Category Archives: Our Youtube

VoiceOver Walkthrough on the Apple iPod Touch 4th Gen

VoiceOver on iPod Touch 4th Gen

I recently updated my mp3 player from one I could no longer read and that didn’t talk to me to an iPod Touch that talks to me and I can talk back to it. I was already familiar with VO because I have a Mac computer and the family use an iPad but I thought I would do a really basic walkthrough with some of the functions on an iPod Touch in the video above..

I hope it helps and if you have any questions or queries relating to VoiceOver on any iDevice  or you want to see a specific VO thing on an Apple Mac Mini, iPod Touch 4th or iPad leave a comment and I’ll do my best.

RNIB: Big Print Newspaper Review



The ‘Big Print‘ Newspaper by the RNIB is the same size as a traditional newspaper, the fact that the font is clear, bold and 16pt hasn’t meant that it’s been blown up to a ridiculous unhelpful size, which is what I was worried about and have experienced when asking others to ‘enlarge’ things.. Especially at school, A3 exam and worksheets, not helpful. Just the text not the whole thing, seriously. 

As well as the newspaper that features condensed highlights of all the weeks news it also comes with a free tv and radio guide, also in clear, bold 16pt font and well contrasted. The tv guide covers BB1, BB2, ITV, Channel 4 and 5. The radio includes R2, R3, R4, 4extra, R5 and Classic FM. 

Goodies in the newspaper include a double crossword with quick and cryptic clues, a weekly recipe, jobs to do in the garden, weekly quotes, tea break questions and of course, horoscopes. 
I really enjoy this newspaper, it’s condensed nature appeals to me, gives me all I need to know without the boring bits. Sports page on the back, answers to puzzles are on the last page. 

It only costs £1.25 an issue (UK) £1.53 (Overseas) you can subscribe, quarterly, for 6 months or 12 months. 
Quarterly: 13 issues £16.25
6 Months: 26 issues £32.50
12 Months: 52 issues £65.00
Subscription Helpline: 0303 123 9999

I give it a 5/5 and would recommend it, also makes a great gift. My parents got me a quarterly subscription as a Christmas present but I can see it begin extended!

It’s Friday!

This is supposed to be a Fashion Friday but I still haven’t gotten back into the swing of blogging in 2012. I suck, I know. But I am here! Next week will be back to normal. I promise. I’ve been starting a lot of new things in this first month of January and they kind of took over.

I’ve decided to make more of an effort with my relationship with God this year so I’ve taken up the Bible In A Year challenge and will be doing daily blogs sharing my thoughts on daily readings and stuff like that over as Soup Spirit, and using some Wordlive resources. Also vlog-a-day challenge for the whole month of January on my OddSockChic channel. I uploaded Day 6 today. I’ve created a DeviantART account for my photography and any sales made on prints will go to Guide Dogs UK. 

I’m still working on my Wreck This Journal I picked up some felt tips this week! so I should be able to see what I’m doodling now – that’s good right? I love watched Enastasia’s WTJ updates – check her out. I also got a haircut !



My friend J who I haven’t hung out with for probable a year a or so came over yesterday and it was super fun! I got to have a go on a sewing machine and I wish I had one of my own. I just need someone to invent one that not only auto threads the needle but also winds the bobbin around so I can just sit there guiding the material and flooring it on the foot pedal. I can’t believe it’s half past four in the afternoon and it’s only now starting to get dark. It was pitch black by half three- four o’clock not so long ago! See you all Sunday for 10 Things I Love Sunday 

x A&E

Follow a Rainbow

I know it’s supposed to be Foody Monday but I haven’t been home enough today to bake anything so instead I come to you seeking forgiveness with a pretty Rainbow that made my day while we were driving to Torbay. 

Ok I lied I have been home long enough to bake something, but I’ve seriously been sat on the computer since we got home in the -3 degree darkness and been editing videos for my vlog channel also blogging over on my new Bible blog for the ‘Read The Bible In A Year’ challenge I’ve set myself. 

Tomorrow’s weather looks bad so it’ll be a staying in day – perfect for baking – Foody Tuesday!




Forever 21 Goodies and OOTN

I’ve had a pretty crazy day, by my usual standards, today. Last night was the epic finale to my frustration over the state of my room and my lack of wardrobe space. I couldn’t sleep, I was almost in tears and I was at my wits end. Mum to the rescue, oh with a little help from Argos. Good old Argos, not only do you make me smile with you aliens and their beautiful coffee maker machine but you actually solve my space problem, at least for now.

I haven’t taken any pictures of the funky, awesome, supreme, inspiring rack full of my 10 most worn outfits I adore this autumn/winter as it was pretty late by the time we finished it and I had colour blocked and arranged by item and length. But I promise as soon as I have it exactly the way I want it I will do a room tour type thing, with my bedroom and now my walk in closet which is basically the entire room next to mine.

I did however take pictures of my Forever 21 Goodies which arrived this afternoon, it always surprises me how quick they turn up!

I practically live in over the knee socks and my favourite pair of stripey ones can no longer really be worn with the amount and the size of the holes, they are pretty much leg warmer status now. So I thought why not combine my love of Hello Kitty with the practical and essential over the knee socks? Also featured in my OOTN video.

I know these tops/hoodies look huge but they are S and personally I think Forever 21 sizes are very generous :) but I would recommend always checking the measurement on the item description if you’re between sizes.

I love this it’s super soft and as usual hats are always to big for me, the fun of being microcephalic ah well.. covers my ears and will do the job. Bonus – in my favourite colour.

I love, love, love this print, they had a fox version too which was uber cute but I couldn’t afford both so next time hopefully! can’t wait to pair this up with some jeans and uggs or maybe tan brogues.

Green hoody = perfection. It’s ridiculously soft the picture doesn’t do it justice, it’s also a slightly darker green (I think anyway) then the light is showing up here. This is featured in my OOTN video. I’ve started adding daily vlogs and OOTD’s videos to my new girlie youtube channel OddSockChic so stay tuned and check it out. I will still be updating my main channel when I have something blind related to add and of course answering questions!

Happy Anniversary Mum and Dad 27 years strong.

Today’s ‘I Love Sunday’ is a bit shorter than usual due to the fact one fav item of this week is rather big and I have a lot to gush about, plus to me it feels more than 1 thing.


These are so yummy, I found them while picking up other stuff for making cupcakes and they are seriously my new ‘chocolate’ for 2012.

Amazing!


I am SO saving up for this jumper from Topshop

I read this on my Kindle and I loved it so when I saw the Audiobook CD on Ebay I had to treat myself for Christmas. It’s the full version not the annoying abridged versions on 10 CD’s and I listened to the first 6 chapters in bed last night. Awesome, also for an American narrator she’s not bad to listen to and does a fairly ok chek accent,

We put our Christmas tree up this week and I was having trouble taking pictures of it so I made a short video of it instead and put it up on FB got loads of comments. I suppose most people don’t take videos when they can take pictures but taking a picture of flashing lights has to be difficult for everyone. I liked how this picture turned out though, it’s very similar to how I see the world except I have annoying white/blue edges.

This is the reason for a shortened list this Sunday. The PENFriend from the RNIB. Is an audio labeling system, that uses little sticky dots that you can record your own voice on to, it’s supreme. I’ve labelled all my dvd’s and audio books so all I need to do instead of strain and squint at colour I just run the pen over the label and it announces in my own voice what the dvd or book title is and any other information I care to add. It’s going to help me so much, especially with organization in my diary and the kitchen. I’m going to take it with me every time I go shopping and label things as they go in the basket, it will make putting the shopping away at home a much quicker process. It has so many uses and so intuitive to use. I made a video about my first impressions.

Scarlett came up with another crafty Christmas idea I just adore. If you’re a hot drink drinker and want to keep both your hands and your drink toasty with a mug cosy go check it out!

The final thing was something I over heard. I love listening to other people’s conversations. It’s not like I go out of my way too, people just seem to talk loudly or because my hearing is better than my other senses I just zone it unwillingly. Kids always say the best things anyway so here’s a little something in the Christmas spirit,
A mother asks her daughter and her daughter’s friend who they are playing in the up coming Christmas Nativity.
Daughter’s Friend: We’re cushions.
Daughter: No, we’re per cushions.
Later it was worked out that they were in the percussion section, too many kids and everyone has to have a part.

A Small Little Something


Sighhhhh. Today has been a long, stressed out day and now it’s all done and over and I can relax.

I hope you liked my first Fashion Friday, ooh alliteration! I really enjoyed it and I’m in the process of drafting my ’10 things I love Sunday’ for you guys tomorrow!!

The reason for the stress earlier was that my haul video, which was rather long due to the fact I bought a lot more stuff in one go than I usually do. Also I filmed it on my Panasonic Lumix, which I’ll probably end up using on all my videos from now on because the quality is so much better, plus I can just take the SD card out, pop it in my computer and edit using WMM instead of worrying about time limit on the iPad. But that also means I’m subject to the wifi internet.. dodgy. Anywho.. it took 8 hours to upload, and 2 tries, but it’s finally up on my new youtube channel. Don’t worry! I’m still keeping and uploading to my main channel but I didn’t want to clutter that up with the rest of my life’s interests and stuff. I just wanted to keep it to blind/visually impaired related stuff, questions, answers, gadgets, technology that sort of thing. So I created a new channel where I will probably upload more frequently on everything else, shopping hauls, craft projects, vlogs, Ellie updates, any public speaking events, charity stuff.. my life basically :) I’m really excited for 2012 and everything it will entail.

In other news the knitted blanket I’m attempting is coming on really well I’m very impressed and I have my own pattern going on. I’ve run out of wool – in a day I know not good – so means another trip to the wool shop. I’m going to give it to Ellie for Christmas. Now I’m wondering if I should make myself a blanket or a scarf afterwards. I have some really cute zebra striped chunky wool I’m itching to use but, first things first the blanket! One project at a time girl.

Gush From A Stationary Geek

It’s been a good day, a Mac package was waiting patiently for me when I eventually got out of bed, it’s a big mistake having the iPad charging under it because it means, instead of getting up, washed, dressed and breakfasted before checking my mails and texts like I expect a civilized person does. I merely fall out of bed, grab the iPad, get back into bed and check mails, or in the case of this morning, watched about 5 youtube videos from a new beauty guru I subscribed too, yeah. so Mac had to wait but it was worth it. I pretty much gush/explain/babble about it up there ^

Also.. I managed to grab some stationary essentials I needed to get myself organized with all my blog ideas and schedules and the planned youtube videos… I’m so used to having stickies and Microsoft Office on Apple Mac is just.. so superior to the windows version I just miss it so much. I’ve splurged on a nice A5ish stripey week view planner, like my old school ones really with plenty of green stickit’s for easy marking.

So now I’m all wrapped up because it’s blinking freezing out there, it’s too wet for snow but it’s definitely icy cold enough for it. Apparently M in Canada has it, not fair. Mum’s cooking a roast for dinner tonight. I cannot remember the last time I had a roast anything, so looking forward to that, especially the roast potatoes. I am such a carb junky – it needs to stop. Chicken is practically the only meat I eat really. I basically live of veg soup and veggie fingers. It’s not like I went out of my way  to be a vegetarian I just never really liked the smell or the taste of meat, which was really maddening for my dad who is a fully trained butcher. I really want to become a vegan in 2012 and stick at it but my parents aren’t really that pleased, they can’t exactly stop me but they think I’m a fussy enough eater anyway.

I knitted my first squares ‘on the diagonal’ last night. I’ve wanted to make a blanket/throw for years now but been stuck in a rut making hats and scarves not really a rut because I love choosing the wool and making patterns up as I go along. I really only know how to cast on and off, knit garter stitch and stockinette. I can rib and do basket patterns but that takes more effort and I get tired really quickly. It wasn’t as complicated as I expected it to be, knitting on the diagonal I mean.. I did get a bit confuddled with casting off but I sorted it and I made 3 squares last night, 4” practice ones. At the moment I only have dk wool and I prefer chunky knit so.. it looks like a trip to NA is in order to get some chunky.. I really love the King Cole Twisted but bulk is not an option on a budget.

I’m a geek when it comes to stationary, organizing and being creative with ideas so I am really hyper looking at my carrier bag full of goodies. Can’t wait to get started plotting and planning mwhahahaha.

Best leave you all for now. I hope you’ve had a calm day.

xx

That wasn’t quite how I planned it!

Today I was supposed to be meeting up with my best friends for a Birthday Treat day out in Exeter. However, Ellie was still feeling a bit under the weather and I didn’t want to risk any accidents so we had to cancel our plans. Although my dad did drop me off for a few minutes at the bus station so that I could give my huge gift bag of Christmas and Anniversary presents to them all and they gave me some beautiful flowers and some Birthday/Christmas pressies.

When I got home I decided to open my Birthday presents on camera and put it on youtube so that the guys could feel they were there with me. I know my Birthday isn’t until Saturday but I’m a grown up and I’ll say when I open my goodies!! by the way I absolutely adore the green wrapping paper :) .

I love, love, love the cards I will keep them in my treasure box :)