X Factor, Talent or Entertainment Show?

As the dust settles on the events of the X Factor at the weekend I have to say I am surprised at the public’s reaction! In all honesty who really believes this show is a talent contest? It may have started out as one, but now it is purely an entertainment show put in place to win a ratings war against the BBC! Just a bit of a coincidence that all this happens the same week Strictly starts on the BBC!

Why do people get so irate about it?. My husband and I predicted what was going to happen (as I am sure many of the rest of you did) before it took place. The show wants media exposure, it wants to trend on social media and it wants the Monday morning headlines – mission accomplished! Do you vote? I am guessing the majority answer NO, so why get so annoyed by it. Just about everyone I know watches it, but the only people I know who vote are people with children age 7-11 and they are voting for their children which is exactly why people like Rylan get through! Children like the glitz and hype they are not interested in an amazing singer in her 30’s that belts out a country tune. I thought Carolyn was great, but I wouldn’t vote for her –  I wouldn’t vote for anyone and haven’t in all the years I have watched it.

I’m sorry, but I believe it is all staged, even down to Gary walking off (and I am a big Gary fan). It won’t stop me tuning in as I am sure it won’t most house holds. It may even get some new viewers to see what all the fuss is about. At the end of the day those of us who stay in on a Saturday night all like to be entertained and this is what the X Factor does. The BBC ran the Voice, which in my opinion, was much more of a talent show than X Factor and look at the result – they had to cancel their tour due to poor ticket sales. The UK public don’t really want to see the best singers climb to success through a dull talent programme. They want scandal and drama. Look of the line up of contestants, a selection or hard luck stories, groups torn apart or thrown together & single parents trying to overcome hardship. The show builds characters for the public to buy into and for that reason it can only be called an Entertainment Show!

Hartbeeps Babybells

Tuesday has quickly become my favourite day of the week thanks to Hartbeeps Babybells! Noah and I attend a class at Wendover Woods every Tuesday lunch time and it is the best hour of our week. The sessions are fun, interactive and informative. Noah smiles the whole way through and loves looking at the other babies. I have also really enjoyed getting out and meeting some Mums with babies the same age as Noah as most of my friends all have children the same age as my girls.

Hartbeeps run different sessions for different age groups. Babybells is for babies who are not on the move yet. It incorporates a bit of baby masage and some signing too and naturally lots of singing. Our teacher, Caroline, is really enthusiastic and makes everyone feel really welcome. As it is a session for young babies it is not totally full on and during the 50 minutes there are pauses where the Mums can talk and Caroline shares her wealth of knowledge about babies. Being a Mum herself she also  has lots of funny stories to share about her boys which makes it a very relaxed and friendly environment. The sessions are baby lead so if your little one needs a feed or change during the session there is no problem at all with you just stopping and doing what you need to. I have to say I have never attended a group like this. Hartbeeps wasn’t around when I had my girls, we did various things with the girls but nothing that was as fun or relaxed as this. I have purchased the CD so I can do some of the activities at home with Noah as he really responds to the music. Being only 17 weeks I can’t really sit and play with him as such, but Hartbeeps has given me inspiration to use puppets and music to entertain him with. I really feel like I have his attention when we play the music or attend the sessions and he seems really stimulated by it. After the session he is always very tiered and sleeps for about 2 hours. Thankfully it doesn’t affect his night-time sleep routine.

I would highly recommend Hartbeeps sessions to anyone with a baby or small child. Everyone gets a free taster session and then you can sign up for a half term, or if you are like me, go straight in and book the whole term. I was in no doubt that I wanted to keep going so I booked the term in advance and got a CD for free. The teachers sell the puppets and music that are used in the class, if you are interested, but they are not in any way pushy with it. You often find money off vouchers or leaflets about other baby businesses at the sessions so it is also a good source for information. Check out their website for your local classes www.hartbeeps.com Also check with your Sure Start centre as some of them run free Hartbeeps sessions where you can sign up for a mini course for free.

It’s a 10/10 rating from Noah and I x

Fashion Design for 8 – 12 Year Olds

Ella attended her first Fashion Design course today. She was thrilled to see a Fashion Design course available to her age group in the Aylesbury Vale ‘Do It’ Easter brochure. Ella’s ambition at the moment is to be the next Stella McCartney so this was a perfect opportunity for her. I booked it straight away and she has been counting the days ever since. It was held at our local college which I thought was a great venue as Ella has always been fascinated with the building and knowing I attended my Counselling Training there she has always wanted to go in.

The course ran from 10am to 3pm and they just had to take a plain item of clothing with them that they wanted to style. Ella decided to take a white T-shirt. I have to say as I write this I am feeling very proud of my talented little lady. I think what she created is really good. This is the first time she has ever been given the opportunity to do anything like this and it sounds like the teacher was excellent. They had to create a mood board first and then think about styles and fashion. Ella said to me when she showed me her top ‘Less is more Mummy’ which I was very impressed with as I feel like she has really taken the lesson seriously and got something out of it. She was so pleased with herself and loves the fact that she now has something to wear that she created herself and that no one else will have. For an 8-year-old Ella is extremely fashion conscious and very much has her own style already. I have to say at first I found it quite hard as I felt like she was growing up too quickly. However, I am a believer in allowing your child to form their own opinions through experiences in life and feel it is important that she has some freedom to express herself. Don’t get me wrong I would step in if she took her fashion statements too far, especially as she is a fan of Lady Gaga! But to date I have always been very impressed at the out fits she puts together for herself.

I am very impressed with this course and would highly recommend it to any child who has an interest in fashion. They really seemed to have explored in-depth what goes into fashion design and not just said here’s a load of fabric do what you like! Ella’s mood board is excellent and she can tell you how she came up with the design for her T-Shirt. She has talked about how you can turn an old dress into a skirt and matching clutch bag and has asked if we can go to a charity shop to look for some bits that she can transform. I am thrilled that the course has fueled her interest in fashion even more. She is very creative and at school she doesn’t get the opportunity to do a lot of crafts which is a shame as it is the one area that she thrives in. Today has given Ella a massive confidence boost and she has already asked if she can go again in the next school holidays and knows exactly what she will take to work on. For £25 for the day I wouldn’t think twice about sending her again!

Playtrain Kids Activity Centre, High Wycombe

I love Playtrain in High Wycombe. It is the best soft play centre I have ever visited. It not massive, but the facilities are excellent and they have all bases covered. Personally that fact it isn’t massive is a big bonus to me as it means you can sit down and not have to keep getting up to try to find out where your child is. It is definitely a parent/carer friendly venue with its great cafe area and small shopping area at the reception.

Atmosphere; I love the relaxed environment and think it is the most organised and well thought out soft play centre I have visited. There are even screens up on the wall that show corners and areas of the play frame that are not fully visible if you are sitting in the cafe area. I have always found the staff to be friendly and helpful.

Play Facilities; The main play frame is clean and looks in good condition. In addition to that there is a craft area, a library area computer games and a moving bus ride (additional charge for this). There are also some other activities like a play shop area, large connect four and small ball pool. I really think there is something to entertain every child here. There is even a small outside play area that the children can use in the summer. There is also a small area for the smaller children which has seating by it for you to watch over your little ones!

Cafe; The cafe offers a good menu with lots of healthy options. The coffee is good quality and there is a children’s meal deal option. I feel the price is moderate to high, but I don’t mind paying the price as it is good quality fresh food. They also sell ice creams which is great for the kids in the summer.

Retail area; This is the only play centre I have been to that have incorporated a small shop area into the business. It is in the entrance area and sells pocket-money toys, Magazines, Nappies through to a lovely selection of wooden toys and mobiles. The also regularly have local businesses come in that sell. These range from Dace painters to Osbourne Books to Fingerprint Jewellery.

Parking; For me this is the only thing that lets the centre down in any way. There is a car park, but it isn’t that big and if there are parties taking place it fills up very quickly. You can park on the main road, but it is the main road that runs through the industrial estate so is very busy. At weekends you can park in the bays outside the opposite unit, but you do need to cross the main road then. Even the parking isn’t ideal it isn’t enough of an issue to put me off going or recommending the centre.

Price; I think the under 1 and under 4 pricing is fair, but do think £6.10 for an over 4 is a little on the high side. However, they do offer an annual member ship for £99 for the first child and then only £25 per sibling which is great value if you plan to be a regular visitor.

 

Parties; I have not had a party or been to a party at this venue. However, I have been there while parties are taking place and the food that goes into the party rooms always looks really fresh and healthy and they seem to be very organised at preparing the rooms.

For anyone who is looking for a softplay centre in the Bucks area I would highly recommend Playtrain and my children and I would go as far as to say it is the best centre in the area.

Waddesdon Manor in the Sunday Sun

What a gorgeous day it has been! Today is the only day this week the 5 of us have been together so we thought we would make the most of it and head off to Waddesdon Manor to enjoy the good weather! We became National Trust members about 5 years ago. It is great, you get free entry to most NT venues and free parking at a lot of site too. We go to Cornwall a lot and this is what made us go for the membership as it saves us a fortune in beach parking down there. If you are not a member I strongly recommend you look into it especially if you have somewhere like Waddesdon Manor near by.

We arrived just before 11am expecting it to be packed, but were pleasantly surprised at how quiet it was (I think it was because the clocks had gone forward and everyone wasn’t as organised as normal). We took a leisurely stroll down the main drive towards the Manor house and then straight off to the adventure playground. This area is fantastic if you have a young family, it is all very clean and safe. It is set on different levels, down a hill-side, which are all wood chipped. The good thing about the lay out is you do not have hundreds of families packed into one area. The down side is if you have an excited child who just can’t wait to move on and shoots ahead, before you know it they are out of your site and down to the next level. This happened to us once, but fortunately, Madison found it quite scary to not know where we were so has never done it again. My girls love the nest swing so we headed there first, and for the first time ever, there was no queue. The girls played happily on the zip wire and swings for about 20 minutes and then we decided to head down to the Stables cafe at the bottom of the hill. Even though the adventure playground is set on a hill-side it is still reasonably pushchair friendly. There are wooden gang ways that are sloped all the way down to the bottom level. Watch out though as these can get very slippery if it has been raining. I prefer not to take a pushcahir personally as going down is fine, but it is hard work on the way back up and you have to go back up to get back to your car! There are hand rails on all the walk ways down the side of the play areas if you have someone with you who is not so steady on their feet. I just love the whole layout and feel of Waddesdon Manor. It is very family friendly and carries a very traditional vintage theme which is right up my street.

The Stables cafe has a large outside seating area and then a smaller inside one. We decided to sit inside despite the glorious sunshine. It was very bright, but there was still a bit of a nip in the air and Noah needed feeding so we headed inside. There are some fab new pictures in the cafe area of the Rothchild’s estate, they are breath-taking and worth going in just to see them even if you don’t fancy a coffee. The fresh cakes display is always a massive attraction to us and my husband and I always find it hard to resist. Today was no different. I went for homemade lemon drizzle cake (which was very light with just the right amount of sticky drizzle on top) and Mr BB went for the meringue with raspberry coulis. The girls decided they wanted Ice cream, typical children the first sign of the sun and they want an ice cream everywhere we go. The coffee is good, not too strong or bitter and we have always found the service to be swift and friendly. The menu offers light lunches, but we have not yet ordered from it. However, for what I have witnessed the portions look good and the food always looks fresh and appetising. I would say that the pricing is what you would expect for a National Trust cafe, by no means cheap, more your premium coffee shop pricing.

Seeing as Madison had yet another Birthday party to attend this afternoon (on average she is going to one a week at the moment) we had to cut our visit short today and head back towards the car. But not before visiting the adventure playground one more time. On the way back it was starting to get a lot busier and there were queues forming for the zip wire and swings. We have always found the visitors at Waddesdon Manor to be very friendly and polite. People will say good morning to you as you pass them and strike up a conversation whilst waiting for one of the playground activities. There is a small a very which the girls always enjoy walking round but we didn’t go in that direction today. There is still a lot of Waddesdon Manor that we have yet to explore. You can pay to have a tour around the Manor House which is something we are planning on doing this year. There is also a train ride that takes you down to the plant centre which is set at the bottom of the hill in a different area of the estate. It is always worth checking out the events calendar at your local NT venues as they host a whole range of events from Live Music to Wine Tasting and these can be discounted if you are a member. I really enjoyed our little trip out in the Sunday sun and always come away from Waddesdon feeling very luck that we live so close to somewhere so lovely!

Know the facts about Fingerprint Jewellery

I love Fingerprint Jewellery, so much so that I brought a Smllprint franchise!

I am just about to enter my fourth year of making Fingerprint Jewellery and I still love it as much as the day I started. There are a lot more companies out there offering this product now which is great as it gives the customers a choice. Being someone who spends a lot of time online I am very good at doing my research before buying, as many savvy Mums are these days. I would recommend to everyone that if you are interested in Fingerprint Jewellery then do your research before you order. Here are a few things I would say you need to know before ordering;

1. Does the company make a mould of the Fingerprint using putty and then recreate it for the jewellery or do they take a cast of the Fingerprint straight into PMC (precious Metal Clay). The difference here is that if they are using a putty then in essence are making a mould of the Fingerprint and then using the mould to stamp into the clay. Companies that do it this way often send you the kit to take the print yourself. The downside of this is that you only get one attempt per kit which is hard when you have never done it before. If the company take the print straight into the clay then what you get back will be the print that is actually taken – a cast of the Fingerprint. This means your child will of actually touched the piece of Jewellery. This will also mean it is a trained professional that is taking the print, so far less stressful for you. Another bonus to this method is that if the print doesn’t come out very well the person taking it can take another print there and then and continue doing so until you are happy with it. I had a customer only this week who came to me with 6 month old twins. I took one of the girls prints and it was lovely, but we tried several different Fingers with the other little girl and she just didn’t have any lines yet. In the end we decided to leave it a month before we try again to see if her lines have developed. The lady was so grateful, as there was no charge for the appointment and she knows that when we do get the print it will be a clear and hopefully detailed one (the detail obviously depends on your childs skin patterns). If she had been using a kit herself she would not have known the quality of the print until her Jewellery arrived and by then it would be too late to do anything about it.

2. What kind of Clay do the company use? Smallprint HQ have done a great deal of research into the best Silver Clay to use and have tested all the products on the market. Different Silver Clay’s will give you different finishes. If you look around at different companies you will see some pieces have a much higher shine than others. I have even seen some that looked like they are almost a brushed effect. Look at the finished items and see what finish you like, don’t be afraid to ask what they use. At Smallprint we use PMC as it gives an excellent smooth finish that polishes up to a high shine.

3. What is included in the price? Before you place your order check what is included in the price. Most items are displayed with engraving but you will find that it is not always included in the price quoted. Also check what attachments are included as again, items may be displayed with a chain but not necessarily included in the price. Ask if the purchase comes in a gift box or bag and again is that included.

4. Don’t be fooled by wording on websites or sales pitches. A number of companies quote things on their websites like ‘we are the market leader’ anyone can write these statements but can they back them up? If companies are quoting this don’t be afraid to ask them how they know they are. It is a grand statement to make and I always wonder how these companies justify what they are saying. Also you will find a lot of small companies saying things like ‘we are cheaper than the franchised companies as we don’t have to pay management fees etc’. The price of Silver is the same to everyone and if you shop around you will find that the franchised companies are not always more expensive than the small companies especially if they charge extra for engraving, packaging etc. The advantage of the franchised company is that all franchisees are trained to a specific standard and the quality of their work checked regularly. Head quarters of Franchised companies have extensive testing done on the findings and materials they use to ensure the customer is receiving the highest quality product, this is not something that a small company would always have the time or resources to do.

5. Check the Size and depth of the jewellery. If you find a company that seems to be considerably cheaper it may be because their items are thinner or small than other companies. Where possible I would always ask to see samples and if this isn’t possible ask for measurements or the weight of the finished item so you can compare the companies fairly.

Ultimately, as with everything, it is all down to personal taste, but if you are going to invest in something so precious it is good to know the facts!

Disney On Ice, Princesses & Heroes

For Christmas we brought Madison a ticket to see Disney On Ice, Princesses & Heroes at Wembley Arena. It was the first On Ice Show that Madison has seen, but I am an old veteran as I had already taken Ella to see 3 different DOI tours over the years.

Madison went dressed as Rapunzel and was overflowing with excitement. Because I had to get home to collect Ella and Madison I decided to drive. This is the first time I have driven to Wembley and I have to say was pleasantly surprised how quick and straight forward it was. The venue and car park signage on route was excellent, but watch out for the speed cameras there seemed to be dozens of them. I had decided to pre-book my parking as I had no idea how busy it was going to be and also if it would cost more if I tried to find parking on the day. I booked with CSP Limited who are one of the official Wembley car park owners. It cost me £20, which I thought was a bit steep, but paid it as I wanted to know where I was heading and that I would get a space when I got there. As it turns out on the drive up to the Arena there are a large number of industrial units who were all offering event parking for around £10 cash. It would have been a bit further to walk and I am not certain I would have been totally happy leaving my car there and walking on my own with a 4-year-old when I don’t know the area. However, if we were to go again as a family it is something I would consider. Parking was very straight forward, we went in the red car park (they have two, red or green) and just pulled up, showed my booking confirmation and went straight in. Got parked right next to the exit on the ground floor, the car park was virtually empty.

We only had a 5 minute walk to the Arena and then we were inside. It was such a pretty site hundreds of little girls all dressed up as Princesses. I think I must have seen a costume for every Disney Princess you can think of. We had arrived about 30 minutes before the performance was due to start so it wasn’t too busy and the queues were minimal for toilets, refreshments and merchandise. This is the only part of the day that let it down for me. The merchandise! It really infuriates me that they charge the earth for souvenirs and refreshments at these shows. We passed a couple of sobbing children with the parents saying, “No  you can’t have a slushy, it’s a waste of money!” And who can blame them at £8 for a souvenir cup filled with chipped ice and covered in 3 fruit flavourings! Despite feeling this, I went knowing that you are charged the earth for things at these events so Simon had given Madison £20 to spend. Therefore I let her choose what she wanted. When she handed the money over for her Tinkerbell Slushy and Micky Mouse Candy Floss complete with plastic crown and only got £4 change I felt physically sick, but took a deep breath and smiled. It was her treat after all.

After getting over my sick feeling we took our seats, which I have to say were brilliant. I had paid a little more than I normally would so we were rink side. We had an aisle seat 3 rows back and the view was excellent. The stage setting was very impressive, better than I had seen at previous shows. It wasn’t long before the lights dimmed and the music started. Madison was mesmerised for the whole show. She sat still, didn’t ask when it was going to finish and didn’t need the toilet through the whole performance. The show flowed really well with Micky and Minnie acting as presenters and then snippets from all the Disney Princess films being reenacted on Ice. I too really enjoyed it and couldn’t believe how quickly it went. The first half was 45 minutes followed by a 15 minute interval. They did walk round during the interval trying to sell you programs, flashing wands and refreshments which again I find frustrating. You’ve battled through the barrage of various stalls to get in and the children have forgotten about what they weren’t allowed to have, only to have someone with a great big smile start waving said items in their face and reminding them of what they wanted! Fortunately for me Madison was perfectly content with her purchases and didn’t bat an eye lid. The Dad sat behind me was the organisers dream. He was alone with this daughter who I would have said was about 3. When she sat down she was already carrying a light up wand which would set you back £10. Before the show started he had purchased two ice-creams at £3 a pot. Then during the interval the little girl kept saying to him that she wanted what ‘that little girls got’ referring to Madison. With that he said “you stay here and Daddy will go and get you some”. I was horrified that he then stood up and left the arena area, leaving his young daughter sitting on her own! Obviously, I had overheard him so I had an eye firmly on her, but I have to say if that had been my husband I would have had a lot to say about him leaving her. Thankfully the little girl was really good. She only got out of her seat when she dropped something. I turned round and asked if she was ok, and she asked if I could get the thing she had dropped before her Dad came back. It had come down to our level and she couldn’t reach it. I handed it to her and she got straight back on her seat. Her Dad then appeared with an £8 slushly which he handed her, she took one mouthful of the ice and told him she didn’t like it! With that he left her a second time and then reappeared a few minutes later with a bottle of water and a programme. As I said organisers dream customer!

The second half was about 40 minutes and was equally as good and fast-moving as the first. I was starting to get a bit worried as I knew it could only be minutes from the end and there had been no sign of Rapunzel. Madison would have been heart-broken if her favourite character had not been included. Thankfully my prayers were answered and Rapunzel took the ice as the last story. The finale was spectacular with all the Princess and Heroes along with Micky, Minnie, Tinkerbell and Goofy all performing at once.

I really rate this show and would give it a 5 out of 5 for suitability for 3-7 year olds. I think it would appeal to the boys as much as it does the girls. Disney know what they are doing and they do it so well. There was no cost spared on the set, costumes, special effects or ability of the skaters. Put that altogether with the timeless classic Disney stories and you have a show well worth the ticket price in my opinion! If you are going to one of these shows you need to keep in mind the wall of souvenirs that you can’t avoid. My advice would be set yourself a budget and stick to it. You know it is going to be totally over priced, but it is all part of the experience. Madison loved her day and said she felt like a princess when we were walking back to the car which not only made my heart melt, but was proof enough for me that it was money well spent!

I have just received information about the Disney On Ice Passport to Adventure show which starts touring at the end of the year! Knowing how much Madison loved this one, we have booked her a ticket for 30th December. That’s one Christmas present sorted already!