Great Weekend Reads for Home or On Your Travels

I found last year I just didn't make enough time to read and I think there is something very relaxing, calming and positive about picking up a book and being immersed into a story and with this ever increasing manic world we live in taking a moment to just step back and detach yourself from the now and get lost in a book is very important. I have put together a small reading list which I feel is doable even around working from home, travel and running after two small children. I have included a mix of fiction and non-fiction as well as one or two books to help keep me inspired and help with different areas of my life. So I thought I would share my reading list for 2018 with you and perhaps encourage you to take some time out and enjoy reading. 1. The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway This is such a fantastic pocket sized book perfect for when your travelling, it's lightweight and less than 100 pages long and great if your taking a train across country or just goi......

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Kitchen inspiration - finding the perfect fridge

When you think of your kitchen the first thing that probably comes to mind is worktops and lighting but what about the one appliance you use daily? Ours is built in but when we move later this year we don't plan to take it with us but rather opt for the Smeg fridge we have been craving for for years, even if it's not the most practical. Putting aesthetics aside it can actually be quite a hard decision finding one that fits both the needs of you and your family as well as the style of your kitchen and is often something that is overlooked. Being a really important purchase and an essential to your home it's a really good idea to know what to consider before you make the purchase. Here are a few tips to make the process as easy and as stress-free as possible.  Size and capacity The first thing you need to consider is how much food you need to store in your fridge/freezer. The storage capacity is usually managed in cubic feet, and generally co......

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Retro inspired trends for 2017

As we move forward into the New Year for many that means changes, motivation, goals and possibly a new you? Its also a time we start to spring clean, get rid of the old and bring in the new, we look forward to the new trends and the long-lasting ones too and one of those trends that is staying around is embracing all that is retro with a modern twist. Simple stylish Scandi-inspired interiors mixed with a touch of mad men and minimalism and this is also reflected in the clothes we are wearing with more and more people upcycling and recapturing that sense of the 90's but today. I thought I would put together a fun little post of all that is retro but still on trend for 2017 including interiors and clothing. Firstly I know I am planning to update our dinning room tables and my love for Eames has never faded and year on year their simple and retro design have become both iconic and timeless. Another big trend in the coming year is focusing on lighting. Creating rooms that ......

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Autumn Style Inspiration

Even though it's been pretty mild we are very much in the heart of Autumn with Winter fast approaching. I don't know about you but I have packed away all my summer clothes and out have come the boots, jeans and an array of jackets from the waterproof ones suitable for our many weekly adventures or the more stylish ones for jaunts around the city. I really picked up a beautiful Camel jacket from Jaeger which I absolutely love and I am currently on the lookout for a new snood that will see me through the colder months. The one great thing about this time of the year is being able to layer your clothing as well as indulge in cosy knitted jumpers and soft knitted gloves giving you the chance to get creative with a whole range of warm fabrics and textures. Like most busy mothers I don't have much time to hit the shops these days so I order most of my clothes online, although it can be harder to see an outfit altogether before purchasing it so I like to put little mood b......

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Creating an Instagram Feed you Love

With just under 5000 followers on my Instagram I don't have the biggest following and thats okay because I am sure it will come with time as my main focus has certainly shifted away from numbers and statistics and more towards creating a space and a feed that truly reflects my life as well as something I am happy with, that makes me smile and is a visually interesting daily diary that I can look back on in years to come. I think when it comes to IG there are certainly two camps which have formed, those who try and play the algorithm game regardless (at times) of creating beautiful original content and those who are more interested in organic engagement, neither is "right" and it's okay to be in the middle, at the end of the day it is a marketing tool to some so taking a little time to create balance between both especially if it is connected to your work or livelihood is important but don't forget its not just a place for numbers but also for inspiration. ......

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My 40 before 40 List and making it happen

Having turned 32 last week it's reminded me how fast time flies by, it feels like only yesterday I was celebrating my 30th in the South of France with family and friends. I was pregnant at the time with my youngest who is now nearly 19months old and it feels like our feet have not touched the ground since he came on the scene. Having always had itchy feet and following on from my father's passion to travel I managed to fit a whole lot of living into my life before turning 30 including celebrating New Years in more than 4 different countries and travelling to 25 countries as well as learning to drive, having a family, taking a cargo ship from Africa to the UK and loads in between. Although things did slow down slightly after having kids and traipsing around Europe with a backpack working at hostels as I went along was not so much an option anymore, now things need to be planned and thought out far more in advance. I do think putting pen to paper and making plans is the f......

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BritMums Live - The Lowdown

Most UK parent bloggers will have heard of the annual gathering of like minded social media loving ladies (and don't forget the men) that descend on the stylish Brewery in hip Islington for was is known as Britmums Live or BML16. This was my third time attending this conference and each has been different from the last, perhaps because also what I hope to get out of a conference like this changes. The first time I attended I wanted to go to as many talks and seminars as possible, the second year I wanted to connect with brands as well as other bloggers plus drop into more select and niche talks that interested me such as how to publish an ebook. This year was more about socialising, networking and catching up with some of my blogging friends I have known for years (but only get to see once or twice a year) as well as being inspired by the ever changing social networking scene, individual bloggers stories and new trends happening in the blogging world right now.  ......

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A taste of Aruba

What could be more blissful or dreamy than lying on white sands next to crystal blue water enjoying all the colours and flavours of the Caribbean? Drinking fresh coconut water from a coconut on the island of Aruba is firmly on my "40 things before 40" list and will hopefully be something we can make happen sooner rather than later.  In the meantime I love to try new things and get creative in the kitchen so when Aruba Tourism sent over a little package to help me capture that happy island feeling at home I couldn't wait to get stuck in. If you visit my home you will quickly realise I have somewhat an obsession with cook books, especially for world food, so this beautiful book by Shivi Ramoutar with its delicious modern takes on Caribbean classics that capture all he flavours of the rum islands is going to be well used in my house.  We have been pretty lucky with the weather lately and decided eating Al fresco would be perfect for Aruba inspired e......

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Modern Bathroom inspiration

We are planning to have moved into our new home before the end of the year, we still don't know where this new home will be exactly but most likely closer to the city centre and a place we can settle for little bit longer than the small Welsh cottage that we have slowly been trying to improve since we moved in more than two years ago.  We are hoping our next property will be little lighter with more natural light and higher ceilings as John is a little fed up with hitting door frames in our low ceiling house. We love older houses and neither of us are fan's of new builds so a Victorian bay fronted property would be ideal and would also provide a space that could be modern yet retain some original features.  One of the rooms I cannot wait to get stuck into designing is the bathroom, our current one as quaint and cosy as it is is in the eaves and an awkward shape so it would be nice to have something a little bit more standard in size and where we can add a few lu......

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