| Bakes, Books And My Boys

Ravensburger: My Haven No.5

Thursday, October 18, 2018

Summer through to Autumn Fashion

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

One of the things I love about later summer and early autumn is that you can wear your gorgeous summery dresses but jazzed up a little! You don’t have to plonk a hat on your head to cool down instead you can carry that dress all the way through the seasons by just adding accessories. Here are three of my favourite dresses to carry me through the beautiful colours of autumn and greyness that’s bound to come with November.

As ever my top three come from Fashion World - Personally I just love the variety of brands from there so it’s an easy pick!

First up and I just fell in love with this at first site is The Brakeburn Swallow Dress. I do love brakeburn and they just have great quality in their clothes and products. This gorgeous dress is a soft grey with blue swallows on and while its cotton I wore it just last week with a gorgeous plain blue cardigan and boots and to a PR meeting follow to a night out with friends. It such a perfect dress for taking you through different parts of the day!

Joe Brown is always a fabulous hit. The dress is loose on which is perfect in summer but to bring it through in to autumn style I wear it with a fabulous 1950’s wide belt and it just changes the whole look. It’s made miles easier by the fact that all you have to do is turn this dress inside out and it’s a whole different print but it’s also a great dress to keep in hand luggage or and I can’t believe I’m saying this but squashed up in the draw. With just a quick shake and off you go! And with William Morris prints lining the fashion headlines at the moment this dress couldn’t be more on tune this season.

The Midi Ruffle Wrap dress is by far my favourite. Not only does the colour just look fabulous with every season it is so much fun to play up. It looks cool and elegant with sandals and as the days get cooler coloured ankle boots, a large wrap scarf or jacket just really make this dress work for any occasion and any weather! It’s perfect to cheer up a grey rainy day!

lifestyle

KEEP CALM, IT’S ONLY THE SCHOOL RUN

Monday, October 08, 2018

School has started and for many mums there is a battle of stress and dread facing you every morning. Not only do you have to get tired kids washed and into clothes, food down their throats and teeth brushed there is then the PE kits to pack, the books, the homework to hunt down, water bottles to be filled and of course shoes to be put on feet!

Jenni Donato, Life and Family Coach at Chance Coaching, said, “The school run might not be as tough as a supermarket tantrum, but some mornings can be pretty soul destroying. While the other parents might look Instagram ready at 9am, I can guarantee that you are not the only person pretending everything went like clockwork and that life is perfect.”

She added, “Leaving your children to go into the classroom after a rocky start to the day isn’t great and can leave you feeling upset all day. By putting plans in place approaching things in a different way can help make things run smoother and ensure that the smile you give your friends at the gates is the real deal.”

Jenni has shared with us some great top tips for getting rid of the morning chaos:

Plan, plan, plan
Sticking to a routine can make a big difference to how well your mornings. Whether you empty bags as soon as you get home, make pack lunches in advance, put out clean uniforms the night before or get older children to unload the dishwasher and set the table for breakfast, planning ahead works. What may start off as a struggle should only take a week or so to adjust to and you should make things easier.

Make it a team effort

Sounds simple but talking about how the whole family feels about your morning routine can be helpful and enlightening. You might want everyone to come downstairs dressed but they may prefer to eat their porridge in their PJs and put on their sweatshirt after they’ve washed their face, go with it and see if it makes a difference.

Make Time for You

Yes, the morning is about getting everyone ready for the day ahead but remember that includes you. I work with many women who look after their families but forget about their physical and mental wellbeing and this can lead to stress and resentment. Whether you have a shower in the evening, get up early and have a cup of tea while you watch the news or add a swipe of red lipstick before you walk out of the door, if you make time for yourself, you’ll be able to deal with all the morning throws at you that little bit better.

So, while the dog might eat the maths homework and the toothpaste will drip on jumpers, try to keep calm and remember, we are all just trying to get to school before the bell!

More details can be seen at www.chancecoaching.com

lifestyle

Celebrate Grandparents day with John Adams

Friday, October 05, 2018

Book Review

Beardies' World by Joyce Ives

Friday, October 05, 2018

Hi all, today I’m the last stop in a book blog tour. The book is Beardies’ World by Joyce Ives and is the story of her 26 years that she and her husband cared for and loved their four Bearded Collies. The book covers the years from 1986 through to 2012 covering every high and low of owning a dog.

The book is “written” as it were by the Bearded Collies who belonged to Joyce & John Ives. It did throw me a little as the story is told as the dog voices and it’s not something I’m overly use to when reading a book. It did take a little while to get into the swing of the book because of this but don’t dismiss it because of this quirk.

The book is not just a story of the dogs, but it also features as an education on owning and also travel guide. The book is sprinkled throughout with tips for owning a dog and the best places they have found in their travels to visit with dogs in the UK.

Once you get use to the telling of the book its very fun to read. It really is full of amusing tales that can’t but make you smile. The book is incredibly open and friendly and really does remind you of all the highlights and worse times that come with owning your own dog. The book made me chuckle out loud and also have me shedding tears as with all such books. However, it’s worth it. The book is started with describing the Rainbow Bridge, the end that all owners know too well, and she talks about it with such positivity that while you might shed a tear or two there’s a lovely optimism to it.

This book is the sort of book you can curl up with while the outside is so grey and dismal, and it will warm you and comfort you. It’s a real must for dog owners.

About the author:

Ever since she was a young girl, Joyce Ives has had a soft spot in her heart for dogs. So when the time came, she decided to leave her full time job to become an owner to her very first Bearded Collie – Kizzy. After this initial decision, they soon became owners to three other beautiful Beardies – Emma, Muffin and Solei. Unfortunately, due to ill health, both Joyce and John no longer look after any dogs but Joyce will always dream of owning more. Joyce now resides in Seaford, East Sussex, and is glad to finally have had time to write her first book.