Author: Oana

Diary Doll – Letting Girls Enjoy Being Girls

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Being a girl is hard. No matter how much we refuse to subscribe to, acknowledge or admit it, we are born in a world where girls are told, from the word go, that there are certain standards they need to meet. We need to be good and kind, we are told, as soon as we can walk and talk; this is, at the end of the day, the ultimate description of what a girl should be . We need to do well in school. We need to help our siblings and share our parents with them without any resentment or hard feelings. We need to be well-mannered but also street-wise. We need to learn how to cook and run a household. We need to aim to get a good job and bring at least the same amount of money in the house, as our other half does. We need to be able to bear children, look immaculate, never complain, stay slim, keep a job, all at the same time. These messages bombard us from everywhere, …

Elinens Bedding For Life Competition

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I grew up with the smell of freshly ironed linen tightly interwoven with memories of celebrations, joy and fun. No matter how busy she would have been preparing for Christmas, my mum always ensured there was fresh linen smelling divinely on the beds on Christmas Eve. To us, as children, fresh, crisp bedding linen would have marked the beginning of the best season of the year, which entailed loads of home cooking, present opening and snow fighting. When I moved to the UK and especially after having Emma, I tried to instill the same sensory association in our little family. I change our bedding often and love to have it all tidily ironed and crisp when it goes on the beds. To me, for a fraction of a second, it is like being back in time and the delight of fresh linen never goes away. Elinens are a company after my own heart in this regard, as they do understand the powerful associations fresh linen can create and the sense of well being it can …

Halfords scooter tips and tricks guide

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I was never a very sporty, active child but my Emma takes after her daddy and she is a ball of energy. Literally. I have many times struggled to keep up with her and her boundless drive to be constantly in motion. I have learned to plan our week accordingly as I know that by mid-week she would need to be out and doing something different and exciting. Yesterday, when I read the touching article BBC News had published in honour of Richard Taylor, the pro-athlete who tragically died when he was only 23, following a skating accident, I was able to relate so much to his parents’ account of how themselves had found it scary and exhausting at times, trying to guide his energy in the right direction! Energetic children live on adrenaline and many times cannot grasp the concept of danger that comes with speed. Other times, they just simply ignore it for the sake of the thrill. Constant reminders in the form of cool ads and safety gear that appeals to their …

Expedition Tech Jacket by Scruffs Hard Wear – A Review

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As I said in my previous blog post, all of us were in desperate need of appropriate clothing this autumn. Of us all, hubby probably the most. He works as a housing surveyor; during a normal working day he would be climbing into lofts, measure wall and insulation thickness, check boilers and windows so it is a very hands on, physical job. He had been complaining not only about being cold while working but also about the danger he exposed himself to when wearing inappropriate gear. Working in such conditions means he needs to always carry a torch with him, to wear high visibility gear and for this gear to be highly breathable yet quite warm, so he can move freely. We had been trying- unsuccessfully- on several occasions to find him appropriate work gear. The items we looked at in B&Q were impractical, the wrong size(he wears a small) and the rapport price-quality extremely poor. So when I heard that Scruffs were looking for bloggers to review their autumn-winter collection, I had to give …

Tiny Trolls of Norway – A Review

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We have all been in need of good waterproofs this year so when the opportunity arose for Emma to review a winter overall for Tiny Trolls of Norway we were absolutely delighted! The UK section of their online shop has only been launched recently and the company was very kind to invite a number of bloggers’ children to review the winter overall range. As the blurb on the website says, “Tiny Trolls winter coveralls are extremely suitable for outdoor play in autumn and winter. Our garments are padded to ensure your child’s warmth and comfort. Enjoy their functionality with a high water column, good breathability and excellent durability.” The suits come in two sizes 1-3 years and 4-8 years, two separate designs, the Trollungen and the Lillebjorn and four colours pink, blue, purple and dark blue/black. Trollungen, the one Emma was gifted, is lightly padded and allows for good freedom of movement while playing. The hood and neck are lined with a fun design, soft fleece material. This suit has high durability silicon foot straps …