Thursday, August 28, 2014

What to do with Instagram photos {+ a little offer for you}

God knows how many folders full of pictures I have sitting on my phone, iPad, laptop, memory sticks, external hard drive. Slowly but surely I am beginning to realise that as fantastic as it is being able to take a gazillion photos and store all of them on a neat gadget, by forgetting or not getting round to printing them I am effectively devaluing the photographs. What's the point of them being tucked away on a device, only to be seen on a screen when or if I remember that they are there?

Like many, I took part in the 100 Happy Days project and chose to record this via Instagram. It made me think about the photographs that I took each day and how I shot them - resulting in some nicer than usual pictures I think as they had thought behind them.

With all of this in mind, I am making a more concerted effort to print my snaps and with the 100 Happy Days project, in particular, have a physical record of the little journey of happiness (or, you know, what the project symbolised personally). A quick scour of Twitter suggestions led me to a business called Inkifi who kindly gifted me a mini photo book full of photos that I could directly upload from my Instagram account to their website.


I'd never really tried printing Instagram photos before but having built up quite a collection of them, I hadn't quite figured out where or how I wanted to display them so this photo book was an ideal solution. I envisaged popping it onto a bookshelf in my new flat, changing the page it is open on every now and then. You know, the kind of prop that visitors take a peek at when they pop over and you yourself enjoy looking through a million times over.


First impressions ::

Inkifi are a pleasure to work with - polite, helpful, prompt - and their products are evidently of high quality. As you can see in the photographs, the picture quality is lovely and the paper is pleasingly tough too. I like that they have developed their original roots in photography and web design and applied their passion to a newer medium too. Even more of a plus that they use environmentally sustainable materials.


What I love ::

i. that I have my recent favourite Instagram shots all in one physical place

ii. that I can flick through the book and look at the photos as though I am seeing them for the first time because having them off-screen is WONDERFUL

iii. that delivery was super speedy and free of charge

iv. the simplicity of the idea

v. the brilliant quality

vi. the community feel of Inkifi's website (oh and they have a blog!)


Two little things that I wasn't expecting ::

i. the book is smaller than I expected but then again I'm not really sure what I was basing my expectations on...perhaps the size I wanted them to be rather than any concrete facts. Not really too much of a problem, however, as I'm just used to its size now.

ii. the order of the photographs didn't match the order I'd chosen them in on the website which, again, isn't the end of the world, but did mean that a photo that I didn't really want on the front on account of me being in a hospital bed is on the front. Upon ordering, I had arranged the photos in an order that meant something to my little journey through the last year or so, but you know, it's not a huge problem - the book still looks lovely and serves the same purpose! Not a deal-breaker, but perhaps something to definitely check with Inkifi when you order with them, (and you definitely should order with them...stay tuned for the offer at the end!) especially if you are giving the book as a gift.


If you too are looking for lovely quality Instagram prints, I would highly recommend Inkifi's range of products. As I mentioned above, delivery worldwide is completely FREE of charge. The photo book featured in this post can contain up to 50 photos. They also do huge posters, magnets, square prints, greeting cards and other bits and bobs. I think all of their products would make lovely gifts.

 :: Offer ::

Tempted? Perfect - Inkifi have kindly offered Fill My Little World readers 20% off  so just enter "bee20" in the discount box when you order. Wonderful!

Let me know what you usually do with your Instagram photos and if you order anything from Inkifi :)

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As mentioned above, the photo book was kindly gifted to me by Inkifi but all context is genuine and all views are obviously my own! 

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Monday, August 25, 2014

Taking Stock #11



T A K I N G // S T O C K

Making :: lots of lists of all descriptions

Cooking :: infrequently
Drinking :: cocktails, iced tea, water
Reading :: "Everyday Sexism" by Laura Bates; "Instructions for a Heatwave" by Maggie O'Farrell
Wanting :: things to go well
Looking :: at beautiful sights in Spain and the Basque Country; for a new flat
Playing :: endless games of "would you rather..." whilst wandering Valencian streets
Deciding :: on where to move to!
Wishing :: for the usuals
Enjoying :: exploring new places 
Waiting :: for move-in day!
Liking :: getting up and being able to do whatever we fancy that day whilst abroad
Wondering :: what I will do living in a county that doesn't have a Wasabi branch
Loving :: "The Visitors" at the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao - oh my goodness
Pondering :: how feasible it would be to start learning the cello given how awe-struck "The Visitors" left me
Considering :: whilst in Barcelona, on a scale of 1-10, how awful it would be if we didn't have a flight home (answer - minus 1294814910)
Watching :: "Child Genius"; "The Great British Bake Off"
Hoping :: it's all good!

Marvelling :: how awesome brunch options in Barcelona are
Needing :: furniture
Smelling :: sun cream, seafood
Wearing :: dresses, long skirts, Sketchers everywhere
Following :: Cath's blog
Noticing :: more PR e-mails
Knowing :: my way around the Ikea website pretty professionally
Thinking :: overtime 
Feeling :: excited, content, sad, nervous
Admiring :: beautifully peaceful locations
Sorting :: through all of my belongings
Buying :: microfibre cloths, a vase, a double duvet, work clothes
Getting :: excited, stressed
Bookmarking :: recommendations in Spain; kettles; mattresses
Disliking :: ends
Opening :: good luck cards
Giggling :: so much at the concept of a Haim tribute band called Hm (who just hum)
Snacking :: on peaches
Coveting :: bed frames; trainers
Helping :: people with things I know about
Hearing :: the most gorgeous, tear-inducing exhibition at the Guggenheim - see above...this will probably get a post of its own soon enough given that I have mentioned it so many times in this post alone.

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Are you also taking stock? Find previous editions here and the original source here.

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Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Travelling with Airbnb







You'll all know by now that I've recently got back from a trip around Spain and the Basque Country. Lots of people have asked whether we stayed in hostels but actually what we did was book accommodation through Airbnb. Not enough people knew what we were talking about so I thought I'd put together this little guide to travelling with Airbnb to show you how brilliant an experience it can be...

What is this Airbnb you speak of? Is it like booking a hostel?

Airbnb is a website where people who have a spare room in their home can advertise it as a place to stay for visitors. In exchange for a nightly rate (which is very often cheaper than a hostel), your trip becomes a great deal more authentic as you get to stay in a local's home, naturally learning more about the culture of your holiday destination and picking up some excellent recommendations for eating, drinking and exploring. For us, it was a brilliant alternative to hostels. During our last European adventure, we inter-railed and stayed at hostels the whole trip, which was a great experience for meeting other travellers, but what we loved about the Airbnb experience was that we had more space and freedom as well as being able to get to know our hosts and any other guests they also had with them.

Somebody's home? As in, going to stay with a STRANGER? Isn't that a bit unsafe?

Airbnb is pretty good at the security side of things. They get hosts and guests to verify their identification online, for example. Sure it was a bit weird the first time we did it as, yes, you are effectively going to stay with a stranger, but the way the website works allows you to see photographs of the hosts and their homes on their profile. Plus you get to see what their interests and hobbies are, what they do for work, and they get to see the same for you, so you never know you may end up making some friends!

The other great thing is that after a stay, each party is encouraged to leave a review of the other which is then visible to anybody looking at the host or traveller's profiles. So you can generally get a feel for the type of person the host is and whether you would be a good match.

You can also see which area the home is in - plug the address into Google Maps and take a peek on street view to figure out if it's the type of place you would like to stay in.

Sounds pretty good. How much time did you spend with the hosts though? Doesn't it get a bit invasive and awkward?

In some instances you will be sharing the property with the host and in others you may have an entire apartment to yourself. All of ours were live-in hosts.

Some hosts are more hands-on than others, but the majority of ours spent time chatting to us each day, suggesting places to eat and sights to see. On the night of the football World Cup final, we had just arrived in Mallorca and our hosts showed us a non-touristy spot for some tapas and beer, and in the end stayed and watched the game with us. It was a fantastic way to get to know the place from the viewpoint of a local (needless to say that Mallorca's party/Magaluf reputation overseas was very saddening for them) and to visit restaurants, cafes and bars that we perhaps wouldn't have had the confidence to stride into.

At another Airbnb stay in Mallorca, we were lucky enough to play with the hosts' naughty little puppy whenever we had the chance, and the hosts shared such interesting insights into their way of life. It was such an eye-opening experience getting to understand how the locals live.

In terms of privacy, all of our hosts respected our space and made us feel as though we could use their home as our own. Naturally, it did feel like we were staying as guests in someone's home so we were on our best behaviour but like I say, they were all kind and encouraged us to make ourselves at home.

Ultimately, like most social exchanges, people will generally reciprocate your behaviour so if you wanted complete privacy then I'm sure that would be respected, but to me that is a wasted experience.

Do you only get access to a bedroom and bathroom?

Not necessarily. Some stays include use of a kitchen and/or communal area. Just check on the property's profile.

When do you pay? Is it expensive?

You pay at the moment you book but the host doesn't receive the payment until after the stay. It is generally cheaper than a hotel and mostly even cheaper than a hostel (especially in Western Europe) but obviously prices fluctuate depending on season/local events.

All in all, I couldn't recommend travelling with Airbnb more. It was an awesome way to meet people and stay in some really beautiful accommodation. I loved that we stayed in streets that were more residential, but only a stone's throw away from the touristy stuff if we wanted it.

Oh and by the way, I have written this off my own back - no affiliation with Airbnb whatsoever - just really enjoyed the experience!

If you've stayed in Airbnb accommodation, what did you like about it? And if not, do you think it is something you might try?

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Monday, August 18, 2014

Barcelona // Brunch in Barcelona

My summer holiday this year was a little trip through Spain and the Basque Country with M. We started in Valencia, flew to Mallorca, then to Barcelona and then zipped to Bilbao and San Sebastian. I found all of those places very beautiful for different reasons but when asked which place was my favourite, I find myself saying "Barcelona" without even taking a moment to think about it.

Brunch in Barcelona may perhaps initially strike you as an unlikely concept but trust me, it was one that featured very highly on my list of things I love about Barcelona.

Top three spots for brunch in Barcelona //

1  ::  Federal





2  ::  Caravelle






3  ::  Taranna



What I realised very quickly about Barcelona is that it is a very cool city. The people dress well, they have vending machines which sell headphones and the dogs are just top-rate. How fitting then that there are hip places for brunch - a scene which has taken over London like Cosmo takes over my keyboard every time I begin to blog (he was here a second ago) but given its frequency nowadays it is a bit laborious finding somewhere that is actually EXCELLENT as opposed to "meh, that filled me up I suppose".

Within a 15 minute radius of one another, a rather marvellous little walk nearby the apartment we were staying in will provide you with my top three options in Barcelona. I could have quite happily eaten in all three every day for the rest of my life if need be - oh, what torture - which is quite handy as they also do lunch/dinner too.

Which of these looks yummiest to you? Where is your favourite place for brunch where you live?

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This post is dedicated to Sally from The Cafe Cat who is a fountain of exciting knowledge and without whom finding somewhere to stay in Barcelona would have been a great deal more stressful. 

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Friday, August 15, 2014

"Feminist Fridays" with Clear The Way


We all know that blogging is super and brings a host of opportunities that you would never have imagined when you first started out, right?

If you're a long-term reader of Fill My Little World or one of my favourite types of reader i.e. the type that goes back to old posts to figure out how all these ramblings came to be, you'll know that it kick-started properly (after older, half-committed attempts) after a period of illness a few years ago. It was my own personal project to focus on the splendid and I didn't realise how fantastic a tool it would be to connect with like-minded individuals.

You'll also have picked up on my interest in voicing opinions but not quite knowing how best to do so to do them justice - as explored here and here - so it is with tremendous excitement that I introduce you today to a blog which is new to me, but probably not new to many of you (on account of its marvellousness) - Clear the Way by Kate.

Kate has managed to find a way of creating a positive space to encounter feminism in an objective way. Each week, Kate asks a question - how do you deal with.....? As I explained to Kate herself when expressing my gratitude that she had cracked this code that had been troubling me, I find it so significant and utterly brilliant how she curates a platform for feminism and related issues to be discussed accessibly and relevantly. It has been a wonderfully enriching experience reading past entries and I'm so happy that we are able to talk about these things that are affecting us daily. Projects like this and Everyday Sexism are steps in breaking down barriers to discussion and give me hope that progress can continue to be made.

Step this way to see my thoughts on how to deal with negativity and disapproval surrounding feminism. Needless to say they don't stop me from trying.

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Thursday, August 14, 2014

"Morning" on Creative Countryside


So you know when someone, something or a situation gives you freedom to do whatever you want and you initially think "oh my goodness, this is great"? It turns out that that stage doesn't really last that long before you realise that there's so many options you actually don't know what it is you want to do. Kind of like when there are too many ice-cream flavours to choose from in Amorino, or when you don't know which of the two dresses you've tried on and absolutely love to buy so you end up leaving both (anybody else work by that logic too?!). Kind of.

Anyway, Eleanor of Creative Countryside is currently on a holiday (hopefully having a lovely time!) and, in her absence, she has kindly asked whether I would write a post for her blog. Eleanor's blog sees such a lovely variety of posts with incredibly beautiful photos (you know the ones that just make your day shinier? Like that) and thought-provoking musings. She gave me licence to write about ANYTHING I wanted to and, of course, I just couldn't pick, especially when there are so many things I would love to write about on here that I probably will never get a chance to (I didn't realise that house-hunting is such hard work!!). In need of a stimulus, I turned to Eleanor's suggestion of "morning". I jotted down the first thoughts that came to mind.

If you click here, you can have a read of what I came up with. Let me know what you think and go and leave Eleanor some wonderful messages to return to - we all love that post-holiday "yay, I've got letters" feeling!

:)

PS. Seriously, moving is stressful. Send tea!

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Tuesday, August 12, 2014

"Authenticity" and Tori's Tales

Dartington Hall, Devon

Today I have the pleasure of appearing on Tori's Tales to take part in the wonderful Tori's Quotes series. The series is one which I have been following since Tori created it in March this year - it reminds me of the words of wisdom I find on Pinterest on a weekly basis (how great that I have cut that down to weekly now, instead of "hourly"! A round of applause for me!). How funny that we take them at face value most of the time. I very often read those quotations and either identify with them or not straight away, based on gut instinct and natural reactions - I rarely stop to dissect the quotation to figure out if I REALLY agree with it or not. Tori's Quotes is one of the first opportunities that I've taken to really analyse something with reference to my own actual experiences, rather than how I feel about it on a snap judgement level. Which is baffling in itself given that I feel like I analyse (or over-analyse) most things.

The quotation up for discussion this month revolves around the topic of "authenticity" and reads as follows ::

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."

       - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I'm a big advocate of being true to yourself and doing things in the way that works for you, not having to conform to the "norm" and being ready to challenge things that aren't quite right without fear of judgement.

What do you make of that in isolation? And how about if you relate it to blogging?

You can find my full thoughts on the matter here, but here's a snippet:

"Don't be fooled that you need to write in a particular way, or set your posts out in the same style as the other blogs you read....don't be afraid to stand out - nobody is interested in copies or clones. Your mind is capable of producing something incredibly unique if you let yourself." 

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Sunday, August 10, 2014

Sunday Round-up





Good evening and happy Sunday. Sundays used to be the WORST day of the week because I used to spend the whole day doing homework. That seems to have now been replaced by blog and comfort related activities so Sundays are a great day in my book.

This morning, when my Mum poked her head around my door as she usually does each morning the first thing I said was "I'm so glad to see you!" because last night I had the second dream in about a week that I was participating in The Hunger Games. Last time, my dream's plot was fairly true to the book's storyline, but this time it had been tweaked a bit and we were transported into outer space and onto another planet. Having said that, I've only read book one (and not seen the films either) so don't tell me if I've just pre-empted how the story develops beyond the first part!

Anyway! Recently, I have been...

Looking at :: potential new homes! House-hunting is a unique mixture of stressful and so much fun - any tips for moving house? Also, somewhere fun to have cocktails in south or south-west London on Friday night - suggestions much appreciated for this too.

Getting excited about :: furniture!!

Worrying about :: finding the right place; furniture!!

Wanting to visit :: Marina Abramovic's exhibition in London - have you been? Would you recommend it?

Eating :: peaches; at Turtle Bay in Southampton; at The Oriental in Birmingham; pizza at home and with M

Reading :: Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates

Enjoying :: hanging out with my sister in her house and visiting the library in Birmingham (check out those panoramics above!)

Practising :: yoga; motorway driving...

What was the loveliest thing you did this week? And tell me, have you had any weird dreams recently?


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Tuesday, August 05, 2014

Finding joy and getting stuff done

Spotted in Valldemossa, Mallorca
As I write this, I am sitting in my room with a towel turban on my head. About 30 seconds ago, I caught sight of myself in the bathroom mirror and did an inward giggle. Do you know the ones I mean? Those discernibly silent laughs which speak volumes in your facial muscles, like someone has metaphorically turned up the volume on your favourite song and your nose and cheeks dance in a scrunched up fashion. Sort of like a crazy smile, I suppose. A crazy smile of a stunned gremlin.

Anyhow, aside from the fact that I almost didn't recognise myself because of the aforementioned creepy grin and hair-drying contraption on head, what I noticed was that this is the feeling I get when the simplest things manage to tap into the blotchy bits of my heart and push them away for a moment (or longer, if I'm lucky). Instead, they make room for a sense of confidence in the fact that a little thing has brightened up my evening.

Today was one of those days where I managed to scoop up all the confidence I could from small joys around me and dish it out in the tasks in order to get through my day productively. It was a huge success! I didn't even realise that's what I was doing until my weird mirror revelation a moment ago.

What I am trying to say is that you can be feeling intrinsically and somewhat permanently broken, sad or consumed on one level but it is important to remember that room for light can exist if only you allow yourself to see.

I hope that if you are in need of a coping mechanism, you haven't ruled out the little things yet.

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Sunday, August 03, 2014

Sunday Round-up

A quick transportation back to Paris in springtime

This week I have been //

Reading :: oasis - guys, guys!!! My best friend has started up her blog again!! I can't even begin to describe how exciting I find this - I can now talk about blog-related stuff to another human being FACE-TO-FACE! I'm still wiggling with joy. Anyway, please be kind, have a look and leave some love - Cathy is an excellent writer, a marvellous hunter of fascinating things and the ultimate bookworm so I can GUARANTEE you will come away from her space feeling educated and nourished.

Listening to :: Daughter, Arctic Monkeys, Desert Island Discs podcasts for Zadie Smith (can you believe she wrote the brilliant "White Teeth" aged 22?!? 22!!) and Rankin.

Taking :: Cosmo to the vet for his booster jab

Trying :: to find somewhere to move to

Liking :: Sally's Wonderful Wednesday because I'm emotionally invested in her ability to craft the dreamiest of blog posts // Hayley-Eszti's unique and thought-provoking take on hearing music //  Sophie's collection of photos of two very lovely blogger faces // Leona's heart-warming tribute

Eating :: Ben & Jerry's ice-cream (two flavours at the same time because it was buy one get one free and there's no time like the present), fish and chips whilst catching up with friends

Missing :: being in Spain with M (you can bet your last Smartie that there will be travel related posts up soon!)

Tell me about your week - we must have so much to catch up on!

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Friday, August 01, 2014

52 Lists // Thirty-one



What is "good"? I remember being told in primary school literacy lessons to not use the words "good", "bad" or "nice" to describe objects. We know better adjectives than that, we were told. Yet so many things in the real world are ranked on "good" and "bad". In satisfaction surveys after a hotel stay, in discussions about whether your friend's new love interest is a "good" guy or not, or when someone's "bad" attitude towards something confuses you. Did you get "good" grades? Did you have a "bad" run? I'm guilty of it too but lets not settle and instead endeavour to use better words. 

Anyhow, the list above is of things that were either "good" (read soul-nourishing, peaceful, cathartic, helpful) for me, either because they helped someone else or sorted my life or head out a bit. 

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List #31 in the 52 Lists project, hosted by Emma.

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