Solving the washday blues with Lakeland

Do you think washing and ironing is dreary? Well, in that case you haven't taken a look at Lakeland's range of innovative products. Well, OK I still think it is dreary but Lakeland's selection of wonderful products certainly makes life easier. Whatever my household troubles Lakeland always seems to have a product able to solve my dilemma. I LOVE Lakeland.

My washing is cheerily blowing in the wind and it's all thanks to Lakeland. Here are the dilemmas I had that Lakeland managed to solve with its products:

Dilemma number 1:

My ironing board was too heavy and I always managed to jam my fingers in the catch. The ironing board was bumpy and this produced creases and lumps in my clothes. How did I solve this problem?


Leifheit Airboard Fusion Ironing board. (£69.99 from www.lakeland.co.uk)

As my ironing board is on display against the wall each and every day whilst not in use I was first of all looking for something with an attractive ironing board cover. So the first thing I noticed was the beautiful sky blue cover with butterflies, it had a dreamy feel, was soothing on the eye and looked great in my kitchen. Opening the ironing board was a breeze and the lightweight board meant that I didn't have to struggle to open it. For me the key thing about this ironing board was how much easier it made ironing as the thermo-plastic material which it is made from reflects the steam which makes ironing much speedier. No more sweltering over a hot iron, as it seems you only have to pass the iron over gently and clothing is pressed so much easier.

Another great thing about this ironing board is that you can adjust it to a height that is suitable for whilst you are sitting it down. This is perfect for me as I can now watch TV whilst getting the ironing done. There is also a large curved end which makes ironing blouses and shirts so much easier. I must mention the fact that the board seems much bigger than my old ironing board and so this also is a great factor when it comes down to ironing duvets or anything big. The adjustable iron rest means that you can place it anywhere it suits or you can completely remove it, giving yourself even more ironing space.

Problem solved. Rating 5/5

Dilemma Number 2:

One small baby who hates being in the garden whilst I peg out. It got to the point where I just used the tumble drier all the time, but with rising electricity prices this was something I had to put a stop to. So I had to think of ways in which I could minimise my time in the garden pegging out. I tried giving various new toys to my baby but this didn't work, so how could I solve this problem?

OK, there were two products that made a major difference to the amount of stress I endured each time I needed to peg out.

Hook-ups (£1.99)

Two words; life-changing! You thread these Hook-Ups on to your line. Then all you need to do is put all the washing on hangers whilst in the house. It takes literally seconds whilst outside to hang the hangers on the hook-ups. Not only does it obliterate most of the time that I need to spend outside but it has a number of other huge benefits.

• Clothes need much less ironing, as the way they are hung on the hanger (Hook-Up) is much the same as how they would fall on the human form.
• Takes much less time to get the washing in if it rains.
• No peg-marks.

Magic Hanger £6.99

The Magic Hanger is another brilliant invention. I can peg all the underwear or small items on this in the house and then hang straight on the line. It is much easier to keep socks paired with the Magic Hanger too. It also saves space on the washing line. When it is time to get them off the washing line you just open the end peg and all the pegs open. Any parent will agree that when you have children any minute you save is precious.

Dilemma 3

I'm fed up of pegs snapping and dangerously lunging in certain directions. Last weekend my husband was injured in the eye by a wooden peg that snapped off in to his eye. Any ideas what I can do?

This was solved by using Lakeland's Soft Grip Pegs (£3.99 for 20). I've been using these for a few months now and not one single one has snapped. Besides that they don't leave any marks on the clothing and the summer colours that they are available in, make it a pleasure watching the clothes blowing on the line. It might sound trivial, but I am sure you will agree that it's often the little things that make such a huge difference. You also don't need to worry about getting splinters of wood in your fingers.

I hope you have enjoyed my round-up of these products which really have rid me of my washday blues.

For more info on all the products please visit www.lakeland.co.uk

Review: Glamour 24/7 Jeans

Confidence can sometimes be hard to find after having babies and in fact it can be an issue for women from any walk of life. So it’s very reassuring that a pair of jeans by the name of ‘Glamour 24/7 Nip/Tuck jeans’ can go some way in restoring your faith in your body image. At a petite 5 ft 3”, I usually have problems finding jeans to fit me. I am a size 10 but after having a baby feel very conscious of my tummy area. So when I was asked to review a pair of Nip/Tuck jeans I jumped at the chance.

I was a little dubious of the pricing at first which starts at £95 but when I received the jeans, the quality emanating from the jeans made it clear why the jeans were priced in this way. Immediately the jeans hugged my figure in all the right places and shied away from the parts which I wanted to cover. The tote bag that the jeans came in was symbolic of everything about these jeans; by that I mean every little detail is carefully designed and you can see the amount of thought behind it. The quality, the fit and the durability of the material was just amazing! I felt totally comfortable with the design pulling in my tummy; which I usually feel quite conscious about. If I had one suggestion for Wizard Jeans, that would be to create a pair of denim shorts for the summer as they would be great when you need to bear all in these hot summer months.

Launched in late 2009 by Sally Allen, Wizard are set to become the magic wand in every girl’s wardrobe. “As my figure changed over the years, I found it difficult to find jeans that flattered the areas which matter most - hips, stomach and bottom,” says Sally. Encouraged by feedback from women of all walks of life who said they also had problems buying jeans for the same reasons, Sally set out determined to develop the perfect pair of jeans...thus Wizard was born!

“I spent months researching patterns and materials to find the perfect technology that would really enhance a woman’s curves and help her feel comfortable, yet fashionable,” says Sally, “and I think
I’ve found it. These work!”

Overall, Wizard Jeans proved to me that you only need one pair of well-fitting jeans to really rejuvenate your wardrobe. Simple tops are made new again by teaming then with a stylish pair of jeans. The logo on the back pocket emphasises the fact that you are body confident and conveys an overall air of confidence.

Available in white, blue and black too...price starting from £95.00. A totally fantastic pair of jeans!!!

From www.glamour247.com

Review: Ben 10 Toys by Ozbozz

This is for all you parents with avid Ben 10 fans in your household. A review of the very latest Ben 10 toys on the market. When a toy is purchased the key question often asked by parents is "is it worth it?" Here's the rundown:

Ozbozz Ben 10 Pack of 3 Jet Balls (Around £3.49)

Without stating the obvious these balls are very bouncy; which is obviously why they are called Jet Balls. They seem to have a much higher bounce than your average bouncy ball, which seems to make catching the balls easier. The balls come in packs of 3 and you can get them in the various Ben 10 designs. My son has a wide collection of bouncy balls and now that he has discovered this Ben 10 range, I have a feeling his collection will get that much bigger. The Jet Balls certainly went down well with his friends; whoops of delight could be heard from many of the boys and enquiries of where to purchase these from. Of course, you won't get any complaints from me either as £1.16 per ball is pretty good value for a character item.


Ben 10 Adventure Camera Set (Around £10.75)
The Adventure Camera Set is a great choice if you are trying to introduce some creativity in to your children's lives. You can introduce them in to the world of photography and scrapbooking and satisfy their love for Ben 10 all at the same time. The camera is a fantastic idea as it even allows the child to appear in one of the printed photographs with Ben 10. It's easy to operate and the finished photographs can then be put in album and decorated with the stickers that come in the pack.

Take a look at our video review for more info on these products:



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

Miners Spring/Summer Nail Collection

The sun is finally shining and now is the time to add a splash of colour to your life. Hands and feet are on display a lot more in the summer months, so it makes sense to make them look the best that they possibly can. To help us look our best Miners have brought a fantastic range of nail colours for the Spring/Summer Season, which can only be described as 'beautiful.' There is no other word that describes them as well. Each nail varnish has its own unique quality and will have you admiring your nails at every available opportunity. I know it certainly cheers me up whilst typing as I look at my delicately coloured nails.

Colour is renowned for improving mood, so I am wondering whether having beautifully painted nails in selected shades as a bearing on happiness. I am 100% positive it does with me.

Here's the chart:

Blue - Calmness
Orange - Joy
Pink - Change
Red - Energy

Anyway, let me tell you a little more about these beautiful shades Miners has brought out. There are two angles which these nail varnishes have covered; beach brights and pretty pastels. So selecting a colour to wear is a pretty hard task I can tell you, as they are so glamorous in their own way. I decide which colour I am going to wear by teaming the shades up with clothes I am wearing.

I have made this little video so you can have a closer look at the colours:



I chose to make the video as the Miners website didn't do justice to how beautiful the colours were. For example the swatch used for Rio Pink on the Miners website was this:

For me this was like portraying a disco ball as silver; there are so many other colours that need to be mentioned. This just looks like a blank pink but Rio Pink is actually a bright pink tone with an amazing pearlescent finish. It has to be seen to be believed. This colour works with any skin tone and can be teamed up with most clothes that you are wearing.

Jaffa is a muted orange shade which when you twist in the light, you get a magnificent pinky pearlescent undertone. This one in particular lifts your spirits. The colour is apparently inspired by African colours and prints and I've always been fascinated by anything African, so perhaps this is why I love the colour of this one. It's great for any adventurous look and would look particularly good with safari clothes - greens and browns. It also looks great with a bronzed beach tone.

Denim Shorts is my favourite colour from the collection as it has a magical feel about it. The colour is so delicate and yet contains so many colours. It is a washed out blue colour with light pink undertones. It is particularly beautiful as it has an opalescent effect. If you really want to go for the 'au naturel' look you can apply just one coat off this and then french manicure your nails and give them a white tip and your nails look wonderfully fresh and clean. To add more depth to the colour then just add about 2-3 coats and you will be fascinated every time your nails move about in the light.

Flamingo is a demure shade of rosy pink. Perfect for any girly look. The undertones in this one are pink. I think that's why all these nail varnishes hold such appeal for me, because there is no such thing as flat colour.

Apricot Blush is a milky-pink shade with a silver pearlescent base. This is great for this season's 70s romance style.

As I have mentioned before, I love Miners because they are budget range and you never have to pay a silly amount of money. The quality is always excellent and they really seem to keep on top of the latest trends.

So now we are down to the nitty gritty of the nail varnishes:

Application: Application was easy, the brush was small enough to get in to all the crevices of the nail and not make any brush marks. Around two - three coats is needed with all these varnishes to get a full coverage.

Durability: You can expect these nail varnishes to last for around 2 to 3 days before they start chipping, which I think is about average.

Value for money: At £2.99 each, these nail varnishes are fantastic value for money. I'm sure you will agree that you will be able to afford the whole range at that price.

Overall rating: 5/5 Bright colours or demure colours, Miners have everything this season and for the great prices you can add a splash of your colour to your life with ease. Brilliant!!

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Orly Nail Lacquer Review

Here's my video review of Orly nail lacquers:



I found a great video on Youtube which shows the colours close up.

Here's the link: Nail Polish: Orly Viva Collection for Summer 2010

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Review: Trunki - Gruffalo edition

This little creature wheedled its way in to my life, or should I say wheeled. As a family we had all been admiring this little 3-in1 for a long time; it’s a suitcase that can be used as a ride-on or pull-along. So when we actually received this to review, we were in no way disappointed. This product was first launched on Dragons Den and that should go some way in describing the level of innovativeness that is behind this product. The body of this little creature forms a suitcase that children will be absolutely enchanted with. But it’s also a perfect solution for when they get tired at airports and it really encourages them to carry their own suitcase about.

Once you have a Trunki in your life, it’s very hard not to think of it as a little life-force of its own. The suitcase emanates such character and personality, that it would be very hard for anybody to dislike this product. I took off the packaging and immediately it was a scrabble between my two children about who was going to be sitting on it first. Either way it’s great for me; if my oldest sits on it there’s no moaning. If my youngest sits on it, I even get a happy ‘Puller-alonger.’ Yes ‘Puller-alonger’ that is now an official term in our household for someone who pulls the Trunki along by the straps.

“He has terrible tusks,
And terrible claws
And terrible teeth
In his terrible jaws.
His eyes are orange,
His tongue is black;
He has purple prickles
All over his back.”

Yes, we are now proud owners of the Gruffalo edition Trunki. Those big orange eyes and terrible teeth are flat features, whilst the horns of the Gruffalo form the part which children hold on to steer the Trunki. I am told by my children that the Gruffalo is a very comfortable monster to sit on, but this has also become a favourite place for them to sit whilst I read the ‘Gruffalo’ book to them. I love the fact that this edition is based on the book. It has really brought the story to life for my kids, stretching their imagination and prompting them to think of even more Gruffalo based stories. From an adult’s point of view, you only have to touch the Trunki to feel that it is made up of top quality materials and realise that this will be a product that lasts for a very long time.

The suitcase holds up to 50 kg (so that‘s a small adult!). It is capable of holding up to 18 litres and is hand luggage approved. I am delightfully thankful to the designers of this product, especially for the process of opening the Trunki; easy for adults, difficult for kids. The Trunki is actually locked shut with a key that is attached to the strap, so I wouldn’t have to worry about airport spillages. But this product could have dual-purpose as you could use as a toy box when you are not off jet-setting.

If you think this suitcase is all about appearances; you would sadly be mistaken. It’s not all just about the cosmetic appearance of this little suitcase; the insides are just as good as the outside. Apart from oodles of space, you even have an internal pouch for little bits and pieces and best of all teddy bear seatbelts! My kids thought that this was amazing!

Here's my video review:



Suitable from 3+

Characters available: Tricia, Terrance and The Gruffalo

Priced at £39.95 and available from www.gettingpersonal.co.uk

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