Lifestyle

As the blossoms emerge and the temperatures rise, it's the perfect time to give your wardrobe a refreshing makeover. Spring cleaning isn't just for your home – it's also a fantastic opportunity to declutter and there's nothing better than a completely organised space where you can see everything you own at a glance and not have to dig through piles of old clothing!

If you fancy something a bit lighter than the traditional fruit cake at Christmas, then read on… I am always looking for some different recipes as myself and my son are the only lovers of the traditional christmas cake so while we are happy to eat this all to ourselves, I have been trying to find some alternative festive cakes that we all might enjoy!

Let’s face it, if you are not already feeding a well baked xmas cake with booze this year, it might be a little late to start now with only a couple of weeks to go! These recipes are for cakes that are simple and quicker to bake and can be eaten now - no further preparation required! Christmas is synonymous with joy, warmth, and indulgence and while the classic Christmas cake has long held its place as a festive centrepiece, don't be afraid to break away from tradition and explore alternative cakes that can bring new flavours and excitement.

Autumn is finally upon us and although I love summer there are many reasons why autumn is one of the best seasons...

Bask in the sweet scent of pumpkin, be constantly warm and cosy by a fire, and relish in all the new TV shows.

What's the best thing about the summer months? The sunshine makes us all happy but I was thinking what else makes a perfect summer day? Being from Cornwall, I do love a beach but there are so many activities, sights and smells to choose from so here's my top 10...

• The gentle hum of bumblebees while relaxing in the garden
• Lots of daylight and those balmy light evenings relaxing in a pub garden
• Going to the beach and the smell of sun cream
• Swimming in the sea, especially after a long walk on a hot day
• Walking barefoot on freshly cut grass
• A BBQ with friends
• Lying in a park and feeling the warmth of the sun on your face
• Picnics and dining al fresco
• Walking through wildflower meadows
• Oh and wearing a dress (Obvs!)

What are your top things that you love about summer? I’m so excited for the warmer days now! 😄

So we decided to do a little move around. Spurred on by the need for a change, I have been working from the dining table for so long and my husband is permanently working from home so we needed an office update and we decided to claim the spare room as our new office.

I can imagine so many people have been looking into doing a similar shift around recently as many of us will be looking at this new way of working long term even as restrictions lift. It seems working from home, at least some of the time, is now the new normal for many.

I have been looking into tips and suggestions on how to keep productive day to day and also pulled from my own experience of working from home with Pentlebay.

I love Easter, I always think it marks that spring has arrived and the garden has begun to come back to life. There’s the promise of warmer, longer and lighter days on the horizon and then there’s the food and drink and the chocolate! Perfect for me 😊

Easter means we are often able to spend some time together as a family and we usually make a trip to Cornwall to visit my mum and have a few days by the beach. This year has been a bit different but we can at least have a few day trips out. We might not be able to get together inside as a wider family for an Easter lunch but we can still enjoy the food. Although I love a chocolate egg and a creme egg in particular, my favourite memory of eating at Easter time has to be Simnel cake. My mum and dad always made one and I decided to give it a go myself this year! I’m not a frequent baker and I managed this quite easily as it is simply: measuring, mixing together and putting in a tin! I reckon anyone can have a go at this and especially if you love marzipan! 😊

Well at least the worst of January and February is out of the way now and hopefully the lighter evenings and spring days are on the way!

Home schooling and working from home are stressful for everyone and if you are anything like us by the time the kids are ready for bed, all we want to do is sit down for dinner and a well earned glass of wine! The last thing we want to do is spend ages cooking and using every pan in the kitchen, which are usually (let’s face it) still sitting in the dishwasher. 😊

Are you overwhelmed by the amount of clothes you have in your wardrobe? Do you find it difficult to find certain items when you need them and know that they’re in there somewhere?! If so, now’s THE perfect time to give your wardrobe a healthy declutter! And, most importantly, by freeing up some space means that there’s more room for NEW purchases 😊… surely there’s no better motivation than that?!

So here’s a few tips on how to create a more organised, fashion-forward wardrobe.

Enjoy…

This month we invited the lovely Mum, blogger and influencer 'The Bang Average Mum' to share some of her lockdown experiences with us, as well as tips on how to look after your own mental health during isolation.

We find ourselves in an unprecedented season. A season that none of us were prepared for and none of us have lived through before. Despite what our social media feeds tells us, none of us have the magic formula for living la vida lockdown.

Due to my daughter being poorly in hospital for a few weeks, I joined the lockdown life on 1^st April. Happy April Fools day. The feelings of anxiety, uncertainty and overwhelm hit me almost straight away and it felt just like when we had brought the tiny new born version of her home from the hospital.

Just like when I had postnatal depression, I felt like a lot of other people, particularly other Mums, were doing really well and it made me feel really low.

One month on and my mental health has improved. I have accepted that this is what will keep my family safe. This will protect our NHS and ensure that their resources go where they are most needed.

So, the government has just announced a three-week extension on the UK’s social distancing measures, and we’ll be spending most of our time at home for the foreseeable future.

For families with little ones, this time is particularly challenging. As parents ourselves, we know. Keeping kids entertained is hard at the best of times, let alone when you’re spending all of your waking hours caring for them – perhaps whilst also working from home.

That’s why we’ve put together a few ideas of things you can do at home to keep your kids stimulated, happy and fit – and to give you a break, too.