Pinterest I'm addicted

Is there a room where people cough and shuffle their feet in embarrassment as they all take their turn to stand up and say "My name is....... and I am addicted to Pinterest!"

I joined Pinterest straight away when the buzz hit Twitter and facebook. I even joined up, but I could not think what to do with my empty boards.

I looked at them and thought why would I want to trawl the net looking at pictures and pinning them to my Pinterest boards.

 I used to keep scrapbooks as a child and collect pictures of rooms I would like to have, clothes I would like to wear, hairstyles and food I wanted to eat. However the bug did not hit me and a few attempts at pins I just thought why would people want to look at my boards?

Then just before I went on holiday I saw a little competition tweeted and being an avid comper, had to have a go.

I re-pinned somebody's picture and put it onto a board I named competitions.

I was blissfully unaware, I was never going to win, I had committed my first mistake of pinning a fellow compers repin, similar to retweeting a competition tweet from an entrant not the brand.

It was a repin from the lovely comper Jane Willis, who never told me off, though she was probably aware!!

Jane is the fountain of wisdom for competition advice, she has some fab tips on her blog for compers, tweeters, FB'ers and Pinners. Just spotted a post on  entering rafflecopter giveaways, (handy for my blog.), so many people don't get entered!!

  See http://competitiongrapevine.blogspot.co.uk/ for handy tips.

While on holiday, I had a play, realised I was not pinning the competitions direct from the prize giver, determined to do it right and pin properly I started and a new addiction began. A week later I won my first prize and this week I have won again. I'm hooked!!

I started off with the competitions and now my boards are growing with more themes.

Some of my own boards

Competitions I like looking out for the the pin to win competitions, its nice to share them with others and its a place to pin ones that require a repin for the entry.

Wishlist Started to try to win a £50 Amazon voucher competition with the Super Lucky blog  www.superlucky.co.uk  The competition was held by the amazing comper Di Coke, the theme was creating a Pinterest board which had images of the prizes I would love to win, the competition is now over, but the Wishlist board is still a place I pin prizes I'd love to win.

Humour  I have found I like looking at the funny pictures and any that make me laugh go onto my humour board.

Exercise My exercise board is full of tips, advice, OK, OK,  its really ways to avoid exercise and a bit tongue in cheek.

Food Porn This is going to be filled with my own dishes and those I want to make, eat, drink or just drool over.

http://pinterest.com/jobryan1965/
Purple This is a new board and if you have a look  you will see its a board for a specific competition, which is actually a Rafflecopter draw, but for extra entries a purple board can be made on Pinterest, if you are interested go via the link below to have a chance.

http://www.superlucky.co.uk/2012/06/win-aspinal-of-london-clutch-wallet.html

Other boards have been set up to try to win prizes and if you take a look, you may find you want to take part too. Just make sure  you click on the pins not repin as it won't reach the prize giver.

A great one running at the moment by www.i-escape.com and its a chance to create your dream holiday, anything goes and you just pin images (5 from them and any other dream qualities, you would like your hotel break to have.)

If you are not on Pinterest I would be happy to send you an invite, just leave your email below. Not sure how many I can invite at a time, so it will be first come first served.

If you are already on Pinterest, please do follow me and I will follow back.

Happy Pinning, I warn you, its addictive.

http://pinterest.com/jobryan1965/

When is your birthday? A challenge for all bloggers!

I was tagged in a meme by my good friend and blogger Cheryl, you can find her lovely blog over at the Madhouse Family Reviews,.

Her tagging me is quite an interesting link, as I was born on French Independence Day (Bastille Day) and Cheryl lives in France.

 http://madhousefamilyreviews.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-birthday-meme.html

The challenge is very easy and fascinating personally, I spent far more time than I intended reading history that was made on the same date I entered the world.
I was rather saddened to see my name was not mentioned on Wikipedia when researching, I have a few years left yet though to make my mark!!!

This meme first started by Kate who confesses to being nosey, I like that in a woman, I find it a useful trait.  She is hoping to get a whole year of birthday meme's on a linky, it will be very interesting to read and I loved doing it.
Please add yours to the linky on Kate's blog.
http://thefivefsblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/on-my-birthday-meme-challenge-for-all.html

So here goes!

When is your birthday?

That was easy enough! 14th July

Pick three people who share your birthday and what you know about them?


Emmeline Pankhurst 1858 leader of the British suffragette  movement and known she is also named as One of the 100 most important people of our time, she tirelessly fought for women's rights, I read a few books about her and other activists, as well as being instrumental in the women's right to vote, she improved the Manchester workhouse and the women suffragettes were often attacked physically by men. A really admirable person.

Gustav Klimt 1862 painter of one of my favourite artists, I love the patterns he created and of course the very famous The Kiss

Jane Lynch 1960 Won an Emmy for playing P.E. teacher Sue Sylvester in "Glee" and starred in role Models and the 40 year old virgin, I do not know much about her but her nasty bitchy comic character in Glee makes me glad I share a birthday with her.

Is anyone listed as being born on the same day (ie same year)? If so, what do you know about them?

Nobody listed on the same day as me, but it would have been just too much trying to compete with my arrival. Yeah right!!

List three people who died on your birthday and what you know about them


Billy the Kid shot by Pat Garrett at Fort Sumner, my only knowledge is from westerns showed endlessly when I was a child and yawning lots at the boring films.

Adlai Stevenson United States politician and Presidential candidate, I know nothing about him.

Richard James "Dick" McDonald (I kept his third name in for own satisfaction) he established the first McDonald's restaurant and the blimming things seem to be on every corner, grotty fast food and wrappers everywhere, the start of little children getting into brands that most are obsessed with brand and image by the time they are teens.....and breathe!!!

 

List three notable events that took place on your birthday

1965 the day I was born Mars is seen for the first time close up, after a few million years of watching Mars from afar, humanity meets the red planet — not quite in person, but through the eyes of NASA’s Mariner 4 satellite, seems quite fitting for my own birth day, planets colliding, a star is born, ahem, moving swiftly on.


2000 A powerful solar flare later named the Bastille Day Event, causes a geomagnetic storm on Earth.
 I was born in the midst of a heatwave, while my Mum was in labour eating strawberries and ice cream a massive thunderstorm hit, but I never heard about this one.

1789 The French Revolution took place when the citizens of Paris stormed the palace. I imagine that was a very fractious time.

Tell us about a holiday that falls on your birthday

Bastille Day It commemorates the first anniversary 1790 of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789

Its a national holiday, festivities and official ceremonies are held all over France.

OK, so now it's my turn to tag some of my bloggie friends who will possibly be cursing me for this!

@rhodak09 http://rhodareviews.blogspot.com/       

@phyllgerry http://slightymouldy.blogspot.com/       

@SuperAmazingMum http://superamazingmum.blogspot.com       

@SAHMlovingit  http://sahmlovingit.blogspot.com/       

@wendymcd83 http://insidethewendyhouse.blogspot.com/       

Click this linky to add your own

Random Act of Kindness

Relaxed and you can't see the ribs anymore

As some of you know we have taken in a rescue puppy saved from destruction, he is adorable, cute, 5 months old and because of where he's been (Who really knows) has really only known kennels and playing roughly with his brothers. he came to us very ill and desperately underweight and has turned our lives upside down, there have been tears, whines and baring of teeth (not the puppy, all from us) as we adjust to the mayhem that is Alfie!)

He bounded into our lives two weeks ago and has bounded wherever he feels he needs to be, he does not know that my kitchen sides are taboo really. He wees where he feels is good and chews everything his teeth like the feel of.

All these things are slowly being worked through to make him a true young gentleman and not one of us would be without him, we really feel we have done a great thing in saving him and as Christmas looms, minus a nativity scene that Alfie was fond of, we feel we have a great gift.

No, ours is not the act of kindness in the title.

My laptop has been sorely neglected as Alfie demands a lot of care being ill and suffering separation anxiety if I walk out of a room, however it gained his attention on Sunday when he had a little nibble.

Its enough to put it out of action, I was not too panicky as I had a faulty adaptor and lead a while back, I settled on one on Amazon, from a  business seller called  Chargers4U (click on the name for their shopfront) who sent one, it came so fast, was a quarter of the price if I'd bought from the manufacturer and worked well.

So I contacted them this time to replace the cord I explained I only needed part of the unit as Alfie had chomped one piece.

This is the reply I received

Dear Jo,


I am sorry we do not sell the power cord by itself. But do not worry, as an animal lover myself and seeing as it is XMAS, I will send you a new power cord free of charge today :) could you please get back to me with your Amazon order ID so I can send it straight away?
Thank you and have a lovely day

Do you know how amazed I felt? I was a little tearful that a total stranger and not to mention business could be so kind. 

This Christmas I have had my faith truly restored in the good seen in others, friends and family aside, its the act of a stranger that can make you feel so good.

I review products here and customer service regularly as a mystery shopper and auditor, so I feel its fitting to feature the lovely Chargers4U

Thank you

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/browse.html?ie=UTF8&marketplaceID=A1F83G8C2ARO7P&me=A3TZA92VGBB297

Whats on the Blog this week.

I'm busy blogging lots of goodies this week.

I will be revisiting that gorgeous Scottish company BlackFace Meats who kindly have provided me with Young Grouse – first of the season and at their best.  Join me after the cooking to see what I think and what I did.

I am reviewing Fish hair products great for rescuing hair when off to uni and no time for pampering.

Tia Maria a well known drink and some cocktail recipes inspired by Paloma Faith.

I am waiting for Kelly's Ice Cream to send me their lovely sounding Blackcurrant Clotted Cream flavour...yummy!!

Branston Pickle if you love it they have a new snack out.

Join me this week for these and others.

No use crying over spilt dinner... but I did!

 I decided to make a from scratch Rogon Josh, so this morning instead of my usual tweeting with tea, I was in the kitchen early chopping ginger, garlic, lemon and mixing spices to marinate the £6.00's worth of good beef in.

I am on a drive to get lots of red meat and green veg into my pre GCSE twins to boost them a little.

I have a very old mixing bowl from my Granny, she gave it to me when she got a bit too past baking, it holds fond memories of making cakes and dinners with her as a child its priceless to me.

I have had it for 12 years myself and use it all the time Its a precious thing but an essential part of my cooking week. Paige and Conor have baked with me using it as well, good good memories come from the strangest sources don't they.

The meat all mixed I took it to the fridge, popped it on my trolley as always, as I made room at the bottom, I saw it just go I was nowhere near quick enough to try to save it, actually puzzled as to why it went. I must have put it down on the edge of the surface.

It thudded onto the floor, pieces of beef and shards of pottery everywhere.

I just stood and looked at it, then cried, the bowl I adore (which maybe you are thinking I should not have used if I loved it so), was gone in pieces marinating with the beef.

An attempt at a joke as I am feeling a little maudlin now, I went out of the room and just sat, then tweeted my woes and then remebered the beef had turmeric and lots of stain making other spice. So back to clean, bleaching the floor, annoyingly as I had just done before. I also have to find something else to cook and I really don't want to even think about it.

My week can only improve now...please!

‘Five things I want my children to know about me and why.'

I was just going through my Google Reader and commenting on blogs, entering comps and just passing happy moments while the weekend draws to a close.
My children are nearly at the end of the half term and soon back to mammoth revision and deep learning in readiness for GCSE's. We have been through a tough few weeks with bereavement, friends illnesses, a schoolfriend still missing and as I type I want them to go into this hard graft at school with as little worry as possible.

I came across the Friday Club  and this topic caught my eye and I wanted to be a part of it despite it being a Sunday!!!
So here are five things more thoughts that you both may not know>

1. Paige and Conor you know I am totally into you I waited so many years just to meet you, you are my deep deep love. You have my total admiration and real respect for the good lovely people you both are.

But you may not know I am shit scared that we will lose this "miracle like" closeness, (I am still amazed by it as you are in your teens and we still get on)that we will become distant like I was and am with my Mum.
 I never had this with anybody before you and your Dad, that is sometimes why I insist on "family" meal times, you coming out shopping with us us being together like today just to make the most of the closeness and also thanks as you do it when sometimes you perhaps don't want to.

2. You think you are breaking rules, living, daring more than anybody else, but I have been there, done that, got the t shirt, the scars and oh I have possibly done it bigger and badder than you too. Have I got tales to tell!

3. .(Maybe you know this one but just in case...)
Whatever you do  know there will be shouting, know there will be screaming, but know I will fight your corner and die for you if need be. I will always try to make you do the right thing, it may be tough love but it will always be love.

4. I respect that you are waiting for so many things like I never did, you are approaching relationships with maturity and caution, so far sensibly, you talk to me about your new likes and loves and I am feel so fortunate that you share your secrets. Its really special to feel the newness and excitement and remember how it feels.

You don't know but I never was this clever, I was  far too young looking for love in other places as it was lacking at home and mistaking kind words and compliments for that love.

5.  OK this one is really honest, I am occasionally jealous of your lives, I know we have talked about jealousy being OK and accepting its not necessarily  a good or bad thing but just a real emotion.

I envy you having a fab Mum (hehe) an amazing truly kind Dad that's here alive and kicking and loving you.

You may ache sometimes for the Grandparents that you so enviously look at in your friends lives and want, (God how I want this for you too) but you have great honorary Aunts Uncles and my cousins who adore you and look out for you.

I am jealous of your real sense of purpose, your being grounded, cool and genuine people.

But then I don't feel jealous for long as I realise your dad and I played a part in this so there!

There maybe you always have known this deep down, but just in case here it is.

7 things you didn’t know about me? My First Meme!

The lovely Missielizzie tagged me in her Meme on  Me and My Shadow and left me feeling really touched to be included in a blog link up.
On the same day I have also discovered I was awarded a Stylish Blogger Award by the fab Sarah Bailey from Life In a breakdown here  so a seperate honour but still asks for seven facts.

Both blog honours demand you know 7 things about ME!!
Thank you both

I was a little scared by it and as usual sat thinking what can I tell you that sounds even vaguely interesting, but then decided I am a unique human as we all are and you might get through a few of my Meme facts and not drop off.

I have not been blogging long and although on the face of it my blog covers product reviews, if you regularly read them, you will have some insight into my life as well as I waffle on about my family, my likes and dislikes.

So here goes.

1. I am half Irish, half English, I should have been raised and living in Ireland we were st to move there when I was 2 but my dad was killed at work.

2. My twins are IVF babies, they along with Chris are my best ever piece of luck, without question (comping addict)

3  Related to number 2 Paige and Conor came into the world because of the very famous Lord Robert Winston, I rang his office when my gynaecologist screwed up and said I would have to pay for treatment.

Professor Winston (as he was then) was walking through his office and his secretary asked him if he would see me and he said, "I could never turn a childless mum away when its in my power to"

4. I have an addiction to tweezer (blushes) I love pulling my leg hair, facial hair, bikini hair. I have several pairs and get very tense if I cannot find them.

5. I adore old  films, Casablanca, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Notorious, The Quiet Man, the Thin Man series are my favourites.

6. I adore being near water, streams, rivers the ocean, makes me fell infinitely calm and I also have a love of old bridges, my friend says this is weird, but I get very excited if I see a beutiful bridge.

7. I have a foundation degree in Counselling and possibly why I told you about the tweezers and personal bits here. I feel it easy to be open with people and I have to be genuine as much as I can.

So thats it until next time somebody tags me.

Now the rules are that I tag 15 more people, wow thats a lot, if you have been tagged already sorry, I suppose at least you ony have to do it the once.

 @retrochick  http://www.retrochick.co.uk/

@and1moremeans5  http://www.and1moremeansfour.blogspot.com/

@wendymcd83 http://insidethewendyhouse.blogspot.com/

 @acguest   http://little-bit-of-everything-reviews.blogspot.com/

@cherylp59 http://madhousefamilyreviews.blogspot.com/

@Justforcomps http://rhodareviews.blogspot.com/

@ali991 http://ali991.wordpress.com/

@melspur http://mumblesandreviews.blogspot.com/

@V82CHRIS  http://mummyof3diaries.blogspot.com/?spref=tw

@sassyele http://sassyele.blogspot.com/

@jadlgw  http://www.jude-jadlgw.blogspot.com/

@alien_83 http://myrandomblurb.blogspot.com/

@Life_BreakDown  http://www.lifeinabreakdown.com/

@kirstyb http://www.fashionchampagne.com/

@missmamo  http://missmamo.blogspot.com/

Wishing You a Merry Christmas

Well the big day is here I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas.

I am a traditional girl at heart but gradually the digital age has taken over my life, stay with this for a funny take on the Nativity at the end.

I just wanted to say thanks to my husband Chris and my children for putting up with me glued to a screen at all hours, trialling and testing for me when they perhaps did not always want to.
Rushed dinners unless I was reviewing the food then colder dinners as I aimed to capture them on film for my blog.

I love you for all these things and more.

Thanks to some great friends who have helped me with my blog, setting it up, putting up with umpteen questions, so I could get it running and looking good, still a long way to go.

Thanks to some fab readers and followers, who I really wouldn't be here without. (Well I would but I would be  a mad thing mumbling to myself,what do you mean  you already think I am)  
Thanks to you who have visited, supported me by commenting here, entering my giveaways, put up with my tweeting of reviews and my addiction to competitions also tweeted ad nauseum I know.

Thanks to some great PR people who have given the fuel for my review blog and been terribly sweet and generous.
Its been lovely getting to know you, thanks for the emails raving about my reviews, the phonecalls and the Christmas cards ( A lovely unexpected touch)
Thanks to the gorgeous brands who have given me much to praise and rave about.

I wanted to leave a traditional greeting but in keeping with this social networking age I think this is both fun and more apt.

Thanks everybody. I will be here next year with more of the same.

Merry Christmas and wishing you all the best of everything in 2011

New Shoes for me, courtesy of Sarenza and Retro Chick

I am in shoe heaven right now, I was the lucky winner of Retro Chick's and Sarenza's Win Free shoes competition.

http://www.retrochick.co.uk/2010/08/09/win-60-pound-sarenza-shoe-voucher/

She had to choose from the five finalists chosen by Sarenza after they looked at 184 entries!!

I wrote a poem and it took me a good while, I am rather pleased with it and more than pleased when I found out I had won. Also delighted to see it framed on the  RETRO CHICK website  she allowed me to post it here in its pretty frame that she so cleverly made.

She said

For making me laugh, services to poetry and unashamed sucking up, the £60 Sarenza shoe voucher goes to….

Jo Bryan of Given to Distracting Others!

I will have a great time choosing my new shoes and I will post a picture of them soon.

Just also wanted to point you to the Retro Chic Blog. Gemma has entertained, made me think (her clothes sizing post) yearn for years goneby, the clothes the smart dress (my idol being Audrey Hepburn),  picnics by the river and also showed innate dressingand true vintage style.
You will love her retro blog for its charm and fun!

http://www.retrochick.co.uk/