03/05/201326/03/2018 by Karen

My 1st Years – 100% Suede Sheepskin Booties

Review
Boots, clothing, Footwear, gifts, My 1st Years, Sheepskin, shoes
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My 1st years is a company that, having seen a gap in the market, specialises in personalised baby gifts. They offer high quality items that would make the perfect gift or keepsake.

My 1st years

I was very excited at the prospect of reviewing this item. I had never thought about getting anything personalised for Jacob previously, making these booties very special. When I’d realised I had received a recorded delivery, I raced to open the packaging and was not disappointed. Inside was a beautiful blue box, which I thought was a really nice touch. All items ordered from this company will be packaged in such a way. It might be a bit sad to say but I fully intend to keep this box for Jacobs special things.

The boots themselves are gorgeous. The materials that My 1st Years uses are top notch, the insides soft and incredibly comfortable. It is lovely to have something that is just for Jacob.

My 1st years 2 My 1st years 3

The fit you ask? Well unfortunately that was the problem. The boots come in 2 sizes, 3-12 months and 12-24 months… and that’s it. At 18 months Jacob is a size 5 which, from what I gather from nosing at other children’s shoe sizes, is a little above average. When it came to putting the boot onto to Jacobs foot the boot came up small, not much but obviously I wasn’t willing to force it on. I would guess the boot is a size 4. It’s annoying as it’s such a nice product and I was very excited about Jacob wearing them. I refuse to give them away as they are so beautiful so I’ve decided to keep them in case we have another child (though I won’t be taking my husbands suggestion of also calling our next one Jacob!).

In essence this is a lovely company, with well thought out products and is well worth a look, especially as the range is so good. My only advice, to avoid disappointment, is to call to check sizes, if in any doubt.

Orders over £30 qualify for free standard delivery in the UK, for those under £30 delivery is £3 for 1st class and £5 for recorded. The boots tested cost £30, though other colours come in at £25. Personalisation on all products is free.

I was sent this item for the purpose of review, all opinions are my own

20/04/201326/03/2018 by Karen

Tommee Tippee

I have been a massive Tommee Tippee fan, ever since my son Jacob was born. So, as I’m sure you can imagine, I was very excited to get the chance to review a selection of products for the company.

Tommee Tippee set

I was asked to test the Active Sipper, Active Sporty and Active Straw cups, the First Cutlery Set and Snack N Go pot. Tommee Tippee recommend these products for children 12 months onwards.

I’ve been thinking about getting Jacob a ‘big boy’ cup for a little while now and was very pleased when I saw these products. Firstly what struck me is how attractive the cups are, they are brightly coloured with really pretty designs on them. All cups are available in ‘boy’, ‘girl’ or ‘neutral’ design. The Active Sipper is designed to help children practice open cup drinking, the Active Sporty, for the want of better words, is a child’s version of a sports bottle and the Active Straw has a nifty little flip-up straw. The Active Sipper and the Active Straw are insulated, which is great for on the go.

TT L Blue Cup

On the first day of receiving the Tommee Tippee products one was held hostage! My friends little boy came over and fell in love with one of the cups, this ended up with said cup being taken home and my friend desperately trying various methods of distraction to get the cup back to me… which, I believe, says great things about product desirability! The lids are interchangeable and the cups are very sturdy, which is great as a certain little person loves to throw his cups on the table once he has finished. As a result, this means we are always on the look out for items that can take a certain degree of throwing around and punishment. Jacob took to the cups quite easily, I expected him to have issues with the cups having no handles and the cup with the straw (as he’s used to tipping his cup up to drink) but he quickly realised how it all worked, which I was really impressed by.

TT Cutlery

Jacob has only very recently started taking an interest in cutlery. Before then he has developed a very efficient way of eating… namely by grabbing big handfuls of food and shoveling it into his mouth!

The Tommee Tippee cutlery is brightly designed and easy to hold. I have only just discovered that Jacob actually prefers metal cutlery so this is a very nice go between. This was his first time holding a knife, it seems very effective as a knife but also safe (which is great as he seemed to enjoy putting it in his mouth!). I found it really encouraging that he found the cutlery interesting, willingly picking it up of his own accord and trying to feed himself.

Now, the one product I felt a little unsure of was the Tommee Tippee Snack N Go pot. I’ve seen these before and have always been a bit confused by them!! Namely, how do they work and are you really supposed to put your hands through the little pointy looking bits? So I was very interested to try this product out and see if it was for me (and Jacob!). I duly cut up some apples and popped them in the pot. Jacob looked as confused as I was, however this was apparently all a ruse as I disappeared briefly to the kitchen (we’re open plan) and when I came back the apples were gone! I looked on the floor then at his mouth, which was full, and sure enough it seems fair to say that Jacob found it a very easy concept to grasp, even if I didn’t! Jacob is very good at throwing his food all over the floor so I have to say I love the idea of anything that will leave me with less mess!

All items, except the Snack N Go pot, are dishwasher safe. The RRP for these items is around the £5 mark, which I think is very good value.

We were sent the items for the purpose of review, all opinions are our own

19/03/201327/01/2014 by Karen

Baby Knits for Beginners – Debbie Bliss

New to knitting? Then this lovely book by Debbie Bliss may well be the one for you!

I have always felt connected to knitting in one form or another. Firstly, it was at the tender age of eight when my Grandma taught me a few basic stitches. I forgot about knitting for many years after this, but became reacquainted again almost two years ago when Jo invited me to attend monthly Hooky Knitters sessions. It was being in a group of like-minded people that made me realise how much I enjoyed knitting and that it was something I’d like to progress.

Whilst knitting was fun, the thought of using patterns terrified me, which is why I’m so glad I got the chance to give ‘baby knits for beginners’ by Debbie Bliss a go. Visually it’s a beautiful book, as soon as I saw it I wanted to dive right in and get knitting!

The book starts by giving the reader an overview of different yarns, equipment advice and stitch descriptions. This book was obviously made with the beginner knitter in mind. The patterns themselves start from the very basic (a plain knit scarf) to the slightly more advanced (a v-neck sweater with pockets). I love the fact that the reader is given the opportunity to gently ease themselves into using patterns if they are feeling unsure, whilst the more experienced knitter can go straight to the slightly advanced stuff.

I have to admit that I went a bit insane with this book, knitting all sorts of lovely items. Shown in pictures are the shawl-collared jacket (minus buttons) and a moss stitch shoe. Admittedly, against Debbie’s advice, I used cheaper synthetic wool as being a beginner I didn’t want the pressure of messing up very lovely more expensive wool. If you do decide to use a different wool it is best to ask advice at your local knitting shop to ensure that your creation looks similar to the pattern… being a novice I didn’t think to do this and as a result some of my knits have turned out a bit lumpy/ odd looking… but I love them nonetheless!

For me some of the patterns took a little getting used to. There are some terms that I had never heard of before and found a little daunting, however Debbie has got a thorough list of explanations and abbreviations in the front of the book. For me I also enlisted the help of on-line videos, as for me it is easier to visually see what needed to be done. However once I’d understood and tried these new techniques a couple of times I felt a lot more confident.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to get more into knitting. It is a fabulous little starter book and if I can do it, believe me, anyone can!

We were sent a copy of ‘Baby Knits for Beginners’ by Debbie Bliss from Love Knitting, a fabulous online knitting store which we’d highly recommend. All opinions are our own.

23/01/201316/10/2014 by Karen

Attitude Eco-Kids – Shampoo and Conditioner

Attitude is an eco-responsible household products brand that produces many products from air purifiers to shower gel.

The company’s body range prides itself on being Carcinogen (1,4-Dioxane or Ethylene Oxide) free. According to the blurb that the company sent with the product, Carcinogens are cancer causing ingredients that the UK and Europe, amongst other countries, have outlawed. However, as Attitude point out, this still doesn’t stop them being in most body care products around (I’m guessing much in the same way that products that don’t have nuts as an ingredient may still contain traces of nuts). I always find discovering new ‘nasty’ ingredients scary, especially when it comes to children’s products, this one is no different – it always makes me want to rush out and start obsessively checking all our bath products!

I was asked to test Attitudes’ hypoallergenic children’s 2 in 1 shampoo.The packaging for this product is attractive and fun and I believe that it would appeal to children. The shampoo has a lovely fruity smell to it, which we both liked very much. Jacob has very unruly hair however this shampoo did seem to go some way to taming it, which is no mean feat. This product is on sale in places such as Ocado. I think this is a wonderful product; the only sticking point for me is the price. At £7.90 for 355ml (in Ocado as of 22/01/2013) this is much more than I personally can afford on my budget, which is a shame because I’m definitely a fan. There are many more Attitude products for sale in this store. I’m very impressed by the wide range of this product and believe it’s definitely worth a look if you are very health/ ingredient conscious.

I was sent this for the purpose of review, all opinions are my own

11/01/201308/10/2019 by Karen

Teething Bling – Smart Mum

Review
biting, Jewelry, teething, Teething Bling
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As a result of his teething my son has suddenly started biting me… it currently feels as if I’m being followed around by a little vampire! Due to this, when the chance to try Teething Bling, an item of jewellery designed for teething babies, came about I jumped at it!

Teething Bling comes from a company called Smart Mum, who knew that a lot of mums don’t wear jewellery as it would no doubt get pulled, hurt baby or possibly get damaged. They wanted to find a solution that would keep all parties happy and this is how the necklace came about. I had heard of the product not long after Jacob was born, but having been bombarded with thousands of different baby products I was a little sceptical so decided not to buy. All I can say is that I wish I had as this has turned out to be a very useful little product!

Teething Bling by Smart Mum

The necklace itself is very pretty, it looks like normal adult jewellery, and could go with many different outfits. The teething part of the necklace is very unusual, it looks as if it should be made of a hard material like stone but on touching one finds that it is rubber and bendable. I have already had compliments from friends, who were very keen to find out more about Teething Bling.

Jacob was very curious about the necklace, fiddling with it and enjoying chewing it. I have to admit that it hasn’t stopped him biting me completely though the necklace has proven to be a really handy distraction. I think that Teething Bling would be wonderful for younger children and only wish that I had gotten into this sooner. The material of the necklace is very secure and I reckon it could go through a lot of punishment from little one! What I especially like is the safety release at the back, which goes to show that the design of this item has been very carefully thought out.

The necklace costs £12.95 from the website, which I don’t think is bad at all, especially considering it could be worn out without little one and not just necessarily as a teething ring. The company also have other items for sale such as bangles available at £8.95. The website is clearly laid out, very user-friendly and is definitely worth a nose.

I was sent a necklace for the purpose of review – all opinions are my own!

15/12/201226/03/2018 by Karen

Toy Story Mania – Game Time

Review
buzz, children, Disney, Games, Toy Story, woody, Xbox Game
1 Comment

Toy Story Mania is a game designed for the whole family (from 3+ years) and is based on the Disneyland and Walt Disney World attractions.

Toy Story Mania for XBOX 360

The games have a fairground feel to them and involve short challenges such as hitting targets, catching eggs in a basket and sheep with a staff. Each of these games centres around one or more of the characters from the movies.

At first I decided to play Toy Story Mania on my own. The game was amusing enough at first and I liked the fact that as you played you unlocked different games and levels but I have to admit I found the games a little repetitive and lost my interest after a while. However, all this changed when I had some friends over one evening and we decided to play together, this is where the game came into its own, we had a blast! The shortness of the games meant that those who weren’t playing (there were four of us and we were playing two at a time) weren’t sitting around for long and we all felt involved. Also, the challenges themselves lead to a lot of shouts of encouragement from those not playing, this really added to the excitement!

I think it’s great that Toy Story Mania has been created with the whole family in mind, even the little ones. My only concern is that because such a wide age range is involved older ones might become a little bored after a while. That aside I would totally recommend that anyone looking for a family game consider this one, I love the fact that all the familiar faces from the Toy Story movies are included, even for a big child like me this was quite exciting.

The game is available in the XBOX 360 (plus Kinect) and Wii and I think that this would make the perfect gift for Christmas. I’m spending Christmas day with my parents and am planning to take this game with me as no doubt it will lead to lots of fun!

We were sent a copy of Toy Story Mania to review, all opinions are our own!

10/12/201208/10/2019 by Karen

ICE – Customer Rewards Programme

Review
ICE, loyalty programme, MoneySaving, Online, Rewards, shopping
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ICE works in much the same way as other loyalty programmes… with one major difference. The brands they work with are specifically chosen because the products and services are sustainable.

There are a wide variety of categories on ICE that should interest people from any walk of life, these include: travel, mother & baby, UK holidays, fashion & clothing and many others. Associated brands include big names such as Marks & Spencer and John Lewis.

ICE believe that sustainable choices should be rewarded and encouraged. To do this customers are given points for products purchased through the website, these vary depending on where you buy from.

I had never heard of ICE before, but was pleasantly surprised by the brand names that I recognised. I like their ethos and the fact that the website is easy to navigate and explore.

AkaMuti-Bottom-Butter-300x225 I shopped with EthicalBabe, the products here are organic and natural, ethical and environmentally friendly. I spent quite a bit of time on here, simply because it was a pleasure to have a look around. Everything was easy to find with the help of clearly laid out sections and there was a handy search bar, if in doubt! Points awarded vary depending on where you shop. At the time of purchase 15 points are given for every £2 spent at EthicalBabe, which is pretty generous, especially compared to other loyalty programmes.

I ordered a wooden toy musical set (£14.50 for xylophone, two jingle bells and two castanets) and the Akamuti baby bottom butter (£8.99 for 60ml). I was very impressed at the speed of delivery as I received these items the next day. My son Jacob had a lot of fun with the instruments (even though he wasn’t quite sure how to use them!), and I love the bottom butter. Yes the bottom butter does seem pricey but it smells divine, a little goes a long way and it is refreshing to look at a list of ingredients and actually know what they all mean! Standard delivery for EthicalBabe is £3.95, though as your order gets heavier the price goes up, however you also have the option of picking up from their London store for free if you live local enough.

J-with-Xylophone-225x300

When ordering from this site I got a little confused on how to use my ICE points. On going back to the ICE site there was a foolproof step-by-step guide on how to spend them, which I was really impressed by, and made life a lot easier.

ICE is a cleverly thought out site, with some excellent brands attached. I would recommend anyone to take a peek!

I was provided with credit to place an order at Ice – all opinions are her own and unbiased.

18/10/201226/03/2018 by Karen

Messy Tunic from Messy Me – Review

Food times almost always equals messy times, therefore I was excited to get the chance to review the Messy Tunic from a company called Messy Me.

The Messy Tunic is made of oilcloth and slips over the arms and fastens with Velcro at the back. There are four designs that are available: Dusty Rose, Olive Grey, True Blue and Vintage Rose. Whilst the selection isn’t huge the designs are very classy and pretty, which makes a pleasant change from some of the loud designs out there. I especially loved the Vintage Rose, which was beautiful, though I don’t think my boy would have shared my enthusiasm!

Messy Me Messy Tunic

My son is a famously messy eater, because of this I am always enthusiastic to give anything a go that will make food time a cleaner experience! The tunic covers the torso, fitting under the high chair, this means that there is no chance of food getting behind the material, which I am very grateful for. I am so happy with this product that I am using it for most meal times. I also like the fact that it could also be used for arts and crafts and such like, making it very versatile. The tunic was very easy to clean, a quick wipe and food and mess came off very easily. It could even be machine washed at 30 degrees (though the website states that this should only be done occasionally). When done the tunic dried very quickly, which was very convenient.