Instalife

With the move throwing everything off at the moment and still trying to hold onto a normal routine I thought I would share a little bit of my instagram with you as it's been a while since we have. So here is our little instalife, lots of coffee breaks, trying a new food joint with John, walking in the woods, Mr A being a reindeer and sharing my love of my new red cheeky shoes. What have you been up to lately? ...

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How much information is too much?

The popularity of social media channels has increased rapidly in recent years. What started out as something that was used almost exclusively by the younger generation has evolved into a tool that people in all walks of life use as means of socialising, sharing photos, organising social events and staying in touch. It’s true that social media networks have almost revolutionised the manner in which we communicate, socialise and stay in touch. We’re a world that is almost constantly connected. But as more and more of us are migrating to social media channels as a way of staying in touch, how many of us stop to contemplate the information we are sharing? Cybercrime has reportedly risen by 26% over the course of 2013, so perhaps it is worth considering how transparent we make our personal lives, who can see this information and how might it be used against us to gain access to our bank details or other online accounts? The biggest mistake we make is being led t......

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People Tree Party Dresses

First of all this is Not a sponsored post, I am simply sharing my love of one of my favourite eco brands People Tree . I have been on the lookout for something chic but not over the top and ethical that can be worn during the party season this Christmas but also if I want on a daily basis too and I think People Tree have some lovely options that capture all of my wants. There dresses are quite simple which works really well for me as you can dress them up or down and use accessories to add that extra sparkle. The quality is also amazing and everything I have ever bought from people tree last a really long time and don't lose there shape. Here are a few of my favourite pieces for the festive season. What look are you going for this Christmas and New Years? ...

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Eco Friendly stocking fillers for kids

Felt Giraffe £9.95 We are huge fans of natural wooden, nature inspired toys and crafts that inspire imagination and creativity. I think personally the craftsmanship and quality always seems a lot better than that of plastic toys and longevity is important to us, especially if we have any more children it's something that can be passed on. There is also something wonderful about the texture and feel of a wooden, fabric or paper toy that is more warming than that of a plastic one and it's really good for children to be surround by different textures that increase the sensory experience of their toys. Now this is not a sponsored post I just wanted to share our favourite picks from a store we often use when it comes to birthdays and special occasions - Myriad , a lovely natural toy and craft online shop. I wanted to put together some fun and affordable stocking fillers that are beautiful but also eco friendly Wooden Push Up Animals £5.50 African Kalimba £14.95 ......

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Men - How to Dress casually without looking unkept

John in casual attire  Men's clothing can be a bit of a tricky business. It is an area of extremes. There are the smart tailored suits at one end of the scale, whilst on the other end you will find baggy t-shirts and hoodies paired with homogenous jeans. Many men complain that the casual look can be hard to get right. Most guys do not want to spend hours co-ordinating accessories and scouring the latest style guides to find a fashionable outfit. We want to keep it simple with a thrown-together look that still looks smart enough to take us anywhere. Simple style - shirt and jeans is always good. Image Pinteres t Fortunately, it is possible to find men’s clothing that falls into the ‘casual’ bracket, yet will help you to look the part when the situation needs you to. So swap your blue jeans for earthy cotton slacks, your t-shirts for a polo shirt and your hoody for a cotton sweater and see how much better you look and feel. There are a few wardrobe staples that......

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Winter wonderland inspiration with Home Sense

So I am not sure if you have heard of HomeSense but if not, check them out! Basically is the home store version of TK Maxx and it's amazing, you never know what your going to find which is part of the fun and everything is at a discounted price - win! Last time I went to our local Home Sense in Cardiff I picked up a Ralph Lauren bath mat, a Eco Soy Candle and Laura Ashley Garden gloves for more than half the price. With moving into a new home our heads have gone interior crazy and with Christmas literally just around the corner I thought it was time to do a little winter wonderland inspired post. Peace and Joy wreath £9.99 I really want to get the Scandi-inspired minimalist look down to a tee this year, a cosy, natural, heart warming home with the touch of homemade. The one thing I love about the Scandinavian look is the incorporation of natural materials and the use of wood and nordic animal prints. Every time I have gone into Home Sense I have managed to find som......

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Moving house with a toddler - are we crazy?

Our new Kitchen, although the rest of the house needs work Well hear we are again, one year later and on the move, it was just before Christmas last year that we completed the sale on our house, moved into a cottage my mother owns and now we are finally back on the housing ladder although this time with the luxury of being able to take our time to move into the new house although in a way I don't think this will make things any easier, in fact it will take longer and be a bit more disjoined than the first time around. Saying that we can get those little things sorted like having a plasterer to come and cover some artex left on one of the bedroom ceilings (who ever thought artex was a good idea I don't know) as well as being able to give each room a nice new coat of paint, we can take our time over sorting out labelling and making sure the right stickers are on the right boxes and hopefully de-stressing the whole thing, as well as hopefully de-cluttering our lives and ......

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What Mr A Wore - Grubbies Review

I don't think there is anything better than a boy (or girl) in dungarees, they are a classic that encompasses practicality, durability and style all on one, it just seems right and is perfect for active children. We were lucky enough for Grubbies to send us a pair to review and the little man loves them, he feels like a real workman in these and had a lot of fun on his mini excavator as well as pretending to be a mechanic fixing it. We have had a few pairs of dungarees in the past but I have to say we are really impressed with the quality of these Grubbies ones that are produced in the UK - we love to support local so this is an added bonus. The denim is very soft and not too heave and I love the two tone effect on the pockets as well as the cool retro detailing and colourful pipping which has a hint go nostalgia to it. The shoulder straps are adjustable and this pair should last him for a longtime which is something we look for in children's clothing. ......

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Cold won't keep us in

Mr A hard at work raking the leaves So since wednesday the little man has come down with a horrible head cold, which having recently started kindergarten and the change in weather is was almost to be expected, so we have all been eating lots of healthy vegetable soups of late. Even so, if we didn't spend a little bit of time outdoors, even just 10 min we would have some serious cabin fever going on. I devised a few short and simple things for us to still to enjoy the fresh air, one was sweeping up all the leaves outside our current house, something the little man loves to do and really lifted his spirits. Mr A exploring our new garden With the excitement of moving and getting the keys to our "new door" as my little man likes to call it we have had some fun exploring our small but perfectly formed garden, that to much delight of Mr A came with a wheelbarrow and wooden castle with swing. I have big plans for this little garden and we plan to grow lots of veg nex......

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Vivienne Westwood and St Davids Christmas

Our lovely mixologist from Kapu Lounge and the British Chase potato vodka - you must try!! Two weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited to a VIP Reception of the St Davids Christmas Shopping night and also have a sneak peak at Vivienne Westwood's new arrivals. As always it's great to meet up with other bloggers, catch up and see whats new in Cardiff. The VIP Reception had a casino theme with some amazing drinks by the lovely staff at The Kapu lounge who mixed some Chase (potato) vodka with flavours like Rhubarb for some interesting cocktails. There were tons of events going on in St Davids 2 for the launch of there Christmas Shopping nights and before I attended the reception I popped into The White Company to pick up some slippers for the little man,  they offered  their customers bubbly and mince pies - nothing better to get you in the christmas mood. After having a quick look around the other stores in St Davids we all met up again at Vivienne Westwood wer......

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Boys Club - Back to where it began

  The photo above is one of the earliest I took of John, it was at a New Years Eve party a few years back, in the early hours, he was showing me his collection of New Era caps and listening to some vinyl on his 80's record player. He has always been a fan of America/Japanese street wear, even if he doesn't always wear the items he likes to collect things and I know if he had his way the house would be filled with BAPE, New Era and Comic book memorabilia. John during the summer wearing a Norse Projects Hat John's been debating lately about what kind of hat is going to get him through this cold winter, as his Norse Projects summer hat is making it's place on the shelf until the warmer months and also just because he wants a change. So John has put together his Hat wish list, which is perfect for me as it doubles up as a possible christmas list too, as not only is it practical but also stylish - win win. We recently found out about this great site called Capol......

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