April favourites

It has been ages since I did a round up of things I’ve been enjoying for the month just gone (probably about 2 years actually…) so I thought now seemed as good a time as any! Here are a few things that I have been enjoying this month.

1. You’re dead to me

I have my house mate to thank for this one. Usually I listen to a lot of news podcasts and since one particular story is dominating the news at the moment (you know that little thing beginning with c) I have been looking for some alternatives. You’re dead to me is a BBC sounds podcast hosted by Greg Jenner, a British author and public historian, about various historical figures and periods. He is joined by an expert on the topic of the week and a comedian, which makes for an entertaining and informative podcast. You can learn something new without it feeling like learning! If you’re looking for some other podcast picks you can read about my favourites here: Top Podcast Picks

2. All things green

Green is fast becoming my favourite colour. Pastel green is clearly a popular colour this spring which is probably part of the reason I find myself drawn to it but the other reason I love green is because it’s the colour of my plant children. I am definitely a crazy plant lady – I just can’t get enough, bedroom jungle here I come! There are loads of benefits to having house plants; they purify your air, looking after them is beneficial for your mental health and they add a nice pop of colour as well as creating a relaxing atmosphere. You can read more about my houseplant obsession here: Hello Houseplants

3. Animal Crossing

There is something surprisingly relaxing about spending your day fishing, catching bugs and collecting fruit in order to pay back your debt to a business savvy racoon. I had animal crossing years ago back when it was on Nintendo DS, and when I saw the new version I thought I would give it ago. Admittedly, this was not a cheap decision… but it was worth it! There is so much more to do in this version (besides paying off your house loan to Tom Nook) and I can see myself playing this for a long time to come. Given the current situation *cough, quarantine and social distancing, cough* I’m not doing much so this is an enjoyable way to fill the time. It also has the added benefit of being able to play with friends. So the more people I can convince to invest in this the better!

4. Yoga with Adriene

One of my New Years resolutions was to do more yoga and I must confess until now I really haven’t been making an effort with this one. In an effort to force myself to do this I have started Yoga with Adriene’s 30 day home series. I was 4 days in and really enjoying having a proper structure to follow and hold myself accountable to – then I slipped a disk in my back so haven’t been able to do it more recently…

5. L’Oreal No Haircut Cream

This one is a rediscovery rather than anything new. I forgot how much of a difference L’Oreal Elvive Dream Lengths No Haircut Cream makes to detangling wet hair. Especially now that I have blonde hair I’m making an extra effort to take care of the ends to try and avoid them getting dry. I used to use this back when my hair was longer and I was trying to grow it to minimise split ends but I forgot about it until I found it while doing a bit of a sort out. I won’t be forgetting about this again, that’s for sure.

What have you been loving recently?

 

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February Favourites

From activewear to skincare my favourites for February!

March 5, 2018January 24, 2021

August favourites: fitness and fashion

Monthly must haves! Unsurprisingly there is a lot of clothing in this months haul…I’m a shopping addict what can I say!

September 15, 2017January 24, 2021

July Favourites: Fitness, Beauty and more!

All of my must haves for the month featuring fitness clothing, make up and more!

August 9, 2017January 24, 2021

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Hello Houseplants

I would say my houseplant obsession started just over a year ago with the purchase of one little peace lily. Since then my love of all things plant has bloomed and one of the things I have found the hardest is picking plants that are easy to look after. So I thought I would share the plants I currently own (and have successfully kept alive) to give you some plantspiration.

PEACE LILY

My first plant and where it all began. When I bought this lil guy it had a few flowers but it seems to have stopped flowering now.

Super easy to care for as they don’t need watering until they start to droop a bit. They like humid environments so the peace lily thrives in bathrooms, but I keep mine in my room and just spray it with a plant mister every other day. I picked up a second, larger peace lily for my living room as well.

TRADESCANTIA ‘SITARA’

This one I happened across when I was browsing Patch. The purple leaves were too beautiful to resist! Patch is a company based in London and Paris which will deliver plants to your door. They have quickly become my go to for my new green pals.

This plant is described as liking ‘a bright spot not in direct sunlight’ and mine has flourished in the time I have had it. I have been watering once a week and so far so good.

SNAKE PLANT

This features in my room revamp post. Snake plants are notoriously easy and when I saw this in the supermarket with this beautiful pot I couldn’t say no!

Picking a pot is almost as exciting as picking a plant but they tend to also be the expensive bit. Supermarkets are great because you get plant and pot for not much more than the plant would cost on its own. Also the plant fits perfectly in the pot – which is not always easy to find.

CLASSIC CACTUS

What plant collection is complete without a cactus or two? This one was a gift but they’re easy enough to find – I found one in urban outfitters the other day!

Cactus’s are a common choice because they are (almost) impossible to kill, given that they traditionally live in a desert and go without water for a long time, so no worries if you forget to water this spiky guy.

ALOE VERA

Patch have helpfully categorised all their plants so if you’re looking for a little greenery for a certain spot you can pick something that will survive and thrive. So when I was looking for a new plant to fill an empty pot for this little window spot I quickly found the right thing for the space.

Aloe Vera has been approved by NASA as one of the best air-purifiers to help remove pollutants from the air, and living in London I cannot get enough air purifying plants.

SATIN POTHOS

Ok so this is maybe not an easy plant (I don’t know I’ve had it for less than 48hrs) but ever since I moved in I have wanted a trailing plant to go on top of my wardrobe and so I finally gave in.

I also had my eye on this pot for ages but it had been out of stock until recently, I think the grey-green tones are so lovely.

I can’t wait to see this one grow!

THE UNKNOWN

Another gift, I have no idea what sort of plant this is. I have tried extensive googling and I am still none the wiser, but it seems to be an easy one.

It is growing happily without me giving it much attention and just keeping an eye to make sure its watered. One thing I have noticed is this guy has a tendency to get dusty so I have to clean the leaves every so often to keep it looking at its best.

PLANT CARE

First essentials for looking after your new plant children are a watering can and a plant mister. I picked up this mister from ASOS and it’s pretty enough to live on a surface rather than in a cupboard. I find it’s much easier to remember to look after a plant if you keep watering implements close to hand.

When deciding if your plant is thirsty enough to have a drink, stick your finger into the soil and if it comes out clean your pal needs some attention. Another clue is wilting leaves.

The other thing I have learnt is the importance of proper drainage. If you’re going to take your plant out of the plastic pot that you brought it in, make sure to put some gravel/stones at the bottom of your pot before adding soil to allow water to drain out and to avoid root rot.

Who else has a plant obsession (please say it isn’t just me)? If like me you’re a houseplant hoarder why not follow my plantstagram for all things green – @plantlover.lottie

LINKS:

Peace lily’s pot 

Tradescantia ‘Sitara’

Tradescantia ‘sitara’ pot

Aloe Vera

Satin Pothos

Satin Pothos Pot (Mint)

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April favourites

It’s been ages since I did a monthly faves so here is a round up of my loves and favourites from April.

May 12, 2020January 24, 2021

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Room revamp on a budget

I am one of those people that gets bored with my surroundings almost monthly – I love to change things up and revamp my bedroom. However completely changing the style of a room is expensive, so I have a few go to things that always make my room feel like new again.

1. PLANTS

Nothing makes a room feel more fresh than a new green friend in the corner, or if you already have a few too many plants try repotting them. ASOS & H&M have some great little planters and they aren’t too expensive. A cheap way to buy a new plant is to get it from a super market as they often come with the pot included – and that’s normally the bit where I end up spending the most money – like this cute snake plant I picked up from Waitrose.

I also move the plants I already have around which has the affect of making the room feel a bit different.

2. REORGANISE YOUR BOOKSHELVES

Seems like a weird one but bare with me. Take all the things of your shelves and rearrange them. Find new places for things, maybe put your books in colour order or stack them in a new place. I don’t have a lot of books on my shelves – I don’t read particularly often – so mine have candles, jewellery boxes and picture frames on them. Switching these around is a super easy way to have a bit of a change without spending any money.

3. POSTERS & PRINTS

I love seeing how other people style their homes and I can hardly scroll through instagram without seeing prints from Desenio – is there a single influencer who hasn’t got a gallery wall in every room? So naturally whenever I am feeling like my room needs a bit of a spruce up my first thought is posters or prints – but that gets expensive real fast,  most prints are upwards of £10 and if you want a few then you get frames etc. its too much. Then I remembered Etsy. I found a great poster shop called The Poster Studio UK where you can get an A3 print for £7. Then I got the frames from Amazon and voila, way cheaper than the instagram brand of choice and just as stylish.

Better yet – design and print your own! If you have a bit of creative flair you could use use a combination of apps or if you’ve already seen something you like – for me I fancied a picture of the sea – just do a quick google.

4. MAGAZINES

 

I love a book with a beautiful instagram-able cover but I can’t fork out £15 every time I see a pretty book. Instead I get a magazine pack of 2, on this occasion I picked up Elle and  Bazaar. Also for all you instagrammers out there, perfect if you want to add elements to a flatlay.

Mainly I think these look cute on tables and add a bit of colour.

 

5. DECLUTTER

This seems like an obvious one, grab a box (or a bin bag depending on how ruthless you’re feeling) and start putting stuff away. Clear surfaces are bound to make you feel more relaxed and make your room feel fresh.

6. GO TO PRIMARK

They have loads of great home-wear for dirt cheap, I picked up a super cute bedding set for £12. Easy way to make a room feel new is by switching up the colour scheme and in a bedroom the biggest source of colour is normally the bedding. Get some new cushions or a new throw in a different colour, it makes your bed feel brand new.

So there you have it. My favourite ways to revamp my room on a budget. What are your go to ways to make a room feel like new?