Project 200 - 33/167

Here's another one. A little embroidery, nice and simple. Aside from the MAJOR hassle getting hold of the buttons. Would have been easier if I wasn't so fussy.

But here they are..



I should mention that they come from the wonderful Wild Olive's blog.

33 down
167 to go

Project 200 - 32/168

Here's another one. Six little blackworked Christmas ornaments. The first of very very many Christmas projects in this endeavour.



32 down
168 to go

State of life at the moment

I have a horrible headache. Evil, migraine-like, headache. Aside from that...

I have just officially reapplied to Keele. I finally got a reference for my UCAS application, and I finished my icky, evil personal statement. Paid the stupid fee, and the application is sent off.

I regret dropping out of Keele last year. I messed it up, and I hate myself for that. If I'd had the student loan years I would have switched degrees instead of just dropping out. But you only get five years of student loan, and I used 1 doing half an HND a while ago. So I had to drop out.

However... a while ago Cayden told me he'd heard a rumour that only the tuition fee loan has a limit. In theory, I can get unlimited maintainence loans. I called the Student Loan people and confirmed this. It's up to one person to review my application and make the decision. If I can get a student loan, I can pay the tuition fee with that, and use my incapacity benefit to exist as I have been... but back at University.

But there are a lot of "if"s. Keele might not accept me. Even if they do, the Student Loan people might not give me any money. If there's no money, I can not afford to go back. And this is the last year possible for this opportunity. Starting next year tuition fees go up to £9000 a year, which is waaayyy too much.

There's not a lot I can do now but wait. If I get a consideration letter from Keele I can apply for the Student Loan. Just gotta wait for that letter.

I've applied to do Film Studies with Media, Communications and Culture. Bit of a mouthful, isn't it? But I have a history in film and media, and it's something I'd enjoy. As long as no one tries to make me get in front of the camera. But we'll see.

There is another possible with this. If I get accepted into Keele, I could have the chance to do Study Abroad all over again. IF the Study Abroad department lets me. I'm going to Keele regardless of whether I spend that semester in England or in America, but the chance to have that do-over would be incredible. I've wanted to study in America since I was five. I wanted to go to Kindergarten, and Junior High and High School and College. It was item number 1 on my bucket list, and I blew it. I completely wasted the opportunity that I was given in 2009, and I hate myself for that. If I get the chance to do it again, I'm going to do my damnedest to not blow it.

It'll be harder financially, but Cayden is helping me save. Every spare pound I get goes to him and he puts it in a tin for me. When I get Student Loans, I'll pay tuition fee, and get a bus ticket, but the rest of it will go to him to save for study abroad. But that's a whole other IF. And not one I need to think about for a while.

In the meantime... I'm still working on Project 200. Lots of crafting going on at the moment. There are six works in progress just within my eyesight, another one that just needs some buttons adding to it, and another that I'm about to start.

I have a daily routine. Admittedly I slept a bit late today, but I've had Cayden here for two weeks and he's helped me get into a routine of getting up no later than 11.30 and going to bed no later than 12.30. I'm gonna try and stick to that now that he's gone, but no guarantees.

There are a lot of other thoughts and emotions and things that are going on in me right now, mostly about Neil. I'm not quite sure how to begin to express them, because I'm very conscious of who reads this blog, and who doesn't. I'm still talking to Neil. I've been talking to him a lot recently, flirting and chatting, and discussing some emotional stuff. And certain people don't approve of that. I know they're just worried about me getting hurt again, but I'm.... Aaarrrggghhhh. It's a mess. It's hard to describe how I feel. And I KNOW that I'm just asking to end up hurting again as long as I keep talking to him, but I can't stop, and I don't want to. Urgh. Maybe my thoughts about this will make a little more sense in a few days. Highly unlikely, but maybe.

Project 200 - 31/169

Here's one of those quick little ones I mentioned in my last post...



31 down
169 to go

Project 200 - 30/170

I haven't blogged in a while, mostly because I've had company for the past two weeks and we've been using my laptop as a TV. But also because I haven't completed many projects. I've been working hard on a few decent sized ones, and am starting to finish them.

Like this one. My first ever cable project.



I did realise though, that this is project 30 of 200, and I'm nearly 4 months in. Waaayyy off target. So my new semi-target is to have 50 done by the end of May. So I'll be doing lots and lots of little ones.

30 done
170 to go

Week of the Muffins

I like to bake. I'm not always very good at it, but I like to bake. And, without blowing my own trumpet, I'm actually pretty good at muffins. I have a million muffin recipes, but I haven't been able to bake properly in months because of the stupid issues with NPower and the gas. This week I've had gas.. and a working over... and so muffins.

Monday night I made peppermint muffins - they were absolutely delicious.
Yesterday I made sweetcorn & chilli muffins - they didn't rise, and were a little dry (which I fixed by adding more milk for the second half) - but they were also delicious.
This morning I made gingerbread muffins, which were so good I gave a few people foodgasms.
In the oven right now are some bacon and cheddar muffins. I'm sure there'll be delicious.
Tomorrow I'm trying out a chicken and sweetcorn muffin, and on Saturday I'll be making chocolate cheesecake muffins.

Then I get paid next Tuesday, so I'm thinking of stocking up on ingredients for even more muffins! Sweet potato, roasted chilli and feta cheese, anyone? Pineapple and passionfruit? Peanut butter and banana?

I'm going to turn into a muffin at this rate.

Photo Missions - update

My original plan for this year was to do WEEKLY photo missions. It hasn't quite turned out like that. With bad lighting, and bad moods, I've ended up doing several missions at a time. And I haven't yet done the last four week's worth. Then last night I realised it was another Friday and another theme had to be done, and I had a mild panic attack. It just isn't worth it. So I'm giving up the weekly photo missions.

I'm not giving up entirely though. I'm switching to MONTHLY photo missions. With slightly easier themes, and a total of 20 photos for each.

I did get a little bit of the last few weeks done though, so here they are...

Here are 10 Paper pictures...












Here are five Long pictures...







And here are 9 Trebles pictures...











And at the end of the month I'll post the April Photo Mission results.

Project 200 - 29/171

This is the biggest Project 200 piece I've done so far. It's taken me two months.



It's a large, flat humbug!

Lol, no it's not.



It's SNAPE!!

Snape, Snape, Serverus Snape, Snape, Snape, Serverus Snape.... DUMBLEDORE!! Sorry. I just woke up; I'm a little giddy.

29 down
171 to go