taking stock #11

Heads up: this isn't a "oh, I'm sorry I've not blogged in a while" preface. I'll be honest, I love you guys, but I love not blogging, as well. Maybe as a blogger, I shouldn't say this, but I think you're all grown up enough to hear this.

So - I know that I've been a bit absent on my blog recently, a bit heads in the clouds, feet on the ground - but mostly just away from the internet. I have a deep affection for the internet, when I was younger and not very well, I loved coming online and reading blogs and all sorts of things as a form of escapism. Now, I don't feel the need to run away from my own life, and it's more like I just want to dip in and out, share with you some fun adventures rather than my whole life...

Making: A linen blanket for my bed.

Cooking: The last thing I made were some portuguese egg tarts.
Drinking: Morning coffee.
Reading: Just put down Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman.
Wanting: To not go to the gym?
Watching: Yarngasm Podcast.
Eating: A bowl of maple-syrup porridge.
Deciding: On how I'm going to get my hair cut later today...
Wishing: for crisp autumn days, not this overcast day that we have today.
Enjoying: Having a lazy morning.
Waiting: for the gym motivation to kick in!
Loving: my pictures from my alpaca adventure earlier this week (see my Instagram for cuteness!).
Needing: a holiday! A mid-week day off makes me crave a full holiday.
Smelling: A cinnamon candle - it's winter, guys.
Wearing: Bunny PJ's and fluffy grey slipper socks.
Thinking: about my next knitting project. (I've got second sock syndrome, and I'm not even knitting socks..!)
Hearing: Podcasts and not much else.
Feeling: a little bit sleepy.
Buying: into autumn and winter hype - I blame Pinterest.

- a l l   t a k i n g   s t o c k   p o s t s - 

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taking stock #10

Making: I'm still knitting my brothers sweater, but I'm getting so close to finishing, now...
Cooking: not a whole lot - it's been too hot!
Drinking: trying to drink more water. Realistically, iced coffee, iced tea, iced anything.
Reading: Vermilion Sands, JG Ballard.
Wanting: to spend long lazy days in the sun.
Watching: Hannibal, season two, because I wanted to watch season three and couldn't remember what happened...
Eating: way too much junk food.
Deciding: nothing - nothing at all.
Wishing: I could heal a bit quicker!
Enjoying: sleeping with the window open - blissful.
Waiting: for my New York trip - impatient as always.
Loving:  lie-ins, slow sunsets.
Needing: more days off to finish my knitting and reading!
Smelling: this Instant Texture Mist - it smells so good.
Wearing: a pyjama top from Next with bunny rabbits on it... and some blue pyjama bottoms.
Thinking: about trips, my head in the clouds, as I often am.
Hearing: old Bruce Springsteen songs.
Feeling: a bit anxious, but I'm not sure why.
Buying: peony plants for the garden.
Getting: ready to return to work!

- a l l   t a k i n g   s t o c k   p o s t s -

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taking stock #9

Making: not a lot! (The picture above is old, unfortunately!) I've barely been knitting. I want to start something small for when travelling.
Cooking: sticky soy sauce chicken thighs in sesame seeds!
Drinking: all the iced coffee.
Reading: at the weekend I decided to reread the Harry Potter series, and I'm loving it.
Wanting: all the chocolate in the house to be gone.
Watching: The new Game of Thrones episode!
Eating: Easter chocolate, still.
Deciding: on whether or not I should buy an iPad...
Wishing: I could get in the gym as often as I did last year.
Enjoying: the travelling I'm doing for work, the responsibility and the new challenges - it's all such a change of pace from my old job!
Waiting: for summer. As always, I'm anticipating the coming season and forgetting to enjoy the current one!
Loving:  weekends.
Needing: to get back on the losing weight train - I've completely lost momentum this year and it's irritating me.
Smelling: my new candle; verbena & eucalyptus - it's amazing.
Wearing: black skinny jeans and a Warehouse blouse.
Thinking: about the future, about money, and cars and houses and adult things...
Hearing: podcasts, I've become a bit obsessed all over again. Any recommendations, leave below..
Feeling: sleepy.
Buying: train tickets, taxi's and hotels. All for work, though!
Getting: summer clothes. Yup...

- a l l   t a k i n g   s t o c k   p o s t s - 

taking stock #8

Making: a bit of a mess, when I wasn't paying attention to my porridge, this morning..
Cooking: tomorrow I'll be cooking pancakes, and lots of them.
Drinking: water, water, water. Been really good this month for it!
Reading: blogs, and not much else. Haven't picked up the Goldfinch in ages!
Wanting: to get back on the losing-weight train. Feel like I've plateaued. ):
Watching: Brooklyn Nine Nine, repeatedly, I'm almost finished with season one.
Eating: breakfast.
Deciding: on where to go for my holiday this year... it's looking like it might be New York City!
Wishing: that payday comes around a bit sooner.
Enjoying: reading blogs whilst I eat my porridge.
Waiting: for my daffodils to open.
Loving: the fact that sunset yesterday was at 5.18, it's getting later and later.
Hoping: to hear back from my job application this week.
Needing: to get a move on and get to the gym.
Smelling: fresh air.
Wearing: gym leggings and an Under Armour t-shirt.
Thinking: about my lack of a future, haha.
Hearing: Hold Back The River by James Bay.
Feeling: a bit sleepy this morning.
Admiring: a freshly made bed.
Buying: new trainers for running.
Getting: a bit demoralised with running, need to remember that one bad run doesn't mean anything!

(If you're looking for a pancake recipe for tomorrow, that results in the pancakes you see up there, click here!)

taking stock #7

Making: resolutions.
Cooking: salads, healthy stir-fries...
Drinking: water!
Reading: the Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt.
Wanting: February, already.
Watching: The Grand Budapest Hotel, I got on DVD for Christmas.
Eating: leftover christmas chocolate...
Deciding: on future plans.
Wishing: Christmas-trees were a year-round tradition, ours came down this week.
Enjoying: the cold weather, surprisingly.
Waiting: for spring.
Loving: that I am finding the time for reading.
Hoping: I don't embarrass myself at the work post-christmas party, this weekend...
Needing: to sort a lot of boring stuff out, but I just can't be bothered!
Smelling: like Miss Dior Cherie.
Wearing: brown and cream knitted jumpers purchased in the sale from Gap, with leggings and socks.
Thinking: about where I'll be in a year.
Hearing: The Avett Brothers, on loop.
Feeling: a little odd.
Admiring: my ability to get back on the diet-bandwagon.
Buying: little, I'm trying to be more frugal this month.
Getting: bored. 

We said goodbye to the Christmas tree this week, it was looking very sad and forlorn, but I snapped this picture in better days, and never posted it, so thought this would be a nice goodbye. I'm sorry the content hasn't been amazingly thrilling on unciaandtigris.com this week, I'm adjusting to that post-Christmas slump, and trying to get my butt in the gym every day again! It's a hard thing to convince yourself to do on a cold and dark evening. 

taking stock #6

Making: plans for Christmas.
Cooking: mince pies, oh yes oh yes.
Drinking: Charbonnel & Walker hot chocolate, and copious amounts of it.
Reading: Elle & Oh Comely.
Wanting: a brighter few weeks.
Watching: The Missing on iPlayer, because I haven't watched it yet.
Eating: previously mentioned mince pies...
Deciding: on Christmas presents for people.
Wishing: for a snow festive period.
Enjoying: full-time work, actually. After a long period of working part-time, it feels good to be busy.
Waiting: for the winter to really set in.
Loving: regular date-nights with friends from work.
Hoping: my ASOS order comes tomorrow.
Needing: a bit of extra money. ):
Smelling: a sample of a potential new perfume I picked up..
Wearing: black skinny jeans, black & cream two-tone knit-top and wooly socks.
Thinking: about how weird it'll be not to have my brother at home this Christmas.
Hearing: Serial podcast, I'm just re-listening to it all from the beginning.
Feeling: a bit better about stuff, today.
Admiring: other peoples' blogs, I really want to try and make mine the best it can be..
Buying: candles, walking sticks, cheese graters... all presents for people. Oh, and a sneaky dress for myself!
Getting: festive.

I named this picture I snapped earlier ladystark.jpg because I felt like her, wandering around my cold house with this giant grey shawl wrapped round me, haha.

taking stock #4

Making: a Christmas cushion, getting started early!
Cooking: Peach jam and cinnamon buns.
Drinking: Hot chocolate, yup it's that time of year again.
Reading: The Witches of Eastwick, by John Updike.
Wanting: a good nights sleep for a change.
Watching: the Royal Swedish Ballet, last weekend, perform Juliet and Romeo.
Eating: one of my mum's plum and cinnamon muffins.
Deciding: on some future decisions.
Wishing: for a new watch..
Enjoying: misty mornings, cooler evenings, fresher air.
Waiting: for all my favourite TV shows to come back..! I'm caught up on Scandal and I'm excited for AHS..
Loving: the cinnamon buns I made, they're perfect.
Hoping: things go well this week.
Needing: to get organised.
Smelling: my new Frankincense and Myrrh candle, and my mum cooking some quince jelly.
Wearing: grey PJ pants, red sweater, bare feet,
Thinking: about Christmas, yes, already!
Hearing: I posted this mix earlier in the week and I've been listening to it non-stop, it's just a really good mixture of songs.
Feeling: cozy in my thick, winter duvet - you know that feeling is really good.
Admiring: my skin, whatever I'm doing at the moment, its working, it's slowly improving.
Buying: a shiny new iPhone 5s.. It's
Getting: very excited for the Knit & Stitch this weekend!

taking stock #4

Making: my fluorescent long-socks & working on an old, forever-knit (a blue and grey top, above you can see it in progress). They're both slow-going because my hand is hurting still.
Cooking: some sweet, dark-chocolate seedy nutty treats (recipe coming soon!).
Drinking: sparkling water.
Reading: The Snow Child, by Eowyn Ivey.
Wanting: to take a break from eating healthily, haha.
Watching: The Art of China, on iPlayer.
Eating: ice-creams which are only 90 calories - so damn good.
Deciding: what to do this afternoon.
Wishing: for more indulgent lie-ins, these early weekend starts are rough.
Enjoying: the latest issues of The Knitter + Oh Comely.
Waiting: for autumn.
Loving: the fact I finished work early today.
Hoping: for good weather, it's been on the turn this week.
Needing: more time, I feel like.
Smelling: mint.
Wearing: grey jeans, a new brown sweater from H&M (bare feet).
Thinking: about how quick this year has gone.
Hearing: Diane Birch.
Feeling: sleepy.
Admiring: my own perseverance.
Buying: new trainers - my first proper, branded pair - ever! Also, they're bright blue & green.
Getting: fitter and healthier everyday and feeling so good about it.

taking stock #2

 

Making: a shift dress out of sumer beautiful blue and white floral fabric.
Cooking: halloumi, lots of halloumi, in salads, all day erry day.
Drinking: water! Still on the health kick.
Reading: alternating between Witches of Eastwick by John Updike and finishing off Leviathan by Phillip Hoare.
Wanting: my RSI to stop playing up so I can get on with some knitting!
Looking: at my growing cacti with pride.
Eating: cupcakes with my home-made lemon curd.
Deciding: to be extra healthy this week, and challenge myself with more exercise..
Wishing: for good luck with job applications..
Enjoying: sneakily indulgent white choc chip Sainsbury's cookie.
Waiting: for the sun to set.
Loving: the long, still light evenings we had last week.
Hoping: this week will be just as lovely (it's not right now).
Needing: a second job.
Smelling: my C&E Orange hand-cream.
Wearing: blue jeans rolled up, black tank, and a sheer black blouse over it. Birkenstocks.
Thinking: tomorrow.
Hearing: the magpies pecking at my window.
Feeling: restless.
Admiring: my freshly painted toe-nails (neon orange - China Glaze Sun Worshipper!)
Buying: car insurance. That time of the year again. ):
Getting: a free pom-pom maker, thanks Mollie Makes!

(Sorry I spaced on a Weekend Wanderings post this weekend - I had to stay an extra 3 hours at work for a meeting on Sunday - which is when I normally write them! - and I was exhausted when I got home, I just wanted to watch the tennis.. My bad!)

taking stock #1

I first saw this post over on Fill My Little World, and saw that it was a regular thing over on Meet Me At Mike blog, and thought it could be a cute little thing to post today, as I'm not really up to much and have just been pottering about the house after a bit of a rough night.

Making: a new hat (pictured above) - which has worked its way onto my needles.
Cooking: butternut squash canneloni, for dinner.
Drinking: water, I'm trying to challenge myself to drink more every day.
Reading: Leviathan by Phillip Hoare.
Wanting: it to be sunny again tomorrow, so I can go and do something!
Looking: put my window and appreciating the sunshine.
Playing: catch-up on sleep.
Wasting: time before going to work later (boo).
Deciding: whether or not to bother with makeup before work..
Wishing: for hot summer days.
Enjoying: my new Aladdin water bottle, recommended by Gemma.
Waiting: for dinner to be cooked.
Loving: the fact I finished my Lopi sweater!
Hoping: work tonight will run smoothly, because I feel a little rough.
Needing: a holiday.
Smelling: a Citrus and Cilantro candle and my neighbours freshly-cut lawn.
Wearing: my gym stuff, still!
Thinking: about the moment, for a change. Normally my head is caught up in worrying about the future.
Hearing: my neighbours gossiping outside.
Feeling: a little achy after convincing myself the gym was a good idea (it probably wasn't).
Admiring: newly knitted things.
Buying: birthday presents for everyone else - brothers, dads, friends, etc.
Getting: itchy feet - I feel like I have been in the same place for too long.