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Rose and Thorns

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Sticky Fudge is back!

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The Bosch Cooking Experience

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    Pulse Dermatology & Laser Review

    I got myself a gentle facial peel to uplift my mom face and I LOVED IT! Finally, Januworry is…

    February 19, 2019
  • My girls Love..., Parenthood

    Win with Pure Beginnings

    Do you know what you’re putting on your kid’s skin? Pure Beginnings does and they are celebrating over 10…

    February 18, 2019
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    Rose & Thorns is voted Photographic Blog of 2018!

      I’m incredibly thrilled, and grateful, that this lovely little blog of mine won in the category of Best…

    February 3, 2019
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    My favorite photos and moments of 2018

    *do not say it. do not say it* Wow, hasn’t this year gone by so quickly!? I’ll be the…

    December 31, 2018
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    My 2018 jolly Festive Drinks Guide

    A show of hands please for those who are looking for some festive drinks to enjoy over the holidays?…

    November 27, 2018
  • My girls Love..., Parenthood

    Crazy for Kiddylicious

    How do you start a “praise” post about Kiddylicious without sounding like it’s forced? I really struggle with this…

    November 23, 2018
  • Parenthood

    A family photo shoot with Grand Little Adventure

    A few weeks ago, we were blessed with a family photo shoot which was everything real and authentic….it started…

    November 19, 2018
  • Lifestyle

    I put Environ Focus Care™ to the test on tired, dry skin

    I trialed Environ Focus Care™ for a month and the results surprised me. When it comes to my skin,…

    November 14, 2018
  • Food & Drink

    I’m dreaming of a white chocolate Christmas

    I am MAD about Christmas…and so is Cadbury. I have so many personal and family traditions that I keep…

    November 11, 2018
  • Parenthood

    Christmas gift guide for new mothers and babies

    There is something in the water…EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE PREGNANT!? The birth announcements keep coming in thick and fast…

    November 8, 2018
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Hello!

Hello!

I'm Shante Hutton, mother to two wonderful girls, Rosie and Cece. Welcome to my lovely (and raw) world of parenting, food, wine, travel and British sarcasm.

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  • Dear little one, this is it. The end of our breastfeeding journey together. . . I have just placed you down to sleep with a bottle of milk that is not my own. I have patted your pretty head, done my “I love yous” and have walked out of the room and into a new phase of us. Whilst you will always be my baby, you are now so much more - a growing delight of personality and giggles - you no longer need me to sustain your every waking moment, you don’t rely on the rise and fall of my chest to send you to sleep, nor does the nook of my arm fit your entire being. The weeks of battling to get you to latch, the pain of incoming milk and new teeth are overwhelmed by the way you nuzzled into me, your eyes locking with mine, silently telling me that this was the best place to be. . . Are you cross with me? Does it feel unfair that this part of us is now confined to a memory? Is your heart as heavy as mine? . . Oh my sweetheart, I might not be able to give you that part of me anymore but please know that you have all of my heart and soul in every other way and nothing will ever change that. . . Hush now my darling, drift off to sleep, and please don’t worry, I will still be here when you wake up. Now and always. . . . . #preciousmoments #amomentinmotherhood #lovelookslikethis #breastfeedingmom #mydarlingmemory #cameramama #cherisheverymoment #thatsdarling #rawparenting #breastfeedingjourney #samommyblogger
  • Will I get into trouble for saying this...Rosie is at an age which I really dig and I can’t help but feel a little guilty because I am enjoying her being 3 much more than the younger years. . . Don’t get me wrong, I am cuckoo for all our moments together...I just love how much of her personality we now get to see and understand. The first few years of life with your child can be so exhausting, so all-consuming that you sometimes forget to truly enjoy your babes...and now I am. Now I’m truly seeing it all because I’m not hung up on trying to follow any crazy baby development schedules or overcoming the madness of teething and potty training milestones. Maybe it’s the independence I love the most? Or maybe it’s just that watching your kid develop is like opening a present every day - it’s always new. . . Rosie is an incredibly emotionally driven child - she feels things deeply - she is either all love and smiles or all tempests and furrowed brows. She needs affirmation, she breathes it in like oxygen and Mr H and I make a conscious effort to establish confidence within her that doesn’t come from a compliment but she adores being doted on and in turn, she always tells me I’m doing a great job, “well done mummy, well done” is one of her fave phrases and I don’t complain. She has a cheeky side and a stubborn side, but she dishes out hugs that soothe all the woes of the world. . . . Anyone else really enjoying seeing the development in their kid’s personalities and independence? . . Dress: @stickyfudge 🥰 . . . #unitedinmotherhood #bestofmom #simplymamahood #honestlymothering #motherly #momlifestyle #dearphotographer #photooftheday #picoftheday #justgoshoot #visuallife #welivetoexplore #freespiritedchildhood #themagicineveryday #rememberingthesedays #capturingtheday #myhappycapture
  • There was a time in my life where I couldn’t fathom having children. I wanted them, feeling as though it was the “normal” thing to crave but I couldn’t imagine a future of marriage and children because I felt I was too harsh. Too judgmental. Too loud. Too fierce. Too prone to sadness. Too anything but motherly.. . . Now that I’ve had kids, I realize that feeling like a mother and actually being a mother are entirely separate modes of living. . . Sometimes, being a mother is just about showing up, smiling and offering cuddles when your body feels as though it’s been slammed by a truck. . . Being a mother requires you to shelter your kids from a daily barrage of danger by feeling as though you’re absorbing all the pain yourself. . . Being a mother means wrestling mental and physical exhaustion, feeling like death warmed up yet doing the time because just saying your kid’s name feels like an electrical surge through your body. . . Being a mother can feel like a distinct lack of love, lack of appreciation, lack of support, but being a mother despite all of that should be celebrated and admired more than medals and trophies. . . If you don’t feel very motherly today know this, there is no cookie-cutter parental shape that you ever needed to fit into because there is no perfect mum. You are your own version of motherhood and you don’t have to feel 100% all the time because you are not a robot. . . . . . #inspiremothers #instamommy #teammotherly #unitedinmotherhood #bestofmom #simplymamahood #honestlymothering #motherly #instamama #momlifestyle #mytinytribe #motherhoodintheraw #mamasgotthis
  • The weekend is here and we’re facing it head-on. . . It’s my brother-in-laws wedding this afternoon which means Mr H will be wearing a suit 🤤 and I shall pretend that the dress I’m going to be wearing isn’t 4 years old 🙈 . . . How Dorothy does this photo look btw?! You’re not in Kansas anymore Cece...but you certainly look timeless in @stickyfudge - their charcoal rompers are probably my fave pieces (poppers at the bottom, 100% cotton, unisex) coz they are so easy for summer...now to get them to make it in my size 🤔 . . . . #momlove #bloggermom #mommymode #momliferocks #ohheymama #dearphotographer #photooftheday #picoftheday #justgoshoot #visuallife #welivetoexplore #cameramama #lifeunscripted
  • “How do I tell this woman to stop taking so many photos of me? It’s tres uncool. I’m 13 months old now!” . . Sorry kiddo, but you’re too cute not to capture. Guys, yesterday Cece went the whole day without boob. She only asked for it at around 4ish but it was a halfhearted attempt. I didn’t miss it until hulk tit started raging around 9pm. . . Mr H began being the one to put her to bed when we were in England, a little over a week ago and it was a harrowing process but necessary because we needed Cece to be able to be put to sleep by someone other than me. We’ve now reached a point where we can put her in her cot and give her a bottle and she puts herself to sleep (sometimes there are a few tears)...night feeds are still a big thing, and she’s teething currently so she wants the comfort but I feel like we have taken a huge step forward...and my baby isn’t such a baby anymore...😭😭 . . Do I feel guilty about encouraging her to wean? Oh sure I do. But I also feel that a) she is getting great meals throughout the day so she is mainly using it for comfort, b) stopping breastfeeding won’t affect our bonding, c) lack of sleep due to excessive night feeds is detrimental to everyone’s health and d) nipples are important . . . #the_sugar_jar #treasured_childhood #myminime #dearphotographer #lightinspired #seekmoments #momentsofmine #hotelroom #kindredmemories #subjectlight
  • This was my face on Monday when we arrived in Dullstroom and I could take the biggest gulp of air possible. Over the course of 3 days, I drove over JHB doing 8 photo shoots. Yes, 8. . . It was bloody brilliant and utterly exhausting. I have finally met, face-to-face, some amazing families and I’ve had cuddles with the cutest kids. I can’t wait to show you some of the pics and to look at planning my next weekend up in Jozi - anyone keen for me to try and visit again? . . . . . #everydaymoments #lovelylittlesquares #thepursuitofjoy #lifewellcaptured #kindredmemories #subjectlight #inbeautyandchaos #beyondthewanderlust #thephotographerwithin #portraitpage #portriats_ig #pursuewhatislovely
  • Oh don’t mind me, I’m just crushing on this little nugget. I’ve had a few people ask me how the night weaning is going and I can ecstatically state, it’s going exactly as I thought it would...slower than an ocean slug with a limp. BUT, we can now happily proclaim that I’m not the only one who can put her down to sleep at night and that is definitely a big achievement right? It’s not changed how much of a mummy’s girl she is, so anything that doesn’t get in the way of our cuddle and play time is a winner - which is just another reason we use the Huggies pants…but it’s mainly because they hold in all 6-night feeds without breaking a seam. Unlike my face. . . . . #AD #Huggablemoments #HuggiesPants #joyfulmamas #instamom #myhonestmotherhood #motherhoodthroughig #momtog #thehappynow #mytinymoments #littlefierceones
  • You can be surrounded by all the pretty people and things but you actually have to stop, breathe, and enjoy it otherwise it’s just you, feeling alone and tired, burned out and drowning. I think we often forget that the life of an entrepreneur is, whilst exciting, lonely and exhausting...and riddled with guilt - “am I working enough?”, “am I working too hard?”, “am i spending enough time with my loved ones?” And the favorite, “is anything I do actually good enough?” . . If you’re one of those people who asks yourself these types of questions on a daily basis, please know that you are not alone and that even the most confident, fired-up people have had days where they have wanted to sink to the ocean floor and become plankton. . . One bit of advice I can offer for work burnout is to align yourself with fellow creatives who can inspire, motivate, support and commiserate with you. Being an island might feel safer, but whose gonna help you make a shelter when the storms come? If you’re not a fan of asking for help (like me) then having a good network of warrior women means that you don’t have to utter those words because they know when you need it. . . Need to find your people? I’ve seen some incredible groups being started for creatives - @creativ.and.kin is one of them, and offers a day of nourishment and growth with likeminded people. Similarly, I try and meet monthly with a few boss babes at a winery to get out of our work space and into a community sharing space. Every little bit helps. Don’t get lost in the canola! . . . . . . #womensupportingwomen #womenwithambition #inspiremyinstagram #thatauthenticfeeling #verilymoment #creatives #investinwomen #believeinyourself #empower #femalefounders
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