Jen Walshaw | Mum In The Madhouse

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Author name: Jen Walshaw

Mum-in-charge Jen Walshaw runs the UK’s top parenting blog Mum in the Madhouse, and she describes herself as a “fat, feisty and over 50” Northerner. Based in North Yorkshire, she’s mum to young adults and a big believer that family life is messy, creative and fun. In 2009 a double mastectomy gave her the nudge to start blogging; with two boys under three she needed an outlet and a digital scrapbook to capture their chaos.Jen’s posts are a mix of crafts, kid‑friendly recipes and honest parenting, peppered with northern humour. She’s happiest when up to her elbows in tea, fabric and pizza dough – sewing and making homemade gifts – before sneaking off to write about it. As a proud Northerner she warns PRs that a “quick pop down to London” isn’t quick at all. Her blog has earned her a stack of accolades, including the Cision #1 Mummy Blogger title in 2024  and consistently topping Vuelio and Tots100 parenting‑blog charts. Whether she’s advocating for diversity and body neutrality or sharing tales of parenting teens, Jen keeps things chatty, real and refreshingly down‑to‑earth.

Let your kids help update your kitchen with peel and stick wallpaper

2 Comments / Home Improvements / By

With everyone spending most of their time in their homes it has made everyone contemplate redecorating. Do it yourself home improvement projects have become very common and they are proving very favorable in understanding your home. Being locked inside their homes people have been appreciating their space and understanding the importance of it. Redesigning the […]

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Get Crafty with These Oddbods-Inspired Accessories for School: Fun and Creative DIY Ideas

1 Comment / childrens craft / By

Get Crafty with These Oddbods-Inspired Accessories for School is a collaborative post with Oddbods in celebration of their fab back to school contest. I love crafting with children and I also love stationery, so I have developed some fun accessories that you can make with your kids to get ready for school.

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Memory Stones – An alternative to Scrapbooks

19 Comments / crafts / By

We wote the event and date on one side and then they boys drew an image to represent the time on the other. This is Maxi’s airplane. We used Glotto Metallic Pens, which we received from YellowMoon. They are brilliant on the stones and really stand out. We are keeping our stones in a kilner jar, one for each of the boys and I hope to have two full jars at the end of the holidays, so I can varnish them and place them in the garden.

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Free Things to Do in the Summer Holidays with Kids: Fun and Budget-Friendly Activities

2 Comments / parenting, Seasonal, Summer, Summer, summer activities / By

These Free Summer Holiday Activities are perfect for helping your budget stretch over the summer and also show that you can have lots of fun without splashing out all the cash (If you do fancy a vacation, then check out Phil Hoffmann Travel Holidays). Summer holidays can be expensive for parents and carers and it

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Eco-Friendly Household Products Every Home Should Consider: Sustainable Choices for a Greener Life

budgeting / By

Being eco-conscious has never been more important than in 2021. As the climate crisis continues, we all need to do our part to help reduce the impact we have on the planet. Many of the things we use around the home are made with non-sustainable materials or use ingredients detrimental to the environment. 

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Ways to Help Your Itchy Dog with Allergies: Effective Remedies and Tips for Relief

1 Comment / parenting, Pets / By

Our Bichon Frise Alvin is a much-loved dog but he suffers from numerous allergies which mainly affect his skin which is called atopical dermatitis. We have been dealing with these for the last eight years and want to share with you some ways to Help Your Itchy Dog With Allergies that really work for us

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