I've been inspired by Mummyslittlemonkey.com to look back at 2013 and pause to remember the moments that mattered. So here are my top memories: Little E turning two Very special weddings Father's Day pony riding Bump :-) Silliness on the beach A trip to the circus 5th anniversary fun Hanging out with Besties Two very special penguins get engaged Feeling 14 again...
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I have had a good moan on the blog about the lack of maternity wear available on the high street, resulting in most of my pregnancy shopping being conducted online. There are definitely more great quality maternity clothes available online now than three years ago when I had Little E, ranging from high street chains offering a maternity selection to dedicated brands designing exclusively for mums-to-be. And now there is even more choice as popular French maternity wear brand Envie de Fraise launch in the UK. I was lucky enough to be invited to browse their website and choose three pieces of maternity fashion to review on my blog. I immediately noticed the website had a really wide choice of clothes, the majority being comfortable, stylish daywear and staple wardrobe basics. Most of the clothes are block colour which makes it easy to accessorise and dress up (or down) outfits. It is also reasonably priced so a new wardrobe won't break the bank. As I am at the end of my pregnancy I decided to choose clothes from the nursing section so I could get the maximum benefit from them after Bump is born. My first item is the Box Homewear maternity and nursing 3 piece set in blue at £49.99 The set comprises of a sleeveless vest style top, overbelly yoga style trousers and a cardigan. All in a silky smooth fabric with a bit if stretch to keep it in place. The top has a clever wrap front design which allows you to breastfeed discreetly. This is really comfortable and has gone straight in my hospital bag as it will be perfect to wear during the first few days when I'm really uncomfortable but want to look nice when people are visiting. The second item is the pregnancy and nursing wrap top in black at £28.74 This is a great basic wardrobe item which will go with everything. It has the same cross front nursing feature as the Box Homewear top so perfect for feeding when out and about. I have a feeling I'll be purchasing this in multiple colours (there is a short sleeve version too). The final item I selected is the Divine maternity wrap dress, pictured here in blue but I chose a peacock green at £45.99 This dress allows you to wrap and tie the top half yourself so you can alter the shape and wrap it to fit your body perfectly - great for the changes to your boobs during pregnancy and breastfeeding. And yes, you guessed it, the front of the dress easily peels open so you can feed baby without exposing too much flesh. I wore this dress for Husband's surprise 30th birthday party and received lots of compliments. It was comfortable to wear and I can see how it is designed to grow with your bump over the months. My only criticism is that it isn't lined so does show up lumps and bumps. Tights underneath to smooth the silhouette are a must (unless you have perfect thighs!) All the clothes have washed well and keep their shape and colour. I would definitely recommend for some nice quality, maternity wardrobe basics at a reasonable cost. The site offers free delivery and returns so you can order a couple of sizes and try on at home. You can find the full clothing range online at www.enviedefraise.co.uk I was sent these clothes free of charge for review purposes but all views and opinions are my own. There is a long story behind this picture! Three years ago I was at home, alone waiting for Little E to arrive. We had just decorated our new open plan downstairs but it was looking like a cream shell so I got creative and designed a picture to hang above our sofa. Off I went to Hobbycraft and bought a big canvas and loads of pink fabric odds and ends to match our pink curtains. I was full of inspiration but by the time I got home I was shattered so I put the canvas and fabrics away to start the next day. And there they stayed for three years... Fast forward to yesterday and I am pregnant again, at home waiting for baby to arrive. Husband took Little E out and I made it my mission to start (and finish!) the wall art. The background fabric is special because it is leftover from our bridesmaid dress making marathon five years ago. I stretched it across the canvas using my staple gun then cut out lots butterfly templates from card. I used the templates to create lots of butterflies from the assorted fabrics. I laid them out across the canvas to get the basic design then added netting and ribbons behind the butterflies weaving in and out to create texture and detail. I was short on time so instead of sewing everything down I used bonding web which meant I could finish the project before the family arrived home. In total it took me four hours which I think was pretty good going and it looks great above our sofa, matching our jewel toned room colours perfectly. In the words of Gordon... Done. This post is linked up to #WhatsTheStory and #CreativeMondays linkys via twitter. |
Welcome!Artist, Baker and Blogger. Mum to my two beautiful, cheeky girls. Muddling my way through parenthood with equally cheeky Husband. Categories
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April 2023
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