On My Nightstand: Kathryn from Becoming You

I first stumbled upon Kathryn's blog, Becoming You,  after connecting with her on Twitter last year. Kathryn's blog is a delightful smorgasbord of everything a woman could possibly want or need to read about - from beauty and fashion to decor and travel. She even includes fun posts, like this one, which shows you how to make play dough. Whether you're in your early 20s and climbing the corporate ladder or in your 30s with a small family of your own, I can guarantee that you'll find something to suit you on this gorgeous mom's blog. I couldn't wait to sneak a peek behind closed doors to see what Kathryn keeps on her nightstand, and I wasn't disappointed! I absolutely love the hearts above her bed - read more below!

"When Chereen asked me to photograph my nightstand and share the contents with you I had a slight panic attack, you see my nightstand (or bedside table) has become a bit neglected lately and I knew there was no way I could photograph it in its current "dumping ground" state!! What was a benefit of the request was that it prompted me to do a bit of a sort out and now it is worthy of being photographed - although it is still quite full, at least you can see what is on it!

So here it is - my little corner!"

"The contents include (clockwise from top left):

- A pile of books (mostly half read and gathering dust at present!) The current books I'm reading are in the pic below.... I have been a bit slow at the moment mostly due to blogging late at night instead of getting into bed with my book. I'm hoping to change that during winter when it gets too cold to sit up late in front of the computer and the warm bed becomes more appealing! I have started all these books so really do need to buckle down and finish them. Nothing worse than not finishing a book, I can't do it!"

- "A framed picture of my husband and I on our wedding day in a pretty pressed flower frame given to be my beloved late Gran.

- A silver clock which was a wedding present from special friends - it's not working at the moment and looking a bit dull so must give it some TLC. I do love it especially as you can keep rings and earrings inside it overnight!

- A bottle of lavender essential oil.  I love essential oils and lavender is great for relaxing and calming me down! It aids sleep too - I often add it to my bath too!

- Pots of Clinique sample eye cream and night cream - meant to be here as a reminder to use them but I am pretty slack at this so they only go on every now and again... oh dear. Must try harder!

- An eyemask. OK this is not a very glam one but it is soft and dark - both very NB qualities for an eye mask. I can't sleep if it's light and I use this for day time naps when I have settled the toddler for her sleep and set up my son with a quiet activity or DVD (if he's lucky) I don't manage to sleep in the day often but if it's been a crazy morning or hectic night I try to! It helps me cope with the rest of the day a bit better.

- An ever increasing pile of magazines - I most likely choose to read a magazine over a book first, especially when I only have a few minutes before I doze off! My obsession with magazines causes my husband much frustration and I generally leave these in a pile on the floor so he can't see them from his side of the room! Current faves include Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, Easy Living (from the UK), Cape Town's Child, Marie Claire, Oprah, Home - I could go on but we'll be here forever! I also have my latest Beth Moore Study Guide which I try to read and complete a few times a week."

"Around the nightstand you will find my collection of hearts (above the bed), a framed collection of black and white photos of my parents and grandparents and another little heart hanging decoration - a gift from one of my best friends. I wish I had more space for photo frames of my kids but it is a bit small. Another thing I would love to change is the colour - I am looking into ways to whitewash or distress it to make it similar to my headboard... And I would love a new set of taller, more glam lamps! I must say that I'm very glad you didn't ask me to reveal the contents of the drawer - now that would be scary - there might be things in there from 10 years ago!"

Thank you so much for sharing, Kathryn! You're a woman after my own heart, that's for sure - I am a complete magazine addict, and it drives my fiancé up the wall! I've been likened to a hoarder, because apparently I just keep bringing more magazines into the house!

To further indulge my curiosity, I'll be doing a regular series called 'On My Nightstand' where fellow bloggers and friends will take a few snap shots of their nightstand and send a brief description for your viewing pleasure, so be sure to check back regularly for the next installment. If you'd like to share the contents of your nightstand, please be in touch. I'd love to hear from you!

images: Kathryn Rossiter