It's Competition Time

Well who doesn't like a competition?

I have been asked by my dear friend Kate if I could let you all know about a comeptition she is holding at the moment in connection with her books going to print eeeeek how exciting.  Kate is the author of the Burly & Grum childrens book series, they really are fantastic books and up until recently have only been available electronically but they can now be bought from Amazon here as a hard copy.  Kate has come such a long way so it is so great to see how well the books are coming along, this time last year she had no idea that any of this would be happening so it really has happened quite fast, it is amazing to see and so inspiring to any independant authors out there.

Anyway the competition I hear you cry.  The competition is open worldwide and it is to guess Grum's middle name.  You can find out more infomration from the website here.  So what are you waiting for go on and enter, you know you want to. 

The winner will win a signed copy of the first two books 'Beyond The Forest' & 'The Secret City', A years adoption of Ginny, a moon bear with Born Free Foundation and and £20 or $25 Amazon voucher. 

The competition is open until Friday 29th march and the winner will be announced Saturday 30th March.

Feel free to spread the word.

Good Luck.

Love Gem x x x x

The National Wedding Show 2012

On Saturday myself and a friend I used to work with (who is also getting married) went along to The National Wedding Show at Earls Court, Olympia in London.  I was really looking forward to spending the day together as I haven't seen her for a while and we are used to seeing each other almost every day at work so it was going to be a good catch up session plus a chance to get some ideas etc. for the weddings.  Neither of us had been to an event like this so didn't have a clue what to expect but no expectations is always best with these sorts of things I find, right?

Wrong!  I was so disappointed.  It was great to catch up with my friend but the event itself just seemed to be filled with a lot of nothing.  I know a lot of people who have been to this event before and have really raved about it, I'm not sure if I have just missed something or this year it generally was just rubbish.  People have said there are loads of freebies etc. but I'm guessing due to the recession this has been cut back as there were none, well other than bags with leaflets and a roses chocolate!

The highlight from the show for me was Rock My Wedding.  I follow their blog already so all of the ideas that were in their presentations  could have got from their blog any way but it was great to see it all explained in front of you and all in one place.  So not only do they rock weddings, they also rocked my wedding show :)  I gained quite a few ideas from them.  I would recommend checking them out if you are planning a wedding, it is well worth a look.  (if you check out today's post here, you can see the best bits from their stand, and also get a glimpse of me watching one of their presentations :)  I am sitting in the front row on the left hand side as you look at the photo, wearing a black cardi with a flowery dress, my friend is wearing the bright orange!)

We got there early for when the show opened, which was the best thing we could have done as we missed the crowds this way.  We were finished by lunchtime so decided to end the morning in a local restaurant before heading off home.  Never mind, you win some, you loose some but at least we had a great day catching up and I did get a few ideas at least.

Massive thanks to Rock My Wedding for making the show worth visiting, I would have been mega depressed otherwise.

Lots of Love
Gem x x x x

A Little Spending

A few weeks ago a friend of mine had asked whether I had bought any pretty's recently to which I answered "No, I'm being good and trying to save".  I have recently been a bit naughty and spotted some treats in local charity shops although I will be honest, I haven't got much as the charity shops have been pretty poor for the past month or so.  So this is what I have been spending my very few pennies on.

The first thing which is my most recent purchase and the most expensive although I thought it was a bargain at £99.

I am in love with this bed.  I hated the bed at James' and after seeing this on display in Ikea I couldn't resist.  All I could imagine was how nice it would look with our his and hers stockings hanging on the end at Christmas.

Isn't she lovely.  She is just soooo pretty.  We will definitely be taking this bed to the new place, where ever that will be and when ever it may be that we get a new place!

I have also bought some tea cups recently.  Eventually I would like to have a miss matched tea set, this is my start.

I know the last one isn't technically a tea cup but isn't it cute? I just loved the writing on it.

There were a few other things as well but if I am honest they are not as pretty or exciting as these items, plus my photos of them aren't great.

So that should keep me and you going for a little while longer.  I'm staying at my Nan's tomorrow night so will be taking a car load of house stuff with me to store at her place, the truth is I am running out of space to store it all at Mum & Dad's.  I have spent most of this week going through it all trying to see if there is anything I could get rid of but it wasn't to successful, the majority of it is to keep.

I will be having a boot sale once the season starts up again, just to try and help with the de-cluttering and saving side of things.  Since around Aug / Sep last year me and Mum have been having numerous clear outs and saving it all up for one, I've no idea how we are going to get it all there, we are going to need a van that is for sure, looks like Dad could be roped into this one too :) still if it makes us a few pennys for the savings jar then it will all be worth it.

Lots of Love

Gem x x x x

The Liebster Blog Award

Yesterday I mentioned that I had kindly been awarded the Liebster Blog Award.  I had not been awarded this one previously so it has now been added to my sidebar.  Thank you to the wonderful of Dinki Dots who awarded it to me.

I have also been awarded by the lovely LissyLou.  Thank you ladies.

The Liebster Award is awarded to 200 or less followers in the hope that it will bring new visitors and followers to their blog. If you are happy to accept the award the steps are:

Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them - check

Post the award button on your blog. - check

Pass the award on to 5 bloggers who inspire you.

Leave a comment on those blogs to let them know.

I would like to pass this award onto:

1. The lovely Kate @ Burly & Grum - Kate is an indie writer and has written some fabulous children's books which can now be bought from Amazon here.

2. My Gal from the States, Brook @ Redhead Reverie - This woman is amazing and if you want an honest opinion on something, she certainly tells it how it is - I love that.

3. The bride to-be Juli @ Pretty Little Jewels - a lovely girl who loves crafting and baking and has become a very good friend.

4. New to Blogland Rachel @ Rachel's Blog - she may be young but this girls photography skills are amazing, I'm sure she would be able to teach me a thing or two.

5. Charity shop fanatic Gem @ Treasures From The Cherry Tree - this girl can spot a bargain from a mile away and always has me crying with laughter while reading her fantastic blog.

Enjoy your award lovely ladies.

~ Gem x 

The Versatile Blogger Award

Hello, I'm sorry I haven't been around for a while, I have not really known what to blog about.  I now have a few posts in mind and am setting to work scheduling them all in and getting myself back in to a routine.  I have settled into my new job just fine, the people are all lovely, the extra time of an evening and the lay in of a morning is amazing but I am really missing everyone at my old job.  I have been in touch with them and am meeting up with quite a few of them at various times over the next couple of months, will be great to see them again.

I have been awarded this award before but as 2 lovely ladies have awarded it to me again I thought it would be rude not to post about it.  firstly Julie at A Tale From Toadstool House and secondly Julie from Pretty Little Jewels - thank you so much ladies.

The rules for accepting the award are:

Add the award button to your blog - check

Thank the blogger who awarded you - check

Mention 7 facts about yourself (below)

List the rules - check

Pass on the award to 7 amazing blogs - this is where I am going to fail.  I have been awarded this award before and did pass it on then, I know we all seem to follow each other and it has been going around for a while, so if you have not been awarded this award before please accept it from me.

Well, here are 7 random facts about me:

1. I don't like having my hair cut.  I find it so boring just sitting there and having to sit still, anyone who knows me knows that I am a fidget, I just can't help it.

2. As a child I was once on the radio.  I was being interviewed for a programme about Parkinson's Disease.  I must have been about 7 at the time, it was great fun and something I still remember clearly to this day.

3. I still feel as though I am wanting to achieve something more in my life, the only problem is right now at this point in time I am not quite sure what, but I am hoping it will come to be in due course.

4. I often think what my life would be like if I were a character in a movie.  Do you ever sit and watch a film and imagine yourself as the leading lady?  I often do it, OK I always do it.

5. Talking of films, I went to the cinema last night to see The Vow.  I love going to the cinema and watching a chic flick, well even better :)  Channing Tatum mmmm yes please!

6. I love the TV series Newlyweds and am gutted that they split up.  I have to confess to actually owning the full series box set.  I love Jessica Simpson even for all her blonde moments, there are many times I am reminded of myself.

7. I still find it amazing that people actually read what I write.  I have 114 followers, that is amazing, thank you so much to all my new and old followers for supporting me, I love you all.

I will be back tomorrow with another award, how lucky am I.

~ Gem x

A Snowy & Rocky Weekend

I was hoping for a snow day today but that wasn't to be, so a day in the office it was!

I had a really lovely weekend, even though it didn't quite go to plan.  Sometimes that is a good thing. I am a planner and very rarely do things on the spur of the moment.  I had planned to visit a couple of local wedding Fayre's yesterday but due to the snow thought it would be pointless going as it would either be cancelled and a waste of my journey through the country lanes or some of the exhibitors wouldn't turn up so still a waste of a journey.  So instead I spent Saturday afternoon making Rocky Road (my own slightly different version to how I think it is supposed to be made)  James Mum had some Granola she was going to throw.  The thrifty person inside me jumped at the chance for using them in a bit of creativity in the kitchen.  After having a rummage through the cupboard of all my baking ingredients I came up with a lot of baking chocolate and sent James out to buy some Maltesers and marshmallows.

What a treat, it was delicious.  We spent Saturday evening in our PJ's wrapped in a blanket and watched Miss Potter.  I loved it and surprisingly so did James. It brought back many memories of the Lake District and we have decided we would like to go back there again.  I love the story about Beatrix Potter and feel she is a credit to any female author.  She was such an inspirational person and it is lovely how she will live on forever more through her work and creativity.  If you haven't seen the film yet, I would highly recommend it.  It goes down well with a bit of rocky road too : ) especially as the snow is falling pretty hard outside the window.

Instead of the wedding Fayre's Sunday we visited some friends, played in the snow and had a lovely beef casserole for dinner mmmm.  Not quite what we had planned but it was perfect.

How was your weekend?

Love Gem x x x x