Craft Boxes and free codes

Over the last week i've learnt about more weekly, fortnightly and monthly boxes than i ever knew existed so i thought i'd better share some findings.

Firstly i found the Toucan box which is a fortnightly/Monthly box that comes in 3 sizes with extras.

The first is a petite box which is shipped out every 2 weeks and contains 1 activity for the weekend, great if you have a grandchild or a single child and nothing to do over the weekend. the box is £3.95 + 0.98p postage

The second is a Grande box which has 2 activities and a book in it and is shipped once a month, great for 2 children or a grandchild that doesn't spend the whole day doing the project. This box is £9.95 + £2.95 postage

The last is a Super box with 4 themes in it and is shipped once a month, ideal for 2 weekends for 2 children or 1 child/grandchild per week for the month. This box is £16.95 + £2.95 postage

I got the Petite box to try and it came with 1 activity, it's my little ones birthday next week but the following week we have nothing to do so i'm looking forward to using this.

This one is a bag to make and keep all the seasonal stuff we collect through the months like our leaves for print painting.

You can pick this up by going to https://mention-me.com/m/ol/nxk-tiffany-callan and getting your first one free, you can cancel after you've applied for it so you won't be charged 2 weeks later for your next box.

Then i got the The weekend box which i have to say is amazing!

This box comes in just 1 subscription, a 4 activity pack box for 4-6 year olds and it sent every 2 weeks, it includes something to cook, something to read/write, something green and something to make, they also send you an email a few days before you get your box to let you know of any ingredients needed for your 'something to cook'

The cost is £7.50 per box but they charge £15.00 for the month instead of 2 charges in the month which is handy, you can also pause 1 or 2 boxes or swop to one box per month instead of 2 so there are lots of options to suit you.

The whole box is bursting with fun.

Below is what i got in my box

Each 'something to:' is in it's own package and all the sheets are clearly labelled and coloured so your children can have lots of fun without needing constant watching

Use the code: 

TIFFANY7122 and get a free box from https://www.weekendboxclub.com/

Have fun with your children and let me know if you got a free box.

TJ x

Pink Parcel - The Monthly Box For Your Monthlies

This box was mentioned to me a few weeks ago and i was so excited to start my 'monthlies' just to get my box, normally us women dred the cramps, the headaches and the general 'meh' feeling so to have a little box of loveliness turn up a few days before to stop me feeling so rubbish was wonderful.

When i first opened my box, which conveniently fitted through the letter box, it had what looked like 2 boxes and a bag, i wasn't sure what was in each so it was a real surprise.

During my info filling on the site i was asked which tampons i'd prefer, i went with the Kotex click as they are quite cute looking if that's possible.

 When i emptied the larger box it was actually 2 large boxes and a smaller box plus the bag, the packaging was beautiful and kept everything a surprise the whole time :)

First i emptied the bag and i found a little bundle of tampons in their bright packaging and found the bag was great for popping in my handbag, then i moved onto the two larger boxes.

In them i found more tampons which i guest are the weeks worth that women need plus a few? (i'm not a big tampon user so it seems like a years worth when i opened them)

The i opened up the smaller box and it was so much in a little box i nearly squealed with excitement, first the tea bag and chocolate which every girl needs, I also got a lovely body spray, lip balm and eye cream which all totaled more than the cost of the box and two sachets of skinade which is said to be collagen in a bottle.

All in all i love my Pink Parcel, i plan to keep my subscription ongoing for the next month but sadly i'll cancel the month after, not because of the box, it's really great but sadly i'll have so many tampons i won't know what to do with them all and it just seems wasteful so i'll wait a few months then rejoin unless the lovely people at Pink decide to start offering sanitary towels soon.

As a great alternative to the beauty only boxes which seem to be going down hill just lately this is a great pick me up and i'll be recommending it to many of my friends.

TJ x

Itsu Noodle Pot

I'm always looking for things to make life easier and when you on a shoot with nothing but a kettle or your out of the house all day you don't want to get caught snacking, especially with a wedding dress to fit into soon so when i popped into waitrose and saw these noodle pots i knew i had to try them.

I've just been introduced to fresh egg noodles and gnocchi which i never thought i'd like and i loved so i thought Udon noodles were worth a try.

So the pot consists of noodles, a paste and a packet of dried courgette and tomatoe and other than hot water it's everything you need :)

So you put the noodles into the pot, add the paste and the dried veggies and voila, add your water to the fill line and your done.

It didn't look like much and i didn't hold out hopes but after a little stir and 3 minutes for the veggies to soften it was yummy! It was like spicy tomato soup but with the noodles made it filling without it being too fattening and i wasn't hungry again for ages so it's definitely better than a sarnie and a packet of crisps which is normally my shoot lunch.

So the next time your passing waitrose pop in and have a look at what they have to offer, they do some great pasta and fruit pots aswell as meal kits for quick and healthy meal ideas.

Waitrose is a win for me :) (albeit it an occasional and expensive one)

TJ x

Green Earth Pan by Ozeri

The lovely people at Ozeri Products sent me this lovely green frying pan to review and i was happy to help, kitchen ware is once of those things where i often forget to look for new items whilst out shopping and then when my dinner starts sticking to the pan i wish i'd remembered.

The pan wasn't huge but it was a great size for 6 sausages of enough chicken for 4 wraps (which is what i cooked first) so it's a great every day pan, the depth is what i likeds the most, most pans have a slight rim on them but this had more than that, i found hot oil didn't spit out so much and when turning chicken over none fell out like it often does with my old pan.

It fitted great in the middle of the ring and cooked evenly all over including the bits on the outside which normally don't cook as quick, the heat spread over the pan and it heated quickly and stayed warm for longer so i didn't need the hear up full to cook it quickly.

The handle is rubber coated which means it doesn't get hot and the pan is none stick so it's all round perfect for every frying need.

All in all i love this pan and i will definitely be adding to my collection over the coming months and replacing my old 'no longer none stick' stuff for Ozeri pans.

To get your Ozeri Pan you can go here:

Ozeri Green Earth Textured Ceramic Nonstick Frying Pan

Today's Haul

Over the last few days i've been house bound with an allergic reaction to a brand i've not used before on my face so when the postie came today with my Birchbox box and the new Green Earth pan i was super excited, then my other half told me to slap plenty of cream on my face take my meds and go and spend some money :D

I'm looking forward to reviewing my new pan tomorrow, it's so bright and cheery and the rubber handle is great.

This month my BB was crammed with great products and best of all i got the most wanted product - the liz Earle cleanse and polish.

I also got a hot cloth, benefit's they're real mascara which i'm sure most love but it's not for me, a shampoo and conditioner, a hot bath oil and a orange/coral polish

The colour is a great thick shade and below is after one coat.

Then we went shopping for our little ones birthday and got some Xmas gifts whilst there, i got the below for less than £40 and RRP would of been that for just 4-5 of them, I picked them all up from The Entertainer and i'm really please with the quality and variety in store and online.

TJ x

Aprils Use ups

I know, i know, i'm a few days late but with the bank holidays and days off school i'm out of my routine, so i'm working on catching up :)

Here are my use ups over the last few days, i'll do a run down of everything except the 2x Lush products simply because i'm doing those with 3 other lush products i'm using up.

The tub on the far left was the left over of a wilko cocoa hand cream i had, i wouldn't recommend it or buy it again, it was strong, sticky and just not for me.

the Olay wrinkle minimizing cream, i'd buy this again in the future as i found as a neck and chest cream it was really helpful and fine lines on my neck were less visible.

I was sent a tub of Urban retreat 'the moisturiser' and it smelled lush but sadly i didn't notice any difference to my skin and it became quite bitty when rubbed in too much.

I have been getting samples from La roche posay and i'm not sure why but i'm loving them, there isn't enough in each tub to notice a great difference but they are lovely smelling and a lovely texture.

The avon cherry foot cream became an everyday must for me until recently, i love taking care of my feet and it's one part of my body i'm not scared to show off but with this cream i found it watery and wasn't helping my dry spots, it took a long time to dry and i won't be buying it again.

Naturals strawberry body scrub, i really dislike this stuff, it was sticky, the 'bits' stuck to you and by the end of a bath i had a film all over my skin.

Moisture match by garnier is a fav of mine, it's a great winter cream, it's thick, it soaks in well and it's not too heavy for a day cream but during the warmer months it's just a little too much so it's off my to buy list until later in the year.

Avon Anew night cream, Avons night creams are a great all round product and they have something for everyone however i'm not at the point in my life where ageing skin, dehydration and fine lines are becoming an increasing concern so i'm on the look out for a more targeted cream.

The mascara's i've thrown away are 2x Boots No7 Extreme length and Avon supershock

The No7 Extreme length are my holy grail, so much so i've just bought a new one for my wedding make up because i love it so much, it coats and separates my lashes like nothing else, it doesn't clog, flake or bleed and i've yet to find something as good for this price.

The Avon supershock was a great handbag mascara, sadly it dried out after a few weeks so i won't be repurchasing as i prefer to get a few months out of a full sized mascara.

That's it for this last months UU's, i'm currently working my way through some newer products but as they are just opened they may need to be used for a few months before they are a UU.

TJ x

Optrex Eye Revive Moisture Mist

I recently received a bottle of Oprex eye mist around 2 weeks ago and have been using it daily ever since, i get dry itchy eyes after an op a few years back for corrective surgery and this has really been helping i walk along a long busy road once a week and both sides are covered in hedges and grass which brings out the worse in my hay fever and then the pollution from the masses of cars makes them dry and itchy.

Until i found this little bottle of loveliness i'd been splashing my face with water as soon as i got to my end destination but with this i don't have to re-do my make up afterwards as it doesn't effect it, i can close my eyes so i don't need a mirror or the awkwardness of drops and it's really helping the brightness of my eyes and the skin around is no longer puffy.

The mist is a little expensive so i think i'd maybe buy it once or twice a year just for the really bad weeks in the year but i'd be more than happy to check out the rest of the range for a cheaper alterntive for more regular use.

If you would like to try this i have some money off vouchers ready to give out.

TJ x

P.s I received this product in return for an honest review.

Zebra Pens

Recently Zebra Pens held a giveaway for National stationary week and i was lucky enough to win a pencil case full of pens, i got such a wide selection and after boasting about how much i loved my new pens i realized not that many people i spoke to had heard of Zebra pens but those that had loved them so i gave both of my parents a pen each and my nan and hopefully they'll spread the word a little because those that aren't using Zebra pens are really missing out.

It was nice to see they included some colourful pens as our 5 year old has just started having work marked which we can continue with these, also the pencils are great, often the push up center pens are so flimsy but didn't seem fazed by a few gentle knocks that pencils often receive. 

The selection of black ink pens was fab! from gel to ball point, metal to comfy grip these do it all, so far i'm loving the metal click ball point Zebra F-301 as it's weighted and so smooth to write with but all around I've never come across a better selection of pens and i'm now a true converted Zebra pen buyer :)

TJ x

Shoplet Touch Velvet and Blake Juice Envelopes

Blake Juice

Everyone needs envelopes, we never think about it until we've ran out and urgently need to post something, for some reason as a nation we've always favored the plain white and even mottled brown over these.

 As someone who often has neon colour hair these are me all over and i loved opening the box to find these pretty colours looking at me, they have a higher cost feel to them to the receiver immediately knows you've not skimped on the packaging and they are wow! in your face so most likely to be opened first, i know i'd be more excited over getting a lime green or bright orange envelope than a plain brown one.

I open all of my mail even if i know it's junk mail because i'm so nosey but from working in an office i know that many companies will put certain envelopes straight in the bin without a second thought, these would get a second and even third glance with little chance of being thrown away without being opened and black ink would stand out very well on them all.

I often send thank you notes to friends and they loved them too so they are a winner and they have a peel off sticky seal so no need for paper cuts on your tongue. 

You can find them here Blake Design Juice Peel Seal Envelope

Or other Envelopes here Shoplet

Touch Velvet

 You know the paper than says luxury, it's thicker, stronger and smooth to write on, these are better than that.

These say class and i didn't even know envelopes came in this kind of luxury, they are a smooth velvet touch, weighty and much less bendy than others I've used, these would get the postmen talking and the recipients reading, so far I've loved all of the envelopes I've had from Shoplet but sooner or later i had to find a problem and i have, the black velvet touch envelope doesn't work for me :( it shows mark much easy and seems to highlight scratches, they would in my opinion still be great for paperwork and notes being hand delivered but sadly with today's postal standards i'm not sure they would be the best ones from the colours available. That still leaves 3 awesome colours to chose from and although the white looks plain as soon as your touch it you know it isn't just another white envelope. 

You can find the gorgeous velvet touch envelopes here

Velvet Touch Envelopes

And others here

Shoplet

TJ x

Slender Tone Bottom Toner

We all want to know before we buy something expensive that it's actually going to work, i'm not a fan of sending things back and i have a collection of things in my closet that either don't fit, don't suit or just don't work that I've been too busy, lazy or scared to return.

So when i was sent a Slendertone Bottom toner i thought it would be a great way to test if the product actually does what it says on the tin box.

My mum owns the old version ab belt and says after 4 weeks she can see a difference but nothing that would make me think wow!

A little like with IPL machines i think you have to use them often and not take large brakes in between uses so i decided for every other day i would put this gadget on and see what happened after 1 month, well...after a month i purchased the newer belt and pads because i was so pleased with the bottom toners work, i have a lifted and less flat bottom which was great and with a little more work i'm now seeing slightly toned thighs, don't get me wrong i do an hours swim once a week and walk around 6 miles but i snack heavily at night and it goes straight to my hips and bum so i know i need to do something to stop me growing in those areas.

It was a little bit of a faff to put on, take off and put away but I've now got it into my routine and on opposite days i use the belt and have a night off on Saturdays.

All i all i recommend buying one of these if like me your sat at a computer a lot and don't have time to keep trim 3/4 days a week like some.

I won't scare you all with photo's but I've found a new lease of confidence to wear tighter clothes with this and will continue to use it :)

TJ x