The Importance of Winter Tyres

Winter tyres which are also known as cold weather tyres can help you stay safe on the roads during the colder months. During winter, road conditions can become rather challenging so it's important to stay safe when driving during this time. One way to do this is to consider changing your tyres to winter tyres.

What are winter tyres?
Winter tyres are specially designed so that the rubber does not harden in low and freezing temperatures and they are also able to grip to snow and ice due to an improved groove ratio.  

What are the advantages of winter tyres?
Driving with winter tyres has many advantages including:

• Added safety due to the specially designed rubber and improved groove ratio of the tyres. 
• Shorter stopping distances compared with summer tyres. 
• There is a reduced risk of aquaplaning which is when your vehicle loses traction with the road in wet conditions.
• The tyres are not just useful in snow and ice conditions, they are also useful for travelling on wet roads too. 
• If you're planning to take your car abroad, in many parts of Europe it's a legal requirement to have winter tyres fitted during the winter months.

It's important to get your winter tyres fitted before the colder weather strikes.To buy new Winter Tyres online, select Jet Wheel Tyres.

*Post written in collaboration

Wheel Alignment Safety

To ensure that a car is safe and efficient to drive, it's vital that its wheels are correctly aligned. this is an important part of car maintenance. So, what exactly is wheel alignment, why might wheels become misaligned and how can they be corrected? 

What is wheel alignment?
Wheel alignment refers to the angle and direction in which the wheels on your car are set. Your wheels need to be aligned to the recommended position as specified by the manufacturer. Get wheel alignment in London from experts at DAT Tyres.

Why might wheels become misaligned?
Hitting potholes or kerbs as well as driving at speed can all contribute to wheels becoming misaligned. There are many potholes on the roads throughout London and this only serves to increase the likelihood of wheels becoming misaligned.

Why is it so important that wheels are correctly aligned?
Poorly aligned tires can affect road holding and can lower the life of your tyres. It can also affect braking distance and fuel consumption too.

Recognising the signs of wheel misalignment?

• Steering wheel vibration
• A pulling of dragging to one side when steering
• Uneven tyre wear
• Squealing or scrubbing noises

What should you do? 

It is important to take your car to a garage where they can check the alignment as well as efficiently rectify the issue. 

*Post Written in Collaboration.

A Wicked Uncle Gift Guide

If you haven't come across Wicked Uncle before, I highly recommend checking them out. Wicked Uncle offer a wonderful selection of unique, interesting and high quality toys and gifts for children. When browsing the website for gifts, they feature a very handy tool which can allow you to select a particular age, gender and/or toy category, for example Brainiac or Adventurer. You can also select to have your products gift wrapped in a choice of fun wrapping paper, and can also select a greeting card with personalised message too. I have selected a few of my favourite products from Wicked Uncle!

Giant Tactile Puzzle- Farm Animals 
I was seriously impressed by this puzzle. It's sturdy, beautifully designed in eye catching colours and even features different textures for your little one to explore. The large pieces are perfect for little hands and the the quality is excellent meaning this toy will be enjoyed time and time again. Even the box is robust. I loved it!

Chocolate lollipop Animals- Melt & Make

All children love chocolate lollipops so imagine how much they will love making their own! This gorgeous set features some cute and cuddly zoo animal moulds, lollipop sticks, a chefs hat and lets not forget the delicious high quality chocolate!

Magic Painting World- Dinosaurs 
All little ones love to paint but sometimes it's not always practical to get messy paints out. This magic painting set means they can paint away with ease, you simply fill the paintbrush with water to reveal colourful dinosaur scenes. What's more it can be used again and again. Perfect for keeping them entertained when you're on the go too! 

To discover the fantastic and unique range of products, just visit Wicked Uncle Here!

Wishing you a very merry Chirstmas!


*Disclaimer: I was kindly offered a £40 voucher in order to choose some gifts from Wicked Uncle. All opinions are my own. 

Great Christmas Gift Ideas From Tigerparrot

Christmas is just around the corner and so if you're yet to buy for the little people in your life then fear not, with these great gift ideas from Tigerparrot.com!

Tigerparrot features a wide range of high quality baby and children's products from Great Britain and around the world. Featuring well-known and respected brands as well as unique high-quality items from boutique shops, you'll be spoilt for choice! Here is a collection of some great gifts to consider this Christmas...

White Wooden Kitchen With Accessories
Your little one will have hours of fun with this sturdy and stylish kitchen by Molly and Friends which also comes with a great range of accessories including pots and pans, cups and saucers, food, salt and pepper shakers and an oven glove! Find one here!

Pretend Play Workbench with Tools And 25 Accessories
This Wooden Workbench from Jammtoys features a wooden saw, a variety of other tools, a blackboard and a pretend clock and is simply perfect for any curious little mind! It's great for imaginative play as well as hand/eye cooridination and will also help to develop their fine motor skills! Find one here!

Football Backpack
I love this Football Backpack from Sportpax! It features a unique style and is practical too; great for storing those essential items when out and about! It's wipe clean, lightweight and features adjustable straps too! Find one here!

Carddies Christmas Card People- Colour and Play Set
All little ones enjoy being creative and so they will love colouring-in this set of card people which can then be added to a stand and played with! The cards are double sided so will provide plenty of entertainment this Christmas. Each set contains 12 people, 12 stands, a background scene and 12 colouring pencils too! Perfect for imaginary play and developing their creativity! Find some here!

Personalised Children's Book- Behind the Magic Door
Personalised books make unique and treasured gifts for children and this one will be sure to delight them. Each book is personalised for their name which means if you're buying for siblings they will each receive a different story! Throughout the story, your child helps a variety of different characters who in turn, each gift a letter reward which at the end spells out your child's name! You can even chose the adventurer in the story so it resembles your child! 

*Collaborative Post

My #ElfTheMovie Pyjamas From New Look!

Is it even Christmas if you haven't snuggled up in your pyjamas and watched Elf? I think not! But did you know it's now been 15 years since the film was first released? 15 years! To celebrate, New Look have just released some fabulously festive Elf Pyjamas and I couldn't wait to try them on! 

The set consists of a short-sleeved, rounded neck t-shirt and tie waist joggers. The t-shirt has a print of Buddy with the caption 'OMG, it's Santa, I know him! I know him!', whilst the joggers have a festive print of holly, candy canes and stockings! Quite possibly the most Christmassy outfit I have ever worn! 

I practically live in pyjamas in the winter and these are honestly the comfiest ones I have ever worn. The joggers are made from 100% cotton and the t-shirt from 93% cotton, 7% Elastane. I think I might have to wear them all year round! 

For more information and to purchase your own set just visit New Look here!


*We were kindly sent these pyjamas in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Simple Changes That Will Get Your Kitchen Ready for the New Year

In a previous article, we discussed how to prepare for the holiday season and create a Christmas wonderland. Christmas is always more special when you have relatives and close friends coming over, but the fun continues all the way to New Year’s Eve. Having a lot of guests over means your kitchen will see a lot more foot traffic. In some cases, the kitchen is also where everyone gathers and catches up. 

You can set the mood of the house by setting the mood in the kitchen, especially if you are hosting a New Year’s party. Since you will be using the kitchen more, it is also a good idea to make the space more comfortable and festive at the same time. These kitchen makeovers and small changes are definitely among the ones to consider if you want to get your kitchen ready for the occasion. 

A Festive Kitchen 
One of the easiest ways to refresh your kitchen is by adding holiday decorations. When you consider the kind of mood you can introduce to your house with simple decorations, you will also want to decorate the kitchen and make it stand out. 

A good way to start is by adding fairy lights and holiday ornaments around the kitchen. You can also liven up the space using decorative ribbons or even festive plants such as poinsettia and holly. A green kitchen door garland is also a nice touch.

A Quick Makeover 
A quick makeover is another idea worth exploring as we get closer to New Year’s Eve. Remember that the makeover will continue to be useful and will refresh your kitchen completely after the party is over, which is why it is such a great investment to make. 

A quick kitchen makeover this close to New Year’s Eve isn’t without its challenges, but you can now overcome those challenges rather easily. If you cannot find a good contractor in time for the makeover, for instance, you can opt for a more DIY set of projects to explore. You can even do something as simple as adding a couple more bar stools to your kitchen island/breakfast bar for an extra area for people to gather. 

If you decide to go the complete makeover route, you have top suppliers like Savoy Timber and DIY shops to turn to. Savoy Timber supplies materials that you will need for the project, including pre-cut kitchen worktops and splashbacks. You will have no trouble getting the materials you need for the project beforehand.

New Lights 
You can do more than just add festive lights to the kitchen. Altering the lighting around the kitchen can actually change the mood of the space completely. Simple things such as switching from daylight LED bulbs to warmer hues can make a huge difference. 

Don’t just stop there either. Thanks to LED lights – which now come in different shapes and forms – you can be more meticulous with the way you light up the kitchen. Adding strip lights to certain areas and introducing concealed lights to the space are also small changes that will make a big difference. 

You can even go the smart lighting route in this instance, especially since smart lighting kits are now more affordable than ever. Take advantage of holiday discounts and special offers so that you can pick up the best smart lighting kits for your kitchen without breaking the bank.

A Smarter Kitchen 
Speaking of smart lighting for the kitchen, now is the perfect time to invest in a smarter kitchen too. First, you need a smart hub for your home. The latest Google Home Hub arrived earlier this year and it is perfect for the job. The Amazon Echo Show is also a worthy contender to the Google Home Hub. 

Once you have selected a smart hub for your house, you can start adding smarter appliances to different parts of the property, including the kitchen. A smart coffee maker, a smart thermostat, and even a smart and programmable sous-vide cooker are all great additions to the kitchen that will enable you to spend more time socialising than cooking and providing drinks. 

Turning your kitchen into a smart kitchen will not only make the space more functional, but also more fun to be in. There is something about using voice command to tell the Google Home Hub to play your favourite TV show while you cook that is very satisfying. 

The rest is easy from there. After making the small changes recommended in this article, you can continue by cleaning the kitchen thoroughly and preparing it for the New Year cooking session. The small changes you make to the space will not only create a fresher and warmer ambience for everyone to enjoy, but they will also make the kitchen more useful for you; it is an investment that you’ll benefit from beyond the New Year’s Eve.



*Post written in Collaboration

Getting a Jump on Spring Cleaning - Top Items You May Need to Replace in 2019

The start of a brand-new year brings about a sense of freshness; it’s a new beginning and often people want to have that clean slate to go along with it. While spring cleaning may seem like something you do in March, it can be a great activity to tackle at the start of the year. It gives you a chance to organise, go through what you’ve got, get rid of what you don’t want or need, and figure out what needs replacing in the home. It will allow for that true clean slate beginning to 2019. So, as you tackle the job of spring cleaning, here are a few items you may want to inspect and decide if they need replacing in 2019. 

Your Mattress 
Your mattress is one of those things that you often take for granted, but in reality, it plays a huge part in your physical and mental well-being. If it’s not supportive and comfortable, then it’s highly likely you aren’t getting enough good quality sleep. A lack of sleep then affects you both physically and mentally at home and at work. 

Some of the common signs to watch for that will help you determine if you need a new mattress are not being able to sleep well, spending the night tossing and turning because you can't find that ‘comfortable position’, waking up with aches and pains, the mattress feels lumpy or has dips in it, it is extremely squeaky, there is a lot more give in it than when you bought it, and if it's more than eight years old. 

As for finding that best mattress, be sure to check out the Best Mattress Buying Guide on The Mattress Nerd, which discusses what to look for in a mattress. 

Major Appliances in the Home 
This is also a great opportunity to take a closer look at all your major appliances in your home. This includes such items as your washing machine and dryer, refrigerator, oven, and dishwasher. Give each one a good cleaning, and then start paying attention to any noises it may be making, if it doesn’t seem to be operating properly, or if anything looks damaged or broken. It could be that a simple fix is all it needs rather than replacing. 

Windows and Doors 
While this one is a big ticket item, once your windows and doors become a certain age, they will no longer be energy efficient which means you’ll be spending a whole lot more to keep your house warm in the winter and cool in the summer. This could also be a great time to inspect all the windows and doors in your home checking for damage, wear and tear, and cracks in both the glass and the frames themselves. 

Get Off to a Fresh New Start in 2019 
Each of these tips will help you with your cleaning and organization projects so that you can tackle 2019 with ease and ensure it gets off to a great start!

*Collaborative Post

Rudolf at Midlands Art Centre: A Review

We were recently invited to watch a performance of Rudolf at Midlands Arts Centre (MAC). Rudolf is a co-production between MAC and Pins and Needles. The story focuses on a reindeer called Rudi who arrives at the zoo with a bang in the middle of the night and can't quite remember what animal she is, where she came from or where she should be! With the help of a wise snowy owl called Baggie (Lakesha Cammock), she begins to discover just who she is! There are laughs aplenty as she meets a variety of animals including some flamenco flamingos. stripy zebras and even a snake! 

My little boy was absolutely captivated throughout the performance. Hannah Bristow is wonderful at playing a bewildered yet loveable Rudolf. There were only a few actors in this performance but they seamlessly glided into different roles, presenting an array of interesting and unique characters! There were many humorous moments as well as heartwarming ones too. The set design was captivating for little ones and there are some spectacular special effects when Rudolf and Baggie set off to the North Pole! The cast interacted with the audience at the start which was really exciting for all the little ones.

Rudolf is a beautiful tale of friendship and adventure! It was funny, magical and festive! We just loved it! 

Rudolf is at MAC until December 31st. For more information and to book just visit here.



*Disclaimer: We were kindly gifted tickets to attend this performance. All opinions are my own. 

Creating a Christmas Wonderland

Can you remember celebrating Christmas as a child; the excitement and anticipation as you build up to the day?  I can still remember the tingle of magic on Christmas Eve knowing Father Christmas was busy preparing his reindeer and sleigh. I can also remember the sheer exhilaration of discovering he had been the next morning, finding a few crumbs where his mince pie had been. That’s what I want to create for my children for as long as I can. This year I’m going to create a magical wonderland for them and you can too. Whilst this might sound expensive, the aim is to keep the cost as low as possible. First and foremost, it’s the time spent together that counts and those are the memories that will one day be treasured. So here is my guide to creating a Christmas Wonderland…

When I think back to the Christmases of my childhood I can always remember the magic of Christmas lights, simply turning the tree lights on was completely enchanting. So whilst we will have our tree ones on, I will also grab a few extra packs and drape some over the mirrors and frames around the lounge. These can be found at many pound shops and I’ve also found colour-changing light up characters there too including penguins and snowmen so I am going to add some of these also. Instant magic! 

I'm also in love with my star shaped light which has been making us all feel very festive recently. On those dull winter days it creates a soft and glowing light in our lounge. 

Another thing I remember from Christmases past is the wonderful scents from the beautiful pine smell of our Christmas tree to the delicious smells of cinnamon, gingerbread and Christmas pudding! 

You might not have a real tree this year which is fine, you can still recreate that Christmassy scent. Try spraying some pine-cones with cinnamon scented oil which creates a beautiful warm aroma. You can also buy or make your own potpourri using cinnamon sticks, cloves, dried oranges and star anise. This is also a fun activity for you to do with your little ones. 

Do you remember making clove oranges at school? Your little ones will love helping with these!

Baking with children will also provide beautiful Christmas scents and a delicious treat for after. Why not try baking some gingerbread Christmas shapes? 

Another way to really add some excitement to the Christmas countdown is to play Christmas songs in the house. We have a cd that plays lots of fun Christmassy songs and we love having it on as we are pottering about during the day. It really adds to the festivities! 

Fast forward to Christmas Eve and this is where the real magic starts. Create your own magical reindeer dust to sprinkle in the garden using oats, edible glitter or cake sprinkles. Don’t forget to leave Father Christmas a mince pie and a whisky (apparently he’s quite partial to a gin too!) and leave Rudolph a carrot- you might just find he’s had a bite out of it in the morning!! You can leave some magical Santa footprints by creating a simple stencil and sprinkling some icing sugar over it- your children will be enchanted to discover some magical North Pole snow! 

So there you have it, a few ideas to create your very own home Christmas wonderland, helping to create some mesmerising life-long memories. Merry Christmas!!

Sleepyhead- MAC Birmingham: A Review

I only recently discovered MAC (Midlands Arts Centre) and I can't quite believe I didn't stumble upon it sooner. MAC features a wide range of theatre performances, music, comedy, dance and art shows as well as films and free exhibitions. It's a modern, comfortable and accessible building which is certainly family friendly. It really is a gem of an attraction in Birmingham. We were invited to a performance of Little Angel Theatre's Sleepyhead which is a puppetry show for toddlers and young children and we were certainly in for a treat!

Sleepyhead is full to the brim of magic and silliness. My two year old giggled the whole way through which was just so lovely to witness! The story centres around Baby and his tired Dada who is desperately trying to get him to sleep (we've all been there!) Baby however, has other ideas! Every parent was chuckling along to Dada's frustrations, seeing their own 'please-go-to-sleep' struggles reflected right back! All the toddlers in the audience found the slapstick humour coupled with Baby's cheeky antics, hilarious! Watching my own little one laughing out loud, completely captivated by the performance is truly one of the highlights of my year!

Puppetry is at the heart of Little Angel Theatre Productions. The performances are magical and so lifelike that you really do forget you're watching puppets. The skilled performers are masters at creating tiny lifelike movements so that the puppets come to life before your eyes. 

If you get a chance to see Sleepyhead, which runs until the 2nd December at MAC, I can't recommend it enough! 

*Disclaimer: We were kindly invited to watch a perfomance of Sleepyhead at MAC for review purposes. All opinions are my own.