All sorts of sights can trigger wonderment – a baby being born, a bluebell wood bathed in sunlight, a breathtaking sunset. I love all of these, but in my case watching a shiny beetle or insect going about its day is another awe inspiring marvel. Some of my earliest memories are crouching down in fascination to watch bees collecting pollen or ants trooping across the patio. Insects are riveting and beautiful, more so when you look closely. These days we're always on the look out for quirky interiors that have been inspired by insects.

When we planned our move from London to Hastings many moons ago, seeking out a home with a garden was way up there on our list of priorities. In London, our only outside space was the local pub’s beer garden. We now felt ready for a few flowerbeds of our own - although not quite grown up enough for a lawnmower. With visions of wonderful seaside gardens dancing in our heads we set about our search.

The wedding season is upon us and a small part of me can’t help but wish I had one to plan. Even though I had the best wedding ever, I often fancy doing it all over again (luckily still with Dominic).  Nowadays I have to be content with attending weddings as a guest. We only have one big day in our social calendar this year, but it’s got me thinking about wedding gifts. When it comes to presents for our friends, we like to plump for unusual or quirky wedding gifts that will stand out from the crowd.

Cooking and sharing food is a huge part of what makes a house a home. Dominic and I have always enjoyed cooking together and over the years have collected a fair few crowd-pleasing vegetarian recipes up our sleeves. We thought we’d share some of our most delicious recipes on the blog from time to time. May and June is short but sweet asparagus season, so an asparagus recipe is just the ticket for our first recipe post.

Flowers surrounded me as I grew up. My mother and grandparents were florists and I spent my early years frolicking around vases of roses, chrysanthemums, carnations and iris – all very much in vogue at the time. When I walk into a flower shop today, it transports me straight back to my childhood. The scent of foliage and floral fragrances mingled into an unforgettable perfume. With the gates opening to the Chelsea Flower Show this week, I thought we should spend some time delighting in the eclectic world of floral decor.

Pompoms are a much-loved adornment and something that we have a particular fondness for. These fuzzy balls of loveliness come in all types and textures, shapes and sizes. They range from classy and funky to tacky and twee. Pompoms (or pom poms) can be used for everything from trimmings and embellishments to party decorations. When it comes to finishing touches for the home, pompoms are definitely worthy of consideration, particularly if you are a fan of quirky home decor.

Living and working by the sea is something that makes our little family happy on a daily basis. To me, coastal living is good for the soul and a constant source of inspiration.  Our seaside surroundings influence everything from our lifestyle and home to our health and happiness.  From a business perspective, I believe that living by the sea has helped us to shape our vision for an online store that sells eclectic and quirky home accessories.  Living and working in an inspiring place creates inspiration.

After (eventually) taking the decision to follow our dream and set up an online store selling quirky homeware, we faced the daunting task of coming up with a name that would befit our new venture. Once we had a name, it would feel real and we would have something to grasp on to. Once we had a name, we could start to make it happen!

We are oh so happy today as we post for the very first time on our shiny, new Pompom and Twiddle lifestyle and interiors blog. Pompom and Twiddle is all about the captivating, enchanting and refreshingly original. It is about the little details and quirky finishing touches that make life sweet. We hope to inspire people to embellish and adorn their homes and add a bit of twiddle to their everyday lives. Our online store offers a treasure trove of enchanting and quirky homeware, partyware and finishing touches, often with a slight twist or unexpected touch.