#GreatBritishHomeChallenge - What's My Style?

So, Victoria Plumb, inspirational designers and purveyors of stylish bathrooms, are asking us to take part in their Great British Home quiz to find out what our homes say about our style.  I duly took part to discover that I am in fact channeling the interior design inspiration of none other than Joey Essex!  Now don't get me wrong, I love Joey, but to compare me to someone who "screams glamour" is probably against the Trade's Description Act! Glamorous I am not!!

At first glance, my home is probably more bland than bling!  However there are some aspects of the results of the quiz that I can relate to...slightly.  I love being snuggled on my sofa but tend to be wrapped in an old sleeping bag rather than a faux fur throw.  I love a good cushion, but there is no embellishment on my practical, plain brown ones. Sequins and embroidery are just too uncomfortable when you lie down for a snooze. I do favour neutral tones such as browns and creams, but would never go metallic and crushed velvets are just too 1980's for my taste.  I've been there and done that already.  Ostentatious soft furnishings are so not my thing.   Family portraits do feature in my decor and I love a good kitchen gadget.  So maybe there is an element of Essex in my style somewhere, I'm just bypassing the glamour and going for a more practical approach. Possibly having five kids has eradicated all attempts of glamorizing my living space and suppressed my inner glamour girl.  Middle aged and practical seems a more befitting description of me these days.

Looking around my living room, I see very little of my personal style.  Everything is most definitely here for practicality. A huge DVD, game and Blu-ray collection has seen a need for a huge storage solution dominating one wall of our living space.  Practical laminate flooring provides a fuss free, easy to clean alternative to carpet.  A huge corner sofa is needed to seat the whole family whenever they all descend, and the punctuation of beige cushions does little in the way of adding any pzazz.  It's a functional room for watching our big TV...but when it is filled with family and the love, fun and laughter that comes with that,  it comes alive! Piles of Freddy's toys that migrate their way into the living room are a constant reminder of the fact that my home is a place where the children feel comfortable and free to have fun.  There are no ornaments, breakables or trinkets on display, no fine fabrics or delicate soft furnishings that could get damaged.  This is a house for relaxing and enjoying some family fun, not for being on your best behaviour.

My kitchen is again modern, practical and functional - although I do dream of a having a country kitchen with a range cooker, a central island workstation and a plethora of matching crockery at my disposal.  It's where I knock up family meals and bake cakes, do the laundry and wash up.  There is no seating so it isn't the hub of the house or the heart of my home.  It's where things get done, which makes me a bit sad.  I'd love one of those kitchens where you can sit around the table with a cup of coffee having a chat while the smell of freshly baked cookies fills the air.  Instead it's just me and my utensils doing a job.  But it is a lovely working environment for my solitary pursuits, and sometimes one of the kids will perch themselves on the work surface to keep me company, or Freddy will grab a stool to stand on and be my little kitchen helper.

We recently revamped our bedroom to make it more of a sanctuary and less of a storage facility for everybody else's stuff. Some new paint, new blinds and new bed covers certainly gave my room a new lease of life and brightened up things for the better.  The silky duvet cover does have a touch of glam in its gold and black design, and the silk Roman blinds really open up the space.  I think even Joey Essex may approve of it!  It's nice to have somewhere with a hint of glamour as my own personal space, to unwind in.  Maybe there is a little TOWIE in me after all!

My ensuite bathroom is one of my joys!  I love it, with its big walk in shower unit and mirrored back wall. It's lovely having such a great space attached to my bedroom - but because it is so cool, the kids insist on using my shower and not the bath in their family bathroom.  Consequently, I have a trail of teenagers coming through my bedroom day and night, leaving crumpled, wet towels and a myriad of potions and lotions in their wake!  Perhaps it's time to upgrade their bathroom so I can free up my ensuite!  Maybe the modern, trendy Princeton suite that Victoria Plumb tells me is perfect for adding TOWIE glamour to my home, would suit my three glamour puss daughters!  Definitely something to consider.

At the end of the day, we have a comfortable home where we can relax, kick back and enjoy family life.  It's modern and functional, but still has the touches that make it special to us like our family photo canvases, our big TV and our big, old comfy corner sofa.  It's spacious and light and provides a place for us all to be together in comfort.  For me, my home is a reflection of our family's needs.  It may not be fancy, it may not be glam or adorned in ornamental embellishments, but it is our home.

Our home may be functional...but by golly...we know how to put the FUN in our FUNctional approach to style!

“This post is an entry for #GreatBritishHome Challenge  sponsored by Victoria Plumb, a source of quality bathrooms for every type of home. Take its “What’s Your Celebrity Home Style?” quiz to discover what your home says about you.”

Reality TV - My Guilty Pleasure

The start of 2014 has brought with it a cornucopia of fabulously trashy Reality TV shows, providing the perfect antidote to my annual post Christmas gloom and the terrible January weather.

Last weekend I immersed myself in Splash, Celebrity Big Brother plus its Bit on the Side and Dancing on Ice, and I'm not ashamed to admit I loved every moment of it!

Splash is such an unlikely concept. Watching celebs of all ages, shapes and sizes take to the diving board under the watchful eye of pocket-sized Tom Daley should not be entertaining.  But somehow it works.  The delivery is very old fashioned, reminding me of TV from my childhood.  The flourish of the disrobing celebs revealing their bejewelled showbiz cossies before they make the walk to the diving board feels like watching the Miss World Swimwear round from 1976.  But instead of watching beauty queens on parade we have a mix and match array of soapstars, comedians, TV presenters and reality stars strutting their stuff.  As they make their dives I'm not sure if I'm willing them to pull off the perfect twist and tuck with a splashless entry, or whether I really want to see the mother of all belly flops.  Either way I am glued to the screen for the entire few seconds that they are mid air, heading headfirst into the pool. However, the tired format of unfunny judges, and stale presenters does cause me to drift off between dives, as I find myself hitting social media on my phone. If they could condense the show into a 30 minute montage of splashing celebrities, I'm sure it would much more interesting to watch.  This week Gemma Collins from TOWIE was one of the celebrities taking the dive, and I have to say she was a revelation.  She is fabulous larger lady who overcame her fears and pulled off her simple dive with relish.  Her oversized boobs were battered and bruised from training, but she trussed them up in her gorgeous, slinky black swimming dress (yes it was a dress and not a costume) and showed all of us plus sized ladies how it was done.  Well done Gemma!

Dancing on Ice All Stars is what I have been waiting for ever since I saw the teaser trailer last year.  The return of Todd Carty is eagerly anticipated in next week's show along with other favourites such as David Seaman, famed for smashing his partner's face into the ice during the infamous Head Banger incident from series 1!  This week gave us the awkward pairing of Jorgie Porter with the Lothario Sylvain Longchambon, who has gained notoriety for bedding his skate partners. Sylvain hooked up with that Samia from Corrie during the last series, dumping former partner Jen from Hollyoaks.  As Jen and Jorgi are best friends, this lead to a bit of animosity.  Little, doe-eyed Jorgie was rather unpleasant about her skating partner in the show and in the media beforehand. It wasn't very professional or gracious - but the producers knew exactly what they doing when they paired them up to court controversy.  Personally, I think that as Sylvain and Jen were not married and had no children, it isn't that scandalous that he hooked up with some one else.  Lots of couples find love in the workplace, and for them DOI is a job and they fell in love while doing it. It's the natural order of things. People do move on in relationships and just because you do it publicly, watched by millions of viewers doesn't make it any less valid.  I think Jorgie deserved to go for being a little bitch - albeit a very cute, little blonde one. The loss of Joe Pasquale was however a sad one.  His groin thrusting, Flash performance was a joy to behold.

There is something so utterly cathartic about watching a bunch of celebrities (aka has-beens, wannabes or Z-Listers) throwing themselves into a reality show in the hope of resurrecting a dying career, earning a few extra bob, getting a topless shoot in Nuts or holding on to their tenuous 15 minutes of fame. There is, at this time, a really interesting phenomena of people who have found fame on reality shows, entering other reality shows. It's like reality and celebrity is imploding in on itself. On CBB we have stars from TOWIE, Made in Chelsea and The Apprentice going head to head.  It's like the ultimate reality contest, a modern day arena for gladiatorial combat, between stars who are only famous for being themselves. Egos clashing.  Attention sought.  Limelight hogged.

So far there has been a lot of smutty goings on in the house featuring Lee Ryan from Blue with the topless model that he was handcuffed to for the entry show.  Is their budding relationship real or just showmance? Time alone will tell. But I for one love a good celebrity, onscreen lovefest.  Remember Jordan and Peter in the Jungle or Chantal and Preston from CBB??  More alarmingly we have Dappy from N-Dubz, Jasmine, who is an American 'actress' who once punched Lindsay Lohan, and Luisa the baking sex addict from The Apprentice, taking to the bathtub for a rather grotesque game of truth or dare involving nipples, girl-on-girl action and rubber ducks.   Dappy is like a little puppy dog with way too much testosterone coursing through his veins.  He tries to hump everything. His over excited little face as he plays up to the camera and his constant crotch adjustment leaves me unsettled!  He is known not only for being the woolly hat wearing pint sized frontman of N-Dubz but also for posting a nude, full frontal photo on the internet. Now for the purpose of research, I may have Googled the 'Dappy nudes' and yes, I may have snorted my coffee at my laptop screen.  At 5' 2", Dappy is a little fella, consequently, his well above average nob hung like a third leg reaching down to his knees.  In the Big Brother house, he is enjoying boasting about his 'meat' and likes to wave it about when near to Jasmine. Consequently we have had a visual on Dappy's bellend hanging out of the leg of his boxers as he attempted to mount the snoozing girl in bed.  And it is only the first week!  I am pretty sure the beast will be fully unleashed at some point.

Meanwhile Chelsea's lovely Ollie Locke and octogenarian, national treasure Lionel Blair have had the most wonderful bromance.  The camp duo are just perfect together, a friendship transcending the generations.  TOWIE's Sam Faiers has shown she is just as lovely in 'real life' as she is in Essex, as she conducts herself with kindness and good grace. Love her! Sadly, heavyweight boxing champ Evander Holyfield has not shown himself to be the housemate we hoped for.  He showed his American Christian homophobic views in a bedtime chat with Luisa, likening being gay to a handicap and something that should be fixed. It's unbelievable that so many people can still hold this view and spout such unpleasant and offensive nonsense. He also went on some tirade about animals being on this planet solely for man's convenience, but because this was in an argument with Liz Jones, who is a bit of a crazy cat lady, the impact on me was not as great as it could have been.  I disagreed with his opinion but I like seeing Liz challenged.  So Evander turns out to be an arrogant, ignorant bigot and not the cool guy I hoped for.

It's definitely panning out to be a great season for some reality TV indulgence over the next few weeks!  And anything that lifts my low January mood is good by me.  So I will be immersing myself in my daily dose of escapism for a while, until the desire for more high brow entertainment resurfaces in the Spring!

Reasons to be Cheerful

It has been a lovely week...one of those weeks where I can't stop smiling to myself.  Even though Ian's job is on the line and the weather is appalling and the follow/no-follow link situation has seen my head nearly implode, there has been enough good in the world to make me very happy!

Birthdays

It has been both mine and Ella's birthdays this week. Megan came home for the weekend to join in the celebrations and we had a wonderful time with lots of laughs and love.  Ella's wonderful friends really spoiled her with some very thoughtful gifts and enjoyed an afternoon at our house for a lunchtime party.  In a world where people are suspicious of the motives of young people and where teens are regarded in a negative light, it is lovely to see that Ella has picked her friends so wisely.  Both the boys and girls are polite, well mannered, friendly and engaging.  My daughter is well loved, respected and  cared for by her posse of pals and I am very happy about that!

Ian spoiled me on my birthday.  He took the day off to be with me, which was wonderful.  As if that wasn't enough he also surprised me with my brand new toy...a gorgeous laptop!  Thanks to the kids for helping with the surprise!

My eldest son is visiting this weekend which will be wonderful.  He makes me so very proud, I can't wait to see him and his girlfriend.

I know I say it a lot, but I really do feel incredibly blessed in my role as a wife and mother.  I wouldn't swap what I have for anything in the world.

Blogcamp 2012

I attended Blogcamp last Saturday and as well as learning a lot of stuff....albeit a lot that has caused me lots of headaches...I met up with a lot of fellow bloggers and enjoyed catching up and chatting with everyone.  I am really grateful to Sally for all she does for us.  I think the blogging world is on the cusp of great change, and I am doing my best to embrace this and hoping it leads to great things for our vibrant and diverse community.

Fab TV

I know it's shallow, but anyway....with Dexter, Desperate Housewives, Homeland and Touch on the tellybox, I am enjoying some topnotch TV programmes.  Add to that the fluff that is The Voice, The Apprentice, TOWIE and One Tree Hill and I am loving my television right now.  Ella and Meg are also telly addicts so we share the joy of sitting together on the sofa, watching TV and trying to second guess the plotlines! 

Listography...5 Celebrities to Share a Beer With

This week Kate is dragging us into the heady world of celebrity for her Listography theme.  She is asking us to pick out our top 5 choices of drinking buddy from Celebville, with whom we would like to share a swift half!!  In my case it will have to be a non-alcoholic beer.  This would be a wise move, because heaven help a celebrity when faced with me having fallen off my wagon of sobriety.  Now that would make the front page of The Sun!!  So without further ado, here are my five!

1:  Gary Barlow
The chubby, slightly cross eyed, poor dancer from the early days of Take That has been replaced by a lean, mean and moody, rugged sex bomb of a man.  I would certainly enjoy having a frosty beverage with Mr Barlow in one of Manchester's finest drinking holes.  I loved Gary when he was the one we sniggered at in TT...the talent who lacked the sex appeal of his band mates.  But like a phoenix from the ashes, he has risen to take the title of the 'fit one'!  You gotta love him!

2: Derren Brown
I'd love to pop out for a drink with Derren Brown.  I want my mind read, I want to have strange things suggested to me, I want to be made to rob a Securior Van or land a Jumbo Jet...and then hit the casinos and clean up with his winning techniques.  That'd be an evening well spent.

3:  The TOWIE cast
Seriously Shut Up!  How fabulous to immerse yourself in the world of TOWIE, my favourite Z Listers!  It'd be like being in an episode.  I'd grab my fake tan, get vajazzled and look totally reem.  I'd love to chat to Joey Essex and meet Nana Pat, ask the girls what on earth they see in Mark and sip my Pepsi Max while they quaff some pink champers.

4:  Davina McCall
I know she isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I think we'd get on.  That is all!

5:  Brad Pitt
How could I not want to share a beer with Brad Pitt!  I wouldn't even mind if he brought along Ange and the kids, as long as he showed up.  Just look at him.  I love him. *swoons*  And after he had finished his drink I would take the glass and extract his DNA from the traces of saliva and clone my very own Brad, Dolly the Sheep style.  Just imagine!

Listography...Guilty Pleasures

Kate has got us thinking guilty thoughts this week as we reveal our guiltiest pleasures for Listography.

1: Cheap Supermarket Trifle

Forget all those posh desserts, give me a cheap little pot of own brand trifle.  You know the ones.  The swirl of cream on a layer of custard on top of a layer of sponge atop a jelly base.  Throw in a handful of miscellaneous tinned fruit cocktail and I'm in trifle heaven.  They are better than any home made, fancy version I've ever eaten.  A 99p Morisson's trifle and a spoon...I'm sorted!

2: Jedward  
OK I said it.  The exploits of the odious Irish twins intrigue me.  I can't help myself.  So tomorrow's start of Big Brother will definitely see me glued to the screen (if my mum is right and they are indeed housemates).  I am fascinated by the fact that they are actually incredibly beautiful when photographed, yet when animated they are so godawful it is embarrassing.  How can that be??

3: Kids' TV

After years of conditioning, it has finally happened.  Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverley Place, Sonny with a Chance and Suite Life on Deck, iCarly, Good Luck Charlie and Shake It Up have taken some sort of hold over my brain.  I actually find myself watching them with enjoyment.  The cheesy gags, the pretty girls with big, white smiles, the awful plotlines and OTT characters have become so familiar to me, I have developed a fondness for them!  This is one of the trials of life with an 8 year old...the joys of hours of  pre-teen programming!

4: TOWIE
My eldest daughter introduced me to the wonders of Essex.  It is joyous.  The fake tans, the vajazzling, Joey Essex and all things reem, Nana Pat and the public displays of heartache are captured so beautifully for our amusement.
Why would you not watch it!!





5: Disney...The Brand
Disney films, Disneyland, The Disney Store, Disney Merchandise, Disney characters, Disney Channel...I just cannot get enough of it.  I am an absolute sucker for the Disney brand in all its guises.  I don't expect to ever grow out of this...nor do I want to!!