Nayu's Craft Time #322 I'm Growing Things!

 

Time helps things to grow! Keep reading to find out what is growing in these pots

 Hello! Been far far far too long since I've said hi. Yes I blame life for being it's crazy self. The really good news is at the end of the month, a major life thingy that's been going on for 18 months will be over! I may not get the outcome for a while, but I promise as soon as I get it, I will explain what's been so stressful since Feb 2020 - no it's not covid. I've kept quiet because it hasn't been resolved but I got news this week when the resolution will be. Honestly it's crazy stressful and I've hated every moment. To have a date that it will almost be over is amazing and I'm thankful to God that will be soon - truly I didn't necessarily expect it to happen this year due to covid. Yes I'm sure you're all curious but I will tell you when I can. Partly for my sanity I don't want to discuss it until it's resolved, and legally although I can't be identified online it's probably better than I wait until it's all finished before sharing anything. Sorry I can't say more now, but in August I should be able to! A few of my friends do know  what's going on, but if they can please keep it quiet I'd appreciate it. 

The seedlings started like this

 I'm trying to find the time to squeeze in more blog posts, life depending, of course. As the title and picture suggest I've been busy growing things! A few weeks ago I put 10 seedlings in two starter growth coconut coir/cuir towers. I love watering the discs and watching them expand. The fact I got some seedlings to grow feels like a miracle - just look at them now! 

This one may not make it...

 They are thriving in their full pot of coconut cuir soil (I got a small bag for my plants, its really nutritious but it really stinks when I first use it. Thankfully the smell disappears fairly quickly with an open window. The seeds like the smell as they are still growing! These will hopefully become flowering African Violets or Violas. I can't remember which and I'm too comfy to move and get the seeds. According to my phone they were planted 21st April. Bit worried about one seedling which looks like it may not make it, but 2 out of 10 is good enough for me! 

This one is doing well!

If the second second does perish I'll plant another 5, even if it'll take a few months to know if it has grown.

 

Growth when I first sampled the cress - I couldn't wait for it to grow taller.

Other seeds that are growing and almost at their full potential are my cress seeds! I started them off a few days ago, was a bit worried I'd put too many on the plant pot tray but they are growing well! Need to set another off today so I will have a constant supply of cress. In my grocery haul yesterday I got some plain white paper towels - I'm sure the ink on the one I used isn't harmful but would rather have plain white towels to grow the seeds on. They need watering several times a day at the moment as it's rather warm and the water evaporates fast.

Usually have more in a sandwich but I didn't have loads so this is what I did have!

 I'm enjoying growing my own cress - it tastes better knowing I've grown it from seed, with God's grace, of course. I'm not letting myself buy any more in my groceries so that I have to keep growing them. So long as I've the energy I'll plant some lettuce tomorrow too! Waking up and seeing how the the plants have grown overnight is something fun to look forward to. 

The latest growth - it is getting tall! Will try to remember to take pics of when they are seedlings this time.

Not done much craft recently, but I plan to try a new project soon as I have until the end of September to help out with that caure. More news in a few days (hopefully). I've been gaming lots and will compile a list of my most recent reviews soon. Time to ping across the photos for this post, and then gaming! 

Hoping my seedlings will look like the African Violet (or Pansy) on the right one day!

Nayu's Craft Time #264 Kind of busy with Life

Peekaboo! Not my kitten but oh so cute!

This is short post as it's almost bed (I'm prescheduling it). Last week was spent mostly getting over my mega meds aka ketamine (yes the stuff vets use for animals, and poplar in A&E), which takes time for the initial and varied effects to wear off. Then I went grocery shopping which also takes time to recover from (a little extra than normal as I'm having to go to a bigger store at the moment).

It's going to be a gaming kind of week!

This week I've got some life stuff going on, which I mentioned a few blog posts ago (I think) in so far as I'm not talking about what's going on. But, a result of it is that for today and tonight only I'm staying in a Hilton hotel! That's the fun side of the life stuff. I'm really looking forward to that part, I'm not taking much to do, just my Nintendo 3DS to keep me occupied, along with my tiny tablet which has ebooks on and some lace yarn with a crochet hook - yes there will be craft! 

This was taken months ago, and the yarn I'm using today is maybe in there. Equally maybe not! It's late and I'm doing this post in a rush.

Tomorrow (Thursday) is a full on day of life stuff, after that I'll be having a few days R&R to recover and decompress. So it probably will be at least 5 days until my next blog post here - I'm sorry! Unfortunately as I'm sure you'll appreciate life happens. ^u^ Just got to revel in the good parts to get through the not so fun parts. 

It's a bit early but I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Nayu's Craft Time #258 Donut Yumminess, Crochet Progress & Life Update

Peanut buttery donut delight!!!

On a visit to Bath (the English City with the Roman baths) the other day my family treated me to 2 super yummy Krispy Kreme donuts! I've had the Reese's peanut butter one (with a lovely gooey centre), and I'm having the other one today, flavour I can't remember. I adore KK donuts (or duffnuts as they can be called in my house). I rarely have them - there's no Krispy Kreme shop near me, they are more expensive than supermarket donuts, and I absolutely refuse to buy them from Tesco - I don't like the store at all (no offence if you shop/work there). I've been busy with unfortunately necessary life stuff, as well as having lots of rest. I'm sorry for not being able to blog sooner but I have been busy! 

As well as the usual gaming, I've been reading some great books including the soon to be published novel The Rasputin Dagger by Theresa Breslin. I usually just link to the latest review on the right menu on this blog, but this is based quite a bit on a historical event. It's the best fictional account of the end of the Tsars in Russia that I've ever read, with a focus on Anastasia and her other sisters. I adore the Disney version of the story, Anastasia, 

Here's a handy image of the DVD with a summary for you

 and while I know that DNA has proved Anastasia did probably die with the rest of her family when they were killed (there's a horrendous scene at the end of The Rasputin Dagger when the royal family are taken away), but I like to imagine she escaped. The book focuses on a different character (with a lot of poetic licence involved as it's fictional, but a fair amount of historical accuracy too), and I highly recommend it. I'll be taking part in a book tour so will most definitely link that when it's up on my review blog, Nayu's Reading Corner. 

Not only have I been reading, I've been crocheting too! I sort of finished a blanket - I've got some decorating plans which require a bit more concentration than I've had lately. I will show you once it's finished, but that might be a while. I've already started my next project...

Progress by the end of Monday

I'm not sure how big this will end up, as I've only got a few balls of wool, but I'm hoping it can at least reach aby blanket size. I started it when I had my monthly craft day with a friend. She couldn't believe how many times I redid 1 one as I figured out how to join the squares together without sewing them: there's a particular crochet way to do it, which means no seams to sew at the end (minus the ends of each square's yarn in the middle). I haven't done it for a while, so didn't do it quite right at first. It has to be a different method for each corner of the square too, which took even more working out. Yesterday I managed to do almost 2 rows (6 squares), which is good progress considering I was busy gaming & reading too. 

Phone used for scale

Hopefully this post was worth the wait, and, barring any more unexpected life stuff (a lot will be up over the next few months but hopefully they won't affect my blogging schedule too much) my next blog post will be in a few days (or less!).   

If you want to know what I do between blog posts, please follow  me on Twitter - I'm @Nayuleska. I usually tweet a few times a day, and while this can be a lot of gaming tweets, I post updates of my crochet projects and random life stuff ^u^ Let me know if you're on Twitter too!

Hope yours has gone well! Cute bunny = always good to see!

Nayu's Craft Time #257 My thoughts on recent events in England

Pretty soap stack! Getting on my soap box in a few paragraphs

This post's title explains what this post is about. Sorry for being away a week, it's been a crazy one. Last weekend had a water issue, which for a few hours meant baby wipes & hand sanitiser to use hands. We progressed to having cold water, with hot water being restored on Wednesday evening. Between then it was called grabbing a shower at a wonderful neighbour's house on Monday. 

I wish mine looked this good! They were cream with cute purple and orange stars on.

 On Tuesday when I knew I'd not only be doing the same but getting laundry done just in case the issue couldn't be fixed on the booked slot for Weds eve I baked some cupcakes for my friend (photo in another post as haven't got that device with me right now and going to get it is too much effort for this time of day). Usualy baking is the only activity in a day when I do it, and I definitely don't usually have a full day out the following day, so been resting up after that. Add into the mix a slightly poorly cat (all better now, more in another post), then it being my birthday weekend (in which I eat fresh cold custard & ice cream for breakfast because it's a tradition and spend most of the day gaming), things have been a tad chaotic here. 

Love these-they brighten up my finger! Have run out of Little Miss Hug plasters & currently not quite sure where my Hello Kitty plasters are

This post is also shorter than planned because yesterday I accidentally cut my left little finger, right on the finger pad with a super sharp knife. Finger all attached, so no worries there! Only it's rather sore and not used to typing (with cute cupcake plaster on it) so I am ending this shortly. 

The daisy. A simple white and yellow flower, used for making necklaces and crowns, and just to be admired. The start of my standing on a soap box.

Before I go, I ask that you spare a thought (several thoughts) for anyone affected by tragic circumstances. What with a horrific terrorist attack in Manchester last week, and waking up this morning to hear of London's 2nd terrorist attack of the year, please send good wishes/pray/do what you can and or wish to for people affected by conflict, be it directly or indirectly, since friends and colleagues of the people involved are affected just as much as the initial victims. 

We live in a scary world, full of many nice people who help others, and a few who want us to life in fear and let that fear prevent us from living a good life. Sadly those instances are heard about more than good deeds when it comes to news. It sucks that these days mostly the terrorist are so-called Muslims, who would never harm another soul, especially not in this most sacred month of Ramadan which is about encouraging peace and humanity, not trying to crush it.

Saw this after I chose to use daisies in this post. Let's fill the world with love, not hate.

It's not nice glimpsing into the anti-Muslim hatred on social media either, which I accidentally saw then looked a little further, but only a little as it's fairly horrific. I don't go out much due to my health, and I've never had an issue wearing a headscarf, but I feel for those who are wrongly hounded and harassed for showing their faith in public.

It's like when I was little and all the terror issues were to do with the IRA (in Northern Ireland) - it didn't mean that Christians were all terrorists, it was just a handful, yet I was vaguely aware at the time that certain groups of people were persecuted because they happened to share the same religion as the IRA. The religion may have changed, but the principle hasn't: the majority of Muslims are lovely people, some of who almost definitely would have treated the wounded in Manchester, London, and all around the world. Please help spread love for everyone, no matter who we are we are all human, we all bleed red blood (barring any medical anomalies), we all need food, water, shelter and love to survive in these crazy times. I'm stepping off my soap box now, but I hope I've given you something to think about and act on.

Found this image online, feel it's appropriate because I frequently draw stick girls when I sign my cards to friends, even though I didn't draw it. Original source here.

Nayu's Craft Time #140 Quiet week so far

Needed this a lot over the last few days - sadly this adorable umbrella isn't mine! Very girly ^o^ Picture source

I don't have any craft updates for you - the weather hasn't been great, so my body has responded appropriately and made me feel less than great so I've done 0 sewing. I hope to do crochet tomorrow, maybe. I've done a lot of gaming, and some reading. My life is very quiet when I'm ill! Although there are some crazy life events going on. The one I can possibly tell you about (not quite yet) in a few weeks to a month is HUGE and looks set to make unable to sew for a few days, but I'll give more details when I'm able to. It's a mostly nice event, which is all I can say for now. That's me for today - back to resting! 

Nayu's Craft Time #135 Busy weekend + Hello Ramadan!

Sadly not my photo, but I am drinking chamomile tea with peppermint right now! Tasty & relaxing. Picture source

I am now through my busy weekend of seeing friends and family, and squeezing in enough rest. Ended up with a headache on Saturday, which turned into a migraine Saturday night. Thankfully it disappeared by the time I woke on Sunday, leaving me with the usual post-migraine fatigue. 

Today's a day of doing various tasks that need doing (sadly craft isn't on the agenda until this evening - but it will then happen! 

I'd like to wish those of you who celebrate it a happy Ramadan! It starts today for some (like me) and tomorrow for others, but as one person said on Twitter we may start on different days but we all have the same destination! 

I will be doing info posts about Ramadan soon, just not today as I've a stack of things left to do and don't want to be finishing too late this afternoon so I can rest and get crafting!

Nayu's Craft Time #130 Life gets in the way of craft!

It was a planned sewing afternoon...

I'd planned to write this post later today, as I'd pencilled in a sewing session after my blog work. Unfortunately something else has come up which I need to do (& will take a few hours) so sewing is now off today's task list. I'm slightly annoyed as I'd been looking forward to it, but sometimes other things have to take priority. 

Tomorrow I'm crafting all day with a friend which will be fun - hopefully I'll be able to tell you the progress I make on Tuesday! I hope you've enjoyed some parts of the weekend, and have a great start to the week! 

Replace the coffee for your favourite drink - mine is hot chocolate!

Nayu's Craft Time #90 Useful Apps Part 1

Haven't had many frosty days, but they are starting to happen! Picture source.

I hope you're managing to stay warm if you're in the Northern Hemisphere, as it's slowly getting colder. Brrr! My cat likes me using my heated overblanket (originally I typed hated, which is the opposite of how I feel about this blanket!). She gets such a warm tummy from lying over my legs, and gets annoyed when I have to get up (& thus make her get up). 

Belle in my lap on the beloved heated blanket. Does she love me or the blanket more? Who knows!

Yesterday I went out for lunch with my family, and then did groceries, two high energy activities so sadly craft was off the agenda. However, I do have something to share with you today which isn't what I've done but what I use. 

So many of us use these! Picture source.

I don't use a lot of apps. Although I have a phone which can be a smartphone, I only use it for texting and the occasional call. I've had touchscreen smartphones in the past, and while I love my tablets, I prefer using keypads for texting, hence getting a qwerty phone. I never go online though. I've been able to in the past, but I like my off time. Phones are for text & calls! 

While I have tablets of the electrical kind, not the medicine kind which I also have, and sometimes play games on them, I barely use any apps. In comparison to the rest of my family, which includes some who used to be frightened about turning a computer on but use a zillion apps, I'm the odd one out. I'm just not into them all that much. 

Traditional and reliable! Picture source.

For writing notes I tend to use a paper notepad and pen, or write stuff as draft messages in my phone (I don't use the simple notepad app on it). I don't have an online calendar - I have a paper one, when I remember to put stuff on it! 

There are plenty of other apps I don't use, but today I want to chat about one app which I'm trying to use more often. It's an app which made me realise a few years ago that it might be better for my health if I can work less and rest more. I tried a wide range, but this was the simplist to use while still being cute & functional. The app is...

Zoo Zoo Planner! 

It's a bit like a calendar, but only has 7 days shown as a clock face. 

This is a sample online, not an example of my day. Picture source.

You can  have a more boring table view, which is without the various cute animal 'faces' and 'ears' which make the app so appealing.

Again this is from online, not my schedule, and it's in a different language (Korean? Don't think it's Japanese...) Picture source.

 It's not originally English, which is why some of the spellings are a bit different. You can jot down your schedule for the day ahead, and once a week has gone you can delete the days if you need to to start again. 

I'm not sure if you can delete a single schedule - I haven't needed to as I use this a bit differently to a calendar. Instead of recording my planned activities, I record what I actually do. Similar tasks get given similar colours - I have set colours for active activities, relaxing activities, sleep (kind of essential), and daily activities like lunch etc. 

My life is rarely this balanced! Picture source.

By recording my day I get an idea of how balanced or unbalanced my day is in relation to working and resting. This heavily depends on how I feel on the day, so some days will be light in activity, while others can be a bit activity heavy, which is when I know I need to get more anime watching in! 

There is a lite version of Zoo Zoo Planner, so you can try it before you buy it in whichever app store you use. It's not that expensive, and I bought it so I could change the type of animal I have on the clock face. It works for me, and helps attempt to get a more balanced life. 

I'd love to hear which apps you use! This is a part 1 just in case I end up using more apps in the future. 

I may not use heaps of apps, but I do love the technology I use!