10 of the best adult jigsaw puzzles.

Hey readers, 

As you may have more time on your hands with being inside more why not take up a fun entertainment in the form of jigsaw puzzles.

 Below I have picked my top 10 adult jigsaw puzzles that look fun to do if you're bored at home during the lockdown. 

 

1. The world of Sherlock Holmes. 

This 1000 piece cost £14.00 from Amazon. It features Holme's London spots (221B Baker Street) and famous characters (Dr Watson). It is a fun puzzle if you're into Sherlock Holmes and like to spot clues then this is a good choice.

2. Times Square.

This next puzzle is a stunning image of Times Square in New York (America). The Neon effect really brings the nightlife alive in the image. You can buy the jigsaw puzzle from Menkind for £10.00. 

 3. TFL London Underground Map. 

This a fun way to learn about the different London underground stations. It covers 270 underground stations and has 1000 pieces for you to enjoy to put together. You can purchase this London underground jigsaw from Gibsons Games for £14.00.

4.  St Pancras.

This St Pancras is a beautiful vintage train station done by the artist Trevor Mitchell and comes with original oil painting on a canvas jigsaw puzzle. You can buy this from The Works for £7.00.

5. Cosmic Lights. 

Now for something completely different with this cosmic lights puzzle. If your looking for a challenge with your jigsaw puzzle then this one is the one! You can buy this jigsaw puzzle on Amazon for £9.83. 

6.  Harry Potter. 

A fun Harry Potter jigsaw puzzle with the image of the main characters. You can buy it from Amazon for £15.94. 

7. VHS Jaws.

Looking for a quirky jigsaw puzzle, well I think I have it covered with this VHS Jaws jigsaw puzzle. It is a celebration of the video era with the classic Jaws film cover for you to enjoy. This is available at Smyths Toys for £5.99.

8. Succulent spectrum. 

For the plant, lover gets your green fingers on this succulent plant-based jigsaw puzzle. The picture showcases a variety of different types of succulents.  This jigsaw puzzle is available on Kew shop for £11.99.

9. Mona Lisa.

For something funny then I have found the one with this modern take of the classic Mona Lisa.  You can obtain this puzzle from Zazzle for a whopping £61.70.

10. The sweet shop. 

If your looking for a really difficult jigsaw puzzle that will keep you on your toes then this sweet shop themed jigsaw is the perfect match. You can buy this jigsaw from Jigsaw Puzzles Direct for £11.99.

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 17/01/2021

32 cool winter Instagram captions

Hey readers, 

Sometimes it can be hard to come up with relevant captions for your Instagram photos. So, I have picked a range of winter-themed quotes to use only our wintery Instagram photos. 

Best overall winter captions.

 1. I smell snow. - Gilmore Girls.

2. Children of winter never grow old.

3. Snowflakes are kisses from heaven.

4. Paradise doesn’t have to be tropical.

5. You don’t have to hibernate this winter.

6. No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place.

7. Every snowflake is a kiss on your sweet, cold nose.

8. Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light.

9. If you listen carefully, the winter silence is beautiful.

10. We’re all like snowflakes — unique and one of a kind.

Funny Winter Instagram captions. 

11. Chill out man.

12. We Are Winter.

13. Up to snow good…

14. Sleighed the night

15. The snuggle is real.

16. Love me, I am cold.

17. I love you snow much.

18. Every day I’m shovelling.

19. Break out the sweaters.

20. Winter Safety Is COOL.

Quotes to use for winter Instagram captions. 

21. For people who had warm memories, winter is never cold to them. - Unknown

22. Winter is not a season, it's a celebration. -Anamika Mishra

23. Well, I know now. I know a little more how much a simple thing like a snowfall can mean to a person. -Sylvia Plath

24. When it snows, you have two choices: shovel or make snow angels. - Unknown

25. To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold. -Aristotle

26. Winter is coming. - Ned Stark, Game of Thrones

27. There's just something beautiful about walking on snow that nobody else has walked on. It makes you believe you're special. -Carol Rifka Brunt.

28. In the winter she curls up around a good book and dreams away from the cold. - Ben Aaronovitch, Broken Homes

29. Kindness is like snow. It beautifies everything it covers. - Kahlil Gibran

30. Summer friends will melt away like summer snows, but winter friends are friends forever.- George R. R. Martin

31. What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.- John Steinbeck

32. The first snow is like the first love. - Lara Biyuts

Hope this of some help for inspiration for you. 

Cheers for reading X

A to Z of coping skills

 Hey readers,

I think more then ever we need to look after our mental health especially as we are going through a lockdown. 

I have devised A to Z list of coping skills that may be of use. I use some more than others so you have to test out what works for you. 

The key message in this post is to make time for you and look after your mental health. 

A - be assertive - learn the art of saying no without feeling guilty. 

B - breathing is so important and as someone who suffers from panic attacks learning to use your lungs fully will really help calm you down when you are panicking. 

C - call a relative or friend that you can talk to about the way you are feeling. 

D - Distractions are fantastic to give your mind a break and gives you the chance to think about something else. 

E - exercise is a great way to burn off some of the frustrations and can make you feel better that you are doing something positive for you.

F - be flexible with your thinking and options. 

G - gratitude list is a great method to try to focus on positive aspects of your life. 

H - healthy eating can help a lot by having a balance and nurtures diet. 

I - ignore people who are annoying you, focus on people who believe in you. 

J - jumping can help as a form of exercise such as a trampoline.

K - keep it simple, don't make it complicated and appreciate the small things.

L - laughter is a beautiful thing and watching a stand-up comedian or funny videos on the internet can really take your mind off things to smile. 

M - meditation is a technique where you can focus on here and now and train your mind to stop wandering off. 

N - Get out in nature as it is so good for your mental health and can give you some enjoyment. 

O - go outside which I know during lockdown is hard. But you can walk once a day for exercise and that will help massively for your mental health. 

P - Getting in the habit of positive self-talk can be really useful to help you train your mind to think more positive. It is hard work but sticks with it and it makes a big difference. 

Q - quiet time is important because it gives you time to recuperate and relax.

R - read a positive quote can help make you think of happy things in life.

S - brainstorm some solutions - just by writing out ideas can help clear your mind. 

T - tension exercise is great if your get was anxious and relax your muscles. There are lots of videos on Youtube that can run through how to do step by step. 

U - understand that feelings are ok and you are human and feeling like this is ok. But remember feelings change all the time. You are in control of your thoughts and have the choice to listen to them or not. 

V - visualise on a board with things you want in your life can be a therapeutic activity to do. You can look back when you need to see positive aims that you want to achieve.

W - write your feelings in a journal, it can be a simple as writing one positive thing that has happened in the day. 

X - exhale out all the bad stuff and breathe in all the good stuff.

Y - yell as loud as you can into your pillow.

Z - zone out and relax whether it be with a book or a movie, something that you can focus on other than your own thoughts. 

Hope this has been helpful. Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below. 

Cheers for reading X

You know your skint when...

Hey readers,

Sometimes now and again we all worry about money. I have been totally skint but I am so lucky to not have to be in this situation. I am truly grateful for being in a more comfortable position.

 Here is what I experienced when I was totally skint for months due to poor health.

1. You raid the 1p money jar.

2. You watch more TV than normal because you can't afford to do fun things. 

3. You dread it when someone wants to go for a coffee and become anti-social.

4. You live of value food.

5. Choosing between food and electricity.

6. Sleeping the day away because of your cold and hungry.

7. Not sleeping because you're scared of how to survive off your income.

8. Nicking the toilet roll from local college because you can't afford it.

9. You were your coat at home because it is freezing. 

10. So thankful for Freecycle or else I wouldn't have been able to afford a bed.

11. You use brown tape to cover the hole on your shoe because you can't afford a new pair of shoes. 

12. You water down milk and hope no one notices. 

13. You hate the middle of the month as you worry about how you will survive till the end of the month. 

14. You live of pasta. 

15. If you are totally skint then eating toilet paper is the alternative. 

16. You use washing up liquid as a substitute for shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. 

17. You youtube how to sort out holes in your clothes.

18. You go to your local library because it is free and warm during wintertime.

19. You heart sinks when it is Christmas around the corner or any other time which involves having to find extra funds. 

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 10/01/2021

Depression is...

Hey readers,

Here are some of the ways that depression affects me. I wanted to share them with you to raise awareness of the deliberating condition which I know a lot of people suffer with. You are not alone. 

1. Feeling too much.

2. Feeling nothing but flatness.

3. Crying over kindness.

4. Hating oneself so much.

5. Physically feeling sick. 

6. Wanting desperately to vanish.

7. Wishing I was dead.

8. Lying in bed all day and not got the energy to move.

9. Looking at the walls and losing track of time.

10. Being in a crowded room and feeling so alone.

Emptiness.

11. Angry at everything.

12. Feeling stuck.

13. Recalling memories.

14. Doubting everything.

15. Reflecting everything

16. Wanting to sleep forever.

17. Hating your spouse because they can just get up and go.

18. Denying it all.

19. Jealousy.

20. Laughing so hard you're neurotic.

21. Moving from one extreme to the next.

22. Obsessing about the what if's.

23. Isolating.

24. Alone.

25. Hopelessness.

26. Despair.

27. Fatigued.

28. Insomniac.

29. Loss.

30. No desire for anything.

31. Memory loss. 

32. Lack of sleep.

33. Loss of appetite.

 

34. Eating too much. 

35. Feeling scared. 

36. Low sex drive.

37. Recklessness.

38. Difficulty speaking clearly.

39. Avoiding social situations. 

40. Feeling guilty.

41. Dependance of drugs/alcohol. 

42. Negativity. 

43. Thoughts of suicide. 

44. Losing meaning on anything. 

45. Not bothering with your appearance. 

46. Finding it hard to maintain any type of relationship you have.

47. Self-harm.

48. Wishing you were nether been born. 

48. Poor hygiene. 

49. Find it hard to concentrate on ordinary things such as watching TV. 

50. Hiding from it all.

If your reading this and struggling there are places that can offer support. Below are free phone numbers you can call that will listen. 

Shout. 

You can text Shout with the word ‘SHOUT’ on 85258, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Shout is a free, confidential, 24/7 text support service for people who need mental health support. For more information visit Give us a shout.

Samaritans

 The Samaritans phone line is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so you can call anytime on 116 123. For more information visit Samaritans.

Mind.

 Leading mental health charity Mind has all kinds of resources on their websites, including guides and practical tips for coping. The Mind  For more information visit Mind.

NHS.

 The NHS website offers resources for people to help identify how they are feeling and where to get urgent help if necessary. It has a series of mental wellbeing audio guides to help you boost your mood as well as lots of information on depression, anxiety and more. For more information visit NHS.

Cheers for reading. X

How to save time when moving house.

Moving house can be stressful, as there are a lot of things to think about, however, there are some tips to be able to save time.

How to save time when moving house.

It’s always a source of stress and anxiety for people to make a big move. In this case, the move is litteral.

There are a lot of things to think about when moving. Listing those things in a to-do list can be helpful and has actually been proven to help relieve stress for movers.

It is advised to list things in the correct order.

What to think about when moving house

It is a stressful process. Which is why at Switch Plan they have advised on ways to save time when moving house.

Here is a list of useful tips:

• make a list of task in order of priority

• take them a day at a time

• take enough time to get everything settles

• think about leaving the house you live in now in terms of tasks, and then when those are done, think about the tasks required to move somewhere new

What about energy suppliers?

That’s a great question.

Setting up gas and electricity in your new home is not something to take lightly. And it should absolutely be on top of your priorities in your list.

There are two main cases:

You want to keep your energy supplier, or you want to switch.

If you decide to switch, it is advised to ask the help of a team of experts. At Switch Plan, they can guide you through the process of switching suppliers, even starting with helping you figure out if it is the right option for you.

They can:

• reevaluate your bills and your offer

• compare it to other offers you could subscribe to

• help you save money if need be

• guide you through the process of switching

You can learn some more about switching energy suppliers in this article.

How to save time

It is by using a platform who is filled with trained professionals that you will save the most time. 

They guide you through the process of changing suppliers should you choose to, or they guide you in keeping the same but notifying them of your move.

Spending time talking to customer services can be annoying and stressful.

The same way it is wise to use a moving truck to take care from start to finish of your move, you can use some help to take care of the rest.

Switch Plan will help you notify your energy supplier of the end of your contract on the day of your moving. They also guide you through notifying a new energy supplier or the same one of the start of your new contract and where and when it should start.

This way you can move in being rested and assured you will have all of your boxes and all the energy access you need as soon as you walk in the door.

Why New Year resolutions are bad!

Hey readers,

Well, it's finally 2021 if you hadn't noticed. All across social media and on the telly there is the whole idea of 'New Year, New Me' message. I personally think New Year's resolutions are a waste of time. 

Here are some reasons why New Year's resolutions are pointless. 

1. High expectations. 

I think a lot of people aim high with their goal setting which in turn means most of the time it is unachievable. Therefore makes you more like to want to quit within a couple of weeks.

This can be damaging to your mental health and could potentially cause destructive behaviour eg to want to lose 2/3 lbs a week. Then you don't achieve that goal for whatever reason because let's face it the average a person can lose is about a pound per week is much more achievable.

You set the high goals then means when you don't achieve the goal can cause you to feel negative and hopeless. Therefore resulting in the risk of wanting to cause damage by binge eating to comfort yourself.

I know I have done this in the past and then what happened was I actually but more weight on.

Obviously now I am not into dieting to lose weight for me it is more about my relationship with food. But it was a simple example to use. 

2. Pressure. 

There is too much pressure with New Year's resolutions - we aim high and want to get to goal so fast that we forget to remember that sometimes changing behaviour takes time, you make mistakes you learn and move forward.

The moment we fail we think that is it but you know what life is not linear and sometimes mistakes and that is the best way to learn.

This is because we set the bar so high and expect behaviour at a certain time. If we don't get what we aim for then it causes us to feel demotivated as a direct response in the all or nothing attitude. 

3. Restriction. 

This is because we restrict ourselves to the extreme that it means you constantly trying to tell your self you can't have anything which is more harmful.

Teaching yourself moderation is much more important and learn to reduce things in small steps rather than one great big no.

What do you think about New Year's resolutions? Do you like them or dislike? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 03/01/2021

30 jokes to get you smiling for New Year 2021.

Hey readers,

It is a bit depressing at the moment with the whole of 75% of the UK in Tier 4 (including me boo!). SO let's take moment to smile and have a laugh with 30 of these New Year jokes, enjoy!

1. Where can you go to practice maths at new year's eve? Times square.

2. What is a New Year's resolution?  Something that goes in one year and out the other.

3. What do snowmen like to do on New Year’s Eve? Chill out.

4. What did the ghost say on January 1st? Happy Boo Year.

5. What’s a digital camera’s New Year’s resolution? 1080p.

6. "I promise not to make any bad jokes for the rest of the year." — A dad on New Year's Eve.

7. If 2020 was a person, I'd sue him for pain, suffering and lose of wages.

8. May all your troubles last as long as your New Year resolutions.

9. Where can you find comedians on New Year's Eve? Waiting for the punchline. 

10. What was 6 afraid of 9 on New Year's Eve? Because 9 ate 7.

11. I love it when they drop the ball in Times Square... It reminds me of what I did all year.

12. My resolutions was to read more so I put the subtitles on the TV.

13. Knock knock? who is there? Abby? Abby who? Abby New Year.

14. My New Year's resolution is to be more optimistic by keeping my cup half-full with either rum, vodka or whiskey.

15. Don’t shoplift a calendar or you’ll get twelve months.

16. My resolution was to lose some weight, so I got a divorce and I’m feeling much lighter.

17. Why shouldn’t you start jogging on New Year’s? You’ll spill your beverage

18. What’s a couch potato’s New Year’s resolution? To cancel their gym membership from last year.

19.  What do cats say on January 1st? Happy Mew Year

20.What does the baker do on New Year’s Eve? He gets ready for a toast.

21. Dracula is famous for his “count down.

22. What did the barista say in January? Happy brew year.

23. What did the New Year’s champagne bottle say to its father? “Pop!”

24. What do you say when saying goodbye on New Year’s Eve? See you next year!

25. What do you call always wanting a date for New Year’s Eve? Social Security.

26. New Year? I just got used to this last one!

27. Not to brag, but I already have a date for New Year’s Eve. December 31st.

28. My new year's resolution was to finally lose 50 pounds. It's going alright! 3 weeks in and I've only got 55 left to lose.

29.  My internet is slow but hopefully this posts quickly...HAPPY NEW YEAR! Have a great 2021!

30. My new year’s resolution is to procrastinate. But I will wait till tomorrow to start.

Happy New Year lets hope 2021 is a lot better than 2020!

Cheers for reading X

Happy New Year 2021

 

How to celebrate New Year's at home.

Hey readers,

We all know it is Corona time which sadly has affected us all during the festive period.

It is New Year's Eve on Friday and though you can't celebrate it like normal party style or go to the pub. That doesn't mean you need to stop any kind of New Year's celebration. 

This year is all about making the best out of a situation at home so below I have some ideas on how to celebrate the New Year at home.

 

1. Decorations. 

Why not decorate your home with New Year decorations to create a feel-good atmosphere. There is plenty of fun with things like 2021 ballons and banners.  

2. Dress up.

Just because you are at home doesn't mean you can't still make the effort and get dressed up in nice clothing to make you feel better to celebrate the New Year. 

3. Host a virtual party online.

Thank goodness for the internet during corona times. There are so many choices from zoom to google meet up where you can come together with family and friends to celebrate the New Year. You could be even brave and do a quiz :)

4. Games.

Get some games out for some family fun and way to kill some of the time until 12 pm. Monopoly or bingo is a popular choice. 

5. Film.

For a low key feel why not put a film and set the vibe with candles to settle down for a relaxing New Years Eve. 

6. Bubbly.

Get a bottle of bubbly to pop when the clock strikes midnight is a fun way to see the New Year. 

7. Takeaway. 

You can't really go to a restaurant as most people are now in tier three or tier four so why not treat yo self with a takeaway. Plus if you a new member to Deliveroo you can get free delivery. 

8. Sparklers/fireworks.

Why not go out with a bang with a firework display at home. If you're not feeling that confident with fireworks a simpler solution is good old sparklers. It is a nice way to do something different on New Year's Eve at home. 

Are you celebrating New Year's Eve at home and if so how? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Cheers for reading X

Barbie is a k**b!

Hey readers,

I will be honest with you here I think Barbie is a k**b and she is not a very good role model for youngsters. I have stated my reasons below  

⬇⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇

1. She is so vain, all she seems to care about is what she looks like. Given girls, this warped up the sense that to get anywhere in life in order to be popular you have to be pretty.

2. Barbie has unrealistic expectations around body image. She makes out that you can be or do anything you want as long as you are blonde, tall and skinny.  To me, this sends out a negative message and can cause anxiety. Let's not forget the dodgy ratio which us so ridiculous it is laughable.

3. She is so sexualised and it is about looking sexy with the short clothing, heals and tits out, come on let girls be girls, childhood is short-lived so let them just have fun and be innocent.

 4. Barbie does not look her age, she is 57 years old people and in real life properly would have some serious surgery to keep her youthful looks.

5. Her feet are not designed for heels 👠 which is a bit weird anyway. Let's face it flat shoes rule, fuck you beauty standards.

6. Barbie dolls make out they are thick and have little intelligence. Let's look at an example; Mattel brought out a book which features Barbie in it called I Can Be A Computer Engineer. Which portrayed Barbie as lacking the skills to know what the hell is happening and a need to constantly rely on male classmates for help.

7. She thinks she is perfect in everything but this bollocks as we all know that perfection is NEVER going to happen as it does not exist!

8. She is materialistic and all she cares about is buying clothes, cars and having a good time. Shouldn't we be teaching kids deeper stuff instead of money makes the world go round?

9. She has weird body ratios that are mind-boggling. Her neck is super long. Her legs are longer than her arms by 50% compared to normal average women only being 20%.  Her 16-inch waist would leave only room for the liver and a few inches of intestines. You get the idea of just a few examples I provided.

So yeah, Barbie sucks and OK dolls are for imaginary play so, therefore, some leeway. But there is a Barbie programme now sadly which I have sat through. 

All I get from this programme is how pretty I am and look at me. This clearer is being televised for young viewers to watch which as they are clearly venerable at that cage with getting sucked in the message of these stupid ideas. 

It can have psychological effects with anxiety and self-consciousness with who you. So, even though Barbie may come across as an innocent toy be very careful of the subtle messages she sends out.

What do you think about Barbie? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 27/12/2020