Toy Genius Review - Djeco Mini Families Card Game - Halloween treat!

Its been a long time coming, but finally, here is my review for the lovely Toyjeanius.  Totally my fault - combination of illness, house-move and general not-being-very- organised.  Apologies!

I was sent a stunning card game by Djeco called Mini Families.  Based on the traditional Happy Families game, this is suitable for 2-4 players and is aimed at ages 4-7 years.

To be totally honest, at only 3 1/2, Ruby did struggle to hold the cards in her hand.  I am going to invest in this nifty little device from Toyjeanius so she can play by herself, without having to pair up!

Despite the difficulty of holding a hand of cards, Ruby loves to play this game.  She likes it best when she pairs up with me, and we can beat Daddy, Nana and Grandad!

She's also found she can play her own version of snap and pairs with the cards, so the deck will keep her happily entertained if I'm busy.

I adore the illustrations on the cards - reminiscent of Tim Burton characters, this would be a perfect Halloween treat, or maybe a party prize.

Instead of the traditional Master Bun the Baker's son et al, the characters are from the Toad; Sorcerer, Royal; Ghost; Troubadour; Knight and Fairy families.  Each family has four members, and the idea is to collect complete sets the same as you would in the original game.

If you are not familiar with Djeco Toys, I recommend you check them out. Toyjeanius stocks a wide range of their games; toys and puzzles.  The style and design is very cool and instantly recognisable.

The Mini Family card game is available from Toyjeanius priced at £6.95 plus p&p.

I'll leave the final verdict to Ruby:




Sponsored post: Written as part of my Toy Genius Role. The game was provided free of charge for the purpose of this review, however, the views expressed are our own.

Check out the other Toy Genius Reviewers:

Edspire
The Crazy Kitchen
Brink of Bedlam
The Boy and Me
ChocOrangeCityMum

Win a JD Bug Pro Extreme V2 Scooter!

Kids just can't wait to get their own set of wheel, whether it's scooters or skates.  So I'm thrilled to be bringing you this competition!  Get your hands on the latest must-have item from JD Bug Scooters worth £79.95.  A perfect Christmas present.

"The JD Bug Pro Extreme V2 Scooter is the latest edition to the JD Bug series. For over a decade JD Bug have been recognised worldwide as one of the leading brands of folding scooters. JD Bug have taken their years of knowledge designing high-end scooters and have re-released the JD Bug Pro Extreme scooter with a slew of excellent upgrades.

The JD Bug Pro Extreme V2 now includes hardwearing 100mm 90a metal core wheels which are perfect for tricks and stunts. Inside are chrome ABEC 5 bearings which ensure a really smooth ride.

JD Bug have also fitted one-piece chromoly bars which are both lighter and stronger than conventional steel. Attached are really comfortable rubberized BMX-style grips.

This scooter has been fitted with a folding mechanism which allows it to easy fold however it also arrives with a fixed bolt kit which allows you to stop the folding from folding. if you're more serious about trying tricks and stunts on this scooter then we'd advise using the fixed bolt kit.

For the first time ever, the JD Bug Pro Extreme is fitted with TWO double collar clamps which help to eliminate wobble when riding. 

This scooter is suitable for all sizes and ages (up to 100kg). The Pro Extreme V2 is truly one of a kind; a hybrid of a recreational and stunt scooter.  It's a brilliant option for riders who want to transfer from their existing recreational scooter to an extreme model."

• JD Bug pro series chromoly bars
• Handlebars can swivel 360 degrees.
• Rubberised BMX rock grips
• Custom V2.0 Griptape
• 2 x JD Bug pro series double collar clamp
• JD Bug pro series threaded fork
• JD Bug pro series threaded headset
• 100mm / 90A pro series metal core wheels
• Chrome ABEC 5 bearings
• New locked bolt system
• Weight: 2700g
• Max Height: 750mm
• Footplate Dimension: 51cm x 10cm
• Max Weight: 100kg
• Suitable for ages 6+
• This scooter also comes with a 90 day parts warranty from the manufacturer.

To win this amazing prize, please leave a comment below saying why you'd love to win.  Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you - a twitter name or email.

For an extra entry, follow my blog by email subscription or through Google Friend Connect and leave a separate comment saying you have done so.

For a final extra entry, tweet the following and leave another comment below saying you have done so: " I'm entering @missielizzieb 's blog competition to win a JD Bug Scooter. You can too here: http://bit.ly/odoOJt"

This contest is open to UK only and closes at 5pm on Tuesday 01 November 2011.  The winner will be picked at random and asked to provide me with a postal address to pass on to the sponsors for delivery of the prize.  I will make every effort to contact the winner, but if they have not responded within one week I reserve the right to re-draw.

My decision is final.

Many thanks to  www.skates.co.uk for sponsoring this giveaway.

Magpie Monday - The Fuchsia's Bright, The Fuchsia's Orange

Isn't it funny how you often find yourself subconsciously shopping in themes?

Do you ever do that?  You know, when you're drawn to something, and then you find something else the same colour or same pattern in another shop and you find yourself buying that as well?

On a recent charity shopping trip, I spotted this small little glass perfume atomiser.  It didn't look much from a distance, but when I picked it up I noticed it had fuchsia flowers etched into the glass.  Sorry, it's impossible to photograph, so you'll just have to trust me!

We seem to have a bit of a thing for fuchsias at the moment.  Ruby has just discovered them in Granny's garden and can now identify them from other flowers and say the word.  We call them little ballerinas because their skirts look like tiny tutus.  I shouldn't have done it, but I showed Ruby how you can gently squeeze the flower buds, to get a satisfying pop out of them!

In the very next shop I went into, this beautiful vase cried out to me from the shelf.

A studio pottery vase with stunning glaze design, I adore it, especially as it only cost me £1.25!

What are the chances of that?  I don't remember ever seeing fuchsias used to decorate vases or bowls before -  much more likely to find roses, violets or forget-me-nots - yet I'd found two things in the same day.

The orange glaze then seemed to take me on a bit of an orange mission.

I found this charming art deco hand painted bowl in another shop for £2.50.  The glaze on the inside is damaged, but that's fine because I intend to stand a plant inside it!

And finally, I bought this huge soapstone heart paperweight.  You could do some serious damage with this!

How about you? What second-hand bits have you found? Please grab the badge below and link up. x


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Halloween Paper Lantern Pumpkins

Earlier in the year we made a lantern to celebrate Chinese New Year.

I thought this would adapt well for our Halloween festivities, so we made one again!  As Ruby is now a dab-hand (so she reckons) I'll let her explain when you need:




Of course!

You also need a battery operated tea light and some scissors. We used a lampshade that the previous house owners had left behind, but you can get them in Wilkinson, Ikea and DIY stores for around £2.

The full instructions are over on the Chinese lantern post, but basically you just cover the shade, decoupage style with tissue paper.  I was unable to get any photos of this stage as it all got a bit messy!  Once fully covered allow to dry overnight.

Then you just need to decide how you want to decorate it.  You can of course put a face on to make it look like a carved pumpkin, or you could go with a scene.

Ruby decided she wanted a witch on hers, so this is what we managed.  I've hung it up off the ceiling light to show you the lit effect.  It actually gives a lovely spooky orange glow to the room and would be great for a Halloween party.  But we're planning on using a cane or piece of dowel and carrying the lantern when we're out trick or treating.

If you liked this post, please take a moment to leave a comment or check out my other Halloween posts:

Pompom Pumpkins
Spooky Crafts - Hand print Spiders
Fancy Dress

Linking up with Sunday Showcase.

Tasty Tropical Treats

We were lucky enough to be sent a selection of intriguing treats from Tropical Wholefoods by our friends at Goodness Direct.

First up, some raisins.  Nothing unusual about them right? Wrong!  As well as being delicious and juicy, these are very special raisins.  They are fairtrade raisins and are the first ever fairtrade product from Afghanistan.  The brave and dedicated team at Tropical Wholefoods worked for 4 long years to secure the trust of the Afghan farmers and form a partnership.  Before the Soviet war and the Taliban control, Afghan raisins were known as the best in the world.

Ruby loves raisins and eats them by the handful, so we were happy to have the opportunity to try these.

Next we tried some Fairtrade apricot kernels.  Previously seen as a waste product here, these delicious sweet treasures are a staple part of the diet in Pakistan.  Resembling and tasting like a small almond, they are a perfect nutricious snack.  The chilli roast flavoured kernels are a wonderfully moreish adult treat!

Finally, we were sent some Bogoya Banana Slices.  A very unusual looking product - the closest thing I can describe it as looking like would probably be dried fig crossed with dried date pieces.

The Bogoya Banana is native to Uganda. It's a large fruit similar to a plantain, and has a rich intense toffee-like flavour.  You can also rehydrate these in water, juice or yoghurt and after 30 minutes it will be soft enough to puree.

Now, Bananas are one of Ruby's favourite fruits, but she is very fussy about them!  The merest hint of a bruise or a black mark and she won't touch it.  Same went for these slices I'm afraid.  She point blank refused to try them.  Such a shame, because they were chewy and very tasty.

I didn't give up though!  I decided to add them to some flapjacks, and she helped to make them too.

We added some of the raisins, some sunflower seeds, cranberries and chopped banana slices to the mix.  The result was a moist, tasty treat.  I think next time I'll up the banana content as it gave a lovely taste throughout the biscuits - a cross between flapjack and banana bread.

Who ate that piece?!

Thanks to Goodness Direct and Tropical Wholefoods for adding some delicious, healthy new snacks to our diet!

Sponsored post: I was sent a small selection of products for the purposes of this review. However, any views expressed are my own.

Smashing Alternative Pompom Pumpkins

It's official - I ADORE Halloween!

I love making, crafting and decorating ready for the spooky celebrations and myself and Ruby have been getting busy this week.

Whilst I do enjoy carving actual pumpkins, it does have it's drawbacks.  Wielding a sharp carving knife is not exactly a child-friendly activity, and you can't carve a fresh pumpkin too much ahead of time. You'll be left with a putrid, slimy, rotting vegetable on your doorstep!

So, I plan to bring you a few ideas of crafts you can do ahead of time - all pumpkin related, but without an actual gourd in sight!

First up are these super-cute pompom pumpkins.  Very simply to do for older children.

If you can't remember or have never made wool pompoms before, I recommend you check out Maria's Craft Corner tutorial for simple instructions and her beautiful pompom garland.

I simply made pompoms with orange wool, then glued facial features with cut-out pieces of black craft foam (or use felt or card).

If you leave the length of wool used for securing your pompom, you have a hanging decoration (do you like my pressed flower leaf garland in the background?).

But I quite like these little fellas just sitting around the place.

Cute, fluffy, not-at-all threatening Halloween pumpkins!

Check back for more spooky crafts, as and when my cold allows! x

Help Vanish banish Breast Cancer

It seems so fitting that Vanish, the laundry product so well known for being pink, is supporting Breast Cancer's Wear it Pink day on 28th October!

We all like to support worthy causes don't we.  However, times are tough and we don't always have enough spare pennies to put in the pot.

Vanish however, have come up with this ingenious  campaign, where you are able to 'donate' £1 simply by liking them on Facebook.  So even if you can't afford your own actual donation, you can still add your support.

Vanish will donate £1 to Breast Cancer Campaign for each new liker on Facebook - for every 1,000 supporters, £1,000 will be donated to research (up to £10,000).

How do you participate? Simply 'Like' the Vanish Facebook page, then place your donation into the pot of your choice - prevention; diagnosis and treatment.

Please share this campaign with your friends and family - the more that join in, the more money is raised.