Review: With This Ring Photo Frame

With This Ring Photo Frame is an ideal gift for the Happy Couple to celebrate their big day.

Each stunning With This Ring Frame is free-standing and finished in a lacquer coating to ensure it is tarnish resistant.

Our With This Ring Photo Frame comes neatly packaged in its own gift box and is padded with bubble wrap for safe delivery.

A perfect Wedding or Engagement gift to hold treasured photos from the big day.

REVIEW: Wedding photographs are so precious and yet they are often hidden in wedding albums. What a lovely idea to get the new bride and groom some lovely photo frames. More precisely a frame that will do the photographs justice. When I was browsing the http://www.gettingpersonal.co.uk/ website, I knew instantly that the 'With This Ring' photo frame was a frame that would sit on my sideboard and get lots of admiring glances. It was just so unique. The shape for one thing. Most frames are plain squares but the fact that the whole frame was two rings interlocked really appealed to me.

I hate it when you order something on the Internet and are then really disappointed afterwards. Of course it was the total opposite with this iteml as the frame cost only £7.99 I was expecting a rather flimsy item. So imagine my delight when I realised what good quality it was. It was really rather weighty and the engraving of the writing of the words 'With this ring, I thee wed' was done perfectly. The packaging made it look like a gift from some expensive gift shop and the engraved hearts on the rings reiterated the fact that this was an ultra-romantic frame.

There are lots of wedding photo frames about but I am hard pushed to find one as nice as this. There are so many options with how you situate the photos too. The layout in the photo above suggests that you could put a photo of the rings in one and the happy couple in the other. Other ideas could be; wedding photo in one and honeymoon in the other. I actually split a photo of us together sitting on a bench, so I was in one frame and my husband was in the other. It looked really effective, as you can see below.



You have the option of hanging this frame on the wall or just sitting it upright on a sideboard etc. I'm sitting mine on my sideboard as a centrepiece. It looks fabulous!! I will definitely be searching http://www.gettingpersonal.co.uk/ for more beautiful photo frames in the future. They are the best website going for unique gifts!


For more info please visit www.gettingpersonal.co.uk

Teachers gift idea: Samigail's Personalised thank you teacher gift

It's that time of the year when you want to show your child's teacher just how much you appreciate the help and support that they have given you and your child. It's lovely to give a 'Best Teacher' mug, but how many do they receive? What if you give chocolates and they are on a diet. I'm always told teachers like wine, but I'm sure not all teachers drink alcohol. There's one thing for sure though; a teacher loves a present with thought gone in to it. It's the best ingredient any present could have. I always believe placing yourself in the gift recipient's shoes gives you the utmost inspiration. And so when I came across Samigail's websites and the heartfelt words which I could have written myself, I knew I had to have a personalised plaque done from my son.

Instantly the words summed up our feelings and I hope by reading these precious words the teacher will realise just how much she is appreciated. The words are heartfelt without being over the top and insincere.

"Thank you (teacher's name)

You're a very special teacher

I just wanted you to know

All year you've taught me wonderfully

and helped my mind to grow"

with 2 wooden embellishments added - ruler and crayons.

On the rear "love from (child's name)" wording will be added, and the date eg July 2009. The plaque has rustic hanging twine added and a gingham ribbon attached to the twine for a finishing touch.

Anyway, there were many gorgeous items to choose from on the Samigail's personalised website but I opted for the above plaque. Delivery was mighty speedy and Samigail's works to tight deadlines if you need a gift made quickly.

I was so pleased with the plaque! The wood was excellent quality, and it was nice to know that the wood was ethically sourced. The high quality birch ply comes from commercially managed forests. The gingham ribbon made it look ultra cute and the little accessories that graced the plaque added a totally unique touch. The coloured pencils and ruler give the plaque a 3D element and really emphasised the fact that we appreciated the tools of the trade for a teacher.

I loved the standard of the pyrography! I have seen some really poor quality items in craft fairs but this; wow! This is what makes the gift look so amazing! The fact that the writing is so neatly (burnt/ etched??) in to the wood gives it a handmade look but gives it a totally elegant slant too.

Finally, the fact that all the gifts can be personalised really emphasises the fact that you haven't just picked something off a supermarket shelf last minute. A lot of thought and time has gone in to this present. I just can't wait to see the look on my son's teacher's face when she receives it. If I was her this would be something I would always treasure.

I loved the items on the Samigail website so much that I ordered a door plaque for my son's bedroom door and I was equally pleased with everything about that.
10/10 for quality, personalisation and delivery. Will definitely be using Samigails in the future. So if you are stuck for a teachers gift you know where to look!

For more info please visit http://www.samigailsgifts.co.uk

Review: Build it with Bob Construction Kit

Can we build it? Yes we can, and all thanks to this great 'Build it with Bob Construction Kit.' All those times my son has gazed at the way builders slap on the cement and lay the bricks to overlap. Now he had a chance to give it a go himself......

Although this is marketed as a toy, the fact that it contains real bricks and cement means that it provides a huge educational and fun element. Master Craftiness couldn't quite believe the fact that I was letting him loose with real bricks and cement.

He could have used this indoors as the set comes with a wipe-clean mat, but as it was such a lovely sunny day outside I decided that it would be lovely for him to get fresh air whilst building (just like a real builder). So he took the set to the outside table and chairs and invited his grandfather to help him build. There they sat for the next hour looking like they were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

All the tools are included; all you need to supply is a dessert spoon of water. Very cute looking trowel too I might add.

After mixing up the cement, you are left to decide which model idea you would like to follow. Master Craftiness opted for the clock tower. As you can see from the photo at the top of the page this turned out brilliantly!

The various shaped bricks mean that you can make some nifty creations, after making the clock tower we soaked the bricks and made a wall with the bricks. Now we need to order some more cement as there is enough cement in this kit for around two creations. But Master Craftiness can't wait.....

This is messy but not excessively so, I believe it quells a need in all boys and girls for getting messy and learning a new skill. This makes a great alternative to traditional toys.

Master Craftiness says: "Making the bricks stick together neatly meant that I had to use all my concentration. I felt very proud of myself when the building was completed. I will definitely be telling all my friends about this kit."

We award this 8/10.

For more info please visit www.mapstoys.co.uk

Review: Bloco Scorpions and Insects Set

Poor Master Craftiness has been very ill all weekend with severe tonsillitis. Worst still was the fact that he was stuck in bed when the sun was shining so beautifully outside. There was a plus side though, and it was a massive plus side for us; we discovered Bloco. Bloco was a totally new medium for us to work with, and the joy experienced was like discovering Lego for the first time. I think that is a hard comparison to beat.

Anyway, for those of you who have never used Bloco before, then it is basically a set of foam pieces; tons of different shapes which can be connected in a number of different ways. You can either connect the foam pieces together by slotting them together in a certain way, or you can connect them by little ball connectors (which can also be used as eyes).

If I haven't explained that well enough, here's how the Bloco website describe it:

"The Bloco™ construction toy is a patented concept that uses high density foam designed in unique colourful shapes. Foam pieces link together and rotate to any angle using the special connectors. Build and create your own creatures or build from the instructions provided."

The pack which we had to review was the 'Scorpions and Insects' pack. This is a 162 piece kit which has orange, red and green pieces. The pack comes with instructions to make four models. When discovered that you could actually make around two models at a time. Any more than two models and you would have to start dissassembling made models to get the parts to make the other models. This was the only downside. I think I would rather pay a little more and have enough pieces to make all four models without having to disassemble the other models. However, when I buy another kind of Bloco kit this can be used in conjunction with this kit. So we will soon be able to make amazing creations without dismantling the ones we have just made.

Here's a pic of the first creation:

A little tip from us would be to follow the instructions to make the four amazing models. After this you will be extremely well versed in the way in which parts connect. We started off by building the scorpion together; this was so enjoyable. As Master Craftiness gets older it is becoming a rarer and rarer opportunity that we get to do things together, as he would much rather be outside kicking a ball with his friends. This kit provided a perfect bonding opportunity.

It could have made a scene from a sitcom, as I went out of the room for 15 minutes to tend to my other son, I left Master Craftiness in bed moaning and writhing in pain. When I had come back Master Craftiness had really perked up and was sitting in bed with the model of his spider which he had made all by himself. He said to tell anyone that reads this review, that he thinks this kit is "absolutely brilliant!"

Here is the spider which he made all by himself:

We were very impressed with the fact that the foam was so sturdy. When we read that this was a foam kit, we were expecting our creations to fall apart at the slightest touch. Which was certainly not the case. We also thought the fact that the creations actually looked like they did on the pack was a huge bonus!

As you can see the detail of the pieces are amazing! This grasshopper almost looks like he is going to fly towards you!

After making the four models, Master Craftiness then went on to make various creatures with the kit. The great thing is when we buy another Bloco set we will even be able to connect the pieces from this kit to that kit, so we can come up with even crazier inventions. Bloco has an online gallery where you can upload and show others your creations, which is brilliant if you have just made something that you are particularly proud of!

What I really loved about this kit was the fact that it wasn't a kit that was made and then forgotten about. Much the same as Lego the pieces can be reused over and over and so we will get tons of use out of this ONE kit!

Our verdict: Amazing!!!

9/10

For more info please visit www.mapstoys.co.uk

New Lighted Top Hat Decoration

The Lighted Top Hat is a new decoration from RAZ for 2010. It comes in red and lime green polka dots, made of sisal and wire and has clear lights inside for an outstanding effect. Several sizes are available from 10" to 16" in height. At Trendy Tree we will have three sizes available, some sold in pairs and some can be purchased individually. They will look great as a tabletop decoration, positioned on your tree, entryway or clustered underneath your tree.

These whimsical polka dotted top hats are from the "Unwrapped" collection of RAZ Imports and new for 2010. Arriving any day now at Trendy Tree!

Review: Sports Day Set from Brightminds

If you are looking for inspiration for the summer holidays, then look no further than this 'Sports Day Set' from Brightminds. It's the perfect way to keep the kids active throughout the summer months. If you buy it now, you can even give your kids tons of practice in preparation for the school Sports Day.

Sports Day Set contains:

4 x Jumping Sacks
4 x Plastic Spoons & Eggs
4 x Bean Bags
4 x Plastic Stakes
1 x Ankle Straps
1 x Start Line
1 x Finish Line

The children in our street had such a lovely evening with this set, I am sure it will be one that they all look back upon. This morning I was greeted by lots of parents saying what a lovely idea it was to host a little 'Sports Day' on the green. "Organise it" I thought, truth be known, my son took the box outside and soon kids were lining up to take part in sack races and egg and spoon races. There were parents watching from gates at the fun being had by the children. It looked very effective too as they were all hopping along in different brightly coloured sacks. Screams of laughter could be heard as they took part in the three legged race using the ankle straps and tried to keep at each other's pace.

The Sack Race, Egg & Spoon race and the Three Legged race were self-explanatory but we weren't sure what to do with the beanbags. Luckily for us, the Sports Day Set comes with instructions. And the kids enjoyed learning a new game. The Bean Bag Race involves children balancing bean bags on their head without holding on to it with their hands. If the bean bag falls off, that player goes back to the start. The team or player that is the first to complete the number of rounds wins.

All the equipment is great quality so there were no mishaps whilst playing with it, so I am anticipating that this set will last us some time.

Not only were the children having great fun but it brought back fond memories of Sports Day when I was a child. This set could even be a huge advantage if you are trying to get your neighbourhood more 'community friendly.'

Master Craftiness says: "Its awesome being able to have Sports Day whenever I want in my own home. I am hoping by Sports Day in school, all the practice I have had will help me win. And I am really looking forward to using this set a lot over the Summer Holidays. A great set!!!!

For more info please visit www.brightminds.co.uk

Lighted Branches have Arrived!

Four styles of lighted branches have arrived from RAZ! Check out the website to see them all! Great way of adding highlights to your holiday creations. Use in floral arrangements, mantel pieces or on your Christmas tree.

RAZ Snowy Lighted Branches

• Set of 3
• Made of Wire
• Measures 36"
• UL Certified
• Includes 1 AC Adapter
• Indoor Use Only
• 96 Clear Lights

From the Glad Tidings collection of RAZ Imports

Visit Trendy Tree to see all four styles!