Christmas 2017 - The day, I took an extra day off

Today I took some extra time off, I'm trying so hard to spend as much time with Looby during the week, I've mentioned 347 billion times that I home educate during the week but it's November and people are panicking about Christmas already, it's always the same, I wish I could edit every single image I take at a weekend by a Monday and sometimes I do, I never take longer than 7 days for portraits and 4 weeks for weddings. I wish that I could clone myself and have more availability, I wish that I had the ability to magically appear on everyone's desk to tell them "It's December, your voucher you bought 12 months ago which expires soon, it's 12 months later"  My health and parenting Looby is paramount, they're the most important things and today I just needed time to be, time to put down my phone, put my iMac to sleep and festively decorate our house, research shows that people who put up their Christmas trees earlier are happier and maybe that should be the lesson of the day, put up your Christmas trees, admire the twinkly lights, open up a bottle of Baileys or in my case, break into the Amaretti biscuits and Turrone early whilst everyone is in bed.

I've always loved Christmas, it's the season of Joy and overwhelmingly people are nicer to each other, at least in the Christmas period when everyone stops and doesn't have to think about life, work or their problems for a couple of weeks.  There's something about sitting with tree lights festively twinkling which makes the world seem better, our house was made for Christmas, I love cosy and I hate my lounge in summer because with one wall being a giant window, it gets to be like a greenhouse, also cosy doesn't work so much in summer so I wait all year for autumn and winter when my house comes into its own and that's never more so than during the festive season, for me, Christmas really is a season.

As you might have worked out thus far, I don't do Christmas decor by halves, it's my time to shine, it's my time to light up the world with my interior decorating skills, each paper snowflake, each bauble must be in exactly the right place, I'm a little anal about it all which is weird because for most of the year I seem to live in disorganised chaos, maybe we should just keep our trees up all year around?

If you came here for photographs then you are in luck, they're all pretty low light and taken with my iPhone 8Plus which is actually astonishing, of course, yes it's about the person using it but they really have got better and better.  Now if you'd like to see my home in previous years there's Christmas 2016 and Christmas 2015 to start, I'm pretty sure you'll find 10 years or more if you just search it.  I think though, (after just scanning back) I've really nailed it this year, everything is a little more sparkly and we even have outdoor lights courtesy of a very cool laser thing which cost all of £20 from Home Bargains.

My downstairs tree from the last couple of years has now made it into the garden and I've replaced it with a rather snazzy snowy half Christmas tree from Argos which cost £49.99 and then a few pounds for the lights, we didn't put any decorations on it as it looks so real and beautiful and our kitchen always has a snowy Narnia theme.

There's something special this year about my lounge, it's the same Christmas tree as last year and the year before but I paid around £150 for it, again, it's got a really high needle count so looks like a real tree, something which I almost demand in a Christmas tree.  I found an amazing set of Christmas tree lights in Fenwick and it's almost like a curtain, it's joined at the top, you put it over the tree and you get 680 lights all perfectly falling over the tree, amazing, no random wires with up to 6 sets, just 1 set which will come off as easily as this went on, I can't recommend them enough.

The next thing is to make sure my bedroom has some festive touches, Looby has had a forest of trees in her bedroom for a couple of weeks, I've ordered a festive duvet set featuring a beagle, I realise it's a bit cheesier than usual but hey, it's Christmas, I also said to Looby we need to sort out our hallway and hopefully everything will be fabulous and as near to perfect as we can get just in time for our Christmas party which is a week on Friday.

I hope you all enjoy festively decorating your houses, do you do the whole house, and more importantly, how many Christmas trees?  If I could find space, I'd have even more!

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Bluestone Resort, A Beautiful Break in West Wales

A couple of weeks ago when I was beaten and broken and didn't know if I could go on, I received an invitation for Looby and I to go and stay at Bluestone in Wales for a midweek Christmas break and though it meant an 18 hour round trip on several terrible trains it was 110% worth it.

Looby and I stayed in a Tenby Lodge which was bigger than our house. We finally had a bathroom each, a shower each, (we have no shower at home) and more room than the two of us could ever possibly hope for.  I don't think we got under each others feet even once!

For three glorious days (5 day break but we spent two days travelling) we laughed more than I can remember laughing in ages, we went swimming more times than I've been in the whole of this year and we fully embraced the festive winter wonderland that is Bluestone Wales.

On Tuesday we flew with Elf Airways to Elftopia, a memorable almost hallucinogenic experience in which I laughed so much that I could barely stand up. Along the journey we met Judy Free, Dave, Biggles, and Pat Sharpe in his fun house where I played the spaghetti string noodle. Lt's just say, I really got into the experience. I got to be the fun parent, my anxiety subsided completely for just a few days and I could breathe with the whole of my lungs.  That welsh air is good for the constitution and even better when the sun shines and you can get outdoors.

On Wednesday the weather Gods did not smile upon us, but, undeterred, we went to visit Santa in his workshop whereupon Looby asked for a horse. She always asks for a horse, one day when I win the lottery I shall buy her one.  Seeing Santa was a really special experience. He came down into his workshop via the chimney, boot first and I felt a lump in my throat, the nostalgia of seeing Santa warmed my heart, seeing all of the small people, eyes wide open with wonderment, and that included Looby. Santa at places, I've found can often not spend as much time with older children and concentrates on the smallest but not real Santa. Santa at Bluestone had a huge chat with Looby and made sure she felt just as included as the smaller ones.

On Thursday Looby wanted to go on the Zipwire course, a paid activity which cost £35 but I didn't mind, it's all part of her outdoor home education experience. In the morning she'd done the climbing wall and indoor high wires four times, thankfully a combination ticket which costs £23 is available.  The Zipwires though, I'm not really sure how she could go on a 100ft zip wire without any fear at all but she did. She was so fast as she zipped over my head. What was nice was that I also got to go along and I waited down below with a good view of what she was up to as two expert tutors helped her master the 5 different zip wires.

We packed so much into three days that on Thursday afternoon when the sunshine finally came out all we wanted to do was go for a wander in the outdoors instead of going swimming once again. I have to mention the Blue Lagoon though, I'm quite frankly amazed that you get free entry into a water park included in your accommodation price. It's epic, I went on two out of the three water slides several times, as well as enjoying several swims around the lazy river which takes you outdoors.  We even went to Frost Lagoon on Wednesday afternoon where Jack Frost electronically DJ'd and the whole place became more frosty and festive, it was packed at that point and both Looby and I wondered where all of the people had suddenly come from.

At no point during our stay did we feel the need to leave the resort, at Bluestone every thing you could possibly need is provided. The Newton Stores stocks a range of gourmet, locally sourced products, as well as pretty much all of the groceries you'll need for a stay. The shop next door sells gifts and clothing and the restaurants are good - the Farmhouse Grill was fabulous and the Knights Tafarn provides traditional pub fare in a very busy atmosphere.  We loved Ty Coffi the most though, the little coffee shop with the friendliest staff and the best ice-creams and milkshakes, more Welshbucks than Starbucks!

When we left on Friday I felt ready to make it to Christmas. It didn't happen and I broke again on Sunday but at least I delayed the inevitable and in truth, I would go back to Bluestone next week. In fact, if they have a lodge Looby and I could take up residence in for the foreseeable I would have been very grateful. Well, maybe, Bluestone is a no dog zone and that's perhaps the only sad thing for us. We would have loved to take Holly Bobbins but she enjoyed a holiday in Yorkshire so all was well in the end.

I want to say a huge thank you to Bluestone for inviting us to spend the week with them. Whilst they provided our accommodation I paid for everything else and this review of Bluestone Resort in Wales is honest, I don't think it'll be the last time we visit the land where Welsh cakes are better than Scones!

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The 16 Gifts Your Foodie Friends Thank You For This Christmas

This weeks gift guide is for those friends we all have, you know, the foodies, the ones who love a good feast and who embrace the season with the joy and knowledge that there's nothing quite so wonderful as Christmas if you love food.  I'd have to own up and put myself firmly in that category and this year I plan to feast as often as possible without guilt and with much enjoyment.  For me food is about sharing it with the people you love, there's nothing better than a big cheese board with a cold glass of Sancerre or a tawny port after dinner with some stilton, so let me take you through 16 gifts for the foodies in your life.

1.  There's really nothing better than good charcuterie and the foodie in your life will love this selection of venison salami, pepperoni and chorizo, I actually sampled these last week along with some amazing Quickes cheddar and Cornish Brie and it was the perfect combination along with some tasty chutneys and pickles, this fabulous set with many other gourmet foodie items is available from Farm shop larder.

2. It's the perpetual debate in my house, red or brown, red or brown, well now you can have 3 essential and very tasty sauces in one big box, the breakfast sauce is like a combination of the two and absolutely delish and you also get a chip shop curry sauce and a Sunday lunch horseradish, they really are sauces for all occasions, get them from the Salubrious Sauce Company

3. Guylian Chocolates, these have been a Christmas staple at our house for many years, those Belgian chocolate seashells, I first had them many years ago and have loved them ever since, you can purchase boxes of Guylian from all good food retailers and also online at Guylian

4. The Italians are of course the original foodies, they have treats for all occasions, Baci, Turrone, Panettone, Pandoro, I could go on... until I can get to Italy for Christmas I'm just going to have to settle with gourmet food paradise Nife is Life and whilst you're there, pick me up something tasty!

5. This Coffee Gator French press is essential for good coffee, do you know the difference between a good cafetiere and a bad one?  I can tell you, coffee grains are not a nice taste so do yourself or your favourite coffee lover a big favour this Christmas and get them a new french press, not only is it going to make your coffee taste better, it's also going to keep it warmer for longer!

6.  Now for something completely different, until I tried these, I'd never even heard of the the Jujube fruit, they're also known as the red date and you can purchase them in packets for a tasty healthy snack you can keep in your desk drawer, I actually love the ones with almonds in and everyone who sampled them in my house liked them, that's a rare thing indeed!

7.  If the foodie in your life is a fan of cooking asian cuisine then  the 10 of the spices you'll need are contained in this amazing spice tin which is then lovingly wrapped in this beautiful sari wrap, your foodie friend will literally let out a whoop of joy if they get this on Christmas day, and you can get your Indian spice tin with wrap from Spice Kitchen

8. Ever since this Gianduia Hazlenut and Chocolate spread arrived from the Nut Kitchen I've wanted to open it up and stick my finger in it, so far I've managed to resist but you can bet your bottom dollar that when Christmas comes I shall be having this for breakfast spread on some brioche.

9. Sulphite allergies are no joke and there's still a lack of good companies selling alcoholic drinks with no sulphites, luckily Heavensake is a  Sake brand which has produced the most amazing sulphite free sake to be enjoyed chilled, this beautiful blue bottle is sure to be the star of the show along with any Asian feast or you might quite simply want to gift a foodie friend or provide an alternative to the normal wine offerings at your next soirée.

10. Christmas is the perfect time to indulge in a feast of festive fudge and this Copperpot originals fudge is a family business who are producing the very best in fudge, will your favourite be apple and cinnamon or Christmas spiced, I can't decide because they're both very special, why not treat yourself to some Copperpot Fudge this festive season.

11. Whilst we're on the subject of gourmet sweet treats, this marshmallow toasting box from La Maison Guimauve is the ultimate sweet treat and it's guaranteed to make cosy evenings 100% better, just make sure you share them with your small people.

12. Paxton chocolate is lovingly handmade in Brighton and you'll be guaranteed to put a smile on someones face this Christmas if you present them with this gorgeous tin of chocolate Christmas thins, they're available in small, medium and oh my goodness I couldn't possibly!

13.  Ever had a Luscombe drink?  this Christmas for the non drinkers, the drivers, the teenagers and those who just want a delicious mixer you will not get better than Luscombe drinks, I absolutely love the Damascene rose bubbly, perfect for Christmas day and the apple juice with ginger which has a really festive taste.

14.  It's true that the XL Man Box from Ross & Ross does come in a box, it's not true that it's just for men though, it's for anyone who loves charcuterie, good beer, a chutney or two and most importantly some divine pork crackling, I love the stuff and so will your foodie friend.

15. There are many gins out there this year and in real life, they come in giant bottles so although I definitely won't be overindulging on gin this Christmas you can if you want Far Reaches Gin is even available on Amazon!

16. In mentioning small but perfectly formed things, this fabulous gift set from the Lyme Bay winery is perfect for those who love a taste of perfection, with fruit wines it's nice to just have a taste without having too much and with this set it means I can afford to have one or two whilst cooking in the evening or whilst watching a movie without the worry of having too much alcohol, the sloe wine is my favourite!

This gift guide would not have been possible without the collaboration of all of the companies involved and I want to thank them for their time, effort and involvement in putting the gift guide together.

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Fake Sunshine Saved My Life

Sunday morning, just after 8am and I'm sitting at my desk with my new Beurer SAD lamp faking the bright sunshine needed to make me feel like it's summer and all is good with my bodyclock.  It arrived on Wednesday and I have to say that the thing is miraculous, for the first weekend in ages, I've just got up for work instead of thinking "I can't do it, I can't smile, I can't talk to people, I can't go out of my house". On the same day that my lamp arrived so did my super high dose vitamin D3 tablets recommended by my good friend Steve as well as my doctor, so I'm also taking 50,000iu a week.

When I eventually saw my GP, she asked me those questions "Have you thought about harming yourself?" I told her in truth that I had laid in my bed lacking the energy to even cry just wanting to be dead although I hadn't actually thought about killing myself, I also told her about being on a 12 week waiting list for CBT since January and suddenly I had call the next day inviting me to my first session a week on Monday.

At the same time I received a proposal to go on a travel assignment to Bluestone Wales tomorrow and  accepted in less than 3 milliseconds and just as we'd done that I was offered an emergency review of Crepeaffaire, clearly the Gods were on my side, they knew I needed sunshine, a break from real life and a hefty amount of sugar, in just one day the universe answered all of my prayers.

That's not to say that it's been an easy week, my head has been all over the place and I snapped at Looby who being hormonal ended up in hysterics, we chatted the next day about anxiety and being kind to one another as well as the fact that sometimes even the least shouty people lose it.  Thankfully I think she's forgiven me and I know that it was just a symptom of me having acute anxiety and being unwell at the moment.

Crepeaffaire was exactly what we needed on Wednesday, if you've not been before, it does what it says on the tin, delicious crepes done really well, we were already previous fans and though we tried the indulgent menu this time, I'll be honest and say they were just a little too sweet for me and I shall be going back to savoury the next time, if you have the sweetest tooth ever though you should really try the Reeses peanut butter, Looby loved the milkshakes and her crepe which I can't tell you what was in it as I wasn't allowed a taste, therefore I'll assume it must have been amazing.

On Friday we, with much excitement headed to the first day of the Christmas Continental Market which is on until mid December, it's based around monument and once that's finished it'll be replaced by stalls selling local crafts and foods in it's final weekend.  Now don't get me wrong, I love the continental market but it just feels like there's too much food, Looby gave it 5/10 because although there's a lovely Christmas feel to it, for us, it needs to have more things you can actually purchase for Christmas, we're big fans of the German Christmas market in Edinburgh and if it could be a little more like that we'd be delighted.  It'll be interesting to see how the second phase of Hadrian's Tipi and Winter Wonderland compares when that opens in a couple of weeks.  When we did try Hadrian's Tipi I wasn't actually all that impressed, yes it's warm and yes, it's dog and child friendly but £3.85 for a pint of lemonade is actually scandalous, I'd hate to think how much they're charging for alcohol!  For me, I also think you can't get away from the fact that it's been put up on a building site which is still full of rubble currently, I know in a couple of weeks this won't be the case but it's just not pretty or Christmassy as yet.

Tomorrow we leave for Wales, we have a 9.5 hour journey to get there but the middle of week looks about as relaxing as it can get and I'm looking forward to many, many Christmas themed activities too, I think it's really going to get us into a festive mood and I wouldn't be surprised if we end up putting up our Christmas tree shortly after we return.  I'm really on the countdown now, for my health and happiness more than anything, I only have 12 sessions to fill for the rest of the year so once that's done I can breathe and start marketing for January which has already thankfully started filling. January is a tough month as a portrait photographer but if we get snow you can bet I will end up being busy and I'm always super thankful for that!

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The Year of Great Adventure

In 2017, there have been moments which have taken my breath away, moments which have made me laugh so hysterically I thought I couldn't breathe and sad, poignant moments like saying goodbye to our old aged foster cat Hera as she crossed to the rainbow bridge.  I've had moments where I was the proudest mum in the world watching Abigail delivering a confident passionate speech on the importance of curriculum for life as she stood at the dispatch box in the house of commons and I've had many moments of happiness with Looby, knowing she's so very happy to be home educated now.

I'm a great keeper of memories, I always have been, I love nothing better than sitting on the sofa with the kids looking at old photos, laughing and giggling as we remember funny stories of their younger childhood.  I think the photographer in me craves to record as many moments as possible so when Popsa got in touch and asked if we wanted to make a photo book with the Popsa app, obviously I said yes.

The app is not only easy to use but the books are high quality and the colours match my colours, I chose matt for the pages and it turned out great, the printing on the cover had a tiny bit too much magenta in comparison to the pages but it's a tiny irk, mostly I'm delighted and that for me after 10 years of obsessing about colours matching the screen and colour calibration, well it's a delight to get back such a reasonable book with such high quality printing.  Whilst they have gifted me the book, I wouldn't recommend them if I didn't think they were great.

If you would like to make your own book, just click that link and once you've compiled your first book you can add the code MANDY for 50% off, that's a hardback A4 photo book for less than £20 and the soft back books start from just £6.99, with my code you could get them for all of your family for less than £20!!

To show just how easy it is to use the app, Looby helped me record a little video, please give it a watch and then download the Popsa App and get designing!

I want to thank the lovely people at Popsa for inviting us to collaborate with them, these are my own opinions and they may regret giving me unlimited books for the next year as I'm off to design a photo book every week!!

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12 Best Christmas Gifts For Mums

The best gifts for mums this Christmas

When I was writing this 12 best Christmas gifts for mums guide, I wanted to feature items for all budgets and I didn't want to assume that all mums were the same, some of use are busy business mums, some of us are stay at home, work super hard looking after small ones, some of us are great power women, and one or two of us are a combination of all 3 things. I hope you love some of these ideas, I'd be delighted to get any of them in my Christmas sack!

This gift guide would not have been possible without the collaboration of the lovely companies involved, I'm so appreciative and I know you will love these 12 ideas to make mum's Christmas the best ever!

A relaxing treat

1. Amphora Aromatics Candles and Diffusers - mums always love candles and lovely scented things, I think that whilst candles used to be indulgent now they're just part of life, look at Jo Malone. Well thankfully just as lovely without the huge price-tag, Amphora Aromatics have a beautiful selection of candles and diffusers available, you may even want to treat yourself to one whilst you're doing your Christmas shopping.

For mums who love a timeless classic

2. In 1976, Babe was the fragrance for women, it made over 75 million and now it's back, it's re-released and I have to say I love the smell, okay, the name, well, it was of it's time but as a fragrance it's powdery and has sandalwood and when it fades it's long lasting proving that good fragrance is timeless. The perfect gift for a mum who loves a classic fragrance. 

A gift for coffee lovers 

3.  Coffee and tea is a requirement and if I can keep it warm and not spill it all over my desk then I'm doing pretty well, this William Morris Ecoffee cup is made with bamboo fibre and reusable time and time again, being a huge fan of William Morris, this won't be gifted to anyone but me!

The gift of great sleep

4. Now this Sleepwell Milk might not be the most traditional of presents but I don't sleep and I'm not the biggest fan of Horlics, this stuff is vanilla milk which also contains valerian, a herb known for relaxation and sleep, you can either drink it cold or warmed, have it warmed, it's delicious and it definitely helped me one night when I had already counted all of the sheep in the whole of the land. This would be a thoughtful gift for mums that are kept awake by the kids and could do with a restful night of sleep. 

A luxury hamper 

5. Dobbies, my all time favourite garden centre, where Holly Bobbins and I like to wander around on cold rainy winter days sent this afternoon tea hamper and before I'd even photographed it Abigail demanded it in her Christmas presents, she's only 15, this tells me that this gift is going to go down well in any household and if you can tell me how I can hide it so that I can have it, I'd be very appreciative!!

A gift for yoga mums

6.  Yoga is for life and this fabulous Yoga Bellies towel with carrying strap is a must for any yoga mums out there this Christmas, this thing soaks up sweat without any bunching, it grips better as it gets wetter and it retails for only £19.99. 

The multi-tasking mum essential

7.  This Camo Pouch makeup and jewellery roll is perfect for travel, it not only holds your essentials but you can turn it into a freestanding pot on your desk, I actually think it's perfect for pen or makeup brush storage! For mums who travel this would make a lovely gift this Christmas. 

For mums who pamper 

8. This Christmas buy mum something lovely from Nadur, a natural skin company based in Cork, Ireland, this Stop the Clock, super berry face oil is perfect for mums like me (of a certain age) as it supports the development of new collagen, the next time you see me, I shall look 22, well, maybe! A beautiful stocking filler idea for mums who love to pamper their skin with goodness.

A special gift to wear everyday

9. This friendship bracelet from Giftpup is sure to make a mum's heart swell with pride every time she looks at it remembering just how fabulous her children are to have bought her such a beautiful present, it retails for around £35 so it won't break the bank either and it really is a lovely thing indeed. Jewellery is always a wonderful gift for mums, especially something that's personalised or engraved. 

For mums with a sweet tooth

10.Crumbly fudge from Buttermilk is one of those essentials of Christmas and if your mum has a sweet tooth like me then she's going to actually love this stuff, what could be more Christmassy than Gingerbread fudge or Irish cream fudge, perfect for a twinkly lit night watching movies and sharing some crumbly fudge. A delicious stocking filler or gift idea for a Christmas hamper for mums. 

A mindfulness gift for mums

11. Adult colouring in has seen a massive rise in popularity thanks to it's known relaxation properties and I love these urban jungle colouring postcards from Reeves, show off your artistic talents and chill out all at the same time, a great gift idea for mums who love to practice mindfulness.

For mum's desk

12. This  Scribe executive desk set comes from Robert Welch, perfect for the busy business mum's desk and I actually love the phone holder, I have mine on my desk holding my iPhone 8Plus.  This whole set comes in sparkling stainless steel for just £70. A gift that's practical, stylish and thoughtful - what more could you want for Christmas?

I hope this Christmas gift guide for mums has given you one or two ideas for every type of mum, one thing is for certain, get the right gift for mum this year and your life will be a very happy one, whatever you get her will make her smile of course and if you can't afford a gift this year, why not just give her a big hug and make some quality time for her, that's the gift that money could never buy!

If you enjoyed this post you'll love: 

• 16 Gifts Your Foodie Friends Will Thank You For This Christmas
• 17 Ways To Survive The Christmas Preparations
• Your Best Christmas Ever Starts Here (Find out about my Christmas series)

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