The final month of the year is just days away and with that comes the pressure to read the books I am desperate to read before the year is over! I hit my Goodreads reading challenge goal a few months ago; it was set at 52 and as I’m writing this I’ve managed 65! So I am super happy, however I thought I would share my end of year reading list and the books I am hoping to finish in December.
There’s something about settling down with your family over Christmas to watch a festive movie that can warm the cockles of any Grinch’s heart. Here we’ve compiled a list of 25 movies to stream this Christmas, some old and new Christmas films that should be on your ‘to be watched’ list this year! As we know that you watch so much of your children’s movies over the Christmas period, this list caters to adults only!
Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV
The Holiday is a feel-good Christmas film starring Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law (humminahummina) and Jack Black – the fantastic four of the Christmas movie world. The plot follows Kate & Cameron as they swap homes for the holiday, with Cameron hopping on a plane to a sleepy English cottage and Kate whisking herself away to a sleek, modern home in Cali. It has romance, friendship, laughter and warmth – what more could you want this holiday season?
Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV
Elf is a hilarious comedy where Will Ferrel, aka Buddy The Elf, realises that he is in fact a human and so travels from his home at the North Pole to NYC in search for his father. This film is full of laughter and chaos, you’re bound to spend the evening giggling with your family if you choose to snuggle up with this!
Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV
Emilia Clarke is the gorgeous Kate in this romantic comedy about a girl who is one bad decision away from becoming a pigeon’s permanent toilet until she falls head-over-heels for Tom.
Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV (It will also be hitting Netflix very soon for the Christmas season, so keep your eyes peeled!)
This absolute CLASSIC of a Christmas movie will have you sobbing into your hot chocolate as you follow 8 couples over the festive period. With a young Rick Grimes and the late Alan Rickman, you really can’t go wrong.
Amazon Prime
There’s nothing like a black-and-white movie in front of a roaring fire to really get you in the festive spirit. This film follows George Bailey, a man who wishes he’d never been born, and the angel Clarence who shows him just what life would have been like if he hadn’t
Netflix
Emma Roberts dating Luke Bracey with “no strings attached” over the holidays – what’s not to love?! This movie is light-hearted, fun and the ultimate romcom to watch when the littles are in bed!
Netflix
If you’re a fan of Catfish and The Vampire Diaries, you’ll love this! After meeting ‘the one’ on a dating app, Elena *ahem, sorry, Natalie* flies 3000 miles to realised she’s been catfished. Happy Christmas!
Netflix
A group of high school seniors are bought together by a snowstorm that hits on Christmas Eve. By Christmas morning, nothing will be the same (Dunn Dunn Dunn…. but in all seriousness, this movie is cool, light-hearted and fun!)
Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV
I have only two words to tell you about this movie. Jennifer. Aniston. Are you sold yet?
Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV
Ok, so the kids can watch this one! Martin Freeman (aka Paul) is a primary school teacher who is asked to produce the years nativity play, only to get himself into hilariously hot water once he tries to better his opponent by telling them a Hollywood producer will be turning it into a movie.
Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV
Is it a Christmas movie? You decide! Watch Bruce Willis crawl around in a little white vest rescuing a group of hostages at a Christmas party. This epic action movie is a must watch this season!
Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV
If you’re looking for something with a different vibe, why not jump into this Christmas vs Halloween mashup and scare yourself silly with Krampus? Based on German folklore, Krampus is the anti-Santi who comes and pays awful visits to children who aren’t on the nice list.
Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV
In this ‘A Christmas Carol’ adaptation, Bill Murray plays Frank Cross, a TV executive who is haunted by 3 spirits on Christmas Eve in a bid to make him see that he needs to change his ways.
Disney +, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV
On Christmas Eve, Scott and his son rescue Father Christmas from the roof. No big deal right? Wrong… Scott’s now inadvertently put himself forward as the next Santa! Watch as he tries to keep this from his ex-wife and family in this hilarious holiday classic!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmscsQsUtCE
Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV
Brad (Vaughn) and Katie’s (Witherspoon) Christmas plans are ruined when they’re made to stay at all four of their divorced parents families over the holidays. It’s a recipe for disaster!
Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play
Bella has ditched Edward for the gorgeous Harper, whom she plans to propose to over the Christmas holidays. Cue drama, shock and comedy when she learns that Harper has not yet come out to her parents in this perfect Christmas romcom.
Amazon Prime, Google Play
While Clark Grisworld plans to have the best Christmas ever, the universe has other plans. This movie is a hilarious must watch as Clark inadvertently causes every good Christmas related event into a terrible one!
Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV
Vince Vaughn is featuring in our list again, this time as Fred Claus! Follow the story of Fred, Santa’s older brother, who lands in jail and is only bailed out on the condition that he joins the family business at the North Pole!
Disney +, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV
If you love Sex In The City, you’ll love Sarah Jessica Parker in this Xmas romcom about an uptight business woman (SJP) visiting her outgoing, eccentric in-laws to be. Guaranteed to get a few good giggles and keep you entertained!
Netflix, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV
Snuggle up with a hot chocolate and enjoy this light-hearted Christmas comedy about the highs and lows of family life as Sam & Charlotte work to give their family the perfect Christmas.
Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV, YouTube
Time to settle down and enjoy a bit of Santa Claus – with a twist. This hilarious dark comedy stars Billie Bob Thornton as Willie, aka the worst mall Santa of all.
Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV, YouTube
The Kranks are known in their neighbourhood for having the best Christmasses ever. Glitzy Christmas Eve parties, amazing decorations, the whole shebang. And just for once, they are planning on flying off on a quiet Christmas holiday and are absolutely NOT celebrating Christmas. That is until their daughter tells them 12 hours before that she’s coming home – enjoy the mad rush as Jamie-Lee Curtis and Tim Allen try to make the last minute Christmas to remember.
Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV, YouTube
Join Seth Rogan, Joseph Gordan-Levitt and Anthony Mackie on their annual Christmas reunion. As they’ve grown into adulthood, it’s time to end that tradition with one last giant blow out.
Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV, YouTube
This is definitely a little more emotionally heavy than the other films that we’ve suggested, but Joyeux Noel definitely deserves a place on the list. It tells the true story of the momentary ceasefire in the WW1 trenches on Christmas Day 1914. This one will definitely have you grabbing for the tissues, so make sure you have plenty.
Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV, YouTube
After being arrested for trying to ‘steal some reindeer’, Santa enlists the help of a Father and Son to help him get back to the North Pole in time for Christmas. An absolute classic plot line for a Christmas movie at this time of year. It also stars Jim Broadbent, so it’s a win win!
We fully understand that for some people, November is far too early to be talking all things Christmas HOWEVER if you are anything like us organisation is key when it comes to the festive period; particularly when it comes to planning and spreading the cost. Today we are bringing you a bunch of Christmas tree decorations you need this year.
It is tradition in our house that each year we all pick a new decoration for our tree. I absolutely love how our Christmas tree is such a mismatch of beautiful memories from holidays or special places we have visited. We also give the boys free reign to pick whichever decoration they like each year – naturally they are attracted to the most tacky and garish decoration, but it’s so much fun!
We have a great selection for you to peruse whether you are into something quirky or something a little more classy…
LUXURY GLASS GLITTER DINOSAUR £5
RAINBOW LIGHTNING BOLT PAIR £10
Girl Power Lightning Bolt Bauble £5.50
Disney Store Santa Claus Mickey Icon Hanging Ornament £20
THIE WORKSHOP x Blondies Kitchen Milk and Cookie personalised glass Christmas decoration £25
Cheese Board Hanging Tree Decoration | Paperchase £6
Festive Sandwich Hanging Tree Decoration | Paperchase £10
POM POM DINOSAUR DECORATION £6
FESTIVE FIELD MUSHROOM TRIO £6
Moon Mercury Glass & Gold Metal Christmas Tree Decoration £7.50
Santa and Star Tree Decoration £5
Glitter Star Christmas Decoration £4
So our Secret Santa is once again on and we wanted to help you along with some great Secret Santa gift ideas, all under £20!
Giving gifts to anyone can be hard, but Secret Santa can be even trickier.
Okay, okay.. we are well aware it is only October, but if you are anything like us – the Christmas planning is well underway! We have put together a whole bunch of FREE Christmas planning printables for you all, including a monthly planner for December.
Whether it is planning family days out, what movies we are going to watch over the festive period or different activities I want to do with the boys over the month of December. We have already booked our breakfast with Santa, which I am incredibly excited for! We are such huge Christmas fans and have so many printables planned for you all, that we can’t wait to share.
To download and print, all you have to do is click the image of the printable you want! If you want to print ALL the printables, scroll down to the very last image and click that. As simple as that! We’d love to see you tag us via Instagram on your stories of using the printables! Tag us using @thatmamaclub or #thatmamaclubig
We have also created a “Books I Want To Read In December” for all us book lovers to plan our December TBR’s.
We are SUCKER for anything seasonal whether it is decorations, candle scents, book genres OR our personal favourite.. pyjamas! Specifically Halloween pyjamas for kids! I never dress the boys the same during the day, but at night time I can’t resist them in matching pyjamas. There’s something so incredibly cute about it. We have put together our top picks from the high street of kids Halloween pyjamas that we think you’ll love too.
We hope you liked seeing our top picks for Halloween pyjamas for kids! There are so many gorgeous sets out there and we are already so excited to see what they release for Christmas!
It’s just a bunch of Hocus Pocus!
Halloween is fast approaching, and here at TMC we are LIVING for it! Other than Christmas, Halloween is our absolute favourite holiday and it is fun for the whole family! We like to go slightly OTT and kit our homes out with pumpkins, skeletons and all things autumnal at this time of year and we have created a bunch of FREE Halloween printables, flags ( which double up as bunting) and general Halloween print outs that can also be used at Instagram story backgrounds, or phone wallpapers! We have included links for you to order wooden dowel rods, & ribbon for making bunting.
You can download the images by clicking on the graphic at the end of the post. Don’t forget, if you use our Halloween printables, tag us over at @thatmamaclub so we can have a look and share with everyone!
Follow the step by step directions that come with each flag, and decorate them how you like!
If you are anything like us, you equal parts love & hate horror films. We love them, but hate being scared. Does it make sense? To us, yes LOL. That being said, there is nothing better than getting snuggled up once the kids are in bed, grabbing your favourite snacks, putting on your horror favourite and hiding your face behind a cushion for the next 90+ minutes. We thought we would compile a list of the scary movies to stream, so they are all in one easy to find place if you ever need a recommendation.
Based on the novel by Stephanie Perkins, the graduating class at Osborne High is being targeted by a masked assailant, intent on exposing the darkest secret of each victim, and only a group of misfit outsiders can stop the killings.
After a family is forced to relocate for their son’s health, they begin experiencing supernatural behaviour in their new home, and uncover a sinister history.
Washed-up true crime writer Ellison Oswalt finds a box of super 8 home movies in his new home that suggest the murder that he is currently researching is the work of a serial killer whose legacy dates back to the 1960s.
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. There is quite a few in this series/franchise and they are all worth a watch!
On Halloween 1968, Stella and her two friends meet a mysterious drifter, Ramón, and uncover a sinister notebook of stories.
The Candyman, a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, is accidentally summoned to reality by a sceptic grad student researching the monster’s myth.
A young couple staying in an isolated vacation home are terrorized by three unknown assailants.
A caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators.
Based on the novel by Stephen King, Dr. Louis Creed and his wife, Rachel, relocate from Boston to rural Maine with their two young children. The couple soon discover a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new home.
After hearing a young boy’s cry for help, a sister and brother venture into a vast field of tall grass in Kansas but soon discover there may be no way out…and that something evil lurks within.
Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.
Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin, where they get more than they bargained for, discovering the truth behind the cabin in the woods.
A grieving family is haunted by tragic and disturbing occurrences.
We hope you find some new films to watch this Halloween! We’ve made sure to include some newbies and oldies but goldies!
The smell of a bonfire, autumnal leaves on the ground, the crisp chill in the air, mittens at the ready and excited faces for a display in the sky all spell Bonfire Night. In today’s blog I am going to give you some Stay at Home Bonfire Night Ideas, with a tasty family recipe that I have used for years without fail every bonfire night that adults & little ones will enjoy & keep them toasty and warm throughout the evening.
Head out to your local licensed fireworks shop and purchase a pretty selection of fireworks for your display. There are plenty to choose from including rockets, cathryn wheels & even smaller quieter indoor fireworks for those with sound sensitivities or for our super young wild ones. Always ensure you read the direction for use & the best way to enjoy your fireworks is safely, so make sure you’re aware of safe practices.
It’s time to create a cosy set up in the garden. Grab some twinkly fairy lights for the fence, trees or anywhere else they could be draped. Get some seating put together well away from where the fireworks will be lit/placed & grab all the pillows and blankets galore for a true cosy cuddle up while you watch the show unravel. If you have the space and fancy it why not make a little bonfire to toast some marshmallows on or make s’mores.
One thing we love the most is our favourite comfort foods to indulge in on Bonfire Night. To really warm our belly’s we always enjoy my signature Bonfire Night soup which I have included for you at the end of this blog so that you can make yours for all of the family to enjoy. My sweet potato & butternut squash soup is naturally Gluten Free & suitable for vegetarians/vegans & a great way to start a cosy evening in.
We then always do hot dogs (either frankfurters, sausages or vegan alternatives) in fluffy rolls, with mustard, ketchup & onions if you fancy. A bonfire night comforting but cosy dinner.
Grab your family’s favourite mugs and line them up ready to rock n roll. Place out your family’s favourite hot choc powder, some warm milk in a pourer, a bowl of mini marshmallows, a bowl of chocolate flakes, a bowl of sprinkles & a squirty cream. Then when you’re all snuggled together toasty warm outdoors enjoying the fireworks you have a scrummy sweet treat to enjoy plus it’s great fun for the kids to make their own.
The big kids of the bunch could enjoy a nice warmed apple cider to enjoy guilt free or how about some homemade cupcakes with chocolate flakes standing upwards to look like little bonfires. The choice of treats are endless.
Once the fireworks and sparklers have all gone out you could get ready for a movie of the night. Cosy Pjs at the ready & fluffy blankets. We have a little projector we bought on amazon, so we just chuck an old white bed sheet up and pop the film on the projector, so it feels like a cosy indoor cinema where we all get toasty and warm after the fireworks.
Grab a selection of your family’s favourite sweeties and pop them along the table with little paper bags for the kids to create their own Pick n Mix. Pick n Mix is the best treat for movie time and a lovely little way to round off a cosy family bonfire night created in the comfort of your own homes.
Here’s my family’s traditional Soup lovingly created for generations in my family, now lovingly passed down to you & yours!
Enjoy x
Serves 4-6 people
3 tablespoons of butter (or butter alternative, I use dairy free spread) & melt in a large saucepan with ½ a finely chopped white onion
Peel and dice 1 squash and place into the saucepan
Peel and dice 3 sweet potatoes and place into the saucepan
Add 1 litre of vegetable stock (preference is your own but i always use Knorr) to the pan.
Add a few grinds of pepper
Bring the saucepan to the boil and simmer until all vegetables are very soft (patience is key).
Either transfer to a blender & blend to your preferred consistency (we always go for slightly thicker options with this recipe) OR use a hand blender and blend and combine all the ingredients while still in the pan. If you have a little one who’s weaning blend to preferred consistency to suit their weaning journey so they can enjoy the same foods as you.
For those who love a splash of heat (like we do) add a sprinkle of chilli powder or ½ 1 red chilli before blending to add extra warmth.
Serve in a bowl with warm crunchy bread.
(TIP if you have any left over pop into an airtight container and refrigerate to reheat on the hob another day, it tastes just as good OR pop in to freezable pots for your little wild ones weaning journey)
As soon as Autumn hits, the countdown to Christmas is officially on. Sorry, but actually not sorry in the slightest. Perfect timing for us to start donning our Santa hats as the Marks & Spencer Christmas food has just been released and you can get your orders in now! We have collected our top picks for starters, mains & desserts. Ohhh the desserts… drool worthy!
Marks & Spencer is one of our absolute favourite places to order our yummy Christmas food from, it’s always feels a little bit more special as they really go above & beyond with their creations. There’s something unique every year and especially great if you are entertaining guests.
It is super easy to order, you simply book a collection slot, choose your dream Christmas menu, pay only a deposit and collect in store between 22nd-24th December.
Ricotta Stacks (Serves 2) – £7
Spanish Meats & Manchego Cheese Selection Platter (Serves 8) – £15
The Perfect Turkey Joint (Serves 8-10) – £45
Plant Kitchen Vegan Beef Wellington (Serves 4) – £15
Sticky Toffee Pudding Crown (Serves 12) – £20
Golden Blond Chocolate Star Christmas Pudding (Serves 8) – £12
Triple Choc-a-Block Churros (Serves 6) – £10
We hope this has given you some ideas of food you’d like to see on your Christmas table! We’ve just placed our order….
Click here to pre-order your Christmas food direct from the Marks & Spencer website.
Autumn is well underway and we are here to share 20 things you can do in October. We have Halloween parties, hashtag challenges & various expeditions that everyone can enjoy. Take a look and see if there are any in your local area.
My favourite time of year is FINALLY here, the last three months are just *chefs kiss*. Halloween & Christmas are my absolute favourite holidays and we go allll out over here at That Mama Club. As always, we have a lovely bunch of bloggers & small businesses to share with you! It is time to introduce you to our October advertisers. A huge thank you once again to those who choose to advertise on our blog, it honestly means so much!
Hi, I’m Rebecca from The Solid Bar Company in Oxfordshire. My husband and I started the company after sailing across the Atlantic with our daughter inspired by nature and wanting to create a plastic free and palm oil free range as good as traditional products offered at a competitive price.
Our award winning vegan products include our Calendula Nappy Balm (Awarded Green Parent Gold Winner 2021), face cleansing bars, Haircare bars (Awarded Top Santé Winners 2021) Castile body soaps, pet and repellent bars, deodorants and more; suitable for all the family. We are also about to launch a magnesium oxide aluminium-free deodorant shortly.
If you would like to try any of our products out please use MAMA15 code at checkout for 15% off!
Hi to all at “That Mama Club.” My name is Lesley Cordell, I’m from Bedfordshire in the UK and I am a published author of children’s books.Angus The Little White Fluffy Cloud Who Fell in Love With The Sun is a cute and clever story that explains the water cycle, the formation of clouds and rainbows, the compass points and the four winds. That is the bare framework. However first and foremost Angus is a love story. Two beings that are unsuitable partners fall in love. Good advice from friends is ignored. There is deceit, peril and tragedy. There is a lesson to be learned, “Sometimes getting what you want is not good for you!” A happy ending; it is after all a book for 3 to 5 year olds!
I now have a second book published. Gordon The Little Ghost Who Was Very Bored. Just in time for Halloween! Gordon and his friend Oli the owl go on a journey to solve a problem. There are nocturnal animals to be spotted. Gordon cleverly outwits scary beasts that block their path. Will Gordon’s wish come true? A third book, Travis The Little Tractor Who Couldn’t Stop Laughing is currently being illustrated.
Tasha’s Lifestyle shares posts about Tasha’s life – memories with family and friends, relationships, and wellness. Now, you can also find posts covering Tasha’s new motherhood journey!
Mahana Children’s Boutique is a small children’s clothing brand founded and run by a mum of two. All of the clothes are unique, made with premium fabrics and ethically handmade in the UK. We are currently launching our Autumn Winter 2021 collection which includes a beautiful festive piece too. We are so excited to share our clothes with you all. Give us a follow to keep up to date with our collection and offers. You don’t want to miss out!
Hi! I’m Seher, a mum of two and a full time English teacher. I started this blog to reflect on my motherhood journey in May this year, but realised that the issues that concerned me are actually universal. So far, I’ve focused on: breastfeeding (trials and tribulations), celebrating my father (who passed away unexpectedly four years ago), growing confident girls, and self care tips. My latest post will be on overcoming work anxiety. Expect to find brutal honesty in every post. That’s just how I am in reality too! As well as that, you will also find some delicious food recipes on the page. Baking and cooking has helped me to gain tremendous faith in myself over lockdown. I now feel much better knowing that I can feed my fussy eaters a variety of food.
We are SO excited to bring you an interview with Mhairi McFarlane! We read Mhairi’s latest release, Last Night, in July as part of our book club and we all loved it! Mhairi kindly offered to answer some questions for us! Click here to buy your copy of Last Night.
When it comes to running a business you need to think about how you are marketing it, by marketing it properly you are going to increase how much you reach your target audience. Utilizing marketing is a huge part of running a business but in order to do it successfully you need to do your research, without research you are not going to know how best to target your audience.
If you are looking to market your business and reach more of your target audience but you are unsure how to get started or you need ideas on how you can market your business then these few tips should help you to understand how you could help marketing your small business.
One of the biggest marketing tools that is used these days is social media, it has such a huge presence now which gives you the ability to reach lots of people. With social media you need to start by researching your customer base, you can do this through short surveys or when they sign up for things etc. Once you have asked them what social media they tend to use you can now start to target your audience by using the social media they are active on. This gives you the optimal reach, and if they share it and any of their friends are interested in your business they could use it or they then share it and it keeps reaching more and more people, if you can get on social media before your competitors it will give you the edge.
When marketing your business you should try and get creative where you can, by utilising the modern day technology you can do all sorts of creative things. The best creative
marketing you can do is videos and video ads. You could set up a Youtube channel and do videos about your business, explaining what you do and what you offer, maybe showing your products and how they work. You can also do video ads whether for TV or just to put online, a lot of people are using an animation studio and creating animations for their videos as animation has become very popular.
If you are already using social media then it makes sense for your business to have an online presence if it doesn’t already. By creating a website you can boost your online presence and make sure that more people can find your website. Without a website then you can not easily make online ads for your business as there would be nowhere to go to when they click the ad and also you will be losing customers. If you have no website and someone sees an ad on TV or one of their friends tell them about you, one of the first things they will probably do is google you and if you do not have your information there for them to see they are unlikely to want to use your business, some still might but if you want to utilise your customers then having a site will help.
If you are looking to better market your small business but you are unsure where to start or what sort of things you can do then these few tips should help you to understand what you can do and help you get started.
A home remodelling project can often feel like a never ended slew of rubble and bricks. And for the most part, that is true But one of the most exciting parts of remodelling your home is the sheer amount of possibility. Many people don’t factor into a remodel that much of the materials can be safely recycled. From cable recycling to reclaiming old doors – here are some tips for the three Rs.
Anything that is hard plastic, metal or wood can usually be recycled with ease. The only issue is that any of these that have been chemically treated isn’t suitable.
The chemical leaches out into the surrounding areas and can be harmful to the environment.
Likewise, if you find something you wish to use within your home, you need to check to ensure that it hasn’t been chemically treated.
White goods and most appliances can be recycled, but you will need to work with a professional recycling company. If the appliance is in good working order, it can often be donated to shelters. Be sure to check all of the options.
If you have decided to remove and replace the roof, this can be one of the biggest waste generators. Sheathing, unfortunately, cannot be reused – however, paper-based sheathing can be recycled.
Asphalt shingles last over 20 years, so they can be reused and recycled.
Light bulbs and lighting fixtures can often be reused since they are hardwearing. Often the retro and vintage ones can fetch a pretty penny when sold.
Flooring and countertops can be reused, reclaimed or recycled – for the flooring; it needs to be in safe order. Wood, laminate and bamboo flooring can be recycled with ease. However, most often, carpet can’t be recycled, but it can be reused.
Things like stone or marble countertops can be smashed up and used for flooring slabs or to create a backsplash. Donating the counter to charity or selling it is a great way to ensure that hard-wearing material is used again.
As you can see, there is a long list of possibilities for reusing, recycling and recycling building materials.
To make sure that it is possible for you, the first thing to do is only work with a remodelling company that has recycling and reusing policies. This will mean they are already equipped to handle the task.
Planning ahead will mean that you can plan to upcycle and repurpose things like cabinets, faucets or other items.
Depending on the quality of the items that you are removing, you may consider posting a notice in the local paper or online so that people can come and take the things off your hands. It’s up to you if you would like to sell them or give them away.
You can also speak to your contractor, as they likely have plenty of contacts who prefer to use materials that have been sourced rather than purchased as new.
And finally, a crucial part of the process is to – where possible – close the loop. That means using recycled and reclaimed items in your building process.
Check out our Sustainability archive for other great tips.
Does it rush in with the start of the new term? When the clamour of John Lewis shoe department and the fight for the last pair of size threes is over. When every item of clothing is name taped, and the new pencil cases have been proudly filled. When the meticulous organisation gives way to an inevitable rush to meet the first school run, new shoes squeaking as you run across the playground, and then later scrolling social media you see scores of newly grown-up smiling faces. The lull of the house surrounds you, is that autumn?
Even in those years where I’ve not been connected to schools, and term-times and Centre-Parcs ridiculous price hikes, the autumn term has always felt like a renewal. It brings back memories of walking into school on that first day, smelling the freshly waxed floors, having a new peg to hang my bag on and still in the pit of my stomach the excitement and nerves linger. I buy a new notebook every September, reorganise my desk and revel in the feeling of a new beginning.
Or does autumn begin for you when the first leaf falls? Maybe it’s a rainy day, and you watch as a sudden gale throws a yellow leaf against your window. Stuck there with raindrops running all around it, you catch yourself shivering, and think about lighting a candle to make the house feel warm and cosy. Or maybe you are out walking the dog, early morning, and notice its not quiet as light as it was last week. In fact, there’s a definite chill to the air and you notice the pavement is fringed with confetti, a light dusting of leaves newly fallen. Maybe it’s your little one running up to you with a handful of leaves, of autumns treasures, and as you tuck them carefully in your pocket you think, ‘autumn’s begun’.
Perhaps you are neither of the above and as September rolls around you hold tight to summer, after all summer fades in a spectacular way in September. Its dahlia season, glowing pompoms of petals brightening up flowerbeds and windowsills. The evenings are still long enough for trips to the park after school, ice cream drips on book bags, piling into the car flushed with laughter and fresh air. We spent the first weekend of September at the beach. And to see the picnic blankets, the sandcastles, the sandals kicked off and the tins of gin and tonic that appeared from coolers you would have thought it was still the peak of summer.
Today – the 22nd September – marks the autumn equinox, when night and day are of equal length and the beginning of autumn in the northern hemisphere. After today the nights will lengthen, the sun rising later in the day and the nightfall drawing in. So for all of us, summer lovers and pumpkin spiced souls alike, the season is carrying us into autumn. The leaves are changing, we celebrate the harvest festival and, (dare we whisper it?), Christmas is glittering on the horizon.
Here at That Mama Club, we are celebrating the season, we’ve rounded up the best things to do across the country, sharing great autumn content ideas and the best things to watch on TV this season.
All that’s left to do is say….
HELLO AUTUMN!
Happy 1st (official) day of Autumn! We have been embracing Autumn since the day September 1st hit but we appreciate some people prefer to enjoy the last few days of summer sun. We absolutely love writing seasonal content and Autumn/Winter is where we feel most inspired, it also a sure set way to gain traffic on your blog; anything specific to the current season! Constantly coming up with fresh and exciting blog post ideas can be really difficult so we have collated a selection of Autumn blog post ideas for everyone!
There you have it, 50 autumn blog post ideas for every content creator! These could be interpreted for blogs or Instagram photo ideas/captions. Are you going to use any of these ideas?
A woman’s body during pregnancy is one of the most incredible things in life. We create, grow and birth whole human beings. We have to endure tiny bladders, back ache and leaking nipples for nine months: then proceed to walk this exhausted life for 18+ years. We give up everything for our children: including our bodies. Our boobs become a personal drinks machine and don’t even get me started on being stuck under a sleeping baby when you need the toilet!
We often become aliens in our own bodies. Unable to feel comfortable in this new skin.
You could say, that our bodies change during the course of motherhood. From the moment that seed starts to grow inside of us, our bodies change forever.
The moms that have lost babies, find it hard to conceive and those who carry to full term: our bodies are moved by this process.
We are told that our bodies are made for this job: a baby factory. Our skin changes and we are told to accept that this is life now. We have to love and be confident in this foreign place. But sometimes it’s a little hard to look in the mirror and see a person that we don’t recognise. We get bigger, We lose weight, We stretch, We wobble, We jiggle and our boobs look like that of an 80 year old woman. We find ourselves looking at the likes of Kim Kardashian and Beyoncé: these women who have given birth yet look like some sort of Greek goddess statue. The world around us doesn’t show the bodies of those who haven’t ‘bounced back’. So it’s hard to look at that reflection and see it as beautiful, especially if we compare it to the body we had pre babies.
My body does NOT look like what I expected of myself at the age of 24. To be honest I look like a dropped lasagne. I don’t have the body of a page 3 model and most people think I shouldn’t openly share this body online. But as a mom who sees only sees the same three people a day, two of them are under the age of three, getting a compliment off a stranger online is kinda’ nice.
To my parents dismay I am often seen in my lingerie on the internet. But although I am not completely in love with my post baby body, I believe it is important. It’s rare for me to see image of women like myself on the internet: something that as a young first time mom made me hate myself. It was hard to believe that anyone else looked the same or had the same experiences as I. Although everyone says that ‘stretch marks are ugly’ or ‘they tell the beautiful story of your baby’: It is hard not to see them as ugly.
So think about how you look at these women in the public eye. Do you look at them and think they are beautiful or ugly? Now think about how you think about yourself?
I am by no means the epitome of self-love. I have struggled with ED, depression, anxiety and postnatal depression. I am basically a mess. But one thing I can control is how I feel about myself. I can control what hurts me and what controls my happiness. If @Steve435 from Texas thinks my big thighs are ugly, what should I care?
My body has gone through a lot over the years. I’ve never really felt comfortable in my own skin, always comparing my weight and my looks to those around me. I always thought that happiness came from being a size 8 and having B cup boobs. In University I had an eating disorder that saw me balloon from a size 12 to a size 18 and back again within a few short months. Little did I know that in order to love myself I had to embrace what I already had rather than changing it.
So, as easy as I write it, I decided to love myself. It seems silly and unachievable. But I just sat there and said to myself. Just love yourself. Stop taunting yourself, bullying yourself. You wouldn’t treat someone else like this so why would you do this to yourself? The thing that gives you life: gave you two amazing children.
Sounds silly, but this is something I stopped doing for a really long time unless it was controlled and edited by myself. I was petrified of the thought of looking fat or unpolished. During my pregnancy with Rupert I avoided the camera: being pregnant made me look massive (obviously) but I couldn’t bare seeing images of myself looking ‘big’. I have a few images from my baby shower because I was forced into them. So sad that I don’t have many images from that amazing time in my life.
I am making a huge effort to take more images of myself, not just for the gram either. Photos with loved ones and everyday moments. Focusing less on how I look and taking the time to appreciate the captured love.
Be happy and take fun photos of yourself. You don’t have to post them anywhere. Just be in love with yourself.
At my darkest times of hating my own body, I was not only harming myself by binging and purging but I let the little things go. Things like getting my hair done, doing daily skincare, drinking water and taking time to slow down and enjoy the things I love. I was being too harsh on myself and making things worse. I know that simple things like a pamper can make me not only feel better about myself but improves my mental health. Trust being a mom of two very young boys means sometimes I don’t have time to care for myself but I find every second I can to do the things that make me happy.
I always feel like I have to do everything myself and asking help is the equivalent to failing. Being a mom is hard but I have learnt that I am not wrong or bad to ask for help. If anything it makes me a better person and parent.
I was someone before becoming a parent and asking for help allows that person to still be important.
For years I have hidden behind huge tops, jeans and jumpers because that is what is expected of me. I have always wanted to wear skirts, crop tops and dresses but I didn’t think I could unless I was skinny. But why should I stop myself dressing the way I want? If I am comfortable and happy what does it matter.
I guess I have myself to blame for a lot of my issues. I have always followed the skinny bloggers, saw myself as someone less than them. Watching them and dreaming of when I could be like them: Holding myself back and purposely making myself feel bad. As I expressed in the into I had started to surround my every day life with positive influences. Following those who are promoting self love no matter who you are, rubs off on you and you end up loving yourself because you love them.
People like Francesca Perks have taught me to love myself and my skin regardless on the size number on my clothing. Wearing what I want to wear without fear of society, be happy with everything I have. Yes, I have stretch marks and cellulite: but why do these need to be a bad thing? Also she is hella sexy. Lingerie and nudes are beautiful regardless of your size.
Stephanie Yeboah, is one of the most humble and kind people you will find within the social world. She has proven that hard work and kindness will help you to be the best and most successful person.
I have actively started surrounding myself with those promoting being a good person, being inclusive and being your authentic self.
I am an educated, beautiful and smart woman with a degree in Journalism, two beautiful children and a wonderful home. A blog I am proud of and a talent that has given my hobby of creating content into a job that provides. Follow hashtags like #selfloveclub and #bodyconfidence etc that will bring a lot of positivity to your feed.
Go through your social media and unfollow or mute any accounts that doesn’t make you happy. It isn’t rude to unfollow someone if they are effecting your happiness, it just means their content isn’t for you but may be for someone else. Then follow a bunch of accounts that make you happy.
We live a lot of our lives online so it should be a happy place to be.
As a society we are told it is wrong to think of ourselves as beautiful. As women we are often called narcissistic for thinking of ourselves as amazing or wonderful. But we are? Every woman is! Being a mom is hard and we should be praised for what we achieve without being seen in a bad light.
If someone compliments you, the natural reaction is to say ‘oh no I look horrible’. Why? Just think about that for a second.
We are also deemed to believe that taking a break or taking a day off makes us lazy or bad parents. We are human and sometimes we need that little moment to breathe. As long as you are looking after yourself, you are looking after your kids. Your children don’t want an unhappy burnt out mom all the time. The washing up can wait, putting the clothes away can wait. And yes, sometimes fish fingers and chips is a great dinner.
Body Confidence comes from you. No-one else. No diet can give you that, No number in your clothes can do that. Think, honestly, about yourself. Is being skinnier going to take away all your unhappiness? Is having smoother skin, longer hair, tanned skin, tighter stomach, longer nails going to make you love yourself completely? Probably not. These things may help a little but they won’t get rid of any self hate. We are programmed to hate ourselves. It takes a lot of unroot that but it is worth it.
As a mother I don’t want this pattern of self hate to continue. I don’t want my children growing up thinking mommy hates herself and it is normal to pick away at yourself every day for the way you were made. This can stop with us if we try.
So say this, I honestly want you to promise me to say this out loud to yourself every day. ‘I Love You’.
There are far too many things going on in this world right now to be worrying about, adding crap body image on to that is just not needed.
Things I say to myself everyday:
‘I Love You’
‘You Look Pretty Today’
‘You’re an amazing Mum’
‘You’re doing your best’
What I am trying to say with all this is, give yourself a break. You are beautiful, you are strong and when the end of your life comes around you will remember the happy moments: not the diets or self hate. So make more of those happy moments and less of those bad thoughts. Flaunt that body like no-one is watching. Because I guarantee the ones who love you won’t see the bad you see in yourself so what’s the point in it?
———-Zoe Sugg’s IGTV series on Body Image is an amazing video filled with the most amazing women, this video honestly changed the way I saw about my body. It is very much worth a watch for those wanting some love from within. ————-