Easy heart print wrapping paper tutorial

Heart print wrapping paper, and gift wrap in general, can be expensive to buy, so we do make a LOT of home made paper – this heart print wrapping paper is so easy to do, and great for birthdays as well as Valentine’s Day.

We use the end of a toilet roll tube to do these (squeeze the end of the circular opening flat, and then bend in the top section to create a heart shape). Dipping the tube into the red and pink paint and printing onto the brown parcel paper, which can be bought fairly economically from office supply shops. Alternatively, we have also used metal heart shaped cookie cutters – (see photo, we used the same cookie cutter for our Plum Pie recipe) which works just as well… if a little less organically!

Using butcher’s string is another way to make the parcel look really special, particularly if you attach a home-made gift tag, which we created at the same time, using the off-cuts of the heart print wrapping paper… gently fold the printed hearts down the middle to cut a nice symmetrical heart shape and attach with the butcher’s string – lovely!

We created heart print gift tags, and greetings cards, at the same time as the heart print wrapping paper, to have a full set… and even print some extra to keep in the cupboard for that unexpected party or to use to send a pressie to Granny!

If a Plum Pie recipe is not your thing, try our Cake in a Mug, click through to Ali’s other blog aGreenerLifeforus.com

For more Valentine’s Day inspiration, try my easy to make hand in heart cards, and FREE Printable jigsaw puzzle piece crafts Valentine’s greetings cards and check out our Google+ hangout hosted by Red Ted Art, featuring Kelly from domesticgoddesque.com with her glitter heart cake toppers Lizzie with her missielizzie-meandmyshadow.blogspot.co.uk rustic twig heart wreaths and her silver birch bark candle – amazing… Plus Anthea’s needle felt hearts and Maggy’s collection of Valentines Day craft ideas.

Oh, and I’m on twitter.com/MoreKidsChaos too… Erm, and funnily enough on Facebook and Pinterest! Pop over to say hello x Like it? Pin it!

crafts, teenage reviews

How to make Porg Paper Chains

15 and 13 year olds write:

We’ve created a chain of paper Porgs by printing off this FREE template and cutting multi-folded paper strips.

It could not be easier, in fact, we’ve even made a little video for you to show you how (make sure to watch right until the end as there are some outtakes of our new naughty kitten attacking the Porgs!)

Please use our FREE template (click here).

To learn this basic paper cutting technique with paper Porgs that you can either colour in or leave as is to create your very own scene from The Last Jedi!

Print off these paper chain Porgs again and again, and glue them together to make longer paper chains. They will make great decorations for parties, classrooms and your home.

You can even get your pencils out, and copy off our Porg Paper Chain Design shapes to draw onto sheets of newspaper too – if you don’t have access to a printer – this is a great way to have fun with old broadsheet newspapers that would be going to the recycling bin…. whatever you do, please come back and tell us how you’ve had fun with these paper chains – we love to see what you’ve all been up to and we love paper crafts so if you spot any Star Wars paper crafts we’d love to see them too!

Porgs were probably our favourite characters from the Disney / LucasFilm team on The Last Jedi Star Wars film- so adorable, and just look so sweet – The Last Jedi had a lot of humour, and the Porgs were quite a surprise –

We’ve had a go at making little models with clay – more on that to come – meanwhile we can’t wait for these sneakers from Po-Zu to be delivered in April.

Watch our video here (with the naughty Kipper the kitten making a cheeky appearance at the end!)

KidsChaos.com is the Kid’s creative blog from Ali Clifford and sons…

Ali also writes at Incredibusy.com and had a hand in creating this template at the request of the boys!

For more Star Wars themed crafts click here

d here

cooking with kids, teenage reviews

Going Plastic Free

This is a paid partnership with Howdens

As a family, Plastic Free July had us thinking – what can we do more to encourage people to be more aware of their plastic use, maybe going plastic free? Can we create a cleaner world for generations to come for July and the other eleven months?!?

Firstly – let’s remind ourselves WHY we are doing this:

“Crude oil extraction causes problems like deforestation, oil spills, pollution of toxic chemicals. From the 100 million tonnes of plastic produced each year, 10 million tonnes ends up in the sea. Plastic doesn’t break down like natural materials – there’s an area of floating plastic the size of Turkey* in the North Pacific.”
*source, Greenpeace via BetterShoes.org

Our family has made several changes over the last few years, so we’ve been carrying reusable bottles, going plastic free, and also reusable cups and cutlery (we love a Spork for the name as much as anything!) for when we are out and about.

KITCHEN

At home in the kitchen, we’ve ditched the plastic and sponge pan-scourers, and started using coconut coir crocheted cloths, we order our milk and orange juice to be delivered every other day by the ‘milkman’ – and love that he collects our used (clean) bottles (he is a ‘he’ yes before we start dissecting whether to call him a milk-delivery-operative) – , and we’ve been saving the milk bottle aluminium lids to pop in the recycling kerb side collection box too – we post them into a pop can – as they are very small!

We’ve recently been given an espresso machine, which we were loath to use because of the plastic (landfill) capsules – however, you can now buy compostable plant-based capsules so that’s a winner!

Howdens have put together this helpful guide with some simple ways that you can make more sustainable choices in your day-to-day life. With the kitchen at the heart of the home, they share top tips for creating an eco-friendly kitchen and to explore how even small changes can make a big difference. click HERE

And – we’ve even extended the plastic-free policy to the bathroom, with natural deodorant in a cardboard tube, and bars of shampoos too… it’s been an interesting experiment, but so far, we are very fragrant!

And shoes, man – so many modern shoes contain PVC (polyvinyl chloride); polyurethane plastic, TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) EVA Foam (ethylene vinyl acetate) (found this all out here: http://www.bettershoes.org/home/material-selection so we’ve even been rethinking that too – you CAN get shoes made from natural materials, like cork and organic cotton, and wool – like Po-Zu and Baabuk.

A really good read is this book, No. More. Plastic. by Martin Dorey, the fella who brought us #2minutebeachclean – it’s a really easy read, perfect for kids and teenagers and supports behaviour change and helping others habitually #choosetorefuse shopping bags, straws, takeaway containers and coffee cups – just to name a few.

This post has been written in conjunction with Howdens – although of course all thoughts and words and photographs are my own.

This is Rocket Science – Science Sparks Book review

We have known Emma Vanstone for a LONG time now, and have been massive fans of her website and social media @sciencesparks – so when we spotted that Emma had recently published a new book – we couldn’t wait to get our hands on it!

From the cover design to the spreads, this book is so visually appealing – This is Rocket Science: An Activity Guide is jam-packed with fun experiments for children and adults each designed to show how mechanical science and astrophysics work from the inside out and really does so without you KNOWING that you are ‘learning’ which always puts my kids off these sorts of books.

The book encourages the reader to use upcycle found materials like bottles, cardboard, glue and tape to build awesome rocket ships, paper spinners and mobile rocket launch pads.

We love the photography and mix of genders in the book – so important to bridge the gender gap, as it is so crucial that we get more women into science.

Watch our full review over on IGTV here or below – and purchase your own copy of the book HERE in time for Christmas!

Visit www.science-sparks.com/ for more fun science crafts.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by RedTedArt & Incredibusy (@funcraftskids) on Sep 7, 2018 at 5:14am PDT

life, teenage reviews

Our Perfect night in

Our Purrrrfect night in!

Ali writes:
Well, what could be more perfect than an autumn night in with your favourite cat and teenager right?

As these teenage boys get older, they want to spend more time apart from me – hanging out with their friends, or playing computer games and chatting online with mates. Having a kitten changes all of that – (as you will have read in other posts this year!) Kipper the cat has been such a blessing and has really brought the family together.

Once you’ve settled on the sofa on a Saturday night in to watch Strictly or the X-Factor (or both) Kipper the cat will find his way onto a warm lap and curl up and pin you down for hours!

I’ll admit, I’m pretty sure it’s cupboard love, as he’s always a bit more loving at breakfast and supper time if Whiskas cat casseroles are on the menu, but needless to say – it’s got both RB and myself back into cosying up on the sofa together to read a book of an evening – with a mug of tea and a play ‘Russian Roulette’ with a box of chocolates, (to explain, you take it in turns to eat a chocolate from the box without looking at the little diagram, which is really fun, as long as you don’t accidentally get the Turkish Delight).

We generally have refreshments on hand for Kipper too – whilst we are supping our tea, we always have a bowl of water in the sitting room for him, as well as fairly close to his food bowl in the kitchen – we read somewhere that they like to have fresh water available in more than one location – frankly, for us, it’s simply a ploy to get him to hang out with us some more, ultimately, he’s turning into a bit of a teenager…

This post is in conjunction with WHISKAS® but all thoughts are my own

#DateNightWithMyCat

crafts, create, key stage 3

My Dream Pet

My Dream Pet by Ronnie age 13

I have always wanted a dream pet which was created by my own imagination. This is why I jumped at the chance to have my own dream pet made into a real plushie.

My dream pet would always have to be some sort of a colour changing reptile or a chameleon. I have always loved chameleons because of their ability to change colour to suit their surroundings or environment which they are in.

It would sleep and live somewhere warm and comfortable because I would think that if I designed an animal, it would like to be in comfort wherever it can.

My dream pet would eat foods which are high in protein and carbs as it would be roaming free for most of its life and would need the energy to keep it healthy.

The creature would be intelligent enough to understand basic tasks and to know right from wrong to a certain extent, however, this animal is not a human so it cannot communicate with speech.

The dream pet would not need to have a collar or a lead to take on walks because the creature would be capable of finding its way back wherever it is. It would not need to be taken on walks either as it takes itself around without help from its owner (me).

Of course there is no need to get a pet anymore as we are currently happy with our young cat kipper.

You may well know that Mum finally caved in and we got a cat earlier this year who she’s sensibly covered with Pet Insurance from Petplan, but we do still like the idea of an exotic pet too. Maybe a stick insect or a lizard? Anyway delighted we had a go at drawing our dream pet, and Mum had them made into soft toys and awwww we love them!

This post has been possible thanks to Petplan, but all thoughts are my own.

Follow my mum @incredibusy over on twitter, insta, pinterest and facebook too….x

charity

Stress, success and sleep

Ali writes: Having kids, as you know, messes with your sleep patterns – from newborn and no (night time) sleep, to toddlers trying to get into your bed at three in the morning – through to fretting about teenagers who stay awake longer than you do! Adult Life is a lot more stressy than advertised right??

And even Kipper the new kitten, acquired after research into how de-stressing a pet can be* for teenagers and perimenopausal mamas, drives us mad by jumping on our heads when he thinks it’s time for breakfast at five AM!!

As a freelancer, I find it really hard to ‘switch off’ and de-stress, my mind struggles to relax and unwind – I’m constantly ‘on call’ from clients, and all of the connections and social media app messages that seem to bombard me daily (and nightly!).

And as a family, we’ve been a bit lapse about allowing electronics into the bedroom – we had a rule that no mobile phones could be taken to bed, and had to be left on the sitting room mantelpiece – and that worked so well, what went wrong??!

So we are starting afresh, no more ‘reading a book on my phone’, no more ‘just checking Instagram messages’ – no more ‘oh I need my mobile phone for the alarm in the morning’ – we are making some changes!

So now, come bed time, we leave our phones downstairs, we’ve reinstated the old clock radio alarms in all of the bedrooms, we’ve banished the kitten to his own bed, on the landing in his home-made cat house (more on that here!)

And so to SLEEP…..

Sleep allows your mind to unwind and de-stress. This allows your mental and emotional well-being to be restored. Sleep helps your brain to recover and revive itself, helping it to make sense of the day, storing your memories and creating new ideas. Sleep gives you energy and boosts your immune system, helping your body recover from illnesses. While you sleep your body builds and repairs itself by making new tissue.

So plump up those pillows, grab a book (and your reading glasses – my eyes always need a bit of help at night!) and settle down into a comfy mattress for a good read at bedtime.

Aromatherapy oils can really help too, I recently put a call out on my Instagram stories asking for natural remedy advice for better sleep and was recommended these calming, relaxing aromas of essential oils: Try Lavender, Vanilla, or Jasmine. Essential oils can promote relaxation – perfect to help switch off at the end of a busy day.

As well as the calming scents of essential oils, a relaxing bedtime routine can also help you drift off. A warm shower or bath is a soothing way to unwind and as mentioned, swapping electronic devices for a good book can help your mind to switch off – and take note – try a bit of ‘facial pampering’ – thanks to suggestions from my Instagram followers (I know, it’s become my ‘go-to’ for advice!!) I’ve been using a night oil too – apparently skin repairs faster at night with the increased production of two key hormones: HGH (Human Growth Hormone) and Melatonin.

Massage a night oil into the face before bed to allow the ingredients to penetrate overnight, so that you can wake up with a glowing complexion and a jolly demeanor.

And a warm herbal tea can help too – make it a Fairtrade chamomile tea for ethical bonus points – and try jotting down a “to do” list for the next day which can organise your thoughts and clear your mind of any distractions.

And maybe some gentle relaxation exercises, such as light pilates or yoga stretches, which help to relax the muscles. Don’t exercise vigorously, as it will have the opposite effect!

Mental health awareness week highlights the importance of improving the quality of your sleep for your over all mental well-being during stressful times.

Stress is common and, like mental health, it need to be addressed and understood to ensure well-being isn’t compromised. We cannot eliminate stress completely as it is a natural driver in our body which people thrive on and use to push themselves in life but we can learn to cope with it and make it work for us. So let me know what you do to relax and get to sleep at night…

This post is in conjunction with Tempur but all thoughts are my own.
TEMPUR® are supporting the Mental Health Foundation as their chosen charity for 2018.

The Mental Health Foundation have pioneered new ways of looking at mental health and improving the lives of people experiencing mental illness for more than 60 years.

TEMPUR® will be donating £10 for every mattress sold through the TEMPUR® UK website, or through a TEMPUR owned store (brand or outlet) throughout May 2018.

Tempur have worked alongside the Mental Health Foundation to produce a sleep guide, giving tips on sleep and how to get a good night’s sleep. These will be available in Tempur stores and on the Tempur website.
Tempur have a range of additional marketing activity to support this initiative which include: New TV asset, branding within the stores and fundraising for MHF by having their ribbons in Tempur stores – customers will be able to purchase a ribbon for a £2 donation

Read more top tips on sleep on the NHS website

Read more about MIND and Mental Health Awareness Week

*Read more about how pets have been found to lower the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in our bodies, leading to a calmer approach to life and thus positively impacting our blood pressure. Simply stroking a pet can have health benefits.

baking, cooking, crafts, create, key stage 2, kids, travel

Fforest gather – a new kind of family holiday

Family time together just so special as our boys get older – they are more independent and dare I say a little ‘feral’ this year? We’ve had the best of times and made new friends, made memories, and given us something to look forward to next summer too – why? what? how? you ask? Well, a week at Fforest gather, that’s what!

Over to Spike age 15:

If you’ve not heard about Fforest gather – you’re clearly not following @incredibusy on the instagram – or @coldatnight, which you should remedy forthwith – follow us here and here… It’s through instagram that Mum, and it transpires on chatting to fellow campers at Fforest gather, many others, have ‘met’ Sian and fallen in love with what she and husband James have been doing in Cardigan, Wales for the last couple of years…

A small intimate ‘festival’, not really a festival, but that explains the basis of the event – week long holiday with accommodation (optional, you can also bring your own tent/camper van) and daily workshops you won’t want to miss… a new kind of holiday in fact! Two family friendly weeks of adventures in nature, music, culture, creativity and simple pleasures.

We stayed in one of the ‘group tents‘ – our family in one end, in two bedrooms, and our friends and their three small children in the facing ‘tent’. We brought our own sleeping bags and pillows, and the shared bathrooms a short walk away were positive luxury compared to some campsites we’ve stayed in! The group tents have a communal cooking, and eating area in the centre – and an amazing view across the fields. However, after trying the first catered meal in the canteen, we decided that we’d ditch the camp cooking, and eat with the majority of the other campers – the breakfast and evening meals were just amazing – and the dining area was super conducive to socialising too.

The beauty of the Fforest gather is that the workshops, talks, walks, performances and activities are all included in the ticket price. Two sessions a day, one at a very civilised 10am, and the afternoon sessions start at 2pm – Between our two families, we tried Screenprinting, Nature illustration; natural dyeing, canoeing, Tamsin with her pencil and puppet making, Bees make honey with the honey farm, making bacon, smoking fish, making cheese, cooking with fire; axe & knife craft; yoga and wellness; drumming; beer cocktail classes; bird illustrations, silver ring making; forest school sessions; den building; tree climbing; wild swimming and learnt about foraging with Jade and coppicing with Bruce – woah, all in one week?!

We have some wonderful photos to share from our week at #Fforestgather – we went on a wonderful walk through neighbouring #Coppicewood – led by Bruce, who introduced us to the ways of the woods – and #charcoal making! The Coppicewood College promotes, supports #sustainable woodland management and runs courses using traditional methods and tools. Covering all aspects of coppice practice, hedgelaying and coppice craft in their own woodland in #Cilgerran, #Pembrokeshire, West Wales. Coppicewood College provides training in woodland based traditional rural skills and related crafts.

A photo posted by Ali Clifford (@incredibusy) on Aug 30, 2016 at 11:04am PDT

The evenings were equally entertaining, with, Music from Eyre Llew, and DJs and chatting, and Fforest Island discs, and beer drinking at the adorable little ‘Bwthyn pub‘. Candle lit, and roaring fire – this little pub is located at the heart of the Fforest camp.

A brief selection of our favourite workshops:
Natural dyeing with Hazel Stark – Indigo Shibori (a Japanese pattern technique) – we were so blessed with the weather, so a day spent outside in the Fforest vegetable gardens, patiently folding, pegging and dipping our canvas tote bags was well spent.

Bird drawing with Matt Sewell, such a delight; as was the glasses onto inanimate objects with Finn Thomson making faces and giving objects sight – such a fun workshop! Seeing objects – using wire, paper, glue, and a LOT of imagination, in the project barn.

Screenprinting was a really big hit with Lex from Feather studios and her patient partner @morganhenryjames.

Some more fabulous T shirts hot off the screen printing press. The room was quiet with concentration cutting out the stencils. #fforestgather #screenprint #creativitymatters #imaginationatwork #stayplaydream #fforest

A photo posted by Gather 2017 (@fforestgather) on Aug 30, 2016 at 6:22am PDT

Cheese making was a revelation (and made for the best photos! #instagramthat) Curds and whey with cheese chief Max – who it transpires, can also tell a tale, and sing a song….

Beer was high on the agenda for the grown-ups, with Evil Gordon doing a turn talking beer cocktails, Beerbods, and sourdough bread making in the wood fired oven.

And then there was foraging! @wildpickings 🍃🌿 Jade took us on a walk; foraging for edible hedgerow wonders – we’ve learnt such a LOT this week 🍃🌿

Oh and Sam! The Newquay Honey Farm Man – brilliant and enchanted!

Seriously, this is an event/holiday/week long party I would recommend – such a lovely way to spend time with your family.
We went with good friends, and came away with even more…

beer-cocktails-backstage-fforest-gather — The Farmhouse

bandcamp-beer-fforest-gather — Music from Eyre Llew

beer-cocktails-fforest-gather — Beer cocktails in the Farmhouse

coppice-college-sign-fforest-gather — Coppice College

coppice-college-tols-fforest-gather — In the tool shed

walk into Cardigan to visit the PizziTipi

Time to plan for 2018… 23 JULY – 5 AUGUST 2018 www.fforestgather.co.uk
A new kind of holiday.
Two family friendly weeks of adventures in nature, music, culture, creativity, making, growing & simple pleasures.
500 acres of bliss. Only 300 tickets available each week.
Week 1 – Monday 23rd – Sunday 29th of july
Week 2 – Monday 30th july – Sunday 5th of august

TO FIND OUR MORE ABOUT FFOREST CLICK HERE

Ali also writes over on incredibusy.com and funcraftskids.com and aGreenerLifeforus.com

kids, teenage reviews

Baabuk Slippers as soft and gentle as our new kitten

Ronnie writes:

Mum asked me if I would write a blog post about slippers – and as a 13yo there I thought that there is really not much I can tell you about my family’s LOVE of Baabuk slippers made from New Zealand boiled wool, so I thought I’d write about my new kitten as well, as he’s as soft and gentle as these slippers!

First though, this is what I know about Baabuk – each pair of their GUS slippers features the all-natural benefits of wool, it’s temperature regulating, so these slippers will keep feet not too-hot now it’s heading towards warmer weather and not too-cold as it was when we got them (and the kitten) in January. Oh, and wool is also moisture-wicking and odour-fighting, (handy for my stink bob brother) thanks to its inherent antimicrobial nature, so you can wear them without socks, and wool is water repellent, too, which is also handy.

The wool comes from sheep in New Zealand. Their wool then travels to Nepal to be boiled and felted into a single piece which becomes the woolly upper for Baakbuk slippers.

Apparently, the clog-bootie design is inspired by 16th century Russia’s Valenki boots, and is finished off with a natural rubber sole that gives a little extra grip.

Since our kitten (and our slippers) arrived three months ago – I love love love being at home, coming in from school, popping on my slippers, and hanging out with the kitten – it’s really LOVELY!

I thought I would write a blog post about how it feels to have a kitten in the house – and some top tips for making a new kitten feel welcome and loved.

So we did a lot of research before we got a kitten and there is some REALLY useful information on the BlueCross website and the RSPCA too if you are thinking of rehousing a cat.

Bringing the kitten home

We selected one room for the cat to live in from day one – this was my brother’s bedroom, as it’s the biggest – so we bought a natural scratching pole and made sure that the kitten’s food bowl, water bowl and cat litter tray were placed apart in the room (cats don’t like these things all close together).

Cats prefer a saucer or a plate to a bowl and we bought some eco cat litter – which works really well, and biodegrades rather than adding to landfill.

So each day after we got him, we opened up the space a little bit more for Kipper to explore, he played and slept in my brother’s room, and then on day two we opened up the landing for him, and day three my bedroom and so on until he then had the run of the house. This made him feel secure and familiar with one room – and he’s been happy pottering around the house ever since. We have moved the food bowl to the kitchen, and the cat litter tray is now tucked away in the hallway downstairs – he also has a water saucer in the sitting room as well as the kitchen – which he likes!

If you look closely at Kipper the kitten’s little feet, it looks as if he’s wearing slippers too! So he doesn’t feel too left out… (seriously, every family needs a pair of Baabuk slippers).

Finding a good Vet

Ask your local friends for Vet advice, we have found a lovely local vet, through a neighbour with a really happy cat, and picked up a second-hand wicker pet basket from Ebay (Mum tries to cut down on the amount of plastic in the house, and we always try to buy second hand too for things like this).

Today Kipper is at the Vet, having a chip, and being neutered – eughh… poor kitty! We are looking forward to welcoming him home and giving him lots of love.

These are all of our slippers, you will LOVE them, loads of colours (and styles) – if you’d like to know more about where to find them, click here

A post shared by Ali Clifford {Incredibusy™} (@incredibusy) on Mar 29, 2018 at 12:43pm PDT

A post shared by Ali Clifford {Incredibusy™} (@incredibusy) on Apr 11, 2018 at 12:25pm PDT

A post shared by So Good In Every Way #sgiew (@sogoodineveryway) on Apr 18, 2018 at 10:55pm PDT

Uncategorized

Summer Fashion with SimplyBe

Planning your summer styling

Vi writes:

“I’m not sure about you, but I am well and truly in holiday planning mode! Our summer holiday is the highlight of my year. I only need to feel some sand between my toes to have had a great holiday!
With the days getting longer and evenings lighter, I can almost feel summer on the way! Like many people, I like to have a wardrobe update for summer, and when SimplyBe.co.uk got in touch I couldn’t resist starting my holiday shopping!”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Simply Be (@simplybeuk) on Mar 17, 2019 at 2:30am PDT

Choosing your holiday fashion.

Family holidays can be chaos, so I like practical yet fashionable clothes to wear. I always pack a couple of summer dresses, as they can be thrown over a bikini, or teamed with a pair of heels! And travelling in the UK – I always pack a lightweight cardigan or jumper too…
One dress can be worn multiple ways, and it saves on all important luggage space!

What to wear while you travel?

Whether you’re travelling by plane or car, comfort and style are essential! I like to keep my style simple, so I usually opt for linen trousers or my favourite jeans combined with a vest top and a jumper. I love this brightly coloured jumper, it is really flattering to wear and the colours are so summery!

Bit too warm for jumpers? Opt for a tunic instead, ultimate comfort with your leggings and perfect to sling over your swimsuit poolside! I love the detail on this one from Joe Browns;

Summer Dresses

I always pack dresses as they are so versatile, just add accessories and one dress can have
multiple wears! If you’re on a budget when buying, opt for one classic style and a then a fun style too.

I chose this beach dress as it is lightweight – perfect to stash in your hand luggage in case of lost luggage. It also means it can be hand-washed easily – important if you have small children armed with ice creams while you’re away! (It machine washes nicely too!)

The palm print is fabulous, last year palm prints seemed to be really fashionable, and I have a feeling it’s a trend which will continue for this summer too! It’s an easy to wear dress which is really flattering!

A linen dress when I go on holiday is essential, it’s my go to for city visits. Linen keeps me cool, but smart too. Add espadrilles or your favourite sneakers for the perfect sightseeing outfit!

This dress is a linen mix which makes it less likely to crease, when you come to pack it roll rather than fold it to keep the creases out! This is a great value dress at £22, and as a classic style it can be dressed up or down as you need.

This article was written in collaboration with SimplyBe, Vita was gifted a selection of garments to review.