March - Happy Springtime Home

March - Happy Springtime Home by long-may-she-rain featuring modern home decor

Breville small appliance / Newgate modern home decor / H M wire basket / NKUKU vintage picture frame / John Lewis graphic t shirt

March has been flying by, hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend! I have been trying to do some organising and sorting every week (in line with my New Years resolution to declutter my life) so my must-haves must be just that, necessary!

I am growing to prefer more streamlined designs in the home, these frames from Nkuku are my absolute favourite and I have them throughout the house. You can mix up what you display in them such as dried flowers, postcards or family photographs - highly recommended! I am also trying to have house plants in every room to bring some of the outside in, I will be amazed if they are all still alive by the summer! And I have finally found the kettle of my dreams from Breville, I had my kitchen redecorated a year and a half and have been on the hunt ever since! Hooray! The scrumptious Lush facemask and comfy T are just to remind myself I can still treat myself, particularly if it's a Bank Holiday weekend!

Thanks for popping by,

Katie

February Monthly Must-Have's!

Get Fit February by long-may-she-rain featuring a lavendar candle

Sweaty Betty green sports bra, £45 / Superga wide sneaker, £45 / Sweaty Betty colorful hat, £45 / Bedding, £14 / Zigzag bedding / kate spade new york Take Note Large Turquoise Notebook / NEOM Organics lavendar candle / Tree home decor

February is the time I step it up and get back into eating sensibly and head back to the gym, far too much pressure in dreary January to detox and diet, why rush these things! I skipped working out for a couple of months and have begun to feel sluggish and under the weather because of that, so I am motivated to get my routine back now, but nothing too drastic! I have a lot more energy, less headaches and a far better outlook when I have a healthy regime going, makes me wonder why I do have these periods of slacking off!

Treating yourself to a new workout item to make hitting the gym more tempting is perfectly acceptable right? Sweaty Betty have now openened a local store to me so I've been compiling a wishlist of their spring stock, some lovely new colours and patterns! I finally purchased some Superga sneakers and are loving their comfortable thick sole, far better for me than wearing Converse and standing up all day at work, there's so many gorgeous colours to choose from too!

I hit Lush this payday and stocked up on a few different face masks, their intense hand cream and yummy lip scrub to ensure my skin stops feeling the winter blues, I am never dissapointed with their products and they all smell fantastic!
Making my home a cosy relaxing place to be is also high up on my list this month as I still have workmen in completely revamping my living room, I need to keep calm and light a gorgeous scented candle, it's the little things! Spring is in the air (except today with storm blowing a gale!) and I will be very excited to welcome it back!

What's your plans and intentions for February?

Katie 

December Monthly Must-Have's

December Monthly Must-Have's by long-may-she-rain

Cotton kitchen towel / Christmas home decor, £40 / Christmas wrapping paper, £9.16 / Christmas candle, £21 / Christmas home decor, £8.68 / Black and white wrapping paper, £8.09 / Meri Meri christmas gift tag / Primitives By Kathy wood wall art, £7.64 / Christmas jewelry / Bare Escentuals brown eyeshadow, £13 / Heidi Swapp Oh What Fun Metal Dies-December Word 5.4"X2", £4.82

December is flying by, with only a week to go until the big day! It has been a flurry of work, friends, crafting, list making and watching every Christmas cookery show going (Jamie O is my choice!) busy busy busy! I am decorating the house today on a rare Friday day off, and I am feeling very excited about decking the halls with boughs of holly, I've had fairy lights up since November so I haven't been completely without festivities! This year I am just concentrating on making each room as cosy as possible, candles, sparkle and the smell of mulled wine and baking from the kitchen, that's the good stuff! All I wish for this Christmas is a happy day with those I love, with plenty of silly games, The Muppets Christmas Carol and for the roast potatoes to be crispy.....but any of the lovely things above would be a bonus ;) What's on your Christmas list this year? 

Katie x

Monthly Must-Haves!

November Must Have! by long-may-she-rain featuring H&M

H M long sleeve sweater / H M white cardigan / H&M black booties / Rifle Paper Co tech accessory, £24 / Dorothy Perkins red hat, £9.16 / Bare Escentuals eye makeup / Bare Escentuals face powder / Lips makeup, £6.54 / H M cotton bedding / Pine cone candle / H M home decor / Liz Earle 6 Piece The Best Of Botanical Beauty Collection

Hello hello! Apologies for the radio silence, this month is just whizzing by! Have you started your Crimbo shopping yet? Proud to say I'm half way through, but it's been a mission! I have a Christmas notebook and everything....anyone else equally obsessed with planning? With Christmas stickers? And co-ordinating festive Washi tape? Oh dear...

 I thought I would try something different and introduce 'Monthy Must-Haves' - a roundup of all those lovely, unnecessary-but-nice treats that are tempting this month! I used to do a monthly Wish List so it's not a completely different direction, but I have got a little girlier in my tastes! At 26 years old I've finally discovered the joys of proper makeup and a good skincare routine, better late than never! Man, I feel like a Woman! ;)

My biggest splurge this month was on a new IPhone 6, gold version, as my dear 5 didn't have a working lock button anymore and that could have led to all kinds of accidental-dialling embarrassment! It's nice to find a case that flatters the gorgeous metallic finish, this one from Rifle Paper Company is pretty damn perfect! I really need to put the phone through its paces, and I haven't even had a chance to get into using the camera and video to its potential, one aim for next month!

I swear by Bareminerals makeup and Liz Earle beauty products, both of which don't aggravate my troublesome oily skin and flare ups. I am secretly a middle aged woman - because I love purchasing both off QVC! Seriously, if you have never dabbled, I instruct you to check the TV guide and sit down in front of a show pronto! They carry so many great brands now, Orla Kiely, Benefit, Liz Earle, Bareminerals, Elemis, L'Occitane, and all at great prices with chances to pay instalments monthly, what could be better this time of year? Embrace the shopping channel, far less stressful than the packed out high streets, AND you can stay in your PJ's! Result!

And as for H&M, oh Lordy, I'll just take the whole lot! Jumpers and boots that autumn/winter dreams are made of and all for a steal! I was holding back! Their homeware is such a underestimated option, so many great present ideas - I have stocked up for my girlfriends who love everything copper and geometric!

And dare I need to mention...... ONE WEEK UNTIL BLACK FRIDAY! Time to get serious!

How is your Christmas shopping coming along? Internet or high street? Also, do let me know if your QVC experience was terrific or terrifying!

Thanks for reading,

Katie x