4 Years.

Today we celebrate our 4th anniversary. They have been amazing, and they're getting better every single year too, I can't wait for the next (maybe we'll plan something special for the 5th?). I am really lucky to have found such an amazing person to share my life with. Today, we wont get to spent that much time together. We will both be jumping on trains pretty early to go to our parents houses that are in the opposite direction, but thats's okay; we'll celebrate together on Sunday.

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Four years ago today.

On the 8th of August 2009 I made a trip to Manchester to bike all day with a friend, I was wearing cut off jeans and a vest. I didn't look great. When I arrived back in Leeds my housemate convinced me to go for a drink at a bar in town with her. I wasn't planning on staying out too long, just for one or two drinks to please my friend who wanted to get out of the house. I had my bike with me too, so it meant riding home. I really didn't want to do that too late. We were having a good time though! I ended up chatting to a guy. I never usually speak to people I don't know, so it was strange. But, he had cute hair, and we had the same taste in music. He didn't live in Leeds. I saved his number in my phone and spelt him name wrong.

A couple of weeks later he made the trip back to Leeds to hang out, I was nervous: 4 months after that I would call him my boyfriend, 10 months later we would be picking our first apartment together and 4 years later I would be writing this post. It's strange how things turn out, right?

Then & Now

Thank you Kate for making me go out that night. And thanks to Dixon for the last 4 amazing years, here is to 4 more.

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Some Birthday Decorations.

I love making my own decorations. I like to use things we have around the house. This Monday it is Dixons birthday, so I took the chance over the weekend to put up a few pieces ready to celebrate. I used fabric scraps and magazine cuttings. Nice and simple. (And yes, yes I did spell 'Birthday' incorrectly. Totally meant to...)

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We're 1 today!

On the 10th of March 2012 I sat down at my laptop and decided to create a blog. I actually don't know why I decided to that day, but I am hella happy I did. I originally started this off as a flat-renovation blog, but it quickly changed into somewhere to share with you my favourite things. A positive outlet for everything I love. Perfect.

One of the biggest things I love about blogging is reading all the amazing blogs out there. I get so much inspiration from each one I read. Ones that I would never have come across without you guys commenting and sharing. My reading list is forever growing and I love every single blog on that list. There are a select few that really stand out to me though, some that I really wanted to share with you today!

These people inspired me to start to write, and who continue to share amazing beautiful stuff in every single post they do. I really wanted the chance to say thank you to them, and share them with you guys;

Kaylah at The Dainty Squid // Elycia at Love Elycia // Adrian at Adrian loves Owls // Drea at ohdeardrea // Meredith at One Sheepish Girl // Jen at A Little Bird Told Me //

To every single one of you, thank you so much for reading & continuing to come back. I have so much in the pipeline for year #2. I can't wait to share it with you. I hope this is the first of many blogiversary :) Enjoy your Sunday!

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Dont forget to find me on twitter, Instagram and follow on bloglovin! AND I still have a few add spaces left, I'd love to hear from you.

Looking Back.

Tomorrow is By the Locks First Blogiversary! A whole year has passed since I sat down to write a little blog post. I had absolutely no idea what I was planning to do with this space then, and I also had no idea this blog would introduced me to a whole bunch of amazing things and some even more amazing people (hello!). It is cheesy as hell but it has really changed my life. I have learnt so much and been so inspired by all of you. I still get excited every time I see a comment pop up, or a new reader follow. Thanks to every single one of you. Tune back in tomorrow for even more of a sob-fest.

I thought I'd reminisce a little and share some of my all time favourite posts. I've never done this before but I know some people do each month, I found it so tough! I'd never be able to do it each month. Click through the photo to see the original post. Enjoy!

1// A Stitch and a Story 2// Sweet Potato + Pinto Bean Burger 3// Book a Week #8 - Jaws! 4// Dog Day 6// Candied Macadamias 7// Hand-printed Cotton Napkins

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Guess what today is?

Woo hoo!!  I even did you a little drawing, what do you think? I have some amazing things planned to celebrate. Firstly, Dixon and me are going to a Gujarati restaurant called Hansas. I've been wanting to go for so long, Indian food is my absolute favourite! Then, this weekend, my parents, brothers and their girlfriends are coming to Leeds! Its the first time they have visited me since I moved to Leeds (5 years ago!). We're going to a champagne bar and, of course, I'm taking them for more Indian food! Maybe I should call it curryday? It also means I have exactly a year to finish my whole 25 list. I better get a move on. I hope you're all having a wonderful week.

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Oh, hello 2013!

Happy New Year!  I really hope you all had an amazing time seeing out the old year and in with the new.



Now onto opening up my 2013 diary! I love this time of year. And then, onto settling on a couple of new years resolutions. I always make a few little ones which (like many people I'm sure) I rarely think about after the 2nd of January. And I've realised why... They're boring! The good intentions are there, sure, but they are always dull, dull, dull. Resolutions-past have been; Be nicer to strangers, lose weight, drink less coffee, swear less, exercise more. Zzzzzzzzz.

I already have a whole heap of things I want to get do within the next 14 months, so, in 2013, I have promised myself some fun and interesting resolutions. I challenge you all to do the same! I've gone with 3 very precise goals. Here they are:


          - Go Camping - I LOVE camping, but I haven't done it in years. We were given a brand new tent a while ago that we still haven't used. It'd be fun to go to a National Park with our bikes for a weekend. Take a little stove to cook soup, and corn on the cob. I can't wait.

         -  Build a Dining Table - After seeing Elsies beautiful DIY table, I am inspired (desperate) to build my own. Did I mention before that Dixon bought me a drill? Well, I'm yet to use it so this is the perfect project. And maybe I'll actually have a dinner party I've been meaning to have for ages. I also want to make wine/beer racks.

         - Swim! - I have dreams about swimming all the time. I love the feeling, but I really don't do it enough (if at all, come to think of it). I'd love to go swimming in a huge lake, but I'll start in the pool.  I've read that swimming is great for asthmatics so there are extra benefits. I have a new swim suite too!

I will also be working on a whole heap of other achievements. As well as focusing on: this blog, fitness and finance.

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So, what are your fun resolutions going to be? I really hope 2013 is the best one yet for all of you, your friends and family. I can't wait to see what it brings.

Día de los Muertos

Day of the Dead has always been something I've loved the idea of. The whole idea of celebrating the lives of people we have lost in a positive way rather than mourning them. And the decorations! The patterned skulls, the flowers and candles. I really love it all. 

Sadly, it isn't something that is hugely celebrated over here in England, although I'd love to have it as part of my familys traditions in the future. I'd love to visit Mexico around this time of year to see exactly how its done. In the mean time, with the end of the celebrations looming, I've been searching for ideas to make my own Day of the Dead shrine. And here are my Top 5;

I love this tea towel set, I'd use them as little table cloths to be the base to hold all my decorations. You can find these through Zen Thread. 

Yellow Marigolds seem to be the flower Mexican families choose to decorate graves with. I think these Paper Marigolds would look super cute scattered around the table, regardless of the occasion actually.

Actual Sugar Skulls, I wish I could find some of these over here, I love how the red ones looks, I think I'd go for a mixture of colors. You can find these via Tierra Dulce.

I think these paper cuttings are aimed more at engagement parties, but eternal love is pretty fitting for Day of the Dead, right? Saying that, I think I'd have these up all year round. You can find these thanks to SheMakeR. 

And finally, the center piece, a big neon skull. NashPop have some amazing things I could have used, but I really love the colour of this. It would look amazing surrounded by flowers and candles.

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What do you think? How do you celebrate day of the dead?