This year was Chelsea Flower Show’s centenary, and what a show. I’m incredibly lucky to be able to attend, and I have to thank Heather from Indian Ocean for allowing me to use her very rare Press Day tickets – it’s a complete honor to attend the day before the public view the Chelsea Show, and also the most exciting…this is down to so much amazing talent and the sheer turnout of complete legends. It’s celebrity land, you literally cannot move without bumping into them, so I took full advantage while viewing the stunning gardens and snapped away – please note, I did not stalk David Gandy, he was merely in the way of my camera while I shot one of the gardens…no really! (If not familiar with the impossibly handsome DG, please Google his name…you’ll be in for a lovely surprise)…

We tried to have a quick shot with Davina, but she was having none of it and ran away from me, as did a few others…I’d make a hopeless papparazzi!

Anyway, I’m sure you’d like a little inspiration for your own gardens or outdoor spaces, there’s so much talent at Chelsea Flower Show, I just wish I could afford my garden to look like some of these amazing designs…

I was looking out for gorgeous blooms from Blackmore and Langdons in the pavillion; they’re friends of my parent’s friends and they came to our wedding, sadly I couldn’t find them, but I did find some fabulous Alliums (featured heavily at my wedding)

Indian Ocean’s stand was opposite the beautiful First Touch Charity Garden, they had the best ambassadors Ortis Deley and Chris Jarvis who were there supporting such an amazing charity for premature babies – A friend of mine had her little girl at St Georges in the premature baby unit at First Touch, she was there for 5 months and they performed miracles for her – amazing charity, please check it out.

Indian Ocean’s stand was stunning as ever – they do beautiful outdoor furniture and they’re the reason I decided to start my own business, sometimes I feel like someone is spoiling me somewhere!

The best bit had to be bumping into so many friends, namely Emily, Johnathan, Lisa, Danners, Clare and Rhoda - I was a bit late for school pick-up after all our funny chats.

And of course, Chelsea Flower Show wouldn’t be complete without a Chelsea Pensioner mention – don’ t they look smart…..

So it’s nearly that time of the year again – June madness ensues and one of my favourite events is about to happen. I am of course talking about the fab blogging event CYBHER on the 1st June. Founded by the inspiration that is Sian To, Cybher is the chance to inspire, improve and celebrate all that is blogging.

I’m helping along with others and am incredibly excited to be part of this event – it’s the perfect place to network with experienced and new bloggers, swapping and sharing experiences, learning and creating and finally meeting lovely new friends … I’m also very much looking forward to a few cheeky after-show cocktails, sponsored by Collective Bias…neurofen at the ready for the morning after!!

If you’re going, please please say ‘hi’, I’ll be the one looking confused, being bossed around by preggers Claire,  filling goodie bags and chatting with the Mollie Makes and Home Barn teams – ooh, and if you’re feeling creative, why not try your hand at designing them, you need to be quick though as the deadline is midnight 20th May (nothing like a little notice beforehand) – visit the Cybher Blog and download the template.

Lots of love to you and thank you for still following me even though I’m not the most consistent blogger…it’s been busy again xx

It all started with a prayer. Literally. We had a school service at our church for Epiphany, and my eldest is a worship leader (!) – so each worship leader was asked what they’d like to pray for – first child mentioned saving the poor, sick and dying, a second wanted to save nearly extinct animals…my child? Oh, well she prayed to go to Disneyland! Let’s just say God was on her side on this occasion.

So the enormously expensive tickets for both Eurostar and the Disney Hotel New York were bought, during the Easter hols and with friends thankfully, as the idea of three days in Disney alone scared us. My husband needed his bromance with him as backup – so off we went with hope in our hearts, and slight fear of the unknown and unreal.

The journey there was made bearable due to a quiet train and an edible breakfast, we also left mid-week which helped I think. Oh and the weather was still cold, which in hindsight was great for the ques. We arrived about midday, dropped our bags at the hotel, which I have to say needed a bit of an update (apparently the cheaper hotels are in much better nick), and made our way down.

Our first ride was in the Walt Disney Studios bit. We accidentally went on the Tower of Terror. We quickly went to the Park after that. Dumbo and It’s A Small World didn’t really cut the mustard after that experience, and my 4 year old quickly became an adrenalin junkie so we were on Thunder Mountain in no time holding on for dear life. Quite liked it actually.

I know a couple of people who are going this year, and these are my top tips:

- Go mid-week, we quickly learned at the Weekend it’s a whole less pleasurable, especially when it’s sunny – rain keeps the crowds away and the popular ride que times were much shorter

- Essentials have to be snacks, plasters and wipes – midday winging, falling off the last step of the Dumbo ride and spilled sauce were taken care of by these. I was the one who needed the plasters by the way. Still have the graze from that little fall

- If you have girls, book the princess dinner before arrival. We were sure this wasn’t going to be yet another Disney expense we were going to fall for. We fell for it. It was fab and all our girls met Cinderella and her mice, Belle and her incredibly camp Beast and Aurora – the princesses were absolutely lovely and our girls were spell bound. The meal itself was actually really good, and clearly our boys were kept sweet by the view!

- The light show was incredible, but make sure you turn up 30 minutes beforehand, same goes for the parade. We saw that twice though, second time by mistake and we walked with it which was so much fun

- Fast Track tickets are well worth the investment. We were incredibly lucky and this lovely chap with his son gave us his for free. If we’d known how brilliant they were, we would have also invested in this for a full day

- Take a pad and pen for character autographs. It seemed so ridiculous before we did it, but then it became quite a fun game spotting them!

All in all it’s magical and fun – sharing the experience with friends is brilliant, we shall always have these memories together which is priceless..

Rebecca Minkoff Fall Collection 2013

Feb’s been a funny old month, namely due to the crazy amount of work which has seen some fantastic opportunities over the last few weeks – one of which I must mention here because it’s just a little too fabulous.

I was recently invited to New York, to meet with a few people and attend New York Fashion Week. Most of the shows are held at the Lincoln Centre, but we were here for just the one, Rebecca Minkoff.

We were treated to a few live sets from the band Wild Cub, while models worked the catwalk. Strangely the front row were in the middle, so the models had to do a circuit around them, I thought this was a bit odd as it looked a little like an incredibly stylish version of ‘musical chairs’!

The set was almost identical to London Fashion Week, minus the crazily dressed – I noted New York style was far less ‘out-there’, more classic in their style. And the collection was stunning, very structured and hugely glamorous, Rebecca does not skimp on the glamour. I loved the coat featured in the headline image – just stunning.

A snowy NYFW

I’m very lucky sometimes, I was with fantastic company and it all seems a little like a distant dream –  I so heart NY x

It’s that lovely time of the year, while the snow softly drifts across the UK, wrapping up warm, making excuses that because it’s cold outside one must fatten up with hot chocolate, hearty roasts, soups and other gorgeous and naughty things (clearly I speak for myself here…I’ve been running though to burn off said indulgences…yes, even in the snow…*smug face*), but there’s another less known little happening at the moment for those in the know for all things interior and lifestyle – home exhibitions which I thought I’d share.

The easiest one for me to attend is Top Drawer at Earls Court, (a lovely show for gift shop and lifestyle store owners), this has a joining show called Home where I spent most of my time. There were beautiful brands I haven’t noticed before (apologies), but thought I’d offer a little shout here on my blog because they really pulled at my heart strings…or purse strings more like!

I’m delighted to introduce a little known British brand Betty & Walter – you may have seen this fab little collection over the festive season in Boots, inspired by Lisa Levis‘ Great Aunty Betty and Uncle Walter – her fab retro inspired prints are featured on her bags, accessories and textiles. Keep your eye out for Betty & Walter, I have a good feeling about this one…

Tory Murphy creates beautiful British designed & made and STUNNING woven textiles…some of which I will definitely be buying for my next home project (the bedroom) – the team are brilliant fun and I wanted to stay on their stand all day talking interiors, however, school pick-up beckoned!

I love ceramics, I love retro, I love anything with a mushroom on it – so I was delighted to stumble across (thankfully not into) Sarah Heaton’s British Made ceramics – her latest designs feature a simple 60′s inspired design called Toadstool Blooms, so pretty…

And finally, who loves stationary?….me…me…MEEEEEEEEEE!!!! And I LOVE Archie Grand note books – namely the crazy colourful notebooks, of which I use every day…and he had the most bonkers stand at Top Drawer – Archie was there cutting his books with a chainsaw…I love that kind of behaviour – nuts for no reason! I already own BLOGGERS I MET AND LIKED, SHOPAHOLICS I MET AND LIKED, FAUX PAS I MADE AND LIKED and JOURNALISTS I MET AND LIKED, the list goes on. Well worth a visit for that stationary fix!

I’d also like to attend Maison & Objet, Paris one season, (childcare permitting), everyone who visits this show always have something amazing to report back, especially the trends – this week also sees Interiors UK – Kate Watson-Smyth of Mad About The House, Katie Treggiden from Confessions of a Design Geek and Will of Bright Bazaar will be part of a seminar all about interior blogging on Tuesday 22nd Jan at 3.30pm – being slightly busy recently has meant I missed this completely and hope that there will be some sort of Live Streaming…I really really hope so, as these are the cream of interior blogging x

I’m writing this the day after a completely over-indulgent Christmas Jumper Party – I was dressed as a furry, lit-up fool…I stop there about the party, I have family reading this post!!

So Christmas wrapping….don’t you just LOVE it? No? I do – some see it a chore, and I can see why – it’s just another task on top of all the other Festive Madness we endure at this time of year. But for some reason  I immerse into some sort of creative trance when I do mine. I need to be in the ‘Wrapping-Zone’, which means there needs to be some sort of last-minute pressure, coupled with some inspiration.

I’m inspired daily with my work and other amazing lifestyle bloggers, (my friend Caroline Davis with her blog Trend Daily for one), I decided to make more of an effort than usual this year, and so popped out to Hobby Craft for some stamps, ink and labels, then to V V Rouleaux for some gorgeous Stag Head ribbons…the Post Office for some brown craft paper and string…although I did look for some white originally but couldn’t find any. I also raided some old Christmas pot pouri for dried oranges, cinnamon sticks, berries and bay leaves, and snipped off some branches from our Christmas Tree, et voila – home made wrapping with a spicey aroma.

Happy Christmas everyone – I really hope you have an amazing time and that 2013 is the best year yet for you. Apologies to friends and family reading this and for not sending any cards again this year…some things never change…

We all need to make time for our friends, they’re so important and I love mine to pieces. Which is why I was so pleased we had our little jewellery gathering at a friend’s house the other day. I walked away from this little party with a few fab Christmas gifts for my family and a smile…happy festive days…

Emma Bag £395

I can’t help it, I seem to be on some sort of ‘Shoe/Bag-Roll’, but because it’s rather cold and slightly grey and dark I thought, you know what, its time for another shoe fix…

So off I trotted to the fabulous L K Bennett offices on Cavendish Square in London the other week for a wee nosey at all their lovely new Spring Summer 2013 styles.

I was impressed, not just by the amazing lady who cut my profile with a teeny pair of scissors and some black paper, (not sure what this is called, but it’s flippin impressive…actually what is it called when someone stands at the side of you and cuts your profile? Answers in my comments box please), but for the STUNNING shoes for our forthcoming season – 2013 sees us utterly spoilt for choice for gorgeous footwear – wave bye bye to silly porn heels, say hello to true, chic shoe style – yes my friends, FINALLY its time to walk into a shoe shop and depart without tottering like some shameless elderly drunk WAG down some dodgy Cobbled Street….in the dark…wearing sunglasses…you get the picture! Feast your eyes on these beauties from the L.K.Bennett SS13 Collection…YUMMMMMYYYY:

Have I ever told you how much I love Manolo Blahnik shoes? No? Well maybe this may explain why:

Some may think the above is a large collection of Manolo Blahniks, it is, but not as vast as others- my addiction is timid in comparison. I adore Manolo Blahnik’s shoes, he’s a genius and a well connected one at that. So I was absolutely delighted to hear Manolo Blahnik CBE received the Outstanding Achievement Award at this year’s British Fashion Awards. This special award celebrates and recognises one designer, who throughout their career, has made an impact on the global fashion industry.

With a career spanning almost 40 years, Manolo Blahnik is one of the world’s most influential footwear designers and has been British Fashion Awards Accessory Designer of the Year three times in 1990, 1999 and 2003. He completely deserves this award and on behalf of others who have the same love/addiction for his designs, may I raise a glass and salute this great man….CHEERS…

I’ve been helping a lovely girl Carmen, with an illustration for her new business Ruby Rhubarb – she hand makes these fab hugs, (a genius idea, as they’re scarves that actually stay on and keep little necks warm) – which are absolutely adorable, along with lots of other lovely pieces for children –  visit her website to see all her lovely latest pieces or ‘Like’ her on Facebook x

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