More vege, less carbs

{photo by me: cucumber and lamb curry}

I recently felt exhausted and depressed very often. (Or most of my life :P) Previously doctor has advised me to intake more food in all terms and sodium. I am a lazy cook such that I had have lots of fast food meals to fulfill doctor's wish. Hamburgers got lots of sodium!

Things are better. I feel less dizzy. But there is another problem, I am puffy and lack of energy. So I change my diet again... a revolutionary one. I try my best to prepare my meal every day. It is a challenge when you are alone at home. Meals are not the top priority. Preparing a one-person portion takes lots of work.

For my health sake, I am doing it, hopefully, for long term. I will be a housewife (maybe) the rest of my life, I cannot have fast food forever.

Buying food is so much easier. (That is why you have to pay more!) You can just eat and then do other things. I discover I have been cooking and washing the whole day as following,

Breakfast / Lunch

Fried egg and toast, a cup of tea - 10 mins

Eat - 10 mins

Washing dishes - 10 mins

Snack

Cut an orange - 3 mins

Eat it - 4 mins

Wash again - 5 mins

Dinner

Prepare and roasted turkey - 45mins

Prepare salad, cut tomato / onion and smash avocado - 20 mins

Serve and eat - 30mins

Wash again!!!! - 25mins

Very often, I think I am not that full after the dishing...

To do list

{photo via junkaholic}

This is the second day I am at home alone. It is weird that once you are married, you life is always a double. The sudden home alone nights seem nice. I do not have to plan for meals and do less clean-ups.

This made me cannot stop thinking what if I am home alone at Edinburgh. I have been living at the city for my entire life. There were supermarkets and restaurants just downstairs my home. So I come up an idea that to plan a To do list.

1) Try polymer clay

I do not have an oven here. But I know I will have one at my scottish apartment. It is a great chance for my to experiment with a new media for my jewelry design.

2) Baking

The same reason. In addition, I have so much free time to try new recipes. I am thinking soda bread, cup cakes, roasted chicken etc.

3) Making jewelry

I opt to maintain my Etsy store operation. Such that I will pack all my heavy tools and beads to flight. It is great for Hong Kong customers, I shall purchase more vintage beads and charms. Come on, there will be a lower shipping costs!!!

4) Visit the Scottish handmade market - Morningside Maker Markets . Actually they are so kind to invite me to join. However, due to visa problem, I will not be an exhibitor. I do not want to be an illegal worker.

5) Nothing yet, any suggestion to do at home?

Something to share

A beautiful arty blog - junkaholic

Cute recycled stickers

Product photo shoot

Finally there is sunshine in my house. I have been waiting for it so long. It is super hard to capture a beautiful image of my Rose Water necklace. I love this a lot and I have one I wear a lot. The necklace was shot more than several times which the softness and loveliness of the blushing pink rose quartz drop is so hard to capture.

A beautiful shot of my Rose Water with the aid of sunshine. No retouch, just size chopping.

Unlike the photo underneath which was captured in a cloudy day... even though I tried to add light source with a DIY tent, nothing is better than natural light.

!Crap!

Here are some tips for product photo shooting and styling tips via

Making it Lovely

Decor 8

Dinner for two

Not sure if you are bored with the same style of photos yet. It was our dinner last night. Yes salad again with home made dressing. The Pizza Express balsamic vinegar dressing seems not too match with the roman cabbage. To make the meal filling, I've added some smoked salmon.

Here is a how-to for the home made Italian salad dressing.

lime juice (freshly squeezed from a lime), 1 clove of garlic, 2 table spoons of cherry tomato juice (gained from the cheery tomato), a dash of mixed herb, oliver oil, salt and pepper

I have soaked the sliced onion into the dressing before we went jogging. 30 minutes of jogging, back home take a shower, shake well and enjoy!

Salad for dinner

I decided to lead a healthier diet. That is more fresh vege and good quality of protein. It is not easy to sustain as it costs time and effort. Last Sunday, we had salad for dinner.

I have prepared the turkey breast on the Saturday night. The turkey was bought from a wholesaler which located nearby our home. I just requested the giant turkey to be cut into 3 portion. Turkey is a good source of protein.

I have marinated the de-frozened bird with rosemary, mixed italian herbs, a clove of garlic and dash of oliver oil for 20 minutes. Then I sealed the bird in high heat and then slow cooked for 40 minutes. Slice them once they are cool down.

The best part, I can store the bird in the freezer and served as ham for sandwiches, salad, and snack. Though... C ate them all quickly :)

= = =

A good article I like to share, embrace changes

Paris Paris

{photo credits: Liz Rusby}

We have decided to include a mini romantic break during our time at Edinburgh. Yes, to Paris. I have been there once with my friend as a backpacker. It was a quick and kinda rush trip so I think we need more planning this time.

Besides the museums, I am looking for walks at the Parisian market (Place de la Madeleine!?), vintage goodies and explore more with the local cafes and bistrots.

I have been reading this from Oh Happy Day! for some ideas. But I am still looking for more. C has bought the book Eyewitness Travel Paris which is sort of complicated for me to read... (I have no sense of direction and the book is wrote based on map zones!)

Walking to no man land

First it started as a hobby... then comes the rocky road.

I have been reading lots of self-employed stories recently. Mostly motivated by this lovely book, Escape from cubicle nation

I thought I was so lonely and kinda silly to realize my dream. It was like walking into the no man land. I do things alone most of the time. I email / blog / source materials / design alone. I make jewelry alone (to compensate, I turn on Discovery channels to make sounds.) Everyone is saying you are so blissful to be a housewife and make jewelry to sell (To sell does not mean sellable!?). I can only swallow my bitter. It takes lots of work to get one sale!!! Moreover, I worried a lot and here are some of them.

1) I do not return to be the corporate world, I will be jobless forever.

2) I will be regretted when I am 40s.

3) I feel lack of confidence / self esteem in front of my umates / ex colleagues / friends who have their gold plated job titles and lavish lifestyle.

4) Money... though I will not starved to death, I miss my fancy shoes and dresses sometimes.

To feel much better, I search for other man in the world.

{Photo credit: SharonMontrose's photography}

Sharon Montrose

Watch this video to see how this baby giraffe is shotted.

Bess from The English Muffin Blog

Nichole from Make it Lovely. A day in the life.