Review: Gangsta Granny at the Bristol Hippodrome

We were absolutely thrilled to be asked to review Gangsta Granny, the stage adaptation of David Walliams' fantastic book. We love going to the theatre and, having read all the David Walliams books, L couldn't wait to see how it transferred to the stage. I wasn't worried about a children's show being less appealing for the grown ups. Walliams has proven to be a visual comic genius and there is no way he was going to let us down in the laugh department. I was not disappointed and neither was L. He was absolutely transfixed for the whole two hours and so was every other child in the nearly full theatre.

Three Girls; A Difficult, but Worthwhile Watch

I thought about whether or not to watch this three part drama for so long, all three parts were available on iPlayer by the time I got around to it. I knew it was always going to be a difficult watch, but in the end, I felt I owed it to them, after everything they went through, to at least hear their story. Which might sound daft, but there it is. If, like me, you are struggling with whether or not to give it a go, whether it will be too much, or too graphic, I wanted to give you my take on it, now that I've seen it. I think it's very important viewing, as it happens. Here's what I learned. Oh, and I'm going to try and write this with no spoilers, I'll come back and let you know how that worked out when I've finished. Edit: Nailed it!

Bogs Footwear; Grown Up Wellies with Style!

L has had his Bogs wellies for quite a while now, and they are still going strong. This is good news, because he wears them pretty much every day. They are so easy to pull on, with the convenient handles and who wants to waste time with velcro, or laces, when you are 11 and have places to go? Anyway, it turns out they also make some of the most stylish grown up wellies I've ever seen. No more boring green, oh no. Pom Poms are far more exciting, or maybe even spring flowers. Why should wellies be boring, just because they need to be 100% waterproof? Bogs offer 100% waterproofing, alongside a world of technology to aid comfort and safety in any weather. 

Lee Stafford CoCo LoCo Long Tong Hair Curler Review

After reviewing the Lee Stafford Academy Ionic Hair Straighteners, which I loved, I was offered the chance to try the Coco Loco Long Tong Hair Curler for free too, from the same company, to see what I thought. The curling tong boasts a 40% longer barrel than a standard tong and I felt this would be really useful for my very long, thick tresses. It's currently on sale for the reduced price of £22.99, which seems pretty reasonable, from a company who make really great quality products, if the straighteners are any indication. My first attempt wasn't a roaring success to begin with, and it took some getting used to, but I put that down partly to my inexperience with curling tongs and my unhelpfully unruly hair. 

Lee Stafford Academy Ionic Hair Straighteners - Review

I have very big, fluffy, unruly hair. It is so vast, it has even been documented previously, when I donated a lot of it to The Little Princess Trust. That was over three years ago and I haven't had it cut since, so it's pretty long now, too. So, when I was offered some Lee Stafford Hair Straighteners to review, I thought this would give them a real challenge. I've only ever used GHDs on my hair previously, because it really takes some taming and I was not expecting these straighteners to cope as well as they did! It just goes to show how much technology has moved on since I bought them 12 years ago. 

Globenfeld Super Sport Watch Review

This week we received a rather lovely watch to review, from the Kitchen and Home Outlet, who sent us the Facial Spa a couple of weeks ago. We loved the quality of the Facial Spa, so were really interested to see if the watch would reflect the same standard. Again, it arrived very quickly and was packaged well. I think you can tell a lot about a product by the standard of the packaging and I was very impressed with the gift box containing the Super Sport Watch. It was sturdy and well made and suited the style of the watch, making it ideal as a gift purchase. The face is quite large, so it would most suit an adult, or older teenager.

Sensio Spa Complete Hydrotherapy Facial Steamer Review

As a long time fan of home spa treatments, I have, along with my daughter, sampled quite a few, from the home-made budget treatments, to the more luxurious versions that cost a bit more. It's always interesting to see what the results are like and whether they offer value for money. Facial spas are something I've tried before, but only the cheaper, older-style ones, where your face fits in a sort of mask. When I was offered the Sensio Spa Complete Hydrotherapy Facial Steamer to review, I could see things had changed a bit since then. It promised a complete spa experience, and I was keen to see if it would deliver.

Truly Clear Light Therapy Review

During the run-up to Christmas, I received a TrulyClear 2 Light Therapy System to play with and I mentioned it in a couple of our gift guides, as I really felt it had a lot to offer as a multi-functional beauty product. After the initial first impression, I promised I would give it a proper try and report on the progress and how I got on with it, as it would take a while to see if it worked. I've been testing it over the last few weeks and thought it was time to let you know how it went. The TrulyClear 2 Light Therapy System is available from US company True Company and retails at £329. This is a review based on my own personal experience, all opinions are my own. 

Review of the Airram Mark 2, It's Even Better and We Love It!

Last year, I reveiwed the Gtech Multi and I was really pleased with it. It had some great, well-thought-out features and I am still amazed by how powerful it is, and how far it goes on a single battery charge. So, when Gtech told me about the improvements they had made to the famous Airram design, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to put it through its paces. I was given it to try, and am, as always, impartial in my views. I have tried to find negatives, honest, but it really is a great little vacuum cleaner. The first thing I noticed, as soon as I opened it, was how few parts it has. It was ridiculously easy to put together, and very straightforward to use. The husband does not 'do' instructions, and even he hasn't had an issue with it! 

Men's Wood Watch Review with Jord Watches

This year the husband has a pretty big milestone birthday. He has been dropping various hints, such as moaning more and being even grumpier about the weather and other old man-type complaints. This is how we remember that he is getting that little bit older and, with that, comes a problem. Over the years he has collected all manner of male gifts and knick-knacks and each year, we find it harder to think of the perfect gift. I bought him a sat-nav, which he argues with, and a tablet, which just seems to give him better access to the football scores he would probably be better off not knowing about, so this year I wanted to go for something more traditional. Fortunately, along came Jord with a fabulous array of men's watches for me to choose from to review. How serendipitous is that?

FInding a Photographer in Bristol with Bidvine

It's been bothering me for a little while that I do not have a really good profile picture. This might not sound like a big deal, but, being a blogger, I use social media A LOT, and get just a tiny bit jealous of some of the more professional profile pictures I see. Where the lighting is flattering and they are taken from a better angle by someone who has a clue what they are doing. It might sound a bit vain, but when you see your face all the time, as part of your day, you want it to be a good one! So, I've often wondered what it would cost to get a few professional shots done. So, when Bidvine asked me to try out their service, which puts consumers in touch with professionals, it was a great time to test it out!

Scruffs Workwear: Warm and Comfortable Jacket

For ladies who do a manual job outdoors, it can be really hard to find hardwearing, comfortable clothing, suitable for the environment you work in. There are lots of options for men, but not so many for women. In fact, and I'm not sure if it might be a reflection on our society, but if you search for 'women's workwear' online, you get an awful lot of results giving options for outfits for the office. Not quite, sexist search engines! So, when Scruffs Workwear offered to send me one of their jackets to review, I was really happy to oblige, as it seems this area of necessary apparel has been a little bit overlooked. Obviously, workwear isn't just ideal for those who do a manual job, it's perfect for dog walking, rambling and other outdoor pursuits where a warm, robust exterior is essential for your comfort.

Wilko Advent Calendar Review

This advent calendar review may seem a bit early, but there is a very good reason for that. All the best advent calendars sell out REALLY quick and this one is amazing value, so you don't want to miss out. We were sent one to have a look at and I have to say, it is incredible value for money. The rise in non-food gift advent calendars has really taken off in the last couple of years and now you can buy all kinds of different types, in every kind of price range. This elegant offering from Wilko offers a wide selection of cosmetics, that are a small, but useable, size and contain something for everyone. The best bit about this advent calendar is that because it is so varied in its contents, by December 24th, the lucky recipient will have an entire range to create a wealth of new make up looks for the new year. 

Hard Surface Cleaner from EcoEgg Review

You may remember, about a month ago, I reviewed the Laundry Egg, from Eco Egg and found it to be a revelation in space, and money, saving household products. So, this month I am having a go with a really intriguing product, the Hard Surface Cleaner from Eco Egg. I had never heard of a hard surface cleaner before, so I wondered what you could use it for. It turns out, pretty much anything, with a few small exceptions. So I set out to put it through its paces. We were sent the Hard Surface Cleaner pack , which is available at a very special price for today only (September 26th) on QVC as Today's Special Value item. You can buy it for just £14.98, which is a huge saving on the standard retail price of £23.54.

True White Mirai Toothbrush - Review and Giveaway

I love gadgets and I'm especially fond of toothbrushes. It might sound a bit bonkers, but I have always felt you should invest as much as you can in your teeth. Dental work is very expensive, not to mention pretty unpleasant! A little time and money spent now, could prevent a lot of pain, and even more money spent, later on. It's also reassuring to know you are doing the best for your teeth. You only get one adult set, after all. So, when True Company offered to send us a new design of toothbrush, worth £150, to review, how could I say no? Curiosity won me over and I couldn't wait to give it a try. The good news is, they have also agreed to send one to a lucky winner, so don't forget to enter the competition at the bottom of the post!

Eco Egg Laundry Egg and Stain Remover Review

Eco Egg produce around 20 eco-friendly products these days, so it's easy to forget that it all started with one simple idea. An antidote to the myriad of different chemical-based detergents that are currently available to buy. It's been seven years since the first laundry egg was officially launched, and it's gained a huge amount of popularity in that time. There have been 1.5 million eggs sold, in 34 countries around the world. If you are anything like me though, you will still be asking yourself, does it work as well as my normal detergent, and is it worth the money? In this post, we will be finding out the answer to that question and also, how will an eco stain remover cope with a stain that might be chocolate milk? 

Review and Giveaway with Beards and Daisies - The Letterbox Florist

On your right is a sneak peek at the quality and insane loveliness I found when I recently received a hand-tied bouquet from the hilariously named 'Beards and Daisies'  (more about that later) to review. Isn't it amazing? I don't think I've ever seen such a perfect rose and each one of the four roses contained within the bouquet were the same quality. Not a blemish among them. Stunning. I haven't edited the photo at all, apart from to darken the background a little. Here's the best part, though. You can win an equally incredible bouquet of your own, delivered straight to your door. Read on, to find out more and see the rest of the flowers in all their glory!

Win £50 Astonish Cleaning Bundle - Review and Giveaway

The husband is fairly unique in that he does his fair share of the housework, without grumbling. Like a lot of men, he does like a pat on the head and a KFC now and again, but he is generally quite happy to pitch in. So, when I was asked to review a range of products from Astonish, who better to pose for the photographs! We were sent a number of products to review and are also pleased to announce that we have a Back to School Pack worth £50, containing a selection of essential laundry busters to make life as a parent just that little bit easier. The pack will ensure that your child is top of the class when it comes to looking smart. Just what every parent needs after Day 1 of the new term! Read on to find out if our kitchen really did sparkle after trying out some of the products! 

Simply Be Outfit Review. Dresses for all Occasions

Since I waved goodbye to my tiny twenties and thinnish thirties, I have found it much trickier to find clothes I feel comfortable and confident in. The summer poses a particular problem, when, like many people, I face the issue of having to wear less clothes in order to keep cool, but not wanting to wear anything too revealing. Dressing for my age is very important to me. I know it's personal choice, but I don't feel right with too much on display. So, when Simply Be offered to send me an outfit to try out, I was really keen to see what was available for the summer season, from a company who specialise in the plus size.

Charceuterie. What It Is and Why You will Want Some!

Charceuterie is the art of curing meat and also refers to the products themselves. Think; really posh ham, salami, biltong, that kind of thing. The interesting thing about Charceuterie, is that there are a vast array of different types, originating from different countries, and yet we probably stick to about half a dozen tried and tested favourites. When The Carnivore Club got in touch, asking if we would like to try one of their monthly subscription boxes, bringing the best of artisan cured meats from top suppliers to your front door, I thought it was a great opportunity to learn more about British Charceuterie.