Beloved Date Bars and Date Nectar

Hi guys,

A little while ago the lovely people at Beloved sent me some bits to review. I was absolutely delighted and have taken a while to write this review because I wanted to give the product a really good try.

I absolutely love the branding for these products and would be able to spot them on the shelves anywhere, they are very distinctive and I would be able to tell which brand they were just by looking at them. The packaging is colourful and has enough information on the package without being too busy and full up - you know exactly what you are getting.


I was actually sent 3 different bars, a Date and Berry Bar, a Date and Nut Bar and a Date and Seed Bar - I loved all 3 and they were different from what I was expecting, I love the fact that they contain all natural ingredients and I did not share! They were a lot less sweet than I thought they might be - but they were still sweet enough to satisfy my sweet craving. They are a great snack to keep you going until your next meal - and they won't ruin your waistline ;).

You can buy all the bars on their site - a pack of 4 for £2.99 - this is quite pricy for a healthy bar BUT if you are looking for quality ingredients - you know you are getting them here, and you get what you pay for.

https://www.belovedates.com/product/date-seed-bar/

https://www.belovedates.com/product/date-berry-bar/

https://www.belovedates.com/product/date-nut-bar/

However these bars can be purchased at Asda using the links below:

http://groceries.asda.com/asda-webstore/landing/home.shtml?cmpid=ppc-_-ghs-_-brand-dsk-_-google-_-%2Basda#/product/910001827228

http://groceries.asda.com/asda-webstore/landing/home.shtml?cmpid=ppc-_-ghs-_-brand-dsk-_-google-_-%2Basda#/product/910001827239

(on offer for £1 at present 03/12/15)

You can also purchase them from Waitrose by using these links:

http://www.waitrose.com/shop/DisplayProductFlyout?productId=437702

http://www.waitrose.com/shop/DisplayProductFlyout?productId=437746


BUT the thing I was most interested in was the Date Nectar they sent me - I had never seen or heard of this before so I was very curious but a little nervous to try.

What is Date Nectar? - well it's exactly what you would think, the nectar from a date - you can use it as a substitute for sugar or honey, even in cooking/baking....I decided to use it as a substitute for sugar/honey on cereal because that is where I think my fall down is! As I am pregnant I have been trying to stay as healthy as possible and eat as naturally as I can - thats not to say I haven't had treats but I was so happy to try this out. I also liked the fact that I could give it to my 5 year old son, he likes honey on his cereal in the morning but he now asks for Date Nectar which I think is amazing - so its definitely a winner there! Now opposite to the bars I wasn't expecting for this to be very sweet - I am not a huge fan of dates, in fact I am not a great fan of any dried fruits, but I figured never judge before you try....I do not miss sugar on my cereal the nectar is sweet enough for me and it tastes amazing. I was also expecting the consistency to be a lot thicker, because I was comparing it to honey, but it is quite thin and spreads quite easily so you do not need to use loads. Compared to honey the calories are pretty similar but the sugar content is a lot less by around 20g per 100g (depending on the type and brand of honey).

You can purchase a tube of the Date Nectar on their site for £3.99 which is pretty similar to the price of honey - so I think that is great, and it lasts ages too because you don't need an awful lot to sweeten anything. Good value for money....I will definitely be purchasing this in the future when it finally runs out - I love it and would recommend it to anyone but especially any of my Mummy friends with kiddies who like sugary cereal!

https://www.belovedates.com/product/date-nectar/

As with the bars you can purchase the date nectar from Asda or Waitrose using the links below:

http://www.waitrose.com/shop/DisplayProductFlyout?productId=437704

http://groceries.asda.com/asda-webstore/landing/home.shtml?cmpid=ppc-_-ghs-_-brand-dsk-_-google-_-%2Basda#/product/910001902310

(currently on offer at waitrose for £2.49 - 03/12/15)

(pictures of us enjoying our date nectar to come - please bear with me my computer is playing up!!)


Thank you guys for reading.

You can check out Beloved on their sites with the links below!!

https://www.belovedates.com/

https://www.facebook.com/belovedates

https://twitter.com/Belovedates

https://www.instagram.com/belovedates/

Sophie Jo xx

Pooch & Mutt Survey - Get a £5 voucher for filling it out!

Hey guys, I am sharing this excellent deal with you, if you love your pooch you will love this offer, simply fill out this survey via the link below and tell Pooch & Mutt what you want, and you will get a £5 voucher off their food simple huh!? 

Off you go :)......

Tell the pet industry what you want (and get a £5 voucher for your time)

At Pooch & Mutt, we want to make sure that we are doing the very best that we can for our customers and all dogs, as our company ethos is to help dogs lead happy, healthy lives. We are well connected to the pet industry through the buyers and suppliers that we work with, the shows that we exhibit at, the articles we publish in trade journals and the talks that we give within the pet trade.

We want to use these connections to help you get your voice heard! Companies need to make products that you, our customer, wants for their dog. We live in a connected, internet age, where consumers do not have to just settle for the same, low quality, mass-market, mass-produced brands that, in the past were the only ones that could create products on a national and international scale. In today’s world it is the small, agile companies who can make new products very quickly and have international distribution set up within days. This means that customers should get the products that they want!

This survey will collate what customers want, while publishing this information to the pet trade industry. Instead of companies telling customers what to buy, this survey is all about customers telling companies what to make. You have the power!!

We value what you have to say and we value your time, so as a thank you for taking the time to fill in the short survey we are offering everyone who completes the survey a £5 voucher towards a 10kg bag of any of our grain-free dog food.

To complete the survey go to: http://www.poochandmutt.com/petsurvey2015/

Thanks for reading guys....

Sophie Jo x

Pooch & Mutt Pocket Packs

Hello lovelies, 

I am back with another review for you, I was very kindly sent some Pooch&Mutt Pocket Packs for my Chocolate Lab Lola to try. As you may have seen I previously reviewed some of their Calm & Relaxed food which Lola absolutely loved and really helped us as she is such a hyper and excited dog (love her to bits but it gets a bit much sometimes).

I have been using these treats now for around 2 and a half weeks - I wanted to get a good idea of how much Lola liked them etc before I did my review. I was very excited to review them, and even more excited that one of the flavours was Calm & Relaxed just like the food we tried before. These treats are all natural, ethical, low-calorie and gluten free which I love! They are also hand baked which gives a nice touch - plus due to the size of them they are perfect for big dogs like Lola, but can also be easily broken down to use with smaller dogs. As the name suggests these are perfect for popping in your pocket when you are on the go, they reseal so you can keep the treats nice and fresh once the pack is opened (Although they don't last long with a greedy dog like Lola ;)...yummy!). Each pack contains 8 bones and they are approximately 5 times bigger than the smaller mini bones that Pooch & Mutt offer. 

I am now 6 months pregnant and Lola is a big dog so taking her for walks can be a big chore, although when I have treats on hand she seems to be a lot better behaved *surprise surprise*. I tried the Calm & Relaxed treats first because I had an idea she would like them, due to her age she is naturally calming down a bit anyway now, she is just over 18months old and Labs are notorious for staying puppy like for a while longer than other breeds but she is getting there. The Calm & Relaxed treats contain Chamomile which is used to aid relaxation, we have all heard of chamomile tea before bed right? Lola seems to enjoy these ones the most, she constantly steals the packet and hides in her favourite place - under the table (see picture) what a cheeky lady she is. These treats are also a great size to put inside her toys - including her Kong toy which keeps her occupied for hours.....we sometimes have to leave her alone while we are at work and this helps to keep her from creating chaos in the living room or kitchen. As I mentioned before Lola is naturally calming down due to her age, but I am sure these treats help keep her cheekiness to a minimum.

Next we tried the second flavour which is the Fresh Breath treats, no one likes the smell of Doggy breath so I was very happy to try these out. These contain Parsley and Peppermint which both help to give fresh breath (I didn't know about parsley either!! Its contains chlorophyll which is a natural deodoriser), peppermint also helps aid digestions. On top of this the treats also contain Chicory which is a natural prebiotic which helps the digestive system function properly....Bad digestion can lead to bad breath! When I opened the first pack of these treats I could definitely smell the peppermint which was nice, especially being pregnant because some smells can really overwhelm me. Lola did enjoy these treats and they did make a difference to her breath. I am really happy knowing that they are also looking after her inside too :)....

Over all I was very impressed with these treats, they retail at £1 per pack or you can get 12 packs for £10 which is great value for money. 

Check out the Pocket Packs and other treats - here.

Check out the Pooch & Mutt foods - here.

Have a look at the Pooch & Mutt range of supplements - here.

The link to their website is - here.

Facebook link - here.

Twitter link - here.

& lets not forget their Instagram - here. 

Go check them out for yourselves guys!

Thanks for Reading!

Sophie Jo x 

 

Baby on a Budget #2 - Using Ebay!

EBAY


Using ebay to purchase items that are new or used can be really helpful, as I mentioned in my last post I will be (and have already been!!) using ebay to get some items for baby. I want to talk to you about all the things I have got and show you that you don't always have to pay full price for things. Although there is a certain amount of risk that the item will not be what you wanted, ebay and paypal make this very easy and you can return the items getting a refund for your purchase if needed.

please note not all the items have arrived yet, as they arrive I will update this post with pictures so you can see them - and I will update you if the condition of the items is not what I thought etc.


BOTTLES

The first purchase I made I quickly mentioned in my last post - I have decided to use Tommee Tippee bottles as I used these with my son and they were very easy to use and have been known to be good for those breast feeding also as the teat is a similar shape. I got 3 brand new bottles and 2 brand new soothers (dummies) for £7.39 including postage. On the Tesco site, 3 bottles and no soothers are on offer and priced at £11.99 normally £14.99 (this price will vary but most places have similar prices to this). This means that even with the offer I have saved £4.60 and also have 2 free soothers.

I have also since purchased 3 smaller bottles as although I am planning to breast feed, I want Daddy to be able to feed and also I want to be prepared, incase for any reason, I can not. These were also brand new and cost me £6.79 including the postage. On the Argos site, 3 150ml bottles are priced at £14.99 the same price as it would cost for the 3 larger ones, which I find a bit odd! This means I have made a total saving of £8.20 which is great more than half price :D.




OTHER FEEDING EQUIPMENT 

As I have said before I really want to breast feed, I never used a pump with my first so I am not really sure how I will get on. I didn't really want to spend loads of money on an electric breast pump and then find out it was not for me. I decided to go with the manual pump which is much cheaper because if I really want to get an electric pump later on then there is nothing to stop me. Again this is something I would really rather buy brand new, there are some out there second hand which can be found really cheap, and if you are happy with that then great - sterilise the equipment and you will be fine, this is just a preference for me! Although I wanted a brand new one I did decide to look on ebay and managed to pick one up BNIB for £14.90 including postage.....at the moment the manual breast pump is on offer at Argos for £14.99 which means I only saved 9p BUT it was delivered to my door I did not have to go anywhere. Normally in Argos this retails at £29.99 meaning I got it a little under half price.

I also managed to purchase a second hand steriliser which came with 3 more brand new 260ml bottles and some tongs too. This cost me £8.79 - like I said the bottles would cost me between £11.99 and £14.99 on their own so this is a great deal. The microwave steriliser costs £9.99 at Argos brand new, as this is a second hand item I can not really tell you what I have saved apart from to say that I saved up to £6.20 with just the bottles getting the secondhand items for free :).



TOYS

The last thing I got for baby on ebay was a second hand play mat - I got the Blossom Farm 3 - in - 1 play gym which would cost me £12 from ELC. This cost me £7.20 including postage so there wasn't a huge amount of savings made there £4.80 is a big difference though and it all adds up. It arrived in great condition and is perfect for my needs. I also used the same play mat with my son so it feels a little bit special that they will be using the same play gym for some reason.


I really hope you enjoyed reading this post. Please let me know what great bargains you have picked up from ebay I would love to hear. I may purchase more in the future in which case I will do an updated post for you with all the bits I receive. Look out for more posts about money saving tips when having a baby.

Thanks for reading.

Sophie Jo x

Can you really have a baby on a budget?? Baby on a budget #1

Hi guys,

As most of you will know by now I am expecting baby number 2 in December! I am very very excited about it all and I can not wait. A topic that is often talked about when having kids is money.....now I know everyone needs a roof over their heads and has to pay the bills etc BUT you need all that kids or not. So I am attempting to have this baby on a budget and I want you to join me in my journey and perhaps I might help you or you might help me along the way! I am basically starting again because due to moving I had to get rid of most of the stuff I had from my son.

Now, there are certain things I believe you should not get second hand, the main and most important one being a car seat....you do not know how safe the seat is, it may have been in an accident or it may be damaged in a way you can not see from the outside (I would accept these from family where I know how the car seat has been looked after etc but nowhere else). The second thing being bottles - I would always use new teats of course and to be honest I wouldnt like to use used bottles either.....that does not mean that you have to buy them full price in a shop however, you can find these on ebay BNIP from people who have had unwanted gifts, also if you are not fussy about the type of bottle many supermarkets sell bottles for very cheap. I am planning to breastfeed alongside bottle feeding so I have opted for Tommee Tippee closer to nature bottles which I also used with my son. I have already purchased 3 brand new large bottles and 2 dummies for £7.50 including postage on ebay. The newborn starter kits retail at £14.99 in argos you get 2 small bottles, 2 large bottles, 2 dummies, 2 medium flow teats for 3m+ and a bottle brush - I consider this to be a good deal and I will probably purchase one of these later on in my pregnancy then thats my bottles completely sorted!

Ok so my first tip, which I did do when I had my first although I did not actually use as much as I should have, would be to sign up to all the baby clubs, all the ones you will actually use. These clubs give out vouchers and free samples from time to time and every little helps, when I had my son I only used a fraction of what they sent me and I regret that now, since finding couponing my life has changed and I know that I will use them all this time around. I plan on using aptamil milk, when moving on to baby food however I am not fussy on the brand so here is a list of the clubs I have joined - I will also insert the links....If you know of any other clubs you think it would be useful for me to add to this list then please email babyonabudget@hotmail.com

Bounty
Emma's Diary
Mothercare
Boots
Tesco
Aptaclub
Cow and Gate
Ella's Kitchen
SMA
Heinz
Hipp Organic
Organix
Pampers
Huggies

Great so the next thing I want to say is DO YOUR RESEARCH!!!! Please, look at what you want to get first - for example, what are the best buggies/prams for newborns up to toddler ages - have a look see what you think, see what suits you and then look for it second hand but in good condition!
Countless times I have heard people tell me they have changed their minds about their prams and bought different ones, only to sell the first one for way less than what it costs them!
Whats the point, make sure you know what you want before you get it....not everyone has the same styles, tastes and ideas so it won't be the same for everybody.

Lastly for this post Vouchers! - I know I spoke about the coupons you might get sent from the different baby clubs - which again you must make sure you use - please. Well what about gift vouchers/clubcard vouchers etc. I found an app called Zeek - through someone else in the 'freebie commuity' and managed to grab myself £15 worth of Mothercare vouchers for only £2, I used this to buy my baby a little outfit, 2 packets of nappies, and 3 packets of wipes! All stocked up and ready for when he or she gets here. I have also saved my clubcare vouchers (£8 so far) which I plan to use for the same things - nappies, wipes etc and I have a £10 sainsburys giftcard which was given to me as a sorry for some unpleasent grapes which only cost me £2. So in theory whatever I get with these vouchers has cost me £4 - alot less than what it would cost me really.

Well I hope this has been an interesting read for you, and I hope you will join me, especially if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant in the near future and want some tips OR if you feel you have some advice you want to share with me. Email babyonabudget@hotmail.com with any tips or questions you may have.
All these will be addressed and answered - and your name (if you want) will always be mentioned, I will not take credit for others ideas - I do not believe in that.


Take care.
Sophie Jo
xxx

The Sticker Factory - Stickers and Charts

A while ago I was sent a lovely lot of stickers and charts by the lovely Ruth from The Sticker Factory. 

This site sells a range of different products, stickers - of course, stamps, charts, badges and certificates too they will also personalise a lot of items which I think is a great idea.

I have a 5 year old boy and I also work at a gymnastics centre where I am in charge of the Pre-School section. We use stickers and stamps as rewards regularly and I am constantly spending money on stickers from a certain shop which fall off all the time.
I was sent 36 Sparkly Bee stickers which would cost a grand total of £1.42 + VAT, 78 Sparkly Smiley stickers which would cost £1.88 + VAT, 200 mini Sparkly Star stickers which would also cost £1.88 + VAT and also 2 sheets of personalised stickers made with the name of my Gymnastics centre. Ruth sent me 2 Mini charts which you can get in packs of 40 and cost £4.13 + VAT and an Early Years Chart which you can get in packs of 2 costing £1.88 + VAT.

I was really impressed with the quality of all the items, but especially the stickers. I had bought a pack of 200 stickers from a well known stationary shop - this cost me £4.50 - I am forever finding them down the hall way or inside the gym as they fall off seconds after I give them to the children at work. I took the personalised stickers in and they were very well loved by the childrens, they were a lot bigger than the others and they stuck really well...and I haven't found one thats fallen off before the children got out of the facility. As for the other stickers - the chart works very well with my little boy, he loves the pictures and again the quality is brilliant....he is a very fussy eater and we use it for trying new foods and eating all his lunch/dinner - he looks forwards to choosing which sticker he would like and being able to put it on his chart. They definately reach the right audience and they are amazing value for money! You can even pay via paypal which I think every online shop should do now. I would highly recommend these to all my Mummy/Teacher friends Definately a 5* site!.....and I am planning to buy some more stickers and purchase a few stamps from them too!
 

You can find them on Facebook.

Or

Follow them on Twitter.

Many Thanks again to Ruth for sending me these lovely items, I am very grateful.

Thanks for reading

Sophie Jo x

250 YouTube Subscribers - Thank You - Sorry and I am back

Hi guys,
I have made a video on my YouTube to apologise for my absence recently. I have now reached 250 subscribers on my channel and I am doing a giveaway if you want to check it out here is the link to my channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP-MlWXnxz8cv415k8pSMyQ

If you are not interested in that side of things then I would just like to apologise again for not having many posts in the last couple of months. I found out a few months ago that I am expecting my second child and have been feeling quite unwell and have been busy with life and appointments as you do. Thank you to everyone who has so far congratulated me, I can not wait :)....this is an exciting time in my life and as you can imagine I have so much stuff to do before baby arrives.

I will be posting things on here which are baby related now too - so hopefully some of you will take an interest in that :).


Please know that I am now back and I have about 3 or 4 reviews to write which will be up in the coming days/weeks. I hope you enjoy them all.


Thank you

Sophie Jo x

Tranquil Earth - Spa Collection Scented Candles

This week I was very kindly sent some beautiful candles from Tranquil Earth's new Spa Collection.

I was sent 3 of their candles Coconut, Grapefruit and Mangosteen, and Peppermint and Eucalyptus .

I opened each candle when they first arrived and smelt them all - they all smelt amazing before they were even lit.
The boxes the candles came in were beautiful and delicate - with the brand clearly on the front as well as the scent of the candle and the logo on the top of the box. Each box had instructions and candle care inside which I think is a great idea, and it means the box or glass is not packed with information. They were steady and well put together, they felt like good quality. The packaging of the candles themselves were simple and elegant - a simple misty glass with the collection and scent written on the front.
Each candle is 215g (net weight) and will last approx 50 hours - which is a really long time.

The first candle I tried was the Grapefruit and Mangosteen - the scent was so strong but not overpowering in anyway, I lit the candle for around 2 hours, it hardly left a dent in the wax....A friend came over shortly after I lit it (upstairs) and commented on how nice the house smelt, the scent had drifted throughout. It was very citrusy and sweet - it made me think of being in a shower for some reason, with really fruity shower gel, thats the only way I can describe it. I was feeling quite down and had a lot of course work to do - so I lit it again in the evening, the scent really seemed to help lift my mood and did help to relax me. This is by far my favourite scent of the three and my friend loved it to. Once I have used this candle up I will definitely purchase this candle as I thought it was so relaxing, a great scent which was always there but not too overpowering and it filled up the whole room effortlessly.

The next night I tried out the Peppermint and Eucalyptus candle - this scent reminded me of a spa I went to, before I lit it I thought the scent was quite strong - however once I lit it, it didn't seem to be as strong as the Grapefruit & Mangosteen one. I liked the scent but it didn't seem to be as strong as the other....I probably wouldn't use this one as much but its great for those of you who don't like such strong scents. I don't think I would purchase this scent again, not because I don't like it, just because I am one of these people who likes a stronger candle. A lot of people I know would probably prefer this one because its scent is not too strong.

Lastly I tried the coconut scented candle and I loved it, I love coconut and I was so excited to try, as with all the candles smelling it before I lit it, it was really quite strong. When I lit the candle I was surprised at how little I could smell...the scent didn't seem to be there all the time and it was just in the background drifting in and out. I loved it, and did find it quite relaxing to sit with though and I would definitely purchase this in the future. I think coconut is quite a subtle scent anyway and doesn't need to be as strong.

Each candle is priced at £15 which I think is great value for money considering the quality of the packaging, the quality of the ingredients, the approx burn time, and the amount of enjoyment you will get out of it. And for this type of candle at this size, this price is average - but you wouldn't know that from the candle itself....they are very high quality.
Tranquil Earth's candles are made from 100% Soya Wax, this means they burn longer, the source of which they come from is renewable (soya beans), its toxin free, natural, and its easy to clean up. The wicks are unbleached and they are scented with essential oils - all these things make these candles amazing!!

You can follow them

Through their site.

Through their facebook.

or

Through their twitter.

Thanks for reading :)

Sophie Jo x

A little bit of love for you all....

I am planning quite a big giveaway on my YouTube channel soon, I have now reached 228 subscribers which may not seem a lot to some people, but to me, it is more than I could ever have wished for!

In my giveaway I am planning to have 2 prizes, a boys prize and a girls prize - the girls prize will be all things frozen, and the boys will be all things avengers! I will start this giveaway once I reach 240 subbies, with the aim to reach 250 by the time my giveaway ends.


I am going to link my channel here -

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP-MlWXnxz8cv415k8pSMyQ

If you guys haven't already then please do subscribe and share with your friends, let them know about my giveaway too - I always love to hear from new people so please leave a comment on one of my videos.

The giveaway will be really simple to enter, and will be UK only - due to postage costs I just can not afford to do an international giveaway just yet - so sorry :(.

However, if and when I do manage to reach 300 subscribers I will do another giveaway and make sure I can get it to other places in the world.

I do hope that you all help me reach my goal so that I can start this give away as soon as possible. Cant wait to start shopping for it.


Love love love to you all

Sophie Jo

Things to use up in May 2015

Hi guys,

For those of you who follow my YouTube channel you may have seen my video explaining all the things I have which I would like to use up by the end of May 2015.

First of all I would like to explain in a little more detail why I have started this...the videos and blog posts are for those of you who are interested BUT they are also for me, to help me keep track of what I have and haven't used. I love getting freebies and samples and only request things I think I will use....but for some unknown reason I find it hard to bring myself to use them up! SO I have challenged myself to use up a few samples/freebies/cheap bits every month to keep my 'stockpile' from going out of control. What is the point in having 50 shampoo samples if you aren't going to use them....I would still like to have a stockpile of bits for emergencies - like when someone uses the last bit of shampoo before I get there!!...but I would like to make use of what I have, in order to save myself some money. Please see picture below for all the things I have chosen to try and use up this month.

I have chosen a range of samples to use up, some of which I would like to do reviews on, like I said at the beginning of this blog, I started a new one and I wanted to make sure there were more regular posts (which I hope has already happened)....The Elizabeth Daughter's samples I have doubles of so I hope to get a good idea of how they work/what they are like and then do a little review on them.

The QV cream is going to be used to help soothe the burn on my arm, I used it yesterday and it seemed to make it feel a little better so I am going to continue with that and may do a review for that too as it is a decent sized sample.

The Jimmy Choo perfume has gone in my bag and I did manage to use it a couple of times yesterday so that is off to a great start.

I can not wait to have a pamper night so I can use up the face mask, foot cream and probably use the shower gel as bubble bath as it smells great.

The tea bags are going to be the hardest to use up I think, as we rarely run out and I always forget they are there....that is why I decided to put all the samples into a clear bag - I can see them and it makes me remember (I hope). I also am not a big fan of green tea, but these will be passed on to members of my household and get used up by the end of the month easily.

The toothpaste, dog food sample (to be used as treats), washing scent boosters and hair oil should be fairly easy to use, as these are everyday items. I do have a full sized hair oil, but I also have another sample which I am saving for if we go away or if I stay at a friends or something similar happens.

The big bag of dog food will be used up easily, our dog is a big dog so she eats quite a lot, I will be slowly introducing her to the food and then using it on its own for a week or so before introducing her old food back (as not to upset her tummy). I will see how she gets on with the hill's food, and will be doing a review on that - its taken me a while to get round to it, and I apologise to you all for that! 

The air freshener has already gone up and is being used. I love the smell but it isn't too strong tbh. This may not be gone by the end of May but it will have been used up soon after if not :) and what a bargain at 25p.

The Febreeze has also started being used, I have sprayed it on my pillow and around the bedroom the last two nights and I do love the smell, I have been so tired lately that I have been sleeping a lot better anyway, but I am still waking up of a night, so I am hoping that maybe this will help a little. I am not hoping for a miracle just a little change would do.

And lastly is the shower gel! This I know there will be no problem with, we are constantly running out of shower gel and running to get some from the shop, or phoning each other while we are out to ask if we can pick some up. I feel a little silly as I have atleast 6 stored away, some from cashback offers, some from couponing and others were cheap - like the adidas one. But I know by the end of May - maybe even before - all this will be gone.

That is all the things I would like to use up by the end of May 2015 - I hope you enjoyed reading, maybe I have been ambitious - maybe I need to add more next month, I am not sure. I won't know until I have tried :)....I will be coming back and doing another video at the end of May - this will show you how I have got on with this list, and I will be adding all the things to use up in June :).

Thank you for reading :)

Sophie Jo x

Office Pantry

Hi guys,

I just wanted to tell you about an amazing company I have come across while looking on The Blogger Programme. They are called Office Pantry, and they deliver great, healthy snacks to offices all over the country. The reason they started doing what they are doing is because they know how it feels. They used to work in offices, and they were fed up of the lack of healthy food available to them.

Now I do not work in an office as such BUT I am a sports coach, I teach children gymnastics, I am always rushing about and never get time to eat properly - always popping to the corner shop or the vending machine and grabbing a mars bar or a bag of walkers or just skipping food all together (not the greatest example to set hey!). So I am totally in love with this idea, every second we have spare we are normally completing admin in the office as we are a family run business so we don't have a huge amount of admin staff (we have one lovely lady named Debbie).

The concept is very simple, you get a pantry with your first order and this 'houses' your snacks, and each week you get refill packs delivered to your office! - Each pantry costs £35 and you pay by Direct Debit so it is easy peasy and you don't have to worry about forgetting to pay for the next one...

If you choose to go with the honesty box option then you will make your £35 back once all the snacks are gone. A price list for the snacks is provided with the pantry and the staff put the money in the little slot. When the last snack has left the pantry you can use this money however you like, you can even use it to purchase your next box BECAUSE they guarantee that the retail value of the snacks is NEVER lower than the price of the box itself.

One of the great things about these boxes is that if you find there is something people are not particularly liking you can ask office pantry to change the mix in your box. Your pantry/box is tailored to your office.

All their food is locally produced, taste tested and grandmother approved (read more about that here) and they serve many offices including BT, Lovehoney and more. AND you can get 50% off your first order - get started right now by clicking here!!!

You can also refer a friend by clicking here.....when they try Office Pantry out you will both get a treat box (bonus).

I spoke to the lovely Giles and he kindly sent me some of their snacks to try out for myself and they really are delicious and healthy at the same time - there is such a thing!! I think this is a brilliant idea and I have suggested Office Pantry to many people already in the week or so since discovering them.

You can find out more by visiting their Site.

Their Facebook.

Their Twitter.

Or

Their Instagram.

Thanks for reading - hope you enjoyed

Sophie Jo

xx

Ipanema Wishlist

Ipanema.uk.com is one of Brazil's hottest flip flop brands. They bring out new and stylish designs each season, which means that there is something for everyone! They sell flip flops, sandals and wedges in a huge range of colours and finishes. The thing I find most interesting about this brand is that they are 100% recyclable I honestly don't think I have come across another company that has this - there may be one but I don't know of it. This brand has designs for women, men and kids - which is brilliant. I thought I would create a wishlist of all the things I would like. I hope you enjoy reading and head over to their site if you'd like to check them out for yourself here.


1.  Ipanema Applique (womens) had to be my first choice, and anyone that knows me will instantly know why! Owls, I love Owls so much! These Flip Flops are so so cute and even comes with some interchangeable accessories to go on the front - an owl, a heart and a glitter bow.  There are 3 different colours to choose from - White/Blue, Pink/Beige and Pink/Black, I personally would go for the White/Blue but they are all very nice. They look to be good quality from the picture and are made of 100% recyclable PVC which is great. They are extremely easy to clean which is good because we all know how dirty flip flops can get, and how unattractive they look once they get to a certain stage. The price is £23 which, due to the quality, the uniqueness and the fact that it is recyclable, I think is reasonable. You can check them out for yourself here.

2. Ipanema Lovely III (womens) would be my next choice, the reason I like this flip flop is that it is very delicately decorated with a lovely pattern which sort of hypnotises me. This also comes in a range of colours but I personally would go for the Black - I think it looks the nicest and although I would wear all of them (and despite the fact that my first choice was light coloured) I think black would be the most practical and not get as grubby. BUT in saying that, as with the last pair, they are made of 100% recyclable PVC and are very easy to clean - so I am sure that light colours would not be a problem. The price of these is £17 which is a good price for the quality. You can check them out for yourself here.

3. Ipanema Deco (womens) would be the third choice, I like these wedges because they do not look flimsy, but they are not so high that I would lose control (which lets face it, would be totally embarrassing). There is a pretty design at the back of this shoe, where you would rest your heel, and the front is plain. This makes the shoes simple yet pretty. Again this comes in a few colours but I would choose the black, they are 100% recyclable and very easy to clean. The price of these wedges are £23 which I think is a reasonable price, considering what you might pay elsewhere. You can check them out for yourself here.

4. Next I would pick Ipanema Lipstick Wedge (womens) - can you tell I like this brand! I like this design for its simplicity there is no design on the top, but the whole wedge is patterned. After going on about how much I like all the designs in black - well with this one I prefer the white! I think it looks lovely and would be perfect on the beach in summer time! Again this is made from 100% recyclable material and is very easy to clean, these are all bonus' if you ask me, and it makes it better value for money. The price for these is £35 which I think is quite a lot but as they are very good quality I would say this is reasonable. You can check them out for yourself here.

5. Ipanema Monster (kids) - I think these would really suit my little boy, he is 5 and loves things like this! The design would be appealing to a range of ages I believe and I think I would pick the Green/Black just because it seems more Monster like! Again the flip flops are 100% recyclable and are easy to clean - even more of a bonus for kids. The price for these is £12 which is a very reasonable price for kids flip flops. You can check them out for yourself here.

Payments and Packaging - You can currently pay with a range of cards but also through PayPal - I love this, and I think more companies should offer this, I think it is an easy way to track your payment, and it makes you feel a lot safer! Postage and packaging cost are £3.50 per order and if you buy 3 pairs or more then its free. For UK mainland (where I am) your order is tracked and delivered by DPD. If you are anywhere else your order is tracked and sent by DHL. The items being tracked is another thing that makes people feel safer and I think that all larger companies should offer this service.

That concludes my Wish list for Ipanema.uk.com I really hope you enjoyed! You can check them out yourself on their site.

Or follow them on twitter - https://twitter.com/IpanemaOfficial

And find them on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/IpanemaOfficial

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed.

Sophie Jo x

Blogger Network

Pooch & Mutt - Calm & Relaxed Dog Food

I was very very kindly sent a 2kg bag of the Pooch & Mutt Calm & Relaxed dog Food. Pooch & Mutt are a company that makes grain free dog food - why is grain free good? - Well dogs do not need grain, wild animals are 'designed' to eat mostly meat, and just like humans, some dogs can be allergic to gluten which is in many grains. The actual fact is that dogs do not need grains, so why do we need to give it to them. As I have mentioned before in a previous review of some other dog products (see it HERE) bloat can be very serious for dogs and can even kill them, if a dog is finding it hard to digest a grain they are more likely to get bloat.

Pooch & Mutt is also the only company who's food contains Nutra-Bionic which is a supplement that includes a lot of things including Cranberry to aid Urinary Tract Health, Zinc and Botin to aid Skin and Coat, plus lots lots more. You can read more about it on their site here.

They also sell Dog Treats and Supplements.

On to the product - first of all the packaging is very simple and easy to read, you can tell what you are getting and who you are getting it from. The character is very sweet and you would instantly recognise these on the shelf at any store. The package is purple which I do think is a colour associated with relaxing - but it makes me think Lavender which this food does not include. The only thing I would like to see is a re-sealable packet - I use tape to seal mine, and I think this is something a lot of companies are missing out on! Even a sticker to seal the packet would be enough to make me look twice. 

Now on to the ingredient which make this product Calm & Relaxed - Chamomile - We all know this helps us all to relax and it has been proven. This is the only ingredient (as far as I can see - please someone correct me if I am wrong) that actually helps to calm/relax - BUT interestingly (I have done a little reading) chamomile has a whole range of other uses such as anti-inflammatory, gas relieving and anti-spasmodic among many others. For me this is a huge plus point, keeping my dog healthy is a very high up on the list priority....she is part of the family, I love her as if she is one of my children. There are also many ingredients in this food which help to aid digestion such as, b-vitamins and probiotics - this a long with the grain free aspect will make it easier for any dog to digest - causing much less intestinal problems (plus point!!!).

The effects - this food claims that it helps to calm and relax your dog. I for one was very excited about this concept as I have, probably the most hyper, cheeky and unrelaxed (if that is a word) dog on earth. Lola, is a Labrador, and Labradors are puppy like for much longer than other dogs...she has just turned 1 year and is always getting into all sorts of trouble. I fed Lola this food, along side her other food (as you must always take time in changing over to a different food - please be careful as you can upset your dogs tummy)....I was feeding her half and half by the end, Her morning feed was Pooch & Mutt and her Night Time feed was her usual food (this may have an effect on the results)....Within 4 days of using this food, I saw a small difference in her behaviour - now normally she will be hyper from the moment she wakes up, to the moment she goes to bed, and never never stops. I have noticed that now in the evenings she is slightly calmer, a little less up in the air and actually sits still for a period of time. This is great and I would definitely consider purchasing this food in the future and transferring Lola over completely. Above that she absolutely loved the taste, within seconds she gobbled it up - this is probably due to it being new as well BUT if she didn't like it then she wouldn't eat it. Check out these adorable pictures of her hearing me open the packet and looking through the window, then having a good old sniff at the packet. 

  

The Price - This is another thing I like to look at, because although I would give her anything, I do think some dog food is far too over priced. Pooch&Mutt Calm & Relaxed is £13.99 for a 2kg Bag, which looking around is average for a grain free food, I think paying a little extra for the good stuff is ok. With all the benefits this food provides and the quality of the ingredients that are put in it is well worth that price tag. 

Thank you again to Pooch & Mutt for the lovely bag of food.

Again you can check out their website - http://poochandmutt.co.uk/

Find them on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/poochandmutt?fref=ts

Follow them on twitter - https://twitter.com/poochandmutt

And instagram - https://instagram.com/poochandmutt/

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed.

Sophie Jo x 

Next Haul and Wishlist

Hi guys,

I had £40 worth of vouchers to spend at Next which I got for my birthday. I love Next and always use them, I think they are great quality and last a while so I do not mind spending a little more than other stores. The other great thing about Next is that most of their items come in a good range of sizes from 6 to 22 some items even cover other sizes too. And their shoes (although I did not purchase any at this time) come in a range of sizes too.

The first 3 items I bought were their T-shirts - I always use T-shirts for work and know that with Next I will get great quality, long lasting and good value for money. These T-shirts were £4.50 each, 2 for £8 or 3 for £12. I got it in Grey, White and Bright Pink...3 colours I love to wear, I always wear them with tracksuit bottoms for work but although they are very basic they can also be dressed up with accessories and look great with jeans. They come in a huge range of colours - you can take a look here.

The next item I purchased was a Bright Pink mesh top/jumper, I thought it looked really nice and comfortable and I love the colour. These also came in a range of colours but I liked the pink the best. This cost £14 which I think is an average price for something like this, but again like the T-shirts I know it will last me a while. I think this top would look lovely with jeans but I think it could go with leggings too for a more comfortable look. It could be dressed up with a range of accessories. I got mine in the size up as I wanted it to be a little baggy on me for comfort, with a nice little vest top on underneath. You can check it out on their site here.

Next I got another comfy piece - an over sized T-shirt which I would either wear to bed or maybe even on the beach over a swim suit or leggings. I can not find this on their site so I am not sure if this is available everywhere BUT I love it. It it white and says 'I DREAM OF SUMMERS THAT LAST FOREVER' in black writing. I got this again in the size up as I love over sized things they are comfortable and easy to wear. This cost me £12.

The last thing I purchased was a real simple and beautiful pair of earrings - I love them because they are sterling silver and sparkle when the light hits them. They can be used with almost any outfit for almost any occasion, they are so versatile. They were £4 which is a really good price for a good quality pair of earrings. You can check them out and buy them from here.



WISHLIST

I saw so so many things today in store that I wanted to buy but I couldn't get them all! So here is my wishlist...I am hopeful that I will purchase some/most or all of this in the future - so anything I do get will be crossed off the list! I have written all of my wishlist items in order 1 being most wanted/favourite.

1. Printed Jersey Dress - £20 - this dress is beautiful and comes in 2 different designs, I would like both if I am honest and I think they look great for summer! Check them out here.

2. Single Band Footbed Sandals - £20. These come in a few different colours but I would like the Metallic ones, I think they would go with a few different outfits and they look so comfortable, unfortunately they did not have my size in store today so I may have to order these online. You can check them out here.

3. Five pack Fruit Trainer socks - £7. I have only seen these online I did not spot them in store otherwise I would have snapped them up. They are so cute, and if you know me you know I love a good pair of socks. Socks are very useful and I always need them for work, I work with children so cute socks are always my fave! You can check them out here.

4. More socks - Five Pack Animal Footbed Socks - £8. I just love these because they look practical but cool. The animal print on the bottom is great, I love animal print and again working with kids, funky and cute patterns always appeal to them and me. You can check them out here.

5. Soft Shirt in Daisy Blue - £26-28. This shirt comes in 3 different colours/prints, but I like the daisy blue one most. I down actually own a shirt so I think this is why it really appeals to me. Shirts can be worn for all sorts of occasions, they can be dressed down and up. I would wear this with a lovely pair of jeans. You can check it out here.

That is the end of My Next Haul and Wishlist. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed, there are probably hundreds of things I could wish for from Next but these are the main things I would like.

Sophie Jo x

Imune Nurture Drinks

Hi all - I was kindly sent some I Mune Nurture drinks for my little man to try out. He is 5 years old and we really struggle with his eating so I often worry that he doesn't get enough vitamins & minerals above this he is forever picking up bugs and since he has started school this has got worse, with both his parents working with children we find it very difficult to keep him away from it all and I have forever been looking for something which will help. I recently joined The Blogger Programme and came across this brand, I have never seen anything else like it on the market and was very interested to learn more. They are 100% natural with no artificial sugars (which many kids drinks do have now days) and they have even been scientifically proven to boost a childs immune system (wow). The other great thing about these drinks is that with all the vitamins and minerals inside them you can be sure that any of you Mummy's with fussy eaters like mine will be getting the good stuff in! Suitable for ages 2+.

I firstly want to talk about the packaging, its very sweet and the brand is very clearly written across the top of the pouch. Rhys (my little boy) really liked the look of it and asked to try it before it was even offered to him. The design of the pouch means that it is completely spill proof - don't believe me? (I couldn't believe it at first either) Grab a pouch - turn it upside down - and squeeze it - go on - nothing will come out. If you don't want to try it yourself then take a look at this picture of me doing it.

The first one we tried was the strawberry and cherry - anything strawberry normally goes down a treat with Rhys. At first he found pushing the top down whilst trying to drink it quite difficult but after a few tries he got there. That was the only thing that phased him, once he got over that he drunk the whole lot in a couple of minutes, I had a little taste but wasn't allowed any more than a sip as he wanted it all. The taste was quite strong, which I wasn't expecting it to be because it is 'Fruity water' 50% juice/50% water. I was pleasantly surprised by this, this was probably the reason he wouldn't share, and I will definitely be purchasing some in the future. With a RRP of £1.99 per 4 x 200ml pouches (working out at around 50p per pouch) thats amazing value for so much goodness!!

Next we tried the Orange and Pineapple flavour which I wasn't 100% sure he would like as he isn't a big fan of Pineapple, but I did not tell him what flavour the drink was and asked him to try it. I gave it to him before his first gymnastics competition last saturday - thinking it was a brilliant way to start off his day and get him ready! His comments were 'this is delicious' and 'mmmmm' but not much else came out of his mouth until he had finished. He seemed to love this flavour just as much and I didn't get to have a taste - he was very happy with it, he carried it all the way to the competition and finished it all. Please see below the pictures of him showing it off!!

The science behind the drink amazes me - I have read into the ingredients in the drinks and I think its amazing. There has never been anything like this before, and I am really excited to be able to try it. Wellmune WGP has been proven to strengthen the cells within your body which help keep you healthy....Please read about it yourself by visiting http://www.wellmune.com/research/. This along with Vitamins B6, B9, B12, C, D and Zinc which help to keep the normal function of the immune system going are what makes this drink so great.

These drinks can be purchased at Tesco stores nationwide and at www.tesco.com with a RRP of £1.99 for a 4 pack (incase you didn't believe me the first time I told you).

For more information on these fantasticly fruity drinks please head over to their website - http://www.munehealth.co.uk/#top

Follow their Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ImuneNurture?fref=ts

Or find them on Twitter - https://twitter.com/ImuneNurture

Thanks for reading, and thank you again to I Mune for sending me these to try.

Take care xxxx