Project 365 2015 #17

After a chilly start the sun shone again for most of week 17 of Project 365 2015

Project 365 #17

 

Day 109

A chilly Sunday up at Dyrham Park today. It was just me and the boys and we had a lovely time on the Prospect Walk and finally discovered the newly open Terraces and Hollow Ways play area - which we all loved!

Day 110

The warmth returned today and I spent a bit of time pottering in the garden. The flowers outside my shack are coming along well.

Day 111

The boy requested school shorts and today was a worthy day to wear them. It was so warm with perfect blue skies again.

Day 112

After work it was garden time and the husband has discovered a good use for all his takeaway coffee cups. These two hold banana mint.

Day 113

Another lovely day - I was so glad the cloudy forecast was wrong. More time after work in the garden and my tulips are blooming well and the alliums are on their way.

Day 114

Friday evening and another session with the foam roller and a good round of stretches. I'm aiming for a short run on Sunday to test the leg and knee. Fingers crossed.

Day 115

Today I decided to have a room switch - as you do. We have a small conservatory which I cleared out - basically boxes and boxes of Lego - and put the dining table in there ready for summer eating. Now I have a desire to smash out the chimney breast for a woodburner. One day.

 



 

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Project 365 2015 #16

The sunshine continued into week 16 of Project 365 2015.
I tried to keep shining myself for the return to school.

Project 365 #16

Day 102
Another one of those lovely lazy Sundays where the kiddos happily played, this time with their old wooden train set, and I realised they are actually still so young. Even though I swear it was only yesterday they were babies.
Day 103
Back to school for the children - they were not impressed. After school we headed out into the garden where the train set was set up on the patio. I wandered down to the end of the garden and was so happy to see my tulips starting to make an appearance!
Day 104
The walk to school today took us past a beautiful hedgerow in blossom. This is what I love about the walk to school - you notice the shifting of the seasons all around you.
Day 105
Thank goodness for the sunshine today for my return to work after the holidays! It was a day for shades and The Killers at full blast for the morning drive to work.
Day 106
This evening the girl noticed the sunflowers seeds were starting to grow!
Day 107
Finally the scaffolding is up for some much needed roof repair work. Now, when we have bad weather, we can hopefully rest easy without the worry about incoming water into the children's bedrooms!
Day 108
Another beautiful Spring day and we went for a walk along the Kennet and Avon canal. The sun shone and the sky was clear blue. Perfect.



 

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Inkly Cards App Review

I am a real sucker for some good old fashioned post and regularly send 'happymail' cards and letters to my collection of pen pals. I love sending cards or a postcard just because! However, I have been known to leave birthday cards to the last minute with no opportunity to get to a shop in time to buy, then write and post it. So, I love the idea of the Inkly App.

The Inkly Cards App has 1000s of different designs for all occasions that you can personalise, upload pictures to and even add your own handwriting, all through the use of a very straightforward app, available on both Apple and Android.

To try it out I selected a photo card. The process of choosing photos from my iPad was simple and the app allowed me to play around with images, positioning and filters until I had my favourite selection. An additional image could also be printed inside. You can choose from a selection of fonts for the message or you can take a photo of your own handwritten message if you want a more personal touch. I chose to play around with the fonts.

There is a choice of envelope colours and the name and address can either be printed via a font or your own handwriting.

I sent my card to the husband so I could see for myself the quality and time it took to get here - I ordered it Thursday afternoon and it arrived Friday morning. The card did not disappoint and it is now proudly on display!

To find out more visit http://www.inkly.com/.

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Disclaimer: I received a free code to use from Inkly Cards. As always, all views and opinions are my own.

Project 365 2015 #15

What a difference the weather has been for week 15 of Project 365!
The sun came out just in time for Easter Day and Bank Holiday Monday and lasted the rest of the week.

Project 265 #15

Day 95
Easter Sunday and we headed out to Lacock for an Easter egg trail. It was a lovely stroll around the gardens of the Abbey looking for planetary clues before swapping our trail sheets for the obligatory Egghead! Then it was back home for more chocolate from the Grandparents. I was super good with a 5km run!
Day 96
Bank Holiday Monday and the sun shone - so much I managed my first tan line of 2015. I must be more careful. Hubby had to go to work for the morning so me and the kiddos tackled the front garden then on his return we headed off to B&Q to buy plants. The girl upcycled her old leaky wellies with lovely Violas.
Day 97
A quiet morning in whilst the boiler and our hot water system were finally fixed, so hopefully no more cold morning showers! Later I took the kiddos on a scoot/walk - we did my 5km route and don't think I'll be running it with either of them quite yet! Back home the evening sun landed on our patio and I picked some more daffodils, and grape hyacinths, whilst those final Spring flowers are around.
Day 98
I had to go into school this morning to do some sorting out and setting up - a holiday is never quite a holiday! The remainder of the day was family time and we went to the cinema to see Cinderella followed by fish and chips beneath the blossom trees and watching the sunset at a fantastic nearby farm shop.
Day 99
Spring visit to Stourhead today where we picnicked in the sun by the lake.
Day 100
A day to catch up with my lovely friend who lives far too far away for my liking! We drank tea, had a lovely lunch and had one of those all important girly chats whilst the children played all day.
Day 101
A bit of a lazy Saturday today with a library and Waitrose visit. The boy had a party and I caught the girl, dressed up in her bridesmaid dress, contemplating something as she stood in the back door.

 

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Square-Snaps Review & Polaroid Style Prints Giveaway

 

I have been a huge fan of Instagram prints and for a long time have wanted to print off a selection of Polaroid style prints to display at home. Therefore, I was really pleased to be offered the chance to review the service at Square-Snaps.com and give you, my lovely readers, the opportunity to win 50 Polaroid style prints in a giveaway!

Ordering the snaps is straightforward, with the choice to upload directly from your Instagram account or use photos stored on your computer, but to make things easier I would have a list ready of the photos you want before you start the selection process.
I placed my order late Wednesday night and it arrived, very well packaged, on Saturday - following the Good Friday holiday.

 

Each pack of prints was sandwiched between two pieces of thick card and paper and securely wrapped within a well padded silver jiffy bag. The prints themselves are sturdy, which is good news if you want to peg them up, and the quality of the image is good but, as with all uploads, check the recommendations for dpi resolutions.

As well as the classic white frame Polaroid prints, that we all know and love, I also received a pack of Square-Snap's newly launched black Polaroid prints. Initially I thought they would suit just black and white photos but, as you can see, they are also really effective with colour. The quality and feel of this product range was great and I'm looking forward to getting these on display.

 

I have already strung up some of the coloured white frame Polaroid style prints and these look great hanging across the chimney breast in my dining room!

 

 

 

 

If you would like to be in with the chance of winning 50 Polaroid style prints, either white framed or black framed, please enter using Rafflecopter below.

Closing date for the competition is 17th April 2015

 

I also have a 20% off code valid until May 7 2015 - just enter Sunflowers20 in the discount codes section when ordering.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Disclaimer: Square-Snaps sent me a pack of white framed and black framed Polaroid style prints for review. As always, views and opinions are honest and are my own.



The B&W Photography Project no. 12

The Ridgeway

 

It was cold and dull, yet beautiful, up on The Ridgeway at Avebury.

The grey sky loomed down with no hint of sunshine.

A runner passed by battling the uneven terrain.

Walkers and their dogs were aplenty - the latter all well behaved giving the boy little to worry about.

A picnic was consumed with freezing pink fingers.

And a bar of chocolate helped to fuel our walk back to the village.

 

 

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Project 365 2015 #14

So we head into the Easter holidays for week 14 of Project 365 and obviously the weather takes a change for the worse!

Project 365 #14

Day 88
We went up onto the Mendips to well and truly blow away the cobwebs. The wind arrived in big style overnight bringing rain and unsettled weather.
Day 89
A friend popped around today so all the children happily played - even venturing off to the park on their own - whilst the grown ups drank tea and chatted for five hours.
Day 90
Today was a town and library day and time to freshen up the Mother's day flowers. I picked some daffodils from the end of the garden to revive the jam jar display.
Day 91
The sun was out this morning! Perfect timing for my run. I am loving this escape time again and am up to 4km. I'm thinking of signing up for a virtual 5k before committing to a Park Run. On my return I chilled on my bed looking at the beautiful blue sky - which didn't last long at all.
Day 92
I had a low day today thinking I had to be all entertaining and providing activities for the kiddoes but do you know what? They were more then happy to just play on the patio with dinosaurs.
Day 93
Time to take the chickens to their new home today after two years of slow garden destruction. I will miss them though.
Day 94
A lovely bracing, if chilly, walk up to the Ridgeway for a picnic then back down into Avebury today. A walk is always good for clearing the head and raising those happy thoughts!

 

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