Spice of Life to spice things up

Spice things up with Life of Spice

by with No Comment RecipesReviews

Disclosure: I was sent these spices for the purpose of writing this post, however all words, photos and opinions are my own.

The older I get, the more I realise I’m a creature of habit.

I find myself falling into routines and patterns with things like the meals we eat, and end up having the same things week after week.  It’s not necessarily a bad thing, I really love the meals that we eat, especially with my husband cooking for us more.

It is good to spice things up now and then though.  To try some new recipes and some new flavours.

So when I was offered some spice and rub collections from Life of Spice to try out I couldn’t wait to open them up and get cooking with them.

 

I was sent both the Italian Collection and the American Rub Collection gift sets to try out.

The Italian Collection comes in a lovely gift box which is a big plus if you want to give a set to someone as a present.

Inside the box are three metal tins of spice blends.

The Italian Job is a mixture of salt and Italian herbs (basil, thyme, oregano).  Italian Herbs is a classic mix of oregano, thyme and rosemary, and Pepper Smurf is a peppered rub with rosemary, basil, marjoram and citrus.

 

I love that this collection has 3 different types of seasoning blend, so you can use them for so many different types of cooking.

The Italian Herbs and The Italian Job are great to use in pasta sauces and would also work really well with things like roast potatoes or wedges.  The Pepper Smurf rub is perfect for rubbing into meats before grilling or barbecuing.

 

The second collection I was sent was the American Rub Collection, which has 5 different tins in the box.

Memphis Belle is an authentic Tennessee BBQ rub, while Kansas City Rib Rub brings the flavours of the Midwest.  Much Adobo About Nothing is an adobo spice blend which is perfect for fajitas and chilli.  Savannah Gold is a vibrant spice blend with mustard and garlic, and Sweet Home Alabama is a rich and smoky Southern spice rub.

 

When you open up the tins the smell you get is amazing, and what’s great is that each mix is distinctive enough from the rest of the collection.

 

A few of the rubs are labelled as being ‘barbecue’ rubs, and they would be absolutely amazing to use on all sorts of meats to go on the barbecue in the summer.

The real beauty of these rubs though is you don’t have to use them for barbecues.  Or even meat for that matter.

You can use them to give amazing flavour to roasted vegetables and they’d be great for adding flavour to tofu.  And the Much Adobo About Nothing would be perfect to use in a veggie chilli or to give a bit of a kick to a shepherd’s pie made with vegetarian mince.

 

I knew exactly what I wanted to make though, as soon as these spices arrived.

I used the Kansas City Rib Rub to spice up some slices of halloumi.

 

This rub is a gorgeous burnt orange shade and has a lovely smokey barbecue smell to it.

It was ridiculously easy to use too.

I just sliced up some halloumi and rubbed the spice mix into both sides of the slices.

Then I heated some oil in a pan and cooked the halloumi slices for a few minutes on each side.  You could hear the spices sizzling in the oil as they cooked and the whole kitchen smelt amazing!

If you wanted you could layer some of the cooked halloumi slices in a bun with some mayo and lettuce and have it as a burger, which actually I think I’ll have to try next time.

What I did this time though was serve it with cous cous, which is something Steve and I used to have all the time when we were first living together.

 

I cooked the cous cous then added some of the Italian Herbs from the Italian collection for a bit of added flavour, then stirred in some chopped peppers.

Keeping the cous cous quite simple meant that the star of the show, the spiced halloumi, could really have it’s moment.

And oh my word it was good!

The saltiness of the cheese together with the smokey flavour and bit of heat from the rub worked so well together.  I would say I can see this become a new regular fixture on our weekly menu, but actually I think we could still keep things interesting by using a different spice rub each time!

 

Special reader offer:

If you want to try the Spice of Life spices for yourself, or get some for the foodie in your life as a present, then I have a great offer to share with you.

Buy any of the collections from the Spice of Life website and use code LOS–NDBLG at the checkout to get an extra tin of spices absolutely free!

 

So what are you waiting for?  Go break out of your food rut and spice things up!

Review VonHaus handheld vacuum cleaner

VonHaus cordless handheld vacuum review

by with No Comment Reviews

Disclosure: I was sent this vacuum for the purpose of writing this review.  All words, photos and opinions are my own.

I am not a domestic goddess.  When it comes to cleaning and tidying, I do what I can but I’m definitely no Mrs Hinch.

My home falls into the ‘lived in’ category and I’m happy with that.  I want people to feel like they can come in and be at home here, rather than worrying about leaving marks on my pristine sofa or a bit of mud on my perfect floor.

There are two things that bother me though, when it comes to how clean and tidy my house is.

One is when all the surfaces are full of clutter and the other is when the floors are dirty.  When these two things are sorted I feel so much better about how my house looks and feels.

The thing with the floors is that they’re mostly laminate in our house which seems to accumulate dust and dirt ridiculously quickly.  I wanted something that I could grab quickly and do a once-over of the floors on a regular basis to keep on top of this.

So when the lovely people at VonHaus said they’d like to send me a cordless vacuum cleaner to review I was more than a little excited.

 

The first thing I noticed when the vacuum arrived was how small the box was!

I’m not sure what I was expecting to be honest, but I was surprised when the box was delivered.  What I wasn’t surprised by was how excited I was to open it up.  I know it’s such a boring grown-up thing to be excited about, but a cordless vacuum cleaner really has been on my wishlist for such a long time.

 

As you’d expect, especially considering the size of the box, the vacuum was in several different pieces in the box and needed to be assembled.

There was a small instruction manual included which wasn’t the most detailed thing ever, but was enough to work out how to connect everything.

The first thing I needed to do was push the battery unit into the main part of the vacuum cleaner, and this was easy enough.  There’s a satisfying click that lets you know it’s done properly.  Then I had to really test my patience and let the thing charge before I could put it through its paces.

 

It takes around 4 hours for the battery to fully charge from flat, and then it’ll run for around 20-30 minutes before needing to be charged again.

I’ve had the vacuum for about a month now and generally find that I can do our house 2-3 times before it needs to be charged.  What I really like is that the green power light that comes on when you use the vacuum starts to flash red when the battery is running low.  So you have a bit of a warning instead of just turning off all of a sudden.

 

The first time I assembled the vacuum after it had charged I did find it a bit tricky.

You need to attach the dust tank to the main unit and I couldn’t find anything in the instruction manual about how you do this.  Turns out it is quite simple, but you need to be quite forceful with it.  Make sure everything is lined up and then give it a good push into place.

Then it’s just a case of deciding what attachment to use first.

Most of the time around the house I use the vacuum as an upright cleaner, with the extension attachment and floor brush attached.

 

Most of the rooms in my house are laminate and this cordless vacuum is absolutely brilliant for picking up all the crumbs, dirt and dust that seem to accumulate overnight.

It’s really easy to use, just press the button on the handle once to get it started, and then again if you want a bit more suction power.

I find that for the hard floors the first setting is absolutely fine.  But if I want to vacuum the carpets on the stairs and landing, or the big rug in our living room, then I need the extra power boost.

 

The vacuum itself is nice and lightweight so it’s really easy to whizz around the house with it. 

The floor brush swivels around brilliantly too, so you can manoeuvre round the furniture so easily.  I find vacuuming the stairs with our old corded cleaner really awkward and hard work, but with this cordless vacuum it’s so easy.

 

On days that I’m doing a bit more of a clean around the house I’ll pop the floor brush off and use one of the crevice tools to reach up and clean the top corners of the rooms and around lampshades.

It’s really easy to change the tools, just press the orange attachment release button and pull the attachment out.  Then push the next one in until you hear that satisfying click.

And when you want to switch to the handheld set up you just take out the extension pole and push the attachment into the main unit.

This little machine is so handy!

I use it to get right in along our skirting boards and along the sides/backs of the stairs.  It’s also perfect for using in the car to clear up all the crumbs and dirt that the children leave behind on a regular basis.

 

The dust tank has a capacity of 0.5l, so it’s not huge but big enough to hold the dust and dirt from a go around the house.

It’s so easy to empty too, just unclip the bottom to release it and everything falls right out into the bin.  Once you get into the habit of emptying it after each use it’s no big deal at all.

One thing we really love about this vacuum is that it has an advanced HEPA filter, so it keeps in allergens, bacteria and other microparticles, rather that putting them back into the air. Steve has asthma that’s triggered by dust, so this is filter is a big plus for us.  And the filter itself is really easy to take out and clean with water.

 

We’ve been using the VonHaus cordless vacuum for around a month now and I absolutely love it.

It’s really compact so it lives in a corner near the hallway, tucked out of sight but ready to be grabbed whenever it’s needed.  The charging unit can be wall mounted if you have the space for that, which is a really lovely feature.  We just plug the charger in when we need it and sit the vacuum on the floor while it charges.

 

With it being cordless it’s so easy to pick up and use for a quick clean around whenever I need.

Our old vacuum is corded and because it’s bigger it lives in the cupboard under the stairs so it feels like so much more effort to get it out and use it.  And then you’re dancing around the cord the whole time, and having to unplug it each time you move to a different room.

The VonHaus vacuum feels so effortless to use in comparison.  

I can whizz around from room to room, and up the stairs, without needing to stop.  And with it being so light and simple to use, the children can manage it too.

We’re working on teaching them to take a bit more responsibility, to clean up their own messes and so on, and this vacuum is a great tool to have to help with that.  When they leave a load of crumbs under their seats then I can hand them the handheld unit and they can clean it up themselves.

 

I had been after a cordless vacuum for so long, I’m thrilled that this one from VonHaus doesn’t disappoint.

It feels sturdy in your hand, has great suction power and just the right amount of attachments to do all the jobs I need it to do.  The 30 minute run time is great and more than enough to get my house clean, and it tucks away nicely when we’re not using it.

 

You can get this particular vacuum from the VonHaus website for £89.99 which is a brilliant price for a cordless vacuum.

 

Disclosure: I was sent this vacuum for the purpose of writing this review.  All words, photos and opinions are my own.

The toys came to play shopDisney

The day the toys came to play from shopDisney

by with 4 Comments Family lifeReviews

We were sent these items from shopDisney as gifts, however all words, photos and opinions are my own.

 

A rather exciting box arrived at my house last week while the children were at school.

The picture of Mickey Mouse on the outside gave me a hint that it might be some gifts for the children from shopDisney who had been in touch to see if we would like to review some soft toys and a few other special items.

When I opened the box I couldn’t help smiling as the words “Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse” were written on one of the inside edges.  I just thought it was such a lovely touch!

The box was full of soft toys from some of the children’s favourite films, as well as beautifully soft pyjamas and cushions for them.

When I saw all the different characters I had an idea for a fun way to tell the story of how they all came to our house to have a slumber party with the children…

 

It all started with Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

They had a great time on their way to see us, exploring the beaches of Gower and stopping a few times to take in the views.

 

The Gower Peninsula was chosen as the very first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the UK and Mickey and Minnie loved how peaceful it was at this time of year.

Although they may have had to pop into a cave to shelter from a rain storm at one point during their beach visit!

 

While they were busy enjoying the Gower, the other toys were making their way to our house through the local parks.

Stitch made a stop off at the playpark in Brynmill for a swing and a slide before the local children arrived.

 

Across the other side of the park Nemo swam through the lake before jumping out to find a way to get to the house with the others.

He had a great time in the water there, swimming with the ducks and the other fish.

 

As the toys were busy travelling across Swansea we got a strange feeling that something funny was going on.

When we were out in the park we thought we saw movement now and then, but couldn’t quite catch sight of anything.  Rhys even stopped a few times to peek behind us and around bushes trying to catch a glimpse, and he thought he may have seen a little deer at one point.

 

Turns out it may have been Bambi that he spotted, as she enjoyed spending a bit of time in nature on her way to visit us.

 

As all the toys got closer to our house, ready to enjoy a slumber party with the children, Lotso took the lead to make sure the coast was clear for them all to sneak in.

He quietly led them all up the steps and into the house.

 

While we were out the toys snuck into the bedroom and got all cosy ready for a fun slumber party with Rhys and Nerys.

They even left them each a pair of cosy pyjamas downstairs as a clue that something exciting was going on.

When we came home the children were thrilled to spot their new pjs, and put them straight on before running upstairs to see what was waiting for them.  They were so excited when they stuck their heads round the bedroom door and saw what the toys had organised.

 

The children piled on the bed with the toys and the fun really started.

 

The children had great fun telling the toys how much they loved their new pyjamas.

Rhys has a pair of Mickey Mouse pjs, with a cosy fleecy top and soft cotton trousers.

 

Rhys is 8 but is a bit shorter than average for his age, so these pyjamas in age 7-8 are a really lovely fit for him.

There’s a bit of room to grow still, while still being really snuggly and cosy.

 

Nerys is only 5 but is tall like her dad, so her pyjamas are age 7-8 too.

They’re a little big on her, but that just makes them look even cuter.  And I love the fact that they should last her for next winter too, as they’re so fleecy and warm which is perfect in the colder months.

 

These Minnie Mouse pjs are so soft, and they’re fleecy on the inside too so they feel really nice on her skin.

The soft pink colour is really pretty too and Nerys has worn them loads since she first got them.

She really loves the fact that they have Minnie Mouse on them, and she spent ages cuddling her Minnie Mouse plush toy during the slumber party the toys had arranged.

 

Lotso also got shown a lot of love, even though he’s a not the nicest of characters in Toy Story!

This plush toy is unbelievably soft and the perfect size for cuddles.  The best part though is that he really does smell of strawberries – I would love to fall asleep cuddling up to a sweet smelling teddy like this!

Along with the cosy pyjamas the toys also brought some beautifully soft cushions for the children.

There is a Pua cushion that Nerys grabbed straight away and declared her favourite, as well as one designed to look like one of the aliens from Toy Story which Rhys really loved.

The best part about these cushions though, is that they open up into blankets.  They’re £15 at shopDisney which I think is really reasonable.  They feel so soft and great quality and would be a lovely present for anyone who likes to cwtch up on the sofa and watch Disney films.  I have a feeling we’ll get a lot of use out of ours doing just that this winter!

 

Rhys and Nerys are both thrilled with all the gorgeous things that the lovely people at shopDisney sent us.  The soft toys are all a brilliant size for cuddling either on the sofa or at bedtime, and they are all such great quality.

I’ve been browsing shopDisney.co.uk and they have got a huge range of toys on there, featuring everyone’s favourite characters.  And it’s not just Disney characters either, there are loads of toys from Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars too so there really is something for everyone.

If you have a little movie fan to buy for this Christmas then shopDisney is definitely worth a visit.  Actually it’s worth a look for the grown up Disney fans in your life too.  I spotted loads of mugs I’d like to add to my collection and there are all sorts of bowls and plates and dishes on there to add so much fun to mealtimes.

 

Are your family all Disney fans? 

Which soft toy would your child most like to come to your house for a slumber party?!

 

Disclosure: We were sent these items from shopDisney as gifts, however all words, photos and opinions are my own.

This post is linked up with KCACOLS.

Ace for colours winter refresh

Refresh your winter wardrobe with Ace for colours

by with 4 Comments Family lifeReviews

Can you feel it?

That crisp chill in the air that means that autumn is well and truly here, and winter is on its way too.

The change in weather’s meant that we’ve had to start digging out our cosy winter clothes from the backs of drawers and cupboards.  And the stash of hats and scarves and gloves are coming out of their hiding place in the airing cupboard.

I absolutely love rediscovering my warm hoodies and jumpers at this time of year.  The problem is that after months of sitting unloved in my wardrobe they could always do with a bit of freshening up.

 

This autumn though, it’s not a problem at all.

I’ve been sent some Ace for colours to test out and I am so happy with how it’s breathed some life back into my favourite cold weather clothes.

 

Over the last few years I’ve started picking out clothes that are more colourful, after far too long living in blacks and greys.  And I really want them to stay vibrant and not start to fade over time.

It’s the same with my children’s clothes.  Nerys in particular has lots of bright pinks in her wardrobe and I want them to keep looking fresh and colourful.  With kids being kids she does get all sorts of stains and marks on her clothes so I have a feeling this box of Ace for colours will see a lot of action over the winter months.

 

I’ve been testing the product out over the last week and have been so impressed so far.

You can use it in 3 different ways and I’ve tried them all.

When you mix a spoonful of the powder with a few spoonfuls of water you can use it to pre-treat stains before washing.

I did this on some white school tops that had been marked with mud and strawberry juice.  What made me think that strawberries would be a good snack to take to school to eat while wearing a white top?!

 

I rubbed some of the mixture into the stains, left it for a few minutes and then popped the tops in the wash.

And I can honestly say I’m really impressed with the results.

 

You can also use Ace for colours to soak things that need a bit of love.

We have some blankets that we like to wrap up in on chilly mornings before school and they really did need a bit of love to be brought back to life for winter.  I soaked them in warm water and some Ace for colours and then washed them as normal and they have come up beautifully.

Nerys has had this particular blanket since she was born, and now she likes to lay it out on her bed as an extra layer to keep her really snug in the cold weather.

With Ace for colours I can wash it as often as it needs it, knowing that the colours will be protected and kept beautiful and bright.

 

I think the way to use Ace that I’ll use most often though will be just adding some to the wash.

You just pop a couple of spoonfuls into the machine drawer with your washing powder, then let it do its thing.

 

Ace for colours uses active oxygen to gently remove stains.

So it really cares for your clothes, keeping them looking great even when you have to wash them as often as you do when you have young children around.

It’s suitable to use on whites as well as colours, and what I love is that it helps to remove odours too.  So it is perfect to use to bring your winter wardrobe back to life when you bring things out again for the colder weather.

I also really love that it comes in a Tetra pak box that is fully recyclable instead of coming in a plastic bottle or tub.  It also works brilliantly at 30 which is a real plus for me.

 

With two school-age children in the house, and two adults, I relate far too much to that meme about the neverending story as an adult being the pile of washing that you can never get to the bottom of.

So I love any products that make the whole process easier and take the hassle out of getting our clothes clean.

My children come home from school with all sorts of things spilt over their clothing.  Some days its paint, some days its mud.  Some days its yoghurt when they didn’t even eat any yoghurt that day.

It does make me happy to see the signs of a day well spent learning and exploring at school all over their clothes.  But it does mean that the washing machine is on most days of the week to try and keep up.

I think I’ll get in the habit of adding a scoop of this Ace powder to my washes now though, because it really does help keep colours bright and clothes looking like new for longer.  And that makes me happy knowing I can get as much wear as possible out of my favourite winter clothes.

 

This post is an entry for the BritMums #ACEWinterRefresh Challenge, sponsored by ACE for Colours Powder.

Get help for all kinds of stains with the ACE Stain Helper http://www.acecleanuk.co.uk/ and pick up the range at your nearest Morrison’s store or buy online on Amazon

Junior Jams headphones Puro Sound labs

Puro sound labs Junior Jams headphones review

by with One Comment Family lifeReviews

My children have no idea how lucky they are.

I realise this will make me sound incredibly old, but when I was little we only had a few hours of children’s television each day.  Now my children have access to pretty much anything they want to watch, at any time of the day.

I sometimes wonder how my parents did it.  How they coped without having something to plop us down in front of, to keep us entertained when they needed a few minutes peace.

Other times though I think they had it good.  They didn’t have to listen to the absolute nonsense that my children like to watch on YouTube.

Lucky for me though, I don’t always have to listen to it either because we have some brilliant kids’ headphones for them to pop on.

 

We were sent a pair of Junior Jams headphones from Puro sound labs to test out a few weeks ago and we have well and truly put them through their paces.

The headphones come in a lovely, sturdy box that lets you know straight away that these are a great quality item.

 

One thing I really like about these is that they don’t look childish.

They’re designed specifically for children but they’re still cool and quite classic looking, so they should last as the children get older.

 

Inside the box is a great little storage case for the headphones.

It’s quite rigid rather than soft, so it feels like it will really protect the headphones if we take them away with us somewhere.  I also love that we can put them away in the case at home when they’re not  being used, so I don’t worry about them being accidentally sat on!

 

The headphones themselves sort of collapse and fold in on themselves so you can fit them into the carry case.

I love this space-saving idea, and it makes the headphones really convenient to take places with you without them taking up too much space in your bag.

 

Once you get the Junior Jams out of the case it’s really easy to click the ear cups into the right place.  And they feel lovely and sturdy once they’re up.

Nerys has worn these quite a bit since we’ve had them and says they’re really comfortable to use.  She loves the padded ear cushions which are much softer than the old set of headphones that Rhys sometimes uses.

As for Rhys, he’s really amused by how much sound these block from the room when you have them on.

Every time he wears them he comments on how it sounds like you’re underwater.  I think this is amazing; considering these are children’s headphones, the quality is just as good as an adult pair.  Puro Sound Labs have made sure that these Junior Jam headphones have brilliant sound quality, as well as isolating 87% of ambient noise.

 

One thing I love about these headphones is that they’re wireless.  So I’m not worried about wires getting tangled up and the children love that they can roam about the room while still listening to their videos.

They were really easy to link up to our devices over bluetooth, it only took a few minutes and we were up and running.

 

The batteries in these should last for up to 22 hours of use, and we’ve not had to charge them yet.

When they do run out you can recharge them with the usb cable that comes with them, or use the audio cable to turn them into wired headphones.  What’s really cool is that if you have 2 pairs of these you can use daisy chain technology (and the cable supplied) to link them together so 2 people can listen to the same thing at the same time.

 

We’ve all been really impressed with the Junior Jams headphones.

The children love how comfortable they are and the fact that they can move around while wearing them without worrying about being attached to anything.

I love the fact that they’re such amazing quality, they are absolutely built to last.  I also really like the fact that they volume level is limited on them, so I don’t worry about damage to my children’s hearing.

And on top of all that, they look good too.  I really can see the children still using these for years to come, because they’re not something they’ll grow out of any time soon.

 

You can get Junior Jams in pink or blue from Amazon and you can find out more about these and other headphones from Puro sounds on their website.

 

Disclaimer:  we were sent a pair of Junior Jams headphones for the purpose of this review but all words and opinions are my own.

Fun at the beach with Hape toys

Fun at the beach with Hape toys

by with No Comment Family lifeReviews

We’re lucky enough to live close enough to the beach that we spend quite a bit of time there.

Most of the time when we pop down we just take ourselves.  Maybe a towel if the children will be going in the sea.

Sometimes though, if we’re planning on being at the beach for a bit longer, we will take a few bits like a bucket and spade with us.  And now, thanks to Hape, we have some really fab new beach toys to play with when we spend time there.

 

We were sent a few different toys from Hape to review and the children were so excited to take them with us on a recent trip to the beach.

 

The toy they were both desperate to test drive was the Hape dune buggy.

This little push-around car is really solidly built and we all love the way it moves about.  It has low-profile tyres which move independently.  You push the car along by holding on to the handle, and it turns really smoothly when you gently push down on the tilting top.

 

The dune buggy is for children aged 18 months and over and I think it would be a great toddler toy to use at the beach and even at home on the living room floor.  It’s such a simple, classic toy though that my son at 8 years old still really enjoys playing with it.

You can use your imagination to have so much fun with this toy, building slopes and digging holes in the sand for the buggy to negotiate.

 

The next toy we tested out was the Hape power paw.

This is just so much fun and something I can see us getting a load of use out of over the summer.  It’s basically a plastic claw that you can use for digging in the sand.

There’s a handle inside to hold on to, then you just use it as an extension of your hand to dig.

 

I wasn’t sure how efficient the power paw would be at first, but honestly it is so good!

Rhys had a great time digging in the sand with it and we were all impressed with how quickly he dug a decent sized hole.  The paw feels really nice and sturdy and like it will last a long time and stand up to being treated not-so-gently.

 

The last beach toy we’ve been trying out is the Hape rain shovel.

Like the dune buggy and power paw, the rain shovel is perfect for children of all ages from 18 months up.

It’s a really sturdy spade that fits nicely in your hand.  It’s a great size for popping in your bag when you head to the beach, but it’s so strong and well made that it’s really efficient for digging.

 

What makes this shovel special though is the fact that the handle is hollow and there are holes in the end, so you can pour water through it.

Nerys had so much fun with this, scooping up water from the sea and pretending she was in the shower as the water sprinkled out.

 

All three of the Hape toys we were sent are great fun, and lovely quality.

They all feel so solid and sturdy and will be perfect to keep in the car boot, ready to grab any time we pop down to the beach.

 

Which one do you think your child would enjoy the most?

 

Disclaimer: we were sent these beach toys for the purpose of this review but all words and opinions are my own.

JD Williams review

A new outfit for spring with JD Williams

by with No Comment Reviews

There are signs starting to appear that hint that spring may well be on its way soon.

And while I actually quite like winter with its warm coats and cosy hats I am looking forward to being able to go out without quite so many layers on.  I’m also looking forward to shuffling things around in my wardrobe and rediscovering my dresses and other bits of spring/summer clothing.

This spring I’ll have some really lovely new pieces to add to the mix after the lovely people at JD Williams got in touch and asked if I would like to review some clothing from their website.

A new outfit for spring with JD Williams

 

There’s a huge range of pieces to choose from on the JD Williams site, from tops to dresses to boots to accessories.  I spent ages browsing all the options and could quite happily have picked out a completely new wardrobe full of clothes, there were so many items that I liked the look of.

In the end though I chose some pieces to put together a lovely new outfit for spring that still feels very ‘me’ and that I can use to mix and match with bits that I have in my wardrobe to make lots of other new looks with too.

 

The first item I picked out was this white and navy striped top.

I’m a big fan of striped tops, and I have quite a few in my wardrobe already because they are just so easy to wear.  I really love this one with the little pop of pink on the sleeves just to add that bit of interest and to break up the stripes a bit.

The top is light-weight and really comfy to wear and I think it looks great with jeans.  I’ll also be able to wear it with a denim skirt when the weather warms up a bit.

JD Williams navy stripe crew neck top

 

I generally wear size 12 clothes, so that was the size I got this top in.  It is a slightly loose fit which I really love as it’s so comfortable and gives it a more relaxed feel.

I also picked out some lovely dark wash jeans which are another wardrobe staple.  I really love the colour of these and fit is lovely too.

JD Williams clothes review

 

To complete the look and add another layer on spring days when it’s still a bit chilly out I chose this blush boyfriend cardigan.

I absolutely love the colour of this cardigan; it’s so pretty.  I think it works really well over the striped top but will also be great layered over a few dresses that I already have in my wardrobe.  It’s part of JD Williams’ capsule range and I think it would be a great addition to a capsule wardrobe, creating a few different looks when it’s mixed with different pieces.

JD Williams blush boyfriend cardigan review

 

To complete my new spring look I picked out some gorgeous brown boots.

These are from the heavenly feet range and they are so comfortable to wear.  I’ve worn them on several walks and days out with the children and they haven’t rubbed at all and have generally just felt really nice to wear.

JD Williams heavenly feet brown boots

 

They have a memory foam insock that basically moulds to the shape of your feet when you wear them which makes them so comfortable and also helps to relieve pressure points.  They then recover their shape after you take them off so they don’t get worn down.

I’ve already had compliments on these gorgeous boots and I can see me wearing them all the time, with all sorts of outfits.  They’re mid-height boots so look great with jeans tucked into them, but I think they’d also look good with dresses on those in-between weather days.

JD Williams heavenly feet boots review

 

What I really love about all the pieces that I picked out is that they work really well together as an outfit but each item can also be mixed and matched with other pieces already in my wardrobe.

I’ve been really impressed with the quality of everything, and I found the JD Williams website really nice to use too.  I love that they have such a wide range to choose from, and that you can find brands on the site like Joe Browns and Oasis as well as their own pieces.

Now I’m off to see what other new looks I can create for spring with my new wardrobe staples mixed with the clothes I already have tucked away in the wardrobe.

 

Disclosure: I was sent these items from JD Williams for the purpose of this review, but all thoughts, words and photos are my own.