Category: Reviews

1. Home is where your Wi-Fi connects automatically - Desenio prints review

   Posted on 4:31pm Tuesday 25th Oct 2016

    

   Home is where your Wi-Fi connects automatically. This is the saying of the teen generation. 

   If you see our Facebook page, you will know that we are big fans of a "funny saying" or inspirational quote and this is one of the reasons that we have found a love for Desenio, who are a Scandinavian company that has recently launched in the UK. Desenio is a Swedish-based business that was founded in 2010, and who now sell online throughout the Europe, Norway, Australia, Canada and the US but they want the UK audience to know a little more about their products and we are happy to shout about them. 

    

   At first glance, you might be fooled into thinking that they are cheap posters, with prices starting from £2.99 but all the posters are printed on 200g uncoated, FSC-certified and age resistant paper with a med matt finish, so you know that you are getting a quality product. We purposefully don't do many reviews on the Lilypad these days but we genuinely want to share the great designs and quality from this brand. 

   The site is really easy to navigate too and you can browse around the website either by categories including Geometric, Quotes, Animals etc or by Best Sellers.

   

   My eldest daughter sat adding poster after poster into the online basket and I am quite sure I could have covered two walls with her choices! As a teenager I remember covering my walls with the on trend "Athena" posters of the time (who remembers the man holding the baby?) but these prints are more classic and timeless and hopefully my daughter won't cringe when she remembers her selections in 20 years time.

   Desenio have an eclectic range of posters and once you have decided on the image, you are then able to select a reasonably priced picture frame to compliment your design if you wish. Again the frames start from a reasonably priced £2.99 and are packaged so securely that they arrive in perfect condition. You can take a look at the quality of the packing in an unboxing video from Emma Bradley here.

   

   This poster was my own personal selection (and nothing to do with the 11 year old), because this "&" sign is an image that we used throughout our wedding theme and as it is our anniversary today, it seems that it is only right to end with this poster. 

   So whether you want a token gift or really want to blow the budget with a theme of images, Desenio have something for every taste and purse, so like me today, you can be guaranteed of a shopping experience with a happy ever after.

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2. Pumpkin Week at Hatton World

   Posted on 5:04pm Monday 24th Oct 2016

   

   We make no secret of our love for Hatton World and we enjoyed their Water Wars over the summer so were delighted to be invited back for their annual Pumpkin Week in the run up to Halloween. Pumpkin Week runs from the 22nd to the 30th October 2016 and despite the weather turning colder, the constant stream of activities were enough to keep the chills away (unless you count the ghosts!)

   

   It was busy when we arrived so we would definitely advise to book in advance, not so much as the fact that you won't get in but more so that you don't have to queue with excited children who just want to go in search of "anything Halloween related".

   

   As usual, Hatton Adventure World go all out with their decorations and from the minute you step out of the car, you can see the pumpkin field and know that you are in for a good day. 

   The top activities are:

   • Agnes the Witch -  Join in with potion stirring and storytelling by Agnes the Witch - be sure to check the timetable for this though!
   • Haunted House - The thing we liked most about this is that they tailored it to age ranges .... making it a little scarier for the older children!
   • Jaspers Dilemma - We pre-booked our timeslot when we arrived and loved the magic show which is always sprinkled with a little bit of adult humour.
   • Free Pumpkin for every child - you just have to go through the field and find the perfect one.
   • Pumpkin carving

    

    

   

   We always have a range in ages in our party and this is the one thing that Hatton Adventure World is very good at, we managed to pet small animals but then keep the older girls amused (literally) by milking a cow. 

    

   We managed to squeeze in some of the other activities that we always enjoy at Hatton, such as the small fairground rides and the park but the girls were determined to seek out the best pumpkin and set about deciding how to go about it in a sea of pumpkins.

   

   Every child gets a pumpkin of their choice ....... be warned, apparently it can take aaaaaaaages to select the perfect one. You are given a green bag in which to carry your pumpkin, although we "may" have needed a replacement due to the sheer size of the pumpkin! We initially thought that the pumpkins had been placed there but we soon realised that we actually had to pick them ..... be careful as they can be a bit spiky!!

   

   We left our pumpkin selection till the end of the day and I am glad we did, I would not have fancied walking round the rest of the park with the weight of those pumpkins. Apparently I also now need to find a receipe for Pumpkin pie! (help me)

   

   Hatton Country World is a great family day out at any time of year but at Halloween it is really special. There is nothing better than getting out in a real pumpkin patch to choose your pumpkin. It is a day full of fun and fresh air. 

    

   As I said before, it really is better to book in advance as you not only get quicker entry but a better discount too. 

    

   Book 7 days in advance - 25% discount / Book 4 days  in advance - 17.5% discount / Book 1 day in advance - 7.5% discount

    

   Walk up tickets are available to purchase on the day from the admission kiosk at £15.95

   It is definitely a more fun way to get a pumpkin than popping to the supermarket. 

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3. Hatton Country World : Water Wars Review

   Posted on 10:07pm Wednesday 17th Aug 2016

   We are big fans of Hatton Country World and this Summer sees the launch of their brand NEW activity, Waterwars; and what is more exciting is that Hatton Adventure World is the only place that you can play this in the whole of the West Midlands. So on a very sunny August day we decided to go and check it out!

   

   Based in Hatton, Warwick, Hatton Adventure Park has something for all ages but I really think this summer that they have worked extremely hard to target the 8-13 year olds. We have always struggled to find days out that appeal to the differing ages of our girls, so having a range of activities at Hatton meant that everyone was kept happy! The little ones didn't want to get wet so didn't try Water Wars but the older girls LOVED it and it was a perfect way for them to cool down on a VERY hot summers day. Take a look at the video to see what we mean!

    

   You can take part in the timed battles throughout the day (but make sure you check the timetable to avoid disappointment) and you and other combatants will be armed with water pistols and with only a few obstacles to hide behind you’ll have to do plenty of running to avoid trouble! We took towels with us but given how warm it was, the girls soon dried off although if you went on an overcast day you may want to take a change of clothes.

   Although Hatton Adventure World is always busy we have never found that we are stuck in long queues waiting for our turn, which is just as well when the children want to have a go on EVERYTHING.

   In addition to the Water Wars, the packed programme for up to 13's includes:

   • Laser Combat
   • Orienteering
   • Survival Skills
   • Assault Course
   • Superslide

   So while the big kids were enjoying their adventures, it gave us time to let the little ones do what they wanted to do and that included everything from petting and feeding the animals to the Zoobee puppet show and tractor ride, all of which is included in the entry cost. The only additional thing we had to pay for was a Pony ride at £2.50 per child.

   

    

     

   

   The outdoor fairground rides for the younger children were a big hit (I can't tell you how many times they went on the teacups) and the sandpit is a lovely way for them to enjoy some sensory play but Hatton really do have every area covered, so if the weather isn't as glorious as we found, they have a fantastic indoor play area too.

   We were gifted our entrance tickets but we know that a day out with the family can be costly so we would recommend taking a picnic as there are lots of places to sit and eat but our top tip is:

   BOOK YOUR TICKETS ONLINE AND SAVE

   Save 25% when booking 7 days in advance

   Save 17.5% when booking 4 days in advance

   Save 7.5% when booking 1 day in advance

   We have been to Hatton every year for as long as I can remember and the range of activities and adventures grows every year. Come rain or shine, there really is something for every age ...... including lovely ice creams for the Mums! The Water Wars will be at Hatton until the 4th September, so grab the family and enjoy a fun filled day out while the sun is still shining.

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4. Firmoo Glasses Review

   Posted on 5:50pm Sunday 22nd May 2016

   As I have worn glasses for as long as I can remember, so when Firmoo contacted me to ask if I’d review a pair of their glasses, I have to admit that I jumped at the chance. I had recently bought a pair of glasses that were not my usual style and I have felt uncomfortable in them ever since. I have blogged about my bad eyesight before (and the awful glasses I have worn over the years), so I am always excited to get new glasses especially when they are stuck on the front of my face pretty much 24/7.

   The website automatically defaults to US Dollars and when you convert to GBP I have to admit my surprise to see glasses at £25.00. I have spent hundreds of pounds on my glasses and lenses over the years, so was intrigued to see how the quality would compare. The website has daily recommendations on frames but the selection process is really easy to navigate with well-thought out search filters which allow you to narrow your choices based on frame type, material, color, shape, size, and price. 

   The one thing to remember is that if you are ordering prescription glasses, you do need an up to date prescription and another word of advice is to ensure that you keep your prescription in a safe place. You know, the kind of safe place that you can remember where it is. This *obviously* did not happen to me. You will also need to know your PD, your PD stands for Pupillary Distance, which is the distance between your pupils in millimeters, Your PD is very important for accurately fitting your lenses to achieve vision acuity. Unfortunately not all optometrists write this on your prescription (as I suspect they want you to purchase in store, rather than buy online) but the good news is that you can actually measure this yourself.

   Stand in front of a mirror, place a millimeter ruler on the bridge of your nose (a childs one will do, or a tape measure). Keep the rule "0" measurement is exactly in line with the center of your left pupil. Oh and make sure that you hold the ruler straight (and remember that you should have done your eyebrows if you are going to take a close up photo)

   

   I chose some frames that I knew would suit my face shape and simply entered my prescription and my pupilary distance measurement and checked out. There are lots of lens options, which increase the price (as you would imagine) but the checkout process is quick and simple.

   So I waited and was pleasantly surprised to find the glasses arrive within 7 days. (That is quicker than my local opticians!)

   

   The glasses come in a stylish case, with lens cloth and I couldn't wait to open them. 

   

   The glasses felt really lightweight, especially in comparison to some frames I have had but equally for the price of the frames, I wasn't expecting them to be extra sturdy. I have been wearing them for a week now and have struggled to find anything I don't like about them.

   For the benefit of a balanced review, I would say:

   The Pros:

   • Good online selection
   • It really didn’t take long to find a pair that I thought would be suitable and the ordering process was really easy.
   • Option to make your lenses thinner (which is good when you could be mistaken for wearing milk bottles like me)
   • Lightweight
   • Fast Delivery

   The Cons:

   • You may need to go into an opticians to get them altered or adjusted slightly. (I didn't but can see how some people should be aware of this)
   • Taking your own measurements for pupilary distance isn't the easiest thing to do so having someone to help you might be better than using a mirror like I did.

   

   For me, I am delighted with these new frames, I am really pleased with how they look and feel on my face (they make me look intelligent over a glass of wine which is always a bonus) and when my Mum asked me to go with her to buy some new glasses, I told her that she needs to check out the selection on Firmoo first. So if I am prepared to recommend them to my Mum, I am more than happy to recommend them to you!

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