Hiding Christmas presents

Kids are notorious for snooping and finding Christmas presents and it's easy for adults to accidentally come across a present stashed away.

One simple solution is to put them in a box and then in the loft/attic. Unless kids can get the heavy step ladder, climb it and pull themselves up through the hatch then the presents are safe, just don't forget you put them there!



This is an entry into Hudl Christmas Cheer Competition

Very severe M.E, seeing an invisible illness is believing

ME (Myalgic encephalomyelitis or Myalgic encephalopathy, mistakenly called chronic fatigue syndrome (Cfs)) is a neurological condition that is poorly understood by the medical profession and the general public. It can vary from people who work full time to those who are bedridden for decades, sometimes it is fatal.

As some of you know I have Severe ME, it has varied over the years as to quite how severe, from being able to go downstairs (on a stairlift) and lay on the sofa for an hour to completely paralysed. People only ever see me on that good moment on the sofa as very severe ME is invisible.

 Many people don't realise how severe ME can be due to people being stuck in bed unable to be part of the outside world. It's an invisible condition on the whole but one brave friend has spent months putting this together to show some of what she goes through.

Please please take a moment to look, reflect on what it must be like for that to of been your life for over a decade (the person is still classed as 'young') and then share it with friends. She rarely has a voice but you can give her one by sharing this.

 Visible ME #1: an actual pic of my room when the lights are out. I live in total darkness.

Visible ME #2: my room with lights on for carers; a soft red glow (less red than in pic).

Visible ME #3: Smartphone: Window on world; saves energy; aids communication.

Visible ME #4: some of my cooling equipment for hot flushes and sweats.

Visible ME #5: all sound is very painful and exhausting. I need earplugs 24-7.

Visible ME #6: Draught excluder. Can't bear even a crack of light.

Visible ME #7: red and amber bulbs; cannot tolerate any bright light.

Visible ME #8: too poorly to use mug, everything is administered by syringe

Visible ME #9: Even dim light very painful and exhausting. Need eye protection at all times.

Visible ME #10: I use pads due to double urge-incontinence and being too poorly to use a bedpan.

Visible ME #11: Tube-fed as too much pain and exhaustion to eat and drink.

Visible ME #12: vital advice, support and awareness, which is hard to come by

Visible ME #13: bed cradle to keep the duvet off my bent feet and prevent further damage.

Visible ME #14: Smell and chemical sensitivity makes me very ill and severely limits me

Visible ME #15: ME causes many types of constant, severe pain all over the body.

Visible ME #16: soft, loose clothing, bedding etc, due to pain, discomfort, touch-sensitivity

Visible ME #17: daily cocktails of drugs, though doctors are uneducated about appropriate symptom-relief

Visible ME #18: profile bed required to assist carers due to my severe lack of mobility

Visible ME #20: baby spoons required for very occasional oral feeding as they they are small

Visible ME #21: weakened body and immune-system means more susceptible to infections

Visible ME #22: all products have to be completely non-scented (inc no chemical smell). They are hard to find!

Visible ME #23: communication is so difficult. Special aides are needed for when I can't speak at all

Visible ME #24: Nausea and vomiting can be a big part of everyday life with ME

If you would like to leave a message for my friend who did this then please leave a comment and I will pass it on.

The Works, didn't work and won't be buying anything from them again

In the past I've spent a lot of money with The Works both from myself and my charity. Every Christmas there are several gifts under the tree from The Works website. Or that should say there was and there won't be this year or again.

Last year I ordered lots of cuddly toys on a bogof offer. I ordered lots in the same range but apparently that doesn't count so I didn't get the discount. Add to this I would of got 4 of each but they only 1 or 3 in stock of each item thus meaning you never got your free one. I've noticed this before and been suspicious. Low and behold the offer ended and the very next day they were back in stock. Very dodgy!

Still I went and did a big Christmas order, lots of different things, some better value than others, or rather they would of been if half ever turned up! Seriously 50% if not more of the items were never received (but I was charged). I patiently waited for my other items but aside my tub of candyfloss arriving around 2 weeks later, the rest never turned up, nor was a refund issues.

When the candyfloss did arrive it was in a huge box with lots of packaging holding it completely secure, I found this odd seeing as I had ordered 4 garden candles (glass candle holder on a long stick), and they decided to packaging them with just one small layer of bubble wrap and brown paper, who thinks that is enough to protect glass? As soon as they arrived you could hear at least one was broken, upon opening (and showering little bits of glass everywhere while doing so) I found all 4 were completely smashed, they weren't at all repairable and had to be thrown.

I emailed but my items were never sent or refunded and a year on of course nothing has been done. I would of rung head office or written to them but as some of you know I had just come home from a really long hospital stay and wasn't well enough to be doing so (which is why it tired to do all my Christmas shopping in one place, shame I chose The Works).

In conclusion I won't be giving another penny to The Works and good luck with getting discount offers or your items, let alone items in one piece!

Seeing Father Christmas

Every year Father Christmas comes down our road to raise money for local causes. I have always loved this and as a child thought he was the only real Father Christmas. Quite why the real Father Christmas sits in a trailer being pulled by a car with a wooden reindeer I don't know but I did think that!

Even as an adult I love seeing it and every year I watch from my bedroom window. Every year one of the helpers shines his torch up to my window knowing I will be there. Last year I had had a big relapse and it was a huge struggle to get me the one meter from my bed to the window to see out. This year however for the first time in 12 or 13 years I went out to him!! I was probably the oldest 'child' he saw that night but it was fantastic and got me in the Christmas spirit!

 Waiting
With the man himself (who gave me a sweet!)

A welcoming living room

We like our house to feel welcoming, where guests can put their feet up on the sofa and help themselves to drinks.

This Christmas we will make our living room festive and welcoming.

Firstly people would walk over the Deer Forest Turtle Mat so they know they are going into a Christmas loving household and also to protect our carpet (they do a much better job than all the 'novelty' mats I've seen). When the door to the living room is open the first thing they see is the big 7 foot Christmas tree we have every year. They will be invited to take a seat on the sofa which is jazzed up with beautiful gingerbread men cushions and given a festive throw to snuggle under before being served hot chocolate in snowmen mugs. The lighting will be soft, a mixture of tree lights and candles. If talk turns to the tree we will ask our guests to try and find the chocolate baubles to eat, with a 7 foot tree and hundreds and decorations it's not easy! When it's time to go they will be given a small gift from under the tree, a token gift to pass on the Christmas spirit.

I designed a mood board, I hope you like it, what do you do to make a place feel welcoming?

My favourite Christmas app

My all time favourite Christmas app has to be Elf Yourself! Simply add a photo of you and friends or family and click play. Before you know it your strutting around an office, doing the splits and the funky chicken! All ages love it from little kids to my very elderly neighbour, you can't help but laugh and start doing jazz hands!

Ann Summers underneath LBD competition- my outfit

Ann Summers are holding a blog competition asking people to style an outfit to complete a great LBD look this Christmas. I knew I had to enter as I love nothing more than a LBD. I own way too many and try not to look at new ones on websites but the competition is a great excuse to do some virtual shopping (chances are it will fall into my basket though).

First up is the dress itself, I headed straight to ASOS as they have so many beautiful dresses. In the end I went for this beautiful dress. I love the lace detailing on it, attracting your eye to your upper chest (rather than wobbly bits) and I think the skirt will move beautifully when on the dance floor.

We all know that we feel more confident when wearing beautiful undies. The lace detailing on the dress means a strapless bra is needed and if I'm honest I associate strapless bras with being plain and rather ugly. After looking through all the beautiful lingerie Ann Summers has on their website I realised how wrong I had been! I selected this beautiful strapless bra. I love the black lace over the red, classy and far from boring! I really like bras that give you a good shape and that's something it does as well as being multiway so I could wear it under various other LBDs hanging in my wardrobe without the need for different underwear.

Ann  Summers has matching knickers (plus a suspenders belt), the front is really pretty but they are a thong which I personally don't like wearing. Instead I would go for these nice plain black briefs, they are my favourite style and I think being plain black would actually really show the bra detail off very well. Plus they have £17 off right now- bargain!

I would normally reach straight for my usual thick black tights but when putting this outfit together I decided to try hold ups instead. Again Ann Summers have a great range, I really love the fishnets with a bow design up the back but with the lace on the skirt I don't think they would go well (although I'm tempted to buy them for another outfit!). I selected these glossy black hold ups with lace (which won't be seen under the dress).

I can never understand how girls can fit everything they need into a regular clutch bag, I probably could fill a suitcase every time I leave the house but for the sake of fashion and practicality I will buy this over sized gem covered clutch from Accessorize.

I wouldn't wear a necklace but I would wear diamond solitaire earrings (a girl can dream, if not I shall wear my fake ones!) and team it with my Swarovski tennis bracelet which I was lucky enough to be given for my birthday. I also have a few twist in diamantés to add a little sparkle to my hair.

Last but far from least are the shoes. I LOVE heels, I don't think I have ever worn a LBD with flats! I think these gem peep toes would tie all the assesoriese and outfit together.

Now my outfit is planned, where to go??



This is my entry into the Ann Summers Underneath the Little Black Dress competition

Cut coins, a unique gift

My Grandpa collects coins so when I came across cut coins for the first time I was excited to of found something for him (he insists every year he wants 'an empty box'.

If like me you have never heard of them then they are normal coins which someone has taken a very fine drill too. You can get ones with lovely designs cut into them but by far my favourite are the ones that stick to the design of the coin. I went for the ship £1 coin.

From some sellers you can choose which year you would like so I went for 1951, the year my Grandparents got married. The little loop on the top is so cord can be threaded through and the coin worn. My grandpa doesn't aspire to be Del Boy so won't be wearing it but he can hang it up to display. After I brought it my Dad pointed out how similar it is to the symbol for our village, I shall pretend I thought of this all along!

There are lots of people on Facebook, Ebay and Etsy doing them, I am told they are quite common now at Christmas markets too.

I got mine from here for £21 including postage, to my surprise it arrived in a matter of days and I'm very pleased with the quality.

Sweet tress and magnetic pegs finished

I posted before about the trees and magnetic pegs I was making, here are the finished results.