Dr Miriam Galt Fill and Spill Barn

Introducing a new range of developmental toys for baby’s first year and beyond. Developed with Dr Miriam Stoppard, the UK’s most trusted parenting expert. Each toy is designed to encourage learning through play and includes a play guide written by Dr Miriam with tips on how to play with the toy in the most beneficial way while having fun!A wooden barn with 8 farm animals to put in and take out. Encourages hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity including the important skill of picking up and letting go. All wood is from renewable sources.

A wooden barn with 8 farm animals to put in and take out. Encourages hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity including the important skill of picking up and letting go. All wood is from renewable sources. Part of a range of baby toys developed with Dr Miriam Stoppard, the UK's most trusted parenting expert. Includes a play guide written by Dr Miriam with tips on how to play with this toy in the most beneficial way while having fun!

I work in a children's centre and one of the most popular toys we use is the farmyard and therefore when I was offered this through the Amazon Vine programme in return for an honest review I was very interested in testing it.

First impressions was that it was very nicely packaged and packed within the box, with pieces wrapped in tissue paper to ensure no scratches etc before it was given or bought. The main farm barn is well made, with a removable roof. The corners have been rounded to ensure safe for young hands. It is not a large farm, just the right size as a first farm for toddlers. It is, however, one which can be bought as a first farm and then added to a larger farm set. 

Now, since receiving this item I have had time to consider one issue that I have with this product - the animals are not animal shaped - they are carved out of wood and have a cartoon style animal picture on them, beautiful as they are, but are solid shapes, not proper animals with legs to stand on, or chew on!. This product has been endorsed by Dr Miriam Stoppard, who Galt have said is teh UK's most trusted parenting expert, I am not arguing this, however when I have spoken in the past to Speech and Language experts through my work, they have said that children should see 'real photographic' images of things when learning, therefore surely farmyards should have pieces which look like animals, with four legs which can be grabbed at and a head which can be held, not a shaped piece of wood.

I also found the enclosed leaflet in which Dr Miriam told the reader how to play with the toy rather patronising - it also appeared to me to be too advanced for a 12 month old - Here is a DOG, he WAGS his TAIL and says WOOF WOOF - for example is too much for very young children and although some parents do need tips on playing with their child I do not think the leaflet was very informative.

However, after everything I have said, I do like the actual toy - great size for a young toddler, something which could be used for many years and used as a base for a farm which could, for example, be suggested to people to add to for future birthdays or Christmas, where people could buy separate pieces to add to the farm (eg separate animals, tractors, fencing etc). 

I received this through the Amazon Vine Programme in return for an honest review.

The 20 cm Green Earth Frying Pan by Ozeri, with Textured Ceramic Non-Stick Coating from Germany (100% PTFE and PFOA Free)

Utilizing GREBLON -- a natural ceramic coating from Germany, the Green Earth Pan by Ozeri is one of the world's first frying pans to achieve non-stick perfection while remaining absolutely free of PTFE, PFOA and other harmful chemicals. This version of the Green Earth Pan features a textured ceramic cooking surface designed to prevent food bonding for superior non-stick performance. The elevations of the textured cooking surface also create air pockets which distribute heat underneath food to enhance cooking performance. Conventional non-stick cookware is achieved through a coating of PTFE (PolyTetraFluoroEthylene), a synthetic substance that has waxy properties. At very high temperatures, PTFE begins to decompose and release fumes which are documented to be lethal to birds and small pets, and which can be harmful to humans. In addition, traditional pans incorporating PTFE are manufactured with the aid of PFOA (PerFluoroOctanoic Acid), which the EPA has classified as a 'persistent pollutant of the environment'. With the Green Earth Pan's GREBLON ceramic from Germany, even under high temperatures, no harmful toxic fumes are ever released into the environment. This is because the Green Earth Pan utilizes a 100% ceramic coating derived from nature - not from a laboratory. The Green Earth Pan's ceramic coating is completely free of PTFE and PFOA. The Green Earth Pan's natural ceramic coating is also far more durable and scratch-resistant than other non-stick surfaces. With better non-stick properties, the Green Earth Pan allows you to cook with as little as half the amount of oil normally used, and it makes cleaning a breeze. The Green Earth Pan by Ozeri is made of the highest quality anodized aluminum that allows for even cooking and fantastic browning without the risk of hot spots. It boasts a magnetized bottom for rapid heat transfer on induction stoves, and a heat resistant silicone coated handle. Your satisfaction is guaranteed.

As soon as I received this frying pan I was very pleased with it - it's bright, lime green colour stood out and looked modern and stylish within my kitchen. It was a good weight, although it wasn't too heavy, easy enough to hold in one hand. It felt solid and had the feel of a well made and premium frying pan.

Before reading up on this product I was unaware that other frying pans release toxins when they overheat or when they get old, however this 'green earth' frying pan does not do this. It is 'ecofriendly' and does not release any toxins.

As a household we are trying to eat healthily and do not like to use much oil or fat when cooking. This frying pan requires very little oil - a quick spray is all it takes to get optimum cooking temperatures etc. The frying pan heats up quickly, the handle does not heat up and it can be used to finish food cooking in an oven which I also liked as a feature. The pan also requires very little maintenance. To clean the pan after use it needs only a quick clean with a damp cloth and is ready to use again.

I have used the pan to cook a number of different foods and I have found that there were no foods which stuck while being cooked, they all easily slipped out of the pan when cooked. The pan was perfect for use under the grill or in the oven to finish food cooking.  The only downside that I have found for this pan is that the green outer colour of the pan has become discoloured and stained after over-spill of sauces being made in the pan. These have not come off while being washed and over time is beginning to look 'grubby' however it does not outweigh the pros outlined above.

I am really happy with this pan - it is reasonably priced and as it is available in a number of sizes I am sure that I will be buying more pans in differing sizes soon.

I received this product in return for an honest and unbiased review from Moderna Housewares. 

Bic Evolution ultra-resistant colouring pencils made from recycled materials. These quality colouring pencils are available in 12 vibrant colours and provide great coverage. The highly pigmented quality leads are protected by a unique sheath that makes them resistant to shocks. As they're made from resin, not wood these pencils are chew resistant and won't splinter if broken. 

This special circus pot contains 60 pencils (12 different colours) with matching barrel & tip and a funky contrasting nose cone. 

For more than 60 years Bic has created and produced simple, inventive and reliable products, which are the preferred choice of millions of consumers worldwide! Bic Kids products are made in the expert tradition of Conté, a colour and drawing supply brand renowned since 1794, part of the Bic Group since 1979. BIC manufactures all of the BIC® Kids products.

There are many plus points to these pencil crayons:  good selection of colours, good storage included, bright colours and five of each colour per pot meaning no arguing over wanting the same colour at the same time, easy to sharpen and comfortable to hold and give good courage and deep colour quickly. However I also found that the leads snapped easily and although the storage is good, they are not easy to transport in the pot as there is no lid. I also believe that the RRP of £25 is rather expensive for the pencils, even with the Bic name and manufacture behind them. However at 45p per pencil it is not overly expensive. This pack would be a great idea for schools, nurseries or art groups wanting multiples of the same colour. The colour selection is good, vibrant colours, however there is no black, white or dark brown included which I think is missing from this selection. I like the idea that when the pencils are sharpened there is another bright colour around the lead which all adds to the circus theme (i.e. when the yellow is sharpened, a bright green is revealed).

In summary I think that these pencils are a good purchase for art fans, however they are quite expensive and, dare I say it, too good for children to have as everyday colouring pencils. Keep them for the adults or use on special colouring projects.

I received this product via the Amazon Vine Programme. 

Cole and Mason 16-Jar Filled Hudson Herb and Spice Rack Carousel

Preparing, sharing and enjoying good food is at the heart of every home. Cole & Mason’s high performance, good looking seasoning products help everyone to cook more confidently and create delicious, flavour-packed dishes.

Market leader in salt and pepper mills and expert in seasonings, our knowledge and experience reaches right back to 1919, when our company began. Now we have applied that expertise to herbs and spices.

People today have an appetite for more adventurous dishes using a rich variety of seasonings. At Cole & Mason, we share this enthusiasm and understand how new and exotic ingredients can transform cooking and eating. We also know that the right equipment matters and can take your cooking to a whole new level. From the way it feels in the hand to how it looks in the kitchen or on the table, Cole & Mason seasonings cookware delivers superior performance.

The choice of herbs and spices available today brings bold new flavours and colours into the kitchen. To help food lovers get the most from these ingredients, we have a brand new range of jars, racks and carousels for storing and dispensing herbs and spices, along with stylish pestles & mortars. We believe the Cole & Mason herbs and spices range will quickly become as popular with committed cooks as our salt and pepper mills. And they make great gifts.

The new range of Cole & Mason spice racks really have been designed well, with smoothly rotating bases, and well crafted jars. The lids provide three different options, shake, pour, and seal close. Both spice rack, and carousel have been built sturdy enough for lifting in and out of the cupboard, whilst looking good to leave on the worktop to show off.

The spices included are the best recommendation for each different configuration of spice rack or carousel. This product also comes beautifully packaged so it makes for a great gift.

Box Contains

1 x Spice Carousel

16 x Filled Spice Jars

Product Description

Key features. . Stylish and elegant glass jars. Sleek chrome caps shake, our and seal. Carousel spins for convenience. Re-fillable jars sealed for freshness. Central convenient carrying handle. . . Contents:. . Cumin seed 0.98oz (28g). Ground paprika 0.70oz (20g). Ground bay leaves 0.35oz (10g). Ground parsley 0.19oz (5g). Caraway seed 0.86oz (24g). Fennel seed 0.63oz (18g). Ground dill 0.32oz (9g). Ground mint 0.19oz (5g). Ground cinammon 0.79oz (23g). Coriander seed 0.63oz (18g). Ground basil 0.29oz (8g). Ground oregano 0.14oz (4g). Ground chilli flakes 0.76oz (22g). Ground rosemary 0.57oz (16g). Ground thyme 0.25oz (7g). Ground marjoram 0.110z (3g). .

This is a stylish, sleek and compact spice rack which would not look out of place in any modern kitchen. In black, chrome and clear glass, this spice rack is one which should be on display rather than hidden away.

The jars are a good size and come pre-filled. My only negative re the jars is that the spice names are printed on the lid and it  is not possible to read the names of the jars on the bottom shelf unless you pull each jar out when the top shelf is also full. However as the jars are clear this is not a huge problem - just a little negative. 

The jars all fit in securely and do not fall out easily. The carousel also rotates to enable easy access to each jar, The unit is also lightweight, even when all jars are full. 

The carousel takes up very little room on a worktop counter - about the diameter of a biscuit tin (or one of those chocolate tins everyone has at Christmas time) but contains 16 good size, refillable herb/spice jars.  The herbs and spices which are contained within the unit when initially bought are good quality, aromatic herbs and spices which will flavour cooking perfectly.

The jars each have the easy to use dispenser in the lid, with the option of the lid being closed, sprinkle or open pour dispenser, making it easy to control the amount of herb/spice dispensed at any time. The jars are also comfortable to hold, they are not bulky but are suitable for people with grip problems as they are not slight or flimsy. They appear to be made of a thick glass which, hopefully, means they will be long lasting and will survive the occasional fall on surfaces or floor.

In summary, I really like this carousel. It is smart, sleek and modern, taking up little room on a worktop - however if this is too big to fit a kitchen or is to be given to a reluctant cook who uses few or a confident cook who uses lots of different herbs and spices, there are other units in the range to suit these cooks too. It would make a great housewarming present or maybe for a student leaving home for the first time.

I received this through the Amazon Vine Programme.

Me To You Tiny Tatty Ted Cuddly Comforter

A cute comforter toy which makes the perfect gift for a special baby boy. Soft and snuggly, it’s suitable from birth once all tags and packaging have been removed.

Tiny Tatty Teddy is a loveable grey teddy bear with a blue nose and a warm heart. He has soft fur and cute patches, and he’s always looking for cuddles.

This adorable Me to You teddy bear appears on a fantastic range of beautiful baby and toddler products. Gorgeous designs feature soft, neutral colours, which means that Tiny Tatty Teddy gifts are perfect for baby girls and boys!

A Tatty Teddy Bear comforter made by soft toys and gifts manufacturer Carte Blanche . This cute cuddly toy is suitable from birth and is from the desirable Me To You Tiny Tatty Teddy Collection. Coming in a presentation gift box this makes the perfect gift. There are more Tatty Teddy gifts available in the Me to You Tiny Tatty Teddy collection including comforters snowglobes and soft toys.

Tatty Ted/ Me To You bears are very popular and I don't think it matters what age or gender you are, a tatty ted bear is one of those characters which everyone likes.

This Tatty Ted is one of the Tiny range. Aimed at gifts for new babies and their families they make adorable presents for a new birth or christening gift. This Cuddly Comforter is made  in the softest of materials. It is a teddy bear's head and arms with a blue blanket that can be grabbed and held tight by the littlest of hands! 

It is packaged perfectly and would make the perfect gift for a newborn. It is also available in pink, however before this could be bought as a gift it is necessary to know the gender of the child as unfortunately no neutral option is available. 

This is a high quality, well made, licensed character gift, suitable for births or christenings. It is a reasonable price and packaged beautifully.

I received this through the Amazon Vine Programme.

Top of the Lake DVD Release and Competition

From Oscar® winning writer/director Jane Campion and the Oscar® winning producers of The King’s Speech, Top of the Lake is a powerful and haunting mystery story set at the edge of the world starring Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men), David Wenham (Lord of the Rings), Peter Mullan (War Horse) and Holly Hunter (The Piano). Top of the Lake BBC DVD and Blu Ray release is available from 19th August and comes with exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews with cast and crew.

Top of the Lake begins with a mystery - Tui, a 12 year old girl, walks chest deep into the freezing waters of an alpine lake in New Zealand. She is five months pregnant and won’t say who the father is. Then she disappears. 

Robin Griffin is a gutsy but inexperienced detective called in to investigate. But as Robin becomes more and more obsessed with the search for Tui, she slowly begins to realise that finding Tui is tantamount to finding herself - a self she has kept well hidden. 

Set against one of the most amazing and untouched landscapes left on the planet, Top of the Lake is a powerful and haunting story about our search for happiness where the dream of paradise attracts it’s dark twin, the fall.

From the very first second, this TV series takes you on a journey to the beautiful landscapes of New Zealand. The first scene is very haunting as Tue, 12 years old, begins to walk into a lake. Thankfully she is rescued, but it is not until she is taken to a hospital that the frightening truth begins to unfold, she has been raped and is five months pregnant. 

Added to the poignancy of the first scene is the silence. As the viewer watches this young girl walking into the lake, water up to her neck, you could hear a pin drop until suddenly a woman's voice breaks the silence, trying to stop the girl from continuing to walk further and deeper into the water.

A local women is contacted to lead the police investigation. A career orientated woman who had left her hometown to further her career in the police force, however has returned due to the ill health of her mother. It soon becomes clear that Detective Robin Griffin actually left the hometown because of more than just a new job oppurtunity. As the series progress, viewers soon see that not is all as it seems in the village. 

An area of land, called The Paradise, is believed by some locals to be an area on which no one should step, however a women's refuge is set up on the land, a small commune where women live in 


I found the script writers to be very clever; in parts the dialogue was at a mimimum, almost silence for minutes, but then in others there was lots, all adding to the mysterious air that seemed to be throughout the series.

I was unsure if I liked the series after watching the first episode, however by the end of episode 2 I was hooked until the last episode.  There were twists and turns throughout the series which was cleverly written and although some may have been foreseen, many came as a shock which all added to the series draw. 

The series is set in beautiful scenery and coupling this with fantastic script writers has made this a series that should be watched by anyone who enjoys a good drama. 

The box set also contains extra behind the scenes interviews with both cast and crew which are well worth a watch.  The high calibre cast list and Oscar winning writer all add to the excellence of this series, one which I am sure will be shortlisted for awards in the coming year.

Thank you to The Big Shot for sending me the series to review.

The box set DVD can be bought from both Amazon and Itunes
It is also avaliable on Blu Ray from Amazon Blu Ray. 


The lovely people at The Big Shot have offered a copy of this fantastic series on DVD to one of my blog followers.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kobo Arc

Kobo Arc is the only premium eReader on the market. Designed for the discerning reader, Kobo Arc offers a completely immersive reading experience and the most paper-like E Ink display*. Get lost in your favourite eBooks thanks to Kobo Arc's advanced, high-resolution, extra-large screen and elegant, inspired design. For readers who want the best, Kobo Arc is your eReader of choice.

I was recently sent a Kobo Arc to review. I already have a different eBook reader which I use, although I still find myself reaching for the traditional paperback to curl up with at night and so was wondering how often I would actually use the Kobo Arc during my two week testing period. I found myself using the unit every night to check into social media sites before I read a few chapters of my book. It was a lot more convenient to use to do a little surfing or checking emails than using my laptop.

When I received the unit I was immediately surprised how light the unit was – it weighed little more than my own eBook readers, surprisingly a lot lighter than my husband’s tablet. It is very sleek in design, with inbuilt speakers. I was able to hold it comfortably in one hand (I have quite small hands). The screen is a reasonable size, larger than my existing reader, although smaller than many tablets – however when using the unit it was easy to hold, fitting in the palm of my hand and easy to hold between thumb and outstretched little finger. It would fit easily into everyday handbags or laptop cases, although I would have to use it within an additional cover/case to protect the screen from accidental damage.

When turning on the unit I was able to easily set it up for home Wi-Fi access, enabling me to access the Kobo bookstore to fill up the reader with newly released books at reasonable prices, however I did not see as many offers and cheap prices as on other eBook stores.  I have, in the past, bought a number of books from Amazon and was able to also download these to the reader using the Amazon Kindle App available from Play Store.  There is also a taste app which, through a number of trial book selections, will suggest future reading when looking for a next book to read.

Kobo Arc takes E Ink clarity to the next level. Clarity Screen+ delivers an incredibly crisp, clear reading experience because with a 1440 x 1080 resolution and 265 dpi, it's the best E Ink screen on the market.* Enjoy a completely glare-free eReading experience anytime, and rest assured that your eReader's screen is durable in the face of scratches and drops

Thanks to seamless page turns, automatic bookmarks, adjustable fonts, and text so razor sharp you can throw away your glasses, Kobo Arc offers an unrivalled reading experience.

I spent many evenings reading books on the unit. I found the screen easy to read and really liked the E ink display which was very clear and caused no eye strain or tiredness when reading for hours on end. It is also possible to select one of many different fonts to read a chosen book in, which I have not seen on other eReaders. It was easy to read in both sunshine and dull weather, with no glare on the screen from the sun or artificial lighting.

I also do a lot of cross stitch and I was able to email my working chart to the tablet and then read the pattern from there instead of having flimsy paper copies spread out on the settee. The charts were in both colour and black and white and were easy to read on the screen – I could also zoom in on complicated parts to ensure correct stitching.

Comfort Light is a breakthrough front-light that's perfect for reading in any lighting condition. The revolutionary Comfort Light is incredibly even and adjustable for a beautifully lit night-time reading experience. And because ComfortLight illuminates the page, rather than emitting light outward toward your eyes, you'll enjoy a truly comfortable read. 

I found that I was able to read easily during the evenings and did not need to turn on other lights when it went dark, therefore not disturbing others who were watching television while I was reading at night.

Quirky additions included giving how much of book had been read in both % and pages remaining, also there was a ‘reading time’ clock and time remaining clock shown on main screen for selected book.

I was also able to access Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter on the unit. There is a full QWERTY keyboard accessible via the touch screen and it was easy to both read and make posts/tweets.

Surfing the internet was also very easy – with websites loading quickly and it was easy to navigate around the sites.

My husband was able to use the unit to take photos and had a good time manipulating the photos using the software already installed. I must admit I didn’t realise that there was a camera on the Kobo and had not tried this, it was not clearly evident from the screens but once found it was easy to use and to post photos directly to twitter and/or Facebook. The clarity of the photographs was very clear.

I was also able to install apps on the unit for many of the current popular games: Candy Crush and Logo Quiz were two that I tried. It was easy to play both games and the graphics looked crisp and defined throughout.

One point which my husband made was that there were only two screens for adding short cuts etc – however with the making of Tapestries possible (see below) this enabled more ‘screens’ to be utilised.

Kobo Arc has staying power. Kobo Arc’s battery can stand up to 10 hours of reading or two weeks on standby. 

The Arc was charged from flat in about four hours and although the battery life is stated at up to ten hours reading time, this was greatly reduced when surfing the internet or playing games. However I was able to use the tablet for  a couple of hours surfing and then an hour or two’s reading before having to put it back on charge.

Tapestries

Kobo’s exclusive interface, Tapestries, allows you to organize your content thematically and pin media you find interesting into customized groups. Tapestries also figures out what you’re interested in, based on what you’ve pinned and collected, and suggests content that appeals to your personal interests.

I found this really useful. Very similar to Pinterest, I was able to surf online bookstores and websites and instantly save images or links as I wanted to one place. It was easy to set up individual Tapestries for all of my interests and pin media as I found it. It is also possible to have Tapestries within Tapestries, therefore meaning lots could be made and stored on the device, however this could become confusing if there were a number of Tapestries within Tapestries. If the unit was being used as a family device, it would have been useful if Tapestries could be password protected to stop youngsters accessing material not suitable for their young eyes.

Cinematic sound

Kobo’s built-in front-facing speakers direct sound toward your ears so you catch every last whisper with incredible clarity. Enhance the audio experience with SRS TruMedia™*, a feature-rich audio solution tuned specifically for tablet devices, so each sound cuts through the background din in full, rich volume. Surround yourself with sound in an incredible, cinematic headphone experience.

I found I was able to listen to music, enabling me to have music on the go, which was of good quality. I did not watch any movies on the device but watched short video clips which played clearly and also was of good quality.

In summary – I did like the device and I used it every night of the two weeks for which I had it on loan. It was nice to be able to check mail and social media sites without having to get the laptop and on a screen bigger than my Smartphone. I liked the size of the unit – it was lighter and smaller than my husband’s tablet, meaning I could hold it in one hand and curl up with it on the sofa for night time reading and I was very impressed with the display. My husband likes to watch movies etc at night and I was able to read without having to have any lights on, disturbing his viewing. However, I am unsure if I was choosing a unit to buy if it would be a Kobo – due to having bought many books in Kindle format and Kindle appear to have a larger selection of books available, and lots more special offers on price.

My children (aged 9 and 11) also had use of the device for a short time and were able to connect to the internet and play games on it with no problems incurred. It was just the right size for them to hold too. It would be a great device to keep in my handbag when I knew we were going to appointments or where they would be sat around waiting for some time. There was a selection of children’s books also available in the online store that would have been suitable for both ages.

I was offered the use of a Kobo Arc device for two weeks in return for an honest review. Thank you to Cherish PR for sending me the unit.