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Showing posts from May, 2023

Stackers: Cable Tidy Bag (Review)

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I'm back with another Stackers  product review this week. For years I've kept all my cables, chargers and batteries in a basket in my bedside table. Every time I needed something, I had to empty the entire box to try and find the right cable. I have wanted this little cable tidy for a while and I think it's such a good product. This is perfect for organising tech whilst travelling or at home. It features multiple internal compartments designed for cables, memory cards, chargers and more.  At first, I was a little disappointed at the small size of the case, but it ended up being ample storage. I was pleasantly surprised at how spacious it was. On one side it flexible stretchy straps for cables, memory cards and batteries. I ended up putting two cables in each compartment and then two memory cards in each also. On the other side there were 3 larger straps, which I have used for plugs. There is also a small pocket. I didn't know what I would put in this originally, but the

6 Month Mental Health Check In

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It’s been a while since I wrote about my mental health and gave an update. In reality, the majority of my previous posts are from the start of the year, so this is almost a 6 month update now.  I’m still on sertraline 50mg, every day, but I no longer really feel like they’re helping. They don’t seem to be doing anything but then again, maybe I would be so much worse if I wasn’t on them.  My free counselling sessions through the university have sadly ended and I’ve yet to hear back from the self-referral so I assume I’m still on the waiting list through the GP and for cognitive behavioural therapy. By the time I get the referral approved, my sister will be a qualified practitioner by the looks of it so maybe I just get her. Never but it’s an option.  In all honesty, after the first 4 sessions of counselling, I felt like I was repeating myself and she kept asking questions I couldn’t answer because I didn’t know the answers. I felt like talking about him constantly kept me thinking about

Heartbreak Continues, Utility Painting and Maternity Conference!

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I had a little bit of a regression in regards to my heartbreak, finished some utility room projects and attended a conference! Click here to watch the vlog or see below.  Honestly, I feel like this last week has been a huge backwards step in life. I had a wonderful time in Liverpool but being alone again was a little bit of a shock to the system and it took it's toll on me. I cried the entire way home, even having to stop on the way back. I'm in a much better place now so I'm trying not to focus on it too much right now.  Later in the week, I had a day of university, as well as attended a midwifery conference. The conference was really good in parts but this year defintely did focus more on a student perspective and Leicester Hospital midwives which was unusual. There's defintely some things I want to look into more following the discussions.  I also spent a couple of days finishing the utility room. Whilst it's not perfect, it is as good as it's getting and I r

Room Tour: Utility Room (Buying my First Home)

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The room that once was a wrecked and dismantled space, has been split into a functional under stair storage cupboard, utility room space and downstairs toilet cloakroom.  Starting with the utility room itself, the fitted units really make the space super functional. The tower unit can house a stackable washer and dryer and it has a large unit above. Then two units at the side that are narrow but have become surprisingly useful. I currently have a single washer-dryer combination, so instead I have a tension rod above, with a hanger for socks and pants. Sat on the washing machine I have a laundry basket that collapses and then behind I have my ironing board.  The theme for the room is peach and mint. I was going to paint a feature wall but decided because of the smaller space to keep it open and light with my favourite, Torrington White from Crown Paints.  On the counter I have a peach glass dispenser for hand sanitiser, alongside a mint candle, although I may switch this to hand cream a

Bloom & Wild: May 2023 (Review)

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This month I was so excited to show you some progress photographs of my monthly bouquet from Bloom and Wild . I ended up receiving the "The Sally" this month and honestly, I was a little disappointed. I received it with a few dead or lack lustre stems but was hopeful it would improve. The company always says it takes a few days to see the flowers at their best.   The website describes this letterbox delivery as containing "soul-soothing shades with scented stocks and eucalyptus" to provide "a spa-like serenity". The box has 16 stems including carnations, lavender, stocks, statice, september and eucalyptus. I have to say, this bouquet was my strongest smelling one to date and it made me smile every time I went into the kitchen.  Sadly, after just two days, some of the flowers were dead, others hadn't improved and still looked flat and my vase just looked huge in comparison. I ended up switching it to a drinking glass that was in better proportion with w

Pie Chart of Blame?

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In one of my latter sessions, my counsellor encouraged me to write down my thoughts about why I initially broke up with my ex-boyfriend. She called it the pie chart of blame. It was a way to help me remember and recognise the reasons for the break up and whilst I know it was suppose to help, for me it did the opposite because all it did was cause me to blame myself even more.  Looking back on the relationship, I could only focus on the positives and it wasn’t until I really took myself back to that time that I could even see anything was wrong. It still doesn’t make it easier, and whilst I would want some changes, I know I would compromise on a lot more and give him want he wanted more of the time .  I guess my mindset is something that I’m struggling to overcome and I don’t know how to move past it. In my head, I can’t move on because I don’t know the relationship didn’t work. Neither of us ever gave it our all and put in the energy and effort. I just want a second chance to see if we

Garage Clean, Liverpool Eurovision and Kayaking Fun!

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With so many fun events at the start of May, I enjoyed them all. I spent Eurovision weekend in Liverpool and it was epic!  Click here to watch the vlog or see below.  I didn't upload a vlog last week as it was quite a busy week and I hadn't recorded too much, despite celebrating all the events. It was International Day of the Midwife but I worked night shifts either side, then the Coronation the day after, and I slept through the entire celebration. The next day, I did enjoy some time with friends. We went to Chiquito's for lunch, before I lost massively at bowling and then enjoyed the cinema. We got to see a preview showing of Love Again which was so beautiful. I also spent a day clearing out the garage. I got rid of a lot of the leftover rubbish from the renovations, before moving all the decoration boxes into the house. I then rearranged the furniture and remaining tools into one side, as my cousin plans to come and store some items for the next few months before she mov