As you’re aware, people on the front line of the COVID-19 response around the world are showing total bravery by risking their lives and helping others.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an independent humanitarian organisation that is directly responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and helping some of the world’s most vulnerable people, such as those living in countries affected by conflict. This includes sanitation work to prevent the spread of the disease and supporting vital health infrastructure such as hospitals. It also involves working to ensure access to clean water for countless communities and resilience-building activities to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.
HOW TO SHOP WITH KLARNA
Klarna gives you different ways to pay for your ASOS orders – so you can shop easier, and budget better.
To pay for your order with Klarna, tap ‘Change’ under payment type when you’re in checkout. Then tap ‘Add New Payment Method’ and add your chosen Klarna payment method. Place your order, and you’re done – £1 of your purchase will automatically go to the ICRC!*
Plus, don’t forget to share this one-day initiative with your friends and family, because every little bit counts.
*Only applies to eligible customers 18+ years of age in the UK, Germany, USA, Norway, Finland and Sweden. Klarna will donate to the International Committee of the Red Cross £1 from every successful ‘Pay 30 days later’ or ‘Instalments’ purchase made through ASOS on 29 April 2020.
So last time I packed my hospital bag for labour, I packed WAY TOO MUCH. We ended up taking a medium sized suitcase, a bag for me, the changing bag, a bag for James AND a bag full of food and drinks and snacks. We didn’t even open the suitcase during labour and James could have done without a bag, I could have done without a bag and I’m SO GLAD we have a PROPER changing bag*this time around (its mega organised).
*Kindly #gifted by the wonder women at Tiba + Marl
Don’t get me wrong, you do NEED to take a lot of STUFF into hospital with you, if thats where you’re choosing to birth your baby, of course! If you’re opting for a home-birth, then:
I envy you (!!)
You will have everything you need at your immediate disposal…
…although, some of the below items may still be useful for home birth – and could be useful to have packed incase of a hospital transfer too.
So here we go, a list for the Mama, a list for the Baba and a list for your birth partner – plus a list of things that are good to have sorted and at hand for when the time comes. I’ll add in links for you to quick shop where possible too!
Change of clothing for leaving the hospital – think baggy, to fit at least a 4-5 month pregnant bump
Face cloth / Flannels –so many uses! For keeping your face/head and feet cool – for cleaning your – for cleaning the baby.
Wash bag for worn clothes / used towels
Ear plugs – if you’re kept in after labour, the wards can be quite loud with people coming and going
Headphones –for the same reason, above! But also, to help ‘zone out’ and relax during labour, if you’ve made a playlist or are using Hypnobirthing
Eye mask – Can be helpful to relax and ‘zone out’ during labour. If you’re kept in after labour, the wards can be quite bright. These SPACE MASKSare my preferred choice.
Cosmetics Bag including // Travel sized miniatures are great here – Shampoo & Conditioner, Deodorant, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Mouthwash, Skincare items / wipes
Remember to pack any medications that you regularly take
Car Seat – we’ve gone for another MAXI COSI car seat this time as we loved the security of the one we had for Eli, but the laws have all changed since he was a newborn. Just a reminder that many NHS trusts will not allow the baby to leave the department WITHOUT proof of a car seat for safety reasons.
To have ready to hand //
Birth preferences
Maternity notes
Cash for car park
Pen & Paper – just incase you need to leave a note in a hurry
Cash for payphone – there might not be signal. The battery might go on your phone!
List of important phone numbers on paper
In the lead-up to your ‘due window’, ensure you have enough fuel in the car
Headphones & Eye Mask for the journey to the hospital
Is there anything I’m missing from above, that might prove absolutely essential for you during labour or afterwards? Comment below or send me a message and I’ll get it added in!
For ease – you can check my most favourite essentials out via the SHOP, here>>> HOSPITAL BAG
C
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For clarity, this is not a sponsored or paid post – but does contain some Affiliate links. I was also kindly #gifted a few items, as highlighted above – this was not in exchange for payment or a post. They’re just damn lovely and generous women!
I only shout about items that I genuinely believe in however, so be safe in the knowledge that I’m in love with these essential baby items!
As we’re now in September (HOW, seriously, HOW?), and Eli is back to school, I can finally get round to tidying up the house. I have a rather large wish-list of items I’d love for our home, of which I am continually adding to! Having rented for the 15 years we’ve been together, it sometimes feels like our home isn’t ‘home’ as we can’t ever rip up the carpets, or decorate with paints or paper, or add extensions or knock down walls etc. But by using accessories and furniture, we can certainly make the blank canvas that we currently call home a bit more like our own.
Rugs are a great way to add texture, warmth and of course, personality to a room. I still adore the ‘Instagram Rug‘ from La Redoute. The Afaw Berber style rug is off white, which is flattering to any colour scheme, but also hides a multitude of sins when you have kids running about – pristine white is a bit of a no-go in our house, that’s for sure!
We have a few leather and natural wood accents in our home. I made the coffee table we currently use from an older butchers block with black Dansette legs. So this Habitat side table would sit really nicely next to that.
Can you ever go wrong with a bit of blush pink? We currently only really have blush pink accents in our main bedroom. But I love this COX & COX Love Seat so much, it would have to be in the living room!
How much of a bargain is this Made.com Clock? At just £10, this is a great timepiece for the wall with a minimalist aesthetic, reminiscent of the beautiful Swiss railway clocks.
If you’re not so green-fingered, IKEA stock a brilliant range of artificial plants and flowers. I love this Bamboo, it looks really life-like in, er, real life.
I like to move furniture about to give a fresh lease of life to a room – this is a a great way to change your perspective of a room without dipping into the bank. But if you had the cash at hand, what new Living Room items would you go for first? What are you lusting after?
Zara HOME | Kids have just launched their AW17 campaign: Little Adventures – and it does not disappoint. There are several ranges, that can of course be mixed and matched up for a bespoke theme to you. This season Zara take inspiration from the woodland, grown up Industrial meets Scandi and traditions prints & pastels.
I particularly like the Industrial and reworked style pieces. They look so unique – definitely not something you’d imagine picking up on the high street! The Scandi themes make for a relaxed slumber, while the pastels and prints create a vintage feel.
The Kids Home range doesn’t stop at the sleeping quarters though; there are also bathroom textiles and accessories as well as a dining range.
There are some really lovely pieces to mix & match up and take inspiration from – perfect for refreshing your current Child-space, or curating a brand new room! Shop The Little Adventures range, here.
Meet Joanna Riding, founder of Mini Maison, a brilliant online store offering modern, but playful, nursery and kids’ decor to style-conscious customers who wish to look beyond the high street – AND Mama of TWO!
Jo talks to us about how she juggles being a Mum Boss, the Mini Maisonconcept and THOSE Blue Blahnik’s!
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CB: Please introduce yourself and your concept. JR: I’m Jo and I’m wife to Steve and Mum to Joshua and Sammy (4 and 2). Mini Maison, my company, sells modern décor for nurseries and children’s bedrooms.
CB: Brand names are a really important first impression of what you’re about, so how did you come up with your online alias/brand name? JR: Mini Maison came about through good old fashioned brain storming over the course of a few weeks. It wasn’t the first name that came to me but I knew that I’d change my mind a few times before settling on THE one… I was right – I went through Little House, Lilliput Décor and a few others before settling on Mini Maison!
CB: Where did it all begin? What inspired you to start up your concept? JR: I started Mini Maisonafter I struggled to find modern décor for the nurseries I designed for my boys. I researched for a while (probably for too long, because I was so nervous to actually take the leap) and our virtual doors opened in 2015. The business is currently going through a period of change as we grow to incorporate ALL children’s décor and not just babies, because I realised that as my boys grew out of their baby years, I was STILL struggling to find the cool products I was looking for on the high street.
CB: What is your brand ethos? JR: Mini Maison is the friendly place to shop if you’re looking for playful, modern design for your kids’ spaces; bedrooms, nurseries and playrooms. I’ll always do my best for my customers and try to make Mini Maison a place to go for good, accessible design.
CB: On a day-to-day basis, what or who inspires you? JR: My kids inspire me daily to be a better person. Sometimes this errs into mum guilt (see above) but I started Mini Maison so that I can be work and fulfil my ambitions AND be around to pick them up from school.
CB: Can you tell us about or give us a sneaky peak of something new that’s coming up? JR: We’ve got a few new brands joining the Mini Maison family in the next few weeks… I can’t say too much but it includes these two absolute beauties (below).
CB: Anything you wish you’d known before you became a parent / best piece of parenting advice? JR: People will ALWAYS have an opinion, if you’ve asked for it or not. Go with your gut – Mama usually knows best. And… nap when the baby naps. This is a crucial one for me. Even if it’s not every day, you’ve got to make the most of a napping baby because the napping phase DOESN’T LAST! I know some people struggle with this but if you choose to tidy your house instead of sleeping when you’re knackered then I might think you’ve lost the plot a bit (I LOVE sleep – it’s my special skill, being able to sleep anywhere, anytime!)
CB: Parenting-essentials, we know there are more than a few! But what is the one thing you can’t leave the house without? What is your most used piece of parenting/child paraphernalia? JR: When they were babies I had SO MANY must haves (that I then had to wean my children off of!): Ewan the Dreamsheep, Sleepyhead, dummies, swaddling suits (basically swaddles with zips on that meant we didn’t have to faff around with getting the tightness right – although they do look like straight jackets!). Now they’re older, we’re finding that they’re all about the night lights – sometimes more than one (good job Mummy has a never ending supply!). And an iPad – I think that one goes without saying, right!?
CB: Along the same vein as above, what is your ultimate Mama-Essential? What is your go-to item that you just can’t live without? JR: Concealer – to cover breakouts and also the massive bags that are usually hanging around under my eyes!
CB: What gives you ‘Mum-Guilt’? And how do you get round it? JR: Time I spend working and not ‘being’ with my kids. Running your own businesses does sometimes spill over into ‘family time’ and I think this is inevitable. But I do feel bad that I’m sometimes replying to emails or dealing with last-minute problems when I’m meant to be paying attention to the boys. This means that I do put the TV on more often than I probably should, and I feel REALLY guilty about this.
CB: Me-time is super important too, what do you like to do to zone-out? JR: I actually rarely feel like I zone-out or turn off. I’m almost constantly thinking about work – whether it’s new product ideas, new marketing techniques, listening to a podcast, let alone the actual work-work that goes into running a business. I’m desperately trying to tune out the voices in my head which are constantly chattering about the business. My husband and I try to have one evening a week where I’m not on my phone or laptop, and we just make a nice dinner and have a few drinks together. Also, seeing my bestest friends just helps me feel more centered (if a little hungover).
CB: Which are your go-to brands/shops? JR: Where do I start?! Iove Zara for clothes – I’m like a kid in a sweetshop and it’s great also for kids clothes too. I do try to buy from some smaller brands too, including Scamp and Dude and Fred & Noah for the boys. My friend Lucy runs Born at Dawn and she has curated a range of beautiful, timeless clothes that I want ALL of!
CB: What current wardrobe item is your all-time favourite and why? JR: I still have my wedding shoes, which are THE blue Manolo Blahnikshoes from Sex And The City. I try to wear them to events as often as I can (which is not very!) but to be honest I just like getting them out of the box and looking at them as they are just SO beautiful. In terms of things I actually wear regularly, you’ll almost always find me in a pair of skinny jeans. They’re my go-to-staple (even if they are on their way out of fashion).
CB: Choose 3 words to describe yesterday. JR: Chocolate (it was Easter), fun and family.
CB: Tell us something about you that might surprise people. JR: I have a really thin skin and worry A LOT about what people think about me. People are always surprised to hear this because they think I’m really confident but on the inside I’m usually bricking it and worrying about how I come across. NB. This can lead me to talk a lot, often about a load of old shit!
CB: Whats the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you? JR: My husband is always doing kind things for me and is incredibly thoughtful and I feel blessed that I’ve surrounded myself with the most incredible friends and family… their kindness regularly sees me through the week. One particular occasion springs to mind, after I’d had my second baby (by c-section) and couldn’t drive or walk very far, my friend Catherine would come to my house and help bundle me and my boys into the car and take us out for the morning somewhere, so that I didn’t actually go insane stuck in the house.
CB: Recommend a book, film or album from the past year. JR: Bad Moms – this was the last time I went to the cinema (I know… too long ago!) but oh my god, it is SO funny. It’s so good to spend your evening properly laughing out loud watching a film with a friend. Also, Amy Schumer’s autobiography is a brilliant read.
CB: What can you see out of your closest window / what is your current view? JR: Our garden – and it’s just reminding me of all the work I want to get done on it before the summer officially arrives
CB: Other than with your family & friends, where would you most like to be this weekend and why? JR: On a beach, with an endless supply of food and drink, with some shade available (I think this officially makes you a Mum when you can’t spend too long in the sun anymore!), and some books and magazines.
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Loved chatting with you Jo – looking forward to seeing howMini Maison continues to progress, expand and inspire!
C
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Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for upcoming product launches by signing up to the Mini Maison newsletterand by following Mini Maison on Instagram: @MiniMaisonUK
#NeverConciseChats #ClaireChatsToMiniMaison
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THE STORY
Welcome to Mini Maison, a shop offering modern and playful nursery and kids’ decor to style-concious consumers, wanting to look beyond the high street. Our carefully selected and curated products look equally good in a bedroom as they would in the rest of the home.
Started by an interiors-loving mum who gets inspiration from blogs and social media, she found it almost impossible to get her hands on the products that she was seeing online, in the UK, resulting in high shipping costs and problems with boring things like customs and import tax. And so Mini Maison was born. A simple idea; to bring you contemporary accessories for your little one’s bedroom, all the while offering unparalleled customer service and individual style.
Enjoy browsing and please do not hesitate to contact us should you need any assistance or have any queries. Oh, and please stop by regularly as we will be adding new products all the time.
I have a natural affinity for Norfolk, with my long, long, long, long, long (etc) lost ancestor’s naming their own land in Norfolk with our very own family surname – Briston. But it was Nor-Folk, the brand, who I fell in love with on Instagram last year (@Nor_Folk). Not only is this a brand that is founded by a Husband-and-Wife design team, but its an effortlessly cool brand to boot. Fiona and Bobby, along with their super-stylish (and super-cute) son Stanley, live in the most incredible of homes;and together they are The Nor-Folk. They’re a design-led lifestyle brand, who design and print their own clothing range, collaborate on Homeware & Gifts and feature local Norfolk contributors on the Journal.
As someone who has a very definite WORK HARD attitude, in all things in life, I thought that the ‘Work Hard’ Adult Tee was a proper piece of me. Of course, I found the #Twinning combination of ‘Play Hard’ Kids’ Tee completely irresistible and ordered both as soon as we were finally moved in Berlin. (Play Hard, a perfect slogan for my little one who cannot wait for play time!).
Eli was given the ‘Hello’ Tee as a gift from our lovely friends at Christmas (lucky boy!). Sadly, it wasn’t quite the right size. So I got in touch with Fiona (who I didn’t expect to be working over the festive period) and she replied at lightening speed. As the tee was purchased in the UK, but we’re now in Berlin, it made sense to send the new size of this wicked tee directly to me. After just a few emails all was arranged and a few days later the replacement tee was on my desk in Prenzlauer Berg. A really small team, but a team that fundamentally strives for customer care.
Both of these Tee’s are available in Black or White options, for the ultimate in minimal monochrome styling. I love that all the designs are unisex too. With my Mama-head on, I might also add that these cotton tee’s wash exceptionally well and are just so wonderfully soft. The three styles we own are all made in the U.K. and are finished with the hand printing in Norfolk itself. Which is just ace of base.
There’s something a little bit special about buying products from a family-run business; whether that be a Husband-and-Wife team or a Mum/Dad-preneur. You’re not funding a corporate machine – you’re supporting real people. A real family. And that feels really good.
Wishing Fiona, Bobby and the Nor-Folk team lots of luck and adventures for the exciting year a head. We look forward to seeing the brand grow from strength to strength!
Nor-Folk is a graphic design-led lifestyle brand founded by husband-and-wife graphic designers who reside in Norfolk, UK.
“Together, we design and curate apparel and products for the whole family with a timeless minimalist design aesthetic.
“We create and sell products we love and want in our own lives. We passionately adhere to the sentiment ‘less is more’ and ‘quality over quantity’ in our product creation.
“Our family and adventures are our canvas and muse – we invite you to share in our journey and that of our contributors via our Journal.
“Together, we are the Nor-Folk.”
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*NB: This is in no way a sponsored post. I just wanted to big up a brand whom I think is frikkin amazing*.
We LOVE Halloween. But, we’d already decided before Mr Eli arrived that he was ALWAYS going to be a skeleton, with Converse on, at Halloween. Well, until he’s old enough to say “NO MORE NOW, PLEASE!”, of course.
But I can’t help but adore these following costumes I’ve found on Pinterest. Most of them would work at any time of the year too, not just Old Hallows Eve. ENJOY!
(Below is a small selection of the costumes I’ve pinned, to view the whole lot, click here >>> Halloween Inspiration)
For those who don’t know, I have a penchant for old interiors – especially from the 70s. I had been particularly fond of a certain 70s print (originally a 1958 painting) by Vernon Ward, entitled “Harmony of Spring”, since we first set eyes upon it back in 2006. I’d searched and searched vintage shops, car boot sales and antique fairs for years and years and not ever come across it. I’d been recently trying to get hold of “The Chinese Lady” by Vladimir Tretchikoff on eBay and low-and-behold “The Harmony of Spring” came up along my search. Why had I never looked on eBay for it before?!
As it happens, it’s quite a popular print. A new listing of the print was coming up every few weeks, but they were either going for far too much money, it would be local collection only or I would miss the listing! I almost gave up. I then found one that was ending within a few days, no bids, it was local pick-up in Leeds. I sent a message to the seller and see if they would be happy for a courier to take the item – obviously at my cost. This is where I praise MyHermes like no other delivery company! I LOVE them! They’re a fantastic courier, dramatically cheaper than Royal Mail/Parcel Force and are so convenient! You can drop your parcel off at a designated MyHermes drop/collect point or the courier can come directly to you and collect the parcel from you. I use them frequently for sending bulky or heavy items. Amazing.
Anyway, I digress. The chap who was selling the print was so so lovely and agreed to help get the print to me, with MyHermes, should I win. The auction was ending REALLY early on a Saturday morning, of course I was up with Eli. I could not believe my luck when I won! And for a ridiculously low price too. It’s stunning in real life, quite a large framed print; originally framed at Boots!
I’m in love with this print. Hope you like it too, here are some more photos. I WILL share more shots of our house when we’re more settled – still in a bit of upheaval post-move at the end of July!
Are there any decades or interior styles that you’re in love with?
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