The Squirrel Point Hoodie from Lucas Frank
You know how buying stuff for older boys is just… tricky?
The style is never what you AND they agree on.
The fabric is never soft/smooth enough (or is that just mine that insist on the Soft test before they will wear anything?).
The quality is never good enough to withstand the Boy Thing.
Well. Here’s your answer.
Lucas Frank haven’t been around for long, but they’re making quite a splash as they have spotted what needs doing – and are getting it right. By focussing on making good quality basics (there’s just polo shirts, tees and hoodies in their range currently) you just can’t help but love the styling. It’s classic, simple – and yet contemporary enough to be wearable by certain young men. They also go up to age 10.
We’ve had the above Squirrel Point hoodie on review, and it’s a total favourite – one of those items that you have to sneak in and steal to get it in the wash as it is worn consistently.
I love the off-centre wooden buttons, and I know that the subtle quilting makes it the top he reaches for at all times, sliding it in with a sigh of contentment when he’s tired or chilly.
The quality is such that it’ll have years of hand-me-down wear in it, and for under £30, you really can’t go wrong.
Read MoreThe MOST perfect child’s lamp – The Bunny Rabbit
Oh how I love this lamp!
And oh how my daughter loves this lamp too!
What a darling little rabbit he is – though at nearly a foot tall he’s not really in the ‘little’ rabbit class.
(and yes, he is a ‘he’. Wully, actually, is how he’s known around here. Just in case you were wondering)
Just a gorgeous gorgeous lamp.
Bright enough to read by, and yet dim enough to not make you yelp with eye-burny-pain if you turn him on during a 2a.m. emergency. And perfectly safe to leave him on all night as a night light for those small people who are afeared of the dark.
Really – what more do you want in a child’s bedroom lamp?
The fabulous Heico Rabbit Lamp can be found at Petit Home for just £35. I can’t imagine your home is complete without one, to be honest.
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Fabulous Art Box Tin – mais oui!
I LOVE this little tin!
Actually – it’s not so little; at over 20cm long it’s perfect for holding brushes as well as paints or piles of collage scraps or a gazillion colouring pencils or a family of Sylvanian Rabbits or the entire collection of hair bands/clips/ribbons…
That’s the trouble with useful Pots to put things in. You never know what to put i them when you’re 5.
I had this tin neatly placed in the cupboard with all the brushes and pots of poster paint in it, stacked perfectly away. Foolishly, I let the girl help me stack them. Therfore she knew where the tin was, and just what a great and sturdy thing it is.
Consequently, it’s never where I expect it to be, and when I do come across it (on the stairs, under a bed, behind an armchair…) I’m never quite sure what i’ll find inside.
Ah well – life’s an adventure, yes?
The Art Box tin is from the rather fabulous Wise House, and is £21.50. There’s a whole range of the French tins – I’m rather tempted to go complete my set…
Read MoreDribbz for the dribblers *grin*
For the past few weeks Meadow Isabella my 10 month old daughter and I have been road testing these funky bandana bibs from Dribbz. The bibs come in a huge range of colours and designs – we have been rocking a cute little apple print, and a cowboy style red bandanna. The bibs are shaped in a neckerchief style and make a great alternative from the traditional scoop shaped bib. The Dribbz are fully lined and have two press stud fastenings levels to adjust to your babies size and give the fitting far more longevity – great as we know just how fast babies grow!
The bibs aren’t just for the dribblers, either – they have been great as we’ve gone through weaning, and have withstood spaghetti bolognese, blueberries and countless other spills without any staining and after a few months work of washes they have retained their colour and haven’t bobbled.
I’ve been clipping them around my baby bag and would definitely recommend Dribbz for catching your little bundles dribble in a heartbeat!
(reviewed for us by Luanne (and the beautiful Meadow Isabella) from www.luannemclean.blogspot.com )
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The Whirlee – another review classic from @becaboop
Right. I’m going to be honest with you. This Whirlee ride-on toy and I have a serious love/hate relationship…
LOVE the fact that despite its plastic it is actually a fairly stylish piece of kit. We had the red design to review which I loved, why can’t more toys be red instead of the obligatory blue or pink that is thrust upon us? (They do offer the gendered red or pink but this third colour way saved their butts in my opinion.)
HATE the noise it makes on my floorboards. I don’t know if it is it’s plastic material but between the 6 children that have whizzed around on this (not all mine, I am a child minder) the teeth clattering NOISE it makes on my floorboards has meant that at least once a week I have exclaimed RIGHT! ENOUGH! And banished it to the utility room. Sorry whirlee.
LOVE the price point, at just under the £20 mark it is a mahoosive bargain.
HATE the price point, yes, I know. No pleasing me is there. But I can’t help feel if the price point was a little higher, then the problem of the oh so flaming noisy wheels could be rectified. Thicker rubber? I don’t know the answer but I do know they are noisy.
LOVE the design, great shape, quirky, modern.
HATE the lack of padded seat. This has been used by the one year old I look after, my two year old, right up to four year olds and ME! Yes I’ve tried it! And it hurt my bum. Pad that seat! That being said kudos to the whirlee at spanning those age ranges.
LOVE how hardwearing this is. I’ve had it six months and it still looks great. Bear in mind I look after lots of children this has definitely been put through its paces.
If you have carpets, then this makes a great little first birthday present. If you have floorboards, do be prepared to get naffed off with it and huffily sling it in a cupboard for a moment’s peace!
The Whirlee is currently available from Amazon for a rattle under £20
*reviewed for us by Goddess Bec, who can usually be found over at Beetroot and Gherkins
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Okiedog Changing Bag review
I love this changing bag! I have been sent Okiedog’s Urban Mondo bag in red… and I also have a six week old baby alongside two other children – four and six.
When my older two were tiny my changing bag was heavy and thicker in material; so you not only had nappy weight and all the other things that go in but also the actual weight of the bag.
The Okiedog however is incredibly lightweight (but robust) and the strap is wide and comfortable on the shoulder. It’s incredibly well made, and has the necessary gazillion pockets that cater for what you need. I particularly like the hook for keys in one of the front pockets – in fact I have commandeered both front pocket for MY ‘stuff’ – diary, phone, purse, lipstick and keys etc, which still leaves ample room inside the bag for the baby stuff.
I also like the bottle pocket with its carrying case, and the accessories bag, the handy hooks to go on the pram, the fact the milk bottle case is designed to hang from one of the straps if so desired… the bag is just very well thought out and practical to use, which in the end is all you’re looking for in a baby changing bag. And I love the fact that mine’s red!
The 2012 Okiedog range is available from Mothercare – there’s different styles in different fabrics, but all in the same strong lightweight design.
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Sunday Recipe – The Best Family Fruit Cake
There are times when nothing will quite do but a bit of comfort baking (oh yes, we know for a fact half the nation is at it on a Sunday). And when I’m having one of *those* days weeks, there’s one recipe I head to first. It’s an old one from the classic Dairy Diary Book of Home Cookery – a recipe book which every kitchen should contain. I remember my Mum regularly using the original 1968 version, I received a copy of the 1992 version as a wedding present, and this recipe is still in the latest 2011 edition.
Dead simple to throw together, no fancy schmancy ingredients I don’t already have in the cupboard (totally essential for Lazy Sunday Baking), and it’s unfailingly delicious. So if, like us, you’ve had a bit of a stressful one this week, fret no longer. Throw the ingredients in a bowl, mix em up, and let the magic sprinkle through your house as it cooks (does anything actually beat the smell of a fruit cake baking?). And honestly – one slice of this, still warm, with a scalding hot mug of tea, and the world will just seem that bit brighter. I promise.
Simple and delicious, the Family Fruit Cake
Serves 8 (but it’s go-o-o-od, so I often double the ingredients and bake a big one which can last more than one day for my family)
Takes 20 mins to prep, 1h 15 mins to bake.
Oven – 180ºC / 170ºC Fan / 350ºF / GM 4
What You Need:
225g (8oz) SR flour
100g (4oz) butter
100g (4oz) caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling.
100g (4oz) raisins or sultanas
(optional) 5ml (1tsp) grated lemon rind (if I have no lemons, I use 1tbs lemon curd instead which makes a wonderfully moist cake)
1 egg
75ml (5 tbs) milk
What you Do:
- Prep a 15cm (6inch) round cake tin or a 450g (1lb) loaf tin by greasing and lining.
- Sift flour into a bowl
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3. Rub butter into flour until it looks like breadcrumbs (I hate this job, and usually use the hand mixer).
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4. Add sugar, fruit & lemon rind, and lemon curd if using (do if you have some, makes it sticky-moist and lush)
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5. Mix using a metal spoon with egg and milk, do not beat, until evenly combined.
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6. Transfer to your prepared tin (I always stop to poke any ‘top’ raisins down a little and cover with mix to avoid that burnt raisin thing on top).
- Sprinkle top with a little extra sugar if you like a crunchy topping.
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8. Bake for 1 1/4 hours, or until a skewer comes out clean (Fan ovens check it just after an hour).
- Leave in tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto cooling rack.
Cutting when hot will cause it to fall apart - restrain yourself until it is only slightly warm if at all possible.
- Stores in an airtight container for a few days. If, you know, it got the chance.
(Baked using the Silicone Oblong Cake Pan from Lakeland, which as you can see did a MARVELLOUS job!)
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Lamaze’s Mittens the Kitten – Sweeet!
My daughter has had this since she was a couple of weeks old – she is now a whopping 6 weeks old and Mittens is really coming into her own. She is usually dangling from the baby gym and helps the little one to focus, and also to attempt to reach out and touch – she particularly seems to like the square beads that are on the ring and make a nice sound when clunked together.
There are also other sounds from different parts of the kitten all of which engage her attention and help her development by encouraging her to focus with her eyes and also helps to make her spatially aware through trying to touch the kitten – or the kitten moving in response to her touch.
When I first received it I did wonder where it was intended to be hung from, as it has a thick clip from which to hang (there’s also a short cord) and the clip doesn’t open too much - I haven’t pushed it too far. However it has worked fine on the gym, and now she is about to go into the big cot I will try it there – and you could always get a bigger buggy clip later if needed.
Sir Prancealot
We now actually have a collection of Lamaze toys in this range – the donkey (named Prancealot!) and dog have joined Mittens on the quest to take over the baby gym, much to the baby’s delight – also Prancealot accompanies her to the change mat for entertainment where she engages in baby babble with him – either that or tries to eat him!! All in all a well made colourful toy.
The Lamaze range is all available from Amazon, and Mittens the Kittens is currently £11.
Read MoreThe Bird Pocket Dress. *happy*
CQQCP6M6Q5SH I asked the daughter to pose for a few pictures so that I can show you the beauty that is the Bird Pocket Dundelina Dress we were sent by Mayamin. She didn’t quite get the point at first…
Then she started to take it very seriously...
And rather bossily insisted that I show you the very best thing about the whole dress
Yes! Bird pockets! SWEE-E-EET!
The Apple Bloom blouse was very popular too - tops with flowers on are ALWAYS a hit
Then Model's-Bored-ism started to set in... (can you tell?)
Eventually we decided to just sit (on a rather chilly bench) and listen to the evening blackbird - who was OBVIOUSLY chatting to her own bird pockets.
We LOVE this Norwegian Dundelina dress and blouse. The quality is excellent, the fit is roomy and the weight is very light which means that it will carry Pink right through the summer.
The blouse has a pretty ruched collar (carefully hidden by my daughter’s spectacular modelling), and loose-fitting bloused sleeves over a nicely-long body (perfect for my own daughter-long-back).
The pinafore dress is fully lined in the Apple Bloom fabric, and is cut to a circle so it has the most fabulous swinging movement (that she finds very difficult not to make the most of whenever she’s wearing it). It’s pretty enough for ‘going out’, but practical enough to cope with running and jumping and spinning. Just the way a dress should be.
And those bird pockets? I’d buy a grown-up sized version, just for those.
Bird Pocket Dress is available from the incredibly fabulous Mayamin for £40.50, in ages 2-6yrs, and the Apple Bloom Blouse is £29, also ages 2-6yrs.
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Mother’s Day Gift – The Aqua Sana Spa. Ple-e-e-ease.
Considering I know that a day at a spa is all about relaxing, I wasn’t particularly relaxed at the idea of going to the Aqua Sana Spa at Center Parcs Whinfell. Partly because since I started working from home, I struggle to get up the enthusiasm for going anywhere at all, but mainly because I wasn’t sure of the “rules” and worried about making an arse of myself. But when I got to the spa, a nice woman showed me around and introduced me to everything (not literally – “Keris, this is the Turkish Hammam; Turkish Hammam, Keris”) and I felt much happier.
I decided to ease myself in gently with breakfast. After a lovely latte and a chocolate twist I felt more than ready for… a little snooze. First, I tried out the reflexology footbath, which was just lovely, but didn’t exactly liven me up so I made a beeline for the water beds. Now I don’t think I’ve ever been on a water bed before and they have such a dodgy 70s swinger reputation that I wasn’t sure if I’d like them, but oh my goodness. Unbelievably comfortable. Warm and cosy and, yes, womb-like. I knew I had to try out some other stuff, but I really didn’t want to get up. Eventually, I convinced myself to read a chapter of my book and then to get off the bed entirely, but I wasn’t happy.
I’d been keen for a swim in the outdoor pool, but it was actually rather disappointing-looking, just an oblong outside the building looking more like a council lido than anything particularly spa-like. I was hoping for something a bit magical and maybe grotto-esque and I just couldn’t convince myself to strip off and get in, so I headed for the indoor hydrotherapy pool instead. I gave myself a bit of a pummelling with the jets and then I discovered I could do what I call ”tethered swimming” (after an episode of The Simpsons) - the jets were so strong that even though the pool was really small I could swim on the spot. Once I’d exhausted myself in there (about 5 minutes), I sat in front of the zen garden (but indoors) to dry off and read a bit more. I should just mention here that every seat I sat on in the entire place was ridiculously, blissfully, stupidly comfortable. I don’t want to keep going on about how hard it was to drag myself back up every time I sat down, so just take that as read from now on, okay?
I was a bit nervous about the steam rooms/saunas, since I’ve never really been in one before, but the nice woman who showed me round told me that they were arranged in order of heat, so I went back to the first one: The Laconium. It was nicely warm, brightly lit and sweet-smelling, but so pleasant as to be a bit boring, so I went next door to the Greek Herbal Room, which was lovely – warm and sweaty without being oppressive. Dark too, so I didn’t have to worry about my flabby bits/shaving rash (TMI?). After a ‘Tropical’ shower (you can have a cold shower too, but that was not fun) and more reading, I went looking for whichever room had a menthol smell, since I’ve had a cold for a few weeks and thought that might shift it. Well, I think I tried every single door in the place before eventually finding it was the Turkish Hammam (“You again!” it said.) (It didn’t really.) The air in there was like a physical presence (as was the hairy bloke sitting in the corner). I was dripping with sweat (and my nose started to run) almost instantly, which was a pretty odd sensation. Not unpleasant though. I would’ve stayed longer, but my feet felt like they were burning, so I hauled myself out, into the shower, and then for another sit’n'read to allow my face to go back to its natural colour.
“Readers, this is the Turkish Hammam; Turkish Hammam, our Readers”
At lunch – a gorgeous salad with roasted peppers and mozzarella – I tried to remember when I’d last felt so relaxed. I think it was under anaesthetic. After lunch – and more wafting, sitting and reading – I went for the pre-booked Harmony Massage. Now I love a massage and this one was one of the best I’ve ever had, but my already relaxed state meant that I almost nodded off a few times, which was a bit embarrassing. At least I didn’t snort awake or blurt out anything random (I once said “The kitchen bin smells of cabbage…” as I fell asleep) or if I did, the massage therapist was too polite to say. Post-massage, I was ushered into the ‘Relaxation’ room and then it was time to go…
And if I’d thought it was hard to get out of the chairs, I had no idea how hard it would be to leave the spa entirely. I kept picturing myself snoozing on the water bed forever. But I mustered enthusiasm by promising myself a walk through Center Parcs and a Starbucks at the gate while I waited for the bus. Center Parcs was lovely (we have to go back). The Starbucks was closed. And I fell up the stairs at the train station. Relaxation over. Back to reality. But it was glorious while it lasted. And now I have to convince David to buy a waterbed.
Keris Stainton
OUT NOW! Jessie Hearts NYC
“A breezy summer rom-com, with oodles of New York glamour.” The Bookseller
Twitter @keris
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Keris visited the Aqua Sana at Whinfell Forest in Cumbria, where a Spa Day costs £69 plus any Treatments you choose.
Read MoreLego 6860 – The Bat Cave. *meep*
Not to say we’re big fans of LEGO in this house, but if you look at this picture here…
See those white tubs stacked up? They’re ALL full of LEGO.
Oh yes.
So when the Son asked for yet ANOTHER set for his birthday we may have rolled our eyes and huffed a little… but of course we gave in. Because really, there’s no other toy we’d rather buy. Nothing else has the play value, the durability, the lasting value and the sheer absorption factor of LEGO.
And the Bat Cave set? It’s one of the good ones.
The atmosphere is a little mean and moody – but it is aimed at ages 7-14, and isn’t a set suited for younger LEGO-ers. There are enough figures (5) and vehicles (2) and buildings and details (all the little extra’s that LEGO are so good at) to really get into an entire play scenario with no need for further rummaging for bad guys/more props/hideout construction. It’s all here.
Building it didn’t seem to take long at all – though of course would no doubt take ignorant aged parents MUCH longer to figure out. I don’t even try any more, I just leave him with the box, and an hour later find him pottering happily with the completed set.
Of course, the one big issue with LEGO is the price. It’s not cheap, is it? I don’t really quibble too much – you get what you pay for, I think – but one thing I DO hate is finding it £10 cheaper two days later.
If you are looking, try using the price comparison site Idealo – it’s where we found ours the cheapest (Amazon, £64.99 – compared to most retailers’ £70.99 price tag). Here’s a tip though – if you’re searching Idealo for LEGO, use the LEGO number code. if you use the set name, you’ll be less successful with your shopping bargains.
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Gorgeously Practical Maternity Coat from Vertbaudet
REDUCED! Down from £99 to £74!
When I first found I was pregnant with baby #2 and my regular clothes started to nip in places they hadn’t before, my first stop was to search out my “pregnant” clothes from last time round. I despaired! Have styles and fashions (and my tastes!) REALLY changed that much in just 3 short years?! Er, yes. They have. So, it was back to the drawing board for my 9 month stretch in maternity wear. This is where the lovely Laura steps in and asks if I could possibly review some maternity wear from Vertbaudet. YAY! Lifesaver! (My bank manager also applauds you my dear!)
So, what did I get to review? Some bootcut jeans, a long-line cardi and a winter coat. Now, I’ve had them for some time, and they formed my core wardrobe for the duration of my pregnancy, so my thoughts are based on washing and wearing repeatedly, not just occasional wear.
When I opened my parcel, I was like a child on Christmas morning. Seriously, I’m sure if you had been a fly on the wall you would have laughed at my squeaks of glee at the selection I received from my wishlist. I was particularly pleased to have been blessed with the addition of the wool-cloth coat to keep me and the bump warm in the colder months. I can confirm now – it did its job well! I am a fuss-pot when it comes to coats. I admit it. I am desperately hard to please in that department (same as with jeans, but we’ll get to that later!) so when I say the coat was great, it really must have been. At first viewing, I thought it might be a bit lightweight should the weather be VERY cold, but despite the lack of weight, it was cosy and comfortable. A roomy fit around the bump, with plenty of room for expansion (even at the very end) but nicely fitted at the top to give some definition to the shape of the wearer – none of this waddling around looking like a blob thank you very much! The style and cut impressed me further by having “moveable arms”. Yes, I KNOW that seems like a small ask, but am I the only one who has a pet hate for these stylish but non-functional coats and jackets that you have to take off before getting in the car to drive? Grrrrr! Vertbaudet have it all worked out though – I happily drove around wearing the coat with no restrictions on my movement. Well done designers! So, for all the good things I have to say, I will add a small negative – it has no hood. I may not actually use a hood that often, but I do like a nice winter coat to have the option to keep my head dry should I need it. Take this coat and add a hood and I would be a VERY happy lady indeed.
Maternity Wool Coat now reduced from £99.99 down to £74.25 (that’s 25% off!). Bargain.
Read MoreBlurb Books. What do we think?
Well. I’ll show you, actually…
I did warn Blurb books that I was not going to be a good reviewer for them. I’m married to a high-end professional wedding photographer, and one of my many hats is designing his (hand-bound-in-Italy) wedding albums.
Let’s just say I Know My Albums.
No no, Blurb books said. Go for it.
So I did.
I created a book with our 2011 images ready for the annual Gift For the Grandparents.
And it was flippin’ brilliant.
The paper quality was excellent, the printing was good considering there was no calibration involved, and the cover was genuinely lovely.
Better still, the process of creating it was dead simple and actually quite fun. Once you’ve uploaded your chosen images your creative side takes over you’ll be swooshing pictures about, cropping them, trying new layouts. It’s just a fab album-design-for-beginners tool – I’m quite sure anyone can get really great looking results.
And best of all, the album stays online for you to share with everyone.
Totally winner – we’ll definitely be using Blurb Books for photo books again.
We chose a hard cover with an image wrap, but kept to standard paper and end sheets. The whole 44 page book would have cost £25.95, which is incredibly reasonable, and makes it a truly special gift.
Click here and try it for yourself – you’ll love it!
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Just The BEST Wellies for children. Rainbow Striped Wellington Boots? Yes please.
Usually we’d do a good long fulsome review of a product.
But these Molo Striped Wellies sent us by Little Stomper?
We just need to show you them, we think.
How gorgeous are they?
Very, that’s how.
The daughter even yelped and hugged them when she opened the box (she’s a girl and she’s 5. Striped wellies are about as Good As It Gets).
She may actually never step foot out of doors with any other footwear on again. She even had to wear them to school. For a week (though was persuaded to change into school shoes once she got there). Though photographing a small personage inside them is remarkable tricky – they’re usually doing this…
She likes them a lot.
Us? We love them too.
And if you’re clever, a quick game of hide-and-seek is all the opportunity you need…
Available from the seriously brilliant Little Stomper website (do have a browse while you’re there, the entire shop is full to the brim with quirky, funky, gorgeous footwear for children) for a splash under £24.
Read MoreLEGO – where did it all go wrong?
There has been much talk on many blogs over recent weeks over the new LEGO Friends. I’m not going to start yet another blithering on the ghastly hideousness of the stereotyping subject matter of these sets – suffice to say that it’s just… bad.
But I do want to say something quite important. This…
… is not a LEGO set.
Sorry, but it’s not. It’s a small figure playset, for sure, but what part of that is any part the LEGO that we all grew up with and justifiably venerate? Let me show you… This is how the LEGO catalogue looked the year I was born:
THAT is what Maria, aged 5, built with her Lego set. And THAT is exactly what Lego celebrated in their own catalogue – just look at the sense of humour they have in those labels. In their very own words, the next page reads:
…You probably say “now, Common sense tells you that doesn’t look like a real one”
But common sense is something invented by us grown ups. Maria built it exactly as she wanted it.
For her it’s an ambulance.
She built her ambulance with LEGO. Because LEGO has no limits.
That’s the whole idea behind LEGO.”
So where did it all go wrong? Exactly when did they start to limit the play, the imagination? To tell our children what those bricks should be made into?
I’m not so concerned about the sexism thing; they’ve ALWAYS done ‘girls’ stuff and ‘boys’ stuff. They’ve always made Kitchens and Police Cars.
But look what the girls had to play with back then in their ‘girls’ sets (do note the lack of PINK, despite it blatantly being a ‘girls’ set):
Can you see what it says there?
“You can build the dolls house itself from a Basic Set. Just the way you want it.”
Quite so.
MY very own 5yr old girl saw that picture, and yelped with longing. Because she saw the POTENTIAL – and wasn’t presented with the finished product that she would definitely end up with.
And don’t tell me that ‘children have changed’ – if I sit my girl down in front of a box of bricks, she would end up with something remarkably similar and equally-well-thought-out as Maria’s ambulance.
No – LEGO has changed. And that makes me sad because I LOVE LEGO. For so very many reasons.
My eldest son is the biggest LEGO freak in the house, and through his long two years of housebound-illness it was about the only activity that kept his busy 11yr old head sane. He has more sets than I can tell you (or care to think about the cost of), and what does he do with them? Leaves them all in huge boxes so that he can pick and mix the bricks to create whatever he has in his brain that day.
THAT is the genius of LEGO.
And the lack of any kind of imagination is exactly what makes the new ‘Lego Friends’ range set our teeth on edge.
** LEGO catalogue courtesy of the awesomeness that is Retronaut – do go and see the whole 1973 Lego catalogue for yourself **
Read MoreSpotted! Personalised Mugs. Good Ones.
This is a bit more than a Spotted! item. Sometimes we come across a product that we just happen to love – so we talk about them. I’ve used YourDesign a number of times, and they are unfailingly excellent. The above mug is the (rather ridiculous) one I bought for Fathers day a couple of years ago – and it is still in use every single day.
Father Christmas bought one for No.1 son this Christmas – he’s far too big for his Mr Man mug now, and needed a grown up sized version. What better than one with his favourite “I’m Special” scrawled across it?
Because it’s not just about slapping a photo on one side – you can choose a ‘full wrap’, as I have above to fit The Four onto it, or you can just write something rude personal.
The mugs themselves are good quality, the printing is excellent (the dishwasher will cause fading over time though) and for £8 they are truly BARGAINOUS.
Personalised mugs start at £8 from YourDesign.
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Bic’s wipeboard for children? Under £4? Brilliant, that’s what it is.
We love this little board.
We SO do.
Pone side is squared graph paper, and the other side is blank. There is a clip at the top which is a rubber and also a clip for the pen. Simple, neat and SO handy.
I have a 5yr old girl, and she loves or draw and write. Constantly and endlessly. And I know she’s not alone in her obsession.
But keeping up with it in terms of paper is hideousness – a problem which this board neatly solves.
It also allows her to leave sweet messages lying around for her older brothers (and for them to leave some rude ones back… *cough*).
Our pen has run out now, she has used it so much – but any dry-wipe marker does the job. The rubber is excellent, and there’s no leftover staining on the board, even after practically daily use.
Perfectly sized for holding, big enough for a masterpiece but small enough for slipping in a roomy bag… It’s excellent for writing practice (those pesky ‘th’ sounds are our latest conquest), and for explanation diagrams during older boys homework. It has also become a staple on car journeys – perfect for hangman, or a spot of bored-car doodling without the risk of lost pencils (no one’s foolish enough to allow felt tips in the car of course, but did you know crayons melt in the sun and NEVER come out of the car upholstery? No, me either.).
So. If you see one, do buy it. At just £3.99 what’s to think about?
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Annoying Monsters. They p*$$ me off a bit.
Annoying Monsters. Man these things are well-named. Seriously.
They burp, they fart, they laugh til they judder, they repeat what you say in a weird, irritating, mimicky-fashion… and just when you think they’ve finally gone quiet they start to snore. Very loudly. They’re rude, stupid, pointless and seriously annoying.
Naturally, the 9 and 10yr olds LOVE them.
*sigh*
The boys thought they were funny when they just made weird and rude sounds. But once they figured out that the monsters record what you say and repeat it… oh, the fun is limitless.
Rude messages for brothers, stooopid sing-song noises which get replayed over and over and over and over…
These monster-things do my head in.
And yet…
Of all the things they got for Christmas, these irritating little beasts are the things I still see most often clutched and carried and played with.
When I see my two boys, roaring with laughter, not a computer screen in sight… I find I’m rather fond of these odd-looking little aliens, with their SERIOUSLY annoying little voices…
The full range is available direct from the Annoying Monsters (rather brilliant) website for £18 each. But we have just spotted there’s a few of them currently half price over at play.com.
Felt tips that really do wash out. Bic Kids – have you been converted yet?
As any parent knows (or very quickly learns) there are some things you just don’t cut corners on. And felt tips are one of the high things on my Only-Buy-This-Brand list. I’ve been buying them for 12 years now, and only one brand will cross my threshold, as it’s the ONE brand I can guarantee really will wash out of nice tops, pale skirts and dining room chair seats when it says it will (except for green. Why oh why is the green so evil about leaving a faint stain behind?).
So when Bic offered to send me some ‘ultra-washable Kid Couleur‘ felt pens, I may have laughed at them.
Washable?
Hmm. We’ll soon see.
But blow me down with a feather if they’re not.
They really DO wash out!
Not only that but they come in great colours, are a joy to use, and there’s all sorts of sets. We LOVE the ‘plasti-decor’ triangular-shaped crayons; perfect for left-handers, and also learning-to-writers as they’re so easy to grip correctly. They don’t shed minute coloured flakes, and they really don’t snap easily. most importantly of all, they colour beautifully
And click here to see how they make their woodless pencils – yes, woodless. And chew resistant, and the ‘lead’ doesn’t snap when it’s dropped, either. Truly.
Bestie best of all? They’re cheaper!
You may notice a distinct lack of the Other Brand in our house in future…
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Supplements for children?
It’s always this time of year that we start to get hit by the ‘bugs’. You know, once a cold or sore throat or cough enters the house it morphs and changes, not stopping or resting until it has infected everyone at least once.
It’s the time of year when our resistance is at its lowest, of course, when our bodies are at that low end-of-winter-and-yearning-for-spring ebb, and they maybe just need a little extra boost.
I have to say I’m not one usually for supplements – I firmly believe that a healthy balanced diet provides all a child needs in terms of nutrients. But I do admit that at this time of year I’ll take any help I can find in keeping the family healthy – with six of us for the bugs to pass around, an infectious illness is really no joke in our house; they can last for WEEKS.
But of course there’s all those scare stories in the media about what else is in the supplements besides the nutrients – yet another reason to put me off. So I was interested when Nordic Naturals sent me some of their Omega-3 gummies, specially designed with children in mind. The orange pastilles can easily be accepted as a daily ‘treat’, and I’m safe in the knowledge that they contain nothing except Good Stuff.
The fish oil is collected totally responsibly – every day before sunrise, Sea Trolls swim out past the wave break to gather essential nutrients along the bottoms of the deep Norwegian fjords to make the gummies. And of course fish oil is one of those wonder-substances – not only is it fab for the immune system, but it’s also really great for children’s concentration and brain development.
So if you’re going for supplements, I think you’d be hard pressed to find better one’s than Nordic Naturals – no Bad Stuff, packed full of fresh pure Good stuff – and they taste good too!
We found them for under £14 for a pot of 60 from Chemist Direct
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