Tree Fu Tom (Review & Giveaway)

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I have always adored the quality of the television programmes on CBeebies, in my opinion they are worth the license fee alone! Sometimes I have a little quibble about the scheduling, but 98% of the programmes are absolutely fantastic and we really enjoy watching them together.

This year's there's been a wealth of quality new shows starting on the channel and one of them is Tree Fu Tom. I looked forward to it starting and was sorely disappointed, and surprised, when The Boy didn't take to it. I don't think it helped that in the first episode there was a giant (slightly alarming) mushroom chasing some of the characters. Since then he's refused to watch it.

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The Footprint Of A Stegosaurus! (Review)

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I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one who has a list of things that they can't wait for their children to have? And yes, most of the things on said list are there because either I didn't have them as a child, or they came out about two years too late for me to get away with having.

Like flashing shoes.

You know the ones, the little LEDs that light up when your child runs? Surely they're even better if the light is flashing through the eyes of a dinosaur?

How cool are these shoes?

On the Dinosoles Stegosaurus shoes, the lights don't just flash in a random place. Oh no, they flash through the eye of the steogsaurus on the out side of the shoe, and the entire amber eye on the in side glows upon movement.

I cannot convey in words how much The Boy loves these shoes.

These shoes are…

dinosaur shoes

Dinosoles are a fantastic range of dinosaur inspired shoes with a variety of styles featuring flip-flops, hi-tops, skater shoes, sandals along with the more conventional style we went for. The designs are really captivating, the soles thick but flexible, the velcro is easily adjustable (although I would say parents need to check they're done up tight enough) and the quality of the materials is 'top-notch'.

As a mum who believes in quality shoes for infants, I have only ever bought Clarks' shoes for The Boy. However, I am really comfortable with the standard of the Dinosoles shoes that The Boy wears and wouldn't hesitate to buy another pair, especially when (at £24.99) they are £10 cheaper than equivalent Clarks' shoes.

The Boy was sent these shoes for the purpose of this review. My opinion, and his love of them, is honest and unbiased. Aside from the fact that they've got flashy lights; that might have swayed my opinion somewhat. Do you think they make them in an adult 8?

Discounts At Boden (Review)

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Having worked in a large high street store for three years, I am not a fan of clothes shopping. At least not for myself. I much more prefer the luxury of sitting back on the sofa, turning on the laptop and doing my shopping through the Internet. I'm still not so keen on buying for myself, but I am rather partial to buying extremely cute clothes for The Boy.

I've heard a lot about Boden over the past two years, but I must confess that I'd never really considered them as I had considered them a little more expensive than I could afford. While they are just outside my price range, in reality they aren't that much more expensive than Next or Marks and Spencer, and if you can find a discount code for a company like this before purchasing online or instore, then it's even better. My Voucher Codes is one of those places that supplies codes for frugal mummies such as myself.

I was asked if I'd like to try some of the much talked about Boden clothing, and of course I jumped at the chance to deck my little man out in good quality clothing. I chose a beautifully thick Guernsey fisherman style jumper for him, a pair of vintage jeans and (this is what he loves the best) a tomato ketchup top. He's addicted to the red sauce and I couldn't let that one pass by!

The Guernsey jumper is incredibly thick and soft, with 80% lambswool it's unsurprisingly warm. The distressed jeans have a zip which completely flummoxed The Boy at first (he's used to pull-up trousers) but he managed them really easily, and the grin on his face when he saw the ketchup t-shirt was fantastic.

The order (including postage and packaging) would have initially been £74.00, but applying the MyVoucherCodes discount brought it down to £61.40. This would have given a saving of £12.60 in total; 10% discount and free delivery. I will definitely be checking on MyVoucherCodes for fashion discount codes before purchase online or instore in the future!

To take advantage of the 10% discount code available on all orders at Boden (plus free delivery), nip over to My Voucher Codes before 28th October 2012.

I received these items for the purpose of this post. My opinion is honest and unbiased.

Fashion Doodles (Book Review)

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A small departure here from the norm, this is a review of a girls' book!

Fashion Doodles is a perfect book for all those budding fashion designers, which is pretty much applies to nearly all 9-12 year old girls, my niece is no exception. The book provides plenty of part-sketched images of models and their clothing or accessories, and I say part-sketched because the main area of the figure from the neck to the knees is missing. It allows the 'designer' to decide on the outfit to be worn and can be sketched in. At the back of the book is a large selection of prints and patterns which can be cut out into the clothing shapes and stuck onto the 'models'.

20121022-195132.jpg

The book is split into a 'Spring/Summer' collection and visits all the major fashion weeks, and the format is then repeated for the 'Autumn/Winter' collection. There are doodles to create hair styles and make-up palettes too, alongside the accessories which can be chosen.

This is a really fun book for young ladies exploring ideas about their own style and gives them plenty of opportunity to release their creativity. I really like that it's not just 'draw an outfit' but taps into their design instincts by providing them with a range of patterned and coloured paper to make those outfits out of.

The Fashion Experts Fashion Doodle Scrapbook is available to buy from Top That! Publishing for £9.99 although it is currently available for the bargain price of £8.99.

I was sent a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. My opinion is honest and unbiased.

Slow Cooker: Vegetable Stew and Dumplings

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I love Autumn because of the memory of Summer, the warming tone in the sunlight, the rustling leaves, the promise of Christmas without the cold and bleak days, and the onset of stews.

As a vegetarian, I'm quite limited in my stew range, but there's nothing to me that tastes better on a Sunday evening than soft, root vegetables in stock and herby dumplings.

Ingredients:

  • sweet potatoes
  • carrots
  • leeks
  • mushrooms
  • brocolli
  • swede
  • parnips
  • stock cubes
  • a knob of butter
  • 1tsp of ground nutmeg
  • 3ooml of hot water
  • 50g Atora suet (vegetarian)
  • 100g self-raising flour
  • salt and pepper
  • 2tbsp of dried onions
  • 1tbsp mixed herbs
  • 5tbsp of cold water

vegetarian stew and dumplings

  1. Melt the butter in the slow-cooker pot on the hob and add the finely chopped mushrooms and leeks to 'sweat'. Stir in the crumbled stock cube and nutmeg.
  2. Chop the root vegetables into large, square chunks and with the other vegetables to the pot, transfer to the slow-cooker. Pour in 100ml of the hot water and stir to combine the sauteed vegetable mix with the root vegetables and liquid.
  3. Cook on high for 2-3 hours, or medium for 4 hours.
  4. Mix up the Atora suet, self-raising flour, salt and pepper, dried onions and mixed herbs with enough of the cold water to form a pliable dough. Divide into balls.
  5. Add the remaining 200ml of hot water to the pot and stir thoroughly. Gently place the dumplings into the slow-cooker and press down carefully to cover with liquid. Cook for 30 minutes on high.
  6. Turn the slow cooker off and let it rest for five-ten minutes before serving.

vegetarian stew

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Linking up to Mediocre Mum's Slow Cooker Sunday

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