Goal: drawing something.

Hello world, 

This is where I kind of let myself down, I really wanted to draw, but I never found the inspiration. 

I have done something, but it was during a little writing moment. 

It had something to do with mermaids and sirens. This little creature was created to lure sailors to their deaths by their black eyes and lovely song. Once you stared into the darkness, you'll become consumed by it until you breathing your last breath. 

That's may three goals, tonight I will be thinking about the June three goals and see how it goes for me! 

Claire. 

Goal 3; Museum and Gallery!

Hello World,


I did it. Or should I say we? Christina and I went up to Birmingham this weekend and the first thing we did was go to the local Birmingham museum and gallery. It was interesting, upon entering we are guided up a grand looking staircase and into a magnificent hall where our first gallery is.

The entrance to the museum also held the starting point for LGBT pride parade, so we even got to witness that for the first time. It was such a positive and up beat environment, that we just new we was going to have a good weekend!

We even tried Bubble Tea from this little shop called Twist. The gentlemen in there was very kind and explained to us the origins of bubble tea, who founded it and what it consist of. 
I had the Matcha Green Tea and it was really yummy!

Claire.

#BookReview 24. Glass sword by Victoria Aveyard.

Hello World,

I've done it! I've finished the second instalment of the Red Queen. It took me longer to read this time because I think I was reluctant to find out what happens and will they, won't they mode. 

Glass Sword continues from the first book; Red Queen. You follow the characters on a hunt against time and witness the changes in the characters. Also looking deeper into the love story of Mare and Cal. I obviously can't give away so much because if you haven't read the Red Queen, you'll be cussing me for the spoilers. And believe me, when you start reading the Red Queen, do not search it on Tumblr, in fact stay away from searching it on the internet altogether!
I of course read the last page and was quite like "Are you serious Mare?!" 
Then I started to slowly read the book. So, if you know me through my book reviews you know I am forever raving about how attach I get to characters! Surprisingly I am not attach to the main character Mare in this book. Half of the time she drives me up the wall. No, what keeps me reading this book is actually her actions. She closes herself off to people who truly love her and she is forever making mistakes. She is a normal girl just trying to make a living and doing what she thinks is right. I sometimes think she should do some things in a different matter, open her heart up more be more compassionate. 

Which is kind of like other books! That is why I like this series, it is not like other books! The choices she makes and love she close up against Cal, it makes me infuriated but I cannot stop reading. 


Red Queen and Glass Sword is not like any other books. Although the writing is typical Young Adult fashion, it has it own difference in the story and within the characters. I am literally anticipating to the next instalment and how it is going to end! Will Mare continue down the path she has chosen or will she work towards a new path! Ahh, it is all too much. So Victoria Aveyard, please release it soon... 

I saw that the next book won't be coming out until next year. (Insert crying emoji here.) I mean how old are you, when you are too old for Young Adult fiction?


Claire

Creating Tofu Burgers!

Hello World,

One of my goals for May was to cook something completely new, something I have attempted to make before. Following a recipe of being creative. 

After a week of working in the nice sunshine, I decided I wanted to spend my Saturday in the garden in the sunshine and have a lovely day reading. Turns out the sunshine didn't want to appear until four pm. But I still made the most of it. 

My family wanted to do a BBQ style dinner that afternoon and I wanted to join in. Being a vegetarian, I didn't have anything to contribute. So in a moment of panic I raided the fridge and looked up PinInterest.

Where I found a recipe to make Tofu burgers. I did however edited to suit what I had in the fridge and cupboards at the moment. Again making something completely different. 
In this post tonight, I will share with you how I made these Tofu burgers.


Ingredients: 
390 grams of tofu, 
Two large chestnut mushrooms
One red onion
A handful of spinach
Three cloves of garlic
Basil to sprinkle
Garlic and Herb dressing, (this is optional, you can tomato paste or something a long those lines)
Coconut oil (Any oil to cook with really)


 Method:

1. Fry the mushrooms, onions and spinach in a frying pan with the oil, until cooked. Normally for about five minutes. Put to one side and leave to cool
2. Drain the tofu, by either reading the package or however you normally drain tofu. I normally drain it by placing it in a tea towel and between two chopping boards with a heavy book on top. 
3. Place 250 grams of tofu in a blender with the garlic and basil. Blend until smooth. Leave the leftover tofu for a bit.
4. In a large bowl place the smooth tofu and the vegetables, stir together until well mixed. 
5. Grate the left over tofu into the bowl and stir together. Add the Garlic and herb dressing and mix together. Place in the fridge for up to 30 minutes. 
6. Remove from fridge and split into six patties. 
7. In a frying pan, heat up the oil (you can use the same pan as the vegetables) and place a patty on to it. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, flipping occasionally. I used a medium-high heat for this part.

Place burgers in however you want to eat them and then enjoy!

These tofu burgers turned out to be really yummy and I fully enjoyed making them and experimenting. 

If you ever make something similar to these, let me know!

 Claire

Goals and challenges.

Hello World,

In the April UK edition of Elle magazine, I read an interesting article about this woman trying out new challenges for herself. Each month was a new challenge for her before she turned thirty. Something a long the lines of; write a novel, paint/draw a picture as many times during the month or going vegan. 

I was completely inspired by this and I really wanted to do something like this for  myself. 

I then came across Cutepiemarzia! She will post videos weekly and one of those videos will be about her monthly goals. Marzia will write three goals for herself at the beginning of the month and record herself completing them throughout the month. Thus at the end of the month she has a video of her three monthly goals. Again, I found the completely inspiring and so much more durable. 

When I read the article about the woman back in March I knew I needed to get out of my comfort zone and start trying something new. So back in March I wrote a small list for myself on things I can do throughout the month. 
It didn't go so well. I am literally still completely void of self control and general motivation to attempt to move out of my comfort zone. Which is why after I saw Marzia videos, I decided to use that for more inspiration.
Still trying to get out of my comfort zone, but in a smaller scale. Starting off with May. 


Like Marzia, I have started off with three goals to achieve before the end of the month. Although, I wrote be setting a goal limit, so some month there may be four or five or other months there could be as little as two. Depending on the size of the goals.

Here are my May goals:

1. Follow a completely new recipe and create something I have never tried before.
2. To draw or paint something new
3. To visit some place new like a museum or something. (I'm travelling up to Birmingham at the end of the month and I am hoping to do something new there)

I will be posting each goal up here as soon as I can and completed them..

Claire.

#Book Review 23. The Red Queen.

Hello World,

Another book review for you guys. I saw this book everywhere online, everyone who had read this book raved about it on Goodreads and on many Blogs. I've even seen it in bookshops and considered buying it before I saw it make it regular appearances online. So, I when it kept popping up, I naturally grew curious about this book. Until the sequel came out and my curiosity got the best of me and I finally bought this book.


The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard: A story about two different bloods, red and silver. Both bloods live in the world but separated into class. Mare Barrow, a red blood living in the stilts and in poverty as it would seem making ends meet for her family by stealing and waiting for the day to come before she is sent off to war, just like her brothers. Until one faithful day she was sent to the palace to work as a slave for the royal silvers. Where she learns more and more confusing side to herself, trapped in a castle filled with deception and lies. Mare must work hard to begin a war, where she can one day see Reds and Silvers being treated as equal and learn more about who she is. Anyone can betray anyone.

I didn't actually think much about this book. I always thought I am too old to be reading young adult fiction. I generally thought I would read this book and write a dull review.
That is not true. I started reading this book in a coffee shop one Monday afternoon and become stuck. In fact I've even tweeted this.

Claire‏@Roseythor

How long can one stay in a coffee shop reading? Because I might be here until they kick me out. #BookWorm

I became captured. Victoria Aveyard managed to capture me and sink me into this world she has created. I've even did the unthinkable. I read the last page! I always do that to a book I really am enjoying and this was no exception. If you are a reader of my Blog then you remember my post on Guilty Pleasures of a bookworm: if not you can read it here.
I know it's terrible to read the last page, most last pages tend to make me confuse and want to read more. Not this book though, this book last page gave away the entire plot twist! Which helped me a lot, when you remember in the Harry Potter's book you learn Severus Snape is actually a good guy and when you reread those books, you see snippets that actually give away that Snape was actually good! Because I read the last page and got the plot twist, I was able to read the book and see the snippets that give hints to the plot twist. So, I don't regret reading the last page! However I am still consumed into the world and still living in the world of reds and silver. I've even accepted the fact that no matter how old you are, you can still read any book no matter what age genre they fit in.

Aveyard has done an amazing job in creating character that you can follow through and describe the world they are in, that you sink into that world and forget about the reality for the while you are reading this book. It is filled with betrayal, deception, romance and action that will have you continuously wanting more at the end of each chapter. And yes, Aveyard is one of those authors that creates a cliff hanger at the end of every chapter, which is annoying at midnight and when you have work the next day.


I am currently reading Glass Sword, the follow up to The Red Queen and yes, I have also read the last page to that one and I really cannot wait to read it all the way through!

Claire