Friday, December 30, 2016

My Weight Loss Achievements 2016 & A Giveaway ♥

2016 was the year I finally took the bull by the horns and decided that I had to do something about my weight. My weight is something I've struggled with since I was 19 - a lifestyle of inactivity and takeaways started it all off, and two babies later I was feeling less than pleased with myself and how I looked.

On July 30th I made a simple change to my diet - instead of skipping breakfast and then snacking on junk food, I began having a high protein shake each morning and then a lunch and dinner later on in the day.

This was such a simple change, making it very easy for me to stick to and later on in the year I even began vlogging about my weight loss journey. I meant to do a vlog update two weeks ago, but with Christmas preparations and then the festive season being in full swing, I just haven't had the time. You can check out my channel if you're interested in watching my weight loss update vlogs.

I'll begin vlogging about my weight loss journey again in the New Year and hopefully I'll be able to do a weekly update, but for now I thought I'd share my achievements from the year here on the blog and a giveaway for any of my readers who are on/or hoping to go on, a weight loss journey too.

This year I've lost a total of 105cm off my body. My biggest losses have been in my bust and hips and even though I got a bit lax with my whole diet and fitness regime in December, I haven't had a big gain in my centimeters.

I started listening to my Thinking Slimmer Slimpod over a month ago now, but I find that I can go a week straight of listening and then forget and I feel as if I'm totally failing with it then. I'm really going to put an effort into listening for a month straight come January and hopefully I'll see some positive changes in my attitude to food and losses with my measurements and on the scales too.

I've dropped two dress sizes this year and I now wear a size 14 in tops and dresses and a size 16 in bottoms. It's great to be able to go shopping and actually feel good about what I'm seeing back in the mirror. I'm wearing clothes that I've had in my wardrobe that have been neglected for years as I couldn't fit into them, but now they fit fine and some are even loose on me.

My goal for the New Year is to lose 42lbs and hopefully with some hard work, exercise and a balanced diet I can achieve this. I would be lovely to be slimmer for summer and not hide away in leggings, like I have done for previous years.

The online health and fitness supplement suppliers, Discount Supplements, have very kindly offered one lucky reader the chance to win their own 'stay on track kit' for helping to achieve their New Year health and fitness goals.

This giveaway is open to residents of the UK and Ireland only. The giveaway will run for two weeks and end on January 15th. Best of luck to all who enter.

Terms & conditions:
This giveaway is open to residents of Ireland and the UK only.
This giveaway will run for two weeks and will end on January 15th at 23.59pm.
The prize includes the items shown in the picture above.
The prize is being supplied directly from Discount Supplements.
All invalid entries will be deleted.

Discount Supplements

 
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My Blogging Progress In 2016 & My Goals For 2017 ♥

Another year has come to an end. I can't quite believe how quickly it went by and although so many people think that 2016 was an awful year, for me it was a great one, as we welcomed our beautiful baby boy Beau into the world and I made some great progress with this little blog of mine.

Last year I shared a post on my blogging progress in 2015 and my goals for 2016, and I thought it'd be good to make this an annual thing, an evaluation of sorts, so that I can see that I'm actually succeeding at something in life.

I have to admit, this year I was a bit lax with this blog, and my second blog, Fawns & Fables, was awfully neglected too - I think I just shared five posts on it this past year, how awful of me... Being pregnant and wanting to sleep all the time made the first part of this year a rather unproductive one. Then once Beau arrived all I wanted to do was spend time getting to know him and get out and about as a family. The latter part of the year was spent running around after two little boys, leaving me too exhausted to blog.

I also hit many 'walls' this year, having so much inspiration and many ideas, but I felt stuck when it came to actually implementing them and getting everything written and shared on here and on my other blog.

However, both blogs have still done really well this year and I'm delighted with my progress, even if I wasn't fully on my blogging game.

I started 2016 with just shy of 1,250,000 page views and I now have 1,870,000, that's an average of 52,000 page views a month - which I don't think is bad going considering I gave up promoting or writing new posts on many occasions throughout the year.

However, in December alone, I gained 170,000 page views, so I think things are definitely on the up and I'm ever closer to reaching my next milestone of 2 million page views - yay!

Fawns & Fables has also reached 50,000 page views this week and I'm delighted with this little milestone. It's great getting to experience all these achievements with my new blog again.

My social media has also grown this year, especially my Instagram which has doubled in followers. My next goal with this is to reach 10 thousand and hopefully I'll smash that in the New Year. I didn't really bother with my other social media channels this year as I don't really care about Facebook, I just leave my Twitter to do it's own thing and I'm not quite sure how to grow my Pinterest, but I did gain new followers on my YouTube channel and now have over 600 followers - 1,000 is my goal for the New Year.

Vlogging was a big step for me this year but I actually find it quite fun and I hope to make more videos of our family this year.

This year I was asked to be an ambassador for two great brands, the first being Frugi, who I have worked with since the beginning of the year and Pampers, who I began working with in October. It was such an honour for me to be linked to these brands and I was delighted to be chosen as an ambassador for them both.

I was also invited on two press trips this year, the first to Frankfurt to visit the Pampers Innovation Center and the second to London to attend the AVEENO Baby skincare symposium and BlogFest.

I've had the pleasure of working with some amazing, well-known brands this year too - Kokoso, Dyson, Oliver's Travels, Expedia, Silver Cross, Yankee Candle, Laura Ashley, Greentom, Whiskas, aden+anais, Mattel, Travelbag, Hasbro, Graco, Maxi Cosi, Lamaze, Cadbury, 7am Enfant, Polarn O. Pyret, Miffy and Joolz, to name a few.

I don't think I will be accepting many products for review in the New Year, unless the product is something I desperately want/need or think that my readers will benefit in knowing about. Instead I'd like to concentrate on collaborations and social media promotion, as I feel this embraces the photography aspect I want my blog to have a whole lot better.

This year I attended another blogging conference - Blogfest in London, but sadly I had to leave early to catch my flight so I'm not sure I gained a lot from it. It was lovely to meet up with some of my fellow bloggers for dinner and prosecco the night before though and meeting my lovely friend Hayley from Sparkles & Stretchmarks was a highlight for me.

My goals for both of my blogs this year is:

To post all killer and no filler (and no I don't mean the Sum41 album). I want each blog post I write and feature to be inspirational in some way and a true expression of me. I've shared my thoughts on the importance of being true to yourself and I believe that the only way to succeed in life and especially within the blogging world.

I want the blogs to be very photography orientated and feature more days out, more DIY, more ideas and tips and to share all of my loves and experiences with my readers. I received a tripod for Christmas and I'm upgrading my camera, so I have no excuse not to gain more skill with my photography and create more creative shoots this year.

I've already turned down work this year as I felt the posts just didn't suit my 'brand' or what I want to express in my blogs and I'll continue to do that.

I want the posts and work I share to be of a high standard and identifiable to me and what I stand for - if it's not personal to me then it's not being shared, end of.

That's it really and I think it's a pretty easy goal to achieve.

As it's the beginning of a new blogging year, I thought I'd share some blogs I love to read - Sparkles and Stretchmarks, Gingerlillytea, Missing Sleep, Sparkle's Suitcase and Hubby Helps

Here's to another great blogging year!


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Friday, December 23, 2016

7 Simple Money Saving Tips Everyone Should Follow ♥

Have a month-long spending ban / Use reward schemes
Are you like me and have multiple boxes and baskets full of makeup and beauty products which you have yet to use? If so, why not challenge yourself to a month long spending ban and resist buying products which you really don't need? I've made a vow not to spend anymore money on makeup or beauty products until I've used up my current stash and so far I've stuck to it and have saved a lot of money in the process.

If I do feel the need to try something new then using reward schemes such as Back To MAC, Boots advantage points or Lush's reward of a free fresh face mask if you return six empty pots, is a good way of getting your beauty fix without physically spending any money. 

Use promo codes and discount vouchers when shopping online
I do the majority of my shopping online these days as with two young children it's much more convenient for me than trudging around shops with them, plus I find much better deals online than in store. 

Before making any purchases I always search for relative and active promo codes and discount vouchers. The site https://www.promocodesfor.co.uk  offers a whole host of promo codes for many websites and shops, and I love finding codes and discounts for products that I was going to buy anyway.

Be more energy efficient
We are probably overly conscious of how much electricity we use in our house, but we're always thankful of this when it comes to bill day. You can save a lot of money on monthly electricity bills by simply taking more care about what appliances and lights you're using at one time.

I no longer use the big lights in our house unless I really have to, the table lamp gives sufficient light. I unplug and switch off sockets when I am done using something and I try not to have the television on whilst I'm on the laptop because I know I can't focus on both at once. These simple changes have really helped keep our energy bills down and it's great to know we're being energy efficient too.

Sell items you no longer need
If you're home is full of things you're no longer using or will no longer need in the future (baby items for example), then selling them on to people who need/want them is a great way of making money.

I have a lot of things to sell this year and will be putting the profits into mine and my sons credit union accounts. This is perfect for both decluttering the house and making money all at the same time.

Manage your money sensibly
Finding a good savings account which allows you to gain a good amount of interest on your savings is an essential thing to do if you want to save money.

At the moment I favour credit union accounts for my sons and I over bank accounts, as they offer a great interest rate and the credit union itself is owned and run by it's members, which gives me some peace of mind that my money and my sons money is in good hands.
   
Follow a saving money plan and stick to it
This year I am doing the 52-week money saving challenge (or at least I'm trying to!) and although it can be hard to stick to it when I have so many outgoings, I am determined to put away money each week.

Having a plan to follow can really help you to focus on what you need to save every week and it's great to tick off the weeks as they go by and see your saving stash getting larger each week. If the 52-week money saving challenge isn't for you there are other templates which you could follow to be found on Pinterest.

Make a weekly meal plan before going grocery shopping
Making a weekly meal plan is such a great thing to do as not only will it help you become more organised when it comes to preparing meals but it will also help you save money whilst doing the weekly shop.

I always have a list of dinners that we're going to have during the week with me when I go food shopping, this helps me focus on what I actually need to pick up instead of buying things we probably won't end up eating and therefore saving us money. We also stay away from brand name products when we can which really helps to keep the weekly food shop cost down.
  
Following these simple tips can really help you to save money this year and when you think about it, they're all quite easy to follow, so money saving success is inevitable.

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Sunday, December 18, 2016

AVEENO Baby Skincare ♥

If you're a regular reader of my blog, or if you follow me on social media, you may know that last month I was invited to London by AVEENO to attend their skincare symposium and Blogfest.

I shared my trip experience here if you'd like to have a read, but today, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the AVEENO Baby Skincare range, now that I've been using the products for a good few weeks with Beau.

AVEENO Baby Soothing Relief Baby Emollient Cream (£8.50/€11.99)
This cream is clinically proven to moisturise skin for 24 hours. I've been using this everyday on Beau's skin and it really has made him feel so soft, I'm actually amazed at just how lovely it's made his skin feel - it makes me want to use it on my own skin.

It's a great cream to use as an everyday moisturiser, especially if your baby has very sensitive skin. The cream absorbs into the skin straight away, which means it doesn't get all over baby's clothes or make them feel uncomfortable with wetness on their skin. The cream isn't scented and, for me, it just feels like a natural product that I'm happy to use on my baby's skin.

AVEENO Baby Soothing Relief Baby Emollient Wash (£8.50/€11.99)
This wash is formulated with natural colloidal oatmeal and emollients. It gently cleanses and soothes dry skin which is prone to irritation. This is also soap free and tear free - perfect for baby baths.

I've been using this for Beau's bedtime baths and if you or your baby is very fond of bubbly baths then this probably isn't the product for you as it doesn't really bubble up, but I think that's what makes it so perfect for a baby's bath as it's pure and gentle. This wash also isn't scented and it leaves Beau's skin perfectly cleansed and soft after his bath.

AVEENO Baby Daily Care Barrier Cream (£6.99/€9.99)
This cream contains natural colloidal oatmeal and zinc oxide and helps to soothe and reduce redness on dry and delicate baby skin. This cream has also been developed for newborn skin, so it's safe to use with baby from day one.

Beau is prone to getting red, irritated patches on his skin and this cream is perfect for popping on to soothe them. This cream is a slightly thicker white cream, so it will be noticeable on the skin, but I find that a little does go a long way.

For me, the packaging of the AVEENO Baby product range evokes naturalness and purity - both elements which I look for when it comes to choosing skincare products for my sons and I think the product really does live up to that 'pure' and 'natural' vibe that it's packaging suggests.

*We were sent these products for the purposes of this review, as always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

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4 Ways To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient ♥

I've spoken on the blog before about the benefits of making your house energy efficient and practicing energy efficient methods within your home. Today I thought I'd share just how to make your home more energy efficient and these methods are things that we have implemented in our own home.

Switch off and unplug 
This is such a simple thing to do but one which a lot of people avoid or neglect simply due to habit. Jacek is big on energy saving and over our last four years together he has taught me, and gotten me into the habit, of being energy conscious and remembering to switch off appliances and lights at the switch, as well as unplugging them when I'm not using them. 

For example, I don't turn on the big light now, only on rare occasion, the light from our small lamps and their LED bulbs are perfectly sufficient. Our microwave, phone chargers, tumble dryer, etc. are constantly unplugged unless we need to use them. It's such an easy thing to practice once you get into the habit of it and having things unplugged and switched off on the switch itself makes it easy to manage what energy is being used in your home while saving you money on your bills too.

Invest in energy saving windows and blinds
Blinds are an essential in our house - perfect for privacy in the evenings as we live in an estate and also perfect for these summer months for keeping light out of our sons room when he's napping and sleeping. Blinds these days are not only energy efficient but super stylish too, with brands such as VELUX offering some beautiful designs for their windows. 

Having good quality, well-fitted windows is also essential for improving the energy efficiency of your home. If your windows are old, or fitted incorrectly (which can be the case in many new build houses), then draughts will occur, making your home colder than it needs to be and essentially wasting energy from your heating system.
Make sure your home is properly insulated

This is the one area of our home which we've tried to improve on a lot over our four years of living here. We have bought insulating tape, again for very cheaply, and insulated all our windows and front door at the beginning of autumn. Doing this insures that there aren't any drafts in the house, that warmth is being kept in the house - very important if we're spending money on heating and having a fire lighting.


This is such an easy thing to do and it literally takes about half an hour to insulate windows and doors, making it easy for everyone to do to keep their home warm and a lot more energy efficient, especially during the colder months.

Switch to LED bulbs
When we moved into our house we switched every light bulb to an LED one. This has not only saved us a lot of money on your electricity bills but it's also made our home a lot more energy efficient. I used to think these kinds of bulbs were very expensive but they're actually so affordable now, we've even picked up some for the bargain price of €1.49 in our local Dealz store and they're working fantastically - definitely disproving the theory that these are a hefty expense.

These are the ways in which we make and keep our home energy efficient. Not only have these methods saved us money on our energy bills - always a big plus - but they have also made us feel good about being energy conscious too.

*This is a collaborative post on behalf of VELUX, however, as always, all thoughts and opinions expressed are 100% my own.

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Thursday, December 15, 2016

Tyler Lee & Beau's Christmas Eve Basket | 2016 ♥

The Christmas Eve basket is a tradition which began in our house in 2013 for Tyler's first Christmas and four Christmases later I'm still as enthusiastic about putting together these Christmas Eve baskets as I was in the beginning.

The Christmas Eve basket is essentially a basket of goodies to keep kids happy, entertained, cosy and excited before all the festivities of Christmas Day began.

If you didn't know already, our family is tri-national. I am of course Irish and Jacek is Polish/South African, so when important times of year such as Christmas come along we try to merge both our traditions to make a fun and traditional type Christmas for us all and as Christmas Eve is the most important day in the Polish tradition, we exchange our gifts on Christmas Eve night and Tyler gets his Christmas Eve basket.

Christmas Eve is a rather quiet day for us as Jacek works for it, so it was always just Tyler and I on Christmas Eve and I liked that although our day was a simple one, that he still had a surprise to look forward to.

Now that we have a new little babe in our house it was lots of fun finding baby bits to pop into the basket once again, along with all the goodies that my excitable little three year old to enjoy.

Included in this years basket are:

A Christmas themed babygro for Beau and a Christmas themed onesie for Tyler - These have a very similar print and I like that the boys will be kind of matching on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. These ones in particular are from the Leigh Tucker Willow collection in Dunnes Stores.

Four books - The Little Reindeer, 10 Shiny Snowflaskes, The Perfect Christmas Tree and Smiling Snowman. All of these were bought in Dealz for €1.49 each.

A Lush bubble bar - This is for the boys Christmas Eve bath and Tyler chose Peeping Santa this year.

Fluffy reindeer socks -  €1.50 from Penneys

Chocolate Santa lollies

Milkybar buttons

Smarties chocolate robin

Smarties Santa and reindeer chocolates

Box of Milka chocolates

Gold coins - all the chocolates were €1.40 each from Dealz  

Two glass milk bottles with straws - €2 each from Tiger

I also bought a new basket this year as I liked the darker wood with the white inlay on this one, and it's from Penneys (€10 for two, one big, one small) and the ribbon is from Tiger (€1).

I had so much fun putting together this years basket, it feels quite surreal saying it's for both of my boys, instead of just one like past years. I hope they'll have a wonderful Christmas Eve and love all the surprises that their basket has for them.

If you're looking for even more Christmas Eve box/basket inspiration, please do read my post on what to include in a Christmas Eve box/basket for kids.








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Wednesday, December 14, 2016

My Purrfect Christmas | Christmas Memories With My Cats ♥

Eighteen years ago I received the best Christmas gift I could ever have imagined, and little did I know that that gift, (or maybe I should say gifts, as they came as a pair!), would bring me years of companionship, love and joy.

I still remember that day fondly, the day I met them for the first time. I was eight years old and my mother drove to my aunt's workplace, popping in for a few minutes and emerging with a cardboard box with some clingwrap pierced with little holes on the top.

When she handed the box to me my face lit up, as inside was what I had asked for for Christmas - a kitten, only she had doubly blessed me, giving me the gift of two! Both kittens were from the same litter and we always referred to them as brother and sister.

That drive home was one of the happiest I have ever experienced. The kittens were popping their heads up through the holes in the clingwrap as if it was a little game to them both - it really was quite funny, and it was on that trip home that we named them, Sassi and Salem.

I could never have imagined that those little kittens would grow to be with me throughout the last years of my childhood, my teens, my twenties and into motherhood, it must have been the great cat food we fed them over the years, making them healthy and strong and making their coats perfectly shiny.

That first Christmas at home with the kittens was so much fun. As an eight year old little girl who loved animals, it was great to have not one, but two adorable little kittens to look after.

From that first Christmas, and each year after, my mother would even buy a Christmas card for the cats and sign it off with a paw print (yes, we're those kind of cat people!) and even now when I see pet Christmas cards it makes me smile and remember those Christmases and our quirky little tradition.

Salem sadly died last year and I miss him dearly. He was such a peaceful and happy cat, always purring and he had the most beautiful tabby coat. My eldest boy, Tyler Lee, is especially fond of Sassi and it's lovely to see him be her pet now as well as mine.

The Christmas memories I had with my cats will last a lifetime. They're very happy memories which will always bring a smile to my face and those cute little kittens of mine, really were the best Christmas gift my eight year old self could ever have asked for.

I'm so glad I got to experience 17 and 18 years respectively, with them both. I'm really looking forward to this Christmas and seeing what fun it has in store. Whatever it brings us all, I know that it'll be just purrfect because we have each other.

*This post is a collaboration with WHISKAS, but all thoughts are my own. Check out their website for more information on their cat food and their YouTube channel for fantastic Kitten Kollege videos.

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Monday, December 12, 2016

9 Great & Inexpensive Stocking Fillers For Kids ♥

I'm almost sorted for Christmas. The only thing I still need to get some bits for are the boys stockings and I have to admit, I was a bit clueless as to what to include, so I went searching online for some inspiration.

I don't want to spend too much on the gifts for the boys stockings, after all, they'll get lots of lovely gifts as it is, but I do think it's nice to include some little, non-expensive gifts for them to enjoy.

The Works Christmas Shop has lots of great stocking filler ideas for great prices too and I thought I'd review and share some of my favourite ideas, for any other parents out there who are in need of some gift inspiration.

The Irish Fairy Door - Winter Special (£20)
I'm all for anything that engages a child's imagination and a fairy door is such a great way of getting them excited about all things magic and fairies.

Jingle Bell Stick (£2)
Again, this is a great stocking filler for babies and ideal for getting them interested in music. Beau has one of these and loves it!

The Dr. Seuss Colouring Book with 36 Colouring Pencils (£6)
This is a perfect stocking filler for kids who love to colour and who are fans of the Dr. Seuss books too. Plus they can use the colouring pencils for school too.

Teamsterz - Big Builders (£2.50)
I have yet to meet a child who doesn't like dinkies and they always make fab stocking fillers. My eldest boy loves them so I'll definitely be including some for him in his stocking.

The Snow Queen (£1)
We have this and it's such a lovely book and I can't believe that it's on sale for just £1. The story is lovely and the book itself has beautiful illustrations and glittery bits. It's Christmassy without being too festive so it can be read all year round too.

Snowy Bear - Plush & Book (£7)
I always think it's lovely to get a book with a character plush, it just makes the story come to life even more for the little ones and this bear plush is super cute! A perfect stocking filler.

Snowman and the Snow Dog Snow Glow (£5.99)
Once again, I have yet to meet a child who doesn't love snow globes and this one is perfect for a Christmas stocking fillers with it's festive characters.

Jelly Pizza (£4)
A treat or two is always a welcome surprise for kids in their Christmas stocking and this jelly pizza is a fun and yummy novelty option.

Festive Hand Puppets (£2)
This would be a lovely stocking filler for babies and I think including one in Beau's stocking would be a great idea. There's a reindeer, a penguin and a snowman to choose from and at just £2 they're a great inexpensive stocking filler idea too.

If you're also putting together a Christmas Eve box/basket for your kids and are looking for some inspiration for that too, then do pop over to my post which shares lots of ideas of what to include and the previous baskets I've made for Tyler.

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Sunday, December 11, 2016

5 Tips For Capturing the Perfect Flat Lay ♥

Ever since Instagram came along, flat lay photography has soared in popularity, an it's not hard to see why. Flat lay's are a great way of capturing everything you want to show off, in one picture.

I love flat lays, I captured one weekly for my pregnancy updates and it was a great way of showing off baby's scan pictures, baby clothes and other bits and pieces I had bought for my impending arrival.

I also love putting together flat lays to show off beauty products, pretty things I've bought, my bakes, etc.

I've collaborated with The Furniture Market to share some tips for capturing the perfect flat lay, for anyone who's wanting to embrace this style of photography and show off many things in just one frame.

1. Natural light is your friend
Whenever you're photographing you'll want to find your light and this is a key thing when it comes to capturing the perfect flat lay. If you're photographing indoors, make sure to place your flat lay as close as you possibly can to a natural light source - window, sliding doors, etc. The natural light will you your flat lay perfect brightness, and show off the photo subjects as well as they can possibly be shown.

The key to capturing natural light is knowing when and where the light is best in your home. For example, I know that in the afternoon, my bedroom has the best light, it just floods in through the windows, so I'm always photographing there after lunch. However, in the morning, my kitchen table has great light thanks to the sliding doors right beside it.

2. Choose your background wisely
When it comes to a flat lay, the clue is in the title - you need the surface you're photographing on to be flat. Tables are the ideal choice for flat lays, my favourite being natural wood as it gives a great element to a flat lay picture.

3. Editing apps are your friend
I love a good editing app, but not for filters, instead I use them for brightening up my image or increasing exposure. Snapseed is my favourite, the exposure tool on the app is the best I've ever come across and better yet, it's all free! I just wish I could get it on desktop.

4. Remember your props
Whenever I put together a flat lay I always try to include flowers, in fact, I always try to include flowers in all of my photography whenever I can and I recently shared a post about 5 ways I use flowers in my photography. Other things that I love using as flat lay props are books, postcards, jewellery, polaroid pictures, pieces of fabric and handwritten notes/letters.

5. Top-down is your best view
The best angle for snapping a flat lay is from top down. Holding your camera over your flat lay to achieve the best shot is essential. I regularly have to stand on a chair, a bed or a box to capture that perfect top-down shot, but it really is the best way to capture a flat lay, any other angle just gives a distorted view and doesn't stick to the 'flat' theme.



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Friday, December 09, 2016

5 Last Minute Family Holiday Destination Ideas ♥

Ever since our first holiday as a family of four back in August, Tyler has been asking to go on holiday again. He regularly asks me when we're going to the airport or Spain again and even last night he stated that he wanted to go to London with mummy - remembering that I had gone on a press trip there last month and sadly wasn't able to bring him along.

I have to admit, Tyler's thirst for wanderlust and the dull, gloomy weather we've been having lately has made me really want to escape to sunnier climbs for a week or two too.

I've been thinking about booking a last minute family holiday and have been looking up some destinations that offer lots of winter sunshine.

Spain
The place where Tyler keeps asking to go back to and where we have great memories from our holiday back in August, Spain is a great choice when it comes to a family holiday destination. The flight isn't long, which is ideal for traveling with two small children and the weather is still lovely in the south of Spain this time of year.

Lanzarote
This is a destination where I used to go regularly with my parents when I was a child. I remember going on holiday there the week before Christmas (coming home on Christmas Eve) and the weather was still nice and warm there. Lanzarote is such a family friendly place and the airport isn't miles away from accommodation either.

Morocco
This is a place which Jacek and I would love to visit and I really love the thought of taking our boys to a new continent. Morocco always looks so beautiful and full of culture, making for a different family holiday experience. Plus, in Morocco the sunshine is guaranteed this time of year.

Portugal
This is a place we've holidayed in twice now and have always had a lovely time while we were there. The beaches in Portugal are absolutely beautiful and the people are really friendly there too and just like Spain the flight isn't too long for young children either.

Malta
This a place where all my friends used to visit with their families and I've always been curious about it. The island looks so beautiful in any pictures I've ever seen of it and it's actually a destination which Jacek and I considered for our holiday back in the summer. There's also lots of historic places to visit there, making for perfect sight-seeing opportunities - just what we love as a family.

All of these destinations are perfect for soaking up some winter sunshine and there are lots of great last minute deals for all of these places too - ideal for saving some money whilst still getting a great family holiday.

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Thursday, December 08, 2016

Home Sweet Home | 6 Top Tips For Tenants ♥

We currently live in a rented house and although it's the place where we've brought our babies home to and have made lots of wonderful memories in these past few years, for me it will never truly feel like home, simply because it isn't ours.

I sincerely hope that renting is a temporary situation for my family and I, and that one day I might actually achieve my dream of having a charming little cottage in the countryside, but for now it's where we live and that's fine for the time being.

We've made the most of the house we're living in and we treat it with respect, just as we would if it was our own house. We've repainted the rooms, but in neutral colours, as in keeping with how it was when we moved in and we've decorated accordingly, making sure not to tailor it to our own tastes too much.

I do find living in a rental property quite restricting as I've love to have white, bright decor instead of all the natural wood and there's furniture in the house that I really could do without just to have more space, but it's not the end of the world - I'll just have to keep pinning things away on Pinterest for decor inspiration for my future home instead.

We're incredibly lucky in the fact that our landlord is a good one. He doesn't bother us, knowing that we are equally good tenants - trust built up over the last four years of us living here, but if we report any problems or repairs needing to be done, he gets them sorted straight away.

As we've been renting for many years now I thought I'd share my top tips for renters, just things for people looking into renting a property to keep in mind.

1. Don't sign a tenancy agreement until you have read and understood all the information and terms completely. Also, it's important not to sign a tenancy agreement until you're 100% sure that you definitely want to rent the property.

2. Know your rights. Tenants have just as many rights as landlords, if not more and it's important to be clued up on them all, especially if any future problems arise.

3. Pay your rent on time (or before time if you can manage it). This is such an obvious thing but something that gets a lot of tenants into trouble. See your rent as being a bill that HAS to be paid on time every month.

4. Treat the property as if it was your own. This means you treat it as respect and maintain it as you would with a a house/apartment/flat that was your own. This doesn't mean that you have to shell out from our own pocket to maintain the property, just keep it clean and in good order.

5. Establish a good line of communication with your landlord/letting agent. It's better for all parties if you and your landlord/letting agent get along, so establishing a good line of communication from the get go is so important when it comes to renting a property.

6. Let your landlord/letting agent know of any problems/repairs needing done straight away. If you put off reporting any damages or repairs that are needing done to the property, then you could be made liable for them - something which no tenant wants, so reporting them in a timely manner is so important.

HomeLet have put together a very useful infographic, detailing the ins and outs and recent statistics of rental insurance, both from a landlord and tenant point of view. Having insurance is such an important aspect for landlords when it comes to renting out their property, however, it's equally important for tenants as we want to be protected too.

Happy renting!


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Wednesday, December 07, 2016

4 Tips To Get Children To Want To Brush Their Teeth ♥

Thankfully Tyler loves brushing his teeth and is insistent about doing it both in the morning and at night before he goes to bed. He always says - "mummy, I must go brush my teeth before bed" and in he goes to the bathroom, always happy to pick out a toothpaste (he has four different ones for a bit of variety) and brush away.

I know I'm very lucky that he's willing to brush his teeth and even though he only has his milk teeth at the moment and they'll fall out one day, I think instilling a sense of good oral hygiene into him is a good thing to encourage.

I thought I'd share today, 5 tips which have helped Tyler to embrace and actually enjoy brushing his teeth. Hopefully these tips will be just as helpful to other parents and their little ones.

1. Get them a good toothbrush that they'll enjoy using daily
Ever since Tyler had his first toothbrush, we've always let him pick which one he wants - whether it be from a variety of cartoon characters or colours, letting him choose his own toothbrush was the start of him enjoying brushing his teeth.

He's gone through a lot of toothbrushes in his time - when he started out with tooth brushing he was prone to biting the bristles, and he's currently using his first electric toothbrush - the Oral-B Stages Vitality Kids Electric Toothbrush in Star Wars design.

He genuinely enjoys using this toothbrush, the fact that it's electronic is such a novelty to him and he really likes the Star Wars design. The bristles are extra soft and the head is smaller to fit a child's mouth properly. The handle is ergonomic and has a cushioned non-slip grip so it won't be dropped during use.

The toothbrush also comes with the free Disney Magic Timer app to help kids brush for longer.

The Oral-B Stages Vitality Kids Electric Toothbrush in Star Wars design was €50 but it currently on offer for €25 in Boots.

2. Give them a variety of toothpastes to choose from
Honestly, this is such a simple thing but kids love having a choice when it comes to something they have to use everyday. As I said, Tyler currently has four different toothpastes to choose from, his favourite at the moment being the Oral-B Pro-Expert Stages toothpaste in fruit burst flavour. I think he loves this one so much as it has Anna and Elsa from Frozen on the front. The Oral-B Pro-Expert Stages toothpaste with Frozen design is €4.99.

3. Brush with them
I always let Tyler brush his teeth alongside me. This way he got to see how to correctly brush his teeth and it encouraged him to imitate me. Watching me also taught him how to spit whilst brushing and to wash his hands and mouth afterwards too.

4. Show them cartoon episodes that are about tooth brushing or dentist visits
Tyler loves Peppa Pig and the moment he saw the episode about Peppa and George going to the dentist he was instantly interested in all things to do with teeth. I'm sure there are a lot more cartoons and kids programmes that have episodes about the characters brushing their teeth, so if your child is fond of a particular character, why not look it up? Anything to encourage kids to brush and keep brushing their teeth!

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Tuesday, December 06, 2016

The Most Beautiful Gardens in Europe ♥

There's nothing better than capturing a photograph of flora in its natural habit. Sadly, for many busy people, a hike in the woods is not always conducive to the hustle and bustle of busy life. That’s no reason to forgo exploring the beauty of natural flora. One way to capture that ideal photo, is to visit natural gardens.

When most people think of looking at flowers or visiting a garden, they automatically picture places like the Royal Botanic Garden in London, an excellent place to see rare plants and flowers from across the globe or the formal gardens found at the palaces of past monarchs like at Versailles. While these are beautiful, and well worth a visit, there are several smaller, and lesser known gardens that are awe-inspiring, in their own right.  Here are four of the most beautiful gardens in Europe.

Fletcher Moss Park & Botanical Gardens
This beautiful park was left to the city of Manchester in 1915, by philanthropist Fletcher Moss. Like so many botanical gardens, this one was originally built and maintained as part of a private estate. The park is open all year around and is home to several native and non-native flowers, ranging from New Zealand’s cheese wood (an evergreen) that produces a cream/white to yellow flower to more common ones like witch-hazel and lilies.

West Pennine Moors
Not far from Fletcher Moss Park, this 230-square kilometer natural area has been under protection since 2004. It's worth the fare to visit. Just remember that Uber is offered in many European cities -- *Lyft is only available in Asian cities for the most part, so sharing a ride to explore these gardens will save time. It has a rich biodiversity that is often overlooked. Some beautiful wildflowers that can be seen are the bog rosemary, heather, and cross-leaved heath.

Powerscourt Estate, Enniskerry Ireland
This quaint spot of heaven boasts Ireland’s highest waterfall and two beautiful international gardens, plus it was ranked as the third best garden in the world by National Geographic. The Japanese Garden provides a quiet and zen escape from the modern world , while the Italian Garden's magnificent terraces provide an incredible vista.
For the flower lover, there is something to see year around at Powerscourt, from the forsythias and tulips in March to the orchids and achilleas in October and November. The floral variety offered is staggering, and well worth several trips during each season. The official site lists what is in bloom and when, so visitors can plan their trip accordingly. 

Ardtornish Gardens, Morvern Scotland
From the Gaelic Àird Tòirinis, Ardtornish is a 19th century estate near Loch Aline, in the beautiful Scottish Highlands.  This 28-acre property has something to offer year around, and while the best times to see flowers in bloom is in the spring and summer, the winter offers a few hydrangeas to go along with the stunning scenery. The official website has a seasonal guide, as well as a map of the estate and other useful information for anyone wanting to see the floral wonders.  

One of the best ways experience the real beauty and majesty of flowers, is to see them in a well-kept garden, or if you're lucky, in their native habitat. It may seem like natural areas are hard to find these days, as we become more urban and tech-obsessed, but there are still some great wilderness and protected natural areas to explore. The only real disadvantage these places have is that they are at the whim of the seasons, so plan accordingly. A garden might lack some of that primal, verdant charm, but visitors are guaranteed to see something splendid when they visit.
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Sunday, December 04, 2016

Beautiful Festive Kitchenware From Ulster Weavers ♥

I was recently contacted by Ulster Weavers, asking if they could send me a Christmas gift and after taking a look at their website and seeing their beautiful designs, I of course said yes.

Ulster Weavers offer the most beautiful kitchenware, with lots of stunning textiles to choose from. Every product they sell is designed in Northern Ireland, so it was lovely for me to receive a gift that was designed on the island of Ireland.

When the box arrived I was so excited to open it and see what was inside. The box included textiles from the beautiful 'Frosty Garland' collection - a range of bold blues and fuschia pinks, featuring robins (my favourite bird) and wreaths. The design is so lovely and quite festive, perfect for brightening up our kitchen during the festive season, and beyond.

I received a double oven glove - so well made and perfect for making sure no hands are burnt during all that Christmas baking and dinner making, a cotton apron - which may be too beautiful to get dirty and a cotton tea towel - which once again, may be worthy of being a 'show towel' just to hang in the kitchen as it's so lovely (oh no, I've become my mother with the whole 'show towel' thing!).

To complete my festive inspired gift, Ulster Weavers also included my very own Santa's Cookie Jar from Yum Yum Club - a lovely glass jar packed full of ingredients to make my very own cookies, all I have to add is some butter and an egg and I'll have some delicious cookies to leave for Santa himself on Christmas Eve... if they last that long of course! I'm going to get Tyler to help me bake (and eat!) these, so it'll make for a lovely mummy and son festive baking moment.

A big thank you to Ulster Weavers for my gifts, they're to perfect accessories to brighten up my kitchen and the Santa's Cookie Jar was a lovely addition also.

If you're looking to give your kitchen a bit of an uplift and are in need of some new kitchenware I couldn't recommend Ulster Weavers enough. They're designs and pieces are beautiful, perfect for giving that special touch to any kitchen.


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