The #capturingcolour week of brights was a blast. A riot of saturated reds, dazzling blue skies, hit you in the face shades of every colour of the rainbow. My week of colour started and ended in spectacular fashion. The garden is bursting with every hue, deep pinks, burnt oranges, sunshine yellows and vivid purples.

But the end of my week was colour magic. Taking part in a colour run is a special experience. The people, the cause, the haze of powder at every km mark. Rich and I signed up a while ago to support St Margaret's Hospice and join over 1500 other runners, walkers, children, grandparents and groups of friends to run 5km for charity last Sunday. The result was a crescendo of positive energy, dancing, smiles so wide your face hurt and the most colourful washing basket you will ever have the pleasure to wash! 

We were covered from head to toe. And it has never been so fun to get dirty! The boys adored it, were desperate to join in, next year Sammy boy. My heart melted like a nobbly bobbly on a hot Summer's day when we passed them on the first lap and he ran as fast as he could along side us on the other side of the rope line. Screaming with glee and encouragement as if he was never going to see us again! That complete adoration that we had run that far (Ok it's only 5km but that felt a long way for these out of shape runners. The hot dogs might not have been the best option!) and the excitement that we were going to pass them again even more covered in paint!

I was so desperate to run into the haze with my big camera but the powered gets everywhere! I have promised we will recreate the colour run in the garden in the Summer, wouldn't this be amazing for a kid's birthday party!

If you ever get the chance to participate, raise money for a fantastic cause just do it! We ran through the powder stations killing ourselves giggling, and the crowd support was fantastic. Everyone cheered you on from the sidelines, people were snapping away not wanting to miss a moment.

A collection of people, strangers, all laughing and smiling at each other. All day. 

Such an exhilarating and joyous experience, thanks to Granny who looked after too cheeky boys who wanted to run off every minute!

And thank you all for joining in with the #capturingcolour week of brights. Just stunning! Every colour you could imagine, it finally feels like Summer has arrived!

But I just adored this scene from the photo walk at Blogtacular. I was at the conference on Saturday but tucked up in our crisp white hotel sheets at the Travelodge in Covent Garden when these incredibly creative group of Instagrammers took to the streets of London armed with giant balloons. As soon as this was posted I knew it would be my favourite for the week!

Check out Melanie's inspiring feed on her Instagram account GeoffreyandGrace. 

What would life be without colour. Monday blues, Wintry shades of white and grey, the seasons take us through a spectrum of colour each year.

Now is the time I love the most. Summer brights! Thank you so much for a really great event!

I took some snippets of video, for a moment I stood and thought face your fear, switch the iPhone to video! I'm going to have a play at editing them all together but for now you can see the magical moment here.

Awesome. 

#capturingcolour is a weekly theme on Instagram. Tag your photos and post a CAPTION with it this week. Tell us all the story behind the picture. Favourites will be featured next Monday :)

I have never really understood the science behind the concept of mood boarding until earlier this year when I listened to Gudy Herder speak at the Colour for Creatives course in London. The emotion, focus and clarity a mood board can give you is quite astounding.

I'd hadn't given much thought to balance, layering or placement before, assuming that my random collection of things that captured my attention at that moment gave me what I was looking for. But mood boarding effectively is a real skill. And over the last few months I have really tried to think about what it can convey, how you want mood boards to make you reach out and feel the different elements, how you need to translate a message.

Mood boards flood my Instagram feed with designers I follow preparing them for new client projects and as a way to inspire. I have definitely got a long way to go with my own skills but I love the learning.

At first, back in March I found it quite difficult. I piled everything on my board and forgot that what I want from this blog is powerful imagery that doesn't get lost. Less conflicting elements fighting for your attention! Ever since the course, I have been trying to prepare a brief for a new look branding and logo design for this blog. And it's been difficult! Much harder than I ever imagined. Trying to visual with colours and textures and materials what is me and what is the blog and whether they are right to be the same thing or not.

I finally sent off my waffly ideas and rambly thoughts to a very talented designer who I am thrilled to say will be joining me for the Friday Define your Design sessions at BritMums Live 2015.

How lucky are we?!!! Teri from The Lovely Drawer is an incredibly creative, gifted illustrator and designer and we can't wait to share our thoughts on taking your blog design and branding to the next level. There will be two sessions a beginners and intermediate workshop so hopefully something for everyone!

And of course there will be lots of lovely props for you to play with to create your own mood board! Feel free to bring any little bits you think represent you if you are planning on coming to the session, any fabric you love, your favourite postcard, scrap paper or blog business card.

I loved playing around with the different things around my office for my #capturingcolour week of mood boards. I change the bits and pieces on our sideboard in the lounge each week, moving photos from one ledge to another, swapping vases and each week I look back and think how much that totally captivated my feelings. So this week was a muddle!

And wow just look at these beauties from the #capturingcolour gallery.

But this image from Gathering Spriggs just had to be my absolute favourite this week. I so admire those who home school their children, their energy and imaginative ideas. Check our Heather's feed it is like a shot of creative dynamism!

This week is a brand new theme of BRIGHTS! I have decided at last on a new layout for my blog and have taken a series of photos which I hope capture in one image everything I feel. Colour, fun and inspiration! 

I can't wait to see the branding images Teri comes up with and I'll be sharing them at the BritMums Live sessions!

#capturingcolour is a weekly theme on Instagram. Tag your BRIGHTS photos this week. Favourites will be featured next Monday :)

When life is moving at a million miles an hour I find creating little photos for my Instagram feed is a way of surviving it all! My feet didn't touch the ground last week, I had photo shoots, meetings for my development job and party preparations! Sammy's birthday was at the start of the half term and fortunately my in-laws came to the rescue and took the boys to their house for a mini holiday so I could squeeze in as much work as possible. I had the great pleasure of working for a very talented lady Julia, who has launched a new smoothie business locally. I came away completely inspired by her life choices, her relationship with food and her wonderful family dynamic. I will hopefully share some sneak peeks later this week. 

I've finally moved into my new office above the garage. It still smells a little like fresh paint and the walls are still bare but I have a proper space to work now, free from too many distractions in the house! I can't wait to show you all in a little tour soon. One of my favourite things is the drop down wooden table that the previous owner used for her art materials. She was a talented painter and I can still envisage her jars of old paint brushes along the window ledge.

It makes a fabulous backdrop for photos because it is flooded with light and I can play around without annoying Rich with petals on pieces of scrap paper over the house!

This was my #capturingcolour week.

And the #capturingcolour gallery was filled with creative compositions, texture, snap shots into people's hobbies, moments with their little ones and artful arrangements.

I was surrounded by wood this week, wooden signs for the party that we made from an old fence panel that was destined for the fire, tree slices that I used as cake stands from a local chap I found through Facebook, and setting up the garden on Saturday made me really appreciate just now much I love pottering at home and how I wish I was more green fingered.

I am determined to try and learn more about the beautiful plants and flowers that keep popping up around the house. I really want the boys to have fun in the garden this Summer, not just on the slide or trampoline but be involved. Tend the vegetable patch, help me cut the flowers, tidy up the pond which looks like an overgrown swamp land! I am getting a lesson soon from a lovely lady in our village who is growing all the flowers for her daughter's wedding this weekend. 

That is my dream for the boys, to watch them walk up to the village church, just like she will on Saturday! 

So this photo from Lucy @mscraftberrybush just had to be my favourite to feature this week. I can just picture her pottering at this table, an effortless backdrop for beautiful photos outdoors. Lucy's blog was one of the first I read when I started blogging three years ago and her attention to detail and elegant styling inspires me so much. 

Come and join in a brand new week of MOOD BOARDS! I am busy plotting away now for the design sessions at Brit Mums Live with my co host, the super talented Teri from The Lovely Drawer. We want to get everyone excited about creating mood boards to help guide you with your blog design and understand how they can be so effective and fun!

It's a conference to inspire, make new friends, squeal and hug old ones and above all soak up everything the Brit Mums community has to offer. Have you got your ticket yet?! 

So get practising! 

#capturingcolour is a weekly theme on Instagram. Tag your MOOD BOARD photos this week. Favourites will be featured next Monday :)