Ways To Make Your Car Both Stylish And Functional

Although you might not realise it, there are some easy ways to keep your car both stylish and functional - two of the aspects which are important to drivers.  You may find the four tips below helpful.

Fight the Rust 

Rust is a big problem on the outside of your car. If you don’t have a garage where you can store your car and you have had the same car for a while, rust will start to appear. There are a number of ways that you can fight rust, and I’ve already mentioned one of them. You should definitely find some form of shelter from the elements for your car if that’s at all possible. It doesn’t have to be a garage; it could simply be a car canopy, for example. You also need to keep the body of the car waxed and clean. Rust doesn’t look good and it can spread and cause serious problems when it’s ignored. So, don’t let it damage your car.

Image Source

Keep the Interiors Clean 

The condition of the inside of the car is equally important, particularly if you have a family. If you’re not careful, the inside of your car can become pretty messy and cluttered. This is what frequently happens when you have kids spending a lot of time in them. Food packaging and stains can mount up and cause you all kinds of problems. This certainly doesn’t help the car to look stylish, and it can make it pretty uncomfortable as well. So, you need to make sure that you hoover the interiors and use the right cleaning products to lift those troublesome stains.

Add Sporty Touches 

Even the most practical family car can be improved and made more stylish by adding some sporty touches. There’s no excuse for having a dull car these days when we have so many interesting ways to make your car sporty. You could simply upgrade your tyres and upgrade the trims. This has an instant impact on how your car looks. Michelin pilot sport 3 tyres will also make the car drive better on the road too. So, it’s a win-win situation for you as a driver. You can also do things like improving the suspension or adding a new exhaust to the back of the car.

Photo source

Understand All the Space You Have 

With modern cars, there are so many small storage spaces that you can take advantage of. Most people don’t even fully understand how much storage space they have at their disposal. Small cars are actually the best for this. They have lots of small, hidden storage compartments that are there to be discovered by you. For example, many super-minis have back seats that can fold back or lift up to reveal some extra storage space that you might not have known was ever there. You should check your owner’s manual and see exactly where all that storage space is. You just might be surprised by what you find out.

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Win A Copy Of "ROOM" - A Powerful And Moving Film About A Mother's Love For Her Son [closed]

"Room" is an amazing and uplifting film about the bond between mother and child starring Academy Award, BAFTA and Golden Globe winning actress Brie Larson.

I will warn you that the film, directed by Lenny Abrahamson and produced by STUDIOCANAL will warrant a large box of tissues and some waterproof mascara!

Based on the novel by Emma Donoghue, "Room" is the story of Ma and 5 year old Jack, a mother and son held captive in a garden shed.

It becomes clear that Jack and his mother are held captive by a man who has kidnapped her, raped her, impregnated her, and uses her as his sexual slave.

They call the small, locked shed "Room", but despite the fact that Jack has lived there for all of his life, Ma has managed to keep the truth of their situation from him for five years.

I won't spoil the film for you but the rest of the story is about their escape and Jack's discovery of the outside world.

This highly acclaimed and moving film really is a testament to the power of maternal love and about how we can use love to overcome the most terrible of situations.

Brie Larson won "Best Actress' Academy Award, a BAFTA and a Golden Globe for her role and was also nominated for a further three Academy Awards, two Golden Globes and one BAFTA.

"Room" is available on pay-to-view from 9th May and out on DVD and Blu-Ray on 16th May and I have one copy to give away.

Entry is via the Rafflecopter.  Terms and conditions apply.  UK entrants only.  The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Friday 20th May.

Good luck and I hope you have a chance to see this incredible film.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

More free competitions at www.theprizefinder.com

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Choosing The Right Care Home For A Loved One With Dementia

I have written a lot lately about the challenges facing us when our elderly loved ones need residential care.

Source:  Flickr: Jonas Boni

It is probably one of the most difficult, and important, decisions adult children have to make for their parents.

This decision is doubly hard when your mum or dad is suffering from a long-term illness such as Dementia.

Research carried out by Alzheimer's Research UK in 2014 found that older people are more fearful of developing dementia than they are of cancer.

Of the 500 adults over 50 surveyed across the UK, two thirds feared they would develop Alzheimer's while just one in 10 feared getting cancer.

There are currently around 850,000 people with dementia in the UK but as the population ages, this figure is expected to soar in coming years.

Despite this, awareness of the disease seems to receive nowhere near the amount of media coverage given to cancer.

May 15 - 21 is Dementia Awareness Week, the aim of which is to encourage everyone to confront dementia and share their own experiences and concerns in order to offer much needed support and information.

If you are faced with the dilemma of finding a care home to look after a loved one suffering from dementia, care homes provider Barchester Healthcare has homes across the country specialising in different kinds of care, including dementia.

They have a dedicated Director of Dementia Care and a team of Dementia Care Specialists who work across the homes providing further support and training.

Time is spent learning about the different types of dementia that the person may have and how they might best support each resident as an individual, as well as learning what is needed to help your loved one when they are distressed and to promote their well-being.

When my grandmother Jesse went into residential care in Plymouth back in the 80's there was no such option as a care home offering specialist care.  Nana suffered mild dementia and we would arrive to visit finding her already distressed because she couldn't find the kettle or a table-cloth to set out tea.

It is this inability to soothe and to communicate directly to your loved one that is so hard, isn't it? The pressure on those caring for dementia sufferers in their own home must be immense.

If you are at the stage where residential care is needed, Barchester Homes have produced a useful guide to choosing the right home for someone living with dementia.

It contains a useful set of questions and checklists to help make the process a little less stressful. For example, you are guided through issues such as the environment, the approach of the staff and whether the residents seem happy and engaged.

Although dementia cannot be cured, the current renewed focus on this distressing condition and a determination by those offering residential care to give specialist support to families and sufferers can only be a good thing.

Look out for more information about dementia from 15th May 2016.  There is also the Alzheimer's Society National Dementia Helpline which is 0300 222 1122 which provides information, support, guidance and signposting to other appropriate organisations.

*collaborative post

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Kid's Birthday? That'll Be £545 Please.

There's no doubt that the costs involved in raising your kids are rising.

I don't know about you but there seems to be a new expense every two minutes - whether it's for school trips, kits for sports and after school activities and school shoes (which seem to last about 6-8 weeks before having to be replaced).

Christmas and birthdays are times when the expenses seem to ramp up even further.

As Princess Charlotte turns one today,  American Express® has carried out some research into exactly how the costs of a child's birthday can mount up - and the company has discovered that parents plan to spend, on average, £545 to celebrate their little one's birthday.

Now I'm not entirely sure who they asked because a straw poll of mums here in Dinas would find some who will pull out all the stops and others who will happily say "enough is enough" and impose a modest budget which covers all the bases without being overly extravagant.

Here's how the costs in American Express' research mounted up:-

Gifts - £122
Entertainment - £94
Party food - £91
Party venues - £90
New outfits - £85
Party bags - £62

And you don't escape the expense if you're a guest at a child's birthday.  Parents were found to spend on average £32 on presents and £28 on new party outfits.

I suspect that some of these parents are strangers to the words "Mothercare Sale" and are desperate to keep up with the Jones'.

I have always thought you could do away with a child's birthday party altogether and just go straight to handing out the party bag and slice of cake after school because that seems to be the main lure of attending these things.

In fact, if the Sugar Police in our schools weren't so hot on scanning each child for the merest hint of dried fruit in case something that could rot teeth has sneaked in, this is a scheme that would save parents hundreds of pounds each year.

Caitlin just before her first birthday in 2008

On the basis that I'd like to save Jamie Oliver the stress of starting another campaign, here are American Express' top tips to help you cut the costs when planning a child's birthday celebrations.

Venue

If the thought of having 20 children running round your house is too much to bear but you don’t want to hire a venue, then local parks or an outdoor play area can be the perfect location for a summer party. Just make sure to check the weather.

There's always your local soft play centre of course (and you know how fond I am of those).

Entertainment

Professional party entertainers are expensive, so keep the stress levels and costs down by doing it yourself. Ask friends or family members who could do simple activities such as face painting. I don't think you can go far wrong with the old favourite party games like Pass The Parcel of Musical Chairs. I did once ask the Husband to appear as Spiderman in a morph suit but he still hasn't "got back to me" on that one.

Party bags

Those little bags can often be the things that cause costs to rack up quickly. So get creative and make them yourself. One of the simplest ways to do this is to fill clear cellophane bags with sweets or pocket-money toys or even put a book into each bag.

Back to haunt the party-ware aisle in your local ASDA it is then. I still have a cupboard full of small bouncy balls and unsharpened pencils.  (Why can you not buy sharpened pencils any more?!).

Go halves

If a friend’s child has a birthday around the same date, then you could coordinate with their parents and throw a joint party. Your child would probably love to share the day with their friend, but you’ll also save money by splitting the cost of the party.

Keep it fun

If the planning becomes hard work, the party could end up feeling forced and often costs rise. Remind yourself to opt for the simpler, easier options. By keeping the guest list manageable and offering a few kinds of drinks and snacks, not only will this be more manageable for you and enjoyable for your child, but you can save some money.

This does, however, lead neatly into the social minefield of how many children to ask to your child's party.  Do you ask the whole class, their special buddies, just relatives? Whatever decision you make has the potential to upset somebody.

I think it's worth reminding ourselves that, in many instances, one or two nice presents, oodles of love and affection on the day, time spent on a favourite activity and perhaps one or two special friends to tea is probably all that is needed to give your child a memorable birthday.

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My Sunday Photo - 01/05/2016

The Cold Knap Beach, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales

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40% of Brits Don't Brush Their Teeth At Least ONCE A Day?

Over 40% of Brits, over 24 million of us, don't brush our teeth at least once a day, according to research undertaken by White Glo toothpaste.

This goes some way to explaining why the guests of Jeremy Kyle's morning TV show are so dentally challenged.

A quarter of those surveyed admitted they are concerned about the colour and health of their teeth with a third saying that they notice discoloured teeth on others.

Although many of us don't bother to clean our teeth, we will admit to being too self-conscious to show our teeth.

Brits aged between 26-34 were found to be the worst at caring for their teeth, with over half not brushing at least once a day (50.87%) whilst the most conscious 'brushers' are the over 55 age group (68%).

The three counties with the best oral hygiene and the lowest number who don’t brush at least once a day were the North East (23%), South East (33%) and East Anglia (37%).

Surprisingly, the three worst offenders were London (47%), Northern Ireland (47%) and Wales (45%).

The research, based on a survey of 2,000 UK adults, was conducted to find out Brits’ feelings towards teeth, not just their own but also those of other people.

Nearly a quarter (23%) admit to be ashamed of their own teeth, with 40% admitting they would never show their teeth whilst smiling and 41% feeling too self-conscious to show their teeth in a photograph.

1 in 10 (10%) admitted to never showing their teeth in any photo.

Surely we all know that brushing your teeth at least twice a day is important to keep teeth and gums healthy?

I've made no secret of the issues I've had with mine but are we Brits really that atrocious at looking after our teeth?

Discolouration, which can be caused by smoking, coffee, tea and other strongly coloured foods and drinks was the biggest concern, with a third (33%) admitting that they noticed discoloured teeth on others and nearly a quarter (23%) admitting that they are concerned about the colour of their own teeth, according to the research.

I don't know about you but I really notice someone's teeth.

I also can't understand why we would take so much care with our skin and hair but neglect an aspect of our appearance so glaringly obvious to others.

If you lose your teeth your face sags.  There is less structure to support your complexion.

No amount of skincare products, luxury or otherwise, is going to help that.

It's the same logic as investing hundreds of pounds on expensive skin products whilst continuing to smoke or drink heavily.

The research says that there may be a glimmer of hope because the stars of programmes like TOWIE and celebrities like Simon Cowell and Rylan Clark flash such bright, white smiles.

There's a healthy, pearly white and then there's the sort of day glo brightness which ensures that you'll never be lost in a cave. I tend to prefer the latter.  When Stacie Soloman appears in those clothing adverts I am so dazzled I never remember what she's wearing.

Using a low abrasion, daily whitening toothpaste is a safe way to gently return teeth to their former glory and lift the teeth a few shades whiter.

As parents we surely spend hours drumming the importance of daily tooth brushing into our kids. We started to clean Caitlin's and Ieuan's teeth from the moment they appeared.

Why would we not invest the same care in our own mouths?

My teeth are still going after nearly 50 years

If you're a dental malingerer for heaven's sake get the toothpaste out and give yourself something to smile about.

Twice daily brushing or the lovely sound of the dentist's drill?

I know which I'd choose.

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Fun In Wales This May Bank Holiday

If you're lost for something to do this on Monday, why not check out one of the great guides below.

You're sure to find an activity you'd like to try.

Just click on the links.

21 Things To Do This May Day Bank Holiday Weekend

As usual, Walesonline.co.uk have a great guide. From Dylan Thomas' poetry in Laugharne to falcolnry in the Black Mountains, there's something for everyone.

Dylan Thomas' Boathouse At Laugharne

#FindYourEpic with VisitWales.com

Wales is such an amazing country.  Just click on the link about to find a wealth of events near you, from seeing archaeological treasures such as mummies and even Indiana Jones' hat and whip at Cardiff Museum, to learning about artillery warfare in Newport or what about a deep sea fishing trip in Ceredigion?  No excuse for spending another day buying bedding plants at your local DIY superstore....

The Beautiful Cwmcarn Forest

Events in The Valleys

There's never a dull day in the Valleys.  What about going on the International Dawn Chorus Walk in Cwmcarn Forest on 1st May or the Annual Nantgarw China Works Antique Fair on the 2nd?

Cadw

Cadw's bank holiday fun includes the Company of the Raven at Kidwelly Castle where you can try your hand at archery, or you can Dare To Meet The Dragon at Caerphilly Castle and be captured by this mythical monster.

The Majestic Caerphilly Castle

The National Trust

Why not learn to play croquet at Dyffryn Gardens,  walk through wildflower meadows at Lanlay or explore the 17th century beauty of Tredegar House with its wild and flamboyant history?

Or there's the Mother Distracted weekend guide for any time of year.

Caitlin & Ieuan at Dyffryn Gardens

Let me know if there are any events I should add!

Have fun!

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New Releases, Free & Bargain Books Link-up 29 April 2016

It's Friday already - where has the week gone?  Whilst we're still waiting for some decent weather, a book and a mug of coffee seems to be the best way to pass the spare time.

I don't know about you but I like to make sure I have a good selection of books on my Kindle so that while I'm waiting for Caitlin and Ieuan to finish ballet or Tae Kwon-do I have something to occupy myself.

There seems to be an awful lot of waiting around when you're a parent, doesn't there?  Although I think I spent just as much time stuck on trains and buses when I was commuting to work in the days when I was child-free and could remember what a lie-in was.

If you're reading pile is dwindling, why not have a look at the fab books on offer this week?

Sharing the Love of Books
Enjoy our selection of New Releases / Free & Bargain Books this week

Click HERE for this week's awesome selection.

Authors please feel free to add your own books
Readers please free to add your own finds
(any genre except erotica welcome)

This weekly link up is hosted by Beck Valley Books & these awesome book loving blogs...
Monday
 Life as Leels | IrishdaisylovesRomance | Book Babble | All Romance Reader
Tuesday
It's My Side of Life | Celticlady's Reviews | First Time Mommy Adventures | Bound 2 Escape
Wednesday
Beck Valley Books | A Library of Reviews | Cinnamon Hollow Reviews
Thursday
Miki's Hope | Taking Time for Mommy | Nicki's Nook
Friday
Ebook Addicts | I Love Romance | A Bit Bookish | Mother Distracted | Colorimetry
Saturday
Totally Addicted to Reading | 3 Partners in Shopping | Angie's Angle | I Creat Purty Thangs | Wishful Endings
Sunday
Lynchburg Mama | LibriAmoriMiei | Ali - The Dragon Slayer | Wondermom Wannabe | My Bizzy World |  Deal Sharing Aunt 

For Pre-orders post - PRE-ORDER / genre / title /author

For New Releases post - NEW / genre / title / author

For Free Books post - FREE / genre / title / author / end date 

For Bargain Books post - SALE / price / genre / title / author / end date
(Strictly no Erotica please.  Steamy romance is fine but watch those covers people, incase any underage child is viewing it!)

Click HERE for this week's awesome selection.

And don't forget you can always add some of your own!

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Child Backless Booster Car Seats - New Rules From December 2016

Changes to the rules relating to the use of backless booster seats for children are coming into force at the end of 2016.

UK law currently states that children must use a child car seat until they're 12 years old or 135 cm (4 ft 5 in) tall, whichever comes sooner.

In Ireland and in some European countries such as Germany and France, this height limit is higher at 150 cm (4 ft 11 in).

Children under three must be in a child car seat.

If you don't have room for a third child seat in the back of your car, children aged three or under can use the front seat but they must be in a child car seat.

You can’t take children under three on an unexpected journey in a vehicle without a seat belt or the correct child car seat.

The only exception to this rule is if it's in a licensed taxi or minicab and the rear seats are separated from the driver by a fixed partition and the child travels on the rear seats.

If you ignore the law you are liable to a fine of £500.

At present, children weighing as little as 15 kg (2 stone 5 lbs) can travel in backless booster seats

Under the new rules, backless booster seats must only be used for children taller than 125 cm (4 ft 1 in) and weighing more than 22 kg (3 stone 6 lbs).

The rules about using these are changing

Many child car seat experts feel that this type of seat is unsafe for young children and you can easily see why.

The only security these seats offer is via the adult seat belt and there is no protection for your child if you are involved in a crash sideways on.

You can easily pull a booster seat back and forward even when your child is sitting on it and there is a risk of them sliding forward on the seat.

The problem is that backless booster seats (or booster cushions) can be bought relatively cheaply, costing anywhere from £10 - £30.

If you have more than one car, or share the responsibility for driving your children about with other family members (such as grandparents), the costs of multiple car seats can really stack up and it is easy to see why booster cushions are relied on.

They can be thrown in the boot or swopped from one car to another in a matter of minutes.

Car safety experts, however, would prefer us to use high-backed booster seats because they guide the adult seat belt across the child's body properly and in crash tests carried out by Which?, they were found to offer much more protection in a side-impact crash than a backless booster seat.

These changes to the child car seat regulations are expected to come into effect in December 2016 but will only apply to new products on the market.

If you plan to buy a booster seat next year, you will have to check the height / weight limit on the seat you buy to ensure that it complies with the new rules.

You can still use the booster seats you have already bought but, given the warnings by safety experts it is worth reviewing the child seats you use to check your family travel is as safe as possible - even if that means investing in new, and potentially safer, child car seats.

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Kids - Design A Health & Safety Poster & Win With The Accident Advice Helpline

In my days at 'The Law Firm', you would have expected the emphasis to be on ensuring all health and safety procedures were followed to the letter.

This was not always the case, although the basics were always adhered to.  We had fire alarm drills, kept the fire exits clear and knew where our fire assembly points were.

Caitlin

But using the office microwave and kettle or risking the lift was another matter.  Whilst we had 'ergonomically designed' office chairs (for our backs), wrist rests and foot supports for those of us who spent our days at a keyboard, we could easily put ourselves in traction by lifting heavy boxes of legal files.

In the marketing department, lugging exhibition stands, a projector, laptop and boxes of brochures was a regular occurrence. As was setting up rooms for presentations which meant moving tables and chairs, often unaided.

The Health & Safety Executive's report "Costs to Britain of workplace fatalities and self-reported injuries and ill health, 2013/14" states:-

"Latest estimates show that annually over 600,000 workers are injured in workplace accidents and a further 500,000 workers suffer a new case of ill health which they believe is caused or made worse by their work."

The cost of this was estimated to be £14.3 billion. Of this vast figure, £8.2 billion was borne by the individuals - workers like you and I.  And bear in mind that these are just the self-reported accidents.

Poor health and safety procedures affect all of us as individuals, employees, employers and tax payers and, frustratingly, most of the time work-based accidents can be avoided.

To raise awareness of this issue, the Accident Advice Helpline has put together a competition that aims to raise awareness of Health and Safety through the work of children.

They are asking children under the age of 16 to design a poster illustrating any aspect relating to health and safety, and in particular showing how accidents can be avoided.

Caitlin adores drawing and, like her mother, is more risk averse than Ieuan who goes everywhere head-first these days brandishing one of his extensive collection of light sabres.

I have explained to him that there is only so much "The Force" can do to prevent accidents but to little avail.

So Caitlin was happy to design a poster and chose to highlight accidents that might happen at school.

Caitlin working on her poster

I think she came up with a good list, don't you?  I must confess I can still hear my old headmistress bellowing "no running in the corridors" at me!

The finished poster

Why not get your kids to enter?

The winner will be awarded a £100 Amazon Voucher and one runner up will receive a £25 Amazon voucher.

Enter your poster by posting it on Twitter using the hashtag #aahhealthandsafety or by emailing your poster to aahhealthandsafetyposter@gmail.com.  Note that the entry must be tweeted or emailed by a parent or guardian over the age of 18 and you must live in the UK.

All posters must be received by midnight on May 21st 2016 to be in with a chance of winning.

Click here for more information about the competition including the terms and conditions.

Good luck and stay safe!

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Have You Budgeted For The Cost Of Looking After Elderly Parents?

As a ‘baby boomer’ (born in 1964) I knew that having children late in life meant I had to budget not only for my pension, but also for the costs of university fees for my children.

The costs of residential care are staggering

What I suspect many of us born in that era did NOT expect was that the costs of caring for our elderly parents would also fall to us.

This is not an issue whilst our parents remain well and able to live relatively unassisted in their own home.

But, once a care home is needed, the costs involved are staggering.

Currently the average cost of nursing home care in England and Wales is over £800 a week (or over £41,000 a year) per person.

This figure can be even higher in certain parts of the UK or where the elderly person’s needs are particularly severe or they need to go to a specialist Elderly Mentally Infirm home (for example if they have dementia)

There may come a time when we have to help our parents make some difficult decisions

As of April 2016, if a parent has assets which exceed the value of £23,250, they have to pay the full cost of their care and the family home will be included in the calculation of assets.

If their assets are below £23,250, they still have to contribute to the cost of their care from their capital until their assets fall to £17,000.

Once the £17,000 is reached, any extra income will be taken more or less in full to contribute towards ongoing care costs.

The total amount you may have to pay is currently capped at £72,000, but this amount is based on what your local health authority calculates the care is worth and does not include board and lodging costs.  You can find a good explanation here.

You can see that an individual’s entire life savings and assets can be spent in just a few months.

And what happens when the money runs out?

In the event that a parent suffers from a chronic, or life threatening illness, funding may be available from the NHS which currently offers Continuing Health Care Funding which will pay the full cost of care where the person’s need is primarily health based.

A second type of NHS funding called “funded nursing care” is available where the individual has nursing needs and is looked after in a registered care home that employs registered nurses.

Funded nursing care provides funding at a rate of £110.89 a week towards the person’s care costs which still leaves roughly £700 a week to pay.

Obtaining this funding depends, of course, on meeting stringent NHS criteria. 

For most of us, we are looking at the sale of the family property and relying on our parents' assets to be sufficient to give them the best quality care possible.

Once these assets have been used up, it is likely to be us who bear the financial burden, although some assistance may be available from your local authority.

You can see that if one of your parents needs to go into a care home but the other is well enough to stay put, there is a clear dilemma about whether or not the family home has to be sold.

Does the healthier parent come to live with you with all the extra costs that this would entail – extra heating, lighting and food costs, not to mention the cost involved in adapting parts of the home to make them safer for your mum or dad?

Balancing your monthly outgoings may be much more of a challenge and cut backs will probably have to be made. 

Should you need financial assistance to help your carry out these home improvements and adaptations, you can consider borrowing up to £7,500 with a guarantor loan from a credit company such as UK Credit loans.

A guarantor loan is a type of unsecured personal loan where you get a friend, colleague or family member to back up your application.  They must be someone who is willing to step in to pay your monthly repayments if you can’t pay.  You may find this additional safety net reassuring with so many demands on your purse from so many different directions!

We never know what is around the corner and I think it is sensible to have a conversation with your parents as early as you can about their wishes and the financial implications of requiring residential care.

Having looked into the funding of care home fees, I am aware that this is something I will need to research in much greater detail so that we can make some sensible financial decisions as a family. 

The information I have given here is the tip of the iceberg and, as we know from the 2016 Budget, schemes such as this are prone to be frequently changed and thesholds altered. 

This is a far better approach than having to deal with sudden illness or even a bereavement whilst trying to decide whether your parents’ home has to be sold or worrying where the extra money is going to come from. 

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How to Pick a Custom Engagement Ring

If you think custom-made jewellery is only for superstars or couples with unique tastes, think again. You may have difficulty finding a ring that suits your and your partner's style or you may have something very specific in mind that you’d prefer to declare your love with.

Image by InspirationDC via Flickr

Considering a custom ring? Here’s what you need to know:

1. Pick a Reputable Jeweller 

This cannot be stressed enough. Talk to friends and family members or even other brides whose style you like and get their personal recommendations. If you’re going to be buying a diamond, be sure that it comes with a GIA report or some sort of other appraisal certified by a reputable jewellery institution. If you already have a diamond, a jeweller will be able to reset it in the setting you choose. If you’re stumped for ideas, visit the store and check their beautiful hand crafted jewellery.


2. Start Looking Early

It can take a while to get a custom-made ring ready. Typically, you start by consulting the jeweller who then creates a sketch based on your preferences. They then make a raw mould of the ring for you to review before adding any finishing touched. The mould won’t be polished and it won’t have any stones in it yet. So it takes a little imagination to picture what the final product will look like.


3. What to Look for When Choosing a Diamond 

If you’re going to be buying a diamond, it’s important to understand the 4 C’s – colour, clarity, cut and carat weight. Your choice is really going to depend on budget and then personal taste. If you’re on a budget, try picking a diamond that has a carat weight a little smaller say, one or one and a half carat.

4. Try Different Settings On 

Many people prefer to choose engagement rings together these days and this is a pretty good idea. The jeweller will ask you some specific questions like the width of the ring you would prefer and whether you would like rounded corners, for instance. It’s worth taking along photos of rings that you like to help the jeweller get a good idea of what you envision. If you’d prefer to surprise your future bride, take a look in her jewellery box to get an idea of her style. Determine if she prefers warmer tones or white gold, and if her pieces are simple or more ornate. Don’t forget to consider her lifestyle. If her job is very hands-on, or she loves the outdoors, you’ll want a setting that has a lower profile.

5. It Is Usually Easier to Get the Engagement Ring and Wedding Band Together 

Visit their Melbourne store today and you will see that Simon West Fine Jewellery offers a fantastic range of ring sets. Going to the same jeweller for both the engagement and wedding ring means you will ensure the bands work well together. What’s more, it usually works out cheaper to get a set.

Custom-made engagement rings are a wonderful idea for brides and grooms who want a one-of-a-kind piece or really want to use stones that have been passed down to them by family members. Just take note of the tips discussed above whenever you’re planning to get a custom ring.

If you've any tips of your own for choosing the perfect ring, I'd love to hear them.

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Lost Childhood: Wish You Could Give Your Child The Upbringing YOU Had?

As a parent, I often find myself trotting out those well worn phrases such as "we never had those in my day" or "money doesn't grow on trees" or "we had to make our own fun".

This whilst my two are impersonating couch potatoes with their tablets resisting every attempt I make to get them into the garden on their bikes.

Photo courtesy of Rodolfo Mari

As we get older, our positive childhood memories take on a golden haze and we remember simpler, happier times involving mud, fresh air and hours spent playing in woods, quarries or by rivers - places which, these days, would give most parents the vapours.

Yet, despite the fact that many children have toys and gadgets we could only dream of, we read that the pressures on our youngsters are, in fact, mounting.

Our children are being subjected to increased stress at school with longer hours and less time with their parents who are frazzled from juggling a work and home life.

A recent survey by My Voucher Codes asked parents whether they thought their children's upbringing is better or worse than their own.

And the results were very interesting.

A large proportion of parents (46%) said they wished their children's upbringing was more like their own. Some wished they had been stricter (28%).

57% of parents felt children are growing up too quickly, possibly because of technology such as smartphones and social media.

The sexualisation of children is another large concern with kids thinking about relationships and other activities much earlier than their parents ever did.

42% of parents thought that children have much higher expectations which leads to them putting more and more pressure on themselves.

32% of parents worried about their kids reliance on mobile technology although 59% felt that this offered them more opportunities.

Today stay at home parents, like myself, are in the minority and 31% of parents said they regretted not being able to be a stay at home parent.

On the other hand 54% felt that the extra income from two salaries allowed the kids to have more luxuries than they did and 48% thought their kids would find life much harder without the extra money.

Blaming technology is a little too easy though, isn't it?  And we have to be realistic.  Developments in the fields of science and technology are surely only going to get faster and most sophisticated.

Our challenge is to adapt our parenting to ensure that our children grow up knowing how to balance technology with good, old-fashioned childhood fun.

On the one hand we may moan that Social Media is turning our youngsters into screen obsessed, uncommunicative zombies but on the other, how many of us are guilty of letting our kids use social media under the age of 13 (this is Facebook's requirement)?

It is too easy to say "oh, but all their friends are on it".

We don't have to give in and buy our youngsters mobile phones either.

As parents we DO have a choice.  We hold the purse strings and we can say no.

Easier said than done, I know, but who said parenting was easy?

Whilst we are reliving our own childhoods in romantic flashback, we might consider how it was for our parents.

My parents were born in 1939,  In fact my dad was born on 4th September, the day after World War II broke out.  We like to remind him of that quite often.

Despite this, they remember their childhoods with equal amounts of affection and have happy memories of simpler,and much less affluent times, even whilst dashing to the air-raid shelter during night-time bombing raids on Plymouth.

Rather than beating ourselves up and wishing our kids could have the kind of childhood we did, we just need to balance our use of technology with quality time with our children.

And make sure that technology becomes our servant rather than letting our kids become its slave.

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My Sunday Photo - 24/04/2016

Exploring at Bryn Garw Country Park

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Review: Vango Starwalker Junior Dragon Sleeping Bag - Camping Fun For Kids

Readers of this blog will know that, being ever-so-slightly 'outdoors averse', I am making a real effort to love all things camping, and, er, outdoorsy.

The Husband and kids, on the other hand, adore being outside and my days of demanding high thread count sheets and a mini bar are looking increasingly numbered.

I cannot claim to be quite ready to audition for the next series of Bear Gryll's "Mission Survive" but for the sake of Caitlin and Ieuan, I am willing to at least contemplate a lifestyle that doesn't necessarily include a hotel inspector.

In preparation for this year's sojourn into the great outdoors, we were given the opportunity to try the winner of "Best Family Product" in the Outdoor Industry Awards 2016 - the Vango Starwalker Junior Sleeping Bag.  This is a big year for Vango as they are also celebrating their 50th anniversary.

The Vango Starwalker Junior is a versatile sleeping bag, which gives children freedom of movement with the option to zip off sections at the legs and shoulders.

It comes in two designs, the dragon or the panda and, because the bottom zips off, the kids can easily run around the campsite in it to keep warm or, in Ieuan's case just because he enjoys being a dragon.

The Starwalker Junior is made from 210T microfibre polyester with single hole siliconised hollow fibre insulation to increase durability.

The Vango Starwalker Junior Sleeping Bag in the Dragon Design

It has a hood for additional warmth and a large front zipper so the kids can get easily in and out.  It has a 9 Tog rating and is suitable for children up to 150cm tall.

The sleeping bag can be carried as a rucksack so that you can get the kids to help carry their own stuff.

The Vango Starwalker Junior Sleeping Bag in the Panda Design

We got Ieuan to test it out for us on terrain which would make Bear Grylls proud (the beach at The Knap, Barry) and once into it, we had difficulty persuading him to take it off.  You can see from the photos that he was still wearing it at tea time and he is currently campaigning to take it bed with him.

It has some lovely little design touches, such as a dragon's tail and a dragon's face on the rucksack. We found the sleeping bag to be well made with sturdy zips and stitching.

The removable bottom section will be a great help on those occasions when there are frequent toilet trips and your child could certainly wear it on chilly evenings - perhaps for a bit of star-gazing.

We will certainly be taking it with us on our next camping trip.

The Vango Starwalker Junior Sleeping Bag retails at £47.50 and is available from www.vango.co.uk.

You can also find Vango on Facebook or Twitter.
 

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Questions I Have About Home Schooling

Just lately I am hearing more and more about parents who have pulled their kids out of mainstream education in order to teach them at home.

Home schooling is not an easy option

Now I can fully understand this if there are medical and social reasons for doing so.  For example, if a parent is unwell and unable to take their child to school and is not receiving sufficient support in order to assist the child.  Or if the child is being bullied and the school refuses to deal with the situation.

If that happened to my children, I would not think twice about home schooling or "Elective Home Education" as the Government calls it.

But there seems to be a 'home schooling movement' whose rationale for adopting this form of education is about following a trend.

A few months back I read a blog post from a home schooling parent (the child was around 5 or 6) who listed their "learning outcomes" for the day as walking round a park, looking at daffodils and meeting friends for coffee.

Those, to me, are not learning outcomes - no matter how many rather fetching Instagram pictures it creates.

I wonder what teachers think about this new trend.  I imagine they feel incredibly frustrated by the fact that their training is considered almost irrelevant by some parents.

I worry that home schooled children are missing out.

I can hear the howls of indignation from here but surely there is more to a child's education than running barefoot in the park with a handful of other kids whilst their parents chat and play with their phones.

Early years education sets the scene for later learning - and academic performance.  Whilst the system is not perfect, at least it creates a roughly level playing field upon which our children's educational growth can be measured and, hopefully, improved.

I have to say at this point that the Government's latest plan to turn schools into 'academies' seems hopelessly out of touch with what schools must surely be wanting - better funding, better training, more support.  The academy approach seems to be an enormous sticking plaster for a system which would work a hell of a lot better if only the Government would stop meddling with it (and I'd apply the same argument to the NHS).

Currently the law states that all parents have a duty to ensure that their children receive an efficient, full time education suitable to their age, ability and aptitude, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise (under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996).

This means that parents may educate their children at home if they fulfil certain conditions.

You will also be offered regular appointments by your Local Education Authority to see how you are getting on but you do not have to accept these.

After that, you are on your own as regards the curriculum you set - and that includes all costs as well as examination fees, should you wish your child to sit them.  No grants will be made available.

I have previously worked as a Home Tutor for both Early Years and GCSE students and tutoring required an in-depth knowledge of the school curriculum and a great deal of lesson planning and reading around the subject.

And that was just for a few hours a week!

These are the questions I find myself asking.

Won't home schooled children miss out on social interaction?

Surely it's about mixing with a wide variety of children of different ages and backgrounds that teaches us valuable skills about fitting in when we go on to college, university, our first job.

School is the place where life-long friends can be made

Are all parents sufficiently able to teach their child the information on the 'mainstream' curriculum?

Would it be unreasonable to suggest that if you were a complete academic duffer yourself, you might not be the best teacher for your child?

How will you know how your children are progressing compared to their peers?

You may feel it doesn't matter but much of success in life depends on competition.

How do home schooled kids compare with those who have a mainstream education when it comes to university and jobs?

There are many stories about entrepreneurs who have been academically poor and gone on to create vast business empires.  Success is not impossible without an education but I reckon it takes an awful lot longer unless you have the business mind of Richard Branson or Steve Jobs.

How will home schooled kids feel about the educational opportunities they have missed out on?

None of us have a crystal ball of course but I'll bet some of the current home schooled children may well grow up wondering why they are excluded from well established school social networks and why their friends seem to be fitting in much better.

Choosing elective home schooling for your child is a very personal choice but the consequences of that choice if home schooling is ineffective, may have long-term consequences we parents might not be around to see.

As for me,  it's a case of "never say never".

More information about Elective Home Education can be found at www.gov.uk/home-education.

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New Releases, Free & Bargain Books Link-Up 22 April 2016

It's that time of the week again and, given the strange weather we seem to be having, settling down with a good book is probably the safest option.

This week I've been considering Rosemary Conley's lastest 3-2-1 diet and reading up about Japanese skincare.  Variety is the spice of the literary life!

It was also the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charlotte Bronte this week so I may well return to my favourite novel by Charlotte, Villette.

If you're reading pile is dwindling, why not have a look at the fab books on offer this week?

Sharing the Love of Books
Enjoy our selection of New Releases / Free & Bargain Books this week

Click HERE for this week's awesome selection.

Authors please feel free to add your own books
Readers please free to add your own finds
(any genre except erotica welcome)

This weekly link up is hosted by Beck Valley Books & these awesome book loving blogs...
Monday
 Life as Leels | IrishdaisylovesRomance | Book Babble | All Romance Reader
Tuesday
It's My Side of Life | Celticlady's Reviews | First Time Mommy Adventures | Bound 2 Escape
Wednesday
Beck Valley Books | A Library of Reviews | Cinnamon Hollow Reviews
Thursday
Miki's Hope | Taking Time for Mommy | Nicki's Nook
Friday
Ebook Addicts | I Love Romance | A Bit Bookish | Mother Distracted | Colorimetry
Saturday
Totally Addicted to Reading | 3 Partners in Shopping | Angie's Angle | I Creat Purty Thangs | Wishful Endings
Sunday
Lynchburg Mama | LibriAmoriMiei | Ali - The Dragon Slayer | Wondermom Wannabe | My Bizzy World |  Deal Sharing Aunt 

For Pre-orders post - PRE-ORDER / genre / title /author

For New Releases post - NEW / genre / title / author

For Free Books post - FREE / genre / title / author / end date 

For Bargain Books post - SALE / price / genre / title / author / end date
(Strictly no Erotica please.  Steamy romance is fine but watch those covers people, incase any underage child is viewing it!)

Click HERE for this week's awesome selection.

And don't forget you can always add some of your own!

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How to Make your Move to a New Home Easy

If you can do anything to help reduce the amount of stress you are under when moving home, then it could be a wise decision to do so. One of the best ways to reduce stress and aggravation when moving home is to use the professional services of a removal company. A removals company can take care of all of the packing up, loading the truck, and unpacking at your new home, which will save you a lot of time and energy.

Image by Kansas Sebastian via Flickr

Getting a Quote

A search on the internet will show that there are many professional companies such as Reads Removals Company in Peterborough that offer a high quality service at a competitive rate. Always make sure that you get as many quotes as you can. You may be able to get a rough quote over the telephone or the internet, but to give you an accurate quote, the company will need to send someone to survey your house. The company representative will visit each room of your home and gauge how much space of a container or truck will be needed to transport your belongings. The quote is generally based on the square footage required to transport your things, and when the company representative is there, it is a good time to ask all of your questions directly, such as:

1. What is included in the quote?

2. What level of insurance do you offer?

3. How long have you been in business?

4. What level of training do your employees undertake?

5. Are there any extras on top of what you quote?

Judging a Company by their Representative

As well as the contact you have with any company in the initial stages, the best way that you can judge a company is by the representative that they send to your home. When we trust someone with all of our worldly possessions, we want to be safe in the knowledge that they are going to be well looked after, and look for such reassurance. The way a company can do this is by sending a personable employee that has excellent communication skills and is easily approachable. Knowledge is also important so that they have the ability to answer any of the hundreds of questions that you may have, and trust me they have heard them all before.

Whether you are looking for companies offering removals in Cambridge, or any other county, you will want the representative to be able to answer any question in an assuring manner, and be able to explain the process that they use.

Making a Decision

You should take into account all factors before choosing which company you are going to use to move your belongings to your new home. The price is important, and so is your impression of the company, along with the quality of their vehicles and also the level of insurance coverage you receive.

All of these factors are very important to consider, with no single one outweighing any of the others. You will need to choose a company that ticks as many of your boxes as possible, even if they might be a little bit more expensive. It is also a good idea to look online for reviews of people’s experiences with your potential moving company. It is good to get an insight into how they operate, and the level of service that they offer.

When you are putting all of your possessions in the hands of someone else, it is reassuring to know that they are being well looked after. Before you know it, you will be settled in your new home, having experienced a stress-free move. 

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