Faded Spring

    Mini Vegan Valentine’s Day Foodie Gift Guide

    To Ana, food was everything. The one thing that saved her from the brink of collapse. Remembering the days where she had no money. Forced to live on rations, a climbing pile of debt swallowing her whole. One meal, parcelled out with care. Eyes wide shut, savouring each bite. Her stomach grumbling as the food danced down her rasping throat. Her relationship with food had always been complicated. Brought up in times of poverty, neglect and abuse. Remembering a childhood where food was eaten in front of her, crying out for her own. Restricted, she remembered that pattern of behaviour. How scared she was when she spent money. Wondering if she'd have more of those empty days. Mouth dry, hair ... read more

    New Vegan Food And Drink For Veganuary 2025

    She remembered the days where Veganuary was like a second Christmas. It was 2019, what she would consider the peak of 'new vegan food and drink'. Where everything from vegan tuna, to vegan rum, plant-based lamb and pastas slithered onto her doorstep. Her eyes would light up, the doorbell ringing. A postman with a bounty of gifts, vegan meat alternatives, vegan drinks, and vouchers to some of her favourite restaurants. But in 2025, the vegan landscape seemed vastly different. Brands slashing their plant-based offerings. A lonely vegan supermarket aisle, in desperate need of a stock refill. A cut back on vegan meat alternatives. People treating veganism as though it was a dirty word. ... read more

    Colourful Food & Drink Christmas Gift Ideas For 2024

    Sitting in the window, watching the rain gush on neon-splattered pavements. The chorus of cars droning through the busy high street. She smiled, the faintest bit of snow, a Christmas miracle. Watching the snowflakes twirl through the air like pretty ballerinas. The skies slashed into darkness, gray clouds drifting on by. She felt blissfully happy. A glass of non alcoholic homemade mulled wine. Orange slices, sticky sweet. Star anise, cinnamon sticks bobbing. Hot purple liquid drifting down  her throat. Delicate tapered fingers reaching into a bowl of smoked nuts. She wanted to bottle this moment up. How she felt elated and carefree. Floating on air, the snow falling harder now. Dreaming of ... read more

    Cruelty-Free Beauty Essentials For The Christmas Season

    Anxiety coursed through her veins like adrenaline, she could smell it coming. Leeching onto the fear that grappled at her skin. A prisoner of her mind, she'd lost count of the amount of times she'd cried that week. The convulsing panic attacks, she felt like she couldn't breathe. Her stomach churning, like she'd had too many mince pies. The back, tense to the touch, the muscles rigid with stress. She closed her eyes, imagining washing the pain away. Every tear a reminder of the Christmases she'd battled and survived. The bad, the ugly, and the downright horrendous. She tried to tell herself to breathe, imagining herself surrounded by a million puppies. Squirming, little balls of energy, she ... read more

    Feel Good Christmas Gift Ideas That Make You Smile

    For the longest time, Christmas would fill her with dread. Memories of being abused as a child, seeping through her consciousness. The bruises, yellow-purple mottling, fading over time. The silvery scars blending into pockmarked skin. Poisonous shadows throttling her, lacerated throat. She would tremble, a raised hand, a venomous voice. Stripping away her confidence, her self-esteem no more. Wondering if this was what life would be forever. Hiding in the darkness, afraid of what would happen next. Words like weapons, sharp and cold. Her spirit sold to the highest bidder. The woman who robbed her of her childhood innocence. Forced to grow up, tiny feet in too-big shoes. Learning to bury ... read more

    Meaningful Charity Christmas Gift Ideas

    The true meaning of Christmas was spelt out in frosted windowpanes. Give back to others, let compassion feed your soul. Don't get caught in the rush of shopping, wrapping and exchanging gifts. Forgo the endless sales, and wishlists that dominate your thoughts. Focus on brightening someone else's day. How you can make them laugh. Smiles so wide, eyes lit up with happiness. Happy tears freely flowing, whoops of Christmas cheer. Love, genorosity and community at the heart of Christmas. A time to priortize meaningful connections and express gratitude from a young age. Even as a child, she loved giving back to others. Remembering what little she had, she would share with friends. Birthday money ... read more

    Ping Pong Dim Sum: Healthy Vegetarian Food

    The air was thick, the water rocking. Mist curling over silent boats floating. On a grey day by St. Katherine's Dock, muted colours, soft and still. The cusp between autumn and winter, hanging in balance. Hands in green coat pockets, a pop of colour. A beret placed nochalantly on wild curls, reddened cheeks. The wind, howling like rabid banshees, the cold burrowing into numb fingers. But it did not matter. The promise of a better end to the day, lying in wait. Opposite the docks, where the boats bob forlonly. Behind the fog that swallowed her whole.  She reached into the charcoal smudges of gray, and stepped into the light. Ping Pong Dim Sum, emblazoned in faux flowers. Warm sepia lights ... read more

    Autumn Date Ideas In Canada That Are Cozy

    They watch Autumn's breath paint the maple trees. In fiery hues of crimson and gold, the sun dipping low, the air turning crisp. Gloves slipped over number fingers, cheeks rosy. Hair strewn with tempesteous winds, a lover's kiss. Wrapped in patchwork scarfs, traipsing down their bodies. They hoot with laughter, sitting on an unconspicious park bench. The leaves swirling around their ankles, in a rhythmic trance. For they were in Canada, the world painted around them so bright. Purple-orange creeping into flaming sunsets, the moon biding its time. Watching late afternoon gulp into evening, lost in the moment. Swapping the unique autumn staycation in the UK for something further afield. It ... read more

    The Best Mobility Aids For Seniors At Home 

    As we age, everyday tasks that once seemed simple can become increasingly challenging. For many elderly individuals, mobility issues can make moving around the home, bathing, or even navigating stairs daunting and dangerous. As someone who worked as a carer for the elderly, I have seen first hand the implications of having an inaccessible home. From patients slipping in the bath, to falling down the stairs, when a nurse isn't home, major incidents can occur. Even cooking a meal can have consequences, with a higher risk of burns from hot stovetops, ovens, or boiling liquids. As a carer, I looked after patients in their homes, rather than in a nursing home. Patients said that they preferred to ... read more

    How To Design Your Dream Bedroom With AI

    She pressed herself against her window, watching the pigeons walk along the roof. A flash of muted gray, tinged with turquoise. Her tabby cat perched on her hind legs, batting at the birds. A sharp meow, a cat in a tantrum. Watching the birds evade her once more. The skies darkened into a stormy gray, spillingf rain, like tears unshared. The cloud's secrets drenching the streets. The scent of damp, her nose wrinkling. She sighed, wondering if summer would ever come. Desperate snatches of rare sunny days, the world engulfed in honeyed hues. But alas, it was yet another rainy day. Collapsing into her flower-strewn Bed. The light dim, shadows creeping up the creamy walls. She would take ... read more