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Mamma Fairy

Home & Interiors

Choosing the perfect outdoor canopy

It could not be a more perfect time of year to turn your attention to some garden improvements such as the addition of an outdoor canopy. I have been lusting after a pop up canopy for a long time and the recent good weather spell has made us see how useful one would be for shelter in the really warm weather and the converse is also true if the weather is really bad it means the kids are sheltered and don’t have to come in out of the rain.  One huge plus for us is that it effectively increases the footprint of the house extending out into the garden.

So you have decided to invest in an outdoor canopy, what are some of the key considerations you need to keep in mind when making that decision. Below I have set out some useful advise.

  • Something portable 

Pic Credit Costoffs

Speaking from experience, if like us you have a young family and pets you will want something portable.  Something that can be put up in seconds and put away then if needs be.  Following our own research it was clear what we needed was a pop up canopy. A pop up canopy as its name suggest literally pops up and you have it set up in mere minutes making it extremely handy.  It can provide shelter for pets, a safe play area for kids or a sun/ rain shelter for adults.

  • Reputable supplier 

When you have decided a pop up canopy is for you,  you need to consider your supplier carefully.   If you are spending the money on garden improvements, you will want to get good value and best functionality for your money.  We stumbled across Costoffs which which are an e furniture brand founded in 2020 which specialise in home and office furniture.  They also impressively offer free shipping & delivery and 24 hours after sales service….now that is impressive.

  • Functionality

After undertaking much research we were most impressed with the Costoffs pop up canopy, size wise at 3m * 3m is a really good size for most back gardens.  The major selling point for us was that it is waterproof and UV proof making it importantly suitable for all seasons which is very important, as mentioned above especially with kids and pet. Also critically is is CPAI-84 fireproof.  Also at $146.99 with free delivery you really could not go wrong.

I simply will not compromise on safety features when it comes to my kids so this pop up canopy really ticked all the boxes for us.  I see from their website that orders are currently arriving in 10-15 working days.

Do take a look at the blog posts on the Costoffs webpage as there is a wealth of information on choosing your canopy.  As mentioned above they don’t just sell canopies they have a huge range of good quality indoor and outdoor furniture.  With so many of us now working from home they do stock a very wide range of office furniture and chairs, which is exactly what is next on my list….

Note: This is a collaborative post

Home & Interiors

Giving your bedroom a chic makeover

The bedroom is one of the most important rooms in any home. It’s where you relax after a long day looking after the kids, where you spend intimate time with your loved one, and where you recuperate and prepare yourself for the day ahead. Unfortunately, after a while, it’s easy for any bedroom to become cluttered, outdated, and unappealing.

If your bedroom isn’t the Instagram-worthy room you’ve been hoping for, now could be the perfect time to invest in a quick, simple, and cost-effective makeover. After all, changing the atmosphere of your bedroom doesn’t have to be a time-consuming or expensive process.  A little rearranging, a good colour scheme, and even the right window dressings can make a world of difference.

  • Rearrange your furniture

Sometimes all you need to do to transform your bedroom from drab to fab, is to give yourself a different perspective. Look at where you currently have your drawers, wardrobes and bed, and think about whether they might work better at a different angle, or in a new configuration. You may be surprised at how easy it is to add charm to your sleeping space when you move the king-size bed into the middle of the room, rather than against the wall.

If you’re not sure how to rearrange things, try sketching out an idea of what your ideal bedroom might look like first. It’s worth keeping some cleaning tools on hand too – there’s likely to be some dust to clean up when you’re finished moving things.

  • Let there be light!

bedroom interior

With your bedroom’s new layout showing off your furniture in all its glory, it’s time to think about how you can let light into the room. Window dressings can be complicated in a bedroom, as you want the perfect combination of something that keeps out the sunlight when you’re sleeping but lets plenty of rays in during the day.

Switching to shutters could be a great way to give yourself the best of both worlds in your bedroom. DIYshutters.co.uk has plenty of options that effectively block out light for when you’re snoozing, and also give you an extra level of privacy when you need it most.

  • Pick the perfect colour!

Colour is a vital consideration when you’re giving your bedroom a makeover. You’ll want something that demonstrates your unique personality but remember that going too bold with your shades could mean that you end up giving yourself a headache during those hours when you’re supposed to be getting plenty of rest. While there’s nothing wrong with having a passionate statement wall, it’s usually a good idea to keep most of your colours calm and neutral.

Remember, if you stick to soft shades and you want to add more chic style to the mix, you can always spruce things up with some colourful accessories, bedding, and throw pillows.

  • Draw attention to the bed

The bed is the central and most important piece of furniture in your bedroom, so make sure it shines. When we renovated our rooms recently, we went for king size beds. I just like that bit of extra space nothing of course to do with our pint sized nocturnal visitors!  The thing about buying the bigger can mean that they can be that little bit more expensive but one thing I resolved a a long time again was never to scrimp on bed linen. I sound like im being totally self indulgent but there is something so nice after a tough day in work to sink into fresh comfy sheets. 

When you’re changing the look of your room probably one of the most visually effective together with cost effective ways to freshen up your room is new duvet covers. For some real luxury, opt for Silk Duvet Cover Sets, you will not be disappointed.

 Where you go for a total colour revamp, patterns or bling. You can really use these to add texture and dept to your room. In fact you could vary the shades for the seasons or times of year. Its much lower cost and lower maintenance than paint or wallpaper. I saw some really stunning Catherine Lansfield patterns duvets which would really add a lovely depth to a room renovation.  Get your hands on king size quilt size quilt covers from Yorkshire Linen. Honestly some of the best value I have seen for that size duvets.  They also have some great kids duvets. The boys bunk beds are arriving in 2 weeks so we will have to have a nosey and let the boys pick what they would like.

urban wardrobes

Pic Credit: Urban Wardrobes

Many of the duvets have matching accessories available too which I actually really like.

However if for you space is a constraint or its a guest room you are renovating, a genius solution is  fitted murphy beds.  What this essentially is, is your bed is effectively hidden away in your wardrobe and you can pull it down as needs be (see pic opposite).  Just thinking this would be ideal in our new work from home world where a room could be an office by day and a bedroom by night.  Its very clever and cost effective way to make the best use of small spaces.

  • Add your finishing touches

Finally, remember that the little things can go a long way when you’re creating your perfect bedroom. Attractive bedside lamps and a few photos of your friends and family can help to bring warmth and personality to your room. The finishing touches you add will depend on your specific preferences. For instance, some people will want to go with a family-friendly look that features plenty of pictures of loved ones, while others will be prefer a romantic atmosphere with scented candles and luxurious textures.

Another way of incorporating a stylish finishing touch but still being functional is the use of sliding wardrobe doors. Choosing a good quality supplier is essential and can really work wonders in terms of the aesthetic of the room, playing with textures, colours and finishes.

Sweet dreams!

If you’ve been dreaming of the perfect bedroom, now’s the perfect time to take the plunge. With the tips above, you’ll be able to create your perfect bedroom experience in no time, without leaving your bank account in tatters!

Features

Things to Immediately Consider If a Family Member Gets Into an Accident

Car accidents happen every day. But things get difficult when your own family member gets into an accident, and that too is a severe one. At such times, the victim goes through a hard time both physically and mentally. And you keep wondering how you can help them without involving yourself too much in the entire scene. So, in this article, we have discussed the top things that you should consider as soon as your family member gets into an auto accident. 

Make Sure They Seek Medical Treatment 

After your family member gets into an accident, the first thing you should do is to encourage them to take medical treatment. Whether it’s a minor injury case or a serious one, it is imperative to get evaluated for faster recovery or to spot hidden injuries, which might become serious later. Also, make sure that you keep all the medical records safely in one place as the victim might need them if they decide to file a legal suit against the negligent party. 

Make Sure Your Collect all the Evidence 

The victim might not be able to handle the accident situation well. So, as a close family member or a friend, you should consider gathering all the evidence that you can regarding the accident. This can include taking pictures of the accident site and keeping all the medical records and bills safely as it can help the victim in case they want to seek a personal injury claim.

Help Them With Everyday Chores 

Life after an accident can be really tough, especially if the victim is the one who looks after the house. To help your family member, the best thing you can do is to help them with household chores that they might find difficult to do. While this might take a lot of your time, this is the most decent way you can show the person that you care for them. Be it carrying out basic tasks like helping them with walking or taking care of their meal and medicines; you can consider these things to show your support.

Get in Touch With a Personal Injury Lawyer 

You should immediately contact a lawyer if your family member has been severely injured in an accident caused by another party.  Depending on the type of accident and type of vehicle involved you may even need a specific kind of attorney, for example, providing legal representation for motorcycle crash injuries or injuries from a truck accident.

Experts in this area can advise victims and their families to gather as much information as they can to use it later to secure a fair personal injury claim. In simple terms, if your family member was injured due to someone else’s fault, you have the right to file a suit to secure fair compensation.

Encourage them to Recover Psychologically 

Some accidents can be traumatizing and can haunt you for weeks or even months. If you think the victim is psychologically stressed and unable to forget about the accident, tell them you support them and encourage them to recover faster. If needed, take them to a therapist who might help change how they see things and have bad memories of the accident. 

The victim can have a hard time dealing with an accident and the traumatizing effects it generally leaves on the person. Make sure they have your shoulder to lean on during such a time. 

Note: This is a collaborative post

Mamma Musings

Types of Questions Best for Pendulum Psychic Readings

Pendulum psychic readings offer a fascinating glimpse into the unseen energies that influence our lives. Whether you’re new to this form of divination or seeking to deepen your understanding, asking the right questions can enhance your experience significantly. Here are two types of questions that are particularly effective during pendulum psychic readings:

Yes or No Questions

One of the most straightforward yet powerful types of questions for pendulum psychic readings are yes or no questions. These questions can provide clear, concise answers to specific inquiries you may have. For example, you might ask:

  • Will I find a new job within the next three months?
  • Should I pursue a romantic relationship with [person’s name]?
  • Is now the right time to make a significant financial investment?

During a session with a free online pendulum psychic from California Psychics, you can receive immediate responses through the pendulum’s movements. This direct approach allows you to gain clarity on important decisions and actions you might need to take.

Questions that Specifically Relate to You

Another effective approach during pendulum psychic readings is asking questions that relate directly to your personal journey and experiences. These questions delve deeper into your inner self and can provide profound insights and guidance. Consider asking questions like:

  • What is my life purpose, and how can I align with it more fully?
  • How can I improve my current relationship with [family member/partner]?
  • What steps can I take to enhance my spiritual growth and development?

By focusing on questions that resonate with your unique situation, you empower yourself to make informed choices and navigate life’s challenges more effectively.

For more tips on crafting meaningful questions for psychic readings, visit California Psychics’ blog on questions to ask psychics. This resource offers valuable insights into the types of questions that can lead to deeper understanding and clarity in your sessions.

If you’re curious about exploring past lives and how they may be influencing your current circumstances, consider scheduling a session with a past life reading specialist at California Psychics. Understanding your past can illuminate the path to a brighter future. 

Ready to embark on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment through pendulum psychic readings? Connect with a free online pendulum psychic today at California Psychics and uncover the answers you seek. Empower yourself with insights that can guide you toward a more fulfilling life.

Note: This is a collaborative post 

Features

Common Financial Mistakes Most People Do: How to Avoid Them

Financial planning is one of the best things you could do to secure your future and avoid getting broke. With a well-strategized financial plan, you can achieve all your dream goals and make them a reality. If you are doing a project, you can be sure to finish it without getting stuck. You also make informed decisions on different investments within your limits. However, while planning, most people tend to make a lot of mistakes. This mistake leads to uncertainties about the future, unable to achieve your financial goals, and delayed retirements. This article will explore the common financial mistakes that most people make and how you can avoid them.

Failure to Invest or Save while Young 

Most young people assume they can only accumulate wealth or begin saving when they are old. This is one of the greatest mistakes people make. The initial phase is excellent for saving as much as possible, which should also exceed the rate of return. While young, try saving and have a good plan to maximize it. This will involve making more investments or doing extra jobs to get the most. This way, you will accumulate wealth while still energetic and flexible.

Undervaluing Long-Term Expenses

Most people undervalue their future expenses, such as health care and old-age complications. You need to do better calculations or seek Financial planning services to help you calculate and incorporate these expenses correctly. A good retirement plan requires you to consider the long-term expenses to avoid using the retirement funds on your health.

Assuming Inflation

Money value changes with time, and most people tend to ignore this fact. As money changes value, the prices of items increase, and if you don’t include this aspect, you will not fulfill your financial goals. When doing your financial planning, ensure you include the inflation to know where to invest your money. For example, if you invest in a savings account and there is inflation, your portfolio will give you returns at a lower rate. Never ignore the inflation rate when planning on saving and investing.

Investing too Conservatively or too Aggressively

Investing is very important since you will increase your rates of return. This is especially recommended for the young as they save. However, most people forget that saving and investing involves taking risks and weighing opportunities. You might incur severe losses if you expose yourself to more risks than your goals can handle. Don’t be too conservative and aggressive since you can lose the value of your money. Try to invest your money rather than stocking it up. Look for investments that your financial plan can handle without too much risk.

Failure to have a Financial Plan

Most people spend most of their time scheduling for their next vacation or holiday rather than budgeting and having a detailed plan. Taking the time and having a reasonable planned budget for your future is essential. This way, you can understand the direction you are headed, and in case of incoming risks and emergencies, you can handle them without much stress.

Bottom Line!

You should avoid making the above mistakes to have a promising future with your finances. You should research thoroughly before investing your money and save enough to avoid losses. It would help if you also plan your retirement and old age expenses.

Note: This is a collaborative post

Features

Real Estate Trends in 2021

The housing market has both gained and lost strength in the past few years. The housing market will always change, never throw in its towel, and be a complicated area to understand. Fortunately for people, you can understand the fundamentals and stay on top of the changes and learn the market inside out. From pricing to what people can afford, you will need to say on top of this information not to get left behind. 

Deliquesces And Foreclosures 

As these are on the rise thanks to the pandemic among other areas, you will see more foreclosures coming up this year and decidedly making a list for real estate trends in 2021 that you need to watch out for. This is something that investors need to pay attention to and understand how to use to their advantage. While there are measures to prevent this from happening as much, it is still an issue, and the foreclosures offer investors a unique opportunity for gaining attention.

The Different Cycles

Seasons have cycles; the real estate market does too. It will experience highs and lows, times of booming, and times of significant busts. The extremes can get pretty low in many cases, and as such, this is another area on the rise this year. The lending standards are also stricter now than they used to be, so if something does happen, companies and agents are protected. However, this also ensures that housing demand is high for this year and the next two following.

Mortgage

Another thing to look out for this year? Mortgages are going up, and it’s not coming down just yet. The mortgage rate is already almost five percent more than it was in December of last year. If you have a fixed-rate loan, those are practically four percent higher. If you compare this to the increasing home prices, you will see that not everyone will afford a home. While the rates are still considered lower than years past, the fact that they are rising is still nothing to scoff at. 

Supply In Demand

Purchase demand is waning, and it hasn’t helped the market’s supply. This means that people want houses, but they can’t get them because the price doesn’t meet what they can pay, and there are not enough houses to supply everyone’s needs. These problems are likely to affect not only this year but the following year as well. It is also a more significant problem in the south rather than the north, with some states having a seventy percent drop in houses’ availability. 

Know What To Watch

By paying attention to the real estate market, you can be ahead of the others in the same boat, keep your chances of finding your dream house strong, and keep your stress levels low.  If you’re looking at London properties for instance, find an estate agent that encourages you to explore Hammersmith properties with us and see what’s available on the market. You can learn so much about what appeals to you and what doesn’t when it comes to property by conducting lots of research in the area you wish to purchase.

At the moment Estate Agents are seeing a rise in pope looking to buy close to the sea.  It is believed covid and the increased work from home ability is driving people to find the ultimate house of their dreams and for many of us thats by the sea.

Finding the best home for yourself can be a daunting task, but knowing the housing market makes all the difference. 

Note: This is a collaborative post

Home & Interiors

What to consider when changing the floor in your kid’s bedrooms

Creating a nursery that will eventually become a bedroom or renovating a bedroom in a new house for a young child comes with many challenges. One of these is choosing the right flooring. Choosing the flooring for anywhere in your home is challenging, but there are specific requirements for the flooring used in a nursery or young child’s bedroom that you need to think about. Changing the flooring in a room is not something many of us want to do very often, so making sure you get it right the first time is crucial. Because of this, below are a few helpful things you should consider when changing the floor in your kid’s bedroom. 

It needs to be practical 

While practicality may be something you’d associate more with kitchen or bathroom flooring, it’s also really important for children’s bedrooms. Choosing a flooring material that is both comfortable underfoot and easy to clean is vital for any child’s bedroom. The bedroom floor is often where young children will play with their toys, and no parent wants their child to play on a hard floor where they could get uncomfortable. While carpet may seem like the obvious solution to this problem, it is not as practical as other flooring options. Luxury vinyl flooring, for example, is far easier to clean while still being highly durable and comfortable underfoot, making it an excellent choice for a child’s bedroom. 

Underfloor heating can be a great addition 

Like flooring that is practical, you may not think of underfloor heating as something related to bedroom flooring. However, when changing the flooring in your children’s bedroom, considering adding underfloor heating is a great idea. There are several critical benefits to underfloor heating, but specifically, when you have a nursery or young child’s bedroom, this can really help keep their room warm during the winter months, which can help them sleep. There are two main types of underfloor heating, one using heated water in pipes under the floor an

wooden floor

Image credit – Amtico – Amtico Spacia Noble Oak SS5W3030

d the other using heated wires. There is lots of information online about underfloor heating, but when you’re taking up the floor and adding a new one, this provides an opportunity to add underfloor heating, which you may not get again for many years, so keep it in mind. 

Timeless and straightforward designs work well

Choosing colours for your child’s bedroom, especially when they are young and can’t have an input in the decisions, can be difficult. Something you should consider is keeping the flooring colour as simple as possible. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, as mentioned, changing the flooring can be time-consuming and not something you want to be doing regularly. So, choosing a bold flooring pattern for a child’s bedroom only to find they don’t like it in two years is not something you want to go through.

Secondly, with a neutral or simple flooring colour, it will allow you to change other aspects of the room without worrying that the flooring will look odd and out of place. Greys are a great colour option with any flooring material. Wood flooring styles, either with vinyl or traditional wood, can work well with almost any other design style. 

Getting the flooring right in your kid’s room is an important step and one that can help create a great environment they can enjoy for years to come if done correctly. When redecorating or renovating, try and keep the points raises above in mind, and hopefully, the finished floor will be something both you and your children will love. 

 Note: This is a collaborative post
Features

Some Tips for New Freebie Hunters

Everyone loves the word “free.” That’s why you will find countless people lined up outside of Krispy Kreme when they announce they are giving away free doughnuts. Truth is, there is no length that many won’t go to get something for free. This can put blinders on people. When you are getting into the freebie game, you will want to follow certain rules to ensure you are getting the most out of it. If you’re someone who is well versed in freebies, you may learn something from the tips below. 

  1. Don’t Believe Everything You See

A lot of times you may have your judgement clouded by the thought of getting something you want. When your favourite brands start offering some of their most desirable products for free, you’ll want to be certain that you are looking at things. Don’t allow your judgement to be clouded by the potential of scoring a free product. Getting something for free can give us a very powerful emotional charge that can trick our brains into valuing it more than it is worth. This can cause a lot of us to not use our common sense which can lead us into making poor decisions. With companies looking to acquire more data than ever before, you must know what you are giving away to get what you want. You want to ensure that not only the freebie sounds genuine, but you also want to ensure that you are reading all of the terms and conditions for getting it. There will be terms and conditions that you want to look at before making your decision.

  1. Don’t Allow Your Expectations to Go Unchecked

The truth is, most of the freebies you’ll get when you are in the game are going to be relatively small. Companies are giving away freebies for a specific reason. That reason is typically to get you to try their product so you can become a repeat customer. They know that if you try and like their product, they are likely to win you over as a customer. Thus, you should expect to get smaller sample sizes when you are getting something for free. Don’t expect to get a full-sized product. Likewise, you shouldn’t expect to get every single freebie you sign-up for. That’s simply not realistic. These companies get so many freebie requests that you cannot get everything you want. You should expect to get around 70% of them if you’re lucky. If you do find that you’re not getting 70%, you should continue to try as your luck will turn around eventually. To ensure that you aren’t completely wasting your time, you should be looking at and examining the terms and conditions whenever you are looking to apply for freebies. Generally, you can find your odds of getting the freebie in there.

  1. Always Ask

This goes for pretty much everything on this planet. You aren’t going to get what you don’t ask for. It’s always worth trying to get whatever you can by emailing or even physically mailing these companies. That way, you can see who is willing to give away their products and who isn’t. Let them know that you want to try out their product or that you enjoy using their product. Some of them might be willing to let some go and some companies will even replace freebies if they didn’t live up to your expectations.

  1. Don’t Feel Guilty

When you are looking to get yourself some freebies, avoid the guilt that you might have creep up on you. You may think you are taking advantage of the system or a company. The fact is, they aren’t doing it for the benefit of you. They are giving away products and freebies because they know that it can help them win over a customer. They know it can boost their conversions and help them decrease customer acquisition costs in the long run. Therefore, you shouldn’t go into this thinking you are taking advantage of someone.

  1. Get a Second Email Address

Don’t dish out your primary email address. When you sign up for freebies, a lot of them are going to require you to input your email. This will give them a place to send marketing offers to. The last thing you want is to clog up your primary email address with offers from all of the brands you’re applying with. Get yourself a ‘freebie’ email address and stick to using only that one for the offers.

  1. Get Ahead Of the Competition

As we said earlier, everyone loves freebies. Because of this, you aren’t going to be alone when you are applying for them. You will have a lot of other freebie hunters applying for the same freebies as yourself. The best way to stay on top of all of the latest freebies is by signing up for our curated newsletter. You’ll get all of the day’s top freebies sent straight to your inbox at around 11 am.

Note: This is a collaborative post

Mamma Reviews

Gift ideas for men

I always find it so hard to buy for the men in my lift – my husband, my dad my brother. Its just so hard! So what I have attempted to do is compile a list of some gift ideas whether it is a birthday, anniversary, Christmas or  just because.

Books, books, books

In our house books are always a winner. I love giving the gift of books  when the pace is slowed right down and in my mind anyway there is no better way to wile away a few hours.  I have set out my own top picks below:

  • Gas Man – Colin Black
  • That Place We Call Home – John Creedon
  • Fight or Flight – Keith Earls
  • Saving the State – Ciara Meehan & Stephen Collins
  • The Thursday Murder Club – Richard Ossman
  • Did ye hear Mammy Died – Seamus O’Reilly
  • Missing – Barry Cummins
  • Recovering – Richie Sadlier
  • Diddly Squat – Jeremey Clarkson
  • A light that Never Goes Out – Keelin Shanley

You can buy most of the above direct from Gill Books or most online book retailers.

Personalised Frame

Another good idea I find is something personal and even humours. We are loving these character family portraits from Breezy Family  its super easy to design your own portrait on their site as it guides you through the process step by step. There are multiple options to choose your likeness, your hobby or occupation and even to include pets.

Delivery is fast and pricing starts around €18 and increases depending on specific requirements. We were fortunate enough to have been sent one and the quality is really superb. Can genuinely recommend. They are a family business who run the workshop from their home in France. Such a lovely story.

I have been very kindly offered a discount code to share MAMMAFAIRY10  will get you 10% of your order.

Cool Merch 

My 9 year old informed me that the word for these types of gifts is “merch“!! Feeling very cool.  You really can’t go wrong with gifts themed around their favourite computer games or TV shows. For me this is the old reliable and my go to for Kris Kindle gifts also.  Seeing as now a lot of gifts are bought on-line and sent direct to the recipient, I find sites like Zavvi are excellent for branded gifts. We are Pokemon obsessed in this house and Zavvi have a  great selection of Pokemon products.  What I find great is that you can search Zavvi by brand such as Lego, Marvel, Pokemon, Ghostbusters and many more which to be fair makes gift purchasing a lot more straightforward.  In terms budget you can find most budgets catered for here.

Prints

Jando

Pre-Covid I was based in Dublin City centre very close to the Jando  studio.  There is something about their prints that I find so captivating. I think the year that’s in it they would make a really lovely gift idea particularly for somebody living away.   I love the Trinity print, having went to college there and spent probably 14 years walking around the campus on my break I think it’s a really love gift idea.  I believe a portion of sales of this particular print goes to supporting Trinity and its academic mission.  Really worth a look and our support this Christmas. They are a husband and wife team of award winning printmakers. I promise once you have a nosey you will want them all like me!!!

Conor Merriman

Staying with local products and the art theme, another really nice gift idea is an art print from Conor Merriman what I like about these is that they are statement pieces and a real talking point. Personally im not very adventurous in terms of decorating but I really love statement prints to showcase personality and vibrancy.  Conor’s work is built on a eco friendly mission all is produced in Dublin which is makes the gift even more thoughtful.  Do check out the Christmas card bundle – love them.

Hampers 

Its very hard to go wrong with food and/ or drink hamper this time of year and there are many great options out there. My own husband is very partial to some nice chocolate so an ideal gift for the chocolate lover in your life is a cool hamper from Chocolate Bouquet Shop.

WineLab

I know I have this article titled gift ideas for men but if any of my own family are reading this….ahem this would be good for me 🙂  Loads of great options on WineLab here from monthly subscriptions to gifts boxes where you can select wine colour and the types the person usually drinks and once you pick your budget you get a carefully curated box of wines giving you the chance to try wines you might not usually choose. You can also team up it with a card from Jando – perfect combo.  Well worth a nosey and comes in at a good price point.

For the outdoorsy 

One thing I will say is that since Covid we have all made huge efforts at embracing outdoor living. It does the head and the heart good to get out and about. We have always been an outdoor loving family but at the moment we make that extra effort.  Good outdoor accessories should not be underestimated.  Our favourite accessory aside from good winter wear which I have a post on has to be quality water bottles. We love both the Hydro Flask  and Lifestraw and while they can be pricey you need to think about 1) it’s in almost daily use and 2) the sustainability credentials of your decision.

A surprise find this year was some Zippo products – my absolute favourite is the Zipp heat bank – a hand warmer and power bank in one! Genius.

Self Care

Aside from the old reliable  of the persons favourite aftershave. One other good idea is some teeth whitening sets from Spotlight they have some great products including gift sets.

I use their sonic toothbrush, the new flosser and the whitening products and really do think they keep my teeth really white.

Or for something more general and gifty looking have a look at the  stocking from manlymanco.com  they have a great selection of gifts suiting all budgets.

I love the look of the Christmas sets see pic opposite, the tactical sock makes a very nice looking gift. I know this is something my brother would really appreciate.

 

 

I hope the above gives you a steer in terms of gifts for the men in your life. If you have any other suggestions do leave them in the comments below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mamma Reviews

Present idea’s for the men in our lives

Maybe its just me but I find it so hard to buy gifts for the men in my life, my dad, brother, in laws and not forgetting my amazing husband! I thought with Father’s Day almost literally around the corner I would compile a list of ideas that could be used year round whether its a birthday, special event or just saying thanks.

Wallet

This one was actually by request here. My husband reckoned he just wouldn’t take the time to research a decent wallet so I did it for him!!! One of the things I knew I wanted was the RFID blocking technology. I am ultra safety conscious… him…..not so much. I fell for the Lincoln Grey & Tan leather wallet from Trendhim a mega bonus for me was the separate pull out card wallet, knowing my husband as well as I do he often pops into a shop with only the cards so I knew this would be well received.  It arrived quickly, really lovely quality leather too.  Can really recommend and at  €55 including delivery I think the price point is really good for the quality product.

Trendhim do a huge range of gifts from wallets, to watches to suit accessories. You really will find something for all occasions from their site.

Products for him

Superfacialist 

I am all about self care and looking after ourselves and our health.  I have been using the Superfacialist rose cream cleanser for a while, I find it brilliant for removing makeup and leaving my skin feeling really fresh and clean. What I did not know until more recently is that they do a really great range of men’s products which I think would make a fantastic gift.  There are some cool and reasonably priced gift set for men from Superfacialist which are well worth having a look at.  Having used some of the products myself I can attest to their quality. I buy mine in Boots but they are stocked in many pharmacies and online.

Manscaped

If you are looking for that wow statement gift than Manscaped has you covered. Our top pick would have to be the “Performance Package“.  Contained in this super well presented box are the following products:

  • The Lawn Mower 3.0™. Proprietary SkinSafe® technology helps prevent nicks, snags, and tugs

    Our Manscaped goodies

  • Powerful 7,000 RPM motor with QuietStroke™ technology
  • Waterproof for convenient wet or dry operation
  • the Weed Whacker™ ear and nose hair trimmer
  • the Crop Preserver™ ball deodorant and Crop Reviver™ ball toner
  • two free gifts – the MANSCAPED™ Boxers and the Shed Travel Bag.

From the minute this gift lands through the door you can’t but be impressed.  The super cool packaging, the product names and not too mention the quality, everything about it screams premium and the presentation is really good. I did ask the main man for some feedback and it was a huge thumbs up from him, in fact he has already ordered some more of the boxes as he reckons in his 40 years he cant remember a pair as comfy.  In terms of the products he said they totally live up to their claims and he would have no hesitation in recommending to anybody.

Days out 

Who doesn’t a day or a day to be spoilt. We have picked some of our favourites as gift ideas for the men in our lives:

Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast

afternoon tea

Pic Credit: Fitzwilliam Hotel

In my previous job I spent many nights in the fabulous 5 star Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast so I can say hand on heart that I recommend a stay here, it really is pure luxury and do check out the website as you will be surprised how reasonable some of the rates are. However that’s not what totally caught my eye. I see though that its not just for Fathers Day but every Saturday and Sunday between 1-4pm they will be offering “Crafternoon Tea”, which is a unique twist on the traditional afternoon tea, comprising of hearty  delights such as pork and leek scotch egg, mini steak burger, fish finger and homemade tartar sauce bap – all accompanied by two local hand-crafted beers from Whitewater Brewing Co. I love it, think ill take my own husband purely so I can enjoy it myself!!  Its priced at €35pp which I think is really good value, pre booking is essential so do call them in advance.

A nice addition could be to add an overnight stay from €90 per person per night again having stayed many times in the Fitzwilliam I can tell you that is really good value for 5 stay luxury.

 

Barge Trip

We did the Barge Trip on the Royal Canal from Sallins a couple of weeks back and it occurred to me what a wonderful gift idea it would be. At the moment its private hire only with a full bar on board. Kids and adults loved every minute. There are some pics on my Instagram if you want to have nosey. We were so lucky with the weather but its possible to also sit indoors so can be enjoyed whatever the weather.

Dreaming of adventures at Runway 28

Lunch with a cool view 

Last Sunday we called into the newly opened Runway 28 at the Carlton Hotel Dublin airport. It’s a outdoor terrace bar on the 3rd floor of the hotel overlooking the runway at Dublin Airport. The set up is really impressive. We loved looking over at the planes take off and land, dreaming of our next adventure. The kids were kept entertained for ages while we all enjoyed the lovely food on offer. The menu isn’t huge, mostly pizzas and I believe the brunch is really lovely.   I  did sample the cocktails and they were really good.

It’s something different to do and a real novelty especially at the moment when we can’t travel like we wish we could.  You need to book online and the slots do book up quite far in advance and I can totally see why.

Hopefully this is of some use to help choose a gift for the men in your life whatever the occasion.   If you have any suggestions pop them in the comments.