Hape Home Education – The Perfect Match

Posted on September 30, 2016 by Tracy Baines

Hape Home Education range endorsed by teachers from around the world

Hape’s beautiful range of home education toys allows for endless hours of fun and play. Each product is designed to encourage children to explore and learn. The complete range has been developed to build children’s skills and confidence in a fun, gentle way following Hape’s ethos that; ‘children do not play to learn; children learn because they play’. These three products, all part the Home Education range, are endorsed by teachers from around the world.

Each game is made from high-quality natural materials, water-based paints and non-toxic glues. The designs and pictures are vibrant and cheerful. It’s a joy to play with such a good quality product. All games meet European and American safety standards.

Hape’s Motto is Love play. Learn and it certainly scores on every front. I remember so many happy times playing similar puzzles with my own children, and what fun we had. Now it’s the grandchildren’s turn. A lovely gift for Christmas but I couldn’t wait until then. It’s another one for grandma’s toy box.

Hape Converse – Find, match and describe pairs of opposites.

Converse encourages kids to find, match and describe pairs and opposites using brightly coloured picture cards. It’s a great way to develop children’s communication skills and have fun at the same time. The set contains; 20 pairs of playing cards, 1 red card and instructions. The cards are lovely to touch and the use of animals and children to describe opposites such as big and little, wet and dry, front and back are a delight to the eye.

The Hape converse set is recommended for 4 years+ and is available from Amazon priced £12.00.

Hape Listen to the Clues – Children use their own words to guide one another in selecting the correct picture sequence.

Listen to the Clues is a delightful communication game containing 4 game strips for the listener and 32 colourful playing cards for the speaker. The aim of the game is for the players to use their own words to guide one another in selecting the correct pictures to match a sequence. Cooperation and teamwork are developed and strengthened. A really lovely game that helps with description and storytelling. Great size for little hands as well as larger ones.

The Hape Listen to Clues set is recommended for 4 years+ and is available from Amazon priced at £13.42.

Hape Combino – use colourful transparent overlays to complete pictures.

Combino provides children with the opportunity to develop their experimental skills. The wooden tiles are only partly drawn and finished by laying on transparent image overlays to complete the picture. There’s lots of fun to be had by completing the correct pictures but even more from creating odd combinations – propellors on cakes, umbrellas in goldfish bowls.

The Hape Combino is recommended for 4 years+ and is available from Amazon priced £13.42

Celebrities Turn Out For Crisis At Christmas Charity Casino Fundraiser…

Posted on December 25, 2015 by Corinne Tuddenham-Finn

It’s around about now on Christmas Day that family come together for Christmas dinner, reflect on the year and look forward to a new one, all washed down with a glass of Bucks Fizz and Auntie Maur’s mince pies.

But Christmas can be an incredibly difficult time of year for a person cut off from family and home.

Crisis at Christmas, every year, provides companionship and support to tackle loneliness and isolation, helping people take their first steps out of homelessness.

With two new centres set to open their doors this year, Crisis need over 10,000 volunteers to make Crisis at Christmas happen for thousands of homeless people. As well as warmth, companionship and hot meals, centres in London, Birmingham, Newcastle, Coventry and Edinburgh will provide guests with healthcare and specialist advice on housing, work and benefits.

With this in mind, Jeremy Reeve, who heads up PowerPackXL Ltd (a Cambridge-based manufacturer of unique patented mobile phone chargers), wanted to raise some much needed funds for the charity, so set about using some of his contacts to build a night of fun and laughter to raise some cash for the charity. The number one call on Jeremy’s list was British actor Tony Fadil, as Jeremy knew he was the man when it came to filling a room with celebrities! Tony instantly took on the role and put in the hard work needed to run a VIP list and fill the room.

Many well known faces from TV, film and music turned out earlier in December for a charity casino night in aid of Crisis at Christmas, held in the famous White Room at the Grosvenor Barracuda Casino in London’s Baker Street – the perfect backdrop to a memorable night.

With free-to-play casino tables, guests enjoyed roulette, blackjack and poker, all played for fun. The evening then continued with a charity auction and raffle, in total, raising £2,312.65, all heading off to the charity to be put to use helping London’s homeless this Christmas.

Jeremy Reeve the MD of PowerPackXL has volunteered with Crisis, the single persons homeless charity, for the last five years, working in London during the Christmas week, where Crisis run a number of centres looking after guests.

VIP guests included:

Jaye Gamm, Gerry Todd, Marc Zammit, Paul J Lane, Wayne Gordon (ITV’s Gladiators), Sean Cronin, Kellie Barclay, Hayley Louise, Fergus Gaddes, Dean Maskell, Niqi Bupsie (X Factor 2015), Derry Luca Mensah (X Factor), Paul Manners, Old Men Grooving (Britain’s Got Talent), Simon Gross (Big Brother 2015), Heavy D, Angie Brown (solo artist), Cream Boomtown (TV Reality Star from BBC3, MTV, SKY TV, & Hip Hop Artist famous for hit single ‘Daddy Kool’), James Lewis (ITV’s Deals Wheels & Steals), Dave O’Donnell (UCMMA Promoter), Flint Bedrock (CEO of YSBG Management), Becky O’Brien, Colin Chapman (Author), Colin Marker (Percy Publishing) Nuraya Kokos CEO Baby KoKos Events Limited (PA to Jethro Sheeran), Carl Charlesworth (magician), stand-up comedian Simon Hussein, and a host of look-a-likes and people from the industry.

After spending a week volunteering at a Crisis at Christmas centre, Jeremy, who has volunteered for the last five years, quoted on his Facebook page yesterday:

“337 hot meals were served at my ‪#‎CrisisXmas‬ centre in East London tonight – 100% of the guests smiling! Your donations MADE A DIFFERENCE!”

So, join Jeremy and make a difference this Christmas…. donate at:

http://m.virginmoneygiving.com/mt/uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=PowerPackXLJeremyReeve&un_jtt_redirect

Crisis at Christmas 2015 runs from 23 – 30 December 2015.

www.crisis.org.uk/pages/christmas

Images courtesy Shane Finn (Visual Devotion)

Mango Bikes Launch: The Ladies Classic

Posted on December 23, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Frost is all for people getting, and keeping fit, and as a keen cyclist I drool over bikes – I once cycled far too many miles around and about Israel, on and off road, for charity on a mountain bike, and have always longed for a road bike.

I was thrilled, therefore, to see that leading British bicycle brand Mango Bikes are introducing their new elegant Ladies Classic style. It is a traditional British bike which couples simplicity with elegance to produce a lean mean – comfortable – cycling machine that ticks all the boxes – and at an unbelievable price.

Mango Bikes was founded by two university housemates who felt that it didn’t seem right that you could buy a car exactly to spec, or shoes, to your design, but bikes were only available in a few dull, pre-selected colours.

They remedied the situation, and Mango Bikes was born. Now they’ve taken the next step and are building a full range of bikes for all levels of cyclists, focusing on great quality, great customer service and unbeatable prices. Not forgetting, keeping the whole brand experience as fun as possible.

This Mango Bike is for those of us who require reliability, comfort and of course style. Focusing on the intermediate lifestyle and urban road bikes market, Mango Bikes are a refreshing alternative to the daunting high street bike shop.

It is comfortable and beautiful and has a padded sprung saddle – the bliss.

The bike arrives with an easy to use seven-speed gear system from the world’s leading component brand, Shimano.

The Mango Bikes Ladies Classic RRP is £299.99. This style is available in five beautiful colours (cream, green, blue, raspberry and black) with matching pannier and chain guard as standard and an optional wicker basket.

For more information, or to buy, go to www.mangobikes.co.uk.

Pop-Up To Covent Garden And Celebrate A Chanel Christmas…

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Corinne Tuddenham-Finn

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

What could be more special than a festive pop-up featuring a giant snow globe and offering free flash makeovers – after all, you deserve it after the chaos of all the Christmas shopping, right?

CHANEL are offering shoppers and beauty fans a pep-up at their Covent Garden pop-up located a few steps away from the Chanel beauty boutique at the piazza, which is the temporary space before becoming Chanel’s permanent bigger home next year.

The exquisite pop-up pays homage to the world of Chanel No.5 as depicted in the Baz Luhrmann-directed campaign starring Gisele Bündchen.

In 2012, CHANEL opened its pop-up covering 57 square metres of Covent Garden, inspired by London’s vibrant personality – the first of its kind in the UK.

Featuring some of the world’s leading make-up artists, theatrical artists, nail technicians and models, the Chanel pop-up beauty boutique debuted exclusive products, showcased London’s first ever Chanel nail bar, offered bespoke make-up tutorials and now offer their discerning customers the experience of having a specialist fragrance expert to guide you through the extensive Chanel scent collection.

“No elegance is possible without perfume” – Mademoiselle Chanel

With a vintage-inspired décor, the Chanel beauty parlour draws you in from the cold with its giant snow globe, complete with illuminated number five, welcoming you to take part in a variety of workshops and events throughout December.

Settle down on the plush red cinema chairs for a manicure – using Rouge Noir, naturellement – or pop by for a complimentary 15-minute flash makeover, the perfect shop-to-cocktails refresh.

If you wish to linger longer, book in for a full one-hour makeover for £45 (redeemable against products bought). Whether you want to learn how to master the art of the up-do or perfect your smokey eye, the professionals will be on hand to impart their words of wisdom.

Makeover complete, there’s the irresistible chance to channel your inner Gisele with a photobooth from The London Lightbox – pose in front of the backdrop featured in the campaign and receive a print-out photo as a souvenir of your jaunt into the world of Chanel. And if you can’t resist the temptation to shop, of course there are plenty of little black boxes to take home too.

Offering a personalised gift wrapping service, complete with a hand written message by a CHANEL calligrapher alongside a choice of quotes from Mademoiselle Chanel herself, this delightful pop-up will kick-start your Christmas and indulge your inner ‘me’ time…

Chanel Christmas at Covent Garden is open until the end of December.

To book an appointment please call 0203 077 1198 or email covent.garden2@chanel.co.uk.

Chanel Christmas at Covent Garden

6a The Market The Piazza Covent Garden London WC2E 8RF

www.chanelatcoventgarden.com

The Christmas gift with a conscience

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Frostie

Think HIV/AIDS isn’t a problem anymore? AIDS is the leading cause of death for teenagers in Africa and the second leading cause of death among teenagers globally.

Introducing the Christmas gift with a conscience: Styloko.com and the new Red Box Shop: http://redboxshop.styloko.com/ for Christmas in aid of MTV Staying Alive Foundation

The Styloko concept is simple; a pop up online store selling a plethora of fabulous Red Boxes perfect for anyone with a serious love of fashion and culture. Each box is filled with desirable products, including jewellery, make-up, watches and even beautiful books, kindly donated by leading brands such as Chanel, The Cambridge Satchel Company, Timex, Radley, Fake Bake, Swatch, Kendra Scott Jewelry and Dana Rebecca Designs.

All proceeds from The Red Box Shop are going to aids projects around the world, particularly in Africa. HIV/AIDS is still a devastating global disease and the second leading cause of death among teenagers globally. The store will run through the 20th of December.

Every single penny/cent from the sale of the red boxes will go straight to helping raising global awareness for HIV/AIDS.

@mtvstayingalive @styloko

The mission of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation is to stop the spread of HIV before it starts. They provide funding and training to youth-led HIV-prevention projects around the world, helping them develop the skills to build innovative, culturally relevant and sustainable organisations that lead the fight against HIV on the ground. Their relationship with MTV means that the ground-breaking content they produce reaches millions of young people globally.

Since the international grants and training programme was established in 2005, they have given US $5.3 million to over 500 youth-led projects in 66 countries, directly educated 2.7 million young people on HIV, distributed 7 million condoms and tested 200,000 young people for HIV.

Avoid Waking up Next to a Sad Cracked Phone Screen This Festive Season

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Over a quarter of UK revellers aged 18-40 have damaged their phone on a night out. London named the clumsiest region (29%), and Newcastle the most accident-prone city (23%). Only 1 in 10 covered by insurance. Average amount spent on repairs is £49, roughly double the price of a protective case

Sound familiar? The Christmas party season is in full swing and we’ve all been there. A “get into the spirit” festive tipple turns into seventeen “IT’S CHRIIIIIISTMAAAAS” Jager bombs, or perhaps cocktails, and before you know it, you’ve a smashed phone screen staring back at you, accompanied by a hollow feeling of regret.

Ahead of ‘Mad Friday’, the last Friday before Christmas and most popular for office parties, it has been revealed that 27% of lumbering UK revellers aged 18-40 have damaged their phone on a night out. In the survey of 2,000 British adults, conducted by Griffin Technology, Newcastle topped the list of clumsy cities, while London is the region reporting most mobile emergencies.

As only 12% of damages were covered by insurance, our resident Griffin Gadgetologist, the brains behind the tough-as-nails Survivor phone cases, is on a mission to help the buttery-fingered amongst you.

So here are some top tips to avoid having to fork out for a pricey repair, or even a new phone, come Christmas.

Resist the urge to take a bathroom selfie: tiled flooring and all that running water (amongst other things) spells disaster for your phone, both inside and out. Research shows water damage comes second only to cracked screens as the cause of smartphone failure, so do your phone a favour and protect them from the elements.

Watch out for office geeks in YOLO party mode: if you must grab that group shot on the dance floor, stand well out of the way of errant dancers. Christmas does funny things to people – we tend to get overexcited and fling our arms in the air like we just don’t care, cue phones being knocked out of hands left, right and centre.

Keep it zipped: the more barriers there are to your phone, the less chance it has of falling to its demise. Whether it’s a zipped compartment in a handbag or buttoned pockets, something to stop you reaching for it every 10 seconds can work wonders.

Invest in a super-sturdy phone case:if you’ve been known to hit the deck after a few shandies, it could be worth taking a good hard look at your phone’s attire to decide if it’s up to the job. Even if you’re the type to dance on tables, Griffin’s new Survivor Summit and Journey cases survive drops of up to 3 metres!

Simplicity is key: everyone knows that nothing says it better than an emoji, but the tinier the buttons and more intricate your conversation, the longer it takes to text and the more likely your phone is to slip from your hand. Do everyone a favour and stick to the classic … “by the bar”.

Don’t drink too much: not a popular tip, but it works.

Finally, and perhaps the icing on the cake – try a tough case, and put your minds at rest: the toughest Griffin Survivor cases yet are available now from

http://bit.ly/GriffinTechnology

Burt’s Bees For Christmas

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Frost loves these products, always have.

This Christmas they have a great range of these distinctive earth-friendly, natural health and beauty care products, which they’ve been making for 30 years. The 2015 Christmas gift collection can be seen on www.burtsbees.co.uk

Frost has had a look at some of their ranges:

100% natural Wild cherry and vanilla Bean lip Balms.

rrp £3.99 – tube (4.25g) rrp £4.99 – tin & squeezable (8.5g/9.92g)

These lip Balms are formulated to nourish and moisturise, protecting lips from winter’s cold winds. If you haven’t tried them, then it would be a good idea to discover the naturally moisturising benefits. Available in Beeswax, honey, pink grapefruit, ultra conditioning, mango, pomegranate, Blueberry & dark chocolate, açai Berry, coconut & pear, Wild cherry and vanilla Bean.

But don’t ignore:

Lip Crayons ∙ Creamy ∙ Full-Coverage ∙ Matte Colour rrp £8.99 each (3.11g)

Available in six shades, these crayons are lightweight moisture for everyday wear formula infused with shea Butter, Kendi oil and Jojoba oil.

Lip Shimmer ∙ Luminescent ∙ Antioxidant-Rich ∙ Moisturising Shea Butter and antioxidant-rich fruit oils moisturise, nourish and soften lips naturally and lovingly. available in 11 shades, including fresh and flattering colours apricot and grapefruit.

Tinted Lip Balm ∙ Sheer ∙ Moisturising ∙ Conditioning rrp £5.99 each (4.25g)

These tinted balms give you a hint of colour with a soft, sweet flavour and natural ingredients that moisturise and condition your lips. available in 9 shades, including new Zinnia.

Lip Gloss ∙ Rich ∙ Pearlised

rrp £8.99 each (6ml)

Combined with natural oils rich in nutrients to leave your lips soft, shiny and 100% naturally beautiful. available in 12 shades, including new harvest time and solar eclipse.

Burts Bees have all sorts of products available for Christmas this year.

And there are various scrummy gift packs. Try:

Burt’s Bees Naturally Beautiful Collection £19.99

And

Burt’s Bees Naturally Gifted- Online Exclusive £15.99

Have a look at www.burtsbees.co.uk

Buy George… Treat Someone This Christmas With George Clooney’s Award-Winning Casamigos Tequila

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Corinne Tuddenham-Finn

TREAT FRIENDS AND FAMILY THIS CHRISTMAS TO RANDE GERBER, GEORGE CLOONEY AND MICHAEL MELDMAN’S AWARD-WINNING

CASAMIGOS TEQUILA

Brought To You By Those Who Drink It

Let the good times flow this Christmas by treating friends and family to a bottle of award-winning Casamigos Tequila. “Brought To You By Those Who Drink It,” Casamigos Tequila is privately owned by George Clooney and longtime friend, bar and restaurant mogul Rande Gerber, and Discovery Land Company CEO & founder Michael Meldman.

Casamigos is named after Gerber and Clooney’s houses in Mexico, and roughly translates to “House of Friends.”

Tequila-filled nights with friends is how Casamigos was born. Casamigos was originally created out of Clooney and Gerber’s desire to enjoy the best-tasting, smoothest tequila and was always intended for personal use, to be shared with family and friends.

Casamigos is currently available in Blanco, Reposado and Añejo. These small batch, ultra-premium tequilas are made from the finest hand-selected 100% Blue Weber agaves, grown in the rich red clay soil and cool climate of Mexico’s Jalisco Highlands for a minimum of seven years. After harvest, the agave piñas are roasted in traditional brick ovens for seventy-two hours before undergoing an extra-slow fermentation process over an additional eighty hours, nearly double the industry standard. Casamigos’ Blanco rests for two months, whilst Casamigos Reposado and Casamigos Añejo are aged 7 and 14 months respectively in the finest premium American white oak barrels, which have been carefully reconditioned after being used to age the finest premium whiskey.

“Casamigos Blanco is crisp and clear, with subtle hints of vanilla and a smooth finish, Casamigos Reposado is smooth and clean with hints of caramel, and Casamigos Añejo is a perfect balance of sweetness from the Blue Weber agaves, layered with barrel oak and subtle hints of spice with a lingering smooth finish. All expressions are great served neat or on the rocks, and are the perfect base for premium cocktails,” says Gerber.

Before going into the bottle, each batch is tasted and approved by our master distiller, Gerber and Clooney, to ensure the highest quality. Each batch is then numbered and signed by Gerber and Clooney. Casamigos’ authentic minimalist design reflects the men who created it.

“We worked on the creation of Casamigos Tequila with our master distiller in Jalisco, Mexico, for years and held many blind tastings until we knew we got it right. We’ve been drinking Casamigos with friends and family for over six years,” says Clooney.

Casamigos is available in the United States, Bahamas, Canada, Hong Kong, and the UK, and has garnered the highest accolades from the spirit industry’s most well respected authority figures. Awards and ratings include the highest rated gold medals from Los Angeles International Spirits Competition, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, The Beverage Testing Institute, The New York World Wine & Spirits Competition, The Spirits of Mexico Tasting Competition and many more. Additionally, Casamigos was rated “Excellent, Highly Recommend” by The Ultimate Spirits Challenge, received the coveted 5 star rating from BevX Magazine, “A perfect tequila,” A rating, from Good Spirit News, named “Best Tequila in the World” by Men’s Journal magazine and Oprah Winfrey lists Casamigos as “The Smoothest, The Best.”

Casamigos Tequila is available to purchase at Selfridges and Harvey Nichols this Christmas:

www.selfridges.com

Casamigos Blanco: £62.99

Casamigos Reposado: £69.99

Casamigos Añejo: £77.99

www.harveynichols.com

Casamigos Blanco: £62.50

Casamigos Reposado: £69.50

Casamigos Añejo: £75.00

For more information on Casamigos Tequila, please visit www.casamigostequila.com.

Follow Casamigos Tequila on Facebook at Facebook.com/casamigostequila, and on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest @Casamigos

About Casamigos Tequila…

Brought To You By Those Who Drink It. Privately owned by George Clooney and longtime friend, bar and restaurant mogul Rande Gerber, and Discovery Land Company CEO & founder Michael Meldman, tequila-filled nights with friends is how Casamigos was born. Launched in the UK in March 2015, these small batch, ultra-premium tequilas are made from the finest hand-selected 100% Blue Weber agaves grown in the rich red clay soil and cool climate of Mexico’s Jalisco Highlands for a minimum of seven years. Casamigos Blanco is crisp and clear, with subtle hints of vanilla and a smooth finish, Casamigos Reposado is smooth and clean with hints of caramel. Casamigos Añejo is aged 14 months and has a beautifully pure and refined complex aroma, with soft caramel and vanilla notes.

About The Amigos…

It’s safe to say these men know a thing or two about toasting good times. As founder of the Gerber Group and Gerber Spirits, Rande has extensive experience within the restaurant and bar industries, previously owning establishments in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and around the world. George Clooney is an Academy Award-winning actor, director, producer – and now, tequila maker. Mike Meldman’s Discovery Land Company consists of 17 luxury residential private club communities and resorts including Baker’s Bay in the Bahamas and The Yellowstone Club, Big Sky Montana.

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