Gadget Gifts, Gift Reviews, Teenage Gifts, Toy Reviews
New ‘Updated’ Wikipad.
Wow, I thought the Wikipad simply could not get better – I was wrong.
This super tablet has been given new software and new features:
‘The new software adds new features such as controller mapping, the addition of Android 4.2, new content such as Madfinger Games’ Dead Trigger 2 and access to a host of great games from new content partner WildTangent Games.
Homeware Reviews
Aldi Special Buys.
Have you still to try a low cost supermarket? If so, I ugre you to check out Aldi and SAVE!
‘Grocer of the Year 2013’ is but one of the many awards this store has scooped. Putting quality and value for money first, Aldi continues to grow in popularity as more and more people choose to shop ‘wisely’.
I love Aldi and have been shopping there for the last few years. I pick up all sorts of bargains along with my regular weekly grocery shop. The special buys change weekly which is why I never like to miss this – from garden essentials to baby essentials, the special buys really have everything covered. Their Valentine’s Day specials included items of clothing with a heart print which I couldn’t find anywhere else. This is so trendy at the moment and I adore my beautiful heart print scarf, and for only £2.99!
Some of the best coats my children own are from Aldi, along with a host of other clothing items.
I was so impressed with the Aldi Mania Parent Panel.
‘Every month, our panel of real parents will be putting our products to the test and letting you know what they think of them. They will tell you what they like, what they love and what they want more of, so you can be certain you’re buying the best for your family. Look out for our ‘Parent Panel Tried & Tested’ logo that will appear next to their favourite products.’ (Aldi)
I have recently bought some of the baby clothes for my sister’s children and she was delighted. From gorgeous super soft baby grows to the ‘designer look’ toddler outfits, there is a great variety to choose from and the quality was unbeatable.
Find all these bargains and more at your local Aldi store or shop online at www.aldi.co.uk
Homeware Reviews
My Carry Potty.
My Carry Potty – why wasn’t this around when I was potty training my kids? Life would have been so much easier.
Why? Well, this little pot does exactly when the name suggests – the child can easily carry it around. Imagine the ease of having a pot on hand when it is needed without the hassle of having to use a plastic bag etc. My Carry Potty is a pot within a case and yes, it has a child-friendly handle making this the perfect invention – it was so obviously invented by a mum!
The pot is made from strong plastic and there is no assembly required, just pick it up and go. You can haul this to nursery, on school runs, to granny’s and it even looks good enough to accompany your family while out for Sunday lunch. The lid clips shut which make it leak and odour free and it does not need to be carried in a plastic bag which helps our environment.
My Carry Potty will make your potty training days much simpler, take it from a mum who knows! I have recommended this to both my younger sisters who have the potty training saga ahead on them!
An excellent buy for only £24.99
For further information visit www.mycarrypotty.com
For The Garden, Gadget Gifts, Gift Reviews, Teenage Gifts
Jam Plus Wireless Speaker in Pink for Mother’s Day.
I was so excited with this product and have concluded it is a brilliant buy. The Jam Plus Wireless Speaker is the speaker for you if you enjoy listening to music and are looking for excellent sound quality. This speaker is super handy, very portable and has the appearance similar to that of a jam-jar with its cool matching ‘pot’ cover.
A wireless connection can be made from up to 10m away, so this is perfect for taking outside or even just upstairs in your home. The built-in rechargeable battery provides up to 4 hours of wireless playback so it’s also a great little speaker for taking travelling, camping and on holiday.
The sound quality is brilliant, and it was hard to believe such sound could be ejected from a small speaker. I love my music and have used this with my smart-phone, I can now listen to my tunes in every room in the house and in the garden. All Bluetooth devices are compatible with this speaker and it can also be used with a 3.5 mm aux-in cable. When using the cable, the speaker delivers up to 12 hours of playback.
Also perfect for younger children and teenagers, the Jam Classic comes in super trendy colours – blue, red, purple, green and grey. However, for Mother’s Day, the colour HAS to be pink!
Available for only £59.99, these are excellent value for money too and a really useful yet ‘trendy’ gift.
Available from HMV and Tesco.
Gift Reviews, Health and Beauty
Elle Macpherson Aromatherapy Foot Spa.
Give your mum the ultimate gift this Mother’s Day! The Elle Macpherson Aromatherapy Foot Spa.
This is a foot spa like no other, with every add-on you could possibly imagine. Suitable for all foot sizes, this spa is shear heaven, accommodating feet up to a size 12 UK so it is more than suitable for all the family, if mum is willing to share!
There are several extras that set this light years ahead of other foot spas, one being the pedicure attachments. Fine and coarse pumice stones gently remove old and tough skin from your feet. This is brilliant and delivers excellent results. I like to make this the beginning of my foot treatment. The massage is to follow. While soaking your feet in gorgeous warm bubbly water, 4 interchangeable massage rollers work your feet and relax your body. Various massage functions can be selected – Hydro massage, Vibration massage, Magnetic Therapy, Aromatherapy and Light. I was so impressed with this and love the Hydro massage along with the aromatherapy.
The spa includes an aromatherapy mist diff user so you can sit back, enjoy your massage and relax while breathing the smell of frangipane aroma oil. Unlike my previous foot spa, the Elle Macpherson Aromatherapy Spa has an angled base so you do not have to sit bolt upright to achieve the full benefits of the massage. I can relax on my sofa and enjoy the spa experience in a comfortable position.
To top it off, LED mood lighting can be selected in a choice of 2 colours. This is just fantastic and I couldn’t recommend this foot spa more.
This is simply the best foot spa on the market and I would be delighted to receive this for Mother’s Day.
Available from www.amazon.co.uk RRP £74.99
Gift Reviews, Health and Beauty, Pampered Foods, Teenage Gifts
Revive Active.
January began with a boost for me as I was introduced to a new anti-aging health supplement called Revive Active. I have been taking one sachet daily and I feel fabulous, this is definitely a keeper!
With over 26 ingredients all carefully thought out and researched, Revive Active works to boost everyone’s immunity and energy levels and, very importantly, helps fight off aging.
‘Key ingredients include Coenzyme Q10 (Co Q10), L-Arginine, L-Citrulline, L-Carnitine, Magnesium as well as Vitamin K2’ (Revive Active)
I take my Revive Active every morning. The sachet contains powered ingredients which can be mixed into a glass of water or juice. I prefer mixing with water and this tastes perfectly OK, it makes a very refreshing orange and mango flavoured drink.
If you feel your system is in need of a ‘boost’, try Revive Active for one month and you will be an impressed as I am.
Revive Active ‘is endorsed by leading medical professionals, nutritionists and naturopaths, including leading celebrity Nutritionist Vicky Edgson. With over 15 years’ experience running private nutritional therapy clinics in London and the author of several well-respected books on best-practice nutrition, Vicki Edgson has been working with Revive Active almost since its inception and is a self-professed supporter of the product, often recommending it to her patients’ (Revive Active)
Revive Active is caffeine and sugar free. Available from www.reviveactive.co.uk with free delivery to Uk and Ireland.
RRP £59.85 for one month supply, discounts available on website with multiple purchases.
Health and Beauty, Pampered Foods
Superdrug Health – Vitamins.
Superdrug, my first port of call when I need day to day essentials. There are over 800 stores in the UK and Ireland over 200 of these stores have pharmacies on site.
At a Superdrug store and online you will find a range of vitamins from well known brands. Multibionta, Seven Seas and Bassets vitamins can all be found at Superdrug. I have recently tried some of the Superdrug own branded vitamins.
These tend to be much cheaper than the other brands but several of them contain exactly the same ingredients. It was therefore a bit of a ‘no-brainer’ for me to choose Superdrug own brand as value for money rates highly when I am choosing products.
For example, if you are looking for a great ‘all rounder’ family multivitamin, Superdrug A-Z Chewable Multivitamin and Minerals has got to be unbeatable value for £2.99!!
This supplement is ‘specially formulated to provide a balance of multivitamins and minerals to help maintain overall good health and nutritional balance’ (Superdrug)
I have tried to coax my kids into taking supplements for years and they have never agreed on the same one until now. Thankfully I seem to have found the perfect multivitamin as even my 6 year old doesn’t complain when taking this every morning – Superdrug’s ACDE Jellies.
These contain all your little ones need to stay healthy and fit so they can get up to all the mischief they enjoy so much.
‘Vitamin D is needed for normal growth and development of bones in children.
Vitamins A & C contribute to the normal function of the immune system.
Vitamin E is an anti oxidant that contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress’ (Superdrug)
Moving from vitamins to another necessity, toothpaste! This is another instance where Superdrug performed very well. The childrens toothpaste for ages 2-6 yrs caught my eye as there was a lovely big crocodile on the front with super looking teeth.
This is the sole reason my son lets me brush his teeth now – I told him this was the toothpaste crocodiles use! I have to admit I was being ‘clever’ at first, but this really worked!
The toothpaste helps fight plaque and decay and is suitable for children with just the correct amount of fluoride. Very well priced at 59p!
Visit your local Superdrug or shop online for an unbeatable range of vitamins and other essentials at a great price.
Gift Reviews, Toy Reviews
Lonely Planet World Search Books.
Reading – have you wondered why teachers encourage this activity more than any other? My children’s handwriting isn’t perfect and the maths may need a little work, but my daughters manage to astound the teachers with their vocabulary! Apparently this is down to the volume and variety of books they read.
My daughters and my son would visit the library weekly borrowing, returning and requesting specific copies of books. The teachers said reading books served to fuel the imagination and extend the vocabulary.
If you have children and are thinking of topping up on their book collection this year, have a look at the books from Lonely Planet. My children have a few from the ‘Not for Parents’ and the title alone encourages them to read!
These books are hardback and beautifully illustrated. The reading material is factual and perfect for boys and girls alike who are keen to discover the world around them.
From February 2014 you will be delighted to find a new range – World Search. Perfect for inquisitive little minds, and expertly recommended from the age of 5yrs and upwards, my children love these books.
The books are ‘flap’ books, but they are not your average ‘flap’ book – there are lots and lots of interesting little flaps to lift on each page. Three different books are available and I just had to have all three. They are equally brilliant and enjoyed by my ten and eight year old daughters and also by my four year old son.
‘Travel the world in search of the weird, wonderful and sometimes plain silly things that happen all over the globe. From animals and cities to the cool jobs people do, there’s plenty to look out for. So get ready to hunt for amazing treasure, spot some awesome objects and travel the world.
World Search: Amazing Jobs’ takes kids in search of the most amazing jobs in the world including being a stuntman on a Bollywood film set, a park ranger in Yellowstone National Park and a Royal Flying Doctor in the Australian Outback.’ (Lonely Planet)
My children have a host of career paths to choose from after reading this book – the sky is the limit! I love guiding my children away from the conventional path and encourage thinking ‘out of the box’ If you can relate to this, buy this book!
Busy Places’ holds the key to yet another host of adventures. If I had to choose a favourite, this is the book I would choose.
‘Busy Places takes kids through some of the busiest places in the world including Copacabana beach, New York City, London Heathrow Airport and Paris streets in search for hidden items.’ (Lonely Planet)
Incredible Animals is my son’s favourite book.
‘Incredible Animals takes kids in search of incredible animals in their habitats around the world including Antarctica (polar), Read Sea (coral reef), Serengeti (grasslands) and the Indian jungle (rainforest). (Lonely Planet)
We play a game when reading this book. I point to a ‘flap’ with a picture and he tries to recall the interesting fact that hides underneath. This is great fun and very educational, for both my son and myself!
The World Search books retail at £9.99 and are available from:
Lonely Planet has printed over 120 million books and they are the world’s leading travel content provider. They recently celebrated their 40th Anniversary. They boast mobile apps, ebook portfolio and an award winning website and they can be followed on Facebook and Twitter.
facebook.com/lonelyplanet
Twitter @lonelyplanet and #lp
Gift Reviews, Toy Reviews
Valentine’s Day Build-A-Bear Workshop.
Who doesn’t love Build-A-Bear? I have been to a Build-A-Bear work shop once and my hubby couldn’t get me out! I love the concept, and the toys are so cuddly and individual.
These plush Valentine figures from Build-A-Bear Workshop will melt your heart. They are the utmost in quality and definitely have the cute factor. I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t love one of these soft plush figures this Valentine’s Day.
I adore this Dressy darling Big Hearts Bear. When she arrived in the post in her unique Build-A-Bear box I was thrilled to bits. I had no idea she would be so big. She is absolutely gorgeous, my 4 year old son fell in love instantly! The accessories are fabulous, beautiful glitter red shoes and a fancy red dress and hand bag. Extra clothes can also be bought from Build-A-Bear Workshop and the toys can be dressed and undressed to the delight of yourself or your children.
Most are approximately 15 inches tall and free standing. Aside from the toy aspect, they would look beautiful as a ‘decoration’ kept safe on a bedroom shelf.
With regards to a specific recommended age, Build-A-Bears are enjoyed by both my 4 year old son up to my 10 year old daughter.
Build-A-Bears can be bought online at www.buildabear.co.uk or you can go to the nearest store and enjoy a bear building experience.
Dressy Darling Big Hearts Bear and accessories RRP £36.50
Recommended for ages 12 months and up
Gift Reviews, Homeware Reviews, Teenage Gifts
Wilko for Valentine’s Day gifts.
I have recently discovered a great value online company – Wilko, who have a whooping 374 stores nationally as well. I discovered Wilko by accident – like all great discoveries! They have a great selection of almost everything! Yes, whatever you are on the lookout for, have a look at www.wilko.com and you will be sure to find it.
I have a few of their products now and keep returning for more. They offer free UK delivery with £80 purchase. Shipping is quick and I have never been disappointed with Wilko.
For Valentine’s day they have a lovely selection of gifts I would be delighted to receive. I have a couple of the photo frames on my wish-list.
I love multi aperture frames. They hold so many photos yet I only have to lift one frame to dust! Wilko have a beautiful silver rococo photo frame with 5 different aperture’s for only £10. This would look grand on my mantle piece with our 5 family members in each frame.
As a special gift for your other half, I would recommend the Butterfly Photo Frame 6inx4in for £8. This looks much more than £8 with intricate butterflies and diamante detail around a beautiful glass frame.
I have my eye on a few other home-ware items that would add to the shabby chic look I love. A hanging ‘Willow Love Heart’ RRP £5 and the ‘Heart Lantern Candle Holder Glass’ for only £2.
Why look elsewhere when Wilko has fab items at a fraction of the price?
For further information visit www.wilko.com