December: Lately I've Been Loving

I always use my last lately I've been loving of the year to share some of the things which have made me happy this year.

It's always such an honour to be a Beauty Shortlist Judge (do check out the winners of the Awards on Tuesday 2nd March 2021). I've been putting some amazing products through their paces and am sure I've found some winners!

(I never stop pinching myself) I'm so grateful to be a Love Lula Accredited Blogger. I've discovered some amazing brands through the program, some of which I've bought again and again.

I think my day was made when my quote was used on the inside cover of the fantastic The Strange Case of Jacob Boyce by Tom Gillespie. I took part in the blog tour - see HERE and I was made up and then some when the author sent me a signed finished copy! Day, if not year, was made!

Being able to go for a short holiday in July was so joy giving! We spent time on the Isle of Wight (on my bucket list) and I met Pascale from Blue Labelle at her shop in Ventnor. Unfortunately, there was no touching and trying any products due to COVID-19 but it was so, so good to meet her! I've loved her products for so long (she also took a photo of me which she shared on her instagram of me masked-up!)

We also loved those beautiful Isle of Wight sunsets! We also managed a short stay at The Pig Hotel at Brockenhurst (second visit). Truly gorgeous!

I've been really lucky to be able to read lots of great books this year (my final Top Books September to December 2020 is upcoming) and try lots of new to me beauty products. I'm sad that my fav green beauty box - Skin Organics Clean Beauty Box (reviews) has come to an end but I'm sure founder Paula will go on to curate more joy for us next year - looking forward to seeing what she does next! 

January - Nourish

March - Meditate

May - Spring

July - Summer Vibes

September - Sunset

November - Ambiance

I also by chance bumped into an old friend on the bus and it was great to make a connection again. For me, 2020 has been about the joy in the little things. What have you been loving this month/year?

July: Lately I've Been Loving

In July we had the pleasure of fitting in a mini break - four nights on the Isle of Wight (had been on my bucket list) and I got to meet Pascale, at Blue Labelle which was amazing! We also had two nights at The Pig at Brockenhurst (our second visit). The sun mainly shone, weren't we lucky! Here's my July loves:

I got my hair done! Yah! Huge thanks to Lexi at Bruce Masefield Hair - I feel "normal" again!

Discovering The Ghost Family Haunts on Instagram, under the #SmallBusinessSunday hashtag and buying some of their The Ghost Family Flame soy wax melts. I've since placed another order (patiently awaiting) and joined their Subscription Box! See my initial musing HERE.

Revisiting (first tried Bramley Products when we had our first visit to The Pig, Brockenhurst) so it was lovely to revisit the range.

Meeting Pascale at her Blue Labelle Boutique in Ventnor was a real treat (even masked up haha). Currently you can't browse the shop but it was nice to see it and meet the maker! Of course, I had to have a teeny buy..

We stayed four nights at The Little Gloster, a restaurant with rooms. It's closing at the end of the season so was only catering to the guests in their three rooms. It was lacking in the buzzy atmosphere we were expecting when we booked but we still had an enjoyable time, and those sunsets! 

These are my two top dishes from my stay - IOW Tomato Gazpacho and a white & dark choc entremet dessert - amazing!

Of course I love these beauties..

I bought a lovely bag from Joli in Cowes which is made of old sail cloth (it was a shop I'd found during internet searches before our trip). I'm very pleased with it!

On a wet and windy day (the only bad day of our hols) we stopped by Pure Wight Soy Candles (I'd bought from them online before). It was great to meet the maker and see the shop. I picked up some soy wax melts in Seaside and award winning Lavender & Lemon.

We had two lovely (and very sunny) days at The Pig at Brockenhurst, where we've stayed once before (our room was The Hen House which was gorgeous - the bathroom was upstairs!). We enjoyed lazing about, nice meals and drinks & cocktails and I loved exploring the veggie garden again and that chocolate mousse with raspberries and garden flowers was divine! 

I took part in the Blog Tour for the fantastic The Secret of Creek Cottage by Tina M Edwards and was kindly sent a signed copy (I do love a signed book!). See my review HERE.

The little promo card found it's way onto my kitchen pin-board!

What have you been loving in July?