And breathe..........

It's been a long time.

Things got pretty tough there for a while. 

I won't bore you with a long story, but just imagine hospitals and a precious child and you will get the picture.

BUT........

We are entering Christmas having come out the other side in one piece ( read - broken into a thousand bits and put back together by support, love and care).

It is the old cliche that at times like this you know who will be there when the going gets tough.

Thank you for the messages and e.mails - they meant a lot. If I didn't reply it was simply because I couldn't.

SO...........

A new year looms. I am still working full time and loving it, but life is busy . We are entering the phase of GCSEs with my eldest. I am not at all too proud to admit the work is too hard at times for me!

I will begin to renter the world of blogging as I am not ready to let go completely. I have been reading my favourite blogs over the past months and although silent I have loved the escape it brings!

I wish you all a very Happy Christmas with whoever you are spending this season with. Be gentle with those who are close to you. The threads of life are so very delicate and can be quickly and easily broken. Cherish the moments you have here and now with those you love.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Rose hydrating mist by Aromatheray

I have been on the hunt for a rose water toner forever. Everything I looked at had such a high alcohol content in that I steered well clear.

Then I came across this....

Rose Hydrating Mist by Aromatherapy Associates

It was quite tricky to find the ingredients when I was ordering, but when I finally did it isn't too bad at all . The main ingredient is rose water . It can be used as a spray or you can apply to a cotton pad then swipe across the face. It can also be use to revive skin over make up . It is filling the gap I had in my routine for a toner when I don't want to use my liquid gold or exfoliating toners.

Gentle and hydrating - job done.

Liz Earles Cleanse and Polish

Frugal Friday ( or just a good deal!)

As you know I am a regular user of Liz Earles Cleanse and Polish. I won't review it again as it has been done many a time already!

However, I seem to always return to some basic products of Liz Earle even after straying to other brands for a season. Their haircare and skincare is just so sound that I like to use it as my baseline for beauty care. 

Last month I picked up the special addition tin as it was the best use of money. You get a few muslin cloths and a large 150ml container of product. Now the warmer weather is approaching I tend to use muslin cloths rather than a flannel - no reason for this other than the flannel can get too hot! I love the pump dispenser in this style too. It is far easier to judge quantities and not overuse it.

I am also, on the advice of a friend, using the tin as a money box to save my £2 coins for my next treat.

At present I am rotating my 3 favourite cleansers....

Balance me cleanse and smooth face balm ( review coming)

Ritessens milk cleanser 

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish

Have you tried the summertime  "flavour" of Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish, in orange flower  and chamomile?

Summer Term

On the day before we return to school for the last half term of the academic year there is always a mixture of emotions running through my household. Nerves, excitement, intrepidation, disappointment. This year it is intensified as my role has changed. 

We are looking forward to the summer together, the extended evenings, the BBQs, the hope of better weather, but wedged in between stretches eight weeks of term. Yes EIGHT weeks. It is a long haul this year.

We have had fun during this half term break and over Easter together. We got away to Cornwall for a family break and have spent time chilling out and recovering from having a house full of builders for months on end. Here are some snapshots of our time off.......

Life is settling into a pattern and we are becoming more accustomed to being a household with two parents working. However, everything hangs by a thread which is easily broken when a child is sick or a parent away or over worked. The ideal certainly would be for one of us to be part time to hold the fort at home a little better!

I am so fortunate in that I love my job - it is a vocation to me. I get engrossed in it, so much so that I have to stop myself from becoming too involved at times. I have to set a time to go home and stick to it as the job is never done, ever!

We have just finished the home office for my husband. The carpet goes in tomorrow so we can move him out of the living room! This means we can claim back another room in our house. I can't wait. Although we have paid someone to do this room I have been painting again and have taken before and after photos for you to see the transformation later this week. Slowly we are re gaining our whole house. By the summer things should be almost normal again.

I can't wait!

Bedroom revamp

The Lime Stripe.

We've had a lovely half term - much needed catch up time with family and sleep! Working full time is really no laughing matter - where does the time go?

Over the past months we have slowly continued with work on our house. My eldest son got a room to himself for the first time as part of our extension. This was simply because my hubby has moved out of the spare room which was being used as home office. The room is above the new kitchen and had been affected by the build so needed some remedial work doing to it. To save a bit of money I needed to undertake this myself. My eldest son had decided on a fairly complicated design for his walls. Being the person I am, I was not to be beaten and set to it. WIth the help on a couple of rolls of masking tape and a bucket load of patience I got there in the end. The whole room didn't cost much at all. Here is a run down.

The work as it started:

The paint goes on:

The finished job :

Paint:

Lime : Fired Earth Sale £8.50

Linen: Existing

Grey: Fired Earth - left over from kitchen

White: Dulux £12.50 ( 1/2 pot left)

Furniture:

Bed: World Stores 30% off £240

Mattress : With Tesco Vouchers on double up . Used £60 worth of vouchers, no cash

Chest of drawers : £45 Ikea Malm

Desk : £125 Ikea Malm

Light shades: B and Q £5 and £10 Lime

The rest of the furniture and pictures were existing. 

He actually keeps the room fairly neat and tidy as he is so delighted with it. The arrangement of the furniture was his and he has since changed it again!

I now need to tackle my other sons bedroom, but we have decided to move a wall between my daughters bedroom ( seen here) and his . This is because her room is so small and his is huge - the wall is only a partition wall so in theory should be easy to move. Of course the reality is new carpets, redecoration, more mess etc etc!

I have also spent half term catching up with my blog and getting some posts written so I don't have another huge gap when term gets busy! 

It's good to be back.