Clogau opens in Cardiff in style

Chairman Bill Roberts officially with wife Maggie Roberts and Royal harpist Claire Jones For those who have not heard of Clogau before it's a homegrown company that mines for the very rare and stunning Welsh Gold, so it only seems appropriate that St Davids in Cardiff would be THE place to open a new flagship store and I was lucky enough to attend the classy and chic opening. First of all the shop and interior design is beautiful and well laid out in a way the inspires and creates a great in-store experience and I was immediately impressed. The evening included some mouthwatering canapés, champagne and the stunning sound of Claire Jones the Royal harpist - things could not of have been more perfect. Some amazing canapés on offer during the opening night  It's always great seeing such upmarket brands and concept stores coming to Cardiff - it's been long overdue and with Clogau being a Welsh brand I am sure that they will have a lot of success in the Capital. ......

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Dear Valentine

So I know some people don't do Valentines - and we try and not get caught up in all the madness by simply enjoying each others company and that of the people we love - but we do like to treat the ones we love as well with simple pleasures such as breakfast in bed, maybe some nice bubbly, baking carrot cake with the little man for the other half and perhaps a little present wouldn't go amiss. We always make our Valentines day cards (so much more fun and heart-felt) but I thought I would put together a little inspirational list of cool and quirky gifts for the day of love. Map Cufflinks for him - from Etsy £10 Say it with Flowers Scented Rose Seed Gift - £4 from John Lewis I am totally in love with this Limited Collection Rose Print Floral body from M&S - I usually don't by things like this but I just think it's beautiful and would be as much as a gift for me as it would be for the other half and it's very reasonable for such a wonderful item coming......

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Remembering Prague

Me on a walk back down from the castle in Prague I have been to the Czech Republic twice - on both occasions I have entered the country via train - the first was a long trip from Amsterdam via Berlin through the german countryside into CZ - it was amazing to see the landscape change, roll past small villages and post-soviet towns. The second time I had come up from Croatia through Hungary and Slovakia - another amazing and inspiring trip and I couldn't imagine any other way of seeing the country. Coming into the Czech Republic via Germany - amazing scenery The first time I was travelling with some Czech friends who I had met while working in Amsterdam and where returning home - it was great to have an insider look to the city and I spent a few weeks there, picking up some basic words, enjoying riding the fairly new metro as well as the trams all over the city. Its one of those kind of places I love because it's not perfect - I saw the good and bad side of th......

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Ethical beauty products - what we are using

So we love to try new beauty products and it's important to us they are cruelty free, preferably naturally based and with a brand that has some ethical morals. This of course cannot always be the case but we truly believe your skin will be thankful for products that are soft and plant based. We have purchased all of these products ourself and it's what we are using at the moment and all feelings expressed are completely our own 1. Toms - Natural Deodorant - A crystal Zinc based deodorant made in Maine using sustainable practices and recycled packaging. It's strange looking at the back of a product and seeing very few ingredients - this is basically made up of naturally sourced Zinc and Potassium that helps fight odour causing bacteria. It's light, fragrance free and perfect for sensitive skin. It does take a few days to really start working and I find it's great for day to day use although if I know I am going somewhere hot, stuffy or an important social event ......

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Newport Wetlands - Outdoor Adventure

We love to explore new places and being members of the RSPB we have been long overdue for a trip to the Newport Wetlands. It took a while to find the place as it's on the outskirts of newport, near the coast and what should of taken just over 30min was closer to an hour but at least we know where it is now as I am sure we will be visiting again very soon. The trip was also well timed with our own preparations with the Big Bird Watch and we have been making our garden more bird friendly of late. On arrival we immediately noticed a beautiful Robin who was singing in the trees - a wonderful way to start the adventure. The centre has a lovely Visitors Centre, Shop and cafe with a lovely view over a lake and beautiful place to sit back and have a cup of coffee, daydream and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. John and Mr A climbing the lighthouse in the play park There is also a great kids playground with a mini lighthouse and ship and after lunch we enjoyed some fun ......

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Outdoor style Part 1

So as many of you know we spend quite a lot of time outdoors with the little man no matter what season or how cold we love the fresh air and thinks it's important to embrace the UK weather warts and all. However not only is it important for Mr A to be well wrapped up but also for us. One needs to be practical but that does not mean you have to sacrifice on style. This time of the year is all about layering, so first of all on any outdoor adventure I use thermals than usually and long-sleeve fitted tee and a fleece, which is what this outfit post is all about. I am in love with this Peter Storm tech fleece that  was kindly sent to me by Millets and has been an absolute essential during the winter as it's super soft, warm and fits perfectly under my parka and coupled up with Peter Storm Polar Chute which is so much more than just a scarf and I highly recommend having this in your backpack as it can also be used as a headband wristband, balaclava or neck warmer. I paired......

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Viva la Veganuary

So just thought I would do a quick post to keep you in the loop with my veganuary journey - which I have really enjoyed. We have been eating lots of healthy home made recipes as well as rustling up some quick alternative favourites. It's not been without it's hitches - I did find myself on one family outing in a place there was literally nothing for me to eat, but no fear managed to pop over to a supermarket and full myself up on some yummy fruit, nuts and those of so good naked bars. So besides the lentil Dalh and spinach curries these four went down the best with the big and little man - we brought in "hot no-dog" night with Linda Mccartney sausages, onions, spinach and organic tomato sauce. I also threw together a quick bean gumbo which was super tasty, we indulged in some bean burgers, straight out of the oven rolls and salad as well as some vegan spaghetti bolognese with shredded carrot and spinach - so good. Still have not found a good cheese substitute bu......

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Candy Kittens are coming to Cardiff

So excited to announce that the Candy Kittens will be opening a Pop-up shop in the Cardiff Arcades this weekend and for this weekend only. For those who don't know what the Candy Kittens are, it's a fashionable confection brand that was setup by Jamie Laing of Made in Chelsea fame, a London born idea with a love of all things sweet. The pop-up store will only be open for 3 days so why not pop down and indulge in some fashion, sweets and treats and did I forget to say Jamie Laing will be there too! ...

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Family Friendly things to do in Egypt

Think of a family holiday and Egypt might not be the first destination that springs to mind. But, Egypt holidays have a wealth of things to do for kids, and it doesn't all revolve around ancient sights. After all, as spectacular as they are, some kids don't appreciate history lessons while they're on holiday! So you'll be pleased to know that Egypt has plenty of other child-friendly tricks up its rather long sleeve, which will no doubt put family holidays to Egypt firmly on your radar… Beaches For the ultimate family beach break, head to the holiday resorts along Egypt's Red Sea coast. Sharm el Sheikh is the big one, which is full of daytime activities, gorgeous beaches and stacks of restaurants and family-friendly eateries. There are plenty of all-inclusive hotels in this part of the world too, so if you're after a laid-back escape that's fuss-free and cost-effective, make sure you check out some of the all-inclusive holidays on offer in Sha......

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A new tiger in town

Loving the moustache comb  I always get excited when new quirky store comes to Cardiff, especially when it's one that originates from Copenhagen bringing all it's Scandinavian style with it but not a big price tag - I mean total win win so when the new Tiger Store opened up I couldn't wait to go and have a look for myself. Especially since I am always eyeing up things for the new house and with nothing exceeding £30 this is my kind of place. New Tiger store open in St Davids, Cardiff It's also a great shop for finding little gifts for people and it added a little extra spark to our christmas stockings as there is lots to be found for a few pounds, including some cool moustache boxers and comb and a wooden stacking toy for the little man and a pretty beaded collar necklace for myself and some silver nail polish. Loving my silver Nail Polish at only £1 They also have a nice selection of loose left tea and spices which can be hard to find in the ce......

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Making our garden bird friendly

So we are really looking forward to the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch this coming weekend and we really wanted to start making our garden more bird friendly. We have a lot of plans for the garden this spring and even though it's been tipping down buckets of rain this week we have started tiding up the boarders and sorting out the shed as well as making our own little bird feeder with the held of our Weekend Box which arrived last week and with perfect timing. We used ice-cream sticks and PVA glue to make this simple but super fun bird feeder and added some colourful sticks I had left over from another craft we did a while back. It's a really easy craft for toddlers and Mr A and there is always that sense of achievement when you see the finally product actually come together and work. We decided to double up on our bird friendliness and also pick up a bird feeder so we could place each one on either side of the garden. Deciding on the best spot to hang our feeders T......

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