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  • SIMPLE WAYS TO GET INSPIRED & MOTIVATED WHEN YOU HAVE A BLOCK: MAKING ‘SPACE’ FOR INSPIRATION, CREATIVITY & RE-ENERGISING

    SIMPLE WAYS TO GET INSPIRED & MOTIVATED WHEN YOU HAVE A BLOCK: MAKING ‘SPACE’ FOR INSPIRATION, CREATIVITY & RE-ENERGISING

    SIMPLE WAYS TO GET INSPIRED & MOTIVATED WHEN YOU HAVE A BLOCK

    Making Space For Inspiration, Creativity, & Re-Energising

    I’ve been talking quite a lot about creativity and productivity this last couple of weeks, what can I say it’s clearly a pertinent topic right now for me. One of the things I wanted to share is the things that help me get through a period of creative struggle, whether thats a lack of inspiration, limited time to create, no mental space to think about writing something worthwhile … or simply straight up lack of motivation.

    This doesn’t just apply to bloggers and instragammers, anyone working in a creative field will know these struggles well, but more than that it can impact everyone in any aspect of their life. A lack of inspiration of things to do, a lack of energy or motivation at work, no mental space to create positive habits in your daily life. It’s more than just a creative block, it’s a mental block, and one we all face every now and then in our lives.

    I for one hit the wall regularly, sometimes in a small way every few months, sometimes in a big way every few years. I’m learning fast that my energy and pace is built from adrenaline (this isn’t a good thing by the way), and so when I’m on a roll in life I am 150 miles per hour and I almost have an abundance of ideas, things I want to do, things to achieve … but when that stops, which inevitably it does, I am wiped. I have nothing more to give. I have drained all my energy, all my resources, my brain simply cannot and will not think.

    Creating ‘space’ in every sense of the word is one way of immediately shifting yourself back into the right lane. Whether it’s physical space to breathe and think or mental space through a break, rest or time out, space is often all we need in order to get inspired, get productive and get our energy back. I thought i’d share some ways I create space when I need to re-set, get my mojo back with my blog or creativity, or feel re-energised at work, in the short term, but also the long term too.

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    SIMLPE WAYS TO CREATE ‘SPACE’ (NOW & FOR THE FUTURE)

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    IMMEDIATE SPACE

    Walk, Talk, Switch

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    It’s really tough when you’re in a situation that you REALLY NEED to complete and deliver on, but you simply cannot muster the ideas, energy or brain space to get the job done. It’s like sitting at your computer waiting for inspiration to strike for your next blog post, but inevitably nothing happens. Or like needing a solution to a challenge at work, and no matter how many different things you suggest nothing quite ticks the box. Or needing to spring clean your home / finish that essay / write that strategy, but simply having no energy to tackle the task. These are all challenges which need immediate solutions, they need space ‘right now’ to be able to deal with the task in hand. They’re tasks that ‘taking up yoga’ won’t help with right now (don’t discount that though, we’ll come on to the benefits of taking up yoga later). They’re jobs you need to pull it together for right now. I get it … here’s three very simple, yet surprisingly affective things that DO HELP.

    TAKE A WALK

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    Stop, get up. Walk. Walk to the coffee machine, walk to the coffee shop, or walk for 10 minutes aimlessly. Clear your mind. You will be gobsmacked by the clarity simply stopping and walking will deliver for you. Not only does it give your brain something different to focus on, walking innately means you’ll ‘see’ different things, and those things in themselves often spark inspiration and ideas, it’s also just a great way of getting your body and mind moving again and renergising yourself. It is always quite astonishing how much a very short walk can do for your mind, mood and inspiration.

    TALK IT OUT

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    The second very simple solution is talking. Phone your mum, grab your collegue for a chat, or talk it out with your dog. Talking often helps clarify the challenge regardless of whether you get helpful advise back from the person on the other end of the conversation (less likely, if you went with the third option, your dog). During a week long training course I took on creativity a year or so ago, almost every creative challenge started with a walk and a talk … clarifying your thoughts, receiving feedback, and simply walking to channel your energy.

    You might be thinking ‘yeah, hows that going to actually help’, but give it a go before you can the idea, you might be surprised.

    SWITCH IT UP

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    The final thought, is to stop all together, admit temporary defeat and try something new. For example when I’m sat staring at my mac trying to think of words to fill a blog post with, but NOTHING is coming, i often decide to park that blog post for a while and before I know it an idea often sparks for another one instead (take today, I was trying to write an outfit post, couldn’t think of anything interesting, which sparked me to think about how to get inspiration when you don’t have it.). Same goes for most things, if it’s simply not working, then try something different.

    If you’re sat at work with no energy or motivation, with limited brain engagement to tackle whatever task you’re faced with. Switch it up, go and work somewhere different (and ideally walk and talk your way there). Close the computer, switch to paper. And if it’s truly ‘one of those days’, bring in some new brains for a minute, seek help, seek others ideas, seek guidance. Often it’s the getting started that’s the hardest thing, so having a little helping hand for that first step can really help create and trigger the chain of action you needed.

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    LONG TERM SPACE

    Mental & Physical Space

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    Some things need long term actions, and not just short term tips and tricks. Say, a proper mental block with no ideas for weeks. The feeling of wanting to give up or ‘i can’t do this’ needs more mental and physical space than an everyday task to overcome. Losing energy for your hobbies, the creativity that was once a release or the job you used to put so much into … these things need long term help. This help comes in two forms, mental and physical space. Hear me out:

    MAKE DEDICATED MENTAL SPACE

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    When we take on too much, or wear our energy supplies out (yep, I acknowledge it) over a period of time, we become drained physically in our bodies and mentally in our mind. I’ve been learning a lot about this in my traditional chinese medicine journey, because I for one have run my energy down to the point of exhaustion, and recovering this energy takes work, time and serious space. If our job is one that requires creativity, running out of energy is kinda a fundamental issue. If our job requires energy and motivation, running out of steam is kinda a fundamental issue. If our lives require productivity, inspiration and creativity (note, THEY DO) then having no fuel is kinda a fundamental issue. You get the gist, whatever your job, hobby, life, ambitions, you need energy, you need inspiration and you need mental space to ‘think’, ‘give’, ‘create’.

    All too often we run our resources down, and we need to create mental space to breathe again. It isn’t a short term fix, it’s a long term commitment to yourself, to give your body and mind the ‘space’ it needs to recover, re-energise, and re-fuel.

    People have tons of different ways of creating ‘space’ for themselves. Call it me time if you will. Here are a few very simple ways to dedicate regular time for yourself, for your recovery, for your energy: pilates, journaling, yoga, running (or any sport for that matter), meditation, reading, spa appointments / days / weekends, weekends away, time off work, holidays etc.

    More often than not we exhaust ourselves and then thoroughly need a proper break (a holiday) to recover. But what if we didn’t operate on a model of 150% all the time, and instead we made some ‘space’ in our day, our week, our life for regular self care and recovery. Not only would we not end up exhausted and unwell at the end of intensive periods, we’d also create the conditions / the space mentally to be creative, be inspired, be motivated and be productive on an ongoing basis. We’d give ourselves time to ‘top up’ our fuel more regularly, so that we have the energy to keep going longer, without a crash and burn at the end.

    I get this is bigger than going into nature to get inspired, and that’s the point, if you want to feel inspired, energised, creative, motivated, positive and not depleted constantly, then making regular time for ‘mental space’ is so incredibly important.  I’ve been working to make some changes lately, including working from home on a Friday (which has had the most incredibly positive impact on my sanity), signing up to weekly yoga and pilates (which I used to have to pull out of because work got busy, but now I won’t let anything stop me from going, it’s so important for me, my productivity and my energy to have this time) and finally regular time to have acupuncture each week with my TCM therapist. These relatively ‘small’ things, are already helping my brain space and energy tremendously, and in turn helping me feel more inspired to create content, to feel more energised to be creative for my instagram and blog, and generally feeling a whole lot less worn out too.

    CREATE AN INSPIRING PHYSICAL SPACE

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    The final thing is one that is especially important for those people who work for themselves, work in the creative field, or currently find it difficult to create the conditions to work, be calm, be inspired, be creative, be happy. It’s your physical space.

    The impact your physical surroundings has on your emotions and mental health isn’t one to underestimate. Therefore finding and / or creating a physical space that inspires you is hugely important. In the short term this might be a coffee shop that gives you good vibes (hello Coffeeology in Richmond right now), but for the longer term this is making the space you have (your home, your office, your employee office) a space you feel happy, energised and motivated by. The latter, your employees office, is of course a tad harder as you don’t have entire creative freedom, but even a little plant, your favourite coffee mug, and a few home comforts can transform a space. The former, your home and own office / working space / study, are spaces you have total control over, and the ability to make into the most relaxing, inspiring, creative, calming, energising place to be.

    Here’s a question for you, Do you pin pins on pinterest of homes / offices that are just your dream, yet they’re MILES away from what your home or office looks and feels like? Probably, right? If yes, why not have a proper think about what sort of space you want to live in, work in, be in, and take some ACTUAL time out to adapt your space to make it more suitable for you to thrive in.

    The same goes for your work space, whether that be in the home or outside your home if you’re lucky to have a separate office, you have the ability to create the vibe, inspiration and ‘feel’ you want here. I don’t have an office, but I have a desk space I use every now and then and even updating this to have more art work, more places to store inspiration, and a little touch up every now and then (new chair, new desk, a re-paint) can be all it takes to re-energise your physical space, and in turn your mental space, your creativity, your inspiration and of course your productivity as a result.

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    Finding yourself in a creative rut, lacking energy or enthusiasm to tackle a job, or feeling out of sorts with productivity is super normal. Too often we don’t give ourselves the right conditions to work and live in, to be inspired, to be creative and to re-fuel regularly.

    Innately ‘space’ to think and be is hugely important, whether it’s creating time for you to ‘self care’ or updating physical spaces to fuel your creativity the impact is tremendous.

    I’ve been feeling a little lacking in creativity lately, and being home one weekend with no plans for a few hours I decided to go down to the bottom of the garden and see my sisters studio which she created for herself and her business chickpea. I opened the door and to absolutely no one, shouted ‘wow’. I walked in, spun around, absorbed the space she’d spent the last few weeks transforming. I immediately ran back to the house grabbed my camera and computer, took a whole array of photos (in fact 4 / 5 different ‘scenes’) and started jotting down ideas for content. I spent around 2 hours in her shed studio, I felt so energised, and excited just from walking into this beautiful space she’d created, it jolted me from the depths of creative darkness, into an adrenaline fuelled state of inspiration. There are many spaces around us that will have the ability to do this to us, a museum, a beautiful country walk, a pilates studio, a trip to the seaside, a holiday, visiting someone else’s house, a store, even your own home with the right amount of love and care.

    When we need a jolt from ourselves and our own spaces, lean on others, make the most of the wonderful things at your disposal … and in the long run, work out a way to create your own space of inspiration in your home or office. A space that when you enter it, you feel excited, inspired, energised.

     

  • THE SHACKLES OF ‘MEANINGFUL’ CONTENT

    THE SHACKLES OF ‘MEANINGFUL’ CONTENT

    THE SHACKLES OF ‘MEANINGFUL’ CONTENT

    The Second Phase Of The Creative Rut

    Happy Sunday everyone. Todays post is exceptionally impromptu, so much so I’ve only just leaped out of bed to make a cup of tea, thought my bedsheets looked nice in their morning mess, so grabbed my camera and took a few photos, sat down to drink said tea and thought, hell i’ll write a blog post.

    After last weeks post all about my creative rut, it feels quite liberating to be able to shoot something and share it so instantaneously, without that overthinking that often goes into everything posted online or on instagram. It’s fair to say that often the creative rut extends beyond just posting something good on instagram, into feeling shackled by ‘posting something meaningful’ on the blog. Often the weight of producing something ‘useful’ deters me from sharing on here more often. What if I don’t have anything useful to say, but just have a new outfit to share? Is that enough? Does that cut it these days? Will anyone want to read that?

    The truth of the matter is I have a whole back log of outfit posts to share with you, five from this year alone, let alone the ones I still haven’t shared but want to from seasons gone by, even years gone by (I have one of my favourite EVER set of photos from Morocco taken in 2017 which I’ve waited for the ‘perfect’ moment to share, and two years on they’re still sat their waiting – what a waste). But the shackles of getting all my content ready & saying something meaningful with it is actually quite mentally paralysing if you don’t have the ‘brain space’ to think.

    It’s a bizarre thing really, my creative blocks definitely come in two forms, firstly the not being able to shoot content I like (whether thats driven by time or a lack of inspiration) which I discussed in  my last post, but the second comes from the overwhelming challenge of creating ‘worthwhile content’ on the blog. Only exasperated by the time needed for whittling down any images and organising them into a blog post (sounds easy, takes AGES). I’m either stuck with no content, or too much to handle.

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    Currently i’m in the latter battle … I have so many posts waiting to be shared, so many pictures to organise and make something of, I keep putting off the task and when I do have some time to dedicate to it … I end up concerned whether I have anything meaningful to say, and so I put it off!

    Today I’m home alone, Jase is travelling back from a stag do later this evening, and I haven’t made any plans. I didn’t plan to write todays post, let alone take todays photos, but there’s something quite motivating and easy about ‘shooting and posting’ in real time … without too much time, overthinking and energy going into creating a post. Often the longer I wait and the more I think about it, the more paralysed I become.

    So today, with a day ahead to myself, I’m going to head to Nottinghill with my laptop, enjoy a nice brunch and then I’m going to sit and organise all the outfit posts into blog features … with the only remaining task to ‘write’ something to you all. Hopefully this ‘prep’ will loosen the shackles and get me in a good place to easily share all the outfits I’ve been meaning to, in the week ahead.

    As for the ‘meaningful content’ to sit alongside my outfit visuals, what do you think? Is just some musings about my day enough for you guys? 

  • WHERE TO STAY IN DENVER, COLORADO: THE RAMBLE HOTEL

    WHERE TO STAY IN DENVER, COLORADO: THE RAMBLE HOTEL

    WHERE TO STAY IN DENVER, COLORADO

    The Ramble Hotel, River North Art District

    It’s fair to say i’m a rather fussy traveller and I spend an awful lot of time researching the hotels or accommodation I choose to stay in. I am always seeking the best I can afford, and it’s really important to me that my hotel / accommodation is not only comfortable and a safe place, but also something that inspires me and feels like a treat. To me travel is a luxury and I want the place I am staying to be just as special as the destination I am exploring. I know not everyone thinks this way, and some people see their hotel as a base for simply sleeping, but for me I want to enjoy where I stay and It’s always something I’ll invest my money into.

    And that’s not just when I am travelling for pleasure, but also when I am travelling for work. The cost of big corporate hotels are madness and they lack the charm, cosiness and luxe of a boutique that often costs the same if not less, so I tend to always avoid the mainstream hotels and do a lot of research to find smaller boutiques that offer something far more special.

    My stay at The Ramble Hotel was part of a work trip to Denver, a place I had never been before and somewhere I’d be for the best part of a week. I wanted somewhere I felt safe,  comfortable and that would be as per my standard of travel / home living: when travelling for work, especially on my own for work, where I stay is really important to me for those reasons. Naturally the corporate hotels were horrendous, expensive, lacked comfort, style and any inspiration, so I decided to take on the search myself and look for somewhere I would be happy to spend a week.

    I did an awful lot of research on this trip, especially because It was my first time visiting Colorado, so the city of Denver was entirely new to me and of course I was travelling with work so wanted to feel comfortable being away from home, and in all my research I kept coming back to The Ramble. The decor was 100% my interior style, the location was in an up and coming part of town (RiNo) and the art district which felt like a good base to spend evenings (another really important factor when travelling with work: the last thing you want is to be stuck eating in your hotel every evening or not leaving your room because you’re not near anywhere, let alone be stuck in a shit hotel) and finally I managed to get a good rate for quality of the hotel (it wasn’t cheap, c. $300 a night, but definitely worth it and comparable with the corporate chains) – I highly recommend always doing your research in incognito mode and doing a few checks on price over the course of the week, as the prices change so much throughout the day, throughout the week, and based on your volume of searches.

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    THE (KING) ROOM

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    Needless to say my research paid off, it hasn’t let me down yet. The hotel was beautiful, in a great location with tons of restaurants to choose from just on the doorstep, and the room was everything I hoped for and more.

    Wood panelled walls painted a stunning dark farrow and ball esque blue, crittall windows with views over the local area, dark velvet headboards, marble bathroom and all the touches that made this feel like your dream bedroom decor versus a hotel room. The latter point is what differentiates a good hotel and a bad hotel in my eyes, this felt like my dream bedroom and not a temporary hotel base.

    The best thing about the hotel room was the morning light, the warm glow of the sun rising snuck through my curtains every morning and made waking up such a delight – never something I would usually say. I fortunately settled right into Colorado time (perhaps because I was in NYC only a week or so before), and so my jet lag wasn’t too bad but was enough to ensure i enjoyed the 630am sunrises. The room came to life at this time, and I couldn’t help but jump out of bed and take photos every morning.

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    THE HOTEL

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    The nature of travelling with work is that we spent quite a bit of time in our hotel when we weren’t at the office; on the weekend we arrived (flight prices meant it was better for us to travel on the weekend, giving us a little time to settle in and get to know the area too), evenings post a day of meetings and we enjoyed breakfast in the hotel every morning and ate in the hotels restaurant next door Super Mega Bien. The hotel was also close to some fab restaurants, we loved Cart & Driver (the best pizza i’ve ever had) and The Populist, you can read more on those here.

    As we were travelling in the peak summer, we also got the chance to make the most of the beautiful roof terrace in the evenings and the weekend, and my friend Anna (who I was travelling with for work) and I often met here for an Aperol and a bit of time to read our book and unwind post work, before getting ready for dinner. I really loved the outside space here, and made such good use of it, it’s the perfect evening sun trap and ideal space to chill out when we had time.

    The hotel also has a fab bar ‘Death & Co’ which is open to the public in the evenings, which we popped down for a cocktail a few times, but mostly we enjoyed the main lobby area in the mornings for our daily breakfast and coffee. The light in the morning was just magical in this space (the hotel architects have done a great job capitalising on morning, day and evening light in the space), the breakfast was also delicious and a great diverse menu – although most mornings I opted for the Huevos Rancheros (cornbread, anasazi bean, hatch chili verde) or avo on toast, with an oat milk iced coffee. Most mornings were quiet and a really chilled start to our day, but often started to fill out with people coming to work from the space as we left for work. It seemed to be a real hot spot for local freelance workers to make base, which again made me love it all that much more as it reminded me of the likes of Soho House and felt like a creative hub.

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    READ MY DENVER TRAVEL GUIDE HERE

    Overall I couldn’t recommend The Ramble more, I absolutely loved my stay there and couldn’t speak more highly about the hotel, the interiors and my experience at the hotel. Yes it is on the toppy end at around $300 a night (exc breakfast), but it really is worth it if you too are incredibly fussy about where you stay and really like to stay in a hotel that is both aesthetically inspiring but also very homely and comfortable.

    I hadn’t ever thought about a trip to Colorado or Denver before this work trip came up, but I absolutely loved my visit and actually would really recommending adding Denver to your US road trip or travel bucket list. Many people are making the move from the fast pace of NYC to places like Denver because of the outdoorsy nature of the city and the work life balance it offers. In the short time we were there, I certainly saw the appeal.

  • INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY: THREE PRACTICAL THINGS YOU CAN DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE & CLOSE THE CONFIDENCE GAP

    INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY: THREE PRACTICAL THINGS YOU CAN DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE & CLOSE THE CONFIDENCE GAP

    INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY

    Three Practical Things You Can Do To Make A Difference & Close The Confidence Gap

    I can’t believe it’s a whole year since I shared my last international women’s day post, all about closing the confidence gap, at the time of writing that post confidence was a really important topic for me as I was in a situation (I had been short listed as a Women of Tomorrow by the IPA) where I could see how my confidence has held me back from going forward for industry recognition and how still there was a huge element of self doubt within me, despite knowing I had achieved so much.

    The confidence gap is still a huge issue for women, even the most extrovert, senior and seemingly confident of us can suffer moments of self doubt, low esteem or just anxiety around situations, perhaps feeling we’re not good enough. Women at every level in industry can and does admit to moments like this, but rather than share more moments that I know you’ll relate to, I wanted to share some tips instead.

    Some tips about how YOU can make a difference on international women’s day, tips to help you close your own confidence gap, and importantly tips to help you help & raise  others up around you and get rid of the confidence gap all together.

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    THREE PRACTICAL THINGS YOU CAN DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

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    BE EMPATHETIC TO FEAR

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    Firstly, be conscious of the confidence gap, how you are feeling or how those around you are feeling, but don’t let it stop you. Accept it, soothe it and find a way to overcome it in whatever situation you’re faced with. We all have a chimp on our shoulder, and sometimes that chimp is all about why you can’t, shouldn’t or won’t be able to do something … have a quiet word with yourself, often that’s all you need to take a deep breath and that first step forward. Within your workplace be aware and empathetic to those around you, and whilst on the surface things might seem a-okay, be aware of and support those who you know may need some encouragement or help to face a challenge.

    Feeling nervous, anxious or slightly out of your depth isn’t bad, it’s about how you help yourself and those around you overcome those feelings that really matter.

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    EMBRACE FEEDBACK

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    We’re a bit afraid of feedback in the UK, but at the heart of companies like Facebook and Google is non stop feedback, post every meeting, post every piece of work delivered or presented, and on a regular and ongoing basis they issue feedback. It’s a culture we too have tried to embrace within my work and having spent a week on ‘upping your elvis’ creative training one of the key areas of focus is on feedback. And I don’t just mean ‘you were great’, I mean constructive feedback (positive and constructive to help you / people around you be their best): ‘I really felt you took control of the room and garnered attention when you stood up to speak’, ‘you delivered the piece around tech evolution so articulately, everyone seemed to be on the journey with you’ and I also don’t just mean positive, it’s really important to make constructive feedback more ‘normal’. Delivering constructive feedback must be done with empathy and with the single goal of helping the person improve in whatever way, for example ‘I think next time, you could take a moment to pause between each of your key points to make sure they really land’, ‘One of your presentation slides could be streamed back as there’s a lot to take in during that section’ … it should be specific and focussed.

    The point of this though, is to help yourself and those around you be the best they possibly can be, to help boost their confidence as they know where they’re delivering great and where they can improve, and to generally help raise everyone up.

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    RAISE THOSE AROUND YOU UP

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    One of the most motivating, self esteem boosting and overall joyful things to receive is praise. Often we can become so focussed on our own journey we can forget to raise those around us up … if we want to celebrate women we must raise them up with us (and men for that matter too). We should be sharing praise to those who deserve it and letting their line management know how well they delivered, we should be putting people forward for opportunities that provide a step up, some exposure or just a great opportunity to learn, we should be bringing people in and sharing the limelight for a when a project has been delivered together. There is absolutely nothing in raising people up with you, that will negatively impact your journey.

    The more we do it, the more it’ll happen, and whether your a man or a woman, having the support of those around you is the ultimate way to tackle that confidence gap.

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    I’d love to know whether you found these tips helpful. International Women’s Day is all about celebrating the huge achievements we’ve all made in life (men too), but what’s important is that we don’t stop celebrating, supporting and raising those around us up outside of this day. Use today as a moment to reflect but also to set yourself some goals for how you are going to support yourself and those around you to achieve their goals and stop their chimp / confidence gap from holding them back moving forward.

  • FILM PHOTOGRAPHY: MY CAMERAS, FILM, PHOTOS AND TIPS FOR SHOOTING FILM

    FILM PHOTOGRAPHY: MY CAMERAS, FILM, PHOTOS AND TIPS FOR SHOOTING FILM

    FILM PHOTOGRAPHY: MY CAMERAS, FILM, PHOTOS AND TIPS FOR SHOOTING FILM

    Embracing The Return & Beauty Of Analogue Photography

    I’ll admit that a few years ago I couldn’t appreciate the beauty of film photography, my obsession with sharp, perfectly lit and focused images turned me away from the raw, effortless, imperfect beauty of film photography. I loved my DSLR and would spend hours perfecting the shots I took to ensure there was nothing but clarity in my visuals. I still love that, and often spend too long worrying my photos aren’t totally sharp (it’s that ‘street style’ vibe that’s so hard to get totally in focus), but I have also come to utterly adore the just un-curated, effortless and totally ‘in the moment’ style of film photography.

    I’ve developed a rather bizarre obsession with Paris of late, and I think part of my discovery of film photography came from that lust for Paris. I found myself creating inspiration boards of Parisian street style, interiors, advertising footage, and simply Parisians own photography, there was something about the soft focus, the movement and rawness of these visuals that made me decided to try film photography myself.

    And so that I did …

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    THE CAMERA

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    I was lucky enough that both my dads and Jase’s dad had film cameras they were willing to lend, but also a love for photography too, which meant they had some ace cameras to get me going.

    The camera I’ve been using most is my dads old 35mm Canon EOS 650 film, the first of it’s kind (designed for EF auto focus lenses) and launched on Canons 50th anniversary (in 1987 the year before I was born) – so many of mine and my sisters childhood photos were shot on this film so I was so excited to give it another lease of life, plus I knew it produced incredible imagery partly due to it’s ability to take any EF lens, but also i’ve seen the shots my stepdad produced when we were kids so I knew it was amazing (plus I know he’ll have researched heavily before he even bought this camera in the 80’s so I know he’ll have got the best on the market). One of my absolute favourite things about this camera is that I’ve been using my own lenses on it, because it takes all EF lenses – these were all shot using my 50mm 1.4 which was great as that has become quite redundant since I bought the 50mm 1.2 which I use on my 5diii. That said my dad also had some fab lenses in his kit so I’ll be swapping those on to give them a try too, a 35mm and zoom lens, watch this space.

    The second camera I’m using is Jase’s dads 35mm Canon A1 (with 50mm 1.8 lens), yet another icon in their film range and one that is known still today to be such a good film camera. This one is a range finder and one I’m so excited to play with and learn a little more about. The beauty of range finder is that you simply can’t ‘mass shoot’ and rely on auto focus, there’s an art and beauty to capturing that ONE image, many say this is why Leica is so unique and special (I really want one of those too … but the £20k required for body and lens will be a while away yet). I haven’t had any of my shots developed yet from this camera, but I am excited to get using it more to see how the shots compare and come out.

    Finally I also had a Minolta (from my dad) which I was really excited to play with but sadly it was broken (a common issue from my research, age causes an issue with the ability to get the shutter lever working) and the reality of film is it’s not efficient to fix a camera like that, as you can probably pick up another second hand one for less. So sadly this ones left looking pretty rather than functional at home!

    –

    THE FILM

    –

    Film wise i’ve invested in the Kodak porta film, they come so highly recommended and are icons in the film world so I thought they’d be the right base to start with. What I hadn’t realised prior to playing with film is that your film is the basis of your ISO, so when you use a Porta400 (one of the films I have been using) you are effectively using a 400 ISO. This was a fascinating learning curve as I had no idea that’s how film worked, of course you also have to consider the sensor size of camera you’re using too as this also impacts the film size you need (mine are both 35mm). I’ve been using 35mm Porta160 and Porta400. I think the 160 was a little optimistic in the depths of winter but actually the photos haven’t come out too bad at all (my skiing photos and those at the natural history museum were largely on the 160 film), the Porta4oo seems to be ideal for UK weather and lighting.

    I shoot wide open at 1.8 which always helps with the lighting too, plus I just always love a strong depth of field in my visuals which I’m sure you know :)

    –

    DEVELOPING

    –

    When it came to developing I did a lot of research but actually high street photo stores are really all you need for everyday photos such as this. I used SnappySnaps as there was one in Richmond where I live and went for gloss 6×4 visuals and the photos on a CD. They’re c. £14.50 each per film to develop (with a two day turnaround), so not the cheapest when you consider the Porta film is around £12 per film too (I bought mine in a pack of 5 on amazon for around £50 ish pounds).

    A tip from my experience, ask if they can email you your visuals or pop them on a USB, I only realised when I got home that my mac book pro and Imac have no slots for CD’s anymore, Jase’s mac book pro doesn’t even have a USB slot. So to save yourself some time and hassle if you want to use your shots on a device, it’s worth asking if they can be sent in a zip file.

    So the final note to end on is my tips … 

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    MY FILM PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

    –

    I’m absolutely not a pro film photographer and am on a journey of learning myself, but based on what i’ve experienced so far my tips are quite simple:

    Firstly play around, you truly don’t know what you’re going to get until it’s developed so just play around, experiment, try out different lighting, compositions and settings, test the camera and try as much as possible, as it’s really the only way you’ll learn what works and importantly what you like.

    Second of all don’t be afraid to shoot more than one of the same image. As I started out I shot one photo every few days because I didn’t want to waste the film, my attitude to this has changed now and if anything I want to play with shooting whole outfits on one roll to get a mix and variety. The output is quite different to my usual photo style, but I’d love to mix that in and have a fresh creative take on my outfit pics. So yes, shoot multiple pics, perhaps tweaking settings / composition between your shots, if one doesn’t work, hopefully the other does.

    Thirdly don’t go out and invest tons in a film camera, I read a whole host of reviews and for a mad moment was thinking of buying an old Leica film. The reality is unless you truly know you love it and are investing in your film journey, you don’t need the best of the best. Ask family to see what they have, my friend even dug out her old college film camera for me to play with, look on ebay, and visit local photography shops as they’re always likely to have some old film cameras on sale and often they’re a mere £50-£100 depending on what you want. The other tip on this point is don’t go out and buy the camera you saw someone else using, I again started looking into what other instagrammers use when they shoot film and thought perhaps that’s what I should go for (as I love their visuals), and of course the camera will impact the visual you create (and if you like their style then you could of course give that same camera a go) but I personally wonder if the differences in the ‘camera’ itself is as pronounced as the differences you see in modern DSLR cameras and lenses. One to be debated as I don’t know. But the point is, it’s all about having fun and playing so don’t feel like there’s a ‘right’ camera for it – I really like how mine photos came out and i’ve seen no one else I follow use these cameras or talk about them. There isn’t ‘the one’ there’s many, so play around and don’t be swayed by the trend right now.

    Finally, embrace the art of learning something new. I hadn’t used a range finder or film camera before (well at least not recently), and I am so enjoying learning this skillset and broadening my photography experience. Half the art of film is going back to analogue, learning how to use your camera, mastering the art of balancing ISO, Aperture and shutter speed (read this post if you need some help). Film and old cameras force you to become knowledgable, and as someone who only shoots manual, I really love and respect that element of film.

    –

    I would love to know if you’ve enjoyed this post and the film photos? Would you be keen to see more film posts?

  • WHY IT’S TIME TO SPEND MORE TIME DOING WHAT YOU LOVE (AND HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN)

    WHY IT’S TIME TO SPEND MORE TIME DOING WHAT YOU LOVE (AND HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN)

    HOW TO SPEND MORE TIME DOING WHAT YOU LOVE

    And How To Work Out What It Is That Brings You Joy

    It’s funny, despite the intentions and resolutions, the reality is most new years you come back to the daily routine feeling a little over it. They say the new year brings fresh motivation, and that returning to work after the proper break leaves you feeling ready to get going again, but this year I couldn’t have felt further from that. If anything after the two week break I returned to work feeling like my time had been stolen from me and all the things I wanted to do could no longer be done.

    All the daylight hours gone, time to do things I wanted taken, mental space to engage in things I love reduced, if anything this return to work has made me really think about and realise the things I miss in my current ‘everyday life’. It’s shown me the hole in my ‘happiness bucket’. The good thing about this realisation is that I can really quite clearly see the things I want to be doing more of, the things that bring me happiness, fuel my passion, bring me excitement and give me joy outside of my job.

    It’s helped expose the things I want to make time to do in my week, beyond just working. They may not come as a surprise, especially given I talk about how much I enjoy them a lot, but I’m not sure I realised quite how much they meant to my overall contentedness.

    Reading. Photography. Pilates. Travelling.

    Aside from the return to work, the other thing that’s got me thinking about my life and what fulfils it, is a book my friend recently recommended and was using. The book is called ‘design your life’ and one thing the book does is look at your life in four component parts: health, fun, career, love.  I haven’t started working through my book and journal in detail yet, but I really loved the premise of looking at your life in these four areas, and scoring them on your current fulfilment.

    What I realised quickly (just by spending a little time pondering the concept) is my love and career are extremely full, I have a wonderful family and boyfriend that bring me a lot of love and happiness, and a career which is extremely rewarding to me and that I feel very positive about, but actually my health and fun were two areas where I was potentially lacking. My health being by far the most impacted largely due to the lack of time and energy I prioritise to looking after myself given how demanding other areas of my life are.

    My fun was/is actually quite fulfilled because really my blog is my ‘fun’, I love writing it and find it creatively really fulfilling, but I would love more time to do more of it. And this really is where the book is good and helpful, it encourages you to spend the time looking at these four areas, where you are feeling fulfilled and where you are not, and most importantly of all, it allows you to quite visually see the balance (or lack thereof) that you have in these 4 areas. What Burnett says, is that balance across fun, career, health and love is quite critical for happiness.

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    Thinking about balancing my scorecard, and realising what I was starting to miss having all my free time taken away, I realised there were a few things I simply love that I don’t get enough time to do in my ‘current’ lifestyle. These 4 things are the things I want to do more of and prioritise more in my life moving forwards, it may mean sacrificing a little elsewhere to get the balance, but as we all know, balance is the key.

    –

    PHOTOGRAPHY

    –

    Returning to work after two weeks and not being able to take photos when I wanted has left me feeling like i’ve got a bit missing. I’ve never felt it this strongly before, but my new found love for film photography has boosted my love for taking photos, styling photos and editing photos even more. I want to have my camera on my arm at every chance I have, and I wish I could capture more, everyday, without limitation. It’s of course not possible, but it’s been quite lovely to realise how much I love taking photos and how happy the process and output makes me. I’ve rediscovered a love for instagram in the last few months and I really think it stems from finding new accounts that truly inspire me and discovering the type of photography I want to create (in fact for the first time in years my account has started growing too).  The reality is I adore my job too, so I won’t berate it too much for taking my time up most days, but I would love to really make more time to take pictures, perhaps even carrying my camera on me at all times so I never miss the chance for a shot – like I would do when travelling.

    –

    READING

    –

    I’ve always known I have a somewhat weird addiction to magazines and reading, I used to spend my weekly wage on every magazine going when I was younger, and whilst it’s no longer the weeklies, i’m now buying books, independent magazines and coffee table hardbacks weekly and the obsession is real. But the truth is buying, flicking through and having books around my house really does make me happy. I’ve started carrying some of my new travel books to work with me so I can spend 20 minutes each day just reading a few pages. It sounds obvious but often when I get busy I don’t have the brain space for a novel, but actually a travel book or ‘coffee table’ style book is the perfect thing to dip in and out of without having to concentrate or commit too much.

    –

    PILATES

    –

    I know I love pilates. But once again as soon as I get busy I drop it, and what I need to stop doing is dropping the things I love the moment I get busy. If anything I need them more than ever during those busy period because they keep me sane, relaxed and content. I did pilates for the first time in ages this week and had the best day i’ve had in a long time. I don’t know what it was, I felt internally positive, motivated and just a sense of excitement. It may sound weird, but I just think pilates must be my jam, and for that sense of positivity alone I know i’ve got to make time for it.  Annoyingly the class I just signed up to I can no longer make due to a new work commitment (see why it’s hard) but rather than just give up I now want to find a local class I can go to once a week on the evening – and commit to it.

    –

    TRAVEL

    –

    Travel. There’s not much more to say than travel is my spice of life. It’s always been a hugely important thing for me, and I know that without it I would and do feel lost. I love to travel, explore, just wonder and absorb the life around us. I love writing my travel posts, combining photography & travel together really does just make me happy. I’ve become almost obsessive with booking trips this year, I want to go to as many places as I possibly can, and it’s actually become an uncompromisable part of my life now – it’s nice to realise it and I’m happy to be so committed and unwavering about my need to travel. Work hard, play hard they say, and travel is without doubt my play time and I hope it becomes an even bigger part of my life as time goes on.

    So there you have it, four things I want to spend more time doing because i’ve come to realise I truly love them, they really spark my passion and just give me a real sense of adrenaline. Even writing this now I feel excited at the thought of doing more of it in my everyday life, and not just when I am on holiday and have time for it.

    And a few tips for you to help you think about your balance and the things you might need a little more of in your life. 

     

  • HOW TO SHOOT GREAT PHOTOS ON YOUR PHONE

    HOW TO SHOOT GREAT PHOTOS ON YOUR PHONE

    HOW TO SHOOT ON IPHONE

    My Journey & Tips For Shooting Great Photos On Your Phone

    One things for sure, I didn’t think i’d ever write a post about shooting on a phone, let alone share photos shot on one. The thing is i’ve always had a bit of a mental grapple with the thought of it. I’m a bit particular about my photos, and despite Jase telling me over and over that no one will analyse my photos in the same depth I do (he says blogs are far too transient), I can’t help but spend hours fussing over my visuals. From wanting to shoot in the perfect conditions, to editing multiple times, to spending hours finalising the final post and curation of images, I take a lot of care and obsess a lot over the quality of my photos.

    I love photography, and I just never felt an iPhone photo would be good enough. I know that this is a personal issue and not a reality, firstly Apple themselves have used phone shots in their national advertising campaigns proving first hand the quality of the phone. Secondly many of my favourite bloggers and instagrammers shoot regularly on Iphone and I wouldn’t for a second doubt the beauty or quality of those shots (my sister who is smashing instagram like nobodies business shoots exclusively on iPhone). It’s just when I take photos on my phone, I feel they’re just not comparable to what I could create on my camera and top notch lens. And I end up feeling they’re simply not good enough.

    However my preconceptions got a bit of a shake up recently when a few things happened. Firstly I got the new Iphone and couldn’t believe the step up in camera and photo quality that bought (the new portrait mode is exceptional and in some cases seriously comparable to my 5D and prime lenses – it really forced me to reconsider the power of my little phone in shooting seriously good quality snaps). Secondly on my trip to NYC when I had no one to take photos I realised how handy shooting on Iphone would have been versus trying to teach people how to use a quite tricky DSLR set up. Not just that but also a realisation of how much more I could and would share if I could shoot any time, rather than just when I’ve taken my DSLR out with me (this in itself is something I’ve been keen to do more of). Finally the revival of film photography has really started to shift the ‘trend’ from perfect clarity and depth of field, to more ‘real’ and slightly grainy / out of focus visuals, and the phone itself is quite a fun tool to play with to try and get those shots.

    So with all that in mind, I’ve been practicing and playing with my iPhone non stop the last month or so. I’ve started integrating my iPhone photos back into my instagram feed which must be the first time in absolutely years this has happened. I spent a bit of time going all the way back through my instagram and realised I used to share lots more phone photos back in the day, daily outfits in my bedroom mirror, random shots from days out, but over the years as I focussed more and more on quality and wanting everything to be perfect I faded it out entirely and exclusively shot on manual on my DSLR camera. I’m by absolutely no means any good at phone photos yet, I’m certainly a DSLR photographer by heart, but I have to say the more I play the more I’m learning. I spend a lot of time looking at others photos on pinterest and instagram and feel inspired by how great some of their phone photos are, and how in some instances, they’re even better than what a camera would capture (especially interiors posts where lighting is quite challenging to grasp). Aimee Song’s books are a really great inspiration for this too.

    I’m hoping in time I can improve my phone photo captures and really start to share more good quality ‘everyday’ content shot on my phone (albeit hopefully you won’t notice) with you both on here and my instagram as a result of having a camera on hand at all times (it’s so much easier to capture more of your life with your iPhone than trying to lug a DSLR around at all times). Even in the short amount of time i’ve been playing around I’ve learnt some really key tricks which help the photos look professional and high quality. I’ve shared those tips below with you in case you’re keen to give it a go or improve your phone photography game. I’d also say all the photos and tips I’ve shared in the past stand true for shooting on your phone as much as your camera – like I’ve always said (but never myself practiced) it doesn’t really matter what device you shoot on, it’s all about the creative eye, preparation and editing that takes a photo from being average, to great.

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    MY TIPS FOR SHOOTING GREAT PHOTOS ON YOUR PHONE

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    COMPOSITION HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT

    –

    A phone photo, just like a professionally shot photo, can be made or broken by the angles and  composition of the photo. It’s easy to think you can just point and shoot and get a good photo, but as with any good image it takes consideration and an artistic eye to capture something beautiful. So whilst your phone is the easy option, don’t neglect the preparation you might do if you were to shoot with a camera or more professionally. Consider your location, your angles, your composition, your props – these things all considerably impact how your photo will turn out and how beautiful it looks.

    –

    PLAY WITH LIGHT & ADJUST YOUR EXPOSURE

    –

    One thing I’ve noticed is how easily your phone can capture and adapt to light. Whether it’s contrasting shadows and light, the gorgeous glow of golden hour or shooting into direct sunlight, your phone is really easily able to capture the image as you planned without risk of ‘blow out’ or under exposure; you can adapt the light in real time by touching your screen and you can even dial up and down your exposure using the on screen adjustment tool. This is one thing I particularly like about the iPhone camera, and think it’s a great tool for capturing golden hour glow photos, just look at the volume of direct sunshine golden hour selfies on instagram if you need proof of this – trying to capture that on a DSLR is not an easy task.

    –

    EDIT IN LIGHTROOM

    –

    Once again it’s easy to assume iPhone photos are shot and posted without all the fuss of a normal DSLR process, and of course they can be, but those gorgeous photos you admire that have been shot on a phone have still undergone a rigorous editing process as well as lots of prep and thought in order to get the photo in the first place. One thing I’ve noticed about the phone is that the colours are very vibrant, not really the tones I would choose and usually over exposed versus my own preference, as such the post shoot edit is really important to keep the visuals in line with my normal standards and editing style. There are a TON of photo editing apps out there, but as I use lightroom for my camera photos I personally prefer to stick with it for the phone photos too. That helps me keep a consistent tone and style regardless of the device it’s been shot on. The other great thing about lightroom is that I can edit on my mobile as well as desktop, so for any photos I want to get out in proper real time, i really can do it now shooting & editing on my phone.

    –

    PORTRAIT MODE

    –

    Portrait mode is a game changer. That thing is bonkers. Whilst I wish I could choose my aperture setting pre shooting like I do on my camera when shooting manual, the post shooting editing mode on the iPhone is still pretty impressive. If you shoot on portrait mode on the newest range (X / XS) you can edit your aperture post shoot all the way to F1.8. It’s really impressive. Of course the focus and clarity isn’t always as spot on as my canon 1.2 or 1.4 lenses, but I mean for an iPhone camera it’s pretty good. If you’re wanting DSLR worthy visuals without the price tag, the iPhone portrait mode really is compelling, especially for things like instagram where you’re not blowing the shots up large and requiring huge amounts of pixels and clarity. It’s also a great counter to the iPhone’s usually VERY crisp image, which is a giveaway for a phone photo versus a DSLR shot. The portrait mode allows you to truly push the boundaries and create some good soft focus versus crisp focus contrast in your visuals – something I really like.

    On some of the pics above the phone didn’t quite get the full focus area (me) perfectly like my camera would, but it did a pretty sterling job, worthy of getting on my grid and I got to share it in real time which makes all the difference. I highly recommend shooting in this mode and testing the boundaries of the format – distance is a factor, but the more you play the more you learn about where your subject versus photographer needs to be. Despite the distance barriers the wide angle camera lens means you can still get a full outfit shot in portrait mode – pretty good.

    –

    MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR WIDE ANGLE

    –

    Which leads me to my next point. Wide angle! Unless you shoot on a 35mm or 23mm lens, you won’t get the luxury of the wide angles like the phone can offer anywhere else. I particularly love this about the phone. I mostly shoot on a 50mm 1.2 or 85mm 1.2 on my Canon as I love the depth of field, but these focal lengths of course have their challenges and getting the ‘full picture’ is definitely one of them. This is particularly challenging for interiors shots (something I’m personally doing more of) and shots where your subject is super close up (e.g. sat opposite you at a table, a flat-lay of your food or a subject below you etc). The phone camera is excellent for these types of shots and the 23mm focal length is a strength to be played with. The one time I truly do think the phone out does my camera, is on my interiors photos, despite shooting with a pro 35mm 1.2 lens, the camera just seems to capture everything with total clarity and exposure.

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    READ ALL MY PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS HERE

    Whilst I’m no pro-phone-photographer, and if anything, am newly learning to shoot on this device myself, I hope my learning’s and tips are helpful to you. As I mentioned already, I really think the principles of a great photo are the same regardless of the device you’re shooting on, and just because the phone is easy and always on you, a good photo will still take a creative eye, some careful planning, smart composition and some pro editing post shoot.

    But one thing’s for sure, if you can master shooting on your phone it certainly broadens your opportunities to create content at every and any moment, beyond the ‘planned’ shoot which might only happen once a week or month dependent on your schedule if you’re a blogger. And for those non-bloggers who just want to take great photos, I hope my tips inspire you to have a play and improve the shots you’re taking in your life.

    There’s a huge opportunity to take beautiful photos without any fancy kit or expensive set ups. I’m proving that to myself and really aiming to capture more on my phone now and mix that in with my camera shots – to hopefully share more, more often and a bit more ‘reality’ with you.

  • THE PELI HOUSE PARTY 2018

    THE PELI HOUSE PARTY 2018

    THE PELI HOUSE PARTY

    September 2018

    You’ll no doubt remember the Peligoni club from my blog post and my instagram this summer (if not, you’ve done well to avoid it) and already know how much I love this place. The concept is so spot on, luxe, bohemian beach club with the perfect chilled vibes and facilities, not to mention the beautiful villas to make home for your stay.

    This summer though, they decided to up their game in a pretty big way, with the official launch of The Peli House Party. We’d only planned to spend a week in Zakynthos, but when we were booking our trip we spotted the line up for their first ever House Party and decided we couldn’t miss it, so two weeks it was. And for the first ever attempt, and a seemingly over night resurrection of a sea front festival, they absolutely smashed it.

    What I loved especially about the three day party (festival) was that it wasn’t just about rose & dancing, now don’t get me wrong there was plenty of that and you’d expect nothing less from the Peligoni, but it was also SO much more …

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    MUSIC & FOOD

    –

    Peligoni bought in so much talent to help make the three days something special, from Rob Da Bank (founder of Bestival) effectively hosting the weekend, to the incredible artists like Bamboo Smoke, King Cassedy, Nathan Ball, DJ BBQ & DJ Roxxy (and so many more) who performed sets each day and well into the night.

    To foodies who made every meal something special. Gill Meller kicked off the first evening with a lovely wedding style banquet in the main marquee, followed by opening night music from Elles Bailey & The Easy Stride Band. The marquee just looked fantastic & was decorated to perfection with colourful pom poms and fairy lights.  The lovely Alexandra Dudley served up a beautiful and delicious hangover brunch the morning after the opening night, the food was by far my favourite of our entire stay (not to mention the most reasonable). The aubergines & frittata’s were just delicious, not to mention the chocolate banana bread!! Delicious. She also hosted a pop up deli throughout the party with more of her signature dishes.

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    CRAFT & WELLNESS

    –

    But it wasn’t just music and great food (and a hella lotta rose) it was the creative workshops that really added to the excellence of the party for me; the beautiful and incredibly talented (and very lovely) Bella Franks hosted sunrise yoga, sunset life drawing and Lino classes throughout the party … and made me discover a new hobbie I adore (life drawing had a rather special affect on me & i just loved meeting Bella).

    The inspiring Keziah’s creative events company ‘Heaps & Stacks’ hosted daily creative workshops for the guests, from creating leather luggage tags to designing and making your own shell jewellery which were so much fun and a really nice chance to get in touch with your creative side  … he latter (shell jewellery) I mastered and am still adorned with my masterpieces now a month or so on.

    There were also a ton of fitness classes you could also partake in but somehow I was always busy when they were on, ahem!

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    The combination of great food, tons of craft & creativity, talented musicians and of course the Peli’s own vibe, which came out to play even more over the three day house party, just ticked all the boxes. It made our stay all the more memorable, and most definitely is something i’d love to go back for next year.

  • GUCCI MARMONT & OTHER MUSINGS

    GUCCI MARMONT & OTHER MUSINGS

    OTHER MUSINGS

    Blogging Without Purpose. Who’s in?

    Happy post Christmas – Pre New years eves guys. I’m not sure what’s come over me with the blog right now – maybe time off and being super relaxed has given me some new blogging mojo – but I feel as though I want to just write, share bits & bobs, talk nonsensical musings & just get to know each other a little better again.

    I’ve talked about the strive for perfection MANY a time and any of you who are long time blogging pals will know that back in the day mediamarmalade was a daily feat, outfits, purchases, coffee shops. Whatever was going on in my life was filling the pages of my blog. After five years of daily blogging and a serious shift to ‘polished’ editorial … i stopped blogging daily and stopped just ‘chatting’. I tried to make every post add value, I wanted every post to have the most wonderful pictures and the most interesting editorial, It had to be the best quality it could be else it didn’t make the cut. I put such parameters onmyself I felt so much pressure to only post the best of the best.

    Perhaps in doing so you lost a bit of ‘me’, and the thing that made this place retable and enjoyable to hang out in the first place?

    But with instagram changing the ways of the world (again), and in itself going from everyday (back when it launched), to polished (the last few years of serious curated grids) and now seemingly back to everyday (hooray), I feel blogging is going to do the same. After a serious shift to magazine like websites, I feel we’re moving away form glossy long form editorials & magazine worthy content, and a move back to the everyday, snack-able, simple update style posts it used to be. More ‘real’, less ‘curated’.

    I can already feel myself wanting to talk and share more with you as a result of this mental shift i’ve personally taken. It’s like i’ve removed the ‘quality control’ ball and chain and my creative flow has just sprung back into life. It wasn’t even a conscious decision, just a shift in my perspective & i’ve decided to jump on board without too much thought!

    Today I have nothing really to tell you, and I certainly wouldn’t do a post on a ‘new item’ these days, but you know what somehow I’m blogging anyway and showing you my new purse I got for Christmas. Its a beauty. And it’s Gucci.

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    It was a serious ‘love at first sight’ moment when I opened this Gucci Purse on boxing day. What a gem & what a treat. In fact I was so in love with the purse I made the decision to make my promotion present to myself (I’m a firm believer in self reward) the shoulder bag equivalent, in a gorgeous, vibrant and statement red (you may remember my twitter poll on the topic). The Gucci Marmont matelassé mini bag. I searched high and low for the red version and finally managed to track it down via the US Gucci website & I just can’t wait for it to arrive in the new year. It’s safe to say Gucci & Chloe are most definitely my favourite accessories brands right now.

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    Anyway, back to blogging! I’d love to hear your thoughts on this shift I seem to be making with my blogging style and content? I will by no means be getting rid of my polished outfit and travel editorials, but I really hope to add more of the ‘everyday’ back into my site too. From random musings like this, to unpolished home updates as we start to renovate, to even just more everyday outfits which are simply about what i’m wearing rather than a big editorial around it. And blog a little more regularly again now the ball and chain is removed. What do you think? I really want you guys to enjoy what I’m sharing & so your thoughts are so important.

    One final thing, if you don’t already follow my instagram, it truly would mean the world if you came and joined the marmalade party over there too!  I’m working so hard to share more, mix the curated with the everyday & i’d love to exceed 20k this year!!  You can find me here.

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    Until next time 

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