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Being Mum without losing your style

Being a mum is terribly great. I use the adjective terribly as sometimes it is the most challenging thing spending hours tying to get a baby that needs sleep to go to sleep when they just don’t want to. But all hardships aside, when I wake up every morning and she’s there to greet me, it’s the best feeling ever. Although a lot has changed in my life, I’m not willing to relinquish my style in the process. With the help from some of my favourite lingerie brands, I can stay true to myself and my inner fashion guru (yes, she’s always in my head and never really left).

1. Auralure

Auralure is a fabulous business owned by a mum just like me. Her eye for detail in flawless matching sets just calls to my style and taste. It makes my job being a breastfeeding mum so easy with front detaching clip, plus no nursing clips on the straps mean more versatile wardrobe choices.

2. Cake Maternity

I’ve raved about this brand before on my blog, and I’m here to show you a bra from the truffles collection, available in cup size B-F. A deep purple is so much better than opting for black ah-gain. Redefine your wardrobe starting with the first thing you put on, but ironically no one sees. You’ll know what you’ve got on under there though, so make it beautiful.

3. Tutti Rouge

This bra below is not a nursing bra, but I must say its design and elastic material makes it as good as any other when breastfeeding. I love the V neck at the front and back, making it a chic decision if you want to rock a tank top or lower cut top. This brand is a must-remember for all the busty ladies out there, they stock up to a HH!

4. Hunkemöller

Hunkemöller are again another favourite of mine that appeared on my blog when I was 6 months pregnant– one year ago now how crazy is that?! Now 8 months post partum I’m still going back for more with their unique and wonderfully made designs. The detail is stunning on this Marie longline bra, and guess what? It’s now on sale!

And if all of that left you wanting more, see the women’s underwear at Knix for some fabulous, seam-free choices to make your inner fashion guru smile.

There are many ways to handle being mum without losing your style, do you have a secret style tip you’d like to share? Leave a comment below if so!

Saharasplash x

PR samples included, all thoughts and views my own

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New gluten free discovery at The Cosy Club Ipswich

I think you all know by now that Ipswich is my home town. When I was 19 I left for the University of East Anglia, lived in Spain for my year abroad, then quickly got a job in London. Eight years on, I’m now in between Essex and Suffolk, as the majority of my family still live in the same places where I grew up. So, when I heard all about the Cosy Club’s new gluten free menu, I had to visit my nearest one, which happened to be in the heart of Ipswich town! Read on to sample my new gluten free discovery at The Cosy Club Ipswich.

As it was a special occasion- I don’t get out much without the baby- I decided to invite my sister along so we could get dressed up and have a girl’s night out. Our table was booked for 7.30pm and we were right on time.

We had the choice to sit wherever we wanted, so we went for a booth at the back with views of the bar and kitchen.

Evie and I decided on cocktails and tapas for starters…

  • Garlic mushrooms on GF toast
  • Pulled chicken and chorizo with crispy potatoes

The starters came within no time at all and smelled wonderful. I do love a good tapas, and this one didn’t disappoint!

Next up, mains…

  • Roast chicken breast with balsamic sundried tomatoes, pesto and new potatoes
  • 8oz sirloin seak with thick cut chips and a rocket and parmesan salad

The mains were cooked to perfection, my chicken was tender and so yummy! The veggies and sauce complimented the dish and flavours from the chicken, and Evie’s steak was just as good. I did have to help her finish the chips though- that’s what big sisters are for.

Now, onto dessert. We were both quite full from our two courses already, but you can always find that extra spot for dessert am I right?!

  • Warm chocolate brownie
  • Peach Melba sundae with almond brittle

The desserts were amazing- they weren’t too big and my almond brittle was just amazing. The extensive choice on the new gluten free menu just blew me away.

I’ll definitely be going back to taste more options from the Cosy Club menu soon. Have you visited your nearest Cosy Club? Tell me all about it in the comments below.

Thanks for reading new gluten free discovery at The Cosy Club Ipswich,

Saharasplash & Evie x

There’s still time to get some Father’s Day inspo from my recent post here

Disclaimer: I was invited by The Cosy Club for my honest review, all thoughts my own

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Fantastic services saves the day

I’m sure I’m not the first to admit it on the internet, but being a mum is so damn time consuming! All the to-do lists I make at the start of a new week pretty much looks the same by the end of the week, that’s if I haven’t lost it under a pile of Alice’s washing. So you can understand, things start to fall down the priority list pretty quickly, especially household chores that involve a bit of hard work. This is where Fantastic Services saves the day, and boy did they deliver.

In case you’re in the dark about who Fantastic Services are and what they do, here’s a little info..

Fantastic Services (a domestic services provider) all began in 2009 with a meeting of two like-minded individuals, company founders Rune Sovndahl and Anton Skarlatov. They saw a gap in the market, combined their knowledge and expertise to create a marvellous business that now completes around 40,000 services each month! Serving London, South East and North West England, they really are a dream team that come to your rescue when you need it most- be it an oven clean or an end of tenancy blitz.

Now, try not to judge the oven in the ‘before’ pics… I know it was bad. But if you’re like me and just can’t stop watching those satisfying YouTube videos where random objects get cleaned up, you’re going to love this post!

So below you see a very dirty looking oven. This is a standard, conventional fan oven that clearly had seen better days, weeks and years!

The trays had become incredibly stained and we just couldn’t even begin to tackle cleaning it ourselves.

Our knight in shiny vehicle arrives!

The expert cleaners know how to do the best job without leaving a mess behind.

You aren’t ready for these results…

It was so shiny I had to take a selfie in my oven door! Clean and shining bright as if it were brand new again.

Fantastic Services kindly fitted us a brand new oven light too as ours didn’t work.

I’ve taken the liberty of merging the before and after side by side so you can really see the hard work and amazing service we received.

Someone was thrilled to take a peak inside our beautiful oven- and the best thing is you can use it straight away, no chemicals or smells left behind.

If you need to hire Fantastic Services for your oven cleaning, gardening or removal needs, head to their main website here.

Saharasplash x

Next up, how about a wardrobe refresh? Read my transitional style story blog post before you go!

Disclaimer: We received our cleaning service in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts my own. 

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My transitional style story

My transitional style story starts with a holiday. A little holiday for a very special wedding, which got me thinking, what the hell am I going to wear? This month the three of us took our first flight to Ireland, and for Alice it was her first ever flight outside the womb! We needed to pack light but also pack for two adults and a baby, so you know we needed that Ryanair Plus ticket which allows extra cabin baggage.

So, transitional style. For me, this is summed up by something you can take with you and like a chameleon, change your look at the drop of a hat from Mummy chic to Hollywood glam. I also have a theme to this particular transitional style, and that’s stripes!

This look is just perfect for jetsetting on a domestic or international flight. Comfy cropped pants and a button down shirt leaves plenty of room for you to breath in. Flats are essential, but that doesn’t mean you have to fly in Uggs or trainers. These are from Ted Baker, the pants are M&S and the shirt is Hollister.

So, now onto the wedding reception. A simple braided updo and hair pinned back to keep my accessories on show, and Alice’s hands off my hair!

Lujia North East earrings in gold by Sacet Jewellery to compliment my own wedding rings. I wanted this look to be elegant but refined.

The location for the wedding itself was at the Westport Woods hotel, and my stripey transitional style for the day was an asymetric number from Boohoo.com. Black and gold heels from Karen Millen paired with these beauties below made for one of my favourite outfits this year…

I’m in love with these Sacet earrings, just so different and really makes the look work. My pineapple clutch never fails me either- whatever your style or spirit, a stand out fruity bag will work every time. 

I switched to flats for the evening- my feet are not used to wearing heels and it felt so good to change this one detail and become 3 inches shorter again!

It really is all about switching up a few details to completely see a dress in a different eye. A pair of leggings and a fabulous hat creates the country loving girl you see below! These were taken a few days after we got back from Ireland just a couple of miles away from home.

Whether you are off on holidays and weddings this season or just planning a staycation, choose a dress you can play around with and create your very own transitional style story with some gorgeous accessories and footwear.

Here is my top transitional pick from Quiz Clothing, the things you can do with these styles of dresses is limitless. Get some transitional style into your wardrobe before the summer really hits.

Saharasplash x

Thanks for reading my transitional style story, why not head over to read Family Fun with Yellow Zebra Safaris next.

This post contains PR samples but no affiliate links, just pieces that I really do love!

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Family Fun with Yellow Zebra Safaris

During this time of the year, places in East Africa like Kenya and Tanzania are receiving their heaviest amounts of rainfall. Although the U.K. is relatively pleasant at the moment, we are still ten degrees behind where Africa is temperature wise. Why am I sharing this information with you? Well, this is going to be a post all about Africa along with Europe’s leading Safari tour operators- Yellow Zebra Safaris. This award-winning luxury travel and adventure company specialises in African Safaris, as well as family safari holidays. Which brings us to our special day out and family fun with Yellow Zebra Safaris…

We (Paul, Alice and I) were kindly invited to a London location recently to help celebrate and learn more about what Yellow Zebra Safaris have to offer. The day was filled with surprises and thrills, and it all started out with this amazing setup for the children and parents.

Alice had great fun looking at all the animal-themed decorations around the room, and she was also pleased to find some new friends along the way too!

Having fun with Fleurdelondres and her daughter Sofia

After a grand welcome, the kids (and adults) were treated to a live animal show by the talented animal conservationist Safari Pete. All of the animals we met were rescued and have quite a back story, but you could see the special bond he had with each of his animals and could tell us all about them. Here are a few we met!

Alice was just loving it! 

When it was time to meet the meerkats, Alice had just woken up from a little power nap, so was a bit shocked! But honestly she was back to her happy self in no time

The food display was ready and waiting for the adults to pounce. The children had their own animal-themed buffet as well which looked like it came straight from the heart of Africa.

After some Safari-themed songs over lunch, it was time for some ceramic painting. The children just loved painting their own animals to take home, clearly Alice and I did something a little different, but it turned out amazing…

She sat wonderfully while having her hand painted bright blue, and here is the result:

We want to thank Yellow Zebra Safaris and all involved for having us, the day was simply perfect, and I know Alice had the best time. This guy below came home with us, and we now have a giraffe in our living room!

If you are thinking about booking a safari trip for you and the family, September is the best time of year for big game viewing. See more info via the YZS website here.

Thanks for reading Family Fun with Yellow Zebra Safaris, we hope you loved hearing about this experience,

Saharasplash x

Needing more cute baby content? Head straight over to my latest post all about a fab little product which can help with sleep and night terrors: https://saharasplash.com/2018/05/sleepy-feet-mummy-loves-organics/

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Celebrating the rose with Cyprus Tourism Organisation

I’m going to take you on a bit of a journey with this post. Don’t worry, it’s a really good journey! A few week’s back I was invited to a rather unique and special event in London to celebrate with the Cyprus Tourism Organisation. Sadly the event wasn’t actually in Cyprus, but they most definitely brought the party, feel and Cypriot style right to the venue.

The event was centred around celebrating the annual Festival of the Rose which is held each May in the rural Cyprus village of Agros. Famed for its bright and beautiful roses, Agros springs to life as visitors flock to learn all about the distillation of the roses, attend exhibitions and take part in workshops.

I turned up to the venue ready and set in my floral trousers (got to look the part) and instantly fell in love with the building…

The whole place was decked out head to toe with Alice in Wonderland tributes! Not for the event mind you, this building near Waterloo is like this all year round- my heart melted a bit as I missed Alice who stayed at home while I came into London for the event.

Roses in shades of red and pink could be found everywhere, it really was a perfect venue for an event dedicated to the power of the rose.

We had a warm welcome from the Cyprus Tourism Organisation who gave us some great background into the festival and the country itself:

  • Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea
  • Cyprus is filled with vast areas of dense forest and valleys
  • Cyprus annually celebrates traditional festivals such as The Rose Festival
  • When rose water is distilled, its aromatic fragrance can be used in hundreds of different ways- in beauty products like perfumes and oils and also in sweets and liqueurs
  • The Rose of Damascus blossoms in between April and May, making right now the ideal environment for growth

Bloggers and press were then taken into the main area for the night, filled with treats and wonderful things inspired by The Rose Festival.

Mahalepi- a traditional dessert made from rose water, cornstarch and rose syrup 

As if this wasn’t enough, we were treated to a one to one tutorial in flower arranging from Rebel Rebel, a popular London florist- just look at what we created..

Finally, after all the hard work, guests were treated to luxury hand massages and manicures- I got some gorgeous rose details by @poppinpolishldn, go check her Instagram out before you leave!

Thanks to all involved for making this event happen, or rather, ευχαριστώ in Greek!

Fun fact- I did actually take a course of Greek lessons while at sixth form and I still  remember the whole alphabet ?

Saharasplash x

I hope you loved reading all about my adventures celebrating the rose with Cyprus Tourism Organisation. If you want to subscribe to my blog and get posts straight to your inbox the link is on the homepage,  just below my photo!

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