Anyone for tennis?

Forget the football. With Wimbledon now in full swing, this week and next week it’s all about tennis.

To celebrate, I’m seriously considering treating myself to a pair of the greatest old skool tennis shoes every created, Dunlop Green Flash. I used to have an amazing pair of my mum’s, which had survived since the Sixties, but sadly I wore them to death. Hard to get hold of these days, you can still buy them from Shuperb.co.uk for a very reasonable £29.99, here.

More original than the flood of Nikes and Converse everyone else is wearing, they’re incredibly comfy and hardwearing; go well with skirts, shorts or jeans; and suit pretty much everyone.

Still feeling inspired? Why not put your pre/post-match Pimm’s in one of these cute strawberry glasses, just £3 for four from Asda; sit down on a traditional check blanket throw, £15 from Sainsbury’s; and dry yourself off after a dip in the pool with an official Wimbledon championships towel, £29 from the tournament shop, www.shop.wimbledon.com…

And if you’re lucky enough to get to the tournament yourself, avoid the queues at the over-priced Wimbledon restaurants and settle down on Henman Hill (or is it now called Murray Mound?!) with a picnic carried in a proper hamper. Most wicker hampers cost well over £50, but this little beauty is just £29.99 from Asda, and has plenty of room for a four-person feast:

 

 

 

Lolly good fun

I’m a sucker for novelty lighting, and these mega cute ice lolly fairy lights, £21, from BerryRed.co.uk have got the competition licked!

They look almost good enough to eat and, puns aside, are perfect for summer parties, either indoors or out.

Very Moorish

Moroccan-inspired interiors have quietly been coming back into fashion for a while now. But whereas Morocco normally makes you think about brick reds, rich oranges and dark wood, the new ‘Modern Moroccan’ look is much brighter and punchier – hot pinks, lime green, royal blue and bright purple, punctuated with silver rather than the traditional gold, and set against fresh white walls.

It’s an incredibly easy look to pull off, and one I love. I’ve been looking for a good excuse to write about it for ages, so when Jen from the fab LoveChicLiving, Denise from The Swelle Life and Cunard cruises challenged bloggers to create a moodboard on Pinterest  inspired by one of their Mediterranean ports of call, I knew exactly which destination to pick: Agadir in Morocco.

Often overlooked in favour of more famous Marrakech, Agadir is stunningly beautiful, and absolutely embodies the Modern Moroccan look. It’s partly thanks to the lush green countryside of the Paradise Valley, and partly down to some stunning buildings in Agadir itself that while keeping traditional Moroccan details such as tiles and intricately shaped doorways, manage to be completely contemporary at the same time by staying light, bright and airy.

The beauty of this look is that you don’t need to go overboard – start with a hint of geometric pattern on tiles, cushions or a fretwork screen; add a brightly coloured comfy pouffe and a couple of pretty silver or wirework lanterns, and you’ll update your bedroom or living room instantly.

To see what I mean, visit my Modern Moroccan moodboard, inspired by Agadir, HERE. You’ll find plenty of pix to inspire you, plus a selection of bargain homebuys to get the look for just pounds. In the meantime, here’s a taster of what’s available on the high street right now. Happy shopping!

 

Above: Tea glasses £17.95 Handpicked Collection; Azami cushion £12.99 Dunelm Mill; Remix Circle Rug £229 WovenGround; Chrome Pendant £35 Littlewoods. 

Football crazy

 

In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s some kind of big football competition starting today…

And as a result, it seems you can’t move for World Cup-themed stuff in the shops at the moment. However most of it is either pretty tacky or unlikely to have a place in your heart/home for much longer than the four weeks of the tournament.

I’m not a huge footie fan, but I do live with two boys (one big, one small) who are. So, in the spirit of fair play and all that, here’s my pick of the best football-inspired bounty out there.

Top: Table football game £12 Matalan

 Below: Football line lights £10 Next; Subbuteo bottle opener £11.95 Red5.co.uk (if you’re quick, you can get 10% off everything at Red5 by using discount code RED5WC14 at the online checkout before midnight tomorrow, 13th June)

Below: Football pitch rug £9 Asda

Below: Chawaii Brazil flip flops £19.99 Crocs (other nation designs available); Wooden supporters rattle £3 Matalan; Adidas Brazuca Top Size 5 Football £14.99 Argos

Below: Finally, I love these cute kids t-shirts for ages 3-16 (£80£13) from Next. Surprisingly tasteful, choose from England, USA, Australia, Netherlands, Italy, Brazil or Spain. I want one of the blue Italy versions in adult size!