For birthday’s, Christmases and other national holidays, I always try to outdo the gift I got for someone the year before.

But this time I thought I’d stick with a few Father’s Day cliches and tried and tested present favourites.  I’ve gone for classic styles and good quality choices.

Here’s what I got my Dad for Father’s Day.

Something To Wear

My Dad is the sort of man who always wears casual clothing. I thought I’d treat him to a more expensive tee than what he would usually buy. I really liked this navy Howich crew neck t-shirt that’s 100% cotton. It’s a classic staple with a smart pocket, and the good quality jersey material will mean it can be a go to classic for a fair few years.

I found this on House of Fraser’s website as a preselected Father’s Day gift. It was really helpful to see so much choice last minute as I probably wouldn’t have been able to pick this up at their store.

Something Homemade

If you didn’t know already, I make and sell bow ties. I’ve got my own little Etsy store called RagnBow that I’m pretty proud of.

I know bow ties have become a cliche gift but my Dad will appreciate something I’ve made myself. My Dad likes tartan so I selected a green and blue tartan check and turned it into a beautiful bow. I’ve got some fabric left over and I’m now selling this limited edition item online too.

Something To Drink

Usually I get my Dad a few bottles of his favourite tipple. But, seeing as my Dad is a real ale drinker and because I have a year’s experience working in a real ale pub, I remembered that you could join a club to show your appreciation of the traditional brewing process. CAMRA (which stands for the Campaign For Real Ale) is an independent voluntary organisation campaigning for real ale in community pubs and for consumer rights. Their aim is to champion great quality real ale made the old fashioned way and to ensure it’s available in every local pub. They’re doing a pretty good job as over the last ten years (or for as long as I’ve been able to legally drink!) I’ve certainly been more aware of a real ale resurgence.

CAMRA members get benefits like discounted entry into national beer events, information on new products as well as other discounts on popular brands.

With the membership I also bought the 2016 Good Beer Guide which was a decent deal for £32 all inclusive.

I’m sure he’ll be pleased with this mix of goodies. What did you get your Dad for Father’s Day?

Why do you always turn the lights off when watching a horror film? Because you want to be scared.

But there are many more tricks other than a darkened room to bring a scary film to life. Here are some perfect preps for watching a horror film.

Dark and eerie surroundings

Close the blinds or the curtains to make the room as dark as it can be. Instantly the room will be spookier and the TV will become the main focus. Then, light some candles to provide some eerie light so people can just about see trip hazards (you don’t want snacks flying everywhere) but also so that the flames dance against the walls, creating ominous shadows.

If you want to go the extra mile, you could add a few props – I collect animal skulls (these might not be something you have to hand!) and often I’ll bring one or two out for the evening if it suits the mood.

Sound system

Horror films are renowned for their use of escalating music and jump scares to send their audiences into a frenzy. I like to exaggerate as much of the sounds as possible so we always hook our TV up to the sound system speakers to make every slash, footstep or scream more terrifying. It’s pretty simple to do, all you’ll need is a speaker lead from either your laptop or your TV to your sound system.

Alternatively…use headphones

Whilst surround sound can be perfect for making your entire body more aware of every noise, you’ll get crystal clear clarity if the sound is right up close.

Get rid of distractions

You don’t want people coming in and out so don’t watch the film in a communal area, unless you know that nobody is coming home. Also, unplug your phone and any other electronics that might bleep at you.

Invest in your viewing kit

If you regularly watch movies and appreciate the cinematography, mise-en-scene and picture quality, you might want to treat yo’ self and upgrade your TV. We’re currently looking to upgrade to the UHD TV Panasonic 4K Pro as it  ticks all the boxes in terms of cinematic quality. Apparently it has been fine tuned by filmmakers so it will have all of the components, as well as a sleek design, to help you bring the cinema to life in your own home.

It has a 65 inch display, with a huge colour palette, so every detail is displayed as close to the director’s vision as possible. Imagine the deep reds of splattered blood and the flaking, decaying flesh of a zombie brought to life on this machine – it’s what every film fan craves.

Choose snacks wisely

When watching horror films, engagement is key, so you don’t want to be going back and fourth to the kitchen to have your fill as this will disrupt the experience. Nor do you want the jump scares to be drowned out by someone munching. So, for horror films, popcorn is out because it’s too loud, and if it’s in a tub someone might chuck it across the room if they get too scared.

I like something soothing like a cool glass of pop or a fragrant herbal tea with something sweet like chocolate.

Get comfortable…but not too comfortable

Chairs at the cinema are designed a certain way so that they’re comfortable, but not comfortable enough for you to fall asleep in. It is possible to fall asleep in the cinema, if the movie is bad enough, as some of my friends have been known to. However, you’ll no doubt be watching your film either in bed or on the sofa. For either room, you could remove a few cushions so you’re not slouching. Or if you’re in bed, don’t get tucked up because you’re in your usual environment for sleeping If you do watch in bed, don’t get in your PJs because otherwise you’ll be relaxed and might nod off. I can speak from experience as I have succumbed to what I call “film narcolepsy” one too many times.

*This post was in collaboration with Panasonic – all words are my own.

One of the main changes in my quest to have an even healthier lifestyle was to quell my intake of fizzy, artificial drinks like diet coke.

At one point, I was cracking open one of those cans every single day which wasn’t doing myself any favours.

So overnight, I stopped. I stopped going next door to the shop to get my fix of aspartame and other unpronounceable nasties and increased my intake of water. Goodbye daily headaches.

Although, the lack of fizz has left a hole in my life I’m afraid to say. I have the odd Gin and Tonic, but I miss my vodka and diet coke.

But, to my rescue came Karma Cola. A purveyor of soft drinks that are kind of good for you and good for their growers. They’re the only Fairtrade organic cola in the UK and the company has set up a foundation to help their farmers in Seirra Leone. And for every bottle made, proceeds are given back to the growers’ families to help them re-establish their lives following the country’s civil war. So it’s sort of a soft drink with a purpose.

They have a small range of lovelies including, Gingerella, Lemony Lemonade and, of course, Karma Cola. They were kind enough to send through a trio for me to try.

Pretty packaging is always a plus for me. And being able to see the colour of the beverage, which isn’t hidden inside a tin can fills me with confidence.

I was apprehensive about trying Karma Cola just in case I liked it. I know that sounds strange but my main love for diet coke was it’s zero calories. Karma Cola does have some calories but you have to weigh up whether you want to fill your body with toxins or healthier calories.

The Soil Association and the Fair Trade seals of approval are reassuring and keep confusing me as they’re on a fizzy drink – how is this even possible?!

And the cola itself is from an actual cola nut (which is a real thing, who knew!) grown in Sierra Leone.

Karma Cola: the taste test

So what did I think? Well, I absolutely loved the taste of Karma Cola and finished it off rather quickly so take from that what you will. Although it does contain sugar, the sugar is unbleached so there’s a lot less tampering and bad things inside your drink. I imagine this will go rather well with a vodka.

Now that I had established a taste for the cola, I thought I’d wait for a sunny Sunday afternoon to try the rest.

Gingerella is made of all natural ingredients too and tastes exactly the same, if not better, than old Jamaicans Fiery Ginger Beer. I added lemon and lime to my drink for extra zing.

The final verdict? Much yum. I’ll definitely be having these again. And I’ve just found out that they are sold at my local supermarket.

I love my job. But I also love my hobbies. So how do I manage to maintain the perfect work-life balance, such as running an online store, making art and progressing up the career ladder?

At times it can be tricky, but I try to stick to these simple rules.

I put in the extra hours when I really need to

I’m no longer one of these people who stays an hour extra every single day of the week. But, if there’s a deadline, or if I’m in the middle of something, I’ll stay until it’s completed to a high standard.

Continuously staying behind after working hours is not only unhealthy, but it can become tedious and fuel work resentment which can make you unproductive. So don’t think that the only way to gain recognition is to put in extra hours once everyone else has clocked off; put in the extra effort when it really matters.

I sell on Etsy

In this day and age, hobbyists, like myself, are incredibly privileged to have online market places to sell their wares. Etsy is a great example of an online store generator that organises everything for creatives from listings, SEO to processing payment. And for me, having an online outlet where I can sell things that I’ve made allows me to feel a sense of creative achievement. Especially when someone actually buys my items; it makes me feel like my work is desirable and my creative abilities are sought after. It’s not even about the money for me. It’s more about gaining recognition as a creative. So, if you do make things in your spare time, why not consider signing up to Etsy as a seller and list your items. It could be the confidence boost that you need.

I try not to work on the weekends (if I can help it)

Sometimes, if there’s a deadline looming I’ll happily work to get things done well and correctly. Or if I’m on the laptop I will check emails or see how the weekly newsletter has performed. But if I can help it, I’ll never do overtime at the weekends. A clean break from work can help you to approach what is in hand with a fresh perspective. If you slog away over your precious weekends then you’ll likely rush important work and like I said earlier, grow to resent what you do. I strongly advise that you put other things first on your days off. It can be difficult to do as we’re constantly connected but try not to get sucked in to documents or spreadsheets when you could be at the pub or taking  day trip.

I take holidays

When I got my first proper job I was too scared to take any holiday as I thought it would look like I was a) slacking off and b) wanted to show how eager I was to keep the job.

But now, as I’ve grown into my role, I recognise the importance of a break or a longer holiday. I’ll also try to make the holidays count, so, instead of taking time off for annual leave’s sake, I’ll ensure that I’m actually doing something constructive with my free time because if I’m just sat around at home, it’s all too easy for me to fire up the laptop and check emails! So if you can afford a weekend away, even if it’s just visiting friends, take that break!

I incorporate my passions into my work as much as possible

Luckily for me, working in a digital agency means that you’re surrounded by creative ideas and campaigns constantly. And where possible, I try to inject my passions or expertise into whatever I, or a colleague, is working on. For example, my work mates know I’m a keen amateur photographer, so I’m regularly asked to take photos for particular campaigns. So not only am I spending the day doing something I really love, but I’m able to hone my skills too. A good example of this was an Easter Cook Book photo shoot I recently worked on for Discount Supplements.

So whilst it’s generally up to you to make sure you meet the perfect work-life balance, employment perks are always a great way to reap the rewards of your hard work. And whilst there are plenty at my job, I wanted to see what kinds of employment benefits people receive across the world?

I found this infographic by GoToMeeting which lists the benefits people receive in seven different countries. It was interesting to see that there is a difference in things such as when you can request to take flexi-time and how many paid sick days workers receive from one country to the next. In some cases, the UK fairs up rather well; especially for parental leave!

 

So, what kind of benefits do you receive at your place of work? And how do you try to maintain your oerfect work-life balance?

*this is a sponsored post in collaboration with GoToMeeting

I used to think that a holiday isn’t a holiday unless it’s in the sun. But when  I started full time work the term “holiday” took on a whole new meaning. Nowadays I’m happy to have a break, whether that’s staying at home getting on with a project, or going away for a few days somewhere in the UK.

Now that I’m feeling a bit better, me and the other half  decided to cash in our Groupon deal and get a few days rest at The Angel Inn, Wangford, Suffolk (don’t let the name put you off!).

I’m not as familiar with Suffolk as I am with Norfolk but I’m glad I ticked off a few more places that I’ve now explored and made a mental checklist of places I would visit again.

We obviously went to Southwold, and unfortunately, with it being Easter, so had the “Chelsea Tractor” crew. The place is lovely, but you can’t help but notice how commercial and ‘upper crust’ it has become. I mean, the place has a Havaianas shop for christ’s sake – a whole store selling flip flops – and it was open over the rainy Easter weekend! Why??!!

But don’t make the mistake of thinking that Suffolk is just about Southwold. It definitely is not. There are so many gems  to find. I’ve put together some photos of where I would recommend you to visit.

Burgh Castle

A castle ruin at the ancient roman site in Burgh. The castle was built as far back as the 3rd century AD. Three of the four walls are still standing. The castle has fantastic views over Breydon Water, where you can walk alongside or take a boat ride.

Walberswick

In terms of house prices and clientele it’s just the same as Southwold – but it’s a little rougher around the edges. My personal favourites from this sleepier seaside village is the dock with the ramshackle chalets and artists studios. The artist studios tend to open in the warmer months, but there are a couple of pretty shops and a art gallery in the village centre with many different exhibiting artists.

Kessingland

 

Kessingland is just down the road from Lowestoft and is much quieter. The beach stretches far and wide from east to west offerig panoramic views. It’s a quaint town which has seen a few pub closures over the last year leaving only one still open,The Sailors Home, which is on the beach front and quite lively. Kessingland was also where I saw the most holiday cats so if that’s your thing, then I recommend this place.

Did you go anywhere over the Easter weekend?