Sweet Craftiness

Littlewoods Advert Christmas Competition Closing date 9TH DEC

2011-11-28T12:58:00.000-08:00

In connection with Littlewoods we have some great prizes to give away!

The prize we are offering to one lucky winner is the following:

Silver Name Plate Necklace

Catalogue number MC5821E

£20

http://www.littlewoods.com/silver-name-plate-necklace/821172476.prd?browseToken=%2fb%2f5%2c5046%2fs%2fbestsellers%2c0%2fr%2f100&trail=4934-5039-5046-5

LEGO Technic Bucket Truck

Catalogue number UE1691F

£50

http://www.littlewoods.com/lego-technic-bucket-truck/979747815.prd?browseToken=%2fb%2f5132%2fs%2fbestsellers%2c0%2fo%2f5%2fr%2f100%2fpromo%2f93600006

So how do I enter? Just become a follower- comment that you are now following me/or are already following me and you are entered in the draw.

For an extra entry tell me what your favourite Christmas Eve tradition is.

Please remember to leave your Twitter name or email address so that I can contact you.

The competition ends midnight on the 9th December.

Review: The Froobles

2011-10-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

The Froobles are fruit and vegetable characters that have been brought to life by the magic of children's imaginations. Scenes created by playgroup children provide The Froobles characters with an ever-changing and magical world to explore.

Review: This is a great idea for a book range which gives lots of potential to interesting scenarios and it is an idea which even the smallest of children can relate to. "Imagine if these characters jumped in to your picture" I said to my son and he responded with "I'd paint a park for them to play". So I was aware that this was a book which he clearly understood and so I felt confident that he would understand most of the plot.

This pocket-sized fruity range of books has instantly become a hit in my household. From the minute they arrived my son pulled the books from my hand and immediately started naming each characters fruit, he seemed intrigued with the friendly faces and was enthralled when I announced their names. Before we could start on the book we had to run through the entire back page, which detailed all the characters of the range. The two titles we had to review were 'Tessa Tomato and the rainforest rainbow' and 'Charlie Chilli and the safari song'. The use of alliteration in the titles made these sound instantly more appealing.

The first page we are greeted with is the simple scene which the children have created. I liked the fact that each page was not too busy and contained pictures which really collaborated effectively with the story text. Traditional story telling is also in place with these books as they start with 'One day' which I loved as it reminded me of the wonderful stories I had as a child. Sometimes I feel books try too hard to be modern and fail miserably. This book incorporated modern with old effectively and certainly draws in the reader.

The pictures grab your attention by calling you to assess how they were made; you have fingerprint trees, patterns made with buttons and buttons for eyes and flowers and squiggly lined drawings which are most certainly the 'playgroup children's' drawings.

The characters interact and speak to each other throughout the book which allows you to use your best storytelling skills in putting on various voices which all children love. And the fact that each book seems to have a moral is a lovely aspect too. In the Tessa and Tomato book, we have Tessa realising that although she has missed a rainbow, beautiful colours can be found in everyday things. In Charlie Chilli we have him realising how inconsiderate he has been playing music so loudly.

The size of the books make these very portable for amusing my children whilst out and about and also allows small hands to handle the books with ease and the glossy pages make them feel very durable. On numerous times I have found my son reading these by himself.

Each book also has a sticker page at the back which allows children to continue the theme of the book on a sheet of paper and recreate their own scene which all children will love doing. If you are feeling creative you could even have a go at making up your own story for your child.

All in all, this is a bright and vibrant book collection which has many elements which children will be able to relate to and recognise. Pleasant story plots make children aware of certain emotions and will certainly have them wanting more of these wonderful books.

Retailing at £2.69 these are the perfect buy!

For more info please visit www.topthatpublishing.com or www.froobles.com

Guest Review: AniMagic Benji

2011-10-08T07:32:00.000-07:00

From the first moment that she saw Benji, Hannah was won over by his loveable face. Initially she was a little scared of the mechanical noise that he makes as he moves and she preferred to play with him switched off. Happily stroking him as she watched TV, pretending to feed him biscuits and playing "dog families" with him and her teddies.

Three days after he arrived Hannah took Benji with her to her cousins house. When they returned she had overcome her fear/dislike of Benji's noisy mechanics and had fallen for his cheeky nature.

Having been desperate for a pet for quite some time now, Benji is certainly filling a space in her heart, however I am not sure how long this will last as one of the first things that Hannah asked about Benji was, "Why can't Benji walk?" and now four weeks on she is beginning to play with him less than when he first joined us.

The only negative thing that I can say is that Hannah loves to cuddle Benji and when he is switched on this causes his mechanical legs to make a "click click" sound. I am worried that it may break him.

This aside Hannah adores him and he is certainly a very special toy. As first pets go, he is perfect for us. All of the pleasure without the fuss or the worry.

For more info please visit http://www.animagictoys.com/

Where's Moshi? game by Vivid Imaginations

2011-09-12T05:09:00.000-07:00

My eight year old son loves Moshi Monsters and so we were keen to check out this game by Vivid Imaginations...

The game incorporates every aspect a child could want. It has the Moshi Monster branding to draw them in, it has a quick set up, simple rules to the game and the game lasts just the right amount of time to hold their interest.

This is most definitely going to be the must-have toy over the Christmas period as the Moshi Monsters continue to get bigger and bigger. And because of the fact that the aim of the game is rather timeless (finding your opponents character by asking questions until you eliminate all but the right one) this is a game that won't just be a fad.

I was quite impressed with the structure of the game board, as it wasn't too flimsy and as the game retailed at £9.99 I didn't expect too much. We have had several games of this since we first had it and we haven't tired of it yet. It's quick to set up and quick to put away.

The only minor adjustment I would make to this game is the part where you have to select your chosen character by placing a green pin in front of them. The only problem with this is that when you have flipped your character down as part of eliminating your opponents' character, if you are not familiar with all the characters then you tend to forget what character you are. So I would have liked a card to set in front of me instead. And also I am worried that the pins will inevitably end up lost. But for future editions of this game, this is a suggestion I would like to put forward.

Nonetheless, for the price of this game we are very happy and will be having lots of fun-packed winter evenings thanks to Vivid Imaginations. Excellent!

For more info please visit www.vividimaginations.co.uk

Moshi Monsters Competition - Closing date 15th September

2011-08-26T03:50:00.000-07:00

The prize we are offering to one lucky winner is the following:
1 x Where's Moshi? game (£9.99)
1 x Moshling Treehouse (£19.99)
1 x Tin of Golden Moshlings (£9.99)

So how do I enter? Just become a follower- comment that you are now following me/or are already following me and you are entered in the draw. Please remember to leave your Twitter name or email address so that I can contact you.

The competition ends midnight on the 15th September.

Here's more details on the prize:

MOSHI MONSTERS™ MADNESS CONTINUES WITH NEW ADDITIONS TO THE TOY RANGE!

DESTINED TO BE ONE OF THE UK'S TOP 10 TOYS FOR CHRISTMAS, AND WITH OVER 50 MILLION USERS ONLINE, THE MOSHI MONSTERS™ TOYS RANGE LAUNCHED IN THE SPRING AND HAS ALREADY BECOME ONE OF THE HOTTEST PLAYGROUND CRAZES OF 2011!!

THIS AUTUMN SEES MOSH-TASTIC NEW RELEASES FROM VIVID INCLUDING MOSH N’ CHAT TOYS, A MOSHLING TREEHOUSE AND A COLLECTION OF GOLDEN MOSHLINGS AND MUCH MORE!

Moshling Treehouse RRP £19.99

Moshlings like to run and play but also need a place to stay...!

The ‘Moshling Treehouse’ is the perfect abode for your Moshlings, with lots of cool hideaway places and even a basket lift for them to play on! It’s tree-mendous! What’s more, with every ‘Moshling Treehouse’ purchase you’ll get an exclusive Moshling called Roxy

Where’s Moshi? RRP £9.99

Are you Fluffy?...No. Are you Stripey?... Yes! Go Moshi-mad with the all new ‘Where’s Moshi?’ game. Can you be the first to guess your opponent’s Moshling and find the mystery Moshling?! A great gift for any Moshi fan!

Gold Collection Moshlings RRP £9.99

No child’s Moshling collection is complete without this super cool, Limited Edition ‘Gold Collection’. You get 8 ultra-rare golden Moshlings, a golden storage tin and a collector file. Will you be lucky enough to get your paws on it?

The Moshi Monsters toy range is available from all good toy retailers from July 2011. For stockist information please call 01702 200660 or visit www.vividimaginations.co.uk and www.moshimonsters.com for more information.

Review: 'First Words' Sticker Activity Book by Top That Publishing

2011-08-14T00:45:00.000-07:00

REVIEW: The front cover of this book immediately attracts the younger reader with the colourful illustrations and friendly and familiar objects and animals. It's fair to say that upon opening the book each and every page gave my toddler lots of pleasure. We also discovered that taking this book to a restaurant with us has become the alternative to having a childminder as my toddler will sit there enthralled in fitting on the stickers perfectly to their allotted spaces and pointing out and naming the things that he is familiar with.

As a parent I was pleased with the quality of this book, sticker books are usually flimsy and whilst this is so much more than just a sticker book I was pleasantly surprised at the feel of each page as they were very glossy and durable (despite my son being quite rough in the way he turned each page). What I loved about this book is that the stickers had a coloured edge that fitted exactly to the surroundings, so if you matched the sticker up in the right way then when you are finished you would hardly know that this was a sticker book. The stickers are meant to be reusable but we tried to peel one off and it didn't feel so sticky anymore, but if we want to extend the life of using the stickers again it would be great fun for toddlers to use the stickers with a bit of glue. We were more than happy with this book as when all the stickers were placed in the book we weren't at a loss for things to do. There were dot-to-dot puzzles, colouring in to do, words to write and drawings to do.

Like all Top That publishing books I have had so far, this one hasn't failed to amaze me with the variation of activities for children that manage to incorporate fun and learning without the child even realising that it is educational. Further to that, the book actually supports the National Curriculum learning objectives so would be a great treat for your child with the new school term looming!

Retailing at £4.99 this is excellent value for such a high quality book with so many activities to keep your child busy! Will definitely be looking to get more from the range!

For more info please go to http://www.topthatpublishing.com

Review: Explore, Dream, Discover by Charlotte Samiec - Top That Publishing

2011-07-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a book that you can savour over the summer holidays with your children then this is it; inspiring creativity and encouraging a love of travel this is the book to explore, dream and discover with. This book is one from Top That Publishing's non-fiction range and I love the fact that it gives children so much more to think about on their holidays.

The book offers a variety of activities to partake in from drawing maps of your journey, diary pages, a page to note all the new foods that you have tried, a place for you to note down all the bridges you have seen and much much more. There's so many activities packed in to this book that it's hard to mention them all. But basically it is the ultimate travel diary combined with an array of activities which will convert this book in to a multi-sensory scrapbook that will be a pleasure to look back on in years to come. From a parents point of view this will be one of those books that you can give to your child and when you see them filling it in you can have that nice smug feeling that they are actually enjoying partaking in something educational without them even realising it.

The bounding of the book (ring bound) means that there is also plenty of space to expand when your child wishes to cram some of the pages with mementos such as tickets and other paraphernalia.

The book is also great for car-journeys as plenty of the pages require access to a window, so should quell those familiar moans of "I'm bored" for a while.

I guess what I love most about this book is the fact that each activity is actually something that a child can and will want to do. Too often in the past I have obtained books with ideas of what to do with children over holidays and I have ended up scratching my head in exasperation as they are just totally unrealistic, as the ideas would probably occupy them for about two seconds and create a whole lot of mess.

I would highly recommend this book for over the summer holidays as you could actually theme a day's activities with use of just one page. Bear in mind that this book offers you over 100 inspirational activities, games and projects so the fun can go on and on and on.

Hope you are as impressed as I am with the book....

For more info please visit http://www.topthatpublishing.com/

Review: Ecover's Laundry Range

2011-07-03T05:12:00.000-07:00

Bear with me, because whilst I understand a review of anything related to laundry isn't going to be the most enthralling of subjects there's a reason why I chose to post this review and that's because I really felt it aided healing with my skin. Anyone who has read my blog recently will have read about my quest to eradicate all products which I feel are playing a part in irritating my skin. First out of the window went my foundation followed by anything else which contained chemicals that would irritate my skin.

My mum had mentioned a few times that she thought I should swap washing powders but I didn't - partly through stubbornness and partly because I didn't want to abandon the lovely feeling of bringing in gorgeous smelling clothes off the line.

I suppose I feel I have now compromised because although the Ecover's smell is nowhere near as strong as the likes of Lenor and Comfort, it does offer a delightfully subtle smell which still gives you the sense of satisfaction when you bring the washing in. But also it seems to have made a massive difference in the health of my skin. I suppose it makes sense when you think how you have your face on the fabric of a pillow for 6-8 hours a night, if this happens to have irritants such as a fabric conditioner then it is easy to see why this could affect the skin.

Ecover Fabric Softener £1.79

The fabric conditioner was slightly runnier than your usual fabric conditioner and it was also plain old white. So although it didn't look so colourful in the bottle it did make up for this by having a gorgeous natural smell which wasn't too overpowering but enough to give the clothes a lovely smell and best of all didn't irritate my skin.

It also made the ironing easier and didn't leave any greasy tacky residue on the clothes.

Ecover Concentrated Non Bio Laundry Liquid RRP £5.69 (500ml)

The laundry liquid was unusual in the fact that the liquid was actually see-through and so it was easy to distinguish visibly the fact that no unnatural substances have been put in to these products. The liquid also managed to get some particularly dirty children's clothes clean.

Ecover Bio Powder RRP £3.59

This didn't look much different to other washing powders but the major difference was that it didn't effect me the way that other washing powders do in that they make me constantly sneeze. The smell of the washing powder was far more refined and delicate but was still enough to put a smile on my face through the delightful fragrance. More importantly though, was the fact that it scrubbed up the clothes well and also has meant that for the last few weeks since using it I have suffered no outbreaks on my skin. So maybe I am finally routing out the cause of my skin problems, we shall see........

FUN FACT:

We all know that laundry can be a chore, especially when you have a whole family’s worth of clothes to keep clean week-in, week-out. Did you know that the average family of four washes at least four laundry loads each week? That’s over 208 loads every year! All that water, energy and electricity – not to mention your time and hard work getting it all done.

Wear and Care is backed by eco-fashion designer Ada Zanditon, who believes not only in sourcing sustainable materials to manufacture clothes, but also in caring for your clothes to help them last longer while caring for the world around you.

The green credentials for any of you wishing to know are:

No optical brighteners
Minimum aquatic toxicity
Fast and complete biodegradability
No phosphates

Also the fact that concentrated laundry liquids come in smaller packets means that there is reduced CO2 emissions in transport and less water used during the production process.

Overall opinion: Highly impressed with the dazzling washing results and delicate fragrances that manage to incorporate all natural ingredients and none that irritate the skin. WE LOVE ECOVER!

Now it’s even easier to get hold of Ecover’s laundry range through our new online store. Visit www.ecoverdirect.com to start Wearing and Caring for your family’s clothes.

Nick Jr Campaign: ‘Help Dora Help’

2011-06-12T06:44:00.000-07:00

Nick Jr. launches nationwide initiative to get pre-schoolers exploring

Nick Jr., Nickelodeon’s leading pre-school channel, announces the launch of the Help Dora Help to bring exploration to life in nurseries and pre-schools across the UK. The campaign, supported by The Princes Foundation for Children and the Arts, consists of a free activity pack, giving nurseries and pre-schools educational activity resources, and the opportunity to apply for a grant of up to £20,000.

The free activity pack, developed by Nick Jr. education experts, follows the Early Years Foundation Stage development goals and provides stimulating learning opportunities with the theme of Dora the Explorer’s adventures. It contains six activity session plans, a practitioner’s guide and other teaching aides to encourage pre-schoolers to use their imagination, solve problems and develop their sense of physical adventure.

The award fund allows pre-schools and nurseries to apply for a grant of up to £20,000 for educational and learning purposes. Runners up will be awarded discovery and learning equipment packages and Dora the Explorer will visit a selection of the successful nurseries. There will also be the opportunity for the nurseries to be featured on Nick Jr.

Tina McCann, MD Nickelodeon UK, said: “As a broadcaster dedicated to offering pre-school audiences the best entertaining and educational content, we’re delighted to continue our support of pre-school education in the community with Help Dora Help. The campaign mirrors the very essence of what Dora the Explorer and Nick Jr. offer children - early years development and personal discovery.”

Nurseries and pre-schools can apply for the free Help Dora Help Activity Pack and Award Fund at www.nickjr.co.uk.

Review and Giveaway: GOSH Long Lasting Brow Pen

2011-06-09T04:12:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to wear much less make-up of late in a never-ending quest to improve my skin. However, there are a few make-up items I really couldn't live without and they are an eyebrow pencil (until I discovered the GOSH brow pen) and mascara. There is something wonderful about having groomed eyebrows and fluttery lashes, something that just makes you feel gloriously feminine.

And so when I was asked to review a brow pen I jumped at the chance as I am always eager to perfect my brows. I have trialled a myriad of various eyebrow shaping kits. I first realised this was the pen for me, when my mum commented on how nice my eyebrows were looking (I mean, who normally comments on eyebrows?)

And so I felt that the GOSH pen had a number of advantages over an eyebrow pencil - these being:

It doesn't need sharpening
It doesn't smudge or melt in hot weather.
The very, very fine brush lets you be 100% precise with your application.
The shades are varied and delicate enough even for a redhead like me.
It lasts all day so there is no need to re-apply.
It's perfume free.

Besides this it is just very natural looking, it is very easy to be heavy handed with an eyebrow pencil and yet with the GOSH pen it is very hard to overdo it.

At £5.99 it is very competitively priced for such a good product and I will definitely be buying more when this one runs out!

And so if any of my readers out there fancy trying out this gorgeous Brow Pen then here are the details:
PRIZE: 1 x Brow Pen for 3 lucky winners
HOW TO ENTER:

(a) Follow my blog and then leave a comment below saying that you have done this. If you are already a follower then please leave your follower name.

(b) 'Like’ the GOSH UK page http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Gosh-UK/137224756349645 .

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE YOUR FACEBOOK/TWITTER NAME or email address SO THAT WE CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN!

Good luck! Hope you like the products as much as I do!

Competition closes on the 29th June

Review: TUMTUM revolutionises mealtimes with clever cutlery and delightful dishes.

2011-06-09T02:32:00.000-07:00

Whilst some mess is almost unavoidable with young children, I was quite unaware until I tested out TUMTUM products just how varying the degrees of mess could be. I’m talking about the difference between a full-scale cleanup operation which lasts me around 30 minutes and a quick-wipe over which takes just a few minutes. My usual routine of wiping up spilt milk (and yes, I could cry over it on some days) and removing about a thousand starchy ground-in to the floor rice grains whilst giving Torville and Dean a run for their money after skating across the floor on a squished grape would fill most people with dread at the thought of mealtime . And so after a long day in the sunshine with my children, I was feeling rather drained after all the running about and the last thing I felt like doing was coming home to the madness that goes along with mealtime in my house.

Until I used the TUMTUM products I was quite unaware that such perfectly shaped dishes and cutlery existed and also just how much they could help with quelling the madness of mealtimes. I had grown accustomed to eating my food cold as every mealtime meant that I had to feed my toddler son otherwise all the food would end up on the floor. My main problems were the fact that if I gave my son his usual toddler dishes, he could pick them up easily and throw them off his highchair tray. The cutlery also seemed too small to get any substantial amount of food on which led my son to get frustrated when feeding himself. But then I tried TUMTUM and without sounding too over the top they revolutionised my mealtimes.

So here’s my opinion on these wonderful TUMTUM products that I have discovered:

TUMTUM Trainee Egg Set

Whilst I was fully aware that an egg is supposed to be one of nature’s most perfectly balanced foods, it didn’t seem so perfectly balanced when 20 minutes of eating led to an absolute age picking up the hundredth piece of eggshell and egg off the floor after lunch. Egg had even managed to find itself under my sofa – Yuk!

And then I tried this TUMTUM Trainee Egg set and straight away my son was entranced with the colourful design of the friendly looking animals gracing the egg set. He pointed out bunnies and chickens and then we got on to the most important part of the testing – the eating! He picked up the longer than average spoon (which is also designed to suit the contours of the egg) and I watched with baited breath. Wonderfully because of the egg cup being integrated within the plate/tray and the fact that it has a non slip base it didn’t move about and because of the long spoon he fed himself perfectly. He didn’t have to look far for his soldiers because they were all neatly lined up on the plate too. The look of satisfaction on his face was a picture! Further to that, I loved how easy this was to clean. Obviously when cleaning up after eating eggs you have to be meticulous and so it is reassuring that there are no yucky crevices like some egg cup designs have. Even better is the fact that I can put in the dishwasher!

I was incredibly impressed with this egg set and I can’t wait to show other mums of my amazing find. With its very functional and beautiful design you really can’t go wrong!

TUMTUM Tiny Dining Set with scooping corners

I love how innovative each and every TUMTUM product is. This one is totally unique because of the scooping corners which provide a stopping point for peas, beans or blueberries to be easily loaded on to forks and spoons. I was over the moon at how much these plates and bowls helped my toddler son with feeding himself. And he was very eager to eat up all his food to uncover the friendly character faces beneath the food. These are also non-slip and so far they have stayed put on my son’s highchair without being thrown. Whilst the interiors of the bowls were ultra child-friendly with the characters featured inside, the exteriors of simple colours such as greens or reds made these look very stylish. I’m sure if I was in a competition I could score some points as a trendsetting mummy with these TUMTUM products.

TUMTUM Tiny Double Sided Cutlery and TUMTUM Tiny Beaker

Lastly, I wanted to mention these brightly coloured products which have livened up my drawers and cupboards and more importantly put a smile back in to mealtimes. The cutlery is immediately appealing with its brightly coloured handles and even better is the fact that if you line up the handles of the fork, knife and spoon you can form a zebra character. Turn the cutlery over and realign and you have another character – very novel idea! The cutlery is so much better than the cutlery we have been using for my son, it is slightly bigger and more importantly each fork, spoon and knife is specially shaped (slightly curved around the edges) to keep food from falling off and has I have mentioned above – it worked a treat! My son happily shovelled in mouthfuls of peas and anything else he chose using these cutlery items. Brilliant!

The beaker has put an end to the days when my son refused to drink water – now he can’t get enough from this brightly coloured beaker. The straw helps him slurp his way through his daily requirement of water. Because of the fact that the straw comes in two parts it means that the straw is very easy to keep clean and the curved interior means that no water is wasted. Brilliant!

Thanks to TUMTUM for revolutionising our mealtimes.

For more info please visit http://www.tumtumtots.com

Book Review: Little Grey Donkey by Nicole Snitselaar

2011-06-07T11:32:00.000-07:00

SYNOPSIS: Every day, a little girl called Serafina comes to visit Little Donkey. But one day, she doesn’t turn up. Little Donkey is so worried about his friend that he decides to go and look for her. In this touching tale, Little Donkey overcomes his fears in order to make sure that his best friend is safe and well. Charming text and unique illustrations capture the beautiful moments between the little girl and her best friend, donkey, making this delightful picture storybook a beautiful bedtime read.

REVIEW: This was the other book we were lucky enough to get our hands on this month. I loved it firstly because I felt it gave my children a glimpse of other cultures. I don't know what country the book is meant to be set in but with a name like 'Serafina' and the landscape and scenery I am guessing it is somewhere in the Mediterranean. I feel this book is a lovely way to introduce small children to other parts of the world.

This is a great heart-warming book with a lovely moral for children; with the message being that with love you can conquer any fear. The story plot and the way in which it is told keeps the reader enthralled in the story and eager to find out what is going to happen next. I liked the fact that Little Grey Donkey could speak and so could illustrate the emotions that someone would go through if a loved one failed to turn up one day. Because of the anguish that the Little Donkey is encountering you instantly warm to the character and my children were both making comments along the lines of "poor grey donkey."

We are taken through a range of frightening scenarios such as narrow and steep cliffs, having to brave getting in a boat etc and as he conquers each fear there is a reiteration of the line "Then he remembered Serafina, swallowed his fears and..." basically overcome the fear. It's a powerful message and one which I could even relate to; I mean since having my children I have had to brave going out without my face make-up on if one of them has become ill suddenly- a big thing to me! Ha Ha! But on a more serious note, I hope they remember this book when they grow up and realise the importance of sometimes taking risks to accomplish your goals in life.
And if the lovely storyline wasn't enough then we have the gorgeous hand-painted illustrations and also the added bonus for younger children of being able to go through the book and spot the animals and creatures in white. My toddler son loved doing this and it is a great way of teaching them new animals.

I love it when an ending of a book makes you smile and this one certainly does. As I said before throughout the book there is a reiteration of the line above, but when Serafina asks Little Grey Donkey how he managed to find her his reply (the ending) is a twist on the line:

"I thought of you, swallowed my fears and was filled with ....... love"

So I felt this book encompassed many angles; introducing the reader to a new culture, teaching children an important life lesson of not letting your fears rule you, giving us wonderful illustrations and even giving us the little extra detail of the mini-creatures scattered throughout the book for younger readers to find. Wonderful!!

Rating 4/5

For more info please visit www.topthatpublishing.com

Review: Gobble! Gobble! Gobble! by Simon Mayer & Hilary James

2011-05-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

I was recently lucky enough to be selected to become one of 25 'Yummy Mummy' book reviewers for Top That! Publishing.

That means that starting this month I will be receiving complimentary copies of their brand new books for review. Quite simply, if my children and I like the books, I will be posting a review. However, if I think that the books are in need of improvements I will be contacting Top That! Publishing to discuss what changes could be made in order to make sure that their books are better for future reprints. In doing this I hope that I will be able to provide inspiration for you in potential reading materials for your children and also to be able to help Top That! publishing make great improvements to their books as well.

So the first book I have for review is 'Gobble! Gobble! Gobble' by Simon Mayers and Hilary James (front cover is pictured above).

REVIEW: My 2 and a half year old wanted to open the book straight away due to the quirky looking turkey on the front cover (pictured below). I really liked the drawing style of the illustrator and because of the drawing style it would be easy to distinguish other books by the illustrator. The drawings have a rough and edgy feel which somehow make the story feel more like the good old fashioned books as opposed to the ones that use computerised graphics.

A nice little touch to the book was the place to write the name and this will be a great feature when this book becomes a treasured hand-me-down.

On to the story plot; if you are looking for a deep and meaningful book for your child then this isn't it (and let's face it what 2 and a half year old wants a deep and meaningful book), but if however you are looking for something with a comical and light-hearted feel then this book is for you. The whole book revolves around a humorous sing-songy rhyme about funny scenarios involving turkeys. None of these scenarios would ever happen in real life but the book provokes the child to imagine how funny these encounters would be if they did happen. Giggles galore!

The poor turkeys do have to encounter some negative press in the book with their dim-witted portrayal but this all adds to the humour element. The repetitive words and rhyme make children want to join in and become part of the book, which is a great key in involving them in the plot of the story.Further to this, the book comes with a CD featuring the 'Gobble! Gobble! Gobble!' song. My son loved this song! I imagined being able to turn the page to accompany the beat of the music but the lovely mandolin music went far too fast for this. So I would suggest maybe listening to this beautiful CD first and then you will be familiar with the melody in which the book is aimed to be sung with and you can slow it down a bit so that you can progress through the book with fervour and style.
Overall, this books contains everything that will intrigue little ones; farm animals, rhyme, comical situations and repetition. The size and amount of text is just right as their attention span is held for just the right amount before they want to turn the page.

If I had any criticism of the book, it would be only the fact that I don't like where the CD is placed. Because it is placed as a focal point on the front page to illustrate that the book comes with a CD, my son instantly wanted to pull it off resulting in the front cover ripping slightly. So I would make the suggestion that perhaps the CD be moved to the back away from eager little hands.

Overall, this book is most definitely a winner in the Sweet Craftiness household.

Rating 4/5

For more info please visit http://www.topthatpublishing.com/

No-make-up and a review of a Millets Jacket

2011-04-10T04:41:00.000-07:00

What a week it has been. I have been setting myself some goals as of late and one of those (very big goal to me) is to give up the make-up/cosmetics (apart from a coat of mascara) as I have been getting tons of blemishes on my skin and I wondered whether it could be due to the foundation. One week later after giving up the foundation and my skin is looking so much better. I was soooooo self-conscious when I first stepped out of the house at first and was convinced that other people would look at me differently, but guess what after all these years of feeling ugly without my make-up no one batted an eyelid and more importantly I felt so much healthier. I could feel fresh air on my skin and it felt like my skin was actually able to breathe. I now don't have to spend all that wasted time in the morning applying then re-applying and then all the removal at night and the disheartening feeling when you realise that more spots have appeared. I just can't describe how liberating it feels... I finally feel that people are accepting me for me. I know people reading this are going to be split in to two camps; they are either going to think I'm nuts, or be able to relate to me totally. And I would recommend to anyone who is having skin problems, give up the foundation for a week and see what happens.

Anyway, part of this post is a review and you might wonder how a jacket plays a part in this post. Here's how.....

As I am no longer relying on synthetic things to cover my face, I figured that I now needed to work on other things to make my skin glow with health. And apart from drinking lots of water I have been trying to do a lot of walking. To try and improve my blood circulation so that my skin has the best conditions to heal. So with the variation in weather we have been having lately I was only too glad to test out a weatherproof jacket from Millets when a PR asked me.

Here's the gorgeous jacket:
Just to set the scene..... The day I tested this jacket it out there was a really chilly wind and it was hammering it down with rain. After a long walk around the local nature reserve I proceeded to pick my son up from school and all the mums down there were complaining how cold they were. I felt almost smug as I was ultra-comfortable in this jacket. Not hot like some jackets make you, but almost the perfect temperature because despite keeping the heat in I felt as though it was allowing my skin to breathe. The fit was fantastic and whilst following the curves of the body shape allowed adequate space for you to be able to have space to move around in.

Here's the description from the website:

Don't like getting wet? Not keen when the gales are blowing? No problem. Just pull on the Peter Storm Women's Highlight Jacket and battle through it all comfortably. Thanks to the Highlight's feather light construction of polyester, mesh and taffeta, it won't weigh you down and is super portable too meaning you can just shove it in your daysack.

A hood which packs down into its own collar provides adaptability whatever the weather whilst two spacious hand pockets and a specific map pocket give you room to stow your gear.

Since the jacket's entirely waterproof and wind-resistant, it's ideal for every outdoors pursuit under the sun and the daily commute too.

There are a number of reasons why I love this jacket:

When I think of weather-proof jackets I tend to think of an unattractive jacket. Millet's own brand Peter Storm is working hard to dispel this myth for me as I have had a number of items from this range which have been anything but ugly. The designs are attractive and modern. I loved the combination of colours used in this jacket as they worked well to slimline the body shape and the drawstring at the waist allowed the jacket to be nicely fitted
The fact that the jacket was so light was great because when all of a sudden the sun comes out if you want to take the jacket off you aren't wearing something heavy to carry around and it fold so small that it is great for storing underneath a buggy.
The jacket makes a great alternative to an umbrella (an umbrella which I might add is impossible for me to hold whilst pushing a pushchair).
The Map pocket inside is great for keeping your mobile phone safe or anything related to our new hobby of geocaching.
Around the neck and throat you can pull the coat quite high which is great if you want to keep super warm, if not then just fold it down.
Very reasonably priced at £59.99 for such a great quality jacket. Plus, if you buy it now it is on offer on their website at £44.99.

As I've said before Millet's own brand Peter Storm is producing some fantastic ranges of clothes at the moment so keep your eyes peeled.

For more info please visit www.millets.co.uk

Millets for Mother's Day

2011-03-18T07:12:00.000-07:00

If you are trying to think of a suitable Mother's Day present, why not check out Millets? I was given a chance to review some of Millets clothing recently and I was quite taken aback to how good the designs were. If I'm honest Millets wouldn't have been my first choice previously for clothing and I think this is due to the fact that we don't tend to get catalogues through our door like 'La Redoute' and 'Very' etc. So when I think of Millets I think of tents and backpacks. So I felt pleasantly enlightened when I had an email from a PR highlighting the range available.

So my constructive advice to Millets would be to create more of a catalogue or brochure to make people aware of their fabulous line of clothing known as 'Peter Storm.'

Anyway, on to the clothes which I tested out which were the:

One Earth W Word Tree Tee, £16.99

and the Peter Storm Cynthia Stripe, £27.99
Immediately, I was drawn to the design of these clothes. Subtle with the use of pleasant pastel shades but they also managed to incorporate something eye-catching such as the interesting logo (which I will talk about in a minute) and the use of stripes. Being a surf-shop clothing fan I felt that these clothes could immediately rival named brands as the clothes were so nice to look at and yet comfortable.

The 'One Earth W Word Tree Tee' was great as the print on the front was beautiful to look at and yet sent out a lovely environmental message, as we are big in recycling etc in this house it was nice to show the children that I am proud in the efforts we make. The material was really comfortable being 100% cotton and has a carbonised finish for extra softness. The fact that they have used 100% cotton also means that they are supporting natural farming, which is great! I also really loved the cute keyhole detail on the on the neckline. It added a fresh twist to the clothing design! At £16.99 it is also reasonably priced for an organic cotton top.

The Peter Storm Cynthia Stripe, £27.99 which incidentally is now on sale at £19.99 had a lovely feel to it with it being 100% cotton. The fact that it is quite thick cotton allows it to trap your body's heat. It was a lovely snug fit and easy to get on due to the half-zip. Looking forward to wearing this out on these spring days where we have very changeable weather.

There's loads more wonderful designs at www.millets.co.uk so go and take a look and surprise your mum, as there's lots to appeal to differing ages.

Have fun browsing!

Vertbaudet's 2011 Children's Design Competition

2011-03-13T14:34:00.001-07:00

A Passion for Fashion?

Vertbaudet’s 2011 Children’s Design Competition

Vertbaudet, the international fashion and homewares brand is giving seven children between the age of five and twelve the chance to design a waterproof raincoat set and wellies – and see them turned into reality!

Vertbaudet creates clothes that are not only original and individual, but stylish and practical as well, in designs that both children and parents love. So who better to stage a competition that champions children’s imagination, flair and that all important passion for fashion?

The seven winning designs will be turned into a finished product and sold in Vertbaudet’s Autumn/Winter 2011 Collection. Not only that, but the winners will also receive a Nintendo DSI XL Console and a New Mario Brothers Game as well as £300 to spend with Vertbaudet, so they can give their wardrobe or their bedroom a fabulous makeover!

Children can use felt tips, crayons, paint, collage or whatever else they like to create their designs. They can either draw their design on a plain piece of A4 paper or download a template from Vertbaudet’s website: www.vertbaudet.co.uk/page/junior_stylist_2010.htm, where they will also find all the information they need in order to enter. Entries must be received by 18^th March 2011. So if your reckon you’ve got a budding Stella McCartney or Paul Smith in your family then download the entry form and give them the chance to shine!

Shloer - The Sparkling Juice Drink

2011-03-12T05:32:00.001-08:00

If you want to pamper your mother this Mother's Day then why not try a bottle of Shloer’s delicious Rosé flavour. Created from a blend of red and white grapes, Shloer Rosé is the perfect non-alcoholic sparkling drink to show your mum just how much you appreciate her; team it with a home cooked meal and it could possibly be one of the best bonding moments ever!

Shloer’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/shloer will help you conjure something great up in the kitchen. There’s a selection of mouth-watering recipes to pick from, such as Spaghetti with crab, lemon, chilli and parsley or Lemon and Oregano Lamb Kebabs.

Shloer uses only the best ingredients to create its delicious non alcoholic sparkling drinks. Available in White Grape, Red Grape, Rosé, Apple and White Grape, White Grape, Raspberry and Cranberry and White Grape and Elderflower; there’s a flavour for everyone.

Shloer contains no preservatives, artificial colours, sweeteners or flavourings and is available from all major supermarkets.

This will be my chance to show my mum how much she is cared for and it will be rather poignant too, as growing up on each of my mum and dad's anniversaries they would always have a home cooked meal (usually mixed grill) and we would be treated to a bottle of Shloer. It just goes to show how simple traditions like that can leave such lovely memories.

For more information please visit Shloer

Review: Techniquest, Cardiff

2011-02-27T11:13:00.000-08:00

It's back to school for my oldest son tomorrow and you know that feeling of satisfaction you get when you have provided your children with an action packed fun school holiday? I have that feeling! A huge factor contributing to the success of the holidays was Techniquest, as it went down an absolute treat with my boys. It is unbelievably difficult to find places to go in the holidays with children age 2 and 8 as their interests differ so much; especially when it is a rainy holiday. But take them to Techniquest and I can guarantee you will have smiles all round. With the added bonus of it being educational as well as fun!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words so have a glimpse in to the magical world of Techniquest.....

Working out the jigsaw puzzles.

Playing the drums.
Playing the giant piano.
In fits of laughter through playing the giant piano.

"The ball that is supposed to float through the rush of air floated away, but hey look at my hair."
Funny mirrors.

For the youngest son he just had fun playing with everything, but my oldest son seemed to enjoy participating in the exhibits and reading the accompanying information to understand the scientific processes which were occurring. This was great for us parents as we had the feel-good factor of knowing we were able to contribute something worthwhile to not only his understanding of scientific processes but also provide lots of lovely childhood memories. It's the kind of place you will look back on and say "remember that time we went to Techniquest and used the shadow room." I know this is correct as I have often talked to my children about when I went to Techniquest as a child.

The areas are split into areas such as water, light and music and so this makes it particularly useful if your child is studying a certain area in school. With a planetarium and science theatre there is something for everyone.

Master Craftiness says: It was exciting because the exhibits were so much fun and the science facts made it really interesting!

There's some great events on and upcoming at Techniquest:

Night and Day

Why does it get dark at night? Where does the sun go in the evening and why does it return in the morning? Meet lots of interesting night-time animals in this show for our younger visitors.
Suitable for under 7s

Night and Day runs from 29 January until 6 March 2011 at weekends and through the half term holiday.

City Stargazing

With many of us living under light-polluted skies, what are we likely to see? There are fewer stars visible so some beginners find it easier to spot their favourite constellations, but there is also a dark side! Why do we want to keep our skies light free?

City Stargazing runs from 29 january until 6 March 2011 at weekends and through local school holidays.

Next Event
Future Events

Wallace and Gromit Invention Sessions

If you enjoyed Wallace and Gromit’s World of Invention on BBC One before Christmas, why not come to Techniquest’s special invention sessions where Invention Kits, specially designed by the BBC and Aardman Animations Ltd will be available for you to construct.

These cracking motorised kits have been developed to inspire you with creativity and the science of invention.

Places are limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. Due to small parts, the invention workshops are not suitable for children under the age of 7.

These special sessions will be held on March 5 and 6, 12 and 13, 26 and 27

For more information on this fantastic place please visit www.techniquest.org

Bargain Alert: Vertbaudet

2011-02-17T12:01:00.000-08:00

Hi to all my followers! I have been a bit slack of late keeping up my blog posts as I have been suffering with recurrent migraines. If any of my followers suffer with migraines you will know the pain that I am talking about. It means I am literally confined to my bed and have no relief from the pain whatsoever.

Anyway, I'm hoping I have at least a few days reprieve until I get the next one and wanted to talk about some gorgeous items I have spotted in the Vertbaudet sale. I did actually have the coat before Christmas but that means I have had plenty of time to give you my verdict on it and it's absolutely perfect for the chilly weather we are currently enduring. Even better is the fact that it's now on sale, so take a look:Wool Cloth Jacket.
Zip fastening under a button placket. Sleeve with badge. Button tab at shoulders and cuffs. Machine washable. Padding and lining 100% polyester. Outer 70% wool, 20% polyester, 10% viscose.

This is the sweetest coat ever. My son has had numerous compliments whilst wearing this. It's looks really smart and adds a touch of formality to him, being only two years old this is incredibly endearing! You can almost imagine him picking up his briefcase to go to the office.

This coat is now down from the original £39.00 to an amazing £15.60!

I

I love this top and I had to show you an image of the back as it is just so cute! The material is really stretchy and so although it is a polo-neck it seemed very comfortable when my little boy was wearing it and unlike some tops we had no problems slipping it over his head. It looks great with jeans. Better still is the fact that this top is now down to a miraculous £3.50 - half price! If you look on the Vertbaudet website there are some other great designs for this top too.
These pyjamas are in perfect spring colours and they are perfect for a comfortable nights sleep as they let the skin breathe with the cotton jersey fabric! Another bonus to these pyjamas is that you can mix and match them as they look good either way. £18.00 for the two is very reasonable for two pairs of pyjamas.
This Sportswear Outfit is lovely and snugly for cold days with its warm and cosy fleece lining. There is also a kangaroo pocket in the front to keep hands nice and warm. Perfect to wear to a visit to the park! Available now at £11.50, reduced from £23.

Cable-knit Jumper

BROWN LIGHT SOLID Ref.: 815.3451 Now £15 from £25!

This jumper is so lovely and warm. Great for wearing over a t-shirt if you want to layer up for the unpredictable weather we get. It looks very traditional and is a jumper better than Nanna could knit.

So grab some bargains and head over to www.vertbaudet.co.uk

Competition: Tatty Teddy Chocolates

2011-02-07T12:58:00.000-08:00

Looking for a special gift for a sweet-toothed loved one for Valentines or for mum on Mothers Day? Then look no further - Me to You has brought out an exclusive selection of luxury chocolates featuring the adorable bear, Tatty Teddy.

Tatty Teddy’s irresistible new box design features the cute grey bear with his signature blue nose peeking through a bouquet of pretty pink roses.

The selection includes milk, dark and white luxury chocolates with a choice of luscious fillings including golden caramel, almond and marzipan and strawberry parfait.

Available from early January at just £4.99 from selected Tesco stores, Me to You lovers, whether sweetheart or mum, will take it straight to their hearts!

The original Tatty Teddy luxury collection is available at the same price from Sainsbury’s and Morrisons and quality independent shops.

I have 4 boxes of chocolate to GIVE AWAY- that's one for four lucky winners. To be in with a chance of winning one all you have to do is:

Follow my blog and then leave a comment below saying that you have done this. If you are already a follower then please leave your follower name.

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE YOUR TWITTER NAME or email address SO THAT WE CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN!

Good luck!

Competition closes on the 1st March 2011.

COMPETITION: Nip + Fab Tummy Fix

2011-02-02T11:36:00.000-08:00

It's February and I have another great giveaway for you. I want you to find out for yourselves how 'fab' Nip + Fab Tummy Fix really is so if you haven't already read how great I think it is then read my review here.

Anyway I have 5 bottles of Nip + Fab Tummy Fix to GIVE AWAY- that's one for five lucky winners. To be in with a chance of winning one all you have to do is:

(a) Follow my blog and then leave a comment below saying that you have done this. If you are already a follower then please leave your follower name.

(b) Like the Nip + Fab Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/NipandFab/146381435374791

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE YOUR FACEBOOK NAME or email address SO THAT WE CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN!

Good luck! Hope you like the products as much as I do!

Competition closes on the 1st March 2011.

Review: Nip + Fab Tummy Fix

2011-01-29T06:59:00.000-08:00

I was asked to review this product and I must admit initially I wasn't very keen. My natural reaction to a so-called 'miracle' cream that claimed to help tone, smooth and tighten the tummy area was to think that this must contain some nasty ingredients and the thought of using such a cream frightened me somewhat. I trawled the Internet, read all the leaflets accompanying the product and at last my mind was laid totally to rest. The cream works as it contains a potent combination of fat-burning ingredients, including citrus aurantium amara – bitter orange extracts – and synephrine, both of which are known to act as a catalyst in the breakdown of body fat.

More trawling led me to several online posts such as the one below from Mumsnet. I also found more on sites such as Cosmopolitan and More boasting how well the cream and worked and so being very excited by my findings I avidly applied the cream day after day. It's now four weeks since I started using the cream and I am impressed.

OMG, my Nip + Fab Tummy Fix...
(21 Posts)

Add message | Report | Message poster
OooohWhatIfItHurts Wed 03-Nov-10 09:30:31

... is working !!

I've only had it for just over a week and I can really really see a difference.

I had thought my tummy was a lost cause (really crepey and wrinkly, lots of over stretched skin) and it is starting to look like a normal chubby belly and not an old man's scrotum sack (as someone wrote on the tummy tuck thread ). I don't think has taken away any chub but then I wouldn't expect it to and that would be a bloody miracle.

And I've tried it on my wobbly turkey neck and it seems to be helping there too.

Just off to order another couple of tubes in anticipation of an MN stampede.

So four weeks on and here are my findings:

A lovely consistency to the gel which doesn't make your stomach area feel sticky.

Smoother skin (the stretch marks which I have on my tummy are much less pronounced and I am convinced that with continued use of this product they will become even less noticeable.)
I'm not fat and only a size 8 so I can't comment on whether this really reduced my abdominal girth but I just noticed that it made my tummy look more toned and I could almost consider wearing a bikini again - something which I have not even considered since having my two boys.
It costs £18.95 and so therefore I am more than prepared to buy another tube of this because I am confident that this will improve my tummy area with further use.

Overall opinion: As close to a miracle cream as is realistically possible. Great results with one tube but my impression is that it takes more than one tube to get more noticeable results. Much cheaper than liposuction and has certainly made me feel more confident about my tummy area.

For more info please visit www.nipandfab.com

Review: Love is... calendar from www.itsyourstory.co.uk

2011-01-22T08:23:00.000-08:00

I have just found the sweetest calendar ever and if it wasn't for my camera breaking down then you could have a look at my personalised copy, but for now you will have to feast your eyes on the standard images from the www.itsyourstory.co.uk website.

The front cover has a picture of the central characters and underneath you have the names of you and your partner.

Inside you have the option of personalising the calendar with up to 30 special dates you need to remember throughout the year. This is a particularly handy feature for me as I have an awful memory.

I think this is a lovely gift to give to your partner as it shows the thought you have put in to the things you do as a couple.

I'll give you a few examples of the captions through the calendar:

JANUARY - Love is .... making a shared New Year Resolution, to spend more time together. (You have the option of personalising this with your personal New Year Resolution).
FEBRUARY - Love is ... making sure Justin gets the message.
MARCH - Love is ... what puts the spring in Sarah and Justin's step.
APRIL - Love is .. being Justin's Easter bunny
MAY - Love is ... arriving at *our address* with wine and roses.
JUNE - Love is ... a barbeque for two at *our address*
JULY - Love is ... giving Justin a sneak preview of Sarah's new bikini.

What I love about this calendar is that it's romantic without being over the top. It adds a humorous twist to all the things you enjoy as a couple.

The A4 size calendar leaves you with enough room on the page to add in notes about things you have to do on selected dates as essentially the character illustrations don't take up that much space. Each page is a different colour which allows you to refer to other calendar months with ease.

I know you don't usually give calendars as gifts on Valentine's Day but this one could most certainly be an exception.

For more info please visit www.itsyourstory.co.uk

Review: Miners 'Dip and Define' loose eyeshadow

2011-01-08T14:14:00.000-08:00

For more info please visit www.miners.co.uk

BARGAIN ALERT: Boots 'Treat Street'

2011-01-08T12:24:00.000-08:00

*Please note that this is not a sponsored post*

I LOVE being able to earn and then more importantly spend Boots points so I was over the moon to find out that Boots have just launched a new scheme whereby you can earn Boots points if you buy items from a wide variety of other oline shops.

Some of the participating stores which really appeal to me are:
Apple Store
Dorothy Perkins
Early Learning Centre
Lakeland
ASOS
eBay
lastminute.com
LEGO
Thomas Cook
Boden
Figleaves
Miss Selfridge
Mothercare
Toys R Us
New Look
Play.com
The White Company

The scheme basically works by giving you a point for every £1 you spend. This leaves me with lots of scope when I go to buy something for Valentines Day. My favourite picks being:

Be My Valentine Bouquet from Arena Flowers

This bouquet is bursting with valentine colours, roses, carnations, lilies and gerberas perfect for sending to your valentine.Please note this product doesn't include the vase.

'I Love You' Valentines Gift Personalised Art

£25.00Collect 25 points

Large Bone Wing Necklace, Valentine's Gift

£130.00 Collect 130 points

What will you choose to treat yourself with on 'Treat Street'?

For more info please visit http://www.treatstreet.boots.com

GIVEAWAY: Earth Friendly Baby Shampoo/Body Wash

2011-01-04T13:28:00.000-08:00

You may have read my recent review on the Earth Friendly Baby products. If not you can find it here. I absolutely LOVED the products! They were amazing!

Anyway I have great news, I have 5 bottles to GIVE AWAY- that's one for five lucky winners. To be in with a chance of winning one all you have to do is:

(a) Follow my blog and then leave a comment below saying that you have done this.

(b) Like the Earth Friendly Baby Facebook page
http://en-gb.facebook.com/pages/Earth-Friendly-Baby-Earth-Friendly-Kids/161241400573714

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE YOUR FACEBOOK NAME SO THAT WE CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN!

Good luck! Hope you like the products as much as I do!

Competition closes on the 1st February 2011.

Review: Fearne - It’s All About the Lips 'Vamp Red' lip collection

2010-12-30T12:30:00.000-08:00

I was already over the moon when I discovered the 'Fearne' eye collection make-up but I was absolutely thrilled to have finally found a red lip gloss that suits my pale complexion (see pic below). The vibrancy from the red colour wasn't too harsh and I feel that it gave a glamorous touch without being too over the top. I certainly felt wonderful wearing it!

What I loved about the lip gloss was the fact that you twisted it to adjust the amount of gloss that came out on to the brush; meaning that you could have a very glossy look or just use the pigment that was left on the brush. Because of the fact that you applied it with a brush meant that it was also very easy to get in to the arch of the cupids bow (this really accentuates nicely shaped lips).

The lip liner pencil worked really well with this lip gloss too, by applying before the gloss I was given great definition to my lips, and I hope that they looked very kissable! :)

I normally hate lip glosses as they are so sticky my hair always gets stuck in them and then smeared all around my face - which is not a very attractive look. This lip gloss managed to be ultra shiny without being at all sticky which I found amazing!

Anyway, the lipstick was also great but I feel the 'vamp' describes the colour of it very aptly as it is quite a dark red. So probably best for evening wear. The colour of the lipstick I felt was a little too dark for my complexion, so I lifted some off with a sheet of tissue paper which left a wonderful shade of red on my lips without being too harsh.

OVERALL: £10.00 for this kit is brilliant value, and if I had to pay that just for the lip gloss alone I would as the colour and finish are so good. I will definitely be checking out the other shades in this range.

For more information please visit www.boots.com

Hotter Shoes 'Keswick' walking boots review

2010-12-30T11:16:00.000-08:00

For more info please visit www.hottershoes.com

Review: Earth Friendly Baby products

2010-12-12T12:18:00.000-08:00

Having a toddler with sensitive skin in the household means that we can only use the gentlest of products on his skin. We have discovered a fantastic new brand called 'earth friendly baby.' The packaging relays everything about these products - simple, ecological and baby friendly. I knew these must be good products when I saw that they had received the 'Mother and Baby Silver Award', but I was keen to test just how good out for myself!

Organic Mandarin Bubblebath (£5.99)

The packaging looks suitably apt for any nursery or bathroom that has a baby/toddler in attendance. But even better than the packaging is the wonderful list of ingredients; all of which are free of artificial colouring, synthetic fragrances and SLS.

The bubble baths come in a range of fragrances; Organic chamomile, Organic Lavender and Organic Mandarin. The one we tested out was mandarin and it was simply gorgeous! I have done some research on this mandarin and found this:

"Mandarin is believed to improve mood and "relieve anxiety". Mandarin is really a happy oil, as the smell of the oil gives you the feeling of cleanliness. It is safe for all ages, and children especially enjoy the aroma of the oil."

I totally agree with the above statement. It really is a happy smell and I think will probably become one of those smells which you will maybe associate with the childhood of your children. Lots of other wonderful ingredients such as chamomile, lavender, rosehip, hibiscus, wild bergamot and poppy are also included in this bubble bath and that is probably why we feel so revived after using this product. That's right I said 'we' as I thoroughly enjoyed using this product too.

Once thing I did note about this product was the consistency; it was much more runnier than the bubble baths I have used in the past. This wasn't a bad thing however as I think this was due to the oils in the product which left the skin much more nourished than usual bubble bath. It seemed to instantly moisturise the skin. And more impressive to my son was the fact that this bubble bath seemed to produce huuuuge bubbles!! It was lovely to actually be able to use a bubble bath in the knowledge that it wouldn't be provoking any reactions on my son's skin. He thoroughly enjoyed playing in bath filled with beautifully scented bubbles!

Mandarin Body Lotion – £4.99 for 250ml

I might be cheeky but aside from using this on my son's skin after a bath, I have now adopted this for my skin care routine. It makes my legs smell great after I shave my legs and is just so nourishing! It really feeds the skin! This again was very different to normal body lotions, as the consistency wasn't creamy but more runny; but worked oh so well! It has the most amazing smell that really lingers on the skin and the ingredients work fantastically to achieve the goal of soft skin! Wonderful!

Eco Baby Wipes – £2.99 for 72 wipesFirstly, these wipes had much more substance to them than most flimsy wipes, so it was much easier getting a grip on things that needed to be wiped up! They were ultra soft and this was enhanced by the added water and Aloe Vera that these wipes contain. These will make a great addition to my handbag for when we are out and about.

Mandarin Shampoo & Bodywash – £3.99 for 250ml
It's shiny hair ahoy here in the Sweet Craftiness household. Obviously we are now discovering the true benefits of natural ingredients thanks to these wonderful products! I have to keep sniffing my son's hair now that we are using this shampoo. The shampoos are specially formulated to cleanse without leaving any icky residue and is formulated to avoid any bath-time tears!

The only thing left for us to say is that we are looking forward to using the chamomile and lavender range of these products. We would certainly recommend them!

The Earth Friendly Baby line-up is available from www.HealthQuestStore.com or call 0845 310 4411

You can also check out their Facebook page.

Christmas Gift Idea: Save Our Friends Plush Toys

2010-12-03T01:47:00.000-08:00

I just had to share with my readers the 'Save Our Friends' range. We actually purchased an African Lion last year and he was far superior to your average plush toy. The eyes really appealed to you to give him a cuddle, the fur was ultra soft and further to that it was lovely to know we were helping save endangered animals.

As a child I always used to write away to the endangered animals campaigns to try and get as much information as I could on how I could help with these things. I used to do things like make bookmarks and take them in to school to make others aware of the facts.

That is maybe why this range appeals to me so much. An ethical range of loveable, large toys are a fantastic way of showing how much you care about the plight of endangered animals across the world. With twenty adorable, super cuddly toys across four environments to choose from, every ‘toy with a conscience’ sold makes a contribution to one of our wildlife charities – Born Free Foundation, Marine Conservation Society and World Land Trust.

Furry, feathery or finned, many of our beloved species are struggling to survive in today’s troubled eco system. The luxury soft toy collection is designed to raise awareness and funds for the plight of our much loved yet critically endangered species that live in the world’s most threatened habitats.

The box provides information on the conservation status of the animal, information about the charity and statistics, all providing food for thought in an imaginative way. Family and friends can purchase the toys from www.saveourfriends and choose from 20 toys in four environments – African, Ocean, Polar and Rainforest Friends.

The Save Our Friends Cuddy Toys retail from £23.95 exc VAT and delivery and are available from www.saveourfriends.co.uk.

Christmas Gift Idea: Denman Diamante Brush Set £15.19

2010-12-02T09:49:00.000-08:00

If there’s one party essential a girl needs this Christmas it’s this bumper diamante hair set. Perfect for adding a little razzle dazzle to your locks, this exclusive set comes complete with a Denman high quality hairbrush in lush red matt velvet with sparkly diamante jewels and two high fashion sparkly hair clips.

Denman have been making world-famous Classic Styling Brushes since 1938 with a reputation built on quality and innovation.

They have been used to create some of the most iconic hairstyles and remain the preferred choice of the professional hairdresser.

This is a fabulous brush; if you are someone who cares about every little detail of your image then this brush is for you. The brush is just the right size to be able to clutch nicely and to be able to brush portions of your hair to do many different hairstyles. The shape of the handle makes holding the brush very easy and the actual brush manages to groom hair and untangle tangles very easily without hurting. If you have ever bought a cheap brush you will know the pain that they can cause – well this brush is at the opposite end of the scale, and it actually feels therapeutic as it seems to massage the scalp when you brush.

Aside from making your hair look wonderful, it is also a great item to store in your handbag as it looks such a glamorous item if you need to pull it out in public. And if you thought that this brush set couldn’t get any better – what about the fact that it comes with two gorgeous hair clips. This brush would make an excellent stocking filler! I’m more than pleased with this brush!

Review: Fearne Make-up Collection - It's All About The Eyes kit

2010-12-02T06:05:00.000-08:00

I was already a big fan of Fearne Cotton even before I discovered her new make-up range but now I am an even bigger fan. This new line of make-up encompassed everything which is loveable about Fearne; the quirkiness, the fact that it is very much on trend and most of all because it's beautiful.

Firstly, let's take a look at the packaging (which is pictured at the top of the page). Fearne loves her tattoos and rock chick image, and the packaging of these products emphasises this. The packaging combines modern florals with a font of writing that you might expect to see splashed across somebody's arm. Tied up with a black ribbon this would make the perfect Christmas gift.

Inside you have the most amazing products EVER! Even before actually using the products I thought they looked fantastic because of the way that they were presented. The pencils being nice and chunky (again with the cool font) and the little pots of shimmer dust presented in funky little pots.

I love all of these products but I am particularly in love with the shimmer dust pictured below and the greeny blue eye-pencil.

Why? Because the shimmer dusts contain an element of magic about them. They make your eyes look amazing; they contain just the right amount of sparkle. You could almost imagine this being the sort of make-up a delicate little fairy would wear. Sometimes you can get eyeshadows which aim to be glittery but they just make you look too over-done. These are so delicate you can use them for daytime wear.

The pencils were absolutely brilliant because they were so soft and easy to apply. I get sore eyes very easily, but these pencils must be made of very gentle ingredients as I didn't get any reaction. They were also very easy to apply and if you want a softer look you can smudge them very easily. I loved the 'Envious Green' colour as it just made my eyes look wonderful, the colour was really flattering. Although, I would say this was more of a bluey colour than a green.

I feel this kit is tremendous value at £10 and will certainly be buying more from this range. Thanks Fearne!

For more info please visit www.boots.com

Christmas Gift Idea: Lord and Berry Christmas Gift Box £19.99

2010-12-02T02:49:00.000-08:00

Destined to give Christmas make-up bags a wake-up call, the Lord and Berry Christmas gift set will please any glamour puss. The lip and eye specialist has put together a professional must-have kit which includes best-selling, ‘ready-to-wear’, high performance products for eyes and lips which are guaranteed to keep her on top of the latest trends.

Each set contains a Lord & Berry Is This Love? Trio Palette crammed with 2 ultra treatment silk lip glosses infused with apricot extracts, vitamins and emollients and 1 multi-purpose poured lipstick.

A exotic and sexy Lord & Berry Kajal Black Eye Pencil, with a run proof formula for long lasting, rich and consistent eye definition, that’s gentle enough to use on the inner eye and a Lord & Berry Alchimia Black Mascara – giving spectacular volume, infinite length and natural curling thanks to its special soft silicon wand and perfect treatment formula.

The adorable set also comes with a fashionable white cosmetic bag and gold Lord & Berry logo.

I'm so excited to have discovered 'Lord and Berry.' For years I have been looking for a fail-proof kajal pencil that can be used on the inside of the eye without turning my eyes bright red and I have finally found it. To be honest, I would probably pay £19.99 for this product alone, as I am a glam eyes addict. The mascara also went down a treat with me as after about three coats I had the plumpest lashes ever, the lipstick and lipglosses came in gorgeous shades and left my lips looking really soft and smooth!

I am really pleased with this set!

Christmas Gift Idea: Les Fleurs De Bach Organic Anti-Stress Mask 60ml - £24.00

2010-12-02T02:19:00.000-08:00

Even before I had ever heard of ‘Les Fleurs De Bach’ I was well versed in using 'Bach’s Rescue Remedies' – the natural flower remedy for all life's troubles. I was well aware of the brilliant results of lifting your moods and helping you deal with life's troubles; so you can imagine my intrigue when I discovered there was a company out there producing body care products that used the same ingredients.

For over 70 years, the 38 flower essence discovered by Dr Bach has helped millions of people rebalance their emotions naturally and find well-being and harmony. Les Fleurs de Bach brings you the proven benefits of these essences through a unique concept in Anti-Stress Skin Care.

Each of the Anti-Stress Skin Care products combines the purest natural ingredients with a blend of certified organic Bach Flower essences. With top notes of Bergamot and Orange which develop into a distinctive and soothing Sage and Lavender base before delivering a final chord of Patchouli and Eucalyptus.

This mask held just about every ingredient that would make me want to buy a product. Not only am I avid fan of Bach Rescue Remedies but I also love oils and only take my make-up off using almond oil and cleanse my skin with Castor oil. So I was over the moon when I settled down to read about this mask and found that not only would I be getting 15 minutes to experience the benefits of Bach flowers to uplift my mood and take all the cares of the world away from me, but also I would be gaining ultra-soft skin through the use of Shea butter, almond oil, jojoba oil, Melissa and Tilia hydrolats and natural Vitamin E.

I smeared the cream all over my face and instantly the wonderful soothing aroma hit my nostrils. I felt encased in a sense of security and safety. I always notice my skin is particularly dry after having a shower so I applied this straight after coming out of the shower. The results were amazing! My skin instantly felt softened and it was almost as if my skin was drinking the oils. After the 15 minutes I rinsed the mask off and my skin was glowing and felt as soft as a baby's bottom.

This is most definitely more than just a face mask it's a body and mind experience too as the aromas from the Bach flowers uplift and distress mentally and the oils soften and soothe your skin physically. Going to bed after using the mask I slept like a baby and then the next morning I awoke and just couldn't stop stroking the skin on my face as it was just so soft. I will most certainly be looking in to getting more of this range!

The Les Fleurs de Bach Organic Anti-Stress Skin Care range is available in selected outlets and from http://www.lesfleursdebach.co.uk

Christmas Book Review: Happy Christmas Boris! by Sam Lloyd

2010-11-28T07:42:00.000-08:00

I really can't commend this book highly enough for the clever angles it incorporates to bring the book to life. I would describe this as a magical story book that is not dissimilar to a mini puppet theatre. Because of the way that you can manoeuvre the puppets expressions, the worlds your oyster in terms of how far you can bring this character to life. If you know a child who isn't fussy on reading then this one is highly recommended to entice them in to the magical world of reading.

The central character is very lovable, boisterous and a bit too loud but with a good heart. Bright orange with a mouth big enough to swallow you, all children are going to be eager to learn more about Boris.

The plot is great as we help prepare Boris to help Santa deliver presents, and through this plot we learn of the sensitive side of Boris and how we cater to people when they are feeling a bit upset.

From now on we are actively going to be seeking out Sam Lloyd books as we feel we have found the gold at the end of the rainbow in looking for a suitable book to read to both my children (aged 2 and 8). Sam Lloyd has not only incorporated the clever angle of using puppetry in this book, but has also used other clever techniques to engage children such as asking us to help stroke and feed Boris. The fact that he has also made Boris sad and uncomfortable in parts of the book also helps children to learn how we deal with people who are sad in real life.

I also liked the fact that the book allowed us to take on the part of the narrator and also the character of Boris.

Thanks to this book I have also been introduced to Templar Publishing; the publishers of this book and I am amazed to see the level of creativity that is used in the books that they publish. Far more than just reading books. Of course, anything that makes reading that extra bit special is worth its weight in gold in my book!

We give this the Sweet Craftiness Gold Award for 'Best Book of the Year'.

For more info please visit www.templarco.co.uk

Christmas book review: Ladybird Noisy Noisy Christmas!

2010-11-28T03:24:00.000-08:00

There's nothing better than to cosy up with your little ones with a good festive book in hand, particularly so when it is so bitingly cold outside. My two boys are 2 and 8 and so it is hard to ever be able to find a book that interests them both, but there's something about buttons that produce sounds that never fails to enthral children young or old.

This book immediately welcomes the child with its festive metallic green sheen cover and the heart-warming picture of Father Christmas's jolly friendly face. The front cover informs the child that they are looking for the star button throughout the book to find a secret sound. Pressing the first page will result in 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' being played.

Noises range from carol singers, elves in Santa's workshop, sparkling sounds of a Christmas Fairy, kissing noises under the mistletoe, the bells ringing of Santa's reindeer, the "Ho-Ho-Ho" of Father Christmas, children running with excitement on Christmas morning and finally the opening of the presents.

This book meets the need in all children to furnish their beliefs of all the exciting things they think happens at Christmas. Confirming that these things happen in such a magical sensory way is a fabulous way to contribute to children's excitement.

The text is simple and just the right length to maintain younger children's interest and overall we just thought that this was a very magical book. We will certainly be looking to get more from the 'noisy noisy' range as we have already read this book about ten times thanks to my two year old sons demands. Brilliant book!

For more information please visit http://www.ladybird.co.uk/ or http://www.theladybirdblog.typepad.com/

Review: Zingillas Big Zing Play set

2010-11-07T11:23:00.000-08:00

Moaning Stones beach playset featuring the Beach Byrds, exclusive Zak posable figure and the coconut clock. Watch the last coconut drop to see the stage light up and trigger the start of the Big Zing. Requires 3 x AA batteries.

My toddler son is absolutely Zingzilla crazy and so we were very eager to get hold of the 'Big Zing' play set. Avid fans of the Zingzillas will know that each episode always culminates in the ultimate spectacular show; otherwise known as the 'Big Zing.' The 'Big Zing' always commands the child's attention with the bursts of sounds and colours accompanied by the band playing a certain music type, and so when we opened up the 'Big Zing' play set we saw that all these attributes had been accurately incorporated. The set was bright, it was colourful and it contained the Moaning Stones and palm trees. You even have the twinkling lights and sounds.

Overall the play set is visually pleasing because of the bright colours that are used within the set. The Moaning Stones are very accurate to the way they appear on the show and the Beach Byrds add a little burst of colour in the corner. The twinkling lights create a serene and magical atmosphere within the play set.

The only thing that I was disappointed about with this play set is the fact that it only comes with one character. Until I purchase more of the characters I don't think my toddler will gain the full play potential of this set as he can't really make the characters interact in any way. Nonetheless he seems content posing Zak and making him dance all around the stage. I look forward to getting the other figures as I think it will look quite impressive when all three Zingzillas are playing in the band.

Character-wise we were very impressed. Zak was bright and colourful and his little face fitted in all the minute detail that is proportioned in to his larger face on the show. Very clever! The characters also come with a great range of accessories. Zak certainly looks great when he is plugged in to the stage and he repeats his catchphrases and sings.

A great play set!

For more info please visit www.vividimaginations.co.uk

Christmas Gift Idea: Boots Miniature Scents of Attraction gift set

2010-11-07T05:05:00.000-08:00

This Scents of Attraction Fragrance Gift Set contains

Ted Baker X20 For Her 10ml
DKNY Be Delicious 7ml
Ghost Original 5ml
Guerlain Insolence 5ml
Givenchy Very Irresistible 4ml

REVIEW: So many of my favourite fragrances packed in one gift set has got to be a good thing. The clever people who work for Boots have managed to combine many of the scents which they believe boost your powers of attraction. This gift set is great because it has so many really popular scents that no matter how fussy the person that you are buying for is, you are almost sure to hit upon one scent that they will like, if not more.

Here's my rundown on the specific perfumes:

Ted Baker X2O for Her - This is a passionate and sensual fragrance, with a base of Musk, and vibrant hints of Star Anise, Grapefruit, Magnolia and Water Lily. Quite a light and fresh smell perfect for everyday wear. Rating 7/10/

DKNY Be Delicious - I'd already purchased this before I got hold of this set. I know I am superficial but I always get drawn to bottles of perfume if they have an unusual designed bottle. I expected this to smell very much like green apples but it has a slightly more complex fragrance containing American Apple, Cucumber, Grapefruit, Candid, Magnolia, Tuberose, White Muguet, Rose, Violet, Sandalwood, Tender Skin Accord, Blonde Woods and White Amber. There is an overall fruity scent which emanates from one squirt; one squirt is all that is needed with this fragrance as it is quite a strong scent. This is marketed as being a free-spirited and refreshing smell and I totally agree as it seems to rejuvenate your senses. In fact almost every time I have worn this whilst out and about I have had someone come up to me and ask what the lovely smell was. The smell of the fragrance also lasts a very long time which is good. Rating 8/10

Ghost - This perfume was certainly a pleasure for the senses to experience. To me this has a musky smell that has a hint of Turkish delight. It is a very evocative smell and is light and wearable day or night as it is a very subtle smell. I think that maybe where the name comes from as it is a ghostly and subtle smell. Ghost fragrance is a timeless, feminine and romantic soft floral. Mellow hibiscus, rose petals, and musk characterise Ghost - the first fragrance from the designer label. Subtly combined jasmine, spicy sandalwood, and warm incense dominate with gentleness, while overtones of vanilla, musk, ambergris, and apricot provide a satiny quality to the fragrance. Rating 8/10

Guerlain Insolence - This is my absolute favourite perfume of all time. I actually first discovered this perfume after swiping my wrist over a magazine fragrance swatch and instantly knew I needed a bottle. It reminds me of the sweetness of parma violets. If I was to liken this to a fragrance I would say it is a little like Daisy by Marc Jacobs. Extroverted and daring Guerlain Insolence combines Violet with a hint of Orange blossom and Rose. Fruity red Berries, Lemon and Bergamot are introduced in the heart notes while sensual Iris and Tonka Bean resins finish the scent. The result is young, daring and radiantly feminine. Rating 10/10

Givenchy Very Irresistible - Very Irresistible Givenchy Eau de Toilette was created, from a unique alliance of 5 roses, the queen of flowers, emblematic of Hubert de Givenchy and Audrey Hepburn. This had a very strong rose scent and for my taste, I found this a little too strong and unbearable. I thought liking 4/5 with a fragrance kit was very good though. Rating 2/10

Overall, a lovely little set. At £18.00 it won't break the bank and gives the owner of the sets enough perfume to last them quite a while and also introduces them to perfumes they might not have tried before. Brilliant!

For more info please visit Boots.com

Next Baby Boutique Model Competition

2010-10-23T08:27:00.000-07:00

We've all got beautiful babies but maybe you feel that your baby has true model potential. Do people often comment how beautiful your babies eyes are? Or how they are going to break lots of hearts when they grow up? This is your big chance for the world to see how gorgeous your baby is; and you also have the chance to win brilliant prizes. Winners will receive £500 of NEXT vouchers and a 12-month modelling contract with leading junior model agency, Urban Angels. They’ll also participate in a photo-shoot for NEXT and Prima Baby magazine. Wow! Impressive!

What do I have to do to enter?

To enter the competition you must have an infant aged between 0-36 months. The competition will be judged in two categories; birth up to 18 months and 19 months up to 36 months. Visit www.facebook.com/nextonline and upload a clear photograph of your child. Once your photo has been approved you can get your friends and family to vote to improve your chances of winning.

Good luck!!!

Review: Zingzillas - Play and Groove Panzee

2010-10-18T13:41:00.000-07:00

It's still Zingzilla fever in our household. My 22 month old just can't get enough of them. I think it's the combination of the friendly faces, the bright colours and patterned clothes that they wear. Throw in the upbeat and enthralling music and it's no wonder they are loved by all toddlers. Quite a combination!

Every time Toddler Craftiness watches Zingzillas he has to get up and dance, and so I was curious to try out one of this Christmas's top toys on him - the 'Play and Groove Panzee.' As soon as the fluffy pink hair appeared from the top of the box, my toddler yanked her out with squeals of delight. He tried to poke her in the eyes a few times, as her eyes are not just sewn on flat eyes, they are three-dimensional hard eyes, and this seemed to be an attraction for him. Next, he tried to tug her tambourine, which seemed to frighten him for a second, because suddenly Panzee introduced herself to him. Panzee was busy informing him that she wanted to dance, but the trouble was that I hadn't even removed her out of the box yet. From that point on I got rather impatient yelps and looks from Toddler Craftiness.

Getting her out of the box, Toddler Craftiness was absolutely delighted. He was absolutely in awe when two of his favourite Zingzilla songs came on and she proceeded to dance. It took him a while to get up and dance because he was just so busy admiring her. From a toddlers point of view this must have been pretty amazing - a Zingzilla dancing in your living room. You can even choose what speed she goes by squeezing her hand. She can either dance energetically, really wiggling her hips or she can go on slow speed. Slow speed means that she gently rocks and sways.

This is a great way of getting your toddler dancing and burning off some of that boundless energy they all have!

For me, Play and Groove Panzee is more than just a dancing toy. I really was amazed by all the detail that had gone in to designing her to make her a multi-sensory toy. You have the visual delights of her brightly coloured and patterned clothes, her textured net skirt and fluffy hair and her cute smiley face. Not to mention the fact that Panzee encourages hand/eye co-ordination, imaginative play and sound recognition.

My son really can't get over the fact he has a Zingzilla in his house. Today has consisted of him pointing back and forth from the Zingzillas on TV to Panzee, repeating the word "Panzee".

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that any Zingzillas fan will absolutely LOVE this toy!

A big thumbs up! We certainly had a 'Boogie Woogie Bubbly Time' with Panzee.

Retails at around £29.99

For more info please visit http://www.vividimaginations.co.uk/

Miners Autumn/Winter Nail Collection

2010-10-17T12:16:00.000-07:00

Wow! Miners have just released an absolutely stunning array of colours for their Autumn/Winter Collection. I am in love with them. If there is one thing that will cheer me up it's beautiful colours. I have listed the colours in my order of preference:

Dorothy's Shoes- I'm not sure I even needed the name of this nail varnish as it instantly reminded me of Dorothy's ruby red slippers and the magical way that they glistened and glowed. Those slippers were very much in demand and I am sure that this nail varnish will be too.

Midnight Lavender is described as the colour of Lavender as it sparkles by moonlight; how beautiful a description is that?
LBD which obviously stands for Little Black Dress. Just like a Little Black Dress this is an essential item. Totally matte black, this is for girls who are going for the dramatically bold look.

Perfect to create a festive look. Molten is a liquid gold shade with added shimmering particles you will be dazzling your way to the dance floor in a flash!

Mulberry Shimmer is a rich mulled wine shade with gold shimmer particles that dazzle in the light - perfect for festive frolicking day or night.

Here's my review:

For more info please visit www.miners.co.uk or www.clickhealthandbeauty.com

Review: Le Toy Van 'Shanghai Warrior Ship'

2010-10-17T09:31:00.000-07:00

Review: Times Table CD

2010-10-17T09:05:00.001-07:00

I'm always on the hunt for educational products that I feel could help my children and so I was very keen to test out whether a 'Times Table CD with songs and games' would prove to be useful. My eight year old son is now receiving weekly tests on his times tables so he needs to get up to scratch.

So what does this CD involve?

I was really impressed with this CD. The songs were really pleasant to listen to even if you weren't learning the times tables; but overall the CD has been of brilliant educational use.

It is really easy to memorise the tables because as you go along throughout the day you actually find yourself singing the songs. (Yes, even I am singing them!) Which is a big help in learning the tables, if you are subconsciously singing them all the time. The CD then tests the child in two ways; repeating the song with gaps left for the child to sing in the answers. The next test is where a man reads out the tables and just leaves a few seconds gap for the child to fill in the answer before he gives the answer, which again children love because they can't wait to beat the man to it.

To reiterate the tables the CD also comes with a handy booklet with the times tables in so the children can have a visual aid as they are singing along until they become completely familiar.

Here's my son enjoying the CD:

The CD costs £7.50 which I think is very reasonable. We have had great use from this CD and my son's tables test showed this last week when he got 35/35.

For more info please visit www.kidscdsandtapes.com

Review: Kids Music Shop DVD

2010-10-17T06:35:00.000-07:00

I was recently contacted to see if I would like to review a DVD from Kids Music Shop. The Kids Music Shop has just expanded their collection from just CD's to DVD's. This DVD in particular contains 16 popular songs that children will love.

Here's the track listing:

1. Down in the jungle 2. Ten Fat Sausages 3. Sing a rainbow 4. We all clap hands together 5. Four little ducks went swimming one day 6. Supercalifragilistic 7. Prehistoric Animal Brigade 8. One potato two potato 9. Knees up Mother Brown 10. Woodland Farm Ho Down 11. BINGO 12. Banyan Tree 13. Chick chick chick chick Chicken 14. Wiggly Woo 15. Looby Lou BONUS TRACK 16. Happy Birthday PLUS an additional special features section.

Most of the songs feature schoolchildren singing along exuberantly and very proudly performing the actions. The DVD has a slightly amateur feel to it, but I think in this case it is what keeps you watching. The fact that the children haven't been edited until every little thing is perfect and if you look closely enough you can see them give each other a quick smirk etc.

It was great to see a DVD with local accents and the trouble that they had gone to to set up the scenery for each particular song.

So what did my children think?

This DVD made a great alternative to having a children's music CD on because I could actually see my children noting the actions to the songs. Years ago, I remember I had this old book which listed the actions you needed to do for certain songs and I LOVED it. I felt really important and loved showing off with my dance moves and actions. Now, after observing my children watching this DVD I have noted the same behaviour. They keep showing different actions to the songs which is highly amusing.

Overall opinion: We liked this DVD because it was almost like taking a glimpse in to childhood to see how proud children get when performing. There's even a section on the DVD to see funny outtakes and how the children progressed from rehearsals to filming. This DVD costs £4.99 which is great value. My children loved the songs and dancing along and copying actions from the children on the TV.

For more information please visit www.kidscdsandtapes.com

Review: Stinky the Garbage Truck by Matchbox

2010-10-17T03:15:00.000-07:00

Introducing Stinky the Garbage Truck. The ULTIMATE best friend.

The ultimate in boys' buddies, Stinky the Garbage Truck is anything but rubbish! This rugged, large scale garbage truck has interactive sensors that bring him to life in unbelievable ways! With amazing articulation, Stinky interacts with his new best friend by talking, telling jokes ans singing - this garbage truck is like no other. He loves to exercise and dance along to music with his own unique personality.

I was first introduced to Stinky the Garbage Truck through Milkshake on Channel Five. Stinky appears behind the 'Five' logo after every ad break and my children were immediately drawn to him. My 2 year old son wildly pointing at him trying to get my attention to the screen and my eight year old already well-versed in the name of the creature replying "Yes, Stinky!" Stinky really looked the bees knees on the advert showing off his robotic skills and his humorous personality, but I was unconvinced. Things often look so much better on TV and when you get them home they sound very robotised and the movements are unrealistic and jerky. Not the case with Stinky.......

Stinky the Garbage Truck came to our home on a Thursday afternoon and my son couldn't wait for me to get him out of the box. There were lots of wires to deal with in the packaging and this seemed to pose a problem for my two year old son as he jutted out his bottom lip in frustration at me because I was not removing Stinky from his packaging quickly enough for him. Wires removed, he snatched the toy off me with delight and sat playing with him for around 20 minutes on the floor (impressive for a toddler). My 8 year old then got stuck in to the playing; putting his toys in to Stinky's mouth so that they would fall out of Stinky's garbage truck etc. It was what you could call quite a hectic day as my husband had managed to drive in to a pothole and damage both wheels so in all the rush we failed to realise that the toy had batteries in for a demo mode. It was only the next day when my son realised that you had to pull the plastic tab out did Stinky come to life.....

Stinky coming to life after being an inanimate toy seemed to prove a huge problem for my nearly two year old as he froze in terror and pushed it away. He must have wondered what on earth was happening with Stinky suddenly "coming to life.'

The 8 year old absolutely loved Stinky's crazy movements and I must admit I was VERY impressed. This was every bit as good as it had appeared on the TV and I have included a video I got off YouTube to illustrate how good he is in real life.

Besides the fantastic robotics what I really loved about Stinky was the element of humour instilled in him! He had us all laughing. Particularly when he continuously passes wind and apologises by repeatedly saying "Excuse me!" It's also great fun putting toy cars in to his garbage truck as he laughs and says that it tickles him and then demands that you give him more.

It was also hilarious when he got up on to his back two wheels and sung and dance. The gruff voice he beholds also adds to how funny he is.

Around £65 for this amount of interaction, humour and robotic technology is great value and I will certainly be recommending Stinky to others.

And if you think that is good then Stinky even comes with a 20 minute DVD of him and his other friends having fun! I think this is great for children as it provides more of a background to Stinky and fuels their imagination when playing with him.

A few hours of watching us all laugh and gasp in awe at Stinky and my two year old came round to him again; suddenly becoming very possessive with him. The result is that I now have a war on my hands, as my two children rival to get to play with Stinky first.

Our conclusion: Simply AWESOME! We couldn't be any more impressed. In fact we think Stinky is even better in real life than he appears on TV. WE LOVE STINKY!!

Available from Argos
For more info on stockists please telephone: 01628 500303

Review: Vtech Storio

2010-10-17T00:55:00.000-07:00

Vtech STORIO is an interactive animated story teller aimed at 3-7 year olds, which encourages kids to read along with their favourite characters whilst developing their understanding of letters, vowels and phonics. There's even parent friendly extras to help monitor their development.

We were sent the Vtech Storio to review and so here's our honest opinion:

We were first drawn to the Storio because of our love for 'Toy Story.' The book that comes in the Storio package is 'Toy Story 3' and so we couldn't wait to test it out. We pressed the 'on' button and immediately we were simply amazed by the quality of the film accompanying the story. It was like having a little TV in our hands. I love reading gadgets, I'm the proud owner of a Sony Reader; but I could say in some ways the Storio impressed me even more. Not only a story book but a running cartoon too!

To add to the delight of the above, we could even personalise the Storio with my sons name and play reading games. My two sons are nearly 2 and 8 and it was a constant fight between them who could use it first. At the moment my youngest son can only listen and watch but I am sure this will ease him in to the world of reading and really encourage him to want to read.

The touch screen was brilliant to use and you could either use it with your fingers or with the stylus pen that comes with the Storio. The fact that each word was being highlighted as it was read out made it great for my children not only to learn the words and see how they were pronounced but also to learn the tone of voice that is used when something exciting is happening. A skill that can often be ignored. Another brilliant factor was that if there was a difficult word, then they could just tap on it and up would pop the 'story dictionary' explaining what the word meant. They also really seemed to like the facility of being able to virtually turn over the page.

The reading games were a big hit with the children too and are a great tool for finding out how well your child comprehends the story.

I'm also surprised at the fact that we have had the Storio for around six weeks and still haven't had to change the battery! Putting the Storio on a dimmer light setting certainly seems to conserve the battery life and prevents the Storio from devouring batteries.

Our overall opinion:

Brilliant! The Storio really does manage to bring reading to life in a variety of interesting ways. With the ever expanding library of Storio such as Shrek, Dora the Explorer, Scooby Doo and Disney Fairies we are never going to get bored of this toy.

For more information please visit www.vtechuk.com

Sweet Craftiness: Outfit of the Month

2010-10-11T03:14:00.000-07:00

There's nothing we love more here at the world of Sweet Craftiness than an outfit that is comfortable and yet stylish. In these crisp Autumn days it can be very hard deciding on what to wear, but browsing through the latest La Redoute catalogue we were actually at a loss at what we should prioritise to buy. Luckily for my readers I have teamed up with La Redoute to review some of the latest fashion must-haves to see if they live up to how good they look in the catalogue.

Feast your eyes on this month's outfit of the week: (dress pictured above). Short-Sleeved Dress. I LOVE it; it's bang on trend and team it up with a lovely long cardigan and you will be stylish and cosy. It's a really figure flattering dress as it flows over the stomach gently and yet allows easy movement because it is not too long. It's a great length and with some black tights and the black biker boots you are ready to go. If you want to be extra warm you could even wear leggings with it. On warmer days this dress will also look great with a simple denim jacket.

If you want to go for a more fitted look and really want to accentuate your petite waist then a belt is a great option. A particularly nice belt to suit this dress is the 'Plaited Leather belt with studs' (pictured below) item no 8252530.

This is a gorgeous plaited leather belt with metal studs, available in brown or black. You could either go with brown belt and brown biker boots or black belt and black biker boots. This belt is probably one of La Redoute's bestsellers as the belt is actually featured in their TV adverts. It costs £35 but is versatile enough to go with many different outfits and the outstanding quality means that it will last some time.

The biker boots below are brilliant value! They are short biker boots which is the 'in-trend' this season! They are easy to get on and off quickly too as they simply slip on. These are part of their 'Mini-Price' range and so at £29.00 are very affordable. More importantly they are VERY comfortable and I have used them for dashing about on the school run several times. They really kept my feet nice and warm too. One thing I did notice about them is because of the 2.5cm heel they are quite noisy to walk about on but that is my only minor quibble.

Hope you have enjoyed this month's 'Outfit of the Month' and keep your eyes peeled for next month's treat for the eyes!

For more info please visit www.laredoute.co.uk

Review: Zingzillas: The Album

2010-10-10T08:51:00.000-07:00

If the children in your household watch Cbeebies, you will undoubtedly have seen or heard Zingzillas. The show makes a refreshing change to traditional children's TV shows however as it brings a unique musical element along with it. Bringing new and old kinds of music to children's attention and maybe will even cause children to take up playing an instrument.

I was highly amused when my 22 month old watched Zingzillas as his little face lit up and he started boogying along in his pushchair, so much so that I had to let him out to have a little dance.

As much as we love Zingzillas, there are times when you want to shut off the TV and engage children in other activities and that's why I was ever so pleased when I heard there was a Zingzilla's album being released as I envisioned getting my son up dancing and burning off some of that everlasting energy he seems to behold.

Here's a bit more info on the CD:

The hit pre-school show ZingZillas follows band-mates Zak, Tang, Panzee and Drum through their music adventures on their tropical island paradise. This band of primate friends live to play fantastic music. With the help of their mentor, music guru DJ Loose, they create their unique ZingZilla sounds just in time for their daily performance, The Big Zing.

As well as these regular island dwellers, the island is visited in every episode by a different musical guest. The ZingZillas always discover their musical guest in a lush jungle glade which pulsates with music. They take inspiration from the guests and incorporate them and their sounds into The Big Zing.

With musical influences from rock to soul, jazz to samba and big band to orchestra, the ZingZillas have got pint sized viewers (and their mums and dads) jumping and jiving to a brand new beat.

The 4th October sees the release of ZingZilllas: The album, which will be available on CD and digital download. The album includes the band’s first single, Do you Didgeridoo? As well as an extended version of the infectiously catchy ZingZillas theme tune.

Serving up listeners with a host of world music from over 20 counties, the album features 26 tracks including hits such as Bhangra Beat, The Great ZingZilla Band and Let’s Hear You Scat.

We were sent this CD to review so what did we honestly think?

There is huge diversity in music on this CD and so listening to the album is never boring (which can often be the case when it comes to children's CD's.) You have the BBC orchestra, bagpipe players, rock bands, pianists, drummers, saxophonists, jazz bands and much more. It's amazing!

Initially my toddler seemed more interested in looking at the CD case and pointing in amazement at the brightly coloured characters gracing the front cover, and even more so when he discovered his reflection in the back of the CD. But after taking the CD off him before he caused any damage, he quickly cheered up when I placed the CD in the CD player and he proceeded to happily dance away.

It was great to hear such feelgood music playing with such appealing lyrics for children. If songs like these can drum home the importance of recycling and making friends at a young age then that can only be a good thing. For now though my little boy just seems to enjoy dancing along to the music.

The fact that the album contains 26 songs means that this CD has a very long shelf-life or rather a very long life in my CD player. We probably listen to about 4 or 5 songs at a time, meaning that each time we put the CD back on we can listen to some relatively new songs again. Our favourites being 'Welcome to the Island' and 'Litter, Litter, Litter.'

And in the words of one of the songs 'Do you want to have fun?' - if so, then get your hands on one of these albums.

It's sure to go down a treat with your kids if they are Zingzilla fans.

Certain to get fans singing, grooving and dancing just like their favourite primate friends, Zingzillas: The Album will be available through all good retailers.

CD Product Information:

Cat. Number: LTDMG021

Release Date: 4th October 2010

RRP: £9.99

Review: Lakeland Santa's Advent Workshop Calendar

2010-10-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

I ADORE Christmas and actually when it comes to Christmas products I am like a big kid. Anything that can make the build-up to Christmas more magical is good in my book. So I had to share with you this AMAZING advent calendar from Lakeland. If you remember last year I showed you this beautiful Bethlehem Advent Stable from Lakeland. I thought Lakeland would have a hard time surpassing the beauty of the calendar this year; but yet again they have managed to create a magnificent piece.

It holds all the same qualities of last year's piece:

Future heirloom: because the item is so well made it can be passed down to future generations.

I have taken close-up shots of the calendar to emphasise how extremely well made the item is and the fantastic amount of detail that has gone in to it. Every angle of the calendar beholds something for the eyes to feast on.
You have carved wood, delicate figurines and wintery painted scenes. To me this calendar is the ultimate Christmas treasure. It is the perfect alternative to the traditional Christmas chocolate advent calendars; much healthier, lasts longer and quite simply a centrepiece for any room.

Taking a look inside the small room you can almost be forgiven for thinking you have been taken to the far away land of the North Pole. So breathtaking is the beauty of this calendar.....

Further to that the base rotates 360 degrees so that you have easy access to place each day's piece.

As we get closer and closer to Christmas this scene is going to become more breathtakingly beautiful!

The whole scene looks like someone has waved a magic wand over a real life scenario, to create this miniature version. That's how realistic the calendar is. The intricate detail of the painted background holds all the magical characteristics you would expect if you stepped in to Santa's workshop. You can almost smell the smell of candy canes, see the snow fall and hear the elves at work as the whole scene is so atmospheric.

This gets 5/5 from Sweet Craftiness.

For more info please visit www.lakeland.co.uk

Toy Story Bedroom Makeover

2010-09-19T08:36:00.000-07:00

Here's the pics from the makeover we done on my sons bedroom. Transforming it in to a Toy story bedroom. Let me know what you think!

Review: Toy Story 3 Glo Doodle

2010-09-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

At the moment we are slightly obsessed with 'Toy Story' in our household and so we could be nothing but delighted when we discovered the new 'Toy Story 3' edition Glo Doodle.

We've tried the 'Magna Doodle' and the 'Etch-a-Sketch', but never before have we tried the 'Glo Doodle.' Now I realise what we have been missing out on.

Taking the Glo Doodle out of the box and fitting in the batteries, we were greeted with a box of light which offered us a whole host of creative options. The children were immediately attracted to it because of the Toy Story theme, but picking the Glo Doodle up, they soon realised that there was double fun to be had. Toy Story characters and the fact that they could draw and trace in light. Wow!

The Glo Doodle comes with 6 traceable Toy Story characters which you are able to trace using the transparent screen and either your finger or the writing implement that comes with the Glo Doodle. The children absolutely loved doing this but they loved even better the fact that you could then put on the 3D glasses and get a totally new depth to the drawings. Press the 'magic erase' button and begin all the fun all over again!

We really couldn't find any negatives with this product. We loved the fact that you could create lots of different textures by smudging your finger across and then using your nail to define areas. There is probably a wealth of effects and projects you could do on the Glo Doodle. Perhaps you could take a look at a website such as Art Attack for inspiration.

My 22 month old son was amazed to see his scribbles light up and my 8 year old son was intrigued by the different effects he could achieve. The Glo Doodle even provided a novel way of helping him learn his times table as he was only too happy to write them out using the Glo Doodle.

This would be great for any long car journeys or any time you are feeling in the slightest bit creative.

We give this toy a definite 10/10!

Available from Toys R Us or Argos.

Best Party Bags EVER from www.aquarterof.co.uk

2010-09-12T00:57:00.000-07:00

We've just discovered the 'Best Party Bags Ever' from www.aquarterof.co.uk

Everyone thought they were amazing and the stripy blue bags (pink for girls) just added to the excitement of opening them. We used these bags in conjunction with a little treasure hunt we devised out the back garden for the boys and they had to find the party bags which were the 'treasure.'

The party bags certainly held the 'wow factor' with the boys. Delving through the goodies, one of the children asked what the www.aquarterof.co.uk info card was. When I replied that the cards explained where the sweets came from, a little boy asked "from Santa?". That for me summed up the satisfaction with the bags the children had. Their little faces were a delight to watch as they opened the bags.

The bags held just the right combination of items to totally delight the boys. Squishy skulls, huge jelly spiders, traditional chew bars, whistle lollipops and things to provide the fun element such as the whoopie cushion and water bombs.

Here's the video of them opening them:

*Please note there is a problem with sound on the video and everyone sounds much more high-pitched than in real life.

For more info on the party bags please go to www.aquarterof.co.uk

Review: Drumond Park 'Pig Goes Pop' game

2010-08-29T04:58:00.001-07:00

For more info please visit www.drumondpark.com

Review: Drumond Park 'Bubble Buster' Game

2010-08-29T04:53:00.000-07:00

For more info please visit www.drumondpark.com

Review: Chatimals

2010-08-20T04:20:00.000-07:00

For more info please visit www.chatimals.com

Review: Hoppin' Mad

2010-08-18T10:08:00.001-07:00

For more info please visit www.brightminds.co.uk

Review: Pumpaloons by Drumond Park

2010-08-18T07:26:00.000-07:00

For more info please visit www.drumondpark.com