Monday 27 August 2018

Body Positivity - weight loss, weight gain, having babies and learning to accept and embrace my post baby body! *Skirtini Review*

Today I wanted to talk a little about body acceptance, and body positivity...it's a broad subject and there's loads I want to say but for today I'm going to keep it simple, a bit of a mind dump - on how I'm feeling currently about my body, and what I've been doing to improve my confidence, and feel more positive about what I see in the mirror. 

Firstly, a little back story for those who aren't familiar with my history. All through my childhood I was overweight - food was always a comfort, a celebration, a treat, a consolation: whatever emotion I was feeling, food was my crutch. In my teens and for most of my twenties, I weighed around 17 stone, and wore a UK size 20. I felt unfit, self conscious and was obsessed with food, portion size and did little exercise. On my exterior I was confident - your token funny fat girl; an actress, a performer, but inside I was far from confident, I would berate myself for my appearance, my weight, the lumps and bumps, and pretty much without exception I hated everything I wore. I felt quite out of control and the negativity swamped me on a daily basis. 

Mrs Bishop overweight
Mrs Bishop overweight
Liam and I in 2010

Skip forward a few years to my late twenties - and I managed to drop a few stones in time for my wedding day - I felt a lot better, much fitter and healthier,   happier and more confident - and I had got down to a UK size 16 - the smallest I'd ever been as an adult. Then I suffered a miscarriage on my honeymoon, and I turned to food once more - piling on a stone or so, before finally falling pregnant with my son Bert, who is now 5. 

Mr & Mrs Bishop Wedding Day
On our wedding day

Lucy and Liam Bishop
Pregnant with Bert in 2013 

Lucy and Liam Bishop
A few months (yes, really) after Bert was born. 

After Bert was born, I found I had ballooned back up to 17 stone, and was again feeling lethargic, unhealthy and very unhappy about my body. My husband Liam had also piled on a lot of weight, so together we embarked on a massive life overhaul - calorie counting every mouthful of food, learning about portion control, healthy choices, adding in exercise to our daily routine, and arming ourselves with a whole new repertoire of healthy from scratch recipes. Over the course of 2.5 years we shed over 11 stone between us (6st 9lbs from me alone) and I slimmed down to 10 st 6lbs and a small UK size 12. 

Lucy Bishop - at her slimmest

Lucy Bishop - at her slimmest
At my lowest weight in April 2015

Lucy and Liam Bishop - at their slimmest
11 stone shifted and feeling great! 

I maintained that lowest weight for a few weeks, and then found my 'happy weight' at around 11 stone - although this might be a big weight for some, for me I felt confident, happy, sexy, curvy and I fitted perfectly into my new size 12 wardrobe. A few months later I fell pregnant with my daughter Connie, who is now 2. Throughout that pregnancy I gained just over two stones - and two years later, I still haven't shifted them!

That's not to say I haven't tried to shift them - I've been making a consistent effort to stay on track with my food and exercise, I've been mostly eating well and keeping up my twice weekly gym sessions, I've been fitting in lots of power walks with my mummy friends and I have worked hard at keeping my portions controlled. I still mostly cook great food from scratch - but I haven't been calorie counting, I decided to stop in a bid to step away from that obsessive way of controlling food, and trying to apply what I learnt through those two years of obsessive calorie counting to everyday life, without crunching the numbers.

I have been enjoying treats, snacks and 'little extras' frequently enough that although I haven't piled on any more weight since Connie's birth, I haven't lost any either. It's frustrating, but I know why and I know if I pushed harder, cut the frequency of snacks and treats, that it would start to come off. I've moved up a dress size to a size 14, although I can still wear a fair amount of my size 12 wardrobe too, but my goal is to get back down to my happy weight, where I can confidently fit back into 100% of wardrobe of lovely clothes, and feel my healthiest/happiest and most confident - it also puts me at a much healthier BMI, which although many don't agree with, is something medical professionals still use - and 11st is a weight I have been at before and I know 'works' for me. 

That being said, I don't hate what I see in the mirror anymore, which means that desperation and determination I used to feel when I looked at my body is nowhere near as strong - perhaps another reason why the weight isn't coming off like it did previously? I am slowly learning to embrace, accept and be more positive about my changing body. Over the years it's been fat, thin, birthed two babies, miscarried a very wanted baby, had broken bones, scars, tiger stripes, and a little loose skin from weight loss. I have also suffered injuries that have over the years really affected how I exercise and what I am capable of, I had a bad back injury back in 2012 (3 slipped discs) which is an ongoing issue I deal with still to this day, and more recently, in January this year I injured my shoulder. This has put a dampener on a lot of my weight-based exercise and training, and also the regular swimming I was doing, but it is slowly improving with physiotherapy and a rest from lifting weights in the gym and swimming for a few months (boo!!!). Our bodies are a bloody marvel really - and we are all far too quick to flog them to death with negativity - picking apart our reflections and focussing on every negative part we perceive.

Instead of fixating too much on numbers on the scale, I'm trying to focus on making healthy choices, exercising regularly and practising moderation in all things. I'm keeping an eye on the scale just once a month to ensure I'm moving in the right direction, and apart from that I'm trying to embrace my curves, accentuate my best-bits and celebrate how far I've come... I'm still a long way from my 17 stone/size 20 body, and for that I should be proud. 

One of the best ways I've found to help boost my confidence when I'm struggling is to dress in something that makes me feel great - for me that is usually something that fits really well, flatters my curves and cinches me in at the waist, which is my smallest part. 

Great swimwear can be particularly difficult to find for midsize women like me - I don't feel confident or supported in flimsy bikinis or one pieces without added boob support or tummy control - but I also don't fit into plus size swimwear which usually start the size above me at a size 16. So I was thrilled when UK Swimwear asked if they could send me one of their beautiful Skirtinis to try out.  

They sent me their Gottex Profile Cruise Tutti Frutti Swimdress priced at £109.95 to try, and I was blown away but not only how beautiful it is, but how supportive and comfortable it is to wear, and how confident I felt in it. 

Mrs Bishop - UK Swimwear Skirtini review

From UK Swimwear - the credentials... 

Gottex Profile Cruise Tutti Frutti Swimdress £109.95

* Bandeau
* Soft cups
* Underwired
* Loose fit skirt
* Tummy control
* Removable straps 

Profile provides the most unbeatable sculpting technology in Gottex's range, and the Cruise collection is the pinnacle of luxury. Here they meet in a flattering and stunning piece of swimwear. This swimdress is a homage to the Golden Age of Hollywood, with the bandeau and twist front, and the wavy skirt, all of which you might have seen a starlet from the '50s wear. But the outer skirt section is added over a tummy control swimsuit, as you can see from the sheer material that makes up the skirt. The result is a classic piece of swimwear fashion, and a figure sculpting interior part. This swimdress is soft cupped and has removable straps.

Mrs Bishop - UK Swimwear Skirtini review

I wear a size 14 and found it true to size. 

I love the shape of this swimming costume - the way the sheer material floats over your tummy and thighs, and the way it moves and sways with you as you move about. It feels very supportive of the boob area, even without the straps, and I had no issue keeping it up - I didn't need to keep pulling at it or readjusting it. I think the bust bandeau section is really pretty, I love the wave and bunching of the fabric as it sweeps across your chest, it's a lovely detail and makes it feel very feminine, and even quite sexy. 

Mrs Bishop - UK Swimwear Skirtini review

I teamed it with an old favourite beach cover up from New Look in a size 12, to add a pop of colour and some much needed warmth, as it was a pretty chilly day when we headed to our local splash park last week to celebrate my little boy's 5th birthday (which was when we took these photos).

It felt great to feel confident in my own skin, and not get bogged down worrying what people thought of me, or how I looked with more skin exposed than normal. 

I think my age has a lot to do with my change in perspective when it come to my body image. Do I go around judging all and sundry on what they wear, how much they weigh or whether they have cellulite? Hell no! I'm too busy living my own life and worrying about what they think of me, it's so silly really! What has become of paramount importance as I've gotten older, and since I've become a mum, is being present in the moment, enjoying the little things - watching my kids splashing in the water, and running in to join them, rather than covering up and sitting it out in case someone was to see the rolls on my tummy or the dimples in my thighs. 

Mrs Bishop - UK Swimwear Skirtini review

Is this swimsuit magic? No. Do you absolutely need one in order to feel confident? NO! It's lovely and well made, a great fit and flattering - but it's got a hefty price tag too, and so it won't be within everyone's price range, but there will be a swimsuit, bikini, tankini, swimdress or skirtini out there which will flatter your shape (whatever that shape might be) and will make you feel fabulous - whether it's this one, or one that is more budget friendly - and it is worth shopping around until you find 'the one'. 

Mrs Bishop - UK Swimwear Skirtini review

Mrs Bishop - UK Swimwear Skirtini review

Mrs Bishop - UK Swimwear Skirtini review

This swimsuit will fit and flatter me, even if I drop some weight as it is very form fitting, and so I'm hoping will last me a very long time (which will then mean it warrants its price tag). I feel confident that the shape and colour of this swimdress is timeless, and over the years I will be able to accessorise it with different cover ups, sarongs, wraps, hats, shoes, bags and even jewellery to fit with current trends. 

So, the plan is to keep on keeping on - life is busy and crazy, and I've worked hard in the past three years to build my freelance business, which takes up a lot of my time and energy. As well as, of course, looking after both our brilliant kids (Connie full time/Bert goes to school) and I even attempt to find time to blog when I've get a moment too - so I don't have the luxury of time or the headspace available to obsess over my weight anymore, or to worry about how long it might take me to reach my goal, but as long as I'm taking small steps in the right direction health & fitness wise, then I'm happy!


Mrs Bishop - UK Swimwear Skirtini review

The Future


I am so excited at the prospect of getting back into every item of clothing in my wardrobe, it is such a motivator for me. I'm also excited to improve even more on my fitness levels, challenge myself and build the strength back up in my slowly recovering shoulder. I can't tell you how thrilled I will be to get back to my brilliant personal training classes with my ace PT Matt. 

In the meantime, I will not be berating myself for enjoying a treat here and there, I will not pick apart my reflection (especially in front of my children) I will celebrate my brilliant body, accentuate the bits of my body I love and flatter those bits that challenge my confidence. I will live life, and will not let my shape, weight, size, or perceived imperfections cut me off from embracing life. 

All bodies are brilliant, miraculous and worth celebrating. 


Mrs Bishop - UK Swimwear Skirtini review

Mrs Bishop - UK Swimwear Skirtini review

I was gifted the above swimsuit in return for my honest opinion of it, which I have shared in the above post. 

Monday 6 August 2018

July Degustabox review and discount code...

July 2018 Degustabox contents

It's Degustabox time once again! How on EARTH is it August already? Time is flying faster than usual, I'm sure of it. 

In today's post I'm sharing with you what we thought of the contents of our July Degustabox food subscription box, so here it goes... 

July 2018 Degustabox contents

July 2018 Degustabox contents

PRODUCT OF THE MONTH

Capsicana

Brazilian Smoked Paprika & Spices Seasoning Mix - £1.00

Mexican Guacalmole Mix - £0.65


From the brand:

Capsicana are proud to extend their exciting Latin American range. Just add their Mexican Guacamole Mix to one smashed avocado for delicious homemade Guac! Try their Brazilian Smoked Paprika & Spices Seasoning Mix sprinkled on some meat on the BBQ or in the oven for a real tasty Churrasco experience! Both are launching in Sainsbury’s stores this month.

What we thought:

As HUGE Capsicana fans (thanks to trying some of their products in previous Degustabox boxes), we were thrilled to see some new sauces/mixes to try out.

This time we used the Brazilian Smoked Paprika and Spices Seasoning mix to season chicken breast, onions and peppers to make a fajita style mixture, and we served it on warm tortilla wraps with the Mexican Guacamole Mix (mixed with a whole mashed fresh avocado), grated cheddar and sour cream for dinner. It made for a super tasty and filling evening meal, with so many wonderful layers of flavour and heat, and there was even enough for me to have a lunch the following day, using the leftovers! WIN!

Capsicana sauces - July 2018 Degustabox contents


Capsicana fajita
Fajita using Capsicana spice mix, sauce and Guacamole mix. 

Capsicana lunch bowl
Chicken rice bowl using leftovers from our Capsicana fajita dinner

July 2018 Degustabox contents: Heinz Salad Cream

Heinz

Salad Cream

£1.49


After a century of being a must-have ingredient in lunchboxes and picnic hampers up and down the country, Heinz Salad Cream still has its deliciously zingy taste that makes it one of Britain’s best-loved sauces.


What we thought:

What can you say about Salad Cream? It's a store cupboard/fridge staple for many UK households, and ours is no different. We love Salad Cream, especially in summer (perfect with BBQs and salads) so this most definitely won't go to waste. Heinz is a brand we buy regularly (for all sorts aside from just Salad Cream) and a brand we love and trust - the quality of their products is top notch. 

July 2018 Degustabox contents: Rosie's Pig Flat Tyre

Rosie’s Pig

Flat Tyre

£2.00

Lightly sparkling, cloudy cider with rhubarb juice. Made with fresh pressed Herefordshire apples, this sweet and well balanced cider is slowly matured and left unfiltered to create an uncompromising flavour. The fruity taste paired with a tart finish makes it refreshingly moreish.

*This product was included in the alcohol version of the Degustabox only.


What we thought:

Another brand we know and love - Liam actually did a little cheer when he saw that this cider was part of our box - he says they are the perfect alcoholic drink for a warm summer evening, and I have to say I agree. We cracked this open during a bbq one night last week, and it was gorgeous - not too sweet, the sharpness of the rhubarb really comes though! We both said we would buy this again if we saw it in the supermarket. 

July 2018 Degustabox contents: Ribena Sparkling

Ribena

Sparkling

£2.70

Ribena Sparkling is a grown up twist on a classic – this time with bubbles included! Available in two tongue tickling flavours; Blackcurrant, and Pineapple and Passionfruit – this refreshing new drink comes in at less than 15 calories per bottle – available now in pubs near you!

*You should receive two flavours in your Degustabox.


What we thought:

Degustabox seem to be killing it this month by pairing with well-loved brands - and Ribena is no exception. The juice of my childhood, Ribena is hugely nostalgic for me, and so I was really excited to give these a ago. I like sparkling drinks, but often avoid them as they are usually full of sugar and calories, but I will thrilled to see these bottles contained just 15 calories each - AMAZING! I drank mine chilled and they were perfect - they still had that unmistakable 'Ribenary' taste, but with an element of adult sophistication thrown in. I will be looking out for these in the supermarket.

July 2018 Degustabox contents: Miso Tasty Red Miso Soup

Miso Tasty

Mugi Barley Miso Soup

£3.75


Made from fermented barley and soybeans, our Mugi Barley Miso Soup has a light but hearty flavour. The mushrooms add a sweet, earthy taste and are packed separately to keep our miso fresh and mushrooms flavoursome!


What we thought:

I've heard a lot about MISO soup over the years, but I'd never tried it, so this product really intrigued me. I liked the idea of all the health properties and the fact it only contains 45 calories, and it was definitely super easy to prepare (empty sachets x2 and add hot, not boiling, water) but unfortunately, I didn't much enjoy the taste of the soup. It was very simple and light in favour - with a strong Unami/salty/savouriness to it - the broth itself I found pleasant enough, but it was the flakes of spices and seaweed that I didn't enjoy - the seaweed turned slimy once the water was added, and I did not like the texture of it at all.

July 2018 Degustabox contents: Percol Iced Coffee

Percol

Iced Coffees

£1.50


We’re a small bunch of coffee lovers who are passionate about bringing you the best beans. That’s why we’ve created these irresistible Fairtrade and Organic Iced Coffees.

*You should receive one of two flavours in your Degustabox.


What we thought:

THIS COFFEE IS DREAMY! It was hands-down one of the nicest ready to drink iced coffees I've ever tried, but it was also pretty high in calories compared to my usual skinny iced latte, so this drink would definitely be a treat item for me. I'd love it if they do a lighter version with skinny milk...I'll have to do my research!


July 2018 Degustabox contents: Peckish Rice Crackers

Peckish

Cheese Trays

£1.59


Peckish is a thinner, lighter, crispier snack made of rice and full of flavour! We are baked not fried, gluten free and under 100 calories per portion. The trays are perfect for sharing and entertaining this summer.


What we thought:

Liam and I devoured these - such a simple, easy to grab, savoury snack! I enjoyed the individual portioned packets of the BBQ Peckish crisps from a previous box, so I was fairly certain that I'd enjoy its cheddar cheese cousin, and I was right. Truly scrummy! 


July 2018 Degustabox contents: Pulsin Raw Choc Brownie

Pulsin

Salted Caramel Raw Choc Brownie

£1.59


A deliciously decadent healthy brownie… who knew that could even exist? Well, now it does! Crafter with the finest natural ingredients, the new salted Caramel Raw Choc Brownie from Pulsin is the perfect treat for an indulgent yet guilt-free snack!


What we thought:

I'm a massive fan of Pulsin products- I love their choc chip vanilla protein bars so much that I bulk buy them regularly - so I was dying to give their raw choc brownie bar a go. It was delicious - really chocolatey with a lovely texture, like the vanilla bars, they feel like a treat and they are SO UNBELIEVABLY filling that honestly, I often only eat half a bar at a time. I still prefer the vanilla bar, just, but that's not to say this one isn't delicious too. 

July 2018 Degustabox contents: Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles 30% less sugar

Rowntree’s

Fruit Pastilles 30% Less Sugar Pouch

£1.29


30% Less Sugar, 100% Fun-Filled. Introducing Rowntree’s 30% Less Sugar Fruit Pastilles. The sweets you know and love, but now with 30% less sugar. Rowntree’s sweets contain no artificial colours, flavours, preservatives or sweeteners.


What we thought:

Now this one has helped to keep Bert's sweetie cravings at bay during the summer holidays - and thankfully with 30% less sugar, I can feel a little less guilty about his sweet consumption. Bert hasn't noticed a difference in flavour, so they're a hit from us!

July 2018 Degustabox contents: London Flavours Crisps

London Flavours

£0.95


Our premium crisps are made with the best British potatoes, roughly peeled, seasoned with delicious flavours and hand booked in small batches to ensure a crispier quality. Now you can share a flavour of London life.

*You should receive two of four flavours in your Degustabox.


What we thought:

I'm such a crisp addict (definitely my snack downfall in terms of bingeing/not able to resist) and I'd never heard of this brand, which is always exciting for a crisp connoisseur like me. The Oak Smoked Chilli was my favourite of the two flavours. They were very high quality crisps, the sort you'd except to get in a high end cafe or gastropub and I'd happily eat them again. 



July 2018 Degustabox contents: Cadbury High Lights Hot Chocolate

Cadburys

Highlights Milk Chocolate

£2.99


The deliciously light way to enjoy hot chocolate! Cadburys Highlights Milk Chocolate has the smooth, milk-chocolatey taste of Cadbury, but with only 38 calories per cup! Simply mix three heaped spoonfuls of Cadbury Highlights Milk Chocolate in a mug of hot water, stir and enjoy a moment for yourself.


What we thought:

Another classic brand, what Brit doesn't adore a bit of Cadburys? I actually hadn't had Highlights since I was a teenager, and actually I was pleasantly surprised. I remembered it being a bit watery - but it had a lovely sweet and comforting flavour, and that distinct Cadbury sweetness. A really tasty and warming drink for just 38 calories per mug - great stuff - a brilliant option for those who are trying to lose weight, or limit their calorie intake. 

All in all a very good box this month, with only one item that wasn't to my taste - it was great to discover some new to the market items from some of my favourite brands, and try some brand new brands I'd not yet come across. 

---------------------------------------------------------------


If you'd like to give Degustabox a try then you can receive a whopping £5.00 off your first box by using code:


1VRVA

at the checkout! 

Enjoy everyone and let me know if you try it! 

Mrs B

xxx

For more info on Degustabox follow them on their social media channels:

Degustabox social media handles

We were sent our July Degustabox in return for this honest review. 

Wednesday 1 August 2018

Mythical Beasts Lego Trail at The Mall, Luton on until 13th August

Pandora's box has been opened at The Mall, Luton this summer, releasing mythical LEGO beasts into the Mall. The Mythical Beasts LEGO brick trail by Bright Bricks contains an amazing selection of giant Lego statues from the six-headed Hydra to Pegasus the winged horse, this exciting new LEGO trail challenges you to track down the escaped beasts which are placed around the Mall, for a chance to win LEGO prizes!  

Yesterday we headed down to The Mall, Luton to be the first family to see the statues, and we were very kindly treated to a VIP Tour of the Mythical Beasts from a Bright Bricks builder, Shawn, who was able to tell us everything we needed to know about these amazing LEGO builds and how they are created. 

I'm so excited to be able to share our morning with you - and I urge if you live locally to get yourself down to the Mall as soon as possible to see this amazing collection of LEGO sculptures. 

The Mythical Beasts trail started yesterday (31st July 2018) and is on until 13th August. It is totally free of charge, and you can get a trail booklet for your kids from the Mall's customer services desk which not only helps you to locate the beasts but also has questions to answer on each sculpture as you go around - if you answer all the questions and hand in your booklet at the end, you get a little free gift from The Mall, as well as being entered into a prize draw to win Legoland Windsor tickets! 

The six headed Hydra - Bright Bricks Mythical Beasts LEGO brick trail at The Mall, Luton
The six headed Hydra - Bright Bricks Mythical Beasts LEGO brick trail at The Mall, Luton
Bert and Liam were so mega excited about the trail, they are both huge LEGO fans, and can often be found squirrelling away many hours building LEGO masterpieces at home. 

I can confirm that the sculptures are MESMERISING - I defy anyone not to be impressed by their sheer size, their incredible details and vibrant colours. We literally saw people from all walks of life stopping in their tracks in the Mall yesterday to take in the impressive beasts. I had a long conversation with a woman in her 80's who thought they were just amazing - so it really is for the whole family, Granny included! 

The six headed Hydra - Bright Bricks Mythical Beasts LEGO brick trail at The Mall, Luton
The menacing Hydra - this sculpture even had sound effects!!
The first stop on our trail was to see the six headed Hydra - each Hydra head has a name - from left to right they are called Hamilton, Hansel, Harold, Harry, Harvey, Horace and Horatio! It took a team of 6 builders 122 hours to build, using 177,000 bricks! 

It is said that no blade can slay the beast, as for every head cut off, the Hydra grows two more in its place. According to legend, one was once seen with a hundred heads!!

The detail on this statue was incredible, I especially loved the skin pattern down the Hydra's back, and it's lizard-like body, just amazing! 

As a lover of Greek Mythology I recognised many of the creatures on the trail, and I enjoyed telling Bert some of the stories as we went round - it felt like a rites of passage recounting tales of Medusa, Hydra and Pegasus!

The back of the six headed Hydra - Bright Bricks Mythical Beasts LEGO brick trail at The Mall, Luton
The back of the six headed Hydra - what amazing detail! 
A character that Bert was familiar with was of course, Hercules (thanks to the Disney classic!) and he loved posing as the legend himself on this amazing interactive mosaic piece. This piece is 2D (unlike the other 3D sculptures) and is made up of thousands of flat LEGO tiles. It took a team of 4 people 23 hours to make, using 28,295 bricks!

I was in awe of the detail - especially the definition of Hercules' muscles - it truly is a work of art! Shawn our tour guide explained that when you build a mosaic piece like this you have about 15 seconds to move a piece before the glue dries - then your only option if you need to change a tile is to chisel it out! Crazy! 


Hercules Interactive model - Mythical Beasts Trail
Hercules Interactive Model - Mythical Beasts Trail 
Hercules Mythical Beasts interactive model
Hercules Mythical Beasts interactive model

Next we moved on to perhaps the scariest of all the models - Stheno the Gorgon! Stheno is the sister of Medusa - she was the oldest and most terrifying of the gorgon sisters, Stheno and Euryale began a formidable campaign against the gods and their champion after her mortal sister Medusa fell at the hands of the hero Perseus. Like Medusa, any mortal who meets Stheno's gaze is turned to stone! 

Bert was in awe of her many snake heads, and Liam and I particularly enjoyed the attention to detail in the Greek-patterned tiled floor plinth she stood on. Bright Bricks really have thought about every aspect of these statues and the work that goes into them is astounding.

Stheno the Gorgon - Mythical Beasts at The Mall, Luton
Stheno the Gorgon - Mythical Beasts at The Mall, Luton 
Stheno the Gorgon - Mythical Beasts at The Mall, Luton
Stheno the Gorgon - Mythical Beasts at The Mall, Luton tion
Stheno the Gorgon - Mythical Beasts at The Mall, Luton
Stheno the Gorgon - Mythical Beasts at The Mall, Luton 
Stheno the Gorgon - Mythical Beasts at The Mall, Luton
Stheno the Gorgon - Mythical Beasts at The Mall, Luton 
One of my favourite statues in the collection was The Mermaid (The Little Mermaid is one of my all-time favourite Disney films!) and I thought the colours used in this particular model were breathtaking, even the rock she is sitting on contains a beautiful array of colours from white, blacks and greys, to beige's and greens - giving a really defined and realistic finished look. Shawn told us that they weren't permitted to use red hair for the mermaid, as it would be too close a copy to Disney's Ariel, but I loved her fiery ginger hair! She also has the same face structure as a model of Rey from Star Wars that Bright Bricks made for a Star Wars film premiere - this definitely piqued Liam and Bert's interests as they are major Star Wars fans!


The Mermaid - Mythical Beasts LEGO Brick trail by Bright Bricks
The Mermaid - Mythical Beasts LEGO Brick trail by Bright Bricks
The Mermaid - Mythical Beasts LEGO Brick trail by Bright Bricks

Bert is a little too young for the Harry Potter books and films, so he was yet to hear about a Phoenix - he was intrigued to learn all about the bird that can burst into flames and has magical tear drops. Akaara the Pheonix took a team of 2 builders 94 hours to create, using 25,260 bricks! 

Bert read out the sign attached to the Phoenix statue (there's one attached to each statue with facts, figures and a little background on the creature) and was fascinated to find out that a Phoenix is never born, and will never die, their lives are an infinite cycle of rebirth. Connected to Life itself, even mighty hydras cower from a Phoenix's thunderous squawk! WOW! 

Akaara the Phoenix, Bright Bricks LEGO statue at The Mall, Luton
Akaara the Phoenix, Bright Bricks LEGO statue at The Mall, Luton

My absolute favourite of the whole trail was the MASSIVE Cyclops! Oh my goodness, it is HUMUNGOUS! It carries a huge club, and looks as if it is about to bring it down and bash you on the head with it! It must look even more impressive to little children. Again, the detail is staggering - I loved looking at the facial details, the accessories and clothing he wears and even his disgusting feet!


Cyclops - Mythical Beasts LEGO Trail at The Mall, Luton
Cyclops - Mythical Beasts LEGO Trail at The Mall, Luton
We were hugely impressed to discover that this Golden Fleece (one of the smaller of the models, which are placed inside some of the Mall's shop windows, rather than in the Mall floor space itself) was actually created by our very own tour guide Shawn! He was able to tell us all about the process of making it, which was just fascinating to hear! Isn't he talented? Puts my LEGO model building to shame! Haha! 

The Golden Fleece, Lego statue by Bright Bricks in The Mall, Luton
The Golden Fleece, Lego statue by Bright Bricks in The Mall, Luton 
Another build by Shawn was this amazing specimen! The Chimera was a monstrous fire-breathing hybrid creature composed of the parts of more than one animal. I couldn't stop photographing it as you notice new things about it from every angle... 

The Chimera - Mythical Beasts LEGO statue at The Mall, Luton
The Chimera - Mythical Beasts LEGO statue at The Mall, Luton 
The Chimera - Mythical Beasts LEGO statue at The Mall, Luton
The Chimera - Mythical Beasts LEGO statue at The Mall, Luton 
The Chimera - Mythical Beasts LEGO statue at The Mall, Luton
The Chimera - Mythical Beasts LEGO statue at The Mall, Luton 
The Chimera - Mythical Beasts LEGO statue at The Mall, Luton
The Chimera - Mythical Beasts LEGO statue at The Mall, Luton 
I think the most beautiful of all the statues was Rhea the Pegasus (winged horse). The simplicity in terms of colour was a stark contrast between the exceptional detail that has gone into building this amazing horse. With enchanting piercing blue eyes, and even eyelashes (!) I could have stood and marvelled at her for ages. 

She took 4 people 85 hours to build and used an impressive 81,320 bricks. That's a lot of LEGO! 

Pegasus, Mythical Beasts - The Mall, Luton
Pegasus, Mythical Beasts - The Mall, Luton
Pegasus, Mythical Beasts - The Mall, Luton
Pegasus, Mythical Beasts - The Mall, Luton
As we went round The Mall, Bert loved finding out what the questions were on the trail booklet - and with his new found reading skills since starting school, he was able to read the signs and find out the answers for himself - he did find the large numbers a bit of a challenge though - as he can only count to one hundred! Ha! It was a lovely way to tie the trail together and keep the children interested in reading the signs and (without realising it) learning such interesting facts about these amazing sculptures and their place within ancient mythology. 

The most vibrantly coloured model was Aello the Harpy - she took 2 people 47 hours to create, using 21,500 bricks! 

Did you know that Harpies are snatchers by trade, thieves on behalf of the gods? No trinket, tool or mortal is beyond the Harpies' well-honed kidnapping skills, and there is no heist tasked to them that they have not accepted with glee! 

Aello the Harpy took 2 people 47 hours to create, using 21,500 bricks!
Aello the Harpy took 2 people 47 hours to create, using 21,500 bricks! 
Bert loving getting up close and personal with a Harpy!
Bert loving getting up close and personal with a Harpy! 
Next we spotted another of the smaller models, perched in a shop window! The gorgeous owl really reminded me of Hedwig from Harry Potter, and actually the whole of the tour made me realise how grounded in Greek Mythology J.K Rowling's world is... 

LEGO Owl statue in The Mall, Luton
LEGO Owl statue in The Mall, Luton 
The final pair of statues we saw on our VIP Tour was Chiron the Centaur and Teb the Satyr - who are placed together in this exhibition. These half man/half beast characters worked brilliantly well together and I loved how they differed so much in size but not in splendour! 

Chiron the Centaur and Teb the Satyr: Mythical Beasts by Bright Bricks.
Chiron the Centaur and Teb the Satyr: Mythical Beasts by Bright Bricks. 
Chiron the Centaur and Teb the Satyr: Mythical Beasts by Bright Bricks.
Chiron the Centaur and Teb the Satyr: Mythical Beasts by Bright Bricks. 
Teb the Satyr: Mythical Beasts by Bright Bricks.
Teb the Satyr: Mythical Beasts by Bright Bricks. 
We adored every moment of this magical mythical tour, and it was made all the more special because we enjoyed it with the company of Shawn, who as a Bright Bricks builder, was able to give us so much behind the scenes detail into the making of the models, and what life as a bonafide LEGO statue builder is like. Never mind how impressed Bert was, I think Liam is GENUINELY considering a change of career! 

Following the tour we were treated to a yummy brunch with The Mall Luton team, and the kids (and Liam!) got to enjoy a LEGO building session with Shawn as their mentor. 

Connie and Bert enjoying brunch at the Mythical Beasts launch at The Mall, Luton
Connie and Bert enjoying brunch at the Mythical Beasts launch at The Mall, Luton 
LEGO building with Daddy!
Lego building with Daddy!

Bert was definitely inspired by the Mythical Beasts statues, and he got so creative with the LEGO making his very own mythical beast! Not bad for 4 years old!
Bert and his mythical LEGO beast!
Bert and his mythical LEGO beast! 
It was lovely to get hands-on with some LEGO after seeing so many amazing sculptures throughout the morning - we followed some step by step LEGO instructions and built some really cool monsters together which was so fun! I honestly think you're never too old to enjoy being creative with LEGO bricks! 

Our LEGO monster face!
Our LEGO monster face! 
Even Connie was introduced to building with LEGO for the first time (she's only 2!) - she loved popping the tiny eyes on and spent a good ten minutes sat on Liam's lap saying very clearly over and over again "MORE EYES DADDY!". 


Connie's first LEGO build!
Connie's first LEGO build! 
Albert was so pleased with his LEGO creation, and he very proudly showed it off to Shawn, who was so wonderful with him, and very encouraging, telling him that it was good enough to become a real life LEGO builder when he is a grown up! Cue beaming smiles from my little man! 

Albert and Bright Bricks builder, Shawn.
Albert and Bright Bricks builder, Shawn. 
What a marvellous morning - and how happy we were to have been lucky enough to be invited down to enjoy such a well thought out and impressive exhibition. 

If you are local to Luton then please do head down to The Mall and give it some love - it's the perfect way to keep the kids happy during summer holiday shopping trips, and is worth a visit solely to see the exhibition, even if you don't need to shop! 

Mythical Beasts is on at The Mall Luton from 31st July 2018 - 13th August 2018. For more info head to The Mall Luton's website or social media @TheMallLuton 

This is a collaborative post. 


Mythical Beasts at The Mall, Luton
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