John Cotton Christmas Bed Bundle

Established in 1916, family-owned John Cotton manufacturers a wide range of pillows, duvets and mattress protectors. It's brands include Slumberdown and Snuggledown and I have been lucky enough to receive the John Cotton Christmas Bed Bundle free of charge, in return for an honest review.

My new double bed bundle arrived safe and sound and securely wrapped in a black bag. I have to say that I was pretty impressed with how this looked when I removed the packaging, especially the lovely Christmassy colour. I found it really hard to believe that inside was, (according to the label), a 13.5 tog duvet, 2 pillows, 2 pillow protectors & a mattress protector .....and yes, they were all bundled into this one compact bag!!

It actually took both myself and my other half several minutes and a lot of wrestling to remove the contents .....believe me when I say it was no easy task but we did have a much needed giggle! Despite the struggle, there lay a lovely brand new duvet and everything else that was promised.

Everything was a little flat when we first unpacked it, but we laid it over our bed and within a couple of hours, it had all plumped up lovely.

Duvet all nicely plumped

pillow plumped and welcoming

One thing I did notice was that my old duvet only had the occasional stitch to hold everything in place, but this one has been stitched the full length of the duvet at various intervals to make sure all the polyester stays where it ought to be ......

Although this is advertised as a 'guest' set, I obviously had to give it a thorough test so it has been on my bed for a week now and I am absolutely loving it! Being 13.5 tog and made from polyester, it is exceptionally warm, especially on these freezing cold nights we've been having lately. The pillows are so heavenly that my my head just sank into the middle and that was me comfy enough for immediate shut-eye. As for the duvet, it was so snug that I didn't want to leave my bed. Despite it being so plumped up and big, it's not weighty in the slightest, unlike my old duvet which used to feel like it was squashing me into the bed.

Overall, I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a new duvet set for guests over the festive period as it has everything you could possibly need!
At the moment, Argos have these on offer at half price, so there's never been a better time to buy and they're available in ....
Single for £14.99 (was £29.99)
Double for £19.99 (was £39.99)
King Size for £24.99 (was £49.99)

All prices correct at time of post.

Christmas Letterbox Cake Review from Bakerdays.com

Bakerdays.com are a company situated on the edge of Sherwood Forest and are able to deliver personalised celebration cakes anywhere in the UK. The business was founded by Andrea Guzyova and greeting card entrepreneur Alan Hawkes and is going from strength to strength.

I was extremely lucky to receive a Christmas Letterbox cake for review. Check out my video ....

After my video review was complete, I decided it was time to sample the cake and see if it tasted as good as it looked. Removing the cake was really easy, although I still think i'd have struggled with only one hand.

You have the choice of sponge cake, chocolate chip sponge cake (made with Belgian chocolate), fruit cake, gluten wheat free cake or dairy free cake. This one is a plain sponge cake .....

......and I have to say, it tasted delicious! The texture of the cake was just right, there was a nice amount of icing without spoiling the flavour of the cake and it didn't crumble to bits. My only regret was that I had to cut into it at all as it looked so darned good!

If you're unable to find anything that takes your fancy with regards to the design, you can choose your own picture and message and have that printed on the cake instead. I love this idea as it makes them alot more versatile. There are also tons of other celebration cakes including birthday cakes, humour cakes and new job cakes to name but a few. Each cake is made to order and despite my postie knocking and handing me mine, I did check and it really does fit through a standard letterbox .....amazing!!

Next time you're looking for a unique present for that someone special, take a look at the Bakerdays.com website and see for yourself just what the have to offer! You won't be disappointed!

Lenor Spring Awakening

As a member of Savvy Circle, I was lucky enough to receive a fab pack of Lenor goodies for me to try and as you can see from the pic, I also had a few samples to pass on to friends and lots of product info.

Now I know what you're thinking, and yes, Spring Awakening from Lenor has been around for a while, but it now has a new even longer lasting smell and helps keep clothes looking newer for longer and even softer! Like many of you, I love my washing to smell nice and if I can get get my clothes to last even longer, then all the better for me. The new innovative STEP technology protects the fibres of your clothes, leaving them less likely to get damaged during excessive washing.

I couldn't wait to get my washer on and see what all the fuss was about.

Once the washer finished, I rushed to open the door and was immediately greeted with a nice burst of freshness. Not too overpowering, but strong enough to flow throughout my home. As it was a rainy day, I placed my washing on the radiators and allowed the gorgeous spring smell to flow freely. Everyone who visited my home that day asked what air freshener i'd been using and were really quite surprised when I told them that it was my softener!

Every time I open my wardrobe, I get a sudden burst of springtime and absolutely love it .......even after a couple of weeks, my clothes still smell fab! I couldn't resist and quickly got my bedding washed so I could enjoy the freshness even whilst sleeping.

Everyone I passed samples on to were thrilled with the results. Not only did the washing smell gorgeous, but it was exceptionally soft and looked fantastic too! Like my friends, I wont't buy anything else now and would highly recommend this to anyone who wants their clothes to last even longer ......nice one Lenor!!

You can find out more info on the Lenor facebook page

And the 2 lucky winners are .....

My competition has now ended and i'm pleased to announce the 2 lucky winners who will each receive a copy of The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt. They are ....

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Many thanks to everyone who entered and congratulations to my 2 winners. I have emailed you both and await your reply :)

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt & Giveaway

Front cover

Back cover

The Day the Crayons Quit is a fantastic story written by Drew Daywalt and beautifully illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. It is aimed at 3-7 year olds and I was recently sent a free copy in return for an honest review.

Imagine as a small child you open up your box of crayons only to find that they've all gone and have been replaced with a pile of letters addressed to you! Well that's exactly what happened to poor Duncan.
Each crayon has left Duncan a note explaining why they aren't there, and it is down to Duncan to figure out how to make his crayons happy again. Who'd have ever thought that there could be jealousy between crayon colours?

Despite me being 37yrs old (big kid, I know!), I seriously enjoyed reading this book and absolutely loved the illustrations. Each page shows a picture and a letter written by the corresponding crayon ...

...and really made me think! We're probably all guilty of neglecting certain crayon colours as we all have our faves, but who'd have thought they'd ever get together and make a run for it? lol

My own daughters aged 18 and 16 also loved this book, as did my 4 year old niece, so I highly recommend you check it out if you haven't already. It's long enough to be interesting, but short enough to hold attention and the end is fab!!

The Day the Crayons Quit is available to buy from Amazon.co.uk for £10.99 (hardback copy).

I have hardback copies of this fantastic book to giveaway to 2 of my lucky readers! Simply follow the Rafflecopter instructions and keep your fingers crossed ;)




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Little Pea and Bertie

Little Pea and Bertie have recently launched a new website showing their fantastic range of quality design led wall art. The pieces are suitable for both children and adults alike, with many designs to choose from. Unlike many other companies, you also have the option of 'tweaking' the available designs and colours to suit your own taste.

I was recently lucky enough to receive a print of my choice free of charge in return for an honest review ....so here it is!

The most difficult decision I had to make, was which of the amazing designs to choose! After lots of browsing and deliberating, I finally made my choice.

My print arrived in a large plain white cardboard envelope ....

Plain white cardboard envelope

My biggest surprise came when I opened it .....

My print was beautifully wrapped in what Little Pea & Bertie describe as 'acid free patterned tissue paper and tied with Little Pea and Bertie ribbon' and I have to say, that was a really nice touch and made my parcel all the more special.

I really love the Little Pea and Bertie compliments slip which was stuck to the front of my package, you can remove this and display it as a mini print!

The back of the tissue paper is held together with a Little Pea & Bertie label.

I really didn't want to open any further as it was so nicely packaged, but I had to see inside!

When choosing your print, you have 5 options:

Modern Nursery Art
Rock the Lobster
Typography
Flag Prints
Limited Edition

I opted for the Typography and chose a print with the words Love, Live, Laugh ...

I chose this because the colours are neutral so I wasn't limited as to where I could display it, and I just loved the little motto!
Sizes are available in A4 (297x210cm), A3 (420x297cm) & A2 (594x420cm) and prices vary according to size.

The quality of the print is fantastic and it has a nice glossy finish too ...

Whilst you don't get a frame supplied with your print, it does come with a card border ...

....which I think makes it look very professional and I probably wouldn't bother buying a frame as it looks fine as it is!

There's even a Little Pea and Bertie sticker on the back of the print .....

I love the quality of the prints, and the designs available and if it doesn't come in a colour you like, simply head over to the Bespoke Colours page and make your choice! This service is provided at no extra cost, so definitely worth checking out! There are also options to personalize certain products with the name/phrase of your choice, so they really are custom made for you.

All in all, I am really impressed with everything about Little Pea and Bertie. The website is easy to navigate and shows the designs and information clearly so there's no confusion and all sizes and prices are clearly stated. The quality of the prints is superb and the way they're delivered make them perfect gifts which are guaranteed to be loved and treasured.

Prices start from £19.00 so get yourself over to Little Pea and Bertie and see what takes your fancy, or maybe treat a loved one. ;)

VEET® EASYWAX™

As many of you already know, I'm a BzzAgent and as a result, I get sent some fabulous things in return for honest reviews. This time i've been sent the new Veet EasyWax and despite my nerves, I gave it my best shot!

Here's what I received in my pack .....

As you can see from the pic, I received an EasyWax Electrical Roll-On Kit for legs & arms and an EasyWax refill kit for bikini line and underarms.

Now to get to grips with whats inside the box .....

Included are:
1 Easy Fit Wax Cartridge and Holder
12 Wax Strips
4 Finishing Wipes
1 Charging Adapter
1 Stand
1 Instruction Leaflet

We all love the feel of silky smooth legs, but sometimes it's such a chore getting the required results. That's where Veet EasyWax comes in. It's the first of it's kind and there's very little mess involved.

Simply place the wax cartridge securely into the holder, place on stand, plug in charger and leave for 20 mins. I had to leave mine for nearer 30 mins and had to plug it in a few times during use too.

There's a little red light which glows when you plug it in, but take note, this light stays on even when wax is ready to use so don't wait for it going out first!

I decided that for my first use, i'd opt for doing my legs ...I simply wasn't brave enough to try it anywhere else!

I didn't bother shaving my legs from the moment I knew i'd be receiving this trial, so by the time it got here (some 2 weeks later), I was resembling a grizzly bear!! The hairs were easily 5mm plus in length so should be easy enough for the wax to remove them.
Whilst the wax was warming, I got out the wax strips prepared and perched myself on the bed with a towel under me ....just in case things got a bit messy!
Some 30-40 mins later and I was ready as I was ever gonna be.

The roller itself is around 2 inches in length, so you do get pretty good coverage. Once the wax is hot enough, it glides on with ease and is pink in colour so its easy enough to see where you've done. Glide on the wax, smooth over the wax strip, hold skin taut and pull .......OUCH!!!

This is where the first shot of pain hit me. It wasn't quite as bad as i'd expected, but anyone who says it's pain free, i'd happily call a fibber! Immediately, small red bumps began to appear on my legs making them resemble chicken legs ....great eh, from gorilla legs to chicken legs in next to no time! Worse still was that I could still see hairs which had been left behind so I had to do the big no, no and go over it again. Still hairs remained.

There are warnings in the instruction leaflet that the wax CANNOT be removed with water, so the wax wipes came in really handy and gave a little light relief to the pain I was feeling, although a few more of these in the pack would have been most welcome. Slight swelling appeared but all was pretty much back to normal by the next day. I did smother myself in Johnson's Baby Lotion once i'd finished to help prevent my legs from drying out too much. Admittedly, the razor came out the next day too so I could de-fuzz all the missed hairs.

I've no idea why, but for some reason the next day I was feeling braver than I ever have, and without thought, I prepared to use the underarm wax .....big mistake!

The top of this wax cartridge is smaller than the one for legs ......its only around an inch in length. The wax is white rather than pink and took even longer to heat. I found this one quite difficult to apply, especially whilst trying to hold my arm taut with one hand and apply the wax with the other. Once again, the first strip left behind quite a bit of hair and I was in so much pain it was almost unbearable!

Here's a pic taken just after i'd used the underarm wax ....

As you can see, it's a bit pink and blotchy and still a little hairy! I took another pic just over 24 hours later, here's how it looked then....

It's still a little on the pink side and slightly swollen but my biggest worry was the hairs which were left behind .....time for me to get the razor out again.

No way on god's earth was I willing to test this on my lady parts and I take my hat off to those brave enough!

Overall I wasn't completely blown away by this, despite having really high expectations after reading the description. I would however use it again for my legs, despite it not de-fuzzing me properly, but never again for my underarms as I'd spent the whole day walking like I was carrying 2 carpets .....hilarious to onlookers i'd imagine!

If you're interested in purchasing Veet EasyWax for yourself, then head over to Amazon.co.uk where they're available for only £14.99 (price correct at time of print).

Oil It with The Body Shop

Be body beautiful this summer with one key ingredient.....

For centuries natural oils have been used to nourish and revitalise skin. Rich with nutrients and excellent emollients, oils effortlessly penetrate deep into the skin for far-reaching results. The Ancient Greeks and Egyptians ensured oils were an essential part of their beauty regime, deeming it 'liquid-gold', and now you can rediscover one of the world's oldest forms of beauty with our specialised range of oils, created to suit every skin type.

For Blemishes: Tea Tree Oil (RRP £7.00)

Filled with antibacterial properties, our ultra soothing Tea Tree Oil is perfect for banishing blemishes. Watch imperfections disappear resulting in flawlessly clear skin.

For Face: Vitamin E Facial Oil (RRP £11.00)

Our anti-oxidant packed Vitamin E Oil not only moisturises and perfectly prepares the skin, it also protects from oxidative damage, leaving skin bright with dryness out of sight!

For Nails: Almond Nail and Cuticle Oil (RRP £5.25)

Containing sweet almond oil, this handy two-in-one pen softens the cuticles whilst taking care of damaged, dry or brittle nails. Simply add this to your regime for ultimate nail perfection!

For Skin and Hair: Brazil Nut Beautifying Oil (RRP £9.00)

This non-sticky, multi-tasking fragrant oil will leave skin and hair silky and shimmering. Smooth onto damp/wet skin for instant hydration. Creating a radiant glow from head to toe!

For Fragrance: Indian Night Jasmine Perfume Oil (RRP £7.00)

Long lasting and alcohol free, this concentrated perfume oil is a luxurious, oriental inspired fragrance consisting of floral and feminine undertones. Light and sensuous, this oil provides perfect summer scent!

PosturePlast

As regular readers of my blog will know, i've recently been trying new PosturePlast which helps alleviate lower back pain.

I've suffered lower back pain for the last 18 years ...since my first daughter was born, and despite trying several remedies, i'm yet to find something that makes a noticeable difference. When the opportunity came up to put PosturePlast to the test, I jumped at the chance.

Each PosturePlast comes individually wrapped for hygiene purposes...

1 PosturePlast in wrapper

There are a small amount of instructions on the packet with a diagram showing exactly where and how to apply the PosturePlast...

Instructions & Diagram

Once inside the wrapper, this is what you get .....

Plaster

Easy pull apart to remove backing paper

On each of the 4 corners, there's an extra small bit of padding ....

Extra padded bits on corners

The PosturePlast is just like an over-sized, cross shaped plaster but it has hard plastic strips which run almost the length of it ....these are what helps give support where needed ....

Firm strips for support

For the purpose of this test, I did attempt to attach the PosturePlast myself just to see how easy/difficult it was. The hardest part was the positioning ....I had to judge by feel as I couldn't see, but once I had it in place, it was really easy to remove the backing paper, once sheet at a time. I then smoothed my hands over my back to ensure that it was all stuck in place with no worry of it peeling back.

Immediately, there was a noticeable difference in my posture. As with any normal day, I proceeded with my daily chores and couldn't help but notice how differently I moved. Even bending down was done in such a way that there was very little pressure on my back ....and it wasn't intentional either, you just can't help but adjust your movements.

I was quite surprised at how comfortable PosturePlast was to wear and there was no fear of it being seen through my clothes either ...another small worry of mine! I wore it for a whole day and it provided more than 24 hours of back relief.

The most difficult part was the removal afterwards! PosturePlast sticks really well so you have to kind of peel it off with care. There's no way i'd have allowed my other half the pleasure of removing it, so I did it myself and it was alot harder that putting it on. A bath/shower is highly recommended too as I went straight to bed and woke up the next morning with an almost black back where the fluff from my nightie had stuck in a cross shape on my back .....this really wasn't a good look!!

Overall I was really impressed with PosturePlast and felt that it really did make a difference. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them and will certainly be continuing my use of them.

PosturePlast are available to buy from Boots.com and come in packs of 4 for £11.52 or packs of 10 for £23.20.

Don't forget to check out my previous post for details on how you can win a years supply of PosturePlast!

WIN with PosturePlast

WIN a year's supply of PosturePlast Revolutionary new back pain relief

During any one year, up to a shocking 49% of us will experience back pain. Cue 'PosturePlast', a revolutionary new lower back pain support that treats 90% of lower back problems, delivers 48 hours pain relief and naturally improves your posture.

To celebrate the offiical launch of te product on Boots.com, PosturePlast is giving away a year's supply of product on their Facebook page to one lucky entrant (plus lots of runners up prizes).
Competition closes on 30 April 2013.

What's more, entrants referring up to two friends to the Facebook page automatically double their chances of winning. All entrants get 20% OFF product at Boots.com also!

How to enter:

1. Click here and like the PosturePlast Facebook page
2. Complete your contact details when prompted
3. Encourage your friends to the page and double your chances of winning
4. Finally, you'll be given exclusive access to the Boots website where you can get 20% OFF PosturePlast.

Duration

Competition Start Date - 3rd April 2013
Competition End Date  - 30th April 2013
All entries must be received by 11.59pm 30th April 2013

Prize for prize draw 1

1st Prize - A year's supply of PosturePlast (3x10 packs)
2nd Prize - 20x4 packs of PosturePlast

Keep a lookout for my upcoming review and good luck with the competition :)

The Cougar Diaries, Part 1 by Aoife Brennan

I was thrilled when Aoife Brennan contacted me via twitter and asked if i'd like to review her spanking brand new book. I obviously jumped at the chance as i've been at a pretty loose end since finishing Fifty Shades of Grey and needed something else to help fill the void.

The Cougar Diaries, Part 1, is a true-to-life story of one womans' fight against the world. Struggling to cope with the breakdown of her marriage, running the family home, holding down a job and bringing up two teenage boys, Aoife, with the help of her best friend Trish, decides it time to get back out there and see what else life has to offer.

A new haircut, wardrobe, underwear and a surprise gift from Trish are just the beginning for Aoife and she quickly notices the amount of attention she's receiving .....particularly from younger men!

Since her marriage breakdown, many of their 'joint' friends seemed to take sides and her social circle slowly began to diminish. It wasn't long though before Trish dragged her to a party and introduced her to a few single men ....including Sex-God Chris!!

This was the beginning of a whole new life for Aoife complete with exploring dating sites, trying rampant rabbits,  a delve into the world of BDSM and the most hilarious strawberry incident i've ever read!! I'll quite frankly never look at one the same again!! lol

Compared to Fifty Shades, this book is so much easier to connect with as it gives a realistic outlook on life and the many ups and downs that come with it. Not only is Aoife trying to reveal a newer, sexier her, but she's also dealing with an impossible ex hubby who seems to want nothing more than to make things as difficult as possible for her ....even removing items of property from her home while she wasn't there! The fact that her job also hangs in the balance just adds to the anxieties she has to deal with.

It's thanks to her brother George and best friend Trish that she manages to cope and finally sees a light at the end of the tunnel, although it's a long way off yet.

You're gonna have to read it if you want to find out more, but I highly recommend it! There's not as much sex as Fifty Shades but don't let that put you off as the parts that are there, are well written and described in enough detail to create those familiar little 'stirrings'.

Better still, you can buy it for your Kindle and nobody need ever know what you're reading .....although they will get curious when you burst into giggles throughout!

Buy The Cougar Diaries, Part 1 on Amazon.co.uk for only £2.03 inc vat .....you really can't go wrong for that!!
For US customers, you can purchase from Amazon.com for $3.03 inc vat
Pay a visit to Aoifes' blog too :)

Although I received this book for free, all opinions are my own.