How to use One Note as a blog planner

Hello there,

As you may have noticed over the past few week, due to a number of reasons, my blogging consistency has dropped. So for most of this week I decided to take a few days off to re assess how I was planning everything. Before I took these few thinking days I was only using scraps of paper, the odd phone reminder and my memory to do my blog planning. It was definitely not working. The first thing I attempted was having an actual folder with sections for blog posts, general diary, social media and link parties. Some that I saw looked so beautiful but I just didn't have the patience for that level of detail, I needed something that I could chop and change- I needed something computer based.

While pondering my thoughts I found an application, pre-installed onto my tablet called 'One note'. At first I was skeptical as it just looked too small on my little tablet screen but when I attached my key board I become hooked! I now use it for all sorts of planning, blogs, college, work… everything. In this post I explain the basics of One note and then show you how I use it for blogging.

*I am not being sponsored for this post, these are all my own opinions.

What is one note?

One note is an application that is found on Windows 8 and is touch screen compatible. The basic premise is that you have notebooks within one note that are then broken down into as many different sections as you like and each section has as many pages as you like.  You can add charts, text, small drawings, pictures, links and other documents form windows applications, you can put them anywhere on the pages so you can organise all your notes however you like.

Probably the best way of explaining it is using the Microsoft video introducing the application.

7 Tips for buying a Sewing Machine

Happy Sunday!

Hope you all had a great weekend. As I promised in Friday's post I spoke about my very messy desk and its new addition (click here to read it).

Here's the picture from the post, to the left you can see a brand new sewing machine! I was so excited as this had been months in the planning, a sewing machine can be such a huge expense that will to be used for years to come so I wanted to get it right, on the way I learnt a few tips on what you should thinking when making this investment. 

1) Talk to the Experts, but don't always listen!

I'm lucky that I work in a quilting shop, I went round all the other staff and asked their what their opinions were. They were completely honest in their opinions and definitely didn't want to see me get ripped off. However not all sales people will be this way, shop around, talk to lots of different staff members in different shops. You will meet people who are trying to sell you things you don't need but you will get a few who are honest. Once you have all your opinions and advice you can begin to narrow down your options. 

2) Pick a well known brand

Janome, Paff, Brother and other names you may have herd of will be the ones to go for as these have the widest range of attachments, replacement parts and engineers for when you machine needs servicing. You also need to look at the brands that are popular in your area. For example at the shop I work for we stock Paff and Janome but the majority of people who work and come to classes there have a Janome machine. Getting a Janome meant I knew I could find someone who knew something about my machine going wrong or simple things like how to do decorative stitches and other clever tricks. 

3) Look out for deals

Of course you need to make sure that the machine is right for you but you can get a perfect machine with a great offer. Janome send out new deals every season, anything from money off to free quilt kits. Also look for in store offers, because all the prices are set by the manufactures the shops often add their own offers, like in store vouchers or training time on your machine. Add on's like this, especially ones that come with lessons will allow you to get the most out of your machine. 

4) Read customer reviews- but ignore some!

Just like when you are looking for a hotel to stay in you will always fine the odd bad review. Different machines are suited to different people so not everyone will be happy with a perfectly good sewing machine. However if you find reviews that are talking about common faults or issues with the manufactures (not the shop that sold it to you) customer service then you probably want to forget about that particular machine as it is likely to cause a lot of problems for you in the future. 

5) Know your level and then go one higher

Sewing Machines are a real investment, they are really built to last! I know people who have had their machine for 20+ years and they still work just fine. Even if you are a beginner, look at a mid to high level machine, don't just go for the absolute basic. I almost did this, but after taking some wise advice I opted to splash out on a computerised machine; It will last me as my sewing skills grow (even after this week I have learnt so much that I would want to upgrade by now, had I gone basic!).

6) Try out the machine in store.

Most shops will give you demonstrations and let you have a go to see if the machine is right for you. Once you have started narrowing your options ask to try out a few machines that you are interested in; be sure to ask plenty of questions that go deeper than the sales pitch. Go for something specific to you; if you are a quilter ask about the attachments such as extension tables, if you attend a lot of classes ask about its weight and durability. 

7) And finally... buy from someone who you trust!

As I said in number 5, this machine could last decades so you want to be able to keep going back to the company you brought it from for advice, expertise and general troubleshooting. If you don't trust them to give you this kind of service then get the same machine from elsewhere. I have never come across a machine being carried exclusively by one shop, once you have chosen your machine, shop around for customer service.  

So that's it, my 7 tips for buying a sewing machine. 

Brought a machine recently? Whats your tip to add to this list?

Hope you all have a good week

Claudia x

My Desk.. Explaining myself!

Last Friday I used and idea from Kay @ The Best of Intentions , and today is going to be the same. I haven't run out of ideas, it is just that number 34 on her list worked really well for what I wanted to talk about today.

34. Take a photo of your desk right now and explain yourself.

Yeah I know it is a mess but I do have my reasons! Firstly is that yesterday that desk wasn't even there, it is now the only office furniture I have in my whole room. The sudden addition is because I have bought myself a sewing machine! In the past I have only hand sewn but having a machine has opened up so many more possibilities.

So what does having a sewing machine mean for future blog posts? Well first up is on Sunday I will be posting a list of tips for when you are buying a sewing machine. After that I will also be doing 'how to's' and tutorials. The first won't actually be a proper sewing tutorial, it will be the ribbon wreath which I promised a while back.

But the most exciting part is that by the New Year (hopefully) I'll be setting up my own little craft business selling simple things such as cushion covers to start with and then hopefully progressing to bigger things such as full sized quilts. It is a scary adventure and I want to take you guys along with me! I'll go through how I am planning everything and getting m self organised so I can run the business and the blog and still go to my regular work. Obviously I will be starting small and not expecting to make huge amounts of profit, but I will take each day as it comes.

One promise I have for you is that I will not be purely business focused, Enjoying Today is still going to be an outlet for me and a place to talk about being positive and enjoying life.

I hope you will all support me in this venture with your kind words that you always leave. I have to thank all my readers for their beautiful comments because without their kindness I don't think I would have had the confidence to take the plunge into being a sole trader.

Short but sweet post that announced what it needed to.
Thank you for dropping by as always,
Claudia x

P.S. Sorry If my posts are a little late at the moment, my internet keeps crashing.

Wake Up Wednesday

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I Run Like A Girl- I'm Proud of It!

Hello there!

You may have herd about the Always TV ad that went viral this week (if you haven't it is at the bottom of this post). It is a brilliantly made video about how 'like a girl' is considered to be an insult and then begins to attempt to reclaim the phrase and change its meaning.

I don't have particularly strong feelings when it comes to feminism but this advert made me stand up and listen. The part that really caught my attention was when the older girls where asked to 'run like a girl'. They all did this strange, ditsy, skip of a run, which is probably what I would have done too. But then they turned it all on its head and got much younger girls (pre-teen) to 'run like a girl' and their reaction was to sprint as fast as their legs could carry them.

10 Things Criminal Minds has taught me

Happy Friday Everybody

Today I was hoping to do a post on how to make the ribbon wreath that I posted on Sunday but the shop is waiting on an order of some of the ribbons I need so it will have to wait. In a panic, with nothing to write in its place I browsed pintrest for ideas and I came across this post from Kay at The best of intentions blog on '36 of the best blog post ideas ever'. I loved the whole list, so don't be suprised if I make a few more posts that refer back to it in the future.

For today's post I opted for number 26: The top 10 things I have learnt from Criminal Minds. I got so excited, I have found someone who loves the show as much as I do. Just as Kay says in her post, I could probably write 25 but I thought I would streamline it a bit. I could go on and on about all the fancy definitions that Spencer has taught me but I have added some more meaningful ones as well, so without further ado lets get on with the top 10!


10) Entomophobia is the irrational fear of insects and the fear of becoming infested. Thank you Dr Reid! Got to throw one of his random little facts in there, he has so many of them that I quite regularly forget them but this was from Monday's episode so it hasn't left my mind yet.

The Geek that you can't help but love!

9) Zugzwang is a chess term. I had never even herd of the term until this saga in series 8 began, I was on the edge of my seat through the whole thing.

8) America suddenly feels a whole lot smaller when you have a private jet! Its like Washington for breakfast and lunch in California... oh and the odd serial killer and psychopath thrown in between.

7)LDSK stands for long distance serial killer, you don't use the term sniper anymore. Honestly I don't know if this is true but it is correct in the criminal minds world so that's good enough for me.

6)A PHD is worth the work when you get to correct someone who doesn't call you Doctor!

You Said it Dr Reid!

5)A small intimate wedding is exactly what I want one day. I don't think it gets better than JJs wedding!

4) When you are struggling the only thing you can do is give it a try, it might just work out the best example of this has to be when Emily saves Will from blowing up by getting the right combination. 

Just helping out a friend

3) Halloween is serious is America, I was aware of this but I had to include little Henry and Jack dressed up as their favorite superheros. 

2) Never trust a group of girls who say they are only going out for a few hours! I knew this already but this bit makes me laugh every time. 

1) Nothing is stronger than the love between a parent and a child. No matter where they are. 

JJ reads it to Henry over the phone

So that's it, all 10. Do you love criminal minds as much as I do? If you do answer this question in the comments:
What is you're favorite moment and what is one thing that you have learnt from all 10 series?

Enjoy the weekend everybody!

Wake up Wednesday

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All About You: Link Up

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Procrastination: Quote of the week

Christmas is coming: Sunday Post

Hello Everybody!

Now I know that we have only just got in to November but we are all secretly preparing for Christmas.
This year me and my sister wanted to go all out with the decorating and we wanted to go handmade. Today we completed the first installment of decorations ( a bit early but we just couldn't wait).

Bridal Wear with a difference: Wedding Series 2

Hello there!

We are back with the November installment of the Wedding Series on Enjoying Today!
About a week ago I went wedding dress shopping with my Mum and in just over half an hour she had picked her dress (no pictures-can't let the surprise out!).

So in honor of that I am going to show you 3 Wedding dress styles that will turn heads at you wedding for being just that little bit different.

1) The Short Dress

It's daring but with the right venue and the right style of wedding then why not go for it!

Etsy 

Reem Acra 

House of Mooshki

Wake Up Wednesday!

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               Welcome to the 41th week of 

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Looking Forward: Quote of the Week

Over the past few months I have had to leave a lot behind, even without going to university. I have had to leave school, let my friends go and let my free time go as I step into the real working world.
There's no two ways about it, it has been a shock but I am beginning to settle in.