Quick note: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links; if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. I only recommend products I use myself and think would be useful for other people.
When you’re a mum, your whole world revolves around your kids. You want to keep them safe and happy at all times, which can sometimes be a challenge, especially regarding home safety. There are so many things to think about! This blog post will give you some essential tips for keeping your child safe at home. We’ll cover everything from fires and falls to poisoning and electricity. So read on, and conquer those anxiety demons – your little one will be safe and sound!
Tip 1) Fires:
Install smoke alarms and fire extinguishers on each floor of your house, and make sure to check them regularly. Keep all flammable materials away from heat sources such as stoves or radiators. If you have a fireplace, buy a protective mesh gate and keep the area around it clear of debris.
Tip 2) Falls:
Baby-proof your home by covering sharp corners with bumpers, installing safety gates at stairs, and installing locks on kitchen cabinets containing hazardous items. Also, make sure no small objects like coins or marbles are lying around where curious fingers can get to them.
Tip 3) Poisoning:
Keep medications, cleaning supplies, and other potentially poisonous substances locked away in a secure location, preferably up high out of reach. Be sure to label all containers properly and dispose of expired medicines correctly.
Tip 4) Electricity:
Cover unused electrical outlets with plastic guards and make sure that barely used appliances are unplugged when not in use. Teach your children the dangers of electricity by explaining why they cannot touch exposed wires or put objects into wall sockets.
Tip 5) Health Risks:
Purchase a good first aid kit and keep it in an easily accessible place. Make sure you know where to find the emergency numbers for your local doctor and hospital, as well as the Poison Control Center. Keep up to date on vaccinations and checkups for your child, too.
Tip 6) Cleaning:
Cleaning and maintaining a safe home can be challenging, especially with small children running around. To help you stay on top of this task, make sure to vacuum regularly, clean up spills immediately, wash bedding frequently, and replace worn carpets or rugs. Be sure to get vertical blind cleaning tools to get in those hard-to-reach spots.
Tip 7) Sanity:
Taking care of yourself is just as important as keeping your little one safe. Make sure to get plenty of rest, exercise regularly, and take some time for yourself each day. This can help reduce stress and anxiety, leaving you more alert and prepared to handle any safety issues that arise.
Children are our most precious gifts, and ensuring that their homes are safe and secure is essential. By following these home safety tips, you can help reduce the risk of accidents or injuries in your child’s environment so they can grow up happy and healthy. Don’t forget to take a few moments each day – you deserve it!
From where I was mentally and emotionally back in 2021. Had you told me I would be dancing in my living room to TikTok videos, I genuinely would never have believed it. It would be a long time before I would Grow in Confidence!
Pretty much all of my adult life, I’ve dealt with intrusive thoughts and high levels of anxiety. I don’t know exactly where it came from, but being hard on myself, a perfectionist and slightly controlling didn’t help matters. Coupled with the fact I was in a soul-destroying job. And I’m an empath who cannot help but soak up everybody’s energy. It’s taken me years to finally feel confident in myself and embrace who I am.
Let’s dive into how TikTok helped me Grow in Confidence, embrace the challenges life throws at us, and find a community of liked minded people
Confidence
I used to think confidence was a mask, an act that people put on. Now I realise it’s being your true self. Authentically and without apology. Nobody walking this earth is perfect and we never will be. There is no point in striving for perfection. We will always be disappointed with the results if we aim for perfection. So why set ourselves up for failure? Especially when we have the ability to thrive in life. If you follow my blog, you will know it took me years to answer these questions.
We are all just muddling through
Following my mental health struggles, I now see people as people. We are all facing some sort of struggle. And trying our best to get through the day and have happy moments. This is why I can write honestly and authentically for my blog. My main blog has been live on the internet for almost two years. And I know my writing helps people because the comments on my blog and social media accounts prove this.
When we struggle mentally, we often just need to know we are not alone. It can help to see an uplifting social media post or knowledge that someone is going through a similar situation. To give you some context, when I first started the blog it was totally anonymous for the first year. Mainly because I was still living in fear. And this was due to workplace trauma and the anxiety of working in such a hostile environment, for so many years. I also didn’t have the confidence to show my face.
Enjoying TikTok
I have slowly shared more of myself and my life. And graduated to video content on TikTok.
I must say, I am really enjoying making these videos. It fills me with confidence and allows me to embrace the don’t care attitude. Don’t get me wrong, I care about the important things in life. But I no longer reserve a space in my head for drama, caring what others think of me, or pointless emotions, like jealousy and anger.
Helping those people who also struggle mentally
I want my TikTok account to be a place where people feel safe to share. Where another mum can feel less alone, after seeing a vulnerable post about my struggles. I want other mums to know it’s totally okay to want a break from your kids. And actually put plans in place to take one. Regularly.
For anyone struggling mentally, I want those people to know this is a daily battle for me. And it’s totally okay to have good and bad days in life. It’s all about balance. And riding out the ups and downs.
Mentally we need to stay on top of our mental well-being in order to stay well. Just like we would do physio on a weak muscle in our physical body. I just wish society would catch up with this pretty simple notion.
Come join me over on TikTok and dance your way through the challenges life throws at us!
Final thoughts
Ultimately, I am here to tell everyone out there, it does get better. Hang on, stick around, and get out of bed. Get up and fight! Trust me, I know how painful and draining it is to even think about getting a shower and walking out of the door, following a mental breakdown. But you must. This world needs you.
With the Valentine’s Day hype now over, it’s a good time to reflect on the self-improvement gifts I give to myself. And how doing this benefits me hugely. My hope is that one day we normalise taking time for self-care. Instead of seeing it as laziness.
If you follow my blog, you will know in the past I struggled with my mental health. Mainly because I was super organised, controlling and pretty uptight. However, it’s clear now that underneath all that, I was an anxious wreck. And I certainly wasn’t a happy person.
It was time for a brain reset. Strangely my mental breakdown gave me this, in part. But obviously not in a healthy way. And I needed to, once and for all, align my habits and circumstances with what I truly wanted out of life.
Why I chose hypnotherapy
Although a series of life circumstances made me reassess my whole life, there was still something missing. I knew I didn’t want to seek out counselling or a therapist, as I had used these tools several times in the past. Some of it worked and some of it didn’t. The option of a life coach was considered. But when I settled on a hypnotherapy course, I basically got the whole package. A life coach, a guide, impactful meditation. And a range of tools to use in my life moving forward. This was a lifetime solution. And once you go through intense meditation sessions, your brain is permanently changed for the better. There is no going back, in the best way possible.
Case study of our sessions
You might remember me posting on social media about Kevin, my therapist, writing a case study summarising our sessions together. It’s great to read through the progress we made. And I hope this will give you all an insight into how a hypnotherapy course can help you.
Sometimes when you’re in the moment, you cannot stand back from the situation enough to use hindsight and make informed decisions about what happened. As a process, hypnotherapy doesn’t look too far back to your past self. The theory is that it doesn’t matter. And I agree with this.
However, I’ve recently been having a huge clear out of my camera roll (it’s a must as a blogger – all those TikTok videos take up a huge amount of space) and noticed a few things about who I was five years ago (I use the five-year mark because this is around when things started changing for me):
There were numerous helpful quotes saved to my phone, from social media. Now I try to be the one creating these images for other people.
I reflected on group photos with people who are no longer in my life. They were not on my wavelength and they were a total drain on my energy. Whilst I wish others well in life, I must surround myself with non-toxic people. I’ve learned, you don’t have to be everyone’s friend. And it’s okay that people are on totally different paths in life.
There were endless images of self-development notes I started writing. The inner work on myself began several years ago. I just didn’t realise it at the time. It wasn’t easy to comprehend where this journey would take me. I resigned myself to a life of stress because I genuinely thought that was how everyone lived.
Ultimately, a series of events which happened over the last five years would force me into changing my circumstances and myself, whether I liked it or not.
The impact of not aligning your goals, priorities, values and character traits
I now feel in synch, with my priorities, goals and how I live my life. Imagine planning a train journey. You book activities in Norfolk for a 7-day period, but your train is heading to Wales. You’re in the wrong place. heading in the completely wrong direction. That’s how I felt for years!
Imagine starting a construction job, but you don’t have the materials to begin the first stage. I felt like this daily – like a really important component of my life was missing! Like my life, the people around me, and how I was living, were totally out of sync with my goals. Once major changes happened in my circumstances, it was clear I still had old habits, which also didn’t match my circumstances.
It was time for a brain reset. Strangely my mental breakdown gave me this, in part. But obviously not in a healthy way. And I needed to, once and for all, align my habits and circumstances with what I truly wanted out of life.
I will be honest and say, everyone, is a constant work in progress. There is always work to do on yourself and we as human beings, should never stop progressing.
Reflecting on my hypnotherapy journey
It’s now time for me to reflect on my hypnotherapy journey and summarise the benefits and what I learned.
It’s important to note that since completing the course, I’ve been able to cement considerable changes in my life. I had started making progress on significant life changes before I met Kevin. However, the power of hypnotherapy in implementing lasting changes is the reason I am where I am today.
These are the main differences in who I was before
Be Intentional in everything I do
Set boundaries in ALL areas of my life
Say no when I need to protect my mental health
Value my time
Be kind to self
Experience joy daily
Practice gratitude
Consciously participate in fun activities with my toddler
Talk openly about emotions and problems in order to solve them
Help and guide others who may be feeling low
An example of how my life has transformed
A great example is my career, I spent 15 years in a stressful, demanding career and I genuinely thought everyone endured this level of stress. Turns out it wasn’t what everyone experienced in their working lives. During my hypnotherapy journey, I completely changed my career and finally pursued my passion for helping people. I put in a lot of work and successfully applied for two job roles. I am finally putting one of my main character traits and values top of the list – HELPING OTHERS!
I still have bad mental health days – just like everyone else
To clarify, I still have bad mental health days. If you follow me on TikTok you will know this. But how I deal with the bad days or weeks, is what makes a huge difference. And honestly, I wouldn’t be in a position to do that as well, without the tools the hypnotherapy course gave me. Resilience to deal with your life circumstances and challenges is the best gift I ever gave myself.
I approach each day now with a mindset of what can I achieve. What is the list for the day? Let’s smash this. I work hard, but no longer play hard. Our new family goal is watching the pennies, saving and planning for the future.
Final Thoughts
I am so thankful I had the opportunity to go on this wonderful journey with Kevin. It’s the best thing that could have happened to me. And I truly believe that everything happens at the right time. Sometimes things come along that you really need. And this was one of them!
Have you tried hypnotherapy?
Is it something you’ve been thinking about trying?
When I started my blogging journey, it was guest posting and advertising on other peoples’ blogs that helped increase my domain authority (DA). And more importantly, build a network of supportive bloggers.
I feel privileged to introduce you to my February advertisers
It’s now time for me to share other people’s wonderful blogs. Please go and show my February advertisers some love, by commenting, sharing their posts, and interacting with one another. I regularly post on Twitter about the blogging community and how it is great to be part of such a supportive group of people.
There is something for everyone in this bunch. A mix of lifestyle, photography, and blogs about the honest realities of mummy life.
Ellie is one of the bloggers in the community I have regular contact with and I have advertised on her blog previously. As such, I am excited to have her as an advertiser this month.
On her blog, you will find various lifestyle topics and I particularly love her beauty reviews, and when she shares one of her new candle collections with us. Go and check out the blog. And her amazing candle collection.
A little bit about Ellie
Ellie is a lifestyle blogger (among other things) from Somerset. Her blog started many years ago as a beauty blog, but in the past few years, it has expanded to include all sorts of topics, including food, travel, home, and pets. On the blog, you can expect to find plenty of product reviews, lifestyle tips and tricks, and seasonal gift guides.
Instagram Ellie (@ellieslittleworldxox) • Instagram photos and videos
Sophie – Starting today blog
Why I loved checking out Sophie’s blog
Please all go take a look at this blog! It is aesthetically pleasing and the images on the website are amazing. To write this post, I had a look around the site and I am impressed with what I found. Sophie covers lifestyle and photography on the blog, and you will find some amazing images scattered throughout her blog posts.
A little bit about Sophie
Sophie is a freelance photographer who looks at life philosophically. She has always been creative, but hid from her creativity for so long, afraid it was a negative aspect of her character. Now she embraces it. Her blog, Starting Today, is a place where she shares her thoughts, vision, and passions. She combines photography, poetry, and writing to share her lifestyle and thoughts. Uniquely ambitious, with a zest for life, she loves to encourage others to be themselves, always.
You find Sophie on Twitter. She is also on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook.
Jess – Prosecco Mum
Why I loved checking out Jess’ blog
I love this blog! When you land on the homepage, you feel at home and in a safe parenting space. The pictures remind me of my parenting journey, and I love how honest Jess is about the ups and downs of mummy life, whilst being a working mum. You will also find a range of lifestyle topics and reviews of the local area.
A little bit about Jess
Not your ordinary mummy blogger. Established 2014, still no clue about parenting. Totally owned by her kids.
It’s no secret that I love affordable but effective beauty products. And I try and fit in self-care whenever I can. These trusted beauty products, allow me to quickly transform from mum mode into work or going out mode. And given our recent family financial difficulties, my purchases must also be affordable.
I want to share some of my favourite self-care products in this gift guide.
Quick note: Some of the links contained on this page are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. I only recommend products I use myself and think would be useful for other people.
My Favourite products from the No7 range
Here are some of the trusted No7, everyday self-care products I am currently using. And why I love them so much
Every few months, I pick another colour from the range. It is part of my self-care routine, to do my nails for work and also when I go out. Let’s all just agree right now, that blogging images also look better when someone has their nails done! However, finding the time to do them is a different story.
I tried this product a while ago and it’s great. I bought a light shade of pink and it’s a lovely addition to the cheeks for going out. It also added some much-needed colour to my cheeks for work the other day.
Again, this is a product I use daily. If I fancy a bit of subtle colour at work, or for going out. It’s an easy-to-use product, and the coverage is great. It also has lasting power, without getting bitty.
I have tried several make-up primers in the past. But this one is silky smooth and gives a flawless finish to your makeup. I notice a difference when I don’t use it!
As someone with pretty short eyelashes, I need something which transforms my eyes from a normal working mum to going out to party mode. This mascara does just that and it’s a trusted product I keep going back to. Because it works. And it’s affordable.
In the past, I haven’t been kind to my nails. And I am now seeing the impact of the damage. As I frequently use nail polish, I need to use a treatment to look after my nails.
A few years ago, I decided to start using a base and top coat with my nail polish. Simply to protect my nails and also give me a more flawless look. If you use this base with the gel finish products, it can give the look of fuller nails. A bit like you would get when they apply shellac in a salon. But with much less cost involved!
Exactly what it says on the tin. A flawless finish protects the colour of the nails underneath. If I am on holiday, this product can bring staying power to the nails, which is a must. Who wants to be doing their nails when they can be at the beach, with a cocktail instead?
I use this product daily. In place of a BB cream or foundation. The coverage is great and it leaves my skin looking fresh throughout the day.
I recently made a TikTok post about the self-care products I use daily, whilst sitting at my desk blogging. Featuring the No7 Protect & Perfect Eye Cream & Lip Care
In need of a gift or want to treat yourself – have a browse at Boots Fragrance
My Favourite self-care products from The Body Shop
Mother’s Day wellness
Why not pick up a wellness gift set for the amazing mum in your life?
Because I love The Body Shop so much, I have made it a mission to try some new self-care products. And I must say, I am not disappointed. Read my review of them below.
This goes on in a solid form but quickly melts to a nice clear butter. Not too heavy but feels nourishing and brings off the day’s impurities. It also smells lovely and there is a calming, take-the-day-off sense about it. I will now be adding it to my skincare routine and using it a few times a week. Along with my Edelweiss skincare products.
This nail oil smells divine. I’ve been on the lookout for some great cuticle treatments for a while and thought I would try this. The brush and applicator allow just the right amount. And the consistency turns from a slight gel to oil once brushed on. A bit like smelling fresh cherry Bakewell baking in the oven, whilst you partake in self-care.
Let’s start with opening the packet – there is so much liquid in there, which gives great overall coverage and you know you’re in for a real treat. I will be honest and say I usually opt for the much cheaper sheet masks. And although this price point is higher, you literally get what you pay for and this product has a quality all over it.
I’ve never tried a sheet mask where the moisture soaks into the face and the mask eventually goes dry. But this happened with the Edelweiss mask. It smells lovely and my skin was left feeling nourished and refreshed after using it. I will be purchasing more.
I bought a little bottle of this to try it. When I’ve used banana products from other brands before, they can be overpowering and sickly. However, this has just the right amount of fragrance. It honestly makes my hair feel lovely and the smell brings about a relaxing sense. I will be purchasing a bigger bottle.
I’ve loved the fruity scents from The Body Shop since I was a teen. It just depends on what scents you’re into the most. I feel relaxed, looked after and like I’m in a field picking strawberries when I use this product. Love it so much, so I had to treat myself recently.
This is so nourishing with a hint of fragrance. You can tell it’s helping to protect your hands. My hubby uses it every day before work and I also love pinching a bit of it too!
I’ve used this product for a while now. And even before I purchased the Edelweiss range, the charcoal mask left my skin feeling fresh. And my complexion was noticeably clearer.
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed reading the rundown of the trusted beauty products I use daily.
Do you use any of these products? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
And I would love your suggestions on any other products I should try…
Being a freelance writer is an incredibly rewarding job. You get to work from the comfort of your own home, set your own hours and rates, and have the freedom to write about whatever topics you’re passionate about. Yet there are also some challenges that come along with this type of work. To become a successful freelance writer, you need to be organized, have excellent writing skills, and be able to market yourself effectively. But that’s not all.
As much as this career choice isn’t impossible to master and turn into a very lucrative career, it can often take more than a creative voice and good contacts. This is a business endeavour after all, so it’s important to get it right. So to help you get started, in this blog post, we’re going to take a look at what it takes to become a successful freelance writer.
Develop Your Writing Skills
Before you can start working as a freelance writer, you need to develop your writing skills. Start by reading as much as possible and practising writing in different styles. Take classes or workshops, if necessary, to hone your craft. Of course, you’ll always get better by doing. So keep writing and writing more to help you to establish your voice and improve your craft.
Find Your Niche
Next, you’ll want to pick your key niches. It’s important that writers identify their niche so that they can specialize in certain types of projects and build expertise in those areas over time, rather than trying to do too many things at once without any real focus or direction. You don’t have to get too specific here, but knowing that you write about travel or business or tech or TV is a great place to start.
Research the Market
You need to understand what types of writing businesses and publications are looking for before you start pitching yourself for jobs. Do some research into which publications might be interested in hiring you and what kinds of stories they’re looking for. Again, team this up with your skills and interests so that you can come up with a few areas of expertise that you want to specialise in.
Create Your Portfolio
A portfolio is essential if you want people to take you seriously as a freelancer. Start by creating a website or blog where you can showcase samples of your work and link back to articles that have been published elsewhere online or in print magazines or newspapers. It doesn’t matter if you’re brand new — write some blog posts on your site or write for free to get some samples going to start with.
Set Up as a Business
One of the most important things is to get set up as a business from the start. You will need an easy way for clients to pay you for your services. So sign up for payment accounts like PayPal or Venmo so that clients can easily transfer money into your account after they hire you for a project. You’ll also want to register yourself as a business officially and for tax purposes. This is best to do early on, so you can treat your freelance writing like the business it actually is.
Build Your Network
Networking is essential if you want to find new clients and stay on top of industry trends and news. Reach out via social media or attend industry events so that potential employers know who you are and what kind of services you offer as a freelancer. Also, look to go to networking events and make connections online to help yourself get noticed.
Pitch Yourself For Jobs
Once all the groundwork has been done, it’s time to start looking for work. Start by searching online job boards such as Problogger or Upwork for freelance gigs related to your speciality area(s) of interest. You can also send pitches directly to business owners and editors to land gigs or introduce yourself. This is a huge part of the job and should be something that you get more comfortable doing.
Determine Your Rates
However, before sending out any proposals, make sure that your rates reflect the amount of experience that you bring with each particular client opportunity. This will ensure that both parties feel comfortable with the arrangement moving forward. When it comes to publications, you may find that they are the ones that let you know what they can pay or what their rates are.
Keep Learning
The best way to stay on top of trends in the industry is by continuing education. Whether it’s attending seminars or webinars related specifically towards writing or your niche, reading more, or keeping up to date with industry trends — make sure that you’re doing it. Not only that but make sure to learn how to get the most out of your writing tools. With options like setapp.com, you can get more familiar with your laptop or computer to help you be more productive. Over time, you’ll feel like more of a master at it.
Stay Organized
Last but not least, it’s important that you’re always focusing on staying organized. If you don’t know where you are with pitches and projects, things can get messy. So make sure that you’re setting clear milestones and expectations upfront, then track the progress too. Using more online tools, like Trello or Asana, can help you here. It’s all about making sure you know where you are and so do your clients. This can be essential when it comes to delivering your work and meeting deadlines.
Breaking into the World of Freelance Writing
Becoming a successful freelance writer requires dedication and hard work—but it can be incredibly rewarding when done correctly. While there’s no set formula for making this work for you, you will find that the points in this blog post create a great guide for you to stick to. By following the key steps that we’ve outlined, from perfecting your writing and finding your niche to making connections and getting set up like a business, you’ll be well on your way towards finding success within this ever-growing field!
The fantastic offers you get when shopping online at The Body Shop keep me returning as a shopper. Not to mention the great, high-quality products.
In this post, I want to walk you through a recent order I placed with The Body Shop and the greatbenefits I received. Also, share with you my latest beauty review.
Disclaimer – depending on when you are reading this post, I would check the website for up-to-date offers
Firstly, there are two current offers available at the moment. And I have a discount code for you… at the end of this post.
You currently receive a free cleanser when you meet certain spending thresholds for skin care. I was on a mission to top up my Edelweiss skincare range, so I knew I would meet this threshold.
Who doesn’t love a shower gel and an offer to get a full-sized bottle for just £4.00 when you’re spending £15.00 overall?
Let’s talk about Edelweiss
It might be worth watching my recent TikTok beauty review video. Where I talk all about why I love the range so much. Here are the highlights:
-Glowing skin
-Smoother skin
-A self-care skincare routine
-Fresh-feeling skin
-A way for me to take the day off after work
-As a busy mum, something for myself
These are the reasons I will continue to purchase this skincare range. It makes my skin looks smoother and brighter, as a result of using the serum and intense smoothing cream daily.
Want another beauty review?
Because I cannot deny the quality of the products. And The Body Shop has always made me feel like I invest in my self-care, another beauty review is incoming soon. Follow me on TikTok to keep up to date with the latest videos.
Here is what you can expect to see soon…
A review of the Edelweiss eye serum concentrate. The older I get, it’s the area I like to focus on
Edelweiss Liquid Peel review
Edelweiss Serum concentrate sheet mask review
And LOTS more Body Shop products
Love Your Body club
As a member of the Love Your Body Club, I also earn points and receive rewards. So far I’ve spent £10.00 in-store, during a post-Christmas shopping trip. And for each subsequent purchase, I’ve received a £5.00 reward.
As shown in the images below, I have also been sent an Edelweiss sample. Which is a bonus, because I am trying to stock up on the range.
The reward system is so easy to use, both online and in-store.
Is this your first time signing up for the club? Get 15% off your first purchase when you sign up. Use code: LYBC15
Use my discount code for purchases at The Body Shop
USE CODE MCA20 FOR A 20% DISCOUNT. Full terms & conditions are here.
Final thoughts
Let me know your thoughts on this skincare range.
Do you use it? Would you try it?
I would love to hear from you in the comments below.
And don’t forget to check out my next beauty review. My video reels are posted to TikTok, Instagram and also YouTube.
Why not sign up for my monthly newsletter, to receive exclusive offers and discounts, which are not shared on this blog?
Check out all the other blog posts about The Body Shop
If you follow the blog, you’ll know I’m all about self-care. In addition to other aids, it’s what helped me recover from my breakdown. I finally started looking after myself after years of not doing so.
And sometimes we need some products to assist us with our regime. A self-care package. What better way to relax?
In this post, I wanted to draw your attention to some of the trusted products I’ve used for years. The type of gifts I open, smile, and think to myself my family knows me well.
Getting a new self-care product makes me happy. It’s also an excuse to ask my hubby to cover childcare so I can spend time trying it out
Quick note: Some of the links contained on this page are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. I only recommend products I use myself and thinkwould be useful for you.
The reason we ALL need a bit of self-care in our lives
These days, with lack of sleep and toddler madness, sometimes self-care for 15 minutes is all I have to make me feel a little bit better. And I take the opportunity. I’m currently writing this post with a face mask on, listening to yoga music. This is the first 15 minutes I grabbed to myself today and it’s 9 pm. I always need a self-care package on hand, for the moments I get to spend alone.
As a parent, making time for self-care is so important, and we should take time for ourselves. Even if it’s 5 minutes. Focusing on yourself will make you feel better. It will boost your energy and spur you on for the rest of your day.
I learned the hard way, we should never neglect ourselves. Personal care is a basic human need and one I love to indulge in now.
Want to gain access to exclusive offers, updates and a monthly newsletter? Sign up for my mailing list here
Speaking of indulgence, let’s dive into the list of must have products to add to your self-care package
Shopping online at The Body Shop brings back so many memories. I remember buying the animal-shaped soaps because they smelled and looked amazing.
I was impressed by their ethos and I love scrolling through their range of products.
They come highly recommended by family and friends and are my go-to gift when I need to purchase something for Valentine’s Day. For any special occasion, you cannot go wrong with a purchase from The Body Shop.
Some of my product highlights
My brother loves the satsuma range and you will always find this in my shopping basket.
I love the sweet-smelling body butter and scrubs. The raspberry scrub smells good enough to eat. What an amazing addition to a relaxing bath, or even a quick shower for the busy mums out there.
For a previous anniversary, I purchased from the spa range. If you feel like getting romantic, it smells divine and you won’t be disappointed.
Sign up to my freebie library. Each week there will be a new freebie added to help organise your life and take away some stress!
I’ve been checking out the self heating eye masks and they look fantastic. They also come highly recommended, by customers leaving reviews and also top beauty influencers. You can find out more on their website.
Getting a new self-care product makes me happy. It’s also an excuse to ask my hubby to cover childcare so I can spend time trying it out
The beauty of it is, through sensory retreats, you can also buy now and pay later with Klarna. (PLEASE see their website for specific T’s & C’s.)
I’ve recently been checking them out for an occasion I have coming up. My relative loves make-up and I am impressed by the huge range of cute brush collections I found on their site.
Alice In Wonderland bundle
I am loving the Alice In Wonderland bundle and would love this as a present for myself. Hehe!
Hello Kitty
For the present I need to buy, I love the look of these Hello Kitty brushes.
It’s also a huge incentive, free delivery applies to all orders over £40.00 and you can use the Klarna app for your purchases. Mine got used a lot over the Christmas period.
Final thoughts
If you like any of the products discussed in this post, or you want to browse at your leisure (I love a good internet shopping session!), click on the buttons below.
Before the autumn season gets into full swing, I need to admit publicly, Halloween is my fave occasion.
And I LOVE making homemade costumes for the main event…
We have storage boxes full of decorations. I’m so excited we now have a toddler who understands the occasion more, which means she can get involved.
I wish I lived in the US because I want in on the over-the-top celebrations. Everyone is out on the street, dressed up, interacting. We are a little more reserved here in the UK.
Maybe it’s because I repeatedly watched The Witches over & over at my Grandma’s house when I was little, or loved the iconic Halloween scene in ET (US friends, please tell me trick or treat night really is like this??), or because I am a little witchy myself. I just feel like this occasion was meant for me.
In my excitement for the upcoming celebrations and my participation in #Blogtober, I had to share some of the trusted Halloween outfits I’ve made myself for our Halloween parties in previous years.
Disclaimer – for each of these outfits, I bought the basics and then adapted the outfit . ‘homemade’ is a bit of a stretch, haha!
I also apologise in advance for the puns. Sorry, not sorry!
Quick note: Mummy Conquering Anxiety is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Some of the links contained on this page are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. I only recommend products I use myself and think would be useful for other people.
You can purchase all of the items discussed in this article using the below links:
Witch please, lets dive in…
1. Day of the dead theme
I love this theme. Having taken part in a fiesta when we holidayed in Mexico, this theme is amazing and really gets the party vibe going.
One year we went all out with fancy dress, bought face paint and all the accessories. We had matching decorations and I even did some baking to fit in with the theme. Our guests followed our lead and their costumes were also amazing.
My hubby even let me do his makeup. We had a great evening.
There is something about dressing up which makes the event more fun. I talk more about the joy of fancy dress in this blog post.
These are the best face paints. I used them in my party days, when dressing up and going out for too many hours was a weekly thing (just the thought of it now makes me tired!)
The colours are great and they never left me with a rash or bad skin afterwards.
I still have my headband in the storage box and I really want to dig it out now. If nothing else, the little one would love dressing up.
I don’t know if I want to let her loose on my precious Halloween boxes though!
I love the look of this and want to add it to my day of the dead outfit. I am currently checking out events where I can wear the outfit this year, when I should be writing for the blog, haha!
This is just one of the dresses I found, but there are so many more, depending on what you’re confident enough to wear!
I still wonder how the wedding dress ended up in the charity shop: did someone get divorced, are they still happily married, just having a clear-out. Anyway, it’s now in our storage cupboard covered in blood and black makeup.
This is an additional accessory and it will bring your outfit to life (pun intended)
I have a few more accessories below which will look great…
Do you have any homemade costume ideas? Share them with me below…
2. Zombie nurse
Every time I looked for an outfit in this category, I wasn’t impressed with the ready-to-buy outfits online and therefore I decided to buy the basics and make my own.
The tools you need to create this outfit…
You need a plain nurses outfit, then it’s time to start creating and make it your own! Adapting it for Halloween is fun…
I created my own version of this one. Think more blood, accessories, the wig above, and some creative face paint.
You can then add shoes, tights, fake glasses. Anything you want!
3. Zombie escape convict
I bought the basic outfit, covered it in blood (fun times), and added some of the accessories below.
The wig was my favourite addition to this outfit.
I also used face paints to create a scary look.
I remember this night well. I also wore red high heels and couldn’t walk by the end of the night!
See my Pinterest board for more ideas…
4. Halloween bride
Don’t judge, but I once bought an 80’s style Halloween dress from a charity shop and spent an evening, when I lived alone, cutting it up and covering it in blood.
It was probably a result of all the pent-up man-hating, because I stupidly tolerated players back in the day! haha!
I still wonder how the wedding dress ended up in the charity shop: did someone get divorced, are they still happily married, just having a clear-out. Anyway, it’s now in our storage cupboard covered in blood and black makeup.
The tools you need to create this outfit…
As well as shredding most of the material on the dress, I also pinned the front up and added tights, to give the full Halloween look.
I used fake blood and black face paint to create a dirty, disheveled effect. Think nightmare-zombie bride. Wedding gone horribly wrong!
These are the tools you need…
I was ambitious with this outfit and made it for the Rocky Horror picture show. When we went out in Liverpool straight after the show, I don’t think people understood the concept. It was a great outfit, but I could have chosen a better audience for it. Maybe I will dig it out and find somewhere to wear it again… Hmm
What do you think?
There are so many other outfits you can create. This article is helpful. Cosmopolitan also has a great article on easy-to-make outfits.
From a purely cost-saving perspective, I love buying the basics and adding my own touch to the finished product. I want to make something unique, that nobody else will be wearing.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post. For anyone who is really interested in all things spooky and wants a quick stop tour of the history of Halloween. Here it is.
Witching you a Happy Halloween
From your ghostest with the mostest. If you’re such a haunt mess with your outfit ideas for Halloween, I hope this article has given you some ideas for total squad ghouls dressing up vibes.
I will stop with the puns now…
Please comment below if you liked these ideas or you have any others to share. I would love to hear from you.
You can use the search below to find other products for your Halloween outfit…
Also check out the amazing Halloween section at Wilko…
Your home has got to be safe for you and your baby. There are so many things that could potentially be dangerous, and you want to make sure that you are avoiding every single one of them. If you’re not 100% sure about the kinds of things that we’re talking about, then it’s a good thing that you have come across this article. Most articles like this will deal with basic things like baby proofing, but we’re going to look at more general maintenance of the home. Keep reading if you would like to find out more.
First, you need to make sure that you are sorting out any and all repairs as they arise. The longer you leave them, the more potential they have to get worse, and from there they can end up costing you a small fortune. We know that it can be expensive to get professionals out to take a look and fix the issue, but it’s going to be worth every single penny that you are going to have to spend. For example, if you need a local electrician to come out and sort an issue, it’s much safer than trying to do it yourself, even if it is going to cost you.
There are some repairs that you will be able to do by yourself though. These are the more basic repairs that you don’t have to have any kind of specialist knowledge to complete.
Have A Security System
It’s also important that you have a security system in your home so that you feel safe and secure. There are a lot of people out there who don’t have one, and we don’t really know how they feel completely safe in their homes. There are so many different types of security systems, so do your research and find the one that works the best for you. For example, some have silent alarms, and others have loud alarms that let the intruder know they have been caught. It depends on your goal, but make sure you’re looking into them.
Ensure All Windows And Doors Are Secure
The last thing on this list is to ensure that all of your windows and doors are secure. You don’t want there to be coldness getting through gaps in the door or windows, and you also don’t want anyone to see this as a vulnerability in your home. If you know that your windows or doors need sorting, then you need to get a professional in asap to check the seals and everything else.
We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you are going to need to do in order to keep your home safe for you and your baby. It’s important that you are giving your home a safe and stable environment to grow up in, which means putting your effort into things that you may not have put effort into before. We wish you the very best of luck and hope that you see success here.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Manage consent
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
