Library Love. Landline, The Fever, Silver Shadows, Jane, the Fox and Me.

These are the library books I've loved reading this month,

Landline - Rainbow Rowell

This wasn't my favourite Rainbow Rowell novels, but Rainbow Rowell is one of my favourite authors so I still thought it was good.  The time travel element is really timey-wimey and I kept having to stop and think about whether the main character was going to wipe out her present life by meddling with her past, a la Marty McFly.  

The Fever - Megan Abbot

An outbreak of a mysterious illness sweep through an American high school, while the characters try to work out whether it's caused by dodgy water, hysteria or the HPV vaccine.  The answer isn't that interesting, but it's a fairly interesting book nonetheless.    

Silver Shadows - Richelle Mead

I really love this series of books.  This is the 5th out of 6 books (or the 11th out of 12 if you count the first 6 Vampire Academy books that are set in the same world).  Lots of bad things happen in this book and lots of previous characters turn up, which I hope are all things to set up for the final book to tie up all the loose ends and have a happy ending!

Jane, the Fox and Me - Fanny Britt

This is a really beautifully illustrated graphic novel, about a bullied girl who finds solace in the story of Jane Eyre.  Really lovely.

What have you been reading?

My local library service (who I just so happen to work for) have been busy opening new branches and introducing E-books and E-magazines.  What are your local libraries like? 

Simple Pleasures #16.

Home grown sweet peas. 

Easy Green Actions, September 2014.

Here's this months round up of easy, green actions,

 

Friends of the Earth have a petition asking David Cameron to stop fracking in the UK. 

Greenpeace have an anti-fracking petition to sign too!

Sign this petition to ask Bayer to stop lobbying against regulations that would end production of pesticides toxic to bees.

If you heard about or took part in Zero Waste Week, and are looking to continue reducing your household waste then why not sign up for the Rubbish Diet and slim your bin. 

If you have any causes or actions to add then let me know in the comments and if I like it I'll add it in.  And feel free to share any of this info (or the whole post) wherever and with whoever you like - if you sign any of the petitions and use social media then please consider using the share on facebook or twitter options that pop up, it increases the reach of these actions and awareness of these issues even further.

Charity Shopping, My Second Hand Wardrobe #1.

All my clothes, or nearly all my clothes, come from charity shops or ebay.  

I thought I'd show you some of the lovely things I've bought second hand recently.

 

This dress was originally from Debenhams, it's a little big, I didn't try it on because there was a big queue for the changing room, I might take it in using my sewing machine.  £2, charity shop.

This cotton Florence and Fred dress is lovely and cool for the summer.  £2 plus postage, Ebay.

I have lots more to come! 

Do you buy second hand clothes?

Harry Potter Studio Tour, London.

It was my birthday last week and as a treat my mum took me to the Harry Potter Studio Tour near London.  I Love Harry Potter!

Here are some (a lot!) photos of my trip.

  

 

I thought Diagon Alley was going to be my favourite part, but it was actually looking at all the sets and costumes and behind the scenes stuff.  Which is odd, as I've only seen the first 3 films and am by far a much bigger fan of the books. 

Because it was my birthday I got to open the doors to the great hall at the start of the tour, and I got a special birthday badge too (to go with the one my mum bought me!)! 

It was a magical day out!

How to Recycle Plastic Bags and Stretchy Plastic Film. Zero Waste Week, The End.

My challenge to myself to do 'one more thing' to reduce my household waste as part of Zero Waste Week was to recycle stretchy, plastic bag type plastic.  

As promised here is a months worth of plastic, destined to be recycled at the supermarket, in the container for recycling plastic bags.

Magazine 'envelopes',

Parcel wrappings, 

Fruit, veg and bread bags,

Plastic carrier bags and plastic wrap used for packaging,

And toilet roll wrappers.

If you're wondering how I know whether the plastic can be recycled or not, then the answer is that I was guessing and if it was stretchy and plastic and like a plastic bag I put it in.  Quite recently Shropshire Waste tweeted a few tips on types of plastic that can go in carrier bag recycling points (here, here, here and here).  This week, while doing some Zero Waste Week research I found this blog post from Shropshire Composters, and this list from Recycle Now.  Which pretty much confirms what I was doing, and lead me to discover I can put empty plastic cereal bags in the recycling too! 

Some plastic film wrappers have helpful symbols on them too, this blue bread bag even tells me to 'recycle with carrier bags at larger stores'.  You can't get more helpful that that!

I will definitely be carrying on my new recycling habit now that Zero Waste Week is over.  Did you take part in Zero Waste Week this year?  I'd love to hear all about it?

Don't forget, you can still find inspiration for ways to reduce your waste or go zero waste on the Zero Waste Week twitter, facebook, pinterest and website.

Zero Waste Week.

This week is Zero Waste Week, the theme this year is 'one more thing'.  Is there one more thing you could do to reduce your household waste?

My pledge is to recycle stretchy, plastic bag type packaging in the plastic bag recycling receptacles you can find in the supermarket.  Although I knew you could do this, it always slips my mind, so I'm making a real concious effort to collect it all up in it's own designated bag and take it with me once a month to the supermarket.  I started my challenge a little early and have been collecting baggy plastic for a while.  At the end of the week I will show you a months worth of recyclable plastic bag type plastic, saved from landfill.

Are you taking part in Zero Waste Week this year?  You can find inspiration for ways to reduce your waste or go zero waste on the Zero Waste Week twitter, facebook, pinterest and website.

Things I Loved This Month, August 2014.

This month I've loved, 

* Chocolate brownies * My nieces first birthday, she is getting so big and clever, she can say 'Susie' now, but has only done it once in front of me! * overtime at work * booking tickets to go to Legoland next month * takeaway curry * watching Primeval, Doctor Who, Great British Bake Off, Melissa and Joey * tidying my little house * taking part in Make do and Mend hour on Twitter - fun! * bargain dresses * baths with lush bath bombs * crochet skulls * my boyfriend getting a new job * seeing Guardians of the Galaxy at the new big Imax cinema by me, I love Groot * new house plants * my heating breaking but only costing £45 to fix * sleep * gardening * my mum helping me put a new shower curtain up, after the old one fell down and hit me on the head repeatedly about 10 months ago! * my mum buying me a tiny pink eraser in the shape of a hamster * coming home to a bunch of flowers and my tea being made for me (vegan wellington, roast potatoes and peas), the croissants the next morning, I have a very nice boyfriend! * having a good appraisal thingy at work * making vegan cheese and onion crisps * meeting up with my Rainbow Guides ladies * finding a conker * seeing The Wind Rises at the cinema * really good homemade flatbreads! * Bank holiday * spicy bean burgers and chips at the pub * payday * books I requested coming in at work * seeing Wicked at the theatre, it was amazing, amazing, amazing!  I have listened to the soundtrack about 30 times since seeing it last Thursday! (which I'm sure my neighbours love!) * 

What have you loved this month? 

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Home Grown Harvest, August 2014.

Can you see a pattern emerging this month!!??

I have had more courgettes I just haven't photographed them all.  I've also had some home grown chives.  That's about it this month.

What have you been harvesting?

Street Art, Birmingham.

I was in Birmingham this afternoon (to see Wicked, which was so so good!) and snapped a few photos of some street art I spotted around the China Town/ Gay Village area of the city.

I love street art, do you?