Review: My New Fridge Freezer - a new baby essential

Gifted Product Features

So this isn’t my birth story but this is how my birth story starts with the delivery of my new fridge freezer....

First of all we decided a new fridge freezer was an essential with a baby on the way, everyone kept talking about batch cooking and freezing meals and although I loved my old fridge freezer, but the freezer compartment could only really fit some ice cubes and mars ice creams (pregnancy craving right there).

On the day of delivery (Monday 29 July) the delivery men arrived and I realised I hadn’t cleaned the floor where the old fridge was, after I bent down that was the moment my waters broke. I had been told it was not like the films but my god YES it was, I ran upstairs trying to stop the flow (FYI it doesn’t stop until you give birth also a normal pad doesn’t cut it)

Anyway back to the fridge; for my return from hospital my parents had fully stocked both the fridge and the freezer full of yummy goodies and our new cold water compartment - a very important part of the new fridge freezer and for a new mama, if you're breastfeeding you will drink gallons a day.

Make and model: Hotpoint Class 7 Total NoFrost fridge freezer (H7T 911A KS H AQUA)

Cost: Available from retailers for around £569.99

Why you would want to buy:

• Cold water dispenser - a life changer as who has time to try to get ice out of a tray to cool a drink?!
• No hassle with defrosting your fridge with NoFrost technology - I have had this 7 months now and not a single bit of ice anywhere. With my last fridge/freezer, I couldn't really open the freezer due to ice.
• Fresh fruit and veg really does last for longer - I have never been one to waste food, I think I can safely say that sometimes fruit and veg lasts at least one week longer if not more than my last fridge with the food preservation technology.
• Multiple compartments - The fridge freezer features a Fresh Zone+ compartment which is humidity controlled and makes storing fresh fruit and vegetables a breeze. There is also Fresh Zone 0ºC compartment that maintains a temperature of around 0°C, which is perfect for storing delicate food items such as fresh meats and fish.
• No funky smells - the ‘Active Oxygen’ technology keeps my fridge smelling fresh and eliminates strong odours, which is important for my cheese loving household.
• Energy efficient: The fridge freezer has an ‘A+’ energy rating to keep your utility bills low on the fridge freezer front.
• Size - it’s taller than both Adam and I with storage capabilities of 360 litres and has adjustable shelves to create more space for bigger items as you buy them. 
• Design - I went for the black colour as I wanted a modern touch to our kitchen and I love it! 

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Gifts for Mother's Day

Spoil your Mum, Wife, Girlfriend this Mother's Day, this Mother's Day will be a special one for me as it will be my first and I am already looking forward to it, especially with all this depressing talk about Coronavirus (Covid-19). I want to be spoilt with some indulgent gifts.

Here are my top 8 gifts to spoil that special mum on Mother's Day:

1. Jean Paul Gaultier, Scandal Gift Set- £55.99, Perfume Direct – This is one of my favourite scents at the moment.

2. The Aveeno Mum & Baby Gift set - £15 - Boots is an essential in our home and this gift set it just too cute with hair & body wash, mum and baby moisturiser and a little teddy comforter.

3. Design Letters, Blue The Little Memory Book - £42, AlexandAlexa.com

4. Neocolor Pastels - £16.99, Carandache as my Mum is an avid colouring book fan, this set of 10 pastels is the perfect gift.

5. One Year Roses Make Up Box, - £49.95, PrezzyBox

6. 14k letter necklace - from £225, Maya Brenner of course I have one with a W, and it does not leave my neck. 

7. Dyson Supersonic, Hair Dryer Professional Edition, £346.49, Dyson

8. Zaire Agate Cheese Board - £68, Anthropologie 

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Christmas Gift Guide 2019

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are out of the way so I thought I would share my Christmas Gift recommendations so you can finalise all of your Christmas Shopping.

From fashion with big fluffy parkas to a standing desk I have you covered to either request to have it under your tree or buy for a loved one.

SHOP THE POST
1 | Bluebell smart baby monitoring system, £299

2 | Hari and the gang, Black hello cowl neck hoodie, £49

3 |  blackspade, Long sleeved PJ's, £53.95 

4 | The Little sensory box, from £11.97

5 | POLAROID POP 2.0, £164

6 | Shapewear, MIRACLESUIT INSTANT TUMMY TUCK, £47.50

7 | varidesk, height adjustable standing desk. £275

8 | HELLY HANSON, W SVALBARD PARKA, £250

9 | ALFA ITALIA AMALFI VIAGGIO TRAVEL DRYER AND STYLER KIT, £44.95

10 | LUSH, SANTA'S GROTTO GIFT SET, £38

11 | cHICCO NEXT2MOON - CRIB PROJECTOR, £43.57

12 | ROYCE LINGERIE, MATERNITY BRA, £32

13 | BABY EINSTEIN, HAPE, INNOVATION STATION, £75.64

14 | PAVILION BOOKS, THE BOMPAS & PARR COCKTAIL BOOK: RECIPES FOR MIXING EXTRAORDINARY DRINKS, £7.19

15 | MATCHSTICK MONKEY, CROCODILE, £22.92

16 | LAKELAND, CHRISTMAS SNACK BOWLS, £14.99

17 | LAKELAND, BORGO DE' MEDICI ITALIAN BLACK TRUFFLE DINNER GIFT SET, £39,99

18 | jIMMY CHOO MAN BLUE FRAGRANCE GIFT SET, £46

19 | BENEFIT, SWEET RIDE GIFT SET, £26.50

20 | FIREBOX, GLITTER CRANBERRY SAUCE, £9.99

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Master Bedroom: Update and new Leesa Mattress

So there has been a lot of movement on the home font in the past few months so I thought I would share a few updates starting with the bedroom. 

We moved rooms from the roof conversion room back downstairs, mainly because the temperature variation was a bit crazy from freezing to so hot you feel like you are melting.

First of all we painted the walls in a cool grey, Dimpse from Farrow & Ball which we actually only did one coat maybe the colour came out the way it did because of the undercoat which was a vile purple like lilac - but I love the colour now. 

We then sorted out the little store cupboard in the room which we are thinking could be transformed into a en suite bathroom at some point but for the moment we painted it in All White, from Farrow & Ball then added some pine shelves storing all my shoes and old school DVDs - more shelves will be added shortly.

The main focal point of the room is the bed and the bed I was looking for ages for a fabric bed and they were all over £800 but i managed to purchase a luxurious light grey one for £249.

I also decided with the big move it deserved a new mattress I have seen everyone getting these ‘pop-up’ mattresses that get delivered rolled up in a box and had heard great things about them so I was excited for my Leesa Sleep mattress to arrive. I have now being using it for over a month and I am in love. The Leesa mattress starts from £399 and if you my code TIME2GOSSIP you can get £100 off and if you want to pay monthly they offer 0% interest. You get a 100 night risk-free trial, 10 year warranty and free delivery and returns - Leesa really believes you will love their mattress that they ensure you wont be out of pocket if its not for you.

BUY YOUR LEESA MATTRESS HERE

The Look: It is a one look fits all as this is the only mattress Leesa offer in a range of sizes. The mattress is really modern with a pretty striped grey & white design, its a shame I have to cover it up with a sheet.

The Feel: It was strange on my first night on the Leesa mattress you literally float on-top of the mattress as it molds around you from the memory foam layer offering significant support. The top Avena foam layer ensures that you get a cooler nights sleep so you can get cozy in your duvet. My sleeps are so much deeper, I am not waking up during the night anymore and I cant feel my other half moving around which is just fabulous.

Making up the bed:

Pillows: Goose Feather and Down Pillows from the Fine Bedding Company

Mattress Protector: Deep Fill Cotton Mattress Protector from the Fine Bedding Company for £18.50

Bedding: Ikea, £17

Dotted around the room are some wicker baskets that have Paul the polar bear on top and also a bench from Ikea - which I think I may move out.

Our bedside cabinets are from Ikea (similar ones here). 

I have my art pint from Brixton market but I need to work on some additional decor for the room maybe some prints above the bed.

The room is super cozy and I have a great nights sleep so its perfect for the moment.

Do you spot the Love Island water bottle :-)

This post is sponsored by Leesa Sleep Ltd

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14 home buys from West Elm

West Elm is one of my favourite homeware stores in America I always go in when I am visiting my family in Houston and wish I could ship the whole store to the UK. 

There is a branch now in London but its hard to get there but all my prayers have been answered with a store down the road in Kingston upon Thames and I thought I would share 14 of my favourite products from the new store and some snaps.

SHOP my favourites below:

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How to make An instagram worthy wall

Making my garden pretty was a struggle. From taking photos nearly every day as part of my job, I obviously want my home to be a hub of pretty places where my photos could take place. When I bought my house there was this horrible brick wall, the people before me had kids and I always thought the brick wall was so dangerous there were loose bricks just placed around. I believe there used to be a shed and obviously the old owners thought they were super smart by just knocking it down themselves and then just LEAVING IT…WHO DOES THAT?! 

Anyway, rant over, long story short we have been in our house over 6 months and it’s still a job that needs doing, we have planted pretty plants all over the garden and even have a little herb and vegetable patch. Our patio has this lovely large corner sofa from Wayfair and we brought a barbecue for the bargain price of £30 in the sale from Homebase which Adam was pretty chuffed about but the brick wall was still annoying me. 

So why complain about it when I can do something about it. I first picked out some exterior paint from Sandtex part of their Fine Textured Masonry Paint range in Pure Brilliant White, you get a pretty decent size tin (10Litres) for £24.99 and the paint would have been able to do the back of my house, I literally only used a tiny bit for the wall, it went on very easily using only a little paint and the wall only needed two coats for a really thick coating. 

As the masonry paint is dirt resident and waterproof I shouldn’t need to worry about re-painting for a while, which is a relief seeing as it took me so long to get around to it in the first place. I decided to use the fine textured masonry paint range due to it being able to cover fine cracks – it’s not a perfect wall and unless I want to spend a few hundred on getting it rendered it will have to do, but I actually like that it’s not smooth and you can see the brick outline. 

Now I could have just covered the wall in flowers to try and make it pretty, but the pop of white paint from Sandtex has really turned my boring wall into an Instagrammable background for I am sure many OOTD’s to come. Although ‘Pure Brilliant White’ is not the most interesting colour, as my garden is already filled with colour from the green grass and flowers it actually makes it stand out. It feels like I have just injected a pop of colour into my garden without an actual colour. The other colours I was debating about was Plymouth Grey (grey/purple hue), or Terracotta which are all great to revive surfaces, sheds or upcycle furniture.

Next up will be my boring shed which I am thinking of using Bay Tree from Sandtex. After all, everyone needs a sage green shed, right?! 

Anyway when the paint was dry, I popped over to Squires, garden centre, a shop that has taken many pounds from me – I never realised I would be sucked into a gardening shop! I brought a climber to go up one side of the wall called Silly Cow (no joke) or Passion Flower, on the other side of the wall is a wisteria but when I brought it I didn’t realise it would take like 10 years to actually grow!!!

 It is incredible that a pop of paint has really transformed my garden into a stylish spot.

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My Lounge Style & Top high street buys

I have not done much of a house tour yet as it has only just started to come together. Adam and I moved in, in October and with Christmas just round the corner nothing got done except for painting the lounge, even our sofa didn't arrive until just before Christmas Day. Any way I thought now was the time I could start sharing my what I have done with the place and what I still have planned for my lounge. 

So the colour of the walls was an off green, not a cute pale green an odd green so I used Farrow & Ball  in Slipper Satin and just a lick of paint transformed the room. For the ceiling I used Farrow & Ball again in All White, keeping your calling a lighter colour will make the room feel bigger and I always like callings to be a pure white, not sure why but just looks better. I decorated my last lounge was quite farmhouse esq and I still wanted to keep that style but with a modern twist.

I started with getting a sofa sorted and I always wanted a fabric, chesterfield style sofa but they were just so expensive and I knew I wanted GREY that was essential and managed to get a pretty good lookalike: Chester from DFS. My other chair took me months to decide on as I wanted something big enough to cuddle up on but not something too crazy. I actually really wanted this velvet pink armchair from Anthropolgie but it cost £££ and they only sold it in america so I ended up finding the Houseology Collection Studded Easy Chair, its big, neautral and looks great with my Anthropologie throw, (they don't sell it anymore but their throws are all so beautiful). I have also added a White Company cushion using 'the chop' method to showcase it. On the 'Chester' (as I like to call it) there is some velvety look cushions in pink and grey from Primark and a fluffy white throw that I got as a gift as Christmas from Robbie Kay for Christmas.

The coffee and side table is an Ikea hack using Vittsjo nest of tables and some gold spray paint, they look so much better don't you think? I have decorated the side table with a lamp from Cox and Cox and a faux floral arrangement from Wayfair, sitting under is a bunch of blankets for when it gets cold in a Zara basket. On the coffee table I have my Jo Malone candle dupe from Aldi in No. 1 and some coffee table books: The Coveteur, Visit Morocco and a colouring book.

 

 

The next things I want to do is to put my TV on the wall, get some artwork UP and sort out the fireplace as I am not sue I like it...anyway some other beauties I would like to purchase are below:

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Luxury Gift Guide: Mother's Day

I am never usually with my Mum on Mother's Day, as you may know she lives in the USA but I still like to make her feel like a Queen even when I am miles away. So below are some luxury gift I would buy my Mummy!  

    Lindor Strawberries & Cream truffles, Lindt,£4.99

These little pink balls are just pure indulgence!

Aldi,No. 1 Lime, Basil and Mandarin Luxury fragranced candle, £3.99

Aldi, the little cheeky monkeys have created a pretty identical candle to Jo Malone, the main difference is its 90% cheaper - be afraid, Jo Malone be very afraid. It’s a pretty large size of 290g and has a burn time of 48 hours. So far I am very impressed!

Bubble Club Subscription, three monthmembership, £99

This is the perfect gift for my Mum as she loves a glass of fizz and with a Bubble Club subscription you get two new fizz’s to try from around the globe each month with some snacks to go with them. ‘Because life is better with Bubbles’.

Moët & Chandon, Imperial Brut NVChampagne So Bubbly Mini Bottle, 200ml £14.99

As luxurious treats go a mini bottle of Moët would go perfect with breakfast in bed with some organise juice for a mimosa.

   Giles& Posner Bella Pizza Maker, £99

My mum is a whizz in the kitchen and now becoming a health bunny, this pizza oven would mean she could make something a little bit naughty but on the healthy side. Who could say no to a handmade pizza is just 5 minutes?

   Roja Parfums 'A Goodnight Kiss', £1250

For the ultimate luxury gift if you have the Money why not buy a Roja Parfum. This one is ‘A Goodnight Kiss’. The sent is a blend of Aldehydes, Bergamot, Carnation, Rose, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Orange Blossom, May Flower and Violet for a spicy yet floral scent and it looks divine on any vanity table.

    Clairns – any product really!  

Clarins is a favourite of Mummy Kay so any products would do but I have gone for Supra Volume Mascara, 4-Colour Eye Palette in Rosewood and BB Skin perfecting cream as my top favourites right now.

    Murad, Retinol Youth Renewal Serum, £65

Dr Murad has done it again with a powerful serum using the exclusive Tri-Retinol Technology to fight against lines and wrinkles. My mum is beautiful inside and out but sometimes even the best of us need a helping hand.

    S+ ResMed, £99

Sleep is one of the most important thing is my life and the S+ is the world’s first (talk about luxury) non-contact, sleep tracking system to analyse and improve sleep without the need of a clunky wristband. The S+ is available from Amazon.

    Bean Body Coffee Bean Scrub – Cocoberry, £14.95

I am gifting one of my favourite coffee scrubs which you can also see featured in 7Natural Beauty Products. Coffee scrubs have so many benefits for the skin to renew, hydrate and exfoliate all over leaving you feeling like a bit of luxury.

    Salter,Copper Effect 3 Piece Saucepan set, £90

Cooper is the trend that keeps on giving so you can’t go wrong with this Salter set and who can have enough pots, really?

And then it can be wrapped up in some personalised wrapping paper straight from my social media account from Wrap.me

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