Serenata Flowers - Great Online Flowers, Hampers & Gifts & A Giveaway

If you're busy, like all working parents are these days, it's very easy to completely forget to buy that special gift - or at least to leave it to the last minute.  I also find that, because I am a midlife mum, whilst my kids are young, the rest of the family is, shall we say, well into adulthood!  I'm either looking at lists of toys or scratching my head in desperation trying to come up with something they might like.

Now I don't know of a single lady who would not appreciate a beautiful bouquet of birthday or Christmas flowers.  There is nothing like a stunning floral arrangement to brighten up your home and add a dash of luxury. So the female side of the family are easy to please.

But then there are those relatives like my dad, who, when asked what they'd like as a present declare they "have everything they need" and "don't go to any bother".  This is, of course, usually a complete fib because we know full well that hurt feelings would ensue, were we ever daft enough to take these words at face value.

I've found a hamper is a great solution to this, not least because the contents can be shared!

I have recently had the opportunity to sample a gorgeous hamper from Serenataflowers.com. Although I had heard of the name, I didn't realise that Serenata is the UK's largest direct-to-consumer online florists, and one of the largest buyers of flowers in the UK.

They receive fresh flowers from around the world every day, 7 days a week and say their prices are often 30% cheaper than other online flower shops because they supply direct to the buyer.  They also have a free flower delivery service the same day and they guarantee that your bouquet will be on time and as advertised or your money back..

Serenata also offers an exclusive champagne and wine gift service, luxurious chocolate gifts and of course their great range of hampers in wicker baskets. The prices range from £40 to around £140 for a filled hamper, although you could also buy a wicker basket from them and fill it yourself - if you were considerably more organised than me, that is.

There are loads of themed hampers - for example chocolate, cheese, beer, port, wine, new baby and pamper hampers. You can order up to 10 pm for free next weekday delivery to any UK mainland address.

I was sent the Simplicity Hamper at £39.99 and free delivery.  This one contains quite a (I think!) quirky selection as it has:-

* Hand Waxed Scrumpy & Crunchy Apple Cheese 150g
* Hand Waxed Worcestershire Gold Mature Cheddar 150g
* Black Olive Cracker for White Wine 125g
* Chardonnay Terres 2014
* Dormens Wasabi Nuts
* Lemon Sherbets 120g
* Cheese Board Chutney 105g

Needless to say the Husband has already laid claim to the Lemon Sherbets and the Wasabi Nuts and I have secreted the wine and cheese in the fridge behind a wall of yoghurt so he can't find them.

The hamper arrived within 24 hours, well boxed (there is no wicker hamper with this particular selection) with everything protected and in perfect condition.

The lovely hamper contents

I would have been more than pleased to receive the Simplicity Hamper as a gift - and I have one to giveaway!

Entry is via Rafflecopter in the usual manner and the competition ends at 11:59 pm on 30th September 2015.  UK entrants only.  Make sure you leave a comment as to which is your favourite Serenata Hamper.  I've a few others on my list.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Further information is available at www.SerenataFlowers.com and you can also get in touch on Facebook or Twitter.

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Beck Valley Book Tour Review & Giveaway: Booker No Mas by John W Mefford

New Release....

No more deception.

Brought to the Caribbean island of Dominican Republic on the premise that he could finally close the chapter on the darkest moment of his life—and rid the world of a cold-blooded killer—Booker T. Adams instantly finds a far different scene. Set against the backdrop of a city consumed by the rising fear of terrorism and a brutal drug lord, a woman, seemingly with two lives and even two faces, uses her hypnotic charm to get what she wants, sending Booker on a mission to rescue a teenage boy held hostage.

No more lies.

Befriended by a fired cop and a homeless kid with nothing to live for, Booker struggles to understand fact versus fiction, while staving off wild bores, snakes, terrorist traps, and a past that has haunted him for almost thirty years. Is he dealing with people believing their own hypocrisy, or have they simply perfected the art of betrayal and treachery?

No more killing.

The all-powerful rule with brute force, killing women and children like they’re swatting flies. It’s a savagery that Booker can’t comprehend, let alone defeat. With the smell of death stuffed down his throat, the man with everything to lose puts everything on the line—because he can stand…

No more.

Available to buy at...

Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Barnes and Noble    iTunes   Kobo   

Check out the other books in the series

 
 

So what did I think?

I hadn't read any of John W Mefford's fast paced thrillers before this one, No Mas (Spanish for "no more" or "enough") and I've clearly missed out.

Mefford combines a terrific story line with a speed of action that makes you feel as if you are actually watching the plot on the big screen.  The action never lets up for a minute and the characters are sufficiently well drawn that you feel you know them.

His hero, Booker T. Adams, is looking for a former lover on the island of Santa Domingo.  She also happens to be a psychopathic murderer.  Hired as a private investigator by the parents of one of her victims, his task is to bring her back to face justice.

En route he meets the funny and likeable teenager, "Bolt" who, despite initially trying to rob him, becomes Booker's constant companion.  Add into the mix Valdez, a former cop and a key figure from Booker's past who kidnaps Booker to make amends for his past misdeeds, a dodgy priest, a crazed drug lord and his seedy entourage of goons, villians and thugs and you have a novel that keeps you hooked till the end.

When Booker finds his ex love, he finds himself unable to quite let go of his past feelings and ends up trying to rescue the son of her new partner, a teenage boy called Esteban who the drug lord has kidnapped.

In the meantime, it transpires that a mysterious rival to the drug lord has returned to the island to threaten his regime.

Who is this mysterious rival and does Booker manage to find the kidnapped boy?  Does he bring his psychopathic ex to justice?

You'll just have to read the book to find out.

The dialogue is sharp and witty and there are references to some favourite blockbuster movies for those on the ball - for example "I hate snakes"  And it's not all action and fighting, the characters develop emotionally.  Booker begins to forgive his father and it transpires that the bonds he has made with Bolt will not be so easy to break.

Booker:  No Mas reads well as a stand alone novel but I think I'm going to have to go back to the beginning of the series to get to know him better.

Highly recommended.

About the Author

A veteran of the corporate wars, former journalist, and true studier of human and social behavior, best-selling author John W. Mefford has been writing novels since he first entered the work force twenty-five years ago, although he never put words on paper until late 2009.

John writes novels full of intrigue, suspense, and thrills, but they also evoke an emotional connection with the characters.

When he’s not writing, he chases three kids around, slaves away in the yard, reads, takes in as many sports as time allows, watches all sorts of movies, and continues to make mental notes of people and societies across the land.

John lives in Frisco, Texas with his beautiful wife, three opinionated kids, and a feisty fat cat who rules the world.

Follow the author on the following sites...

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Google+    Goodreads   Amazon Author Page

Follow the book tour

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY

Win John W Mefford's NINE ebook Library!
4 Winners!!
Ending on Sunday 27th September at 11.59pm CST

Open Worldwide 

Enter HERE

Good Luck !!

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2 Great Games, Dobble & Disney Pictopia

On a drizzly Sunday afternoon, there's nothing better than settling round together to play a game or two  - and given that we live in Wales, I have to say that's quite a frequent occurrence.

So, when we were delighted to be sent two new games to play from Esdevium Games.

Dobble

Dobble is a game of speed, observation and a great test of your reflexes for 2-8 players.  Aimed at anyone over the age of 6 years, the game is a race to find the one matching image between one card and another.

There are 55 playing cards, each displaying 8 pictures and there is always a matching picture on any two cards. The images may be different sizes and placed on any part of the card, making them difficult to spot.   Every card is unique and has only one picture in common with every other card in the deck.

Can You Spot The Matching Symbol  - Say Cheese!

There are 5 mini games: Fill the Well, The Towering Inferno, Hot Potato, Catch them all & The Poisoned Gift

The cards come in a sturdy tin and are fairly small making this an ideal game to take on holiday.

The Husband is wearing his "I'm going to win this hands down" expression

How to play

We tried the first of the mini games - The Towering Inferno.

The cards are shuffled and one card is placed face down in front of each player. The remaining cards go in a pile in the middle of the table (the draw pile).

When ‘go’ is called out, the players flip their card face up. It's a race to spot the identical symbol between the card of any other player and the card from the draw pile.

The first player to find an identical symbol names it, takes the card from the draw pile and places it in front of him or her, on top of his or her card.  This means a new card is revealed on the draw pile and the game continues until all the cards from this pile have been drawn.

The winner is the player who has gained the most cards.

We had a lot of fun with this one and it was just the right level of complexity for Ieuan (6) who doesn't have, shall we say, unlimited wells of patience.

I was completely hopeless and appear to have the reflexes of a sloth.  Caitlin thrashed us all soundly, much to the Husband's annoyance, spotting the symbols at lightening speed.

In my defence, I hadn't yet had my 5th coffee of the morning.  When I'm feeling a bit stronger, I will be challenging our motley crew to one of the other mini games to see if I can recover from the humiliation.  It's suggested in the instructions that if you could even host a Dobble Tournament. This is likely to involve many hours of practice in my case.

Dobble is a great alternative to Snap and UNO and we highly recommend it.

Dobble, from Esdevium Games is available from Tesco, Argos or WHSmith or from Waterstones at £12.99.

We were also sent Disney's Pictopia The Ultimate Picture-Trivia Family Game to try.

Now we are all big Disney fans in this house but I have to confess my knowledge is probably stronger about the classics.  I was fully prepared to be roundly beaten once more by Caitlin (who is dressed as a Disney Princess 80% of the time - i.e. when not in school uniform).  Ieuan was going to be a wild card and we spent a good ten minutes debating whether Iron Man had anything to do with Disney.

Families team up to play a trivia game with 1000 questions covering the world of Disney.  Not only is it competitive, but it's also a team game too.  Everyone gets a chance to show off their knowledge from Disney Junior and Disney XD to the Disney Parks and classic films (hurrah!).

The aim of the game is to reach the castle space on the board by moving your counter each time you answer a trivia question correctly.

Caitlin, already looking a tad too confident

You are given 5 wager tokens (to bet on the likelihood of you getting the right answer) and a cute answer dial in the shape of Mickey's ears which allows you to secretly select your answer which is then revealed when everyone has set their dials.

Players take turn being the host so they get to choose a card to read. The roll of the die selects the question the host asks - and there are 5 types of question which may come up.

• Pick 1 - all the players work together to select the one answer they think is correct
• Pick 2 - all other players work together to select the two answers they think are correct
• Pick 3 - all other players work together to select the three answers they think are correct
• Solo Pick 1 - each player except the host uses their answer dial to secretly select the answer
• Spotlight - these are questions about the play and what they think which the other players then have to guess by matching their answer on the answer dial

But before the question is asked, you have to look at the card to see if you recognise the films / clues and then bet one of 5 wager tokens depending on how confident you are that you know the right answer.

If you get the answer right, you move the same number of spaces on your wager token.

The game is very well thought out but it may take you a while to get to grips with the rules. It is definitely more suitable for the over 7's, although Ieuan was able to answer some of the questions. The questions which delve a little into the personality of the players (the Spotlight questions) are a nice touch.

Once again, we were no match for Caitlin who particularly liked the secrecy of the answer dial.  If there is one aspect I thought was possibly unneeded, it's the wager tokens and for younger kids I think you would be better off just rolling the die again and moving the matching number of spaces.

Caitlin is itching to play this one again and we've promised her a rematch this weekend.  There is also a free Pictopia app with bonus content and a lightning-round final challenge which we will download, although, fellow Lumia owners, be aware that the app is for iPhone or Android only.

Disney Pictopia is available from Amazon or Waterstones at £19.99.

For more information on Esdevium Games, you can visit their website at www.esdeviumgames.co.uk or follow them on Facebook or Twitter.

I also have one Dobble game to giveaway.  Just enter via the Rafflecopter. The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on 30th September 2015.  UK entrants only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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My Sunday Photo - 13/09/2015

Ieuan looking pensive

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Handy Phrases For The School Run.

It's the second week back in school and since I am already sick of the sound of my own voice, I am seriously thinking of replacing myself with a recording of somebody bellowing the following handy phrases.

As usual the kids interpretation of "school uniform" was somewhat wide of the mark.

Fellow warriors of the school run, I present to you some of my more useful sayings.

What are you having for breakfast?  No, we haven't got those.  Or those.  Have toast.  

No I don't know why the bread is green.

We have two toilets - you do NOT both need to go in the same one.

You should have gone before.

Well why didn't you tell me the toilet roll has run out then?

Clean your teeth OVER THE BOWL

Where has your father got to?

No I cannot do a French plait with intricate Celtic knotting two minutes before we leave for school.

Take your cereal bowls out into the kitchen!

Brush your hair IN FRONT OF A MIRROR and get rid of the nest at the back.

Has anyone seen your father?

No you can't take a toy to school.  Or a fake mobile phone.

It's September.  You need to take a coat.

No you can't have a light salad with toasted sesame seeds as your snack at 8:20 am

No I don't have any bananas on the 'right side of green'.

Is your father hiding in the garage or something?

Put your pants in the wash basket

Why are you wearing one sock?

Why are you telling me about your homework NOW?

You need to eat a proper breakfast.  A Muller Rice is not a proper breakfast.

Why are you still in your nightie at 8:20?!

No I don't know where Buzz Lightyear is.

No you cannot have 'a little play' with the Lego at 8:20.

No we can't go to the funfair after school.

I think your father has emigrated.

No I don't think today is 'international dress-up day' so you can't go in your Incredible Hulk costume.

No,  your headmistress won't be happy about you turning up with a Nerf gun.  Or a bow and arrow.

No you can't go on your bike / scooter / space hopper

You do realise I can't take you to school wearing my dressing gown, do you?

Yes the other mums will notice.  Some of them will even be wearing make-up.

Give your mother a kiss goodbye then....

Has anyone seen your father?

Who's had my KEYS?

I'm sure you can relate.  Nothing like a peaceful start to the day, is there?

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Valley Mill Home & Giftware Products Handpicked From Wales & Giveaway

As you know, I have spent a bit of time over the summer lurking in Welsh castles such as Caerphilly and Raglan and in the Visitor Centre cum Gift Shop at the latter, I came across a gorgeous range of Welsh products made by Valley Mill Homewares near Neath in South Wales.

Valley Mill make a wide range of natural home ware products including soy candles, natural soaps, hard wood chopping boards & a wide range of welsh slate products using a combination of hand crafting techniques. They can also personalise many of their products, all of which are handmade using materials from Wales.

Their products are ideal for wedding or anniversary gifts, birthdays, christenings, graduations or, by far my favourite type of gift, that little treat you buy for yourself.

And very kindly, Valley Mill sent me some of their natural soaps and wax melts to try (and also a lovely prize for one lucky winner - more of which later).

I was sent the Grapefruit & Fennel and the Rosemary & Lime soaps which both smell divine and you can clearly identify both the scents in each.

All Valley Mill soaps are made with 100% natural shea butter, coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil and castor oil. They have no artificial colours, preservatives or additives, are paraben and SLS free and contain no animal products. They are made with natural essential oils to get the unique fragrances, and they even use natural herbs to add the appropriate colour.

Other blends include:-  Bergamot & Basil, Orange & Cinnamon, Lavender & Citronella and Tea Tree & Witch Hazel and retail at £4.00 per 100g bar.

I was also sent a lovely little box of Jasmine scented wax melts (in the shape of Valley Mill's logo) from a new range to complement their range of natural soy wax candles.

The candles have a wooden wick for better scent throw and longer burn times and are hand made in Wales They come in a re-usable heavy weight tumbler with a Welsh Slate cap that doubles up as a high quality coaster. All candles come gift boxed and are priced at £16.

Several of their fragrances are ideal for Christmas - there's "Mince Pie", "Roast Chestnut" and "Spiced Apple".  My favourites are "Welsh Cake" and "Bara Brith" (a Welsh tea loaf in case you've not heard of it) and yes, they do smell exactly like the cakes!

Valley Mill are offering a lovely prize of 3 soaps and 3 boxes of wax melts in a mix of scents.  Entry is via the Rafflecopter in the usual way.  UK entrants only.  The competition ends at 11:59 pm on Thursday 24th September 2015. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Valley Mill products are available online at www.valleymill.co.uk. You can also visit their high street shop at 18 Angel Street, Neath SA11 1RS. Tel: 01639 698582.  Valley Mill can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

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Review: Get An Autumn Glow With PartyLite Candles

As you know I love autumn, not least because it's a brilliant time to annoy the Husband with the threat of new cushions, throws and scented candles.  There is nothing like candles for adding atmosphere and a warm comforting glow.  Any meal becomes more romantic by candlelight and of course it is well known that candlelight is flattering to your skin. (Or at least you can't see wrinkles in the dark).

Two lovely mini glass jar candles from the Just Desserts range - £15.95

Candles are part of our winter meal times too - the kids love watching the flickering flames and usually argue over who gets to blow them out.  Of course, we make sure the matches are well hidden.

We also keep a selection of scented candles to mask cooking smells and to just freshen up a room and Caitlin loves to choose her favourite fragrance.

But all scented candles are not made the same and you can end up spending a small fortune on a candle that doesn't scent the room and, most annoyingly, has a wick that burns out long before you get anywhere near the end of the candle.

I was recently gifted a selection of lovely scented candles from PartyLite to try and I have to say that both Caitlin and I are impressed.

In case you have not heard of them PartyLite sells an extensive selection of candles, home fragrances and accessories and has over 68,000 PartyLite consultants in 18 countries around the world.  The company was begun in Cape Cod in the early 1900's by a school teacher, Mabel Baker who began crafting candles from the wild bayberries that grew around her.  At first she gave them as gifts to friends and family but soon her entreprenurial spirit took over and she was one of the early female entrepreneurs!  PartyLite aims to remain true to Mabel's key values of honesty, integrity, fairness and quality.

Our PartyLite Candles arrived well packed with no damage to the delicate glass inside.  We received two mini scented jar candles from the Just Desserts range, "Nutcracker Sweet" and "Sugarplum Fairies" (£15.95), highly appropriate since Caitlin is dancing in The Nutcracker ballet at Christmas. The candles in the glass jars are guarded by cute pink and purple soldiers. "Nutcracker Sweet" has notes of cinnamon, mulled spices, nutmeg and vanilla.  "Sugarplum Fairies" is a blend of plums, berries and pomegranates.

Forbidden Fantasy Scented Mini Candle Trio - £27.50

We were also sent a Forbidden Fantasy Scented Mini Candle trio in "Blush", "Kiss" and "Flirt" (£27.50).  The scents are gorgeous and I will be smuggling one of these into my suitcase for our half-term excursion to the wilds of Tetbury.

Blush has notes of white grapefruit and violet, Flirt is a blend of white florals with rich fruits and musk and Kiss combines fresh notes and light florals with the warmth of amber and sandalwood. The fragrances are strong enough so as not to be overpowering or sickly sweet.

Lastly we were sent the very pretty Warm Hearts Tealight Holder - £13.95, made of glass with an antiqued silvery finish which looks lovely on a mantelpiece or bedside table.

Warm Hearts Tealight Holder - £13.95

PartyLite has an extensive range of candles and home fragrance products and some gorgeous items for Halloween and Christmas.  I find our American cousins approach both these celebrations with a good deal more gusto than we do here in the UK.  If you love Martha Stewart, then you're going to love PartyLite.

The link to their latest Autumn / Winter catalogue is here.

They offer over 50 exclusive fragrances, in different categories such as Herbal & Woody, Edible & Spicy or Floral so you are bound to find one that appeals, plus some great ideas for making your Christmas table a stand-out event this year.  (We spent ages trying to find a gold runner for the table last year, much to the Husbands chagrin and don't get him started on 'decorative stags').

If you would like to order candles, why not host a home party where there are discounts and incentives for the host or hostess (and you can also become a consultant).

Further information about PartyLite is available at www.partylite.co.uk. You can also find PartyLite on Facebook or Instagram.

*PR samples were received for the writing of this post.

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