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Inspiring stories: Elizabeth from Wander Mum

October 21, 2015

It’s been a while since I’ve shared one of my inspiring story interviews. If you’ve read the last couple, you’ll know that these interviews are all about incredibly strong women and mums who have been through a lot – often more than most go through in a lifetime – yet stayed positive and never stopped believing. Each of these interviews is inspiring because they show us that even though life can throw the worst things at you, you can still come out the other side. It kind of puts our little, everyday troubles in perspective and makes me realise that they are just not worth stressing about. Today I wanted to share Elizabeth’s story – a mum, a blogger, a business woman and a wife. Her story is a little different to the others but definitely no less inspiring.

Tell us a few words about you.
Hi. I’m Elizabeth, mum to a three-year-old girl and wife to a Yorkshire lad living in London. I’m a journalist, blogger and I have my own health and beauty business too. A huge passion of mine is travel, so much that I set up a blog to record my family adventures. As well as spending time with my family, one of my favourite things is hanging out with my mates, a glass of fizz in hand, chackling away. And it really IS a loud chackle particularly for someone my size ( I’m 5’1).

But recently there hasn’t been much to laugh about, has there?
No. The past three years have been full of extreme highs and lows. The biggest high being the birth of my daughter and the low being my husband’s health. It began three years ago shortly after Paul ran his third marathon. Over the next three months he steadily felt more and more unwell with less and less energy. Eventually, when he could barely stand, he was admitted to hospital and we discovered he had the lowest blood count doctors had ever seen on somebody still walking. After many tests we were told he had lymphoma- a blood cancer. It was a huge shock.

We had never expected something as serious as cancer especially in someone so fit and young – he was 33 at the time. When the ‘big C’ is mentioned, it strikes fear into your bones. It was aggressive and advanced at stage four. I was then seven and a half months pregnant. Instead of getting excited about our new arrival, buying cots and painting the nursery, Paul was preparing to have chemotherapy. Just weeks earlier I had been diagnosed with a fairly rare complication in pregnancy, Obstetric Cholestatis so I was also in and out of another hospital. It was a crazy time.

After various tests, it was confirmed that Paul had non-Hodgkin lymphoma and it was treatable. He was put onto chemotherapy very quickly and was recovering from his first round when my daughter was born. She proved to be the best distraction and looking at the positives, he got to spend an extended amount of time with her, albeit not feeling very well, but time none the less. After eight rounds of chemo it was confirmed that the cancer had gone. It was a huge relief and we started to get on with our lives with a renewed perspective and appreciation for life.

Soon after you started getting back to normal life, tell us what happened?
At the start of 2015 my husband had been feeling a bit under the weather – a cough, cold, the usual winter ailments. We didn’t think much of it; who doesn’t get ill in the UK in winter? He went ahead on a planned business trip to Chicago but less than 24 hours after arriving he was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. I received the phone call nobody wants to get – he had bacterial meningitis.

His father got the first flight out there and I later found out that doctors had told him that it was unlikely Paul would make it through the night. That night I somehow managed to get some sleep and stay positive. I told his mum he would be alright. He had to be! After all he had beaten cancer, surely he could beat everything else? I was 3,000 miles away in London, not being able to see him or speak to him (he was in a coma) and I was unable to talk at length with the doctors. When I did, they weren’t painting a very rosy picture. He was in a critical but stable condition and the doctors had no idea how he would be affected if and when he came out of the coma as often the virus can affect the brain.

A few days later I flew to Chicago with my little girl. It was so good to finally see him even though he looked desperately ill and was in a coma with tubes coming out of every orifice. I kept calm, held his hand and chatted to him about normal everyday things and tried to keep things light. Even though he was asleep I didn’t want to make him anxious. He’s a worrier so I knew he’d have been panicking about how we’d been coping. I’ve never had such a one sided conversation – he’s not exactly the quiet, shy, retiring type! Although under heavy sedation, he managed to open his eyes and nodded when I asked if he could recognise my voice. It was a great sign!

A week later, when Paul came out of his coma, his brain scans came back clear but the bacteria had attacked his heart. This was not the end – he was told he had to have heart surgery within the next 48 hours. This was a lot for his hazy mind to take in as he couldn’t fathom where the last week had gone. The bacteria had damaged two of his heart valves and he underwent an eight hour operation to replace them with metal ones. He steadily recovered from the operation and was determined to get his physical strength back. Defying doctor’s expectations, he was let out of hospital just over a week later. Things were finally looking up and we started planning our trip home.

What happened next?
We tried to get back to some kind of normality even going on a dinner date in Chicago as a belated Valentines present. But the relief and happiness did not last long. A few days later Paul went back into hospital, struggling to breathe and they discovered fluid around his heart. Little did we know that the worst was yet to come. As he was being prepped for yet another surgery to remove the fluid he went into cardiac arrest. He flat-lined right before my eyes and was clinically dead for 28 minutes. It was the worst day of my life.

Someone must have been looking over us because the medical team miraculously brought him back to life. His heart restarted and he went into theatre to drain the blood from around his heart after he had suffered an internal bleed. It was a success and he was back in intensive care, steadily making a recovery and beginning more rehabilitation. We eventually flew home from Chicago after seven long weeks, our lives forever changed.

How and where did you find the strength to carry on functioning as a wife, a mother, a person – not once but twice?
I think you just have to! The first time with the cancer it was all a bit of a haze as I was in the late stages of my pregnancy with complications but I had a strong network of people around me including doctor friends who could decipher all the medical chat. When our daughter was born, she became the focus but also my husband’s strength and positivity helped us get through this time. The second time was far worse – I couldn’t even speak to him or see him! But I always tried to keep a positive state of mind. Sometimes it wasn’t easy. He is a tough, positive person so I channeled a lot of him and I had belief in his strength and determination that he’d get over the meningitis and out of the coma. I also wanted to keep things ‘normal’ for my daughter and that helped me put one foot in front of the other each day – I had to as I didn’t want her thinking anything was wrong. The worst bit was when she would ask about her daddy. Fighting back tears I told her he’d be back soon.

Before I went to Chicago I tried to keep as busy as I could – it was my way of coping – and I did all the jobs around the house we hadn’t got around to doing. I wanted to make the home look as perfect as possible to welcome Paul home. I had to believe he was coming home and that was what I focused on. I kept reassuring myself that he had already beaten cancer so he would fight this too. I would also think to myself ‘what would Paul do in this situation’ even for the small things like booking the flight. It helped me find strength and feel like he was there with me.

My little girl helped so much especially when we were in Chicago. She had no real idea what was going on. She wanted to go to breakfast, have a play, read books. She was the best distraction and when I was with her I gave her my full attention so that there was no dwelling on the ‘what if’s’.

Months after, every now and then, something will come back to haunt me – the enormity of what Paul went through, what I have seen and what he has survived. Most of the time it is fleeting and I push it aside but it is there and always will be. That however is the past and you have to look to the future. We have learned a lot over the past few months with the biggest lesson being how fragile life can be and therefore it’s so important that we all live life to the full. Everyday.

How did you get through the darkest moments and how did you cope with your worst fears?
As mentioned my daughter has been my absolute rock. On the day my husband went into cardiac arrest, I went back to the waiting room and there she was. I gave her a huge hug and focused on reading her a story and being strong for her, putting my trust in the medical team. I knew there was nothing I could do for Paul at that moment but I could stay strong for others and be a positive and reassuring influence when he woke up.

My best friend Emma was also amazing. She’s a surgeon and as soon as she heard my husband went into cardiac arrest, she came out to Chicago. She helped with my daughter and took my mind off things and assisted with all the medical language too. I also got so many messages of support from friends and family which meant a lot. But when it was just me and my thoughts I did all I could to shut out any negativity. The mind is extremely powerful but we can have complete control over it if we choose. In that moment when my husband was in a hospital room dying, I felt sick and was praying – a lot – but I never gave up on him. I remember saying to myself over and over “he’s going to be ok, he’s going to be ok.” I just kept repeating it over and over because for me there could be no other ending.

At the time I happened to be reading a book called The Secret by Rhonda Byrne (I recommend everyone read it at some point in their lives). It was like I was supposed to read that book at that moment in my life. It helped enormously in those dark days. It’s all about the law of attraction and thinking positive thoughts, overcoming fears and attracting good things into your life. The book really spoke to me and gave me solace. Yes, it was an awful situation but I focused on it getting better and didn’t think too much about the why. Why it happened. Why us? Why so many times? After all what would that achieve? You can drive yourself crazy. I could not change what was happening but I could control how I dealt with it and how we moved forward as a family. I am just so thankful that he is still with us. Now, when I get annoyed with my hubby or he gets stressed about little things, it’s not hard to look at what has happened and have gratitude. I usually just laugh at him and give him a big hug. There are far bigger things in life.

One of the many things you do is blog. Tell us a little about it?
Wander Mum is mainly a travel blog about my family adventures with a bit of mummy stuff thrown in and I have also documented some of what we have been through as a family over the years. I got the traveling bug after going on a round the world trip on my own after university. I did everything from skydiving to bungee jumping, climbing glaciers and jungle hiking. I had a blast and it opened my eyes to the world.

Fortunately my husband shares my passion and now it seems my daughter does too. She first flew when she was just nine weeks old and we haven’t looked back. I set up Wander Mum because I wanted to show that you can still travel with children in tow. I share my experiences and pass on advice to help inspire others to take the plunge and not be put off traveling as a family. Traveling is the best education and I want to be able to expose my daughter to many different cultures and experiences. It isn’t something I did a lot when I was a child (being one of four we stayed in the UK for our holidays) but you always want more for you children, don’t you?

What drew you to blogging?
My friend Emma suggested I do it. I am not sure I would have thought to do it if it hadn’t been for her encouragement. Sometimes it’s the things you never imagined doing that become the best decisions you ever made so always stay open minded. I love traveling and writing. I would type out stories on my mum’s typewriter when I was little and make up magazines for my primary school friends. I did an English degree and now I am a journalist so I guess blogging was the natural thing to do. I love being able to write about anything, anywhere, without any restrictions and creating something totally unique. I also find it’s a great therapy. In fact, I am finding writing this very therapeutic. I haven’t gone into too much detail about our ordeal on my blog – yet. Writing this makes it far more real! So thanks for asking me to do this. It has been a great help to me and I hope to others as well.

What has the blogging community meant to you?
When I was living through my husbands illnesses and blogging a bit about the experience I had so much support – so many lovely comments. I can’t thank people enough. To receive encouragement and reassurance is a huge boost. And knowing that my words could have an impact and help other people find strength in similar situations is an incredible feeling. At BritMums recently I had people like Vicki from Honest Mum checking how my husband was and that was really touching. Thanks to you Nomita, for asking me to do this and assuring me that my words and my experience were inspiring.

Who are your favourite must-read bloggers and why?
There are so many great bloggers out there and every week I find another – that’s the great thing about blogging, there’s room for all of us and each blog offers something different. I am forever getting tips and knowledge from other parent bloggers and I really enjoy reading the adventures of other travel bloggers and learning about new places, some of which I haven’t even heard of before.

What’s your best piece of advice for any family or anybody going through some very difficult times?
Gosh, every family has different struggles and each one is very personal. You never really know how you will react in situations until they happen. My biggest suggestion is to dig deep inside and reach that determination and grit which I believe exists in everyone. Forget what has gone before, let go of any blame and take responsibility for making things better and owning your future. Believe in yourself and never give up on you or on life! I also think it’s really important to have gratitude for all the good things you do have. I live in a safe, first world country not a war zone as many people do. For that alone, I feel blessed.

Would you change the past if you could?
It would obviously be great if my husband hadn’t had all these health issues, especially the heart surgery which means he will have to take medication for the rest of his life and has had to make a few lifestyle changes but it’s just a drop in the ocean in the grand scheme of things! It has happened and I don’t like looking back – it’s not going to achieve anything. You have to learn from what has happened, deal with it as best you can and carry on rather than dwell. The bumpy road we have gone through has only helped make us stronger, more supportive and made us appreciate life, each other and what the world has to offer even more!

Life changing events like these really do help give perspective and put value on your life. It sounds a bit morbid, but you never know what is around the corner or what is going to happen so always make the most of everyday. I don’t sweat the small things half as much as I used to – there really are bigger things in life and unfortunately, as we get older, we are bound to come across more challenges. I just remind myself that I am lucky to still have my husband and my daughter has her daddy. On the flip side, although my husband was terribly unlucky he was also incredibly lucky to be in America, close to an excellent hospital and with quick thinking colleagues who got him there in time. Things could have been a lot worse.

What’s next for you – both professionally and personally?
Who knows what the future holds? It’s kind of exciting in a way. Paul is doing really well. He is getting his fitness back and planning to run an 8 mile race soon. I’m looking forward to taking on any new opportunities which come my way. You never know what is around the corner. I will continue working on all my different interests: my journalism career, my business and keep growing and expanding my blog – there’s still so much I want to do with it! As a family, we are looking forward to more travel, exploring new places and spending time together. With any luck, we would like to grow our family at some point but one step at a time. We have each other. We are in a good place now and really looking forward to the future. But please, if my hubby could have no more health issues that would be perfect!

Wow. What can I say? Elizabeth and Paul have been through so much and yet they have both remained so positive and determined to come out smiling the other side. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Elizabeth while interviewing her and I was so struck by her lack of self pity. And more than that, in every difficult situation wallowing in grief was never an option – for Elizabeth it was always about staying positive and focusing on what she could do rather than dwelling on what she couldn’t change. In the midst of it all Elizabeth even wrote a post on why she felt lucky. Elizabeth’s words and attitude are so inspiring for any situation in life, no matter how small or big. Be positive, be determined, look forward and most of all do what you can to make things better rather than wasting time and energy on what you cannot change. Thank you Elizabeth for sharing your inspiring story with us and if you want to read more, check out Elizabeth’s blog – Wander Mum.

Bloom & Wild: Flowers through the letterbox

October 8, 2015

I once read that Elton John spent £300,000 on flowers in less than a year, simply because he likes flowers. Excessive? Maybe but who doesn’t love flowers? I certainly do and if I could be surrounded by an abundance of fresh flowers in my home everyday of the year I would. But since I’m no Elton, I have to settle for flowers once in a while. When I do get them, just looking at them brightens my spirits even on the gloomiest of days. So when Bloom & Wild offered to send me a bouquet, I couldn’t say no. I was especially attracted to Bloom & Wild’s offer not just because of the beautiful flowers but also because of their very clever idea of letterbox flowers.

So, what are letterbox flowers? Letterbox flowers are simply flowers that fit through a regular door letterbox – such a simple idea, but aren’t the simplest ideas always the best? In the past, receiving flowers hasn’t ever been a complete surprise for me because every time my hubby or a friend sent me flowers, they would call to check if I was going to be around to take a delivery so I kind of guessed what they were up to. But now, if you want to surprise someone with flowers, how lovely that you don’t have to check when they will be home. And when they do come home, they will find a box of flowers waiting for them – enough to make anybody’s day special.

I was a little concerned that being in a box the flowers may not be as fresh as flowers delivered in water but I needn’t have been. They were absolutely beautiful as you can see. And as a bonus many of the flowers hadn’t bloomed which means I got to watch them open up and I will get to enjoy them for longer. As these flowers come flat in a box, you have to arrange them yourself. For me, this was a positive – the flowers come with a card that suggests arrangement ideas and I loved doing it myself. There are four different letterbox flower bouquets you can choose from – either as a one off or you can get a 3 bouquet bundle, delivered over a period of your choosing. With the bundles you end up spending less than £20 per bouquet so it’s very good value too, especially as the bouquets are generous with many stems.

Now that I’ve discovered these flowers that fit through a letterbox, I can”t wait to surprise a friend. It’s such a nice way to let someone know you’re thinking of them. And in case my husband is reading – let’s just say I love surprises especially if they involve flowers! (hint! hint!)

Autumn by Donna Wilson + a giveaway

September 28, 2015

The adorable raccoon and bear socks in my ebabee shop have been a huge hit. They are the cutest, quirkiest things and look so cool on chubby little legs. But today it’s the turn of the adults. I have some quirky adult socks that I am giving away. So if you’re one of those people who like to wear your colourful socks and curl up on the sofa or in front of the fire, this is for you. These fun socks are by none other than Donna Wilson and I am giving away two pairs – a his and hers. And even if not for you, with the festive season coming up, these Donna Wilson socks would make fun gifts for someone. To enter the giveaway read on.

I have been a huge fan of all things Donna Wilson for a long time. If you already know Donna Wilson, you’ll know that her designs are always colourful and playful. The designs are just as much for adults as they are for kids which is what I love about her creations. So I wanted to share some of my favourite pieces from her gorgeous new AW collections. How cool is that women’s bear shawl? It’s a super cute shawl but I also love it as a rug or a throw on a kids bed. And the new melamine plates and bowls are really quirky too like that hungry wolf tray which I love for adding a bit of fun to my kitchen. Now back to the giveaway.

THE GIVEAWAY: One lucky reader will win two pairs of adult sized Donna Wilson socks. One pair for her and one pair for him. The winner will receive the women’s flower socks (fits UK shoe size 4-7) and the men’s mountain bike socks (fits UK shoe size 7-11). To enter simply leave a comment on this post and you can also follow my facebook page to stay in the loop. The giveaway closes on Monday 5th October at midnight (UK time). Any entries after this time will not be counted. Sorry, this giveaway is open to UK readers only.

This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thank you to everyone who entered. The winner is Lisa Hilton – congrats Lisa!

P.S. I’m guest posting over at the very trendy Paul et Paula blog today so take a look.

5 high-street skin care favourites

August 11, 2015

While I do love a bit of a beauty splurge, there are some high-street skincare products that I cannot live without. I’ve always envied the Americans because they have such a great range of drugstore skincare and beauty products that don’t cost the earth. We may not have quite the same variety here but we do have some gems that I swear by. I’m not normally brand loyal when it comes to skincare but I can definitely say that these five products have been a part of my life for years and will be for many more years to come. You may have come across some of them but I thought I would still share them here and tell you what I love each one most for:

1. Soap & Glory Hand Dream – If you can overlook the bright pink packaging then this is the best hand cream I have used. I have tried many, many, many and most have been far more expensive. I have found that most hand creams are either too greasy or the non-greasy ones don’t moisturise effectively enough. But this Hand Dream cream does both – moisturises really well and you have none of that greasy film on your hands after.

2. Carmex moisture-plus lip balm – This lip balm is a lip balm with a hint of colour. You can get sheer peach, sheer pink or berry. This lives in my handbag as it’s not only a great little lip moisturiser but it also adds that hint of colour to your lips when you don’t want to wear full on lipstick. It’s my go to subtle lip colour especially for the school run. Also, I prefer lip balms like this one that you apply like lipstick – no sticky fingers!

3. Bio Oil – I’m sure bio oil isn’t new to many of you but I still wanted to include it because I think it’s such a useful oil for so many reasons. A friend recommended bio oil to me when I was pregnant and I used it religiously on my tummy – I didn’t get a single stretch mark. It could be luck but I swear by it. I also love it for any really dry patches of skin especially in the Winter months and it even makes a great face moisturiser, again when the weather is particularly dry and harsh.

4. Tea tree oil – tea tree oil is a great natural anti-septic with so many uses. What I love it most for though is acne. While I don’t suffer from adult acne, I do get the odd spot. As soon as I can feel it coming, I put a little tea tree oil on it a few times a day and before I know it the spot goes away and never really appears. I’ve also heard that it’s great for naturally preventing lice in kids – all you have to do is add a couple of drops to the shampoo and then shampoo as normal. We’ve only recently started doing this and no lice so far. (Always remember to buy 100% pure tea tree oil.)

5. Vaseline lip therapy – for the best lip balm that works, nothing beats these little tins of vaseline. But I especially love it as a base for my lipstick. It just makes my lipstick go on smoother and it looks better applied and I also find it makes my lipstick last longer. These tins come in five flavours – cocoa butter, aloe vera, rose, original and they also have a sun protection lip balm. The cocoa butter one is my favourite.

All of these skincare products cost less than a tenner but they really deliver great results. I couldn’t live without them! Do you have some high-street skin care favourites? Please do share.

A chat with Magda Rams of Kids on the Moon

July 8, 2015

Do you know Kids on the Moon? It has to be one of the coolest kids brands ever! The clothes all tell a story, it’s about art meeting fashion but beyond that the clothes are always so practical and comfy for kids to wear. Anya has clothes by Kids on the Moon so I know how easy they are for a kid to wear and still do what kids do. The fabrics too are always practical and designed for repeated wash and wear. I have featured their collections here in the past and now they’ve launched a brand new line of clothing for modern mums called By the Moon. Instead of just sharing both the collections with you I thought it would be fun to chat with Magda, the amazingly talented designer behind both the kids and mums range.

Tell us about Kids on the Moon?
Kids on the Moon is a brand that uses dreams and magic to make children’s clothes. Natural materials and colours are mixed with a lot of imagination, storytelling and fantasy. The brand is created by three women who also happen to be mothers and who spend their days traveling between the moon, the earth and planet Venus. Kids on the moon was created three years ago by Magda Rams, the brand’s designer who designs every collection and whose sense of style defines Kids on the Moon.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?
That’s easy – I always wanted to make clothes. Also as a kid I used to dream a lot and still do. I find children very inspiring and designing clothes for them is a true pleasure.  On one hand there are no limits to the imagination and fantasies come to life, on the other you have to be sincere and true  to yourself as kids naturally shun fads and fake hypes. That’s why at Kids on the Moon we use natural colours and  comfortable but original styles. The brand is about lightness manifested in a beautiful, well designed manner.  Our motto is no gravity – there are no limits to our creativity. Kids on the Moon is where fantasy meets good design  and quality. Our collections tell stories from dreams.  The brand’s name and concept give us unlimited possibilities – just like space or a kid’s imagination.

What led you to start Kids on the Moon?
Kids on the Moon is a natural almost organic outcome of an art education, a career in the fashion industry and being inspired by my own kids. I’ve always looked for professional independence and wanted to enjoy what I do. One of the objects that has always been with me is my great-grandmother’s sewing machine. Ever since I remember I was always trying to sew something on it. Kids on the Moon must have been written in the stars for me.

You create incredible collection after collection. How do you do it?
At the very beginning, there is a world in which our collection will be set. This world is a mixture of children’s fantasy and the world of nature with a dose of a grown-up imagination and of course the world of fashion, literature, film and art. A careful eye will notice quotes from Kubrick’s films, from Mad Max, David Bowie and more. As a brand inspired by the moonlight and space in general there is a lot of cosmic themes but we are not limiting ourselves to it. Our current summer collection OCEANIA puts together oceans, lunar seas and …grunge. In autumn we will get inspired by the TOTAL ECLIPSE and see what happens when the moon takes over making the sun vanish for a while. So the upcoming collection will be, as always full of mystery, magic and of course – moonlight.

Do you experience creative block? How do you deal with it?
Creative blocks happen to everyone. They are a sign that you need to rest and relax, do things you enjoy, run bare feet with your children, read a book and listen to music. So creative blocks are like little vacations – they pass as soon as you start enjoy them 🙂 (I love this quote – it’s something I’m going to remember and use!)

Aside from your own, which kids clothing line really inspires you?
Featherdrum – for that holiday feeling all year round.

And lastly, if you weren’t a kids clothing designer, what would you be?
I have always been attracted to fashion – so I am sure if it hadn’t been for Kids on the Moon I would design adult clothes. In fact this is happening already as we have just launched Kids on the Moon’s older sister – a brand called BY THE MOON. It has been created for all mums and grown up women who live by the sun and dream by the moon, who value comfort, lightness and a little bit of magic every day.

Thank you Magda for your inspiring words. I am loving the new modern mum collection just as much as the kids collection. And remember the next time you experience creative block, treat it as a vacation and it’ll fly by!

*I’ve linked up to Mummy’s got style Fashion Friday.

Quick and effective make-up remover

June 29, 2015

Last weekend I treated myself to a new make-up remover and cleanser in one. I decided to try something new as I wasn’t crazy about the one I was using. With my old one I had to clean my face about 3-4 times to get all the traces of make-up off and another couple of times to ensure that all eye make-up was gone too. One of the last things I do at night is remove my make-up – I force myself to do this even though the temptation is to just go to bed especially knowing that that school day alarm will go off, no matter, what at 6:30am. With my last makeup remover this annoying end to the day was taking so long that occasionally I wouldn’t bother to completely remove my make-up. I’d have a quick swipe and leave it at that. Not a good idea so I decided that I needed to try something different that would hopefully be a lot quicker and easier to use.

I’ve used Ren products before and have liked them so decided to try their express all-in-one makeup remover. I think I’ve found what I was looking for. This creamy cleanser removes make-up so well and quickly. I did have to cleanse a couple of times to remove all traces of my mascara and eye-liner but that was it – no going back several times. I love the feel of this cleanser too – it’s really smooth and silky and made my skin feel soft and clean after using it. And Ren use mostly natural products in their skin care range so there are no nasties like parabens, sulphates and other harsh chemicals. I also love that Ren feels like a luxury brand but doesn’t cost the earth. Anything that makes my beauty routine easier and quicker without compromising on my skin makes me happy and this Ren express make-up remover does just that. So if you’re looking for quick make-up removal then this could be the answer for you too.

I should add that this isn’t a sponsored post – I bought the product and liked it so I thought you might enjoy hearing about it too.

Collected for mama and baby: Colour blocking

June 25, 2015

Colour blocking is a trend that’s been around for ages and it’s thankfully not going nowhere. It’s such a simple way to add so much style to a look. Especially if you’re more of a minimalist and don’t want busy prints and patterns, a simple colour block dress or skirt is the answer. Just like that blue and white shirt dress that pops so much more than if it was plain blue or plain white. You can create your own look too by pairing two solid colours together. I’m loving the colour block look for mums and babies and definitely will be wearing something similar over the Summer (if it ever comes!).

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Quick and easy eyelash curling mascara

June 8, 2015

Who has time to curl their lashes everyday before getting out the door? I know I certainly don’t. I can barely make it to the school gates on time as it is, so adding steps to my beauty routine in the mornings just isn’t an option. I’ve often said I like time-saving make-up and beauty products that still work well and do exactly what they promise. And if I find any goodies, I will share them here.

I’ve long been a fan of Benefits ‘they’re real!’ mascara as it is probably the best mascara I’ve used in ages. So last week when mine ran out, I headed back to the Benefit counter to get another one. When I got there something that I hadn’t seen before caught my eye – a new curling mascara. So I asked a few questions and then tried it for myself. The new mascara from Benefit is called roller lash and it’s all about curling and lifting your lashes without needing to use a curler beforehand. I snapped it up and I’m really pleased with it. It definitely curls and lifts and makes your eyes look wider and more open. And it cuts out the need for curling your lashes first so saves time too. In truth, I hardly ever curled my lashes beforehand as I am somehow always doing my make-up in a hurry, no matter what time of day. But I have straight lashes so always had the best intentions of doing a bit of curling. Now I don’t need to and that makes me very happy! I think I may have found the best curling mascara for me.

Benefit’s roller lash will probably be even more effective if used with ‘they’re real’ mascara but for me, I’m quite happy to stick to one for the time being. It lengthens a fair amount and curls well so I’m pretty happy with the results. If you look especially on the left eye in the pic above you can see what I mean. I am already a Benefit cosmetics fan as they are one of the brands that I’ve found that really do what their make-up claims to do and also products like this curling mascara that save me time are always welcome in my beauty bag. What’s the best curling mascara you have tried? Any recommendations?

I should add that this isn’t a sponsored post – in fact none of my beauty posts are sponsored. I buy things I like the sound of, I try and if I like them, I share them with you.

Inspiring stories: Rachel from Bear Good

June 2, 2015

If you read my first inspiring stories interview then you’ll know what these interviews are all about. Today it’s time to meet another incredibly inspiring lady who is also a mum. Everybody has setbacks in life – some have bigger setbacks some have smaller – but we all have them. It’s not these setbacks that define us but how we deal with them. So I hope to share stories that will inspire us all and help us to realise that no matter what, we can achieve those dreams and goals. In today’s story, despite numerous delays, setbacks and medical problems, a gorgeous handmade teddy bear brand was created and launched.

Meet Rachel Beasely who is the founder and designer behind Bear Good – a range of traditional teddy bears made in England that are given a contemporary twist. But Bear Good isn’t just about the bears, it’s also about doing good. Read on to find out more about these bears and about Rachel’s story of sheer determination.

Tell us a few words about you?
I’m a mum of two – a 3 year old girl and an 11 month old boy – who are both the apples of my eyes! I’m originally from Yorkshire but have been in London for almost 15 years. I used to be in advertising and marketing but then took the leap in to entrepreneurship and tried a few different things. In 2012 I had the idea for Bear Good and the rest is history as they say. A pet hate of mine is noisy eaters – I can’t sit next to them as it drives me nuts! Only adults though, I don’t mind kids eating noisily which is a bit strange!

What has been your biggest struggle so far?
Getting my business launched! You have a plan in your head but then things happen that you have no control over. I planned to launch in February 2014 but the products were late so I had to delay. I was also pregnant with my second child and due to deliver very soon. Unfortunately my obstetrician didn’t listen to me about my past medical history and gave me some incorrect advice which resulted in a traumatic birth leaving me with severe back problems. On good days I experienced pain but on bad days I couldn’t even get out of bed. I learned to cope with this as there was no choice.

Things got progressively worse with with my back throughout the Summer of 2014 but I wanted to focus on the positives in my life like becoming a mum for the second time and enjoying my son. I knew I couldn’t give the business all the time it deserved but I tried to look at what I could do. I decided I could slowly build the website myself just to keep things moving and planned a soft launch just before Christmas 2014. However on December 1st my back finally gave way. One minute I was stood up and the next I was on the floor.

The next few weeks are a bit of a haze! On December 19th, the day before my birthday, I was wheeled in to hospital for an injection in my back. A few hours later I was wheeled out the same way as the injection hadn’t worked. I had another in early January which enabled me to shuffle along. But then I had an operation on my back on 16th January and the change was amazing – the following morning I was sat up in a chair having a cup of tea after having been for a short walk!

Where and how did you find the determination to carry on with your plans?
Aside from my family, my business was something I could focus on that wasn’t related to my back. And because I had committed to a charity already I didn’t want to let them down. Financially I’d invested a lot too so giving up just wasn’t an option.

A lot of people in your situation would have given up on their dreams. Did you ever feel like giving up? And how did you pull yourself out of those dark moments?
Oh yes! I felt like giving up plenty of times! Especially when the pain was unbearable. But I had the love and support of a great family who helped me get through this. My mum practically moved in with us to help keep the house ticking so that my partner didn’t have to worry about the washing and ironing. My partner was my rock. At my lowest points he picked me up and helped me see a future past the pain, past being in bed and running around with the kids again. I had six weeks post-op where I couldn’t pick my baby up and when I did it was wonderful, as was getting my daughter on my knee for a cuddle. I also kept imagining my company being successful and achieving the goals I’d set myself. So I can’t believe it but I launched the website a couple of weeks after the op. Looking back, launching the site then was probably pretty stupid, but I think I just needed to close a chapter and open a new one.

Tell us a bit about Bear Good. What inspired you to make teddy bears?
It wasn’t so much about the bears to start with but more the idea of interweaving doing good with a business. We were told that having children would be difficult for us. Following a lot of mountains climbed and hurdles overcome we welcomed our daughter in to the world in 2011. I felt very, very lucky to have been given this gift and I wanted to protect her, nurture her and ultimately give her everything I possibly could. Filled with all the new mum wonderment (and exhaustion!) I started thinking about all the children out there who haven’t got a safe environment to live in, a nurturing loving family, good healthcare and access to quality education. I knew I wanted a shift in direction post-birth, so combining my business and branding background with the urge to do some good at the same time led me to come up with Bear Good. The company has been built on a real commitment to giving, so much so that we give 10% of our sales to the charity and the non-profit we support. This means donating is intrinsically built in to our business model as the charity gets their share come what may, rather than being profit share based.

As creatives we are always looking for new ideas and ways to make them a reality. Tell us how you look for inspiration and how you turn that in to a teddy bear?
The teddy bear is the flagship product and my inspiration came from imagery of children carrying a teddy bear. It said to me that there is a whole lot of love from a child to their bear and that’s the kind of love that we want to pass on to the children we are trying to help. I also recognised that to be a bit different we had to look again at design and I opted to go classic where high quality is part and parcel, design is simple and there is somewhat of a legacy created. After all, we are aiming at the gifting market where someone is looking at buying a gift that is incredibly special and meaningful for a special occasion like a birth.

A teddy bear is for life. I wanted to make sure I made bears that would last a lifetime, that a child could have adventures with and it would still be in one piece in years and years to come. Yet I didn’t want them to be old fashioned. So whilst the designs are classic, the fabrics are contemporary like moleskins and corduroy. We wanted to support British manufacturing as much as we could so the fabric has been sourced from a mill in Todmorden, Lancashire. The bear’s t-shirts are all inspired by the American raglan motif t-shirts from the 70’s. Perfect for everyday wear and gifts alike. I love them and would wear them if I could!

I’m really excited to say that every child that has come in to contact with them wants to take them home – the bears have a real personality to them are just waiting for good homes to go to!

What’s the best part of running a small business?
As most mums would agree, life with children is busy and non-stop. So the flexibility I have makes life much easier as a family. I also like the fact I can make my own decisions and put my ideas in to action.

The world of soft toys is so incredible these days. There is so much choice out there for any budget and taste. Apart from your own, which soft toy creators do you admire?
I adore traditional teddy bears, I love Lucky Boy Sunday softies as the designs are wonderful and I also like Sew Heart Felt puppets. Of course Jellycat has to be in there too – my son and daughter both have different characters whom they love.

What is your best piece of advice for anyone who has suffered big setbacks in life?
Don’t beat yourself up if you have to change your plans. If you need time to heal, take it as it will pay back ten-fold in the long run.

Would you change your past if you could?
I would have listened to my gut instinct in the hospital as I honestly believe I wouldn’t have been through this if I had. The times when I haven’t listened to my gut instinct are the times when things have gone wrong.

What’s next for you both professionally and personally?
Professionally I am aiming to build the Bear Good business quickly to make up for lost time. Personally I am making my back as strong as it can be in the hope that I never have to go under the knife again. On a lighter note I am already planning Christmas 2015 in my head as I missed that, my birthday and the new year last year so I want to make this one really special for my partner and my children.

Thank you Rachel for sharing your inspiring story with us. What I loved most about getting to know Rachel was that giving up was never an option for her. In our chats and messages to each other I got a real sense of sheer determination from Rachel. Nothing would stop her achieving her goals and making her dreams a reality. As Rachel explains, apart from family, it was visualising those very goals and ambitions that kept her going through her darkest days. Giving up may seem like the only way in short term and who would blame you if you did under such circumstances but if you slowly chip away at your goals, they can and will become a reality no matter what life throws at you along the way. Do take a look at Rachel’s gorgeous one of a kind teddy bears that would make a lovely gift for a new baby or an older child especially to mark a special occasion.

P.S. If you have a story of overcoming a set-back (of any kind) and would like to share it, please get in touch – I’d love to hear from you (only requirements are that you are a parent with a blog or business but if not a parent you have a baby/kids related business). You can get in touch privately through the contact page or send me a private facebook message and we can chat more to see if it’s something you would like to share.

Friday chat: How much tech is too much?

May 22, 2015

The other day I was told a story about a three year old girl who was given a book. She opened the book and she tried to press it. She then started sliding her finger to get the pages to move. She continued pressing, sliding, scrolling and got increasingly frustrated when nothing happened. This child had never seen a real book before. Her only experience of books had been electronic. I haven’t made this up even though I wish I had. This was told to me by someone who knew the little girl, while we were discussing technology and kids. And that got me thinking, how much tech is too much but also is there such a thing as too little?

People often ask me if I let Anya use my ipad and other devices and how much I let her use them. The answer is yes, I do let her use the devices but there are rules and restrictions. Since I’m asked a lot I thought I would share some of the things I do to limit her use of iphones and ipads. I do believe that our kids are growing up in an age where technology is everywhere and that they need to be exposed to it as it is so much a part of our lives. And there are a lot of good things about technology so I want it to be a part of her life but not take over and or become her main source of entertainment. So here are a few things I do to limit her ipad time:

1. She has to ask before using the ipad/iphone. She can’t just help herself!

2. We treat the ipad like a treat! So just like any treat, she knows that it’s not something she can have everyday but instead it’s something that can only be used once in a while. But I never use it as a reward.

3. If she asks for it when I don’t think she should have it, I suggest another activity rather than just saying no. So I’ll suggest colouring, dressing up or anything else that she loves doing and this often works because thankfully children forget easily! Or if that fails, I will suggest reading together or something else we can do together.

4. When she does get to use it, I usually limit her time and tell her that upfront. Then when times up, it’s up. Sticking to your resolve really counts here because the inevitable ‘5 more minutes, please, please, please’ will always happen. (Of course , there are times I’ve given in to extra time especially when I’ve got stuff to do myself – naughty mama!).

5. Buy books. Lots of them – story books, activity books, colouring books. And keep books accessible so your kids can reach them easily. I’ve found that a new book for Anya is far more exciting than a new app.

6. There are certain situations where I don’t allow the ipad at all like mealtimes and car journeys because once you allow it, I think it can easily become the norm. So sticking to never is easier for me and for Anya because she doesn’t ever expect it at these times.

7. Obviously don’t buy them their own device because that’s just asking for trouble. This might sound very obvious but I actually know 5, 6, 7 year old kids who have their own ipad and it never fails to shock me no matter how many times I come across a kid with one.

There is one exception I make to all the above and that’s when she wants to listen to music because she loves music. Right now the ipad and iphone are our only sources of music so if she wants to listen to something I never stop her. In fact I encourage it.

We all know kids learn by example so the amount of screen time you have will have an influence. I rarely watch TV but I am guilty of spending too much time on my laptop and this has naturally influenced Anya and her tech consumption. I’m trying to make sure that once she comes home from school I shut off and then do anything pending after she’s gone to bed. There are days when I manage this but there are others where I fail miserably. What can I say – I’m still a work in progress!

Having said all that, there are times when rules go out the window. I’m not perfect at following my rules and especially recently with all our house renovation upheaval she has had more ipad time than I would have normally allowed. But sometimes you just have to do what makes life easier and not feel guilty about it.

What do you do to limit your kids screentime? Any tips for all of us? Or do you prefer your kids never to use ipads and iphones? I’d love to hear in the comments.

P.S. This is a fun book on tech vs. real books to read with kids.