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Customised Clothing with Contrado – Review

Now I’m actually losing weight I am in need of new clothes and I wanted something casual to take on holiday to Cornwall with us last month. I designed a quick T-Shirt dress with Contrado which was delivered promptly. I am one of simple pleasures and comforts and prefer cotton material over anything heavier. I quite like a good stripe too and I wanted something nice and colourful but still suitable for summer. Contrado is a great site because you can customise all of your outfit and there is just so much to chose from.

The design process is really simple, you just create an account and then get started on customising your own clothes. There were absolutely loads of dress styles to choose from but I thought a t-shirt dress would be easy to customise, great for the beach, great to pull over for swimming and could be dressed up with skinny jeans (when I fit into them) or leggings. The dress also works really well with a decent pair of flats or trainers. I think t-shirt dresses are super comfortable and so easy to dress up or down.

Once you’ve selected the style and shape of the clothing and you can create so much at Contrado, dresses, leggings, jumpers…whatever you want really. You can then select the type of material you want to use. There is cotton and cotton blends depending on your own personal peference. I thought cotton would be nice, light and cooling. You can then go on to select your fabric pattern and there is so much to choose from. Contrado have loads of shapes, characters, patterns and you can add text too.

Contrado is a great website for making good quality customised clothes. The T-Shirt dress I made is so comfy and it washes really well so I am incredibly impressed. Plus I’ve heard horizontal stripes make short people look taller.

Disclaimer: I received the custom made dress in exchange for this feature. All opinions remain my own.

August 12, 2017
Bournemouth by Bus & TGI Fridays Food

I live in a bit of a weird place, right on the border of Wiltshire which basically means I can get to Bournemouth Beach by bus. It’s longer but way cheaper than going by train and sometimes you just want to go to the beach and it not cost a fortune. That being said we went to TGI Fridays for lunch so it ended up being much more expensive than we anticipated. Still it was a nice date day that Adam and I deserved as we haven’t had one in a while. I do like a quick day city break and we have so many wonderful, beautiful cities close by. We especially love heading over to Salisbury. It hasn’t been all that long since our holiday in Cornwall but let’s be honest when you have kids you need a break after a holiday with them!

We’re currently trying to save around £5,000 which is a grand sum but the truth is we are considering relocating. It’s a year off plan and kind of depends on a lot but we figured having some money saved up to move, pay upfront rent and just get new things would be a good idea and £5k is a nice round number. Sort of. I just think its a good aim. Anyway, so we’re trying to save money and we’re trying to do things on a bit of a budget and we wanted to have one last naughty meal before getting back with our fitness and health plans.

Bournemouth is beautiful. I love it, it’s a lovely city and the beach is glorious. There’s so much to do, see and buy there. There are beautiful gardens to walk through, entertainment galore, arcades and toilets that require a 20p donation. We left at 7.35am Saturday morning to get the bus to Salisbury which took an hour and a half but going through my old home village I was pointing out places of nostalgia along the way. We changed buses at Salisbury to head to Bournemouth which was another hour and the bus had tables. I was amazed at this, not only did it have tables and really comfy seats but also USB chargers for your phone. Buses have upgraded and I am happy about this change. We were able to get an Explorer ticket each for £8.60 which I believe gets you pretty much wherever you want to go in Wiltshire and Dorset. It also gets you to Andover. Not saying Andover is a place anyone wants to visit, it’s very dull, but it gets you here. More importantly it gets you away from here.

We enjoyed strolling through the gardens and people watching on the pier. Sitting by a little river and bandstand before having a little stroll through the centre. We headed into Lush where I treated us to a bath bomb each and the Rub, Rub, Rub Solid Scrub (for me, not sharing – buy it, it’s the best) and a sample of Boom! toothy tabs which is charcoal activated and I haven’t yet used. If you’re curious we also went to Holland and Barrett to take advantage of the penny sale and buy some drinkable Aloe. That’s a dedicated health kick right there because drinking Aloe is absolutely vile but it stops me feeling bloated and crappy so I persevere.

TGI Fridays was the highlight and we had a super three course lunch and cocktails there.

Adam was of course craving boneless hot wings with scorpion sauce and I opted for a Chick Cone which was a take on chicken and waffles. However, there wasn’t actually a lot of chicken.

There was a lot of cheese. Cheese Cones is probably a more accurate name actually. Then for our mains we had burgers followed by a sharing Toffee Popcorn Sundae. To finish I had a lovely Red Velvet martini which was the perfect mix of sweet and sour. Adam had a Mud Slide which is basically and adult chocolate milkshake. It gave him brain freeze!

We finished the day by the long bus ride back home and ended up getting home around 5.30. It was nice, sunny with a bit of drizzle and the food was tasty. It was nice to just talk and have some adult only time together. The last time we went to Bournemouth on the bus was just before Christmas 2012. Again it was just Adam and I and he was a little on the crazy side after just working the Winter Ball and having not slept. It was cold and rainy but it was absolutely one of my favourite dates way back in the early days.

August 10, 2017
Igloo Mania Board Game Review – Brainstorm

Evie loves a good board game and with this very wet summer we’ve had Igloo Mania has been a firm favourite already. We have loved playing it already particularly as it’s reminding us just how cold it can be despite it being August. Penguins are a big hit here too. Igloo Mania is from Brainstorm Limited games and is suitable for ages 5+. It’s a relatively quick game and it does require a bit of easy to follow assembly before playing. It may be advisable to set it up in secret, unlike us, than have to deal with “is it ready yet” every five seconds. I honestly think if I’d been a clever parent and hidden it away with a big reveal so we could play instantly I wouldn’t have been slightly insane when playing…anyway, I digress. It is actually quite fun.

You’ll need 2-4 players for this which makes it ideal for our small family. The instructions are very clear and easy to follow. The game comes with an Igloo mound that you build around with little ice blocks, penguin character sticks for the players to remove bricks and a little Eskimo proudly standing at the top of his Igloo. As mischievous penguins it is your job to remove the bricks without making the Eskimo fall off his perch. Adam likes to play strategically removing blocks from various places on the Igloo. Evie likes to do them in a line which meant each time we have played she has made the Eskimo fall. Whoever makes the Eskimo fall collects the rest of the ice blocks and the person with the least amount of ice blocks wins. Evie hasn’t won yet…

The game is fun and a smaller version of Jenga really. It’s quite cute in its design and Evie really likes it which makes it a nice big hit for us. The game is easy to follow and has an easier mode for younger players which I think is designed to keep them playing longer. It’s as if the creator knew what small children might do (take all the ice blocks in a line for example) and make quick work of the game. We all like it and it’s nice to have a new game to play through the summer holidays and year long. Igloo Mania makes a great rainy day game and quick work of shedding boredom. A great game we’ve all enjoyed playing and will continue to do so.

Disclaimer: We received Igloo Mania in exchange for this feature. All opinions remain my own

August 9, 2017
A Visit to St Michael’s Mount, Marazion, Cornwall

I think it was the sunniest day of our trip to Cornwall that we were lucky enough to visit St Michael’s Mount. St Michael‘s Mount is located in Marazion which is about 40 minutes from Helston by bus. You can get the number 2 bus towards Penzance from the Blue Anchor stop in Helston. If you just want to visit the village at the bottom or stroll across the causeway, there’s no need to pay. When tide is high you can get a boat over which is a few pounds. We were able to walk there and back on the day we visited in July 2017. We walked across the causeway to visit the Mount which opened around 10 o’clock. It only takes around 10 minutes to walk across the causeway over there are a lot of cobbles so it’s not very accessible for wheelchairs or pushchairs. St Michael’s Mount is closed to the public on Saturdays to give the residents on the mount and the family living in the castle a day to themselves so it’s wise to plan your visit accordingly.

St Michael’s Mount is a national trust site so it’s free for members to visit and for those that are visiting from the day you can buy tickets from the ticket office. There are family discount tickets available. We made our way up the steep climb towards the castle after collecting our tickets. On the day we visited there was story time on the lawn every hour, on the hour. You can take a look at the website for more events happening on the Mount.

On a sunny day like it was on our visit, storytime would be the perfect way to enjoy the scenery before the climb up to the castle or to help recover after with an ice cream. I feel I need to exaggerate the climb towards the castle a little bit because it is incredibly sleep. The climb is relatively steep so wearing proper walking shoes is ideal. You might even want to consider a trekking pole. Hiking and walking activities happen all over Cornwall so it’s something you could use throughout your holiday.

There are handrails all the way up to the top however the path is full of broken stones and cobbles. I wouldn’t recommend this climb to those who are not fully mobile. Any babies or young children that may struggle with the walk will need to be carried as you will not be able to get pushchairs up this hill. There is a buggy park at the bottom. I think I struggled more on the way down than on the way up but I am aware I’m very, very clumsy so falling over is a frequent experience for me. There are gaps in the cobbles and it’s quite easy for small toes to slip between and cause slips and trips. I can imagine walking up these cobbles after it’s been raining can be a real challenge. I feel St Michael’s Mount is a place to visit on a dry day.

St Michael’s Mount is located in a really unique setting. I really enjoyed walking across the causeway to visit the mount. During high tide there is the chance to get a boat ride back however we were still able to walk back. You can easily check the causeway opening times on them St Michael’s Mount website. I would definitely suggest having a look at the website to help plan your visit. You need a few hours to visit the mount to fully enjoy and appreciate everything it has two offer. There are a few shops and places to eat we enjoyed lunch in the sail loft.

As well as being a national trust site the castle is a residential home and there are parts of the castle that are off-limits. You can get a ticket to include visiting the castle and the gardens surrounding the mount. The tour through the castle is a one way walk and it can get very busy and crowded.

I feel we enjoyed the sites and scenes and had enough time to appreciate everything the castle had to offer.

My daughter also enjoyed taking part in the children’s treasure hunt which led to her getting a gold medal. She was very pleased with herself. After exploring the castle we Took a slow walk back down towards the Sail Loft. Here we had a delicious lunch for £29.95 this included a ham and honey mayonnaise sandwich a new Lynn crab sandwich and a children’s lunch bag. For this type of attraction I think the food was good value as it was very tasty. The staff at the Mount were incredibly helpful and made for a pleasant trip.

I think the best thing about St Michaels Mount is the stunning scenery which can be seen from all angles. The castle is very high up and you can really get a gorgeous view of Marazion bay.

After our lunch we took a stroll down to the village with our ice creams which were really tasty. Evie enjoyed a chocolate ice cream in a waffle cone, Adam had mint with chocolate chips and I enjoyed raspberry and white chocolate. You can get ice cream just outside the sail loft. The ice cream was so lovely and we really enjoyed them sitting just on the grass outside the ticket office watching other people paddle in the sea. We also got to try the passionfruit sorbet which was really delicious and would recommend this option if it’s particularly warm to cool down, it was quite sweet but very, very refreshing and I really recommend it.! The two boys working in the Ice Cream hatch were very friendly and great at recommending flavour choices. On the way back we enjoyed a stroll along the beach paddling in the sea before catching our bus.

Our trip to Cornwall has been really lovely and a very special family holiday. We have enjoyed lots of sites and St Michael’s Mount has been a real highlight. For anyone that is visiting South Cornwall particularly close to Helston or Penzance then I really recommend a trip to Saint Michaels Mount particularly if you’re already a national trust member.

Disclaimer; we received three tickets to Saint Michaels Mount Castle and vouchers for ice cream in exchange for this review. All opinions remain my own.

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August 1, 2017
Our Family Holiday at Mullion, Cornwall

We are home after our trip to Mullion, Cornwall! Holiday’s really make you feel refreshed don’t they? It’s one of the main reasons why I want the ultimate work, life and travel balance. We have just enjoyed a seven night break at Park Dean Resorts Mullion Holiday Park in Cornwall. It was a great week. To watch what we got up to, take a look at my little vlog I put together. Our last holiday like this was on Isle of Wight and we had a lovely time so of course we had pretty high expectations.

I remember announcing the holiday a while a go as our next family holiday destination. Mullion Holiday park has plenty of mobile homes, caravans and space for pitching and touring. When it comes to camping you want to make sure you have all the right supplies so it’s worth checking out camping equipment reviews to ensure you have the best of the best.

Cornwall isn’t really that far, a few hours by car and we checked out the transport links before we booked. As a non driving family we left around 11.30am on 21st July arriving at the park after many train delays, missing a bus and forking out for a taxi at around 7.30pm where we were greeted by the friendly reception team and collected the key to our caravan. On arriving we were given our holiday admin paperwork, entertainment schedule, pool opening times and activities. We were pretty close to everything which was good as the last thing we wanted to do was look for our holiday home with all the luggage and be right at the other end of the park. The sun had just come out when we arrived, I took this to be a sign of a good week. After putting our luggage in we headed straight over for dinner and enjoyed a tasty pub grub style meal together.

I had a lovely fish n chips tea and Adam enjoyed the Steak and Doom Bar Pie. We shared some bread and oils too which were very tasty.

We had a pretty busy week planned and were going to be running around Cornwall all week with our family bus pass. It was £52 for a week for two adults and as many kids as you had with you which was pretty good. It saved us a lot of money as we headed out pretty much every day.

The holiday park is quite small but features a good sized family resturant, takeaway, shop, indoor heated pool, outdoor pool & splash zone, play park, arcade and evening entertainment lounge. We had a good week, the place was pretty clean and we tried to sample as much as we could really. Mullion holiday park is situated just outside Mullion village, 7 miles south of Helston and around 3 miles away from Lizard Point which is the most south you can get to in the UK. In Helston you’ll find a large Sainsburys, Tesco and Lidl for food shopping which is very handy. We decided we were going to cook most nights so on the Saturday we headed back into Helston for some time at Flambards and a quick shop. We got back later in the afternoon and headed to the entertainment lounge for the kids disco. E really surpised me as she didn’t feel like joining in very much but instead watched what was going on with her slush puppy. She did have a lot of fun with the 2p machines though and won herself some sort of dino fish from one of the grab games.

On Sunday we headed down towards Lizard Point for a picnic and the weather was super sunny and lovely. E walked around the rockpools with Adam and they found a family of crabs. E was a bit disapointed because the crabs were too small apparently. Well, pleasing children is pretty hard to do anyway right? There are lots of lovely beaches in Cornwall. Otis and us have some great advice on beach days and rockpooling.

We headed back up to Helston after lunch for some ice cream and a play in the big park there by the lake before heading back to Mullion and jumping in the pool. It was lovely to have a swim and a play in the sunshine and I’m pretty surprised I had the confidence to get in to be honest! Monday we spend the day at St Michaels Mount which is absolutely worth a visit. There are loads of places to go hiking around Cornwall so it really does make for an adventurous holiday. With gorgeous, rocky coastlines you want to make sure you have all the right hiking equipment.

We ended up missing our bus back from Helston but after grabbing some drinks from Lidl we only had half hour to wait and chose to do that in the park. We stayed a little later in the entertainment lounge and watched some of the show for the night which was a bit of fun. By half nine E was actually tired (never happens at home…) so we headed back to the caravan for the night.

We had a lazy day on the Tuesday after a few full on days making use of the facilities on site. A good swim and a play in the soft play area with a costa coffee was just the relaxing time we needed. E headed into the outside park later on in the evening before our regular routine of arcade and evening entertainment. A few times we tried to order some drinks and cocktails but the bar staff in the star gate lounge either couldn’t hear us or just didn’t really understand our orders. This was really frustrating to be honest especially when the entertainment staff and DJ kept recommending drinks and the bar staff couldn’t really complete the order. It’s also worth noticing that there are new menus around and not every drink featured will be available in every park. However, rather than being politely informed about drinks being unavailable we were met with shrugs, blank stares and often rude remarks. It was a real shame to be honest as it’s something we will take away from our holiday and has kind of tarnished it a little. I hope it’s just a teething and training issue with whatever changes are taking place and it was simply a case of wrong place and time.

On Wednesday we headed into Falmouth on the bus which took around 45 minutes from Helston in search for a cream tea. We found the perfect place in Dolly’s Tea Room and Gin Palace. It was a really delicious cream tea and we will absolutely head back to Falmouth for a child free weekend in the future to sample more of those delicious gins on offer.

We came home to enjoy our evening meal and the evening entertainment. By this point I was starting to feel a little unwell with a scratchy throat. Now I’m home with a full blown cold which is very annoying. Thursday was our final day and another lazy one at that, mostly due to me feeling unwell but we still got out for a play, a swim and packed up our caravan so we could leave bright and early the next morning. Checking out was simple and we left around 8.50 to catch our bus. Reception wasn’t yet open so we dropped our keys into the post box just on the side of the door. It took eight long hours to get home and we’re glad to be back!

Mullion is a nice little holiday park and has good connection routes with the rest of Cornwall. There is plenty to see and do nearby including some absolutely stunning beaches and I wish we had a chance to get to some of them. We will absolutely visit Cornwall again and I would consider Park Dean Resorts as a good choice for self catering accomodation.

July 29, 2017