Monday 31 October 2016

How to Get Free Samples of Beauty Products in the post

I love getting free samples/ vouches and money off codes! I also love getting post and i also love to save money, these are the main reasons why i use vouches and send off for free samples.

If you get free samples of beauty products, you can determine which products are right for you. Then, you can confidently buy the full-sized product. When you get a sample they often come with a coupon, so you can save some money on your purchase. These samples are also good for travellers, because of their compact size.


This blog post will help you find out where to get free beauty samples sent to you by post. You can request these samples right now. This list is a great resource for people who want to get free samples of perfume, shampoo, skincare products, and cosmetics.


Free Samples of Make up


When I think of free beauty products, the first thing that pops into my mind is free makeup samples. After all, people spend a large amount of money on make-up, the samples can help you find the best make up for you.


There has been a free sample available for almost every type of make-up on the market, at some time in the past. This includes concealer, bronzer, blush, eye shadow, foundation, lipstick and mascara.


Free Samples of Shampoo


Your hair has a huge impact on your appearance. To look beautiful, you need to have hair that is well cared for. You can find samples of many hair care products, including shampoo and conditioner.

Not only will these samples help you try out new products, they can also be a great product to take with you when you travel.


Free Samples of Perfume


Perfume can be a big investment. If you’re buying a bottle of perfume, you don’t want to take a chance if you’re not able to try out perfume in the store. Free samples will let you try out a scent. You can use this to find your signature scent.


Sometimes free samples of perfume are available on a scent card or in a small vial. The vials can be used for weekends away or for when you travel. You can place the vial in your purse. If you get a scented card, you can place the card in a drawer to freshen your clothes.


Other Places to Look


Magazine Giveaways ,Women’s magazines offer you a great opportunity to get free products in two ways. The first way is the most obvious of the two, a product giveaway. These giveaways are publicised in the magazine’s hard copy. However, you don’t have to be a subscriber to enter these contests. All you need to do is keep your eye on the magazine’s website.


For example, Allure gives away a bunch of products in February. The products offered including Rimmel mascara and Shiseido skin care. In addition to these giveaways, some magazines also offer beauty awards. They offer volunteers the opportunity to test out all of their products.

Self magazine, often seeks testers each year for their beauty awards. Look on their website to find out when they need volunteers. If you’re chosen, the magazine will send you products (or products). You can try these products for free.


Websites

The main one that springs to my mind is WOWFreeStuff.co.uk, who offer lots of different types of freebies including perfume samples, makeup freebies.


Free samples can also make great stocking fillers or gift ideas for friends and family members, I also often take sample items away on weekend trips or for Bodhi when he is on a sleep over such as toothpastes. 




Saturday 29 October 2016

DeeDee & Boo : Home print review :


Mile stone moments in life such as moving out, Marriage , Babies , Buying family home. What better thing to remember these moments then with a personalised Print by Dee Dee & Boo. I came across Helen via chance blogger out reach. She was very friendly and helpful with ideas of what i could have made.

In the end i chose to have a home print with our family name and myself , Chris Bodhi and also our family pets ( well they are part of our family arnt they ?! ) Helen is very processional and friendly and kept me up to date with my print, She even added " once a house now a home " onto the print, As i really do feel our little house is becoming our family home.


When my A4 print arrived i couldn't stop looking at it , It really is a work of art and i LOVE it ! its so cleaver how it all fits within the heart shape, Each time i look at it i see more and more details. The colours make it feel warm and inviting ( just how a home should feel right? ) 



The details of our names is also a lovely touch and you can have more or less boxes added as needed to suit your family. The Home prints are just part of the wonderful range that Helen makes over at her website You can pick from births/wedding/family/love and much more my print is priced at £20 for the A4 side ( £30 for A3 ) i think this is a really fair print for a custom print. You can also commission Helen so a one of a kind image these are from £120 again a really fair price for what it is you are getting. 



I love the fact it has a little names in the boxes, no more babies means i have 
no worries of having to add another name at a later date! 



I have asked Father Christmas ( hubby ) for a frame for my lovely print so it can go up in our hallway and i can see it every day and smile. Thank you Helen at Dee Dee & Boo for my lovely lovely home print as you can tell i really do love it. 

: Print was gifted to me in return for my feedback & review : 


The very lovely brains and talent behind Dee Dee & Boo let me do a little Q&A with her

1) who is Dee Dee Boo ?

Dee Dee & Boo is the home of heartfelt personalised prints and custom illustrations created by myself.
Dee Dee & Boo is all about celebrating the important things in life: family, births & birthdays, anniversaries, milestones, marriages and Christmas.

2 ) what inspires you ?

I live in a very beautiful part of England where I am always inspired by my environment, beautiful skies, flowers and nature. I'm lucky enough to have the countryside and seaside on my doorstep, both such amazing places to get inspired and clear my mind. I also love quirky packaging, retro fabric and bright colours.

3 ) where do you create your artwork ?

I am based from home and have my own creative space, it's calm, quiet and light. I have a tendency to claim more sections of the house when I get really busy...good thing its all pretty

4 ) where do you see yourself in five years time ?

Exciting times are already ahead for Dee Dee & Boo. It's what I love to do, its my passion and I hope people see that through the work I produce.
My daughter bought me a beautiful pebble with 'Do what you love' painted on it and I have that displayed on my desk. I truly believe that if you do what you love, there really are no limits to what you can achieve.

5 ) what is your favourite thing to draw ?

My all time favourite is drawing and paint is flowers, I find it really therapeutic.

6 ) Who is your favourite artist ? 
Georgia O'Keeffe, I discovered her while I was still at school and then again whilst studying for my Ba(hons) in Fashion textiles, I fell in love with her work.
7 ) reason behind the brand name ?
Well, my two beautiful children. When my son Beau was very tiny he used to struggle a little with saying his big sister's name 'Evie' so he decided on the name 'Dee Dee' and we have always nicknamed Beau...Boo. So... Dee Dee & Boo was born



Friday 28 October 2016

Seaside Carbonara : Family Recipes with Bright Horizons : Jess & Bodhi

In our house mummy does all of the cooking, Daddy is a little bit hopeless he can cook pizza & pasta and that is about his limit. I really want Bodhi to learn basic cooking skills and i have to say he really enjoys helping out in the kitchen. When Bright horizons - Family recipes needed a meal reviewing i couldn't say no. Not only did we get sent the family recipes book we also received a eat, sleep , doodle apron. Bodhi enjoyed colouring this in and writing his name on it while i got out all of the ingrentents





Whatever the time of year, its important to eat a healthy and balanced meals that you and your family will enjoy. Cooking is an excellent way for children to learn about nutrition while spending that quality time together. Bright horizons has collated a selection of family favourite recipes for you all to enjoy. 

We picked to make the Seaside carbonara , we made it at nanny & granddads house as our kitchen is like a building site due to well...building work! We cooked for 4 grown up and a bottomless pit 5 year old, I pretty much doubled up on the pasta & salmon 



The recipe was very easy to follow and used everyday ingredients, for the full recipe and ingredients list visit Bright Horizons recipe page We are going to be making the Lamb & rosemary hot pot next Bodhi loved helping out with the cooking steps , 1st job was to pick fresh chives from the herb patch. 



next job he could help with ( with some extra help from granddad as his knifes are super sharp ) was to cut the courgettes into slices, now Bodhi doesn't like courgettes but i was hoping as he had helped with the cooking he might be willing to try them again. 



In my view cooking should be a fun thing to do rather then to be seen as a chore, Bodhi soon got into my way of thinking by making me a lovely courgettes smiley face! 



Back to the cooking tho! We now had to flake the salmon and add lemon juice. Bodhi loves salmon and most other types of fish, Salmon to me is a fish with many uses within cooking and it isn't too fishy ( if that doesn't sound crazy ?? ) 





The last job that i felt nearly 5 year old Bodhi could help me with was zesting the lemon to add to the pasta dish, Bodhi really enjoyed using granddads zester and told me he was getting very hungry for dinner now! 



Bodhi helped to lay the table for dinner while i finished off the cooking ( I did also add in mushrooms and red onion this is 100% up to your familes likes and dislikes ) The cooking time even with Bodhi's  help was less then half an hour not bad going for a cooked from scratch meal.



Bodhi ate all of his dinner ( apart from the courgettes ) he even asked for a second helping, The dish was easy to make, tasty and full of flavor it will definitely be going on my meal plan! 
Their recipes also appear in nurseries all over the country – the closest nursery to me that uses these recipes is bramingham in Luton you can see more about the Nursery's at  nurseries in london 

Tuesday 25 October 2016

#FrubesMoves Challenge



To celebrate Frubes’ partnership with the must-see family film of the year, The Angry Birds Movie, Frubes has created a squawksome dance-off between the Angry Birds and mischievous Pigs. Staunch enemies in the film, the dance off between the Birds and Pigs means you and your family can settle the feud for good – pick a side and find out who is the ultimate dancer! Will your family shake their tail feathers with the Birds, or dance their bacon off with the Pigs? Visit angrybirds.frubes.co.uk, where you can egg on your favourite character. 
Bodhi has always loved dancing and is the first one on the dance floor at parties, He also loves dancing in the car, house and has even been known to dance in the street ( A passing by group of tourists gave him £1.20 ! ) He doesn't have what you would call classic moves ( see for your self in our youtube video ) But he has got the music within his veins and he loves to move. 
Bodhi also loves Angry birds , so this combo seemed like a perfect fit, I always buy frubes for his pack lunch at school as i freezes them to help keep the rest of his lunch cool. Frubes is the largest portable yogurt brand. These yummy yogurt tubes squeeze more fun into the day and are a family favourite. Available in Strawberry, Red Berry, Peach, and Banana flavours, they contain vitamin D and calcium for strong bones – great for those wanting to try out their own dance moves just like the Angry Birds and mischievous Pigs!
Did you know that as part of The Angry Birds Movie partnership, Frubes is running an egg-citing on-pack promotion until 31 October, offering families the chance to flock to the Bahamas for a fun-filled island holiday to spot exotic birds and swim with pigs? The competition includes a weekly draw to win a whole host of Angry Birds Movie merchandise, with a grand prize of a family holiday for four to spend six nights in the Bahamas!
We checked both codes from our packs but we didn't win :( Bodhi was more then happy with just having the frubes for an after bath snack.

“This post is an entry for BritMums’ #FrubesMoves Linky Challenge, sponsored by Frubes  https://angrybirds.frubes.co.uk// 


Wednesday 19 October 2016

#brightFuture Challenge with Unilever




( This postis an entry for britmums #brightFuture challenge , sponsored by Unilever http://www.brightfuture.unilever.com ) 

At unilever they believe that the only future our children should be facing is a brighter one and i am fully backing this ! I want my son to grow up without the worries that the world still faces, I want him to be kind and giving and to care about our planet and all of the people that live on it. 

Domestos, Sanitation and hygiene are such huge factors within the world , Shocking but some places in the world still don't have running water or the use of clean water for washing. I am trying to teach Bodhi to not waste water, We often share baths ( I go in 1st as i love my baths super hot ! ) Turning the tap off while brushes our teeth and to also keep our bathrooms and kitchens clean and safe spaces for everyone.

Dove, The Dove self esteem project has worked closely with leading psychologists, academics and experts to create materials, making a positive impact on 19 million young lives, Even at such a young age Bodhi is fully self aware and he wants to be clean and smelling fresh as his mum i want for him to be happy and to not have any body worries. Dove its not only kind to your skin but its giving back. 

Persil, We love Persil none-Bio in our house i have always had skin flare ups and none-Bio is the only thing i can use on my clothes, Now Bodhi is at school i am doing more washing to keep up with school clothes and home clothes. Trying my hardest to teach him that if you wear a tee-shirt for two hours its okay to wear it again the nest day! As like most children Bodhi has the idea that once an item of clothing has touched him it will then need to be washed! ( Pants & socks and they only exception to the rule ) I also wash our clothes at lower temperatures and i make sure my machine is full before the wash goes on. 

Our items also came in a lovely canvas tote bag, with the 5p bag change being in place for over a year now it is shocking to see so many still using plastic bags, This canvas bag is the perfect size for me to pop into my handbag just in case i pick a few items up from the shops. Why not leave a few bags in your boot or pop a light weight bag into your today! 

What else can we do to insure our children #brightFuture 

* re use and recycle - we take 80% of our cardboard and junk items into school to be turned into wonderful works of art
* spend 5 minutes less in the shower 
* put jumper and slippers on before the heating
* turn lights off when leaving a room ( I'm really bad at this one ) 
* get out and enjoy the free fresh air

Some interesting figures:

  • Six out of ten parents saying that they have started to live in a ‘greener’ way at home at the suggestion of their children.
  • 83% of children continue to feel optimistic about their own future and 59% feel optimistic about the future of the environment.
  • Most parents (between 70-80%) believe that, compared with themselves, their children will live longer, have a better education and better job prospects, and will enjoy life more, even if they will have to work harder to reap the rewards of the greater benefits ahead.

Monday 17 October 2016

IMC Mickey mouse clubhouse Fire set * PLAY & REVIEW *



when we signed up to review a new range of toys from IMC all i knew was it was mickey mouse fire house who knew what was coming our way, When the doorbell rang and a HUGE box was given to me with IMC across the sides i was like a kid at Christmas! so you can only imagine how Bodhi was when we opened the box together, 

We had been sent the Mickey mouse clubhouse - to the rescue fire station ( RRP £35 ) the Mickey mouse clubhouse - emergency fire truck ( RRP £25 ) and to top it all off Mickey mouse clubhouse - Mickey & Donald to the rescue figure set ( RRP £7 ) Bodhi wanted to get playing right away this is when the only down side of the range came to light, All of the items are very well kept in place within the packaging via screws / string / plastic and all sorts of crazy things! if i had known this before hand i wouldn't have let Bodhi unbox it all with me ( Also a good thing to know before giving this on Christmas morning or a birthday ! ) I had to get Hubby to take it all of out the boxes once Bodhi was asleep. 



The other slight draw back is the sticker sheet ! The fire house has over 40 stickers that you need to put in the right places, the instructions are pretty clear its just a little bit of a faff and if Bodhi was hanging around while waiting for this to be done i could see myself getting a little bit stressed.

Once its all fitted into place and the stickers are on the fire house is a pretty cool toy! comes with a Mickey & Mini figure and lots of fire fighting equipment.  Slide down the fireman’s pole, train in the training room and put out fires with the expandable hose. You can even have a little sleep in between shifts with the pull out bed! Packed full of features and fire fighter accessories, this is the ultimate play set for Mickey fans. Special Mickey and Minnie figures activate the lights & sounds when you place them in the control room seat, its magic! 

  • Over 12 accessories including a cat to rescue!
  • Includes magic Mickey & Minnie figures which activate lights and sounds.
  • 3 realistic fire station sounds.
  • Compatible with the Mickey Emergency Fire Truck (Each sold separately)
  • Expandable hose and crane feature
  • Contents: Fire Station play set Minnie and Mickey figures
  • Batteries Required: 2 AAA batteries (Not included)




The Fire truck alone would be an amazing imagination toy for any child ( the Range is aimed at children ages 36 month plus due to smaller parts ) Bodhi is five in the new year and i can see him getting years of play out of this! Like the fire station the fire truck also comes with a figure this time another Mickey and the truck lights up and makes noises. 

  • Magic Mickey figure which activates lights and sounds
  • Features realistic fire engine sounds
  • Set is packed full of fire fighting tools
  • Push the hose to shoot out the water
  • Contents: A Fire Truck and magic Mickey figure
  • Batteries Required: 2 AA batteries (included)







As if this wasn't enough we also got sent a double figure set of Mickey and Donald fire fighters they came equipped with their special Fireman suits, a hose and an extinguisher, they are ready for any fire emergency! Set contains 1 x Mickey figure, 1 x Donald, 2 x accessories. Figures are fully articulated. So working at our fire station we do have x3 Mickeys x1 Mini and x1 Donald but you can never have too many small figures as you can be sure one ( or two ) will always go missing !!! 


Bodhi loves This play set and its amazing sitting back and watching his imagination at work, Poor Mickey and the gang have been very busy helping out all sorts of problems ( I think we have Fireman Sam to blame for some of this ! ) 

Bodhi said " I Love playing the hero and saving the day, The set is lots of fun but i do get cross when they don't fit into the fire truck " 

Over all this is a wonderful play set and it will be on lots of children Christmas lists this year i am sure! Thank you once again to IMC for sending these toys out for us to test, We really enjoy doing this in return for the review. 

    Thursday 13 October 2016

    Baker Ross -halloween crafts -

    Now that Bodhi is in full time school i often find the time after school but before dinner is a hard one to fill, He is worn out from school and will most of the time ask for the iPad or cartoons but this week he has been very happy to come home and do a Halloween themed craft from Baker ross

    Baker Ross is an online arts & crafts shop that isn't only for school/club uses they have a great range of items in a whole host of themes . We was very kindly sent a box full of amazing things to make and do all around the up coming Halloween and also Autumn items ( this post will be up in a week or so ) 

    The Halloween range has 20% off until Friday the 14th the prices are really good value and you can buy in classroom / club sizes at an even lower cost. 

    The 1st craft Bodhi wanted to do was the Halloween themed dotty art kit ( £3.99 pack of 8 or £14.72 pack of 32 ) 


    •  7 assorted sticker colours - Blue, Red, Yellow, Green, Orange, Purple & Pink
    • Choose your own colours from the sheets provided
    • Each pack of 8 sheets includes 16 sheets of dotty stickers
    • 8 assorted designs - Monster, Spider, Cat, Ghost, Pumpkin, Owl, Bat & Skull
    • Each design sheet measures approx. 28cm x 21cm
    • A fun Halloween activity for class or home

    Bodhi really enjoyed this craft as he could do it all by himself and i love the face that is wasn't messy! 

    We then moved on to Day of the dead colour in gift bags. ( These are now 40% off ! at only £1.49 for the 6 pack or £6.99 for 30 ) 


    • 3 assorted handle colours - Pink, Green & Orange
    • Design is printed on both sides of bag
    • 3 assorted designs
    • Bag size 12cm x 8.5cm
    • Bags are gusseted and come with coloured carry handles
    • Decorate with our fibre tip pens or Deco pens (not included)
    • A must for little trick or treaters
    We also used the felt tips that we was sent in our box another bargain at only £1.98 for a pack of 3 perfect if hosting a party or event, Bodhi really wants to have a Halloween party this year , these little gift bags would not only be a great thing to do with the child but they could then also use them to take home a few treats and sweets. 

    Then lastly we made a haunted house photo frame, once again you had everything you needed in the kit so again these would be perfect for a party/school/club activity ( again these are on a great sale price ATM £1.99 for a pack of 5 or £10.99 for 30 ) 


    • No glue required
    • Each kit includes foam photo frame template, self-adhesive foam pieces and self-adhesive magnet
    • 5 ghoulish designs featuring Vampire, Frankenstein’s Monster, Mummy, Skeleton & Witch
    • House frames measure 12cm wide
    • Display on a fridge or any metal surface
    • Instruction sheet included



    I love just how simple all of the Baker ross items are Bodhi had no trouble with these projects and he is 4 1/2 I will be stocking up on a few more bits to keep him happy over the halloween half term. 

    Friday 7 October 2016

    Urban Armor Gear UAG - iPhone 5sc case * REVIEW *


    As a blogger my iPhone is very important to me add into that I'm also a mum its REALLY important ! I have an iPhone 5C in the colour yellow and i really do love it its linked to my iPad and my iMac and makes my life simple , I often use my phone for Photos and keeping Bodhi happy by letting him play games on it, So to me its safety is really important i don't want to jinx myself but i am yet to drop my phone and have it damaged and thats how id like it to stay !

    When asked to review a urban armour gear case i had to say yes! when the cased arrived i was very happy with the design and over all look of the phone ( only down side for me was the range of colours )


    Urban armor gear features 

    * Impact resistant - My phone has been dropped a few times from my pocket and once thanks to Bodhi , It has stayed safe and in one piece thankful
    * Easy side access - volume buttons and mute switch are uncovered 
    * skid pads - extra protection on the corners 
    * feather light - the case is light weight and easy to pop over your phone
    * Glare free flash - the camera is left uncovered by the case
    * HD screen protector - perfect add on to keep the screen safe from scratches 


    I wouldn't go back to a fashion phone cover now after using the UAG you can buy them online via the website they also stock a range for other phones such as samsung / microsoft / LG / HTC / motorola and they also do covers for iPads & MacBooks the cost of my phone case was $34.95 ( thats £28.18 ) this may seen a high price for a phone case but when you think about how much a new phone would cost it really isn't a bad price! 

    ** i was sent my phone case in return for a blog post review ** 

    1st wedding with a child ( 1st time around )

    When you are pregnant you can find so much information, from bump to birth and then on to toddler age you can find countless books, guides and helpful information. I have found that once your child gets to nursery age this help and information drys up! As a 1st time mum to a now 4 1/2 year old who has just started  full time school in September i thought i would share my views/tips on all the things you will face 1st time !

    So this time its Weddings! now we have been to x3 wedding this year but only one of them we took Bodhi with us, the 1st one we only went to the reception and both felt it would be nice to go as a couple rather then a family ( it was one of Chris's friends getting married ) the 2nd wedding we went to was my best friends but the invite was adults only so this meant Bodhi couldn't come ( we had a amazing time with both myself & Chris on the dance floor till gone 1 am ! ) so moving on to the last wedding of the year this wedding was for Chris's younger brother so we knew that Bodhi would want to go and also we knew lots of other couples going with children. Now the bride & groom go married 3 weeks before the reception on a beach so the "wedding" was really a reception but we all talk about it as a wedding.

    This was also Bodhi's 1st time staying over in a hotel he was super excited about everything ! on the day of the wedding he woke up at 6:15 am ( ouch ! ) chris had work in the morning so rather then sitting around waiting we popped to IKEA ( as you do right? ) we had hot dogs for lunch ( not a super good idea would have been better off with something more filling but never mind )

    The hotel was also a spa so we planned to go early help set up then go for a swimming then party from 6:30 , We got to the hotel and checked in now we paid to have a bed added in the room for Bodhi and as it tuns out all of these room where at the very back of the hotel and a good 5 minute walk from the party room. At check in we also found out that children couldn't go in the pool after 3pm so we helped set up then went back to the room had a few snacks ( that i took with me ) and got ourselves ready for the party. We had a super good time and Bodhi was happy dancing away and playing with the other children at around 11pm he started to flag tho and he asked me if he could go to bed. I took him back to the room and we watched a few cartoons then went to bed around 11:30pm.
    TIPS 
    * Take your own snacks for not only you child but yourself 
    * take own drinks for in the room and at the wedding ( we didn't do this as thought we could buy him fruit shoots no such luck ) 
    * let your child have cake/sweets/drinks etc it isn't worth the fighting
    * dance with your child if they want to ( Bodhi was on the dance floor for most of the night )
    * get someone else to take a family photo of you early on in the night 
    * take a family selfie / loads of photos 
    * don't worry about bedtime just roll with your child
    * talk to your other half about who it is that will take child to bed when bedtime does roll around, as it was Chris's brother i said it was only fair that i would take him.
    * speak to the hotel ( if staying over ) About when and if children can use the pool 
    * Enjoy it  ! 




    Tuesday 4 October 2016

    Caketoppers unboxing * TASTE & REVIEW & GIVEAWAY *



    So who doesn't love cake? We sure do in our house , So when i was asked to review some cupcakes i jumped at the chance As you can see from the youtube Bodhi & i both really enjoyed our personalised cupcakes , the service and the taste of these cupcakes is amazing and they are delivered to your door !

    The ordering is super easy you visit the website https://www.caketoppers.co.uk pick how many cupcakes your like ( They also do photo cakes these would be prefect for parties ) They start at a box of 6 for £12.99 thats just over £2 a cupcake and i think that is a fab prize seeing as they are 100% personal to your order and they cake super good ! you can order a mixed box of both chocolate or vanilla or pick just one flavour. The better the photo you send the clearer the image will come out on the icing.

    Once you order is placed you can sit back and relax and keep an eye out for the postman they can be delivered next working day or you can pick you chosen date, These would be a great gift idea for just about anything, New baby, Birthdays, Wedding, Moving house the list could go on !

    I have bookmarked the website as i know i will be back again to order lot more cakes, And for one lucky reader i have a box of x9 cupcakes with pink sugar flowers to give away please enter via the rafflecopter below and good luck .




    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    You can also follow cake toppers on social media to keep unto date with all the lovely cakes they are making.