My goals for June were - I have to admit - a little ambitious. That is, they would have been achievable had life not pushed into every spare second and kept me busy from dusk until dawn. This sounds like an excuse, and I suppose in a way it is, but I don't want these goals to be something I should feel negatively about; after all I set them for myself, and if I don't achieve them it's only me that really suffers.

GoalsforJune

Goal number 1 was definitely achieved; I even did some gardening after work one evening! Goal number 3 was also fulfilled (Mr CC is pretty glad this one is over and done with). The rest were a little more difficult. I am, however, determined to persevere and will keep looking back to June's goals as well as those for the month ahead. So without further ado...

goals for july

1. Watch less, do more. I'm still in the habit of sitting in front of a film or the television after a long day at work. Must resist!
2. Start to enjoy cooking again. I go through phases and lose my motivation for cooking, usually when I'm busy at work or otherwise, and currently I'm experiencing a lull in my cooking creativity. It's time to get the recipe books out.
3. Make more time for family. Although I see my close family on a regular basis I would like to spend more time with relatives that live outside my village. I'm a busy person, but it's all about prior planning and realising that some things are more important than worrying about fitting everything in.
4. Stop feeling guilty. About eating unhealthily sometimes. About forgetting to exercise. About everything, really.
5. Get inspired. This links quite nicely with my second goal, but I also want it to apply to this blog and my creative writing in other spaces. It's about time I sat down and appreciated all of these inspirational people and places that surround my life.

Have you set any goals for July? Do you want to work on any of the same things I do?

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P.S. Want to see my previous goals?

Goals for June Goals for May Goals for April

june in pictures

This month has really felt like summer, and it's got me excited for the weeks ahead that I hope to fill will alfresco dining and relaxed socialising. Looking back over this month's photos has made me smile, which is what this blogging and photography lark is all about really, isn't it?

Here's my month (from top left): a vibrant blue hue plastering the Lincoln skyline; no countryside garden is complete without a white, wooden gate; my mantra for the month - Eat, Drink & Be Merry; strawberries in the early morning sunshine; so lovely to meet some new people at the #LincsBlogMeet; my sister's stunning engagement ring; warm Italian breads with a pesto dip; our home basking in the summer sunshine; and a well-deserved reward on one of our few evenings out.

What have you been up to this month? Has it felt like summer for you too?

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P.S. Want to know what I was up to last month? Check out May in Pictures.

You know those weeks when anything and everything goes wrong or gets to you? Those weeks that you reach the end of and wonder how you did it? This week has been one of those weeks. But fortunately Sunday morning has dawned bright and breezy and I feel ready to face the day! Mr CC and I went out for an amazing meal last night at our local pub with friends and this morning I'm meeting my sister for brunch (clearly the best meal ever invented) so it's been an excellent food weekend. Now back to business, what's been gracing my laptop screen with loveliness this week?!

I love Sally's photos - they always make me happy - and this summery post is no exception.

I've been working on number 8 and 9 from my Big Summer List, have you done anything from yours yet? Anya has posted some inspiring ideas if you're yet to write one.

Capturing that last light of the faded evening sun is one of the best photography moments of the year.

Have you been watching Wimbledon? I always think a tennis-themed party would go down well and this gorgeous collection of food and drink inspired by centre court is a great place to start.

Colour themed posts/outfits/ideas are always lots of fun. Check out this lovely pink post here.

I've pretty much fallen in love with Sarah Von Bargen. She blogs at Yes and Yes (because yes is more fun than no) and also has a business blog. Both are awesome. This post on 7 crazy helpful links for bloggers + creatives + small business owners pinged its way into my inbox this week and has been amazingly helpful already. Go check her out.

So what's been on your reading list this week? I'd love for you to share!

P.S.

Check out last week's lovely list here. All getting a bit much this week? Try this.

pink rose

I bought this plant last year from a Homebase sale - it was reduced to a couple of pounds and seemed very sad and neglected at the back of a wilted lot. A few months and a bit of TLC later and it's looking glorious.

Flower: Patio Rose

How to Grow: Pot up between October and April in a position that gets full sun. More advice here.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

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P.S. Check out previous Floral Friday posts here!

Last weekend the delightful Bel from Journeys are my Diary and Amy from Cocktails in Teacups hosted the very first #LincsBlogMeet. Having never attended an event like this before, I wasn't really sure what to expect, but my did they deliver. The whole day was jam-packed full of activities, chances to get to know other bloggers and exciting freebies, and I thought I'd give you a run-through of the day so you can appreciate its magnificence (and possibly feel inspired to attend a blogging event too!).

10am - Arrived at the train station and attempted to locate blogging tribe: pretty easy as I simply had to pick out the cameras and stylish outfits.

10.30am - We were separated into small groups and given a photo challenge which enabled us to explore Lincoln and get to know others.

11.30am - Arrived at our main venue: the Italian restaurant Ask (which I would highly recommend by the way - excellent choice and delicious food). Mingled and chatted with other bloggers. Pretty happy to find that the generous folk at Ask provided us all with cookbooks - I cannot wait to try some of the desserts!

12.00 noon - Talk from the lovely Una at Weleda about their product range. I especially liked the look of the citrus range and was thrilled to receive a body oil as part of our goody bags.

12.30pm - Delicious pasta and delightful chat.

1.00pm - Our second talk of the meet with the wonderfully engaging and enthusiastic Julie from Boots. She informed about various ranges; it was refreshing to hear genuine advice about different products and Julie mentioned that in most medium/large Boots stores there is always an advisor on hand to do the same thing. She also brought us a mountain of products to try which I am greatly looking forward to.

1.20pm - The rest of the blog meet was spent dishing out raffle prizes and taking part in the beauty swap which Bel and Amy had organised - a creative idea that allowed everyone to leave with lots of beauty loveliness. I was lucky enough to win a prize - a £20 ASOS voucher courtesy of Emigration Group (thank you so much!) - and I've already started to browse the dresses!

3.30pm - A full-to-the-brim goody bag with loveliness from: The Fragrance Shop, Neal & Wolf, Lipcote, Weleda, Lush, Benefit, Batiste, Lincolnshire Co-op, Paul Mitchell, Manuka Doctor, One Love Organics, Jewellery Ever After and Scarlett Fashion.

I had a wonderful time meeting lots of local bloggers and if you're thinking of attending a meet I'd say just go for it!

If you're looking for some new blogs to check out, why not give some of these attendees a try:

• Rhiannon from The Sparkly Panda (and fellow team blue member!)
• Kariss from Shy, Strange and a little bit Manic (awesome blog name)
• John from Mr Wharff (team blue again!)
• Courtney from Courtney Farrow (who also has pretty amazing hair)
• Sally from Sally Bee Makes (who was wearing one of her incredible creations at the meet)
• Emma from Made in Hunters (who I was disappointed not to see more of - next time!)

Charley from Ramblings of a Beauty Blogger, Anna from A Whole Lot of Chitty Chat, Naomi from Think Fashion, Siobhan from The Beauty Baker, Chloe from Alicia Deyes Writes, Kate from Pieces of Kate, Alex from Champagne and Lemonade, Lucy from Lucy Jane, Megan from Student Style, Jemma from Dreams of New York and Jemma from Bamboozle Beauty.

Happy reading!

P.S. Check back later for a gorgeous Floral Friday post!

It's strange how obsessed with rejuvenation, regeneration and restyling we as a society have become. There's the post-Christmas cleanse come January, a pre-summer workout schedule to become beach-ready and a party season revamp as we progress through the final months of the year, and these cleansing phases come and go just like those last few pounds you want to lose. I'm as guilty as anyone of feeling the pressure, but what I want to consider today is if we're putting ourself through the right kind of cleansing.

What I mean by this is does that holiday regime matter so much if we have a toxic relationship that seems inescapable? Will a juicing detox make any difference if our job is making us stressed on a daily (if not hourly) basis? Rather than cleansing our bodies, perhaps we should also be taking a look at cleansing our lives.

For me, it's about getting rid of (cleansing if you will) the stress in my life. Stress is the silent assassin; the manifestation of emotions into physical symptoms is hard to twist your head around, but believe me it can be very real, and monumentally frustrating. It's a vicious cycle: the more you stress, the worse the symptoms become, the worse they become, the more you stress. Having a certain amount of stability in my life now, my own symptoms have reduced, but I'd like to get rid of the lingering after-thoughts of stress that cling on despite my best efforts.

Stress is not simple, but I'm told that dispersing it certainly can be, if you are resolved to succeed. I've heard of many instances where a complex concoction of actions and attitudes combine to rid the sufferer, but I've always found the most basic tips the most effective. Here's a few that have helped me cleanse along the way:

• Go outside every day. Now of course I know you'll probably do this anyway, but I mean actually appreciate being outside; don't just walk from your front door to the car and think you're done for the day. When I was at university I made myself go out for a long walk every day during exam season and it was the best thing I could have done.
• Drink a lot of water. This has never been an issue for me, but I promise it will make you feel invigorated and alive.
• Hug someone. Anyone. Hug your partner, your friend, a family member; a hug with anyone will make a horrific day a little better.
• Think: will this matter in 5 years? This little wonder of wisdom comes straight from my parents, and it really can help. If the answer is no, stop stressing immediately. If the answer is yes, write down how you might solve the issue. Which brings me to my final point...
• Write. Having studied English at university before moving into an English-based career makes me slightly biased, I acknowledge that, but trust me on this one: it works.

Do you have any stress-busting tips to share?

What a hectic week! So much so that The Lovely List has been delayed by a day, but I have blogging to blame (in a sense) as I attended my first blog meet up (!) on Saturday in Lincoln (more on that later in the week).

First off I'd like to introduce you to a new blog - The Frugal Cottage.  Nicola posts on frugal living and has tons of tips to use in your daily life to improve finances in a non-invasive way. My favourite post this week has got to be on how meal planning benefits your health and your wealth. Well worth checking out.

I always get tons of recipe inspiration from the blogs I read and really should get round to trying more out them out. This week I want to try spinach and feta pasties and caramelised onion and garlic fougasse. What about you?

Lovely happy lists here and here. Want to see my summer list?

Why we write is an interesting concept. Do we write because we feel the urge to express our ideas and opinions? To simply get things down onto paper (or screen)? Do we write in order to exist? Find out what Bee thinks here.

What have you been up to this weekend? What plans do you have for the week ahead?

P.S.

Want to see last week's lovely list? Have you seen my shopping list for summer?

floral friday

These beauties have been brightening up the space under the living room window for a few weeks now. A vibrant splash of colour amongst the soft pinks really livens up the border - what do you think?

Flower: Sweet William

How to Grow: Direct sow or sow in modules in June / July but not in a hot greenhouse. More advice here.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

CC x

So there was big news in the CC household this last weekend; my sister and her partner got engaged! It also happened to be her birthday, so the day was spent at their lovely home with a gathering of family and friends from our village; it was altogether magical, and despite the weather being cooler than it has been of late, it really felt like a summer party. It got me thinking how sublime these seasonal celebrations can be, with only a little effort and prior planning.

So let's start with the most important thing: the food. If you get the food right, all else will follow; my mum's parties are notorious for their vast number of dishes and colourful presentation and this event was no exception! Bright pops of peppers combined with seasonal salad ingredients formed the basis of the scheme with deli meats, dips and olive breads adding to the mix. I didn't manage to snap the new potatoes or homemade quiches but add those and you've got a feast!

I always like to have lots of flowers at summer parties; they seem to capture the essence of the season better than any other decoration, perhaps because they're usually picked direct from the garden. You can see here we went for unconventional vases and used a watering can (lots of flowers and not enough jugs!) but it works so well in an informal setting.

Finally, if you want to add a little more decoration and don't have many florals in your back garden, why not try tissue paper pom poms? Once you get going they're actually really easy to make and there's a great tutorial here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfork_fpbWc

What do you like to include in a summer party? Are you hosting any this year? I'd love to hear about them!

P.S.

• If you're unsure what's good to eat now check out this post.
• Have you seen my Big Summer List?

I love lists. I might even be a list obsessive. I have notebooks full of them; lists for shopping, lists for holidays, lists for gifts, even lists for lists. So it will come as no surprise that each season I like to come up with a list of seasonal ideas of things to do, places to see and so on. It helps to direct my energies on those days when you want to do something but you really can't put your finger on what; it also enables me to plan ahead, which for a list-lover is of course a bonus too.

Here's what I'm hoping to do this summer...

1. Host a barbecue at least once.
2. Do some stargazing (Mr CC has a pretty fancy telescope...).
3. Eat more salads for evening meals.
4. Go for more walks - we have beautiful countryside right on our doorstep and I need to take advantage more often.
5. Make some more blackcurrant jam. We've just finished our last jar from last year (it's lasted quite a while!) and it was so delicious I'm definitely going to make some more.
6. Spend a wonderful weekend in London with friends (we're going to the wedding dress exhibition at the V&A and I can't wait!).
7. Read in the garden without feeling guilty that I have other more important things to be doing.
8. Dry all the petals I can to use as confetti for our wedding next year.
9. Document every week in the garden with as many photographs as possible (and also work on improving my photography skills).
10. Experiment with recipes so I don't always fall back to the same dishes each week.

What do you think; are you making any lists for summer? I'd love for you to share what you'll be doing over these next few months!

I've been a little quiet on social media and on this blog over the past few days, but I've been so busy I've barely had time to think about posting, never mind actually write anything. The weekend has been lovely though; my sister got engaged yesterday (and it was her birthday too!) and today Mr CC and I actually managed to squeeze a bit of time for each other and go out for brunch.

I've also managed to steal snippets of moments to read a few posts online and here's what's been keeping me occupied...

You know when you see a recipe and think, 'there is absolutely no way I won't like this'? This is that recipe.

If you're fed up of cordial but still want something to do with elderflowers try this interesting mix.

I'm trying to read more. If you are too, but need some inspiration, check out this list or past book posts here.

And finally, if you needed any excuse to have a good giggle, check out these benefits of laughing.

P.S. I've been so busy I even neglected Floral Friday, so I hope you enjoy the lovely florals in this post instead!

I've never been one of those people who say, 'I know exactly what I'm going to do with my life and how to get there.' Don't get me wrong, I've worked hard for things over the past few years; I've gained qualifications, changed jobs and formulated a whole host of new visions for my life, but they've always been in a state of constant evolution. I guess I've reached the stage now where people would argue I've achieved a lot of my goals and so should be satisfied and I suppose to an extent I am, but there is still this small part of me that longs for something else. Something more.

I've always loved the process of learning and I think it is the challenge of new things that keeps me going in life, and it is the challenges I present myself that motivate me the most. Like this blog, for example. Plenty of people question where I find time to blog, and why I push myself to do it, but it's another of those visions, it's something I really want to do, and why not? I suppose today is a moment to sit back and reflect that it's ok to have these new dreams. Who's to say I can't go out there and achieve whatever I set my mind too? You're never too old, or too settled, to change.

What do you think?