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Talking comfort and taking care of your car this winter

So I haven’t been driving my car recently, mainly because of that fact that I’ve just had a baby, and stitches are still healing. It’s been quite a rollercoaster month this month and we are now experiencing that time of year where the temperatures and clocks are changing. This post about talking comfort and taking care of your car this winter is for all the drivers out there as a kind reminder to keep you and your car happy this season no matter how busy your life can get.

1. Tyres

It’s so important to check your tyres regularly if you are out and about on the roads. Tread can be easily measured with a 20p piece. Place the coin in one of the main grooves in your tyre. If the outer band of the coin is obscured then your tread is fine. If not, it’s not legal! On Fife Autocentre* you can book tyres in Stirling, but you can find the right tyre and local branch to you by doing a quick online search.

2. Water

I like to have my water checked every month, usually by my husband. You need to make sure that during the winter months that your water is checked according to the changing temperatures. If we are having a rainy spell, you would want to check it more often. This is because you are more likely to use your wipers more to get rid of dirt and smears left by the rain. If we are expecting frost, make up a bottle of 1/8 antifreeze 7/8 water before pouring in. This will help to avoid those crappy mornings waiting to leave your driveway with a frosted up screen and a frozen water supply!

3. Oil

If you regularly use and service your car (every 12 thousand miles) you shouldn’t need to check your oil. But if you are a sporadic driver or you aren’t racking up the miles to service it regularly, then best to check that dipstick!

4. Comfort

It’s sometimes easy to forget this factor when driving. As someone who makes continuous journeys back and forth to London and Ipswich, it’s really important that I am comfy in the car. I have discovered a fantastic cushion during my pregnancy this year which has helped ease my aches and pains as they progressively got worse during my pregnancy and beyond. The Sciatic Pain Relief Cushion is one of a kind and has been so imperative for each and every car journey lasting over 30 minutes for me. Its unique style and shape help to ease signs and symptoms of sciatica.

You can take it out and use it in the workplace with any seat or chair. The first car journey home from hospital was not nice after having quite a few stitches, but I was so happy to see my cushion waiting for me in my husband’s car when it was time to head home with our baby girl. I am continuing to use the cushion post pregnancy as it makes the journeys so much easier and less painful.

Find out more about the Sciatic Pain Relief Cushion here.

I hope that this piece on talking comfort and taking care of your car this winter has reminded you to make those all important checks if you haven’t done so recently. Stay safe on the roads, and Alice is loving her current car setup!

Saharasplash x

*This is a sponsored post 

Why not see what recipe I’ve posted just in time for Halloween ? click right here

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Simplistic styling and brave choices featuring PrettyLittleThing

This October has been one of the most incredible Octobers of my life. Not only did I have the most fantastic 27th birthday with my family, it also brought and end to my pregnancy and welcomed a brand new arrival! I’m sure you have seen by now that I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl who we called Alice Iris. It’s been a tough first week to say the least, and I thought that this would be a great opportunity to talk about being brave- in more than one aspect of life. Having the courage to stick with your guns and make your unique voice heard is such an important thing, so here is my piece on simplistic styling and brave choices featuring PrettyLittleThing.

I feel that I have grown up a confident person, always going for what I want in life. Even at school I remember being the one always speaking out and eager to have my say, so having strength and courage definitely stemmed from a young age. Confidence and being brave may not come naturally to everyone, but I’d like to try and persuade you to come out of yourself just that little bit today. Whether that means doing that task you’ve been putting off for days or saying something you have been holding back from someone close to you- I say you are going to do it! And once you do, you’ll feel amazing.

So, how does being brave work it’s way into another part of your life- your wardrobe? PrettyLittleThing are here to help with their new season coats and jackets range. PLT are one of my favourite brands, so getting to collaborate with them on this project was definitely a big fat tick off the blogger bucket list. I did this shoot two days before giving birth, so this will definitely be one of those memorable weekends not only for my blog but for my family too. This sage green floral maxi kimono worked effortlessly with one of my plain black dresses. Pregnant or not, it’s a simplistic style for anyone not wanting to brave a whole new wardrobe just yet. Just one stunning jacket like this can make you feel confident and ready to take on anything life throws at you- you’re in a kimono for god sake, rock it!!

Much like this kimono, I took the leap of faith and braved my labour without any pain relief. We did it together, Alice and I, along with some super support from my husband, sister and mother. I took my strength during labour by focusing on all the reasons why I was doing it, and who I was doing it for. The list was long- my husband and my late mother in law who she is named after were the top two faces in my mind- and it worked brilliantly. Being brave for another person I find boosts your confidence levels like nothing else- I’m sure you can remember exactly how you felt at a time where you have stood up for something or someone that you believe in- it gives us that fire and purpose.

This next coat was a little out of my comfort zone, but I just had to jump in with two feet. That item you’ve been looking at online but not sure it’s ‘you’, just go for it, just like I went for this bright yellow longline puffer jacket.

Again, I’ve paired this with black which is a smart choice for anyone out there struggling with splashing colour into their autumn winter collection. Sporty stripes are heavily trending throughout the high street, so a pair of wide leg stripe trousers like this create a cool but chic balance to the powerful puffer.

Simplistic styling and brave choices go hand in hand- it’s just one small change that makes a lot of difference.

Tell me about a time you made a brave choice in the comments below- and for this week I want you to face any fears you have (wardrobe or otherwise) with a deep breath and a strong focus. You won’t get a baby at the end of it, but you’ll be self rewarded with a new found sense of accomplishment!

Until next time,

Saharasplash  x

Find out all about my experience at Seckford Spa with a pregnancy massage!

PR samples included

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A very blobby birthday to me

This is going to be a super light post, mainly because it wasn’t supposed to be on my blog schedule, and the fact that it’s my birthday! I have had more than a few thoughts about my pregnancy and all the photos I’ve been taking to document my changing body these past 8 months. Legs, bum, boobs in particular have expanded and stretched beyond anything I could ever imagine… and I’m ok with that. It has been a great first pregnancy, and I am now in the final days just waiting and waiting for something to happen. In my mind, it almost doesn’t feel like anything is about to change, but of course it will! Before I go into labour, I wanted to put this out there so you can see a month by month play as it were. For those who aren’t aware, Blobby is my baby. So raise a glass for me today as I reach the grand old age of 27- a very blobby birthday to me indeed! Enjoy the snaps…

Weeks 5-13

Weeks 14-22

Weeks 23-31

Weeks 32-40

Now the final stretch is in sight, I want to thank all my friends, family and readers for being there in the form of a text, tweet and visit throughout my pregnancy.

Blobby, it’s been real, but seriously now, get out!

Saharasplash x

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It’s never too early for a Cadbury Christmas

With Christmas now just 16 weeks away, I thought I’d get the baubles rolling and do a festive post! I missed a lot of the action from Christmas in July this year, but I did however make it to a certain Cadbury event which was absolutely amazing. It was the showstopper of all Christmas showcases and I’m here to spread a little pre-season magic and show you why it’s never too early for a Cadbury Christmas!

In the heart of Soho amidst the July heat and bustling crowds, I stepped into what could only be described as an alternate universe. Snow was on the ground, a lovely scene of lifesize advent boxes filled the first room. I was given the number 5 (my birthday date) and what was inside the box I got to take home- advent calendars !!!

Moving onto the next floor…

I found a huge dining table with an enormous Christmas cracker- Cadbury snow bites spilling out everywhere! If you’ve not been following my blog for long, I discovered snow bites last Christmas and here’s the post which features my late Great Dane posing in Cadbury accessories!

And now for the top floor of this crazy Christmas dreamland…

I learnt that Cadbury have teamed up with Help for Heroes this year with their Heroes tins. Money will be donated to the charity upon purchase of the special tins- how fab?! As well as this newcomer, Cadbury have also decided to bring back some of their old school classics along with retro packaging:

You can buy the four bars in a lovely set like this, just perfect for a little nostalgic gift this year.

Thank you so much to the Cadbury team for inviting me along and thanks to all you readers who couldn’t help but clicking as soon as you saw the chocolate! I hope your Christmas, whenever you start planning it, is merry and filled with sweet Cadbury treats!

Saharasplash x

If you liked ‘It’s never too early for a Cadbury Christmas’, head back to the home page to discover more articles here.

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Spending the day wisely with F+F and CRUK

This month has been a pretty slow month in terms of my blogging and attending events. Being in the third trimester has really had a huge impact on my days out in London as there are limits to how much I can and can’t do now. However, spending the day wisely with F+F and CRUK was 100% going to happen no matter what. F+F are the clothing brand at Tesco, and they have been working with Cancer Research UK in a variety of ways. This time, they kindly sent me plus three other bloggers for a day out and tour of one of the research facilities in London. First stop, brunch!

We met up with everyone at a lovely spot near Shepherds Bush called Mustard. It was so lovely to sit and chat with other bloggers as well as Karen who told us more about the partnership between Tesco F+F and CRUK. The 16-year partnership has now raised £40 million can you believe! This includes just under a million by having Tesco customers donate their unwanted clothes to local stores.

Over a coffee and dessert, I learnt about the Buy One, Donate One scheme, where an entire school uniform gets donated just by purchasing an item from the range.

So after a lovely brunch, we were on our way to the Imperial College for a tour of their CRUK centre.

We were given lab coats which made me feel right back to those school days in chemistry class. I always loved learning, so sitting down to listen to the vital research taking place was such a treat. The centre focuses on treatment innovation and the Imperial Research Centre is one of 18 experimental medical centres in the U.K.

Some quick but essential facts from the tour and talk:

  • 42% of cancers are preventable (mainly from lifestyle, environmental choices)
  • The average person takes 180 days from spotting the first symptom to visiting their GP- this is far too long!
  • In 1970, 1 in 4 people developed cancer
    In the next 20 years, this number will be 3 in 4 people
  • It takes a huge amount of time to create cancer fighting drugs, but a very short amount of time for cancer to work out a way to beat the drug. Early diagnosis is the key!

We took a tour with a researcher called Catriona. Her specialised area was understanding the link between type 2 diabetes and drug called metformin. She is hoping to find out why people taking this drug have a decreased chance of developing certain types of cancer. Each experiment is vital, yet we learned incredibly expensive to carry out!

Having lost my mother in law to cancer last year, just a few weeks after our wedding, I am fully on board with supporting all types of research that not only this facility carries out, but across the country nationwide. Statistics show that we all know someone or have lost someone ourselves to cancer, so I encourage you to do whatever you can to support.

I visited one of my local CRUK charity shops and donated a bunch of clothes which were just in my drawers and wardrobes not seeing any wear or love in years.

I want to thank the team behind the Imperial Research Centre and to Karen representing the F+F brand for inviting me along. Spending the day wisely with F+F and CRUK was a wonderfully insightful experience. I also want to thank you guys for reading this, and hope that today you appreciate everybody around you that little bit more who are happy, healthy and by your side.

Saharasplash x

See what I got in the Aldi Baby and Toddler Event this month! 

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The modern face of marriage

Getting married, hitched, wed, or whatever you want to call it is a life changing decision. For most couples who are married, I’m sure you look back on your wedding day as one filled with happiness, joy and great memories. Each wedding I have been to, including my own, I have found to be such an intimate and personal thing. No two weddings are quite the same, little hints and touches of the couple spread around to make it their own. After talking with my nan recently about her own wedding, I can’t help but feel that times have changed incredibly over the past decades, both for better and for worse! I want to share a few of our stories and some facts from a family law firm (Cardiff)* in this post on the modern face of marriage.

Going back to my nan, she told me that she got married at the same time as one of her sisters in a joint ceremony for financial reasons. It was a church wedding, a traditional catholic wedding which took place in Derry, Northern Ireland in 1963. Her dress cost £13 and both rings were £19. My dress, well price comparison is quite difficult, but it was a lot more than that! Our wedding- which took place 8 months ago- saw Paul and I married at a registry office as well as by a humanist in our own home the next day.

On my nan’s wedding day, she was told not to have any champagne at the toasting because she wasn’t old enough. I had a sip or two, and no one told me not to.

On the night of the wedding, my nan wasn’t told by anyone in her family on what to expect. My wedding night consisted of unpacking a marquee and looking over all the crazy photo booth images until 3 in the morning, then we fell asleep!

A non religious wedding weekend such as mine and Paul’s would certainly not have been possible for my nan, though I can happily report that it’s been 53 years since their wedding and my grandparents are still together and are the epitome of an old married couple.

Attitudes have changed so much not only towards marriage, but relationships in general. Introducing same sex marriage in the UK has brought us into a world that is so much more open and relaxed about marital ideals and what it means to marry the one you love. However, I do find that with a more relaxed view over the decades, the number of weddings that seem to expire has grown by far too much. How many divorced couples do you know? I conducted a poll on Twitter and 72% of people knew a close family member or friend who had gotten a divorce.

Photo by Camera Hannah

Can people really get married now without that tiny little thought in the back of their mind saying ‘well, if something does happen then I can just get divorced’? I feel this is a luxury that so many people (not all) take advantage of in countries where divorce has become so normal.

Of course I am happy that divorce can mean freedom for certain abusive and unfaithful relationships, but I do think that it is all too easy to say ‘I do’ now that it doesn’t necessarily mean ‘I do until death do us part’. In the source from the Cardiff law firm, 42% view marriage as a way to increase their financial security- I wonder if that percentage would have been higher or lower back in my nan’s day!

I believe that Paul and I waited the right amount of time before getting married, about 6 years, which included living together for a considerable amount of time beforehand. We got to know each other like no one I’d ever met before and we are soon to be expanding to three before we celebrate our first year of marriage.

We have been on countless adventures, starting out at a little Twilight convention in Birmingham, then travelling to the biggest comic convention ever in San Diego soon after becoming a ‘couple of nerds!’

67% of people surveyed think that there is less pressure from society to get married now than there was 10 years ago- I certainly felt no pressure to get married whatsoever before we were ready. Interestingly enough, 53% of people asked would want a civil ceremony. Does this show that marriage is becoming less of a religious thing and more like a status thing? I know I am certainly guilty of feeling that happy moment I could ‘status update’ my life on social media after the wedding. I’m proud to represent the modern face of marriage, and I plan to stay married providing Paul continues to be one hell of a tolerant husband!

How do you feel about your wedding day, whether married, planning or dreaming? Would you have wanted to get married in a similar style to my nan or to me?

Saharasplash x

Facts from survey (not including my Twitter poll) comprising of 2,000 GB men and women. Source: Slater Gordon. All figures from survey are from YouGov Plc.

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Head back to the home page here to discover more, and thanks for reading about the modern face of marriage!