Bluebells, After The Fact

"Young at heart, yet what a start, old before their time, they married young, for love at last, was their only crime"

The Bluebells

I've had the most lazy weekend. It's pretty embarrassing really.

So instead of boring you with what I've (not) been doing, I thought I'd go back a few weeks to when the bluebells were in full bloom at Hillhouse Wood, West Bergholt. It truly is a magical place, which just happens to have pungent wild garlic too.

Apart from the sounds of screechy children (you can tell I'm not ready to have kids, can't you?) it was wonderfully tranquil, with gorgeous smells and sights.

Have you ever been to see wild bluebells?

Simple Potpourri Jar

“A good fragrance is really a powerful cocktail of memories and emotion”

Jeffrey Stepakoff

If you're looking for an easy decor idea that doubles as a beautiful fragrance, how about filling a kitchen jar with goodies? I got this jar from Ikea (it's the KORKEN one) for £2. I then poured in some deep pink decorative stones (a huge tub from B&M costs just £1) to about a quarter of the way, followed by some potpourri, also from Ikea. Et voilà!

And I'm sure you've seen this other idea before, but I've placed some LED lights inside an empty Jack Daniels bottle and it's nestled nicely beside my little jar DIY.

I absolutely love decorated windowsills - what have you done with yours?

£12 Laser-Cut Cowboy Boots

“It doesn't matter how great your shoes are if you don't accomplish anything in them” 

Martina Boone

These little beauties are from Primark. The clue was probably in the price. I picked them up last weekend (with, um, a bunch of other things too of course) at the Lakeside branch. They're exactly what I've been looking for in a boot - they're a gorgeous colour, they've got a small heel and are wonderfully comfy. Plus, they've got just enough quirk with the laser-cut detailing.

I'm planning for them to be my summer boots, as they'll look fantastic with tanned legs and a floaty white dress. If you want to check out what else Primark has going on this season, check out their summer holiday edit here.

And, on a side note, if you fancy the faux fur rug for yourself, it's the £10 one from Ikea.

Do you love wearing boots in summer? Or are you strictly a sandals girl?

Amazing Spain & A Hello

“Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow”

Anita Desai

When you love travelling and haven't been on holiday for over two years, it's safe to say you get pretty darn excited. That's how I felt before going to Lanzarote with one of my best buds, Katie. To some, it may not seem like a big deal - you say 'Lanzarote' and get responses such as "Oh, so just a beach holiday?" or "Cheap and trashy - perfect!". But that's not how we saw it.

Speaking for myself, I'd had a tough year and really needed the chance to relax, have fun and be completely carefree. Without a worry in the world. We went for all-inclusive so there was no "I'll just order the one drink with dinner tonight". I bought (too many) new clothes and accessories before I went so that I felt good about myself on every single day of the trip. And I went with someone who just gets me.

The entire experience was all about happiness - and we certainly had that in abundance. We relaxed by the pool, drunk too many Tequila Sunrises, headed down to the local marina for tapas and sangria, befriended the hotel cats, and laughed at the awful entertainment - Beatles tribute band, I'm looking at you. We were based in Puerto Calero, but we headed further afield too. After all, the island is teeny. We explored Fire Mountain in the Timanfaya National Park (an expansive set of volcanoes) and meandered around Puerto del Carmen. My favourite part, however, was haggling at the Sunday market of Costa Teguise - hello handmade guitar, gorgeous scarves (see one above), elephant hanging, handmade basket and other beautiful treasures.

It was a week of pure and utter bliss. I'll be making sure that my next trip isn't too far off because two years, in my eyes, just isn't good enough.

So anyway, hi. It's lovely to meet you. I sort of dived right in there without introducing myself. My name's Rosie and welcome to Lavender Notes - it'll be a place of fashion, beauty, home and travel. I hope you like it!