Hayman's London Dry Gin at Booths

There has never been a better time to stock up on Hayman's London Dry Gin as Booths are offering it to everyone for £12.69, 700ml 40% abv (normal RRP £15.69), from 1st January to 22nd January. So there's no need to compromise on quality if you have to tighten your belt after Christmas!

This premium classic style of London Dry Gin comprises the careful and consistent balance of ten natural botanicals handpicked from around the world which creates a fresh crisp and elegant flavour. The best juniper provides the predominant flavour of Gin, whilst the finest angelica roots give the Gin its dry character. Coriander seeds are added together with Liquorice which gives it a wonderful complexity. Orris root is an essential part of the blend as it holds the other flavours together and along with orange and lemon peel give Hayman's London Dry Gin its crisp, balanced and unique flavour. Pour two measures in a glass, filled with ice, top with tonic and a slice of lime and do the taste test yourself.

 

Not only does Hayman's London Dry Gin taste sublime but it has roots steeped in history as the oldest Gin distilling family in the UK are behind it. Christopher Hayman, inherited his passion of Gin distilling from his Great Grandfather James Burrough (who created Beefeater Gin in the 1800s), and he is one of the most experienced "Gin Masters" in the trade, having been involved in the recipes and distillations of many Gins over the years. It's taken a long time to perfect the London Dry Gin, the culmination of Christopher Hayman's 40 years involvement in the distillation of Gin and we know it was worth the wait!

Where to buy: Booths have 25 stores spread across four North West Counties, Lancashire, Cumbria, Yorkshire and Cheshire, to locate your nearest store go to http://www.booths.co.uk/store-finder

Offer available from 1st - 19th January only

Prices from £12.69 700ml 40%abv

Closed WIN A Reisenthel Wash Bag Giveaway #17 Ends 19/12

I have just reviewed the lovely Girlstravelclub.co.uk who are exciting new online boutique for female travellers, providing all those hard-to-find beauty and health travel products and all the information you need in one place! Where else can you find out the many uses of an onion on holiday or how a camomile teabag can provide relief for all sorts of health and beauty problems? 

They very kindly agreed to give away one of the Hanging washbags as a prize, its simply great for your travels, holds lots and is very stylish.

This is a hanging washbag - these are made by a German company called Reisenthel and are really popular. They come in a variety of styles and two sizes - this competition is for a hanging baroque one, which is the smaller of the two.

Beautiful tough fabric, stylish design and lots and lots of pockets!

The main compartment is made of light netting with 1 + 3 pockets

• 2 zip pockets in the cover

• Suspension hook

• Mirror can be attached to the inside with Velcro fastening

Different colour here but an image of the inside for you to see how practical it is.

So on to how to win

Be a follower via Google Friends Connect on the right,

 

   Leave a contact twitter name or email

Tell me how Micropore medical tape can help cure a holiday hangover

Click HERE to find out the answer...

Bonus Entry as usual  comment on any of my posts for a second chance to win. (Competition posts do not count)

http://www.girlstravelclub.co.uk/

Rules

UK only

Must Follow my blog

Contact name to be left (anonymous is as it says anonymous you cannot win)

Ends Midnight 19th December

OTHER GIVEAWAYS
Win Gtech Power Sweeper 16/12

http://given-to-distracting-others.blogspot.com/2010/12/win-gtech-power-sweeper-giveaway-15.html

WIN Shloer  17/12
http://given-to-distracting-others.blogspot.com/2010/12/win-shloer-and-make-christmas-sparkle.html

Enid Blytons Famous Five Collection

Christmas is the time for mad book buying in our house, the kids get a book as standard along with the gold coins, orange and candy canes in their stockings. Always have and I intend never to stop.

We buy books for each other for all occasions.

I have a love of reading that I have managed to instill into my children and they too have times where they can escape into a book.

Reading for me as a child was a means of escape from a boring day, a fantasy world rich with characters who sometimes I hated, sometimes I adored and mostly I wished I was really in the lives being played out.

One such book series was Enid Blyton's the Famous Five.

I wanted to be a bit like George but not quite as boyish. She always seemed braver than I was. Anne was pretty and blonde and kind and I liked her.

Julian in my mind was a heartthrob.

Tall strong and just.

I got bought each book as I finished one, I had the red hardback set which apparently are quite rare to buy. 

"Oh Jeepers"  as George would say!  I should have kept them all.

The Famous Five are a group of children who have the sort of adventures most kids dream about, in a world where ginger beer flows and ham rolls are a staple diet.

Julian, Dick and Anne get together with their cousin George in the first adventure, Five On A Treasure Island.

George is actually a girl who wants so desperately to be a boy she cuts her hair and does   tomboy things.

She hates it when people call her by her correct name, Georgina. She has a dog called Timmy who is loyal and true.

Most kids just have a dog, but George's parents own Kirrin Island and they let her run about on it getting up to all sorts of adventures. The first being a shipwreck and a search for treasure.

Her parents are known as  Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny.

I have read these over and over to my children and I also read to my best friends  boys as a treat each time they have stayed over.

Enid Blyton's books are still as exciting in the 21st century, I promise. The set of 10 books at Kids IQ are way more colourful looking still with the fab vintage illustrations.

You can still get this entralling series and you can find this set at Kids IQ Books for a marvellous price of £19.99

Also there is a set of Horrible Histories for £19.99, was £59.99, now I also recommend these books, history made interesting and yucky just how children love it.

Kids IQ Books specialise in children’s educational and story books at discounted prices, aimed at babies through to children sitting their A levels

Their aim is to help children’s learning and development by providing educational books which support the UK Curriculum.

Kids IQ Books also try to provide information regarding the education system and point parents in the direction of other sources of information.

Free UK delivery on all orders over £25 too!

https://www.kidsiqbooks.com/

Jack Link's Beef Jerky - Enjoy healthier Snacking

Jack Link's Beef Jerky is a revelation, it is made in the US. I always thought it was made only in South Africa. i also thought it was just the one product.

I was sent Original, Sweet Hot and Beef Steak Bites.

They are really different the beef aroma hits you the minute you open the pack, its meaty and rich.

Chris said it was sweeter than any he had tried he has a work colleague who brings it back from Johannesburg . Conor said it was way better than an Australian one he tried.

As you eat the jerky becomes more and more juicy.

Its as you will read below great if you are dieting. if not you can have a few packs!!!

A good snack for Conor who needs protein for running too.

Health conscious consumers are looking for tasty alternatives to fatty snacks - Jack Link’s, the world’s leading brand in the ready-to-eat meat snack market produces a range of beef jerky which is low in fat and high in protein.

Jack Link’s beef jerky and beef steak nuggets are seasoned pieces of 100% lean beef gently smoked to create a delicious snack. The range is available in a variety of flavours to suit every taste including original, teriyaki and sweet & hot.

25g and 75g packs make it the ideal snack for people on the move and those who like to share. Beef jerky is a huge hit with American supermodels as it low calories (from 62.5 calories a pack) and high protein helps keep them fuller for longer!

Whether you’re training for a triathlon, trying to stay fit or simply fancy tucking into something healthier at work, Jack Link’s has the perfect snack. All products in the Jack Link’s range are high in protein and contain no more than 4% fat.

Jack Link’s retails at £1.49 for a 25g pack and £3.29 for a 75g pack and is available from all good food stores.

To find out more about Jack Link’s visit www.jacklinks.info

British Women would Rather go Without Knickers than Makeup!

• 32% of women name their makeup bag top festive essential – above underwear, friends and winter coats combined

• 1 in 10 (11%) men admit to misleading their ladies about liking the ‘girl next door’ look

With the Xmas party season fast upon us and an average of 16 parties to attend and 80 hours more socializing than usual, it seems that British women are keen to look their very best at all costs. According to a new study commissioned by Sheer Cover® mineral makeup polling over 1000 women and over 720 men, almost one out of every three (32%) polled would prefer to go to a Christmas party without underwear, a winter coat and friends combined – rather than attending a party barefaced!

Such is our reliance on makeup and our fear of Facebook shame, that half (50%) of the women polled admitted to wearing even more makeup than normal during this time, with 37% of these women piling on the war paint to guarantee good Christmas photos and an additional 32% of women glamming it up to impress family, friends and colleagues.

Northern girls are the worst offenders as 83% of women from the North East polled admitted that they see the festive season as an excuse to up the ante with their Christmas makeup regime –ten percent more than the National average. While Northern lasses are known for their commitment to glamour, it appears they may well be on to something, as men are in agreement that some extra effort can make a big difference!

Despite the old adage that men prefer the fresh-faced girl-next-door look, the survey also showed that applying some Christmas glitz may not be a wasted effort after all. 11% of British men fessed up to misleading their ladies when stating that their girlfriends look better au naturale, and only 54% of men actually claimed to prefer the natural look! Almost a quarter (23%) of men polled went as far as to say that the right makeup made them notice girls who they had previously never paid attention to, while a surprisingly high 11% of men polled admitted to getting in on the trend by ‘borrowing’ a little makeup when the Mrs. was looking the other way! Of these ‘metrosexuals’ 64% claimed to only dab on a little concealer in an attempt to look more well rested and less than 5% admitted to indulging in holiday glitter.

Makeup artist to the stars, Armand Beasley commented: “While it is obvious that we are all keen to look our very best at Christmas time, it is important that we resist the temptation to pile on more make-up than is necessary. Increased alcohol consumption, colder weather and lack of sleep already takes its toll on our skin at this time of year so women should take extra care to look after their skin. This is why mineral makeup, such as the Sheer Cover® range, is a great choice for both daytime and evening looks allowing women to achieve a suitably glamorous look that enhances their features and makes them feel confident. This is because Sheer Cover® contains 100% natural minerals providing a lightweight, flawless, picture-perfect finish while covering dark circles, uneven skin tone and imperfections easily. The mineral foundation is great as it doesn’t clog pores and leaves you feeling like your wearing no makeup.”

With a full range of sheer, natural, mineral makeup ideal for day or evening looks, Sheer Cover® products boast healthy formulas that can be worn all day long without feeling cakey. Worn by Hollywood beauties, Sheer Cover® gives a flawless finish in photos, guaranteeing that your Christmas snaps will do you proud on the mantle this year. The NEW Autumn Palette provides sheer and deep shades that can take you from the office to the dancefloor in one simple step. Easy to apply and long-lasting, Sheer Cover® makes nailing the perfect Christmas look a breeze.

For Armand Beasley’s Top Ten Festive Makeup Tips or to purchase Sheer Cover, visit www.sheercover.co.uk/beauty RRPs for the full range start from £29.99.

Little Dish CookBook Winner

One lucky person has won this gorgeous cookbook, great for dishes for the whole family.

Thank you for all the entries and fab comments about favourite foods, my blog seems to have lots of food lovers too judging by all the post comments.

Psychic Science generated the lucky commenter and as it was said in Highlander there can be only one:

phyllgerry

Congratulations will contact you now, if you see this in your reader first drop me your details and I will pass onto Little Dish.

Other giveaways

Shloer 3 people will win 4 bottles

http://given-to-distracting-others.blogspot.com/2010/12/win-shloer-and-make-christmas-sparkle.html

Gtech Cordless Power Sweeper

http://given-to-distracting-others.blogspot.com/2010/12/win-gtech-power-sweeper-giveaway-15.html

GirlsTravelClub.co.uk Review

Girlstravelclub.co.uk is an online boutique specialising in beautiful, stylish and above all useful travel gifts and accessories for women on the go. It is a one stop travel shop that will cater for all your travelling needs and also has lots of Top Tips for travelling and holidays; including advice on natural remedies, personal safety and packing tips.

Have a read and look see as Girlstravelcub are giving one of my readers

this  

Reisenthel hanging Travel Washbag

I love the fact that they cater for all your travel needs but they are not boring khakis and browns, Paige who is in the midst of her Duke of Edinburgh Silver (DOFE) fell in love with all the little toiletry bags, (see the Moomin one below)

She is off to the Peak District for her final assessment in March and I know its going to be bitter, but we now have a lovely mini hot water bottle which will fit in her rucksack and slip nicely in her rucksack to keep her toasty warm. It looks lovely here at home too, its a lovely size and I have it in mind for a couple more people for Christmas presents.

Lovely size is great for a sore neck too. Oh and look at the cute Charlie and Lola one!

They also have some fab travel tips too. Great things to do with dental floss, emergency shoe laces anyone? Oh and using it to make a temporary washing line for your undies!!

http://girlstravelclub.co.uk/catalog/pages.php?page=packing_list

There are some fab ideas for Christmas and we spent a long time looking at all the lovely accessories. There is so much to buy for any girl or lady on her travels whether off up a mountain or lazing idly on the beach and cute bits for family camping holidays too.

 

 

 GTC's washbags and vanity cases   are another great Christmas Gift idea - and now available featuring the Moomins!!! 

 
 

 

They have  bestselling favourites such as the very vintage spotty mocha hanging washbags and ponchos, as well as a lovely new range of make-up pouches and washbags featuring designs from the Ladybird books of our childhood, priced from £4.99.

Also sure to be a hot seller this festive season are our new document wallets , passport covers and  luggage tags  from £2.99.  Choose from either the romantic Keepsake range, or our dashing World Map design and get a beautiful, matching set of travel accessories to glam up your luggage; there are even matching travel journal and photograph albums to keep all those globetrotting memories organised.

http://www.girlstravelclub.co.uk/

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