So after another LONG break from blogging, I’m back with lots of ideas and inspiration. I recently bought a copy of Company magazine. I’m not entirely sure what its target audience is (maybe a little younger than myself?!) but I have really loved it. It’s so bright and cheery and real! I’m a fan of fashion and lifestyle magazines – I love flicking through the pictures and getting ideas for new books and music to check out – but I do find some of the perspectives on sex, image, age etc. a little wearing. So to find a magazine that has positive interviews, loads of blog/music/book recommendations, fun, colourful clothes and a laid back vibe, is really refreshing. Anyway, it led me to try reading some new blogs and through that I stumbled upon http://www.ciderwithrosie.com/ which is so down to earth and positive. Love it!

So, I am inspired to write some positive, down to earth posts myself!

Some things that have made me smile lately:

1. Definitely my gorgeous new puppy, Jamie!

2. Our garden – a neighbour recently gave us some of his old pots and garden furniture and, mainly due to my husband’s hard work, our patio is beginning to be the way I imagined – a Mediterranean-meets-English cottage-y, relaxing, social space. Planning to make good use of that tomorrow with a BBQ in this gorgeous summer weather 🙂

 

 

3. Gin and tonic and dinner at the Old Orchard pub in Harefield. Beautiful views, and a lovely walk down to the canal.

http://www.brunningandprice.co.uk/oldorchard/

 

4. The prospect of a holiday with family – we don’t leave for a week and I’ve already started packing!

5. Interview with Rob and Paul Folkan, founders of Gandys Flip Flops, in said Company magazine. These guys lost their parents in the Tsunami of 2004 but have been inspired by their experience to found a new flip flop brand which donates profits to orphanages in India. Worth reading more about this – google it! So often, young people get such a negative press – stories like this can go a long way to countering that negativity.

Yey!

What’s making you happy this week?