Spring Wishlist

When I think of spring fresh flowers, warm sunshine, rain showers, adventures and new beginnings spring to mind (pardon the pun!). I was looking back on old photographs the other day and I began to wonder what this spring might have in store for me. I started to compile a little list of things I would like to achieve or do such as buying fresh flowers for my room, practicing my drawing skills, trying new recipes and visiting exhibitions and I created a mini mood board for me to aspire to.

As a visual person I find a mood board a great way to collate all my thoughts, ideas and inspirations together. One thing I would really like to push is my style because as I mentioned in a previous post I have been stuck in a rut for quite some time now and as somebody who is extremely interested in fashion I find this to be a tad frustrating. It is not the fashion that has put me off but the amount of choice I have has often left me feeling overwhelmed and confused as to what I am searching for. By finding images of outfits, jewellery and clothing that I like it has really helped to clarify key pieces that I would like to invest in :-) 

One of my favourite things to do is set myself little goals and my main one for spring is to learn about photography. I began this semester taking a photography class as part of my degree but switched to another class when we were told we would have to do weekly submissions. Admittedly, the only reason was because I felt that I would be inadequate as everybody else in the class had taken the module last year which looking back was silly of me but I knew that there would be a chance for me to learn in my own time which is what I will do :-)

I think that the main point I am trying to get across is to take this new season as an opportunity to learn new things about yourself, have fun with it, and make every moment count :-)

"Simplify - Be Mindful - Stay Inspired - Work Hard - Set Goals - Travel More - Smile Often"

Sarah Marie x 

Review: 30 Days of Yoga Challenge

One of my goals for 2016 was to become fit and active, so towards the end of January I took it upon myself to start the 30 Days of Yoga Challenge. It is a series on YouTube created by Adriene Mishler (Yoga with Adriene) a trained teacher who invites you along to practice yoga with her for thirty days. She also has many other yoga videos on her channel whether that be for night time, beginners or runners catering for all. Her mantra is 'find what feels good' which I think sums up the practice perfectly as there is a lot of freedom within each video. If you are a beginner like me or more advanced with yoga, Adrienne provides multiple options for different levels within each practice which is great :-) 

Equipment
One of the great things about yoga is that you need very little equipment. At the start of the challenge I was simply practicing on a folded up blanket which worked well but I decided to invest in a yoga mat about a week in as I was really enjoying it and found that it gave me better grip. You can find them very cheap at outlet stores - mine was only £8.99 which is great! Blocks are often mentioned within the videos to help 'bring the earth up to you' - a fancy way of saying a higher platform for you to rest your hands or sit bones on. However, I do not feel that they are necessary to purchase and Adriene often suggests simply using a book or a similar object. In terms of work-out gear leggings and a loose or tight fitting top will do just the job :-)  

Self-Motivation
To help motivate myself to engage daily with the yoga practice I created a chart with all of the days on it and made it nice and colourful. After I had completed the practice I had the satisfaction of crossing that day off. Similarly, I liked to write it on my to-do list for that day. Another tip would be to roll out your yoga mat or blanket the night before and place your workout gear next to it so the next morning you are prepared to go straight into the exercise.   

Benefits

Review
I could not recommend this yoga series more, I think it is a perfect starting point if you are wanting to lead a more active lifestyle. I also find it to be a great mood booster and makes your body feel energised rather than tired and relaxed for the day ahead. It certainly stretches you out in a very satisfying way too. The main benefit I gained was definitely my flexibility, within a week and a half the heels of my feet were sitting firmly on the ground during downwards dog and towards the end of the challenge I could easily do a forward fold and touch my toes :-) I also noticed that I had greater control of my body with more strength in my arms, core and legs. There were a few days where I couldn't fit it in in the morning and I would do it at night but here I chose to do a video from her yoga for night time playlist (which makes you feel very sleepy and relaxed!) and then resumed the challenge the next day. As the challenge progresses you get more familiar with some of the moves and can move your attention away from the screen and really work on your body :-) The videos range from 12 to 34 minutes long so are the perfect length for them to easily fit into your day. 

I am moving onto another 30 day challenge practice this week but I am going to aim to do one yoga video a week as I have found it as a form of exercise I thoroughly enjoy!  

What are you favourite fitness exercises/challenges? :-)

Sarah Marie x

Collective Haul & Favourites

Fashion
For a couple of months I had been stuck in a fashion rut where I wanted fresh pieces yet I couldn't find a single store that offered me something different or that I liked. That was until I went to London and visited one of my all time favourite stores Brandy Melville - I love the brands californian aesthetic and mostly how soft their clothes are!  

I have been living in this grey sweatshirt with 'California' embroidered onto the front - it is loose fitting yet feminine due to its cropped hem. The hem also has a raw edge giving it that perfect relaxed and undone feel, making it a perfect staple piece for those days when you want to be comfortable but still feel good. 

As the weather has seriously started to drop, I decided to also invest in a black hoody. Once again it has a raw cropped hem and is slim fitting - perfect for throwing on before you go out the house :-) 

The last item that I picked up from Brandy Melville was a simple grey long sleeve top with a dropped curved hem at the back - great for pairing with some leggings. It is tight fitting on the arms yet has a more relaxed fit on the body and best of all is super soft! 

If you hadn't noticed already I have a bit of an obsession with the clothes that I buy being soft, comfortable and easy to wear at the moment. Last year I bought the grey pair of Calvin Klein's infamous underwear and fell in love with how they fitted seamlessly onto the body. A few weeks ago Urban Outfitters were offering 20% off to students so I knew I had to snap up the black pair before it was too late! 

Books & Stationary

Can we just take a moment to appreciate the beauty of this weekly planner? Anything that has marble on it I am instantly attracted to and when I saw this I knew I had to have it :-) As a big advocator of writing to-do lists, this is perfect. I like to be able to see what I am doing throughout the week and find that it helps me to manage my time, weekly budget and prioritise tasks efficiently. CJ Designs offer lots of aesthetically pleasing stationary that I am sure you or a friend will love! 

Photography has always been a creative field that I've wanted to explore, and to fulfil this I picked up the 'Read This If You Want To Take Great Photographs' book from Urban Outfitters. I am currently half way through and have found it very fascinating and engaging. It is clearly laid-out, the technical terminology is broken down and thoroughly explained, and of course features many amazing photographers and their photographs! A must-read :-)  

Skincare

In 2015 one of my go-to products was what I thought was a massage bar from Lush yet it would always leave my skin covered in sparkles which I couldn't understand why! It turned out that when I went to re-purchase the product I read the description and it was a solid body lotion with a hint of shimmer (oops!) I therefore decided to purchase an actual massage bar called Soft Coueur because it was the same heart shape as the last product I was mistakingly using! I am yet to use it but it smells divine with hints of almond oil, cocoa butter and shea butter that will melt into the skin :-) 

What products have you been loving this year?

Sarah Marie x    

Valentine's Day Gift Guide For Him

With Valentine's Day only a week away I thought I would share with you some cute and simple gift ideas for him :-)

The Baked Goods
What says 'I Love You' more than a batch of freshly baked cupcakes or cookies? Or if he is not into sweet treats then opt for something savoury instead. Then wrap them up in some decorative cellophane and secure them with a ribbon or place them in a nice box :-) You could also surprise him with breakfast in bed in the morning or save a few pennies by cooking a lovely dinner for him in the evening.   

The Movie Box
I came across this idea on Pinterest and couldn't resist putting it in. Start off with a large box or a popcorn box then put in a DVD, a handful of different sweets (why not put in some from different countries to try out too), a couple of drinks and a bag of popcorn and you are good to go! Alternatively you could swap the DVD for movie tickets or even theatre tickets :-)

The Book Gift
The types of books you can get him are endless whether that be an action or thriller novel, a book on photography or football, a humorous book (Urban Outfitters are full of them) or a cookbook you'll be sure to find one that he would love. To make the book more personalised why not write a little message on the inside of the cover.

The Fitness Box
If your man is into fitness or wants to begin there are many options here. You could create a box that includes gym clothes or workout equipment or a healthy cookbook or some of his favourite healthy foods. These may include Bounce Energy Balls, Rude Health Porridge and Meridian Peanut Butter. A gift-card could also come in handy here for him to purchase his favourite products or perhaps an i-Tunes one so he can purchase some great fitness apps to access on the go.    

The Date Night 
Instead of presenting him with a physical gift why not treat him with a memorable experience you two can share and it will be something to look forward too :-) This could be anything from a race-track driving experience, going to a local gig, paint balling, a wine tasting night or a day out to feed some penguins at the zoo! This is definitely one of my favourite ideas and you can be as imaginative as you would like! 

I hope this post has inspired a few of you and if you are still looking for more ideas head on over to Pinterest (you can check mine out here). I hope you have a lovely Valentine's Day whatever you are doing and whoever you are spending it with :-)  

Sarah Marie x