Home Garden Lifestyle - April 2021

GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY The spring time is great for outdoorsy crafts. The garden and surrounding areas bring us beautiful items that can make great projects. Head to page 14 for some of our ideas.

APRIL 2021

ENJOY THE OUTDOORS

MADE WITH LOVE

With the rules slowly relaxing, we can see a light at the end of the tunnel and with that brings much needed quality time with our loved ones. Make the most of it!

Trying new recipes can be a fun activity to partake in with friends - whether together or over video. We have some tasty recipes to have a go at!

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INissue THIS 4

MADE WITH LOVE. . .

Try out some new recipes this month, very simple to make, very tasty to eat!

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14

HELP! I’ VE GOT LOCKDOWN SKIN Our resident health expert, Hayley, gives some great advice to help give your skin a makeover!

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GET CRAFTY Spring has sprung, and brought with it some beautiful things that can be used for yor craft projects. Head to page 14 for some great ideas.

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GO ELECTRIC We are all trying to be more conscious about our carbon footprint, and one great place we could start is with our cars. We’ve got a test review to help give you can idea of how it works.

OUR GUIDE TO PICNICS The sun is doing its best to shine down on us, so it is the perfect opportunity so get outside and enjoy some time with our friends and family!

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WEAR YOURSELF WITH CONFIDENCE

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Tricia Hamilton gives us some advice to how best to wear hats to suit us!

GLOW UP FOR SUMMER We are nearly allowed to roam free! It is time to start thinking about how to feel your best for this summer.

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Home and Garden is published by iPlus Media.

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The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of its publisher or editor.

MADE Webeing s e WITH p i c re LOVE THIS MONTH ON

STRAWBERRY BAKED OATS: SERVES 2 (25 MINUTES)

INGREDIENTS

- 1.5 cups oats - 1 tbsp vanilla protein powder - 1 tbsp sugar or sweetener

- 1 tsp baking powder - 1.5 cups oat milk - Chopped strawberries

METHOD Add all ingredients apart from the strawberries into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl and top with the chopped strawberries.

FOCACCIA ART: SERVES 8 (1 HOUR 35 MINUTES)

Bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes and serve.

INGREDIENTS - 1 tsp dry yeast

- 1 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for greasing)

- Pinch of sugar

- Broccolini for decorating

- 300g plain flour

- Halved cherry tomatoes for decorating

- 1 tsp salt

- Sliced capsicum for decorating

- Fresh herbs

- Sliced red onion for decorating

SPICY PEANUT NOODLES MAKES 1 (20 MINUTES)

INGREDIENTS - Egg noodles - 1.5 tbsp peanut butter - 1 tbsp chilli oil

METHOD

- 2 tbsp soy sauce - 1 tbsp sweet black vinegar - 1 garlic clove, grated

METHOD

Pour 250ml of room temperature water into a jug. Add in the yeast and sugar, stir to combine and set aside until frothy.

Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl with a well in the middle.

Pour in the yeast mixture and stir gently until it forms a sticky dough. Lightly grease a baking tray with olive oil and add the dough in. Cover the tray in a cloth and rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Place the noodles on to boil. In a bowl, mix in the peanut butter, chilli oil, soy sauce, vinegar and garlic until a smooth paste forms.

Add in two tablespoons of the noodle water into the bowl until it thins into a sauce. Add noodles and stir, garnishing with chopped green onions. Serve.

Drizzle olive oil over the dough and gently spread it to all for corners of the tray. Set aside for another 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and begin decorating your bread with prepared vegetables. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve.

MINTY SALMON AND VEGETABLES SERVES 4 (25 MINUTES)

INGREDIENTS - 750g sliced new potatoes

- 3 tbsp olive oil

- Mint leaves

- 750g frozen peas and beans

- 1 lemon (zest and juice)

- 4 salmon fillets

METHOD Boil the potatoes in a large pan for five minutes before adding in the peas and beans. Cook for a further 3-4 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Blend the olive oil, lemon zest and juice and mint until a dressing forms.

Place the salmon on a baking tray in tin foil and drizzle over the dressing. Cook the salmon through (about 25 minutes) and serve with the vegetables.

HELP! I’ VE GOT

Lockdown SKIN. .

As we move closer to a World where we can socialise face to face, I am being asked a lot about lockdown skin issues, it seems panic is amongst some that family and friends will appear fresh faced with no sign of dull, dry, irritated lockdown skin.

Sound familiar?

Worry not, you are not alone, and a few small changes now will make a big difference to your skin, here are my top tips for post lockdown healthy glowing skin.

TAKE REGULAR BREAKS FROM THE SCREEN Technology has been a huge help

with keeping in touch with family and friends and enabling us to work but the blue light emitted from screens can have a harmful effect on our skin, increasing inflammation and premature ageing.

Our eyes can become strained from looking at the screen for long periods leading to dark circles and bags.

trip in the car to collect the kids from school or pop to the shop is exposing your skin to the damaging UV rays.

Whilst there are fantastic products and treatments to assist with the signs of ageing the best anti-ageing product you can own is a decent SPF. USE WARM WATER TO WASH WITH Washing your face in the hot steamy shower might seem like a good idea but hot water increases skin sensitivity and quickly removes natural oils from your skin, resulting in dry, irritated skin, prone to breakouts.

Take a regular break from the screen to limit the time of exposure and allow your eyes to rest.

If you’ve oily skin your skin will respond by producing oil leaving you with an oily shine. Washing in warm water allows your cleanser to be effective whilst not stripping the skin of natural oils.

WEAR SPF DAILY I am always talking to clients about the benefits of wearing SPF daily. Yes, every day, even on the dullest of days the UV rays are strong enough to damage your skin, encourage premature skin ageing and increase pigmentation. Invest in a quality skincare SPF and apply on days when you are going outside, every quick

LIMIT SUGARY SNACKS AND ALCOHOL Whilst bored in lockdown you may have reached for more sugary snacks and alcohol. The high levels of sugar and toxins affects your skin as well as other organs. Acne, Rosacea and Eczema are all aggravated by high sugary diets.

EXFOLIATE REGULARLY Blood vessels in the nose and cheek area can dilate from excess sugar resulting in a puffy appearance. By limiting these snacks and drinking plenty of water to assist your body with removing toxins you are limiting the opportunity for skin flare ups.

We shed dead skin cells daily, but ageing and unprotected exposure to UV rays slows down this process resulting in dull, dry skin and clogged or enlarged pores.

Regular exfoliation, once or twice a week with a product suited to your skin type will assist with cell turnover, revealing fresh, healthy, hydrated skin cells, better absorption of skincare products and giving you a more youthful, glowing appearance.

GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP With lockdown playing havoc with our routines, we are not sleeping as well, this can leave our skin looking tired and dull. Whilst we sleep our skin repairs, it takes a breather from fighting off environmental factors and replenishes whilst in the safety of a dark room.

Skin without time to rest, cannot fight off free radical damage as easily and will suffer from lines and wrinkles due to lower collagen production. Using essential oils, breathing exercises and relaxation techniques will help you get a good night’s sleep and give your skin chance to repair and renew, resulting in a radiant appearance.

For more tips and advice please follow me on social media @hayleykoonerbeauty

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OUR GUIDE TO Now that Spring is finally here and we can meet people outside, it’s the perfect time to start dusting off your picnic blankets ready for a season of socially distanced dates and get togethers.

Now, a pleasant picnic doesn’t have to be well planned to be a fun and cheap day out with loved

ones; but the very best outings with your friends or family often come from having just that extra ounce of preparation under your belt.

To do that, we’ve curated some helpful points to keep you organised and prepared for the perfect summer outing!

WHAT MAKES A PICNIC SO SPECIAL? A picnic can be such a brilliant and intimate social gathering, whether you’re with your friends, family or partner.

Being surrounded by the stunning British countryside, under the sun with amazing food and company is one of the most perfect ways to spend a summer at home. Choosing your own location also provides an extra touch of privacy that you can’t often find in restaurants and cafes, ideal for larger gatherings with children and pets!

BEST PICNIC LOCATIONS A large portion of picnic planning involves everyone

agreeing on a location!

You don’t have to drive miles away from your home to find a beautiful spot to enjoy your outing.

Often, there are so many hidden gems closer to you than you might think!

A beautiful picnic spot doesn’t have to be in the middle of nowhere, consider starting your search closer to home before branching out into the countryside.

If you already have somewhere in mind, remember to consider factors including nearby toilets (especially for children), the regulations regarding pets in that specific area and the weather for the date you’re planning to go.

These three factors might save you a lot of hassle once you get there.

WHAT TO BRING A guarantee that your

picnic will be successful ultimately falls down to bringing along those little extras that you might otherwise forget.

These may include extra utensils needed for food items i.e. extra cutlery pieces or Tupperware, also extra napkins and wipes for any spillages. If bringing along pets, make sure to bring an extra bag for anything they might need as well as a separate water bottle for them to drink from.

It might also be worth keeping a couple of umbrellas/ coats handy in the event of a sudden change in weather (something we can often expect in the UK) or temperature. This may seem an unnecessary

addition of items to bring but might really save you later in the day!

WHAT TO EAT The beautiful thing about picnics is that everyone can have something different and you can bring whatever you want!

There are no rules for what you can and can’t bring to a picnic so feel free to let your mind run wild with the endless food opportunities!

WEAR

yourself WITH

Something resonates, it is a connection.

There is nothing like a memorable pitch. We have all felt emotional about that person who stands out in a crowd. What have they got? Can we reach out to them? How can we help each other? Why do we want to connect with them?

When we meet someone, we both take a maximum of seven seconds to make a judgment. This is crazy, we need to get to know that individual. I

cannot answer to why but we can look at how to be noticed.

A screen is a window. Your look is captured within this rectangle. One image can be seen on the screen. All heads are similar. You can wear a hat and create a stunning silhouette. No one can compete with this. The hat must be right for you. A comfortable and stunning shape can work if it aligns with your character. Harmony is so important.

The mood of the event adds a new angle too. From formal to casual, there is a protocol. Get it right and you rock. As with most outfits, there is convention and opportunity to push the envelope. The same can be applied to your virtual experience.

Content is key. Of course, what you

causal look may be appropriate for some but a job interview requires more effort and thought. Of course, there so many levels to consider.

Zoom into action, by considering all the above. Do not take preparation for granted. Like an essay, it shows if you don’t plan carefully. Furthermore, try to make your contributions count.

Do not fill the silence with poor content. Speak clearly and think before you open your mouth! Really valuable to use the rule of three.

When answering a question, choose the three most important points and offer an example. We have all heard colleagues speak out and fill the silence with poor choices! say is important. My aim is always to engage with information and stories that draw them in and make them think and to finish with my audience wanting more. It is more tantalising and memorable to create a scenario that brings people into a virtual situation that they relate to. For example, I talk about hats my listeners do not know as a way to share my knowledge. Find some of my interesting hat stories, or interview on my website - www.thehatchannel.com The whole package in the style arena is important. It is no good wearing a top and nothing out of screen shot. It would do be much too cold in my house, lol! Every part of your ensemble is vital to how you feel. A

Take your time, make your thought clear. Plan your goals carefully.

Decide what you want to achieve. Use your natural style and consider your next step.

You are your business.

Follow Tricia’s hat journey on her website - www.thehatchannel.com

Crafty GET

With spring finally at our doorstep, the crafting opportunities become almost endless! Spring is the season of creativity, new beginnings and optimism; meaning we can really get stuck into some brilliant April DIYs. You may have found yourself considering a much-needed revamp of your home for spring (we know how you feel). However, it doesn’t take much to update your space with a few spring/summer tweaks! Try these April themed DIYs to sparkle up your home this month!

GARDEN WILDLIFE HOTEL

SPRING WILDLIFE CHART Creating a wildlife chart for this time of year can be so rewarding for people of all ages. To make a wildlife chart, collect images of all spring wildlife from your area online and collage them into a chart that suits the style of your home. Flowers will brighten up your chart. Include: daffodils, bluebells, snowdrops, cowslip and wild garlic for some colour.

Animals that can be found at this time of year and should be included into your chart are caterpillars, birds, frogs, lambs and deer.

If you have a garden, try attracting some new and exciting wildlife to it by setting up a little wildlife hotel! These can range anywhere from inviting new insects to even birds and other animals.

This chart will encourage yourself and your loved ones to go outside and enjoy the spring in hopes of being able to identify and cross off all of the beautiful wildlife on your chart. Happy hunting!

SPRING WREATH

Its important to first assess what animals are the most likely to visit your garden and find use from what you have to offer them. Is it somewhere for them to live or just to visit and explore?

Wreaths are the perfect way to bring colour and life into your home in a way that suits your personality and represents your space. Wreaths are easy to make at home and can be made in hundreds of different ways!

Next consider the climate that you’ll need to provide for the animals. You can do this by researching whether your particular animal needs a dry or wet space, if they need to be close to the ground or high up, and what materials you can use to build it!

Try utilising some of the Easter decorations you may have thought about throwing away.

DIYs are all about sustainable methods of making your space look great.

Some example of spring wreaths for you to try…

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see the animals you hoped for straight away. Allow time for wildlife to discover your new home and enjoy it!

Paper daffodil wreath, Styrofoam easter egg wreath, tulip wreath, butterfly decoration wreath and a seed packet spring wreath!

WE TESTED A BMW330E M SPORT SALOON AUTO: With the government pushing us to go green and wanting us to drive electric cars, manufacturers are frantically producing new models to fit this gap.

Personally I think there is still a way to go before we can all go electric, it’s not because I don’t agree with them, it’s just the logistics and for many it’s just not practical for everyday driving.

GO

Don’t get me wrong, if you do standard journeys to and from work with the occasional long journey or you are very well organised and can plan your day out to allow for ½ hour stops to charge your car up then Electric is great.

Unfortunately that’s not me, I’m lucky if I remember my phone, keys, wallet, laptop, sandwiches and coat so to plan a whole day of driving, allowing for regular stops and being on time isn’t going to happen! Not only that I would probably forget to charge the car up the night before so my first job would be calling the customer to say I’m running late whilst sat at a charging station!

So for someone like me what is the solution?

Well, I have been handed the keys to a BMW 330e M sport Auto saloon. It has a 2.0 litre petrol engine producing 185bhp and a battery

that produces a further 108bhp giving a total of 292bhp. It will whisk you to 63mph in 5.8 seconds and will take you 34 miles on electric only.

This means that you can do most of your short trips, taking the kids to school, popping down to the shops or visiting the in laws all on electric only and when you need to do the longer trips you have a petrol engine to assist.

Driving up the motorway today I managed over 40mpg which surprised me and better than I was expecting. I was also recharging the battery whilst driving so when I got to a town I could switch to electric only mode so for me this is the perfect solution to the electric problem.

THE CAR: This is the new 3 series which has now been out a couple of years and I’ve got to say I am very impressed with the car. The car I drove was in

Portimao Blue with upgraded alloy wheels and sun protection glass, it really made the car stand out.

Inside you get all the mod cons that you would expect from a premium car with sat nav, bluetooth, DAB radio, heated leather sports seats, front and rear parking sensors and a rear reversing camera. BMW have both a large touch screen and a traditional dial by the gear leaver which is a nice touch as I find they are easier to use whilst driving. I’m a big fan of the BMW MMi as its fairly easy to use and you can be on your way quickly. You can also spend hours looking at all the other features when you are stuck in a traffic jam!

This new 3 series feels plusher than the previous version and has a premium feel to it with solid plastics above and below the eye line. The old 3 series always felt claustrophobic whereas this feels more spacious.

an optional extra so that helps and if you do lots of load lugging then you can always choose the estate version.

For anyone doing more than the standard to and from work and wants to take a step towards going green then the 330e Hybrid should be on your short list. Company car drivers will see a massive drop from their current diesel cars P11d values for example a 2.0 diesel BMW will cost you £215pm as a 20% tax payer whereas the 330e will cost you £70pm, a saving of £145 and if you are a 40% taxpay you can double that to nearly £300pm.

THE DRIVE: As with all BMW’s you have a sportier drive, the handling is precise and direct. Paddles on the steering wheel or click the gear leaver to the left allows you to drive in manual mode so you can push the car if you fancy being more like Stirling Moss. There is also a choice of sport, normal and electric mode from the switches next to the gear level. With 292bhp under your right foot acceleration is swift when required so overtaking is relaxed rather than fraught with will I make it!!

So, are there any downsides to the BMW? The one that sticks out most to me is the batteries take up some of the boot space but for once BMW offer rear seat folding as standard instead of

THE DEETS: Vehicle: BMW 330e M Sport Saloon Auto Fuel: Petrol Electric Plug in Hybrid Transmission: Automatic BHP 292bhp Co2 emissions: 34g/km Max range on electric only 33 miles EC Combined fuel figures 188.3mpg (Battery completed 34mpg) NCAP rating 5 P11d value £42079.99 BIK 20% £70.13 / 40% £140.27 20% taxpayer £70.13pm 40% taxpayer £140.27 Shop the latest electric cars now online at: www.mphvehiclesolutions.co.uk

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FOR SUMMER Have you found yourself feeling inspired by the longer days and warmer weather? Are you looking to ‘glow up’ for summer and feel your most beautiful, healthy self?

Well, in that case, it’s a good job we have come up with our four top tips for you to feel your best inside and out.

HYDRATION We all know that drinking plenty of water is good for you. But the benefits of staying hydrated go far beyond just a basic human need. Water helps with digestion, brain function, cellular health, skin quality and mood balancing!

All of these are vital for a healthy mind, body and soul.

Hydration can come in more than one form! Try spicing up your water intake by adding infusions such as lemon juice, mint or cucumber for

some extra vitamins and a different taste.

When it comes to hydrating the body from the outside, always remember to moisturise with a good quality moisturiser that best suits your skin type.

Hyaluronic acid is a great treatment to use as it is naturally produced by the body as a tissue lubricant and can hold many times its weight in water. Try using as part of your skincare routine after

washing your face or showering to achieve soft, plump and hydrated skin!

CONNECT WITH NATURE This is the perfect time of year to get back out in nature and really learn to appreciate what the outdoors has to offer!

Days are longer and the weather is warmer; meaning there is next to no excuse not to appreciate wherever you live.

Grounding yourself is a very important practise for your general wellbeing; whether that be just having a break from your life stresses or using it as time to focus on your mental health.

Try walking barefoot on a natural ground (carefully), laying in nature or even just going out and appreciating all of the natural beauty in the world. Any of these will do wonders for your mindset!

CLEAN YOUR SPACE

Spring cleaning has so many benefits for your health and wellbeing. Firstly, it creates an area of cleaner air for you to breathe in (this is especially important for those who suffer with allergies this time of year). It also allows you to get moving whist doing something extremely productive.

You’ll no doubt feel a huge sense of achievement once you’re finished and will be able to then fully relax into your space and concentrate better on other things!

ultimately be one of the most important things you can do for your own mental wellbeing!

MEDITATE Meditation can come in so many different forms; and finding the one that’s right for you may take some time but will

It can help you to gain new perspectives on situations, increase your tolerance levels along with increasing your self-love and creativity.

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ALL THE WORLDS

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THE RABBIT HOPS ITS GENTLE STEP, THE LARK SINGS LYRIC SONGS, ALL THE WORLDS ALIVE AGAIN, SPRING RIGHTS

THE WINTER WRONGS.

Life yle APRIL 2021