Accessories Direct - The Place to Wrap Up Christmas.

With not very long until Christmas, I was delighted to be given the opportunity to review an item from the fabulous Accessories Direct Xene and Neva both have numerous items of jewellery, hats, scarves and bags on their Christmas Lists.

Accessories Direct offers a beautiful selection of jewellery, handbags, belts, hats, scarves, gloves and gift ideas. They know that the right accessory can complete any outfit and with their easy to use website there’s no need to stress about finding that perfect party piece, unique Christmas gift or statement item for your special occasion or event!

Now, I must admit I have never really been a bag or accessories type of woman, not that I don't enjoy wearing them, its just that I have had a baby or toddler to look after for the past 14 years, therefore anything that is able to be pulled, or broken, or that may strangle me, is a no-no.

So when I was given the choice of some beautiful necklaces or a bag to review, I opted for a bag.

The website has so many bags to choose from and in many different shapes, styles and sizes.
No matter how hard I try, the sensible mum trait is always there, so I decided to look for a bag that was big enough to hold the essential items - nappy, wipes, baby toy! but at the same time looked stylish and fashionable.

After much deliberation I decided to go for a black Duffle Bag by Kate Benjamin.

 The Parcel arrived and I was very glad that I had chosen a big enough bag to keep everything in. Although I must admit, when I was sent through the link to information on the bag and the price (£175), I was very nervous about receiving it, I have never had such a luxurious bag and I was hoping it would live up to its price tag, but I had no worries on that aspect, it arrived in its own bag!

I can honestly say I have NEVER had a bag with its own bag.

The first thing that hit me when I opened the drawstring bag was the wonderful smell of leather, as I took the bag out I was delighted with the entire package.

It had end pockets with poppers, and drawstrings, a gorgeous leather and suede front pocket with clasp and stud effect,a gorgeous pink lining, a detachable shoulder strap and a mobile phone pocket. It felt so luxurious, I had to admit that my feelings towards luxury handbags has changed entirely!

I have already been asked by Xene, my mum and sister if I will be keeping the bag for myself, or if I would like to wrap it up and give it to them for a Christmas Present, but for once I am definitely keeping something for me!!

Although I shall definitely be taking a little look on the site for their Christmas Presents, they also have fantastic gifts for children including this Panda Hat, how cute is that!

The very kind people at Accessories Direct have offered my blog readers a huge 20% off non-sale items from the website using this exclusive code – “FESTIVE”. The discount code is valid until 9^th December 2011.

So, if you are stuck on what to get someone special, take a look, I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Clarks Shoes Review

So, on Friday morning I took Eowyn to Clarks for a fitting, when she was measured at the end of July she was a size 5, so imagine my surprise when she was now a 6.5! A whole 1.5 sizes in two months!



 I wasn't too sure which shoes to get Eowyn, as she technically now had no shoes that fitted her, so the very helpful assistant went upstairs to the store room and brought down a selection of shoes, boots and even some wellies in the correct size.

We have numerous pairs of wellies in the house, so these were discarded. The first pair she tried on were a bright pink pair of shoes, that were incredibly soft and very light. They fitted Eowyn perfectly and she proceeded to prance in front of the mirror, showing approving looks.

Next out of the box was a pair of lovely Purple Ankle boots, we tried this on, as Eowyn adores Purple, although I am not a big purple fan, these were in fact quite subtle and were not the colour of the shoes on the poster in the shop!

On closer inspection we decided that although Eowyn had measured a size F fitting, her little toe felt cramped, so the assistant returned with a size G and these were a perfect fit, they also did them in a fuschia pink, but Eowyn was adamant it was to be purple ones.

As you can see from the photo below Eowyn really did have a hard choice deciding on which footwear to choose, there were so many lovely styles and colours that it made deciding very difficult.

All the weather reports are pointing towards a harsh winter, so I decided that we probably should get some winter boots, to be prepared.

We both fell in love with the brown Zannia boot with Gore Tex, which means they are both waterproof and breathable. Eowyn tried them on and took a lot of persuasion to take them off, and kept asking me when it was going to Snow!

They felt lovely and are definitely a good investment, with the added bonus that Eowyn was able to take them on and off herself.

The range of shoes and Boots that were available was amazing, especially as the Clarks we visited is only a small shop, the staff were helpful and attentive, if there was a shoe we liked the look of, but it wasn't in store they were happy to order it in.

The shoe fitting service was excellent and I felt confident that Eowyn would have the correctly fitted shoes, my only problem was deciding which shoes or boots to choose.

Toddler Shoe Shopping.

On Friday I am going to be attempting to take Eowyn shoe shopping. I kitted out the four older children before they went back to school, but to be honest Eowyn has been in her Sandals since the beginning of the Summer Holidays, and with such lovely weather we have been having, she has been Ok, but with the weather reports predicting that it is going to get much colder, I think it is time we went for the Autumn Winter footwear.

Footwear is one area that I don't mind paying that little extra for, because I think it is important to ensure they have good fitting shoes, the girls can squeeze themselves into narrow shoes with 6" heels when they get older !

I have tried many different shoe shops, but I always tend to go back to Clarks, the children love going for a fitting and they have a good range of shoes, sandals and boots to choose from. This season is no exception

`From boots to pumps, fashion is the watchword that's inspired our exciting new girl's collection for AW11. Soft suede and premium leather boots combine the very latest looks with essential winter wear, features like deliciously warm linings and Gore-Tex technology - Guaranteed to keep you dry'

`Pumps are spot on Trend in the season's hottest colours.'

Boots For The Boys

`From sports inspired shoes to boots tailor made for the great outdoors, the essential trends for this season are here. Soft suede and Premium leathers are used in mini-me styles that take their lead from work wear, while essential winter wear features, including warm linings Gore-Tex and Active Air technologies, add fit for purpose to contemporary looks.'

 










So Eowyn and I have our appointment booked for 10am on Friday to go and get new winter shoes or boots, we shall let you know how we get on, fingers crossed she is in a co-operative mood. I shall take photos and report back....I just hope we can decide, there are quite a few I like the look of, it will be interesting to see if Eowyn and I can agree on a pair!

Bliss Softening Socks Are My Best Friend EVER

Key Features & Benefits
• hydrates hardened hoofs with a self-activating gel lining
• immediately softens tired treads and lasts for up to 50 uses
• softens, smoothes, and pampers with olive oil, grapeseed oil, and vitamin E
• makes an excellent gift!

You'll get a 'kick' out of this pair of toe de-toughing, sole-smoothing, hardened heel-helping softening socks. They'll leave feet feathery soft and spotlight-ready in 20 minutes!

I was very kindly sent a pair of these rather fun looking socks, and they are FANTASTIC...

Now I don't know about any of you, but I have never had a problem with my feet before, until this pregnancy, after giving birth to Tyrus I began to notice that my feet were really rough and had actuallly started to crack, something I had never experienced before and I certainly do not want it to continue - it hurts!

When I took these socks out of the packet they felt like a handful of jelly, I peeled them apart and carefully placed them on my feet, they felt so weird, when I walked around in them it felt as if I was walking on something squidgy...

They are a very lovely blue colour, but when I went to remove them I was rather embarrased and made a mental note to get the carpets cleaned, they were not quite so bright blue on the bottom! However you can handwash them very carefully to get rid of the carpet dirt...

But my feet felt SO good, they really did soften my feet and I have not had any cracks since starting to wear them, and if I notice that my feet are getting dry (I can't remember to moisturise them EVERY day, I have six children to get ready before me!) I just pop them on my feet for a little while and they are as smooth as Tyrus's skin once again.

These would be a perfect present for any hard working mummy, or someone special, they really are a marvellous product that I shall be forever indebted to, now that I have soft feet again.

Thankyou Bliss Softening Socks, I shall love you forever xx

Skin Blossom Care and Protect Hand Cream

I was kindly sent a tube of Skin Blossoms Care and Protect Hand Cream to review, made with 91% organic ingredients and certified to the Soil Association organic skin care standards. The special blend of plant oils fight dryness and work with restoring Shea Butter to leave hands in tip top condition.

As all mums know we seem to constantly be doing things that require us to wash our hands, which leaves them incredibly dry. I have especially dry and flaky skin on my hands, so anything that is going to make my hands feel slightly less like a scouring pad was going to be a hit with me. I am pleased to announce that this hand cream did in fact make my hands feel lovely and soft.

It has a very light, almost runny consistency, which means that it went into my skin very easily, the smell of Rose Geranium was quite strong, but not unpleasant.

It is a vegan product and registered by the Vegan Society, meaning that anyone can use it.

The Skin Blossom range of products are available from ocado.com, health and beauty stores nationwide or from the website www.skinblossom.co.uk

I must admit to keeping this tube of handcream in the changebag whilst I am out to use each time I have washed my hands, as it really does seem to moisturise my dry hands.

Limited Edition LOVE Fragrance

The exclusive LOVE fragrance by the Gorilla Perfumers at LUSH is launching in all stores NATIONWIDE on Monday 15th August for one month only!

Inspired by young, flirty love and the heartache that can sour it, this tempting fragrance smells of fresh bitten apples and zesty lemongrass evoking the exhilarating feeling of a bright new romance. As the scent warms to the skin and develops throughout the day the spicey notes of cinnamon, ylang ylang and jasmine bring a long lasting sensuality to the perfume, evoking feelings of a deeper romance whilst still hinting at flirty excitement with refreshing lemon notes.
Love is an instantly bright and bubbly fragrance with a vivacious green apple fruit scent and sweet citrus innocence. As the initial burst fades, it's replaced with a sugary sweet apple pie note while maintaining a sharp lift.”
Main notes: Lemon, lemongrass, bergamot, apple, cinnamon, cassia, jasmine, rose

Love will be available in LUSH shops NATIONWIDE from 15th August 2011 for a limited time only. Order online at www.lush.co.uk  or www.gorillaperfume.com
 I must admit to being an absolute nigtmare to buy perfume for as I am extremely fussy and very rarely wear any extra smells. Although the thought of something other than perfume ala baby milk is quite appealing at present!
I was sent a sample of this perfume and was surprisingly excited, it isn't too flowery or too strong, It has a real citrusy smell about it and smelled very summery, but at the same time very warm.
I have to admit defeat and say that this is actually a perfume that I like, my husband will be so pleased that he can actually purchase a perfume for me, altough as it is only on sale for a month, I had better drop large hints for a Christmas Present that he will have to buy early...

Pilot Fashion - A Teenage Must

Pilot is one of the UK's leading young clothing brands for the fashion-conscious teen to twenty-something young woman. With over 40 stores across the UK and a new relaunched online shop at http://www.pilotfashion.com/, Pilot is dedicated to delivering the hottest fashion trends straight off the catwalk at fabulous fashionista prices that just can’t be beaten. Pilot’s extensive range of clothing, footwear & accessories, provides fast-fashion and wardrobe essentials to suit every style.

Xene was sent some fabulous clothes to review for Pilot Fashion. As a parent of a young teen, it is sometimes difficult to find clothes for her that are trendy and up to date, but at the same time, affordable and fit for purpose.

She is growing quite rapidly at the moment and is now in a ladies size 8, therefore she is looking at clothing that is more suitable for women, but at Pilot they cater for younger teens as well as young women.

 

 

The first outfit she reviewed was a floral playsuit, she felt very comfortable in it and said it was easy to move around in, she was pleased with how it looked and loved the material which is perfect for a nice sunny day.

 

 

 

The black long sleeved heart top, she teamed with the black and white shorts, which complimented each other nicely and looked very trendy. Great for a day out with her friends bowling or a theme park. She thought the shorts looked very feminine, as they were shaped more like a skirt, and the sleeves on the top were tight fitting, meaning they did not get in the way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The floral one sleeve dress looked very pretty and would be perfect for a special occasion, it was a very light material and the ruffles on the shoulder gave it a uniqueness.

 

 

 

 

The wide neck flower top is great for everyday wear, but at the same time looked very smart and could be dressed up or down, depending on the occasion.

 

 

 

 

All of the clothes are reasonably priced, all of Xene’s friends were impressed with the clothing and have checked out the website, it is definitely worth a browse, especially if you have a teen in the family or need inspiration for a birthday present