A little late, but here are some photo’s of my younger sister’s wedding from this summer.

my beautiful sister and brother-in-law on their wedding day in my parents garden.

the gorgeous outfits my sister thoughtfully designed for all her nieces.

Thank you to Nonstopmama.com for asking me to offer tips on freshening up the home for summer – for my article and others log on now. x

My idea of a dream car is one that is self-cleaning and has space enough for the never-ending supply of gifts my mother lovingly showers on me and my adored children, each time we visit.   But yesterday, a friend took me to Salon Prive at the Hurlingham Club in Chelsea and I suddenly found myself considering more than than boot-size!

Beyond having a really enjoyable day, yesterday was living proof of the wonderful energy that comes from having passion. It does not really matter what ones passion is, be it gardening or gears; it’s about appreciating the beauty of it all and having a joy for life.

There were classic cars, big cars, small cars, all sorts of cars and for me there was really only one – the understated elegance and style that is the Maserati.  Yes, I would have to keep it clean and there is no way it would be big enough for my mum’s generous gifts, but it would be fun.

I feel uninspired and rather flat today and I know it is because after a hugely busy month, it’s the first day I have been able to exhale.  I cannot complain as the month has been about baby showers, baby births, end of school year events, weddings, brand development work for some really lovely clients, a new pure actives skincare line I shall be launching here early next year, photo shoots and writing for magazines I adore and generally all good stuff, but it has taken away my routine and as I get older, I must confess I do enjoy a bit of routine!  Oh, and it was my 19th wedding anniversary – I can’t believe it has been that long and I can honestly say, I still look forward to seeing him when he walks through the door.  Anyway, my point is I was feeling so uninspired that I have not bothered posting much lately and when I have,  I must confess, I have bored myself.  So, having come across the work of photographer Janne Peters, I thought I would post these beautiful photo’s that sum up where I feel like being right now – if not in reality, then in my head – this is what I need to re-charge my batteries and then get back to doing what I love – just more of what I am blessed to do everyday.  To see more of Janne Peters work visit www.jannepeters.de

My morning started with a much needed and extremely productive workout with my trainer and client – Steve from Senkai.  We talked business between punches and lunges.  Showered and ready for the day ahead, I spent the morning focused on necessary tasks and not should/could do details.  It made me realise how true it is that projects take the time we allocate to them and if we choose to focus and have only a finite amount of time, chances are we will get the job done.   Then off to London Bridge for coffee with Shaa Wasmund of Smarta.  For those of you unfamiliar with Smarta, I can tell you it provides an excellent resource to those in business.  Since I am a visual person, I enjoy the video soundbites and you will find my friend Millie Kendall on there sharing her own words of wisdom.  Do take a look – www.smarta.com.  Oh, and Shaa recommends Seth Godin’s site/blog so check that out too.  My personal favorite is TED.com – insightful and inspiring.

I have seen much of Debi Treloar’s photographic work over the years and thought she only lives on the next street, we had never actually met – until yesterday. Debi was over to shoot my home for a decorating book due out next year.  She worked quietly and calmly and remained focused on ensuring my home was seen in the best possible light.  So the next time you see my home in a magazine or book, know that it is not me, but talented people like Debi who come in and work their magic to bring out its full potential. To see more of Debi’s work visit www.debitreloar.com

As if proof were every needed, last week, I was once again struck by what a small world we live in. On Sunday morning, the husband and I took the children to see the Elephants Green Park.  We found a great parking spot, the sun was shining and as an added bonus we saw the rehearsals for the Queens Birthday parade, which was just like the real thing except the Duke of York stood in for the old dear, so that meant fewer crowds, so even better.  The children were mesmerised and as we walked along Buckingham Palace watching the parade and taking with excitement about having seen real Elephants in India.  Later that week,I attended a launch party at which I got talking to a lady who just happened to be the person responsible for bringing the elephants to London and who will soon be taking the same message and magic to Thailand. Then I met a lady who had sold my books in her store in LA and then I met another friend of a friend – Meg Mathews. Meg was warm and open and shared her own passion for design. Here is one of her wallpaper designs – available exclusivey at Liberty.

Here is an idea you might want to try or as in my case, you might want to let your children try.  This wide framed mirror in my kitchen lends itself perfectly to having old pictures and cards stuck onto it. These old memories tend to end up in boxes so better to enjoy them in a contained area.

Anyone looking to decorate their children’s rooms should take a look at Bobo Kids in Chelsea. Inspired by the French concept Bourgeois-Boheme, widely used in France to describe a particular lifestyle group, bobo refers to style-conscious consumers who embrace diverse fashion and interior trends to create individual style which is unique to them. You won’t find many all matching furniture suites here and thank goodness for that I say.  Also, if they don’t have what you are looking for, they can source it for you.  www.bobokids.co.uk 29 Elystan Street. Chelsea, SW3

I was recently introduced to Senkai, who are now my newest clients and just happen to be the most passionate, dedicated team of personal trainers on the planet.  In the name of research, I booked myself onto their boot camp in Bordeaux – France.  I wondered how the children would cope, but not only did they positively encourage me to go, they even suggested, I take the husband!  And so it was, with children packed off to best friends, we packed ourselves off to France.

The weeklong boot camp was everything I had hoped and more and even thought it rained constantly, nothing could dampen our spirits as we got out in the fresh country air and tried something new each day, which took us beyond our known limits.   We returned home lighter and fitter, but beyond that and of far more value was the lesson it taught me – that to give 4 of the 168 hours available in a week, to exercise is time well spend and of vital importance.

Senkai boot camps can be booked by a group of friends or college who want a tailor made service or you can join their next retreat in September.   For further details click here

Senkai’s tips for a fitter, healthier you

1. Split your workout routine into 65% cardio and 35% weight training / core and abdominal work.

2. Running or power walking is one of the best forms of exercise you can do and it does not require a gym – just step out of your front door and get moving.

3. Train early in the morning and on an empty stomach as that way you burn body fat rather than the food you have just consumed. If you want to train later in the day, make sure you leave a two-hour gap between eating.

4. You can lose weight by eating well, but to change your shape requires targeted training. And the other positive by-product of this is that it helps preventosteoporosis and arthritis – especially important to women.

5. Eat five to six small evenly spaced out meals a day as the more Regularly you eat the higher your metabolic rate will be and so you end up burning more calories. Each meal needs to consist of protein, carbohydrates and good fat.

6. Eat fish and lean meat and red meatonly once a week cut out bread (I can’t do this one) and limit dairy. Drink 2 litres of water per day.