Flower Therapy

So, my not posting for a week has turned accidently into not posting for a good 4 months.. Oops. I feel sad that I have neglected my tiny corner of the internet! Here's to hoping (but not promising) that I am now back. Not going to lie, lockdown had me feeling really unmotivated and not sure about what to post on here. Let's hope this is the end of that. She's back! 

One experience that I wanted to document here on my blog, was one that involved the spring sun and picking tulips. Who doesn't see photos of the tulip fields in Holland and swoon over their beauty?! After seeing an email come through from the farm which we visited back in the autumn to pick pumpkins, about the fields of tulips that they had planted for visitors to pick, I quickly jumped onto their website and booked 2 tickets for Sam and I to go.

We were so lucky with the weather. It had been raining all week and wasn't looking promising the morning of. Just as we left, the sun came out and stayed out the whole time we were there. Of course, this wasn't quite on the same scale or level of the Holland tulip fields, but it was more than good enough for me. Something felt so refreshing being under the spring sun, surrounded by fields of cows, and casually strolling between rows of beautiful flowers. 

It was a Sunday morning well spent. Do you plan to go to any pick your owns?

Amber X

New Home Additions

Clear outs and re-arranging have been in full force this lockdown. With tidying and clearing out, comes room for new things. I wanted to add some new touches to certain corners and I found some lovely pieces that I cannot wait to make the most out of. 

Starting with these gorgeous tea light holders. I can remember having seen some floating around on Instagram before Christmas and not thinking too much about them. We visited a garden centre in the run up to Christmas and I saw some there and have never regretted not picking them up so much. Since then, I have searched high and low on the internet to try and track some down. When I finally found some that I liked, they were sold out. A couple of months on, and I have finally got some. The >small< houses were £2.50!!! What a bargain. The >larger< being only £4, I just couldn't say no. Thank you Wilko for fulfilling my need for ceramic house tea light holders. 

Another addition have been these cute little bunny tails. I seem to have a love for dried flowers and pampas grass after having seen pretty vases filled with the most beautiful arrangements. But until I have my own house and space for such vases, I opted for something slightly smaller. The wine bottle vase is only temporary, until I find a vase that I like, or, I was thinking of potentially purchasing some spray paint that has a pebble or stone effect and covering the bottle. I am yet to decide. Don't you worry - the glue on the bottle annoys me as much as it does you. I found >these< beauties on Etsy. They came super quickly and were packaged beautifully. I was a little worried that they may have turned up bent or broken, but I was very happy that they arrived just as I had imagined. 

The frame with the dried flowers in, I created myself last year. I thought it made a lovely addition next to the two new pieces. I'm sure I'll forever be switching up how this looks, but I am happy with it for now.

Have you brought any new decorative pieces for your home? Are you a pampas grass lover too?

Amber X

Winter Styling Edit

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you'll know that I'm not great when it comes to buying clothes. I'm never one to quickly add an item to my basket or to walk into a shop, find something and go straight to pay. I always end up deliberating over whether I will actually get wear out of the item, and if it will go with the very few clothing pieces that I have in my wardrobe. Yes, I am a nightmare when it comes to buying new clothes haha. Dressing for Winter is definitely my favourite if I had to choose between all seasons. Give me some pointy boots, an oversized jumper and a pair of jeans, and I'm ready for the day. There have been a few items of clothing that I have been loving and I cannot wait to wear them out and about when the time comes.

>This< jumper has been one of my favourite buys. I have been trying to add a couple more knitted jumpers to my wardrobe as they are a piece that goes with everything.. Jeans, work trousers. skirts, and leggings. The quality itself is lovely and it goes so nicely with a thick scarf, on a cold day. The cable knit design always makes a jumper look super cosy and this one is no exception. It's also currently discounted!

I have wanted a pair of leather look leggings for a while, but couldn't seem to find any with a quality that would last. I used to have a pair of leather look jeans from Topshop, but can remember putting them in the wash and the waxed, leather look, just disappeared. I ordered from BecauseOfAlice when Alice first launched collection number 1 and fell in love with the light wash mom jeans. She released >these< leather look leggings and my dreams were finally answered. They're not flimsy in their fabric and don't cling to the legs. They fit just right and the high rise design is beautiful. 

Lastly, the most incredible pair of biker boots you have ever seen. Boots are a love of mine, and >this< pair are just beautiful. Another item that I think will be so versatile - they could be worn with my pair of leather leggings, jeans, skirts, and dresses.. I cannot wait to be able to wear these out properly!

What fashion pieces have you been loving lately?

Amber X

The Christmas Bedding Edit

Seeing as a lot of our usual festivities may be cancelled this year, or have already been cancelled, I have been thinking of ways to bring the Christmas joy, home. I love decorating my home surroundings as much as the next person. Nothing makes me happier than throwing Christmas at every shelf, bed frame, or banister that I see. There is something so magical and special about seeing the twinkling of lights and the glittering of festive additions. One way that I personally love to bring a splash of Christmas, is with Christmas bedding. There are so many different places that have some gorgeous pillow and duvet cases available at the moment, that I just had to share them. I feel there are options for everyone - whether you want subtlety or full on garish Christmas goodness. 

M&S

A personal favourite of mine to look for Christmas bedding. There are some really beautiful options which I have been so tempted by. I love the simplicity with this >one<. It would be such a nice way to get a bit of colour into the bedroom during the festive season. I have recently brought the PJ's for Sam of >this< print, and he bought me the same matching ones for my birthday. Part of me wants this bedding to go with them.. It's just so cute! >One< for all the plant lovers out there. This could be used easily all year around in my opinion. Love the foliage. 

H&M

H&M home have some really gorgeous things, I am sure that a lot of you will agree with me here. I have had my eye on the little acorn fitted sheet, but it has been out of stock. Although, they have >this< foliage and berries fitted sheet that would be great for getting in the Christmas spirit. Flannel brings a traditional feel to decorating for Christmas, and >this< red flannel duvet set would be a perfect addition to the bedroom if your festive decoration choices are more of the traditional kind.

Zara Home

>This< pine tree print duvet set is right up my street, plus the colour is just gorgeous. You'd definitely be feeling in the Christmas mood with this set on, and a pine scented candle burning on the bed side table - heaven. I recently purchased a tartan print fleecey throw, and >this< Christmas themed one is so gorgeous too. These are great for making your bed look more festive if you want more subtlety. They also great for snuggling up on the sofa with..

John Lewis

Another >one< if you're a fan of the festive subtlety. The gorgeous trees and individuals on their Christmas walk is similar to the one photographed above which was from M&S back in 2018. I am a massive fan. >This< cute penguin set would be perfect for the little ones.

There are so many other options to choose from - why not try Etsy, Asda, or Amazon? The list goes on.

Which bedding set is your favourite? Will you be treating yourself to any festive bedding this year?

Amber X

Turning 24

Friday just gone, was my 24th birthday. Never would I have thought that another national lockdown would have been announced and put into place the day before my birthday, but hey it's 2020. We never know what is around the corner, do we? Nethertheless, having a chilled and relaxing day at home was just what I needed. Every year I always like to get something planned in to celebrate, and although this year was the complete opposite, I thoroughly enjoyed it for that reason. Don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to seeing the whole family and my close friends, but if there is anything that this lockdown birthday has made me, is grateful. 

Grateful for who I do have in my life and grateful that I was lucky enough to spend my birthday with those very same people. Here's to 24 years. May this be the year that a dog is potentially on the cards, and that things go back to normal, whatever our new normal may be.

Have you had a lockdown birthday? How did you celebrate?

Amber X

Autumnal Spiced Biscuits

Doing a little autumnal bake is something that I have always wanted to do, but never got around to it. After all of the rainy day weekends, I thought it the perfect time to whip out the cookie cutters and make something that pairs gorgeously with a cup of tea. After a little Amazon search, we found >these< cute autumn themed cutters. I thought they were so sweet! Pumpkins, leaves, acorns, a hedgehog, an owl, and a fox amongst other things. These biscuits were lovely, but didn't last long enough.  I found the recipe >here<. 

What you will need:

140g butter

60g caster sugar

190g plain flour

1tsp cinnamon

1tsp mixed spice (we used a bit of ginger and nutmeg)

1. Mix the soft butter with caster sugar until you have a smooth paste. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees.

2. Sprinkle in the flour, cinnamon, and other spices. Stir until you have crumbs.

3. Next, work with your hands until you have a dough.

4. Roll out onto a floured service, about 1cm thick, and then cut with your cookie cutters.

5. Place on a baking tray and sprinkle with a little more sugar.

6. Bake for 15 minutes or until nice and golden.

7. Enjoy!

What a perfect rainy day treat and a super simple recipe to follow with minimal ingredients. Stick on a cosy film or tv series that you're enjoying. Light all the candles, and enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee.

What have you been baking recently? 

Amber X