All that goes bump in the night!

So for those of you who know me well this will not need to be said but for those of you who don't here it is....

"I LOVE HALLOWEEN!!!!"

Sorry about the shouting but I get a little excited! 

Anyways.... with my love of all things Halloweeny I thought I would show you all some of my past favourites.  If you want to see some of this years Halloween treats be sure to follow me on Instagram @ allthingsuniqueuk and on Facebook @ All Things Unique

So where to start?! 

Well I think I'll start with the absolute essential - Pumpkins! 

It all started when I was about ten and my mum was fed up of all the moaning about having to do our turnies for brownies (there was tears, blood, tantrums and more tears!).  For anyone who doesn't know what a turnie is it is the original Celtic version of a pumpkin made by hollowing out a Scottish turnip hence the name (although they tend to call them swedes in stores as they aren't the same as turnips apparently!). If you're still not sure what I'm talking about here's a little picture...

Image courtesy of google... Pretty isn't it?!

So as you can imagine a turnie is a million times harder than a pumpkin and doesn't come with a conveniently hollow middle.  I think you can imagine the effort it would take but let me tell you there's no way to imagine the pain of the blisters you get from the metal spoons whilst trying to hollow it out!  I think I still have scars! So with this in mind when my mum came across a pumpkin carving set a few months later she decided to snap it up so we would never have to endure the pain of turnies again!

Well that little carving set was amazing! I still have all the tools (although they are starting to show signs of their age so I did buy a back up set last year just incase... Always be prepared and all that!) and the book of patterns it came with and they are still some if my favourite  patterns to carve.

This is from the book of ideas and was actually carved by my sister but I thought I would let you guys see how good she is too! 

Anyways... after spending about 7 years perfecting my carving skills and practicing my favourite patterns a competition at work was organised and I decided to enter.  For some odd reason I can't find a picture of my pumpkin lot up (I think it was on my bebo page... Gosh that seems like a life time ago!) but I do have this unlit picture that I found in a box of Halloween stuff.  

I know these are a little more difficult to see but my pumpkin on the left is a witch on a broomstick and the witches face on the right was for my brother to take to school.  For the competition I put black card inside so the image stood out but it looks amazing when lit because the light looks like an eerie moon!

So my little pumpkin went all the way to work with me to join the other entries: some of which were super inspired!  For example Ashley's little disco pumpkin complete with its own dance box and glitter ball was way ahead of its time!  Others however didn't seem to get the memo about having to hollow them out first... Yes you know who you are! 

After the competition was over I thought to myself "what if they do this again next year?! I just submitted my best design!"  So that's when I started to branch out and try some new things...  Thankfully having practiced my carving skills my adventure into the unknown went pretty well and I only had maybe 1pumpkin that didn't turn out as I had hoped... It was meant to be a scary face but I just couldn't get it to work! Go figure... Pumpkin 101 and I find it the hardest to do! Anyway he is hiding in 1 or 2 of the photos but ssshhh lets just not mention it ok? 

First up was this cute little number... Cause who hasn't loved hello kitty at some point?!

This was actually super easy to do and I used a small culinary pumpkin to make it even cuter! My advice to anyone wanting to give it a go is to draw a thin line for the out line and start by cutting the middle whiskers then the others, followed by the middle of the bow then the outer parts and then do the outline.  That way if your bow or whiskers end up bigge than planned you can change the outline before cutting! 

After that little cutie I followed up the next year with a slightly over the top number of pumpkins...

As you can see I had a little bit of pumpkin fever back in 2010! I wasn't making a costume that year so I had extra time on my hands: I think I used it productively! 

First up in this crazy collection is actually the last pumpkin I did... I wanted to keep the traditional carved pumpkin until last: cause they are my favourite!  So here's a few before and after shots to help you see how I do things.

As you can see I just draw my design on first and then cut it out.  As the meerkat says "simples!"  

My tip for anyone wanting to try this one is to start with the inside of the letters with hollows... O, R, A... And then start from the middle and work your way out.  It helps keep support in the pumpkin and should help stop letters snapping but you do still need to have a gentle touch.  

Up next came a floor vase, 3 small pumpkins, drawing pins, nail polish, some knitting needles and a small rope light... Can you guess what it is yet?! No? Well here's the answer...

This was super easy and quick to do.  If you are going to try it out make sure and pre screw holes for the knitting needles or garden stake, I used a corkscrew which worked well for the size of knitting needles I used.  Without the stake running through them the pumpkins won't sit vertically so this fiddly part is most definitely worth the effort. 

And last but not least in 2010 was the giant spider! 

Again I used a stake to keep the head and the body together and cut a small slice off the bottom of the head so it lay flat. The legs are just long fluffy pipe cleaners twisted together and glued in to corkscrew holes. You can see in the picture below the tops of the legs are slightly thicker and that's where they were twisted together.

 As for the eyes and fangs...  

The are simply black pearly beads, some super glue and some sewing pins to hold them in place and the fangs (which you can see in the pic below) are simply 2 pumpkin seeds glued on! 

This makes a fabulous outdoor pumpkin during the day and at night can be simply lit up by candles in jars.  The flickering candles outdoors make it almost look like it's moving! Soooo sooooo creepy!! *shudder*

So all together in the dark the 2010 collection looked a little something like this...

(PS - The pumpkin lanterns are from partylite)

For 2011 I was asked by the produce department to do a little display pumpkin which had to last for 4 weeks! Yip 4 weeks in an air conditioned store... If that's not a difficult challenge then I don't know what is!  So as carved pumpkins were a big no go this is what I came up with:

I ordered different coloured duck tape - white, yellow, orange, red and black - and cut out tiny squares to make a chequered circle to represent the moon and then matched the edges with a mix of all the colours to make almost a diamond shape of colour so that the moon stood out but the pumpkin could still be seen from the back and sides.  

The trickiest part was out lining the moon in black and the silhouette of the witch but I just took my time and did a piece at a time.  This was time consume but well worth the effort. Oh and in order to hang it I used the trusty old cork screw and made two holes and pushed the trusty knitting needle through and then ran a straw over it, glued the staw in place with hot glue and removed the kitting needle before threading string through the straw.

Oh I should probably have said this at the start but always start by washing down your pumpkins with a mild bleach solution or dettol spray and be sure to dry them properly to stop any undue rotting.

I know this has been a super long post but I just have one last pumpkin experience to share with you... 

The pumpkin patch! Oh yes! 

Now if like me you didn't grow up in the states pumpkin patches were the thing of legends until Cairnie farm in Fife started to grow them a few years ago.  Naturally I was one of the first ones there!  My pumpkins weren't that experimental that year but I had so much fun at the farm I wanted to go back to basics... Not turnies! Just pumpkin basics and carving!  So here are  a few pics of my first day at the pumpkin patch -

Note - you will need a strong BF to pull the cart!

And don't forget to pick up a teeny tiny cutey pie pumpkin before heading home to put your pyjamas on and carve...

So that's the mega post finally finished... Phew!  I hope you managed to find some inspiration for your own pumpkins in amongst my excited ramblings and if so I'd love to see what you do!

And as for my creations this year...? Well you'll just have to wait and see... Make sure and follow me on Instagram and Facebook for sneak peeks and of course images of the final creations!

I hope you all have a hauntingly good time over the next week and remember to stay safe and be seen when out and about... Because we wouldn't want it to be you that goes bump in the night!

Love always

L x

The princess and the pea - Room tour!!

So when it comes to sleeping it's safe to say I am worse than the princess and the pea. I need dark, I need quiet and I need comfort. So as I am about half way through finishing off my bedroom I thought I would do a little tour and show you guys what it looks like at the moment... I hope you guys like it and if you have any suggestions please feel free to leave a comment!

So first things first - the view as you walk in my room looks like this...

For those of you who follow me on Instagram (find me at allthingsuniqueuk) this image will look familiar.  I posted it to see what people thought about room tours: tacky or inspirational? The response I got was super positive so here we are! 

I'll go in to each area a little bit more to let you know where I got things from etc but if  I miss anything I'll be happy to answer any questions you have.

So I guess you would call this my dressing table/vanity depending on where you are in the world.  I love this dressing table! It was one of my first DIY projects and is still one of my favourites.  I've had it for about 6 years now so it is starting to wear but the scuffs on the wooden end tables just make them look more vintage and the glass has barely a scratch on it. The end tables were from TKMax and were originally bright yellow and I mean BRIGHT yellow! So I got a pot of dulux gloss in antique white and painted them.  It was surprisingly easy, although if I had the chance to do it again I would tape the handles as they have ended up with a little paint on them and the helpful people at TKMax super glued them in to the screws so I can't even get them off to replace them!  Anyways! The top was custom made by a glazier and it was around £28 which is amazing! I had it toughened for an extra £5 or £10, I can't quite remember, but as I said it's barely scratched so it was worth it.  If you want to do something similar my advice would be to check your yellow pages and phone around for quotes, the smaller local companies are often cheaper and they are so friendly and helpful.  They will probably quote you the minimum thickness for the size but if you want something a bit chunkier just let them know so you are both on the same page.  On a side note I get so frustrated when I see people giving trades people bad reviews when it is clearly their own fault for not communicating properly with the tradesman at the start about what it is they want. So please, please, please remember: if you want it, explain it! If you don't think they understand go speak with others until you find someone you feel happy with.

Enough of my side rant... Back to the point Lisa! 

The mirror (the large one) is from B&Q and it is simply mounted on 2 square blocks of off cut timber so that it protrudes from the wall by about 3cm.  I then used fairy lights (originally with a white cable but they broke) and some cable tacks and pinned the lights down before screwing the mirror on top. I love the way it glows.  It's softer than the Hollywood dresser lighting so if you like super bright lighting for doing your makeup I would recommend a replacing the small makeup mirror with one that has built in lights as well.  

The last few things are the hooks that hold my hair bands (I think I may have a problem!) they are from B&Q (around £4 each), the small mirror is from TKMax (around £18), the stool is from ikea (around £25) and the pillow is homemade (more on that one later).

Moving on to the next portion of my room ...

This is one of my favourite parts of my room but you don't get the real effect until night time and all the candles are lit... But that's ridiculously hard to get on camera! I'll show you a daytime close up in a second but first I'll explain where the main item, the tall boy, came from.  

I had been searching for one of these for about 6 months when I had given up hope of finding one that wasn't over £200 when I stumbled across this in the Argos catalogue...

The 7 drawer tall boy may not look like much but as it is unpainted pine it's super easy to stain or paint to your chosen colour.  Usually the unit is  £89.99 but sd I was looking through the reviews (which are pretty good!) I found a comment or two about buying them at half price. So as I was in no rush I decided to wait around 4 months and got it at half price!  Luckily for you though it happens to be on sale right now!  So if you're interested you can get this unit for only £44.99!

Again I got my trusty paint brush out and painted it in an off white.  I then ordered the crystal handles from pushka knobs available from their shop on ebay for £6 each and ta dah! All done!  I don't expect this piece to end up in our master bedroom when we move but I've already got plans for it to move to another room.

So a close up of the top section looks like this...

I have to say I love my lanterns and the way the top of the unit looks. The lanterns are suspended from hooks that are screwed in to the ceiling.  The chains are all different styles and are available by the meter in the larger B&Qs.  I just used cutters from hobbycraft and little craft rings (like tiny key rings) also from hobbycraft to secure the chains in a loop (you can just make this out on the lantern on the left).  The lanterns are (L-R) from TKMax, my friend Rachel's wedding and TKMax.  The jar isn't actually a lantern but I used garden wire and some pliers and made a make shift handle by wrapping it around the jar top a couple of times and then securing a handle shape. It's been up for over a year so I must have done something right! 

The other items are mainly gifts so I'm not sure where they are from but my adorable little piggy I did buy and he is from Dunelm Mill.

Moving on to the snap happy sections!! These are the parts that still need finishing but they are getting there...  

Most of this section is from ikea... The picture shelves, chair, bedside shelf, lamps (which are definitely going to be changed!), bedding and various photo frames are all from Ikea. Other photo frames are mainly from Tesco, as are the photo books.  All the other frames have been gifts.  The frame clock was also a gift but I do know that it's from urban outfitter.  

I am pretty happy with the layout on the shelves but I am looking to make the frames more in keeping with the room. Now all I need to decide is whether to paint or cover them... Decisions, decisions! 

So as I said before I handmade these pillows (the other one is on the stool) by using left over fabric from upholstering the headboard and some metallic ribbon from Hobbycraft.  The ribbon has wire in the edging which helps keep the shape of the bow.  If you would like to see a tutorial on how to do these just let me know.

The headboard now looks like this...

You don't see much but it's enough to get the jist! Anyway it was originally brown with a tan strip in the middle when I got it from my aunt but I got the fabric from Dunelm Mill, borrowed a staple gun and literally took 10 minutes to cover it.  Super easy, super quick and super cheap in comparison to buying a new one and you get it exactly the colour you want! 

As you can see above the bed is the area that still needs the most work!  

Finding frames to match my layout is not easy but I am slowly getting there and for those I can't get in the right colour I am planning on getting the paint brush out once more! The others spaces are a little more difficult but I think I've come up with a solution... I just need to find the time to do it now!  Hopefully more to come on that soon.

This next picture may not look like much but these were originally just mdf doors I had fitted and with a little dowling, some tacks, paint and some crystal handles from B&Q I turned what looked like cardboard doors into these French inspired lovelies!

So proud of my efforts on these! And for some extra storage for my daily bags I put some more of the hooks I used for my hair bands up next to the wardrobe.

Last but not least is my door area... For most people this would simply be a door!  But I like to use every space available and so this is what I have hidden away out of sight...

It's super practical and the pin boards and white boards help me keep things organised.  As for above the door, this all comes from Ikeas expect the small boxes in the middle which I found in a store on ebay.  I don't keep everyday items in here as I need to ask the BF to reach or use a stool but for those things you only use occasionally and for seasonal items it's perfect!

Well that's it folks! It did take slightly longer than I expected but I hope you enjoyed it!  Remember if you have any comments or suggestions please let me know and for a little sneak peek at my up coming projects make sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ allthingsuniqueuk.

Speak soon,

Love L x

Legends that glitter

These beautiful glittering kelpies appeared in Dundee City centre over the weekend and they are such a beautiful reminder of many childhood stories.  

For those of you not from Scotland who are thinking "what on earth is she talking about?! They are just glittery horse heads!" I'll start by explaining what a kelpie is.  

The stories and legends vary between areas and families but as an overview a kelpie is a mythical sea or loch creature that is often referred to as a water horse.  Legend describes kelpies as dangerous shape shifters that have to reveal their true self once submerged in water. Some of the legends that go along with kelpies are quite gruesome... Stories warn children of creatures that will trick you into taking a ride on land whilst in horse form and then dive into the water where they will reveal their true self and as they change they seal your hands in their skin and dive so deep that they drown you and eat you!  Well we Celts did give the world Halloween so we had to have some terrifying stories to go with it! Plus it has to work a little better than the no running signs around pools these days although I still think it's a harsh way of to warn children of the dangers of undercurrents in open water: I still have nightmares at the thought!

One of Scotland's most popular kelpie legends is of course known across the world.... The Loch Ness monster. The monster's story has it's origins in a local legend of a powerful kelpie that chose to shift between serpent form in water and sheep form on land.

But anyway I digress!  I just thought I would share this little art instillation with you incase you want to check it out... And if you would rather give your children a relaxing bed time story instead of nightmares I would recommend you share one of my all time favourite childhood books with them: "The Water Horse" by Dick King Smith. 

PS - If the kids like that then Dick King Smith has a huge range of amazing books, I would go with "Martin's mice" next followed up by "The Sheep Pig". Or try "The Enchanted Horse" by Magdalen Nabb.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Love always L x

Just remember it was the tortoise who won the race...

So it may have take me an age to get this review done but I've been super busy these past few weeks (plus recovering after a Scottish wedding takes a while!) anyways... Here's my promised review of "The selection" by Kiera Cass.

So how to describe the book?? Hhmmmm... Well I guess it's a sort of mix between The Bachelor (I've only ever watched a few episodes so I could be totally wrong on that one!) meets Kate Middleton meets Pearl Harbour (the glitzy movie not the actual event).  Crap description I know but once you've read it you'll get it, we'll possibly not, but I tried! It's my first book review since high school so cut me a little wiggle room - pretty please!

Anyways! The story starts in a future version of the US known as Illea; which has been rebuilt after years of oppression under the rule of China which occurred after the debts of the US forced the government to relinquish control.  

Sounds awfully dark doesn't it?  Don't worry though most of that is glossed over to focus on the story of America Singer.

America is the lead character who is stuck in a system that decides your destiny based on the class you are born into.  Your class is determined by your families wealth or allegiance during the revolution resulting in a classification  from 1 - 8.  1 are classed as the elite and 8 the outcasts.  Your class numbers dictates everything including the professions that you can enter.  Luckily for America she likes her profession of musician as a 5: unfortunately for her being a 5 also dictates how poor her family is and worst of all who she can love.  Queue America's love interest Aspen.

Aspen is a lower 6 who she is completely and utterly head over heels for.  With all the secret rendezvous and stolen moments you are drawn into America's bubble of happiness.  Then comes the announcement of the Royal selection.

The crowned Prince of Illea makes the announcement that he is ready to start the process of selecting his wife from the daughters of Illea (a nice way of saying the commoners! See thats where the Kate Middleton thing came from!) The selection is entirely voluntary but it does bring with it the chance to elevate not only yourself but also your family: if you are chosen.

So obviously as America is completely content and ready to give up her world and descend to the level of her chosen love she has no interest in entering for the chance to be crowned Princess.  But after some persuasion from Aspen (who is feeling guilty that he is holding America back and is convinced that he can never earn enough to provide for her) and some bribery from her mother she enters herself believing a 5 will never be chosen...

Well you guessed it: America is selected. 

Not only that but Aspen breaks her heart. So off she pops to the palace where she has no intention of ever falling in love again and convinces herself that the distance from home, the food and the benefits the competition will bring to her family couldn't have come at a better time.  And who hasn't felt like packing everything and escaping for sunnier climates and all inclusive food and drinks after a break up?!

The palace not only brings a new friendship with Maxon, the crowned Prince, but a whole host of new experiences for America.  As a child who was home schooled the bitching, backstabbing and new friendships prove more of a challenge than America anticipated.  America's stay in the palace also raises deeper questions about the country she calls home and why it is being attacked from within.

Well that's about as much as I can say without ruining the entire book for you!

So I hope the review was helpful and possibly enticing enough for you to pick up a copy and take a look.  It isn't a very long book but it is perfect for snuggling up on the sofa with on a rainy day.

If you do get the chance to read it let me know what you think.

L x

 

Love is in the air...

So after all the hard work and preparation my BFF put in over the past few months her big day finally arrived!!  

I was super excited (obviously!) and wanted to share the big day with everyone.  But since it was her big day and not mine I didn't want to invade her privacy by plastering it all over my blog.  

So I got to thinking about the little parts of the day that tell a story without invading people's privacy.  I know that many brides now think along the same line and have pictures of their shoes and dress etc taken before hand but as a guest I took some different shots that I thought I would share them with you.

So here's my attempt at putting their fairytale day into anonymous pictures...

Tissues at the ready just incase (it was a good job too!)

Inside the church waiting on the beautiful bride!

After all the tears were dried and mascara reapplied it was time for the wedding breakfast; lamb shank on a bed of mustard mash.  My eyes were bigger than my belly but what I managed (I did have a starter too!) was super yummy!

With a little rest and some drinks in the sunshine I managed to find some room for this amazing banoffee dessert which I shared with the BF... Thankfully he ate most of it otherwise I would have burst!

Even at weddings I gladly swap my champagne for a nice cup of peppermint tea after the meal.  How very British!

Although I couldn't eat the cake (it wasn't gluten free) it did look absolutely beautiful and the mint choc chip layer (yip you read that right!) went down a storm with the other guests.

So after the speeches and the cutting of the cake the bride and groom had their first dance under these dreamy chandeliers... 

Me being me I came prepared with some sensible sandals!  Good job too after that feast because I definitely needed a work out!

Just like me the BFF loves her tea so these cute and quirky (just like her!) favours at the end of the were a perfect finishing touch :)

So as the happy couple embark on their new chapter in life I would just like to finish up this post by thanking them for including me in their big day and wishing them a life time of happiness and a very sunny honeymoon!! 

With all my love L xx

Pinterest you are the sunshine on every rainy day!

I have to admit I am probably a little late on the Pinterest band wagon; but I am sharing it with so many people that have never heard of it I don't feel too bad about it! For those of you who haven't heard of Pinterest yet this post is for you!

So what is Pinterest I hear you cry!  Well my explanation of it has been described as many things but none of those descriptions can be repeated in writing... so lets just say my descriptions have been "poor".  So I thought I would turn to the source and let them explain....

"Pinterest is a tool for collecting and organizing things you love.  No matter what you’re interested in, there’s a place for it here."

To be honest this is pretty much how I explain it and I usually get met with a blank look. 

It does sound a little cryptic but I think that's part of the charm... for people like me it makes me curious and once you have a look I think you'll agree it is definitely worth investigating.  So for those of you who want to satisfy your curiosity head on over to http://pinterest.com/all/ (this way you can have a nosey around before you sign up to it - which is completely free by the way!) Once you sign up it doesn't take long to get the hang of the boards; how to set up your own, how to add to them from the feeds and how to add your own finds online is really simple  and once you start you'll be hooked!  So move over Candy Crush there's a new addiction in town! (F.Y.I. I am not on the Candy Crush band wagon and nor do I intend on joining it so please stop sending me requests... you know who you are!!)

Top tip that I forgot to mention to the first few people I described Pinterest to (which probably explains the blank looks and harsh words)- to many people it may look like just a strange picture gallery at first but by hovering over or clicking on the pictures you can repin a find to your own boards so you can always find it again, comment, like or go to the original source.  Being able to go to the original source is great, I've found so many amazing blogs, recipes, inspiration and tutorials on how to do... well just about everything imaginable!

If any of you guys want to add me on Pinterest (you will once your hooked!) you can find me @ http://pinterest.com/lisasmalluk/

Happy pinning everyone and let me know what you think!

L

I don't just want to read books; I want to climb inside them and live there!

I am a self confessed book-oholic! 

Ever since I was little when I would beg my mum to read just "one more chapter!" of my favourite childhood books; Roald Dahl - Fantastic Mr Fox, The Brothers Grimm -  Illustrated fairytales and absolutely anything by Dick King Smith, to name but a few! I have always loved well written books and the magical journey they take you on from reality into the depths of your imagination.

I have only fallen out of love with books once and that was during my time at uni.   I was forced to read mountain after mountain of the most boring material known to man so I stopped reading for fun and wouldn't read anything that wasn't required as course material: and even then I began to skim read as fast as possible! 

But thankfully those days are behind me and I am now back to loving literature. 

Those dark days, as awful as they were, have helped me understand why not everyone loves to read. I think I should probably make a mention to my sister at this point. Growing up together I never understood her loathing of books: we are chalk and cheese in every sense brunette/blonde, quiet/loud, sensible/wild... So it was probably inevitable that we would have opposite opinions on this subject as well! So to you Lynn I'm sorry for all those late nights my reading light kept you awake!

 (See what I mean, like chalk and cheese)

Anyways... with this understanding and a renewed love for reading I thought I would do a couple of book reviews with the hope of inspiring anyone who wants to give reading another shot but needs a little help getting started. 

Not got that problem? Then hopefully you will find a new title that you can try stuffing in your suitcase this summer! 

First things first though, for those of you that aren't head over heels here are a few of my golden rules that will hopefully help you out before trying any new books:

1 - Don't read what you don't like! You wouldn't eat something you're allergic to that you knew was going to make you sick, so why force a book on yourself that is going to make you sick of reading?! My best advice is to pick a book, whether fiction or non fiction, that contains something you are interested in.

Don't feel like you need to read the "it" book unless it's something you're interested in: because chances are it's not worth the hype anyway.

2 - Don't be afraid to shop in what British book stores call "teen literature" or "young adult" as the Americans call it. 

Twilight, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and pretty much all the latest blockbusters (can they not come up with any original scripts these days?!) are from these types of sections. 

The title of these sections suggest that these books are placed together solely based on their target audience but I don't think this is the case.  I think the way in which the books are written make them much easier to read and as they tend to be broken into a series of shorter books they may not be what literary snobs would consider adult fiction so they class them as juniors.  Well to those snobs I say "You can keep your so called grown up books because I'm going to hold on to my youth!"

3 - Once you start a book and you realise you don't like it after a couple of chapters do not feel like a failure for giving it up! 

Think of it like that top you bought but didn't have time to try on and only realised after you see the pictures on Facebook how terrible it looks! You can't return it but you know you'll never EVER wear it again. It's the same with books. 

So my advice is to just sell it online (Amazon do a great buy back scheme) or donate it to a charity shop and go shopping for something new.

4 - And last but not least don't give up.  If novels aren't your thing try short stories, or non fiction or just read to your kids (or even yourself!) before bedtime. Because let's face it, nothing beats a good fairy tale!

Well I think that's all my words of wisdom for today! Hopefully you have been inspired to have a look at some new books and maybe even read some of my up coming reviews to help you on your next choice...  If so then watch this space!

Up first will be a review on "The Selection" by Keira Cass.

Oh and one last thing: thanks for reading :) it may just be a silly little blog, but it's a damn good start!

Speak soon

L x