Lifestyle, food and drink, and our family life and travel adventures.
I cannot believe we are almost halfway through March already. As February is such a short month it always feels like it goes by so quickly, but I’m sure it only just started. February was (an expensive) one full of close family’s birthdays, including my nieces first, which just seems crazy — it seems like she was only just a gorgeous newborn snoozing in my arms, and now she’s not far off walking. She’s amazing and I love her so much.
There have been quite a few things that have really stood out to me over this last month that I want to talk about and recommend, so I thought it was time for another monthly favourites.
I ordered this A3 magnetic whiteboard from Amazon to put on my fridge door in the hopes of being more organised as well as trying to calm my anxious brain a bit by writing stuff on there that I need to remember. I always have a written to-do list sat next to me whilst I’m at home, working, but I was finding it overwhelming to have house stuff written down on there and I felt like I was barely doing anything off my list each day, and re-writing things over and over again.
With the whiteboard, I can just have a constant running list of house stuff that needs doing and crack on with that whenever I get the chance during the day, even just for a couple of minutes whilst I’m making a(nother) cup of tea, and it really helps. I’m also using it to write anything really important that I need to remember in big letters so that I notice it every time I go in the fridge, as well as ideas for dinners, things that need using up, as well as a little note of things we need to buy for the house.
I was also using it for a shopping list as well, but I needed to keep that separate, so I’ve even purchased a second smaller one to keep on the side of my fridge.
It seems like such a little thing, but these whiteboards are making such a difference to my life and my stress levels, and my to-do list written on paper next to me is generally feeling so much less overwhelming now too. I’m not gonna lie – I also love writing on the whiteboard and rubbing it off! I feel like a teacher or like I’m the mathematician on Countdown! Ava loves it too and keeps adding ‘puppy’ to the list of things we need…
I was sent this gorgeous Starfish necklace from Daisy London’s collection of Women’s Necklaces and I haven’t stopped wearing it. I’d never heard of Daisy London before but they have so much beautiful jewellery and I was totally spoilt for choice with their selection of necklaces.
The Isla Starfish Chain Necklace is hung on a delicate 18ct gold plated silver chain that can be extended (which I love because I’m fussy with how certain chain lengths look on me!), and it’s so cute and pretty.
It comes beautifully packaged with a soft drawstring pouch, white box and tissue paper, along with a gift bag, so Daisy London jewellery makes a really amazing gift. PLUS they’re working on making their packaging 100% sustainable, which is important and currently, almost all of it can be recycled.
They also have really cute starfish earrings and a super pretty bracelet that match the necklace which I’m after next! So much of their lovely jewellery has made it onto my wishlist.
The Isla Starfish necklace is £99 here.
I tried this new(ish) foundation from No.7 a few months ago after reading really good things about it in a Facebook group I’m in, and that along with the name — anything glowy/dewy/luminous-y and I want it immediately — meant that I had to try it, and I think it’s great.
I find the No.7 Hydraluminous Foundation to be perfect for my skin, it gives a lovely glow and goes on really smoothly and easily. I tend to use it when I’m doing super quick makeup before school or nipping out and I just slap a bit on with my fingers and it spreads really easily and quickly. I also do like a bit mixed in with my other favourite IT Cosmetics CC Cream — I don’t know what it is, but it just seems to add something to it and together they make my skin look really lovely.
It’s a bit more expensive than many high-street foundations at £15.00 but No.7 at Boots is always on offer or there’s a voucher available for it. I’ve just got my next one (two!) and they were ‘buy one, get one half price’. Also, just in case you don’t know; if you have a student card Boots now do 10% off which I am loving. I get quite a lot from there and it really makes a difference — I really hope they continue it!
I got Apple Airpods for Christmas and I absolutely love them and use them so much — way more than I did before with regular earphones. I use them at the gym and walking around my house listening to podcasts or whilst I’m doing housework and I just think they’re brilliant and totally worth it.
I love how neat and portable they are compared to regular earphones, they charge super quickly (I don’t do it very often and use them loads!), and I love that I can double-tap one to stop or start, and the other one to go back 10 seconds (you can change it so they can do what you want). It means that I don’t have to carry my phone around with me or be attached to it, and I can stop it really easily if someone (dares) tries to talk to me.
I’m listening to audiobooks and podcasts so much more now and I’m quicker at the gym because I don’t have to spend ten minutes untangling damn wires! I love them, I love them. Plus the magnetic case is fun to play with.
I absolutely loved this programme and really didn’t want it to end – it was over way too quickly for me! The two main teenage characters are brilliant and so talented, and I just found it so enjoyable to watch; the first series in particular — actually no I loved the second series too. I need more!
At first, I was a bit like ‘what the fuck?!’ but it didn’t take me long at all to really get into it, and then I just couldn’t help binge-watching it. It’s set in England but it really feels America despite the English accents, because of the woods, and the diner which features quite a lot. I can’t imagine there could be a third series but I would love there to be.
Growing up we played UNO a lot and we always liked it, but then I’d kind of forgotten about it until a few months ago when we played it at my mum and step-dad’s. Ava enjoyed it and picked it up quickly, and then she got it for her birthday from my sister and we play it all the time now.
We love that it can be pretty quick, so there’s usually time for a game or two before dinner or before bed, and it’s fun for all ages and we can play with just two of us, or more. It’s just a deck of cards too so it’s really portable and therefore great for taking away with you, camping or on holiday.
The game has changed slightly since I was young, with an extra card, that I don’t think I really like, although sometimes it is fun to use too! We have the Toy Story UNO cards which makes Ava love it even more.
I was sent the Starfish necklace from Daisy London but all words and opinions are my own. See my full disclosure policy here.
Welcome to Birds and Lilies! I'm Lou: mother, blogger and freelance writer. This is my lifestyle blog, where I talk about motherhood, infertility and IVF, beauty, my love for food and wine, as well as my thoughts about stuff, and our real-life and travel adventures.
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