Rosie Scribble

A post that will make beauty bloggers shudder

There's a distinct lack of glamour on this blog. 

I've come to this conclusion after spending a whole morning reading beauty blogs for a project I'm working on.

I'm suddenly feeling a little old and a little frumpy.

The blogs and the writers are all very glamorous and many feature some stunning photographs of the latest beauty products and make-up ranges.

They've taught me a lot. 

What I've also learnt recently is that when you have an eight-old-year old daughter in the house, there are a number of things you need to watch out for:

• Never leave black mascara unattended - it will get used and not on eyelashes.
• Never suggest a selection of different nail varnishes would make a good present, especially if they contain glitter.
• Never get into a conversation about ear-piercing - you'll be going round in circles forever.
• Never get into a conversation about whether your daughter's friends have had their ears pierced - it won't help your argument.
• Never buy expensive perfumed soap - it'll be dropped into the bathwater and left there.
• Never, under any circumstances, get into conversation about hair removal - it will trigger more questions that it answers.

And never ever leave your favourite and most expensive lipstick within reach.

Parents of older children - is there anything else I need to know?

Back to school with Trutex

This year IJ went back to school in uniform kindly given to us by Trutex. And over the last couple of weeks we’ve been putting it through its paces. 

The end result? I’m very impressed with it, IJ likes wearing it and her head teacher has even complimented her on how smart she looks. 

The quality of the clothing is excellent, it washes well and the sizing is consistent throughout. Normally I have to buy different sizes for IJ to ensure each item of school uniform actually fits. 

Oversharing

A happy ending

Six years ago I left the life I knew and arrived in the Midlands with a two-year-old daughter. Angry with the world, unwell and struggling to cope, I faced a choice. I could battle my way out of my hell or give up.

I gave up. Tired of fighting and battling on, the world felt a harsh and unwelcoming place to be. I’d grown exhausted with the effort of simply existing.

At rock bottom I waited for someone up come along and gather me up, but no-one came.

My anger at the world depended. My previous efforts to get some help and support have proved fruitless. I felt dismissed, unworthy and abandoned to my fate.

But only one person was really in a position to change things: Me. So I decided to fight.

I fought for a further two years for the support I needed. I got it in the end.

Learn how to create an ebook

A new career opportunity has presented itself to me and I'm seeing pound signs in front of my eyes.

No, it has nothing to do with writing and selling ebooks.

I have a throat infection and can only speak with the type of husky voice that commands large fees in voiceover land. So I'm off to find an agent and earn a fortune.

But if you are interested in profiting from the ebook market, then you might be interested to hear that business entrepreneurs Erica Douglas and Antonia Chitty are launching a new From Knowledge to Profit course over the next few days at www.createanebook.co.uk. 

Moving forward

With a house move on the cards in the not too distant future, I've been considering our options. Without doubt, the fact that I don't drive does limit where we can live. By now I'd expected to be looking at cars and taking the time to compare car insurance, but as yet it is not to be.

A slight crisis of confidence coupled with the uncertainty that comes with moving house and relying on freelance work, has meant it has been several months since I last had a driving lesson.

And I haven’t found learning to drive, as a mother, particularly easy. I can’t help but see children and potential danger everywhere, and at the back of my mind is the fact that when I do pass my test I’ll have a child in the car with me. That feels like an overwhelming responsibility. 

Win a LG Optimus 3D smartphone

Update: This competition has now closed. Congratulations to Lisa at Coffee Curls who submitted my favourite entry. A brand new smartphone is on its way to you.

Fancy winning a new phone?

To help promote their new capped tariffs, Tesco Mobile has given me a LG Optimus 3D phone to give away. It’s an impressive gadget with an 8GB internal memory, Wi-Fi/3G and a whole range of other features, and it’s worth over £400.

Lost

For a while today I was lost.

A sense of unreality descended.

I felt disconnected.

Out of touch.

Alone.

I had little idea of what was going on in the world around me.

A feeling that felt unfamiliar and unwelcome.

And strangely eerie. 

Not nice at all.

So was it stress, drugs or simply a Friday meltdown?

No, dear reader.

I left the house and forgot my iphone.

And for a very long two hours, the world felt silent.

Due to a lack of modern technology at my fingertips, I scribbled this post on the back of a Morrison’s receipt. In pencil. It felt very 1980s and strangely liberating, on reflection.