April Bucket List

October Bucket List

October is finally here!

It has been my favourite month for years. The change in weather, leaves changing colour, seasonal hot drinks and, most importantly, HALLOWEEN!

Yet this year I wanted to do something different, in fact I want to try to make life more fun and full of adventure and so I have started fulfilling my bucket list dreams.

It started on Pinterest (the home of creativeness.)  Browsing endless post on fun Autumn activities inspired me to do one for myself and have the conviction to complete it or at least attempt.

 

I Think It Is Time To Start Living Now

I feel the need to please, whether it is those around me or complete strangers. I find that I only want to present the very best version of myself and if I am complete honest, I really like that version of myself. It is a fake, engineered version of the person I think I should be instead of the wacky, mental, mostly weird person I know myself to be.

Here lies my problem.

My creative work suffers from my lack of confidence to show off my crazy beauty. I stick to safe. The same. The norm. Copying the flow of other because that seems to be acceptable, and although we are all different, we crave that acceptance.

Yet I don’t feel like myself anymore. I love to write, but when I start a new blog post I feel my outer-shell tighten up around me, suffocating my true voice. I fear myself because I am not normal. I am proud of all the things that make me unique, but fear that people won’t accept me for them. It is silly really. To be afraid of oneself. Maybe it is more fear of what would happen if I took that first tip-toe into the sunlight and embraced the warmth.

I don’t know.

I hope this is a fresh beginning for me. Not just in blogging, but in all other aspects of my life. I think it is time to start living now and put my fear back where they belong. 

I think it is time to begin.        

Spending a Knight at Warwick Castle

I am a firm believer in the fact that you are never to old to have fun or be extremely childish when the occasion calls for it. That is how me and my friends ended up booking a night away at Warwick Castle, staying in one of their Glamping Tents.

We set out early on a Sunday morning to catch a train into Warwick, we had to change trains twice, but it only took us an hour to get there. The village of Warwick is so beautiful, we wished we had time to explore it more, but nevertheless we quietly walked the 5 minute walk up to the castle, store are cases in the lockers, grabbed our tickets and headed excitedly to our first stop of the day. The Dungeons.

View from the top of the Tower

I have been to Warwick Castle a lot, but have never been into the Dungeon attraction, so I was super excite to finally go in. If aren't a fan of being scared then this probably isn't for you, but I found it so funny, it is like they wanted to scary you in a funny way, if that makes sense?

The Conservatory Tea House

After the Dungeon we were all a little hungry and headed to The Conservatory Tea House. You almost forgot that you were at a Castle and felt more like you had step into a scene from Downton Abbey. When we saw that they did an Afternoon tea we knew what we wanted. Tea, sandwiches, cake and the most beautiful view of the gardens, oh yes this will do me just fine.

Afternoon Tea

After lunch we saw a large crowd gathered by the Jousting area, a little full from are sandwiches and cake we decided to watch, I mean you have to watch a Joust if you are standing in the grounds of a medieval Castle. Tip. Try to get there early if you want a good view of the whole show, we where more at the end and couldn't quite see what was happening at the other end, but the performers made up for this by just being so funny. We were on the side of the bad knights, (for some reason they always wear black) and I think that gave their Squire's more licence to misbehave.

Goofing Aound

Now it was time to explore the Castle, were are inner child began to take over. We started at The Royal Weekend Party, designed as Edwardian Weekend Party, again think of Downton Abbey. You are free to explore the rooms and interact with some of the props and scene. Have tea with a Countess, play a hand of cards with the King or lounge on a shezlong. My inner child was having the best time.

Our New Home

Well, what a long day we have had, and now was the time when we got to see where we would be sleeping that night (inner child getting ready to go crazy again.) Are very own medieval inspired Glaming tents (inner child screaming with joy.) It was so amazing and OMG! possible the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in. We enjoyed an All-You-Can-Eat Mediaeval Dinner Feast, it was £18.95 for Adult, half that for children, I thought it was a little expensive, but the food was really good, plus you got free drinks throughout your stay, so we couldn't wait to enjoy a nice hot chocolate before bed.

Charlie :)

They was night entertainment, but it was mostly for the children, Archery, Sword fighting and a Birds of Prey show, you could also get the to handle the birds and have them land on you arm, it cost about £5, but it was worth it. We got to handle a young Bold Eagle called Charlie, he was such a cutie. 

Night-time Entertainment

After Breakfast we said goodbye to our lovely tent and went off to enjoy our last day at Warwick, finishing off the parts of the Castle we didn't do, like the Horrible History Maze and explore the upper parts of the Castles and admiring the view from the top of the Towers      



When went out into the town of Warwick for lunch, we saw a really cute Tearoom on our walk from the train station, and it was just outside the Castle gates, and of course we ordered another helping of Afternoon Tea. Quite possible the best I have ever had. The bread for the sandwiches was still warm, the scones were hot and tasted so good, and Oh-My-God the cakes, so damn good.

Thomas Oken Tearooms    

Best Tearooms ever. 

Pedalo Selfie

We ending our trip with a cruise along the river in a dragon pedalo, I got the best spot and didn't have to peddle, but we couldn't stop laughing as we nearly crashed twice. We were sad when it was time to leave, we had the best time there and couldn't wait to come back and do it all again.

Have you ever been to Warwick Castle? If you did what did you enjoy about it, or maybe you didn't. Either way tell me about it.

Kerry.

How to come up new idea for Blog Post or Youtube Video's

When it come's to Blog or Video idea's there are thousands to choose between that it can be overwhelming. As a Blogger and Youtuber I want my contents to be insightful, well-rounded, exciting, personal, and inviting to new audience. With so much already out there I find it hard to come up with new and fresh idea's. 

Here are my top tips for discovering new idea's

Go for a walk.

Ideally for me it would be along a beach listen to the waves gently glide over the sand, but I live nowhere near the sea, so a good stroll through my local country park (which happily is only a 2 minute walk from my house) will have to do. There is something about the quiet and calm that really make me happy, and gives me time to think without any worldly distractions. Take a note pad and a pen, find a bench or a spot of grass and write what every comes to mind. 

Work it out.

Ah the Gym. It is like Marmite, you either love it or hate it.

Me? I am a mixture of both. Hate going there, but once I am there I put everything I have got into it.  

It is anything great place to think (and hopeful shift some pounds) While working out on a machine I find that my brain likes to take a wander. If an idea catches me, I can think it though, make plans, take notes without googling how other people have done this. 

Pinterest.

The home of all things creative.

Have an idea, but can't think where to take it? Check out Pinterest, it has everything you could wish for. I am not saying you should copy other peoples idea's, but let Pinterest inspire you to come up with you own idea's. I find that I can spend hours on Pinterest just browsing for idea's. Pinterest is also a great place to advertise your Blog and find new Bloggers. Honestly if you haven't checked out Pinterest, make sure it is the first thing you do after readying this post, you won't be sorry :) https://www.pinterest.com/

Get out and about.

Stuck in our own little world it is easy to lose sight of the things that matter to us, so take a trip into town. Visit your favourite shops, take your time and have a good browse. Go to your favourite clothes store and try on something new, go to the drugstore and see what is has just been released or find a new shade of nail polish or lipstick. Going into your local book store and see if there are any new books you wish to read. If you like arts and crafts then go to you local craft store, take you time and see what you find. Rediscover what it is you are interested in and hopeful new idea's should flood in.

Start at the Beginning

This one may seem odd as I keep saying to focus on yourself and not copy others, but bear with me. 

With all have our favourites, Blogger's, Youtubers, we all have them, and it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we have to have to produce the same level of contents as the professionals. So take a look at their early work, go back and read their first post or watch their first video. We have become accustomed to a certain level of professionalism and we think that we should deliver the same quality as people who have had years to craft there work, but they started at the beginning too, and before they become renowned for their work they just want to have some fun and work on projects that matter to them or thing they like. Don't get caught up so much in what other are doing and just do what you love and the rest will fall into place.

If you have any tips you want to share then leave them in the comment section.

Kerry.

  

Inspirational Sensations

These are the people who make me better. A better person. A hard person. To see and believe in myself and understand the hardships of live. I find that at different times you need to be inspired by different people. Some of these people make me think deeply, some make me laugh, other motivate me to work harder, while some just show me a different light. 

Here are five people who have inspired me to be a better person.

1. My Cousin, Emma. The Motivator

I quite possible have one of the wackest Families on this planet. A deliciously random collection of creator, each one with their own personalty and strengths. It would be unfair on me to say that only one of them inspires me, when quite a lot of them do, but my Cousin, Emma makes me feel like a slacker on even my most productive day. A trained and qualified midwife, she has had to work hard to achieve her goals. Last October she had her first child, but that didn't stop her, she religiously went to gym and joined exercise class, posting on Instagram her progress, and studies hard to gaining new qualification. She works hard and enjoys the result. When I hear about her latest achievement or see her progress, it always motivates me to get up and go.

2. My Best Friends.

Cliche, but I don't care. I am lucky to have two amazing friend, this year is are 10 year Anniversary, We are like 3 pea's in a pod and have had some great adventures together. We have all had are fair share of hardships, yet together we make up the perfect balance. 

3. Louise Pentland.

Also know as Sprinkle of Glitter, this Blogger/ Youtuber has capture my heart. Originally a blogger she has a mass following and I am happy to be part of it. Again it sound like a cliche, but if you have ever read her blog or watch her video's, then you will know why. She has more kindness and love in her little finger than most people have in their whole body. Her Blog Post are always amazing to read, they make me feel better about myself, or make me thing deeply about the issue's she raises. I hope that one day I could write inspire Blog post the way that she does.

4. Philippa Gregory

This women inspires me to write. If you haven't heard of her she is a historical novelist, best known for her novels The Other Boleyn Girl and The White Queen. I love love love her books. I own every single one and I have ready them all at least 5 times. I am fascinated in history and would one day love to write my own historical novels. When every I read one of her books it really motivates me to pick up a pen and start writing. If I ever do finish that novel, I will have her to thank for it.

5. Catherine the Great.

Told you I liked history. Most people know her as that monarch who had a thing for horse's, complete lie, but actually Catherine the Great was an amazing women. Born in Prussia in 1729 she was a member of the Germany royal family and her name wasn't Catherine, but Sophie. She married at the age of 16 to the Russian Heir, Peter. She overthrow her husband, and probably had him killed. There are plenty of source where you can read up on her if you would like. She was a women born into a time when only men could rule. She defied all expectations and became one of the greatest rulers of all time, bringing Russia into a modern age. She walk to her own beat, didn't really care about the opinions of others and was a brave, unique women. When I think of her I think "she did it, and so can I" 

Music In Me

Sitting on the stool of my new keyboard I feel a wave of calm fall down upon me like cool air on a hot day. Gently I glide my fingers over the key before softly tapping away.

Peaceful moment ruined however when I remember that I can't play and the only sound I am making is basically know as a racket.

I remember the first time I ever played with a piano, I was 4 years old, first year of school. We had a piano in the hall and I got to play it one day ( I don't remember why.) The teacher taught me to play Twinkly Twinkly and I remember how happy it made.

Most of my earliest memories involve music. I remember when we went on holiday we would listen to music in the car, our favourite tapes were Disney, Beach Boys and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Yep your read right. Appently I use to sing Touch-A Touch-A Touch-Me at the top of my lungs around my Grandparents house, that had never heard the song and I was only 3, but I can only imagine what my Parent must have thought. Heehee it makes me laugh.

One Christmas my Parents brought me and my older Sister a Keyboard, I was so excited. I played it all the time and put on little shows in our living room. My Dad would film them, I have never seen them, but the thought makes me cringe just a little. Embarrassment!

Like all thing, my old Keyboard broke and the music was gone from my everyday life, but I stilled played at school during music lesson, My Dad says that he regrets not putting me in for private piano lesson, but they just couldn't afford to, and I didn't seem to mind.

Now in my 20s I am able to buy my own Keyboard and fall in love with playing again. Music is a bigger part of my life than I ever thought it would, I don't think I have gone one day without it. Must people fear losing phone because they won't be able to communicate with others, for me it would be about not being able to listen to my music.

Music make me happy and if something so simple makes you happy you should hold onto it for dear life.