Getting Ready for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is almost upon us, which means it is time to get ready.

I am not planning anything extravagant but some little surprises during the day are very much in order.

First thing first – Setting the scene

Human Touch – Love Pillow Cases sent me one of their lovely pillow case sets. They will be perfect for setting the scene for a romantic evening / night plus I am sure they will put a smile on our faces every morning we wake up and look at them.

There are 12 lovely, cute and extremely adorable designs to pick from. Human Touch – Love Pillow Cases are a great way of extending the magic of Valentine’s Day for longer.

To make a day even more special why not start it with a nice cup of coffee from a Love Mug?

Cook that special breakfast

This part still needs some thinking and planning. I have a few options on the short list. The Valentine Breakfast Pinterest board was very helpful but I still couldn’t decide: sweet or sour.

Hide a little surprise in their lunch box

Did you hear about Joy Maker? The Cadbury website offers an option of making your very own chocolate bar. The process is easy and very straightforward and as a result you get a chocolate bar with a personalised message of your choice (on the wrapper only to be precise). I think that this would be a very nice touch, which would definitely put a smile on Marks face, so I am getting it made.

A special gift which will last a lifetime

I am still stuck for ideas and would consider any help you can offer. I don’t plan on getting anything huge (budget wise) but something special and thoughtful would be ideal. I found a Name A Star kit, which allows you, among other things, to name a star (surprise, surprise…). I think that Mark would really like that.

How is your preparation going in the run up to Valentine’s Day?

Are you planning something special that’s out of the ordinary?

A gift guide for that person who appears to have it all

Men, women, teens, kids – there is always someone who seems to have it all and when asked what would they want or like the answer is always the same – nothing.

This is not necessarily the truth. I personally don’t believe they have it all but this type of person may just not have any immediate needs which need fulfilling, so… buying for them is kind of a nightmare.

We can always pick the easy way out and go with a pre-boxed gift from our favourite store or we could try to find something which will actually suit them and they might actually need or even want, even if they don’t know it yet.

I was wondering about some gift ideas for “those” type of people. So I created a list, in spending order, which might give you some ideas.

Experience Days

There are a lot of options for picking something suitable from experience days. I’ve looked at Virgin Experience Days and prices start from just £5 and go up and up and up all the way to space soon… so I am putting it on top of my list. Driving, flying, days out, spa days, photo shoots… there are literally 100s of different options to suit any budget and of course to suit any person we are buying for. Last year I won a driving experience and gifted it to Mark; he totally loved it even though they wouldn’t let him keep the car despite Hollywood levels of pleading.

Dyson Hot + Cool

Unless the person you are buying for has an air-conditioned house they will love the new Dyson Hot + Cool. I personally don’t have one (I wish we had) but I’ve seen it in action and it is amazing. It looks amazing and it performs just as described. It isn’t cheap though as prices starts from £359.99 but if you have that amount of “spare” money I can guarantee a smile on the recipient face.

Redmond Multicooker

Reading different blogs I see that a lot of people are using a multicooker. These smart appliances can fry, steam, cook, stew, bake… they can reheat food or keep it warm until you get home… pretty clever. It is like all your cooking requirements in one piece of kit. The price does vary depending on which model you opt for – the basic 6 program multicooker will set you back £69 going up to an amazing 55 programs in one model for £184.90.

Personalised Gifts

With personalised gifts the choice also is almost endless – bags, mugs, frames, chocolates, clothing… whatever you want I am sure someone will personalise it for you. ToxicFox have a huge selection of personalised gifts. I particularly like their wine or champagne selection – personalised of course – as they might just be the perfect gift for a fussy adult.

They also offer a full ClaireaBella collection – cushions, stationery, suitcases, bags to name a few things plus a lot of clothing including PJs, hoodies, zoodies, t-shirt, onesies. With ClaireaBella you can not only personalise with your name but the whole Mr or Mrs ClaireaBella 😉 Prices starts from £4.99 for a personal bar of chocolate going up to £134 for a suitcase.

Water Pillow

Yeah, I know, it sounds awesome, doesn’t it? £39.99 will give you a Mediflow Waterbase Fibrefill Pillow; clinically proven to improve quality of sleep and reduction of neck pain. They can be adjusts to fit the shape of any person and continuously responds to changes in the sleeping position. I actually have one and it is a pleasure to sleep on. People might have a lot of things but I bet most of them haven’t thought about getting themselves a water pillow 🙂

“Posh” Candle Collection

Candles aren’t only for the older women. They have a practical use of course but they might also be used as a decoration, a mood enhancement or just a nice reminder of something or someone special. The Country Candle Company offers the most beautiful range of British, highly scented candle collections to suit any preferences. Prices start from £6.50 and go up to £22.50 for a lovely gift pack.

So, what do you think?

Are any of my ideas useable for you?

What would you add to the list?

Review – Vinyl Clocks – selected with care for your loved ones

My new The Beatles Paperback Writer Vinyl Clock

A few weeks ago whilst messing about on Twitter I spotted @VinylClocks. They tweeted “Looking for Christmas gift ideas? We can help”. As I am always on the lookout for something new, different and with soul, I decided to check out their website. Almost an hour later I was still reading and discovering how it all works, and what you can get. The idea is simple – you can buy a clock made from an original vinyl… but that is all that is simple about it… then you start thinking about which vinyl you might want to get… and then it all gets a bit hectic… I had tons of questions going through my head: do I get one from a favourite band, should it be an album or a single; should it be my favourite, Marks favourite or something we both enjoy; or maybe I could pick a song which will remind us about some special moment in our life, we all have one… I quit my browsing but bookmarked the page, thinking “It will be perfect for a friend who has everything… a clock to match their musical taste, which will make a perfect, well thought and quite unique gift”

On Tuesday I spotted @VinylClocks tweeting again (not surprising really as I follow them), this time I answered and stated the obvious that I would love to have one… to my surprise after a few emails Tim, the guy I was chatting with, offered me one of their 7” clocks (that was yesterday).

I didn’t choose my clock… but I advised Tim that something from The Beatles collection would suit us perfectly, Mark is getting on after all, plus any red detail would be an added bonus.

Today, to my huge surprise, our postie brought me a lovely pink parcel. I wasn’t expecting anything, at least not yet, so I was very eager to check out what was inside… I am an envelope recycling junky so I cut the top of the shipping bag gently off (so I can still re-use it) in order to have a quick pick inside… there it was… my vinyl clock!

It came very well packed in a shipping bag, Styrofoam, bubble wrap type thingy, box plus warning notes. Glancing at the first of the notes I thought “Ok, maybe I should just wait for Mark to deal with the clock when he gets home, so I don’t damage anything” but my curiosity won me over and I decided that waiting till 6 o’clock is not a realistic option. So taking all precaution as advised in the note I started digging for my clock. Small, precision cuts with a pair of sharp scissors through the bubble wrap thingy and I was already at the main box, easy.

There was however waiting for me a new challenge – my pizza style box had a lot of tape wrapped around it so I needed a sharp knife… a few cuts later and I was inside the box! Wooot… but wait there was a second hidden note with even more instructions 🙂

I took my time and read it all, twice, than started on dismantling the internal parts of the box in order to see my new Vinyl clock… I really wanted to see what Tim had picked for us – and there it was – The Beatles, Paperback Writer – a perfect song and a perfect clock!

Within 10 minutes I had managed to put the battery in (which comes with the clock, handy I thought), set the correct time (not so easy as the original kitchen clock had died), and replaced our old dead wall clock with our shiny new one. This was the only wall clock we had in the house and we didn’t even pick it, it came with the house. Since we bought it 6 years ago (the house I mean) we never found a new clock which grabbed us both despite setting out on a few clock hunting escapades. Our new vinyl clock has hit the mark perfectly! It’s stylish in my opinion and now every time I look at it, I have the song in my head 🙂

All of these is protecting your new clock in transit!

The clock itself is very well made; it feels solid enough, despite being made from a fragile material like vinyl. The clock mechanism is well fitting, nothing rattling or coming loose. The clock arms are awesome – with two gold ones and one red, which zooms around like crazy as it counts of the seconds… ohh and it is not a silent clock… it makes an comforting gentle tick-tock, sound… the clock is supplied with a 1 year warranty (for your piece of mind, I guess). As far as I can tell, prices start from £13.95 +pp (£1 up to £4.50 for zone 3 international shipping). Vinyl Clocks offer a choice of 7”, 10” and 12” clocks. And to make things even better, you can request (free of charge) a gift wrap, including a gift label. Sounds perfect, isn’t?

But and it is a big but, never forget that should you still own a gramophone, turntable or hifi system you can actually play your clock as it is a genuine record! How many clocks can claim that now!

Now something about Vinyl Clocks in general…

It’s not really about the clocks, it’s about the memories.

Music evokes memories. It may be who you were with (or who you wanted to be with), where you were, or just a piece of music that moves you.

We all have favourites / special songs.

All we do is preserve them in time. The website ( www.vinylclocks.com ) is basically a very big juke box. You go on and choose the one you want, or more likely choose the one someone else will want! We then send the clock, and although the music isn’t playing, juts be looking at the label it will be in your head.

This is what Tim said about the company and I totally agree with him.

I love the idea of these clocks. Picking a perfect clock as a gift for someone you love and care about can be a great experience. And what could be better than a useful, elegant gift with an insight into their soul. A vinyl clock is a personalised piece of wall art, which also tells the time!

What do you think?

Do you like the idea?

If so, what vinyl clock would you get?

.

I was sent 7” clock free of charge for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this review are honest and my own.

 

Review – Instajunction.com – straight from your Instagram

With the internet and social media growing rapidly, there is always something new and exciting we have to keep up with. Same applies with companies… they have to change and evolve in order to stay competitive in the market or fall into decline… if they still won’t change then they run the risk of being replaced by new comers who will. One of these new comers is Instajunction.com.

Instajunction brings your social media closer to you; they allow you to create personalised items using pictures which you have already shared on your social media.

I was given £25 credit to use at the Instajunction website in order to check out the company and review their products. Usually I am not big on personalised items, mainly because it can take ages to get something just right and you have to go through 100’s of different steps before you can even dream about reaching the check-out. Instajunction is doing it different. Last week on Sunday I sat down and within 10 minutes I was done – my order was placed, paid for and a confirmation email all snuggled up in my inbox…

So how are they different?

First thing  – they offer a slightly different product range compared to many other companies. Wrapping paper, sticker books or posters are all within your grasp.

Secondly – there is no need for an account. You can simply log on with your Instagram account and you are in. Once in all your pictures you have uploaded are visible and you can just pick whichever one you want to add to your purchase. No time wasted making an account, filling endless forms, refilling them again because you made one little mistake and it caused an error and then waiting for someone or something to send you a confirmation email. With Instajunction one click of the button and you are ready.

Finally the website is easy to use and extremely user friendly. I love the internet and I spend a lot of time messing around but sometimes I simply get lost while trying to order something. There are no worries of that happening when using Instajunction.

The ordering process has just 3 easy steps – chose the product you like – pick your pictures directly from your social media account – pay for your order. Then sit back and relax… and within the next 3-5 days your postie will knock on your door with a nice package for you.

So what did I order?

I actually wanted to get a Luxury Aluminium Plate but one is just not enough and I couldn’t really afford 4 of them 😦 so I settled for my 2^nd choice from the product range.  I ordered a set of 4 coasters as we use them every day and a set of 2 key-rings.

Here is my parcel on arrival

I placed my order on Sunday evening and it arrived on my doorstep on Friday. Well packed in a “please do not bend” envelope. Every component of my order was in a separate polythene bag plus a detailed invoice with my chosen products and pictures included.

Our New Coasters

What do you get?

A set of 4 hi-gloss finished photos on wooden coasters, measuring 9cm x 9cm. Their quality is astonishing. They are quite chunky and feel heavy compared to the other coasters we have already in the house.  I have long nails so in a moment of boredom I tried to pick the top layer off to see how robust they are… no luck there… nothing sticking out or getting unglued. I took the Ode coaster and washed it… this also didn’t do any damage… When the Ode coaster had dried out it looked like new again 🙂 I also noticed that they make sounds… ok, I know coasters do not talk… I am not losing my mind… yet… but the top layer is a plastic-like material so when you place your glass on top, you can hear it landing with this sound that is not the usual bump sound you would expect.  I like it.

Price – RRP £14.99

I had a quick online research session and found the price to be competitive. These coasters are definitely not the cheapest out there, but also not on the high end of the price spectrum. Now that I know the quality of the product I would be more than happy to pay a few extra £s for them.

Our New Keyrings

What do you get?

Two plastic key-rings measuring 5.8 x 5.8cm, that can have prints on both sides of the fob. They feel good in your hand and you can tell that you are holding something solid. They aren’t too light and for sure don’t feel flimsy. The plastic clip holding the key ring fob is removable, so if you have another plan for your small plastic picture, you can remove it from the ring without fear of damaging the key-ring itself or the picture. Worth noticing is the fact that the whole picture part of the key-ring is in fact a single piece… this is not some picture sliding under a piece of plastic malarkey, no sir, this key-ring is solid. The plastic itself is very hard, it doesn’t bend at all… it also doesn’t break when dropped… yes, I am like a child but I just had to test it, on concrete from a height 🙂

Price – RRP £9.99

This is actually a very good price, especially given that you can design both sides of it. You can have a picture on one side and a personal note on the other, or anything your heart desires – just remember that you will have to make a note earlier and take a picture of it.

So what do I think?

I love it! It is fast and you can get an awesome gift at a good price. I can see Instajunction being very handy around Christmas time – they are perfect for creating unique gifts. We are thinking: wall calendar for Nan Flo, as she loves pictures and we can make something special for her, which she will cherish the whole of next year; sticker book for kids so they can share pictures from their play dates in a totally different form, I bet it will bring them much more joy than a standard printed picture; set of vinyls for my sis, they are redecorating and I am sure she will love some of her pictures on the wall…

What do you think? Would you use a company which allows you to create products using pictures from your Instagram account?

Oh, and I almost forgot… I have a 25% discount code which I can share with my friends. Code is FRIEND25BM and it must be used before 8/12/2013.

Or if you miss this deadline I also have 15% discount code FR10BT6X which is valid until 31/12/2013. They are both multi-use.

Happy snapping!

.

I received £25 credit from Instajunction via FuelMyBlog for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this review are honest and my own.

***

Related articles

• Instajunction: Make the most of your Instagram photos (digital-diva.co.uk)
• Review: Instajunction Brings Instagram To Life (fivesafellowship.com)

Review – Personalised Pet Treat Jar from Treat Republic

I really love those days, the ones where I return home after a long day and there it is a huge parcel waiting for me… Now not always are these goodies for me but just the thrill of opening it makes me happy… very happy, it’s like Xmas every day…

This time the goodies were for Lilly and Bunk. My guys received a personalised treat jar from Treat Republic.

Lilly and Bunk’s doggie treats, paws off!

Our new treat jar arrived in really huge box and was extremely well packed. I would confidently say that the chances of it getting damaged in transit were zero.

Sometimes I disagree with all the over packaging so many things today but in this case I was all for it.

Lots of bubble wrap inside the box in order to protect your new purchase in transit.
Big plus for the Treat Republic.

The jar itself is made from acrylic, which is great. It is very light and perfectly see-through. I think that this choice of material is a huge plus. It is easier to pick up due to the light weight and it will not break if dropped so much better than glass for example that would be heavy and would shatter if dropped.

The jar has an air tight seal, so the treats will stay fresher for longer.

It measures 11cm x 11cm x 15cm, now before it arrived I was thinking “Hmmm this isn’t going to be big enough for my two…”  Once it arrived and I put Bunk’s and Lillie’s favourite mini bones in, it turned into the Tardis, it really is surprising just how much room there is inside it.

Our new treat jar

The treat jar is very nicely made, with the metal finish it is perfect. I must have opened and closed it 50+ times just to be sure it will shut well and work as it should (ok I was bored one afternoon, definitely not OCD like Mark recons)… and it does. On our jar there is a small imperfection on the back of the jar just between the metal clasps – I guess this is where the acrylic mass met during production. It is only really visible when you study the jar… in normal use most of us would probably not even notice it.

This jar is one of those things that once you own one you have no idea how you would cope without it. Until our jar arrived we had treats everywhere – in our pet drawer, in the cupboard, on the kitchen counter, on the kitchen island (this really annoyed Mark for some reason)… now they are all neatly tucked away in our new treat jar and sit there waiting for their day of doom when Bunks slobbery chops come a munching.

This lovely gift can be purchase from Treat Republic at very reasonable price of £19.99. There is an option of both gift wrap and next day delivery and of course the best bit you can add your own text to it which will make it even more special.

If you already have a treat jar Treat Republic offers some other personalised pet gifts like food bowls or dog brushes.

To sum up my thoughts on this lovely little jar… I love it, I would buy it and I for sure would recommend it to a friend…

The only thing which I would change, in a vain attempt to make a balanced review, is to make the letters more noticeable so that they stand out more… in certain light it is not always easy to see whose jar it is… which makes our cats very confused…

* Product was provided by Treat Republic free of charge for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this review are honest and my own .