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Tuesday, 19 October 2021

Learning through play Ideas with Jaques of London | Review

In this blog post I will be showing you some simple 'learning through play' activity ideas using the Double Nine Dominoes and the Teaching Clock from Jaques of London who specialise in Toys for Kids with multiple benefits - particularly educational. These items were gifted for the purpose of this review but all words, ideas and opinions are my own.  

jaques of london learning through play review

Disclosure: Ad - paid partnership with Jaques of London

The play ideas within this post can easily be adapted to suit your child and your own resources at home.

Wednesday, 13 October 2021

A poem about stretch marks

How many of us have been left with stretch marks after the birth of our children, and despite knowing that they are there to show the journey our body has been on, we still wish them away?

This short poem aims to put the meaning back into each little mark, and highlights the importance of each one, and the job it may have done. By thinking about what you would have to 'trade in' for each mark, it may help you to see their true value...

a poem about stretch marks


A poem about stretch-marks 


What if every mark is just a symbol for the parts of you that grew...

Friday, 1 October 2021

Dutch products in the UK | Bringing a piece of Holland Home

What do you imagine when you think of Holland? Tulips…windmills…clogs…canals…hundreds of bicycles?

dutch tulip field

Disclosure: Paid partnership with DutchGrown

My husband was born and raised in Noord-Holland, in a small town called Bergen, where my parents-in-law still live. I spent every Xmas between 2005-2013 there (halted only by my first child being due on the 23rd Dec 2014, and then making us wait another 2 weeks before arrival!) plus some special occasions in-between, such as, Lichtes Avond, Sinterklaas and Koningsdag. 
 My husband proposed to me at the Ruinekerk – not his original plan, it should have been in the sand dunes - but I’ll tell you about that story another time! I visited wedding dress designers, Dutch cheese markets and shipped home tiny little love heart shaped sweets and Wilhelmina mints as wedding favours. Although I’m terrible at languages, and no amount of books, CDs and ‘only speak Dutch’ days have helped me – there are some words I only know in Dutch, having learnt them first in Holland! Imagine my confusion when attempting to buy a new blade for my shower screen wiper and referring to it as a ‘trekker’ in the UK (for those confused as to why I didn’t learn this word before, I grew up with just a bath at home, no shower. I met my husband at University which is when I left home).

Monday, 13 September 2021

Tips for getting ready to sell your home

Preparing for putting your house on the market? Maybe you are getting ready to sell your house, or maybe you are looking to buy a new home. Whatever the case may be, you will want to make sure that your house is in good condition and is looking its best. Here are some tips for getting your house ready for sale...
 
getting your house ready for sale - a shaker style cream kitchen with wooden worktops

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post

Selling your house and purchasing a new house is a big decision. The process can be time-consuming and stressful, but it's worth it when you find the perfect buyer.Homeowners are often surprised by the amount of time and money it takes to get a house ready for selling, but the time you spend preparing your house for sale can save you money in the long run, and get you more money when it sells.

Before you list, here are some things to do to make your house stand out from the rest, and a few things to check before you take the decision to sell your house...

Wednesday, 8 September 2021

September 2021 - update

It's a new academic year and lots has happened in the last couple of months! There have been some highs and some lows...

From buying/selling houses, to illnesses, birthdays and new school starters we have crammed quite a few emotions into the last few week...

Saturday, 21 August 2021

Femme Luxe Finery | August Edit

femme luxe finery
Disclosure: Ad: Paid Partnership with Femme Luxe

With the weather heating up this month and things opening back up again, I decided to include a couple of dresses and shorter tops on my Femme Luxe fashion edit this time! With the prospect of moving house to a 'doer upper' and also a couple of parties in the pipeline, I chose some items which could be suitable for a bit of DIY, lounging around and dressing up!

Friday, 16 July 2021

July 2021 - quick update

It has been a while since I did a little catch up post, so I thought I'd fill you all in on what has been happening over the last couple of months!

 july 2021 catch up

From birthdays, to classes, product launches to house moves (almost)...its been a busy time!

Wednesday, 14 July 2021

The first trimester vs the Third trimester - which would you rather?

First trimester or third trimester?....It’s a tricky question isn’t it? And one that you can’t really debate without inevitably spiralling down a path of negativity around all things pregnancy related…BUT…if you’ve been there and you’ve SUFFERED through pregnancy rather than glowed your way through it on a cloud of rainbows, you’ve probably earned the right to have a little moan.*

              *(I have earned this right. I love my children dearly, but I definitely get to have a moan now)

 

There are many wonderful moments throughout pregnancy. Feeling the first kick, hearing the heartbeat, having a positive scan, watching your bump grow and sharing the excitement with family and friends. Most parents-to-be find that the second trimester is the easiest to cope with, as energy levels return and news is generally ‘out in the open’, with a manageable sized baby bump and plenty of time left to plan. Before and after this portion of pregnancy is where some parents can struggle though. Let’s have a look at some of the delights that await, before deciding which you would rather…

Tuesday, 1 June 2021

Femme Luxe | Active Wear edit | June 2021

How are you fixed for activewear? It's something I have usually shied away from in the past, but since I started doing gyrotonic classes I've found it so much easier to move and observe how I'm doing an exercise when I'm wearing the right clothing. I used to hate how my body curved in and out, but since having children I'm really keen to promote body positivity and ways to keep our bodies healthy.

femme luxe activewear co ord sets

Disclosure: AD: Paid partnership with Femme Luxe

In this blog post I'm going to be showing you some of my latest activewear and co-ordinate sets from Femme Luxe, and how they can be mixed and matched or worn together...

Wednesday, 26 May 2021

Is your child obsessed with football?

Is your child obsessed with football, or constantly telling you they want to be a footballer when they grow up? Are you wondering what kind of  gifts to buy someone who is football mad? Perhaps you’d like to understand the benefits of football, and how you can nurture this love of sport in a healthy way, whilst incorporating it into other areas of learning?

child playing football with text is your child obsessed with football

 Disclosure: This post includes paid promotion items

In this blog post I will signpost you to some unique football gift ideas, we will take a look at the physical and developmental benefits that football has to offer, as well as some ideas for promoting this interest into other areas of learning and a free print out at the end of the post too.

Tuesday, 18 May 2021

Femme luxe finery | May 2021 edit

I have previously posted about not being ready to give up the loungewear just yet, and so I was delighted to be able to add a few more pieces to my ‘comfy’ collection!
 
 Femme Luxe Finery loungewear
Disclosure:AD: Paid Partnership with Femme Luxe

Femme Luxe have a number of affordable outfits,co-ord sets, bodycon midi dresses, milkmaid tops and more -   lots for under £30, with styles to suit most tastes whether you’re staying at home or going out. Although a lot of the clothes are probably aimed at a much younger demographic than me, there are still plenty of items that work for me at (almost) 36yrs.

Tuesday, 11 May 2021

"My child drank the toilet water"…and other things I've Googled

Being a parent in the 21st century isn’t easy. With modern inventions comes new risks and dangers, but there is one thing we have that our parents before us didn’t: Google.
 
my child drank the toilet water and other things ive googled

The day you fall pregnant with your first child is the day your Google list starts...and then it grows exponentially from that point onwards. Questions we would never dare to ask our fellow NCT mate (“why are my labia swollen” if you’re wondering) suddenly make their way into our search bar and fill us with a feeling of solidarity as our results page is flooded with answers or similar questions from other anonymous mums asking the exact same questions. Usually.

Friday, 30 April 2021

Not ready to give up the loungewear?

Not ready to give up the lounge-wear just yet? Me neither babes. I've practically eaten my way through lockdown, and a year later I have to tell you - I am here ALL day for the comfort. The softness. The elasticated EVERYTHING. I am not bodycon midi dress ready, and neither is the world just yet either. It used to be jeans and 'a nice top' for a G&T or a grey goose in the local loungebar ...now there's no lounging in bars, just lounging in grey loungewear in the beer garden, hoping the clouds don't match your outfit and dump a million drops of rain on your (probably now grey) hair. Hope you brought a hoodie!

femme luxe co-ordinates loungewear
  Disclosure: AD: Paid Partnership with Femme Luxe

Seriously though, working from home means being sofa ready for your tea breaks, and after-work drinks are probably in the same place! If you are lucky enough to pop out for an al fresco lunch, you want something that lets you put the washing on and then walk into town without anyone batting an eyelid. Dressed up loungewear and co ord sets are a THING right now, and I'm going to show you some of my new faves....

Tuesday, 27 April 2021

Birthday Newspaper Book | Review

If you’re looking for a unique birthday gift, for those ‘hard to buy for’ loved ones ... something personal to the recipient with a bit of history thrown in, then this is for you!
 
historic newspapers birthday newspaper book cover image

Disclosure: Ad: We were sent this book for the purpose of this review

Historic Newspapers have created a 
birthday newspaper book, created from original newspapers from days gone by. With the world’s largest archive of over 3 million newspapers, this is the perfect opportunity to have a little look back into past birthdays and discover who or what made the headlines!

Tuesday, 20 April 2021

UKCA / CE Testing Home-Made Playdough for sale

Thinking of CE testing and selling playdough? Did you know that to LEGALLY sell homemade playdough you HAVE to have it UKCA / CE certified to get the CE mark (EU) or the UKCA mark (UK) and chemically tested under EN71-3 by an independent lab in order for this to be certified as safe for children? Not just one sample either... each colour of dough needs to be tested separately under the toy safety directives, and if you change your ingredients or supplier then you will have to retest? 

 
Rainbow coloured tins of playdough from childledplay.co.uk with words UKCA CE Testing playdough



I have been through the UKCA / CE testing process with my own gluten free, homemade playdough which I sell over in my shop - www.childledplay.co.uk. Finding the right information 
was a long, drawn out process and getting the right answers took up a lot of time. If you have found this post due to your own information searching, I hope that this helps you to understand how to start the process of CE testing playdough and how to work out if this is a viable option for you....

Friday, 26 March 2021

What is child-led learning? | How can loose parts & playdough help?

What is child-led learning and child-led play? What does it mean to 'follow a child's interests'? How can we use specific resources within an environment to help create a child-led environment? Why are loose parts and playdough such a helpful resource to use?

what is child led learning nd child led play? how can loose parts and playdough help?

This blog post includes a link to a youtube video where I give an explanation and examples of what child-led means and why certain resources are so helpful...

Thursday, 25 March 2021

Guest Post | My son banged his head and now he's deaf | Living with EVA

Sudden hearing loss in a child can come as a huge shock. Not only does it change their perception of the world around them and put them in a potentially frightening and unfamiliar situation – it also changes the lives of those around them, who interact with them, who are used to dealing with and speaking to them in a certain way or a certain tone. It is a steep learning curve, not just for the one who has lost their sense of hearing, but those who now have to learn different ways of communicating. 

 boy with hearing aids drinking a drink - he has EVA - enlarged vestibular aqueducts

The year before last, my younger sister, Laura, called me to tell me that my young Nephew, Oliver had suffered sudden hearing loss due to a bang to the head and what we later discovered was EVA – Enlarged Vestibular Aqueducts.

I am going to hand over to Laura now to tell you their story….

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