It's all about the photos

'...& her heart fluttered like a thousand butterflies...' by jewelflyt

2012-01-27T22:22:00.002Z

...& her heart fluttered like a thousand butterflies..., a photo by jewelflyt on Flickr.

I thought I'd give you a quick pregnancy update today seeing as I have now reached the third trimester. I am feeling pretty good at the moment. Tired and achy but I guess that's to be expected however good or bad the pregnancy. To be honest I just feel really, really huge even though I don't look it. I do wonder if the little one is getting a little uncomfy in there already. I'm still being sick when I get up in the morning but haven't got the constant nausea I had with my daughter - thank goodness. In fact so far this pregnancy has been easier than the first time around and here's hoping there aren't any nasty surprises waiting round the corner in trimester three. Now all I have to do is focus on trying to make sure the birth is so much better than last time as well! Easier said than done eh!

Here's a picture which has nothing whatsoever to do with pregnancy, I just think it's so delicate and beautiful. It's really all about the little details such as the texture of the wings or what the butterfly's legs are doing. The soft colours are also so subtle and gorgeous.

Happy weekend to all you lovely people.

'photo-13' by i art u

2012-01-26T10:04:00.002Z

photo-13, a photo by i art u on Flickr.

I wanted to share this photo with you as it's just so calm and peaceful. What an utterly perfect place to relax. The photographer has really captured the tranquility. I don't actually have many words to put with it but I don't think it matters. I think me waffling on would just spoil it to be honest. Now sit back, clear your head and enjoy the peace and quiet. I'll just nip off and get you a cocktail x

'January sunrise' by Me

2012-01-24T14:10:00.002Z

January sunrise, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

Apparently parts of the UK were able to witness the Northern Lights this week. How amazing. I would love to see them. No such luck here though as I'm too far south. It definitely is some on my things to do list though. In case you were wondering, I refuse to call it "to do before I die" or "bucket list". I think it's pretty obvious you want to do stuff before you die. No need to make your dreams and wishes sound all morbid. Anway, I digress... What I was actually leading to was a photo of another gorgeous light in the sky. I saw this beautiful sunrise the other day and had to try and capture it. I am pleased with the results. I think the silhouette of the tree makes it look even more stunning.

'Steam and Beach Hut at Goodrington Sands' by Matt McNulty

2012-01-23T20:43:00.002Z

Steam and Beach Hut at Goodrington Sands, a photo by Matt McNulty on Flickr.

On Friday, if you recall, I posted a rather sad looking photo of beach huts that I took in Devon last week. Well in interests of fairness I thought I'd show you an image of how fantastic Goodrington Sands can look. I mean a beach with beach huts and steam trains - no wonder I was a teeny bit excited to be staying there (although I did know that the trains don't run at this time of year). I love this picture because the train looks beautiful, the huts are colourful and the sky is bluer than blue. I think we may end up going for another visit one of these days!

'like mother, like daughter' by manyfires

2012-01-22T22:32:00.002Z

like mother, like daughter, a photo by manyfires on Flickr.

I love my little girl so much and the past few years as a stay-at-home mum have been the best of my life. I'm happy to say she's really excited about becoming a big sister. I know I'll love this new baby just as much but I do worry how it'll change the relationship I have with my daughter. I hope she'll still feel as close to me and won't resent the fact that I have to look after a baby as well.

I think this mother and daughter photo is great. I want to take or have taken some pictures like this of us. I think all the matching colours are rather cute. I'm now off to look for more gorgeous mum and child shots now as I'm feeling all soppy.

'Packed up for winter' by Me

2012-01-20T10:42:00.002Z

Packed up for winter, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

Apologies for this photo. I usually like to start the weekend with something bright and happy but I just had to share this one with you. Earlier this week we had to make a trip down to Devon. We were staying at a place called Goodrington Sands in Paignton and must admit I got a little bit excited when I found out that there were going to be beach huts there! However, when we got there this is what I discovered. The huts have obviously been packed up for winter and were being stored in a nearby car park! How terribly sad. If I had a beach hut I'd be there all the time summer or winter. Anyway, ever the dedicated beach hut photographer I thought I'd take a few snaps anyway, just to let them know they were still loved.

Happy weekend everyone - I hope your weekend isn't as cold and lonely as this picture looks.

'Winter Wonderland' by famewhore

2012-01-19T10:47:00.002Z

Winter Wonderland, a photo by Famewhore on Flickr.

As I type this I am looking out of the window at a very grey day. It's rainy and miserable. It not actually that cold outside but I would prefer it to be cold and sunny than this. I wanted to talk about the weather today as I was wondering if anyone knew if it was meant to snow here in England this winter. As I've mentioned before I'm not overly fussed but the little one is starting to wonder if it's coming at all. Plus I am feeling sad for all our snow shoes sitting in the cupboard unloved and unworn.

Here is a beautiful snowy picture. I love freshly fallen snow like this. This was taken in Vancouver but it is so much like the snow we get here that causes everyone to panic! A photo like this gives me a tingle of excitement about snow and I know if I drew the curtains one morning to reveal this my daughter would be excited too. What I really love about this picture though is the street lamp in the top left corner. It really looks like a beautiful shining star.

Now let's just sit back and wait for snow so I can then blog about how annoying it is and how I can't wait for it to go away!!

'Marbles and sunlight' by Me

2012-01-16T22:18:00.003Z

Marbles and sunlight, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

Most of this morning was spent making a marble run out of old wrapping paper tubes. I would like to say that my daughter and I did it together but it turned out to be harder to make than I thought and she got a bit bored to be honest. I persevered though and I think it looked quite cool in the end. And it worked! Later this week I think we'll decorate it and make it all pretty. She'll definitely be up for that!

Whilst playing with the marbles I couldn't help but take a few photos of them as the sunlight was beautiful again today. I wanted the pictures I took to be more about the light than the marbles themselves. I think I have achieved that. The marbles are pretty as well though.

'Little hay rolls' by Lomoody

2012-01-15T21:43:00.002Z

Little hay rolls, a photo by Lomoody on Flickr.

I've not really got much to say tonight. Been a productive but quiet weekend. We've got lots of jobs done round the house including putting together flatpacked furniture. Well I say "we" but I must admit it was all my husband's handywork. I hate putting together flatpack furniture! I'm not exactly the queen of DIY. I did put up some nice pictures of beach huts in my bedroom though.

Here's a picture which I thought was rather interesting and really well composed. The processing on this is great too. Lovely colours and tones. But mostly I love the fact that it kind of looks like the hay bales are rolling down the hill.

Hope you had a great weekend and have lots of lovely things planned for the week ahead.

Untitled image by elseachelsea

2012-01-13T17:56:00.002Z

Untitled, a photo by elseachelsea on Flickr.

I watched the film Mamma Mia for the first time recently and I must admit I really enjoyed it. I wasn't sure if I would as I'm not particularly into musical films or the songs of Abba but it was a real feel good film that had me smiling lots. The best bit of it though had to be the Greek scenery. I've been to Greece once and loved it there. I'd really love to go again especially after watching the film and now after seeing this gorgeous photo. I automatically recognised this as being somewhere in Greece as the buildings are just so typical of the country. I think it would probably be quite hard to take a photo of this view that wasn't lovely but this one really is extra special. The colours are so fresh and also so calm and peaceful and the composition is just perfect. Yet again I've managed to find a picture that I would love to transported into.

Happy weekend everyone!

'My new toy' by Me

2012-01-12T22:18:00.002Z

My new toy, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

I've been having lots of fun this week playing with my new camera. I've been after a decent instant camera for a while and for me it really had to be Polaroid. As well as actually using it to take photos I thought it would be nice to use it as a subject for a photo. I took a few against a wall indoors but they weren't particularly impressive. Then this afternoon I noticed beautiful sunlight shining through my bedroom window and I could see the perfect picture in my head. This is the result and I think it actually came out better than I imagined. It needed no processing afterwards as all the conditions were just perfect. The only thing I did do was make it black and white as it was pretty much black and white anyway. This just made it that little bit more striking. Hope you like it!

'4 Days in Southwold 26' by vintage 1953 & wackymoomin

2012-01-11T22:01:00.002Z

4 Days in Southwold 26, a photo by vintage 1953 & wackymoomin on Flickr.

Eleven days into 2012 and I've not posted a beach hut photo yet. Let's change that now. I love this one. I think it looks really bold and dramatic. Great colours, great compostion and fantastic lighting. That sky is really beautiful and so well captured too. Really puts me in the mood for a spot of beach hut photographing myself.

'[012/365] ~ A bike of Roses' by ♥ Huo Zen ♥

2012-01-09T22:01:00.002Z

[012/365] ~ A bike of Roses, a photo by ♥ Huo Zen ♥ on Flickr.

My post tonight is going to have to be a big apology to my dearest blog. I can't believe I forgot our two year blogoversary this weekend. It was on Saturday and not only did I forget I didn't even post that day. It's funny because over Christmas it kept popping into my mind that I'd been blogging for two years and I thought it was quite exciting. I can't believe it's been two whole years now. Hobby's often come and go with me but this has been something that I've never grown tired of. And reading other people's blogs is just as important as writing my own. I really feel I've got to "know" some amazing and inspirational people through blogging.

Therefore I thought my photo today should be of a big bunch of flowers to say sorry to my lovely blog for forgetting such an important date. While looking for the perfect picture I stumbled across this one. I think it's great. I guess the reality of it is that it's some kind of flower retailer or supplier but I've made up my own story behind it. I like to think that there was a boyfriend out there who was feeling really guilty about something (forgetting an anniversary perhaps) and is trying to say sorry in a rather overly romantic way! I wonder just how many roses there are there in there.

'Crayons' by Me

2012-01-08T21:09:00.002Z

Crayons, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Ours was a rather relaxing one. It started with taking our three year old to the cinema for the very first time. We were a bit nervous she might get freaked out my the dark and noise and everything but she loved it! Can't wait to go again! Trying not to think about how expensive it was for the three of us though. When did trips to the cinema get so pricey?

Also this weekend we had lunch with friends, made gingerbread men, bought shoes and I got to have a fabulous and much needed long lie-in. A great start to 2012.

Here is another photo of mine from the archives as this weekend I also got to do some more clearing out of photos from my computer. My favourite part of this is the light. I don't really remember taking this photo but by the looks of it it was a gorgeous sunny day.

'.' by serendipity corner

2012-01-06T20:47:00.002Z

., a photo by serendipity corner on Flickr.

Here is a great weekend style photo that I stumbled upon today. It has a really nice chilled out vibe to it. I imagine this was a long lazy lunch with good friends, good food and lots of gossp and giggling. I love how the photo is taken directly from above. It's really clever and really effective.

Happy weekend everyone. I hope the first full weekend of 2012 treats you well.

'"Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life." ~unknown~' by IslandPhotoBug~Cori

2012-01-05T10:14:00.003Z

"Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life." ~unknown~, a photo by IslandPhotoBug~Cori on Flickr.

I've been having a good old clear out recently and I must admit it feels rather good. I've had so much stuff to sort through. That included my shoes and I even - shock horror - got rid of a few pairs. Now, whilst doing this clear out I realised that I no longer own a fabulous pair of red shoes. Criminal! Everyone should own a fabulous pair of red shoes. I used to have some red boots that I loved but they broke and I did have some great red party shoes but I must have put them away damp or something as when I opened the box they kind of looked a little mouldy. I do have quite a nice pair of red flats but they hardly count as fabulous.

I think I need to purchase myself a pair of shoes a little bit like the ones in this photo. I think this is a great picture. Not only are the shoes wonderful and very striking but I love how this is composed. The shoes standing on some very plain work office type boxes make are a great contrast. To me it conjours up an image of someone at work in a very sensible black suit but making a statement by wear these bright red shoes with it. Fabulous!!

'Boracay Island, Blue Days in Paradise' by paynepat44

2012-01-03T22:31:00.002Z

Boracay Island, Blue Days in Paradise, a photo by paynepat44 on Flickr.

Urgh, what a day it was today. I should have seriously stayed indoors. At one point whilst we were out I swear the rain was horizontal. I got so unbelievably soaked - although for some reason because I was wearing a hat I didn't really feel as wet as I actually was. Luckily I'd taken my daughter out in her pushchair today which we don't use a lot these days, so she was all snuggled up nice and warm and dry under the raincover. Lucky thing.

So here's something beautiful which I hope will make me forget about the rain for a while. What a place. I could definitly sit there for an hour (or day) or two right now. The colours here are superb. Love all the different shades of blue. And it's such a crisp and clear photo which works so well with these vibrant colours.

Sigh..... please let the weather be just like this tomorrow.

'Roses' by Grant Hamilton

2012-01-02T22:07:00.002Z

Roses, a photo by Grant Hamilton on Flickr.

Well I finally had a play with my new Polaroid camera today and I loved it. I only took two shots as I didn't want to waste the exposures but I've a feeling I might get rather hooked and start spending a fortune on film! The first picture was rubbish to be honest with you. It was of a scrabble board but it was out of focus and my daughter put her thumb on the picture as it was developing and it ruined it anyway. The second was a picture her and it was great! Sadly I can't share this with you as I don't like to feature her face here so I'll show you another lovely Polaroid picture not taken by me.

I think this is beautiful. I love the contrast of the red and the turquoise - two of my favourite colours. Taken with a different camera this could have had a completely different feel to it. It could have been really bright and sharp but because it's Polaroid it's a bit more warm and fuzzy which is just as awesome.

'And off she went' by Me

2012-01-01T21:09:00.002Z

And off she went, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

So have you made any new year's resolutions? I've been thinking about them and haven't really made any as such. I'm not really good at resolutions at new year. I often make better resolutions with myself on my birthday as it kind of feels more significant. Or quite often I'll just resolve to do something and then start doing (or not doing) it there and then. I guess that in 2012 I want to just be the best mum I can to my little girl and to my new baby. It's going to be such a change having two children and I really want to get it right.

On a personal level I guess the one thing I want to work on is my photography. I know it won't be long before I have a million and one other things to be thinking about but I really don't want photography or my blog to fall by the way side as it's turned out to be something that's rather important to me. I'm sure I'll be snapping away at our new arrival though so expect me to post lots of cute photos of baby feet and such things!

Here's one from the archives. It's a cute picture I took of my daughter at Bodium Castle in Sussex when she was just 11 months old. She's never been one to sit still as soon as she was able to get moving she was off.....

'Happy New Year' by Bhamgal

2011-12-31T20:26:00.001Z

Happy New Year, a photo by Bhamgal on Flickr.

Happy New Year everyone. Here's to a totally fabulous 2012. I'll keep this short as I'm sure you've all got amazing parties to be going to or you need to be snuggling in front of telly with a bottle of fizz. Or in some cases it's already 2012 for you and all this New Year's Eve malarky is old news!

Here is a photo which is different from a typical new year themed photo. The scrabble idea is such a simple one but it always seems to work so well. I love the wooden scrabble tiles too - puts my shabby plastic ones to shame.

See you in 2012!!

'bedroom' by I put deadly nightshade in your cup of tea.

2011-12-30T22:36:00.002Z

bedroom, a photo by I put deadly nightshade in your cup of tea. on Flickr.

It was a very exciting day in our house today as we swapped our daughter's toddler bed for a proper single bed. Of course that meant nothing else fitted where it used to so lots of reshuffling has been done but it now looks terrific. Actually it looks rather grown up. My little girl is definitely not my baby any more. Not even a toddler in fact. Sigh.... I wonder if she'll let me hang out in there too.

I thought this photo was rather appropriate to accompany this post. It's so girly and dreamy. I'd love a bedroom like that. That bed looks so cozy. I love the fairy lights and how well they have been captured in this picture. But most of all I love photos and other pictures on the wall in the background. I feel inspired - I'd love to do this somewhere in my home.

'Burst of colour' by Me

2011-12-29T23:34:00.002Z

Burst of colour, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

I've been having a bit of a clear out of the photos sitting about doing nothing on my computer and turns out there are some nice ones that have previously been overlooked. I had to look twice at this one as I wasn't sure what it was. At first I thought it looked like tiny lilttle balls or beads but quickly remembered it was a view of the little ball pit we had for our daughter when she was a baby. I thought I'd share this picture with you as I thought it was time for a great big burst of colour!

'My first shoes' by Bozowizard

2011-12-28T22:29:00.002Z

My first shoes, a photo by Bozowizard on Flickr.

Although I really do love digital photography Polaroid and other instant cameras have always fascinated me. Earlier this year I got my hands on a secondhand Polaroid 600 camera but was really disappointed with the results. Reluctant to spend a fortune on the Impossible Project film for it I decided that the next time I tried instant photography it would be with a modern camera. I now own such camera as my dearest husband bought me a Polaroid 300 for Christmas. I'm so excited about getting started with it but I am also so wary of wasting photos as with just 10 exposures per film you can't just snap away like with a digital camera.

I will of course let you know how I get on with my camera in due course but for the time being I'll just show you a few instant pictures I love by other photographers. I think this one is so cute. What adorable little shoes. A perfect subject for a photo. What I really love though is the gorgeous sunlight. It just goes to show that a beautiful day can be captured on any type of camera.

'Christmas Day' by ellieswellies

2011-12-27T22:20:00.002Z

Christmas Day, a photo by ellieswellies on Flickr.

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas - I know I did. There's so much I could share with you about the past few days but I think I'll just use the word I used in my post about Christmas Eve. Magical. My daughter was just so happy and excited the whole day, in fact even two days later she seems to still be on her festive high. I'm very happy but also rather tired. On Christmas Day in fact I ended up going upstairs for a nap. Oh the joys of pregnancy! But this does mean that I got to experience a bit of childhood magic for myself. I went to bed, went to sleep and when I woke up it was still Christmas. Now how many children have wished that could be the case!

I didn't really take many arty photos over the past few day so here is a Christmas Day photo taken by someone else last year. It looks like it was a beautiful day. I love blue skies like this and snow is always a bit special if you end up with some on Christmas Day. My favourite bit of this is the icicles - check out the weird bent one to the left of this picture. I wonder how that happened.

'Joy to the World.' by CarolynsHope

2011-12-24T19:49:00.002Z

Joy to the World., a photo by CarolynsHope on Flickr.

Well it's finally here. It's Christmas Eve (and to some of you on the other side of the world it's Christmas Day already!). Today has been a magical day. Had lunch with some great friends I've not seen in ages, went to a lovely children's service at the church and just been putting a very excited little girl to bed. Seriously loving Christmas this year because of her. This is actually her fourth Christmas but because this is the first year she really gets what's going on it almost feels like it's her first Christmas again.

I shall leave you now with this beautiful photo - yes more baubles!! I love the colour, I love the bokeh, I love the simplicity. Merry Christmas everyone.

'Festive stuff' by Me

2011-12-23T21:38:00.002Z

Festive stuff, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

I decided today to take a few photos of festive bits and pieces from around the house and here's my favourite snap. I like it because it's just so random. It also makes me laugh that we have so many boxes of mince pies in the house and I don't even like them. My husband and daughter love them though so I'm sure they won't go to waste! I'll just stick with the great big boxes of chocolate that are always kicking around the house at Christmas.

Two more sleeps! Squeeeal!

'golden christmas card' by Babycrazy89

2011-12-22T22:44:00.002Z

golden christmas card, a photo by Babycrazy89 on Flickr.

In a previous post I said this week's photos were going to be all festive and sparkly and I think I've delivered on the festive bit. Not sure I've given you enough sparkle though. Therefore here's a gold and sparkly photo just for you. I love that the only colour in it is gold really but there's still so much going on.

Only three more sleeps! Yay!

'buddy xmas' by chotda

2011-12-21T21:45:00.002Z

buddy xmas, a photo by chotda on Flickr.

I guess it's the same every year but this year, probably because I'm pregnant, it feels like December has been super busy. So far I've done a photography course in London, found out the sex of our baby, visited friends and family, been to Christmas parties for grown ups and Christmas parties for children, had friends come to visit, been to a carol concert, been to a very excellent pre-school nativity, done a lot of shopping, had lots of nice lunches out, and that's on top of the usual groups and activities that I do with my daughter. To be totally honest with you I'm rather looking forward to a bit of a sit down in January! I'm shattered!

In fact I kind of resemble the cute puppy in this photo right now. What a lovely picture. I'm not sure if the dog's heart was totally in this photoshoot though. Perhaps red and white isn't his chosen colour for headwear! I'm not generally a doggy person but I have to admit this photo is rather terrific. Simple, festive and made me smile.

'Christmas chocolates' by Me

2011-12-19T20:16:00.002Z

Christmas chocolates, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

I decided that I should add a photo of my own to this week's Christmas pictures and here is my offering. I was a bit bored of taking pictures of the tree so I tried to think outside the box and found myself, well, inside the box. A box of chocolates that is. We were given them as a gift and there seemed no point waiting until Christmas Day to open them. I'm sure there'll be lots of yummy food to keep us busy then. Needless to say there would be a few gaps if I went to retake this picture now!

Untitled image by -Fearless-

2011-12-18T11:15:00.002Z

Untitled, a photo by -Fearless- on Flickr.

I can't believe that this time next week it'll be Christmas Day. I also can't believe the lack of festive images on my blog. I must do something about that so have decided that this week will be lovely and sparkly and festive here on 'It's all about the photos'!

Let's get the ball rolling with this lovely picture. It's another one of a snowy tree but it has a completely different feel to the pine tree image in my last post. Firstly, I really love the reflection on the bauble. It's a lovely picture itself. I also like all the detail, how the snow is kind of melting on the tree and I love the little splash of red. And how cute is that blue colour? Really makes the photo vintage looking. Another one that would make a great Christmas card. I've I feeling I might be saying that about very picture I post this week though.

'Pine and snow' by Shari-Lynn1

2011-12-16T11:31:00.003Z

Pine and snow, a photo by Shari-Lynn1 on Flickr.

Well it snowed a little bit this morning. Not enough to settle and cause any disruption but enough that my daughter could get all excited! She said, "I told you it would snow!" as I've been telling her I didn't think it would snow for a while. I would say that's probably it for now but I underplayed the wind on Monday and woke up to a broken fence in the back garden!

Here's a snowy and rather Christmassy photo which I find absolutely beautiful. The colours are so strong and fresh. You can almost smell the pine needles. The detail of the snow is great and I especially love that it's been captured falling out of the sky. This could definitely be a Christmas card.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

'Bord de Seine' by Nicolas.M Photographie

2011-12-14T23:00:00.002Z

Bord de Seine, a photo by Nicolas.M Photographie on Flickr.

There's no reason to be posting this photo other than it's rather beautiful and I just wanted to share it with you. It's a wonderful example of night photography which I hope to be able to master one day. The lights are perfect. And of course it's of Paris which is a great place to get some lovely photos. I'm starting to wonder if there are actually any bad pictures which include the Eiffel Tower. I hope you enjoy looking at this photo as much as I do.

'~ summer love ~' by ~Fussel~

2011-12-13T18:46:00.002Z

~ summer love ~, a photo by ~Fussel~ on Flickr.

Well I spoke too soon about it not blowing a gale yesterday. The wind did indeed get much stronger in the night, so strong in fact that one of our fence panels came down and has squished one of our patio chairs. Serves us right really, we should have put all that away by now!

Because the weather is so cold and miserable outside I really felt the need for a hot and summery photo this evening. This one does the trick! I feel much warmer just looking at it. Those warm tones are wonderful and I really like the creative angle. I don't know if it was really there or added afterwards but I think the balloon finishes it off perfectly - especially as it matches the flowers exactly.

'Blown away' by Me

2011-12-12T20:45:00.002Z

Blown away, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

As I sit here at the computer I can hear the wind blowing a gale outside. Well, it's not gale force quite yet but it does sound rather strong and I'm sure it'll be even stronger in the middle of the night. Oh well, at least it's not snowing!

The weather might be rubbish but it has inspired me to post this rather cool photograph. Whilst up on Beachy Head I spotted this fantastic tree which of course had to be photographed. I wonder why it had grown in this way. I mean it is rather windy up at the top of the cliffs but you'd wouldn't expect quite such a dramatic growth of a tree. I think this picture works well in bold black and white. It makes it look really wintery and cold even though it was a beautiful and sunny autumn evening.

'full english' by reya.

2011-12-10T21:47:00.003Z

full english, a photo by reya. on Flickr.

Do you eat breakfast? To be honest I never used to, I always preferred that little bit longer in bed. Plus eating food that early in the morning never really appealled to me. Since my daughter came along though I can't function unless I've had something to eat in the morning - usually cereal. One thing I can't imagine finding the space for first thing is a fried breakfast. Now, I love a good fry up but first thing in the morning - urgh, not sure I could stomach that. Unless I'm staying in a hotel that is! Then for some reason I hit the breakfast buffet at full speed!

This breakfast picture caught my attention firstly because it made me feel hungry but also I really liked the angle it was taken at. Much more interesting than taking it from above like many people capture plates of food. I bet not many shots were taken before the photographer tucked right in!

'339/365' by soulman53

2011-12-09T10:36:00.002Z

339/365, a photo by soulman53 on Flickr.

I know "It's my blog and I'll post if I want to" but I do feel a bit bad about not posting very regularly at the moment. You see for me this is meant to be a pretty much daily blog but that little thing called life has once again been inconsiderately getting in the way. I have been having a good week though which is included my 20 week baby scan and a rather fun Christmas party. Lots of other fun stuff coming up in the run up to Christmas too. In fact I can't believe Christmas is only a couple of weeks away now. This means I must try and find some beautiful festive photos to share with you, and try and take some of my own. This year's personal challenge is to try and get some lovely ones of fairy lights.

In the mean time though, here is a wonderful picture of one of my favourite places - Brighton. I just love the light of that beautiful morning sky. And even though it was taken this month it doesn't look that cold. In fact it makes me want to go an take a stroll on the pier right now. Perhaps with a an extra few layers on though. And a hat. And a scarf. And a few pairs of gloves!

Happy weekend everyone!

'December sunset' by Me

2011-12-06T14:12:00.003Z

December sunset, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

I have been waiting to take a lovely sunset picture for a while and I think I finally managed it. My daughter and I were snuggled up together watching a Chipmunks film when I spotted this sky out of the window. As much as I was enjoying the cuddles I leapt up, grabbed the camera and took a few shots. My daughter wanted to know what I was looking at and she agreed that the sky was indeed very beautiful. I think that the trees at the bottom finish this picture of perfectly and I'm really pleased with this shot.

'Fells Point, Baltimore - shiny door detail' by karma (Karen)

2011-12-05T22:33:00.002Z

Fells Point, Baltimore - shiny door detail, a photo by karma (Karen) on Flickr.

Happy Monday everyone! I was meant to post this weekend but we were so busy with various friends and family visiting I just didn't get the chance. Not to mention I didn't have the energy. Entertaining is a tiring business, especially when you are 19 weeks pregnant.

This is just one of those photos where I can't really say why I like it - I just do. I love it when people can see beauty in the every day things around them. And this also demonstrates how you don't even have to see the sky or the surrounding area to know that it was a bright sunny day when this was taken. Well it looks like it was anyway!

Hope your week has started well. If not then don't worry, only four days until the weekend!

'B42094_26' by Fredrik Lundén

2011-12-02T20:59:00.002Z

B42094_26, a photo by Fredrik Lundén on Flickr.

As it's been so cold today I thought I'd end the day with a beautiful warm sunset. This photo has such a peaceful vibe. I wish I could be sitting there right now. It makes me think that it was taken at the end of a gorgeous hot day. The light is wonderful and the focus works so well. In fact the burred background makes it feel even more warm and tranquil.

Happy weekend everyone!

'christmas balls' by anna yuson

2011-12-01T19:51:00.003Z

christmas balls, a photo by anna yuson on Flickr.

Well what do you know, it's the first day of December. Christmas really is on its way now. I am pleased how organised I've been. Most of my presents have been bought and wrapped and most of my cards have been bought and written. I'm very sure I'll still be rushing around at the last minute for something I've forgotten though!

Today's post was inspired by Homebird who said she loved pictures of fairy lights and anything with a bokeh effect. Here is a lovely bokeh, fairy light, Christmassy photo. I love it because it's sparkly and pretty. I like that it's a very pink picture but also manages to still be Christmassy even though pink isn't really a traditionally festive colour. And of course because there's a reflection I'm getting right up close to the screen to see what's going on the background.

Happy 1st December to you all.

'Winter leaves' by Me

2011-11-30T16:22:00.002Z

Winter leaves, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

Two weeks ago I posted a photo of some beautiful autumn leaves while out for a walk. I found all the different shades of autumn colours so beautiful it was impossible not to stop and take a few shots. Anyway, yesterday I walked past that very same tree and this is how it looked. What a difference two weeks makes. The leaves are still beautiful in their own way but doesn't it look much more cold and wintery in this picture? I must make sure I go back in another two weeks to see what the tree is like. I am guessing it'll be bare branches by then.

'A piece of my world' by Kursiv

2011-11-29T13:37:00.002Z

A piece of my world, a photo by Kursiv on Flickr.

This time last year it snowed. And it wasn't just a spinkling of snow it was the proper thick stuff. A little part of me hoped it would snow early again this year - I think because my daughter is so excited at the prospect - but in reality I'd rather it stayed away until after Christmas. December is always such a busy time and I don't want to spend it worrying about whether things are going to have to be cancelled due to the weather. I wouldn't mind a little snow in January though. After all we've finally forked out on proper snow boots for each of us and of course I really need to get some pretty snowy photos.

Here is an extremely pretty snowy photograph. In fact 'pretty' is the wrong word really because I think it's truly stunning. It's the beautiful light that does it for me. It makes me want to squeal a little in delight. And look at the perfect freshly fallen snow. I wonder how long it stayed like that for.

'Gingerbread house - before' by Me

2011-11-28T22:36:00.002Z

Gingerbread house - before, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

An impulse buy at the supermarket this weekend let us to kick start Christmas in a yummy way this evening. We bought a build your own gingerbread house kit and it was actually rather a fun thing for us to do together as a family. I had to get a few pictures as soon as it was done of course as this didn't actually stay standing for long. Shortly after this photo was taken the demolition began. Mmmmm, gingerbread!! And we weren't too greedy - there's plenty left for us to tuck into tomorrow. I have a feeling we may have started a new Christmas tradition here. I can definitely see us doing this again next year!

'oh what a beautiful morning' by pam ullman

2011-11-27T21:36:00.002Z

oh what a beautiful morning, a photo by pam ullman on Flickr.

Did you all have a lovely weekend? Ours was great. We caught up with friends yesterday which involved the best fry-up at their local cafe, followed by spending ages in the local playground. The men did the playing while us girls sat on a bench for a natter. And of course it meant I could watch my daughter playing with her daddy. I love that, just sitting and appreciating what a happy little girl she is. Then today was a bit of a relaxy day. We did a little bit of shopping but mostly spent time catching up with things round the house and doing a lot of crafts with the little one! I even had an afternoon nap. And I NEVER sleep during the day. Not that I haven't tried but my body just doesn't seem to want to switch off normally.

I chose this picture to share with you today as it seemed like a perfect relaxed Sunday image. It was taken just after sunrise apparently. What a beautiful start to the day and perfectly captured by the photographer.

'12/30' by kirstinmckee

2011-11-25T11:00:00.002Z

12/30, a photo by kirstinmckee on Flickr.

I'm not usually a huge fan of blurriness in photos (except for really beautiful bokeh). I like images to be really sharp, crisp and clear. However, I love this picture. It's just one big blur but it's the sharpest, crispest blur ever. I hope one day I can take a night photo as amazing as this. Everything has been captured perfectly. London has so many opportunities for beautiful night photos. Personally I'm hoping to get some of this year's Oxford Street Christmas lights. Hoping I might get the chance in a few weeks.

Happy weekend folks. Hope you all have a lovely time whatever your plans are!

'Bakery Style Cupcake 4' by Sweetapolita

2011-11-24T11:02:00.002Z

Bakery Style Cupcake 4, a photo by Sweetapolita on Flickr.

When Designed by RJ said she was always happy to drool over baked goods and sweets I decided I was happy to oblige and provide her with some pretty cakes to drool over. My first stop had to be a photo from the Sweetapolita blog. This lady makes the most amazing cakes. I’d say they were almost too pretty to eat – almost. I’ve not tasted them obviously but if they taste half as good as they look then I imagine they’re pretty amazing.

And what’s just as fantastic are the photos she takes of the cakes. They are seriously stunning. For example the colour and focus in this one is spot on. You can see that this is a whole plate of yummy cakes but it’s all about that one cake at the front. I want to dive right in and eat that one now.

'Fly Away Home' by Hueystar

2011-11-23T23:21:00.003Z

Fly Away Home, a photo by Hueystar on Flickr.

A little Christmas update... All the presents we bought this weekend are now wrapped. I thought I'd attempt a wrapping session this afternoon with my three year old and amazingly she didn't get bored and we had great fun together. I love the fact that she's excited about the presents we're giving other people and it's not just about what she wants and might be getting.

This isn't a Christmassy photo, I thought I'd save them for the time being, but it did make me go "wow"! The compostion is awesome. Love how the birds were flying by at exactly the right moment. The subject of the picture is adorable. How lovely for the mother and child to be taking a stroll down to the sea on such a beautiful evening. And talking of evening - that is one beautifully captured sunset.

'Up and away' by Me

2011-11-22T20:54:00.002Z

Up and away, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

I think it's going to snow soon. It has to, there's no other reason for this really mild autumn other than luring us into a false sense of security. Just as we let our guard down... bam... there comes the snow! Fingers crossed though if it does snow I can have a big photo session as I've not actually taken many this month. Therefore here's another one from my trip to Beachy Head watching the paragliders. I am pleased with this because it's so bold and bright and I always love a clear blue sky like that.

'Globule' by Dan in Marseille

2011-11-21T21:49:00.002Z

Globule, a photo by Dan in Marseille on Flickr.

Hello again. I hope you all had a lovely weekend. We had a rather productive one as we managed to get most of our Christmas shopping done. And it wasn't too stressful as the shops weren't even that busy. I have been feeling super organised this Christmas - I even thought I might start writing my Christmas cards now which is very early for me. Perhaps it some kind of pregnancy nesting thing!

Hope you've also had a good Monday. Here is a photo that I thought would make a rather fun start to the week. It's a fantastic capture. It's hard not to smile at the look on that fish's face!

'Winter trees' by Zenon Lisztwan

2011-11-18T17:27:00.002Z

Winter trees, a photo by Zenon Lisztwan on Flickr.

I promised you another fantastic wintery photo this week and here it is. Isn't it amazing? It looks like a proper enchanted forest. The angle at which it was taken makes the trees look even taller than I imagine they were. Also perfect in this picture is the sun peeping through the trees. And you've just got to love that rich blue sky. It's hard to feel cold and miserable in the snow when there's a beautiful sky like that.

Wishing you all a happy and warm weekend!

'White Chocolate Mocha' by cheska annelliese.

2011-11-17T20:39:00.003Z

White Chocolate Mocha, a photo by cheska annelliese. on Flickr.

I think this photo is wonderful. It's just a cup of coffee on a windowsill but the light is totally perfect. And what makes this extra special are the leaves leaves scattered round it. A lovely autumn picture which warms me up a treat. Of course I'm pretending it's hot chocolate in there as I can't stand coffee. Bleugh, horrible stuff! It's one of those things that I can't even pretend to like to be polite. But don't worry my mum always said that I'd like coffee (and tea, as I don't drink that either) when I grow up. Therefore, I may be in my 30s but I am officially not grown up yet! That's kinda cool!

'Autumn leaves' by Me

2011-11-16T20:20:00.002Z

Autumn leaves, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

I'm always disappointed I never take enough nice autumn photos but whilst walking home yesterday I spotted the most beautiful tree and had to stop to take a few pictures. There were so many wonderful yellows, greens and browns it was hard to pick which image was my favourite but I think this one is it. I really want to go out again now and take some more pretty leaf pictures before they all fall off and winter is upon us.

'walk away' by gato-gato-gato

2011-11-15T20:25:00.002Z

walk away, a photo by gato-gato-gato on Flickr.

A big thank you to those of you who gave me some suggestions for photos. I must admit I've felt a little inspired and have enjoyed searching for some beautiful images to show you. The first photo is a lovely wintery one as requested by SAHMlovingit. I actually have two I want to share with you so you'll have another one to make you feel all frosty later in the week.

I love this one because the scenery is stunning. I love all that unspoiled snow. Although it feels good I actually feel rather sad being the first to step in fresh snow. It's so lovely when it snows at night and it's just sitting there looking pretty. I find it a shame that in a few hours all the cars and people will have trampled all over it making it icy and slushy.

Anyway, my very favourite bit of this photo is the people in it. Seriously, how far must they have walked? And what about the photographer himself? Was he just out for an afternoon stroll in the snow? That's dedication to get the perfect photo.

Now time to make a hot chocolate and warm up!!

'Vintage Ornaments on White Christmas Tree' by charlie3engineer

2011-11-13T20:44:00.002Z

Vintage Ornaments on White Christmas Tree, a photo by charlie3engineer on Flickr.

I'm actually getting rather excited about Christmas already which is rare for me as I don't generally feel festive until December. This year though I've been excited since the beginning of November. I am blaming two things. Firstly Pinterest! It's full of pretty Christmas images and I want my house to look that pretty this year! And secondly, this is the first year my daughter had totally "got" Christmas and it's so magical. She currently compiling and present wish list and is busy rehearsing for her pre-school nativity.

Anyway, because of my festive mood I thought I'd show you a sneaky Christmas photo. I love this because of all the pretty colours. Definitely the loveliest collection of ornaments ever. And what really makes this picture special is the the light shining through from behind making the whole thing just shine.

That's it, I won't mention the 'C' word until December now.... Well, I'll try not to.

'Want one?' by MarcelGermain

2011-11-11T14:11:00.002Z

Want one?, a photo by MarcelGermain on Flickr.

What are you doing reading this? I want you over on my previous post leaving me some ideas for photos you'd like to see on here. Go on, you know you want to help a tired, uninspired, pregnant lady in need. Sob sob.

Oh and as for this gorgeous photo... I'm bribing you with chocolate. Doesn't it just show off these chocolates just perfectly? Really well lit and I love the bright white background. No fuss, just chocolate.

'L O S T D R E A M S O N W A X' by r3M'S

2011-11-10T11:35:00.002Z

L O S T D R E A M S O N W A X, a photo by *r3M'S* on Flickr.

I really am so tired at the moment and have found I’m lacking a little in motivation and inspiration for my blog, therefore I’ve decided to throw the floor open to you lovely readers again. What would you like to see photos of on here? I did this a little while ago and it was interesting to see what kind of things you love to look at. So come on do tell. What kind of photos would you like me to show you? I’d love to hunt out something just for you to make you smile.

And I'm featuring this photo today just because it's pretty darn amazing. I don't know how this was taken but... wow, it's effective. And if the subject itself isn't awesome enough then add together the great colour tones and you've got yourself an truly spectacular photograph!

'Balloons' by Me

2011-11-08T14:17:00.002Z

Balloons, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

It’s been a while since I announced I was pregnant so I thought it was time for a little update on how things are going. I’m nearly 16 weeks now and still have morning sickness but it’s not too bad. In fact I’d say it was just getting tedious. But that’s a good thing. My morning sickness when pregnant with my daughter was soul destroying and miserable for the whole nine months.

And excitingly I finally have a little bit of a bump. Although to be honest nobody’s really going to notice because it’s nearly winter and I’m wearing coats and big jumpers at the moment. It’s rather annoying actually because most of my maternity clothes from first time round are quite redundant. I lost a little bit of weight recently so the trousers I wore before are all too big for me now. The tops fit fine but because I was pregnant in the summer before I just have lots of little t-shirts which aren’t going to be much use over the next few months. I guess perhaps it’s an excuse to go shopping. Don’t want to spend a fortune on maternity clothes but I have bought some lovely pairs of jeans which are so comfy. As I live in jeans these days I thought a few comfy pairs were an absolute must.

And talking of shopping I don’t think we’ve done any whatsoever for the baby yet. We’ve realised that we pretty much have everything we need already except for a buggy. We need a new one of those as our original one got broken. No idea where to start though as I’m really looking for the perfect one.

Anyway, I could go on but I am sure you’re keen to see a photo of some kind. Well here’s one I took of some of the balloons we’ve had kicking around the house lately. We’ve got so many left over from birthday celebrations and from Halloween. Seems a shame to pop them and I don’t think my daughter would be impressed. I think we may have to discretely let a few go soon though!

'happy last day of summer!' by hannah * honey & jam

2011-11-06T22:22:00.003Z

happy last day of summer!, a photo by hannah * honey & jam on Flickr.

I'm showing you a photo tonight that I think is really lovely. It's just a simple collection of plants picked from the garden but I think they look so pretty put together like that. I really love the colours here. The yellow and green are so fresh and summery. And of course the light is wonderful. I thought now would be a nice time to look at this as it's finally starting to turn wintery here now. The scarves and gloves are now out.

'Disney - The Wonderful World of Color - In Black & White - Wishes (Explored)' by Express Monorail

2011-11-05T22:27:00.003Z

Disney - The Wonderful World of Color - In Black & White - Wishes (Explored), a photo by Express Monorail on Flickr.

My husband and I love going to see an organised firework display on Fireworks Night. In fact we've pretty much been to one somewhere every year we've been together. However, this year my daughter's been saying for weeks how she hates fireworks and doesn't want to go. Fair enough I guess. The playing fields we usually go to see them at are very dark and for a little child could be very intimidating. She loved it the first year we went but last year she got all upset and we had to leave. Anyway, we respected her fears and stayed away tonight. So.... how come her and I spent the evening looking out of the window looking at the all the neighbours fireworks? And why after she went to bed was she still getting excited about them? Aparently she loves fireworks now! Oh well, roll on next year!

Here is a surprisingly stunning firework photo. I say surpising because you really wouldn't expect a black and white photo to be very interesting. Surely fireworks are all about the colours. However, this is excellent and the lack of colour makes it all the more striking. In fact I don't think this photo would have made nearly as much impact in colour.

Hope you've been having a nice (and safe) fireworks night.

''Snow Day!', United States, New York, New York City, Snow Day' by WanderingtheWorld

2011-11-03T10:27:00.002Z

'Snow Day!', United States, New York, New York City, Snow Day, a photo by WanderingtheWorld (www.LostManProject.com) on Flickr.

Well it's turned a bit rainy but all in all the weather's been behaving itself here. I'm actually finding it quite mild still. I'm sure by November I'm usually in scarf and gloves. However, I have heard that winter will probably be here by the end of the month. I guess that means we may even get snow in November again like we did last year. For some reason I'm quite looking forward to the snow this year. I've no idea why. It'll just cause chaos on the roads and panic buying in the shops. Perhaps my daughter's excitement about snow is rubbing off on me. She got new snow boots at the weekend and has been asking me constantly since when it's going to snow!

I totally love this snowy photograph. It's such a bright and lively image. I like how there's so much going on. It shows people getting with their day trying to carry on as normal dispite the snow. The detail in the snow is great too. I can almost feel the crunch underfoot of someone walking over it. The HDR effect on this also works so well. It makes the photo look so crisp (like the weather). I almost feel like I'm there right now.

'Autumn bike ride' by Me

2011-11-01T22:15:00.002Z

Autumn bike ride, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

I am getting old! This afternoon my daughter and I were looking at photos of me on a school trip when I was about 17 years old. She saw a photo of me and asked, "Is that you when you were younger?". "Yes" I replied. Then she delivers the killer line, "Was that in olden times?" Errr..... Yes... I guess it was... Sob sob.

Oh well, I may as well accompany this post with a cute photo of my little girl. It was a special moment as it was the first time she went out on her new bike! As a proud mummy I took lots of photos and made lots of little videos. It's this one that I think is the most artistic though as I love the beautiful colours of the leaves. I bet one day she'll be telling her children this was taken in olden days!

'Witchy Duck' by Sofia Katariina

2011-10-31T23:16:00.002Z

Witchy Duck, a photo by Sofia Katariina on Flickr.

It's Halloween! Hope you've all been having a spooky time today. I've noticed a lot more people this year dressing up and doing halloweeny things. It's almost like Halloween is becoming a proper national holiday. Not a lot of dressing up has gone on in this household though as my daughter's decided she doesn't like dressing up any more. However, she did wear halloween socks and I've got black nail varnish on so we're joining in a bit!

This is a fun halloween photo. I love the bright contrasting colours. The best bit is definitely the duck's eyes. I love how it's looking up at the hat as if to say 'what the heck is that on my head?' Happy Halloween everyone!!

'Under the pier' by Me

2011-10-30T21:32:00.002Z

Under the pier, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

Here's another photo from our lovely day trip to Eastbourne a few weeks ago. I have always wanted to take an under the pier shot and it was so accessible here that I just had to go under and take a few snaps. I love how there's so much going on. So many beams and legs holding it up. I guess there'd have to be really but when you're walking along a pier you don't really think about what's under it. I think this photo works best in black and white too. I think it looks dramatic and interesting.

'San Francisco - Transamerica Pyramid' by GlobeTrotter 2000

2011-10-29T22:23:00.002+01:00

San Francisco - Transamerica Pyramid, a photo by GlobeTrotter 2000 on Flickr.

San Francisco is one of the places in the world I really want to visit. It looks so vibrant and interesting there. This well observed picture was taken in San Francisco and I think it's really fascinating. I love the contrast of the two different types of architecture. Out of the two buildings I prefer the older one as it's far more gorgeous to look at. This photo is also rather clever as it makes the buildings look the same height. I am guess though that the pyramid one is much, much taller!

'Little Pumpkin With Fallen Orange Autumn Leaves' by D Sharon Pruitt

2011-10-28T20:28:00.002+01:00

Little Pumpkin With Fallen Orange Autumn Leaves free creative commons, a photo by Pink Sherbet Photography on Flickr.

Well here ends our first half term at pre-school and you know what it’s been a wonderful week. My daughter and I have been really busy going out and about and also spending some quality time with each other. We also got to spend time with friends we don’t see as often as we used to simply because all our children are at different pre-schools at different times so our weekly timetables are just so different.

The highlight of the week must have been a trip to the local fire station. It was a really interesting visit and it’s always fun climbing in a fire engine and spraying water with huge hoses!

I picked this photo for you tonight as it’s just the most autumny, orangy, halloweeny photo I could find. What a fantastic burst of colour. I love those little pumpkins as they’re just really cute.

Hope whether you’ve been on half term or not you’ve had a great week and have an even more fantastic weekend.

'Bangkok in a rainy day HDR' by fturoy

2011-10-26T21:52:00.002+01:00

Bangkok in a rainy day HDR, a photo by fturoy on Flickr.

Well it rained lots today. I don't mind too much though. In general this autumn has been rather lovely weatherwise. It's been quite warm and dry really. I love that I haven't had any expectations for the weather when it come to autumn. I'll wear a jacket for example and be really pleased when it gets too warm and I have to take it off.

This is a fantastic rainy day photo. I love how the rain just looks relentless and so heavy but people are just carrying on as normal. I don't know much about the weather in Bangkok but I am presuming it was hot too when this was taken. The rain has been captured so well and I almost feel I should be putting my umbrella up. Great photo.

'Four windows' by sollyth

2011-10-25T18:49:00.002+01:00

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Four windows, a photo by sollyth on Flickr.

This is one of those photos that I find hard to explain what exactly it is I like about it. I'm just some how drawn to it. I think the combination of the colours and the bright sunlight are great. I also want to know more about this building. What does the rest of it look like? What's the scenery around it like? I guess mostly though I just like being nosy. I am intrigued about what's in the apartments and who lives there. For example, what are those stickers on the windows? Is it a child's room? And what's that I can see in the window below? Is it a rolled up rug. So many unanswered questions. And I guess I have just explained what I like about this photo after all!

'Sleeping Beauty' by Me

2011-10-24T15:06:00.002+01:00

Sleeping Beauty, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

I have a rather big announcement to make. I am pregnant! Baby number 2 should be arriving some time at the end of April. I’ve been dying to share this on my blog but decided to be good and wait until after my first scan. I must admit that even though it was very much planned the whole thing does still seem rather surreal. I can’t believe in six months I’ll have a newborn baby in my arms! I am very excited though and looking forward to becoming a family of four.

If you’ve been following my blog for a while you may have noticed that I’ve used this photo on here before. Apologies for this but it’s one of my favourites and I was having real difficultly trying to find a photo to accompany this post. I decided to use this one of my daughter as a baby again as I just love it and I know that when the new baby arrives it will have the camera pointed at it A LOT. I hope he or she doesn’t mind!

'Birthday' by yuliaphoto

2011-10-23T20:54:00.002+01:00

Birthday, a photo by yuliaphoto on Flickr.

Just a quick post from me tonight. I've had a fantastic weekend celebrating my daughter's birthday but I must admit I'm now shattered. I've chosen this photo as our house is currently full of balloons and this is a fantastic balloon picture. I love all the bright colours and how the photographer has perfectly captured the texture of the balloons. I also noticed that this is my 500th blog post and that's got to be worth celebrating with a great big handful of balloons!!

'Afternoon stroll' by Me

2011-10-20T21:24:00.002+01:00

Afternoon stroll, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

I want to dedicate this post to my beautiful little girl as this weekend she'll be turning three. I can't believe time has gone so quickly. How is she three already? It seems like only yesterday I was bringing her home from the hospital. But what an amazing three years it's been and I am so proud of the little girl she's become. She's so bright, funny, happy and kind. She makes me so incredibly happy and I know my husband feels the same.

Now I have to get ready for all the things we have planned to celebrate. I must admit I'm really excited! Definitely more excited than when it's my own birthday!

Here's a photo of the birthday girl herself which I took back in the summer. Nothing like a nice afternoon stroll in the sunshine.

'Day 29: 20 Stops' by Steve Moraco

2011-10-19T13:22:00.002+01:00

Day 29: 20 Stops, a photo by Steve Moraco on Flickr.

This image really demonstrates how photographs can be rather deceptive sometimes. When I saw this I actually gave a little sigh and thought what a lovely place to work. I'd love a space like that to be work and be creative in. The lighting in this is just so bright and airy. I love the flowers in front of the window and the pictures and books on the shelves. And what a lovely green view out of the window. But then I took a second look. Hang on, that's not exactly the beautiful view I thought I was looking at. It's actually a big apartment building covered in graffiti. And in front of that another not so pretty urban building of some kind. So perhaps the reality is that although room itself looks rather nice, this isn't such a relaxing and peaceful place to work. I still think this is a gorgeous photo though!

'Iceberg bay' by Bogdan Ionescu

2011-10-18T20:03:00.002+01:00

Iceberg bay, a photo by Bogdan Ionescu on Flickr.

This photograph was taken in Antarctica. What an amazing place to look at. It looks so surreal, almost like a different planet. Lots of people like to think they are well travelled these days but the must be just a relative handful of who get to see scenery like this.

I like this particular photo as the shape of the ice is really interesting. I like how it can be so smooth and rough at the same time. And the colour here is great too. I love how the sky is almost pink. This is a beautiful photo but I bet it's a thousand times more spectacular in real life.

'What a view' by Me

2011-10-17T20:31:00.002+01:00

What a view, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

So what did you do this weekend? We went up to Beachy Head in East Sussex and I must say it was truly breaktaking. It was a beautifully sunny day and the views from up were stunning but what made the whole experience even more amazing were the paragliders which were up there. I've never been up close to people paragliding before and as much as I'm not sure I'm brave enough to actually try it myself I can totally see how magical it must feel. The whole time I sat watching them I just felt so calm and peaceful. I could have stayed there for hours.

Here is a photo I took of one of the paragliders with Eastbourne in the background. Technically or artistically it's not one of the best photos I took that day but it probably my favourite as it shows exactly how fantastic the view was.

'like doll' by asya baranova

2011-10-16T21:11:00.002+01:00

like doll, a photo by asya baranova on Flickr.

Hello all, I trust you had a lovely weekend. I thought I'd show you this photo tonight just because it's really pretty and girly. I love this vintage look. In fact I'm often tempted to buy little boxes like this when I see them in shops but I never do get one simply because I just don't know what I'd do with it. Well now I know. You buy a case like this so you can take pretty pictures of it!

'Red and cream' by Me

2011-10-14T10:56:00.002+01:00

Red and cream, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

My husband's been buying me flowers again. No particular reason, just because... He's so sweet like that. I think it helps that he passes a really lovely flower shop on his way home from work. The staff there must think he's always apologising for something but I know he's just being nice. That's just the kind of guy he is. I'm a very lucky lady.

Don't forget flowers always mean photos! I took lots of photos of my latest bouquet and I like this one the best. I think the contrast between the cream and the bright red is great. It makes me smile.

Hope you all have a lovely smiley weekend!

'North Greenwich Towers' by Kevin_Mitchell

2011-10-12T22:15:00.002+01:00

North Greenwich Towers, a photo by Kevin_Mitchell on Flickr.

I find this photo fascinating because it reminds me how much development has happened in the Docklands area of London over the past decade or so. I remember a time when there was only one tower at Canary Wharf and it really stood out on the London Skyline.

I think this photograph is very dramatic. Just look at that amazing sky. It really is on fire! But that's not my favourite thing about this image. I love how tiny the apartment buildings look in front of the tall skyscrapers. They look like tiny toy houses. Such a mesmerising picture.

'Breakfast 11.26.08' by C. Strife

2011-10-11T22:59:00.002+01:00

Breakfast 11.26.08, a photo by C. Strife on Flickr.

Last week I really fancied a fast food breakfast so I had one at Burger King. Sadly it really didn't live up to my expectations and it has left me really craving a McDonalds breakfast. I know that will hit the spot and this photo isn't really helping matters. I think I might be drooling. I like this particular breakfast photo because of the lighting and the tone of it. It really reminds me of getting a sneaky early morning McMuffin on my way out for the day somewhere. I'll let you know when I do end up getting my desired sausage and eggs McMuffin, hashbrown and orange juice. Mmmmm...

'Sheffield Park' by Me

2011-10-10T20:17:00.003+01:00

Sheffield Park, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

My daughter has been going to pre-school for over a month now and I must say that the school run is fast becoming my favourite part of the day. Not because I'm eager to get rid of her but because it makes me so happy and proud seeing her so enthusiastic about going to school. She really loves it and we've never had any issues with her not wanting to be left which is great considering her and I have hardly been apart for nearly three years.

I love picking her up after school as well. She looks so grown up coming out of the classroom in her uniform with her backpack on. And of course she'll often be holding whatever piece of artwork she's made that day. I love hearing what she's been up to and who she played with. She's gradually learning all the names of the people there. It really is a whole new and fantastic experience both for her and me.

This is a photo I took of my daughter and my husband at Sheffield Park Gardens in Sussex. It's a really pretty place and this was a fantastic photo opportunity. I like how well it works in Sepia, it looks really peaceful, which to be fair, it was.

'Heaven ...' by Chris of the World

2011-10-08T21:41:00.002+01:00

Heaven ..., a photo by Chris of the World on Flickr.

Wow, this photo really is a photo of Paradise isn't it? I thought I'd post this today as a complete contrast to the cold and snowy picture I talked about yesterday. How blissful would it be to be there right now? My favourite thing about this is the colour. I love the amazing colour of flamingos and this has been captured so beautifully here against the fantastic back drop of the sparkling turquoise sea. Sigh.....

'simple abundance' by freeplaylife

2011-10-07T13:39:00.002+01:00

simple abundance, a photo by freeplaylife on Flickr.

I can't believe I was kicking leaves in flip flops complaining it was too hot on Monday. Autumn has now arrived! It's not too cold right at the moment but I know I'll be needing my gloves soon. I'd better dig them out this weekend so I can keep them to hand. (To "hand", gloves, get it?, LOL, I'll get my coat.....)

Anyway, here's a lovely photo of someone wrapped up in their gloves. I feel all warm and snuggly just looking at this. The soft colours make this a very warm photo even though I bet it was very cold when it was taken. I also really like the detail of the snowflakes that have landed.

Have a happy and warm weekend everyone!

'207/365' by F3NRICH

2011-10-05T19:44:00.002+01:00

207/365, a photo by F3NRICH on Flickr.

I was thinking two things this evening as I went to post on my blog. Firstly, I could do with some more bright colours on here and secondly, I really fancy a jaffa cake. So ta-da here is a perfect photo for covering both of these thoughts.

I love the bright sparkly pink bokeh. I also think it’s very imaginative. I mean why would you think to push googly eyes into some jaffa cakes and take a photo? But it turns out to be a great idea. It made me smile anyway.

Oh well, can’t sit around here talking about jaffa cakes when I could be eating some. I’ve got a real thing about them at the moment. And the best thing about them is that according to the box they’re only 46 calories each! That’s practically a health food! Oh and the orangey bit has to count towards one of your five-a-day surely.

And may I please ask that no one be clever and comment here saying that they’re actually really bad for you. Please let me enjoy my chocolate treats in complete denial!!

'Pretty tickets' by Me

2011-10-04T13:38:00.002+01:00

Pretty tickets, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

This is another one of my favourite pictures from our visit to the Bluebell Railway. These tickets were on display in the little museum they have there and I couldn't resist taking some photos as they were just really cute and colourful. Don't think the orange train tickets we have now would make such a pretty photograph. Now there's a challenge eh!

'Arched people' by Miodrag Bogdanovic mitja

2011-10-03T09:46:00.004+01:00

Arched people, a photo by Miodrag Bogdanovic mitja on Flickr.

I wanted to post this yesterday but the internet wouldn’t let me. Grrr, modern technology.

So.... after a Saturday which was so busy with shopping and then a 3rd birthday party I thought we deserved a chilled out Sunday. I thought it was exhausting just watching a group of toddler’s jumping on a bouncy castle so I have no idea how my daughter worn out my daughter got. Actually, probably not worn out at all knowing her!

Anyway, because we were chilled out in the garden I even managed to find time to sit and read my book in the sunshine. Because I am a bit of a tube/London/walking geek I am currently reading a book called Walk The Lines where the author, Mark Mason, walks the entire length of the London Underground. Told you I was geek but I found I’m finding it fascinating!

As you'd expect I had to accompany this post with a London Underground themed photograph. I love this one because of the composition. I think it looks like it was set up but I’m not sure if it actually was. And you know what I really think it should be? It should so be an album cover. Do you see what I mean? It looks like a an album cover for a really cool band.

'Summer Reading.' by Miss Sydney Marie

2011-09-30T21:17:00.002+01:00

Summer Reading., a photo by Miss Sydney Marie on Flickr.

Today I went out in shorts and flip flops. What's that's all about? It's October tomorrow. It's a weird sensation being so hot at this time of year. Mentally I'm ready for snuggling up in the jumpers and boots. I guess I'd better try and enjoy it while it lasts though, apparently we may see snow in October! Where's the regular autumn gone?

I think this is a great summer photo. It's just the way I'd love to spend a sunny afternoon. Before my daughter was born I used to spend a lot of time sitting outside with a good book. In fact this could be me, I even have a hat like this! This is definitely a photo I'll be revisiting to warm me up when the cold weather does come.

'To infinity and beyond' by Me

2011-09-29T09:34:00.002+01:00

To infinity and beyond, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

Well they say good things come to those who wait and if you're talking about the weather then they'd very much be correct. Summer has finally arrived. Even though October is only two days away it's suddenly gone all hot and sunny. It's great really because we've got all the beauty of the golden autumn colours mixed with gorgeous warm sunshine and blue skies. I find it hard to resist taking photos when they sky is so blue. This one is a bit of fun. I saw my daughter's little Buzz Lightyear figure sitting around and thought I'd take a picture. I think it's a rather happy picture and she thinks it's great too! Hooray for the sunshine!

'Golden Leaf' by NaturalPhotographySpa

2011-09-27T13:08:00.002+01:00

Golden Leaf, a photo by NaturalPhotographySpa on Flickr.

This photo is totally inspiring me. My daughter is obsessed with picking up leaves at the moment and she always seems to be handing me a pile of crusty old dry ones. I've never been convinced they'd make a nice photo so never bother getting the camera out. But now I've seen this I think I might get snapping away at the next selection of dried leaves I'm presented with.

I love how soft and subtle this is. I also love the tiny details such as the cobweb in the top left-hand corner. Did you spot it? Really so very beautiful and inspiring.

'Beautiful steam' by Me

2011-09-25T22:16:00.003+01:00

Beautiful steam, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

Today we went to the Bluebell Railway. I am so in love with beautiful steam trains so it was just as much an exciting trip for me as it was my daughter who we were meant to be impressing. In fact after the train ride my husband and her went off to investigate the gift shop while I stayed on the platform taking photos of the engine.

Here is my favourie picture from the day. I like it because it's quite abstract and dramatic. I'll be showing you a few more pictures from today in due course. How can I resist. I do love it when I have a good photo day!

'seaside bunting' by Purple DeeBee

2011-09-23T11:22:00.002+01:00

seaside bunting, a photo by Purple DeeBee on Flickr.

I must admit I rather like bunting, especially when it's hung up across streets like this. It really gives the place a festival sort of vibe. I really like this picture. This bunting is simple but effective. Most of all though I love the colour and tone of this. It's got a real retro feel to it and it feels like it could have been taken at a street party many decades ago.

I can't believe Friday is here already. What are you doing this weekend? I'm hoping to be able to shift this horrible cold I've got at the moment. The sun is meant to shine these next few days so hopefully we can get out and about and take my mind off feeling snotty and miserable! I hope you all have a lovely lurgy free weekend.

'Skydiving Nov 2009, 7 way sunset load over the Florabama' by divemasterking2000

2011-09-22T21:18:00.003+01:00

Skydiving Nov 2009, 7 way sunset load over the Florabama, a photo by divemasterking2000 on Flickr.

I mentioned yesterday that I love going up high things in cities. I like seeing views that go on for miles. I'm not scared of heights and I'm the person you'll find jumping up and down on the glass floor in places like the CN Tower in Toronto. However, as much as I love these things I can't ever see myself jumping out an aeroplane like in this photo. Quite frankly it looks terrifying. I am sure it's an awesome feeling but I just don't think I ever bring myself to do it. Although if anything did convince me it'd be this picture. It just looks like it's so peaceful up there. The view is fantastic and the sky is beautiful. My favourite bit is the other skydivers. They do look like they're just hanging out casually having a chat over a cup of coffee. Actually it looks quite relaxing!

'London Eye & Big Ben at sunset' by Harshil.Shah

2011-09-21T21:01:00.002+01:00

London Eye & Big Ben at sunset, a photo by Harshil.Shah on Flickr.

Here's another beautiful London image for you to have a look at. The colour of the sky is great and the London Eye and the buildings look like they could be cut out of black paper and stuck on to a gorgeous painted background. The composition of this is great too. It makes the London Eye look really huge and I love the tiny little people in the pods.

I have been on the London Eye but it was years ago and I don't think I even took any photos. I'd love to go up again at some point as I love going up high things in cities. I'll make sure I have my camera next time too!

'Bowling' by Me

2011-09-20T21:05:00.002+01:00

Bowling, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

A couple of months ago we went bowling for my nephew's birthday. It was a really fun day out and I took lots of photos of my family. I also couldn't resist taking this picture. Halfway through our session the main lights were turned out and they put these on. I thought it would make a really cool photo so I really hoped I'd be able to pull it off. I think I did OK. I'm a bit annoyed it's slightly wonky but I think that along with graininess I added sort of contributes to the charm of it. After bowling we went to Pizza Hut to stuff our faces. That day I was reminded that I'm rubbish at bowling but very good at eating pizza.

'Butlers Wharf in Snow' by cybertect

2011-09-19T22:09:00.002+01:00

Butlers Wharf in Snow, a photo by cybertect on Flickr.

Today my daughter and I took the train to London to meet up with a friend and her new(ish) little baby. It was a lovely day. It was warm and the sun was shining so we took a stroll by Tower Bridge before stopping for a bite to eat. It was great catching up as we'd not seen each other in absolutely ages. My little girl had a great time too. She though the baby was super cute. She also loved the long ride on the train and was perfectly behaved.

I didn't take any photos myself today but I thought I'd show you this one of where we walked today. It didn't however look quite like this today. This photo really captured my attention. I do like seeing pictures of well known places in the snow as unless you live or work close by you'll never get to see them like this. I am sure this was a pretty much a black and white scene to begin with but I think making this a black and white shot finishes it off perfectly.

'Bergeronnette printanière' by lilian.lemonnier

2011-09-18T22:22:00.002+01:00

Bergeronnette printanière, a photo by lilian.lemonnier on Flickr.

It's hard not to love this photo. It's just so subtle and delicate and the fact that it doesn't contain much colour other than yellow really doesn't matter. In fact, I think it makes the photo. And I think you'll find that if you listen very carefully you can hear the beautiful bird song. Shhh, have a listen....

I hope you've all had a beautiful weekend.

'First day of summer' by Soffia Gisladottir

2011-09-16T19:57:00.002+01:00

First day of summer, a photo by Soffia Gisladottir on Flickr.

Here's a bright and happy photo for you to start the weekend with. I love the composition of this as it's a really intersting take on a picture of a sunflower. Normally you'd have the whole of the flower itself and not a great big chunk of leaf but this works really well. I never get tired of looking at sunflower images so it's nice to see something a little different.

Happy weekend everyone. Here's to a lovely couple of days!

'Seaside buckets' by Me

2011-09-15T22:40:00.002+01:00

Seaside buckets, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

Here's another photo I took on the beach in Swansea last month. I love taking photos like this, that aren't set up at all. I was just sitting on the sand, saw these buckets and though that would make a nice picture. And it did!

I had been planning to use this photo in a post this week about how it was really starting to feel like September now and how it'd been raining lots but I've been a bit surprised by the weather this week. In general it's been rather lovely. Today was particularly beautiful. In fact the weather was warmer and sunnier today than the day I took this photo and that was August. Fingers crossed for a few more lovely days like this before autumn arrived for real.

'Starlings Swarming over West Pier' by tommy martin

2011-09-14T22:18:00.002+01:00

Starlings Swarming over West Pier, a photo by tommy martin on Flickr.

I remember West Pier in Brighton before the fire that pretty much destroyed it. I just don't have any great memories of it as it was just some place I took for granted in Brighton. Just something that was there. I wish I'd taken more time to admire it like I do now. I still think West Pier is beautiful. The remains are so fascinating.

I think this is a great picture of the pier before the fire. Gorgeous isn't it? I love the light but my favourite bit is the starlings. Watching them swarm like that is such a surreal and awesome sight. They used to continue to fly like that around the remains. I don't know if they still do. In fact one day I sat on the beach for about an hour just watching these birds. Totally spectacular.

Apologies to people who've never been to Brighton and don't know what I'm going on about. I hope you can still appreciate this lovely photo. If you ever get a chance to visit you really should.

'Peas in a pod' by Me

2011-09-13T18:59:00.002+01:00

Peas in a pod, a photo by PhotoPuddle on Flickr.

One of my earliest childhood memories is sitting on the kitchen floor shelling peas that my parents had grown in the garden. As they got older they lost their enthusiasm for gardening but when I was small they had a fantastic garden full or homegrown fruit and vegetables. I love the idea of growing my own vegetables but really lack the motivation. Therefore when I cook peas they usually come out of the freezer. However, last week when in the supermarket my daughter was rather taken by a bag of peas still in their pods so we bought them. It made me feel really happy watching her sitting on the floor shelling peas like I did when I was about her age. I think I might buy peas like this more often. And maybe one I might even grown some of my own.

I took lots of photos of the event of course as my little girl was really enjoying herself. I also took some pictures of the peas themselves. This one is my favourite.

'Chucks - Grösse 26' by pixel boogie

2011-09-11T21:48:00.002+01:00

Chucks - Grösse 26, a photo by pixel boogie on Flickr.

I know I've recently posted a picture of my new Converse trainers but I couldn't resist posting this one as it's really pretty. I love the colours. I'm not after a pink pair for myself but I can see my daughter being treated to a pair at some point! After all a girl can never have too many shoes. Even if she is still only two years old!

I also love this photo as it reminds me that it doesn't matter if my Converse get messed up a little. They're never going to stay perfect and the lived in look is actually rather cool. I love how this photographer has captured all the little details of this particular pair. Lovely photo for lots of different reason.

'The last blossom' by puffy eyes

2011-09-09T21:03:00.002+01:00

The last blossom, a photo by puffy eyes on Flickr.

Just a quick one to show you this really striking photo. I love the contrast between the delicate yellow blossoms and the hard grey pavement. I wonder whether the photographer put the flowers there or if there was a tree overhead that they'd fallen off. Either way it makes for a beautiful and creative image. Love it!

Happy weekend everyone!

'yarn' by ·meisi·

2011-09-08T21:12:00.003+01:00

yarn, a photo by ·meisi· on Flickr.

I have a huge wool stash which is sitting around doing nothing. I worked out that I've not really done any knitting in about four years. This led me to make the decision that it might be time to hide it away somewhere such as the loft - I wouldn't be able to bring myself to actually get rid of it as I WILL knit again one day and I WILL learn to crochet! However, after making this big decision today I then went and saw three things that made me question my plans.

Firstly I spotted an advert in the local paper for a new wool shop that had opened near me and I couldn't help but get excited. I love have a good rummage through all the different yarns and pretending to myself I'm going to knit something fantastic. Then I stumbled across this gorgeous photo. I love all the colours. They're just so bright and pretty. I want all these balls of wool. And a pretty chairs like this to keep them on of course. And then finally I just saw this blog post. I have been thinking about getting some letters for my daughter's room and this is a fantastic idea.

Now, what on earth am I meant to do? I think the wool gods might be trying to tell me something........