Christmas In The Country

This year I spent my Christmas in the country and there were so many lights and decorations around that I actually felt like I was in a little village-shaped chocolate box! I think going on night-time walks was actually my favourite part about being there because everything looked much more special and festive and I wanted to take these photos to remind myself of how my Christmas 2015 looked.

 

Gabrielle

 

Setting Up For Chrimbo

Usually the house would have been decorated by now but this year I've been a little lazy and only got the tree and a few little bits done. I've started with the absolute Christmas essentials, a Mulberry scented candle, some sparkly décor, a mini advent tree that's been in my family for years and of course a Radio Times! Christmas would not be the same without this trusty magazine but in case you don't have these in your country it's all about what's on Television and Radio over Xmas. It's kind of a tradition here in England to go through this with a highlighter and pick out all the things you want to watch, it also has interviews and reviews and all sorts of special Christmassy bits and I haven't gone through a Christmas without it! I know a lot of people like to decorate to excess and everything's decked out to the hilt but as long as I've got my essential bits done, I'm satisfied.

Gabrielle

Bits And Bobs

I wouldn't say I'm a minimalist but I definitely don't like clutter so when it comes to home decorations I like to keep it simple. I like to look at different designs and textures but I stick to a fairly simple colour palette, a lot of greys and black and white. I'm not hugely into pops of colour but a little dash of it never hurt anyone! I mostly get these from candles dotted about the place, you can never have too many candles in your home. And as for textures, I've always been about the snuggly life, give me a cosy throw and I'm yours!

 

Gabrielle

Beauty In Nature

 

 

I really don't think I need to say anything about these pictures, for me they say it all themselves. Views like this disappear so quickly as the sun sets and I wanted to capture it so I could remember how I felt at this particular moment. As far as I'm concerned, nothing beats the beauty of nature, except perhaps for a certain pancake I had the other day...

 

Gabrielle

Lost In My Thoughts

 

I love little details, they're so easy to miss and sometimes you find them in places you've been to so many times before and they just make everything more interesting. I've always been a less is more kind of person and people can go  a bit crazy with decorations at this time of year but I like the more thoughtful and subtle things, like fairy lights dotted about the place. I also like when a place still has its' original features like the names of the houses and who would have lived there, I find it's a good way to connect to the past. I'm not sure what people will look back on when they think of our place in history, maybe there'll be plaques reading "Twerk zone" or "Here lieth the real MVP". Pretty emotional stuff!

 

Gabrielle



It's Christmas Time Again!

I know that different people start decorating for Christmas and wrapping presents at different times but today was my first present wrapping of the season! This is the time that I really start to get into the festive spirit and I always try to make the most of it because I know for a fact that I'll soon be sitting here thinking, bloody hell it's Christmas Eve already!? Eloquent I know but it helps to portray the panic. I hadn't been late night shopping for a few years so when I went in with my Mum last week it reminded me of when my friends and I would go in after school with a few notes in hand and buy for our parents like proper adults! I may technically be an adult now but I still don't feel like it and I was reminded of how things change between Christmases', who knows what I'll be doing next year but I know for a fact that no matter how much changes, I'm still the queen of present wrapping! Honestly it's like an art form, and don't skimp on the sellotape, I like to see the frustration on peoples' faces when they glare up at me and demand the scissors!

I'm sure everyone's getting into the festive spirit too and I'm feeling like tonight may be Christmas tree night! Baubles at the ready...

 

Gabrielle

A Pancake Experience Worth Remembering

 

You know the way that people look at their lovers, with adoration and desire and lust, that is exactly how I looked at this food when it was put on my table! The café in which this was produced was independently owned and you could definitely tell because it was so unique and the food is always better in places like this. I feel like not only do you get more for your money (have you seen the size of it?!) but you also get such a lovely atmosphere which I love. But back to the food for a moment, granted I did only have the pancake but it was, in a word, fabulous. I'm a real food lover, as I'm sure you can tell, and I like to try a different place every time but I will absolutely be going back here to try everything on the menu, it would be rude not to!

 

Gabrielle 



Exploring In The Rain

 

For as long as I can remember I've loved exploring, going to new places or getting in the car and seeing where we end up feels so natural to me. I know some people hate the typical rainy English weather but most of the time I think it makes everything look more interesting and slightly darker. One of the great things I find about living in England is that you never have to travel very far to be in the countryside, it's like one minute you're just in the middle of nowhere and you can find so many things to see and places to stop and eat and I've always loved that. I know that if you live in a bigger country than here(let's face it, it's not that hard!) you may not have the luxury of being able to find places like this but there's always something to see if you just pick a direction and go! P.s. remember to fill up on petrol before you start!

 

Gabrielle



Sun, Coffee And Cake

 

The world can be a cruel place, if the past few days have taught us anything it's that, but the worst thing we can do is let that cruelty stop us from enjoying the things that make life a little bit more bearable. I've always found that there's something about the light at this time of year, it's so bright but it looks cold and it makes me want to wrap up warm and relax. And of course, if you just so happen to be in the vicinity of somewhere that sells cakes, you really should treat yourself to a little something.

 

Gabrielle