Inspiration

I'm a very visual person and often turn to photographs to inspire and motivate me.  That's why I love Pinterest so much.  I can grab images easily, store them and turn to them whenever I need a creative boost.  Here's some of what's been inspiring me lately...

Pretty...

{all images TIG}

Style...

Words...

Outdoors...

Happy...

Christmas...

Where do you go for your inspiration?

all images: Pinterest

Trending - Giraffe Love

Everywhere I look at the moment there are beautiful doe-eyed giraffes.  From Pinterest to Harpers Bazaar and Louis Vuitton's Art of Travel campaign, giraffe love is here to stay.  I mean what's not to love about these beautiful, graceful and velvety animals.  Here are some of my favourite shots to get the weekend off to a great start...

images: 1,2 3+

Dior - La vie en rose

Natalie Portman is beautiful.  She is even more beautiful than I remember in the new Dior ad for the new Miss Dior fragrance Blooming Bouquet.  Embodying the grace and elegance of Parisian chic, she sells this perfume like no other could.  Everything about the ad screams romance, couture, style; it teases the viewer promising a lifestyle of opulence and luxury, if only you were to wear Miss Dior.  Miss Portman wears an exquisite haute couture gown from Dior, designed by Raf Simons and is surrounded by gorgeous pastel hued flowers.  I'm sold.  The ad is Shot by Sofia Copola and photographs taken on the grand staircase by the wonderful Tim Walker...I'm in love...

 

If these magical photographs have captured your heart, you can watch the ad and her interview here...

 

images: Dior

My Top iPhone Apps

I recently upgraded to a new iPhone (actually, should have done it in the summer but didn't get my act together!) and in the process of switching over I went through my phone noting the apps that I had - those that I used a lot and those that I didn't.  I've done a bit of a clear out as a result and not all of the downloaded apps will make it onto the new phone.  So far these are my favourites that have made the cut...

Food and Cooking:

Nigella

Waitrose

I use these apps over and over.  Nigella's recipes are so easy and this app comes with a shopping list that you can collate as you go along.  Waitrose's app is updated regularly which means there is a constant source of inspiration and you can save your favourite recipes in a separate section to return to whenever the culinary urge takes you.

Lifestyle

Meditation

This app gives you over 30 sounds to listen to (beach, ambient music, grasshoppers, heart sutra, Tibetan chant, rain etc) to choose from.  You can then either choose to listen to that sound alone, or, mix and match the sounds to make your own soundtrack, save it and then use it as your very own meditation backdrop,  complete with timer.  It's perfect for when you're on the move and means there is no excuse not to be mindful!

Goddess Inspiration Oracle

This is a bit of fun mixed with some inspirational words that give you food for thought throughout the day.  Based on the Goddesses of different traditions this app enables women to tap into the ancient wisdom of these powerful figures. Each 'card' gives you the traditional story behind the Goddess and what she stands for, including key words to meditate upon.

Photography:

There are sooooooo many photgraphic apps out there and I'm not saying these are the best...these are just my choices to date:  Aside from Instagram (obviously!) I use these the most:

Toy SLR

 I like this app because it's so simple.  You take a photo, you choose the size, shape and intensity of the blur and it's done.  

PicFrame

This was the first fame app I ever downloaded, and although I've tried others since, I keep going back to it to put together my collages.  There's a big choice of frames, it's easy to add your photos and share.

Vimeo

I was VERY late to this particular party I have to say!  But, now I'm here I love it.  Shoot your own videos (very short) that are then shown in a loop.

 

I got this app quite recently because I really like the idea of turning my camera photos into cards really quickly.  This app allows you to choose your photos and turn them either into a postcard or a card for a small fee.  You can buy 'credits' up front and then it's even quicker to send a card.  I've used this to send a few postcards when I've wanted to send them as the idea occurs to me and the quality of the finished card is excellent.

There are so many different apps coming out it's hard to judge which are the best/most useful.  I tend to go by friends' recommendations...so, what are your favourite apps?  Any I should be looking to get?

Let it snow, let it snow

A while ago I posted this about Gray Malin's photography.  There's something about his use of symmetry and blocks of colour that keep drawing me back.  As the UK braces itself for yet more snow this week, Malin's new photos from his trip to Switzerland seem very apt.  I'm not sure we'll be able to match this amount of snow, or the glamour of Zermatt, so instead we can gaze upon these:

All of these photographs and more can be bought as prints from here.

Gadgets for Girls

It's something else when your children buy you a present because they're too embarrassed to see you using something not quite up to their technological expectations.  That's exactly what happened to me this Christmas.  My present this year was a new camera.  I've been using a Coolpix point and shoot for the last six years and it's served its time I guess.  My kids, in their wisdom, decided it was time I had something a little more up to the job, and bought me a FinePix S4500.  It's not an expensive camera, as camera's go, but provides good quality pictures with a fantastic zoom that delivers.  I'm no 'techie' and worried about getting to grips with the different functions, but I needn't have worried.  A lovely walk along the Wey Navigations gave me ample opportunity to test drive the menu, from scene selection, autofocus, playing with the zoom, to using the panorama setting. As I get more confident I'll have a go with the manual settings too...here's what I've got so far...

{using the zoom lens}

{auto-focus scene selection}

{close up underwater}

{panorama}

So guys, thanks for the presie ... looking forward to playing some more with my new toy!

Getting a perspective

I know! I've been very quiet on the blogging front - apologies!  Just been a bit overwhelmed with other stuff and it's taken up so much time that there's not been much energy or inspiration for anything else...so... I took a week off and went up north; partly to see family and partly to get away from the day-to-dayness of 'stuff'; I really wanted some time to recharge and re-think plans for the next year or so...

Well, I'm not sure I got too far on the planning front, but I definitely got my life into perspective; I mean, who wouldn't when you're on top of a fell, and there's all that majestic beauty around you...here's a glimpse of what I've been up to over the last week or so and what put life into perspective for me.

A wonderful walk up Simonside, past Dove Crag to the top of the escarpment

 A walk from Embleton to Low Newton by the Sea with a fantastic view of Dunstanburgh Castle

'Natural' art beach-style!

There's nothing quite like an amazing sunset to get things into perspective

The top of Dove Crag, Simonside

Bleak moorland

Bony silhouettes

A hopeful foxglove, bravely fighting the winds on the fellside

It was a fantastic week away - if you've never been to Northumberland, off you go and book yourself a holiday; you won't regret it!