It’s the Shopbop Event Of The Season sale. That means you can stock up on spring and summer essentials with the help of a pretty good discount.

As always, the more you spend, the bigger the discount. This time they’re offering 20% off orders under $500 and 25% off orders over $500.

Just use this promotion code at the checkout: EVENT19

You can find all the sale details and exclusions over on their site.

Today I’m going to share 20 graphic tees you can pick up in the sale. They’re perfect for spring and summer and are a simple way to spice up a pair of simple jeans or a skirt.

I have 2 real favourites out of these 20 t-shirts. One is this delightfully unusual spaghetti tee by Paul Smith and the other is the South Parade Aperol Spritz tee (see below).

I feel like this summer is going to be all about rainbows. I already have these cutie canvas trainers by Madewell but I’m up for incorporating more rainbows into my life. Why not?

Unfortunate Portrait is an LA based brand which is totally knew to me. There’s very little info about them on their personal website but they do have a fab Instagram. I really like their unusual designs and have picked out a few of their t-shirts for this round-up.

Here’s one more rainbow number. It has a big beautiful embroidered rainbow on the front. I really like t-shirts with embroidered graphics. These types of tops tend to continue looking good over the years but printed t-shirts can often fade.

Here we have another fun top from Unfortunate Potrait. I like the longer cut of these t-shirts over the cropped styles that seem to be everywhere at the moment.

South Parade are probably my favourite brand for graphic t-shirts. I think there are a fair few from the brand in this round-up.

Another fantastic design from South Parade. This one really makes me smile because it makes me think of the pomodoro technique – something I use most days.

A simple but classic design. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Victoria.

I told you there were a few Unfortunate Portrait designs in today’s post. I never used to like graphic t-shirts. I thought I’d get bored of them quickly. However, something has changed and I’m really into them over the last too years. I pick them carefully but I’ve found it really fun to have a few statement t-shirts in my collection.

This is a t-shirt I can see my sister wearing. It’s really chic and combines words and illustrations. It’s by one of my favourite brands, Scotch & Soda.

I feel like everyone needs a t-shirt like this. Something long and baggy that you can throw on with jeans and a leather jacket.

Levi’s have been launching lots of fun new designs over the last couple of years. I’m always keeping an eye on what they’re doing.

This is very Rag & Bone. It’s a simple but cute design.

If you’re going to wear a Disney top then this is the way to do it without falling down a trap of twee designs.

Spiritual Gangster have some really fab t-shirts. For each item they sell they donate a meal to a person in need through their partnership with Feeding America.

A super cute t-shirt for festival season. I’m not actually going to any festivals this year although I’m looking forward to doing Latitude next year with my little boy.

I like that this is a simple grey t-shirt with a splash of orange from a strong yet subtle design.

This is a classic design. It’s not particularly unique, I’ve seen lots of similar ones around. However, it is embroidered which puts it ahead of other brands.

Moschino always go a little extra, don’t they? I still think this is a fun and cheerful t-shirt, if a little loud. It has a very child-like feel to it but would really work well with a super simple outfit.

I know I said there were just 2 favourites from today’s round-up of t-shirts. Well, I totally forgot about this one. So, there are 3 firm favourites for me.

Fishpools are based in Hertfordshire and were founded in 1899 by Ernest Fishpool. They specialise in contemporary furniture and have an expert interior design service. I love working with and supporting family-owned businesses.

Spring has rolled around pretty quickly this year and I don’t doubt that summer will be here before we know it. With the arrival of each new season I love to rotate my home decor. Doing this helps to give each room a new look and keeps things fresh.

Today I’m sharing my tips on how you can welcome summer into your home. This includes everything from packing away your autumnal home decor to cleaning and organisation for the arrival of summer.

It’s important to remember that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to refresh your home each season. If you have some good storage systems in place then you can easily access your favourite pieces from each season and take them out each year. Alternatively you can donate unwanted items to friends, family and local charities before treating yourself to some new home decor.

Getting Your Home Ready For Summer

Throws and cushions

Pack away autumnal throws and cushions. Then replace them with something lighter and much more colourful. We live in England so even when summer hits we still get chilly evenings which call for throws.

I’m on the look out for orange, yellow and blue colour combos this year.

Pro Tip: Try using vacuum pack bags to save on storage space.

Store away winter clothes

Sort through your clothes, shoes and boots. Put together a bag for charity and eBay and then neatly box away everything else. This will free up space for your summer wardrobe.

Pro Tip: Be sure to clearly label any boxes and bags so they’re easy to find next season.

Spruce up the garden

If you have the time and inclination then tackle the garden yourself. If your time would be best spent elsewhere then I recommend getting a gardener in to help out. We’ll be having someone helping us to get the garden to a manageable state towards the end of spring.

Spending time on the garden will ensure the space is ready to be enjoyed in the summer. Think breakfast in the morning sun, hosting a barbecue for friends and G&T’s in the evening.

Tackle the weeds

Remove the weeds from your garden and driveway. This is a boring job but one which will make the garden look much smarter and easier to manage.

Garden furniture

The key to a relaxing garden is comfortable garden furniture. If you don’t have somewhere comfortable to sit and relax then you’re more likely to stay indoors and miss out on the good weather.

Fishpools have some lovely outdoor furniture options. A garden table set is perfect for anyone who enjoys to eat outdoors and entertain friends.

Pro Tip: Furniture covers are handy to invest in to protect your garden furniture.

Bathroom mats

New bathroom mats are a fun and easy way of brightening up your bathroom. They aren’t something that we often think of replacing but with the amount they’re used and washed it’s good to have back ups. There are also lots of fun designs around, just look at this rainbow one.

Pack away winter bedding

As much as I love a classic white bedding set I still have cute seasonal themed sets. When the seasons change it’s good to store these away for the following year. I’d also include heavy duvets and throws along with this.

Pro Tip: If you have an ottoman bed you can use it to store away clothes and bedding you’re not currently using but still want easy access to.

Window cleaning

Book your local window cleaner in to give your windows a spruce up. You never realise just how much they need a clean ’til it’s done. It’s also a good idea to be in the habit of brushing away dust and dirt from the corners of each window you can reach. This helps to prevent build-up and bugs hanging out there.

Clean and organise your kitchen

It’s good to have a deep clean of the kitchen every now and then. It’s amazing how quickly dust and dirt can build up over the months.

I like to take everything out of the cupboards and give them a thorough clean. You can then assess any unused food you have as well as getting rid of anything that’s out of date. I also like to use this as a chance to move my gin and cocktail glasses to an easy to reach space – they get much more use during the summer months.

Botanicals

Bring the outdoors in. This is something I like to do throughout the year. Spring and early summer means lots of easy access to daffodils. They’re cheap and cheerful and add a fun burst of colour to your home.

Don’t dismiss artificial flowers and plants. They’re perfect for those of us who don’t have the time to tend to lots of home plants. I have an artificial Japanese Fruticosa Tree which often moves position in my home to give the room a different look.

Move furniture

This is something we do pretty regularly in our house. It’s a quick, easy and free way to give a room a whole new look. It also gives you the chance to get rid of dust build up under heavier items of furniture.

How did you decide upon the name of your brand?

At first we thought of naming it Tiny Tea Factory, as we were a tiny family of three it sounded cute and fun We then realised that a big Australian company selling slimming tea under name Tiny Tea’s, so that kind of killed the romance and we had to think of something new. My then toddler Max was so eager to think of something, I thought he was a real nipper. And that’s how Nipper&Co came to life. The brand is made with a vision to support mums and their growing families, so it is all about nippers

What sets Nipper & Co apart from other brands?

We are the only 100% organic, ethical, and natural tea brand that focuses on health and wellbeing of mums. From pregnancy, breastfeeding and colic to everyday easy sleep and energy infusions and teas. We care about our products on every step of our tea journey, from sourcing only the best quality ingredients that have been either picked from wild or grown in fair conditions to using only organic to preserve our beautiful planet and provide what’s best for our health. Toxin free, natural and delicious herbs and teas.

Did you always plan to set up your own business?

Yes, I always saw myself as having my own business and always had million ideas brewing in my head. The 9-5 office work never suited my creative and restless spirit, so I knew I had to do something to ‘runaway’ from it.

How do you juggle being a mum and running your business?

Not sure that I do. Being a mum of two is hard and demanding enough on its own but when you add a solopreneur business that’s a whole other level of madness. There is always the constant guilt of not providing enough in either filed and my mum is my huge supporter and helps with my kids tremendously. But I also hope my kids will see a hard-working mum and learn to appreciate work, learn how to be creative, solve problems and not to be afraid to chase their dreams.

Please share a business high and low with us.

When you run a new small business, it seems that every day is full of highs and lows. At one moment you feel like you are on top of the world and the other you are shouting ‘why me?’ But recent launch with Planet Organic is definitely a big high. As a huge fan of this chain I was so chuffed to hear that they think Nipper&Co is a perfect fit for their stores.

Low, when I was told my boxes are out of stock for the next two months when I had orders coming in. Think that’s also when I got my grey hair

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

Believe in yourself and your idea, but also test it and prove there is a need for your product and there are people willing to buy it. Don’t wait for the perfect product, just go and launch with a minimum viable thing (not like I did) ,listen to market response and adjust. Be genuine, don’t be afraid to ask for help and don’t be afraid to ask the stupid question.

Where do you hope to take your business in the year ahead?

I hope to see Nipper&co. teas in more recognised retailers by end of this year, and to become more easily accessible to expecting or breastfeeding mums in search of their perfect cup full of support.

Find the full range of teas over on the Nipper & Co website. You can also support the brand on Instagram and Facebook.

Thank you to Marina for taking the time to be involved with Behind the Biz. I hope you enjoyed reading about her business journey and leave this interview feeling motivated to work hard towards your own business goals.

Marina found a gap in the market for organic, ethical, and natural tea with a focus on the health and wellbeing of mums. She has successfully filled that gap and her teas can now be found in Planet Organic. I can’t wait to see the business continue to grow in 2019.

EasiYo asked if I’d like to try out their yogurt maker which breaks the yogurt making process down into 3 simple steps. I thought it was be fun to try out and also a useful bit of kit for my family to have around.

The EasiYo arrived just a couple of weeks before I gave birth to my baby boy. This post is coming to you a little later than planned as everything fell behind due to a short stay in hospital. However, I’m back in the blogging game and here to share my thoughts with you.

Why you should make homemade yogurt

Getting creative in the kitchen is always fun and homemade goodies often taste better. There’s also no artificial ingredients, preservatives or stabilisers in the EasiYo yogurt mixes. They’re simply made with milk powders and cultures.

The mixes can be found in Morrisons which makes them easy to get hold of. There are flavours such as Natural, Strawberry, Peach and many more.

3 simple steps to make yogurt at home

EasiYo breaks the yogurt making process down into 3 simple and very easy steps. All you need is the EasiYo Yogurt Maker and a packet of EasiYo yogurt mix – their starter pack is £21.99 for the maker and two sachets.

Step 1

Half-fill the yogurt jar with room temperature, drinking water.

Add your yogurt sachet of choice (I went for peach), pop the lid on and give it a good shake.

Then fill the jar to the line with water and shake again.

Step 2

Push the plastic spacer down inside the yogurt maker.

Pour boiling water into the yogurt maker ’til you get to the top of the plastic insert spacer.

Put your jar into the yogurt maker so that it sits on top of the plastic insert.

Step 3

Put the lid on and leave it on your kitchen worktop for 8 to 12 hours or overnight.

By the time morning rolls ’round you’ll have a delicious jar of homemade yogurt. It’s then down to you to get creative with your toppings.

I topped the peach yogurt with fruit and seeds and served it up for breakfast. It was a success, everyone loved it.

My dad had been a little skeptical at first but when he tried it he loved it. He liked the thick creamy texture of the yogurt and said it tasted just like Greek yogurt. He was also really impressed with the simplicity of the whole process.

Unfortunately I couldn’t try out the yogurt due to my dairy intolerance. However, I’ll take my dad and Phil’s word for it being very tasty. I’m going to hand over the EasiYo to my dad so he can try it out with some of the recipes over on their site.

EasiYo overview

I think the EasiYo is a fab addition to the kitchen. It’s one of those gadgets (can it really be classed as a gadget?) that you didn’t know you needed. If you like yogurt and eat a lot of it then I’d say it’s really fun and useful to have around.

The starter pack is just £21.99 for the maker and two sachets which I think is really affordable. You can buy the yogurt mixes individually or in bulk.

Have you tried the EasiYo Yogurt Maker?

I hope you enjoy today’s collaborative post. As I’ve recently had my first baby so I’ve started to think more about my savings and creating a will. It’s something that’s very new to me and I’m keen to learn as much as I can. Today’s post is in collaboration with Jessica Foreman – she really helps to break things down.

Most people will admit to putting things off that they really don’t want to do from time to time, like emptying the dishwasher, finishing that assignment or visiting those relatives who you’ve just got nothing in common with. But what about the more important things in life that we really shouldn’t be trying to avoid – but all do?

So often, one of the things that we all like to avoid doing as best we can is writing a will. Having a will is super important, but many of us who should already have one, don’t. But why is that? Here are just a few of the most common reasons why people put off writing a will.

I’m too young

This is a common reason why people think they don’t yet need to write a will. But what if the unthinkable happens? If you’re over the age of 18 and own any valuable assets, then you’re not too young to write a will.

It’s too expensive

Writing a will isn’t as expensive as you think and it can be really easy too. Head to a site such as Beyond, where you’ll find a quick, and simple tool that will help you write your will online. It only takes 10 minutes, so what are you waiting for?

It’s a bit morbid

Unfortunately, writing a will means you have to give some thought to the thing that no one really likes to think about. Dying. But, as much as we don’t like to admit it, dying is inevitable and we need to put plans in place to make sure that everything of value to us, and the people who mean the most to us, are taken care of when we’re gone. It’s just one of those things.

I don’t have anything to pass on

You might not think you have any assets, but chances are you’re actually worth more than you think. Even if you’re renting and don’t own a property, you might have assets in the form of savings, jewellery, insurance policies, premium bonds, any other types of cash and much more. Plus, in this day and age, you’re likely to have some form of digital legacy too.

Everything will automatically go to my partner and kids, right?

Some people think that if they never get around to writing their will, it’ll all get sorted out with no problems anyway. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case and leaving no will can often lead to a number of complications as to who inherits what.

If you’re married, everything will automatically go to your surviving partner. However, if you had a long-term partner, but you weren’t married and there’s no will in place, everything will instead go to your next of kin and you risk them being overlooked altogether.

I just haven’t got around to it yet

Perhaps the most common excuse of all, so many people claim that they have every intention to get it sorted once and for all, but claim they just haven’t got the time for it. There’s only so long that you can keep putting something off and we all know it’s better to be safe than sorry. It’s time to get organised, get your paperwork together and finally get your will written.

We all deserve to wear comfortable bras so it’s important to know your correct size as well as your style preference. The best way to do this is by popping into a high-street store to get measured, instead of trying to guess each time you buy a new bra. Having a bra that fits well and keeps you supported makes such a big difference to how you feel and how your outfits look. If you’ve never been for a bra fitting you’ll be surprised at what a big difference it makes. You’ll probably find that you’re also a totally different size than you realised.

There’s one particular time that a comfy bra is essential and that is during pregnancy, especially when you’re nursing. I gave birth to my first baby just a few days ago so this is a topic I’m particularly interested in at the moment.

Pregnancy is a time where your boobs and diaphragm will be going through so many changes. In a short space of time they’ll change in shape, size and comfort. So, it’s important that you keep up with those changes, look for versatile styles (especially when you’re nursing on the go) and of course, good quality.

A collection of comfy bras is a good base for your maternity wardrobe. I’d say that having a few pairs to alternate between is essential. Don’t forget about knickers too. You don’t want to end up using your pre-pregnancy knickers which will probably dig into your hips. You’ll find much more comfort from a larger pair that also help to support your bump. Finally, don’t forget about a good pair of maternity tights. These will support your bump and be much more enjoyable to wear throughout the day.

Once you have your maternity and nursing basics sorted you can then think about the rest of your wardrobe. For maternity I opted for dresses with room for my bump. I found I felt most comfortable in dresses (here are some of my favourites) and with just a couple of accessories and a good pair of shoes I was quickly dresses and good to go for the day. Many of the dresses and outfits you buy during your maternity will be handy for breastfeeding too.

When your beautiful bundle of joy has been born you’ll need to focus your outfits around nursing (unless you’re bottle feeding). Look for lots of button down tops and dresses to make feeding on the go easier.

The wrong size, shape or style of bra can really change the look of your outfit and more importantly, your comfort. So, having a selection of bras to switch between depending on your outfit choice is really important. It’s also a good idea to avoid wired bras (which could cause poor milk flow and blocked ducts) and instead opt for comfortable seamless bras.

I think we can all agree that a comfortable and supportive bra is important throughout pregnancy, nursing and of course, life.

I think that with a good bra comes comfort and confidence. Two things that we all need to be able to win at everyday life. 

Where did the inspiration for Yugo Spice come from?

If Yugo could do one thing well it would be to empower people to experiment more in the kitchen, to reduce their reliance on all the same tried & tested recipes, to initiate the odd spontaneous flourish that may or may not work and not to become a prisoner to unduly complicated 24 ingredient recipes. As with so many things in life, simplicity is often king!

My personal motivation was a realisation as a student that regular amazing restaurant outings weren’t a reality for a cash-strapped student. My idea was luxuriously involving flavours that weren’t dependent on spending an inordinate amount of time in the kitchen.

There’s a growing inquisitive acceptance for World Cuisine which suggested the time was certainly ripe to revisit fusion cooking that took inspiration from all corners of the planet.  

At the same time the UK’s incumbent cooking sauce & paste aisle looked in urgent need of an urgent reboot, a struggling food aisle where convenience and conservative recipes ruled the roost.

When did you know you were onto something?

I developed Yugo when I was working on my Master’s Degree (In Entrepreneurship) so I was lucky enough to have access to a whole course of colleagues who were willing to test my recipes and voice their honest opinions. Such an enthusiastic sampling programme was fantastic in helping me shape who would and wouldn’t be the brand loyalists to my future range.

Yugo’s bold flavour palate dips into culinary powerhouses as deliciously diverse as Japan, Mexico, The Indian sub-continent & of course the Mediterranean. I wrestled with the fact that some time ago ‘fusion’ was a culinary term that engendered derision in many quarters, deemed by many to be a throwaway ‘celebrity chef’ phrase used to add an extra air of mystery to their so-so work.

In truth there is nothing elite or mystical about taking, tweaking and merging recipes from around the world. This is a timeless word-of-mouth exercise that has endured for centuries. What’s so exciting today is that home cooks are better travelled and more open-minded than ever before, which means they’re less likely to get hung up about a recipe’s so-called authenticity.

How did you decide upon your brand name?

Simple as Yugo is actually Japanese for ‘fusion.’

What did you do before launching Yugo Spice?

I suppose I’m a little unusual in that I’m not a food founder with an extensive back-catalogue of roles within this sector. I’m a recently graduated student who moved to the UK from Saudi Arabia when I was 17 so I could study Economics & Management at King’s College before embarking on a Master’s Degree in Entrepreneurship.  

Whilst it could be argued that such a background makes me naïve to the real business world, I’d argue that it helps keep things fresh as I’m not weighed down by cynicism or failure. It may sound foolhardy but I’ve always believed that a great idea is a great idea that you must run with, as opposed to biding one’s time in the mistaken belief that more years on the clock with inevitably pay dividends. FMCG is such a fleet-footed industry that procrastination seems unwise.

Did you always plan to run your own business?

Clearly my Master’s degree would suggest so! I didn’t initially know what my specialist subject would be, (although I’ve always loved food & cooking) which is why I believe you need to learn the ropes as best you can and wait for inspiration to strike. I am partnered with a very established sauce manufacturer so whilst I bring fresh thinking to the party, they bring sound business acumen and experience to the party.

Please share a business high and low with us

High: The unveiling of my new packaging made my heart skip as it was everything and more I hoped it would be; something fresh, vibrant and truly distinct.

Low: There are always ‘knockers’ who take joy in slamming on the handbrake. Hard to pick one out from the small but vocal cluster although one joyous soul did once tell me, ‘that I seemed like a failure who wouldn’t succeed in life.’ It’s all part of the character building process and says more about him than me.

What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?

Facebook food hub is a fantastic collective of helpful, well-connected foodies you can call upon for well-grounded and helpful advice.  

Never skimp on packaging or product photography when launching a brand. Grabbing attention (in a positive way) is so integral to getting off to the best possible start.

Social media a critical battleground where small brands can compete with their well-financed peers.

What’re your plans for the year ahead?

Yugo is at the start of its distribution journey, so there’s a lot of bedding down to be done. We’re also looking at a seasonal special in October to celebrate our 1 year anniversary and some ongoing product innovation, because no young brand can afford to rest on its laurels.

You can find out more about Yugo Spice over on the site and support the business on Instagram and Twitter.

Thank you to Renad for taking the time to be a part of my Behind the Biz series. I hope you enjoyed hearing about her business journey as much as i did.

Renad has combined her passion for food and business to create something delicious and unique. I can’t wait to see Yugo Spice grow in the year ahead and will certainly be trying out a few of the flavours.

There are some really cheerful and fun kicks in for spring. If you’re a fan of bubblegum pink and various pastel shades of blue and yellow you’ll love this collection. They actually remind me of an English seaside holiday (striped deckchairs anyone?), that or Palm Springs – bit of a difference.

Most of these styles and colour combos aren’t ones I’d wear on a daily basis. They’re more the kind I’d like to have in my collection for those moments when I have the perfect outfit to match with them. I can imagine taking them on summer trips to Southwold or they’ll be perfect for when we get the chance to visit Palm Springs one day.

Beret from John Lewis | Dress from ASOS Maternity (now on sale  for £14) | Coat from Boden | Handbag from Michael Kors | Converse from Spartoo (now on sale for £50) – GIFTED

As I sit here writing about my third trimester I’m exactly 40 weeks (Thursday 7th March). Yes, that means that today is my due date. The day that I could potentially meet my baby. However, he may also still be building up courage to enter the world and it may just been another week or so before meeting him. I guess we’ll find out as the day goes on.

In my first trimester blog post I talked about the 3 trimesters and how they’re broken down. The third trimester is from week 27 ’til the end of pregnancy.

I’ve since learnt that there is a 4th trimester. I’d never heard anyone mention this before but now I keep hearing about it. The 4th trimester is the first 3 months of a baby’s life – a time where both baby and parents are getting used to their new life. We’ll talk about this more once I’ve actually experienced it.

For now, it’s all about the last 3 months of pregnancy. I’ll talk through my symptoms and more. Don’t forget, this is just my personal experience. I’ll be open and honest as always and if you want to find out more about everything else you can find it in my pregnancy journey archive.

Third Trimester Overview

As with my first and second trimester I’d say I’ve been pretty lucky. I’ve had a smooth ride when it comes to pregnancy and have throughly enjoyed it. I think it’s important for me to share this (just as it’s important for people to share their less positive experiences). At the end of that day, that’s all we can do, share what we experience. Every person’s pregnancy journey will be different.

My third trimester started back towards the beginning of December, just before Christmas. I’ve found that the weeks have gone by very quickly, too quickly.

Before heading down to Cambridge for the holiday season I had a full blood count taken and it turned out that my iron levels had dropped really low. I think this was mostly due to my diet. I normally eat a lot of greens but had really fallen off track with it.

I was prescribed 3 tablets of Ferrous Fumarate a day, joy. I’ve since totally switched up my diet to how it used to be and I’ve been managing 1 to 2 tablets a day. They’re very very strong. Luckily due to the tablets and my diet change I’ve managed to get back up to a satisfactory level (as of week 38) and have been told to just continue with 1 tablet a day.

I currently take my first one in the morning, sit up straight and try not move for 1 hour. I’ll then rush downstairs to get my breakfast once my timer is up. I had an awful experience of taking one last thing at night and laying straight down to go to sleep. This was a few weeks back. Anyway, for the rest of that night I experienced what I think were Braxton Hicks contractions due to a night of vomiting. As you can imagine, a night of being sick which could have been avoided by not going straight to bed was not fun. With a little research I learnt that you should stay sitting up straight for at least 30minutes after taking these tablets. You should also wait 1 hour ’til you can eat.

Let’s take a closer look at my symptoms, emotions and cravings

Headaches:

My headaches have mostly vanished now which is brilliant. I think it’s because I’ve been quite consistent with ensuring I start my day with a cup of tea and then drinking as much water as I can throughout the day. I get that important caffeine hit in the morning and so my body doesn’t crave it throughout the day.

Food:

I’ve actually gone off tea a little. Well, I can have a small cup but not my usual big mug of tea. I don’t mind this, it just means that I’ve had to adapt the size of cup I use and then I can still enjoy my morning and evening cuppa.

I’m still not so fussed about super strong flavoured foods. However, I have started to eat more meat. I don’t generally cook it at home but due to my iron levels I’ve switched things up a bit. Speaking of meat, I’ve been really craving burgers recently, maybe I’ll get one tonight.

I’ve been really into fizzy water. I wouldn’t say this is an unusual craving for me, I always really enjoy it. I’ve been knocking back cans of my favourite Ugly Drinks and just plain old San Pellegrino on a daily basis.

Iron

I touched on my iron issues in the section above. For a little more clarification, I’m eating more meat, drinking green smoothies and taking the Ferrous Fumarate tablets.

Smell

My sense of smell is still very sensitive. I’ve taken to smelling the fresh washing every time it comes out of the machine, especially when it has my favourite fabric softener on it. I just can’t get enough of it.

Emotions

I was expecting my emotions to be all over the place for the last trimester but they’ve been fine. However, the last 2 weeks have been a bit more up and down. I’ve found myself crying very easily and for no reason at all. It’s so strange. I’ll be cooking one minute and then crying the next. Luckily I’m good at just getting on with the task at hand, especially as the tears have no backstory. On any day I’ve felt a little low I’ve taken to editing photos in my office or bed. I like to keep busy and it gives me something to focus on.

Hip pain

Since the new year I’ve started to experience a little hip pain. At first it was after a full day of walking but since I hit week 38 it’s been a lot more intense with just half a day of walking. Now, at week 39 and 40 I really have started to take it easier, because I’ve had to.

It’s nothing major, it doesn’t stop me going about my day but it’s a reminder that I’m carrying a baby the size of a watermelon and I really must take care of my body. So, for the last couple of weeks I’ve switched from working in coffee shops to my home office and on more occasions than I’d like to admit, my bed.

Sweet cravings

I haven’t particularly experienced any cravings throughout pregnancy ’til now. Over this final month I’ve pretty much been craving everything sweet; donuts, chocolate, cake, hot chocolate and more. I want it all and I just can’t get enough of it.

Skin

I’ve found that my eczema has been doing really really well. I can’t tell you how happy I am about this. My hands are pretty much eczema free right now, they’re not even dry and I’m loving it.

You can find lots of other posts about my pregnancy here.

Last year the lovely team at Indulge Beauty, a new store in London sent some of their favourite products for me to try out. I’ve finally made my way through most of the items and thought it would be fun to share some of my personal favourites.

I was lucky to go on lots of weekend trips throughout 2018. Most of these products were travel or sample sized so they were ideal for my little adventures. There wasn’t anything I disliked in the collection but there were some real stand-out products which I know I’ll be re-purchasing.

Sachajuan Ocean Mist

I fell in love with this Sachajuan hair mist right away. The spray accompanied me on two trips to Lille, a weekend in Cologne, half-term in Cornwall and many weekends in Cambridge.

Despite using the spray liberally and having a lot of hair I still have a little left to use up. It goes a long way and once it’s finished I’ll be buying a full sized bottle.

My favourite way to use Ocean Mist is when my hair is damp. I’ll spray it in and scrunch my hair before leaving it to air dry. If I need to dry my hair quickly I’ll us a hair dryer and scrunch up my hair into little sections to create a natural tousled look

It’s a bit like a salt water spray but also has the ability to act like a non-tacky and sticky hairspray. I find it lifts any natural waves in my hair, adds volume and keeps the style locked in. Perfect for lazy mornings.

Urban Decay All Nighter

Since I’ve got into using a make-up setting spray there’s no going back. All Nighter makes such a positive difference to how my make-up looks throughout the day, especially when the afternoon hits. This spray even works well during the hot summer months.

It’s a very light spray which I like. It doesn’t feel like you’re adding on any extra layers on top of your make-up and certainly isn’t sticky.

I apply this straight after my make-up and keep it in my handbag for an extra spritz to freshen up my look throughout the day.

Clarins Hydra-Essential cream

This is probably one of my all-time favourite face creams. I even dedicated a full post. I go back to this cream year after year and always have a jar ready to go. I believe it used to be part of the Hydra Essential range when I was in college (yes I’ve been using it that long) but they re-named it a few years back.

My skin can get very dry, especially during the colder months. If you have dry and sensitive skin then I highly rate the full Hydra Essential range.

I use this one in the morning and would normally buy the version with SPF in. Despite it being a very hydrating cream it’s not at all heavy or tacky on your skin. It sinks in quickly and leaves your skin feeling lovely and soft.

Beauty Blender

It’s taken me ages but I’m now a Beauty Blender convert. I know, I’m really late to the game with this one.

It’s a soft little sponge that you use to apply your make-up. I’ve mostly used mine to apply foundation. It’s really easy to use and leaves you with a smooth finish.

I’ve been using mine by running the blender under the tap, squeezing away excess water and then bouncing my foundation into my skin.

Perricone MD Hydrating Cloud Cream

This is a really luxurious face cream. It has a lovely creamy and thick consistency but somehow is still lightweight, light as a cloud even. It’s perfect for the colder months too. This tiny little pot went a very long way.

It’s a fully hydrating cream which is fragrance free and perfect for my sensitive and dry skin. I use this in the evening (and the Clarins cream in the mornings) on my travels have been loving how soft, smooth and plump it leaves my skin is.

I’d love to try more from the Perricone MD in the future.