Inspiration

DIY Cricut Acrylic Wipeable Board

| thetwodarlings

I made this really simple but useful board for the kitchen recently and it has been so handy as a spot to dump the thoughts and tasks I need to remember but keep forgetting. I know myself when you are starting out the whole idea of Cricut can seem dauting so I have put together this step by step Cricut tutorial that should hopefully guide you through some terms and functions. I love creating video content but sometimes it’s nice to read a tutorial so that you can go between it and Design Space and figure things out at your own speed.

I got the blank, clear acrylic A4 sheet from Crafty Cuts Ireland. I used my Cricut Explore 3 and Smart Vinyl to create the design.

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DIY Gold Dot Canvas Art Rolling back the years with our pastimes

Useful resources online to keep children entertained

| thetwodarlings

I think for many people we look at our printers and see them as a piece of equipment now preoccupied with tasks associated with home schooling and working from home. Even though the girls have their books home from school there is still a lot of extra resources and work that has to be printed out each week – between their list of homework to be done, worksheets to go with this book or that subject it’s a lot. On top of that I have a preschooler who is heading to school this September so she is eager to sit down with her big sisters and feel part of the world of learning and that’s brilliant. Continue reading →

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Getting back to exercise after having a baby

| thetwodarlings

Exercise is a wonderful thing to fit into your day, it can be something as simple as a leisurely walk in the evening or as challenging as a good long run. I love it purely to unwind after a day spent meeting the demands of four small children. I find it’s a great way to process my thoughts and give me some much needed headspace which in turn leads to a better night’s sleep. Regardless of the type of exercise you go back to after having a baby there are a few things you should check before you whip out the runners and stretchy pants. After my fourth baby I went back running a few months after she was born but my whole body was weak. I ended up damaging my knee in just one run which took a frustratingly long time to sort out. Continue reading →

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10 survival tips for stay at home parents

| thetwodarlings

I was watching one of my favourite influencers Sinead from The Beautiful Truth recently and she was talking about the repetitiveness that sometimes comes with staying at home and minding kids. And she is so right, kids, unlike some adults, are creatures of habit so routine suits them well. And we as parents, once a routine is working, are loath to change any aspect of it until it needs to be changed. However, in doing so it is sometimes easy to get stuck in a rut where everyday begins to feel like groundhog day. I have always found this to be particularly 

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What do you see when you look in the mirror? Pregnancy after miscarriage – 5 tips on how to worry less and enjoy it more

Running tips for beginners

| thetwodarlings

One thing I’ve been asked lots in the past few months is how did I get back running. I have actually always been a runner, I ran competitively for many years as a youngster but it’s funny looking back now to think that 800m used to break me mentally and physically, I was a sprinter and a field athlete and never really believed I had the mental strength for longer distance running. And then I had kids, and on my first lady I realised that unfortunately the weight you put on gleefully during pregnancy is actually rather difficult to shift after the baby lands. So I went back running after my first lady 7 years ago now and it’s always been a constant between the babies and the breastfeeding. Continue reading →

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10 useful and thoughtful gift ideas for men

| thetwodarlings

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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The most perfect apple pie with Pink Lady®

| thetwodarlings

AD ¦ I love baking but it’s one of those lovely pass times that has had to take a backseat over the last few years making way for dinners and snacks and lunches and snacks and breakfast and did I mention I serve up a lot of snacks during the day!?!? I think by the time I’m finished feeding my brood I’m spun out and just don’t have the energy for baking and cleaning. Continue reading →

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A little round up – upcycling IKEA furniture, simple makeup routine and more

| thetwodarlings

I feel like this website is sorely neglected and to be honest I should be pumping more time into it. I feel lately like all my social media or online time is directed solely at Instagram and sure if that were to vanish in the morning where would I be! And I started blogging as a way to channel my creativity and writing is one of the best ways to do that so from time to time I might throw up a quick blog post covering a few bits and pieces that I’ve been up to over the last while. Continue reading →

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How and why we switched to cloth nappies

| thetwodarlings

It’s one of those things that has been on my mind for a long time, the volume of nappies we have gone through in the last 7 years between the ladies is nothing short of shocking. Our bin destined for landfill felt as if it was 50% household waste and 50% nappies most of the time. I had thought about going reusable when Lucy was small but then it transpired she had a dairy allergy and lets just say I didn’t have the energy or the enthusiasm for that level of washing!  Continue reading →

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Fota Wildlife Park Cork – family pass and VIP family experience review

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| thetwodarlings

Last year one of the first big purchases I made with money I earned myself was the yearly pass for Fota Wildlife Park here in Cork. So many of my friends have it and even though its about a half hour drive from the house I just knew it was something we would get a huge amount of use out of. And I was so right, I would estimate we have been about 20 times in the past year and honestly there has never been a time where I have suggested going to Fota and the girls have been anything less than ecstatic. And it’s been a joy to watch Lucy change over the last year going from a ‘baby’ that stayed in the buggy the vast majority of the way round to a little lady that literally walks or runs the whole route now and grows more and more fascinated by the animals every time we visit. And the park has changed loads since we started going, there have been new animals introduced and new babies born so it really is a new experience every time we go. Continue reading →

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