Tales: An Under-developed Side To The Blog.

Hi Everyone!

When I started this blog, I never really intended for it to just be nail based. I wanted somewhere to post my random twitterings. You know, just general life stuff. Things I think about and things I do. I hope you don't mind but I would really like to get that side of things going a bit more.

I'm going to start with a list. I love lists. I rarely write them down, I just keep a random jumble of things floating in my head. When I do write them down, I end up with scraps of tatty paper that get lost and disappear for a few months.

This list is a list of things I want to do. They're not life changing things, just little things - but they will make me happy.

1) Work on my garden and spend more time outside. 

I am not a gardener. I am not a carer of plants. I am traditionally a neglect-er of plants. I feed myself, my husband, and my cats. I forget about the plants (they don't cry when they're hungry). I do like being outside though.

For about five years now, I have wanted a chiminea. But, the thought of spending £100+ on something for the garden made me feel a bit queasy. In a local bargain store, I saw a small one on sale for about £30. So I bought it. That's right people, I spent money on something other than nail polish! And now I'm inspired.

My garden can be quite pretty - but it needs a bit of maintenance. The weather has left the grass and plants looking a bit wild. There are old bird tables that need to go, and plants that need a new home so I can reclaim my patio table. I want to transfer my random herbs into hanging baskets. And boy, do I need to do some weeding.

I am going to try and find a way of tidying the garden up - with a limited budget. I want to be able to entertain outside with a fire burning (and a glass of wine in my hand). I want to eat meals out on my tiny patio. I want to barbecue without it being a chore. And I want to save my husband's strawberry plants from the evil slugs!

 

Hello!!

2) Be more creative!

I recently made a small typography poster for my sister and brother-in-law, who were married last April (wooo!). I haven't created any permanent artwork (nail art is so temporary) for so long, which is a shame. I'm not amazing or anything, but I do have a few canvases and sketches that I'm proud of. And it's such an easy way to update our home, with a few new splashes of colour. I like the feeling that I have accomplished something - even if it's only something small.

The un-finished article! Trust me to forget to take a pic when it was complete!

So, painting, sketching, typography, knitting (badly - but it's a good stress-reliever), cross stitching, printing out photos and framing them. Even re-purposing my old kitchen cabinets and giving it a new lease of life. It may not be perfect, but it will be mine. I have ideas, and inspiration. All I need is to save a bit of cash and get going. It may not get done quickly, but even Rome wasn't built in a day!


3) Eat more healthily!

I love food. I love it. But I have a terrible relationship with it. I eat all of the wrong things and I comfort eat when I'm down. I am overweight. I'm likely to stay overweight until I decide to love exercise more than lounging, but I can make a small change. I can make better meal choices.

My husband trained as a chef. He has worked in two Michelin starred restaurants, but he doesn't cook. (And left that industry long before we met.) If he makes our evening meal, it normally has chips with it. If I am too tired to cook, I shove a pizza in the oven. Or chips, again. I'll admit that. This has been changing slowly. I have moved to rice or pasta based meals a lot more. They are my 'I'm too tired to cook' meals now. The rest of the time, there will be a lot more vegetables in our diet. I'm trying new recipes and cooking healthier choices. This isn't a diet, and I'm not on some massive weight-loss kick. I'll still be eating cakes, crisps and chocolate, but I will be eating better meals in the evening. Something more interesting and tasty, hopefully! And something that will bring more nutrients to our diet.

Homemade Guacamole, anyone? It was gooooood!!

Picked fresh from my own garden - so tasty!

That's it for now, but I'm sure more things will pop up! It will be nice to have something to focus on, and to stimulate me. It's easy to fall into a complacent rut and neglect things you love. I just want to be able to enjoy my surroundings that bit more, and feel better in myself!

What do you do to feel good about yourself? Do you have any hints, tips or suggestions? Let me know!

Love Charlotte x