Well May quickly came and went, then all of a sudden it was June and we’re almost half way through the year! YIKES! Even though there were a few trips out and about this month, I feel like we got some more time at home (finally!) and got stuck in to some much needed ‘adulting’ with gardening and paperwork shaped things but we made sure that was balanced out by some garden camping in Buddy and other fun things!

BBQ and back garden camping with Buddy The Sunshine Van 🚌

play time

everybody look at the moon

We finally made it to the Science Festival in Ely to see The Museum of the Moon by @lukejerramartist. Marvellously mesmerising (and informative) exhibition in between having fun with photos!

Ely Cathedral is mindblowingly stunning too, must return to climb the tower.

back for more snacks

I went back to the Cambridge Blood Donor Centre again for my brew and mini cheddars!

Give blood, (if you can), it’s so very important and you get to chose from an impressive selection of biscuits, fruit, savouries and drinks!

SUP SUP SUP YOUR BOARD

I managed to get out some more on Quaver (she’s floaty light) this month and both times had a HUGE smile on my face!

My first outing this month was locally on the River Cam between Waterbeach and Horningsea, it’s a beautiful stretch, the sun was shining and The Beard enjoyed a play too!

There were at least three families of swans out on the river during my 6k paddle too, I made sure to give them plenty of room whilst quietly dying inside from the cuteness of all the fuzzy signets!

Summer Solstice SUP

My next outing with Quaver was pretty epic in all ways! I had to go to Nottingham to see my lovely accountant, Linda (Coalesco Ltd) and after stalking lovely Cassie, who runs SUP Yoga Fitness in Nottingham and did my hen do Sup session, I noticed she had an event on the same day I needed to be in Nottingham… and it sounded AMAZING! I mean, who wouldn’t want to get up at 2.30a.m, drive to Beeston Marina and pump up their paddle board ready to watch the sun rise on the longest day of the year?

Hello Sunshine sunrise SUP Nottingahm.jpg

I honestly felt a bit crazy, not only did I have to pull another long solo drive out of the bag but I also had to get up at butt o’clock in the morning to meet a group of almost strangers! But MY GOODNESS, It was worth it!

Summer Solstice Sunrise Paddle 📷 @supfitnessuk

The paddle started from Beeston Weir and headed down the Trent, under the ring road and out round to Victoria Embankment and under Trent Bridge where we stopped to watch the sunrise (and have a brew obvs). We then hoiked our boards up and over into the Canal opposite The Nottingham Forest ground and set off down through the city centre, past Castle Marina, through Dunkirk and right back to the Marina. It was about 15k in total and I was bloody knackered by the end - and it wasn’t even 7.30am!

It was such a special SUP session for me, not only because I smashed out the longest paddle yet and got to meet some lovely new faces but it got me right in the feels and I almost cried when I paddled under Trent Bridge as the sun was rising. I have SO MANY memories growing up in Nottingham and they all came flooding back, from spending time with my Grandparents on the embankment and bike rides with my parents to past jobs as we paddled past Capital One and Boots. It really was a morning to remember!

family and friends

I also got chance to see my family a couple of times during June too, with a stealth trip to set up a surprise indoor picnic for Dad on Father’s Day and again when I popped back for the sunrise paddle. I love this family snap we got of Daddy Sunshine surrounded by his girls!

Forever outnumbered by his girls and I’m sure he wouldn’t have it any other way 😆

The month ended on an absolute high too as I put on my big girl driving pants again and drove my ass all the way to the middle of nowhere to meet my BFF, my Duckypoos, my P.I.C! My bestest friend lives all the way down in Cornwall at the moment and although we chat regularly we don’t get chance to hang out like we used to when we were both back in Notts.

Last year we met up in Bristol for the Colour walk and a little weekend break, which was ace but this time Laura found a right gem of an Airbnb smack in the middle of us out in Wiltshire. It was a beautiful little annex above a garage, in the grounds of the most incredible country house… a very big house in the countrrrrrryyyyy!

There were chickens running around, birds singing, the sun was shining and we had fizz, gin and snacks galore! It was just so nice to catch up and chat balls, without a real plan at all other than to just enjoy each other’s company.

We had a lovely little ramble around a nearby village, through fields, along the canal and even past an old pumping station. We also took ourselves out for dinner and even put dresses on and tried to be fancy - it was glorious!

work time

more custom kitties

I know, I know, I must share or shout about these every month but I LOVE them and you guys keep ordering them, then sending me the most incredible snaps so I have to share them with you! I mean, just look at this magnificent kitty!

cows about cambridge

Have you seen the art trails that pop up in different cities? The ones with giant sculptures of (usually) animals that artists paint in different ways? There was one in Nottingham last year and the city had creatively decorated Robins popping up all over - it was wonderful! Well, Cambridge are hosting an art trail next year and it’s all about the cows! Perfect, right? Considering how many of the beauty are roaming free about the city centre meadows and down by the river.

Organised by Wild In Art & Break Charity, Cows about Cambridge is a public art trail which will also be raising money for children's charity, Break. They were calling for artists to submit their designs and ideas up until the end of June and as much as I ummed and ahhed about it at first, I finally pulled my socks up and submitted two designs. I have kept this to myself for now so if you’re reading this, you’re one of the very first pairs of eyes to hear/read about this!

Both of my designs are reflective of my bold, bright and simple style, focussing on yellow (shock!) and laser-cut-esque shapes. My first submission was called ‘What’s Up Buttercup’ and is based on my love of the little flowers that fill our local meadow each year - that and the fact I genuinely believed that cows made butter by eating buttercups when I was little!

My second submission was called ‘Wildflower Pastures’ and was inspired by all the wildflowers that fill the meadows around Cambridge and the county’s state flower, the pasqueflower, which is part of the Buttercup family. If you look carefully you might spy a happy little bee amongst the wildflowers too

I have no idea if anything will come of my submission but it was fun to design and play about with the ideas for these sunny cows. It’s also sparked some new designs for my laser cut jewellery this Summer too so watch this space flower lovers!

watcha reading?

A lot of other projects I’ve been working on are secret squirrel type things so I can’t really share much more right now. So on a totally unrelated (but super cute) note, here’s a photo of Toby doing his best to thwart my bedtime reading routine!