● Laura Thornberry ● Lifestyle Blogger ● London Based ●

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?

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GUEST POST | If you’re on a low income, a zero hours contract or minimum wage, you might feel you’ll be laughed out of the bank if you go in there asking for a mortgage. So, how can you get on the property ladder with no money?

Average House Price in The UK

With the average house price in the UK being £264,000 and the average salary being £31,285, how is anyone supposed to get on the property ladder, never mind those on a low income (as an illustration, someone working 40 hours a week on minimum wage would be on a salary of £18,532.80)? All is not lost though. You might think you’re priced out of the housing market but there are ways to get on the property ladder with a low income and we’ll have a look at some of these ways below.

Look For Property in a Cheaper Area

If you’ve got your heart set on a townhouse in Notting Hill, setting your sights a bit lower will help you get on the property ladder. When I say ‘a bit’, I mean stop coveting those £6million penthouses on Rightmove and have a browse on estate agents in Essex websites instead. You’ll get far more for your money in slightly less-salubrious areas such as Barking, Basildon or Dagenham and, if you work from home, you can live wherever you like (and can afford), so you won’t be spending thousands a year on your commute.

Save a Bigger Deposit

Saving a bigger deposit is easier said than done, no one’s going to disagree with that. A rightful complaint from would-be property buyers is that they can easily afford a mortgage, as proved each month when they pay rent that’s more than their mortgage payment each month would be. If they didn’t have to pay so much in rent, they could save up for a bigger deposit with which to buy a house. It’s a Catch-22 situation for sure. There are ways to save though, even if you think you’re already financially stretched to your limit.

Cut Down On Essentials and Non-Luxuries

Go through your bank statements and online subscriptions and see what you can cut out. That daily coffee shop coffee? Get a travel mug and take your own coffee on your commute. Do you really need all your streaming services? There must be some you can cut out or downgrade to a cheaper plan. Do you have a gym membership but can’t actually remember where the gym is? Scroll through the apps on your phone. Are there apps you’re paying for but never use? If there’s stuff you really have to buy, here are some tips to help you save money online.

Put The Money in a Savings Account

When you’ve gone through your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly outgoings and cut out those services and non-essentials you can live without, put the money you would have spent into a savings account. This isn’t because you’ll make more money in interest (you get approximately bugger-all in interest these days) but because if you leave it in your bank account, it’ll get spent somehow. Put it in an account that doesn’t give you a bank card and you’ll soon see the money for a deposit build up.

Pay Your Debts Off

I know paying more money out seems to contradict the advice above about cutting down on your spending, but one thing a mortgage lender looks at is how many loans and debts a potential borrower already has. Paying off any debts such as a student loan (okay, that’s possibly a bit unreasonable), personal loans and credit cards will make you look better in a lender’s eyes.

Improve Your Credit Score

A low credit score isn’t going to do you any favours when it comes to getting a mortgage. If you think your credit score is going against you, you can check it for free at websites such as Experian. If your credit rating isn’t great, make sure you pay off any loans regularly and don’t miss any payments. On top of that, pay more than the minimum amount required to really improve your rating.

‘But I don’t even have a credit card. Why is my rating so low?’ is a common question. The reason your credit rating is low when you don’t even have a credit card is because there’s not actually anything to rank you on. No one will know if you’re good at paying back a debt if you’ve never had one. Yet another of those pesky Catch-22 situations.

Yet again, I’m going to contradict myself and say, if you’ve never had a credit card and your credit score is low - get a credit card. This sounds a crazy idea but getting a credit card and paying off the balance in full each month will improve your credit score. I’m not suggesting you get a Platinum Amex and max it out on shoes, handbags or cars each month, but buy your groceries and other regular essentials on your credit card and just remember to pay it off in full each month. You’ll be no worse off but your credit rating will improve.

The above advice isn’t a magic bullet for getting on the property ladder with no money, but a bit of cutting back, compromising and improving your credit rating will get you further towards your dreams of being a homeowner.

Are you on the property ladder? What are your tips and advice for first-time buyers?

10:00 No comments

GUEST POST | If you're looking at planning a visit to Cardiff, Wales for the first time, here are some things you must see, do and experience.

Splendidly situated betwixt the mountains and the sea, Cardiff is making a big splash with visitors. This capital city is small in size, but big in personality. Weekenders are drawn by its unique character and charms. Some come hoping to rub shoulders with rugby players, spy a dragon or two, take in an ancient castle or join in with a good old singsong, Tom Jones’ style. Aside from those quintessentially Welsh pastimes, Cardiff has much else to offer too.

Making waves since the 15th century, Cardiff is now home to 350,000 people. Set just off the M4 motorway, with its own airport and a centrally located train station, these days the city is within easy reach of just about anywhere. With its emblem of the red dragon in glorious abundance, every sign written in both Welsh and English and a chorus of distinctive lilting voices all about you, once here you know, without a doubt, that you are in the heart of Wales. The buzz of the city comes from music, rugby and a strong, proud sense of national cultural identity. Some even claim that the shopping here is better than in Milan. The city is also brimming with lively nightlife options, from traditional pubs to sophisticated bars, live music and a wide range of clubs for a memorable party night out. Whilst Cardiff has all the cosmopolitan buzz of a capital city, it is compactly set within a small area, making it easy to get about.

Cardiff lies within a stone’s throw of the Brecon Beacons National Park and the Black mountains to the North and the South Wales coastline to the South and West, where there are also plentiful Bristol activities. This means that adventurous types, with a penchant for the great outdoors, can schedule in walking, biking, golf, surfing, canoeing and other Cardiff activities. There are small to middling sized mountains to scale, the largest being Pen y Fan, at a lofty altitude of 886 metres. Coastal towns such as Ogmore-by-Sea offer the very hip challenge of surfing. For cyclists, there are a range of on and off-road options, the most famous being the Taff trail. At 55 miles (93 kilometres) long, it wends its way from Cardiff to the historic market town of Brecon. It largely follows the course of the Taff river and is a mixture of on and off-road sections, requiring either a mountain bike or perhaps a hybrid model to tackle it. Even within the city itself, there is the opportunity to get out on the water of Cardiff bay, in a canoe, kayak, wind-surfer or dinghy. Sticking safely to dry land, there is also the rather lovely and very central Bute park to picnic, lob frisbees and generally laze about in.

For rugby fans, Cardiff holds the allure of the 74,500 seat Millennium stadium. This is home to the Welsh national side, fondly nicknamed the Red Dragons. On match days, thousands throng here, creating a sea of red in the stands, together with a carnival display of nodding and bopping dragon and daffodil head attire. Even if you’re not here on match days, you can still sneak a glimpse into the dragons’ lair. Stadium tours allow you to peek inside the dressing room, tread in the footsteps of giants through the players’ tunnel and hold a trophy aloft for yourself.

For culture vultures and seekers of knowledge, there are museums, galleries and shops, including the National Museum of Wales, Techniquest hands-on-science centre and Wales Millennium Centre. There is also the 2,000 year old castle to explore. Back through time, it has been home to a Roman fort, a Norman citadel and a Tudor stronghold. These days, instead of repelling grockles with slingshot and hot tar, it welcomes them with open arms. If you time your visit to Cardiff right, you could sup locally brewed beverages at the Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival in June or munch your way through the Great British Cheese Festival in September. Music is in the blood of Welshmen and Cardiff is firmly at the melodic forefront. It has major venues in the form of the Millennium stadium and the Motorpoint Arena. These regularly attract the big names in music, such as the legendary figures of Gary Barlow, Dolly Parton and McBusted. There are heaps of Eisteddfod and Jazz options to enjoy and a smorgasbord of live music available in smaller venues too.

If you wish to craft, nibble, quaff and laze, Cardiff offers a wealth of luxurious, sublime and quirky opportunities to do so. You can roll your very own handmade chocolates, create melt-in-the-mouth fudge, muddle some cocktails with a master mixologist or shrug off the hustle bustle of the 21st century at a lavish spa.

As the sun sets over Tiger bay in Cardiff, visitors have their sights set on re-fuelling and thoughts naturally turn to eating, drinking and making merry. Cardiff has a huge variety of restaurants, cafes, pubs, bars and nightclubs on offer. Mermaid Quay is part of the multi-million pound redevelopment of Cardiff bay and boasts a number of restaurants and bars, where you can sit, sup and enjoy views out across the water. Alternatively, you can head for the central area, near the castle and train station. Here lie pubs for every tippler, from traditional to spit and sawdust to trendy and sophisticated.

There are clubs a-plenty too. For alternative music, head for the top end of the town centre. For mainstream chart, dance, trance, house and party music, you could head for the areas around St Mary Street in the centre, Cardiff Bay or Greyfriars road. Cardiff’s motto ‘The Red Dragon will Lead the Way’ perhaps hints at the promise of mini adventures for those that choose to follow, offering something for every size, shape and flavour of visitor to the city. Join the migration and let the dragon lead on.

Have you visited Cardiff?

10:00 No comments

GUEST POST | You know how it is when you get a new kitchen. You vow to look after it so well, it’ll look shiny and new forever. Each time you venture into your gleaming kitchen, you delicately stroke the worktops and promise to keep them looking pristine and to never let them get dirty or damaged. In fact, you love your new kitchen so much, you don’t even want to use it. Ever.

But, let’s face it, in the real world, kitchens are there to be used and, not only are they there to be used, they’re there to be used for mucky stuff. After a while, all your good intentions go out the kitchen window and suddenly there’s flour and fingerprints everywhere. Don’t fear though, all is not lost, because below you’ll find a few hints on how to look after your kitchen worktops to keep them looking as good as they did on the day they were installed.

Look After Your Kitchen Worktops By Using A Chopping Board

It probably goes without saying, but to save your kitchen worktops from getting scratched, use a chopping board. Even if you have resilient, strong and scratch-proof marble kitchen worktops, protect them the best you can by not chopping anything directly onto them.

Wipe Up Any Spills Straight Away

As you’ll probably be aware, some foods and liquids stain stuff just by being in the same room as them. Beetroot, turmeric and red wine are just three substances that create stubborn stains, so wipe up any spills straight away to keep your kitchen worktops stain-free.

Clean Your Kitchen Worktops Carefully

Of course, although wiping up spillages straight away is a great habit to get into, that isn’t going to keep your kitchen worktops clean. But before you start channelling Mrs Hinch and start stocking up on cloths and cleaners (who are we kidding, with all the millions she’s worth, she probably hires an actual cleaner now), save your money and leave the bottles of chemicals and abrasive sponges on the supermarket shelf.

Hot soapy water is all you need to keep your kitchen worktops clean but, if they do need a bit of extra help, you can add a bit of multi-purpose cleaners. Not bleach though. Bleach is bad. Also, don’t let a wire scourer or anything similarly scratchy anywhere near your worktops and use a soft microfibre cloth instead.

Clean Into The Corners

How often do you clean in the corners of your kitchen worktops? You know, under the toaster and behind the bread machine? If the answer is ‘When I can be bothered,’ you’ll get no judgement here. I’m exactly the same. But if you want to keep your kitchen looking as good as it did on the day it was fitted, you'll have to make the effort to move those appliances out of the way and get into the corners.

Look After Your Kitchen Worktops With Trivets

‘If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen,’ is a well-known saying (or, depending on your age, lyrics in a Bucks Fizz song). This saying obviously doesn’t apply to saucepans or casserole dishes, so they’ll have to stay in the kitchen even when they’re hot. Heat and worktops aren’t a great match though, so this is where trivets are your kitchen worktop’s best friend to save your worktops from getting scorched and permanently damaged.

Kitchen Worktops Can Last A Lifetime If Looked After

If you look after your kitchen worktops, you'll not only keep them looking good but they’ll also stay in tip top condition and should last you many years, if not a lifetime.

How do you take care of your kitchen worktops?

10:00 1 comments

GUEST POST | Confidence is key to feeling your best in your clothes. There are many ways to improve confidence, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. It can be beneficial to try out many different ways to find the method that works for you. With that in mind, this article will explore some of the most popular ways to help boost confidence, leaving you looking and feeling more confident.

Wear Things That Make You Feel Good

One simple way to boost your confidence is by filling your wardrobe with pieces that make you feel good. This could be a material that you enjoy the feel of colours that bring you joy or a style that makes you feel sexy. It may take a little experimentation to find out what makes you feel the best.

Add Positive Affirmations To Your Daily Routine

Positive affirmations can help you change your mindset and improve your confidence. The way we talk to ourselves matters, and a lot of people are more critical than generous towards themselves. Some people choose affirmations that focus on their strengths, what they like about themselves or noting achievements.

Smile More

No one likes to be told to smile by strangers, but it is worth noting that the act of smiling can help to boost mood. Not only this but smiling at others will often lead to them smiling back, creating positive social interaction. That’s not to say that you should smile at everyone you come across, but taking the time to smile, even when alone, can help bring your mood up and improve your confidence.

Invest In The Right Shapewear

Shapewear can be a great way to help your clothes fit better and more smoothly. This, in turn, can be a great way to feel happier in your clothes. It is crucial to find shapewear that fits your body type and consider the kind of shapewear that is most suitable for various outfits. Take a look at the brilliant shapewear options from Heist to help you choose the right option.

Take Yourself Out Of Your Comfort Zone

Getting out of your comfort zone can help boost your self-esteem, helping you feel more self-sufficient and capable of taking on whatever life throws at you. Knowing that you can handle even the unknown can be an incredible boost.

Throw Out Clothes That Don’t Make You Feel Great

You could consider going through your wardrobe to find items that no longer make you feel good. These could be items that no longer fit well, are no longer your style or that are past their best. You could consider donating or recycling these items so that you can make room for the clothes that make you feel good.

Accessorise Well

Accessories can be the perfect way to finish off an outfit. Even if you’re not feeling your best in something, the right finishing touch can completely change how an outfit feels. You could consider building a good collection of accessories, including sunglasses, jewellery, hats and scarves. These can add more of your personality to your outfit, leaving you feeling brilliant.

How do you help boost your own confidence?

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