For every joyous family moment there’s a pang of pain. This summer sees two big moments in our family. A house move from the home where my son was born, and the preparations for my daughter starting big school.   As with most house moves there have been several trips to the local recycling centre. Families with younger children have had the pleasure of several...

If you need a little 'Me' time this summer we thought we would offer all our friends, and friends of friends, a little incentive to give yourself an hour or so of peace whilst your kids are fully occupied with 'Rant & Rave about My Holiday'. See image for full offer to 'school's out for summer' - available until 23rd August or while...

Tom Briggs, award-winning UK blogger Diary of the Dad, tells us how he deserves to be loved and pampered this Father's Day. My name’s Tom and I’m the proud dad of two little boys. I’ve been blogging about my adventures in parenting since shortly after my older son was born and haven’t looked back. Almost four years later, one thing...

Neil writes a regular feature in the UK's Gift Focus Trade Magazine answering people related questions.Here is the latest article and if you want to see the actual Gift Focus Magazine ... here is the link.GIFT FOCUS MAGAZINEQ.  Many people are talking about building their own Company brand these days … but how do I get my own people to...

To celebrate Get Kids Writing during National Stationery Week, children's author Alex Campbell tells us how, to her, writing is as much about exciting beginnings and ideas as 'finished' masterpieces.Oh how I do I love beginnings…..the beginnings of holidays, daydreams, of films and books, of a romance, of a tasty-looking meal, the first hints of Spring.As a writer, there’s nothing I cherish more...

To celebrate National Stationery Week we have asked some top children's authors to tell us what writing means to them. First up we have Fleur Hitchcock, whose titles include the very popular Shrunk! I’m in a school in South London, it’s hot. The sun’sstreaming through the windows. The children are restless.‘Who here likes writing?’ I ask the class of 9 year...

Dr Sam Collins is one of the 'Top 200 Women to Impact Business & Industry' by Her Majesty the Queen. CEO and founder of AspireWomen.co.uk, Sam tells us about her work to celebrate 'Ordinary, Extraordinary Women'.I’ve always found Mother's Day to be a tough day. I lost my mum to suicide when I was 21 and in my final year of university...

Our guest blogger Morgana, the face behind the very popular family life and style blog, ButWhyMummyWhy.com, explains why her wonderful Mother's Day celebrations can be tinged with sadness...Mother’s Day can be a bitter sweet time for me.After losing my mum when my eldest daughter was just a few months old I’ve found it can be a difficult day to process...

Last week was half term and my daughter and I spent a very enjoyable day in a local bookshop doing activities whilst browsing and buying a load of new books from her current two favourite authors Chris Riddell and Fleur Hitchcock.  Today is World Book Day and it got me thinking about why I love books and would never want...

It’s taken two years for my Dad to complete the Dear Dad journal I gave to him for Christmas 2011. It seems like a long time but he is nearly 80 and there’s a lot to remember.He was flattered and delighted to receive the journal two years ago, but equally rather daunted and overwhelmed. I know he felt a weighty...