BEST POCKET CAMERAS

You might have noticed I love taking photos, there's not a minute where I don't have a camera out to snap a pic of our day to day. As much as I love the Nikon D90 SLR I also have a large collection of smaller cameras at home. So I thought it might be fun to do a little round up of my best pocket cameras and share what I use for the blog.

1. I love my Mini Diana Lomography camera, it's super cute, small enough to fit in your pocket and shoots on real film so you never know what results you might get. This point and shoot film camera takes 35mm Lomoraphy film and gives wonderful results with unusual light leak effects. It takes a bit of time to work out how and what conditions are best to shoot in, but there's nothing more pleasing then handing in a roll of film and waiting to see the results.

2. A new one love for me, the Fujifilm Instax mini 8 is a point and shoot with a 60mm lens that produces little Polaroid pics. I recently took this to Berlin and had lots of fun taking photos of the city. The film cartridges can be expensive at £1 per photo, but in my eyes it's well worth the money.

3. iPhone lens accessories are great for carrying around with you and adding a bit extra to your photo's. We have a fisheye lens and a wide angle lens which is great for taking fun snaps with.

4. My iPhone 5c...need I say more? The camera on phones nowadays are getting better and better, with the iPhone 6 set to be the best yet in quality. As most people have a phone in their pocket there's no reason to miss a photo opportunity.

5. A fairly new one for me is the Autographer. This one is pricey at around £300 but it is s super small and is the worlds first wearable camera. It has been custom built to enable spontaneous, hand free image capture, perfect for using when doing activities, extreme sports or at festivals etc.

When I'm not using these pocket sized cameras you can find me using our trusty Nikon D90 SLR. With such a great range of Digital SLR's on the market there is always something for everyone, and if you don't know which is for you then this camera buying guide is great to help you make your choice.

I'd love to hear what cameras you enjoy using?



*This post has been written for Tesco

GET CREATIVE AND CONNECTED WITH HIIVE

The team over at Hiive have asked me to share my top tips for being creative. If you’ve not heard of it before, Hiive is a professional network for the creative industries – offering users a portfolio platform, job opportunities and access to educational resources.

I’ve always loved being creative, as a child I would spend hours drawing and painting, making sculptures, even starting a friendship bracelet business at the age of six with my childhood bestie. For me being creative isn’t a subject chosen to be studied but more of a way of life. So it made sense that I would go on to study graphic design and on my first day at uni we were asked to write down the job we’d be doing in five years time, only to be handed back to us at graduation. Surprisingly I didn’t quite manage to move to New York and design vinyl covers for a living but I am glad I had the passion for adventure even then.

When it comes to explaining my occupation as a blogger, unless I’m talking to other bloggers, someone who reads blogs, or a business, people look at me as if I’ve uttered a made believe word and don’t fully grasp what it means. But for me, working for myself, writing about things that inspire me and forging interesting partnerships are a real buzz and an important creative outlet, one I’m thankful I can do around childcare.

As with any creative career, it’s important to be connected with other like minded people, people who inspire, and over the last few years I've made some brilliant friendships through this blog. However when you first start out it’s hard to know who is listening. Are you just sending your thoughts out into an electronic abyss? What’s the point? It can feel pretty daunting and even isolating working from home.

Using a platform like Hiive allows you to plug into those creatively minded people, it’s a place that focuses on education, growing your skills, kick starting projects, starting collaborations and finding creative vacancies. It’s a place to get your creative foot on the ladder.

So what are my top tips for being creative?

1. Always keep a pen and notebook handy, and for those times you haven’t make notes on your phone. I’m always jotting down ideas and thought, even recording them with my iPhone if I’m on the school run.

2. Use Pinterest - This is an amazing tool, acting like an endless mood board to visually store inspirations.

3. Notice the small things. Normally we’re all too busy rushing around but it’s worth taking time to slow down and concentrate on the now. Take a minute to pause before that first sip of coffee and inhale the aromas, clear the mind and enjoy the senses. I find this helps me notice the small things all around me in the day to day.

4. Read/Watch/Listen to other people's work. If you want to write then read, make music then listen. Sometimes it’s better to step away from your own work and enjoy somebody elses to get the creative juices flowing.

5. Enjoy it. On those days your struggling to sketch that piece or write that post, then give yourself 15 minutes/an hour/the day off. I often find when I step away that’s when the best ideas surface.

These are the things that help me stay creative, it would be great to hear what inspires you? If you’re looking to kickstart your creative career or get involved with a fab creative community then head over to check out Hiive and join the swarm.

*This post is in association with Hiive. All words and opinions are 100% my own.

OH SPECTACULAR BLOGTACULAR

I had the best intentions of posting this as soon as I returned from London and while I was still fresh with ideas. However life happens and I accidentally fell into a 'blogiday' and went AWOL from this corner of the internet. Instead I've been super busy, what with travelling around the country seeing friends and family, but finally I'm home and ready to settle down and write up the brilliant blogging conference that is Blogtacular.

So where do I start? Maybe with the amazing speakers, the great blogging tips, the workshops, or perhaps the sheer amount of super cool women under one roof? After spending two days at my first blogging conference my mind is racing with all the possibilities this little corner of the internet holds for me and I can see not just the day to day working of Wild & Grizzly but can see how it might span out in years to come which is super exciting.

A WEEKEND OF BLOGTACULAR FUN

Friday has rolled around pretty quick this week, what with the Bank Holiday, pre-school and blogging events soaking up my time, but the main reason has to be the excitement of what Friday has in store. Today I'm heading to the big smoke, that's right London town, for my very first blogging conference where I will be meeting up with some of the lovely peeps I have come to know as friends through this little thing called the internet.

Blogtacular brings together some of the hottest talent from the online world with inspirational thinkers and amazing speakers talking about all things blogging, from styling to taking the next step as a business. It's a place for people who create vibrant and original content to discuss their work, fill their minds with new ideas and collaborate with fellow bloggers. I can't wait to take it all in and put it into practise. There'll be time for some evening fun and cocktails too and maybe a bit of art thrown into the mix.

I've already got my mama style picked out for tomorrow's meet up, so if any fellow bloggers want to come and say hi then I'll be channeling this look. I hope you all have a fun and inspiring weekend. x