Our new normal

Gosh, where to start eh? Like you, I’m sure, I feel very unsettled at the moment. Who could ever have imagined that this is where we would be, even a month ago? One minute life was mostly good, we moved wherever and whenever we wanted and now suddenly we are understanding the true value of freedom. Perhaps that’s a good thing though, aside from the loss that so many will feel, we are going to truly appreciate the most simple of luxuries in life when this is all over. Going for a coffee with a friend, mooching around the shops, going to see a film or play dates for the kids.

I am currently going from a ‘we can get through this’ attitude to bursting into tears. I don’t want this blog to be a big downer for you to read I just think it’s important to be honest about how we are feeling about everything. It’s allowed. We can feel angry, sad, worried. We are also allowed to laugh, in fact I think it’s essential that we do.

Home Schooling

So how are we dealing with things in my family? Well, we have had to settle into our new normal of home schooling like all the other parents and carers out there. It’s hard. I respected teachers before but boy do I have a new level of love and respect for them now. How do they have the patience for 30 children? It’s definitely a special type of person who can teach!

We are managing though, we start the day like 1000s of others getting the kids to do the Joe Wicks YouTube PE class, which has been brilliant. What a genius idea of his and how wonderful that he is donating all the money he makes from the views to the NHS. I have had a go at it too and I have to admit it hurts!! Fred is still joining in each morning even when the kids give up and watch it from the sofa.

The school work is proving a little hard to get the girls to stick to. There are so many distractions at home so it’s understandable. So we aren’t being too tough on them. We get them to do some Maths and English work, we practise phonics with Ivy and Tilda has quite a bit of work assigned on Google Classroom. When they have done 1-2 tasks then we let them break and play.

They do art and draw on the glass doors with chalk pens and we’ve baked lemon drizzle cake and make dens in the garden. After lunch we do a few more school tasks and then again let them chill out. This is a lot for them to compute and understand so we are trying not to be too tough on school work.

I bought the microscopes that clip onto your phone from QVC (now unfortunately sold out) but that has had them going around the house and garden taking pictures of leaves and bugs. I have also ordered a science kit to do experiments with them at home. Frozen 2 arrived this week too so that is on repeat at the moment!

Gardening

We have done a lot of work in the garden too, all together. I have re-varnished everything that I can get my hands on, so far I have finished the girls sand table, a chair, garden table and our garden pew. Our garden is hopefully going to look fantastic by the time we get through this.

It’s very satisfying and has passed the time at home beautifully. Tilda and Ivy have loved getting involved too and have been helping sand things down to prep them for the varnish. I think it’s great that they will learn quite a few life skills during this lockdown. Here’s the before and after of the garden pew.

At the top of our tiered garden we have a wild overgrown area that doesn’t get a lot of love normally. So this is my new project, so far Fred has strimmed and mowed it which has already made a heck of a difference but now I need to dig out all the flower beds. Not sure what I will do with it next though so if you have any inspiration for me please let me know in the comments.

QVC

Of course in between all this I am still going in to QVC as we have been told we can carry on by the powers that be outside of QVC, as we are a slice of normality for so many, a source of comfort and company in your living room. I know so many people aren’t in the mood to shop and that’s totally fine but it’s nice to have the familiar chat and often laughs in the background in your living room.

We are down to the bare bones in terms of staff though and the social distancing that is in place is strict and everyone is adhering to it. You can be assured that we are being properly looked after while we are at work. There are also some great things to treat yourself to if you are in the mood for shopping and I do have a few things to tell you about.

Elemis Today’s Special Value – Available now on Pre-launch

Right now, my skin is a mess. It’s the stress, and I know many of you will be experiencing this too, so now is a really important time to step up your beauty routine. Out of all the beauty world I think skincare is perhaps what we need to concentrate on most.

Self-care is something we all need to make sure we’re doing. I don’t say this to try and make you buy this TSV, I just want you to take the time to have a bath if you can. Dig out all your unfinished products and use them up. Do that face mask, hair mask and exfoliate your body. Paint your nails and make yourself feel good if you can.

If you do want to start a new routine though or if you already love your Pro-Collagen then this is a great one for you and even includes a brand new product, the Pro-Collagen Eye Revive Mask. This is what you will get:

1 x NEW Pro-Collagen Eye Revive Mask (15ml) – formulated to keep skin looking plump, firm and hydrated, while working to smooth the look of fine lines. Contains antioxidant-rich watermelon snow algae, padina pavonica, bush clover and hyaluronic acid

1 x Pro-Collagen Neroli Cleansing Balm (105g) – this deep-cleansing balm works to dissolve away make-up and daily grime and help leave skin feeling refreshed with a vibrant glow. Features a luxurious blend of neroli oil and orange wax, infused with fig and lemon verbena oleo extracts, with an intoxicating scent of delicate blooms

1 x Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (30ml) – in a choice of Original for all skin types, or Ultra Rich for dry skin – a beauty icon, this award-winning gel-cream is designed to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and increase hydration, leaving your skin feeling smoother and improving the look of your complexion. Blended with a cocktail of three seaweeds – padina pavonica, porphyridium and chlorella – along with ginkgo biloba and rose and mimosa

1 x Frangipani Monoi Bath & Shower Milk (300ml) – a pampering and softening milk designed to help gently cleanse and condition your skin, with the gorgeous scent of frangipani, monoi and lotus flower. Can be used in the bath or shower

1 x Frangipani Monoi Oil-Rich Body Cream (125ml) – a rich, luxurious cream infused with the scent of monoi and frangipani to help comfort, hydrate and soften the look and feel of your skin

1 x large beauty bag

This kit is anti-ageing and a hydrate and revive collection so it’s just what we need. Well I do anyway! Pop on over and have a look and also make sure to follow Keeley from Elemis on her Facebook page where she is giving great tips on how to get the best out of this. Her page is Keeley Aydin – Elemis on QVC.

The New Dyson Corrale

I was so excited to get to try out the brand new Dyson Corrale straighteners. I use straighteners most days so I was eager to see if these cut the mustard and also would they have the potential to be kinder to my hair. So far they haven’t disappointed, they have sprung plates so that they don’t rip my hair like others do and also I can control the heat and not subject my hair to extreme hot plates.

I set them to 185 degrees rather than the 210 option and they are just perfect. I like to add a wave to my hair with straighteners and I have done an Instagram takeover on QVC Beauty which you will be able to see over 24 hours if you are reading this today (Tuesday) before gets deleted.

I have also done a video on my own IGTV where I then straighten my hair out and that will be up there forever so if you are interested then click here to see.

The launch show is tonight (Tuesday 31st) on QVC at 10pm with Abby Horne and Jill Franks. We are, of course offering, 4 Easy Payments and our current extended 60-day money back guarantee so you have plenty of time to see if it’s right for you before you commit. We recognise that this is a considered purchase, which many won’t consider with what’s going on in the world right now but for those that will we hope that Easy Payments will help.

That’s it from me for now. I really hope you are doing ok? There’s no right way to feel about life right now, we all process things differently. Be kind to yourselves, be kind to those around you too. I am thinking so much about our NHS workers right now and all the key workers, police, army, teachers, delivery drivers, supermarket workers all emergency services and the people who are in hospital right now. Never before have we been so in something together. Much love to you all.

Love from Katy xxxxxxxxxxx