Self-Tanner Winner!

People who know me, know I have fair skin with freckles, so when I suddenly appear to have a slight tan I get asked what I use. I’d love to say ‘oh, I’ve caught the sun.’ There will be days I actually have, but I burn first anyway if I haven’t got factor 50 on!

I don’t bother using fake tans anymore, as I prefer to look like I’ve got a natural tan on a daily basis and not just make the effort for a special occasion. I opt for a self tanning moisturiser called Dove instead. You’ve got two in one for starters. After trying a few on the market, I find Dove is the best and doesn’t leave any streaks or patches. I apply it every morning (or most mornings if not running late for the school run) after my shower and use a body scrub once a week. It’s a myth when people think that scrubbing your skin takes away the tan. Actually, it enhances it once you apply it again after the scrub. I notice it straight away! There is an obvious glow to my skin. Another tip is if you find you get orange patches on your elbows and knees, just apply Vaseline. That does the trick.

It’s a myth when people think that scrubbing your skin takes away the tan. Actually, it enhances it once you apply it again after the scrub.

When I worked in beauty salons, I worked with a natural product range called Susan Molyneaux. With that body scrub, you don’t apply any water to your skin at all and just buff it away dry. My skin was noticeably soft afterwards. Since then, I hardly dampen my skin at all. The one I like at the moment, is from Superdrug called Vitamin E skin care, sugar and oil body scrub. It has natural ingredients, which I really like and even heats up on your skin too.
Click the image below.

 

Mama Llama Drama Llamas

via Mama Llama Drama Llamas

Hit The Road

I laugh when I look at the picture above, because there are many days where I would love a scenario like this to happen. Maybe a bit far fetched with a unicorn, but then life is full of surprises! I wouldn’t hesitate to hop in all the same. My girls would love it.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. We all have days were we just want to disappear and go on an adventure. I’d go as far as turning off my phone and going ghost for weeks, months or years in fact! Okay, that would be too extreme and I would need my phone to take a lot of photos. I am picture fanatic! The days I often feel like this, is when I want to escape from reality. Not necessarily running away from problems, but more of forgetting the things that drag you down. I would love the opportunity to just get in a van, hit the open road, see where it takes me and end up in different locations. The film Mamma Mia springs to mind as I am writing this. I think in general most people like to escape. However, up until now, I have not been one for camping. I have never been in fact. Then, an opportunity came for me to go away with my friend in her motorhome. Not exactly camping, but in campervan style. In fact, I shared the same picture above on Facebook quoting ‘I need this!’ For a friend to comment about going away in her motorhome sometime. That is exactly what we did with our children. It was an all girls trip. Six of us hit the road and headed to Wales. I have never been before and although we only went for a couple of days it was just nice to get away. The weather was a bit of a let down. We arrived when it was all stuffy and sweaty. You can see by my hair in the picture below, how humid it was. We’ve had 9 weeks of glorious, hot sunshine, then we hit the weekend that was forecast thunderstorms. That is good old British weather for you! Luckily, the rain wasn’t as bad. We only got a shower on one morning and not all day like in some places. I loved hearing the sound of heavy rain fall onto the camper van. It makes you feel all cosy and warm. The temperature had dropped a lot considering the day before was the hottest day of the year, reaching temperatures of 30 degrees. I’ve never felt it that hot in Britain in all my life. 20 degrees is cool for me now! I’ve read that we haven’t had a summer like this since 1976! We didn’t let the weather dampen our spirits… both sets of daughters got on so well. Isabelle, and my friend’s two daughters made friends with other campers and it felt such a nice and relaxed way of life. To see my girls smiling away for the whole duration of the trip, just made me want to bottle it up and cherish it forever.

To see my girls smiling away for the whole duration of the trip, just made me want to bottle it up and cherish it forever.

I see a lot of hashtags #makingmemories and it is true! You can’t put a price on the feeling you get watching how happy your children are. Times like these, make you want to embrace every second. We noticed when travelling down in the camper van, that other people in their vans wave at you. We thought it was bit funny but now we get it. I was trying to think of the word that is used to describe it and it hit me a day later, after a few pink gins and lemonade (that is my new drink) that how nice the other fellow campers are. I said it’s a cult and we both agreed why people in other camper vans are so friendly and wave at you. It’s like one big camper van family. I’d definitely go away in a camper van again. We went to a Haven campsite resort. It’s brilliant for children, since there is lots to do, even on rainy days. I could only do a few days though. Anymore would be too much, especially with it being so busy now it’s the six weeks holidays.

 

 

Theory Behind The Fairy

Saturday 14th July

My notebook is bursting with ideas for my novel. I keep it in my bag handy, if an idea just pops into my head, then I’ll write it down. It’s amazing when you look back on notes, and realise you had forgotten about it.

Today, I had brainwave! Together, with my notes I have collaborated together over the months, I have finally come up with the best plot twist. It has just came to me and it clicks into place. I am really excited about it! I feel like it’s coming together and making sense. I still have a long way off, but it’s getting there.

Story Competition

Tuesday 26th June

I recently entered a story Competition and although I didn’t win, it’s nice to be told that they enjoyed it and it’s a lovely children’s tale, promoting inclusion for all. I’m not going to state what it was about, because I hope to publish something similar myself one day.

it’s nice to be told that they enjoyed it and it’s a lovely children’s tale, promoting inclusion for all.

At the moment, I’m in the middle of writing a children’s fantasy novel. At first, when I started writing a book, I wanted to keep the idea to myself and only tell close people. Not for any other reason than that feeling of self doubt that erupts within from time to time. However, I found letting people know has got me in touch with the right people. Even if it doesn’t get published, I think it’ll be a nice story for my girls to keep and pass on.

The age range is 6-9 years. It’s a really long process and I’ve ended up changing the story quite a bit, but now I’m finally happy with how it’s flowing. I have days where I can easily pick up where I left off and then through general life situations, it can be a few weeks by the time I get back into it.

This book includes both my daughters interests. It may seem a bit of a cliché, but it’s about two sisters, fairies and unicorns. Isabelle loves it so far. Yes, I know she’s biased but she also speaks the truth, as most children do.

Hopefully, something new will be coming up in September. It’s early days to say too much about it, but children’s stories will work together with what I have planned.