● Laura Thornberry ● Lifestyle Blogger ● London Based ●

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?

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AD - GIFTED| Are you lacking body confidence or tired of wearing bikinis? Are you on the lookout for the perfect one-piece swimsuit? Whether you're tall, short, petite or curvy, there are so many flattering and comfortable one-piece swimsuits out there to help anyone hit the beach or pool with confidence.

One-piece swimsuits are always on trend and will never go out of style. Say goodbye to those bikini of yours and opt for something with a little more coverage, more stylish, flattering, comfortable and perfect for all year round, whatever the weather. Let's take a look at a few reasons you need to include one-piece swimsuits in your swimwear collection right now!

Your one-piece swimsuit offers so many more benefits than your typical two-piece bikini. First of all, one-piece swimsuits are a practical choice when it comes to swimwear and offers more security. Whether you're taking part in water sports, having an afternoon at the water park or swimming in the strong water currents, one-pieces are less likely to come undone and wont leave you feeling exposed.

If you're heading to the local beach or taking a trip abroad, one-piece swimsuits are a good choice for those looking to catch some rays but avoid a burnt body. I know many of us go on holiday to get a great tan, but for those shying away from the sun and spending more time in the shade, this style of swimwear will give you more coverage and protect more of your body.

One-piece swimsuits are also an incredibly versatile clothing item to have in your wardrobe. Not only are they a great choice of swimwear, but they can also double up as a bodysuit when you're in need of an easy outfit to wear - all you need is a pair of shorts or a skirt to put on and you're good to go!

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Introducing Halocline Swimwear

Halocline Swimwear UK, a new and exclusive swimwear brand offering a wide range of great quality products, a more sustainable swimwear option, and made with some of the finest Italian fabrics created with the best raw materials and high-tech, innovative manufacturing. All of Halocline swimsuits are created and designed in the UK and offer an array of fabulous styles and prints, as well as a great colour palette to suit all tastes and budgets.

All the swimsuits are designed with comfort, functionality and style to create a swimsuit that looks and feels great and is also built to last. The range is made from eco-friendly Econyl, recycled nylon made from old plastic so every suit is helping reduce the amount of waste plastic in the environment. A classic one-piece swimsuit simply never goes out of style, and here are 3 perfect one-piece swimsuit styles you need in your swimwear collection ASAP.

First up, the classic black swimsuit - a swimwear collection must have. The Halocline Lucille Longer Length Swimsuit is a super flattering swimsuit style, built with soft foam cups and tummy control to keep you looking good and as comfortable as possible. A black coloured swimsuit is always a good idea, and this one-piece swimsuit will help to slim and shape your figure and boost your body confidence.

For those who are feeling a little braver in their swimwear choices, a bold and vibrant coloured one-piece is a great choice. The Halocline Sleek Zip Back Swimsuit is a flattering style for all body types and figures. Designed with a high neck and zip back, this swimsuit gives excellent freedom of shoulder movement and the perfect choice for those looking for something a little more bright and to inject something more colourful into their collection.

Lastly, something with a pattern. Whether you opt for something with spots, stripes or even animal print, patterned one-piece swimsuits are a great way to make a statement. The Halocline Leopard Panel V Back Swimsuit is another choice for those looking for a more flattering swimsuit that gives your body great coverage. The leopard print panel can help give the illusion of a more hourglass figure, helping you to feel more happy, more confident and more sexy in your swimsuit!

Have you heard of Halocline Swimwear? What are your favourite styles of swimsuits and swimwear?

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AD| Over the years, artificial intelligence and robot technology has rapidly developed and is making its way into nearly every industry imaginable. Whether that's in factories, social media, manufacturing or other business types, it's use is steadily on the increase. Manufacturing is a vital industry in todays world and is making significant contributions to the UK economy.

Collaborative robots or Cobots for short, are becoming increasingly more popular in the manufacturing industry, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become increasingly more important that these machines are constantly advancing with the new technology available to help shape our future. The implementation of Cobots is clearly intended to shift and change the nature of certain job roles in a wide variety of companies. The Cobot industry has seen a lot of innovation and is something that will be definitely more apparent in the future, as they become more wide-spread, more significant for many businesses. Cobots come with a whole array of benefits, and discussed below are 3 reasons why Cobots are the future of manufacturing.

Collaborative robots are a special branch of robotic technology designed to work with and around human employees. The concept of Cobots are to work with people and not to replace them. Collaborative robots are able to perform a number of tasks alongside human workers without any problems, due to their specialised technology programmed into them. This is mainly due to how Cobots are made, with improved sensor devices, programmed cameras, and embedded vision, most Cobots do not need any safety features as they are built to work with others in a friendly way.

Collaborative robots are great at taking over tasks when they become repetitive or dangerous for human employees. Tasks such as cutting, moving, lifting or transporting can be extremely tiring, and for human employees, will cause fatigue, but for Cobots, they can carry out certain jobs all day long. This allows humans more time to focus on more challenging or rewarding jobs that are necessary in their job role. Not only does this give them some extra time for other activities, but it can also increase productivity levels and boost employee satisfaction by not having to complete such dull and boring jobs in the company.

The use of Cobots provides a great opportunity for businesses and companies to upskill their employees and entire workforce, by allowing them to focus their time in more productive areas. Whilst not having to do more hard manual or repetitive work, this spare time can be used for employees to enrol training courses, learn new skills and adapt to new areas of the business, whilst Cobots deal with more technical jobs. It also allows businesses to move human employees to other areas or departments that may require more help and assistance, making the use of Cobots a great benefit for HR purposes or for those industries lacking a large workforce.

Where we will see Cobots next? What other things will be used in the future of manufacturing?

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AD - GIFTED| Many of us own a watch that is worn pretty much every day. It's definitely once piece of jewellery that will never go out of style. Many watch owners are gifted a beautiful, luxury watch on occasions such as birthdays, graduations, promotions and other special days in your life.

A watch is the perfect accessory, not only does it tell the time, but it can add so much character to an outfit, and will remind you of those special personal and sentimental memories of when you received it. A good, luxury watch that's kept in good condition and has been well looked after should last for years and years to come. Watches are built to last a lifetime, and if they are taken care of properly, you'll be able to pass your watch on to future generations of your family for years to come. Here are 5 tips on how to care for your luxury watches and keep them in the best condition over the years.

Cleaning Your Watch

To ensure the longevity of your luxury watches, it is important to remember to keep your watch clean and maintained whilst on and off the wrist. There are two parts of a watch you need to keep clean: the watch face, and the strap/bracelet. Depending on how long or how often you wear your watch will determine how regularly it needs to be cleaned. From daily wear, a build up of oils, sweat and dirt can cling to your watch, so it's vital that you always refer to the manual or do your own research before using specific cleaning products on your watch. You must wait until your watch is fully dry completely before you wear it again to ensure it doesn't get damaged or begin to get rusty.

Read Your Watch Manual

If you have been gifted a brand new watch for a special occasion, or you are interested in purchasing a watch, make sure to do yourself research and familiarise yourself the brand/product you choose. By doing this, you'll be able to understand how your watch works, how to care for it, as well as you'll know what to expect from the watch you pick in advance. It might be important to know what material your watch is made from, to know if your watch is water-resistant and to know how to set the correct date or time.

Store Your Watch Properly

As much as regularly cleaning your watch is necessary, it's also extremely important to store your watch properly to keep it in its best condition. The watch’s original box is the ideal place for storage. You need to minimize their exposure to the elements, such as direct sunlight, dust, mould and high temperatures.

Avoid Unwanted Damage

Without proper care and attention, it’s only a short matter of time before your watch face or strap shows scratches. To ensure your watch remains in good condition, make sure to remove your watch during certain activities such as showering/bathing, DIY jobs and exercise. Also, avoid wearing other pieces of wrist jewellery, such as bracelets, on the same wrist, as they might scratch either the sides or the glass of your watch.

Get Repairs At A Reputable Jeweller

If you’re looking for watch repair, whether the watch face is scratched, the batteries have stopped working or your watch has any other faults, it's best in the hands of a reputable jeweller. For any damage, mechanical issues or problems, it's important that you go to the experts who have years of experience and are trained to fix all sorts of problems. This is important for those who own expensive, luxury watches, as you will want the highest quality and repair standards for your timepiece.

Avoid Contact with Chemicals

Exposing your watch or coming in contact with certain chemicals like cleaning products, soap, laundry detergents, cosmetics and perfumes can damage your watch, causing corrosion or rust. When using moisturisers, creams or perfume, allow these to dry completely on your skin before wearing your watch to avoid any contact with wet lotions or potential chemicals.

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Introducing Barrington Watch Winders

"Our flagship Barrington Single Watch Winder in Shadow Black is both compact and stylish with all the practical features you would expect from a high end watch winder. "

Watch winders are a super niche product in the wider world, but of course, for watch enthusiasts, they are much more popular. They’re usually intended to care for automatic watches by keeping them in perpetual movement when they’re not in use. This not only ensures that your watch will keep working and ticking away forever, but also means you don’t have to set the date or time every time you pick it up.

Barrington created a wide range of watch winders for automatic style watches, which can be operated in two ways; either by AC mains or by using two AA batteries. The watch winders also feature an ultra-quiet Japanese motor, multiple rotation settings and multiple turns per day settings from 650, 750, 850, 1000 or 1950, depending on your watch.

For me, not only are these winders a great way to store your valuable watches and keep them in a good working condition, but they can also help to minimise damage and problems whilst not on the wrist of the owner. Another great selling point is that they also come in a variety of colours, suitable for everyone's preferences, and they could even become a sleek and minimal decorative accessory in your home, or even to give as a gift to a watch lover in your life.

Have you heard of watch winders before? What other tips do you have for caring for your watches?

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AD - GIFTED| You may be wondering... is oat milk good for you? What benefits does this non-dairy alternative to cow's milk have? Well, let's take a look!

The plant-based milk industry is growing steadily at the majority of UK supermarkets, as more and more people start to change their diet and lifestyle habits or adopt a predominantly vegetarian or vegan/plant-based diet. There's such a huge variety of types of dairy-free milk alternatives on the market, including oat, almond, coconut and soy, to name a few. One of the more popular plant-based milk options is out of the above list is oat milk - possibly due to its sustainability and lower environmental impact.

I've recently begun switching to using oat milk as a replacement to cow's milk. I haven't completely converted to using plant-based milk, but 9 times out of 10, I'm using oat milk in my tea, coffee and cereal.

Consuming oat milk is a great option for those with special dietary requirements or allergies. This includes those following a Vegan or plant-based diet, those who are lactose intolerant, soy or nut-free, those suffering with gastroenterological conditions or those just looking to opt for dairy-free products in their diet. Oat milk is essentially created from a mixture of whole grain oats and water blended together, then strained to leave the pulp mixture behind.

Oat milk can be a good source of vitamins and minerals, including calcium. Many manufacturers of oat milk products often fortify it with "B" vitamins, such as vitamin B12. As well as "B" vitamins, oat milk bought from the supermarkets are usually enriched with iron, thiamin, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, riboflavin, zinc, fibre and copper. Oat milk is a great source of iron for those following a plat-based, vegan or vegetarian diet, who may miss out on other sources of iron which are typically found in red meats and fish.

Oat milk is typically enriched and fortified with calcium and vitamin D — both of which can benefit your bone health. Calcium is a mineral found in a variety of foods and drinks, playing an essential role in maintaining strong and healthy bones and carrying out many important bodily functions.

Compared to other types of plant-based milks, oat milk typically has a slightly more protein and fibre included. The high levels of both protein and fibre found in oat milk helps to fill you up quicker and ensures you feeling fuller for longer. Incorporating this plant-based milk into your diet can help improve your appetite control and promote weight loss for those looking to lead a healthier lifestyle. As well as this, oat milk typically contains a soluble fibre -beta-glucan, which is necessary to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

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Introducing Happi Free From

I was recently gifted some products from the team at Happi Free From, to help me on my journey from transitioning from dairy milk to a plant-based version, this being oat milk. They offer a range of allergen-free oat milk chocolate that tastes great; is lower in sugar than other leading milk chocolate brands; and is sustainably sourced and packaged. The brand message Happi follow is so eco-friendly, sustainable and ethical, it's definitely helping to change the planet for the better.

The Happi oat drinks I received come in both a strawberry and chocolate flavour. These drinks are great sources of vitamins A, B6, B9, B12, C and D, which all contribute to the normal function of your body and immune system. Both flavours of the oat milk drink were so fresh and tasty, but the chocolate drink was undoubtedly my favourite. For me, this was the most versatile flavour as I was able to drink it by itself, use it in cereal or even to give my porridge that chocolate taste. Not only does it taste good, it also has so many nutritional health benefits and contains a long list of vitamins and minerals your body needs on a daily basis, what's not to love?

Also included in my parcel was Happi Family Bundle pack. This was a great surprise and something I couldn't wait to get stuck into! This bundle consisted of 4 bars of vegan friendly, sustainable and ethically sources chocolate bars in a variety of flavours - plain milk chocolate, cacao nibs crunch, orange and salted caramel. I was really excited about this chocolate as I haven't really tried many non-dairy varieties, but overall it did not disappoint! My favourite flavour was definitely the salted caramel!

Overall, I was extremely impressed with the Happi products I was kindly sent. It allowed me to try some new products that are suitable for my attempt at transitioning from dairy cows milk to a plant-based alternative, and left me finding some delicious non-dairy products. I also really like the branding and packaging that Happi use. So colourful, vibrant and eye-catching, it certainly draws you in and makes you want to find out more!

Have you heard of Happi oat milk products before? What plant-based milk alternatives do you enjoy?

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Looking for some simple ways to improve your written content and have better blog posts? This post is perfect for you, as I'll be sharing some practical tips you can use in your writing that have helped me in expanding my site and its contents over the last few months in particular.

Millions of blog posts are written every single day and it can be extremely difficult to make sure yours are getting the right attention, outreach and engagement they truly deserve. Well-written, quality contents and articles will help you to stand out among the thousands of other blogs within the same niche as yours, and help to bring your readers back to your site time and time again. By applying some simple content writing ideas and tips to your own work, you can make your articles message more appealing to a wider audience. Let's discuss 10 content writing tips to use to improve your blog posts.

Quality or Quantity?

It's a vital content writing tip to ensure you maintain a good balance between blog post quality and quantity, but the question is - is the quantity or quality of blog posts published on your site more important? This is definitely a hard question to specifically choose a right answer. For me, your content needs to be consistent first above anything all else. Consistency is a crucial factor for both quality and quantity.

In terms of quality, you want your blog posts to be worded, written and made visually engaging. You want your blog posts to follow the same style and layout, make sure they are informative and relatable, and remain relevant to your article topic. Similarly, consistency and quantity also go hand in hand. Having a consistent publishing schedule - whether that's once a month, twice a week or three times a day, this allows people to view your website and be able to get new content as soon as it's live.

Research and Plan

A huge part of planning and writing for a successful blog post is researching your chosen topic. Depending on your blogs theme or niche, you need to make your posts highly relevant and engaging to ensure your readers will take a look. Research helps you refine your initial post ideas to make sure that your creating engaging, relatable and relevant blog posts, targeted towards your niche and your audience.

Consider Word Count

Although your blog post and word count length may vary depending on your chosen topic and audience, this is something to consider when writing up your work for publishing. By beginning to start writing longer amounts of content in your blog posts, this helps your content rank higher online and gives search engines more to look through, as well as helping boost your websites SEO.

Include Visual Pieces

Visual content, whether that be images, gifs or videos, is generally much more engaging than paragraphs of text on your websites. "Research shows that 90 percent of the information transmitted to the human brain is visual, and people process visual information 60,000 times faster than text." Including visual pieces in your articles will not only make your post better readable by breaking up larger sections of text but may also reduce the reading time - helpful for those who don't have enough spare time to engage in a longer text article

Create Evergreen Content

You may be wondering, what is evergreen content? Well to put it simply, evergreen content is content that remains relevant regardless of when you publish it. Evergreen styled content is informative and useful content that is engaging at anytime, and remains relevant to readers over a long period of time. This type of content constantly consists of and revolves around topics that'll be always relatable and offers a constant level of sustained interest. The ultimate goal of using evergreen content on your blog is to drive traffic to your site on a long-term basis.

Titles are Important

When you begin writing a new blog post, creating an intriguing and engage title is an important job. The title is the usually the first piece of your article that your readers will look at, so it's important to make it stand out and hope to grab their attention. You want to create a title that will persuade the reader to click and make them want to know more about your newly published content. I would generally keep my titles short and sweet, but making sure they are to the point and conveying the message I want to put out there. Make sure to include any keywords that may allow you to rank higher on search engines. I also like to use numbered lists when writing - for examples "5 ways to..." or "3 benefits of..." - including these in your title makes your content sound beneficial to read and informative.

Article Layout

Another useful tip to consider is the full design and layout of your blog posts. You want to make sure each and every one of your posts follows the same format to show consistency and professionalism. You will be able to boost your content on the readability scale by incorporating or using headings, bullets and lists where possible to make your content or posts easier to scan - instead of continuous paragraphs of text.

Include Links to Relevant Posts

When I begin thinking of new ideas or writing new posts, I always look back at similar content that I have previously published and will be able to link in my new articles. Not only is linking other blog posts good for your website, it's also good for your readers who might be interested in similar content and can easily click through to read more. By including relevant links, this makes browsing so much easier to direct readers from one page to another in just a few clicks. It can also help older articles to get seen easily and increase the page views of these posts.

Proof Read, Edit and Preview

A first draft of a new blog post is probably not going to be your best work. Before publishing any new posts to your site it's important to check and double check your content to make sure there are no errors or mistakes. You'll also want to read through your content to understand your writing style much better, and make sure it's appealing for your own readers, so they don't get bored and click off your content. Spelling mistakes, layout issues and wrong URL links are simple little things that can be looked past when publishing new posts, but it's something worth checking before hitting that publish button. Having well-written, grammatically correct blog posts will want your readers to continue viewing your posts, as they will be able to see that time and care has been taken whilst writing to make sure the articles that are published are understandable.

What tips do you have to write a great blog post? Do you already use any of the tips listed above?

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AD - GIFTED | Looking to redecorate your home but on a budget? Thinking of getting a some new posters or prints for your home? Look no further!

Decorating your home can be an incredibly expensive job - especially if you're someone who changes their mind quite often or you enjoy updating your space with the current home décor trends. A simple way to update your homes look is by interchanging some wall art displays to help add some character and a personal touch to your space. If you're looking for some inspiration or a wide selection of styles to choose from, head over to the Poster Store - offering an endless choice of wall art posters and prints at an affordable price.

For me, I think the photography or the nature and botanical style artwork is the perfect choice for the home. Wall art, posters and prints are another way to totally transform a room instantly and here are 5 benefits of displaying wall art posters and prints in your home.

Splash of Colour

Introducing colour into your home can be quite scary and overwhelming, and even slightly tricky, especially if you don't own your home and just opt for renting the property instead. Many homes interior design tend to use lighter colours on the walls to make the indoor spaces appear larger, cleaner and lighter. By adding some wall art to your home, it can change the whole mood and atmosphere of a space. You can use attractive, eye-catching and bold posters or prints to instantly inject some colour into the room. Whether you opt for some minimalist black and white monochrome art, something more colourful and vibrant or even some pastel shades, adding some wall decorations can help add that splash of colour that a plain room is lacking.

Sets A Rooms Atmosphere

Wall art helps to create the exact mood and feel that you want in any specific room and to your home. The type of atmosphere you will want to try and portray will depend on your personal preferences when in comes to home décor and interior design. The perfect choice of wall art will round-off your interior design ideas perfectly and can help to bring the whole colour palette or theme of your home together.

Different rooms in the house may want to have or give-off different moods or atmospheres, for example; the bedroom is somewhere you'll include some calming, more simple wall art. The hallways or lounge area, you'll want to include more vibrant and welcoming pieces to help boost the first impressions of your home. For dressing rooms or walk-in wardrobes, you may wish to have something more vibrant, bold and stand-out. Bathrooms will opt for more of a simple, elegant style of wall art, to help set a more relaxing and refreshing mood, helping you to unwind.

Affordable Decorative Accessory

Decorating your home or adding decorative accessories to your home can be expensive. However, for those on a tighter budget, you may want to consider installing a gallery wall or using posters and prints in your home. Investing in some high quality wall art for your home doesn't have to break the bank. If you're looking to get some framed prints and posters at an affordable price, The Poster Store is definitely worth a look at as you'll be spoilt for choice. The Poster Store offers such a vast selection of beautiful posters and frames, there will definitely be something suitable for you and your interior design preferences.

Reflects Your Personality

Art is very individual and the quote "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" is extremely relevant when it comes to home décor and interior design. Everyone will have different opinions and different preferences when it comes to art. The artwork someone chooses to install in their home gives you a small insight into their personality.

Stimulates Conversation with Visitors

Having some decorative and interesting wall art on display in your home can spark conversation with your friends/family, as well as anyone who visits your home. Visitors can be intrigued by the unique art you display and this can help them get to know you better and find out your interior design preferences. The posters or prints you choose can reflect a lot about you as a person, and you can give visitors an insight into your own personal life and the things that you love.

I was kindly gifted some prints and frame from the Poster Store to include in my home, to help add some interest and focal points. One area of my home I wanted to freshen up was my bedroom. Here, I have opted to create a visually appealing display for one of my shelves using 2 different themed framed prints.

The first print is an a4 sized (21x30cm) "Sunset View" poster the world famous beach "Navagio Beach" on the island of Zakynthos, Greece. I visited Zakynthos back in 2017, so this print brings back so many memories when I look at it. The poster is framed by a printed white border, which gives the image more depth and makes it more bold and vibrant. The second print I opted for was smaller (13x18cm) "Double Love" poster. This text style print is very minimal but very effective. The bold font makes it stand out and very eye-catching. I like to incorporate photography prints and typography together as I feel its a nice contrast and works well together.

There are a variety of sizes for all posters, prints and frames online, making it easier for you to be as creative as you want, depending on the space you have to fill in your home, as well as your budget. The collection of unique prints online will help you create your own gallery wall tailor-made for your home. All of the posters are printed on sustainably produced high-quality paper helping to minimise any damage to the environment.

For those looking to invest in some high quality, affordable posters and prints, make sure to check out the Poster Store and use the discount below to save some money on some beautiful wall art.

Code: 50LAURA

50% on all posters (except Selection Posters and frames)

Not combinable with other discount campaigns.

Valid from 16th to 23rd of August.

Have you visited the Poster Store? What wall art pieces do you currently display in your own home?

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Think blogging is just a hobby? Think again! Blogging might start as just a part-time side hobby, but it can actually become another good income source for you once you know the ways in which you can monetise your website and put them in place. We all know that you probably won't be making hundreds overnight, especially if you're a new blogger and this idea is something new to you, over time the money can slowly add up and you will start earning a little extra cash from your online ventures.

However, with enough patience and dedication to build traffic to your website, grow your social media following and networking with the right people, you'll be starting your journey to blog monetisation before you know it and will be on your way to having a money-making blog in no time. Let's take a look at ways you can make money from your blog in 2021.

Blogging Assignments via Paid Blogging Platforms

One of the main ways you can make money from your blog is by finding online platforms that offer paid blogging assignments opportunities. This is an extremely quick and easy way for bloggers to find money making jobs online that are targeted towards their niche and are suitable for their website. These blogging platforms help connect bloggers and brands together, allowing them to collaborate on different jobs and assignments. Many websites differentiate payment amounts depending on your websites Domain Authority or DA. Domain Authority is simply a search engine ranking score and can be based on a number of factors including age of website, internal/external links, and ranking keywords, to name a few. Your DA score can be between 1 and 100, and usually the higher the DA, the higher the payment.

Recently, I've had the opportunity to find a number of sponsored jobs via websites like Intellifluence and Get Blogged. These types of websites offer a number of blogging jobs over many different topics. To begin collaborating with this blogging platforms, you simple will need to set up and complete your own blogger profile and then you will be matched or can start applying for the many opportunities that they offer online. To apply for these, the brand will outline a specific brief for the assignment and you will be able to submit your own pitch, notifying the brand that you're interested in applying for the opportunity and you can share how you would like to work with them.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is something I'm yet to delve into, but it's definitely something I'm looking to explore further and research into as another income stream for my blog. The general idea of affiliate marketing is promoting an affiliate program or network or other people’s services/products in return for a commission from each click or sale. For bloggers, that means you would find a service/product that you like, promote it via your blog or social media platforms to your readers, and earn part of the profit on each sale that is made via your affiliate link. To begin implementing affiliate marketing on your blogs website, you will obviously be including your affiliate links into new and previously published blog posts, adding banners into your blog's layout, and even using pop-up advertising. Websites such as AWIN are a great starting point when looking at affiliate marketing as they have built a global network connecting customers with brands in over 180 countries.

Sponsored Guest Posts and Campaign Work

As a lifestyle blogger, I have been extremely fortunate to be able to work with a number of brands, agencies and PR's on a number of paid opportunities. Whether you pitch your own ideas to brands or they come directly to you, having collaborations on sponsored posts, guest posts or campaigns are a great way to earn some money from your website. From past experience, this type of work can often lead into something more long-term opportunities as you build up better relationships with the companies/clients you work with, and you an often find yourself with repeat work time and time gain. I've worked with a number of agencies who have suppled me a number of guest post articles for me to publish on my blog featuring client links.

Link Insertion Opportunities

Probably one of the quickest ways that I've begun to make money on my blog is via link insertions into older blog posts. Link insertion is a simple process in which a brand will contact you and pay you for adding a specific website's relevant links to your own existing content of your blog. Another way link insertion opportunities work is via PRs and Blogger Outreach Agencies who will contact you directly to include a client in an upcoming blog post. For this style of work, you are usually supplied with the clients URL and the relevant anchor text that they wish to use. After this, you are then able to create a new blog post featuring the given details from the client.

Google AdSense

Another income stream you can use to help monetise your blog is by using Google AdSense. Google AdSense works by choosing relevant, targeted adverts to your site based on your blogs content and visitor interests or history. Google will pay you a small amount of money for every click or impression on the specific ads you'll display on your website. These ads are customisable to your site, and usually optimized to the recommended sizes to make them more visible, more engaging and to give them more chance to be seen on your page and clicked on.

Prior to this blog post, I asked some fellow bloggers the following question regarding all things money.

- What is your biggest tip for those wanting to increase earnings of their blog? -

Kayleigh Zara - "Find yourself a number of reliable PR contacts so that you constantly have enough work if and when you need it. Blogging platforms won't always necessarily provide you with enough work to be a full time blogger, and can sometimes pay you way way way less than the going rate. Also, platforms have very dodgy rules on disclosures and you could get a Google penalisation if not careful. Also learn not to undercharge for your work - it's better to say no to a brand and a stupid price than it is to work for way less than you're worth."

Shyla - "My number one tip is to stay consistent and focus on creating quality content on a regular basis. The better quality, length, and purpose of the content the more likely someone will want to purchase something from it via affiliate links. Outreach to companies via pitches can also help open new doors for your blog as well."

Sophie - "My biggest tip would probably be making sure to be extremely patient! It can take a while to build up your earnings, and part of that is learning skills like how to write pitches, and how to use affiliate marketing successfully (something I have not got my head around yet!) Also, read e-books, blogs and learn from people who know what they are doing and have successfully monetized their blogs."

How do you currently monetise your blog? What other ways would you like to start using to earn some money?

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AD - GIFTED| On average, we usually spend about a third of our lives asleep. Sleep is an extremely vital part of our daily everyday life, helping to keep us healthy, both physically and mentally. Getting a good night’s sleep is just as important as taking up regular exercise, leading a healthy lifestyle and consuming a balanced diet. Recently, I've made a few changes in my daily routine, allowing me to lead a more healthy lifestyle. In terms of getting a better night's sleep, I've recently added the kudd.ly™ Dream Pillow into my sleep routine, using this as a replacement to my normal pillow and I have since noticed a huge difference in my sleep quality.

By making sure you're getting a quality night's sleep on a regular basis, you can help improve all sorts of problems and help to boost others. Sleep is necessary for us to have a healthy heart, better mood, and a more-alert brain. As well as this, getting enough rest can help you with your exercise and workout routines, toughen your immune system, steady your blood sugar levels and help with weight control. For those looking to improve the quality of their rest and get a better night's sleep, here are 5 things you can do in your daily routine to get you started.

Caffeine is one of the most popular stimulants in the world and can have a disruptive effect on your sleep routine. Consuming any caffeine filled product will usually increase alertness and reducing fatigue, which is definitely not what you want when you are trying to go to sleep. By trying to avoid caffeine in the late afternoon/evening, you can help your body to unwind and prepare yourself for bedtime.

Your choice of bed is by far the most important and significant element in getting a good night’s rest, without this, it's just not going to work out. When we are sleeping, it’s recommended that we maintain a good, natural posture to ensure we keep our spine correctly aligned to avoid any aches and pains. There are so many things to consider when choosing your bed and bed accessories. Items such as your mattress, duvet and your pillows are something you should consider researching well and investing in. By ensuring all these factors are taken on board, you'll soon be having the best night's sleep! I've opted to use the kudd.ly™ Dream Pillow which has improved my sleep quality and allowed me to get some much needed rest. If you'd like to read about my experience with the Dream Pillow, continue reading to check out my review!

Optimize your bedroom environment for a better night's sleep. Your body's temperature slightly decreases during sleep, requiring your room to be cool enough to help you settle down and sleep throughout the night. The most ideal sleeping environment is somewhere that is cool, quiet, and dark. This will make sleeping much more comfortable, you'll feel relaxed and be ready to get some much needed rest.

In order to get a better night's sleep, it's important to make sure your body is relaxed and calm. Taking a relaxing bath or shower can help create a small dip in normal body temperature, which can ultimately help get you off to sleep within minutes. For those who struggle with getting enough quality rest, the use of Lavender in your bath, whether that is a few drops of oil, a scented bath bomb or some foamy bubble bath. Lavender is one of the most popular essential oils, and is more commonly used for calming and to aid relaxation and sleep.

By making just a few small adjustments to your daily routine can help you strive for a better night's sleep. Creating a regular sleep schedule might just be what you need to get the best out of your night's sleep. Aiming to sleep and wake at the same, consistent times everyday will allow you body’s internal clock to get accustomed to your new routine and will also help boost your mood and quality of sleep.

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Introducing the Kudd.ly™ Dream Pillow

For those looking to get a good night's sleep, the kudd.ly™ Dream Pillow,

a fully customisable memory foam pillow, is definitely worth a try. Whether you're a back, side, or tummy sleeper, this pillow was made for you as it is cleverly engineered for all kinds of sleepers, making it a super versatile sleep accessory for everyone. I've never come across a fully customisable pillow below, allowing you to alter the shape to ensure the perfect height, the best firmness, and the right comfort for your sleep position. This helps make the pillow so personal to you and your needs, it's really one-of-a-kind.

Memory foam pillows are renowned for being one of the best options to choose as they offer the best support. The Kudd.ly™ Dream Pillow is filled with 100% recyclable shredded microfiber memory foam, and comes with a small travel-friendly sized bag full of extra pillow filling to allow you adjust the firmness of your pillow for the perfect sleep.

"Every Kudd.ly customisable Dream Pillow comes with a standard 100 OEKO-TEX label, meaning they’re made with high-quality materials tested and approved for human use. They’re carefully engineered with our CLOUDpad™ lining, made of 100% cotton and filled with 100% microfiber for extra comfort and support. It is hypoallergenic, breathable, and filled with 100% recyclable shredded microfiber memory foam."

Overall, I was incredibly impressed with the Kudd.ly™ Dream Pillow. From the very first use, I felt like I was sleeping on clouds. I usually find it quite hard to fall asleep, and find myself unable to fully relax at night - but now, I fall asleep within minutes as my whole body feels more supported, more comfortable and more relaxed. The pillow is super soft to the touch, doesn't irritate the skin and stays cool all night - no need to be turning over your pillow constantly to get the cool side!

I really liked that the pillow was completely customisable, meaning you can personalise it for your body and sleep needs. I managed to get the perfect balance of softness, firmness and support. It took a couple of nights to find the perfect amount of filling that I needed to use for my pillow, but after a few tries, I found my perfect amount and have been sleeping so much better. If you're on the lookout for a new pillow or just want to improve your night's sleep, I'd highly recommend checking out Kudd.ly and the products they have to offer!

Have you heard of the Kudd.ly™ Dream Pillow? What things do you do to get a better night's sleep?

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