Another was at the beginning of August, on my trip to Bali, I did something that I thought I’d never be able to do…I walked up a volcano. I was SO incredibly unfit & unhealthy at the start of this year, so to be able to get to the top was something I’ll never forget & that overwhelming sense of pride made everything so worth it. I’m going to go in to the whole moving process & our decision in depth another time, but for now, I have an (almost….) finished room ready to show you guys & she is a beauty. The rest of the house is pretty much upside down at the moment whilst I pour blood, sweat & tears in to renovating but this is such a peaceful, calm space that means we can close the doors (which do need to be replaced but they can wait) & almost pretend that everything is done for a second.

Finally, a huge thank you to the incredible teams I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside on this collaboration; from Sam & Sarah at Darwin Escapes to Silvano & Victoria at Prestige & Paul (x2) & Joby the film crew who had me laughing for 2 days straight. Everyone has made this experience so enjoyable! Eases transition into own room/cot – baby is already familiar with the Sleepyhead when he/she is eventually transitioned into a large spacious cot (which many babies find daunting compared to co-sleeping or a moses basket). Be kind to yourself– remember that you are not defined by the number on those scales. You are a beautiful person & so very loved, so whether you start now or in a year, it really doesn’t matter. Don’t let anyone tell you any different! More than anything, make sure you’re doing it for yourself first & foremost.Lighting wise, this house doesn’t actually have ceiling lights & at first I was going to get an electrician in to put them in, but then I thought about it & actually we never used our main lighting, instead preferring soft mood lighting from lamps in the evening. I replaced the wall lighting with these antique brass Millhouse from John Lewis& love the soft glow. I’m undecided about putting some art work below them but at the moment want to keep this space feeling fairly fresh & bright. I also got this antique brass lever arm floor lamp, currently in the sale from Dunelm. I’ve decided, a year (& a month) on, to take on the challenge again but this time with a slight twist. This will give Mr THTMM (who’s doing it too) & I a bit of a boost just before Christmas.

The main thing has been that I have been completely dedicated for the vast majority of the time. I think & plan ahead to make sure that I don’t slip up. I can count on one hand (pre Bali..) the number of times anything ‘bad’ has past my lips. Some may think it’s extreme but personally, I don’t actually want to eat badly. I can’t explain what changed inside of me this time around & made me achieve what I have so far this year which is currently a crazy 5 & a half stone but it was like a lightbulb moment. Before I start, in this post I’m not going to tell you about a secret pill or shake that will magically make you drop weight or mean you can eat whatever you want without gaining. I haven’t done anything out of the ordinary or found a ‘cure’ (I wish I had!) but I’ve gone down the route of changing my lifestyle with healthy eating & exercise. I can’t change your way of thinking in one blog post or stop you from comfort eating that family sized bar of Dairy Milk when you’ve had a crap day; the one thing I’ve learnt is that it’s all about when you are ready to change & if you aren’t, then it’ll never work. It takes hard work, determination & most importantly, time. It was hosted at the beautiful Neptune showroom in Bournemouth (of which I’m a regular as I’m sure you’ve seen on stories…I could just move in) & the wonderful team there did such a great job in looking after all of my lovely guests. Now, 6 months later I sit here typing this being the most content & happy I’ve ever been. Of course, it hasn’t been easy especially doing a renovation pretty much single handedly & our budget disappearing at a great rate of knots due to rising material prices. I’ve had the occasional ‘what have I done’ when the dust is everywhere & I’m missing my friends, but all in all, it’s been the best thing we’ve ever done.The only thing that’s left to do is to finalise a name for my beautiful lodge & the Darwin team & I have decided to hand that decision over to you lovely lot! Thought number 1 was to put a log burner where the TV is. After consulting with some fitters I was told that I’d need to bring the wall out a substantial amount which would then mean that it would make the room an even odder shape & we’d quite literally have to squeeze past the arms of the sofa to go & sit down. I also got told about the maintenance & safety issues surrounding log burners & children which I have to admit did put me off. I hope you’ve enjoyed this weeks Home Tour Friday! It’s certainly one of my favourite rooms & especially this week in the gorgeous weather we’ve had it’s definitely looking even more spectacular with the doors wide open & sun shining through. In all honesty, about 18 months ago I would never have thought I’d be possible of feeling so content in my life for more than a week at a time. I was lost & undergoing CBT therapy as well as taking medication for anxiety. I struggled through the joys of parenting two very young children which wasn’t ‘me’. I wasn’t convinced my marriage wasn’t right for me & I was constantly on edge, worrying about worrying. It was all consuming. I thought I was naturally one of those people who would always be seeking MORE.

We had lots of prosecco & some delicious canapés but the best part was definitely the most incredible cake made by Cakes By Sadie Smith& topped off with my logo & signature bee by Alices Accessories. The roman blinds are from Dunelm called the Atlantic Natural which is a lovely grey/beige tone. These are actually way too short for these windows, but they’ll never be rolled down & are more to soften the space.

Made in Hollywood, USA

With the bones of the caravan looking a hell of a lot better, it was then time to focus on the fun part, accessorising to give it a bit of character & turn it in to a real home away from home. Safe – it has been rigorously tested unlike some of the other pods on the market as well as recommended by midwifes. This is obviously a massively important factor to watch out for when purchasing a pod as many of the others on the market state not to use it unsupervised or for long periods/at nighttime due to risk of SIDS. It is advertised as being air permeable (breathable) with a safe firm mattress (although feels very luxury – i’d love to curl up in one!) as well as being anti-bacterial, anti-dustmite, anti-fungal AND waterproof. Are you going to take on the challenge with me? Let me know how you’re doing & if you succeed by hash tagging #THTMMnospendchallenge I painted the windows white, something that again runs through the house & instantly makes such a difference. I used Zinsser B-I-N followed by 2 coats of Dulux Diamond in eggshell. When we bought Baylyn House, this space was actually a conservatory, but after a year or so of leaking & being too hot in the summer/too cold in the Winter (so practically wasted space & unusable – I always advise not to bother with conservatories!) we made the decision to turn it in to a more practical extension. This took 6 weeks & we ended up building up the sides then putting a flat rubberised roof on with two roof lanterns. To save money we kept the original size/footings & reused the glass at the front with the windows & french doors. You can read all about it in the posts here.