Gro Clock Review

The GroClock or the Gro"miracle"Clock as we call it, has to be one of the best purchases we have made!  Little Owl has always been a bit of a rubbish sleeper, completely unable to self settle until she was nearly two and always much happier in our bed!

The first major break through with her sleep came when we took the side off of her cot.  Over the space of a few short weeks we went from needing to lie with her until she fell into a deep sleep before transferring her to her cot, to letting her climb into her 'bed', tucking her up, giving her a kiss goodnight and leaving the room.

That was the first miracle.  We were so delighted to have our evenings back that we didn't mind if Little Owl woke early.  She would never resettle, so once awake was back in our bed but that was ok.  It was huge progress.  But eventually Little Owl got into a habit of waking at 5:45 and then wouldn't go back to sleep even in our bed.  

Over time this took its toll so I decided it was time to try a GroClock.  I did worry that at two and a quarter Little Owl was too young for this but anything was worth a go!

The clock was quite a bit smaller than I thought it would be, comes with a user guide, a plug and a small story book.  It was easy to set up, we needed to tell the clock what the time was, and what time we wanted the sun to come up.  We decided to set the sun for 6am on the first morning as that would give us an extra 15 minutes sleep but not push it too far with Little Owl.

We tucked Little Owl into bed with the sun still shining on her clock, she was very excited.  I read her the story of Percy Pig, of how he was so boring because he got up before the sun.  Part way through the story the book tells you to press the button on the clock to make the stars come out.  The story continues to say how Percy Pig's friends bought him a GroClock and because he doesn't get up until the sun, he is now full of fun!

Little Owl woke us at 6:20am with the words  "THE SUNS OUT!". Wow. That was over half an hour later than we had had in weeks!  So the next morning we set it for 6:05am and Little Owl didn't wake until 6:50!!!  

The third night we didn't get to bed until late as we had been to the Bike Race so I set the clock for 7am full of hope.  Little Owl woke us at 5:45.  I was gutted.  As I staggered into her room half asleep, I found Laural Cat in there looking shifty.  Little Owl told me "the suns not out" and laid back down and didn't wake up again until after 7! 

And so it has continued.  When Papa Owl went away climbing for a week, I set the clock for 8am and it works!  We do that on the weekends too and its great to get a little extra sleep.  The GroClock has been a real miracle!

After a few weeks, I felt brave enough to try the clock with day time naps too.  Little Owl has never been convinced these are a good idea, and they have always involved me lying with her until she slept. I can't say that she is too over the moon at the idea but it has worked.  

My only 'room for improvement' on the clock is that the naps also work on times, which means, if like me, you don't live your life by the clock, there's lots of fiddling to do at the time when your toddler is running around shouting "I dont wanna sleep".  I would like to see the day time nap setting have the ability to set for a length of time for example an hour, rather than a specific time.

Actually, I do have one more suggestion - a remote control or the ability to make the sun rise via an app on your phone because sometimes you realise that you have messed up and if you wait for the sun to rise, there isn't time for breakfast before swimming!

Five Little Ghosts - a book review

With the rain at the weekend it finally feels like autumn is here! As Little Owl is only two, I still feel like every season and holiday is new to her each year, we've had our first bonfire of the season and will be going to a few more over the coming weeks.  One of my favourites is Staplecross as it falls on the nearest Saturday to Halloween, meaning all the local kids dress up for the event.

I was really excited when the folk at Little Tiger sent me a copy of Five Little Ghosts to review.  Five Little Ghosts is a cute rhyming tale.  I wasn't sure how a Halloween themed book aimed at toddlers would work, but its great.  There are ghosts and spiders and bats and cats, but the only time it gets a bit spooky is when the ghosts are scared by a little white mouse (and so they run back into their house).

The first thing I notice about this book is the quality of the cover.  Its sort of squidgy which I think means over time, will stop the book from getting that worn look around the edges.  Its also a great size.  Little Owl has taken to sleeping with her favourite books recently which makes this square board book perfect for night time cuddles!

We have been counting things recently, and for some reason Little Owl likes to go "one two three four seven eight nine ten!" so anything to encourage the number five is great! All five ghosts feature on every page giving lots of counting opportunities.  Something I look for in books for Little Owl is a recurring image for her to look for on each page and this book has 3!  There's a frog, spider and cat that are hidden on each page, which I use to encourage Little Owl to look at the book herself. 

This is a fun book, that is good quality and will bring joy to any toddler.

I was sent a copy of Five Little Ghosts for the purpose of this review.  However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hotel Regina, Ypres - A Review

With just under 24 hours in Ypres, we needed somewhere central to stay!  My preferred site for booking hotels is hotels.com I used it for all of the hotels we stayed in on our train trip to Hong Kong, and its always got us great rooms at fantastic prices.  I grabbed an old copy of the Belgium Lonely Planet from my shelf so I could check out their recommendations too, and use their map to see where places were.  Inside the planet I found 105 euros! It must have been left from a trip we did years ago - we didn't even stay in Belgium, just passed through, but it was enough for our hotel on this trip, so thank you past selves for being so casual with your cash!

A hotel that appeared on both hotels.com and the planet was Hotel Regina.  Its located on the central square, right opposite the In Flanders Field Museum and just down the road from the Menin Gate.  At

€95 for the night, we still had some cash left for a beer!  Thanks again past selves!

Like everywhere else in Ypres, the shadow of the war is part of the fabric of the building.  However, it was in WWII that the hotel was used to help the repatriation of allied airmen.

A down side to its central locations is that there is no specific parking for the hotel itself.  However, it wasn't a problem to find street parking nearby which was free on a Sunday but it did mean we had to put money on the meter first thing Monday morning.  If you are staying longer, I'm sure there would be free parking a short walk away and you can get a ticket for half and hour free which would be enough to unload the car.

 

The staff couldn't have been friendlier and more helpful.  When it turned out that a bed hadn't been provided for Little Owl, the reception staff themselves came up with one.  The room was plenty large enough to take the put up bed, along side the generous double bed.  Our room looked directly onto the square.  The 'original' features made it hard believe that this hotel, along with most of Ypres had been lovingly rebuilt after being destroyed in the First World War.

Breakfast was served in the bar area, which made for a relaxed experience in comfy chairs rather than a formal dining room.  There was cereals, cold meats and cheese, bread and a selection of pastries, and a rather attentive man keeping our coffee cups topped up!

If you are heading to Ypres, I highly recommend Hotel Regina.

Owlfit of the Week

I like to think of this Owlfit as Little Owl's surfette beach outfit!  Its a bit of a mis-mash but I love it!  The hat you have seen before and is from H&M as are the shorts - although really they are trousers aged 12 months!  

The t-shirt is from Me&i and features different coloured peace buses.  I really love this t-shirt - I'm a fan of yellow anyway but with the retro buses (which look remarkably similar to a certain popular campervan) and the brown trim round the neck this is just super cool.  However, I have noticed that if I don't pair it up with something obviously girly, then people do mistake Little Owl for a boy!  Hence the pink hoody which was a hand-me-down.  It isn't something I would have bought but actually I think it compliments this outfit beautifully.

And then we have the Livie and Luca sandals! 

With the recent hot weather, Little Owl has been living in these.  As well as looking beautiful, they are super practical too.  They are sturdy enough for Little Owl to go on the beach, or to climb up muddy banks, and although I was a little precious about them when I first got them, they really can handle getting dirty or even wet without showing any signs of wear!  If you haven't already tried Livie and Luca then do so - although I warn you - once you have bought a pair - there's no going back!

El Camino Bracelet Review

Sometimes you come across a product and think "I NEED this in my life".  I'm not sure how I stumbled across the blog that was reviewing them, it was a travel blog and as a whole I don't read them for fear of itchy feet and the green eyed monster appearing.

Maybe it was meant to be.

Let me explain.  El Camino bracelets are a modern take on a charm bracelet (something I've always wanted).  They do 3 types of beads (or steps as they call them), there are country steps and small steps (for cities and smaller areas) which are both made from surgical grade stainless steel and have the place engraved on them. You can also order customised steps with up to 32 characters on. And then there are regional steps, made from glass to represent different regions in the world.

The bracelets themselves come in seven different colours and are made of strong cord, meaning they are tough enough for the most adventurous traveller or your average toddler!

These bracelets appealed to me on SO many levels!  I'd get the charm bracelet I'd always wanted, I wouldn't have to feel sad that I didn't have something from each country I've visited to hang on it, it appealed to the traveller in me as well as the collector!

I just had to have one and started stalking El Camino on Facebook and Twitter! They are very nice people and always replied to me!  I entered every competition they had running but still no luck. I berated the fact I was born in December and had so long to wait for the present giving season!

And then I remembered... I still hadn't spent the vouchers I was given as a leaving gift from work last year!  What a perfect present!

My next challenge was to decide what to buy.  The bracelets come as single or doubles in 7 different colours.  You can buy a stater pack of a bracelet and two country steps at a discounted rate of £34.99 as well as 4 country steps for £26.99 (usual price of £8.99 each).

So I could either buy 10 country steps or 6 countries, a small step and a region.

I listed out all the countries I had been to in order from when I first started going abroad without my parents at 13.  I got well over 20 and realised later that I had missed some. I crossed out England, Scotland and Wales plus anywhere I had only spent a night or two or for some reason hadn't been all that significant and managed to whittle it down to 10.

So here they are:

1. Netherlands I have been to Holland many times. This is where I went on my first international trip with the Guides as well as on a town twinning trip and a school trip. Papa Owl's family are from Holland and so we have been several times together.

2 Australia. This was my first major trip - somehow I persuaded my mother to let me go and visit my brother for 6 weeks when I was just 16!

3 Mexico I spent a glorious summer working at the Guide centre Our Cabana.

4 India oh my beloved India. Can't believe its over 3 months since I came home.

5 Egypt. This is the only time I have gone on a 'tour'.  I was single at the time and had no one to go away with and so booked onto a trip with Explore. It was brilliant, very much an ethical travel mindset rather than tourists.

6 USA.  I have been to the states 3 times.  My first visit was to New York in September 2001.    Not the best time to be there and I hope to go back sometime.  I have also visited friends in Dallas, Texas and had a great time. And most recently, Papa Owl and I enjoyed our honeymoon in Hawaii.

7. Hong Kong.  My first visit was shortly after my best friend emigrated, but its also significant of a much bigger trip I took when Papa Owl and I travelled by train from Hastings all the way to Hong Kong.

8. Russia. Papa Owl and I spent a few days in Moscow before getting on the Trans-Siberian (well Trans-Mongolian to be precise).  St Basil's Cathedral in the Red Square is simply breathtaking.

9 Mongolia. We hopped of the train for a week here and Papa Owl could have stayed!  

10 South Africa. I took a group of Senior Section (big Girl Guides) to South Africa as part of the centenary celebrations in 2010. 

Imagine.  All of that on just one bracelet.

I couldn't wait for it to arrive and now its here, I love it!  It's really light and easy to forget its there which is what I look for in jewellery - I haven't got time to be selecting what jewellery I wish to wear each day - I want to be able to sleep, eat, bath and entertain Little Owl in whatever I am wearing, and I can certainly do that with this bracelet.

Little Owl likes to spin the beads when she's snuggled on my lap.  I can imagine when she is older, her asking me what each of them says and me telling her tales of my adventures.  I would love Little Owl to have her own bracelet, maybe a bright blue one, starting off with the Netherlands and India and adding to it as she grows.

And of course I want to add to mine, with small steps to give it some definition and regional steps to give it colour! I've even created a wish list on Pinterest so Papa Owl knows which ones I would like!

A Guide to TotsBots Nappies

We love TotsBots cloth nappies!  Little Owl tried her first one when she was about 3 weeks old and since then we have been hooked!  However, it can be very confusing at to tell the difference between easyfits, tinyfits, bamboozles, papoozles, V2s, V3s, V4s, training pants, fleece liners, paper liners and wraps.  Seeing as it is Real Nappy Week, I thought I would try to explain!

Easyfits

Easyfits are TotsBots signature nappy and have won them many awards over the years.  Easyfits are an "All-in-One" nappy meaning that you don't need a seperate waterproof cover.  They are also "Birth to Potty" meaning that the poppers on the front can be used to adjust the size of the nappy so it can fit babies from 8-35lb.   They really are easy to fit - they open like a disposable nappy but instead of sticky tabs, they have hook and loop (velcro to you and me but as that's a brand name you can't say it).

TotsBots aren't happy with having created an amazing nappy - they keep working on it, listening to customer feedback and trying to improve.  They are currently on version 4 - called the Binky or more commonly the V4.  As V2s and V3s are still available to buy I thought I would give you a quick overview of them all.

V2s contain bamboo which makes them very absorbent.  V3s are make from minky which is a soft fleece like fabric making the nappy much less bulky and very quick drying.  Generally they are not as absorbent as the V2s and many people find they need to add an additional booster if they are going to be on for more than a couple of hours.  This is easy to do and I found it gave us flexibility depending on what Little Owl and I were up to.  V2s and V3s also come with poppers instead of velcro hook and loop which can be handy in the summer with a toddler who can undo the other type. The V4s are brand new and are a best of both worlds being made from a combination of bamboo and minky making them the most absorbent nappy yet but also dry slightly quicker than the V2s.  I have given our V4 the ultimate test of putting it on Little Owl at night and although her skin was slightly damp around the edges, her clothes remained dry!  Another thing I like about the V4s (other than the amazing colour combination) is that it comes with a pop-in booster meaning that while your little one isn't wetting too heavily you can remove it and save on the bulk. When they grow, you can just popper the booster back in and it becomes part of the nappy.


Tinyfits

Tinyfits are well, tiny!  Designed for tiny babies from 5-12lb.  I didn't use these with Little Owl as when she was born I had no intentions of using cloth nappies, but if we are lucky enough to have another baby, I will be stocking up!


Bamboozles

These are one half of the "Two Part System" meaning you also need to add the waterproof wrap.   The whole nappy is made of bamboo and comes with a pop in booster if you need it which makes them a great night time nappy or for very long car journeys (or busy days). The poppers on the front means it is adjustable and fits from 9-35lbs.

Wraps

Wraps are a waterproof outer layer that need to be worn over the bamboozles.  The TotsBots wraps used to come in several sizes, but if you look at the new stretchy wrap on the right, you can see that it has the adjustable poppers on the front meaning that it can also be used from birth to potty.

Training Pants

I love the TotsBots training pants.  Unlike disposable training pants which are actually just nappies that you can pull up, these training pants are a real step between nappies and pants, even if you haven't used cloth nappies.  They have a thin minky liner in them which will absorb a small accident but allow the child to know that they are wet.  They also have side poppers so if they need removing, it can be done like a nappy without the need to take off shoes and trousers!  I have been using them on and off for about a year, I find them particularly useful when I go away without cloth nappies as they can be easily hand washed and dried - they were invaluable in India and I even took them camping last year!


So there you go, that's TotsBots all wrapped up if you will pardon the pun!

There are lots of offers about this week, but once all the fun of Real Nappy Week is over, the code RH10 will get you 15% off if you order on the TotsBots website (excludes Whats New, Clearance and Potion).

Clothkits Pinny Review

 For Christmas, Little Owl and I were given a joint present of a 

Clothkits Babycord Meadow Pinny Kit.

Clothkits is new to me but Papa Owl apparently grew up in it!  The concept is that each kit contains everything you need to make the item - in this case a dress - which is lucky really because the only item I have sewn before was Little Owl's angel costume for the nativity play!

 

Here is what was in my kit - the material with the pattern already marked on it, material for the lining, buttons, labels to make it look professional, the right coloured thread and of course, the much needed instructions!

 This pattern is for ages 1-2, and the different sizes are marked on the pattern.  I really like this concept, for a beginner like me it means I don't have to worry about cutting patterns and pinning and tracing and all the other things that I imagine are involved in dress making!

 

 Here is the dress all cut out including straps, a pocket and a label!

 

 

 Laurel cat wanted to help, but cats really aren't very helpful 

when it comes to sewing as I found out....

 

 

 I then had to use the pieces I had cut out as templates 

for cutting the lining - what a good idea!

  

 

 As a newbie to sewing, I am always surprised how far into a project you are before you actually get the sewing machine out!  I really liked the fact that I got the right coloured cotton with my kit - its the small touches like that which makes Clothkits a much loved brand!

 

 The first bit of sewing was the straps - these were quite easy to do although 

turning them the right way round was a bit tricky!

 I then needed to pin the lining and the straps.  

I was a bit nervous but this was actually ok!

 Unfortunately I got myself in a pickle with the lining - twice!

After this the battery in my camera ran out but I was so determined to finish the dress,

 that I didn't even leave the room for refreshments!

The kit came with 3 buttons, 2 to hold the straps on and one to create a pleat at the back.

However, Clyde cat thought these were great fun to play with and they have never been seen since!

Luckily I had some press studs for another project that I never actually started, and with the aid of a mallet, managed to attach them to the dress!

It worked out well as I think the press studs look ace

 and I haven't the foggiest how to do button holes!

You can also see on this picture where I have 'top stitched' - you see I'm learning all the terms!

Just a pocked to add and all is good!

 

 Now you remember that 3rd button to go on the back?  That needed two button holes and well, I wasn't feeling that brave and also wasn't sure if it was really needed... but it turns out it is!  Without it the straps keep falling down.  I've cheated here too - I bought some small press studs to create the same pleat at the back.

Overall I think the kit, its contents and instructions are brilliant.  It includes everything you need to make the item as long as you can stop the cats from stealing them!  The instructions are easy to follow although as I've proved, not fall proof!  As I've shown, a beginner can pick it up and end up with a dress, an experienced sewer will end up with a  perfect dress!

I enjoyed doing this kit so much that I've now bought the Hat and Bag Kit to match!

Cross Mondays Week #4 Historical Sampler Review

After 4 weeks of working on my cross stitch I thought it was about time I reviewed the kit.  Its brilliant but I'm guessing you want more detail with that!

The first thing I noticed about the kit was that instead of coming in a plastic wallet with a hook to hang it from in shops, it is presented in a gift bag.  Initially I just thought that this looked nice but it has been brilliant.  It comfortably stores the complete kit as well as my hoop, scissors and any other odd bits I throw in there.   The other bonus is that it has a picture of the design on the outside which is really useful for referring to, particularly when I've been doing the border to check how many flowers there are.  As the bag stands up on its own, it means I can just sit it on the table next to me and keep glancing at it.

The instructions which came with the kit are good, there's enough information for a beginner to get started, but not too much to get bogged down in, although perhaps a diagram or two might help.  The pattern itself is easy to follow.  Instead of using squares, dots and triangles as codes for the different colours, they use letters - simple and very easy to follow, it makes me wonder why others don't do this.  The only slight critisism I have of the pattern, is that there's no overlap between sheets.  Other patterns I've used have a 5 square overlap which makes it very easy to move between sheets.  However, they did include a sheet of square paper for you to work out the spacing on the letters which is really useful.

I've already mentioned how they've used letters for the colours and this is transferred to the thread-holders where not only the letters but the colour name and DMC number are printed.  The best bit is that the threads were already hung on the cards in the correct places!  This was brilliant, I can't tell you the time that is spent before you can get going on a project sorting out colours, trying to decide if you are looking at bright green or spring green!

So last week I left you on a bit of a cliff hanger, would the border match when I got back round to the top or not?  I was very impatient to find out and put in quite a few hours this week to find out one way or another!

  

It matched PERFECTLY!!!

So here it is on week 4, a complete (and perfect) border, and I've started filling in at the bottom.  But its still in the same bright green and I'm getting a little bored of it!  I'm also not sure on where I'm going to fit in Little Owl's date of birth.  I keep going back and forth on what to do, and I think I've come to the conclusion that I need to find out how much space I have to fit Little Owl's name into, and then find a font that will fit.  Then, using a complimenting but smaller font, work out how much space I need for her date of birth, and finally find a space on the pattern to make it fit!

Don't expect much progress next week as all of this is going to take some working out!

Canvas Design Review & Competition

I was really excited to be given the opportunity to review a canvas from Canvas Design.  I love taking photographs and have many photos from my travels on the walls, but I hadn't got round to putting any of Little Owl up.

That then became an issue - only just back from India I had some lovely shots of her there, but I also had some older photos which I loved too... I just couldn't decide.  So I didn't.  Instead I opted to have a Photo Collage.

Having (finally) chosen my photos, I emailed them to Canvas Design and waited. I didn't have to wait long, the next day I received an email with 3 different options for my collage.  It was really nice to think that someone had taken the time and effort to edit and arrange my photos and all the options looked great.  I made my selection and waited.

The canvas was delivered by Interlink which meant I received two texts, the first telling me which day the my parcel would come, and the second on the morning of delivery giving me a one hour time slot - perfect!

 The canvass arrived well packaged in bubble wrap and corrugated cardboard.

Little Owl was as excited as me to open the package!

And here it is!

I love it!

And Little Owl?

She loved the cardboard!

The canvas I received was 22x18 inches in size, it is printed on 100% cotton canvas and stretched by hand onto a wooden pine frame.  I am very impressed with the quality, the back of the frame looks almost as perfect as the front!

I'm delighted to be able to offer one lucky reader a chance to win a photo canvas for themselves.  You can have a photograph of your choice printed on a standard canvas of any size.  Entry is via the Rafflecopter below and is for UK residents only.

If you aren't lucky enough to win you can still get 15% off your first order using the code BLOG15.  This is a great offer,  as the canvas prints start at just £5.99 for a 6"x6" frame.  Be sure to take a look!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was sent one free canvas for the purpose of this review but all opinions are my own.