The Floral Effect

{30th July}

I think I have found a new love in life - nail transfers! Oh my word I love them.  They were so easy to apply, so simple to use and look brilliant.

I have tried foil nail wraps and gel overlays, neither of which were really that successful or easy to use. These nail transfers from Amazon were exactly what I was looking for.  They are just like the old transfer tattoos you used as a child.  They came as a sheet of 20 flowers that you can then arrange as you want.  I decided to use just one flower per nail but, in the image on Amazon, by the looks of it they have used a couple.

Here's how I created this look:

• Paint nails with 2 layers of Essie's Figi.
• Cut out the transfer from the piece of paper
• Drop the transfer into water for about 20 seconds
• Take out of the water with tweezers
• Slide off the plastic layer and place transfer down on to the nail
• Hold in place for a minute or two and you will find the other plastic sheet gradually peels off and leaves the transfer in place
• Once the transfers are in place and look like they have stuck paint a layer of clear vanish over the top.
• Ta Da! beautiful nails

"If you have to question whether you need to, send one anyway"

{29th July}

Writing and sending letters and notes has seen a demise over the last decade with everyone now just sending a text or an email.  Do you get the same feeling when someone texts or emails as when someone sends you a letter or a card in the post?  I certainly don't.

Emails and texts, or a Tweet or a Facebook message, don't really require much thought or effort.  I guess maybe that's why receiving a letter or card in the post seems so much more special because you can appreciate how much effort that person has gone to.

I still believe that sending a Thank You note is imperative and that nothing really does say Thank You as well as a letter or card.  In my eyes texts, emails, Tweets and Facebook posts don't cut the mustard when it comes to Thank Yous.  

People now seem to be unsure when to send a Thank You.  Someone once said to me, if you are unsure of whether you need to send a Thank You card, and have to question whether it is needed, then send one anyway.  I can assure you that the recipient of the card will be so appreciative of the effort that has gone into it.

I think there isn't much nicer than having some beautiful stationery sets in the draw for such an occasion.  I bought these two new sets for £4.99 each in Home Sense that has recently opened in Brighton and have speedily send one on its way to our friends who played host to use over the weekend.

Life is the flower for which love is the honey

Nothing dresses a room better than freshly cut flowers, whether in a glass vase, jam jar or tea pot.  There are so many things you can do with flowers, but for me, simple is better.

I'm not overly keen on flower arrangements and prefer a vase full of the same flower.  I also find that flowers keep a lot better if you keep only one variety in each vase.

White Hydrangeas are my favourite.  I love their soft, full, heads, they just look so delicate and perfect.  I find you can get 3 stems from a florist for about £5 and they tend to last about 2 weeks.  I found the key to Hydrangeas is only giving them about an inch of room temperature water and changing this every other day.

They aren't particularly fragrant but they do look beautiful.

Bright 'n' Early

{24th July}

I am so pleased to have 3 days of holiday booked for the remainder of the week.  I am taking a trip back to Canterbury to visit my family.  G will be staying at home as he will be taking holiday later in the year.

I am really looking forward to having some time to spend with my family and there isn't much better than being back at your parents house.  No worries about food, bills, washing!

I have a lot planned for the next 5 days and can't wait to catch up with everyone and spend time in places I haven't been to for years.

As I will be leaving Brighton behind for the next few days - here are some bits of it that I love...

And so they wore blue

{23rd July 2013}

Today I am so proud to be British.  It is so nice that in this day and age the country still comes together to celebrate when a National event occurs.  It is also so lovely that so many traditions are still upheld as they have been for hundreds of years.

We were lucky enough to have the tele on as the news broke of the birth of the new Prince and today as the Duke and Dutchess left the Lindo Wing to introduce their new son to the world.   They both looked so happy and I was super loving the blue coordinating outfits for a boy.  I wonder if William would have been brave enough to wear pink had it been a baby girl.

Congratulations to the happy couple and I am so excited to find out his name and watch him grow up.

Sparkly Mint

{23rd July 2013}

Ooooh I love this look.  Really pleased with the result.  

I have become a real fan of Essie nail vanishes recently, they have such good tones.  This is Essie's Mint Candy Apple.  I love the colour - it is mint green but definitely has a baby blue tinge to it.

This look is really easy to achieve.  I have a tiny pot of silver glitter that seems to work really well on my nails.  I find that loose glitter works a lot better than using glitter nail vanish - this doesn't ever seem to get quite the right thickness of glitter.  I bought the glitter in a shop called Purple Heart in Brighton and it is actually a face and body glitter that I think perhaps is meant to be used for face painting!?

To create this look-

1. Paint base colour on your nails (normally 2 or 3 layers so that the colour is thick and bold).

2. Once the base colour is dry use a clear nail vanish to draw a line across the top of the nail (a bit like you would do with a french manicure).

3. Dip the tip of the nail that has been painted in clear vanish into the glitter.

4. Pat down lightly on the glitter so that it sticks into the nail vanish.

5.  Tap off any excess back into the glitter pot (always good to save wastage!)

6.  Paint a layer of clear vanish on top

et voila!

Spontaneous Sunday

{21st July 2013}

Did you all have lovely weekends?  

I hope you managed to get out an enjoy the sunshine as much as we did.  Since starting my new job I now work 9-5.30 Monday to Friday.  In my last job I works 9-5.30 and 11.00-7.30 the next, working every other Saturday.  It puts you in such a funny position working disjointed hours.  I never felt settled and rarely had time for going out and never wanted to see anyone because I never felt like I really had time to myself.  I now feel I can be a little more spontaneous and use up the time fully.

This weekend we had nothing planned, which is nice, but also a little disconcerting as you don't want it to get to Monday and look back and think you haven't done anything. 

Sunday morning we woke up with no plans and wanting to be spontaneous.  We drove over to East Preston to visit G's parents who were house sitting for a friend.  The house is right by the most secluded beach.  The beach runs at the back of a private estate, and as such has no parking for those not living on the estate, making it tricky to get to.  We were able to walk through the estate, down some private roads and paths and find this gorgeous pebbly beach.

There were other people about but you definitely wouldn't call it busy - nothing like Brighton Beach would have been today!  We set up our deck chairs, watched the tide go out, had some ice cream, and G's mum and I went for a swim (actually quite warm!!).

FACT: Magnum Caramel is super yummy!!!

We returned home about 5.30 just in time to order a chinese, have some wine, and watch some Hannibal (the Sky Living 2013 series).

Hope you all have a brilliant Monday.

{Hat - H&M, Glasses - Culter & Gross, Necklace - Dorothy Perkins}