These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things...

I am one of those people who get totally excited about the littlest things in life, and here are just a few:


1) When you wear flip flops for the first time in the year. This gets me all excited about summer but it makes me start spending a small fortune on summer clothes and shoes. Is it worrying I now have around 30 pairs of flip flops?! I am coveting these gorgeous ones from Chanel but I don't think my student budget will allow for such beautiful ones...

However, I do love Accessorize for pretty detailed flip flops and Ripcurl for flip flops I can just lounge about in or heading down to the beach. I've had one pair for about 4 years now and they are still as good as ever.


2) Seeing the first swallows of the year. They are my favourite birds and I love knowing that summer is on its way when I see my first one of the year


3) Not really seasonal- but scrunching through the autumn leaves. I just can't resist seeing a big pile of undisturbed leaves and not jumping and kicking about in them. 


4) Open fires. Makes me think of Christmas and snuggling down for the winter months. Pure bliss

5) Clothes fresh from the tumble dryer- it's like your clothes giving you one big snuggly hug!

xo

Life

This week has been rather subdued due to a tragic accident involving a very young lad I knew from the village I come from. He unfortunately was killed in a quad biking accident this week. Everyone is devastated at this news as it really could not have happened to a nicer boy, my thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time, I cannot imagine what they are going through.


This tragedy has really hammered home the fact that life is incredibly short and that we should all live each day as if it were our last, because we really do not know when our last day will be upon us. Life is a thing that we all should cherish and not only our own lives, but of those around us and this image I feel really sums up how we should live our lives:

"This is your life. Do what you love. And do it often. If you don't like something, change it. If you don't like your job, quit. If you don't have enough time, stop watching TV. If you are looking for the love of your life, stop. They will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love. Stop over analysing. Life is simple. All emotions are beautiful. When you eat, appreciate every last bite. Open your mind, arms and heart to new things and people. We are united in our differences. Ask the next person you see what their passion is and share your inspiring dream with them. Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself. Some opportunities only come once, seize them. Life is about the people you meet and the things you create with them, so go out and start creating. Life is short. Live your dream and share your passion"


Life is short, people say it is the longest thing you will ever do, which, yes, is true. But I hope I can live mine to the full in order to appreciate this incredible gift I have been given. I just wish his gift hadn't been taken so soon.

R.I.P- you were taken too soon but you will be forever in our hearts. 

xo

Pray For Japan

I have been following all the news coverage on the tsunami and I cannot believe how much devastation has been caused by both the earthquake and tsunami. My thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been lost and the families torn apart by this natural disaster.

The number of those listed on the Red Cross' Missing Persons List grows every day and there are few green 'Alive' symbols next to the hundreds of names listed, I hope that this will change and families find out about their loved ones quickly. I can only imagine the feeling of the unknown. 


My prayers go out to you all at this difficult time.

xo  

Music, Sweet Music

Music is one of my greatest loves. It's the thing I turn to when I'm happy, sad, pretty much every mood I'm in. As I watch a lot of television shows from the US, I've discovered a lot of new bands and artists and  I always find these shows have some of the best 'soundtracks'- I frequently will go search an episode's playlist online and then either Spotify or YouTube the artist- it's such a great way to discover new music.

So here is my lost of favourite songs, a lot of which I have discovered in this way- some from well known artists and some lesser known, enjoy :)

Mmm- Laura Izibor

The Stoop- Little Jackie

Sunday Morning- Maroon 5

Pretty much anything by Stevie Wonder

Almost Honest- Josh Kelley

Manhattan From The Sky- Kate Voegele

Re: Stacks- Bon Iver

Bennie And The Jets- Elton John

Everything by The Fray

Undressed/ Collide/ Be There- Howie Day

To Make You Feel My Love- Adele

Free- Donavon Frankenreiter

A Paso De Tortuga- El Sueno De Morfeo

Claire De Lune- Claude Debussy

Put Your Records On- Corinne Bailey Rae

I'll Follow You Into The Dark- Death Cab For Cutie

In The Breeze- Jack McManus

Vegas- Sara Bareilles

You Make It Real- James Morrison and his acoustic version of MJ's Man In The Mirror

Set The Fire To The Third Bar- Snow Patrol

Leave The Pieces- The Wreckers

Live Like We're Dying- Kris Allen

Details In The Fabric- Jason Mraz

Hollywood- Michael Buble

Magic Carpet Ride- Steppenwolf

Maggie May- Rod Stewart

Waiting For The Kiss To End- Nick Fowler

Ain't Gonna Lose You/ Don't Forget/ Ain't No Reason- Brett Dennen

Your Song- Ellie Goulding

You Send Me- Aretha Franklin

Christmas Lights/ Fix You- Coldplay

Cold Hands (Warm Heart)- Brendan Benson

Reach Out- Take That

Come Home- One Republic

The Girl (Acoustic Version)- City And Colour

Dance So Good- Wakey!Wakey!

Many Of Horror- Biffy Clyro

Anything by the Script

Homebird- Foy Vance

Man In The Mirror/ Black Or White- MJ

I've just realised what a long list this is but I love to share music with my friends. Most of these are little known, especially in the UK, but I love finding them, even more so when a few years later they are given the recognition they deserve.

xo

Pancake Day!

This is probably my most favourite day of the year barring Christmas Day. It completely brings out the excitable child in me; I can remember watching my mother making pancakes when I was little and how it was like she was performing some kind of magic trick every time she flipped a pancake. I guess that's why I fell in love with this day; it meant spending some fun time with my family- something we don't get to do a lot now what with me being and University and my parents working. Pancake day is one of those days that sort of brings us all together- much like Christmas and birthdays.

Since I will not be at home, my friends and I will be celebrating this day together by throwing a 'Pancake Party a.k.a.- everyone eats an insane amount of pancakes until we can do no more except roll to the sofa and spend the evening curled up watching movies. 

Pancake day is also the time where I really start to realise that Spring is on it's way. Today (well most of it!) has been a beautifully sunny day with barely a cloud in the sky. Little daffodils are popping up all over campus, the trees are starting to look a little less bare with buds sprouting from their branches and it's now no longer dark at 5pm and I must say- that is something I will not miss! 

Spring is probably one of my favourite seasons for the simple reason; blossom. Lucky for me there seem to be several trees of my favourite stuff near to University. I just love the delicate little flowers that fall with the slightest breath of wind- just gorgeous.

 

xo

Italy and the World

Italy is a place I have always wanted to visit, more so now since I am currently reading Eat Pray Love. I'm only on the first part of the book but it has made me want to visit Italy even more than I already do. Unfortunately being a student, such ideas have to be put in a closet somewhere for some time later in my life since I'm sure that the debt I am racking up at university will unfortunately postpone any plans I have.

However, one day, I WILL visit Italy. There's something about the place, the language, the food, the culture that just seems so beautiful and so romantic. I dream of just upping and leaving grey England and travelling to Italy, mainly to eat, Italian food is my favourite.


And now I think about Italy, it's got me dreaming of other places I really would love to visit; Borneo to work with the orangutans, India, Japan, New Zealand, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Peru, Brazil, St. Lucia, Mexico, Canada. The world is such a big place and I feel so uncultured having seen barely any of it, the world is such a beautifully large place and one day I vow to see it all.

xo

Tents and Teepees

I have recently just watched 'The Holiday' again, one of my favourite films and one of the images I love from the film is this one:

I would love to have a "tent" like this one in my future house, somewhere where i can curl up with a good book and tea. It reminds me of my childhood when my mother used to make a tent for my sister and I out of a clothes dryer, sheets and pillows.

Here are some of the ones I have found:

xo