My Sunday photo 31/01/2021

8 of the best cardigans to wear at home.

Hey readers,

Since we are spending more time at home during a lockdown you may as well get comfy and cosy. Check out these stunning cardigans that can fit the bill. 

1. River Island.

This brown chunky ribbed and long cardigan is from River Island. is a perfect size for comfort to lounge around at home. The cardigan costs 42.00. 

2. Amazon. 

I don't know why but I always find the colour grey comforting in clothing. This is a lovely grey long cardigan with a chunky cable knit. Plus it has pockets which makes it an ideal candidate for a stable in anyone's wardrobe.  This cardigan comes from Amazon for 14.99.

3. Next.

For a bright cardigan, Next have you covered with this muster soft cardigan to brighten up your days at home during the lockdown. The cost of this cardigan is 26.00.

4 Simply Be.

Another grey number but this time with an edge to edge boxy design with ballon cuffs with a multicoloured knit. A great casual knit to go with jeans and a tee.  Comes from Simply Be and cost 20.50.

5.  Shein.

For something completely different now I give you this colour block piece from Shein. It is a roomy piece and it is a bit of fun as well to add to your outfit. It is currently in the sale for 14.99. 

6. Matalan. 

This grey cardigan from Matalan is super soft and comfy. It is a loose fit but made with marl fabric to keep you warm during the cold days. This cardigan costs 12.50.

7. George (Asda).

This ribbed cardigan with the cute frilly sleeves comes from George.  It is a buttoned cardigan and is waist length so not to heavy in the material if you want something lighter in material. This cardigan costs 14.00.

8. Boohoo.

This khaki coloured boyfriend cardigan is my favourite one in this list. I love the vibrant colour, looks awesome and has pockets. What more could you want and has 20% off and now costs 20.00 from Boohoo.

Do you enjoy cardigans? What do you think of my list of dream cardigans to wear at home during a lockdown? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Cheers for reading X

Why doing nothing is good.

 Hey readers,

It can be hard to do absolutely nothing without feeling the guilt that you need to be doing something. 

However, I feel that during the lockdown is a perfect opportunity to embrace doing nothing. I have written below the reasons why I support doing nothing. 

1.  Boost creativity.

When we do nothing it is a chance to release our imagination and then that entails unconscious thought ideas which can lead to new ideas. 

 Research has shown that whilst we stop and relax our brain produces the hormone dopamine which again helps improve our creativity. 

2. Mental strength.

When you are doing nothing it allows you time to think about situations and makes you reflect on what has happened. 

It could be a chance to accept certain problems that you may normally find hard to let go. Also doing nothing means that it allows you to be challenged especially when you feel the need to get up and go.

 Challenging yourself can give you the mental strength especially if you do regularly can make you feel that you have done something positive for yourself. 

3. Makes you happier.

When you are doing nothing you let go of the expectations that you need to be doing something to make you happy. 

That, therefore, means you learn to appreciate doing nothing and that can bring happiness because you appreciate the small things such as enjoying the moment. 

4. Increases activity.

By doing nothing and not putting pressure on yourself you're allowing your mind and body to relax. 

Therefore you have more energy because you're not using all your resources and then that gives you energy at a later date to more because of the rest. 

5. Improves concentration. 

If you allow yourself to do nothing it gives your brain time to heal or recover. This then makes you overall perform better and concentrate because you let go of things whilst doing nothing.

What do you think about doing nothing? Is it something that you participate in and enjoy? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Cheers for reading X

Why I love sleep.

Hey readers,

I won't lie but since becoming a parent I love to sleep and appreciate sleep more than ever. Here is why I heart sleep so much.

1. I love you sleep because you stop me from thinking about food and diet, therefore saving calorie intake.

2. Sleep gives me time to relax and gives my achy muscles time to heal.

3. Sleep is a place where I feel safe. Sleep is a lovely way to get lost in a dream which can take you away from reality.

4. Sleep gives me time to stop me listening and focus on attentively what needs to be done.

5. Sleep I appreciate you because I can stop cleaning after the kiddos for a while.

6. Sleep stops me dealing with emotions which quite frankly are up and down and around the corner.

7. I love you sleep and are my biggest fantasy.

8. Sleep you are free and that is all I need to say.

9. Sleep is a place where I can be myself.

10. Sleep helps clear my head and help me think clearer.

Do you love sleep? Have a missed a good reason to love sleep? Love to hear your comments down below. 

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 24/01/2021

The many facades of a parent

Hey readers,

You never really understand what it is like to be a parent until one day you become a parent. I know cliche but so, so true. 

When I am thinking about my role as a parent there are so many different roles that make up a parent. There is more than just the practical side of just keeping the child alive and well.

 So I am going to uncover some of the roles that I do when I am playing the role of a parent.

Entertainer: of course trying your best to keep your little ones entertained, thank goodness for the likes of Pinterest to get you feeling motivated.

Cleaner: Yep you clean them, bath them, do all the washing, cleaning, and cooking. Never would I imagine being one of those people that say that there is never enough hours in the day. 

Jeez, I am a fully-fledged parent now doomed to get pleasure from reaching the end of the washing basket for all the length of two minutes ;)

Counsellor: you will be there to comfort your little ones through the great pains of life. You will hold there hand and try to find the words that are suitable.

 You will try to listen to the irrational ideas and try to think like a child which for me is pretty dame hard. But a skill that you develop, some more than others, *ahem*.

Debator: as soon as your little joy learns to talk you will find that you have to learn the skill of saying the right thing and thinking on your feet for them tricky questions like why can't I be a woman? what is love?  why do people die young? 

Also, you need to have the right amount of information for suitability for the child. I personally find this tricky as you can easily get into a tangled web without even thinking about it.

Educator: You are responsible for educating your child, making sure that they know how to use the toilet, learn to speak, communicate, read, write, develop some sort of emotional intelligence. 

You don't realise how big this responsibility is. It feels like a never-ending journey, as soon as you smash one milestone another challenge emerges.

Negotiator: this is challenging especially if the child does not like the word no. It can be tricky during the time when they are two but let's face it they don't like being told what to do at any age. 

Sometimes you have to meet in the middle where both child and parent are happy. If you have two children you have to teach them that they have to share and they will soon learn the harsh reality that life is a bitch and you can't always get what you want. Although, sometimes you can and that is good enough.

Referee: this is aimed at if you have two children or more. All-day long I am constantly having to break up arguments, stopping the rough and tumble that gets out of hand and try d generally to stop World War Three from kicking over both of them wanting the blue sodding plate. 

The best advice I can give you if you have two children is ALWAYS to make sure that if you buy them something that is exactly the same for the other child.

 It doesn't matter whether it be a sweet or a 99p balloon, they will argue over it and moan about why they haven't got the same thing as the other child.

Are you a parent? Do you think there is more than one facade in being a parent? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below. 

Cheers for reading X

Why I hate being a woman.

Hey readers,

Sometimes as a female it is hard, it sucks and frustrating. Here are my top 10 reasons why I hate being a woman (sometimes).

1. Period.

Of course, the period is the first thought when it comes to being a woman. 

You have to have a period every month and not only is physical matter but it messes you up mentally as well. 

Then when you are pregnant you think you can miss this oh no wait until after you are cursed with a period for 28 days,  full-on heavy with a newborn, joy!

It is absolutely knackering and your emotions are all over the place from being ecstatic one minute to being really sad the next. Periods are a lot of work for us, women, to have to manage every. single. month. 

2. Social pressure.

I find in this modern world with so many noisy messages whether on tv or social media a lot of pressure to be a certain way. 

If that wasn't bad enough then there is a lot of judgement from the outside about the way we are as women and how we behave. 

3. Bitchiness. 

Being around women is definitely not all smelling of roses and the idea that you are part of sisterhood is something that I don't believe in. 

It can be brutal and women can go behind your back and be very bitchy. You have to have your wits on you and be careful who you trust.

4. Bras. 

Bras are a pain. Yes, they provide support for your boobies but they are uncomfortable after a period of time. 

One of the best feelings I think for a woman is after being out all day and that feeling of relief after taking your bra off!

5. Childbirth.

Childbirth is hell and painful. Just image a watermelon coming out of your fufu.

6. Hot weather.

Can't take your top off in the hot weather, unlike the other species.

7. Hormones.

Hormones are hard to deal with especially after childbirth and definitely I feel my hormones are worse during my time of the month.

8. Mood.

 If you kick off or in a bad mood people put it straight down to 'time of the month'. People instantly think it is your period that effects your mood. 

Actually, there could be something else other than periods that have triggered your bad mood. 

9. Stereotypes. 

Social stereotypical pressures, just because I am female does not make me automatically good at something like parenting or cooking. 

Let's be radical maybe see the person rather than the gender that plays out what they are good at. 

10. Running.

Running with a bigger chest is annoying especially if your late for a bus and need to run to catch it. It is annoying when your bangers bouncing about. Seriously, if I could chop them off I would they are merely an inconvenience.

Can you relate to any of these observations about being a woman? What do you think about being a woman love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below? 

Cheers for reading X

10 of the best adult jigsaw puzzles.

Hey readers, 

As you may have more time on your hands with being inside more why not take up a fun entertainment in the form of jigsaw puzzles.

 Below I have picked my top 10 adult jigsaw puzzles that look fun to do if you're bored at home during the lockdown. 

 

1. The world of Sherlock Holmes. 

This 1000 piece cost £14.00 from Amazon. It features Holme's London spots (221B Baker Street) and famous characters (Dr Watson). It is a fun puzzle if you're into Sherlock Holmes and like to spot clues then this is a good choice.

2. Times Square.

This next puzzle is a stunning image of Times Square in New York (America). The Neon effect really brings the nightlife alive in the image. You can buy the jigsaw puzzle from Menkind for £10.00. 

 3. TFL London Underground Map. 

This a fun way to learn about the different London underground stations. It covers 270 underground stations and has 1000 pieces for you to enjoy to put together. You can purchase this London underground jigsaw from Gibsons Games for £14.00.

4.  St Pancras.

This St Pancras is a beautiful vintage train station done by the artist Trevor Mitchell and comes with original oil painting on a canvas jigsaw puzzle. You can buy this from The Works for £7.00.

5. Cosmic Lights. 

Now for something completely different with this cosmic lights puzzle. If your looking for a challenge with your jigsaw puzzle then this one is the one! You can buy this jigsaw puzzle on Amazon for £9.83. 

6.  Harry Potter. 

A fun Harry Potter jigsaw puzzle with the image of the main characters. You can buy it from Amazon for £15.94. 

7. VHS Jaws.

Looking for a quirky jigsaw puzzle, well I think I have it covered with this VHS Jaws jigsaw puzzle. It is a celebration of the video era with the classic Jaws film cover for you to enjoy. This is available at Smyths Toys for £5.99.

8. Succulent spectrum. 

For the plant, lover gets your green fingers on this succulent plant-based jigsaw puzzle. The picture showcases a variety of different types of succulents.  This jigsaw puzzle is available on Kew shop for £11.99.

9. Mona Lisa.

For something funny then I have found the one with this modern take of the classic Mona Lisa.  You can obtain this puzzle from Zazzle for a whopping £61.70.

10. The sweet shop. 

If your looking for a really difficult jigsaw puzzle that will keep you on your toes then this sweet shop themed jigsaw is the perfect match. You can buy this jigsaw from Jigsaw Puzzles Direct for £11.99.

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 17/01/2021

32 cool winter Instagram captions

Hey readers, 

Sometimes it can be hard to come up with relevant captions for your Instagram photos. So, I have picked a range of winter-themed quotes to use only our wintery Instagram photos. 

Best overall winter captions.

 1. I smell snow. - Gilmore Girls.

2. Children of winter never grow old.

3. Snowflakes are kisses from heaven.

4. Paradise doesn’t have to be tropical.

5. You don’t have to hibernate this winter.

6. No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place.

7. Every snowflake is a kiss on your sweet, cold nose.

8. Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light.

9. If you listen carefully, the winter silence is beautiful.

10. We’re all like snowflakes — unique and one of a kind.

Funny Winter Instagram captions. 

11. Chill out man.

12. We Are Winter.

13. Up to snow good…

14. Sleighed the night

15. The snuggle is real.

16. Love me, I am cold.

17. I love you snow much.

18. Every day I’m shovelling.

19. Break out the sweaters.

20. Winter Safety Is COOL.

Quotes to use for winter Instagram captions. 

21. For people who had warm memories, winter is never cold to them. - Unknown

22. Winter is not a season, it's a celebration. -Anamika Mishra

23. Well, I know now. I know a little more how much a simple thing like a snowfall can mean to a person. -Sylvia Plath

24. When it snows, you have two choices: shovel or make snow angels. - Unknown

25. To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold. -Aristotle

26. Winter is coming. - Ned Stark, Game of Thrones

27. There's just something beautiful about walking on snow that nobody else has walked on. It makes you believe you're special. -Carol Rifka Brunt.

28. In the winter she curls up around a good book and dreams away from the cold. - Ben Aaronovitch, Broken Homes

29. Kindness is like snow. It beautifies everything it covers. - Kahlil Gibran

30. Summer friends will melt away like summer snows, but winter friends are friends forever.- George R. R. Martin

31. What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.- John Steinbeck

32. The first snow is like the first love. - Lara Biyuts

Hope this of some help for inspiration for you. 

Cheers for reading X

A to Z of coping skills

 Hey readers,

I think more then ever we need to look after our mental health especially as we are going through a lockdown. 

I have devised A to Z list of coping skills that may be of use. I use some more than others so you have to test out what works for you. 

The key message in this post is to make time for you and look after your mental health. 

A - be assertive - learn the art of saying no without feeling guilty. 

B - breathing is so important and as someone who suffers from panic attacks learning to use your lungs fully will really help calm you down when you are panicking. 

C - call a relative or friend that you can talk to about the way you are feeling. 

D - Distractions are fantastic to give your mind a break and gives you the chance to think about something else. 

E - exercise is a great way to burn off some of the frustrations and can make you feel better that you are doing something positive for you.

F - be flexible with your thinking and options. 

G - gratitude list is a great method to try to focus on positive aspects of your life. 

H - healthy eating can help a lot by having a balance and nurtures diet. 

I - ignore people who are annoying you, focus on people who believe in you. 

J - jumping can help as a form of exercise such as a trampoline.

K - keep it simple, don't make it complicated and appreciate the small things.

L - laughter is a beautiful thing and watching a stand-up comedian or funny videos on the internet can really take your mind off things to smile. 

M - meditation is a technique where you can focus on here and now and train your mind to stop wandering off. 

N - Get out in nature as it is so good for your mental health and can give you some enjoyment. 

O - go outside which I know during lockdown is hard. But you can walk once a day for exercise and that will help massively for your mental health. 

P - Getting in the habit of positive self-talk can be really useful to help you train your mind to think more positive. It is hard work but sticks with it and it makes a big difference. 

Q - quiet time is important because it gives you time to recuperate and relax.

R - read a positive quote can help make you think of happy things in life.

S - brainstorm some solutions - just by writing out ideas can help clear your mind. 

T - tension exercise is great if your get was anxious and relax your muscles. There are lots of videos on Youtube that can run through how to do step by step. 

U - understand that feelings are ok and you are human and feeling like this is ok. But remember feelings change all the time. You are in control of your thoughts and have the choice to listen to them or not. 

V - visualise on a board with things you want in your life can be a therapeutic activity to do. You can look back when you need to see positive aims that you want to achieve.

W - write your feelings in a journal, it can be a simple as writing one positive thing that has happened in the day. 

X - exhale out all the bad stuff and breathe in all the good stuff.

Y - yell as loud as you can into your pillow.

Z - zone out and relax whether it be with a book or a movie, something that you can focus on other than your own thoughts. 

Hope this has been helpful. Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below. 

Cheers for reading X

You know your skint when...

Hey readers,

Sometimes now and again we all worry about money. I have been totally skint but I am so lucky to not have to be in this situation. I am truly grateful for being in a more comfortable position.

 Here is what I experienced when I was totally skint for months due to poor health.

1. You raid the 1p money jar.

2. You watch more TV than normal because you can't afford to do fun things. 

3. You dread it when someone wants to go for a coffee and become anti-social.

4. You live of value food.

5. Choosing between food and electricity.

6. Sleeping the day away because of your cold and hungry.

7. Not sleeping because you're scared of how to survive off your income.

8. Nicking the toilet roll from local college because you can't afford it.

9. You were your coat at home because it is freezing. 

10. So thankful for Freecycle or else I wouldn't have been able to afford a bed.

11. You use brown tape to cover the hole on your shoe because you can't afford a new pair of shoes. 

12. You water down milk and hope no one notices. 

13. You hate the middle of the month as you worry about how you will survive till the end of the month. 

14. You live of pasta. 

15. If you are totally skint then eating toilet paper is the alternative. 

16. You use washing up liquid as a substitute for shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. 

17. You youtube how to sort out holes in your clothes.

18. You go to your local library because it is free and warm during wintertime.

19. You heart sinks when it is Christmas around the corner or any other time which involves having to find extra funds. 

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 10/01/2021

Depression is...

Hey readers,

Here are some of the ways that depression affects me. I wanted to share them with you to raise awareness of the deliberating condition which I know a lot of people suffer with. You are not alone. 

1. Feeling too much.

2. Feeling nothing but flatness.

3. Crying over kindness.

4. Hating oneself so much.

5. Physically feeling sick. 

6. Wanting desperately to vanish.

7. Wishing I was dead.

8. Lying in bed all day and not got the energy to move.

9. Looking at the walls and losing track of time.

10. Being in a crowded room and feeling so alone.

Emptiness.

11. Angry at everything.

12. Feeling stuck.

13. Recalling memories.

14. Doubting everything.

15. Reflecting everything

16. Wanting to sleep forever.

17. Hating your spouse because they can just get up and go.

18. Denying it all.

19. Jealousy.

20. Laughing so hard you're neurotic.

21. Moving from one extreme to the next.

22. Obsessing about the what if's.

23. Isolating.

24. Alone.

25. Hopelessness.

26. Despair.

27. Fatigued.

28. Insomniac.

29. Loss.

30. No desire for anything.

31. Memory loss. 

32. Lack of sleep.

33. Loss of appetite.

 

34. Eating too much. 

35. Feeling scared. 

36. Low sex drive.

37. Recklessness.

38. Difficulty speaking clearly.

39. Avoiding social situations. 

40. Feeling guilty.

41. Dependance of drugs/alcohol. 

42. Negativity. 

43. Thoughts of suicide. 

44. Losing meaning on anything. 

45. Not bothering with your appearance. 

46. Finding it hard to maintain any type of relationship you have.

47. Self-harm.

48. Wishing you were nether been born. 

48. Poor hygiene. 

49. Find it hard to concentrate on ordinary things such as watching TV. 

50. Hiding from it all.

If your reading this and struggling there are places that can offer support. Below are free phone numbers you can call that will listen. 

Shout. 

You can text Shout with the word ‘SHOUT’ on 85258, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Shout is a free, confidential, 24/7 text support service for people who need mental health support. For more information visit Give us a shout.

Samaritans

 The Samaritans phone line is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so you can call anytime on 116 123. For more information visit Samaritans.

Mind.

 Leading mental health charity Mind has all kinds of resources on their websites, including guides and practical tips for coping. The Mind  For more information visit Mind.

NHS.

 The NHS website offers resources for people to help identify how they are feeling and where to get urgent help if necessary. It has a series of mental wellbeing audio guides to help you boost your mood as well as lots of information on depression, anxiety and more. For more information visit NHS.

Cheers for reading. X