Friday 28 April 2017

What's in our April Degustabox?

Degustabox overview

Once again we were excited to try loads of new-to-the-market foodie/drink releases throughout April. We've been receiving our Degustaboxes for a long time now, and the novelty still hasn't worn off! I've discovered so many new products I love and now regularly buy in my weekly food shop. The monthly delivery from Degustabox is making me take foodie risks and try things I wouldn't ordinarily go for, I'd definitely recommend it if you're a foodie like me. 

April 2017 Degustabox contents

Contents of my April box...

Seabrook Lattice Crisps - Sea Salt & Black Pepper £1.50 - £1.99

For a Seabrook crisp to make the cut, it has to be cut just right. So these Lattice crisps are sliced both ways to hold even more Sea Salt and Black Pepper flavour and give you a crunch like no other. The most flavoursome crisps you've ever eaten? You decide. 

POLO Sugar Free Pot £1.49

The POLO®️'s you've known and loved since 1948 are now available in a handy convenient pot for on the go. POLO®️ mints are flavoured with natural mint oils to refresh your breath and the POLO®️ Sugar Free range is accredited by the Oral Health Foundation®️ as being kind to teeth. 

CELIA Organic Lager £2.49

100% organic and brewed using just three ingredients, CELIA Organic is a premium craft Czech lager that appeals to all. Moravian malt sourced from the Bohemian region, 100% locally sourced organic Saaz hops and sand-filtered water from the Zatec foothills create a delicious, refreshing lager - and it's gluten free!

Garofalo Whole Wheat Penne Pasta £2.19

A pleasure to eat, Garofalo Whole Wheat Penne Pasta is rich in aromas and unique in taste and texture. Made with unprocessed whole organic durum wheat means that its natural bran, germ, fibre, vitamins and minerals remain intact; giving many health benefits. And it cooks in just 11 minutes! 

GOOD HEMP Hemp Seed Hearts £4.49

These delicious, nutty super seeds are packed with GOODness. Not only are they high in Protein, Fibre and Omega 3, they are also free from nuts and gluten and are super environmentally friendly. Perfect for sprinkling on cereal, yoghurt, salads, and stir fries. You can even bake with them! 

Dorset Cereals £4.89

Join us on our foodie journey with our Ultimate Adventures collection. Our Machu Picchu flavour is an adventurous Inca trail inspired blend of oats and barley with Brazil nuts, golden berries and a taste of coffee. Our American Roadtrip  flavour blends cranberries, almonds and orange zest - inspired by Route 66.

Doisy & Dam's Quinoa, Smoked Tea & Vanilla Chocolate £1.75

This bar of chocolatey deliciousness is one of 8 unique flavours. To make it, we soak our delicious nutty Bolivian popped quinoa in a secret smoky infusion, before combining it with our smoothest organic Dominican 39% milk chocolate. Let it melt on your tongue for an awesome taste sensation. 

Nothing But Freeze-Dried Fruit & Veg packs x2 £1.20

Snack packs of freeze-dried fruits and vegetables, containing noting but 100% wholesome ingredients. And because our ingredients undergo a special process called freeze-drying, rather than being baked or fried, all that's removed is the water. Suitable for vegetarian, vegan and gluten free diets. 

Whitworths Full of Super Vanilla Macs-roons £1.50

Whitworths VANILLA MACA-ROONS are crammed with almonds, flakes of coconut, and golden flax seeds. What's more they're naturally high in fibre and Pantothenic Acid (which aids mental performance), gluten free, soya free and are suitable for vegetarians. 

ViPnuts Hot Chilli £1.25 

Introducing New York Delhi's ViPnuts - the gourmet peanut brand. Our unique take on one of the world's favourite snacks. Hot Chilli is the one for the chilli lovers out there - this is not an imposter like so many - this really does not disappoint if you yearn for that chilli kick and depth of flavour then this is the one for you. Deliciously and not dangerously hot!

Fentimans Pink Grapefruit Tonic Water 500ml £1.99

Made with ruby red grapefruit and quinine for a tonic that is refreshingly dry and crisp. Mix with Gin or Vodka for a refreshing and zesty long drink. No artificial sweeteners, flavourings or preservatives.
BOX VALUE TOTAL = £26.43


April 2017 Degustabox contents

Doisy & Dam Chocolate in my Degustabox

April 2017 Degustabox contents

Our top picks from this months box were...

Top Picks April Degustabox

Liam was also chuffed with the handy pot of POLO mints, which he has taken to work to have on his desk. I enjoyed trying the Whitworths Full of Super Maca-roons, although I probably wouldn't buy them again as there are other energy-ball style snack products on the market that I prefer. 

We tried the Doisy & Dam chocolate but it really wasn't to any of our tastes, although I could appreciate the quality of the milk chocolate itself, and the texture from the added quinoa, I just couldn't get on board with the smoked tea element - it was almost savoury, which for me just didn't work! I'd be interested to try other flavours in their range though. 

We all enjoyed the fruit bag from Nothing But, however we found the pea/sweetcorn vegetable bag to be very bland - I think the natural sweetness in the fruit bag works well, but the veggie ones really lacked flavour and pizzaz. 

Liam drank the CELIA Organic lager with our delicious steak dinner on Wednesday night and he said it was the perfect refreshing craft lager to go with a treat meal. 

We're saving the whole wheat pasta for a family dinner next week - we only eat whole wheat pasta here, so I'm sure we'll love it, having not tried this particular variety before - a very handy addition to this months box, as it saves me buying me usual packet in my weekly shop! 

A totally new-to-me product is the GOOD HEMP Hemp Seed Hearts - the health benefits really interest me, and they've been really easy to sprinkle onto my cereal and yoghurt in the mornings - they add a nice bit of texture and a subtle nutty flavour. The packet is massive and will last me a really long time as I only sprinkle a teaspoon full each time. 

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Would you like to give Degustabox a try? If so you can receive a whopping £7.00 off your first box by using code:

1VRVA

at the checkout! 

Enjoy lovely peeps...

Mrs B

xxx

For more info on Degustabox follow them on their social media channels:

Degustabox social media

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CozyPhones Monster Headphones Review & WIN Unicorn CozyPhones of your very own...

Bert loves accessing media (don't all toddlers these days?) he has his own Kindle for Kids tablet and personal DVD player, as well as sometimes using my iPhone or laptop to watch videos or play games - we use these devices as 'down time' when he needs some quiet time, we often use his Kindle to keep him amused when we're out and about (especially in environments when he's likely to get bored/lose interest). I also use these devices as a distraction for him when I need to crack on with jobs around the house. We try to limit his screen time to a point, but I'm pretty pragmatic and realistic about it - these tech devices aren't going anywhere, and I actually think it's vital for his future that he is confident using touch screen technology, it will hopefully become second-nature to him (he's better at using his Kindle that I am!)

One thing I've been trying to get Bert used to is using headphones - especially when we're in public and I'm aware people don't want to hear the annoying accents on his Kids You Tube 'surprise eggs' videos (WHY do they love those videos so much?). He was bought a kid-specific pair of over-ear headphones for Christmas but he's been reluctant to use them - he says they feel funny on his ears, I think he's just not used to wearing something like that and perhaps they feel a bit cumbersome and restrictive? 

Recently, the people from CozyPhones got in touch and asked if they could send Bert a pair of their innovative soft fleece headband style headphones to try out - of course we were only too pleased to oblige! 

Not only are their character headphones fun for kids aesthetically - they are also designed to be uber-comfy - nothing digging in or slipping off, no earbuds hurting your ears - just a soft fleecy band and a super strong 36" braided cord so they're built to last. 

In the CozyPhones kids range there are currently 7 fun designs to choose from:

-Unicorn
-WhatIf Monster
-Panda 
-Purple Frog
-Fox
-Cat
-Pink Bunny

I showed Bert the selection and (as predicted) he chose the WhatIf Monster priced at $19.97 (£15.43).

They arrived super fast and I've never seen Bert so eager to try something on. Biggest hurdle won right there. 


WhatIf Monster CozyPhones Kids' Soft Headphones

WhatIf Monster CozyPhones Kids' Soft Headphones

WhatIf Monster CozyPhones Kids' Soft Headphones

The first time Bert tried them out he'd just gotten in from a full day at school and was pretty shattered, I thought he'd wear them for five minutes like he does with his other headphones and then take them off, however he kept his CozyPhones on for over an hour!! (Cue Mum running to the office to crack on with some work - ha!) 


Bert Bishop wearing his WhatIf Monster CozyPhones

Since then he's actually asked to wear them multiple times (hooray for no longer having to listen to "Daddy Finger, Daddy Finger, Where are you?" on repeat!) and I'm reassured that we'll have no issues getting Bert to use them when necessary - I'm thinking the next long car journey for sure! 

Bert Bishop wearing his WhatIf Monster CozyPhones
Breakfast cereal & CozyPhones! 

 Here's what CozyPhones say about their headphones...

Fun, Comfortable, & Durable Headphones For Kids!

Does your child hate to wear headphones? Are they uncomfortable, too big, or keep falling off? Let us introduce CozyPhones, the perfect solution for your children! With CozyPhones they don’t have to struggle with headphones falling off, or the pain of hard, oversized earbuds. CozyPhones provide hours of listening enjoyment your kids are sure to love.

Parents Love Them Too!

Now you can relax as your child is ushered into to their fun zone. Do road trips drive you crazy? CozyPhones are the perfect accessory for the long family trip. As a parent, you will love the way these headphones magically calm the atmosphere around you.

Are They Made To Last?


CozyPhones are built tough with a flexible and durable 36 inch braided cord and sturdy 3.5 mm stereo plug. The cord is made to last under normal wear and tear of everyday living with your child.

Use with all of your favorite devices such as Android, Samsung Galaxy, Blackberry, Nokia, LG, HTC, Google Nexus, Lenovo, Asus, Sony, Dell, Toshiba, Apple iPhone, iPad, iPod, HG, MP3, MP4, and all of your other audio devices.


------------------------------------------------------
Know a Unicorn crazy kid? Then I have just the giveaway for you...


Why not ^ Pin This ^ for later?

You could WIN some Unicorn Kids CozyPhones of your very own by entering the Gleam app giveaway below...

Unicorn CozyPhones Fleece Headband Headphones for Kids

Unicorn CozyPhones

SuperLucky Blog Giveaway Linky

This giveaway will end on 28th May at 11:59pm


*We were sent the WhatIf Monster CozyPhones in exchange for this honest review.*


Monday 24 April 2017

Women's Fashion from Nutmeg at Morrisons *REVIEW*

Have you heard? There’s a new contender in supermarket fashion as 50 selected Morrisons stores in the country have released the supermarket’s first ever women’s collection (launched on 27th February 2017) as part of its own label ‘Nutmeg.’

The Spring/Summer collection, with pieces starting from just £3, is designed to include best-in-class, easy-to-wear modern essentials and is be available in sizes 8-22. As well as classics like jeans, Breton stripes and even a mac, shoppers can expect a nod to major trends including tropical prints, cold-shoulder tops and sports luxe.

The Nutmeg children’s label was originally launched four years ago with lots of thoughtful details that made clothes easy to wear. The graduation to women’s clothes brings with it this same approach, which made Morrisons one of the top 20 fashion retailers in the country last year. Activewear pieces, for example, include integrated tummy control panels, zip pockets, reflective details for night runs and a home for earphones.

Claire Cave, Head of Buying and Design at Nutmeg, said: 

‘We listened to our customers and they said they wanted affordable, quality clothing with real attention to detail and, of course, it had to be fashionable! We hope everyone enjoys our first ever Women’s Collection.’

You can find the new womenswear collection in these stores across the country. 

We've been regularly buying Nutmeg clothing for both our kids since it started four years ago, it's our go-to place for affordable, good quality clothing, so I will totally thrilled when I heard about the launch of their women's collection!

I was lucky enough to be sent a selection of pieces from the new ranges collection to try out: dark blue denim jeggings, Breton Stripe T-shirt & grey bomber jacket from their fashion range, and also some workout gear from their activewear range including leggings, vest and a zip up long sleeved sports jacket. 

womenswear by Nutmeg from Morrisons
I've been utterly thrilled with the sportswear so far, I've now worn it four times to workout, and it is so super comfy, breathable and I feel confident and supported in it. The pieces have washed and dried really well, and the fit is perfect. I love the added extras such as the zip pockets, thumb holes and reflective detailing. These pieces give even my expensive designer sportswear a run for it's money, at literally a quarter of the cost! Amazing! 

new activewear range from Nutmeg at Morrisons
A quick stretch in the sunshine before I hit the gym! 
Jacket £18/Vest Top £10/Leggings £12

new activewear range from Nutmeg at Morrisons
Up close and personal - the new activewear range from Nutmeg at Morrisons

new activewear range from Nutmeg at Morrisons
Gym ready thanks to Nutmeg from Morrisons

It's been fun to play around with putting a look together from their fashion items too...

I was sent the dark blue jeggings which are super comfy & have a lovely high waist on them - I always favour a high waist, especially post-two children! I teamed them with this Breton t-shirt (Oh I LOVE me a stripe!) which has cute white crochet sleeve and neck detailing, and a grey bomber jacket which is perfect to throw on for the cooler Spring weather (and Summer, who am I kidding, this is Britain after all!)

womenswear by Nutmeg from Morrisons
Breton T-shirt £10/Jeggings £12/Bomber Jacket £24

I wouldn't usually go for a short sleeved t-shirt like this, as I tend to favour a 3/4 length or long sleeve, just for my own comfort/confidence reasons. However, I thought I'd throw caution to the wind & even had a play with giving the t-shirt more shape (this one is naturally more loose and boxy in shape) by pulling into a front knot giving it a slightly cropped effect. I think it makes the outfit slightly edgier and younger.

womenswear by Nutmeg from Morrisons

I found the sizing on all items to be true to my usual size on the high street - I wear a size 12 in all pictured outfits. 

I now have a wish-list as long as my arm of the other items I'm desperate to add to my wardrobe including...

-Mac £30
-Breton top £10
-Maxi Dress £20
-J'adore la vie T-shirt £14
-Cardigan £18

womenswear by Nutmeg from Morrisons wish-list

Have any pieces caught your eye? 

Head to your local Morrisons store and re-vamp your Spring/Summer wardrobe for less this season.

Mrs B

xxx

Friday 7 April 2017

New glasses with GlassesShop.com *REVIEW*

Anyone who reads my blog regularly will know that I'm a huge fan of ordering new specs online. As a constant eyeglasses wearer I spent years almost bankrupting myself on expensive frames and lenses - and then a few years ago I discovered ordering them online, and since then I've never looked back. I now have 5 different pairs of glasses to choose from, before online ordering I would only ever have been able to afford one pair at a time. 

The principal is simple - get your eyes tested regularly at your chosen opticians, take away a printed copy of your prescription and then use those prescription details to order your frames online. Most online ordering services I've used have a 'try on the frames at home before you order' service, so you can try on multiple pairs to get the best frame for you. 

If however, like me, you know what shapes/styles suit your face after years of wearing them non-stop then you can just order straight away without a try on process. 

The people over at GlassesShop.com asked me to give a pair of their specs a test-drive, and never one to turn down some new glasses frames, I headed straight to their website to browse their ranges. 

There are so many frames to choose from - I had a job choosing a favourite, but in the end I settled on the Cancer Rectangle Blue Eyeglasses, I've never worn blue glasses before, and considering that 95% of my wardrobe is navy/white stripes I figured they'd pretty much match everything I wear! 

GlassesShop.com cancer rectangle blue glasses
Cancer Rectangle Blue Eyeglasses from GlassesShop.com

GlassesShop.com cancer rectangle blue glasses

The online ordering process was super straight-forward and my glasses arrived swiftly and fitted perfectly! Hooray! I love it when a plan comes together without complication. 

GlassesShop.com cancer rectangle blue glasses

GlassesShop.com cancer rectangle blue glasses

GlassesShop.com cancer rectangle blue glasses

Here they are in all their glory! These frames are currently priced at $45.95/£36.94 with free single-vision lenses, what a bargain! 

I've loved wearing them and have had lots of compliments over the past few weeks. They're super comfy and the colour is lovely - they're an especially vibrant blue when you wear them out in the sunlight. I've found the prescription to be spot on and had no dizziness or headaches when I first wore them, which is fab! All you could ask in a new pair of glasses really!

Here's some obligatory 'me wearing said new glasses' photos! What do you think? 

Mrs Bishop in her new GlassesShop.com frames

Next on my list is grab myself a pair of their brilliant prescription sunglasses in readiness for the nicer weather! 

If you'd like to get yourself a pair of glasses or sunglasses from GlassesShop.com then you can receive a whopping 50% OFF eyeglasses and sunglasses with free lenses (sale frames excluded) with code GSHOT50

Happy glasses shopping folks! 

Mrs B

xxx

I was sent a free pair of prescription eyeglasses in return for this honest review.