Review: albumcards - Music To Mum's Ears This Mother's Day

Albumcards is a unique online service that offers a really different way to send a personalised greetings card and music gift.

Ideal for Mother's Day, the card comes complete with your message, the front cover of your mum's favourite album, a full track listing and a unique code to start listening.



An albumcard, fizz, flowers and chocs by Thorntons - what mum could ask for more?



If, like me, you are rushed for time, an albumcard can be purchased in a couple of minutes.

Just select the album, personalise the card, choose your delivery date and address and checkout.

If you are already familiar with other online card retailers, you will know the drill. At a cost of £9.99 plus postage (just 0.75p for first class delivery), it is a very reasonably priced gift. Plus if you order your albumcard before 2pm Monday to Friday, it can be delivered next day.

New albums are being loaded everyday and there are already 100 artist albums to choose from.

I found "Title" by Meghan Trainor, "Uptown Special" by Mark Ronson and "A Perfect Contradiction" by Paloma Faith but there is also AC/DC's "Rock or Bust" and "The Very Best of Stone Roses" - something for every taste.



Redeeming your album on receipt of your card is really easy too. Simply go to the website www.albumcards.com and select "Redeem a card".



Select "Collect my album" and you will be guided through the next steps.



You will need to create an account or, if you are already registered, you can sign in with Facebook.



You will need to enter the unique code found at the bottom of your card.



Then just press the "Listen Now" button.



Click on the album cover.



And either play via the website or download. The sound quality is an excellent MP3 320kbps.

Despite my mild to middling technophobia these days, I found the whole redemption process really easy.

albumcards are certainly a brilliant gift idea for Mother's Day.

Further information available from www.albumcards.com. The "I Love Mum" chocolate cups are available from Thorntons at £3.50.

*A PR sample was sent for the purpose of this post.

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Teenspeak Online - Can You Crack The Code? Yep PIR!

A recent report by CNN, covered in the Daily Mail Online lists 28 internet acronyms used by youngsters to shield their online activity from their parents' beady eyes.

The list was compiled by Kelly Wallace with the help of Internet safety expert Katie Greer and contains details of slang such as "420" for marijuana, "POS" for parent over shoulder and the worrying "L(MIRL)" - let's meet in real life.

Ieuan plays with carefully supervised games apps!

Happily my kids are not yet of an age to have social media profiles but my nieces and nephews are and I figure that, as parents, we should all make sure we are aware of the dangers facing our children both now and in the future.

Common sense suggests that it is best to have a family PC in a room where internet activity can be monitored, but, as we all know, real life isn't like that. We are already explaining to our daughter (7) that it is very easy for people to disguise who they really are online. She enjoys looking at her cousins' Facebook pages but under close supervision.

I really recommend that you take a moment to read the Daily Mail's article which also advises on talking to teens about online safety and here's hoping you don't come across any of this list.

1. IWSN - I want sex now

2. GNOC - Get naked on camera

3. NIFOC - Naked in front of computer

4. PIR - Parent in room

5 CU46 - See you for sex

6. 53X - Sex

7. 9 - Parent watching

8. 99 - Parent gone

9. 1174 - Party meeting place

10. THOT - That hoe over there

11. CID - Acid (the drug)

12. Broken - Hungover from alcohol

13. 420 - Marijuana

14. POS - Parent over shoulder

15. SUGARPIC - Suggestive or erotic photo

16. KOTL - Kiss on the lips

17. (L)MIRL - Let's meet in real life

18. PRON - Porn

19. TDTM - Talk dirty to me

20. 8 - Oral sex

21. CD9 - Parents around/Code 9

22. IPN - I'm posting naked

23. LH6 - Let's have sex

24. WTTP - Want to trade pictures?

25. DOC - Drug of choice

26. TWD - Texting while driving

27. GYPO - Get your pants off

28. KPC- Keeping parents clueless

Not comfortable reading, is it!

Here's the link again:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2874340/The-28-internet-acronyms-parent-know.html

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Coffee With Currys At Waterloo Tea, Cardiff

When I received an invitation from the lovely folks at Joeblogsnetwork.com to spend several hours with Curry's PC World and Nespresso talking about, playing with and tasting quality coffee made from one of those clever little Nespresso machines I've added to my Christmas list, I accepted with alacrity.

The event, with a certain degree of irony, was held at Waterloo Tea in Cardiff's Wyndham Arcade but being a caffeine fiend this was in no way off-putting.

Cardiff's Quaint, Christmassy Wyndham Arcade

Waterloo Tea

After a delicious lunch featuring flavoursome salads, canapes and wonderful chocolate 'bites', our first challenge was to become baristas for the day and create a latte lovingly adorned with a heart.

It is not as easy as it looks and the coffee making equipment is more sophisticated than I had expected.

The water pressure must be just so as must the size of the ground coffee grains - the latter affecting the taste of the espresso if the grains are too big or too small.

My fellow bloggers and I had been divided into four groups undertaking each activity in turn.

My group and I surveyed the hissing piece of equipment in front of us with something approaching terror. Needless to say, our tutor produced a latte with a perfect heart.

Coffee love

I'm afraid I managed to produce what can best be described as a blob or possibly a runner bean, neither being required in someone's latte anytime soon.

Our next activity was cupping.

No, not the weirdness espoused by Gwyneth Paltrow but a lesson in the art of coffee tasting.

Using one of the natty little Nespresso wizards a range of coffees was placed before us and we were asked to taste each one by slurping some off a spoon.

Noisy slurping is apparently required, if somewhat unladylike.

We were surprised by how much coffee is packed into each of the little coffee pods and also at the variety of flavours available.

There are 22 varieties of coffee to choose from.

The coffees are ranked according to intensity and flavour so Livanto, a blend of Central and South American Arabicas is a medium roast with an intensity of 6, whilst aromatic Volluto has sweet biscuit and light fruity notes and an intensity of 4.

There is a flavour and intensity to match every taste and moment of the day.

Cupping in action

Things were now getting serious and it was time to learn how to combine coffee with alcohol.

I have to say I have been doing this reasonably successfully for years just not in cocktail format.

We learned how to make an Orange Coffee Martini which so entranced me I completely forgot the name of the second - although I do recall it featured espresso and Baileys which is enough information to work with in my book.

We were also shown how to make coffee 'mocktails' but again, I'm afraid my attention wandered back to the martini at this point.

Coffee Cocktail Time

A Raspberry Coffee Mocktail - Sadly Not One Of Your 5-A-Day

Lastly we were given a demonstration of a range of Nespresso machines ranging from a basic model, retailing around the £70 mark such as the Krups Nespresso Inissia to a more sophisticated version such as the Nespresso Lattissima & Espresso Machine at around the £179 mark which also has a milk frother and jug.

Be gentle with me ladies!

We learned that when you buy a Nespresso machine you automatically become a member of the Nespresso Club.

The Club offers numerous privileges including personalised contacts with Nespresso and its coffee specialists.

You can order your coffee fix online, by phone or fax, day or night to the delivery address of your choice or to one of the Nespresso Boutiques.

And, should your Nespresso machine need repairing during its guarantee period, Nespresso will collect it and provide you with a loan machine, subject to availability.

Repairs out of warranty are carried out at a flat fee.

I was impressed by the ease of use (pop a pod in, press a button and hey presto!) but the team at #CoffeeWithCurrys really showed us that there is more to these little machines than just a quick coffee break.

For those who are interested in gourmet coffee and expanding their knowledge of what I think Blackadder once referred to as 'that naughty bean', this is an excellent and cost effective way of doing so.

Yes, the cost per cup using the pods may be slightly higher than a jar of instant and a spoon but in terms of taste, the coffees I sampled were certainly excellent quality.

A Nespresso machine is now definitely at the top of my Christmas list.

More information about #CoffeeWithCurrys is available HERE.

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Review: On-line Legal Advice From www.expertanswers.co.uk

Having spent 14 years in Legal Services Marketing and after working for a number of law firms, I know only too well that many hesitate at the thought of consulting a solicitor for advice. 

Primarily, people worry about cost and about starting a course of action they cannot control. 

The irony is that, with many problems, for example matrimonial difficulties, you are much better placed to make sensible decisions, particularly if there are children involved, if you know where you stand legally.

www.expertanswers.co.uk

Christmas and the New Year are very busy times for lawyers. 

There is usually an increase in instructions for divorce in particular as the strain of the festivities push spouses too far. 

Then there are accident and personal injury cases and also conveyancing matters as everyone clambers to be in their new home for Christmas. 

You may be faced with parking fines or employment rights matters as it seems many businesses these days struggle over the Christmas trading period with resulting redundancies.

Whatever your problem, I am sure that the thought of driving into town to consult a lawyer may just be too stressful to contemplate on top of everything else. 

With Legal Aid being squeezed and many Citizens' Advice Bureaux closing, it can be difficult to know where to turn.

So I was interested to read about www.expertanswers.co.uk - a new online legal advice service comprised of a panel of barristers, lawyers, solicitors and legal executives, which aims to knock down these hurdles by offering accurate, affordable and reliable answers to legal questions from the privacy of your own home, 24 hours a day.

How does it work?  There is a simple four step procedure. (Apologies for the slightly blurry screen shots but I wanted to give you an impression of how simple the process is).

1. Ask a question, providing as much information as possible. Type your legal question in the box, selecting the category of law your question falls into.

2. Put a value on the answer by moving a slider to indicate how much you are willing to pay, the minimum being £10 and the maximum £150.  You will be asked to create an account and once you have done this you will be asked to pay your agreed deposit via Paypal, a debit or a credit card. You will be asked "What else have you tried? How important is your question?  How much do you want to pay?".

3. Receive a summary answer to your question which, if no further advice is needed entitles you to a 100% refund.

4. If you need more information, you may access your full answer which means you will be charged the price you have agreed. You will, however, be entitled to free unlimited advice on your question once you have accepted your full answer.

www.expertanswers.co.uk promises no hidden charges and you may have a free one-to-one with a legal expert once you have accepted your answer.  

They says that their service is confidential, anonymous and secure and offer 100% satisfaction guaranteed or your money back.

I have to admit I am somewhat baffled by the charging structure which seems almost too good to be true, but I thought I'd seek advice on behalf of a friend who is considering divorce (not me , I hasten to add!).

I chose £30 as my deposit being aware that matrimonial advice is often not straightforward.  

Within a matter of hours I received a response from my legal expert Karl Edwards requesting further information. 

Shortly after this I received an email notifying me that the answer to my question had been posted. 

The summary gave a general appraisal of the key points but confirmed my suspicion that the question would require a more complex answer and would thus incur my agreed deposit of £30 for the full response from Mr Edwards. 

In this, Karl neatly summarised the key issues, highlighted points my friend needs to consider and also included helpful links to online documents (for example a guide to current CSA payments).  

He recommended that my friend consider mediation as a first step in order to avoid wrangling over finances in court and advised that now was definitely the time to start taking legal advice.

I felt that the response highlighted the next steps to take and was a useful starting point for making difficult decisions that bit easier. 

Using www.expertanswers.co.uk is, in my view, a useful alternative to making an appointment to see a solicitor face-to-face until you have committed yourself to a course of action. 

It is low cost, risk free and I found the service I received to be helpful and friendly. 

With in-house solicitors charging upwards of £50 + VAT for an initial consultation (although some do still offer a free first appointment) and many no longer offering Legal Aid, I would certainly recommend Expert Answers as a first port of call.

* I was allowed to ask one question free of charge for the purposes of this review.

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Giveaway: Disney Epic Mickey 2 - The Power of Two For Wii

Disney's Epic Mickey 2 - The Power of Two For Wii

This giveaway is now closed but you can find all my current competitions on my competitions page.

In Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, gamers will play as Mickey Mouse and for the first time ever, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Walt Disney’s first cartoon star, in Wasteland, an alternate world filled with 80 years of forgotten Disney characters and theme park attractions. 

For the first time, Mickey and Oswald join forces as true partners – Mickey with his magical paint brush that wields paint and thinner, and Oswald with his powerful remote control that allows him to command electricity. 

All the characters are fully voiced by the official voice actors of those characters and this is the first video game which the manufacturers say can be described as a "musical".  

The songs feature original Disney inspired music and players can choose tunes and instrumentation to conduct their own unique soundtrack.

I have one brand new, sealed copy to give away.  

Entry is by completing the rafflecopter and the usual terms and conditions apply.  The giveaway will close at midnight on New Year's Eve, Tuesday 31 December -something for the prizewinner to look forward to brighten up January 2014!

Disney's Epic Mickey 2 is available at Amazon.co.uk.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*This post contains affiliate links.

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You Won't Get Stuck At Instajunction.com

Now this is a fun way to give something a bit different this Christmas that even the most technologically challenged can manage.

Instajunction is a really fun way to add your photos to a range of products to make Christmas gifts that are definitely unique. 

Instajunction allows you to use your Instagram, Facebook or uploaded pictures on a range of different products - from framed prints and magnets to mini books and coasters. 

You can make keyrings or cufflinks or how about a wall vinyl, calendar or poster? 

I have to say I wish Instajunction.com had been around in my marketing days because business gifts would have been a cinch. 

As it was, it was golf balls, mints and the never-ending excitement of blue ballpoint pens!

Just think of the fun you could have.  

Coasters featuring your slightly plumptious self as a reminder not to scoff too many snacks and glasses of vino? Or a fridge magnet of Daniel Craig.  

Just because really. 

I chose to make a charm bracelet featuring my kids which was simplicity itself and took literally minutes.  

You simply download 5 of your favourite photographs and Instajunction will create a bracelet with five 1.9 cm diameter charms for you in a presentation box - at a cost of £24.95 & delivery. 

The easiest method is to download the photographs from your Instagram feed (there's a clue in the name - Instajunction!) but as mentioned above, you can use your Facebook pictures or those on your PC too.

This is how the charm bracelet will look.

An individual charm

And, best of all, I have been given a code for you to use to get a generous 25% off for orders placed before 8th December 2013 (and you can use the code as many times as you want).

Here's the code FRIEND25CB

Why not have a look at www. instajunction.com to see what you could create?

*I was given a discount code to select any one product from Instajunction.com.  

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Review: Ozeri Precision II Digital Bathroom Scale

The Ozeri Precision II Digital Bathroom Scale has a new widescreen LCD with xBright technology. It uses 4 high precision GX sensors that can weigh up to 440 pounds (200 kilos) in 0.2lbs or 0.1kg increments. The scale is an oversized platform made of impact-resistant tempered glass and it has new InstOn technology which captures the precise weight measurement as soon as you step on (no prodding or cursing required - well, until your weight is displayed, that is). It is auto calibrated and will automatically turn off to conserve the battery life.  It takes 4 AAA batteries which are included in the box.

This is a very chic and slim bathroom scale from Ozeri which couldn't be simpler to use. Simply insert the batteries, push the button on the back of the machine to select whether you would like your weight to be read in kilos, stones or pounds, step on and ..... hold your breath.

I have to say I suspect that it is also quite an effective incentive to diet as your weight is displayed in its bright blue light, so brightly that I didn't even need my reading glasses to see the ghastly truth. 

Both The Husband and I tried it and then spent a half an hour accusing each other of indiscriminate carbohydrate consumption.The Husband tried to claim his clothing weighed at least 4lbs and that he was heavier due to two cups of coffee and a bread roll. Hmm. I then found him in the kitchen making a hot chocolate as consolation. I feel my Rosemary Conley book collection beckoning.

The Ozeri Precision II Digital Bathroom Scale is a really smart piece of kit - it has the Ozeri design edge to it and wouldn't look out of place in a swanky batchelor pad in Mayfair rather than here at Downton Shabby. It currently retails at £17.95 at Amazon.co.uk

Further information:  www.ozeri.com, www.amazon.co.uk.

*A PR sample was sent for the purposes of this post which contains an affiliate link.

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Review: www.iChild.co.uk - F&C Saving Superstar Activities

We were asked by the people at www.iChild.co.uk, a fabulous website containing a wealth of free educational resources for children up to age 11, to explore their F&C Saving Superstar activities. (F&C are an investment company). 

These are designed to teach children about money and guide them through a range of activities which get them used to the look and feel of money, as well as some basic sums and exercises to show how much things cost.

Caitlin, wondering how many Hello Kitty items could be purchased with these coins

iChild is designed for childminders, teachers, nursery carers, volunteer leaders, parents, grandparents or anyone looking after children. It has a vast range of free resources which support the current National Curriculum, plus activities suitable for the many religious festivals throughout the year. For example, there is a section on maths and the alphabet, as well as information about attractions such as Chessington Zoo or stories about the Saints. There is so much to choose from, it's tempting to browse for ages.

In addition, for a small monthly fee of £7.99, you can become a Gold member which gives you access to printable material such as flash cards and posters which can be personalised.  Gold Members can store up to 30 activities per day in an online "Toy Box" and print them all off in one go. Currently, if you pay annually, you receive two months' free plus a CD of nursery rhymes worth £10.

But, back to the F&C Saving Superstar activities. We received activities targeted for the Under 5's and the 5-7 age groups.

There are 10 activities to complete in each age group and, using the corresponding reward chart and certificate, you can monitor your child's progress as you go along and then reward them at the end. The first 2 activities, a reward chart and a certificate for each age group are downloadable free directly from the iChild website, with the rest being available free once you have registered at www.fandc.com/superstar.

For the under 5's, the kinds of activities included are:-

Ieuan & Daddy consider the coins needed to buy a top of the range Aston Martin

• Looking at money - identify which coin is which
• What is the value of each coin - what will they buy
• Simple counting

There is even a party and a game included.

No.  £1.88 is just not going to do it

For the 5-7's the activities are a little more complex as you'd expect.  For example

• The children are asked to copy the patterns and colours of coins onto templates
• They are asked to identify the cheapest and the most expensive items
• They are asked to work out what they can afford with pocket money earned from helping around the house (my absolute favourite!!!).

There is also a Race to £5 game and, for parents, a handy guide to internet safety.

Caitlin, assessing whether tooth fairy payments have increased in line with inflation

We had a lot of fun with the iChild F&C-Saving-Superstar Activities and I'd heartily recommend them as a way of introducing your children to the topic of money and saving in a structured, sensible way.

We will certainly be exploring some of the other activities on the iChild website!

*A collaborative post.

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Review: iPad with Retina Display - Still the Apple of Our Eye

Since the launch of the original iPad in 2010, the way we use and relate to technology has changed dramatically. Steve Jobs said, in 1983, "What we (Apple) want to do is we want to put an incredibly great computer in a book that you can carry around with you and learn how to use in 20 minutes..." and that is exactly what the iPad is.

Apple iPad with Retina Display

Caitlin and Ieuan have been playing with my iPad since they were about two years old (with supervision, I might add!). I remember being gobsmacked at how, when we sat down with them, they both had grasped literally within minutes how a touch screen worked.

There are a wealth of brilliant educational apps too, many free as well as paid for - pictorial versions of the alphabet, numbers, songs, stories and simple games. - and of course all happily portable to restaurants, doctors' surgeries and dental waiting rooms! Used properly, I think tablets are a great way to spend time teaching and having fun with your children. They'll never completely replace the importance of reading to my children but apps like, for example "The Going To Bed Book" by Sandra Boyton make a nice change.

Of course there are also a host of fun apps like Talking Tom (and his many friends) and junior versions of adult favourites like Candy Crush.  Ieuan loves watching Toy Story videos on constant repeat.  (We are hoping the Buzz phase passes soon!).

We currently have an original iPad but we felt it was time to upgrade to take advantage of the fantastic apps which are appearing on an almost daily basis. We did consider Android tablets such as the Samsung Galaxy or the Microsoft Surface 8 tablet (which has Microsoft Windows 8 as its operating system), but for me the iPad remains the benchmark.

Even from this photo, the stunning clarity of the iPad's Retina Display is clear

We opted for the Apple iPad with retina display. We chose the 32GB Wi-Fi model which retails around the £480 mark. It is incredibly lightweight, has a 9.7" screen and the clarity of the display is stunning. It comes with a host of new features such as the 5MP iSight camera with 1080p HD video recording and the FaceTime HD camera, which we prefer to using SKYPE when The Husband is away on business.

It comes with iOS 6. (the operating system at the heart of the iPhone, iPad and iPod). iOS7 is now available and our iPad can be easily upgraded by downloading the software from Apple when we're ready.

The new iPad gives us access to over 300,000 apps so that should keep the kids quiet, especially since battery life is up to 10 hours, and of course The Husband can watch his favourite rugby via the TV apps such as iPlayer and I can start the Christmas shopping on the quiet, without little eyes watching.  

A moment's peace and quiet from Ieuan!

Yes, the iPad is still the Apple of our eye.

*A collaborative post.

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