Life and Loves Lately #8 - a vintage birthday, healthy living and the best seat in the house

It's been another busy month - I mean, how is it that we are a week into July already??

Here's a quick run through of my life and loves lately...

DOING We've been pretty busy as the build up to the two weddings has picked up, with just three weeks left until our friends walk down the aisle. Following on from my last life and loves lately post, where we had just been on two hen dos, we've enjoyed two more since. Greedy brides!

A couple of weekends ago, we had a spa weekend at Thorpe Park Hotel (near Leeds, not the one with all the rollercoasters!). It was a really nice couple of days and the hotel was really lovely on the inside and not what you would expect when you see it from outside, as it's within a business park. The food was fantastic and the spa was really nice too, so we indulged in some pampering and girly time, with a PJ party and lots of popcorn and giggles.

Last weekend was my birthday and my three best friends came to stay. As our men were off in Leeds cave diving and the like for a stag do, we got together to celebrate not only my birthday but a fourth and final hen do, just as a group of four.

It was a vintage affair, starting with a trip on the Severn Valley Railway steam train. They had a 'step back to the 1940's' theme on for the weekend, with displays, costumes, cars, and stalls all setting the scene.

WEARING We dressed up for the occasion (the bride-to-be and I wearing Lindy Bop dresses) and thoroughly enjoyed the ride, stopping off to see each station and posing up a storm.

Late afternoon, we went to a boutique hotel and cocktail bar called The Edgbaston, a short distance from Birmingham City Centre, for champagne afternoon tea. It has an art deco theme and fantastic cocktails, so it was a lovely way to wrap up the day. Another cocktail at another vintage style bar and we headed home to enjoy some films and nibbles.

STARTING If you read my post about our current daily routine, you'll know that we have just joined our local David Lloyd club. We'e had out introductions and inductions and we're starting to make fitness and leisure part of our family agenda, more than we ever have before.

It feels good. So far I've been to yoga, had a gym session, went for a swim and a steam and I've signed up to try pilates and Body Balance classes too in the next week. On Saturday they have a family fun day and Ethan is trying a swimming taster session, so we have a new costume all ready for him - hope he enjoys it!

TAKING With my new focus on wellness and another birthday under my belt, I've been taking some collagen capsules to see if they can help improve my skin tone and vitality.

I was kindly sent Solgar Collagen Hyaluronic Acid Complex capsules to try out. Packed with hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and collagen plus a few other concoctions, this supplement promises to boost your skin as with age and exposure to the sun, natural production of hyaluronic acid and collagen declines - and we get dryness, fine lines, wrinkles and sagging of the skin as a result. Boo!

I've tried soluble collagen before and really felt I could see a difference, but these capsules are even easier to take daily (just one with your main meal). I need a bit of a boost for my skin after all these hen dos; it's taken its toll on my skin and I'm keen to keep using Solgar to hopefully help with dryness and fine lines. Not sure they can take back the laughter lines I've created over the past 32 years, but I can but try...!

A bottle of 30 capsules is priced around £34, but online you can find them for around £26 from various health food shops and suppliers. Worth giving a go for sure.

WATCHING Aside from making very good use of our DisneyLife membership, which I wrote about last week, I've been binge watching The Big Bang Theory (for the hundredth time) and have gone back to the start of Orange is the New Black, so I can recap before watching the new series. I absolutely love it and can't wait to get up to series four.

DECORATING Whilst it's not that long ago since our living room overhaul and hallway makeover, I've still been finding bits here and there to add to these rooms.

I came across Brewers Home and spent a good hour virtually window shopping - I love finding somewhere new to explore!

I, like most women, have a thing for cushions and I've wanted to update the tired ones in our living room for a while. I came across the Layla Faye cushion collection and fell in love instantly with the geometric prints. I love a good print, from Cath Kidston to Orla Kiely, and we already have a geometric print blanket so thought one of these bright cushions would be the perfect finishing touch for our sofa.

I chose this one - Daisy Chain in Yellow Mellow - because of the vibrant shade and striking design, and I was so pleased when it arrived just a day later.

Best seat in the house now, for sure.

The fabric quality is top notch and it has a good weight to it, with good stuffing. It's more than I would usually look to spend, at £38, but I do think it's something different and will look as good for a long time to come - no matter how much my dog Watson sleeps on it!

I'll definitely come back to Brewers Home to see what's new as there's all sorts for the home on there.

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There's plenty more I could share but I think I'll leave it there for now - it would be lovely to have you pop back again soon so I can tell you more about my life and loves lately. Don't forget you can find me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest too :)

Kelly x

* Note: I was sent the Pro Collagen capsules and cushion for the purposes of review. That's all. Opinions are my own, always.