Monthly Archives: October 2023

Why I finally chose to get my frozen breastmilk made into some Jewellery

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When I was breastfeeding my son I felt like it was one of my life’s greatest achievements. When it sadly had to come to an end I pumped what little milk I could and I froze it. I did so in the hope of one day finding a piece of jewellery perfect enough for me to incorporate it into.

I had followed Motherkind Keepsakes over on Facebook for several years and admired every piece of art they made with jewellery and peoples DNA inclusions. With every new stock album I searched within the photographs for a piece of jewellery that fitted both my personality and my preferences. As someone with small hands it was important that I found something perfect that I could treasure but also wear on occasion too.

This summer began with a new range of rings, and I would always be choosing a silver one because of my skin tone anyway. Two rings caught my attention, so I saved the pictures and looked at them both every day for a week before I made my choice. My decision was a stunning silver ring with an oval centre, two cubic zirconia either side and a twisted band around with more tiny sparkling crystals.

What happens after you place your order is that the ring is ordered in your size, and while that is being delivered to MK you post in your DNA inclusions. For me I chose to incorporate the breastmilk for my son, a hair from me, my son and our two cats. My little family all represented inside this small man-made stone, created with resin and my milk.

The weeks that I waited for this ring were definitely worth it, you can’t get items like this unless you are willing to wait for them to be cured and set and placed meticulously into the jewellery you wanted. My experience was brilliant and ordering was simple. The communication between me and the maker was spot on and all my questions answered.

When my ring was delivered to me I was really happy with it. The presentation and certificate I received along with it explains exactly whose DNA has gone into the production of the item too. A wonderful thing to have had created so that I may keep the memories and DNA of my loved ones close at heart, it is treated with the sentimental value it deserves too.

Overall I would like to give my Product Review scores as 5 stars.

Quality of Products 5✩
Choices of Design 5✩
Presentation 5✩
Originality 5✩
Delivery 5✩

Overall I would highly recommend the service given by Motherkind Keepsakes, and I have included their Facebook link so that you may pay them a visit and marvel at all the latest jewellery creations. I would definitely use them again.

Thank you for reading about my very personal post about my DNA jewellery today.

Please check out Motherkind Keepsakes on Facebook if you are interested in learning more about how they make these stunning pieces.

Have a great day.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Why have a Car Caddy and What’s in mine

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The first time I heard of a Car Caddy I thought “what on earth is that?” but now I wouldn’t be without it! Especially when you’re a parent it’s hard enough to remember everything you need when you go out anyway, so a caddy gives you a bit of piece of mind that you have some essentials in the car that are relevant to your family dynamic.

For example, if you’re a new parent you would put everyone a spare outfit, nappies, wipes and the usual baby essentials in your caddy, so that if you ever got caught out with a mess and not enough items in your changing bag you know you’ve got extra in the car!

If you have a slightly older child/children like I do, you would still put a spare outfit, usually a drink and a snack, an educational toy and any medications that are required if you are going on any kind of journey. Anti allergy and sun cream are popular choices for us, as well as tissues.

As an adult a Car Caddy is perfect for keeping your vehicle tidy, you will carry your sun cream, bottled water, a sun hat and maybe even a change of clothes in the summer. But in the winter you’ll need items such as an ice scraper, a blanket, winter clothing like hat and gloves and even things such as a torch. A caddy is excellent for keeping these items tidy and in one place so you don’t fumble around the back seats or boot looking for them on a cold winter evening.

Keeping spare clothes, blankets, bottled water and other essentials in the car is a necessity all year round, in case of emergency such as people being poorly or even if you were to be unlucky and your vehicle brake down. You can grab your caddy out the back and sort people out while waiting for help, most of them come with a built in handle for easy transportation.

I used to have several re-useable carrier bags in the back of my car, and I found that when I went out I had no space for groceries or picking up family members. So when I got my caddy I only packed in it what was required for that month. As the seasons change you can simply bring your caddy in to your house and restock it with different items instead. Obviously if it gets emptied on a long journey you will restock it as and when required too.

Large handles on my caddy mean that it’s easy to transport, take in and out of the car and also great for when we may need it for picnic moments or days out, such as at the beach. A caddy isn’t just great for the car though, I used one as a nursing station with nappies and muslin cloths in, I also put snacks and water in for when I was breastfeeding and I moved it from room to room as necessary. Setting up where I was most comfortable. It would make a great gift for any new parent as well I think!

What’s inside my Car Caddy as of October 2023

1 Blanket
2 Bottles of Water
1 Small Portable Toys Box
1 Plastic Zipped Bag of Medicines, First Aid etc
1 Box of Tissues
1 Spare Change of Clothes (per person)
1 Small Bag of Snacks
1 Bottle of Hand Sanitizer
1 Portable Wooden Toy Box (check out my Instagram for how I made one)

As Winter approaches I will be adding my window ice scraper tool and another blanket. Plus some winter items like gloves, scarfs and hats just in case we go out and find that it is colder than we anticipated.

You can get several types of Caddy and more than a few styles, some have pockets on the outer edge like mine and others just have one at the front. You can choose to keep your caddy on the back seat of the car or in the boot. Mine goes in the middle so my son is able to reach things in it while I am driving such as his water bottle or his “on the journey” toys to keep him occupied.

I hope this blog post has given you some food for thought today, and perhaps if you already have a Car Caddy you can tell me what you have in yours?

Have a great day and thanks for reading.

✩ Sabrina ✩

October 2023 Treatbox Reveal and Review

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Hello October…

Well, I’m not sure what happened to September, I must have blinked and missed it! The days flew by and before I knew it I was receiving my dispatch email for this October box! Goodness! I hope my latest Reveal finds you well, and that you enjoy seeing what was inside the October box with me. Thank you for joining me today as I go through the contents of the October 2023 Treatbox!

If you would like to see my unboxing video please click this link which will take you to my video on my Facebook page

What was inside… a Woodland Theme…

October Calendar Print
Treatbox Original Enamel Pin – Be Kind with a Bear
Treatbox Original Socks – Toadstools
Gnaw Chocolate Bar – Belgium Chocolate 35g
The Make Arcade – Toadstool Decoration Kit
Treatbox Original Prints – Colouring Sheets for Autumn x 2
Timeless Aroma’s – Soy Wax Melts – Fireside Treats
Gardner’s Cookie – Hedgehog Shape Biscuit “Hedge Hug”

My Honest Opinion

I find that every Autumn box is one of my favourite boxes of the year, without a doubt as I look back on them, the themes and items are always excellent in October. This box is up there in my top 3 of this year.

My favourite items are the Bear Pin, the Socks and the cute Biscuit! I thought the colouring pages were also really well designed and I cannot wait to sit around with a mug of something warm to drink, nibbling my chocolate and colouring them in. I loved that we have a real mixture of items this month, and I can’t wait to put my toadstool socks on! I also look forward to doing the Craft Kit, that looks great! We have done Make Arcade before and to add a little handmade Toadstool to my autumn décor is going to be fabulous! (So long as I don’t stuff up the sewing ha ha!) I will do a video of it when I make it and put it on my socials.

I’m really not a fan of the wax melts, we’ve had a fair few of these, I can’t ever use them due to allergies, my son is allergic to soya it makes him very sick. As soon as I’m done with the review they have to be relegated to my garage where my son can’t smell or come into contact with them. This is the only item I didn’t like inside this month’s box. Though the item is lovely and of high quality and lots of other people will find they can use them and enjoy their autumn scent, it’s just not possible in my house sadly.

Even disregarding the wax melts that I cannot use the box is still in my top ten for the year, for the simple fact that it’s been a well executed theme and the items all come in at a very high standard. We have four Treatbox original items which are what makes the box extra special in my eyes.

Overall I love it, what a great box, and I’m really going to enjoy using and eating the products. Check out my social media for the items in use when I do get to each of them as the month goes on. Now for some more of my photography.

Thank you for reading this unboxing post and review with me today. Don’t forget to follow me across my social media for more updates on the products as I use them throughout the month.

Search #SevernWishesBlog on Google or #SevernSabrina on Instagram,
Alternatively click here to follow me on Facebook / Instagram / YouTube

If you’re thinking of subscribing to Treatbox I’ve also attached a link to their website TreatboxUK
Don’t forget to tell them you saw my review when you order too!

Have a great and fun filled October!

✩ Sabrina ✩

#SevernWishesBlog #TreatboxUK #ProductPhotographer #ProductReviewer #SevernSabrina
#TreatboxOriginals #October #Reveal #Unboxing #TreatboxPics #RevealandReview

An Autumn of Fun for Free in your Local Area

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Autumn is such a beautiful time of the year, and it should be enjoyed by people of all ages and of all abilities too. But as the cost of living goes up again with our need for heating on and more food, not to mention the loom of Christmas… most people will vote to stay in, worrying they cannot afford to go out.

Well I’m in the same boat as all of you again this season, knowing that money will be tight but I also want to make the most of weekends I have my son. School takes up so many hours of the week, and the majority of children don’t really want to be stuck inside (unless the weather is gale force and torrential rain!). So it’s important to come up with some cheap ideas that will suit everyone and that can be fun of course, so here’s what I do.

See what can you do for free in your local area. Where do you begin to look?

Start off by writing down on a piece of paper the people in your household, their ages and abilities.

Do you need toilets frequently, baby changing facilities or access for a pram or wheelchair?

Once you have established the type of place you need to find you can look up on an online map what is available for free in your area.

Check local free magazines in supermarkets, check out social media by searching in events local to you by so many miles radius.

Some of these things can include;

Public Footpaths.
Canal Routes or Designated Walkways.
Parks and Gardens.
Local Heritage Sites.
Castles or Stately Homes.
Farms with Free Entry to look at Pumpkins, Flowers or do Maize Mazes.
Nature Reserves with free car parking so you can do a Nature Walk to collect leaves.
National Trust (some people will already be members, sometimes they have reduced entry fees).

What Can You Do While Out?

Enjoy a walk together as a family, don’t forget to take some photograph’s!
Gather items to take home and make art and craft pieces another day.
Go for a Nature Walk and talk about what you can see and hear (great for young children).
Nature Bingo where you make a list before you go and then tick off the items as you find them.
Discuss the life cycle of trees with older children and the importance of renewal each year.

(If you don’t mind spending a little money)
Pumpkin Patch Picking
Maize Maze or Woodland Trails
Local Trust Properties or Heritage Sites

Sabrina’s Top Tip: Take a picnic or packed lunch with you, and drinks for everyone too which will save you money, even if you have to eat it in the car then it won’t matter because it’s still family time.

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Thank you for reading this blog post today, I do hope that I have given you some good ideas.

Have a great day and lots of fun if you take on board any of my tips!

✩ Sabrina ✩