Creating the perfect playroom

We're lucky to have enough space in the house that Noah now has his own playroom. It's been a while in the making, there is never any spare time with a little one to plan, organise and buy. But I'm really happy to say we are finally finished and we love the end result. 

As soon as Noah was on the move he has been into everything. He loves playing with my makeup, perfume, pulling my books from the shelves, oh and chatting on the phone that he has only recently pinched.

He is incredibly inquisitive and loves exploring his surroundings, nothing is safe, he has no fear so will climb on anything to reach something that sparks his interest. 

His favourite pastime over the last few months has been emptying out all his toys over the floor, me dodging the minefield and spending many an hour constantly tidying them up. So I knew finding the right storage would be important.

I deliberately waited over a year to create his playroom, so I had a better idea of his character and personality. I have tried to create a space that gives him the opportunity to explore, play and inspire his creativity with defined zones so that we don't have total chaos! The room will also grow with him. 

The room is lovely and light so I have left the walls white, they are decorated with pictures of Noah out on adventures enjoying himself. 

The playroom has a dedicated area for reading, where I have kept books at Noah's height on small shelves with perfect bookends (OrangeTree £19.99) and a book stand at his height (KidKraft £49.95) 

He has his own bean bag (Asda £20) to sit on, to relax and read. It's a lovely blue with white stars which runs through to his storage (Similar £5.49) for toys and rugs on the floor (Stars Asda £16 and Rocket Similar). The storage unit is from Ikea and the table is perfect for arts and crafts. 

For the reading area I also bought some lovely bits from Etsy: Personalised metal sign £11.53.

Fairytale and storybook signposts £9.50

The play area has a colourful Dwinguler playmat £145 perfect for avoiding bumps and scrapes. 

The mat has also helped Noah play imaginatively, he can often be found with characters marching along the playmat on some adventure. 

His love for creative play also extends to his teepee tent (WayFair) and kitchen (Tildo £79).

He loves whipping up a FoodieForce storm in this kitchen. It's true what they say that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. 

What was your favourite space when you were little? Share your ideas for the perfect playroom in the comments below.

The ultimate Lemon, Lime and Garlic Chicken Salad

I have been perfecting my Lemon, Lime and Garlic Chicken since I started cooking. Its simple to make, really tasty and will impress any dinner guest. 

The possibilities of accompanying sides is endless, which means you won't get bored of making it. My personal favourite is artichoke, Feta and mint salad but rice goes equally as well.

For the chicken recipe you will need the following: 

It serves two as a main meal, four as a starter and it can be made in under 30 mins.

So lets get started...

1.Take two cloves of Garlic and finely chop. 

2. Take two chicken breasts and dice. 

3.Juice one Lemon. Seasoning is very personal, I love my chicken zinging so always juice to taste.

4.Juice one Lime. Again seasoning is personal so add to your desired taste.  

5.Pour 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan and heat on the hob on a high heat. Add the Garlic, Lemon, Lime and Chicken. Stir continuously until the Chicken is cooked and the juices run clear (roughly twenty minutes). The chicken should have a golden coating when complete. 

Need something more visual check out my new YouTube Channel, where I show step by step how to make the recipe:

I would love it if you could go and show the channel some love and subscribe if you like it. 

To make the salad to accompany the chicken you will need:

1. Take one lettuce and chop 

2. Take five cherry tomatoes slice into quarters

3. Chop one Avocado 

4. Measure out 100 grams of Pomegranate seeds. I find de-seeding a Pomegranate therapeutic but if short of time buy ready made.  

5.You will need 180 grams of Artichoke Hearts. Now I personally cannot be bothered to boil Artichoke Hearts so buy mine ready made, but the choice is yours.

6. Three mint sprigs finely chopped 

7. Two spring onions chopped 

8. 200 grams of Greek Feta Cheese 

Mix all ingredients together in one big bowl. 

Need something more visual check out my video:

Decant the salad and top with the Lemon, Lime and Garlic Chicken.

Have a try cooking it this weekend, you won't be disappointed. 

Do you have any good recipes to share? Or anything that you would like me to cook?

Rufford Abbey

After a great initial start to the British Summer the month of August has been awful, finding me swapping out my sun cream for an umbrella. Before Summer well and truly slips into Autumn I'm going to make the most of the little sunshine we still have and the longer days by getting outside. 

Rufford Abbey set on the edge of Sherwood Forest (Robin Hood Country) is a favourite of ours. The best bit it's free for everyone to enjoy. 

The Abbey dates back to the 1170 and the grounds make me feel like I have stepped onto the set of Downton Abbey. 

I can't say I have ever spotted the Crawley family whilst on the grounds, but I can well imagine them walking around the beautiful buildings and 150 acres of woodland and gardens. I love the feeling of walking in the steps of a previous generation. 

Talking about generations our son now loves nothing more than walking holding his own reins; well not really walking, its a cross between a trot stumble and sprint all rolled into one. He only has one speed and that is not so leisurely. So what was once a gentle stroll around the lake is now a race whilst fretting about him harming himself. 

When you look at these beautiful pictures of the lake picture me chasing after a mini person on reins. But the good news is they tire out eventually and Rufford Abbey has some wonderful nature to revel in. 

So if you ever find yourself in the East Midlands you must pay this little gem a visit it truly is everything that you would want for a truly British day out. 

How have you been enjoying August? Share in the comments below. 

www.parkwoodoutdoors.co.uk

www.english-heritage.org.uk

Pixi Double Cleanse

Last year the UK Beauty Industry was worth a whopping £4 billion in sales. In a crowded market place it can be difficult to know what's worth the hype and what's not. I'm really selective with my skincare purchases, opting to shell out more for a few outstanding products rather than filling up the bathroom cabinet with stuff I will most likely never use. 

As we all know I don't have much time for a skincare regime. I've got better as I've got older, in part for fear that my face will collapse outwards and start resembling the wrinkles of a Pug. But that said my skincare routine still leaves a lot to be desired. 

I've tried and really liked a few Pixi Beauty products over the years.

They first featured on my blog last year (you can check out the post here). If you haven't heard the hype about the partnership between Pixi and beauty guru Caroline Hirons (Facialist, Skincare Expert and Blogger) collaborating on the Double Cleanse (£23) then you must have been living in a cave.

On a personal side note I really love Caroline because of her no nonsense attitude to skincare. She tells it like it is and if anything is recommended by her you know it is based on years worth of experience in the beauty industry. So with that said I had high expectations and hopes for Double Cleanse. 

The concept of having two cleansers in one product seemed great.

The first step to using the product is taking a coined sized portion of the solid cleansing oil and rubbing onto a dry face. I found that the product was brilliant for taking off my makeup. The product has no scent so great for sensitive skin. 

Once the product is rubbed in, use a damp facecloth to take it off. I personally prefer using a muslin to take the cleanser off. The feel of the product is remarkably similar in consistency to the Clinique - Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm (£24).  

The second step is using a coin size of the cleansing cream, massaging thoroughly in and again removing with a damp cloth. 

So what did I think...

The Pros:
I like that it is easy to use and that you have a clear stepped process to cleansing.

The cleansing cream is incredibly lite which for me I loved, but for some people I imagine this will not be what you expect and some might want something thicker. 

The ingredients are 100% cruelty free; this product also uses wonderfully moisturising Avocado, Macadamia and Evening Primrose oil. 

I loved how my face felt thoroughly cleaned after using the double cleanse. After a few weeks of use I noticed the difference in my skin which looked brighter, with less spots and wasn't dehydrated. 

Cons:
I absolutely hate the packaging which is bulky, ridiculous for travelling as the cleansing cream spills onto the top of the lid and into the cleansing oil. This is definitely style over the considered use for the product. 

If like me you don't use makeup everyday you will find you go through the cleansing cream quicker. I am now left with a third of the solid cleansing oil which is slightly frustrating. I hope that they will consider releasing the two products separately at some point.

For those amongst us who worry about bacteria, I would have liked a spatula in the product to decant. But I guess given that your using it daily, the product will be gone in just over a month therefore not a deal breaker. 

In conclusion I would definitely buy this product again; it's reasonably priced and makes double cleansing an easy joy. I do however have the Emma Hardy Amazing Face (£39) on the wish list, so who knows if it will survive in my must haves. I will let you know in a few months when purchased and reviewed. 

www.pixibeauty.co.uk

Any good suggestions for cleansers or beauty products I need to add to my shortlist?