Win 4 tickets to a Live by Lake Kenwood House Picnic Concert, worth up to £171

18 May, 2013 By 25 Comments

kenwood-house-picnic-concert

World class music, in a breathtaking location

If you fancy doing something a bit different with your family over the summer holidays, I have a lovely giveaway for you.

How about an evening of world class music in an utterly breathtaking London location that you and the kids can both enjoy?

This month, I’m giving away 4 tickets to an evening at the Live By The Lake concert season, set in the idyllic location of Kenwood House’s grounds by Hampstead Heath.

The winning family will be able to bring a picnic and enjoy an evening of world class music, choosing from Choral Greats, Singin’ In The Rain, Opera Alfresco or Summertime: An Evening of Gershwin. (check out the full programme on the Live by the Lake website).

If you want to win 4 tickets, worth up to £171, here’s what to do…

How to enter

To enter you must:

You are also entitled to up to five bonus entries, if you:

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

The giveaway will close at 11.59pm UK time on 17th June 2013 and a winner will be selected at random.

See the prize draw T&Cs - Disclosure: Live by the Lake is providing this prize for the purposes of the giveaway. No payment was received by A Mummy Too. Please see my review/disclosure policy for more information. Listed on ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions and Competition Hunter.

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Win a £50 National Garden Gift Voucher!

16 May, 2013 By 261 Comments

gardening-voucher

Dandelions can’t be weeds, they’re beautiful! – JD, 5

The sun is out AT LAST and we’re planning to spend this weekend getting the garden in order.

If you are a fan of gardening (or have a gardening-mad dad who’d like a greenfingered gift for Father’s Day), then I have a nice little giveaway for you.

The lovely folk at www.thevouchergarden.co.uk have given me a £50 National Garden Gift Voucher to share with you, which can be redeemed at over 2,000 garden centres and gardening outlets around the UK including Homebase.

Here’s what to do to be in with a chance of winning…

How to enter

To enter you must:

You are also entitled to up to five bonus entries, if you:

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

The giveaway will close at 11.59pm UK time on 10th June 2013 and a winner will be selected at random.

See the prize draw T&Cs - Disclosure: thevouchergarden.co.uk is providing this prize for the purposes of the giveaway. No payment was received by A Mummy Too. Please see my review/disclosure policy for more information. Listed on ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions and Competition Hunter.

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Win a Babymel summer changing bag or satchel

15 May, 2013 By 347 Comments

babymel-changing-bag-win

Fun on the outside, organised on the inside!

I really like Babymel bags. They’re as bright and stylish as any standard handbag, but with the added bonus of changing bag functionality. They’re perfect for busy mums, so it’s no surprise that Mothercare have recently snapped up two bags from the Babymel Summer range to stock in store.

The Boathouse Satchel in teal is the perfect size for storing all your essentials, and is equipped with a shoulder strap, a built-in insulated zipped bottle pocket, two large storage compartments, two large internal storage pockets, a wipe clean lining and a changing mat.

Satchel Boathouse Teal

The Printed Burst Fuchsia bag has a funky, bright print and comes equipped with an insulated bottle pocket, five internal elasticated storage pockets and a zipped pocket to keep valuables. It also boasts ‘strollerstraps’ – a patent pending invention which allows the bag to be worn as a shoulder bag or securely attached to a stroller, leaving you hands free. This bag also features wipe clean linings, adjustable shoulder strap and a padded changing mat.

Amanda Printed Burst Fuchsia

To win your choice of either the Printed Burst Fuchsia bag or Boathouse Satchel in teal, just follow the following simple steps…

How to enter

To enter you must:

You are also entitled to up to five bonus entries, if you:

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

The giveaway will close at 11.59pm UK time on 14th June 2013 and a winner will be selected at random.

See the prize draw T&Cs - Disclosure: Babymel is providing this prize for the purposes of the giveaway. No payment was received by A Mummy Too. Please see my review/disclosure policy for more information. Listed on ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions and Competition Hunter.

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How to give your home a makeover on a budget (sponsored guest post)

14 May, 2013 By Leave a Comment

home

Try a simple change of pillows and a throw to change its look without breaking your budget

When it comes to sprucing up the home you don’t need to spend big to make a big impact. It’s the little things that count, and with the right changes in the right places it’s easy to dramatically makeover your home on a limited budget.  Allianz Your Cover (www.yourcoverinsurance.co.uk) provides you with some simple, budget-friendly ways to revamp your living space to give you some ideas.

A splash of colour

One of the least expensive things you can do for the biggest impact around the home is to make a bold change of colour. Colour is one of the first things our eyes notice when we enter a room, so whether you change just one statement wall or the whole room’s colour scheme, it’s guaranteed to have a big visual impact. Even better, paint is inexpensive, and you can carry out all of the work yourself with a few basic tools. It’s worth taking time over your colour choice, as different tones can affect a room’s mood as well as its appearance – and your own mood too. You might want to try a handy online tool like Dulux MousePainter to help you visualise your room in a range of colours.

Add a little greenery

Houseplants and fresh cut flowers are cheap and cheerful ways to bring instant energy to a room. An empty corner can be transformed with a tall palm, adding vitality, making a room feel more relaxed, and helping to keep the air clean and fresh too. As a less expensive alternative to buying fresh cut flowers every week, try a flowering plant, like an orchid or hydrangea. These are easy to care for, and add a touch of colour and beauty that can be an attractive focal point.

Revamp rarely used space

Many homes have a room that’s overlooked – whether it’s the dining room that’s seldom used, a guestroom, or that cupboard under the stairs. Make the most of your limited budget and use it to repurpose a room so that you really get the best use of it. A few inexpensive shelves and a desk and your under stairs cupboard can become an office, switch the bed in your guestroom for a sofa bed and you’ll create an area that can be used for work, a playroom for children, or even an exercise space.

Accessorize

Home accessories, like throws, vases, rugs and cushions, may be inexpensive little items, but they have the power to completely transform the look of a room. They allow you to express your own personal style and change colour schemes – so, rather than investing in a whole new sofa, try a simple change of pillows and a throw to change its look without breaking your budget.

Freshen up furniture

New pieces of furniture can be costly, so it can pay to use your imagination and work with what you already have. Repainting, refinishing or a change of upholstery is less expensive, but can have just as much impact as a whole new furniture purchase. A fresh lick of paint can update anything from kitchen chairs to chandeliers, while doors, cabinets and drawers can be instantly modernised with a simple change of handles.

Disclosure: this is a sponsored guest post

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Top 5 Stain Removal Products on the Market (sponsored guest post)

15 March, 2013 By Leave a Comment

 In shadow

Which products are spot on… or rather, spot off?

It happens. Sometimes within days of having your gorgeous cream suite delivered, or your new carpet fitted. Stains are an eyesore, and often a painful reminder of someone you never even wanted to come round in the first place, or a time when you weren’t at your most sober. Some home stores, like DFS, offer insurance on sofas. Other people will add stain cover to their home insurance. For everyone else, knowing which stain removal products are the most effective is incredibly useful, so read on for our list of the top five sprays, sticks and solvents out there.

Bissell OxyPro

According to the rave reviews plastered all over Amazon’s Home & Garden section, this product is spot on… or rather, spot off. A welcome replacement for the discontinued OxyKic, Bissell have gone further and improved both the design and function of their aerosol. More compact than its predecessor, OxyPro reduces OxyKic’s dual cylinder down to a simpler, more lightweight single can. Available as both a regular household stain remover, and a special formula for non-specific ‘pet stains’, OxyPro takes care of almost any kind of fabric grime within five minutes. All the usual cloth blotting is required, and the general advice suggests dabbing with kitchen paper to complete the process. Two applications might be required, but once the process is over, your left with nothing but a soapy residue, easily sucked away with a vacuum.

De.Solv.It

Clumsily-named it may be, but this citrus-based, spot treatment spray works on a wide variety of stains, and is particularly useful in the fight against tricky grease spots. In fact, De.Solv.It’s speciality is taking care of the stains other products simply don’t work on. It’s one of the only effective ways of dealing with mustard, and works wonders with lipstick, suntan lotion, chewing gum and candle wax, although, as with most sprays, it’s not recommended for stains on silk.

WD-40

A surprising entry, WD-40 again shows its versatility by dissolving sticky label and chewing gum stains in seconds flat. It’s actually rather exciting to watch. It also does a decent job on grease, tar, shoe polish and make-up. The only downside is the oily mark left behind, a reminder of just how much it takes to lift certain bits of nastiness out of fabric. However, you can mitigate this somewhat by rubbing Fairy liquid in the stain before and after spraying. Good old WD-40 – where would our sheds and garages, not to mention carpets and hinges, be without it?

White Wizard

This product may be unfamiliar, but it actually lives up to the hubris of its name. Non-toxic, easy to use and suitable for all fabrics, it works on a massive range of stains. If you have only one stain remover in your cupboard, make it White Wizard.

Wine Away

This is the one for those embarrassing spills caused by your new neighbours. Watch their mortified look and blood-drained faces fade away – just like the merlot stain on your tablecloth. Wine away is also great for ink and blood stains.

For more handy tips on how to remove stains, have a look at this stain removal infographic on the Allianz Your Cover Blog.

This is a sponsored post. The information was provided to you by Allianz Your Cover (www.yourcoverinsurance.co.uk).

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Handbag love: Cream Contrasting Stab Stitched Grab Bag by Bailey & Quinn London

11 March, 2013 By 2 Comments

Bailey-&-Quinn-official-pic

*gasp* It’s so sweet! – me

One of the best things about being out at work all day? A serious upside? Handbags. Lovely, practical, pretty handbags. Yep, I’m part girly girl after all.

At the moment, I’m test driving the newest addition to my collection: a Cream Contrasting Stab Stitched Grab Bag by Bailey & Quinn London, on sale in Debenhams priced at £115.

It’s made from cream leather with contrasting terracotta stab stitching on the twin grab handles and main body, as well as a matching cut out logo charm on the front handle. It also comes with a slim clip-on shoulder strap with matching stitching.

Inside, the lining is ribbed polyester in the same teracotta shade, with two slip pockets and one zip section – pretty much as you’d expect.

Overall, this little bag feels classy, understated and ‘grown up’. I seriously love it. Now I just need to buy the cream patent heels I’ve had my eye on and I’m set…

Disclosure: I was sent the Bailey & Quinn bag free of charge for review. No payment was received. All posts are 100% honest. The picture featured is from Debenhams.com.

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Win a designer multi-functional Storksak handbag worth up to £250

6 March, 2013 By 1,074 Comments

Storksak - bag giveaway

The functionality of a changing bag with high quality fabrics and detailing

Fancy a gorgeous, high-quality statement handbag that doubles a changing bag? Then you are in luck because this month I am giving you a chance to win your choice of Storksak handbag. Yep, the winner can choose any bag on this page.

Finished swooning? Here are the details…(or if you’re really impatient, skip to the bottom of the page for entry instructions).

What you could win

Here’s a run down of the frankly gorgeous bags the winner will be choosing from.

Sofia in Stone (RRP £250)

Sofia Stone

The Sofia is made from beautifully soft twisted leather which is hard-wearing and has a sumptuous, chalky finish. It has been treated to give it a vintage feel, and with brushed gunmetal hardware, this style is as eye catching as it is functional.

Amongst its many features, the Sofia boasts five large external magnetic pockets, ten inner compartments, a thermo-insulated bottle holder, detachable vanity case and wipe clean linings throughout.

Ashley in Coral (£70)

Ashley Coral

This popular messenger bag has been refreshed for Spring in feminine Coral pink. Made from durable, wipe clean canvas with brushed gold hardware, it features an adjustable, webbed shoulder strap, two large external pockets with popper closures for easy access and a water resistant base. Inside are a further four large compartments, zipped pocket for valuables, luxury padded changing mat, insulated bottle holder, key chain clip and wipe clean linings.

Tania Bee in Fuscia (RRP £98)

Tania Bee Fuchia

The fashionable Tania is ultra modern, roomy and functional. Super lightweight, highly water resistant and with a multitude of pockets, it is made from a durable, wipe clean nylon fabric with high quality hardware.

This style comes with four external pockets and seven internal pockets including a zipped pocket for valuables. It features a thermo-insulated bottle holder, mobile phone pocket, padded changing mat and wipe clean linings throughout.

Tote in Fuscia and Orange / Orange and Black (RRP £70)

Tote Fuchia Orange

This chic Tote is made from water repellent nylon with a fashionable contrasting base, it is super lightweight and roomy. With its additional, adjustable long shoulder strap, it is extremely versatile, comfortably worn as a shoulder or cross body bag.

The Tote is equipped with all your essential accessories – a built in, insulated bottle holder, luxury padded changing mat and multiple compartments to keep yours and baby’s items organised and secure. Wipe clean fabrics and linings throughout make this changing bag one of our most practical choices for stylish parents. Large enough to fit most laptops, it doubles up perfectly as a weekend bag when off duty.

Nina in Grey Print (RRP £80)

Nina Antalya Grey

The Nina is a spacious, lightweight bag featuring an original, contemporary ‘Antalya’ print.

Made from durable, wipe clean PU, it boasts a multitude of practical features, such as seven separate compartments including a zipped pocket for valuables, adjustable shoulder strap, zipped top and wipe clean linings throughout. It comes with built in strollerstraps which fix the bag neatly and securely to your stroller, great for trips out when you need to be hands free.

The Nina also features an additional accessory – the innovative Snackysak, which uses food safe insulation to keep larger items warm or cool for up to four hours. It can be stored in your Storksak, or attached easily to a stroller with its poppered strap for quick trips.

Elizabeth leather in Tan or Chalk (RRP £198)

Storksak - bag giveaway

The pinnacle of sophistication and timeless style, our Elizabeth has been a classic in the collection since we launched Storksak. Made from luxurious lake washed leather, which ages beautifully, it is finished with antique brass hardware. Big enough to fit most laptops, this is the perfect baby bag to double-up as your every day or work bag. With two outer pockets, including a mobile pocket, ten internal pockets as well as a insulated bottle holder, this is your ultimate baby bag.

Also included with this style is an additional, adjustable shoulder strap, removable vanity case, pop-out bottle holder and wipe clean linings throughout.

The Elizabeth bag was the winner of the ‘Best Changing Bag’ in the Junior Design Awards 2011, recognising excellence in design, style and quality.

How to enter

To enter you must:

You are also entitled to up to five bonus entries, if you:

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

The giveaway will close at 11.59pm UK time on 31st March 2013 and a winner will be selected at random.

See the prize draw T&Cs - Disclosure: Storksak is providing this prize for the purposes of the giveaway. No payment was received by A Mummy Too. Please see my review/disclosure policy for more information. Listed on ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions and Competition Hunter.

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Lanolips Rose Balm Intense Hand Cream & Radiance Phyto-Active 85% Organic Body Butter review

20 February, 2013 By 2 Comments

Lanolips Rose Balm Intense Hand Cream & Radiance Phyto-Active 85% Organic Body Butter

Oooh, mummy, your eczema looks sore! – JD, 5

The cold hates my skin and my skin hates the cold. Really HATES it. I definitely need to drink more water, but really, my eczema gets a sniff of sub-zero temperatures and it’s off wreaking havoc, cracking my knuckles and leaving my skin red and raw.

The latest product to cross my desk promising to protect my skin is the Rose Balm Intense for Very Dry Hands & Nails from Lanolips. The theory is that you apply this lanolin rich hand cream before putting on your gloves and stepping out into the cold, and it will keep hands soft and nourished.

So what are my thoughts? Well, it’s not a miracle cure, but I do like it. You need very little to get a decent covering, so the price (£5.99 for 25ml) is very reasonable. It smells nice, although it inevitably has those lanolin greasey notes, and it goes on smoothly and then sinks in within a few minutes.

If your hands are already chapped, it won’t instantly make them baby soft, but in my experience that’s a good thing. Moisturisers that soften weakened skin often just water-log it, meaning that once that moisture wears off, you’re in a worse situation that you were before. This balm is all about protecting your hands and helping them heal.

I have to confess I am terrible at keeping my gloves on but the cream is definitely helping keep the eczema at bay so I’d recommend giving it a go if you’re not allergic to lanolin or any of the other ingredients. It’s available at Boots nationwide and selected Waitrose.

Also in my package from Lanolips was the Radiance Phyto-Active 85% Organic Body Butter, which, in my highly scientific opinion, is totally lush. It smells lovely (mainly of rose) and is light and soothing. I applied it to one arm and not the other right after a shower and the difference could be seen and felt all day – it truly refreshed and brightened my skin.

Apparently, these positive effects are all down to the extract of Tonka beans, a known optical brightener, Argan oil, which ‘leaves the skin smooth, toned and glowing’, Shea Butter and Kaolin, which provide a range of natural minerals and vitamins to repair and protect the skin whilst reducing collagen loss and increasing the production of fibroblasts, Aloe Vera, which is a soothing anti-inflammatory, and Rose Absolute oil, which aids in the repair of damaged capillaries and help to keep skin more moisturised.

Again, the body butter is reasonably priced at £15.95 for a 150ml glass jar, available at www.nourishskinrange.com, Planet Organic, Being Content and at www.Feelunique.com, www.activebeauty, naturisimo.com and Misebeauty.com in the ROI.

Disclosure: I was sent the items described above for the purposes of this review. No payment was received. All posts are 100% honest.

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Helping You Find Healthy – my experience with BUPA (sponsored post)

7 February, 2013 By Leave a Comment

I’m finishing my chicken for protein, mummy – JD, 5

Years ago, I used to go to the gym every other day. I swam, I cycled, I weight trained – I was fit! Then child number one came along, then child number two, and now, while my diet is still good, I know I’m not as active as I should be, and certainly not as active as I’d like to be.

This week, I’ve been taking a look round a new website from Bupa - it’s all about the importance of looking after yourself, and the apps on the site are designed to help you ‘find healthy’.

Finding health with Bupa

There are loads of apps to choose from on the site, from tools to help you plan a running schedule, to healthy weight calculators, to cancer assessments and tips on improving sleep.

Just click on the app that appeals to you and you’ll be whizzed through to a simple assessment process, consisting of a questionnaire, report and personalised recommendations.

Other buttons take you through to comprehensive knowledge base, telling you everything you need to know about that area of your health.

Trying it out for myself

Looking through the choice of Bupa apps, it’s clear that the site has been designed to be really comprehensive.

It’s not always easy to face questions about your health head on, but I do want to be around for my family for a long time, so I signed up (a straightforward, single form process) and tried out the Bowel Cancer Assessment.

There were fewer than 10 questions, all multiple choice and straightforward to answer. At the end, I was given a result which expressed my risk of bowel cancer as a percentage, split into ‘Risk you cannot change’ and ‘Risk due to lifestyle’. I could then use a drop down to see how that risk would change throughout my life and finally, there were a set of recommendations as to what I could do to reduce my risk.

Luckily, as a non-smoker with a good diet, it turns out that I’m very low risk, with the results stating, ‘You have no known lifestyle habits that increase your risk of colorectal cancer’. That’s a relief, but it’s also helped boost my motivation to continue to eat healthily and ensure my children continue to do so too – the importance to our health is right there in black and white.

I’m now working my way through the other tools – it’s scary, but if there are things I could do to improve my family’s health further, I’m incredibly keen to do so.

If you want to try the new Bupa site for yourself, visit the Bupa ‘find healthy’ website.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. Words and thoughts are my own.

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