April updates

For the last couple of weeks I have been very bad and completely ignored my blog! Since going back to Uni it has been non stop coursework and going out which hasn't left me much time to keep this updated. I thought I would do a post with some of my updates for April which as it turns out is actually quite a lot! Expect another post tomorrow which will either be very good/VERY bad after I visit the hospital for another check up!

April Updates

2nd year at Uni is done! (apart from deferrals which don't seem to be anytime soon)

I have eaten FAR too much hangover food

I passed my theory again and booked my driving test!

I am FINALLY off steroids and don't have a massive face

Right now I'm attempting to get my hair blonde again (it isn't working)

I moved out of my house in Coventry back home but want to go back! :(

I have managed to make over £150 on eBay ready for interrailing! 

I think that's about it for the last two weeks, fingers crossed tomorrow is successful! 

The first bbq of the year!

Last Sunday we decided that as the weather forecast was looking good we would get everyone over for some food and drinks and use our newly cleared back garden! Unfortunately it rained in the evening until around half 6 but we decided to whip the bbqs and sausages out and risk it! I made my potato and pasta salad and we picked up 46 sausages from iceland for £2! (no they were not great!). We made some paper chains that were 25p for a pack from Wilkinsons and put tealights in glasses to decorate the garden. It was such a lovely evening and a great way to start the new term!

Interrailing

I mentioned in a post a little while ago that me and Lisa were planning an Interrailing trip around Europe for this summer. While we were in town this week we decided to pick up a few things, mainly from the pound shops, just to start building up the things we will need. This is what we got!

Bum bag, (?!?) 99p.  To keep my passport, money, phone etc in. Pen knife, 99p. Comes with lots of attachments including scissors, corkscrew, nail file and loads more I could event think of a use for! Combination torch, £1 very small and lightweight and doesn't need batteries. Washing sheets, 50p. We saw these reduced in Wilkinsons and  thought they would be really useful for washing small bits while we're away. There are so many sheets in them they should last the whole trip.

First aid kit, 99p. This is just a really basic first aid kit but it does include gloves and some sterile wipes, we are going to add our own things to it like plasters and paracetamol. Locks and bike lock, £1 each. These are to keep our backpack secure, the bike lock can be used to attach the bag to the bed in case there are no lockers in the hostel. 

Has anyone else been interrailing? What are your tips?

What I ate this week

This week I moved back into my Uni house in Coventry and I've been trying to stick to a healthy diet to make sure my tummy stays keeps up the good behavior. I thought I would post a few pictures of the kind of thing I've been eating!

Fajita and nacho night with the girls! 

Fish, spring onion and yoghurt mash with salad

Pizza pittas with pepper, sweetcorn and spring onion

Treats for the week! Chocolate dipped strawberries and marshmallows and whoopie pies

Car boot sale

Around this time of year going to car boot sales becomes a bit of a routine in our house (if I can find someone to drive me!) and Sunday was no exception. We drove down to Knebworth to a boot sale that we hadn't been to before but it turned out to be closed so we headed back to one in Stevenage which I also  had never been to. It took a couple of walks around to find anything but here are some of the things I got!

This hat, teacup and scarf were all from the same stall for £3. The hat needs some sewing but I have wanted one like this for ages! The scarf has a riding print on it and the teacup I plan to make into a candle with some wax pellets from eBay. 

I spotted this Topshop dress hiding behind some other things and loved the print on it but sadly its just a little bit too small for me. I only paid £2 so this will be going on eBay and the money can go into my interrailing fund! 

This was another one that doesn't quite fit which is the bad part about car boots as you cant try anything on. This was only 50p so I had to buy it! I also got a couple of bras, a kaftan (for the holiday I'm determined to go on) and a blue jug also for 50p which we have filled with daffodils from the garden.

This globe wasn't from the car boot it was from the loft but I had to include it in a post because I was so excited to find it after I thought we had thrown it away! I've had this globe since I was little and It lights up! 

London trip

On Thursday me and my brother took a trip to London to do some shopping. It snowed the whole time but we had a really nice day! Although I wasn't really looking for anything I picked up a couple of tops from primark (one is in my DIY blog post) a moisturiser from boots which was free with a voucher from the boots card machine and some mac foundation.

We then met dad for a meal at Strada, I had a starter of some different meats, mozzarella and bread and then a sausage risotto for main which was one of the only things that didn't have tomato in! It was delicious and after we walked over to the theatre and had a drink and dessert at Pret before the show. We saw One Man Two Guvnors with Rufus Hound which was brilliant, I would really recommend it!

This was my first day out in London for months and although I was knackered at the end of it I'm really happy I was able to do all that walking and we had such a lovely day!

DIY PU leather pocket t shirt

It's been a little while since I've done a craft post so I thought I would show you something I made the other day. I love leather details on tops and had my eye on one from Missguided but thought I would have a go at making it myself first.

I picked up this top from Primark for £4. It's a slouchy loose fit top and already has a pocket on the front which makes adding the leather much easier! I also got it in a cream colour which I may also add a pocket too.

I ordered a PU leather sample off eBay for £1 which has a different fabric on the other side. I then got a piece of grease proof paper and drew around the shape of the pocket and then cut that pattern out and drew around it on the leather sample but on the opposite side.

I then cut out that shape and then began to stitch it over the pocket of the t shirt using a black thread and small stitches. I did consider using a similar colour to the t shirt to make it stand out but I'm not that confident in my sewing yet! When doing this be careful you don't stitch through both sides (sounds stupid but easily done!) also be careful where you put a stitch as when you pierce the leather it will leave an obviously hole. I think I could have done my stitches neater but overall I'm pretty happy with how it's turned out!

Latest hospital appointment

Today I had another check up with my gastro nurse Deborah. It has been a month since my last appointment and a few things have happened since then. I've had a couple of bad spells with picking up illnesses and one morning spent being sick for 6 hours after a chilli (damn tomatoes!) but overall I'm feeling okay. The main problems for me have been the side effects with my steroids which is why I'm relieved that the nurse has agreed I can begin to reduce them again. In the next 3 weeks I should be off them completely and I hope this means I can say bye bye to the moon face, even Deborah said i look 'steroidal!'

It all sounds great but I could see they didn't have much confidence in my ability to be just on the azathioprine so I have been given some information on Humira so I'm prepared in case that is my next option. Humira is an injection i would take every 2 weeks and is also an immunosuppressant and would be taken alongside my azathioprine. The thought of injecting myself with something isn't pleasant but neither is surgery which is the step after that. Today was the first time that surgery actually seemed like a possible option which was scary and has really hit home.

On the advice of my nurse I'm really going to re think my diet (the fact I've put on more weight is also a factor!) I always feel hungry but now I need to look at what I'm eating and change it. I am on a low fibre diet but for me the problem is how much carbohydrate I eat so my focus now is more protein like oily fish and chicken. Fingers crossed this will help me feel better and loose some of the weight I've gained!