Cute Cute Boutique

Cute Cute Boutique was set up by full time mum, Magda. When she couldn’t find matching accessories for her little girls outfits, Magda decided to make her own headband and soon after, Cute Cute Boutique was formed.

As Willow’s hair is quite long, we tend to clip it back with little hair clips. When the opportunity came up to review a headband, I had to apply.

I must admit, it did take a while to arrive, but for a handmade item from a WAHM (work at home mum) I really didn’t mind the wait.

It arrived in a jiffy envelope and was beautify wrapped in black tissue paper with a Cute Cute Boutique sticker.

Upon opening the tissue paper, the baby headband was attached to a very professional looking Cute Cute Boutique card.

I didn’t know what headband I was going to receive but I was pleased with what arrived. It’s a nice, simple design that’s suitable for everyday use. The headband is very well made and the attention to detail is superb. Even the back of the head band has ‘Cute Cute’.

Little boys aren’t forgotten about, Magda makes little bow ties as well!

There’s lots to choose from, everyday wear headbands, party wear, bows, flowers and more. Even better, Magda takes custom orders. If you have special requirements, I’m sure she would do her best to accommodate you.

One of my ’14 things for 2014′ is to do a cake smash photo shoot. I will need props and accessories. I might order a custom headband especially for the shoot.

If you are unsure what size to buy, there’s a size guide on the site.

I think Willow looks super cute with her new headband, what do you think?

* I was sent this product for review purposes and I have given my honest opinion.

14 things for 2014

After having a blogging break over the festive period, I’m back with a post about 14 things I would like to achieve for 2014. Call it what you will, resolutions, bucket list, wish list ect

1. Holiday

We haven’t been on holiday in over 2 years, nearly 3 years if we holiday in the second half of the year. We normally go on ‘city break’ type holidays (Las Vegas is a favourite destination) but I’m not sure if a city break will be suitable with a 1-year-old. We are still undecided as to whether or not stay in the UK or holiday abroad, but we will have a break away somewhere.

2. Cake smash

When Willow was 13 days old, we had a cute new-born photo shoot. A very sweet photo shoot with pictures of her in a teacup, a basket, with cute little probs. For her first birthday I want to do a cake smash shoot. It’s something that’s made its way over from America, and they look like so much messy fun! I’ve been in contact with some local photographers but unfortunately, none of them are doing cake smash shoots yet. So, I’m going to attempt my own! Yesterday I bought a brand new camera for better blog pictures (I will do a mini review in a few days). I will need to sort out a backdrop, baby outfit, props and most importantly…….CAKE!

Cute baby pictures may not be to everyone’s taste, but I love them.

3. Pay a lump off the mortgage

Pretty simple really, we’d love to pay a lump off the mortgage and chip away at the years. Who wants to be paying a mortgage at 60 years old? not us!

4. Make the conservatory a usable room

When we bought this house, one of the selling points was the conservatory. In the summer, it’s lovely but at the moment it’s freezing. I’d love to use it as a play room but it’s just too cold, especially for a little one. We are thinking of solar panels to help heat the conservatory. At the moment the space is being used as storage, I’d like to furnish this area, table and chairs, rug, soft furnishings ect

5. Solar Panels

We are going to have to put a lot of research into solar panels as they are so expensive and the feed in tariff isn’t as good as it used to be. We’d love to be able to heat our own home and minimise our bills if we could.

6. New job

I’ve wanted a new job for a few years now, but when you have bills to pay you can’t afford to be out of work. I’d love a new job, I think the time has come to move on. I’m not too fussy about what I do, I’m not career driven but as long as enjoy my work, I’m all good. Hopefully by the end of the year, fingers crossed!

7. Competitions

A few years ago I used to enter competitions and I did win a few things.

Pram

Baby toy set

Theatre tickets

Concert tickets

perfume

Make-up, plus lots more!

I’ve set up a new email account in preparation and I’m on day 3 of comping. I can spend hours a day entering competitions but there are tools available to make entering competition easier. I’m going to try to keep it as a hobby, I don’t want to get bored and it becomes a chore. The prizes are a bonus, if I win that is! I have set myself a comping challenge, to win £2014 worth of prizes in 2014.

8. Lose weight

I bet millions of other people will have the same idea at this time of the year. Willow is now 10 months old and I now feel ready to lose the excess baby weight. I’ve got 2 stone to get back to my pre baby weight, plus I’d like to lose  little more. I just need to get rid of the Christmas chocolates first……

9. YouTube channel for vblogging

I’d like to expand my blog and have a YouTube channel to review products. Hopefully, I could gain more followers but I worry about how I would come across on camera. Anyone have any vblog tips? get in touch!

10. Get Willow into her own room

At 10 months old, Willow is still in with us. Not because I have attachment issues but because we live in a 3 storey house. Willow is normally such a good sleeper with the exception of teething – like now! I don’t want to be up and down stairs, several times in the early hours. At the moment I think we have the top 4 teeth coming through, I hope they hurry up! Once they have come through, she will be going into her own room.

11. New blog site

I wanted to see how I got along with blogging before forking out money on a new blog design. I am enjoying my blogging journey and I now want a more professional looking blog. I feel a more professional looking blog would bring more opportunities my way.

12. Learn a new craft or skill

I’m always on the look out to learn something new. I have a very wide range of interests and I’d like to try new things. It could be something crafty or some kind of skill that could benefit my blog.

13. More date nights with my Husband

I’m sure Gran and Grandad would babysit for us so we could go out for a meal. Even though we are a family, It’s still nice to spend time as a couple. I think we would aim to go out maybe once a month.

14. Sort out moving boxes

We moved into our house 15 months ago and we still have boxes that need sorting out. They are in our bedroom and they are taking up too much room. They are full of collectible toys. We don’t have any storage room for them, so, it looks like they will have to be sold.

 

There you go, that’s my list, my 14 things that I want to accomplish over the next 12 months. Hopefully I will be able to achieve it all, even if I managed half, it’s a start. I will update along the way with what I’ve managed.

I know there’s a few bloggers doing ’14 things for 2014′. I’m interested to see how everyone’s lists compare and how adventurous they are. I hope they all mange to achieve what they set out to do and look forward to reading about the updates!

One Stop Craft Shop craft supplies

One Stop Craft Shop been kind enough to send me some supplies to review. I enjoy sewing and baking, I’m not always successful at it, but I do try!

One Stop Craft Shop have been very generous with what they have sent me. I was expecting a little cross stitch kit or similar, they actually sent me: Sew and So On repeated heart cushion kit (£11.65), The Craft Cotton Company, fat quarter bundle (£10.70), Wilton Cookie Cutter set (£3.72) and Katy Sue Designs – Design mat (£8.98).

I made some basic vanilla cookies, so I could try the Wilton cookie cutter and the Katy Sue design mat (ssshhhhhh, don’t tell anyone that I burnt them!).
The Wilton cookie cutter set has four cutters, two different Christmas trees, a snowman and a snowflake. They were easy enough to use and I was rather surprised at how reasonably priced they are, considering that they are made by Wilton.

The Katy Sue design mat was also very easy to use. As advised, I brushed the mat with corn flour to avoid it sticking to the fondant. The design is lovely and it consists of lots of different stars.

Once my cookies had cooked (burnt) I rolled out some fondant and pressed the design mat onto it. Because I used the corn flour, the mat came away easily and the star pattern held really well. At this point, I used the cookie cutters to cut the fondant into the same shapes as my cookies. I brushed the cookies with some jam and placed my fondant shapes on top. The jam helps adhere the fondant to the cookies.

These would be ideal for children to use, maybe use them with salt dough and make some tree decorations?

Sew and So On cushion kit is ideal for a beginner who wants to try their hand at sewing. This kit contains all the materials needed to complete this project. Although the instructions are a little basic, it is simple enough but I would have liked to have seen a little guide on how to blanket stitch as not everyone knows how to. I loved the simple heart design but I decided I preferred a single heart instead of three. The stuffing is also included, it’s vacuum packed to save space and it fluffs up really well.

If you have a friend who likes sewing, an elderly relative or someone who’s a beginner, this cushion kit would make a lovely present.

The Craft Cotton Company fat quarter bundle consists of six different fabrics with different Christmas prints, baubles, snowflakes and Christmas trees. They are 100% cotton that’s nice and thick. I didn’t want to waste the fabric by rushing to make something just for this blog post. I’d much rather take my time and make something that can be used Christmas after Christmas, maybe some tree decorations, a Christmas stocking or a Christmas quilt.

Fat quarters are a cheap and easy way to experiment with different fabrics and prints. They are great for sewing, quilting and other craft projects. You can enjoy many different prints without having to buy them by the meter.

Overall, I’m very pleased with the quality of the items that I’ve been sent. I’d most definitely recommend One Stop Craft Shop, the items were well packaged and delivery was fast.

*I was sent these items for review purposes and I have given my honest opinion*

Homemade Christmas decorations

After searching pinterst for some inspiration, I decided to have a go at making my own Christmas decorations out of dried fruit.

I started with some oranges, lemons, limes, star anise, cinnamon sticks, kitchen string and ribbon.

To dry the fruit, I cut them into slices about 5mm thick. I placed them on a baking tray that had been lined with baking paper and blotted them with kitchen paper to remove the excess juice. I set the temperature on low and left them in the oven for hours, turning every hour or so.

Whilst the fruit was drying, my house smelt lovely and festive.

As you can see from the above picture, they didn’t turn out as well as I’d hoped but they were still usable and I didn’t want them going to waste. I was expecting them to keep their colour but they went brown. The majority of the lemons were a disaster and couldn’t be saved. I figured that the centre of the fruit wouldn’t be seen, so I didn’t really mind too much about the browning.

I tied star anise and a cinnamon stick together with kitchen sting, threaded on the dried slices of fruit and tied a loop at the top with the string. I finished off with some red ribbon to decorate.

I made four decorations, two with mixed fruit slices, one with lime slices and one with orange slices. They may  not look the best, but they smell amazing!!! They are cheap and so easy to make and can be hung on the Christmas tree or a door handle. Everyone should have a go at making these.

Shrek The Musical DVD

Shrek was originally released in 2001 and it was the year I got together with my other half. It must have been love because he let me drag him to the cinema to see Shrek and I’ve loved the film ever since.

Shrek has been so popular that they have also released three sequels, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third and Shrek Forever After and also two holiday specials, Shrek the Halls and Scared Shrekless, and even a spin off, Puss in Boots.

The greatest fairy tale never told come to life as never before in Shrek The Musical, the highly acclaimed Broadway production based on the smash-hit movie. Now you can bring the magic home this Christmas and get the best seat in the house!

Featuring a fantastic score of 17 all-new songs, Shrek The Musical was filmed live on stage with 10 cameras and directed by Michael Warren who flawlessly captured the magic of a Broadway performance starring an amazing celebrated cast including Brian d’Arcy (Shrek), Sutton Foster (Fiona), Daniel Breaker (Donkey), Christopher Sieber (Lord Farquaad), and John Tartaglia (Pinocchio).

Shrek The Musical tell the story of a swamp-dwelling ogre who goes on a life-changing adventure to reclaim the deed to his land. Joined by a wise cracking donkey, this unlikely hero fights a fearsome dragon, rescues a feisty princess and learns that real friendship and true love  aren’t only found in fairy tales.

The DVD features a songbook with Sing-Along – Kids and adults alike can pick their favourite song and sing along, as seven songs from the musical will have their lyrics appear on the bottom of the screen as you watch the actual musical performance on-screen. You can play all of the tunes uninterrupted or choose to randomize the musical experience with the “shuffle mode”.

I really enjoyed everything about this DVD, the packaging was eye-catching, the green S was a holographic green so it really stood out. Everyone will enjoy Shrek The Musical, it’s a great family show that stays true to the film. With songs that are catchy, you will be singing along in no time.

I enjoy going to the theatre but it can be a very expensive hobby, a DVD at a fraction of the price is much more cost-effective and you can watch it over and over!

Shrek The Musical would make a great Christmas gift for a Shrek fan or a theatre fan, they will love it!

*I was sent this item for review purposes and I have given my honest opinion*

 

 

 

 

LED HUT Christmas lights

Yesterday we decided to put up our decorations. We don’t have many Christmas decorations because it’s just been the two of us up until now. As it’s Willow’s first Christmas, I want to make it special and I want the house to feel more Christmassy.

You may have seen from my previous posts that I’ve picked up a few Christmas bits and bobs, and when a review opportunity came up for Christmas lights, I jumped at it!

I was so excited when the box arrived……..

Although the lights were packaged well, I was a bit disappointed with the packaging that the lights came in. The scenes on the box are lovely but I’m the type of person who would keep the box to store the lights in for future use. At a quick glance, you wouldn’t know what was in the box. There is a little product description on the box, but I feel like a picture of the lights would be much, much better.

On opening the box, the lights were bundled up nice and neatly but I very much doubt I will have the patience to put them away like that!

 I was sent the warm white lights in a 5m length and they are lovely. We decided that we wouldn’t be having a Christmas tree this year as Willow has just started crawling and we didn’t want to risk a tree being pulled down or lights being chewed. I bought some suction cups and stuck them in the window for the lights to hook onto.

I really like them, they look lovely and they have 8 different modes:

1-Fast Fade
2-Random Fade
3-Random Flash
4-Off
5-Fast Flash
6-Slow Fade
7-Pulsing
8-On Static.

There really is a setting for everyone depending on the atmosphere and what kind of mood you are in. You can change the setting with the click of a button, so simple to use!

Did you know you could save a huge 90% on your lighting bills simply by switching to LEDs?

Fed up of changing your bulbs? Long-lasting LEDs can keep going for more than 20 years!

I’m really, really pleased with these lights, I’d most definitely recommend them and because of the above facts, it makes so much sense to switch over to LED.

 

*I received this product to review and I have given my honest opinion*

More shopping…..

Someone decided that they wanted to go shopping into Cardiff, on a match day! Yes, mother, I’m looking at you!
Managed to get some lovely bits in TK Maxx. For a few weeks I’ve been on the lookout for a stocking holder for the babies Christmas stocking and today I found a nice one…..

It cost £12.99 and it’s rather heavy. They did have a different selection of stocking holders but I liked this one the most.
Picked up these lovely Christmas biscuit tins. I’m going to use them as Christmas decorations rather than storage tins. They were £7.99 each and I love them!

Primark – even though I hate this shop (way to busy, messy and hot), I can’t resist a bargain! Today, I bought a Christmas jumper for Willow. It was £7 and is super cute. I will post a picture of Willow wearing it closer to Christmas.

No shopping trip would be complete without food. We paid a trip to the Cardiff Christmas Market. I could spend an absolute fortune on these stalls, lots of lovely gifts for all ages. As we were walking, a man was handing out some brownie samples, the best brownies I’ve ever tasted. I had to have more, so, I bought an original brownie with warm chocolate sauce and cream, it was LUSH! I’m sorry, it didn’t last long enough to take a picture! Chockshop even deliver! You can order as a gift for someone (or yourself). I even went back and bought a box of 6 for £9.95.

I’ve taken a picture of a brownie in my hand, so you can see the size….

as you can see, they are rather generous! Everyone should try these!
I did pick up some other bits and pieces but they need to be kept a secret, until Christmas 😉

November Nonabox

You may or may not have read my previous post on October’s Nonabox, I was so pleased with it and I couldn’t wait for my November’s box to arrive.

I signed up for a three month subscription and this box will sadly be my last. Every box has turned up late, and they are getting shipped out later and later in the month (we are now two days away from December).

Because October’s box was so good, I couldn’t wait to open this box but I was slightly disappointed……

At this point, I’m fit to burst with excitement because I can’t wait to see what’s inside.

The first item is a JoJo Maman Bebe changing mat clutch, it’s valued at £15. It’s very well made and made with a wipe clean material but I can’t help thinking that it’s a bit of a pointless item, I just don’t get it! It’s a clutch bag that has a changing mat inside, ok, as separate items yes but why put them together? There’s no room inside the bag for anything else, you may fit in a single nappy and a travel pack of wipes but that’s it. Plus, most parent already have a changing bag with mat inside.

Here we have two Christmas books, a Fireman Sam book and a Mr Men book, both priced at £2.99 each. I don’t feel like these are age appropriate, the Fireman Sam book is 3+. I think I will put them away and bring them back out next Christmas.

Next up, is the Plum stage 1 porridge. Although I like the Plum products for Willow, we are past stage 1 and this will go unused.

JoJo Maman Bebe Henry rabbit comforter
This comforter was the one thing that we really liked, Willow tried to grab it straight away! It’s perfect for little hands, super soft and cuddly. I think it’s reasonably priced at £9 but I’ve just been on the JoJo Maman Bebe site and they no longer stock this item. I thought the Nonabox was a way to try new and exciting products, not products that have been discontinued?

We also had 2 x 7 ml sachets, one of Humphrey’s Corner baby bath and one baby shampoo. We’ve just used the bubble bath, it smells rather nice and bubbles up really well considering it was only 7ml. I would definitely consider buying these in the future, especially as they are organic, vegan, cruelty free and are mild on babies sensitive skin.

JoJo Maman Bebe pocket high chair retails at £14. It may come in handy, it may not but I will put it in the changing bag just incase.

Nonabox say that their boxes are tailored to suit but I don’t think this is the case as they are sending out goods that aren’t age appropriate. Looking at their facebook page, a lot of people feel the same. Two out of the three boxes have been amazing but I could help but feel let down by this months box. It did have the value in products, but the main product it useless to me and a few other products were not age appropriate.

Coughs and sneezes – Olbas and Jakemans giveaway!

So, it’s that time of year and we are already on cold number two. It’s awful when your little one is ill but there are a few things you can do to ease their symptoms. Baby paracetamol, ibuprofen and Olbas oil for children are the three things we couldn’t do without and they are getting used on a regular basis.

Olbas oil for children is so simple to use, just put a few drops on a tissue and place near baby but out of reach. A bottle lasts a very long time, I only need to use it twice a day, once in the morning and before bed, it’s cost effective because a little goes a very long way.

Did you know that parents lose up to a week’s worth of sleep a year due to their child having a cold?! I feel like I’ve lost that amount during the last month, let alone a year!

I was quite surprised by some of those figures, those sleepless nights add up quickly but the percentages have hardly changed on how to sooth a child between 3 months – 3 years and 3 years – 7 years.

If you are feeling a bit under the wether or suffering from the winter blues, enter my Olbas and Jakemans giveaway, you could win yourself, 2 bottles of Olbas Bath, 2 bags of Jakemans Mini’s Throat & Chest and 2 bags of Jakemans Minis Honey & Lemon.
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Day 4

I’ve just completed day 4! I didn’t shred yesterday as I had a work meeting and the only time I can workout, is when Willow is napping.

Some parts of the workout are getting easier but the abs section just makes me feel sick. I can’t even imaging going onto level 2 any time soon. Well done to anyone who manages to complete all 30 days!

Some of my mummy friends are on day 5 and are doing awesome, one mummy has even lost 4lb! Well done Alyssa!