Mummy-Tips

Black Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:44:00 +0000

January feels sad.
Everywhere I look people are struggling with black moods and depression and I know better than anyone just how hard it is function in the dark.
My past is no secret, the post below has sat on my blog for quite some time but following a few conversations I've had with people this week it felt right to revisit it.
If you are struggling, I hope that it gives to the strength to carry on.

Mine is not a standard birth story but it is one that I have been trying to write for the last seventeen years, unable to know where to begin.

For the people who know me now, as a wife, mother and successful business woman my words may be even harder to take in but after seventeen years of procrastinating here is the story of my birth.

The morning of Thursday 5th May 1994 began like every other day except that was the day I was going to die.

I had suffered in silence (mostly) with an illness so sever that it was about to erase me and at the same time leave an innocent little boy without a mum.

Of course with hindsight, I know that I'd been suffering from sever post natal depression for the three and a half years since I gave birth to my son when I was little more than a child myself.

I'd travelled a long, dark and unhappy path in those three and a half years. Littered with excessive excess and fraught emotions. Living on tinned tomatoes and toast so that I could buy nappies and baby food.

But it was too much for me.
Even though I was in constant contact with my family I was living on a fragile deserted island and I couldn’t take anymore.

That Thursday morning I dropped my boy at my sister’s house explaining that I had a few errands to run. I kissed him, held him and willed him to be strong.

I drove my fathers car into the city and parked it where I knew it would be easily found and made my way to the top of the car park.

The fine rain had turned into that horrible wet drizzle and the street below me was mostly void of shoppers. I stood there looking, thinking, crying. I was so angry with myself, with the world, with all of the people who could have helped me, that should have made me better.

I felt weak, useless, pathetic, a nothing.

One side of my head was screaming JUMP, JUMP, JUMP but I was scared. Really scared, really, really scared.

I realised that I couldn’t do it. I didn’t have it in me. I was so useless that I couldn’t even do this, the one thing that could make it all go away. I couldn't even end it.

And so I jumped.

The irony is that I didn’t manage to end it, I even messed that up.
I've since been told that I'm the only person ever to survive jumping the 75ft from the top of that multi-storey car park

I was conscious and able to give next of kin details to the paramedics that came to save me and then things get a little fuzzy. I remember the pain and a strange floaty feeling as I looked down seeing myself lying on a trolley, as the electricity shocked me back to life.

Then it was a week later. I'd spent twenty hours in theatre as three surgeons tried to put me back together again.
My leg injuries were explained to me by a doctor;

“Imagine if you hit a Crunchie bar with a hammer,” he said. “That's what you have done to your feet.”

I was numb.

Then came the spinal surgeon – totally lacking in bedside manner.

“Well young lady, what a totally selfish and stupid thing to do. You do realise that with your injuries, you will never walk again.”

I was devastated.

Irony number 2...
I was a dancer. I'd been dancing all my life. I danced through school and on to post sixteen dance training. I won a coveted place in the National Youth Dance Company. I was a dancer – full stop. It defined me. It made me me.

So here I was. In hospital and not only wasn’t I dead but I was now facing life in a wheelchair too.

For the medically interested, I smashed both of my feet into a million pieces and my right ankle too. I landed so perfectly that my spine did its primary job as a shock absorber and crushed four of my vertebrae in the process. (All those hours of ballet training kicked in and I landed in a perfect plie.

Of course I should have been dead. But I wasn’t. It took me a long time to come to terms with what I'd done to myself but it simply wasn’t my day to go.
I'd been given another shot at things and although my progress has been slow and painful I had to decide to make a better life for my boy and me.

Over the years journalist friends have tried to coax my story into print but my fear of being judged and condemned for what I did has always kept my silence.

In truth, I've been selfish by keeping my story because do you know what?

I can walk. I can cycle, I can swim, I can work, I got married, I had babies (3 of them!), I have a business, I have friends, I have love and more than anything I have hope.

My recovery has been long and painful. I have screamed and cried and I live with the ongoing pain of my injuries and the pain of not being able to dance every single day. But if I did have the ability to go back to that morning, I would take the very same route.

I know now that I was given a chance that day to right all of my wrongs.

Sure this is a condensed speed blog version of my story but in its brevity or entirety the result is the same. A personal triumph over adversity – my rebirth.

If you know anyone who is suffering from PND or any kind of depression, please, please try and reach out to them. They would never admit it but they could really do with your time and attention. And if you think that you have PND, please, please, please tell someone how you are feeling. It may just save your life.

Eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:05:00 +0000

It's been a really long time since I joined in with The Gallery. Life and work just kind of got in the way of my favourite Wednesday pursuit but I really couldn't resist this weeks eye theme.

Two beautiful eyes from my two beautiful girls. Their depth and beauty takes my breath away, I wish I had eyes like theirs... I could gaze into them forever more.

Betty

Biba

Do visit the other blogs from this weeks Gallery and do comment on the blogs that you visit - people do like a bit of interaction!

Technorati Claim

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:51:00 +0000

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New Baby Alert

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:18:00 +0000

There's a new baby in the house and we are all totally in love!

For those of you who know my eldest daughter Biba, you will know how crazy she is about bunnies. Crazy probably isn't the right word, obsessed maybe?

Her room is full of rabbits. Soft toys, drawings, pictures, ornaments and when she grows up she wants to work at Rabbit, the award winning social media agency.

She has been begging and pleading for me to buy her a real rabbit for about 8 years and thus far I have stood firm.

Until yesterday when I totally crumbled after seeing this little fella in the adoption centre in Pets At Home...

He was returned to the store because he'd been fighting with his brother.

We had a very long family discussion in store and it was agreed that we would give him a good home. Biba cried and when Yan asked her why, she said it was because she had never been so happy in her whole life. Gulp.

So off home we went, discussing names excitedly. Mr Snuggles, Mr Bunny, Sonny, Clive, Dave, Carl, Stu and Ricky all went by the wayside before the girls settled on Sunday - 'because that was the day we took him home.'

The girls have 'Jack n Jill' rooms with a shared bathroom and that was to be Sunday's new home. They set up his cage and Biba nearly burst out crying for the second time when she saw what was written on the side of his water bottle!!!

Fate, she decided and I have to admit I may have had a bit of a moment too!

Well that was the last I saw of the girls all evening. They totally cleared out their bathroom to make a safe environment for Sunday to hop around in took out their computers to make a list of things rabbits like to eat and things that they should never give him.

Luckily he likes to be handled and loves snuggling up with the girls.

They even ventured downstairs with him. The dog went into her scaredy cat mode, started shaking and hid in her bed and the cats didn't even notice that Biba had a rabbit sitting on her knee - so all is good!

Here he is having a little hop around (sorry if you were the person calling my work phone this morning, I know I should have been in my office but I couldn't help myself!).

XBox More Than Games : You Tube

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:58:00 +0000

Did you realise that one of the fab new features of Xbox Live is that you can now watch You Tube through it?

You don't actually realise what a big deal that is till you give it a go. No more sitting uncomfortably at your computer, now you can full on sit back in your comfy clothes to catch up on your latest You Tube faves.

My children love it, maybe too much because now they fight over who gets to choose what they watch. The girls like to catch up with episodes of their favourite shows, like Tracy Beaker Returns, or Disney's Sonny with a Chance. Sonny likes to sit for hours watching other peoples uploads of his favourite Xbox games (I don't understand why either but that is another post altogether).

Me, well I dare say I spend way to much time watching stupid kitty vids (like I have the time) or my current favourite is this one that I stumbled across on my mobile phone after Betty had been using it...

A rare and beautiful find!

If you don't already have an Xbox Live Gold membership you can get 3 months for half price by using the code: M3mmyT1ps

Call for Bloggers With Small Babies

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:45:00 +0000

Do you have a newborn baby or are you due to have one soon?

I'm on the hunt for some fresh, exciting bloggers with newborn babies to work with on a client project over the next couple of months.

If you'd like to be considered please leave your details below (even if you think I already have them) and I'll be in touch soon.

What I Wore Wednesday : Christmas Girls

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:16:00 +0000

Christmas day in the To household and after a mammoth crimping session using Betty's new Babyliss Professional Ceramic Crimpers this was the result.

Biba wears : Jeans H&M, Poncho Jil Sander for Uniqulo, Trainers All Saints

Maxi Micro Scooter £92.95 : Name Plate £ : Wheel Whizzers £6.99 : Scooterearz handmuff £12.99 : Bottle Holder £9.99

Betty wears : Happy Panda T Selfridges : Faux Fur jacket from Asda £10 Scooter bling as before.

For What I Wore Wednesday over on my pal Transatlantic Blonde's blog

Mummy-Tips Ultimate Christmas Song

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:05:00 +0000

I'm a bit bah humbug about Christmas to be honest - but I was tagged by Claire in the Ultimate Christmas Song Meme that is doing the rounds and if I was forced to choose one song it would be Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas.

I feel that I should point out that I'm a Smiths fan NOT a Mariah fan but I am partial to Love Actually. Thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

Enjoy!

I'm tagging Ryan, Big Fashionista and Claire (it may make her blog)!

Update...
Fellow Smiths fan Dawnie Brown tweeted that she was disappointed I didn't go for a Smiths tune and she's right. Despite Moz being as much of a Bah Humbug as me, if its good enough for John Lewis then it's good enough for me - here's what it should sound like!
Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want from my favourite Smiths album, Hatful of Hollow.
Dawnie - I'm tagging you too!

What I Wore Wednesday : Win Disney Vintage

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

OK, I'm cheating today but I've been feeling pretty rank for the last few days and for once clothes are the last thing on my mind.

So instead I'm giving you the chance to win this beautiful girls dress from The Disney Vintage Collection.

Handmade in the UK, Snow White fans will love the classic cotton dress with a beautiful vintage style print and a huge oversized bow.

The dress that I have to give away is an age 8. It will be perfect for a little girl aged from 6 to 8.

Disney Vintage Kit Dress is £85 exclusively from Selfridges.

Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway The giveaway ends on 20/12/11, if the winner responds with their details by return the dress will be posted on 21/12/11 and should arrive in time for Christmas.
UK Only.

ThePrizeFinder.com - home of competitions and prize winning
Loquax Competitions

Awesome New Xbox Features and the chance to win £200!

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:22:00 +0000

I get to do some pretty cool things because of my blog and without a shadow of a doubt the best thing in the world (according to my children) is that I'm an Xbox Ambassador.

Much to the annoyance of said children, last week I went for a sneak peek, pre launch demo of the new Xbox 360 dashboard features and to a slightly off the wall Twin Peaks style soiree with interesting entertainment!

I got a new dress to celebrate the update!

Fun and games aside the new voice controlled Xbox feature is awesome. Its everything that Siri should should have been and most importantly it works.

No more arguments and endless searching for the remote because you can control all of your content, games, music, movies and sports by simply using your voice.

Other features in the update include integration with leading entertainment providers including Sky, Love Film and 4od, allowing you to enjoy movies and TV content right on your Xbox and the brilliant Bing search functionality.

I'm so impressed with the voice controls that I haven't even considered asking it any of the idiotic things that I continue to taunt Siri with on a daily basis. Which is odd.

I've got lots of fresh Xbox content for you over the next few weeks along with offers and treats for fellow geeks starting with the chance to win £200 in Amazon vouchers.

Simply take this short survey to enter. Entry closes at midnight on 19/12/11 and is open to UK residents aged 16 and over.

Take the survey HERE,

Do you like my new dress?!

A Blogger Calendar For Me?

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:21:00 +0000

It seems like a lifetime ago when Jay and Tara had us lined up outside CyberMummy on that beautiful June day. They were shouting at us... a lot... well Jay was shouting at me a lot because I was being silly...

I know how much work they have both put into pulling this together - so thank you guys and also a really big thank you to Snapfish for agreeing to print it for them.

As the calendar is a super limited edition work of art they are making us work to get hold of one. Here's my offering, my blogger CV.

Name: Sian To

Started blogging : 03/03/09

Blogs : mummy-tips.com - first post : Who am I?

geekisnewchic.com

cybher.com

Big Eye Art Tumblr

Writes about : Life and geeky stuff

The Important Bits

July 2009 - BlogHer Chicago - my first trip to the USA

July 2009 - Inspired to launch a blogger event in the UK and CyberMummy was born

July 2010 - The first CyberMummy with 200 delegates

August 2010 - BlogHer NYC with Jay

August 2010 - Trip to Bangladesh as an Ambassador for Save the Children

September 2010 - Trip to the UN Summit in NYC as Ambassador for Save the Children

November 2010 - Joined Instagram

December 2010 - Blogladesh reaches TEDx London

February 2011 - Blogladesh shortlisted for Media Guardian Innovation Award

March 2011 - I go to Downing Street!

June 2011 - CyberMummy part 2 with 400 delegates

September 2011 - Goodbye CyberMummy - hello Cybher. The new event for women bloggers is announced

October 2011 - I change my Twitter name from @mummytips to @geekisnewchic and launch new blog

May 12th 2012 - Cybher!!!

Mummy-Tips Gift Guide Part 2 - Geeks

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:21:00 +0000

Part 2 of my Christmas Gift Guide - The Geek Edition!

1. Lego VW Camper Van, £79.99 from Lego

Yeah, I know this is a grown up guide but who doesn't love Lego? If Santa popped this in my stocking I'd be one happy girl on Christmas day. There might not be a Christmas dinner but I figure I could do without the calories anyway.

2. Polaroid Z340 Instant Digital Camera, £229.99 from Firebox.com

I am loving this modern twist to the classic Polaroid camera. Its a bit pricey but what can I say? I love cameras!

3. MiFi from Three, available on contract and pay as you go from Three

I never leave home without mine. It is quite simply one of the best tech gadgets out there and way worth the subscription. You can connect five devices at once so no one needs to be offline.

I used mine to order a Tesco home delivery from the car on our way home from a two week holiday in Thailand. I ordered my weekly shop and it arrived an hour after we got home. Thats how handy it is.

4. Xbox 360 with Kinect, £229 from Asda.com (4GB console with Kinect Adventures)

If you thought Xbox was just for teenage boys and hardcore gamers you are way off the mark. Xbox is the best family console on the market (and I've owned them all).

As well as playing all of your favourite games Xbox has some pretty cool new features that turn it into the ultimate media hub.

Facebook, Twitter, 4 On Demand, Love Film, You Tube and Video Kinect. You can say adios to searching for the remote because you are the controller. Play, rewind, pause and watch. You tell your Xbox what you want to do and it does it.... and unlike Siri it actually does!

Disclosure: I am an Xbox Family Ambassador but I already owned an Xbox and only became an ambassador after begging them at length to have me.

5. Fruit Ninja on Xbox Kinect, 800 points from the Xbox marketplace

If you've enjoyed Fruit Ninjas on your phone or iPad you will love this Xbox Kinect version. Beware though - you won't be able to move the next day as you use muscles that you didn't even know existed!

6. Philips Fidelio DS3500 iPad Dock. £119.97 from Tesco.com

I searched high and low for an iPad speaker dock last Christmas but they hadn't made it to market. This year there are loads of them around. Biba has a Philips Fidelio dock for her iPod Touch and the sound is great - well it was till the cat chewed through the charger wire but that's another blog post all together.

7. Micro Samsonite Scooter, £250 from Micro Scooter

How awesome is this? It gives me visions of carefree scooting around an airport instead of being laden down by my computer bag. I would LOVE one of these!

Mummy-Tips Gift Guide Part 1 - Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:53:00 +0000

I'm not going to spoil this with words. It is what it is... some of my personal top tips for gifts this Christmas.
This is Part 1 - Kids

1. Disney Vintage Kit Dress, £85 from Selfridges.

2. Tikkers Kids Bow Watch, £11.99 from John Lewis.

3. Moshling Zoo DS Game, £29.99 from Moshi Monsters.

4. Spyro's Skylanders Adventure, available on Xbox, Wii & PS3, £47.99 from Game.

5. Micro Scooters Wheel Whizzers, £6.99 from Micro Scooters.

6. Wing Kicks, beef up your sneakers! £12 from LittleStomper.co.uk

What is Going on??

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:57:00 +0000

I've spent loads of time over the last few weeks researching which charities I want to include as partners at Cybher next year. I've spent hours watching heart wrenching movies and presentations- each one chipping away at me bit by bit. Then today I saw this.

And it took my breath away to see the hundreds of nasty, hateful comments it has sparked. People have accused it of being fake - a made up video performed by an actor.

Does it matter if it is?

I really hope that this boy is an actor and that he isn't suffering alone but either way bullying exists and if it isn't this boy there really is someone somewhere cutting themselves to pieces right now as you read this.

bullying.co.uk/

All I want for Christmas is...

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 10:55:00 +0000

A ticket to Cybher! Don't leave it too late - they will sell out!

*|MC:SUBJECT|*

The Cybher 2012 Schedule is now live!

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View it in your browser.

Last chance to get your Early Bird ticket...

Have you seen the amazing list of speakers that are already confirmed for Cybher?

Want to learn how to become a master iPhoneographer?
Find out if there's a book in your blog?
Hone your Wordpress and Blogger skills?
Talk fashion, beauty, stats, sex, apps, ethics, writing and more?

If you're planning to come to Cybher don't leave it too long to buy your ticket.
The early bird rate ends at midnight on 30/11/11.
Tickets are selling fast and they will sell out.
Why not give Santa a nudge?

Early bird tickets are available until 30/11/11.
They are £80 for bloggers and £250 for brands / PR's.
Want to make a weekend of it? We have a discounted hotel deal in place.

Cybher is the first all inclusive female blogger event of it's kind in the UK.

This one day event will bring together the most influential bloggers and speakers from all corners of the blogosphere to network, inspire, share and learn.

Saturday 12th May 2012, 8 Northumberland Avenue, London, WC2N 5BY

Follow the conversation on Twitter @CybherUK
Sign up to our blogger outreach program.

See you in May!

8 Northumberland Avenue

London, London WC2N 5BY

Attend Event

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What I Wore Wednesday : Eclectic

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:58:00 +0000

This post is for my good friend Transatlantic Blonde's weekly What I Wore Wednesday meme. It's my first time so go easy on me!

Today I'm wearing...

Striped Slouchy T from the amazingly fab Mint Velvet £35

H&M Vest under T £3.99

Rick Owens Boots (lets not mention the price)

Jill Sander skirt from at least 4 years ago

Chanel J12 watch (ditto with the price!)

Stop by Mint Velvet, they are great for basics that you can mix and match into your current wardrobe.

www.mintvelvet.co.uk

Find the other What I Wore posts on Transatlantic Blonde's linky.

Don't forget to stop by my new - non mummyblog www.Geekisnewchic.com and if you haven't already bought your ticket for Cybher you have until the end of November to catch the early bird rate. Don't leave it too late though... tickets are selling fast!

Today I'm Loving : Lamps

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:35:00 +0000

I'm clearly on a shopping roll - well window shopping at least. Today I need to share these beautiful lamps.

Biba is bunny mad and she has been begging and pleading for me to buy her one for at least three years. I'm a tough nut to crack because I know ultimately I will be the one doing the looking after and I just don't want another pet.

Hopefully she'll settle for one of these amazing rabbit lamps from White Rabbit England. Made here in England from bone china they really are beautiful. The light shines through when switched on to give the room a soft warm glow.

£59 from www.whiterabbitengland.com

Next up is this cool apple lamp from Feather and Black. I fell in love with it when I visited their store a few weeks ago and ordered one for my office as soon as I got home!

It has an acrylic shell with a rubber stalk so perfect for younger children. The only problem with it is that it comes in three colours. It took me ages to decide which one to go with!

£28 from www.featherandblack.com

Back to White Rabbit England for my final spot of lamp love.

This beautiful hand painted cottage makes a perfect nursery nightlight. As the soft light glows from the windows you can see the little bunnies at home inside.

£49 from www.whiterabbitengland.com

iPhone Camera Essentials Launch

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:48:00 +0000

Since falling for my iPhone camera, my much loved Canon SLR has pretty much been left gathering dust. I can't even remember the last time I took it out of the bag.

Sad yes but I am so in love with my always present iPhone cam and all the amazing pics that I've taken with it, that lugging that extra device around just doesn't really do it for me.

When putting together the sessions and speakers for next years Cybher I really, really wanted some great iPhoneography content and with The Beginners Lens I know that I've found it.

If you have an iPhone and you love taking pics head over to their site NOW, because they've just launched the BETA version of iPhoneCameraEssentials.com and you can get a FREE subscription using this coupon code 1YFSUBS. Only the first 200 sign ups can use the code so get to it now... or wait till Cybher to meet the team yourself.

You can find The Beginners Lens on Twitter @TheBeginnersL, Facebook, You Tube and on my beloved Instagram and in an ode to geek I have to admit that I found these guys after liking one of the pics they'd posted on Instagram. I like that!

Today I'm Loving : Micro Scooters

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:53:00 +0000

Micro Scooters have been a mainstay for my children. They've all graduated from Mini to Maxi Micro and hand on heart I can say that they have been one of the most used things that I've ever bought them. Their hands always freeze in the winter (cause even after 20 years of parenting I haven't worked out how to keep a pair of gloves for more than a week) so I was above excited to see these scooter gloves in the new Micro Scooters catalogue this week.

They attach to their scooter handles - so hopefully they won't get lost and at £12.99 they make a great stocking filler. Available in a range of colours from micro-scooters.co.uk

Today I'm Loving : Little Stomper Wing Kicks

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0000

I don't think it really get's any cuter than these awesome Wing Kicks from new children's shoe store Little Stomper.

They are handmade in the UK and come in a range of colours. The junior size are £12 and work up to adult sizes. I'm a 5 so I'll be bagging myself some before they sell out - and shipping is free!

I think that they make a perfect addition to any little (or big ones) Christmas list.

www.littlestomper.co.uk

Today I'm Loving : Feather and Black

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:18:00 +0000

A couple of months ago I was asked if I'd be interested in becoming a kids furniture tester for Feather and Black. After checking out their site I emailed straight back with a 'yes please'.

My younger children are 8, 9 and 10 and we are reaching the point of having to give their rooms a major overhaul. Their needs and interests have completely changed since we moved to this house seven years ago and I really didn't want to get sucked back in to Ikea flat pack hell.
I'm not dissing them - I love a trip to Ikea as much as the next person but their products aren't built to last and they are a nightmare to put together.

Enter Feather and Black.
I was given a choice of products from their Noah range to test and as both of the girls have been going on and on and on about having a desk for months it wasn't a difficult choice.
Betty was the lucky recipient and Yan was charged with the installation.
He hates putting things together - especially flat pack so the box did linger in the hallway for about a week before he got fed up of my nagging and took the box upstairs.

Ten minutes later he was back, declaring that the desk was the best piece of furniture that he'd ever screwed the legs on. That is high praise indeed.

Four weeks on and the Noah desk seems to have had a magical effect on Betty's bedroom.... it's tidy!

A Tripp Trapp makes the perfect chair for this perfect desk.

And she loves it. Every night when she gets home from school she goes straight up to her room to do her 'homework'.

I love that she has suddenly taken an interest in keeping her room tidy and so for Christmas I've already bought her the additional Noah Desk Storage that fits neatly on top. She's going to love it.

As a slight aside from the desk review, I also fell in love with Feather and Black's beautiful bed linen and as Betty's made such an effort to keep her room tidy it went straight on to her bed!

Fingers crossed that the Feather and Black's tidy fairy is here to stay!

Noah Desk £195

Noah Desk Storage £155

Patchwork bedlinen £40

Disclosure:

I was given the Noah Desk to test and review.

I bought the Noah Desk Storage and the Patchwork bedlinen after seeing how fab the desk is.

Win a Stress Free Christmas Treat

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:58:00 +0000

Fancy a stress free Christmas? I know I do.... which is why I'm telling you about this great comp from LighterLife to win an exclusive London break.

The prize includes a £1500 pre paid shopping trip, a chauffeur to drive you around for the day so you don't have to worry about carrying all of that shopping before whisking you back to the Ritz hotel for a night in luxury accommodation with your loved one and a luxurious hot stone massage. I've had a hot stone massage - it is lush!

Visit and 'Like' their Facebook page to enter. I've checked it out. It's a properly run Facebook comp so go for it and good luck!

Please Help Save Beth's Life

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 18:02:00 +0000

I met a brave mother today who is fighting as hard as she can to save her daughters life and she needs as much help as she can.

Bethany is 14 years young and she's been battling Leukaemia since she was three years old. She's been through years of chemotherapy and is now desperately, desperately in need of a bone marrow transplant in order to survive.

Her family aren't giving up and they need your help to spread the word so that a suitable donor for Bethany can be found. But you need to act now or it will be too late.

Joining the register is really simple. Anyone aged 18-40 and in good health can sign up in minutes by completing this application form online, a saliva sample kit will then be sent out to you and if you are match - you could save Beth's life. Its that simple.

If you live in Leicester please go along to the screening session at The Tigers ground this Saturday 12th November between 12-4pm and please do share the 'Recruitment Drive For Beth' Facebook page with everyone you know.

Hearing Bethany's brave mum tell her story was heart wrenching. Please help give this beautiful girl a chance to live.

If you do one good thing this week / month / year - let it be this.

http://www.anthonynolan.org/

Mummy Bloggers Beware

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 19:30:00 +0000

I make no secret of the fact that I'm a PR and sometimes it does makes conversations with my 'blogger head' on a little strained - but not often.

I will admit to having a folder in my mail application called 'Crap PR pitches', but thats for my own enjoyment and not something that I'd ever share.

The 'PR' me has subscribed to a service called Response Source since it launched X years ago and I've always picked up great national coverage for my clients through its daily alerts service.

I say always but I really mean, always used to, as over the last twelve months or so the alerts have been flooded by bloggers (and I have to say mummy bloggers in particular) looking for free stuff to 'review'.

The bloggers using response source usually state their traffic and number of followers to boost their chances of landing the odd PR freebie or two and sometimes they post two or three requests in a single day - clogging inboxes even more.

So, I've decided not to renew my subscription to Response Source because it takes so much time out of each and every day to wade through requests from bloggers on the blag.

But why am I telling you this?

Well I just sat down to go through today's 100+ requests and it looks like I'm not the only PR fed up by the constant inbox battering. The first message I looked at goes like this...

Is this the beginning of the end for the mummy blogger? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Simply Tap - Shopping in an Instant Competition

noreply@blogger.com (Sian Mummy-Tips) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:52:00 +0000

Its no secret that I'm an app geek and when I came across the fab Simply Tap this week I couldn't wait to share it.

Simply Tap is a new instant mobile checkout available on both iPhone and Android. It allows you to pay for things in seconds when you see something you like in magazines, out and about, online and in store.

Its the sort of app that makes your life so much easier. Simply Tap offers you a secure way of paying for things through your mobile without having to enter card details, your address, your 4 digit pin and password and many other cryptic questions every time you use it.

Essentially, you see what you want, simply enter the Tap Code into the app, and you've paid in an instant. You can find out more information on their Facebook page facebook.com/SimplyTap

The have some amazing offers to support their launch including these £15 boxes of Thorntons chocolates for just £5 and an eighty piece chocolate box for £26.99. You can check out all of their latest offers on their Facebook page.

You can download the app by searching for Simply Tap in the App Store or click this link on your phone.

To celebrate the launch Simply Tap have given me 10, yes 10 boxes of yummy Thornton's chocolates worth £15 each to give away to you lovely people.

Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below and good luck.