Wonderful Weddings - The Queen of Collage

At the end of last year I mentioned that I was thinking of putting a series of posts together, one that featured your proposal stories and one that featured your wedding stories. Today I'm sharing my very first Wonderful Weddings post with Helena, of The Queen of Collage, sharing her story.




  • Any day spent with you is my favourite day. So, today is my favourite day.

C.S. Lewis




In a world where negative news sells and there’s worry over children and the internet I am not sure how my husband and I are going to answer ‘Mummy, Daddy how did you two meet?’ when we are asked. You see unlike couples that meet each other at school, university or a class, we met online.




Post Comment Love 27th-29th January

Post Comment Love is back for another week and Stephanie and I are looking forward to more great reads. It's so fun hosting this linky because there's such a range of you that link up, parenting (like me), lifestyle (like Steph), beauty and fashion, all of your posts are great and enjoy reading them.

This week has been insanely busy for me, we've been having new carpets fitted throughout the house which means moving furniture around. The Hubby had the awesome idea that we would remove the carpets ourselves so we've been doing that too, with lots of trips to the local recycling centre.

Of course moving furniture and removing carpets wasn't enough for us and I decided it would be the perfect time to decorate my home office. With all the furniture being stored on our landing the room was empty and it was the best chance we had. The problem with that was that the carpet fitters are coming back tomorrow (Saturday) so we had to paint, fit shelves, move the furniture back in and put pictures on the walls in order to be able to move other furniture (from BP's bedroom) onto the landing.



  • Change is hard at first, messy in the middle, and gorgeous at the end.

Robin Sharma



Every day this week I've got out of bed at 6:30am and started doing things. Yesterday we were fitting the shelves in my office and putting the curtains back up, then in the evening we were moving furniture again. Today is going to be filled with removing carpets and probably taking them to the recycling centre.

Being so busy is surprisingly tiring and every inch of me aches. I'm hoping that after Saturday we can slowly get the house back to normal and I can sit in my newly decorated office and enjoy it. I'll be sure to post some pics next week!


Give me a branch and I'll sleep on it!


As you can imagine my reading has been non-existent but I promise I'll get around to your posts as soon as the house is normal!



Blogger Showcase Rachel from Beauty and the Bird


Rachel describes herself as ambitious and loves her food, she started blogging in the summer of 2013 and never looked back. Writing about beauty, fashion and lifestyle Rachel blogs mostly for fun but is looking to the future and the possibilities. You can find out more about Rachel over on Steph's blog where you'll see Rachel's answers to the Blogger Showcase questions.

Connect with Rachel on


Feel free to grab our 'featured' badge Rachel:


Post Comment Love
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Pocolo


Each week you'll be able to link up from either of our sites and between us Stephanie and I will comment on every post linked.

The rules; Link up your best post written in the last week and we'd like you to comment on at least two other linked posts, as well as the hosts.

Help us spread the #PoCoLo word on Twitter and include the badge on your post.

Please do pop over and say hi to this week's Blogger Showcase. It's always nice to get a comment or two.

If you'd like to be featured in our Blogger Showcase please do check out the questions and email your answers to us at postcommentlove@gmail.com.



Thank you for popping by.


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Why I am looking forward to Spring

I used to love Winter, the cool weather, the dark days, as a child I thought it was great. The years went by and each time Winter came around I enjoyed it a little less. Trips on ice, freezing cold weather first thing in the morning, and no sun until around 8am day after day gets old fast. Right now I'm sitting in our lounge and the sun is trying to break through the fog. Seeing the sun poke it's head (or try to) from behind the clouds makes me think of Spring and how much I'm looking forward to it.
orange butterfly on a purple flower surrounded by green leaves



Spring is nature's way of saying "Let's Party!"

Robin Williams



When the mornings are getting lighter and the sun makes an appearance more often I feel my stresses easing a little. Doing the school runs every day during winter wearing a huge coat, a hat, scarf, gloves and boots weighs me down and I'm oh-so-ready for spring. I'm ready for the sun, I'm ready to leave the huge coat at home and possibly venture outside with just a jacket!




Keep your children dreaming

With technology facing us at every turn and our children being online almost all of the time it can be easy to want our children to grow up fast. But does this mean that we're making them lose their sense of adventure? By keeping our children firmly on the ground are we inspiring a generation of realists and forgetting about the dreamers? 



All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.

Pablo Picasso



It is so easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day mundane-ness of life that we forget how to dream. We get on with life like hamsters in a wheel, never wondering what is waiting outside the wheel. But what if we allowed our children to keep dreaming? What if we inspired, encouraged, and helped our children to reach for the stars?

When BP was two years old he got an obsession with dinosaurs. He had small toy figures, books, movies, anything you can think of had a dinosaur on it. He used to line them up on his table and make them roar at one another. As a new mum I thought it was a phase that he would soon grow out of but I enjoyed listening (for the most part) to his little roars and games as he played with his favourite toys.

It turns out that BP's obsession with dinosaurs never really went away. While he's not surrounded by dinosaurs anymore there is still that hint of undying love for the creatures. He has fact books that he reads and can still name any dinosaur he sees on the TV, so much so that he was arguing with his dad recently about whether a dinosaur was a T-Rex or a Carnotaurus. Turns out BP was right!

A year or so ago we decorated BP's bedroom and thinking that he was growing up we didn't want to put anything on his walls that he might want to change in a year. We painted, blue red, and white, and left his walls blank. I figured he would fill them with posters or something as he got older.

Then someone from Pixers got in touch and asked if I would like to review a canvas. After searching through their site and asking BP which he preferred the dinosaurs made another appearance. We selected this awesome canvas.


dinosaur canvas


It is large (150cm x 100cm) but is just perfect for his wall. When I was ordering this canvas (which costs £165) I wasn't sure how well the picture would come out but it looks great and makes a good feature for the wall in BP's bedroom. 

The love BP has for dinosaurs will never go away and to be honest I don't want it to. It allows him to think back to when he was young and remember the fun times he had playing with those toys. It lets him relax and think about simpler times and in those times he will be inspired. I've spoken before about how BP is a budding writer and dinosaurs have featured in some of his best short stories. I hope they continue to inspire him well into adulthood.

While I was searching through the canvas availability on Pixers' website I also came across their wall murals. Unfortunately we don't have walls that would be good for a mural, but if we did they certainly have a large enough selection that I'd be sure to find something I loved. There's floating hot air balloons surrounded by beautiful sunlit clouds, a boat on a canal in the middle of a city at sunset, and a pier looking out onto a peaceful lake at sunrise. I love them all and if I had walls for them would certainly buy something. 

I love looking at beautiful sunrises and sunsets, it relaxes me and I can dream of being by the sea. Sometimes a picture inspires me to write, whether that's a short piece of flash fiction or an entire story depends on the picture and my mood but it's a great way to be inspired. 



We all have a dinosaur deep within us just trying to get out.

Colin Mochrie



There are all sorts of children's products that can inspire, your children may have an obsession with a toy or TV character that will pass, or the obsession may die away but their love of that character or toy will remain. Allowing them to keep the thing in their lives, even if only a little, lets them know you don't mind them dreaming. They can be young again, they can take time out and dream up ridiculous and incredible stories, they can reach for the stars.



How do you encourage your children to dream?

I was sent the dinosaur canvas free of charge for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own. 

Why are our children so bored?

During the festive break I heard the word 'bored' far too many times. As soon as my boys are told to put their iPads down or turn off their game they claim they are bored. When in the car they have to have something to entertain themselves, they can't just sit. Growing up I don't remember being like that. Discussing the topic with the Hubby led us to ask the question 'Why are our children so bored?'





I have no attention span. I get bored so fast.

Carrie Underwood






With so many things there to entertain our children we have taken away their ability to entertain themselves. While they have their uses games consoles, tablets, and toys have contributed to our children's inability to cope with boredom. Faced with boredom they fight and bicker until we thrust the tablet or games consoles at them just so we can hear ourselves think again. So who is at fault, the children or us?

But all is not lost. We can still teach our children about boredom simply by doing nothing. 


  • Introducing non-gaming time can be the first step towards teaching them to cope with boredom. Having time away from the games will make them think of other things to do and while their first thought may be toys or other devices they're considering their options. 


  • As well as no-game time you can restrict their use of toys and devices. Perhaps even telling them to do nothing at all. To sit and do nothing is quite difficult, even for adults, but teaching your children to do it may help you too. Doing nothing allows your mind to wander, your imagination may take you on an exciting journey, and that could inspire your children.


  • While your children are having their no-game time they ask you what they should do. DO NOT SAY ANYTHING.
They need to be bored to get their mind thinking of something to do, if you offer up a choice they won't decide for themselves.





Only those who want everything done for them are bored.

Billy Graham






When your children are bored they will realise there are so many other things they could be doing. From drawing cartoon characters, like BP's Disney character below, to finding a new enjoyment of stickers. Both my boys love stickers, I've found them stuck to the headboards of beds, on furniture, and in books. If they find a sticker it has to be put somewhere.



a 12 year old's hand drawing of Disney's Pete
BP's drawing of Pete, the Disney character


If your children discover a love of stickers, like mine have, you could always check out the Sticker subscription packs available. Of course don't forget to give them somewhere to stick them or you may find stickers on your furniture too!


a selection of stickers


I'm slowly teaching my boys about boredom. It's difficult at times, in the car for example, but it is working. LP enjoys reading in the car and will often take a book wherever we're going. BP loves his drawing and while he can't really do that in the car he likes to think about what he'll draw and plan it out.

BP is also an enthusiastic writer (wonder where he gets that from?!) and will spend time thinking about stories or coming up with new plot lines for his latest stories. 





'I'm bored' is a useless thing to say. You live in a great, big, vast world that you've seen none percent of.

Louis C. K.






It's a work in progress and while it doesn't help all the time teaching your children to cope with boredom will save your eardrums. 

stationery in the background, "why are our children so bored" in the foreground


Can your children cope when they're bored?

I was sent the sticker pack for purpose of review. All opinions are my own.

Post Comment Love 20th-22nd January

It is Friday again and that means it's time for Post Comment Love. Link up your best/favourite post of the week so Stephanie, me, and others can read (and share) it. We love reading the varying topics of your posts and it's a welcome break from the kids (at least for me!) 

Hasn't it been dreary this week? I haven't got much photography done because the weather has been so dull. The lighting is terrible at the moment and there's not a chance of getting any good photos unfortunately. I do have an arm for my tripod though, which is a huge help when it comes to doing flat lays. 



  • A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.

Steve Martin



I've been buying supply for crafty things this week too and I have an idea brewing. I don't want to reveal it just yet, 1) because I need to practise first and 2) because I want to keep it a secret at the moment. Thinking about trying out crafts is a big step for me. Last week I said I used to be very crafty and enjoyed the creativity but not having done any for years I appear to have lost any ability I once had. That means starting from the beginning again. I am determined to do it though, and hopefully I'll have some lovely crafts at the end of my learning curve! I hope you'll go with me on my journey.



  • Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you.

Walt Whitman



Have you done anything to brighten your week?



Blogger Showcase Harriet from With Lipstick and Love




Who are you?


I’m Harriet, 25 years old from Buckinghamshire! I have a 3 year old son called Jack and a wonderful partner. I blog over at www.withlipstickandlove.co.uk where you’ll see them pop up from time to time but it is primarily a beauty and lifestyle blog! 



How did you discover blogging?


This is a tough one as I’ve known about it and been reading about blogs for so many years now! I think like anything you hear your friends talk “Oh my gosh have you seen / watched this?” and it all goes from there really! I couldn’t even tell you who the first blogger I started following was as it’s been that long! Although there are a small handful I’ve been following for a long time now…



Why did you start blogging?


I had a blog years ago. Originally it was one called ‘Project Flawless’ just a little blog that was hosted through blogger. I’d taken inspiration from all the blogs I’d read and wanted to see if I was any good at it myself. I did this for a couple of years and loved it. Things changed when I got pregnant with Jack, I handled pregnancy really badly, suffered a lot emotionally and just didn’t feel like me. I deleted every possible trace I could of ‘Project Flawless’ as it just wasn’t a priority for me. In hindsight that was a terrible thing to do. It’s funny how irrational you can be when your emotions are heightened… Like why did I delete it all, I could’ve just left it! Anyway, fast forward a few years and I couldn’t stop wondering ‘What if?’ And always pondered over where my blog would be all these years down the line if I’d just stuck at it. I was very lucky that my partner, Spence, purchased my domain name ‘With Lipstick and Love’ and basically told me to stop moaning and crack on with it! That push he gave me was exactly what I needed and I’m so thankful that he did that for me.



What do you find most challenging?


At the moment, my photography. I currently work only using my iPhone 5s camera. Don’t get me wrong, when the lighting is perfect you probably couldn’t tell the difference between me having taken it on my phone or if it was with a good quality camera. Unfortunately this leaves me with a tiny window of opportunity each day to take the shot. Usually I will retake time and time again until I’m 100% happy with it but I’m a little ashamed to say there are currently a handful of photos on my blog I really dislike. They only made it up there as no matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t get the right shot! I’m in the process of fixing this though as I’ve recently purchased the Olympus Pen EPL8 which is on backorder but fingers crossed it’s delivered soon! I also plan to purchase a soft box to help my lighting issues!



What is your favourite topic to write about?


I love sharing new products that I’ve found and fallen head over heels in love with. Sometimes the products aren’t new to the market but they’re new to me. To be able to share images of beautiful packaging and the product shades and hopefully get my readers as excited about the product as I am! I always try to include links and prices of where to buy them as I hate reading about a product and thinking “Oh my God I need that!” But there’s no link left for you to easily purchase the item yourself. I also like to share experiences and trips that I have with Spence and Jack. The three of us are National Trust members so if we’ve been to a particularly beautiful place I like to talk about that or indeed if we’ve been on holiday I like to share a bit of a photo diary so people know what we’ve been up to!



Are you blogging for fun or do you have goals?


Primarily I blog for fun. I love it and truly can’t get enough. I love discovering new blogs and chatting with other bloggers within the blogging community. Everyone I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to seems so lovely, kind and supportive. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have goals though, I’d love for my blog to continue to grow. No, not because ‘the numbers count’ but because I have a genuine passion for blogging. For sharing what I love and for getting to know more people. It means so much when someone leaves me a comment saying how they love my photos or what I write and I really thrive off that. I would just love for With Lipstick and Love to reach more people and for more people to (hopefully) have it bookmarked so they can read it again and again!



What is your favourite thing about blogging?


I love the freedom that comes with blogging. No one tells you what you can or can’t write. Your blog is your platform to get your voice heard, to have your own opinion on something without being told it’s wrong. Blogging has made me a much more confident person and has enabled me to speak up more ‘in the real world’ as well as online, I’ve learnt so much about myself and it’s great to do something in life that I’m really passionate and excited about. No two days are the same and it never gets boring. From writing a new post to meeting other bloggers, it’s so wonderful to be part of the blogging community.



Have you ever attended a blogging conference?


No, and this needs to change! I would so love, and be utterly flattered, to be invited to blogger events / go to blogger conferences. The whole thought of it excites me hugely as I know it would benefit my blog and benefit me as an individual. I’d love the opportunity to meet new bloggers that I might not otherwise get the chance to.



What are your three best posts?


Oh this is a tough one. I mean, no one likes to blow their own trumpet right? I’d like to take a different approach to this question and by ‘best’ interpret it to mean ‘most proud of’. I’d have to start with the post ’Sunglass Emporium’ (http://www.withlipstickandlove.co.uk/sunglass-emporium/) and please excuse the awful photography and shaky writing. I’ve picked this as it was my first post on With Lipstick and Love, this was the post that kicked this incredible journey off for me and got me where I am now!


Second I’d say ‘What I’ve Learned In 6 Months Of Blogging’ (http://www.withlipstickandlove.co.uk/what-ive-learned-in-6-months-of-blogging/) This was an incredibly reflective post for me. I sat and thought about where my head was at when I started and where it was at the time of writing the post. In 6 months I’d grown and learned so much and it was wonderful to be able to share it with my readers.


Finally, I’d pick “Welcome To Marlow – Our Home Tour” (http://www.withlipstickandlove.co.uk/welcome-to-marlow-our-home-tour/) this was another personal post. We’d recently moved to Marlow and the place we’d purchase was a ‘doer upper’ to put it politely. The amount of hard work Spence and I put into it to get it to a liveable condition was insane. This post is full of before and after shots showing how we got our home looking in the short space of 2 weeks.


Now, I’ll admit, the three posts I’ve given you aren’t the posts that are the best written, or indeed the posts that have the best photos, but they are the ones that mean the most to me. I really pride myself on making sure I give little insights into my life as much as possible as I’d really love my readers to get to know me as a person and not just read about endless product reviews (although let’s be honest, we all love them!)



Describe yourself in three words:


This is a tough one! Again, kind of a blowing your own trumpet thing. So I’ve cheated a little bit and asked Spence… The three words he picked were; thoughtful, loving, beautiful (and I didn’t even have to bribe him, he’s definitely a keeper!)



Tea and biscuits or coffee and cake?


Err both! I’ll take a chocolate hobnob and a slice of lemon drizzle please…



What’s your idea of a perfect night out?


I love a good cocktail or two (who doesn’t?) but I feel like I’m too old for clubs now. I like to be able to hear the person that I’ve gone out with! Take me to a great wine or cocktail bar that has cosy sets and beautiful background music and I’m in heaven.



What’s your perfect night in?


I love a naughty takeaway every now and again. So cosy up on the sofa with a Chinese or curry and stick on a film or two. If Jack has his way it will be anything Disney or Superhero… We’ve watched so much Captain America it’s unreal.



What would your best friend / OH / mum or kid say is your best quality?


Asking Jack: “You’re a dinosaur”…. Never trust a 3 year old to give you a sensible answer!
Asking Spence: “Loyalty’

So there you have it guys, I’m a loyal dinosaur!


You can find Harriet on


Thanks for taking part in Blogger Showcase Harriet, I love a good Lemon Drizzle cake too! Feel free to grab our badge.


Post Comment Love
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Pocolo


Each week you'll be able to link up from either of our sites and between us Stephanie and I will comment on every post linked.

The rules; Link up your best post written in the last week and we'd like you to comment on at least two other linked posts, as well as the hosts. 

Help us spread the #PoCoLo word on Twitter and include the badge on your post.

Please do pop over and say hi to this week's Blogger Showcase. It's always nice to get a comment or two. 

If you'd like to be featured in our Blogger Showcase please do check out the questions and email your answers to us at postcommentlove@gmail.com.

Thank you for popping by.


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Do you spring clean in January?

After the Christmas decorations have been put away and the presents are in newly designated spots do you find you want to do a spring clean? The darker days are still here, there's rubbish weather most days, but I like to do a big house clean in January. New Year, new start right?





I look forward to spring cleaning and putting things in their place. It's therapeutic for me.

Kimora Lee Simmons





As Kimora says, cleaning can be therapeutic and giving your house a good clean can make you feel ready for the year. The only trouble with the cleaning (apart from the cleaning itself!) is allergies. I suffer with an allergy to dust and once I start cleaning I'm sneezing constantly. It is something that doesn't bother me very often but when it does it can be quite annoying. I use Haymax balms when I'm cleaning, it's a little pot of balm that you put around your nostrils. It 'catches' the particles of dust (or pollen/allergens) before they get into your nose protecting you from your allergies.






BP used Haymax during the summer last year, he suffers with terrible hay fever, and it helped him lots. The great thing about it is he can carry a pot of Haymax in his pocket so he has it if he needs it and he doesn't need to be watched while using it. 

But anyway, back to the cleaning...

I always start in my kitchen, I'm not sure why, perhaps because that's where most of the work usually happens? Having a clean kitchen and knowing that no matter where I look I won't find any dirt or dust is satisfying. 

With a list in my head I work my way through the house doing the cleaning throughout. The windows can look terrible during the winter when you get the low sun shining through them and showing up all the grime, dust, and finger marks. Good Housekeeping's top tip for cleaning your windows is to do it on a cloudy day so the cleanser doesn't dry before you've had a chance to wipe it off. The perfect time to get a cloudy day is during the winter, so tackle those windows now!

I'm doing my cleaning this week, we're having new carpets throughout the house so it's the perfect time. I'll use all the nozzles for my vacuum cleaner, I'll dust all the light fittings, I'll even be cleaning the windows. And I know that by the time I'm finished I'll feel great.

My top tip for your spring clean would be to do it while the kids are at school.





Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is like shovelling the walk before it stops snowing.

Phyllis Diller





Having kids at home means your house is never going to be clean for very long but if you do it while they're at school you will at least get to enjoy it a little before they get home. I love being able to sit down with a hot coffee and look at my lovely clean house before the boys get home. I know it won't last long but it's just nice to see my house clean.



If you have allergies you might be interested in the giveaway (below). I've teamed up with Haymax to offer one Morgan's Milieu reader a chance to win a Haymax goody pack, which includes 5 pots of Haymax allergy balm. The balms are Aloe Vera, Frankincense, Pure, Lavender and Haymax Kids.


You can find the giveaway T&C's in the widget.


Staying Cozy This Winter & Keep Your Energy Budget In Check

During the chilly months of winter and the soaring temperatures of summer, this is when our utility bills can literally go through the roof. Adding insulation can sometimes be an answer for stopping HVAC systems from giving away heat to the entire neighborhood (as my Dad used to say when I left a door open briefly during December). But there’s other solutions that are less labor intensive that can offer a quick burst of heat and a coziness factor on a cold, winter’s day. 
cup of tea wrapped in wool

We all know by now to keep our thermostats set at 68° during daylight hours and lowering this temperature to 65° while we’re sleeping under a warmth of blankets during winter months. But what about a sudden chill or a feeling of uncomfortability that can occur when these settings just aren’t cutting it for us and our kids?

Post Comment Love 13th - 15th January

Another week, another Post Comment Love. It's so lovely to see our little community growing week by week, we get to read such brilliant posts and share them, I can't wait to see what you have in store for us this week.

I've had such a busy week this week that I only managed to sit in front of the computer yesterday. I feel like time has disappeared and I haven't got enough done. It's funny how that happens sometimes isn't it? At least we're back into a normal routine with the kids back at school.

  • The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.

Mike Murdock

Last weekend the Hubby and I decided we needed to get new carpets. Cue lots of complaints about having to move furniture, deciding on a colour of carpet, and actually getting it done. It's certainly not something I enjoy but I know it will look great when it's done. Our current carpet is a deep red and our house doesn't get much natural light, which means that the house seems dark all the time. I wouldn't normally have wanted a light coloured carpet (having a young boy who likes football) but I think it will make a huge difference to how light the house looks. I'll be introducing a strict "no-shoes" policy once the carpet is down though. 

I've spent a lot of time messing about with a tripod this week. Figuring out how to get it to do what I wanted proved too much and by the time I'd worked it out the natural light had gone, I was frustrated, and I needed to buy new equipment. At least I got a little help from Emily Quinton's Youtube videos - she's a brilliant help and I'll be watching more of her stuff. If you're interested in taking great photos with your iPhone check her out!

I'll get there sooner or later, I'm just hoping it's sooner.

flower silhouetted in the setting sun


I've also had a few ideas rattling around in my head. When I was growing up I was always creative, drawing, cross-stitch, cards, painting, there was nothing I couldn't put my hands to. Since having children I've let a lot of that fall by the wayside and it makes me a little sad. So I've decided to try to get back to some of the more creative hobbies. I'm going to buy a card-making kit and see if I can make some nice cards, maybe I'll even give them to people! It has been a long time since I did anything creative but I'm determined to make it work. You may even see some creative posts from me - now that would be a shocker huh?


  • And I believe that the best learning process of any kind of craft is just to look at the work of others.

Wole Soyinka


I'll definitely be doing a lot of that in the coming months, trawling Pinterest, watching videos on Youtube and cursing when I can't replicate what I see!

How was your week, have you got back into a routine yet?




Blogger Showcase Luke from Hux Life


Having been introduced to blogging by his sister's friend Luke began blogging to document the development of his little boy. He loves to write about their whirlwind journey and you can learn more about Luke over on Steph's blog.

Connect with Luke:





Pocolo


Each week you'll be able to link up from either of our sites and between us Stephanie and I will comment on every post linked.

The rules; Link up your best post written in the last week and we'd like you to comment on at least two other linked posts, as well as the hosts. 

Help us spread the #PoCoLo word on Twitter and include the badge on your post.

Please do pop over and say hi to this week's Blogger Showcase. It's always nice to get a comment or two. 

If you'd like to be featured in our Blogger Showcase please do check out the questions and email your answers to us at postcommentlove@gmail.com.

Thank you for popping by.


Post Comment Love
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Dieting doesn't have to be painful

When you think of dieting you think of starving yourself don't you? It's that sudden restriction of food you enjoy, the fact that you need to be hungry in order to lose weight, why on earth would anyone choose to do that to themselves right? But dieting doesn't have to be painful, nor do you have to starve yourself in order to lose weight. 
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I am an experienced dieter.


My weight over the past few (okay, many) years has gone up and down more times than a yo-yo in a teen's hands. I guess that's why that call it Yo-Yo Dieter. I've been 14st 8lbs and reduced it to 10st, and everywhere in between. 

5 Actionable Ways to Improve Your Child’s Concentration in School

Does your child struggle to stay focused in school? Is he or she often distracted/feels uncomfortable while studying?





Well, attention problems are common in today’s generation of school-goers who are overstimulated by technology, peers, etc.

But if your child fails to concentrate inside the classroom over an extended period of time, he/she may struggle in exams or get expelled. Such scenarios could create feelings of shame and inadequacy. No parent wants that to happen.

On that note, here are 5 tips to get your child back on track to being a successful student in school.




1. Play Memory Games


When trying to explore how to improve your child’s concentration at school, start by taking measures to increase his/her focus at home first. One way to do this is by playing memory games. For instance, you can lay out a sequence of items and help your kid memorise the series. Then, put a blanket on the items and see how long your child takes to recall the sequence. The neurons in their brain will map out over time and it will become easier for them to stay focused in school and at home.



2. Get Their Clothing Right


Tight clothing can hinder your child’s ability to stay focused. The child may not feel good in skin-tight elastic attire and therefore find it difficult to concentrate on classroom lectures. Seamless clothing for kids is an option for children who experience hypersensitivity, sensory processing differences or who can’t bear irritating seam. With soft edging, breathable material and other similar features, such clothing offers kids superior comfort so that they stay calm and are able to focus on learning.



3. Ask Them to Remove Visual Experiences from School Desks 


Classroom or school desk clutter can make your child brainscattered. Ask them to remove visual distractions from their desk and then see if they can concentrate better. This will give them fewer excuses for not paying attention to the task assigned by their teacher. Remember, children don’t have the same ability as adults to filter out distractions when it matters the most. Tablets, smartphones and the vast majority of material on the web can make them lose focus. Educate them on the drawbacks of having such devices at the school desk.



4. Make Sure Your Child Eats Healthy


There is a positive correlation between healthy eating and how well a kid focuses. High consumption of junk food items that are loaded with sugar and sodium can make your child sluggish. Caffeinated energy drinks are worst; they provide a quick dose of sugar that leads to an “energy” crash later. Also, your child can easily get addicted to caffeinated drinks, which could result in health complications in the future. Make sure your child eats healthy proteins and whole-grain foods. Fruits and vegetables should top the list as they include antioxidants that increase brain power.





5. Address Their Physiological Needs


Most kids concentrate best after a good night’s sleep so make sure that your child gets sufficient sleep of 8-9 hours. This will stimulate his/her dopamine levels which increase the ability to focus, especially in lethargic children. Frequent breathers can have a similar impact. Tell your child to relax for 10 minutes while at school, get lunch, and then go back to learning.

These measures will go a long way in improving your child’s concentration at school.



Collaborative Post

Post Comment Love 6th - 8th January

Happy New Year! It's 2017 and it's time for the first Post Comment Love of the year. Welcome one and all to our fab little linky, Steph and I have been hosting Post Comment Love for a whole year now and it's been a great ride. We appreciate every link up, from bloggers who have linked from the start when Steph and I took over from Vicky, to new bloggers who have stopped by in the last month or so. You are what makes this linky worth hosting.

I've read some fabulous posts, been inspired by other bloggers and made some wonderful new friends and I truly believe that if it wasn't for Post Comment Love none of those things would've happened. 

So, Thank you!


How was your Christmas break? 

I took a complete break, no posting to social sites (apart from scheduled stuff), no blog posts, no computer use at all. It was brilliant! I love Christmas for that, it's such a great time to think about the year, what has passed and what is to come in the new year. It's also a good time to be with family and hosting Christmas Lunch went better than I could've hoped. I was completely rushed off my feet from about 7.30am and I didn't sit down until the Lunch was served at 2pm but it was the best day. Our whole family sat around the table, ate a great meal (even if I do say so myself!) and chatted.