A couple of weeks ago I went to Paris! Fancy. It was the same trip where I went to the cemetery, and that old Parisian man made me chase around after him through the graves.

I wasn’t in Paris though just to rub the crotch of a dead man, I was primarily there to attend the E-Fluent International Conference. The E-Fluent conference has been running for five years now and is essentially a way for bloggers and brands in France to get together and learn more about each other. It’s hosted by French magazine Parole de Mamans and this year the conference became international. Groups of bloggers from all over the world attended, including me!

E-Fluent blogging conference View Post

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Belle has been invited to a sleepover this weekend. She’s pretty excited about it. I’m excited too as it happens to be the night that Fiancé and I have tickets to see Reef at Glastonbury Town Hall, so that all fits together very nicely thank you very much.

Last night she gave me her friend’s mum’s phone number so I could text and check the details.

‘Hello!’ I text. ‘It’s Belle’s mum here! What time would you like me to drop Belle off? Does she need to bring anything? We have a roll out bed if that would be useful?’

Damn, I felt like such a grown up. I’ve never been in the position to offer a roll out bed before and I felt super fancy.

The bed in question is a Bundle Bed and we have had it for a few months now. It has been very useful, and we’ve used it quite a few times already for sleepovers and camping trips. It’s basically a whole bed that you can pop away into a handy roll. They do some really lovely colour combinations – we have this one:

Bundle Bed review View Post

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If you had said to me, a couple of weeks ago, ‘Beano Christmas gifts‘, I’d have said annuals.

That’s it isn’t it?

You know that big display in WHSmiths where you can always buy one get one free on annuals of stuff you’re not sure you’ve ever even heard of? (Seriously, what actually are Shopkins please?!)

This week though I’ve made a discovery.

Beano now has so much more to offer than annuals!

In fact Beano has this whole online Beano shop full of really cool stuff, like Dennis the Menace t-shirts for men, spud guns, stationary, cards – all of the things. You can even buy comic subscriptions – they are currently offering 13 issues for just £17, with a free Beano beanie worth £13.99! That’s a pretty good deal.

Christmas gifts Beano View Post

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Coming up to Christmas, one of the things I love most about the season is snuggling up in some amazing pjs with a cheesy Christmas film or an episode of Death in Paradise, some nice biscuits Belle has baked earlier that day and of course, a cup of tea. Total Christmassy bliss.

Recently however I realised that while a lot of pyjamas may be cosy and nice enough, it’s really hard to come by those pairs that really make you feel special and look amazing too. I thought this might be a gap in the market, and as your pyjama choices during this season of ‘lying around on the sofa a bit more than usual’ are very important, (first world problems), then I have put together this list to give you a bit of Christmas pyjama inspiration and show you some of what I, basically a pyjama connoisseur, think makes for some spectacular nightwear.

(Or at least a bit better than the big purple fleece nightie with a bunny on it I wore for about 10 years.)

Desmond & Dempsey – basically everything from this range

I love this range because as soon as you look at it it OOZES class. (Like me.) Even people like me who are hopeless at knowing if things are supposed to be expensive or not can just tell that these are good quality. I picked out this shirt especially because the style is unlike everything I’ve ever seen before and is cute as well as cool, so right up my street, as I am both obviously. All of the patterns are really nice too.

Christmas pyjamas for women View Post

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These t-shirts from Son of a Tailor are genius.

If you’ve been wondering what to get for Christmas for your husband, dad, brother, awkward nephew, then your search is over. You’re welcome. (Plus read on and I have a discount code.)

Son of a Tailor make custom fitted t-shirts for men, totally bespoke, made to order, exactly as you want them. You simply buy a gift card, and it comes presented like this, making it an ace looking present.

Son of a Tailor discount code

Inside you get a tape measure and a gift card, with a code to create a free t-shirt. Free international shipping is included as standard. They have really gone the extra mile here to turn what could have just been an emailed discount code into something really special. (You don’t get the cotton reels – you’re not expected to make the t-shirt yourself – that’s just me being fancy with props.) View Post

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I mentioned a little while ago about how difficult I am (apparently) to buy presents for. Essentially it’s because I’m just not that bothered about stuff. 

Sometimes though I fall in love with something totally random, something that no one that knows me would ever have thought to buy me. My new bangle from Infinity & Co is one of those things. I’m sure that if my mum or sister for example walked past this in a shop, they wouldn’t in a million years choose it for me, and yet…

See how sparkly it is?!

Infinity & Co competition View Post

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I was going to start by saying something like ‘I love Cornwall’, but then I realised that’s probably about the most obvious statement ever. I mean, have you ever heard anyone say ‘Oh God no, I hate Cornwall. All that beautiful coastline and those picturesque fishing villages? Not my thing at all.’

Nope.

So let’s take it as a given that Cornwall rocks, and I’ll just tell you about the hotels we stayed in. 

Our first night was spent at the Royal Duchy Hotel in Falmouth. We were very pleased to have been invited to Falmouth actually, as my Dad and step-mum moved there last year, plus my step-sister and her family live down there, so we could get to hang out with them for a bit, which is always nice. I have a rather adorable two year old niece down there, who is just about the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen, so most of our hanging out time was really just me gazing at her.

Anyway, the hotel.

Safe to say it was FANCY with a capital FAN.

It felt like a cross between one of those classic seafront hotels, with the big picture windows overlooking the sea, and a luxury city hotel, with sleek furnishing and top notch finishes. But the right bits of both. The communal areas were cosy and friendly, and the service was impeccable. The staff made a real effort to chat and to make sure you had everything you needed, and we spotted quite a few older people dining on their own in the evening. I always think that if you have regulars who are happy to come back again and again, on their own, then that says a lot about the quality of the service.

First things first though, we went up to our room and I did a little tour. I have to remember to take photos and make my videos as soon as we arrive at a hotel, as we are so messy when we’re away – within about five minutes it looks like six suitcases have exploded in the room, and that’s not aspirational for anyone.

I made fiancé wait outside in the corridor, hid our bags in the wardrobe, and made this for you:

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I recently got approached by Vileda. They wanted to tell me about the Windomatic – a very cool little gadget to help you clean windows.

Now, you might think that cleaning windows is actually pretty dull but you’d be WRONG. This is a perfect example of why I love blogging, and life generally to be honest, because anything can be turned into something fun if you put your mind to it. (Except maybe really horrendous things, like severe food poisoning.)

So first up I’m going to tell you a bit about the Windomatic as it is genuinely very cool and normally I’m rubbish at cleaning my windows. Then I’m going to show you a video I made all about my favourite views in Somerset. Because ultimately we don’t clean our windows because we have some kind of deep respect for the glass, we do it so we can look through the window at the view, without just seeing grubby fingerprints and smears, and feeling generally ashamed of our housekeeping skills.

So stay tuned. It’s going to be awesome.

First up then, the Windomatic. To set the scene, it’s essentially like one of those hand held vacuum cleaners, only wet. With me so far?

You charge it up and when you’re ready to clean your windows you just start as normal – warm water or spray or whatever you might use. Then instead of using a squeegee (never written that word before, very cool) or a bit of old newspaper, you use the Windomatic. It has a squeegee end (still a funny word), but at the same time it sucks excess water or cleaning products up, leaving your windows dry and streak free.

Vileda Windomatic View Post

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As you know, the run up to Christmas is my very best bit. Come Christmas afternoon I am done, but the eight weeks or so beforehand are magical. I love the anticipation, buying presents, eating mince pies – all of it. I’ve drunk an entire bottle of sherry already. (Not in one go.) Advent calendars then are big for me. We have a candle too, although I do sometimes forget it for a couple of days and then have to frantically burn it for an entire day to catch up.

There has been a noticeable trend over the last few years away from the boring old cardboard advent calendars to more exciting, indulgent varieties. Playmobil and Lego versions are popular, but the trend has expanded into other areas too, noticeably alcohol (yay!) and make-up.

I thought I’d pick out three of my favourite advent calendars for you, on different themes, in case you fancied treating yourself this year.

Luxury chocolate advent calendar from Godiva

This one is more traditional in that it’s chocolate, but this is not one of your crappy Poundland chocolate advent calendars, where the chocolate tastes a little bit of plastic and despair – this is the daddy of chocolate advent calendars. 25 of your finest Godiva chocolates, including things like ‘the Eclat Feuilletine, which boasts the appreciation of crispy feuilletine pieces that contrast sublimely with smooth praline.’

You know it must be good if you don’t even know what the words mean.

Godiva advent calendar View Post

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I want to talk to you today about cutlery.

There are some things in life that, for me, represent adulthood. They’re a sign that you’ve made it – that you’ve made the transition from studenty type who can’t afford anything that matches, to proper grown up who has things like mugs that are actually beautiful, rather than just a collection of random gifts and 1990s Easter egg freebies.

Cutlery is one of those things.

Both of my sets of grandparents had strong cutlery games. I could describe their cutlery sets to you now, even though they’ve been dead for years. Both kept their cutlery in sideboards next to dining tables that were actually used to eat meals at, rather than to ‘store’ important documents and style photos of pretend meals. (Like I do.)

My cutlery drawer on the other hand, has always been a shambles – mismatched knives and forks that I’ve accumulated over the years, which often double as tools when I can’t be bothered to look for a screwdriver. It’s the cutlery collection of a 22 year old.

UNTIL NOW.

Now I have the cutlery drawer of dreams. I have a set of Robert Welch Malvern cutlery.

Ooh!

Robert Welch Malvern cutlery View Post

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Wednesday last week did not quite go according to plan. I’d meant to get up super early, and be in work before nine, but at 8.15am, when she’s normally just about leaving for school, Belle came in and woke me up. She was in her pyjamas, looking sleepy.

‘It’s 8.15,’ she said, groggily.

‘Oh bugger,’ I said, jumping out of bed.

We scurried around making lunches and what not, and ten minutes later I was at the door, ready to go. I was still in my pyjamas and slippers, but really, details.

I stopped for a second and sniffed the air.

‘My pyjamas smell of Michael Bublé,’ I said.

Now that’s a line you don’t imagine you’ll ever say out loud isn’t it?

Of course they didn’t smell of actual Michael Bublé. I imagine that in real life Michael Bublé smells of cinnamon and Christmas trees and freshly pressed white shirts. This was the smell of his new perfume – By Invitation. I had invited it onto my wrist the night before, and it was still going strong.

Michael Buble By Invitation perfume

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“I’m pretty sure we’ve been to Longleat before,’ I said to fiancé, “but I’m not sure when. I know it was rainy though.”

Except I can actually tell you exactly when it was – it was the May half term in 2012. This, my friends, is the beauty of blogging. You can just Google your own life, and tada! Here is the post, should you want to see proof. My (weirdly small in the original post) photos show the effects of the rain quite clearly – we basically saw a lot of animals huddled under damp logs. There are a couple of monkeys in this picture, I promise:

Longleat monkeys

Second time around then, and I had high hopes for a slightly better safari experience. We had been invited to visit this time as Longleat is celebrating its 50th birthday, and there is a lot of cool stuff going on over the summer, like the pride of Longleat parade every day at 6pm in the main square.

Happy birthday Longleat! View Post

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