Monday, Monday....

I like Mondays.....it's the start of the new week, yes....

....but there is also that feeling about starting something on a Monday that makes you feel as though you are more likely to succeed at it....going to the gym, a diet or a new activity....don't they always start on Mondays!?

I am at present a full time stay at home mother and lucky enough to be able to manage my time....as well as being a slave to my children's school timetables too!

My son has only been at school since September and so I have had to find a new rhythm since then....every day is different which I like most of the time....

Sometimes I crave a routine and sometimes I just feel like a little spontaneity....I know I am fortunate that I can have a little of both.

Some weeks I get everything on my to-do list done....some weeks I don't get any of it done - and wonder what on earth I have been doing.

I am still trying to discover the perfect day, the perfect balance of fun and doing-the-everyday-stuff-that-must-be done-whether-we-like-it-or-not....

I'm still not sure what the perfect day consists of.

I have a to-do list that doesn't seem to get shorter, I don't go to the gym enough, I don't read enough, I still owe friends phone calls and I still haven't cooked all those new dishes I intended to cook with all my new "spare" time.

After working for years, I now have more "free" time at home than I have ever had....and now I am wondering if a return to work is in fact what would be the best thing for me!

I do have a pretty good balance in my life....

I have more than my fair share of really good friends who are always there for me....some days a quick morning coffee can be just the pick-me-up that we all need...time for listening or for sharing, for reassurance or just for time to laugh....

I do have more time to do the little things that so often get overlooked (bottom of the ironing basket anyone?),

I have more time to blog and write and I have a little more time to ponder and plan....

I believe that it's healthy to have a goal be it to read two more books per month or running a marathon....it's a rare person who doesn't seek to challenge themselves or to seek new projects.

Life is a funny thing isn't it....so often when you get to a specific time of your life, it's not always how you anticipated it would be....it's different, albeit good different.

When you arrive, you then immediately start to think "Right, what now?"

And I guess that's what makes life so exciting and puzzling all at the same time.

These days people rarely have a job for life anymore, you can start new things and take up new opportunities all the time - and at any age.

I've never been one of the those people who has a plan and a really clear idea of what their next move is....and actually I quite like that.

Sometimes though a signpost or a map might have been handy!

It's just a matter of deciding which road you are going to take next....

Happy Monday!

Great quotes via Bits of Truth ....

Friday Fabulousness....

....by Mario Testino for Vogue US November....

....via Dustjacket Attic ....

....via FGR....

....love these Kate Spade items!

....Diego Dolcini shoes....

....was it really only last Monday I was here!!?

This week-end is Bonfire Night here in the UK...bonfires and fireworks - we're going to a public display tomorrow evening and a friends party on Saturday.

Following my success with Halloween cocktails last week, I shall be attempting the following

Midori Bonfire Night Toffee Apple Cocktail....

Toffee Apple MIDORI 1 part

Cognac 1 part

Squeeze of Fresh Lemon

Top with Apple Cider

Pour ingredients over ice into a glass, and gently stir.

I do have another prize for today but the lovely people at Midori contacted me this week very kindly offering a cocktail gift pack to one of my readers.....so there are two prizes!

See the Midori website here for more great cocktail recipes....

The winners of this week's Giveaways are:

Day 1 - CSN gift voucher - Metropolitan Mum

Day 2 - the Remedi bag or necklace - A Tranquil Townhouse

Day 3 - Paris book - Everyday Adventures of a Curious Gal

Day 4 - skincare - Miss Sew and So

I will announce the winner of my Friday giveaway tomorrow (Saturday).

Thank you very much for entering and for the lovely comments this week :)

Lovely winners, please email me!

Happy Week-end!

Giveaway Day 4 - Skincare!!!

I love a good product and believe in trying everything from own brands to the super-expensive-I'm-going-to-be-living-on-toast-for-a-week stuff. My skin has definitely changed over the years and so I have tried various  a lot of different products with varying success.

My mother doesn't wear make up, has used the same brand (Estee Lauder) all her life and has the most fabulous luminous skin.

What I do know is that my skin needs regular and thorough looking after and that when I do my skincare routine every day and take time to use my products correctly, it shows and I do feel better for it.

My Giveaway today therefore is a selection of skincare products...a lovely mixture of them, including the fabulous Boots No7 Protect and Perfect Beauty Serum which has been voted Product of the Year 2010.

I've just been to my local SpaceNK and stocked up on some gorgeous items for you - and me!

Just be a follower of my blog and leave a comment, that's all!

I will announce the winners of Days 1-4 of my giveaways tomorrow.

Good luck!

Wellness & Wellbeing

I attended a SpaceNK event earlier this year where the panel of speakers included Nicky Kinnaird, founder of SpaceNK, Kristy Goodger of Elemental Herbology and Geraldine Howard of Aromatherapy Associates.

The subject for discussion was "Women and Wellbeing" and it was both fascinating and inspiring.

The subject of "wellness" also came up and it got me thinking - I knew it was an issue I wanted to explore more.

As one of the panel pointed out, you can buy all the expensive lotions and potions in the world but if you aren't caring for your most basic needs such as sleep and nutrition and general well-being, then you are simply throwing your money away.

So what is wellness, how do we define it.....

and how do we define wellbeing?

Google it and there are many many definitions.

The following are some definitions that I subscribe to....

"Wellness is generally used to mean a healthy balance of the mind, body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being."

"the quality or state of being in good health, especially as an actively sought goal"

Wellness is considered to be an active process of becoming aware of and learning to make choices (healthy choices) that lead toward a longer and more successful existence.

Wellness is much more than simple an absence of illness and/or disease. Wellness is a proactive and preventative approach that's designed to provide optimum levels of health, emotional and social functioning.  

Wellness emphasizes the whole individual.

It's the integration of the spirit, body and the mind; and the understanding that everything we do, feel, think and believe has a direct impact on our state of health.

"Wellness and good health have historically been seen a freedom from disease; thus, if you weren't sick, then you were considered healthy.

This historical perspective on wellness is changing.

While virtually everyone agrees that absence from illness is a primary component of being healthy, it doesn't however indicate anything about your state of well-being".

"Since lifestyle and the choices we make been found to be the most important factor in determining your overall health, it's important for you to be educated about your health and "take charge" of your life and have healthy lifestyle-related goals.

The lifestyle choices you make will and do have a huge influence on your health and your wellness.

The secret isn't in healthcare, but healthy and consistent self-care.

While traditional (Western) medicine is focused on alleviating disease, the wellness approach to things encourages you to take responsibility for your own personal well-being."

For me, wellness is about making healthy choices but it's also about so many other things too.

It's about eating well, taking time to prepare meals and nourishing myself and those I love with food that I love....

it's about having a skincare routine because by doing it I feel as though I am nurturing myself....

it's about exercising simply because I feel so good afterwards....

it's a good night's sleep, getting up in the morning and taking 10 mins to think, plan and sip a quiet cup of tea....

for me, it's also about spending a good proportion of time doing things that I like doing,

things that energise me...

with people who inspire me....

Making conscious choices about my life, taking time to breathe, making good choices, being positive and happy...taking care of myself.

I am really excited to explore these issues on my blog this month and I have some wonderful and inspiring people and brands involved sharing their experience and knowledge.

I would welcome blogger involvement so if this is a subject you would like to contribute to, please feel free to email me via my blog.

I do have some fabulous giveaways too, starting tomorrow!!

Happy Wednesday!!

Friday Fabulousness - Around the Blogosphere....

....from Vila , Denmark via the beautiful Haute Design

via my guest-post over at She's Getting Married ....

....found this week on FGR....

via Beach Vintage (for details of how to make this gorgeous creation too!)

Amanda Wakeley via Splenderosa 

via Miss Sew and So

I'm a pretty traditional girl who had a pretty traditional wedding but I just love this invitation - and the story it tells....

via the fabulous Lou, Boos and Shoes

....my cousin got married last year and the wedding took place outdoors, it was beautiful....this wedding is just lovely....

via 100layercake

Scarlett Johansson for Mango via Fashion Foie Gras

via Everyday Adventures of a Curious Gal

....Olivia P, radiant as ever....via The Vogue Diaries

via The Remedi -

this beautiful Shipla necklace is going to be one of my giveaways next week....

Halle Berry looking fabulous at an event in LA this week....

....from Marie Claire US via Fashion Gone Rogue ....

....Autumn Chic via Dress Design Decor

....Bronte Beach via Space For Inspiration ....

.....taken from the most beautiful photo shoot from Elle Italia....see it here at Dustjacket Attic....

via French Blue

It's been a lovely week in spite of lots of rain and the return of coughs and colds :)

We have 10 days school hols here and, amongst other things have....

been to the movies ("Despicable Me" - 7/10)

spent the day with my oldest friends and our 8 children 

went to a Halloween party and ate a lot of orange food

had our favourite uncle over to stay and shrieked a lot (their uncle/my brother!)

made our most successful banana cake ever (we are easily pleased!)

bought new shoes

bought new books & discovered "Swallows and Amazons" by Arthur Ransome

(it is a lovely thing when your child reads and loves something that you loved as a child too)

finally got a Buzz Lightyear costume

brushed up on our French for our trip to Paris this week-end!!!!

Yes, I am off to Paris again!

This time with my husband and our children, leaving London on the early Eurostar train on Saturday morning and arriving back late Monday night....very exciting!!

The journey door-to-door takes a little under 4 hours which is quite amazing - my son cannot wait to get on the high-speed train and go in the tunnel under the English Channel.

My husband is looking forward to the restaurants.

And my daughter is looking forward to the Eiffel Tower, seeing the pretty shops, her morning pain au raisin and a trip to Laduree. Or is that me?! She is her mother's daughter that's for sure :)

Next week it is Giveaway Week and I will have a wonderful giveaway for one lucky follower each day!!

Happy Week-end!!

Happy Halloween!!