Stacey Solomon's refreshingly honest approach to life and motherhood is why so many adore her. She has a legion of dedicated Instagram followers (5.5 million and counting), who are mesmerised by her 'tap-to tidy' Instagram Stories, where a messy cupboard is – with a tap – stocked with neatly labelled jars.
You may also know Stacey from coming third on The X Factor in 2009, as the Queen of the Jungle in I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here in 2010, or more recently, as a Loose Women panellist. Now, the TV star is taking on her newest challenge - a newjewellery collection with Abbott Lyon,which she reveals is inspired by her true passion: being a mum.
In December, the mother-of-four announced that her home, Pickle Cottage, will soon have a new addition. Stacey tells Grazia that this pregnancy has been a 'whirlwind.' She gushes, 'It was a really happy surprise that we're really grateful for. I feel like I just gave birth to Rose (who was born in October 2021), which is really strange - It's been bizarre.'
Having a baby again so soon is also a new experience for her. 'Previously I've had such huge age gaps between my children - my eldest is 15 years old. I've had really big gaps and time to process. So, this is a bizarre scenario for me that I've not experienced before, but I'm just so grateful,' Stacey explains.
Last week Stacey announced the gender of her baby - much to the delight of fans. On Instagram she shared a sweet image of her cradling her daughter Rose on her bump and wrote, 'When Rose Found Out She’s Going To Have A… Sister. So excited to share with you that we are going to be saying hello to another darling daughter soon. Sisters.' She added, 'The boys are so excited. And the thought of Rose having a little sister as well as all of her amazing big brothers has filled our hearts.'
Wherever Stacey goes, she leaves a bit of sparkle and that's what she hopes to bring to buyers of her Abbott Lyon 'The Stories Collection.' Solomon is an ambassador of the brand, which has previously partnered up with Love Island'sGemma Owen. 'This is the first ever collection I've designed and I've created a charm for every chapter of life,' she says. From dainty custom name necklaces to charm bracelets and encrusted earrings - there is something for everyone. As Valentine's Day approaches, the timing could not be more perfect.
For Stacey, the charm braceletwas the first piece she knew she had to design. She says, 'I remember when I was little, my mum had a charm bracelet and I was mesmerised by it. She would tell me the story behind every single charm - whether it was her birthday or wedding - and I just loved that.' Adding,' I physically drew the charms as well from the squiggly heart, to the house and the bear - it was such a fun process.' The whole collection is mix and match meaning there is the option to add and remove charms over time to tell a different story through your jewellery every day.
Jewellery is clearly something that Stacey associates with many intimate family memories, but there is one particular piece from her husband that holds a special place in her heart. She reveals, 'My most special piece of jewellery is my engagement ring - even more than my wedding ring. It's special because I didn't know Joe [Swash] was getting it and he picked it out. I think just the whole memory of how we got engaged - it was in the woods where we used to walk every day with the kids - the whole memory and the whole experience makes it my favourite.'
For Joe and I, our favourite thing is to be parents. It's not everyone's favourite thing and that's fine - but it's ours.
For Stacey, being a mother and raising her children is at the heart of everything she does. But as a successful 'mumfluencer' with a growing online presence - does Stacey ever struggle with how much to share? 'Yes - there are moments,' she says. 'When we found out that we were having another baby – there’s a boundary and a line you’re not sure whether to cross.' Stacey explains that she sometimes feels conflicted when intimate family events happen. 'You don’t know whether you owe it to people to tell them the pregnancy news straight away. Or whether you owe it to yourself to have the privacy you need for a few months.'
And this social media pressure extends beyond her family,' I worry about the responsibility of anything I say or do or, or even down to silly things. For example, If I'm cleaning with a certain product, I worry is it sustainable? Is it good for the environment? Honestly, I think about everything that I do, because I know that when you have any kind of influence online, it's just a massive responsibility.'
Stacey admits that finding the balance is 'difficult' but all she can only do 'her best.' She says candidly, 'We're only human! People online, or TV- they're not any different from anybody else. I think maybe if we let people know that we're not any different and we all make mistakes (or might do things that we think are right at the time, and then they're not) hopefully people won't hold people to such a high account.'
We can always count on Stacey for an honest touch!
To shop Stacey's Abbott Lyon The Stories Collection click here.