Interior Design Ideas For When You Have Children

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home , improvement, decor
Cleaning, decluttering, interior design. We have become obsessed with our homes. In an uncertain world the one thing it seems we have control of is our own environment. From Marie Kondo to Mrs Hinch, interior design and home improvements have become trendy. This is all well and good but if you have children it can be hard to have your home the way you want it and keep it that way.  So here are some things I try to do to keep my home a beautiful place to live.
Rotate their toys.
My children have an insane amount of toys. Toys from grandparents, their cousins old toys, toys mummy gets sent because she is an editor of a magazine. I find having boxes around and then rotating which boxes are out helps. This way they can get variety and do not use the same toys all of the time, and their other toys are tidied away where they are supposed to go. If they want the other toys, they tidy the ones they are playing with away.
Get them involved. 
Our son will tidy if asked and already helps with some chores. Children tend to love helping out with chores. Even when they are young. It has novelty factor and makes them feel grown up.
Implement some rules. 
Children learn habits and rules early on. If you install rules early it will be easier to make children keep them. Make sure they learn how to tidy up after themselves. Tell them off if they try to colour in the walls. Show them where to put their shoes and coat. Even little things make a difference.
Make sure they are safe. 
Children have a habit of getting into trouble. Have child locks on cupboard doors and drawers. Have cushioned door stoppers on all of the doors to protect little fingers. It is also important to have toughened glass in any areas that need it. Tuffx Glass is one of the leading manufacturers of toughened glass in the UK, and provide commercial and non-commercial products. One of their biggest recent works includes providing toughened glass for The Shard in London. It will look amazing while keeping your little one safe.
Don’t compromise on style. 
While some things should not be around children: anything spiky or any chocking hazards, there are a lot of stylish things you can have despite having children. You can even buy them little stools and their own furniture. A great thing to have a lot of is cushions. Make them bold and beautiful and when they are placed around the floor to stop banged heads the room will still look great.
Sponsored Post in Collaboration with Tuffx Glass.  

IT’S PIMMS O’CLOCK  – SUMMER RECIPES FROM THE ULTIMATE FRUIT CUP

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OK, so the ‘Great British Summer’ mightn’t be so great now but there’s one thing that will make it better, a perfect pitcher of Pimms. We’ve shared our favourite recipes below and we defy you to not want to don the sunnies after a glass of one of these…

PIMM’S NO.6 – ENGLISH ROSE

Fill a tumbler with ice cubes

Pour 50ml Pimm’s No.6 (Vodka Cup),

125ml Fentiman’s Rose Lemonade

Add a dash each of lavender syrup, lemon juice and orange bitters

PIMM’S NO.1

Fill a tumbler or tall glass with ice cubes

Pour in 50ml Pimm’s No.1 and top up with lemonade

Add a few sliced strawberries, orange and cucumber

Stir and top with a sprig of mint

PIMM’S SPRITZ

Fill a Copa or wine glass with ice cubes

Pour in 50ml Pimm’s No.1 and 75ml lemonade, and top with sparkling wine

Add a few slices of cucumber and a sprig of mint

PIMM’S JUG

Half fill a jug with ice cubes

Pour in 200ml Pimm’s No.1 and top with lemonade

Add some sliced strawberries, orange and cucumber

Stir and top with a big sprig of mint

My Writing Process – Margaret Graham

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I think a lot before I even put fingers to keyboard. I have a rough plan, and character, and get to know them, and the plot, and theme, which of course will drive the plot.

 

I have been writing for over 30 years, under three different names. Novels, and series, features, plays including a community play. And helped to research a TV documentary that grew out of a novel, Canopy of Silence.
I have written the first of a series The Girls on the Home Front set in WW2. There is fashion in writing, or should I say publishing. At the moment there is a thirst for series about 2nd WW!!. When Downton Abbey was on, it was 1st War. The thing is, a writer must write for the market, we produce a product. Sound basic, but there you are. Packaging is key. You will note there are fashions in packaging too. Sagas seem to be three women against a library photo shot of a street or something.
Tell us about your process
Sit down  and do it! I get the idea, research the period etc. make notes, and all the time one’s mind is working, and arriving at a plot. Then you have to BE the characters, all of them, so they come alive.
Do you plan or just write?
I plan but not nearly as much as I did. I think that’s experience, I know now what is necessary.
What about word count?
Women’s fiction is usually about 100,000 words these days, but if you have a publisher they will tell you what they want.
How do you do your structure?
There is of course, only one structure: one shape, Normal world, then a point of change, then a rising arc to two thirds through the book, when there is a climax and it seems all is well, but like Cinderella the ball, the clock strikes, and it all goes wrong, so the last third is about resolving it finally, though no need to tuck it up neatly, just to show that the characters have developed enough to find a way through.
One main character and protagonist and antagonists. There has to be a theme, or message or it’s without depth.

And exposition, scene setting, showing not telling because we live in a visual age, so people are used to seeing things, not to wading through lots of telling. So create scenes, and it’s best if it’s through the eyes, (or point of view) of one person only in a scene. It helps with empathy.

What do you find hard about writing?
Actually doing it, I suppose. The day to dayness of it.  I write two a year, as well as being a Frost Magazine editor, and running my charity, Words for the Wounded so it’s a rush.
What do you love about writing?
Creating other worlds, and being in control of those worlds. As a parent I realised long ago I was in control of very little, but in fiction the characters have to do as they are told.
Advice for other writers.
Learn the skills – go to a credible writing class, or mentor group. It’s an apprenticeship and as such, you need to learn the craft. It is a craft, a nuts and bolts craft, not an arty farty Art. Basically, get down and dirty, and keep at it, share your work with a group, listen to constructive not destructive criticism, read to see how others do it. And don’t rush.

My first bit of writing, a novel, After the Storm was published. My very first bit of writing, so I had to learn in full gaze of the public. I switched point of view within scenes, and put in too much research and not enough dialogue. But it worked. My later books, however, are considerably better and easier to read. And  of course, enjoy it. No point otherwise is there, life is too short.

http://www.margaret-graham.com

www.wordsforthewounded.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/margaretgraham4/

Kill Climate Deniers at Pleasance Theatre, London Reviewed by Paul Vates

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“I feel that I am not Australian enough to understand some of this”

 

 

 

 

Australian Environment Minister Gwen Malkin’s plan to stop climate change is rudely interrupted when a group of eco-terrorists storm Parliament House – two sides of the political spectrum perhaps, but, in the end, both want the same thing. Can they work something out? Can they have a rational conversation? Or will there be a bloodbath?

 

Kill Climate Deniers is actually like the above plot – two different plays sharing the same aim, but both unfortunately clash in an unnatural and forced setting. On the one hand there is the story itself, with a cast of five women playing a collection of bizarre characters. On the other, there is the writer, David Finnigan, introducing the piece and popping up throughout – at first wrestling with the name of the play and the legal journey he has been on and explaining that the title is not an instruction, but admittedly acknowledging that, because of it and the content of the play, he has made the project newsworthy.

 

 

 

[Bec Hill as Catch, David Finnigan as himself and Kelly Paterniti as Bekken]

 

The play began life in Australia way back in 2013 and has been performed out there, with public funding – a contentious issue in itself. Now it is in the UK and has also received Arts Council funding. And it has not escaped my attention that the piece has six Australian performers informing us about the likely consequences of climate change, even though their own carbon footprint in getting here can’t be helping!

 

That is unfair, I know. The cast are a strong collection of Aussie comedians and actresses who have been touring the UK for years, ie. not here just for this production. Felicity Ward plays Gwen M lkin with tongue firmly in cheek and portrays a Parliamentary Minister we would expect to see – one that can switch on the confidence and smiles for the camera, but is actually a bag of nerves and doubt.  She is assisted by her Press Officer Georgina Bekken, played with relish by Kelly Paterniti. Bec Hill plays the eco-terrorist Catch, the rebel with a cause to die for.

 

[Felicity Ward as Gwen Malkin]

 

In the end, the whole cast work hard with scant material. Director Nic Connaughton has achieved wonders with a script containing little depth, more a ragtag of sketches and jokes that plod the story along, limping to the inevitable endings: one play ends like a Rambo-esque massacre, the other with Finnigan’s own monologue about the state of Australian politics and what is at stake if meaningful and responsible conversations about climate change are not had.

 

 

[Bec Hill as Catch]

 

Sadly, I feel that I am not Australian enough to understand some of this: the jokes or references. The play also relies heavily on pop music – the soundtrack, although foot-tapping good… Has no one ever really asked if it needs to be there? Like Australia in Eurovision: what is going on?!? And, regarding the essence of the play, a certain Sir David Attenborough has already got this nation talking and thinking. Politicians, by their very nature, are reactive – seldom proactive. Thanks to Blue Planet II, they are beginning to act because of the public’s outcry – so Kill Climate Deniers has perhaps arrived here a little too late.

 

Photographer     Ali Wright

Playwright          David Finnigan

Director              Nic Connaughton

Producers          Maya Ellis and Jonny Patton

Designer            Prinx Lydia

Guidance           16+

Performances    Until 28th June – Tuesday to Saturday at 8pm, Sunday 6pm

Saturday Matinee 3.30pm

Venue                Pleasance Theatre, Carpenters Mews, North Road, London

N7 9EF

Nearest Tube    Caledonian Road (Piccadilly Line)

Tickets               Box Office 020 7609 1800 or online at www.pleasance.co.uk

Price                  From £12

Running Time    90 minutes (no interval)

Twitter                @KCDplay, @thepleasance, #KillClimateDeniersPlay

 

 

 

PILLOW PERSONALISATION FROM NANU

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Let’s be honest, there is absolutely nothing better than laying your head on the pillow at night. There’s also nothing worse than laying your head on a pillow at night and that pillow being lumpy or flat. Shudders.

The sleep experts at Nanu have introduced a gamechanger – the world’s first personalised pillow.

How it works

Simply input a few answers online about which way you sleep, together with your height and weight and then asks you to choose the level of firmness. The answers will then be put into a pillow builder, or to be more technical, a mechanical algorithm, to create your tailored pillow. Simple.

What’s in the Nanu pillow

Super soft and allergen free recycled filling. The sustainable efforts filter through to the packaging too, they use only recycled materials.

How much it costs

The pillow costs £30. Whilst it might seem a little steep compared to a typical pack of two, it’s completely worth it. Don’t believe us? Give it a free 30 day trial!

Why it’s important to get the right pillow  

A good night sleep might just be the best medicine. It helps your skin, helps to reduce stress, puts you in a better mood and could even make you smarter!

Head to https://nanusleep.co.uk/ to create your pillow and learn more about the benefits of sleep. Happy napping!

My Writing Process – Carol Thomas

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Carol thomas, writer, How I write,

I live on the south coast of England with my husband, four children and lively Labrador, Hubble (never give a dog a name that rhymes with trouble!). I taught in primary schools for over fifteen years, before dedicating more of my time to writing. 

In the summer of 2017, I was delighted to gain a publishing contract with Ruby Fiction, an imprint of Choc Lit, for my second novel, The Purrfect Pet Sitter. Currently out as an ebook, with paperback and audio editions due for release on August 6th, it is the story of what happens when you rediscover the one you let get away.

Prior to pitching The Purrfect Pet Sitter, I had self-published a contemporary romance novel, Crazy Over You, and a children’s book, Finding a Friend. Self-publishing taught me a great deal about the publishing process, building an author platform and promotion.

My latest novel, also published by Ruby Fiction, is Maybe Baby, a romantic comedy. It is the sequel to The Purrfect Pet Sitter, but can be read as a standalone story. Having recently completed a blog tour, I am delighted to have received reviews such as:

 “Incredibly entertaining, this book has everything, animals, humour, romance, an old flame and a pregnancy test!” 

It is always scary when you send a new book out into the world and so receiving lovely reviews really does mean a lot. 

My work in progress is a contemporary romance, unrelated to my previous books. I started it before the idea came to me for Maybe Baby, and I have to say returning to it and regaining the same focus, is proving difficult. Though as my husband likes to point out, actually writing instead of being on social media would help.

Self-discipline is not my strong point, but I am working on it and intend to prepare more of my social media posts up front. Having said that, I do think it is important to interact and be present too – with an allocated time limit, of course ;-)

My writing process varies depending on the story. For Maybe Baby, I had a spreadsheet for dates, and plotted precisely, because the story required it. Ordinarily, when I start work on a novel, I buy a new notebook (who doesn’t love a pretty new notebook?) that will eventually contain everything related to that story.

I then plan the outline, build character profiles, and commence research – which I know will continue as I write. Once my new notebook is armed with these essentials, I start writing on my laptop. As the characters develop and the story progresses, I am happy to be led in new and exciting directions.

I love it when the story is flowing, and I feel I can’t type fast enough to get it all down. Conversely, when the ideas are not coming, and the word count is hovering in one place for too long, it can be frustrating. At times like this, I endeavour to keep going and get something down. I can always edit it – once, twice, or twenty-seven times – later. I don’t generally have a set daily word limit I try to reach as I have a busy house and life, but if I am away to write, I set myself goals.

My advice to writers, including myself, would be focus on getting your book written, there are plenty of distractions, but the only thing that will make that word count grow is actually writing!

 

Before she was Found by Heather Gudenkauf Reviewed by Natalie Jayne Peeke

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Cora Landry is a quiet , shy and self conscious 12 year old who falls victim to the vicious bullying inflicted by Jordan Petit. Cora lives in a nice house in a nice neighbourhood with her parents and her older sister Kendall .

Jordan Petit is the ‘It girl’ that every school has . She’s Pretty , popular and confident. Jordan lives with her grandad after being abandoned by her parents when she was young.

Violet Crow is the new girl in town . A sweet but timid girl who soon forms a friendship with Cora Landry. Violet lives in a small house in a rough neighbourhood with her mother and her older brother Max .

One normal sleepover has gruesome consequences. Cora is left beaten and bloody at a abandoned rail yard with her friends no where to be seen .

The small town of Pitch is left shocked and is asking who would want to hurt a young and innocent girl so brutally? Everyone is desperate for answers , Everyone is a suspect.

No one can be trusted

Tension builds as the investigation starts , suspects are questioned and rumours are invented.

A real page turner! I read this book in a couple of sittings, I was so gripped. I really enjoyed the fact that the awful story and the events leading upto it , are told from several different characters point of view and that the dialogue varies, which definitely made it so easy to read !

I did have several of those clichè moments , clapping my hand over my mouth in surprise or horror and physically squirming at the thought of something horrible !

Before she was found is a fine example of how cruel people can be towards each other and how the mind is so strong yet so fragile.

The ending will leave you feeling an array of emotions – it’s Awesome.

Before she was Found by Heather Gudenkauf
Paperback £7.99
Also available in eBook and audiobook

Natalie Jayne Peeke: http://www.thebookwormmother.co.uk

SISTER SCRIBES GUEST: ALEXANDRA WALSH ON HER WONDERFUL FRIENDS

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I’ve come to know Alexandra because we’re both signed to Sapere Books and when she told me how much her wonderful friends had helped her on her journey to publication I just had to ask her to write about it. It’s a proper Sister Scribe story.

 

“I’ll be there for you…” sang The Rembrants in the 1990s on the US sitcom, Friends. It was a great concept because friends are universal and I am very lucky to have some wonderful friends.

In June, Sapere Books, published my second novel The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy. It is part two of The Marquess House Trilogy and it is dedicated to four friends: Jo, Deborah, Gemma and Dawn. This particular four have been my lifeline while I have been writing this series. Their support has been invaluable but what they do not know is that it is their friendships that have formed the inspiration for the relationships in my historical novels.

During my research, one of my enduring irritations was the isolation in which historical women are portrayed. They are usually placed with people who are instrumental in their downfall. Yet, I find it hard to believe that women in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries did not turn to each other as women do today.

In my first book, The Catherine Howard Conspiracy, the fifth bride of Henry VIII is my historical protagonist. The only women ever linked to Catherine are those who betrayed her. I created a group of close friends around the young queen, all of whom were real historical figures who had been part of her court. The core of their banter and support was inspired by Deborah, Gemma, Dawn and Jo.

The second book, The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy, has Elizabeth I as the driving force. She is often presented as being at odds with the women in her court. There probably were personality clashes but it seems unlikely that she  loathed her ladies-in-waiting as is often suggested. I re-imagined her friendships, particularly those with her Boleyn cousins who were with her throughout her reign, again based on the strength and support provided by my friends.

All four, I met at work: Jo and I became friends on the launch of the women’s magazine Now; Gemma and I met at more!, while Deborah, Dawn and I worked together on Chat and Pick Me Up!.

Each of them is wonderful and they all helped me to get through the many years of sitting alone, writing. First with endless encouragement, then in indignation on my behalf as my books were rejected, before the day I finally had a publishing deal. Cards, flowers and champagne arrived the following day!

Deborah, Gemma and I email each other nonsense most days. Dawn and I have long rambling conversations when she drags me back me from the brink of “I’m-so-rubbish-it’ll-be-a-massive-failure”. Jo and I have so many years history, we can ring each other and rant without even saying hello, while we calm each other down.

So, yes, I’ll be there for them, as they’re there for me and I hope hundreds of years ago, the women I write about were there for each other, too.

And, to all my other friends, I love you too. You bunch of awesome, incredible, wonderful, insane women. You make my life a brighter place!

 

Alexandra Walsh is the author of The Catherine Howard Conspiracy and The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy, published by Sapere Books. Alexandra was a journalist for over 25 years writing for a variety of publications including Cosmopolitan, Chat, more!, Now, Shine, The Daily Mirror, The Sunday Times, loaded and Goal. History is her passion and she loves exploring a good ruin or museum. She usually has her nose in a book but, if you can distract her, she does make a mean curry.