Rosie Corriette

Notes from a retired blogger

Author: Rosie

  • Oscars Fashion With Kaleidoscope

    Oscars Fashion With Kaleidoscope

    As the most prestigious night in the awards season calendar, the Oscars attract not only the starriest of guests but is the pivot point for ‘the’ gowns. As the world’s attention turns to the most famous red carpet in Hollywood millions of followers will lust after couture Chanel and Atleier Versace; but what exactly do we predict will be big on the night? My days of pulling an all nighter just to watch the gowns and the stars –not to mention the all important awards! – are well and truly over; so here are my two very different gown choices from Kaleidoscope – the online hidden gem when it comes to occasion wear, they literally have a gown for everyone – for a very Hollywood look without the eye watering price tag to match…

    The Oscars wouldn’t be the Oscars without a jewel coloured gown or ten, and why not – I love how the rich sumptuous green teamed with the lace create a timeless and elegant gown that is just as worthy of a prime spot on the red carpet today in 2016 as it was back in the glamour hey days of the fifties and sixties.

    Full-length-Oscar-gown-at-Kaleidoscope

    In complete contrast here’s a very fun and what some may say a little alternative – but I couldn’t resist the simplicity yet playfulness of this beautiful twist on a little black dress. The metallic gold underskirt keeps this classic silhouette very current without losing any of the glamour needed for the occasion. This would be perfect for the younger stars who are perhaps walking the red carpet for the first time.

    Oscars-Prom-Gown-from-Kaleidoscope

    Who else is looking forward to tomorrow morning? I’ll be enjoying a cuppa while I fawn over couture and see whether Leo has finally managed to nab an Oscar – c’mon – it’s indecent to make him wait any longer!!

  • I Am Not A Polar Bear: The Ultimate Mum Squad

    I Am Not A Polar Bear: The Ultimate Mum Squad

    Single-Motherhood-Mum-Squad

    I remember watching the Attenborough wildlife programmes when I was a child and always feeling so sorry for the polar bear mothers: what a lonely existence, out in the frozen wilderness with only their cubs, a relentless task that focused only on survival, with little joy.

    Fast-forward to single motherhood and it’s not hard to see the metaphorical similarities, or so I thought. This week I’ve been ill – ill enough to not be lurking on social media but not so ill so as to seek refuge at the local A&E. Let’s not beat around the bush: being ill when you’ve got children sucks. Add being the only adult in the house and it sucks even more; believe it or not the school run cannot be postponed neither can meals, laundry or pretty much anything related to the business of mothering.

    Sometimes it’s ok to admit that you just can’t do everything – and this was one of those weeks. But the difference is that it still all got done and that’s thanks to my amazingly brilliant Mum Squad. Yes I can hear the collective eye rolling as you all sigh and say isn’t she too old for a squad? Next thing I’ll be dropping Bae into conversation (I can categorically assure you that the word Bae will never enter my vocabulary and if it does you have my permission to shoot me!). However I’m pretty sure that the likes of Swift, Jenner and Delavigne are not the first with their squads and have probably drawn inspiration from their mothers.

    From the school run being taken care of, to deliveries of chicken soup, a good old fashioned hug which should never be underestimated for it’s power, being ordered to consume a variety of citrus fruits, Whatsapp love in abundance and a sleepover for Boo at Grandmas’. From the school gang (how have we only been friends for a year?!), to close friends and of course my own dear Mama; this is my Mum Squad and I’m proud to say they made this week possible. Thank you.

    I’m fortunate. I’m blessed. I’m a mother who’s surrounded by other mothers who raise me, encourage me and support me and I them. Mothers helping mothers is as old as time yet in our crowded, demanding lives I am filled with love to say that I am not a polar bear. I am not alone.

  • Baking – A Motherhood Minefield

    Baking – A Motherhood Minefield

    Cookies-motherhood-and-choosing-to-bake

    The last Friday before half-term is cake sale day, it’s one of those school traditions that we’ve readily slipped into; the children are given a paper plate at the beginning of the week and asked to return it decorated and full of sweet treats ready to be sold after school.

    I baked my go to Martha Stewart choc chip cookies last night ready for today (Boo battled a sky high temperature last night so ironically was off school today) – I even Snapchatted the scene in my kitchen : Cabernet Sauvignon and Cookies in case you were wondering! Yet why didn’t I add a snap of my baking efforts on our closed parent Facebook group?

    I think I know why. With the recent growing trend of a warts and all portrayal of parenthood – in particular motherhood – there seems to be quiet undercurrent of reverse judgment when it comes to how much we do. I’m a massive fan of stripping the ideal myths and ridiculous expectations of motherhood pushed by mainstream media for far too long. But I have to wonder if it’s just another way of dividing rather than uniting mothers.

    I enjoyed baking the cookies, even though it was 10pm and I had been up since 6am – I am no mythical mother, simply a mother who wanted to bake cookies – if I’d shared a snap of them on the cooling rack, I would have undoubtedly been perceived as showing off from a self imposed higher level of ‘mother’; that couldn’t be further from the truth. We all have those moments of not giving 100% and that’s ok, it’s also ok not to feel as if you have to share these less than perfect moments digitally.

    It’s not a case of sometimes winning or sucking at parenting it’s about being a parent. Period. I’m not prepared to make a choice between Stepford of Slummy; I chose to be a mother and that’s what I’m doing… mothering.

  • Lego Friends Girlz 4 Life Original Movie

    Lego Friends Girlz 4 Life Original Movie

    Like most family households we’re part of the Lego crew and Boo has been a big fan of Lego Friends for quite a while now – she loves the series, with it’s catchy songs and age appropriate adventures. So we were excited when we were invited to an exclusive preview screening of the brand new Lego Friends Girlz 4 Life Original Movie at Warner Brothers HQ.

    The morning kicked off with face painting and the biggest Lego pit you’ve ever seen which Boo and her friend Poppy wasted not time diving in – as you can see Lego building is a serious thing!

    Lego-Friends-Girlz-4-Life-Original-Movie

    The girls also got the chance to have a play with the latest Lego Girlz sets which they loved, definitely one to add to the birthday present wishlist.

    Lego-Friends-Lego-Set

    It was time to settle down in the screening room for the movie; and it didn’t disappoint…

    ‘The girls’ friendships are tested when mega pop star Livi comes to Heatlake City. When our friends’ hit song “Girlz” is stolen by Livi’s manager, it’s time for a cunning plan. As the girls try to tell Livi the truth about her latest hit single, they all learn that fame isn’t everything and sometimes friendship is the most precious thing in the world’

    Boo loved every minute of the movie and was up singing and dancing throughout. We were given a copy of the movie ahead of it’s UK dvd release next week and it looks like the song Girlz is set to be our anthem for half-term next week and as songs go for four years olds to memorise, it’s a pretty good one; now just to convince Boo that Heartlake City isn’t a destination easily reached by the underground…

    Lego Friends Girlz 4 Life Original Movie is released on dvd on February 15th.

    Warner-Brothers-Lego-Friends-Girlz-4-Life

  • Why The Snooze Button Isn’t Your Friend

    Why The Snooze Button Isn’t Your Friend

    9 minutes: the standard mini Groundhog repeating nightmare otherwise known as the time period of an iPhone snooze. There was a time when I was a good with mornings, heck I even managed them when Boo was a baby but in recent months it’s as if I’ve lost all appetite for pre 7am consciousness – and I think my snooze button is to blame.

    This week while I was scrolling through my phone during one of the last snoozes before I got up (yes the irony of this is not lost on me) I saw a tweet by Healthy Magazine; now I don’t know about you but when I’m on my deathbed in years to come I don’t want to think of all the hours – all 4152 of them I wasted being reluctant to get up and seize the day. Failing that, 4152 hours of sleep would probably mean I’d at least start my day in a better, more rested state if not a little later.

    What does snoozing achieve anyway? In 9 minutes I am able to just about reach that lovely delicious state of drifting off and then… Wham I’m dragged back to the land of morning and so the cycle continues. I’m fairly certain this isn’t the best way to start the day, in fact it sounds more like an underhand form of sleep deprivation torture – dangling the carrot of ‘more sleep’.

    Before this snooze button dependency, me and early mornings had a good thing going on: I would set my alarm for 5am and by 5.30 I’d be sat with tea, working for a couple of hours before Boo woke up. There’s something about the calm of early mornings before the e-mails ping and the phone rings that allows me to get ahead not only for the day but in my mind before I’m crowded with everything that adds to me being me.

    So from Monday I’m banishing the snooze button, I’ll set my alarm for 7am for the first few days and after that start working my way back earlier and earlier until I rejoin the 5am club. With all the chaos and change that will inevitably come with moving house – I need to recoup the calm of the day. I shall be replacing the snooze button with large amounts of Earl Grey and Twitter, and owning those 4152 hours… although I may need reminding of this when I reach the pre 6am point!

    Mummy-and-Boo-Snoozing-isn't-good-for-you