Thursday 25 January 2018

Soft play, catch ups and baking cakes with Baking Mad

Ethan loved his time at preschool and was lucky to form some strong friendships. Towards the end of his time there, some of the mums got to know each other a bit better and since they all started school, we have arranged a few meet-ups so the kids could run around and play and we could let off some steam too.


Last weekend, quite a few of us met up again to see how everyone was getting on. I was sent a Party Cake Kit from online suppliers Baking Mad, who offer all you need from the cake and cupcake ingredients and decorations through to the table bits and pieces too, to suit your chosen theme. I thought that if I was going to get baking, then it would be the perfect excuse to get together with the other mums and children.

What's not to love about soft play and cake?!

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Easy Ways to Try Out a New Look for Your Home

We all love our homes, which is why we are so keen to keep them looking nice. Many people love redecorating (*hands up!*). They have a feel for it and know, almost instinctively, what looks good and what will not work.



Unfortunately, not everyone has an eye for design. For those who do not, redecorating a room is a daunting task. In many cases, they will have remodelled a room only to discover, too late, that they really do not like it. In many cases, these people will have ended up having to live with their mistake for several years because they do not have the cash to redecorate a second time.

If that has happened to you, do not worry because there are ways to avoid finding yourself in this 
situation, again. One approach is to try out a new look before you invest a lot of money in actually redecorating or remodelling a room. Here are a few ways you can do so:
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Monday 22 January 2018

Coping with my psoriasis - Philips BlueControl progress update #ad

Since my first post and video a couple of months ago, I have carried on using the Philips BlueControl at-home treatment for psoriasis and have documented my journey as greater improvements in the condition of my skin have been seen.

* Sponsored trial

In the video below - my second in collaboration with Philips - I talk about how psoriasis affects me day-to-day and show you the progress I have seen since my first trial began. Below the video, I have included some important information about this innovative device, in case you want to find out more.
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Friday 19 January 2018

My mama style - the graphic tee

If I was to pick a go-to staple in my wardrobe, a particular item that I love for relaxed mama style it would be the graphic t-shirt. I love a good tee (who doesn't?) and I love typography and quotes so the current trend for saying what's on your mind through fashion is one that I personally love.

* Collaborative post

Come the weekend, or on a relaxed weekday, you can throw on a statement t-shirt with a bold design or a fab quote, pair it with some jeans and Converse, and you're good to go. It's a casual look that works for soft play, coffee dates or get-togethers with friends, but it can be dressed up a little too if you add a leather jacket and swap the trainers for some pumps, heels or ankle boots.

It all centres around the tee.

Having a look through my wardrobe, and some of my selfies over the past few months, two things stick out: 1) how many times my hair colour has changed, and 2) my love for bright t-shirts is apparent for all to see.

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Thursday 18 January 2018

4 quick tips to teach your child how to tidy up after themselves

Children love nothing more than to have their toys sprawled on the floor in front of them, where they can see them. Toddlers have this incredible capacity to make a mess no matter what they are doing. For toddlers, a mess signifies more fun and an easy way to reach what they’re after without asking for help. But what toddlers don’t understand is how to tidy after the chaos and why they should be tidying up their toys in the first place. And though it sounds boring, it needs to be done, to their dismay, they become disheartened when their favourite toy breaks on the floor, or they lose an integral piece of their Lego set. 


* Sponsored post 


And it would be a shame to have to enquire with waste collection companies how to get rid of toys that can’t necessarily be thrown in the bin due to health and safety. So, in all the fun and games, parents have a responsibility to show their children how to tidy up and why it can be fun whilst doing so.

Here are 4 ways to teach our child how and why to tidy up after themselves:


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A Quick Guide to Buying Baby Cots

Babies will spend the first few of years of their life inside a baby cot, so choosing the right one is crucial towards ensuring their comfort and well-being. To help parents make the correct purchasing decision for their baby, I'm sharing 10 criteria that should factor into their consideration when buying baby cots.

* Sponsored post
Source

BSI Certification: The British Standards Institution (BSI) is a non-profit royally chartered body tasked with establishing national technical standards for products sold within the United Kingdom. For baby cots, BSI has established a certification process which tests a wide variety of elements on commercially sold cots, such as fatigue and bend resistance, flexibility and indentation of polymeric, rubber and thermoplastic materials used for padding, and exposure to chemicals. While nothing is ever guaranteed in life, buying cots with this certification will reduce the risk of your baby being harmed by poorly manufactured products.
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Monday 15 January 2018

HelloFresh review and discount: say hello to delicious meals

It's a new year and whether you're into New Year resolutions or not, you're probably thinking about eating a bit better and getting yourself organised at home. I know I am! Read on as I have a special offer to share with you...


Part of my plans for 2018 is to get into meal planning, more regularly and so we can eat better and waste less. Just before Christmas, we were invited to review the HelloFresh food delivery service - a selection of meal recipes delivered to your door, containing fresh locally sourced, pre-portioned ingredients and easy to follow instructions - to see how this could help us as a family to eat well without all the hassle of coming up with imaginative meals and shopping for all the ingredients ourselves.

We've tried the HelloFresh weekly recipe box subscription service in the past, and this time we opted for the Classic Box with three meals for two people, at a cost of £24.99 (you can also choose it for three or four people and for four or five meals, too).

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Sunday 14 January 2018

Decadent Dinner Party Ideas For 2018

Even though the party season has only just ended, that’s no reason to neglect your entertaining skills in the coming few months. There’s always an excuse for a gathering, whether it’s a night for just the girls, a Couples Come Dine with Me or even an intimate family dinner to celebrate a birthday.


* Sponsored post

Take pleasure in putting together a theme, a delicious menu and even some dinner party entertainment so that your guests feel as though they’ve had a truly decadent night – your dinner parties could be the ones to beat!

What Kind of Party?

Deciding on what guests to invite and the theme is your first port of call. Once this is decided, you can settle on a dress code, menu and decorations to pull this hootenanny together…


If you just want close girlfriends to come over, why not put together a Galentine’s night? This post from Martha Stewart is bursting with inspiration, including excellent invitations that would be perfect as we edge closer to Valentine’s Day.


Having a formal party – think suit and tie, a fancy dress and really nice glassware – doesn’t need to be super expensive. You can borrow plates, cutlery and glassware from a friend or relative for the night, as well as making some of the table decorations yourself to save a few pennies. This diagram from Pinterest even shows you how to do a formal table setting, including individual salt and pepper pinch pots!
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Friday 5 January 2018

Gran Canaria: 5 family friendly reasons to visit

Sun, sea, sand and smiles - that's what Gran Canaria has to offer, and what more could you want from a family break?! With 2018 well underway, it's only natural to start thinking about booking a holiday to look forward to - we are doing just that ourselves. When it becomes time to shrug off the winter layers and head for some sun, Gran Canaria is actually a great option to consider for a family holiday, with welcoming temperatures all year round (daytime highs of 20 degrees in winter and 26 degrees in summer) and plenty to keep everyone happy.


* Sponsored post

Here are five top reasons why this so-called 'miniature continent' in the Atlantic is a terrific place to set off to this year: 

1. Colourful climate

Gran Canaria has a real rich landscape, from long beaches and sand dunes for sun and sea worshippers, through to green expanses to view and picturesque villages to explore. It's been a long time since I visited, with my Mum and Dad as a teenager, but I remember just how varied the landscape was and how beautiful the scenery is. The milder temperatures are just right for my pale skin (!) and it's a lovely place to wander around and enjoy, without a plan or a care in the world.
Source

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Monday 1 January 2018

Unique Planners: review and discount for TBM readers!

A new year, a new start and a new diary - full of blank pages ready to be filled! I've started 2018 with a brand new life planner from Unique Planners by Pirongs; designed by myself to suit my specific needs, and bound together in a beautiful notebook with plenty of space to plan, make notes and keep important bits and pieces safe.

If you're on a mission to get organised this year, or you're simply looking for the perfect diary, keep scrolling as I share my new planner with you, as well as an exclusive 15% discount to offer TBM readers as a New Year's present from me to you...


Now if you've read my blog before, you'll know that I'm a picky customer when it comes to diaries, planners and notebooks and a new diary is a big deal for me.

When I first discovered Unique Planners, I was excited to see how practical their planners are and how you can really make them your own.

The personalisation, the prints, the different ways to organise your days and weeks. Whatever you want or need, you can probably find it here and by combining the different page options and additional finishing touches, you can create the perfect planner for you.

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Hello 2018

For me personally, I feel like in leaving 2017 behind, I am in a good place. I've been able to do so much more, again, on my blog and for anyone who stops by the read what I have to write, a big THANK YOU goes out to you. I never will be the biggest blogger, nor do I aim to be - I am to just be me, doing what I want, what I know and what I like. And that really is how I feel about so many things now; I feel more secure in my role as a mama, although every stage has it's new challenges, I am happy in my own skin and overall, I am happy being me without feeling the need to compare myself, my achievements or my life with others. At least, not so much.


In fact, I'd say that's what I have done for the past 12 months. I've tried to relax more, accept where I am and how things are, push where needed to gain more but not give myself too much to do or set myself unattainable goals. I feel like I am in the best place I have been in how I feel, how our family is, with work, with this blog and just in my general attitude. 
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