So it's been a while.....

Friends! I've been on a 6 month hiatus! I've stepped out of blogsville because with a crazy job (actually crazy jobS) it was stressing me out, and I felt I just didn't want to blog/share/photograph...

And I'm not even sure I am back, I just wanted to say hello, because you are all so loyal and still checking my blog for updates...so this is it! This is what is on my mind. LA! This year or wait until the spring next year. Meadow will be 4 by then and an easier traveller.

But anyway, I digress. Isn't LA ALWAYS the best idea? It's my happy place. What's yours?

I will check back in maybe with a Bake House update as lots of work is being done here! Eeeeek!

À bientôt

Happy New Year!

So it's 2014! Wow! It's snuck up on me so so quickly!
As you can see from my pic, Richie had a great time in snowy Grand Rapids, Chicago. I mean a horse sleigh ride...COME ON!!

Today is the first day I have stopped for a bit of reflection about goals for this year. Mostly because we are practically drowning in all this rain. It has rained and rained and then rained some more. I wake up in the middle of the night expecting to be wading in water...

Have you made some goals/resolutions? One? A few? Share!

Top of my list is a new job and maybe a house move. The Old Bake House is a beauty but it is a bit small for us all, with me and Richie needing an office each and Meadow gaining more plastic crap by the second. Open plan living seems so cool but actually it's nice to have your own individual space...

I'm always sad to leave a house behind, but generally I always find another one better. So I'm looking forward to some challenge in 2014, earning more money so we can ALL go to Chicago next year :) then I can get my own list (he failed  abysmally claiming 'there were no shops around'...oh yes. I am bearing a grudge. You betcha)

Happy New Year friends! I wish you joy, health and prosperity. Send dry weather my way please xx

Lately

Life lately.
Loving denim, double denim, dip dyed denim, faded denim....you get it. Also loving adding some bling (this one is Zara as I still cannot commit to the JCrew ones! So pricey!) Not loving how tired I look, but hey! That's what a full time job and a kid does to poor eyes!

Loving my new Topshop fern shorts and also bought this sweater with the cutest shoulder detail ever! I saw a girl wearing it in blue, when i was in London and I had to track it down!! You ever do that? I couldn't stop until I found it. I was convinced it was Reiss but no, good ol' TS!!Probably should have just asked her, but felt weird about it. Anyway. Got it.

We braved the torrential rain today and took M to a theme park. It was seriously the worst day ever with rain pouring relentlessly and we were soaked to our skin. The things you do for children....she ahd a great day and WOW met their Santa (who was so convincing Meadow actually believed it was The Real One and did not throw a hissy fit outing him as fake)

You guys ready for Christmas? I KNOW some of you will be (I read your blogs girls!) but I am not. I leave it until Christmas Eve, and get wrapping with my mulled wine and my mince pie :)

Merry Christmas everyone xoxo

Weekend Winter Wonderland

We are near! Soooo near Christmas now, and I wasn't feeling it at all... So decided to have a 2 day winter wonderland experience with Meadow.. We spent Sunday at an English manor house near us, eating Christmas crepes and drinking mulled wine (me). There was the most beautiful vintage carousel that we watched for ages... Father Christmas was in town, but M wasn't having any of it. "NO Mummy. No. I don't want to go and see him. He is a fake Santa with fake presents" According to the event organisers M was the "first child of the weekend to say no" That's my girl!!! And check it out: her fringe is long again after the Jimmy Saville Debacle...I swear I Will Never Cut It Again.

Today we went to the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, with one of my best friends Denise and fellow 3 year old Lila. Lila and Meadow held hands all the way around and were just the sweetest ever!!! But sorry no pics, I really hate dragging our expensive cameras in to busy London events as they weigh a ton and I already have a jammed bag full of Meadow stuff, wipes/snacks/spare outfit...you know fellow Mums, you know. I read a lot of online stuff about the Hyde Park event but it really was fantastic. Besides being ultra expensive (hey it's LONDON) it was such a great day out. And it's starting to feel a lot like Christmas!

Hope you all having a great week! xx

Where I Wanna Be Wednesday

It's cold and dark and I want to feel warmth on my skin that is not from a fake source! Palm Springs anyone?
How I long for a 60's bungalow up on the hill, looking over Palm Springs sipping on a Margarita picked from one of these recipes. Got a favourite cocktail?

Failing that then a few more hours tucked up in bed in 500 thread count sheets, any higher and well that's just being silly, I'm not Victoria bloody Beckham, with a good book, maybe this (I am nothing if not a sucker for a teen novel, and I'm even telling the world. Bold)

What would you do with a spare few hours?
XO

Winter Wonder

Christmas is coming! We are starting to get The Old Bake House ready. Slowly....Rich bought our tree yesterday, but no pics yet as he is naked (the tree not Rich)
Meadow is crazy for her chocolate advent calendar and sneaks window opening in when she thinks I am not looking...I remember doing the exact same thing, and also "accidentally" tearing the paper on my presents so i could have a sneak inside to try to guess what it was. Come on you did too, right?? I've booked us tickets to the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and it looks so much fun (esp when you are 3 years old!). London is such a special city when it is all decked out for Christmas.

There was a gorgeous sunset here last night and I rushed home to try to catch it...(my photo is unedited, right out of the camera) it was all purples and pink and just beautiful. My MacBook is getting old now, and editing photos and then uploading them is proving nightmareish..I think I need to take the plunge and splurge on a new one. Apple have us wrapped around their fingers or what?? I am quite intrigued to see the film about Steve Jobs starring the gorgeous Ashton, although it gets terrible reviews. Anyone seen it? Maybe not a good way to spend 2 hours? Particularly since Ashton will not look like Ashton...

My Chicago List! It is still in production, but I can tell you it will include these in a bright pink and this from Starbucks! I love it! Also want to try this mascara from Covergirl as we don't get Covergirl here anymore. I am a sucker for a great mascara! My favourite is YSL..but I am always up for trying recommendations!

Have a good Thursday! xx

Love is all you need

I am sorry for my lack of posts this week, you know how life takes over? I have had no time for photography lately, and I realised that it is my photos that inspire my voice and with no pictures, I have no words!
Rich turned 40 this week and it's been a tough few weeks around here. He has had a pure bitch from hell bride to deal with, which has really got to him. It really never happens to us, but she has really played him and is trying to say his work was poor and she wants the images but is not willing to pay for them..which is why we ALWAYS take money up front, and he made one tiny concession on this....and you get the picture (or not in her case!!!)

But you know, in the end, you cannot let life's hard asses get you down. You get back up and you come out fighting. At least that has always been my philosophy and what worries you today, will it worry you 5 years from now?

Today was a good day. We partied with our incredibly posh next door neighbour who ALWAYS has champagne on tap, and had a long long lunch with some great friends and their kids. It is what life is all about!

I hope you have all had a great week, and I will not promise my posts, they will be here when they are here but with everything getting all Christmassy, I expect my camera will help me capture some great shots soon... Meadow is beyond excited and loving her chocolate calendar. Can I open another window Mummy? No. Please? No. Please? Ah stuff it, go on then...:)
xoxo

Monday Monday Monday

I am back.
And I have missed you.

I would love to say I've been gone with good reason for a WHOLE WEEK but in reality, I have been spending time with Meadow, making cakes (I am getting better), reading books and watching movies. And working, of course. And spending time with my best friends. One of whom has a fab new job (hello buyer at TK MAXX!) One of whom has the most fabulous chowchows (He is like a huge fluffy bear/Aslan from Narnia cross!  Check out my Instagram to see pics of Charlie!)
I've been running and taking walks beside the sea (so lucky to be 20 minutes away)
I also bumped in to an old school friend on Sunday in London. Can you imagine how many people are wandering around such a huge city, and he spotted me? It is such a small world, no? Although to be fair, I was wearing my leopard print coat.  Doesn't it astound you when such things happen? I smiled about it for ages.

Sometimes a little break from blogging is just what we need?

So take it easy everyone, and a little soothing picture for Monday.....Southsea Beach.

Back tomorrow (I promise)

XO

M is for Monday

M is Meadow's favourite letter. She loves looking for M's and pointing them out. We, of course, clap and say 'how amazing are you!' (photo above, her face is pink from eating like, a million rasperries. Ignore my desk. It is a disgrace and should not be on the internet:)

M is also for Monday and how fast do they come around? Autumn is my favourite month. Winter is not. Winter is not a good time to be a wedding photographer, so the mood starts to shift around here. Careers are considered. Winter job in Starbucks? Modelling for catalogues? (have I spelt that right? my spell checker is American and I know it's not spelt catalog! Although it should be) Bartender? The List of What Will We Do becomes endless. Rich gets very frustrated. Wouldn't you if you were this frikkin talented and had no work January to April!

Anyway! Things always sort themselves out, and Rich always manages to find work! Any January-April photography work friends? Send it our way! And yes, we can travel....In fact Rich is travelling to Chicago soon to shoot a wedding there and I am beyond excited to see it when he gets back.
I am also giving him "a list" of stuff I want from the States! He has already said No but I'm doing it! I'm doing it! I want these Nikes in neon pink!

N is for Nike
W if for Wife
D is for Do It Rich or Else

Hope you are all having a great Monday and God! Have you seen this? I am battling theough my baking demons and making this soon!

XO
PS Thanks for all the cupcake support ladies! You are all very kind about my terrible cakes :)

First Friday

Happy Halloween everyone!
Hope you had fun. We did, Meadow was so excited. She dressed as a witch and loved Trick or Training (as she called it.)
Me and M actually baked some Halloween cupcakes, (top pic) and they looked atrocious but tasted  yummy. Baking is truly not my forte, add in a 3 year old 'helping' and you pretty much have disaster.

Here is to the weekend! And sweetie eating! Hurrah! Please tell me you guys are going to eat your own weight in choc and sweets too?

xo

Monday Mania

The Old Bake House, tonight in the early evening darkness that now envelopes us at 4.45pm.

Today has been the craziest day.
It began at 5.00am on the dot. Which is 6am on our body clocks as the clocks went back. A stupid weird thing we do in this country. Meadow was up and at them! Let's have breakfast Mummy! Except it was pitch black and we had...no power!Yaaay!
(NB: I really need coffee the second I get up. I love mornings, but I NEED coffee)

No coffee. No warmth. No TV!!!

Then I rushed home from work to take M to her ballet lesson. Which was not on as it is half term. She had a major tantrum and threw herself on the (empty) studio floor. She thought we were late (which, to be fair, we usually are)

We left, and as I went to lift her in to her car seat, the car door slammed shut. My car locked.

AWESOME!! Woop wooop. no keys, no money, no phone.....
Thankfully a lovely stranger lent me her phone and Super Daddy was to the rescue! Except....the ROAD HAD BEEN CLOSED. I'm not even kidding you. I swear.

Anyway. We got home eventually.
 
I tell you, something strange is going on with the planets! (As well as our weather.)
That is my only explanation. I shall be glad to leave this Monday behind :)

Happy Tuesday to come friends xxx

Friday! Hello!

I. My new Maje shirt. I love love love it.
II. Usually I can take it or leave it, but the past few days, been crazy about chocolate! These chocolate coins are keeping me company at my desk. And yes, they are Meadow's but she is very generous with her mama.
III. Getting my bag packed for a fun weekend. We are off to a baby shower!

Sorry my posting has been late, I promise to try to do better!

Hope you all had a delightful week, and have exciting weekend plans. I am praying it stops raining. Damn you England. You suck.
xoxo

PS Jamie Dornan as the Mr 50? Wowee he is smokin'. That's reason enough to go see it. Although my money was so on the Vampire Diaries dude (reckon he thought the movie too lame?) I was reading about how they replaced the original guy, Charlie someone and people get so crazy over 50! Criticizing the author like mad. I say, regardless of the writing, she has made millions! So surely, good for her?? That's my stance. Will you go see the film?
Have you guys seen Blue Jasmine yet? Cate Blanchett just KILLS it. Kills it. She is amazing. Now she deserves a medal :)

Parklife

So. In our house we have approximately 5 cameras. Bad ass ones. And we have approximately 2 family photos. Yup.
Whilst shooting some friends kids for a birthday present, me and Meadow tagged along to get some shots of us. And I remember why shooting weddings is sooooo much easier. Family portraits are a killer. Meadow sabotaged most of them by doing weird things like bending over. Sigh.
Anyways! We got a few! Check out Rich's grumpy ol' face! Haha!


Meadow has been making me laugh all weekend long. We had a girls day at the cinema, and we got there (uncharacteristically) early. While the trailers were running, I turned to M and said "eugh. I hate being early to the cinema." She looked at me, sighed, and said "I hate being chased"
So random and so funny!

Last night, dancing around to Daft Punk in the kitchen, she was watching me, arms folded. She smiled and said "mummy, you are Amazin'. You should get a medal for that dancing"

Bless her little tiny heart. I love that girl. It's the small things that make me happy. (although I'd say yay to a Goyard tote) And it's those I am choosing to focus on! What is making you happy this week?

Happy Monday!!! xoxo

Wednesday Wonder

So in response to the many kind comments...my newest skincare favourites! From l-r

I. Estee Lauder BB Cream in neutral.
II. Erborian CC Cream which I am loving soooo much and was responsible for my Paris glow through illness and tiredness!!
III. Origins night-a-mins recommended by my friend Hazel (helllooo)
IV. Aveda repair masque. I love Aveda everything really. Is it worth the money? I'm not sure of that but I love the smell!

My new favourite kicks from Nike that I am copying from all the chic Paris girls.

Sunlight peeping through the trees in the early evening, sooo nice to get warmth on your face in October!

My new Massimo Dutti scarf. COZY!

What autumn buys are you loving?

xoxo

Paris Part Deux

 Oh Paris!
Weirdly I have met two different people who are originally from Paris this week, and both say they hate it. Both choose to live and work in London instead and say they hate the city, and how much it has changed. I suppose as tourists, you see what you want to see, and certainly this trip, we saw more of the fairly seedy, dangerous vibe that Paris carries. It is boring now, being followed around le Gare with moroccans trailing you trying to steal your purse.

But also Paris has such vibrance and a chicness that I have never experienced anywhere else! The french can put an outfit together like nobody else can. I just love sitting drinking carrot juice (that should be coffee but me and Tash seemed to drink gallons of carrot juice) or even better champagne, and watching all the chicness around me. Trying desperately to absorb it :)

Sorry my blogging has been non existent. I have been so sick, and also work has been in overdrive. I've not carried my camera around much. I wish I had taken it on my stay here, a beautiful country pad in deepest Dorset. I was upstairs in the attic and it was hands down the creepiest night EVER. It was stunning but so historical and I slept for about 4 hours and the light was on. I HATE sleeping with lights on, but this place terrified me!!! OMG.

Anyway, I'm off to bed armed with cough syrup (yuck) hot tea, and hoping to sleep!

Catch up with you all this week (and I am still reading your blogs everyone, just not commenting as my bloglovin is useless)
xxx

Paris I Love You

I am back!

I missed you!

I'm still sick!

So it's a brief visit, to share a few Paris photos and say it was fabulous and oh, Paris I love you.

There is so much to see and do and it exhausted me. Where to begin? APC and it's beautiful clothes, the flea market in the North, the super chic Paris girls dressed in black with neon trainers. The list goes on.

More later this week and pics of my purchases xoxox

Two days

Two days 'till PARIS!
I am so excited I literally cannot sleep. Actually that may be my hacking cough that WILL NOT GO. Seriously, who deserves a cough for 3 weeks? Grrrrrr.
Anyway. I am powering on through and dreaming of delicious coffee and croissants galore, people watching and flea marketing.
I will, of course be accompanied by my little mulberry satchel (I love him so) and my newest purchase...this, my YSL muse two (an eBay purchase)

Any handbag favourites this season? I'm crazy about this one but I think at nearly £5K I will be waiting a while. Still a girl can dream (that is if she can ever get to god damn sleep :)

Happy Tuesday lovely ladies!

xo

PS Meadow's latest :
Me-Meadow do you want some tea?
No thank you Mother, I shall be fine with a small snack.

PPS Yes, my dress is see through. That is what is fantastic about having a blog. You can relive mistakes! Huzzah!

Friday thankfulness

Happy Friday everyone!
I  am welcoming a quiet (ish) weekend with exciting early morning plans with a fab friend and then dropping off a few belated birthday gifts for Meadow's friends!

This photo is from my wedding day, and that's me with my little godson Korrin who will be 4 this November.

How time flies?
I'm learning to let things go (trying!) and just have more fun and less worry in my life.

This photo reminds me of this, and makes me smile.

Have a great weekend and send me your Paris recommendations!
XOXO

Autumn already

 Can you spot Meadow in Grandad's garden?^^^^^

I can feel it, it might be 22 degrees today but Autumn is coming. It's cooler in the mornings and misty. I love Autumn. I love boots and scarves and being cozy. I'm wearing my leather jacket ^^ at every opportunity before it gets too cold.

What are you looking forward to this Autumn?

My list is.

Wearing this jumper with this and these (I have everything except the boots. Sigh)

I am going to Paris and staying here

Definitely taking time to browse Merci, the last time I visited, me and Tasha jumped up and down on the spot in excitement (yes, we do spend waaay to much time around 3 year olds)

Going to visit here for the zillionth time as I need some artistic culture. Pinterest is the closest I am getting to that at the moment (and Naomi's blog)

Working on being a more tolerant with Rich and definitely with Meadow. I find myself constantly shouting at someone about something.

Asking myself, when I am stressed "do I need to worry about this? Will I care in 5 years about this?"

Enjoying more, buying less (HARD HARD HARD)

Getting my god damn sofa steam cleaned. Buying a white linen herringbone expensive sofa, not my finest move. (although a baby at that point, was not on my mind.)

Being kind. Paying attention. I never want to waste a minute and multi task too much. Today in the queue for my lunch, I took the time to speak to the person serving me, and ask him about his day. Not text/email on my blackberry. He gave me my coffee on the house. It is the small things.


What is on your list?

XO

Thankful Thursday

I. The most beautiful roses. Ever. The colour makes me happy.

II. Meadow looking exhausted. Denying it. NO I am not tired. I DO NOT want to go to my bed. No Mother. No (NB Mother is her new word. It makes me feel ancient. Thanks for that Meadow.)
Her latest hilarious expressions are "It's good, huh?" and "WHAT YOU SAY?" whilst holding her ear!! Hahah!

III. Hello baby. My newest Mulberry! It's vintage from eBay and had me literally jumping for joy when it arrived. It is so precious! (NB Thanks to my amazing fashion designer friend Hazel, who spied it and tipped me off xo)

IV. My newest Whistles dress layered with an old French Connection top. Looks amazing on, and will show you tomorrow :)
You know how much I adore Whistles, and I adore blogs but I got uncharacteristically, and inexplicably cross at LFW and how many bloggers they gave free outfits to. I work so damn hard to buy all my Whistles clothes, and I admit it. I begrudge so many of them getting decked out for free! I do! It makes me a jealous idiot but I don't care. It's how I feel. Obviously if I was one of them I would be singing a different tune. But there you have it. Honest jealous ranting. Over and out.

Now I'm off to stuff work emails and sit down to Season 5 of Californication. Only the BEST show ever made.

Hope you are all having a great week and Courtney, if you are reading this, your legs are ridiculous and I'm proper jealous of them. Carla, I still can't decide what to buy on Net-a-Porter, Kim please can I come live with you in California for the winter, Naomi still so excited to see a candid of your man and maybe even your builder and Hannapat, you and your amazing crafting, kills me. Yes, my blog readership is so small (only the most amazing people ever, it's a small niche) I can mention most by name! And I LOVE it!

xoxo

The Big 3

So Meadow is 3!
And following on from a picnic at her nursery with a gazzillion other 3 year olds, here are 3 things I have learned about being 3.

I. Wanting.
I want it. I want it. But I want it. MUMMY. I need it. I really really really need it. I want it. Please.
This can apply to anything. A packet of crisps right on up to an all singing all dancing toddler kitchen.

II. Why?
Where are we going? When? Are we there? Who is coming? What? Have you been? Who will be there? Is Daddy home? Why not? Where is he?
Questioning skills are rampant. I feel under interrogation daily.

III. Weeing
I don't need a wee. No. I said I DON'T NEED A WEE!
Mummy. Yes Meadow. I really really need a wee. (see picture above!!!)

I'm sorry I have been absent but I have been (sigh) really really busy!
Promise I will be back to my blogging schedule now though AND a new bag to blog! (shhhhh don't tell Rich) Yay!

xo