NasalGuard AllergieBLOCK Review & Competition!

For anyone who knows me and my family personally will know that I spend most the spring and summer months with either itchy eyes and/or a bunged up nose!  And sadly, my daughter is also really REALLY sensitive to something allergen-wise; although we are still in the process of pinning down the culprit(!)

So, when we got the opportunity to review a drug-free, preventative method of controlling airborne allegens, such as pollen, pet dander and dust mites, I jumped at the chance!  Anything that can have the possiblility of working (and drug-free too) is worth a try in my book!

After 10 days of taking no antihistamines and using AllergieBLOCK I'm pleased to announce that my allergy symptoms have reduced greatly!  So let me introduce the wonder that is AllergieBLOCK!

NasalGuard AllergieBLOCK is a clinically-proven, preventative, drug-free gel that blocks airborne allergens from entering the nose.  It can be used by anyone suffering from allergy symptoms incluing pet owners and hayfever sufferers and is suitable for children and pregnant women.  Although I'm not pregnant(!), this point is crucial for mums-to-be as hayfever and other allergies whilst pregnant and not able to take antihistamines can be a nightmare!

You just simply apply the clear gel around your nostrils when you wake and then every 4-6 hours throughout the day and again just before bedtime, also reapplying if nose or face gets wet.  And that's it!  But how does it work.... now for the physics lesson!

NasalGuard AllergieBLOCK gel is slightly positively charged and airborne allergens are negatively charged so as you "sniff" the allergens in, they are attracted to the positive ions in the gel and do not enter your respiratory system and so do not provoke an allergic reaction, i.e. sneezes, runny nose, blocked nose, itchy eyes, etc....

Plus points...

• Drug-free so suitable for all types of people, young & old.
•  The gel is clear and can be worn under or over make-up.
• Non-drowsy and does not interact with any other medicines.
• Contains up to 150 applications per tube.
• Convenient, lightweight & portable (perfectly handbag sized!)

Negatives....

• None that I can think of!

Hayfever and other allergies can really affect peoples lives... especially students who are sitting quite often the most important exams of their school years in the month of June - at the height of the allergy season for most sufferers!  I would highly recommend NasalGuard AllergieBLOCK as a preventative treatment.  As well as relief during the day, it makes it easier to sleep at night so avoiding the excessive tiredness which can come with any allergy symptoms.

NasalGuard AllergieBLOCK is now available in the UK at most Boots stores nationwide and online at Boots.com, RRP £11.99.

And so we lead to the competition!  The lovely guys and gals at NasalGuard AllergieBLOCK have one pack of treatment available for one of you to win and see the results for yourself!  So, enter via Rafflecopter below & good luck!  


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Win a short break for 2 adults and 2 children at Crystal House Hotel, Barmouth

As promised, as we've reached 1000 Facebook "likes" here's a great new competition!  You could win a short break (2 nights - mid week or weekend) for 2 adults and 2 children at Crystal House Hotel in Barmouth, North Wales!  Total prize value of upto £180!

Crystal House Hotel is a family run bed and breakfast is situated a stones throw from Barmouth's award winning beaches and the hotel enjoys the fantastic scenery which Cardigan Bay, Barmouth and the Snowdonian Mountains have to offer.

For those who have never experienced the pleasure of a holiday in Barmouth, and frequent visitors there is something for everyone. The clean and safe sandy beaches are never overcrowded even in the peak of summer; there is enough room for everyone.  If your family enjoy crabbing then pick yourself up a line and bait from the harbour and join the young and young at heart on the harbours edge catching and comparing their crustaceans.

For the more energetic, Barmouth is full of opportunities for activity holidays. There are an abundance of walks in and around the town. Walk through the Old Town climbing to the top of Dinas Olau for spectacular views of Cardigan Bay Barmouth and the Mawddach Estuary. Alternatively walk across Barmouth Bridge to Morfa Mawddach Station and follow the former railway track along the river bank to Penmaenpool. Above all else, Barmouth has a unique charm and this little fishing village turned seaside resort has really stood the test of time.

Today, thanks to the dedication of locals and visitors alike the town thrives as it has since it rose to popularity in the early 1900's. An extensive annual calender of events and festivals means that often there is always something new to see and do in this beautiful coastal resort.

Barmouth also has a market every Thursday & Sunday (Sunday only between April & September). Barmouth enjoys a remarkably mild climate which makes it a ideal location for out of season visits at any time of the year. Crystal House is ideally situated to explore the wonderful coastline of Cardigan Bay and the Llyn Peninsula.

For a scenic day out the coastal train line is perfect for groups of adults and families alike. Barmouth train station, only 100 metres from Crystal House has a regular service both north, towards the beautiful Llyn Peninsula or south over Barmouth Bridge towards the unspoilt seaside village of Aberdovey; an area full of character. Steam railway enthusiasts are particularly well catered for in this area. There are approximately 13 steam railway sites within an hours drive from Crystal House - all a great day out for adults and children.

An easy competition to enter for all - complete the Rafflecopter entry below and good luck!

The winner will be responsible for their own travel arrangements and spending money.  See Rafflecopter for full T&C's.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Drumond Park "The Box of Shocks" Review & Competition

Get one step ahead ready for April Fool's Day!  "The Box of Shocks" from Drumond Park is a great collection of 13 tricks and surprises aimed at children aged 8 and above (rrp £19.99) - a definite must-have for tricksters of all ages.  Your child (or you!) will be at the top of the prankster league... but practice makes perfect!  So with the clear step by step instructions and helpful hints, you'll be taking everyone by surprise! 

Inside the box are different items for your child to perform different tricks to amaze and astound the audience (i.e. any unsuspecting Granny, Grandad, Auntie, etc...)!  I'm not going to give the game away with each item but they include "pop-tastic"potato snacks, a "spider-riffic" secret box and scorpion that comes to life!

My daughter (aged 8) has loved everything in this box, especially playing tricks on her younger brother and Dad.... I had had a sneaky look at the items before giving the pack to her so that I knew what to expect (bad Mother, I know!).  She even took one of the tricks to her karate lesson - let's just say the adult she tricked jumped to the ceiling when the punchline of the trick was delivered!  My son is only 5 years old but already a bit of a trickster and he enjoyed playing a trick or two on his Dad as well....!

She also liked the "Magic Card" trick and feels very important as it does require an element of thought and she thinks that she's the only one who knows the secret to its success!  My favourite is the potato chip surprise...it had me in fits of giggles for ages!  The trick requiring some water and a quick reaction was also a hit in our house... although Dad thought he was going to end up wet - all part of the trick, my dear!

She can't wait until the Easter holidays when our annual family event takes place - everyone migrates to our house for a few days over Easter and this year the break includes my Mum's birthday too so definitely time for a celebration.... and more visitors for my daughter to catch out with her tricks!

This set is much more than a magic set... it combines some simple magic tricks with a fantastic element of surprise and once you get over the initial shock, the uncontrollable laughter starts...!

This is definitely something I would recommend for purchase to keep your older children entertained during the upcoming holidays... they can have a week to perfect their techniques ready for April Fool's Day (Monday 1st April).  But on the day, make sure you keep your wits about you and don't fall for any nice "surprises" from your children!

You can keep up to date with all new game developments from Drumond Park on their Facebook page here and you can also follow them on Twitter using the @drumondpark handle here.

And as a treat for all my followers, the lovely guys and gals at Drumond Park have one copy of "The Box of Shocks" for one of you to win!  Just complete the Rafflecopter below to enter and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Glitter Tree Princess Tattoo Party Pack Review

The Glitter Tree is the UK's number 1 supplier of temporary body art including glitter tattoo kits, stencils, glitter powders and accessories.We had the great opportunity of being able to review one of their party packs - my daughter was thrilled to receive the Princess Glitter Tattoo Pack. 

In the pack, you receive a variety of themed tattoo stencils and 6 glitter pots, along with 2 brushes, skin-friendly glue and skin wipes to clean the skin before applying the tattoo.  These packs are definitely big enough to use at a children's party or friends sleepover (this was the scenario in our case!)

They are extremely simple to use - my daughter (aged 8) did the one on my arm and enjoyed telling me to "sit still", "don't move", etc, etc....!  The instructions are simple to follow and not much scope for "user-error" so I would definitely recommend them!

We only attempted 1 colour tattoos but you can stencil in different colours - whatever takes your fancy :)

The tattoo stencils are single use but are soooo cheap to buy from their website (prices from just 15p) you really can't go wrong.  We still have some stencils left and will be adding to them to use over the Easter holidays to while away any wet days that we have - and being in the good old UK, I can guarantee there will be at least a couple!

A good point to make about the stencils is that they are skin/hair friendly(!)  My daughter started to grimace as I began to remove the sticker stencil and was surprised when it didn't hurt (imagine ripping off an Elastoplast, well it's the complete opposite - no pain!)  And don't forget - with the glitter, a little goes a long LONG way!

Also, they are water-friendly in that we all had a shower or bath that evening and the glitter tattoos stayed put :)  The next bath time they were cleaned off but not with a "scrub", more a firm rub!  So they will last a fair few days, keeping the Princesses (and Princes!) happy for longer!

So all in all, a great alternative idea at a tea party or birthday party.  Set the trend in your town and be the parent who all the children remember as "the one with the glitter tattoos"!

Have a look at their website here and keep in touch via their Facebook page here - plenty of great ideas and competitions to be won too!  So pop over and say "hello"! x

Chilli Papas Gurkha Curry Mix Review

Following a post on Facebook, we were lucky enough to be selected to review a new curry spice mix from Chilli Papas.

So let me introduce Chicken Gurkha Curry!  The spice mixes from Chilli Papas are really, really simple to use.  They look fantastic in the clear pouches and smell even better when opened!

For the gurkha curry, you need to add some ingredients (tomatoes, lemon juice, soya sauce and stock) and whichever meat you are using (if any) to the spice mix and marinade for up to 8 hours.

We marinated in the fridge for about 4 hours - this was enough to develop the flavours... but we could have left it longer and no harm would have been done!

Going in to the fridge to marinate....

Now for the taste test!  The resulting curry was wonderfully spiced and enjoyed by myself and hubby.  My two children aged 5 and 8 tried it too... it was a little too hot for them to eat a full serving but they didn't complain when dipping their naan bread into mine!  Homemade naan bread, might I add - my husband has been perfecting his recipe for weeks by using different recipes found online.  I'll post the link here when I've typed the latest edition up!

The only improvement I would make would be that the sauce was a little too thin for how I usually like my curries.  I would perhaps suggest a little less stock, to reduce the sauce by heating on a high heat at the end of the cooking time or to add a little cornflour starch to thicken at the end.  We thinned ours down slightly by reducing over a high heat.  The flavour was fantastic though and unlike any curry I have eaten before - homemade or takeaway/restaurant!

So, thumbs up from us!  Another idea would possibly be a milder version if possible... so all in all, I would recommend this spice mix to anyone who likes a bit of spice in their life :)

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!

 Just a quick post to say Happy St. David's Day to you all - Welsh or not!

Image via Google

Can you smell Spring yet....?

Almond Breeze Almond Milk Pear & Banana Smoothie

 Almond Breeze is a delicious alternative to dairy milk - perfect to drink on it's own, to pour over cereal, to use in coffee or other recipe ideas including smoothies!  In conjunction with Foodies100, Almond Breeze are challenging you to create a quick, easy and tasty breakfast smoothie for a chance to win a fantastic gourmet hotel stay for two people.

To find out more about Unsweetened Almond Breeze, visit their website here.  The unsweetened variant boasts 60 per cent fewer calories than even skimmed milk, as well being low in saturated fat and a good source of calcium, making it a really healthy – and delicious – way to start the day.

Here are my entries to the competition....

Pear and banana smoothie

1 banana
1 pear
200ml Almond Breeze almond milk

Simply blend the ingredients together in a liquidiser or with hand blender.  Serve chilled in a glass with an optional umbrella(!) to brighten your morning.

The riper the fruit the better... perfect for when the pears in the fruit bowl are really, REALLY juicy!

You can also freeze these smoothies in ice lolly moulds for a refreshing cooler later in the afternoon!

Now we just need weather to match now!

We also tried a delicious Strawberry & Kiwi Cheesecake flavour...

Blend 1 kiwi (peeled), about 3 strawberries, 1 tablespoon of low-fat soft cheese and 100ml Almond Milk in a liquidiser or with a hand blender.  Add a banana for extra flavour!

Pour into a chilled glass and sprinkle with a teaspoon of granola.

This recipe isn't dairy-free but delicious for anyone able to consume dairy :)