Concealer

Amazing concealer tricks to transfo...

I'm trying out a bit of a new thing today, so would be interested to know what you think and if you'd like to see more. I don't host a lot of video on...

Colossus

Planning a visit to Thorpe Park

When you've got a seven year age gap between your kids it can be hard to find something that the whole family want to do. I can say from experience th...

work-v-life infographic header

Do you feel guilty about the amount...

A couple times in the last week separate people have told me that I work too much. It's hard to believe when I picture myself taking a lunch break ...

Primary Times

The end of our Primary Times

September is going to be a big month for us. Not only is Belle leaving primary school this summer and moving up to big school, but Bee, my precious fi...

Amazing concealer tricks to transform a tired complexion

May. 24 Uncategorized no comments

I’m trying out a bit of a new thing today, so would be interested to know what you think and if you’d like to see more. I don’t host a lot of video on my site, but when Beauty and the Boutique approached me to see if I wanted to work together, I had a look and really liked the natural, accessible style of their videos. Plus doesn’t Katie have amazing white teeth?? I was hypnotised.

So, hands up who wakes up in the morning wishing for a less ‘mother of young children’ type complexion, not to mention a little help with the dark circles? If you’re hand is up, then read on. My first video from Katie, who is a professional make-up artist, stylist and founder of the awesome fashion and beauty online store that is Beauty and the Boutique, is all about improving your complexion.

It also demonstrates what happens if you bring a cat to work with you. Read more

Planning a visit to Thorpe Park

May. 24 Children 2 comments

When you’ve got a seven year age gap between your kids it can be hard to find something that the whole family want to do. I can say from experience that teenagers absolutely do not see the same attraction in soft play as five years olds. I can’t think why. Who doesn’t enjoy sharing a ball pit with half eaten cheesy puffs and sticky toddlers in a characterless, echoey warehouse?

I know I can think of barely a thousand or so things I’d rather do. Read more

Do you feel guilty about the amount of time you spend working?

May. 24 Children, Parenting 4 comments

A couple times in the last week separate people have told me that I work too much.

It’s hard to believe when I picture myself taking a lunch break at home eating my beans on toast on the sofa watching Millionaire Matchmaker, but I suspect it could be true. The trouble with the type of work I do is that there isn’t a natural start and end. I don’t go to work and come home at certain hours – (or get to wear a pretty dress and nice shoes and talk out loud to real people) – the nature of social media is that it is always there, always connecting you to other people.

This is fantastic of course in many ways, but when social is your living it can be difficult to switch off. Ask Belle, she’ll tell you – I’m sure she would happily flush my phone down the toilet if it meant I focussed 100% of my attention on her for more than about twenty minutes at a time.

“Just give me two minutes to reply to this…”

Her eyes roll. Read more

The end of our Primary Times

May. 23 Children 5 comments

September is going to be a big month for us. Not only is Belle leaving primary school this summer and moving up to big school, but Bee, my precious first-born, turns into a grown-up and heads off to university in London.

As if by way of a reminder, Belle bought this home from school this week. My last ever copy. It is a truly terrible publication, full of poorly designed ads, yet I can’t help but feel oddly fond of it all of a sudden:

Primary Times

They are actually growing up and it is leaving me feeling a teeny bit sad. Read more

30 ways to promote your blog

May. 22 Blogging 10 comments

I’ve got another infographic for you today. I can’t help it, I’m a sucker for them. If you’re a blogger though, this one is a must – 30 really simple ways to promote your blog and get more people reading your posts. That’s what it’s all about after all isn’t it? Knowing you write great stuff is all very well but it’s so much more rewarding to know that people are actually reading it.

Do you have any extra tips for reaching new readers? Please do share! Read more

COMPETITION – win a colour in t-shirt set with MiniWardobe

May. 21 Competitions 42 comments

The competitions just keep rolling in here at Slummy single mummy!

Today, following our recent review of the LEGO Wear range at www.miniwardrobe.com, I am able to give you the chance to win a Giokit of your choice.

Giokit is a new idea in children’s wear, where each piece becomes a creative opportunity. The kits contain everything that kids need to colour, decorate and customize their own t-shirt. Pretty cool, huh?

After a 40° wash, all the colours and decorations disappear and the t-shirt will be ready for another new art session. Hours of fun for those kids who prefer to draw on a wall/random object rather than paper. I quite wish they did them in grown up sizes, that way you could just buy the one t-shirt and draw a different design on it every day to look like you have a whole wardrobe full of t-shirts. That’s how it works, right? Read more

On being ill

May. 21 Random musings 2 comments

Today I am feeling Not Very Well and I don’t like it.

I don’t like it because I know that I am really not very ill at all, but still I can’t help complaining and making little moany noises to myself.

When it comes to other members of the family being ill, I am just about the least sympathetic person you have ever met – I just can’t be doing with it. When I am ill though, I put on this annoyingly feeble voice and make a sad face that irritates even me, and I can’t even see it.

“Put I am pooooorrrrlllllyyyy,” I will say, sounding like a whiney three year old.  Read more

Kids’ tutus from Baby CoCo Bellea

May. 20 Reviews 3 comments

Festival season is upon us.

(You can tell because it has been raining a lot lately.)

We’ve been to quite a few festivals over the years, and there are a few essentials that all families need at a festival. Wipes and wellies obviously are a must, as is a wallet bulging with twenty pound notes to pay for overpriced pies and chai teas, but one thing you absolutely cannot do without is a tutu.

Honestly, if I had a pound for every tutu I had seen at a festival – on everyone from babies to large bare-chested men in pink wigs – I’d have almost enough to pay for churros and chocolate for the whole family. (If I could be bothered to stand in the queue for half a day). Read more

REVIEW – LEGO wear from MiniWardrobe

May. 20 Reviews 2 comments

I’m not great at buying clothes for Belle. She has what a fashion magazine would call a ‘capsule wardrobe’, and doesn’t really like to dress outside her slightly too small skinny jeans and favourite jumpers, worn over and over. When the people at www.miniwardrobe.com gave Belle the opportunity to try something from their LEGO Wear range then, I was hopeful of expanding her clothing horizons.

Now I’m sure you are thinking, ‘LEGO Wear? Clothes made out of LEGO? Clothes for the little LEGO Characters?’ Read more

Would you hack your child’s social media accounts?

May. 16 Children, Parenting 10 comments

Facebook hacking

I was out for dinner with a couple of friends earlier this week. We were having a conversation about how scary it is nowadays that children are online so much, with access to goodness knows what, and how so much of their social lives revolve around social media. Read more