Hello 30s - Day 362 - 365 - That's it folks!

Here it is, the final installment, following the last few days, of the 365 day 'Hello 30s Project. I have enjoyed doing it immensely. Although I will never win any awards for photography (or ever intended to), it is nice to be left with a visual diary, that represents the last year. True, there isn't an awful lot of 'sitting on the edge of your seat excitement', but those things don't happen on a daily basis, some days are just, you know, days, but they are still just as lovely in their own little way. So here they are, the final days, Day 362, 363, 364, and 365. Enjoy :)


Day 362:

All packed and ready to go on the Thursday night. Rob had decided to take me to Edinburgh for my birthday weekend. I have never been to Scotland before, so it was all very exciting. We had quite an early Friday morning start though, so had to be organised, and have everything ready :)


Day 363:

By Friday afternoon we were looking over the rooftops of Edinburgh. :)


Day 364:

There was some walking involved (more on that in another post), and I thought, being in Scotland, that it was only right that I took a photo of some thistles. 


Day 365:

The Scott Monument, in Princes Street Gardens, well the top part anyway, I was a bit too close to get it all. You can walk up it, but after a fairly long walk the previous day, we didn't really fancy 287 steps, maybe another time :)


That is it! The end!


Maybe you are curious about my favourite days over the last year. Looking back over them, has made me realise just how many awesome days I have had, I feel so lucky! Here are literally just a few. 


Day 1- 5 - The Lake District for my 30th birthday, such an amazing place, and gorgeous accommodation.
Day 56 - Meeting up with Lyds, Liz and Trent at the Tate Modern, and seeing the Ai Weiwei installation, Sunflower Seeds.
Day 61 - One of numerous InMe gigs, that I went to throughout the year :)
Day 87 - pleased as punch, at the success of the giant rainbow cake I made for lyd's birthday. Even more impressive was that I managed to keep it on my lap, for the car ride over to their house. 
Day 91 - Christmas with the Johnson family - I am so lucky to have been so warmly welcomed into this family over the last 6 years, and they do Christmas so wonderfully, it is an absolute festive pleasure!
Day 105 - The Pudding Club, part of my birthday gift form Gayle and Lyds. Gluttony at is finest, I have never experienced anything quite like it.
Day 147 - Celebrating Lyds 30th birthday, with Lyds, Gayle and Sam, making cocktails at the Peacock Bar. :)
Day 224 - Celebrating Gayle's 30th with Gayle and Lyds, quaffing champagne and drinking tea, at an afternoon tea at The Athenaeum Hotel in Mayfair.
Day 245 - Going to Chessington with the Jones family. We always have fun, when my sister and her family come down to visit :)
Day 273 - Mark Watson at The West End Centre, Aldershot. Maybe the hardest I have laughed all year!
Day 286 - The whole of our week in Suffolk was glorious, but I was really drawn to Southwold. 
Day 363 - 365 - Well I couldn't miss Edinburgh could I???


And my absolute favourite day? 
Day 364, the day Rob proposed :) (More on that, Scotland and my birthday, coming shortly). 

Hello 30s - Day 88 - 98

Here is the next installment of the photo project that built up over the festive holiday :)

Day 88:These were my first christmas presents of the year, that I received from the lovely Lydia. I have already gone through a good chunk of the Kirstie book, and can't wait to have some me time, with a bottle of wine, Mr Depp, and some Vampires ;)

Day 89:I won a candle from one stop pamper shop. I haven't lit it yet, I'm saving it... probably until I have that wine a dvd marathon :) It smells gorgeous though, white chocolate, yum! I had forgotten that I had won it, so it was nice when I received a heavy parcel from the postman, and had no idea what it was :)

Day 90:I made a big batch of oaty biscuits, from a recipe my Nan used to make. I love them, they are so simple, yet so tasty!!

Day 91:Christmas Day!! I have to admit my camera was a little bit forgotten about over christmas, I kept getting distracted. We had a lovely time stopping at Rob's mum and dad's, and had a lovely christmas day visiting Rob's brother and sister-in-law, where we had the yummiest christmas meal. This was the Smoked Haddock Mousse starter, yum! It was at this point, when I started eating, that I forgot about my camera :) I wish I had remembered to take pictures of the full meal, it was glorious. Afterwards, once sat on the sofa, I literally, but happily, couldn't move! :)

Day 92:This was Rob's, Mum and Dad's lovely frosty garden. They get a huge assortment of birds flying in to feed from the goodies that have been left out. Here are some Goldfinches.

Apples proved to be very popular, the blackbirds kept fighting over them, amongst themselves, and with some Fieldfares.

Day 93: We had some lazy days once we got back home, where we didn't do very much at all :) So I took some photos of some of the treats we received over christmas. Every year Rob's mum creates her own christmas crackers, and buys a gift to go in each. This year all the boys received a mechanical tin toy car. I love it, I have a things about tin toys. We are having a sort out at the minute, but once there is a shelf free of christmas decor, this car is going on it.

This was part of our present from Rob's brother and his wife, Sandra always makes wonderful jams and chutneys. We are already half way through the nectarine relish, and there is only two halves of Nectarines in brandy syrup left, as I keep eating them with Nigella's cinnamon french toast - yum!!! I'm thinking that I might make some more oat biscuits, but try adding some of the pear honey...

Day 94:Rob's sister-in-law, knitted me this wonderful scarf. It is so pretty, I can't get over it.

I love the colours and the texture, it looks like it must have been pretty complicated, having said that I think Sandra can knit anything, she's a knitting whiz!

These are what the individual strands look like, I have no idea how she managed to knit with it without sending her eyes funny, or losing patience!

Day 95:This was an extra christmas day meal gift from Sandra. It is a gorgeous little brooch from Silk Purse, Sow's Ear on Folksy. I am so taken with it, I think I might collect some of the other designs in the shop :)

This was my cracker present from Rob's Mum and Dad, a pretty silver star bracelet, it is absolutely gorgeous! I did feel so lucky on Christmas Day, to receive so many pretty thing to cherish.

Here is my Folksy Secret Santa present. Tell me who can deny loving bunting? Not me that is for sure. It is beautifully made, with patterned fabrics on one side and a plain purple on the other, I am chuffed to bits. Thank you to my Secret Santa Miss Baclart. :)

Here is my present from Rob's oldest brother and wife, lots and lots of gorgeous smelling things. I'm trying to be good and use up all of my left over bit and pieces, but don't we all just want to jump in, and start using brand new, filled to the brim, colourful bottles?

Day 96:I imagine we weren't the only ones that decided that new goodies, means a clear out is needed. This is what happened to out spare room, when we decided to clear out the attic. It remained like this for two days, I couldn't seem to make a dent in it!

Day 97:New Years Eve! We were invited over to friends, for the yummiest food and games. We had a lovely time, this was taken in the middle of a Raving Rabbids game. Rob is the one that looks very competitive :) I found out that I can cook and toss a steak very well, but am unable to play drums or race :)

Day 98:New Year's Day! Still at out friend's house. Technically we had gone into New Year's Day at this point, and while our friends wiped the floor with us playing Articulate, their cute little puppy Memphis tried to see if he could reach his tail - not quite!

Happy New Year! & Hello 30s - Day 76 - 87

Happy New Year! I hope you are all well, and excited about the year ahead. I have enjoyed a wonderfully relaxed festive period, and I am now attempting to get back in the swing of things. I am about 20 photos behind with my photo project now, Christmas kind of got in the way, so I need to do a serious update, it will be split into two parts. Here is Day 76 - 87.

Day 76:It must have been a computer day, as this is the view from the spare room window, I just thought the sky looked pretty :)

Day 77:It's that bloke with the guitar again. This was our fourth and final InMe gig of the last month, have to say thanks to Lydia for the photo, as I forgot my camera.

Day 78:We put our christmas tree up. It is actually quite late for me, I'm a first weekend in December kind of girl usually, but this was the second weekend! It is only a fake little tree, but I love it, it is fat and really colourful :)

Day 79:Researching bungalows for my parents, they are hoping that the New Year brings them a relocation.

Day 80:This isn't a very exciting image I know, but if you had seen what that corner looked like before I tidied it, you would understand. It took a whole afternoon, just to tidy a corner of craft supplies!

Day 81:
These are the christmas lights inside the shopping and cinema complex in Camberley. We were going to see Harry Potter, and they frown upon you taking photos of films, so I took this while waiting for our friends. It made me feel rather festive, I had made a lot of presents this year, and bought online in advance, so had missed the general christmas hustle and bustle, but there is something quite nice about it all. I loved Harry Potter too, I felt a little let down by the last couple of films, but felt this one had picked up it's game a fair bit.

Day 82:One of Lydia's presents was Coconut Ice, we gave here a whole box, but unfortunately there was a whole plate left over, oh no! ;)

Day 83: After all the practicing, I finally created a tin of rather lovely Turkish Delight. I was really quite proud, then what did it go and do? That's right, it snowed, so my mum never got it :( , so I had to give it away to people instead.

However, now that I am practically a Turkish Delight pro, I will make my mum some more for when we go to visit :)

Day 84:Snowman! I would like to claim I made it, but I didn't, I could just see it from my window. Every time we have snow I remind myself that I really need to get myself some suitable footwear for snow, so I can go out and play in it :)

Day 85:Lydia's final present arrived for her 30th birthday. With all the snow and post delays, I was thinking it would be hopeless, but it arrived, and the postman received some of that turkish delight for making me very happy.

Day 86:I spent the day baking cakes - yes most of the day. Yes, it is supposed to be blue.

Day 87:We took Lydia's birthday cake, presents, and christmas presents round to her house.

It was the biggest rainbow cake she had ever seen. Lee May Foster from Bonbi Forest had made such a cake, and posted a photo on her blog, and when I saw it, I knew that Lydia would love it, and I had, had it in mind ever since. Thank you to Lee May.

Even I was a little impressed by it, I am all cake baked out now though!

Next update to follow very soon!

Hello 30s - Day 44 - 54

This is another huge update!

Day 44:
I had been sorting out the kitchen cupboards, and had found lots of left over bits and pieces, so decided to make some bird cakes. Here they are hardening up in the fridge.

Day 45:
I decided to get a bit experimental with polymer clay, I want to start making some more pendants. This was my first attempt, although the second and third were much better :)

Day 46:
More experimenting with polymer, those sugary colours make it look good enough to eat right?

Day 47:
The first of the christmas presents are wrapped. I was seeing my friend Liz, as she was over from Germany, so I thought I would get myself organised, and have her presents ready so I didn't have to risk losing them in the post :)

Day 48:
Empty bottle... We are trying to save money at the minute, so rather than buying a bottle of wine, we decided to drink what we already had in the house. This was the strawberry vodka we picked up at the food fair in Cockermouth :)

Day 49:
Goodies arrived for me to play with!

Day 50:
I don't actually find myself sanding that often, but when I do, it feels like it is all I ever do. There was the usual sanding of skin from fingers - ouch!

Day 51:
This was me planning my trip into London, I always take my trusty map book with me in case the tube is down and I have to rely on buses or something. As it turned out it was an easy walk and I didn't need it, but I like to be prepared.

Day 52:
There has been lots of amusement this week for myself and Ollie the cat, created from a piece of pink ribbon. There were some better shots, but I felt this really captured the action.

Day 53:
Boyfriend really does make the best venison, bacon, cheese and onion relish burgers! :)

Day 54:
I have started some graphics work for a christmas concert, I am currently trying to work out out to make lengthy carols fit onto one page - eek!

Hello 30s - Day 35 - 38

Day 35:I thought I would have loads of images to choose from today, as we went out for a girlie meal and chat. The chat turned out to be the problem, there was so much that I forgot all about my camera until we were being thrown out the pub at the end of the night, so a quick pic of one side of the dessert board it was - incidently I had chocolate fudge cake, and it was very nice.

Day 36:
That appears to be a rather iconic eye??? First bought christmas present of the year, well actually not the first bought, but the first to be in my possession. The first bought is from that high street store that begins in N and ends in T, who are being a bit disappointing :(

Day 37:
No it hasn't suddenly snowed :( , I was defrosting the freezer, but got all distracted by pretty ice :)

Day 38:I live in a reasonably built up area, but this what I can see out the window when I wake up in the morning. It struck me when I opened my eyes this morning, that I really am quite lucky :)