Product Placement is soon to be three years old. Wow. I started this blog when my son, Jake (a.k.a The Toddler and now The Boy) was a tiny baby during my maternity leave. It’s survived, and indeed prospered, through Jake’s toddler years, my second pregnancy and the arrival of Phoebe this time last year. I have loved every minute of writing about my chaotic life with my kids, hubby and bathroom full of beauty products, and I have been consistently surprised and touched by all the great feedback I’ve had from those of you who read my ramblings. But now … >>

Just before Christmas I stopped breastfeeding the baby. I’ll spare you the details: this is not a parenting blog. (I know, I told you all about the birth this time last year, but that was because it was so bad it was funny.) Anyway, back to my, er, assets, which (as any woman who has either breastfed or indeed past 35 knows), can start to lose some of their, how can I put it… pertness. Thankfully, it happens at a time where you stop giving quite such a crap about these things. Sometimes, nature, you’re not as cruel as we … >>

Remember the other day I posted – and raved – about a multi-purpose ointment? Well, in the comments below the post I rashly promised to do a top ten of these marvellous products, because I’m a little bit obsessed by them. So I did. Except I didn’t do it on Product Placement. No, I played away from home, mainly so I could be part of a lovely blog called Mabel’s Log that I came across through the magic of Twitter (and my lovely friend and ex-colleague Claire). Do pop over and see my post – and while you’re there, have … >>

I had a window this afternoon. Not one of the ones you see in advertisements, where some calm looking woman opens a magazine and eat squares of chocolate unrealistically slowly with a blanket over her knees. No. This was more of a moment of opportunism when the boy was napping, the baby was playing with her dad – and I dived into the bathroom for a ten minute at-home facial. I wouldn’t say it was relaxing. But the gorgeousness of the two products I used were such that it’s inspired tonight’s blog post, and prompted a fair bit of stealth … >>

I’m not sure who decreed this law but if you go to Sainsbury’s looking like a crock of crap with no makeup on, you will bump into someone you know. Actually, not someone, several people. And one of them will probably be an ex. With his new girlfriend/wife. Who will have loads of really nice makeup on. To avoid this I have learnt a little two-minute makeup routine that I can do in the time it takes the baby to find me in the bathroom, enter the bathroom, crawl over to the toilet and start to try and brush her … >>

When I picked the boy up from nursery today his teacher excitedly informed me that he had been stroking a rat, a snake and a giant cockroach that a man from the zoo had brought in to show the kids. He was fearless, apparently. My first thought was, excellent, he doesn’t have my hang-ups about pretty much every living creature that isn’t a guinea pig (or possibly a well behaved, large dog, at a push). My second thought was OH DEAR GOD I HOPE YOU WASHED HIS HANDS. And I’m not even normally that conscientious about these things. Yes, you’ve … >>

Well, after an obscenely long festive blog holiday, it’s too late for me to say ‘Happy New Year’ and start talking about over-indulging on mince pies. We’ve moved on from that, haven’t we? So instead I shall say ‘Hello again’, and kick off with something rather fabulous that ticks many of my favourite boxes. It’s Apodea’s Propolis Balm (£15 from www.apodea-online.co.uk). I love a universal balm/multi-purpose type product, as you may know. I get through a lot of them as I can use them on me and the kids, and this week we’ve all had ANOTHER fluey bug so I’ve … >>

And yes, it is. Hoorah! Sorry if you’ve been expecting link-packed posts in the last week or so about last-minute Christmas gifts. I was too busy either clearing my work plate or er… buying last-minute Christmas gifts. But I’ve been doing this long enough to know I’m more of a diversion than an essential. Anyway, in time-honoured tradition (yes, this is our third Christmas together, can you believe it?), here is a festive picture of the boy. And all that remains for me to say is Merry Christmas from all of us Chez Tucker, thank you for reading Product Placement … >>

Don’t worry, I’m not being all bah humbug about the impending festive season – I love a bit of Christmas. All day drinking… a house so full of pine needles there’s no point in bothering to hoover… an excuse to bulk-buy mince pies and Christmas cakes for ‘guests’ (me). Excellent. I’m not doing a gift guide or anything. You can find that sort of thing on proper websites. But I thought my next few posts could be a few festive choices for those among you who are last minute online shoppers like my good self. So to kick off, the … >>

I am quite fussy. I was going to list the things I was fussy about at this point, so I asked my husband. “Life” was his answer. Very helpful. I will try and break it down a bit: I am fussy about coffee. I am fussy about food (I hate crap food). And I am fussy about my hair. I am not however that fussy about my clothes, or the housework, or, since the above comment, my husband. Anyway, this obviously relates to the hair bit. I am fussy because, as regular readers will know, I have very long, very … >>