Tuesday 31 July 2012

Badge It Review


Badge It! returns by popular demand after calls from the craft loving public to reintroduce this much loved toy. Released in the UK in 2003, over 1/2 million makers were sold in the first year and Badge It! picked up the ‘Creative Toy of the Year’ award.

Now with craft making experiencing a surge in popularity Badge It! returns. The Badge It! maker has got quick, simple, no-mess badge making all buttoned up!  Make unique, high quality metal badges in seconds of your favourite pop star, footballer or pet.

The award winning design makes creativity simple as there’s no glue and no mess. You can use photos, pictures from magazines or your own drawings to make the badges you want.
So get creative, and wear your badge with pride!

My 8 year old niece was so excited when I gave this to her and wanted to make badges straight away. It is easy to do when you read the instructions. However the instructions are in very very small print !

The set came with some ready printed circular pictures for making badges which were in fun and funky designs.  Alternatively, there was a template that could be used to cut pictures from magazines.  I know my niece is going to enjoy enjoyed being able to use pictures she had found herself to make really unique pin badges!

The set only comes 15 pin badges so thankfully refill sets are available to buy separately. This would make the perfect party activity as It is  really fun, quick, not messy and easy to operate.


Badge It ideal birthday gift!
And the other thing I would like to see is this made in a more neutral colour for boys seeing as it  does have some very trndy kids on the box one of which is a young boy/teen!

(Disclosure I was sent this Badge It for review and all my opinions are my own )

Sunday 29 July 2012

Silent Sunday 29/7/2012 #SilentSunday


Fifteen Cornwall


Fifteen Cornwall


Fifteen Cornwall is part of a global social enterprise, founded by Jamie Oliver with a clear mission – empower those who deserve a second chance in life. It aims to inspire people through food, whether it’s the apprentice chefs in our kitchen or the diners in their restaurants.

Every year  group of 16 – 24 year olds from Cornwall.  It is Fifteen  belief that no matter where someone may be at in life, with the right guidance, they can build a compelling and successful future.


The apprentice chefs how to slice, dice, sear, braise and blend beautiful Cornish ingredients into outstanding plates of food, all against a backdrop of two miles of stunning Cornish beach.


And it is indeed a stunning location prefect for dining anytime, but my favourite time of day to dine there has to be when there is a sunset. Purely breathtaking as the sun melts in the sea though a camera will capture the image, the beauty if the sunset is so strong the memory is forever imprinted on your memory.





Saturday 28 July 2012

Caption Saturday 28/7/2012 #satcap

They really will just about open a Coffee shop any where nowadays is no where sacred?!



Wednesday 25 July 2012

Gallery Street Photography


These are some of the views I have taken recently on the street when I have been to London. I love the vibrancy of London there is so much life and detail everywhere you look. I just take what I see , going with the flow nothing is out rightly planned.

I haven't joined in much before with the gallery but I shall get involved more as soon as I saw this topic I thought I've done that! And looking ahead it will push me to experiment more with photography.



Tilda kids rice review

The four pouches, which are available in the shops now, are aimed at four to nine-year olds and come in Cheese & Tomato, Sunshine Vegetable, Sweet Vegetable & Wholegrain and Mild & Sweet curry flavours (rsp £1.15).

Each of the pastel-coloured packs contains one of the recommended five-a-day and features suggestions of a protein to accompany the rice.



I have to say I tried this myself and it was perfect for me also even adult sometimes I don't always want huge meals. I added a packet of the pouch Tilda Kids Mild & Sweet Curry rice make a family friendly meal with turkey,red Pepper and Onion.



Tilda Kids Mild & Sweet Curry rice with turkey



Ingredients




Serves: Two children

1 pouch Tilda Kids Mild & Sweet Curry Rice
1 turkey breast
red onion
red pepper
1 tsp mild curry paste
1 Mango & Pineapple Fruit Tube
1 tbsp crème fraiche
1 pack of your favourite fruit snack, such as apricots or mango
1 tbsp. sunflower or vegetable oil








Method

1.     Mix the curry paste, fruit tube and crème fraiche together.
2.     Heat the oil in a pan and then quickly fry off the lamb.
3.     Once cooked stir in the fruit tube, crème fraiche and curry mix and stir well.
4.     Add 1 pouch of Tilda Kids Mild & Sweet Curry Rice and mix through.
5.     Add the fruit and heat thoroughly.




(Disclosure I was send packets of the Tilda Kids rice for review)

Tuesday 24 July 2012

Pocket Love

With how the weather has been recently it not been the weather to wear summer clothes really not that at my age I would be wearing the tight shorts and skirt of my youth. You know when it was cool to wear black tights underneath denim shorts and high top trainers. 


It was raining yet again when has it not stopped raining ! I am not at all down beat about the rain .. yes I would like some sun especially as I am taking a UK holiday soon which cost as much as a  foreign holiday. I normally go to far flung places but for the last two years I have stayed with the UK though my feet as getting somewhat twitchy.

I  needed to go out food shopping or some other mundane task like dusting, hoovering and finally putting the sealant round the bath that Mr T hasn't got round to yet.

Reaching into my pocket of my rain coat I pulled on a plastic puzzle the sort you would find in a good Christmas cracker but it was modern it was 1950's in style and make. Somewhat quirky , a fun little item that on closer inspection was made in England.

It was an item from my childhood My grandparents used to give it to me to keep me amuesed I loved it, it was pure joy to me much more than the electronic toys that beckoned to me. I had not seen it since my grandad had died  so sadness and elation combined. You can have all the tea in china as they say when the simplicity of a cheap toy can provide the trigger of memories forever.


Sunday 22 July 2012

Toys as heroes

For children their toys can be their heroes , I am not talking about the toys role within play. But who can it shape and guide their very lives from  emotional solace  to offering up hope. It is belief in our toys that can see us through some very dark times. As soon as a child is born many a teddy is thrust about them , they soon sort out which is their favourite  and other others are merely guest at the imaginary tea parties they may hold!

For my own son it was his toy rabbit  called "Bow tie bunny " that was his favourite who arrived one Easter Morning to guide him on an Easter Egg hunt around our house. It was the very same bunny he took on holiday with us to Center parcs with a label around his  Neck * Paddington Bear style * just in case he or more likely I lost it! And again it was the money who helped him through his endless trips to hospital for his operations  for glue ear and his countless blood tests and other medical traumas!

J with Bow tie bunny his hero!
What's your childs toy hero ?

Silent Sunday 22/7/2012 #SilentSunday


Friday 20 July 2012

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder or so it seems I recently asked a call for bloggers to experience in home spa treatments. Great I thought the prospect of languishing at home without the expense or going to a Spa hotel.

So an email exchange took place a pleasant and polite one then I got a strange one. Now I understand target markets and aiming products at people who suit it. For exmaple I am not going to review nappies as I have a teenager.

The email I got back said in no un certain terms that general bloggers do not produce favourable blog posts when it comes to reviewing in home spa treatments. How would you react to this email ?

Wednesday 18 July 2012

Eye Eye! Pic Monkey Nip and Tuck #snaphappybritmums

I had already taken this picture a long time a go .. I have to add that my cat was perfectly happy to do this. I don't normally dress it up my I saw the opportunity and took it.






The image on the right was enhanced using Pic Monkeys nip and tuck
The picture on the left is the one before and the one on the right is the altered shot, you have to look very carefully at the cats eye!

Bubbles


A child with bubbles  other a plethora of play opportunities. They are reaching, while balancing and working on fine and gross motor skills while she they try to catch a bubble. At In The Beginning Child Development and Preschool, children are exposed to a lot of different age appropriate development activities that are both fun and challenging.
I found that during a recent SEN session bubbles were a fantastic tool , for example with prepositional language  for example when I was blowing the bubble the child said.

"The bubbles are in the box"

Fantastic this was such a surprise to me and made me feel very proud as all my hard work and theirs was clearly paying off. Bubbles are such a cheap resource that you should never me without a bottle of bubbles.

Its ideal for working on their fine and gross motor skills especially when you encourage them to pinch the bubbles between their thumb and forefinger.

I love bubbles do you ?

Bubbles fun.

Picture courtesy of Galina.

Friday 13 July 2012

Abigail Story Buddy competition!

I found another one lurking in my cupboard so I am offering it as a prize !


ABIGAIL STORY BUDDY™

Meet Abigail, the chatty acrobatic bunny who just can't wait to grow up. Kids will love watching her come to life as you read key words aloud from her books: Her newest book,Abigail and the Fashion Show, comes with an Abigail-sized purse for her to carry. Additional books include Abigail and the Balance Beam (book included), Abigail and the Tea Party and Abigail and the Lost Purse.

A charming book which will delight any little girl or boy. I gave my niece the Jingle the Huskey at Christmas and she thoroughly enjoyed it , she is an advanced reader  and she just loved this. Even if you are not an advanced reader then is nothing better that snuggling up with a your child while you read it to them

An interactive reading book
Interactive Abigail Story Buddy Rabbit from Hallmark



Each Interactive Story Buddy plush character has a free coordinating app for iPhone and/or iPad that can be downloaded from Apple's App Store. Each app includes games, animation that brings the storybook pictures to life, and the option of recording your own voice or playing a pre-recorded narration:
  • Download Bigsby’s Best Friend iPad app
  • Download Abigail and the Balance Beam iPhone/iPad app
  • Download Cooper's Big Bear Hug iPhone/iPad app
  • Download Watson and the Case of the Sneaky Stealer iPhone/iPad app
  • The Jingle All the Way app has generated more than 200,000 free downloads so far. Apps tracker padgadget.com regularly ranks the Hallmark Story Buddy™ apps among the top 10 downloads across the industry. 

Hallmark have very kindly given me one of these to review  to give away to you.









a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday 12 July 2012

Fashiolista Nelly High Heel Shoes looking good !

Tonight I descended into 'The house of Coco Tang'  where I discovered a secret world of cocktails creations and late-night glamour discreetly hidden beneath the cobbled streets of Nottingham. And all within whispering distance of the fashion boutiques of Bridlesmiths gate. A red lantern sits above a slim doorway leading downstairs to a cavern of interlinking rooms inspired by Shanghai opium dens and the American Prohibition secret clubs.

I had thrown my mummy shackles off for a couple of hours and gone to an Fashiolista  event that I had won entry to where free Nelly High Heel shoes beckoned. I had been standing in the line with the young , the hip and the trendy feeling my age. But you know what despite watching young ladies defying the laws of gravity in the sort of shoes that Victoria Beckham wears i was pleasantly surprised by the attitude of them. they didn't bat at mascara enhanced eye lash at me. In fact I was here they talking about vintage fashion, school trips to prison of war camps etc so it really does show you should never ever judge a book by its cover.

After a while I was ably rescued by my mate Di Coke and we advanced to the VIP line  and we were straight in. Di has also won entry in the club for a pair of some fabulous shoes.

With fashion on a twenty year cycle scary I know the 1990s are now back in fashion! and  these shoes are very much to die for with a wide variety of styles.

Nelly High Heel shoes.

The high heels come in a variety of style from the Geri Halliwell cool Britannia inspired ones you see above to the glitzy silver sequined shoes to the right. These shoes wouldn't look out of place in a design  museum and a pair of red glittery high heel shoes that Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz would have gone wild for!

Ruby Red slipper updated into a Ruby red slinky high heel (back) for that Wizard of Oz magic!


With the cocktails flowing it was a really fun event...


Cherry Bakewell Cocktails.


The aptly named Fabulous shoes from Nelly High heels.
Scandanavia's number one online fashion retailer is now launching here in the UK and they're doing it in style...


(Disclaimer I have not been asked to write this I won entry into this event and I am just waiting on delivery of my free shoes from the event )

Tuesday 10 July 2012

Fifty shades of Grey conversation....

It was just another night in the sleepy middle class suburb where I live myself and my friend went to choir after which she decided she needed to buy three cucumbers and some coriander. So as the dutiful friend I went with her normal chit chat ensued until..

" Have you read that book ?" she excitedly enquired  ..

"Oh that book, errm No " I replied.

"Why ?" she enquired ?

"Because I don't want to !" I gently retorted.

"It can't be all that bad if it encourages people to read" she whispered as we approached the cucumbers.

"Right ... I'll stick with my Sherlock Holmes , Thanks"

Bemused she purchased the coriander  three cucumbers which she had carefully selected for size and firmness.

Fifty Shades of Grey it seems cucumber is a favourite !








Unless you have been living on another planet you will not have avoided conversations that involves that book. No it's not Jamie Oliver latest culinary master piece sadly as I would love to get tied up in some cracking recipes. No it's the literary phenomenon that is ' Fifty Shades of Grey' or so I have been told.

Fads come and go but I will sit this one out I think such themes always repeat themselves for the next generation for example 9 1/2 weeks ! No doubt after reading this book it will encourage particularly women to read and have them perhaps reaching for literary classics such as Pride and Predjudice..


Sunday 8 July 2012

London Calling 8/7/2012

London from The Monument to Trafalgar Square.


After the blogging conference that was Britmums I needed some down time so I wandered round London. I had thought about going to Convent Garden again but decided against it as much as I truly love the place its so vibrant. Sometimes it is better to be random about what you do if you day and time allows to , I think I have captured some very good images of London on my random ramblings around the Big Smoke. I have blogged about Britmums really yet but one of the sessions was about how good photographs can bring your blog alive and I do believe this to be true assisted too by  engaging writing.

I am starting to get into photography slowly I am not saying I'll ever be David Bailey but we never stop learning do we, and after all life is a journey I wish to enjoy. A photo should be a catalyst for a memory or provoke you into writing something. An evocative image or a shocking one the world is there for the taking and we can all take a thread and weave it into the tapestry of life.


Silent Sunday 8/7/2012 #SilentSunday


Tuesday 3 July 2012

Olympic legacy

Yesterday i watched the ITV program the real history of Chariots  and what good program it was ( just spoilt by the adverts really) It centered on the real life story of Harold Abrams and Eric Lidell Olympians from 1924 and they were featured in the film "chariots of Fire'




What I didn't know that Harold Abrahams was born in Bedford and went to Bedford School. I am from Bedford and i must have been living in a bubble not to have known this ! Also Harold Abrahams went to Repton School which is a village not far from me here in Chellaston , this is another fact that I didn't know.


And of course with Eric Lidell being Scottish ( I am Scottish too!) he was one of the greatest Scottish athletes ever to have lived. He was a a selfless religious man who held onto his Christian values and ran  in a unique style.


I love the film 'Chariots of Fire' it is the embodiment of the Olympic spirit the passion and the determination to succeed which should pretty much such as the mantra for every ones life.


The film's title was inspired by the line, "Bring me my chariot of fire," from the William Blake poem adapted into the popular British hymn "Jerusalem"; the hymn is heard at the end of the film. The original phrase "chariot(s) of fire" is from 2 Kings 2:11 and 6:17 in the Bible. And its this hymn that was sung at my wedding and its is one of my favourite hymns.


The Olympics should not be about over commercialism and elitism in this department but everyone should be able to have a piece of the action without having to pay the earth. For example yesterday I went to a well know sport shop to buy clothes etc for my for coming holiday. I spied a rather nice ruck with the obligatory Olympic team GB logo clutching  the rucksack like I myself had struck gold I enquired to a unhappy happy shop assistant...


"How much is this please  ?"


"£29.99" quipped the shop assistant !


"That's rather expensive " I replied.


"Its 2012 innit " said the shop assistant with the Queens English well in hand.


I sadly replaced the rucksack and when off to pay for my sons rugby boots that were £39.99 ( Don't go there !)


So the Olympics message and legacy shouldn't get lost and there is a central theme and message running through it  so please go out with determination and passion to succeed what ever you do in life.


Jerri Peterson Olympic tattoo
The Olympic spirit is alive and well.