t’s half term here and Frankie-Rose’s school bunches all of its inset days together so we get a second sneaky week off, and boy are we ready for it. Both kids are so tired! Auden has a permanent cold and Frankie-Rose really needs some quiet days after a busy term and SAT’s (ugh). Our plans are still materialising, but we are certainly planning to do some holidaying at home (actually one of my favourite things to do) and generally take it verrry easy.

We have been busy in our garden lately, half planting, half slug fighting, and are spending more and more time outside. I decided to throw a simple celebratory tea party for our family to celebrate the imminent end of term (YES), the gorgeous weather and just because I fancied it. I like getting the nice glasses and crockery out just for us, it elevates things and the kids love it too, they feel the specialness of it somehow. I worked with Hobbycraft in creating this post which is a bit of a dream for me. Hobbycraft was one of my favourite shops as a teenager (I know, I know I was so cool). I really remember my excitement at the prospect of a trip to the Bolton branch of Hobbycraft trip with my cousin and aunt. What can I say, I’m just a stationary-and-craft-shops kinda gal.

Ok, so the details!

March! A whole new season! What a hopeful, life-filled month this is. The ground is already teeming with new life, evidenced in the delicate cups of the crocuses shyly opening toward the sun, and the hanging heads of snowdrops bobbing in the wind. Daffodils are trumpeting and the bird song is intensifying by a few decibels each morning too. If you manage to catch the sun in a windless moment, it feels gently warm on your face, a sweet promise of what’s to come.

I was recently going through some old files and came across a load of work that I have never really shared, so in in a bid to find my blogging mojo again, I thought i’d share them here. I also realised I dont talk about my work on my blog very often at all, something I would like to change.

As well as being a blogger and Instagrammer, I’m an interior stylist and cover editorial, real homes, events and product styling. I work 1: 1 with people to offer help with their homes, businesses or retail spaces; things like space styling, press breakfasts, help with home styling, etc. My year has started with a great retail styling project in Whitstable called Grain & Hearth for example; I’ve loved sourcing and pulling together ideas and inspiration for a bakery and cafe space. Here is some more of my work.

Welcome, February! Wow, what a month January was! It has felt, as it always does, verrrry long. In this coming month, Spring really gathers force. The mornings and evenings are getting ever lighter, crocuses and snowdrops are sprouting amindst the snow and ice and some trees are starting to bud hopefully. Spring is just round the corner now.

​I started my year in community and it has felt very good. I have absolutely loved hosting my first e-course and being present for my students in the Facebook group community. I also hosted an absolutely gorgeous January Day retreat- gathering, making, talking and sharing in my home with a group of incredible people was such a brilliant way to start the year. It was an honour to host both of those things, online and in real life, and I am so looking forward to doing more in 2019.

Tickets to my Spring day retreat are now available, and i'd love to see some of you there. A day of nourishment, in every way, in my home on Saturday March 23rd. A spring floral wreath, a group mentoring session with Ray Dodd, sessions on making space in our minds, decluttering and amplifying the joy in our homes and epic food and cake too. There are payment plan spaces and a pay what you can space too. Any questions, please just hit reply. All the details here.

Despite designing a whole e course about (amongst other stuff) January goals, I am only just now starting the process of looking ahead!

I talk again and again in my Life Book, January chapter e-course and on instagram/to anyone who’ll listen about not rushing. About refusing the pressure and noise of this time of year; the could/musts/shoulds. So I am taking my sweet time, following my own inner rhythm and juggling my hoping and dreaming and goal setting with home and family.

I know I don’t feel ready to spring into action until Spring (see what I did there) but I do love this month for the planning and dreaming. I take the whole month to do this, I don’t rush it, and I really enjoy the space this creates to focus on me a bit.

​Hello and Happy Sunday! I'm so so excited to tell you that my brand new E-Book is now live! I've been in a writing cave for the last few weeks, and before that, in a messy but fun photo-taking studio cave. I have loved putting this together, stretching myself with the photography and styling, and flexing my long form writing muscles (thank god for editors) It's called A Soulful gathering: Simple Ideas to host 2 or 200. ​ It's 130 pages (It's a beast!) of all of my best tips and tricks, inspiration and guidance to help you to host your own gatherings with soul. The release is timed to coincide with the Autumn/winter gatherings we are all thinking about ahead, but it is applicable all year round. I designed it to be inspirational yet practical and achievable.

Hello friends,

Things have suddenly felt wintery here in the UK, yet amongst the still blazing colours of the trees. ​November is a month on edge of two seasons; Autumn holds on, but winter gathers force. November has some of our favourite celebrations, and it's a good month to take stock and quieten down before the furore of December too, so clear those decks and hunker down.

I find noting the changing of the seasons, especially into the colder months, such a grounding, helpful thing to do for my mental health. The switch in to winter mode can be a particularly triggering the for people sensitive to darkness or find the Winter months difficult. Spending time outside, or simply looking out of your window, just noticing whats happening in nature, can be an immeasurably helpful mindfulness practice, it’s absolutely free and can be done anywhere. My favourite ideas are below.

I turned 34 a couple of weeks ago. It happened on a Monday amidst the usual family bustle, and also as it happens, at the beginning of a bad stretch of anxiety. A serendipitous meeting the previous month with a PR led to me booking a solo hotel stay at The Gallivant for my birthday, and it ended up coming at the most perfect possible time. It was heavenly.

The experience of being alone was just bliss. I simply pleased myself. I had a pedicure, ordered room service breakfast, journaled in the window seat. I made liberal use of the toiletries kindly gifted by the hotel; the body oil, foot cream and face mask. I journaled some more. I went for a walk at golden hour and was moved to tears by the sunset reflecting off the wet sand which placed the sky beneath me and above me. I was aware of my family and thought of them, but I just knew deep in my guts that I needed this. (Truthfully I needed 2 or 3 nights of it, but we couldn’t spare me for that long!)

This is a collaborative blog post with Eve Sleep, and includes gifted items.

I am slowly writing about each room in my home, which we moved into last December. You can see my study/studio in this post here, and today I’m showing you our bedroom. The colder weather always makes me want to nest and cosy up, and especially to focus on the bedroom, ready for winter. This room has a working fireplace in it (I know) so it has become our favourite room to relax in in the evenings.

This room was used as study when we moved in, so we first had to remove some wall mounted bookshelves, then fill, sand and repaint the walls. We stalled there for about 6 months. Auden’s cot was in here until a few months ago too, so when he moved into Frankie-Rose’s room, it spurred us on to finish the room. Our home is rented so we weren’t making huge changes, rather finishing off, making good and dressing it as beautifully as possible.

Welcome, October!

October is my favourite month of the year (I know, I know I say that about lots of them!) It’s my Birthday month and the most beautiful, colourful, Autumnal month too.

I have been taking stock of the last year as my birthday approaches and also finalising plans for the last part of the year, which is shaping up to be busy! I am finishing off an e-book at the moment, it’s a Guide to styling and Hosting a gathering which will be out in the next couple of weeks. I am also planning the launch of my first E-Course too - all about the Life Book (aka The January Book) and journalling (this is the first time i've formally mentioned that one- whoop!). LASTLY I will be releasing tickets THIS WEEK to TWO festive workshops in my home. One wreath making evening workshop, and one day long festive workshop with Milkwood candles; where guests will make a bespoke scented candle and a Christmas wreath with me. Hurray! Get on the mailing list here to be the first to be notified. I’m excited to get all of these creative babies of mine out into the world and am loving the turn of season as an excuse to hunker down, write and be creative.