Author Archives: Frostie

The Hape Anywhere Art Studio

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Frost loves the Hape Anywhere Art Studio. This tabletop art studio is double sided. One side is a chalk board and the other end is a magnetic whiteboard. You can also have a piece of paper on it with the Hape magnetic. It looks fab and keeps children entertained for hours. Highly recommended. It comes with 2 pieces chalk, 1 eraser and 1 magnetic wood piece.

Play with colors. Use crayons to learn the names of new shades.

The Hape Anywhere Art Studio worth £32.49 from Amazon. Suitable for 3 Years + 

 

The Cube by Strictly Briks Review

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Frost loves The Cube. It is a brick building set and storage container. You just put the pieces together to make your cube. Once you have your cube you can use it as a container, or, even better, use it for lego or mega blocks and build, build, build. It works with pretty much any brand name building bricks and is perfect for children and adults alike. Such a brilliant idea.THE CUBE by Strictly Briks. This Brick Building Set and Storage Container has 6 Interconnecting Double Sided Large and Small Peg Plates sized 6.5″ x 6.5″ x 6.5″.

Introducing a totally new way to play. “The Cube” by Strictly Briks, allows “kids” young and old to build in all directions without limitations by creating 3 dimensional scenes! The Cube plates are interchangeable, allowing for endless creativity! For big “kids”, add some fun to your desk! Use The Cube for storage and organization of bricks, toys, or other items.

Strictly Briks® classic building bricks play nice with other toys and are 100% guaranteed to be compatible with all major brands. Our classic size products are a guaranteed tight fit with any standard size building bricks, no matter what existing brand of building bricks or construction brick sets your child already owns.

THE CUBE by Strictly Briks is available to buy online from Amazon.co.uk for £15.99

Frost Loves LittleLife Backpacks

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Children seem to come with a lot of paraphernalia. Even when they are out of nappies and off to nursery. No parent wants to go out without a snack and some crayons. Frost loves the LittleLife Toddler Backpack. Fun and fabulous, they also come with a detachable Parents Safety Rein. The backpacks make your tot feel independent but the reins and the great handle on top give safety. This brilliant backpack is a rather cool unicorn. There are other styles available. Frost recommends.

Unicorn Toddler Backpack. Ideal for both nursery and family days out and about, the Unicorn Toddler Backpack doubles as an approved British Safety Rein, perfect for helping mini-explorers to find their feet.

 

The ultimate choice for unicorn-mad children (and their parents!), the magical new backpack features a pretty rainbow and star pattern paired with a special, sparkly silver horn and fluffy pink wings. Retaining all of the much-loved features usually found in a LittleLife Toddler Backpack, the bag has a 2-litre zipped compartment that can be used to store toys, an extra layer or a snack for days out and about. A name and address label on the interior of the backpack means it is less likely to go astray at pre-school or nursery.

 

Designed to comfortably fit children aged between 1-3, the Unicorn Toddler Backpack features fully adjustable and padded shoulder straps in a striking ice-blue colour. These are combined with a pink chest strap that can be tightened securely to prevent the backpack from slipping off little shoulders. Offering parental security without impacting on your toddler’s newfound independence, the backpack comes with a detachable Parents Safety Rein that transforms the fun bag into a BSEN-approved set of reins.

 

The Safety Rein can be clipped on when greater control is needed, yet detached to allow them to toddle free when desired. For even greater practicality, the backpack has a top grab handle – perfect for balancing children as they learn to walk.

 

For more information about the Unicorn Toddler Backpack visit  www.littlelife.com.

 

How to Work Out What You Want in Your Love Life

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In our fast-paced modern world, it’s all too easy for our romantic relationships to be shelved in favour of our careers, our hobbies, and our ambitions, yet there comes a time in most people’s lives where we don’t want to be alone anymore. We want all of the things that we’ve worked for and earned, and we want something else too: that cherry on the top that we call contentment.

On the most basic level, what we wish for is someone who will make us happy. We desire a person that will be the missing piece of our puzzle, making everything better and more beautiful just by being there. Someone who will support us, give us succor, and be as proud of our successes as they are of their own.

Finding that someone is the hard part, of course, which is why we’ve written this article. Helping you to identify exactly what it is that you want and need from a potential partner might just allow you to find that special someone who will give you everything you ever dreamed of…

Think about what made you happy in the past

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Source: Max Pixel

Although lots of us find it hard to pin down what our perfect partner looks like on paper, we often have a better idea of what we want than we realise. One of the best and easiest ways to gain some much-needed clarity is by having a good, long think about what it is that’s made us happiest in the past. Which prior relationships made you the most contented, and what was it about that special someone that made you feel that way? Once you know that, you know what you ought to be looking for in another, whether it’s a hobby in common or just a shared love of cuddling.

Ask yourself why previous relationships didn’t work

In the same way that we can learn from our successes, we can learn from our failures too. Relationships tend to end for a reason, so it’s usually a good idea to avoid dating those who have certain things in common with past partners. Did long distance just not work for you? Then use the search criteria on sites like Badoo to refine your results and find someone closer to home. Struggled to balance professional success with spending enough time with your partner? Then look for someone who has similar priorities when it comes to balancing their career with their commitment to you. Be brutally honest about the mistakes made by both parties and it will be much easier to avoid repeating them in the future.

Make a list

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Source: Max Pixel

We also recommend that you make a list of the qualities you want from a partner. It’s okay to be entirely open with yourself here so, if not liking dogs is a no-no for you, include ‘dog lover’ amongst your criteria. No matter how insignificant or silly your desires might seem, if they’re important to you, they’re going to have an impact on the success of any future relationships, so pop them beside a bullet point. Age, personality traits, and even preferred physical characteristics are all worth noting and should help to make you much more self-aware and successful the next time you try your hand at dating.

What are you waiting for? Work out what you want today and get ready to go for it!

 

The Ancient Celts Second Edition Book Review

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Fierce warriors and skilled craftsmen, the Celts were famous throughout the Ancient Mediterranean World. They were the archetypal barbarians from the north and were feared by both Greeks and Romans. For two and a half thousand years they have continued to fascinate those who have come into contact with them, yet their origins have remained a mystery and even today are the subject of heated debate among historians and archaeologists.

Barry Cunliffe’s classic study of the ancient Celtic world was first published in 1997. Since then huge advances have taken place in our knowledge: new finds, new ways of using DNA records to understand Celtic origins, new ideas about the proto-urban nature of early chieftains’ strongholds, All these developments are part of this fully updated , and completely redesigned edition.

Cunliffe explores the archaeological reality of these bold warriors and skilled craftsmen of barbarian Europe who inspired fear in both the Greeks and the Romans. He investigates the texts of the classical writers and contrasts their view of the Celts with current archaeological findings. Tracing the emergence of chiefdoms and the fifth- to third-century migrations as far as Bosnia and the Czech Republic, he assesses the disparity between the traditional story and the most recent historical and
archaeological evidence on the Celts.

Other aspects of Celtic identity such as the cultural diversity of the tribes, their social and religious systems, art, language and law, are also examined. From the picture that emerges, we are – crucially – able to distinguish between the original Celts, and those tribes which were ‘Celtized’, giving us an invaluable insight into the true identity of this ancient people.

This book is an excellent and thorough look into the lives of the ancient Celts. It is both accessible and well-researched. Recommended. 

The Ancient Celts is available here. 

 

Italian Cuisine: The Ultimate Food for Your Brain and Palate

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Source: Pixabay

Italian cuisine is well-loved by people all over the world. Ask anyone what their favourite food is and you would likely hear them say some or all of these–pasta, pizza, tiramisu, and gelato–all of which originated in Italy. Italian food is usually very simple, consisting of very few ingredients but are cooked with love and passion, and served among family and friends, Italy being known for its strong family culture.

While cheese would probably be one of the main reasons why Italian food is such a crowd pleaser (who can resist cheese?), one of the many reasons why people should eat more of this Mediterranean cuisine is the fact that Italian food is actually good for your brain. Much of the basic ingredients that are present in Italian dishes are good for your overall health and can reduce the risk of heart diseases, diabetes, obesity, and other critical illnesses but, in particular, Italian food helps maintain healthy brain cells as we age, preventing cognitive impairment and memory loss.

Olive Oil 

Olive oil is rich in brain-protective antioxidants. Our brain uses about 20% of your total oxygen intake, which makes it vulnerable to oxidation caused by free radicals. In simple terms, our brain is like a cut apple that turns brown when oxidation occurs. Olive oil contains over 30 phenolic compounds that are powerful antioxidants that offset this effect on our brain. It is also rich in vitamins E and K, which have been proven to be good for brain health. Vitamin E helps maintain good memory and prevent mental decline as we age, while vitamin K helps keep the brain sharp and boosts brain processing speed. Vitamin K is also proven to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Source: Pixabay

Fresh Tomatoes

What Italian dish doesn’t have tomatoes? Very few, actually. All-time Italian favourites like spaghetti, pizza, calzone, and insalata caprese all have this fresh ingredient that is packed with potent antioxidants called carotenoids, such as lycopene and beta-carotene, that are proven to help protect brain cells from free radicals. Tomatoes are said to also help prevent dementia. Aside from its antioxidant powers, lycopene also regulates genes that cause inflammation and brain growth, helping to prevent cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.

Truffles

Another great source of vitamin K is truffles, which are often included as basic ingredients in spaghetti and risotto. Aside from functioning as brain booster, truffles are said to be effective in preventing dementia and alleviating depression. They are also said to contain a certain “bliss molecule”, which positively affects one’s mood, appetite, and memory. Truffles are also a good source of protein, which is a key nutrient in brain optimization, which is why people recovering from a brain injury are required to eat protein-rich foods.

Thanks to Italian cuisine, eating food that’s both delicious and good for our brain is possible. Every item on an Italian restaurant menu is always a great choice, so the next time you want to eat out or order food for delivery, order Italian!

 

Perfect For Summer: The Thumbs Up Roller Wheel | Fun For Children

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fun for kids, roller wheel, rolling wheelFrost loves this roly-poly wheel that is perfect for summer. This inflatable kid-sized Roller Wheel has been designed with roly-poly fun in mind! It’s the perfect size for youngsters to climb through or roll around in and is suitable for use both indoors and out.
Complete with a collection of colourful balls inside that jiggle and bounce around as the wheel rotates, this interactive toy really captures kids’ imaginations. What’s more, because it’s made from durable inflatable plastic, it’s suitable for use both indoors and out – just be sure to use it on the grass if you’re outside to avoid any potential punctures.
As well as being brilliant fun, the Roller Wheel also helps children sharpen skills like coordination, cooperative play, physical strength, visual and auditory stimulation and more. Plus, because it comes with pump that makes inflating it easy, you won’t get out of puff before the playing begins!

 

  • Inflatable Roller Wheel is designed for kids to climb through or roll around in
  • Suitable for use both indoors and out
  • Holds up to 80 pounds (approx 5 stone 7pounds / 36kg)
  • 39 inch inner diameter
  • Do not use on or near public roads
  • Do not use on or near to water

The Thumbs Up Roller Wheel Costs £33.18 from Amazon.co.uk

Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the new science of the human past

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The past few years have witnessed a revolution in our ability to obtain DNA from ancient humans. This important new data has added to our knowledge from archaeology and anthropology, helped resolve long-existing controversies, challenged long-held views, and thrown up remarkable surprises. The emerging picture is one of many waves of ancient human migrations, so that all populations living today are mixes of ancient ones, and often carry a genetic component from archaic humans. David Reich, whose team has been at the forefront of these discoveries, explains what genetics is telling us about ourselves and our complex and often surprising ancestry. Gone are old ideas of any kind of racial âpurity.' Instead, we are finding a rich variety of mixtures. Reich describes the cutting-edge findings from the past few years, and also considers the sensitivities involved in tracing ancestry, with science sometimes jostling with politics and tradition. He brings an important wider message: that we should recognize that every one of us is the result of a long history of migration and intermixing of ancient peoples, which we carry as ghosts in our DNA. What will we discover next?

This is a fascinating and well researched book. An Amazon No 1 Bestseller and it is easy to see why. 

The past few years have witnessed a revolution in our ability to obtain DNA from ancient humans. This important new data has added to our knowledge from archaeology and anthropology, helped resolve long-existing controversies, challenged long-held views, and thrown up remarkable surprises.

The emerging picture is one of many waves of ancient human migrations, so that all populations living today are mixes of ancient ones, and often carry a genetic component from archaic humans. David Reich, whose team has been at the forefront of these discoveries, explains what genetics is telling us about ourselves and our complex and often surprising ancestry. Gone are old ideas of any kind of racial âpurity.’ Instead, we are finding a rich variety of mixtures. Reich describes the
cutting-edge findings from the past few years, and also considers the sensitivities involved in tracing ancestry, with science sometimes jostling with politics and tradition. He brings an important wider message: that we should recognize that every one of us is the result of a long history of migration and
intermixing of ancient peoples, which we carry as ghosts in our DNA.

What will we discover next?

Available here.