5 Easy Ways to Do Shabby Chic

Learning a craft (knitting, crochet, etc.), or using the labours of others in your home, can really add that vintage feel and become a fun hobby at the same time! This bear was knitted by one of the ladies at my local hospice.

The best vintage and retro design containers, pots and jars can be free or found in old cupboards. Upcycle them and they become the perfect shabby chic organisers!

Old picture frames and pictures can really add to a room. Why not try reusing an old one and transforming it? It turned the picture in this frame over and used the blank side to create a collage of some of the vintage postcards that I've collected for years.

White is the shabby chic colour (or tint). Why not give old furniture a facelift by painting them white and giving them a distressed 'Les Mis Chic' look?

Fairy lights of all shapes, sizes and colours are the perfect finishing touch to a shabby chic interior, creating cosy decor and the effect of dramatic underlighting.

Carpe Diem xx

Beauty Drawer: My Makeup Storage and Organisation, Benefit, Models Own and More

It's kind of a sin to admit as a beauty blogger that you don't own or use a ton of makeup, and even worse to admit that you don't want to, but I have to admit that my storage and organisation is even more important because of the small space I have to store it in. I keep a small but regular supply of products I generally know and like, as well as samples to try, so enjoy having a nose around my beauty drawer!

Striped Box, Accessorize: samples (Benefit 'That Gal')

Secrets Tin: 100ml travel bottles, travel makeup brushes (Real Techniques), Zinc tablets (Holland and Barrett)

White Wicker Basket (from set of 3), John Lewis: extra makeup sponges, spare toothpaste (Colgate)

Gaudi Mug, Barcelona: current lip products to use up (Rimmel Stay My Rose lipgloss)

Spare tissues (Kleenex Balsam travel tissues)

Yes, it does need a sort out, any ideas? How do you organise your products?

Carpe Diem xx

Simple Living Inspiration: Lawrence of Arabia, Clouds Hill and Sleeping in a Hammock

Tucked away in a wood in Bovington, Dorset is the former home of T.E. Lawrence (1888-1935), aka Lawrence of Arabia, Clouds Hill. Incorporating revolutionary eco design such as recycled bathroom insulation, and simple reused materials, Clouds Hill is an inspiration for a simple lifestyle and adventurous living! Definately worth seeing and soaking up the atmosphere.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/clouds-hill/

Read about the benefits of sleeping in a hammock (yes, literally, at night and everything!):

http://almostbohemian.com/hammock/

Carpe Diem xx

My Stay-At-Home Graduate Gap Year

So, after finally finishing all my exams, handing in coursework, ordering my graduation cap and gown, looking at travel tour brochures and realising it would take a lot longer than I hoped to save up for one, I spent a lot more time looking out of the window and deciding that what I wanted to do with my life was to be a cat....

Ok, so graduating two years earlier than most of my school friends, skipping the around-the-world post-A levels gap year, and being one of the youngest in my year group, I can relax slightly on the job front and have decided on a gap year of sorts. A stay-at-home gap year is a very environmentally friendly way of working out what you want to do, gaining valuable transferable skills and experience and generally getting your life in order. 

Here's what I plan to do with my 'stay-at-home graduate gap year':

1) Volunteer - I've already worked in local charity shops and at local events so plan to continue on the same road as its a great way of gaining customer service and retail experience.

2) Blog and YouTube - I started my blog two years ago and have recently started blogging every day, so watch this space and enjoy!

3) Job Hunt - Generally work out the specific jobs and sectors I want to work in and apply for jobs in those areas.

4) New Experiences - While I don't have the time pressure of a 9-5 job I'm going to take on as many new experiences as come my way.

5) Travel - I'm not sure what will happen here, it depends on how quickly I can save money, if at all, but I have got plans for a few adventures in the UK, so holiday-at-home it is!

Check out these websites on stay at home gap years:

http://www.do-it.org.uk/magazine/features/personaldevelopment/gapyearathome

http://www.ecofriendlykids.co.uk/stay-at-home-gap-year.html

Are you planning one?

Carpe Diem xx

Simple Organisation Solutions for Offices and Home

Compartmentalizing things you might not use often into clear plastic box (e.g. Tupperware, Lock'n'Lock) can be a great space saving solution to storage. Not only practical but also makes finding things quicker as you can immediately see the contents of each box.

Keep a folder of stickers and labels for labelling storage containers and boxes or creating a 'reward system' sticker chart for daily chores or activities. It works for children, so why not use it to motivate you to stay organised and keep you on track?

Keep a labelled folder containing all you important documents (driving licence, passport, birth certificate, etc.) so that you always have it at hand and know exactly where they are when you need them. I use my favourite butterfly folder from John Lewis. Never miss a holiday, deadline or bill due to disorganisation again!

Carpe Diem xx

Alternative Makeup Collection Organisation and Storage Tips

Reuse and recycle vintage tins and containers, or new pots and jars with pretty designs on them, as holders for organising makeup brushes and tools. Aesthetic, practical and free! 

What more could you want?

Keep a collection of travel size makeup and beauty products and tools in a safe place. Build up a collection from freebies or products you just haven't gotten around to trying yet so that you have them ready to go. Use a clear plastic cosmetic bag or zip-lock sandwich bag so that you can put it in you suitcase when you're ready to pack for that special holiday.

As we all know, airlines are sticklers for liquid allowances now. So be prepared and keep clear plastic 100ml bottles and jars ready to decant shampoos, conditioners, shower gel and moisturisers into. I got mine, with the cosmetic bag, from Boots.

Vintage and retro tea cups and saucers can be a great solution to compartmentalizing your makeup and beauty storage on the cheap. Not only saving you the trouble of going out and buying a load of clear plastic containers, but also adding a touch of glamour to your collection.

Have fun and get creative!

Carpe Diem xx

Fashion Thursday: F'edore Summer

This year in a bid to save money and experience the full-on summer weather experience in South Asia, I'm basing my outfits around my favourite 3-year old denim shorts and knock-off black and floral wayfarer sunnies. 

My new £18 straw fedora from Accessorize will also make an appearance, at some point, when the British weather becomes logical. The point is that even in Britain their isn't an excuse not to bring summer home. Lazy bonfire evenings, Pimms and lemonade, flip flops, sunnies, homemade teepees in the garden....

Have fun!

Carpe Diem xx

Handmade Cards and Crochet: An Alternative Fathers Day Gift Guide

Instead of shelling out a fortune this Father's Day, why not get creative and try a handmade card. You could get the children to try their hand at drawing basic cards. For a more indulgent card why not recycle old materials, such as ribbons or cut-off patterns from old cards or gift wrapping paper. To create a multi-media collage effect, incorporate unwanted or duplicate family photos for a more personal touch.

Craft gifts such as mug cosies made by crochet can be a perfect present for those teapot dads out there. A perfect way of looking after dad and keeping the tea from getting cold! Alternatively, create an ornamental gift that will add years of sentimental value on father's days to come.

Crocheted and knitted gifts can be extended to technology such as cameras and personalised in dads favourite colour. For the tech-savvy or the clumsy, this simultaneously sentimental and practical gift will keep technology safe for years and will be more cost effective than most mass-produced presents.

For the dad with more technology than he can handle, why not personalised crafty cases and covers with patterns or stripes? The possibilities really are endless and can be fun for the crafty son or daughter too. It might be a little too late to crochet a blanket or knit a jumper now though!

Carpe Diem xx