Wild Pink

Keep going.

This summer has been life-changing and I am so grateful for having the opportunity to experience what I have. I have been reminded about the rewards of hard work, the importance of family and friends and most importantly how life could be taken from you at any moment.

What I have taken from my experiences is that, ultimately, you really do have to try to remember to enjoy life. I have been my own worst enemy in this department and flip from one extreme to another; I have impulsive and spontaneous moments that bring out the 18-year-old in me and I swiftly revert back to being the tough, OCD mother and wife who can be overbearing and quite painful to live with really. We can't always live our lives as if there is no tomorrow but it is just as important to know that it is ok to break the rules. And I intend to, just a little bit more.

My dear friends Claire and Eric have shown me that in adversity you have to keep forging ahead, that no mountain is too high to climb. As Winston Churchill said 'If you are going through hell, keep going'. They have taught me so much and I am incredibly grateful to them for letting me into their lives this summer. I love them both so very much. Ou buddy, ou pal, onwards and upwards!

IMAGE: Surfing Mentawais

 

 

Oooooooooh!

Studio Paname, a UK based window film manufacturer has taken vinyl to the next level. They currently offer two designs; Blue Butterfly by Christin Yu and Shattered Glass.

The best bit? They customise; you can turn your artwork into window film! Watch this space, I think we are going to be hearing a lot more from them.

Homes & Gardens

I've finally had the time to read my online copy of Homes & Gardens and was blown away by the home of Lottie and Hugo Keith in Hampshire, England. 

From the cloth on the dining room table to the character-filled kitchen with fantastic light and pops of red; from the striking pineapple wallpaper in the hall to the beautiful assortment of cushions on the seat in the master bedrrom, this home is filled with detail. I love it.

Red and White

I've never really been a big fan of quilting but my feelings towards the craft are slowly changing, thanks to what I am seeing worldwide. Having been presented with a beautiful log cabin quilt on my 18th birthday, lovingly created by my mother, I am only too aware of the work that goes into them.

What really blows me away about Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts is the spectacular way in which they were displayed in The Armoury. 650 red and white quilts suspended from the ceiling of a 55,000 square foot space. Genius!

Change of plan.

My favourite little person thankfully gave me the night off yesterday and agreed that chopping up an H&M t-shirt was preferable to his Mummy attempting to sew a 1920's-style boys swimming costume after the most manic week in quite some time. Between the striped t-shirt, a pair of scissors, a cap, a pair of white rugby shorts and my eyeliner, he was satisfied. I am still trying to ease the guilt of a broken promise.

It's not what you know...

... it certainly is WHO you know.

Thanks to the lovely A, I was included on an excursion this morning that is usually only open to the mega wealthy. A couple of years ago, I posted about a new development I'd come across; one that was forever going to be out of my reach. Nurai is the sort of location that you dream about. And I got to visit it.

Stripes, boaters and moustaches.

Bugger, another creation to add to my to-do list for next week. Along with the house banner for the swimming gala and the Punch & Judy (urgh!) finger puppets for the entire school year, all the children have now been asked to turn up for their fun day next week in 1920's-style swimwear. I managed to sell the concept to A and his friend C on the way home from school, along with moustaches and slicked back hair or boaters. I need to show them an image so that have an idea of what they have let themselves in for, so made yet another trip to consult my dear friend Google and came up with these, which may or may not just frighten them off the idea.

And I also came across this beautiful image which is a publicity shot for a few of the cast of Boardwalk Empire. I would have loved living in the 1920's...

Blue Souq

Last night big A and I took a trip to the Blue Souq in the neighbouring Emirate of Sharjah. Despite it taking us almost an hour and a half to get there thanks to the traffic, it was fun to catch up on one anothers news and reminisce about our time in Kuwait. Parts of Sharjah are very similar to the areas of Kuwait that we knew well. Both places are a lot less sterile than Dubai. Whoops, I digress. Thanks to a fairly reliable source, who had the photographs to back up her discovery, we were on a mission to find rugs that have popped up locally when they should really only be found in Anthropologie stores. We were looking for these...

I am pleased to report that a pair of the Festival rugs now grace either side of our bed, and what's more, they cost a third of the Anthropologie price. And I very much doubt that we are funding Al Qaeda by purchasing these rugs (unless Anthro is too); they are produced by the same company.

Huku heaven

The April edition of Living etc. features a couple of fab huku (chicken to the rest of you) huts. I remember spotting the Omlet Eglu many years ago, but the chickens out there are clearly a little demanding. This is what is currently on offer, with Frederik Roije's Breed Retreat the clear winner in my opinion. I would happily live there - if it were a smidge larger and there would be a 100% guarantee that I wouldn't get straw stuck in my knickers.

Breed Retreat

The Nogg Chicken Coup

Doodlehouse

 

 

30 Seconds to Mars

Argh! I wish I'd just gone to the concert on my own. The trouble with having a husband who isn't remotely interested in music is that when acts come to town that I want to watch, and my friends aren't going, I feel like I shouldn't either. Lesson learned. Next time I will go on my own, and I don't care if I am a lone 40-something surrounded by thousands of screaming teenagers. Here'a a link to my favourite 30STM song; it gets me going every time and I'm capable of banging my head with the best of them! Before you play it, TURN THE VOLUME UP!