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  • Quick question before I go onto telling you about this lovely little place. Do kids at parties still eat cheese and pineapple on a stick these days? We were discussing this last night and I realised I haven’t seen cheese and pineapple sticks since about the year 2000 and I’m hoping this weird tradition hasn’t died out. Also, was this a thing in other countries or does party food differ around the world? 🧀🍍 . Anyway, moving on... this sweet little home (which actually is quite big) is in a village called Preston Cape in Northamptonshire. I stumbled upon it accidentally when I decided to kill some time and have a drive, I was actually looking for somewhere else at the time. . This area was taken over by the Romans in 1 BC, there was a well known settlement nearby named ‘Towcester’ which is actually pronounced ‘Toaster’ 🍞 When you are a place name in the UK that ends in ‘-cester’ it is usually a pretty good indication that place was once Roman, same goes for ‘-chester’ and ‘-caster’. This comes from the Roman word ‘castrum’ which means military camp. . When you see a place name name ended in ‘cester’ it is only pronounced as ‘ster’, the one anomaly being Cirencester. But we get lots of tourists that pronounce the whole thing. Take Leicester for example. It’s pronounced ‘Lester’ but a lot of people will come over and ask for directions to ‘Lai-cestor’, always makes me giggle 🤭 . Anyway. Just to make it even more confusing, whilst cester (and the others) come from the Roman ‘castrum’, during actual roman times, these places were called completely different things. Towcester was actually named ‘Lactodorum’ and was only named Towcester by the Saxons who regularly used the suffix ‘ceastre’ which evolved from the Latin ‘castrum’. . Have I confused you yet? The village in the photo isn’t even Towcester, it’s just nearby and I got sidetracked 🤷🏻‍♀️
  • Decorating the table with Ferrero Rocher because is it even Christmas without this chocolatey goodness? My mum always put a Ferrero Rocher in my stocking when I was growing up and it is one of those Christmas traditions that has stayed with me into adulthood. Now, I treat my friends and family to them when they come over for dinner (but only if they are well behaved!). . I have always liked decorating with Ferrero Rocher, so much so that I have incorporated them into my centrepieces at my wedding. The festive Ferrero Cones are great for dotting around the house for a bit of festive spirit so guests can sneak in a chocolate when no one is looking. When I was little I used to dream about having a chocolate box like the one in Miss Trunchbull's house (in Matilda) and I never quite got that little wooden box, BUT I did pretend my Ferrero Rocher box was that same little box. . So here I am, all ready for my first batch of Christmas guests (Alex and I only tend to have people over at Christmas haha), with a table full of festive goodies, do I pass the host test? Because unfortunately, I cannot offer much with my cooking . What’s your Ferrero Rocher Ritual? Comment below or share using #RocherRitual . #FerreroRocher #rocherritual #Delicious #Ad
  • Hi everyone! So excited to say I finally have two packs of presets available on my website 🥳 I have a 10 pack (with 3 bonus presets) in my ‘Italian Riviera’ set, these have all been developed from my photos taken in towns and villages along the north Italian coast! And also available is a 16 pack of ‘Country Cottage’ presets. . Swipe left on this photo and you can see a before and after image with a few in between, all edited with this pack of presets (obviously the last photo is not edited at all, that’s the original) 📸 My country Cottage presets are like my little babies, I have developed and saved these over the last year and a half. For those of you who have no idea what I’m on about, presets are basically another word for filters on Lightroom (an editing tool). I have been using them to edit my photos for over a year now. Anyway, both preset packs are in the shop on my website (link in bio) , there is also some information on how to install them. . I remember when I first started using presets to edit, I bought a few and they were a disaster 🤣 not because the presets were bad but it was because I didn’t know how to use them. I thought I would put a preset on a photo and it would magically look amazing, but different lighting conditions and scenarios create very different final images. My tip to you is even after putting a preset on your photo, tweak the image in the editing tools and make it fit to your photo! If you have any trouble at all using them, my email address is on the shop page so just ask me. . Anyway! With that over... how much does this house look like it should be full of gingerbread? I actually think a few gum drops on the roof would be the perfect addition, and candy canes lining the pathway. I imagine only real Christmas trees live in this house, the fire has been on since October and there is an apple pie in the oven 🥧
  • My brain is very much asleep today and I’m slightly traumatised by the fact it was so cold last night I had to wear socks in bed (shocking I know!), so I thought I’d give you some facts about the Royal Family. To be honest I like the Royals and their traditions, I think they help boost morale but not everyone in Britain likes them 👸🏻 . 🎂 They way old cake at christenings! This is actually something many people in the UK do, they serve cake from their wedding at their child’s christening, so they ended up eating cake that was 7 years old at Prince Louis’ wetting of the head! But don’t worry, it’s usually fruit cake drizzled with so much brandy that the cake doesn’t go off. Winning. . 🖤 They have to pack a black outfit not matter where they travel. This is incase someone died whilst they are away, they have to have a mourning outfit on hand. . 👜 The queen uses her handbag as a signal to her aides. When she’s done with a conversation she wiggles her bag a bit so someone comes and rescues her from having to talk to that person anymore. . 🚗 The Queen is not required to have a driving license. But don’t worry, she became a trained driver and mechanic during the war so her skills are probably better than most of us. The Queen often drives herself around which is always an amusing sight. . 🐶 The Queen’s love of Corgi dogs started on her 18th birthday when she received one named Susan. . 🌍 The Queen has visited 117 countries – that is two-thirds of all the countries on the planet. . 👰🏼 When the Queen got married, their cake was made from ingredients given to them by Australian Girl Guides . 🐶 The Queen gave her corgis some rubber boots to protect their paws from the Buckingham Palace gravel . . Happy Friday, have a lovely day 🥳
  • When I was little I used to say I wanted to win the lottery. I wanted to be able to buy all the clothes and holidays I wanted. My dad would tell me to stop wishing to win and I shouldn’t dream of winning all the money because it wouldn’t make me happy. I thought he was nuts but I’ve since learnt he was right. . No this is not me coming out to tell you I’ve won the lottery, I haven’t, unless you count a couple of pounds here or there. But money can’t buy happiness, contentment, love and the ability to live forever. . I don’t really like going all deep into my feelings but yesterday we said a final goodbye to my Auntie Elsie and listening to the stories about her life before I ever knew her was fascinating. The final music played was the song Uncle Derek played her on the piano. It was the small things that count back then and it’s the small things that count now, but it’s so easy to forget that. . After scoffing down multiples sausage rolls and scones at the wake (I can only hope my funeral guests can enjoy such a fine spread when it’s my time to go), I went to visit my grandad who isn’t well. I’ll tell you what, there’s nothing more humbling than seeing your grandad in distress clinging onto his wife of 66 years whilst having not much of a clue what’s going on around him. My grandparents are now well into their 90’s and still very much in love. Whilst they have worked hard in life they have tea towels with holes in and furniture older than me (and some). We can learn a lot from the older generation and I can only hope my message here doesn’t get lost. Appreciate what you have in life because it won’t always be there, love and friendship is the most important thing we can have, we can’t take a shiny new gadget with us when we are gone.
  • Last night Alex and I went to see ‘Elf’ at the cinema. Yes the cinema! We haven’t been there in a loooong time, pretty sad when I think how much I loved the place as I was growing up (popcorn is even more expensive these days... £10.99 for some popcorn and a Diet Coke... yes I obv have ‘mug’ written across my face). There was the sweetest family in front of us, the kids must have been around 7 & 9, well I nearly choked on my sugary snack when I heard the dad tell the kids that ‘this is an old film but you’ll like it’. AN OLD FILM?! Surely not. Then I googled it and realised it was released in 2003 when I was the ripe old age of 12. Ok maybe he’s right, the film is kinda old and I am even older. . I feel positively festive now and it made me want to hop on a plane to New York immediately so I can go see their Christmas lights for myself 🎄😍 . What is your favourite Christmas film? I have a few, including Elf (obv). My absolute classic though is one named ‘The Greatest Store in the World’, does anyone remember it because whenever I mention it I’m often looked at by blank faces. This is the film where a mum becomes homeless at Christmas with her two daughters, they end up sleeping in a huge department store and end up busting some baddies (dressed as Santa and an elf) who are trying to steal some diamonds or something. . Ok someone please tell me you know what I’m on about? Comments from my sisters don’t count 🤣 . Other favourites include Polar Express, Love Actually and of course, The Holiday ♥️ . . I also just wanted to say, I wrote this caption last night and then a news alert flashed up on my phone about the shootings in Strasbourg. I’m not French and was nowhere near the place but these things get to me, I didn’t want to post about Christmas and not acknowledge something that will have devastated many families at such a special time of year. We have to continue to live our lives to the full, the world is here to be explored and we shouldn’t let a tiny minority of people stop us. My thoughts are with France today 🙏🏼🇫🇷
  • If Instagram didn’t exist and you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? . I do think this platform has changed the way we travel, for bad and good. I think I would chose to do a safari in Africa. I’m desperate to go to Botswana but I know the cost so that’s never going to happen so I think I’d like to go to Kenya. . It’s so easy to be pigeonholed into a particular type of imagery, I think that’s largely due to Instagram’s algorithm. Step out your comfort zone and boom, your engagement takes a nose dive. I know we aren’t quite at 31st December but my resolution next year is to visit places I’ve wanted to visit since I was a child, not since Ive had an Instagram account! . How do you all feel about Instagram? Is it a place you come to to be inspired? To escape to? Mine is now my livelihood, which was never in my original plan! But I have been using it a lot more recently as motivation. Not the fancy holidays, but my secret love, cottage renovations 🤣🤣 I have found a whole world of hashtags dedicated to country living, cottage living and farmhouse living. I see so many amazing country homes it just makes me wanted to work harder to one day I can have something like that 🏡
  • Fact: everyone needs an Alex in their life ♥️ . I woke up this morning feeling a little worse for wear. He didn’t judge. In fact, he knows that I get home sick fairly often (I actually only live an hour away from where I grew up lol but he knows I like my particular traditions). SO he decided we would make a new tradition. . I love garden centres at Christmas, L O V E T H E M. In particular one called Poddington Garden Centre where I would go with my parents every year as a kid as they had a huge Christmas display with lots of decorations (and a great cafe with oodles of cake and shortbread). Alex knows I miss this tradition so he took me to Crews Hill which is a place basically full of garden centres. For real, the whole place confuses the heck out of me, it’s just a street lined with garden centres or shops that sell sheds yet it has its own train station. Whatever, not the point. He took me into a garden centre, I was expecting a few pretty decorations but oh my giddy aunt. This place was like Mary Poppins’ handbag. It opens up into the most incredible Christmas display. So good in fact that there was a 4-5 hour wait to see Santa and it cost a tenner BUT it included a friggin train ride. There was a fake ice rink (you ice skate on slippy floor rather than actual ice 🤣). You could buy crepes, hot chocolate, one room had been turned into a German village and there were ginormous polar bears (fake obv) that had funny eyebrows and played musical instruments. . Anyway. The point is 1) my Alex is the best thing since sliced bread and 2) if you ever feel homesick, don’t forget to make new traditions and it will turn the new place into a new home ♥️ . PS this photo is not of the garden centre, but I thought it was a rather fab Christmas display 🎄 . PPS I have written a blog post about my favourite Christmas displays in London, click the link in my bio 🎅🏼☃️
  • Fun fact: I always write my captions the night before. I tend to post early morning so it saves me having to use my brain in the mornings. Last night I went out out for my sisters 30th. Necked 5 glasses of Prosecco, a Pornstar Martini and a shot of Sambuca. I don’t usually drink much and this was all in the space of three hours. I then took the train home from Cambridge which takes around an hour or something so I thought I’d be useful and write my Instagram caption for today. Honestly I read it back to myself this morning and just thought ‘what the heck’. I’m an actual weirdo after a few ripples so the caption was hastily deleted... except the paragraph below which I thought I’d keep. I quite like having a little insight into my alcohol induced brain. . “I feel like a lot of you are interested in England and I’m going to set the scene. I’m on a train in Cambridge England, one of the most famous and clever cities in the world, I couldn’t buy a kit kat chunky because the machine was broken I’m sat here with two bags of crisps. A ready salted and a cheese and onion. I’m all alone. There are some unthreatening men on the train thinking they’re going to Stansted Airport. They’re actually going to London Kings Cross. They’re fighting over contact lenses I’m sonfused. They’re talking about Star Wars and Cheshire cheese. I’m hoping they can stay awake. I hope I can stay awake.” . Turns out they did stay awake and so did I. I actually made it home without falling over. All by myself! 🥳 . Moral of the story: don’t get drunk, you’ll spend your whole Sunday feeling very sorry for yourself. . PS. I don’t condone over consumption of alcohol. I’m never drinking again! 🍸🤣

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