October Life Update: A Lot Of Ramblings

Hi readers,

So last week I was ill and couldn't write. I had also spent the whole day in Leeds and arrived back late, so I was super tried too. I've been at work today and I'm not much in the mood to write now, but I wanted to post a little about a mix of things instead of missing another week. So here's a very rambling life update.

First off the Steampunk fair was really good. It was the biggest I'd ever gone to and I brought a lot of things, including Christmas presents for my mum. There was a lot of things to see and do even though I was actually ill on the day, but I still had a good time. I was not able to take as many photos as I wanted, so I've only got a few and no good ones of me wearing my costume! This photo above is the view from the top floor of the hotel we were in. I loved seeing all the city lights.

I totally needed a new camera! Also a new computer screen or two as my second screen is just dying. I'm still in debate about getting a laptop too. It would be nice to curl on the sofa or in bed and write. Especially as the nights are getting colder.

Anyway, here are some of things I brought and some business cards I collected;

I really like this candle jar. It's so petty and also looks easy to make, but you can't put a real candle in it because there's paper inside. I might have a go at making one myself. 

I brought the wolf and Toronto key chains together because they were so cute and cheap! The tree of of life my date - soon to be boyfriend!- brought me and I'm so thinking of turning it into a necklace as it would look way better and also I'd love to wear it instead of just carrying it around with me. The actual necklace, which didn't come up that well is a Steampunk style heart with keys and gears, it looks really nice, but not overly Steampunk, so I can wear it often.  

This gnomes were too cute to leave behind! I got the red one of my mum and the brown one of me. I love how they seem to be steampunked with those large goggles. Mine is currently sat on my desk with the clay dragons I got last time.

Also, I couldn't leave this guy behind! He's a battle toad drawn by this very out of the box artist. He also told me he was working on battle snail and I'd have loved to have brought that too. Have to watch out for it next time. 

My collection of business cards and flyers. Some of them might come in handy for connected people. 

With it being October now I've started Halloween! I've already got a few decorations and yesterday I had my first practice at making gingerbread. I need to improve on my icing skills though, but they did turn out okay and they are very tasty. I also made flapjack and I swear taking good photos of food is hard! I've got a few plans building for Halloween too, so hopefully I'll write about them soon.

To tie into this tomorrow, I'm going to be making soap with the young people at the youth center. I say make but really I mean melt and pour stuff, which makes life so much easier. The kids are going to love it and I got ghosts and bat shapes for them to make. Also, taking photos of clear soap is hard. I so need a good camera! Maybe an idea for Christmas.

Speaking of I've already started shopping! Mum and I are doing the advent calendar bags again and we are also doing the Christmas Eve luckily dip. I've had a great idea to make lip scrub and festive shaped soap. Can't wait to start that! I think I'm more excited about Christmas then Halloween this year because of all the things I want to make.

I'm also applying for a new job. Actually it's at the place I work and part-time, so it's going to be real suitable for me. It's receptionist, front of house and a bit of admin, basically it's what I've been volunteering as for the last few months. I need to finish off my application tomorrow now and get it sent in. I'm going to get an interview anyway, but I need to try and my best. It'll be useful to have another job anyway and lucky for me if it's in the place I'm at now.

Recently, I've been enjoying watching autumn settle in, especially in my garden. We put out food for the birds and I love watching them coming and eating. We mainly have blue tits, coal tits, greater tits and black birds. I've yet to see the robin though.

We also have a squirrel or a few! Most people see them as vermin and invading the homes red squirrels which are native to England. But I still like them and find them interesting creatures.

I think they delight in teasing my dog though! She is forever wanting to go out and chase them. She is a terrier too and so has that urge more stronger then other dogs. I think this squirrel was a young one and s/he was burying their nuts under the rocks. I just find them so cute!

Lastly, I'm having a hard time reading The Vampire Lestat. I forgot how long and going on with itself it can be! I still love it and due to the chapters find it an easier layout then Interview With A Vampire, but my deadline of finishing was actually to day and I'm only about a quarter through! I don't know if I'll finish it in two weeks time when I'm now meant to be reviewing it. Then it's Halloween and the review of Queen of the Damned, which I don't think I'm going to get read in two-ish weeks either. So I'm not sure what to do.... I guess find other posts to fill the gaps or not write on those days. Have to figure it out.

I think that's it! Thanks for reading.

Monthly Update January

Hi readers, 

This is my first end of the month update post! And yes, I know its a bit over due now, but for some reason I thought it was the 31st January on Sunday and thus had another day to write, when actually it was on a Saturday! So, I did gather my photos and half start writing and then I just got thrown into doing other tasks and have now only just be able to come back to try and finish/post this up. Anyway, I decided the easiest way to do this would be to divided things up into different sections and just write a paragraph or so about them. So, here it is.

Books

I'm currently reading all the above books; Little Women, Cloud Of Sparrows, The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror Volume 22 and The Kick-Ass Writer. Which I know is bad because I'd probably have more chance at finishing at finishing just one then all of them! However, I started reading Little Women on my Kindle and because I read mainly before I go to sleep, having to read off another screen when I've spent all day starting at one or more, is just getting to me. That's why I started on Cloud Of Sparrows, which has surprisingly turned out to be a very interesting book. I started the New Horror book some time last year and having been dipping in and out of the collection of short stories ever since. It's good way to get me in the mood for writing my own, when I need it. The last book was one I got for Christmas and I've been attempting to read it for further inspiration, it sits on my desk along the Horror one. I'll be reviewing all of these in the future, though I'm not stating any dates right now.    

Writing 

As well as writing a daily short story every day for my sister blog The Story Files on Wordpress, I've been working on my novella Church and chapter 3. I had some difficulty writing a fighting scene and have had to ask a number of different people for advice. Which is not like me, but I knew it wasn't right, but I didn't know what to change. They offered me just what I needed and I was able to go back and edit the chapter. It's now ready to be published in a few weeks time. For those of you that don't know about it, Church is the story of Blaze, a warrior angel who has become trapped on Earth, though he doesn't understand why. I've included the link below if you want to check it out. The image is one I used for chapter 2, by the way. I've not been doing anything else right now, though I am currently trying to get ahead in writing short stories to free up some more time for when I'm away and also for writing chapter 4. Feel free to check out my short stories. https://thestoryfiles.wordpress.com/category/church-novella/

Work

I've a paid job now! I work as an activity supporter at my local youth center, where I've been volunteering for the last two years. I only do one day a week right now, but hopefully that'll increase soon enough. So, I help to run and I run my own arts and crafts sessions and I work with 8-12 year olds. We make things like the pen holders below, felt toys and scent pouches. As well as drawings and other paper things. I'm currently leading a recycling project right now and plan to make other things out of cardboard boxes and tubes. I really am enjoying my job because its something that allows me to have a good level of freedom and to be myself. It also meets my creative needs and allows me time to write as well. I'm also mega happy to have finally found a job!   

Music of the month 

I've been listening to a lot of music this month, though most of it is the normal things I listen to whilst writing such as 12 Stones and Five Finger Death Punch. There's something about their music that just inspires me and helps to to write. I also like listening to a lot of different natural sounds like the fall of rain, burning fire and wind sounds. It helps to relax me and allows me to focus more on what I'm working on because it blocks everything else out and the noise is a constant thing. I've been listening to a lot of Bon Jovi too recently. Not sure why, but it's phrase I'm going though. I'm also branching out into some new music, so i might give this section a more closer look next month.  

General/home

I'm currently doing a teaching course, which is the PTLLS one. It'll mean I can teach choice subjects in anywhere but a school/college. I'm not sure what I'm going to use it for right now, but its a good step on the teaching ladder, plus some of the skills I'm getting are useful in my job right now as some aspects of that does involve teaching. I've got some essays to get writing though and they are proving hard to do. Sure I'll get there soon enough though.

I've been making a teddy bear out of an old pair of denim jeans, but he so didn't turn out like the pattern and I've not finished him yet. I'm not too keen on him actually and I've made better things. Though it seems I'm good with felt but not much else! I guess I'm still a novice at all this sewing and creating though and its going to take more time to learn the skills and remember what I've to do. I'll try and carry on, but finding any spare time at the minute is getting harder.   

Lastly, I've been looking forward to it snowing, but so far we've not had a lot and its not stuck around! I do love the snow, but I don't like going out in it because of all the difficulties. I'm still hoping it'll snow more soon though. Maybe next time I write, it will have snowed some more? Anyway that's the end of this month's update. Here's one of my dogs, Sindy, enjoying the snow in my back garden to end things on.  

Images from: 

January poster, http://www.dreamstime.com/illustration/january.html

Book covers, author's own

Abandoned St Etienne Church, France, http://imgur.com/owSErIU

Tin can pen holders, http://diyandcraftsideas.com/diy-crafts/how-to-design-and-make-diy-pen-holder/

Album covers, author's own

Jean Bear,  author's own 

Sindy dog in the snow, author's own