Morning

Do you find it difficult to get up on cold and wintery mornings like these? Is the dark, warm cocoon of your bed impossible to leave. Do you struggle to open your eyes and greet the day with any form of joy?

Try something for me... if your room allows it... move your bed. 

Just catch it and drag it over near the window. Crack your window a little when you go to bed each night. A slightly cool bedroom results in better sleep as your body's internal temperature needs to drop in order to fall asleep. You also have a constant supply of fresh air circulating in your bedroom. The slight increase in the brightness in your room also helps you to wake up more effectively as your body's biological clock is programmed to rise with the sun. This results in your body knowing when it's time to wake up and being ready for it. 

When I moved into my new place I really wanted to keep my room feeling a spacious as possible so I pushed the bed into the bay window in my room. It took a little tweaking of the blinds to make sure that the rising sun didn't hit me in the face each morning, and that the streetlight outside my window didn't keep me awake into the wee hours of the morning. The result has been wonderful though. I'm usually only lightly dozing by the time my alarm kicks off in the morning and it's no longer a chore to drag myself from the bed.

Try it. 

A Date Idea

So I was pottering about the Farmers Market in the University today and I decided that I was going to treat myself to a brownie. I ambled up to my favourite bakery stall, batted my lashes at the owner and asked, pretty please, if I could have a corner brownie... I love edges... chewy goodness. And of course being the wonderful and customer pleasing baker that he is he obliged my request. His laughter at my request turned into a quick chat about business in general. Mr Baker informed me that he was going to be opening a cafe/bakery in Limerick city soon... In the Milk Market... In June (shameless plug). To which I replied that  as a loyal Facebook fan of his company I already knew about it. So we fell into chatting about different bits of information about his new cafe. He said that he was thinking of possibly doing a late opening night but that he wasn't too sure yet whether it would be a good idea.

To which I replied.... Go For It! 

We all know of my love of coffee here, and also my fondness for cake... so the potential to combine them both...  at night time... WIN

So I started chatting to Mr Baker about having a Cake Date night once a week... as an alternative to a night in the pub, or a trip to the cinema, or having to stare at each other for two hours over dinner. What do you think? Would if fly as an idea? Do you think that you would enjoy a night out... aromatic coffee... twinkling fairylights... ambient music... a piece of cake? Or maybe even having a 'Cake Date' special - two drinks and a taster plate of mini cake slices to share... maybe three flavours, two forks and just one plate? 

Or course this is all still very hypothetical and made up in my head for now but I'm sure that with enough people interested we could persuade Mr Baker to go with it. At the moment there are few venues in Limerick for people to enjoy their evening away from the pub and while a cozy night tucked away in a pub snug is hard to beat sometimes a body just wants an alternative... what do you think? 

Do you like cake?

One Handed Entertainment

Very recently a good friend of mine broke her arm in a fall. I haven't been able to call to see her cause she's in another city but from our online chats, and texts I can tell that she is already super bored of sitting still. Just before Christmas my brother was also in an accident and ended up getting in cast on his arm too. He was equally frustrated with sitting around and waiting to heal. So I thought that I would list a couple of things that you can do one handed that would keep you a little entertained. Most of these suggestions are gender neutral but some will be more for the ladies...

Try out a new nail polish. Prettify your toes. When you are feeling kinda yuck and icky because it's a pain in the ass to take a shower without getting your cast wet at least you can look down and smile at your pretty toes. I recommend good quality cling film to keep your cast dry or one of these shower sleeves if you don't have someone to put on the cling film for you.

Make a personal cookbook out of all your favourite recipes.  You know all  of those great sounding recipes that you have been bookmarking for ages? And those family favourites that you keep meaning to write down and put somewhere safe? Well now is the time to get through it all. Make a scrapbook style book, or type them out and print out your own cook book.

Write letters to far flung friends. We all have friends who have emigrated. Spend a little time writing them a thoughtful letter. There's nothing quite like a hand written letter to make someone feel special. The content is a little irrelevant... it's the significance of sending something that you took time out of your day to created that counts.

Pick out your favourite TV show and re-watch those box sets. I remember visiting Mr. T when he lived in the wilds of Connemara, without any TV or internet connection. While he was at work all day I entertained myself by watching all six seasons of Sex and the City. Sure... you might get fed up of hearing the theme tune after the first 15 episodes but you get to live in the shoes of your favourite characters for a little while again. 

Start a new book series. Buy them online and feel excited when the postman arrives. I love getting a parcel from the postman and knowing that I can't get stuck into a new book until I get home from work drives me crazy... You're off work... you can get stuck in right now. I recommend The Book Depository for their free shipping policy and the fact that they send each book out separately so that you don't have to wait for any order that is currently out of stock.

Start a tumblr or pinterest boards of all your favourite images. All of those pictures that you love to look at and that inspire you... will probably inspire others. Imagine how cute you'll feel after spending a whole afternoon looking at pictures of puppies and kittens, and other cute and wonderful things. Create a collection of images to inspire your next holiday, once you get all healed... or your ideal house interior... or your favourite pieces of artwork.

Catch up on your blog reading... or start a blog. I lived without internet connection for the Christmas season and when I got back online in the New Year I found over 2,000 blog posts to catch up on. Whew... I've only managed to clear them in the past week or so. While you're off work you can browse through all your favourite blogs, leaving comments and checking out links to your hearts content. 

Most of all remember that your friends are there for you. You are not a burden. If you need help with something... however mundane... just ask. Don't fill your day by eating junk food or drinking soft drinks... you will not heal quickly unless you feed your body good, clean food. Get a little fresh air every day. Ask the people who bring you a lovely bunch of flowers to put them into a vase and onto a table so that you can enjoy looking at them. Get plenty of sleep. Try to keep a good routine... you will have to go back to work at some stage and you don't want to have to reset your body clock from spending countless nights online and watching TV. Let people know that you appreciate the nice things that they are doing for you. Don't moan to the people who visit you about how crap your life is... there will always be someone worse off than you. But don't feel like you can't talk honestly to your friends about feeling down about your situation. Do your physical therapy exercises. 

Hope you feel better soon!

After Eight

The Christmas chocolate season is finally over - I confess that I have only finished my selection box over the weekend. I am such a hoarder. And in hindsight I can say that my favourite holiday sweets are, without a doubt, After Eights. Just yum! 

I have always been a sucker for all things mint chocolatey and After Eights are just the pinnacle of minty, chocolatey, gooey decadence. I love them so much I am starting to be drawn to all things mint and chocolate... even room interiors.

Isn't the combination of fresh and sweet mint green just perfect with the warmth of chocolate brown? Touches of gold give a sense of glamor and  breaking the room up with cream and white stop it becoming too sickly.

 

Keeping a room airy and light with an abundance of mirrors. Removing the curtains, as long as you have no nosy neighbors, lets in maximum light.  

 

Texture adding gold accents make a cool coloured room warm and luxurious.  

 

Let your furniture make an impact by situating it in a simple, paired down room.

Pretty Walls

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Today I'm getting the feeling that a collection of something pretty on my wall might be a good idea. I really love the idea of random letters spread over an entire wall, but the small, very pretty frames are so cute for a bedroom.

What do you think about the idea of a large collection being displayed on a wall?

Junior Fritz Jacquet Faces

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I spotted these amazing faces over at Recyclart. Would you believe that they are made from toilet paper rolls?! Fantastic work from Junior Fritz Jacquet.

Self Love

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Mr T says that I need to learn to love myself more and to be happier in my own skin.

Any suggestions?

I've been reading some great posts over at Already Pretty and Sal has a way of putting her posts together that has really helped me to see inner beauty. I've taken up swimming lately, not to lose weigh but just for the joy of swimming, and I've started spending more time in the company of good friends.

What else can anyone recommend to keep the self love ball rolling?

Zubbles

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This is the coolest toy ever! Zubbles are the only coloured, non-staining bubbles in the world. How fantastic would it be to head to the park for the afternoon and just blow bubbles to your hearts content. But at $15 for two bottles you need to blow wisely.

View Master!

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This is THE coolest wedding invite I have ever seen! Please please check out their story over at Offbeat Bride.

List It

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There is something wonderfully comforting about creating lists.

Shopping lists - To do lists - Wish lists

Today I hope to put together a major, and minor, to do list, and then I hope to knock off some of the things on the list too.

Here's to Happiness - Rockstar Diaries

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This post created by Naomi over at Rockstar Diaries has been lauded all over the blog sphere, and I thought it was time to share it you.

Here were my 10 things that make me happy

1. the smell of the sea
2. jasmine
3. french frys and ketchup
4. Mr T's blue jumper
5. fresh coffee
6. sand between my toes
7. playing with a puppy
8. getting completely lost in a great book
9. apple crumble
10. bedtime kisses from Mr T

And today I sat down and created a new 10

1. cuddling a dog
2. wrapping myself up in a very soft blanket
3. when Mr T snuggles up to me in bed
4. a really good chocolate cookie
5. fig scented candles
6. watching leaves and blossoms falling from trees
7. finding affordable bras that fit really well
8. dinner with friends
9. ketchup
10. squishing sand with my toes

Isn't it amazing which things change and which stay the same? Seemingly all I need in life is a dog, some sand and a bottle of ketchup.

What are the 10 things that make you happy?

House of Vision

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I want to live in a Japanese house with an indoor swing.

The Curiosity Shoppe

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How cool are these!

I spotted these switch and socket plates over at Freshome but you can buy them from The Curiosity Shoppe for only $9.

They were designed by the Design Glut team and you can purchase from their own shop for only $8.

IKEA

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I'm so sorry for not posting yesterday but our road trip adventure will be revealed shortly.

Hugs & Kisses

Linx & Keetwonen

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Richard Barnwall is a recent graduate from the National College of Art and Design.

The project above was designed as his Final Year Project.
Linx is a 20' shipping container redesigned to be used as temporary shelter for workers on a construction site.

I love this project, I love that he is making good use from objects that are already manufactured. Wouldn't this be a great idea to modify for student housing, like Amsterdam's massive Keetwonen complex, which houses 1,000 students.



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Designed by Tempo Housing in 2006, Keetwonen is said to be a roaring success, with units that are well insulated, surprisingly quiet and comfortable.

Lazy Day

I found this here and really want to go to the shop to buy a bag of M&M's to try it out.

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Survival of the fittest M&Ms

(from someone who definitely has too much time on their hands)

Whenever I get a package of plain M&Ms, I make it my duty to continue the strength and robustness of the candy as a species. To this end, I hold M&M duels.

Taking two candies between my thumb and forefinger, I apply pressure, squeezing them together until one of them cracks and splinters. That is the "loser," and I eat the inferior one immediately. The winner gets to go another round.

I have found that, in general, the brown and red M&Ms are tougher, and the newer blue ones are genetically inferior. I have hypothesized that the blue M&Ms as a race cannot survive long in the intense theater of competition that is the modern candy and snack-food world.

Occasionally I will get a mutation, a candy that is misshapen, or pointier, or flatter than the rest. Almost invariably this proves to be a weakness, but on very rare occasions it gives the candy extra strength. In this way, the species continues to adapt to its environment.

When I reach the end of the pack, I am left with one M&M, the strongest of the herd. Since it would make no sense to eat this one as well, I pack it neatly in an envelope and send it to M&M Mars, A Division of Mars, Inc., Hackettstown, NJ 17840-1503 U.S.A., along with a 3x5 card reading, "Please use this M&M for breeding purposes."

This week they wrote back to thank me, and sent me a coupon for a free 1/2 pound bag of plain M&Ms. I consider this "grant money." I have set aside the weekend for a grand tournament. From a field of hundreds, we will discover the True Champion.

There can be only one.

Uros Vitas

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Uros Vitas, based in Belgrade, Serbia, has designed the MIESROLO, a dynamic cantilevered chair which can be rolled up for storage. Uros is the kind of designer you would love to hate because he came up with the idea before you could but it would be impossible to hate someone as talented as him.

I really hope this piece goes into production.

You can follow some of his work here on the University of Belgrade blog.

Bathroom Breaks

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I spotted this over at notcot and think it's a great idea.

A Polaroid camera instead of a mirror, to let you know exactly how you look. It might not be suitable for everywhere, or be cost effective but it is nifty!

Nifty is my word of the day.