• homestyle - Monday Happy List - Summer

    Monday happy things {week 148}

    July 31, 2017 - By 

    The first week of the summer holidays is over and we managed to pack in a pretty full week. My children spent 4 days at SuperCamp and had a brilliant time, making new friends, trying new sports and crafts. They had longer days than the school day but loved it although I didn’t really know what to do with myself. I spent my free time tidying the house as we have lots of visitors over the summer. It was quite a relief to be able to clean and change beds without the children around. I also enjoyed a cheeky lunch…

  • Noddy gingerbread biscuits
    baking - gingerbread - homestyle

    Noddy inspired gingerbread biscuits

    July 24, 2017 - By 

    Created by Enid Blyton in 1949, Noddy is one of the most beloved children’s characters, having entertained families for generations with stories set in the colourful world of Toyland. Have you seen that Noddy has been given a bit of a makeover by DreamWorks? Yep, Noddy the Toyland Detective reimagines him in the role of investigator; exploring mysteries and searching for clues in Toyland while encouraging children to explore and make discoveries in their own world. I love a craft inspired by a book or children’s character so I couldn’t resist turning Noddy into some delicious gingerbread treats for my…

  • last day of term
    homestyle - Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy Things {Week 147}

    July 24, 2017 - By 

    Last week was a strange one. It felt so long as we ticked all the *last* things off our to do list. There was the last Street dance and Beavers session, last karate class and I bought home bags of workbooks and art from school. My 7 year old had a sick day which I couldn’t believe and I just about managed to persuade my 5 year old to go school. I think they were both over tired and feeling a little emotional about the end of the school year. I felt sad too and took so many photos of…

  • Win a pair of Silentnight Pure Cotton Pillows
    competition - homestyle

    Win a pair of Silentnight Pure Cotton Pillows

    July 21, 2017 - By 

    A good nights sleep is so important. My bed is my favourite place and I love nothing better than sinking into it at the end of the day. We use the Silentnight Anti-Snore pillows and they are lovely and comfortable. I am so happy to have teamed up with Silentnight and give you the chance to win a pair of Silentnight Pure Cotton Pillows. These lovely pillows have a 100% cotton percale cover and are filled with a clever anti-allergy, silk-like hollowfibre, for reassuring comfort and softness. They are washable up to a temperature of 40°C and come with a 2-year guarantee. Perfect…

  • The Summer of Serendipity book review
    book review - competition - homestyle - What I'm reading

    The Summer of Serendipity {review and giveaway}

    July 20, 2017 - By 

    Can you smell the Summer holidays? I can! Today I’m taking part in the book tour for The Summer of Serendipity by Ali McNamara. Read on for my review of this great summer time read, and for your chance to win a copy. The Summer of Serendipity One summer, property seeker, Serendipity Parker finds herself on the beautiful west coast of Ireland, hunting for a home for a wealthy Irish client. But when she finds the perfect house in the small town of Ballykiltara, there’s a problem; nobody seems to know who owns it. ‘The Welcome House’ is a local legend.…

  • Minecraft books to help you through the Summer holidays
    book review - homestyle - What I'm reading

    Minecraft books to help you through the Summer holidays

    July 19, 2017 - By 

    My 7 year old loves Minecraft. It was the first computer game he played and he still plays it today. This is usually a reward for doing his homework and helping around the house. He likes nothing better than playing it with his Dad. I have to be honest and admit to not knowing how to play. My 5 year old plays too but my 7 year old has Minecraft books, toys and even clothes. It’s fair to say he is a huge fan. Minecraft Master Builder Toolkit We have received a few Minecraft books so I thought I would…

  • My 5 Summer beauty trends for 2017
    homestyle - Summer

    5 Summer beauty trends for 2017

    July 18, 2017 - By 

    Our summer countdown has begun. The children have three days left at school and then we have 6 weeks without clubs, organised activities or the school run! No homework! No running the children from one thing to the next. Today I’m sharing my Summer beauty trends for 2017. I’m not kidding myself that 6 weeks will be easy but I can’t wait for a break from the normal routine. As much as we all thrive on routine it’s also nice to have a break. The summer holidays actually give me a much-needed chance to shake up my beauty regime. Being a…

  • homestyle - Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy Things {Week 146}

    July 17, 2017 - By 

    The sun is shining. It’s the last week of term and I got paid for the job I did last month – just in time to get the fan belt replaced in my car. I can tell it’s going to be a good week so let’s get straight on to my weekly mindfulness post, about the 5 things which made me happy. Last week saw lots of milestones for both of my children. It’s lovely watching all their hard work be rewarded and they both gained their Yellow belt at karate. They’ve been going to karate for just over a…

  • homestyle - Summer

    Keeping cool in Summer

    July 14, 2017 - By 

    It looks like we’re having another mini heatwave in the UK at the moment. Like most Brits I admit to being obsessed with the weather. I love Spring and Autumn, find Winter a little depressing and really dislike Summer. I just can’t stand the heat and sunshine. My skin just reacts in the worst way and I find it so much easier to stay indoors than have to worry about hats, suncream and keeping cool. I find it harder to make sure my children are being sensible too. The morning school run seems to become a blur of water bottles,…