DAXON CALLING ALL FELLOW LOVERS OF FASHION!

Daxon are giving UK’s finest fashion bloggers who love and live for fashion by offering the chance to become part of an exclusive blogger network.

Daxon is part of Redcats, which is the 3rd largest home shopping organisation in the world, with other fashion greats such as Vertbaudet and another favourite of mine La Redoute.

Daxon specialise in top quality clothing. They aim to find the perfect fit for you.

I have been lost all morning in their fabulous sale items and after looking at the site, I am impressed, big brand names in shoes such as Ecco and Clarks.

The lingerie range boast Triumph, Sloggi and more.

Pluswear, menswear, home and many more ranges are all covered.

I'm really hoping to be a part of the Daxon exclusive blogger network, they have some fabulous items for all occasions and I would enjoy showcasing some of the items.

Oh and here is one of my favourites sale items below, (which I might just have to add to the basket!!) I am just so impressed with the price! Plus free  delivery and returns, which all makes for a pleasant shopping experience.

If you want to know more about the Daxon VIP Fashion Blogger opportunity take a look here.

Anne Weyburn Ladies Double Breasted Trenchcoat £29.99 was £99.00

Click on the description for more details!

http://www.daxon.co.uk

Mustard Shopperholic Shopper Review

You may have read my recent review for the Mustard OvenKnits, a festive pair of oven gloves which have been great to use and look very Christmassy hanging in the kitchen.

My next review is for the very handy Shopperholic Shopper, I love that it looks like a chic handbag, it makes a real change to the hessian type bags I use. Its a clever accessory as it folds down really small. It fits in my handbag,is very lightweight so does not weigh me down. Its been fab for Christmas shopping, its roomy and hid all the prezzies I was sneaking in.

http://www.justmustard.com/product-168/shopperholic-bags. Available in pink and champagne, it’s a light reusable shopper bag with an eye-catching design. You’ll be able to sneak Christmas pressies into the house undetected and when you’re not using the bag it can be folded into a flat little pouch.

Check out our AUTUMN 2012 CATALOGUE and follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Viakal Cleaning tips by Anthea Turner

I have for a while now used Viakal in the bathroom, what I like is its effective removal of limescale, without having to use any effort. I live in a hard water area and limescale builds really fast.

I particularly like the spray version as it gets in hard to reach places like under the taps and around the rim of the toilet. It also prevents more build up so I use it regularly and it takes seconds to spray, leave and just rinse away.

Its fab on kitchen sinks too, again so easy to use.

I would love this made for kettles.

Its also great to make the taps and chrome work really shiny, I have just read its because it contains a polymer pro-shine technology which maintains the improved appearance of surfaces through a water sheeting action or protective film that prevents further limescale build up

Viakal has it’s own celebrity ambassador in the shape of Anthea Turner and here are her tips

Cleaning tips by Anthea Turner

• Storage, storage, storage– it’s very difficult to clean around shampoos and shower gels so put them away after every use especially if you have a big family
• To create that sparkly hotel feeling, use a wet cloth to clean then polish with a separate dry one
• Colour coordinate your cleaning cloths – blue for loo and pink for sink
• Keep an eye out for unsightly, chalky limescale especially if you live in a hard water area and use a good limescale remover like Viakal as soon as you spot any – danger areas are taps, the plughole and shower head (it’s best to unscrew this and soak)
• Keep your toothbrush in the cupboard to protect it from airborne germs
• Don’t let dirt build up, instead wipe the sink after every use
• Opt for tiles or a lino flooring rather than carpet as this is a breeding ground for bacteria
• Refrain from keeping pot pourri in the bathroom as this will collect dust
• It’s a great idea to keep cleaning products in the bathroom itself but pop them in the cupboard
• Most importantly, keep your bathroom in a state you enjoy

I received a Viakal goody bag in return for this post but all opinions are my own

Venus Spa Breeze Review

Designed for women who seek convenience, but still love to indulge their skin, the Venus Spa Breeze razor contains built-in shave gel bars that provide a skin-loving light lather for a smooth shave without the need for separate shave gel.

I was sent the Venus Spa Breeze to trial and I love everything about it.

Firstly its really easy to open the packaging, one thing that bugs me about rigid packaging are the sharp hard to open boxes. This has a press in portion and is simple.

The Venus Spa Breeze is also in its own handy container. 

I like this for the fact that the blades and razor are all in one place together and can be stored neatly and cleanly.

The blades have a shave gel bar attached, these are in little packets to further keep them clean. Its easy to attach a head and unattach after they are finished.

The razor is very easy to use, once I had remembered I did not need to soap my legs which I did the first time as so used to having to do that. It makes it a lot faster with the gel bar. The bars contain olive, avocado and kokum oil which makes for a lovely fragrance.

They shave really close and left my legs feeling smooth. I really have enjoyed a different shaving experience.

Venus Spa Breeze with one cartridge and one Showerpod™ RRP £9.99
4 pack RRP £9.69
8 pack RRP £18.39

For stockist details call 00800 4455 3883.

I was also sent  the ProSkin Sensitive blades Every blade actually fits every handle so fit onto the Spa Breeze razor too.  This is the great thing about Venus as depending on the type of shave your require, you can simply swap over the blades on the same razor handle. 

The Venus ProSkin Sensitive razor is designed for women who want to protect their skin as they shave. Specially designed to achieve a close shave with less feel of irritation*, the Venus ProSkin Sensitive is great even on sensitive skin.

Features & Benefits

• Venus ProSkin Sensitive features 5 floating blades spaced close together to reduce pressure and achieve a closer shave
• An extra-rich protective ribbon of moisture lubricates and protects the skin whilst providing a close shave with less feel of irritation
• Enhanced lubricating strip** helps improve glide over the skin
• The soft handle gives you great control, even when wet
• Venus ProSkin Sensitive razor is dermatologically tested and accredited by the Skin Health Alliance

*vs. Simply Venus™ 2 **vs. Venus Embrace

Availability

The Venus ProSkin Sensitive razor is available in all major UK retail outlets. For stockist details call 00800 4455 3883.

Venus ProSkin Sensitive razor with one cartridge and one Showerpod™ RRP £9.99

Venus ProSkin Sensitive blades 3 pack RRP £9.69

Venus ProSkin Sensitive blades 6 pack RRP £17.99

Clover Block Christmas Recipes

Clover has a new product  Clover Block - and I put it to the test on some of my favourite Christmas recipes. You can check out all the wonderful recipes for the festive season on the Clover Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/CloverUK?fref=ts

I was sent Clover Block and paid for my ingredients and have been cooking up a storm.

Firstly I have to say how versatile it really is. It is a good product for frying ingredients for my recipes. It melts really well, which is handy for brushing onto pastry such as filo.

I bought a turkey and decided to make some early Christmas meals, I am pretty busy these days so it was a great way to be ahead of Christmas and be able to enjoy the time with my family.

My Turkey and Filo Pie is a great way to use up turkey after the big day. Through the year I make with chicken and leek, but its tasty with the turkey and tarragon too.

Its really simple to make and using filo means it is fast to make a pie.

Serves 6 people

50g Clover Block for frying

 leftover turkey I used 400g

1 tsp butter

4 leekswashed and cut into 1cm thick rounds

125ml white wine

200ml made Knorr stock pot

107g Philadelphia Light

1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon

1 tbsp olive oil

1 pack  filo pastry 

Melted Clover Block for brushing.

Instructions

Pre heat the oven to 190 C 170 C Fan or Gas 5.

Melt the Clover Block in a heavy frying pan and cook the leeks for about 5  minutes. 

Stir in the turkey,white wine and  stock and bring to a simmer – cook for about 5 minutes – until slightly reduced.

Add the Philadelphia Light and chopped tarragon, then stir until it has melted into a creamy sauce. Add a dash of stock or water if looking too thick.

 Spoon the mixture into a shallow, 1 litre ovenproof pie dish and leave to cool.

Brush the edge of the pie dish with olive oil if using a shallow dish which has the pastry overlapping.  Mine was a deep dish, so not needed.

Unroll the filo pastry and lay sheets of pastry over the pie dish. Brush with melted Clover Block  then repeat with the other sheets. Scrunch up any overlapped overhanging pastry, to make a nice look to the pie and brush with the Clover Block.

I used the turkey to make a traditional pie, I wanted to test out the Clover block for shortcrust pastry, it made a really good not too short pastry, easy to roll out and tasty.

The below pie is similar but onion replaces leeks and a stock thickened with flour for a gravy filling. I also use a puff pasty top, but if even the chefs don't make their own any more, neither am I!

Oh and not very Christmassy but Clover Block is great in mash.

Lenor Sleep Challenge Giveaway 14th Jan

Sleep escapes me at the moment, I am fully aware of some of the reasons, some I can deal with,some will take time to manage.

So when Lenor asked if I would like to take part in a sleep challenge, I yawned ;) and  said yes, oh yes please!! 

My sleep is hampered by many things but new research by Lenor has found that a staggering 83% of Brits go on to have an unproductive day if they’ve not slept in clean, fresh bed sheets and 71% claim that sleeping in fusty sheets makes them unhappy.

Unfortunately for most, a mere 5% of people feel that the clean, freshly washed feeling of newly laundered bed sheets lasts for more than a couple of days. Lenor gives fabric up to seven times longer lasting freshness by releasing scent through touch to keep them fresh and fragrant for longer - helping turn Fresh Sheet Day into Fresh Sheet Week!

Sammy Margo

Lenor sent me a sleep guide to fill in for a week.  Lenor's  had a sleep expert Sammy Margo analyse the results This covered not only length of time asleep, but how often I awoke, what my routine before bed was, worries that were affecting sleep, plus any disturbances that affected it. Importantly how I felt when I awoke.Here are Sammy's findings

Jo Bryan

Busy looking after everyone else …….but not herself.

As a full time carer, Jo is never not at work.

With her grandmother living with her and what with worrying about her Mum and other family, she doesn't really get a chance to switch off.

How can she make some time for herself whilst still ‘caring’?

Tips

Jo needs to:

• Set some time aside for a bedtime routine which may include a warm relaxing bath with lavender , some calming music and a sleepy snack
• Try to start the bedtime routine and hour before bedtime
• Try to get to bed a little earlier even if it means just being in bed and resting
• Set a ‘caffeine cut off ‘time after lunch
• Take some time during the day to go for a walk around the block and if that’s not possible just get out into the fresh air for a short while
• Try to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity even if it’s broken into 3 chunks of 10 minutes, stair climbing, and housework count.
• Consider buying noise cancelling ear plugs to get some respite from the noisy street and snoring husband-but you will still be able to hear your grandmother and high frequencies such as an alarm clock
• Freshen room with lavender/camomille or wash your clothes using Lenor
• Try placing a pillow between your legs to help optimise your sleep position and help reduce your back pain

It is very interesting to see that in print , 'busy looking after everybody but herself' I really need to do all of these as I am three months in to my caring role and want to continue to do it well, plus function in all other areas.

Some are very easy to do immediately, cutting caffeine, buying earplugs and camomile room spray are happening from now. 

Lenor sent me a sleep sack to further help, the items are proving very beneficial. I have one to giveaway to a lucky reader too.

Sleep sack

Sammy Margo's The Good Sleep Guide -the book is packed with really great tips and looks at your sleeping environment and common sleep disorders.

A Delta Sleep System CD- Delta sleep is the most important part of sleep and this CD helps you achieve this

A Can't Sleep Write Now diary. Great for writing down all things preventing sleep and full of prompts for creative writing and thoughts.

Hot Chocolate to swap for the caffeine.

An adorable mug apt for me 'Go away I'm blogging'

A Pillowcase with a message from  Lenor 

Washout fabric pens for doodling thoughts on my pillowcase, easily washed out!

A personalised eye mask (Please note the prize eye mask will not be personalised)

Lenor Pink Topaz and Magnolia- This has been lovely, all my sheet have been washed in this gorgeous softener, it does indeed last all week,this particular fragrance is so delicate and restful too. My cushions and curtains have been freshened using it and the bedroom does have a really relaxing light aroma.

Prize pack, contents may vary.

So if you want to be sleeping like a baby very soon, fill in the easy peasy rafflecopter.

Ends 3rd January

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Disclosure I was given  free products listed above. I was under no obligation to receive the samples or talk about this company. I get no additional benefits for talking about the product or company.

Mustard OvenKnits Review

I love website shopping, when I come across a site with fun but useful products I often linger far too long. Mustard is just such a site. They asked me to review a few products and I love them. 

Mustard is a creative and innovative company which takes a sideways look at life. Sometimes that means creating products that no-one’s ever thought of, but everyone wishes they had. And at other times it means inventing things that are downright, unashamed fun. 

My first review is for the OvenKnits

With a festive red and white design, the new Ovenknits have Christmas written all over them, I tend to just grab a tea towel to get hot dishes out of the oven, but Paige has to use oven gloves. She fears the hot oven a little and with the long oven glove style she still refuses to use those. 

We both tried out the gloves and found them really heat resistant, its easy to grasp a tin and they just look so good in the kitchen at this time of year. Paige happily is using them without fear of being burnt, so I am hoping to see her bake some Christmas goodies this month.

The gloves cost £12.98  for the pair and are in stock now!

For more contemporary fun click through to www.justmustard.com

Win a box of Yu! Healthy Snacks Fruit Bars - 2 prizes Ends 10th January

Win a box of Yu! Healthy Snacks Fruit Bars - 2 prizes

It's a brand new year, so why not make it a brand new healthy you to match? Yu! has a scrumptious range of guilt-free snacks to help you keep up with those New Year diet resolutions. With a whole host of treats made from real fruit and wholesome ingredients, Yu! makes it easy to indulge without compromising on taste – or health!

Have you tried Yu! Healthy Snacks before?  

Naturally sweet and tasty, Yu! offers a unique selection of products which include:

·         Just Fruit Chews – delicious bite-sized pieces of dried fruit which look and taste just like a sweet, but are 100% from fruit. One of your 5-a-day, less than 90 calories, fat free and no added sugar

·         Yogurt-Coated Fruit Pieces – tasty fruit bites covered in a creamy yogurt coating, containing real fruit and real yogurt

·         Yu! Bars (40% fruit) – packed with plump, juicy fruits with cereal in a gorgeously healthy yogurt-coating

Now you have a chance to win a box of Yu! Healthy Snacks Fruit Bars!!!  They are fruit bars made from real fruit and crunchy cereal covered in yogurt coating.

For your chance to win simply comment on the post below. You will need to follow Yu! on Twitter and like their page on Facebook. Enter and follow/like via the Rafflecopter below Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Belvita Duo Crunch

Belvita Breakfast is a great option for mums on the go.  I know as a busy mum, carer I often skip breakfast so it was handy to try something a bit more convenient

Belvita recommend that you eat it with a piece of fruit, a yogurt and a hot drink and also that you don’t give it to children – not that there’s anything wrong with it, but it’s just that children should try and make time to have breakfast at the table (when possible)! I have instilled good breakfast habits for my two, but I did not do the same as a teen and its pretty hard to break a bad habit.

I was sent  a breakfast package with a few useful gadgets to get me through the day/week!

I certainly have found it useful. A Belvita mug, a keep hot or cold mug,great for keeping my tea hot when I am rushing around. A handy calendar for next year with a student, husband who has a pile of meetings, son on different shifts at work, my Granny with appointments for various things and myself included, I certainly need to keep track of a busy week.

As for the Belvita Duo Crunch, I love them, the sweet yogurt filling make them even yummier, two biscuits really do keep me filled up for a good few hours. I have found I am really benefiting from the easy to grab breakfast.

Strawberry and Live Yogurt adds a new unique spin to the very successful Yogurt Crunch range. The first to contain a deliciously fruity strawberry and creamy live yogurt filling sandwiched between two crunchy Belvita Breakfast biscuits, each serving provides a nutritious mix of 5 wholegrains. Not only this the new edition provides a source of vitamins E, B1, Iron and Magnesium, perfect to help you kick-start your morning!

Leading nutritionist, Fiona Hunter, comments, “One serving of the new Belvita Breakfast Strawberry and Live Yogurt Crunch provides 38% of our RDA of Vitamin E, 22% of our RDA of Magnesium and 20% of our RDA of iron. Eating a good breakfast, full of vitamins and minerals, kick starts our metabolism and gives the body and brain the energy we need until lunchtime¹. Research suggests that it also assists with concentration and contributes to improve nutrition density of the overall diet².

Belvita Breakfast Biscuits are now more popular than ever - one in seven people in the UK have tried the range with more than 1 in 2 coming back for more (56% repeat rate). ³. Rahul Garsahani, Belvita Breakfast Senior Brand Manager, explains: “We know in many European countries that biscuits are a popular choice for breakfast and recent results show that more and more people in the UK are eating Belvita to fit in with their busy lifestyles. ⁴. The brand is now worth £40.3m and as well as being number 2 brand in Healthy Biscuits, Belvita Breakfast is now the now the 8^th largest brand in total biscuits here in the UK. *

1 What’s for breakfast: Nutritional implications of breakfast habits: insights from the NDNS dietary records by S.A.Gibson and P.Gunn. The British Nutrition Foundation Bulletin (2011) 36, 78-86. 5 Breakfast and snacking: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1992), Vol. 55, 645-651.

2.

Breakfast, blood glucose, and cognition.  American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1998) Vol 67, 772S-778S.

3. Belvita Usage and Attitudes study 8th May 2012-08-17

4. Nielsen Scantrack data to w.e. 23.06.12.

The new variant will join the full Belvita Breakfast range, which includes Milk & Cereals, Fruit & Fibre, Honey & Nuts, Crunchy Oats, Forest Fruits, Muesli, Yogurt Crunch and Honey & Live Yogurt Crunch. As with the entire Belvita Breakfast range, the new variant is available in handy, individually wrapped servings of two sandwich biscuits, offering the perfect on-the-go breakfast option for rushed mornings. Strawberry and Live Yogurt Duo Crunch will be available nationwide, in all major supermarkets, from September 2012.  For further information on the entire range, visit www.belvitabreakfast.co.uk or facebook.com/BelvitaUK

Strawberry and Live Yogurt Duo Crunch is available in a 253g box containing five individually wrapped servings of four biscuits (RRP £2.69).

New York Soup Co.’s ‘Fully Loaded’ Review

Fully Loaded Flavour from New York Soup Co.

Pulled pork, meatballs and nachos are just some of the flavours that have inspired New York Soup Co.’s new ‘Fully Loaded’ range and I for one was pretty excited. The whole family love spicy food and we love Tex Mex flavourings and the New York Soup Co bring a range of flavours that are found in NY city. 

So it was just a squabble to see who had which flavours.

Paige and I won the first choice, mainly because Chris and Con were at work. We opted to try the Nacho Chilli Chicken and it was a good first choice.

Paige said it is the best soup she has ever tasted. I have since bought more for her at college.

I loved the gorgeous warming chilli flavour, I could also taste other spices, maybe cumin and coriander . 

Whats great is the soup is a meal more than a snack or light lunch, its packed with big pieces of chicken breast, sweetcorn and pepper. It is indeed fully loaded and very filling.

BBQ Pulled Pork and Beef

Chris and I shared the BBQ Pulled Pork and Bean, I was a little disappointed in this as I found it a bit too sweet, but Chris loved it, so possibly more to do with my not liking sweet and savoury together. Again the soup was packed with beans and huge amounts of meat. 

Paige had the lentil and bean, she said it was warming and had a good amount of spice and lots of beans, 

The Tomato and Meatball is really lovely full of good Italian spices, rather like a meal again.

I feel the price really makes them great value at £2.10 a pot.

I will definitely recommend you try them.

New York Soup Co. is passionate about creating a big bold taste experience. Whether it’s a great piece o’meat or a knockout flavour you’re after, the new Fully Loaded soups are the real deal. Bursting with flavour and chunky fresh ingredients for a hearty and warming lunch, wait ‘til you get a taste of these new soups which include BBQ Pulled Pork and Bean, Tomato and Meatball, Nacho Chilli Chicken and Chunky Lentil and Bean.

New York Soup Co.’s recipes are all about the vast range of ingredients and the melting pot of eclectic cuisines that you find in New York City. All its soups are made from scratch with fresh ingredients that are gently simmered for a home cooked flavour and texture.

The New York Soup Co. has a great load of soups including the four new ‘Fully Loaded’ flavours as well as three ‘Original’ soups including Tomato, Bean & Basil, three ‘Skinny’ recipes including New England Butternut Squash, and one seasonal ‘Limited Edition’ soup which celebrates key American events throughout the year.

Check out New York Soup Co. at a Tesco store near you with pots available from £2.10. For more information please visit www.newyorksoupco.com or become a fan at www.facebook.co.uk/newyorksoupco.