KNOW THYSELF | THE GAME OF SELF DISCOVERY

Ad – review. We were sent Know Thyself expanded edition for review purposes and all thoughts are my own. 

Know Thyself is a game of self discovery and is the most revealing personality game. It's a game that brings you closer to the people you care about by tearing down those masks and sparking the deepest conversations. It's not like other games that have conversation cards with questions like 'what are your deepest fears?' It digs deeper with  depth cards and archetype cards that spark conversations that explore how you see yourself and how others see you.

The game is for 2-4 players and is designed to speak to different types of people. The game is ideal for date nights, dinner parties and get togethers with family and friends (18+). The standard edition is the core experience of Know Thyself which includes the full base game. Inside the box you will find:

• 54 Archetype Cards - each representing a universal facet of the human character.

• 44 Depth Cards - Question prompts to elicit deeper insight into player personalities.

• Reversible Game Board – Two sides, supporting 2–4 players and two distinct playing styles

• 4 Resonance Dials – Custom score wheels to track alignment between players

• Pledge Card – A solemn pre-game promise

• Book of Rules

• Scorepad & Pen – To record points and track progress

The extended edition includes the above plus  expansion packs which include the following extra cards :   

• Zodiac Pack
• Enneagram Edition
• Pandora’s Box 
• Philosopher’s Kit

Please note: To reduce waste, all 4 Expansion Packs come in 2 double-sided boxes.

Art Deco kitchens are inspiring. Still, how can you balance vintage charm with modern functionality?

 *This is a collaborative post 

Art Deco is an unbeatable style for its elegance and attention to detail. However, for some homeowners, Art Deco kitchens can feel a little outdated. Even though in the past they were among the most popular styles in kitchen renovations, they are no longer preferred, which is a pity, as they really transformed a kitchen into a masterpiece and often made it look like a museum. 

This style originated in the 20th century and was characterized by luxurious materials and bold geometric patterns. Trends come and go, and the same can be said of the Art Deco style, which might return in full force. This style has reinvented itself, offering not only its vintage charm but also modern functionality, which sets it apart. This style has striven to meet people's demands, which we must agree has changed significantly over time. For instance, modern designs are more focused on clean lines, and for those who pay attention to every detail, Art Deco kitchens might still be the most suitable choice. 

This is why the Art Deco kitchen has risen like a phoenix from the ashes, ready to reshape kitchens worldwide. In this article, we will explore this style further and how it can be introduced in modern settings. Keep reading to learn more.

https://unsplash.com/photos/a-dining-room-with-a-wooden-table-and-black-chairs-_oLM6hHTTnI

What are the most common elements of an Art Deco kitchen design?

An art deco kitchen truly stands out from the rest, characterized by its attention to detail and common features such as rich colors, symmetrical patterns, and the use of materials like glass, marble, or chrome. They all improved the design in this space, making it look outstanding and adding a glamorous touch. Some might not think the kitchen is a suitable place to integrate this design, but that is not true. The kitchen is among the most essential rooms in a house, as it serves various roles: a place for cooking, gathering with friends, or even spending quality time alone. This is why it truly matters how you design your kitchen space. Here are the special elements that an Art Deco kitchen design is known for:

• Luxurious feel: An Art Deco kitchen exudes a luxurious vibe, making it truly special. This feature is crafted from the right materials, including mirrors and high-gloss finishes, as well as brass and chrome. They add a luxurious touch while also offering durability and improved functionality. 

• Geometric patterns: Art Deco really focused on bold lines and the integration of colors. The geometry was displayed in various shapes, and in the kitchen, it was integrated into the flooring, backsplash tiles, and other cabinetry details. This adds more sophistication and improves the kitchen's look, breaking the harsh impact of the appliances.

• Statement lighting: The lights from Art Deco not only illuminated areas but also served as decoration in themselves. The most common types of lighting fixtures present here were chandeliers and pendant lights. 

How to find the right balance between vintage charm and modern touches? 

When you want to bring an art deco kitchen into a modern setting, the best approach is to look for a balance between old and new. Kitchen cabinets are among the most essential elements in a kitchen, and if you want them to be functional, it is better to choose new ones. Then, you can bring the vintage charm of the Art Deco kitchen through decorations. In this way, the whole vibe won't feel too overwhelming. Or you can consider painted solid wood kitchen doors, which have a timeless appeal, will last a long time, and can be the canvas for showcasing Art Deco details. 

No Needles, No Problem: The Mess-Free Advantages of Artificial Christmas Trees

 *This is a collaborative post 

As the holidays roll in, the iconic symbol of the season takes center stage in homes across the globe. However, the charm of a live tree often comes with a set of challenges ranging from constant needle shedding to the annual hike and chop for the freshest fir. An artificial Christmas tree presents a compelling alternative, offering the joyous ambiance without the traditional troubles. They blend convenience with aesthetics, providing a solution that can be as festive as it is practical. Keep reading to discover the numerous benefits of opting for an artificial tree this holiday season.

The Hassle-Free Experience of Artificial Christmas Trees

The ease of setting up an artificial Christmas tree is a clear advantage over its live counterpart. Gone are the days of wrestling with a massive tree through your doorway and the aftermath of pine needles scattered across your floors. These faux trees often come in manageable sections that are easily assembled and disassembled, with no need for watering or the worry of drying out.

Beyond the setup, the maintenance of artificial Christmas trees is minimal at best. Owners are spared the daily sweep-up of fallen needles and the inevitable sap stains that come with a natural tree. Furthermore, artificial trees don't require the same level of care to keep them looking fresh throughout the season, providing a consistently vibrant centerpiece for holiday celebrations.

Artificial trees also offer the perks of pre-installed lighting, cutting down on the time-consuming task of stringing lights and troubleshooting bulb outages. This pre-lit feature can greatly reduce the setup time, allowing you to move directly into hanging your cherished decorations. With these trees, the focus shifts from maintenance to enjoyment, giving you more time to spend with loved ones.

The Allergy-Friendly Choice for Holiday Décor

For those who suffer from allergies, particularly to pine, a real Christmas tree can turn the festive season into a time of discomfort. Artificial Christmas trees are a hypoallergenic option that eliminates the allergens associated with live trees. This factor is crucial for ensuring the home stays a comfortable space for all, including guests with sensitivities.

Moreover, natural trees can harbor mold spores that grow during the time they are kept inside. These spores can easily spread through the air, potentially affecting air quality and aggravating respiratory conditions. Artificial trees, devoid of organic material, offer a mold-free alternative, contributing to a healthier home environment during the holidays.

The Benefits of Cloud Faxing for Businesses: Why Companies Are Making the Switch

*This is a collaborative post 

In our increasingly digital world, businesses are looking for effective ways to modernize communications while ensuring that sensitive information remains secure. Traditional faxing, though once a staple in office communications, is facing a transformation as cloud faxing emerges as a powerful alternative. This innovative approach not only streamlines the process of sending and receiving faxes but also offers enhanced security and cost benefits. Companies across various industries are recognizing the potential of cloud fax solutions in optimizing their operations. Below, we delve into the advantages and impacts of cloud faxing on modern business practices.

Future-Proofing Business Communications With Cloud Fax Services

Adapting to emerging technologies is essential for any business wanting to stay competitive. With the advent of cloud faxing, companies can ensure their communications infrastructure will not become obsolete. Cloud services are continually updated and improved, offering the latest in security and efficiency without the need for manual upgrades or replacements.

One of the greatest assurances cloud faxing provides is its resilience to technological changes. As telecommunication infrastructures evolve, traditional fax lines may become less supported. Cloud-based services operate independently of such changes, offering a stable communication method regardless of external advancements or shifts in the technological landscape.

In terms of long-term planning, investing in cloud faxing solutions like InterFAX allows companies to scale their communications as they expand into new markets or add team members. This scalability is not only practical but also strategic, facilitating growth without the growing pains associated with traditional communication systems.

Enhancing Document Security and Compliance With Cloud Fax Solutions

In today’s business world, data protection and regulatory compliance are at the forefront of operational concerns. Cloud faxing addresses these issues by offering advanced security features that traditional fax machines simply cannot match. End-to-end encryption ensures that documents remain private and protected from unauthorized access during transmission.

Cloud-based fax services typically adhere to stringent compliance standards such as HIPAA for healthcare, GDPR for European data protection, and SOX for financial reporting. This compliance is invaluable for businesses that handle sensitive data, offering peace of mind that their faxing practices are within legal guidelines. The automated logging and archiving capabilities of cloud fax solutions also simplify audits and compliance reviews.

Rustic Romance: Planning a Dreamy Autumn Wedding

*This is a collaborative post 

Falling leaves, crisp air, and warm colours create the perfect backdrop for a romantic wedding, where rustic charm meets the season’s natural beauty. There's something magical about exchanging vows beneath golden trees, surrounded by cosy fireplaces, pumpkin accents, and deep red floral arrangements. An autumn celebration effortlessly captures warmth, elegance, and intimacy all at once.

Embrace the flavours and textures of the season by serving comforting dishes like butternut squash soup and apple cider cocktails, adding depth and character to your menu. With thoughtful details and personal touches, you can bring rustic romance to life and create a day filled with beauty, love, and lasting memories.

Crafting Your Rustic Romance: The Essentials

Creating a rustic romance for your autumn wedding involves selecting a charming venue, using décor that captures the essence of the season, and integrating warm seasonal colour palettes. These elements work together to set the perfect atmosphere for a cosy yet elegant celebration.

Choosing the Perfect Autumn Venue

Choosing the right venue is key to creating your rustic wedding atmosphere. Consider locations surrounded by natural beauty, such as barns, vineyards, historic country estates, or country houses. These venues provide a picturesque backdrop with beautiful autumn foliage and offer a sense of exclusivity and tranquillity. Ensure the venue can accommodate both indoor and outdoor settings, allowing flexibility with unpredictable autumn weather. It's ideal if the place can offer both ceremony and reception spaces, reducing transportation time and keeping the day smooth for you and your guests.

Décor Elements for a Cosy Autumn Atmosphere

Achieving a cosy autumn ambience requires carefully chosen décor elements. Integrate natural materials like wood, hessian, and dried leaves to enhance the rustic feel. Candles and fairy lights create a warm glow, perfect for an intimate setting. Add vintage touches with lanterns or antique dishware to complement the rustic theme. Incorporate seasonal elements such as pumpkins or gourds in your centrepieces for a festive touch. Using mismatched furniture or vintage seating arrangements can also add charm and character to the venue, making the environment more inviting and homely.

CHRISTMAS 2025 GIFT GUIDE FOR THE KIDS

PR Samples – I received the items featured in this post for consideration on my blog.

*This post also includes affiliate links – if you buy anything via these links I will receive a small payment from the company, this does not affect the price you pay.

On Monday I shared my Christmas Gift Guide for adults and now it's time for my Gift Guide for the kids. You can find last year's gift guide here for further inspiration. 

 With a mix of toys, books, clothing etc I've included a variety of gifts so you can find something for most age groups.

Ubbi | Joinibble Teether | £11.99

Ubbi a place where innovative products are designed and created with parents and children in mind. Under the Ubbi name, you will find unique, quality products that are easy to use, that help to simplify parents' lives while keeping babies as happy and safe as can be.

Ubbi's joinibble teethers are thoughtfully designed for soothing sensitive gums. They are designed in bright colours for catching babies attention. Each 6-sided Joinibble teether is soft and flexible, allowing your little one to easily grasp, tug, and pull for hours of interactive fun. Beyond offering teething relief, these toys help to develop crucial hand-eye coordination and colour recognition. The pieces fit together in various ways, providing endless possibilities for creative play. 

Blade and Rose | Christmas Dress | £18

Blade and Rose are a children's clothing brand that specialises in soft, stylish and sustainable clothing for babies and toddlers. They are known for their trademark leggings that feature playful and quirky designs on the bum. They now offer a wide range of clothing including tops and accessories. 

Their Christmas collection brings the joy of the festive season to life with stylish leggings, tops, socks, and more in festive designs and patterns. The Christmas dress makes the perfect gift for twirling into Christmas. The adorable and colourful red dress features an all over motif design including Tree, Snowman and Gingerbread. The soft, breathable cotton-rich knit feels gentle against delicate skin. 

Pretend to Bee  | Astronaut costume | £35

Pretend to Bee is a small family run business that crafts high quality costumes for children 6 months up to 11 years. Role play is important in early years children for sparking imagination and encouraging learning through play. Pretend to Bee's collection of made-to-last dressing-up costumes, toys and accessories are all designed to be both educational and fun! Since their launch in 2008, they've become a trusted name in the UK’s education sector for Early Years Role Play. Their costumes can now be found across the world in schools, role play centres and museums.

5,4,3,2,1... We have lift off! This Christmas launch your little explorer into space with this high quality astronaut costume. The full-body white astronaut suit costume features pearlescent silver padded arm and leg panels, a colourful woven rocket badge, and three metallic silver 3D star patches for extra cosmic flair. The matching padded silver hood completes the out-of-this-world look. 

Muddy Puddles | 3 In 1 waterproof scampsuit | from £62

Muddy Puddles are on a mission to connect our growing explorers with nature by designing excellent quality, sustainable clothing that protects them in all weathers, is kind to our planet and the people who make them. 

Muddy Puddles best selling 3 in 1 waterproof scampsuits are brilliantly versatile and made for adventures. They are ideal for active, growing adventurers. Breathable fabric keeps little explorers comfortable, while taped seams, dual storm flaps and elasticated cuffs stop the elements sneaking in.

Crafted from hard-wearing, 100% recycled fabric, they have a 10,000mm waterproof rating that fends off the heaviest day-long downpours. The super-soft fleece liner and waterproof outer can be worn together in the cold depths of winter. The outer worn solo is perfect for when it’s wet but mild and the fleece doubles as a snuggly layer for lounging at home. (Design featured above is Blue Bird).

Muddy Puddles | Thermal Base Layers and welly socks | prices starting at £9 for snoods.

Muddy Puddles thermal base layers are a must during the colder months. Young explorers will stay toasty warm in their ultra versatile thermal tops and leggings. The thermal tops and leggings both have a brushed interior that ensures a super soft and snuggly feel on skin whilst the breathable material keeps young explorers cool and comfortable, wicking away moisture after active play so they don’t get too hot. The top also features thumb holes in the cuffs. This keeps the sleeves in place and makes it quick and easy to layer up over the top without them riding up. (Above features the forest green design)

Welly socks are also a must for keeping toes comfy and cosy. These high-performance socks are made in Italy from soft, durable merino wool with Lycra added for a snug, stretchy fit that lasts. The long length is perfect for wearing under wellies or snow boots for an extra boost of warmth, while the fabric’s ability to wick away moisture keeps feet feeling fresh. They also have built-in cushioning and seamless stitching to prevent rubbing, ensuring unbeatable comfort, even after a long day of running, splashing and exploring. (Design above is green lightning).

Manimal Tales | Santa's Visit to your house book| £24 (softcover) £29 (hardcover)

Manimal Tales is a publisher of beautifully illustrated personalised books. They have personalised books for both children and adults. From birthday books to new baby tales, and from bedtime stories to ABC books, they have custom books for all occasions! 

In Santa's Visit to your house it's Christmas Eve and Santa is delivering presents to children around the world. He makes a stop at your house, where your children are fast asleep. Or they were, until Santa accidentally wakes them up! The book can be personalised with up to 4 names as well as their last name and place they live, along with a personal message that is printed into the book. Manimal Tales ship worldwide.

Storydo personalised book | £69

Founders and friends Sonja and Nina both love making family photo books and keeping memories alive. These books can take a lot of time and effort so they came up with the idea of a platform that made it easy and enjoyable for parents to create their unique family story. 

Storydo's book builder is easy to use and it takes about 1-2 hours to create your book. The book is high quality A4 hardcover that contains 60-90 pages with editable text and 1-3 photos. Storydo helps you to capture your family story and they are inclusive, working for all types of families. The books are a great way create more closer and resilient families as well as harnessing the benefits of family storytelling. 

Tales from Port Navas Creek by Guy Beringer | £14.99 each

Tales from Port Navas Creek is a magical trilogy by Guy Beringer. These delightful children’s books bring his seven grandchildren to life as woodland animal heroes, which are set in the beautiful woodland surrounding the iconic Helford River in Cornwall.

Each of the 3 volumes is published in hardback and are beautifully presented making a great addition to your child's bookshelf this Christmas. Note worthy highlights around the trilogy include:

• A rich and magical setting 
• Beautiful illustrations 
• Endearing animal protagonist's 
• Moral adventures
• Puzzles and riddles 
• Suited for readers 6 and up

Plus-Plus | Santa /Holiday tubes | £7

Plus-Plus are an educational building toy made in Demark that strengthen children’s imagination, concentration, and fine motor skills. With Plus-Plus, kids can build everything from animals and vehicles to entire fantasy worlds – the only limit is their imagination.

The above Christmas sets make great stocking stuffers. With 100 plus-plus pieces these tubes make great little characters such as Santa. But don't stop there your child can unleash their imagination and create something truly unique in the wonderful mix of Christmas colours. Make reindeer, Christmas trees or whatever else they can think of. 

Thumbs up | Care Bears Digital Pet | £20

Since 2004, Thumbs Up have been sprinkling magic in the world of gifts and gadgets! Not only have they whipped up trophy-tastic creations, but they've also launched some best-selling licensed products that have danced their way into major retailers worldwide. From games to gizmos, they're all about extraordinary fun!

The Care Bears collection brings beloved characters into your everyday life with official homeware, gifts, and collectibles. Perfect for Care Bears fans of all ages, this range captures the caring spirit and colourful charm that has made these characters treasured for generations.

Care Bears lights up the day in this portable Care Bears digital pet. With classic 90s gameplay and fun personalities, kids and retro toy fans alike can enjoy caring for their digital pet through games, feeding, and fun. This virtual pet combines cheerful vibes with collectible design for nonstop play. There are 5 different designs to choose from Funshine bear (above), Grumpy bear, Cheer bear, Good luck bear, and Share bear! 

Wicked Uncle | Flying Bee | £16.99

Wicked Uncle they know what kids like and ensure you gift an age appropriate present sure to be enjoyed. They have scoured the world to find a really useful selection of fun, unusual and different presents for children. They test every potential present for fun, quality and value before it even goes on their website.

The Flying Bee is a fun and entertaining toy that's easy to control with clever induction technology that senses your hand underneath and immediately flies up. Safe and fun, the built-in protection device automatically stops flying if the coptor blade is hit in flight. Flies for about 8 minutes when full charged and charges in just half an hour using the USB lead included. Great fun and quite energetic chasing your bee around indoors - and a real buzz, of course!

Wicked Uncle | Fart Machine | £12.99

This Fart Machine from Wicked Uncle is the perfect fun gift for pranksters. This fun sound machine provides hilarious noises at the touch of a button. Have a laugh on your friends with high-quality recordings as you create foul-sounding effects! The machine features nine different styles of fart to choose from, from the windy to the gurgling. Measuring 8cm, this nifty handheld sound board is great for popping in your pocket and taking anywhere.