Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Granny always knew about cleaning. When I was little, there were so many different cleaning cloths, just in her kitchen that I could never keep up. As time went on though, all her cleaning equipment as well as the cleaning products in my parent’s house whilst growing up were plastic, non-recyclable and not good for the environment. We’ve come full circle though, with cleaning products now becoming more environmentally friendly and from companies other than the big corporations.
Seep (Sustainable, Everyday, Essential Products) is the only B-Corp certified cleaning product company which means they can be proven to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. They have an extensive and ever-increasing range of products too, and these Valentines Eco All-Purpose Sponge Cloths are one of their latest innovations.
The pack of 2 cloths are zero plastic and long lasting, made from sustainable wood pulp. That also means they are compostable! Each cloth measures around 15 centimetres square and is spongey to the touch. They soak up loads of water and are easily rung out. You can add them to the washing machine to give them a longer life but they dry really quickly on the side of the sink or over the tap. They’re hardwearing too, but when they are at the end of their life, they can be compostable. Just cut them up and add them to your compost or food waste bin.
Each of the designs is suitable for Valentines, but they can be used by anyone! If you’re like me and don’t particularly relish the thought of cleaning products as a Valentines present, then any of the Seep products can be used as part of a bigger present, or a hamper for your Mum, Nan or a friend at Valentines. I think the best use of these Valentines Eco All-Purpose cloths is to use them as a date marker – start using them on 14 February and you can easily tell how long they last before you need to buy new ones.
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Probably not your first thought for the typical Valentines present, but let me explain She Grows Veg to you and it will start to make sense!
She Grows Veg is an online seed company with a very modern, yet traditional twist. They sell seeds online, but they are heirloom seeds. That means the seeds are cultivated from rare varieties of vegetables, fruits, flowers and trees and are typically not found in your usual garden centres. This means that the varieties often have different looks, taste different and grow differently to what you might be used to. It’s an expanding industry where so many people are now getting into gardening especially growing their own food since lockdown.
She Grows Veg sell singular packets of seeds, but they also sell gift bags, like the two that were sent to us; Chilli Trio and Tomato Lover’s Bundle (£22.50). If you or your other half are gardeners, you’ll know that this is an excellent selection of seeds for someone who loves growing, especially growing and eating!
The Chilli Trio contains 3 different chilli seeds; Biquinho Red, Chocolate Habanero and Machu Pichu. On the back of each pack are the growing instructions and key facts, along with a QR code to find out more on a You Tube video. You can see from the photos on the packets what you’re getting, and helpfully, the instructions on the back tell you what kind of flavour each chilli is and how to use it. The Biquinho Red chillis are from Brazil and take a little longer to geminate but are worth it. I’ve never grown chillis before but the instructions say to start sowing in January or February indoors, so these are perfect as Valentines gifts.
The Tomato Lover’s Bundle contain 5 packets of tomatoes, none of which I’ve ever seen before. There are three hanging varieties; Crazy Cherry (a sweet green tomato), Red Currant (small, early ripening and very sweet) and Hanging Prince (plum shaped and unusually last for months if stored correctly). The other two tomatoes are Black Beauty and Green Doctors, but of which are favourites of Lucy and Kate at She Grows Veg. Each of the gift bundles comes with a gift bag to keep your seeds safe but can also be used to store larger seeds later in the year.
These are lovely gifts for Valentines and if you harvest the fruit right, they produce can go on for weeks in the summer. The fact that these seeds are heirloom and not easy to find anywhere else if at all, makes them all the more special as a gift.
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Nowadays, everyone who drinks coffee LOVES drinking filtered, roasted, blended real coffee rather than the instant coffee we used to buy in jars. I noticed after coming back from lockdown that there are a lot more coffee brands out there, but that’s probably because there are a lot more ‘real coffee’ drinkers than there ever used to be.
Pact Coffee send packets of specialty coffee to your door as part of a subscription, but with the assurance that this is the very best coffee available. There’s an ever expanding range of coffee available from a company that is a Certified B Corporation – that means they act in a sustainable, ethical way and are using business as a force for good for their farmers, the planet and you.
As part of their changing range, Pact have brought out a new coffee called Cafeina, by Elenita Nogueira. This Brazilian coffee boasts hints of dark chocolate and strawberry. We were sent Cafeina in a Pact reusable tin, so it can be given as a gift or kept in the cupboard. For those interested, it was a coarse ground coffee, not the beans.
Elenita Nogueira is the first woman in her family to farm, aided by the Cafeina group; a cooperative in pursuit of gender equality for women in the Brazilian coffee industry. Her Arabica bean coffee is competition standard and grown at an altitude of 950 MASL. Upon opening the tin, the coffee is darkly rich with a strong almost earthy aroma, much stronger than the High Street varieties you buy off the shelf. When brewed, it gives berry tones and slightly bitter, deep chocolate flavours. This is a strong coffee for serious coffee lovers who don’t want the run-of-the-mill coffees but instead appreciate subtle flavours. It’s strong, so if you’re not used to coffee it might take a while to get used to the hit. On the plus side, if you like strong coffee then this will definitely wake you up!
If you’re not up for getting a subscription from Pact yet, then this Cafeina from Elenita Nogueira makes an excellent gift, especially for Valentines Day. At £13.95 for the tin as well as the coffee, it makes approximately 15 cups or more if you prefer it less strong. If you and your partner are coffee lovers, it’s the perfect gift to show you care – especially about the quality of your coffee together.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review however all thoughts and opinions are our own
It might still be winter, but my garage is in dire need of a spring clean! I always seem to have more stuff than places to put it and can’t seem to stop piling things on top of each other. My workbench is hidden under a pile of tools, paint pots are stacked on the floor and I’ve come to the decision that I really need to sort out some shelving for the garage.
BiGDUG are an online company who specialise in storage solutions, supplying to individuals and businesses since 2004 so when they asked if we would like to review their BiG340 shelving it was just the motivation I needed to finally get my garage tidied and return it to some semblance of order.
At 1980mm high and 1220 x 455mm wide the red and grey shelving unit offers plenty of storage space and I decided that it was the perfect place to keep all my paint pots.
The shelving arrived in three packages and all the parts were well protected, it weighs quite a lot, especially the shelves, and the frame is really quite sturdy being made of 1.8mm steel on the uprights and 2mm for the shelf beams.
Assembly is really simple, it all slots together nicely needing just a tap from the rubber mallet (supplied) to lock the shelves into the single piece uprights. The 5, 15mm thick chipboard shelves just slot on and can be adjusted in 38mm height increments. Mine took less than 30 minutes to assemble!
Before loading it up though, there was one important job to do, I drilled a few holes into my garage wall and secured the rack with screws and washers. There are plenty of holes in the uprights to choose mounting positions from. With each unit able to store up to 340kg it will certainly hold a lot of paint cans.
I’m really pleased with the racking and with the paint all sorted, I just need to tackle the rest of the garage now!
The current cost of this set is £99.99 (normally £131) and with loads of different storage options available you can easily fit out your garage or shed with BiGDUG. It is available on their website here
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review however all thoughts and opinions are our own
The Royal British Legion are the country’s largest Armed Forces charity, with 180,000 members, 110,000 volunteers and a network of partners and charities. In 2021 they celebrated their 100th birthday and to mark the occasion they partnered with Eminent Wines and launched a trio of champagnes, the RBL100 range, which includes these three champagnes.
Reveille (Brut) – A name inspired by the music which follows The Last Post and Two Minute Silence at Remembrance services. £45.00
Champs de Fleurs (Rosé) – translates from French to ‘fields of flowers’, in reference to the fields of poppies that flourished on the Western Front following the First World War, which lead to the red poppy becoming a symbol of Remembrance and hope for a peaceful future.
Centurion (Blanc de Blanc) – A name, quite simply, in reference to 100 years of the Royal British Legion.
They kindly sent us a bottle of the Champs de Fleurs (Rosé) champagne to try which has a lovely illustration of poppies on the label and I think it would make a lovely Valentine’s gift. The champagne is pink in colour and fizzed up nicely in my tall flute and there were plenty of bubbles which popped satisfyingly on my tongue. When I tasted the champagne it has a crisp, clean flavour and the lively delicate bubbles leave your tongue tingling.
This February The Royal British Legion are suggesting you celebrate Valentine’s Day with a Poppy instead of a Rose which I think is a lovely idea, not only do you get a lovely bottle of champagne you are helping to support The Royal British Legion with 10% of the bottle price going to the charity.
I am sure your Valentine would be thrilled to receive a bottle on Valentine’s Day and if you are lucky they might even share it with you!
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
The most perfect Valentine’s gift, a handbag which you can use again and again, is even more perfect when you realise its vegan leather!
Vendula London celebrate 20 years in business this year, and are planning some new collections to celebrate the achievement. The Flower Shop Pink Heart handbag is one of them and we road tested it this weekend to see how it fares.
The 15cm by 16cm bag comes with two straps, one shoulder strap and one jumbo pearl strap to make it a clutch. The heart-shaped bag is covered in fluted pink fabric with a single brass clasp fastener. Inside, there is one compartment and it’s lined with the iconic Vendula London lining. The details on the front of the bag are hand stitched pink and white hearts with pink rose details.
Although a great Valentines gift, this handbag could be used all year round especially to match a pink dress, or to dress up a plain black or white number. Going to a summer wedding? This would be ideal for a friend-of-the-bride, or even as a gift for a Matron of Honour! It’s also a great prom accessory, to go with a long gown and the talk of the town. I can really see this Vendula London handbag making an appearance at Ascot this year too!
The fine detail on the bag is really tactile, but well made. It really looks like leather but is actually completely vegan. As it comes with two different straps, it’s more versatile for going out but the straps can be taken off completely and used as a hand clutch. The bag is quite wide at 8cms but can’t fit too much in so you either need someone else to carry your phone for you or to have good pockets in your outfit! It would carry a cash card and keys easily though. It is great for packing though as it doesn’t crush easily with its metal frame and all the decorations are flat. You can fit each of the straps inside as well if you need to transport it in luggage.
The Vendula Flower Shop Valentines handbag makes a very cute gift and a lovely accessory to a night out or wedding. It looks and feels like a collection piece which you’ll keep for ever and ever and won’t go out of fashion.
Even better, Vendula were voted the Most Innovative UK Vegan Accessory Brand 2022 by Life Lux Magazine too!
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Whether for writing to your Valentines or for secret pen pals, have you ever thought of writing using invisible ink? What about for hiding passwords, especially at work?
Kikkerland have a new Invisible Ink Pen, which comes complete with a UV light so that you, or your accomplice, can read it later! It looks, feels and writes like any other pen except the ink isn’t visible to the naked eye. Instead, you have to use a UV light to read the text, which the pen comes equipped with.
Writing anything with the Kikkerland Invisible Ink Pen on paper isn’t visible at all, not even when wet. When it dries though, which takes a matter of seconds, the ink can be viewed under UV light. To activate the pen’s UV light (which is in the tip of the pen where the nib is) just click the propeller at the other end and the light should come on, allowing you to read what you’ve just written, or to read a secret note from someone else!
We realised that this is probably best used if more than one person has the invisible ink, especially if children are sending messages back to each other so it would be worth buying at least two. However, if you are sure your pen won’t go on walkabouts in the office, it could be quite useful for writing passwords down where no one else can see them, in the back of a desk diary or notebook. I can’t imagine many people in the office would even think of using a UV light let alone have one handy!
Or this would be a good gift for your Secret Valentines? I’ll leave it up to you to think how you could use it!
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
If you’re a coffee drinker, have you heard about new coffee bags? I’m not a huge coffee drinker, but that’s partly because I don’t want to make a whole pot just for myself, then let it get cold and have to heat it up again. The team at Artisan Coffee have a beautiful selection of beans, ground and bags of coffee available on their website and they have sent me a gorgeous boxful of bags to try for myself.
Artisan Coffee is a relatively young company, starting in 2019, before the pandemic and specialising in making great coffee rather than trying to improve the overall experience. By bringing in chef Ashley Palmer-Watts, Artisan Coffee used his knowledge of champagne houses to create blends of coffee and establish character. Their mantra is ‘flavour first’. Interestingly, Ashley has also created chocolates with the coffees, which I discovered when I opened the box, but more on the chocolates later!
The first thing I noticed about the Artisan Coffee Bag selection was the stunning box and artwork design around the brand. The richness of the deep purple background and gold lettering reminds me of the exotic tea caddies from stately homes who prized tea above all else… except this Artisan Selection Box is made entirely of cardboard so you don’t have to find room for it in the house if you don’t want to, and it’s totally recyclable!
Inside there are a selection of 6 different coffees with 8 bags of each, making 48 bags in all. So if you have 1 bag a day, that’s more than 6 weeks of posh coffees at home! The coffees have names as well as blend numbers; The Genius, The Enigma, The Dreamer, The Big Shot, the Heroine and The Smart Cookie. On each of the packets, which are all different colours, Artisan have helpfully indicated the character, intensity and a description of each of the blends. For example, The Genius has a ‘Wondrously Complex’ character, an intensity of 7/10 and is described as, “An intricate, nutty coffee, rich with malted cocoa and laden with delicious notes of pecan and raisins.”
I don’t like to start the day with a really strong coffee, so I picked The Smart Cookie as it has a ‘Sumptuously Smooth’ character with an intensity of 6/10. I guess that why they call it The Smart Cookie because it’s also described as, ‘fragrant honey and buttery biscuit.’ All of the coffee bags have the same instructions – poor boiling water over the bag, in a mug, and leave to infuse for 3 minutes. Less time than it takes to brew a full pot and no wastage too.
The smell of the coffee is divine, and it’s not just this blend but all of coffees we’ve tried have fantastic aromas. You can’t tell much of a difference between all of the bags just by their brewing fragrance, so if you’re a coffee lover, any of them bring the coffee scent to the kitchen. The Smart Cookie does indeed have a more delicate coffee taste with less intensity than other brands and definitely less intense than the other bags in the Artisan Coffee Selection. It’s soft too, without as harsh an aftertaste as I was expecting but is still far more full-bodied than an instant coffee, and just as smooth as the best filtered coffees in the best coffee shops.
Part of the joy of the Coffee Bag Selection is that you have 6 different flavours to try, and there are enough of them that you can share the same flavour or just get used to the range and know which bag takes your fancy. Each of the flavours is slightly different to the others but I think a coffee connoisseur would LOVE this gift, or just enjoy buying it for themselves at home.
The box also contains one of Ashley Palmer-Watts chocolates per coffee bag. It took me a while to realise what they were, but each flavoured coffee has the same flavoured penny-chocolate. Each chocolate, individually wrapped, has a short description of the taste, in the same way as the coffee bags. They’re actually a really nice accompaniment to a coffee in the afternoon or on the side for a guest who might be trying the coffee for the first time.
I will also point out that the Coffee Bag Selection costs £19.99, which for 48 bags works out at just over 41p per bag. Compare that to the price of coffee in a café or coffee shop and you can’t go wrong with the Artisan Coffee Bag Selection, their high quality and no-waste.
The Review Studio 