19 Weeks Pregnancy update

30/09/2014

10 comments
good hair


Well one more week and I will be half way through this pregnancy and only two weeks until we find out if it's a girl or a boy - time really does fly the second time around. The bump has grown even more - I promise next week to show you all. I am starting to look a little fuller in the face and have been struck with sweet cravings and paired with my birthday and the little mans this month I have to admit I somewhat over indulged...oh well. My hair is feeling thicker and fuller and I am enjoying wearing it down.

I also bought my first piece of maternity clothing in the form of an organic pair of leggings from H&M for the bargain price of £7.99 and oh wow they are seriously comfy. After some unexpected bills this pregnancy is going to be very much on the frugal side of things and luckily I still have a few pieces from last time, although mainly summery clothes but have also been enjoying looser tees I had packed away a while ago as well as a pair of jeans that the other half picked up for me in a size two big last year, plus most of my dresses are fairly loose and perfect for early maternity.


organic leggings

The great thing is if your on a budget like me you can often find vouchers online for H&M for things like free delivery or discounts at My Voucher Codes. There are a few other pieces I have my eye on in the maternity range like this winter parka jacket


maternity jacket





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Embrace every moment #PowerOfSoft

29/09/2014

5 comments

family love



There is literally nothing I love more than chilling out with my little man. The above photo captures a wonderful moment in what was actually a bit of a rubbish day but it's these moments that make everything else not that important because at the end of the day your health, family and happiness is really what is important. I cannot believe how time has flown by and now he is four years old! Everyday he is funnier than and smarter than the day before and our conversations become more interesting every week, luckily I have the luxury of spending a lot of time with him as we have held off with starting school for now and have opted for homeschooling which has been very fun in itself as I watch this little man grow in front of our eyes. Even though I am not having to do the school run and the long wait at the gates I too feel the pain of time and how fast it flies by us as parents and how we all really need to embrace every day and every second we have with our children because all too soon they will be flying the nest.


family love
Chilling under an apple tree with my favourite little man


Fairy Non Bio have put together a beautiful little video that captures that feeling of time flying by and  seeing your babies grow through childhood in a blink of an eye and it reminds me how much we need to treasure each and every moment and to enjoy those special cuddles with your little ones, in fact in a survey they did the most missed thing about the early school days were the super soft kisses and cuddles.


parenting
John and Mr A enjoying a newborn cuddle 


I cannot help but feel a little bit moved by this video, I think being a parent we finally realise how precious time is. What do you love to do with your kids in your free time and if you have a positive message to share about the transitions we take as parents through the minefield of baby to toddler to child to teenager please share in the comments.


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Creating a Living Room that Doesn’t Centre on the TV

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living room bunting
Love this happy and colourful living space (image)

Whether you’re fed up of the TV taking centre stage, or you simply want to focus more on your family and less on what’s going on in the latest re-run of Friends, creating a living room that doesn’t centre on the TV is a vital yet challenging step that many homeowners are now taking.

Of course, simply saying that you’re going to make an anti-TV living room is trivial compared with actually doing it, but don’t worry – we’ve put together this straightforward guide to help you turn your living room from one where everybody sits and faces in the same direction to one where you’re all looking at each other. It doesn’t even really take much effort, once you know a few of the essential tricks.

Outside Looking in

The most important thing that you need to implement is the rearrangement of your existing furniture so that instead of all facing in the same direction, it’s all facing inward. Although this sounds like it would be straightforward, two hurdles stand in your way. The first is your own psychology, in that we’re so used to having our sofas and armchairs all facing in the same direction so it’ll be hard to break the habit. The other issue is that furniture usually comes in threes (a three piece suite, for example), and your living room most likely has four walls.


wall prints
Such a fun and stylish family space (image)


Fun for the Whole Family

Once you’ve turned your furniture so that it’s all facing inward, you need to now choose whatever forms of entertainment are going to replace your TV. The important thing here is that you find something for everyone. This could mean that on your coffee table, you always keep the latest issue of the graphic novel your son is reading, and if you have little ones, you keep plenty of toys and around the room.

guitar
We have a lot of fun with our record nook listening to music


Camouflage Your Entertainment Centre

On a final aside, if you enjoy sitting round the TV and watching something as a family, this style of inward-facing living room doesn’t necessitate throwing out your TV altogether. You could always hide or camouflage it, just so that it doesn’t take centre stage. The trick to this is finding an entertainment centre that blends well aesthetically with its surroundings, so if you have a mostly wooden theme, a wooden entertainment center like the ones available from Trade Furniture Company would be perfect.


camouflaging the TV
Stylish and chic way to hide your TV (image)

Ultimately, if you’re stuck for ideas of how to get your inward-facing living room looking amazing, there are plenty of places across the web that you can look to get some inspiration. Follow our advice, and you’ll be well on your way to a TV-less living space.
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Street Style Sunday - The Holiday Edition

28/09/2014

3 comments

street style
Wearing Boden Tunic, Holster jelly sandals, New Look Bag and Necklace

So as some of you know we recently went on an amazing holiday down to the South of France and that meant only one thing - warmer weather and getting in a little bit of summer style before the end of the year. Being 18 weeks pregnant at the time of this photo, taken in Cannes, meant that I was in a bit of an in-between phase, not quite big enough for maternity clothes but yet all my normal clothes are somewhat on the tight side of things so this Boden tunic was perfect for me, very loose but with a belt it brought it in and gave enough space for the bump and paired up with my super comfy Holster jelly sandals as well as my Bag and Necklace which are both from New Look

Holiday fashion

As always I have paired up with the lovely Natalie from Style Me Sunday blog to bring you Street Style Sunday linkup which is open to any fashion related posts - mood and inspiration boards, outfits of you,your kids or partner - in fact anything goes.



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Sticker Club Love

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toddler craft


I think it's pretty safe to say that all young kids and toddlers love stickers so it's no wonder The Sticker Club weekly sticker pack, that pops through the letter box in a nifty square envelope has been going down a storm in our house and seriously what a great little idea. I personally love the cute and creative illustrations, they are super cute and different to what you would find normally in a store and I like that they are not TV Characters but instead lovely wildlife, animal, colourful, bunny people style graphics. 


sticker fun


The other day we had to pop into London for an event and as we don't have a tablet or anything like that and with it being a two hour train trip to the Capital it always means I have to have a few tricks up my sleeve to keep Mr A entertained and the pack is super portable and he had a lot of fun sticking his rockets, stars and other bits and bobs into his journal and it mean 45 minutes of blissful creative time, making up worlds and stories around the stickers, which meant with one little pack we were already halfway into our journey which was great for me.


Rocket sticker


He looks forward to his yellow envelope to pop through the door each week and I love that its such a simple pleasure,  no bright lights or noises just good old fashion stickering fun.

We were sent a sticker club subscription to try out and provide an honest review.


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End of the summer daze

27/09/2014

7 comments
striped top
Enjoying my energy levels before I hit the third trimester
So we made a little list of things we wanted to do over the summer. I had been to the Amelia Trust farm before with Mr A but we had not been as a family and thought the first week all the kids went back to school would be a perfect time to explore (pros of not having a child in school). So we headed out to this lovely community run farm in the Vale of Glamorgan


tractor fun


There is a lovely array of farm animals as well as a great little nature inspired play park with an old tractor that Mr A would happily spend all day sitting on. They had some organic veggies on sale and we picked up a lovely little pumpkin after which we sat down at the little farm cafe for a coffee and homemade shortbread as well as picking up some fresh eggs for home.

pumpkin growing

Amelia Trust farm


Our favourite part of the farm is the forest walk which eventually leads onto a wild pond filled with beautiful water-lillys. We spent a lot of time at the pond, just sitting and watching the dragonflies and chilling out. It was one of those wonderful warm days right at the end of summer and we couldn't of asked for more, it really was a blissful, simple and frugal day out as the farm is free of charge and you could spend hours roaming around all the little paths and walks.



outdoor fun

pond dipping


It's always lovely having an outdoor adventure as a family and exploring somewhere new. The Amelia Trust farm has now become a firm favourite for all of us and I am sure we will be back very soon.

farm fun




Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall
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Backyard Style Tips for Beginners

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Is the onslaught of DIY renovation TV shows making you feel insecure about your backyard? Don't think your yard measures up? The good news is, with some simple styling tips, you'll be on your way to a dream backyard. Read on to get started.

Make a List

Before designing your backyard, make a concise list of your needs and wants. To create this list, ask yourself what purpose you want and need your backyard to serve. For instance: Do the kids need some space to play? Do you want to grow fruit and vegetables? Would you like to use the space to entertain friends? Once you have defined your objectives, draw some very rough sketches of your outdoor space, in regard to where you would like to place things. Both making lists and sketching the area are great organisation principles in landscape design for beginners.


DIY garden project
I love this cute DIY planting project - start small (image)

Start Small

Although reality TV renovation shows like to claim anyone can transform an entire house in the space of a weekend, most of us do not have a crew of 60 handymen at our disposal. It is not important that you transform your entire outdoor area in a weekend; what is important is that you make a start. Visualise the finished product in your mind and start working at small, achievable tasks, such as planting a garden or pruning any overgrown trees.

When it comes time to tackle the major tasks, such as building a deck or pergola, it is best to contact a professional such as Additions Building; you can click here to check out some of their previous work. This leaves you more time to focus on the finer details, not to mention helping you to avoid unnecessary stress.


family garden
We work around our seating area in our garden


Work around a Focal Point

The focal point in your backyard is the feature or features you feel draw the most attention - such as a sculpture or a water feature. The rest of your design should focus on complimenting that chief component of your space. This landscape design principle will guide you in seeing your backyard as a complete picture. That is, whilst your eye is drawn to the focal point of the space, the rest of its features should naturally compliment it.



children in the garden
Even when Mr A was young he has always been up for a challenge



Be Open to Change

As the saying goes, "a change is as good as a holiday", so unless you are strongly devoted to your backyard's design, always be open to the idea of change. As people go through stages of growth and change throughout life, so must your outdoor space if it is to truly reflect you and your current tastes. This does not have to be a complete tear-down of the space you have created; it could be as simple as planting different trees, or installing a different water feature.


beautiful porch
Outdoor space however small can be beautiful


By spending a few days integrating these ideas into your backyard, it will not be long until that once empty space is transformed into an expertly styled, tranquil environment. What tips have worked for you in the past? Leave your comments in the section below.

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A quick and simple Bedside Project

26/09/2014

5 comments

chalk paint project
I love the results of my mini bedside table project

So we have slowly started to work on the bedroom - we have so many projects on the go but finally got one finished - it was fairly quick and simple and I love the result. Basically took a very unloved pine bedside table and with a little chalk paint brought it up to date with a much fresher look. I also painted the wooden lamp to bring in a bit of colour.


chalk paint


I sanded the corners and door knob to give a bit of an aged feel. The great thing about projects like this is that you can have them finished within a few hours and its very cost effective and gives a rather unwanted piece of furniture a new lease of life.

up cycle furniture

Are you working on a little interior project? Would love to hear about it


Love Chic Living and Love Your Home
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Holiday sneak peak

25/09/2014

6 comments
South of France


So for those who don't follow me on instagram - I have been sharing a few sneaky peaks of our amazing holiday on there. We are finally back home after nearly two weeks away which included two  nights in Paris before heading down to the South of France and our beautiful JamesVillas Villa, exploring the coast, riding the high-speed train across the french countryside and finishing with a fun night and day in London. We celebrated two birthdays, ate good food, swam in the pool and the sea, ate cake and way too much cheese and buttery delights, saw the sights all while running after our little man.  Can't wait to share all of what we got up to with you all.


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Top Tips before heading on a Road trip

24/09/2014

6 comments

We love heading off on an adventure - in fact we have just come back from a wonderful holiday in France - can't wait to tell you all about it but first I thought I would put together some top tips when planning a road trip - even though our latest holiday was mainly spent on some lovely high speed trains we did hire a little Fiat while in France for a week and the same rules apply when making sure your mode of transport is safe for you and your family.

1. Always pack a roadmap and have an idea of where you want to go. it's lovely just jumping into a car and following the sunset but some practicalities do need to come into play, especially if your driving in another country. You don't need to spend a lot of money, a decent road map will do and perhaps a copy of local camping sites and hotels so you don't get stuck without somewhere to stay.


We would of been totally lost on our road trip to West Wales last month without our map


2. First Aid kit is essential - we always have one in the boot of the car as you really never know when you’re going to need it. Luckily we have not had to pull it over very often, and when we have it's usually just been for a plaster or some anti-septic cream but it's really important to just have a first aid kit when on the road.

3. Check your oil and water - when we left to go camping sat month we hadn't checked the oil for a while and we are so glad we did as it was really low. We always keep a little bit of oil on hand in the boot as well 2 litters of water, just in case.

4. Make sure your tyres are in good condition - this is very important and if they aren't you really do need to replace them. It can be very dangerous (and illegal) to drive with thread bare tyres and this should be at the forefront of your road trip safety. With everything being available online, you can find cheap car tyres at the Point S website which has a huge selection of the best brands and quality tyres; you won't need to replace them very often.

5. Have some entertainment on hand - make a few mix-cds and playlists - having good music while driving can really improve the whole road trip experience. Also if you’re travelling with children make sure you have a few thing on hands to keep them entertained such a few small toys as well as playing games such as Eye-Spy or Spot the Red car.




Once you have your car in order the open road is yours. You really don't have to spend a lot of money or have the most expensive vehicle - I drove down from the West Coast of Scotland to Cornwall where I camped in the back of my banged up Corsa Metro Van for a summer before having Mr A and really enjoyed every second of it.

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18 Weeks Pregnant and Nursery inspiration

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18 weeks pregnant
Mama style - Dress M&S, Jacket Topshop, Shoes Converse, Necklace Tigerlilly Quinn shop

Once again time is really flying by - we l left to go on our holiday I was 16 weeks pregnant and now I  have returned at 18 weeks and cannot believe I will soon be at the half way mark. My energy levels have started to pick up and I have started to feel little flutters and movements. The bump has really arrived now although I am still making do with the clothes I have for now such as this soft jersey knit dress I was given for Christmas last year. Lately I have also been opting to relaxed and casual trainers as being on your feet with a 4yr old and pregnant can be hard work.

I have started to get a little bit of the nesting feeling creeping in and have started to do mini spring cleans around the house. At some point we are going to have to think about the nursery, which at the moment is our very cluttered box room/office space in the eves. We are going to keep things fairly simple due to the small size of the room and I have been putting together a few ideas together and thought I would share my inspiration with you


simple nursery
I love this simple scandi nursery (image)

cloud mobile
How cute is this cloud mobile (image)

cool baby nursery
Love the pops of colour on the wall (image)

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Styling up your new kitchen

22/09/2014

6 comments
I love these bar stools and drop down lampshades (image)


The kitchen is an expensive room. From the jazzy appliances to the little extra bits and bobs you can’t quite live without, this will always mean the cost ends up skyrocketing. It can also be a tad too clean cut for my liking and can often do with an injection of personality.

If you have everything in place in your new kitchen, but there happens to be something missing (that “je nais se quoi”) then what can you do?

Go bold!

Don’t be afraid to insert even more of an impact. Kitchens often adopt neutral colours and delicate patterns, and there is a reason for it. Dark, dingy kitchens are not going to inspire the culinary goddess within you but this doesn’t mean your kitchen should fade into the background, just becoming another room.


Going bold with lettering can be really fun 


Why not try something striking for that boring back wall? For something a little different, massive lettering makes a simple and dominant feature. It’s contemporary and homely at the same time! The holy grail of home decoration.

The easiest way to get your hands on some brilliant lettering is Jonny’s Sister. Each letter costs from £6.95 and the best thing about this is it can be completely unique to your kitchen. Maybe an inside joke, lyric, poem or word that truly epitomises your home and those of you in it.”


Adopt tricks of the trade

There are certain little tips, straight from the designers, that you can opt for. They often cost very little or nothing as well:

One or two bursts of colour; instead of investing in many appliances of the same or similar hue, just pick three maximum dotted around your kitchen. They make a much bolder statement. Just remember, this works best if the rest of your kitchen is in a neutral tone.




Adding bursts of colour can transform any kitchen (image)


The rules of accessorising; go as follows, odd numbers! For some reason, grouping your accessories in odd number (three in particular) is aesthetically pleasing. Things do come in threes…

Think about the positioning; items of varying heights and sizes are much more pleasing as well as stacking and positioning at a gauntly edge.

Focus on lighting; lighting is important in any room of your home but none more so than your kitchen. With many nooks and crannies, you can get experimental. Try placing within cabinets, underneath worktops or spotlights in each corner to give the illusion of more space



I love this cute colander light (image)


Bring the outdoors in

In a room where you spend most of your time, it makes sense to transform it into something completely and utterly unique. With a family, you can pick up mementos here, there and everywhere; shells from the beach, postcards from abroad, shrubbery from a woodland walk. You can incorporate these into your kitchen.

For starters, potted plants for the empty corners and an herb garden on the shelf add life and colour. You can decorate them individually for a personal touch too.

Wall hangings that include the bits and bobs you’ve picked up on your travels are also a completely distinctive and sentimental ways to insert that all-important personality.

If all else fails, fresh flowers make a huge difference. 


Everyone knows I love having fresh flowers in the home

Nifty Storage Options

Lots of clutter needs lots of storage. The good news for you is there are plenty of options when it comes to the kitchen.

Kitchens have a notorious amount of ‘stuff’ so you need to get clever. Your storage doesn’t need to be solely storage but an extension on your theme. Classic cool kitchen styles would look perfect with wicker elements, especially boxes that can be neatly kept on the top of your cabinets or stacked in the corner. If wicker is a little traditional for your modern look kitchen, personalised tin canisters, pots and buckets will give you the finishing touches.


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Street Sunday Style: The Kids Edition

21/09/2014

3 comments
thrifty style
The very stylish Victoria from The Owl and Accordion 

Hi, Vicky here! Laura’s off on a little break, so I’m helping to fill in while she’s away – today I’m bringing a good dose of colour and pattern to Side Street Style with my usual Sunday Style post, and this week it’s all about the kids.

Autumn is pretty much here already; although the weather is still good in our part of the country (no winter coats coming out of the cupboard just yet!), the leaves are starting to turn and there’s a definite chill in the air in the morning.

A new season is a great excuse to grab a few new pieces for the kiddos, and there are some great things about at the moment; I’ve been loving the Donna Wilson for John Lewis range (there were some great sewing accessories and tote bags for adults, but that’s another post!), and Tootsa MacGinty have produced some amazing tops and jumpers which are all completely gender free and happily unisex as usual. We’re all about relaxed, colourful and quirky style in our house, so the Little Bird range at Mothercare is another one that I always buy from – I love the retro, classic style to everything, and it’s another label that makes great clothes that can be worn by both boys and girls. 



autumn kids style
Things included in the picture, from top left: Zig-zag Sweater: Donna Wilson for John Lewis // Bear T-Shirt : Tootsa MacGinty // Glitter Sneakers : H&M // Cat Leggings and Tree Leggings: Donna Wilson for John Lewis // Cat Bag : H&M // Cloud Sweater : Tootsa MacGinty // Skirt : Little Bird at Mothercare // Blue Shoes : Little Bird at Mothercare // Bobble Hat: Mothercare // Rainbow T-Shirt: Little Bird at Mothercare // Jeans : H&M // Sneakers : H&M // Pom-Pom Bag : Zara )

I don’t often buy from Zara, as there isn’t a shop near me, but they’ve got an amazing collection for Autumn and Winter online at the moment; these t-shirts are incredible, and I love the pom-pom bag featured above. Also, this mask hat is amazing!

It’s been lovely to have a change of scenery, and big thanks to Laura for having me, but I’ll be back over at The Owl and the Accordion this week with more clothes, crafts and interiors. Hope to see you there! 

Vicky
The Owl and the Accordion
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Mr A and I last Autumn, cannot believe a who year has flown by. Rocking my HM parker and thrifted demin skirt


As always you can join in with myself and Natalie from Style me Sunday for the Street Style Sunday linkup - anything fashion related goes


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Etsy Wishlist by TigerLilly Quinn

20/09/2014

9 comments
beautiful dress
The lovely Fritha from TigerLillyQuinn

Hello! I'm Fritha from Tigerlilly Quinn sharing a little guest post for the lovely Laura whilst she is on her holibobs! 

I've done an Etsy wish list. I think mainly because I've had little time to spend over there, but on a rare evening of freedom this week I found myself trawling though yet more beautiful items to add to my 'one day' shopping basket. Rock and roll ey?

I though I'd do a travel themed 'wish list' because y'know, holiday! So let's start with:

New Adventure’ journal I love that this can be used as a note book for your travels or just as a chapter of a new stage of your life!


new adventure



floral print

I love anything with a vintage floral print and this is just perfect! Look at those colours! 



Wall art


One of the places that is top of my wish list to go to..one day one day

and lastly this locket, isn’t it just perfect? To remind you of all the places in the world that you can visit!

map locket


Thanks for having me Laura!
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