There have been a few online conversations recently about the demise of google reader and the switch to other platforms. I never used google reader so my opinion of bloglovin is probably skewed. That said, I am really enjoying the platform and find it has made my blog reading so much easier.
One thing I would say with bloglovin though is that there are some great features which are quite hidden. For instance I found out a few days back that you can manage your blogs on bloglovin. This has totally changed how I read blogs.
I am fairly new to using a reader so there were points when I logged onto bloglovin to find that I had over seventy unread posts. I freaked.
Now I am managing my blogs the reading is more contained! I know bloglovin isn't the best to get your head around though so as a bit of fun I have recorded a video to show how to manage blogs and how it has changed what I read when.
I am a bit nervous posting this as for the first time you get to hear my voice (and my awkward rambling!) You may need to push the sound up too! Enjoy!
bloglovin managing from Abigail Beach on Vimeo.
29 June 2013
27 June 2013
Let's sit and have a cup of tea
Hey you. Welcome back.
Another month has flown around and I want to welcome you back into my kitchen for a mug of tea, a pot of coffee, a glass of juice or perhaps something stronger!
If I was with you today I would greet you at the back door as you pushed open the creaking garden gate. I would usher you to our patio chairs where a teapot would be waiting alongside some of the middle brothers birthday cake. It is one of those days when the sun keeps popping up behind the clouds and when it does it turns quite warm.
As I poured you the first steaming cup and I would welcome you to our family home. I would tell you that I have so many mixed feelings about coming home for the holidays. That I love family time, that I feel blessed to have such a caring fun family. That the holidays whatever they entail will be sure to be exciting and restful. But on the other hand I feel I have made a life in Durham. The transition from a very independent life at uni to one at home is always interesting. I would laugh as I told you stories about the wonderful friends I have made this year. How we are planning on regular skype chats to keep us all in the loop. I would tell you that coming home means missing them and how that is always hard. I would ask you, if you went to uni, how you found the transition coming home?
I would cradle my mug in my hands and offer you a slice of that delicious birthday cake. The middle brothers girlfriend made it and it is the perfect combination of icing and lemon flavoured cake. I would tell you that I came home on his birthday and the house was full of people. That it was lovely to celebrate with him and that he received several new board games. I would roll my eyes as I told you that he is becoming a board game geek. That at the last count we now have 65, yes 65 board games in our house. That said I would smile and mention that the laughter, competitivness and family time that comes with a board game cannot be beaten. Do you play board games?
Our silly black cat would come and curl around your ankles and I would ask you how your week has gone? Have you done anything exciting? I would mention that I got to go to a ball with the boy. I would tell you that it was vey different to our ball at college but just as much fun. That dancing with the boy is the best and that he really does pull out all the dad dance moves. I would tell you though with a hint of regret in my voice that I didn't manage to get any pictures that I really love although this one snapped the morning after summed up the evening quite well.
As I poured the second cup- you can't fit another one in you say, never mind, have some more cake- I would ask you what your summer plans were? I would tell you with excitement that I am working on a commission for my Grandma. She wants wooden coat hangers turned into padded ones. I have to admit that padded coat hangers aren't really my cup of tea but I am finding them really fun to make although I may be singing a different tune after making the tenth! I am trying and failing to get a job although I do have a few babysitting jobs lined up and I am working on a fun if ambitious project for the blog. Stay tuned!
The sun would be going behind the clouds again and as the air got colder you would pick up your bags and I would walk you to the gate. We would hug and comment about how nice this regular meet up is. How great blog friendships are and how wonderful that we can do life together.
If you were meeting with me now, what would you tell me?
If you would like to write a "tea" post please add it to the linky at the bottom so we can all sit and share with you! The linky will be open for a week so you have plenty of time!
26 June 2013
Project life week 25 and a reminder
I was far more on the ball with Project life this week and managed to do this weeks spread in one sitting which is unheard of for me!
So week 25...
Photos:
A lot less this week and all bar one are instagrams. As I said last week, it is the variety that each week brings which makes this project unique. Although it is often more fun to scrap with SLR photos, the reality is that some weeks are quieter and I only have instagrams to work with. That does mean though that there is space to include the little detail pictures like the leaf that on a busier week would have been left out.
Journalling:
With less photos comes more journalling. I included two quotes this week which seemed to sum up the end of the university year. On the left hand spread I documented our trip to Newcastle and finding the amazing coke bottles with the boy and my names on. On the right hand spread I wrote about leaving college and going to the ball with the boy.
Techniques:
As we have now nearly reached half way I treated myself to the journalling cards from the Project Life Midnight edition. So many lovely ones to choose from. I especially loved that circle stamped splodge. I wasn't overly keen on the initial grey colour the set came in though so changed it to the grey that was used in the seafoam kit.
Anything else:
There was an interesting comment in jot magazine about how project life really requires a change in mindset. That pages will clash and will look busy. I think part of the fun of project life is letting go of the fact that the pages will all look the same but also trying to create some sort of cohesion in the album.
I am still so enjoying this project.
Reminder: Tomorrow I am going to be sitting down and pouring myself a virtual cup of tea and sharing a bit of the goings on in my world. I would be honoured if you would join me by stopping by, writing your own tea post or just saying hi! I have written more of an explanation about what "time for tea"is on a new page under my header.
So week 25...
Photos:
A lot less this week and all bar one are instagrams. As I said last week, it is the variety that each week brings which makes this project unique. Although it is often more fun to scrap with SLR photos, the reality is that some weeks are quieter and I only have instagrams to work with. That does mean though that there is space to include the little detail pictures like the leaf that on a busier week would have been left out.
Journalling:
With less photos comes more journalling. I included two quotes this week which seemed to sum up the end of the university year. On the left hand spread I documented our trip to Newcastle and finding the amazing coke bottles with the boy and my names on. On the right hand spread I wrote about leaving college and going to the ball with the boy.
Techniques:
As we have now nearly reached half way I treated myself to the journalling cards from the Project Life Midnight edition. So many lovely ones to choose from. I especially loved that circle stamped splodge. I wasn't overly keen on the initial grey colour the set came in though so changed it to the grey that was used in the seafoam kit.
Anything else:
There was an interesting comment in jot magazine about how project life really requires a change in mindset. That pages will clash and will look busy. I think part of the fun of project life is letting go of the fact that the pages will all look the same but also trying to create some sort of cohesion in the album.
I am still so enjoying this project.
Reminder: Tomorrow I am going to be sitting down and pouring myself a virtual cup of tea and sharing a bit of the goings on in my world. I would be honoured if you would join me by stopping by, writing your own tea post or just saying hi! I have written more of an explanation about what "time for tea"is on a new page under my header.
24 June 2013
Life right now according to instagram
This last month seems to have gone in the blink of an eye. There was the mad rush to the end of term with all sorts of events and then the chaos of packing and moving. I am home now though so hopefully a more normal blogging schedule.
This is what life looked like in June...
Top row left to right: chilling in the sun (which didn't last long I hate to say). We went on lots of walks and took sunny photos.
Middle row: A treat after exams finished, pimms on the lawn and getting my reading list for the Harry Potter module next year.
Bottom row: Dramatic summer skies, having a relaxing Sunday after a late night and staying up to watch the sunset.
Top row: Enjoying strawberries, chilling with the boy and taking lots of photos of clouds.
Middle row: I taught my friend how to sew her own camera strap. My favourite shoes bit the dust. We got Henna paint at our college day.
Bottom row: Visiting the beach, a final view of the cathedral and leaving Durham.
Such a good month. As always if you would like to follow me on instagram my username is abibeach
This is what life looked like in June...
Middle row: A treat after exams finished, pimms on the lawn and getting my reading list for the Harry Potter module next year.
Bottom row: Dramatic summer skies, having a relaxing Sunday after a late night and staying up to watch the sunset.
Middle row: I taught my friend how to sew her own camera strap. My favourite shoes bit the dust. We got Henna paint at our college day.
Bottom row: Visiting the beach, a final view of the cathedral and leaving Durham.
Such a good month. As always if you would like to follow me on instagram my username is abibeach
22 June 2013
Project Life week 24
The uni term has finished so I am so behind with getting project life up but having just downloaded the latest issue of Jot magazine- go check it out- I was inspired to get this weeks spread up on the blog.
Photos:
It was another of those weeks that I love, when the photo pile is so big I am with wondering how to include them all rather than scrape around for photos I don't have. It makes me laugh how my uni friends now get project life to the extent that one of them came up to me last week and was wondering how I was going to be able to include everything that had happened as we had so many pictures from the last week!
The first spread documents two events, my college day and our trip to York. The college day is essentially a garden fete with big inflatables, pimms on the lawn and live music. We were all given matching t shirts so it was fun to include the photos of that.
The second spread documents the Summer Ball and a trip to the Beach with my small group from Church. One of the reasons I enjoy project life is that it doesn't just record the main events. This week was full of big events but next week really won't be and I like the fact that the everyday and the occasions sit side by side.
Journalling:
Not a huge amount as I wanted the photos to do the talking. I wrote a little bit about the ball, a bit about college day and then added labels and sentences to the rest. I still really enjoy writing directly onto a photo.
Techniques:
I made my own quote card out of a fun photo of my friend on an inflatable. The quote is repeated across the black and white photo and says "the best thing to hold onto in life is each other."
I changed a few photos to black and white because I sometimes think it gives more impact.
Anything else:
Still loving this project and feel like I have got back into the groove again. I am interested to see how the project will pan out over the long summer break.
If you are doing project life are you enjoying it? Have you discovered Jot magazine. I felt very honoured to be friends with some of the contributors in it!
Photos:
It was another of those weeks that I love, when the photo pile is so big I am with wondering how to include them all rather than scrape around for photos I don't have. It makes me laugh how my uni friends now get project life to the extent that one of them came up to me last week and was wondering how I was going to be able to include everything that had happened as we had so many pictures from the last week!
The first spread documents two events, my college day and our trip to York. The college day is essentially a garden fete with big inflatables, pimms on the lawn and live music. We were all given matching t shirts so it was fun to include the photos of that.
The second spread documents the Summer Ball and a trip to the Beach with my small group from Church. One of the reasons I enjoy project life is that it doesn't just record the main events. This week was full of big events but next week really won't be and I like the fact that the everyday and the occasions sit side by side.
Not a huge amount as I wanted the photos to do the talking. I wrote a little bit about the ball, a bit about college day and then added labels and sentences to the rest. I still really enjoy writing directly onto a photo.
Techniques:
I made my own quote card out of a fun photo of my friend on an inflatable. The quote is repeated across the black and white photo and says "the best thing to hold onto in life is each other."
I changed a few photos to black and white because I sometimes think it gives more impact.
Anything else:
Still loving this project and feel like I have got back into the groove again. I am interested to see how the project will pan out over the long summer break.
If you are doing project life are you enjoying it? Have you discovered Jot magazine. I felt very honoured to be friends with some of the contributors in it!
19 June 2013
The Spring Photo
A few weeks back I was looking through some recent photos. This one of the boy and me jumped out at me and I felt it needed a bit of editing so changed it to black and white.
I love this photo and it triggered other photos to mind. There they were. Three photos, three similar poses. Three "selfies" with the camera held out in front of us.
I went back through the blog and found the dates for all three. They were all taken in the Spring in some field or other.
It makes me laugh to think that this photo happens spontaneously, without conscious planning, without a thought that this is "the spring photo".
I love the progression of the photos, sitting side by side. They say, "I love this man and we have captured this moment again and again and again."
Do you find you have series of photos like this?
17 June 2013
Summer Ball
I love any chance to dress up. The getting ready is always as much fun as the event and Saturday night was no exception. Naturally there was the last minute scramble for tights with no ladders in them, the right earrings and finding that elusive bobby pin.
Our Summer ball was held at a beautiful rambling country house just outside Durham. There were drinks in a beautiful wood panelled room and we ate in a hall with ivy wrapped around the pillars. There was dancing to a live band, a casino, a fairground ride and dressing up for a photo booth.
It was the best way to celebrate the end of the year with college and good friends. I feel so blessed to have found such a community at university and to have had such a good year.
Who doesn't love a good ball?!
