Bringing Disney Home

It's been nearly three years since our last visit to Walt Disney World and so some days I do feel a little home-sick. And while it's great seeing friends posts on social media or reading the latest news coming out of the parks it can only make the longing to be there even more intense.

So little things can sometimes mean a lot, especially if there's a bit of Disney involved. Like the obligatory stop by the Disney Store while out shopping or adding a Disney twist to an outfit or looking forward to the next instalment on your Disney tattoo!

And today was one of those simple moments when we finally managed to hang all of the posters that Simon had bought me for Christmas 2014. The posters are a set of 12 that recreate the attraction posters that you see as you enter the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and walk under the railway, past the locker area. I'd always loved these posters and we'd tried many years ago to buy an odd one or two but the logistics of getting a full sized poster back home had always prevented us. Then Simon came across this set online - perfect!

Over the last few months we bought the frames a few at a time to spread the cost and today we put the last few in place. We have a long hallway which seemed the ideal place to hang them.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Orange Bird & Tropical Serenade (the original name for the Enchanted Tiki Room)

Big Thunder Mountain

Walt Disney World Railroad

Haunted Mansion

It's a Small World

Snow Whites Adventures

Pirates of the Caribbean

Space Mountain

Country Bear Jamboree

Monorail

Plus one more which was a gift from my fellow Disney Dream Girl Michelle...

Splash Mountain 25th Anniversary poster for Disneyland

So I now have my very own Disney entrance way...well kind of ;)

Eating Healthy...and Proud of it!

So there I was this morning perusing my Facebook feed, as you do, when I came across one of those 'suggested posts' and the title caught my eye! I don't even know why it caught me eye...it read 'What Jennifer Aniston Eats in a Day Will Make You Sad'. But something made me click on the link.

What I found was a blog piece wrote about an interview that Jennifer Aniston had given to 'Elle' magazine. As she is renowned for 'looking good' she was asked about what she did to keep herself looking as slim and as good as she does!

I then preceded to read the article and found myself getting rather annoyed. Jennifer Ansiton had simply explained her healthy eating plan...no gimmicks...no quick fixes...just simple healthy eating. But what annoyed me was the blog authors attitude that in some way her choice to eat healthy was 'sad', that she was somehow 'depriving' herself of something. The whole blog piece really slammed her for choosing this lifestyle, and was wrote with heavy sarcasm and an attitude that was full of criticism. How can someone's decision to make healthy food choices be treated with such disdain?

Now I am all for freedom of choice (and opinion for that matter) and as a consequence someone's choice to eat a certain way or live their life a certain way should be their choice and their choice alone. It doesn't mean you have to agree with it or follow what they are doing but the least you can do is respect their choice.

I changed my way of eating nearly two years ago; I lost nearly 2 stone in weight and dropped 2 (sometimes 3!) dress sizes. I have never felt better about my body and how I look. I still have bits of me I don't like and still worry about how I look but I know that I am in better shape than I was 2 years ago. And I am proud of what I have achieved and proud of the fact that I have made a change to my lifestyle that I have stuck to. And along the way I have helped and supported others to make changes to their lifestyles too.

So if (and when) people ask me how I've lost the weight there is no quick fix or gimmick to tell them about I'm afraid. It is simply a change to my lifestyle that involves cutting out the processed foods and eating healthy clean foods. But I have to admit I kind of dread it when people ask me because I know what their reaction is going to be most of the time. As soon as I explain what I have done people usually say 'Oh I couldn't do that' and for some reason I then feel guilty...I know...why??

So let's ask me the same question that was asked of Jennifer Aniston - what do I eat most days? Well, breakfast tends to be sausage, egg and bacon. Lunch will be a salad with either chicken, ham, cheese or tuna followed by a yogurt (as low sugar as I can find - avoid all the low fat rubbish!). Dinner will be chicken, fish or meat with a large salad or plenty of veggies. I will probably have a bowl of greek or natural yogurt with some berries and most days I will have a couple of squares of very dark chocolate. Snacks will be either nuts with some dried fruit (not a fan of nuts but getting better with them) or cheese or some dark chocolate.

I don't worry too much about the number of calories each day but try to ensure that processed foods and foods marked 'low fat/fat free' are avoided. I don't eat bread, pasta, rice or white potatoes, nor do I drink diet drinks or fruit juice. And so far it seems to be working for me!

I find myself wanting to learn more about the relationship between food and our bodies and understand the effect that food can have on us. I have come across some great books and articles and am beginning to know more about what happens when we eat certain types of foods. I am passionate about what I am learning and will explain it the best I can to anyone who is truly interested.

And that is the other key to all of this you have to want to make that change. There is no point wishing you were slimmer or weighed less or wanting to look like Jennifer Aniston unless you are prepared to do something about it. It's very easy to come up with excuses but if you want something bad enough then you will make that change. The next thing is then sticking to that change; I initially made the change for a 90 day challenge but found that after the 90 days I really didn't want to go back to my old ways. The foods that I thought I would miss I actually didn't and never have since. Now don't get me wrong I will allow myself an indulgence every now and then, but I don't let that one indulgence become licence to fall back into old ways.

But with all of this I made a choice to change what I was doing, for my own reasons. And whilst I don't expect everyone to do the same, or even like or agree with what I have done, I at least hope that people will respect me for my own choices.

If you are interested in making a change then please feel free to comment below or message me via Twitter @JaynePhipps. Also check out Gary Taubes - Why We Get Fat & What to Do About It & Dr Mark Hyman - Eat Fat Get Thin & The Blood Sugar Solution for some great reads too.

Overdue post...

Well it's been a while since I put finger to keyboard so I thought I'd better get my act together and write a post!

So firstly apologies for such a long time between posts...I'd always wanted to get at least a couple of posts done each month but time seems to have run away from me of late.

So what have I been up to? Well, unfortunately, nothing exciting to report I'm afraid it's just been the day-to-day life of a working mum and wife. So the typical juggling of work, home and getting children from one place to another!

As far as work goes pre-school is a continually evolving place and we are never ones to sit still for too long! We have been re-looking at what we do and how we do it to make sure that we provide the best possible care and education for the children that come to us. So this has meant working lots of extra hours as we plan ahead for the future. Plus we have been busy fundraising and in the last few weeks managed to raise £117 with a cake sale and then our Easter Eggstravaganza rasied another £560! We also celebrated World Book Day so I couldn't resist the chance to go dressed as a Disney character...

As you can see in the above photo work has started on my latest Disney tattoo as I embark on a full sleeve! I have now had two sessions with the lovely and very talented Rachael Huntington at Rampant Ink and I will be seeing her next week for the next instalment. I promise I will devote a blog post to it soon!!

Simon has been extremely busy with his work and I can now reveal that he is working on a video game called Dangerous Golf which will be the first release for UK game developer Three Fields Entertainment. Working for a small start up company is an exciting time for Simon, and we're all looking forward to their games release in a couple of months time (June 2016-ish!) and fingers crossed it gets the success that everyone working at Three Fields Entertainment deserves!

And the other thing that has been taking up our time has been the ongoing creation of our cosplay outfits for Star Wars Celebration this coming July. Simon's kit is almost complete with this weekend seeing us fit armour to legs!! Next is creating the armour for my outfit!! Once we are nearing completion I shall put a post together, with plenty of pictures!!

So as far as Disney goes I am still recording the Disney Dream Girls podcast with the lovely Michelle and I shall be living vicariously through her as she travels to both Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney World this year. Whether we will make it to a Disney park this year is a complete unknown and as much as I would love it to happen I think realistically it probably won't, fingers crossed that 2017 is the year for us!

Oh and I just remembered I did manage to complete my Disney villains jigsaw.

And I've just started another...

Should keep me out of trouble for a little while!!

Power of Words

I wanted to write a piece that was very personal to me and that would mark an anniversary. Unfortunately it's an anniversary I would rather not be marking.

A year ago I lost my Mum unexpectedly and as you would expect it hit me and the rest of my family really hard. The evening she passed was a very cold and clear night and the sky was full of stars...it felt very apt, and I remarked that Mum was up there in those stars looking down on us and while ever there are stars in the sky then I know she's still there with us.

We opened a bottle of champagne that night to toast my Mum and that's exactly what we will be doing a year on.

A couple of months ago my Dad found a bracelet that my Mum had bought on one of our last trips to Walt Disney World together....I think it may have been as long ago as 2008. I wasn't even aware that Mum had bought the bracelet so have no idea where she got it; I know she never wore it as the price label is still attached! I have the bracelet now and it sits on my dressing table so I can see it every day. It is a simple silver bangle with engraved words, and it's those words that really hit me when Dad gave me it;

Simple bangle, costing $10.00 but where was this sold...I have no idea!

Words: Shoot for the moon...

Words: Even if you miss....

Words: you will land among...

Words: the stars

How poignant are those words - Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you will land among the stars

Love you and miss you Mum but I know you're up there keeping an eye on us all..

Me & Mum - WDW August 2008

Living with Disney

So I was having a think about what my next blog post should be (it's been a while since my last....) and realised the reason I was finding it hard was because it's almost a year since I was last in a Disney park and there is no sign of a visit anywhere soon.  So how do I live with my love of Disney when I can't get to the parks?

To some people that might sound a silly statement to make but for those of us with a deep love and appreciation for Disney, and in particular the parks, it can sometimes be a difficult task.

Social media is great for finding out all the latest news but when you can't get to experience any of it in person watching your news feed can become quite a challenge. I will admit that sometimes I can be jealous of those who are gleefully experiencing all things Disney; or at least a strange combination of feeling happy for those getting to do Disney but tinged with a sense of petulant 'I want to be there' (imagine a toddler tantrum!!).

So here we are at the end of January 2016 and my mind drifts back to this time last year and my preparations for our visit to Disneyland Paris; even Facebook reminded me today with this photo!

New hat ready for exploring Disneyland Paris in February!!

And then I realised that we have no Disney vacation to look forward to this year, and part of the whole visiting Disney experience is the build-up to getting there. So what do I do to keep myself sane and the love of Disney strong?

Well I suppose I am lucky in that I co-host the Disney Dream Girls Podcast and get to talk with my good friend Michelle and our listeners most weeks about the parks, the news, the happenings and of course the food! (we always get onto food somehow!!).

I keep Disney close to me every day as I always wear something with a Disney connection. Most days I will wear one of my three Mickey Mouse watches, a bracelet with 'Mickey's' in it, a silver ring that is a mix of bling and 'Mickey's', my new Mickey Mouse necklace (birthday pressie from Simon) and always a pair of earrings and yes most likely Mickey shaped! My mobile phone has various covers; the current one is from Walt Disney World and it also has a case that is embossed with Mickeys! My handbag is covered in Mickey's and Minnie's and so is my purse! And my car is always adorned with a Mickey antenna topper; current one is a sparkly affair!! And then we get onto clothes; I have lost count of the number of t-shirts, tops, one dress, scarves and numerous hoodies with a Disney theme, never mind the pairs of socks and knickers!! I also have my four Disney tattoos to keep me company...soon to be expanding tattoos!!  More on this in another post!

Oh and don't forget pictures, posters, ornaments, soft toys, magazines, pins, toys and lots of mementos from park visits - I have all the park maps and time schedules from every visit going back to our first in 1991!! And then add onto this the books and DVD's & Blu-rays and it becomes pretty apparent the large part that Disney plays in my life. Even my most recent purchase will help to keep me distracted with a Disney vibe;

So while I may not get to experience Disney in person any time soon I will keep it close to my heart and appreciate it any way I can!

Black Thread and a Heat Gun

So here we are into the New Year and my last few days off before work starts again and what do I find myself doing? Well it involves black thread and a heat gun!

I have spent the afternoon sewing (by hand!) and Simon has been heating and moulding foamex....so let me explain.

In July of this year Simon and I will be attending Star Wars Celebration in London; this is a 3 day event celebrating all things Star Wars. As Simon this year celebrates one of those 'milestone' birthdays we thought we ought to do something special to mark the occasion and as he is a big Star Wars fan this seemed the ideal thing to do, plus we get a three night stay in London without the kids!

Now almost as soon as I'd booked the tickets Simon commented that if we were going to do this then we ought to throw ourselves into it and go in character/cosplay...to which I said that's fine as long as I don't have to wear the Princess Leia metal bikini!

After an initial look at buying cosplay outfits it quickly became apparent that to do it properly would cost an awful lot of money unless we made it ourselves! Now this really appealed to Simon's artistic and creative side and gave him the chance to go back to his childhood and actually 'make stuff'. But what should we go as? Well we decided that we ought to either go as the same characters or one's that complemented each other but if we went as the same then it would have to be something that could be either male or female. This is when Simon came up with the idea of being Mandalorians, or to help clarify think Boba and Jango Fett from the movies and you'll get the idea.

Well the lengthy process of making our costumes is now well under way with great progress being made since we started last July. Please note that when I refer to 'we' I do of course mean that Simon is making them whilst I offer lots of support, the ability to hold something still whilst it is cut or heat moulded and of course provide cups of tea and/or coffee as and when needed.

So what have 'we' made so far then...well...

...his and hers blasters! I get two!! These were made first and involved wood, foamex, piping and a surprising array of household objects...nothing gets thrown away now without first consulting Simon to see if we can make use of it somewhere!

 

We've made from scratch our belts each with handmade pouches...each pouch was covered with pleather (fake leather) and then had a piece of pleather attached over to give each pouch a closing...this meant stitching 16 individual pieces, thankfully this was all done by sewing machine.

Various pieces of armour are also being made, these pieces are our knee armour complete with mini blasters!!

But under the body armour we need flak jackets which we are having to make ourselves. For this we had to devise our own pattern as the ones we found on-line just didn't seem to fit right, so we tried lots of paper patterns before we committed to fabric. This is Simon's; the body part and shoulder pieces were made with pleather and a cotton lining which were all constructed with the help of the sewing machine. This was the first time I have ever used a sewing machine...ever!

I then had to hand sew the shoulders onto the jacket which I have managed to complete today.

The paper attached to the jacket in this photo are the templates for the body armour Simon has been making today.

Here is a collection of what we have made so far including our helmets and gauntlets. Most of this is now ready for the final stages of painting and weathering so that they will match the blasters and look as though they have seen some battle action!

Through all of this construction we are trying to be as true to the movies as we can possibly be and so we have joined an on-line forum run by an organisation called The Mandalorian Mercs. This is a world-wide non-profit Star Wars costuming organisation comprised of, and operated by, Star Wars fans and volunteers. It has proved to be a great source of ideas and encouragement. And much like the Disney community we are making a heap of new friends from across the world and some surprisingly local to us as well!!

We are hoping that once our outfits are completed we can meet the high standards for official entry into the Mercs and join in with their future events and charitable fundraising initiatives.

I shall keep you posted as we get closer to the completed outfits!

Reflections and Moving Forward

So as is customary at this time of year I thought I would take a look back at 2015 and see what's on the horizon for 2016.

So 2015 has been rather a tough year to be honest. As those who read my blog will know early on in the year my mum very suddenly passed away and this left rather a big hole in my life and had a big impact on this year. It has been hard going at times but with amazing support from Simon and friends I am 'getting there'.

We did manage a short trip to Disneyland Paris back in February and I've wrote a number of blog posts that cover the trip as well as general overviews on eating at Disneyland Paris and Disney's Sequoia Lodge resort. Being able to visit a Disney park was great fun although it did make me miss Walt Disney World even more!

I have continued to record the Disney Dream Girls podcast with my very good friend Michelle and have enjoyed watching and listening to Michelle's trips to Disneyland this past year - she is even there now as I type this...the lucky thing!!

Simon and I have continued with our cosplay creations as we get ready for Star Wars Celebration in London next year. I have discovered that I am a very good assistant when it comes to moulding things with a heat gun and using a hot glue gun is quite good fun too. I've even used a sewing machine for the first time in my life!  I will endeavour to do a blog post in the New Year cataloguing our achievements so far.

So looking forward what does 2016 have in store...well the main thing at the moment will be our trip to Star Wars Celebration in London in July. We have tickets for all three days of all things Star Wars which also means we get a great short break away in London...without the kids ;)

I will also be getting some new Disney ink completed this year; in fact only yesterday I was talking to my amazing tattooist Rachael Huntingdon (Rampant Ink) about making a start on what will be a full sleeve!

Will we make it to a Disney park this year? Who knows? It will be 25 years this year since I visited Walt Disney World for the first time so it would be lovely to think we could re-visit 25 years on but as I write this it is looking highly unlikely....but never say never!!

I hope that 2015 has been kind to you and yours and that 2016 will see you happy, healthy and having a ton of fun.

Happy New Year!!!