College Green Home

🌙☀️ 7 ways to help you sleep during a summer heatwave:

Night time is definitely the hardest part of a heatwave. A few things that help me beat the heat and get to sleep:

1. Close curtains and blinds during the day - then open them one the sun has set.
2. Take a lukewarm shower to help your body cool down naturally.
3. Dim the lights - it helps your body start producing melatonin and prepare for sleep.
4. Skip alcohol in the evening. It can leave you feeling hotter and disrupt your sleep.
5. Light a candle. The calming essential oils in my Sleep Easy blend, together with the soft glow of candlelight, can help create a relaxing bedtime ritual. (Remember to blow it out!)
6. Cool your feet - they help your body lose heat so cooling them can make you feel more comfortable.
7. Spritz your bed linen with an essential oil spray. A familiar scent can become part of your evening routine, helping your mind recognise that it’s time to switch off.

Small changes can make a big difference.
Save this for the next hot night.
Read more natural sleep tips on my website, CollegeGreenHome 🌙

📅 My next Stroud Farmers’ Market is on Saturday 25 July where I’ll have the full Sleep Easy range of pillow sprays, diffusers, candles and bath soaks.

Happy 27 years to Stroud Farmers' Market 🎉🎂🍓🥐🥕

The market has won multiple awards, regularly appears in ‘best farmers’ market’ lists, and is loved by locals and visitors alike 🥰

Home to 50+ stalls, it’s the best place for seasonal, freshly grown, produced, baked, picked and hand crafted products from Stroud and beyond.

Congratulations to everyone who’s worked so hard to make it such a success…and here’s to the next 27 years 🎉

I had the best holiday - basically beach, swim, eat, repeat 🥰 But I’m also really happy to be home (where I can spend time with my daughter, cuddle my dogs and enjoy the beautiful Cotswolds).

And yes, I *am* a soap maker that buys soap! It’s because I love supporting small makers, like me. Soap makes a great holiday souvenir or gift - it’s small, easy to pack and is actually useful 😊

In Corfu there was a kumquat version of everything - from sorbet to liqueur, so it had to be a kumquat soap 🍑

So I’m home now - thank you to my customers who patiently waited for their website orders - they should be with you now.

My next Stroud Farmers' Market is on Saturday 25 July - I’ll make sure to take a few soaps 😉

I’ll be taking a short break from 15-26 June ☀️

You’ll still be able to place orders through the website, but any orders received during that time will be posted on 26th.

If you need something sooner, most College Green products, including aromatherapy pillow and room sprays, diffusers, candles and bath soaks, are available in Made In Stroud shop

I’ve been busy stocking up before I go, so I’ll have my full range at Stroud Farmers' Market on 27 June.

Thank you, as always, for supporting my small business 😊 See you soon!

A little boost of positivity and confidence when you need it most ✨

Focus is my blend of pure essential oils designed to help sharpen your senses, lift your mood and help you have a better day.

I keep a bottle in the car - a quick spray gives me a little dose of positivity to nudge my day towards the right track 🍋🌿

With uplifting citrus oils, rosemary, peppermint and eucalyptus, it’s like a deep breath and a fresh start in a bottle 💛

It’s available on my website, at , and at my next at Stroud Farmers’ Market on Saturday 27 June 🍋

👀 Did you spot her?

Another early morning dog walk in the shade of the wood this morning, and something caught my eye…

She’s looking straight at the dogs - who were completely oblivious, pootling along on the path 🤭

It’s going to be another hot day today, so I spritzed the house with Focus room spray when I got home. It works well during hot weather because the bright citrus, mint and eucalyptus notes seem to cut through the stuffiness that builds up during a hot day 🍋🌿

Focus is also brilliant in a car - especially when it’s been left out in the sun ☀️

It’s available from my web shop, Made In Stroud shop and now Handmade in Painswick 🍋🌿

One of my favourite things about summer nights 🦇

I’ve been so busy today I’ve barely set foot outside, but I’m so glad I went for an evening walk when I did.

It’s still warm outside, and it won’t be long before the roses are out and the evening air smells like like Night Garden 🥀🌺🌸

(The footage is on half speed because they fly so fast! 💨)

Up very early this morning to beat the heat ☀️🐾

Luckily we’re just a minute’s walk from shaded woodland, so the dogs could have a short walk just after sunrise before it got too hot. Then they spent the rest of the day stretched out indoors behind thick Cotswold stone walls. Hard to keep warm in winter, but perfect during a heatwave!

If you’re struggling with the heat too, I’ve written a blog post with some simple tips that help during hot weather, especially when the nights are too warm to sleep properly.

You can find a link to the website in my bio ☝️