Hey, Mama

A New Family Space

2018-03-21T17:00:00.000+00:00

One of the things that I loved about his house was the open plan design; the kitchen, dining area and conservatory are all conjoined and open; I felt like it was a perfect home for a family. Fast forward three years, and most of the conservatory had ended up filled with chairs that no-one really sat on, and a desk that was too small to use properly.

If you caught my bedroom makeover post recently, you'll know that I ended up turning my desk into a dressing table (which is what it's actually supposed to be) and if you're signed up to my newsletter, you'll know that I've been searching for a new desk - in fact, I had a whole desk debacle last week. One I bought online arrived, and we spent a good hour putting together, only to find out it had the wrong legs and no holes for said legs to be attached to (if they were the right set!) That'll teach me for buying flat pack furniture on Ebay..

So I took myself off to my local Emmaus, feeling a bit fed up, and found a lovely piece of mid-century furniture that I was actually intending on selling, until I found it fit the space perfectly, and my office chair would fit underneath. I styled it up just to see how it'd work, and I was sold!

With my work space sorted, I decided it was time to sort Ada out a little desk of her own. I've always been a bit precious about my white dining table, and I'm not really a plastic tablecloth sorta person, so painting has really been something that was reserved for Ada's trips to nursery and her Grandma, which makes me feel a bit mean now!

I found the little stool in Emmaus, too, and it turned out to be the perfect fit just to slot underneath a table we already had, so we sorted out something for her really easily. I've popped it next to our bar, which has a craft cupboard on the bottom, so she can easily get to her boxes of paints, playdoh and crafty things.

I've started adding some of her little artworks to the wall too, which certainly brighten the place up! After this, all we needed was a new side table; my Mum managed to find this gorgeous gold mirrored one for me, all for £25 in the Sainsburys sale! I added a new basket for Ada's toys in here too, mainly because they seem to be never-ending and I'm constantly having to buy new storage, but also to encourage her to play in here.

I'm really happy with how my little re-design has come along; it's certainly not finished, and we really need new flooring and a new rug for under the sofa, but it definitely works so much better for us now. I can sit at my desk and get a bit of work done whilst Ada is painting or playing with her trains on the floor, and when the sun's out it feels TROPICAL in here!

What do you think of my changes?

Designing a Scandinavian Bathroom

2018-03-02T12:00:00.000+00:00

(bathroom image - source)

The bathroom is next on our list of "big projects" that still need doing in the house, and to be honest it'll probably be one of our last. It's also probably far enough in the future that I can spend a reeeeeeally long time planning it all out, although I've had the same ideas in my head for ages, and they'll probably stay there!

Whereas with our kitchen renovation I could afford to be a little bit more daring with varying tones of grey, thanks to the mostly open plan space and south facing design, our bathroom is a little different; little being the appropriate word. It's tiny; there's barely enough space for the bath, toilet and sink, and there is no wiggle room to try and rearrange the fixtures at all.

( source | source)

So, that being said, I think the scandinavian design route would be the way to go. It's mostly about minimalism, a lot of white or calm, neutral tones, and having functional, but attractive spaces, which works well when your bathroom is as small as mine!

I have a real dislike of subway tiles in kitchens, but bathrooms is a whole other matter. I'm torn between going for a classic white tile or having a bit of fun and colour with a blush pink tile. I absolutely LOVE the hexagonal tiles that seem to be having a bit of a moment, and I think having those as the floor tiles would make a nice contrast in shapes between the walls and floor.

One of my dreams is to have a free-standing bath, although I'm not sure quite how practical it is in such a small bathroom, or whether it would even be appreciated with no space on either end! It ties in well with the more traditional style of heated towel rail too, which fits the scandinavian style a little nicer than the more modern designs on the market. Most of the pieces in my mood board are from iflo; I found quite a lot of ranges on their website that would work nicely with the scandinavian style, with clean lines and simple layouts, and they'll be releasing a new Scandi range soon too.

If doing scandinavian design right, I think it's important to be mindful of choosing the right accessories; the oak bathroom mirror really suits the minimalistic and style, and matches up with the danish style sideboard and basin. Of course then I'll be accessorising with some jute woven baskets, and obviously a couple plants will be thrown in to really finish off the look.

What do you think of my plans? Do you have a scandinavian style bathroom - send me some snaps for inspiration!

*This is a collaborative post.

Making Changes

2018-02-27T07:00:00.000+00:00

There's no denying, that there seems to be a bit of a change since the start of this year. Blue Planet hit our screens last year and we all had our eyes opened to the horrific amounts of plastic filling our oceans. Veganuary had it's most ever participants (over 150,000 - and that's just the people who signed up online), and it seemed like half of the people filling my instagram feed were getting involved.

I've been vegetarian for 16 years; the minute I found out how animals were killed and made the connection between the cows, pigs and sheep I see in the fields to what was on my plate, I quit. I never ate meat again, but admittedly, it's been a little harder to give up the dairy. I've been vegan about four times now, the longest for around a year, but the tempation of a big pineapple pizza, covered in cheese, was too much for me (which is, by the way, officially the best pizza - don't @ me!)

And as for plastic - well, I hold my hands up that I was completely ignorant to it all. I'm not sure whether that's my own fault or not; I can't remember seeing or hearing much about it until it was on my television every week, but at the same time I never really gave plastic (or anything else I chuck in the bin and recycling) a thought.

But this year I've decided to try and do things a little differently. And I just wanted to start off by saying that in no way do I think this makes me a better person than you, and I'm certainly not trying to be a "militant vegan", preaching on for paragraphs (it took me sixteen years to go from vegetarian to vegan, so I get it.) It's all about creating the best life for you, and that's all I'm trying to do.

P L A S T I C

There's a few ways I'm making little changes to try and reduce my plastic consumption, starting with the most obvious; avoiding buying food in plastic packaging. It's only when you try to reduce things like this that you realise just how much you buy that is wrapped in so much unneccessary packaging.

Sadly, products like fruit and vegetables seem to be more expensive when loose, so I try to get down to my local market to stock up as much as possible. I also try to carry reusable bags when out shopping, but half the time I am so awful at remembering to put some in my car, I end up buying the reusable 10p shopping bags - recently I have sorted them all out though and have passed them on to my local charity shop, so hopefully they will get some use out of them.

I've also bought a double walled water bottle; it keeps my water cool for up to 24 hours, so no need to buy bottled water when out and about. I hardly ever buy coffee to take away, but if you do you can buy a reusable cup.

Also, whilst everything but the top of shampoo and conditioner bottles are recyclable, I've started buying the Lush solid shampoo bars, and a few other items, of which all the packaging can be taken back into store and recycled (most of them are included in the offer of a free fresh face mask if you bring back 5 pots).

V E G A N I S M

So first up, I've cut all cheese, eggs and dairy out my diet; luckily I hate eggs, I'm not even much of a cheese eater unless it's melted on my aforementioned beloved pineapple pizzas, and obviously milk chocolate is now a no-no. Instead I'm filling my fridge with vegetables, oat milk, vitalite and vegan cheeses, and my cupboards are full of grains, beans and lentils.

I'd say 80% of my diet was vegan anyway, but I've decided to finally go the whole hog (no pun intended). I've always felt like a bit of a hypocrite, being a vegetarian and talking to people who ask about the meat industry, knowing full well that the dairy industry is just as bad. I'm not going to get into all the details here (you can always email me or leave a comment if you fancy a chat!) but there's a 5 minute video called "Dairy is Scary" here.

Veganism is also avoiding wearing animal products, in the form of leather, wool, and fur. I don't actively buy new leather (usually because I can't afford it!) and I do a lot of my shopping second hand, so there's not much of a change to be made there. Although I would like to get myself a pair of the vegan Dr. Martens and donate my old pair to charity, and I'll be slowly replacing any leather and wool products I do have, and donating what is fit to.

I'm also now be buying only cruelty free beauty products - I'm mostly good on this part too, although I do have old make-up I still use from brands like NARS and MAC (both of which sell their products in China, where it is unfortunately the law for products to be tested on animals before being sold). I'll be using up these products and replacing them with cruelty free brands, or donating some to family and friends. There are A LOT of great cruelty free beauty brands out there now; personally I like to shop at Lush, The Body Shop and Superdrug (their own brand is entirely vegan and cruelty free).

Something I also didn't make the connection with until recently is household products, the majority of which are tested on animals (each individual ingredient, rather than the end product, hence why sometimes companies can state the product isn't tested on animals). I've started using products from brands such as Method and ECover which have the cruelty free logo on them. These are available in bigger supermarkets, online, and in odd places like Dunelm.

Of course, it's hard to be perfect 100% of the time, but I think little conscious changes where you can make them go a long way. As the quote above says, veganism is about making changes to reduce suffering where possible, so whilst there are many reasons why people can't go 100% vegan, there are little changes you can make for your health, for the animals, and for the environment.

I think I've rambled on enough for today, so I'll leave it here with some resources you might find helpful.

A Considered Life - Cruelty Free Choices You Can Make When You Can't Go Vegan

Madeleine Olivia - Beginners Tips For Veganism
Earthling Ed - Going Vegan is Expensive and Restrictive

Hello Gemma - Vegan Food Prep & The Best Vegan Handbags
Metro - How To Reduce Plastic With Easy, Everyday Changes
Cruelty Free Becky - The Best Cruelty Free + Vegan Cleaning Brands

Some Living Room Updates - #AYearOfInteriors

2018-02-26T07:32:00.000+00:00

I feel like I could probably write this post every week, this is the room I am forever making changes in. Everything but the big things; the chairs, the side tables, the cushions, they are constantly moving around and finding home in different rooms. And usually just when I think I've finally got it perfect, I get a thought in my head and off I go, doing it all again. Here's some of my latest additions to this room.

A G O L D T R A Y

Let it never be said that I'm not a girl who knows her own taste, I have a gold tray in pretty much every room of the house nowadays. It makes my little cluttered area of little candles and flowers look like organised clutter, and just adds a little something extra to the space. I picked up the little test tube vase from Matalan a couple weeks ago too - I wrote about how incredible Matalan homewares are at the moment in my newsletter.

A R E L A X E D M A N T E L P I E C E

I know it sounds a little strange, but last year there was a very specific order to my mantepiece, and if anyone put things up there that didn't belong (ahem, Kane), well I wouldn't be best impressed. This year I'm being a bit more relaxed with things; there's no order, no routine, just some pretty things that I love.

E R C O L & A N E W P L A N T E R

I shifted my Ercol chair back in here after a couple years spent in the conservatory, mostly because everything was looking a little too grey in the living room. It's one of the chairs that has a little bit of colour on, with the pink La Redoute throw and H&M Home mustard velvet cushion (one of my favourite colour combo's!)

I also finally managed to hunt down one of the instagram famous Matalan gold planters that everyone seems to own, and I'm not surprised for just £12!

A B O H O S E A T I N G A R E A

This little spot around my window is probably the most changed area of my home, although also probably my most difficult to photograph, so I rarely share it! I popped our nice comfortable grey chair up in Ada's room, as this rattan one that used to be up there isn't exactly the best thing to snuggle up with her on, reading our bedtime stories.

So the rattan number came down, and it's been accessorised with a couple plants, a faux sheepskin and my knitted pouffe, to create a bit of a boho look. Although I'm not 100% sold on it yet, it feels a bit try hard? Almost like a "get the boho look" checklist; rattan, check. Snake plant, check. Sheepskin, check!

So it'll be staying like this for now, but perhaps I might actually have to write another one of these posts next week! What do you think? Should it stay or should it go?

It's the second post in our A Year of Interiors link up, so please head off and give all the other posts a little read!

Bedroom Refresh - A Grey Mid-Century Modern Space

2018-02-25T08:00:00.000+00:00

I've shared my bedroom on here many times before, and really, there was nothing I disliked about it. The shape is a little awkward (although there's naff all I can do about that!) and although the wallpaper was something I wanted to remove when we first moved in, it grew on me and we created a really relaxing space in there.

That said, like the majority of us interior obsessives, there's only a matter of time before we get that itch to start changing things again. Being completely honest, it was something we'd have left as it was for a lot longer if the lovely folks from Little Greene hadn't got in touch, asking if we'd like to try something out from their new Archive Trails II collection.

I decided now would be the perfect time to create the grey bedroom I had planned for the future (I'm pretty sure my entire home will be grey, soon enough), so I opted for the Wrest Trail wallpaper in Lead for the feature wall, and French Grey Mid paint for the rest of the room.

I spent most of last Saturday painting the room; the majority of it only needed one coat, but there was plenty to do the three walls in two coats, so I did another to make sure I hadn't missed any white patches. Kane stripped the wallpaper on the following Monday and got the new one up in a couple hours. I don't know much about wallpaper, but he was impressed by the quality of it.

I am so in love with the wallpaper; it's such a beautiful pattern that's just the right mix of striking and simple, perfect for a bedroom space like this. Little Greene do suggest paint colours to match the wallpaper you buy, although I did have a look through myself and I adore the shade of grey I picked, the tone is just lovely and so calming.

We have a little rearrange of the room too; I put my desk in here and attached the mirror (it is actually meant to be a dressing table), and got rid of the ugly white storage that all my skincare and make-up was in, which constantly looked like a mess. We also made a couple changes with the artwork, and got some new pink bedding.

I spent the first night after we decorated feeling like it wasn't actually my bedroom, like we were living in a hotel. But after it's been styled and I've put all my bits and pieces everywhere, I am absolutely in love.

What do you think of our new grey bedroom?

G E T T H E L O O K

Things I Dislike About Being Self Employed

2018-02-13T08:00:00.000+00:00

Woah, a bit of a negative post today, hey? If you've read any of my self employed posts before, you'll know that usually I'm pretty positive about it all, because it works for me. Especially since having Ada, it means she only goes into nursery two mornings a week, so no massive nursery fee bill at the end of the month, and more time spent with my daughter.

But alas, things can't be sweetness and light all the time, and unfortunately there are a couple things that I wish could just didn't exist, quite frankly.

U N C E R T A I N H O U R S

Whilst this can sometimes be a positive as I can just work outside of Kane's working hours/time with Ada, most of the time I do wish I had a few hours to just be able to sit down and work. Preferably during the day too, rather than at night when I should have my feet up watching Corrie.

It's hard to switch off being self employed, so you do find yourself responding to emails in bed or planning the next day's work over breakfast, when really you want to just be focusing on one thing.

T A X R E T U R N S

January's a great month, right? All the excitement that comes with winter has been and gone, and we're left skint, freezing cold, and if you're self employed like me, a nice tax bill to pay at the end of the month. Just delightful.

Growing up we're really taught very little about the stuff that happens in adult life, like taxes, and personally I think it'd be helpful if they filled us in a little more. Sorry to be that person, but trigonometry? Never used that in my adult life. Learning about taxation and filling tax returns? Would have helped! Because I was pretty clueless when I became self employed all those years ago.

I was actually pretty on the ball this year, and whereas I saw people on Instagram frantically digging about in box files with endless amounts of receipts stuffed inside just days before the end of the month, I had mine filed months in advance. It was just paying it that was the hard part!

Luckily, there are people to help, and Contact Numbers UK are running a #LetsTalkTax campaign, encouraging people to give HMRC a ring when there's anything you feel you want to talk through; whether that's if you're owed a tax refund, or just finding out about their services. Sometimes the thought of filling your first tax return can be so overwhelming, so the #LetsTalkTax campaign is so great for getting people talking about it more and easing any anxieties they might have.

P E O P L E A S S U M I N G Y O U D O N A F F A L L

Aaah, yes. The lovely side of being self employed, people thinking because you're at home you do nothing with your days. When I first had Ada I had about a week off after her birth before going back to work; I struggled so much to find the energy and time to get anything done, amongst breastfeeding and sleepless nights, I was getting remarks like "you've got the best of both worlds, being able to work at home with a baby", rather than being on a paid maternity leave. Best of both worlds. Yes.

For the most part I'm sure people get it, although I tend to find older generations don't understand at all. In fact I think my Grandad probably thinks I'm on the dole.

U N S T A B L E I N C O M E

This is probably the hardest part of being self employed, not knowing where your next payment is coming from. Hopefully you'll have a few regular ones you can guarantee on, but if not it can be a bit of a scary place.

I sometimes think it must be nice to have a "pay day", and have a nice big chunk of income hit your bank account (although I'm sure towards the end of the month must suck, too) - getting little dribs and drabs does have it's benefits though, and it keeps me from dropping £100 on ASOS orders.

L O N E L I N E S S

This can be a hard one too, especially when I spend most of my time with a two year old - although it is easier now she understands (for the most part!) what I'm actually saying, and I can get some conversation back.

But when Kane comes home from work, and he regales me with all his stories of what he's been up to at work and the people he's spent time with, I have none of that. And even for a person that likes spending time on their own, sometimes the loneliness is awful.

I guess that's one of the reasons why through everything, I've always carried on blogging, because the community behind it all, everyone on Instagram and Twitter, even though they're not "real life" friends - it helps.

Despite this sounding so negative, I really do love what I do and our situation, so I wouldn't change it at all. Like anything in life, not everything is perfect, so in the effort of keeping things real, I thought I'd share these today.

If you're self employed, are there any things you dislike about it?

*Written in collaboration with Contact Numbers UK.

Introducing The Interiors Hub

2018-02-06T18:05:00.000+00:00

So, newsletters seem to be having a bit of a thing, right? I spent a good half of last year feeling like I really should have one, but honestly who would be interested? No-one really needs an update on the 1-2 blog posts I put out into the world every week, and honestly, I'm just not that interesting a person.

I could have filled the space with new achievements of Ada's, new words she's saying or all the stuff she's been up to, but I can imagine the only subscriber to that would be my Mum.

2018 has already seen me sign up to several new newsletters (notably Allie's Slow Sunday Club, Rhianna's The Uncool Club, and Charlotte's Monday Motivator) and so it got me thinking about the sort of thing I'd like to create. The content that really I'd like to read, and perhaps something that isn't out there yet, or at least you haven't found it anyway.

And really, I'm all about the interiors, so introducing..

(perhaps just imagine me in the corner, writing away on my laptop, hey?)

The Interiors Hub will be a weekly newsletter, packed full of, well, interiors! It'll include some of the best blog posts and articles from the week, Instagram accounts you really NEED to follow, new bits to buy from the high street and independent shops, we'll discuss trends and so much more.

And so, I'd love it if you could do one of two things; firstly, please sign up here if any of the above sounds like it could be some interest to you.

Secondly, I really want this to build up a little community of interior lovers online, so if you do share a favourite corner of your home or your latest interior purchases, use #TheInteriorsHub hashtag. I'll be popping all my favourite shots, accounts and blog posts in the newsletter every week, so it'll be a great way to discover some new people to follow - any and all kinds of interiors are welcome!

The first newsletter will go out Monday 12th at 9am - I'm so excited!

Three Stationery Store Favourites

2018-02-02T08:00:00.000+00:00

Like the majority of the blogging community, I bloody love a good notebook. There's just something about starting a fresh pad; picking out your favourite black ink pen (don't even get me started on blue ink), taking your time over your writing so the first page looks impeccable.. I mean, it obviously all goes a bit scruffy a few pages in, but your love never dies.

Stationery and writing down e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g is basically the only way I can ever be organised, so there is some method behind all the beauty, too. Let me introduce you to my three favourite shops..

T A N G I B L E S T A T I O N E R Y

Tangible Stationery are really a new company to me; we share pretty much the same ethos, that despite being in a digital world now, we still need a quality notebook to help us keep track of all our plans. At the moment, they're still very much a small shop, only stocking Forbes and Matilda Myers, but there's plenty of designs to suit all different styles, and anything personalised gets me weak at the knees! I'll be exploring the world of bullet journaling with the Forbes notebook soon, it's the perfect design for it.

B A N . D O

Ban.do brings out the sassy side of me, being packed full of stickers, motivational slogans and kitschy florals. I'm still relatively new to the brand (despite having followed Jen Gotch on instagram for years), but I fell in love with the "I don't work here" journal in Selfridges towards the end of last year, and even Ada pinches the stickers out of it.

R I F L E P A P E R C O.

I'm pretty positive I won't have to introduce this one to the majority of you, are you even a blogger if you haven't owned the three pack of floral notepads from RFC. circa 2014?! You can find me fully in the Rifle Paper Co. enthusiastic camp, having owned diaries, notepads, to-do lists, weekly pads, the LOT. There's just something so irresistable about those beautiful floral patterns.

O T H E R B I T S & B O B S

Do you have a favourite stationery store?

*The Tangible Stationery items were sent to me free of charge for consideration. All words are my own and honest opinion.

How To Turn Your Bedroom Into The Ultimate Space To Unwind

2018-01-31T08:00:00.000+00:00

Our bedroom is one of my favourite rooms in the house; it's really the one room I insist on being clutter free and tidy all the time, so no chair of doom covered in half worn clothes, and (for the most part) no overflowing washing basket in the corner. I need a calm, relaxing and clean space that I can curl up with a book before bed and not have thoughts running through my mind of all the things that need to be done.

I'm positive it's to the disdain of Kane, but I believe the more cushions and throws, the better. Layering them up just adds to the cosiness and comfort, and seriously who doesn't want to put down their phone a little earlier and dive into something like that? It's so important to be able to switch off and get a good night's sleep, so creating the perfect space to do that is essential.

JYSK have a beautiful range of home accessories that have helped me put together my perfect bedroom haven. If you haven't heard of JYSK before, they're a Scandinavian brand that keep a nod to their Danish roots throughout all their designs. They kindly sent over a few things to complete the look, including the KONGSSPIR Faux Fur throw in a beautiful dusky pink shade that is made out of the snuggliest material ever - that's an actual term, right?!

I'm a bit particular about my pillows and cushions; we have one large pillow at the back, a smaller feather pillow at the front, with two matching cushions and one in the center. The MYGGBLOM Faux Fur cushions in grey are a perfect pair for this, and the super soft material adds to the cosiness again. I've paired it with the TUNBENDEL cushion, with matches with the throw nicely and adds a bit of pink to the bedroom without being too much.

Of course it's not all about bedding and accessories, a nice decor and candles are essential for creating the perfect atmosphere too. The ANTON Candle has such a fresh, clean scent that is really relaxing, and as I seem to be capable of keeping plants alive everywhere but our bedroom, we paired a couple of the smoked grey VISTI vases with some fake eucalyptus to add a bit of greenery to the space. The brass FRITS tray is the perfect size for having a little breakfast in bed, and when you do eventually have to get up, it'll be a lot easier with the comfort of the HORN faux fur rug underfoot.

For Valentine's day this year, JYSK are holding an amazing Facebook competition to win a bedroom makeover - check out the full details of the competition here, and head over to their facebook page and see the pinned post to enter. All you need to do is tag a friend or partner and comment how you'd love to spend Valentine's with them - the prizes are amazing! The competition runs until Valentine's day, so be sure to head over and enter before then!

How do you create your perfect bedroom?

*I was kindly sent the JYSK items free of charge for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

My Home Plans For 2018

2018-01-29T08:00:00.000+00:00

2017 saw me finally getting the kitchen renovation of my dreams, as well as redecorating my office as Ada's toddler bedroom, and adding a few new pieces to my living room (although I'm still forever changing things around). We've got a few plans for our home for 2018, mostly just relatively small jobs for now; I'd love to get the bathroom done but after the month-long disturbance when we got the kitchen done, I think I can manage for another few months yet!

We've already given our dining space a mini-makeover this year, having painted the walls surrounding grey. This space is in DIRE need of new flooring, especially since having the kitchen done. Our beautiful kitchen floor tiles just show it up even more, so it'll probably be our next job.

In a dream world, I'd DIE for parquet flooring but it's just out of our budget unfortunately - although I will be shopping around to see if I can find any good deals! Realistically, we'll probably end up with some floorboards; we've been looking at some grey, ash toned woods that blend in nicely with the kitchen and are light enough to carry through to the conservatory.

One of the things my home gets complimented quite a lot on social media are my dining room chairs, but I'm actually considering changing them up this year. I'd like to add a touch of colour around here, as well as having some slightly lighter furniture, so the Made Stig dining chairs in a gorgeous dusky pink shade look perfect.

We've got a 1970s bar next to it which is great for storage and looks effective enough, I have been considering replacing it; the Audrey sideboard from West Elm is SO stunning. I'd love a nice big cactus for this place, although with Ada finding interest in everything, perhaps fake could be the way to go?!

Once the flooring is done, I need to get a new rug for the conservatory - I haven't found one I absolutely love yet, although the Fes rug from West Elm is so pretty. What do you think of my plans?

I'm linking up this post with a whole bunch of amazing bloggers taking part in A Year Of Interiors; we'll all be posting on the same day, so please go and head over to see their resolutions and plans for 2018!

How I Style Flowers With The Real Flower Co.

2018-01-22T08:00:00.000+00:00

I know what you're thinking; styling flowers?! Surely you just plonk them in a vase and you're good to go, right? I have a few favourite ways I like to style up my blooms, so I thought I'd talk through them today. My home doesn't really feel quite right without flowers in it, and they're the perfect thing to brighten up the dull winter months.

A CENTERPIECE

The easiest and arguably one of the most impacting is a centerpiece of flowers. Getting this right for me is one of two things; the right vase, and not thinking that the bouquet doesn't need rearranging after you've bought it. They always look cute wrapped up, but they don't usually sit right in a vase unless you do a bit of fiddling and rearranging - although The Real Flower Co. do cut and arrange their bouquets to help you out as much as possible with this, and this particular bouquet looked pretty perfect without much work!

A rounded vase is a MUST, there's just something about being able to get all the stems in at an angle that makes the bouquet sit better. I try to space out the flowers evenly and then add the foliage around them.

MINI BUNCHES IN JARS

This is something I really like to do after I've had a bouquet for a few days; chop some of the length off and arrange mini bouquets in jars. Perhaps they don't have quite the impact of a big bouquet, but it does mean you get to enjoy the flowers in more rooms, and it usually helps them last a few days longer too.

FILLING THE MANTELPIECE

This isn't something I do all that often, but it's visually stunning, although you do need quite a few little vases to do this properly! I think this would be amazing to have lots of the tiny glass vases with individual flowers in, perhaps even with all of the same flower in. What do you think of this method?

Of course, it makes it a whole lot easier when you're styling as beautiful flowers as these from The Real Flower Company. They kindly sent over this bunch from their stunning Valentines collection, that is full of seasonal flowers in red and pink shades. The peony pink roses are such a special addition that you won't find in most bouquets, and the mix with tulips and waxflowers is so lovely, all delivered in a box complete with a little bow!

The Real Flower Company produce all their own flowers on their English and Fairtrade farms, and you can certainly tell the quality immediately. I honestly think this is the most beautiful bouquet I've ever received, and I'll be a little devastated when they die on me.

* I was kindly provided the flowers free of charge for review purposes.

How To Spend Your Sunday For An Organised Week

2018-01-14T08:00:00.000+00:00

Since reading Get Your Sh*t Together (see my 5 inspiring reads for 2018!) and starting my life over fresh as an organised person (haha), I've started spending a little portion of my Sunday carrying out my "Sunday routine". It's just a few things I like to spend some time on so I'm ready to boss the hell out of a new week - here's what I do.

T A K E S O M E T I M E O U T

Now, it might seem counter-productive to start this off by telling you to relax a little, but yeah, seriously - do it! We all need to spend some time on ourselves; it's important to stay grounded and avoid burning out. We're not our most productive if we're constantly working with no breaks, so whether you'd prefer a lie-in and late breakfast in bed, a nice long walk or a soak in a bubble bath - DO IT.

D O L A U N D R Y A N D G E T Y O U R O U T F I T S S O R T E D

This is something I liked to do when I was in sixth form, and it saved me a lot of time in the mornings trying to pick out an outfit. Firstly, make sure everything you need for the week is clean and dry (perhaps stick a wash on Saturday if necessary), then decide on some outfits for the week and hang everything in your wardrobe in order, ready to wear each morning.

S C H E D U L E T W E E T S

Unless you're a blogger or in social media you can forget this one, but I like to take about ten minutes out of my day to use Hootsuite (any other scheduling tool will do, too!) and schedule to tweet out lots of blog posts. I aim to do about 4-6 per day, so I'm not spamming the crap out of everyone, but enough to promote blog content.

D E C I D E O N G O A L S F O R T H E W E E K

This is where my love of notebooks comes into play - in my largest notepad I scribble down all my goals for the week, stuff I need to do, blog posts I want to write, perhaps the odd idea or two for instagram posts. Then I'll break that down in my main diary into days things I need to get done on what day, and then I'll use my "to-do" pad each day to make sure I don't forget what needs doing. Cute stationery helps.

F O O D P R E P / M E A L P L A N

I've meal planned for a few months now, and it's so helpful to know what you'll be eating on what day; no more trips to Morrisons buying the odd pepper or tins of tomatoes, I can buy everything at one time. I'm also going to be trying to food prep this year, spending an hour or so on a Sunday roasting some vegetables, cooking some grains, and portioning off salad. I'm AWFUL at eating lunch (cups of coffee and the odd bit of fruit usually see me through to tea time), and I think having something prepared for each day would help me not only eat better but take a proper lunch break, too.

D E - C L U T T E R

No-one likes to start a new week with a messy house, mind or inbox, so whatever you need to spend ten minutes on tidying up, get to it!

Do you have a Sunday routine to make sure you're organised for the week?

Creating A Vision Board

2018-01-12T14:04:00.001+00:00

After binge-watching Sarah Akwisombe's youtube channel, I decided to make a vision board for everything I want to achieve in 2018. Basically, a vision board, rather than a mood board, is everything you want from the world - want a new car? Stick a car on there. Want happiness? Put on pictures that represent that feeling for you. With the help of Pinterest, magazines and a little blu-tack, an hour later my board for 2018 was complete.

I chose to be a little more metaphorical with most of my board, but I did put on some fairly obvious things. Starting off, I want to earn more money this year. Gone are the days of putting myself down and berating myself, saying I'll never earn enough money. I now visualise myself as a woman with money, and I feel like it's working. My vintage shop's sales are up, blog work is coming in and I've had three sponsored instagram posts already this year.

The nails and flowers are a representation of things I can have when I earn more money; little things like that might be nothing to some, but they're certainly not things I could afford regularly last year. I may be being counter-productive by aiming small, in terms of law of attractive anyway, but I thought I'd start off with little things that make me happy for now.

Of course, nothing in my life would be complete without a picture of Ada, because whilst the flowers and the nice nails are all well and good, I really do all this to try and make a better life with my family.

I wrote in my 2018 goals that I'd like to say yes to more things, and have a little more belief in myself, so a couple of the pictures represent that. And whilst it might seem a little random, Drew Barrymore is always someone I've admired; she's a strong, powerful and intelligent woman who runs a few businesses, so that's always someone to learn from.

I purposefully left a few gaps, I think I'll add more as the year goes on and I can perhaps re-evaluate some goals along the way.

Have you created a vision board for 2018?

5 Inspiring Reads For 2018

2018-01-06T08:00:00.000+00:00

One of my resolutions every year always seems to be to read more; I have to make a conscious effort to sit down and spend some time to myself, just reading, and somehow find the time for it. I like to learn a little something from what I read, or at least feel like I've taken something away from it, so I've rounded up 5 of the best inspiring books both bloggers and business owners can learn from.

GET YOUR SH*T TOGETHER - Sarah Knight

Alright, okay, I know I said this is for bloggers and businesses, but basically everyone can learn from this book. Constantly find yourself with a never ending to-do list and no time to do it? Wondering why you've never been promoted or got a pay rise? You need this book. With a clever "Chipmunk", analogy (you're either an Alvin, Simon, or Theodore, although personally I feel I'm an Alvin-Theodore hybrid), this book will help you through anything holding you back in life.

READ THIS IF YOU WANT TO BE INSTAGRAM FAMOUS - Henry Carroll

I was in two minds whether to get this, because frankly I don't want to be "instagram famous" - grow my following though, sure. This has a lot of tips, all complete with case studies, ideas for photographing styles, and a lot of stats to help you try and grow your account. Something we all need to try and beat the algorithm, right?

WOMEN AND POWER - Mary Beard

Whilst this manifesto of women throughout history who have been silenced and demonised isn't traditionally a business book, personally I found it so inspiring and thought provoking to hear Beard's thoughts on how, whilst things have progressed for women over the last 100 years, there's still work to be done. Read it.

IT'S NOT HOW GOOD YOU ARE, IT'S HOW GOOD YOU WANT TO BE - Paul Arden

I haven't read this one in a while, but if you want an inspiring read about how ambition can take you where you want to go, this is it. It's a quick and easy read that leaves me full of positivity.

THE SUN AND HER FLOWERS - Rupi Kaur

This is a bit of the odd one out from the list, but it's such an inspiring read. This is Rupi Kaur's second collection of poetry, following a journey of wilting, falling, rooting, rising and blooming. Everyone needs something from Kaur on their bookshelves.

Do you have an inspiring read to recommend?

2018 Goals

2018-01-01T17:00:00.000+00:00

Can you believe it, here we are in 2018 already?! I still remember NYE for the millenium; stealing sips of bacardi breezer from the adults and flashing my knickers to everyone whilst playing twister. Turns out no amount of gin will ever block out those memories coming back into my head every December 31st.

Looking back on 2017, it's easy for me to feel like I didn't achieve much, but actually the last few months of the year saw some really great opportunities my way; I worked with some great brands on the blog (Comfort Works, Sloane & Sons, Daniel Wellington, Amara - just to name a few!) and I felt like I started finding my little area of the blogging world.

It's been a struggle for me to continue blogging around having a baby and running a business, but since Ada's got a little older, it's easier to find the time, and I'm so pleased the persistance has paid off. I also got my first paid Instagram work this year, and have created a few posts for different brands now, which I've really loved.

My home was photographed for Made Unboxed, and also for a UK interiors magazine that will be coming out in the Spring - you'll have to keep your eyes peeled for that one!

I find it really helpful to write my goals down here, and do a mid-year review, so I thought I'd do exactly the same this year!

Cook more - I'll be straight, I friggin' HATE cooking. I suck at it, I burn stuff and I don't have the patience to spend an hour on a meal you'll spend less than 10 minutes eating. However, it has resulted in a lot of samey-samey foods going on, so I'd like to pick up a couple new recipe books (for stuff that takes under 30 minutes to make!) and try some new things.

Believe in myself more - I've been reading a lot recently about the power of positive thinking, and how basically, whatever you put out into the world is what you get back. So if you're forever doubting yourself, thinking you'll always be skint and you'll never achieve anything.. well, that's exactly how you'll end up. Instead, using positive thinking, affirmations and vizualisations that actually, you ARE a success and you CAN achieve anything you want, that will come back to you in positive ways.

Grow my instagram following - Aaaah, don't we all wish it was simple enough to do this any more? Thanks to the algorithm, bot users, shadowbanning, it seems impossible to actually get more followers on insta these days. That said, I gained around 1.2K followers last year, and my aim for this year is to get to 5,000. Of course, it'd be wonderful to get even more, perhaps even to achieve that beloved swipe up function on stories, but being realistic, 5K by the end of 2018 would be great!

Get dressed for the day - On the days I spend at home I am ALWAYS in my pyjamas or loungewear, christ only knows what the neighbours think of me. I know I feel better when I put proper clothes on, sort my hair out and put a bit of make-up on, so I'll be trying to do that a bit more on the days I don't go anywhere.

Say yes to more things - My social anxieties hold me back a bit, whether it's from suggesting to meet friends for a coffee or heading out to a blog event I've been invited to. This year I'd just like to try and say yes to more things.

What goals do you have for 2018?

Two Years of Ada (+ More Additions To Her Bedroom)

2017-12-30T17:00:00.000+00:00

Hey! Long time no speak - did everyone have a lovely Christmas? This time of year is so busy for us; our family works in retail or is self employed, so there's really very little time off, and not to mention my little Ada turned TWO six days before Christmas. TWO! Where has my tiny little baby gone? She is learning so much at the moment, she is constantly coming out with new words and figuring new things out. She was spoiled so much over the last couple of weeks, hopefully she won't suddenly be expecting new presents every day now!

Just after Christmas, we made a couple changes to her toddler bedroom, starting off with a little rearrange. We've also converted her cot into a proper bed, and other than falling out once on the first night, she is a pro at sleeping in a bed now! She hasn't climbed out once, she's loves her sleep though so she's happy to put herself down for naps and at bedtime - we're so lucky with that.

We've also added some picture ledges from IKEA as book display to her room, she received some really lovely ones for her birthday and Christmas, and I thought they'd be a perfect addition to her little reading corner.

We didn't have much of a party for Ada this year, she just had a couple trips out and visits from family instead. We put out some decorations and balloons, and had some great help from The Humble Hostess who sent out one of their party packs. It was filled with balloons, bunting, pom poms, and cute personalised items that could be used as display or stuck into sandwiches or cake!

What do you think of our changes to Ada's bedroom?

Creating a Cosy Christmas Corner

2017-12-14T07:00:00.000+00:00

All the way through winter, but especially the festive period, hibernation mode hits. I enjoy the occasional festive day out, but for the most part I like nothing more than doing all my Christmas shopping online, curling up with a book or a film, under a cosy blanket.

This year I've got the perfect little addition for making a cosy corner, a beautiful accent chair from Sloane & Sons. It comes in an array of different colours, but I opted for the beige shade, which has some lovely grey tones to it. I have A LOT of chairs in my home but most of them aren't the comfiest so I'm always on the sofa - with this one, I've barely touched the sofas this week and I'm snuggling under a blanket on here instead.

The chair is so well made, it has really solid, scandinavian mid-century style legs, and a slightly tilted back that makes it so comfortable. Kane is trying to claim it as his "gaming chair", but lets be honest there is ZERO chance of that happening!

Costing just £199, it's the perfect living room addition to create a cosy corner. Pop it next to the Christmas tree, add a blanket, cushion, candles and a big mug of hot chocolate, and you've got the perfect space for watching all those Christmas films and getting into the festive period.

Daniel Wellington Classic Petite Ashfield

2017-12-10T11:55:00.000+00:00

I've never really been much a watch wearer; in this day and age when we're constantly attached to our phones, the need for a watch becomes much smaller. I've also never really worn bracelets before, and always found having something around my wrist a bit of a strange feeling. But then again, I've never owned a Daniel Wellington watch before.

The Classic Petite Ashfield is an absolutely stunning minimalist design, with a black mesh strap (so not too heavy for the non-watch wearers to get used to), with a thin round face. It comes in a couple of colours, but of course I chose the rose gold option. This design stood out to me immediately, it's just so classic looking, something that could be paired with any jewellery or outfit.

As you can see, it came in beautiful packaging, making it a lovely option for a Christmas present - all the work is done for you. Running up to Christmas there's 10% off if you buy two watches, and if you use my discount code HEYMAMABLOG, you can get another 15% off! Check out the hashtag #DWforeveryone on Instagram for inspo!

I am absolutely thrilled with my choice, and I am definitely converted to being a watch wearer now; no more pulling my phone out of my bag all the time for me!

Do you own anything from Daniel Wellington?

*I was kindly provided the watch free of charge. All thoughts are my own.

Velvet Sofa Dreamin' With Darlings Of Chelsea

2017-12-08T07:00:00.000+00:00

As you may have seen this week, my little sofa has had a velvet makeover. And now that I have one in my life, I just want to fill my home with velvet numbers. A brand that are currently killing it on that situation is Darlings Of Chelsea.

Darlings are a company I've been aware of for a while through blogging; they are a British company, making most of their sofas within the UK, and today I thought I'd talk through some of my favourite velvet options from them.

PAISLEY SOFA AND STOOL

And of course, we have to kick it all off with my favourite of them all. Is there anything that could make this design any more perfect? The millenial shade of blush pink adds a modern twist to the classic chesterfield, with the wooden legs creating a look that won't go out of style. The large stool is the perfect addition too, I think I'd have a hard time ever coming off this sofa if it was in my home.

ROCKINGHAM SOFA

I am so in love with the shape of this sofa; the fluting at the back has an art-deco feel to it, with two of the most deliciously comfortable looking seat cushions. It comes with two scatter cushions, and even though I'd usually be inclined to think the more the merrier, with that beautiful back and sides I'd leave it completely clear to just sing.

Navy blue is another colour that is quite on-trend this year, despite being such a classic shade. That said, I don't think it's ever go out of style, it can slot into so many colour schemes and work in many different styles of interiors.

KALI ARMCHAIR

Now this, this I could really use in my house! This beautiful shade of inky blue velvet looks a little more lived in and relaxed, paired with the one high and one low arm rests creates the perfect little spot for curling up with a blanket, a cup of tea and a book.

The mid-century modern, scandi style raised legs are a look that are always so on trend, too. The range includes some modular pieces so you can create something that fits your room perfectly.

CLARA CHAISE SOFA

Green has been another massive colour trend this year, but unlike the Pantone colour of the year that I can't see sticking around, the beautiful deep teal toned green on the Clara sofa will outlast the trends. Again, it has a lovely, classic shape, with a stunning chaise section to add even more comfort. The addition of the wooden legs turning into brass castors is another example of the gorgeous detailing that goes into their sofas.

CHARNWOOD LOVESEAT

I used to think loveseats were a bit of a fad, but when they look as good as this, how could they ever be? The chesterfield design on the back gives it a classic feel, but the modern bright blue jewel tones on the fabric makes it more modern. It can comfortably fit two people on, but I'd be claiming this for my own! I'm dreaming about sinking into that seat cushion.

Are you on the hunt for a new sofa? Would you consider anything velvet?

*This is a collaborative post.

Christmas Around Here

2017-12-07T07:00:00.000+00:00

I am one of those people that you read about on Twitter and Facebook - y'know the ones, they're usually being complained about by everyone else for getting their Christmas tree up mid-November and being FAR too jolly about the festive season.

But I just can't help it. I love this time of year, and I just don't care who knows it. Bring on the disapproving looks from neighbours as the twinkly lights sparkle away in my window, I love decorating for Christmas.

And I'm making the most of it, because I know as Ada gets older, she'll turn into one of those kids that doesn't want the decorations up until after her birthday because "it detracts the focus", and she's born six days before Christmas.

Along with my Comfort Works IKEA sofa covers, I was sent a lovely little selection of their new Christmas accessories. They are absolutely up my street; mostly a combination of scandinavian styles, minimalist designs, and of course, lots of gold!

My heart skipped a beat when I saw the marble and gold coasters especially - so dreamy. The little gold star snack dish is perfect for storing festive treats too, and making sure I don't go too overboard!

I've mostly stuck to a pink, white and metallic theme throughout, except for my beloved vintage baubles adorning the tree. Speaking of which, I went real for the first time this year and I am so happy with it - I don't think I can ever go back to my faux ways!

How have you decorated for Christmas?

Comfort Works Ikea Norsborg Sofa Cover Review

2017-12-06T07:00:00.000+00:00

If you've been following for a while, you may know it was only this time last year that we bought our IKEA Norsborg sofa; the dark grey covers fitted in with our decor, I loved the mid-century/scandi style birch legs, and much as we love dresses with them the same, it had POCKETS. It fitted within our budget, so whilst the material wasn't the most comfortable (not bad, either!), we loved it.

Fast forward to a year later, and it was looking a little different from it's brand new condition. A few months into owning it, Ada found a red lipstick down one of said pockets and proceeded to draw all over one of the arms, which despite hours of scrubbing, still showed as an orange tinge. And after our kitchen/dining space being out of bounds for close to a month with the kitchen renovation, the sofa replaced that eating space, and ended up with one too many cheese triangle stains to mention.

So when Comfort Works offered to kit us out with some new Norsborg sofa covers, we jumped at the chance!

First up in the process was to receive some fabric samples; Comfort Works have a huge amount of replacement slipcovers and lots of different materials, but immediately I was drawn to the velvet blends. One of the samples we received was actually a pink velvet, although unsurprisingly Kane wasn't too keen. There's cotton blends, wool blends, linen blends or more heavy duty options.

After selecting our covers, 2-3 weeks later they arrived.

The covers arrived in a canvas bag, all attached with handy little labels marking which part of the sofa it's for; it was easy to take the old covers off and quickly pop on the new ones. They are a really good fit too - not so tight that you're having to force them in, but a nice tailored fit.

Comfort Works specialize in IKEA sofa covers, but also create covers for other sofa and designs. Even better, you can contact them with your sofa measurements and they can create a custom cover for you.

They also included something from their new range, the Noelle Knitted Throw that just fits in with the sofa so perfectly. I didn't think I'd love my new covers quite as much as I do, they have completely transformed my living room and has made a massive difference to not only the look, but the comfort of my sofa - although it is a lot harder to peel myself off it in the evenings now!

I am absolutely thrilled with them, and how much more expensive does it make my sofa look?! It doesn't look like IKEA any more, and definitely no more storing lipsticks in the pockets or cheese triangles allowed!

*The sofa covers and throw were provided to me free of charge for review purposes. All thoughts are my own and honest, thank you all supporting my blog and making these collaborations possible.

Gift Guide : For Her

2017-12-04T09:37:00.000+00:00

We've done the Interior Lovers Gift Guide, lets move on to the gals, shall we? I always find buying for girls the easiest (we're a simple bunch), give me a candle, some cosy pjs and slippers and I'm happy. Ironically none of those things appear in this guide, but here's a bunch of things I think will get any of the ladies in your life smiling on the big day.

A WATCH : Can we really go wrong with a watch? This beautiful Marc Jacobs watch is from Plus Watches, and honestly, if I was me in a watch form, this would be it. It has a beautiful leather strap which is a mix of a grey and taupe, with a rose gold and grey face. It arrived SUPER quickly (which is handy for those of you that leave your Christmas shopping until last minute), and came boxed so a bit of wrapping paper and you'd be done. Even better it's currently on a massive sale, and is only £70 - go go go!

A CHRISTMAS BOUQUET : I think flowers are sometimes overlooked around Christmas time; they're probably one of the first things we'd grab for Valentine's day or someone's birthday, but strangely not around Christmas. This stunning bouquet is from Prestige Flowers, and I honestly don't know anyone who wouldn't be thrilled with this. It has a really lovely mixed of white chrysanthemums and roses, with decorated berries, thistle, pine cones and other palms leaves. It's currently £10 off and you get a free box of chocolates too!

BEST OF THE REST : I thought now I'd round-up some of my favourite bits from the rest. Jewelery, perfume, make-up bags, skincare, cosy winter scarves - they're all great options to buy for girls.

JEWELLERY :

MAKE UP BAGS :

SKINCARE :

PERFUME :

PLANNERS :

*The watch and flowers were kindly sent to me for review purposes. This post also contains affiliate links.

A Better Night's Sleep With Zonesleep

2017-12-03T07:00:00.000+00:00

I haven't always been so blessed in the bed department; back when I was a skint student, I had to make do with a second hand bed. It was an ugly 1980s divan, with a paper thin mattress that had about an inch of space where you weren't constantly being attacked by springs attempting to come through the top.

Fast forward a few years, and we've got a bit of a better set up. We have a king size bed, topped with a proper memory foam, costing a good few hundreds of pounds, mattress. I have absolutely no issues falling asleep; my head hits the pillow and within five minutes, I'm snoring. I don't have any major back issues (only occasionally), the only middle of the night waking I do is from Ada.. I didn't think sleep could get any better. Until I was introduced to Zonesleep.

The Zonesleep Mattress Topper has a triple layer design, created to help posture support with durability, a lovely soft middle layer for comfort, and a top layer for breath-ability. Whilst neither of us have any real ailments, both of us found upon waking we sometimes had stiff necks, or lower backs, and that has completely disappeared since using the topper.

It's also really helped with regulating our body temperatures; I'm sure we're not alone in that we're crawling into our chilly winter beds in one too many layers, and this has meant we're not waking up covered in sweat (nice) and needing to hop in the shower immediately!

We also got the Zonesleep Spacer Pillow which I donated into Ada's room, and she loves it! Her old pillows (despite being decent quality) would always need fluffing up. I only touch this one when I'm changing her bedding, it keeps it's shape so well and is really supportive on her head and neck.

If you're struggling with body pain, back ache, overheating, or even if you just fancy adding a bit more comfort to your bed, I'd definitely recommend checking out the Zonesleep website. I'm considering heading off and getting more pillows for Kane and I (he's definitely jealous of Ada's!)

If you fancy a topper for yourself, get £20 off with the code FB20!

*The Zonesleep mattress and pillow were kindly sent to me for review purposes. All opinions and words are honest and my own. Thank you for supporting this blog and making these collaborations possible.

The Interior Lovers Gift Guide

2017-11-28T07:00:00.000+00:00

Interiors is a bit of a tricky topic when it comes to gifting, and usually unless you know the person really well, it can go horrifically wrong; think shabby chic wicker display hearts, when they really prefer a scandi style. That said, I do think there are a few pieces that you really can't go wrong with, so I thought I'd break it down and do a little store-by-store gift guide if you're stuck on what to buy for the interior lover in your life.

AMARA

Amara is one of the PERFECT stores to get a Christmas present from; they're not the average joe store, there's something a bit luxe and special about them. I was kindly sent a few items from them, including the beautiful marble and gold kitchen canister, Ferm Living vase and Bloomingville kitchen stand - I mean, how can you go wrong with a cute holder for kitchen roll?!

JOHN LEWIS

I've gone a bit "my taste" on this one, but MAN do John Lewis do some nice things! There's a really good selection too, whether you're on a budget or have a little more to spend. One of my favourites is the bar tool set; if only I had a bar to put it on!

LA REDOUTE

La Redoute is a great place to get Christmas gifts, they always have a discount code or two on the go, and it means you can treat someone to a slightly bigger present without breaking the bank. My personal favourites are the selection of rugs they have in, and lots of mid century style furniture.

MARKS AND SPENCER

Marks and Spencer have some really cute festive themed interior gifts in this year, but also have a lot of great normal bits perfect for interior lovers. My favourites are the hydrangea and eucalyptus vase, and the hammered brass planters.

OLIVER BONAS

Aaaah, Oliver Bonas, possibly my favourite ever store. Everything from here is just so dreamy. I could honestly buy one of everything and use it all. But for now, that lamp is calling out my name - and the little marble ring holder!

Do you have an interiors lover you'll be buying for this year?

How I Got Pinterest As My #1 Source Of Blog Traffic

2017-11-22T07:00:00.000+00:00

If you've followed my blog for a while, you might have spotted the post I did earlier on in the year on ways to grow your Pinterest following; whilst my following might not have grown particularly much, this year has seen Pinterest go from virtually driving no traffic to my blog to being my #1 source of views and users.

Pinterest is different from the rest of social media, and people either seem to just get it, or they don't. For a long time I was in the latter, until I kept seeing people talking about the traffic they were directing back to their blog and I decided I needed some of that action.

SORT OUT YOUR PROFILE

You've probably spent ages coming up with a witty and sharp insta and twitter bio's, but your Pinterest one might have been looked aside. I have my blog name in my name on Pinterest, as well as my blog in the website section. Pop an email address in there too, and mention your blog in the bio.

I also have my very first board as images all taken from my blog - don't have it down at the bottom of your profile with the neglected party planning and seasonal boards. Perhaps put your blog web address as the title.

It's a matter of preference, but I personally thinking having a bit of a "theme" is really effective too, so you could spend some time changing all your board covers to fit to your aesthetic.

Make sure you're pinning regularly too - I like to follow accounts that have at least 10-15 boards, and I prefer those that go into a little more detail with their boards. So instead of just "food", perhaps split that up into breakfast, lunch, tea, snacks and dessert boards.

PINTEREST IS A SEARCH ENGINE

One thing I always say is to think of Pinterest as a search engine rather than social media. People search it for inspiration, it's not so easy just to browse and find what you're looking for. So make your content easy to find; fill the "search description" section of your blog posts to summarize the post and put in key words that people might be searching for. Otherwise it just pulls the first few lines from a post, which could make it harder to find (and make sure you're using rich pins!)

PIN AT THE RIGHT TIME

I bet the majority of us are constantly analyzing the time we should post on instagram, but neglecting Pinterest? To get analytics you need to sign up as a business account, and then you'll be able to see how many people are looking at your profile, who's seeing your pins (where they live, gender, language), and the activity on pins from your website.

With that information, that can help to give you an idea of when to pin. Generally I'd say to avoid standard working hours; the majority of people seem to spend time on Pinterest when they've got free time in the evenings, so you could spend 10-15 minutes every day doing some pinning.

MAKE AWESOME IMAGES

Possibly above all, your images need to be on. point. Generally speaking the taller the better, most people view Pinterest feeds on their phones, so it makes sense to have pictures in portrait. Make sure your images are great quality, avoid heavy filters and make them nice and bright.

I don't personally add any text to make a "pin-able" image on my blog, because I think it takes away from the picture. However if you are making helpful, creative content, adding text can help. Just use it in the right situation.

It's not easy and it's taken me about 3 years of having over 300,000 followers on Pinterest to get it as my #1 source of traffic. Overall if you're creating great, helpful content that people will be interested in, with quality images, you'll get there.