As so many of you know, I have six siblings, three sisters and three brothers, but we won't go into the family tree again today because otherwise I'll be here all day, and I've done so much today my feet are already planning on filing for divorce with my body! I wouldn't of been as busy as I am today on a Thursday, however my sister's birthday is soon approaching, and I've been trying to get her the perfect birthday present, or presents should I add!

After hunting around various shops and spending hours searching online, I took the plunge and ended up ringing Paula, admitting that I have no idea what to get her, because she simply has everything, and everything I like for her, I know she wouldn't! We're so different when it comes to taste, it's near impossible for us ever to agree on something we like, from dresses to good looking men, we don't agree!

After getting a few ideas from Paula, I thought I would share the list here, making it easier for our family and Paula's friends to see what she really would appreciate for her birthday!


Paula would love a convertible car, I know she was winding me up, because she kept telling me not to worry about buying her anything! Yeah like I'm not going to buy my big sister something on her birthday! Paula's not only my sister, but she's also my best friend and a very important person in my life! I obviously can't afford a convertible Paula, but I can afford a toy version!

Paula would love a new charm or two for her Pandora bracelet, and ask kindly that you verify the charms are genuine! Paula's especially got her eye on the Symbol of Hope charm as pictured above in the collage! You can pick that up for just £25 from Gift and Wrap, along with lots of other lovely charms!

As we all know by now, Paula loves Fiorelli handbags, and as you know a woman can never have too many handbags! One is never enough, and neither is 20, or 50 if you're Paula! I would double check on what Fiorelli handbags Paula has already though, or maybe include a gift receipt so she can exchange any doubles!

Lastly, a woman like Paula needs a never ending supply of Ferrero Rocher, and yes dad, if you're reading that's Paula and not me! I personally can't stand them, but Paula however LOVES them! If you're planning on gifting Paula a present this birthday, please do know that you can never ever provide Paula with enough of these!

If you have managed to get any gift idea's out of my sister, please do let me know, I can be contacted via a number of ways, but social media and email is preferred!

Until next time,
Jada x

P.S - Paula if you're reading, don't worry you do have other presents you won't and don't know about! Love you xx
Nights out and special occasions are rare events for me! Being a single mum, I have to choose how I spend my money very wisely, and although I agree that breaks are important, sometimes it's just impossible to be able to afford a good night off from my mummy duties!

It's all well and fine being invited to a wedding, or a wedding reception, someone's special number birthday, or a night out to celebrate an engagement and other important celebrations, but it's not the case of just spending money on the night, it's the cost of spending money before hand too! There's your outfit and accessories to think off, and that rather cute clutch bag you've set your eye on has took a big chunk of the budget! Then there's your nails and body, because looking pale is so last century and wearing no nail varnish just isn't something you want to do!

I'm quite a bargain queen and love to shop, I don't have time to go from shop to shop looking for deals and bargains, but I do have time to look online at various retailers and online stores to find the best deals to make my money go even further, so today I'm sharing one of my favourite online retailers with you - Justmylook and what I can get for under £30 thanks to shopping with them!


Salon System Naturalash Strip Lashes Black 110 - £4.40

I use to love everything about my eyes, but now as I've aged it's sadly just the colour I love and nothing else! Constantly being tired with a busy load of personal life and work life, it's no surprise to constantly see me with dark circles and bags surrounding my eyes! Fake eyelashes are a must for me when I have a night off from my mummy duties, and these reusable, quick and easy to apply lashes have become my favourites on a night out!


Fake Bake Original Self Tanning Lotion 170ml - £13.50

I'm not a fan at all of my skin, and hate catching a glimpse of it in the mirror, it's bad enough that I have to see my hands all the time, covered in psoriasis and not leaving me feeling very confident at all! Due to my psoriasis, I love having a tan as it seems to hide quite a lot of my uneven skin tone due to the chronic condition, and picking up my favourite DIY fake tan make - Fake Bake for just £13.50 a time is a big saving compared to high street prices!


OPI Copacababies Mini Pack - £9.95

Before me and Spud's dad broke up, I could afford to get my nails done in a salon every three weeks, I'd enjoy my time spent in the salon chair at a nail bar watching as the beautician would carefully apply gel or acrylic solution to my nails. Those days are long gone, and now its a DIY job at home on the day I'm due to go out! OPI nail varnish is my favourite (well the nations favourite) nail varnish and to pick up four mini's for under a tenner is a winner in my eyes! There are lots of colours and sets to choose from, one to suit each personality within us - because who has just one personality these days!?


Plastic Hoof Stick - £1.10

Last but not the least, is this rather cute and stylish hoof stick, because doing a DIY job of your nails is fine if you're both right and left handed, but of course many of us aren't and so you end up with one beautiful and perfectly painted hand, and one hand covered in nail polish, you may as well just throw a whole bottle of paint on my right hand, because when my left hand is in charge, there's never such a thing as perfection! This handy little tool scrapes away all of those errors, and leaves you with a beautiful pair of painted hands!

So there we have it, for just £28.95 you can get all of the things above to transform yourself at home! That's less than £30, or £1.05 change from £30! Here in Reading, you pay over £30 just for a good spray tan that washes off after one shower, then another £25 on your nails, and as for professional eyelashes, let's just say £50 plus for a decent pair!

Now all I need to do is find a way on how to cut my cost down on the actual day! I'm a sucker for a raffle ticket, and I'm sure the juke box lures me over everytime I head to the bar! If you have any tips for me, please do leave a comment below!

Until next time,
Jada x
I've kind of been hiding a big secret for many years now, not just to bloggers but anyone who doesn't know me and who's seen pictures of me - I've been hiding my smile or rather my teeth!

I was 11 years old when I noticed something strange going on with my teeth, above my two front teeth I noticed there was two teeth, one either side of my mouth starting to grow out of my gums. The Centre Of Advanced Dentistry Yorkshire has this quote on their website ''Wouldn't life be better if we all smiled more'' and I couldn't agree more!

Growing up, we was always told how important oral hygiene was and so I panicked thinking I had done something wrong for this to be happening. My parents told us children on a daily basis what would happen if we didn't look after our teeth and how important it was to value our set of adult teeth, as they was the teeth we would grow with throughout our lifetime.

Toothbrushes was regularly changed, and as we grew with age, so did the toothpaste and brushes we used. We had regular dentist appointments to check everything was okay, and it's something I've made sure I keep on check with Spud too.

As I was saying above, I was 11 when I noticed two teeth growing from the top of my gums, and as soon as I showed my parents, they booked me in for a dentist check up, where it was confirmed two adult teeth were indeed growing from the top of my gums, and not where they should be growing.

I was referred to the orthodontist and in time my appointment come round, the plan was for me to have two teeth removed, and braces fitted so eventually the two new teeth growing at the top of my gums would be pushed down into the gap where the two removed teeth once sat. However I was terrified of needles, and with a glimpse of a massive needle, I shot out of that dental chair quicker than you could shout hello!

I never did go back, and now at the age of 25, with teeth all over the place and unstraightened teeth (to say the least), I have never regretted anything so much in my life! It's a regret I live with on a daily basis, and a regret that affects me in so so many ways! I never smile in photo's, I always pout or half smile, making sure I never show my teeth! If on the rare occasion I show my teeth, I make sure the camera is selfie facing and then I can see exactly what teeth are on show, ensuring my extra teeth aren't on show!

My parents did try there hardest to get me to go back to the orthodontist, but I was a scared and stubborn teenager who now knows how silly and stupid I was being!

If I could give anyone with children advice, it would be to show them pictures of how bad teeth can be if they don't look after their teeth and take important interest in their oral hygiene. You only have one set of adult teeth, so please do look after them!

Until next time,
Jada x

Giving Spud His Dream Room!

by Jada, May 28, 2015
When we first moved into the house, I wanted Spud's room to be the first place to be decorated, however we moved in a month before Christmas, and couldn't possibly of celebrated Christmas in the living room (or in any room of the house for that matter) with the condition the room was in! So the lounge/living room got decorated first, which wasn't such a bad thing after all because we ended up having an amazing Christmas considering the stress I was under!

Then I vowed Spud's room would be next on the list, but with Christmas just being put behind us, and a new year to get use too, other expenses kept getting put in the way! Before I knew it, it was March, the month of Spud's birthday, the birthday I promised him he'd get a puppy, and puppies aren't cheap at all! Our loved little puppy dog Jezeppi cost a whopping £300, then on top of that I had to buy a cage to take him home in, buy puppy training mats, food, pay vet bills etc, it's never stopped with him yet! He's our puppy dog though and we love him!

Then it was Easter, that time of year that's the only valid excuse as to why you can eat lot's of chocolate and not feel bad about it! It's also the only other time of year (apart from Christmas) that the Wizard of Oz will be on television - fact! Then it was my birthday, and there's been loads of birthdays in between mine and Spud's I should add! So I've promised, promised Spud, that in the next month or so, we will start on his bedroom! To keep him excited about the project (because there's so much to do!) he's put a little wish list together of what he would love to have in his room!

A Blue Blackout Blind With Multi-Coloured Stars.

You know what they say, children do keep you on your feet and that is indeed the case here, I always try to make Spud's wishes come true, but looking at about 100 pages of Google, and so far not finding anything quite so near, I think I'm going to have to try and persuade him to get a different style of blinds by showing him the choices there are! If not, I need to become a blind maker in the next few weeks!

A London Bus Bed

Don't worry, I also thought Spud meant a London bus as his bed when he first told me, and then I come across these kids beds from Room to Grow and couldn't believe my luck! It's a much more safer option than a real bus, plus could you imagine how much money it would be to make the whole bus just a bed? Then where would the actual bed go? Sorry son, you've got to sleep in the garden!

One Purple Wall, Three Blue Walls and One Million Stars.
I don't know if we could fit a million stars on Spud's walls if we tried too, and not wanting to lie to him I'm going to have to tell him this is impossible, maybe not impossible but I don't think I could torment myself through the process of sticking one million stars to his walls! Plus my OCD will go crazy, and I'd have to make sure each wall had the same amount of stars on, and make sure they all looked okay together - yeah, sorry Spud! The one purple wall and three blue walls is fine though! After all, mummy isn't the one who will be decorating, grandad will be!

A Blue Carpet, a Dark Blue Carpet.

As long as you don't try and sneak any food and drink into your bedroom son, then you can have any colour carpet you want! Dark blue is a much safer option then baby blue too, especially now we have a doggy! Can you imagine him running in from the garden with muddy paws and getting his paw prints all over a lovely baby blue coloured carpet!? Eek, neither could I, because I may just cry!

So there we have it, it's not to extreme, but in fact quite calm but quirky at the same time! It reflects Spud's personality so well, now I've just got to start saving the pennies and actually make a move on it this time!

Have you ever done a child's bedroom makeover? I'd love to read any blog post if you leave a link in the comments below!

Until next time,
Jada x
Tomorrow (the 29th May 2015) Shaun the Sheep will be making a very special appearance at The Oracle Shopping centre in Reading! Located in Berkshire, the shopping centre is host to over 100 shops and restaurants, including bars and a 10 screen Vue Cinema!

Shaun will be meeting fans between hourly intervals at the following times 11am, 12pm, 1:30pm, 3pm and 4:30pm.

PLEASE NOTE: All places are now fully booked, HOWEVER, limited tickets will be available from the information desk tomorrow (on the day!)!


If you want to make a day of it, there is plenty to do in the town, with The Oracle hosting much fun itself including dinosaur golf at the Riverside, along with a little train ride and walking on water fun!

To check out all the shops, bars and restaurants located in The Oracle, check out the official website here.

If you do go tomorrow, remember to take a picture and have lots of fun!

Until next time,
Jada x
Cancer is a tragic ordeal for families because of the stress, pain and suffering involved. The financial burden of treatment is devastating in its own way. Patients may even choose to forgo lifesaving treatments in order to lessen the financial burden. Lack of funds should not be a deciding factor if someone is suffering from a terrible disease. Safer and less expensive treatments are a possibility if researchers continue to study cancer as in depth as possible. More research now means less suffering and financial devastation later on. Here are some of the ways that cancer research can be an investment in your family's future.

The odds of cancer striking you or someone you love are too great

There are many theories as to why cancer is so prevalent in modern society even though we have advanced our medical knowledge immensely over the years. Cancer is a very complicated disease that is not just due to the overall increase in life span. In some cases, environmental factors, genetics, or substance abuse can be leading factors. Cancer statistics are alarming. It is estimated that one in three people will suffer from a form of cancer in their lifetime.

Research is the path to a cure

Many brilliant people have dedicated themselves to finding a cure for the major types of cancers. Great strides have been made, but there is much more that has to be explored before an affordable and effective cure is available for everyone. Extensive research continues to be conducted, but as with the treatments, it can be expensive to continue and can take a lot of time.

Cancer can wipe out savings quickly

One of the big hurdles with cancer treatments is that they are expensive to receive. While healthcare plans can help with this cost, those being treated often exhaust the spending limits of their healthcare plan rapidly. Wages can be completely lost or reduced if an adult family member is diagnosed. If an affordable cure were available, then these sorts of tragic circumstances would not occur. As it stands, however, cancer can take away from the future generations of a family.

Donations of all sizes help

Great changes can be made when people come together and show a certain level of passionate support for a cause. Even small donations can really add up and make a difference. Some people may want to volunteer time to raise funds or help provide emotional and administrative support. Contact local organizations for even more volunteer opportunities in your area.

Better research now could save a loved ones life tomorrow

Your donation will no doubt help fight cancer today, but it could also mean that a loved one doesn't have to suffer through cancer later. Donations help ensure that in the future, when someone is diagnosed with cancer, he or she will receive more effective and affordable treatments than what is available now. A united effort to eradicate cancer will make the world a better place for everyone.

A cure or better treatments will help lower insurance premiums

Lower insurance premiums and healthcare costs can save private and public healthcare budgets an enormous amount of money, which benefits everyone. With the current astronomical costs of cancer treatment, many families are left destitute simply by caring for their loved ones. Any way to ease the financial burden placed on cancer patients and their families will make a difference.

The Curie Institute: dedicated to the treatment and eradication of cancer

The many research teams at the Curie Institute are studying every aspect of cancer. Teams dedicated to studying the morphology and development of tumors are learning more about how cancer grows. Immunology teams are working towards preventive measures to reduce cancer rates worldwide. These teams collaborate and share data among one another to work towards a common cause: the global eradication of cancer. The Curie Institute offers financial support to families that cannot afford treatments. Through donations from private donors, they are combating cancer from every side. The organization also helps families cope with the emotional devastation that comes with cancer.

A beacon of hope

Those that donate funds, volunteer, or dedicate themselves to research are beacons of hope for people suffering from cancer and those close to a cancer patient. It is important that organizations fill the financial and emotional gap left by cancer so that people can lead brighter and more productive lives in the future. Together, we can stop cancer from destroying the happiness and livelihood of those around us.

Until next time,
Jada x

Quick Ways to Supplement Your Income

by Jada, May 26, 2015
Sometimes no matter how much you budget, you need extra money to meet your obligations or achieve your financial goals. Whether you are looking for a second job or hoping to nurture a fledgling business, below you’ll find five ways you can quickly start bringing in additional income – some you can even start right now.


Make Money from Your Car

With the advent of apps like Lyft, Uber and Hitch A Ride, your own car and commute can be ways for you to make some extra cash on the side. Some charge a defined rate depending on demand and the distance travelled, while others let you barter with your passengers. Just make sure you check with your insurance agency and road authority in your state or territory before you start.


Start Your Own Telco

Think running your own telecommunications company means large infrastructure and start-up costs? Not necessarily. You’ll need to consider investing in marketing and promotion, and make sure you have a solid business model, but innovative companies like Telcoinabox make breaking into this previously untenable industry viable for almost anyone.


Turn Your Hobby into a Part-Time Job

Whether yoga, baking, crafting or something completely different is your forte, chances are there is an opportunity to make some extra money doing what you love. Market stalls and social media make it possible for almost anyone to start a small business from their passion. Make sure you investigate pricing carefully to ensure you’re charging enough to cover both your costs and your time.



Sell Your Unwanted Items

Baby items and clothing your children have grown out of. The latest fitness gadget that’s collecting dust in your garage. If you look around your home, there is probably a plethora of items lying around that you could turn into cash. Websites like eBay, Craigslist and Gumtree make it cheap and easy for you to offload things you don’t want any more. Just make sure you have good photographs and honestly outline any wear, tear or damage in the description when you’re posting your classified ad.

Barter with Friends

This one won’t necessarily make you cash but it can help your money go that little bit further. Organise swaps with friends or colleagues – maybe you could carpool to work, stretch out your grocery budget further by splitting bulk buy specials with them, exchange home grown produce or even do a service swap, like offering to babysit or mow lawns in exchange for something you need help with around your house.


Whether you got an unexpected bill, want to take a holiday or need to reach some savings goals, these ideas can help you start making money straight away. Whatever your goals though, keep in mind that the best way to approach supplementing your income is to have a long-term budget in place and be working towards reaching your financial goals steadily over time.

Have you had any success making extra money quickly? What are your tried and tested income-generating methods?

Until next time,
Jada x
We all know how unkind the bathroom mirror can be.
Like some kind of brooding tormentor, it can often beam back a reflection that highlights every imperfection, making your skin look like the surface of the moon after a jam fight.
Rather than reporting you're the fairest in the land, blotches, pimples and unsightly blackheads are likely to have your other half running for cover when faced with this disagreeable sight. But it’s never as bad as you think. While it’s easy to pull the duvet over your head and call in sick to work, your hang-ups can typically be washed away by following a few quick and easy skin-beautifying tips. From buying quality skincare products to drinking more water, follow this advice below and make sure your bathroom mirror only has pleasant things to report going forward ...

Purchase Top Notch Skincare Products
Whether you're young or old, tall or short, dark or light, it’s inevitable you'll have days when your skin looks decidedly below par – but by purchasing some top notch skincare products, you can keep bad skin days to an absolute minimum.
While soap and water are undoubtedly important, achieving flawless skin often requires more of a targeted approach. Consequently, a good blemish control product and blackhead remover is required to help you deal with breakouts before they take over your skin.

Guzzle More Water
It’s hardly groundbreaking advice, but women around the globe are still ignoring calls to drink more of that heavenly H2O, with nature’s very own skin booster offering a whole host of unbeatable benefits when it comes to your beauty regime.
Experts recommend you drink around eight glasses of water a day, which may sound like a lot, but it’s easy to meet your quota by swapping water for green tea and adding non-sugary juices to make a tasty and healthy drink.

Hit the Hay in a Big Way
Most of us know the importance of getting a good night’s sleep, as waking up for work after a 14-hour Breaking Bad marathon is unlikely to have you in tiptop condition come the Monday morning marketing meeting.
More than this, your skin is guaranteed to suffer. Badly. Look, we know you're too busy to sleep, but if you want to keep your face blemish free, it’s vital you shoot for at least six hours of shuteye a night, leaving you well rested and ready to face whatever the day throws at you.

Now it’s your turn ...
Do you have any vital beauty tips you'd like to share with my readers? Please let mw know by leaving a comment below – I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time,
Jada x
With technology improving each and every single day, it seems somewhat possible to make everything and anything virtual these days! If you don't have any credit on your phone to make a call, you can now call people through various social media apps, if you don't want to pop out in that horrendous rain to go get the daily newspaper, you can now read them online, and if you want to visit your local stables, but can't get there, you can now tend to horses online - all thanks to Star Stable!


Maybe you've never visited your local stable, or have a local stable around, maybe you love horses, but are afraid of real ones, maybe you'd love to have a horse but can't afford the expense or need some practise first? If any of those apply to you, then Star Stable is the place for you join, and I've luckily been offered the chance to giveaway 6 months worth of membership to one of my lucky readers worth £18.90!

Join over 4 million online players as you explore the beautiful 3D island of Jorvix by riding on the back of your very own virtual horse, currently ranked number one in the Virtual Horse Games ranking! The game is free to play up until level four, which is great for a little bit of practise before you set yourself up for the bigger challenges!


Subscription can be paid for one month (£4.95), three months (£11.95), six months (£18.90) or a lifetime subscription for £49!

Whether you want to play for yourself, or for your children, enter the competition below for your chance to win this amazing prize!

Until next time,
Jada x
Since the book was first published in 1999, The Gruffalo with his award winning story of his encounter with the little brown mouse in the deep dark wood, is the world's best loved monster and he continues to delight children and adults all over the world.

Created by the most successful author/illustrator partnership (Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler) in picture book publishing, both mouse and monster have become stars of screen and stage, as well as The Gruffalo becoming an all time story favourite!



Five years after the publication of The Gruffalo, a new adventure was introduced to the world - The Gruffalo's Child, starring in her very own adventure and proved an instant hit! In 2005, the book was voted for The Children's Book of the Year at the British Book of the Year Awards. The Gruffalo too has won many awards, including the Blue Peter Award for The Best Book to Read aloud, the Nestle Smarties Prize and in 2009 it was voted the UK's favourite bedtime story!

However, just because it's won awards in the UK, it doesn't mean The Gruffalo isn't a hit with children and adults anywhere else! The story has been translated into over 50 languages, including Russian, Maori,, Thai, Scots, and even a Latin edition for Classics scholars!

Truly an international phenomenon, both of the books have been made into hugely successful films, as well as being adapted for the stage! This year, between Wednesday 1st July and Sunday 6th September, The Lyric Theatre (Shaftesbury Avenue) in London is hosting a number of performances of the hit show!

Join Mouse on a daring adventure through the deep dark wood in the search for hazelnuts, she then meets the cunning Fox, the party mad Snake and the eccentric old Owl, armed with only a nut map and very little courage, Mouse must make sure she doesn't end up as dinner for these willy woodland creatures, so she outwits them all with the story of the fabled Gruffalo!


Image Credit: Tall Stories.
If you're up for laughter, music, physical theatre and just the right touch of scary fun, Tall Stories' The Gruffalo is the must see family show for lovers of the timeless story, and after all who wouldn't want to see everyone's favourite furry monster live on stage?

With Picadilly Circus being the nearest tube, you'll have nothing to worry about when trying to get to the venue easily! If you're staying over in London for the night or weekend, the Holiday Inn Kensington Forum hotel is just around the corner too, ensuring a lovely night's sleep or two!

I'm booking our tickets for a night away in the capital as a surprise treat for Spud next week, I'm unsure on what date we'll be attending yet, however I may see some of you there!

Until next time,
Jada x
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