Poolside

As seasonal thoughts turn to holiday plans and detoxing I thought I'd check out some of the best ways to cover up this summer. Melissa Odabash is a pretty good place to start. This blousy top (above) would be a good way to stay cool. It would look beautiful teamed with a pair of pale denim jeans and sandals in the city too.

 As much as I love this style of dress, the bandeau top makes the whole bra thing a little complicated. Strapless bras render me breathless and sore so I've given up on my search for the perfect one. Poolside is a different matter altogether. You could throw this on (above) bra-less or over a bikini and look sensational regardless.

Now for the bikini du jour? So many choices when it comes to the two piece. I've always rather liked the naughty looking fluorescent Brazilian cuts. Teeny tiny bottoms and string tops with tiny triangles can be surprisingly flattering on both the petite and curvy. But then there's always sweet and floral, the quintessentially English take on the two piece, for a demure and pale-skinned pretty look. The kind of thing one imagines Anne Hathaway might opt for en vacance. 

  I picked out this colour print and to save choosing I'd go for all of them as each one looks so different.

Clog lovin'

I'm having a love affair with clogs and it's going from strength to strength. Italian ladies have beaten the Brits in getting hold of Zara's offerings this season. Chiara at The Blonde Salad was sporting these (above) and I think they're gorgeous. 

I decided to look to Sweden for clogspiration and I found these beauties from Clogs of Sweden.

And these sweet things from the cleverly named Swedish Hasbeens...

And for a basic pair to wear around the house and garden (and to wear whilst riding a bike) I think this Toffeln pair are a bargain at £21.95.

Doodles

Do you remember paper dolls from your childhood?

Sleep tight

 

Via

A beautiful sleep helps you to cope with everything better: pain, worries and a busy life. What's more, it shows on your skin and in your eyes. Many of my clients complain that they can't get to sleep easily. If you are feeling generally down and tearful, before you decide you're having a Betty Blue crisis, ask yourself if you're having enough sleep. Exhaustion can creep up on us.

My suggestions for getting a good sleep...

• Make the atmosphere calm and loving. Work to resolve relationship problems.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine.
• Try exercising so that your muscles are physically exhausted. Follow with a bath and lavender oils and you will feel incredibly relaxed by bedtime.
• Sprinkle a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow but do ensure the oil is suitable. Look for the latin name on the bottle to ensure you have the real thing.
• Keep a happy journal if you are feeling sad. Click here for more.
• Do some stretching and read something gentle. Childrens' stories can be very therapeutic. Audio books can be a great help too.
• Pamper yourself when you can. It's so important to spend time loving yourself. A foot spa or indulgent body cream can make such a difference.
  
• Clear up at night so that the space around you is positive and clear.
• Apply an oil such as almond, olive or wheatgerm to your hands and feet once in bed.
• Ensure your phone is off, lights are out and no little green or red lights are in your bedroom. Use an eye mask if it helps.
• Choose really lovely bedlinen and scatter cushions so that getting into bed is a pleasure. High quality cotton, linen or silk make such a difference. Make your bedtime sequence feel like luxury.
• Try to go to sleep and wake at the same time 7 days a week so that your body clock is stable.
• If your job means that you're working or eating when you should be sleeping, I suggest looking seriously look into lifestyle changes.
• Once in bed, you could meditate or use a multitude of relaxing soundtracks or hypnosis programs.

Visualisations...

• Visualise the following: imagine looking at yourself (or someone you love) sleeping. Sense the atmosphere, the heavy breathing, the relaxed face, the cosy feeling, the pillows and duvet looking enveloping and wonderful and so on. You may find that you feel heavier and more relaxed as a result.

• Or visualise this: it's the morning and your alarm is going but you feel so sleepy that you are letting it go on and on. You are heavy, relaxed, warm, comfortable, sprawled across the bed in your favourite sleeping position. You are tired, you're not ready to wake up, you'd do anything for a little bit more rest. Once you are in this state of mind you may find a shift in your mood and that you are physically relaxing.

Do you have any tips for a naturally beautiful sleep?

Homebird

I love to be organised (no way) and I'm quite a homebird. Don't get me wrong, I love being outdoors and chatting away with both friends and strangers but I have to admit to being a little bit anti-social at times. I love time on my own to reflect, read, browse online or move things around in a semi tidying manner. I've been looking for a way to display reminders recently and find this idea of Kelly's over at Fabulous K delightful. She came up with this idea by combining a gorgeous fabric with a cork board and this pretty frame. I love this workstation so much. 
  I've been browsing for accessories to make a few superficial changes at home. Spring brings that feeling of out with old and in with the new and I rather fancied some of the bits from Red Direct. Just discovered how great Red magazine is and the fact that they've featured my idol La Drew this month was the cherry on the cake.

Love this...plus my name at The Woodcraft Folk was Forget Me Not so this is seriously meaningful. : )

And this. I've been looking for a union jack tea cosy but this would look lovely with lots of white and shabby chic.

 Also heart...

Always fancied having a cushion like this to lounge on or rest my feet a while.

Because I'm the boss of me. Right?! 

Bit cliched but adorable all the same. How can you not love love?


 

I would be so happy to find a holiday rental with a beachy interior like this. Although I'd need a chair I could snuggle on. 
Like this maybe...I'm thinking that cat looks stuffed though. Whaddya think? Just a bad angle?

Now I'm in the mood to read the Sunday magazines with a cup of green tea.
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Workout with a supermod

I think everyone has their favourite supermodel, as much as most girls have the one SATC character they most identify with (gotta be Carrie, right?). I always admired Cindy the most. Cindy for all round sex appeal and accessibility. Linda comes a very close second for the make up and hair. She looked so amazing with different looks and could carry off short hair that the others possibly couldn't have. Oh and I can't forget Helena because those almond eyes and that amazonian bod were amazing (and still are now she's working behind the lens). They all look as tremendous today as they did back then and as a child of the eighties, glimpses of these women in Vogue formed my perception of fashion and beauty. To my mind, the new models, as gorgeous as they are, do not have the je ne sais quoi the originals had. There was such an air of excitement around them.

For those of us who are not naturally skinny, aspiring to look athletic with some softness a la Cindy is more realistic than looking to La Moss. I like to have a few workout DVDs to hand for days when I don't make it to a gym class. I do my blood and sweat cardio at the gym and personally think it's more realistic to leave home-based workouts to toning and resistance. Saves the hassle of bumping into furniture and feeling the floor might cave in. I've tried many workout DVDs in my time but my current top two are here:

Cindy's Shape Your Body

Kimberley used this DVD to prep her already gorgeous bod for her hols in Italy and brought it to my attention. I'm so glad she did because the soundtrack, despite being eighties, is actually ruddy good. Cindy looks so wonderful that this is truly inspiring to watch. Cindy wanted it to be like a music vid and makes comments which show she's tried to think about the fact that you're not on a beach. Rather sweet and leaves the trainer looking a bit unnecessary. I love the retro vibe of it. Plus it's cheap at £3.99 on Amazon.

10 Minute Solutions: Pilates Perfect Body

If you are a pilates expert you might find this a little too generic. It's very much aesthetics driven (well, it is called Pilates Perfect Body). What I like is that with the 10 minute sections you can do a few bits and feel you did something. You'll break a sweat, the instructor has a lovely body and a cute American accent and the pace is fast. I nearly died of boredom watching Darcy Bussell's pilates DVD; too much time spent filming the waves lapping the shore. This is more action and boom boom boom - done. £5.99 on Amazon.

Keep in mind that even one section of a DVD is better than nothing on a busy day. It's easy to write exercise off if you only have 15 minutes but the bits do add up and it's a way to get the blood moving and feel in touch with yourself. Living life in a sedentary body can make one feel very disconnected. Mind and body in harmony. As Mandy Ingber would say, we are on a level playing field when it comes to looking after our bodies. We all need to do it and no matter how rich a person is, it's one thing that no-one else can do for you.

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Yogalosophy

Yogalosophy is BIG right now. Click here for more. I'm intrigued to try it out. I don't like to be seduced into things just because they're the new best thing endorsed by celeb types - in this case VB and Aniston, but on the other hand, if Aniston is in favour of something I'm going to listen up because a) she's gorgeous, b) she doesn't normally associate herself with every fitness craze going and c) she's one of the women who is fairly open about working out and working hard to look as fit as she does, so I appreciate the transparency. 

I've been reading about yoga classes with affirmations. Some of the associated affirmations seem really abstract and long-winded. I can imagine forgetting what I'm supposed to be saying half way through. I was thinking it would be pretty fun to have an affirmation group, just like a reading group, where you work out your goals and support each other in chanting affirmations. I think it would produce a very powerful atmosphere and it's a lovely idea to have a group of people who are all encouraging each other to set targets and to realise their dreams. We all have skills which would be valuable to others.     

  This is slightly different from the idea of networking where there is also an undercurrent of commercial interest and self promotion; this is just for self development with positive and giving people sharing their support and ideas. Gonna start myself a group in Oxford.
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Blossom

I'm a bit obsessed with candy floss blossoms. Cycling past this tree today I had to stop and appreciate for a moment. This really is the most perfect time of year.

Hair garlands

I'm always one to make a daisy chain so I'm planning a trip to John Lewis haberdashery ASAP to stock up on lace elastics and floral fabrics so I can make myself some hair decorations for summer. Why is it that it's only the summer that I feel it's appropriate to do the wild child look? Something about winter which makes me a conventional dresser. Flowers in the hair mid winter look silly for some reason. Anyway, looking to nature for inspiration, I found this wonderful page via the housemartin blog originally sourced from Dujour.

 I discovered this princess, Chiara over at The Blonde Salad looking super cute with her flower band.

 

Dior girl

Despite trying to wean myself off conventional perfumes (all those pesky chemicals thought to be carcinogenic and mood affecting) and on to organic scents, I still love the imagery, scents and marketing surrounding Dior perfumes. There is something so magical about the packaging and the way a girl feels with a new perfume. That loveliness when it's so new you can't help but notice how great you smell. It gives everything a new feeling, like a birthday or a new beginning. I love the way the Dior ads are shot. D-i-v-i-n-e.

I heart Boden

Technically I don't do Boden. However, I'm sure the day is coming. There is something so addictive about buying comfortable yet chic clothing. Often I'll opt for a cute cotton long sleeved top over a fancy frock, it's as if I can never get enough of comfy casuals. I like the way much of the Boden wear is shot this season. The models look happy, the barely there make up is beautifully done and I want a summer just like this. 

I'm always on the look out for tops like this one (above). The kind of thing that can look fabulous when one is well-groomed and is as comfy as it is suitable for almost anything. I rely on items like this when travelling as they're so versatile and look chic with the right pair of jeans, linen trousers or capri pants.  
  I tend to ask myself before I buy: a) would I be comfy wearing this in the south of France (this stops me from making questionable choices - read Paris Hilton-esque statement tees - and keeps me on the straight and narrow) and b) would auntie Margaret approve? She's my harshest critic and has earned her fash credentials as an English woman living in Paris.

Kissed by an alpaca

Visiting my sis and her beau in Sussex last weekend, the scent of spring and the promise of romance held still in the air. I wasn't disappointed as love came in the unexpected form of a gorgeous alpaca who lent in for a kiss. Well, a nuzzle. We walked through fields of these gorgeous creatures. They have such a delightful and curious nature; what I supposed was the male of the group approached us with some trepidation and it seemed that a connection passed as he became braver and braver. Entirely different from the blank stares I customarily receive from sheep. As for the one who gave me a kiss, well, I love an assertive male and felt blessed to have had an encounter with such a sweet and intelligent looking gent. His wool coat was oh so soft.

  If you haven't had the treat of meeting an alpaca then I think you will love the experience when it happens. They are comical, dignified, expressive and quizzical looking creatures. They look so individual with their different hairstyles. I'm adding an alpaca to my dream pet list which so far encompasses chickens, a toy poodle, a dachsund and a miniature pig.

Despite a demanding job my sister is something of a domestic goddess whenever she has the chance. I visited her new cottage complete with stable doors and real fires. She has a larder which is rare these days. Oh and of course she bakes her own bread.

 It wouldn't have been a perfect day in the countryside without discovering a swing in the woods.

Their puddy tat Chloe. 

My sister was kind enough to share her delicious soup recipe with us. Really yummy. Here goes:


Naomi's Special Soup
Ingredients:
leeks
chopped carrots
onion
courgette
sweet potato (smallest amount of this)
dried oregano
salt 
pepper
any herbs you fancy adding


Prep:
No need to measure the veg, just roughly equal proportions. 
Add chopped veg to a saucepan. Cover (just) in boiling water. Add one crushed stock cube to each 200ml of water. Bring to the boil, simmer until soft. Add salt and pepper, dried oregano and any other herbs to taste. Blend half then add the rest for a textured soup. 


Garnish:
with creme fraiche/sour cream, croutons and black pepper. Naomi's tip is to serve with chunks of homemade bread and organic unsalted butter for the ultimate farmhouse lunch.