• Rog and Flo at the hospice
    Family, Loss

    Hospice care and giving back

    My husband Roger spent around three months at our local hospice before he passed away in July. As I wrote at the time, when the word hospice was first mentioned to me I was devastated. To me, hospice care could mean only one thing –…

  • Autumn flowers
    Blog

    Changing seasons and Sunday Stars

    As we move into autumn there are obvious changes happening, like the leaves turning red and falling from the trees, the weather getting a little bit crisper (though staying lovely and sunny this week), and the nights getting darker. I usually quite like this change,…

  • Me and Mine - family portrait for September
    Family, Me and Mine

    Me and Mine – a portrait for September

    We went over to Formby Point last Saturday. It was a bright, sunny autumn day, we had no plans and I just felt like we all needed to get outdoors and make the most of it. Formby, on the coast just north of Liverpool, was…

  • Florence and Sylvanian Families
    Uncategorized

    Sylvanian Families giveaway

    If Sylvanian Families had been around when I was young, I can tell you I would have had an obsession with them I’m sure. I used to love little toys and especially things you could collect, and thing about these guys is that they look…

  • Talking about their daddy
    Family, Loss

    Talking about daddy, parties and the past

    It’s funny how kids seem to be able to sense your mood and react to it. I’ve had a lot of thoughts about daddy from my youngest this week, he is obviously at the forefront of her mind and she has been talking a lot…

  • Toy storage ideas featuring this unit from Habitat
    Interiors

    Toy storage for your living room

    Trying to find neat ways of storing toys is always something I like to read about, as it seems once you become a parent there is no end to the amount of little things which appear in your home and need a place to live.…

  • Mad Blog Award
    Blog, Family

    The Mad Blog Awards, drinks and dedications

    When I was found out I was nominated in this year’s MAD Blog Awards, my husband Roger was so pleased and proud of me, but let’s not forget he was a) a Scouser, b) a journalist and c) had a very dry sense of humour,…

  • Jewellery by Black and Sigi
    Fashion

    Black and Sigi jewellery – my new fave find

    I’ve always loved jewellery, particularly statement pieces that you can wear with a simple outfit to really make it feel special. When I first noticed the brand Black and Sigi, it was a bangle adorning the wrist of super fashion blogger Kat Got the Cream…

  • Five under £5
    Five under 5

    Five under £5 for September

    This is a concept I’ve borrowed from beauty blogs, as I love reading those ‘five under £5’ posts to get ideas and inspiration for new, affordable finds. Well this is my latest collection of tiny treats, there are things for me and things for the…

  • Miffy books and plush
    Family

    Miffy turns 60

    When I was little, I remember so clearly leafing through the Miffy books at our local library and being so drawn to their bright colours and cute designs. I even remember taking them home and tracing over the pictures myself with thin paper and a…

  • Brunch
    Uncategorized

    Survival, syrup and school

    We’re just over a third of the way through September but already my mood seems to have lifted slightly from ‘I can’t cope with the world’ to more like ‘I can cope with today’. As I wrote last week, I’ve been feeling so tired lately…

  • An Ikea Sulva (like a Latt) table painted in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint
    Fashion

    Ikea hack – kids’ table makeover

    There are certain pieces of Ikea furniture that you see in so many parents’ houses, and the mini table and chairs set is one of those. We bought our unfinished wood version when Sam was one, so it’s had more than five years’ use and…

  • Flowers in a spotty vase
    Family, Loss

    On the Laziness of Grief

    “And no one ever told me about the laziness of grief.” – C.S. Lewis Grief has hit me in many ways, but the one I was least prepared for is the tiredness which floored me these past few weeks. For months I’ve been pushing through…

  • Travel quote by Dragonfly - Summertime Surprise Project
    Fashion

    Summertime Surprise Project

    In July I signed up for the Summertime Surprise Project which is organised by the super stylish photographer and blogger, Capture By Lucy. The aim of the project is to spread a bit of seasonal cheer and send a stranger something lovely, for a relatively…

  • Family, Me and Mine

    Me and Mine – A Portrait for August

    It’s the end of another month and time for our Me and Mine family portrait. I still can’t actually believe there are only three of us in our family photo now, what has happened in the past few months doesn’t even seem real some days.…