I received an email last year, inviting me to be part of a very special project.  I was surprised, flattered, and incredibly excited!  I waited in anticipation.  And finally, it arrived – a beautiful book by Hailey and Andrew Bartholomew, titled 365 Gratefuls.

Hailey undertook her own personal project of finding and photographing a moment of grateful in every day – to really look for, and discover, the things that are often missed or overlooked.  In the book’s introduction she writes, “It amazed me how quickly I began to notice more and more ‘gratefuls’.  It was not long before it was hard to take only a single photo each day.”  Hailey began to share her project with others, who began grateful projects of their own, and from there she was inspired to put together the book in the image above.  An amazing collection of photographs and stories, a mixture of sweet and funny, heart-rending, and lovely, and I find myself smiling as I read.

And you may remember my image from our trip to Thailand last year (blogged here).  I am so thankful that it was chosen, as it’s one of my most favourite of all – for everything that it is, how it makes me remember, and how we felt in that moment together.  I love that so much can be wrapped up tight in one photograph.

I hope your world is full of wonderful moments.

Today, I’m so very grateful for this.

M x

I’m a huge fan of 3 Annies leather camera bags as I’ve mentioned here before, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on their yellow Pheobe bag!  I also own a 3 Annies pink Cenza bag which I use when I work, as it’s the perfect size to hold all my equipment together with a little room to spare.  But I don’t always want or need to take everything with me.  As a mother of a four year old girl, I often like to go out with just my camera, purse, and essentials, so I can capture moments with her.  My handbag simply isn’t made for carrying a large DSLR, and I was finding I would leave it home, rather than battle with the dilemma of how to manage it.  I didn’t like the idea of having my camera bouncing around right next to everything else in my bag.

As soon as I saw the Pheobe, I realised what a fantastic solution it was for me.  A little smaller than my Cenza bag, it’s just like a handbag, with the added bonus of being able to hold my camera securely.  I love that I can still travel light with my gear and know that everything’s safe from scratches and bumps.

The colour is the first thing that caught my eye.  3 Annies bags are statement pieces and this sunshine yellow is no exception.  The Pheobe is lined in black, and the padded inner box is a black and white stripe.  And the quality of the leather is amazing!  Already gorgeous and soft, I’m sure it will only improve with age and wear.  I tried out a vinyl camera bag a couple of years ago which wore very badly, and wasn’t up to the task of everyday use.  When I heard about 3 Annies leather bags, I knew I had to try them and I haven’t been disappointed.  There’s no comparison in the quality, feel, function, and look of the leather – it really does come out on top.

The two handle options are brilliant!  I often use the short handles and carry the bag over my arm, but if we’re at the park, or a place where I’m pulling my camera out often and running around, I’ll use the longer shoulder strap and carry it across my body.  The pad makes it really comfy to wear.

And there’s a pocket for everything!  Inside the bag is the 3 Annies padded inner box, removable so that the bag can be used as just a handbag – which I also do!  There’s a reinforced zipped pocket inside with two open pockets opposite.  On the outside of the bag, there are three pockets at the front (I pop my phone into one of these), and one large zipped pocket at the back (a great spot for my creative journal).  I like being able to access things quickly, especially as a Mum who needs two sets of eyes at times.  I always take a drink and a snack for Sophia, and these fit neatly too.

Sophia loves all things girly, and she loves our Pheobe as much as I do.  Pink and yellow are her favourite colours, so she’s very impressed at my choice of 3 Annies bags.  And we don’t have to sacrifice our style for function anymore!

Thank you so much 3 Annies, with love from Mel & Sophia xx

(dress from Lil Pip ~ thank you!)