Are You Watching? Book Review

Posted on January 26, 2020 by Catherine Balavage

This crime thriller from Vincent Ralph is that publishers dream: a YA novel that adults will love too. It is a modern novel with mixes social media and crime, and then combines it with skill and excellent pace. I raced through this book, practically breathless to get to the end. Full stars.

A page-turning new YA thriller for the social media age, perfect for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and One Of Us Is Lying.

Ten years ago, Jess’s mother was murdered by the Magpie Man.

She was the first of his victims, but not the last.

Now Jess is the star of a YouTube reality series and she’s using it to catch the killer once and for all.

The whole world is watching her every move.

And so is the Magpie Man.

Are you Watching is available here.

Emily Watson: Help Maternity Worldwide continue to save lives in childbirth

Posted on December 9, 2019 by Catherine Balavage

Actress Emily Watson (Chernobyl, Apple Tree Yard) explains that not every birth is a time of comfort and joy.

Emily is encouraging people to donate to maternal health charity Maternity Worldwide this Christmas, after first supporting it as her chosen charity on the BBC Radio 4 Appeal in 2018. This year, you can buy an exclusive donation gift certificate for only £27 and help save a mother’s life. She says:

‘To me, Christmas means catching up with family and making time to enjoy each other’s company. Too many children in low-income countries will be without their mother this Christmas because of needless deaths in childbirth and the inability to access the standard of medical care we take for granted in the UK. Since 2002, Maternity Worldwide has been working to ensure that every woman, regardless of where she lives, can give birth safely and without fear. I would like to encourage you to donate to the Maternity Worldwide Christmas appeal, and help them continue to save lives in childbirth.’

‘As a mother, I am deeply concerned that in countries like Malawi, Ethiopia and Uganda pregnancy and childbirth are putting women’s lives at risk.’

‘There are still so many women who don’t have facilities close at hand. Maternity Worldwide needs your support to help save more lives.’

Every year 287,000 women die in childbirth. 99% of reported deaths are in low-income countries. Many women die after long, dangerous journeys, trying to give birth in makeshift buildings without the help of a midwife, and with no pain relief, antibiotics or proper sanitation. A modern-day stable in the UK may in fact be a warmer, safer and more comfortable place to deliver a baby than some of the facilities in sub-Saharan Africa.

Most deaths can be avoided easily and cheaply through measures which are readily available in the UK. But good quality healthcare for many of the world’s women is unaffordable or inaccessible.

Maternity Worldwide is a charity dedicated to saving lives in childbirth by helping women and girls in low-income countries access the high-quality maternal healthcare they need to be able to give birth safely.

Maternity Worldwide are asking people to donate just £27 to their Christmas 2019 Appeal, less than 1% of what a typical UK family will spend in the run-up to the festive season. Supports can donate online, support the charity by buying their exclusive Christmas cards and range of sustainable presents, or by buying Maternity Worldwide’s new 2019 Christmas Gift Certificate, priced at £27.

Maternity Worldwide works to ensure all women, wherever they live, can give birth safely and without fear. Founded by Dr Adrian Brown in 2002, over the past 17 years the charity has worked in eleven low-income countries and our projects have helped save thousands of women from dying unnecessarily in childbirth.

Your readers can help families like our modern-day Mary and Joseph and their baby Earnest by donating just £27 to Maternity Worldwide’s Christmas 2019 Appeal. A donation of any amount will make a huge different but the suggested donation of £27 is less than 1% of the amount a typical household in the UK spends in the run-up to Christmas. This small sum could make a big difference by:
Covering the cost of a safe birth for a mother at a health centre and follow-up care such as a preventative course of antibiotics
Sponsoring a student midwife’s training for a week
Contributing towards the cost of a caesarean delivery for women experiencing difficulties
Helping cover the cost of a bicycle so healthcare workers can reach mothers in remote villages

Please encourage donations to our Christmas 2019 Appeal via the dedicated JustGiving page: https://justgiving.com/campaign/Maternity-Worldwide-Christmas2019

Maternity Worldwide is working to reduce maternal mortality by training midwives and skilled birth attendants, improving access to health centres and hospitals, providing communities with maternal and newborn health information and empowering women to become financially independent and decision makers about their own sexual and reproductive health.

Our mission is to work with communities and our partners to:
identify and develop appropriate and effective ways to reduce maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity
facilitate communities to access high-quality, skilled maternity care
support the provision of high-quality skilled care

Maternity Worldwide is a registered charity no. 1111504 and our registered address is Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton BN1 3XG.

The Last Minute Christmas Gift List

Posted on December 8, 2019 by Catherine Balavage

We cannot recommend the Nanu Hot and Not Duvet enough. You can customise it so one side is hot and the other hot. You can do with this various degrees. I cannot believe no one thought of it before. Martial harmony for Christmas? Yes please.

Available here.

This children’s book from Paul McCartney, and illustrated by Kathryn Durst, is lots of fun and visually stunning. My children loved the story and I have now read it to them more times than I can count. Highly recommended.

Available here.

This Luvabella Newborn is a wonderful toy for boys and girls. It is great for imaginative play and teaching children how to care for babies. It is well made and comes with great accessories.

Available here.

This Moft Laptop stand is a great, and stunning, design. It is easy to use, has adjustable height and attaches and detaches with ease. It is small enough to fit into a stocking making it a perfect Christmas gift.

Available here.

Beats Solo Pro. Sigh. I love beats. You have not heard a song properly until you have heard it through a pair of Beats. They are the headphones of music lovers. These ones in particular have brilliant noise cancelling and they are wireless. This along with 22 hours battery life? Love.

Available here.

Vincent Ralph has written a stunner. A lot of crime thrillers just have women being brutalised and murdered in them. This book is different. Yes, there are murdered women, most notably the murder of the main character’s mother. But this is a feminist crime thriller. It is a modern tale and a riveting read. I could not put these down. My favourite crime book this year.

Available here.

Written by John Foley and Illustrated by Alice Hawthorn, this is a brilliant book and on top of that, all proceeds go to Mencap, the UK’s leading charity for people with a learning disability. A must buy for two reasons.

Available here.

Perky Pear is the original life and shape tape. It is perfect for Christmas parties and beyond. Sweat proof and waterproof, it is made of cotton. It is easy to use when you get the hang of it.

Available here.

Nudea, Fit-Focused Lingerie Rebellion

Posted on December 4, 2019 by Catherine Balavage

Newly launched Nudea, www.nudea.com is a new fit-centric intimates brand offering expertly crafted, comfortable lingerie that fits without compromising on a feminine aesthetic. ‘Nudea’, meaning new goddess, is fuelled by an obsession with fit and inclusivity and embraces the cultural shift away from overtly sexy lingerie to a more modern, body-positive attitude. Appealing to modern-minded women, Nudea offers a wide size range, neutral, contemporary colour palettes and hero styles designed and created for real women with real bodies.

I have tried a pair of their knickers and they are great. They also have a revolutionary tape measure for finding out your real bra size. I find people, even professionals, tend to get it wrong and then you are left wearing an uncomfortable bra which causes welts and pain. See the tape measure here.

Nudea, Fit-Focused Lingerie Rebellion

New Research Reveals Almost 50% of British Women Haven’t Been Measured

For A Bra In Over 5 Years

October 2019 – launching this month, Nudea, www.nudea.com, is a new fit-centric intimates brand offering expertly crafted, comfortable lingerie that fits without compromising on a feminine aesthetic. ‘Nudea’, meaning new goddess, is fuelled by an obsession with fit and inclusivity and embraces the cultural shift away from overtly sexy lingerie to a more modern, body-positive attitude. Appealing to modern-minded women, Nudea offers a wide size range, neutral, contemporary colour palettes and hero styles designed and created for real women with real bodies.

Nudea has conducted extensive research of over 600 British women in a pioneering size and fit research and development process. Highlights of this in-depth research reveal:

Two-thirds of women reported having had a body change (weight loss or gain, pregnancy or surgery) in the previous 6 months, yet less than 20% had been measured for a bra in the past year despite these changes having a direct effect on their bra size.
Almost 50% of women surveyed hadn’t been measured for a bra for over 5 years.
Only 8% of women claimed to have no issue with their bra, which means that 92% see room for improvement.
Only 10% of women measured themselves to the correct size vs. a professional bra fitter. 11% were just one size out but a massive 79% of women were wearing both the wrong band and cup size.
Nudea’s research workshops also revealed that younger shoppers want more modern choices for getting fitted, finding the idea of stripping down in front of a Bra Fitter in a department store old-fashioned and unappealing.
The UK average bra size is 36DD; Nudea’s research sample found 34DD was the most popular size and the 34 and 36 the most popular band sizes.

Nudea CEO and Co-Founder, Priya Downes, comments: “We’re obsessed with fit. For the past two years, we have researched more than 600 amazing women to understand the biggest issues they face when getting fitted, choosing and purchasing a bra. Using this data, we have dissected, re-engineered, fit-tested and wear-tested the 20+ components that make up even the most basic of bras, all with fit and comfort in mind.

We want women to find their fit, no matter their shape or size. By giving women the tools to achieve comfort and style via an online fit quiz, fit parties and Nudea’s bespoke tape measure, women needn’t dread the stuffy, poorly lit fitting room experience any longer.”

Nudea Creative Director and Co-Founder, Sophie Morgenthaler, adds:“Nudea’s mission is simple: to create beautifully crafted, functional underwear that not only fits and looks better, but can be worn throughout the day without compromising on comfort. We really are rebelling against badly fitted lingerie. By marrying the best new high-performance technology fabrics, lightweight hardware and bonding techniques with a design-led aesthetic, we are delivering smooth, invisible and lightweight finishes across Nudea’s debut collections.”

Frost Loves Gola Shoes

Posted on November 19, 2019 by Catherine Balavage

It can be hard to be a mother and be fashionable sometimes. The school run is a rush and sleep deprivation makes everything one hundred times harder. Despite the snark mums sometimes have towards them, it is much easier to be fashionable if you have a uniform. Mine is standard: trainers, jeans and a T shirt. Add on a jumper if cold. It cuts down on life admin and just makes life so much easier. Things can get a bit staid however. Enter Gola trainers. These Gola Classics Orchid II shimmer in particular are so sexy and simple, yet, glamorous. I love them. They add a bit of oomph to your outfit with no effort required. See? Being fashionable may not be that hard after all.

Get yours here: https://www.gola.co.uk

Perfect For Christmas: The Orb Bike Light and Bottle

Posted on November 14, 2019 by Catherine Balavage

We love new ideas at Frost. Innovation excites us. So when we got sent The Orb we were pretty excited. It is a water bottle and bike light. It charges easily via USB and then keeps you safe on the road. This is a great Christmas gift for any cyclists enthusiasts.

The Orb is a bike light and bottle designed for 360° visibility – it helps prevent some of the 1/3 serious cycling accidents that occur from the side. It is also pretty cool and looks stunning.

Innovative bike-startup, Orb, are disrupting the way we think about lighting. Designed in London for the city-slicking cyclist, The Orb uses superbright USB-charged LEDs to illuminate the 700ml bottle, giving your ride 360° visibility and making you unmissable on the roads! Grab yourself one at www.orb.bike/

£29.99

5 Great Ideas For Christmas

Posted on November 13, 2019 by Catherine Balavage

Child’s Farm Baby Bath and Bedtime Case and Festive Hair & Body Wash.

We love Child’s Farm and their fantastic range of organic products for little ones. Their festive wash and new parenting gifting set are perfect presents.

Boots exclusive: Festive Hair & Body Wash

Baby it’s cold outside, but bath time couldn’t be cosier with Childs Farm’s new festive hair & body wash. Featuring packaging worthy of a winter wonderland with a snowball fight between a unicorn and a snowman, the festive edition of this favourite contains sweet orange oil and argan oil. This makes cleaning off dirt a fragrant and festive joy, while also leaving hair shiny and tangle-free and skin wonderfully soft. Suitable for newborns and upwards, it is dermatologist and paediatrician approved as suitable for sensitive skin, and safe for people who may be prone to eczema.

How much does it cost and where can I buy it?

Available exclusively at Boots here and from Childs Farm here – RRP £4.00

Childs Farm new parent gifting set

Not only is this an ideal Christmas gift for new parents, it’s also a great introduction to the baby range, where parents or parents-to-be can try everything that Childs Farm has to offer. The first gift is the baby bath and bedtime suitcase, which comes full of baby essentials, including the baby bedtime bubbles, baby wash, nappy cream, and the baby moisturiser, which has been dubbed by many as a ‘miracle cream’ for sensitive skin.

This beautiful set contains everything new parents need to welcome a little one into the world, knowing their skin will be lovingly cared for. Not only does the baby bath and bedtime suitcase contain these essentials, it also comes with a gift card for two further gift sets. The next set is for mum and baby, including the grapefruit and tea tree hand wash and matching moisturiser to keep hands lovely and soft, as well as the baby oil and baby shampoo, perfect for baby. The final set is a top up of all the products in the baby bath and bedtime suitcase, so parents don’t need to worry about running out, but more than that – your gift goes beyond Christmas!

Only available from Childs Farm website.

Neos SmartCam.

Peace of mind can never be overestimated but that is only one of the reasons the Neos SmartCam makes such a good present. This award-winning camera is already on Amazon’s best sellers list. It has up to 12 hours of daily recording time.

The Neos SmartCam allows families to proactively protect their homes from wherever they are in the world – whether at work, out at Christmas and New Years’ party or away on holiday – users are able to detect any unusual activity and report it straight away.

The SmartCam is a pocket sized indoor camera that can be controlled from the Neos app. It is affordable (priced at only £19.99), easy to set-up and can be used by homeowners to keep an eye on their home, kids and pets – all from a Smartphone.

Available from www.neos.co.uk

We love ChattyFeet. Conversation starter socks which are comfortable and stylish.

ChattyFeet: The perfect present for the best-dressed feet this Christmas

Every pair of feet deserves lovely socks this Christmas, and ChattyFeet offers the most humorous socks ever to come out of a stocking. ChattyFeet’s range of quirky characters with witty names inject a touch of humour into everyday life and make this longstanding classic a winner in the gift-giving stakes.

ChattyFeet currently ‘feet’-ures 40 designs for adults and children. The newest characters are Leonardo Toe Vinci, Prince Wills Heels and Prince Hurry Feet. You can purchase the Royals ChattyFeet characters in a new Royal Socks Gift Set, and if socks aren’t your thing, there’s also a new range of enamel pins and other novelty gifts to check out.

And just in time for this Christmas, ChattyFeet will be adding four new designs to the sock range: two characters from the world of music, one from literature and one from business, as well as three new enamel pins (Frida Callus, Feetasso and Prince Wills Heels).

With a huge range of creative characters, there will be a design that appeals to everyone. For creative types, there are ChattyFeet’s arty socks, with characters including Frida Callus, Yayoi Toesama, Sole-Adore Dali and Feetasso. Science geeks will love Albert Einstoe; fans of the Royal Family can’t fail to be wowed by Kate Middle-Toe and Meghan Ankle; and book lovers will fall head over heels for William Shakes-Feet.

Kids’ socks can be purchased alone or as part of a Family Set so that parents and their sidekicks can step out together in matching characters.

ChattyFeet’s expansive range of themed socks are manufactured in Europe from high quality cotton, giving a soft feel and long life. They are available to purchase online at www.chattyfeet.com all the way up to Christmas, with free UK delivery above £30 and delivery in 2-3 days.

ChattyFeet prices:

Adult socks: £8

Kids socks: £6

Boxes of 4 pairs: £30

Enamel pins: £7.50

Mugs: £11.90

Martin Miller Gin. Fantastic gin in a stunning box. This is a perfect gift.

MARTIN MILLER’S GIN LAUNCHES LIMITED-EDITION NORTHERN LIGHTS-INSPIRED GIFT BOX FOR CHRISTMAS 2019

This festive season, Martin Miller’s Gin has partnered with award-winning night sky photographer and the founder of The World at Night program, Babak Tafreshi, to produce a distinctive Northern Lights-inspired, limited-edition gift box.

New for 2019, the eye-catching design features a mesmerising image of the Aurora Borealis, taken by Tafreshi, as the infamous light show dances above the iconic Kirkjufell mountain and waterfalls on Iceland’s rugged western coastline, during the most intense display in more than a decade.

The gift box pays homage to one of the unique attributes of Martin Miller’s Gin – the 100% pure Icelandic spring water which blends perfectly with the highest quality botanicals to give the product its smooth taste, distinct clarity and trademark softness.,

Not only designed to look beautiful on display, the gift box also reflects the premium quality of Martin Miller’s Gin – the most-awarded quality gin on the market – making it the ideal gift for all gin lovers this Christmas.

Babak Tafreshi, photographer says, “I am delighted to have partnered with Martin Miller’s Gin to create this gift box, which celebrates the home of its pure spring water. The image we used captures the most colourful aurora I have ever seen, which coloured the Icelandic landscape in these stunning pastel hues, making this box truly unique.”

The limited-edition box will be available in selected Waitrose.com, Morrisons.com and Sainsbury’s stores from September to December 2019, with a recommended retail price of £28 for a 70cl bottle.

For more information, please visit: www.martinmillersgin.com

The Vegan Larder Gourmet Christmas Chocolate box.

I am a huge fan of vegan things and The Vegan Larder is pretty cool indeed. They create gift and subscription boxes that help make vegan cooking and eating easy and exciting, especially around Christmas. The Gourmet Christmas Box is delicious and decadent. Full thumbs up from me.

They are 100% vegan and plant based, palm oil free, always have a gluten free option and use products from small businesses.

All monthly subscription boxes are available as one-off gifts, and they have some exclusive Christmas boxes that are perfect for your gift guide.

Deluxe Christmas Box (£29 as one off gift, £24.99 if subscribed): packed full of Festive cooking goodies, giving a truly tantalising festive food experience. Think artisan tapenade, spiced fudge, handmade chutney, organic gravy and other surprises! Our subscribers will receive this in December too!
Gourmet Christmas Chocolate box (£19.50): filled with gourmet artisan products for a selection box experience! Dairy free and suitable for anyone with a dairy allergy. Think handmade chocolate, chocolate spread, wagon wheel and other delights.
After dinner pate box (£14.50): this is fun and fabulous for entertaining. Three types of vegan pate, two incredible cracker flavours and a delectable spiced plum chutney.

https://theveganlarder.com/product-category/christmas-vegan-boxes/

And because it is Christmas I want to give you one more. Here is the bonus tip.

Buyagift.co.uk

Buyagift.co.uk is a brilliant site with a lot of great experiences. They have days out, nights out, spa days, things for families.They are great for the environment because sometimes we have enough stuff, and you give someone the gift of memories. We have their Kew Gardens voucher. A family pass for two adults and two children and we are really looking forward to it.

Top Christmas Pick: SodaStream Spirit One Touch

Posted on November 12, 2019 by Catherine Balavage

Christmas is a time for glamour and glitz. Decadence is in abundance and entertaining is what the season is about. So what better to add some fizz to the season and beyond than SodaStream? Fizz makes drinks fun and fun is what we need. We tested the new SodaStream Spirit One Touch and we were impressed. It is easy to set up and easy to use. It is also environmentally friendly, saving 1,282 bottles of fizzy water per reusable SodaStream bottle. This is the perfect gift for Christmas and beyond. Even if you are buying it for yourself. Frost Loves.

SodaStream Spirit One Touch

SodaStream’s newest electric sparkling water maker carbonates water at the touch of a button. Entertain your guests at ease with the convenience of sparkling water any time you like – no need to carry cases of sparkling water to your home. The Spirit One Touch offers three distinct levels of carbonation for perfectly customised drinks.

Available in Black.

Available here: https://sodastream.co.uk/products/spirit-one-touch

RRP: £129.99

Frost Magazine

Books and Lifestyle

Author Archives: Catherine Balavage

Are You Watching? Book Review

Emily Watson: Help Maternity Worldwide continue to save lives in childbirth

The Last Minute Christmas Gift List

Nudea, Fit-Focused Lingerie Rebellion

Frost Loves Gola Shoes

Perfect For Christmas: The Orb Bike Light and Bottle

5 Great Ideas For Christmas

Top Christmas Pick: SodaStream Spirit One Touch