From ice creams to milk shakes, it was a case of ‘doing anything to keep cool’ today! Having some home made ice creams and milk shakes, made life bearable in the midst of the heat wave we’ve had in the last couple of days. Especially today where the temperature was up to the 40s apparently!

Being able to capture an idea before you lose it, is very important. Made this travel journal/sketchbook for that very reason. It's for a budding young writer. she loves nothing more than to write illustrated stories and I thought, it would be the ideal way, to encourage her to keep on writing. I'm glad she loves her new journal and is looking forward to make it her own. Also made the journal flat and light to carry, so it can fit into her back pack, as well as easy to use on the go.

Creativity comes in different ways and we all have a dose of creativity in us in one form or another. Seeing people use their creativity to bring a little joy to the lives of others, reminds me of what creativity should be about. From the musician playing a rendition on the high street, to the street artist adorning our public spaces with thought provoking artworks, I say thanks for using your gifts to put a spring in our steps!

The work of a conscientious mother is never done. So, to mothers passed, who have raised generations and to mothers present who are raising the future generation, Happy Mothering sunday! Today, I celebrate you, appreciate your hard work and want you to know, that your hard work will never be forgotten. You're a motivator, an organiser, thoughtful hero, an encourager and a resourceful nurturing champion!

As we brace ourselves for the tempestous hurricane Eunice, I urge those on my side of the pond to stay safe, as we patiently wait to get a glimpse of her. It's a pleasant name for a storm don't you think? Since Eunice means good victory, let's hope it's us, not her, that gets the victory by the time she passes!

And what's a great way to weather the storm? Having a warm drink, (not a hot one, since it could go flying out of your hands) if you're out and about. Followed by some mouth-watering, guilty pleasure, comfort food. They're simple creature comforts, but could go a long way to keep you warm and nicely fuelled, in time to combat the oncoming storm.

That said, my perfect remedy to weather the storm, comes down to two simple things. That is, 'Tea and Pie'. Once I'm armed with an aromatic blend of Yerba Mate and organic peppermint tea, coupled with a comforting piece of home made traditional Nigerian pie, the storm can melt away. Because, with this deliciously scrumptious combo tantalising my senses, I'll surely be ready to weather the storm. How about you? 

It would be a fallacy to say I have a big space because I don't. What I have is the opportunity to work with the space I've got and be creative with it. So, when the opportunity came to minimise my furniture to create a little bit of space, I jumped at it, like a rabbit who's just spotted a dangling carrot. I was only too happy to get rid of my tired-looking sofa and Divan bed that's served me well for so long I couldn't possibly squeeze any further use from them. And my decision to replace them wasn't on a whim, it was a long time coming!

As I pondered on how to replace them, I knew I didn't want to fill that space with two new furnitures. Instead, I wanted to get one multifunctional piece, to sit, sleep and use as storage. Which brought me to the conclusion that what I needed was a sofa bed and began the hunt for one that was sturdy, durable enough to withstand daily use and could last a while.

This was how I came across the most sensible piece of furniture, a three-seater sofa bed, made by Cocoon. It was a simple idea, but one that solved the problem of my limited space. It was a well thought-out piece of furniture that was a sofa by day, a double bed by night and came with added storage, in the form of two chunky arm rests, located on either side of the sofa.

When I went to Cocoon's showroom, I took one look at the sofa and was sold! Just goes to show that gifts and talents are meant to be shared. Clearly, Cocoon thought of people like me, living in minuscule spaces and invented a functional piece to help us utilise our space. It's why I love functional pieces, as they always meet a need and serve a purpose, no matter how little or big the product is.

I've posted a video below to show how this fits into my space and help free up some space in my tiny hub. Hopefully, this could inspire more forward thinking in someone else to create things which could be of great use to others. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention and this piece of furniture, invented for small spaces, certainly met my needs.

A huge thanks to those who helped me research the best sofa, by literally running around and testing out different sofa brands till we found Cocoon. Also thanks to the staff at Cocoon’s showroom, who answered my twenty questions! You guys are amazing!!

Whether making a book from scratch or customising an off-the-shelf journal like this one, the key thing for me is 'functionality'. A principle I apply to everything I do. This journal ticks all the boxes in terms of functionality and aesthetics, which means there wasn't much to change.

Then, I had a funny thought. What if someone has the same journal as me and we happen to be using our journals in the same space, at the same time. How would we tell our journals apart? The answer was simple, 'customisation'. So, I customised the journal with minimal change to its aesthetics, since the aesthetics was what drew me to the journal in the first place.

All the journal needed was a personal stamp, to make it unique and easily identifiable. For this, I used some wooden lettering, masking tape, black acrylic ink, and a sponge. That was it. I’ve posted the before and after video of the journal below, to show you don’t need much to personalise your book or journal.