Sending Positive Vibes To All

I've a feeling this is gonna be a bit of a rambling post!
Wow things have really been happening around here recently and not in an obvious massive way, just some subtle changes that have occurred which I didn't even realise were happening until after they happened!
Some of you may know my year didn't get off to the best start, January was a total write off really and for a while it was really hard to see the light at the end of that tunnel...but alas thanks to a little bit of faith and belief and some awesome family and friends that light started shining brightly again :)
The last few months have been a real eye opener for me and while I was getting over the massive upheaval that had occurred in my life, I started to realise how much I had underestimated my inner strength. It's so easy to get caught up in life and all of it's obstacles and struggles and moan about the bad and negative things going on around you. For me I just felt like, "Why me??", "What have I done to deserve this??" and y'know you always have a few false starts where you've convinced yourself you're over something and you've dealt with it by ignoring but really you haven't and it hits you all over again.
However, I think for the first time in my adult life I've actually sat back and taken a proper look at all the positives in my life....and it feels great to realise this and appreciate it all!! Sure things haven't gone according to my life plan the way I wanted it to but then as I'm beginning to learn, the best things in life are unplanned. I realised how lucky I should consider myself to be, as already mentioned I have the most amazing friends and family and these guys are a major part of who I am, I have a job that I enjoy going to 5 days a week, I have a car that gives me the freedom to get me to places I want to be, sure I still live at home but there's plenty of time for that to change...that may not seem like much to some people but to me it's all I need right now. I think I was in my room a few weeks ago, as always, its my safe haven, and it just dawned on me how I've got my whole life ahead of me and I can do or be anything I want to be. I realised that I'd stopped dwelling on the negative things that had happened in my life and instead looked at what I had learned from them and put them in that space in your head where the past is kept. I know people say you should let the past go but I think that no matter what there'll always be a locked box in the back of your mind where you keep your past...because you don't want to forget it completely and make the same mistakes again.
This new realisation has also helped me to move forward with some other issues and relationships and I finally feel all is not lost where certain people are concerned and that after everything we'd gone through we can at last forge a friendship.
I went to see a spiritual healing, angel, psychic lady last week, I was a bit sceptical I will admit but everything she said just reinforced how I was actually feeling inside myself and I felt so strong and positive when I came out knowing she had picked up all of this too. I've been a believer of angels for a long time now, going way back to my childhood and I most definitely believe we all have one guardian angel looking out for us all of the time, to me its very comforting to know and believe in that. And believe me my angel (s) are out in force at the moment guiding me in the right direction!!
Life throws all kinds of battles in our paths and they are all a test to see what we can handle and how we can deal with things...but I certainly believe that everything that is put in my way is done so because I am more than capable of handling it, sometimes it just takes a bit of time to figure out the right way to deal with it.

The Pentacle cards featured quite a bit in my reading and this symbolises result, fruition, realisation and prosperity as well as someone not be crossed!

I imagine my Angel to be something like this

See I warned you it would be a bit of a long post, but basically I just wanted to share my new found positivity, I honestly feel like I can take on the world these days. Life is a tricky business so when it does get all too much, just take a step back and look around and you'll soon find that there's so many more positives out there that will more than out weigh the negatives :-)

In a nutshell :-)

Cake Time

Anyone remember Angel cake?? Its something that always reminds me of when we lived in England, it was a bit of a treat for us but when we moved to Ireland we couldn't find it for ages! Nowadays Mr Kipling does some kind of Angel cake slices but not a patch on the stuff me and my sister used to have as kids!
Anyway I wanted to make my own version of it but I messed up the different coloured sponge parts of the cake..I thought I could bake them all in layers in one tin and then slice them into 3 and fill them in between with cream but it didn't quite work out that way! Next time I'm going to bake the 3 coloured sponges in separate tins. Anyway even though it didn't turn out the way I expected it was still yummy and all made with my mother's faithful recipe of: 6, 6, 6, and 3!
 (Self raising flour, margarine, caster sugar and eggs - not forgetting a teaspoon of vanilla essence and food colouring)

Lined my tin with greaseproof paper to stop the mixture sticking

3 different coloured mixtures

Just out of the oven - approx 45mins on gas mark 4

Finished product with some lemon butter cream icing

Mmm I love cake!

*The fondant icing pieces on the cake were made by my 13 year old niece, Jade - a little baker in the making!*

Inspiration Board

So finally I got around to putting my cork board to good use once again. This used to be filled with photographs when I was in school but was taken down for a reason I can't remember and was left hidden behind the TV for a few years. So after I redecorated my bedroom I decided to use it again.
This time I have made it into more of an inspiration board. I have collected quotes and such since I was teenager and thought some of the more positive ones could do with being on display. Some of them I printed off because I liked the whole picture, others I hand wrote and decorated a little myself. There's also a picture or 2 thrown in of the friends :) I'll ne adding to it as time goes by. For this I had to dig out my "art box"..this box has been around for years! I was mad into art and crafts when I was younger and have somehow managed to keep the box filled with bits and bobs in tact despite my 3 nieces trying to get their hands on it over the years! I have of course topped up my supplies...it felt great being a little bit creative, another New Years resolution I'm working on! It is now hanging nicely above my bed :)

If you look closely you'll catch a glimpse of my what my next tattoo will look like! :)

Supplies from the "art box" - I recycled my Pringles containers back them to store all my pens and pencils!

Restock - some lovely patterned paper and photocards from Lidl

Ice Cream, Sunshine and Smiles

Today was such a lovely day that I just had to blog about it straight away! Me and my Bestie took off to Kinsale for some quality bestie time before her little baba arrives in a few weeks. Luck was on our side today because the sun was out in full force and we were able to enjoy the drive down with the sunroof and windows open and our sunnies on. We found our way to Fishy Fishy, a popular seafood restaurant where we had the most delicious lunch, worth every penny. Even though we were super stuffed we still managed to fit in some ice cream which we got in a funky retro ice cream parlour called Sundays, it was yummy! We took a stroll around the town then, I love Kinsale for all its windy, cobble stone streets, it all so quaint! On the drive back out of the town we took what we thought would be a quick detour to see some more views but it eneded up with us doing a bit of exploring. We paid a visit to Charles Fort, just on the water side of a small village called Summer Cove. This place has  alot of history behind including the Seige of Kinsale in 1601. The views from here were amazing, we took lots of pictures! The only downside was that a load of seagulls decided to do thier business all over my car which resulted in a trip to the carwash on the way home!!

It was a perfect day out :-) xo

The mayo came out in an oyster shell!

Raspberry Kiss Sundae

Sundays Ice Cream Parlour - so funky!

Kinsale harbour

Bridge into Charles Fort

Afternoon Exploring

Me and the two K's decided to go for a wander the other day. I took them down to a side of town they wouldn't have been near much before. It was a bit of an adventure for us as they got to discover the hidden steps that led them to the strand and cave like nooks and crannies that they thought were the coolest things ever! The big K loves spending time on the fishing boats so was able to fill us in on a few things such as sea urchins! She was also much better at skimming stones than me and the small K were, although we did give it a go! Where we were is tucked away at the east side of the town and is so peaceful and quiet...however the tide was beginning to come in so we soon took off again in search of some ice cream and a some messing around in the playground :)

Music Is The Key To My Soul

I thought I’d do a bit of a post about the music I listen to, gives a little bit more of an insight into someone I think. I would absolutely be lost without music, I don’t think I could drive without the mp3 player in the car, the gym would be near impossible without my chosen tunes blaring in my ears and for all those difficult times in life, well I’d never have got through them had I not been able to relate to certain songs at particular times to make me feel like I’m not alone and somebody out there understands how I feel!! Of course, there’s also the happy aspects of music, just hearing a certain song can lift my mood instantly or, transport me back to a happy memory. Music is a great way to keep the past somewhat alive when you can associate it with a given time or event.

I have my favourite bands / singers but my taste in music is across the board. My mp3 player is nearly always on shuffle because I can never decide on an actual album to listen to and it can vary from heavy metal to dance to pop to rock to rap....and so on! But of course I do on occasion let an album play right through, something of which I’ve been doing a lot of lately, probably to go with the weird mood that’s taken over me these last few weeks...anyhoo I thought I would share these 4 albums in particular with you. Happy listening should you be intrigued to search out some of them J

Here goes:

Jimmy Eat World - "Futures"
I could listen to this album over and over again, the whole track list tells a story, a story I can relate to of late, it’s almost like it was written for me! This album has been helping my sleep in recent months, playing in my ears every night. These guys are awesome live, I’ve been lucky enough to see them twice, Jim Adkins voice is something else altogether. Its hard to pick the best song because they are all equally brilliant but I will highlight "Polaris", I adore this song, so much so I have some of the lyrics tattooed on me.

Deftones - "White Pony"

I'm only a relatively new Deftones fan, in fact for ages I couldn't bear to listen to them but gradually they grew on me after an ex kept on playing them. This album takes me on a whole outer body experience, it makes me want to explore my naughty, mischievous side, its just got that real kinda sordid, dirty secret feel to it. "Passenger" was the song that convinced me to give these guys a listen, Maynard James Keenan (Tool / A Perfect Circle) sings on this track also, it gives me goose bumps everytime! "Digital Bath" is another stand out track.

Paramore - "Riot"

This album throws me back to being a lovestruck teenager all over again, but yet is still so applicable to right now!! "Crushcrushcrushcrush" is spot on about social situations these days relating to dating or hooking up or whatever its called these days! "When It Rains" is a raw feeling song looking for an answer. "Misery Business" is probably my favourite, a total in your face, "I won in the end!"  song you can just rock out to with a few tongue in cheek remarks! 

Breaking Benjamin - "Dear Agony"

I discovered these guys one night at a house party, some of the guys there had "Without You" blaring and were singing along and I was instantly taken with the passion and energy in the lead singers voice and after reading about his own personal demons, I understood why! When Im feeling pissed off and angry at the world, or myself, this album gets a blast and if I'm in the car you'll find me screaming along with it. Start to finish, a superb album.

A Busy Few Weeks

Its been waaaaaay too long since I blogged last, this is not good!!
Its been a bit of a crazy few weeks here in Camp Lolliesland - Im not sure where to begin!
A couple of friends arrived home from their parts of the world they now call home which resulted in many a catch up involving plenty of alcohol and shenanigans, I definitely relived my teenage years too with a bit of "bushing", late night strolls to the beach and general banter! Although Im feeling every one of my 26 years this week as Ive been suffering with a rotten head cold since!

Reliving our youth with a drinks down "the rocks"

It was also Titanic Week here in Cobh, commemorating the 100 year anniversary since the Titanic sank and I have to say I was very proud to be a Cobhite during all of this! The town looked great and there was so much going on everyday. The weather of course was a bit of a let down but not enough to dampen the spirits! Actually the weather was totally messed up, one minute sunny and warm, the next giant hailstones would fall!

One of the Navy Ships in the harbour

One of many giant hailstone showers!

We had our annual Easter Egg hunt in the garden for the kids, they love it! Although I think Daddykins gets more fun out of hiding the Easter eggs and the 3 girls (and me, Im never too old to join in) running around like lunatics trying to find them before the other ones do! 

There's still loads leftover!

We also had my niece, Kellie's confirmation this weekend. A great day was had by all, thankfully I got to skip the whole church bit due to not feeling very well, 3 hours for the service is just far too long! We had lots of food and goodies and relatives in the house to help her celebrate the day.

There's been lots more going on that I've to blog about and I will work on that during this week, I wont bore you anymore with an even longer post!! 

Hope everyone has been doing great :-) xo