● Laura Thornberry ● Lifestyle Blogger ● London Based ●

AD - GIFTED | If your favourite thing about Easter is the chocolate, this post is perfect for you and you may want to keep reading!

Before we get onto the chocolate, it's important to look at the story behind Easter as it is the one of the most important festivals in the Christian calendar. This holiday is simply commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, and celebrated with meaningful traditions such as sunrise services and Easter lilies. As well as these, there are some other traditions that have been incorporated into this holiday, with things such as the Easter bunny and giving Easter eggs.

If you're looking for luxury Easter eggs or even Easter hampers for the whole family, Hotel Chocolat is definitely worth checking out for your next Easter egg delivery for your nearest and dearest. You simply wont be disappointed! The founders of Hotel Chocolat wanted to make the start of a revolution in British chocolate, and were on a mission to make chocolate exciting again, and that's exactly what they have done. With plenty of Vegan Easter eggs, luxury Easter eggs, personalised Easter eggs and even Easter hampers, there's so much choice, it'll be tough to decide to to get. With delicious Easter eggs and Easter themed treats suitable for the whole family, with amazing flavours and incredible designs at an affordable price, what more could you want?

FOR THE CHILDREN

Hotel Chocolat offer a great variety of Easter eggs and sweet treats, perfect for the little ones in your family. The ideas and designs that are aimed towards a younger audience are simply sensational and add a sense of fun into the Easter celebrations. Whether you're looking for Easter eggs for your own children, younger brothers/sisters, or your nieces/and nephews, the products featured here would make amazing Easter gifts.

Firstly, the Elizapeck Hollow with Tiddly Pot* is the perfect duo gift that any child would absolutely love. This boxed Easter egg features a hollow caramel-milk chocolate chick on top of a pot of mini milk chocolate drops. This adorable chocolate chick was "originally sketched, painted, then hand-carved to create this exclusive treat" - simply amazing! It's not your average Easter egg, it's just cuter and a lot more fun!

If you're on the look out for a couple of smaller gifts, Hotel Chocolate also offer products perfect for that. The Elizapeck Tiddly Pot - 40% Milk Chocolate* is the ultimate chocolate snack for on-the-go and definitely an essential for when there's a chocolate craving. Although small in size, our drops are big in flavour consisting of 40% milk chocolate. Another chocolate treat is the Egg on Toast Lick*. This is a super fun themed Easter treat that is bound to be a winner. A 40% milk chocolate Easter lolly, with a white-chocolate egg that will bring a smile to anyone's face, and is a great alternative to a traditional Easter egg. A child friendly snack that wont cause any mess and you won’t end up with sticky fingers!

FOR THE TEENAGERS

As well as Easter eggs, Hotel Chocolat also offer a selection of Easter hampers designed to share and are suitable for the whole family, but they are also a great option to buy and share amongst your friends/family. One of my favourites from the site is the Easter Family Favourites Collection*, featuring a great selection of chocolate treats, perfect for any teenager in your family. The 40% Milk Chocolate Easter Egg* would be a firm favourite of mine. This Easter egg has a naturally-coloured decorative yolk, and features right amount of sugar and cream to make this a decadent treat but without detracting from the rich cocoa flavours.

A slightly more special, yet fun item is the Chocolate Spread Easter Sandwich*. Made with 40% milk praline half-eggs sandwiched with 50% milk chocolate, it's not your average egg-sandwich! To finish off the perfect Easter treat for the teenagers are these adorable White Chocolate City Bunnies*. These 16 little bunnies are the perfect snack-sized chocolate that are deliciously creamy, with a sweet and velvety texture.

FOR THE ADULTS

Hotel Chocolat also offer luxury Easter eggs and treats suitable for adults. The packaging looks more grown up and has that sophisticated feel to it. Starting with the 16 Milk Chocolate City Bunnies*, perfect for sharing if you're gifting this to parents or couples. The Salted Caramel Easter Egg* is one of the most gorgeous looking Easter eggs I have ever seen, and the combination of milk chocolate and salted caramel is a match made in heaven! Make your Easter egg gift stand out, not only with the incredible flavour combination, but with this sleek and contemporary design.

Finally, The Happy Easter H-Box*; an Easter gift box brimming with 15 chocolate tiddly eggs, perfect for those who aren't fussy and love to try new flavours. This is a truly special gift for your parents/grand-parents, with flavours ranging from sumptuous caramel to a tipsy fruit cake, from Champagne to strawberries & cream, this is an ideal luxury Easter egg treat for your special loved ones!

If you're looking to treat yourself, your family or someone special this Easter, Hotel Chocolat is the place to be! Offering a delicious range of Vegan Easter eggs, luxury Easter eggs, Easter hampers and even personalised Easter eggs, whatever you choose, it's definitely going to be a great chocolate surprise. Be quick and get your Easter egg delivery now!

What are your favourite Easter eggs? Have you checked out Hotel Chocolat?

10:00 No comments

AD| When it comes to beginning your wedding planning journey, there are so many things to consider, and it could become extremely stressful making sure you've got everything covered. But once you're ready to start planning, it's very important to take the process step by step, focusing on one task at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed by the wedding planning process. Multiple costs for different aspects of your big day can easily add up way past your initial budget and can come at a significant price that you simply cannot afford.

Firstly, as well as your total budget for the event, one of the biggest parts of your wedding is to consider the amount of guests you want to attend. This can play a huge part in amount of money you'll be spending, it's definitely important to have your friends and family to support you and celebrate your wedding day, but with more guests getting invited = more money will be spent. If you're struggling with the financial costs of your wedding, you could ask for donations instead of wedding gifts. It can be quite overwhelming receiving large numbers of gifts, especially if you know you'll not have much storage space for them at home. You don't have to put a certain figure on the donations, simply set up a donations page and you can just ask your friends and family to make a small contribution to help fund certain aspects of your wedding.

Another factor to consider on your big day is wedding photography. You obviously want to make sure you can collect a selection of great photographs from your big day. Whether you have a hired photographer, gather everyone's photos or have a photobooth available, all of these ideas can help you gather great memories, but can obviously come at a huge cost. However, something you could consider is the Wedding Photo Swap app. This could be an extremely beneficial way to share and collect photographs of your special day from all guests at the wedding if you simply don't have the budget for a professional photographer. Collect and share any photo taken by your guests on your wedding day with our easy to use mobile apps and web albums. It's as easy as that!

For those who are extremely creative, or love arts & crafts, why not get arty and create your own DIY table decorations with pieces such as homemade banners/menus, centrepiece displays and homemade name tags. This can allow you to personalise your decorations, and display your crafty work for all your guests to see.

We all know that fresh flowers and beautiful bouquets can make a serious dent into your wedding fund. Why not consider using fake flowers and greenery, that can be re-used over and over again. Again, you can choose the plants that you love, create your own colour theme and also put together your own floral displays and bouquets. You'll end up with some beautiful and unique floral arrangements, that you can tell your guests you made it yourself!

Wedding dresses are another wedding expense that could definitely blow your budget dramatically. Not only do you need the brides dress, but you also need to consider the bridesmaids outfits too. One way in which you can save money on dresses for bridesmaids is by looking at prom dresses might suit the occasion. Prom dresses could be a good option for those on a smaller budget, as you can find a great selection of prom dresses for your body type, colour preferences and overall wedding theme.

Having an after-party or evening reception can add some costs to your wedding day that can be extremely expensive. However, there are a few ways in which you can save your money with some easy tips. Firstly, start by creating your own music playlist. This way you save the costs as there is no need for a hired professional DJ! This will ensure you've got all your favourite songs playing, and songs you know your guests will love! Secondly, ask relatives, friends and wedding guests to bring a homemade dishes/desserts to your reception. It's understandably expensive to feed a large number of people, but getting some help with the catering is not only a good way to save some money, but it can give yourself and your guests a chance to try new foods and new cuisines.

Are you currently planning a wedding? What money saving tips do you have?

16:35 5 comments

AD| Wanting to throw a post-lockdown garden party? These garden party ideas will make sure yours is the best gathering of the summer.

With it slowly getting round to the warmer, summer months, and the news that lockdown could be ending soon in the future, it's the perfect time to get your garden ready for summer. Many of us are planning some parties and celebrations with our friends and family, to finally get together after such an uncertain and troubling year. I've compiled a list of additions you need to add to your summer garden party to ensure it's a hit!

Fun Decorations and Signs

To make your summer garden party super fun and interesting, decorating your garden can be a great starting place for those really wanting to 'wow' their guests. Simple decoration ideas like colourful banners, LED Lights, balloon displays and painted wooden signposts can really bring your garden to life for your party. For all your party needs, check out Dallas Sign Company, who specialise in custom signs, LED lights and graphics. As well as this, if you really wanted to 'push the boat out', you could also set up a garden gazebo or marquee to really amaze your guests. The garden provides the ideal backdrop to ensure beautiful photos, especially when it's been decorated colourfully.

Barbeque and Buffet Tables

Is there anything better than getting the barbeque going on a lovely, warm summers day? Having your nearest and dearest round for some amazing grilled meats and vegetables, pastas, salads and little buffet snacks is the perfect way to have a gathering and spend your afternoon. You could also ask your guests to bring some of their favourite dishes and snacks, giving you the opportunity to try new foods and find some new favourites!

Homemade Cocktails and Drinks Bar

Alongside good food, you also need some ice cold drinks to go with it. For the adults, you could set up an ice cooler filled with your favourite alcoholic beverages or even make your own fruity cocktails to enjoy. For the kids, homemade icy slush puppies are an essential for a warm summers day!

Photobooth Hiring & Roaming Photography

Are you looking for something different at your event? No party is complete without a photo booth, especially one that guests of all ages can enjoy with making GIFs and Boomerangs. The Boomerang GIF photobooth provides a fun and interesting activity for all your guests to enjoy during your garden party. ! Similarly, you can leave a camera out and some fun props to encourage guests to snap away and take some amazing photographs to ensure you capture some special memories. For those who want instant photos, Roaming Photography could be something to consider. Giving you instant digital delivery and instant photo printing, you can view and share your photos in seconds.

Outdoor Games & Activities

Summer is all about fun, and there's nothing better than relaxing outdoors in the sunshine and getting some fresh air. If you've got some younger guests at your summer party, outdoor games and fun activities could be what you need to keep them occupied, and far from any mischief. Whether you have a game of football, play hide and seek, or even set up an outdoor blow up swimming pool and sandpit area, there's so many options for these activities, you'll be having fun all day long!

Seated Picnic Areas

If you've spent lockdown renovating your outdoor space, and making it your dream garden, you'll definitely want to show it off to your guests. Having a relaxing area in the garden is best way to enjoy some of the glorious sunshine and soak up some rays. I'd opt for a cosy and cute picnic area with benches, and as well as this, I'd also set up lots of blankets and cushions on the grass for a really chilled vibe.

Evening Garden Lighting

If your garden party is planned to last all afternoon and into the evening, it's definitely worth researching into some outdoor garden lighting to help keep the warm and welcoming atmosphere. There are so many options for lighting depending on the vibe and ambience your party falls into. You could set up some cosy tealights and candles, or some cute and fun string fairy lights and paper lanterns, or even some garden floodlights if you want something a little brighter and more safe.

Are you planning any summer garden parties this year? What are your essential must-haves?

11:30 No comments

AD| Did you know that the chewing gum habit that many of us have can actually be good for your teeth, if you choose the right sort of gum?

You may have always been under the impression that you should not chew gum because it is full of sugar and is extremely bad for your teeth. However, this is not the case as you can still enjoy sugar free gum as a replacement. Chewing sugar free gum comes with a number of extremely positive benefits for your oral and dental health. As well as this, did you also know chewing gum has loads of health benefits too?

Oral Health

One of the main benefits of chewing sugar-free gum is improved oral health. Chewing gum improves oral health in some many ways you'd be surprised, from increasing saliva flow in the mouth, strengthening the teeth by restoring the depleted mineral content and neutralising plaque acids. Increased saliva production is important for preventing tooth decay as it has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.

Research by the Department of Dentistry at King’s College London in 2019 found "that people who chew sugar-free gum develop 28% fewer cavities than those who do not. The equivalent figure for fluoride toothpaste and other supplements was 24%."

Stress Busting

Chewing gum can have a calming effect on your mood, as well as on those suffering from both anxiety and sickness. People that feel nervous, anxious or sick are usually looking for something to do in order to take their mind off their problems, to calm nerves and keep nausea at bay.

Concentration Booster

Gum can help to increase brain function and alertness, in order to improve overall productivity, performance levels and personal safety. Chewing gum can help you stay focused and improves concentration levels by increasing your heart rate, blood pressure, and cerebral blood flow.

A 2017 study found: “Under experimental conditions, gum was associated with higher alertness regardless of whether performance tasks were completed. Rate of chewing and subjective force of chewing did not alter mood but had some limited effects on attention. Chewing gum during the workday was associated with higher productivity and fewer cognitive problems, raised cortisol levels in the morning, and did not affect heart rate. The results emphasise that chewing gum can attenuate reductions in alertness, suggesting that chewing gum enhances worker performance.”

Helps With Weight Loss

For those on a weight loss journey or looking at a lifestyle change, chewing sugar free gum could be something worth looking at. Over-eating and snacking isn’t just bad for your waistline; it’s also not good for your teeth, especially if you're indulging in the wring kinds of foods. If you’re diet is filled with high sugar foods, you’re creating the perfect environment for dental problems including tooth decay, plaque build up and cavities. So curb those craving and suppress your appetite with some sugar free gum instead.

Fresh Breath On The Go

Chewing sugar-free gum can help protect your teeth and gums especially when it may not be possible to brush them properly in between meals. This is extremely convenient for those who travel a lot and are constantly on-the-go as sugar free gum has great anti-viral properties. This will to help clear away food debris and rinse away any bacteria that can cause bad breath after eating and drinking.

Break Bad Habits

Is your overall dental health being ruined by bad habits such as smoking, vaping, or chewing tobacco? If the answer is yes, chewing sugar free gum could be your best friend for those wanting to give up the bad habits and get your oral health in better condition. By chewing gum, this can help to reduce any cravings and helps with nicotine withdrawal for people who cannot smoke for whatever reason.

Is chewing gum one of your daily habits? Have you considered the sugar-free alternative?

10:00 No comments

AD| When it comes to home renovations and refurbishments, there are so many tasks to consider when wanting to improve both your indoor and outdoor spaces, it can be hard to decide what you want. Many people want the interior of their home to be absolutely perfect, but may forget the about the exterior spaces, which is also a very important feature of your home.

Something worth considering is installing outdoor lighting in your home. Outdoor lighting helps to make the most of your outdoor space, and it's particularly useful in the summer months. Outdoor garden lights are also one of the most efficient types of lighting you can install to add extra brightness to your house exterior. A great lighting design will improve your home in a number of ways from security purposes, safety and the overall aesthetic of your home. As well as this, outdoor lights are usually waterproof and extremely durable, which makes them long-lasting, affordable for any budget and they will require a lot less maintenance which makes them a good long-term investment.

SECURITY

One of the main reasons to consider installing outdoor lighting in your home is simply for security purposes. By placing lights around your home, with products such as floodlights and motion sensor lighting, can be a simple, yet effective security measure, to reduce your properties risk from attempted break-ins and burglaries. Having a well-illuminated and lit home is a safe and secure home that won't cause you any worries. You can find a variety of outdoor motion sensor lights in different styles that fit your budget and will be suitable for your home.

CREATES A WELCOMING ATMOSPHERE

Make sure to take advantage of your entire property, as your outdoor spaces are just an extension of your home, and can be the perfect place to spend some time in the sun. Installing some much needed decorative lighting can help create a warm and welcoming atmosphere to your outdoor space, making it more inviting both day and night. They add a lovely warm glow to your garden, and are an perfect feature for those who enjoy evening entertainment. This can also be useful for those who have spent a number of hours redesigning their gardens and want to use lighting to draw interest to specific focal points in the garden, such as sheds, water features or ponds and patios/decking areas

INCREASE HOME VALUE

Outdoor lighting is an easy and inexpensive way to increase the value of your home, for very little effort and maintenance. By adding outdoor lighting to your homes exterior, you make it stand out both day and night, making it appealing to others that pass by. This can be an essential idea to consider when you're looking to sell your home, as you want your property to look inviting at all times of the day.

GARDEN EVENTS/HOSTING

One way that you can increase the amount of time you spend in your garden in the evenings is to install outdoor lighting, which is perfect to illuminate your outdoor space during the darker evenings. Outdoor lighting enables better visibility, making outdoor activities easier at night. During the summer months, it's nice to host outdoor picnics, barbecues and have your friends/family rounds for some drinks, and having the perfect choice of lighting can help you enjoy your outdoor space. Whether you opt for patio lights, decking lights or just some cute decorative lights, there is a huge range of possibilities to suit your outdoor space.

SAFETY

Finally, outdoor lighting can be an extremely useful safety tool in your home by illuminating any dark areas of your property. For example, for homes with garages, garden steps, paths and alleyways, or even outdoor areas that may become slippy/flooded due to bad weather, installing lights can help make these areas easier to navigate and safer to enter. This can be extremely useful for young children, elderly relatives, anyone that suffers with mobility issues or even those who are unfamiliar with the layout of your home.

Do you have any outdoor lighting installed in your home? Would you consider it in the future?

10:00 No comments

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