Balance Blend

 One of the first oil blends I fell in love with this is still one of my most used oils in my diffuser, especially in my kitchen where it gives Balance to the family after a long day at work and school when we can become a bit ratty. 

The oils in this blend help establish a feeling of calm, peace and relaxation. It can aid the harmonising of various physiological systems of the body and promote tranquility and balances the body and mind

• The blend includes: Spruce, Ho Wood, Blue Tansy, Frankincense, German (Blue) Chamomile, Osmanthus
• Calming/Relaxing: Add 3 drops to 1tbsp (15ml) fractionated coconut oil and use as a soothing massage oil
• Harmonising/Grounding: Place 3 drops on the bottoms of the feet
• Balancing: Diffuse in an aromatherapy diffuser
• Primary uses include: Anxiety, Back pain, Balance, Brain Integration, Bursitis, Confusion, Depression, Energy, Fear, Grief, Hot Flashes, Herniated Discs, Mood Swings

You can check it out here 

Frankincense

 One of my favourite and most-used oils. Created through steam distillation of resin Frankincense has been used for thousands of years in cosmetics, perfumes, skincare and medicines With a rich, deep, warm scent and blends beautifully with all oils.

🌳 Focus energy, improve concentration. It eases hyperactivity, impatience, irritability and impatience.

🌳 Is great to diffuse during yoga practice and can enhance spiritual awareness. In religious ceremonies it was used to help communication with the creator.

• Arthritis: Can be massaged into joints affected by arthritis (with coconut oil)
• Depression: Can be inhaled directly from the bottle, applied neat to the temples or diluted with coconut oil for massage or diffused for depression
• Mental Fatigue: apply neat to the temples, back of neck or feet to relax
• Inflammation: 3 drops with 2 drops lavender in a bowl of cold water and using a flannel apply to the affected area.
• Focus: diffuse with lemon or citrus oils
• I use it with lemon, tea tree, oregano and On Guard in a capsule to combat any lurgy

You can purchase through my shop here

30 Days of Notebook Prompts

So this year I would really like to proactivly get stuff done for me. I'm not one for New Year's Resolutions but in 2019 I made big steps in my business and well, without wanting to sound like a weirdo, my mind so I really want to do some of the things I always mean to do but instead I spend my time doing pointless shit for other people*.

So one of the things I used to do, before grown-up jobs, husbands, kids, anti-depressants etc is write in notebooks. I used to have one like a security blanket. One group of friends even hilariously used to call me Lyrics because that is often what I wrote. Well I want to get back to it. Back to the notebooks, back to creativity but I've become scared of fucking up so I've created 30 days of prompts to just get me in the habit of using notebooks again. So if you want to up your creativity, spend less time on your phone and just do something for yourself why don't you join in. I'll be sharing mine on Instagram using the hashtag #30daysofnotebooks

*I love doing stuff for other people but my god I need to learn to not fill ever single minute doing everything for everyone else and making myself ill. There. I said it.

Christmas Gift Ideas (Books)

I love books and they make fantastic presents for all ages. Whether you are going to stay with someone and need to take something or are posting something to a niece or nephew, hopefully I've got it covered.

Agatha Christie - you know I'm a huge Agatha Christie fan and there are three gorgeous new editions out this Christmas. The ABC Murders, 4.50 from Paddington (my favourite of the three) and The Mystery of the Blue Train - all great reads and I really love the new colours. How I wish I could have them.

Blind Date with a Book Club - this is such a fantastic idea - choose the genre's and every month for 6 months you get a book sent to you or you can choose one book based on it's five line sentence. I personally love the sound of the Last Christmas selection.

Blue Bowl - not only my favourite place for presents in general but a great selection of unusual books for grown-ups and children. My eldest (6) loves Smart about Sharks and I'm going to get the middle one Bonkers about Beetles (his nickname is Beetle) and I love the Dahlov Ipcar books too. For grown-up's this is Florence's latest pick.

The Home Bar - a great book (dare I say it?) for men. My husband really loves this book and it looks beautiful.

The Nancy Mitford Collection - from Heywood Hill (where she once worked) this is a beautiful collection of five Nancy Mitford paperbacks in a beautiful box.

Penguin Classics - Waterstones are doing beautiful hardback editions. You can get someone their favourite book or if you have a baby why not get the A Christmas Carol - we got one (in not such a beaut edition) for Ned for his first Christmas and we read it to him at this time every year and it's so lovely.

Small Print Books - a really fantastic independent book shop that has an incredible selection of unusual books for children.

Timeless; A Century of Iconic Looks - Louise Young is the make-up artist when it comes to historical accuracy and I'm so happy to have this book with me when I go on shoots. Not only is it great for make-up artists but a wonderful read for those interested in cosmetics and hair through the ages.

Notebooks

Some of you may know I have a stationary problem. Notebooks in particular. My family know I'm serious about something if I announce 'I'm going to start a new notebook'. I love ?? for my bullet journal because the squares really work for me but for other things I'm constantly gazing at notebooks I would buy and here are my latest favourites. For those super-organised amongst you these would make lovely Christmas gifts for friends so get in early.

1. Blue Bowl Squiggle Notebook
These are so beautiful it's hard to know which to choose. As pink and green is my favourite colour combo it's a no brainer for me. Available in my favourite A5 or handbag friendly A6. This are handmade in England using wood and recycled board. From £10

2. Kate Spade Dipped Initial Notebook
It's a sign that the C is in my favourite colour (green). I am not a fan of notebooks with things written on the front but true to form these Kate Spade ones are really chic and the choice of colours are lovely. Hardback and with a silk marker so you can keep your place this has 200 lined pages. Would make great hen party favours or presents for your girl gang. £16

3. Portico Sky & Miller Notebook
These make a great present because you can choose the colour or symbol to suit your friend. My friend Becca would love the orange one with the bee on the front and Florence would want the blue elephant one, I'd like the green leaf. These are made from cruelty free Italian faux leather but feel like the real deal. Usually £25 but some are reduced to £17.50 at time of writing.

4. Fenella Smith Notebook
These are really fun with great prints and foil finishes. I love the palm and toucan or the ostrich. These have an elastic fastening so great for sticking in your bag. £11.

5. Poach My Lobster Notebook
Simple eye-catching notebooks designed for foodies. I absolutely adore the blue lobster notebook - surely this is the perfect blue. These have plain, fountain pen friendly paper perfect for those who hate the confines of a line. I think I'm going to have to get one as my next blog notes book - plain paper is a must. £15

Which are your favourites and are there some that I've missed?

Saying Yes

I've been a bit absent on here and the blog and that's because I've been off saying yes to things. This is not about me, it's about you. I hope this helps if you've been doing some of the things I have.

It's really hard to get everything I want to say into a video and this was in fact the second time round of filming. This is and isn't about mental health - it's about changing the way you think. I realised that I was getting furious with my husband trying to get him to make changes to make my life better and though he's lovely, I can't live like that.

Some things I forgot to mention. I'm unfollowing people who don't make me feel good on social media. 'Big' people. I'm doing as much non-money good stuff as possible; art, volunteering, reading.

Christmas Gift Guide for Kids 0-10

For a while it was really hard to find decent, not-too-expensive, gifts and stocking fillers for children but thanks to shops like Flying Tiger this seems to be improving. Some of these presents would work as gifts for other peoples children, stocking fillers or presents for your own squad but rather than dividing into categories I've listed them alphabetically. I will be posting books separately so keep an eye out.

I know that most people say babies don't need stockings but if there are second, third, fourth children then how are you going to explain to the older ones that santa didn't bother with the baby? My tip is to fill the babies stocking with stuff it needs anyway - teethers, vests, Ella's pouches, weaning stuff can all go in.

A quarter of - yes sweets are bad but with Christmas being such a time of consumerism children are often overloaded with presents and actually are just as happy with a box of illicit sweeties. A Quarter Of is the place to go. Not just for kids their bags of friendship rings got me through the last pregnancy.

Animal Antics Ride on Dino - We all know a dinosaur lover and this is perfect for them. It's dressing up but with a little less faff. My nephews would go crazy for this. And they also do unicorns!

Biscuit cutters - I don't know why but I seem to have a bit of an addiction to these. The right cutter brings such simple pleasure and these are a great stocking filler.

Christmas Gift Bags

If you have girl friends that you buy Christmas and birthday presents for every year it can be hard to come up with ideas and it can get very expensive. I always love the idea of putting together goodie bags (or hampers) for friends which include lots of lovely little treats and if you are clever you can do lots of friends at once and not break the bank. I've come up with a lovely goodie bag, some ideas of what to go in it and then some budget options to help you out.

Beeswax Wraps

Once I'd started planning my War on Plastic I couldn't stop finding things that were made of plastic and it all became a bit overwhelming. Then I heard about Bees Wax Wraps and thought that was one way that I could make a start.

When we had the cottage in Norfolk I was really fastidious about the fridge and insisted everyone used clingfilm. If you are renting a house out you don't want a manky fridge and since then I'd been trying to think of something to cover food in the fridge other than a plate on a bowl which isn't always that effective. Now, I'm not sure I would use these in a rental cottage purely because I'm sure someone would wash them incorrectly but hey, I'd probably give it a whirl.

These wraps are squares of cotton covered in pine resin, jojoba oil and beeswax. They are 100% natural, the pine resin is antibacterial, they are reusable and biodegradable.

The War on Plastic

This may sound odd but for a while, in fact almost since I had Jim in 2015, I've felt a bit like my life was on hold. You are very much at the beck and call of a newborn baby and so therefore having a social life or any time to yourself is rare. I also sort of knew that we would have another baby and therefore there were lots of things there was no point in doing until after that had happened. Well, it's happened and finally there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Yes I have a newborn, a 2 year old and a 4 year old so it's not like I'm going all night raving in Ibiza (I've done that and hated it so I won't be doing that anyway but you see what I mean) but apart from my boobs, I've got my body back, I'm not going to be pregnant again, I'm not going to have another newborn. My life from no on is post-baby.

This has manifested itself in many ways but one of them is I have started my own war on plastic. I realise that, although I recycle and use a Brita FillandGo Water Filter Bottle, I've basically been ignoring the massive plastic problem. And it's not just plastic, I've looked into reusable nappies but have been too scared to try them. So I'm slowly but surely eradicating plastic from the house and have started using biodegradable nappies and though i'm still concerned about the amount of plastic in my bathroom that's all my stuff I feel like I'm making progress.

All the things I've found and am using I'll be reviewing on here and will be using the label 'War on Plastic', so you can see all the posts there. You can also see what's going on on my Instagram where I'm @corinnaharrod

Please let me know what you are using to wage your own war on plastic and any suggestions you have and good brands to know about - I'd love to hear from you. 

Father's Day Gift Ideas 2017

Father's day is a tricky one. Men are so different. We used to take my father out for lunch as he was away working a lot, we lived in London and it was really nice to spend some time together. Also I find with men if they want something they usually get it themselves. My husband has a horror of more stuff being bought into the house having spent the last couple of years sorting through his late father's horded belongings and acquiring two children and the plastic tat that inevitably comes with them. For our anniversary I tend to take him out for supper.

Father's Day though is different. Taking a hugely pregnant wife and two small children anywhere to eat isn't that relaxing and though I'm pretty sure he'd love it if I sent him to the pub for the afternoon I'm not sure that really counts. Of course I'm hoping Ned will create something at pre-school for his dad (I had a beautiful earring dish made) but in case that doesn't happen I have a few back-ups.

Accessories  - I love these skull cufflinks from The Great Frog (all their cufflinks are pretty awesome). I'm also always on the hunt for a vintage silver belt buckle for him but I think I need to go to America to track one of these down. These Gaucho belts look great and go with everything - Joe has the Neopolitan which has lasted for years and he wears it most days.

Pretty Iconic: A Personal Look at the Beauty Products Changed the World

Sali Hughes' first book Pretty Honest: The Straight-Talking Beauty Companion (you can read my review here) was a no-brainer purchase for me. Writing down my knowledge on beauty and make-up was why I started this blog and Pretty Honest is basically every thing you need to know whether you wear make-up every day or not (thanks a lot Hughes). But half this blog is product reviews - some which we won't remember in a years time and some that are real icons and nostalgia triggers and that's the genius idea behind Pretty Iconic: A Personal Look at the Beauty Products that Changed the World.

And yes I know. A book of reviews doesn't sound that great, which is why I didn't feel the need to rush out and buy this. But then I got my hands on a copy at a friends house and I absolutely loved it. Let me clarify, I feel like my knowledge of make-up and skincare products is pretty comprehensive especially 1980s and '90s when there wasn't the sheer glut of products that we have now. But why this book works is that for those of us who wore Lulu in their teens, who know that bloody YSL Touche Eclat is not a concealer and spend their working life listening to people saying 'I can't wear red lipstick. Ruby Woo looked awful on me' Sali's writing on these products is so spot on that I actually shouted 'yes' as some bits of it. And for those who don't know so much it's all you do need to know - it's historical, cultural, and for a lot of us incredibly nostalgic. My mother wears two of the scnets mentioned (Rive Gauche and Chanel No 5) neither of which I can carry off (though god knows I've tried) and both which immidiately take me back to watching her get ready to go out, the fascination at this ritual mixed with the dread of the babysitter still palpable.

November and December 2016 Books

I haven't done a book video for ages, as I explain in this video... The books are listed below, some of the links are affiliate.


A Bookseller's War
These Old Shades
The Departure Platform: An Autobiography
Hercule Poirot's Christmas
O Beloved Kids: Rudyard Kipling's Letters to His Children
Murder Is Easy

Happy 2017

2016 was a bit full on. Not just with Brexit, Trump and the vast amount of celebrity deaths. We moved (which is stressful), my mum moved, we spent a lot of time trying to work out the tricky issue of having kids and making any money (how this is still a problem in 2016 is beyond me) and to cap it all I spent most of November in bed with morning sickness, noro virus and a delightful kidney infection.

But, even though I actually dislike 'New Year's Eve' as a thing and find it all a bit depressing, I find myself, as ever, rolling into January feeling relentlessly positive and like everything will be ok. No doubt this will fade as the months wear on but for now I'm going to run with it. We have nearly finished doing the kitchen which wasn't major works but took longer than we thought it would. Now just to get the worktop in, shelves built and the whole thing painted. We are hoping to do the loft at the end of February, are off to France in May (please let it be hot) and are having another baby in July (after which Mr H is threatening to have everything below the waist lazered off).

Partly what has got me down in the past is the difficulty of juggling work and small children, I need to earn money but with two small boys and a steady rotation of sick bugs, colds and building work it's very hard to schedule things in. I know this is the same for a lot of mums. However, I'm refocusing the make-up business to be more consultation based which is what I'm really passionate about and I hope that this will fit in with our home situation. We've redesigned the website www.corinnaharrod.com so please go and have a look. It's still being updated but you pretty much get the gist.

I'm also going to actively focus on the positives this year. Having small children can be very isolating and I find myself fixating on the things I'm missing; falling out of touch with friends, not being able to go on crazy nights out, not being able to forge ahead with my career. Well that was last year. This year I'm going to make an effort with those friends who are still around, I'm going to do the things that I can do and appreciate them. Reading, listening to records, drawing and writing. Spending time with the boys while they are small - Ned will go to school in September!

Blogging and social media has also been a problem. Blogging used to be about writing; it's so much more than that now but it's hard to not compare yourself to everyone else, especially when beauty bloggers are ten a penny. So I'm going to follow those people that make me feel positive (a post of those to follow) and keep focussing on why I started in the first place - wanting to write and my passion for beauty and skincare. It's what I know, it's what I'm good at and I want to help people navigate an industry that is now so huge. I am a make-up artist but it's non-make-up artists who I want to reach so if you haven't already go and check out my (original) blog www.londonmakeupblog.com and feel free to ask for any advice or product reviews.

As for this blog I will still be documenting my successes and failures on the home front. I'm on Instagram most of the time (@corinnaharrod) where I will be trying to be one of those positive normal people that make it such a nice place to be.

Happy New Year everyone - thanks for reading

Currently Listening To: Five to One by The Doors (see my What I'm Listening To playlist on YouTube)

September and October Books

Only three books this month - and a few issues of the London Review of Books!

The Mad Boy, Lord Berners, My Grandmother And Me
Mount!
Appointment with Death

Childrens Books from my youth

I cleared a box of books from my mums sheds. Recognise any of these?

Book Lists - I Need Your Help

Happy Monday

London Review of Books

I love this magazine. I've been getting it for the past couple of months and for me it's the perfect mix of current commentary and book reviews. What's not to like?

Keep your book recommendations coming in

Non-Fiction Paper Trail

A bit rambley but hopefully you get the point


The Mad Boy, Lord Berners, My Grandmother And Me
A Bookseller's War
Lord Berners: The Last Eccentric
The Departure Platform: An Autobiography
The Pursuit of Love
The Blessing
Uncommon Arrangements: Seven Marriages in Literary London 1910 -1939
Elizabeth And Her German Garden (VMC)

What I'm Reading - September 2016

A look at what I'm reading...