Friday 27 March 2015

PRETTY SPRING BUNCH - TO ME .... FROM ME






Got myself this lovely bunch of spring flowers yesterday .... just because.

Because I had a good day 
And because I've had a good week
Because I thought they were so pretty
And because I like flowers
Because I think we should have flowers in our homes all the time
And well... just because - seeing them just makes me smile!

Loved the combination of the pale pink tulips and the purple (not sure what the other flowers are called, anyone any ideas?) I placed them on the shelf behind my bed, and its lush waking up to the sight of those pretties and it does go so well with my little shelf and my Hoi An Canvas - a photo I took on some travels way back in 2008

Hope you're ready for a smashing weekend, clocks go forward here in the north so those slightly longer nights await... and soon spring will be in full swing!

All pics by me taken with my new Samsung Note 4 ... yay!

Tuesday 24 March 2015

VILLA KUBU - SEMINYAK


















Roundabout now in 3 weeks time I will be at Heathrow airport awaiting a boarding call for my flight to Denpasar in Bali.  And hasn't the time flown since I booked my trip just a little bit more than a month ago!  I've started getting a couple of bits and pieces together for my trip, and a bit shopping too!  I have a few lists on the go - just in excel and as I remember something I need to take - or read about a nice cafe or area to visit, I add it to my little list....  all coming together rather nicely.

Back to Bali -  And a good month it has been!  I won't quite be staying in such luxury, but Villa Kubu really caught my eye - a beautiful Villa complex with private pools and outdoor bathrooms - pure luxuriousness to the last of the finer details.  Check out there beautiful and easy to navigate website for more villa inspirations - and who knows, you might just fancy a little trip to Bali of your own!

Images via villa kubu.com


Friday 20 March 2015

I AM OF INFINITE POSSIBILITY....


Had a little burst of inspiration while on my journey into work today - and made this little positive affirmation for the day.   A little reminder for myself of where I want this year to go.... spiritually as well as physically.

Sometimes we need to just take a moment and note some thoughts down as they come and go  - some thoughts we acknowledge and just let go and others we hang on to.  Hang onto the good thoughts, speak to yourself with encouraging words and love, remind yourself everyday that you are unique, you are here for a purpose - your body, your human shell is only your home for a little while - take good care of it.  Let your spirit shine - through that your true self will shine through.  You will attract the people who will help you shine brighter - don't let anyone dull your sparkle.  

Have an inspiring day - believe it will be so - believe in yourself  xx

Photo and words by me

Thursday 19 March 2015

AFFIRMATIONS AND INSPIRATION BY CARLYMARIE




This week I somehow stumbled upon these beautiful and inspirational quotes by a young woman named Carly Marie - from Australia.  Her story is such a sad one, but from it she has inspired so many heartbroken families, mothers and fathers who lost a baby or child.

It is well worth visiting her website: CarlyMarie Project Heal to browse some of her beautiful quotes and inspirations, but also on those days when we feel sad and blue - there's a shimmer of sunshine even shining through her sad and heart broken quotes.    

Its about acceptance, and grieving and about healing - about friendships and about being there for each other - sometimes in silence and sometimes in excited shouts and screams and sometimes sharing the tears.

I cannot help but feel my heart really reach out to her - I have not experienced this kind of grief or loss in my life - yet her words I'm sure will somehow speak to each and everyone who visits her site.  She and her family is an inspiration - and I'm so grateful to have made such a beautiful discovery.

I have printed a couple of her affirmations and stuck them on my bathroom wall - next to my mirror - a daily reminder to be grateful, to be kind to ourselves and others, to accept ourselves and others with love and to heal from within....

Images via her Pinterest 

Friday 13 March 2015

NEW SPACE AND A SPLIT LEAF PHILODENDRUM



A bit of greenery can always life a space and add a touch of life. This is my delicious monster or also known as split leaf philodendrum. .. got it as a little housewarming for myself.  The pot is ceramic and from b an q and I paid £9.99 for it which I thought was rather inexpensive for such a beautiful pot.

And now it's time for some sweet dreaming and cozy sleepin x

THE UNMADE BED

from here
from here
from here
Something comforting and oh so inviting about these images of an unmade bed - reminds me of moments between sleep and wakefulness... when you get up to get a glass of water and then get back to bed for those last few hours of sleep before the break of day.

I can't leave the house though if I haven't made my bed - I love looking back into my new spacious loft room - and there right at the end of the room is my bed, all made and all looking crisp and fresh.  Oh and how about a freshly made bed, especially if the bed linen has been drying in the sun!  Soon we'll have summertime in the Northern Hemisphere and I love hanging my washing out to dry in the sun!

Oh we do love a bit of sunshine out here!

Hope you'll all have lovely weekend lined up - I'm taking it easy this evening and catching my breath from the week and tomorrow its lunch with a couple of lovely girly friends, we're hoping to try out a new tapas bar which have just opened on my little high street.  And in the afternoon I'm heading out to meet up with another girly friend, also an old work colleague who have drastically changed direction - and I'm so happy for her;  for a late afternoon coffee - we're contemplating either the Tate Modern with those amazing views of the Thames and St Paul's, or perhaps somewhere on Borough Market... Look forward to meeting up with some inspiring ladies!

xx

Thursday 12 March 2015

EARLY MORNINGS IN NORTH LONDON

Photo:  Lindé Davies
Photo:  Lindé Davies
Photo:  Lindé Davies
Photo:  Lindé Davies
Photo:  Lindé Davies
Photo:  Lindé Davies
Photo:  Lindé Davies
Photo:  Lindé Davies
Photo:  Lindé Davies
Photo:  Lindé Davies
Photo:  Lindé Davies
Photo:  Lindé Davies

One of the many reasons I like early mornings - to catch the first rays of sunshine at the break of day.... to witness the beautiful changing colours of the sky .... to capture the sunlight breaking through branches of a tree - and to be in a position to make some time to enjoy this is quite priceless.

And to know that all this beauty is out there for us to appreciate and enjoy - each and every day. And even though some days your sunrise may not be this bright - we need to remember that somewhere in the world, somewhere on this beautiful planet or ours there is a beautiful sunrise happening.... if we can make the time to tune in just for a few moments, I'm sure we'll be able to appreciate even the grayest of breaks of day.

Hope you're ready for a good day - and hope you've got all you need within yourself to make it through the day.  And while we're at it - lets make it a great day!


* * *

I took these pictures this morning - the first two from my bedroom window and the rest were all taken in Finsbury Park in North London


Tuesday 10 March 2015

TRAVEL TO BALI












Sometimes when we suffer from the 'moody blues' it can feel like an eternity - and sometimes we feel like there is just absolutely nothing going our way.  This may happen at times of stress or pressure or it could be down to nothing we can put a finger on.  

What I have learnt from my own experience - is that when our emotions are low - that little voice will become even lower, even more negative and sometimes up to a point where we start questioning life and the reason behind it all.  I am writing this as a reminder for myself more than anything else.  In those times, we need to remember that sometimes that little voice is not your voice.  And sometimes we just need to give it a good dose of its own medicine - and almost fool ourselves into a more positive state of mind.  

What worked for me when I was really low - is I decided that I need to book myself on a little retreat.  I knew my soul needed it as much as my body, and I thought by doing something nice for myself, it will help me pull through, just until such time I go away.  The funny thing is.... and I didn't realize it at the time - but by doing something like that, just booking a little trip away - it immediately gave me something positive to focus on.  Previously I felt like I had lost my purpose a bit - and with this little retreat I was booking, I really felt like I somehow was regaining a bit of purpose again in my life.  My purpose for now was just to plan the most nourishing trip in beautiful surroundings close to nature.

That was a good thing.  Not only that, but by doing a bit of research on the kind of experience I wanted to have, and the kind of retreats that was out there - it was almost like in a flash a whole new world opened up for me.  I started feeling excited - excitement causes positive vibrations, and positive vibrations will no doubt attract more positive experiences!  This is a truth!  So... I found a rather perfect sounding little 'yoga and energy flow' retreat hosted by H2O yoga and meditation  on a little island that's just a couple of hours by boat from Bali.  I could not really afford it at the time - but I decided to go for it.  

And now - just over 2 weeks on from deciding to book this trip - my life feels like I have regained a part of me that was dormant for a long time.  I have never been to Bali, but as I was going so far on this retreat I decided to stay an additional couple of weeks to explore the island and see what else it has to offer.  I am very drawn to the greenery and the hills and mountains and rice fields - and the images I am sharing in this post are just a few inspirational photos that really helped me on my way!  Now I can start the countdown in all seriousness.

I am writing this post - and I'm not saying that you need to book a trip to the other side of the world in order to escape from your current situation - but what I am saying is this - by deciding to do something nice for yourself, you are establishing that you are worth having a nice experience, and just by doing that one small thing - right there you have your first little positive vibration and boost.  

Then secondly as you are deciding what it is that you'd like to do - it may be a massage, or it may be planning a theater outing with some friends - whatever you feel is doable and that you will enjoy - and during the times you are researching the event or the spa that you will be visiting - you are continuously filling your minds eye with positive images, reading about treatments and slowly but surely you are within yourself creating a more little positive bursts and vibrations all around you.  Slowly but surely the negative thoughts and that lowness will start to disappear because negative vibrations cannot thrive in a positive environment....

So alas - I hope you'll find your happy place, or your happy outing - it may even be to head out into the city or the countryside with your camera and take some amazing shots on a cool spring day - it may not need to be costing you anything.  Just be sure to do it!  Whatever it may be.... and enjoy it, and enjoy the planning of it and enjoy dreaming about it.  Its all good, and its all ok - you are allowed to dream, and by dreaming about it, you are lifting your gaze towards the horizon and that's always a good thing!

Enjoy the journey and hope these images  

Images via Pinterest