Christmas holiday wear £150+ giveaway

Well we are into November now, so I believe it is perfectly fine to mention the Xmas word. Perhaps you are thinking about ordering personalised Christmas photo cards. We did some cards of the boys a couple of years ago which everyone loved. But how about taking it a step further with the whole family wearing matching Christmas outfits in the picture. No I’m not just talking about Christmas jumpers. I actually mean the entire ensemble from top to toe.

So what’s your opinion on this fashion statement – cute or cheesy? You would certainly make a grand entrance at the Christmas party.

And here is one just of the kids. The above are just two of the designs sold by https://www.shinesty.com/

Shinesty can kit the whole family out in matching Christmas dresses or suits plus a onesie for the baby. There’s even an outfit for your four-legged friend.

But watch out if you plan to browse their website with your children, as they do sell more risqué items too. Plus there are a few rude words on their website. Shinesty are based in the US, but they ship worldwide.

And I’m hosting a giveaway courtesy of Shinesty to win a set of matching Christmas outfits for all the family – parents and children. This giveaway is open worldwide.

The winning family can choose between three matching sets – Millenial Snowflake, Navy Nordic or Lincoln Log, selecting their preferred style and sizing requirements.

Prize value will vary depending on sizes and styles chosen by the winner, but I estimate it to start from upwards of £150 for a 3-person family. And obviously more for a larger family.

a Rafflecopter giveaway – Please click on the link to enter.

And you may see my other giveaways here.

I’d love to hear what you like to wear best for Christmas.

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Disclosure.  Although I am hosting this giveaway, I have not received any products.  All opinions are my own.

Guest post: Luxury pyjamas worth getting out of bed for!

The Reach London – Luxury pyjamas worth getting out of bed for!

Nightwear has recently had a serious upgrade and yet it is still difficult to find stylish cotton pyjamas that match silk ones in terms of quality and design, but without the high price tag and expensive dry cleaning bills.

At The Reach London, we have just launched, via a Kickstarter Campaign, a collection of beautifully tailored, luxury cotton pyjamas for both him and her.

Designed and made in London by the same manufacturer who supplies leading luxury brands, including Gieves & Hawkes, Paul Smith, Burberry and Victoria Beckham, our pyjamas are way too chic only for bed!

The quality of craftsmanship is clearly evident in our pyjamas with their French seams, piped trims and hand tailoring.
We have also sourced the finest and most luxurious cottons and all our pyjamas are finished with ethically sourced mother-of-pearl buttons.
And, in addition to being effortlessly chic, our pyjamas are still practical in that they are all machine washable.

Style Notes

Our pyjamas are designed to feel both classic and contemporary, cut for a relaxed yet tailored fit and sufficiently stylish to be seen both in and outside the bedroom and who doesn’t want an excuse to stay in their pyjamas all day!
And to tap into the trend of pyjama-chic, our women’s pyjama shirts are designed to also be paired with jeans. The gorgeous prints we have chosen further complement this look.

Unique Size Combinations

A UNIQUE feature of our women’s pyjama collection is that because some of us maybe one size on top and a different size from the waist down, when purchasing our pyjama set, a different size pyjama shirt to the size of the trouser can be selected to make up the set.
We also know that some women will prefer to wear the pyjama trouser with their own choice of top, or to wear the pyjama shirt with jeans or as a nightshirt, so we are also offering the shirt and trouser as individual pieces to enable our customers to achieve the fashion look they want.
The men’s pyjama trouser are also available in two leg lengths to cater for those men who are over 6ft tall and who struggle to find stylish pyjama trouser of the correct length.

Special Discount

The GREAT NEWS for any of our backers on Kickstarter is that during our Kickstarter Campaign (which ends on 1^st October) they will be able to purchase our new pyjama collection at a fantastic discount. Once our Kickstarter Campaign is over our new collection will only be available on our Company website at its normal RRP.
Please note during our Kickstarter Campaign we will ship all our pyjamas (and cashmere bed socks) FREE to anywhere in the world in time for Xmas!
So please see the link below to view our new collection:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thereachlondon/luxury-pyjamas-worth-getting-out-of-bed-for

Any questions regarding our Kickstarter Campaign or new Pyjama Collection please email us at kickstarter@thereachlondon.com

Please also share this with your friends, family & anyone you think may be interested in our new Pyjama Collection, we would really appreciate it!

Thank you for your time.

Guest post by Olivia, Helen & Will
The team at The Reach London

Ethical fashion style choice for Autumn

Disclosure.  This post is a review of a product I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

I was really pleased to be offered the chance to select a free item of my choice from the Autumn / Winter season of Nomads Clothing to review. Spoilt for choice, I spent quite some time browsing the lovely collection on their website. Nomads are a fair trade ethical womenswear fashion brand including some organic items, so I decided to narrow my selection down to the organic categories.

In the end I selected a plain teal t-shirt from the range of organic tops https://www.nomadsclothing.com/organic as I thought it would go very nicely with my recently purchased new pair of blue jeans from Marks and Spencer.

The t-shirt is organic cotton and retails at £30. It also comes in 4 other colours – grey, plum, smoke and rust. And you can vary the style, since it has roll-up sleeves.

Dispatch was quick and the t-shirt was well packed. I was delighted to feel how soft the organic cotton felt to touch. And I was correct. It does go well with my jeans. I am very pleased and highly recommend you take a look at Nomads. Also it washed and ironed well.

And I’m hosting a rafflecopter competition courtesy of Nomads to giveaway a £75 voucher to one lucky winner. The prize also includes free postage and packing worldwide.

a Rafflecopter giveaway – Please click on the link to enter.

And you may see my other giveaways here.

Plus I have a special offer to share with my readers of 20% discount off your order. Please quote the code BLOG20 when you place your order.

I’d love to hear what is your favourite product from Nomads Clothing range? You may sign up to their mailing list here.

You can find Nomads on social media as follows:-
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Objets de Désir Necklace giveaway

If you love discovering unique products which are not available on the High Street, then take a look at Objets de Désir. This is a boutique which sells a beautiful range of handmade treasures created by emerging artists and designers from around the world. It includes a wide variety of lifestyle products from fashion and jewellery to homeware and accessories. Fab to browse around.

They even do wedding lists. And for those of you who live near enough to visit, they have a boutique store in Clifton, Bristol. I have been invited there to do a write-up on the shop but it is a bit far away for me. So any other bloggers near Bristol, there may be an opportunity for you.

One of the designers whose work is showcased at Objets de Désir is Rebecca Gladstone, who works from her studio home in East London. Rebecca works with a range of materials incorporating wood, metal and vintage pieces. She has made a range of handcrafted geometric jewellery using clean lines and graphic elements, called Rachel Loves Bob.

Do take a look at the Rachel Loves Bob range. There are some great earrings, necklaces and rings.

You can find out a bit more about Rebecca and her Rachel Loves Bob range on the Objets de Désir blog. You can read what she had to say when she was in the spotlight here, including where the name Rachel Loves Bob comes from.

And I’m hosting a rafflecopter competition to giveaway one of Rachel Loves Bob stunning necklaces to one lucky winner. This is a handmade wood and brass gate necklace which hangs on a vintage 28” brass chain. A fantastic gift or keep it yourself. This item is only available to purchase in-store at the boutique, so you won’t find it on the Objets de Désir website.

a Rafflecopter giveaway – Please click on the link to enter.

And you may see my other giveaways here.

I’d love to hear what is your favourite piece from Objets de Désir? Mine is the Sir Nils Olav Penguin brooch.

You can find Objets De Désir on social media as follows:-
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Google+

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram

Disclosure.  Although I am hosting this giveaway, I have not received any product.  All opinions are my own.

Workforce Socks review & giveaway

I have received 4 free pairs of Workforce socks to review. The initial plan was that I would try the 2 pairs for size 6-8.5, whilst my other half tried the 2 pairs for size 6-11. However I found them too long in the foot, but luckily they all fitted my other half. The sock heel was up around the back of my ankle. I wear a size 5 shoe normally, but size 6 for hiking boots, so I had been hoping to wear them with my boots. My usual sock size is 4-7, but Workforce don’t sell many socks this small as their socks are more targeted at men. Looking at their range, the heavy duty safety trainer sock would probably have been better suited to me, as it also includes size 4-8.

The 4 pairs received were as follows…
Ultimate Comfort Sock in grey, size 6-8.5, RRP £3.99 (WFHP300)
Ultimate Safety Sock in black, size 6-8.5, RRP £3.99 (WFHP200)
Heavy Gauge Boot Sock in navy, size 6-11, RRP £5 (WFH0025)
Heavy Gauge Boot Sock in grey, size 6-11, RRP £5 (WFH0025)

Both the comfort sock and safety sock are labelled with an L and R for left and right foot. They have been constructed with a true left and right fit for total comfort and support. I also noticed that they both contained CoolMax which is what I personally look for in a hiking sock, as I’m not so fond of wool. In comparison, the heavy gauge boot sock is 60% wool.

My other half liked the comfort sock best. Without going into too much gory information, he said that they seemed to have a beneficial effect on his athlete’s foot. I expect that may be due to the natural antibacterial protection properties of the Bamboo, which is 38% of the sock’s composition.

He is a size 7.5 and said that he found the heavy gauge boot sock was slightly too big. It is aimed at a wider range of shoe sizes from 6-11 than the comfort sock or safety sock. He also found it to be slightly itchy, perhaps due to the high wool content.

He also deliberately tried swapping the left and right comfort socks and safety socks to the opposite feet and said that he couldn’t notice the difference.

Ultimate comfort sock

Ultimate safety sock

Heavy gauge boot sock

In summary, we highly recommend all the socks, but do bear in mind if your shoe size is below or towards the lower end of the size range that they may be a touch too large. They are all great quality and have been designed with hardworking feet in mind.

You can purchase all of these socks via Sock Shop. The prices are good value in my opinion. They are not suitable to go in the tumble drier, although I am tempted in the hope that they might shrink to fit my foot, as I love the look and feel of both the Comfort sock and Safety sock.

And I’m hosting a rafflecopter competition to giveaway 2 pairs of of the Ultimate Comfort socks courtesy of Workforce to one lucky winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway – Please click on the link to enter.

And you may see my other giveaways here.

Disclosure.  This post is a review of products I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

From bouncy castle or deckchair to a new bag!

wyatt & jack are a company who create sustainable bags and accessories from re-purposed beach deckchair canvas and retired bouncy castle vinyl pvc. What a fabulous eco upcycling idea. Take a look at their website, they have a great range of products and they have sent me a free mini pouch to review.

It was carefully packaged in tissue paper, sealed with stickers rather than sellotape. Easy to peel off, so that the wrapping could be saved for a future crafting project with the kids. Another eco plus mark. And it even came with a stick of rock, which I found hidden inside when I unzipped the pouch. What a nice touch and in theme with its seaside history.

I could immediately see that my mini pouch had been fashioned from deckchair canvas rather than bouncy castle vinyl. And it is of a size (22cm x 13cm) whereby the pouch could have so many different uses, for instance make-up bag or kids wash bag. And I loved the little story on the label.

However the use has already been decided for this particular mini pouch. Son2 wanted it as soon as he saw it. So it is now a pencil case for son2.

The mini pouch has now been replaced this season by the new slightly larger Starsky Clutch which looks just as fab. I love how each of these items is unique. No two are ever quite the same. And their tagline is great, that they are all made in Britain by the sea! Also if you live near Bembridge, there is the opportunity to have a bespoke item made by booking an appointment at their shop.

And I’m hosting a rafflecopter competition to giveaway an Anton Everything Purse to five lucky winners. This is an exclusive promotional item which is not currently available via their online shop, but to give you an idea of how much it can hold, I have been told that it is fairly similar in size to the Starsky Clutch. And since each item is unique, it will be a surprise as to what colour and design you might win.

Plus the rafflecopter option to subscribe to the wyatt & jack newsletter also gives you the opportunity to get a free product, because for a limited time only, wyatt & jack are offering a free Starsky Clutch (current price £22.95) when you sign up to their newsletter. I don’t know how long the offer is open, so be quick!

The anton everything purse

a Rafflecopter giveaway – Please click on the link to enter.

And you may see my other giveaways here.

I’d love to hear of any repurposed items you either own or have seen.

Disclosure.  This post is a review of a product I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

All I want for Christmas is ….

Nude Jewellery is an independent London jewellers who stock a wide and varied range of contemporary jewellery. They are running a competition for bloggers to write a post, selecting a piece of jewellery as their Christmas pick from their website.

They have designer jewellery handmade by leading local, national and international designers, unusual jewellery and bespoke jewellery so plenty for me to browse around. There are some amazing items. I am really spoilt for choice, but I’ve finally decided that my Christmas Pick is this beautiful necklace.

I was really attracted to this beautiful Fleur – Garnet Silver Pendant. Absolutely stunning in my opinion. I’m sure I would get some great compliments wearing something like this unusual beautiful piece.

The pendant with flowers surrounding red tear shape garnet gemstone centre has a 22mm height and 11mm width and is on a 16-18 inch silver chain. It has been designed and created in the UK.

Have a look around their website at the lovely handmade jewellery. What would you pick?

This post is my entry into the Nude Christmas Pick Blogger Competition.

A kids’ ski holiday wardrobe

Mark Warner are challenging bloggers to showcase their favourite kids’ ski holiday wardrobe. This challenge is in association with Polarn O. Pyret.

Neither I nor my boys have ever been ski-ing, so I took a look at the Polarn O. Pyret website to see what winter outerwear was in their range. And I was so impressed that I chose my whole wardrobe from Polarn O. Pyret. First up are the ski coat and trousers which I selected to keep the boys warm and dry. These are also padded, so may help with bumps if they fall over. And the reflective stripes will help keep them visible in the dark, post ski-ing. Then I’ve chosen matching thermal long johns and top as a base layer for extra warmth in the cold temperatures in the snow. And I know from my personal experience that ears hurt if they get very cold, so I chose a cosy balaclava hat. Also a pair of gloves to keep fingers warm. Now I don’t know if ski-boots come in kids sizes, but I couldn’t resist these wellies, as they match the balaclava perfectly. Polarn O. Pyret don’t stock ski-boots, but perhaps I should go and check some other stores.

So what would you choose?

Kids Ski Holiday Wardrobe by x2mum

Kids Padded Ski Trousers
£70 – polarnopyret.co.uk

Kids Padded Ski Coat
£95 – polarnopyret.co.uk

Striped Thermal Kids Long Johns
£18 – polarnopyret.co.uk

Striped Thermal Kids Top
£18 – polarnopyret.co.uk

PO.P Stripe Kids Balaclava
£14 – polarnopyret.co.uk

Winter Kids Gloves
£22 – polarnopyret.co.uk

PO.P Classic Kids Wellies
£22 – polarnopyret.co.uk

Mallzee – the personal stylist in your pocket

Like fashion shopping online and have an iPhone? Then you’ll love Mallzee. It is an app which is available free on iTunes and has over 2 million products from 100 big name fashion brands like ASOS, Topshop, River Island and Miss Selfridge. A fashion mall in your pocket! No need to spend ages going from website to website searching for that perfect item or best bargain. Fantastic for a busy lifestyle, as you can browse whenever you have a spare few minutes. Also works on iPad or iPod touch.

Swipe left to never see again

Swipe right to save

And Mallzee has just launched a new version. It now has functionality to share your fashion finds with friends. Also there is more menswear and some brand new fashion brands.

Super new features include:
– A totally interactive homepage full of cutting edge style inspiration from top fashion bloggers and stylists.
– Unique Style Feeds allowing users to create specific product searches. Simply set your requirements and watch the options roll in- even when you’re not using the app.
– Price drop alerts ensuring you never miss a bargain again. Simply save a product to be instantly notified if it drops in price.
– In-app clothes sharing via What’s App, Twitter, Facebook and e-mail allowing you to get a valuable second opinion from the friends who really matter.
– Speedier swiping to remove or save fashion finds.

So give it a whirl. It’s free to download. And don’t forget to tell me about your great fashion finds.

Disclosure.  This post is my entry to the Mallzee Blogger Competition in association with ebuyer.com and London College of Fashion.

Autumn/Winter 14 Blogger Style Challenge

Debenhams are running a competition for bloggers to showcase two outfits based on any of their six AW14 trends. One outfit for the blogger. And the second outfit is to be for another blogger who should be nominated to take the style challenge too. There are £500 voucher prizes for both bloggers.

So for my first outfit, I’ve chosen the Pinks & Berries AW14 trend for myself.

And I’ve chosen the Winter Greens AW14 trend for the second outfit for Super Lucky Di whom I’m nominating to take the style challenge too. I hope Di likes green!

Pinks & Berries by x2mum 

Principles by Ben de Lisi Designer wine PU piped mac jacket
£75 – debenhams.com

Principles by Ben de Lisi Designer pale pink zip pocket shirt
£35 – debenhams.com

Principles by Ben de Lisi Designer wine PU trim tapered trousers
£39.50 – debenhams.com

Faith Plum ribbed effect low pumps
£20 – debenhams.com

J by Jasper Conran Designer plum double pocket cross body bag
£36 – debenhams.com

Floozie by Frost French Gold chunky heart charm bracelet
£12 – debenhams.com

Floozie by Frost French Gold chunky charm necklace
£9.60 – debenhams.com

Winter Greens by x2mum 

Principles by Ben de Lisi Designer black pebble burnout shift dress
£40 – debenhams.com

Principles by Ben de Lisi Designer green military coat
£99 – debenhams.com

Principles by Ben de Lisi Designer pearl and green teardrop earring
£10 – debenhams.com

Call It Spring Black ‘Teora’ PU handle clutch bag
£20 – debenhams.com

Floozie by Frost French Gold plated cutout cuff bracelet
£9.60 – debenhams.com

Faith Black mock croc high court shoes
£36 – debenhams.com