● Laura Thornberry ● Lifestyle Blogger ● London Based ●: Search results for SUSTAINABLE

AD| Are you thinking of making improvements to your home in the future? Making improvements to your current or new home can be a difficult challenge to get correct, but with the right planning in place, the process can made be a lot easier and smoother. Home improvements and renovations are often expensive, disruptive and stressful, so it’s imperative and important that you take every possible step to suitably prepare yourself for the journey ahead.

Maybe you’ve got some home improvement projects of your own that you're currently thinking about and unsure where to start. With the warmer weather on its way during the spring and summer months of the year, many people start to think about decorating, transforming their homes and making their home dreams a reality. Whether you're adding an extension, rebuilding your kitchen space, changing your garden space, giving your bedroom a makeover, or even cleaning and repairing your home's guttering. There are a number of factors to consider before jumping straight in, and listed below are 6 things to consider when making future home improvements.

Have A Detailed Plan

Whatever the size and scale of your home improvements project, it can really help to get your layout thoughts and design ideas down on paper, to help plan and visualize your proposed suggestions. Having a number of drawn out plans and sketches can help you figure out what is best suited towards your needs, and will also help you work out how to get the most out of the space you're working with. It's also quite essential to make notes of the amount of space you have, so taking measurements will help you to figure out your future layout plans and what will work where. Another important part of the planning process is to keep a list of everything you're doing or planning to do, and tick if off once it's complete, as this will help you to keep on top of the overall project.

Cost And Budget

Many home improvements come at a high cost, so it would be best to have a reasonable budget/enough savings in place for your projects. The cost of home improvements will also be looked at during the planning stages of your projects, so you can estimate the costs of each step of the plan. If there isn't enough money to go around, you should prioritize the most significant or urgent improvements. For example, new gutters from a company like Clean Pro Gutter Cleaning Olympia in order to prevent roof leaks, or a new kitchen that replaces inefficient old appliances. Vanity projects can wait until you have the savings in place. You'll obviously be looking around to get the best deals, the best materials, and if you're hiring professionals, you'll want the best quotes for the job. Cheaper isn't always better, so do your research. By hiring well-reviewed professionals, you know that you will receive high-quality work at the best price. Whether your budget is big or small, the cost of your home renovation plans can quickly add up, so it's essential to make your future plans work in a way that is financially sustainable for you.

Consider Self-Storage

Whether you're only decorating one room of the house or making improvements to your entire home, self-storage might be something worth looking into to free up some much-needed space to allow you to get work started. Now Storage self storage in Reading offers self storage solutions for both personal and business use, and can tailor the cheapest quote for your personal needs, which could be very handy for keeping larger items safely stored during the home improvements process.

Do Your Research

Every home project starts with extensive research, carried out long before you commit yourself to spending any money. You can research your desired home improvement plans through various means, whether that's viewing houses for sale/your dream home for interior ideas, looking online on websites such as Pinterest, or even looking through home magazines and catalogues. Making sure to do enough research into your future home improvement projects can save you time, money and energy. With making changes into your home a reality, it's important not to rush into anything, as this is usually where things go wrong and complications happen due to poor planning and research.

Have Realistic Timeframes

We all know that home improvements don't happen overnight. All building work, renovations and DIY projects can take a substantial amount of time, depending on what ideas you have in mind. Again, it could be worthwhile using your plan as a way to measure the amount of time each job requires and if you have any specific deadlines that need to be met.

Think About The Future

If you think that you may wish to sell your house in the future, it may be sensible to think about how the proposed home improvements you wish to make could affect that. There are many home improvements that you could plan for and implement that can really benefit and add value to your home. If you don't believe that your current space is your "forever home", this can change and impact the home improvement plans you currently have.

What home improvements are you planning for the future?

10:00 No comments

With my first recipe post of 2021, I wanted to start focusing on sharing some of my favourite, "healthier" recipes to help inspire those looking to try out new things. With the start of the new year, many of us are looking to change our lifestyle habits, change our diets and improve the way we eat. Rather than making drastic changes to our diets, smaller and more maintainable adjustments can be better overall, as we are more likely to stick to them and they are a more sustainable way of living. Something I'd like to focus more on in 2021 is creating new recipes and using new ingredients in order to branch out my culinary skills and to try new foods.

Luckily for me, I'm not very fussy when it comes to trying new things and there isn't many foods that I actually don't like, so it's extremely easy for me to find a new recipe and follow it. But for this post, I wanted to share a favourite of mine for when you're lacking inspiration and want to make something super quick, doesn't require many ingredients and is pretty tasty too!

For me, avocado toast is a great alternative snack for when you're in a hurry or struggling for new ideas come breakfast or lunch time. If you need your meal ready in under 10 minutes, this is your go-to recipe for sure! There's so many options for additional toppings, you'll be spoilt for choice. Sometimes I like to have it plain as shown in this recipe post, other times I can enjoy it with smoked salmon and boiled eggs, with chargrilled vegetables and balsamic glaze, but you can make it over and over again, and the recipe will never always have to be the same. If you're looking for a super quick and easy healthy snack option, look no further. Bursting with flavour, give this lightly spiced and super garlicky Avocado And Feta Toast a try and tell me what you think!

Prep time: 8 minutes Cooking time: 2 minutes

Total time: 10 minutes Serves: 1

Ingredients:

2 medium slices of bread

1 ripe avocado

dried chilli flakes

garlic granules

salt

black pepper

lemon juice

2 tbsp feta cheese

Olive Oil

Optional extras - smoked salmon, eggs, sliced red onion, cherry tomatoes, black olives or chargrilled peppers

Method:

1. Cut your avocado in half and add into a small bowl. With a fork, slowly start to break the avocado down.

2. Sprinkle over the garlic granules, chilli flakes, salt, pepper, and lemon juice and mash until chunky.

You can also add a splash of oil olive too if you prefer it creamier.

3. Place your slices of bread in the toaster, cook until golden brown.

4. When toast is ready, spread avocado mixture over each slice. Add your optional extras here.

5. Top your toasts with crumbled feta cheese.

Add a drizzle of Olive Oil, and an extra sprinkling of chilli flakes for that extra kick!

Enjoy your Avocado And Feta Toast!

What are you current go-to breakfast and lunch recipes?

10:00 1 comments

AD| Over the last year the pandemic has seen the majority of workers across the world begin working from home, turning kitchens, bedrooms and living rooms into office spaces. This new way of working has led to many organisations adopting a hybrid working approach, or completely shutting down their offices. With working from home definitely here to stay, it is important to make sure you switch off after the working day to ensure your mental and physical health is not affected.

Here’s 4 ways to switch off when working from home, allowing you to make the most of your home life; from exercising to socialising, there’s plenty of ways to unwind.

1.Get active

Once the working day is over, unwind by getting active. Whether you hate the thought of working out, or simply can’t find the motivation, push yourself and find the time to unwind after working. Exercising can be very beneficial if you work from home, as it gets your body moving after being stuck at a desk all day. It also increases your endorphin levels, resulting in a positive effect on your mental health.

If you’re looking for some inspiration on how to get started, you'll find plenty of workout videos available on fitness apps and YouTube. Alternatively, get a gym membership which will give you the opportunity to get out the house and socialise, providing more benefits in regards to your mental and physical health.

2.Enjoy the outdoors

After a long day you may be tempted to settle down on the sofa and watch Netflix for the evening, but you’ll feel much better by going on a walk to enjoy the outdoors and taking a break from your screen. One of the key benefits of working from home is the lack of commuting, so as soon as you finish work, put on your walking socks and grab your boots to step outside for a lovely walk with your loved ones and take advantage of the fresh air. Alternatively, take a stroll at lunch time to give yourself a break in the middle of the day or in the morning before work to wake up and refresh your mind for the day. Challenge yourself by using a step counter on your phone or smart watch to push yourself even further.

3.Create a workspace

It can be difficult to switch off when you work from home, especially if your desk is located in a room where you spend most of your free time whilst you’re at home. It’s highly recommended that you set up a home workspace away from your bedroom and living room so you have a healthy balance between work, sleep and play. You should also set up a sustainable working environment by treating yourself to a comfortable chair and spacious desk which is suitable for your needs.

4.Be sociable

If you spend the whole week working from home, it’s important to socialise as you’re missing out on the social interactions of office life (apart from the occasional video chat!) Ensure you plan activities to look forward to each weekend, no matter how big or small they are, so you’re spending time with other people. Planning activities of an evening can also give you something to look forward to at the end of the working day and help take your mind away from work.

If you're looking for evening activities, try going to the gym or an exercise class, video chatting friends or family and going out for dinner. During the weekend you could go out for a meal and drinks, take a trip to the cinema or do something different and host a garden party to enjoy the sunshine with your friends and family.

Start following these tips today to help plan your life so you can switch off and relax outside of your working hours and make the most of your evenings and weekends.

How do you switch off if you are currently working from home? Do you have any favourite hobbies or activities?

10:00 No comments

AD| People all across the world are becoming more environmentally-conscious, more eco-friendly and helping to contribute to a more sustainable way of living. By making some changes into your day to day lifestyle, not only are you helping to protect the environment, you can even save you money at the same time. Here are some easy and small changes you can make in your everyday life to help live a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

Recycle Where Possible - This is probably one of the easiest and quickest ways to become more eco friendly and make a bigger impact on the environment. Recycling simply prevents the waste of potentially useful materials and allows them to be reused and made into something else. Materials like plastic bottles, glass jars, paper, cardboard and metal can all be recycled and reused, helping to decrease the amount of landfill waste and allowing these recyclable materials are reprocessed into new products.

Avoiding Single Use Plastic - Eliminating single use plastics from your life is a perfect place to start and is something that doesn't have to be hard work to maintain. Some changes that can be easily added to your day to day life include investing in a reusable water bottle, using metal straws, purchasing loose fruit and vegetables, using reusable canvas shopping bags for your weekly shop. The list is endless, but just adding a few of these to your normal routine will slowly begin to help the environment.

Less Food Waste - Being more mindful of the food we purchase and consume can have a good impact on our environment, as well as your bank account. One of the simplest ways to avoid food waste as a consumer is to buy less. Simply things like batch cooking/freezing, trying out new recipes with ingredients you already have, checking your cupboards for ingredients before going food shopping, writing a shopping list, and even growing your own food can help you become more eco-friendly and eco-conscious.

Replace Old Windows / Insulation- Investing in new double-glazed windows can help to make your home more energy efficient - meaning that your home retains more of its heat, and you'll save money on heating. Good insulation means you don’t need to burn energy reheating the home all of the time. As well as changing existing windows, insulating your walls, roof and flooring can have a big impact on keeping your home warm and can save you money in the long run. Three Counties Windows specialise in windows, doors and conservatories, offering high performance and cutting edge technologies to get the best out of home improvements.

Turn Off Electricity - Another simple task that can be done everyday, and help you save money. By checking all appliances, electronics, light switches and plug sockets are turned off when not in use or when leaving a specific room of the house that isn't occupied. We can also draw open the curtains and use natural lighting to keep our rooms lit up and save electricity this way.

Hang Clothes Out To Dry - Avoiding using the tumble dryer is a perfect way to save money on your electricity bills as tumble dryers are one of the most expensive appliances to run in the home. When we get the occasion sunny warm autumn/winter day, it's a great opportunity to allow your clothes to air dry on the washing line.

Invest In A Compost Bin - By simply having a compost bin in your garden, you can recycle your food waste and turn them into compost. There's so many food items that can be composted, you would be surprised. From potato peelings, banana skins, egg shells and much more, this tip will have you cutting food waste dramatically and help you make your own compost for your garden.

What changes have you made to become more eco friendly at home?

14:31 1 comments

AD – GIFTED| Looking for special and unique gift ideas this Mother's Day? Why not opt for something a little more personalised and choose from some stunning wall art, posters, or prints to bring a smile to their face all year round.

The Poster Store offer a wide variety of sizes for all posters, prints, and frames online – from 13×18 to 70×100, allowing you to pick the best pieces for your Mother's Day gifts or for the size space in your home you have to decorate. The online collection of unique prints will help you create the perfect gallery wall, tailor-made for any home. All the posters are printed on sustainably produced high-quality paper, helping to minimise any damage to the environment.

Lasts Longer Than Real Flowers

Many people often by real flowers for the mums on Mother's Day. We all know that they look great, smell nice, add some vibrancy to any room and will always go down a treat. However, at some point they will begin to wilt and die, and soon enough will need to be thrown away. A printed version will last a lifetime – perfect for those who want pleasant memories to look back on, or just want to be more sustainable with their gift choices.

A Gift That Can Always Be On Show

Prints are the perfect gift for the home or office, and would always make a great addition to the walls or shelving units in the living room or bedroom. By selecting wall art as your gift, the recipient can display it in their home to help add some interest, and will remember you each time they see it during the day. It will be a long-lasting gift that can be cherished for years and years.

Personalised Gifts for Everyone's Preferences

Art makes a great gift because it can be so personal to the recipient, and there are a wide selection of art styles to select from the Poster Store. You'll definitely be spoilt for choice. In my opinion, florals, nature and botanical themed artwork is the perfect choice for Mother's Day – think scenic landscapes, soft and delicate florals and beautiful photography. If nature isn't your thing, they have other poster categories such as animals, typography, fashion and vintage, to name a few. With the vast selection of different themes & categories for all tastes, and new poster collections released all the time, there is undoubtedly something for everyone, so you'll never be stuck for choice.

To complete your posters and prints, there are a variety of high quality frames to purchase in different colours and sizes. I opted for the stylish copper frame, as I felt this really compliments the pinks that are used in the floral image, and offers a beautiful contrast to the poster. It also brings a sense of luxury and class, making it a great gift for someone special.

If you're interested, you can use code LTHORNBERRY for 40% on all posters (except Selection Posters and frames). Not combinable with other discount campaigns. Valid from 14th to 16th March.

What gifts for Mother's Day will you be purchasing? Would you consider buying prints and posters?

21:16 No comments

AD| When purchasing jewellery for gifting purposes, it can be extremely hard to find something suitable for the right price. Ideally you want to pay a good price for the perfect piece, and that you know is worth the price tag and is made to last. Many jewellers these days are mass producing the same pieces, making them widely available to everyone, but have you ever considered purchasing something slightly older, timeless and antique? Antique jewellery can be just as statement and stunning as newer made jewellery pieces, and can really be worth the investment. For a piece of jewellery to be considered antique it has to be 100 years’ or more old, this really gives the item some character and allows you to see the detail and quality from the time it was produced.

Whether you're one the lookout for rings, necklaces, earrings or bracelets, here are a few reasons why antique jewellery would make the perfect gift for anyone, and why you should consider it over new jewellery pieces.

Antique jewellery items have been made to a high quality and finish, as they are almost always hand-made or hand-finished with such incredible details. These pieces would have been produced by experienced craft men, allowing these jewellery pieces to be the best of the best. These jewellery pieces are specially designed often creating intricate and unique designs on a bespoke basis, rather than for the mass market.

Items can be a good investment if purchased from a reputable and well established jewellers, such as carusjewellery.com. You'll be under the impression that these fantastic jewellery pieces have been well looked after and kept in pristine condition. It's also worth mentioning that purchasing antique jewellery has a huge impact on the environment, as this way of sourcing pieces is much more sustainable and ethical. Investing in antique jewellery pieces is a great way to minimise wastefulness and be more environmentally friendly, and is one of the easiest ways of conserving precious resources. You'll also be supporting smaller, local businesses instead of mass corporations, which can be very rewarding to know.

One of the main advantages of buying antique jewellery is that you are almost certain not to find someone else wearing the exact same piece. Antique items are more unique and not mass made, making them extraordinary timeless pieces that can really make a statement in any jewellery collection. Many antique pieces were often handmade so even similar pieces are slightly different and you can almost guarantee your piece will be one of a kind.

When choosing antique jewellery items, you can really search for the perfect piece, specially personalised for the person receiving the gift. For example, you could purchase a piece that reflects the person's birthstone, or a piece is made reflecting a certain style that they like. For me, my birthstone is diamond, so this ring would be perfect. Researching into buying the perfect antique piece of jewellery can be really exciting, and can really make the gift more sentimental, more special and more thoughtful.

Overall, researching and hunting down the perfect antique pieces of jewellery maybe tiresome work, and may take some time to find the exact piece you're looking for, but it is definitely worth it in the long run. Not only do you have a memorable piece of history, but you will also have such a unique product that will really make a statement in your jewellery collection. You'll be able to wear your timeless piece of jewellery year after year and it definitely wont go out of fashion any time soon!

Would you consider purchasing antique jewellery?

09:00 1 comments

AD| Do you want to increase your fitness and stamina levels, but are unsure or don't know where to start?

Whilst being stuck at home through the current coronavirus pandemic, it can be extremely easy to lose focus on exercise, working out and becoming much lazier than usual. Many people are finding these lockdown rules and guidelines extremely hard, with feeling lonely and demotivated, but during these times it could be a perfect opportunity to refresh yourself and make changes to your own personal life for the better. Having slightly more time on your hands could help you to begin getting your lifestyle much healthier, improve your mental health and begin your journey to feeling and looking better, and there's not place better to start than at home.

A recent blog post of mine shared some essential fitness, workout and lifestyle tips, that could be a great place to start when trying to improve/change your lifestyle for a more positive outcome. Just adding some simple swaps and changes into your daily routine could really kickstart your goals for a more healthy lifestyle.

One of the biggest changes to help improve your fitness and stamina at home is to switch up the food/drink that you have and opt for healthier options. A balanced diet helps you get the much needed nutrients, vitamins and minerals your body needs to work effectively on a daily basis. Making sure to get good sources of proteins, carbs and fats are essential for your body, and shouldn't be restricted too much. By eating the right foods, and the right amount for your body, you will be fuelled for the day and able to workout for longer periods of time, therefore managing to increase your fitness and stamina levels over time.

Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health, whether that's the physical or mental side of it. It has so many benefits, including improving your overall fitness/stamina levels, helping you to destress and reducing your risk of many diseases. Exercise can come in some many forms that there is definitely something that everyone can take part in and enjoy, with activities such as walking, jogging to running, or even yoga, weight training or cycling. Walking is one of the easiest ways to get more activity into your day, lose weight and become healthier, so this might be a good starting point for those working from home to get some exercise in each day.

Getting plenty of rest is completely necessary when exercising and training. Including rest days throughout the week allows time for recovery, is essential for muscle growth and gives your body time to replenish energy stores that have been used. Rest days are also important because they help prevent injury and fatigue, meaning the next time you exercise you'll feel stronger and fitter.

Something you may be unfamiliar with is Inspiratory Muscle Training. IMT is scientifically proven, as well as recently recommended by the World Health Organisation to benefit patients with respiratory illnesses, as well as healthy people, including athletes. Powerbreathe are a company who have been making Inspiratory Muscle training tools for many years, focusing on exercising the inspiratory (breathing in) muscles, helping to improve strength and stamina, as well as reducing signs of fatigue and breathlessness. These IMT devices work by creating resistance when breathing in, which in turn strengthens your breathing muscles by making them work harder than usual. Powerbreathe have devices suitable for everyone, to suit all budgets and support all fitness levels.

Hydration is a key part of your daily routine, regardless if you're trying to improve your fitness and stamina. Up to 60% of the human adult body is water so it's essential to keep hydrated. Drinking enough fluids and making sure to get enough water into your body is vital for everyday bodily functions, and will help to maintain your concentration and performance levels.

Set Goals. The goals you work towards, however big or small, should still be challenging you but also be realistic enough to make them achievable. Starting off small is probably the best way forward as you can slowly build up strength, fitness or stamina levels over a period of time to help you progress at a sustainable rate. It might also be helpful to reward yourself when you reach your goals, in order to keep you motivated and push for more.

How are you keeping fit during lockdown?

10:00 No comments

AD| Have you recently had a wardrobe clear-out, and have found yourself with bags full of unwanted clothes? If the answer is yes, you may not know exactly what to do with these, but have you considered selling them online?

Our home, wardrobes, clothing rails and drawers are sometimes filled with clothing items that we are hanging on to and simple cannot to throw out. However, sometimes, it's a good option to declutter your home and sell your unwanted items online. You could also consider giving the clothing to charity, with items that no longer fit, doesn't fit your fashion style, or hasn’t been worn for a long period of time. If this is something you are currently considering, then here are 5 top tips for selling your unwanted clothing online.

When you are looking to sell your unwanted clothing online, the first thing you need to consider is what website you wish to use and feature your items on. There are such a variety of websites and apps designed to help you upload your items in seconds, and get selling with a few clicks. Websites such as Depop, eBay and Vinted are just a number of places that can help you sell your unwanted belongings, and start earning some money from this.

Making sure to have an in-depth description of the items that you are selling will ensure all the important details are in place for your potential customers. You will probably need to include details such as price, brand, size, condition, and measurements. This will help your customers completely understand exactly what they’re buying and will end up reducing the amount of questions asked you may be asked about the items for sale.

Another vital part of selling your unwanted clothes online and securing that final sale is by ensuring your photographs are clear and appropriate for the item in the listing. Consider using good, natural lighting to show off the item exactly how it is, without any filters. Also, ensure the background of your photographs is neat and tidy, consider using a plain background that clearly highlights your sale items.

When selling your unwanted items online, you may need to answer any queries or questions that your potential customers may have. It's significant that your customer service is both professional and friendly, and always aim for the quickest response times possible. This can often help you build a trustworthy and reputable relationship with your customers, and can help you secure repeat business.

When you've finally secured a sale, it's time to get your item prepped for shipping. This is where you will need to consider your use of packaging. When opting for packaging to use, it's a good option to select something more sustainable and eco-friendly to avoid having a damaging impact on the environment. You'll want to make sure your packaging choices are durable and strong, to ensure they arrive with the customer in the best condition possible. There are a wide selection of bespoke packaging options to choose from that can help you reduce your plastic use, minimise postal costs and give your customers a fabulous first impression of your products.

Have you sold any of your unwanted clothes online? What are your favourite websites and apps to use?

13:00 No comments

If you've not heard of Estrid then I don't know where you've been hiding. It's the sustainable razor subscription service that EVERYONE'S been talking about, and I just had to give it a try. After reading a whole load of amazing reviews, I decided I needed to see that all the fuss was about. I wanted to see why Estrid was so popular and why everyone was raving about the subscription service.

No fuss! No cuts! No more bad shave days? You got it!

"Hair removal should be optional. Great hair removal shouldn’t. That’s why we’ve created Estrid."

First of all, the Estrid razor is pretty sharp. Featuring 5 blades for a closer, smoother finish. From the very first use, I was super impressed and my legs had never felt softer. The blade itself features a completely vegan moisturising panel, encased in Cocoa Butter, Aloe Vera & Shea Butter, helping to avoid any shaving rashes or bumps too. I found that the cartridge was super easy to clean, and any hair that was removed didn't get stuck within the blades like it can with some disposable razors. The steel handle is made to such a high quality without the expensive price tag. It feels heavy in your hand, and makes me feel as though I have greater control over my shaving and the direction of movement from the razor. No cuts, no scratches and definitely no razor burns.

In terms of cost, the pricing for the first subscription is super affordable. The £7.95 starter kit includes; 1 steel handle, 1 wall holder and 2 razor head cartridges. Then by continuing with the subscription, you'll get sent four replacement cartridges for £9.95 in the post as often as you want. No strings attached - cancel anytime! This is the perfect razor service as I'm so forgetful, and never seem to purchase new razors when I need to, so the fact they come direct to my door is game-changing!

"Every purchase makes a difference. Estrid feels different and makes a difference, too. For every purchase you make, we donate a portion to Kvinna till Kvinna, Medica Mondiale, or the Fawcett Society, all of which work to support women and gender equality around the world."

Have you tried Estrid yet?

10:00 No comments

AD - GIFTED | If you've been on the hunt for the perfect educational Christmas gift ideas for your children, look no further!

If you've got young children in your family, whether that be your own children, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, or any other young friends and family members, the lead up to Christmas can seem very chaotic and overwhelming at times. Christmas shopping can be extremely busy and a tiring experience, especially when you're unsure of what to buy and you have no Christmas gift ideas at all.

For children in particular, there is such a variety of gift ideas that will be suitable for Christmas. During this time of year, there are plenty of advertisements everywhere sharing a variety toys and games, clothes and accessories, and other fun Christmas activities that would be great gift ideas for children. Toys and games make amazing gift ideas as they are something that can be used time and time again, can help improve your child's learning and will never ever get boring! Whether you opt for family-fun board games, wooden or educational toys, or even some cute soft plush toys, you're bound to put a smile on your child's face this Christmas!

Soft Toys

Soft toys are such a cute Christmas gift idea, and there is such a large selection of soft plush toys to choose for. Soft toys are suitable for all ages, whether your child is a new-born, toddler or an older child, you will be able to select toys suitable for their age range, and as well as this, you can purchase toys according to which cartoons or animals are their favourites. In particular, younger children and babies love to explore, love to touch and feel new textures - soft toys can play an essential role in helping to develop sensory skills and encourages some social and emotional interaction.

Educational Toys

For me, educational toys are a good all-rounder gift for anyone, but as a child, you are always learning new skills everyday and will always improve on these skills with daily practice. Educational toys come in all shapes and sizes - whether you want your child to improve mathematical skills, reading and writing, problem solving and logic, motor and coordination skills, there is definitely something suitable for all age groups and abilities.

A great education toy that I have found is the My First Calendar. This magnetic calendar is the perfect gift idea to encourage children to learn simple life skills and use the days of the week, dates, months and seasons of the year, and also the different types of weather. This reusable calendar gift idea offers a fun way of learning as it is very easy to use, as well as being colourful, attractive and eye catching - it's something they can hang up in their bedrooms and interact with daily to help with their visual learning and life skills. The My First Calendar can always help with promoting independent learning, as it can help children with reading, pronunciation and spelling, as well as helping them to associate different months of the year with seasons and to recognise what type of weather usually occurs during different times of the year.

Board Games

Christmas time is all about spending quality time with your loved ones, and there is nothing more fun than spending time playing your favourite family board games. Board games can provide countless hours of fun, social interaction and challenges, suitable for all ages and abilities. For children, playing board games assists with early learning as they are important for a child's mental and social development. Many games feature a wide variety of tasks and challenges, and may offer practice with focus and concentration, mathematical, logic, problem solving and hand-eye coordination skills.

Wooden Toys

For a more eco-friendly, sustainable option for your Christmas gift ideas, wooden toys are a great choice. Wooden toys don't require electricity or batteries, making them incredibly long-lasting and durable. These types of toys can be used over and over again without any damage, which would be a good idea to get for young children who can continue using these wooden toys whilst they are growing up.

Wooden toys come in all shapes and sizes, whether it's building blocks, puzzles and jigsaws, or even board games, there is plenty to choose from. A product I have come across recently from Jaques of London is the Shut The Box Wooden Game. Shut the Box is a straight-forward dice based game that offers an introduction to simple arithmetic, mathematics and numbers. The object of Shut The Box is to use all the numbers on the board, or 'shut the box', determined by the throws of the dice.

Arts and Crafts Activities

For children who love being adventurous and creative, or just love to their hands dirty, choosing the perfect arts and crafts activities could be the perfect gift idea. Arts and crafts activities allow children to be creative, imaginative and experimental, and is something that is definitely suitable for all ages and abilities. Whether your recipient loves drawing and colouring, painting, making models or even textiles, arts and craft activities have such educational value, it's definitely something to consider as a Christmas gift.

What are your favourite toys, activities and games?

12:30 No comments

AD - GIFTED| Looking to invest in some silk pyjamas but unsure of the benefits?

We spend around one third of our lifetime sleeping and because sleep is so important for our health, you shouldn't deprive yourself of it. Not only should we invest in a comfortable and supportive bed, with good pillows and a mattress, but we should also be careful of the types of pyjamas and nightwear we wear. For those looking for a good night's sleep, silk pyjamas are a preferred choice for many reasons. Here are 5 reasons you need silk pyjamas in your wardrobe ASAP.

Silk pyjamas are a good nightwear choice all year round. Silk helps to keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter, helping you to achieve a better quality and more comfortable night's sleep. Silk pyjamas also helps to provide a constant body temperature whilst sleeping, to ensure you aren't constantly tossing and turning when you begin feeling too hot or too cold.

By choosing silk shirt pyjamas, it can help to keep your skin cool and comfortable, all night long. Silk is a natural fibre that's extremely soft and smooth. By wearing silk pyjamas, you're allowing your skin to breathe and feel calm. As silk is a hypoallergenic fabric, silk pyjamas help to resist allergens that may be found in pyjamas made of other materials such as cotton.

Silk pyjamas are a luxury, affordable style of nightwear that is preferred by a number of people. This style of nightwear is widely available in a number of high street or online stores, making it easily accessible for everyone.

With certain fabrics used to make pyjamas, there can some irritation and can leave the skin feeling sore, especially those suffering with sensitive skin. Silk pyjamas are a great choice for all as the soft and smooth texture of the material will leave your skin feeling happy and will reduce any skin irritation.

Finally, silk pyjamas are a good option for all, including young children, as they have fire-retardant properties - making them extremely safe and practical to wear to bed. In case of any fires or hazards during the night, silk simply burns straight into ash, making it a safer choice of fabrics to wear at night, as it will not stick to the skin in contact with fire or heat.

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Introducing IDentity Lingerie

If you're looking for some gorgeous silk pyjamas - maybe something very similar to Victoria's Secret but better, look no further! IDentity Lingerie are a small family-run brand from Lincolnshire in the UK, offering a wide selection of environmentally friendly, ethical and handmade nightwear and good quality lingerie, made with sustainable materials.

"Our purpose is to create stylish ethically made nightwear and lingerie for all body types. Having years of experience allows us to craft high-quality products with an impeccable stitch, a perfect design and the best materials. With so much attention to detail put into our products, they tend to last much longer and have a more comfortable fit."

The first set I chose from the website was the Japanese Silk Navy Short Pyjamas. These are a stylish silk pyjama set featuring a short sleeve shirt and matching shorts - a perfect option for the warmer months of the year. This pyjamas set is a beautiful rich navy blue colour with contrast white piping/buttons - the colour is simply stunning. I really like that the silk shirt has a slight oversized fit and just hangs nicely on the upper body. The shorts can be worn both high-or low waisted, depending on your preferred fit.

The second set I chose was the Japanese Silk Green Long Pyjamas. This is again another stylish pyjama set featuring a long sleeve shirt and matching trousers - a perfect option for the cooler months of the year. This pyjamas set is a beautiful deep forest green colour with contrast cream piping/buttons. The long pyjamas set is perfect for those nights where it is a little bit colder and you want to feel warm and cosy. The long sleeve shirt is the perfect fit - no one likes to wear tight tops to sleep! The pyjamas trousers are a super flowy, slightly wide-leg fit which makes them super comfortable and loose on the body.

Both of these pyjamas sets are in absolutely stunning colours, which I think would suit pretty much all skin tones. However, if navy or green aren't your preferred colour choices, these silk pyjama sets are also available in a number of other colours, including black, blush pink, gold, navy, white, green and purple.

Do you like to wear silk pyjamas? Have you heard of IDentity Lingerie?

10:00 No comments

AD| By building an eco-friendly home, not only will you be doing your bit for the environment, but you’ll also enjoy reduced energy bills. In recent years, there has been more emphasis on how we can reduce the speed of global warming and making eco-friendly choices, and it's important to make changes within our homes. After all, every little helps. However, what makes an eco-friendly home is open to interpretation, so you’ll need to decide what it is that you want to achieve before you start your project. For example, do you want to reduce your energy bills, create a more sustainable way of living or build a healthier internal environment for your family?

If you’re building for the ground up, you are in a unique position to consider the structural elements that will impact your global footprint. For instance, pile foundations are usually an eco-friendlier option than concrete because they are quicker and quieter to install and can also be reused if the house ever gets knocked down. You’ll also have more control over the types of doors and windows that are installed. Here are some more tips for building an eco-friendly home…

Get a Water Softener

If you live in a hard water area, your home is constantly being damaged by limescale. Hard water contains minerals that, when heated and evaporates, leaves behind limescale in your heating system, appliances, kettles and more. Anything that heats the water will see a build-up of limescale. This build-up reduces the efficiency of your home, causing all those mentioned above to use more gas and electricity, costing you extra for things you use daily. Installing a water softener will remove these minerals, making your home limescale-free. It will also eventually dissolve any previous limescale build-up, improving your home's efficiency, reducing your carbon footprint and saving you money.

Invest in Solar Panels

The sun is undeniably a powerful energy source, which can be harnessed using solar panels. Unlike other sources of energy, we cannot run out of solar energy, making it a truly renewable option. Solar panels are fairly expensive to install, but will save you money on your energy bills. They are also diverse; in that they can be used to generate electricity and/or heat. They can also be integrated into the building materials and are cheap to maintain.

Install Adequate Insulation

Insulation is important for regulating the temperature in your home. Without it, heat will escape during winter, and you’ll have to turn up your thermostat and keep it on for longer. Not only is that expensive, but also a waste of energy. Insulation also keeps your home cooler during the summer months, meaning you’ll be less inclined to use fans or air conditioning. Bear in mind that you can insulate your roof, floors, walls, and windows.

Ensure Your Windows are Double Glazed

Like insulation, double or even triple glazed windows are great for regulating the temperature in your home because they allow you to retain heat in winter and keep it cooler in summer. They are also great for reducing noise pollution, so are ideal if you live on a busy street.

Consider the Lighting

When it comes to windows, you should also consider their location to ensure there is plenty of natural light in your home. Without it, you will have to keep your lights on, which is neither goo for the environment, nor for your wallet. LED light bulbs are better for the environment than their incandescent alternatives and tend to last longer, so you shouldn’t have to replace them as often. While the upfront cost might seem a lot, you’ll make your money back in a matter of months by saving on your electricity bills.

Use Recycled Materials

Things like doors, carpets, and hardware can be reused, so consider installing second-hand materials where possible rather than producing raw materials. What’s more, it’s worth considering using locally produced materials because they require less energy to deliver.

Consider a Green Roof or Living Wall

There are many benefits to having a green roof/wall. They purify the air, regulate the temperature indoors and provide a rainwater buffer. When done properly, they also look beautiful, so are great for aesthetics. They are lightweight and require very little maintenance.

What ways do you use to make your home more eco-friendly? Which of these tips would you consider starting to use?

10:04 No comments

Completed all your last minute Christmas shopping? Need some inspiration for low-cost gift wrap ideas? Look no further!

Christmas present shopping is expensive enough - there is simply no need to spend a lot of money on your gift wrap ideas either as there is so many low-cost and affordable options out there - you just need to be imaginative and creative. Most wrapping papers will get binned or recycled as soon as the Christmas gifts are exchanged and opened, so realistically, you don't want to be spending loads of money on fancy wrapping paper, gift bags or decorative accessories. Let's take a look at 5 last minute, low cost gift wrap ideas for Christmas presents that will look amazing and won't break the bank!

1. Gift Bags

Gift bags are the ultimate lazy option when it comes to wrapping presents, but they can also be extremely affordable. They are also the perfect choice of gift wrap for larger items, or items with irregular shapes that may be difficult to wrap in wrapping paper. Using gift bags is also extremely useful when you are carrying/transporting your gifts. Whether you're going to a friend or relatives house, or they are coming to you, the recipient of the gift has a pre-made bag to take their present home in. Reusing and recycling your gift bags is good for the environment and a sustainable way of gift wrapping your gifts.

2. Brown Paper and String

Brown paper is a very simple, affordable, and environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional-styled wrapping paper. You can pick up rolls of brown paper very cheaply from a number of shops and supermarkets, making it a great substitute that is widely available for purchase. It's also a great choice for those would want to be more eco-friendly, as brown paper is recyclable and reusable. Once your gifts are wrapped, brown paper tied up with string is such a simple, cute and effective way to decorative your loved ones gifts. This low-cost gift wrap idea is very traditional, can make your gift stand out, and makes it look like you took a long time to wrap your gifts - when it reality, it didn't!

3. Ribbons and Bows

To add some extra decoration, extra sparkle and to give your wrapped presents that extra little something special, using ribbons and bows can take your gifts from 0 to 100 in no time at all! A nice ribbon or bow simply adds a nice touch to a finished package. It also can help you when attaching a gift tag or card to your Christmas gift, which helps you remember who's gift is who's.

4. Decorative Christmas Accessories

For those who really want to make their Christmas gifts stand out and look spectacular, adding some decorative Christmas accessories is the way to go. If you've decorated your gifts with ribbon or string, this will be an easy way to incorporate some additional decorative accessories to your gift. I'm thinking candy canes, pine cones, fake plants and greenery, and even some small wooden ornaments.

5. Homemade Wrapping Paper

For those of you who like to be creative, have artistic talents, or even have a little spare time on your hands, making your own homemade Christmas wrapping paper is a great way to make your gifts more personalised and more special. This would also be a great festive activity for those with young children in the house at Christmas time. All you need is a few rolls of paper and some arts/crafts materials, and you're good to go! Some of my favourite homemade wrapping paper design ideas include;

- Using stencils and stamps

- Painting on Christmas shapes and patterns

- Calligraphy and Typography designs

These affordable, simple and easy Christmas gift wrapping ideas will help you save money on gift wrap, and you will be wow-ing all your friends and family members with your creative and imaginative designs.

How do you wrap your Christmas presents? What low cost gift wrap ideas do you have?

10:00 No comments

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