Review: Robins & Sons Luxury Handmade Chocolates & A Giveaway

Who doesn't love chocolate?  I've written before about how this product of the cacao bean has held us all in thrall for centuries.

Robins & Sons Dipped Oranges in Chocolate

But all chocolate is not the same.  These days I find some commercial chocolates have such a high, cloying sweet taste that it's hard to taste the chocolate for the sugar.  No surprise then that even Nestle is reducing the sugar content of bars such as KitKat to see if we can cope.

I prefer my chocolates to be a little more challenging, taste-wise and if they are beautifully packaged, so much the better.

I was recently invited to sample luxury handmade chocolates from Robins & Sons and they are a cut above many of the others I have tried (and there have been a few!).

The one that started it all off - Robins & Sons Mint Crackle

Robins & Sons is a family business run by Andrea Robins, her husband and their two young sons and the company has an interesting origin.

In late 2012 Andrea was employed as a Clinical Scientist within the NHS and a visit to New York during ‘Thanksgiving’ led her to discover what she describes as "a wonderful ‘minty concoction' unlike anything I’d tasted before, thinly layered milk and white chocolate topped with crushed candy cane (aka Peppermint Bark)."

Being unable to find anything like it back home, Andrea decided to make her own and a slip up with recipe quantities led to her giving lots of her chocolate away - to a great reception.  This, the creation of the company's signature Chocolate Crackle and Mint Chocolate Crackle, led to a full time career as a chocolatier.

Now Robins & Sons have over 25 products, all of which have been meticulously sourced from around the globe for superiority in taste, texture and appearance.

Very Berry Chocolate Heart

They insist upon natural colours and flavours throughout, using only natural peppermint and Valencian orange oil extracts in their Robins and Sons Signature ‘Chocolate Crackle’, and fragrant Sicilian lemon oil in their Sicilian Lemon Crunch.

We tried a number of lovely Robins chocolates including:-

Available in Milk or Dark

Salted Caramel Nibble
Mint Chocolate Crackle (with peppermint oil and peppermint candy cane)
Dipped Oranges (whole candied orange slices dipped in milk or dark chocolate)

Available in Dark (70% cocoa solids)

Orange Chocolate Crackle (with orange oil and fruit candy cane nibs)
Sicilian Lemon Crunch (dark chocolate with lemon oil, lemon sugar crystals and meringue)

Available in Milk

Fruit & Nut Clusters (with almonds, cranberries & oranges)
Very Berry (white chocolate with dried Strawberries, Raspberries & Meringue)

The 'crackle' adds a great texture and little bursts of flavour on your tongue. We loved the natural fruit flavours and pieces of fruit and meringue which give a depth of taste and make you want to linger over each chocolate.

You can find the full range of their website at www.robinsandsons.com.  Sold in bags, bars and boxes, there's free delivery on orders over £30.  Even better, Robins & Sons chocolates are made just outside my university city of Swansea so it's great to keep the Welsh flag flying so to speak.

On the website you'll find a range of gift ideas, including gifts for Father's Day, all beautifully packaged and just begging to be hidden from the Husband who had to be forcibly restrained from munching his way through all the samples Andrea kindly sent.

And, if you would like to try them for yourself, I have a selection gift box (RRP £30) to give away to one lucky chocoholic.

A selection gift box is up for grabs

Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget and the usual terms and conditions apply which you can find on my competitions page.  UK entrants only.  The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Sunday 9th July.

Entrants must sign up to the Robins & Sons newsletter to be eligible to win the prize.  You can either sign up on the link below (just scroll down to the bottom of Robins & Sons home page) or via the Rafflecopter widget.

www.robinsandsons.com

Note: prize may contain traces of nuts and is not suitable for milk or soya allergy sufferers.



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Win A Pair Of Eyejusters - Reading Glasses With Adjustable Strength

Being both a glasses and a contact lens wearer brings a unique set of challenges when you need a varifocal lens.

To date, there seem to be no varifocal toric lenses to meet my prescription on the market which means that if I wear my contact lenses I still need reading glasses for close work.

Olive & Cream Multilayer Eyejusters

Which rather negates the point of having contact lenses in the first place.

Still, despite this bugbear, I am assured that a varifocal lens to meet my needs is coming so I just have to soldier on with my cheap pair of shop bought readers which will allow me to do useful things like read labels on the back of tins and menus in restaurants.

Each pair of these has a fixed strength which means that I may still occasionally struggle to read things in small print and, of course, if my prescription changes, I have to buy a new pair of reading glasses.

Eyejusters, on the other hand, are British invented and manufactured adjustable reading glasses that allow you to change the focal strength of your reading glasses by adjusting two little black dials either side of the lenses.

Discretely placed, by simply twiddling them together you slide back a kind of inner lens which alters the strength of your lenses with a certain tolerance - this is known as Slidelens Tech.

Because your vision in each eye varies, Eyejusters can be adjusted to suit each eye separately.  And you can't see the little black dials from most angles either.

They are great for people who need to see the small stuff, for example when doing DIY or computing, hobbies like jewellery making and sewing or reading your mobile device. They would make a great Father's Day present too as you don't need to know the wearer's prescription.

I was surprised to find that I could alter mine to not only see my PC screen close up but I could almost adjust them to my distance prescription - that is to say matching the prescription of the contact lenses I wear.

They are not, it must be said, a substitute for a proper optical examination and properly prescribed lenses, particularly for driving but they are a definite step up from the cheap and cheeful reading glasses you can buy over the counter in a number of shops these days.

Available on line, Eyejusters are unisex and there's 17 different styles and colours to choose from. They are priced at either £69 or £79 but they should last a lot longer than my over the counter readers because they will last through more than one or two minor prescription changes.  They are suitable for someone who requires a positive prescription up to 3 dioptres.

They also come with a money back guarantee.  Try them at home for 30 days and if you don't love them simply send them back. There's free delivery and free returns.

The frames are sturdy and pleasantly coloured (mine are olive and cream) and they come in a a strong grey case with a cleaning cloth.  I was impressed to discover that the lenses have an anti-scratch coating which often attracts an additional charge from an optician.

The only downside is that because there is a kind of double lens, I did look a little 'Joe 90' (retro reference there) but if it means I can choose my own restaurant food without having to hiss 'I can't read this' at the husband then I really don't mind.

The frame, being plastic, is heavier to wear than the cheaper readers but still quite comfortable. 

If you would like to try a pair for yourself. I have one pair of your choice to give away.

Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget below and the giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Sunday 18th June. Terms and conditions apply which are to be found on my competitions page. UK entrants only.



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Win Football Artwork T-Shirts For Dad & Child From Art of Football

If you are looking for something a little bit out of the ordinary for Father's Day (Sunday 18th June), take a look at www. art-of-football.com, a unique clothing and artwork site which offers a range of t-shirts, sweatshirts, prints and canvases featuring your favourite football stars in artwork painted by a number of designers.

The boys enjoying a friendly game

Art of Football has a very interesting philosophy. All of their designs have been thoughtfully made primarily as a piece of art to do justice to those moments of high energy and elation which mean so much to fans.  The designs aim to capture all the raw emotion and energy felt during those seconds of celebration and to capture these with style.

They want to move away from the majority of football T-shirts that feature generic, screen-printed images of footballers like Luis Suarez to create something really unique.

You can even send in those sporting moments that mean the most to you via a contact page to suggest a new design they might like to feature.

Football isn't the only sport they feature, however, there's also boxing and rugby.  It's easy to choose your favourite as you can pick your favourite team using a drop down box.

We were sent two t-shirts to try.  Mat's features the legendary Ronaldinho.

Both the names of the garments and their descriptions are rather special too.  Here's the description of the Ronaldinho t-shirt / sweatshirt.

Art of Football Ronaldhino T-Shirt - £25

“No one can compare to Ronaldinho. I remember his plays, his dribbles. I remember him winning every title at the Camp Nou. He made history at Barca, he made history with Brazil and he’s still making history.” — Neymar Jr

“I’ve worked with some great players in my time and all at a very interesting period in their careers, nineteen to twenty years old. But, with due respect to the others, Ronaldinho was a cut above the rest.” — Celso Roth, Ronaldinho’s coach at Gremio, his first club"
Ieuan's t-shirt is called Enter The Dragon which celebrates Wales qualifying for the Euros last year. Here's the description and there's even a YouTube link to relive the moment captured on the t-shirt. This particular design is also available as a print.

Enter The Dragon Kids' T-Shirt - £14.99

"After a superbly exciting campaign Wales reached the finals of a major tournament for the first time since 1958 as they head for France and Euro 2016. Here the superstars Bale and Ramsey celebrate but this was a team effort from the boys in red. Having beaten one of the favourites Belgium along the way, they fear no-one. History beckons.

Relive it : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OaWTEoYGIM"

Made of soft and good quality cotton and beautifully packaged in retro football paper, these would make a great Father's Day gift for the football obsessed dad which is really something quite special.

The Giveaway

I have one adult t-shirt and one child's t-shirt of your choice to give away - a perfect gift for a footie mad dad (or mum!) and their son (or daughter!).  Great for Father's Day or just to celebrate your love of The Beautiful Game.

Entry is via the Rafflecopter and the usual terms and conditions apply which can be viewed on my competitions page.  The giveaway is open to UK entrants only and ends at 11:59 pm on Sunday 11th June.

Entrants MUST answer all the mandatory questions - and yes, I do check.



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Win A Frenzy FR145 Recreational Scooter For Dad This Father's Day

If you're looking for something a bit different for your dad on Father's Day (Sunday 18th June), I have just the thing to not only get him mobile but get him to work a bit quicker too.

The lovely people at Skates.co.uk are offering a fabulous big foldable scooter, just the thing for getting around on - the Frenzy 145mm Recreational Scooter worth £80.

The brand new Frenzy FR145 145mm Recreational Scooter is a perfect choice for anyone who wishes to make their commuting life easier!

The scooter folds down for easy storage, has a kick stand and a carry strap for easy transportation and feature 145mm wheels for speed and comfort.

The maximum rider weight is 100kg and the maximum bar height is 97.5 cm.

You also get a free bonus pack which includes:

Full Scooters Stickers Sheet with 36 stickers (including the top brands: Apex, MGP, River, Roots, Drone, Supremacy, Elite, Fasen, Raptor, AO, Dare, Tilt, Proto, Hellagrip, Ethic, Flavor, Blunt/Envy, Dare, Logic, Scooter Jam Series, Skates.co.uk) and a multicoloured Skates.co.uk wristband.

There's no doubt that dad will look a lot cooler than the husband did last year on my lovely Skates.co.uk skateboard.

But if skateboards are dad's thing, he might want to relive his youth on his own skateboard such as the Enuff Logo Model or how about a pair of men's inline skates?

Skates.co.uk also have a great range of scooters, skates and Heelys.  There's free UK next day delivery for orders over £40 and a Price Match Promise to boot (or skate).

If you would like to win your dad this scooter, simply enter via the Rafflecopter below.  The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Sunday 11th June. UK entrants only. Terms and conditions can be viewed on my competitions page.

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Listed On Loquax, Superlucky.me and www.theprizefinder.com.

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Free & Low Cost Father's Day Treats If You're On A Budget

It's Father's Day in the UK on Sunday 19th June and you may be rushing around trying to find something suitable for the kids to give to their dad. Let's be honest, it usually falls to us mums to sort these things out, doesn't it?

Dads all have their own unique personality, don't they?

But what do you do if you are strapped for cash? For many of us it's an expenditure we can do without.

It is possible to celebrate the day without spending money and by involving our kids we can help them to understand that the true reason behind the day is to show their dad how much he means to them.

For some, Father's Day is fraught with potential difficulties if, for example, parents are separated or divorced.  For others, Father's Day will be spent in quiet reflection thinking about the dad who is no longer with them.

These ritual of these annual celebrations is often emotionally, as well as financially challenging.

But if you are all going to be under one roof for the day, here are some ideas you might want to try, depending on the ages of your kids of course.

- let dad have a lie-in!

- bring him breakfast in bed (this one needs quite a bit of supervision in this house).

- record his favourite sports fixtures and let him have a 'sports' day' where he can sit in state in a comfy armchair whilst the kids bring him a drink and snacks.

- make him his favourite sweet - fudge for example is quite easy to make but again you'll need to supervise the kids with that boiling sugar.

- let the kids clean his car - or at least clean out their mess from the back seat (Fruit Shoot bottles, sweet wrappers, crisp packets!)

- dress the kids up as butlers, cooks and servants and get them to serve dinner Downton Abbey style

- get them to write secret messages on the loo roll (well, dads do tend to spend ages in there, don't they)?!

- the kids can make home-made cards and banners and decorate them themselves.

The dynamic duo have a number of cunning plans for Father's Day apparently

- why not make a 'cheque book' of promises from the kids e.g. "I promise to tidy my room", "I promise to help you clean the car", "I promise not to wake you before 7:30 am on a Sunday"

- how about making a scrap book of old family photos that have a special meaning to him or create some online photo collages ?

- get the kids to recreate his favourite TV programme - how about getting them to do a mini 'Top Gear' using their bikes and scooters or toy cars in the garden.

- older kids can write dad a special poem.

- give dad his absolute favourite Sunday lunch - in our house this will involve Sticky Toffee Pudding but the kids could dish up some jelly and ice-cream with sprinkles...

- have a gaming competition - if you have something like a Wii or just a good old fashioned game of rounders in the park, or skimming stones into the sea

- find the lyrics to dad's favourite songs online and get the kids to give him a show.  The thought of Caitlin and Ieuan having a Killswitch Engage concert for The Husband is, um, intriguing.  Although a whole heap better than an afternoon of Amon Amarth and their shouty Viking rock.

- make hand or foot prints using poster paint and frame them simply with some plain card.

- get dad to play Sherlock.  Hide a simple gift like a bar of dad's favourite chocolate in the house and get the kids to write a series of clues to its secret location.  If he doesn't find it, he has to share it.

- help the kids to make a sign for dad's shed or his 'man cave' using some strong card. Stick it up and throw a few strings of fairy lights around the space to jazz it up a bit.

No matter how you choose to acknowledge the day, the most important thing is to spend time together.

These days we are all so strapped for time, Father's Day is a great opportunity to make some special memories.

And it doesn't have to cost a fortune.

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Win A Father's Day Print From Photofairytales - 5 to give away

It's really difficult to know what to get your dad for Father's Day isn't it - particularly since most dads have everything they want already.

Every year, without fail, my dad claims he doesn't want anything and "don't you dare go to any trouble" whereas we all know the emotional fall-out which would ensue if anyone forgot.

The Husband on the other hand has no such qualms about being treated to something nice from Caitlin and Ieuan which doesn't cost him anything (for a change) and which doesn't involve at least an hour of arduous physical activity.

Here's a lovely idea from www.photofairytales.co.uk - a print that says everything your kids want to say to their dad (or their grandad).  I know lots of dads say they aren't too keen on 'mushiness', but really they're soppier than a puppy at heart!

Ieuan has his dad to thank for this cunning robot disguise

PhotoFairytales specialises in unique and unusual, handmade, personalised presents with the added bonus of free UK delivery.

Owner Sarah Thexton has been running her online gift shop from her family home in Norfolk since 2009. She supplies a wide range of gifts suitable for any occasion, including weddings, babies, teachers' gifts and gifts for all the family - including gift vouchers.

The Father's Day Personalised Print costs £14.50 including 1st class delivery and can be personalised for either Dad or Grandad - ideal for Christmas or birthday presents too.

The prints are dispatched within 3-5 working days and are available in a choice of colours.  Mine was supplied in blue / grey and you can add one line of personalised text.

The overall size of the mount is 10" x 8" and will fit into any standard 10" x 8" picture frame.  Note:  photo frame is not supplied.

And Caitlin has her dad to thank for hours of waiting whilst she practises ballet

Your chosen print artwork will be created to order and printed onto very high quality, 240gsm gloss finish paper stock. It will be posted with a backing board and smooth white finish bevel cut mount, and sealed in a protective crystal clear presentation sleeve.

You might also want to check out Sarah's blog where you'll find more information about Sarah's work plus competitions, discounts and giveaways.

Mother Distracted readers can take advantage of a special discount code which gives 10% off across the site.  The code is ‘MOTHERD10’and it is valid until 31.7.16.

And, Sarah has kindly given me 5 Father's Day prints to giveaway (can also be personalised to say Grandad).

Entry is via the Rafflecopter below.  The usual Terms & Conditions apply and the giveaway is open to UK entrants only.  The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Friday 10th June and in order to receive your print in time for Father's Day, winners must supply their details no later than Sunday 12th June.

The winners will then receive a special order code and details of how to claim their prize first thing on Monday 13th June which will give 3 days to order in time for Father's Day.

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Father's Day Gifts He Will Never Forget

I can’t believe it’s Father's Day in a couple of weeks time. June 19th is rushing towards us so it’s time to start thinking gifts. Father’s Day is a great time to celebrate what a fantastic dad he is by giving him a gift from the kids he will always remember.

Here are some great Father’s Day gifts you could consider.

A trip to a brewery or winery

Dads love relaxing with a glass of wine, or a pint of larger, after a long hard day at work. So to get him something he will enjoy, why not arrange for him to go to a brewery or winery for the day?

He will get to understand more about how his favourite drink is made, and might be able to try some new wine or beer that he might love. It’s a full day out so why don’t you arrange for a sitter for the kids and go with your other half.

If you can’t afford to send him to a brewery, why not buy a beer brewing kit so he can make his own beer at home! It will be a lot of fun, and he can get guests to try it as well.

A driving experience

If dad is a fan of driving, you could arrange for him to go on a driving experience. These typically take place at a track in a supercar such as an Audi or a Lamborghini. For something even more unique, you could buy him a tank driving experience where he gets to drive a tank. It will be an incredible experience he will never forget, and you will have to take your camera to get some shots of him driving the tank!

Flickr

Paintballing day

If dad loves adventure, you could arrange for him to go on a paintballing day with his friends. You could team up with your mum friends and buy the gift from all the kids. Paintballing is a lot of fun (but can be painful!) and will be a day he never forgets. You should get a few paintballs included in the cost.

Image Source

A spa day

Dads can get stressed out with work and home life, so a great Father’s Day gift he would never forget would be a spa day. You could book him a treatment so he could enjoy a back massage or an Indian head massage. He can also take the time to swim in the pool and get some exercise in his life. You could go with him or let him go for a lovely day on his own at the spa.

Image from Flickr

A hot air balloon ride

For something unique he will never forget, you could get him a hot air balloon ride from the kids. He can experience views of the city he would never have seen before. You could go up there with him, or send a friend with him if you’re scared of heights. It’s something a person should do at least once in their lifetime as the views are incredible.

Image Credit

If you’re strapped for cash, you could stay at home and have a picnic in the garden as a family. He will still love spending time with you all!

*collaborative post

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Review: It's Time To Make A Stand4socks - Socks That Make A Difference

Father's Day is approaching (Sunday 19 June) and one of the most popular presents to give your dad is some new socks.

Like my socks?

Now socks are a bit of a battleground in this house, not least because the Husband and I have very similar sized feet and this makes his sock drawer fair game.  Men's socks are so much more comfy I find.

All the Husband's socks are black with varying patterns.  (He's a man of habit).  He claims, outrageously, that I deliberately mismatch his socks as an act of marital defiance.

The thing is, matching 20 pairs of black socks in a dimly lit room wearing the wrong glasses is likely to create the odd, um,interesting pairing.

Dressing in the morning in the various London hotels he hides in all week means playing what he terms as "sock roulette".

Anyway,  I recently discovered a brand of socks which should solve my sock myopia nicely - and a brand, moreover, that has charity at its heart.

Stand4socks sells unique socks designed by entrepreneur Josh Turner.  Each pair is ethically made and creates a connection between two people in the world, as each sale has a 'buy one, give one' impact.

This means that when you buy a pair of socks, instead of giving a pair of socks or a percentage of the purchase to charity, the company gives a measurable, tangible aid in the form of education, food or medicine.

Not only this, but the company also raises funds and gives away nearly 20% of its revenue, not profit, to the charities they support.

Stand4socks is committed to tackling social causes and supports the United Nations Millennium Development Goals

Each sock design supports and raises awareness of a different cause such as Gender Equality, Measles Vaccinations, Clearing Landmines or the Syrian Refugee Crisis.

The socks have the cause's logo on the ankles and are ethically made in two sizes UK 4-8 and UK 9-12.  They have a high quality finish with a reinforced heel and toe and are made of 80% cotton, 18% polyamide and 2% elastane.

Here are some examples of what buying a pair of Stand4socks can do.

1 pair of Stand4socks can

- plant 20 trees
- vaccinate 6 kids against measles in Bangladesh
- provide 25 days education in Afghanistan
- provide 2 antenatal check ups in Uganda
- clear 2 metres of landmines in Laos
- provide entrepreneurship education in South America
- pay for a child's healthcare in Uganda
- provide 2 weeks education to a Syrian refugee
- provide 24 hours in a safe house for a woman and her family in Ethiopia

The socks are priced differently according to the cause they are linked to.

I was sent a pair of socks designed to raise awareness of Child Health Issues which are priced at £6.99.

Time To Stand4socks

This design helps support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3, "Good Health" through one pair of socks paying for a child's healthcare in a Ugandan unique children's hospital Stand4socks supports.

More than half of the Ugandan population is under the age of 15, and dying children are turned away for parents without any money. This is why the brand supports (Stand4) Whisper’s Magical Children’s Hospital in Jinja, Uganda.

Isn't that a wonderful idea?

Does it make a tangible difference?  Well, in December 2015 as an example, Stand4socks planted 2500 trees, vaccinated 228 children and provided 252 days of education of Syrian refugees.

This is what Stand4socks helped to do in December 2015

This Fathers' Day, if you're buying dad socks why not buy him some which do good as well as keep his feet warm.

And they're so brightly coloured I don't think there's any danger of the Husband having to play sock roulette.

I may even actually buy a few pairs of my own.

You can find more information and select your socks at www.Stand4socks.com.

*I was sent a pair of Stand4socks to review - and they're staying in my sock drawer.

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Father's Day Gifts From Morrisons

Let's be honest.  Whilst it would be great to have the time to shop for that unique and personalised Father's Day gift, in reality it's a quick dash to the shops the day before for a bottle of plonk and a card (or in my dad's case, his passion, chocolate ginger).

Whilst Caitlin was in ballet practising for her Grade 1 in July and the Husband was happily ensconced in the nearest pub, The Plum Tree, Ieuan and I snuck off to our local Morrisons to see if we could come up with some gifts Mat would like.

Our Morrison's Father's Day Haul

We had hoped to get our hands on a large Dad cookie (£5) which are baked fresh and personalised in store but the Cardiff Bay store was very quiet and we were told that it would take anywhere between 20 and 45 minutes to prepare.  Since we were short of time we decided to try something else.

Now that's a cookie.

There was a small section dedicated to Father's Day gifts but it contained everything we needed, or at least the necessary prompts - confectionery, alcohol, mugs and glasses, cards and shaving gear nestled next to DVDs and books.

Ignoring Ieuan's assertion that "he urgently needed to look at the toys",  I selected the following gifts - just right for sharing of course.

Thornton's Milk Chocolate Beer Mug - £3

Maynard's Wine Gums - £2

Superman Mug & Coaster Set - £4

Father's Day Glass - £2.50

Selection of World Lagers - £5

Iron Maiden Beer & Glass - £5

I found the prices to be very reasonable and there is certainly something for every budget. I would say though that, at least in the Cardiff Bay store, stocks were quite low so you may need to visit sooner rather than later.  We have secreted our purchases at home to share between Mat and my dad (no, not the Iron Maiden beer). And, if we have time, we'll be back for a cookie!

Note though, that not all of these are available on line so you may need to visit in person and employ your usual strategies to combat demands from your children. My favourite is "mummy hasn't got her hearing aids in so she can't hear you I'm afraid".  Works a treat.

This is a collaborative post.

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Dad a Whizz in the kitchen? Oxo Good Grips have Father's Day Covered

I have to be quite honest here.  The Husband refers to me as "The Queen of the Reheat".  (Memories of "The Potato of Doom" have never quite left me I'm afraid). This means that the kitchen is, by and large, his domain and he is quite happy to receive kitchen-related gifts.  I did think of a Marco Pierre-White style bandana but on the basis this may give him ideas of culinary supremacy, I have found a few more appropriate presents from the OXO Good Grips range which would suit for Father's Day presents from the kids.

Bladed Meat Tenderiser

For those dads that enjoy a good steak or a family BBQ in the summer sun, OXO's Bladed Meat Tenderiser can help make the taste and tenderness of the meat even more enjoyable. With the cost of a steak main course being generally in the range of £23 per main course, creating restaurant-tender steak at home is very useful! This sharp 50-blade tool creates pockets which reduces both marinating and cooking times allowing meat to retain it's natural juices. Dish-washable safe so, Oxo say, "dad doesn't have to spend too much time cleaning up after". Hmm. If only. £16 Available from: Amazon.

Clean Cut Pizza Wheel

Maybe dad prefers a pizza? We tried OXO"s stylish Clean Cut Pizza Wheel, a handheld device designed to cut easily through thick and thin based pizza's. With a red blade guard to protect hands and soft, non-slip grip, it allows easy control for pizza slicing. £10 Available from: Debenhams.  We found this great to use and extremely easy to clean as it just comes apart.  We eat pizza at least once a week. Ieuan always demands Ham & Pineapple pizza from which he painstakingly removes each piece of ham and pineapple and leaves them on the side of his plate for Caitlin.  Go figure.

Please note:  reheating all my own work

Twist Top Water Bottle

OXO's Twist Top Water Bottle is 'perfect for those active and sporty dads that are always on the go'. This bottle boasts a 710ml capacity and a large opening for easy filling, cleaning and adding ice.

Oh bless - I've told him it's full of vodka tonic

When it's not in use, the twist-open lid will keep the straw clean and free from spillages. It's a great chunky bottle whose lid cleverly conceals the straw when not in use.  It's leakproof and spill proof and frankly, belongs in my kit bag for Pilates and my other sports. You can't afford to get dehydrated when crushing that candy now, can you? £10 Available from: Lakeland.

 For more information, please visit www.oxouk.com or call 0114 242 7295.

PR samples were received for this post.

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Dad & Me & Dear Dad - Beautiful Journals For A Father's Day Gift

It's rare that I open a package for review and find the contents bring a tear to my eye but these two journals "Dad & Me" and "Dear Dad - from you to me.  A Journal of a Lifetime" did just that.

Dad & Me is an award-winning fun and interactive journal to inspire any father and child to have a great time getting to know each other better. The journal is designed so that they can write, draw and doodle in tandem, then share and learn about each other along the way.

It is a great way to encourage children to enjoy writing and drawing. Inside, each page either side of the book has the same prompt - for example "Being Healthy" and then a space for both dad and child to draw what their idea of being healthy is.  Other prompts include things like "My Spare Time", "Holidays" and even "Falling In Love"!

This innovative journal will not only create intimate and enjoyable family moments, it will help father and child to share memories, experiences, hopes and fears. The spaces to draw and fun activity prompts make Dad & Me easy to use and ideal for a wide age range.

Dear Dad from you to me is an equally beautifully designed award-winning journal to inspire any father to tell his story, and to reinforce that unique father-child bond. Once completed by dad, the journal can be returned to the child filled with precious memories and dreams - a really lovely keepsake.

Dear Dad contains over 60 carefully designed fun and inspiring prompts and questions which will encourage dad to open up about his life – his childhood, career, life at home, becoming a father and much more. For example, "What did you think when first saw me?" and "Did you have an idol when you were young?  Tell me who and why". The answers to the questions contained in Dear Dad would be interesting for the whole family I think!

Dear Dad is available in two designs, 'Sketch' (seen here) and 'Tree'. There are also 3 other titles available, Dear Mum, Dear Grandma and Dear Grandad and these can also be personalised at www.fromyoutome.com.

Dad & Me retails at £14.99 and Dear Dad from you to me is £12.99, both available from www.fromyoutome.com.  Tel: +44 (0)1225 866225 or email hello@fromyoutome.com.

PR samples were received for this post.

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Father's Day Gift Guide - Gadgets & Gizmos

If your dad is techy, geeky or IT mad, here are a selection of gifts which will make him happy.

CoPilot GPS - the award winning sat nav app.

This app was voted by Which? as the 'only best sat nav app' in 2014 and it has some very useful key features to take the stress out of those daily commutes and weekend family trips to help make driving an enjoyable experience. For instance:-

Calcuate Fuel Costs – calculate your estimated fuel costs for a trip before you leave, so you’re well prepared for the journey ahead.

Google Local Search – search the internet to find your favourite nearby stores, local businesses or services to navigate to, call or check out the user reviews.

Find My Car – CoPilot works offline, so you won’t have to worry about racking up mammoth data roaming bills.

Voice Command - CoPilot now responds to voice commands for hands-free control. Just say, “CoPilot, take me home,” or “CoPilot, take me to work,” and the app will do just that.

CommuteMe - This takes the hassle out of the daily drive by intelligently learning a driver’s preferred route to and from work. It then automatically scans the route for traffic to avoid delays and provide an accurate arrival time. If a driver starts to prefer a new route, CommuteMe recognizes the change and proactively adapts.

The app is also very easy to gift by simply going to iTunes and searching for CoPilot GPS. Once you have selected the appropriate version of the app, scroll down and you’ll find ‘’gift the app’’ you can then send the code to an email address with a personalised note to your dad.

CoPilot is available on IOS, Windows Phone 8 and Android! CoPilot GPS have recently partnered with leading Road Safety Charity, Brake about safer use of mobile technology when travelling by car. They have a video about their partnership you can watch here.

The app is usually priced at £19.99 for UK maps and £33.99 for EU maps (which is also available in HD for £34.99) and available on iOS, Android and Windows.

Further information is available HERE.

TabletTV (from £64.99)

TabletTV is a simple device which lets you watch Freeview TV channels via your tablet anytime, anyplace and for free.

There is no reliance on 3G, 4G or WI-FI, all you need is a TV signal, tablet and the free TabletTV app (available to download from the App Store). You can even record live TV and watch it later on – ideal for keeping the little ones quiet during long car journeys or flights.

TabletTV allows you to:-

- watch live television absolutely free on your tablet in most European Countries* without any cables, satellite or internet

- one-touch-recording so you can record and catch up on your favourite shows whenever you like

- a home network feature allowing you to easily flick between the TV and internet, so you can join in conversations on social media without interrupting your viewing

It comes in two tuner models: the mains tuner (￡64.99) enabling your tablet to act as an extra screen and a portable tuner (￡69.99), which easily slips into a coat pocket or bag while you are out and about.

TabletTV is available to buy via the TabletTV website www.tablettv.co.uk or Amazon.co.uk - no subscription required.

Amazon Fire HD 6 and HD 7 From £79

If your dad likes apps, entertainment and surfing the web, he’ll love one of Amazon’s Fire tablets. The Fire HD 6 and HD 7 offer dads the perfect gateway to millions of songs, movies, TV shows, books, apps and games, it even has front and rear-facing cameras - ideal for Skype or a cheeky selfie with the kids.

Amazon Kindle £59 

If dad likes to relax with a good book, Kindle offers on demand access to over three million books, magazines and newspapers. With a touchscreen display that reads like real paper and built-in Wi-Fi that means dad can download books in 60 seconds, Kindle is super simple to use and the perfect gift for any dad who loves to read.

Monster Superstar Backfloat High Definition Bluetooth Speakers RRP £11.95

From pioneering audio brand, Monster, the Superstar BackFloat is engineered to keep pumping out high performance Pure Monster Sound, even whilst floating on water! It can be used at the pool, in the shower or just use it as a speaker. It's available in Black/ Neon Blue and Black/Neon Green.


Or there's the iSport Bluetooth Wireless Superslim™ in-ear with Bluetooth RRP £129.95 - super slim, low profile wireless in-ear headphones which feature a comfortable easy-to-wear patented sport clip which stays in your ear promising a perfect and comfortable fit. It gives total noise isolation with exceptional wireless sound quality which will keep the user focused on the most intense workouts and extreme outdoor sports.

Monster products are available from www.shopmonsterproducts.co.uk and selected retailers nationwide.

One For All's new Smart Zapper (£34.99)

This will turn dad’s smartphone into a universal remote control. It is an advanced ‘bridge’ that sits on the coffee table and translates Bluetooth Smart signals into Infrared.  It will convert his tablet or smartphone into a universal remote control for all his home cinema equipment. Just use it in conjunction with the free Nevo iOS or Android app and full zapper functionality can be configured on his smart phone or tablet in under three minutes! Stockists: Maplin or www.oneforall.co.uk. The Nevo app is free from the Google Play Store or the iTunes App Store (search for Nevo under ‘Universal Electronics’).

TomTom Golfer (£179.99)

If your dad is golf mad then the TomTom Golfer could revolutionize the time that he spends on the course. It will help him to plan his game and quickly make informed decisions using the full screen graphics of hazard and green distances. It has one-button control and easy to navigate through menus. The TomTom Golfer comes pre-loaded with course data from over 34,000 different courses and is available from American Golf, Direct Golf, John Lewis and Argos.

TomTom Multi-Sport Cardio GPS Sports Watch - £209.99

The TomTom Multi-Sport Cardio GPS Sports Watch is equipped with a built-in heart monitor so there is no need to wear a bulky chest strap. He can track progress against goals and know that he’s in the right heart rate training zone whatever he wants to achieve. There are five different intensity levels from ‘easy’ to ‘fat burn’ to keep dads of every level challenged! With different colour straps to choose from including red/grey and turquoise/red, dads can ensure their gear is always as fashionable as they are. Available from Sweatshop, Runners Need, Up & Running and John Lewis.

So there you have it.  Gifts to suit the most techy of dads! I'm not letting the Husband see this.

PR samples were received from CoPilot and TabletTV

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