this little house

TALES OF LOCKDOWN HAIR

2020-04-28T17:33:00.000+01:00

I hope this blog post finds you well and safe, we're certainly living in strange times at the moment. I'll definitely talk more about how we're dealing with the current situation as a family on here, but for now I want to talk about something a little more frivolous, but that was actually born out of the fact we're in lockdown at the moment. Let's talk hair.

To be precise, greasy hair. The greasy hair gang, a gang no one wants to be a part of, but sadly membership is thrust upon so many of us as we hit our teens. I'm a good twenty years on from my teens it's safe to say no matter how much money I've thrown at the problem I haven't found a solution for me that's worked until now.

Basically for a long time I know I've been in a vicious cycle when it comes to the fact I wash my hair every day. I wash daily due to the fact it's greasy, yet I'm well aware that each time I wash I strip the natural oils from my hair which then sends my scalp's sebaceous glands into overdrive. Which of course, makes the grease worse, yet when it comes to my hair it's always felt a bit like, what came first the chicken or the egg? I've tried to prolong washes with various products and dry shampoos but ultimately it just feels gross and it turns out trying to make hair look like it's not oily is much more time consuming than just actually washing it. The irony. So, inevitably in the past I've caved, and washed.

I've heard about the No Poo Method, which is ditching shampoo entirely, but when life is busy there just never felt like enough time to explore this as an option. The idea of being out and about with greasy hair as I tried to figure out the right balance did not appeal to me. Then suddenly we find ourselves in this utterly crazy situation, a pandemic, and for those of us that aren't key workers, that obviously means staying home until told otherwise.

As I washed my hair day two into lockdown, I thought sod this. I am not washing my hair every day to just sit in my house, and so my little hair experiment began.

Now firstly, everyone's hair and scalp is different, so what works for me might not work for you, but after a huge response on Instagram when I shared what I was doing I thought I'd go into more detail about my lockdown hair journey here. I also plan to answer and include all the questions you sent me too.

In this blog I'll explain how I've gone from washing my hair daily pre-lockdown to now only washing every four days. No shampoo involved but instead two household ingredients found in most kitchens, Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda to my friends across the pond) and Apple Cider Vinegar, and no one is more shocked than me.

To kick off my little experiment I decided to not wash my hair for a full week, you can skip this stage as it's not necessary, but I reasoned that after years of stripping my hair with each wash it was time to let my oil run wild, especially as I've got nowhere to go. For once the oil could naturally condition my hair, rather than be treated as the usual hinderance it is. By the end of the week my hair was greasy from root to tip, I was equally disgusted and impressed with myself. My very own deep oil treatment if you will.

Now, after reading more about the No Poo Method and scouring the web I came across the Bicarbonate of Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar method as a way to wash and condition your hair. I'd originally ordered a natural hair soap bar and conditioner while in lockdown, but our post has been really slow and I'd got to the stage where I desperately wanted to wash my hair. So I decided I'd give this method a shot, highly sceptical but what did I have to lose?

One thing you need to check before trying this method is do you live in a Soft or Hard Water area? If you live in the UK you can find that out HERE by simply putting in your postcode. If like me you're lucky to live in a soft water area (good old Scotland and it's water) you can try this method with warm water from the tap or shower, if however you live in a hard water area it's recommended to boil ( and cool) your water first to eliminate certain chemicals present. After that, the method is exactly the same.

FIRST STEP

Wet your hair as you usually would in your shower or bath.

Add one tablespoon of Bicarbonate of Soda into 250ml of warm water in a measuring jug and mix until it's a cloudy solution.

I then use my hand to scoop the solution and pat it onto my hairline and scalp, I tip my head over and do the same underneath. I then pour the remainder of the solution over my hair making sure I cover it all.

It doesn't lather like a traditional shampoo would but you can definitely feel the solution on your hair. Now Bicarbonate of Soda can be quite drying on the scalp so don't overly rub or leave on too long. Make sure to thoroughly wash out.

SECOND STEP

Time to condition. Now this is the part I can't wrap my head around, one of my favourite kitchen condiments just happens to be a natural hair conditioner, that's your apple cider vinegar! It's particularly good at getting rid of any product build up in your hair all whilst balancing out your scalp, which makes it especially useful for all of us greasy hair people.

Add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into 250ml warm water. I apply it exactly how I applied the Bicarbonate of Soda, but this time I allow it to sit on my hair for a few minutes like I would a regular conditioner, and then thoroughly wash out.

I use Willy's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother, the Mother is known for its health benefits when used in food/beverage but its also known to help dry, frizzy hair. That said you can use any type of apple cider vinegar just stay away from any other vinegars.

THIRD STEP

Once out of the shower I towel dry my hair and comb, another benefit of apple cider vinegar is it's also a natural hair de-tangler too. Basically the stuff is like magic. You can then go on to use your regular styling products and style as usual.

I use a Wella Bodifying Foam, which is lovely and lightweight but gives my hair volume, and then a heat protector spray.

FOURTH STEP

That's the washing part done, now for my routine until I wash my hair on the fourth day.

The evening of the first day before I go to bed I pop a little dry shampoo on my roots and underneath, I then tie my hair loosely and wear to bed. I don't know why it's never occurred to me to sleep with my hair tied back before as it really helps prolong my wash if it's kept off my face and body.

I repeat this process on the second evening and skip on the third night as I tend to wash on the fourth day. However you may be able to stretch it further, I sometimes stretch to another day but find I need to wear my hair up if I do that.

OTHER TIPS FOR OILY HAIR

Dry your hair with a hairdryer, don't let it air dry. Using a hairdyer blows the root of your hair up from your scalp allowing the heat to soak up any oil. I've found this to be very true for me, as whenever I allowed my hair to air dry it would always be greasy and lank by the end of the day, especially underneath.

Try not to touch and play with your hair. Easier said than done but every time you do you're transferring the oil from your hands to your hair.

Don't overly brush your hair, and keep your brush clean and free of any hair. Old hair in your brush will simply transfer any oil it has to your fresh hair, and no one wants that.

Other questions you lovely lot sent me on Instagram which I haven't covered already in the post:

Does my hair smell of apple cider vinegar?

If it's properly washed out it leaves no smell which I was very surprised about. I'd say the only downside is you don't get that freshly washed hair smell. In fact, it smells of nothing but that doesn't bother me as I use other products on my hair anyway and I wear perfume.

Will I continue to use this process or will I alternate with shampoo?

Right now this seems to be working for my hair and never ever have I gotten so many days out of one hair wash. While it suits my hair I'll continue as I am.

Do I use purple/silver shampoo for my blond?

Before this I used a purple shampoo & conditioner once every few weeks. My hair however has not been coloured since last August, so I might need to consider introducing an occasional purple shampoo every few weeks once I get it coloured again.

How do I keep my blond looking fresh?

I actually feel since using apple cider vinegar there's a shine to my hair that I've never had before and my blond looks really clean. I have read that the blond could take a warmer tone with using apple cider vinegar but I'm not finding that to be the case at all with my hair. I have extremely porous hair too so I was careful to look out for this.

Will going the hairdressers reset all the work I've done as they'll use a shampoo?

I don't imagine it will as Bicarbonate of Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar method helps remove build up of product and balances the scalp. I will however do a hair blogpost update after if I have my hair coloured as I may need to tweak my routine.

Have I tried Shampoo bars?

My order has now come of the natural hair soap bars, but I'm going to hold off trying whilst this routine is working.

How long did it take to see results when it came to stretching out your washes?

The answer to this for me is, instantly. The first time I used this method I did not need to wash my hair until the 4th day. You can train your hair to go longer between washes if you wish, by simply not washing it as soon as it starts to gets greasy. For me though washing on the 4th day is a good enough stretch so I'll be sticking with that.

I think I've covered everything there, but if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask, leave a comment here or over on my Instagram and I'll answer as quickly as I can.

This process may be a little trial and error as you find what suits your hair. As a guide I have fine, mid-length hair and live in a soft water area and the above process works perfectly for me, if you have thicker or longer hair you may need to adjust the measurements.

If it feels oily still after washing try a little more Bicarbonate of Soda, alternatively if your scalp is feeling quite dry afterwards try using a little less Bicarbonate of Soda next time.

Good luck for anyone that gives it a go and let me know if it works for you. I'm delighted with how many days I can get out of my hair now before washing. A lockdown hair miracle for me.

*THIS POST INCLUDES LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCEFUL WEBSITES. IT ALSO INCLUDES PRODUCT LINKS, NONE OF WHICH ARE AFFILIATE OR PAID LINKS.

AD | Introducing NEWBIE ROOM

2020-02-26T18:37:00.000+00:00

When Caleb asked if we could decorate his room this new year, my answer was a big YES. You see when we moved into our new build home four years ago, my first thought was we needed to make Caleb's room as homely as possible. I was aware the transition to a new home and new nursery might have been hugely unsettling for him, so at least if his room felt like his own that might help. It was the first room we completed, and when I say completed, there wasn't much we could do other than add accessories, because as with any new build, they advise not to repaint or wallpaper in the first 12 months. So his room was put together very quickly with the plan that we'd come back to it once we could wallpaper or paint. Fast forward four years and not much had changed, so when he asked I was excited to help him decorate his room, even if that did mean saying goodbye to a few items he's outgrown. His teepee being one of them, a first birthday present from his grandparents, which I could have happily let him keep it in his room until he was 25, but obviously Caleb didn't agree.

I feel like Caleb is at a slightly tricky age when it comes to designing his room. At nearly 8 years old, I didn't want anything too young that would only last him a few years, nor did I want anything too old. I wanted his room to reflect him, playful and relaxed. So we started looking with the idea of maps, travel and animals in mind, just a few of his favourite things.

That's when I had a very exciting email land in my inbox, one of those rare golden nuggets that couldn't have been better timed if it tried. It was from the lovely people at, Newbie announcing the UK launch of their homeware range, Newbie Room. Not only that but to celebrate their 10th anniversary they are also collaborating with the very prestigious Swedish Wallpaper house, Borastapeter, with the launch of 32 hand-drawn designed, non-toxic wallpapers. At this point I hadn't seen any of the designs but having worked with Newbie previously and being huge fans of their aesthetic and brand ethos, I was excited to see what their homeware offerings would be.

As I imagined, I was not disappointed when I finally got to see the whole range, and more importantly nor was Caleb, who instantly set his heart on the Adventures blue wallpaper. This stunning wallpaper is not only beautiful in it's detailing but in it's colour tone too. The paper is high quality and paste to wall, making it fairly straightforward to hang.

Designing a new room from scratch can feel pretty overwhelming, that's why I always focus on one element and build the room around that, and this wallpaper was definitely that item for Caleb's room. In the flesh the wallpaper (as does the whole range) has such a beautiful, timeless quality to it, lending itself perfectly to the vintage school desk and chair I scoured high and low for, after Caleb said he would love a desk in his room for writing and drawing.

Newbie, are known for being affordable and sustainable, so to see them expand into homeware is such good news. Their soft toys, fabric storage baskets, bunting and bedding range is all 100% organic cotton with so many lovely designs. For the bedding Caleb chose the Whale design and Whale soft toy, making a lovely new addition to his beloved penguin collection ;).

Another Newbie addition to Caleb's room are the paper storage boxes, now home to his cars and lego, which come in two sizes and fit perfectly under his bed. You can never have too much storage in a child's room, that is definitely something I've learnt over the years.

I'm so impressed with Newbie's first offering of homeware, you can click here to have a peek at the whole range. There's something for every child's imagination. They also have the most adorable pyjamas this season, which wait for it, have a little matching top to go with their favourite teddy or doll. Caleb and Archie are wearing the Island Adventure pyjamas.

There you have Caleb's new room. His face was an absolute picture when he saw his room, taking in every detail and loving it all. It's been an absolute pleasure to work with Newbie, and create a room for Caleb to love for years to come. Not only are their designs beautiful and timeless but more importantly they are sustainable, 100% organic, and non-toxic. They are all products with our child's well-being in mind, which is something I am absolutely proud to be championing.

* This post has been marked AD as it is a paid partnership with Newbie. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own. Newbie did not have creative control over this post and the link to all items in this post are NOT affiliate links.

AD | Finding the Perfect Fitting Jeans with M&S

2019-03-27T18:37:00.001+00:00

There's nothing quite like a trend coming in that doesn't suit your figure now is there? When this happens, however much you like the trend you pray it will be a fleeting one. That one day you'll look back and thank your lucky stars you didn't suit that particular trend because you've saved yourself a whole lot of cringe photos.

Unfortunately this hasn't been the case for this particular trend I'm talking about, in fact I'd say it's turned into a staple rather than a trend in most women's (and men's) wardrobes today, and has been for years, showing no signs of going anytime soon. It's a trend I personally love, but I feel does nothing for my figure.

I'm talking about the skinny jean. Which I actually googled and it's latest revival in mainstream fashion was all the way back in 2005. 2005! That's 14 years I've longed to be able to feel and look good in a pair of skinny jeans.

You see, as I tell my friend, Sam. I have no kneecaps. She finds this hilarious, as of course I have kneecaps, my problem is they're hidden under a pound of flesh. I was at the back of the line the day bony kneecaps where handed out, to add insult to injury my knees point in the way too. It's laughable really.

I've lost count of the amount of times I've been left disappointed in a changing room trying to squeeze my legs into skinny jeans, and for a while there skinny jeans dominated the market. Rows and rows of suction tight denim everywhere. Now someone else will tell me I'm being silly, and that of course I can wear skinny jeans, which I know I can if I really wanted to wear them, but it's more about how I feel in them. I just don't feel comfortable, and isn't that meant to be the whole point of good pair of jeans?! To feel comfortable.

Therefore you can imagine my delight these past few years as other jean styles have made a revival on the high street. Hello, straight leg, my denim friend! However, even with the return of my denim friend I ironically still find shopping for jeans no easier, the fit always being the main problem.

So when M&S contacted me about their new Best Ever Fit denim range, I was instantly intrigued and hoping that within that range they would have a straight leg option, and they do! They've brought out three styles:

The Ivy - Skinny jean
The Lily - Slim Fit
The Sienna - Straight leg

I love that they have brought out these particular styles as I feel it makes denim accessible to all different shapes and sizes. Especially for the neurotic I don't have kneecaps people ;). The first thing I noticed (and a huge tick from me) is that all the Best Ever Fit range are made with responsibly sourced cotton. I find this usually drives up the price of a garment but the price point for this range is amazing starting at £19.50.

Now onto the fit...

M&S have brought out this range because they realise most women struggle when it comes to shopping for jeans, the fit being the main problem. They wanted to create a range that are super flattering , no-gape waists, in a variety of washes. Their aim being once you know your preferred style you could confidently pick up that style in any colour, in any store, knowing it will fit.

I chose the Sienna in Dark Indigo as a lot of the denim I own is lighter, so this is a most welcomed addition to my wardrobe. They slipped on super easy and due to a slight stretch to them they fitted perfectly around my waist, bum and hips. One of the main reasons I will forever love denim is when you find a good fitting pair of jeans they can hide a multitude of sins. Bum can look firmer, tummy can look flatter, and they can hold everything firmly in its place. The Sienna fit ticked all those boxes for me.

Did I actually just post a picture of my bum on my blog? Yes I did. All in the name of research for a good fitting pair of jeans.

After wearing them for the day I think the magic in these jeans is that they've got just the right amount of stretch to them. It's enough to give a good fit, but not too much that they become baggy as the day goes on. Also I'm happy to report that after washing them they didn't become stiff like cardboard and feel two sizes smaller for the first half an hour of wearing them again. We've all been there with denim, right? When washing them ruins what felt like the perfect fitting jeans. Overall I'm really impressed and I'm now eyeing up the other washes in the range.

* For full transparency this post has been marked AD and is a PAID partnership with M&S. As always all opinions are my own.

AD | Mother's Day Trip with Joules at Watergate Bay

2019-03-20T13:45:00.002+00:00

My mum and I always talk about how we need to get away more together, but with both of us leading such busy lives it remains just that, talk.

So you can imagine my sheer delight when Joules invited us both to a special Mother's Day trip to Watergate Bay Hotel, in Cornwall. I immediately rang my mum and told her WE ARE GOING.

This isn't the easiest for my mum as she helps take care of my nan who has vascular dementia, but I knew she needed this trip, the chance to relax, and I also knew we needed this time together. So with family and friends stepping in to help with my nan and the boys we were finally getting our little trip away together.

And what a trip it was...

Having never been to Cornwall I was excited to see this beautiful part of the country for myself, and I was equally excited to be staying at Joules partner hotel, Watergate Bay. I've heard so many wonderful things about this hotel, especially the views, and for me you can't beat a hotel with a good view.

As soon as you walk into Watergate Bay it has every mark of a four star hotel but yet I love how relaxed and chilled it feels. It's not pretentious in the slightest, it's all warm smiles, hellos and instantly making you feel at home. The decor is stunning too, think luxury beach house vibes and you're there. From the offset it's very clear why Joules and Watergate Bay make such good partners, they very much share the same ethos, laid back luxury with gorgeous attention to detail.

The wonderful Joules team were also there to greet us on arrival too and introduce us to the other guests on the trip, some of which I've been friends with online for years now, Laura-Ann, Cara, Sally and Sarah-Rose. I knew instantly this was going to be a good group and I was so looking forward to getting to know these ladies more in the flesh.

Once we were checked in it was time to go up to our room to unpack and quickly freshen up before lunch.

Our room was beautiful, made even more so by Joules. Prior to our trip Joules asked us to choose some of our favourite pieces from their Spring/Summer Collection, all of which were waiting for us in our room along with other gorgeous goodies. My mum and I felt entirely spoilt and I'm pretty sure we let out a squeal when we realised our room had a sea view.

After tucking into a lovely lunch in the bar area (I highly recommend you try the Portobello Mushroom Chips, yep that's right mushroom chips, they are a game changer!) we all had a few hours to relax. Turns out the start of relaxing looks like this....

This is what I like to call embracing the British weather! What a giggle we had as the wind howled and the rain battered down. No sun on your next beach holiday? I say grab your wellies, your raincoat, oh and a costume, definitely a costume, and get yourself on that beach!

Soaked through and laughing it was time to warm up inside. I thought weather like this could totally put a damper on a trip away to Cornwall, but Watergate Bay is the perfect hotel to take shelter from the storm. With it's amazing views from the pool and spa area, you can relax and watch the storm roll in.

One of the absolute highlights of this trip was watching my mum relax. The words 'my mum' and 'relax' don't tend to go in the same sentence together. She's always so busy running around doing so much for others, myself included, that I can't help but worry about her. It was so good to see her relax and I felt like I could see the weight visibly lift from her shoulders.

After such a relaxing afternoon it was time to get ready for Gin Tasting with Warner Edwards Gin. Now I love a good gin and tonic but it's my mum who really knows her stuff, so I knew she would love this.

The class was kindly hosted by Ross who gave an insight into how Warner Edwards Gin first started. A family farm that wanted to go back to the roots and create fine quality gin, and that they did. We got to sample various flavours in their beautiful distinct coloured bottles and I discovered the wonder of their Honeybee gin, who knew?!

We finished the evening with a dinner in Zacrys Restaurant at the hotel, an end to what was an absolutely cracking first day.

The next morning after breakfast we were treated to a Flower Pressing Class by the lovely Ellie, from The Flower Press Shop. She showed us the simple steps to quickly pressing flowers that can be displayed in glass frames to make your very own decorative floral wall art. I still can't get over how easy this was and I definitely plan to make more.

All you need:

An Iron (turned on to it's max temperature)
Two pieces of greaseproof paper
Flowers of your choice
Glass frame

Once you've selected the flowers you want for your frame and cut to the desired length, you place them between the two pieces of greaseproof paper, and then place the hot iron on the top sheet of the greaseproof paper and firmly press down. The thicker the flower the longer it will take to press, the ones I chose only took a few minutes. Also if you choose flowers that tend to hold a lot of moisture you'll need to allow drying time, as the heat from the iron draws out the water in the flower.

Once the pressed flowers have cooled down you can pop them into your frame in whatever figuration you like. I love how simple and effective this technique is, and I also love that I now have a wall hanging that will remind me of my time here in Cornwall with my mum.

As we pressed flowers the worst of the weather was passing which was perfect timing for our trip to Padstow in the afternoon. I was so excited to see more of Cornwall and Padstow did not disappoint, with it's harbour and winding streets of colourful houses, this place is postcard pretty.

Cornwall certainly isn't lacking when it comes to good food, and famous chefs for that matter, and we were lucky enough to have lunch at Paul Ainsworth's restaurant, Rojanos. I would highly recommend, especially the seafood. My mum and I devoured the most delicious prawns. Good food, good wine, good chat, my idea of a perfect lunch.

After lunch we headed back to the hotel as both my mum and I had full body massage booked, beyond spoilt! We even braved the hot tub outside afterwards which was interesting getting in and out of in the freezing cold, but totally worth it for the most beautiful view.

For our final evening Joules had organised dinner at Jamie Oliver's award winning restaurant Fifteen, which is just a stones throw away from the hotel. We tried the tasting menu which is a culinary experience in itself, with it's open plan kitchen you see the all the hard work and love that goes into every plate before it is stylishly brought to the table. It was a delight from start to finish!

It was such an amazing way to finish up what had been a thoroughly amazing trip. Amazing food, amazing company. It's moments like this that make me feel very lucky to do the job I do, and to also have my mum be a part of it too.

I want to say a HUGE thank you Joules and the whole team for giving my mum and I the most amazing experience with this trip. We won't actually get to spend Mother's Day together this year so this has been an incredible treat!

Throughout this post you can see some of our favourite picks from Joules this season:

My Mum:

| Jeanne Print Linen Shirt | Hesford French Navy Chinos | Locksley Tassel Loafer with Leopard Print | Raincoat with Sherpa Fleece Lining | Striped Wellies |

Myself:

| Jeanne Plain Linen Shirt | Drew Culottes | Lexington Tan Suede Slipper | Raincoat with Sherpa Fleece Lining | Floral Wellies | Modena Round bag |

If you're looking for inspiration this Mother's Day for a special woman in your life, Joules have lots of lovely ideas HERE too.

* For full transparency, this post has been marked AD and was an unpaid press trip. I had full control over what I share and as always all opinions are my own.

(ad) SPARE ROOM MAKE OVER with SANDERSON PAINT

2018-12-10T13:29:00.000+00:00

Well here she is, our spare room. The room I have procrastinated most about in our home. It's taken me nearly three years to finally make a decision on how I wanted this room to look. I've come to realise that unless I have a clear image in my mind of what I want from the start, I find it really hard to move forward with a room. A bit like writer's block but for interiors, and with not knowing what I wanted to do with the room, and with no great urgency to make a decision, it's sat looking a sorry sight all this time. Not exactly welcoming for our guests.

When Sanderson Paint, asked me if I'd like to collaborate and decorate a room in my house with one of their paint colours I literally jumped at the chance. Not only because they're such an iconic brand, that goes without saying, but because quite frankly, this was just the kick up the butt I needed to stop all the procrastinating and finally make a decision with our spare room. A room that had become a dumping ground rather than a lovely room for our guests to stay in.

But before I would choose a colour from the launch of their fifty new shades, I was invited down to London for a Colour Workshop with the wonderful, Sophie Robinson. I knew this was going to massively help with my lack of direction for our spare room, which I'd in fact made recently worse by painting it a colour I thought I'd love but in reality just felt was too much for the space. A wrong colour choice always knocks your confidence when decorating a room, so the workshop couldn't have been better timed. I arrived at the workshop with not a clue about what look or colour I wanted now for our spare room after my recent colour disaster, inspiration was indeed needed.

BEFORE

It was all just a little bit too pink for my liking.

The workshop started with why we're attracted to the colours and interior styles that we already have in our homes. By better understanding our own style it makes it much easier when it comes to interior choices going forward, and Sophie couldn't have been more right. Sophie broke down our interior styles into seasons:

Spring - bright, welcoming, creative, modern, sociable, kitsch.

Summer - antique, calm, perfected, elegant, traditional.

Autumn - authentic, earthy, eclectic, nature, nostalgic, rich.

Winter - opulent, bold, intense, vibrant, decadence.

We were then asked to choose the words we thought best described our homes. Although our homes probably have aspects of all four seasons, we tend to fall more into one or two of the seasons. I discovered I'm a mix of both Spring and Autumn and now with that knowledge in mind we went on to create our mood boards for our chosen room.

Talking of mood boards, I think the last time I did a mood board I was in my twenties. With modern technology and the phenomenon that is Pinterest, the humble mood board seems to have be pushed aside. I cannot tell you had helpful I found it and it pretty much shaped the end result of the room. Without over thinking I cut out images and colours I loved from a variety of home, fashion, travel magazines, and fabric swatches. Very quickly I realised a pattern. I love clean and fresh, but with earthy textures. I also realised where I went wrong with my last colour choice too, I much prefer it as an accent colour in the room rather than a block colour on the walls.

Armed with my mood board and paint samples back in Edinburgh I was excited to get started. Now I finally had an idea of how I wanted the room to look it made choosing a colour so much easier. After trying a few samples I made my final colour choice, Owlswick, in Active Emulsion. Described as a grown up grey with a creamy base, I thought this would be the perfect backdrop for the look and vibe I wanted for the room, and I'm happy to say this time I was right! I absolutely adore the colour, it's grey but without being cold, which is exactly what I was after. The quality of the paint spoke for itself as it glided on covering the previous colour with no problem at all.

Once the walls were painted it was now on to the fun part of styling the room, and with my accent colours chosen, pink and green, the room started to finally come together. As with all the rooms in our home I never feel they're fully finished, as I prefer to add to the rooms over time when I find the right pieces, but for now I'm really pleased with how it's turned out. I'm so pleased this Christmas our guests finally have a welcoming room to stay in.

If you're struggling with any interiors choices just now, have a look at the categories and see which ones you fall into. Also, you have to check out all of Sanderson Paint's stunning new colours, you can find them HERE, and I thoroughly recommend creating a moodboard for interior inspiration, as you can see I stayed very close to mine.

Other details:

Prints, Desenio / Bamboo Stools, Rocket St George / Glass Vase, Next / Sheepskin rug, Ikea / Bedding, Next / Cashmere Blanket, The White Company / Small Cushions, Sainsbury's Home / Floor Lamp, Ikea / Decorative Ladder, Ikea /

* This post is in proud collaboration with Sanderson Paint. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own.

(ad) GETTING SMART WITH TIME in collaboration with FOSSIL

2018-11-15T06:00:00.000+00:00

If I had to pick a favourite season, it would have to be autumn. It literally takes my breath away every year. It's the one season in particular that forces us to stop a little, or at least it is for me. I find myself wanting to take long walks, to soak up all the colours, and my goodness, do those walks feel good for the soul. A chance to take in the fresh air and recharge a little bit. It's always a reflective time of year for me too, as we draw closer to the end of another year, I always feel like any changes I want to make, that this is the time to make them. I spoke recently about wanting to regain some much needed balance in my life and this time of year feels like the perfect time to do that.

This year has been a particular busy one for us, it's been wonderful, but it's also brought new challenges for Michael and I, mostly with managing our time and work loads. Realising that life isn't about to get any quieter, it's more about changing our approach. For me, rather than complain about being busy which serves no purpose (other than to add to my growing anxiety), I'm focusing on managing my time better, as my lack of organisation is the number one culprit for any stress and anxiety I tend to feel.

It's funny how in life opportunities seem to come at just the right time, and collaborating with Fossil to try out their new Smartwatch Gen4 is a cracking example of that. When they first contacted me I was thrilled because I love Fossil, but yet I wasn't sure about a smart watch. For a girl who works in social media and spends a large proportion of my time on my phone and laptop, my first thought was, do I really need another smart device in my life?! I spend my life on my phone and I thought this might be yet another potential distraction, because of this very concern it's been really interesting getting to try out the watch and make use of all the functions.

First impressions. Looks. The watch is pretty, like seriously pretty. I've always found other smart watches too look quite techy and just like a smaller version of your phone strapped to your wrist. Zero appeal aesthetically for me, therefore I ruled out smart watches quite quickly in the past. Fossil are changing that perspective with their Smartwatch Gen4 series.

Setting up the smart watch is super easy. Once you've downloaded the Wear OS by Google app, to your phone, there's simple instructions guiding you how to sync your smart watch with your phone, and when that is complete, you're good to go. You can control all the notifications you want to receive to your smart watch, so the watch is tailored to your exact needs.

This is where I discovered one of the main benefits when it comes to wearing a smart watch. Thanks to the notifications, I pick up my phone LESS, and picking up my phone less can only a good thing for me. For example, do you pick up your phone to check notifications, only to than fall down an Instagram (or insert your social media preference here ;) ) rabbit hole for the next hour? This is me ALL. THE. TIME. and that right there, is the main problem when it comes to my poor time management. Spending too much time on my phone when I shouldn't be, and scrolling aimlessly rather than being productive with my screen time. Now that I get my notifications to my watch, I know which ones I need to deal with straight away or can be left until later on without even picking up my phone.

Google Fit. Another aspect of the watch that has been good for me, is tracking my fitness, or should I say the lack there of. I've known for a while now I need to focus more on my general well being and fitness. I'm at that age where I feel like if I don't do something about it now it's going to be a slippery slope. I've never been one for wanting to loose weight but now an extra little tyre is sitting around my mid drift and it's making clothes not fit like they used to.

I want to feel good about my body and increase my energy levels, and right now, my watch is telling me that I'm not moving anywhere near enough to make those things happen. I've never tracked my fitness before and this has given me some much needed motivation to get my act together. My current goals are to hit 10,000 steps, 60 move minutes and 10 heart points (you score a heart point when you do activities at a higher pace, like a brisk walk etc) a day. I'll report back how I get on with this, but right now it's given me some much needed motivation.

The points I've touched upon are definitely the ones that have stood out for me these past few weeks when wearing the watch. I've also found the calendar and setting reminders really useful too, not to mention the find my phone feature, I use that a lot ;).

I also love that I can control what music I play in the house from my watch too. I'm definitely finding I'm using my phone less and less because of features like this.

Charge wise, with full notifications on I get a days charge from the watch but if you need to save battery life you simply adjust notifications.

Overall, I'm very impressed with Fossil's stylish take on the smart watch. If you're thinking about a smart watch I highly recommend you check their range out.

If you missed my post about regaining some much needed balance, you can read it HERE.

HOW WE CAME TO LIVE IN A NEW BUILD

2018-11-11T14:27:00.000+00:00

I've found since sharing images of our home on Instagram and the blog that people are often surprised to find out that we live in a new build home. I thought I'd give you a bit of the back story as to why we chose our home as I feel new builds can get a lot of bad rep. They're often lumbered in the characterless home category, which can be true of some new builds but not all. I also think it's about what you put into your home that in fact brings the character. So to rewind back four years...

When Michael and I where originally looking for a family home to buy we were on completely different pages. Me, I wanted old, a project, something we could do up from scratch and call our own.

Michael wanted a shiny new build.

Now you could say Michael won that battle, as of course in November this marks three years in our new build. Side question, when does a new build stop being called a new build btw?? I feel like we could live here 50 years and I'll still be referring to it as a new build. Anyway, I digress, back to Michael winning the new build battle.

What really happened was that the more we looked for the right property in Edinburgh the less attractive my old house dream became. We never found THAT property, you know, the one that gets you excited about renovating, that would justify months if not years of living in upheaval and general hell. Also, the Edinburgh market meant buying the house alone would max out our budget leaving very little to renovate with. Was it really going to be worth it?

So one afternoon I gave in and we took a drive out to North Berwick to see a new build home that was scheduled to be built in Edinburgh. Upon walking through the door I fell in love. I knew I really loved the property as the décor, although very lovely, was absolutely not to my taste. I could trust it wasn't the fancy furniture that was selling this home to me, it was the space, the light, how fluid the home felt. I could see us there. I could see the boys growing up in a home like that.

Now granted no one likes to admit when they're wrong but on this occasion I had to agree with Michael. It felt right. This new build was going to be our home. A renovation project had always been my dream and not Michael's. I think if you're going to undertake something so big you need to both be passionate about it.

So we signed on the dotted line, we then both freaked out, and became one step closer to owning a detached (hello, no more apartment living with neighbours living above, below and to the sides of us!) house with a garden for our boys, which I know was something we had BOTH dreamt about, new build/old build aside.

With no big renovation project on my hands I was now being handed the keys to a completely white washed blank canvas, which was daunting in a different way. Yes, the property was light and airy, but how on earth would I bring character to this new build? All the aspects that drew me to older properties never felt more missed in that one moment.

Firstly, I didn't rush. This property was bigger than our last home, and we had decluttered a lot during our move, so we didn't have a whole lot of stuff to fill our new home with. A blank canvas can be all too tempting to rush out and simply buy things to fill it, I knew I absolutely didn't want to do that. I wanted the home to grow with us over time, and slowly fill it with things we love.

It's now the most lovely feeling when people compliment our home, especially those who are pleasantly surprised with what you can do with a new build. I take that as a huge compliment, because I wanted a home with character and I never felt sure if I would actually be able to achieve that with a newer property at the time. I get asked a lot how we went about decorating our new build so I thought I'd share a few tips here, although I feel these tips apply for any home you're wanting to put your own stamp on.

LIVE IN THE PROPERTY. I know its all very exciting planning a move and decorating your new home, and it can be tempting to start ordering furniture before you even have the keys in your hand, but I think waiting is key (get it? Sorry! ;). Even if that means sleeping on a mattress on your bedroom floor, and using deck chairs for the first few weeks or months, by waiting you get a proper feel for the property and where you'd like furniture to go. Then you can take measurements to find the perfect pieces. You'll also know what rooms you tend to spend more time in, which for me really dictates the furniture and the spend.

BRING YOU INTO YOUR HOME. Unless you have endless amounts of cash and can afford that 3 grand light fixture you keep dreaming about, it's safe to say we're all shopping in the same shops which means we're all buying the same or similar interior items. I'm all for finding affordable interior buys and taking inspiration from others, but it's how you put your own spin on it that will make it yours and not just another Ikea purchase. Mix high street items, with one off finds. For me those finds come from my own family and upbringing, the fact I live away from my home town of Liverpool has definitely inspired some of the pieces I have in my home. Also buy local, see what makers and sellers are doing in your city, and don't forget sourcing your local selling pages too. It's astounding what you can find.

TEXTURE. I'm love having different textures in our home as I feel it really adds character. Wicker, wool, linen, wood, metal, cotton, give me it all. There's so many beautiful rugs, throws and cushions out there that can really bring a lovely lush and warm feel to your home. Throw in wicker baskets, planters, wall hangings, macrame and I just feel it adds lots of character to a otherwise bland space.

COLOUR. There's nothing like walking into a fully white washed home that will scare you off adding colour. We lived with the white walls for nearly two years before I plucked up the courage to paint. I'm so glad we did though as it's been the best thing we've done. Colour can bring a cosiness to the starkness of a new build, and if you go for rich and opulent colours, it's like character in a tin of paint.

PLANTS. Okay for anyone who hates plants you can skip this one, but for those that kill plants but want plants in their home, stick with me. I was a plant killer, I thought the green finger has skipped a generation in my family, but it hasn't. It turns out starving a plant of water and then thinking, oh crap, and then drowning it in water isn't the way to go. Plants don't need to be high maintenance, it's just more about buying the right ones for your home and feeding regularly, rather than the all or nothing approach that I was once accustomed too. The benefits of plants in your home? For me you just can't beat that pop of green and the beauty of having something grow in your home. As they grow they change and in turn add more and more character to your home. My friend, Sally, bought me the most beautiful book for my birthday, Leaf Supply. It's all about house plants and I highly recommend if you're a novice, not to mention it makes a cracking looking coffee table book too.

LOVE YOUR HOME. For the majority of us our homes are never going to feel perfect or finished, but nor should they be. Instead of picking out the negatives of your home, work on the positives. Whether you're renting or maybe you're not living in what feels like your forever home, don't let that hold you back from having a home you love. You don't need to spend a fortune to have a home you adore, little touches go a long way.

Are you moving? You can read all my tips on packing HERE.

Want to declutter your home? You can read more about how we achieved that HERE and HERE.

Having trouble making interior choices? Sometimes it just takes one piece you love that can inspire a whole room. Read HERE which piece inspired a lot of the interior choices I made in our home.

BALANCE.

2018-10-29T13:03:00.000+00:00

Balance. Does anyone truly have balance when there's multiple things to juggle?

I used to have balance. Pre-kids. It was a period in my life were I was able to dedicate time equally to all areas of my life. When I was at work, I was fully focused on work, the same went for home life, and my time with my family and friends. My time was my own and having the then ability to soley focus on one thing at a time is without doubt the closest I've come to balance.

Fast forward to now and well, quite frankly, I feel a little all over the place. Recently my friend and I likened our minds to a computer with too many tabs open. I'm pretty convinced I'm a two tab kinda girl, so once I have multiple tabs open, I then turn into that computer that no longer wants to work. The computer that cannot be refreshed however many times you try, so you instead resort to shutting it off from the mains and praying when it reboots everything is still there. That, my friends, is my brain these days. The computer you wish you could upgrade but instead reboot daily.

I tell myself it's just a busy period in our lives and that things will get easier, but I'm starting to realise it's not about waiting for things to get easier, but instead changing my way of thinking a bit.

You see, I feel a right idiot even saying, waiting for life to get easier, because life is good, and when life is good, why on earth am I even moaning?! That's why I really want to adjust my way of thinking and my ability (or lack of) to juggle, because if you can't enjoy life when it's actually good, then what is it all about anyway? So these are a few things I'm implementing over the next few weeks in hope to gain some much needed balance.

FOCUS.

Personally, I blame the female brain for being too clever for it's own good. We are multitaskers at heart, and I've found since becoming a mum the multitasker in me has taken it up a notch or two. Now, when you're on the ball, multitasking is a excellent skill to have. However, I do feel it's dimmed my ability to focus on one task at a time.

Take working from home as a classic example. I sit down at my laptop, ready to work, but then spy from the window what a glorious day it is. Perfect washing weather, I think. I look back to my laptop....now where was I? Oh yeah, right....but the temptation to get that washing out on the line is too strong, a wash hung outside dries quicker, which equates to making my life easier. So next minute I'm knee deep in washing shoving it into the machine. I then sit back down at my laptop.....where was I again?

Now I know this comes as one of the downsides of working from home, but in no other job that I've had would washing even have crossed my mind. This is one example of a billion. Working from home is turning out to be a huge adjustment for me now that the boys are at school and I've been able to take more work on.

Therefore as of this week, when I open my laptop, that's me, I'm in work mode. No washing. No tidying. Just work. Look I'm even writing a blog post, and I've published it!! Focus is my friend. The same will for the other areas in my life. Focus on the task in hand rather than trying to do a million things at once.

* I'm going to blog more about working from home as I feel it's too much to squeeze into this post. Basically, I've been lacking, and in fact, craving for more structure. I want to document how I'm going to achieve that, especially as more and more careers are starting from people's homes it would seem, and if I'm struggling with it at times, no doubt others are too.

SAYING NO.

Ugh I'm so bad at saying no. Call it FOMO, which I only figured out the meaning of recently. Call it a weakness, but the word no just doesn't sit right with me. I feel a huge guilt whenever I say, no, or this feeling like I'm not living my life to the fullest if I don't say yes to everything. The thing is, saying yes all the time can be exhausting, and lead to doing things that you sometimes don't want to do. Therefore, I'm going to learn to say no more.

STOP TALKING ABOUT BEING BUSY.

Oh I'm a broken record on being busy. We're all busy. Life is busy. We get it. The more I talk about being busy, or correction, moan about, the more I feel my anxiety levels increase. So this is a simple step for me, I'm basically going the shut up about being busy, and instead pour that energy into focusing on the tasks in hand.

I'd love to hear how you achieve balance in your life. Any tips or tricks share my way! I think it safe to say balance is something you have to work at and will be an ongoing process for me.

Living A French Dream

2018-07-13T12:39:00.000+01:00

There's nothing quite like a good holiday to remind you just how much travel is good for the soul, is there? The type of holiday that recharges your batteries and leaves you desperately planning your next trip.

We've just had that kind of holiday with our friends, thanks to Clio Wood and her family at, Manoir La Croix de La Jugie, inviting us to stay in their stunning large country house, nestled in the French countryside.

Talk about a pinch me moment the minute we drove up the private driveway, to be met with what I can only be described as an absolute dream of a house. Covered in sprawling ivy, with its beautiful white shutters, surrounded by rose bushes, lavender and hydrangeas; it was love at first sight before I'd even walked through the door. The smell alone from all the flowers was intoxicating and I literally felt all my stresses melt away, our holiday could now begin.

I feel like holidaying has been so low on our agenda since we had the boys, it just hasn't been a priority of ours. Now with the boys getting older I feel like that's finally changing. I'm excited to travel again, and we're excited to show the boys new places. Seeing how excited they were when they saw the house literally made my day.

If the outside of the house was impressive, the inside is equally so. It's full of French rustic charm, which I particularly love as it's the complete opposite to our new build home in Edinburgh. Here I could get my fix of all things old and full of character! That's one of my favourite things about holidaying, you get to dip your toe into a different lifestyle and way of living, and let me tell you, I can very much see myself living the French life.

The thing I loved most about the house, is even in all it's grandeur and size, it really feels like a home away from home. The décor is beautiful but relaxed and with the house sleeping up to 22 people in 8 rooms with 6 bathrooms, it is the ideal place for a large family or a group of friends. Children are very much in mind here too, they have travel cots and z-beds at your request, and there are stair gates to help keep all the little ones safe. Which also saves many a parent from the, Let's Play On The Stairs game, which let's be honest, no parent likes that game.

The boys shared a room (pictured above) which they absolutely loved. We were just across the hallway which was perfect if they needed us throughout the night, and a holiday miracle happened whilst we were there too. The boys slept past 9am, every day! I still can't quite believe it and have given some serious thought since as to whether we should up sticks to live in France permanently.

When it comes to holidaying with children, the word, 'holiday', can actually feel like a cruel joke, can't it? This is why I thoroughly recommend holidaying with family and friends that have children too. Our group total was sixteen, eight of which were children aged between 1-9 years old. The children all had an absolute ball together, and you know how that goes, happy children, HAPPY parents. It really took away any of the usual stress of entertaining little ones whilst away, as they all happily played together, making you question how eight children could possibly be easier than holidaying with only two!!

There's plenty of lovely walks to go on surrounding the house and they have a helpful guide left in each room with places they recommend nearby to visit. If however, you're after a truly relaxing holiday, my advice to you would to be to simply enjoy the house. Thanks to the pool, the grounds, a game's room and a selection of toys, the children were never once bored. In fact, every time we went out the first thing they would want to know was when would we be returning to the house! The pool itself, is a great size, and thanks to it being fully gated you can relax with the little ones running around the grounds once you know the gate is securely locked.

No holiday is complete without lots of yummy food! We chose to eat in during our stay which was so much easier for a group our size. The supermarkets are a short drive away with a great selection. French food, French wine, what is not to love?

The dining areas are so well thought out making this house the perfect spot all year round. There's options indoor and out, and you can make dining as informal or as formal as you would like thanks to the large dining area in the kitchen, or separate dining room in the house. Outside you have the option of a smaller table or the large table at the barbecue area.

The cooking and cleaning was a real team effort whilst we were away, making it never feel like a daunting task. We just happened to be away with the best cook too, Colin. I'll take dish duty any day, if it means Colin is cooking! The house also has a outdoor barbecue, which Ayman took control of whilst there and did a stellar job.

This holiday was very much made by who we were there with. Long time readers of my blog and Instagram will know I'm close friends with Lauren, Jules and Sally. I could gush about them for days on end, as most of you well know. I feel endlessly lucky that through this crazy world of social media, I've met true friends for life. Watching our children play together and our partners get on so well is the cherry on the cake. It's an amazing feeling knowing these eight children (and counting!!) will grow up and adventure together.

Other useful details

Car Hire. You will need a car whilst you're here, and if like ourselves, you feel nervous about driving on the opposite side of the road, go with an automatic. As Michael would say, it's literally like driving a go kart and changing gears is one less worry. Also, make sure you take out car insurance whilst there. We didn't and due to a small scrape on the bumper the car rental company we dealt with are holding 1200 euros until the repair amount is confirmed and only then will we be refunded the difference. This is common procedure in France and could have been easily avoided if we'd just taken out the insurance. Lesson learnt.

Airports. The nearest airport to the Manoir is Limoges, which is a 35 minute drive away. However, we flew into Bordeaux as there was a better selection of flights. Although this is a two and half hour drive away from the Manoir, the roads are great and it is pretty much a straight stretch. There's tolls on these roads which require a small fee that you can pay by cash or card.

Retreat Programmes. The Manoir also has a retreat programme which you can read more about HERE.

Weddings. They also host weddings at the house too. I didn't even realise at first that the house had a huge barn area. It would be absolutely magical for a wedding in France, you can find out more details HERE.

I'm so pleased to be able to share an exclusive code with you all for a stay at Manoir La Croix de La Jugie. They have generously offered a 10% discount with the code: TheFrenchEdition.

I'm happy to answer any questions or queries you might have if you're thinking of booking, just shoot me a message here or you can email me by clicking on the little envelope at the top right hand of my site. We certainly cannot wait to go back.

*this post was sponsored by Manoir La Croix de La Jugie, as always all thoughts and opinions are my own.

FINDING MY CONFIDENCE

2018-05-31T20:36:00.001+01:00

If you'd told my younger self that at the age of 37 I'd be prancing around yellow fields having my picture taken and then posting them on the internet, I would have told you, you were straight up crazy.

Yet here I am, and let me tell you, it feels good to prance around in a field of yellow.

I've been in a reflective mood this week after turning another year older, and it struck me just how much has changed in the past 12 months, for the better. It's been a year of regaining my confidence, but mostly a year of letting go.

Letting go of fear. Letting go of self-doubt. Letting go of what people think of me.

All the above didn't happen overnight, the progress has been slow and steady, but it's only now I feel like I'm reaping the rewards, like a huge shift has happened. Cue running through yellow fields singing the hills are alive ;)

36 was definitely a year were I discovered 'me' again. Being a mum is a huge part of my identity and I'm really proud of that fact, but somewhere along the way I lost a true sense of self, and the repercussions that had on my confidence (although I didn't realise it at the time) were huge.

This was largely why I went into panic mode at the idea of the boys starting school and nursery, because without them who was I? What was I going to do? Where would I find the confidence to be anything else other than their mum??

Now it's true what they say about timing is everything. I'd been working away at my blog and Instagram for years, for no other reason than it filled a huge creative void. Then as the boys went to school and nursery I found I could really dedicate proper time to these spaces that I'd built from scratch. I suddenly found myself with my own business.

Is it silly that it's taken me a year to feel comfortable saying that? That I have my own business. I actually feared for a while that if I said it out loud it would evaporate before my very eyes. Impostor syndrome has been strong and is somewhat an ongoing battle for me. Then there is the anxiety that came along with my new found business. I've never really dealt with anxiety before so that's been a huge learning curve for me too. I'll talk more about that in depth in another post.

So here I am at 37, and I can honestly say I'm excited for the year ahead. I'm excited to challenge myself, to continue to step out of my comfort zone. I'm excited to grow my business and I'd love to share that with you along the way. To share the highs and lows, my dos and dont's, my own personal experience with it all. There's so many blog posts I've shied away from sharing before now because I literally haven't had the confidence in myself. That stops now at 37. I'm claiming back this space from my negative, self-deprecating self and sharing more of myself here. I finally have the confidence in my abilities and what I can bring to the table.

My dress is Zara and can be found here, and my favourite bag for summer is from The White Company and can be here.

CLEANING MADE EASIER with DYSON CYCLONE V10 ABSOLUTE REVIEW (AD)

2018-04-06T20:11:00.000+01:00

It's funny how your age and circumstances can can totally change your perspective on certain things. In the past I've always been baffled as to why anyone would part with a lump sum of money when it came to a vacuum cleaner. Surely a bog standard vacuum does the same job, why the big price tag??

Then I had kids.

What I never really full appreciated until I was knee deep in dirty nappies was how these adorable little beings were going to increase household chores tenfold. My corded vacuum that was used to its fortnightly outing (ahh vacuuming only every two weeks, those were the days!), was now being dragged out of the cupboard daily, just what every sleep deprived mum of two wants. You can insert eye rolling emoji in here.

I thought the answer was a £20 handheld vacuum, because the cordless prices still seemed ridiculous to me then. I laugh now when I think about that, as I literally parted with £20 to spend more time on my hands and knees picking up after my children. A dust pan and brush, which I already had under the sink, was just as effective.

Before I lost my mind at the idea of pulling out my vacuum after yet another snack time, I decided it was time to put my money where my complaining mouth was. I bought the Dyson DC44 Animal (no longer available, I think the V8 is it's predecessor), granted I didn't have pets but I had a toddler and a baby. What I didn't have in pet hairs I made up for in crumbs. If I was going to part with my hard earned cash I wanted the big guns.

It was a game changer. I was blown away, my most hated chore now just seemed like second nature. After any meal or snack I could give a quick blast of my Dyson and it was job done. The joy this brought one sleep deprived mother can't be measured. I was now that loser who talked about their vacuum to friends, to anyone who listened for that fact. That was four years ago now, not a single problem with it and still going strong. I use my cordless vacuum for all my hard floors and my corded one for all my carpets, but I've dreamt of the day I could ditch my corded vacuum for good.

So you can imagine my delight when Dyson asked me to try out and review their Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute cordless vacuum, I'm not even ashamed to admit how excited I was. This is the cordless vacuum that has only gone and made Dyson STOP developing plugged in versions. My cord free prayers answered!

First impressions.

It certainly looks the part, and considering it's packing the power of a corded vacuum, it's still lightweight. It comes with various attachments, but most importantly, two main heads. One for your flooring, and the other for carpets and rugs. I first tested out the floors, I only did the area surrounding the breakfast bar and I literally couldn't believe my eyes. I expected the crumbs and usual breakfast debris, but not the amount of dust! The suction ability that Dyson promised cannot be denied, it was there for my own eyes to see. You can see below in this short video, if anyone thought I always have a clean and tidy house, it turns out I'm just tidy!

After doing the floors in my kitchen another thing I was impressed with was how clean the head was afterwards. Usually I expect to see hair tangled up in the head and just general dust and dirt. The head was spotless. The suction is clearly that powerful everything is going straight into the chamber when you use the hard floor attachment.

In the video you can see I move onto my rugs. As most of you will know I'm a big fan of a gorgeous rug, usually throughout the spring and summer months I go old school and hang them outside and give them a good beating. Obviously with the time of year that's not been happening. After seeing the dirt picked up from my laminate floors I knew the rugs were going to be grim. The Dyson V10 boasts that it deep cleans your carpets, and they have reason to boast. I was shocked by just how much dust and dirt was pulled up when to the naked eye the rugs looked relevantly fine.

I loathe vacuuming stairs, I actually blame living in a flat for all my adult years until we moved into our house two years ago. I find it's the point in the house that is the most awkward to vacuum, but could actually do with it daily as it gets the most traffic. By simply unclicking the pole that makes the vacuum upright, it turns it into a hand held vacuum. With the various attachments it makes it perfect for stairs, those hard to reach places, dusting and for cleaning the car too.

Great for dusting

With a retractable brush head this is great for hard to reach places and ceilings

We find living in a new build the dust is unforgiving. I think due to the amount of natural light we get, our many white walls, and new build straight lines, every speck of dust shows up. As you can see in our video, cleaning the ceilings and all those cobweb corners is made super easy. It also shows how Dyson have still managed to keep this cordless vacuum lightweight even with a chamber that's 40% bigger than their other cordless vacuums. Another feature I love is how to empty the chamber, you point and shoot into your bin, which means you don't need to get anywhere near the delights you've just vacuumed up.

The Dyson V10 lets you know when you need to empty the chamber, if there's any other issues with vacuum, and how much charge you have in the battery. With the charge time I found I could vacuum my entire house on the medium setting. If the vacuum is on the high setting you don't get as much battery life, but I can only see me using the high setting occasionally, and when I do, for a short amount of time anyway.

Overall I am completely impressed. It's time to finally retire my corded vacuum. I'd like to say I have fond memories, but I don't. Lugging around a heavy vacuum and constantly de-tangling the cord whilst having two children underfoot is not my idea of a good time. I was sold with my Dyson cordless four years ago and it's safe to say my love affair will continue. Yes, the price tags are enough to make you wince, but when you use something as often as a vacuum, I honestly think it's an appliance worth saving for and making that investment.

*this post is proudly sponsored by Dyson, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

MUM'S THE WORD with NOTONTHEHIGHSTREET (AD)

2018-02-28T21:22:00.001+00:00

There's nothing quite like becoming a mum that highlights just how much your own mother has done for you, is there?! It's safe to say I've learnt to appreciate my mum on a completely different level since having my boys.

All the things I took for granted growing up are now majorly mirrored back to me in my own life. It makes me love my mum even more, and I honestly didn't think that was physically possible. It also makes me think what goes around comes around too. I'm now the person stood with the little person rolling their eyes at me! That will bring my mum joy no end, I'm sure!!

But in all seriousness, I'm so lucky to have my mum in my life. A woman who at a young age gave up so much to have me, who has always supported me, and even when I absconded to Edinburgh, she wore a smile on her face and told me to go.

That very thought makes me tearful now, as since becoming a mum myself I realise that decision, however happy she was for me, broke her heart in two. Funnily enough, it's now me that struggles with the distance. The teenager who skipped off happily to Edinburgh is now a mother of two boys thinking she must be straight up crazy to not have her mum living near by. When we see each other we have amazing quality time together but I miss the little every day things with my mum. The popping in on her for a quick cuppa, or going over for a Wednesday night tea. I miss her in my day to day, weekly life.

This Mother's Day, I wanted to get my mum something a little bit different. Flowers have become my default gift, which is lovely as I know she loves flowers, but not for every Mother' Day. So I decided to peruse one of my all time favourite sites, notonthehighstreet, who are celebrating all those who 'mum'. I've been a fan of them since they first launched their site and they still today remain my go to for that special, thoughtful gift.

I don't know about you but I try not to repeat gifts too often, says the girl with flowers (!!!), but you know what I mean. I've bought her lots of jewellery, clothing and accessories over the years, so I knew I didn't want to go in that direction.

When I found these beautiful Botanical prints that you can personalise I instantly knew I'd found my gift. I fell in love with the vintage vibe of the flowers and the elegant lettering, so much so I couldn't resist getting one for myself. I mean, I am a mum after all ;).

I always find, notonthehighstreet, always provides those gifts that you are always so excited to give. My mum deserves an all expenses paid trip around the world, but while my budget doesn't stretch to that, I hope she likes this gift and the thought that's been put into it. She's one in a million and if I don't tell her that enough, this is certainly one day when I should.

I love you, Mum.

Now please move up to Edinburgh, already?! ;)

*this post is proudly sponsored by notonthehighstreet, as always all thoughts and opinions are my own.

WORLD BOOK DAY with SAINSBURYS (AD)

2018-02-25T15:37:00.002+00:00

// Elmer Costume // Willy Wonka Costume // The Gruffalo Costume //

Reading with my children wasn't always so straight forward for me. I remember being pregnant and having these wonderful visions of being all snuggled up reading to my little ones, with them hanging off my every word, excited to see what the next page brought. I mean, I have a degree in Acting (however dusty!), surely I was born for this reading to children gig?

Eh not quite, because the reality was very, very different. As a toddler Caleb despised me reading to him. I couldn't hold or be anywhere near the book for a start, he had to hold it, and before I could so much as read the first couple of words on the page he would hurl the book in the air and off he would trot. I would be left in a sea of hurled books feeling frustrated, sad, and to be honest, a little mad. Reading should be an enjoyable activity why was he making it such a negative one??

So I tried, and I tried, until it became a stressful and unhappy task for both of us. Was I failing him in some way because he didn't like me to read to him, and worse still, what damaging effects would this have on him?? Classic first time parent fear and guilt, always wanting to do everything perfectly for our children.

It turns out he was just a being toddler, and I happened to have a toddler who liked to be in full control of ANY activity he chose to do, so why would reading a story be any different?! I needed to approach reading in a way were he felt he had full control, so I put aside the actual act of reading a story to him for a time, and let him discover books on his terms. Instead of me reading the book to him I would let him turn the pages whilst I asked him questions about the images he was seeing. We'd also count what he could see on the pages too, and when for the first time he didn't hurl the book, I knew I was on to something. It was my light bulb moment and this was the beginning of Caleb's love for books.

I now have a boy who adores reading books and his little brother has followed suit. It's a joy to watch them enjoy all the different stories, and for them to choose their favourites. Something they're both really excited about is World Book day, on 1st March, as they'll get to dress up as their favourite story characters for school and nursery.

I think World Book Day, is such a clever initiative to get children actively talking about books and wanting to read more, particularly if they're a reluctant reader too. It also prompts us as parents to make sure we do take the time for that precious bed time story.

We've all been there when we're that exhausted from a full days work and parenting, that the idea of skipping bedtime story is all too appealing. To end the day on a lovely positive note such as reading a book together is so important for a child but also for us, I think. They say reading to our children promotes a good connection and a sense of well being, I find this to be absolutely true, because if Caleb is worried or concerned about anything he'll choose to talk about it after story time. It's clearly when he feels his safest and most connected with Michael and I.

Last year for World Book Day, Caleb dressed up as, Wally from, Where's Wally?, and to his delight they actually played, Where's Wally?, with Caleb hiding throughout the nursery! So you can imagine the excitement levels for World Book Day in our house. This year, as part of Sainsbury's support for National Literacy Trust pledge the supermarket is encouraging parents and children to get reading this World Book Day. You can find the most awesome range of costumes that you can buy online and in store now.

Both the boys have been having fun dressing as their favourite characters in preparation for World Book Day...

// The Gruffalo Costume //

A long standing favourite book with Archie, is the well-known and loved, The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson. Archie thinks he's awfully scary in this costume and I got told off when I laughed at how cute he looks! Apparently, Gruffalo's aren't cute ;).

// Harry Potter Costume //

Meanwhile, Caleb is starting to gravitate towards slightly older books like, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the first Harry Potter novel. We are currently doing a chapter a night with, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and he is loving it. The boy I thought I would never get to snuggle down and read a book with ;).

// Willy Wonka Costume //

If you have a little one who will love dressing up for World Book Day, or love dressing up in general, be sure to check out Sainsbury's. Their costumes are excellent quality and will last long after World Book Day. Dressing up as their favourite characters really puts the fun into reading, and reading should be fun!

The boys costumes can all found below:

// The Gruffalo // Harry Potter // Willy Wonka // Elmer //

You can find my shirt here, and my jeans here.

*This post was in proud collaboration with Sainburys, as always all thoughts and opinions are my own.

PHOTOGRAPHING CHILDREN // TIPS & TRICKS in collaboration with WHITE STUFF (AD)

2018-02-13T16:09:00.000+00:00

February half term is here, and what a welcomed break it is after the January slog. I'm excited to have some family time together and to get out and about. I read somewhere recently that we get roughly 940 weekends with our children before they fly the nest, 260 of them already gone by the time they turn five. I'm not usually one for statistics, but these ones pretty much freaked me out. Caleb turns six in April, I daren't even do the math.

This half term break just got a whole lot more precious, and it's making me want to dust my camera off and get those real memory maker pictures. Not capturing anything fancy, just my boys as they are right now at this age. You know, before they ditch us and fly the nest in however many weekends ;).

A lovely side effect of blogging, is how much I've learnt (through trial and error!) about photographing my children and interiors. We recently teamed up with, White Stuff to photograph their new kidswear range, Stuff & Wonder, and we had so much fun doing so. Having two very active boys, I am always on the look out for well made, comfortable, yet stylish clothing, and this collection does not disappoint. Made mostly from 100% cotton the clothing is super soft and durable, the perfect combination for little ones. The range has been a hit with my boys, who are very particular about what they wear, so it's nice to find a brand that we both love.

Whilst giving you a sneak peek of, White Stuff's new children range. I thought I'd also share with you some of my tips and tricks on how to photograph children, and how to get the most out of your images, whether you're using a camera or camera phone. You don't need fancy equipment to capture beautiful pictures of your children, with a few techniques you can start to capture more natural shots of your little ones, the type of shots you'll treasure for years to come.

Lightweight and warm // Puff Me Up Coat

Attention to detail // Volley Knit Jumper

Stylish & Comfortable // Oasis Stretch Chinos

100% Cotton // Volley Knit Jumper

ONLY TAKE PICTURES IF YOUR CHILDREN ARE HAPPY FOR YOU TO DO SO //

A fairly obvious point, but sometimes when there's a special event, like a birthday, we can't help but beg for that picture or smile from our children. Thanks to blogging I learnt very early on that this is not going to get you that special capture you so crave for, you're more likely to get a grumpy child, and no one wants that. I'd much prefer no capture at all than one of them looking uncomfortable and unhappy, regardless if it's their birthday or not. I find that by respecting their wishes when they don't want to be photographed, means that when they actually do, that's when you get the best kind of pictures. The pictures of them happy and having fun, which leads me to my next point...

DON'T GET FRUSTRATED IF THEY'RE ON A CAMERA STRIKE //

Children will go through phases of not wanting their pictures taken, don't let that stress you. It's more important that your child is happy and enjoying their time than you capturing the day. It's all swings and roundabouts and they'll be begging before long to have their photograph taken once more.

Smart & Fun // Time for Tennis Printed Shirt

CAPTURE CHILDREN IN THEIR NATURAL HABITAT //

I tend to only take pictures when my boys are fully immersed in a task, whether that's playing with their toys or throwing stones into a river, it can be anything. I personally love their expressions when they're fully absorbed in something as you'll capture that little frown of concentration or the beginnings of a smile. For me it feels like catching a fleeting moment in time, these always end up my favourite captures.

WANT TO CAPTURE MORE EVERY DAY SHOTS OF YOUR CHILDREN? SET UP LITTLE PLAY AREAS //

I personally like to capture pictures of my boys at home, it's these little every day moments that I know I'll treasure in years to come. Big birthdays, you remember, but the every day stuff fades so quickly.

I particularly love photographing my boys together, but rather than ask them to awkwardly stand next to each other for a picture (where you'll be lucky if both boys' eyes are on the camera), I'll instead set up little play areas. They happily play while I snap away, they're my favourite type of captures. Normal every day stuff, but to this sentimental old mum, really special.

Caleb & Archie // Lets Go Jogger

Caleb // Ace Grey Hoodie Grey Marl

Caleb // Matchpoint Tee

Archie // Explorer Sweat

Denin Style // Lets Go Joggers

Archie // Ace Hoodie Rugby Red

TAKE A LOT! //

Ahh the beauty of modern day photography, you can snap to your hearts content. Children are fast paced little creatures so I find the more pictures I take the more likely I'll have a few precious ones I'll want to keep. Also, I find the more pictures you take the less bothered children become of the camera. Ironically, if you're just quietly snapping away with no coaxing this is when they start to give the camera more eye contact. Seize that opportunity when it arises!

GET THEM INVOLVED //

This works particularly well for the camera shy! Let them take pictures of you or things that they want to photograph. I always ask them if there's anything they think I should be taking pictures of too. It becomes a lovely activity for us all to get involved with and I've found their interest in photography is ever growing. They pick cracking shots too...

LET THEM WEAR CLOTHING THEY LOVE //

This is a particularly good point if your wanting to capture your children on a special occasion, like their birthday. In the past I've picked their clothing thinking to myself how cute it will look in pictures. This hasn't always gone down well with my two. However, if they pick their clothing themselves they're much more likely to want to be photographed in them. Ahhh vanity comes to us all young ;). Of course this may mean your child might spend their fourth birthday wearing swim shorts and the top half of Captain America, but I guarantee this will make the pictures all the more priceless.

HAVE FUN! //

Don't think about getting the perfect shot, there's no such thing with children involved. Kids are balls of energy and the best type of pictures are the ones that capture that. This is my favourite one of Archie (pictured above), because it is him all over, a bit of a ham and a show off!

GENTLE DIRECTION //

I tend to avoid directing my boys in pictures, for the obvious reason that most kids tend to do the opposite as to what their parents ask ;). However, if my boys are relaxed and really loving the camera this is when I seize my opportunity to gently direct. In the above picture I suggested they sit on huge log we were passing overlooking the loch, if they'd said no, my picture idea would have not happened, and we would carried on walking. Simple as that. This time however, they said yes and I'm so glad they did as I was able to capture some of my favourite shots of them to date. All the stars aligned. It's rare! So enjoy those moments when they happen.

I hope you've found this post useful, I'll do a more in depth post about what camera and camera phone I use, and how I edit. Any questions you have feel free to ask!

A big thank you to White Stuff for asking us to be a part of their kidswear launch, we are thoroughly impressed with their fun and stylish range. You can find the whole collection HERE.

The boys were pictured wearing//

Puff Me Up Coat // Volley Knit Jumper // Oasis Stretch Chinos // Time for Tennis Printed Shirt //
Matchpoint Tee // Lets Go Joggers // Ace Hoodie // Explorer Sweat //

*this post is in proud sponsorship with White Stuff, as always all thoughts and opinion are my own.

HOW TO START DECLUTTERING YOUR HOME

2018-02-01T12:24:00.000+00:00

I shared our story about decluttering a while ago and it was a post that seemed to resonate with so many of you. It would seem a lot of us are craving a less cluttered existence, and to think as I explained in my last post, decluttering our home happened purely by accident.

Quick back story, we were moving house and our belongings needed to go into storage, we vowed not to pay storage on anything we didn't need or love, hence the great decluttering. It turned out to be one of the best things that could have happened and we have found a less cluttered home makes busy family life so much easier and enjoyable.

Many of you asked how best to tackle clutter in your home, and seeing as I'm not an expert in this field, more an accidental declutterer (is that even a word? I don't know, but let's just go with it!), I thought I'd share with you the things we found that worked, and more importantly the things that didn't.

Let's start with a big DO NOT. I wouldn't recommend decluttering an entire house in one go like we did unless you really have to, ie moving home, or if you're insane, both of which we were qualified for at the time. It's an exhausting task and you will quickly tire, and the last thing you want to do is give up part way. I know had it not been for our impending moving date I would have absolutely spat the dummy and given up and forever lived in a pile of clutter. No joke.

Instead I would recommend starting off small. Choose an area in your home that would really benefit from decluttering. The kitchen is a good place to start. It tends to be the place where we have the most cupboard space and the most amount of clutter.

When I was sorting through our kitchen it was beyond ridiculous how many duplicates we had of everything. Like mugs, will I ever really need to make 20 cups of tea in one go??! Tea party anyone? I sure hope not. 20 wine glasses however, is a different matter ;).

Simplifying how much you have of one item is a great way to start decluttering. I whittled down all of our mugs, cups, plates, cutlery etc, to a max of eight, you can go lower or higher depending on how many live in your home and how frequently you entertain guests. You'll be surprised by just how much space this simple task will free up. Then apply this method to the rest of your kitchen. Go through all your cooking equipment and utensils, if you have lots of duplicate items that you don't need, get rid of them. By whittling down all these items you'll be freeing up valuable cupboard space in your kitchen. If you're wanting your kitchen surfaces to be clutter free you can then choose the items you use daily to remain out, everything else can now go into your freed up cupboard space.

DO BOX & BAG AS YOU GO. As you start to declutter for a moment it can feel like all you're doing is making a big old mess, and that can be pretty disheartening. It will become all too tempting to just give up and tidy everything away. Therefore have you're bags and boxes ready before you start, label them BIN, RECYCLE, DONATE, SELL. Be honest with yourself about the SELL box, if you don't have time to sell items put them in your donate pile, with the knowledge that it will be benefiting somebody else. As you declutter make sure everything is going straight into the boxes.

Once the boxes and bags are full deal with them there and then if you can. You've gone to the hard work of decluttering don't then have the boxes clutter up your home. Pop them into the car and at the next available point drop them off to be recycled or at your nearest charity shop. Then pat yourself on the back knowing your clutter will either find itself a much needed new home or be recycled. It will no longer be clogging up your house collecting dust.

STORAGE & CUPBOARD SPACES. Poor use of storage space definitely leads to excess clutter spilling out into a home. I have an awful habit for shoving unwanted items into cupboards which then leaves little room for the things we actually need and use. It's all very well storing seasonal or occasional use items, but anything you don't need or ever use should go. Free up that space for the stuff you really need storing.

COLLECT MEMORIES NOT THINGS. I have this quote up in our home, and for an old sentimental gal like me, these are wise, wise words, in the larger but also smaller sense. I used to keep EVERYTHING. Cards, postcards, letters, ticket stubs, receipts, magazines, you name it. Most of these things were kept for sentimental reasons but the sheer quantity of them was unnecessary. I now choose my keepsakes wisely, because once a sentimental old soul, always a sentimental old soul.

This quote and the whole decluttering experience has really changed my view on what I purchase for our home too. I no longer have this incessant need to fill my home with stuff. Instead, I want our home to be filled with memories, and I want our belongings to reflect those memories too. From the ABC tall boy cabinet in Caleb's room which we bought whilst pregnant with him, from the hooks in our dining room which my granddad pulled out of a skip when they were tearing down my mum's old primary school. See, I told you I am sentimental. Do not mistake decluttering for having no sentimental value on things.

I hope this has shed some light on how we decluttered, and I really hope our experience is of some use to you. Please let me know if decide to declutter and if you find any of these tips useful. I can't express how much this has been a positive experience for us. If you decide to declutter remember it should be a gradual process as you're likely to be working through a lifetime's worth of possessions, which you won't just magically sort through overnight. Once you start though, you'll realise the benefits that can come from decluttering your home, and you can slowly work towards having less clutter.

If you missed my last post about decluttering you can find it here!

NEW YEAR. NEW STATEMENT CHAIR with DFS (AD)

2018-01-11T19:33:00.001+00:00

I'm usually that person who takes down the Christmas decorations in January and then despairs how bland and empty everything looks. Not this year though because just as all the decorations were packed away for another year, the chair of my dreams arrived filling that Christmas decor void.

You may remember I went on a press trip with DFS to see their new collaboration with Joules a few months back. I was thoroughly impressed with the whole range and also got to help upholster my own chair and design my own cushion. I was just a tad excited about this as you can imagine, if you missed it you can find the blog post here.

The timing couldn't have been more apt for the chair arriving. A new year. A new statement piece for our home.

I always get super nervous when introducing a new piece of furniture to our home. Kinda like bringing a new boyfriend home, will everyone approve? By everyone, I mean my other furniture. Obviously ;). What looks beautiful in the showroom or on the internet, might not necessarily fit or blend in well with the rest of the room when it arrives. It tends to take me time to fully like new pieces we add to our home.

Then there's the rare pieces that are love at first sight as soon as they arrive. The last time that happened was when our dining table and bench arrived, and now that accolade goes to this Joules Accent Chair. It's like someone delivered Spring to my door, and completed our kitchen space with one rip of the cellophane.

I've always felt our kitchen/living area was missing something, everything is fairly neutral in this area, even the patterned rug, that I think it needed a statement piece to bring it altogether. I worried about a potential clash with the rug and chair but I feel it's just about the right amount of clash. That's a thing, right?!

Also, from a practical point of view, we love watching the television in the kitchen and the small chair we had here originally wasn't the comfiest if you were settling down to a night of telly. Now we are all arguing over who gets to sit in the Joules chair, the chair I keep reminding everyone is my throne. Nobody seems to be listening though.

Did I mention she's velvet?! I know, this fact alone made me fall a little deeper in love. I did question whether I was raving mad picking velvet over cotton with having young boys. My aim has always been to make a beautiful but functional home, as I don't want to be constantly telling the boys to be careful or to mind their sticky fingers. That being said I also think it's good for children to respect their surroundings too, and that starts at home. So my velvet furniture love has finally been indulged!

Along with the chair arrived the cushion that I designed too. It's an embarrassing effort next to the chair itself, but put on our other couch it brings a pop of colour and the floral element too. It also serves as a reminder to what awesome experiences I had in 2017, and I hope this year follows suit.

I actually can't believe we're in 2018 already and the weeks are zooming by too. This year I want to be bolder in my choices, in all aspects of life. From my attitude and self-confidence, to my furniture and interior choices.

You can find the whole DFS Joules collection here. If you want a truly stunning piece of furniture with exceptional attention to detail then look no further.

I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Wishing you the very best for 2018 and I cannot wait to share more on the blog with you this year.

* This post is proudly sponosored by DFS. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

GETTING READY FOR CHRISTMAS with HOMESENSE (AD)

2017-12-17T18:54:00.000+00:00

It used to be a long standing joke with my friends and I, that there was no point asking where my clothes were from as they would likely be a one off vintage find or from a charity shop. This was a huge exaggeration on their part, but I was once a huge fan of rummaging in charity shops. That was back in the days when charity shops were like treasure troves, unlike today, where fast fashion regrets mostly fill the rails.

As my style has evolved and I've moved away from vintage clothing, I feel my love of one off pieces, old and new, has now transferred to my home. I'm often asked over on my Instagram account where items from my home are from, and a frustrating reply (I know, as I've been on the receiving end of those responses myself!) is that the item is vintage, second hand, or a one off item from a store years ago. For me though it's those pieces that make a person's home. So, where can you shop to find those special but affordable pieces for your home?

For those that know me, you'll know I'm a huge fan of TK Maxx, my rug collection in my home is testament to that, and I've found so many treasures over the years for my home there. You can imagine my delight to find that, Homesense, is part of the TK Maxx group.

I was invited to explore all their Christmas offerings and I was not disappointed. Not only are they good for the everyday essentials but they totally tick the box when it comes to those special finds too. I feel like all those items I lust over on Instagram and Pinterest were just hiding behind the next aisle in, Homesense. Not only did I find the most beautiful items to make the boys' rooms all Christmassy, I also got lots of lovely gifts, beautiful gift wrap, and I've totally upped my Christmas game in the kitchen department now too.

I love items you find in shops that you can totally make your own, and as soon as I spotted this little wooden tree I knew it had to be mine, the fact it was only £3.99, was the icing on the cake. I then stumbled upon my favourite type of fairy lights...

I adore these delicate wire battery powered fairy lights, they're super pliable and can be hung anywhere around the home (I particularly love outlining window frames), or bunched together to make a lovely light feature. I've got quite a few sets of these already but this is the first time I've found ones with as many as 100 lights.

I thought the lights were perfect for the little tree and hung it in Caleb's room along with the colourful garlands. I like how these colourful garlands have a Christmas feel but I think in the right spot they could outlast Christmas too.

I've noticed handmade felt decorations are really making a comeback, and I love the assorted garlands, decorations and stockings, Homesense had to offer. They instantly give a cosy Christmassy feel and all ranged from £2.99 to £24.99.

Decorating our boys' rooms for Christmas has become a little tradition of ours, it gets them so excited for the season ahead and I like how you can really have fun when decorating children's rooms. Throughout the rest of our home our Christmas decorations are subtle tones, lots of whites and warm fairy lights. With the boys' rooms we go full out colour and they love it.

Tartan Blanket £16.99

No Christmas is complete without the yearly stress over what presents to buy. If you're after a quality item at the fraction of the price or something a little bit different then, Homesense, is definitely worth checking out. Especially for the people that you struggle to buy for each year. You know the person I'm talking about, the person with everything!

Their candle selection is amazing (coming from a lady with a slight candle addiction), and their stationary aisle makes the 12 year old stationary-loving girl in me giddy. Beautiful diaries, notebooks, yearly planners and stationary. Always be sure when visiting Homesense, to check out their prints and frames too. This time I found the most amazing Covent Garden sign.

Planners from £5.99 - £7.99

Large Candle £7.99

Sign £12.99

Of course with present buying comes present wrapping and Homesense has so many lovely options. I found the cutest mason jar with everything you need in it, tape, string and tags. If you find gift wrapping stressful or an overwhelming task with so many presents, I recommend wrapping a few presents each evening in the lead up to Christmas. I find it makes what can be a mammoth task much more enjoyable.

Christmas time means entertaining and hosting for many, and it's the one time of year that serving nibbles from our boys' breakfast bowls doesn't quite cut the mustard. I love all the stylish kitchenware without the hefty price tag that Homesense, has to offer. I actually took the dive and purchased real copper pans, I'd say lusting after copper pans for over ten years is a long enough time to wait.

Bowls £3.99 - £4.99

Copper Pans from £19.99 - £34.99

Two-pack tea towels £3.99

Stemless Crystal Wine Glasses £4.99

Christmas Hot Chocolate & Biscuit set £12.99

There you have all my wonderful, Homesense finds. I'm feeling well on the road now to being organised for Christmas, and I'm really looking forward to hosting over the festive period. Cooking just got a whole lot more exciting with my sexy copper pans. Never have I ever called pans sexy before in my life!! But come on, they are though, aren't they?! ;)

*this post is proudly sponsored by Homesense. All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.

A Day With DFS & Joules (AD)

2017-12-04T09:34:00.001+00:00

One of my favourite things about blogging is I never quite know what emails I'm going to get from one day to the next.

Some days are spent sifting through all the junk mail and unsubscribing to mailing lists I've NEVER subscribed to, other days however, are when the real email gems come in. The emails that make you squeal with delight and then double check the name in case the person has sent it to the wrong Claire.

One such email came from the lovely folk at DFS, who contacted me to tell me all about their exciting collaboration with Joules Clothing. It didn't stop there. They wanted to invite me down to their design workshop, where not only would I have an exclusive peek of the entire collection, I'd get to help upholster my own DFS Joules Accent Chair and design a cushion to go along with it!! My bags were packed before I even finished reading the email.

What I particularly love about press trips is you get a real insight into the brands and learn facts you never knew. I'm a big fan of Joules, but I knew little about DFS, other than they sell sofas. I couldn't help but wonder would this collaboration be a good fit?

The answer is a loud, resounding, YES. It is in fact the perfect collaboration. On the trip I discovered every DFS sofa and chair they sell is made to order here in the UK. I don't know why I had the misconception that their sofas were massed produced and from overseas, as that is very much not the case. They pride themselves on hand-making every sofa to order in one of their three factories in Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Having now met both the design teams from DFS and Joules, it was really lovely to see how truly excited they are about collaborating; and the proof is in the pudding.

The collection is STUNNING.

Joules are all about attention to detail and hand-drawn prints, and the DFS Joules collection does not disappoint. The prints and fabrics give every piece that Joules feel, and there are so many hidden little details. From prints under the seat covers, to glass pheasant buttons, to their iconic Joules pink hare on the chair legs, the list goes on. Everything has been painstakingly considered when it comes to the finer details, right down to the piping and the zip colours they've chosen. I really love how this has clearly been a labour of love for both DFS and Joules.

^ Windsor ^

^ Cambridge ^

^ Burnham ^

^ Ilkley ^

After viewing the collection we had a chance to go behind the scenes and see just how the pieces are made. I think there is nothing better than meeting people who are excellent at their craft and I was kindly shown how to upholster parts of my own Joules Accent Chair. The staple gun was pretty scary at first but once I got used to it I was in my element! I literally could have spent the rest of the day there with my staple gun and perspex glasses. A good look, I know!

After reluctantly parting from the staple gun it was time to design my own cushion! This was the part of the day that I'd been most excited about when reading my email but once I was sat down to a blank page with the paints and brushes surrounding me, I froze. What on earth was I going to paint?! Except a big old mess.

This is when the Joules Art and Design team stepped in, inspiring us with real flowers, vintage floral prints, and to not over think it but to simply paint.

I, of course, did at first over think it, but as the time went on and I started to relax it became really enjoyable. My design (which you can see below) will be screen printed as a repeat onto a cushion. I'm so excited and nervous as to how it will turn out. I'll be sure to share it with you when it arrives.

And there you have my wonderful day with DFS and Joules. I'm excited to tell you the collection is now available and you can find it HERE.

If you want a truly stunning piece of furniture to grace your home than this collection is not to be missed. I'm really looking forward to receiving my Joules Cambridge Accent chair and I'll share how we will style it in our home once it's arrived. Here's hoping my cushion doesn't turn out a complete disaster ;)

* This post is proudly sponsored by DFS. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ditching the Mum Guilt

2017-11-09T21:45:00.000+00:00

Recently, I did something, that at the time, felt ridiculously self-indulgent.

Let me start by explaining myself. You see us mums need to do that when we do something purely for ourselves and not our children, now don't we?! ;)

It started with a few drinks and my friend Sam and I discussing how we missed holidaying together. We should book a few days up north, we said. Somewhere gorgeous with a lovely spa and nice walks, we said.

We then started to search for hotels and balked at the prices. How much for two days??! We might as well go abroad, we said.

And so we did!

As you can imagine this was somewhat fuelled by the aforementioned, 'few drinks', and as we pressed, 'BOOK', my excitement instantly turned into a sick feeling. Was this ridiculously selfish of me? Should I be spending that amount of money on myself? If I'm going on a little beach holiday should I not be taking my babies with me who absolutely adore the beach? All the mum guilt came crashing down. Predictable, I know.

I think this is an eternal struggle for parents who have young children, the inability to on occasion put our own needs first. It goes against the grain, doesn't it? We live for our little humans and take care of their every need, but as soon as that stops being the case 24/7, whether that's going back to work, an overnight stay, a weekend away, we can't help but let that guilt creep in.

For this very reason I pushed the fact I booked a holiday to the back of my mind and prayed that when it came around I would enjoy it and not be wracked with guilt the whole time.

Well I can tell you wholeheartedly I enjoyed every single minute. This holiday was a tonic that I really didn't realise how much I needed until I was away. I actually realised whilst laying on the beach, Sam calling my name to see if I wanted another drink, that my name had been said more in those few days than it had in years. I'd forgotten what it was like to be called, Claire, when my days are spent hearing, mum, mum, mum a trillion times, and the other variations, Caleb's mum. Archie's mum. It felt so good to be called, Claire.

Do you know what else I learnt on this trip too? To stop labelling myself as, 'too old'. When we first saw this amazing deal to Marbella, my instant response was, we're too old, we couldn't possibly go, I mean, I love carbs for a start! Surely this is not the place for me.

Utter rubbish! We stayed in the lovely area of San Pedro which is mainly Spanish inhabitants, carbs were free flowing ;), and it has such a relaxed and friendly vibe. I don't know what I had in my head exactly, I think I've watched one too many episodes of TOWIE and Made In Chelsea, which says more about me than it does about Marbella!

We decided we couldn't visit Marbella and not partake in a beach club experience. We chose the world-renowned Nikki Beach, and I'll be honest, I was convinced we were way too old for this. I pictured a flurry of hot, young babes in thongs, meanwhile, I'd be there in my full-length kaftan wishing I was 16 years younger.

That wasn't the case at all, we chose the Friday to go, which is one of the days they don't have any specific events on. This was perfect for us, we got to sample all the luxuries of Nikki Beach with a more relaxed vibe. If you want to party, party though, definitely choose one of their event days.

We chose a bed by the pool and it was the perfect spot to sip rose wine and enjoy one of their gorgeous mezze platters. Any thoughts of not belonging in a place like that, now I'm a mum, completely vanished and it was a day of luxury I didn't even realise I was craving. Be warned the price list is not for the fainthearted, but for us it was worth every penny. I've since concluded that I need more luxury in my life!!

No holiday is complete without finding a hidden gem to eat and drink, and this was Guayaba Beach for us. It was a no frills, friendly beach bar that just happened to serve the best seafood and sangria.

I came back home feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and guess what?! Three happy boys who had a blast while I was away, but also appreciated I was home. Nothing like absence to make the heart grow fonder ;)

So maybe your pondering a night away, a holiday with friends or your other half sans kids. Do it! Push that parental guilt aside. Book those tickets immediately. I can honestly tell you it will do you more good than you realise, and those little people in your life too.

Same time next year, Sam?!

THE BENEFITS TO DECLUTTERING YOUR HOME

2017-09-07T20:02:00.002+01:00

I get asked a lot of questions about our home over on Instagram which I try to answer as best I can, but I thought I'd write more in depth explanations over here on the blog about how we have made our home a functional, enjoyable space for busy family life. I thought I'd start off with one of the most frequently asked questions, which is,

Where is all our clutter?

Now being a past hoarder this one makes me smile as it was such a different story a few years ago. I was the Queen of Stuff. I kept EVERYTHING, there wasn't a surface free of trinkets and such. Our home was packed to the rafters, not to mention a garage and multiple storage cupboards bursting at the seams too. Think Monica's cupboard from Friends, we had five of those. Oh the shame.

Back then I got a strange comfort out of keeping everything, either from a sentimental point of view or convinced we would have need for it in the future, so how could I possibly throw it out? Of course that 'future need' never happened and everything just collected dust, and slowly without realising it, it started to overwhelm me.

Then the best thing possible happened to us, although at the time it felt like a ginormous hassle. We sold our flat leaving ourselves with a four month gap before our new home was ready to move into. Where exactly we were going to house a family of four and all our many belongings for four months we had no idea. We eventually found a fully-furnished holiday rental that definitely took care of where we would live, just not all our stuff. Our belongings would need to go into storage.

As everyone knows selling and buying property is an expensive affair and now we needed to factor in storage costs too. I knew it was time to be brutal when it came to my hoarding tendencies. I decided we would only pay storage on what we truly needed and loved. The rest had to go.

So the deep cleanse began, and what an eye opener it's been.

One of the biggest lessons I learnt is objects don't hold memories, we do. That's not to say I don't have precious and important items that I haven't kept, I've just tamed down the volume and re-evaluated what's important and precious. For example keeping every birthday, engagement, wedding, baby card is, when you see them altogether piled high, completely unnecessary. Little did I know I had a small forest living in my flat. I know all our family and friends love, support and celebrate big life occasions with us, I don't need cards after the fact to remind me off that. So I picked out a few as keepsakes and the rest went off to be recycled.

I felt pretty grossed out by how much we'd accumulated over the years, that recycling and donating felt good and I can't tell you how freeing it was. I swore never to hoard again. When we finally moved into our new home I joked that we would barely have anything to put in it, especially as our new home was bigger than our last place. I was right, our new home felt super sparse, but after being overwhelmed with belongings it was the most refreshing feeling ever. I didn't want to rush and fill it with unnecessary stuff. I want to fill our home with things we love and need over time. I want the house to grow with us and reflect us as a family and our lifestyle not just become one big, giant Monica cupboard.

Here are some other unexpected and rather lovely benefits to de-cluttering:

With small children around it makes home life so much easier. Clutter is a temptation. It's something to be played with, pulled out, emptied, chewed on, licked! A cluttered house, can quickly turn into a messy and chaotic house with children. I wish I'd figured that out when Caleb was little.
Cleaning and tidying is quicker and easier. Dusting used to be my number one hated chore and it would take forever!!!! Now I can have the whole house dusted, hoovered in no time. That brings me serious joy. Who wants to waste their life dusting?!
I really noticed an overall positive change in my mood at home. I've since come to realise if my home has an overwhelming amount of stuff in it, I feel overwhelmed. Same as when it's overly messy and chaotic, that's exactly how I feel. I guess it's not rocket science but I didn't make the direct correlation until de-cluttering.
Through figuring out what I truly loved and decided to keep I've found my interior style. Before I was a mish mash of lots of different styles, that I loved individually but didn't particularly flow well together. The pieces I have in our home now compliment rather than compete with each other.

Have I missed or regretted anything we got rid of? Not a single item. In the picture above you'll see the quote, 'Collect memories not things'. After de-cluttering it has kind of been a mantra of mine and a daily reminder to keep my old hoarding ways in check. So far it's worked.

If you've been thinking of de-cluttering your home, do it! Do it now, you won't regret it. You don't need to be moving home to de-clutter. I personally wished I done this years ago.

If you'd like to see more interior pictures of our home and daily life you can find us over on Instagram here.

NEW CHAPTERS - A Time For Blogging

2017-08-23T20:49:00.001+01:00

So here I sit this morning, typing out this blog post and it feels weird, and pretty damn glorious if I'm honest. My blog writing (or lack there of) has always been reserved for the evenings, when the boys were tucked up in bed. Turns out a tired, frazzled brain does not a good blogger make, or that was indeed the case for me.

It's been one heck of an emotional time here lately. A time of change for everyone. Caleb has started school, and as if that wasn't quite enough change for us all, I waved Archie off for his first full morning session at nursery today. As I walked away from the school and nursery buildings empty handed, I didn't know whether to skip, laugh or cry.

I guess that's how I feel about this whole transition. Part excited, part devastated. Ready for change, yet fighting it. This yo-yo feeling has brought with it a lot of anxiety too, and left me questioning myself. The biggest question being who exactly am I outside of being the boys mum? In the last five years so much of my identity has been made up of being a stay-at-home mum that stepping outside of that, even for a few hours every day seems daunting. Does that sound silly? Oh there is nothing quite like a 36 year old woman having an identity crisis now is there?! My lucky husband ;)

But as I sit here in silence (yes silence, glorious silence, I didn't even want the radio or music on) I feel good. I feel without even realising it we were all ready for this next stage, ready for new challenges and adventures outwith each other. They're both going to get a chance to grow as individuals in their own right, and ironically so am I once again.

The time I've longed to give this blog is finally here. I've come to realise I question my capabilities as a blogger (yep, just called myself a blogger, that's a first for me!) far too much, rather than be proud that whilst bringing two young children up I have found a job that I can work around them and their school and nursery hours. This very fact makes me even more determined to not let my self-confidence ruin the opportunities I'm being given.

This new chapter for me is all about growth, kinda exciting to think you never stop growing. I'm a mum, but I'm also a person in my own right, and it's going to be rather nice getting to know her again.

So what can you expect from this space in the upcoming months?

Keep an eye out for interior posts, how to find your interior style, the pros and cons to living in a new build, how de-cluttering changed my life. I'll also be sharing more about my personal style as a busy mum who loves her clothes but doesn't have a silly budget to spend on them. There will, of course, be more adventures with my family in Edinburgh and further afield too. I also plan to introduce monthly features on different topics too.

I'm really excited to get back to blogging regularly and I hope you come join me too.

RECYCLING WITH NESPRESSO

2017-06-06T21:38:00.000+01:00

Coffee. Thank the heavens for coffee.

It's been keeping my mum brain going since 2012. Yes, I loved coffee before that, just not in the my life depends on it if I'm going to keep two young children alive all day, kinda way.

Now when I wake up I NEED that first coffee to fake the 8 hours sleep my body so craves. The first cup barely touches the sides, the second cup I really, really enjoy, and then let's not discuss how many cups I go onto thereafter, I'll leave that for my coffee anonymous group meeting, but let's just say it's a whole lot of coffee.

So, when Nespresso got in touch with me about raising awareness about their recycling system, as an avid coffee drinker, I jumped at the chance. I don't know about you but with the age of both my boys recycling is a big topic. I love that recycling is just the norm for them. They know what goes in what bins at home, apart from the occasional banana peel (usually Archie) that ends up in the wrong bin. Like a blood hound I know instantly when this has happened and don't rest until I've found every last bit of peel. Oh that smell. That aside though, they're great at remembering and understanding it's important to recycle as it gives things a new life.

First off, all Nespresso drinkers will already know that the aluminium pods can't go into household recycling. If you ever wondered why this is, it's because the capsules need to go through a complex process to separate the coffee from the aluminium, something that is difficult for traditional recycling.

So why the choice to use the aluminium casing still?

With Nespresso priding themselves on the best possible coffee drinking experience, aluminium is used as it keeps the coffee as fresh as the moment it has been grounded. Have you ever wondered why when you buy your Nespresso pods you can't smell the coffee? That's thanks to the sealed aluminium pod locking in the freshness. In fact, if you can smell coffee it means the pod is damaged somewhere. However, their choice to use aluminium is not only for the quality of the coffee but also because once recycled it goes on to have a very valuable second life.

This is exactly what I learnt when I was invited down to their recycling plant in Congleton. Picture me, high viz jacket, protective eye wear, it was like being back on a school trip again! There we watched them sort through all the bags of used pods they receive and then the entire process it goes through until it finishes up as blocks of differently graded aluminium. There they go on to make car parts, bike frames and more, while the coffee goes off to be used as compost.

Whilst we were at the recycling plant we were apparently only looking at about two weeks worth of pods. There were tens of thousands and that's without us all recycling them. It really brought home how important it is to keep them out of landfill. Never underestimate the power of doing your own little bit. It does count, and it does matter. For me recycling is helping to safe guard the future world for our children, and their children's children.

Nespresso are currently striving to make it easier for us as the customer to recycle our pods. In the ideal world we'd all put them out with our normal bin collection service, this is something they'll be trialing very soon in the Chelsea and Kensington, London borough. However, for the rest of us, until that hopefully happens they're looking to us, the consumer, to do our part to stop the pods clogging up landfill and instead go onto to have a second life.

Current ways to recycle your Nespresso pods:

1. Drop them into your local Nespresso Boutique, ideal if you've ran out of coffee and need to stock up. You can also pick up more recycling bags in store while you're there.

2. You can use any of the thousands of CollectPlus points in the UK. Simply print out a label and pop it into your nearest collection point. You can find more information on that service here.

3. Call Nespresso to arrange a collection and then simply leave outside your front door. If you run out of recycling bags and don't have a boutique near you, you can order on line for free with Nespresso here.

As you can see I've drafted in my coffee makers and they know exactly how to make my coffee (with my help;) just how I like it, and to pop the pods in the recycling bag when we're done. A favourite job of Caleb's.

I hope you found this post as informative as the day I spent with Nespresso. I was totally unawares of their recycling efforts, and I'm so glad I know now.

* this post was sponsored by Nespresso. A big thank you to them for a really interesting trip. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

CALEB & ARCHIE'S ROOM with My 1st Years

2017-06-01T20:29:00.001+01:00

When we moved last year I decided that we wouldn't rush in and decorate the boys rooms straight away. I'd done the whole nursery design thing when I was pregnant with Caleb, which I absolutely adored doing. It was such a fun process designing a room for a little person I'd not even met yet. I actually found it quite therapeutic and it helped me mentally prepare for the massive change that was about to happen in our lives.

Then while I was pregnant with Archie, as we knew the boys would be sharing we decided to decorate Caleb's room again. As that happened we prepared Caleb for the idea that he'd be sharing it with his little brother soon enough. We even put up the cot, which of course he didn't go into until months later. By the time we did put Archie in with Caleb it was a super smooth transition as Caleb had been waiting for the time to come.

Now here we were in a new house, and this meant Caleb and Archie would have a room each. We didn't rush to decorate, mainly because the boys had shared so well that we did wonder whether separate rooms might go down like a lead balloon. It didn't which was great, but with a whole house to decorate it dawned on me that it would be so nice to take our time with the boys rooms and have their input as much as possible.

Their rooms still aren't finished, but as growing and changing boys, I don't think they'll ever be. I like the idea of the rooms simply evolving around their personalities and current interests. One thing that is an absolute hit with both my boys right now, is anything personalised. They get a real kick out of seeing things with their names on, I think they find comfort in the fact there's no dispute over who it belongs too, ha! When it comes to beautifully made personalised goods I love, My 1st Years. They do clothing, toys, storage, furniture and more. Which brings me onto our latest finds for the boys rooms.

I've been wanting to get the boys each a desk and chair for their rooms. They're big colouring fans and with both Caleb starting school and Archie starting nursery this August I thought it would be a lovely addition to their rooms. I found the perfect one at My 1st Years for Archie.

To say he was thrilled when he saw it was an understatement. He now has his own little art corner in his room where he can hang up his masterpieces, I love that with just a simple bit of string and pegs he'll have a ever changing wall of his latest works. We picked the White Wooden Desk and Chair as it fitted best with Archie's room. However, they also do a lovely Wooden Desk and Chair with a chalkboard table top too, which I think is a great idea for mini artists. No soon to be nursery start is complete without a backpack, and to save me a job of having to label it too, I picked my car loving boy the Vintage Vehicle Backpack. The bag is currently home to as many cars as he could fit in it ;)

With Lego and train track obsessed boys good storage is always key in our house. Thanks to hand me downs from family we have a pretty impressive amount of train track which was starting to spill out of the storage trays we have. The Large Navy Star Storage Bag is ideal, and can even fit in the multiple bridges we have for the track. Thanks to it being well made and sturdy its take the weight of it all too.

My favourite new addition to Caleb's room is this really fun Cloud Coatstand in mint. For a boy who's becoming very particular about what he wears it is now home to his favourite jackets and hats.

There you have the whole thought process when it comes to the boys rooms. It's lovely watching the spaces take shape, a place that they love and can call their own. Please remind me of this when it's all smelly socks and week old cereal bowls hidden under the bed, because we all know that is going to happen!!

* This post was sponsored by My 1st Years, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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YELLOW FIELDS AND ONE ON ONE TIME

2017-05-24T19:34:00.001+01:00

Something quite rare happened recently, both Michael and I got to spend a few hours together with just Archie. Caleb was away for a few hours at a birthday party which meant Archie had us all to himself. To say his little face lit up at the attention was an understatement. I've always believed in the power of one on one time with a child when they have siblings. That little bit of time carved out just for them can be a tonic from busy family life. I had however forgot just how important it is for our boys to get time on their own time with both Michael and I together too.

One of my most vivid birthday memories was when I turned 10 and I got to go out for dinner with just my mum and dad in the evening. I remember it feeling like such a huge deal. One, to be out late. Two, that it was just going to be the three of us. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the restaurant or tell you what I ate for dinner, but I do remember that feeling of being special. The type of spotlight I think every child craves for occasionally.

What we also noticed was just how chatty and engaged he was having us all to himself. He was a happy calm, something we've not seen a whole lot of lately. His behaviour has pretty much ticked every toddler nightmare box lately, so these few hours were a tonic for us all. It helped remind Michael and I that underneath all the toddler angst he's still our happy boy, who squealed at the sight of yellow fields as far as his little eye could see. He definitely gets that from his mama. Every year the sight of these fields makes me happy, and I'm happy to report no pouring noses or watery eyes this year for any of us, hence the photo op ;)

Seeing Archie so giddy made us so happy but also gave us that pang of guilt. We've been comparing his behaviour to Caleb a lot lately, which really isn't fair considering the two year age gap. Memory is a funny thing isn't it? Caleb is so chilled and sweet-natured that it of course highlights Archie's erratic toddler antics all the more at the minute. Yet if we actually look back to Caleb's behaviour at Archie's age we went through the trickiest spell, all the more intensified by what would later be diagnosed as a speech delay.

In short, we need to just chill out, stop comparing and ride the toddler storm, it does help that he's ridiculously funny and has a smile that instantly causes you to forgive everything. His speech has come on leaps and bounds these last few weeks too, which is probably at the root of his behaviour. Nothing spells crazy behaviour like a new development stage. I do however think a little more one on one time with both Michael and I, is just what's needed for him too. A chance to be Archie, and not little brother all the time.

In other news I decided to go blonder. I'd like to tell you it's just because I want to go lighter for the summer, but the main reason was to help disguise the grey. Amazing. I blame two stints of todderhood for that ;)

I'm still as you can see obsessed with blue, frills and cuff details. This one kinda reminds me of the summer dresses I used to wear in Primary school and in fact they do it in a dress too! Also is it just me or is it hard to find good straight leg jeans that don't have rips in them??! Does that make me sound really old? Hell, I don't care. I love ripped jeans but sometimes you just want to disguise the fact you haven't shaved your legs for weeks!

Oh and please tell me I'm not the only one who hears Coldplay's song, Yellow, in my head every time I see these fields?? Seriously, for me. Every. Time.

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HOW WE DO HOUSEHOLD CHORES

2017-05-14T19:06:00.002+01:00

I grew up in a family where the majority of the household chores were done by the women of the house. I remember moving in with Michael, both bright-eyed and bushy tailed twenty-one year olds and thinking nope, that will absolutely not be me. We both had jobs, why should I be doing the bulk of the chores?? So apart from cooking, not Michael's strong suit unless we wanted to live off balsamic pasta (don't ask!!) or chicken fajitas for the rest our lives, we split the chores up. We even split it down to doing our own clothes washing after he shrunk a very expensive top of mine in with his football wash. I couldn't decide at the time what was worse, the shrunken top or the discovery he'd been doing all of my washing combined with his smelly football wash :/

So when Indesit got in touch about their Big Family Switch Up campaign, it got me thinking about household chores and just how much things have changed now we're a family of four. I watched the video, which you can see below, and I could see similarities of ourselves in all the families featured.

Since becoming a stay at home mum I've definitely taken on the bulk of the responsibilities, therefore it was no surprise to me when I took the survey that we came out as Traditionalists. I know, I know, my twenty-one year old self would be giving me the major eye roll just now, but to me it made sense. Michael is at work all day and the family home is in all intense purposes my work environment.

Watching the video did however highlight a few things that I hate to admit. I've turned into that person who likes set jobs. Michael always does the bins, recycling, and the cleaning of the bathrooms. All three jobs I hate. I'll happily cook, hoover, hang washing and so on rather than do those three jobs. Also I'm that person who on the occasional off day (eh once a week ;), complains I do the majority of the chores, Michael then tries to help out more and then I criticise that its not like how I do it. Ugh typing that makes me feel like such a control freak. It's made not only me, but Michael realise we're in a bit of a chores rut. He's even threatening to cook ;)

One area I know we have true balance in is our role as parents. We both do everything when it comes to the boys, and we switch up the roles regularly, and because of this we'll rarely argue about anything to do with the boys. It makes me think that if we approached chores the same way maybe we'd argue less and be much happier about them, which is exactly what the Big Family Switch Up campaign is all about.

I'd love to hear how you handle chores in your household? Is it a source of arguments and what family type are you? Are you Traditionalists like us or a Switched Up family? You can find the survey here.

* This post was sponsored by Indesit. All thoughts and opinions are my own.