COMPETITION: The Owl and the Pussycat & The Further adventures of the owl and the pussycat GIVEAWAY.

So here it is! My first competition!


I'm so exited to be running it and having a lovely prize to give away.


Yesterday I posted my review of The Owl and The Pussycat by Edward Lear and The Further Adventures of The Owl and The pussycat by Julia Donaldson, published by Puffin and both illustrated by the very talented Charlotte Voake.

They would make a lovely Christmas gift and if you want to know why please check out my reviews of each book. 

Thanks to Penguin I have a set of these wonderful books up for grabs and all you have to do is enter below!

The blog comment and following on twitter are mandatory** but the other entries are optional. The more you have, the more likely you are to win :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway




*This giveaway is open to UK entrants only, sorry.
** Anyone who hasn't done both the mandatory entries will not be counted in the competition,

The Further Adventures of The Owl and The Pussycat by Julia Donaldson & Charlotte Voake - Review

So I've been super lucky this week and along side the new publication of the owl and the pussy cat I am also reviewing The Further Adventures of The Owl and The Pussycat by Julia Donaldson.

This book again is beautifully illustrated by Charlotte Voake who brings the story and it's characters to life.


I'll let the pictures do the talking....

 Julia continues where Lear's poem leaves off, in a mix of her own charming style that has been so successful and Edward Lear's original poetic techniques. She introduces characters and places from Lear's other work's into her story. I think this is a lovely idea, although if anything, I would say as an adult reading this book it helps if you are familiar with Edward Lear and his works, otherwise you might feel she is introducing too much nonsense. From a view of a child who the book is actually aimed at I'm sure the more nonsense the better and other Lear devotee's I'm sure would approve too.

The book has been well received, being shortlisted for both the spec savers national book awards and the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway medal. It has an RRP of £7.99 but can also be found at the cheaper price of £5.99 at the Book Depository.

We received a paperback copy of the book complete with the CD. My 3 year old has a bit of a thing about CD's that come with books so she had this straight on and plonked herself on my knee to listen and read* along. The CD, in which the story is narrated by Julia herself, does go at quite a fast pace so to enjoy the pictures it's best read by an adult (or the child themselves if at reading age). However it's a great addition along side the book and expands the experience and enjoyment of the book.

Reading along with the CD for a second time.

This book, along side The Owl and The Pussycat, would make a lovely Christmas gift and for those of you lucky people reading who have joined me on my new blogging journey, I have a set to give away here.

*read through viewing the pictures 
** This is not a sponsored post and all views are my own. I was however given a copy of the book to review by The Bigshot. 

The Owl and The Pussy Cat by Edward Lear & Charlotte Voake Review

'The Owl and the pussycat went to sea,

in a beautiful pea green boat.

They took some honey and plenty of money

wrapped up in a five pound note.....'

The Owl and the pussy cat, a well known classic nursery rhyme by the wonderful Edward Lear was a favourite of mine as a child. I have been fortunate enough to get my hands on a copy of both the latest edition of the poem, published by Puffin, as well as The Further Adventures of The Owl and The Pussycat by Julia Donaldson! The latter of which I'll be reviewing in a separate post. 

Wonderfully illustrated

This edition has brought the poem to life once more for a new generation of children to enjoy (and for us older ones to continue to enjoy). It has been beautifully illustrated by the talented Charlotte Voake, who's artwork brings a magical feeling to the books.
Obviously the way a book is illustrated has a particular importance in books for young children, it allows children to see the story through their own eyes when they haven't learnt to read yet. When choosing books for G, the way it's illustrated strongly influences whether I'm going to buy it or not. I do love lovely pictures!

Beautifully detailed

Beloved children's author Julia Donaldson has written a foreword for this edition, introducing new readers to the world of Edward Lear. I think this is a lovely touch and will bring the attention of her young fans to a wonderful old classic.

This hardback copy has a RRP of £10.99 but can be found at a lower price's at various retailers including the price of £7.69 at The Book Depository.

I think that this publication of the poem, along side The Further Adventures of The Owl and The Pussycat, would make a lovely Christmas gift. They are beautiful books to be treasured for years to come and we were excited ourselves to receive them through the post! They are my Young Children's book of the fortnight recommendations.

For those of you lovely people who have joined me on my new blogging journey I am giving a set away of these lovely books here!

* This is not a sponsored post. We were however given a copy of the books to review by The Big Shot. All views are my own.

Clinica Tissue oil and vitamin E cream Review

Whilst pregnant with G and for a few months afterwards I entered A LOT of pregnancy and baby competitions. I managed to win quite a few (I probably entered about 200!!) 
Out of the a couple I won when pregnant, two were for Clinica products; one run by Bizzie Babies Facebook Page and the other by Mumstreet.co.uk.
Here is the review I wrote whilst pregnant and trying it out.

The prize from the former was a 200ml bottle of Clinica's tissue oil and the latter, which was sent by Clinica itself, was a 200ml bottle of tissue oil and two tubes of their vitamin E cream.

My mumstreet.co.uk prize

I was obviously keen to try out the tissue oil due to being pregnant so it was a great product to win, but not only that, I have sensitive skin. 
It's less problematic than when I was younger but I also suffer from dry skin. In general it just needs a bit of extra TLC, so I was very pleased to receive the vitamin E cream.

The Clinica packaging stands out to me, clearly labeling the uses of the product on the front of the Vitamin E cream (and the side for the tissue oil) and it's active ingredients.
It may not be attractive but this is the kind of labeling and packaging that I'd go for now I'm older. I prefer the facts over a pretty design and knowing the product is going to do what I need it to so I won't be wasting money.

Currently it's only on sale via their website Clinica.

 Clinica tissue oil:  

As the packaging and website tell you, it "contains a blend of natural oils, which soothe and nourish the skin and nails."

It can be used for:

• Ageing Skin
• Blemished skin
• Treatment and prevention of stretch marks
• Skin containing scar tissue
• Before and after pregnancy massage oil
• After sun treatment
• Dry, dehydrated skin conditions
• Moisturizing/therapeutic bath oil
• To assist in refining the skins natural oils and moisture

Extra info:

• The oil is rich in Vitamin E, Evening primrose oil, Almond oil and coconut oil extracts
• Its a non greasy & non staining formula
• It's safe for all ages

So its not only useful for pregnant women to care for their skin whilst its under a lot of strain, but it can be used for those who perhaps have had operations and accidents, those with skin conditions (i.e eczema which I had as a child) and those just wanting to take good care of their skin.

It contains the all important ingredient of Vitamin E, found in many good skincare products, the benefits of which can be read about here: Healthy Skincare and evening primrose oil, which among its many medicinal benefits is great for the skin.

My BizzieBaby Prize

  

When using the product I found it to have a pleasant fragrance and only a few drops were needed to cover and massage into the areas you are treating, and with a bottle this size it means it won't run out too quick even with every day use. Which is handy as it advises you to use it morning and evening. I have used my first bottle a few times and as you can see, there is still plenty of the product left.

I've been lucky and don't seem to have any stretch marks apart from one on the top of my thigh, and a few old ones have become a bit more prominent from when I was on steroidal treatment for an illness, but without this my skin does become dry, tight and itchy due to it being stretched too much, so I have no doubt this oil is helping my skin stay in a better condition. Its a quick relief from the irritation and its long term affects are protecting my skins components and helping me avoid any further skin damage.

The 200ml bottle retails at £10.80, with a smaller option of 60ml also available at the price of £5.40.

Clinica Vitamin E Cream:

From their site, a 100g tube of this cream retails at only £3, which is a great price for such a beneficial product, and I received 2 of these. If buying myself I would go for the even better value of the 500g Jar which is only £4.80 ......five times the amount for less than £2 more.

Again the clearly labelled packaging tells you all you need to know, that its is " B5 and Evening Primrose enriched".

Ideal for: 

• Dry skin
• Sun Damaged skin
• Scars
• Stretch marks
• Wrinkles
• Ageing Skin

On the back: The cream "is a specially developed hypo-allergic formulation for dry, damaged and ageing skin. Vitamin E is not only responsible for repairing damaged skin and enhancing elasticity, but also as a potent anti oxidant. /with regular use, your skin will have the ultimate anti-oxidant protection". 

So again this isn't just useful for during and after pregnancy, its great to take care of your skin if it needs that extra bit of TLC if you're not a teenager anymore, which sadly I'm not. I struggle to deal with the fact I'm 25 now but hopefully I won't have to struggle looking after my skin now I have these products. 

As I'm nearing the end of my pregnancy I'm pretty sure my tummy is as stretched as it can be (so knowing my luck even thought I think I've escaped without stretch marks, they are all going to turn up in these last 3 weeks). I have also developed some dry skin by my belly button, and this cream has been great to settle it down, stop the the itching and soreness and keep the area well moisturized. I'm also extremely prone to sunburn, and although I'm sensible and usually remember to put my sun cream on, this is great for extra protection and recovery after you have been out in the sun.

Its also non greasy and easily absorbed into the skin. 

                                        

After I'd written this review the next time I used the oil I did suffer a reaction to it. My skin became extremely itchy and I couldn't stop scratching my bump! This resulted in something what would fit in well in a horror film. As your skin is so stretched and tight when you scratch it leaves blood like brusies.
However I used the vitamin E cream and it soothed and calmed my skin down. 
I

Munchkin bath toy review

Around May 2011 we were very lucky to win a whole box full of Munchkin bath toys. At this point in my life I was in the midst of a complete breakdown due to terrible issues in my personal life so I didn't get to do a review.

Over 2 years on, still being used

I don't have shiny photo's from when we had the products all brand new and in packaging or photo's of my at the time 10 month old exploring her new box of excitement but some of the products
have lasted until now, over 2 years later and have been great toys for my little girl so I wanted to share my views.





Here is what were lucky enough to win:

We had the green version

Shampoo Rinser - they no longer do this version and have replaced it with a new model. After using this for 2 years we had to throw it out due it getting mouldy round the rim. We got a lot of use out of it but I think the newer version without the separate section is less likely to collect mould. A great idea to make washing your little one's hair a bit more stress free. G enjoyed using it herself sometimes for just pouring water or trying to do her own hair.





Bath time turtles

As a baby the bright colours and rattle sounds from these kept G busy. As she got older she gained more interest in the different features of the turtles (a mirror, one has beads to shake like a rattle, the other has a spinning middle section) and then at some point worked out they can stick together in a line. she still plays with them now. These are suitable from 12 months plus but G was fine with them from 10 months.

Dolphin Divers Bath Toy

Also no longer on Munchkin main site

G has loved this. Your baby/toddler fills the whale with water, pours the water in through the top which makes the dolphins wheel spin round. At one point we had to start putting the toy at an angle or it won't spin round. G has loved just playing with the whale on it's own and she started to use it to wash her hair with at one point. A great idea for a bath toy but the problems with motion can be a bit off putting.

Daredevil dolphins Bath toy  no longer on their website so I assume not produced anymore. We still have the hoops but at some point the dolphins got mouldy. The dolphins are squirty toys that can fill with water and be played with like that or you can dive them through the hoops. A great bath toy. G still happily plays with the hoops, wearing them on her arms or feet or balancing them on her head! We could do with another dolphin but she gained one replacement from the mermaid toy we brought a few months ago.

Bath toy scoop

This sticks to the bathroom wall with double sided sticky tape. After moving house and having to pry it off one wall it wasn't sticky enough to stay on the new bathroom wall with all the toys in. I've still yet to find any proper thick, strong enough double sided tape to stick this & her name plaque for her room back up. This is a great space saver though so now I've reminded myself I better have another search for some tape. It's great that you can just scoop them up and it drains out....though as mentioned the squirty toys can get mouldy so with those you can't really just scoop them up and be done with it. They need a proper squeeze out or they get mouldy much too quickly. Any others toys though scoop away! I would recommend this.

Baby Bath Ball

She still uses this too. Lovely little ball that 'rains'. 

She likes to pour it over her head sometimes or other wise just fill up make it rain out water over and over. Good sensory play. Listening to the sound the water makes when 'raining'. Feeling it rain out on her hands. Also can be shaken to make a noise/act as a bath rattle and spun around in the water too. This is a great one for young babies. Suitable from 6 months plus.

Lazy buoys

She loves the two characters of these. Mummy 'brought them to life' once by making them jump up and down around the bath tub and made appropriate noises and dive into the water and after the first performance she demanded that every single bath time for quite a while.

Bright and colourful. Lots of fun scooping water, pouring out into the bath or into one of the other pieces. Making the little ball spin around by pouring water on that. Lots of activities for your little one with this set. Good for developing motor skills.

Snail Stacker 

We still have all of this set except the squirty flower that went on the top. That went mouldy like the other squirty toys at some point too. We found the snail did not balance/capsized when the flower was placed on the top anyway but it was still good fun for G just using it as a squirty toy. Learning how to fill them up and squirt them out by herself.

Two of the rings themselves can be filled with water and pour out in a different way. The top stacker has 3 colourful beads on that G used for counting when she was just beginning with her numbers. 

With it being a stacking toy it was good for very early math skill for learning about the sizes and order. All that I really want out of a bath toy is for her to have fun though. 

So as you can see G was a lucky pup winning that haul from Munchkin. It was her 1st birthday a couple of months after we won these and one of my work colleague/friends very kindly brought her the Bath Dunkers set.
We hadn't asked for anything specifically but she had spotted it in a shop and it stood out to her. So much so that she brought a set for another of our colleague/friends who had been pregnant at the same time as me and has a little girl the same age.


Bath Dunkers

G loved this. I think it was/has been her favourite bath toy. Sadly we don't have it anymore. One puffer fish was thrown down the toilet by madam when being a bit of a monkey. Another ended up splitting in two. I'm not sure how or why. Part of the net started pulling away from the side. I don't think this was a fault of the toy, I think it was because it was used so much. G would put all of her squirty toys in the net and the dolphins would sometimes get stuck leading to her tugging the net a bit leading the gradual wear and tear.
She still asks about this toy so maybe Father Christmas will gift her with a new one if she's a good girl.
It's good for developing spacial awareness skills but most importantly very fun. The puffer fish could be used separately just as squirty bath toys also.It's suitable from 12 month plus.






About a year ago we added to our munchkin collection (partly to replace those that had to be thrown out, partly as mummy thought this looked great and it was in a baby event at a local supermarket) and purchased the Splash along mermaid.
Your child pulls the shell/star/crown at the top of the mermaids head and the mermaid swims, her tail propelling her through the water. There are two designs of this. The pink mermaid with a purple dolphin squirty toy or a yellow haired mermaid with an orange starfish squirty toy. I went for the one pictured to help replace one of her dolphins. A lovely toy suitable from 18 months up so great for older children in the bath.






I've found all munchkin bath toys to be great quality and they come up with original products.
The number one critic has loved them and still does even now she's turned 3.
Even though several of the toys I've reviewed are no longer available on the Munchkin site you can still find many of them for sale elsewhere on the internet. I always shop around to make sure I get the best price.

Has your little one had any munchkin bath toys? If so which did you rate the highest?

Mabyland Peg Rattle, Musical doll and Round Rattle Review

A lot of G's old younger selection of baby toys &clothes have either been bagged up to sell, already sold or given to a charity shop. However toys wise there are still a few she either still uses or wants to keep hold of. Her Mabyland toys are some in that category.
Here is the review I did on one of their products, brought up to date.


When pregnant I started entering a lot of pregnancy and baby competitions and continued to for a few months after my daughter was born. I was lucky and won several prizes over that space of time. One of them from Mabyland via their facebook page.

MabyLand have a range of gorgeous baby products based around four main characters, doggy, teddy, kitty & bunny. The soft toy items in particular are friendly, soft and colourful so your baby is bound to love them. 

My MabyLand Prize

The prize up that I was lucky enough to win, was a choice of a pair of their peg rattles; either Doggy &Teddy or Bunny & Kitty. With me being a cat lover I went for the latter and with submission of my address my prize arrived the very next day!

Appealing packaging

The packaging of the product itself is very appealing and promotes all four of the peg rattle range.

The characters are a lovely design with friendly bright faces and the colours are warm and appealing. My only criticism is that the kitty could be mistaken for a teddy if not for the whiskers, if the ears were more cat shaped (but still soft so not a hazard to the babies eyes) then it would be perfect.

They are soft and make a pleasing sound on movement, not to harsh but noisy enough to entertain a young baby.

They normally retail at a price of £9.99 and their site sells a range of other products as well, from buggy accessories to towels and their award winning baby carriers to changing bags.

Soft, happy, colourful and easy to grasp.

I did this original review before my little girl was born but she was very fond of them and they brought a smile to her face. I can't remember at what age her hands were big enough to hold the rattles as a whole but they are still good to grab and touch and for you as a parent to entertain your baby with.









Several months later (2011/2012) I was lucky again and received a voucher in a baby&pregnancy magazine for another lovely item from Mabyland at a greatly reduced price, one of their musical dolls. I chose the teddy character this time.

It is a lovely bright soft toy with a lovely tune ('Give a little whistle') which comes on by pulling the string and pulling the doll to it's full length. As the tune plays the doll shortens up again. It is nice to have a change from the usual lullabies and the pull mechanism means there is no need to buy and replace batteries. 
You can hang it from your babies cot or pram and it's great for soothing them. My little girl loved musical toys. 
They are currently available for £15.99 and also come in the same range of characters as the peg rattles. 







If that wasn't enough I got lucky a third time during another competition, which I think was run by a different site and we won one of Mabyland's round rattles. I chose the character we didn't have yet - the dog. Another lovely product, bright, soft, larger than the peg rattles and a different shape to grasp. Delivered quickly as usual.

The round rattles which again come in all four different characters currently retail at £7.99. I think that's a bit expensive for one rattle, however as my little girl is 3 now it's been a while since I've brought baby toys and after a quick research on the web it seems that is the average price for a rattle of this kind.

All the Mabyland toys I received have been very well made and stood the test of time and a fair amount of chewing! I definitely recommend them.