Christmas Traditions

If you caught me at any time of year other than Christmas, I would tell you how much I despise routine. Because I really, really do. I prefer surprises and spontaneity. Yet every December, year after year, I find myself in an all-too-familiar-Christmas-autopilot-mode - putting up a tree on the 1st, sending out cards on the 5th, visiting a Christmas Market around the 15th, piling presents under the tree on the 24th, and so on and so forth. A "touristy" day in London for shopping, overeating & lights is a must too, as is an evening in Winter Wonderland (not to forget the chocolate churros). But rather than running for the hills, as I would usually following a mere nod to the usual, repetitive or predictable, I find the idea of Christmas without these traditions unimaginable. Christmas would be incomplete.

Do you have any family Christmas traditions?

S

xx

December, Birthdays and New Beginnings...

December is far and away my favourite month of them all. The sparkly fairy lights, luxurious hampers, festive spiced beverages, glittery baubles and late night shopping; I'm all over the Christmas clichés that arrive in tow with December. I am one of those Christmas enthusiasts who (sadly) counts down the days until Christmas begins (it begins on December 1st in our house). I absolutely adore the little traditions associated with this time of year, and the unabashedness with which we all eat, drink and make merry.

Above all though, December for me has always been about new beginnings. No matter what I have been doing that year, whether it's been good or bad, I find the festive season lends me a new lease on life; a renewed enthusiasm to really enjoy myself, celebrate life with gusto and move on too.

Whether this has to do with me finding it impossible to motivate myself in January (I'm usually fat, broke and freezing cold) or the fact that it's my birthday at Christmas, I'm not sure. But I'm overflowing with optimism and everything seems possible - absolutely everything.

Which is why I decided, after months of dithering, that there was no time like the present to start blogging again. 

So here I am. Blogging. I've missed blogging. Thank you to those of you who've missed my blog too. Here's to a new year. 

Happy December. 

S xx

I Just Had To Pop In To Say...

Happy December!

S

xxx

Late Summer Sunshine...

Days getting shorter, mornings nippier and leaves brighter - it can only mean one thing... it's time to welcome the Autumn. That's gingerbread lattes, trick or treating, Winter Wonderland, cozy fires, woollen scarves, warm coats, golden trees, red noses, Strictly Come Dancing, seeing your own breath.... and of course the Christmas Countdown. Here's hoping you've enjoyed September's last golden weekend. 

SL xx

Happy New... February?

To say it's been a while would probably constitute a lie. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if you've forgotten me. It's been an era, and then some (or so it seems) since the last time I looked at this web space, let alone contemplate writing in it. So let's start at the start shall we? First off, Happy 2014 (haha, I can hear you, YES I am a month late) and here's hoping you've had a great start. Secondly, why did I cease to post here? Well... I didn't really have anything interesting to tell you to be honest. Then why are you back, I hear you ask? AHA. See, aside from lazing, grazing and dozing, blogging is one of my favourite pastimes. I missed it. And so here I am again, to start again. 
Stay tuned. 
SL xx 

My First "Make-it"

You may (or may not) have noticed a few new/changed tabs along the top of the page. It's because, on the whole, I'm rather a cook-y, craft-y, creative type of person and more than buying stuff, I actually enjoy making it. So welcome to the "makes page"! I'm also going through a bit of a "waste not want not" phase (more to come on this) and so I decided it's high time I shared some little things I get up to just to keep the imagination going. 

What you'll need: 

1 unwanted vessel, be is glass or tin.
Fabric glue
Ribbon or fabric of choice
Sequins, bells, glitter - whatever does it for u?!

I refuse to provide instructions - just one guider - how boring are plain glass vases?! 

Rather pretty when the vase complements the colour of the flowers, no? 

On another note, I've had rather a few people ask why I stopped my random "thought of the day quotes"! Sorry! So...  for all of u who you want to catch up with what caught MY eye, here it is - pictures, words, and quotes I'm so addicted to.
Happy making! SL x

Yes, I Just Discovered Audrey!

When I first moved in with my flatmate and she told me she absolutely loved Audrey Hepburn, I'm ashamed, I repeat ashamed when the name did nothing but very softly ring a bell - something about a famous actress, y'know? She was mortified, and I mean positively mortified at a) my lack of knowledge and b) my lack of love. And so we resolved to buying a Hepburn box set and working our way through one girl's night in. 
Though that plan fell through, when we parted ways I did hang onto the set as H said she'd seem them all already. Just as well 'cause it's come in handy this grim & grey, dreary & drizzly weekend when I've done nothing but snuggle, sniffle, watch Strictly and then Sabrina. Followed by Roman Holiday. And then, of course, Breakfast at Tiffany's. 
I'm miffed by what I was missing. I know, 52 years after release, it's hardly newsworthy stuff... but Miss Holly Golightly - have you ever seen a girl so flakey hidden beneath a woman so elegant? Sipping whiskey and smoking never has, probably never will, look quite so sophisticated. 
I'm in love!
SL x

Rome - The Full & Final

Trust me, I will shush now. This is the rest! Happy weekend! 

SL x

Navratri

So I've been harping on and on about this festival - but I figured the most well known of the hindu festivals are Holi and Diwali... so, in good time, here's just the video that sums up the 'garba' dance that goes on for the nine nights of Navratri, Slightly Bollywood (did you guess?!) but it really catches what I love most about this festival - the beat, the colour and costume and above all, the zest and dedication with which it's celebrated. 
SL x
P.S. Don't worry about the scary lady at the end. She's just a bit... odd. :/

Rome: Day #2

So I thought I'd make a one-post compilation of days 2 & 3 in Rome - FAIL. I took far (far, far, faaaaaaaar) too many pictures because left, right & centre, there was always something I wanted to capture. With rather a lot of difficulty, I managed to whittle down my photos to a meagre errrr.... 20 for day 2. Now, incase you missed it, I went to Rome. And I loved it. Enough to chatter on about gelato. And on and on about pizza. And still be going on about it now. 

Day #2 was Mission Vatican. I swear we would have walked but as we overdid it a little the previous afternoon (there's too much Rome, too little time!), we took the hotel manager's advice to 'subway' it. I refer you on to the map of Rome before you judge us for chickening out - it is far! When he handed us the map, I did have to turn it over and around a few times just to check we hadn't been given half the story - its simplicity ('A' and 'B'!?!?!) is shocking when London is what you're used to. We jumped on at Piramide, changed at Termini, tried (but failed) to people-watch inconspicuously and arrived, at Ottaviano, 40 minutes, a heat-stroke and one complete make-up meltdown later. Totally worth it. 

We proceeded to Castel Sant'Angelo for views over the Tiber and St Peter's Basilica before crossing the bridge (Ponte Sant'Angelo) you see above to meander our way through the cobbled streets back to the city centre and, of course, The Trevi Fountain. Majestic. Just majestic. 
SL x