Planning a gallery wall with Desenio

I’ve always loved a good gallery wall! We have had a range of frames on the wall climbing the stairs in our house for many years now - a montage of black and white photos of relatives and special friends, in varying frame sizes but all with the same mount and border. I was keen to do something similar on the wall above our sofa in the lounge, but with some cool, calming prints in muted tones to create a gorgeous gallery wall which would create a relaxing and inspiring space after a long day.

 

  Disclosure: Paid partnership with Desenio. Pints were sent in return for an honest review. 

Planning a gallery wall can often be the tricky part, trying to imagine how all of your images might fit together, whether the sizes will work next to each other and then of course, finding the right sized prints to fit the frame! This is where the Desenio’s gallery wall tool makes it super easy to plan your wall art. Read on for more info on how we used the tool to plan our gallery wall and how this compares in real life too!

Facts About An Effective Laser Hair Removal Treatment

Hair removal is an aesthetic ritual that nearly every one of us does on a regular basis. However, a lot of people find waxing and shaving to be inconvenient because these are temporary and relatively short-lived. Nowadays, laser hair removal treatment has become a common method to eliminate hair growth. After being thoroughly tested, professionals do the process, and it is clinically proven to reduce or remove hair quickly. As a result, we can get the expected and more effective results without affecting the skin at minimal or no downtime. Laser hair treatment has become quite cost-effective and the most effective way of getting rid of unwanted hairs for longer terms.

 

This is a collaborative post

Are you looking for an effective laser hair removal treatment? These fascinating facts will give
you some helpful insight to have a clear understanding of this treatment...

How to Choose the Best Flooring for Play Rooms

When it comes to choosing the best floor for your play room, there is a lot to think about. Safety, comfort, and durability are the three main factors you’ll want to focus on. The space should be a fun, safe place for your child to play.

 

So, which type of flooring is best? Leeds based retailer Stories Flooring, reveals some of the best types of floors you can use in your child’s play room below.

Learning through play Ideas with Jaques of London | Review

In this blog post I will be showing you some simple 'learning through play' activity ideas using the Double Nine Dominoes and the Teaching Clock from Jaques of London who specialise in Toys for Kids with multiple benefits - particularly educational. These items were gifted for the purpose of this review but all words, ideas and opinions are my own.  

Disclosure: Ad - paid partnership with Jaques of London

The play ideas within this post can easily be adapted to suit your child and your own resources at home, but should you wish to purchase your own products from Jaques of London, I can offer 15% off for my readers here.

How many of us have been left with stretch marks after the birth of our children, and despite knowing that they are there to show the journey our body has been on, we still wish them away?

This short poem aims to put the meaning back into each little mark, and highlights the importance of each one, and the job it may have done. By thinking about what you would have to 'trade in' for each mark, it may help you to see their true value...

A poem about stretch-marks 

What if every mark is just a symbol for the parts of you that grew...

Dutch products in the UK | Bringing a piece of Holland Home

What do you imagine when you think of Holland? Tulips…windmills…clogs…canals…hundreds of bicycles?

Disclosure: Paid partnership with DutchGrown

My husband was born and raised in Noord-Holland, in a small town called Bergen, where my parents-in-law still live. I spent every Xmas between 2005-2013 there (halted only by my first child being due on the 23rd Dec 2014, and then making us wait another 2 weeks before arrival!) plus some special occasions in-between, such as, Lichtes Avond, Sinterklaas and Koningsdag. 

 My husband proposed to me at the Ruinekerk – not his original plan, it should have been in the sand dunes - but I’ll tell you about that story another time! I visited wedding dress designers, Dutch cheese markets and shipped home tiny little love heart shaped sweets and Wilhelmina mints as wedding favours. Although I’m terrible at languages, and no amount of books, CDs and ‘only speak Dutch’ days have helped me – there are some words I only know in Dutch, having learnt them first in Holland! Imagine my confusion when attempting to buy a new blade for my shower screen wiper and referring to it as a ‘trekker’ in the UK (for those confused as to why I didn’t learn this word before, I grew up with just a bath at home, no shower. I met my husband at University which is when I left home).

Tips for getting ready to sell your home

Preparing for putting your house on the market? Maybe you are getting ready to sell your house, or maybe you are looking to buy a new home. Whatever the case may be, you will want to make sure that your house is in good condition and is looking its best. Here are some tips for getting your house ready for sale...
 

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post

Selling your house and purchasing a new house is a big decision. The process can be time-consuming and stressful, but it's worth it when you find the perfect buyer.Homeowners are often surprised by the amount of time and money it takes to get a house ready for selling, but the time you spend preparing your house for sale can save you money in the long run, and get you more money when it sells.

Before you list, here are some things to do to make your house stand out from the rest, and a few things to check before you take the decision to sell your house...

September 2021 - update

It's a new academic year and lots has happened in the last couple of months! There have been some highs and some lows...

From buying/selling houses, to illnesses, birthdays and new school starters we have crammed quite a few emotions into the last few week...

Femme Luxe Finery | August Edit

Disclosure: Ad: Paid Partnership with Femme Luxe

With the weather heating up this month and things opening back up again, I decided to include a couple of dresses and shorter tops on my Femme Luxe fashion edit this time! With the prospect of moving house to a 'doer upper' and also a couple of parties in the pipeline, I chose some items which could be suitable for a bit of DIY, lounging around and dressing up!

What to Write in a Rude Birthday Card

Rude birthday cards are a popular choice for people who like to push the boundaries. Are you searching for something especially unique and memorable to put in your friend’s birthday card this year? Well, why not try creating your own custom rude birthday card to leave them with red cheeks and a smile from ear to ear. This is the perfect opportunity to showcase your wit, racy humour, and general naughtiness. If you are struggling for inspiration, at Boomf they've got some excellent examples of your next rude birthday card message.

 

This is a collaborative guest post

Every year we spend time searching for the funniest, rude birthday card we can find for my brother in law - it has become a bit of a tradition and a definite expectation that the card we choose should be anything but boring...You'll usually know if your card recipient is fair game for this sort thing...

Semi-Permanent Eyebrow Healing Journey | Emergency Removal

At the end of last year I went for my first 'powder brow' session at a Yorkshire based beauty salon. Unfortunately I was unable to have the treatment as planned as I was informed once there that I needed to have stopped breastfeeding for AT LEAST 2 weeks before I had the semi-permanent eyebrow tattoo. I ended up going back in April this year for my first session, which I was happy with, and this blog post and video shows the healing process. A few weeks ago I went back for my top up session and I'm afraid to say that this wasn't a positive result and I ended up having emergency tattoo pigment removal using 'Botched Ink' 24 hours later...

I had saved up for semi-permanent Ombre / Powder Brows for a while, but had always put off booking a session because I was so worried that I would come away with brows that I hated, were uneven, the wrong shape or the wrong colour. Read on to find out what happened and why I ended up needing emergency removal....

July 2021 - quick update

It has been a while since I did a little catch up post, so I thought I'd fill you all in on what has been happening over the last couple of months!

 

From birthdays, to classes, product launches to house moves (almost)...its been a busy time!

The first trimester vs the Third trimester - which would you rather?

First trimester or third trimester?....It’s a tricky question isn’t it? And one that you can’t really debate without inevitably spiralling down a path of negativity around all things pregnancy related…BUT…if you’ve been there and you’ve SUFFERED through pregnancy rather than glowed your way through it on a cloud of rainbows, you’ve probably earned the right to have a little moan.*

              *(I have earned this right. I love my children dearly, but I definitely get to have a moan now)

 

There are many wonderful moments throughout pregnancy. Feeling the first kick, hearing the heartbeat, having a positive scan, watching your bump grow and sharing the excitement with family and friends. Most parents-to-be find that the second trimester is the easiest to cope with, as energy levels return and news is generally ‘out in the open’, with a manageable sized baby bump and plenty of time left to plan. Before and after this portion of pregnancy is where some parents can struggle though. Let’s have a look at some of the delights that await, before deciding which you would rather…

Femme Luxe | Active Wear edit | June 2021

How are you fixed for activewear? It's something I have usually shied away from in the past, but since I started doing gyrotonic classes I've found it so much easier to move and observe how I'm doing an exercise when I'm wearing the right clothing. I used to hate how my body curved in and out, but since having children I'm really keen to promote body positivity and ways to keep our bodies healthy.

Disclosure: AD: Paid partnership with Femme Luxe

In this blog post I'm going to be showing you some of my latest activewear and co-ordinate sets from Femme Luxe, and how they can be mixed and matched or worn together...

Is your child obsessed with football?

Is your child obsessed with football, or constantly telling you they want to be a footballer when they grow up? Are you wondering what kind of  gifts to buy someone who is football mad? Perhaps you’d like to understand the benefits of football, and how you can nurture this love of sport in a healthy way, whilst incorporating it into other areas of learning?

 Disclosure: This post includes paid promotion items

In this blog post I will signpost you to some unique football gift ideas, we will take a look at the physical and developmental benefits that football has to offer, as well as some ideas for promoting this interest into other areas of learning and a free print out at the end of the post too.

Femme luxe finery | May 2021 edit

I have previously posted about not being ready to give up the loungewear just yet, and so I was delighted to be able to add a few more pieces to my ‘comfy’ collection!
 

 

Disclosure:AD: Paid Partnership with Femme Luxe

Femme Luxe have a number of affordable outfits,co-ord sets, bodycon midi dresses, milkmaid tops and more -   lots for under £30, with styles to suit most tastes whether you’re staying at home or going out. Although a lot of the clothes are probably aimed at a much younger demographic than me, there are still plenty of items that work for me at (almost) 36yrs.

"My child drank the toilet water"…and other things I've Googled

Being a parent in the 21st century isn’t easy. With modern inventions comes new risks and dangers, but there is one thing we have that our parents before us didn’t: Google.
 

The day you fall pregnant with your first child is the day your Google list starts...and then it grows exponentially from that point onwards. Questions we would never dare to ask our fellow NCT mate (“why are my labia swollen” if you’re wondering) suddenly make their way into our search bar and fill us with a feeling of solidarity as our results page is flooded with answers or similar questions from other anonymous mums asking the exact same questions. Usually.

Not ready to give up the loungewear?

Not ready to give up the lounge-wear just yet? Me neither babes. I've practically eaten my way through lockdown, and a year later I have to tell you - I am here ALL day for the comfort. The softness. The elasticated EVERYTHING. I am not bodycon midi dress ready, and neither is the world just yet either. It used to be jeans and 'a nice top' for a G&T or a grey goose in the local loungebar ...now there's no lounging in bars, just lounging in grey loungewear in the beer garden, hoping the clouds don't match your outfit and dump a million drops of rain on your (probably now grey) hair. Hope you brought a hoodie!

  Disclosure: AD: Paid Partnership with Femme Luxe

Seriously though, working from home means being sofa ready for your tea breaks, and after-work drinks are probably in the same place! If you are lucky enough to pop out for an al fresco lunch, you want something that lets you put the washing on and then walk into town without anyone batting an eyelid. Dressed up loungewear and co ord sets are a THING right now, and I'm going to show you some of my new faves....

Birthday Newspaper Book | Review

If you’re looking for a unique birthday gift, for those ‘hard to buy for’ loved ones ... something personal to the recipient with a bit of history thrown in, then this is for you!
 

Disclosure: Ad: We were sent this book for the purpose of this review

Historic Newspapers have created a  birthday newspaper book, created from original newspapers from days gone by. With the world’s largest archive of over 3 million newspapers, this is the perfect opportunity to have a little look back into past birthdays and discover who or what made the headlines!

UKCA / CE Testing Home-Made Playdough for sale

Thinking of CE testing and selling playdough? Did you know that to LEGALLY sell homemade playdough you HAVE to have it UKCA / CE certified to get the CE mark (EU) or the UKCA mark (UK) and chemically tested under EN71-3 by an independent lab in order for this to be certified as safe for children? Not just one sample either... each colour of dough needs to be tested separately under the toy safety directives, and if you change your ingredients or supplier then you will have to retest? 

 

I have been through the UKCA / CE testing process with my own gluten free, homemade playdough which I sell over in my shop - www.childledplay.co.uk. Finding the right information 

was a long, drawn out process and getting the right answers took up a lot of time. If you have found this post due to your own information searching, I hope that this helps you to understand how to start the process of CE testing playdough and how to work out if this is a viable option for you....

How to make Fairy Butterfly Wings with Pressed Flowers

My little girl absolutely loves to put on a pair of wings and dress up a fairy or a butterfly, but the wings we have which are made from the same material as nylon stockings have ripped in places and shed glitter like there's no tomorrow! I decided to make a custom pair of wings at home, using home pressed flowers (in the microwave!) and contact paper - which give more of a natural, iridescent 'flutter', look incredibly delicate and so beautiful and personalised....

(Blog originally published April 2020)
 

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

The best thing is that the lead up to making these links into some special experiences - you can forage in your garden for leaves, flowers and petals...or whilst out on your walk. We included some tête-à-tête daffodils that the children picked for me whilst I was poorly in quarantine to cheer me up and make me feel better, some tulips we had before lockdown and some cherry blossom flowers collected from a daily walk (also my favourite tree!). This activity is perfect for learning and teaching symmetry, discussing differences and changes, noticing patterns and details, following instructions and role play....

What is child-led learning? | How can loose parts & playdough help?

What is child-led learning and child-led play? What does it mean to 'follow a child's interests'? How can we use specific resources within an environment to help create a child-led environment? Why are loose parts and playdough such a helpful resource to use?

This blog post includes a link to a youtube video where I give an explanation and examples of what child-led means and why certain resources are so helpful...

Guest Post | My son banged his head and now he's deaf | Living with EVA

Sudden hearing loss in a child can come as a huge shock. Not only does it change their perception of the world around them and put them in a potentially frightening and unfamiliar situation – it also changes the lives of those around them, who interact with them, who are used to dealing with and speaking to them in a certain way or a certain tone. It is a steep learning curve, not just for the one who has lost their sense of hearing, but those who now have to learn different ways of communicating. 

 

The year before last, my younger sister, Laura, called me to tell me that my young Nephew, Oliver had suffered sudden hearing loss due to a bang to the head and what we later discovered was EVA – Enlarged Vestibular Aqueducts.

I am going to hand over to Laura now to tell you their story….

CMPA | Milk Allergy | What Can I Eat?

My youngest child, Charlotte, was diagnosed with CMPA – cows milk protein allergy – at 4 months old. In hindsight, I believe that my eldest child also suffered with the same allergy but back then I had NO idea it even existed! Even after countless trips to the GP for severe colic and reflux, and numerous calls to the health visitor – it was never even mentioned as a possible allergy. Only after searching through facebook groups and reading advice online did I come to realise, and eventually diagnose, Charlotte with a milk and soya allergy.

AD: This post contains Paid Partnership links

I was breastfeeding at the time, so this meant I also had to cut out the allergens from my diet as they can be passed on through breastmilk. At first it was a very steep learning curve working out what I could and couldn’t eat! In this blog post I’m going to talk you through the process of testing for allergies, and how to adapt your diet to make sure you are eating safe foods which are allergen free.

A Homeschooling Poem

As we start 2021 in another lockdown, most of us faced with homeschooling our children whilst also trying to work/run a business/ stay healthy, it goes without saying that this is an incredibly tricky time for a lot of us. I think we all know how difficult the current situation is for us all, and although I toyed with the idea of writing a poem in solidarity with the feelings of many of us, I decided to step back at look at things from a totally different angle. I thought about the silver lining of homeschooling...the little things that will make the biggest difference, and the way we might look back on it for the moments we gained, rather than the moments we lost... It has helped me to take a more positive view on our days of homeschool and to remind me that I now have the ability to change our days and find the fun when our children need a breather too. x

As always, please remember that this poem is subject to copyright and must not be copied, pasted or republished anywhere. If you would like to share this you may use the URL of this website to share, or use the social media share buttons here or on my social channels. Thank you. 

Valentine's Day Tuff Tray | Sensory Play | Playdough Recipe

Whether you celebrate Valentine's Day or not, this sensory tuff tray is sure to provoke some language and discussions around love and kindness whilst offering lots of learning opportunities in a very child-led and open ended exploration...

This sensory play opportunity actually starts before the tuff tray activity, in making the Valentine's Day playdough together with your child/children! This post explains and demonstrates how to make this together, and then moves on to the resources and the learning opportunities this provides....