Postcards from Italy
 
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Oh Italy. Where do I even begin! Truthfully speaking, it's really hard for me to describe her. It was a bit of a shock to the system having spent most of my time in cold rainy London sat behind a computer screen answering phone calls and chasing up suppliers. The trip was a spontaneous one to say the least. A late night conversation with my girl over Mc Donald's led us to arranging a 10 day stay in Italy! We decided we would visit Venice, Florence and Rome.  Excited was an understatment and I was finally going to walk around the streets where my parents had first ever met! 

I already have up on the blog my Venice Photo Diary which you can still check out so I wont bore you with that. Our first stop, funnily enough was Venice. We spent a total of 2 days there before taking a train to Roma. Well what can I say, I simply adored Rome. I think Italy to me as a whole was defined by her colour pallete. Rome for me was the most colourful. Every step you took there would be a new colour to admire. Aside from Amserdam, Rome could possibly be the second city for me that fed me with inspiration (colour wise). I guess these images are a collection of how I saw Italy through my lens and what stood out to me the most. It's distressed plaster walls, detailed architecture and of course mother nature in her true beauty. 

 

home for the week 

We stayed a total of 8 days in Rome, 7 being that we spent a day in Florence. We found an amazing Airbnb for a really good price!

(I shall link the apartment here.)

Our hosts name was Lorenzo and he was super super friendly! We absolutely loved the area we were staying in. All transport links where near us with a bus stop right outside our street and a 5 min walk from the metro. The apartment itself was rather spacious with a balcony and our own private garden! (unfortunately it was too cold for us to use but it would be a bonus to have during the summer) Outside the flat, there is a courtyard with beautiful seating around a fountain. It was really picturesque especially at night. 

 

Food

 

Barnum Cafe

Via del Pellegrino, 87

Monday - Sunday 9am - 2am

Hidden within the street of Via del Pellegrino. Marble table tops & vintage vibes. I was lucky enough to find this place by accident. I very rarely put my faith into spontaneously finding a good eatery/cafe. you know that feeling when you discover the best secret in a city, but actually discover it completely by chance. It’s a rarity, but when it happens, it has to be savoured. They serve the best caffè shakerato (iced espresso) which comes in a martini glass for only 1 euro. The ambiance and superb sound track make it the coolest Italian cafe I visited.

 

Pizza Rostica Birreria

Funnily enough, this pizzeria was yet another spontaneous find. Having finished visiting Trevi fountain we took to explore through the roads of Rome and we came across this place. Honestly if you don't visit it while you are in Rome then you seriously are missing out! I have never tasted anything like it before! They serve all sorts of different pizza flavours and pastries. do try the spinach and cheese one! My friend and i would find ourselves having midnight cravings for it (yes its T H A T good) The tastiest pizza we tried during our stay in Rome and very reasonably priced. 

 

Gelateria La Romana

Via Venti Settembre 60

Monday - Sunday | 11am - 12am

 

Have you ever tried heaven on a cone?! Well after over a century of experience you can bet that this place has perfected the most sought-after gelato recipe in Italy. Of course it’s a secret one which shan’t ever be shared, meaning you’ll have to try one for yourself.

 

 

Places of Interest

 

Site seeing -  Fori Imperiali , Parco degli Acquedotti, Piazza Trilussa, Trastevere

Shopping -  Via Cola di Rienzo, Via Condotti, Via Veneto, Via Ottaviano

Museums -  Vatican, Capitoline, Maxxi

Flower Markets -  Campo de' Fiori

 
D.I.Y NOTEPAD & FREE PRINTABLES
 
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Around here we are pretty serious about paper. It's no secret of mine that I am a stationery hoarder.  I'm always on the look out for new notebooks, notepads, thank you cards. the whole lot. One thing I'm trying to stick to this year is keeping myself more organised. Im starting  a new series on the blog called "the graduate life" and having so many thoughts on my mind and juggling work alongside my freelance life, its always handy to have a notepad close by to jot down all my ideas quickly before I forget them. 

Although there are a million and one notepad designs out there, I wanted something special that had a little touch of me. Summer is on the way and I'm currently having a weird obsession with botanical leaves. There's just something about them that are so aesthetically pleasing.

The great news is all you need is a sheet of thick card, printed notepad, PVA glue, bulldog clips & scissors. 

 

 

STEP 1.

Simply start off by printing out my notepad designs and cut along the dotted lines. Use a bulldog clip to help keep all paper together. Cut off excess by using either scissors or a craft knife. Top Tip: Use a nail file to help achieve smooth clean edges. 

Step 2.

Grab a thicker piece of card and cut to the size of your notepad In this case the notepad is at the size of 12.5cm x 20cm. Add to the back of your pad and again ensure that everything is lined up and clipped securley 

 

STEP 3.

Paint a coat of PVA glue along the edge of the notepad, making sure to cover the entire surface. Allow to dry and apply 1-2 more coats. The PVA will help achieve the typical "tear off" pages of a notepad. 

 

Leave to dry and hey presto! you have your own notepad thats ready for all your creative ideas! I'm obsessed with mine and you'll probably be seeing them pop up on my Instagram feed. Which design is your favourite? I would love to know. Don't forget to hashtag #ambinteriors on Instagram and let me see how you've been using your notepads. 

 

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