10 useful and thoughtful gift ideas for men

Ok you asked I deliver. I asked on my social media recently did people find gift guides useful and the response was overwhelming positive but there were definitely certain gifts that people found hard to buy for. And men were the number one so I have put together a gift guide, of gifts I have bought for my husband or family before that I know were well received. Anyway I hope you find 

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January Sales – investing in quality

Ah the sales, who doesn’t love a bargain but I suppose the thing with sales is not to get sucked in. Yes it’s easy to be dazzled by that jumper that only costs a tenner or whatever but the reality is that we need to stop and think about what we buy. Regardless of whether it costs practically nothing because sometimes a bargain isn’t a bargain if we’re not going to wear it all that much, that said if it does cost a tenner and you will wear it loads then yay for that! I love the sales for investment pieces, things that would ordinarily be way out of my budget are suddenly within reach so I jump. I want to pad out the basics in my wardrobe with really good quality clothes so the sales are a great time to look at investing in leather, wool, cashmere, denim; materials and pieces that will last.

That said it can also be a good time to step outside your comfort zone – for me it’s a great opportunity to buy dresses that I have notions of wearing everyday but in reality I rarely get to but I do love them all the same and someday I’ll wear them more I swear!!  Continue reading

Stocking fillers and Secret Santa gift ideas for everyone in your life

(AD – This post is sponsored by Marks and Spencer) There are some gifts that are easy to buy and there are some that aren’t and honestly I find Secret Santa ones the hardest, you often find yourself having to buy a little gift for someone you may not know that well, maybe it’s the colleague at work you got in Kris Kindle, it could be for someone you just want to thank like the nurse who looked after you in the maternity ward or the childminder. Or is could be your brother in law or your aunt you want to get something nice for but you’re plain out of ideas – that’s why I am here and I have a huge selection 

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The ultimate directory of small creative Irish companies

I’ve long since been a supporter of small Irish companies who focus on creativity and sustainability. I applaud any man, woman and parent who takes on the challenge of coming up with an idea, of creating a business and being everything and everyone that is required to run a company, from marketing to designing, they do it all. I’ve reviewed many a product from these wonderful companies and wonderful people but in the run up to Christmas I wanted to do something that I don’t think exists out there already – a proper, constantly updated, list of all the wonderful small businesses out there. A place where people can come with an idea they want to support local, support Irish and they can find what they want here, from these wonderful businesses.  Continue reading

Thinking outside the box with fashion this Christmas

This is a sponsored post with F&F Clothing 

Ahhh the festive season is upon us! I have to say it is without doubt my favourite time of the year especially now that the girls are totally into it all. Being a Mum though I have no Christmas party to attend per se but I have plenty of nights out planned with friends. For this blog post I was tasked to talk about party wear ultimately, but I want to think about it a little differently. I’ve spoken a bit about this on my social media but I’m starting to rethink my attitude towards shopping and clothes in general. Lately I find myself thinking more about where Continue reading

Lottie Dolls – realistic, inspiring dolls for young girls

I have long since been a fan of Lottie Dolls. I think the whole ideal behind the brand appeals to me, making dolls for small girls that actually look like small girls. I mean really when you think about it it makes perfect sense, why should a 4 year old be playing with a doll with boobs far larger than her mothers and a waist almost the same size as her mothers!!! I jest but in all seriousness I love the concept of it, it means kids can identify with it and can play games around the idea of kids rather than adults.  Continue reading

Inspiring dolls for girls

My ladies love playing with dolls, there is absolutely no doubt about that. And while I have no major problem with Barbie, part from the fact that her streamlined waist taunts me as I watch the girls with a cup of tea and a biscuit in hand, I would prefer they had dolls with a more realistic outlook in life. We all know that if Barbie were real she wouldn’t be able to support her own head and given the length of some of the dresses she comes with I do wonder as to her method of supporting herself financially too if you get my drift wink wink!  Continue reading

Stocking fillers for kids from Irish businesses

stocking fillers ireland stocking fillers kids stocking filler children stocking fillers for toddelers the two darlings parenting blog mummy blogger ireland cork

So this is the start of it! I love doing these sort of gift guides as early as possible because it gives busy people plenty of time to get their sh*t together. That said I’m usually the very one that leaves it until the last minute to sort out gifts but sure I love the stress of it all! So like always and like last years gift guides I will lean towards supporting small Irish brands and businesses. First up I want to share some gift ideas for kids, stocking fillers really as I guess most kids get their big gifts from parents or Santa so this is more a stocking filler type guide for parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, godparents, friends etc!  Continue reading

Creating memories with personalised gifts

photobox gift ideas personalised gift ideas christmas gift ideas personalised calendar personalised cups the two darlings parenting blog

There are some people that are easy to buy gifts for, like sisters that too love makeup and bags, and then there are those that are a little more difficult, like Great Grandma’s and Grandparents and even yourself. And that is where the idea of personalised gifts come in. In our house we do Kris Kindle but I wanted to get something small for my parents from the girls. We don’t see either sets of grandparents everyday so I thought that something that would remind them of the girls everyday would be nice so that’s when the idea of Photobox came to mind. Being one that enjoys a bit of a giggle I decided to get my parents two of these quirky cups that, on the face of it, are black but when you fill up the cup with hot water it changes so you can see the picture and message underneath.  Continue reading

Christmas Traditions From Around The World

christmas traditions the two darlings candles in windows ireland

Have you ever wondered why it’s customary for families to place a candle in their window on Christmas Eve? This tradition serves a variety of purposes, but usually the candle is placed near the window as a welcoming gesture for Mary and Joseph as they search for shelter. The candle must also be lit by the youngest member of the family and, if possible, extinguished by a girl named Mary. Nowadays the candle is replaced by something slightly Continue reading