INSPIRING ICE CUBES

 Have you seen all of the fun ice cubes making their way around the internet right now? 2014 is definitely the year of the fancy ice cube! I was going to try my hand at making some over the weekend but I thought these were just too pretty to share! The stripy ones at the top are definitely calling to me - don't you think they look like dessert? {one, two, three}

BOUTIQUE STYLE ON A BUDGET

For me, it's really important to go to bed in a room that is calm, collected and feels like a treat every night. Sometimes I just feel like I'm playing at being an adult, but my bedroom is definitely a more grown-up extension of my style that still surprises me, as our kitchen and living room are quite playful. Here are a couple of tips I've collected over the past few years that promise boutique hotel style on a limited budget.

1. Hang curtains high and wide
Our flat is in a crumbling Victorian mansion block, but we're lucky to have large windows in our bedroom. You can trick the look, though, by hanging curtains up to the ceiling and extending the width out to both sides. See the difference it can make? Even if your windows are set higher in the wall, letting the curtains trail to the floor will frame your space and create the illusion of a bigger window. IKEA make inexpensive curtains in super long lengths that you can hem yourself.

2. Splurge on statement lighting
A big pendant light like our IKEA MASKROS lampshade is really eye-catching and often the first thing people comment on. Our light is strangely placed over by the window, rather than the centre of the room, which dictates the placement of the bed underneath it. I also like how these sconces in Katie's bedroom create a cosy mood that is equally effective.

3. Make the bed!
Maybe this is an obvious one, but making your bed in the morning is the best way to make it in inviting place to crawl into when you get home. The key to making your bed quickly is to make your bed easy to make - a fluffy duvet instead of sheets and blankets means you can just flip it from the corners and it will land perfectly. I like a few different patterns of bedding, but always fairly neutral.

4. Keep it clutter-free
Our room is by no means uncluttered (you should see what was behind me when I took this picture!), but we make an effort to keep the area around the bed neat and tidy. Make use of under-bed storage and keep a woven basket on hand (H&M Home do awesome ones) - I throw odds and ends into it throughout the week and then try and sort it out every weekend.

5. Know what works for your space
We chose a simple, low bed for a Scandi loft feel that highlights the high ceilings. Surprisingly, my room at my parents' house is really small, but a big, high bed makes it look cosy and luxurious instead of swamping the proportions.

*My photos make our walls look a bit scary - I wish I could capture the real colour as beautifully as Jo did for her bloggers at their desk series.

A PHOTO FOR FRIDAY | 2

A single photo and a story from my week.

This week, I had the overwhelming urge to tell my mum that I love her, that she is wonderful and that we are lucky to have her. I sent her a text and sealed it with kisses and her sweet reply had me welling up at my desk on Tuesday morning – it was clear to me that she was so grateful for a feeling that took me 20 seconds to convey, that she knew was true and that I know she knows every day, but that having it in writing made it all the more transparent.

I bought this card a few weeks ago for its charming sentiment and beautiful, swirling text and I’ve been thinking lately how it’s not so much a reassurance to myself that I am loved (and delightful, don't you know), but a special reminder that the people in my life need to know that that is how I think of them too.

This weekend, reach out to someone and tell them you think they are wonderful. It will make them (and you) feel untouchable.  

SUNDAY SWITCH-OFF: breakfast + magazines

Do you know what I did at the weekend? I downed tools for the morning, switched off my computer, left my phone in a drawer and sat down for some quiet, no electronics allowed quality time with myself. I'm totally guilty of watching something on my computer, with one hand scrolling through twitter and the other flicking through a magazine or writing a list. This is what my Sunday morning looked like:

1. A tasty breakfast. My favourite scrambled eggs always hit the spot, plus a mug of builder's tea and a bowl of fruit.

2. A stack of new books. I flicked through the ones that came in my Amazon order this week, but more on that another day.

3. A to-do list for the month. As well as jotting down the things I wanted to get done today, I added a few extra notes to accomplish by the end of the month - there's a new tough love thing going on in these parts and the most boring tasks are top of the list (taxes, painting window frames, etc. etc.).

4. Red Magazine. This is my absolute favourite magazine; I recommend it to all my friends, I pore over every page, read it word for word, and I'm always a little sad when it's finish. This is the one I always sit down with for breakfast as it's so substantial - fashion you want to buy and wear season after season, interesting features, down-to-earth interviews and actually useful health features beyond the latest fad diets. In fact, Red is the only magazine I don't put in the recycling at the end of the month and I happily re-read each issue with the same voracious interest I had for it the first time around.

I'm hoping to make these tech-free Sunday mornings a regular thing, and not just for breakfast. I plan to try out some new crafts, brainstorm ideas and make things and, of course, I promise to share along the way!

LADYLIKE NEON

Neon might conjure up ideas of day-glo raves and 80s workout videos but, done right, it can be classic and ladylike too. This is most definitely not a fashion blog, but I ordered this skirt on ASOS last week and I love it too much not to share.

The best way to wear neon right now is to pair the bright colours with whites and neutrals for a pared back finish. Wear it with black and you run the risk of looking like you're going to a hen do in Magaluf, so tread carefully!

Try and look for ethereal, semi-sheer styles in organza and lace for a touch of romance or silk and neoprene for a sporty, modern twist.

More neon: 

Missguided's matchy matchy separates, statement earrings by Shourouk, a sporty dress from Finders Keepers and neon nails via Models Own.

A BIRTHDAY LUNCH

It has now become a yearly tradition to mark my brother’s birthday with a special meal at Al Boccon di’Vino in Richmond. The first year, we were completely bewildered to enter this cosy little world where the walls are lined with crates of wine and you’re brusquely told that “you will eat ahhhntipasti, pahhhhhsta, meat and dessert. You choose naahhhh-thing. Except the wine.” And so you choose the wine and then the food comes thick and fast, plate after plate of mouth-watering delights that you realise still constitutes the antipasti portion of the meal. Seating about 40 people, with two daily services – lunch and dinner – this restaurant is an homage to the Venetian wedding feast and is a sparkling gem in the crown of home cooking and fine, seasonal produce; one that I am reluctant to share, lest we not secure a reservation for the same time next year!

This year we ate:

Grilled aubergine, courgette and peppers in a piquant, yet rich, vinaigrette
Wafer thin curls of Serrano ham, salami and wedges of cantaloupe melon
Crisp bruschetta with garlic and tomato
Butterflied paprika prawns
Scallops in their shell, ruthlessly drowned in garlic olive oil
Rocket salad with smoked salmon and prawns
Rolled beef in a thick tomato sauce
Crisp meatball croquettes
Aubergine parmigiana with griddled asparagus

Fettucine carbonara
Ravioli sprinkled with award-winning parmesan

And then after a marathon of starters and primi platti, the chef and his right hand woman parade a whole roasted lamb through the restaurant before serving up steaming portions to each table, on a family-style platter with a bed of soft, rosemary potatoes.

To finish – pannacotta with syrupy strawberries, a startlingly strong espresso and a homemade limoncello digestive.

Al Boccon di'Vino, 14 Red Lion Street, Richmond TW9 1RW
Reservations essential: 0208 940 9060

A PHOTO FOR FRIDAY | 1

A single photo and a story from my week.

On Wednesday night, my boyfriend decided at the last minute to stay over at his friend’s house and I had a completely delicious evening on my own. Of course I would not trade him in for the place to myself every night and first choice on the evening menu every day of the week, but it’s amazing how much more time you have to get shit done when you don’t have a partner, parent or pal to check in with at the end of the day (I do, however, have a pet, who took up a large chunk of said evening).

I worked out (including a reggaeton dance video on YouTube which no one will ever see me do, ever), I washed my hair, I changed the sheets, I wrote down a buttload of blog ideas that I can get started on when my new camera arrives this weekend (!), I made and ate dinner, I communed with this guy and then I settled down to finish Season 1 of Orange is The New Black (oh my gosh, someone please can we talk about this?). And then, I went to bed. I slept in the middle of the bed with all of the pillows and when I woke up I felt SO GOOD that I made a proper breakfast, planned a pretty outfit and stopped in my tracks to snap this picture of the beautiful golden light in our bedroom.

HOW TO HAVE A BETTER COMMUTE

Commuting is no fun when summer comes and it's sticky, sweaty and you're jammed up against someone's armpit with personal space just a distant memory. If you don't have to do this, I am jealous. But, if you do, here are a couple of tips to make your commute a little more bearable.

1. Switch it up - can you take a different route? Can you walk part of your journey? I have two choices - a 40 minute door to door trip on the London Underground or an hour's commute that includes a 30-minute walk and a short train ride. Walking isn't for everyone, but it's cheaper, I get an hour's exercise a day and fresh air is infinitely better than the Northern line. Try getting on/off a couple of stops after your usual station if you can't walk the whole way.

2. Timing - test your commute at a few different times. I found the holy grail of trains which begins at my station, so you always get a seat if you arrive 5 minutes before it leaves. There's only one an hour, so it means I get into work 30 minutes early (ergo 30 minutes less in bed), but I've learned to adjust my morning routine and now I have breakfast in the office and I'm ready to start the day on the dot at 9am. Also, leaving a little earlier every day gives you a safety net for delays to your usual journey, so there's no need to panic about missing your early morning meeting or being late for the start of your shift.

3. Dress the part - There's a lot to be said for loose pieces and natural materials - nothing makes me clammier than a polyester-lined dress. But also, try losing a layer earlier than you usually would (I stopped wearing a scarf in early March and ditched my jacket at the start of spring).

4. Enjoy the time - people are surprised when I tell them I walk an hour a day without music or someone to chat to, but I enjoy it! I see the same dogs every morning and evening walking in the park with their owners, which makes me really happy, and it's fun to see the landscape change through the seasons without mindlessly trotting along while listening to the radio.

5. Treat yourself - I have a friend who only lets herself read when she's doing her morning and evening tube journey, so even if she's reading something amazing, she has to wait until she's on the train to read the next chapter. The same goes for listening to a new album or writing your daily list (if you're lucky enough to have a little elbow room). Creating a habit that goes with your commute will take the intrinsic stress out of your journey and it's amazing how quickly you adapt to new rituals.

6. A sense of humour - there is SO MUCH aggro in the morning rush hour, don't you think? So you're late to work by 15 minutes - what's the problem? You have a job! Hooray! If you're doing the same thing every day and it's making you mad every day, then you need to be re-reading tips 1-5! I think people just like to complain, really, but it makes you feel a lot worse. Take a positive attitude, try and laugh when you go flying into someone's lap and if all else fails, smile. There have been a lot of studies that say smiling makes you feel better, even if you're faking it, and I also remember reading that looking up instead of down also helps you change your mood.

Do you agree with my tips? I'd love to know if you're going to try any of them, or if you have any ideas to share!