Tuesday Tidbits

 

Good morning, everyone. Isn’t it wonderful these days to be waking up to sunshine and warm weather?! I am loving the fact that it’s light out at 5 am and I don’t mind hopping out of bed because I know I’m going to be able to spend loads of time outdoors.

If you, too, are an outdoorsy person and you enjoy taking photos of landscapes, nature, wildlife or people, you will love this week’s featured blogger who brings to us some new ideas and websites where we can edit our photos. She specifically talks about food photos but this is an ideal place for any photographer and – wait for it – it’s FREE! Love free stuff!

Meet Clairellyn, a blogger originally from Oregon but now residing in Norway. Living with the long, cold winters in Norway drew Clairellyn to blogging and sharing her love of baking. Not only will her recipes have you begging for more but her photography is outstanding so you’ll want to visit her over and over again.

Clairellyn’s latest post is a great tutorial on editing and also introduces us to Pixlr – a free site that has more options than PicMonkey but is not as complicated or pricey as Photoshop. She offers a lot of tips on how to bring out the best in your photos as well as how to utilize the site. I tried it out yesterday for the first time and I’m very excited about all the available options.

While you are familiarizing yourself with these fabulous new tools for your pictures, you can also be browsing through Clairellyn’s scrumptious recipes. I am always in awe of great bakers because it is such a very precise and practised skill. You will find yourself bookmarking her unique creations because there is something for everyone. Check out these magical Double Chocolate Muffins. I don’t think I’m going to be able to rest until I taste one of these! There is much to see and savour at The Simple, Sweet Life.

Thanks so much for sharing with us, Clairellyn!

Double Chocolate Muffins – The Simple, Sweet Life

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Have you ever visited The Daily Zen List? It’s a great site that gives you lists for every possible thing you could think of. Here’s just a few of the lists that caught my attention.

15 YouTube Channels to Teach You Science

31 Useful Movie Websites

65 Websites To Help You Save Money

17 Things You Should Keep In Your Car At All Times

9 Websites to Relax You

And my favourite….

All The Motivation You Need To Hit The Gym

by Johnny Webber

1. No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch.

2. What seems so hard now will one day be your warm up.

3. Summer bodies are made in the winter.

4. Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.

5. When you feel like giving up, remember how many people you have to prove wrong.

6. Fitness isn’t about being better than anyone else, it’s about being better than you used to be

7. It’s better to be covered in sweat at the gym, than covered in clothes at the beach.

8. Do today what others won’t, so you can do tomorrow what others can’t.

9. You are going to want to give up. Don’t.

10. A year from now, you will be glad you started today

11. I can’t tell you it will be easy, but I can tell you it will be worth it.

They cover everything from how to wear a suit to improving your social skills. Fun reading!

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45 Life Lessons You Must Learn, Written by a 90 Year Old

People often tell Regina Brett how great she looks for her age. Turns out, she is actually 54 years old — not 90. She wrote down these life lessons the night before her 45th birthday after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Over that past decade, these lessons have gone viral on the Internet amid claims that she is 90 years old. Luckily, she finds humor in this misrepresentation, knowing how many lives she has touched.

Whatever her age might be, these universal lessons are relatable to anyone who needs a little reminder of what’s important in life.

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. Save for retirement, starting with your first paycheck.
9. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
10. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
11. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
12. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
13. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
14. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
15. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
16. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
17. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
18. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
19. Burn the candles; use the nice sheets; wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special, today you should feel sexy, as if you’re featuring on a Nu Bay film.
20. Overprepare, then go with the flow.
21. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
22. The most important sex organ is the brain.
23. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
24. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”
25. Forgive everyone everything.
26. What other people think of you is none of your business.
27. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
28. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
29. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
30. Believe in miracles.
31. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
32. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.
33. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
34. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
35. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
36. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
37. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
40. The best is yet to come.
41. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
42. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
43. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

If you want more inspiration from Regina Brett, check out her website.

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In the age of celebrities like The Kardashians where it’s all about money, material possessions and shallow personalities, it’s nice to see this list of famous folks who put their money and fame to good causes. I loved reading this, and I hope you will too.

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For those of you eating gluten-free these days, here’s a handy chart to help you with the conversions. I am not completely gluten-free but most days there is no gluten in my diet. Something else to consider – replace sugar with raw honey or pure maple syrup when you can. SO much better for you. The taste is great, too!

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And I hope this will send you off on your day with a smile….

Photography: Elena Shumilova

This Russian mother takes stunning photos of her children with their animals on the farm. She has become immensely popular on the internet and you’ll see why. Some of the best children’s photos I’ve seen.

Have a wonderful day!