Things That Make You Go Oooooo (January 2015)

The first month of 2015 is done! It's been a slow month for me as I started off the new year feeling all icky and sick but after a week or so of sleepless nights, coughing and a ridiculous amount of snotty tissues I'm finally well again so have been getting back into my healthy routine and making good use out of the Nutri Bullet I got for Christmas. This year I'm determined to put plans into action and stop waiting around, it's time to push myself and face my fears!

♥ 15 Important Things About Personal Development, Relationships, Activism, & Careers I Learned In 2014

♥ 6 Easy Resolutions for Your Most Organized Year Ever

♥ 7 things that happened when I quit my fancy internet life and went to work at a coffee shop

♥ 10 Signs You're A Bad Witch

♥ 2 Things You Need To Know To Change The Entire Course of Your Day

♥ 10 Ways We Body Shame Each Other Without Knowing

♥ The "Have It All" Mentality

♥ 10 Success Stories Of People Who Refused To Quit Pursuing Their Dreams

♥ 5 Ways To Boost Your Mood

♥ Dothraki 101

♥ Why 2014 was the Year of the Female Comic Fan

♥ 10 Ways To Make All Bloggers Want (To Work With) You

♥ A Lesson in Friendship: 5 Reasons Why Girls Nights Are Good For Your Soul

♥ How To Keep Yourself Motivated When You’re Not Feeling It

♥ 35 Of The Best And Worst Things About Living Alone

♥ 5 Ideas to Create an Amazing 2015


♥ Make New Year's Challenges That Encourage You To Compete With Yourself

♥ A Mind And Soul Detox for The New Year

♥ Buy Experiences, Not Things

♥ 20 Tiny Changes That Can Completely Overhaul Your Life

Love & Green tea

Cate

xoxo

5 Fandom Friday: Favorite Fandom Accessories I Own

I'm really excited about this weeks Fandom 5 topic as one of the reasons I got into jewellery and accessory making was because there were so many fandom related things I wanted but nowhere to get them but as "Geek Culture" has become more mainstream there has been a big boom in nerdy accessories which is awesome as I can just pop down to any shop and pick something great up, so here are five of faves from my collection.

Direwolf Scarves

There was once a time when you couldn't find any Game of Thrones merchandise anywhere and as I had been making fox scarves for a while I randomly came up with the idea to make myself a Ghost scarf to keep myself warm that winter and now that little idea has kinda exploded! I absolutely adore making these scarves they make me so happy, I get such sweet messages and the reactions I got from The Stark Boys when I gave them their scarves are something I will never forget, I mean these have to be my favourite accessories ever because they mean they world to me. 

Dreams Come True Necklace by Disney Couture

I own a few Disney Couture items but this one is my favourite as it has the most meaning. I bought myself this necklace after my first solo adventure to China where my dreams did come true and I proved to myself that after such a challenging, dark time in my life that I am strong person and good things do happen. Whenever I'm feeling down or I need a bit of motivation I always wear this necklace to remind me that dreams do come true and I just have to keep believing.

Captain America Shield Backpack

BEST BAG EVER! This bag is not only awesome for my Captain America cosplay outfits but awesome for cons because it fits so much inside and is super comfy and easy to carry. I got this from CreoNodo on Etsy and am absolutely in awe of the quality I mean even the lining on the inside is stars and stripes I highly recommend her bags!

UP Pin

This pin was a freebie given out at cinemas when UP first came out, unfortunately I missed out so I ended up buying this on eBay. It's so beautiful and detailed and even the little plugs that secure the pin are Mickey shaped. I nearly always wear this on a hat and I love to keep it close to me when I go on my adventures.

Sequin Minnie Mouse Ears

I wasn't sure what to pick for my last one I was torn between the Samulet and these Minnie ears so I picked the ears because they're awesome and made even more awesome by the fact I bought them from Disneyland the happiest place on earth and if I'm ever lucky enough to visit Disneyland again I'll definitely bring these along with me.

Check out #Fandom5 creators The Nerdy Girly & Super Space Chick & let us know your fave accessories.

Love & Apple Tea

Cate

xoxo

#OOTD: Doggie Style

Walkies with The Russ Pup is my favourite time of the day, in fact any time spent with him is my favourite time of day, I think I'm definitely reaching crazy dog lady status! One of my favourite internet comic series at the moment is Corg Life, it's so funny and sweet and Otis the Corgi reminds me so much of our Russ, I definitely think Russ is part Corgi I mean look at those big ears...

I got this Corgi jumper from the rescue center Russ came from and I absolutely love it, the crazy Corgi face reminds me so much of him. It's getting quite cold outside but this jumper is super warm so it's the perfect thing to wear out on walkies and even better it's completely handmade and all the money I spent on it went to the rescue center so they can take care of all of all their other adorable residents. I'm honestly so thankful to this place for bringing our little Russ pup into our lives it's not even been a year yet and I can't imagine life without him.

Do you have any pets? Be sure to tell me all about them in the comments.
Love & Snuggles

Cate

xoxo

5 Fandom Friday: Songs That Changed My Life

I've struggled with this weeks Fandom 5 subject because music is such an emotional thing to me, everytime I think of 5 songs I think of 5 more which had some significance worth talking about so I thought I would make the task a little easier for myself and instead do 5 theme songs. Theme songs seem to be a dying breed in TV shows and although they can be hella cheesy they can also be totally uplifting to so here are 5 of the best.

FRIENDS

I'll admit I've been watching a lot of Friends lately so the theme song is kinda stuck in my head although admittedly it has been since 1995! I love this one because it's just so damn catchy and fun, also it's all about friendships and sticking together through the bad times. Friends had a big impact on me growing up and helped me through that weird transition into being an "adult" and I often find myself quoting it. Fun Fact: I'll Be There For You by The Rembrandts was one of the 1st CD's I bought!

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

No cheesy lyrics on this one BUT everytime I hear this song I instantly feel motivated to kick some ass! I blogged in my 1st Fandom 5 post about how much Buffy meant to me so my feels for this show are of course tied in with the song. I always loved the music choices in Buffy and had the album on repeat, seriously it's so good and if you haven't listened to it I suggest you go do that right now!

Dawson's Creek

This one kinda escaped my mind until recently, I forgot how beautiful it is and it took me right back. It's only while writing this I understood the meaning of the entire song better and I think it means a little more to me now as it's all about living in the now and not letting past pain dictate your life which is something I need to remind myself of at times.

Batman '66

NANANANANANANANA BATMAN! Best. most catchy theme song ever!! This tune is totally iconic and the best introduction to the Bat World a kid could ever have. I honestly love this show so much as cheesy and camp as it is and I get so happy every time I hear this song.

The Royle Family

Oasis were my fave band during my teenage years and this song was one of my favourites and a perfect fit for The Royle Family. I adore Noel Gallagher's singing, his voice is perfectly suited to this mellow song and he's still one of my favourite song writers ever. There's some really great lyrics in this short song which is full of hope, the song ends with the line "I've been lost, I've been found but I don't feel down" and I think that's a great note to leave on....

Check out the origins of Friday Fandom 5 & be sure to join in and share your fave songs.

Love & Music

Cate

xoxo

Almond Butter, Cranberry & Flax Cookies (Vegan & Gluten Free)

2015 has begun and it's time for me to quit with the junk food and get back on the health train. After starting the year feeling all sick and ill I need to get some goodness back into my body but I'm not giving up on my cookies just yet, I mean what am I supposed to have with my cup of tea? These cookies are vegan, gluten free and super easy to make, it's taken me a while to make the perfect almond butter cookie as most seem to come out too dry but these were nice and chewy, I'll definitely be making another batch of these soon!

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup ground flax seeds
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 tsp cinnamon

(Makes 12)

♥ Preheat an oven to 180°c and grease a 12 pan cupcake tray.

♥ Mix together all the ingredients until thoroughly combined.

♥ Divide the mixture into equal parts and place into the previously greased cupcake tray.

♥ Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned.

♥ Let the cookies cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.

♥ Eat & Enjoy!

Good Luck

Cate

xoxo

5 Fandom Friday: Conventions I've Been To Or Wish To Attend

This #Fandom5 is all about conventions, it has been nearly a decade since I attended my first con and I have seen the convention scene and the geek community grow so much in that time. I absolutely love going to conventions they're so much fun and I definitely want to attend as many cons as I can in 2015

SAN DIEGO COMIC CON

Ok so let's start with the obvious, this is THE con of the year, the one to be at and the one everyone wants to go to! I had an awesome time back in 2013, I met lot's of awesome people and hung out with all my awesome "internet friends" and I think more than all the geeky merch, the amazing cosplays and the awesome panels that's the reason I want to go back because if anything can bring a bunch of geeky international internet friends together it's comic con!

COMIKAZE

Comikazi belongs to Stan Lee and after seeing how awesome he is in real life I'm sure the guy can put on an awesome con! Last year my Dad asked me if I wanted to and I stupidly said no... I'm still not sure why because the legends that are Adam West and Burt Ward were there and I would have absolutely LOVED to meet them, so if he asks me again this year I'm totally saying YES before I even have time to think because it'll be another awesome excuse to hang out with all my awesome friends at another awesome con I've heard such great things about.

LONDON FILM & COMIC CON

This is probably the biggest con in the U.K. last year it was HUGE and I predict it's only going to get bigger! LFCC always have the best guests, last year I not only got to meet Stan Lee I got to meet the legend that is Carrie Fisher (and her dog Gary) and in previous years I have met Patrick Stewart, Christopher Lloyd and a whole bunch of amazing people I have spent my life idolising so I'll definitely be back again this year!

MCM BIRMINGHAM

This is normally my last con of the year and normally what I would call the quiet con although that has completely changed because when I was there in November I had to queue up for an hour to get in and this was later in the day! MCM & Memorabillia is normally the better organised of all the U.K. cons and they always have loads of stores to browse so it's a great one to go to to pick up Christmas presents for people... or yourself.

WALES COMIC CON

So I have to give a shoutout to my hometown con because I never would've thought that my little town would host a very popular and successful con. Growing up I spent most of my time hiding my nerdiness and trying to act "cool" (whatever that meant) so to have our own comic con kinda blows my mind! It's still a new con and it's still quite small but I see it improving and growing every year, there's always a nice atmosphere there to I mean seriously where was this con when I was growing up!?

BONUS

 Bangkok Comic Con gets a super special mention as last year was it's début which I missed by just a few days (DOH!) and although I'm missing out again this year I'm sending my brother to go check it out and report back but hopefully I'll get the chance to go next time I'm in Thailand.

Check out the original Friday Fandom 5, join in and let me know what conventions you'll be attending in 2015

Love & Pizza

Cate

xoxo

Inspirational Quotes #58

"I don’t know why femininity should be associated with weakness. Women should be free to express who they are without thinking, ‘I need to act like a man, or I need to tone it down to be successful.’ That’s a very good way to keep women down." 

- Zooey Deschanel

5 Fandom Friday: My Favorite Things About Winter

Winter is here! It's bloody freezing outside but I kinda love this time of year because when it's cold outside you'll mostly find me indoors with a hot beverage (and pie), crafting, watching copious amounts of TV and catching up on comics, I consider it my own sort of geeky hibernation. This week's Fandom 5 post is all about winter and after spending the last couple in Iceland I've definitely grown a new found love for the season despite being born in a tropical country, so here and my 5 favourite things about winter.

SNOW!!

One of the most magical memories I have is when we went horse riding in a snow storm in Iceland, it was honestly the most amazing thing I've ever experienced. I freakin' love snow, it's just so magical and pretty and it's the one thing that will actually get me out of my geek hibernation because when it snows you have to build a snow creature it's the law!

SCARVES

I have a long neck so scarves a pretty much a must for this time of year and I feel naked (and cold) leaving the house without one. Scarves are also one of the first things I learned how to knit which lead to my scarf/crafting obsession growing into a little business. I love that people love my scarf designs as much as I do, it makes me so happy that I'm keeping so many necks warm in the winter xoxo

 

SOUP

I seem to go through seasonal food obsessions because during the winter all I want to eat is soup, I mean it's just so warming and comforting. I know most people think soup is the most boring thing you can eat and yes I kinda agree which is why I like to make my own.

STARS

Darkness creeps in much earlier in the winter and as the saying goes "cold is the night when stars shine bright". Winter is a great time to go stargazing and I have many happy memories as a child all wrapped up outside with my Dad spotting all the different constellations and gazing at the moon though our awesome telescope, it's also the best time of year to go aurora spotting, another amazing thing I got to see whilst in Iceland  

SNUGGLES

Do I really have to explain this one? I mean there's nothing better when it's cold outside than snuggling up in a nice warm bed and FYI doggie snuggles are the best!

Check out #Fandom5 creators The Nerdy Girly & Super Space Chick & tell us what you love about Winter

Love & Cookies

Cate

xoxo

The Giant's Causeway

The Giant's Causeway has been on my list of must see sights for the longest time so when I was in Belfast for Comic Con I made it a priority to go see it. Nature is kinda amazing and weird and I love it and although it was a bit of a miserable day it was still a worthwhile trip to see this amazing creation in person. Unfortunately my shoes weren't the best and after slipping on lord knows what on the walk down the hill (yep I always that one person who falls over) I didn't want to risk climbing the columns so note to self next time bring trekking boots!

What natural wonders would you love to visit? Be sure to let me know in the comments

Love & Rainbows

Cate

xoxo

Mystery Lucky Bag Giveaway

I'm making 2015 the year of positivity and happiness so thought I would kick off the new year and share the love by hosting an awesome giveaway to show my love and appreciation for all you amazing people who read this blog and support my crafts. One of my absolute favourite new year customs is the Fukubukuro, surprises can be so much fun so I thought I would make up my own Mystery Lucky Bag full of handmade goodies from my Etsy Shop for one of you lucky people to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open internationally and entries will be accepted from now until midnight (GMT) on January 31st, just follow the instructions in the widget above and be sure to leave a valid email address that I can contact you at should you win.

Good Luck

Cate

xoxo

5 Fandom Friday: New Years Fandom Resolutions

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I can't believe a new year is already upon us and as usual I'm determined to make this the best year ever. Life has been so busy I haven't done one of these Friday Fandom 5 posts in a while but I have so much fun writing them and reading everyone else's that I definitely want to make them a regular thing for 2015 so what better way to kick off 2015 and a new year of blogging than with my new years fandom resolutions

Cosplay

Cosplay has quickly become one of my favourite hobbies I love making costumes as much as I love wearing them and have learned so many new skills. Cosplay has also helped me in other ways as it gives me confidence, keeps me creative and a gives me a goal to focus on to keep myself fit, healthy and strong like Asgardian that being said the most important thing about cosplay is having fun so don't feel like you have to look like a lady warrior to cosplay as Wonder Woman, you don't have to be 100% accurate to the character you just have to have a damn good time wearing it!

Get tickets to San Diego Comic Con

Yeah... so I want to go this year and I've been planning it since my last trip in 2013, I'm praying to the old gods and the new to bless me with the good luck I had last time but I know this year is going to be a BIG one so they'll be plenty of competition for tickets but I'm remaining hopeful and if all fails there's always the next one...

READ MORE

The the fact that I'm not reading a book every night is kinda shocking to me so that needs to change ASAP! I need to make more time for reading even if it's just 10 minutes out of my day I want to make that time as reading was always a great way for me to escape and relax which is something I'm in dire need of lately. Be sure to give me some book recommendations I'm willing to step out of my box and try new genres and yes I'm finally going to finish reading The Lord of The Rings trilogy this year!

Re-organize my S*#T

I'm sure fellow geeks can empathise because we like to collect stuff and I seem to have accumulated a lot of stuff over the years and it needs to be sorted out because The Batcave is getting more messy and claustrophobic so it's time I hang those pictures, sort out my shelves and alphabetise my comics this mess can not continue!

Go on an adventure

2015 is kinda a big year for me and I want it to be a celebration of all things awesome so I want to go on a big adventure, I want to meet my blogging friends and I want to see and experience amazing new things. Maybe this one isn't strictly fandom related but my adventures always seem to end up involving something nerdy but first things first I need to renew my passport!

Check out the origins of Friday Fandom 5 & be sure to join in and share your fandom resolutions

Love & Cookies

Cate

xoxo