May Monthly Round Up

A collection of my favourite things from the month of May

I can’t believe another month has gone past and we’re already nearly half way through the year. Where does the time go?! My month has mainly been taken up with having to rest or go to medical appointments, which isn’t ideal, but I’ve been finding ways to keep myself occupied in between. Something I’ve been doing rather a lot of is online shopping, both for myself and gifts for other people. Is it just me that loves choosing things to give to other people; thinking about what they like and hopefully how much they will smile when they open it? My bank probably isn’t too happy with me this month, but I’ve had a lot of birthdays to buy for, and have needed some cheering up too, so what better way to do it than buying pretty things?! One of my favourite buys this month is this beautiful lace day dress from Next. Is it possible to fall in love with a dress? If it is, then I’ve definitely fallen in love with this! I’ve been looking for a lacy dress for months but have struggled to find one with a nice shape and the right about of lace. Last week though, an e-mail popped up in my inbox from Next, showing this dress among other things, and I knew I had to buy it. Thankfully I could get it sent to our local store for free, rather than paying home delivery, and my lovely Mum kindly picked it up for me.

I’ve you’ve read some of my previous posts you’ll know that I enjoy arts and crafts and have been trying to teach myself to crochet. I’m getting there slowly, although finding it difficult because my hands get quite painful, so I’ve been looking into other arts and crafts I can do as well. I’m hoping a friend will teach me to knit when she comes home from Uni soon, so I’m really excited about that. But I’m also hoping to take up some sewing and also get back to making cards and doing some scrapbooking, which I used to do a lot of. I’m gradually clearing out my room for redecorating, so will be organising all my craft materials to make them much more accessible. I’m hoping that by doing that I’ll be more inclined to use them, as I won’t have to go searching through everything to find what I need. This month I’ve picked up a couple of magazines to inspire me, so I’m looking forward to browsing through them and hopefully starting a few projects. If anyone has any suggestions for arts and crafts, can recommend any magazines or websites, or who has any materials they no longer need, I’d love to hear from you!

As I mentioned, I’ve been gradually clearing out my room this month so we can redecorate it. I’m so excited about changing it all around, as it’s not been done for ten years, so currently feels like my teenage room. I’m looking forward to creating a more grown up sanctuary where I can relax and chill out. While I was tidying up, I came across a box full of my old diaries. I’ve kept a diary since I was about 8 years old, and still write in one every night. I can’t imagine not doing it any more and find it really helps to have a place where I can jot down everything that’s going on in my head. It was really interesting flicking through my old journals and I came across a whole variety of topics. From funny escapades I had with friends as a young child, to going through hospital admissions and health issues as a teenager and young adult. I don’t know if, one day, anyone else might read my diaries, but to be honest I write them for me, not for someone else to read through. I’d love to hear if you keep a diary and if you do, how long you’ve been keeping one for.

The final thing I’ve been up to this month is collecting teas. Now, this may sound rather odd – after all, who collects tea?! But this has been all in the name of blogging, as I’m planning a post a bit like the one I wrote about hot chocolates, but this time searching for the best cup of tea. Some companies have been amazing by sending me samples to try out, but I’ve also bought quite a few different teas as well. I never thought I’d be so thrilled to get a delivery of tea in the post, but when this gorgeous box of tea samples from Teapigs arrived I actually let out a little squeal of excitement! I chose to buy the pick and mix box, which meant I could choose 12 different teas to go in my box. I’m really looking forward to trying all the different flavours, as they sound so yummy, especially the chocolate flake and Crème Brulee.

Things I’ve learnt this month…

+   Sometimes life likes to remind you that it isn’t fair

+   Having to crawl round the house because your legs are so painful is pretty hard to deal with

+   Feeling sick all the time is incredibly tiring

+   Baking is very therapeutic

+   I’m definitely too impatient

+   The future can feel very scary, especially when you’re chronically ill

+   Sometimes things can just get too much

+   It’s terrifying when it feels like the past is repeating itself and there’s nothing you can do to stop it

+   I don’t know what I’d do without my family

+   The simplest acts of kindness can actually mean the most

+   Sometimes you just need to step back from the world and focus on getting through each day

+   Focussing on the little bits of happiness can get you through anything

+   Making the perfect poached eggs makes me happy

+   I think I may be related to magpies – I love a bit of sparkle!

+   I always underestimate the time and energy it will take to do something!

+   Sometimes it’s best to go with your gut instinct

What to look out for in June

As you’ve probably gathered by now, I enjoy watching films both in the cinema and at home. I’m always keeping an eye out for DVD releases and next month I’ll have my eye on two releases. First is Delivery Man, which will be released on 9^th June and stars Vince Vaughn. I wasn’t well enough to see it in the cinema at the time, but a friend of mine saw it out in Dubai and said it was hilarious. I’m a fan of Vince Vaughn anyway and usually find his movies funny, so I’m looking forward to seeing this. The other DVD that I’m especially excited about next month is TinkerBell and the Pirate Fairy, which is due for release on 23^rd June. Now, you might think this is a little immature for a grown lady, but I’ve never got over my love for Disney, especially TinkerBell! One of the goals on my Bucket List is to collect all the Disney films, so I’ll definitely be putting this on my list to add to my collection.

I’m a big fan of perfumes and like to spritz myself with scent every morning, no matter if I’m going out of staying at home. I’m especially taken by the Marc Jacobs perfume collection, and am always keeping my eyes peeled for new editions. I often lose track of the perfumes when different editions of scents are released, such as the Daisy collection, but tend to notice when a brand new fragrance is introduced. Thankfully though, I came across the plan to release a new edition of the gorgeous Honey perfume, which will be called Pink Honey. I’m already using Honey and I love the scent, so I’m excited to see what Pink Honey smells like. Pink is my all-time favourite colour, so I’m hoping it will make the scent even nicer!

Thinking about films, June seems to be another month for great cinema releases. Unfortunately, I’m not well enough to get out to the cinema at the moment, so it looks like I’ll have to wait for these films to come out on DVD, but I thought I’d mention them so you can keep up with what’s coming out. I always love a good musical, and on 13^th June, Walking on Sunshine comes to our screens. It showcases some of the greatest hits from the 80’s and by the end of it you’ll be singing along with the rest of the audience! Another film that I’ve been waiting patiently (or not!) for is The Fault in our Stars, which comes out on 20^th June. If you’re yet to read the book, I would definitely recommend giving it a try (as well as the other books John Green has written), as it’s a lovely story, which is bound to leave a tear in your eye. I’m keeping everything crossed that the film will stay true to the book and be a beautiful adaptation of a story detailing the journey of two teenage cancer sufferers. After the seriousness of The Fault in our Stars, you’ll probably be looking for something light-hearted. If you haven’t seen Mrs Brown’s Boys on BBC1 then where have you been?! I can’t get enough of it and haven’t laughed out loud at a comedy so much in a long time. This is why I’m particularly excited for the Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Movie, which comes out on 27^th June. It’s set to contain hilarity and fun, leaving you in stitches from start to finish.

June brings with it better weather (hopefully) and the chance to take part in the Cancer Research Race for Life. I’m not able to do it this year, which I’m really sad about, as I’ve done it twice now, when I’ve been having a better period with my health, and the atmosphere is just amazing. I’m not a runner by any stretch of the imagination, but I never felt out of place. Women of all ages and skill take part – some run, some jog and some walk. It doesn’t matter how you complete it, it’s the taking part that counts and as long as you’re raising money for a good cause it really doesn’t matter how you reach the finish line. On the day all you can see is a sea of pink and reading the stories pinned to everyone’s backs is so humbling. I’m hoping there will be a time when I’m able to do it again, but for now I’d love to hear if you’re planning to take part.

When my sister and I took part in a Race for Life

When I was thinking about what to look out for next month, I came across a website that contained information about all the awareness days throughout the year. So, I had a browse through June, and found out that it is National Picnic Week from 16^th-22^nd June! Hopefully the weather will start improving and we can get outside with friends and family to enjoy picnics. I had an e-mail recently saying I’d won a picnic basket, so I’m really excited for that to arrive to help me celebrate Picnic Week!

Do you have any favourites or things you’ve learnt in May? What are you looking forward to in June?

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