Posted on January 10, 2016 by myeye1

People in England are known for being big tea drinkers as are people in Pakistan, and being a British Pakistani you’d think that I would be a big tea fan too, but when it comes to hot drinks I just don’t feel that I need them (exception being the odd hot chocolate in Winter). Tea and tea time in London is very popular at the moment. There are so many places that you can go for tea and cake; posh, quaint, in castles, even one with cats to play with in between. And for tea in the comfort of your own home there are even more, including this curious place I came across, selling very pretty china and soothing teas.

Although I’m not really a tea drinker I am a fan of anything that’s quirky, pretty and takes my curiosity, and this being the case I just had to go and explore. There were teapots and teacups beautifully embellished as well as spoons, saucers and anything else tea-related, on colourful inviting displays; all of which together is any photographers delight!

What really took my interest though was the amazing variety of types of tea available, ones I’d never heard of and looked nothing like a typical tea leaf.

I didn’t buy anything on this trip but I’m certain I will pop in again, perhaps to treat some tea-lovers I know and maybe even sample something myself.

Farewell 2015; here we go 2016

Posted on December 31, 2015 by myeye1

We’ve come to the last day of 2015 but it will always be frozen in time, captured in our photographs and memories. Here are my favourite photos of the year which I enjoyed taking and sharing with you all.

I hope 2016 is everything you want it to be and more. Happy New Year and enjoy the fireworks.

All the fun of a Winter Wonderland

Posted on December 27, 2015 by myeye1

Hyde Park, London hosts Winter Wonderland every year which is a family event running over the festive season. There’s fairground rides for thrill seekers, Christmas markets for anyone looking for beautifully crafted gifts, and tasty food to make sure energy levels are topped up. Seeing as it looked like a fun evening out I went with my sister and her family to experience the sights, smells and tastes on offer.

I went on a ride or two with the kids, was distracted from stall to stall with the interesting and beautiful items on display and was awed by the pretty lights and great atmosphere.

I didn’t manage to experience everything as we ran out of time, but hopefully I’ll be able to return next year to enjoy more rides as well as see the circus show, the cool ice sculptures in the ice kingdom and take a spin on the ice rink. We left with smiles on our faces and our goodies from the markets but were absolutely exhausted, with the kids falling fast asleep all the way home.

WPC: Ornate piano

Posted on November 9, 2015 by myeye1

This grand piano really lives up to it’s name. The beautiful, ornate embellishments are by William Morris and Co. and are typical of the designs that were created by him. I personally love the style and detail of Morris’ work and have been a fan since I first discovered it.

Capturing artwork

Posted on September 20, 2015 by myeye1

I recently went to the National Gallery in London and since my last visit you are now allowed to take photographs. I would normally never take photographs of paintings as I always would want to visit and appreciate the work in person, but on this occasion I decided to take a few snaps as a nice reminder. The photos I took were of some of my favourite paintings by great artists that I’m lucky to have on my doorstep in London, namely The Waterlily Pond by Monet and Sunflowers by Van Gogh.

I always like to take a moment and think about how long it must have taken to create such a painting and what kind of person the artist must have been to paint in this way during their life, artworks that really stand the test of time. I love being able to see the textures of the layered paint and the colours, which close up looks quite messy but stand back and you see how great it all comes together and looks quite beautiful.

I hope to visit again at some point and enjoy all the great paintings that are luckily so easy for me to access.

Caught snapping

Posted on August 11, 2015 by myeye1

My sister and I went to a wedding recently and when we went for a walk I saw these pretty flowers that I just had to photograph. Little did I know that I was also being snapped!

1st birthday party

Posted on July 30, 2015 by myeye1

It was my niece’s first birthday recently, and her mum (my younger sister) decided to throw her a birthday bash. The theme, in case, you haven’t guessed, was a very girly, pretty, ‘pink’. My sister, who is very talented in making cakes, made a beautiful birthday cake with matching cupcakes and biscuits, and if that wasn’t enough, she also had a sweet table with all things sugary and pink too.

I thought the cake was lovely; I especially liked the ruffles in different shades and the sparkly tiara as a finishing touch.

My niece received lots of presents and birthday cards from loved ones, and seemed to thoroughly enjoy her party. I pray that she has a happy, healthy, long life ahead of her.

Eid exhibit

Posted on July 15, 2015 by myeye1

At the end of Ramadan muslims around the world have a day of celebration called Eid-al-Fitr. Muslims have a great meal with family and friends, give each other gifts and money, and wear nice, often new, clothes. In preparation of Eid, my sisters and I went to an Eid exhibition in London to see what new designs of outfits were available to buy. The outfits available were designer pieces and more expensive than I tend to buy but it was nice to see what other styles were around. My photos didn’t come out too well as the lighting in the room wasn’t as bright as I would liked, but hopefully they give an idea of what was on show.

There was a nice range of beautiful outfits, from heavily decorated dresses with pearls and diamantes, metal and thread embroidery to less extravagant outfits with just thread work or prints. Some were more suitable for weddings than an eid celebration but it was nice to see the intricate work that went into making some of these outfits.

As well as clothes there was a section that had stunning metal clutch purses and colourful jewellery. And to complete the look there was also a makeup artist on hand to give beauty tips and makeovers to guests, which my sisters trialed. We were also treated to drinks and fancy cupcakes and biscuits to keep our energy levels up.

We didn’t end up buying anything in the end as although many of the outfits caught out eye they were just a bit too expensive and out of our budget, but we did enjoy talking to some of the designers and looking at lots of pretty things.

Drink in colour

Posted on July 3, 2015 by myeye1

I bought these glasses a while ago and just couldn’t resist the bright, fun colours and pretty patterns. They’re usually reserved for special occasions but I think they’ll go down well at the next barbeque or dinner we have.