Hello!

How are things in your corner of the world?

Lately I have been thinking a lot about what it means to curate a life you love. It's not about perfection or filling every moment with extraordinary things, but more thoughtfully choosing (where you can) to embrace the things that make you feel joyful and fulfilled.

From the food we cook to the places we visit, the clothes we wear and even the beauty that we notice along the way, all of these are the choices that make up a life well lived and well loved.

So yes to a 10 minute stroll in the garden or around your neighbourhood and no to habits that may make you feeling more drained than restored. Yes to 15 minutes of focused, meaningful interaction with social media accounts you love and no to 45 minutes lost mindlessly scrolling. Yes to time spent with a book or creative project and no to overthinking endlessly over something you may or may not have said last week. Yes to the things that nourish and uplift you and no to the things that steal your joy.

Here are some of the moments, choices and inspirations shaping the life I am intentionally curating right now (as well as the promised peek behind the scenes at my photo shoot a couple of weeks ago). Oh, and I have some questions for you at the end too!

Seeking Out Beauty

Visiting Belgravia and Chelsea in Bloom reminded me of how uplifting it can be to seek out beauty even in the midst of a very busy season.

I spent a wonderful day exploring the incredible floral installations across London on Tuesday, walking more than 18 km along the way! Huge thanks to my wonderful husband who kindly spent over an hour taking photographs with me before heading to work at 9am. It was an unexpectedly lovely way to spend time together in the middle of the week.

There are lots more flowers and London moments over on my Instagram profile if you would like to see them.

Spending Time With Family & Friends

We are heading to a vintage car rally at a beautiful English castle this weekend, where we'll be picnicking with family and friends. Whenever I am planning a picnic, I love including a few homemade touches alongside some carefully chosen store-bought treats. Here are a few of the recipes I love to take along.

Vegetarian Quiche An easy recipe made with everyday ingredients and store-bought pastry that is an easy way to please a crowd. Vegetarian Quiche Recipe

Tuna Pasta Salad Crunchy veggies, canned tuna and pasta combine in this easy recipe. It's also perfect for summer barbecues, or pot luck dinners all year round. Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe

Cherry Almond Loaf This easy to make cut and come again loaf is full of fresh, juicy cherries and delicately flavoured with almond. Cherry Almond Loaf Recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookies No one can resist these soft, chewy slice and bake cookies! They are easy to make and travel really well. Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Moments Worth Savouring

I'm also making time for little things like sitting down for breakfast with my husband when time permits, spending at least a few minutes outside every day, and taking a moment to relax at a table when I go into a coffee shop, not just getting coffee to go like I always used to. It's amazing how these little moments can make life feel calmer and more restorative .

A Glimpse Behind The Scenes

Earlier this month I had a brand and content creation photo shoot with Terry Joshi (pictured in action bottom left), Sarah van Dort (stylist) and Ali Oswald (makeup and hair). It was hard work but lots of fun too, especially as this time my husband managed to pop in for a few photos and our vintage 1955 Chevy Bel Air (aka Tiffany) also got in on the act. I can't wait to share the actual images with you! Thanks to Sarah for these fun behind the scenes shots.

How To Enjoy Having Your Photo Taken

Being photographed is such a big part of what I do, and over the years I have learned lots of simple things that can help anyone feel more comfortable in front of a camera. If you ever find yourself feeling nervous or avoiding having your photo taken, I have shared some of my favourite tips and insights here.

Links marked with an asterix (*) are affiliate links - If you purchase using these links I make a small commission. Your purchase price is unaffected.

This week I'm...

Reading - The Homecoming* by Kate Morton (affiliate link)

Question - Did you read any books from last year's summer reading list? Would you be interested in another one for this year? Please reply to this email and let me know!

Watching - Rivals on Disney+ and the original The Devil Wears Prada. I'm looking forward to seeing the sequel!

Working on - curating my Amazon Storefront* (affilate link) where I share some of my favourite finds for home, style, travel and everyday living.

Question - I would absolutely love it if you could pop over and let me know what you think of my Storefront. I am also interested in which kinds of products and collections you would like me to include in future. You can simply reply to this email and let me know.

Listening to - Style & Substance podcast 6 May - Creating the Conditions for Creativity to Thrive

Looking forward to - the May Bank Holiday weekend with a holiday Monday to enjoy!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend (whether it's a long one or not) full of beauty, laughter and little joys.

Thank you so much again for being a subscriber. Remember you can reply to this email with any questions, comments, suggestions or just to say hi. I love to hear from you. Warmly, April x April J Harris | Helping you make the most of life at home and away. ​Website | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest​