Changes

 Hi,

Over two years without writing here... Lots changed since my last post... In October 2022 I went through op to remove lump in my glands, in November the same year my Mum passed away which was big shock for us, few months later we found out my Dad is cardiac case. My partner's Mum wasn't in best shape too and we were very worried - luckily my Dad and my man's Mum are better which helps us a bit to not overstressed ourselves on that front.

Then my little man started high school, had to and still do fight with bullies and make us proud with his school notes. He also started learning play piano and already has his Grade 1 for theory and practice since last year. Currently he is preparing for Grade 2 exams with his new teacher as previous one left Music School he attend. 

I changed job in October last year due to stress level and I'm happier now. I'm not perfectly healthy but I'll be better. After latest medical checks (possible pre menopause), I'm on vitamin D supplement as level of it in my body was quite low. I decided to wait with menopause treatment until I feel stronger a bit. My partner is looking for new job as he decided it is time for change to have better work/family time balance.

Pic from last year trip to Dunstanburg Castle, Northumberland.

Dublin Castle, Ireland, our last year Summer holidays

I'm still reading a lots of books and if you want to know what check: LittleBookworm1976

Hope you are all ok.

Till next post!

Long time not write...

Hiya peeps,

Eh, didn't write for a longer bit... Few things changed since then...

I'm working in big shop (supermarket), little man is in different school (we moved him due to bulling) ...

Still reading a lot, sightseeing when possible, making jewellery from time to time, no card making since .. over 2 years or so...

We were in Poland for holiday. Dom was happy to meet his other Nana. Today was time for him to back to school.

Wasps again decided to have a home in our house, so... I called pest control guy who dealt with them...

Weather ... hmmm ... raining.

Pendant with flint made in 2021

New sculpture in Turner Gardens, Morpeth - pic taken in 2021

One of trees in Ridley Park, Blyth after storm Arwen in November 2021

Biscoff cheesecake made by me for Dom :)

Lotus shaped pendant - 2022

Giedymin Hill, Szczawno Zdroj, Poland - 2022

Museum of Porcelain, Walbrzych, Poland, 2022

Swidnica, Poland, 2022

Jezioro Bystrzyckie, Poland, 2022

Zamek Ksiaz, Walbrzych, Poland, 2022

Strange ... I started to write this post sometime in the middle of June 2021 and .... finished today, over a year later. Really long time to write one post...

I hope I'll be writing more often... soon.

Till next post Friends.

Summer holidays 2021 Day 1

 Hiya peeps!

Wasn't writing for... hmmm... good few months...

This year so far is as strange as last year, coronavirus is still around in big numbers but... yeah from today all restrictions are placed 'in the bin' if I can say/write like this.

Last week was last school week before Summer for kids here in England, but Dom and his year mates spend most of it at home cause one of teachers (TA from agency) turned out to be Covid positive and whole year bubble went to self-isolation. Why this man didn't  make test before he show up at school on Monday is beyond me (and other parents who find out who was the 'culprit').

First time I saw my little man gone 'ballistic' - he doesn't mind be at home when he choose it, but he hates to be pushed to it (none of us really like this kind of situations).

Yesterday Dom agreed to do a PCR test and we received information with results today. Dom's covid negative, so I took him for stroll around the town.

We were in library for new books, in caffee to eat nice cake and in shops (we back with canvases, notepad and few other stationary).

Definitely I will spend more money on canvases and paints soon LOL!

Stage 1 of Dom's new masterpiece :)

Stage 2

Finished piece :)

Dom called it 'Layers of Happiness'.

I like this title :)

Have to say I'm happy he back to painting and using colours, lots of his latest drawings and pictures were black and white.

That's all for today.

Till next post Friends!

Rescue mission

 Hiya peeps

Today's writing is about rescuing wildlife.

We went for our usual doggy walk today and were told by older gentleman about little hedgehog on grass not far from pavement we used. 

We did a peep on him and we found out he or she is injured (cut on a little nose), some dry blood on spikes and hmmm... dry green paint.

Through one of FB local residents groups I found out phone number to local wildlife rescue guys and we were asked to put this little fella into a box and keep him/her safe in dark, warm and quiet place until someone from their centre will come to collect our little guest.

We did ask them if we should/can give him/her bit of water or something else, but were told not to, just keep this little ball of spikes warm and safe.

And that's what we did ☺️.

Then our guest had its carriage come and was taken away by very nice chauffeur lady 😂.

We are waiting for news about him/her now and we hope our little animal friend will get well very soon and will back to 'the wild' where its' home is.

That's all for today.

Till next post Friends!

Shh... It's our secret

 Hiya peeps!!!

Today a bit about new book of my friend Lizzie Chantree which will be released around 6th of May this year.

You can read more about Lizzie in my previous posts, so without repeating myself I can give you some infos about her new book :)

Book's title: Shh... It's our secret

Book blurb:

Violet has a secret that could change the lives of everyone she knows and loves, especially the regulars at the run-down cafe bar where she works. After losing her parents at a young age, they are the closest thing she has to a family and she feels responsible for them.

Kai is a jaded music producer who has just moved outside of town. Seeking solitude from the stress of his job, he's looking for seclusion. The only problem is he can't seem to escape the band members and songwriters who keep showing up at his house.

When Kai wanders into the bar and Violet's life, he accidentally discovers her closely guarded secret. Can Kai help her rediscover her self-confidence or should some secrets remains undiscovered?

I had a chance to read Advance Reader Copy - lucky girl me :)

Lizzie touched in it some of mental health/wellbeing issues we all can encounter, like lack of self-confidence and self-worth.

What I can say about this book after reading it? 

Here's what I wrote in my Goodreads review:

Good plot, interesting characters, few strong girls (young and old) popping from pages of this book makes it really nice, fast read. What happened and what will change in Violet's life? Who's Kai? Read and find out yourself.

What else I can say about this book?

I absolutely love it and definitely will re-reading it in some point soon!

That's all for today Friends!

Till next post!!!

Bit about reading

 Hi guys!

I'm bookworm... And I'm sure you know that already :)

Not reading as much as I want to lately, but still enjoy my 'me-time' :)

What I read this year so far?

Here list of few:

1. Agatha Christie's: 'Taken at the Flood' and 'Midwinter Murder:Fireside mysteries from the queen of crime' - both great reads, a must for crime story lovers :)

2. David Suchet's: 'Behind the lens: My Life' - absolutely amazing autobiography I had chance to read so far.

3. Dan Brown's: 'Inferno', 'Origin' and 'The Lost Symbol' - I think I don't need to explain ;)

4. Paul Aidan Richardson's: 'Icon' - brill read written by local writter

5. Deborah Harkness's: 'Time's Convert' - great follow up of 'All Souls' trilogy!

6. Andrzej Sapkowski's: 'Sezon Burz' - I love stories about Witcher :) - on pic book with bookmark I made for friend :)

I had a chance to read few ARC's - Advance Reader Copy:

1. Lizzie Chantree: 'Shh... It's Our Secret'  - some more about this book soon :)

2. Rhonda Parrish: 'Clockwork,Curses and Coal' - great anthology of fantasy/steampunk/fairy tales

So far I ticked around 25+ titles this year including books written/translated into my mother tongue, historic novels, fantasy, short stories, romances etc.

What books you enjoyed this year so far?

Leave titles in comments!

That's all for now :)

Till next post Friends!

Lazy Tobisia...kinda...

 Hiya peeps!

Again lazy with writing me... I mean here... cause my paper version diary is updated almost daily...

Hmmm...

Fact I made few new wirewrapping pieces like earcuff on pic below

read few books including one below and enjoyed making floral bookmarks you see placed on book's cover :) 

but not much writing really, only few words every other day..

I'll try to write more frequently... in my diary and here too :)

And that's not Fool's Day joke!

Till next post Friends!

Lizzie's new book

 Hiya peeps!

Today just a little bit about new book of my friend Lizzie Chantree called Networking for Writers.

You don't need to be writer tho, Lizzie told me some of marketing ideas she wrote about in this book can be easily transferred for other businesses eg good selling.

Interesting right?

Kindle edition of this book will be released 29th October 2020, so... very shortly :)

You can have paperback version already from here :) 

Here what Lizzie wrote about this book:

'Are you swamped by book marketing and looking for a way to find new sales? Learn simple and effective networking techniques, to grow your readership and connect with other authors and book lovers today!

Whether you are a new or experienced writer, self-published or traditionally published, this book will show you how to grow your readership and author network, through some of the most powerful of all marketing tools - word of mouth and recommendation.

This book will show you:

How networking can help you sell more books.

Why author branding is important.

How networking hours work.

Specific Facebook group for writers.

And much, much more :)

I wrote about Lizzie few posts ago, but you can find all info you need on her website: Lizzie Chantree

I didn't read this book yet, but is on my 'want to read' list :)

That's all for today Friends!

Till next post!

Project: BMX renovation

Hiya peeps!

My man decided our boy need bigger bike and he found second hand BMX.

Dom wasn't on 'no' side when saw a bike, he even tried it :)

But...

Yeah, always is kinda 'but' thing :)

Dom said he wants different colours on and definitely stickers need to be taken off!

Stickers off and rust sanded out :)

Handlebar in deep red? Why not :)

Frame in military colours :) We both had fun spraying LOL!

As we didn't took wheels out... colours are allover LOL!

We took bike to bike repair shop for check-up and we have new brake cables, one new tyre and nice retro style seat - Dom fell in love in seconds LOOOL!

We also changed damaged handles for pair with red accents, new pedals as old one didn't much new colour scheme plus Dom wanted new stickers.

Maybe our spraying is not perfect and tyres are 'bit' dirty with extra colour, but who cares!? Dom loves his bike and that's the main thing!

Plus he's using it everyday :)

So... what do you think about our project?

Till next post Friends!

Summer

 Hi peeps!

What I can write here... We all had kinda strange Summer this year, right?

I tried to be up to date with my diary, read more nice books, sell some more of my jewellery...

Ridley Park

What a beautiful paintings!

Beach treasures - from Blyth and Whitley Bay

Common orchid we found on hill in Blyth

I spent 1 day with Dom in Whitley Bay - just little trip 😊.

With start of August Dom back to his dancing classes. 

I'm baking... Rolls, breads, cakes, cookies sometimes.

We had our little renovation project - will write about it some other day tho 😁.

We have carrots and tomatoes in our garden, cannot wait for them to be ready to eat 😂.

That's all for now...

Till next post Friends!

Meet Lizzie

Hiya peeps!

Today I want you to meet Lizzie Chantree.

I 'met' Lizzie 'long time ago' (about 2 years or so) on Twitter. 

Busy girl, have to tell ya ;)

Lizzie's a successful writer and as she wrote about herself:

'... an enthusiastic inventor, businesswoman and artist. I founded my first company at the age of 17 and have been creating products and driving my family mad ever since.'

She's living in Essex with her family and doggy girl named Pepper (see pic below)

Lizzie sent me this pic with note: 'This is where I often sit and write'

Beautiful spot, don't you think?

I asked Lizzie few questions, here this little 'interview' :)

Q: What you were doing between your first business and being writer?

I ran a retail and wholesale business for over 15 years. I designed products and sold them here and abroad.

Q: What kind of products?

Glassware, candles, aromatherapy, home wares.

Q: How long ago you started #CreativeBizHour? (every Monday night 8-9 pm GMT networking hour on Twitter)

Five years ago now. It's been trending most weeks for years. Still do :)

***

I also asked Lizzie about her books, here her answer:

Baby Driven was my first book. 5 have been published.  One more is out with an American publisher next year and I have three more books written. I'm not sure when they will be out yet. I'm writing book 10 now.

Lizzie's first book was published in 2013. Pics of all her (published) books below:

I read four of them so far and they are nice reads :)

Lizzie is active on Facebook too, so if you are a writer (no matter genre) and looking for writing friends or reader (like me), who's looking for good reads not printed by big publishers, but independent small publishers or even self published by writers check her group:

Lizzie's Book Group

If you like romantic books check:

Romantic Fiction Book Club

Lizzie is one of admins in this group :)

More info about Lizzie's books, creative networking, fellow writers and her blog you can find here.

Little discoveries

Hiya peeps!

If we place politics aside (better for our mental health really to do that), lockdown isn't/wasn't bad time.

We all have/had chance to learn from it a bit about ourselves, our families and our surroundings.

Homeschooling is hard work and if your child losing interest in learning maths or science or just 'can't be botter', better chill out than push... They can learn other things than stuff from national curriculum during this time, things more important in life then biography of kings or how many legs insects have.

I learned to bake bread without flour, eggs, yeast

Buns on baking powder

Found lots of interesting new books/authors to read, eg:

Checked new recipes, also for sweet bakes

Finally had chance for little walks and proper look what's growing around:

To see how sky and riverside look during spring,

finished painting on one of buildings in our town's park :).

Have a 'treasure hunt' with my son on the beach and be surprised by his 'find'

Plus finding places within town's boundaries we have no idea they exist:

That's all for today :)

Stay safe!