My Dream Bathroom

A month ago we moved into our new home, and boy is it in need of a makeover.  First to go is the dining room carpet and wallpaper - seriously, what year are we living in??!!

Next up is the front room, the carpet is soo stained it's horrible.  How can anyone have lived like that?

Fortunately although they need making over the bedrooms aren't too bad and can wait.

The bathroom - well that's a tale all to itself.... it's functional, so in that respect it's going to be the last thing in the house to be done finance wise, despite the fact that after my bedroom it's my second favourite place to unwind and really needs to be somewhere I love to be.

Lush: Yog Nog - Soap

If you love egg custard tarts you will find it very difficult not to eat this soap.

From it's lovely buttery gingerbread colour to the Christmassy scents of clove and nutmeg it is perfect for bringing a little bit of festive into the middle of Summer.  Combine that with a sweet cocoa smell and you have a little bit of heaven in a bar.

Review: The Rough Guide to The Lake District

It seems ages ago I was telling you all about my budget holiday, and I suppose it was - way back in February, what with moving house and work and blogging it has just flown.

This week I've got a few days off coming up and we've been trying to work out where to go and so I dug out my holiday stuff, guide books, maps things like that and remembered I'd not told you about a lovely book DK sent me in February.  I'd mentioned to them about going on holiday when they send me the fabulous Factivity books to review and they tucked some bonus treats into the box for me and the kids, among these was "The Rough Guide to The Lake District".

This book was so helpful both planning on holiday, as it is set out in a really easy to read format and covers all the popular touristy parts of the Lakes.

Books for Sale or swap

I've done it.... have taken a big de-cluttering step and cleared out my bookcase.

Some of these books are well loved, some brand new.  Some hardback, some paperback.

All for sale at 50p each + p&p (this will depend on size/ weight of book), payment via paypal.   Alternatively will swap - I'll link my book 'wish list' up when I've done it.

If you live in/ can get to Sheffield then happy for collection in person.

Lush: July haul

This week I had a crisis.... I opened my box of lush products to find there were no bath bombs in it.  Sure there was a small amount of blue skies left,  and a small bit of something orangy but I wanted a nice fizzy poppy wizzy colourful bath.    There was only one thing for it,  I needed to go shopping.

So on Sunday me and the boys headed into town.   They had the best time as the assistant took them over to a bowl of water and let them make their own potion of different colour bath bombs.  She then entertained them with massage and shampoo bars while mummy shopped in peace (have you ever considered opening a creche? ).

And as for mummy,  my stash has been revived for another month with some lovely new products (well new to me) finding their way home to tell you about in the next few weeks.

The comforter

Twilight

Big Blue

Fizzbanger (Ok this is an old favourite of mine)

and

Phoenix

I'm trying to persuade the husband I need a trip to London to the Oxford Street store but at £100+ for train tickets I don't think he's warming to the idea.  :(

Tesco Orchard Review: Summer Fruit with a dipping chocolate sauce

At the Ideal Home Show I happened upon an impromptu 'cooking' demonstration on melting chocolate and it gave me a great, messy,  treat idea for the kids......

   

... combine that with the fact Ben has suddenly got a passion for cherries, don't ask me where it's come from but suddenly they are his newest obsession.   Every time we walk past the greengrocers he asks for them but they are really expensive and personally I don't like them  (which made him even happier when Tesco provided us with some vouchers to try theirs for free).  We also picked up some British strawberries with our vouchers. 

   

Moving House: Empty Boxes

Well we're unpacked (sort of, in a fashion).  Don't you hate those first few months in a new house, everything had it's place in the old one.  Yes granted that might have been in a box but it was in a box in THAT cupboard, you know that one you no longer have and now you have that box sat on your bedroom floor because you just can't work out what to do with it now.

Anyway I digress, what do you do with the empty cardboard boxes?  Well if you are us you spend a sunny (well it was until we got outside when if kept drizzling on us) Sunday outside building a castle.

I asked Noah to take the boxes outside

Tesco Orchard Review: Steak (2) - Homemade Steak Pie

We love a good steak pie in this house but it's rare we have it.  Shop bought ones are a big no as they always contain onion which no one in this house will touch so the only time we have it is when mummy has time to cook.

This was the perfect opportunity to make one.

Made in Sheffield: Panache (part 2)

Welcome to part 2 of my Made In Sheffield: Panache blog post, I hope you enjoyed part 1 looking at the history of Panache and it's ranges.  This part brings you the creative processes involved in bringing you a new season and what's next for Panache (except I appear to have misplaced my notes so this may be revisited when I find them).