Mother's Day Craft!

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Every Mother's Day I give my granny a Mother's Day card along with a bunch of flowers, I have always done this and will continue to do it every year.

This is something I want Elliott to do too.  So with that I decided to make our own this year! As personal is always more sentimental!

I was thinking of ideas for a couple of weeks and this idea kept on coming back to me, but he's not all that up for having his hands painted (in the words of Elliott... "Ditty") but I must have caught him on a good day as he was more than happy to take part!

We done two cards, one for each granny.

If you want to re create this card all you need is...

• Card

• Paint - any colours, we went with red and yellow.

• Pen

It really is that simple!

I think they turned out really good, much better than I expected if I'm honest! What do you think? I added some text on the card rather than the traditional "Happy Mothers Day" I went with "If Grannys Were Flowers..." on the front and inside it's followed up with "I'd Pick You!"

I had all the items so it really was an inexpensive make and something the grannies will treasure forever.

Are you making your own cards this year? I'd love to see them!

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Bake Your Own Cookies with Mo's Cookie Dough!

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Now I would never be one to say I can bake. I'm a out-the-box kinda gal if I'm honest. I am all about easy, quick and as mess free as possible.

I do like to get Elliott involved so the latter is never mess free! 

So when we received Mo's Cookie Dough we were over the moon at the fact we can now have yummy treats without any mess and also no dreaded washing up afterwards! Win win for everyone I'd say. 

Mo's Cookie Dough is an all natural pre-prepared cookie dough using all Scottish ingredients. All you need to do is simply slice the roll of cookie dough, pop on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 10 minutes! It's that simple! Really!!

The cookie dough comes in a chilled box and very well packaged so when we received them they were perfectly chilled ready to be popped into the fridge. They can stay in the fridge for 6 weeks or in the freezer for one year. I'm unsure who would manage to keep them that long as they didn't last a week in our house! 

Once you take the cookie dough out of the packet, you slice it into 1cm thick pieces, pop the slices on to a baking tray - a little apart as they will increase in size - bake at 180C for 8-10 minutes or until they are golden brown. Leave them to cool for a couple of minutes if you can and you will have fresh, warm, gooey cookies straight out the oven! 

This is so my kind of baking, I basically did nothing other than slice some cookie dough and the results were so yummy so as you've guessed they really appealed to me, in fact the appealed to everyone - Jordan enjoyed having freshly baked cookies in less than 10 minutes and Elliott enjoyed testing them! Oh and the fact the whole house smelt amazing while they were baking too.

We tested the Chocolate Chip but they have other flavours too such as oatmeal and raisin and gingerbread! We have already made an order for some more as 2 packets was just not enough. We are looking forward to trying the other flavours too and at £3, you can't complain! 

If you want to find out for yourself visit www.moscookiedough.co.uk 

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Preparing For Baby With MAM!

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Preparing for a baby can be difficult especially when it's your first! You don't know what you need and everyone that you meet will tell you that you 'need this' and you 'don't need that'.

Second time round I feel we don't need half as much as we did with Elliott! One thing we did need to get were new bottles. We used Tommee Tippee ones for Elliott as at the time I wasn't aware of the wide range of bottles that were out there! Since blogging my eyes have been open and there are lots!!

Although we have kept the Tommee Tippee ones I just felt that this little one needed some new bottles so when MAM sent over the Anti-colic Bottle Starter Set (£32)(*) I was over the moon! 

We love MAM as a brand, since Elliott was a baby we used MAM for almost everything, dummies, teethers, cutlery and bowls - you name it we most likely have it! 

We have never tried the bottles before but I have heard great reviews about them and one of my friends swears by them. 

One thing that really appeals to me about these bottles are the fact they are self sterilising! All you need to do is take apart the bottle by unscrewing the bottom and the teat. Pop some water in the base and put the teat in the bottom of the bottle and pop the lid on the top (make sure you don't screw them together tightly!) then simply pop in the microwave for however many minutes to however many bottle you would like to sterilise and that's it! So simple. 

I'm already thinking this is going to be so handy when we are out and about at family and friends when the baby is still tiny and the bottles need sterilised for every feed. 

Another plus for me is the fact they are anti colic too! Elliott had really bad colic when he was a baby and I believe it was the bottles as when we switched him to anti colic ones he was a much happier baby! So to have anti colic from the start makes me a much happier Mummy and hopefully baby number two is just as happy! 

The starter pack contains a whopping 15 pieces! The pack contains 2x 130ml bottles, 2x 160ml, 4x bottle body 260ml, 4x sealing disks, 1x handles, 1x extra soft bottle spout and 1 0-2 months soother! 

From what is in front of me this looks like a fantastic starter pack and I cannot wait to start using them on baby number two!

We also got a Milk Powder Box (£5.99)(*) and bottle brush, we used a powder box similar to this for Elliott and they are a god send for when out and about and just for easiness! Just pop the amount of powder you need in each compartment and your all set for an 'easy' day!.

A full review of the above will be up once little one is here and I've put them thorough their paces!

 Stay tuned!

What bottles did you use? Have you used the MAM Anti Colic Bottles?

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The Weekend Book Club (#2)

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Books are getting more and more popular in our household. Elliott is a little bookworm and I wouldn't have it any other way! With that we are always on the look out for new book reccomendations.

The reason for the Weekend Book Club is so that you can let us know what you have been reading, or what your children has been reading. Do you have a book you love? Loathe? Think was okay? Then share your reviews with us here.

So welcome to the Weekend Book Club. Join in sharing what you have been reading with us each Saturday.

If you share your links on Twitter use #weekendbookclub or tweet @beauisblue or @trainingmummy and we will retweet your posts.

Rules:

• You can share as many links as you want, old or new.
• Books can be for anyone from babies to pensioners.
• Grab the badge below and post it on your posts.
• Comment on at least two other posts.
• A linky isn’t a linky unless you visit other people’s links, please do.

The linky will run for two weeks!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Mum of the Day with Bloom & Wild!

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This Mother's Day marks my second as a Mummy and I couldn't be more excited. I think this year will be even more special than last year if I'm honest as Elliott is more aware and with his loving nature I know he will be giving me endless cuddles and kisses - maybe more than normal!

I am hoping for breakfast in bed with a card and some flowers! In reality I think I will be the one making breakfast while Daddy and Elliott snooze in bed for a bit longer... one can dream right?! 

As I'm sure you are all aware I am a huge fan of Bloom & Wild and all their beautiful bouquets so when they very kindly chose me as their 'Mum of the Day' over on Instagram I was super touched. My hormones are all over the place just now and pretty much anything can set me off, so it was no surprise that my eyes filled with tears! 

If you aren't aware Bloom and Wild are an online flower shop which with a couple of clicks means you can send out a bouquet of flowers to that special person quickly and easily or how about sign up to their subscription service and receive a beautiful bunch every week, fortnight or even monthly! Each bunch is designed by their professional florist and come in a bespoke presentation box.

They have some limited edition Mother's Day bouquets which are available from the 1st of March, we have The Freya bouquet which is truly beautiful. The dusky-lilac roses are so pretty and delicate looking. I can't stop looking at them - they are stunning! I know that with Mother's Day around the corner I will be sending a bunch of these blooms to my Mum as I know she will love them as much as I do!

To find out for yourself visit www.bloomandwild.com or follow them on Twitter @BloomandWild for all the latest updates! 

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Relax on Mother's Day with some Cake!

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Mother's Day for me is something special, it could just be that the novelty hasn't worn off yet - i hope it never does! Last year Elliott was still a baby and had no clue what day it was, but to me, it marked my first ever Mother's Day!

This year however, Elliott is that little bit older, granted he won't know what day it is! At toddlers he has made a card (which I helped with...) and because he made it, makes it so much more special and it's a day that I get a long lie and *hopefully* breakfast in bed! Wishful thinking maybe?!

To mark this special occasion Baker Days sent me this beautiful personalised cake to try.

I was sent a personalised Letterbox Gift Cake (£14.99)(*) through the post. I was a bit sceptical about receiving a cake through the post as I thought by the time it has got to me it would be a big ball of mush, but how wrong could I be!!

The letterbox cake came in a cute little tin which fit perfectly through my letterbox so there is no need to wait in on your delivery. If you order before 2pm that day you will receive your cake the next day too! Brilliant service!

I was super excited to open the tin and find out what I had been sent and what it looked like. I was surprised at how well packaged it was inside the tin and was intact! The personalised design was absolutely stunning!

I popped it out of the tin and I was instantly hit with the sweet smell of vanilla. On inspecting the cake, it was finished to perfection. I couldn't fault it at all.

I decided to wait until Jordan got home before cutting into it, as I know he would have been annoyed if I dug in without him!

And let me tell you it was delicious. We had a sponge cake, which was soft, fluffy and very moreish! In fact I think we ate more than half between us! I don't think we need the 14 day use by date! The Letterbox cake would feed 4 people, maybe more if they want smaller pieces and they also come in 4 different flavours!

I think a personalised cake is a brilliant gift for that someone that has everything! Bet they won't have a personalised cake through their letterbox! With 500 designs - you wont be stuck for ideas!

Visit Baker Days and see for yourself!

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Mother's Day Gift Guide!

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If you’re pregnant, a new mum or a mama with a few well-earned stripes then chances are your wish list for Mother’s Day goes something like this:

1.       Sleep

2.       Sleep

3.       Did we mention, sleep?

Fingers crossed the sleep fairy grants your 3 wishes! But if not, then the very least you deserve on Mother’s Day is a lovely little gift to compensate for your sleep woes!

Thankfully, Burble Baby are on hand to give all the daddies and partners out there a little help in hand in the gifting department. With a beautiful eclectic range of thoughtful presents for mamas (and babies), it's well worth having a browse of their site and dropping some BIG hints to the other half! 

What’s more, my readers have an EXCLUSIVE 20% offer at www.burblebaby.co.uk so it's win win all round!

Here’s my Top 5 Wishes from Burble Baby this Mother’s Day.

1.       If sleep is a no no then at least let us have cake! Loving this contemporary tea mug and cake plate set in mint green. Oh yes, this will come in very handy! If you’ve given up cake for lent, then fear not, loads of fab monochrome mugs too for your favourite brew!

2.       Extremely indulgent and luxurious, but oh so beautiful, and practical of course, this gorgeous leather JEM+BEA Jemimachanging bag is definitely on the list with new baby on the way. There are so many great features of this bag which make it handy for all the baby paraphernalia, but the fact that it is so stylish means that this would be an investment that will last beyond the early days of babydom too. Gorgeous.  

3.       It’s always heart-warming to wear jewellery that has meaning and is personal. Burble Baby has a lovely range of handmade silver pieces to choose from that will make your heart sing (see my review here on my personalised tiny heart necklace) If you’re on a smaller budget however, how about this cute Love You To The Moon & Back sterling silver pendant 

4.       Do you have loads of photos imprisoned on your phone / camera / computer? Now’s your chance to set them free, print them off and display your precious memories in a beautiful frame. How pretty is this vintage pearl frame! 

5.       A lady can never have enough scarves! Perfect for perking up an outfit or hiding a multitude of icky sticky child inflicted grub stains, this black and white chevron scarf is bang on trend and a pretty price too. 

Check out the rest of the Mother’s Day collection at BurbleBaby and save 20% with the code MAMABLUE valid until 6^th March. (20% discount excludes items already price promoted, Cassam jewellery, personalised toys, KeriKit & Motherknot bags)

If you can’t wait until Mother’s day for some lovely treats then enter this fab competition to win a gorgeous Burble Baby Mother’s Day Gift Hamper. Beautifully gift wrapped in a vintage inspired keepsake box you’ll find a retro mug for your coffee, a gorgeous chevron print scarf to conceal that kid grub, and a heart shaped shabby chic frame to show off your precious little cherubs. To enter, all you have to do is enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms & Conditions

This giveaway is for one Mother’s Day Gift Hamper (which includes 1x retro mug, 1x chevron print scarf, 1x heart shaped shabby chic frame!). Giveaway will close on Sunday 28th Feb 2016. Open to UK entrants only.

One winner will be selected by random with Rafflecopter and will be contacted within 3 days of the giveaway closing. The winner has 3 days to claim the prize and provide contact details.

The prize will be sent directly from Burble Baby. 

 

Win competitions at ThePrizeFinder.com

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Combat Lack of Sleep with 4 Easy Steps!

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We've never had a problem with Elliott's sleep, in fact I saw something circulating a while ago and realised my 18 month old was sleeping the same as a newborn! Que me stopping his mid morning naps...! 

Saying that, we've had a pretty poorly boy a couple of weeks back with a viral infection, conjunctivitis and a chesty cough. He wasn't that bad at getting up but sometimes his cough would wake him up during the night. 

Fast forward to a very healthy child and from absolutely no where my sleeping-from-7am-to-9am boy is now waking at 7am and sometimes through the night too... 

This has only been for the past week so I'm hoping it's just a phase and he will go back to his 9am wake ups. 

I'm not too fussed about the 7am wake ups as being the lazy mum I am, I usually pop him in our bed an turn the cartoons on... 

But it's the through the night wake ups that's knocking me for six. 

So today I've teamed with Yorkshire Linen to share my 4 points to combat feeling and looking like a zombie due to lack of sleep...

1. My main point which is why it's the first is to have a lazy PJ day! This might seem simple and easy, but I rarely have a lazy day where I sit on the couch with Elliott and cosy up watching a good movie and not moving for a couple of hours. This is sometimes all I need to perk me up. Remember to include a cup of tea or several! If you can grab a cat nap while little one naps (...that's if they do!) even if it is for half an hour. Those dishes can wait until tomorrow!

2. When little ones are in bed for the night, wind down yourself! Usually I like to relax with a lovely hot bath with my favourite bath bomb and bubble bath finished off with a good book and a cup of tea or something stronger if need be(!) Relax, chill, do whatever you need to just forget that you've managed to power on through with little sleep and count the minutes until it's sociably acceptable to go to bed. FYI 9pm is good with me!

3. New bedding! That feeling of clean fresh sheets when you sink into your bed after a long day is the best feeling ever right?! I know for me this is one of life's little pleasures. Even with a couple of hours sleep it can feel like you've had a great nights sleep! To make you drift off quicker pop some Lavender drops on pillow and that'll make you feel like you've had a full nights sleep when in reality you've had 5!

4. If all else fails send them off to granny's for the night! Haha. I'm joking. But saying that you can't live off little sleep so if you're struggling, do ask for help! I'm sure grandparents are itching to take your non-sleeping child for the night! (Just don't tell them they've been up through the next for the past week...)

These are just some of the things I've done and I can tell you they make me feel human again! If you have any tips to help with lack of sleep please so let me and other Mummies know in the comments!

Zzzzz....

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Preparing For Baby Number Two!

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I have said since finding our were adding to the family that we wouldn't need much for baby number two as I have kept everything that Elliott's ever needed or used.

I was itching to get into his cupboards and have a look through all the baby clothes but I figured I would wait until we found out if baby was a girl or boy.

I never really did much -baby wise, until we found out if I'm honest.

When we found out that baby two was indeed another little boy, I was super thrilled.  Not only did I have everything for a boy, but I got to look through the mountains of baby clothes I had hoarded!

I have kept the majority of Elliott's clothes for baby two, but I was pretty ruthless and decided to give away most of them (we still have plenty) and I also feel that he would get lots of clothes from visitors like what Elliott did.

Although we don't need to buy big things, or little things for that matter! there are things that I have gone out and bought, such as the Perfect Prep Machine. We never had one for Elliott but after so many people rave about it I decided to take a deeper look a them. In all honestly we bought this for us, for the easiness of having a ready bottle of milk in a couple of minutes! I am hoping this is going to be one of those products where I say 'I wish I had this first time round' and I'm hoping it'll be a god send for those late night parties! Did you use a Perfect Prep? If so, what did/do you think of it?

Another thing we need to purchase is a buggy. We have a pram which we use for Elliott just now but once baby is here we will be using it. Elliott is very independent and enjoys walking, but if we are out as a family I feel a buggy will be beneficial to both us as well as Elliott's little legs! Have you got any recommendations? Something lightweight and easy to ensemble.

We have bought a toddler bed for Elliott, as he was in a cot bed and now the new baby will be using that. Although baby is not due until May I decided I wanted him in his toddler bed as soon as so he could get use to his new bed and make him feel less sad about 'giving' up his bed. I had nothing to be worried about as he loves his new bed and hasn't even looked at the cot bed since! We have put the cot bed up to the newborn state and it feels so strange looking at it now! Making it feel more real that there will be a newborn sleeping in there soon!

But other than those three things, that is all we need/bought. What did you buy second time round? Anything I need to include?

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The Weekend Book Club (#2)

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Books are getting more and more popular in our household. Elliott is a little bookworm and I wouldn't have it any other way! With that we are always on the look out for new book reccomendations.

The reason for the Weekend Book Club is so that you can let us know what you have been reading, or what your children has been reading. Do you have a book you love? Loathe? Think was okay? Then share your reviews with us here.

So welcome to the Weekend Book Club. Join in sharing what you have been reading with us each Saturday.

If you share your links on Twitter use #weekendbookclub or tweet @beauisblue or @trainingmummy and we will retweet your posts.

Rules:

• You can share as many links as you want, old or new.
• Books can be for anyone from babies to pensioners.
• Grab the badge below and post it on your posts.
• Comment on at least two other posts.
• A linky isn’t a linky unless you visit other people’s links, please do.

The linky will run for two weeks!

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An InLinkz Link-up

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Valentine's Day Craft!

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I am not really into Valentine's Day at all but since Elliott came along I feel I need to give Daddy an extra special card from his boy.

Last year I gave him a bought card from both Elliott and I, but this year I thought I would make our own. I have seen this idea floating around Pinterest so thought I would give it a go, and the result is a super cute memory which will look beautiful sitting on the mantelpiece!

It was so simple to do too and took a little under 5 minutes to do which is great when your toddler has the attention span of a goldfish! 

I had some spare card in our craft box so used that. Ideally I would have liked to use white card but we don't have any! I think a trip to Hobbycraft is on the cards this weekend... see what I did there?!

Armed with a packet of crisps (to keep little hands amused), some red paint, baby wipes and a paint brush I got to work. 

I found angled the card much easier to get the footprints in a V shape. With a red sharpie I wrote a L and an O on one side and an E on the other.  I added You underneath it as I felt the feet were floating on the card and I think it makes more cuter! 

With our personalised message inside the cutest Valentines card is done! 

What do you think of our personalised Valentines Card? Have you made your own?

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