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Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine book review
Eleanor Oliphant is a name to capture the imagination so I was delighted to accept the offer of Amy to share her book review of Gail Honeyman’s novel Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. I empathise with Any who has set herself a personal reading challenge for the year. I have done the same because otherwise I won’t take time out for the pleasure of reading and I am determined to do more of what I love this year. “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman is a thought-provoking, fictional read that touches the heart of the reader with its underlying darkness that is a reminder of the “skeletons in…
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Top tips for the busy working mum
Being a working mum is hard!! There never seem to be enough hours in the day to achieve everything and you often feel like your chasing your tail trying to keep on top of the simplest of tasks such as cooking dinner every evening. When I returned to work full time after having my daughter, I found it really difficult to adjust as there never seemed to be enough hours in the day. I didn’t really appreciate how valuable time management would become when being a working Mum and so I made some changes to our day to day lives that relieved the pressure a little. Here are my top…
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All Quiet on the Western front book review
All Quiet on the Western Front is a saying we hear from time to time. It is also a book and I was delighted when a blogger Elysia offered to share her thoughts and feelings about it with my readers. “All Quiet is a book that follows four 19 year old boys who join the German Army straight out of school and they soon find out that the War is not as glorious as they were lead to believe. We see the highs and the lows that these boys and their fellow soldiers face during World War 1 and we are privy to the horrors that the German army were…
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Children’s books and their life lessons
There’s something magical about children’s books. From the brilliant illustrations and imagery to the whimsical stories that unfold, nearly every person can recall their favourites from childhood. To this day, scholars, educators, and parents alike use these books as a vehicle to herald children’s imaginations and as a means to teach valuable lessons. Nearly all of our favourite classics share underlying life lessons which, as parents, we can utilize in helping our little ones develop and understand the world in which we live. This post is about our favourite children’s books and their life lessons. Invaluable created this neat infographic that details eight classic children’s books and the powerful lessons…
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Clash of Empires by Ben Kane – book review
Clash of Empires by Ben Kane is one of those chunky books that covers things in great detail. The book is the first book in what promises to be an addictive series based in ancient history. It appealed to me because I have always wanted to study ancient history but I passed it on to my husband as he was short of a book to read and I felt he would enjoy it. He was less convinced but ended up loving it. The story The story is about when the Roman legion and the Greek phalanx, the two mightiest military formations of their time, met on the battlefield for the…
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Learning through art – guest post
Maria Tecla Artemesia Montessori turned modern education on its head when, at the dawn of the 20th century, she realised that by engaging with kids physically, creatively, and out of doors it did more for their learning processes, growth, focus and retention than those endless hours sitting at a school desk. This post is about a place that is all about learning through art. When kids were free to express themselves, or were emotionally connected with the teachings, they were more open to learning and their brains fully engaged. Despite Montessori’s impact abroad, when Shannon Kenny founded Arte al Sole, there were actually few truly engaging experiences for kids in…
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Setting up a seaweed business – Jane’s story
Seaweed is in plentiful supply in the British Isles which does make you wonder why we don’t eat it more often. I hope your enjoy my interview with Jane who wondered and then set about setting up a seaweed business. I loved hearing more about her life and the really straightforward advice she offers women who are considering taking the leap of faith into a new business. Tell us a little about your childhood and teenage years I grew up in Cumbria with my mum and my sister. (My dad died when I was 2 years old). We were lucky to have a really outdoorsy upbringing with amazing access to…
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Becoming vegan and helping animals in need
Victoria Bryceson is passionate about advocating a cruelty free, environmentally-friendly lifestyle and helping animals in need around the world. She is vegan and organises a series of Vegan Events UK festivals up and down the country. She is also founder of animal welfare and education charity Miracle’s Mission. Here she tells her story about becoming vegan and helping animals in need. Becoming vegan and helping animals in need “I became vegetarian 22 years ago when I first fully realised what meat was and where it came from. I also gave up eggs and wearing any leather clothing or footwear. This is the point when I made the connection that meat…
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Create a durable bedroom that stands the test of time
Redecorating your bedroom is a lot of fun, but that doesn’t mean you want to do it all the time. It can be expensive to put up new wallpaper or buy new furniture because what you had before is no longer up to scratch. Putting together a durable bedroom setup will help you create a beautiful bedroom that stays looking lovely for longer. If you want your room to hold a timeless look for years to come, you need to make the right furniture and decoration choices to keep it smart. Not to mention taking care of the basics like clean windows, carpet shampooing and keeping your bedroom plants freshTake…
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Opening up about an unhappy marriage
It seems to be that there is a stigma about opening up about an unhappy marriage. You might feel judged that you did not get the happy ever after promised in fairy tales. I strongly feel we need to get over this stigma and speak out as best we can. I also think society including friends and family need to be ready to listen to our truths and to help us where they can. So I am very appreciative of this brave post from my friend Leanne which at the very least I hope will make people think about unhappy marriage and how they can change the status quo. Opening…
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6 reasons to use influencer marketing
Using an influencer to boost awareness of a product or service has been part of marketing for centuries. In 1760, Robert Wedgewood of Wedgewood China began using endorsements from members of the Royal Family to boost his pottery sales. In today’s digital age, influencer marketing has evolved tremendously, but its core remains the same. There are creative agencies out there like unrulyagency.com/ who bring great brands and amazing influencers together. Both sides appreciate that brokerage service. We’ve listed six reasons to us influencer marketing. 1. Your competitors are already using them Staying ahead of the game in a hyper-competitive market is vital to your company’s success. Your competitors are most…
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Becoming by Michelle Obama – a book review
Becoming by Michelle Obama is on my reading list so I am delighted to share a review of it from Bijal Shah. Bijal is a book therapist, author, poet & founder of Book Therapy where she harnesses the power of literature for therapeutic purposes. “With February being Black History Month, there’s no better book that I can think of to recommend. This is the book that I have already gifted more than 25 copies of and as a book therapist, have prescribed to every single one of my clients this year. Yes, it’s Becoming by Michelle Obama. The book has influenced me hugely. It has given me so much hope…
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Importance of sleep for wellbeing
Sometimes after a long and hard day at work, all we crave is to get home, climb into our beds and sleep. With that in mind, you’ll be pleased to know that sleep is incredibly important for us to allow our bodies to relax and replenish., as well as helping us to avoid potentially serious health implications. This post is about the importance of sleep. During the process of sleeping, many important mental and physical processes take place in our bodies. It helps to improve brain functionality, emotional wellbeing, and helps to aid muscle recovery & physical health. Research has previously suggested that around 7-8 hours sleep is vital to…
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The cost of Valentines Day for lovers
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Future-proofing your home to prevent accidents
Future-proofing your home may not be something you have considered. It is becoming increasingly vital to do so for a variety of reasons. We have an ageing population. More of us will be combining parenting and work lives with caring for elderly relatives. Even if you don’t find yourself in this position, you are getting older every day too and as most accidents happen in the home, planning ahead is a very good idea. Falls I had a fall just before Christmas. I have to admit I am now middle-aged and I remember how my parents suddenly started to have falls as they entered their fifties and sixties. It got…
