Recently we were offered the chance to spend £30 on toys at House of Fraser. My first thought was that House of Fraser are known for high quality/designer products and I wondered how far it would stretch, my second thought was well I won't know unless I give it a try!!

The first thing I noticed was that the website was very easy to navigate, everything was clearly set out and you are able to sort the toys in various ways including price, or toy type etc. Items are easily added to your basket and clearly displayed there allowing you to add or remove them easily and also keep an eye on your total.

Looking through the vast toy section, I found some items that are on Olivias Birthday or Christmas list and the prices were surprisingly the same as I had seen elsewhere - I learnt a valuable lesson not to make assumptions right there.

With the budget I was set I managed to get:

• Play Doh Sweet Shoppe cookie creations set - £10
• Play Doh Sweet shoppe swirl and scoop ice cream set - £15
• And a set of 8 tubs of Play Doh Plus - £7

I'm sure you have noticed that I was £2 over budget but it was definitely worth paying for the Play Doh Plus given how fast it ends up going that inevitable green/brown colour.

Delivery for these items was £3.50 (delivery is free if you spend over £50) They arrived 3 days after the order was placed, well packed in a sturdy cardboard box.

I have since seen these items for more elsewhere and have already made some toy purchases from House of Fraser.

Top Christmas shopping Tips:

Shop around for the best prices.

Don't discount shops you assume are more expensive - trust me!

Disclaimer - all images and opinions are our own.

Planning for Livs Birthday.

I can hardly believe it but The little baby Girl I had about 5 minutes ago is going to be 4 this week. Four! Where the time has gone I really don't know - I'm sure it actually speeds up when you become a Parent.

Now that she is in nursery and interacting with a lot more Children, she is more aware of what others are having for their Birthday parties, so she is wanting more input this year.

The theme - of course - is My Little Pony, they have been her absolute favourite toys and TV program for the last 18 months, in fact our house looks suspiciously like a Hasbro aisle in a toy shop - and I have a feeling it is about to become much worse!

I allowed her to choose the theme but I have bought everything without her input so she will still have a surprise on the day.

We have My Little Pony plates, cups, straws, napkins, table cloth, banners, balloons and party bags all ready for the big day. I just can't wait to set it all up and see her little face now!

The Children's food is all planned and half bought, right down to the Piñata. With a lot of Adult Family members popping in too, I am planning a special little Adult area in the kitchen (well out of reach of little hands!) with Adult drinks, snacks and some amazing retro sweets.

What more could you ask for at a kiddies party than a quiet area, your favourite tipple and some retro sweets taking you back to your own Childhood? I hope it goes down well!

I remember going to the local corner shop with 50p for a brown bag of aniseed cough candy twists, they never fail to take me right back to primary school. What was your favourite Childhood sweet?

Liv is starting school next month!

I can't quite believe it but the time has arrived - Liv is starting nursery in September. She is very excited and can't wait to go! While I am nervous and a little emotional at the thought of setting her into the big wide world, I am talking to her about what will happen and being very positive about this huge change in both our lives. She is definitely ready to go and will have a fantastic time. We have been very lucky to be offered some items to help the transition and get her prepared for school. Here are some of the items we are prod to be reviewing.

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Stabilo stationary

We absolutely love this Stabilo EASYoriginal pen. The grip zone in the center is non slip and  a vague triangular shaped instead of more round like normal pens, the end of the pen is quite long ensuring it sits correctly on the hand, so they learn to hold the pen properly.

Stabilo 1 Easygraph pencil is very clever. With a simple triangular design and cut out easy grip areas, this pencil ensures the Child is holding and using it correctly

Stabilo Trio Scribbi are triangular shaped felt pens with a retractable nib meaning no more broken tips! They are also super washable so no more stained finger or worse - clothes!

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School shoes and bag from Brantano 

When Brantano kindly asked us to choose a pair of shoes and a bag, Liv immediately chose a Frozen backpack for £6.99 and these super cute, Walkright black shoes with purple lights £14.99.

The backpack is very spacious and sturdy, with strong adjustable straps allowing it to grow with her.

The shoes are very well made with a high quality look and feel to them. The flower and butterfly design is stitched into the shoe rather than applied to it, this gives a far higher quality look and of course is much more durable than a stuck on decoration. Ideal for Younger Girls, these shoes have a cute light in the heel which flashes purple with each step, also an easy close velcro strap giving the Younger Girls that little bit more independence that they so crave at this age!

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One of the things Friends and Family have stressed to me is how important it is to label EVERYTHING Liv takes or wears, apparently 3/4 years old aren't very good at keeping their belongings safe - who knew! With that it mind I was very excited to be offered this Brother PT-H105 label printer for review. 

I was sent the machine and 2 cartridges, one cartridge is a plastic type for labeling books etc while the other is material and perfect for labeling shoes/clothes. The plastic ones have a removable backing to allow them to be stuck straight down and the material ones need to be ironed on. This has been great fun to use, Liv has enjoyed typing in her own name and choosing flowers/hearts and many other pictures to make the label special. Once the label has printed simply press the cutting button and your label is free to be used - couldn't be easier!

Priced at £40. Requires 6 AAA batteries - not included.

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Hedrin got in touch to offer a preventative head lice treatment which I think is a fantastic idea! Liv has lovely long hair which she tries to wear loose all the time so a big fear of mine has been an infestation of little critters once she starts school. The treatment is simply a spray and leave in conditioner for use a minimum of twice a week that deters the bugs from setting up camp! Very east to incorporate into the routine and very reasonably priced around £5. 



They also kindly sent me a fast acting treatment should she end up being infected it will save us a mad dash out trying to find a treatment. Hedrin once is a spray gel solution that is clinically proven to kill head lice and eggs in just one application. You simply leave to work for 15 minutes - a lot kinder than the horrendous treatments I remember as a Child!

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Phonics school DVD and workbook, introduces children to phonics in a fun way, engaging them right from the opening credits.

Phonics School tells the story of the young 'phonikers' who are pupils at Phonics School. Their wise bear teacher Master Anok teaches them that they can transform into anything that begins with their sound - we particularly enjoyed the episode where C and K learn the difference between their sounds, something that is very hard to explain came across very well because it was visible. Liv has genuinely loved watching this DVD and has been walking around announcing what sound or letter everything begins with. Both the DVD and the book are a fantastic way for Parents to give their Children a head start from home.

Targeting the 3-5 age group and licensed by BBC Worldwide Learning.

The series will soon be available on iTunes & Google Play. 

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Of course the most important thing for back to school is having the school uniform!
Nutmeg clothing sent us some uniform items for Liv to try out.

We received:

A pack of 2 polo shirts priced from £2

A Skirt with adjustable waist priced at £3
Pinafor priced at £4
A pair of black gym pumps priced at £2.50 

All of the items are high quality, with perfect stitching and some well thought out touches.

For example the skirt has and adjustable waist to allow you to get the most out of the skirt for as long as possible, it also has a cute little heart buttons. Both the skirt and the pinafor have a shield and clean Teflon coating to help make sure they don't get stained. They are also both machine washable at 40 and can be tumble dried too.

The pumps even have space inside to write the Childs name - very helpful!

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My 1st years Ditsy Print Rucksack RRP £20

This beautiful floral print rucksack is the perfect size for those independent little school starters . Smaller than other backpacks Liv has tried, this bag does not swamp her or look over sized at all.


This bag also comes with fully adjustable straps to ensure the perfect fit, a handle on the top for carrying and there is also the option to personalise the bag in a range of coloured cottons.

I would definitely recommend this bag. The quality is outstanding. All of the stitching and zips are perfect and the overall design is just perfect for the little ones starting school this year.

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So that's it, my Baby Girl is officially going out into the big wide world next month. She is so excited and I know she will love it but I know I will shed a tear or two once she is safely inside.

How did you find the first day of school?

Barbie Spin N ride pets - Livs review.

When our latest Barbie review item arrived, Liv could hardly contain her excitement when she saw it was Barbie on a bicycle wearing a pink helmet just like hers!

What's in the box:
Barbie
Bike
Skateboards
2 Dogs.

Simply clip the pieces together as per the instructions, which is very quick and easy to do. 

Not only can Barbie ride her bike, she also takes her very clever pets along for the ride!

Once all of the pieces are assembled, all that is left to do is pop Barbies feet into the pedals and her hands onto the handle bars. Once she is saddled up and of course wearing her safety helmet, simply push the bike forward. 

You will then see Barbies legs actually peddling the bike while the big Dog rides happily alongside her on her super cute pink skateboard. The more energetic puppy literally runs circles around the bigger dog on her tiny purple skate board.

Liv thought this was absolutely hysterical and fell about laughing the first time she saw it. I must admit it is very fun to watch and even caught the attention of our dog.

Wearing a pretty floral tunic, blue non-removable trousers and sensible black ankle boots, Barbie is ready for an adventure!

This set has been a huge hit in our house with Liv and her Cousins. It is a great way to reinforce the importance of wearing a safety helmet as well as being great fun to play with. It has even made it's way on to one or two Christmas lists!

I would definitely recommend this to Family and Friends, hours of fun and I have seen it priced at just under £19 at Argos too.

Suitable for ages 3 and over.

RRP £24.99

Preparing to go back to school with Home Bargains.

The A few weeks ago I received a surprise email from the lovely people at Home Bargains asking if they could send us some back to school goodies for Liv - Yes please I replied!

I can't put into words how shocked I was when a few days later a huge box was delivered filled with tonnes of crafting supplies, stationary AND a school backpack, lunch bag and sports bottle - a truly lovely parcel to receive!

Inside the mammoth box we received:

Stationary set - 69p
Sports bottle - 59p
Craft box - £2.99
Frozen lunch bag - £2.99
Frozen sports bottle - 79p
18 tubes of Glitter glue - 89p
A4 metallic card - 79p
Frozen backpack - £2.99
Sticker assortment - 29p
30 felt tip pens - 99p
Chalkboard with chalks and sponge - 99p
Furry pencil case - 69p
Eraser set - 69p
Mini wooden stamps - 59p
Disney Princess paint tubes - 59p
Wiro notebook - 59p

Totaling just £17.55!

We have had great fun getting crafty with some of the items. Liv set to work last week making many lovely pieces of artwork. 

In the craft box alone she found, PVA glue, plastic scissors, glitter glue, glitter, sequins, wobbly 3D eyes, feathers, lolly pop sticks, pipe cleaners, pompoms, gems and more!

LEFT - here she is proudly showing off her new backpack, lunch bag and drink bottle.

RIGHT- here you can see her in action on various colours of the metallic card.

We have had a great time with the products sent and will definitely be recommending other Parents get their Kids ready for back to school with Home Bargains!

Disclaimer - we were sent these items as part of a review, however all opinion and images are our own

Feeling all festive - It's Christmas in July!

This is the first year I have got involved with Christmas in July and I have been so excited! Anyone that knows me, knows how much I adore Christmas. I love everything about it, everyone seems so much happier, I love choosing the perfect gift, decorating the house, eating and drinking delicious food and drink - what's not to love?!

Below are some lovely goodies we have been sent, let me know what you like best and what you are hoping for this year.

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The lovely Christmas Boutique kindly sent me some lovely items to set the scene for Christmas in July.

The impressive resin Stags head makes a real feature out of a blank wall. I love the way this looks on our white dining room wall. It is the perfect size for us at 30cm tall, 21cm wide and standing out from the wall 13cm.  I am pretty confident we have found something quite unique with this decoration! Priced at £29.99.

The lovely drawstring linen sack is printed with a black reindeer and the words 'Frohe Weihnachten' - which is German for Merry Christmas. Measuring 80cm long by 40cm wide it is the ideal size for us to carry our gifts around to Family on Christmas morning. Priced at £14.99.

How adorable is the Reindeer door mat?! We have tiny hall that we can't have any decorations in and I always think it looks bare. This will add a lovely touch of Christmas and also be functional. Priced at £14.99.

The glittery frosted pine cone wreath is so simple yet beautiful. It is a very similar colour to our internal doors and looks amazing just simply hung. It is 30cm in diameter and priced at £16.99.

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This traditional Christmas bridge light from LEDHUT is a safe alternative to candles. The warm white lights bring a lovely glow to the room without being overpowering. 

Here it is brightening our windowsill. Doesn't it look lovely? Priced at £9.59

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Once the house is decorated, and you have wrapped and tagged for hours, it is time to relax with a glass of your favourite Christmas tipple. My Husband and I love a nice glass of deliciously smooth Taylor's late bottled vintage port.

It is also a tradition in our house to leave a small glass for Santa alongside a mince pie on Christmas Eve. Delicious with cheese board or a nightcap in front of the fire. 

Available at around £15 a bottle at Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury, Morrison’s Waitrose and Booths.

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Gift ideas.

Do you know a stationary lover? 


Leitz kindly sent us some of their lovely pieces to review. 

The colour is gorgeous - my favourite and also the colour of our bedroom where our desk happens to be - a beautiful match.

The quality of the items are really fantastic, the softback notebooks are filled with quality lined paper, have a pocket in the back and some lovely metallic silver sticky tabs so you can mark any important pages for easy access. The hole punch and stapler have lovely rubberised texture to them making them easy grip.The iPad case is a lovely fit and the A4 lever arch folder has plenty of space inside with a good strong ring binder inside.

They are all very high quality and I would have loved to receive them as a Christmas gift.

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How about this Prezzybox snow cone ice crusher and slush maker?

I have wanted one of these since we went to Florida in 2013. I absolutely love my drinks freezing cold so fell in love with snow cones instantly. It is so easy to use, and a lot quieter than I thought it would be. Simply place some ice cubes into the shoot, press them into the machine using the silver handle attached to the shoot and the ice comes out shaved into the drawer underneath! It takes seconds to do and has gone down a storm with Adults and Children alike. The machine comes with 4 plastic cones, a plastic scoop and a recipe booklet for making syrups but we just added some diluted squash for the Children or some alcoholic beverage for the Adults - delicious!                                       

It is so easy to clean too, simply remove the ice drawer and rinse it out! Even better, if you have a BBQ or Childrens party you can even buy paper cups and ready made syrup from too. I will certainly be stocking up. Every household should have one of these! Priced at £49.95

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I absolutely love this 1950's style retro radio from Gizoo, doesn't it look fantastic? 

It is easy to set up and use. Simply slot in the cable, plug in, extend the ariel, press either FM or AM depending in what station you would like to listen to and use the big rotating scale on the front to find the station you like. You can even take it out and about with you thanks to the carry handle and the option to use batteries (not included) 

I really love having a radio again, now I can save my sanity in the kitchen while drowning out the sound of Childrens TV! Thank you! 

Priced at £34.95 and available in a range of colours.

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Gift ideas from Varta

I have chosen this Indestructible 5 watt lantern for my Husband. He is spending a lot of time "updating" the loft. I think he has a pool table up their personally! At the moment there is no power source up there so he is trying to do jobs with a small torch as his only source of light so he was very excited to get to try this out. 

The lantern has a handle on the top for easy carrying and a hook under the base so it can be hung up easily. It is rubberized, so easy to grip & wipe clean, it is waterproof, has three levels of brightness and is extremely robust - it has been 4m drop tested! With up to 280 hours use per set of batteries, it is the deal gift for campers or people who spend a lot of time under car bonnets for example. RRP £31.99

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I also chose the Indestructible 3 Watt LED Lantern torch (complete with batteries) for my Dad. He has a fascination with torches as he uses them for work and has built up quite a collection. Again this is extremely robust (4m drop test), water resistant and sports a shock-absorbing rubberized head - ideal for all of the times he has dropped tools down the pit while working on a vehicle. 

It also has a specially shaped reflector which provides an extra long light beam - this is what drew me to this particular product as I knew he would love this. RRP £34.99

They are both very happy with their early gifts and agree that they are high quality and definitely worth the RRP.

Visit Varta for all of your battery and flashlight needs.

 

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Karma Se7ven Earrings

How hard is to find gifts for teenagers? This year I have found the perfect gifts for my Nieces. Karma Se7en kindly sent me two pairs of sterling silver earrings to try. Both are bang on trend. 

The first pair are called an ear jacket, and are priced at £39.99. They are in the shape of two cubes filled with sparkling crystals and the other pair are feather shaped ear cuffs also adorned with crystals for plenty of sparkle.

The second pair are called an ear climber and are in the shape of a feather. I have always assumed that this type of earring requires two piercings, but these have one piercing at the bottom and a small clip near the top. Priced at £38.95


Both pairs are made from 925 Sterling Silver and are great quality.

My Nieces will love both pairs.

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Braun CoolTec shaver.

This shaver has been a Godsend for my super hairy Husband! He really struggles with shavers as he has such thick dark stubble, he usually has to resort to going over the same patch of skin repeatedly resulting in a sore red face. This shaver has a three stage cutting system which automatically adapts to the shape of your face and shaves short and long hair in one stroke. That in itself is great but this shaver has a very special addition, making it stand out from others.

Most electric shavers allow heat to build up uncomfortably, resulting in hot uncomfortable skin while shaving. This is where the CoolTec comes into it's own. Once activated, the integrated aluminium cooling bar drops in temperature by 20 degrees, this then transports heat away from the skin resulting in perfectly relaxed, smooth, hair free skin and minimising shaving irritation. 


There is also a pop up precision trimmer and blade guard as standard, this model is also very easy to charge by simply popping it onto the plugged in stand/base. 

Available at Boots, Amazon, Argos & larger supermarkets RRP £199.99. Visit www.braun.com/uk for more information.

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Sass and Belle Multi Photo Frame in Dark Wood.

This large wooden frame is the perfect way to create a beautiful focal point, allowing you to display nine 6" x 4" photographs in one place.  

Don't worry if you haven't got 9 pictures straight away as the pretty floral papers look lovely. The frame can be hung portrait or landscape. 

It is a great quality piece with a lovely smooth waxed feel to it. All of the joins are perfectly fitted and aligned making the finish real quality. 

I can see us buying a few of these and dotting them around the house as it is a high quality product and the perfect way to display Family memories.

Dimensions: L: 82cm x H: 37cm x W: 2cm. 

Priced at £33.

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Lastly, here is a sneak peek at some of the new Yankee Candle Christmas range called -Baby it's fun outside and cosy inside. I have tried Berry trifle, Bundle Up, Cosy by the fire and Winter glow. As you would expect from Yankee they all smell fantastic and are lovely festive colours too. I can't wait to stock up on more for the festive period.

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Would you like to wake up to any of these on Christmas Morning?

My baby is starting nursery! Matalan back to school range - review.

Unbelievably, Liv starts Nursery in September. I honestly don't know where the time has gone!

It all seemed quite a way away yet until the lovely Matalan team kindly got in touch and asked if we would like to review some school uniform. Then reality hit!

I readily agreed and was given a £50 budget to spend in the back to school shop. I had no idea how much uniform costs or how far this budget would go but I was very pleasantly surprised!

The colour scheme for the uniform at the school Liv is attending is grey skirt/trousers and light blue blouse/polo shirt, with this in mind I began shopping.

There was a huge choice available in a wide range of sizes and colours so I had no problem finding possibilities, the only problem was narrowing my choices down!

Here is what I ordered:

6 x pretty blue polo shirts - £6 for 2,

2 x trousers - £4 each,

2 x pleated skirts - £8 for a pack of 2,

1 x jersey skirt - £4,

1 x pinafore - £6,

6 x school socks - £3 for 3 pairs.

= £50 exactly

Liv is very big for her age, usually wearing clothes 3 years older than she is, so I used the handy Matalans measuring guide to determine her size rather than going for her age group. 

Not only is the price brilliant but the quality is fantastic too. My Mum used to be a seamstress so I have been well trained to test seams, check stitching and make sure buttons are secure - all of which were spot on with all of the items I received.

The little details on the clothing really takes the items to another level in my opinion. For example:

• Polo shirts - have a lovely scalloped collar, flower shaped buttons, pretty cap sleeves and some embroidered flowers on the chest.

• Pinafore - has a lovely flower shape for the zip toggle, flowers embroidered on the left hip area and it is coated with a Teflon stain resistant coating to repel water and stains.

• Trousers - have a fully adjustable inner waistband to help make sure you get full use even during growth spurts!

• Pleated skirts (pack of 2) - have an elasticated waist to the back and are also treated with a Teflon stain resistant coating.

• Jersey skirt - elasticated waistband and heart charm.

• The socks - are a lovely finishing touch to the uniform with either a frill or gingham bow in the corresponding school colours. They come in packs of 3 and are also available in yellow, purple, green, and red.

I am very happy with the items we chose, I have put them all through the washing machine and they have all retained their shape and the pleats are still in place.

I would definitely recommend Matalans back to School Range to Family and Friends.

Disclaimer - we were provided with the School Uniform for the purpose of the review, however all opinions are honest and our own. Images subject to copyright.

Parcelgenie unveil their new TxtGenie service - review.

Last week the lovely people at Parcelgenie kindly sent me two codes to surprise my loved ones with a little gift.

I have both received a gift and sent gifts using this service previously so know how easy and fun it is!

For the purpose of the review, I sent one gift for my Mum and one to Liv so that I could get photographs and review them properly.


I chose this beautiful box of 8 scented tealights by Hana Blossom for my Mum. Don't they look amazing? 

Each flower petal is handmade by a local artisan in Central Thailand meaning your purchase will make a difference to the lives of adults and Children in the developing world.

The tea lights are so pretty, it would almost be a shame to light them! They have a lovely subtle scent and would love lovely it a clear glass tealight holder allowing you to admire the design.

They arrived beautifully wrapped in tissue paper and ribbon safely inside a cardboard box for posting. Priced at £5.99 delivered.

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Next I chose this lovely Blues box for Liv as it is reminiscent for a certain popular Disney film! 

When the box arrived, the package inside was wrapped in lovely blue tissue paper. Once opened it contained two chocolate covered toffees, a bag of blue jelly sweets, a bag of blue sugarcoated marshmallows and a swirly blue lolly pop. Liv dived straight into the lolly pop while I was mean Mummy and popped the other treats away for another day. Priced at £3.99 delivered.
The process really couldn't be any easier, simply download the Parcelgenie App choose your gift and enter the mobile number of the person you wish to send it to. The recipient will then receive a text message letting them know that your mobile number has sent them a gift and asking them to reply to the text with their address. Simple!

As if that wasn't easy enough, Parcelgenie have recently unveiled a new TxtGenie service where you don't need a smartphone, laptop, PC or anything other than a mobile that can send a text. With this service you chose a gift from ten options then text Parcelgenie letting them know who you would like to send that gift to and their mobile number. Then just pay for the gift and sit back while they do the rest (text your Friend asking fir their address) Easy peasy! Even better, the first gift you send will be half price! A full 50% off.

Both of the parcels I ordered fitted easily through the letterbox so there is no need to worry about timing the delivery for when the recipient is home, they can just return to a nice treat instead.

As a little incentive to treat your Family and Friends, the App comes complete with a loyalty card which is automatically stamped whenever you send a gift. Once you have sent six gifts Parcelgenie will send you a little something just for being so lovely to all of your Friends and Family. Isn't that nice of them?

Disclaimer - I was sent two free codes to enable me to review the service, however all images and opinion is my own.

Making the most of our Summer!

If you are anything like me and your skin melts the instant the sun touches you, it can be quite difficult to enjoy yourself when everyone wants to be lying in their back gardens getting bronzed. A few Years ago I discovered the perfect way to tempt people inside while still having fun. 

Have you ever tried visiting a Foodies Festival? We went to the Llangollen Food & Drink Festival and had a fabulous time. With lots of stalls to look around, the sun lovers are happy while the more sensitive skinned of us can pop into the shade when required. This year it is back for the 18th time on Saturday October 17th and Sunday the 18th.

Did you know that Foodies Festival is on at Alexandra Palace this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Celebrating its 10th anniversary with Michelin-star and celebrity chefs including Aldo Zilli – TV Chef and Master Chef finalists Saira Hamilton and Jackie Kearney

There will also be new food and drink tasting theatres where local experts will tempt you with tasty food while teaching you new skills like Oyster Shucking, Bee Keeping and Foraging.

If that isn't enough, how about some Summer cooking inspiration from the Aga Rangemaster Chefs, head to the theatre and watch them cooking their favourite dishes from their Summer menus. You’re guaranteed to find something new and delicious to try. I was inspired me to try new ingredients and create some lovely food at home.

Why not make a Weekend of it and stay at the fantastic Holiday Inn London Brent Cross, which is only 22 minutes away by car. 

Just £99 for a spacious double room which has a lounge area and a sofa that can be used as a sofabed, high speed internet and keep refreshed in this heatwave with air conditioning and quench your thirst with their complimentary tea and coffee. When you get back from the food festival you can relax in front of a movie or satellite channels on the TV, bliss!

Disclaimer - brought to ypu in association with Holiday Inn.

Planning a festive weekend away in November!

Okay I know a lot of you probably haven't even been on your Summer holiday yet, but now we are back from ours I can't help but start planning the next getaway.

While looking around for something different to do towards the end of the year, I clicked onto The NEC's "what's on" section and straight away spotted the November Festive Gift Fair.

Complete with 325 stalls of Decorations, Toys & Stockings Fillers, Food & Drink, Health & Beauty, Crafts, Fashion and Jewellery, Gadgets, Home Interiors and much more I am bound to find plenty of gift inspiration.

I'm already excited to start getting into the Christmas Spirit there with Christmas musical entertainment throughout the day, including the talented Gramaphones and Rock Choirs. There will also be some characters keeping us entertained including the Grinch (Boo!), an outrageous Dame and of course the big Man himself - SANTA!

Yes I am aware that we are in Summer but anyone that knows me will tell you I LOVE Christmas. Love it. Everything from finding the perfect gifts and beautifully wrapping them to decorating the house and cooking up a storm. I just love it all!

Every year since Liv has been born we try our hands at crafting and add a new temporary decoration - not that our house looks like a grotto or anything! We take her to see Santa and to the local garden centre to meet some Reindeer and listen to a lovely group of OAP's playing Christmas Carols on the bells, it truly is a magical time.

Decorating the tree & our crafted decorations.

The icing on the cake is that with us living in Wales and not driving, we will be travelling by train and staying the night at the ever so lovely Crowne Plaza Birmingham NEC which is actually part of the NEC so after a long days shopping we can drop off the bags before enjoying a drink in the bar overlooking Pendigo lake, Dinner in the resteraunt and in the morning I can pop back to the fair while my Husband makes use of the balcony view, wi-fi and gym (honestly!)

If you are interested in attending the Fair, it is open from Thursday the 12th of November to Sunday 15th of November, priced from £8.50 per Adult.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho - It's off to shop we go!


Disclaimer - brought to you in association with Crowne Plaza Birmingham Hotel.