The perfect Cornish retreat

The Emerald's stunning gardens

I have meant to write a little post about the amazing place we stayed in to celebrate my brother-in-law's 40th birthday recently. Not purely just to brag but because I genuinely think it's a real find and somewhere that anyone would love - whether you've got kiddies or not. (Though it is brilliant for kids). After somewhere to relax? Love a landscaped garden? Swimming pool a must? Fancy a tennis court five minutes from your door? And the kind of decor you'd get in a boutique hotel? This place ticks all of those boxes. And then some.
The Emerald is a glorious retreat tucked away in the Cornish countryside which houses five properties, all completely different, all completely beautiful, dotted around five acres of gardens. You can rent each one out separately but there were 22 of us (including 10 children), so we had the whole place to ourselves (whoop!) and each family or couple had their own unique private space. We stayed in The Gatehouse, which sleeps four to six and is a little bit more rustic than the others (think very fancy farmhouse) but still comes with the same mod cons - smart televisions, coffee machines, underfloor heating. If you're after something a bit bigger, there's also Drift and Coast, which each sleep six and come complete with glass fronted balconies, outdoor hot tubs and even little 'snugs' where the kids loved sneaking off to watch television. And for two, Fern or Cedar come with private decked terraces and hot tubs. Cosy.

Drift

Aside from the amazing accommodation, what The Emerald really has going for it is that there is so much to do. It's the best place for kids. We all know the great British summer can be, well, not so great but you'd seriously have no qualms about booking this place because there's the indoor swimming pool (open all hours and mood lit if you fancy a bit of night swimming), the gym and smart TV's or, when it brightens up a bit, there's the tennis courts, table tennis and play area. And the kids loved the gardens; the winding pathways, huge trees and little lake provided the best hideouts for playing (and an Easter egg hunt). If you do ever want to leave, of course there's also the Cornish coast to explore. We loved taking a trip on the King Harry Ferry in Trelissick, lunch at The Pandora Inn in the stunning surroundings of Restronguet Creek and dinner at Rick Stein's in Falmouth. I'd never really explored Cornwall before but in all honesty, I think all of us were a little bit amazed at just how beautiful it is.

Balcony view

So really, this is just my very own shout out to The Emerald to say just how great it was and how everyone should just go. The warm and ever-obliging owners, Tim and Brigitte have created an amazing place, that's not only beautiful but zero carbon too - it's the UK's first ever zero carbon holiday accommodation - and I can't imagine the amount of work that must have gone into it but there's a lot of love in it too. And it really shows. My advice? Book it soon because this place is going to be busy.

(Find out more about The Emerald here www.emeraldcornwall.co.uk).

Swimwear Part 2: How to wear it well

Boden's gorgeous Sorrento Swimsuit, £59

As a follow-up to this week's post on some of my favourite swimsuits about at the moment, I thought it might be worth getting together a few little tips on wearing them well - for those of you who feel it's helpful! But fear not, I'm not professing my own tips and tricks (of which I have none). Nope, instead, I've asked a proper stylist and friend of mine, Anna Woodham to divulge some of her secrets. Anna has worked with the likes of Holly Willoughby, Alesha Dixon and The Saturdays (check out www.annawoodham.com) so knows a thing or too about what works and what doesn't. Here's what she had to say... oh and isn't this swimsuit from Boden absolutely amazing?! It comes in loads of colours and even has hidden control panels and detachable straps. Ticks every box, right?


1. Look for ruched or frill details if you want to flatter your tummy and hide any post-baby weight.

2. Styles with control panels, illusion lines or dark panels down the sides will take inches off!

3. Frill straps or shoulder details will take any unwanted attention from your tummy, drawing eyes up.

4. Don't be afraid of colour; if you have a tan, corals and even reds can look amazing.

5. Moulded cups give great shape if you feel you're lacking in that department so don't overlook them.

6. If you're still stuck, you can't go wrong with a classic, black swimsuit. It works on everyone.

Five Favourite Swimsuits

Giselle for Paris Vogue. It's not fair.

This week I'm diverging a little to bring you a fashion-esque post on swimwear. Earlier this month, I spent a week in Cornwall and though I felt utterly mortified at the prospect of being in any sort of swimwear so early on in Spring (err, hello pale, stubbly legs and wobbly tummy), I reluctantly dug out my old swimsuit. This would be okay if we were talking about a nifty little number that cleverly disguises a bit of a mum tum (or as my mum puts it, 'a belly like a squashed tomato'). It would also be okay if it had, I don't know, a lovely strap detail or pretty print. But no. It's a black Speedo number, with pastel pink edging and high V-neck. Awful. And actually, though it disguised my post-baby tum, it made me feel worse - in hindsight, I should have just picked out a prettier bikini, slapped on a bit of fake tan and got on with it.

Anyhooow, the moral of the story is; next time you get invited on a lovely holiday and there's a small chance you'll be in swimwear and you're a little worried about a wobbly tummy, buy a new and lovely flattering swimsuit before you go. I grant you, it's not that easy to come across a goodie (and please do ignore all those magazines with charts that tell you to choose one according to what 'fruit' shaped boobs you have - I kid you not, I spotted one only this week). Simply choose one that won't ride up your backside when you're lifting your toddler into the pool or fall down when he's using you as a float. And that's all you need really. Job done.

(left to right) Topshop Spyrograph Print Swimsuit, £36, H&M One Shoulder Swimsuit, £14.99, River Island Geometric Floral Swimsuit, £25, Whistles Cruz Blotted Floral Swimsuit, £75, French Connection Nancy Plaid Swimsuit, £42.

Beauty Editor's with Babies: Lisa Durant

Lisa and Luca, aged 3

I've finally got together another 'Beauty Editor's with Babies' post and I'm so excited about this one. Mostly it's because it features my very lovely and gorgeous friend, freelance beauty editor Lisa Durant. I worked with Lisa way back when she was the Beauty Director at InStyle and quite honestly, I've never worked with a nicer (for want of a better word) person or even team. They were all brilliant. She also brings me coffee every time we meet up for play dates with our boys. Even if it means parking up, getting a car seat out and back in again. Even in the rain. You see?! And, of course, I'm also excited because she divulges some amazing must-have products and know-how. And as someone who has made it through a lot of InStyle '100 Best Beauty Buys Awards,' and a mummy to a gorgeous little boy, Luca, (see picture, how cute?!) she knows what works and what doesn't. Here's what she really rates.

1. Clarisonic Sonic Facial Cleansing, from £99 (clarisonic.co.uk)
'Before having my son, Luca, I didn’t really see the point of this cleansing brush. Of course I didn’t, I was child-free with perfect skin! Now I’m devastated if it runs out of charge mid-cleanse. One extra minute cleansing with this brush equals plumper, glowing, super-clean skin that looks marginally less haggard.'

Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon

2. Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon, £19 (charlottetilbury.com)
'However short on time I am in the mornings, I can’t expose my naked face to the world. And mascara alone doesn’t cut it for me, so these shadow pencils have transformed my morning routine. It takes a second to smudge across my lash line (or get more involved for a rare night out – woo!), blend with my finger, add mascara and I’m done.' 

3. Dr Hauschka Neem Hair Oil, £22.95 (feelunique.com)
'I could have cried when my hair fell out after pregnancy. My hairline not only crept closer towards my crown, but the ends turned into a knotty, dry mess. This intense oil saved my hair from the chop. Massage it in before bed (don’t forget to really work it into your scalp too), wash out the next morning and it leaves hair softer and shinier than any heavy-duty hair mask I have tried.' 

4. La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Hand Cream, £5.50 (escentual.com)
'Changing nappies, potty training and being a germ-fighting mum means my hands have taken a battering and this is the only product that makes a difference. It creates an invisible film over skin, healing cracks and irritation. It’s hardcore stuff, but feels like you have nothing on.'

5. Weleda Calendolon Ointment, £6.75 (weleda.co.uk)
'I literally can’t live without several tubes of this in my life. It’s the only thing I’ve found that instantly clears up eczema flare-ups, soothes heat rash, burns, scrapes and insect bites. Luca calls it ‘Mummy’s magic cream’ and it literally is just that.'

No more plastic.

After sorting out and bagging up yet another load of plastic toys that my four-year-old never plays with and carting them to the local charity shop, I've made a decision to try and not buy so much, well, crap. To be honest, it's also because I am just so over picking-up/sorting/tidying every teeny piece of plastic into the right set or trying to find a bare corner for another huge contraption that won't tuck neatly into the children's IKEA storage boxes we've just bought. I realise this just makes me sound like a weird, controlling mum but actually, when I think about it, it's the nicer, wooden stuff that Max tends to go back to again and again. His Batcave/Thomas Trackmaster/Spiderman bike have rarely been picked up since he got them at Christmas.

So there you go. I'm having a plastics amnesty and anything that's barely been touched in the last year is going to (eventually) go. Of course I know Max's current obsession with anything superhero-related doesn't really fit my new aesthetic ideal - no-one does a beautifully painted, wooden Spiderman figure for instance. And things like Lego are always going to have a place in our home - and we all love a bit of Lego. However, I'm going to think more about what we do buy him; from the big stuff to those rubbish plastic toys stuck on the front of magazines which he loves getting - but invariably end up in the bin when they break hours later. And I already have a gorgeous Wendy House in my sights for Elsie.

So here's a few of my favourite wooden toys that are genuinely loved by us all in the Rudolf household. They tick all the right boxes in that, they're beautiful, well-made and most importantly, actually played with over and over again.

1. Chad Valley Wooden Alphabet Trolley, £11.99 (argos.co.uk)

Max was given one similar to this as a baby and we still have it for when Elsie starts walking. It looks great and he loved stacking and playing with the blocks as well as practising his first steps.








2. Pintoy Wooden Trike, £45.77 (amazon.co.uk)

We 'borrowed' this bike from our neighbour after her little boy moved onto the balance bike and we could hardly get Max off it. In fact, he sometimes has a little ride around the garden on it even now. It's just lovely.





3. Tidlo Animal Sorting Cube, £14.99 (argos.co.uk)

This is probably one of the sweetest little sorting blocks I've ever seen - and as well as sorting shapes, there are animal pictures to pair up too. We have one ready for when Elsie moves on from playing with spoons and plates.




4. Brio Rail & Road Loading Set, £54.95 (woodentoystore.co.uk) 

Ah, how I love Brio; Max and his daddy have spent hours (days even) putting together their little wooden rails, teeny trucks and bridges and have built up quite a collection. This stuff never gets old and lasts and lasts. Love.



5. Plan Toys 50 Wooden Building Blocks, £17.99 (adventuretoys.co.uk)

I've been meaning to get a set of these for aaaggges but in the meantime, we've been building towers with our Jenga blocks. You can get loads of versions of these and Max loves playing with them at nursery - I think they're just one of those toys that kids never tire of.

Sophie the Giraffe Baby

Sophie the Giraffe (or Sophie La Girafe) is one of those things, like the Bugaboo or the BabyBjorn that you just feel like you have to own when you have a baby. It's like some sort of unspoken law. And the funny thing is, before I even had my first child, Max, I remember spotting these little giraffes propped up in pushchairs and thinking they were just a cute toy babies went gaga for.  I had no idea of Sophie's brilliant ability to soothe sore gums, (by way of her little legs, ears and horns) and her instant calming effect - Sophie's contrasting spots mean she's recognisable to even teeny babies. Really, she was Max's first proper toy. And when I lost Sophie no1. in Victoria Park and literally re-traced our steps to find her (I didn't), I was genuinely a bit sad. Silly, I know, but that's how lovely the little giraffe is.

This probably explains why I am SO excited about Sophie La Girafe Baby - a collection of 7 baby bath and body care products. To be honest, I only heard about the range through a friend so maybe I'm a little late to the party or because it's not sold via the usual suspects, it's yet to really be discovered but I have to say, I love, love, love it. So a little about the range. It includes essentials like Baby Oil, Hair & Body Wash, Protection Cream and Body Lotion which all contain lovely, gentle things like lavender extract, oats and shea butter. They're all ECOCERT certified (meaning over 95% of the ingredients are of natural origin) and they smell amazing - a little like that old fashioned baby powder. It also all looks ridiculously pretty.

Prices start at £10.99 so it's by no means cheap but when you equate that to a couple of Starbucks coffees, it doesn't seem so bad, right? And really, doesn't every babies skin deserve something special.

You can buy Sophie La Girafe here at www.sophielagirafe.co.uk. While you're there, check out the whole Sophie range too.

The Cowshed at Shoreditch House

Happy Monday everyone! So you may remember how, in my last post I moaned and groaned about how exhausted I was feeling and that I had barely had time to myself for, well, months. Well, with the advent of not only my birthday but also, Mother's Day, (I obviously loved last week) I had a few amazing treats - the best of which was a pedicure at the Cowshed Spa in Shoreditch House - all booked and payed for by my lovely husband. And it was such a relaxing experience, I thought it might make a nice little post to tell you all about it.
Before I get into the treatment itself I just want to say how much I genuinely love Cowshed. Being a beauty editor I have had a lot of treatments and been to so many spas, I couldn't even begin to count them all. Cowshed is one of those places that stands out for its all-round simplicity and relax-inducing loveliness. I always say it's the kind of place that feels exactly how you imagine your dream bathroom to be; everything from the fluffy towels and sink-in-them-sofas to the candles permeating the air and the little retro televisions create a homely feel that I swear has an immediate de-stressing effect.
At Shoreditch House, the spa lies on the ground floor, tucked neatly away by the entrance. It's such a lovely space - huge timber tables, vases of flowers and oversized industrial lighting gives off a cool, New York vibe but not in a snotty, minimal way (which I'm so over). After being taken to my own (giant sized) sofa, putting my feet up and ordering a coffee, I was feeling pretty happy and a bit smug. Then it got even better. I was given a set of headphones, the little TV in front of me was switched on and it started; only continuous episodes of Sex and the City. On repeat. All the way through my treatment. I didn't have to make small talk. Or even chat about my holiday. How good is that?!

And the pedicure itself, was of course, brilliant. I haven't gone near my feet since the last pedicure I had before Elsie was born and it showed. I almost felt bad for the therapist. But she seemed unfazed by it all (hopefully that means she has seen much worse) and went to work tidying, removing hard skin with an electric file, giving my nails a short, square-ish shape and painting with my chosen nail colour (Essie's Coral Reef). My feet looked amazing afterwards. Sort of new. And in that little hour I had relaxed, de-stressed and even laughed (partly due to the hilarious sex scenes of Samantha and co in SATC and partly because the foot filing bit was so ticklish). It was great. Take yourself there for an hour and you will feel a little more like you again. I guarantee it.

The Cowshed Pedicure, is £48 for 60 minutes. You can book it here. http://www.cowshedonline.com/spa