Review: L.O.L. Surprise series 2

Little L is absolutely besotted with her L.O.L. Surprise dolls, but of course the more the merrier. Few weeks ago we received new L.O.L. Surprise doll from series 2 (£9.99), which at first glance didn't look different to the previous collection until I have noticed different characters on the packaging. 

The day before the packaging arrived I was made aware that it can come any time the next day which meant that L would be greeted to one of the best doll surprises. I think L sensed that she will receive L.O.L. Surprise as she was finding quite a few Youtube videos with these dolls, some of them were unpacking videos, others were role play episodes that actually helped me to understand how L.O.L Surprise dolls work. 

At first I thought that each L.O.L Surprise doll had all 4 features: doing a wee, crying, spitting water out, changing colour, but from the videos  I learned that each doll from collection can do one or the other and not all at once.  New series also mean that L.O.L. Surprise released new incredibly cute dolls that can be twinning with their cute Lil Sisters (sold separately). 

As always L.O.L. Surprise has 7 layers of fun clues and accessories under each layer. It could be a little image related to the doll; mini stickers representing 4 main features which  you can then apply on a collection leaflet once you found out what your doll can do; little bottle; little pair of shoes; accessory for the outfit like glasses or halo; outfit itself and of course the doll.

L.O.L Surprise doll comes in a round ball that can be also carried around as it has a handle, can be a pedestal as has a section for doll to stand in or can be transformed into a lounger with the seat, nifty tray and a bottle holder. 

As L is more into a doll itself and playing with it she rarely uses the ball but manages to constantly change doll's outfits. Yes you read that right, these dolls are not just cute and playful they also very diverse- can be of different ethnicity group and once you start the collection you can easily swap outfit and accessories as all of the dolls come with a little pre-cuts behind the ears for head accessory. My little L also manages to change their heads too allowing dolls to have not just different hair do but a different 'skin' colour, which is very interesting to see. 

I am not the one for clutter or enormous amounts of toys in the house but I am willing to be flexible for L.O.L. Surprise as these are totally adorable and allow L to have hours of fun!

Disclaimer: We were sent the item mentioned above for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Arts & Crafts: Halloween themed creations with Duck Tape

I  am a big fan of celebrations be it birthday party or something bigger like Halloween. I don't take the day itself seriously, as a religious person I shouldn't be celebrating it at all, but as a big kid at heart I don't see anything wrong with dressing up, having a spooky disco or making few decorations. 

For this year's Halloween celebrations we were sent some colourful Duck Tape to help us create ultimate Halloween party decoration. 

" Repair, craft, label and decorate with Duck Tape® Brand Duct Tape. Choose from traditional silver to wide range of colors, prints, strengths and technologies like sheets, mini-rolls, max strength and even glow-in-the-dark. Whether your next project is a simple kids craft or emergency home repair, there’s a Duck Tape® product for you".

So, to create bat decorations as seen here and a pumpkin decoration I have used: Jet wide duck tape (£4) and Glow Pumpkin Tape (£7.99).

Both Duck tapes are self- adhesive and mess -free and were super easy to use.

To create a bat: I have found bat pattern online and printed it afterwards; cut the pattern and used it as a stencil for a cardboard sheet; once the stencil was transferred into the cardboard I cut it and applied Jet Duck Tape layers one by one cutting the excess. With the leftover Duck Tape I was able to create a little curling string.

It may seem like I have created all of these without L's help, but she actually did take part in the process. L was cutting pieces of paper to support me and share responsibilities as well as tried to apply Jet Duck Tape and get to know how sticky it is!

To create glow-in-the-dark pumpkin I have followed similar routine as with the bat decoration. It was really quick and easy to apply, even felt quicker than with Jet Duck Tape. 

Both of the decorations then were applied to the wall and L was absolutely mesmerised to the glowing pumpkin! 

Disclaimer: We were sent some Duck Tape materials to create Halloween decorations. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Halloween themed treats from Choc on Choc

With Halloween and half term fast approaching I started to look into booking some themed activities for myself L to do. Unfortunately some places have very limited availability or a little too far for us to travel without a car so we have opted to celebrate Halloween low-key with dressing up and eating some themed chocs.

L doesn't really know much about Halloween, she would repeat the word itself, but she mainly associates it with the party and dressing up, which is fine by me.

So, in time to celebrate Halloween we were sent Ghost chocolate bar (£5) from Choc on Choc- a British chocolate company.

"Father- daughter team creating colourful and unusual shaped chocolates, made from high quality Belgian chocolate, have flown off the shelves of high street retailers like John Lewis, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Waitrose".

Choc on Choc ghost chocolate bar comes in a branded box with a cut out window at the front of the packaging and will make a great present for someone spooktacular with a little personalised message (personalisation service available at Choc on choc).

The Choc on Choc description of this chocolate bar speaks for itself:

"This tasty chocolate bar with its ghostly decoration makes a lovely little treat to have up your sleeve for those trick-or-treaters at Halloween. Lovingly handmade from a blend of luxury milk and white Belgian chocolate, this is perfect for any little monsters at your door".

We haven't tried it yet, as I am hoping it will survive until Halloween itself, but I can tell you it smells very "chocolatey", hoping it tastes as nice if not better! Those those who like variety of designs you can pick between ghost, spider and day of the dead chocolate bars.

If this Halloween you are attending or organising your own party Choc on Choc has something spooky up their sleeve: chocolate spooky teeth, chocolate eyeballs and a variety of chocolate skulls, sounds and looks pretty scary, don't you think?! 

Disclaimer: I was sent Choc on Choc ghost chocolate bar for this Halloween feature. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#EcoverLaundry Challenge: Inspired by nature, recommended by mums

Buying the right type of a laundry detergent to wash our clothes has always been a priority as my husband suffers with eczema and L has generally dry and sensitive skin. When buying laundry detergent I normally would look at the price, it's properties such as non-bio, suitable for sensitive skin and only then what brand it is.

This method worked well for us until recently when my husband had suffered with terrible allergy reaction from one of the cheaper brands. We had to reconsider what we buy and how I wash clothes.

When we were asked to take part in Ecover non-bio laundry detergent challenge I was elated to try something that was recommended by 89% of mums according to Mumsnet.

'Natural born innovators since 1979, we unlock the power of plant-based biodegradable ingredients to bring you a cleaner clean'...

Ecover’s new Non-Bio Concentrated Laundry Detergent delivers a powerful clean and features a new delightful naturally-inspired fragrance, Lavender & Sandalwood. From your baby’s first wash to the average bedding load, this dermatologically tested, plant-based Non-Bio formula delivers spotlessly clean results, even on a cold wash". 

For our challenge I have received: 

- a full size (875 ml) sample of lavender & sandalwood non-bio laundry detergent from Ecover worth £6.50
- exclusive laundry bag designed by the on-pack botanical illustrator Freya Morgan

I have waited until I have a large load of washing to do including some clothing with stains. I would normally do a large load of bedding every 2 weeks with a full cap of laundry detergent on an Eco setting allowing to wash bedding on 50 degrees, followed by a long drying setting (depending on the weather and the load it could be between1 hours to 3 hours).

When I have opened the cap for the first time I expected a really strong Lavender scent but to my surprise it was quite the opposite. I don't actually know how sandalwood smells but it's not off putting and rather pleasant scent.

One of the garments was my daughter's dress which she wore at pre-school meaning it had stains and didn't smell too good.

                                   
As you can see from the picture Ecover does what it says on the tin 'tough stain action', but not only it got rid of the stains, the washing had a very light, settled smell of laundry detergent which is just perfect as I'm not always sure how L would react to 'smelly' clothes or bedding.

Overall, after using the product my family has rash-free, happy skin and our bedding and clothes look much cleaner/stain free and even brighter than before!

This post is an entry for BritMums #EcoverLaundry Challenge, sponsored by Ecover.

Gift guide: 'Off to the gym' kit from Men's Society

Even though it's only autumn I have started to plan what presents I'm going to buy for my husband and our families for upcoming celebrations.

Few weeks ago I came across Men's Society- a name speaks for itself and thought that it could be the right place for quality gifts for my male relatives.
"Witty, sophisticated design with a twist of British quirk are the hallmarks of Men's Society London.

Every area we enter, our British style and approach is evident - from Grooming, barware to tabletop and gifts".

I have opted to review 'Off to the gym' gift set(£25) as I thought it contains the most suitable items for a person who is either frequently goes to gym or goes on trips away.

The kit contains:
- cleansing face wash 50 ml
- shampoo and body wash 50 ml
- hair wax 15ml
- toothbrush
- toothpaste 30ml

The gift set comes in a nice tin that can be placed in almost any wash bag or suitcase, can also be used afterwards as a storage for other bits and bobs.

                          
Upon opening the tin I was 'greeted' to a cute cardboard card saying 'Hello Handsome' which brought a smile to my face and I am sure will bring lots of confidence to a man using the kit.
                          
Hair wax doesn't seem to have any obvious smells which is great as I personally and I know my husband would agree, don't like overpowering odours.

Shampoo & body cleanser has a very strong minty, Mojiti alike scent and becomes soapy once mixed with water.

Cleansing face wash smells of orange peel and mint.

The toothbrush comes in a little clear tub and has the same phrase as the card inside the package- 'Hello Handsome', complimented by a strong mint toothpaste which may last a while depending on the amounts used.

'Off to the gym' kit seems to have a very unique odour palette comparing to the usual high street gift sets for men. I must admit I have very mixed feelings about it- it's a great gift by itself and could be a great stocking filler but it may take a while to get used to such unusual smell.

If you are a little bit intrigued and want to know more about the brand, do not hesitate to visit their website where you will find a variety of kits starting from bear bottle openers and Handsome hand creams to tin kits and nail care kit.

Disclaimer: I was sent the item mentioned above for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.