HOW TO: Make a peach & banana smoothie

I got a Nutribullet for my birthday, and I have since become a total smoothie bore. But they are SO DELICIOUS and wonderful and just the best thing (this is probably all of the fruit sugar talking).

I have a deep hatred of breakfast cereal (after years of my caring parents forcing me to eat boring and healthy cereal), so I used to be pretty terrible about skipping breakfast and then feeling sluggish and grumpy until lunchtime. Smoothies have made me feel so much better!

I make up mini freezer bags in advance with pre-cut fruit, then in the morning I just grab a bag, add a handful of leaves (I'm also a kale bore now), plus some coconut water, and mix it up. I know that fruit is packed with sugar so it's definitely not the healthiest breakfast around, but I figure it's better than nothing, and I've noticed a huge difference in how I feel.

Making smoothie packs in advance is really great too, as it means I can just bulk buy loads of fruit in one go, and then not worry about it going off or wasting it.

It feels quite ridiculous to blog a smoothie recipe (grab some fruit! Blend that fruit!), but this might provide some inspiration if you're a brand new smoothie bore like me. 

You'll need: 

• 1 banana
• Half a peach
• A handful of strawberries
• A big splash of coconut water
• A couple of ice cubes (not needed if you are using frozen fruit)

YUM.

OUTFIT: DENIM & DOTS

It's been ages since I posted a proper outfit post, but I've FINALLY got myself set up for blogging outfits in my flat - I've got a tripod, I've got a camera remote, I've found a spot of blank wall space and I've got loads of cute clothes to show off!

Cardigan - H&M
Skirt* - Oasis (from House of Fraser)
Tshirt - H&M
Shoes - Oasis (from ASOS)

To start, here's one of my new favourite outfits. Over the last couple of years I've really grown in confidence in what I wear, and how to pick clothes that suit my shape. I mainly wear dresses or skirts as I love clothes that nip in at the waist and then have a little shape, so skater-style items (like this denim skirt) are perfect for me!

I work at a Festival which has a really relaxed office environment. We don't have a work dress code, but I'm in a client-facing job, so I try to look a little bit smart (although I am naturally scruffy, so THIS is smart for me. I would never make it in the corporate world!). Because of this, I wear the same clothes at the weekend as I'd wear to work, so I've been trying to buy clothes that work well in multiple combinations.

Whenever I buy new clothes I tend to get a bit obsessed with one item, that I want to wear over and over and over again, and that's how I feel about this cardigan - it's so cute, it goes with everything, and I would wear it daily if I could.

The skirt is another new wardrobe staple, and also came with this really cute belt with a lovely criss-cross buckle detail. I mainly wear gold jewellery now, so I am a fan of gold accessories!

I'm also wearing a couple of Crown & Glory glitter clips in my hair - these are two teardrop-shaped clips that I've clipped together in a heart shape. 

I'm really enjoying hair accessories at the moment, they're such an easy way to add a little extra to your look. I've got a couple of glitter bows that I love, but I'm on the lookout for flower crowns that are a little more Spring-appropriate!

EDINBURGH'S CAT CAFE

Last week, Maison de Moggy, Scotland's first cat cafe opened up in Edinburgh. Cat cafes are, as you'd imagine, places where you can hangout with cats, while drinking tea, eating cakes, and just enjoying purring pals.

Cat cafes got super popular in Japan and started popping up in the UK recently (Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium is probably the best-known over here). They're aimed at people who love cats but can't keep them, and offer the chance to relax with some feline company.

The cats at Maison de Moggy have all been living together for a few months to let them become pals (because there's nothing worst than scrapping cats), and there's a member of staff watching them at all times to make sure they don't get in any mischief (or more likely, that they aren't wound up by customers).

And they're CUTE. You can see the cats here, and they're quite an exotic bunch - ragdolls, bengals, a chinchilla persian, maine coon, norwegian forest cat, and a couple of British shorthairs. Fancy cats are lovely, but it would have been nice to see some mongrels in there too - I hope if they ever expand their gang, they think about rescue kittens, there's so many of them in centres (always neuter your pets, kids!).

If you want to visit the cafe you have to book a time in advance (which you can do online). It costs £6 (or £7) at the weekend for an hour, and they recommend that you arrive at least 15 minutes early so you can be briefed and not miss out on any of your cat hangtime!

Maison de Moggy is based at 26 Hamilton Place in Stockbridge, Edinburgh, and is open Monday to Saturday, 11am - 7pm.

BIG POP CLUB

Subscription boxes are absolutely everywhere right now. I've already written about Bloom & Wild's beautiful flowers, and the super cool Lucky Dip Club, and now it's the turn of Big Pop Club.

Big Pop Club is the newest project by illustrator and blogger, Ella Masters (who, if you've read my blog for a while, you might remember from my illustrated blogger post!).

Each monthly Big Pop Club box will be filled with exclusive illustrated items, including a monthly printed calendar and tattoo-inspired pieces (think screen prints, patches, totes and tea towels!). Each box also comes with a Big Pop Club membership card that gets you 20% off the rest of her shop.

Each monthly box is based on a different theme - for February, Ella's inspired by the circus, and has been sharing a few sneak peeks on her instagram.

Big Pop Club is obviously influenced by Lucky Dip Club, and the prices follow a similar subscription model. It costs £20 for a single box or £18 if you sign up for a monthly subscription (or you can buy a six month subscription if you are feeling super flush!).

I'm a big fan of independent artists and I'm excited to see what the first box looks like. It goes on sale on February 1st, and there's only going to be 50 boxes available, so you'll need to be quick!

MY LIVING ROOM

I'm obviously quite a nosy person, as some of my favourite blog posts to read are ones that peek into people's houses (is that weird? I promise I'm not weird. I just like interiors).

Anyway, it's been almost a year since I moved into my flat and I really, really love it! It's cosy and quirky and makes me really happy. It's also super tiny, so here's where I spend most of my time. 

It's a rented flat which came fully furnished, and I'm pretty lucky with how nice my borrowed furniture is! I love mustard and grey, so was delighted when I found this chunky mustard knit earlier this year as it's really cosy and makes my colour scheme dreams come true. 

The cushions are a black and white massive Ikea number (so squishy and comfy!), a teal Habitat cushion with a dachshund pattern that I've owned for years, and my tunnock's teacake cushion. 

I've only got a few prints up in my flat. There's Let's Stay Home and an Ella Masters print above my sofa, and a gold fawn (which I'm pretty sure is from Hannah Zakari) above the tv (which does a pretty good job of hiding my unused tv aerial). 

My window seat is one of my favourite spots in the flat, it's lovely to sit in on a Sunday morning, coffee in hand, and watch the world go by. I've got fairy lights strung up year round and I always aim to have fresh flowers on the windowsill, so it's a really pretty spot.

The cushions are from Ikea (they were part of their BRÅKIG collection) and I love their pattern. I've been meaning to replace the window seat fabric since I moved in (it's a bit battered from the previous renters), but haven't got round to it yet, but I will soon!

My flat has huge windows with really deep windowsills, so the other spot in this room (in the kitchen half) is used for my indoor garden. 

At the start of the month I tidied up all my plants, made a hanging planter for my ivy (strung up in the top left of the window), and planted seeds that have already started sprouting! I've got loads of cacti dotted between larger plants and around my flat, they are the easiest plants to keep and I've got a bit of a succulent addiction. In the front of the photo you can see my dinosaur planters - there's a DIY here if you want to give it a go! 

I've also got dinosaurs up along my ceiling beam, because I am a totally sensible 29 year old.