I love London, when you don't live there it becomes a magical place, a romantic getaway or a family trip, a special thing you don't get to do very often.  The lovely people at Three invited Harriet, Looby and I on a photowalk around Shoreditch and I snatched their hand off before they could even say "Come to London."

After a seriously early train to the capital, we arrived in Shoreditch, now for all of my time I've spent in London I'd never been to Shoreditch but I'll definitely be going again, Shoreditch is simply amazing, it's full of street art everywhere and not just any old street art, you'll even find some Banksy.  it's literally a photographers playground and next time I'll be taking my camera.  On this occasion though, the photo walk was to show the amazing capabilities of the new phones, the iPhone Xs and the iPhone Xs Max, now I should say that I'd already upgraded to the Xs Max and I'm a bit of a geek at the best of times so I knew about the adjustable fstops in portrait mode which I have to say is an amazing feature, being able to adjust the aperture after you've taken the photo is an incredible feature, you can't even do that with a high end DSLR.

I was super lucky to have Looby with me because unlike at home where she spends her life with her head in her phone she was actually willing to pose, in fact, she was pretty much the ultimate model!!

We spent 3 hours meandering around the streets of Shoreditch and even went to the iconic Brick Lane which was super busy, we had a scrumptious lunch and we ended the walk part of the day at Spitalfields market.  Next was a trip around London to squeeze as much as we possibly could into just a few hours, Harriet had never experienced London before so we wanted to make it the best day ever for her.  In just a few hours we went to Harrods, we had dinner in Covent Garden, we went to Christmas in Leicester Square, we went to Trafalgar square walking through the west end, "where's the Palladium?" said Harriet, "You're standing under the entrance" said me.  We even went to see Buckingham palace at night before a mad dash back to Kings Cross in an Uber whereupon we made our train, the last train out of London with 5 minutes to spare, I blame The Queen for that one, I shan't mention the train journey home too much but it took 4 hours via Lincoln, was filled with drunk rugby fans and LNER had triple booked everyone's seats.  Let's just say we were exhausted when we made it back to Newcastle after midnight.  You know what though, it was totally worth it.  We get few chances to visit London so it's crucial to pack as much in as possible and it's not every day you have to walk more than 10 miles, it's no wonder my Fitbit actually checked that I hadn't suddenly put it on Mo Farrah whilst I sat by a pool somewhere.

Thanks to Three for hosting us, thanks to Rob the photographer who I loved chatting too as I don't really know all that many photographers so it's always great to geek out a little and thanks to Looby and Harriet for joining me on our epic day in London.

14 gifts your foodie friends will love for Christmas 2018

Christmas is a time for feasting, it's a time to stop worrying about the calories and for simply enjoying all that is tasty on the festive table, this is the time when our foodie friends (like me) come into our own, we prepare huge meals, we bake, we drag people off the street to try and test our latest culinary creations and so here without further ado is a whole gift guide dedicated to those foodies amongst us.

The eagle eyed amongst you may have spotted only 13 gorgeous gifts your foodie friends will love in my festive montage but that's because my 1st item was a last minute arrival and also a bit of a surprise as a huge box arrived which took me quite a while to unpack and when it did it was filled with the most glorious items all of which are perfect for any foodie kitchen.

1. Kitchenware from Typhoon

From the amazing Acacia wood chopping boards which double as small platters, to the beautifully shiny golden storage jars, Typhoon have nailed it this Christmas, these accessories will adorn all of the foodie kitchens around the nation and beyond and believe me when I say, there's nothing better than using wooden cooking utensils so go banish the plastic ones and buy something truly beautiful this year.

2 and 3.  The Salter Cook Interactive Bluetooth Kitchen Set.

Let me explain this one fully by using the words of Salter themselves, "Using Bluetooth technology, Salter Cook lets you create your own personal cookbook directly from your smartphone or tablet. Download the Salter Cook app from the App store or Google play to start converting your favourite recipes straight from the web. Salter Cook offers a fun and fast way of capturing recipes and organising them in an easy-to-follow format with step-by-step instructions – all at your fingertips! Teamed with the Bluetooth scale and thermometer, this range updates the cooking process and transforms your culinary experience.   Connect the Salter Bluetooth Cook Scale & Thermometer to the Salter Cook app to set targets direct from the recipe and see measurements on your smartphone or tablet. Don’t let the stress of cooking ruin your Christmas and let Salter Cook do all the work for you"

4. Italian Cheesemaking Kit

Ever wanted to make your own Ricotta, Mozzarella or Mascarpone?  Well now you can without any cheese-making experience whatsoever, I literally can't wait to make my own cheese and then invite people around to sample it or even just to tweet the words "Busy in the kitchen making my own Mascarpone" yes, you will be applauded by all for being quite the gastronomer.

5. Quicke's Cheese Tasting Box

Recently awarded at the world cheese awards, Quicke's cheddar is one of the most delicious cheddars out there today and now you can enjoy all of it's various flavours with this suitably fabulous cheese hamper, just remember to not eat it before you go to bed as you'll be in for a night of very weird dreams.

6. Emily Crisps

I think we'd all agree that nothing goes better with cheese than crisps and if you are so inclined this Christmas you could even make up your own Emily Crisps hamper for that fabulous friend, big packs, fruit and vegetable flavours and all suitably tasty, I know, I've sampled them.

7. Vonshef 9 piece green and brushed gold cocktail set

Now this looks like a party!  Every year I create some signature cocktails for my yearly Christmas extravaganza, I only host one party a year so it's got to be a good one.  If you're going to have a party you need a cocktail set and if you need a cocktail set this one is perfect, I shall be whizzing up a mix of my very own cocktails and yes, I might have a bit of a headache the next day but it'll be totally worth it!

8. Vonshef round cheeseboard and knife set

This year I am planning a platter to completely fill my dining table and if you are going to have platters then you need a cheeseboard, actually multiple cheeseboards, this one is a steal, it's also big enough to hold several types of cheese and the accoutrement to go with them.  The Vonshef cheeseboard is perfect for entertaining at any time of year but at Christmas it will really come into it's own.

9. Godminster cheddar and port giftset

Whilst we are on the subject of cheese, you should really be including the Godminster cheddar on your festive cheeseboards this year, they've even brought out their own star shaped version and it's as delicious as it is visually pleasing, team it with a nice glass of port and you'll easily make it through the long dark winter nights.

10. The Duppy Share Caribbean Rum

This years ultimate cocktail accessory, The Duppy Share Caribbean Rum literally makes tons of perfect cocktails you'll enjoy drinking all year around, at Christmas though it comes into it's own, its versatile, it's golden, and it's perfect for mixing with, well whatever you fancy really but i'd suggest ginger or maybe something a little warming, perfect for any party goers during the most festive season of the year.

11. Sweet Dreams Hamper from Willies Cacao

If you have a foodie friend who's never tried any of the Willies Cacao range then this is the present for them, the whole hamper is jam packaged with the best chocolate, a chocolate spread and the most divine hot chocolate for all of those festive hot chocolate needs, you've never tasted chocolate until you've tasted Willies Cacao

12. Carluccio's Il Pentolone Pasta and Sauce gift set

One of the ultimate gifts for foodie friends is to send them home with a gift set containing everything they'll need for dinner and Carluccio's have got it just right with the Il Pentolone pasta and sauce gift set several evenings meals in one box and all presented in an pleasing package to delight both the eyes and the stomachs.

13.  G and Tea Cocktail gift set

Did someone say cocktails?  I'll be sure to be serving my festive cocktails from this delightful cocktail gift set, the teapot contains a glass diffuser for all of your extra ingredients which means you can make any kind of combination of cocktails, gin infused or otherwise and if it all gets too much, you could make a lovely cup of loose leaf tea!

14. The Summerton Club subscription

Finally a subscription club we can all get on board with, searching the planet for the rare, the unusual, the finest blends of spirits from around the world that you cannot buy in this country like this whisky, divinely smooth and golden, and although it's Swedish I happen to think it could give any Scottish single malt a run for it's money.  You can sign up monthly,  bi-monthly or tri-monthly and if you sign up using the code Mandy5 you'll get £5 off your first months subscription, now that's got to be worth a go, sign up to the Summerton Club here.

I want to thank each and every company who's got involved with this years foodie gift guide, these guides literally take months to curate, the writing, the photography, this one was started in September and it's been no mean feat to find just the right products and also something for each and every budget out there so go on, go purchase your foodie friends the best of the best for gifts for this Christmas.

My Daughters, The Superheroes

Hello lovely world, I'm back and I hope I can start blogging more often again now that I've actually caught up to date with editing for the first time since summer.  It's been a mad old year, it was quiet for so long and then completely crazy and with autumn being the gorgeous season it has been, work has been off the hook crazy which is good for me!

Yesterday I breathed a huge sigh of relief, no weddings or photo shoots to edit and this weekend I'm only working on Sunday as I have a rare Saturday off to go to London to do a photo walk with Three with Looby and Harriet.  Harriet hasn't ever explored London before (she's in her mid 30's so I find this fact weird) but Looby and I have promised to take her to see some of the sights and more importantly to take her to the Christmas department in Harrods.

Things have been going amazingly lately with my own businesses and Inspire, since we became a social enterprise it's made people realise that we're not in this to buy big mansions whilst we watch others struggle, if anything, it's probably the other way around, we literally put everything in we can whilst taking very little, tomorrow we've got our first big video recording day and the Inspire gift guide full of locally sourced products produced by women from all over the north of England promises to be quite the event, looking at the box of currently wrapped gifts we've received makes me feel, festive, fuzzy and warm.

Something I've experienced this year which has stood out to me is that I've found people who have issues with me, this to me is so weird as I rarely have issues with anyone I literally live my life in a little bubble, I write about my life in the here and now keeping it as real as I can and giving a first person account of a single entrepreneurial parent who lives with bipolar and anxiety, I don't gloss over the bad parts but I feel pretty lucky that there are more good parts and yet this year I've found people who have judged me, people who have "beef" for no good reason and some that even wanted my actual downfall.  Well I'm still here, I have virtual ear muffs on to drown out any haters and I'm eternally thankful to have a small circle of the most incredible friends who support me and love me for who I am.

I'm also lucky enough to have daughters who are total superheroes, just to give a for instance, I went out on Monday to a blogger event, it didn't start well as I had a migraine but I don't think I'd ever been to an event where I felt so uncomfortable and out of place, I should say it was nothing to do with the event and everything to do with me, I just can't do people or social situations, I'm incredibly awkward, I can't make small talk and when I left, along with every muscle in my neck being in spasm, I was an anxious mess.  I got home, told Looby and she gave me a massive hug because she knows, she's just come to understand how it is, when I'm out with her or Abigail, I usually always feel safe and like I can conquer the world and if I do get anxious they hug me and tell me everything is going to be okay.  Abigail is by far the most amazing girl for advice and for telling me off when I hate myself.  Of course it's a two way thing and I provide them with everything I can give but isn't it a wonderful thing to have such an amazing relationship with your teenagers?

As we start our descent into the crazy season, Christmas is the closest thing to a bipolar manic state, anyone who has bipolar will understand what I mean, bipolar is like the over-excitement of Christmas combined with the sad regret of January all combined in one.  My manic states can be compared to those dancing Christmas lights which get faster and faster, they start so pretty and twinkly and end up an utter mess of overstimulation.  Be kind to your friends who have mental health issues at Christmas because without a doubt, it's the most challenging time of year from us, I make light of it, of course, because you have to laugh at yourself.

Well, I've rambled quite enough now, in truth I was going to write this at 1am when I couldn't sleep and a snoring beagle was so close to me she was almost lying on my cheek, I'll be back with another gift guide very soon and until then, enjoy that build up to the most wonderful time of the year.

16 gifts your whole family will love - Christmas Gift Guide 2018

It's officially time to launch the first of my 4 gift guides this year, this year I'm producing my family gift guide (that's this one) a foodies gift guide (due out next) a stocking fillers gift guide and finally a last minute gift guide which will go out just a couple of weeks before Christmas.  Christmas gift guides are my favourite, with the help of companies large and small from all around the internet I get to bring you my favourite festive buys your whole family will love so here without further ado are 16 gifts your whole family will love.

For the pet lover

Personalised Pet Coaster and BIA Bling Mugs - 

Tis the season for hot chocolate and if you like your pet as much as I love my pet you'll love this personalised wooden coaster from A Few Home Truths it's simply gorgeous and now has pride of place on my desk for all of my morning, noon and evening hot chocolates.  Also, if you like this festive sparkly mug, you might be interested to know that they're available in sets of four and can be purchased from wonderful retailer Not Just Jugs, they're the perfect size for hot chocolate topped with cream and festive sprinkles, Santa would be quite delighted with milk in this mug too!

Pet Water Fountain - 

Cats and dogs much prefer to drink from running water sources and this Drinkwell Pagoda Pet Fountain from Pet Safe, I can tell you that Holly Bobbins is a big fan as is Pyracantha the cat once Holly Bobbins isn't around, yes it maybe a little extra but isn't that what Christmas is about and I promise your pet will love it.

For the whole family

Christmas Cards from Hallmark

Although it's not technically a gift, we send a staggering amount of Christmas cards in the UK and where would we be without Hallmark who have the most brilliant selection including your favourite couple, mum and dad, friends and all family members.

Walkers Musical Tin

You can't have Christmas without shortbread, well you can but seriously, shortbread is one of the most festive biscuits around and when you put it in a tin which plays Jingle Bells, consider that the most christmassy tin of biscuits you ever did see.

5 Gold Rings Card Game

Christmas is a time for getting together with the whole family, it's about having the time to play games together whilst you sit eating nuts and having an extra glass of wine, this Five Gold Rings card game is based on the TV show presented by Phillip Schofield and will keep you entertained long into the night.

For The Crafty One

Festive Bunting Kit

This festive bunting kit from Crafters Companion is sure to keep that crafty family member out of trouble during the long festive break, maybe you could even gift it early and then adorn your house with it when you are decking the halls.

For The Scent Appreciator

Candles and Diffuser From I Love Cosmetics

I love cosmetics have produced a whole new load of scents for this years collection and they're now producing the most gorgeous smelling diffusers and candles and all at really reasonable prices, Elderflower fizz has been my most favourite scent they've produced this year, every time I smell it, it reminds me of a summer wedding in an old english church.  Their Christmas gifts are quite simply fabulous but I'll warn you now, you'll want it all.

Forest Friends Reed Diffuser Set from Wax Lyrical

A favourite company of mine, Wax Lyrical have gone that extra mile with this forest friends reed diffuser gift set, all which have the different gorgeous smells of the festive season, you can be sure I'll be keeping these scents placed all around my house for the whole of the festive season.

For the Teen

Roller Skates from skates.co.uk

Firm blog favourites skates.co.uk have come up trumps again with these beautiful blue roller skates and you can guess which daughter wants them for Christmas, actually they both do but Abigail declared that they'd be better for Looby as she's less accident prone, hehe!  I love them too and if I wasn't 44 and utterly accident prone then I would have them on my Christmas list too.

For the bookworms 

A Girl Behind Dark Glasses

A Girl Behind Dark Glasses is a factual account of one girl's battle against severe M.E. written by Jessica Taylor-Bearmann, Jessical tells the tale of the battle against the monster that is M.E. a harrowing story which follows the highs and lows of being hospitalised, captured completely by a voice activated technology diary which meant she could fulfil her goal to become a writer.

In The Fast Lane

In the Fast Lane by Lotte Moore is a story for those of us who keep trying, sometimes failing, yo keep all of the juggling balls in the air!

It's a complex tale of family relationships and challenges and all written by octogenarian author Lotte Moore, it's an emotional moving book about the ups and downs of family life which poses the question, can we ever truly be happy living life in the fast lane.

The Love Detective

The Love Detective by Angela Dyson is the first in a series "He'd thought himself a hunter, that I was easy prey but what he hadn't bargained for was contending with a woman who hadn't eaten a square meal in twenty_four hours. I get mean when I get hungry."

Appetite

Appetite is a novel by Anita Cassidy focusing on 3 main characters, Naomi, David and Matthew, it's about "food and sex, appetites we stimulate yet struggle to control, what happens when you give into your appetite and get hungry for more."

For The Whiskey Lover

Bramble Whisky Liqueur 

This Bramble Whisky Liqueur may look quite small but it's bound to pack a punch and is available from Demijohn and it would make a fabulous stocking filler.


So, phew, we've reached the end of part one and in just a week or so I'll be back with my gift guide for foodies which is always my particular favourite as I love food, cooking, being in the kitchen, entertaining... I am the woman who gets overexcited at platters and storage jars!!

Thank you so much to all of the companies who collaborated by sending items for this years guide, I really couldn't appreciate it more.

Santa on the Rooftop - Fenwick, Newcastle upon Tyne

If you live in Newcastle upon Tyne, love Santa and you're a fan of Fenwick, you are in for the most festive treat ever if you've managed to book a slot for Santa on the Rooftop this year.

Looby and I went along yesterday and I can tell you it's worth every penny, we paid £11.50 per ticket and it's an understatement to say I was over-excited, I love Christmas so much and having a chance to meet Santa is always overwhelming for me.  To me, Santa is like the ultimate rockstar and it doesn't matter how old I am, Christmas is so firmly embedded in my heart.

Yesterday was so special, from our first greeting with an elf who beckoned us to a secret part of Fenwick to actually meeting the jolly old elf.

I don't want to give too many spoilers because I don't want spoil the magic of the experience but we made reindeer sing, we made decoupage toys in the elves workshop, it even snowed, oh and of course, Looby and I spent a good 10 minutes with the man himself.  Now, at the age of 44 and being a single parent,  no one really ever asks me what I want for Christmas and especially not Santa, I don't remember him asking me since I was a child so I have to admit to becoming a little tongue tied as I wasn't prepared.  The truth of the matter is all I really want for Christmas is for those I love, my children and my friends to be happy, yes, one day I'd like to find my own elf, someone who loves Christmas as much as me but it's a big ask and so for now, it's enough to see those around me happy and being loved.

Looby wasn't so tongue tied and she and Santa even ganged up on me insisting yes, we should move to South Shields near to her stables and she should be able to have a horse for Christmas, she does ask every year but a horse, well it's such a big ask, it's not like a kitten or a puppy, one day I know I'll be in a position to help grant that wish but for now, she's just going to have to settle for extra horse riding equipment/clothing.

The highlight of yesterday was when it snowed, I can't imagine a more magical setting than the rooftop of what surely is Newcastle's most festive department store (sorry John Lewis, you know I love you too but Fenwick just has the extra edge at Christmas).

The whole experience lasted around 45 minutes and we didn't feel rushed, we also had our own elf and that's testament to the fact that Fenwick haven't oversold the event so you're not likely to be accompanied by lots of people, they just take up a handful at a time and maybe that's what makes it quite so special.  The views of the city are magical enough for me to have attended, I love rooftop views and Fenwick certainly have some of the best around in central Newcastle.

You know, Looby may be 15 but last year we made a promise to always go and find Father Christmas every year no matter how old we are, as I've said so many times before, as long as you have Christmas in your heart there will always be magic.

A Tough Week

It's Monday, my day off and here I am, sitting at my desk for the first time in days after a hugely busy working week last week, I shot way over 30 sessions from Wednesday onwards so you'll forgive me for my blogging absence.

In addition to that I also shot all of my gift guide products last Thursday, they're far from written but powered with copious rounds of toast and cups of festive hot chocolates, there's nothing really that I can't achieve.

October was a rough month for me personally, it always is, it has been for years with the same things happening over and over and I credit myself with being a moron for letting them happen.  I think my lonely heart betrays my sensible head far too often.

I've also been completely ill despite taking every vitamin in the world to keep me well, I guess it would have been much worse if I didn't take them but I'm grateful to a lovely company called Flyte who produce clean energy drinks made with the caffeine from green coffee, they offered to send me a case and it's pretty much how I made it through the week if I'm honest, unlike most energy drinks they didn't make me feel fluffy or headachy, they weren't too sweet and they didn't taste like chemicals, I would certainly drink them again, especially the green mango which was just delicious.

The Pumpkin Day photo shoots in Jesmond Dene went incredibly well, it was a day filled with the cutest tiny babies and their siblings and it was so successful that I'm doing it all again but with giant wrapped presents, some of them may even be big enough to fit a family member or pet inside one or two of the boxes.

If you would like to book for the Christmas portrait day in Jesmond Dene on the 1st December you can see all of the details on that wee post above or just contact me through my Facebook Page

This week I'm hoping for a nicer, gentler, kinder week, I have 2 weddings to finish editing and about 30 portrait sessions and my calendar is really filling in a crazy kind of way so if you want a session before Christmas please don't hang around. 

I shall be back later in the week with my first gift guide of the season, filled with the yummiest photos of the best products around for you to give to your wonderful friends and family this Christmas day and if you need to contact me in between times, I'll be right next to the nearest hot chocolate stirred with a candy cane of course!