2011 is going to be a big year for our garden. We've decided to make our garden more manageable by replacing the borders with decorative pots and cut down the amount of weeding required. When I say "we" I do of course mean that my husband will do all the work while I keep a watchful eye!
With perfect timing I was sent a sample of the Stewart Company's new Zurbano planter.
The Zurbano is a stylish planter, available in graphite and stone with your choice of square (37cm x 37cm) and round (38cm diameter). The planters are constructed from high quality ABS which makes them very light, highly durable and frost resistant. They also offer the same qualities as pots manufactured from heavier materials.
I love the aesthetics of these planters. There is a polished aluminium band insert that runs round the rim of the pot, as well as a curved wave detail that runs from top to bottom. They really are fantastic and look very expensive. They'd make a great addition to any home and can be used indoors or out.
The planter itself is very sturdy and strong. It doesn't look like plastic, so when you lift it you get quite a shock at how light it is. I'm really looking forward to getting it filled with plants and out in the garden....roll on the spring!
The Zurbano planters are available at a for SRSP £29.99 from garden centres and Homebase. You can find more information about the planters and The Stewart Company at http://www.stewartcompany.co.uk/
A sample was received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are my own. I did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post.
Anyone who knows me will tell you I love baking. I love nothing more than plootering about in the kitchen making cakes, biscuits, muffins....you name it and I'll give it a go. I can't bake as much as I'd like to these days but when I do have the energy I try.
One thing I love about baking is that you know exactly what's in your cakes. It's up to you what you put in and the overall quality of your produce.
I was sent some Billington's sugar to review recently when I realised that this is the exact sugar I use in all my baking! Billington's have three ranges of sugar: unrefined, unrefined fairtrade, unrefined organic.....they also do glace cherries.
So what's different about Billington's sugar then? Well they use unrefined sugar which is sugar in a more natural state. Some brown sugars are actually white sugar which has been coated with colouring and flavouring - this isn't the case with Billington's. Unrefined sugars are produced by locking in (instead of refining out) the natural molasses of the sugar cane. In doing so unrefined sugars have a much superior flavour and their colour is completely natural.
I have been using Billington's sugar for years now and have never had any major baking failures! It keeps really well in the cupboard and produces great results. I will definitely continue using Billington's and highly recommend it.
Billington's have a great website with a fantastic range of recipes, from sweet to savoury, special occasions to drinks - it's definitely worth a look! http://www.billingtons.co.uk/
Billington's sugar is available in all major supermarkets.
Samples were received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are my own. I did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post.
Now that we are nearing the end of January I'll be glad to see the back of the "detox". However there are some aspects I intend to keep as part of my life for the rest of the year, for example I will still be drinking Pukka teas.
I'm a huge fan of hot drinks, there's something incredibly soothing about sitting down with a cuppa and taking five minutes to yourself. So when I was sent two boxes of teas from Pukka to try ( Morning Time and Black Spiced Chai) I popped the kettle on straight away!
I know herbal teas aren't necessarily everyone's cup of tea (sorry, I had to), but I do think that by trying a decent tea, such as Pukka, you will soon change your mind.
We tested both the teas separately, at different times of the day and really enjoy them both. So much so that we now reach for a Pukka tea before a conventional cuppa.
So what's special about these teas then? Well Pukka have made a pledge that all of their products adhere to:
so you know that everything you are drinking is natural and ethically sourced. Furthermore, they really know how to combine herbs into a cracking cup of tea!
The Morning Time tea is a naturally caffeine-free tea. However it's unusual in that although it contains no caffeine it still offers a morning boost. This is achieved naturally through the combination of Red Ginseng and Roasted Maca which give you a "pick me up". The further addition of Rooibos and Honeybush help to enliven and refresh so you can face the day ahead. Three of us tried this tea, myself, my husband and guest reviewer, Liz. We all found that it did offer us a pick me up first thing in the morning, it was great! Liz is pregnant so she isn't drinking caffeine at the moment, she says that this tea actually made her feel like she had some energy and that it's the first thing she's managed to keep down in the mornings - amazing!
The Black Spiced Chai is designed to warm and enrich by combining five pure organic herbs, Black Tea, Cinnamon, Ginger root, Cardamom seed and Licorice root. This tea contains a very small amount of caffeine and is strong in antioxidants. This is personally my favourite tea, I love the combination of flavours, it's very soothing and warming, perfect for chilly weather. It's delicious with a drop of milk and some honey stirred through.
Both of these teas come in a box of 20 individually wrapped bags, meaning you can pop them in your bag and take them out with you.....you could have a whole tea collection in your handbag.
These teas have been a huge hit in our house and I predict that we will be trying a lot more Pukka teas in 2011.
Pukka teas are available for £2.90 for 20 teabags from Tesco and health food stores nationwide.
Samples were received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are my own. I did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post.
Have you noticed how often we use the word "app" these days? Just a few years ago that word would have had little meaning to most of us, now though even our 91 year old Gran is aware of apps!
We were sent a new Nokia app Loop to test out. Loop is an app that allows you to create your own music using a huge variety of beats and sounds stored in the app's database, or by starting your own music from scratch. Now, neither of us are musical (my sister's the one with the music degree) but we found this great fun. I did let my husband lead the way to begin with but soon we were both sampling and mixing sounds to create a new ringtone.
Basically we chose a background beat and added in different sounds to make our own music. The app has a live recording button meaning you can record any sounds around you, or make your own to enhance your music. We used this function to put random words into our music. We actually sat for an hour straight just playing with this. It was great fun!
You can create up to 4 looping tracks at any one time using the built-in beats and sounds, or using your own sounds. You can then merge and edit your track, allowing you to layer an infinite amount of sounds on top of each other. The result is a CD quality track that you can use as a ringtone, upload onto Facebook or share with other loop users through a dedicated hub.
I'd imagine that if you are musical this would be a great way to note down new tunes you've come up with, and to share them with friends. If, like us, this sounds like a scary prospect, you could just use this app to customise your phone with your own creations. The fact that it's mobile means you can record any noises while you are out and about and use them to create your own music.
I think this would be a great way to expand upon your holiday memories, you could record the sounds of your holiday and form them into a ringtone so you always have them with you. Or you could make a great ringtone from your child's first words, or pets barking, the possibilities are endless.
We had a great laugh playing with this app and actually wish we could get it for our own phones. It really is great fun and will bring out the creativity in you that you didn't know you had!
The Nokia Loop app is available to download for FREE from the Ovi store and is available for the new Nokia N8 and C7 Smartphones.
All views expressed in this post are our own. We did not receive any reward, financial or otherwise for this post.
Is it just me, or is there a bigger variety than ever of mens' hair products on the market these days? We frequently stand for a while staring at a shelf full of products before our eyes and minds focus and we find what we are looking for. Is it a sign that men are taking more care, time and effort over their appearance? Or maybe companies are just cottoning onto the fact that men need haircare too? Then again there are some male hair products that have been around for years. Brylcreem is one of these companies, they have been on the go since 1928 and clearly they know what they are doing!
We were sent a sample of the new Brylcreem Paste (Flexible Memory Hold) to test and review. It comes in a novel red rubber cricket ball - which makes sense since the Brylcreem Boy is cricketer Kevin Pietersen. This design makes it very easy to spot in the bathroom as you try, bleary eyed, to get ready for work in the morning.
My husband has been using it for about three weeks now and he's really pleased with it. Unlike many similar products on the market the Brylcreem Paste isn't sticky on your hands when you apply it, nor in your hair. Furthermore it provides a fantastic hold without making your hair "crunchy" or "crispy". It just makes your hair look naturally good!
I'm told that it's also really easy to apply, which is great if you are in a rush in the mornings! It also doesn't leave a residue in the hair, another big plus. From my point of view though I love the smell!
All in all this is a great product and really does go to show that there's no substitute for experience.
For more information about Brylcreem visit their website, or check out their Facebook page.
A sample was received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are our own. We did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post.
Recently I've reviewed some great skincare products for the face. Today it's time to review something for the body, the Dr. Organic Organic Rose Otto Body Scrub.
Dr Organic have a fantastic range of skincare products and use only the finest natural and organic raw products wherever possible.They have a strict set of guidelines they adhere to meaning you know exactly what kind of product you will be using.
The Dr Organic Promise:
Organic ingredients
Bioactive ingredients
Natural ingredients
No harsh chemicals
No animal ingredients
No animal testing
No mineral oils
No GM ingredients
Preservatives
This particular body scrub is part of their Organic Rose Otto range, which utilises the exclusive rose otto essential oil. The oil is renowned for it's skin toning and anti-ageing properties.
I have been using this scrub for about 3 weeks and I love it. It really feels like it is rejuventating your whole body! The scrub combines natural micro particles of volcanic lava which removes dead skin and stimulates circulation deep into the capillaries. I suffer from a heavy feeling in my legs as part of my M.E. but when I massage this product into my legs I can feel the weight starting to lift. It's such a lovely feeling and offers so much relief.
The product itself has a gorgeous aroma, it smells fresh and "healthy". I've been using the scrub in the bath and the scent fills the bathroom, making for a relaxing soak. My skin feels really fresh and clean after using the scrub, with no dry skin in sight! It's a really great product and I'm very keen to try the other products in the range.
A sample was received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are my own. I did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post.
It was my father-in-law's birthday on Sunday, so on Saturday night we ventured over to their house armed with a bottle of Camitz Sparkling Vodka to toast the occasion.
Camitz Sparkling Vodka is distilled in Sweden with water from the renowned ice age underground springs of Töllsjö, together with grain sourced in Scandinavia. The vodka is distilled five times before being carbonated, making it the cleanest of its kind in the world.
The vodka is said to compliment delicate flavours such as shellfish and fresh seafood, you can drink it as a shot or combine with champagne. Of course you can also combine it with your favourite mixers but we decided to make cocktails!!!
The bottle opened with a brilliant "pop"...I do love that noise! Before we delved into the cocktail making we each had a taste of the sparkling vodka on it's own. Now I've never been the biggest vodka fan, but this was gorgeous! It may sound corny but you could taste the quality.
I was sent the recipes for two cocktails, the Camitz Sparkling Cosmospolitan and also the Swedish Snowstorm Shot (see end of this post for recipes) so we decided to give them a go. It was great fun creating these cocktails! We had to improvise slightly as we didn't have a proper cocktail shaker or martini glass, but the end result was still gorgeous.
Swedish Snowstorm Shot
Camtiz Sparkling Cosmopolitan
The cocktails were both delicious, so much so that we ended up making another batch......and another.
As fantastic as the vodka tasted, I did wonder what it would be like if you didn't finish the bottle and whether or not it would maintain its fizz. We tested it out when we went out for dinner, returning several hours later to find it was still fizzy! In fact, depending on the temperature, it will stay sparkling for up to 8 hours. You can also pop a champagne stopper in an unfinished bottle and it will remain sparkling for up to 3 days. After that time, you can still keep it and even though the bubbles are gone it will still be a premium vodka.
We were all thoroughly impressed by this product. Not only did it generate loads of fun creating the cocktails but it was also a great hit taste-wise. Between the five of us we all had several cocktails and shots and not one of us had a hangover the next day, we put this down to the quality of the vodka. It made a great addition to the birthday celebration and I highly recommend it for a special occasion.
Shake the first three ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass. Top carefully with Camitz Sparkling Vodka.
Swedish Snowstorm Shot
glass Shot
parts ingredients
1 / 4 Cointreau / triple sec
1 / 4 Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Dash sugar (simple) syrup
Dash grenadine (optional)
2 / 4 Camitz Sparkling Vodka
Method
Shake the first three ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
Add a dash of grenadine and then layer Camitz Sparkling Vodka by carefully pouring.
A sample was received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are my own. I did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post.
My guest reviewer, Liz, was sent the new Dreamgenii Twinkle Tog to review with her son. The Twinkle Tog is a fantastic wearable quilt for kids aged 1-3, but instead of the more conventional sleeping bags, it comes with legs meaning your wee one can wear their bed clothes before getting into bed! The fact that it's wearable means that your child wont end up kicking off their bedsheets through the night - they will stay warm and snug all night long.
Here's what Liz had to say:
"I have been saying for months that I'd like to invent this very sleepsuit so I was both very happy and a bit disappointed (as I thought this would be my first step on the road to entrepreneurship and my first million pounds) when it arrived. We have used sleeping bags for my son since he was about six months old which was working well until he became very mobile and worked out that if he pulled hard enough he could undo the poppers and zip and escape. Plus, whilst standing and walking around in his cot he would constantly trip on the bag and crack his head on the side of the cot. This sleepsuit answers all these problems!
Whoever designed the zip deserves a medal. Since becoming a parent it's amazing how the way a zip is designed can make or break a product (I'm not kidding!). In this case it certainly makes it. By zipping from top to bottom you not only don't have the problem of the big bit of the zip being close to your child's neck, but it makes it very difficult for your child to undo the zip himself. Also, the two sections of material that cover the top and bottom of the zip make it extra safe and comfortable. As if that wasn't enough, a zip that closes top-to-bottom makes changing nappies much easier.
My son absolutely loved the sheep design and the fact he could walk around in it means he doesn't get frustrated. The product is really great quality. The fabric is very soft, with a quilted outer and a fantastically soft jersey lining...I just want to dive in myself. I can highly recommend this sleepsuit and would like to see a design that has the option of long sleeves..I wonder if these are available in adult sizes..."
The Twinkle Tog is available in both Summer and Winter tog weights, and three fantastic designs - Sweet Sheep, Circus Spot and Zebra. It is available exclusively from Mothercare for £29.99. For non-UK orders contact Dreamgenii direct.
Dreamgenii have a great range of products for mums-to-be, mums, babies and toddlers to help you achieve a "Magical Night's Sleep". Designed by parents you can be sure that their products will make your lives easier and more comfortable! You can find all of their products on their website - http://www.dreamgenii.com/, and a full list of stockists too.
Why not keep up to date with all their news by liking them on Facebook or following on Twitter (@dreamgenii2)?
A Twinkle Tog was received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are our own. We did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post.
This week has just flown in, how is it possibly Friday already? Well it's time to announce the winners of the Gadget Glamour giveaway!
I just want to thank Gadget Glamour for running this great giveaway, their skins are fantastic and I'm sure the winners are going to love their prizes.
As always I have used random.org to select the winners.
The winner of the iPhone skin is Marzena
The winner of the iPad skin is @needaphone
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Please email me at rhodareviews [at] gmail [dot] com with your details, and please confirm which skin you would like!
If you didn't win remember you can purchase your favourite skin at www.gadgetglamour.co.uk. You can also keep up to date with all their news on twitter (@GadgetGlamour) and Facebook.
It's that time of year again when we all try to get back into shape after overindulging at Christmas. Back in the days when I could exercise I hated the gym, it's so boring and I always feel really self-conscious......not to mention the huge membership fees. Well, there's a new way to workout and it looks absolutely amazing!
JML have just brought out the Bounce Fit in conjunction with Mr Motivator (yes, he's still on the go!) The Bounce Fit is a mini-trampoline that you can use in the comfort of your own home to get fit.
It comes complete with Mr. Motivator's Bounce Fit DVD, a steady handle and carry case, two handles and four resistance bands, and a nutrition guide.
I've not had the opportunity to put the Bounce Fit through it's paces, but I have watched the DVD that comes with it and I have to tell you, it looks brilliant! Mr Motivator is still as bright, fun and enthusiastic as ever and he'll guide you through some great, fun exercises to help you focus on your problem areas.
The DVD has two warm up classes depending upon your level. You then have the choice of three main exercise classes: legs and bums, upper-body and abs and body blitz. Each one of these lasts 12 minutes and is known as the "Daily Dozen". Finally you finish with a cool down and that's you.
The trampoline is a great way to get fit as it has a lower impact upon your joints. Every time you bounce your body will be subjected to twice the force of gravity, meaning you strengthen your muscles and bones, and reduce the risk of osteoperosis. What's more if you follow Mr Motivator's workout you could actually burn 800 calories in one hour - that's more than jogging on a treadmill, and it looks like much more fun to me.
The Bounce Fit has an area of 100cm so it's not a huge trampoline, and as a result wont take up too much room in your house. It's just a good size to do your Daily Dozen with Mr Motivator. I really think it looks fantastic fun and the minute I beat M.E. I'm getting myself one!
The DVD looks great and has instructions for every level of fitness. There's a support bar included so if you feel a bit shakey to begin with you can support yourself while you work out. There's also a set of resistance bands with varying resistance so you can build up your strength and abilities as time goes by.
Personally I think this looks like a great way to get and stay in shape. It looks so much fun.....who says trampolines are just for kids?
JML had offered to give away one Bounce Fit to one lucky reader, unfortunately they have encountered stock issues and so they are now offering a £50 JML voucher to the lucky winner! This means you can choose what you like from their site!! Apologies for the change, but I think you'll all agree it's still a great prize!
To enter you must do the following three things:
Leave me a comment telling me why you'd like to win.
Be a follower of my blog (see right hand side).
Leave some form of contact details, such as a twitter ID, your Facebook name etc so I can contact you if you are a winner.
There are also three additional entries available (please leave a SEPARATE comment for each one).
Tweet "I've entered @justforcomps' blog giveaway to win a £50 voucher for @JML_Direct, you can too at http://goo.gl/4GWVI"
I'm afraid the competition is open to the UK only and will close on Friday 4th February 2011 at 4pm. There is one JML voucher worth £50 to give away to one lucky winner (as chosen by random.org). I will make every attempt to contact the winner, however if I have not heard back within a week I reserve the right to select a new winner.
The Bounce Fit is available directly from JML for £49.99. For more fantastic products from JML check out their website - http://www.jmldirect.com/. You can also keep up to date with all of their news, offers and giveaways on their Facebook page, and Twitter pages @JML_Direct).
A sample DVD was received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are my own. I did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post. Thank you to JML for providing the prize for this giveaway.
I do love to be pampered, then again I think most women do. It's nice to take time out for yourself and just relax.
The way things are at the moment I'm probably not the only one who can't afford to pay for regular spa treatments, so I have taken to pampering money-saving style - in the comfort of my own home.
I was sent some products from Balaton Spa recently and have been enjoying trying them out. Balaton Spa have a fantastic deal for January....but more of that later.
Balaton Spa uses a phenomenal number of natural ingredients in their products and base their Spa Collection on Therapeutic Lowland Moor and Moor Water. Let me explain, Therapeutic Lowland Moorland areas are extremely rare and have formed over the course of 20000 years, through the decomposition of hundreds of herbs, plants, grasses, flowers, vitamins and minerals. It's this moor and moor water that Balaton Spa use to create their products.
I was sent a tub of the Balaton Spa Face Mask to test, together with their travel bag, stuffed with products. The face mask is 100% natural, consisting only of Moorland peat and Moor water. If I'm totally honest I was slightly dubious as I rubbed the mask into my face. This was a first for me and I had no idea what to expect. Still I persevered and left the mask on for the required 3 minutes before wiping away. I wasn't convinced that black peat and water could actually clean my face, but it did! It was really easy to clean off and afterwards my skin felt fresh, clean and smooth - amazing stuff!
Balaton Spa currently have a fantastic deal on for the rest of January. If you buy their Face Mask for the offer price of £19.99 (saving a fiver) you will get a Travel Bag (worth £24.99) and a Soothing Eye Gel (worth £24.99) absolutely FREE!!
The travel bag consists of:
Refreshing Spa Cleansing and Toning Lotion
Moisturising Body Wash
Hydrating Body Wash
Face Mask
Rich Day Cream
100 % Natural Cleansing Bar
I have tried them all and really like them. I love how natural they are - in fact they use over 300 natural ingredients in their products. Even Trinny and Susannah and Gok Wan love it! It'd make a great gift for a lady in your life - plus you get the Face Mask for yourself too!
Samples were received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are my own. I did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post.
I'm a huge fan of technology. I love gadgets and gizmos, the engineer in me kicks in when I'm near them and I turn into such a geek.
I do often wonder though what effect some of the latest technology is having on our bodies. A study carried out in 2007 concluded that the Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) produced by electrical products can damage the body's natural biological immune system and lead to increased ill health.
This ill health can be serious (with some scientists concerned that EMR can cause tumours and early senility) but often it can manifest itself in headaches, memory loss, confusion, fatigue and sleep disturbances. Obviously this is just the effects we are currently aware of, it will be several years before we know the more long term issues associated with EMR.
I was sent two new products designed to help protect from the effects of radiation - the PhoneShield and Wi-FiShield. These products use crystal technology to help reduce the harmful effects of radiation.
As you'd expect the PhoneShield is for use with your mobile or cordless phone. The Wi-FiShield can be used on a variety of appliances such as PCs, monitors, laptops, TVs, microwaves, any electrical appliance that you can be exposed to for a prolonged period.
The Shields just look like small metal discs with an adhesive backing so you can stick them to your desired products. They are really easy to apply and don't need any wires or batteries, you just stick them to your desired appliance. There are a range of different designs available so you can customise your phone to suit your personality.
The Shields are advertised as being a priority for households with children whose immune system is not yet fully developed. So I gave the PhoneShield to my guest reviewer, Liz - with a toddler who seems to having a homing device to phones and another on the way I figured she should be using one. At first she was a bit nervous about using it, seeing it as a choking hazard, however she's delighted with it now as it is well stuck to her phone with no risk of it coming off. She's now going to get one for her husband's phone too.
I have attached the Wi-FiShield to our computer, seeing as that's where I seem to spend a lot of my time. To be honest you can hardly notice it and hopefully it can help keep us safe.
Obviously it's difficult to tell what it's doing and I am always cautious of buying products that you can't physically see working. However, there is some great information on http://www.phoneshield.co.uk/ about how the technology and the scientific proof behind it. Here's a wee fact for you Arsene Wenger uses the PhoneShield and insists that all the Arsenal players do too! Having seen a simple Kinesiology test carried out which demonstrated how using a mobile phone without a PhoneShield can reduce your strength, he thought it would be wise to use them as a precautionary measure.
Personally I'm a huge fan of Kinesiology and have read a considerable amount about it, having visited a kinesiologist myself. You can see below, for yourself, how the effects of the PhoneShield have been tested using kinesiology.
I think these products are a great idea, especially if you have children. In fact the next time I visit my kinesiologist I might just get her to check out the product too, I reckon she'd be very impressed.
The lovely people at PhoneShield have very kindly offered to give away three sets of Shields (each set consisting of one PhoneShield and one Wi-FiShield) to three lucky winners!
There are THREE ways to enter this competition, giving a maximum of three entries per person. (Please leave a SEPARATE comment for each one).
Tweet the following "I've entered @justforcomps' blog giveaway to win a @PhoneShield set, you can too at http://bit.ly/gLafJ7" then pop back and tell me you have tweeted.
Follow @PhoneShield on Twitter, then come back and tell me you have done so.
Please also remember to leave some form of contact details, such as a twitter ID, your Facebook name etc so I can contact you if you are a winner.
I'm afraid the competition is open to the UK only and will close on Sunday 30th January 2011 at 7pm. There are three set of Shields to give away to three lucky winners (as chosen by random.org). I will make every attempt to contact the winner, however if I have not heard back within a week I reserve the right to select a new winner.
For more information about how this product works (I figure they can explain it much better than I could) check out http://www.phoneshield.co.uk/.
The PhoneShield retails for £12.50 and the Wi-FiShield for £15. There are some package deals available too to save you money. You can buy online, or through various stores including Harrods and Selfridges.
To keep up with all their news and offers why not follow them on Twitter (@PhoneShield) and Facebook, or check out their blog?
Samples were received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are my own. I did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post. Thank you to PhoneShield for providing the prizes for this giveaway.
One of my clearest childhood memories is running to the sweetshop with a twenty pence piece in my hand to buy some pennytray sweets. I remember all the jars lined up along a whole wall, full of traditional sweets to buy by the quarter. I really miss the traditional sweetshops and the traditional sweets that they housed.
I recently came across a company on twitter which stock all of the traditional sweets that I remember from "back in the day" (I'm only 27 by the way!), Sweetjunkie. It's a lovely well layed out, easy to use, website which is full of fantastic sweets!
I was delighted when they sent me a box of sweets to review for them (as was my husband and every visitor to our house in the past week).
I spent some time this afternoon browsing the site, and found so many sweets I had forgotten about! Do you remember the raspberry ruffle or soor plooms? Well you can get them here. The prices seem very reasonable to me and they ship worldwide.
You can also purchase gift vouchers for the website, a great gift for someone that's got everything or is really hard to buy for. I will have to keep it in mind for Fathers Day, my Dad would be in his element browing this website.
This really is a great site and is full of sweets of all kinds. If in the unlikely event they don't stock the sweet you are looking for you can request a sweet and they will try and stock it for you - a great idea.
Why not have a look yourself? Though if you are on a diet I'd recommend someone hides your credit card! http://www.sweetjunkie.com/ You can also keep up with all their news and offers on Twitter (@sweetjunkie) , Facebook and their blog.
Samples were received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are my own. I did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post.
In the past two days I have been shown a lot of love by fellow bloggers - it has meant the world to me! It all began when I was tagged by the lovely @missielizzieb in her Meme post on her fab blog Me and My Shadow. Since then I've also been tagged by my lovely friend Jo in her Meme post on her fantastic blog Given To Distracting Others. Finally, I was very touched to be presented a Stylish Blogger Award by Sarah at Life In A Break Down, another fabulous blog that you should pop over and visit!
Thank you all very much, I'm very touched! So now I have to think about 7 things about me.... here goes....
1. I was brought up on the Isle of Mull and I miss it every day. One day we hope that we will be able to move back there, but until that day we will just have to daydream about it.
2. I adore animals. My Dad has a croft so I was brought up working with animals, they were a huge part of my life, and if we ever get back to Mull they will be again.
3. I have M.E. and depression, so every day presents its own battles and challenges. I will never give up though and I'm determined to beat them both!
4. I have an MEng in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, and before I became ill I worked as an engineer.
5. Before I became ill I was a rally navigator. I did my first rally when I was 16 years old. It's something I loved doing and I really hope I will be able to do again in the future....my helmet and suit are in the loft waiting to be dusted off.
6. I am a huge supporter of the Gaelic language, and at one time I was fluent in Gaelic (I'm a bit rusty now).
7. I have an addiction to entering competitions - it's helped me through many a tough day, especially on twitter where I have met some lovely people and fantastic friends.
There we go, seven thing you may or may not have known about me. Now it's my turn to tag 15 of my favourite bloggers. I apologise if you have already been tagged.
I can't believe we are now over half way through January! How did that happen? Have you been doing a January detox? I've been trying to eat more healthily with smaller portions and no alcohol (though it's my father-in-law's birthday soon so that might change) and I do feel better for it...my sweettooth doesn't necessarily agree though!
It's always hard to cut out your favourite foods, and one of my favourite things is coffee. When I was diagnosed with M.E. I made a decision to cut caffeine from my diet to try and alleviate the symptoms. I found it so hard, not because of any caffeine addiction but because I really missed the flavour of coffee. As a result I started drinking decaffeinated coffee and I've never looked back. Yes I do treat myself to the occasional caffeine-filled coffee but I mainly drink decaff.
Given my love for coffee I was delighted when I was sent a brilliant Decaff Taste Test Kit filled with four decaff coffees to test. If you have given up coffee for your January detox, or don't take caffeine for health reasons, read on to find out our verdict on the ultimate decaffeinated coffee.
I was sent four different coffees to try:
Lavazza Caffe Decaffeinated Ground Coffee (250g)
Tesco Decaffeinated Original Roast & Ground (227g)
Taylor's Decaffeinated Ground Coffee (227g)
Douwe Egberts Decaffeinated Medium Roast Coffee (250g)
All the coffees were rated a mark out of 5 (5 being good) in the following 10 categories (giving a maximum available score of 50):
aroma
strength intensity
coffee taste
sweet taste
smooth taste
artificial taste
aesthetic appearance
acidity
body
aftertaste
Being the engineer that I am, I'm a bit pedantic when it comes to testing things against each other so all the coffees were tested under experimental conditions! I even roped my husband in so we could have two sets of ratings to compare and contrast........that's what comes of a scientific background I'm afraid, fortunately he's an engineer too so he understands.
Having brewed all the coffees in a cafetiere we got down to tasting them all. The kit came with some great coffee tasting tips, which I thought I'd share with you all, so you can get the most out of your coffees.
If brewing coffee in a cafetiere, add hot water just off the boil, stir well and leave for 3-4 minutes.
When tasting coffee, it is best to 'slurp' at it, as this covers your tongue evenly and allows you to get a full mouthful of flavour across all the tastebuds.
Make sure you have a drink of water after each different coffee, as the aftertaste of one will affect the flavour of the next, so the palate-cleansing is essential!
Now, although Douwe Egberts supplied the Taste Test Kit we did the test blind so as to make the test as fair as possible.
Here's the results:
1st Lavazza (37 points)
2nd Douwe Egberts (35 points)
3rd Tesco (34 points)
4th Taylor's (17 points)
Although we scored the coffees separately the final order was the same for both of us. It was so much fun testing, I loved it! I've been drinking the coffees ever since.
So you see detoxing doesn't have to mean giving up on coffee, there are some gorgeous decaff coffees out there so you're not missing out!
Samples were received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are my own. I did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post.
My husband has always had, what I classify as, a scarily huge love for Olbas oil. I'm actually quite convinced that when he gets the cold he's secretly delighted as it means he gets to cover the house with it! So when I received a box of Lotus Olbas Facial Tissues you would think he'd just opened a cheque for ten grand. His eyes lit up as he delved into the box. His sister was here at the time, and she too was giddy with excitement....I should really test this out on their parents too and see if I get a similar reaction.
If you are reading this and wondering what on earth Olbas oil is, well it's a mixture of natural vapours including menthol, eucalyptus, juniper berries and cajuput which is fantastic if you have a cold, clearing a stuffy nose in no time.
I think part of the excitement was that until now these tissues have only been available in pocket-sized packs, and now there was a big box of their favourite tissues in the house (I can merely speculate).
So what's so amazing about these tissues then? Well, aside from being luxuriously soft tissues that are very gentle on your nose, they are implanted with a ground-breaking crush technology. Basically as you crush the tissue in your hands Olbas vapours are released which relieve your blocked nose and sooth your cold symptoms.
If I'm honest while I was growing up I always found Olbas oil too strong for my nose, and have memories of being packed off to school with a cloth handkerchief full of Olbas oil drops. So when I first saw these I had flashbacks to those days. Well I was incredibly wrong, these tissues are fantastic and have just the right strength of vapours for me and my overly-sensitive nose. In fact I'm sitting here with the tissues beside me as I nurse a stuffy nose.
I am really impressed by these tissues and my husband actually said the other day that they are his "new favourite thing". They are just the ticket for nursing a cold this winter! If you've tried them I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Lotus Olbas Facial Tissues are available in Boots and Sainsbury's priced at £2.29. You can still purchase the handy pocket-sized packs for 59p a pack, or £1.53 for a pack of six.
A sample was received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are my own. I did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post.
Looking at myself in the mirror a couple of months ago I realised how stupid I've been not looking after my skin properly. Yes I always wear sun block, and yes I always remove any makeup I've been wearing, but I've never had a proper skincare routine, just a moisturiser for this, and a wipe for that. My beautician used to ask me what I used on my skin to keep it looking so good and I'd always proudly announce "nothing"! Well now that I see the onset of some wrinkles I'm beginning to regret that somewhat. So I've taken to treating my skin with the love and care that it deserves, and have been trying various lotions and potions over the past 6 months.
EAU THERMALE Avène is a French cosmetic brand which uses Avène Thermal Spring Water straight from the Cevennes Mountain. The water is clinically proven to be naturally soothing, anti-irritating and anti-free radical. Incredibly the Avène spring water has been used for over two centuries to help treat sensitive skin, with this knowledge I was really intrigued to get testing the product.
I have been using these three Avène products for nearly a fortnight now and my skin feels much more hydrated and, for want of a better word, alive. The cleanser and toner are actually a pleasure to use (regular readers have already heard my gripes about products that are messy, or complicated) and by simple applying the cleanser and removing the excess with the toner there's no faffing involved, just clean skin.
My favourite product of the three is the Rich Hydrating Cream, which incorporates an SPF of 20 - a perfect day cream. I get really dry skin around my eyes and have tried so many different creams, but nothing I've used has had a lasting effect. I was a bit dubious (as is my nature) when I started applying the moisturiser near my eyes but it's so kind to the skin that I needn't have worried. My dry skin has very nearly cleared up now, but if I miss a day I do notice it starts to come back again so I really must keep on top of it.
I have loved testing these products and I will be continuing to use them as my skin does feel much more soft and supple. In truth it's probably wondering what it has done to deserve such first class treatment!
Avène have a huge range of products for all different skin types and conditions. You can find more information about their products on their website http://www.avene.co.uk/. They also have a fantastic section on there where you can find out exactly the right skincare products and routine for you, it's worth a look http://www.avene.co.uk/Skin-Diagnosis.
The Gentle Toner & Gentle Milk Cleanser retail for about £11 for 200ml, and the Rich Hydrating Cream for about £14 for 40ml. Initially I did feel this was quite expensive, however these products will last for a long time as you really don't use much in each application and personally I have found the results very good. You do get what you pay for with this product.
I'm very excited to announce that Avène have offered a prize of £50 of Avène Skincare products for one lucky winner!
There's also one additional entry available but you must leave a SEPARATE comment to qualify. Just tweet this "I've entered @justforcomps' blog giveaway to win £50 of skincare products from @AveneUK, you can too at http://goo.gl/ASbbH" and pop back and let me know you have done so!
Please also remember to leave some form of contact details, such as a twitter ID, your Facebook name etc so I can contact you if you are a winner.
I'm afraid the competition is open to the UK only and will close on Wednesday 2nd February 2011 at 5pm. There is one set of Avène skincare worth £50 to give away to one lucky winner (as chosen by random.org). I will make every attempt to contact the winner, however if I have not heard back within a week I reserve the right to select a new winner.
For more information about Avène and to keep up with all their news and offers check out their website http://www.avene.co.uk/, follow on Twitter (@AveneUK) or become a fan on Facebook.
Samples were received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are my own. I did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post. Thank you to Avene for providing the prize for this giveaway.
A big thank you to Kiwi for supporting my blog and offering five cans of Aquastop to give away to five lucky winners. I think we are all agreed that this is just what is needed to get through the rest of the winter.........and let's face it probably the summer too!
As usual I shall use random.org to select five lucky winners who will each win a can of Aquastop.
The winners are.......................
Cornishgirl
@ammalinetheduck
LilLeese
bexhillsue
Lucy (@piedwagtail)
CONGRATULATIONS!!
Please email your details to rhodareviews [at] gmail [dot] com.
In a time when the country is in recession I have the greatest respect for those who have bitten the bullet and started a new business. Louise Boyes is one such person. She launched her Global Maternity site in February 2010 and wow, she has made a great job of it!
Having read an article by Louise on how she started her new business (you can read it here) I visited her website and was seriously impressed! Global Maternity hosts a fantastic selection of maternity clothes, meaning that you needn't sacrifice your style when you become pregnant, you can actually embrace it and treat yourself to some new items.
There is a fantastic range of clothes available from yoga pants to gorgeous dresses and maternity socks to knitwear, meaning there's something for everyone. The site also features some great international designers such as Noppies, Boob Maternity, Hotmilk, Crave Maternity and Emma Jane Maternity.
The website itself has a lovely feel to it, it's so professional and is a much nicer site than many that have been around for much longer. I was immediately struck by how easy it is to navigate and how great the product images are, as well as the effectiveness of the search function. I get really annoyed when I visit sites that have a search function, only to find they are completely useless - no such problem here.
My guest reviewer, Liz, is five months pregnant with her second child and was sent two gorgeous garments to test and review - the Noppies Blouse Fano in white and the Noppies Maternity Cardigan in cassis.
Here are her thoughts:
"Finally, maternity clothes that don't make you look like a clown, give you room in all the right places, can be used for all sorts of occasions and aren't black or blue. As this is my second pregnancy I retrieved my maternity wardrobe from the back of the loft and was, frankly, uninspired. I certainly don't have the money to spend on buying lots of new clothes and so was looking forward to spending the next few months in the most boring clothes known to man.
The package from Global Maternity arrived much to my one-year-old son's delight as he seems to like all things pink at the moment (a story for another time perhaps) and unwrapping the clothes certainly gave him as much pleasure as it did me!
Both tops are extremely versatile, working together and separately. Put with jeans they make a great casual outfit and with smart(ish) boots it's ideal for the (very occasional) night out my husband and I manage to fit in. With smart trousers or skirt it's ideal for the office but my favourite combination is the pink cardigan with black dress that has served as a christening and 60th birthday party outfit already.
The tops are both fantastic quality and accurately reflect the descriptions on the website. They are both so comfortable that I can play with my son and roll around on the floor without any worries.
I'm delighted to have found a company with such a great range of good quality clothes. These really are a must-have for every maternity wardrobe and have certainly proved that you can look feminine and in control whilst feeling like matchsticks are holding open your eyes and you're ten stone heavier!"
At the time of writing you can get 20% off all products on the Global Maternity website. A great opportunity to buy yourself some quality clothes that will keep you feeling great throughout this pregnancy and, dare I say it, any more in the future too!
Two items of clothing were received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are our own. We did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post.
