The beauty of Casabu for me, other than the fact that it saves me a substantial amount of money is that they do all of the hard work for me. Regularly updated sales boast a range of gift ideas, home ideas and more for the family. Sales do run for a limited time however so it is worthwhile keeping an eye on the site or registering for emails.

This week for example there is a Krooom sale which offers a range of fabulous eco-friendly items which are perfect for imaginative play. As you can see below there are some great savings to be made.

We recently received a new play tent from Casabu which we were sent in exchange for an honest review regarding how we felt the site performed and how we as a family felt about the whole set up and the range of brands features. The play tent has been a huge hit with the boys, it came quickly and was brilliantly packaged. I hadn’t heard of the brand of tent before however was seriously impressed at the quality and the sale price of the item as it was approximately 50% cheaper than ones I had been looking at elsewhere.

Having experienced one item from Casabu I have since spent a good amount of time browsing and have already decided that this is a site which will enable me to save a fortune on birthday and Christmas presents, as well as the odd item for myself. Postage and packaging (I hate hefty p&p charges!) is only £1.99 per order and free for orders over £40 so no complaints here.

In conclusion Casabu is a fabulous way to enjoy budget-friendly shopping, find inspiration for gifts and treats and discover new brands. Despite my being introduced to Casabu as part of a blogging campaign I have been impressed enough by what I’ve seen and experienced myself to recommend it to others and have it bookmarked in my “favourite shops” file.

The boys enjoying a lazy weekend morning in their “Boy Den” from Casabu.

*We received this play tent free of charge in exchange for an honest review of Casabu and their service. Casabu have had no input into this post which is true to my own thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Kieran’s Tidy Bedtime Story

Once upon a time there was a little boy called Kieran.  Kieran was very good but something was wrong with his bedroom! He just could not keep his bedroom tidy even when he tried to. His Mummy and Daddy got cross because they kept standing on Lego and toy car in the middle of the night.

“Ouch! Kiiiiieeeerrrannnnn!” They would shout.

One night Kieran climbed over his piles of books, Lego and other toys and went to bed. But when he got to bed he had a dream that was a bit different to his other dreams. He dreamed he was in an organised world. When he woke up in his dream he was in his own bedroom but he saw his room was really tidy, not like his room in real life.

He saw some awesome things like a pencil pot made of Lego, and a tidy grown up boy’s desk. There were Lego toy boxes and he had a cool DVD player for watching DVDs on at the weekend.  His Jedi lightsaber was tidied away but he could still get to it and his set of drawers had no fronts on and the drawers were filled with colourful mini Lego boxes which had all sorts of different types of Legos in.

When Kieran opened up his wardrobe in this special room he thought everything would fall out on him because that was what happened in his own room. Kieran loved this room, it looked super grown up and special.

Kieran started to feel really tired so he climbed into his tidy bed and fell asleep.

When Kieran woke up he was back in his messy bedroom.

“Oh no” said Kieran and sadly went downstairs to get breakfast. Kieran’s Mummy told him that he would have to tidy his bedroom when he got home.

After school Kieran came home, put his book bag away and had some juice at the table. His Mummy reminded him he still had to do his room. Kieran walked slowly upstairs to his room, opened the door and instead of the horrible messy room that was there this morning he found the super tidy grown up room that was in his dream!

When Kieran could stop staring he raced downstairs to see his Mummy.

“How did you know what happened in my dream???” he said.

“Ah” said Mummy, “Mummy knows…..”
“Everything!” finished Kieran with a big smile.

After that day Kieran kept his room tidy all the time and because his room was so grown up and not messy he could have friends come and play and have sleepovers all the time.

THE END.

This post has been written in conjunction with children’s bed makers Warren Evans for National Share a Story Month. For his part in the Warren Evan NSM campaign he  will receive 4 specially printed copies of his story to share with family and friend.

I’m an internet shopper when it comes to gift buying. Yes, ideally I do like to support local businesses however we live in a rural Yorkshire town which simply doesn’t haven’t enough shops to help us find what we need all the time. The beauty of using the internet of course for gift shopping is that all of the hard work is done for you. There is no driving or travelling, no elbowing your way around or in my case trying to concentrate when you have two tired and hungry children in tow.

I like online stores that host a range of gift items such as these Yankee Candles and a load of other items; a sort of online department store where I can browse and find inspiration. I like to view a mix of items for boys and girls (or Men and Women now that we are all adults!) which has gift ideas with different price ranges. I don’t have a set price I keep to but instead like to look for something that suits the person (not as easy it sounds when you have five siblings that are so different!).

Gift buying for me can either be great fun or a really drag. I prefer to keep it fun and so sites like these which compile gift ideas for me yet don’t cost an absolute fortune or have too much of the same sort of things are ideal for me.

My question for you all today is this: Where do you go for gift inspiration? Do you have an app for that? Do you ask the recipient what they want? (We sometimes do at Christmas), are you an online browser like myself or do you have a different way of finding gift ideas?

Brothers and sisters…..if you are reading this, I like the Kipling Bags :)

Photo credit

*Written in collaboration with the mentioned business yet true to my thoughts, feeling and experiences.

Next up we really need to look at our windows. Being an old house we have 1) LOTS of windows and 2) Different shapes and sizes. Oh what fun! As yet I’m undecided as to whether web-blinds, nets or window film is best for us.

Window Film
In our previous home we used window film to create privacy, eliminate nasty nets and still allow the light in. Originally we had decided that we would use the same again however our front window is a big bay window and even only using film half way up (I.e. above nosy passer-by level) the cost is going to be prohibitive. While the film for the old house was great for stopping any and all gawkers it did mean that I would have to run upstairs if I want to be a nosy mare myself as I couldn’t see through the film and in this house I wouldn’t be able to have a quick nosy around the curtain to see who is at the door. I was thrilled with the effect at the old house but I’m not convinced it will work here.

Also, our windows here are all big sash windows which mean when open then film won’t do a thing for privacy.

Our lounge window complete with window film from Purlfrost over at the old house. Looked good but I’m not sure it will work here and besides, Roy said he’d divorce me if I made him use the stuff again (it can be a bit of a pain)

Nets
Don’t get me wrong, nets are fabulous for ensuring some aspects of privacy. Nowadays there are so many different designs and types that creating a style that is suitable is easy. We currently have nets in the lounge which “will do” for now however they are starting to fray and I can’t have frayed nets on display to the neighbours! The added bonus of course of nets is that they are so cheap. I think we will have nets in our bedroom as we have two sash windows we have open at night yet the front of our house is overlooked so I’d like something that lets the breeze in and the spectators out.

 Blinds
I’ve never had blinds. They aren’t as cheap as nets however look like, certainly for the lounge window, to be the right solution. My big bug bear (remembering that the front of the house faces the street) is that Roy and now even 6yr old Kieran regularly close the curtains when the TV is on or the computer so that they can block the sun out and reduce glare. This drives my batty for some reason! I really dislike curtains closed during the day, don’t ask me why, it just bugs me. I’m guessing that if we had vertical blinds installed it would please everyone. I’ve had a look online and there are some lovely designs available which will do the job yet not “spoil” my vintage-style lounge.

I’m still uncertain as yet which way we’ll go. I think I’ve talked myself out of film this time so perhaps a mixture of nets and blinds as appropriate. What do you have? Do you have blinds and if so do you find them easy to clean and look after? Can you think of alternatives that won’t cost me the earth? I’d love to hear from you with window dressing know-how as at the moment we are still at the drawing board.

*Written in collaboration with the mentioned business yet true to my own thoughts, feeling and experiences.

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Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-baby and I do have my broody moments but I am being very careful to boil my water at the moment because there must be something in there given how many people I know locally who are pregnant! Amongst this vast number I’m thrilled to say is one of my sisters who is expecting her first boy or girl in early October. Cue full-on auntie mode!

This will be the first of my sisters to have a baby, although I have lots of fabulous nephews from my brothers and I am actually quite excited. I have a new-found enthusiasm for maternity clothes sites and baby gift shops and I have plans for spoiling this new arrival when he or she arrives.

Browsing once more I’m amazed at the range of gift ideas, both practical and just pretty that I seem to have glossed over when pregnant with my two. If this baby shares the love of shoes of his or her (Hurry up next scan so we can hopefully find out the gender) mother then these soft leather baby shoes will be a must! I’m not sure but I think buying for others could actually be more fun that buying for your own in a way because you don’t have a big to-get list and may enjoy getting things like these Merry Berries.

I received some gorgeous practical gifts when pregnant with my two and was ever so thankful for them at the time so should probably do the same myself for my sister however I’m having so much fun. A question for my readers who are parents….. What was the best gift you received and why? You might help me with other ideas for spoiling the new arrival!

Me at 17wks pregnant with Taylor with a huge bump! As much as I love my boys from now on it is full on Auntie-mode rather than adding any more babies to the household!

*written in collaboration with the mentioned business yet true to my thoughts, feeling and experiences.

There are shabby chic items which are very rustic in nature such as French-style wire chicken baskets blackboards and white painted egg boxes. These always seem to come under shabby chic. There are shabby chic materials such as printed cloth which is used for clothing, tablecloths and even bags which claims to be shabby chic and a popular theme at the moment seems to be sprays of roses.

I’ve seen checked / gingham kitchen items such as tablecloths, tea towels and even jam jar lids described as shabby chic too (I think these are more kitsch than shabby). There are shabby chic writing styles now (really).

I’m not convinced. To be shabby chic usually is connected to furniture and is specifically “shabby”. There are certain paint effects that look old and rubbed down which I feel represent shabby chicness and yet the interiors market is flooded with “shabby chic” items which really don’t encompass what the style truly is about.

According to Wikipedia shabby chic is:
“A form of interior design where furniture and furnishings are either chosen for their appearance of age and signs of wear and tear or where new items are distressed to achieve the appearance of an antique. At the same time, a soft, opulent, yet cottage-style decor, often with an affected feel is emphasised to differentiate it from genuine period décor”.

This is spot on (as Wikipedia usually is) and for me encompasses what shabby chic truly is. Why the confusion then? Have people lost the meaning of shabby chic? Has it become such a commonly bandied about term that we’ve forgotten when it actually means or have companies and individuals abused the term in order to increase sales? Often if you add the term shabby chic to any item you are able to charge a little more, just as you can when you add maternity, business or any popular word or term.

What do you feel shabby chic is? There are some fabulous shabby chic examples around the internet from authentic vintage and basically old and worn pieces which definitely fall under the category as well as a number of strong shabby chic styled pieces of furniture or home accessories. I’m just not convinced that it should be used as such a blanket term as many seem to be confused about what shabby chic actually is.

Photo credit

Written in collaboration with the mentioned business yet true to my own thoughts, feelings and experiences.

We are struggling somewhat for what to get him this year. He has Lego galore – tubs and tubs of the stuff. If anything Lego he’d like one more Hero Factory set (only £9-£15). I know he wants some spy / secret agent “stuff” which shouldn’t be too difficult as he wants the usual coded notepaper, glasses and fingerprint kit and I might see if I can get some Inspector Gadget dvds to go along with this. What else?

When we’ve asked him what he wants he says he wanted new bedroom furniture (I’m not joking!), he has so many books and guides and encyclopedias that he’s asked for a new bookcase and he really could do with a new desk and chair however I don’t see furniture as a proper birthday gift for a 7yr old. That is something we will get just because he needs it.

He isn’t into Moshi Monsters, has done Skylanders and his big love is Club Penguin but the Easter Bunny gave him a subscription and magazine to that. He is a bit of a geek like his parents and of course loves Star Wars etc but I can’t think of anything special to go with that either. He has more books than I know what to do with and uses the library regularly so there is book buying out, he has a scooter and bike, has art “stuff” and a million matchbox cars and what not (we did Hot Wheels a few years ago – thank goodness that is over, you couldn’t move for tracks!).

So what do I get him? I’m asking all you parents, uncles and aunts and grandparents of seven year olds for inspiration. We can’t even decide on a cake this year. I need inspiration!

*Written in collaboration with the mentioned business yet true to my own thoughts, feelings and experiences.