Poundland Christmas challenge

It’s CHRISTMAS!

  

Christmas is just 3 weeks away! 

This year Poundland believe it is the “Best Christmas Ever” with unbelievable value a massive range and something for everyone. 

 

Poundland think shopping with them is the perfect way to save money this Christmas. As people are a bit more cash conscious with bills spiralling and the cost of living rising, small savings can help a big deal. 

 

We want to prove that with just £20 you can get quality, value and choice.  

 

Our Ambassador Challenge......

 

Choose at least two items from each category:

 

·        Christmas Wrapping and Accessories

 

·        Christmas Gifts (adults)

·        Christmas Stocking Fillers (kids)

(hidden from the kids) 

·        Christmas Party (Ladies Beauty/Clothing)

 

·        Christmas Tree Decorations

·        Christmas General Decorations

·        Christmas Table Decorations

         Christmas Sweets

3 boxes of After 8 mints for £2.00! 

·        Home wares – (turkey foil, roasting tin, tea towels – practical items used for Christmas)

I love these projects and went with my list and was determined to stick to my £20 budget! Surely im not the only one that can go in to a Poundland and spend a fortune! 

 

Ecover - review.

I received a fabulous selection of household cleaning products from Ecover to review and I have been very pleasantly surprised with how they all work compared with the leading brands.

Not only do they work but OMG these are the most delicious smelling products ever!

From Pomegranate and Lime antibacterial wipes to a limited edition Festive Cookie washing up liquid!  The products are kind and gentle, not only on your skin but on the environment too!

Available from all leading supermarkets.

Shloer Berry Punch - review.

I love a glass of wine with dinner but sometimes you just need something thirst quenching but still a little bit special!

I was sent a bottle of the new Shloer berry punch to try and its now number one on the Christmas drinks list for both me and the kids.  Deliciously light and fruity this is an ideal substitute to alcohol.

Whether it's enjoyed after returning from a beautiful woodland walk or sitting around the fireplace on a crisp autumnal evening, now you can make your Sunday get-together even better by sharing it with Shloer's brand new Berry Punch.

The limited edition conjures up the taste of autumn with hints of blackberry combined with grape juices; best served over ice with slices of pear and blackberries for a sparkling and fruity autumnal drink, perfect for sharing.

All Shloer flavours contain no preservatives, artificial colours, sweeteners or flavourings. All flavours are suitable for vegetarians and are best served chilled. Refrigerate after opening and consume within three days.

Available in 75cl bottles.

£2.09 (...on special at Tesco 2 for £3)

Method product review!

With a tagline like this who wouldn't want to back these defenders of all that is clean!

Whether they want to fight the grime on the kitchen floor, take out the toxins in the shower or pummel the bad stuff floating in the world, they are people against dirty®

I was sent some goodies from Method to try including a fabulously scented dish soap!  Method bottles are totally beautiful works of art that look so much more pretty than standard dish soap containers, if you leave your dispensers out on view. 

When using the dish soap there were fewer bubbles but no lack of cleaning power - the smell was divine and it left my skin feeling soft - bonus!

Method is available from all leading supermarkets and is highly recommended!

...its sneaking in slowly!

...its just round the corner!

 Are you excited too??

Come join my author page on facebook!

I will be posting challenges,competitions, new recipes and much more!

CLICK HERE

See you there!

Halloween 2012

 I love this time of year!  

 The colours, the dark nights, the snuggling with the kids while drinking cream topped hot chocolate!

The pumpkins, family time and all things spooky!

Not to mention - Christmas is round the corner!

Signed book and goodies competition - rafflecopter!

As a thank you for all of your support and encouragement I thought I would hold a competition to win a signed copy of my book and some kitchenware goodies!

I will also be opening a page on facebook where I can run baking challenges from the book, see how you work with the recipes and share the start of book 2, ie finding out what you would like to see and ideas for different packaging ideas etc:)

If you cant wait for the competition to end you can buy the book from Amazon!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kenco & Macmillan Coffee Morning

It's taken me a while to write this up as things have been a little manic around here lately but as its my dads birthday i thought it deserved me taking the time to post!

The awful disease that took my dad from us, Cancer, is the toughest fight most of us will ever face. Macmillan provides a team supporting those affected by cancer every step of the way. 

Friday 28 September 2012 was the biggest event of the year to help people living with cancer.

 

The kids school held a coffee afternoon and we went along to support.  Cupcakes were eaten, coffee was drunk and donations were made.

I was also lucky enough to receive an event pack, tin of biscuits and Kenco coffee to host my own morning - did you know it's not too late to host your own, sign up here.

Kenco is the official coffee partner for this year’s‘Macmillan’s Biggest Coffee Morning!

Look its ME!! lol

Today is launch day!!  

 So excited and please remember to leave feedback on Amazon if you purchase and are happy with the book.

  Just remember you cant mention the fact you know me in the feedback but then again I cant really see my mum gushing over it on an online shop - im still trying to convince her to join Facebook!! lol

Please post piccies once your book arrives - i want to see you all! xx

Bombus Giveaway! Rafflecopter entry!

Having won these fabulous framed butterflies from a competition they held with Sheerlux I cannot recommend Bombus highly enough for their attention to detail and pure decadence of their items!

Imagine my pleasure when I received an email stating that they would love to offer a giveaway to my blog readers!  I know you girls will love it!

Bombus are offering a set of three bespoke wooden map letters to one lucky reader - worth £39!

All you need to do to enter is check out their website and complete as many Rafflecopter options as you wish.....why not opt in to receive occasional emails with offers and new product launches :) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Persil Mosh & Wash - Get Messy with Music!

We all know kids love getting messy so what better way to encourage them than to have a Persil Mosh & Wash - Get Messy with Music!!  We received a Mosh & Wash kit from Persil but the kids were too shy to get covered in paint and be photographed!! Go figure! lol

 

Get them all painty, messy, muddy and mucky, pop on some loud music and let them go wild knowing that Persil will save the day!

Check out the dedicated Mosh & Wash site for more information - with half term around the corner there are hints and tips on keeping the kids occupied.  Ideas for making your own musical instruments and ways to make this a cleaner planet!

What will you be doing this half term??

Look whats here!!

My baby with my baby! 

So happy and a little bit giddy! lol

Available on Amazon - grab it while its half price!

Creative HeART & Soul Retreat - October 2012.

This last weekend was the most recent Creative HeART & Soul retreat.  Held in Ansty Hall, Coventry, this was a perfect location for a perfect retreat! 

I am so so happy with how everything went and the feedback we have received has all been so positive I am walking on air!

We, Myself and Tracie Hudson, started on Friday by setting out all of the goodies for the girls including little bird houses with their initials/name on, bowls of chocolate and candy with a bird chalkboard table sign in the middle and goodie bags.

  

 Tracie and her mum had made these fabulous birds to act as mascots for each table - they went down a storm and were so cute I happened to bring one home with me!  

 

After a champagne and strawberry welcome toast with all of the teachers, where they explained who they were and the classes they would be teaching, we set about to a night of working on the challenge kit.

 

The classes started early Saturday morning and everyone fell in love with The Glitz Design Girls - Erin and Laura and Fancy Pants owner Jodi (and her adorable daughter Abbi),

 

 the classes were fabulous, the laughs many and the time flew by!  

 

Saturday night was spent doing make and takes, raffle, random facts quiz and generally eating cupcakes made by the fabulous Lydia and making pretty things!

 

Sunday passed in a blur as we completed 3 layout classes broken only by lunch and coffee breaks.  As soon as I get the group photographs from our photographer I will share - I also managed to nab 5 minutes to have some promo shots done so im dying to see how they turn out! 

We spent Sunday night having dinner with the ladies that had too far to travel so chose to stay an extra night.  We laughed lots and headed to bed early ready for a visit to Warwick Castle on the Monday with the Glitz Girls!

  SO MUCH FUN! 

 These girls are a scream!

Coffee and Cake!

You may remember a little while ago when I did a giveaway for the Project D overnight bag.  The bag was created between Danni Minogue and Kenco Millicano coffee and apparently has gone down a storm *Im after one myself so if anyone is listening that have the powers that be then i would be very greatful!* lol

Well, I was sent more coffee and being a tea drinker I was content to let hubby try it out and inform me of the results.  Ermmm, that was until I got a smell of the intense coffee aroma that comes with this tin of lusciousness!!

Of course there's also the new caffeine free variety available too!

Add to that a homemade cake (or two!) and you have a 5 minute break to die for!

No hooked on 'instant' coffee again I thought I would give a little nudge in the direction of Kenco Millicano for anyone who isnt keen on instant coffee.  This really is different to normal scoop and add hot water coffees!  Give it a go!

Philips/Jamie Oliver Come Round Party!

Last night I had the pleasure of hosting a dinner party with the new Jamie Oliver Home Cooker by Philips.   

10 members of my family got together and we hung posters, balloons, wore aprons and tested out the cooker!  WOW...its so easy to use and such a fabulous machine - bung it in and let it work while you sit back with wine - whats not to love! lol

We enjoyed Hearty Minestrone Soup....

...followed by Seafood Paella...

and Pot Roasted Fruit with Lavender Honey.

Mmmmm so impressed and it was a fabulous night!

Groupon Winner!!

Oops...so busy this week i forgot to draw  winner for the Groupon vouchers! lol

I have just popped the numbers into random.org and the winner is....

NUMBER 29!

SWEENY !!

Congratulations and if you can email me (debbie(at)countryheartandhome.com) I will reply with the code you need to use to spend your £40 with Groupon!

Thank you everyone for taking part :)

Happy Birthday To ME!!

Today I decided I wasnt making my own cake...
I was going to go for the girliest, pinkest, sparkliest cake I could find!!

I walked into Sainsburys and checked out the cakes. 

Pink - Check.
Glittery - Check
Girly - Check.....

...hold on a minute whats that I see there...

...Be still my heart!!  My hero (Thor) in cake form!!

Avengers Assemble!!
 

Groupon giveaway ends tonight!

Get your comments in before midnight to be in with the chance of winning £40 of Groupon vouchers - see the post below!

Back in the kitchen!

For a while I stepped back and let hubby take the lead in the kitchen department...whether I was burnt out or simply too tired after doing everything else it made it easier to let him do dinners etc.   

Now Im back!! Mwahahahahhaa  

Ive found a new love of savoury meals and not just cupcakes and desserts!! Wohoo!

I made a delicous coating for a join of pork yesterday...

5tbsp Wild Forest Honey

2tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

1tbstp Jamaican Jerk Herbs

Mix together and brush onto pork crackling before cooking for 2 and a half hours - baste every 30 mins :)  MMmmmmm!!

Jacob is even embracing his adventurous side and asked for muscles in garlic sauce for tea!

We even have a little chilli plant on the windowsill to spice things up a little!

 

I can see a chilli con carne brewing soon!

Nakd Bars! - product review

I was given the opportunity to try the gluten free bars to review for the blog for Nakd.

If youre anything like me, health food is something you skip over whilst looking for the chocolate bars!

However, I may be inclined to stop at this section a little longer in the future!

Chocolate Orange, Crazy Cola Raisins and Berry Delight but to name a few..... my absolute favourite though was the Cashew Cookie!

Moist but not gooey and yet delicious rich in taste without that horrible 'healthy' feel to it (that makes sense to those of us who dont like to diet!) lol

Quote taken from their website:

Our simplest and most beloved bars. Just raw fruits and nuts smooshed together. Containing 100% natural ingredients with no added sugars or syrups,  these bars are also wheat and gluten free, and bursting with yummy goodness. With a soft, chewy texture they fill you up till your next meal and most count towards 1 of your 5 a day too. Ideal for lunchboxes, grabbing on the go and refuelling between meals!

 They have an offer on at the minute too so bag yourself some yummies while you can :)

*All opinions are my own!   I was offered some samples to try before doing this review.  This in no what influenced my opinion.