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Make, Bake, Cupcake – Book review

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At the Britmums conference in June I chatted to a few lovely ladies from Parragon books who introduced me to their Book Buddy scheme. As someone who is part book worm I was immediately eager to be involved.

So every now and again I get the best parcel with lovely recipe books.

For me recipe books aren’t just books that I use when cooking they are books that I lounge about with on a Sunday afternoon with a cuppa tea and plan months ahead what I intend to make on certain occasions.

This book:

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Make, Bake, Cupcake is such a fun book. Cupcakes are pretty big business right now and there are LOTS of different types in this book. From childrens cakes to cocktail cakes and themed bakes such as scary Halloween type cakes.

These ones are on my to bake list:

Salted caramel cupcakes:

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I particularly like the introduction pages which give really good basic instructions for making the cake batter, frosting and piping skills. Ideal for beginning bakers and would make a really lovely present.

Next up on my book buddy review list is: Make it in a Jar.

* I was sent this book for free in exchange for a review.

Mighty Lights – Review

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If there is one thing better than crisps ..it’s receiving FREE crisps delivered to your doorstep.

Oh yes.

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Last week I received not 1, not 2 but 3 multipacks of the new range of crisps from Walkers. Here is a little info about the new range:

NEW Walkers Mighty Lights ridged crisps are tasty yet light with 30% less fat*. Made from real potato with no artificial colours or preservatives and no MSG, they’re perfect for little lunches.

So they are being aimed at children however somehow it seems that myself and the OH have eaten most of them.

Firstly lets talk about the crunch. For me a crisp has to have a good crunch. These definitely tick this box. Lovely dipped in sour cream, perfect in a chicken salad sarnie and a great snack to grab on the go for yet another hospital visit ( I had a private room..thankfully *crunch crunch* ). I do love a ridged crisp.

The flavours we were sent were : Lightly salted, roast chicken and cheese and onion. My fave is the lightly salted, OH loves the chicken and Izzy likes the cheese and onion. Lucky huh?

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I’ve shared these with my mum and dad too when they came over to visit, my mum is dieting so she was happy with the lower fat content and impressed with the flavour.

I also liked that the lightly salted actually is *lightly* salted – you don’t get that dehydrated,burnt tongue feeling after eating a pack of these. The Roast Chicken are very chickeny – yet still suitable for vegetarians and I am yet to try the Cheese and Onion as between Izzy and OH they somehow vanished but he assures me they are pretty good.

They are currently on offer in Asda at £1.00 for 6 packs which is a pretty good deal – less than 17p a bag. Bargain. We stocked up on our last shopping trip.

Whilst reading up about this new range I found out some interesting crispy bits of info, if you are a crisp geek like me:

* Walker was founded in 1948, butcher Henry Walker began making crisps in his Leicester Plant to keep his workers busy, as meat was scarce in post-war Britain.

* In 1926 Laura Clough Scudder came up with the idea of selling crisps in individual portions in sealed, waxed paper bags.

* Potato crisps were invented in 1853 by a chef called George Crum from Saratoga Springs, New York. Fed up with an awkward customer who kept sending his fried potatoes back for being ‘too thick and soggy’, Crum sliced the potatoes as thinly as he could and stir-fried them so they couldn’t be eaten with a fork and voila the crisp was born.

* Walkers produces 10m packs of crisps every day and more than 350,000 tonnes of potatoes a year.

So anyway to summarise. We liked these crisps. They are a fair bit healthier than normal crisps so you don’t have to feel quite so guilty when you much through a bag in 30 seconds.. Just me? Oops.

*As stated above we were sent these crisps for free in exchange for an honest review.

It’s the Final Countdown…Camp Bestival

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I apologise for yet another lyric inspired blog title but it seemed apt with the 80’s vibe at this years Camp Bestival.

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Can you believe it’s only 5 days away? WOOP.

We are getting pretty excited here and I’m sure if you are attending you are too..if you aren’t attending..WHY? There are still ( a small) amount of tickets left so if by the end of this post you simply have to buy some then click here to visit the Ticketline site.

I’ve started writing my must take list which seems to have grown from last year. I won’t share it all with you but here are a few of my absolute essential for this years festival:

* Ear defenders – if you have a baby/young child these are an absolute must.

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* Readybed – as Izzy is a little older this year we have decided to take a Readybed with us.. They look incredibly cosy and have raised sides to stop your little un from tumbling out in the night. We were provided with one courtesy of Worlds Apart and I look forward to telling you what we thought on our return.

* Snacks – this year we plan on buying most of our meals at the festival for two reasons:

1. I feel pretty rubbish still and I want to take it easy as much as possible
2. The food line up looks awesome.

However we will still be taking lots of snacks and soft drinks with us as costs do mount up.

*Warm things – blankets,cosy clothes for nights outside your tent. It may have been pretty hot lately but in the middle of the night with just some canvas over you it can get chilly.

* Camping stove – to make cups of hot chocolate. No Pimms for me this year 🙁

* Nappies/wet wipes (lots of) and travel potty – we have just started on the magical journey of toilet training so we are very lucky to have a Potette Plus travel potty to review at Camp Bestival.

* Calpol/ paracetamols/plasters/sudocrem etc – because if you don’t take them you will need them.

* Tent/air beds etc – we don’t need a tent this year as we are GLAMPING ..wooooop. Normally I love camping but this year I will be 6 months pregnant and I want easy. We have booked a Tipi Tent with Hearthworks and it looks pretty fabulous. When we last spoke they had some amazing offers for Tipi Tents at just £299 if you haven’t booked anything yet.

* Clothes for all weather – festival weather is never predictable.

* Camera/batteries/charger etc – there is so much going on and you will want to record it all.

There are about a million other things on my list and much more I have missed myself .. The lovely @aresidence has a great packing list on her blog so take a look over there.

Anyway enough about packing what are we going to do when we arrive!??

Well…..

*Some relaxing on cushions at the Soul Dome 360 cinema ..

*Taking in the circus show at Bigtopmania…

*Being generally dumbstruck in awe at The Wall of Death and their crazy antics. We LOVED this last year and highly recommend it… Ear defenders needed for little uns.

*As Izzy is now in love with paint/crayons/chalk etc we will definitely take a trip to Art Town…

*We will (hopefully) relax on the grass and listen to The Levellers, The Proclaimers, Richard Hawley and loads of others as well as popping into the Bollywood tent for Barry Ashworth of Dub Pistols.

*Listen to the melodic voice of Howard Marks with his new spoken word show: Scholar, Smuggler, Prisoner, Scribe. An incredibly interesting man – really looking forward to this.

*Clambering to the front of the stage for a glimpse of the legendary Mr Tumble. He is my daughters hero and I think the look on her face when she seems him in the flesh will be incredible…

All this plus tons more music another 90 or so free activities for kids and of course the Young British Foodies tent featuring Gourmet Chorizo, Anna Maes Mac n Cheese, Pizza Pilgrims plus Doukan Moroccan and loads more. Ahh foodie bliss and that’s without the heavenly WI cake tent, the masses of food stalls all around the festival. You could try Churros, chapatis, nookie bars, pies, Ice cream, burritos or a good old burger. Spoilt for choice.

Last but not least I’m sure we will visit the soft play at some point and if it all gets a bit much we can chill in The Soul Park and maybe get my bump painted 😉

If you see me please come say hello.. I’m easy to spot with my ginormous belly.

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Mumkind – a review

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A little while ago I saw a company called Mumkind on twitter looking for pregnant ladies to try out their new range of maternity products. It sounded different in that for once it wasn’t stretch mark cream or a non wired bra but things to eat and drink – yes!

I was sent 2 bottles of Water Our Way

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2 Bump to Baby nutrition bars:

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And a big tub of Night Night Baby Vanilla & Belgian Chocolate bedtime drink:

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First up Water Our Way:

What the brand says about it:

Want to feel less tired?! Want to make water more exciting?!
Just add a squeeze to water for a great berry taste. Helps you drink more water,
keeps you hydrated and our blend of B vitamins helps reduce tiredness and fatigue.
With 0 Calories, 0 carbs and 0 guilt – try it at home, at work or when out and about.

What I think:

I will admit to being sceptical about this one. A little drop of berry juice to make you feel less tired?
But… I was actually impressed. Firstly it tastes pretty good, it definitely lives up a glass of water and whenever I’ve drunk it it’s perked me up. The best example of this is when I was admitted to hospital a few weeks ago without any prior warning and it just happened to be in my handbag. I used it to pimp up my hospital issued jug of water and it definitely made me feel brighter and more alert on a rather rubbish day. I love that it’s in a teeny bottle and I can pop it in my purse/bag wherever I go. A definite item to pack for weekends away or for your hospital bag. The only fault I can find is that there is only one flavour. I like the mixed berry flavour but I do like to have options.

Next up Bump to Baby Nutrition Bars:

What the brand says:

Try Mumkind ‘Bump to Baby Enhanced Bars’ – delicious one handed top up
pregnancy nutrition bars. If you have a busy day or you feel your are not eating as
well as you would like, enjoy a delicious mumkind bar with 25% RDA* of ALL the
nutrients that are essential (and only half the calories of a chocolate bar!).
Think of them like nutritional insurance for a healthy mum-to-be or a busy
new super mum.

What I think:

I’m not a massive fan of snack bars/cereal bars so I was pleasantly surprised by these. It’s kinda nice to be eating something sweet which doesn’t make you feel guilty about it being bad for the baby ( says me currently munching a neopolitan ice cream sandwich ) I definitely preferred the chocolate version but the red berry and yoghurt was nice too – just not as appealing to a choccie lover like me. They are fairly filling and handy as a grab on the go snack or again perfect for your hospital bag.

And lastly Night Night Baby Bedtime Drink:

What the brand says:

Try Mumkind ‘Night Night Baby’– a luxurious hot drink exclusively for mums-to-be
and new super mums. Winding down and relaxing before bedtime shouldn’t be a
compromise. If you are trying to be good, even your regular tea or coffee is
‘off the list’ and cocoa or malt drinks can leave you feeling more nana than mama!
Designed with hidden benefits let our mumkind blend of key nutrients do their work
while you are sleeping. Each mug has 25% of ALL the essential vitamins, minerals
and good stuff you need. In Vanilla & Red Berry or Vanilla & Belgian Chocolate.

What I think:

It took me ages to get around to trying this as I am really off hot drinks in this pregnancy but eventually I did and I like it. A lot. Maybe it’s not meant to taste malty but to me it did. Luckily I love malt drinks. I think I will benefit from this more when baby arrives and I want to wind down in the evening as hot drinks aren’t really doing it for me right now but it’s one to recommend. Ideal for mums to be who are missing lots of caffeine laden coffees etc. I tried the Belgian chocolate as I didn’t fancy the red berry and it does taste quite indulgent and is quite thick and creamy too. It almost feels naughty and maybe you could even add some mini marshmallows and squirty cream..as an occasional treat. Yum. Could make a lovely gift for a mum to be with a pretty cup?

You can find about more about Mumkind here or on Twitter: @mum_kind

* I was sent these products in return for an honest review.

Bumps, Bras and Baby

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I’m just into the second trimester of my pregnancy and unfortunately still feeling pretty lousy but I do have the odd day here and there where I feel fine so for that I am extremely grateful. I think I’ve stopped losing weight and my belly is most definitely there for all to see..wooo I do like a good baby bump. I am still at the stage however where I feel fat rather than obviously pregnant so no bump shots just yet sorry. I will however share with you this awesomely clear photo from our check up scan on Tuesday:

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All is fine with baby and if all continues to plan we won’t need another scan until 20wks which is a big relief.

I haven’t had any real obvious cravings yet although lemonade lollies have helped a lot with the nausea. My food aversions aren’t quite as extreme as they were a few weeks ago and I’m managing to eat meat again finally. Tiredness isn’t too extreme really but on the days where I’m sick I get pretty worn out quickly. 4pm seems to be my only really difficult time when it comes to keeping my eyes open.

Izzy is coping well with the more tired/less energetic mum and has been opting for lots of cuddle time. She also loves to stroke my belly and kiss it saying ahhhhhh baby. I really don’t think she gets it but its rather cute.

During the pregnancy so far I’ve been really lucky to receive items from a number of pretty amazing brands such as Blossom mother and child, Seraphine, Isabella Oliver and Bravado to review for the blog. Look out for reviews over the next few months, I promise to included lots of pics and honest opinions.

First up I want to tell you about a bra I was sent from Bravado following a twitter appeal for pregnant/nursing bloggers. When I opened the packaging I was a bit disappointed ( sorry I said I’d be honest) as it was a rather shocking pink. The colour was a limited edition and I can imagine a lot of people loving it but pink isn’t really my thing. Anyway initial opinion set aside I immediately removed my current instrument of torture and tried it on and it was instant bliss. It seriously is BY FAR the comfiest bra I’ve ever worn – it was also at a point when my pregnant chest was at its most tender and it felt like a comfy blanket supporting my dear friends. I’ve worn it under outfits ( when the pink can’t be seen ) also to bed.. its the only bra I’ve been able to wear to sleep lately and also just for lounging around the house. It offers a lot more support than most maternity bras I’ve tried and gives a great shape too. It washes very well too. I’ll keep you posted on how the bra holds up throughout the pregnancy. The one I was sent to try is: Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra The colour I have is no longer available but it’s available in a range of others.. I’m quite tempted to purchase the black.

I’ll post pics when I take some bump shots but for now my bed is calling.

Night x

*I was sent the bra for free to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Cocoon Collective Review

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A little while ago I was given the opportunity to try out the retox and revive gift set from www.cocooncollection.co.uk

I was excited but kind of expected it to be the same as all the girly pampering gifts you see in Boots at Christmas time, I am happy to say I was wrong.

The set arrives in a lovely big gift box wrapped in pink ribbon so the first impression is good.

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Here is a list of what the set contained and what I thought:

Relax & revitalise body & mind

A perfect collection of gifts designed to uplift, pamper and make her smile, with a gift box containing:

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cocoon collective review

Hand Wash & Cream Set -with a gorgeous fresh White Linen & Jasmine fragrance set in a ceramic dish –

This is probably my favourite part of the set as it looks so nice in my bathroom and I will get a lot of use out of it. The hand wash and cream both smell fabulous and there is a even a tiny glittery sheen with the hand wash which makes it a little different.

The Relaxer 4 point massager – it’s called The Relaxer…we’ve tried it…and we think the name is well deserved!

I’ll be honest and admit I haven’t used this as much as I would like as I have an 8 month old baby but it is really good and I like putting it behind my back and rubbing it between me and the sofa!

Reef Reviver – a genius soap that’s just perfect for the shower!

Ok after the hand wash set this is my next fave.. It’s a sponge kinda built into a really fresh smelling soap so it feels like it exfoliates while it cleans and is really convenient to use both in the bath and shower.

Rose Body Polisher – made from recycled materials (plastic bottles) to exfoliate, soften and refine.

This is awesome. I love the fact that it’s a GREEN product so you can feel good about indulging in a little pampering. Ooh and it’s pretty.

Eye Gel Pads – the ultimate pamper! Revitalises tired eyes that need a little ‘me-time’

I haven’t used these yet as I am waiting for when I next have a bad night with Izzy!

Crazy After Dark Bath Blaster – a blend of mischievious essential oils to wash away all cares for complete relaxation!

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This was lovely and smelt tremendous but if I can say one negative thing it’s that I wish there were 2 or 3 small ones rather than the huge one as once you have had one bath it’s gone which is a pain cos they smell so nice.

‘Matchbook’ of Mini Emery Boards – 10 mini emery boards in a fabulous design

These are handy to just throw in your bag and use on the go.

Breakfast at Sniffany’s – a very glam pack of amusing pocket tissues.

I like these they are very cute.

All in all it’s a fab gift set and I would happily buy it for a girl friend or sister/mum .. Possibly a nice baby shower gift also?

There are some really fantastic gifts on the website other than the one above and I will certainly be making some purchases soon. Maybe some more treats for me ;-).