Sunday 28 September 2014

Southern Belle

"Oh hello.
Let's share our thoughts and hopes and dreams as well as our awkward faces and our silly moments and our tragically funny failures. In other words, let's be friends." The Blue Threshold.


With an invitation like that who can blame me for falling in love with the charming Sofia and her world of insightful content, stunning photography and majestic aura, sprinkled throughout each post on her blog The Blue Threshold?


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It was the dreamy yet concise imagery that led me to discovering this delightful blog, as I borrowed one of Sofia's original photographs for a book review here. Not only had I stumbled across one of my now most frequented blogs, I also made an acquaintance in the lovely lady herself. Friendly, honest and down right sassy, trust me when I say you'll want to add this to your Bloglovin feed!


Sofia writes about all that fuels her mind. This blog has a little of everything and I don't know about you but besides having quality as a constant, I love diversity in subject. This could be because of how down right nosey I am or my will to learn as much as possible, but The Blue Threshold keeps me coming back for more, just to see what new adventure is in store.


Covering topics such as style;


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Get Styled By Me On Keaton Row
Worn: Chanel Mary Jane Pumps


Literature;


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Haul: Books (Summer 2014)
Booktube-a-thon TBR (and what I've read so far)


To everything in between such as moving back to her roots in Texas and even mentions of the most desirable lip shades.


Gone To Texas
Borrowed: Taking Stock
Blog Crush


Join the journey and breathe in that warm southern air! You can find Sofia on her blog and also hanging out over on twitter and even facebook.

Thursday 25 September 2014

So Much To Say!

Hey there friends, what's going down? I feel somewhat out of the loop since getting back from my vacation of ultimate laziness (ahh twas heaven!), but am well and truly ready to jump back into the blogging pool, with both woolly sock clad feet (welcome back Autumn)!


I have posts a plenty lined up, more lists that I know what to do with and not enough hours in the day to complete the most basic of daily tasks, sorry wardrobe in need of reorganising and unfinished knitting project, you'll just have to wait!





For now I thought I would share with you a small update of things I've been enjoying lately:


- Penny Dreadful on Netflix; I can not get enough of this beautifully gothic drama, such clever entangled story lines full of classic characters and my oh my the costumes!


- Caramel cappuccino; need I say anymore?


- Thick ass socks;  Burrrrrr my tippie toes are shell shocked after returning from Spain!


- Hema!! This is my favourite shop here in the Netherlands (hitting the shores of Britain very soon I hear). Jammed full of stationary, home wear, cosmetics, baked goods, craft supplies. Yep, I could quite happily live inside the store itself!


- Getting my knit on; I have a ton of projects up my sleeve and I can't wait to crack on. If only I could step away from Pinterest for five minutes...


- Reading; whilst away I devoured some great literature and since catching up on my favourite book tubers, I am excited to get stuck into some autumnal fiction!


Do you guys have any 'new season' plans? Any tips on how to get started? Or any exciting news?

Thursday 4 September 2014

The man who never reads lives only once

Upon reading and watching some super fascinating versions, I decided to go ahead and do the...


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... Because, why not!


If you are unfamiliar with this particular tag then here is a great example to check out (ps. If you don't already subscribe to Ariel's youtube channel, then go forth and do so, you'll thank me later!), it's basically a Q&A linking literature to our most used social media platforms. Let's jump on in!


What is your favourite short book?

This absolutely has to be The Twits by Roald Dahl. I'm well aware it's a child's book my friends, but this is 96 pages of sheer imagination and hilarity. I'm sure / hope most of you have read this treasure of a book, but if it escaped your childhood then treat yourself to this petite pleasure of a read!

What was a book that everyone pressured you to read?

So, being the most stubborn and pig headed human around, I resisted the PHENOMENAL tidal wave of love following release after release of the Harry Potter books, for some bizarre reason. Just hearing poor old Harry's name had me rolling my eyes, purlease! Now, if there's one thing I'm loyal to, it's my stubbornness; this abstinence from Hogwarts lasted right up until last year. That's right 2013! Of course I loved every page of the first magical instalment and felt a total moron for being so anti 'cool' that I missed out on reading these bad boys sooner! Fun times... On the flip side of the coin however, I gave into the hype behind John Green's the Fault In Our Stars, read it as soon as it came out and thought it was pretty good. I then tried my hand at Chasing Alaska, since everyone and their next door neighbours dog loved it, and what can I say? Boring as. Apologies to those that enjoyed it...

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What was a book you read before it was cool?

As teen I devoured the Gossip Girl series by Cecily von Ziegesar, way before it became a fashion packed hit TV show. Also, worthy of a mention is the most gorgeous book Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, which was a beloved possession of mine as a wee pipsqueak and is now referenced often amongst the idie hipster cool kids.

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Name a book you can't remember if you liked it or not.

My memory in general is bloody awful as it goes, but usually books tend to sit longer in my musty old mind. That said, Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch is long gone. Perhaps that is a sign that I didn't enjoy it as much as other literature? Maybe I'm just getting old.

Choose a book with a beautiful cover.

I knew my answer to this question immediately. Although there are some gorgeous covers and spines that deserve pride of place on a book shelf, for me The Fountain written by Darren Aronofsky and beautifully illustrated by Kent Williams wins hands down. The cover is a dreamy wonder and throughout this entire graphic novel, page after page is elaborately drawn, intricate with detail and packs such an emotional punch with each image.

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Which book do you wish was made into a movie?

I never actually noticed before preparing my answers for this tag, that so many of the novels I've read of are also films. But I would choose Sister by Rosamund Lupton, The Handmaid's Tale a novel by Margaret Atwood, and rather hesitantly considering the damage done by the under budgeted TV verison, The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. While we're on the subject of book to movie, I am SO excited to see Wild based on the book by Cheryl Strayed following her adventures into the unknown, Gone Girl from the best selling novel by Gillian Flynn, The Maze Runner despite struggling through the first few pages of the book by James Dashner and perhaps most of all the adaption of Oorlogsgeheimen written by Jacques Vriens, a captivating Dutch story set during the second world war.

And lastly, which book would you recommend to everyone?

My apologies for repetition here, but the books I would whole heartedly recommend are Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed- for adventure packed, sincerity and soul searching galore; The Handmaid's Tale by my latest author crush Margaret Atwood- for a delightful mixture of past, present and future rolled into one incredibly detailed alternate world; and the A Song Of Ice And Fire collection, all hail George R.R. Martin- for a weighty commitment to a mesmerising flourish of characters, sword fights and dragons... Whats not to love?!


Well that's that chaps, I hope to leave you with the taste of words and reaching for your favourite escape vehicles, perhaps with a warm drink and slice of sweetness in tow! If that wasn't enough to get you diving into your next book, then here are a handful of visual prompts to make it happen ; )


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If you happen to complete this book tag, then PLEASE leave your link below, as I'd love to have a nose!