Family Life - Adele's Way - People.co.uk

Makeover lesson by Holly Hanrahan

2012-05-10T11:02:28Z

I was having a Birthday gift conundrum. My friend Jo's daughter was turning 14 and as ever I wanted to maintain any kind of 'cool' I might have left in the Aunty stakes so picking a good present was imperative!! Ione (being the effortlessly cool and creative creature that she is) aspires to carve out a career as a makeup artist, she has a natural talent for this, so after much deliberation I decided to buy her a makeover voucher with a local makeup artist, Holly Hanrahan, www.hollyhanrahan.co.uk that I'd heard very good things about.

Makeover day arrived and with it an immaculately turned out Holly. Pen poised I was determined to get some good makeup tips to share with you, and on a more personal level found myself hoping to learn tricks of the trade on irradiating wrinkles and banishing eye bags!!
So here's how Holly created a gorgeous vintage glamour look for Ione.

Holly begun by cleansing Ione's skin, then moisturised and applied a primer (Mac studio finish).

Next she applied concealer followed by foundation (24 Hr teint idole ultra - Lancome). This was applied using a brush. She started off with a thin application then gradually added more to the areas that needed it.

Holly then used an eye base (Mac paint pots - 'Painterly') this was applied mainly to the lower part of the lid to give a solid base for eyeshadow to adhere to, it also makes eyeshadow last longer and helps to stop eyeliner from printing onto the top part of the eyelid.

The eyeshadow was next, Holly used Mac - 'Matt Brûlée'. She chose a natural colour to give a smooth powder base, then to create the illusion of a slight shadow - designed to accentuate the contours of the eye - Holly applied a slightly darker shade (Mac 'Cork') to the socket of the eye. Working from the edge of the eye inwards.

Highlighter was added to just below the brow and to the inner corner of the lower lid.
Holly defined Ione's eyebrows by using a damp angled brush dipped into a brown eyeshadow (Mac - 'matt dark brown'). She added a sharp point at the end of the brow to add some vintage glamour.

This part was my favourite 'top tip', I have used this many times since and it works brilliantly... Whilst applying cream liner to Ione's top lash line, Holly made a small mark with the liner on the outer edge of Ione's eye, following the line of the bottom lashes as they meet the top lashes, thus ensuring you create even 'flicks' on both eyes. Starting the liner off thinly at the inner edge of Ione's eye, Holly thickened the line up as it met the 'flick' on the outer edge of Ione's eye. Holly also added a thin line of cream liner half way across the bottom lashes.

To create a smokey look more Mac 'Brun' was added to the very corner of the eye socket on the lower lash line and swept right the way across the eye.
Mascara was added to the top lashes and lightly swept across the bottom lashes using the tip of the brush.

Translucent loose powder was applied next over the whole face to set Ione's makeup and make it last longer.

Holly used Mac 'golden' Bronzer next, using a large brush to apply this, sweeping it across Ione's forehead, under her cheekbones, and also a small amount on Ione's neck to match the colour (another great tip!).

Holly's top tip for Blusher application is to use a large brush and apply to the outer apple of your cheek and blend it so that you can't see where it begins or ends giving a natural look.

Lipliner was then applied to Ione's lips using tiny feathery strokes to ensure she followed the exact line of Ione's lips. Lipliner helps to stop the lipstick from 'bleeding', Holly used a slightly darker shade than the lipstick for definition.

A sleek red lipstick called 'vixen' form Superdrugs was applied evenly over the whole lip using a brush.

Holly added the final touches to Ione's glamourous look by using 'Studio mac finish' concealer under the eyes to neaten up the finished look and a touch of highlighter onto the top of the cheekbone giving a gorgeous sheen (and for those of us over the age of 14, this creates a youthful look too!) and also a tin amount on the cupids bow to pop the lips forward.

Gorgeous results....She's one clever lady!!

Holly's everyday essentials Top Tips

1. Essential Tools - Most make up techniques take either skill or flare or both, However having the right brushes can get you half way there for a more polished finish.

I couldn't live without the following brushes:
a) Foundation Brush (blends on product thinly and evenly)
b) Angle Brush (to place shadows as eyeliners and for brow shading.. much easier and softer than liquid or pencil liners)
c) flat eyeshadow brush (to pat on a solid block colour of eyeshadow giving maximum colour impact)
d) fluffy blending brush (to blend one eyeshadow with another or to soften any harsh lines creating a smooth and smokey transition)

Holly's Autumn/Winter Essentials

Three Favourite Lip Shades for Autumn 2012 - Dark & Vampy - 'Diva' by Mac. Bright & Cheeky - 'Lady Danger' by Mac. Light and Creamy - 'Buff ' Lipgloss By Bobbi Brown.

My Favourite Mascara of all time is Benefit's 'They're Real' in Black OF COURSE !!! Just builds your lashes beautifully without clumps or later flaking.

My favourite Foundation is still Mac's Studio Fix Fluid. Comes in cool or warm shades so an accurate match is possible.It suits every skin type, offers a suppleness to dry/mature skin and longevity and an oil controlling ingedient to oily skin. Its buildable, so if you fancy fine coverage it leaves the skin just even in tone or if you fancy a really fully coverage, simply apply a couple of layers for a really polished opaque finish without looking cakey.

If like me you love the vintage and flattering look of a slick top liner then cliniques cream liner in Black teamed with an angle brush are essentials in your make up kit.

Lastly, a little trick! after one coat of mascara, apply some talcum powder to your lashes using a disposable mascara wand, then apply the second coat. The result is super volumised lashes without breaking the bank !

www.hollyhanrahan.co.uk
www.facebook.com/HollyHanrahanMakeUp

Make this beautiful vintage corsage

2012-05-03T13:09:47Z

Vintage Corsage

I love giving hand made gifts - it just feels so much more personal. I made this rose corsage for Mother's Day, but it would work just as well as an embellishment on a jumper or cardigan, or even on a clutch bag. It is crocheted and is a reasonably quick make; it took me a little over an hour, start to finish, but it's the sort of project that can be picked up whenever you have a spare five minutes and put down whenever life intrudes!

You will need;
A small amount of dusky pink DK yarn
A small amount of dark green DK yarn
A medium sized safety pin
A 4mm crochet hook
Darning needle

Abbreviations:
st - stitch
ch - chain stitch
ss - slip stitch
dc - double crochet
tr - treble crochet
dtr - double treble crochet
ttr - triple treble crochet

Flower:

1. In the dusky pink yarn, make 6 ch and join the first st to the last with a ss to form a ring.
2. Work 1dc into each ch. (6 sts)
3. Into the next st, work (1tr, 2dtr, 2ttr, 2dtr, 3ch). Ss the last ch into the original dc st.
4. Repeat step 3 for the other sts in the ring. You should have 6 petals.

5. Flip the flower over and draw your yarn through to the other side. Make a new ring of 6 dc sts worked into the other side of the foundation ch sts.

6. Work (2tr, 3dtr, 1tr, 3ch, 1ss) into the base of each of these sts, ensuring that each 'petal' is the same way up as those on the previous layer.

7. Work (1dc, 2tr, 2ch, 1ss) into the top of each st in the dc ring.

8. Draw the yarn through to the back of the flower. Cut the yarn, draw the loose end through the working loop. Sew in any loose ends.

Leaves (make 3):

1. Make 15ch in the dark green yarn. Turn.
2. Working one st into each st of the foundation row, work ss, ss, dc, dc, tr, tr, dtr, dtr, dtr, ttr, dtr, tr, dc, ss.
3. Make 1ch, then turn, so you are working up the other side of the foundation row.
4. Working one st into each st of the foundation row, work ss, dc, dc, tr, dtr, dtr, dtr, dtr, tr, tr, dc, dc, ss, ss, ss.
5. Ss into the next st.
6. Work a line of ch down the centre of the leaf, going through the foundation row again. This may take a little practice; the loops of the stitches should lie uppermost on the leaf.

Back:

1. Make 3ch and join the first and last sts with a ss to form a ring.
2. Work 2dc into each st. (6 sts)
3. (Ss into next st, 1ch) 6 times. (12 sts)
4. (Ss into next st) 12 times. (12sts)
5. Break the yarn and draw the loose end through the working loop. Sew in any loose ends.

Making up:

1. Arrange the leaves on the back of the flower and sew down.

2. Sew the safety pin in place, then cover the back of it with the back piece. Sew the back piece in place.

3.If your flower needs a little 'taming', dampen it slightly, shape it and press it using a uniform heavy weight - I used a couple of big books!

For Those about to Rock...

2012-05-01T10:14:48Z

I've been a Heavy Rock/Metal fan since about 1985 and remember well listening to Tommy Vance every Friday night on my old Waltham record/tape/radio combo in my bedroom, listening to my favourite bands like Iron Maiden, Kiss & Mötley Crüe.

I had 'Eddie the Head' posters plastered all over my walls and I wanted to take my quest for rock superstardom to the next level, so I bought an Axe electric guitar from my Kerrang! magazine. When it arrived, I thought, this is it! With this piece of wood and rubbish little practice amp, I'm going to be the next Eddie Van Halen. After about 20 minutes or so, I realised this wasn't going to happen, so I settled for just listening to the music instead!

Fast forward nearly 25 or so years (and after numerous radio's and hi-fi's) I discovered that on DAB radio, there was a station just for the music style that I loved called Planet Rock! I had to have a DAB radio. So over the next couple of years slowly bought radio's and Midi Hi-Fi's for nearly every room in the house and even on my birthday got a PURE Highway for my car!

Whilst listening to a show on Planet Rock last year, I overheard Rob Bernie talking about
the PURE EVOKE Marshall, I thought how cool, a DAB radio in the style of this Iconic amplification company whom founder Jim Marshall sadly passed away this month.
When it was time to update one of my DAB's after practically wearing the poor thing out, I thought instantly back to the EVOKE Marshall and just had to get one!

When I first switched this radio on, I was amazed (with a smug grin on my face) how much more depth of sound this little radio has compared to my old DAB! You'd be forgiven in thinking if you hadn't seen this cool looking radio that it was something much bigger in size and yes, in a clever tribute to Spinal Tap, it really does go to eleven! It's not just robust in sound quality, but build quality as well. It's heavy hard wearing black vinyl wrap, brass effect front and authentic Marshall badge looks and feels solid. Set-up is beyond easy - selecting your desired language, pushing to confirm and then it auto tunes itself!

EVOKE-1S Marshall also includes both digital and FM radio, an input for your iPod/MP3 player, a clear, autodimming OLED display, Intellitext and textSCAN and lots of station presets for quick access to your favourite stations. There's also add-on options including an in-unit rechargeable ChargePAK for when your'e on the move and matching S-1 speaker for even greater stereo sound, so that's my up-and-coming birthday presents sorted then!

"Why don't you just make ten louder and make ten be the top number and make that a little louder?"
......."These go to eleven": Spinal Tap

See www.pure.com

Age after stupidity

2012-04-17T09:34:34Z

On Sunday evening we were invited to tea at our friends house. Whilst enjoying our very civilised supper of crumpets and miniature Bakewell tarts, the subject of age came up, the conclusion of which was that none of us felt any different now than we did when we were in our teens; other than the fact of course that our 19 year old selves wouldn't have dreamed of getting together to enjoy hot buttered crumpets as opposed to meeting in an overpriced, sticky carpeted night club that reeked of cheap beer and vomit.

But it got me to thinking, have I actually changed? And if so, how much?

Its true that in many ways I don't feel any different than I did 20 years ago; my thought processes remain largely unchanged and I still somewhat naively believe that the world is my oyster but my actions and reactions to situations are wildly different.

Things taken with a pinch of salt back then would be totally unacceptable to me now. For example; when I first left home, I would frequently arrive back at my grotty flat after work to find a friendly Glaswegian man that I kind of knew sitting in my lounge; to this day I am not sure how he got into my flat, I asked many times but he was always evasive with his responses and I didn't know him well enough to push. I assumed he'd somehow obtained a key, since the windows were all nailed shut (it was that sort of area) but for all I knew he could have just been an expert lock picker. Either way, two or three times a week I would return home to find a chatty Scotsman sitting on the sofa and I would do no more than shrug my shoulders and go about my business...what a hippy!!

It's not just my attitude to houseguests that's changed but also my opinion on the home front in general. Then, my flat was a crash pad and nothing more; I once came home to find the Scotsman and several other acquaintances from the building huddled nervously next to my open front door. They gently explained that someone had broken in (someone other than my usual housebreaker) and left the place in a terrible mess. I cautiously walked into the lounge to find clothes and underwear of all descriptions strewn across the floor and furniture, polystyrene containers of various colours containing fag butts and kebab remnants littered every surface, with empty wine and vodka bottles filling in the remaining patches of floor space. Rather than the crushing shame that I should have felt, I just remember feeling sorry that they had all been so worried for me as I sheepishly explained that the flat was actually exactly as my boyfriend and I had left it after a somewhat heavy weekend and the door had obviously been opened by one of the many random people who seemed to have a key to our abode.

By contrast, now if I go away, even for a couple of days, I clean and tidy the house from top to bottom because, A: I cannot bare the idea of coming back to a messy house And, B: If, God forbid, I did get broken into I wouldn't want the perpetrators to think I am a slut in the housework department!

Bedtimes of course have changed; back then we laughed in the faces of those mugs that left for an evening out before 10pm! We were hardcore; our nights out wouldn't even begin until after 10 and on many occasions wouldn't finish until 6am, where upon quite often we would get home, have a bath and then go to work! (It's a wonder I'm not dead!) In a complete about-face, I now get up at 6am everyday and make sure I am in bed with the TV on and a book in hand by 10pm with a view to being in the land of nod by 11! A perfect night on the town begins at about 8pm and ends with my being tucked up in bed by half past midnight with a cup of decaf tea in my favourite zebra cup and a plate of marmite crackers; Rock n roll!

I don't mend...I just make do!

2012-03-29T19:19:22Z

I write this from beneath a pile of old clothes plucked from my wardrobe/clothes time capsule. Once again London Fashion Week has inspired a garment overhaul, thank God I'm a hoarder.

It's finally paid off keeping all the belts and faux fur items I've accumulated over the years...I'm like the women during the war who lived by the 'make do and mend' motto, except I don't mend, I just make do...and as my mum always told me, whilst I rolled my eyes after mocking her for having items in her wardrobe older than me "Fashion always comes back around'...an added bonus of my Kleptomania, which I'm sure my husband will agree with is that my credit card can breathe a huge sigh of relief!

Autumn/winter will be easy for even the thriftiest of sisters to emulate, dig out your old tweed coats and wear them with a belt round your waist in a Burberry-esq style, the bulging pockets are easy to acquire especially if you're a mum, I very often find my pockets close to exploding due to the overpacking of tissues, toys, sweets etc...(I know what you're thinking, these top tips are gold dust...Ahem...)

www.vogue.co.uk

If tweed's not your thing, how about replicating the Mulberry look with your faux furs from last Winter. As much as I am in love with every single one of their coats I do wonder whether some us mere mortals may end up looking like a distant cousin of 'Chewbacca' in such enormously hairy ensembles, but hey...I certainly wouldn't turn up my nose at one of these babies!

www.vogue.co.uk

Next chuck away those bike baskets and replace them with a glorious handbag and voila, you have a PPQ inspired mode of transport.

www.londonfashionweek.co.uk
I'm way too attached to my granny basket to partake in such endeavours, but perhaps I should invest in a nice handbag to display proudly in said wicker receptacle?

Anyway, I digress, Matthew Williamson and Temperley London brought heavenly printed maxi dresses to the catwalk and Meadham Kirchoff revived disco glamour, so dig out those maxi's you stuffed to the back of your wardrobe last May in preparation for the everlasting English winter, and dust of those metallic tasselled trousers and sequinned platforms...What? Doesn't everyone own those?...Oh I see.

Above pictures from www.vogue.co.uk and www.londonfashionweek.co.uk

Make this cute little skirt

2012-02-05T13:49:17Z

Tiered skirt
This is a really quick make - it can be done in under an hour - and it doesn't have set sizes. You just measure your child and work it out from there.

You will need
A non-stretchy fabric (anything's fine - I used babycord in this one, but anything that won't pull out of shape will work)
Matching thread
15mm wide elastic (long enough to grip around your child's waist)
A tape measure
Tailor's chalk or a pencil
Lots of pins and one safety pin
A trim for the hem of the skirt (optional)

1. The tiers of the skirt are cut out as rectangles. Measure your child's waist and decide how long you want the skirt to be. Divide the skirt length by three and then add 3cm. This is the width of each tier.
The length of the first tier is one and a quarter times the distance around your child's waist.
The length of the second tier is one and a half times the distance around your child's waist.
The length of the third tier is double the distance around your child's waist.
Once you've worked all this out, draw and cut out the tiers. If your fabric has a pattern or a nap, double check that it's going the right way before you cut anything!

2. Run zig zag stitches around the edge of all your tiers.

3. Take your first tier, and press down the top edge to the wrong side (just far enough to hide the zig zags). Then press another 2cm over to the wrong side. Pin it in place. Turn the fabric back to the right side and carefully run a line of straight stitches all the way across, 2cm from the top. This is the channel for your elastic to go through later on.

4. Take your second tier and run a line of long straight stitches across the top, without securing either end and making sure to leave a reasonable amount of thread loose at each end. Pull the spool (bottom) thread to gather the tier until it is the length of the first tier. Spread the gathers evenly across the fabric, then pin the two tiers together, right sides of the fabric inwards. Using your normal stitch length, sew the two together, taking care not to cross over the zig zags.

5. Unpin and open out the fabric. Press the seam, putting both sides of the seam excess towards the top of the skirt. Working from the right side, sew along the bottom of the first tier, a millimetre or two from the seam, to keep the seam excess in place. Trim off any fabric beyond the zig zag stitches on the excess.

6. Sew the third tier onto the skirt in the same way, gathering it to the width of the second tier and stitching down the seam excess just as on the previous one.

7. Try the length of the elastic on your child. It will have to be a bit shorter than their waist measurement in order to hold the skirt in place. Once you're happy, put the safety pin through one end of the elastic and use it to thread the elastic through the channel at the top of the skirt. Pin both ends of the elastic in place and sew each down with a line of vertical stitching across the channel. It is worth going back and forth over it a few times to ensure that it stays put.

8. Pin the two sides of the skirt together to form the back seam, with the right sides of the fabric innermost, matching the seams between tiers and the waist band at both sides. Sew the seam and trim the excess back to the zig zag stitches.

9. Trim the bottom edge of the skirt back to the line of zig zag stitching. Press half a centimetre of fabric to the wrong side, and then press another half centimetre down to enclose the first. This will be the bottom hem.

10. Working from the right side, sew a line of straight stitches 2mm from the bottom edge all the way around the skirt. If you want to put a trim on the bottom of the skirt, catch it in with these stitches.

11. Press everything and it's finished!

Poisonous pâté and green hairy cakes

2012-02-02T19:37:18Z

With the last vestiges of Christmas paraphernalia safely stowed away, all that remains of the jolliest season are the dregs at the bottom of the quality street tin, half a Christmas cake and 350 excess homemade mince-pies taking up space in my freezer. As an obsessive and unashamed list maker, this is the time of year that I trawl through my piles of foodie magazines, making notes on the recipes that I tried and tested this year and ripping out and filing those I should like to use in Christmas's to come.

It's also the time I make mental notes to remind myself to do or not to do certain things again. Here are a couple of this years lessons learned;

1) GO EASY ON THE FUNGI
Not being a meat eater, I like to partake of stuffed mushrooms to go with the festive trimmings on the big day but always feel a bit left out in the following days when the rest of the family are enjoying left over cold meats with bubble and squeak etc. So this year I made extra filled fungi to be enjoyed with pickle and the like at a later date.

What I'd forgotten is that stuffed mushrooms are something of a wind inducing food (for me at least). On Christmas day the rumblings began but were thankfully lost in amongst the rest of the families overindulgences. By Boxing Day evening however people were starting to notice. The day after that it was so bad that people couldn't help but comment and I could only blush with shame. Roll on the fourth consecutive mushroom day and I'd even managed to impress my children, who are Olympic standard farters! By Friday I was in danger of spontaneous combustion and could practically trump out the first few bars of 'Deck the Halls'!

Next year, for my health and that of those around me I shall endeavour to find alternatives to enjoy cold with pickles!

2) MAKE REGULAR PATROLS OF THE FRIDGE
Christmas is a time of plentiful food in our household, the only problem being that there's so much of it crammed into my poor fridge that things get forgotten and something that is well passed its best could wind up languishing at the back of the fridge, whilst I continue to stuff more and more food into the front of it as if I'm partaking of a world record breaking attempt.

Step forward my partner, who happens to be an expert fridge explorer; he is the Indiana Jones of the chiller cabinet! Unfortunately he will quite often snaffle his treasures first and ask questions later, as was the case on this particular night when he came up to bed fresh from foraging and asked if a person would die if they ate that little pot of left-over smoked mackerel pâté. I opened my mouth to confirm that 'yes they probably would' when he cut in by adding "Because I've just eaten it" My heart rate quickened as I lied "I'm sure it will be fine" He turned over and went to sleep whilst I laid awake mentally cursing myself for my lack of festive fridge filtering and hoping that this one tiny parcel of potentially poisonous pate wouldn't be the thing to find the chink in his cast iron stomachs armour. Luckily he suffered no ill effects, for which I was greatly relieved and I vowed then keep a more effective fridge vigil during Christmas's to come!

3) ALWAYS BAKE WITH THE LIGHTS ON!
Charged with the making of New Year cupcakes for my sister's party, I decided to get ahead and bake them the night before. Christmas tunes filled the kitchen, I'd turned the lights off so that just the gentle twinkle of fairy lights lit my workspace, I was wearing my new green Christmas jumper and had an extremely alcoholic coffee at the ready-bliss!

When I came down to the kitchen the next morning, the harsh winter light streaming through the window highlighted a strange but veritable film of green wiry hairs covering my work-surfaces, the sink and even the clean crockery on the drainer; it was as though the Grinch had broken into my house in the dead of night and danced the naked fandango across my worktops. Warm fuzzy memories of the previous evenings baking swam into my head, quickly followed by the realisation that my warm fuzzy jumper must have shed into my cake mixtures and butter-creams. With a regretful sigh I rang my sister and regaled her with the whole sorry tale whilst picking what looked alarmingly like the Incredible Hulks pubic hairs out of my tea cup. It was decided that I should bring them anyway; if nothing else they would make a fetching table adornment.

I felt it was my duty to warn all the guests that evening that the cakes were more than likely contaminated with hairy Christmas jumper; strangely this didn't act as a deterrent and the Grinchy treats were consumed with much enthusiasm, which leads me to two possible conclusions A) the cakes were hairy but my nearest and dearest were too polite/drunk to mention it or B) a Christmas miracle had occurred! Either way, I shall be sure to bake in good light, with non-shedding clothes in the future!

Baby it's cold outside

2012-01-15T00:05:00Z

During the winter months it can be tricky to keep your baby warm. Whether you are on the school run or just popping to the shops they need to be wrapped up. Here are some ways of making your little one all snuggly and warm come snow, wind or rain!

Mocc Ons
£9.99
www.sockons.com

These little moccasin slipper socks are super cute. They are great for little ones just finding their feet. Jacob is cruising round the furniture at the moment and they not only keep his tootsies warm but they protect them too.

Mocc Ons have high quality washable leather soles which are stitched to a soft stretch cotton sock. They come in fashionable designs for the most on-trend of babies. Little girls will look super stylish and snuggly in spotty pink Mocc Ons, while blue zebra stripes will give baby boys the trendiest feet around.
www.maison-bebe.com

Vegetable-tanned Baby-safe Sheepskin For Carseat and Stroller from Cambridge Baby
was £69.00 now £57.60
www.cambridgebaby.co.uk

This vegetable-tanned sheepskin carseat and stroller inlay from Cambridge baby will keep your little one warm and cosy. When you are out and about shopping or doing the school run this inlay will keep your little one comfortable. We found it fit in really easy into our stroller due to the 8 pre-cut slits to fit all harnesses. They are the most natural liners available. It is so soft to the the touch.

Tanned using traditional vegetable tannins from the chestnut tree and from black wattle bark, these sheepskins are a creamy white, soft, and very supple.

Warmer in winter and less sticky in summer - the most natural comfort for your baby while he or she is travelling!
www.cambridgebaby.co.uk

Boots Mini Club Newborn Pramsuit
£20.00
www.boots.com

I love it when babies are warm and cosy all wrapped up in a pramsuit. This one is gorgeous. It keeps your newborn all cosy and warm. It's so cute! Just right for those trips out into the big wide world, this Mini Club from Boots Newborn Girls Layette Fleece Pramsuit features a cute mouse design. It opens really easy so you can pop baby into it with ease as it has got a handy poppered front opening, it is made from gorgeously soft, warm and cosy fleece.
www.boots.com

Grobags twin - wash and wear
£34.99
www.gro-store.co.uk

I've always been a very big fan of baby sleeping bags. I can't praise them enough. These Grobags (I think) are the reason my baby Jacob sleeps so well and I love 'em. My daughter is now 8 years old and she had them when she was a baby too, and she slept great!

How many times during the night have you had to change your little one and you needed to change everything from their vest to their Grobag? This has happened to me and it's great that they have Grobag Twin Packs. They are great value too.

The Wash and Wear twin pack contains two Grobag baby sleep bags in fun unisex designs, Hippo Hop and Spot. You'll make a big saving compared to buying two separate Grobags.
www.gro-store.co.uk

dreamgenii® Twinkle Tog
£29.99
www.dreamgenii.com

If your toddler is a fidget bum and likes to move around a lot in their cot/bed this is the answer for you. Not only does it keep your toddler warm during the night it also gives them the freedom to explore their environment.

Drawing upon all of the benefits of the traditional sleeping bag the dreamgenii®Twinkle Tog allows your toddler to move around freely, naturally and unrestricted in their bed. The Twinkle Tog allows you to change your child into their night time covers before they go to bed. If you travel in the car during the evening, it allows your toddler to be unstrapped easily from their car seat and transferred to bed without unnecessary disturbance.

It has a quilted outer, and a soft jersey lining, that will ensure your toddler has a comfortable, undisturbed and cosy night - quite simply A Magical Night's Sleep.

Available in 1Tog & 2.5Tog weights and in a variety of patterns and age sizes.
www.dreamgenii.com

Leather Baby Booties from Snuggle Feet
£12.99
www.snugglefeet.com

I can't tell you how soft these little leather booties are from Snuggle Feet! They are gorgeous! Also you know how tricky it is to get shoes or booties of any kind onto a squiggly baby's feet? Well these are really easy to get on. They keep babies toes warm and snug and stylish. These soft leather baby boots will cushion and protect baby's feet while flexing with each step. They are fully fur lined right down to the toes with elasticised sides for a perfect fit. These fabulous baby boots are navy with a soft brown lining perfect with any outfit.

The soles are made from brushed suede, and they help to stop slipping on smooth floors. Great for little ones who are just starting to explore and people who have laminate flooring like me!
www.snugglefeet.com

Socks from Poundland
£1
www.poundland.co.uk

These sweet little socks from Poundland are really cute and really cheap. Our little cherubs grow so quickly, and grow out of clothes very fast. What better way to save some money and have socks to go with any outfit.
www.poundland.co.uk

KoziKidz Winter Snow Suit

£68.00
www.snowbabes.co.uk

This snowsuit from Kozikidz is great. It's so easy to put on because it has a double zip opening for easy nappy changes. Plus it's 100% waterproof.

KoziKidz have at range of fashionable and functional outdoor clothing for toddlers and children, water and windproof outerwear.

Properly dressed there is nothing more enjoyable than being out in the wind, rain and even snow and coming home with a rosy glow.

Designed to keep very little ones as snug as a bug, the snow suit provides waterproof breathable protection. It has detachable/adjustable hoods, elasticated cuffs on the sleeves and legs, 2 extra long zips for ease of dressing and velcro secured storm flaps.
www.snowbabes.co.uk

Little Champion 3in1 Jacket II
£110.00
www.vaude.com
Let's not forget the bigger kids! On a cold, rainy, wintery day walking to school, this is a great coat for keeping them warm and dry. It has it all!

This sporty winter jacket from Vaude is ideal for kids who like to get out and about even in the colder months. The outer shell is both waterproof and breathable, while the inner fleece is warm and cosy. Both can be worn separately or together for maximum versatility. The outer jacket features all important reflective elements for safety and also has special pockets for a ski pass or bus pass and a mobile phone.
www.vaude.com

Raindrops Toddler snowsuit
From £55.00
www.raindrops.co.uk

Your little one will be ready for anything in this brilliant Snowsuit. It is designed to withstand a chill factor of -15 degrees centigrade! It's waterproof and windproof, it has cosy fleece lining and has double zips for easy dressing plus it's machine washable.

Snow, frost, wind or rain will be no problem for this little suit. It is designed for outdoor play in tough Scandinavian winters!
www.raindrops.co.uk

Little Woogos
£32.99
www.woolenstocks.com

When I was told that each slipper from Woolenstocks takes 40 hours to make I was stunned. When the pair of Little Woogos arrived for my 12 month old, I was taken aback by how beautiful they are!

All their slippers and slipper boots are handmade in the Himalayas by a team of local artisans and each product takes 40 hours to make. The materials are locally sourced; felt wool and faux fur. I love that the color and stitch will always vary as it's all individually unique making them very special.

Check out the celebrities who love them too. Halle Berry bought some for her daughter. Sienna Miller is a well-documented fan as well as Mica Paris, Lauren Goodger, Gail Porter and a number of other female celebs who champion the adult ranges.
www.woolenstocks.com

Mamas and Papas Hat and Mitts set
was £16.00 now £12.00 www.mamasandpapas.com

Check out this cute trapper hat and mitts set from Mamas and Papas. It's great for keeping the wind out of their ears also the mitts are elasticated so they stay on their hands! Perfect for the colder months.
www.mamasandpapas.com

Silversocks
£6.95
Pink or blue
www.firstaidfast.co.uk

The X-Static Silver within the sock is permanent becoming a part of the fibre. It can not wash off, wear off or diminish in effectiveness over time.
The sock provides all of these benefits:
Silver is proven to kill over 400 types of bacteria.
Silversocks are able to keep feet cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, whilst additionally reducing the risk of blistering caused by excessive friction and heat build up.

They are also suitable for those who suffer from circulatory complications such as diabetics, and Raynaud's Syndrome, and people who simply get chilly feet in winter.
For more stockist information and Carnation's full range of footcare essentials see www.carnationfootcare.co.uk

Allersafe Anti Allergy Baby Sleeping Bag
From £22.39
2.5 Tog
www.allersafe.co.uk

These cosy sleeping bags from Allersafe are perfect for children who have asthma.
1 in 5 children (in the UK) are now diagnosed with asthma or allergic rhinitis. Household dust mites are thought to affect 80% of sufferers. Amicor Pure fibre provides a healthier sleeping environment that takes away this risk by preventing allergens.
They have been woven with Amicor Pure fibre. Preventing the growth of dust mites within the bag itself and keeping allergens well below the levels which trigger asthma attacks and sensitise people in the first place.
www.allersafe.co.uk

Goodbye sleepless nights...NOT!

2012-01-06T12:41:17Z

As I waved a cheery goodbye to countless sleepless nights brought about by night-feeds, teething, terrible twos and snotty noses, I naturally assumed that the rest of my parenting journey would be sleep friendly; that is to say, that in amongst the many challenges that I fully expected to face, broken sleep would not be one of them...Oh contraire!

Fast forward 16 years or so and I am once again suffering from sleep deprivation; not the kind that has one up and down like a Yo-Yo, whimpering pathetically to yourself "why wont my baby sleep?" but the kind that has me wide awake in a cold sweat at 3am, begging to hear my sons key turn in the lock so that the terrifying montage that has been playing through my mind in my offspring's absence will quiet and I can finally rest.

My almost adult son is behaving exactly as he should; going out to parties and gigs etc, whilst I, the crazy mother, lie in bed counting the hours until his return along with the abundance of white hairs, whose arrival seems to have coincided with his latest grasp at independence. I will add at this point that my partner sleeps like the dead through all of this because he takes the view that, 'that's what young blokes do so there's no point stressing'...NO POINT STRESSING??? Is he insane? That's my baby out there in the dark!!

When I was my sons age we didn't have mobile phones but I was quite often accompanied in the evenings by a young man, which in my dads eyes was the next best thing; before we were allowed to leave the house my father would make it very clear to the fellow in question that I should be returned to the house in the same condition in which I left it at an allotted time and should these requirements not be met, my date for that evening would lose one or both of his testicles. Having a son, I do not have the luxury of making someone else responsible for his wellbeing and lets face it, he would not thank me if I suddenly started lining his mates up and demanding that they look after him and threatening the safety of their genitals if they don't; you just cant get away with that sort of behaviour in the 21st century!

So the best I can do is offer safety pep-talks and ensure that he doesn't leave the house without his mobile phone fully charged and attached to his person like a life support machine; if I had my way I would have both my children 'chipped' but they argue that this is against their human rights.

Sometimes however a phone can be more of a curse than a blessing, especially in the dead of night when my texts and calls remain unanswered, adding fuel to the fires of my already over active imagination. My rational side realises that his lack of response is due to him being in an area of little or no signal (of which there are many around where we live) or that the music/laughter of that evenings 'gathering' is simply drowning out his frantic mothers desperate calls.

However, at 2.45am I have no rational side; I'm delirious with tiredness and the madness that sets in, as the wee small hours of the morning trundle slowly by is intoxicating. In my mind, the party on the beach has been attacked by hillbilly cannibals, intent on enslaving my son and turning his hair into wigs to cover the festering sores on their scalps. The camping trip in a field somewhere near a mates house has resulted in them being chased A) by angry farmers with shotguns and or hungry wild pigs. Or, B) getting caught up in barbed wire and falling down a steep bank into a ditch and then being captured by the hillbilly's he out ran at the beach last week! In the dead of night, when no one is around to laugh at me and tell me I'm being irrational, these are the reasons my son has not immediately responded to my texts.

There is no cure for my worrying, no antidote for my midnight madness. I have heard it said time and again that no matter how old your kids get, you never stop worrying about them; I guess the flip side to how wonderful it is to have children is the terror that something might happen to take them away from you. But I am learning, slowly and not without making huge mistakes, that part of raising children is letting them stand on their own two feet, so that one day they will hopefully be well adjusted members of society.

For the next few years at least then, I will continue to endure the seemingly unending nights of worry and wild imaginings, silently pining until he finally arrives home, whereupon I am so relieved and exhausted that I can't even berate him for his thoughtlessness, since my whole body goes into a sort of over relaxed paralysis and neither my limbs nor mouth have the inclination to move; quite often I have fallen into a coma like sleep before the front door has even clicked shut...which is not a good thing if it is in fact not my son but the shot gun wielding farmer, who stole his key after capturing him camping in his field and is now breaking into my house while his hungry wild pig guards my boy!!!

Get a grip this winter

2011-12-10T15:24:07Z

Are you prepared for driving in the snow and ice this winter?
I drive almost 140 miles a day to work and back and with the amount of snow we've had the last 2 winters I have a set of AutoSock in my car ready. Hopefully I won't need them but better to be on the safe side.

AutoSock are super-strong textile socks which you slip over the driving wheels to provide the grip you need on ice and snow. They're reusable, take up minimal storage space, and in many circumstances work better than winter tyres or snow chains.

Be prepared for the winter by carrying a set of AutoSock in your car, happy in the knowledge that:

Fitting them is easy. If you can pull a sock over your foot you can push a fabric cover over a wheel.

Fitting them requires no practice.

They weigh less than 1kg and take up minimal space. It's sensible to keep them with the spare wheel, always ready for use.

They are relatively universal, i.e. one size fits over 60% of cars.

They're reusable again and again - providing value for money for years to come.

They work!

AutoSock were launched in Norway in 2002 after a long period of testing, evaluation and improvement. Sales have grown exponentially, with over 330,000 pairs sold around Europe last winter, mostly on recommendation. When you've had the opportunity to test them for real you'll soon realise why. Most people are not only surprised but astonished at the difference they make to general traction, cornering, and braking.

"This cheap alternative to snowchains or to winter tyres is staggeringly easy to fit... I used them while driving in the French Alps last week and can confirm they are absolutely superb." (Nat Barnes, AA Motoring Writer of the Year)

They're also now approved by many car manufacturers, including BMW, Fiat, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and VW.

The bottom line is that AutoSock will provide a massive boost in all round confidence when driving on ice and snow, and hopefully "Get you home" or to wherever you're going, but don't overcook it, i.e. you should always drive with particular care in wintry conditions.
Each set contains:

One pair of AutoSock

A pair of elbow length gloves to protect your sleeves from e.g. wet and dirty car bodywork

Full instructions are shown on each bag which is also designed for easy and clean carrying of dirty AutoSock once you've taken them off the wheels (pull them off with the orange straps).

There's only one possible way to fit AutoSock, and no practice is required.

Take the kids to see Father Christmas at LaplandUK in Kent

2011-12-03T11:19:44Z

After receiving a special invitation from Father Christmas we headed to LaplandUK at Bewl Water Estate in Kent.

From the moment you step into LaplandUK, it's a truly magical place. Our children, 8 year old Amber and 11 month old Jacob's eyes were wide taking in all the twinkly lights and the snowy forest pathways with trees covered in snow.

Clutching their elf passport we stepped through the giant door into a beautiful winter wonderland where we were greeted by our Sámi (the arctic indigenous people) guide.

The children helped the toy factory elves make teddies. Then on to decorating a gingerbread Christmas tree with guidance from Mother Christmas who also read a festive story.

We stepped into the village square where Amber and Jacob wrote that important list to Father Christmas and posted it in the North Pole postbox. Don't forget to exchange your money for Jingles as that's the currency in the village square. My husband Mark enjoyed ice-skating with Amber.

With just enough time to grab some food, meet the husky dogs and look round the gift shop, it was time to meet the big man himself!

Walking through the snow covered magical forest, an elf helped us find our way to Father Christmas' snowy woodland home. We had a private meeting with him and Amber was so pleased to chat with him! Then we got to see the reindeer's resting before they are busy on the big night!

Prices from £44.50 to £62.50 plus booking fees (Please note: All booking fees are charged and retained by SEE Tickets) but for more details do head to www.laplanduk.co.uk

Kick off your Sunday shoes! 80's Prom inspired wedding anniversary party

2011-11-23T17:56:13Z

To celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary my husband and I decided to throw a party - something we could enjoy with family and close friends...But what theme? There had to be a theme, there's always a theme, an excuse to dress up and behave foolishly!

After not much deliberation at all we decided to throw an 80's Prom inspired by one of my favourite films (containing angry dancing) 'Footloose". Hurrah!!! This was going to be so much fun. From the outset I had my heart set on silver stars and fairy lights hanging from the ceiling in a 'first prom since the abolition of dancing and music in a small southern American town held in an old disused mill...' style...Phew!!

Corsages, big dresses, fleck suits and huge hair would be mandatory and I would capture all these throwback outfits in front of a cheesy rose covered arch I'd painted. Next was the all important task of creating the perfect 80's prom playlist. I'm a fairly sad individual and already had quite a back catalogue of 80's tunes, so these coupled with some carefully selected 80's film soundtracks my husband was set to task, putting all these songs into some kind of order including the all important 'slow dances' that were a staple part of any self respecting 80's shin dig!

After all this planning and making of decorations it was time to find outfits. In hindsight this should have been the first thing on my agenda...it would have saved a lot of money, and space in my wardrobe that now belongs to entirely redundant garish puffy dresses! Whilst I was tearing my hair out trying to find a dress that a.) fitted me (apparently everyone in the 80's was a size 8!) and b.) didn't take 3 weeks to arrive after looonnnggg auctions, my husband was calmly and annoyingly successfully might I add, piecing together an entirely vintage 'geek chic' outfit from pieces found on the internet...casually making it look easy, a 'Dynasty' suit jacket here and a velour bow tie there, it was enough to make me want to stamp my foot, fold my arms and pout like an old sulky Veruca Salt!

I had already found a pink satin dress in a charity shop, it was wonderfully 80's but, alas, was so skin tight I felt sure that my guests would not enjoy seeing me strutting my stuff on the dance floor in an outfit that made me resemble a badly made sausage!

Luckily for me my petit friend Jules poured her enviable figure into the 'sausage' dress and looked amazing, not at all pork product like! So the quest continued, a corseted, ballet skirted dress arrived from ebay and was promptly thrown down the stairs in a fit of 'humphing' and various profanities at the 3 inches of extra body i seemed to have grown over night. Next came the velour topped gold puffball dress with a huge bow planted firmly on the front. This time it was my pesky ribs that would prevent me from going to the prom in anything wearable. I felt like cinderella and considered if I actually needed ribs...would it be so bad to have them removed for just one evening?

I'd exhausted every charity shop and was sick of the sight of online auctions, I had one last hope. Nestled in the heart of nearby Sandgate is a second hand boutique, pinning all my hopes on finding something here i began my quest. A handbag full of edible treats for my 2 year old daughter and the hope that cinders would find something fabulously 80's to go to the prom in. As luck would have it I had stumbled upon an aladdin's cave and managed to find a dress that was not only fantastically 'Club Tropicana', but shock of all shocks...it fitted me!

The evening turned out to be a huge success, it all happened on possibly the hottest evening ever known to man but with cheap drinks and music you can't help but dance to, we had a wonderfully memorable night and to all our friends and family that came to celebrate with us.....we love y'all!

Here's a snippet of some of the outfits worn, I should warn you at this point that there is EXTREME hair featured in some of these images. If you are of a nervous disposition look away now.

Need a travel cot? Check out the BABYBJÖRN Travel Cot Light

2011-11-17T18:40:40Z

When going on holiday or short trips away with young children and babies, you have to take so much stuff. Well BABYBJÖRN have come up with a great travel cot to ease your worries of comfort and space for your little one.

The BABYBJÖRN Travel Cot Light has been really well designed, it is so light and yet it goes up in seconds...brilliant. Just what you need after a long journey when your little one is tired, no messing about with a big bulky travel cot. It not only looks great but it is really sturdy and takes up minimal space in the room.

The BABYBJÖRN Travel Cot Light is exactly what it says. It's the perfect cot to take with you on trips. It weighs only 11 pounds (5 kg) and is set up in one simple movement. It comes with a case that is as handy as an ordinary bag. Sleeping away from home with small children has never been easier.

Easy to take along
The travel cot's design is well-conceived and the cot takes up minimal space in the room.

Simple set up
The BABYBJÖRN Travel Cot Light is set up in just one easy movement. When you're not using it, simply fold it up to take with you or store it in its case.

Safe for your child
The sturdy mattress keeps the travel cot firmly on the floor. The cot's inward sloping sides create a snug and cosy feeling, and the soft fabrics feel smooth against baby's skin.

The BABYBJÖRN Travel Cot Light can be used for newborns and up until around the age of three.

Find out where to buy here www.babybjorn.co.uk

I love this video because this is exactly how easy it is!

It's not as hard as you think to keep breastfeeding when you return to work

2011-10-29T12:54:51Z

I have now been back at work full time for nearly 2 months. I am proud to say I am still breastfeeding my son, he is almost 11 months old. With a little organising and the right equipment, you too can keep breastfeeding when you return to work without any fuss.

The main thing I can't do without is my Philips AVENT electric breast pump. This is a great breast pump as you can adjust the rhythm to match how your baby feeds. Most babies tend to do short small sucks first until the let-down then they do big slow gulps. This can be mimicked on the pump at the touch of a button. You set the pace, and you can change it easily while you are expressing.

I try to pump last thing at night, in between when my baby needs a feed. I have been expressing milk for the last few months and storing it in Philips AVENT containers in the freezer. My husband can get one feed out as required when I'm at work, that way my baby still benefits from having my milk when I'm at work.

The lovely thing is I feed him first thing when we get up, pump at work, and feed him when I get home. The last cosy feed before bedtime is a lovely way for both of us to relax, and after a busy day I like to just look at him as I miss him when I'm at work! I did it with my daughter Amber and she is now almost 8 years old! Funnily enough I also used a Philips AVENT breast pump with her! It was a manual one, but I find the electric one more efficient.

It's also really great that the containers fit directly onto the pump with the extension. This is helpful when you have finished expressing as you just unscrew the container from the bottom and pop the lid on, write on the date and it is ready to go in either the fridge or freezer.

I am very lucky that I have a really good support network both at home and at work. My colleagues are very understanding when I pop to our medical room for half an hour while I express my milk. All you need is a room with a lock on it and a plug! Once I have expressed my milk, I place it in my Philips AVENT cool bag and leave it in the fridge until I finish work, where I can transport it home and it keeps cool. Make sure it is labelled if it's in a communal fridge as you don't want the boss putting it in their tea!

This cool bag is essential as I can use the milk I express at work too so there is no waste. Also another great feature of this breast pump is that it comes with the bits to turn it into a manual pump very easily. So even if you don't have access to a plug you can still use it.

I would really recommend getting used to the breast pump a couple of months before you are due to go back to work then you see how it all fits together (don't be alarmed - you will be able to assemble it with your eyes closed in no time) and it can become part of your routine, then you will have your milk ready when your baby needs it when you aren't there.
Here's a video guide to expressing from Philips AVENT.

Philips AVENT Electronic Breast Pump
The Philips AVENT Single and Twin Electronic Breast Pumps take the clinically-proven design of our manual breast pump to the next level. They are No.1 rated in performance by UK Mums. They help you express milk quickly, naturally and effortlessly thanks to an electronic memory. The unique electronic memory learns from you and continues your personal pumping rhythm.

The Let-Down Massage Cushion
The secret behind Philips AVENT Breast Pumps is the patented Let-Down Massage Cushion. This soft silicone cushion has five oval 'petals' that gently massage the area around the nipple as you pump - just like your baby does when feeding - stimulating the let-down reflex. By lightly pressing the handle, you can also adjust the suction power to the perfect level.
£91.99. Buy yours here www.philips.co.uk

Unique system for easy milk storage
Make your life easier by expressing directly into any of the wide range of bottles and storage containers for the fridge or freezer

Breast Milk Containers
VIA is a versatile, BPA-Free, space-saving storage system designed to grow with your baby. It allows you to use the same cup to express, store and feed breast milk to your baby. No need to transfer your breast milk.

Easy to organise, easy-to-label cups help you track dates and contents, leak-proof, twist-on lid. Safe storage and transport perfect for 'on-the-go'.
Ideal for storing and transporting
£8.99 for 10. Buy yours here www.philips.co.uk

Visit Eureka! the national children's museum this half-term holiday

2011-10-21T16:48:15Z

Stuck for somewhere to take the kids this October half-term holiday? Why not visit the Eureka! museum in Halifax, West Yorkshire.

When I say museum, this isn't a place that you have to look but don't touch, this is a hands on interactive museum that we spent hours in!

Everything at Eureka! has been designed to inspire children to find out about themselves and the world around them through 100s of hands-on exhibits.

They are just putting the fiendish finishing touches to their haunting Halloween programme for October half-term, so keep checking for the latest updates on their wicked week of tricks and treats for all the family.

We had a great time. Our daughter Amber loved the different galleries. The Me & My Body gallery where she learned about how the body works. She especially liked putting the bean bag into the mouth and watching what happens to it.

Lots of sights, sounds and smells! She went on the special bike to see a moving skeleton appear! She enjoyed measuring all of our stretch, reach and stride. We all had a go. There's something for everyone.

The Town Square at Eureka! is really well done, it's so cute! It provides a wonderful opportunity for role play - a small world for small people!

Children can explore the world of work as they become cashiers, postal workers and mechanics or try out some everyday grown up tasks such as writing cheques, going shopping and making lunch.

There is even a gallery for under 5s. Baby Jacob was quite happy playing in the Baby Oasis.

Amber really enjoyed the Soundspace where you can make music and use the sliders to change the music and lighting.

There really is so much to see and do that I can't mention them all!

There is a large cafe if you get peckish or they have a picnic area if you want to bring your own. The large car park is very nearby.

During the half-term week visitors can enjoy a Spooktacular Halloween.
Wandering through the galleries, children can watch out for scary characters including the Banshee, Medusa, Vampires and Grave Robbers.

After surviving the murky swamps, the daring explorers can investigate the wreckage of cursed ship the 'Black Light' in search of treasure and delve into its disgusting barrels. To help them on their quest they can confuse the spooks by Mummifying their Mummies and making new pirates out of discarded bones.

Buy your tickets anytime before the day of your visit and jump the queue. See the website for details www.eureka.org.uk During the holidays the museum is open everyday from 10am to 5pm. Admission prices are: * Adults: £9.95 Children age 3+ : £9.95 Toddlers age 1-2: £3.45 Babies age 0-11 months: free.
* Prices correct at the time of writing this blog.

Check out their great website and find them on facebook. Find them on twitter.