Get to know me Tag

I saw this 30 Questions tag and I thought it would be fun to give it a go. I'd quite like to try the beauty and Mummy versions of this too, so keep an eye out for those coming soon. If you follow my beauty  blog Graceful Glamour, you will already have seen this, but I know I have different followers.

1. What is your middle name?
It's Danielle, my parents let my brother choose it! 

2. What is your favourite colour?
It has to be pink! It's the ultimate girly colour and I can't get enough.

3. Who was your first best friend?

My friend I've had the longest is my beautiful friend Alice. I've known her for 27 years, and I can always count on her through thick and thin.

4. How tall are you?

I'm actually quite tall, 5ft9

5. Cats or dogs?

Ooh that's a hard question... I love both as I'm a massive animal Loved, I'd have a while house full if I could. I'd have to go with dogs, as I have the most loving Staffie called Duchess. She's coming up to 12 years old this summer and she's one of the family.

6. Funniest moment throughout school?

Ooh school is a hard subject for me as I hated it. I was bullied throughout, so I didn't have many funny times.

7. Which countries have you visited?

Quite a few, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Turkey, Cyprus, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, Aruba, St.Lucia, St.Vincent, Barbados.

8. Did you go to college?

I went to two different colleges, for different things.

9. What was your favourite/worst subject in highschool? 

My favourite has to be history, I love learning about our past, especially the monarchy and the war of the roses. My love for history has continued and I often love to watch documentaries and films based on history.
My worst subject was probably PE, I'm not a very sporty person. In UK we also aren't allowed to shower after PE so you then havr to sit around in sweaty clothes, bleurgh!

10. What is your favourite drink?

My favourite alcoholic drink is a choice between 2, I'll either drink Southern Comfort and Lemonade or the classic Gin and Tonic. I do prefer Southern comfort in the winter as it's nice and warming.

11. What is your favourite animal?

As I say I don't really have favourites as I'm a massive animal lover, but I do have a massive love for horses. I had two horses, but had to give them up when I got ill with my Crohns Disease back in 2007. My sister still has hers and I like to visit him now and again. I really do miss riding and having that strong bond with a horse.

12. What is your favourite perfume?

Ooh another hard one, as there's so many I like. I'd have to say the one I've worn consistently over the years has to be Christian Dior J'adore. I first tried it when I was on a trip to Paris back on 2002 and have repurchased and been gifted it several times.

13. Tea or coffee?

Ooh, that depends in the situation. Coffee to wake me up in the mornings, but I love a cup of tea when I need comforting. If anything goes wrong, a nice cup of tea and biscuits can always help make me feel better.

14. What are the names or your children?

My daughter is called Gracie Lily, and my son who I lost last year was Nathaniel David.

15. What sports have you played?

My favourite sport was show jumping back before I got I'll, but as I said I can't do it anymore with my Crohns Disease and Fibromyalgia.

16. What's your favourite book?

The one which I've read numerous times is Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice. It's a complete classic and I'm sure many many Elnglish ladies will have this on their favourite lists.

17. Who's your favourite Youtuber?

I've been on YouTube for a long time, since 2007 and my favourite who's been on there for years is Emily Noel, Beauty Broadcast, although she has a new sirname since she started her channel! My favourite newer Youtubers are Dramatic Mac and Carmi MUA.

18. What is your favourite movie?

It has to be the classic Dirty Dancing. I've loved this movie since I was about 8 years old, even though I didn't understand half of it and my sister used to fast forward the rude bits.

19. Are you single or taken?

I'm grieving, the one I loved was killed in a hit and run last year. It physically hurts every day and the pain hasn't really lessened since last March 💔

20. What is your current hair colour?

My current hair colour is actually my natural brunette. I haven't has my natural hair colour in years, but I'm liking the dark right now.

21. What's your favourite season?

It has to be the summer for me, I live in a seaside town and love practically living at the beach. The warm weather also helps my Fibromyalgia pain slightly so I have a bit less pain too.

22. Whats your favourite childhood memory?

It has to be playing in the garden with my big brother and sister. I was always with my brother when I was little, I used to adore him. He'd put me in the wheelbarrow and wheel me round the garden in it. Such simple playing, but having such great fun.

23. Do you speak any foreign languages?

No I really don't, but that's not for the lack of trying! I just can't seem to get my head around it, no matter how many times I've tried.

24. Do you have any siblings?

Yes I have an older sister Shelley who is eleven years older, and my brother Ross who is eight years older.

25. How would you describe your fashion sense?
I like a range of different clothes, so I wouldn't really day I have a particular style, but I love to wear jeans with nice tops. 

26. What is your favourite restaurant?

I love good pub grub, and there's not really any that stand out over the other, but there's nothing better than a nice cup try pub lunch.

27. What are your favourite tv shows?

Unfortunately two of my favourites are cancelled 😢 The first was Vampire Diaries and then they've just announced that The Originals will have it's last season in March of this year too. Supernatural has to be my favourite, but some of the others I watch and enjoy are Chicago Fire Med and PD, Law and Order SVU, How to Get Away With Murder, Scandal, Criminal Minds, Shadow Hunters, Into The Badlands.

28. PCor MAC?
I have a Mac but she's getting quite old now bless her. I need to invest in a new one this year. 

29. What phone do you have?

I have the Samsung S8, I've always had Samsung's as I prefer them to IPhones.

30. What are your worst habits?

Ooh I never admit my bad habits! 

So there you have it, my 30 questions. I hope you've enjoyed learning a bit more about me. I'd love to see some others answers to this tag, if you've done it please feel free to leave a link in the comments. For for now, goodbye xx

Story Time at The Activity Box

We are incredibly lucky to live by the sea, and particularly lucky to have so much on our doorstep. One of these fabulous things has to be our local craft and activity venue, The Activity Box.
I first visited a similar place in Canterbury, but was so pleased to find that there was one closer, easier to get to and to park, in Herne Bay.

So what's it all about? This is what the Activity Box says.

"What We Do

Drop in, reserve or book a party…maybe join one of the workshops, clubs or art classes.

The activity box is as it reads a studio of crafty activities suitable for all ages.

Primarily the studio offers painting of bisque pottery, once decorated by yourself we then glaze and fire for you and  you can collect your piece/s in a few days.

We love using clay foam on ornamental pottery or wooden items in the studio a fun, stress buster and very therapeutic activity. A clay with polystyrene in it, is rolled out and manipulated onto the chosen item creating a bright and colourful masterpieces suitable for ages 3 yrs and up.You can take your creation home with you on the day as it can air dry at there.

Deco patch (painting with paper is what we  like to call it) is another option you may choose.Your paper choices are on display . Cut or tear into small items and then paste onto ornamental pottery or wooden items in the studio to create something truly beautiful.This air dries at home no need wait .

Candle painting is also an option available in the studio .Candle painting is achieved by painting with liquid wax. Drying time 5-6hrs. so you may wish to leave in the studio overnight to avoid smudging your design/s."

We've been to the Activity Box several times in the past couple of years and we've always had a really positive and fun time there, the parents can either join in with their own piece of pottery or other art, or relax with a cuppa while the kids work away on their creations!

Last week it was their storytime club which meets once a month. Each session they have a particular book, this month it was The Gruffalo. One of the lovely ladies reads the book aloud to the children, which they all really enjoy as she is very expressive, and gets the children interacting nicely.

Next is  for the fun part! This time Gracie and my niece Elizabeth had a plate with a picture of The Gruffalo already drawn on so they could follow the lines easily. All of the paint is placed on the trays, and all of the colours are set out nicely ready for them to start straight away.

After a little while, they brought round some drinks and biscuits. The girls were so busy with their plates that they didn't want to even stop for a minute! Although me and my sister got to have a biscuit with our coffee's.

Ten minutes later and it was time for the girls to have their faces painted. I thought that it was a lovely touch to have a fade painter there, especially as the whole afternoon only costs £10.00 and that includes a drink and a biscuit, plus all the materials too.

All in all a very nice afternoon, and I throughly recommend The Activity Box in Herne Bay if you are in Kent. To check out their website, Click here. They seem to be popular in Kent, so I'm sure if you have a look on Google there must be other craft venue's like this one in other area's.

I'd love to know what other different days out you do with your little one's. Do you have any good suggestions? Keep your eyes peeled for the Get to Know Me post and a guide to keeping the kids busy over the February half term. But it's time for me to say goodbye. Thanks for reading xx

Click for my Instagram or my beauty blog Graceful Glamour UK

My new Graceful Mummy Blog

Hi All, well, what can I say? It's been literally years! But I've decided to start fresh, with re-naming the blog and also splitting it with my Beauty posts in Graceful Glamour UK. This blog is Graceful Mummy and will be all things parenting and children, along with my battle with Fibromyalgia and Crohns Disease. I have a beautiful 6 year old Daughter called Gracie Lily. My previous readers may remember my previous blog Charlie D Beauty, but things were rather different back then! I don't remember Blogger being so difficult to work with. I'm having problems working the google + and getting the button on my page, so if anyone has advice I'd really appreciate it!

Since I left Charlie D Beauty behind, such allot has happened. I'm now a qualified Nail Technician, but my health has been so bad with my Crohns Disease and I was then diagnosed with Fibromyaligia, that I'm currently on long term sick.

To say 2017 was a bad year for me and my daughter would be an understatement to say the least. I suffered two unimaginally painful and tragic losses, then lost my home in June, resulting in us being placed in temporary housing. There aren't any words to describe how the events of last year have made me feel, but I'm trying to keep going each day for my little girl. So I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself, pull up my big girl pants and to start 2018 in a good positive way, to concentrate on the good times ahead. That starts right here, right now with getting back in to blogging and Youtube. I'm now even on Instagram!

The main focus of this blog will be on
me, my daughter and parenting journey as a single disabled Mum. It can be super tough being a single Mum, and it's good for us all to share our tips and tricks with what works and have a vent when we are pulling our hair out!


I'm really looking forward to sharing our fun and games with you all xx