Mother's Day at Minted and Giveaway!!

Mother's Day is just around the corner now and if you are looking to get something that's as unique and special as mom is then look no further than Minted.com

Minted is a design marketplace where you can shop from a community of independent artists all in one place. They simply enter their designs and artwork, it gets judged and then the winners are available to buy on the site. As well as some great art you can also shop home decor and stationary.

Here are a few of my top picks for Mother's Day!

Top Left//Top Right//Bottom Left//Bottom Right

If none of these take your fancy you can find more lovely art in their art collection and ideas in their mother's day gift section.

When it comes to giving (and receiving) gifts I always favor ones that you can personalize. I think personalization makes it all that little bit more special and you can really let someone know how you feel about them. Minted is a great place where you can do just that. A lot of the gift-oriented art designs are personalizable- you can add your own photos and choose the color scheme and in some add your own text.

I had a play around with one of my favorite designs to show you how easy it is to make it your own.

It doesn't just stop at gifts either. You can choose to personalize your own gift wrap and gift tags too so your gift will look amazing! They also have a selection of cards for any occasion. 

They also currently have an event on where you can save 20% on all foil pressed products until the 27th April.
Be sure to get your Mother's Day orders in by the 29th to ensure delivery by Mother's Day.

Now for the giveaway.
One winner will receive $50 credit to Minted and free ground shipping (some items are excluded from free shipping)
Open worldwide (Free shiping in US only).
All entries are optional, the more you do the more chances you have to win.
All entries will be checked.
Winner will be announced on Mother's Day via social media and an email will be sent. Winner will have 48 hours to claim or a new winner will be picked.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


*I received credit for this post but all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Rock The LunchBox Vox Box Review

I was so excited to be selected to review the Rock The LunchBox Vox Box from Influenster. Having such a picky eater it can be hard to find healthy foods that Calleigh will eat so I was really happy to have the chance to try out some goodies from some awesome brands!

Included in the box were coupons for Annie's pizza bagels, Annie's Bunny Grahams, Rudis, Applegate Half Time lunch packs and Honest Kids juice drinks.

 

Calleigh's favourite were the Annie's Bunny Grahams. I chose the Honey, Chocolate and Chocolate Chip mix and she loves them as a snack in between meals or as a side with some lunch. My favourite product was the mini pizza bagels- Calleigh is not a big pizza fan but I love them and find them great for a little something when you can't decide what to eat!

We used the Applegate Half-Time lunch kit when we went to the zoo. It was a kind of last minute decision as it was such a nice day and I didn't have time to make something before we left. I don't like buying Calleigh a meal when we are out in places as she very rarely eats it and it's not exactly cheap so this was great to grab on the go. She enjoyed the crackers and the cheese but didn't really touch the turkey.
The Honest drinks have been great too- Calleigh likes them and they are really handy for taking out with us when we are out and about.

We haven't yet had chance to use the Rudis English Muffins, they are in our freezer, but I know Calleigh enjoys English muffins for breakfast every now and again so I'm excited to try them on one of those days!

All in all I really, really loved this box! I love it when I can try new things with Calleigh and discovering new products is great!

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

The Bouqs- Flowers to Impress

If your looking for a new place to get your flowers from look no further than The Bouqs! Whether your looking for yourself, a family member, a special occasion or just a surprise for that special person in your life- The Bouqs has all the flowers you need to impress.

When I was contacted to review one of their lovely bouquets I was beyond excited- who doesn't love receiving flowers.
I chose a bouquet called "The Great Pumpkin" as the beautiful orange colour is brilliant at this time of year. I received the flowers on the day they said they would arrive and they came in bud form so not to damage the flowers on delivery- and I got even longer to enjoy them!

One of the best and most interesting thing about the flowers is that they come straight to your door after being freshly picked from an active volcano or sunny California and always from Eco-friendly farms that protect and sustain the environment.

I can't say enough about how beautiful the flowers are. They are 100% better and more beautiful than flowers you pick up from a supermarket!

Ordering your flowers is real easy- just pick your favourite, pick a date and a shipping address, customise it for your desired recipient and that's it! They even offer a concierge service for those of us that have a hard time remembering special dates. You just need to sign up, pick your dates (they can be special dates or you could set up a monthly service and have the freshest blooms delivered every month) and they will send you a reminder email when it's time to send your flowers.

You can use the code AUTUMN15 to get 15% off your flowers plus free shipping so now is a great time to surprise that special someone- or yourself, theres no shame in that.

Visit their website TheBouqs.com

I received this lovely bouquet for the purpose of this review. All thoughts are completely my own!

Keurig 2.0 Review

I was lucky enough to be selected to review the new Keurig 2.0 model brewer by Influenster. 

Firstly let me say I was beyond excited to receive it and wasted no time getting it out of the box!

Setting up the brewer was pretty simple following the provided instructions. The most time consuming bit being preparing the filter for use in the reservoir. Once it was all set up it looked great as the new addition to our kitchen! 

The best and most exciting thing about the Keurig 2.0 is it's ability to brew a carafe as well as just a cup. So on busy mornings you don't have to keep going back to refill your coffee. You can also set it to auto start at a specific time so you can just roll out of bed in the morning and have your coffee there waiting for you- brilliant- especially when you have a demanding two year old who wants their breakfast!

Other features I like are the strength settings- you can now choose how strong you want your coffee at the touch of a button and also the Keurig 2.0 has a larger water reservoir which means you can make more drinks before you have to fill it up with water again. It's also a lot easier to fill as it has a lid that part opens and stays up instead of taking the whole thing off. 

There are still a wide range of pods and different flavor coffee's you can use in the 2.0 but they have to be the newer ones- it's marked on the box whether they are suitable for all brewers or not. 

My only complaint at the moment is that there is not much choice for the carafe. You have to use the special, larger pods to brew a carafe and I haven't seen many to choose from as of yet. I'm waiting until they bring out a Breakfast Tea one so I can brew a whole pot of tea in seconds!!

The Keurig 2.0 has a sleek design with a neat touchscreen display where you select all you settings and desired options. It's really customizable, you can even change the color of the light in the reservoir tank to suit your mood. 

As I said before it's a great addition to our kitchen counter! It's a bit larger than previous models but doesn't take up too much space.

I received this product free of charge from Influenster for review purposes.

Spring Fling Vox Box Review

I was really excited to receive the Spring Fling Vox Box from Influenster. I had heard some great things about it and couldn't wait to find out what was inside! When my box arrived I opened it up straight away and was really happy when I saw what was inside. I received a Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara, Kiss Everlasting French Nails, Nivea Skin Firming Body Lotion, Playtex Sport Fresh Balance and a Peach Pie scented Labor Day Air Freshener. Every product was great and I really enjoyed this box more than the last one (which you can read about here).

My favourite product has to be the Scandaleyes Mascara from Rimmel London. When I first used it I noticed how good the wand was and noticed hardly any clumps on the wand itself which meant no sticking my eyelashes together with big clumps. It covered really well and my eyelashes were bold and flawless!

I loved these Everlasting French nails from Kiss. They were really easy to apply and looked really professional without the price tag! My nails looked gorgeous- the only problem I did have was that I found they didn't stay on very long which was a shame but it wont stop me buying them again.

Also in the box was a small bottle of Nivea Skin Firming Hydration body lotion. I really liked using this and found that after application my skin was really smooth and felt great. After using it for about 2 weeks I need notice an improvement in the firmness of my skin and was really happy with the results. I only wish it was a larger bottle but I will be getting myself some more as its all gone now and I want to see if there is any more continued improvement with longer use.

The Labor Day Peach Pie Car Air Freshener smells really good! I gave it Paul to freshen up his truck. I am still yet to see the Labor Day film, it looks really good but I just don't find the time.

The Playtex Sport Fresh Balance was a nice find in the box. They did their job and I was happy with how well they worked to make me feel fresh and protected.

All in all I really liked this box. All of the items were good and useful and I have managed to find some new favourite products!

J'Adore VoxBox Review

I was very excited to receive an email from Influenster informing me I had been chosen for their J'Adore VoxBox! And even more excited when it arrived on Valentines Day with a big family sized bag of Hershey's Kisses inside!! This is the first Box I have qualified for and I was very impressed with the products inside.

Frizz Ease 3-Day Straight Flat Iron Spray

I was very happy to see this in the box. I use Frizz Ease Smooth Start Shampoo and Conditioner and really like it but have never tried the styling products before. When I first used it I found it really good and my hair was really soft after straightening with a gorgeous shine to it. My hair felt really well protected from the heat as their were no immediate sign of heat damage that you can sometimes get from using a flat iron. The next day I woke up and was pleased to see my hair was still straight- not perfectly straight- but enough that I didn't need to use my straighteners again!

Boots Botanics Shine Away Ionic Clay Mask

I loved this product! I must admit I love to use face masks but haven't actually used one in ages so it was really nice to see this in the box. After using I washed it off and at first my skin looked kind of scary red but once that faded it felt so clean and fresh. I will definitely be using it again and will try and keep using it once a week.

Red Rose Simply Indulgent Teas

As you probably know I am a massive tea fan. I love nothing more than a nice cup of tea. I probably drink far too much I swear if you look inside me there would most likely be an ocean of tea somewhere. When I first tried the Red Rose Creme Caramel tea the first thing I noticed was the aroma, it was so strong I could smell it brewing in another room. It was bad though, it was a really nice smell and made me much more excited to drink it and it didn't disappoint.

Vaseline Men Spray Lotion

I have used Vaseline products in the past and love them, they are great for dry skin. This spray lotion for Men will be great for the husband. With all this cold weather we have been having, dry skin is no doubt going to make an appearance. This is really good because it's a spray which means it's quick and easy to apply so perfect for those that don't have time to moisturise.

Kiss Looks So Natural Lashes

I haven't used false lashes in such a long time. I'm not a big fan of them to be honest, I always find them a bit too fiddly to put on and not worth the effort. I have pretty good eyelashes anyway and with the right mascara can really make them up. These lashes were really good quality and looked really nice.

Hershey's Kisses

My box arrived on Valentines Day so this was the perfect sweet treat!

Finding the Right Card with Cardooo

It's always been important to me to find a beautiful and meaningful card for Birthdays/Christmases and Anniversaries etc. 

I have been struggling a bit this year to find that perfect card for Calleigh's second birthday. I've not really found any that I like and I think the choice out here is very slim. There doesn't seem to be any nice cards to a daughter of this age, they all seem to be for a older daughter and with age cards none of them are very good. 

Wouldn't it be great to be able to buy a card that lasts for more than just one day, that doesn't just sit on the fireplace but instead a card that they can play with, that teaches them vital literacy and numeracy skills!
Well with Cardooo you can!

Cardooo creates a range of different cards for Children that are more than just, well, a piece of card. You can find story cards, activity cards, doodle cards and puzzle cards as well as many more for a variety of different occasions. They are the only cards available that help kids with literacy, numeracy and imaginative development. 
Cardooo cards are for kids aged 3 and up so are definitely something I will be getting for Calleigh's next birthday. 

A Little Princess Card

In the video below you can see an example of what is in one of their cards.

The cards are available on their website from £3.50. Take a look now and browse their various categories.

With Christmas being just around the corner you can also find great Christmas cards on their site. All of which include the same great activities as the others and more.
I personally love the Christmas Story: The Night Before Christmas. It would make a great story time for Calleigh on Christmas Eve night.

Finding the right card is easy with Cardooo and you can be happy knowing that you are doing more than just giving a card, you are giving a child an exciting adventure or a interesting puzzle and a great way to improve those vital skills.

You can follow them on Twitter or Facebook

Little Campers Range at FieldCandy

Today I am excited to announce a new product launch from FieldCandy.

FieldCandy is a design-led brand of tents. They offer a range of  high quality, high performance tents in fun and exciting designs.
They have just released a new range called Little Campers designed specifically with children in mind. The Little Campers range come in 5 exciting designs including a spaceship and a fairground carousel all modelled on a Indian Teepee. Their aim is to spark imagination and bring a new element to playtime. 

All FieldCandy tents are made from high quality material and are UV fade resistant, fire resistant and 100% waterproof. They are easy to assemble and extremely durable, perfect for indoor or outdoor use.
These will be the perfect Christmas present for any boy or girl.

The Little Campers range will be making their debut appearance at the Spirit of Christmas Fair in London's Olympia, which is on now until the 10th November, where you can order them exclusively for delivery in time for Christmas. You will also be able to order them online from the FieldCandy website for the retail price of £195 each.

To keep up with the latest news connect with FieldCandy on Facebook and Twitter.

Funky Giraffe Bibs Review

Now Calleigh is older she isn't too keen on wearing a bib whilst she eats, which means a lot of washing for me as she still hasn't quite mastered eating without it going all over her. Whilst I agree that bibs do seem a little babyish for her now I still wish she would wear one to keep her clothes clean. So when I was contacted by Funky Giraffe Bibs I was excited to try out their bandanna bibs.
The bandanna bib is a different take on the usual square bibs that are available and something that can be worn by babies as well as toddlers to keep them clean at mealtime. They are really cool looking and don't make Calleigh look like a baby while she is eating. They just look like a really cool fashion accessory.

I got to choose a few designs from their extensive range of bandanna bibs and I decided on a music note bib, a birthday girl bib (for her up coming birthday) and a Christmas tree bib (ready for the season). They all look really great and are made with soft high quality material.

I love the designs we received and there are plenty more to choose from on their website. Calleigh was happy with the designs too and spent more time looking at her new bib than actually eating her dinner. It did the trick and at the end of dinner I was happy to see clean clothes.
Calleigh didn't want to take the bib off so spent the rest of the afternoon walking around in it, she looked super cool!

It's not just bibs you can find on their website either.
Funky Giraffe Bibs also offer baby and toddler fashion from head to toe. You can find T-shirts, dresses, vests and socks all made from the finest material and at affordable prices. You won't find their designs anywhere else so go to their website for the latest styles and trends.

I was really impressed with the bibs and can't wait for her birthday and Christmas so she wear the other two.

Connect with them on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with the latest news and special offers.
Funky Giraffe Baby on Facebook
Funky Giraffe Bibs on Twitter

I received these bibs from the company for the purpose of this review but all thoughts are my own and I was not compensated in any other way for this review. 

Tommee Tippee 360° Sealer Diaper Disposal System Review

One of the best items I ever brought before Calleigh was here was definitely a diaper disposal system. Back in England we had the Tommee Tippee Sangenic Hygiene Plus and I couldn't fault it, it was perfect and worked amazingly well at keeping the smell out of Calleigh's room. Unfortunately we didn't bring it over to the states with us, we figured we could get one here. We did get one here, we purchased a Diaper Genie Disposal Unit and I must say we were less than impressed. The first one we brought had to be taken back because it was broken. The next one we brought seemed okay and worked well for a couple of days until that too started breaking and we were unable to get the diapers into the pail. Add that along with the awful smell that lingered around Calleigh's room it was by far no comparison to the one we had in England. 

When Tommee Tippee offered me the chance to review their new 360° Sealer Diaper Disposal System I must admit I don't think I've ever been so excited about something that's main job is to hold dirty diapers. 

When I took it out the box the pail was already assembled so there was no need to try and figure out what goes where. All I needed to do was insert the bag refill. 

The instructions were really easy to read and it was suprisingly simple to do. I would say it was so easy, even a baby could do it. 

The best thing about the 360° Sealer Diaper Disposal System is that it seals all around each diaper separately and has a unique and innovative way in which it does so. You need only place the diaper in the top of the pail and simply twist the dial. As the diaper goes into the pail it is wrapped all the way round in antibacterial film to prevent odour seeping out and because you don't need to push the diaper into the pail it is much more hygienic. 

The pail can hold up to 30 diapers and the refill can seal up to 100 so it will last you a long time before you need to replace. 

Emptying the pail is just as easy, you just open the front draw, twist the dial to release some more of the bag and then tear it using the underside of the lid. It's really quick and really simple.

I have been using the Tommee Tippee 360° Sealer for about a week now and I am very impressed. It's quicker, easier, more hygienic and best of all it's really good at locking in those bad odours. Calleigh's room no longer smells like dirty diapers. 

The Tommee Tippee 360° Sealer Diaper Disposal System is available exclusively at Babies R Us, as are the refills. The system retails for $49.99 which is a small price to pay for the superiority of this product over other similar products available. 

*I was sent this product by Tommee Tippee for the purpose of this review. All thought and opinions are my own and I have not been compensated in any other way for this post*