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Friday, 24 October 2025

Simple Ways to Keep Warm During the Colder Months (That Don't Cost a Fortune!)*

Pixabay - CC0 Licence


When the summer months feed into the crisp autumn days and frosty winter mornings, staying warm without spending a fortune can certainly feel like a challenge, but keeping cosy doesn't always require buying expensive gadgets or indeed cranking up the heating. It's about making a few simple swaps and getting into smart habits.

Understand How Your Body Gets Warmer and Cooler

Our hands and our feet are the quickest ways to regulate our temperature. This is why making sure that your hands feel warm can make a massive difference, and for your feet, one of the best ways to stay warm is to invest in insulated socks such as HeatHolders socks, as they are designed with extra insulation and a brushed lining that will trap body heat so your feet will be toasty for hours, because when your feet feel warm, the rest of your body warms up.

Smart Layering

We have to remember that it's not just about piling on clothes but about trapping air between layers. Therefore, start with a lightweight thermal base layer such as long-sleeve tops made of cotton or Merino wool. Then you can add jumpers, cardigans, and cosy outerwear. This way, you can easily adjust your temperature depending on where you are. You should always look for pieces you already own before thinking about new purchases, and something like a chunky knit that you rediscover in your wardrobe can be as comforting as a heated blanket.

Make Friends With Hot Water Bottles

A timeless classic, but still one of the most cost-effective ways to stay warm. Whether it's slipped into bed before you climb in, placed behind your back on the sofa, or tucked under the duvet, it can create instant comfort. For something extra indulgent, try filling it with lavender-scented water or wrapping it in a fluffy cover, as the gentle warmth can help you unwind, ease muscle tension, and improve sleep quality during cold nights.

Eat and Drink for Warmth

Your kitchen can be your best ally when it comes to staying warm. It's very simple, but all those foods that raise your core temperature from the inside out are vital, such as soups, stews, porridge, and herbal teas. If you're working in an office, a flask of tea during the day can make those chilly afternoons much more bearable. Healthy, hearty meals don't just nourish your body but will bring a sense of comfort as well, and let's not forget natural heat boosters that enhance your circulation, such as ginger, cinnamon, and chilli.

Get Moving

As counterintuitive as it may sound, when you're cold, light movement is one of the most effective ways to generate heat. A brisk walk, a quick tidy-up session, or a gentle yoga flow will boost blood circulation so your body temperature rises naturally. Even dancing around your kitchen to your favourite playlist can do the trick, and of course, with any type of exercise, it's going to lift your mood on those grey, wintry days thanks to the endorphins.


Getting through the winter months doesn't just mean keeping bills at sky-high peaks or endless shivering. With these simple strategies, you will stay snug all season long.



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*Collaboration Post

Saturday, 13 September 2025

The End of an Era (Sort Of)

Well… this feels a little bit like breaking up with an old friend.

After over a decade (yes, really) of blogging here – through various phases, ideas, projects, and a lot of rambling – it’s time for a bit of a change.

I’ve officially moved over to a shiny new home at ðŸ‘‰ www.taniamichelebooks.co.uk👈 and that’s where I’ll be sharing all the bookish goodness going forward. New releases, behind-the-scenes chaos, writing updates, character chats, and the odd emotional spiral over edits... it's all happening over there now.

Why the move?

This little blog has been brilliant, and I've loved using it – especially since it’s basically free (minus the annual domain fee, of course). But it’s just a blog. And as someone juggling self-publishing, writing multiple books, and trying to build something that looks vaguely like a career… I needed a site that could do more. So, off to Wix I went – where I now pay a small fortune every year for the privilege of full creative freedom. 🙃

That said, I might still post here every now and then with non-author life stuff – budgeting, life updates, etc. – but realistically? It’ll be few and far between.

So if you’ve enjoyed hanging out here, come join me over at taniamichelebooks.co.uk – I’d love to see you there!

Thank you for reading, commenting, and sticking around since 2013.
Here’s to new chapters – literally.

Love,
Tania x

Wednesday, 10 September 2025

30 Things I've Learnt In 12 Years Of Blogging



October 3rd will be my blog's 12th Birthday! My little corner of the internet has been churning out content for a whole 4380 + days now! I still can't believe I done it for a year, let alone TWELVE.

And let's just ignore the fact that I had a few breaks sporadically

Usually I look back on my blog headers since day one, but I feel I've done that too much! So today, I'm going to share some things I've learnt about this blogging shit in my twelve years!

Buckle up, there's a few!

  1. It is very hard work
  2. You will want to quit at some point, but never do it
  3. You will have times you don't feel good enough
  4. It's perfectly fine to take a blogging break
  5. And no, you don't have to justify having one! We have breaks from our 'real jobs' all the time - so why is it different with blogging?
  6. You can write about whatever the heck you like
  7. No, you don't have to be a master photoshopper, or professional photographer
  8. You will, however, pick up amazing photography skills, and master the art of picture editing (hey there Canva!)
  9. Typing becomes second nature
  10. You'll even learn basic HTML if you customise your blog enough times!
  11. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GO BROKE TO BLOG
  12. You will meet some truly amazing people
  13. Other people mentioning your blog makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside
  14. You'll know other bloggers by their blog name/instagram handle, more than their actual names
  15. You do not have to go to blogger meet ups if you do not want to
  16. Blogging shouldn't feel like a chore, but at times... it does
  17. Comparing your blog to {insert epic blog name} will make you feel like crap
  18. You will always feel proud of your blog no matter what
  19. Comments on your blog make you smile so much
  20. Commenting on other blogs makes you smile too!
  21. Explaining your blog to your parents can be so stressful
  22. If you want to do a fashion post and don't possess a tripod, a sibling/friend is always handy! (Thank you to my sibster for helping all those years back!)
  23. When a company wants to collab with you, you will end up getting far too excited.
  24. Especially when it's a cake company!
  25. But not if it's some random company from China offering you $5 for 5 hours of blog work
  26. Blog about what you're passionate about - it makes for the best posts
  27. You will find so many amazing Disney bloggers sharing tips about Disney World! 
  28. Not everyone is going to want to read your blog - but that's totally fine, and you'll love the people who do read it, even more. 
  29. You'll always worry about copyright issues
  30. A filler post such as a tag or playlist is perfectly fine if you're rushed for time

So, happy belated blog birthday to me! 

I'd love to know how long you've been blogging for and if you have anything else to add to this list! If you do, let me know! Hope you have a great day and keep safe :)

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Monday, 1 September 2025

My Favourite Disney World Attractions


The Disney World theme parks - Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot - are such amazing parks that just seem to feel magical. Though I'm not a huge Disney fangirl, I still love the franchise and the movies, so I was beyond excited for these parks.

The rides here are incredible, and I was able to get my camera onto about 90% of them - unlike at the Universal parks. I didn't get pictures of all the rides I loved, but I'm already wanting to go back so I can ride them again! Sadly, we couldn't go on all the rides, or see all the shows. This was mainly due to fast passes, not enough time at the parks, or times we just got so darn hot, that we had to call it a day! But here are the ones I loved!


Magic Kingdom
  1. Jungle Cruise
  2. Pirates of the Caribbean
  3. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  4. Haunted Mansion
  5. Under the Sea - The Journey of the Little Mermaid
  6. It's a Small World
  7. Monsters Inc Laugh Floor
  8. Space Mountain
  9. Transit Authority PeopleMover
  10. Carousel of Progress
  11. TRON
The Carousel of Progress holds a special place in my heart, as it's one I loved when I first went to MK. This was the first time I've gone on the Haunted Mansion, or seen Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, and I loved both of them! 


Epcot
  1. Mission: Space
  2. Test Track
  3. Living with the Land
  4. Journey into Imagination with Figment
  5. The Seas with Nemo and Friends
  6. Turtle Talk with Crush
  7. The Three Caballeros
I have to say that Space Ship Earth was a little too boring for me, although a good ride, I could have fallen asleep! Test Track was AMAZING, and we spent over an hour in the Chevrolet center after the ride, which was a fun bonus to the day. Figment was a fun ride, although it seemed as if no-one was heading towards it! 


Animal Kingdom
  1. Festival of the Lion King Show
  2. Kilimanjaro Safaris
  3. Kali River Rapids
  4. Expedition Everest
  5. Finding Nemo - The Musical
  6. Na'vi River Journey
I tried for ages to get the Flight of Passage fast passes in 2017, but couldn't - and everytime we go to AK, the queue is between 3-5 hours each time, so we gave that a hard pass! Na'vi River Journey was nice and relaxing, and thankful we had a fast pass, as it was usually a 2-3 hour wait at all times! The Safari and Everest were my two fave attractions at the parks. 


Hollywood Studios
  1. Indiana Jones: Epic Stunt Spectacular
  2. Rise Of The Resistance
  3. Smuggler's Run
  4. Toy Story Mania
  5. Star Wars Launch Bay - Meet BB8, Chewbacca & Kylo Ren
  6. Rock n Rollercoaster
  7. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
  8. Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
  9. Fantasmic!
This is my fave Disney Park, so I wanted to put down EVERYTHING, but I restrained myself! Toy Story Mania has to be one of the best rides in Disney World - which explains the long wait times! I really loved Rock n Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror, plus Fantasmic was so much to watch in the evening.



What are your fave attractions in Disney World? Let me know! I would have put literally everything in these lists, but as I said above, we couldn't go on everything! Hope you have a great day and keep safe :)


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