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Fathers Day – Gift Guide

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Father’s Day in the Uk is on June 15th Time to start thinking about what to buy. I’ve been mooching around and come up with some ideas for you.

Grooming:

I don’t know about you but I like a man to look and smell nice so grooming products are a great idea. I love the products available from Dove. 
For the Active and Playful Dad there is the Daily Care Duo gift pack featuring the Clean Comfort Anti-Perspirant Deodorant and Clean Comfort Shower Gel
For the Sensitive Dad there is Sensitive+ Moisturiser, sensitive Dry Anti-Perspirant Deodorant and Sensitive Shower Gel.
And for the  Go The Extra Mile Dad ther is the Deep Clean=Face Scrub and Hydrate+ Moisturiser.
purchase here
Or a favourite of my kid’s Daddy, something to help him relax after a hard day.
Purchase here:

Clothing:

How about some treats from Next?

Something Original

Or maybe you want to get crafty, or get the kids crafting? Over on my Father’s Day Pinterest Board you will find a whole host of idea like this clever plate.

Something Geeky

I am the geeky one in our house but if you have a geeky fella to buy for how about these suggestions?
Best Dad in the Galaxy tee from Something Geeky £12.99
Nintendo Key Chain £4.99 from Something Geeky
Mr Potato Head Doctor Who £17.95 from Red5

Gardening

All dad’s love gardening, right? Ok, maybe not my kids dad, but I know my brother does. Here’s my pick of gifts for the gardening dad.
Shed Tidy
Dads Garden
Garden Bits and Bobs Tin
Dig For Victory Mug
I hope that maybe I have inspired you with my post. I did receive a few goodies from Dove and Radox to include them in this round-up but all thoughts and opinions are my own. 
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Party Party

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With so many birthdays in the summer I am always on the look out for party outfits for my littlies. With Next you never had to look far and here are a few of my current favourites.

First up is this lovely floral dress which you can also buy in kahki. It’s lovely and summery and both my girls think it’s great. Made in cotton it would be lovely, cool and comfortable to wear as well as being pretty.

From Next in sizes 3-16 yrs £10.50 to £15.50
What little girl doesn’t love sequins and tulle. This is a proper party dress and a big favourite of Star aged seven
From Next in sizes 3-16 years £28-£34
I love spots and I love this black spotty dress which would be great for Boo aged six years.

From next in sizes 3 months to 6 years £22-£24

Finally for those real special occasions this dress is just beautiful. I love the beautiful beading on the skirt and the flowers on the shoulder strap.

From Next in sizes 3-14 years £28-£35

Of course no outfit is complete is complete unless you have gorgeous shoes too. Here are a couple of my favourites.

From Next £11- £14

from Next £24-£30

Not wanting to miss the Little Man out, he loves to party too. How about this gorgeous outfit?

From Next in sizes 3 months to 6 years

Now, lets get this party started!!

This post was written for the Next Network. I have received no payment or products. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Children’s Rooms

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I have some exciting news, we are moving house. Our new house is still being built but should be ready by the end of July and we will move in during August, well, that’s the plan, fingers crossed nothing goes wrong.

At last, the children will have their own rooms and we are already thinking of ways to decorate them. The girls will probably go for something pink and girlie, although Boo’s favourite colour is blue so maybe a mixture of pink and blue. The Little Man loves cars, trains and boats, a typical little boy.

kid's bedroom
I love this girlie pink room with little splashes of colour
kid's bedroom
I think the little man would love a boat theme like this!

I just love these blinds, they would brighten up any room!

Rainbow Blinds available from http://www.shutterlyfabulous.com/

These are just initial inspirations, I’m sure as time goes on we’ll change our minds many times. We’ll have to stick with adding accessories for colour at the start because being a newly built house we won’t be able to paint for twelve months. So plenty of time to get the creative juices flowing and then we can let go with the colour.

In the meantime we could use prints and wall stickers to brighten up the walls. Next has some great ideas, like this Space Invaders Wall sticker, a great way to add a splash of colour.
Space Invaders Wall Sticker £24 from Next

Or the girls would love this flowers sticker,

Flower Wall Sticker from Next
It will be lovely to have a blank canvas to start with and I’m really looking forward to decorating.
I have found this brilliant free e-book of decorating tips ’28 Tips on How to Decorate’ to download. 
It has loads of information on wallpapering and painting as well as tips for tiling and fixing shelves. Also, there are handy tips on getting paint out of carpet (oh yes, done that before!) and how to fix squeeky floorboards.
You can also download a free app. to give you quotes from local traders if you don’t fancy doing all the work yourself.
This post has been submitted to the Next Bloggers Network. I have not received anything from Next for writing it and all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

The Great Gatsby and Breakfast at Tiffany’s Inspired Fashion

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I went out with Eldest Daughter today and she bought a new pair of shoes. I love them too and as we are the same size, I may just borrow them (if she’ll let me)

This reminded me that I had not done a post for Next for a while so here I am.

The Great Gatsby opens in London this week and who can resist the gorgeous fashion of the Twenties? (oh my, not long until it will be the 2020’s!) Dropped waistbands and flapper dresses, I’d certainly give them another go. Any excuse to get out my feather boa. (what you don’t have a feather boa?)

At next you can buy this gorgeous dress for your little girl.

I know my girls would love it especially with all the sequins, I may get them one each. They are available in sizes 3 to 16 yrs.

Fast forward twenty or so years and you’ll you meet my favourite fashionable literary Character, Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Audrey Hepburn looks absolutely gorgeous in this black dress.

Truman Capote writes: “She was still on the stairs, now 

she reached the landing, and the ragbag colors of her 
boy’s hair, tawny streaks, strands of albino blond and 
yellow caught the hall light. It was a warm evening, 
nearly summer, and she wore a slim, cool black dress, 
black sandals, a pearl choker. “

Of course, I’m partial to a sexy black dress and Next doesn’t fail to deliver.

Oh yes, I could see myself swanning into the MAD Blog Awards in this with pearl choker and black sandals. (might need to lose a few pound first though)
This post has been submitted to the Next Bloggers Network. I have not received anything from Next for writing it and all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Kids Fashion – Sky Tops

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Now my kids are not fashion icons but they do know what they like and what they don’t. Throughout the summer the girls have been wanting to wear dresses, anything floaty and princess like. Not always the best choice, especially for a day at the park but I have been able to get away with floaty tops and leggings which are more practical. I’ve had a real job getting them to wear their jeans, but they are quite happy to put them on if they are brightly coloured or patterned. My eldest daughter likes her jeans skinny like her grown-up sister wears, the brighter the better.
You can dress up any outfit with a nice pair of shoes or boots and sky tops are fashionable this autumn. They don’t have to be boring though, you can get them in exciting colours and decorated with glitter. So it’s a win win situation, I get my practicality and the girls get their pretty pretty.

At next they have a fabulous selection of jeans, here are a few teamed with gorgeous glittery heart tops.

So when my girls have made their choice the next step is a pair of high top boots. Here are three from Next, gorgeous pink glitter boots, grey and glitter boots and just so the little man doesn’t miss out a real trendy pair for younger boys.
glitter boots £15-£18
silver sky tops £20-£22
tan colour block sky tops £20-£22
This post has been written for the Next Blogger Network. The opinions are my own and I have not been paid for this review.