Giving Your Bathroom A Spa Feel

Life is lived at such a fast pace today. When you get home from work, it is important to be able to relax and unwind. If we could afford it, we would treat ourselves to endless spa trips. But there is no need to do this. Instead, why not make your bathroom your own personal home spa? By creating a luxurious and relaxing bathroom space, you have the perfect place to unwind when you get home from a difficult and stressful day at work. It does not have to cost a lot of money to do this either. Read on to discover some of the best suggestions for turning your bathroom into the perfect spa.

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There is only one place to begin when it comes to your bathroom, and this is with your shower or bath. You need a shower that is spacious and comes with a massage shower head so that you can have ultimate relaxation. You can find a good selection of luxury showers at affordable prices by visiting Drench. Of course, taking a bath is way more luxurious than having a shower. If you can afford to have a new tub installed in your home, you should look for something that is deep so that you can soak after a hard day in the office. Consider using local bathroom fitters to give you a professional finish.  However, if you cannot afford a new bath, this does not mean that you cannot benefit from luxury. There are many ways to add small luxurious touches to your bathroom that will give you that desired spa feel and offer utter relaxation. A good example of this is by investing in a bathtub tray. This will only set you back a couple of pounds, yet it can completely transform your bath experience. You will have the perfect place for your book and perhaps a glass of wine. This means that you can relax in the bath for hours after a stressful day, ensuring you only need to come out when you are fully stress-free.

Another essential step when creating a spa-like bathroom is to get rid of all of the clutter. If you were to walk into a spa today, you would not see any clutter. This is because clutter makes it difficult to relax. Instead, it actually causes frustration and irritation. This is the last thing you want when you are trying to create a serene environment. Therefore, get rid of all of your bottles and any other products that are lying about. Make sure they are neatly put away in the cupboard. If you have any items that do not have a place, then you should get rid of them. Magazines and shampoo bottles thrown on the bathroom floor is never a good look.

When you visit a spa, it is all about engaging all of the senses. It is not only about how you feel, but it is about what you can smell and the sounds that you can hear. You can take inspiration from this within your own bathroom. Let's begin with scent. You can add relaxing smells to your bathroom, including the likes of vanilla, Mandarin, lavender, or anything else that appeals to you. This will help you to unwind, as the scent will have a relaxing and therapeutic effect on you. The same can be said for music. You can play relaxing sounds, such as sounds of the ocean, to give your bathroom a real spa feel.

Finally, when it comes to creating a luxurious environment in any room it is all about the little finishing touches. For your bathroom, there are lots of little finishing touches that you can add in order to create a more relaxing vibe and give you that added sense of luxury you are looking for. For example, you can invest in a heated towel rail so that you have lovely warm towels whenever you get out of the bath or the shower. Aside from this, you should ensure that you have a fluffy and luxurious rope hanging on the bathroom door as well as a pair of comfortable slippers so that you can wrap up warm whenever you get out of the shower. Other added touches include the likes of a good selection of magazines as well as some high-quality pampering products.

So there you have it; the ultimate guide to creating a spa feel in your bathroom! Follow the tips above and bring relaxation to your home.

Give Someone The Gift Of A Good Time

There is no denying that buying gifts can be difficult. With every year that passes by, birthdays and Christmases become more challenging. However, rather than simply buying people materialistic things, why not purchase them and experience gift instead? There are many reasons why experiences make better gifts, as you will discover in further detail below.

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One of the main reasons why you should choose to buy someone an experience rather than a gift is because experiences last a lifetime. A material object may provide delight for a week or two, but an experience offers memories that will be cherished forever. You can give someone something that they can look back at and smile about forever. Not only this, but the excitement that is created in the run-up to the experience is also priceless.

There are also so many amazing experience gifts that you can choose from. If your friend or family member is a sports fan, you could book tickets for them to see their favourite sports teams. A lot of sporting athletes today also host events whereby guests can ask them questions and get to know them, which is another suggestion. For music fans, a concert is an obvious choice. You can also book tickets to festivals, as well as tickets to other attractions throughout the country, including theme parks and such like. This merely scratches the surface. One of the most spectacular gifts you can give someone is a helicopter ride. Pennine Helicopters gives you further information on the different options that are available, and you may be surprised to learn that they are not as expensive as you would think. Other options include paragliding, scuba diving and other adrenaline based activities. Or, why not give someone the opportunity to drive around in a luxury sports car for an hour or two? As you can see, the options are endless, and so you will never run out of ideas.

Not only this, but an experience is something that you can enjoy with the person in question. This will give you more of a social connection. And, of course, you will get to benefit from the money you have spent as well. Moreover, there is no denying that there is greater value derived from experiences as a whole. We all get tired of gifts but we value memories. Items may come in and out of fashion, but the thrill and happiness you get from an experience is something that will never fade.

As you can see, there was nothing better than giving someone the gift of a good time. If one of your friends or family members has a birthday coming up soon and you are trying to figure out what to give to them, make sure you consider an experience gift. This is bound to impress and it is the sort of gift that will not invite any competition because no one else will have thought to do something similar.

How to Get a Confidence Boost

It’s so easy to feel down about yourself these days. We live in a society that puts certain things in the spotlight and decides what’s beautiful and what’s not. Not only that, but we also live in this social media age where everyone shares everything. All it takes is a scroll down your Instagram timeline, and you’ll see plenty of models in bikinis with perfectly sculpted bodies, living their best lives. If you don’t look like that, then it can easily get you down, and you start to feel very low in confidence.

But, you can also feel a lack of confidence because of things not related to your looks as well. Sometimes, you have a bad day at work where you might make one tiny mistake, and it haunts your mind for days on end. You fall into a slump and start to feel like you’re not good enough; your confidence takes a massive hit.

The longer you carry on with low-confidence and self-esteem issues, the worse they become. It’ll get to the point where your mind is so negative that you end up forgetting to properly love yourself. So, keeping that in mind, here are a few simple ideas that will help give you a much-needed confidence boost, instantly!

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Exercise For 30 Minutes

While some self-confidence issues are linked to other things, it’s fair to say that most of them are related to body image. Especially if, like I said earlier, you’re going on social media and seeing all the slim and trim women in their bikinis and tight summer outfits. The natural reaction to this is to just feel bad about the way you look compared to them, and your confidence dies.

However, you can do one simple thing to make yourself feel a little bit better right away. All you have to do is exercise for thirty minutes. Half an hour of intense exercise is all you need to give yourself a massive confidence boost. Exercise releases endorphins, which is a hormone in your body that’s proven to help you feel more happy and positive. Everyone always feels better after exercising, and you can too! If you really want to give yourself a massive confidence boost, then keep exercising for 3-4 days per week. There’s nothing worse for your body and confidence than just sitting around doing nothing - so be active!

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Try A New Hairstyle

A lot of the time, you can give yourself a proper confidence boost by just changing the way your hair looks. Hairstyles come in and out of fashion, and there are loads to choose from depending on what suits you. What’s more, hairstyles are probably the easiest thing you can change about yourself. If you have self-confidence issues because you’ve got bad skin or a big nose, then you can’t really change either of those things in an instant. However, you can change your hair to give yourself a brand new look that makes you feel more self-confident when you look in the mirror.

My advice is to try a look that you’ve never attempted before; do something completely different to what you’re used to. This can help you see yourself in an entirely new light, and make you feel more love for your appearance. There are lots of trendy styles out there right now, but a couple of my favourites are crimped hair, short hair, and braids. Crimped hair is when you use a hair crimper to give your hair a really pretty zigzag pattern that looks wavy. It’s in-fashion right now, which makes it the perfect idea. Short hair is obviously very striking, particularly if you’re used to having long hair. Again, it can help you see yourself in a completely new way. Braids are just very pretty, and you can experiment with different styles as well. Changing the way your hair looks is such an excellent way of bringing out your natural beauty and helping you feel more confident.

Improve Your Posture

Have you ever caught sight of yourself in the mirror when you’re feeling down? If you have, then you’ll undoubtedly see a hunched over figure staring back at you. The more depressed you feel, the more rounded over your posture becomes. We have a tendency to just fall forward when we’re down - it’s almost like we give up and just let our bodies round forwards, so we become hunched and slumped over.

Well, you can improve your confidence by doing the opposite of this and sitting/standing up nice and straight. Improve your daily posture, and you’ll instantly feel much better about yourself. Try it right now and see what I mean. If you sit with your back nice and straight, shoulders set backwards, and your chest out, then you exude confidence. Other people see you as being more confident than you might actually be. It’s simple; carry yourself with a positive posture, and you’ll feel more positive about yourself. Now, when you catch a look at yourself in the mirror, you’ll see a completely different person.

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Remind Yourself That You’re Loved

Everyone reading this is loved by someone. Even if you’re single, you’re still loved by family and friends. When you’re not feeling confident, it’s easy to get dark thoughts in your head that keep telling you you’re the worst and you’re not good enough for anyone. This is especially tough for people that are single and maybe struggle to find a partner for whatever reason. Or, if you go on a date but it doesn’t work out; you immediately get that complete lack of confidence.

It’s so important that you remind yourself that you’re loved. Talk to the people you surround yourself with; your family, friends, or maybe even your partner if you have one. Let them know how you’re feeling, and they’ll respond like any good person should - by telling you all the good things about yourself. Sometimes, all it takes is a hug from a loved one to make you feel so much better about yourself. It reminds you that there are people who care about you and love you deeply. This gives you such a mental boost that helps with your confidence.

Do Something You’re Good At

What’s the main underlying theme associated with a lack of confidence? It’s this feeling that you’re not good enough in some way, shape, or form. You might not think you look good enough compared to others, or you may feel less talented than some people. Either way, you just don’t think you have any strengths, and it gets you down.

So, the last thing you can do to give yourself an instant confidence boost is to do things you’re good at. No matter what you may think, everyone is good at something. The beauty of this world is that people display talents in many different ways. Maybe you’re a keen musician, or perhaps you’re really good at writing? Regardless, do whatever it is that you’re best at, and it will make you feel more confident. You get into a positive mindset when you’re doing something and are aware that you’re doing it well!

All these ideas are great for giving you a serious confidence boost when you need it the most. Remember what I said near the beginning of this post; the longer you let your confidence issues manifest, the worse they become. So, by having these ideas to give you an instant boost, you ensure that you’re not always stuck in a negative mindset, and can feel more confident!

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*Collaborative piece

Traveling Stateside: American States For The Bucket List

Heading to the USA may seem like one of those trips that would be bucket list worth, wouldn’t you agree? With so many states and destinations to choose from, you could spend your whole traveling life visiting every inch of it. However, there are some destinations in the US that are worth adding to your bucket list and should certainly be high on the priority list for your future holidays. For different reasons I might add. So I thought I would share with you five of them now to get you inspired.

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Florida

Maybe Florida is one to add to your bucket list and I can tell you that there are many reasons as to why you should have it on there. Not only do you have the fabulous Orlando, filled with some of the best theme parks in all of the world, but you also some of the best beaches around. Miami beach, Fort Lauderdale and The florida Keys will have you escaping your real life and relaxing into that beach vibe in no time at all.

California

Maybe California is the one, the sunshine state and the place where not only do youa have the home of some of the studies for the top filmes we see at the cinema, but you also have cities like San Francisco and the indi vibe that Santa Cruz can offer. Staying in places like the Hotel Paradox means you are closer to the action of this fabulous location. California has something for everyone, and many people consider a road trip of this state to take it all in.

New York

The state of New York has many hidden gems, but one of the most iconic places happens to be New York City. You can walk down the sidewalks of Manhattan pretending you are a star in the latest Sex and the city release, you can shop until your heart's content in some of the most iconic stores, or just take in some of the best views around on top of the empire state building.

Nevada

There is one thing for it when it comes to Nevada, and that is the adult sin city of Las Vegas. It happens to be on many bucket lists already, but as it might not be in yours, I thought I would include it in this list anyway. Seeing the sights and sounds of the lights and grandeur that is the Las Vegas strip, betting a bit of money on the roulette or slot machines, or just enjoying cocktails around the pool or taking in one of the famous residency shows. It really is a fun holiday to have.

Texas

Finally, we have the state of Texas and it really has a lot to offer in terms of a vacation. The musical capital of Austin has some of the best live music around, but there are also places such as Houston and Dallas that you can take in as well. Finally, if you like the chance to just sit and relax then you can people watch in the multicultural area of San Antonio.

I hope this has given you some food for thought for your next trip away.

Tips For Blogging On The Go

Fitting in time to blog can be a hard thing.  A full time job, dates, commitments with friends and having time to actually relax and sit down to write can sometimes be challenging.

So many times I have found myself under deadline, or with an opinion piece that I really want to write and end up writing at 11pm.  Not ideal.  But writing still brings me so much joy, so how do you do it?

The challenge is to fit my blogging around my life and still being able to be creative with it and keep the joy and excitement in there, without it being a chore.

For me, that means creating a virtual office that I can take with me everywhere, whilst maintaining a home base where I collate my ideas.  Here is how I do it:

Buy a Notice Board

I have recently purchased a notice board for my room where I can pin my notes for my latest blogging ideas and projects. I use colourful post it notes along with pages from my notebook in order to create a visual aide that I can look at for reminders of what is in my to do list along with inspirations for future pieces.  For me, this works much better than a calendar or diary.

Utilize Your Travel Time

I worked out the other day that I spend 45 minutes on the bus every day.  Perfect time for a little blogging inspiration!  I have a cheap notebook that I don't mind tearing pages from where I jot down ideas and piece together blog posts using bullet points that can be typed and added to later.

If you travel to work by bus or by train, your commute is the perfect time to get started on pieces and get the inspiration flowing.

Write on the Go

A few months ago I purchased a small lightweight tablet with a removable keyboard which has proved a lifesaver.  Whilst you cannot get a tablet out on the bus (although would be great on the train), I find it perfect for transforming my notes into a few paragraphs in my lunch or when in the summer, sitting in a park and getting a little work done whilst getting some sunshine.

Maintaining Your Down Time

Remember, writing is supposed to be fun.  It is what you enjoy so don't make it a chore.  Remember to enjoy yourself, take a break, take a step back and relax.  If you schedule your time there is no reason why you should be writing late at night or getting up early to finish a piece.

How to Organise Your Home

 Keeping your home organised and in order is an ongoing battle that we all face on a daily basis, but just following a few simple tips can ensure that your home is clean and clear.

Having an organised home can take a bit of effort if you don't have the right vacuum cleaner, but keeping it this way can work wonders for your wellbeing.

For The Love Of Dogs

I have always loved dogs.  The unconditional love.  The happy face that greets you when you come in the door.  They way they somehow seem to know when you are ill or sad and come to cuddle you.  

Over the past 25 years we have had many dogs.  See you if can see the (very obvious) theme of the names! Benjie, Sophie, Cindy, Ellie, Rosie and Simba.  All with the "ie" on the end apart from our latest baby boy, Simba.

The saddest part about having a dog is that they have you their entire life, but you don't have them for yours.  We have had to say goodbye to 5 dogs and it is heartbreaking every single time.  But we will always remember their love, their characteristics, their personalities.

Our dining room is host to the pictures of all the dogs we have had over the years.

I realised the other day that Simba was turning 2 in June and we still not have a picture of him up in the house.  That had to be remedied ASAP so I started looking at photo canvas prints online that we could put on the wall.

I think the hardest part was choosing a photograph of him, I have hundreds on my phone as he is such a little poser!  See what you think of the photograph I chose..

Isn't he just utterly beautiful?  As you can see, we have departed from having Yorkshire Terriers to this time, a Shih Tzu this time.  When we went looking at dogs this time around after losing our wonderful Rosie and Ellie last year, I saw their faces in all the puppies we looked at.  We found Simba on Gumtree of all places, with current owners who couldn't care for him anymore so at 4 months, he became our baby instead.

Do you have photographs of your fur babies (or actual babies, whatever takes your preference that you want on your wall?  Because I am happy to tell you that I have a promotion code for www.my-picture.co.uk on their already discounted canvas print formats (87% saving in all!).  

All you have to do is go on the site, upload your photograph, select the desired print canvas format and enter the code THECURVEDOPINION in the coupon code section when checking out.  Simple!  The code is valid until the 15th May 2018.

Let me know in the comments if you buy a print and what photograph you have chosen!

*This item was gifted to me but all opinions (and fur babies) are my own

Tips For Summer Holidays When You Are Plus Size

So 3 months today I'm off on holiday to Spain.  It has been 8 years since my last holiday abroad and I CANNOT WAIT.  Of course you know about this because I have been on going on about this for months!

I previously wrote about dressing while plus size on holiday and today I want to talk about how to prepare yourself in terms of confidence and preparing yourself in terms of your skin.

Look After Your Skin

One thing that I am conscious about, especially now that I am 39 is that taking care of your skin in the sun is so important and you have to be prepared.

My skin hates winter and I frequently end up with dry flaky legs and dry patches on my face, no matter what products and creams that I use.  This brings my confidence levels down and makes me cover up more.

I now attend a local thermal spa every month and indulge in the steam and sauna rooms which is fabulous for your skin and the heat exfoliates your skin a thousand times better than any product.  In addition, I am shortly going to be taking a natural collagen supplement in order to improve my skin's elasticity.  This product also helps to protect your skin from sun damage.  I will post a link on the blog when I have finished trying out the product for my thoughts and review.

Bring The Costs Down

As I haven't been on holiday for so long, I am having to buy a lot of things for this holiday when it comes to clothes, products and accessories.

This can prove expensive and one way that I have combated that expense is by researching online for the best prices and also using cashback sites.  You can get cashback on everything from the holiday itself, to travel insurance, to your clothes and the products that you need.

Do What You Need to Elevate Your Confidence Levels

He had to get in on the act!!

As a plus size woman, even with the confidence that I now have, I confess that I do find the prospect of walking around in swimwear, shorts etc a little bit daunting.  Although I feel confidence in myself, the judging eyes and occasional comments can get you down and that is the last thing that you want when you are on holiday.

Going to my local spa every month has increased my confidence exponentially in realising that people are living their own lives, having their own experiences and generally do not care what other people are doing or look like.

But if you are worried about being confidence and secure on holiday, do what I do.  Bring on the glam!!!

Work those Audrey Hepburn inspired sunglasses.  Wear the brightly coloured kaftan or sarong around the pool.  Find that swimsuit, swimdress or bikini that makes you feel fabulous.  Wear a dress every night if you want (I will be).  I have even bought a Spanish inspired fan.

Above all, OWN IT.

I spent far too many years worried about what others thought about my body without ever thinking of what I thought about it.  No more.  I own who I am, what I look like and what I wear and damn, I am going to look and FEEL fabulous on holiday.

On a side note, I share this last photograph of me in a swimsuit for a reason. I reviewed this swimsuit a few months ago and shared it on my blog and Twitter.  An idiot who disagreed with me online recently shared this photograph of me online, without comment, in order to try and silence me.

Pro tip.  If you disagree with me, use your words.  Form an argument.  Grow a set.  Because you will NEVER silence me or make me feel ashamed of my body.  If your only form of argument is to try and silence someone by attempting to disparage their body image, you are the one that needs help.  Not me.

Horse Racing: The Most Brutal Sport In The World

Today is my annual post about the Grand National.  As always, some will read it, some won’t.  Some of you may look at the title of this post and turn away, not wanting my words to spoil your office bit of fun betting on the sweepstakes.  As ever, all I hope is that at least one person reads my blog today and changes their mind about making that bet. Forever.

The Grand National isn't the only horse racing event of the year of course.  Recently we had the Cheltenham Festival.

North Hill Harvey.  Dresden.  Sandsend.  Some Plan.

Sound familiar?  Probably not.  But they died for your viewing entertainment at the Cheltenham Festival this year.  A broken leg in the horse racing world isn't repairable.  A broken leg is a death sentence.  

Animal Aid began a record of the death of horses 11 years ago at the Cheltenham Festival.  Since then, 1677 horses have died.  That is 3 horses, every single week.  3 horses, A WEEK.  During the popular horse racing events and months, that figure increases.  In March alone 18 horses were destroyed due to injuries in a race.    

This weekend is the Grand National.  People who do not bet the whole year round get together and chose their horses, either with families or work colleagues.  It is a tradition.  After years of horses dying at every Grand National meet, they have at least improved the course and unlike places like Cheltenham who practically have fatalities every year, the Grand National hasn't had a fatality in five years.

Every year the course at the Grand National is improved.  Made safer for the horses, yet still last year 21 horses out of the 40 entered failed to finish.  In any other sport, it would be deemed too dangerous.  By a mile.  By 50 miles.  But because it is horse racing, it is somehow deemed acceptable.

When you make your bet today, what are you thinking about?  The possibility of winning a couple of pounds on  a five pound bet?  Probably.  What you won't be thinking about, what I want you to think about is a horse.  A horse who loves to run.  But a horse that doesn't know that he is entered into a race which could take his life if he breaks a leg, or a shoulder.  A horse who if he manages to make it through the 16 fences, 14 of which jumped twice, will be whipped to the finish line.  All for your two pound win.

So when you think about placing your bet today, ask yourself this.  Do I like seeing horses whipped?  Do I like watching a race where death is a very real prospect for the horses involved?  Do I want to contribute to an industry that values horses value at zero and the mob at one hundred percent?  I hope you know the answer to that question.  

We are a nation of animal lovers.  If you love animals, you do not want horses to be treated this way.

The organisers at the Grand National have started to listen.  It is time that all organisers of all horse races do the same until it is still a competitive sport, but not a fatal one.  Not one where a winner has been whipped to succeed.  

Make your choice.

Summer Loving

So this was my view yesterday.  Looks idyllic doesn't it? I'm thinking 25 degrees, a cocktail beach bar at the other end, sun shining down on you..... Not so much.  This is in fact Lytham St Annes in Lancashire, England where we took my dog Simba for a walk yesterday.

Here is the boy in question, absolutely loving his first time on the beach (although he wasn't too sure of the sea, preferably to keep his little paws dry). 

Whilst today we are unfortunately back in snow covered scenes, yesterday made me really start to think about the summer ahead.

We are lucky at home to have a large patio area with beautiful views over the town to the countryside in the distance.  It is a perfect sun trap in the summer months and every year in the Spring we take advantage of great patio and garden furniture deals from Groupon, to enhance the area and maximize the space potential.

For summer evenings with a glass of wine and a beautiful view, we have a wrought iron table and chairs set on the balcony and for sun bathing during the day (when possible in the British weather), we have loungers and an ice cooler box for refreshing summer beverages.

I cannot wait to take Simba on more walks on the beach in the summer.  There are so many beautiful beaches in the UK that sometimes we do not truly appreciate until the warmer weather appears and on a sunny day, you really do feel like you could be in the Riviera.

One things that us Brits tend to forget during the summer is that the sun in England can burn you just as easily as when you are abroad.  Because we get so little really sunny days in the UK, we forget that you need to use protection against the sun here too.  All of my really bad sunburn incidents have happened whilst on a day out with no sunscreen.

I remember a particular day out at Oulton Park racing track when we presumed that the weather was going to be raining, and we ended up in blazing sunshine and for me, blisters on my shoulders that lasted for a week!  Prior preparation is key folks!

I am lucky enough to be taking a trip abroad this summer and will be sharing with you my top tips for summer holiday preparation when you are plus size.  Check back in a few days for my tips!



*Collaborative post

It's A Period Thing

I have a question.  What is it about a woman having a period that is so scary to some people?

When you see adverts about menstruation products, you invariably see women all in white, doing sports, bungee jumping, basically anything active that does not actually reflect how women feel when they are on a period, or what they want to do.

If you want to sell a menstruation product to women, why not for once, work to your audience.  I know that I, for one, do not want to run, jump or bungee jump when I am on my period, I want a hot water bottle, food and more than anything, no one to irritate me more than I am currently feeling.  

Like my insides are being ripped out and my head has turned to mush.  Like I feel anger, sadness, pain, sleepy and so so irritated!  Show me an advert that reflects a woman having a true period, with a product that is going to help me and I will buy it in droves.

Do not mess with me!  I am hormonal.

Sell me a product that is actually made specifically to assist women when they are having a period.  Knixteen for example sell underwear for teens that works as a perfect backup when you are having a period and want to protect your underwear (and your clothes!) from leaks.  How many times as a teenager have you been terrified when on your period that something is going to show through? 

Because we have been taught that showing that having a period is taboo.  

I was in a line at Boots the other day with my sanitary products and an older lady actually looked at me in shock and said "Hide that away dear!".  Why?  Periods happen.  It is a normal bodily function that we should not have to hide.

I cannot count the amount of times that I, and most the women I know, have experienced a sharp cramp, been asked if we are ok and every single time we answer "No it's fine, I'm fine".  Why do we deny the pain?

Studies have shown recently that period pain can be as painful sometimes as a heart attack and yet we are taught to demur, diminish and outright deny.  We are taught that it is something to hide, to protect people away from.  

It is 2018 people.  Sell us the products that work for a woman actually having a period.  Normalise it.  Don't make it a taboo.  We are women, we bleed sometimes.  Get over it.

Decorating Your Ceilings

The ceiling. It’s something we don’t tend to think much about unless we’ve got a crack in it or the water from the bathroom is suddenly spilling through. However, it’s one of the best places in the house to flex your creative muscle! We’ve talked about what to do with your floors, so let’s turn our attention upwards. It’s time to focus a little on the ceiling, and how decorating it can really bring a room together. You might feel like your space is a little empty if you have minimal possessions to your name (don’t worry, you can easily build on this!), and thus filling a room with a little more life is a must!

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Try Hand Painting

If you’ve got enough confidence in your ability with a paint brush, it’d be a good idea to take to painting any designs on yourself. Just imagine being able to look up at your ceiling and seeing an entire constellation there, or a misty woods full of flowers and sprites! Just like the Sistine Chapel, it can be a real work of art when you set your mind to it!

So if you’ve got the paint and a ladder that’s tall enough to get you within head height of the upper floor, try this idea out. Whatever you choose to do with your hand painted masterpiece, try to blend its colours in with the rest of the room. Darker shades work well for bedrooms, and neutral colours in the kitchen are always going to be popular with your marble or hardwood countertops.

Hang Up Some Curtains

If you hang up blackout curtains from the ceiling, you can easily separate one half of a room out from the other. This works particularly well in the bedroom, and can give your bed a little more privacy when you’re in it. Yet, you can hang curtains up anywhere in your house, and you don’t even need to use nails to do so.

It can be a great way to get some of your own space when it comes to other rooms as well, especially if you share a house. If the curtain is done, no one is allowed to enter! Then you can get on with whatever work needs doing.

Get into the Loft

Most houses and flats have some sort of loft to them, and if yours is big enough to stand up in, it doesn’t just have to be storeroom anymore. Maybe it’s a place where all your grandmother’s old dolls are kept, but they can be stacked neatly in boxes off to the side. It’s time for you to convert the rest of the space into a sitting room.

Whatever you choose to do with your new room will work wonders when you know you can be safe there. Look into Loft Panel Next Day Delivery to keep any essential wires (electricity) out of your face immediately.

Your ceiling doesn’t have to be left white or bumpy; try out these ideas!

Review: Jileon Wide Calf Boots

A few months ago I was afforded the opportunity to review a pair of wide calf wellington boots from Jileon

Now as any dog owner knows, wellington boots are not something that are not confined to the winter months, especially in the UK where weather can range from sunshine in the morning to pouring rain in the afternoon, with of course the snow we are experiencing at present.  They are of course also perfect for festivals where the mud is an ever present feature.

For me however, wellington boots are an essential to walk this little snow angel.

Now I said that I received these boots a few months ago and you may wonder why it has taken me so long to review.  The thing is with wellington boots is that you need time to make sure that they are right for you.  Are they comfortable?  Are they going to rub?  Do they support your ankles? Do they help you walk in mud, snow etc?

None of these questions can be answered with a single wearing. 

What I would recommend with these wellington boots from Jileon is to size down.  I am a size 6 and they were too big for me, even with wellington boot socks.  So for an accurate review I gifted these boots to my sister who is a size 7; and they fitted her perfectly.

 This was probably a bonus to this review to be honest as I can be a little "tippy toes" in adverse weather conditions whereas my sister takes her dogs out every day, tracking through mud, snow, streams; everywhere basically.

I asked her to wear the boots and give me an accurate reflection of what she experienced while wearing them.  Her thoughts were that they were supremely comfortable, a good fit on the ankle and had great traction.   All basically that you can ask from a wellington boot.

These are wide calf boots but there is also a belt buckle facility at the top which allows you to tighten/loosen depending on the clothing that you are wearing.  

Jileon offer boots at both the standard and wide fitting.  They also offer different wide fittings at the calf, from below calf. wide and extra wide.  They also offer usage options whether you want occasional use, to regular and hard wearing.

From both my trying them on and my sister using them on a regular basis I can confirm that the wide on the calf fitting is very accurate and the adjustable buckle at the top comes in very handy.  

I would not hesitate to recommend these wellington boots to someone else, just with the advice to size down in your shoe size in order to get the perfect fit.

*This item was gifted to me but all opinions are my own