• homestyle - interiors

    The Real-Life Family Home Test: What Actually Survives Daily Chaos?

    April 30, 2026 - By 

    There’s a difference between a home that looks good in photos and one that actually works for real family life. Shoes get kicked off in the hallway. Drinks get knocked over. Pets race through the house like it’s a racetrack. And somehow, every surface becomes a landing zone for something. The real test of a family home isn’t how it looks on day one. It’s how it performs after months, even years, of daily chaos. So what actually holds up? Flooring That Can Take a Hit (and Keep Going) If there’s one surface that takes the most wear, it’s the…

  • rhubarb, lemon and ginger picnic cake
    The Monthly Thread

    The Monthly Thread: April’s quilts & cake

    April 29, 2026 - By 

    I love the start of a new year. Each month I love to write a round up of what I’ve been making and my analogue hobbies. This helps me to see what I’ve made, and holds me accountable for projects half started or bought. This year I’m calling my series The Monthly Thread. April’s post is all about quilts & cake. The Monthly Thread: April’s quilts & cake Baking There has been quite a lot of baking this month, mainly due to Easter. We made the usual Chocolate Easter nests filled with chocolate eggs. There was also a delicious rhubarb,…

  • pregnancy

    Throat Pain in Pregnancy: Is It Normal and How Can You Find Relief?

    April 28, 2026 - By 

    Is throat pain in pregnancy something to be worried about, or is it simply one of many other pregnancy symptoms women experience in anticipation of having a baby in the last stages of their pregnancies? It is only quite normal in pregnancy that pregnant women develop throat pain. This is because pain in the throat during pregnancy may result from hormonal imbalances, an immune system deficiency, acid reflux, or just dryness of the throat. Through this article, pregnant women will be able to know if having throat pains during pregnancy is normal or what could be contributing to this type…

  • linen cutlery wrap
    The Weekly Edit

    The Weekly Edit {Week 17/2026}

    April 27, 2026 - By 

    Starting my week with the Weekly Edit is a ritual I’ve kept for years. It’s my favourite Monday morning anchor—a chance to slow down, celebrate the ‘small wins,’ and gather the smiles from the week behind us. Part reflection and part record-keeping, it’s my way of documenting our family’s adventures before the next chapter begins. The Weekly Edit {Week 17/2026} Last week I finished watching the tv adaptation of The Other Miss Bennett, which was based on the book by Janice Hadlow. I really loved the book so was slightly sad that the tv adaptation didn’t follow it word for word. The…

  • Self drive boating at Cliveden
    Buckinghamshire - days out

    Self drive boating at Cliveden

    April 23, 2026 - By 

    Cliveden in Buckinghamshire is one of our favourite historic houses to visit. The house is currently run as a hotel (afternoon tea there is on my bucket list) but we try to visit throughout the year to enjoy the gardens and tearooms. Did you know that the Cliveden estate runs along part of the Thames, and you can hire riverboats? This is something we discovered a few years ago and finally got round to doing. Boating has only just opened for the season, but the weather was amazing, so we jumped online to book a boat. Our boat was for…

  • The Mundo Pixar Experience London
    days out

    The Mundo Pixar Experience London

    April 21, 2026 - By 

    If you’re looking for a fun activity with the kids, then I can recommend a trip to Mundo Pixar World London at Wembley. This is a pop-up immersive experience, and something my teen really enjoyed. My teen grew up watching Pixar films because I’ve always loved them too. We watch a lot of films and it’s something fun to do as a family. My teen had spotted this experience online but as soon as she mentioned it to me, I began to see the posters advertising it too, mainly as they feature some of my favourite Pixar characters! Mundo Pixar…

  • The Weekly Edit

    The Weekly Edit {Week 16/2026}

    April 20, 2026 - By 

    Starting my week with the Weekly Edit is a ritual I’ve kept for years. It’s my favourite Monday morning anchor—a chance to slow down, celebrate the ‘small wins,’ and gather the smiles from the week behind us. Part reflection and part record-keeping, it’s my way of documenting our family’s adventures before the next chapter begins. The Weekly Edit {Week 16/2026} Last week I met up with my mum, my sister and two of my nieces (one with their new baby) for lunch. We had a lovely catch up and cuddles with the baby. My latest Craftpod subscription box included a recipe for…

  • The Elephant Trail at Battersea Power Station
    days out

    The Elephant Trail at Battersea Power Station

    April 16, 2026 - By 

    During the Easter holidays we decided to visit The Elephant Trail at Battersea Power Station in London. We love a public sculpture trail, especially an animal one, and lunch at Battersea Power Station sounded pretty good to us too. We left the teen at home to revise for his exams and headed into London with the other teen and the dog. The Elephant Trail at Battersea Power Station Battersea Power Station is always a fun destination, but the sculpture trail was an added bonus. We downloaded the free app so we could collect the unique code on each sculpture, and…

  • Mundo Pixar Experience London with a teen
    The Weekly Edit

    The Weekly Edit {Week 15/2026}

    April 13, 2026 - By 

    Starting my week with the Weekly Edit is a ritual I’ve kept for years. It’s my favourite Monday morning anchor—a chance to slow down, celebrate the ‘small wins,’ and gather the smiles from the week behind us. Part reflection and part record-keeping, it’s my way of documenting our family’s adventures before the next chapter begins. The Weekly Edit {Week 15/2026} We took the week off to spend some time with the teens who had a two week Easter break. We decided to stay close to home with some days out and we ended up being really busy. We took the teens and…