Wednesday 31 August 2016

Best and Worst Linky #63

Beautiful Things


Run, Jump, Scrap!

Hi everyone and a huge welcome to the best and worst linky run by my lovely friend Sarah who blogs over at Run Jump Scrap and co-hosted by myself. If you're new to the linky we're delighted for you to join in, please do have a read of the rules. If you're a regular then thanks as always for the support. Sarah and I split the commenting now, it is working well doing it like that. You should have received a comment from one of us so if you are missing one please do drop us a tweet or email. We've had some great posts over the last few weeks!

This is the linky where you can tell us about the best or worst things that have happened in the last week or even the last year, this could in the form of a blog post, a photo or even a video. It can be an old post or a new post, we don't mind we just want you to share it with us. We want you to share your babies firsts, the crappy day at work you've had or a makeup disaster basically the good, the bad or the downright ugly! We want to share your excitement and tears, highs and lows no matter what it is.

Each week we will both choose our favourite posts from the week before and feature you on the next weeks Best and Worst, we will also feature you on our Twitter feed. 

So as always, on with the linky........please have a little read of the rules and we look forward to reading this weeks posts.

We are continuing to notice that some people aren't getting the comments they deserve, linkys only work if people spend time to read other blogs and comment on them.

My featured post from last weeks link up is from me and b make tea I loved this post about the sand sculpture festival, I thought that it looked awesome and I would love to go one day, go check out the fab pictures.


Sarah's featured post comes from mums the law about why in their house bedtime is the worst time, go have a nose!

logo

Rules
  • The linky will open at 6.30am on a Wednesday and close at 23.55pm on a Friday
  • You can link up one or two posts each week
  • Please comment on the 2 posts before yours and have a nosey at the host's too. We've noticed that some people have just been link dropping and not commenting on the 2 in front, please do return the favour so everyone gets some comments and linky love, thankyou.
  • ***Please add the badge to the bottom of your page so everyone knows where you have linked up***
  • Tweet your hosts @helsy_1983 and @RunJumpScrap once linked up so we can retweet you. When tweeting and commenting use the hashtag #bestandworst so everyone knows where you have come from
Best of Worst




    

Tuesday 30 August 2016

The Mummy Tag!

It's been an absolute age since I've taken part in one of these tags and when my lovely friend Sarah from run jump scrap tagged me in the mummy tag I had to take part. One of the things I like about blogging is finding out a bit more about the blogger behind the blog so here's your opportunity to find out a little more about us in the Beautiful Things household. 



1. Are you a Stay at Home Mum or a Working Mum?
I'm the same as Sarah.....both. I work 3 days a week (8-6:30 but am out the house 7-7 you can say) and the rest of my time is spent looking after the kiddles, the house and blogging when I can. For those that don't know I'm a Nurse, currently a Practice Nurse which I'm loving. I will be moving surgeries in November still doing 3 days a week but slightly less hours which is much more family friendly so I'm looking forward to that.

2. Would you have it any other way?

Mmmm I don't think so, I feel I have a pretty good work/life balance. I really do love my job and I wouldn't want to give that up and I do like earning my own money to be able to treat the kiddies. Of course, at times I want to stay at home with the children but mostly I just wanted to be working better hours and hopefully the new job will be able to help with this.

3. Do you co-sleep?

Nope and never have.  I was far too scared to have either of them in bed with us as a newborn and I never felt comfortable with that idea. In my opinion our bed is for us and the kids beds for them. We do let Alfie come into bed with us on a morning and he'll snuggle in but to have him or Elarna take over our bed........ uhhh uhhhh, nah, not for us!

4. What is your one must-have item for your baby?

A gro-bag or baby sleeping bag. I absolutely swear that these helped my 2 sleep better and through the night. With both of them I had them in bags by about 10/12 weeks and Alfie slept well from about 5 months and Elarna slept through from about 10/12 weeks! Lucky we are yes but I think using a sleeping bag definitely helped.


5. How many kids do you plan on having?
No more than 3. I'm quite happy with 2 at the moment but there is a part of me that wonders about a 3rd, hubby on the other hand is quite happy with 2! Trouble is with 3 is you open a whole new realm of things to sort and adapt with a 3rd I guess! Who knows, I reckon I'll get a puppy before a 3rd baby!

6. Date nights? How often do you have them?
Not that often. Since moving closer to parents we have been out more but this has tended to be with friends. We have been out a couple of times just the 2 of us for special occasions which has been lovely but really date nights are few and far between! 

7. Your child’s favourite show?
Alfie still loves to watch Thomas and Friends and Paw Patrol but is quite liking Truck Town and Blaze and the Monster machines......oh and My Little Pony! He is also likes to watch nature programs too. Elarna really likes Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom.

8. Name one thing you bought before you had the baby and never ended up using?
Probably this winnie the pooh projector thing, it was cute but Elarna wasn't remotely interested in it when she was so little. 

9. Your child’s favourite food?
Homemade pizzas without a doubt, or pasta, or ice cream! Elarna pretty much eats anything at the moment.



10. How many cars does your family have?
We now have 2. We have managed with 1 car for several years now, I think we've done well but with Alfie starting school we just had to get another car to make things easier. We have an Audi A3 which we will change for a bigger Audi at some point and as our run around we have a little Mazda 2.

11. Weight gain, before pregnancy, during, after and now?
I was a weirdo and lost weight in both my pregnancies, about 2 stone...... I suffered with nausea for weeks and weeks and heartburn/acid reflux for a while in the latter part in my pregnancy and could only ever eat small amounts. Sadly I have put on a bit of weight in the last year and know I need to shift it again so that is an upcoming challenge.

12. Dream holiday with your kids?
Like Sarah, it has to be Florida. I've never been and am dying to go, I have since I was little. We waiting till the kids a bit older though so they can really appreciate it.

13. Dream holiday without your kids?
Bali (our honeymoon destination) or somewhere tropical like the Maldives or French Polynesia. Somewhere utterly luxurious and beautiful.

14. How has your life changed since having kids?
Quite alot to be honest. We no longer have improtu trips to the cinema or to our friends or the pub. We have to plan things far in advance and realise that jobs that need doing often take a back seat to satisfy the kids requests and needs. That being said we have grown up alot in the last few years and settled into family life which is lovely. 

15. Finish the sentence “It makes heart melt when…”
I see my babies playing together. I often look at them (when they playing nicely) and think goodness me I am the luckiest person alive to have these 2 in my life. 

16. Where do you shop for your kids?
Probably best to ask where I don't shop, ha! I don't tend to go to Primark, I can never seem to find anything I'm keen on when I look. I am really loving H&M at the moment, Matalan is also great but my most shopped places are Next, Mothercare, John Lewis and M&S. I also love to buy bespoke clothes from companies I've found on Instagram, it's alot of fun looking for clothes this way.

17. Favourite make-up and skincare products?
Oh god I have too many to mention! My staples are La Roche Posay tinted moisturiser for day to day wear but otherwise it's Mac studio fix foundation if I want to heavier coverage. I love my Sephora bronzer and my Mac soft and gentle highlighter. I love Mac eyeshadows and also I've been loving Urban Decay shadows too. My favourite mascara is either Bare Minerals Lash Domintation or Too Faced Better than Sex. I also swear by Benefit boi-oing concealer for day to day use and erase paste for a more heavy duty finish. I also love a decent black, kohl eyeliner. Phew, told you there was alot and this is just my day to day face ha!

18. Huggies or Pampers?
Pampers over Huggies but I actually quite like Tesco nappies if I'm honest.

19. Have you always wanted kids?
Oh definitely, I've always been quite maternal. I'm pleased we waited until we did though as in hindsight I was no way mature enough to look after and nurture a small child!

20. Best part of being a mum?
Oh gosh, this is such a difficult question, being a Mum is such a privelege, I guess just seeing them develop into little people and nurtring them and ensuring they get the best start in life. I love seeing them happy and smiling and that is probably my favourite part of being a Mum, well that and being able to go and see kids films at the cinema hehe.

If anyone else fancies taking part consider yourself tagged!

Monday 29 August 2016

Letting Natural Light In......

Did you know just how important having natural light is? For myself I cannot stand not being in a room that has no element of natural light in it, there is just something about too much artificial light that makes me feel all funny inside! Plus it sends my eyes screwy. According to psychology today when workers are exposed to natural light (in an office environment) they sleep better and subsequently are then are able to work at a much better capacity than those who work in windowless offices. 


5346_EXTERIOR_Atlas_Nightime



It also greatly infringes of quality of life. Web MD advises that being exposed to natural light, especially in the morning can be beneficial for your mood, well being, metabolism and how alert you are. However, it's not just important to be exposed to natural light within the workplace but equally so in the household. The thought of being in a house that is dark, dingy and with very little natural light is not for me. I love being able to open windows wide, let fresh air in and immerse our rooms in daylight. 

5346_Atlas_KitchenDay_FINAL 01


Sometimes though this may not be possible, for whatever reason and the company roof lantern solutions could have the answer to help with this and provide a solution to letting natural light in.  Over at roof lantern solutions they have come up with a variety of natural light producing windows in a subtle, modern design but ensuring maximum natural light. There are options to suit everyone so even if you are looking for something discreet or something more robust this company can help.  I love that these are built to last and can withstand the ever changing UK weather......plus with self cleaning glass (amazing!) they kind of look after them self. 

So would you consider a roof lantern to bring more natural light into your life? 

* Collaborative Post.

Decorating with Dulux.

Dulux United Kingdom (English)


Dulux the UK's leading paint brand has been in a staple in the Beautiful Things household for many years. We have used other brands but nothing quite comes close to the quality and longevity of Dulux. In recent years in the kids rooms we have always chosen Dulux to ensure that we get the professional finish we strive to achieve. Most recently we have been trying to decide how to decorate Alfie's room, he is dinosaur mad so I think due to the fact we already have dino curtains and bedspreads that it would make sense.....but how can we make his room really good??? Step in Dulux.....

There are some absolutely ace ideas over on the Dulux website so even if the dino route isn't the one we choose in the end there is plenty of inspiration here. To make the mission even easier for parents Dulux have created these 6 fabulous, easy to achieve bedroom themes which aim to get parents and children working in collaboration to create their dream room.

Jungle

Superhero

To further help adults and children alike, Dulux have created this lovely summer holiday workbook full of engaging content to help your child let their creative juices and inspiration flow to create almost a mood board with the workbook for their design ideas. I love the layout of the workbook, it's easy to follow and simple to understand, split into sections that your child can work through to create their dream bedroom. I love that it breaks it down on one page about their likes and aspirations so you can really pinpoint what sort of thing they would like. 

Sport


Storybook

Space

I've always tried to involve Alfie with decisions and when we decorated his room originally when we moved him from one room to another when Elarna was due to make the transition easier we let him choose wall decals and the colour he wanted so we knew he would feel comfortable in his new room surrounded by items chosen by him. While we are still waiting to properly decorate his room in this new house he does have a couple of dinosaur decals but we are yet to paint and make his room individual. We plan to do this soon and I take inspiration from some of the ideas on the Dulux website, I would like to be brave and create a bit of a mural but it's finding the time and the artistic side of me again, I do know when we do we will get Alfie involved and ask him to choose his paint and what he would like on the walls. On choosing paint we are likely to opt for the Dulux Endurance + paint to ensure that fingerprints and general wear and tear are kept at bay meaning the paintwork stays fresher for longer.

Circus Style

So if you're thinking of decorating your childs room soon check out the Dulux website for ideas and inspiration and get your child involved - after all it is their room that they will be spending time in.

* Collaborative post.

Friday 26 August 2016

ChloBo Bracelet - Review

I make no secret that I love jewellery. Most recently I have been loving bracelets, I have a fair few and love to stack them up depending on what I'm doing or wearing. When I was offered the chance to review a bracelet from the rather fabulous company ChloBo I jumped at the chance. After having a little look through the website I couldn't wait receive my item, after all there were loads of items that caught my eye.

A little bit about ChloBo...... the brand is focused on freedom of global travel and the spirit that adventure brings (I love this!), everything is hand crafted and made to order within the UK - how good is that! They are the original stacking jewellery website and the charm bracelets carry much meaning and significance to reflect positive philosophies of life and to enhance and express individuality.


Firstly, when it arrived in its hot pink presentation bag I may have got a little exited......after all pink is my favourite colour and the bag was just a little taster of what was inside. Nestled within some hot pink tissue paper was a beautiful box with ChloBo proudly displayed on the top. The box itself is gorgeous too, it has a little draw with a little metal handle to pull the jewellery out. When I pulled the little draw out there sat a beautiful rose gold plated elephant charm bracelet (RRP £90.00). It was love at first sight, such a pretty bracelet!




The elephant charm bracelet is part of a collection that all have a small charm which means something different to each of them. The elephant is a sign of peace and good luck. 

There is also the angel wing (spirituality, protection and love), the butterfly (a luck symbol representing love and new beginnings), a heart (love and passion), lock and key (a symbol of treasured love), peace (cherish, peace and love), buddha (a protective sy,bol believed to bring luck and positivity), the hasma hand (believed to bring happiness, luck, health and good fortune), OM (a symbol of serenity and calm) and finally a tassel (distracts evil and negativity with its fluid movement). 




I have been getting alot of wear out the bracelet, because of the simplistic but beautiful design I find it the first item of jewellery I reach for no matter what I'm wearing. It's super easy to slip on as it's made from a tough stretch elastic (maybe, I'm too sure but it's strong and stretchy). It's such a delicate piece of jewellery but I really like that it sits on my wrist and feels secure and looks lovely. 



I also love the little ChloBo tag on the bracelet so people can see where it is from, it's a lovely added touch. Overall I love my ChloBo bracelet and I wouldn't hesitate adding to the collection with some other charm bracelets, or something else out of the lovely selection on the website. 





Have you heard of ChloBo before? If not, go and have a nose!!! 

* Please note I was ever so kindly sent the bracelet free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are that of my own.

Wednesday 24 August 2016

Best and Worst Linky #62

Beautiful Things


Run, Jump, Scrap!

Hi everyone and a huge welcome to the best and worst linky run by my lovely friend Sarah who blogs over at Run Jump Scrap and co-hosted by myself. If you're new to the linky we're delighted for you to join in, please do have a read of the rules. If you're a regular then thanks as always for the support. Sarah and I split the commenting now, it is working well doing it like that. You should have received a comment from one of us so if you are missing one please do drop us a tweet or email. We've had some great posts over the last few weeks!

This is the linky where you can tell us about the best or worst things that have happened in the last week or even the last year, this could in the form of a blog post, a photo or even a video. It can be an old post or a new post, we don't mind we just want you to share it with us. We want you to share your babies firsts, the crappy day at work you've had or a makeup disaster basically the good, the bad or the downright ugly! We want to share your excitement and tears, highs and lows no matter what it is.

Each week we will both choose our favourite posts from the week before and feature you on the next weeks Best and Worst, we will also feature you on our Twitter feed. 

So as always, on with the linky........please have a little read of the rules and we look forward to reading this weeks posts.

We are continuing to notice that some people aren't getting the comments they deserve, linkys only work if people spend time to read other blogs and comment on them.

Rules
  • The linky will open at 6.30am on a Wednesday and close at 23.55pm on a Friday
  • You can link up one or two posts each week
  • Please comment on the 2 posts before yours and have a nosey at the host's too. We've noticed that some people have just been link dropping and not commenting on the 2 in front, please do return the favour so everyone gets some comments and linky love, thankyou.
  • ***Please add the badge to the bottom of your page so everyone knows where you have linked up***
  • Tweet your hosts @helsy_1983 and @RunJumpScrap once linked up so we can retweet you. When tweeting and commenting use the hashtag #bestandworst so everyone knows where you have come from
Best of Worst