Meeting the New Furby Connect - Review

Toys have come a long way since I was a young girl and none more so than the Furby, first arriving in the late 90s it was a must have toy and I remember my then boyfriends mum scouring the shops for one for his sister's Christmas present.

With it's own Furby language and cheeky nature, this fluffy little fella has been given a modern day makeover, Bluetooth enabled it has an internal year round clock, so he even knows when it's Christmas, Easter or Valentine's Day.

With so many moods it is like having an additional albeit brightly coloured member of the family, everything from happy to sad, scared to excited and best of all each Furby is unique.

You can interact with the Furby by tickling, cuddling or shaking it and with the addition of 4xAA batteries (not included) he is ready to go out of the box.

I absolutely love the LCD eyes, they are so expressive and being big and round definitely makes them cute and loveable. The ears move around and it also has a light up antenna, making up over 150 different expressions, so it does take a while to get bored of it.

My children both fell in love with our Furby straight away, even though it is purple (more pinky purple) my son adores it and has probably played with it more than my daughter. The interactive app allows them to become involved in the Furby's life, feeding it, taking it to the toilet, watching videos and raising Furblings all from within the app.

I absolutely love how the Furby interacts with the app and for me this has been the icing on the cake, when the Furby sings popular songs along with the app it is really very clever and means even I have been singing along to Flo Rida and Ellie Goulding in a Furby style voice.

These videos and the content within the app are updated regularly so the Furby and Furby Connect World are constantly evolving.

The Furby does come with some very life like sounds and actions, these are hilarious for my two children however may not be for everyone, with burps, trumps, going to the toilet and being sick it is a bit like having a newborn.

One thing a few people did mention to me, was the old Furby's of days gone by and how you could never get them to shut up, well this one comes with its own sleep mask so you can simply pop this on and you don't need to worry about being woken up to him singing or talking Furbish.

The new Furby Connect comes in four different colours, pink, turquoise, purple and blue and although I was worried about what colour we'd get and how each child would react the purple has gone down a storm.

The Furby Connect comes with a £100 price tag, so for Christmas this would definitely be the 'big present'. Do I think it is worth it? If your children love interactive toys and technology then yes, with the app constantly being updated I can see this bringing something new every week and will keep it fresh and exciting.

NB: We were sent the Furby Connect in order to form this review, all words and opinions are my own.

Gin Explorer Box Review

We first saw the Gin Explorer Box at the Gin Festival in Nottingham earlier this year, they offer a monthly subscription, where you receive a box of four different gins to try, with a bottle of tonic and a little treat.

The box was delivered by Parcel Force and although I wasn't in to sign for it, it was taken back to the local post office the next day, so there is no waiting around for re-delivery or having to travel too far to pick it up.

Gin Explorer Box at the Gin Festival

Arriving in a little cardboard suitcase, it looked like it's ready to whisk away on a gin tour. The gin was accompanied by some Joe & Sephs Gin & Tonic Popcorn as well as a few sweeties and printed information about each gin.

In June's box, we were treated to the following, a 50ml bottle each of Pinkster, Lakes Explorer Gin, Anno Kent Dry Gin and Masons Yorkshire Gin, along with a bottle of Peter Spanton Cardamom Tonic. 

The bottles each contain two measures of gin which means you could share them if you really want to!

I love the simple labelling on the bottles of gin, they are clean and easy to read, it was great having the booklets on each gin so you could read a bit about them. We both agreed that we loved the Lakes Explorer Gin, it had hints of lemon and grapefruit and was really easy to drink, either on it's own or with some Fever Tree Indian tonic water, the Pinkster wasn't for us though, with no real flavours coming out, just alcohol, it was our least favourite of them all.

We both loved Masons Gin when we visited the Gin Festival, it is full of flavour with the juniper really coming through, my husband received some of their Yorkshire Tea Gin for his birthday this week, this was especially tasty with the cardamom tonic. And finally the Anno Kent Dry Gin, on its own or with tonic this gin had a wonderful flavour with with the lavender and hops coming through.

The Gin Explorer box is £24.99 a month (slightly cheaper if you pay for 6/12months) which gets you the four bottles (containing a double each) as well as a mixer, and some extra goodies. If you are looking for a present for someone who loves gin, then this would be great, and if you were looking to give some gins a try without having to buy a whole bottle then this is a great way to do that, it's also something to look forward to each month.

We loved trying some of the gins in this months Gin Explorer box and they are definitely on our list of bottles to buy in the future.

NB: We were sent this box for the purpose of the review, all words and opinions are my own.

Barbie Dance & Spin Ballerina Review

We were recently sent the Dance & Spin Ballerina Barbie to review, this colourful and eye-catching doll jumps, spins and pliés with ease.The wand clips easily on to her waist and and as you push her leg down she leaps into the air and spins, her leg spinning round like a real ballerina, her dress spinning out out in all it's glittery glory.

I am not sure who loves this more, myself or my daughter well obviously its my daughter...just! For any little person that loves ballerinas, this Barbie is perfect, her pirouettes and pliés are very close to the real deal and even simple for little hands to operate.


With a pretty two tone dress and bodice this doll has everything you could want in a Barbie friend, putting on their own swirly, twirly dress they can dance and spin around together like ballerinas.

My only slight issue with this doll and possibly the frustration of my daughter is that both legs don't straighten and so for when she wants to play with her as a normal doll, she can't. I completely understand why it doesn't but I do feel that if this could be different it would make it more useable with her other Barbies.

This doll would make such a wonderful present for any ballerina loving Barbie fan this Christmas, with an RRP of £19.99 this fabulous doll is a toy that will get played with time and time again.

NB: We were sent this doll for the purpose of this review, all words and opinions are my own.

Father's Day Gift Guide

With Father's Day just over a week away, it's the perfect time for this last minute Mum to look for presents for the Dads in her life.

I love watches but with the rise of the mobile phone they seem to have disappeared off the wrists of lots of people, however they look smart on a man and I think these two from Chisholm Hunter would make great gifts.

First up, how about this sleek watch from Hugo Boss, with a date window and chronograph, it shows more than just the time. Still a classic design but also great for todays gadget loving man.

For a more contemporary fashion watch, how about this from Emporio Armani, with its sleek black dial it is sure to be a timepiece that they love for a long time.

For completing a smart look, for work or maybe a wedding, how about some cufflinks? These classic rectangular stainless steel cuff links are a great choice.

Or, for those that love a splash of gold then these fabulous stainless steel rose gold and black cufflinks are great, they'd look fabulous with a smart suit and I love rose gold, it is so soft and looks fabulous on.

I have put together a Pinterest board with some more fabulous items to chose from this Father's Day

Follow The Mummy Diary's board Fathers Day Gifts on Pinterest.

NB: This is a collaborative post.

Brigadeiro - Chocolate Truffle Recipe

This recipe isn't my own but one my hubby's aunty told me about a few weeks back, she has lived in America for many years and recently came back to live in the UK and it is a favourite over there.

It is a really simple recipe:

1 tin of sweetened condensed milk (larger size about 397ml)

3 tablespoons of cocoa

15 g butter
Spinkles
Oil to grease hands

Method:

1. Place the condensed milk, butter and cocoa powder into a saucepan and heat for approximately 10-15 minutes stirring all the time, the mixture should thicken after about 10 minutes and come away from the sides and start to form a ball.

2. Leave to cool until it is cool enough to handle, rub a little oil onto your hands and then take a teaspoon of the mixture and roll into a ball.

3. Once shaped like a ball roll in the desired topping, I chose chocolate and Christmas sprinkles but you could use coconut, cocoa powder, crushed biscuits anything you like. Place in some petit four cases and serve, or you could wrap in little boxes and give as gifts.

What is your favourite Christmas treat?

Stretchkins Review

We have acquired many soft toys over the years but none have caused as much of a stir as the Stretchkins we were sent recently.

Stretchkins aren't just something to hug and cuddle, they are also a great way to get children to be active. With straps on their hands and feet the Stretchkins really live up the their name and stretch so as your children move, they move too.

They stretch up to about four feet but also offer some resistance, so they are exercising little arms and legs at the same time.

My daughter has fallen in love with her unicorn, it spends most nights in bed with her but she loves to dance with it and give it lots of hugs!

My son is the same, the poseable legs and arms means they look so life like and can be put in daft positions.

When I first heard about them I thought they were a little gimmicky but I can see their use and both of the children have used them for their intended purpose.

I think they're the perfect Christmas present and are currently on offer in Argos at £30 for two.

NB: We were sent two Stretchkins for review, however all words and opinions are my own.

A Novel Gift Review

I love bunting, it is a simple yet effective way of making a space look pretty and can brighten up a dull wall too.

So when I was offered a piece of beautiful bunting from A Novel Gift I looked forward to finding a new home for it somewhere in the house.

You can choose from several different books and several coloured threads and ribbons so you can personalise your bunting, I went for Sherlock Holmes as we love watching Elementary and Sherlock.

I chose purple thread and ribbons to go with our bedroom and also our dining room so I could choose between the two places to hang it.

In the end though I put it in the bedroom  above the bed, where it looks stunning and really breaks up what is currently an empty wall.

I really love the bunting, if you know someone that loves books this would make a great gift, it would also make the perfect bunting for a wedding or party.

Being made from old books it is the perfect up-cycled piece and is handmade to order, so you know you are getting something unique.

It's really light so can be secured with blu-tak or if you have some I used wash tape, it not only secures it perfectly but looks great too.

The bunting is £12 and has 10 flags on it, each with a button or ribbon in the centre. I absolutely love this bunting and have enjoyed reading the snippets of the book on each page

As well as this beautiful bunting, you can also find some gorgeous unique cards and prints all book themed. Laura who owns and makes these beautiful items also has a wonderful blog, it's a really lovely read so if you like to find new blogs to look at then do pop on over and say 'hi'.

Supporting Small Businesses this Spring - Poppy Sparkles

It is my mother in laws 60th birthday on Sunday and since my husband is away it is left to me to sort out her present.

I had been wanting to buy myself something from Poppy Sparkles for a while so this gave me the perfect opportunity, whilst also supporting a small business.

For my mother in law I chose this gorgeous Pearl and Peridot Pendant, although it isn't her birthstone I think the green will go great against her skin and suit her hair colour.

For me I chose these two gorgeous bracelets, yellow for a pop of summer colour and I adore the turquoise teamed with the gorgeous pearls I think they are simple and lovely, plus pearl is my birthstone.

I ordered on Sunday night and they arrived this morning, what better service can there be? With shipping only £1.50 for the first item and free for the rest this was a darn site easier and cheaper than traipsing into town with two children.

Plus they were beautifully wrapped in tissue paper and within that a gorgeous organza bag with little paper hearts....plus a little heart lollipop in the packet.

This is one reason I love buying from independents, they always put a lovely personal stamp on it and for me the washi tape the parcel was sealed in and lovely note really made my day. Thank you Viv :)

Supporting Small Businesses this Christmas - Knot Just Jigs

I have bought many things from Knot Just Jigs, not just because Toniann who owns it is lovely but because the toys are fabulous.

As I have said before there is nothing sadder than hearing a toy where the batteries are going. With wooden and fabric there is none of that, all you need is some good old fashioned imagination.

We have just bought this gorgeous Alfie the Elf from her as a little Christmas friend for my son.

We bought all of our daughters party bag gifts from her too, which went down a treat including these fab wooden castanets.

And if you want personalised she can do that too, from bags to bunting, dolls to owls. Toniann has made a taggy for my daughter and a book bag for a friends little girl. They were both gorgeous and unique and just that little bit different.

If you are local to Nottingham you might be able to catch her at a local craft fair, but you can order online at www.knowjustjigs.co.uk too.

Christmas Goodies

Ok, ok so I know it is still a little early for Christmas but I need to start thinking about it now otherwise I won't ever do anything!

Now, whether I decide to give these as gifts or offer them to family and friends at our annual Christmas Eve open house I am not sure.

So far we have Florentines, I have tried a couple of recipes now and I am not sure which I prefer so need to try them out on hubby when he gets home. Either way I am in love and I think this is my new fave over cupcakes!

Next is my husbands favourite, chocolate covered marzipan. Nothing say's Christmas more than marzipan right?

I really must get on and do the apple chutney so that will be next, watch this space.

A little book that made me smile...

So I have mentioned a few times about suffering with PND after my son was born with it I lost the ability to see the little things and this book really helped me.

In it are lots of little ideas and things to do that aren't just visits to the park. Little quotes that are uplifting and often had me in tears.

It's probably the reason I just chose to spend time with my daughter and enjoy 'her' rather than trying to make it to baby groups and compare baby poo and how great their baby slept through the night.

Although it is nice going to baby groups and talking to other mums sometimes I would just find myself getting wound up, and with my son around as well it wasn't always possible to take him and it would just become more hassle!

I still made sure I saw my best friend from work once a month and go to the hairdressers to have a wash and cut. If I am out and about I would take time to talk to people who ask about my children rather than being in a rush.

I would go for long walks and sit chatting to her rather than being in a rush to be somewhere on time and then get stressed about it!

So what is this book, it is called things to do now that you're a mum...

A couple of my favourite excerpts are...

'Babies spend a lot of time sky gazing, so join in!. Lie back and relax as you watch the clouds vaporize and float across the sky. See what faces, shapes or animals you can make out in the cloud formations. Teach your baby to find magic in the natural world.'

'On a clear night, wrap yourself and baby up warm and step outside to watch the stars'

'Take an enchanted early morning walk in a dew filled garden. There are some advantages to getting up early with a baby!'

'Even if your child pretends not to care, they do look up to you. So try to 'walk your alk' and be a positive role model in all that you do.'

and my favourite one...

'Take your baby on a 'date'. Dress up and have lunch in a restaurant you've always wanted to go to.'

They are just little things that sometimes with sleepless nights you forget exist or with busy lives you literally don't have time to stop and smell the roses.

I think it would make a great new mum gift or mothers day gift for a new mum as it is lovely, even as a second time mum with a one year old I still find little things in it that I do with my children.