A little summer shake

I think being from the southern hemisphere eating el'fresco in the sun is built into my DNA, it seems only natural as soon as the sun starts to shine to unpack the garden chairs and enjoy a relaxed meal in the cool evening breeze. We have been lucky enough to have had a few pleasant evenings already this year and we have jumped at every single one as most Brits ( and expat in my case) know that they can be few and far between, however this shouldn't damped the fun whatsoever. I always like to prepare something fresh, lots of salad and lots of colour and big on flavour. I was recently sent a OXO Shake and Flavour starter pack which included 7 different seasonings which are all MSG free (a must for us) and I was very eager to try them out. Our house is a bit of a mix, I'm a veggie although John is not and Mr A is somewhat undecided so I cater for everyone as I am a true believer in respecting everyones personal choices, luckily John does do his little bit by ord......

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Beautiful Bathroom Beautiful Skin

One day I will have a roll top bath ( image ) I am sure there must be a connecting between a beautiful bathroom and beautiful skin, it's a but like a messy house means a messy mind, so a simple and stylish bathroom with perfectly organised storage space and beauty products would mean you would be more on top of your beauty regime. I know personally when I have things organised and within arms reach I tend to use things more, wether this means having my toner one hand or nail varnish I am more likely to make the effort. Nothing better than simple and clean design ( image ) I also find having a simple and stylish bathroom a better place to relax and it's somewhere that can you can transform into your own little retreat, which can be rare when you have kids. The bathroom can be a really inspirational place but can become easily cluttered so it's important to keep on top of things, especially beauty products, make sure you detox your bathroom every now and ......

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Menswear Essentials - Soft Coats

It's that time of the year when we it's not quite warm enough to go out without a jacket on hand but equally to warm for thicker coats, so now is the perfect time for the men to bring out the soft sartorial coats, like Johns Post Overalls jacket above. Soft jacket and coats are a great way to bridge the gap between more formal attire and the casual jumper and not only help with a little bit extra warmth before the summer evenings hit but also help bring and outfit together and can be worn during the day  spent in the city of on a family adventure or on a night out, by simply dressing it up with a tie for a more sophisticated evening look.  It's also great for light layering as the weather becomes warmer and creates a casual but softly tailored style and can really help bring an outfit together. Popular fabrics are cotton and linen and  John has a few soft style coats and jackets all of which become useful during this time of the year. Make sure you go ......

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HomeSense Giveaway

I am so happy to be able to offer another amazing giveaway to one of our readers and this time it's all about the home. As some of you may know I have been working in partnership with HomeSense as well as my column on Huffington Post Home and they have been kind enough to provide one lucky reader with a £100 HomeSense Gift Card to spend in store and believe me you can get a lot for £100 as the stores are like magical treasure troves of amazing home and interior products at up to 60% the normal retail price without losing any of the quality. It's super easy to enter and the competition ends on the 10th June a Rafflecopter giveaway ...

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Chic style at The Dominican Hotel, Brussels

On our recent trip to Brussels we stayed at the very stylish and chic The Dominican , a 4-star hotel right in the heart of the city. The hotel stands on what was the Dominican Abbey in the 15th century and building really is a feast for the eye which high ceilings and intricate details. As soon as you step through the front door you are welcomed by a luxurious reception area and informative and friendly staff. After we checked in we made our way to our room, which was located near the gym in a very quite part of the hotel.  We stayed in a Delux room which was really nice and spacious, with lots of room to store our bags, a very large and super comfortable super king bed, complimentary wifi, a mini bar and Nespresso maker and luxurious fabrics and colour scheme really made the experience special. The bathroom had a rain shower and very deep bath with the little man loved. The breakfast was a real treat and was place in the opulent restaurant. There was so m......

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Fashionable Drivers: All You Need to Know to drive in style

Me looking rather tanned after spending a summer in Cornwall How exactly does one become a fashionable driver? Do you think you automatically become one after buying a fast, expensive car? Do you have to match your bags and suitcases with your customised leather seats? Or do you have to be a great driver who knows all the latest motoring trends? It is truly an improvement for the world to have replaced the term ‘geek drivers’ with fashionable drivers. I guess geek drivers did not make enough of an impression previously to become the envy of the road, but the term fashionable drivers is now making waves in and around the industry. These F1 drivers sure know how to match their driving skills with their sense of style. You won’t ever be able to emulate a professional race driver in the cool stakes, but you can become a fashionable driver in your own right. Here are a few suggestions as to how to become the envy of the road. Know the road and follow the rules You might g......

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The Camouflage Company and Giveaway

I think now more than ever I appreciate well designed storage ideas, especially after amounting so many children's toys and bits and bobs so finding something that are practical but also chic and stylish is quite a hard combination to come across so when I was asked to do a review for The Camouflage Company I was really intrigued by their unique storage  bags, boxes, totes and everything in-between to help keep your house clean, tidy and looking good. I was sent the Zipped Carry all with a floral print on it. It's large enough to store all of Mr A's toys and is very strong and durable but other key points are that it's totally wipeable for those accidental spills, squeezes into tight corners and folds down when your not using it. It has a large mess window  on one side so you can see whats inside, which is good because I often forget what I put inside boxes. I have had a few people complement me on it recently which is fantastic as it really means its fitting......

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Muddy Adventures and simple pleasures

I actually had another post planned for our weekly country kids inspired post but as we had so much fun today on our little muddy (and at times rainy) adventure I wanted to share it with you now. There is nothing better than a long walk with the little man, this one took us over 3 hours and I didn't pick him up once - a new record for us. We started out in Bute Park - a lovely large green space in the centre of Cardiff and walked through to Blackweir and across to Pontcanna park, on cycle tracks, muddy parks, through woodland and alongside the River Taff it provided us with lots of different things to explore. We saw a woodpecker hopping from tree to tree, which was very exciting. We spent a lot of time watching the water flow over the weir, as well as picking up random sticks along the way. Mr A also came across a worm, which he was very concerned for and had was in deep conversation with for about 15 mins (see image below) It was a great way to spend a s......

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Street Style Sunday Link-up

So I am very excited to be co-hosting the lovely Street Style Sunday linky with the lovely Style Me Sunday blog, I was lucky enough to meet the lovely ladies who run the blog last year at The Mads Awards and I am constantly inspired but their amazing fashionable picks for ladies and kids so I was really over the moon to be invited to co-host with them this weekend. The link-up was perfectly timed for me as this week I picked up this lovely little maroon skirt in a sale in H&M (total bargain) and it's a great little transitional piece as we go from spring into summer. I have paired it up with my little scotty dog jumper from M&S, boots from TopShop and a Paul Costelloe bag and as well as my very old and well-travelled necklace my mother gave to me a few years back. The great thing about the link is you can link up what your children have been rocking, for Mr A this week it's been all about being a dinosaur - I say why not Get involved and link ......

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Breakfast treats for Yogurt week

I love yogurt, always have and I love how versatile it is, you can bake with it, cook savoury dishes,  spoon it over fruit and oats or have a bowl of greek yogurt with a dollop of honey for dessert and for those who don't know it's Yogurt Week , so I thought I would celebrate with creating two lovely breakfast treats. My first port of call when it comes to a lazy sunday morning brunch is pancakes and pancakes crammed with yogurt goodness is even better and alongside some scrambled eggs and a dash of maple syrup it screams weekend to me. Easy Yogurt Pancakes 140g Greek Yogurt 1 large egg 1/2 a cup of Plain flour (I often do a 50/50 wholegrain and plain) 1 tsp baking powder Optional - 1/2 cup of blueberries 1. Mix the yogurt and egg in a bowl until smooth then add the flour and baking powder until all mixed in. The batter will be thick 2. Preheat a frying pan to a medium heat, spay with non--stick spray or add a little bit of oil. Spoon the batter into the p......

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Small office space inspiration

I love this simple and beautiful office space ( image )  So as I am writing this I am trying to sort out my new little office space, it's a pretty small and awkward space, like our bathroom it's in the eves of the house so standing head space is a little limited but in any event I am very excited to turn this little box room into a creative and inspiring hub within our home and I cannot wait to share it's transformation with you but for now I am putting together a little mood board for myself with some ideas on how to use a small space with some great organisation and storage ideas. I love the retro feel and colours in this office space ( image ) I really like the idea of putting book shelves along the part of the room that is slanted and limited for headspace and will make us of an otherwise awkward space. I have a desk that has been passed onto me from my mother who no longer needs it, it's not very pretty but with a bit of paint I......

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The evolution of Iconic Vegas fashion

Elizabeth Taylor looking gorgeous in Vegas Visiting Las Vegas continues to be ever popular with people of all ages and of course with the recent films like The Hangover, more and more stag do's looking for a big night out head to this city in the desert. It provides endless hours of entertainment and enjoyment for millions of people across the world. John in fact went to Las Vegas a few years back and often recollects the times he had there with his friends just before Mr A came along. He could not get over how the city never slept, it was 24 hours all the time, it was never too late to order a breakfast or never to early to see a show or have a go at roulette. Fashion and dress wear considerably changed over the years, with luxurious interiors enforcing a stricter dress code that is far removed from the days of wearing long sleeved denim shirts and baseball hats. Las Vegas saw an influx in celebrities and actors during the fifties and sixties which really bro......

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