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Audio Pro A10 MKII Wireless Multiroom Speaker

Birthday Gifts, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home & Garden, Tech

We received the speaker as a review sample but all words and opinions are our own.

Music is important to me, I enjoy sitting down in an evening and listening to a playlist through the stereo in our living room. Most of the time though, I’m listening to music whilst doing other things, working in the office or cooking and eating in the kitchen. In these rooms I’m limited to how to listen, I can wear headphones or just listen to music through the speaker on my phone but it just isn’t the same as listening on a proper sound system. This is where a wireless speaker comes in. The Audio Pro A10 MKII is a high quality speaker that connects to my network and allows me to stream music from anywhere in the house. It is part of the Audio Pro Multiroom system so can be combined and grouped with extra devices to play music across the house. It supports AirPlay2 and Google Cast along with Audio Pro Multiroom.

With a sophisticated dark grey cloth finish and metal controls (also available in light grey) the Scandinavian design fits discreetly in any room of the house and standing 193mm high and 140mm across it isn’t too large to get in the way. It feels high quality and weighs 1.5kg.

Setup of the speaker is easy with an app though although once it’s connected the speaker can be used on its own. There are three ways to connect, a direct connection over wifi is the main one but it’s easy to connect a phone using Bluetooth 5.0 or other music sources through a 3.5mm jack. On the rear of the speaker is a threaded socket allowing the speaker to be wall or ceiling mounted.

I mainly use Spotify for my music and once setup the speaker simply appears in the list of devices. For radio I’m a BBC fan so use their iPlayer app so I can use casting to send the radio onto the speaker. For all its good looks the sound quality is obviously the most important feature of any speaker and the A10 does not disappoint. It easily fills a room with music without a hint of distortion and though you’re never going to shake the foundations with a small speaker it is certainly good enough for me and I’d be happy listening to this anytime.

I mostly use my phone to control the music but there are a number of buttons on the top panel allowing you to play/pause, change the source or volume and four presets. I liked how these work, just start playing a Spotify playlist then hold the button. The playlist can be recalled at any time with just a press of the button. The only obvious missing feature is a skip button but it isn’t a major omission.

Using the app gives access to a few more features including a sleep timer, alarm clock and adjustment of the bass and treble.

Overall, I love the Audio Pro A10 MKII speaker, it is easy to link to my phone and has wonderful sound quality and would be a great addition to any home.

RRP £220 available from Audio Pro

Papersmith Calypso Notebook and Primo Pen

Birthday Gifts, Books, Children, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Learning, Stocking Fillers, Women

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

If you’re like me and relish the thought of a new notebook to start journaling, making to do lists or sorting out your life, then Papersmiths is a brand you’ll love. If you’re returning to school or university, the colour options of both notepad and combination pen work as a lovely gift too.

Papersmiths’ A5 Notebooks are soft covered and come in 9 different colours. Unlike other notebooks, each one has numbered pages, going up to 236 pages in all and the page numbers are coloured as you progress through the book. We were sent a ruled-page version but you can also have plain pages or 5mm dot grid, depending on what you want to use it for. The notepad is bound with a thick 15mm spine and has a double contents page at the front for ease of making notes.

The cover is British made, in the Lake District and the inner pages are made especially for fountain pen ink, although you can use any pen or pencil and it’s bound together in Buckinghamshire, England by a 4^thgeneration binder.

The accompanying ball point pen you can see in the photos is also part of the Papersmith range. The Primo Pen, which is new to the available stock, is aluminium made for hardiness as well as being light to hold and has brass accents. I especially liked that this ballpoint writes really finely, much finer than mass produced ballpoint pens and doesn’t leave heavy ink blobs on the page when you put the nib down to write. There’s a nice flow to your writing when the ink is constant and easy. It may be pricy for a pen, but you can buy refills from the Papersmith website so that your pen can keep going for a lifetime! If however you prefer a different thickness of line, you can swap out the refills from ballpoint to gel and change the style of ink to suit your needs. They’re available in 6 colours to match or compliment your notebook.

Papersmiths also have a range of stationery accessories available, such as pen clips, notebook bands, diaries and desk planners as well as the refills mentioned above. You can also ask for the notebooks to be personalised before it’s sent out, and gift wrapped too!

I shall be using my new Calypso notebook for journaling ideas and using the page numbers to create a content at the front for future reference. Colour coding my notebooks in the future won’t be difficult with the ample amount of colours available on the Papersmith website, and for anyone using the notebooks for school or university, you will find it easy to use these beautiful notebooks.

Notebook (Calypso) available for £22.00:

Calypso Notebook

Primo Pen (Peacock) available for £14.00:

Primo Pen – Peacock Green

EcoFlow River 2 Portable Power Station

camping, Days Out, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Summer, Tech

Disclaimer: we received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

We just can’t get away from tech these days, whether it’s a trip to the beach or camping in the Lake District. It seems we can’t do without our gadgets.

We can all pretty much manage for a day without a charger but if we’re away for longer, then we’re going to need power. Now, a small battery pack will charge a phone but what about bigger devices that require a mains supply?

The River 2 from EcoFlow is a really compact portable power station, the smallest in the EcoFlow range, with a 256Wh capacity and 300W output. The size of a shoe box, it only weighs 3.5kg so is really easy to include when packing for a weekend away or trip in the car.

It is well built, with a flat top so it is easy to pack when travelling. The handle is mounted on the rear of the device which helpfully leaves room for any cables coming out of the back.

Included in the box are two charging leads, a mains charging lead (no adapter required) which takes only an hour to fully recharge the battery, and a car adapter that plugs into the solar connector on the back. Optionally it can be changed through the USB-C connector or for a truly portable option a solar panel can be connected too.

We enjoy going away in our motorhome and much prefer the more remote sites, often with no mains hookup. The sites are peaceful and quiet, but we do sometimes miss a main supply. We do a lot of cycling when we’re away and depending on how far we have ridden my e-bike will need charging, but up until now I have had no way to charge the bike with only a 12v supply. The battery on my bike is 250Ah so using the fully charged River 2 to charge the bike means I can do more cycling when we are on sites with no mains power. I’ve used it to charge my bike a couple of times and founds it only changed up to 90%, I’m not sure why but to be honest 90% is certainly good enough and means I can get another couple of days cycling in when we are away.

A while ago we bought an electric cool box which is great for keeping food and drinks cool when going out with the family. The only problem is whilst I can plug it in when driving, once we’re there we just have to hope it stays cool, with the EcoFlow River 2 I can now leave it plugged in (when set on low (20w) you get 7 hours of use) meaning the drinks are still cold when we get back to the car after a day out.

The EcoFlow River 2 can also be used as a UPS, it has a 30ms switchover so most devices will not notice a power cut and whilst it might not run a PC for too long, it will at least give you time to save your work before shutting down.

I’m going on Scout camp in a few weeks and the EcoFlow River 2 is definitely coming with me, lighting is usually a mixture of small headtorches and large gas lamps but it will be much easier to use a 240v LED flood light. If it works well, I might look at getting the optional solar panel for a daytime recharge whilst we are on camp.

It’s a great device once you know its limits. You’ll not be able to run anything that draws more power such as a cooking device, heater or kettle but for all your tech and low powered devices it’s great. There is a good selection of outputs too, in addition to the 240v socket there are 2 USB-A, 1 USB-C and a 12v “cigarette lighter” too.

I’m really impressed with the EcoFlow River 2, although it is the smallest model in the range, it has a real quality feel and doesn’t lack features. It is controllable with the mobile app using bluetooth or wifi, can be charged in 4 different ways and by using Lithium Iron Phosphate technology, the battery can be discharged 3000 times and should provide years of use.

RRP £269 available here

TOMY Megasketcher

Children, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for children, Toys

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

We’re half way through the school holidays and the weather has been absolutely dreadful, with a lot more rainy days than dry ones, meaning we’ve had to spend more time indoors than I would have liked. Luckily our mini reviewers enjoy drawing, so they have been busy creating plenty of masterpieces with the Megasketcher from TOMY.

The Megasketcher measures 35cm x 45cm and has a handle at the top, allowing it to be easily carried around by children. It can be used on a desk, the floor or on their knee allowing them to draw wherever they prefer to be. The great thing about it is you don’t need pens or paper so there’s none of the mess or waste that art sessions in our house normally bring!

With a magnetic pencil (attached to the board with a cord so no chance of losing it) and four shape stampers, the only thing they need is a bit of imagination! They can draw or write on the board and the shapes are great for adding extra detail to the pictures. Once they have finished, simply move the orange knob up to magically erase the picture and then they are ready to start again.

As well as being great fun and encouraging creativity, it has really helped our mini reviewers learn how to hold a pen properly and has helped their hand-eye co ordination.

Megasketcher has been the best in the field of magnetic drawing boards for almost 30 years, I remember having one as a child and it’s just as fascinating using one now as it was all those years ago! I’m not sure who is having the most fun with it – me or them!!

RRP: £18.99

Suitable for ages 3+

Available from Smyths, Argos, Amazon, Very, Littlewoods, John Lewis and Independent Toy Retailers

Readly Subscription

Autumn, Birthday Gifts, Books, camping, Christmas, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Summer, Valentine's Day Gifts, Women

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

It’s holiday time again and we’re off in the motorhome. We love our road trips but living in such a compact space does have its challenges, the most difficult perhaps – clutter! It is so easy to take too much stuff and with limited space you end up constantly moving it from the table to the bed and back again!

We both love reading and before any trip stock up on a few magazines. I like tech and model making but might pick something different just for a change. My wife likes food and gardening magazines, but it does mean that wherever you try to sit there is a magazine in the way!

This time I’m going to avoid this problem entirely by not taking any magazines with me, but I won’t miss out because I have a Readly subscription that allows me to pick from a massive number of different magazines and read them on my tablet or phone.

There is a huge choice, my usual favourites are there but there are also titles that I might not normally choose and they’re all available for one monthly price.

Sometimes we struggle for internet (we do choose so out of the way places to camp) but that’s not a problem either, we can download magazines to the tablet and read them later. Once we’re done, delete the files and start again.

I wasn’t too sure how I’d take to reading on a screen, but I found it to be brilliant, the pages are rendered in a very high quality and if I needed larger text the page zooms easily. I was just as impressed with the app on my phone! Whilst the screen is not a big as my tablet, many magazines use an “Article View” that re-formats each article for better reading on a mobile device. All the content remains the same, but it is presented in a more natural scrolling experience.

With over 7000 titles available it could be easy to get lost, but each publication is categorised and once you find a magazine you like you can add it to your favourites. Not only are the current editions available but many magazines have back issues too, one of the magazines I occasionally dip into is The Magpi, looking at that the back issues are available back to August 2018 which will keep me going for a while!

At £9.99 per month, a Readly subscription isn’t much more than some magazines and allows you to read as many as you like without worrying if you’re going to enjoy them or not, just move on and download another!

There is currently an offer on the website where you can try it for a month free of charge – perfect for summer holiday reading!

Kikkerland Wooden Pinball Game

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Games, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Learning, secret santa, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

With Christmas approaching, we’re all looking for the perfect gift for the perfect occasion. Have you thought about the stocking fillers yet though? What about Secret Santa?

Kikkerland have masses of items available for Christmas this year including these Wooden Pinball Games. Each hand-held game works in the same way as the traditional pinball machines, with 5 ball bearings, a spring shooter and points to be made. Children will love being able to pull back the spring and count up the points they earn, or if they don’t have the dexterity yet, they can wobble the game so that the balls end up in the right goals. It’s great for children under 7 to get their fine motor skills honed and allow them to learn about physics, gravity and keep them occupied. This would be great for the car or on plane journeys as it’s small (only 13.7cm by 9cm) and very hardy because it’s made of plywood with a plastic front.

They’re not just for children either. What about buying one as a Secret Santa? Or for a teenager with the obligatory notes of money attached to it? They’re easy to post as well so will fit into an envelope and be sent off overseas as a parcel.

It’s pretty addictive too! Trying to get all the silver ball bearings into the goals is really difficult without tipping the game one way or the other, and once they are in, you have to kept it dead still so that they don’t roll out again!

There are 3 games to collect; owl, bear and frog, each with a different pattern of goals and distractors. Can your household get maximum points scored in each of the games – and keep them that way?

Acailable from £13 online at: https://kikkerlandeu.com/products/wooden-pinball?_pos=1&_sid=57f627a94&_ss=r

Zero Ready-Read Water Filter Jug

Children, Family Life, Food & Drink, health, Home, Home & Garden

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Zero Water have a new water filter jug available which not only filters out all of the dissolved solids in your tap water, but this filter is both a pourable jug and has a dispensing spigot.

What’s a spigot? It’s that attachment you find on office water coolers where you lift the lever and dispense the water straight into your cup or water bottle. Makes life much easier with little ones around!

The Zero Ready-Read Water Filter holds 2.8 litres in all, which is 12 cups and the pack comes with a filter included and a handy TSD meter. The TSD meter reads. The Total Dissolved Solids in parts per million, giving you an indication of how un-pure your tap water really is. The Zero Ready-Read filters out a guaranteed 100% of the dissolved solids in your water. The meter allows you to test your water before and after filtration to see the difference, and it’s also handy to see when your Zero filter cartridge needs changing – as soon as there is a reading above ‘zero’ on the meter, you need to change the cartridge!

The cartridge has 5 stages of filtration. Fine sediments are taken out at the top of the cartridge, then suspended solids. Organic contaminants are then filtered out, which helps prevent bacteria from forming. Inorganic compounds, metals and non-metals are then removed and lastly the ultra-fine sediments are taken out to leave pure water. If you’re doing the dissolved solids test with the TSD meter, you’ll learn quickly what the difference is between your tap water and the Zero filtered water if you just taste before and after. There’s a marked difference between the two and it takes a while to get used to the taste difference.

The other differences are on your kettle and when making tea or coffee. The kettle doesn’t fur up with limescale anywhere near as quickly, if at all, when you live an extremely hard water area like I do. Tea tastes different because you haven’t got the added minerals and it leaves no film on top when you make the tea. Coffee also filters really quickly because you’re not adding any other minerals to the coffee filtering through and again, it leaves a different taste.

The Zero cartridges aren’t small, so if you’re thinking of buying one of these I would make sure you have room for not just the filter (which can fit in the door of most fridges) but also have room for the spare cartridges. You can buy the spare cartridges through the Zero Water website and other online retailers, and the website has a subscription service as the filters last on average a month at a time, depending on how much you use the filters. Test with the TSD meter before you replace them though and then you’ll get the maximum value from your subscription.

I’ve tried other filters in the past, and the Zero Water filters are the only ones which remove ALL of the dissolved solids from the water and have the capacity to filter out larger volumes of water, like the Zero Ready-Read Water Filter can.

Available online from £44.99 at:

ZeroWater 12 Cup / 2.8L Ready-Read™ Jug

Floozie Stuffed Cookies

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Gluten Free, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day Gifts, Vegan

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

I have a very sweet tooth and I’m especially partial to cookies so was really pleased to discover that the Covent Garden based, vegan cookie brand Floozie now offer a mail order service – meaning more people outside of London can enjoy their delicious cookies.

Founded back in 2020 by pastry chef Kimberly Lin, Floozie cookies are available in eight different flavours, Cinnamon Crunch, Celebration Cookie, Blackforest, Chocolate Chunk, Pecan Pie, Peanut Butter & Jam, Triple Chocolate and a Seasonal Special so there is something to suit every taste. The Peanut Butter & Jam and Blackforest cookies are also gluten free.

A box of 6 cookies costs £17.50 and they are nicely packaged in a pink box with two sliding drawers, each containing 3 individually wrapped cookies. Opening the drawers and discovering the cookies made me feel like I had received a really special treat and because of this I think they make great gifts for a friend or loved one.

Inside the box is a handy card showing all the flavours and it was quite difficult choosing which one to try first! The cookies are a good size, about 3 inches across, and are large enough to share – although they are so good you may not want to!!

Each cookie was fresh, flavoursome and incredibly moreish and after sampling them all the Triple Chocolate was my favourite, with a soft gooey chocolately middle the cookie was incredibly moreish. The pink Celebration cookie with homemade raspberry jam came a very close 2^nd being soft and tangy with just the right amount of jam and the sprinkles added a satisfying crunch.

When ordering online you can customise the mix of flavours in your box but if like me you find it hard to choose the cookies are available in larger boxes of 12, 18 and 24 cookies. Orders placed Monday to Friday are shipped within 48hrs and orders placed after 5pm on Friday and Saturday or Sunday are shipped within two working days.

If you are wanting to send a birthday, anniversary, or general ‘thinking of you’ gift through the post, I can highly recommend a box of Floozie Cookies. They are guaranteed to bring a smile to the recipient’s face, and I will certainly be ordering more both as a treat for myself and as gifts in the future.

Higgidy Snacking and Picnic Food

Children, Family Life, Food & Drink, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

We did intend to bring you lots of products to showcase an amazing summer, picnics outside and BBQ season, but given the weather, we’re sitting indoors comfort eating instead!

Despite the weather, Higgidy have a massive range of foods for sharing, snacking, picnics and to cater for vegan and vegetarian friends. Their handy sharing sizes and snacking mini quiches make them ideal for any time of year, not just summer, and can be for lunch or dinner too. We were sent a selection of items to try out, including;

Smoked Salmon & Spinach Quiche
Bang Bang Cauliflower Dinky Vegan Rolls
Sunblush Tomato & Cheddar Mini Muffins
Cheddar & Spinach Mini Muffins
Spinach, Feta & Red Pepper Little Lattices

Quite the variety! The snacks we were sent were vegetarian, not vegan, with the exception of the Smoked Salmon & Spinach Quiche. I had tried one or two of the Higgidy foods before but never any of this variety, so picnic I did… albeit indoors!

All of the foods can be eaten straight from the box cold, or heated up. I preferred to have them heated but it depends how you like the eat them. As part of a packed lunch, they’re perfect because they’re already prepared, there’s nothing that needs adding to them and you can eat a selection at a time or a whole quiche for instance. The sharing boxes are designed to pack easily for picnics or taking out with children. The boxes are also great for hands to dip into and share!

I loved the Smoked Salmon & Spinach Quiche with its light fluffy texture and ultra thin crust. I warmed it in the oven and it’s very easy to eat just with a fork. The Spinach, Feta & Red Pepper Little Lattices are like little pockets where you can’t taste either the feta or the vegetables but they are there, and combined create a lovely ensemble. The Sunblush Tomato & Cheddar Mini Muffins and Cheddar & Spinach Mini Muffins were each delicious when warmed in the oven, with my favourite being the Cheddar & Spinach Mini Muffins. They’re really filling but very soft, especially when warmed and each of them has a lovely flavour of Cheddar Cheese to them. The Bang Bang Cauliflower Dinky Vegan roles were a hit in my house because of their lovely spicy flavour to them, but all vegan so there’s some healthy veg in there too!

Higgidy have ample more food on their website and selected supermarkets store a whole range of their sharing nibbles and snacks, including Waitrose and Ocado:

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/shop/search?&searchTerm=higgidy

Weleda Arnica

beauty, cruelty-free, Fitness, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, health, Sport, Vegan

Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

I have been fan of natural beauty brand Weleda for years and their Skin Food is one of my favourite beauty products as it has a multitude of uses. Weleda harness the vitality of nature and all their products work in harmony with your body’s own restorative abilities, so it’s no surprise to discover that they have a range containing Arnica – a herbal remedy for bruises, aches and pains which is prized for its ability to ease muscle tension and aid recovery from over-exertion.

With a number of long walks and bike rides planned over the summer, it was the perfect opportunity to try them for myself and once I started using them I was left wondering how I have managed to overlook the Arnica range, when I have been purchasing Weleda products for years?

There are few things in life more relaxing than a long hot bath, especially after a long bike ride or walk when my legs are aching. The Weleda Arnica Muscle Soak (£16.25) was a welcome addition to my post exercise bath and the wonderful blend of arnica, flowers, birch leaves and rosemary and lavender essential oils helped not only my muscles to relax but my mind too. I came out of the bath feeling relaxed and using it before bed definitely helps me sleep better.

As a keen cyclist I couldn’t wait to use the massage oil (£18.95) on my aching legs after a gruelling 50 mile ride. After a hot bath it was just the thing to soothe all my aches and pains away. The pump dispenser made it easy to dispense just the right amount of oil and I found I only needed a small amount to massage my weary legs. It glides onto skin nicely and as soon as I applied it, I could feel the warming and soothing ingredients getting to work. My skin felt nourished and it helped my tired muscles relax. The lavender fragrance isn’t overpowering, just nice and calming.

The Weleda Sport Arnica Energising Shower Gel (£8.25) is perfect to pop in your gym bag for a refreshing post exercise shower. With an invigorating organic rosemary and lavender scent it revitalises both body and mind, whilst the arnica gets to work on tired muscles. It’s also one of the very few sports shower gels available that is also 100% certified natural.

When I’m cycling, I always end up with bruises on my legs where the pedals have caught them so the Arnica Cooling Gel (£8.95) has come in very handy. The tube is small enough to fit in my bike bag giving instant relief to my legs.

It’s important to relax and unwind after any sporting activity and these are just the products you need to aid recovery. Available from Weleda here

Clean Co Gin Alternative

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Drinks and Mixers, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Home & Garden, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Not everybody likes to drink at Christmas, and some people can’t. There’s always the gift giving ritual which some employers especially don’t sanction having alcohol around. Thankfully, there are more companies on the market nowadays who product non or low alcohol drinks like Clean Co. Clean Co produce a range of Alternative Spirits including whisky, rum and a selection of gins. We were sent this bottle of Clean G Gin Alternative spirit to test out for the Christmas market. Was it up to the gin spirit?

Clean Co’s Gin Alternative, in this fetching Art Deco style bottle, holds 70cl of zero sugar, non-alcoholic gin. That means it’s made with a juniper source by a process which brings out the flavour more, and distilled into the Clean Go version of a London Dry Gin. It even has the botanical flavours of a gin, just without the alcohol. It has a slightly cloudy look to it, which is part of the botanical method which gives it the distinct flavour. There’s no sweeteners involved, absolutely no sugar and the distilling producing only 0.5% ABV which is a trace of alcohol. It’s also vegan, lactose free and Gluten Free. You’ll also find just 14 calories per 50ml (single shot) serving.

As for the taste… this Alternative Gin is not meant to be consumed neat, so adding your favourite mixer will enhance the flavour as well as make it your own. There really isn’t much difference between the Clean Co Alternative Gin and the standard, alcohol gin you buy in the shops. It has a bitter taste, but not so much sugar flavour to it, and mixes well with a tonic and decorations such as lemon or lime. The bottle arrived with a handy set of cocktail recipe cards which you can keep along side your Clean Co bottle for when you want to mix it up in the future.

Clean Co Alternative Gin is not only great for Christmas time, especially when you’re busy with everything else and need a clear head, but it makes a great gift for those who are doing Dry January and still want to feel like they’re drinking, but not cheating!

Available from £16.00 at: https://clean.co/collections/shop/products/cleang-non-alcoholic

Palmers Coconut Oil Formula Collection

beauty, Gifts for Her, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Summer, Women

Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Dreaming of sunshine? July was incredibly wet and I’ve not seen much sunshine yet, so to get us in the holiday mood we’ve been using a selection of products from the Palmers Coconut Oil Formula Collection. I don’t know about you, but coconut scented products always remind me of summer holidays and as I’m not going anywhere exotic this summer these are the next best thing.

I’m sure you’ve heard of Palmers before but if not, they are a natural cocoa butter and coconut oil skincare and haircare brand who focus on delivering luxurious and naturally inspired products that are highly effective, affordable and featuring unique scents and textures, enabling all people with different skin and hair types to ehance their natural beauty.

The Coconut Oil Formula Moisture Boost Protein Pack (£2.99) is just what I needed to give my curls a much needed hydration boost I applied it after conditioner and left for 2-3 minutes before rinsing and as well as smelling amazing it worked wonders with my dry frizzy curls, leaving them shiny and bouncy and in tip top condition.

My skin tends to be quite dry so I was really pleased to be able to try the Coconut Oil Coconut Hydrate Daily Body Lotion (£6.49). The rich moisturiser contains green coffee bean extract which is known to be rich in antioxidants that help to improve the skins radiance, giving you that healthy looking summer gleam for up to 48 hours. The body lotion simply melted into my skin leaving it gently perfumed and feeling moisturised all day long.

One of my handbag essential is hand cream so the Coconut Oil Coconut Hydrate Hand Cream (£2.79) quickly found a place in my bag. This rich cream melted into my skin effortlessly leaving my hands hydrated instantly. With a beautiful scent this is a fantastic product and very reasonably priced – I am going to be stocking up on this!

In summer I wear sandals so need my feet to be in tip top condition, the Coconut Oil Formula Coconut Sugar Foot Scrub (£4.49) is just the thing for pampering your feet. With natural coconut sugar to exfoliate and buff away rough, callused skin the scrub has plenty of grains yet doesn’t feel scratchy, in fact I found it quite soothing to use. The coconut and peppermint fragrance is nice and invigorating and after the first use my feet felt instantly smoother.

These are a great selection of products and if you’re watching the pennies at the minute are very purse friendly too.

Blue Goose Eco Coffee Pod Advent Calendar

advent calendar, Christmas, coffee, eco friendly, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, Home & Garden, Plastic free, Sustainable

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Every advent, what could you buy your other half that you know they would truly love, and need, without breaking the bank? The Blue Goose Coffee Pod Advent Calendar!

Before you rush out and get the calendars for the kids, have a look at this grown-up calendar. With all 24 days of advent, there are Nespresso compatible, organic coffee pods behind every door. They’re also compostable too!

There are 8 different flavours behind the windows, each with different colouring so that you can tell which is which. From Award-Winning Peruvian, Ethiopian Forest Coffee and even Swiss Water Decaff, there’s something for everyone. Plus, you get to try some coffee blends you wouldn’t normally buy, just without the price tag!

At just under £25 at the moment (Blue Goose have a sale on) it means that each pod is a little over £1 each – much cheaper than Nespresso and these pods are able to be made in the regular Nespresso machines. The recommended shot volume is 35ml with a maximum of 65ml. There’s a nice variety of flavours in this calendar, so you don’t get bored but you don’t feel like there are too many to choose from. The menu on the back makes it easy to work out which flavour you are brewing by the letters behind the windows.

Although made by Blue Goose, these pods are all Nespresso and Calendar machine compatible, but as you can imagine, at a lower price. The pods are all home-compostable and are both plastic and aluminium free. As a Carbon Neutral company, they also pride themselves on being community conscious and provide employment to local Devon people with disabilities. Blue Goose have also recently won a BOOM award from the Soil Association for being able to demonstrate their support for the organic industry.

Rather than spend this Christmas on the big names, Blue Goose is the alternative that’s more environmentally friendly, organic and yet still has delicious coffee!

Available on sale at £24.99 (regular price £29.99) at: https://bluegoose.coffee/products/advent-calendar

Bold Bean Co Jars of Beans

Family Life, Food & Drink, health, Sustainable, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Here’s a world you didn’t know existed – jars of beans! And we don’t mean baked beans; no these Bold Beans Co beans come in huge 700 gram jars of all sorts of beans to add to recipes, make fajitas, create sauces with and even ear raw if you want to!

Why are beans becoming such an important piece of our diets nowadays? Along with the vegan and vegetarian update since lockdown, beans are the unsung heroes of farming. Did you know that legumes are natural fertilizers? The nitrogen nodules produced by the roots of beans actually put nutrients back into the soil without any work being put into them. This benefits future crops and other food being grown around them. Beans are also an easy, cheap source of protein and fibre plus they can keep you full for longer thereby making meals go further. The versatility of the bean means it can be added to lots of dishes, mashed up and used as a base or even turned into snacks.

The shear variety of beans available out there probably passes you by unless you are an avid bean gardener. Think about all the different dishes available and cuisines from around the world; you probably know of more beans than you realise! Do you actively cook with these superfoods though?

Bold Bean Company have a range of beans available so sent us a selection of their bestselling beans which is also available online as part of their ‘Taste the Range’. The 6 jars that were sent to us were;

Queen Red Beans

Queen Black Beans

Queen Chickpeas

Queen Butter Beans

Organic White Beans

Organic Chickpeas

I’d heard of most of them but didn’t really know anything about them nor how to cook with them. Thankfully, there are recipes available on the Bold Bean Co website, but we decided to try the Queen Butter Beans in this mince casserole (along with olives and a tomato sauce) and to roast the Queen Chickpeas in the oven with some oil and spices to make a snack.

The first thing I should note in reviewing these jars are that they are BIG! If you aren’t used to storing big jars or don’t have a fridge big enough, then I would suggest with the smaller varieties. I had to rearrange my fridge shelves for the opened jars and find a space for the unopened ones to use later. Secondly, some of the jar lids were very, very tight and required a trip to my neighbours’ house for them to open!

Each of the bean varieties have been sourced for their flavour. Once they are slow cooked to bring out the natural taste and preserve the nutrients as best as possible, they are seasoned and jarred. They’re not suspended in water though – this is bean stock, created so that the beans can marinate in a proper legume stock to keep in the flavour, nutrients and ensure the beans remain soft and don’t dry out. The bean stock can be used in soups or stews after the jar is finished with, saving you time but probably adding nutrients and flavour to a dish you wouldn’t normally use.

I added the Queen Butter Beans to a mince meat stew I had stored in the freezer in order to make a quick meal. Adding the beans along with some olives made it not only healthier but tasty too. The Queen Butter Beans (which won a Great Taste Award in 2021) are surprisingly not like butter beans you’re used to on the salad counter. These giant sized beans are creamier, but not mushy and have a slightly sweeter taste to them than canned beans that have been saturated for too long. There’s a proper taste to them, and adding them to another dish means they soak up the flavours whilst adding a texture all of their own. These Queen Butter Beans would be great for babies who are weaning onto solid food. They’re easily mashed!

The second beans I tried were the Queen Chickpeas. Bigger than the jar of Organic Chickpeas (which are great for salads, soups, broths etc) I chose these because of how I wanted to cook them. Forking a handful off onto kitchen paper, I dried them out slightly, put them in an oven dish with some oil and sprinkled them lightly with chilli. As I was already cooking the mince meat stew, at the same temperature (180C) I roasted the chickpeas as a snack that can be eaten later. 35 minutes in the oven and they were lightly roasted, but not mushy at all, and had soaked up the oil and the chilli. Careful not to use too much chilli though because it goes a lot further than you think!

As there are 500 grams of beans in the whole jar (200 grams of the bean broth makes up the full amount of 700 grams) then I will be pacing myself on using the rest of the beans. The Queen Black Beans will be brilliant for fajitas (my favourite dish!) and tacos; the Organic Chickpeas for salads when I will be able to use them cold and the Queen Red and Queen White Beans can be used in stews and casseroles where I don’t normally use them, and give some lovely colour.

I’ve only had one meal and one snack from the beans so far… I suspect the giant 700 gram jars are a ploy to get me addicted to each of the beans slowly so that I become reliant on them in my every day cooking and the easy of just opening the jar and taking what I want but so far, I’ve enjoyed what I’ve tried and been nicely surprised by the texture, taste and quality of them.

I think once more people cotton onto the properties of beans and how healthy they are, Bold Bean Co will become a favourite for everyone!

Bold Bean Co have recently won a BOOM award from the Soil Association for being able to demonstrate their support for the organic industry.

Taste the Range set of beans available for £25 at:

Taste the Range

Fabsil Tent Care Kit

camping, Summer

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

30 years ago, I bought a lightweight hike tent, a Phoenix Phreak. I’ve looked after it and it’s still in great condition but when I used it earlier this year, I noticed that the water was not shedding from the surface like it should. Camping with a soaking wet tent is no fun at all and whilst the tent is old there’s plenty of life left in it – all it needed was a spot of TLC in the form of the Tent Care Kit from Fabsil.

As the tent was a bit grubby, I first used the Tent and Gear Cleaner in a bucket of water to give it a good clean. Simply mix it up, rub the fabric with a sponge and wash off.

Once dry, I moved onto the waterproofing. This needs 6 hours to dry and with the weather as it is at the moment, I decided to pitch the tent in the Scout Hut. Reading the instructions, it seemed quite simple, pitch the tent then brush or spray onto the fabric, following on with a clean cloth to wipe it down. I set to with a 4” paintbrush and starting at the front, worked around the tent. The liquid went on really easily, the instructions warn about maintaining a wet edge, but this was not a problem. 10 minutes later I was done.

I left the tent pitched overnight and brought it home the next morning. I couldn’t help but pitch it in the garden to see if it had worked. I didn’t have to wait long for some rain and was really pleased at the difference it had made. Instead of water soaking into the fabric, it now beads and runs off.

This paint-on liquid replicates the original water-repellent finish found on all kinds of outdoor gear and equipment and guarantees to keep you dry even in the wettest conditions. As well as waterproofing it also adds UV protection so if we do ever see the sun again this summer I know my tent is protected from the elements.

With no end to the rain in sight I’m now ready for my next adventure knowing that my tent will keep me dry.

Cherry Blossom Shoe Polish and Sneaker Cleaner

Autumn, Children, Family Life, Fashion, Home, Home & Garden, Summer

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Back to school means new uniform, maybe a whole new school and for most children, new school shoes as well. It’s not just the neatly polished black lace-ups which they will need, but the sports shoes or plimsoles as well as sneakers to change into a break time for the most important of playground football matches.

Maybe new shoes aren’t needed? What if you can buff up their last pair enough to make them last another term? Cherry Blossom, the only remaining British manufacturer of shoe polish, have a range of shoe polishes in different colours, plus a handy Midsole Reviver Kit for cleaning midsole trainers. We were sent the kit and polish, along with a Sneaker Shield spray to try out before school starts. Yes, I realise it’s only just August but stay with me on this!

The photo above is a pair of my white, summer plimsoles and my black, winter ankle boots. The ankle boots really should have been ditched years ago because of the discolouration of walking in the rain with them on and not keeping them buff but they’re so well made and so comfy that I can’t part with them. Cherry Blossom to the test! Using the Cherry Blossom Black Shoe Polish, the instructions say to work the polish into the leather and leave before shining the polish off with a soft brush. Using an old sock, I worked ample polish into each boot, including the heels, and left for a couple of hours. Once the polish had dried, I used a soft shoe brush to shine up the leather. It takes a little while and some effort to remove the loose polish and bring the leather up to standard, and I probably could have done more, but I’m pretty happy with the transformation I got, and only in few hours! The leather was nourished and not cracking or discoloured with watermarks any longer, making them look newer than they are and ready to be seen out in public again, which you can see in the second photo.

The Cherry Blossom Midsole Revival Kit is for keeping your trainers clean, especially the fashionable white ones! The kit comprises of the Foam Cleaner, a small application brush and cloth. Pumping the foam onto dry trainers (they can be wet but it’s not essential) then brushing in the solution to work out any of the stains and mud. With a quick, light rinse, you might need to apply again with really stubborn stains.

My white plimsoles took a while to dry and several applications of the foam to get rid some of the mud stains and ground in dirt from walking around dusty cities. As an added tip, leave white clothes and shoes in the summer sun and this will help the products bleach out any stains, especially organic stains.

The white shoes came up very well after a second application of the cleaning foam, but they did need rinsing a few times which left them wet and it’s not easy to see the effect until they’re dry! They’re definitely cleaner though.

Finish off your trainers with the Sneaker Shield from Cherry Blossom to fight off the rain and stains that inevitably come from getting wet. Great for the walk to and from school or autumnal breaktimes when kicking a ball about in the wet leaves at school!

Cherry Blossom Polish, £2.00: https://cherryblossom.co.uk/products/shoe-polish?_pos=1&_sid=eeb168a60&_ss=r

Cherry Blossom Midsole Revival Kit, £11.45: https://cherryblossom.co.uk/products/midsole-reviver-kit

Cherry Blossom Sneaker Shield, £7.45: https://cherryblossom.co.uk/products/sneaker-shield

Audio Pro T3+ Peter Eugén Bluetooth Speaker

camping, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, Home & Garden, Tech

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Gear yourself up for the Christmas gift buying season by familiarising yourself with the latest gadgets out there. You won’t be disappointed by all that Bluetooth speakers can do nowadays, and I bet there’s at least someone in your life who could benefit from one!

Audio Pro are the Swedish speaker company who have been in operation for over 40 years. Their website shows the full range of different speakers they have on offer including multiroom speakers, Tv speakers, speakers which connect with smart apps and Bluetooth speakers like the Audio Pro T3+ which we have been reviewing.

In conjunction with self-taught artist and designer Peter Eugén, Audio Pro have created the Addon T3+ Bluetooth speaker. The collaboration is made even more special by the fact that the Addon T3+ is a special edition created by Peter who is best known for his rock music portraits and recent watercolours. So with these two artistic worlds meeting to make cutting edge technology, what can you expect?

The Audio Pro T3+ Bluetooth speaker has 1 woofer and 2 tweeters in a sand coloured frame with brass accessories. The buttons on the top are for on/standby, Bluetooth pairing, BT/AUX source selection and volume. At the back, there’s a USB charging port, power connection and AUX, with cables provided in the box. You’ll spot in the photos that this limited edition also has a “Peter Eugén” edition plate too, so you know you’re the owner of a select few!

Although the T3+ can connect with AUX to any appliance, this is after all a Bluetooth 4.0 speaker so that’s how I initially set it up. There’s instructions both in the box and online but if you’re like me and want to play with the gadgets first, you’ll find it easy to get started. Simply turn the speaker on, click the Pair button and your laptop, phone or anything Bluetooth compatible will be able to find it. Pair up and it’s as easy as that – just start playing the music.

The Audio Pro T3+ supports various sound systems including Apple, MP3, WMA and FLAC. It also supports whatever you play on your device so I went onto YouTube and played a movie soundtrack through the speaker with ease. The battery lasts for up to 12 hours on full volume if fully charged, and 30 hours on half volume. Speaking of the volume, I was pleasantly surprised at how loud this speaker could go, far greater than any of my devices but also louder than what I could attain with other Bluetooth speakers.

The quality of the sound is very good, given that it only has one woofer. The balance is excellent with no dead spots around the speaker where there isn’t a balance. For the price of this speaker, I would say the quality of the sound is superb and the ese of use makes it excellent value for money.

The colour of the casing might put off some of the teenagers who are undoubtedly the target audience for the price range. However, for the grown ups, who appreciate the design and who Peter Eugén is, the speaker makes a big impact and can be used for anything including taking outdoors or as a speaker in the office during the day. The ease of carrying it around and setting up are the main plus points.

I look forward to seeing what else the innovative Audio Pro come up with next in their speaker range but in the meantime, I’ll keep playing The Stones on my T3+.

Available from £180 at: https://www.audiopro.com/en/product/addon-t3/#black

Yankee Candle Autumn Daydream

Autumn, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Home, Home & Garden, Women

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Hardcore fans of Yankee Candle know that the new range of Daydreaming of Autumn candles are out now, perfect for planning your autumn indoors. Who can tell what the weather will do from now on?

The collection includes 4 new candles; Autumn Daydream, Pumpkin Maple Crème Caramel, Mulled Sangria, and Evening Riverwalk. We were sent Autumn Daydream to review for you our readers and to give you a taste of what the rest of the collection has in store.

All of the scented candles have a rich, woody fragrance to compliment the season as the nights become longer and the weather (probably) turns cooler. Part of the Signature Large Jar collection, this candle has a subtle, clove scent, warm with the colours of autumn and with the rich hue of clove to go with it. There’s also lavender, balsam and eucalyptus added into the blend to give a more rounded feel to the burning candle. I can also smell rhubarb in the mix too, which is evocative of autumn for me as we always grew it at home when I was growing up. The forest feeling lingers with the eucalyptus and lavender which are also calming and reminiscent of the summer being over and winter soon approaching.

The candle weighs 567 grams and is available in large (as seen in this photo), medium and 5-wick tumbler. It has a burn time of 60-90 hours so will last a long time on those long evenings before Christmas, and the two wicks means it burns evenly. The jar and lid make it easy to store when not using and I particularly like being able to extinguish the candle by just placing the lid on top to stop the oxygen getting in.

The scent stays consistently the same throughout the whole burn time thanks to the high quality ingredients and the soy wax blend that prevents the colour and scents from separating out when burning.

Whether for yourself or as a gift this autumn, there are ample choices at Yankee Candle for that atmospheric, relaxing home candle.

Autumn Daydream is available for £29.99 at: https://www.yankeecandle.co.uk/yankee-candle/candles/shop-by-type/signature-large-jar-candles/autumn-daydream/ORCL_1743378E.html

Panda Optics Conquer Cycling Glasses

Birthday Gifts, Fitness, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Sport, Uncategorized, Women

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

If the Tour de France has inspired you to take up cycling, then a pair of decent cycling glasses are a must. Whilst you might only think they shield your eyes from the sun, the best cycling glasses and sunglasses will do much more than that, protecting your eyes from not only the elements but insects and grit too.

Like all cycling equipment, glasses need to be durable and comfortable to wear all day and let’s face it I want them to look cool too! I recently spent 10 days cycling in Somerset and Panda Optics Conquer Pink cycling glasses certainly ticked all these boxes for me.

Unisex and versatile, the glasses are a trendy wraparound style which offer maximum protection from sun and wind, whilst maintaining a more fashionable look than traditional wraparound sunglasses. With a semi-rimless frame and cylindrical lenses, the style is based on Panda’s bestselling “Cobalt” ski goggles.

The glasses arrived packaged in a sturdy purple box with three different lenses – Mirrored blue category 3, Amber category 2 and Clear category 0, along with a microfibre cleaning cloth and microfibre pouch.

When I put them on, they fitted nicely and the arms didn’t dig into my head or ears. The rubber nose grip is comfortable and they didn’t slide down my nose, even when I was sweating a lot on the hill climbs.

I did initially struggle to get the lenses out as I didn’t want to use too much pressure. The YouTube video on their website was really helpful and showed me where to hold them to get the lenses out. Just make sure you carry the microfibre cloth with you, as you do need to hold the lenses to remove them which results in lots of fingerprints!!

Whilst my husband wasn’t a fan of the pink frame, they did fit him nicely too and if like him you’re not a fan of pink the glasses are also available with blue, grey and green frames.

At £79 they’re excellent value for money and a great addition to my cycling gear. They are available from the Panda Optics website here. with free delivery with orders over £50

Joe & Seph’s Prosecco Popcorn & Prosecco Caramel Sauce

Birthday Gifts, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, Stocking Fillers, Summer, Valentine's Day Gifts

Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review but all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Joe & Seph’s are a gourmet popcorn company with a range of over 80 different flavours of popcorn. With both sweet and savoury options, they have something to suit every taste and occasion and with National Prosecco Day just 2 weeks away we have been sampling some of their Prosecco treats.

Some sweet popcorns are coated in such thick caramel to the point that you lose the popcorn flavour, Joe & Seph’s popcorn isn’t like this, their popcorn is hand made in small batches, using the finest natural ingredients and their light, fluffy popcorn is packed full of flavour.

The Prosecco popcorn is available in either a 75g re-sealable pouch or a 30g gift box. The gift box is pyramid shaped with a gold ribbon on the top and makes a lovely gift for friends and family.

The popcorn is more sophisticated than standard popcorn and just the thing for a girls night in – with or without Prosecco!

Pouch RRP £4

Gift box RRP £5

We also tried the Prosecco Caramel Sauce, which we drizzled over vanilla ice cream and also bowls of strawberries. The sauce is lovely and rich and the caramel flavour is heavenly, the prosecco flavour isn’t especially strong but it is there and it made a simple pudding feel incredibly indulgent! It is best to heat the sauce a little in the microwave make it easier to pour – or you can just eat it straight out of the jar!

RRP £5.99

Clearspring Organic Seaveg Crispies

Children, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gluten Free, Lunchbox Fillers, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

I’m a huge lover of sushi and even make it at home for my family so when we were offered these Clearspring Seaveg Crispies, there was no hesitation, especially when we heard that Clearspring won a BOOM Award from The Soil Association!

If you’ve never tried seaweed on its own before, it’s an incredibly light, thin snack with a taste of heavy greens. It’s a lot like a lighter version of kale that’s been roasted and dried, but the Clearspring Seaveg Crispies are more than just flattened ocean vegetation – they’re organic and flavoured with either Chilli, Turmeric or ginger as well as the original flavour. Seaweed is packed with all sorts of nutrients including iron, and as an added bonus, it’s better for the environment because it’s grown in the sea and doesn’t take up landmass needed for other essential food groups. Seaveg Crispies are also Soil Association certified, meaning it’s certified to be of a high standard of organic food production.

Each pack is only 23 calories, which isn’t surprising when you realise there’s only 4 grams in each pack. However, each pack of Seaveg is gluten free, high in fibre, vegan and has no additives or preservatives. There’s only some sunflower oil, sea salt and whichever added flavouring you choose. I started with the Chilli which is actually pretty hot, so not one for children! I really enjoyed them though and the handy packs and how light they are mean they can be taken to work or out on picnics with you. They may be thin and light but they are big in both taste and personality!

The other flavours are just as strong and variety is a good thing when you need a different kind of snack. Organic and healthy snacks are so often full of additives and over processed that they’re not as healthy as you would think. Clearspring Organic Seaveg Crispies have so little processing and additional ingredients that there isn’t any danger of you feeling frustrated with them and the iron content is great when you need a pick-me-up. Talk about a varied diet – I bet you can’t say you’ve eaten anything like it this week, can you?

The Original Seaveg Crispies flavour is great for children to take to school in lunchboxes or if you need to get some fibre or iron into babies too, as it’s easily mashable into something like avocado or even an evening meal. I wouldn’t be surprised if the leaves of Seaveg would fit into a child’s size portion of lasagne too, replacing the pasta to make a healthy alternative.

From £1.29 available at Ocado and online at: https://www.clearspring.co.uk/collections/products/products/organic-seaveg-crispies-chilli-crispy-seaweed-thins

GRIND Coffee and Henry Holland

Birthday Gifts, coffee, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Home & Garden, Plastic free, Subscription Boxes

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Coffee lovers everywhere are aware of GRIND, the Shoreditch based independent coffee company who have gone astronomical in the last few years. If you’re not aware of them, then where have you been?

GRIND pride themselves on being, “The planet’s favourite coffee” after opening a Shoreditch coffee shop, then having fresh roasted coffee delivered to your door. No doubt the pandemic helped with the popularity of home delivered coffee but since then, GRIND have launched a Nespresso compatible pod which biodegrade in a matter of weeks, launched a charity (The Better Coffee Foundation) and now have a collaboration with artists, including Henry Holland.

We were sent a lovely sample of their House Blend straight from their Shoreditch office, and along with it, one of the Henry Holland special edition coffee tin. There are other homeware items available too, and there will be more in the future which compliment your coffee tastes and kitchen together.

The Home Roast flavour of coffee is what Cheddar is to cheese – if you’re a lover of the stuff, you’ll go for the best available out there and ignore the cheap imitations whilst at the same time you can’t not like it. The Home Roast is a rich flavour without any of the bells and whistles often added (or claimed to have) from other roaster. It’s just good, honest coffee anyone can enjoy with the versatility to be used in any type of latte, cappuccino or anything else you want to try. Actually, this would be a good coffee for an awesome tiramisu wouldn’t it?

The Henry Holland Coffee tin is not only handy but beautiful. Before today, in our house we only kept the opened coffee in their resealable packets, leaving them open to the moisture in the air. Now, we have the perfect sealed tin to keep coffee fresh and it’s got all the feels of a trendy kitchen too! Able to store the GRIND bag of coffee (225 grams worth) it fits nicely in the mug cupboard or behind the kettle for daily use.

Henry Holland also produces a limited edition coffee mug, which is currently out of stock. I’m sure there will be more products and more collaborations in the future though!

GRIND Coffee and Henry Holland Tin (you can choose your coffee) available for £14.00 at: https://grind.co.uk/products/henry-holland-whole-bean-and-ground

Lo Bros Kombucha Cola

Drinks and Mixers, Family Life, Fitness, Food & Drink, Lunchbox Fillers, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

If you’re looking for a healthier drink this summer, or something that’s just that bit different compared to what you normally summer on, then have a look at the Lo Bros Kombucha Cola and drinks. Kombucha is fermented tea (green tea and black tea fermented with sugar) to produce a drink with live cultures. Lo Bros have taken this a step further and produced a canned drink with a cola taste and just as much fizz and bubble as you would assume. Oh, and they’ve produced two other versions that they’ve sent us to try too! Meet Ginger & Lemon and Passion Fruit too!

Each of the drinks are made with natural ingredients and are naturally low in sugar. The 250ml cans replace plastic bottles too, so you’re doing your bit for the environment as well as using the most efficient way of keeping the fizz in with the carbonated drinks. It’s low in calories too – just 6 calories per can.

What do they taste like though? I was surprised that the Lo Bros Kombucha Cola tasted like cola. It has that slightly sweet taste but isn’t too effervescent nor overly sticky in taste. The can was just the right amount for a glass to have with lunch and certainly doesn’t feel like a ‘health drink’ because it’s not heavy nor is it really synthetic.

The Ginger & Lemon was very refreshing! It’s like a fizzy cordial without the sugary taste, just the energising citrus and spicy ginger taste. It works well with ice and is probably best when straight out of the fridge. I also liked the Passion Fruit flavour, which like the other flavours is low in sugar, natural and has live cultures. It’s more of a fruity taste, with a slight sweetness to it. I think it would appeal to children more than the other drinks and can be drunk either cold from the fridge or slightly warmer and in a lunchbox.

Over time, the effects of the kombucha are more beneficial than the sugary shop-bought cans we are used to seeing advertised everywhere so I hope that these Lo Bros Kombucha drinks become more popular and appeal to a wide variety of people who prefer these flavours and reach for the kombucha rather than the brands!

Available from 42 pence a can (£5 for 12) at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lo-Bros-Kombucha-Sugar-250ml/dp/B0BNND9CCY?ref_=ast_sto_dp

by Amazon Wines

alcoholic drinks, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Drinks and Mixers, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, Summer, Valentine's Day Gifts

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

by Amazon has launched it’s first collection of wines from the finest vineyards across the world including South Africa, Argentina, Chile, France and Australia. The selection of 10 wines are very reasonably priced, costing between £6-£10, have been selected, tried, and approved by a master of wine. Available from Amazon they are available in 75cl, 3L or a case of 6 bottles.

They sent me a bottle of the Australian Chardonnay to try and as it was National Cheese & Wine Day it seemed the perfect opportunity to open it and try it.

The white wine is lovely and crisp and alive with a myriad of fruity flavours, with citrus and white peach as the dominant flavours combined with a zesty fresh acidity. We drank it with roast pork and it went down a treat!

This Chardonnay presses all the right buttons for taste, value for money and food friendliness and is available to buy from Amazon so you don’t even need to leave the house to purchase it! I really enjoyed this wine and will certainly be purchasing some more as it will be perfect for summer barbeques.

RRP £6.31

Graffigna Reserve Malbec

alcoholic drinks, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Drinks and Mixers, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Valentine's Day Gifts

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

National Cheese and Wine Day occurs annually on the 25th of July so we couldn’t let the occasion pass without sampling some delicious cheese and wine.

Graffigna Reserve Malbec is a red wine from the Uco Valley of Mendoza in Argentina. When you pour the wine into a glass it is a gorgeous deep red colour and the wine is smooth and easy to drink. You can taste a hint of black cherry and plum and it leaves a wonderful tannic aftertaste without being overpowered by the tannins.

It goes really well with cheese – especially Blacksticks Blue from Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses.

I thoroughly enjoyed drinking the Graffigna Reserve Malbec wine, the taste was smooth, the colour delightful and it looked great in the glass. Highly recommended!

Alcohol: 13.5%

RRP £9 Available from Sainsburys.