Sunday 28 October 2018

Tasha Talks History: An introduction

Hello my lovelies!

How have you all been? It's been a long time. I've been busy doing all sorts! I do promise not to leave my blog for this long again though (unless I have a good reason). I have to say I've missed it.

Let me introduce you to this new section of my blog: Tasha Talks History. As you may or may not know I love anything to do with history, in particular the Tudors. I'll be doing posts on books I read, places I visit, and on historical figures. Now, I'm not a 'historian'. I have no further education achievement in history (like an A-level or degree etc), but if you think you can class someone who does research for a hobby, and has a sheer passion for history as a historian, then I will suppose I could be classed as one.



I remember when I first found out how much I loved history. I was in year 3 (that would make me 7/8 years old) and we were learning about ancient Egypt. I always remember enjoying my lessons and getting so stuck in with what we were learning about. However, I think the real passionate side came out when I moved in to year 4 (8/9 years old) and we started learning about the Tudors. I can still remember the lessons and the Tudor dress up day.

I know that my next post I have planned for Tasha Talks History, is on Hever Castle. I visited Hever in the summer with Aron, my Grandma and Darcie. I have lots of pictures to share with you, sadly none of the gardens though. The reason I don't have any of the gardens is because I picked the hottest day of the year to go! We have said we'll all go back, on a cooler day, and do the gardens then. They are too beautiful not to go back and have a stroll through. When we go back, I'll be sure to share the photos with you all.

If you have any suggestions of places you would like to see or posts for me to write, then do let me know in the comments.

Thank you for reading

Tasha x

Sunday 10 June 2018

Suffolkbaby_littlelulu nappy bag review*

Hello my lovelies!

How are we all? I'm a little tired as we spent most of yesterday in the children's ED with Darcie as she has severe tonsillitis. I can't believe she is almost 18 months! Where does time go?! I'm thinking of doing an 18 month update soon on the blog. Anyway...

Today's post is on a lovely Instagram account @suffolkbaby_littlelulu, who kindly sent me one of her handmade nappy bags to try out. I love buying handmade items and supporting small businesses. It feels really good knowing you are supporting someone and their dream. I can imagine the feeling they get when someone pays interest into what they make or purchases something is something similar to when someone views one of my blog posts, comments or shares a post. It means so much.

little angels nappies, nappy, flatlay


@suffolkbaby_littlelulu not only hand makes and sells nappy bags but also leggings. Both have an RRP of £10.

The leggings are made with jersey cotton and the two designs which are pictured below (photos of leggings provided by @suffolkbaby_littlelulu)are both unisex. The leggings are currently available in 0-3 months. The size range will be expanding soon, however, look out for more exciting clothing lines being added to @suffolkbaby_littlelulu. I love the patterns of these leggings, I think they would look super cute on teeny little legs.




I love the idea of a nappy bag. Many Mum's and Dad's (like myself and my partner) don't bother to take our stuff (keys, purse, wallet etc.) in a bag of our own, we just use the changing bag to put them in. (Just for reference we use the Cath Kidston Prancing Ponies Kids Backpack as Darcie's changing bag, which also doubles up nicely as her nursery bag.) There's no point in creating more work for yourself if you don't need to. But, with this comes a bit of a jumble. If your in a rush paying for something, things can be hard to find. Or, when you need to move away quickly after paying for something, purses/wallets just get chucked in the bag causing nappy crumple and I have to admit I'm not the biggest fun of nappy crumple. This is where your @suffolkbaby_littlelulu nappy bag comes into play.

The beauty of it is it keeps all your nappies you are taking out with you in one easy, handy to get to place and no nappy crumple! We went for a lovely day out to the seaside and I managed to fit 6 nappies in with no problem. As a guide I use ASDA Little Angels size 4 Comfort & Protect nappies for Darcie and they work a treat for us (please remember what nappies work well or suit one child might not for another) we very rarely buy any other nappies unless for some reason we can't do an ASDA shop, which is hardly ever.

little angels nappies, nappy, flatlay

The nappy bags are made with 100% cotton, polycotton and canvas. The one I received has a tie to fasten the nappy bag, but recently they have changed the way they fasten to a button and elastic. This means you can easily open the bag with one hand. Little lu lu have a variety of different fabrics for you to choose from, so there is something to suit everyone's style. The photo below shows a handful of different fabrics they have to offer (thank you providing the photos @suffolkbaby_littlelulu).



Each nappy bag comes with a personal hand written note, which I think is such a lovely touch. Each item you but even has the cute 'Little lu lu' tag on to which I think makes for that special 'made with love' 'I'm proud of what I sell' touch.

flatlay


These make a lovely addition to any changing bag and are a huge help for organisation! You can buy these by messaging @suffolkbaby_littlelulu on Instagram.


Tasha x

Monday 23 April 2018

I'm back! What I've been up to...

Hi everyone!

What's been happening?

Long time no blog! As you know I recently started a new job so I have just been getting back into the working routine. Also, we've been adjusting our routine with Darcie as she has started nursery so we've just been finding what works. I am pleased to say nothing much had to change and everything has worked well.

Upcoming posts:

As for upcoming posts I was thinking about doing a going back to work after being on maternity leave post, tips on little one's staring nursery, a lush haul, a Darcie update and I also have a couple of reviews I have had in lined for a while coming up over the next month. In relation to post scheduling I am aiming to do a post every fortnight, these will either be on a Saturday or a Monday. It will more than likely be the Monday but I'll see how it works out. I'm also thinking about starting doing book reviews. I love reading and I've read a few good books recently so I am thinking about starting doing a few book reviews/what I'm reading posts. I am also going to start blogging

A trip to London:

In the Easter break we visited London. In specific Sea life, Oxford street, M&M's world and I insisted we needed to look at the tower of London but we didn't go inside. We did a little bit of shopping (I say a little, I went a bit wild in Lush). The weather wasn't great but that didn't ruin the day for us. Here are a few pictures from our trip out:














Tasha x
 

Saturday 10 February 2018

Baylis & Harding Rosé Prosecco Fizz Valentine's gifts 2018

Hi everyone,

I hope you have all had an amazing month so far! Valentines day is quickly approaching and you may be wanting gift ideas for loved ones, or just a treat for yourself. Baylis & Harding have a lovely selection of gifts for you to choose from. The valentines day limited addition scent is Rosé Prosecco Fizz, which can I just say smells amazing and fits the occasion to a T.

Someone special, van, packaging, gifting, cupid

Treats for your feet sock set:


valentine's, gift

These socks are probably the softest you have ever felt. They are a beautiful soft pink colour and pair perfectly with the Rosé Prosecco Fizz soothing foot lotion. The perfect treat at the end of a long day on your feet. You can find this gift set in Morrisons, Debenhams and on Amazon. This gift set has an RRP of £8.

Body treats gift set:


valentine's

The first thing I want to mention about this gift set is that the packaging is beautiful, but then again, Baylis & Harding always have the most beautiful packaging. This gift set contains a body polisher, a 250g tub of bath crystals (when I opened these and the scent blew me away), a 500ml bottle of shower crème, and a 500ml bottle of body lotion. Pamper yourself, set the scene with some candles. Jump in the shower or run a nice hot bath and relax. After, finish with the body lotion. What a perfect way to spend a Valentine's evening with some self love. This can be purchased from Amazon and Debenhams. This has an RRP of £18.

Prosecco van:

valentines, cupid, gift, van, gift set

Can we just take a moment to take in how cute the van is?! What a lovely idea for packaging. This adorable gift set comes with body polisher, a 100ml bottle of body wash and a 100ml bottle of hand and body lotion. Anyone would be lucky to receive such a lovely gift. You can pick this up from Debenhams and Amazon.

I just want to say a huge thank you to Baylis & Harding for sending me this lovely gist sets. You can check out Baylis & Harding on Amazon for more affordable luxury.

I hope you all have a lovely Valentine's Day, what are your plans?

Tasha x

Saturday 27 January 2018

How to prepare and do well in an interview

Hi everyone,

So just over a week ago I put a tweet out saying how I got a new job and asked if any one would like to see a post on going for job interviews.


I thought I would make this post as I stated in the tweet I have never not been offered a job after going for a job interview. I mean, I have always had good advice from my Dad (thanks Dad) and he taught me most things about going for an interview. So, I thought I would share ways I have leant to prepare for a job interview and doing well in the interview.

kikki k, notebook, pen, rings, flatlay

1. Research and preparation:

Firstly, what sort of interview are you going for? Is it a one on one or a group Interview. Are you going to be interviewed by more than one person? They might even want to Skype call you or interview you by telephone. There are loads of different ways to be interviewed. So, what I suggest is find out how they will be interviewing you and prepare for that particular style. For example, if you are being interviewed by more than one person they are going to be able to bounce questions off of one another. Or, they other person might think of a question off of what you have said that the other didn't think of. Skype calls and telephone calls are less formal but you still need to make a good first impression whether they can see you or not. Group interviews for me are the hardest, as not only have you got to make a good first impression, you have to constantly outshine the others in your group.

Make sure you prepare all your documents and qualifications that you need to bring to show to your potential employee.

The next thing to consider is the company you are being interviewed to work for. Research the company. When were they founded? What's the company's biggest achievement? What services do they provide? Do they have any policies and procedures? Find out what you can that is relevant to the company you are going for an interview with. You're not going to seem like a 'know-it-all', you're going to come across like you want the job and you're passionate. Another bit of research you can do is, look at what previous or current employees say about working there. Indeed have a tab dedicated to people reviewing their place of work which you can find here. That way you can get a feel of what people that have worked for the company think about it. Take what they say lightly though, as everyone's experience is different.

Taking the above into consideration. Make notes, use revision cards, do what works best for you. You could even get someone to give you a few quick fire questions so you can be extra prepared.

The last point I will make on the research and preparation point is, where are you going to? Do you know exactly where you are going? If not I would suggest finding the place a few days before your interview. The last thing you want is to get lost and be late. Another point to note is be there 10/15 minutes before. Give yourself time to relax. Not only that it shows you have good time keeping skills. Don't be there to early though, they have given you that time slot for a reason. That's why 10/15 minutes is a good time frame.

Kikki K, notebook, pen

2. Dressing

So you know what you're being interviewed for, dress for the occasion. Keep in mind you want to stay smart, tidy and clean. You also want to feel comfortable and confident in what you are wearing. If you have long hair, maybe tie it neatly back. Do you wear makeup? Maybe put a little on. Nothing too much just something subtle and that looks nice. Unless you are going for the role of a makeup artist, you then might want to do something a little more stand out but keeping it classy. Remember, how they see you now, what your wearing, your personal hygiene, that's there first impression. Personally, for the type of interviews I go for, you can never go wrong with a pair of black trousers and a smart looking top/blouse.

3. At the interview

So you're here. You're ready to do what you can to get the job. Remember body language is everything. Shak their hand on entrance and when you're leaving. Keep good posture when you are sitting down with them or walking around. Don't shrug your shoulders or cross your arms. If you don't know what you do with your hands or arms, place them by your sides or place them on your lap. 

When you're there listen and ask questions when you need to. Asking questions is good as it shows your listening and interested in the job role. Take in your surroundings and ask any questions if you have them on things going on.

Also, remember to voice your goals and targets. Where do you want to be in 10 years time? What qualifications or training might they offer that they can help you with? Always keep a goal in mind.

The last things I will say to you are, remember no two interviews are the same. So you may need to adapt some of these pointers to work for you. There may be more things you can think of doing. Last thing is to remember to take a deep breath and relax.

I hope this helps and if you're reading this and have an upcoming interview, good luck!

Tasha x




Sunday 14 January 2018

Glam & Style Hair Dryer*

Hi everyone,

Firstly, I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year! It's been a little while since I last posted on my little blog. I had a little break over Christmas and then poor Darcie went down with tonsillitis (she's all better now). So, I had wanted to get this post up just after Christmas, but it didn't turn out that way. That's why the images on this post are still a little Christmassy. Fear not, they won't be on the next one.

Anyway, I had the Glam & Style hair dryer sent to me a little while ago now. I was so grateful for the opportunity to review this hair dryer as mine was starting to see better days.

diamond, 2200W

So as packaging goes I really quite like it. They haven't over done it but at the same time it's eye catching. The picture above is the front of the box. The picture below is the back of the box. This side gives you the lowdown on the hair dryer. Inside the box you get a little leaflet on the hair dryer.

Diamond, 2200W

What will this hair dryer offer you?
  • Up to 2200W drying and styling power (1800W-2200W)
  • A 2 meter cord
  • A hang up loop
  • Cool shot
  • 3 heat settings
  • 2 speed settings
  • A hang up loop
  • A detachable inlet grill to clean the hairs that get into the dryer
  • A DC (direct current) motor
  • Concentrator nozzle for precision styling
  • and a 2 year guarantee.  
Concentrator nozzle, leaflet, 2 meter lead

How do I find using my Glam Style hair dryer?

Well, so far so good. It isn't just me that uses it, my boyfriend uses it when he styles his hair and said it is good. It's light weight so you do feel like you're doing a workout whilst drying your hair. Compared to my last hair dryer its super light weight. It dries my hair and helps my boyfriend style his hair in next to no time.

Concentrator nozzle, 3 speed settings, 2 heat settings

I love the look of the hair dryer to. I love the little accents of rose gold. I don't mind hair dryers that have crazy patterns (as my last one had) but I like that this has no frills and is sleek and elegant looking.

detachable inlet grill

Overall, for £14.99 on Amazon I think it's a bargain and if you are looking for a hair dryer for yourself or as a gift for someone else, I would recommend this one.

You can find the Glam & Style on Amazon.

Until next time,

Tasha x

*I received this product in return for a fair and honest review*