Things I’m Loving This Week — 9th September
So… I took a rather unexpected break from social media over the summer.
I don’t really know why, if I’m completely honest. I think I just reached a point where I needed a bit of a breather from it all. I’ve been doing social media properly for probably seven or eight years now and, although I absolutely love it and have met some wonderful people and had some amazing opportunities because of it, sometimes it can start to feel like hard work.
You know when something you enjoy slowly becomes another thing on your to-do list?
That.
So I stepped away for a while.
And I have to tell you… it was fantastic.
It was really lovely not to feel like I needed to photograph everything, post everything, share where we were or think about what I should be putting online next. I just got to be me, with my family, without thinking about documenting it.
It has definitely made me reflect on what I want this space to look like going forward. Things might change a little around here, but one thing I know for certain is that I still love sharing the things I genuinely love, use, discover and recommend.
So, after a lovely summer away, I’m back — feeling refreshed, excited and ready to get going again.
Here are a few things I’m loving this week…
This time last year I bought my walking pad and, honestly, it has been one of those purchases that I am so pleased I made.
I’ve used it throughout most of the year, although obviously much less during the summer when we’ve been away and the weather has been lovely.
But we’re now heading into that slightly depressing time of year where you suddenly realise it’s getting dark ridiculously early.
Where has the light gone?!
I use it to help me get my 10,000 steps in when I don’t fancy going outside in the cold, rain or darkness. I can put it away quite easily when I don’t need it and, when guests are coming, it can be tucked away without taking over the house.
Mine also has a slight incline, which I really like because it makes the walking feel a little more challenging.
I genuinely think it’s a great option if you’re trying to walk more but find that the British weather gets in the way. Sometimes the hardest part of getting your steps in is simply getting yourself out of the front door.
If you’re thinking about getting your steps up, this could be a really useful addition to your home.
I’ve also been trying out the Medicube Jelly Gel Mask with Kojic Acid and I’ve been really enjoying a good face mask lately.
There’s something about putting a face mask on that instantly makes me feel as though I’ve got my life together — even if the rest of the house is an absolute disaster.
This is a lovely jelly-style gel mask designed to help brighten and hydrate the skin, with kojic acid as one of the key ingredients.
I particularly like products like this when my skin is looking a little tired or dull. After the summer, I feel like my skin can sometimes need a bit of extra TLC, particularly after lots of sunshine, travel and generally being out and about.
It’s one of those little things that feels like a mini treatment without having to leave the house.
🍌 Banana & Chocolate Muffins
These are so easy.
And probably slightly too easy, because once you’ve made them once, you’ll find yourself making them again.
They’re a great way of using up those bananas that have gone slightly too far and are sitting in the fruit bowl looking at you accusingly.
What you need
225g self-raising flour
100g softened butter
175g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp milk
200g chocolate chips — dark, milk or white
2 ripe bananas
How to make them
Preheat your oven to 180°C fan and line a muffin tin with muffin cases.
Mash the bananas in a large bowl, then add the softened butter and caster sugar and mix together.
Add the eggs and milk and give everything a good mix.
Then gradually add the flour and baking powder, mixing until you have a thick muffin batter. Finally, fold through the chocolate chips.
Divide the mixture between your muffin cases. I usually fill them about two-thirds to three-quarters full.
Pop them into the oven for around 18–22 minutes, or until they’re golden on top and a skewer comes out clean.
And that’s it.
They are soft, chocolatey and slightly gooey from the banana, and they make the perfect afternoon treat.
You could obviously make them healthier if you wanted to… but frankly, I’m not sure that’s the point of a chocolate muffin.
In fact, I’m currently trying to find mine because I’m fairly sure someone in this house has stolen them.
Probably one of my daughters.
I use them pretty much every week and I love how easy they are to use, particularly when I want my hair to look like I’ve actually made an effort.
If you’ve got thicker hair like mine, I recommend splitting it into sections and working around the head one layer at a time. Once you’ve finished curling everything, leave it to cool for a few minutes before gently running a wide-tooth comb through the curls.
I find this gives me much softer, more natural-looking waves rather than really tight curls.
The biggest bonus is that the style tends to last for most of the day — and often longer.
One thing I wouldn’t skip is heat protection. Always use a good heat-protecting spray before styling, particularly if you’re using heated tools regularly.
And finally… something slightly less glamorous but possibly one of my favourite things in the whole house.
I don’t know what it is about cleaning technology, but give me something that means I don’t have to do the cleaning myself and I’m immediately interested.
I’ve been using this to keep on top of the floors and I love the fact that it takes away some of the everyday effort of mopping.
With children, muddy shoes, food crumbs and everything else that seems to mysteriously end up on the floor, anything that helps keep the house looking vaguely respectable is a winner in my book.
It’s particularly useful for those quick everyday cleans when you don’t want to get the bucket and mop out and spend ages doing the floors yourself.
I’m all about anything that gives me back a little bit of time.
And after my summer break, I think that’s probably something I’m going to be focusing on more generally — less time doing things because I feel I should, and more time doing things that I actually enjoy.
So that’s my first little round-up back.
It’s lovely to be back here, but I’m definitely taking what I learnt from my little social media break with me. I want this to continue to be a place where I can share things I genuinely love, rather than simply adding more noise to the internet.
Anyway, I’m off to find my GHDs.
Wish me luck.
And if you try those banana chocolate muffins, please let me know!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through one of my links, at no extra cost to you.
Comments