of your experiences, is actually quite a lot of the time. And, as a bonus, you can see just how grown-up Dave turned out if you read Sutcliffe’s latest novel, The Summer We Turned Green (spoiler: it’s not what he was expecting, inevitably!)</div><div><br /></div><div>2) <i>The Eternal Return of Clara Hart</i> – Louise Finch<br /><br /></div><div>I’m not sure if the writer or the reader in me loves this book more, but it’s a complete tour de force of energetic story-telling, taut and super-confident structuring, excellent character studies and massively important messaging. I tend to wince a little bit when books for young adults lean too hard towards the ‘instructive’ end of the spectrum, but this book does the best thing I think you can do – it functions as a clear and unsmeared window onto the world and lets the reader make their own mind up about it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Spence is a wholly believable and complex character whose eventual bravery is hard won, but even then he gets the ending he deserves rather than the Hollywood version. It’s a full, frank, and necessarily brutal exploration of the darkest side of male culture and of coming of age within that. These kinds of books are almost always described as ‘hard hitting’ – I don’t think that’s the strength of their punch, but that they get us just where we need to be got. And we rise up stronger as a result.</div><div><br /></div><div>3) <i>The Descent of Man</i> – Grayson Perry<br /><br /></div><div>Grayson Perry is one of those people who are, in my humble opinion, a total force for good in the world (I’ve also recently elevated Joe Lycett to this status, if you were interested). The way Perry preaches and practices the good message of creativity has brought joy to so many people over his time as one of the UK’s must recognisable artists; his eye is keen, but kind, and even at his most satirical he is – somehow – never judgemental. This book looks at the various performative aspects of masculinity and how they’ve seeped into male ‘culture’, now taken as read. As someone who famously sits just outside of that particular performativity, he names and recognises it with grace and no small amount of humour.</div><div><br /></div><div>The most profound moment (of many) in the book comes when that performativity is also seen, acknowledged and questioned by that (apparent) stalwart of maleness; a cage fighter. Perry nurtures his readers, writing without force and with an endearing vulnerability of his own. This is an accessible book that scrapes the surface of the ‘study’ of men and masculinity – something I think we all need to do if we hope to resign the vociferous voices of entitled misogyny back into the distant past from which they have come.</div><div><br /></div><div>4) <i>A Clockwork Orange</i> – Anthony Burgess<br /><br /></div><div>Reading is an escape from reality, and it should be enjoyable. I think, sometimes, we try to over-police what we give boys access to in the false assumption that they won’t realise where the line is. Of course they will. It’s a ridiculous thing to even say aloud that boys are wonderful humans capable of holding multiple realities in their heads at the same time, and knowing exactly where the boundaries lie. Of course they are. Even if they might push at those boundaries from time to time. </div><div><br /></div><div>Burgess’ often- banned classic was the first book I read that made me feel like a grown up. The cover was the right mix of edgy and literary, and the text was weird, funny, inventive and appalling. I talked about this book endlessly with my friends at school. We all wanted huge speakers under our beds and played Beethoven’s 9th on repeat. It was a gateway book to a host of other writers who wrote engagingly and entertainingly about things we knew were problematic, and that we were also looking for answers to, or at least some other perspectives on. I had a great conversation with a student about Irvine Welsh last week on exactly the same basis. Because young people need to explore, and should be supported in doing so. It’s another moot point to add that books should never be banned, and any that are ever considered for that foul practice should instead be made to rain down from the sky.</div><div><br /></div><div>5) <i>A Heart That Works</i> – Rob Delaney<br /><br /></div><div>OK, so maybe this for the older boys – feel free to buy this book for your dads, folks!</div><div>Rob Delaney is my man-hero at the moment. This book tenderly and beautiful depicts the staggering, brutal force of grief after the loss of Delaney’s third son, Harry, who passed away after a brain tumour at the age of two. I got the audio book of this, which Delaney reads himself, and I’ve cried more times listening to it than in the whole of the last five years combined. </div><div><br /></div><div>But I’ve laughed out loud at least that much, too. Throughout, Delaney is generous, warm and giving of himself. He is vulnerable and accepting of his short-comings. He is funny and angry and complicated and so, so beautifully human. It is, without a doubt, the most rounded and honest and humble and messy depiction of what it is to be a father that I’ve ever come across. I can’t begin to imagine what strength it took to write, but it is an act of love in the truest sense. And I love Rob Delaney right back.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2NWhj2KTrj0fYbW5lqCwMCXK3FZ2rrjvDuUItu9geX7x3vaM5xiTcDeiOBBGNkr4Q7sZWbZjXSOzxVOXJikmgNUl34ajy7yBIFyqbqqB47Zsiw__7mTSidaETJCkeDpbPf01HePuzwa4grhaStuhlugY9VjsSff5y8JZzuESka_Q8UANwhjNts3TvlA/s1080/PLAY_BlogTour.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2NWhj2KTrj0fYbW5lqCwMCXK3FZ2rrjvDuUItu9geX7x3vaM5xiTcDeiOBBGNkr4Q7sZWbZjXSOzxVOXJikmgNUl34ajy7yBIFyqbqqB47Zsiw__7mTSidaETJCkeDpbPf01HePuzwa4grhaStuhlugY9VjsSff5y8JZzuESka_Q8UANwhjNts3TvlA/w400-h400/PLAY_BlogTour.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-22922088667914610062023-10-02T15:56:00.006+01:002023-10-02T15:56:54.309+01:00THIEVES' GAMBIT BY KAYVION LEWIS | REVIEW <p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0Oq1XppoFrGqU0v9bGVCd61knfMZBWuN34SdGT1JNmo8tyuzSt-lIeZIm2Jdr3CSBiEfEqom-gKpQKEgIrhU0DrzKe4-84ze7DXFeGhY1TrcLkf7enNuHNYpxZMHAW6cT86Me77tk-qpEBoYWsiG6Yk3uaJJOpJo0TfC64TakmuYHvr9gICZ51CBYpU/s522/8156I9zXSfL._SY522_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="340" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0Oq1XppoFrGqU0v9bGVCd61knfMZBWuN34SdGT1JNmo8tyuzSt-lIeZIm2Jdr3CSBiEfEqom-gKpQKEgIrhU0DrzKe4-84ze7DXFeGhY1TrcLkf7enNuHNYpxZMHAW6cT86Me77tk-qpEBoYWsiG6Yk3uaJJOpJo0TfC64TakmuYHvr9gICZ51CBYpU/w132-h204/8156I9zXSfL._SY522_.jpg" width="132" /></a></b></div><b>Thieves' Gambit</b><br /><b>Rating</b>: ★★★★★<br /><b>Buy or Borrow</b>: Buy<br /><b>Source</b>: Gifted by Simon & Schuster (<i>out now</i>)<p></p><p><i>Seventeen-year-old Rosalyn Quest was raised by a legendary family of thieves with one rule: trust no one. When her mother is kidnapped, her only chance to save her is to win the Thieves’ Gambit – a deadly competition for the world’s best thieves, where the victor is granted one wish. To win, she must outwit all of her backstabbing competitors, including her childhood archnemesis. But can she take victory from the handsome, charming boy who makes a play for her heart and might be hiding the most dangerous secret of all? <span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>While I stopped reading YA for a while, when I saw the premise of this YA thriller, I was<b> instantly hooked</b>. A <i>Hunger Games</i>-esque style challenge to fight until just <b>one thief remained</b> and was granted a singular wish? <i>Sign me up</i>.</p><p>The story follows 17 year old Rosalyn, best known as Ross. She comes from a <b>family of thieves </b>who are the best of the best at what they do. However, in an unexpected turn of events, Ross' mum is <b>kidnapped on one of their missions</b> and Ross' world is turned <i>upside down</i>. She recently received an email from the mysterious <i>Thieves' Gambit </i>that said if she won their <b>elite contest</b>, she'd win a single wish. But could she really win? Would the challenge be too good to be true? <i>Ross is about to find out.</i></p><p>When it comes to the<b> enemies-to-lovers storyline </b>between Ross and Devroe, it was somewhat predictable, and while it was clearly set out to be quite an important part of the plot, I had <b>very little interest in it</b> whatsoever. However, I think this is because the main storyline was so gripping.</p><p>As a character, Ross is a <b>flawed teenager</b>, who is somewhat relatable (<i>okay, maybe not the thieving part!</i>), but her inner monologues feel authentic. Is there really any other period of your life besides your teenage years where you'd be in a <b>dangerous thieving contest</b>, but you're worried about how you're coming across to the boy you secretly like? <i>Absolutely not</i>.</p><p>There are some <b>great friendships</b> in this novel, which make the betrayals and twists that much more <i>gut-wrenching</i>. And trust me when I say, there are<b> revelations and shocks</b> brimming with every turn of the page. As the book is so fast-paced, and the chapters are so manageable, it's<b> difficult to put this book down</b>.</p><p>As a reader, your trust will be put to the test as you venture on <i>a whirlwind journey of deception and dynamic heists</i>. An <b>incredible</b> start to the series, and I can't wait for book two. If you're looking for an action-packed book that you simply can't put down, <i>Thieves' Gambit</i> is the book for you.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Have you read Thieves' Gambit by Kayvion Lewis? I'd love to know your thoughts.</i></p>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-52390666494618650132023-10-02T14:54:00.001+01:002023-10-02T14:54:55.273+01:00MY LADY PARTS BY DOON MACKICHAN | REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8F-epidFihrKY1cmOF850pSFPTWncLqJTVyYZVgQVXOU89m6sOpPCPskUHyidxEVMeVgJ-Li3DtLTDHxP8b4meBVq_Eb3CDtmgRdSlcBiaFQnwoYuk02mqtYQDvsiFlJzMpD_UYiNK2upIrsBZaBs3k4XklIM5NLTNlJOz1mTgtGFK2d6smNQxomiffw/s246/image%20(2).png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="246" data-original-width="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8F-epidFihrKY1cmOF850pSFPTWncLqJTVyYZVgQVXOU89m6sOpPCPskUHyidxEVMeVgJ-Li3DtLTDHxP8b4meBVq_Eb3CDtmgRdSlcBiaFQnwoYuk02mqtYQDvsiFlJzMpD_UYiNK2upIrsBZaBs3k4XklIM5NLTNlJOz1mTgtGFK2d6smNQxomiffw/s16000/image%20(2).png" /></b></a></div><b>My Lady Parts </b><br /><b>Rating</b>: ★★★★★<br /><b>Buy or Borrow</b>: Buy<br /><b>Source</b>: Gifted by Canongate Books (out now)<p></p><p><i>In My Lady Parts, Doon shares her experience on stage, screen and in real life, examining how our culture still expects women to adhere to certain stereotypes - and punishes those who don't. Doon looks at the stories we are telling and asks: what do these roles we give women tell us about their value in the society we live in? How do we hold our heads up without fear and say no to those that objectify us?</i></p><p><i>This is a courageous, vulnerable and empowering account of being a woman in an industry that has been exposed for its deep-rooted sexism.<span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>Doon Mackichan is well known as a<b> comedian, actor and writer</b>; on stage and screen. When I was made aware that she was writing a book on her account of working as a female in the industry, it definitely <b>piqued my interest</b>.</p><div>The book is filled with <b>anecdotes of her time on the stage and screen</b>, and the casual (<i>and not so casual!</i>) sexism she's experienced over the years. Whether this be as a mother, as a comedian, as a writer, as an actor, or simply for just being a woman; <i>like all of us females, she too has experienced it all.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>I found this memoir to be <b>unflinching and honest</b>, and the kind of book you want everyone in your life to read; <i>particularly other women</i>. It's both <b>empowering and fierce</b>, and once you've finished, you're left wondering of all the times you yourself have been in similar situations. <i>Situations that simply wouldn't happen if you were a man</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Something I loved about the <b>format of the book</b> is that each chapter starts with a casting callout, and each chapter title is given the name of a stereotype that women are given. For example, "<i>Feisty Feminist</i>", for simply wanting equal rights. "<i>The Hot Lesbian</i>", to entertain the male gaze. "<i>The Deranged Mother</i>", for wanting to work through pregnancy and have your children nearby once born. <b>Basic rights that we as women have to face daily</b>. She truly highlights the battle of being a working mum in the industry, and it's quite soul-shattering to read how, as a society, we <b>haven't really progressed at all</b>.</div><div><br /></div><div>The book is <b>fast-paced</b>, and I found it <b>almost unputdownable</b>. It's easy to read in a single sitting, and I found myself revisiting chapters I particularly enjoyed. One particular stand-out moment is when Doon is describing how a major TV male stroked her bottom and said, "<i>mmm, nice arse</i>". The next day, she saw him again and proceeded to grab his crotch and say, "<i>mmm, nice bollocks</i>". Let's be honest, one of those shocked you, didn't it? <b>And it certainly wasn't the first part</b>! The book is <i>bursting</i> with moments like this one whereby Doon attempts to<b> throw sexism back in the faces </b>of the people who cause this struggle daily.</div><div><br /></div><div>"<i>Brave</i>" by Rose McGowan is one of my <b>all time favourite books</b>, and this feels very similar to that. <i>Except grittier and more exposed</i>. It doesn't hold back at all, which is one of the best aspects about it. If you're looking for an<b> engrossing book that is a real eye-opener into the industry</b>, as well as being <b>ridiculously</b> funny, then "<i>My Lady Parts</i>" is the book for you.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Have you read My Lady Parts by Doon Mackichan? I'd love to know your thoughts.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-4455175967170210092023-09-19T11:09:00.002+01:002023-10-02T14:49:51.649+01:00Top 5 yōkai (Creatures From Japanese Mythology) | GUEST POST BY A.J. HARTLEY<p><i>Hideki Smith, Demon Queller,</i> the new YA fantasy I wrote with my family, hinges on creatures from Japanese folklore, though they are—mysteriously—showing up in the mountains of North Carolina! Here are a few of my favorites.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><i>Kitsune </i><br />The fox is the most expert of Japanese shape-shifting beasts. It is particularly adept at taking the form of people, imitating them so perfectly that foxes sometimes marry humans and have children with them, living for many years with friends and families before revealing their true nature and going back into the woods beyond the village. They have other powerful magics too. A Japanese friend recently told me of a bus driver he met who told him that, after throwing stones to drive away a fox he had seen, he couldn’t find his way home, driving in circles for hours on a road that didn’t go anywhere: he was convinced he had been enchanted by the fox in revenge for annoying it. Foxes get more powerful as they get older, acquiring more tails along the way. A nine-tailed fox is as powerful as any wizard, and at least as clever.</p><p><i>Kuchisake onna</i><br />One of the more recent additions to the world of <i>yōkai</i>, the so-called slit-mouthed woman founds its way into many whispered stories told by school children in the 1970s. People recalled meeting an attractive young woman on the street wearing the kind of masks which we all got used to during the pandemic (and were routinely worn in Japan by sick people long before). The woman approached men and boys when they were alone, always asking the same question: “Do you think I’m pretty?” When the man said yes, she would reply, “How about now?” whereupon she would remove the mask, revealing an impossibly wide mouth, splitting her face from ear to ear and full of sharp, spikey teeth. Running from her usually didn’t help. The <i>Kuchisake onna</i> is very fast.</p><p><i>Tanuki</i><br />The most playful of Japanese shape-shifters is the <i>tanuki</i>, or raccoon-dog. It can take any shape it likes, human, animal or inanimate, and does so mostly for its own amusement. It likes to play tricks on people—disguising itself as a water barrel in the middle of the road, for example, something people have to get down from their carts (or today, out of their cars), only to sneak back into the middle of the road and become the barrel again as soon as the humans’ backs are turned. Such pranks are rarely malevolent, however, and the tanuki often gives itself a way—forgetting to transform itself completely, for instance, so the barrel might have a tail—so it often comes off worse.</p><p><i>Kappa</i><br />A creature of water, usually seen as part monkey and part turtle. It has strong, hairy limbs, a beak, shell and a depression in the top of its head like a bowl, which must contain water for the kappa to function on land. They are fond of wrestling and will challenge humans to a test of strength, but they can also be dangerous, dragging swimmers to their deaths.</p><p><i>Oni</i><br />Sometimes called demons, o<i>ni</i> are more like ogres or trolls: very large, very fierce and deeply hostile to humans. They are usually horned, though the number of horns (and eyes) varies, and their preferred weapon is a massive club. Avoid at all costs.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSSRxrWjTIiSjoQs51sqYQtHIiSSZU5m4XUamYXBEYEpQFHNDjALGRuipxR3vRoDTfKMlm-HyJI9viFRCZOdJR0Z13PgWn76_nbb5UYDifAhkL_Ws0THugyfhMflMkTNzIxJCTjvfFh6njfxp8ApLD6wzaCcVngKY_oAIb9nVh8lyghUfn3-q6UTG8Ik/s5000/Hideki%20Smith%20Blog%20Tour%20landscape.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2813" data-original-width="5000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSSRxrWjTIiSjoQs51sqYQtHIiSSZU5m4XUamYXBEYEpQFHNDjALGRuipxR3vRoDTfKMlm-HyJI9viFRCZOdJR0Z13PgWn76_nbb5UYDifAhkL_Ws0THugyfhMflMkTNzIxJCTjvfFh6njfxp8ApLD6wzaCcVngKY_oAIb9nVh8lyghUfn3-q6UTG8Ik/w640-h360/Hideki%20Smith%20Blog%20Tour%20landscape.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-3912800394798890472023-07-26T17:47:00.008+01:002023-07-26T17:47:54.460+01:00INDI RAYE IS TOTALLY FAKING IT BY LAUREN LAYFIELD | REVIEW <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_wN0FWuDIgOfgUPFjS81lzyQYFFCyBqRGzNaAwAk9JokPOUKFS09mmUDDT9kH7SGGQ4LCN6MRQyDOpxAGMP8TMKdJ2KM3MmLkF6oiW6Mpj89zay96xxIegS7ZtdQPIiZHTknVqizkUfo3bvINvY8e-OLq7w9u5eQ6SjgyHRHi5xUDMTDc5J4k-IkkVGA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="326" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_wN0FWuDIgOfgUPFjS81lzyQYFFCyBqRGzNaAwAk9JokPOUKFS09mmUDDT9kH7SGGQ4LCN6MRQyDOpxAGMP8TMKdJ2KM3MmLkF6oiW6Mpj89zay96xxIegS7ZtdQPIiZHTknVqizkUfo3bvINvY8e-OLq7w9u5eQ6SjgyHRHi5xUDMTDc5J4k-IkkVGA=w159-h244" width="159" /></a></div><b>Indi Raye is Totally Faking It</b><br /><b>Rating</b>: ★★★★<br /><b>Buy or Borrow</b>: Buy <br /><b>Source</b>: Proof from Hachette Children's (<i>released 31st August</i>)<p></p><p><i>For fans of GEEK GIRL and SUPER AWKWARD comes a hilarious new teen series from CBBC presenter and Capital DJ, Lauren Layfield.</i></p><p><i>Meet Indi. She's new to Manchester with approximately zero friends. Unless you count Gary, who, unfortunately, is a gecko. If Indi's going to find some real mates - and maybe even a boyfriend - she's going to have to FAKE IT. </i><i>Will Indi ever get her first kiss? Will she accept her mum's new boyfriend (yuck)? And will she EVER learn that just being yourself is the most important thing of all?<span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><i><span></span></i><p></p><p>As someone who used to be one of the<b> most awkward teenagers</b>, I welcome<i> all </i>cringeworthy young adult books that help to <b>validate my experience</b> as a teen. While the majority of the book is <b>laugh out loud</b> and light-hearted, <i>as expected</i>; there are some real tender moments and important themes explored. It does focus on themes such as body image, a sense of belonging and family dynamics, which are <i>very</i> much a part of everyday life as a teen nowadays. </p><p>The story follows teen, Indi Raye, who is<i> desperately</i> trying to fit in and muddle her way through school life. It's written in the form of <b>diary entries</b>, which feels very reminiscent of the late Louise Rennison's writing style. Like every young person, the thing she wants most in life is to <b>feel accepted</b>, and she'll do almost anything to achieve this - even buying a gecko (<i>that she later calls Gary</i>) for £5!</p><p>After getting her first job in her local chip shop, she's introduced to her two new best friends, and quickly dives into the world of<b> boys, parties, awkward first kisses</b> - and everything else you're warily navigating when you're 14/15 years old.</p><p>I'd forgotten how great it feels to read a book that's just...<i>happy</i>. While there are serious moments interwoven throughout, the majority of the book is<b> fun, feel-good</b> and an <b>absolute laugh a minute</b>. Whether you're reading it as a teen, or looking back on your teenage years whilst reading, this book is <i>fantastic</i>. </p><p>As an<i> incredibly </i>awkward teenager, I <b>thank you</b> for this book, Lauren Layfield. I<b> related to so much</b> in this book, and I'm sure there are many teens out there who will feel the same after reading. If you're looking for a book that'll have you crying with laughter, and hiding away during cringeworthy moments - <i>then this is the book for you</i>! </p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Are you looking forward to Indi Raye is Totally Faking It? I would love to know your thoughts.</i></p><div><br /></div>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-61927059911815869242023-07-17T17:54:00.004+01:002023-07-17T17:54:36.519+01:00THE MINDS OF BILLY MILLIGAN BY DANIEL KEYES | REVIEW <p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwljudQFgVklAH5pxeKSYAXvltIHCFJ4rWdB2l029F_F05baKMpaVh_CmyJiYsau6Vt6He8CswqTtDBwM7WCJKfNGb5NKfBAiZplPrCXVtHye13pwbQZnARBfUgKjDRJyMvZDQSiydSc5WCh4aYvYg50-0GUUnMkIt_IpIFZaom6zNdQvO-Iht_Dkydok" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="440" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwljudQFgVklAH5pxeKSYAXvltIHCFJ4rWdB2l029F_F05baKMpaVh_CmyJiYsau6Vt6He8CswqTtDBwM7WCJKfNGb5NKfBAiZplPrCXVtHye13pwbQZnARBfUgKjDRJyMvZDQSiydSc5WCh4aYvYg50-0GUUnMkIt_IpIFZaom6zNdQvO-Iht_Dkydok=w149-h230" width="149" /></a></b></div><b>The Minds of Billy Milligan</b><br /><b>Rating</b>: ★★★★<br /><b>Buy or Borrow</b>: Buy<br /><b>Source</b>: Purchased<p></p><p><i>Billy Milligan was a man tormented by twenty-four distinct personalities battling for supremacy - a battle that culminated when he awoke in jail, arrested for the kidnap and rape of three women. In a landmark trial, Billy was acquitted of his crimes by reason of insanity caused by multiple personality disorder - the first such court decision in history.</i></p><p><i>In The Minds of Billy Milligan, Daniel Keyes brings to light the most remarkable and harrowing case of multiple personality ever recorded.<span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><i>The Minds of Billy Milligan</i> is a book that has been released <b>for over 40 years</b>. However, Apple TV have just released their latest series, <i>The Crowded Room</i>, featuring <b>Tom Holland</b>, which is loosely based on this <b>bestselling non-fiction book</b>. I'm so hooked on the series, that I had to delve into the book mid-series. It goes without saying that this review is <b>very much a spoiler </b>for the TV series. </p><p>Before I begin, this book discusses heavily: <i>sexual abuse, rape, child abuse, suicide</i>, and many other hard-hitting topics. It's a book that I found<b> incredibly difficult </b>to read, due to it's graphic nature and knowing the truth behind the biography.</p><p>The biography is written by <b>Daniel Keyes</b>, who extensively worked with and researched Billy Milligan, and the<b> twenty four personalities</b> that came with him. Keyes gives us an insight into his childhood, and why Billy's mind fragmented into as many personalities as it did. Growing up, Billy was in and out of trouble with the police; as well as mental health institutions. He was unable to receive the help he needed, <b>which I believe led to his demise</b>.</p><p>What's incredibly sad about this story is that it could have been unavoidable. If Billy had received the help he so desperately needed and doctors had believed in<b> multiple personality disorder</b> earlier, it could have saved the devastation on many lives;<i> including his own</i>. </p><p>The reader gets an <b>in-depth look into each of Billy's personalities</b>, and the reasonings behind why each one was formed. For example, Arthur, who was the logical thinker and an Englishman. Ragen, an intimidating force who dealt with any physical issues. Tommy, an escape artist who could get himself out of any situation. Adalana, a female who had a softer side that held Billy's loneliness. Of course, this is just a <b>small sample </b>of the people inside Billy's mind.</p><p>It's a <b>thought-provoking book</b> that allows a<i> rare glimpse </i>into a misunderstood disorder. It's important to highlight that it isn't written in a way that you forgive Billy for his crimes; but more of an understanding of the events in his life that led him to commit the crimes he did. </p><p>If you're looking for a book to take you on a<b> roller-coaster of emotions </b>and more knowledge of such an important moment in our history for mental heath; <i>this is the book for you.</i> It's worth noting that it's <b>considerably more intense</b> than the Apple TV series of which it inspired, <i>The Crowded Room</i>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Have you read The Minds of Billy Milligan? I would love to know your thoughts.</i></p><p></p>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-67180739250745254762023-07-13T16:05:00.000+01:002023-07-13T16:05:16.297+01:00SWORD CATCHER BY CASSANDRA CLARE | REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjq24GH_kf-81aofb81SNMEqJL-uztEJUbSc_-wPD3a-1szgvkSCC9uNEKUg39lWkM4Bs4LawIh8z8Z_k34mKCcYMwHnsOt_RC65d1sB4TY8nKQeAyPHyRyvZ8frvUpXZ698gBjPyjmBT3dWlP1_i1lJhMAMagywSHzpFhxKleKllV0LRuSk6FTr8-rcR4" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="650" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjq24GH_kf-81aofb81SNMEqJL-uztEJUbSc_-wPD3a-1szgvkSCC9uNEKUg39lWkM4Bs4LawIh8z8Z_k34mKCcYMwHnsOt_RC65d1sB4TY8nKQeAyPHyRyvZ8frvUpXZ698gBjPyjmBT3dWlP1_i1lJhMAMagywSHzpFhxKleKllV0LRuSk6FTr8-rcR4=w170-h261" width="170" /></a></div><b>Sword Catcher</b><br /><b>Rating</b>: ★★★★★<br /><b>Buy or Borrow</b>: Buy<br /><b>Source</b>: Proof copy (released 10th October 2023)<p></p><p><i>In the vibrant city-state of Castellane, a young orphan named Kel is stolen from his old life to enter a new one of luxury and peril. Lin Caster is an Ashkar physician, part of a community ostracised for its rare magical abilities. But events pull her and Kel together and into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King who rules Castellane’s criminal underworld.</i></p><p><i>Together, they’ll discover an extraordinary conspiracy. But can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? And will their discoveries plunge their nation into war and the world into chaos?</i></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>Cassandra Clare has been <b>one of the leading names in the young adult genre </b>ever since I was a teenager myself. Now I'm almost 30, I was thrilled to learn that she's written her first adult book; which felt like something I'd be able to enjoy much more at the current point of my life. I'm pleased to say, <b>it did not disappoint</b>.</p><p>This is not only Clare's first adult book, but is also her first book <b>not set</b> in the<i> Shadowhunter</i> world, which I'm sure we've all grown to love over the years. A word of warning:<b> this book is not for the faint hearted</b>. It's a fat, juicy, fantasy novel - but I found it <i>completely unputdownable</i>.</p><p>It follows the story of Kel, an orphan who is stolen as a child and whisked away to the heart of Castellane; where he comes the <b>body double </b>of bad-boy Prince Connor. As Connor and Kel grow up together, they're more like brothers than associates. But Kel's core belief is that his purpose is to die for Connor, if needed. I found the idea of a body double (<i>or Sword Catcher</i>) such an <b>interesting concept </b>to explore and I'd never read a book with this narrative before.</p><p>We also follow the story of Lin; a physician with low-level magic. Kel and Lin's paths begin to intertwine and they both find themselves in the <b>criminal underworld</b>, working for the Ragpicker King. Little is known about the enigma of the Ragpicker King, but the pair are definitely about to find out...</p><p>They're led down a path of<b> politics, violence and crime</b>. <i>Did I also mention that there's a lost goddess that everyone is desperately in search of</i>? It's packed <b>full of everything you'd want from a high fantasy novel</b>.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEic3QZnuKDt19dJ9OGu-HJtDzvoG-Ys1lQ6Ej-pCzyKXnhVjL0WSGwWLQGWJkLVXvZNE__UxbhFq_mGqVS9d-ixp9JKMch5ndUItrVHk2l92pdSzfIZOWZpOMyF_i3ZvgLT6Kmfq5spBLrK2kP02-zLx3IKyNt68G-dImK6lkvcIfmeqyevDypwweiAtGo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEic3QZnuKDt19dJ9OGu-HJtDzvoG-Ys1lQ6Ej-pCzyKXnhVjL0WSGwWLQGWJkLVXvZNE__UxbhFq_mGqVS9d-ixp9JKMch5ndUItrVHk2l92pdSzfIZOWZpOMyF_i3ZvgLT6Kmfq5spBLrK2kP02-zLx3IKyNt68G-dImK6lkvcIfmeqyevDypwweiAtGo=w404-h303" width="404" /></a></div><br />If you've read any of Cassandra Clare's books, you'll know that her <b>worldbuilding is second to none</b>. And I think this is one of the strongest points of <i>Sword Catcher. </i>From the materials of the clothing, to the taste of the food, to the vividness of the violence; the descriptions are simply incredible, and<b> leave little to the imagination</b>. <p></p><p>It's full of twists and turns, and it's <b>hard to feel certain of anything</b> when reading this book. Decisions change at the turn of a page, and you'll feel unsure of who to trust throughout. This does wonders at <b>keeping the reader on the edge</b> of their seat. I usually struggle with books of this size, but I flew threw it, finishing in just a day - <i>which is no small feat</i>!<br /></p><p>Something that Clare does expertly is <b>characters and relationships</b>; and this book truly highlights that. They're so fleshed out and flawed, which makes their choices and decisions all the more relatable. Connecting to characters is the <b>most important aspect </b>to me when reading a book, and Clare makes it incredibly easy to do so.</p><p>I haven't long left the world of Castellane, but I'm <b>already desperate to be back</b>. At the recent Cassandra Clare event I attended, we were told the second book will focus more on the infamous <i>Ragpicker King</i>, and I, for one, can not wait.</p><p>If you're looking for a book that's full of politics, violence, double crossing and romance; <i>then this is most definitely the book for you.</i> I can't wait to be introduced more to the world and hopefully become as familiar with it as I am the world of Shadowhunters. It's a chunky book that's full of some of the <b>richest worldbuilding and descriptions I've ever read</b>. Bring on book two! </p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>I also had the honour of meeting Cassie at her latest exclusive bookish event for Sword Catcher, and she was just as lovely as I dreamed she'd be. Thank you so much to Jamie for inviting me! </i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMwHpsxx-kC69ngCTX7vPtW-VY4vE2rDjIqER8HuwwS5JGv4MMXVeAEuExkC1m2Z9xWLq-q7UY-YQhATW_Gny942VYbP9ar9-bRR7FOmO9dFOTAAKqeeZguq3aS1Hgsf93IV9l4Y6BZsTcaL1gXT75JdVcqYrWSpdV5HaqyK_n0a7YzY9e1qLj3JiJ7jI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMwHpsxx-kC69ngCTX7vPtW-VY4vE2rDjIqER8HuwwS5JGv4MMXVeAEuExkC1m2Z9xWLq-q7UY-YQhATW_Gny942VYbP9ar9-bRR7FOmO9dFOTAAKqeeZguq3aS1Hgsf93IV9l4Y6BZsTcaL1gXT75JdVcqYrWSpdV5HaqyK_n0a7YzY9e1qLj3JiJ7jI=w328-h437" width="328" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><br /></p>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-77667782171928316072022-03-29T09:00:00.108+01:002022-03-29T09:00:00.266+01:00THE KAIJU PRESERVATION SOCIETY BY JOHN SCALZI | REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfNletcKNb_O24CZ2W1drGFgHA8aTH-nwnS-Vnk5V8_mD0-iawz1C2ERtdjxyEKp6rW_0r7KixU6CPZV_tdU5le6j5otCiBHnQSWMFCKQtgWM_2eT23X9gAEsl46S_l2fZ5qswKdMTK25PBqH4nKczoG5e3HrPb0c1GZvZQh8SH9uI-DyyYdX7Ezyw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="397" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfNletcKNb_O24CZ2W1drGFgHA8aTH-nwnS-Vnk5V8_mD0-iawz1C2ERtdjxyEKp6rW_0r7KixU6CPZV_tdU5le6j5otCiBHnQSWMFCKQtgWM_2eT23X9gAEsl46S_l2fZ5qswKdMTK25PBqH4nKczoG5e3HrPb0c1GZvZQh8SH9uI-DyyYdX7Ezyw=w183-h294" width="183" /></a></div><b>The Kaiju Preservation Society</b><br /><b>Rating</b>: 5/5<br /><b>Buy or Borrow</b>: Buy<br /><b>Source</b>: Proof copy (<i>out now</i>)<p></p><p><i>The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi is a thrilling, fast-paced adventure set on an alternate Earth – perfect for fans of Adrian Tchaikovsky and Michel Crichton's Jurassic Park.</i></p><p><i>Jamie’s dream was to hit the big time at a New York tech start-up. Jamie’s reality was a humiliating lay-off, then a low wage job as a takeaway delivery driver. During a pandemic too. Things look beyond grim, until a chance delivery to an old acquaintance. Tom has an urgent vacancy on his team: the pay is great and Jamie has debts – it’s a no-brainer choice. Yet, once again, reality fails to match expectations. Only this time it could be fatal.</i></p><p>If you've been following my blog for a while, you'll know that it takes a <i>very</i> special sci-fi/fantasy novel to reel me in. And this book <b>definitely did just that</b>. </p><p>To escape the monotony of his current job as a delivery driver, Jamie is offered a <b>once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity</b>. The job description is <i>very vague</i>, but the location seems good, and the pay seems great. He accepts the job offer, which will mostly consist of "<i>lifting things</i>". However, he receives a shock when he <b>winds up on an alternate Earth</b>, working for the notoriously well-hidden, <b>Kaiju Preservation Society</b>. A hidden society that <b>protects Godzilla-like creatures</b>. Did I mention that they have internal nuclear reactors? <i>Yeah, this book is wild</i>.</p><p>What I loved most about this book was the <b>worldbuilding</b>. In this genre, worldbuilding is <i>so important</i>. If you couldn't imagine the world and the horrors that Jamie is being faced with, <b>it simply wouldn't work</b>. However, Scanzi's descriptive way of storytelling makes it easy to <b>immerse yourself into this parallel reality</b>.</p><p>It was fascinating to learn about the <b>kaiju</b> throughout the book. As the reader, we're slowly fed drips of information about this species. <i>Just </i>enough to quench the thirst, but still leave you <b>thirsting for more</b> knowledge of these incredible creatures.</p><p>While there is a main plot, <i>a good guys vs bad guys scenario</i>, it very much takes a back seat throughout the book. For me, the majority of the book was <b>learning more about the kaiju</b> and <b>exploring the new world that they live in</b>. It goes without saying, that Jamie has to step up from "<i>lifting things</i>" in the story, and he<b> inevitably becomes our hero</b>. While this is a predictable trope, it's one I didn't mind at all, because of how<b> enticing and exciting the book itself was</b>.</p><p>It goes without saying that this book is <b>action-packed </b>and will leave you <b>clinging to the edge of your seat</b> throughout. It's full of <b>thrills</b>, <b>chills </b>and <b>quite a few laughs</b> too. Jamie is a likeable character, who you'll find easy to root for and connect with along the way.</p><p>Whether you're a sci-fi/fantasy lover or not, I find it hard to <b>believe that you wouldn't enjoy this book</b>. From <i>well thought-out characters</i>, <i>intricate world-building</i> and <i>beguiling creatures</i> - this book will have you<b> hooked in no time</b>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>The Kaiju Preservation Society </i>is available to<b> purchase now</b>. And<b> thank you </b>for joining me for my stop on the <i>The Kaiju Preservation Society</i> blog tour.<br /><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlcf7l0vdP_OtnljSYuUMYUo4zmnwqPHrk3uPMMPtfEpZQ6QIeXU8U0PC2ZzqYzzDoOJ1P9P-OEOrw9jYujGt2p-g2IPYdeisTx971T7K2InwbC8X4QeGHQ0KjzE4jj8GXwSlrzIQd-vJcZIuuMvYSLda9Sr9Gm14OXFaLmJCulxsoh8tlY4n3WJN/s1080/Kaiju-lifestyle-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlcf7l0vdP_OtnljSYuUMYUo4zmnwqPHrk3uPMMPtfEpZQ6QIeXU8U0PC2ZzqYzzDoOJ1P9P-OEOrw9jYujGt2p-g2IPYdeisTx971T7K2InwbC8X4QeGHQ0KjzE4jj8GXwSlrzIQd-vJcZIuuMvYSLda9Sr9Gm14OXFaLmJCulxsoh8tlY4n3WJN/s320/Kaiju-lifestyle-1.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-54484395558798873242022-03-15T10:04:00.000+00:002022-03-15T10:04:25.203+00:003 WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH<p style="text-align: center;"> <img height="416" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/nUz2xY3UHQwrD5MlTOafZWbFlqKAAGrSO2owVu39_Yb2AzX6snTi765i6UFKIJ7cSypLKCSmhnfyvseUnhs9xzkKBuaYhQctmB9g1zlXfbMrW-Q-TR-0wIy_4yKheiQWeO_bXqmJ" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;" width="624" /></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c3c8fade-7fff-eca1-17db-40bf6781db7c"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-sitting-on-gray-rock-near-body-of-water-185801/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Riccardo from Pexels</span></span></a></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Protecting your mental health is something that you need to have as a priority. Your mental health is the key to enjoying a healthy and active lifestyle. When your mental health is compromised there can be severe consequences. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are experiencing problems with your mental health and recognize the need to make a change then there are some things you should bear in mind to help you achieve your goal. Take a look at some of the main things you need to focus on to dramatically improve your mental health.</span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don't Keep Your Feelings to Yourself</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the easiest ways to destroy your mental health is to keep your feelings bottled up. You must be able to express your feelings in a clear and straightforward manner in order to ensure that negative emotions do not overwhelm you.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Try to find someone who you can trust to talk about issues that are affecting your life. If you currently don't have anyone who you feel you can trust you may want to </span><a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-start-a-journal_l_5f32eab9c5b6960c066d5d96" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">try journaling</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Journaling can be a great way to put your thoughts and feelings down on paper. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It can also allow you to get your feelings out of your head and to look at them objectively.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Read books from people such as </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/YELLOW-BIRD-MEMOIR-CHERYL-MONIQUE-ebook/dp/B09NC6VN1J/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cheryl Monique</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> who have survived trauma it will help you to feel less alone in your struggles.</span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Create Clear Boundaries</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creating boundaries for yourself is one of the essentials of ensuring that you have good mental health. You need to be clear about what you will say yes to and what you will say no to. This may be to the personal request of others or it may even be to habits that are </span><a href="http://www.nosaferplace.co.uk/2017/05/a-monster-calls-mental-health-awareness.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">harming your mental</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as well as your physical health.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Setting boundaries for yourself and keeping them is one way to ensure that people respect your emotions and feelings. It is also a way for you to realistically monitor yourself to ensure that you are doing what is best for your mental and physical well-being.</span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Start a New Hobby</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes all that is necessary to improve a person's mental health is for them to find activities that they enjoy doing. A </span><a href="https://www.headtohealth.gov.au/meaningful-life/purposeful-activity/hobbies" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">good hobby</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> can help to take you from a negative state of mind to a more positive one. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whenever you do something that you enjoy, it will greatly improve your mental health. If you do not have a specific hobby you can try to start one as soon as possible. There are several classes online where you can take courses on subjects that interest you from the comfort of your own home.</span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Protect Your Mental Health </span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Protecting your mental health is something that you should have as a top priority. Your mental health can affect every aspect of your life even your physical health. This is why it is important for you to take the time to deal with the things that are bothering you emotionally. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You should also create clear boundaries for yourself and others. Remember to take the time to learn something new as it will help your mind to become more active. It will also have to shift your focus to the more positive things in life.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-47650068797516957982022-01-04T17:11:00.000+00:002023-10-02T14:49:35.084+01:00ESTARER LAPTOP BAG | REVIEW <div>Now that I'm a full time freelancer, I've been<i> searching</i> for a bag that I can use for <b>both work and leisure</b>. I like to take my laptop with me wherever I go, but I didn't want to use a backpack or a briefcase, and I <b>finally found the perfect bag</b>.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div>This is a <b>tote bag</b>, that's big enough for your laptop, among everything else that you might need. Whether you're using it for work, school, or even as a parent who needs to pack everything when they leave the house - <i>this bag is ideal</i>. It fits a 15.6" laptop snugly, as well as having a tablet compartment too!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIH3f4IHyuIeOoON897J0fRMOh4ca3EkV67c_g4vU73WcW8pYiPVckAw3MN5kkkqYHawuyliGyDsObQWwAVWVfeltuzWCsJ1V89bZ92K7dAvJoX31toH4geZPsbfWjigRgt_e_1i5MeSRsaoTEAVdvvhcCrtMzhXv6VTVjXK1Es_vAEcV5OJrWqXN/s1024/estarer1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1024" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIH3f4IHyuIeOoON897J0fRMOh4ca3EkV67c_g4vU73WcW8pYiPVckAw3MN5kkkqYHawuyliGyDsObQWwAVWVfeltuzWCsJ1V89bZ92K7dAvJoX31toH4geZPsbfWjigRgt_e_1i5MeSRsaoTEAVdvvhcCrtMzhXv6VTVjXK1Es_vAEcV5OJrWqXN/w469-h312/estarer1.png" width="469" /></a></div><br /><div>In fact, there's <b>so many fun compartments</b> within this bag; you'll soon find that there's space to everything. It has a<b> main compartment</b>, a<b> laptop compartment</b>, a <b>tablet compartment</b>, a<b> zipper pocket</b>, 2 <b>pen pockets</b>, 2 <b>open pockets</b>, a <b>slot for your water bottle</b>...<i>as well as being zipped at the top of the bag!</i></div><div><br /></div><div>What I love about this bag is that it's not just classy on the outside, but it's really useful and also<b> super lightweight</b> too! As well as that, it's also<b> water resistant</b>. This bag reminds me of the bag from Mary Poppins, you can fit so much inside it for what seems like such a compact bag.</div><div><br /></div><div>While I've used the soft handles that are attached to the tote bag, there's also an <b>adjustment padded shoulder strap</b> included, if you're looking for a hands free option.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYDBV1oVpXOS_37pU1H--Pw0zoy_KLXpXIl05a49ARdUt7jZ7NCyg8OogO6s2sT7-TuA1Nsppr9-FpuFlXQhyj-8sHWVTroC746AJVGgNRrayCOdReY4avewBJO-pZEUj1ywFFIusNjocYDR5DgVU9eTxEPRRpf1PDjGw82Zw0Dtds_L1rgf6MWmT/s1024/estarer2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1024" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYDBV1oVpXOS_37pU1H--Pw0zoy_KLXpXIl05a49ARdUt7jZ7NCyg8OogO6s2sT7-TuA1Nsppr9-FpuFlXQhyj-8sHWVTroC746AJVGgNRrayCOdReY4avewBJO-pZEUj1ywFFIusNjocYDR5DgVU9eTxEPRRpf1PDjGw82Zw0Dtds_L1rgf6MWmT/w401-h267/estarer2.png" width="401" /></a></div><br /><div>I chose the <b>black and beige</b> option, as I felt that was the most professional for what I need it for. But there's also a brown and beige option available too. At the moment, the bag is £41.50, with 5% off, meaning that it's <b>currently just under £40</b>. I think this is such a great price for such a versatile bag.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you're looking for a <b>multi-use bag</b>, which is perfect for weekend getaways, work and home life, I would<i> highly recommend </i>this bag. <i>Estarer</i> also have many other bags available. If you'd like to buy this bag, you can do so <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Estarer-Womens-Handbag-Satchel-Shoulder/dp/B0BMLBYQMX/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=4EUBD&content-id=amzn1.sym.e4ce053e-e116-421c-a2c5-3e338df469c8&pf_rd_p=e4ce053e-e116-421c-a2c5-3e338df469c8&pf_rd_r=T7KXAFC11ZYCBQV71Y5G&pd_rd_wg=YA5h0&pd_rd_r=ce25d292-28e0-4b71-b5dd-ede039c6bef4&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mi&th=1" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">**this bag was gifted in exchange for an honest review**</span></div>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-48927187697288967492021-12-29T11:11:00.002+00:002021-12-29T11:11:40.834+00:00Jaques Giant Tumble Tower Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjC7dW8ELlCTN-bsu5al_yF69fHPvezyOgWI7kbSrnvnQen4PtNmlh21L86IAmMnMq6HQRmmnjiM64pEIIng4-OZ93UO1QjuNP5UHORnU0gks68XeHWKr5AEkFtLooQPvwUPKYJYB5Uv0odHpYz8kk9jmEV3dcalOoQlDoHqP9RlmZRCE_QofChCdz_=s1824" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="1368" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjC7dW8ELlCTN-bsu5al_yF69fHPvezyOgWI7kbSrnvnQen4PtNmlh21L86IAmMnMq6HQRmmnjiM64pEIIng4-OZ93UO1QjuNP5UHORnU0gks68XeHWKr5AEkFtLooQPvwUPKYJYB5Uv0odHpYz8kk9jmEV3dcalOoQlDoHqP9RlmZRCE_QofChCdz_=s320" width="240" /></a></div>I hope everyone's had a great Christmas and looking forward to the new year. I had a bit of an unconventional Christmas this year, because I've been isolating with covid. It's meant my husband and I have had plenty of quality time - which has meant one thing. Copious amounts of playing games. Which worked out perfectly, because Jaques were kind enough to send me a game of my choice, in return for an honest review. <p></p><p>Jaques are actually the oldest games company in the world! Did you know that we have Jaques to thank for inventing some of the most loved games such as Snakes & Ladders, Ludo, Happy Families and more? They've been inventing and making games since the late 1700's. Many of their products are <a href="https://www.jaqueslondon.co.uk/collections/wooden-toys" target="_blank">Wooden Toys</a>, which are made from 100% sustainably sourced wood. This gives them a real traditional feel.</p><p>The toy I chose was the <a href="https://www.jaqueslondon.co.uk/products/magnum-tumble-tower" target="_blank">Giant Tumble Tower</a>. The tumbling tower (sometimes known as Jenga) has always been one of my favourite toys; especially growing up. It's a game that's super easy to play, and usually gets everyone involved; young and old. The game has always reminded me of togetherness - so I was definitely excited to play a giant version!</p><p></p>When it arrived, I was surprised at how small the box was. I couldn't believe that such a huge game could be compacted into such a small bag - but I was wrong! It comes in a beautiful canvas storage bag (with handles), so space isn't an issue if you live in a small flat, like me. My kitten, Lillie, also loved the bag and jumped straight in once I removed the blocks and started to build the tower. <br /><p></p><p>It's marketed as an outdoor game, but I've had plenty of fun with it indoors, so it's definitely perfect for any time of the year. When using the 63 blocks included, it stands at 25" tall and at it's peak, can get to 3ft tall! I'll be honest, I'm terrible at this game and I've not been able to reach those heights quite yet. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="1368" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRGQ6FDNzGjgTIfVQDLqIrkzIqEMYi1mlXoC8SMHhqJhfdI3gX7EoIcETOigNtriC8-7ElYb1d8yGUnaPt51C-a28tMCRidqbhVEw39gGZt1pget-qFpM34XMmulkLV_w24xviHWFcnwfhxcTsheVMM-Wx6aX4vlCf9jx_xe4uzWrw_vUQTmnYH7-s=s320" width="240" /></div>When playing, it's incredibly sturdy, which actually makes the game a little more difficult than the standard version. There's not too much wiggle room in the blocks - so it makes for an interesting game if you have no hand-eye coordination like me! If you have a little one, it'll be great for helping develop their hand-eye coordination and problem solving skills. <p></p><p>The <a href="https://www.jaqueslondon.co.uk/" target="_blank">Jaques</a> Giant Tumbling Tower is currently on sale for £31.99 (so it's the perfect time to make your purchase!). I was apprehensive as to whether the product would be as luxurious as it's marketed as, and I wasn't disappointed. You can feel the quality in every brick - so it's not difficult to see why the product's a best seller.</p><p>My husband and I had a lot of fun with this over Christmas, and my family have since been over when our isolation ended and the kids loved it just as much as I did! It's a game for all the family, and reminds me of togetherness just as much as it did when I was a child myself.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">THIS IS A SPONSORED POST IN COLLABORATION WITH JAQUES.</span></p>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-69181338728069956612021-11-05T18:32:00.001+00:002021-11-05T18:32:54.854+00:00DEALING WITH A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE IN HOSPITAL<p>It's been almost two years since my traumatic experience in hospital, and it hasn't been something I've spoke about often. No, I'm not talking about almost dying from an infection, turning yellow, my organs shutting down and being hospitalized on three different IV antibiotics for 2 weeks...although that was pretty traumatic. But the experience did happen at the same time, as it occurred in the hospital, by a nurse.</p><p>I started to think about this experience again as yesterday I was once again in A&E and cannulated. Something I've become fairly familiar with over the past decade. My fear of needles which once reduced me to tears, was long gone. However, in the past 18 months, that fear has returned with a passion, and any trust I had left in the NHS dwindled.</p><p>I've tried to talk about my experience many times over the past 18 months and I finally feel ready to share what happened. Writing has always been my therapy and my way of processing, so I hope this gives me some closure on the situation.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>I had been in hospital for a few days, and had gotten significantly worse since being admitted. The dreaded day came when they were to change my cannula (has to be changed regularly) and my usually amazing veins, failed me repeatedly. Several nurses came and went, and I had around 30 tiny dots all over my hands and arms where they'd tried to re-do the cannula.</p><p>The attempts were sore but I needed IV antibiotics stat. It got to 11pm and the nurses told me I needed to sleep and a doctor would be round in the morning to discuss next steps, and try again. At this point, I was exhausted and desperate for rest.</p><p>At around midnight, a nurse I hadn't seen before came in, with one of the ward nurses in tow. I was asleep at this point, and was woken to them switching my cubicle light on and shoving the needle in my arm with no consent. I was half conscious and had no idea what was going on.</p><p>I protested that the ward manager had told me to wait until morning and I needed rest. She ignored my pleas. The needle still wouldn't go in (obviously) but she persisted. To the point where I was screaming for her to stop and the pain was unbearable. At this point, the ward nurse held me down to stop me writhing in pain. I lay there silently, tears streaming down my face.</p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7ilii0Rn8GtZsZI5NPqiJPbmnJjIs3sFPhFLYxpoFZbckiZ7IKMEdpxl_QxG5ilurdkRJq6UzwZRwI3oW7GUd2OemgEBHI7YT0tvGkw1cOIe90XSrbbSE9w0Om95hF6NENSMnOKkg6U/s1564/IMG_20211105_182630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1564" data-original-width="1564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7ilii0Rn8GtZsZI5NPqiJPbmnJjIs3sFPhFLYxpoFZbckiZ7IKMEdpxl_QxG5ilurdkRJq6UzwZRwI3oW7GUd2OemgEBHI7YT0tvGkw1cOIe90XSrbbSE9w0Om95hF6NENSMnOKkg6U/s320/IMG_20211105_182630.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After my latest cannulation, and after the incident</td></tr></tbody></table>Without warning, they changed to my other arm and tried to cannulate again. After a few minutes, it went in and they left without a word. I was paralysed with fear and unsure what to do. I looked down and the first arm hadn't been tended to and blood was still steadily flowing, and some had already dried on the sheets.</p><p>I dragged myself to the bathroom, cleaned myself up and sobbed. I called for a nurse when I was back in bed and she changed my sheets for me and gave me a cuddle. I was unsure whether to tell her what had happened; I was terrified. My arm was now swollen, and the bruise started to form immediately.</p><p>I've included a photo of my latest cannulation after a day. And how my arm looked a day after the incident with the nurse. I seldom bruise, so was shocked at how painful and sore the wound looked. </p><p>The next day, the phlebotomist came to take my daily bloods and wondered why I had suddenly become so fearful. I broke down to her and she told me to report the nurse immediately, make a complaint and she would help with the process. She told me that if a patient of sound mind says no to something, their wishes should always be adhered too. This comforted me.</p><p>I later discovered that the nurse had been fired a week after I filed the complaint. They wouldn't tell me why, but I think the reasons were clear. The complaint came to no avail and I received a letter...a YEAR later that took no responsibility for what happened. </p><p>I'm not really sure why I'm sharing this. I just finally felt ready to, which seemed important. If you've made it to the end of this post, thank you for reading. I've had counselling since the incident and been reminded repeatedly that I did nothing wrong. But the trust I lost will be so difficult to get back. And it's not ideal with the amount of time I do spend in hospitals.</p><p>That particular vein has now collapsed and you can still see the scar slightly, which isn't a great one to have. Hopefully my fear will lessen to what it once was, and the damage will heal over time.</p>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-9848838315244856992021-05-05T10:05:00.001+01:002021-06-30T22:20:12.518+01:00AM I GOOD ENOUGH?<p>I grew up in a household where a lot of <i>bad</i> things happened. One bad thing after another. From a young age, I drilled the thought into my head that I <b>would not</b> contribute to the bad. I would be <i>good</i>. Inherently good. I wouldn't get drunk. I wouldn't do drugs. I would do well at school. These thoughts started as a seed, but by the time I reached my teens, they had <b>developed into a forest in my mind</b>. </p><p>It had become so bad that I forgot my trainers one day for drama at school, and I sobbed and sobbed. To the point I was<b> almost sick</b>. Wondering if I could sprint the two miles to school and back on my break. I called my mum hysterically and begged her to walk them in for me (<i>she didn't drive</i>); she did. I did that to avoid a detention. Something I'd never had before. And <b>never did have</b>, in my entire years of school life. </p><p>My sister had gone down the wrong path in her teens, and I constantly heard how <i>bad</i> she was. My stepdad was an abusive alcoholic, and I constantly heard how <i>bad</i> he was. I was so determined that the only word anyone used to describe me would be <i>good</i>. I wanted to make my mum's life easier. Everyone's life easier. This was so unconscious at the time, and only something I've discovered after a few years of processing experiences with my counsellor. But it's something I still struggle with daily. <b>The need to be inherently good</b>. </p><p>When I became ill at 17, I was<i> furious</i> at my body. Angry that everything I'd worked so hard not to do, I had become. My body was <b>bad</b>. It needed <i>constant</i> attention. <i>Constant</i> treatment. <i>Constant</i> time. It took over everyone's lives; especially my mum's. It was <i>bad</i>. A decade later, and that anger for my body is still there. My body constantly fails me, and continuously makes me feel like <b>I'm not being good enough</b>.</p><p>This pressure that I put on myself has extended into<b> every aspect of my life</b>. And pushes me over the edge until it breaks me. Whereby I try so hard to please everyone, that I either end up pleasing no-one, or burn myself out. Strangely, it happened with blogging. I'm still asked <i>daily</i> why I left the blogging world with radio silence, <i>virtually overnight</i>. The pressure I was putting on myself to be<i> good</i> became so intense, that <b>I just exploded</b>. And had one of the biggest mental breakdowns I've ever had. </p><p>I was constantly told, and still am, that I'm a "<i>goody two-shoes</i>", and I should try to "<i>lighten up</i>", as if it's<b> an easy habit to break</b>. Apparently some people see being <i>too </i>good, as a <b>bad thing</b>. That was never something I'd ever thought about. I drink maybe once a year. I don't smoke. I've never done drugs. I'm never reckless. I take care of my body. <i>I'm constantly told I'm "boring"</i>, light-heartedly of course, but that's okay - <b>no one knows the struggles I face daily</b>. How "<i>boring</i>" is exactly what I'm aiming for. I like to be unnoticed. Unseen. Those things usually go hand-in-hand with being <i>good</i>.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I don't think I'll ever stop feeling as though I'm not good enough, but I do hope that one day <b>the pressure to be good doesn't feel as all-consuming as it still feels today</b>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROdu9nFvFhjEueW_GMGR2htDESvH33F4YcqvXGxHsfM3zgC08jskPBORj-f0n-3qOE862rV6GnMThVPmnfJU_rGlv6pa9d8Mb_M7jsGcKwpvJ5bhyxu8RBgoCqjm3G3blx_Ysojhht8M/s560/Faded+Fall+%25289%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROdu9nFvFhjEueW_GMGR2htDESvH33F4YcqvXGxHsfM3zgC08jskPBORj-f0n-3qOE862rV6GnMThVPmnfJU_rGlv6pa9d8Mb_M7jsGcKwpvJ5bhyxu8RBgoCqjm3G3blx_Ysojhht8M/s16000/Faded+Fall+%25289%2529.png" /></a></div><br /><p>If you're looking for a great way to relax and unwind (especially after reading a heavy post like this one!), definitely check out this amazing online <a href="https://www.thehammock.co.uk/">Hammock</a> store. They sell hammocks, loungers and so much more - perfect for this Summertime. </p><div><br /></div>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-28213369853243371062021-02-04T19:26:00.000+00:002021-02-04T19:26:23.153+00:00ANOTHER (a poem)<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Another</b> diagnosis to add to the list,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Another</b> part of my life that I'll have to miss.</div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Another</b> set of rules impacting my day,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Another</b> moment where I'm lost at what to say.</div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Another</b> thing that's taken, that I didn't want to give,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Another</b> piece of freedom gone; I just want to live.</div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Another</b> loss to mourn and to grieve,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Another</b> time to cry - stay calm, then breathe.</div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Another</b> day is coming, I wonder what's ahead,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Another</b> restless night, heart filled with dread.</div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Another</b> one to process; I'm tired of being strong,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but I have the strength to fight this -</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">and <i>I've had it all along</i>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOng7jxhwyW8ZxqJko2eb9ZXqhThlTxFH3myVgBQo8IBaKBnZDSYhXOf7RtTUhW0Mic6emCCAlzp-B6Ye_T1uf6xVwfeLLsWzpICmfY_b2YjkDpnquONczEt_9DKK64QKG2kqqYtw8gsI/s560/Faded+Fall+%25288%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOng7jxhwyW8ZxqJko2eb9ZXqhThlTxFH3myVgBQo8IBaKBnZDSYhXOf7RtTUhW0Mic6emCCAlzp-B6Ye_T1uf6xVwfeLLsWzpICmfY_b2YjkDpnquONczEt_9DKK64QKG2kqqYtw8gsI/s16000/Faded+Fall+%25288%2529.png" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-4595745658913392322021-01-18T10:15:00.003+00:002021-01-18T10:19:41.229+00:00ON THE EDGE OF THE PRECIPICE (a poem)<p></p><div style="text-align: center;">The dark, it's unwavering.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The fear, it's all-encompassing.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The dread, it's never-ending.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The worry, it's unfaltering.</div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">The tide is coming in,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I struggle, it pulls me deeper.</div><div style="text-align: center;">My head's above the water,</div><div style="text-align: center;">But my body's getting weaker.</div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">The first lick of flame, </div><div style="text-align: center;">I feel warmth at my feet,</div><div style="text-align: center;">They creep up my body,</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's unbearable heat.</div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">The beauty of ice, </div><div style="text-align: center;">I can't resist the touch,</div><div style="text-align: center;">It takes over my body,</div><div style="text-align: center;">It becomes too much.</div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">The man dressed in black,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Lingering like a shadow.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Feeding off my sadness,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Lapping up my sorrow.</div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">The edge of the precipice,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Have I admitted defeat?</div><div style="text-align: center;">I take a step back,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I will not be beat.</div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">The light, it's inviting.<br />The hope, it's intoxicating.<br />The happiness, it's enticing.<br />The future? It's tempting.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2DGYvee-mLuZkl042QNffv1e4l98ajoakIi1iHTPjz-HshDwKUC7zszSCgy5hZDPLb57Fqwx7FUWI-7EcMFQT9JK7FoIqkp5hQ9b3_jCg8NjB8_Bey0dpj8btod0Pw3XwuqbvgSlHe8/s560/Faded+Fall+%25287%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2DGYvee-mLuZkl042QNffv1e4l98ajoakIi1iHTPjz-HshDwKUC7zszSCgy5hZDPLb57Fqwx7FUWI-7EcMFQT9JK7FoIqkp5hQ9b3_jCg8NjB8_Bey0dpj8btod0Pw3XwuqbvgSlHe8/s16000/Faded+Fall+%25287%2529.png" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-74530813589248183612021-01-08T12:56:00.000+00:002021-01-08T12:56:30.190+00:00WE AIM TO PLEASE.<p>Over the past year, I've found myself particularly drawn to <b>feminist books</b>. Books about<b> empowering women</b>. <b>Periods</b>. <b>Sex</b>.<b> Smashing taboos</b>. Increasingly, I come away feeling like I want to talk about one thing in particular: <i>men</i>. </p><p>I'm<b> not</b> someone who believes women are better than men. And for the record, <i>those people aren't feminists</i>. <b>A feminist is someone who believes men and women should have equal rights</b>. And let's be honest, <i>we don't</i>. It doesn't matter how much times have progressed (<i>and they have</i>), we are <b>very far </b>from being seen as<b> equal</b>. <i>Jobs of power. Pay grades.</i> But the thing I want to talk about today is: <b>the way women act</b>.</p><p>Without knowing this, <b>women are brought up to please men</b>. Women<i> should </i>be polite. Women <i>should </i>smile. Women <i>should</i> be revealing, but not revealing enough to be a "<b>slut</b>". Women <i>should</i> be quiet. Women<i> should</i> be flattered if someone of the opposite sex gives her attention -- <b>this is the one I want to talk about.</b></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Why do we live in a society in which we should be grateful for unwanted, undesired attention? </i></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><p>I sat with a pen and paper, and started to write down all the times I could remember <b>doing something I wasn't entirely comfortable doing</b>; <i>for the pleasure of men</i>. And not just the <b>big moments</b> that stand out in your memory. <i>The smaller ones too</i>. Where you're called a "<b>frigid bitch</b>" for not wanting to send nudes. When you're called a "<b>moody bitch</b>" because you don't want to smile at a man that feels you owe him your attention. When I dance in a club, and men feel like they have the God-given right to <b>touch my arse</b> because it "looks good" (<i>I <b>know</b> it looks good, but I'm shaking it for my benefit; not yours</i>). I couldn't even begin to count how many times I let experiences like this happen because I felt I <b>owed </b>it to men to <i>smile</i>, to be <i>happy</i>, to be what t<i>hey wanted me to be</i>.<b> Ladies, we owe men nothing.</b></p><p>There's <b>one particular moment</b> that stands out for me. And I think it stands out so much because it wasn't<b> just</b> a man expecting something from me, but it involves women telling me I <b>should feel lucky</b>, and <b>flattered</b>. Looking back now, <i>it makes me feel physically repulsed</i>.</p><p>I had just turned 18 and was in the pub with some family members (<i>who I no longer speak to - go figure</i>). There was a Z-lister "<i>celebrity</i>" in there and <b>he took a liking to me</b>. I was young, and hadn't really been out much, but I could see that this person was<b> married</b>. After googling him in the bathroom, he also had children - and was definitely <b>old enough to be my dad</b>. He repeatedly offered to buy me drinks (<i>which I refused</i>), told me how beautiful I was, and was honestly just<b> quite creepy</b>.</p><p>I wasn't responding well to his advances - <i>obviously</i>. At one point, he <b>tried to pull me onto his lap</b>, and I <i>completely stiffened</i> as he touched parts of me that were <b>not his</b>. I was disgusted, and <i>scared</i>. The family members took me into the toilet and told me that I needed to "<i>loosen up</i>", and that I should feel "<i>flattered</i>" that this 40-something man liked me. Looking back now, <b>of course he liked me</b>! I was 18. I wasn't unattractive. <b>Why should I feel flattered than a man old enough to be my dad finds me attractive</b>? I left that bathroom feeling like <i>I had done something wrong</i>, and spent the rest of the night talking to this man and then politely <b>declining</b> his request to have my number.</p><p>And these moments <b>aren't just one-offs</b>. These happen <i>all the time</i>. Some are much more significant than others, and leave an impression. But others pass by, and we don't even realise they've happened until we sit and<i> think</i>. I've been out for meals before and men have come and sat at my table whilst we're eating, and if I tell them to leave, I'm a "<i>miserable bitch</i>". No, I've come out to enjoy company with my friends - you are a<b> harassing prick</b>.</p><p style="text-align: center;">It's taken me 26 years to realise that part of my existence <b>isn't to make men happy</b>. And I<b> don't owe them anything</b>. <i>And neither do you</i>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpZwAVTQalJUnVIYMdONaSb97fTNtToJcP21B9QyFWsCZe3IrLrjtEUm58AmIXmBhjTrBqSVkufD5P-xhF09pW4Fegt_oQcy8GM3hx_Eq_JB5VUEjy2LVcshEM4eicPBYKV4xYeobXCc/s560/Faded+Fall+%25286%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpZwAVTQalJUnVIYMdONaSb97fTNtToJcP21B9QyFWsCZe3IrLrjtEUm58AmIXmBhjTrBqSVkufD5P-xhF09pW4Fegt_oQcy8GM3hx_Eq_JB5VUEjy2LVcshEM4eicPBYKV4xYeobXCc/s16000/Faded+Fall+%25286%2529.png" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div><br /></div>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-48454518438357124942020-09-27T11:03:00.002+01:002020-09-27T11:03:28.956+01:00How Can You Channel Kindness? | CHANNEL KINDNESS REVIEW <p>This year has been one of the<i> </i><b>hardest we've had to face</b>, <i>collectively</i>. I've found comfort in knowing we're all facing the same problem <b>in unity</b>, but struggled to find <i>a ray of hope</i> to clutch onto. I found that hope <b>within this book</b>.</p><p><i>Channel Kindness</i> is a <b>collection of stories </b>from a <b>diverse community</b> of people from all around the world.<i> Racism, sexism, harassment, ableism, homophobia</i> - so many <b>important issues tackled</b>, and shows that<b> kindness will always win</b>. In a world where it is now so easy to be unkind, <i>show kindness</i>.</p><p>From<b> overcoming bullies</b>, young people <b>starting their own movements</b>, battling <b>mental health issues</b>, <b>forgiveness</b> - this book covers it all. It highlighted to me that one small act of kindness can start the change that the world needs; or can give someone else the push they need to <i>change the world</i>.</p><p><i>It's fascinating to me that one small ripple can lead to a tidal wave; and this book demonstrates that in the best way.</i></p><p>I think because the stories are so short, it's <b>very easy to dip in and out of</b>; or<b> read out of chronological order</b> - which is something I <i>love</i> in a non-fiction book. It's <b>easy to digest</b>, and although there's a few very heavy-hitting stories in there, it <i>never </i>feels hard to read - which I found quite <b>remarkable</b>.</p><p>I love how <b>inclusive</b> this book is, and I think there'll be something for everyone in there to make you feel like <b>you're seen</b>; and that <b>your voice is valid</b>. As a disabled, bisexual female who battles with mental health - I adored this book, and <i>resonated with many stories</i>. </p><p>There's a particular story within the book called <i>The Choose Love Movement</i>, and there's three words I took away from that story, that sum this beautiful book up in three words - <b>nurturing healing love</b>.</p><p>When I put this book down, I sat and thought about ways I could <b>channel kindness</b>, and ways I may already have done so. There was a particular story in the book that reminded me of a time in my life that I had <b>completely forgotten</b>. A time where 16 year old me was visiting my sister on a Friday night. I had bought some chocolate on the walk down, and was excitedly walking down the busy road to her house. As I approached the end of the road, <b>I could see what looked like a man lying on the ground </b>in the distance. <i>Cars drove past him. People walked past him. </i>I will admit, from an outside perspective, <b>he looked like a drunk or maybe a drug addict</b> - <i>but did that mean him any less deserving of kindness?</i></p><p>As I got closer, I looked closer at him and had a <b>gut feeling that he was diabetic</b> (<i>I used to have a close family member who was</i>). I remembered the chocolate, and felt it burning in my pocket. I was scared, and could have been wrong; but <b>I could also save this man's life</b>. People walked past as I made sure this man, with trembling hands, ate the chocolate bar I'd given him. <b>It turned out I had saved this man's life</b>. And I carried on to my sister's, and had completely forgotten about that day...<i>until now.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;">Your actions, <b>no matter how big or small</b>, can change someone's life. Online and offline, please remember that.<i> And let's make the world a better place.</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWSEYIpxLKmnd3BQXMsXggyIIlc0XNoaj4liCNj5SbeMCEaFGoiSvdKQbgfa4pTDpsA__OYsLXG2MdO52q_cbaHSVWFW9nxwf5W7gPWQ4bUFGN0-045OdkQSD8DtIrMG89g2YO_CMang/s1197/IMG-20200925-WA0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1197" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWSEYIpxLKmnd3BQXMsXggyIIlc0XNoaj4liCNj5SbeMCEaFGoiSvdKQbgfa4pTDpsA__OYsLXG2MdO52q_cbaHSVWFW9nxwf5W7gPWQ4bUFGN0-045OdkQSD8DtIrMG89g2YO_CMang/w400-h400/IMG-20200925-WA0005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-21800663302549829302020-09-08T09:37:00.000+01:002020-09-08T09:37:39.053+01:00TRIGGER WARNINGS<p style="text-align: left;"><b>Triggers</b> are defined as, "<i>a stimulus such as smell, sound or sight, that triggers feelings of trauma</i>". If you've experienced<b> any kind</b> of trauma in your life, you'll likely have your own set of triggers. I always find it odd when people say that<i> other people's triggers aren't your problem</i>. If someone I love has a trigger that I can easily avoid; <b>why would I ignore that</b>? That's not to say people can't work on their triggers to function better. If I hadn't worked on many of mine, I'd not even be able to leave the house.</p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>One of my main triggers is <b>alcohol</b>. It's a dangerous one as the world <i>expects</i> you to love alcohol. It terrifies me what a <b>social norm alcohol has become</b>. If you don't drink, <i>you're </i>seen as the anomaly. For the first few years of adulthood, I drank to fit in with my peers, and to avoid awkward situations whilst out. I got to an age where I realised <b>I didn't want to drink</b>; and with that decision, <i>my trigger of alcohol began</i>. It started with being<b> terrified</b> of being around really drunk men. I then didn't want to be around <b>any man that was drinking</b>. Any <b>person</b> that was drinking. <b>Pubs terrified me</b>. <b>Alcohol aisles</b> in supermarkets made my palms sweat. Talking to a counsellor helped me massively, but that's not to say those situations listed above don't still bring me <b>massive anxiety</b>; <i>especially drunk men</i>. <b>Of course</b> I don't expect the world to stop drinking, but most people I love know about this, and when drinking around me, are usually<b> extra vigilant</b> of me showing any signs of panic or distress. As I say, it's one of the hardest triggers to have as <i>every time</i> you log onto <b>social media</b>, go onto<b> group chats</b>, go out with <b>family</b> - it seems the world is <i>obsessed</i> with drinking. And<b> you only ever notice that when you're not</b>. </p><p><b>People shouting</b> is another trigger. It doesn't just have to be directed at me. If I hear a <b>mum shouting at her child</b> in the supermarket. An <b>argument happening over the phone</b>. My body instantly <b>detects danger</b>, and panic sets in<i> instantly</i>. Tears often come with this one, and I almost go back to a<b> child-like state</b>. <i>Your body's way of associating memories into every day life, fascinates me massively.</i></p><p>Another trigger I have is <b>speaking in groups of people</b>. If I'm in a room with <i>more than four</i> other people; there's a large chance <b>I won't speak</b>. It doesn't matter if those four people are <b>strangers</b>, or my <b>closest family</b>. Growing up, I was humiliated and shamed a lot by members of my family I no longer have contact with. This has made me believe that <b>any kind of attention on myself is negative</b>, and will lead to me being attacked. If I try to talk, I'll <i>sweat, blush profusely, shake</i>. <b>That's a trigger I'm working on</b>. My counsellor only told me the reason for this trigger recently, and it was a huge relief that it's not just because I was "<i>shy and awkward</i>", like I'd been led to believe. I remember a time in college where I was speaking in front of a group of friends, and one of them started speaking over me. I instantly went <b>beetroot red</b>, and <b>felt tears sting my eyes</b> as though I'd done something wrong (<i>I now realise, a trigger</i>). Now, they didn't know about the trigger - hell, <i>I didn't at this point</i>. But they all laughed and called me, "<i>The Incredible Sulk</i>". And moments like that have only ever <b>added to my triggers</b>, and the fear that comes with them.</p><p>I have quite a few triggers; some so mild, they're<b> barely noticeable</b>. Maybe you know me well and haven't noticed the ones I've mentioned. When you've lived with them for years, I think you <b>become so used to hiding them</b>, that it is hard for other people to notice the signs. </p><p>One of my friends has a trigger of <b>being touched without being fully aware</b>. I'm usually a tactile person, so I'll<i> touch your arm whilst talking etc</i>. Knowing this is her trigger, I always make a <b>conscious effort </b>not to instigate any form of contact unless she says that's okay. If a friend or family member is brave enough to share their triggers with you, and you can help them so easily - <b>please do</b>. Working on triggers isn't an overnight thing; <b>it takes years</b>. So until we get there, <b>just help us</b>. <i>No matter how big, or small.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iv4PzbBk7Aw6CRpm6XmyhDu6tuJkxkdQlLKikqnsMdOC5uBsGWxnVaEDYH8ajsGRkOxrQPtMK5Mcn25Ewpt5BxKrNIfoTt8LDk4TDycQIntrsZXWMAIhgFkYUmWHjrhyphenhyphenbWwY5R5M5eM/s560/Faded+Fall+%25285%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iv4PzbBk7Aw6CRpm6XmyhDu6tuJkxkdQlLKikqnsMdOC5uBsGWxnVaEDYH8ajsGRkOxrQPtMK5Mcn25Ewpt5BxKrNIfoTt8LDk4TDycQIntrsZXWMAIhgFkYUmWHjrhyphenhyphenbWwY5R5M5eM/w500-h281/Faded+Fall+%25285%2529.png" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-24199619884813726132020-05-19T16:16:00.000+01:002020-05-19T16:16:55.678+01:00DEALING WITH TRAUMAIt's funny how when you're in the <b>middle of something</b> traumatic, you barely acknowledge that it's happening.<i> Surviving</i> the trauma is your body and mind's<b> main focus</b>, and nothing else seems to matter. It's only after you're out the other side that you look back and think, "<i>wow, what just happened</i>?". And that's kind of <b>where I'm at now</b>.<br />
<br />On Friday 28th February, I'd been experiencing some <b>central chest pain</b>. It was more of a dull ache, so I took some painkillers and popped off to bed. I was awakened in the middle of the night with sharp chest pain and <b>nothing I did</b> or took was easing it at all. After several hours, it wore off and I got back into bed. I never make much of a fuss with pain, as with chronic illness you find yourself with <b>strange aches and pains</b>, in <b>weird and wonderful places</b>, <i>daily</i>.<br />
<br />I assumed it was heartburn so took some antacids the following day when the dull ache had returned. Fast forward to Saturday night, I <b>awoke with the same pain </b>- except this time, I couldn't move because <b>the pain was so intense</b>. I felt nauseous and attempted a crawl to the bathroom. Before I reached there, I woke my husband up as I felt now was the time to <b>call an ambulance</b>. As I woke him to tell him, at that very moment, I was<b> spectacularly sick</b>. <i>Several times</i>. I took some more painkillers and decided to go back to bed.<br />
<br />Reading this back now, I realise how <b>utterly insane</b> I must sound not having gone to the hospital, but when you live with chronic illness, it's so incredibly hard to distinguish <b>daily pain</b>, and<i> life-threatening pain</i>.<br />
<br />By Sunday, I had completely gone off food, and I started to feel like <b>something wasn't right</b>. The same thing happened Sunday night, and by this point all of my bodily fluids had changed colour, and by early Monday morning, I knew in my gut <b>something was wrong</b>. I told my husband to stay at home and go to work, as everything would be fine. <i>Boy, was I wrong.</i><br />
<i></i><br />I got to A&E about 7am. I was still<b> being sick</b>, had <b>no appetite</b>, <b>bad chest pain </b>and was just <b>generally unwell</b>. <i>I felt like a walking zombie</i>; the Walking Dead, if you will. I'd been to A&E several times with chest pain so the nurses did an ECG and basic blood tests and said <b>everything was fine</b>. I was reluctant to leave, and a few hours later, <b>my skin was yellow</b>, and the whites of my eyes had gone yellow. After pushing for a full blood test - they said there was <b>something wrong with my liver</b>, and that it was <i>shutting down</i>.<br />
<br />The on-call doctor pulled me to the side and asked if I was a<b> heavy drinker</b>, or if I had <b>overdosed on over-the-counter painkillers</b>. I'd already told her in the previous observations that I didn't touch alcohol, and that I hadn't taken too many painkillers. She asked me <i>FOUR</i> times over the next few hours; <b>insistent</b> that I had caused this myself. Knowing I'd done nothing of the sort, and seeing my body change before my eyes, <b>I was worried by this point</b>.<br />
<br />After 10 hours in A&E, a consultant came round and<b> knew instantly what was wrong</b>. She took my hands and told me I had problems with my gallbladder and that I'd need an ultrasound, an MRI and to stay in overnight. The thing I'm most grateful for that day was<b> her kindness</b>. I was <i>terrified</i>, but she made me feel like I was going to be okay; and that <b>I was in safe hands</b>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During, and post-jaundice</td></tr>
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<br />Anyway, after taking blood cultures, they found out I had a <b>foreign bug</b> - <i>as well as the gallbladder infection</i>. I was in hospital for<b> 4 days</b>, and an <b>inpatient at home for 5 days</b>, with a nurse visiting 3 times a day to give me two lots of IV antibiotics. I was on morphine, codeine, paracetamol; every painkiller I could get my hands on. And boy, <i>was I ill.</i><br />
<i></i><br />After a few days, I could finally get myself out of the hospital bed and sit on the chair beside it. I was feeling<i> </i><b>a little more human</b> and a nurse came round to have a chat. She said something along the lines of, "<i>it took them a while to find antibiotics strong enough for your body to respond to, you're lucky you came in when you did</i>". And the surgeon I spoke to on the phone several days later said something similar, "<i>Please don't leave it as long as you did last time. You could have been too late".</i><br />
<i></i><br />At the time I didn't take it in. I was just <b>focused on getting better</b>. But now, 2 months down the line, I realise <b>how close I was to dying</b>. The thought that<b> I may not be alive </b>if I'd left it even <i>a few hours </i>later is horrifying. (<i>Spoonies - please don't ignore new symptoms!</i>) And it's left me with the greatest appreciation for life, and being alive. We may be in difficult times, but I'm here to see them. And I'll be here when they end. And that's<b> the most important thing</b>.<br />
<br />I have had <b>four gallbladder attacks</b> since, but thankfully they've all been managed well at home. I was due to have surgery the beginning of April, but with the current situation, it's been <b>postponed indefinitely</b>. I was offered open surgery, but I'd really prefer not to unless<b> absolutely necessary</b>. My morphine and codeine supply at home is getting me through the attacks, and I can't eat much fat as that makes symptoms worse - so I've lost<i> a huge amount </i>of weight!<br />
<br />It's taken me<b> two months and many sessions of counselling</b> to stop waking up at 3am every night, <b>preparing myself </b>for the same pain to come. <i>It's funny what the mind can do</i>. It's only now two months on that I can look back and realise how<b> traumatised</b> that left me. I think even my family thought that because I'm so used to hospitals and because I'm so "<i>strong</i>", I'd cope fine. But the truth is, these few months have been filled of <b>fear and anticipation </b>that something will happen again.<br /><br />
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But the main thing is, I'm getting better - <b>physically and mentally</b>. And the best part is? <i>I'm still here</i>.</div>
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<br />nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-19756954955983426082020-04-29T09:00:00.000+01:002020-04-29T09:00:07.959+01:00Family Prints | Mid-Week Motivate & CreateHello everybody, and welcome to the <b>final week</b> of <i>Mid-Week Motivate & Create</i>. I've had the <b>best time </b>working on this series with <a href="https://designbundles.net/">designbundles</a>. This week's activity is definitely something<b> all members </b>of the family can enjoy, and participate in. This week, I'm making <i>family prints</i>.<br />
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For this post, I used the <a href="https://designbundles.net/cuddlebunniestudio/481059-build-a-family-character-builder-family-builder-pn#gtmList=5&gtmPos=1">Build a Family bundle</a>, which is just under £10, and comes with <b>over 600 files</b>! Whether you have ten children, or your family is just you and your partner - <b>you can definitely utilise this bundle</b>. I chose to do my sister, future brother in law, and niece and nephew; as I thought it might bring a smile to their faces.<br />
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This bundle<b> genuinely quite scared me</b> when I opened it - it's <i>absolutely filled </i>with body shapes, skin tones, clothes, hairstyles; there is<i> a lot</i>. But what I loved about this bundle is that <b>nothing needed resizing </b>and everything was <b>easy to navigate</b>; which made playing around with this bundle a lot more fun. And <i>a lot easier for younger children</i> to get involved too.<br />
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I used Photofiltre (<i>as always</i>) to work on the print today. Photofiltre is a<b> free editing software</b> which you can download online. Everything I design is from Photofiltre, and I'd<b> highly recommend it</b>. It's a simpler version of Photoshop - but a more advanced version of paint.<br />
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I started with an <b>A4 landscape</b>, as it seems that the default sizes of the PNG files are made to fit that image size (<i>Width: 3508 x Height: 2480</i>). I did try using the mother and father, but I actually found using the <b>Child 5 </b>option for the mum and the dad worked much better - plus all the "<i>adult</i>" hairstyles still fitted perfectly onto this child option.<br />
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I found starting with the adults first was best, as then it's easier to work out what size the children should be in comparison (<i>if you have them!</i>). My niece is only 11, but is almost the same height as her mum...<b>and already taller than her auntie Zo</b>!<br />
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All you need to do is <b>copy and paste</b> to your heart's content, and move the PNG files around. As long as your child knows how to copy and paste - they can have fun with this designing themselves, and their family,<i> for hour</i>s! Once I was happy with my design, I hadn't quite made the family central, so I cropped it down ever so slightly and copied it onto a fresh A4 landscape, and it looked <b>much better</b>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cropped photo on an A4 background</td></tr>
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You can then make the background transparent using this <a href="https://onlinepngtools.com/create-transparent-png">website</a> that does it for you, to get it printed onto anything you'd like - or you can print it yourself onto card like I did, and <b>frame it </b>for yourself, or a family member. I think this would really put a smile on someone's face at the moment - so it's the <b>perfect time</b> to do it. It really does look so lovely when it's finished.<br />
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And <b>that is it </b>for this series! I really hope you've enjoyed it, as I've <b>loved creating new projects </b>every week, and my friends and family have seemed to like them too. I hope you're all keeping safe and well; and <b>keeping those hands, and minds busy</b>.<br />
<i>Zoe x</i></div>
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nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-67529746272560701482020-04-22T09:00:00.000+01:002020-04-22T09:00:07.183+01:00Designing Bridal Party Prints | Mid-Week Motivate & CreateHello everybody, I'm back with the <b>third week </b>of<i> Mid-Week Motivate and Create</i>. I hope you're all <b>keeping safe and well</b>. I'm so excited for this week's post, as I had <i>a lot of fun </i>designing this. For those of you who don't know, my sister is due to get married at the end of August (<i>fingers crossed!</i>). I'm her maid (<i>matron, I know - but that does really make me sound old!</i>) of honour, and my niece is her bridesmaid. So when I saw the <a href="https://designbundles.net/lecoqdesign/197882-wedding-robes-clip-art-bridesmaid-clipart#gtmList=5&gtmPos=12">Bridesmaid Clip Art</a> bundle, <b>I knew I had to design something</b> for her wedding.<br />
<br />This pack from <a href="https://designbundles.net/">designbundles</a> comes with <b>16 different hair styles</b>, and you can choose from a variation of skin tones. Me, my sister, and my niece are all blonde and pale - so<i> not much </i>! The pack is so easy to navigate, and besides a few images to resize, it's<b> really fun to explore</b>.<br />
<br />As usual, I used <b>Photofiltre to design </b>my image (<i>Photofiltre is a simpler version of Photoshop - but is free!</i>), but you could quite easily use paint, or <b>any other software</b> you might have on your computer.<br />
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<br />I opened a new project with the dimensions, <b>Width: 3508 x Height: 2480</b> (<i>this is a standard A4 landscape</i>). You then open the images you wish to use, and <b>copy and paste</b> to your heart's content. I left the sizing of the bodies the same, but I did struggle a bit with sizing of the heads - I used <b>Width: 400 x Height: 560</b> if you want the same measurements! I also added some font at the bottom of mine, but <b>you can use whatever you'd like </b>on your design.<br />
<br />Once you're happy with your design, you can <b>crop out </b>any white bits at the sides (<i>if you have any</i>), and this next step is really important. <b>You must make the background transparent</b>. The photos below show you how to make your background transparent on <i>Photofiltre (left is transparent, and right is normal)</i>, or alternatively, you can use this <a href="https://onlinepngtools.com/create-transparent-png">website</a>, which does it for you. This ensures that when the design is printed onto anything, <b>you only have the outlines </b>of your bridal party.<br />
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This is where I<i> may </i>have cheated slightly! If like me, you enjoy being creative, but you're not quite Kirstie Allsopp's level yet - <b>this is what eBay is for</b>! You can buy anything on there from<i> iron on transfers, to mugs, to tote bags; absolutely anything</i>. I bought a personalised tote bag for £4.99 with my finished design on - <b>and it is beautiful</b>.<br />
<br />Next I'll be ordering <b>iron on transfers</b> to iron on to the back of the t-shirts we wear to get ready in when the day comes. You could even just <b>print out the design on a greeting card</b>, and give it to the bride on her big day - <i>see how I made greeting cards</i> <a href="http://www.nosaferplace.co.uk/2020/04/motivational-greeting-cards-mid-week.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />There's <b>so much</b> you can do with the design once it's complete, and I hope my sister loves it as much as I do. Whenever she does get married, <i>this maid of honour will be ready and raring to go</i>.<br />
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<br />Join me again next <b>Wednesday</b>, for part four of<i> Mid-Week Motivate & Create</i>! And please send me anything you make.<br />Stay safe. <br /><i>Zoe x</i></div>
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nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-5705185608684968922020-04-15T09:00:00.000+01:002020-04-21T10:52:27.069+01:00Make Your Own Bracelets | Mid-week Motivate & CreateHi everyone! I hope you're all <b>keeping safe and well</b>. I'm back with another edition of<i> Mid-Week Motivate & Create</i>! This series was made to keep hands, and mind busy at this already difficult time - with <b>low-cost</b>, <b>fun ideas</b> for all the family. Everything I've used today will be from <a href="https://designbundles.net/">designbundles</a>. You should <i>definitely </i>check out their website - they have some <b>truly inspiring bundles</b> on there!<br />
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If you know me, you'll know that I'm a <i>huge lover</i> of <b>making bracelets</b>. There's something really therapeutic about making them, and the <b>satisfaction </b>and <b>pride</b> you feel looking at the end result is amazing. So today, I'm going to <b>show you how to design bracelets</b> - and attempt to show you how to make knots (<i>I'm quite a knot novice myself!</i>).<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLj3VUf0F7pxKtheTRBWH2pmPCNyhdInchTECbsN7vH32olq_5wpj5hNLuAKAr-9FcZoKqylhYO65Mjs09t2YEvpwHZzYN4gPPwY17bhb_bARUOxzOVi8Oc2vQyrG761hm82MTI9MWNAg/s1600/IMG-20200408-WA0000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><br />
The bundle I used today is the <a href="https://designbundles.net/salted_galaxy/14324-watercolor-pink-nebula-collection#gtmList=5&gtmPos=1">Watercolour Pink Nebula collection</a> - and I am <b>utterly obsessed </b>with this pack. I've made two bracelet designs today, but there were <i>so many options </i>available with this set. Wolves are one of my favourite animals, so when I saw a <b>galaxy wolf</b> in this bundle, I knew I <i>had</i> to create something with it! <br />
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Like last week, I used <b>Photofiltre</b> (<i>a free editing software, available to download online</i>) to create the <b>backing card designs</b>. I simply chose the silhouette I wanted, and copied and pasted it onto my blank backing card in Photofiltre. You can make it <b>any size </b>you'd like, but I usually use W: 970 x H: 1240 for mine, and trim and chop from there once printed.<br />
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I then added a quote that I liked, and copied and pasted the complete design onto a blank A4 page in Photofiltre (<i>Size - W: 2480 and H: 3508</i>). Try to <b>make sure the resolution is set to 300</b>, as it makes the quality of the pictures so much clearer.<br />
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I then used a mini guillotine to make <b>clear cut edges</b> for the bracelet backing card - <i>but scissors are more than sufficient for this part</i>!<br />
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Then the <b>bracelet making begins</b>. Cut a piece of <i>elastic cord</i>, <i>thread</i>,<i> hem cord</i> to around<b> 8-9 inches</b> - anything you can find; but <b>the stretchier, the better</b>. I have a large selection of charms, but you could use <i>absolutely anything</i>. They're very cheap to buy online, but you could definitely use any beads you had lying around the house - <i>or even something like pasta</i>! Thread your chosen charm through and then the<b> knot tying</b> begins.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step-by-step on how to tie a simple knot</td></tr>
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I'll be honest - I am<b> terrible</b> at knots;<i> absolutely terrible</i>. So I used the most <b>simple knot</b> I could find. Please see the picture below to find a <b>step-by-step</b> of how I do my knots. But as long as it stays together - <i>do whatever works for you</i>; whether that be a fancy knot, like a sliding one; or something simplistic like mine.<br />
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Once the bracelet has been tied, slip it onto the pre-cut backing card and adjust it so it's in the desired place, and the <b>charm is in the centre</b>. I then placed mine into plastic pockets to keep them protected. <i>And your bracelet is complete!</i><br />
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These make <b>lovely gifts</b>, and they're so <b>thoughtful</b>. You can add people's names, use their favourite animal -<i> make it as personal as you wish</i>. I would <b>love </b>to see any bracelets you make, so feel free to send photos across on social media.<br />
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Join me again next <b>Wednesday</b>, for part two of <i>Mid-Week Motivate & Create</i>! And please send me anything you make.</div>
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Stay safe. </div>
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<i>Zoe x</i></div>
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nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-26953365501434773062020-04-09T08:00:00.000+01:002020-04-09T08:00:01.063+01:00The Thirteenth Home of Noah Bradley Guest Post & Review | BLOG TOUR <div style="text-align: center;">
Hi everyone, hope you're all <b>keeping safe</b>, and staying <b>happy </b>and <b>healthy</b>. Today is my stop on <i>The Thirteenth Home of Noah Bradley </i>blog tour; and as well as reviewing this fantastic read, I'm hosting a post from the author herself.</div>
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<br /><i>The Thirteenth Home of Noah Bradley</i> focuses heavily on <b>curses</b>, so today Amber has written a post on the<b> Curse of the Iceman</b>. Find out more about this curse, and a review of Amber's new book below!</div>
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<b>Curse of the Iceman (or Otzi)</b><br />
<i>A hiker named Helmut Simon discovered the mummified body of a prehistoric warrior whilst climbing high in the Italian alps. But if that isn’t weird enough, after the body (now named Otzi) had been pried from the ice, a string of deaths connected to the people who had found him began. Leading people to believe that the ancient curse associated with disturbing mummies was in effect. Currently there have been seven deaths related to people who found or have worked with Otzi. The strangest being the death of the man who found the Iceman. Helmut fell to his death during a freak blizzard while hiking near the same spot where he first discovered Otzi. Coincidence, or was it the ice man’s revenge?</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0HkjV2ZLW_MzPHlz13Y10bwd4gPMncg88vh0jQgZVxgHUyltafLGuPGXnvMikTxF1ss-nThwGvaQKUe4AzaDQOn04CfOewM44VizprO8M_jPPgQWklzXDO9Y1rvwb1Hnk_nkZCsqM9vw/s1600/sdwd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="326" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0HkjV2ZLW_MzPHlz13Y10bwd4gPMncg88vh0jQgZVxgHUyltafLGuPGXnvMikTxF1ss-nThwGvaQKUe4AzaDQOn04CfOewM44VizprO8M_jPPgQWklzXDO9Y1rvwb1Hnk_nkZCsqM9vw/s320/sdwd.jpg" width="208" /></a><b>The Thirteenth Home of Noah Bradley</b><br /><b>Rating</b>: 5/5<br /><b>Buy or Borrow</b>: Buy<br /><b>Source</b>: Early copy courtesy of Scholastic (<i>Released 2nd April 2020</i>)<br />
<br /><i>Moving house is no fun. And no one knows that better than Noah Bradley. A curse has forced his family to move thirteen times. Whether it's a typhoon, a flash flood or a flock of persistent birds, the curse always wins. Now, the Bradley family have just moved into their thirteenth home.</i><br />
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<i>Noah loves everything about it. He has his own room. He's made friends at school. He's happy. So when the curse returns, Noah decides that this time, there will be no more running away.</i></div>
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<i>The Bradleys are staying put... no matter what it takes.</i><br />
<i></i><br />I've been in quite the<b> reading slump </b>lately, and had been really struggling to<b> lose myself in a book</b> and forget the chaos that has gripped the world, <i>even briefly</i>. So when <i>The Thirteenth Home of Noah Bradley </i>came through my letterbox, I was <b>desperate </b>to find something to get lost in; and this book proved <b>just the thing.</b><br />
<b></b><br />The Bradley's <b>attract unexplained disasters</b>. Wherever they go,<i> chaos follows</i>. Everyone thinks it's all a strange coincidence, but the Bradley's know <b>the truth</b>. They are <i>cursed</i>, and their family curse has been following them for as long as they can remember.<br />
<br />Schoolboy Noah currently lives at Verity Close with his mother, father and younger brother Billy. Noah loved this home, but it wasn't his first. In fact, <b>it was his thirteenth</b>. But he was desperate for a "<i>forever</i>" home. A home where they didn't start seeing<b> black cats</b>, a <b>flock of birds</b> and <i>a freak accident to follow...</i><br />
<i></i><br />When Noah's dad goes away for work, Noah feels as though he's left in charge. But when the signs start appearing, <b>Noah ignores them</b>. T<i>here must be a way to stop the curse. There must be a way to stop this happening again</i>. Noah takes it upon himself to find out if he can end the Bradley family curse, and what he might have to<b> sacrifice</b> for it to be lifted...<br />
<br />I absolutely<i> adored</i> Noah. He is a <b>flaw-filled character</b>, which made him that much more believable. Noah does what he can to fit in with whatever school he's in, and at his current school, <b>he's a bit of a jerk</b>! He makes some<i> very</i> questionable decisions, and isn't the <i>nicest </i>to some of the book's integral characters - but that's what makes<b> his character arc so much more rewarding</b>.<br />
<br />Noah's younger brother, Billy, was <b>possibly my favourite character</b>. He wasn't afraid to be <i>wholeheartedly himself</i>, and I think that's a <b>great thing</b> for young readers to take away from this book. I also liked that <b>Billy was deaf</b>, but there wasn't a story around it. Usually, if a character has a disability or impairment, it's a focal point within the book - which is great, but sometimes characters are just different from the "norm", and <b>that's okay</b>.<i> I wish I had characters like this around when I was growing up</i>, and <b>coming to terms with my disability</b>.<br />
<br />This book was laced with the<b> perfect amount of magic and intrigue</b>, and really was unputdownable. Although it's clearly aimed at a younger audience, I think this book would be <b>fun for all ages</b> - and now more than ever,<i> I think we need a little magic in our lives</i>.<br />
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<br />nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657237216628890736.post-34102224570315353382020-04-08T09:00:00.000+01:002020-04-21T10:55:03.253+01:00Motivational Greeting Cards | Mid-Week Motivate & CreateHi everyone! You may have clicked on this post to<b> find some motivation</b>, to <b>gain some ideas</b>, or simply <b>get stuck in</b>, and start being creative. If you're here for any of those reasons - <i>you've come to the right place</i>! Being stuck indoors all day, without seeing friends or family, is <b>incredibly difficult</b>. So I thought I'd start a craft series to keep <b>your hands</b>, <b>and mind busy</b> during these uncertain times.<br />
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Everything I've used today (<i>and for the rest of the series</i>) is from the fabulous <a href="https://designbundles.net/">designbundles</a>. I found just looking at this website alone was enough to <b>ignite the creative spark</b> in me again. I wanted to create things that were <i>accessible</i> <i>to all</i>; and <i>fun for all</i>. So the first product I'll be making in the craft series, is<b> greeting cards</b>!<br />
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There's probably a few people in your life right now that you'd like to<b> make smile</b>, and let them know you're<b> thinking of them</b>; so I used the <a href="https://designbundles.net/designdealy/391773-motivational-quotes-svg-cut-file-bundle#gtmList=5&gtmPos=9">Motivational Quotes Bundle</a>, and <a href="https://designbundles.net/brandi-lea-designs/4417-150-hand-drawn-floral-illustrations">150 Hand-Drawn Floral Illustrations</a>, to <b>create the greeting cards</b> I'm going to show you today - and I'll be sending them to all my loved ones who I'm missing so very much right now.<br />
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I used an editing software today, called <b>PhotoFiltre</b>. It's free, and available to download online - but you could even use <i>something as simple as Paint</i>; as the files themselves are so versatile, and <b>easy to use</b>. The measurements I'm using for this post are for <b>A5 cards</b> - but you can make them any size at all!<br />
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For A5 cards, you create a new page that's <b>W</b>: 1754 and <b>H</b>: 2480. Then I simply opened the PNG files, and <b>explored them to my heart's content</b>. For my example below, I chose <i>a wreath</i> from the <b>floral bundle</b>, and the saying <i>"enjoy the little things"</i> from the <b>motivation bundle</b>. I simply copied and pasted it onto the page I had created earlier; moved them around, and resized them until I was happy. I then created another new page (<i>A4 this time</i>), which is <b>W</b>: 3508 and <b>H</b>: 2480. I copied and pasted my finished design and made sure it was on the <b>right </b>hand side of the page (<i>the left half being blank</i>). That way when you print it, it folds <b>the correct way</b>, as a normal card would. (<i>That is a mistake I learnt the hard way when first making cards!</i>)<br />
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If you're struggling with the software side of things (<i>I understand not all of us are great at navigating technology</i>) - <b>simply print </b>the files you'd like to use out, and <b>go wild </b>with some good old fashioned scissors and glue!<br />
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I made <i>several</i> designs, and had<b> a lot of fun</b> doing so. There are <b>so many options</b> to choose from using just these two bundles, and once they're printed (<i>I just used my standard printer</i>), they're lovely to <b>send messages to loved ones</b>, or for<b> children to decorate inside</b>. Mine are sitting pretty on my bookcase at the moment, and they're <i>lovely little words of encouragement </i>to look up and see. I think we could all do with a bit of positivity right now; and this is <b>the perfect way to spread it</b>, whilst keeping yourselves (<i>and little ones</i>) occupied.<br />
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Join me again<b> next Wednesday</b>, for part two of <i>Mid-Week Motivate & Create</i>! And please send me anything you make. Stay safe. </div>
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<i>Zoe x</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">THIS IS A SPONSORED POST IN COLLABORATION WITH DESIGNBUNDLES.</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />nosaferplacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572247447115593801noreply@blogger.com0