Month: March 2021

Moving Diaries; Week One

March 31, 2021

Hey guys! Just coming at you from the comfort of our new home currently sat in our stunning kitchen at the breakfast bar – how civilised! After a hectic few days moving last week, we finally had our first official night in the house last Friday, complete with a bottle of celebratory bubbles of course 😉

The kitchen is one of the almost complete rooms at this stage with just a few pictures and maybe a clock yet to go up on the wall. I’m so happy with the bar table and perfectly matched white stools which are as comfortable as they are stylish. This will be where we eat the majority of the time, however we do also have a gorgeous Dining Room which we will be using for special occasions and dinner parties.

It’s already taking shape in here, we are just waiting on a nice sideboard to store our best crockery and glasses. I want to keep the simple and sleek aesthetic in this room, so we’ve ordered a black dinner set with copper cutlery to match the tones of the abstract artwork. That early evening light is just glorious as it bursts through those french doors, I’m obsessed!

As for the rest of the house, it’s all a work in progress at the moment. Like with any new house and especially a new build, there is a lot to think about and it’s taken us to get in here and actually see the space, before finalising our furniture orders. We are still waiting for most of our bedroom furniture, so currently we are sleeping in the spare bedroom. The lounge is coming together too as we already had a nice big grey corner sofa and big TV of course, we’re just in need of a rug, some sort of cabinet and again we need to choose some nice pictures for the wall. I have already made use of the many candles and reed diffusers I had saved, this one from Stonewood is my favourite scent and the blue bottle looks great on the landing windowsill.

We were even lucky enough to enjoy our first BBQ at the house this week as England was treated to its first proper day of sunshine this year, hitting highs of 22 degrees. Whilst we don’t have our outdoor furniture just yet, we do have the Weber BBQ setup and made do with some camping chairs on the patio as we sipped our beer and cooked the burgers. We then ate at our dining table with the french doors wide open letting that early evening sun shine through. It really got me excited for summer and many more BBQs to come when we can finally welcome friends and family into our new abode.

So there’s no denying it, moving into a new house for the first time is a long process and takes patience to get everything just as you need. However it’s super exciting to see it all come together and I can’t wait to share the journey as we create our dream home! Fresh start, new chapter – cheers to that!

The Next Chapter; Moving House

March 22, 2021

It’s been a long time coming following two other properties falling through last year, but it was third time lucky as my boyfriend finally exchanged on a stunning new build which we move into this week! It’s all very exciting and an absolute dream to be moving to our own four bed house complete with a huge driveway, garage, front lawn and lovely south facing garden – bring on those summer BBQs!

No doubt it will take some time for us to settle and get everything just the way we want it as we are starting from scratch. But what a beautiful blank canvas to be working with, I can finally live out my ultimate interior goals from hours scrolling Pinterest and creating vision boards.

Outdoor entertaining will be a big focus this summer following lockdown measures easing, so I’m keen to have a sociable area on the patio for lounging and soaking up the sun whilst firing up the BBQ. I’m obsessed in the corner sofas with a fire-pit table to keep us warm late into the evenings. Fairy lights and outdoor string bulb lighting are also a must for that atmospheric nighttime ambience.

I will of course miss my cosy little bedroom back home with its eclectic style and many wonderful memories in particularly captured in my photos. I’ve always taken pride in organising and displaying my favourite pictures from special times throughout my life, it never fails to make a house a home. I’m a sucker for inspirational quotes as well, so my favourite ‘Stay Wild’ gold text print from Maggs London years ago will definitely need a feature in the new place.

That classic Audrey poster from Breakfast At Tiffany’s is another timeless piece which I think might be a classy photo to go in the new dining room. My collection of treasured books will take pride of place on a bookshelf perhaps in the lounge, as I have some great coffee table style hard backs too.

Then there is the wardrobe which is going to be the biggest task of all! Being a self-confessed shopaholic and shoe addict, I’ve curated quite the collection of garments during my 26 years. Whilst moving is an opportunity to get rid of those less worn items, I do love it when trends come back around and I can give older pieces some love once again. However I want to aim towards a more minimalistic approach to my style, so keeping only what I wear most of the time will help to establish a refined capsule wardrobe…it’s going to be a process that’s for sure!

Focusing on the initial move however, I want to get the furniture and each room arranged perfectly before putting too much stuff in there. I have the luxury that I can leave what I want at my parent’s at least for now, then once I know how much storage we actually have in the new place, I can get organised and donate or bin anything which will be clutter. I’m looking at this as a fresh start and opportunity to live a more minimalistic lifestyle, free of the burden and stress of too many material things.

I guess it’s time to be a proper adult and say goodbye to my teenage room for now. My parent’s home isn’t going anywhere though, so my perfect little den will remain the spare bedroom and home to so many special memories.

All About Audrey

March 16, 2021

Needless to say, Miss Hepburn is the epitome of timeless style, grace and beauty. I became infatuated with Audrey Hepburn’s captivating screen presence when I first watched her running around New York in one of her most famous roles as Holly Golightly in Breakfast At Tiffany’s. Only Audrey could depict an otherwise frivolous, superficial character with such charismatic charm.

Having collected numerous coffee table books and reading up about her childhood and background, I’ve become obsessed in the humble story of Audrey Hepburn. From deprived war child to Hollywood icon of the century, her journey to stardom was not an easy road, but certainly proof of her unique talent and enchanting demure.

Her catalogue of blockbuster movies is extensive and in each film she never fails to bring with her that Hepburn sparkle. No wonder she was picked out back in her early career on stage as the ‘chorus girl with the eyes’.

A new Friday evening tradition has been to sit down with my mum and watch a different Audrey Hepburn movie each week, accompanied with a glass of wine or G&T to see in the weekend of course 😉 In fact a few years ago we had a glorious day in London together attending the Audrey Hepburn: Portraits of an Icon exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, I was in my element!

Week one of our marathon we began with the classic Breakfast At Tiffany‘s, followed by Roman Holiday and last Friday Sabrina. With each movie comes a fabulous array of outfits as Hepburn found herself collaborating with world famous designers throughout her career, in particular the French designer Givenchy. This show stopping gown worn as Sabrina is a personal favourite of mine – isn’t it just breath-taking!?

Away from the screen Hepburn dressed a little more casual, but nevertheless maintaining that effortless class and elegance. She was the trend-setter for timeless fashion and she remains a style icon to this day.

I love recreating her off-duty minimalistic, but equally chic looks. So in honour of this Friday’s movie I went all Audrey in a pair of cropped cargo pants, an oversized tied shirt to accentuate the feminine silhouette, little neckerchief scarf and a pair of mules. Simple yet classy and always stylish.

Miss Hepburn will forever and always be my icon for all that she achieved and gave back to the world with her movies, fashion and even her devotion to UNICEF in later life; a true to testament to her beautiful soul beyond that pretty face, she certainly was an angel ❤

Gousto; Delicious Dinners on Demand

March 9, 2021

As a self-confessed foodie and keen home cook, I do love browsing books, magazines and blogs for new recipes to try out and have the freedom to experiment with. For this reason I’ve never signed up to any of the popular food delivery services as my evenings spent in the kitchen cooking are how I like to wind down for the day. However we all find ourselves short of time on many occasions but still wanting to have a wholesome, home cooked meal, hence when these recipe boxes would come in super handy. So after having a number of wonderful Gousto dinners at my boyfriend’s (like this exquisite spicy beef noodle dish pictured below) and hearing nothing but praise from my sister also, I was intrigued to give it a go for myself.

Signing up to Gousto is so easy and if recommended by a current customer, you can get fabulous discounts including 50% off your first box! They even have a handy app from which you can manage everything on your account including delivery days, pausing your subscription if required and of course selecting your recipes each week. In your box comes absolutely everything you need portioned out for your meals, taking the hassle out of finding obscure ingredients or having to buy those things you may only use for one particular recipe.

This was my favourite dinner from our first week’s box, a pomegranate chicken and beetroot tabbouleh salad. Whilst I was under the impression that meals would be basic and not that adventurous, I’ve already been inspired by different flavours and seasonings, such as the marinade for this chicken made of ground sumac, soy sauce and pomegranate molasses. Although I eat like a rabbit and need a ton of salad with my dinner, I would say that portions are just right meaning no waste too.

Each recipe comes with easy to follow step-by-step instructions, so really anyone can put their hand to cooking and learn along the way. I was even able to hand over the chef hat to my boyfriend the other evening as he rustled up these tasty veggie tostadas with red kidney beans, roasted peppers and a zesty sour cream. He did a great job and I really enjoyed this healthy twist on traditional Mexican cuisine.

Serving up another salad at home this week, I savoured every mouthful of this colourful plate packed full of goodness. The salty flavours of the smoked mackerel and pickled red cabbage were balanced out by the creamy butterbeans and crisp sweet slices of apple. Again, this is a combination which I wouldn’t have thought to try, but was really yummy and inspired me to experiment beyond my usual salad ingredients.

So far I’m really enjoying the wide variety of cuisines and meal ideas Gousto has to offer, and I will certainly be carrying on my subscription as life returns to normal and I have less time on my hands during the week. It’s fun to try new dishes and I’m excited to see my boyfriend expand on his chef skills and perhaps love cooking as much as I do. Gousto is a must try for anyone wanting healthy, homemade food which is fuss-free yet delicious!

Sign up to Gousto here – https://www.gousto.co.uk

Music; Medicine to Madness

March 2, 2021

Whenever I feel a little unmotivated or need to fight those blues, I always find music lifts my spirits and pulls me out of that funk. Whether you’re driving along in the car belting out to those old school tunes, or raving solo to Radio 1 on a Friday night in your bedroom, music has the power to move the soul and open the door to your imagination. Escapism is a wonderful effect of music as a certain song can take us back instantly to a memory, or a place, or even a person.

I tend to go through cycles of finding new music either on Spotify or via mixes on YouTube. My taste is very much eclectic as I love the old school classics and current hits as much as I do those lesser known artists, however deep house and electric dance are my most popular preference. I’m constantly using the artist radio feature on Spotify as well to discover new music, my favourites right now being Ocean Alley Radio or Harry Styles Radio – two very alternative genres! So here are some of my current most listened to tunes that you may find me dancing to in my bedroom as we see out lockdown 3.0:

LANE 8 – Brightest Lights

BICEP – Glue

LONDON GRAMMAR – Baby It’s You

OCEAN ALLEY – Infinity

REX ORANGE COUNTY – Loving Is Easy

These are just some of the most recent additions to my ‘Majestic’ playlist, but I do have an extensive library of awesome tunes over on my Spotify so go check it out at – https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6FMBqmvt5ZirwFbvfiIt0F?si=752e71a73a41481c

Go on, lets rave together – it’s a state of mind.