Summer Lovin'

I have had to officially neglect my blog, which makes me un-happy. Life has taken a very big for front lately, not that I'm complaining, have you seen the weather! Celebrating my Birthday, working out of my store, sunbathing. The most important thing I have been doing is planning Dey's brother's leaving party..surprise party, I have to emphasise that part. It has been quite possibly the most stressful thing, keeping everything in order, planning and making sure nobody ruined it. All went well though and I think he had a fantastic time. Here are a few snaps:

I think tomorrow night will be one of the hardest of our lives, especially for Dey. It's amazing how close you grow to you partner's family, but it's even harder because I have known Mitch for nearly 11 years. But we will see him in 12 weeks and in two years we will live only five hours away...but for now, no more parties...I'm pooped.

26 Wishes

So tomorrow is my 26th Birthday, and above are a few things that would make me smile, especially that cake! I mean who doesn't need a sequin camera strap, obviously it's a necessity! If it's your birthday tomorrow, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Alice

Lavish; Adjective: - Sumptuously rich and elaborate.

You know when you see a dress on a celebrity and you forget about it and then you see it in a magazine and it re-ignites your love for it...then you forget and the company contacts you and reminds you just how much you loved that dress, that sums up my story with Lavish Alice. Seeing Caroline Flack in skater style lace made me fall in love, but like most love stories the reality doesn't live up to the dream.

Me and this dress will have a short love affair and not a lasting fairytale, because quite simply this dress is just as the adjective claims...short. So short in fact that I think I have about an inch of fabric skimming past my bottom and this lady does not like showing the world her bottom. I couldn't bend, I couldn't even twirl without giving someone the grand view. Which in turn (haha) broke my little heart, I could of even seen past the fact that my dress arrived with rather a lot of lose threads hanging from the skirt and that the waist part sits about an inch to high of my waist.

All in all Lavish Alice is made for short, beautiful people like Caroline Flack. If they had a tall section, I would be all over it but in the grand or rather not scheme of things, it's just not made for me. So I will continue to love it from afar, like many other brands...including Lipsy, Motel Rocks, Topshop...I could go on Y SO TALL!!

 Babyliss hair care products at Argos

Currently Coveting: Interiors

1,2,3,4,5

Seriously lusting over these items from Fashion For Home at the mo, that painting is literally amazing and although with no offence to the artist...I feel I could kinda paint something like it myself, I still really want it. I love art, always have and this is so pretty, in love with the colour work. For a while now I have wanted an arm chair, mainly to feel superior to Dey haha, but also so I could have a little 'book nook'. This chair with foot stool is perfect, good book, cup of tea...put it by the window so you could listen to the rain (you're all imagining it too right?) I love candles and lanterns and fell in love with these rustic ones, kinda remind of a beach house. Also being stuck for space in a little flat, half tables are always a good idea, along with lots of storage...maybe I could fill it with books next to my superior chair muhahaha!

-Promotional

Todd Porter & Diane Cu

Food and Photography are my two favourite things in the history of the world, if I could combine both passions and become a food Photographer, I would be a very content, complete woman. So when I found Todd Porter and Diane Cu through Pinterest, I was in absolute heaven, specialising in food Photography, they are quite simply two of the most talented people I have found to date...and I am simply in awe.

I mean, if those pictures don't make you wanna eat everything then surely you never eat right! I mean WOW, they have made me so hungry to succeed in this field (sorry for the pun)! The few things I have learnt about shooting food is that you need only a few elements: light, composition and to not be afraid of colour. Think about your shot before you take it, maybe even plate up exactly how you want your frame to look...food gets cold right, you don't want to have to take 58 shots. Shoot by natural light, preferably a window and if you have an old rustic board or pretty vintage plates, this can take something from Ok to exceptional.

It really is the small details in Photography. Saying that you can never fail with a clean white plate, makes the colours of your dish really pop in my opinion. I always shoot flat foods from above, and food with height from straight on, I have read that most Photographers do this, as it creates better depth.

A few more of my favourite food Photographers include David Loftus, who is Jamie Oliver's Photographer and Petrina Tinslay Nigella Lawson's Photographer, both amazing and awe inspiring.

Man I love food.

All images in this post are Copyright of Todd Porter & Diane Cu.

NEOM Organics

Being quite the home girl (not in a rapper sense), I am always curled up with a blanket, with my candles on...usually eating. So when NEOM organics asked if they could send me something, the thing I lusted for most of all was their organic candles. They sent me a Happiness candle and a Sumptuous candle...now that bad boy is amazing. I think I could smell rose & orange blossom all day for the rest of my life.

"NEOM Luxury Organics candles are made using only vegetable wax and pure essential oils rather than synthetic fragrances so they burn without releasing harmful pollutants, toxins or soot. They work as powerful holistic treatments as you breathe in the scented air so it is best to burn them for between 2-4 hours at a time."

So I haven't had any soot, I haven't had to trim the wick of the candles...amazing and the smell is incredible, my Mother-In-Law wanted to buy so many. Comparing them to my favourite ever candle, the Yankee Candle, these guys just topped them. The scent lasts longer, they burn better and as NEOM say above, they are healthier for you too.

The only thing I would say is, from a customer point of view, the product is so pretty and luxury, that I would invest more in the packaging of the candles. I don't know if mine were sent how they were because they were simply for review, but I would wrap the box and add some ribbon...but that's just me. Check them out, they have some wonderful beauty products too.

Phosphenes

Phosphenes, n. 

- the stars and colours you see when you rub your eyes.

So it's officially May and I officially haven't blogged since last month, although I never feel under pressure to blog, I have started to miss it. Juggling life, job and rest is somewhat hard sometimes and to all you guys who manage to blog constantly, hats off to you. I just prefer lying in bed and watching Harry Potter with a cup of tea after work sometimes. Although don't worry I still love blogging, this blog and all of you, I guess the world seems to be turning time too fast...or I am secretly Hemoine Granger, we'll go with the latter.

I can't believe we are nearly half way in to 2012 already, in 20 days I will turn 26...bloody hell I thought I would be a self made millionaire by now. My hiatus has given me such inspiration, as all I've been doing is collecting and looking at Photography work, watching training videos and admiring other people's work and drive. I've also been debating and contemplating a life changing decision with Dey and after much thought and deliberation we have decided to move our life...8 hours away to Chicago, Illinois. This won't happen for a couple of years yet, but in September we fly there for a holiday and I think it will cement our decision. Bold moves don't come without grand emotions though, and it has been taking over my mind a bit...I lie, a lot...hence the blog title.

This has been my official motto...probably for life tbh, as my Mom instilled in me that tea solves everything, it's been making me smile inside. I have a few things to blog about this week, a pretty dress from Lavish Alice, sweet, smelling candles, Photography. Will catch up with you soon, also if you haven't watched Gossip Girl for this week yet....WATCH IT.