29 March 2018

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.

26 March 2018

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!


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!