Faded Spring

    Quirky Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas For Joy

    In a past-life she was an all-seeing romantic. In a blurry, fuzzy kaoledocopic universe, where she seemed to be an outsider looking in. Couples waltzing around her with laughing eyes giggling. Stolen kisses in the shadows of night, declarations of love. Romance lived in happy hearts, her own aching for even a glimpse. Carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, stuck in a cycle of anxiety, depression, and self-doubt. A found it hard to let go of the demons that clung onto her so hungrily. So how could she find someone, when she was hurting? How could she manifest her soulmate, when her body was frozen in trauma? But even in her deepest, darkest moments, she found someone. The love of ... read more

    Mindful Veganuary Gift Ideas For Every Budget

    From a young age, her love for animal rights, knew no bounds. Hours spent enveloping stray animals with love, a caress, a hug, a kiss, adoration like they had never seen before. The crumbles of kindness keeping them alive, wishing there was more she could do. Years spent torturing herself, hoping to alleviate their pain. Warm bed, shelter, food, water. An open heart and welcome arms. Stray animals fighting for survival, begging to be let inside. Now, she had three cats of her own, two rescues who were grateful to have a loving home. 12 years ago turned vegetarian, eyes opened to a callous world of torture. The taste of death a forkful away, she could no longer stomach it. She was never ... read more

    Colourful Veganuary Gift Ideas For Foodies

    There was something sacred about food. A natural cologne, wafting smells of home in euphoric scent. Aromas dancing underneath her nostrils, she breathed it in with sheer ecstacy. On a stormy night, where the thunder crackled outside her window, she craved comfort food. A rich lentil and chickpea ragu bolognese, enveloped in tagliatelle. Smatterings of vegan parmesan scattered atop, garnished with unami rich black garlic. Breathe in, breathe out. Food was more than just a routine to A. It was a way of life. A self-care act that filled her with elation, bubbling away like a crock pot on a stove. An anxiety warrior, that made her feel good from the inside out. Veganuary was her way of coping ... read more

    Colourful Christmas Gift Ideas For Quirky Adults

    The moment she was allowed to buy her own clothes, the colour revolution appeared. Red sumptous velvets and fuschia pinks. Emerald greens and rich jewel tones. Still, it wasn't until recently that she truly allowed herself to experiment with colour. Monochromatic eco-friendly Christmas green essembles, a welcome contrast to the grays and blacks that London was in permenantly. Ochre yellows in a sunshine glaze, cobalt blues with dusky teals. It wasn't just fashion either. A bright bold pink cat tree a welcome pop of colour, a sea of blue-themed paintings lining up the walls. Three cats dozing peacefully on tartan sofas, a heavily stacked bookshelf, with cascading tinsel. For Christmas was a ... read more

    Mini Vegan Beauty Christmas Gift Guide

    No matter what time of year it was, A revelled in a holistic cruelty-free beauty routine. There was something so powerful about the slathering of lotions and potions being smeared into her skin. The soft dreamy scent of lavender massaged into parched dry legs. The rich creaminess of shea butter into hard-skinned feet, a blissfully comforting salve. A lathering face wash- melting away makeup, until her bare baby skin poked through, scored with scars, large pores and imperfections. But it was these flaws that mattered the most. Tenderly cupped in her newly creamed hands, tending to her skin's warrior marks with aptness. She found them beautifully chaotic, the imprint of silver scars blurred ... read more

    Holistic Self-Care Christmas Gift Ideas For Joy

    Overwhelm and burn out was the recipe of the day. A was tired, drowning under a sea of responsibilities, deadlines and chores. The darkness tried to engulf her hungrily, in a macrabre blanket of desperation, and longing. But noone saw that did they? The mountain of insecurities, and tears that made threats daily. The sheer panic that filled her body, as yet another anxiety attack racked her body. The countless sleepless nights, waiting for sleep to come, and it never did. Recently, she had a new mental health diagnosis, and medication, which she prayed would give her the tranquil solace that she so craved. Even writing this was hard. The shallow breaths that overcompensated for her anxiety. ... read more

    Eco Friendly Gift Ideas For A Sustainable Christmas

    The planet smiled upon her day. The day that everything changed and a lightbulb went off in her head. A sustainable Christmas gifting season, where the environment, animals, and humans harmonized in perfect symphony. It came to her, as she walked in nature, hand in hand with a blissful October sun. Bathing her in light, she had an ephinany, the river banks caressed by mottled green grass. Though the leaves were falling, and the trees were bare, there was beauty in minimalism. Spindling twigs strewn across muddy paths. The extroverted cheer of rosy cheeked cherubs in festive onesies. The scent of pine, and kindling, crackling in the distance, a serene moment. In this moment of stillness, she ... read more

    Manthan Mayfair: A Magical Indian Brunch

    T'was the season of Halloween, where ghouls lurked conspiratorily in the shadows of night, and children screeched gleefully. The crunch of orange leaves underfoot, as you walked past the carved pumpkins with a sneering smile. Despite being autumn, the air was suprisingly temperate and balmy, a slight breeze. It almost seemed like winter wasn't coming this year. And so the couple in their late twenties ventured into the middling autumn calmy. A blue faux fur shaggy jacket perched nochantly on an intricate pale blue lacy maxi dress. Paired with a blue and purple flower crown, and cross-over heels, the lady was never one to fade into the background. Her partner, in a semi-formal tapered blue ... read more

    How To Choose An Advent Calendar For Christmas

    It was the most magical time of year, tinged frost on tinted windows. A burrowing chill that made you reach for the nearest blanket, becoming at one with your bed. TV shows flickering on and off, a soothing cup of hot chocolate, that warmed your fingers. The snowflakes would twirl like they were auditioning for a part in The Greatest Dancer. Maybe they had been chatting to the ice skaters that moved with fluidity and grace. Axel jumps, on solid ice, how A longed to be one of them. Yet, the last time she had been ice skating was when she was 8, and look what happened there. Still, she wouldn't ruin the gloriousness of Christmas cheer, conjuring up her countdown to do list, with glee. A vegan ... read more

    Dreamy Bedroom Trends for Cozy Winter Nights

    Despite the rain that tip-taps on my window sill, there is joy in winter. The coziness of a dreamy bedroom, where fluffy throws envelop frozen feet. The crackle of a fireplace, stacked high with wood, blackening gently in the fuzzy heat. Happiness at home, as you transform yourself into a voluminous blanket, three cats dozing peacefully in a cat tree. The scene is set, winter nights where the bedroom is your favourite place to be. Hours spent snuggling in a friendly bed, curled up watching TV. All your favourites; Ru Paul's Drag Race, Big Mouth, Rick and Morty, and Bojack too, a kid at heart. But your interiors are uninspiring. Sure, they were magical once upon a time, when summer ruled the ... read more