I am famous in my family for being a lover of a good celebrity magazine. I've had subscriptions as birthday presents and when we lived next door to our best friends, on a sunday night, I used to pop the weeks stack through their letterbox. We still joke about that now, 10 years later! I must have got it from my Mum, who in over 40 years has never missed an edition of Woman or Woman's Own! However, since having 2 boys to run around after, the time I have to sit down with a magazine is almost non existent and if I am honest, any spare moments I get, I'd rather spend them reading a few great blogs I follow! I love that a blog is a snap shot of time, that people write what is happening to them or that they find interesting now and if you check again the next day there might be something new and exciting to read.

I knew I was getting old when I said the other day, "oh these magazines, they all have the same story, same pictures" and if you want the latest celebrity gossip, the right hand side bar of the Daily Mail website is perfect!

My sister has inherited this love of magazines too, and whilst I might go for a copy of House Beautiful now, she still loves to buy all the week's celebrity offerings including Now, OK, Hello and New.

We spent the weekend together and I came home with her stack of slightly dog eared, celebrity offerings from last week. I went to bed on Sunday night, at a fairly decent time and had a lovely 20 minutes flicking through.

However, I was shocked when I read this article in New magazine. The article featured Una Healy from the Saturdays girl band and her fiancé Ben Foden shopping with their newborn. The poor girl has had her relationship dissected in the press recently for her fiancés alleged indiscretions at his stag do. Unfortunately, there was video evidence.

The article zoomed in on a photograph of their supermarket trolley and listed what they had bought with unhelpful comments, including "Bin Bags - to dispose of Ben's clothes if he misbehaves again?" and whether because they had put a jar of olives in the trolley they were trying to get things 'back on track' as olives are rumoured to be an aphrodisiac.

I'm sorry if I offend anyone who thinks this counts as good journalism, but I have never read such drivel.

Imagine if they had stuffed their trolley sky high with condoms, the article would have no doubt read "Una forgives her cheating man - would you be so quick to let him off the hook?"

Parents of newborns always look tired when food shopping! They have a newborn! To be honest I thought she looked incredible!

I'm not saying people don't like reading about a scandal, of course they do but I think we should draw the line at analysing a shopping trolley! That was the magazine's story of the week!

I have a lovely hobby taking photographs of beautiful pregnant ladies, babies and happy families. Over the last couple of years I have started earning a nice amount of pocket money and have met some great people who have recommended me to their friends. It all happened by accident really, my husband has always been interested in photography and has a great eye for detail so treated himself, almost 5 years ago, to a Canon EOS 40D at the airport in duty free!

I would play about with it, watch him take beautiful pictures and was so proud when friends of friends asked, and paid him, to photograph their weddings.

It wasn't that I wanted a slice of the action, I just started using the camera more and quite naturally have taken over as the resident photographer in our household.

I would always say I am an aspiring photographer. I have never been on a photography course and have absolutely no qualifications. I just see something and use the camera's amazing capability to capture it in the best way I can.

My cousin is hoping to start a similar family photography business to earn some money when her smallest baby gets older and has done some great preparation by attending a number of courses. We regularly have the same discussion. She says "but how do you know to take it like that?" To why I reply, "I don't, I just know in my mind how I want the photograph to look and let the camera do it's thing!" Of course I am not a complete dummy when it comes to the technical aspects of the SLR but I think the best thing, about the photographs I take, is that they show exactly what I see, the way I want others to see it.

I didn't really set out to use props when it came to my family sessions, I have just gradually amassed a collection of charming things that enhance both the photographs and, I hope, the experience.

I love ribbons and use them in anything I can. I wrap them round a beautiful bump, let a baby get tangled amongst them and use them like a washing line with cute little bird pegs.

Although my photographs may be too cutesy for some, and I am positive they are not technically perfect, I love them. I found some wooden pastel blocks, a few years ago, from John Crane which look fantastic against the black background. They only seem to make the primary colour ones now so I am glad I have my set! I always photograph people against a black background as I love that the colour of your eyes just pop against the black, plus it is kinder to pale baby skin, which sometimes I find can merge into a white background.

I bought these giant letter cards, which have a circus feel to the font and always arrange them around the families bare feet!

My most recent find was this miniature dresser. I saw it through the window of a gift shop and marched straight in and said I'll have it! I hadn't even looked at the price at that point! I just need to find a mini tea set so little girls can play kitchens!

I also found an old, little, distressed wooden chair which will be perfect for my initial shot, where I peg the child's initial to a really long ribbon and drape it around the back of the chair. The child always can't resist a fiddle of the ribbon and it makes a wonderful photo.

I adore all the newborn photography that feature the knitted hats. Our friends recently had the most incredible photographs of their newborn son wrapped up in all sorts of knitted cocoons. But I appreciate, that as much as I would love to take photographs like that, you can't force someone else's style onto your photographs, no matter how much you admire theirs.

I want to take photographs that reflect me and reflect the kind of photographs I would love of my own children.

My prop basket, it is in fact a large picnic basket, is full of me! It is great to draw inspiration from others and one day my photographs might inspire someone else but always remember to be true to you. Don't copy others or try to replicate them, just wait for your own style to evolve!

Sometimes you don't need any props at all - this is one of my favourite photographs and it needed nothing but those big beautiful blue peepers!

I love the use of props and the best thing is that your collection can change and grow as your style and taste matures. I just need a bigger basket!

I have just learnt that today is National Stationery Day! National Stationery Day is organised by LMC Media who organise the only UK trade exhibition dedicated to stationery products, writing instruments and accessories! Along with their partners Faber-Castell, Sheaffer and uni-ball they are encouraging us all to celebrate the written word and all things stationery!

I remember as a child, just before school started in September after the long holiday, which then felt like a proper summer, we were allowed to go to WH Smiths and choose a new pencil case. When I was really cool it became a pencil tin! I have always adored pretty stationery, interesting pens and tiny little notecards.

I always think I am such an easy person to buy for, because that old favourite, the notelet set present, when you can't think of anything else, would be marvellous in my book!

My husband shares this love and is very particular about the pens he uses. In fact, within our family he is known for only using uni-ball coloured ball points!

I love sending little postcards to friends for no reason and I've always got cards "in stock" ready for next years birthdays.

I always send thank you cards.

I find it quite rude, the people who do not. It only takes a few minutes and we all have the time. Whether we would prefer to spend that time watching an episode of our favourite program is a different matter, but I find it quite frustrating when people say "oh I haven't got time to do thank you cards".

It doesn't have to cost lots of money either. Handmade thank you cards can just be a scribble on a scrap of paper, Grandparents will love that more than an expensive shop bought one!

I have a habit of buying cards to suit the person and my husband can't bear it. He would much rather buy an arty, photo card from John Lewis! But I think people appreciate the effort you have put in to search for the perfect card! We have a long running joke with a best friend of ours that she is a fox! So every time I see a good fox card I pop it in the box in the July slot! I think I have 4 years worth at the moment!

I bought a great card organiser from Phoenix as it is so handy to have cards ready so you don't miss birthdays or anniversaries!

When we went to Tokyo for my husband's 30th last year and a highlight for me, sad or not, was this beautiful stationery shop, which is listed in the guide books! I could have pottered for hours in the Tsutsumu Factory and bought this little notepaper pad and these letterpress business cards to use for my family photography! I have written notes and slipped them in with the cd to the families I have photographed. Just adds that personal touch.

I bought a set of school desks from eBay a couple of years ago that are in the play room and my Granny's old chairs are perfect albeit they are pink! I can't wait to see my 2 boys, when they are older, beavering away with home work, colouring or writing thank you cards.

I discovered the most incredible site today Paper Source, unfortunately it is the US but I am hoping I can order a few things and ship them to my brother in New Jersey!

I am just about to order some fun family note paper from Identity Direct. If you want something personalised this is the site. You can choose a different cartoon illustrate for each member of the family, including the pets!

But my favourite stationery has to be from Honey Tree Publishing. It comes so beautifully packaged and is worth every penny. We had small boy's Christening invites made from there, they were the Owl and the Pussycat theme! I'll find a spare and post it on the blog because they were so delicate but he is asleep at the moment and they are in his memory box!

I hope I have inspired you to pick up a pen and write a little note to someone you love.

Happy National Stationery Day!