Ally Aldridge's Blog, page 51

Felixstowe Book Festival is nearly here!

Next weekend is… FELIXSTOWE BOOK FESTIVAL!

I can’t wait!

I have bought a ticket to an event and plan on attending some of the free activities. I will attempt to fit in as much as I can.

I love that each year the festival gets bigger and the events get better. Here is a flashback at my posts on previous years to give you an idea of what to expect:

Alwyn Hamilton talked about her book Rebel of the Sands being traditionally published and gave great insight into the process and what to expect. She talked enthusiastically about her novel and gave some teasers of what is coming soon. I think everyone bought a copy.

Top That Publishing gave an amazing talk on the picture book publishing industry and truly demonstrated their breadth of knowledge. I still have my PowerPoint slides from the event.

Top That Publishing also ran a free Arty Mouse event which my son loved.  Children were encouraged to try out their interactive activity books – I ended up buying two (review coming soon).

This year

I am confident it will be another amazing year as there really is something for everyone and I promise to share with you what I get up to this year.

Are you going or wish you were going? Let me know which book festivals you recommend.

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Reflecting on goals

To start the year, I set myself some goals for the year ahead.  I plan to check periodically during the year on how well I am keeping on track.  If you set yourself goals it is important to check on yourself to make sure you are on target and to re-focus yourself.

If you want to view my last check in on myself, click here.

Achievements

This is a new section in my personal reflection. I am often so hard on myself and critical that I forget to celebrate my wins. Today, I am acknowledging what I achieved and giving myself a pat on the back:

Completed NaPoWriMo’s 30 day challenge
Achieved over 100 followers
I wrote a guest article for Carol J Forrester’s blog, Writing and Works (click here)
My poem on mental health was featured on Stoner On A Rollercoaster’s blog (click here)

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On Reflection

Here a the highlights from this quatre:

Summary:  Putting my goals into a table has made it much clearer as to what my targets are. I am really pleased with some of my achievements this quarter.

Blogging: I am so pleased with how I have not only managed to post weekly but most weeks I’ve posted three or more articles. It has really helped to have a schedule with topic ideas.

Writing: In April I attempted NaPoWriMo. The support of the poet community was amazing and really boosted my confidence. Posting daily was a challenge in itself, let alone trying to meet the daily prompt.

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Blogging Goals Review

ACHIEVED:  I exceeded my weekly post target every week. On average I’ve been posting three to four articles and in April I posted daily, sometimes more than once!
ALMOST ACHIEVED:  The draw back of so many articles is time to schedule the tweets on LoCal. I think I need to rethink my Twitter schedule to make this more manageable.
ACHIEVED: I have really enjoyed sharing more personal articles about my family life and plan to include more personal content in future.
ACHIEVED:  I have started including some personal posts on my blog such as my son’s World Book Day and What I’ve Been Watching.
NOT ACHIEVED: I tried vlogging and created two videos but I wasn’t confident enough to share them. Maybe with more practice I’ll get better and he more confident in my video content.
ACHIEVED: The monthly schedule has been awesome. It really helps to see what I plan to post and when. I keep ideas for posts and can switch items in my plan as needed.

Writing Goals Review

ACHIEVED:  I have finished querying Drift. I’m now handling the “we thought it was good but not for us right now” gentle stream of rejections. If I don’t hear good news, I still have three other options I am considering.
ACHIEVED: Yes, I got my tickets and I’m looking forward to the events at Felixstowe Book Festival. There will be an article on how it went.
ACHIEVED:  I have now finished The Gender Game and two other books. I’m roughly getting through a novel every two months, so next quarter that will be my goal. I’m currently deciding what to read next.
ALMOST ACHIEVED:  I have been reading about Pitch Wars. I am still not sure what to do but I think as a writer I don’t get involved until August… we’ll see. It would be awesome to have a mentor.

New goals

For the months ahead,. I have updated the table:

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As I wasn’t successful at keeping my Twitter schedule up-to-date, I am going to try and improve that in the next quatre.  I’m still keen to try vlogging but it is not as high in my importance as it was earlier this year.

In the next quatre, I expect I will reduce my blogging frequency in favour of getting back into novel writing and to allow me to take it more easy with a newborn.

My wild imagination cannot let go of the dream of being published and I am holding out hope that perhaps an agent I have queries will want to take my novel on.  If that was to happen, working with them would be my number one priority.

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Sun protection

Nobody understands the importance of being safe in the sun like a redhead! Plus, being pregnant makes your skin even more sensitive to the suns rays – people who don’t often get burnt are more likely to when pregnant.

Here are the products I am using to get me through summer this year:

Riemann P20

I usually buy this from Savers as they often have the best price going. I buy SPF 50 and spray it on before leaving the house and forget about it as it lasts 10 hours!

The spray does have a yellow tinge to it but once dry it is clear. However, I take care to avoid getting it on fabrics as I think it could stain.

My job involves driving and my arms can get roasted through the windows. When I wear this I don’t need to worry. I also use it on my son when he goes to nursery and he will play outside all day if it is hot. The staff do reapply if the kids have played in water. So far, he’s not returned home burnt.

Sadly, I can’t find anything to say they are cruelty free so I suspect they are not. I would love to discover an organic and cruelty free alternative that offers 10h+ protection.

Malibu

I was in Savers getting my P20 and this was next to it on the shelf. It’s my first time buying this brand and I just picked it up as I needed something for my face and it was cheap. A sunscreen specifically for your face is necessary as other products can block your pores and make your eyes water.

It is a very light cream moisturiser and I apply it before my make up. I’ve not suffered a flakey nose and I’m quite pleased with it.

Malibu is cruelty free and most products are vegan friendly. I had no idea and it was a nice surprise to discover this.

Acorelle’s face balm is an organic alternative, however, last year I was so upset by my experience with their other sun-care products I actually complained – they didn’t care (no response). I was also tempted by Coola but their products are more pricy and I couldn’t find space in my budgets.

Alba Botanica

This brand is great but tricky to track down in the UK. I bought mine from Cos Natural.

I got SPF 50 kids for my son (yellow bottle) and SPF 50 sensitive (green bottle) for me. The product reminds me of Ambre Solaire which was a sun lotion I swore by and has made the switch easy. It’s easy to spray and doesn’t need to be rubbed in. The lotion is clear. You twist the lid to lock it so it doesn’t spray in your bag.

Alba Botanica is everything I could wish for; effective, ethical, cruelty free and organic!

On my wish list:

Coola: Is still on my wish list and as soon as my budget can accommodate a purchase, I will get this. I like their SPF face moisturiser and SPF make-up fixing spray.
Jane Iredale: I’m praying they release a BB shade between 1 & 3 because I loved this and it has a high SPF… but it was too expensive to keep buying both shades and mixing them together. I’m also tempted by their high SPF face powder.

The best and worst sun lotions by a redhead!

Last year I wrote about the sun lotions that have earned my trust and those that broke my heart and blistered my skin. If you want to know the best and worst, please click here or on the title picture below.

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Recommendations

I hope you’ve found my recommendations useful. Please let me know if there is a sun product I need to try.

Here is my infographic on staying safe in the sun:

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Blind Tiger by Rachel Vincent

Author: Rachel Vincent
Blind Tiger

This is the second book in The Wildcat series. Please click here to read my review of the first book “Lion’s Share”.

This title can be read as a stand-alone title so you don’t need to read the previous book in this series, however, if you do, it will help you understand the ‘shifter’ world.  This is my review.

What is the book about?

This book is about Robyn, the first known case of a female surviving scratch fever and her adapting to the shifter world.  Robyn is feeling like a bit of a prisoner at the home she cannot leave during her training and sees an opportunity to escape.

Titus is a stray Alpha, seeking recognition for his pride by the council. This will enable strays to travel more freely around America as currently they cannot enter certain territories.

Skip to ”What did I think” to avoid spoilers.

How it starts

Discovering his stow away, Titus knows this is not going to bode well for his struggle to gain recognition for his pride.  He informs the council and agrees to return Robyn in 2 weeks.  He promises to keep her safe whilst in his care.

The middle

A newly infected stray is brought to Titus’ home.  They wait for the stray to shift so they can get the scent of the person that infected the stray which is a crime, punishable by death unless it happened as self defense.

When the stray shifts, the scent smells like Titus.  Titus cannot deny the damming evidence. He steps down as Alpha as he knows the council will not accept a pride run by a law breaker. He appoints a new alpha and decides to take off to give the new alpha some space to rule.

Robyn sense that Titus didn’t do it but it doesn’t make sense why the new stray has his scent.  Robyn insists he must take her with him – as he swore to the council he would protect her.  Titus confides in her that he is worried that his brother has been infected and is responsible for the new stray.

Titus and Abby then take off to find his brother, Justus and reveal who actually is responsible for this mess. Whilst working together things get hot between the two even thought there are a lot of political barriers as to why they can’t be together.

How it ends

When Abby & Titus finally catch up with Justus they discover the scent of the infected is Titus’ best friend who he has left in charge of the pride. His now ex-friend has been manipulating everything to get Titus exiled and to take over the pride as the new Alpha. He tries to kill Titus with a gun but Abby is in cat form and rips out his throat. During the investigation Justus accidentally killed people as he didn’t know what he was doing & Abby killed the ex-friend before he could stand trial for his crimes. The council set their punishments and Titus will lose them both. At the last minute they discover a loop hole in the laws and Abby & Justus join the Stray pride instead of going back to the council for punishment.

What did I think

This title wasn’t as steamy as the first.  Robyn is attracted to Titus (and vice versa) but she isn’t interested in being used to boost his position in the shifter world by being his dam.

The book is very much about the two discovering clues and uncovering what really happened and locating Justus.

The ending is was very satisfying. I felt everything was resolved and there was a decent amount of action throughout.

I would recommend and I look forward to reading more of Rachel Vincent’s books.

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Creating a Catchy Novel Title

Lorraine shares her simple and easy to use tips on how she develops her novel titles.

Here is her article I am sharing with you today: http://lorraineambers.com/2018/03/31/creating-a-catchy-novel-title/

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Booking a newborn photoshoot

Newborn photoshoot

Your new baby will not be a tiny newborn for long.  Many parents want to take lots of pictures of their precious bundle in those early days to capture the first moments when they are so little.

Anne Geddes is an artist that has made a living out of taking beautifully artistic photos of babies for years.  Her stunning imagery has inspired other photographers to learn the art and offer it to new parents.

Now, there are lots of studios that offer newborn photo shoots.  This article is based on what I learnt from my experience last time with my son and what I am doing differently this time with my daughter.

Bump 2 Baby (with Noah)

With my first pregnancy, almost 5 years ago, I bought a coupon voucher for £30 for a bump to baby shoot at Baby Art Uk by Taylor Made Portraits. It included the studio time and the first picture free.

Bump shoot

I had this shoot when I was 36 weeks pregnant. The photographer provided all the accessories and had lots of ideas on what to do. My husband doesn’t like his picture being taken but he got involved for me.

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If I had known what I know now, I wish I had bought a nice maternity bra for the shoot.  I’m not a fan of the pictures with my bra in it.

Newborn shoot

The best time to have a newborn shoot is when the baby is a few days old (1 to 14 days old). This enables the baby to be positioned for the artistic shots. The photographer provided all the accessories and had the scenes set up. The shoot took 4 hours to allow for feeding and getting the baby to sleep.  Noah was exactly 1 week old in his pictures.

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If I had known what I know now, I would have gone with some premixed formula as this enables babies to sleep longer than breast feeding. We nipped out mid shoot to get some. I was worried that it might affect breast feeding but it didn’t.

Costs
Studio fee

I thought £30 was a great price until we had the shoot. The studio charged quite a lot per image, i.e. £60 a picture or £250 for 5 pics on a USB. I was heartbroken. I couldn’t afford that on maternity pay! They took pity on me and sold me the presentation video of the images and I took screenshots to get images to print.

If I have known what I know now, I would check the additional costs associated with the shoot as this is often where the photographer makes their money.

All inclusive package

This time I have booked with another studio that charges £250 (and I’ve paid the 10% deposit of £25). This is an all inclusive price and will include all the images taken during the 4 hours on a USB. We will have a family pic and then the artistic shots whilst my little boy & his dad go stretch their legs. I can then print and share the pics as much as I like or ask the studio to print for me at their prices.

I like an all inclusive price because I can budget for this and won’t be disappointed. I can’t wait to share the pictures.

Packages

There is now a wider choice of options too:

Bump (watch me grow) – This is a shoot that will involve you visiting the photographer a few times to get the same picture taken to illustrate your bump growing.  You will need to choose an outfit you can wear throughout your pregnancy and will need to start seeing the photographer from around 12 weeks pregnant.
Bump shoot – this is where you get pictures of your pregnancy bump at about 30 weeks+.  The photographer usually offers a maternity gown and organza to get some pretty pictures.  You can also take scan pictures or items you have bought for baby like tiny shoes.
Newborn shoot – This is when you get pictures of your baby taken when they are only a few days.  Have a look at the photographers album to see if they do the baby art style pictures or not.
Little sitter – This is when your baby is able to sit independently from around 6 months old. You will need to choose the outfit for your little one to wear but the photographer will provide the set and props, although you can bring props too i.e. a favourite toy.
Cake smash – This is often added onto a package for newborns to encourage parents to return when their child is one year old. It is their first birthday picture and involves them getting in a mess with a beautiful cake.

Often studios will offer the above shoots as packages with a saving.  For example, Bump 2 Baby (will be a bump shoot and a newborn shoot) or My First Year (could be a newborn shoot, little sitter and a cake smash).  Some studios offer loyalty cards to encourage their customers to return for other milestones.

If I have known what I know now:  This time I have booked an all inclusive package with a studio that has a loyalty scheme.  So, if I wish to return I can collect discounts for being a returning customer.  I like this no pressure approach and feel in control of how much my photos are going to cost me. The studio were upfront about pricing that I feel assured I won’t get a nasty surprise on the day.

Booking

It is best to book your photographer as soon as possible. For a maternity shoot, you will need to book the shoot for the stage in pregnancy you wish to capture – the more time you give the photographer the more likely they will have availability for the week you need.

For a newborn shoot, you book the photographer before your baby arrives.  Photographers who specialise in these shoots know babies rarely arrive on their due date.  They will make a note of when you are expecting and keep some slots free in their diary around this date.  This time I booked the studio when I was around 24 weeks pregnant.

Once the baby arrives, call your photographer as soon as you can to book the date at the studio.  With Noah, I called the studio the morning after he was born from the hospital.

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Review: Skin Organics Beauty Box (May)

What is it?

Skin Organics Clean Beauty is a subscription box with a selection of non-toxic, cruelty-free, organic and natural products.  These may be skincare, body care or beauty products.  Their aim is to help you discover clean, green and cruelty-free products and brands.  They dispatch on 20th of the month.

Cost:  £19.00 (+£3.95 P&P) subscription, UK

What was in my box?
Beauty Balm

This months theme is Beauty Balm. Inside the box were seven products.

The card has details about all the products and discount codes if you decide to buy.

A.S Apothecary:  Wild Beauty Balm (website lists price at £42 for 30mls & sheet lists price as £21.00)

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This is an everything balm.  The brand hand make all their products using natural ingredients.  They think of the way they do this as an artistic or meditative process.  They even create bespoke products for individuals as one of their services.

Just Be Botanicals:  Loved Aromatherapy Chocolate (website & sheet lists price as £2.75)

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I’m not really a fan of dark chocolate. I think I’ll pop round to see my mum and share it with her. I’ll try a tiny piece to check if I’m missing out but I think it will be more her thing than mine.

I checked their website and they do different chocolate like milk or white (more me) and a ton of other beauty products, tea and home-ware.  They appear to be pretty big – I’m surprised I’ve never come across them.

Isla Apothecary:  Neroli Body oil (website lists price as £32 for 100mls & sheet lists price as £4.50)

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This body oil was the winner of the Beauty Shortlist Awards 2018 for best Body Oil.  It sounds very promising and I look forward to using this as specially as one of the benefits is preventing stretch marks which is great as I am in my third trimester of pregnancy and need to improve on remembering to use a body oil.

Bodhi & Birch:  Desert Rose Facial Oil (website lists price as £38 for 15mls and sheet lists price as £9.95)

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This facial oil also won the Beauty Shortlist Awards 2018.  I do love the scent of rose so perhaps this face oil will be a winner with me too.  This oil is designed to even skin tone, boost cellular regeneration and diminish age blemishes.

Lucky Cloud:  Nourishing Cleansing Balm (website and sheet lists price as £8.00)

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This certainly looks like the sort of cleaner that I love.  I do have a few cleansers on the go at the moment so I am not sure I’ll get a chance to use it this month but I’ll try to give it a try just so I can let you know my thoughts at the end of the month.

Roques O’Neil:  Himalayan Detox Bath Salts (website and sheet lists price as £10.00 travel size)

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There is a warning on website to say that this product is not safe to use during pregnancy – perhaps because it is designed to make you sleepy and pregnant women are already struggling to stay away.

However, I’ve read that a salt bath is very healing after birth so I’ll use it when I return from hospital as a little pamper.

Botany Blend:  Meru Facial (sheet lists price as £2.50 sample size)

This facial oil was the winner of the Beauty Shortlist Awards 2018 for Editors Choice.  Another award winner and appears to be suitable for all skin types for reducing aging.  I hope the sample will be enough to get a good idea of what I think of the product.

Would I recommend?

Once again this is another great box, introducing the sort of brands I want to know and use. Everything feels like good quality and was beautifully wrapped.

All the products meet the promise of clean, green and cruelty-free – so if that’s something you desire, this is a great box for you. 

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Reflect on previous box

I’ve had a month to use the products I received and share my thoughts.

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This is how I got on using the products from my April box:

Sadly, I have been a bit stressed at work and returning home too exhausted to even pamper myself which has resulted in some products not getting used as expected.  In addition, the past two weekends my little boy has been ill which steals my time and energy.  Hopefully, June will be a better month and I’ll find a little bit of ‘me’ time.  

Wild Source:  Radiance Mask (website RRP £24.00 & sheet lists price as £15.00)

I’ve not had a chance to use this.  Mixing up a face mask whilst my little boy was being sick didn’t seem like a good idea. I feel like I’ve constantly been doing laundry this month and I forgot face masks even exist.  

Mono Naturoils: Rose & Cucumber Cleansing Oil (website & sheet lists price as £20.00)

I have used this oil almost everyday and love it.  It is a bit rich on a hot day but my skin has been less problematic when I have used it.  My skin is definitely more hydrated by this product.  

Mono Naturoils:   Facial Steam (This trial size is a gift from the founder of Mono. No price is given.)

I still haven’t had a chance to use this.  I have been a little stressed at work this month and it has resulted in me being too tired to even pamper myself.  I really want to use it and I got as far as taking it to the kettle.

Naissance:  Certified Organic Rosehip Oil (website & sheet list price as £8.99)

I haven’t used it.  I don’t feel I need it at the moment so it is just sitting in my bathroom cabinet until I do.

Green People:  Quinoa & Calendula Shower Gel  (website RRP £9.99 (100ml), £4.00 on the sheet for sample size)

I have used this every time I’ve had a shower.  I can’t decide if I like the smell or not but it is friendly to my skin.  I’d definitely try other Green People products but doubt I’ll replace this one when it is used up.  

Anita Grant:  Vanilla Cocoa Body Butter Sample (website & sheet RRP £3.45 for 15g sample size)

I can’t use this.  It smells too edible and makes me hungry.  I really like the brand, it has a very luxurious feel to the products and I am keen to check out more they have to offer.

Anita Grant:  Coconut Rosewood Dry Oil (website & sheet RRP £2.99 for 15ml)

Maybe this product is the reason my skin is looking so good.  Every time my skin looks a little stressed I’ve dabbed a little of this oil on.  It feels lovely on my skin.  I wasn’t sure I’d have a need for this but I really love it and would buy again.  Did I mention how good it smells?  Mmm….

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Pop-up books

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Here, I share my collection of pop-up books and what makes them unique and special.

The hardest thing about pop-up books is that they do tend to be a little fragile and because they are very exciting this can cause children to damage them unintentionally.  In addition, some younger children may not have the skills to operate the pop-ups without causing damage which can be upsetting.

You will have to judge when your child is ready for them and may need to supervise the books. For example, only share them at special occasions or as a reward rather than leaving them out for you child to explore alone.

Some of these books are aimed at children specifically and are more hardy. Others are designed to show off the artwork of the author or the beauty of pop-up books.

The Tickle Book  and The Bedtime Book

Author:  Ian Whybrow
Illustrator:  Axel Scheffler

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These books are designed especially for young children.  They have a rhyming story line that they’ll enjoy listening to.  The book has tabs to pull to cause parts of the story to move or pop-up.  With ‘The Tickle Book’ I tend to tickle my son every time the tickle monster pops up.  ‘The Bedtime’ book is probably better for bedtime as there is no tickling.

Snowman and the snowdog

Father Christmas bought this book for my son so it is no surprise that it is magical.  The first part of the book is a normal picture book following the classic story of The Snowman and the Snowdog.  However, when you reach the last page you are in for a surprise.

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The book has a sensor that causes built in lights to switch on and cause the stars in the sky to twinkle and a scene of London at night to pop up.  It is a beautiful ending and my son loves London so he points out the famous sights from the scene.

How to Find Flower Fairies

Author:  Cicely Mary Barker

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This pop up book is written as a collection of discoveries about faeries. The pages are very elaborate scenes that pop up and have notes and journals entries about the faeries.  The front cover and camera on the last page has a holographic image that moves.  It truly is a beautiful book about faeries with so much thought and detail gone into every page.  However, I wouldn’t recommend this be shared with young children.

I’ve created a little clip on Instagram to show how clever and beautiful this book is as seeing is believing…

Goblins

Author/Illustrator:  Brian Froud

Click to view slideshow.

This tatty old book was produced in 1983 by my favourite artist.  I fell in love with his work which inspired the film Labyrinth (his son was cast as the baby kidnapped by the goblin king).

It is a first edition and I bought it second hand. I probably paid too much for it considering that some of the tags are very fragile but I am so pleased to have a copy.  I do share this with my son on his birthday or if he has been really good and he loves it.  Sadly, he tore the goblins nose on the last page to see the goblins underneath.

There isn’t much of a story but each page has so much detail and the artwork is amazing.  My son loves the last page where you can turn the book upside down to discover more goblins due to how they are drawn – it is genius.  I’ve checked many times to see if this book has been re-released but it hasn’t.

*****

Have you read any of these?  Is there a pop-up book that you think I need to add to my collection – I’d love to hear your recommendations.

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How to get free baby stuff

Here are the things I have managed to get for free for my baby and how:

Emma’s Diary

Signing up to their site gives you generic info on how your pregnancy is progressing based on your due date.  They also have printable money off vouchers for Argos and regularly have online deals by other brand.  It is worth checking their site before buying something.

In addition, everyone who sign up gets a voucher to collect a pack of products from Boot/Argos for different stages of their pregnancy.  Here is what mine contained:

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Pack 1:

Leaflets by sponsors
2x Pregnacare Original prenatal vitamins (19 in each box)
Bepanthen nappy cream
Lansinoh Ultra thin, stay dry nursing pads (2 pack)

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Pack 2:

Leaflets by sponsors
Pampers premium nappies size 1 (22 in pack)
Aquafresh Milk teeth toothpaste
Lansinoh Ultra thin, stay dry nursing pads (2 pack)

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Pack 3:

Leaflets by sponsors
Pampers premium protection nappies size 2 (3 in pack)
Aquafresh Milk teeth toothpaste
Lansinoh Breastmilk storage bags (2 pack)
Fairy non-bio liquid and fabric softener

Baby Box University

By watching some videos on safe sleeping (very useful) and answering some questions, you then qualify for a free baby box (might be limited to certain areas of the UK).   You can collect the box for free baby box or pay p&p to get it delivered. I paid £5.99 to have mine delivered as the nearest collection point was quite drive for me.

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Here is what I got:

Information pack on safe sleeping in a zipped bag
A baby box (safe for baby to sleep in)
A mattress
A mattress sheet
A light blanket for baby
A vest

Sample product

Some brands sell a sample of their product so you can see the quality before buying. You will likely need to pay p&p to receive the item.

I did this with The Finnish Baby Box company who create ‘everything you need for baby in one box’ (48 items of high quality Scandinavian style clothes and other useful products for baby’s first year).  The contents is gender neutral but they will ask about when the baby is due and the climate so they can tailor the contents to be suitable for the right times in the year.

The long sleeved vest I received is really cute and feels lovely.  I am very tempted to treat myself to a whole box, however, the box isn’t cheap… then again, it is a years supply of unisex clothing to get you started.

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Enter competitions

This does rely on luck and doesn’t guarantee you will win. I entered via Instagram with brand The Little Art Collection and won this beautiful poppy design bamboo muslin for my baby girl (due in August).  The muslin is retails at £12.50 and my prize included P&P.

I love it so much I bought an expecting friend a swaddle in another design.  I’m also tempted to buy more… so beware, if the products are good you will be tempted to start spending.

Free giveaways

I missed this one but on Facebook Lidl were giving away their own brand, Lupily, of nappies for free in sizes 1, 2 and 3. Usually, their nappies only cost 86p for a pack so they are really affordable. However, when something is so cheap people are dubious about whether they will work?

Speaking to friends who use Lupily about the effectiveness have found them great. One friend uses them during the day on her toddler and both day and night on her newborn. She swears by the whole Lidl baby range and has saved a fortune.

I guess this is why Lidl gave them away for free, to spread the word that their affordable baby products work! For 86p you can’t really go wrong.

During my last pregnancy, lots of baby brands offered free products if you signed up to their newsletter. I loved my weening guide by Hipp Organic and the little cow toy from Cow & Gate. All the newsletters had bite size tips to help busy mums get the info they need and money off their products.

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Review: The Pip Box (May)

What is The Pip Box?

It’s a cruelty free beauty subscription box and contains a selection of five products – skincare, body care, makeup and occasionally a sweet treat too.  Plus, a 50p donation from the sale of each box goes to an animal friendly charity (Animal Free Research).    In addition, you earn loyalty points for each purchase which can then be used for money off future boxes.

Cost:  £13.50 (+£3.95 P&P) subscription, UK

Refer a friend scheme:  Every time you refer three friends, you get a free The Pip Box.  If you’d like to sign up, use my friend link:  https://www.thepipbox.co.uk/refer/Aliso-SJFXKEDD

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What was in my box?

The box came with an information card to tell me all about the products inside and their value.

Conscious Skincare: Shampoo (sheet lists price as £3.99)

Conscious Skincare: Conditioner (sheet lists price as £3.99)

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I can’t find either the shampoo or the conditioner on their website so I am assuming that they are new products (there are other scents available though).

The product clearly states that if you are pregnant you should consult your doctor before use!  This is a bit alarming but at least they are clear about this rather that hide the information away.  As I am currently pregnant, I won’t be trying this product this month. Instead, I plan to put it in my hospital bag to use after delivery as they are both a handy travel size.

MoYou: Nail Plate, Stamp & Scraper (sheet lists price as £9.99)

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I am really excited to give this a go.  I feel need to buy another colour polish like white or gold to be the print as all my current polishes are very ‘samey’.  After pay day, I guess I’ll have to treat myself to a new nail polish.

Bloomtown: Roll on infused oil (sheet lists price as £4.80)

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I already have a few products by this brand. They donate 10% of their profits to environmental and social causes.  The brand is from Cornwall, UK and started in 2016 and already winning awards for their products.

I had quick sniff and it smells lovely.  It reminds me of my favourite Rose perfume by Acorelle (I don’t recommend them for their sun-care products).  I love how affordable Bloomtown make their products and how ethical the brand is.  I can’t wait to start using this product.

 

Glo By Glory:  Semi Matte Liquid Lipstick (website & sheet lists price as £16.99)

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The brand is from America and all the prices are in dollars.  One of the first things they say is ‘We are feminine’ but they also say their products are for men.  They are vegan and cruelty the free.

The lipstick is available in 4 shades, the shade I have is Sugar Dumpling (described as a dusty rose nude).  I’ve tried it on and it is a very dark brown against my pale skin and a bit messy and unforgiving. I’ll keep trying it to see if I get better with practice and looks better with a full face of makeup.  I’ll also test how well it stays on.

 

Reflect on previous box

This is how I got on using the products from my April box:

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The Konjac Sponge Co:  Body Sponge (website RRP £29.00, Sheet lists price as £11.99)

I never would have though to buy a sponge or that I would love it so much but this is the best sponge I have ever used.  Even my 4 year old could tell the quality and insist on using this in the shower over his fun character flannels.  I plan on buying the whole family one each.

Weleda: Evening Primrose Body Oil (website RRP £24.95 full size, Sheet lists price as £3.99 sample size)

I haven’t used it.  I have do have a lot of body oils on the go at the moment and really appreciate the travel size of this sample.  I am putting it in my maternity bag for use after my shower in hospital.

FRUU: Colour Balm in Strawberry (website & sheet lists price as £4.99)

I’ve been using this almost every day.  It is moisturising and fun to have a pop of colour. The pink-coral shade is a little bright for me but the colour doesn’t last long.  I will use it up but if I rebuy, I will try a different shade (there is 8 to choose from).

Balade En Provence: Apple Hand Cream (website & sheet lists price as £9.99)

This smells so good.  I haven’t used it much as I neglect caring for my hands.  I’m sure that once the baby is here and I’m cleaning my hands after nappy changes, this will be in regular use.  I also love the cute apple design of the pot and decided that it would make a lovely gift for my sons key workers at nursery as he graduates this summer and my little boy will start school in September.

Peony Cosmetics: Pink Glow Luminizing Stick (website RRP $22.00, sheet lists price as £16.99)

This product is fine but I have really pale skin and the colour just doesn’t show up on me.  I’ve had this problem with other highlighters.  I’ve used it a few times as it has a very subtle shimmer on my skin but isn’t light enough to highlight for me.  It is friendly to my skin – no irritation or doing weird stuff like flaking – so I think if you have darker skin then this could be great for you.

 

Would I recommend?

I continue to subscribe to The Pip Box and really like the reward scheme, supporting a charity and discovering more cruelty free brands.

I am disappointed that I cannot use the shampoo and conditioner because I am pregnant but I’ll stick them in my hospital bag as they are a good travel size.  I’m most excited this month about trying trying the nail art as I never give my hands any attention – I’ll try to take some pics on how I get on.

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