Mission Fat Hearts: The Movie

A little kindness goes a long way right? I strongly believe that this is true, and as a parent, it's something I've always tried to teach my children. That's why I'm backing this fantastic campaign for Mission Fat Hearts: The Movie. Not only is it helping teach kindness, but it's doing it in a really fun way which will appeal to most children - who doesn't love a good mission!!

The story behind the idea....

    The original creator of Mission Fat Hearts, Mandy Rohr, explains:

  

"My biggest inspiration to do Mission Fat Hearts with my kids was seeing how much the world needs kindness now more than ever. Being a teacher, I see how we as adults are the key to how kids learn important values and traits such as empathy, kindness, manners, and ultimately how to treat each other. They literally follow and repeat our every move. They are the key to our future and have the power to change the world, but we need to give them the tools to do so. So, they are what inspired me…they’re little blank canvases that in the end, only want to love and love more and have so much potential to do just that, if taught that doing it matters!" 

  A few words from author Rebecca Yee-Peters on Why Mission Fat Hearts

Growing up, I was taught that being kind to others was the most important trait I could possess. Still today,  I wholeheartedly agree. Working with an elementary school teacher, we created Mission Fat Hearts to teach the next generation how they can become an army of change in this world with kindness. 

Mission Fat Hearts started as a children's book. Our goal with the children's book was to spark a curiosity into random acts of kindness. Teaching kids that small acts of kindness can make someone's day. The book has a short story, followed by their "top secret missions" from Santa. The "top secret missions"  being easy random acts of kindness the kids can do by themselves, or with a parent.  The book quickly became popular with parents wanting to teach their kids the importance of kindness. I have 11 nieces and nephews and want them to not only succeed in life, but thrive by being honorable and kind people. I created The Adventures of Pookie children's book series to teach them life lessons, and now I want to create the Mission Fat Hearts  movie to continue to inspire and motivate them and other kids all over the world. 

Kids imitate what they see on TV. The  Mission Fat Hearts movie  will show kids that being kind can change the world. The movie will show kids how they can perform small acts of kindness, as well as show them the effect it can have on someone’s life.  

We all want what's best for our kids, and teaching them the importance of kindness to others is a very valuable lesson in life, and a start to making the world a better place to live! Currently, this is only available in book format, however there is, as the title of this post suggests, an upcoming animated movie - YAY! So, if your kids are more motivated by animations than books, then this is definitely something you need to check out.

If you want to get involved and find out more about the upcoming movie, simply click HERE.

The Adventures of Pookie: Mission Fat Hearts is available on Amazon.co.uk and costs £3.42 for the paperback, or you can read it free with KindleUnlimited.

Also available in paperback on Amazon.com for $14.99.

Gifts from Men's Society

I received this Headphone Cleaning Kit free of charge in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Men's Society have been providing quality gifts for men since 2008. You can choose from grooming gifts, barware or travel accessories, and each one comes in simple yet elegant packaging.

I was lucky enough to receive the Headphone Cleaning Kit which includes:
-Headphone Cleaning Fluid
-2 Small blue cleaning cloths
-Crevice scraper
-USB Vacuum with 2 interchangeable heads

To use, you simply spray a little of the cleaning fluid onto the cloth and use to clean the wires and leather head band. The crevice scraper can be used to gently remove and ear wax or debris in the headphones (ideal for ear buds), then you simply plug the mini vacuum into your PC and use to remove any dust from the headphone cans.


The cleaning fluid has a really clean, fresh smell and left our headphones free from dirt and grime. After wiping with the solution, I used the remaining dry cloth to buffer up which worked really well. The chrome parts of our headphones came up really well after buffing. I didn't really need to use the crevice scraper but it's a pretty sturdy thing and I have no doubt will be great at unclogging earphone holes. The mini Vac doesn't work when connected to a USB plug, but does work when connected to a PC. It's a little louder than I expected but does the job well - it also has a light on it which helps you see what you're doing!

Overall I thought this was a great little set and ideal for the man in your life who's never without his headphones.

You can purchase the Headphone Cleaning Kit from Men's Society for £20. There are plenty of other gift sets available so have a good look around while your there, Christmas is almost knocking on our doors! 🎅

Greggs Sweet Mince Pies

Forgive me but I'm going back there again, yes, Christmas!! Those of you who personally know me (or follow me on social media) will probably know that I'm a bit of a sweet mince pie freak - I wait all year for them to grace our shelve and when they do, I simply can't get enough of them.

I have, over the years tried many brands and varieties ranging from the ridiculously expensive to the cheapest there is to offer and only one comes up trumps year after year satisfying this intense craving I have and that's Greggs.

Greggs sweet mince pies are the ideal combination of sweetness, fruitiness and flavour and are paired with a unique shortcrust pastry which compliments the filling perfectly. They come in a box of 6 and cost £1.50 - definitely worth every penny!

Okay, it doesn't take a genius to work out that there's a few missing out of this box but they're just way too yummy not to eat!

I'm gonna stick my neck on the line here and probably cause a bit of a hoo-haa but these pies are THE BEST SWEET MINCE PIES EVER!! So, if like me you're a lover of these seasonal treats, get yourself into Greggs and give them a try - you won't be disappointed!!

Feel free to pop back and share your opinions, I'd love to hear them! ;)

Quality Portraits by Princessa A S Paradiso

Okay, I know you probably don't want to hear this, but Christmas is only just around the corner and if you're anything like me, then choosing gifts can be a huge problem. Apart from the cost issue, it's always a struggle knowing what to buy, that will be sure to put a smile on the recipients face. I'm also terrible for leaving everything until the last possible minute which is when panic mode sets in!

This year, I was lucky enough to stumble across Princessa A S Paradiso on Facebook and was intrigued to find out more about her unique artwork. Whether it's a family pet or a loved one, she can create a wonderful piece of artwork from just one or two decent photographs. Unfortunately, this proved to be a wee bit of a problem for me as the subject I chose was none other than our pride and joy, Peppa, and would he heck as like stand still and pose!! Out of around 70 photos, only 1 was clear enough to use and here it is .......

Peppa - our Guinea Pig

I simply sent this over via private message on Facebook and Princessa got right to work.

I was really impressed with the way I was kept updated on the progress of my artwork and shown various stages of progress throughout. Princessa has a real knack of using spots to create the end look, but after trying with Peppa, she didn't feel that this worked too well so changed tactic.

Using the spot technique

I can see why she decided to change it but still think it's pretty cool!

Anyway, after this technique didn't quite work out, she started again using mixed media consisting of water, paint, pencil and ink and this was the end result ......

 Apologies for the slight glare but I don't want to remove it from the cellophane wrapper until I can get a frame to display him. She managed to perfectly capture the mischevousness in his eyes and the colouring etc looks amazing.
This portrait was provided to me in A5, and this size generally costs from £35 per portrait. You can also receive your portrait in A4 which costs from £45. You can choose either animal or person although it will cost £10 - £15 extra for each additional head in the portrait. You are also responsible for covering the post and packaging costs. Depending on how busy her schedule is, the portraits usually take between 1 - 2 weeks but you may need to allow a little extra at this time of year.

I was really pleased with the end result of my portrait and the sheer professionalism of Princessa, which is why I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. I find the prices to be reasonable for the time and effort taken to produce such a lovely keepsake, and really appreciated the extra little touch on the packaging .....

Check out Princessa A S Paradiso on Facebook where you can see more of her amazing artwork and simply send her a private message if you're interested in having a portrait done for yourself. She is really fast at responding to queries so you won't have to wait too long for her to get back in touch.

I received this portrait free of charge, in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Forestglow Mulled Wine

I received a bottle of Forestglow Mulled Wine free of charge, in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Well, it's not every day I get something quite as interesting as this to review, so obviously when I was approached by the lovely Camilla to try it, I absolutely jumped at the chance!

This is a very special mulled win which is based on old recipes making it full of traditional spices with added fruit and berries. It can be heated slightly in a pan or mulled wine warmer to provide a hearty drink during the cold winter months but can also be enjoyed cold if that's your preference. Forestglow also comes in two delightful flavours - either with a hint of citrus fruits, or with a hint of red berries. This one has the hint of citrus.

The first thing I noticed when I received this, was the gorgeous artwork on the label. It really is a very pretty design and very much captures the essence of the mulled wine itself.

The bottle is sleek and the lid, which is corked, is easily removed and replaced - something which I was really pleased to discover!
As soon as the lid is removed, you're met with a gorgeous, hearty, warm fruity smell which automatically starts warming the cockles and tempting the taste buds. You can definitely pick out the spices too. When poured into a glass, it's a beautiful deep burgundy colour and looks like a super rich drink. I tried it straight from the bottle rather than warming first, but it's up to you how you choose to drink it.
This is like nothing I've ever tasted before, and at a whopping 15%, it nearly blew my socks off ...but in a good way! All the spices are there to taste and I'm sure I could pick out a hint of cloves and maybe cinnamon as well as the punch of the citrus. From the first sip my insides began to warm and I began to understand why it was named Forestglow as you really do feel like you're glowing from the inside. A very hearty and full bodied drink which is great for sharing and perfect for warming from the inside out.
It costs £14.90 to purchase a bottle from Freyja's Wines.

Please feel free to check out the Forestglow website for further information about the how this blend was created and learn more about the unique flavour.
You can also follow Forestglow on Twitter to keep up-to-date with all the latest happenings.

Jewellery Inspired Tattoos from Azzy London

You may remember a while ago I introduced you to some of the wonderful jewellery inspired tattoos from Azzy London (click here to jog your memory). I have now been lucky enough to receive a sample of these amazing tattoos in return for an honest review.

The tattoos arrived in a very attractive black cardboard envelope decorated in fancy gold writing but with a clear window so you can see what you've bought. I received some gorgeous white tattoos which are perfect for the winter season.

As you can see, there are various designs and they vary greatly in size so you can choose whichever takes your fancy. Once you've chosen your tattoo, follow the simple instructions which can be found on the back of the tattoo sheet .......

You simply cut out the one you want, decide where on your body you'd like to place it then apply the tattoo to your skin and wet the backing paper with a sponge before removing it, leaving behind a wonderful temporary tattoo which should last around 7 days, depending on your activities and use of body lotions etc.

I applied one to my finger and another to my inner wrist ....

For me, these were so simple to apply it was almost impossible to go wrong and the effect is really stunning! I did worry that the white wouldn't show too well on my pale skin, but as you can see, they show up perfectly and add that little 'something extra' to any outfit but without having to live with it forever .....although I'd be pretty happy to have either of these designs permanently!

Despite bathing daily and doing any amount of dishes, both tattoos still lasted between 5 and 7 days which I thought was pretty darn good!

These are ideal to add a little bit of glam to any outfit and with those Christmas parties soon to be underway, they're the perfect accessory. Take a wee look at the Azzy London website where you're sure to find something that takes your fancy.

New Online Game from Yves Rocher

If you're a fan of Yves Rocher, you really ought to check out there fantastic new online game! There are loads of prizes up for grabs so go ahead and try your luck.

Simply click on the link, click to participate then choose the 'Christmas beauty gift of your dreams'. You can opt for 'Sweet', 'Girly trends', '100% healthy' or 'sunny destination' then click to validate. After that, you'll be asked to input your email address then click to validate again.

The prize draw will take place on 4th January 2016 and winners will be contacted via the email address provided.

Good luck if you choose to enter ;)

New Christmas Tubes from Swizzels Matlow

These are the new Christmas Tubes from Swizzels Matlow and I was recently lucky enough to be sent some for review.

Each tube contains 120g of family favourites Refreshers, Love Hearts or Drumsticks and they come in handy bags which are pretty easy to open so you can get straight in there!

I was like a big kid when I opened these and wasn't sure where to start, so I opted for a Drumstick lolly first.

These are the original flavour of Raspberry and Milk and contain no artificial colours...perfect! Personally, these aren't my faves but then I don't like milk so maybe thats why. I did however still try them and I have to say, they are pretty tasty with a good strength of flavour. The chewiness was just right and it came off the stick relatively easy too....always a bonus!

Next, I tried the Love Hearts which come in handy small packs containing 7 sweets...

Ever since I was a child, I have loved these sweets! Each has their own little message so you can choose which friend is more deserving, or use it as a hint to that boy you've always fancied but been too scared to ask out! Either way, theres great fun to be had with these and they taste absolutely gorgeous. Slightly powdery in texture, they dissolve quite easily in the mouth and the flavour runs throughout the sweet making them one of my faves.

Finally, I tried the Refreshers. I saved these for last as I knew once i'd had one, i'd fancy another, and another...

These small Refresher bars have a chewy lemon outer which conceals a very pleasant sherbet centre. The combination of the two is just heavenly. You do have to be a little careful as some of the sherbet tries to escape from the end, but once it's safely in your mouth you can just sit back, chew and enjoy!

I think you'll agree that these tubes look extremely eye-catching and would be ideal for kids (big and small) as Christmas stocking fillers....and at a very reasonable £1.00 each, they're definately worth it!! Drumsticks and Refreshers are available from Tesco and you can buy all 3 from Asda.

Christmas cheer, or Christmas fear?

As you'll have already noticed, i have added a countdown to Christmas on my blog and it has really brought home to me just how little time i have left to prepare! I have two adorable daughters who understand that we are pretty cash-strapped, but that doesn't mean that i want them losing out on receiving some nice gifts! I imagine for many families, this is one of the toughest times of the year - i know it is for me, as not only to i have to find ways of buying gifts, but i have to continue paying those monthly bills!
It seems that whilst most people are preaparing and looking forward to the festive season, i am making myself ill with worry. It's so difficult when you have kids, as although mine don't really expect alot, i like to get them what i can to avoid them feeling left out at school and getting stick for not having much....some of their mates receive many expensive gifts which is just not possible for me, and i really don't like putting myself in debt, so i try to buy within my means.
I would love to hear your thoughts on dealing with Christmas, whether you're well prepared or just wishing it was all over, and if you have any advice, it would be more than welcome!! x