Fairybumpkin's Top tips for the perfect Camping or Caravan holiday

A good British camping or caravan holiday really can be the best kind of holiday, if you prepare for it properly. If you’re lucky enough you will get a lovely weekend with boiling sunshine, BBQs and Pimms, but who are we kidding? This is the UK after all. So here are my top tips on how to make the most of your UK holiday…

Wrap up

Ok, so it’s not good to be pessimistic, but if it does rain at least you had some waterproofs and appropriate clothing! Plus even when its warm a tent can get VERY cold at night, you may even need some bed socks!

Take disposable plates, cups etc

If you’re lazy like me, grab some paper plates, cups and cutlery. Bad for the environment I know, but washing up your soggy baked bean soaked plates at a campsite is NO fun!

BBQ

Disposable or portable, making a BBQ with a campfire going is the perfect way to end your day. Add a few beers and a woolly blanket and your evening is perfect.

Take games

If your camping, perhaps not so practical, but if you are in a caravan, why not play some card games or grab the monopoly board! Perhaps, if you really are Glamping, grab some DVDs and popcorn!

Alcohol

Rain or shine, a good tipple always makes things better. On a warm toasty evening, make some home made Pimms or fruit cider, for the colder nights, something stronger to take the edge off the chilly tent.

Bedtime

Screw air beds, get camping mats, a good one will roll out and blow up itself, its super comfy and you don't have to worry about it blowing down all night! 

Are you going camping this year!?

Clothing wishlist

Here are just a few items I would like to purchase for summer. I'm a massive lover of a cardigan for a summer evening, I already have too many but you can never have enough cardies. I really fancy grabbing a pair of dungarees, i'm not sure if i'm confident enough to pull them off but with a cute stripy top I think they could look really nice. I love floppy hats, I have just purchased one from accessorize, but I would love a black one as it will go with everything. I need an Olivia Burton watch, I just NEED one.

What items are on your wishlist? 

Check out my Pinterest to see what other clothing ideas I love @Fairybumpkin

Vege Chicken 'n' rice

I jumped out of my comfort zone with this recipe, as chicken and rice can be pretty bland and boring. I was worried I wouldn’t achieve the full flavour and it would be a flop, but I was proven wrong. This dish was really yummy, I made a few alterations to suit my taste buds, but it tasted pretty dam good… Here’s how I did it.

You will need

For the Chicken

Quorn style chicken pieces

1tsp vegetable oil

Fry light – lots of pumps

2tbsp Soy sauce

2 Garlic Cloves, chopped finely

½ Lemon grated & zested

Salt & Black pepper

1tbsp clear honey

For the Rice

Fry light

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Splash of Soy sauce

2 Spring onions, finely chopped

50g Fresh or frozen peas, or more if you like

150g Brown rice

3-4tbsp Coriander

Lime wedges to serve

Begin by boiling your rice, and leaving to simmer

Place fry light, the oil, soy sauce, garlic and lemon zest and juice into a bowl. Add the frozen Quorn chicken pieces and mix so they are covered

Heat marinated Quorn in a pan and drizzle the honey, trying to coat all the pieces

Meanwhile, for the rice, heat a wok and spray with fry light, once the fry light has warmed add you eggs and mix for 1-2 minutes until scrambled

Add the spring onion, peas and cook for a few minutes

Add the cooked rice, a splash of soy sauce and mix, season with your coriander

To serve, spoon your rice onto plates top with your Quorn and serve with wedges of lime

EnjoyJ

You can do it! Wedding dress fitting!

In January I purchased the most amazing dress, a dress I will cherish my entire life, probably the most beautiful dress I will EVER wear – My wedding dress. I knew as soon as I put it on, I wouldn’t find one more perfect anywhere else, as cliché as that may sound it was so true. The only thing was I felt a little on the chubby side. When the lady in the shop told me my measurements and the size dress she would like to order for me, I was shocked. Yes, I had my post-Christmas weight, but I knew I didn’t want to look like this on my big day, I was determined. Just six months later I went back to get ‘re-fitted’ and to try my dress on again, I had lost 2 inches on my bust and waist and 3 inches from my hips/bottom, my face was a picture and so was the sales assistants. I knew I could do it, I wasn’t sure I had done it, but I had dropped two wedding dress sizes!! 

The main reason I am writing this post is because I don’t eat super healthy, I enjoy a cheeky takeaway and chocolate every now and again, who doesn’t? However, I have been really strict on myself with my regime at the gym and have tried to maintain a healthy and achievable lifestyle wherever I could and I have achieved what I wanted. I know I still have room for improvement and need to tone up a bit, but if I maintain my weight and lifestyle I know I will look amazing on my big day. I know people are easy to say you look great as you are, but I don’t think you will ever be happy until you set your own goal and see yourself achieve it! Happiness is in the eye of the beholder. Set goals, vision yourself at that goal and keep motivated! 

What a great Monday!

Have any of you set yourself a lifestyle goal?

How did you achieve it?

:)

Makeup Wishlist

Nars Copacabana Highlighter

I need this in my life, The colour is beautiful and will be perfect for a summer glow!

Nars Luminous Foundation

I swear by Estee Lauder Doublewear, however, over summer it might be nicer to try a more lightweight foundation so I'm going to grab some of this!

Liz Earle Skin Tonic Spritzer

I love Liz Earle and when I saw this product I knew I had to try it!

Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in Amazing Grace 

I love Charlotte Tilbury and this colour will be perfect for summer!

Chanel Les Beiges, Healthy glow Sheer colour stick

I love the stick versions of foundations and bronzers, I'm sure this will be an amazing product!

Whats on your wishlist?

What products are you loving?

Top tips for filling your home...

I have really enjoyed making the house feel like more of a home, I really do think its the little touches. Although I know what my style is and what I like I am terrible at making it look the way I see it in my head (or how it looks in the magazines), so top tip number one is...

1.Real in the parents - They have probably moved house and re decorated a number of times, show them what you like and let them give you ideas. You may be pleasantly surprised with their suggestions and collaborations.

I really dislike a messy kitchen, but I love cooking and baking. Top tip number two...

2. Organise your kitchen - I have asked relatives to save me old coffee jars etc and I have used them to store my pasta, rice, flour, sugar ( you get the idea) so I have no accidental flour spillages or rice half in the saucepan half on the floor. Not only is it space saving but it also looks pretty good and saves a lot of potential mess. 

I really love ornaments, candles, flowers and pillows ALL over the house, but sometimes there really isn't space on surfaces and cabinets. Top tip number three...

3. Make areas especially for your display items. You could have a bookcase in a cove of the house, or some shelves on the walls. Maybe even attach a cabinet to the wall, or just simply get some nails and a hammer and pin things to the walls. I have found these ideas have made my house feel a lot less cluttered, but the house is still full of all the lovely ornaments books etc that I love. 

I really dislike having no where to hide away the things you don't want people to see, or the throws you used over the winter that you don't really need over the summer months. Top tip number four...

4. Built in storage, or buying items that have storage. Cupboards under the stairs, they can hide a multitude of sins, or just your smelly shoes and coats. Trunks and wicker baskets are really popular at the moment, stash throws, pillows, magazines in them and just grab them out when you need them! Ofcourse, not forgetting the dreaded under bed space, instead of throwing stuff under and never being able to find it again, grab some plastic boxes and organise your under bed space.

What do you think of my tips?

Have you found any great ideas for filling your home?

My photo frame wall...

As you may have seen from previous posts, I really love photos, especially of loved ones and great memories. Also, being a massive fan of Pinterest, I have been exploring ways of displaying my photos around the house. I didn't want to hang them generically as your parents would have in the 90s, so looked into the idea of a photo wall. I have a variety of frames anyway, but picked up a few from charity shops to mix it up. I have assembled my frames randomly on the wall, it is still unfinished and I need a few different sizes, but I'm really happy with the progress so far so had to share!

Inspiration

My photo wall so far...

Any ideas or tips on how to improve my wall?

Have you made a photo wall?

:)

My new Pinterest

For the past 2-3 years I have been sharing my Pinterest with my partner as we mainly used it for wedding inspiration. However, now my Pinterest needs have developed I decided it was time to get my own account and stop annoying Liam with my 'Hair ideas' and 'Summer clothing inspo'.

So if you would like to see what I get up to on Pinterest, check it out! 

Follow me...

www.pinterest.com/fairybumpkin

May on Instagram

Okay, so I'm a bit late this month, but its been a busy one. 

Here's some of my favourite moments from May...

                                     

Wow, there was a LOT of cake in May.... oops.

:)