Typecast

There's definitely been a boom in podcasting in 2017. I have a podcast app on my phone and, apart from the main social media channels, it's one of the most used apps I've ever downloaded. I currently have 41 podcast feeds stored in there and refresh the downloads about twice a week. Some are radio show round-ups (or segments from the show), some are comedy, some are crime related and some are hobby/interest related. I tend to listen to my podcasts in the car on the way to work as most are around the length of the 25-minute journey. Here are my favourite podcast picks - if you haven't already, you should give them a try. My Dad Wrote A Porno Right... I know I'm late to the party but I've just started listening to My Dad Wrote A Porno . It's been downloaded to the app for absolutely ages and I decided to give it a go this week after reading rave reviews (and realising that it's now on the third series).  Anyway, Jamie's dad wrote an erot...

In my role as "Stationery Blogger Of The Year", I often indulge in my habit of going round all the local stationery stores and stroking notebooks checking out the most recent stock. I wandered into The Works to take see if I could take advantage of their summer sale  and grab some bargains to pass on to the grandchildren for when they go back to school and also to see if there was anything I could put away ready for (dare I say it... ) Christmas. The Works is always a great place to pick up a few books - and there's a huge collection of  non-fiction books  - my favourites are always a good biography and a new recipe book - although I'm definitely thinking about picking up the " How To Brew Your Own Beer " book and take myself back to the 1980s when there was always a demijohn or two in the airing cupboard from Dad's experiments! "...a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge." Game of Thrones is ...

Earlier this year I wrote about my summer holiday essentials  on this blog and I also shared my holiday packing tips on the Hotter Shoes blog.  Now that the summer is almost over *sob* I thought I'd share my favourite summer beauty products. Orly Breathable When visiting my nail technician, I switch between using acrylic nail powder  and having a Gelish manicure as both last a good three to four weeks however, in between manicures, I've been loving trying out the different shades of Orly Breathable and I'm really impressed at how I can get away with just one quick coat for a couple of days. Vaseline My summer holiday saviour was Vaseline and their Intensive Care range . The Radiant Spray Moisturiser is really their hero product this year (the directional spray means there's hardly any waste) and I've been a fan of their Lip Therapy for years now.   BC Body Collection Foundation I've been on the hunt for a tinted face moisturiser but came a...

Today marks the first ever World Calligraphy Day and, as National Stationery Blogger of the Year, I wanted to share a couple of ways for you to get involved. Photo by  Joanna Kosinska  on  Unsplash Over at the Pen Museum in the heart of Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, the Manuscript Pen Company are hosting world renowned creative artists to celebrate calligraphy and hand lettering trends - many of which you've probably seen on quotes on Pinterest or in videos on Instagram.  It's a perfect opportunity to explore the Pen Museum too, learning about the history of the trade, starting with quills and working your way through to the modern day fountain pen. A post shared by Marylin - SoftThistle Life (@marylinmuir) on Mar 12, 2017 at 9:06am PDT If you can't get over to the event then the Manuscript Pen Company have provided a practice sheet which you can download by clicking on the image below !  You can find lots of calligraphy tutorials...

This year, our summer holiday took us to Corfu. We were staying in Roda on the north coast of the island and had a wonderful time. It's a beautiful Greek fishing village and has the most chilled and welcoming atmosphere I've ever experienced.  I'd love to share my recommended seven things to do if you visit Roda. Sunset over Roda harbour Swimming With The Fishes The coastline at Roda is completely flat so you can walk out quite a distance and still only be in shallow water.  The beach in the village is very sandy but becomes rocky as you move out of town towards some of the beach front hotels (twenty paces out to sea, it becomes sandy again). The water is generally very calm, beautifully warm and clear enough to see the occasional fish swimming by.   Chill out at the Boathouse As we walked down from our hotel, The Boathouse was one of the first bars we stopped at before continuing into Roda. It is perfectly placed between the rural coastal road that l...

Photo by  Patrick Tomasso  on  Unsplash We use our cars for everything, from commuting to work, dropping kids off at school and going on holiday. You spend an average of 17,600 minutes per year in your car. They are brilliant and practical machines, but they don’t have everything. Once you have found a car on a great car lease deal or bought a new one and checked when the MOT expires , you need to find yourself some additional accessories. There are a variety of accessories available for you to use on your journeys. Some of these accessories are only used for certain times, but it is well worth owning them regardless, in case you ever need them. We’ve partnered up with Hippo Leasing to let you know what their most commonly seen car accessories are. Cup Holder Car Mount Let’s be honest, how many of you actually use your cup holder to hold a cup? I bet it is actually filled with change for car parks and other items. So, what if you could put somethi...

Photo by  Tommy Pequinot  on  Unsplash There are those in our lives who love cars. They watch motorsport, they stare when a supercar rumbles passed. On Netflix and Dave, they rewatch old episodes of Top Gear and read all the websites. They absorb everything to do with cars . So what do you buy someone like that when it comes to giving a gift? Whether it is for birthdays or you are planning your Christmas shopping well in advance, there are many a gift you can give the car lover in your life. We have partnered with Zero Deposit Car Leasing to ensure you know what their most commonly seen gifts are for car lovers. Dashcam A dashcam should really be owned by every driver, not just the car lovers you know. They don’t have one, you should get them one, as dashcams are brilliant for a few different reasons. The main one is for you and your insurance. There have been stories in the news about groups trying insurance scams by either breaking hard and sudd...