Happy New Year 2013


Lush Twilight Bath Bomb

At the same time I got the Snow Fairy Magic wand Bubble Bar
(see review here
I also got the Twilight Bath Bomb I have wanted this bath bomb for a long time now.


I always if possible try and cut my bath bombs in half so that 
I can get more uses out of them and this was no different. 
As you can see in the photo below once I had cut it in half
the inside is a lovely what I tend to call powder blue colour.
I love it when the inside of a bath bomb is a different colour then the 
outside. 

I used this bath bomb on Christmas Day morning
even though the bath bomb is aimed for use in the evening. 
The aim of the bath bomb is for when you are struggling 
to sleep so has lavender oil to help you wind down. 

I did find that I felt more relaxed after using this 
which was fab as Christmas is meant to be a day of
fun and relaxation. 


This bath bomb smells wonderful and I really noticed the 
lavender scent. I could also smell some other scents
but was unsure what they were until I looked up more 
on this bath bomb and found that as well as
lavender the twilight bath bomb also have notes
of caramel and malt. 

The photo below doesn't really give this bath bomb any justice 
of how fab the colours are, but I can tell you 
that it does look near enough like the images on 
Lush's website. 

I did take some more photo's to show this however the 
images turned out blury :( 



The Twilight bath bomb retails at £3.20
have you ever tried the Twilight bath bomb? 




Christmas Presents :)

Hi everyone, I have seen a couple of these posts floating around 
so have decided to join in. 
I don't have a huge family and we don't have a huge budget either. 
However I am extremely thankful for all of my gifts.


My Mum got me some much needed Pjs these are
so lovely and comfy.


Some lovely and comfy boot slippers from my mum 
Stuart got me Zumba Core for the Wii I now have all three
of the zumba wii games. 

Some make up brushes and some bath fizzers 
also from Stuart

I love Jennifer Aniston so was glad to get this dvd
also from Stuart

Foot stuff: fluffy socks, foot soak, foot crystals and foot cream
from Stuart

A range of Lush Bath bombs from my nan
I will most likely review these. 


Some Shabby Chic country rose heart hangings and
a lovely Sass and Belle Jewellery Tree from Stuart's Brother
(we do a round robin each year)

I also got some money from my Grandma and my Uncle
a boots gift card from my sister, an M&S gift card from my father in law
and an Amazon gift card from my mother in law. 

I hope you all had a fab Christmas 

Lush Snow Fairy Magic wand Bubble Bar

Last Christmas I was given a gift set which contained the Snow Fairy Showergel.
I fell in love with candy floss scent and colour and knew that I would have to buy it again. I was however unaware that the did a bubble bar version until now that is. 




I love the whole idea that its a star shaped and on a stick so its easy to swish it around your bath tub. The snow fairy magic wand bubble bar once swished around whilst I was running my bath left me with plenty of bubbles as you can see in the photo below 
and also is a lovely girly pink colour. 



The smell of this bubble bar is wonderful and I will definitely be purchasing this again.  


This bubble bar retails at £4.95 and last for approx 5-8 baths so is worth price. 

Have you every tried the snow fairy shower gel or bubble bar? 
If so what do you think?


Review: Happy Aldi Christmas

We all love foodie treats this time of year and thanks to Aldi you are able to have high quality products at a low cost. Some of my favourite treats this time of year are gingerbread biscuits, chocolate and cake. 

Well I have the opportunity to show you some bitsbfrom Aldi's Christmas range. 

First off Lebkuchen Assortment of biscuits.The Lebkuchen Assortment of biscuits are a selection of German Biscuits that come in 4 yummy varieties in a pack. I forget to take a photo of this yummy selection (sorry) I found this biscuits to be extremely yummy although I will say they are more like cakes than biscuits but I'm not complaining. The biscuits are very soft and chewy and are covered in chocolate toowhich is a bonus in my books. Me and Stuart munched through this selection rather quickly.The pack retails at £3.29



Secondly Choceur Chocolate Reindeer.Ideal for children or the big kids at heart 
they come in either Milk or Dark Chocolate (we got the milk)As you can see from the photo below the chocolate reindeer is wrapped in lovely foil paper and has a cute tag around his neck.The chocolate is very smooth and melts in your mouth. 
I was sent two and am passing one on to my nephew as a little treat since his birthday is also on Christmas Day




Then there is the Black Forrest Cherry Stolen which is very fruityand soft and a great treat. £3.99


And last of all is the fabulous Gingerbread housethat is sweetly decorated and made wonderful centre piece. The gingerbread house was full of flavour and was loved by all. RRP: £5.99







Review: EcoForce and Dishmatic

Recently I have been sent some Ecoforce products and 
a Dishmatic to review. 

Ecoforce sell a range of practical and effective household cleaning products that are more environmentally friendly than alternatives which they call virgin plastic. 
Ecoforce products are made from approx 90% recycled waste and work just as well,
if not even better than products that are made from virgin plastic. Meaning that by buying these products you are helping to reduce landfill and conserves fossil fuels. 

As you can see in photo below I was sent a Ecoforce Peg Basket which retails at £2.99
The basket is strong and durable made from 94% recycled plastic with a handle with a hook enabling you to hang it on the line while you're hanging out your washing. 
The price of the product also includes a pack of 24 Ecoforce recycled clothes pegs.The pegs on their own retail at £1.49. They are made using a unique design from a single piece of plastic,making the pegs stronger, safer and more energy efficient to produce.The pegs are extremely tough so can stand the strongest weather conditions
They are British so made from British waste. Ecoforce also sell a clothes line for £1.99 made form 89% of recylced plastic which I wasn't sent. 



I was also sent a range of cleaning products which are handy for most areas of the home. 
- Ecoforce Scourers 
- Ecoforce sponges  
- Ecoforce cloths
- Ecoforce Dusters 

Ecoforce scourers retail at £1.49 a pack.I was sent a three pack of the two different types.first up is the heavy duty pads that are easy to  grip and are ideal for cleaning toughand baked on mess quickly and easily. Then there are the non scratch pads that are also easy to grip,and are ideal for using on delicate non stick surfaces without scratching.

The sponges also retail at £1.49 in a pack of 2 
they are super absorbent made using 100% recycled foam are easy to grip. Each of the packs have one of each type of scourers as mentioned above. 

The cloths are a favourite so far of mine and retail at £1.49 for a pack of 2
they are super absorbent and quilted  that are made from high quality recycled materials. The multi purpose cloths can be used wet or dry and extra soft which are Z-stitched for strength. They are also machine washable. As for the duster they are made from a mixture of recycled cotton/viscose and synthetic fibres. 

I also love the food bag grips that I was sent which retail at £1.49
They are made from recycled plastic with a mixture of pre and post consumer waste. 
They are great and reducing food wastage by keeping food fresher for longer. 

Ecoforce do not compromise on the quality or the price of their products meaning that they offer a greener and more ethical choce when it comes to buying everday household products. Ecoforce products can be found in most supermarkets nationwide and oxfam, homebase and B&Q storeas well as online with Ocado. 


I was also sent a Dishmatic which I love.The Dishmatic is a good quality sponge scourer with a fillable handle.The handle is  designed so that it is long lasting so that only the sponge scourer needs replacing. Its very simple to use, you fill the handle with your normal washing up liquid and then just scrub away. The handle has a cleaver cleaning angle to give better access when cleaning awkward crockery and pans. 

Dishmatic also is eco friendly and helps to save money as it only dispenses as much 
liquid as you need. Dismatic also protects your hands as you will no longer be submerging your hands in hot soapy water . Dishmatic is sold in all major supermarkets RRP: £1.47 refills are £1.58 (pack of three) and the Dishmatic brush is £1.99


Overall I rate the Ecoforce products and the Dismatic highly.They are great products that I will be recommending to my family and friends. I know my mum is a huge fan of Dismatic anyway so I know that she would also love the products by Ecoforce too. 

Review: Jewelfone Passion


I've always loved listening to music on my phone, laptop, CD player and MP3 player. 
I always find that most earphones I have used look plain and boring and break fairly easily.But that was before I came across Jewelfone . 


Jewelfones are high quality earphones that can be easily converted into a 
necklace designed so that you have the flexibility to move.


Jewelfone have 5 different designs ruby, twilight, precious, 
fever and passion.I was given the opportunity to try out the Passion ones which have small pink and silver pearls covering the wirewith cute and sparkly gem encrusted heart shaped ear piece. which is great for someone like me who loves pink, girly and sparkles and is a romantic at heart. They also  have a magnetic clasp which attaches 

round the neck like a necklace which means no more earphones dangling from your pocket when not in use.


I've found that earphones are much better quality than others
I have used in the past.Not just looks wise and sound wise but also comfort wise too. 

I would 100% recommend these earphones in factyou just have to buy a pair as an Christmas present even if its a little present for yourself. 
These wonderful earphones retail at £19.99 but are definitely worth the price. 

PR REVIEW




Review: Balagan Studio jewellery range

Balagan's owner and creative designer Rachel Parkin sent me some of her gorgeous pieces of jewellery from her studio range to review.In total Balagan has 10 different ranges:
- Studio (which this review is about)
- Blowing in the wind 
- Kaolin
- Rocks
- Vintage
- Sukie Lau
- The Early Bird
- One Wish
- 345 Wrap 
- Any which way. 


As you can see in the above photo the Studio range comes in a lovely white box with the blue and white Studio logo on. Studio is Balagan's  core range,the ethos of the Studio range is young, fresh and sassy. So the designs are simple, stylish with lots of movement pieces. I was sent 4 pieces from this range which I love. The Silver heart and bird design necklace is my favourite retailing at £45 this necklace as you can see is made from silver and so much detailhas gone into the design. I can't wait to wear this on Christmas Day. 


 I was also sent these gorgeous earrings that retail at £20 as you can see in the photo below  the heart shaped earrings are also silver with a lovely pattern making these earrings so pretty. 


Last of all I was sent earrings £11 and necklace £16 these pieces are also made from silver but with a cream designand crystal in the middle. They also do these in another colour.The pieces are delicate and made full of detail and love. 



All of the jewellery I received are of a high quality and full of detail you can tell that Balagan love to make such delicate pieces that all there customers will love. 

If you are stuck with ideas for someone in your familyfor a gift whatever the occasion I would recommend Balagan.So there you go, that's all the pieces of Balagan jewellery Rachel sent me.I really hope to have the opportunity to feature more Balagan jewellery in the future. 


PR REVIEW

Review: Wax Lyrical Celebration Candle

Wax Lyrical was established in 1980 and is now one of the UK’s largest Home Fragrance manufacturers with all products manufactured in Cumbria, England.I am a huge fan of candles and love brands such as Yankee and trying out different brands especially luxury ones.
Wax Lyrical use high quality wax to ensure a clean burn and maximum fragrance.Their  jars are a wonderful way to fill your home with fine fragrance. Available in a range fragrances and are a stylish addition to any room in your home.

The Candle Jars come in a variety of sizes and styles; each jar comes complete with a removable lid to keep the fragrance fresh, 
perfect to create a mood for any occasion.


The candles were sent in a very well packaged box to avoid breakage. I waited not very long for delivery at all and received excellent service by
Wax Lyrical. 

As you can see from their stock photo Wax Lyrical's candles look very luxurious and are presented in a glass jar with a lovely stainless steel lid. 

I received the small Celebration candle from their range
which retails at £8.50 they also sell  other sizes medium and large
and also one that comes in a tin. 

 You can see on their website that Wax Lyrical provide loads of different scents so there is bound to be something for everyone. 

Their small jar candles burn time is approx 35 hours and are approx 7.5cm x 7.5cm x 9.3 cm. in size

This is what they say about the Celebration Candle 

"Let the celebration begin with the familiar sound of corks popping, as joy and laughter fill the room. The sparkling accord of green apple, pear and tangy white wine blended with base notes of musk create the perfect celebratory fragrance.

Inject some stylish ambience to any room in your home with the simple design of this contemporary small candle jar with silver Wax Lyrical embossed lid. Only the highest quality wax has been used to ensure a clean burn and maximum fragrance throw."



I was blown away at the scent of apple, pear and tangy white wine, and has totally got me 
into the Christmas spirit. 

Not only to Wax Lyrical sell a lovely range of candles but they also sell a range of reed diffusers and home fragrance products.

I will be adding some of their candles to my Christmas and new year wish list. 

So have you tried Wax Lyrical candles yet? 
If not will you?


PR REVIEW

Review:Pickle Pie Creations

I recently came across a lovely company called
Pickle Pie Creations.Tracy agreed to send me a framed print worth £13.99 for me to review. 

Pickle Pie sell a range of prints not only framed but also for:
- Phone covers
- Ipad Covers
- Acrylic blocks
- Mouse mat's
and
- Mugs 

As you can see from my photo's the prints are 
gorgeous. 



All of Pickle Pie's Prints would make 
lovely gifts  for friends and family. 

how they work: 
- you send an email to them at 
 hello@picklepiecreations.co.uk
with what you want to be on your print
- choose a colour scheme and design of your print
- confirm with them once you have seen the preview
- wait (only a little while) while they do your print 

I am very happy with the service of Pickle Pie creations 
once I had confirmed the preview of the print 
( which only took approx 24 hours)
I received the print the day after they confirmed posting. 

The print that we chose was the Anniversary one 
with our first Anniversary coming up next year
I thought it was a cute idea for a kind of early gift for us. 

Ours says: 
Mr and Mrs Bayford 
Love
Being the happiest couple in the world
spending time with family
Cambridge weekends away
Cuddles
Cinema Dates
Romantic nights in
Our snowy wedding 
4th February 2012

Review: Aspire Calorie Burning Drink

I've heard of Aspire Calorie Burning drink for sometime now. I have been eager to try it and see if it works. I contacted the people over at Aspire and they sent me a weeks supply (14 cans)

The calorie burning drink is said to burn up to 209 calories per can, which is proven during controlled lab tests. 

The Cranberry flavoured soft drink also contains natural ingredients, Green Tea, Ginger an Guarana. 

It is believed that the ingredients can 
assist in raising your body's metabolism 
and suppressing appetite.

Each can contains the caffeine of the same
 equivalent as a cup of coffee, and is only
12.5 calories per can. 

My thoughts: 

First of all I want to say that I love the design of the can but feel it is girly so is only aiming the drink for women but am sure men would love to have this too. 

The taste wasn't too bad to start with a bit bitter but over the period of the week I became to like the taste much more.

Now as for its weight loss benefits I lost a couple of lbs but then become ill with a bad cold and ate loads of crap so ended up putting on weight :(

I feel that If I was able to stick to a healthy diet and exercised wel then this product would really work. 

Fancy giving it a go? 

It can be purchased in Holland and Barrett, Selfridge's and some Waitrose stores.
RRP:£1.50 per can

PR REVIEW

Review: Special K Biscuit Moments- Strawberry



The other day I was lucky enough to receive
a voucher in the post (thank you facebook) 
for a free box of Special K Biscuit Moments
(strawberry). 




If like me you are trying to loose weight 
but are a terrible snacker than 
these are ideal. 

Special K  Biscuit Moments come in two yummy flavours Strawberry and blueberry and are just 98 calories for 2 biscuits. 
The biscuits are light with a strawberry centre topped with a drizzle of vanilla.
Not bad for £1.99 for 10 biscuits. 




Christmas Prep



I can't believe that I am mentioning Christmas already I  know a quite a few people don't like talking about Christmas til more nearer the time.But  I am sure there are others out there
like me who like to keep organised. 
So yes I am mentioning Christmas in October. 

Money wise Christmas is going to be a tight one which is why I am planning on sticking to a budget. 

My Plan is  that we spend no more than £10 per person (other than on each other) and will be buying for. 

My Mum and her partner 
My sister
My nan 
My Grandma 
Stuart's Mum and partner
Stuart's Dad
Our two Nephews 
and I think we doing a round robin with 
Stuart's brother and his wife
and Stuart's sister and her partner
so that's £120 

Then for each other we have a budget of no more than £50 each making it a total of £220 on presents 

As for Christmas cards, wrapping paper, gift labels and decorations I  have a budget of no more than £15

So our Christmas budget this year is £235
I do hope to under cut this as much as possible though. 

I am also entering loads of competitions to put items aside for Christmas so fingers crossed I'll have some winnings. Lucky for us we have saved on getting our nephews birthday gifts (he born on Xmas day) by winning a DVD and a toy for him. 

But I also have to get gifts for My nan's Birthday ( 10 days before Xmas) my father in laws birthday (7 days after Xmas) and my sisters birthday (8 days after Xmas).

Once I start my Christmas shopping at the end of the month I will keep you posted on how well I am doing as well as more Xmas based posts. 

Have you started your Christmas plans yet?