Saturday 28 February 2015

#YourAnInspiration - Jillian Godsil


It really is true when they say "We live in a small world". Today's #YourAnInspiration is Jillian Godsil. I first knew Jillian as a customer of an IT company I worked for some years ago and recently we have met again via the virtual world on a Facebook group page we are both members of. 

Jillian is a freelance journalist with the business pages in The Sunday Independent and an ad hoc op-ed contributor with The Irish Independent. She has written for most of the Irish broadsheets, tabloids, print and online media. Her background is in PR, running her own business in Ireland for twenty years. 

Take a look at Jillian's blog www.jilliangodsil.com where you will learn how she overcame debt and of her running for Public Service. 


1) Why is inspiration important to you?


Inspiration is the most important thing in my life. Without inspiration I would not have the energy or the joy to try new things, meet new challenges and to fight the good fight


2) Who inspires you?


Many people inspire me. My mother inspires me. My family inspire me. I am blessed to have met people in my life that really knock my socks off – Joan Freeman of Pieta House, Phil Brennan of the Island of Ireland Peace Choir, Peter McVerry of the Peter McVerry Trust, Senator David Norris, President Emeritus Mary McAleese, and Sonny Gregan my local shopkeeper who always has a smile on his face.


3) What inspires you?


Determination, Intelligence, Compassion, Laughter


4) Who would you love to meet and have a chat with?


Michael Fassbender (or is that not allowed here!!)




5) What was the best news you received in the last 12 months?


That I was honoured to get 11,500 votes in the European Elections after I changed the law to allow me to run 


6) What’s the one thing that puts a “silly” grin on your face?


Father Ted 


7) What’s your inspirational Quote?


"Ever onwards and upwards, maybe sideways but never backwards" – My Mum


8) What advice would you give to others in the hope of inspiring them?


Keep on going. It is true that things are darkest just before the dawn. You just need to keep on going even when you feel you have run out of road, that you have nothing left to give, and when you think hope is in scare supply. 

While that sounds a bit glum, it is easy to keep going when things are good; it is very tough to do the same when everything is going against you. One foot after the other and laugh a bit if you can.


9) Anything you’d like to add?

Laughter is the best antidote to loss of hope and the best accompaniment to ridiculous and bountiful inspiration. Keep on laughing and you won’t get lost



I would like to thank Jillian for taking part in this months #YourAnInspiration 
Don't forget to check out her blog www.jilliangodsil.com and learn more about this inspirational lady. 

Friday 27 February 2015

Something Old, Something New and On the Hunt for!

Since I began blogging in November 2014, I've discovered a lot of great blogs and have learned I seem to be totally behind when it comes to all things beauty! I've quite enjoyed reading different bloggers "must haves" and it made me think .... wonder, what are mine?


Something Old! 


So for me, these are two things that I must have at all times! 


Carmex 

No matter what the time of year, my lips cannot go a day without some form of lip balm. During the Autumn / Winter especially they can crack so easily if I don't use any product. While over the years I have tried numerous lip balms I always come back to the reliable  Carmex! 
For me I feel a little goes a long way and it acts quickly re-hydrating my lips and at €2.79* for a 10ml tube I think it is great value and quality for the money. 


Honey

For me this is something that should be in every beauty cupboard. During my pregnancies especially during the first and second trimesters my skin became quite inflamed and agitated on my face. When this happened, straight away I reached for some honey and hey presto, in no time, I was back to a glowing me! 
Not only during my pregnancies have I used honey but also, when I feel my skin needs a lift especially during the winter cold or hot summer sun (when we get it!). 
I think sometimes we can be very quick to go to a shelf in the supermarket or chemist before checking what's in our own kitchen cupboard! 
As we all know there are a variety of honey's on the market and for me in the past I've gone for a standard honey and achieved great results. Prices range from €1.79* for 340g of Every Day Value Clear Honey to €17.25* for 400g+250g of Watson and Son Manuka Honey



Honey has so many natural benefits and can be used in so many ways. Check out Women's Health article here for 11 different uses of honey! A use I didn't know was for your cuticles which I will be trying out. 

Something New 


Garnier Mineral Invisi Dry Roll on

I don't know about you, but for me a good deodorant is like the Holy Grail. As a stay at home mum, I'm quite active during the day with my two kiddies running about, going for walks and getting things done about the house. For me, I want a deodorant that will work and that I don't feel I've to top up throughout the day to feel fresh. 
I've tried numerous deodorants and could not find one that made me feel fresh until now!


I have to thank my husband for this find. When he was going to the shops recently I told him to pick me up "any auld deodorant" and he came home with this the Garnier ... at €3.35*. 

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water


This is something I've only recently tried out after reading some recent reviews in a number of blogs, I thought I need to give this a go!
So far so good but I haven't given it a good try yet so the verdict is still out there! Its currently priced at €7.13* for 400ml but I know there are often special offers in local chemists where I got mine at about €5.49 in Marron's Pharmacy

On the hunt for


At 38 years young, I'm still on the hunt for some products that I will have in my daily / weekly routine and some of them I must say are difficult for me to find the right one! 



So here's my list!

  • Day cream - I'm looking for something that will hold back the years a little ... a lot, and is suitable for sensitive skin
  • Night cream - Again, like the day cream, I'd like to begin a good night care routine and hopefully hold back the years!
  • Face Mask - I think my skin deserves some TLC and if I'm going to hunt down that perfect day and night cream its only fair I give it some additional TLC with the occasional face mask
  • Foundation - I've a few I'm currently trying so this is a "Work in progress" for me 
  • Body Scrub - I'd like something that is effective and is easy to use in the shower. While I want to make some "pamper" time for myself, I don't always have the time with two little ones

I'd love to hear what your currently using or what you would recommend for me to try out?



*Prices correct as per Tesco.ie 27th February '15
Product images used from Tesco.ie


























Monday 23 February 2015

Review - imPRESS Nails

Its been some time since I've had a professional manicure so when I received the imPRESS Nails I was quite excited to try them out and put them to the test! 



Within the pack there are 24 nail covers in varying sizes and as per the instructions they can be applied in minutes and last up to one week. 

I firstly chose a suitable size for my nails and lined them up as suggested. Where a perfect match cannot be found, it is recommended to choose a smaller size. 

Before applying the nail, you firstly need to cleanse the nail with the enclosed prep pad. Each Nail cover has a tab on the back which you peel off and then apply the nail cover firmly to your nail. I found on a couple of the nail covers it was difficult to peel the tab easily. On one I had separated the "glue" from one of the nail covers but thankfully, I'd another to replace it with from the 14 left. 


The "glue" is very quick to take hold so it is important that you take care to place the nail correctly before pressing firmly and applying pressure for the the nail cover to hold. 

I must say once I got into the swing of it, it took maybe 10 - 15 minutes to place them all on which I thought quite good considering my son was asking me questions as to what I was doing! 3 year old love their questions!   




My first impressions were that they looked great. I wouldn't be a fan of purple in general but I must say I thought the colour was vibrant and the shine was fantastic. I was curious to see how they would handle my daily routine!

For me, a typical day as a stay at home mum is all about routine of a variety of chores including washing up, cleaning, mopping floors and at this time of the year cleaning the fire each morning and getting in the turf / coal for the day. Not a very glamorous job but neither is changing nappies which is another lovely task I've to do! 

How did I get on?

So as the days went on after about 30 hours I began to loose a nail cover and by day five I was down to just five nail covers between each hand. 



Not great you may be thinking to yourself considering they are to last up to a week. Well, I think with all they had to handle they did pretty good. Plus with my daughter waking from her nap as I was half way through meant I didn't have the time to press as firmly on my right hand. 

On day five with me being left with just the five nails, I decided to peel them off. I was quite surprised as how strong still the "glue" was but with a little persuasion, they came off with ease. 

Verdict

So while the nails didn't last up to a week I did feel considering what they were put through that they lasted very well. I certainly would purchase these and starting at €8.50 in Boots I think it is great value if you are going to an event or just want to glam up your nails in minutes with ease. 

I'm looking forward to putting these "bad boys" on for an upcoming wedding! This time though I will make sure I'm in a distraction free environment and the fire is cleaned first! 



Check out my friend Sara's up coming review on Where is my mind gone? and see how she got on with her imPRESS nails! 










Saturday 21 February 2015

Giveaway! Family Ticket to the Interactive Show Caterpillar Story

I'm very excited! This is Chirps from a Little Red Hen's first giveaway!!

Abracadabra Creative School have given me a Family ticket (admits 4) to giveaway for their upcoming interactive show "The Caterpillar Story" on Sunday 8th March at the Mill Theatre Dundrum. 



Abracadabra is all about interactive learning and experiencing. 

When we attended their Christmas show my son really enjoyed the interaction. 
See my review here


If you would like the chance to win a ticket* for your family then follow the link below! 




*Ticket admits 4 people

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Friday 20 February 2015

Review: Tropic Eye Refresh Roll On

Its amazing the amount of advice people want to offer you when they hear you are pregnant. Some of it useful and some ... not so much! One thing though that is repeated quite often is "You will never sleep again" so when our son was born in 2011 I was ready and waiting for the lack of sleep! 
Thankfully he was kind and from the start I pretty much got 3 hours between feeds which soon increased to a full nights sleep within a few months. 
Our daughter too, was quite thoughtful, a little bit fussier initially but after about five months a full nights sleep was restored! 
Something though people forgot to mention as much was the lack of sleep that came with teething.  

When I received the Tropic Eye Refresh Roll On from the lovely Caron Brooks at Christmas I was delighted and over the last few weeks it has certainly been put to the test thanks to my poor daughter's teething! 


My first impression of the product was the packaging. To me it portrayed the beliefs and values of Tropic Skincare very well which is Pure, Honest and Effective, the later of which I was hoping to be true! 

What does it do?

"De-Puffs, De-Crinkles & De-Shadows.
Brighten up your eyes with our cooling Eye Refresh Herbal Wand! This silky gel is exploding with incredible natural extracts and vitamins that hydrate, moisturise and firm the eye area whilst eliminating dark circles and puffiness. Contains Arnica to reduce dark circles & Green Coffee to improve blood flow and reduce redness.

Use the cooling stainless steel roll on ball to massage the eye area in the mornings to kick start your day and make your eyes look and feel illuminated, radiant and refreshed."



On reading what this beauty is supposed to be able to do I couldn't wait to put it to the test and see the results for myself! 

What I thought

As mentioned above I have been using the Eye Refresh for the last few weeks as part of my morning routine. 



I loved the roll on ball and found it very easy to use and quick to apply. As recommended I rolled the gel around my eye socket and I did this a couple of times. 
My initial reaction was how cooling the gel felt on my eyes and that there was no stickiness as I've found with similar products in the past. 

With me having wake-up calls over the last couple of weeks ranging from 1.30am onwards, I was quite surprised each day after using the product how "awake" my eyes looked and not dull and puffy as one would expect from broken sleep.   

The Tropic Eye Refresh Roll On is £15 (Approximately €20) which I think is reasonable value for a product made with natural plant extracts. 

For me, this will be something I will be having to hand as there looks to be more sleepless nights ahead until that last tooth pops through! 


Where to buy

Tropic Skincare products are not available yet in the Republic of Ireland but pop by to Caron's site Caronbrooks.com if you'd like to purchase the Eye Refresh Roll on yourself to  "De-Puff, De-Crinkle & De-Shadow" your tired eyes or maybe you'd like to try something else from the Tropic Skincare range!




Keep an eye out, as soon as Tropic Skincare is available in the Republic of Ireland you will be the first to know here!













Tuesday 17 February 2015

Review - Kinder Storymakers.com

I was recently asked by MummyPages if I would like to review Kinder Storymakers.com. On hearing the name, I was quite intrigued and when I asked what it was all about I must say I was quite looking forward to sitting down with my 3 year old and creating his story. 




Kinder Storymaker.com is as the same suggests a site where you can create stories with your little ones. When I explained to my son what we were going to be doing he couldn't wait until his sister went for her nap so we could get stuck in!

Once we were logged in the fun began! We followed the steps entering his name and age and from there we chose our character. This was a tough decision as there were some great ones to choose from and there was lots of "pick him, pick him"!!






Once you have chosen your character, the story begins! You have a choice of scenes to chose from to create each page for example Jungle, Under the Sea and the Dessert.  





Once you choose your scene from there you are given a choice of three main characters to and three additional smaller ones you can add to create your story. 
As you can see from the images below, once you have chosen your main character you have an option of a reply to your character's question or if you wish you can write your own! 




In all you create 4 pages before coming to the final page where you are given two options to go home to your street or to your house. 



Below, I chose the "Go to my house" option. Here again you have a choice of three characters and again can add some additional characters to the scene. 




When you have completed your story, you have the option then to enter a competition where the best story chosen will be published! 
You can also download the story you have created or log in to be able to it read again and again via your tablet or laptop. 

I must say creating the story was fun. There were lots of options to choose from and it is something I feel I would go back to again and again. For me I think it will be fun to see how creative he gets as he gets older and also too when my daughter is old enough to see what she will create. For my son is happy to chose the standard options available rather than creating his own. 

I created the story "The Adventures of Gus the Parrot" which I've downloaded for you to view here



Why not try out Kinder's Storymaker.com with your little one's or maybe create a story for a niece, nephew maybe even a loved one! I think it's a great way to create your individual story and the kids big and small will love seeing their little adventure develop!


See what other Mummy Bloggers thought of thought of Kinder Storymaker here


































Friday 13 February 2015

Being Positive Pays Off!


On Wednesday, I posted the attached image on my twitter account @ChirpsLilRedHen. Over the years I've learned to try and be more positive and even during tough times, I try and find the good, the light at the end of the tunnel ... & not the oncoming train ;-)
Like a lot of people we all struggle with something from time to time or on a daily basis. Whether its family, social or financial issues, we've all been there in some shape or form.

Over the years I've experienced my fair share of struggles with the last 6 years being more testing to myself, my husband an our family.
Like many, we've experienced job losses but we've tried to focus on all the good throughout.
Since our marriage in 2009 and the birth of our son in 2011, things could only look up.

2013 I left the Coombe with a nurse telling me she would see me in 9 months after we'd a Missed Mis-carraige at our 12 week scan. I told the same lady who was there for the birth of our son ... give me a year :-) 2014 arrived and we welcomed the birth of our beautiful daughter. A year to the day from our "visit" in 2013, we brought our little lady home.
Since her birth I knew things could only get better. Our family was now complete with our son aged 3 and our daughter now 10 months. To me 2014 was going to start something amazing. While it took a few months for it all to kick off again after our daughters birth it did with perseverance and positivity start to make a move.

In June, I began my journey to losing weight and becoming a healthier me. As I progressed, in October, I was lucky enough to win the opportunity to "Drop a Dress Size" on RTE's Today Show. During my journey on the show, I gained more confidence in myself where I approached a well known parenting page to see if there was an opportunity for me to part of their team and work from home. I now currently blog for this same fab team. This in turn led to my own personal blog chirpsfromalittleredhen.blogspot.ie

So far 2014 has been a great year you might say!Today, my wonderful husband has topped it all off! He said a couple of months ago by 2015 he was going to start a new career. He wanted to find something that challenged him more and utilized his skills better. Today he did just that!

It wasn't an easy journey for him to achieve this but he did it through perseverance and courage, courage to make the change for himself and his family.

I've always been proud of my husband and family and today I'm extremely proud. It's easier to be negative and so tough to keep a smile on but today positivity has won and as biased as I am my fantastic husband smashed positivity!


"THINK POSITIVE, BE POSITIVE, AND POSITIVE THINGS WILL HAPPEN"   

Getting the Right Fit!



It may seem quite sad but since writing From Loose fitting to Fabulous all I can do is dream about my upcoming shopping spree and the clothes that await me! I'm loving all the new looks that are being posted on both Lennon Courtney and Siopaella's Facebook pages and I'm imagining them in my own wardrobe for me to wear! 
Before I visit Lennon Courtney and Siopaella I've one very important stop to make first!


So why Peaches & Cream?


Well, for me where you wear underneath is just as important as what you wear on the outside! Over the years I've seen Sinead Sanderson owner of Peaches & Cream on many TV fashion slots and she really is the "Go to" for underwear and as you can see from this article in Dolledup.ie she's passionate about her business.  

I know if I want to look even more fabulous in my new wardrobe, I need my underwear to fit correctly! If I'm honest it's over 6 years since I was measured correctly and its terrible that I've left it so long. Each time you buy a bra you should get measured as our bodies are always changing. I know since having my two children and with weight loss my body shape has changed a lot which means so has my bra size! 
When I was measured properly all those years ago I felt great afterwards. Having the correct fitting bra is so important and can really change the look of an outfit! Where I had blouses looking as if I was going to burst out of them, they were fitting better and I felt great wearing them! 

While I'm small in height, I'm not so small in my chest and I envy those who can pop into anywhere and pick up a nice bra easily and at a great price. For me its not so easy and it can be difficult to get something that's a good price and looks nice. While a bra serves a purpose, we want it to look good too so we feel good! In the past I've spent about €35 - €40 on average per bra so when I'm spending the money, I want it to be the right size and look nice of course!! 

Peaches and Cream have some fantastic brands available in their shop some of which I've worn in the past such as Freya and Fantasie

Peaches and Cream have a something to suit all shapes and sizes including shape wear to show you off in all the right places!! 

Pop over to their Website for a visit www.peachesandcream.ie for some Fitting Advice and if your in the area make an appointment to get yourself fitted! Its a free service and something us ladies really should avail of more often! 

I'm really looking forward to finally popping in soon for a visit, getting fitted and having a splurge on the correct fitting underwear! 





So, while my shopping spree still may be some months off, the planning is certainly coming together! Now I just need to plan where to get a nice cup of coffee and Lunch! Any recommendations?















Thursday 12 February 2015

Versatile Blogger Award



I would like to thank Cat from Mentally Beautiful for nominating me for the 
Versatile Blogger Award!


For those who are not aware of the of the Versatile Bloggers Award the rules are simple and can be found here

So here it is! 



1. I had more grey hair at 27 before I met my now Husband! 


2. When I was younger I used to say if I had children (obviously after marrying my dream man ... which i did!) that I would love a boy and a girl with the son being eldest and at least 2-3 years between them in age ...... Dreams do come true! 

3. My second name is Damnait (pronounced Dow-nit) after my mum

4. I chose Bridgit as my confirmation name as I wanted my names to be Irish plus I was reared in Kildare so made sense!! 

5. When it came to planning our wedding it was done so around the Six Nations match dates! This included the Hens and Stags which was on my request primarily!  #LoveRugby

6. I'm a planner ... everything has to be planned even the things that could go wrong ..... but they don't because I plan!!

7. I hate the sound of a ticking clock! 


So, as per the rules, I'm to nominate 15 Blogs/Bloggers and being honest I could name 15 but I know many of them have been nominated already so I will nominate the following! 


Above may have been nominated before (apologies) but I wanted to nominate those I'm most of lately!

Thank you again Cat for the nomination 








Monday 9 February 2015

I'm back Chirpin'!




Well I'm back and I'm feeling Chirpin' great! While I only took a break for a week, it was exactly what I needed to recharge and get back to my old blogging self. 





As I wrote my recent piece for MummyPages I was reminded as to how I've changed over the last few months and thankfully for the better. I've become more positive, focused and chirpier since I began putting myself first and taking care of me. 

I was reminded too as to why I began blogging. In my first post I told you how I wanted to share my "Clucks and Downs" as a Stay at Home Mum. Lately tho for me it felt more like "Downs" when I was sharing my "Operation Transformation" journey with you all. Each Monday, I knew there was no change and really for me it was bad timing and I was putting pressure on myself.  

With taking the break, I've shook off those negative vibes and I'm now back to my "Chirpy" self! I've decided I'm not going to update you every week about my weight loss journey instead I will share with you the "Clucks" as they happen such as when I take part in the 
Newstalk BK5K on 4th April in aid of Bumbleance! When I reach the 28 pound weight loss point and when I complete the the Womens Mini Marathon on 1st June. 

After writing From Loose Fitting to Fabulous , Hand Rescue? Or Not and similar posts I received some great feedback from you all which is fantastic, thank you. From your responses I'd like to share more of these stories with you.  

While there will be the "Clucks" I know too, there will be "Downs" ... It is as we know the "Clucks and Downs of a Stay at Home Mum" but I'm hoping to keep the "Downs" to a minimum!

Is there anywhere you'd recommend to shop? Are there beauty products that you have that you "can't live without" that you think I should try? Are there places you would recommend to visit for families? I'd love to hear your ideas.  





So as some of you may have noticed too, my blog has received a little makeover! What do you think so far? I still have to tweak some things and hopefully by the end of the week I will have it all done. If you've any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. 





Thank you all for your support and I look forward to sharing more "Clucks and Downs" of a Stay at Home Mum x