Sunday Catch-Up - 12th January 2014

Well I was planning to write a Sunday Catch-Up post like I usually do, but in all honesty when I started looking at my instagram and iPhone pictures to put the post together, I realised I had nothing interesting to show you, lol! Literally my entire weeks pictures are of food for my Weight Loss Wednesday Posts. My weight loss goal has taken over my thoughts a little! So as there is no point posting food pictures here, when I will be posting them on Wednesday anyway, I thought I would do a bit of a bumper Links and Love instead! So here is what I have been looking at and loving online this week: I've been a little bit obsessed with house renovation and inspiration blogs lately, usually I'm just on Design Sponge and Apartment Therapy but thanks to them I found two new awesome blogs - My Scandinavian Home and Little Green Notebook - I'm in love! And thanks to all the housey obsession I have fallen very hard for Eames Paris Chairs! And the Rocking Chair version! I want them!

I'm currently reading 3 books (well listening to 1). Nacropolis by Jeet Thayil which was shortlisted for the Man Booker in 2012, With My Body by Nikki Gemmell and Count to Ten by Karen Rose.

I've been working on some Valentines Day Craft Articles:

Valentines DIY for the Home

Valentines Cards for Kids

Valentines Food Ideas

Valentines Day Crafts for Kids

Valentines Day Fashion Crafts I went to see this in the Millennium Centre - it was awesome! So funny!!

I've been working with a great scientist, Doctor and Writer called Darja Wagner to edit her book on Fertility for over 40's which you can find here. Even if your not over 40 but you need some help with fertility issues this book is brilliant!, I've learnt lots about womens health I never even knew before!
So that's all folks! Hope everyones week has gone well, tomorrow will be a Monday Manicure post so remember to swing by!

Here's to 2014!!

Well Happy New Year Ladies!

Sorry I haven't managed to check in this year yet, been ever so slightly busy! But here I am, and here's to a great 2014, hopefully this will be the year of some major changes in my life, some great changes! So instead of a New Years Resolution Post which most of us bloggers do at this time of year (and no doubt most of us fail within the first month! Lol) I am going to make this post about the changes and progressions I shall hope to make this year. A declaration of positive reinforcements that I shall be aiming for shall we say. (Oh that all sounded a bit heavy didn't it!)
Number 1: Lose Weight!  Right I know what you are all thinking - this is the most popular New Years Resolution out there and yes it is, lol! But me and the hubby actually decided to be pro active about it this year, we joined Slimming World on New Years Eve! I am determined to get back down to a size 10-12 (I have an entire wardrobe of clothes that currently do not fit me and it is rubbish!) We have been on it almost a week now and are finding it OK, just waiting to see if I have actually lost anything on Tuesday evening - so I hope to be making Wednesday 'Weightloss Wednesdays' where I will talk about food/healthy eating, fitness, weightloss or anything related to that.

A much slimmer 18 year old version of me and Jon!

Number 2: This will be the year we really get our business off the ground! Cross-Jones Photography is mine and Jon's dream, photography is his passion, he comes alive when he is behind the camera, and I love seeing that. We are in our element when creating beautiful memories for parents, brides and grooms and everyone else we work with, we love it so much. We made a huge jump moving back home with the parents, giving up a salaried job with career prospects to survive on my Part Time job, but we felt we had to do it! We want to make this business our lives, we want to be working for ourselves, controlling our own lives!

Number 3: Get a little closer to owning our own home!  Whether we actually get there this year or not I don't mind, in fact I don't expect us to at the moment, I simply want us to be one step closer. To keep adding slowly to our savings so that we know at some point we will be able to put down a deposit on our own home. That really is the dream, it's simple to most people, but it will be a huge financial struggle for us whilst trying to also start a company and live on just 1 small wage. But we will get there!
Number 4: Develop a better work/life balance! I juggle multiply jobs, a start-up company, freelance work and a blog - and somehow try to have a life too! I realised that the last few months of last year I barely had a life, I did very little with the spare time I had other than watch TV or do more online work! This year I want to try develop a better balance. I'd like to read more books, get out of the house more and find more time to exercise (links to Number 1!) plus keep up with my pen pals! I just want to enjoy my life more!
Number 5: Take more Photographs! I know this sounds odd from someone who runs a photography business, logically I would spend all my time dealing with photos, but in all honesty I don't actually take that many, Jon is always behind the camera lens. But actually I mean more photos of my life and not just for instagram! Me and Jon have very few photos of the 2 of us because we are always the ones behind the camera! And I realised there are lots of events and times in my life that I have no photos of, and I want that to change. I want more photographs, more long term memories. And I will be sorting them all into albums for a change, not just posting them on Facebook or leaving them stored on my computer!

Last Number 6: Build my Freelance Website and Get more Private Clients Ok this one might sound like it would just mean more work, so even less of a decent work/life balance, but in fact the hope is that I will be able to work for myself full time at some point - Writing/Editing/Proofreading and running the photography company. The overall goal is for me and Jon to be able to run our lives in a way that will work for us, and no longer on someone else's time frame. So although it may mean I have to work harder at the start, I really hope it will pay off in the end.
So that is it I think! These are the major changes and advance I want to make this year! What are your 2014 plans?

Sunday Catchup - 7th January

I haven't really taken a huge amount of photos this week so this will be a photo light version of my usual sunday catch-up. First I should let you all know that me and Jon are now on a diet as of January the 1st! I want to get back down to my old size 10-12 rather than my current 12-14. The weight has inched on since our wedding 2.5years ago and we are both determined to lose some weight this year. So we are trying the alternate day diet that Dr Michael Mosley did a documentary on last year. It means you eat normally, whatever you want, for 5 days and cut your calories to only 500 on 2 days. So we have started a little blog to track our progress - Less Waist More Taste. You can check it out if your interested in seeing what we will be eating everyday! And how our weight loss is going.

So apart from dieting I have spent most of my week working. In the tourist board and on my online work. I've started a blog for that too - In Pursuit of an Online Income. I intend to do a little work online everyday in the hope of building myself a residual income and a few online clients I can work for, mainly to make my life a bit more flexible and give myself a little bit more freedom. I'm also working on getting my own online website for my work portfolio.

Ok so now I have gotten all the boring info out of the way, and updated you on my life, you can see it's all just been a lot of work for the last week or so. But on a better business note, today Jon and I are on a photo shoot job for a local band. Pictures will be up at some point in the week for you all to see.

Now finally a few pictures for you all - I was very lucky to receive an amazing parcel yesterday from Miki of Miki's Scrapbook.

How amazing is this tote bag! I am in love with it! Thank you lots Miki!

Links and Love - As I said I have just been writing lots this last week, so these are all writing related but there are a few fun posts I thought you might like to read.

1. Fancy Dress idea for an up coming party - Where's Wally Fancy Dress Costume

2. I'm getting a head start on the next holiday season - Valentines Day Foods and Valentines Day Crafts for Kids

3. I've been doing lots of slow cooker cooking again too

Garlic Chicken

Non-Spicy Chilli

4. You have to see this hilarious Twilight Video

5. I want this ring I found on Pintrest, it's so cute!

So that's me for this week! How have you been? Anyone been up to anything interesting? 

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Sunday Catchup - 18th November

Gosh another week has gone by, which ultimately brings us 1 week closer to Christmas! Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Are you one of the super organised (like me!) or are you a last minute shopper? Luckily I'm an organised girl and am pretty much sorted, just gotta wrap everything and write and post the cards really. 

As it's sunday it's time for a quick catchup post. Again not been great on the old instagram this week but I have a few shots for you, so here is my week via instagram!

Even my food isn't exciting this week sorry

Thursdays food offer in the Green Room at the WMC was sausage roll, beans and chips! I felt like a kid eating this - although I would never have actually eaten this as a child! And would never make it for dinner myself, but for £2.75 it seemed like a good plan!

We went to Red Hot Buffet, the foods not amazing but it's decent for the price. Click the link for my honest review and pictures of what I ate there!

Christmas has properly arrived in Cardiff Bay - the Bay Christmas tree is up and the WMC have pretty trees everywhere!

What we have been watching!

A bit of Dolly and Burt Reynolds, such a ridiculous film but I love it. And some Gavin and Stacy!

 DISPICABLE ME!!! 'It's so fluffy!!!!'
Need I say more - if you haven't seen it you should, I swear its meant for adults!

 Started another Stephen Kings book, Firstarter this time. It's kinda huge so may take me a little while.

 We went to pick up my gift to Jon for Christmas in Bristol and stopped for petrol on the way back, love the name of this service station!

 And been sorting xmas gifts for family and friends! Cookie Mix in a jar!

Links and Love
1. I wrote some reviews! This time for Can Zaman and Zio Pin restaurants in Cardiff, both are great check out my review and pictures!

2. Jon reviewed his amazing anti theft camera bag - Lowepro Flipside 400. Check it out if your into your photography, looking for a great camera bag for yourself or as a gift, or if your into travelling.

3. Beef Stew Recipe! It is insanely yummy for the winter.

4. I did a guest post this week over on the Makeup Pixie. My top key items for this winter, go check it out if you haven't yet!
5. Now they have show jumper for horses and obstacle course time trials for dogs, but what about Bunnies! Check this event out it is too cute, pity mine would just look at it stupid and probably run the other way!

If you love writing informative articles or want to start building yourself a published portfolio and don't know where to start take a look at Hubpages. Easy to sign up to and build articles in your own account. Plus earn a little along the way. It's so simple honest and it's a great community of creative people. Earning money online isn't get rich quick but you'll enjoy doing it along the way.

That's all from me this week folks.

Sunday Catchup - 11th November

It's sunday again, which means another week has gone by - plus it makes us 1 week closer to Christmas! Yippee! Have you started your shopping yet? Or written the christmas cards? I'm almost done with my shopping and have gotten as far as buying my cards, so I am pretty organised this year. Plus to help get me in the Christmas mood I was lucky enough to be invited to the John Lewis Christmas Press Event in Cardiff last week. It is always a great event, and so beautiful. With lots of yummy cocktails and canapés. Here is one photo from the night but I will do a proper post on the event next week.

This was the Winter Wonderland setup at the John Lewis Event

And seeing as it is sunday here is a little catch up on my week. Not a lot of Instagram pictures as I keep forgetting at the moment, plus my phone camera is playing up! But here are a few for you to enjoy anyway.

 Food!

1.Breakfast at Cafe 37 - the liquid is maple syrup! Yum!

2. Chicken and Mushroom Pasta at ASK - blogger dinner after the John Lewis Event

3.Been making lots of soup thanks to my soup maker!

4. Stur fry dinner!

Below is what I have been reading this last week or so:

The Snowman by Jo Nesbo - finished this it is brilliant! Worth the read.

 Carrie by Stephen King - Been a fan of his films for years and when I found out about a Carrie remake (seriously! With Chloe Moretz and Julianne Moore - see the trailer here!) I thought I should really read the book, it was good but not scary like I expected it to be.

 City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare - The second book in The Mortal Instruments series, its kinda long and bulky but I am getting there with it.

This Dandelion and Burdock Pop is a huge flashback from my childhood. My grampa always used to buy it for me when I was younger!

Links and Love!

I've been doing lots of writing again this week so I figured I would share a few with you. Pictures too this time!

1. Some great recipes my mum had made. Slow Roasted Lamb Shanks with Mildly Spiced Yogurt Potatoes and Baked Alaska for Dessert

Slow Roasted Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Gravy

Mildly Spiced Yogurt Potatoes 

Baked Alaska

2. I finally reviewed my Cuisinart Soup Maker and Jon reviewed his new Lens, a Nikon 24-70 f2.8

3. Plus I wrote a few film reviews again - Coco Before Chanel, Surrogates and Prometheus

4. We went to see Taken 2, it was really quite good. Why not check out the trailer!

5. I meet a few new welsh bloggers this week, here are their blogs, please go check them out and say hi! Makeup Pixi3, What Laura Did and Forty Percent Fringe, Sixty Percent Face

If you fancy trying your hand at writing online articles and possibly making some money while you are at it then just click the link here, and have a nose around the site. It is simple to use, you write about anything you want (fashion and beauty included) and you make money through ad revenue and sales, simple!

Sunday Catchup - 14th October

First up don't forget to enter my Blog Birthday Giveaway or you'll miss out on the chance to win some designer sunglasses.

Well I haven't actually taken many images on Instagram recently but here is some mandatory food images from the past week or so

left-right top to bottom
1. Breakfast at Cafe 31
2. Falafel salad with butternut squash couscous and yogurt dressing
3. Chocolate Brownie Tarts
4. Sunday Dinner at The Crofts Pub
5. Mega veggie pasta (eat that a lot last few weeks)
6. Burger and sides at Ed's Diner

So some non-instagram photos of the rest of my week then

I won a Cuisinart Soup Maker on Twitter!! Mental I know, but super exciting. Wanna check out my first recipe from it - Chicken and Red Pepper Soup it was yummy and so blinking easy to make!

 It was our little Fi's 40th Birthday so we held a 'Tash Tastic 70's party for her!

 I had a girly night out with my ladies Jac (above) and Rachel (below). Cocktails all round!

Links and Love:

Lots of writing and articles for you this week

1. A little article and review I did of Coco Before Chanel starring Audrey Tautou, and Surrogates with Bruce Willis. Please check them out and tell me what you think.
2. I wrote a few gift lists (as Christmas is coming) that I know a few of you will be interested in: 50 Shade of Grey Gifts, Other Books for a Hunger Games Fan, Gifts for Book Worms and Brilliant Gifts for Bakers - I promise you they will give you lots of good ideas.
3. A wrote a slightly more serious piece on Household Budgeting and How to Save Money - helpful if you need to cut back ready for christmas.
4. My article for The Bay Magazine this month turned out awesome! Want some winter coat and boot ideas look no further, I found the cutest and hottest on the market!
5. And something fun for Halloween - Simple Halloween Crafting Ideas - and a great use for pumpkin flesh - DIY Natural Pumpkin Face Mask