Category: Lifestyle

A mix of emotions

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Mothering Sunday 2020 – a day that a lot of us won’t forget. The Mothers Day where we all had homemade roasts and cancelled our plans to visit family.

Spending yesterday in the garden, you would be hard pushed to know there was anything wrong with the world – the sun was shining, the birds were signing, the toddler screaming (with joy!) and the faint noise of traffic in the distance.

And yet, around us things are changing at a pace that we can’t comprehend. Nursery closed, a growing amount of work to drastically adapt a business to the economic pressures around us and the freedom to pop to the shops or organise days out quickly depleting.

I am emotional on lots of levels – sad for the days we are losing without making the most of them, sad for the days we had that we took for granted and sad to know that I may not have a job at the end of all of this.

But I’m equally incredibly grateful – grateful to enjoy the sunny days doing very little with my family, grateful to make the most of my home and have the safety of it around me, grateful that we have a garden big enough to enjoy the fresh air, grateful that my husband has become the hunter-gatherer to ensure we have all we need, grateful that our little boy continues to be our wonderful, funny, energetic spirit, grateful that are parents are safe and well, grateful that there is no pressure to do anything!

So, whilst I may not continue to do the job I love by the end of the year, I do know that as a family we will be stronger from all of this and that is more important than anything.

Stay safe and be sensible

x PB x

 

 

Friendship goals

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I have spent an evening with a bunch of friends. Friends that are like family. Who let you into the fold no matter of the time that you’ve spent apart.

At the end of another eventful week of work and home, I could have quite easily put my pyjamas on and settled in for the night. 

But something makes you power through when you know the antidote is laughter, smiles and being yourself.

So, it made me wonder why some friendships last a lifetime through all the ebbs and flows and others disappear without any true understanding of why.

I have certainly lost friends at a time when I thought they needed me (and I needed them) but it was a friendship built on one sided compromise – a square peg round hole type

And yet, I’ve gained friends when I didn’t feel like I deserved them. Not being present, not making an effort and taking days to reply to one simple “hey how are you?”

But it’s those friends that seem to have stuck – through the thick and thin with me just being me, them being them and not giving too much but not taking too much either 

Relax into a friendship if you want it to last. When choosing where to spend your time, say no politely or yes with enthusiasm. Don’t apologise but don’t seek an apology either. We live our lives the best we can and the best of friends will make room for that no matter what.

To my bungalow bunnies and my BATS & NCT family 

x PB x

New Year, New Start?

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Day 11

Intentions planned on 1st Jan = 11

Intentions that are continuing = 5 (ok….4)

Hands up who finds the whole New Year, New Start thing a little tedious. And yet, we seem drawn to pushing ourselves and jumping on that bandwagon.

On 1st January, I created a little 1 page spread in my planner documenting the 11 intentions I wanted to stick to this year.

Maybe 11 was too many to start with but I, nonetheless, bounded out of bed on 2nd January with gusto to start my fresh routine and make 2019 the year of a new me!

Days 2 – 5 went well – I drank lots of water, I walked a lot, I read quite a bit and I made some plans for my blog

Day 6 – I forgot to drink water

Day 7 – I forgot to take my book for the train journey

Day 8 – I fell asleep on the sofa at 8pm

Day 9 – I finally sat down with a gluestick and some paper and created something

Day 10 – I sat absorbed watching Manhunt

Day 11 – I was too hungry to try and be healthy

So, some of you may read this and think I have no handle on my intentions and I can’t hold down a habit for longer than 24 hours. An accurate assumption to make….but….I see the above as a true reflection of what intentions are about.

Some days, I won’t do any of what I’ve set out to achieve. Other days, I’ll do it all. As a mum of 1 and working full time, I’ve learnt that this is ok. I still pat myself on the back even if the only thing I have managed that day is read the news.

Don’t let the expectation from social media make you think you’ve failed if your ability to hold down intentions every day gets bulldozed by life. That’s just how we roll!

What intentions/resolutions have you made this year?

Love Hannah x

I just love to tidy!

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A friend very kindly complimented on how tidy our house is and asked how I achieve it given I work full time and have a 2 year old.

Well, I think given that I am out of the house most of the week and little one is at nursery goes a long way to keeping the house tidy but it did get me thinking if my method and storage choices would be helpful to others, so here goes.

  1. Everything has a place which I think is a huge help in putting it away – and if it doesn’t have a place, it doesn’t last long in the house. I honestly think I could find anything in our house with my eyes shut!
  2. Little PB doesn’t have a play room so I have ensured that his toys are kept to a minimum sorting through them every birthday & Christmas and passing them onto friends or charity. Little PB also loves a good game of tidying up…..no, really he does
  3. Cheap canvas drawstring bags are great for storing a collection of toys. You can buy them via Amazon and as well as looking prettier and lasting longer than cardboard boxes, it makes putting toys away super quick and easy
  4. Storage is in keeping with our interiors , for example, a toy box that is a distressed travel chest, dresser with drawers and shelving for maximum space and wicker baskets (I do love a pretty wicker basket!)
  5. I tidy each room completely before I move onto the next – if something in the lounge belongs in the kitchen, I just put it in the kitchen and finish the lounge first. This lessens distraction as well as multiple trips up and down the stairs! I work clockwise through the house so I know if I’ve missed anywhere easily
  6. Well plumped cushions – this may sound odd, but a set of cushions on a sofa that make it look complete, will help to allude this vision of tidiness!
  7. I always make the bed!! I dont think I would function properly each day if I left the house without making the bed – it makes a bedroom go from messy to tidy in minutes!

I hope this gives you some good ideas! Please share any tidying tips you have – I find tidying quite a mindfulness task and feel so much more prepared with a tidy home

x PB x

Why I love my early mornings

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It’s 5.56am and I’m up, writing this blog post. Some of you will be shouting at the screen saying why, why, WHY?! Well, I’m about to tell you.

Since becoming a mummy, I have become increasingly grateful for the time I have to myself. Please be reassured that I would of course prefer to spend time with Little PB over and above anything else, but working full time and being mum means stuff needs to get done.

With the sun rising and the birds entertaining my with their dawn chorus, I potter in the silence of the house, preparing for the day.

I tried the Miracle Morning method in its entirety for a bit – that didn’t work for me. And I think its because I took it too literally. The principle behind Miracle Morning is to set you right for the day by giving yourself time to reset your mind, focus, do some exercise and rehydrate.

So, my morning is a deconstructed version of this and here is my routine:

  • Sunrise alarm set for 5.50am. Little PB usually wakes by 7am so I know I have around an hour to get s!@* done.
  • 5.50am – Get up! (I do have to push myself to get up straight away but it’s improving!)
  • 5.55am – A big glass of water and a lemon tea (basically 2 slices of lemon in warm water)
  • 6am – Feed Pineapple & Button Co. whilst the kettle is boiling
  • 6am – 6.30am – Spend 30 mins either planning my day, painting my nails, writing blog posts, or having a pamper session in the shower. I also pack my bag for the day (although I do try to do this before I go to bed in the evening)
  • 6.30am – 7am – Get myself ready (with a cup of builders tea!) because trying to do a decent attempt at hair and make up with a toddler to entertain is never going to work

By the time Little PB stirs, I can give him my full attention until we go to nursery and I feel ready for the day.

I have had experiences where I haven’t achieved the above and I can honestly share that I feel discombobulated that whole day as a result.

So, if you want to feel more productive, positive, motivate and in control of your world, set that alarm for an hour earlier…..and then share how it goes! Good luck!

x PB x

Exploring the Swiss Alps – Baby Destinations 

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As part of our recent road trip through France, we took the opportunity to go across into Switzerland to visit some family in Verbier.

Hand on heart, neither myself or Mr PB have ever considered Switzerland as a destination for a summer holiday. Clearly, it’s a ski resort through and through so why venture over there for anything but apres skiing and snow? 

We were quickly proven wrong with our first mini hike when we arrived. With little PB in the baby rucksack, we worked our way along the mountain path to take in the extensive views and beautifully clean fresh air. 


On our only full day, we didn’t want to waste it, so we hired some electric bikes from Mountain Air, Verbier. 


With excellent customer service, they provided us with all the kit to help us venture up the mountain with a 1 year old. Little PB in his very own trailer with a sun/bug screen and straps and fantastic mountain bikes making the journey on the steep slopes seem effortless.


Stopping at the top for a bite to eat, the view was breathtaking. It has a very different feel to the winter season….obviously…..you can get a table for a start and there is a quiet tranquility to the mountain. 


Verbier does feel a little ghostly out of its peak season, but if you overlook the small amount of roadworks and the odd shuttered hotel and shop, the absence of tourists makes it’s feel like the perfect secluded holiday destination.

You can hire bikes from Mountain Air for CHF 65 for the day and the trailer is CHF 30 (which gets progressively less expensive the longer you rent for). Contact the excellent team on the following:

http://www.mountainairverbier.com 

rentals@mountainairverbier.com

Tel: +41 27 775 44 00

And with a view like this to wake up to every day, how could you not want to explore further…

Back in business…

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I’m pretty certain that I speak for most new mummies out there that planning every small detail in the anticipation of your little bundles appearance to this world is fun and exciting!

It’s fun and exciting to put your focus into deciding whether to have a hospital bag AND a labour bag……what colour to paint the nursery……what the new arrivals first outfit will be…..who will look after the dog when the waters break……

And the key to why it’s fun and exciting is because we have oodles of time and (for the most part until we are doing an impression of a weeble) we have the energy.

1 year later….

I can honestly say that along with not knowing a love like I have for our little human, I have never known tiredness and a lack of energy like I have had over this past year. The learning curve is intense, the sleepless nights feel relentless (even though there really weren’t that bad!) and no amount of coffee could put that sparkle back in my eye. But, I’ve loved every minute. Well, almost…..

Parts of what made me ME became hidden in this last year….which made me feel resentful…. which I then regretted for feeling that way! Vicious bloody circle!

But after a very relaxing holiday and an opportunity to reflect, I’ve decided that this  can change.

Being able to balance a full time job and being a mummy means that it’s equally important to invest time to myself and my old life and the main area I want to focus on is right here. You’re reading it.

Pineapple & Button Co is back in business. I’ll be writing more blogs, I’ll be creative with P&B Co products and will share photos of beautiful places and even more beautiful planners.

However, I can’t ignore that my new accessory is now a changing bag, so I will be writing a series on Baby Travels sharing our experiences of holidays and day trips and how they can be baby and family friendly, even if at first they don’t seem it!

As a mummy attempting to be creative and stylish, I hope you enjoy what’s to come as much as I’ll enjoy writing it!

Once upon a time, there were four little rabbits….

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With Summer now truly upon us this week, what could be more appropriate than a floral and Peter Rabbit scheme in my Kikki K and TN?

The Peter Rabbit kit has featured previously and is by Oodlemadoodle and I just love it so much! A personal sized kit will be coming out soon which will be purchased instantly!

The washi tape is a mixture of Planner Society and Paperchase.

Enjoy!

How I am planning in 2016

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With the addition of a beautiful ice-blue Kikki-K to my planner collection, 2016 had to be the year for planning, planning and more planning.

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From all the inspirational Facebook groups and Instagram accounts I follow, I finally have achieved planner peace – it is only right I give back to this amazing community of people and share!

As you will know from previous posts, I was using an Erin Condren for my day to day planning.

However, I was beginning to get frustrated with the spiral bound system – the spiral was starting to wear and it didn’t have the professional feel that I am aim for when using the planner for work. Furthermore, I love adding my creative flair to planning and I felt the EC was quite restrictive for this purpose.

So, the only possible solution was adding the EC to the Kikki-K. Many hours of YouTube watching were conducted to ensure I didn’t end up with a ruined EC and an empty planner. I would highly recommend watching Paper & Glam’s YouTube tutorial as research before you attempt it!

I decided to not include the monthly tabs in the EC as I prefer a cleaner line when closing the planner and the tabs do bend and get in the way if you don’t punch into the boxes. I use a page marker so I can easily go to the current week.

I should make it clear that this planner is used for my Monday-Friday planning. I don’t use this planner for my weekend plans as I am still a fan of diary sharing with Mr PB on our iPhones, therefore, I don’t tend to do a lot of forward planning in the months ahead making the lack of tabs easier to justify!

Taking you through each section of the planner:

Front pockets – I love the layout of Kikki-K pockets. As well as being practical, they allow a beautiful creative set up. My front pockets store spare washi on a hand-made laminated washi card as well as plenty of goodies from The Planner Society – page flags, a to-do list and paperclips – a mixture of hand made and sent in the kit. I intend to do an unboxing of The Planner Society kit but, for anyone interested, it is worth every penny!

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I added this adorable picture frame from selection of scrapbook embellishments and using a portable polaroid printer, I change up the picture depending on the week or month. A fun way to update your planner and add a personal touch!

Dashboard – I don’t tend to use a dashboard as it’s intended but more of an extension to my creativity and having a set-up that brings a smile to my face when I open the planner. Using cardstock, a bow and Planner girl tag from The Planner Society kit as well as some additional embellishments, I simply laminate and then hole punch.

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I love the combination of front pockets and dashboard….

The first section of the planner is my notes section. Adapting dividers purchased from My Pretty Week, I store work notes under the relevant month making them easy to refer to. I use paper from Paperchase and mix it up between yellow and white lined paper.

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The EC section is pretty much intact apart from the tabbed sections – I love the gold foil vellum and the layout of the EC works well for my never-ending work and home to-do lists.

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The pen is a recent Kikki-K purchase and is complimented by the gold EC band that, although serves no purpose, looks stunning against the ice-blue.

I will be sharing my weekly planning in my next post, so look out for that!

Thank you for all your inspiration – I hope this inspires you too

x PB x

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Intentions, not resolutions….

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For me, past years have started with the obligatory resolutions. Whilst my desire to buy stationery seems to ramp up in September, I have also been keen to have a focus for each new year – the Christmas decorations come down, the house is bought back to normality (no more hoovering up pine needles!) and I like to have that same “out with the old and in with the new” when it comes to my attitude to life and work.

However, this year will be different. Not only can I not include trimming down and getting fitter this year for personal reasons, I also had a very engaging chat with a good friend of mine that made me re-think the value of resolutions.

This good friend of mine is a person that everyone should have as a friend – someone who is level headed and balanced with a flourish of creativity and oodles of inspiration. When asked what her resolutions were, she shared that she aspires to intentions, and after reflecting, she is absolutely right.

Why should we feel pressured to achieve resolutions that stereotypically last 3-4 weeks and then we spend the rest of year feeling disappointed with our lack of will-power or commitment. Surely what we should be aiming to achieve is to be a better person and with that, better intentions in our day to day life.

So, as a way of commitment to my 2016 intentions, I am sharing them with you. By putting pen to paper (almost), I hope that these intentions become a way of life for me and not just a whimsical existence that I will suddenly remember I had discussed with a friend over coffee one day.

  1. Enjoy reading again. I slipped out of regularly reading during last year and I missed it greatly. (I will share my reading list in another post but would welcome recommendations!)
  2. Commit to my passion for sharing my love of Stationery + Style through The Pineapple & Button Co.
  3. Embrace each day with purpose and dress to impress!

I would love you to share your intentions! Let’s make 2016 count.

x PB x

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