Sabrina is a Lifestyle, Parenting and Product Review Blogger. A Writer, Photographer, Reviewer, Home Cook, Crafter & Nature Enthusiast. You will find a bit of all those categories here on Severn Wishes Blog, Welcome to Sabrina's Lifestyle Blogging & Honest Reviews.
Hello! I’m Sabrina! I am an Argos Tester, this means that I often get items sent to me for the purpose of an online review. I thoroughly test the products and take photographs of them before submitting my findings and honest thoughts over to Argos. Sometimes I even do a video, and these are shown on my social media channels. This latest campaign was to test out a brand new hair dryer.
#ArgosTester #ArgosTesters #ArgosTestersCommunity
I have written this article about a product that I have been supplied for free, in order to test and then review it. This is my experience with said product and it is my honest review about the product listed below. I have already submitted my review to the Argos Website, and it has been accepted on to live public view when this blog post has been published. Please see my review on this screengrab below from the Argos website.All words and photography within this article are my own.
Packaging
Product Details
Name: BaByliss Turbo Smooth 5572U Hair Dryer with Diffuser Colour: Black RRP: £32.00 Product Details: High Powered Hair Dryer with 2200W for Fast Drying Capability. Customised Drying with 3 Heat Settings and 2 Speeds. Large Click on Diffuser and Slim Concentrator Nozzle included. 1.95m Power Cord. Ionic Frizz Control, Ceramic and Ergonomic Design. Weight 0.6 kg. Argos Website: LINK
My Honest Opinion
Overall I would like to rate the 5 stars.
Quality 5✩ Features 5✩ Design 5✩ Attachments 5✩
My Honest Opinion of the Product
As a woman who has naturally curly hair finding a hair dryer with a large diffuser is essential. This dryer is excellent and has enough diameter within the attachment to suit even the biggest of natural curls. The diffuser has plenty of sections on it and was wide enough for me to dry entire sides of my head in one go. There is a nozzle attachment too but I don’t ever use those with my hair style. The diffuser also clicked on very well, and didn’t come loose at all during the duration of my drying. I have never had a hairdryer with such precision parts that fitted together so perfectly. I was impressed with how fast it got my hair to dry and also the lack of frizz that I got after using it. It is ergonomically designed on the handle and really comfortable to hold whilst you’re using it. I haven’t needed to use it on maximum setting because medium heat and speed was plenty for my hair, but if you had thicker hair I’m sure it would be just as excellent. The buttons are simple to use and slide up, and the cooling burst button is very handy too. What was also brilliant was the fact that every item inside the box was wrapped in paper and not plastic, it made it easy to recycle the packaging and was a big tick for me in regards to being environmentally friendly. I would recommend it to other curly haired humans and think it’s a really excellent product.
Thank you for reading this product review today, I hope you have enjoyed it.
If you have any questions about this set hair dryer then please leave me a comment below or on any of my social media posts and I will do my best to answer them with the knowledge that I have gained from reviewing this product.For anything else please refer to the Argos website which you can find on the link I posted above in Product Details.
July seemed to go by in a blur and now we are well into the summer holidays and the start of August has arrived. The weather isn’t what we are used to seeing in August with tons of rain showers and gusts of wind to contend with. So this Treatbox really did cheer me up.
As I opened up the box for the first time (during my unboxing video which you can find across my social media channels), I was greeted with pink paper and the theme of Picnics and Strawberries!
What was inside this August 2023 box
Treatbox August Calendar Print Treatbox Original Socks – Pink with Strawberries and Hearts Twinings Tea x 2 Bags “GLOW” Strawberry and Cucumber with Green Tea & Aloe Vera Candy Kittens Wild Strawberry Gourmet Sweets 54g bag Vegan & Natural Flavours Treatbox Original Cards x 2 “you’re the sweetest” and “big hug little card” Treatbox Original Coaster “you are some kind of wonderful” bubble t sheet mask with berries and aloe vera 20ml Revolution Glow Lip Serum 3.6ml Veganwith SPF 10
My Honest Opinion
Well August 2023, it was Strawberries and a whole lot of pink!
This box was full of some nice surprises, nothing that really gave me the wow factor though. The socks have been my favourite item this month by far. The sweets are really tasty and the cards are a nice touch for us to pass on some summer positive vibes to our loved ones.
I have tried out the lip serum, it’s okay and smells nice with a scent similar to flowers and coconuts. I don’t think it will replace my current daily item but it’s nice to use on a summer day to protect the skin of your lips with that spf formulation.
I haven’t tried the tea yet but it does sound lovely, watch out for that on my social media one day during the next few weeks for sure. I was a little sad to see yet another coaster, as someone who doesn’t drink all that many mugs of hot beverages I don’t use my coasters every day and have several in my drawer now, though the design is lovely.
Finally the sheet mask, again this is something I would normally use on my weekend self care routine because I do a mask most weekends. Watch out for my review on my socials for this one! I hope it smells as nice as it sounds “berries and aloe vera” sounds relaxing yet sweet.
Overall it’s been a nice box, not in my top 5 by any means, but it’s certainly cheered me up on a rainy day and it’s allowed me to gift to others and pass on the positive energy of receiving it.
Thank you for reading this unboxing blog post and review with me today. These reveals are always fun to do because you never know what you’re going to get.
Don’t forget to follow me across my social media for more updates on the products as I use them.
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 attached a link to their website TreatboxUK
Have a fun August and I hope that we all see some sunshine soon!
How to make Birthday Bags on a Budget – it can be done!
My son recently had his birthday and a part of me was disheartened by the fact that I couldn’t afford to throw him a birthday party, one where his friends could come. We had family things going on all week but nothing with his school friends.
After talking to him about it one afternoon a week before his birthday, I asked him if he would like to do anything for his birthday on the day besides attend school, He said that he would like to share his favourite things with his school friends. I thought it was a lovely idea so we chatted about what sort of items he would include. After a lengthy conversation I decided we could do some birthday bags, and I hunted around for the best bargains. I was on a strict budget to I checked where things were on offer and started making a list.
So how do you make up a birthday bag?
You need either a birthday bag or a party bag, there are many varieties available online. You can get them usually with a handle so they are perfect for little hands to hold. I also chose to buy the plastic cones because I didn’t want Oreos to break up and/or go stale in the bags. This worked perfectly to break things up into sections, the Edibles and the Toys.
How do you stick to your Budget and get the best value?
✩ Sabrina’s Top Tips ✩
There are several ways to stick to budget and also find the best deals, here are my tips. 1. Decide your budget and make a list of what you need to buy. 2. How many are you buying for? Sometimes it’s cheaper to buy 50 bags than 20, bare this in mind. 3. Watch out for “lowest price in 30 days” and other useful slogans on offers. 4. Compare supermarkets online before you go out to do the shopping. 5. Use supermarket offers if you have a discount card with them. 6. Visit budget stores and compare the items you have seen online. 7. Always read the online reviews and filter by most recent as well. 8. Bulk Buy – Depending on whether you can reuse an item in the future for something else or even sell the remainder of the items on, bulk buying can be beneficial. (For us the Oreo’s were cheaper to bulk buy and so were the party bags). My son will happily eat any leftover biscuits let me tell you. 9. Work out the maximum you would like to spend, divide that by how many you are buying for, let’s say it’s 20 children. So divide your budget by 20, and you will understand how much it will cost to do a bag per child. Once you’ve made some essential purchases work out what is remaining of your budget and only spend what you have left. It might be that you have to buy a massive bag of sweets and divide them by hand into little sweet bags like I did with the Oreo biscuits.
Think smarter with your money and not buying things simply for convenience.
Why did we choose the items?
Picking for a mixture of genders is always tricky, but I don’t know a child who doesn’t love stickers and sweets / chocolate biscuits. Oreo is the choice because my son has food allergies but luckily he can eat original Oreo. The cars were because they were pull-back and super cool but also a car is gender neutral in my eyes, same goes for the bouncy balls. I asked all the parents (or my son told me) what peoples favourite colours were, and then labelled the bags and added the toys in accordingly. If I had someone who loved Red they got a red tie on their biscuit cone and they got a red car and a red ball. I would’ve loved to have included bubbles too but they would have sent me over budget. You could swap the bouncy balls for bubbles if your child would prefer those.
I divided the stickers between the children’s bags and kept the rest for my own reward charts at home, meaning each sheet only cost me 4 pence. Bargain!
Total Spent: £30.00 Total of Children: 16 Cost per Child: £1.79
I don’t think this was too bad, 16 happy children for less than £30 (as we had leftovers) and it was much cheaper than throwing a birthday party. My son got to share his favourite items with his friends too!
We have also got left over bouncy balls, birthday bags, cone bags, 6 sweet bags and 4 cars. The leftover pieces we can use whenever we like or give away at other occasions.
At the end of the day you can’t put a price on a child’s happiness and my son was over the moon to help me give out these little bags of joy to all of his friends at school, so that they could all celebrate his happy birthday together.
Thank you for reading this blog post today, I hope you have found it interesting and perhaps got a few useful tips in case you ever decide to do bags for your child’s birthday or a birthday party.
I’ve been so lucky this month to be approached by Galen Leather to do a product review for them. I was excited to receive my new journal cover and notebook, and they even added in a few treats as well. Customer service is very important in any situation where an order is being placed online, however the presentation of items also needs to be taken into account. When products are being posted from another country they need to be packaged in a way that minimises damage and ensures that the items arrive in tip top condition. These needs were definitely met with my order, and I was astounded by the level of detail and the lengths to which Galen Leather made my order personal and gracious.
When I opened up the package I did not just find the journal cover beautifully boxed and bound, but I had the notebook which was sealed and brand new. As well as a fabric pencil case filled with postcards, journal stickers, a tea bag and a refreshing lemon towel, and finally a stunning leather pen holder too. I was not expecting these little extras and the gesture of that is huge. Attention to detail is important but going the extra mile, knowing your customer would be using this notebook as a journal and taking the time to choose out and send her some stickers, is high up on my appreciation scale. I would give 5✩ for the delivery, customer service and the packaging.
Opening the items up properly for the first time and inspecting them thoroughly, I found their uniqueness and quality was excellent. I would go so far as to say it’s some of the best leather goods I have ever had the pleasure of owning. You can tell they are handmade and homemade, but the intricacy of the stitching and the beauty of the craftsmanship are wonderful. I was astounded by the quality of the packaging as well, due to the presentation of the box with its ink stamped exterior and every item being leather stamped as well. I would give 5✩ for the presentation and the quality of everything I received.
When I am reviewing a product I always take several days to use the item, to test it out, to photograph it and use it as I would do if I had purchased it for myself. I was lucky that Galen Leather asked me what sort of a product I wanted to test, and I told them I would love a journal cover.
Journaling has been a creative outlet that I have only dabbled in for the last few years, but I find I am calmer in my mind when expressing myself in an artistic way, I much prefer to use words and stickers rather than painting or drawing. I use my journal for positive thoughts, memories of good things that happen, and expressing my love and joy for things and people around me. When using the Galen Leather cover and journal notebook I found the items were helping to enhance my joy. I would give the quality and the functionality of the pieces from Galen Leather 5✩. I also think it’s nice to be able to personalise your piece with ease, I have used clips and a paper flower on mine.
Finally I would like to mention the choice and the design features. There was an immense amount of choice online, and I would urge anyone who is looking to start a journaling journey to look into the Galen Leather product range. Some items are of a natural leather look and others are dyed using natural materials to give them a different colour. Either way whatever you’re looking for they have something for everyone, notebook covers, journal covers, pen holders, pencil cases, tablet holders, bags, planner covers, pouches and even phone cases. Personalisation with stamped leather attachments and even brass ones can further increase the uniqueness of your chosen piece. Handmade with care by a family run business who strive for sending out quality leather goods across the world. I would give their choices and design features 5✩.
For the purpose of this product review I was gifted the Everyday Blank A5 Notebook with Tomoe River paper, it has 400 pages. And the Leather Slim A5 Notebook/Planner Cover – Crazy Horse Ochre Honey.
Did you know that Galen Leather uses traditional leather techniques and hand stitching on their items, as well as vegetable tanning to alter the colour of the leather? Fascinating!
The Galen Leather Co Story
Galen Leather Company was established in 2012, it is a family run business, based in Istanbul in Turkey. Founded by Fikret Zeynep and named after her favourite precious stone. Their motto reads “Established to supply all nations”.
Galen Leather was established after Zeynep was diagnosed with a rare form of neck and head cancer which meant she couldn’t speak for a year following her treatment. Unable to do her previous line of work she needed something she could do at home where the correspondence would all be done via email and the internet. This is when she began looking at local sources for leather items. As a small business on the rise she soon realised the demand for such unique handmade products and wondered about making them all with her own two hands to create a unique brand.
When her brother Yusuf graduated he decided to come along on the business venture and after several months business was flourishing for the two of them. During 2013 they both learnt how to do different kinds of leather crafting and have handmade all of their goods ever since. The company has been shipping out globally since 2015 and providing high quality leather and wooden products to customers all over the world.
Sadly Zeynep passed away in July 2019, leaving the business and the legacy of Galen Leather behind for her brother Yusuf, husband Yunus and son Cagan to keep running. The family have continued in her absence and the business has grown from strength to strength in recent years.
With thousands of followers across social media and their handmade products selling out very quickly, Galen Leather is a family business who should be very pleased with the beautiful products they create for people across all nations of Earth. They are a family devoted to one another and the memory of Zeynep who I’m sure would be proud of everything they have achieved since her passing. When a business is founded on love it shows, and Galen Leather put their heart and soul into every single item that they craft and sell. Their passion for wood, stationery and leather goods has created a thriving business which is run on their love for their craft. The team have joy in what they do and I think that’s obvious when looking at the beautiful craftsmanship of each piece.
Overall I would give the products I have received and the service 5✩.
If you would like to visit the Galen Leather website I will leave the links below. Please note that stock is always being replenished and items have a turn around time of 1-2 weeks due to them being made by hand. The quality and uniqueness is worth the wait I promise you. Get inspired below.
Slim Notebook Leather Cover in Ochre Honey LINK All Galen Leather Slim Covers LINK Galen Leather Website Main Page LINK Galen Leather Notebooks LINK
Thank you for reading this product review today, hopefully you’ve enjoyed hearing about these wonderful products. Don’t forget to check out the Galen Leather website now that you’ve finished reading.
I would like to thank Galen Leather once again for choosing me to collaborate with. I have loved every minute using and testing the products. They will be used for the foreseeable future too, so watch out for them on my social media pages as I share some journal entries.
You can follow me on Social Media by searching for #SevernWishesBlog or #SevernSabrina Alternatively click here to follow me on Facebook / Instagram / YouTube
Wishing you a day filled with positivity and joy, I hope I see you again soon!
When it comes to makeup brushes your skin deserves the best. I have tried many brands over the years of being a product reviewer, and I have to say that the Spectrum Collections brushes are the best. Not only are they made to a high standard of quality they are also Vegan. The brush bristles are super soft and they are created cruelty free too.
At the end of 2021 I ordered myself the Jet Setters Set, but with my health being bad and I was awaiting surgery that kept being postponed, I didn’t feel up to wearing any makeup let alone testing a new product. I got my surgery in May 2022 and after a six month recovery I started to finally feel a bit more like myself again. This meant reaching for the makeup products once again.
I have reviewed everything I’ve ever had from Spectrum Collections and if you want to read any of my other articles please click on this link right HERE OR If you’re after your own Spectrum Set after reading my reviews you can use my referral code and grab yourself a tremendous 15% off! To use my code please click on this link HERE and it will say Sabrina gives you 15% off your order.
When I finally got around to opening up this set I decided to video doing it. You can watch this over on my Instagram if you would prefer to, and that video is here Severn Sabrina.
The quality is always so impeccable with Spectrum Collections, this set has been sat in the box it was delivered in and not touched for over a year. Yet it was like they had sent it yesterday, with the brushes soft and everything still perfectly aligned inside. Proving that quality remains even if the brushes are unused for a time after you buy them. (Remember to clean your brushes regularly folks!).
Even the packaging with its vibrant green was stunning as I carefully removed the plastic. Everything got recycled afterwards and the brushes remain safe inside the PVC-free set case.
There was more than enough room in the case, I found, for the makeup you required and even additional items such as toiletries, with the brushes safely housed on the other side so nothing gets squashed.
This brand always gets a thumb up from me for being a small run UK business and now they are taking on the globe! But they remain Vegan and Cruelty Free in the manufacturing and practices and that is a huge tick from me, if it’s Vegan I will test it.
My Honest Opinion of the Malachite Jet Setters Set.
The Malachite Jet Setters is an 8 piece set of brushes all houses in a two tier vegan leather bag. This is zipped with two compartments, one for the brushes and one for all your makeup and cosmetics. Ideal for weekends away and going on holiday, with enough space for everything you need. Made Vegan and Cruelty Free with a PVC-free bag too. The brushes included are;
B01 – Buffing Foundation
C03 – Tulip Powder
A05 – Angled Cheek
B08 – Magic Wand perfect for highlighter and setting powders
B06 – Tall Tapered Blender
B04 – Angled Shader
A16 – Precision Crease
A24 – Double Ended Brow Styler
RRP £59.99 but as of June 30th 2023 it is £35.99 (price correct as of date of blog publication).
Thank you for reading this product review today, I hope you have enjoyed it.As I mentioned at the start you can scroll back through all my Spectrum reviews and don’t forget to click on the link and get your 15% off code as a thank you for reading my review today.
Hello! I’m Sabrina! I am an Argos Tester, this means that I often get items sent to me for the purpose of an online review. I thoroughly test the products and take photographs of them before submitting my findings and honest thoughts over to Argos. This latest campaign was to test out brand new LEGO Sets, and because we need to choose something we haven’t reviewed before, I chose the modular construction LEGO. Not sure what that is? Keep reading my review.
#ArgosTester #ArgosTesters #ArgosTestersCommunity
I have written this article about a product that I have been supplied for free, in order to test and then review it. This is my experience with said product and it is my honest review about the product listed below. I have already submitted my review to the Argos Website, and it has been accepted on to live public view when this blog post has been published. Please see my review on this screengrab below from the Argos website.All words and photography within this article are my own.
Product Details
Name: LEGO City Apartment Building Modular Construction Set Set No: 60365. Ages: 6+ RRP: £75.00 Pieces: 688 pieces, including 6 mini figures, a bicycle and a mobility scooter. Description: Modular Rooms for easy reconfiguration and imaginative play, including roof terrace and swimming pool. Mixed age mini figures add to the play ability and the reality of the set. Excellent additional features such as stickers that add fun to some pieces like the signage and television set. Argos Website: LINK
My Honest Opinion
Overall I would like to rate the LEGO Apartment Modular Construction set 5 stars.
Quality 5✩ Features 5✩ Design 5✩ Originality 5✩ Playability5✩
My Argos Tester Review
What a fantastically versatile set of LEGO. My son loved helping me to put it together and all the instructions were clear, nothing was difficult to fit together. The idea of the modular rooms is fantastic, we have never had LEGO like this before and it makes both play and reconfiguring so easy, even for little hands. I personally loved the diversity in age regarding the mini figures and their facial expressions and hair styles are great, they have changed a lot since I grew up with LEGO. Little features such as the drinks machine, dumbbells and bicycle are incredibly detailed. Every room has that basic layout that you would find in an apartment and I really liked the nice part usage with pieces I had seen previously being used as other things such as a post box as a cooker or fridge. Something else that’s great about LEGO city is that it can be attached to other sets and the layout can be altered to fit accordingly. The bicycle path goes underneath when you build it first of all, however you could rearrange the rooms so that it’s not an L shape but a rectangle and the bicycle lane can go in front of the building instead. It’s great that imagination can also now lead to our choices in how the final build looks like, the modular rooms are such an excellent feature and I hope we continue to see this type used in upcoming LEGO sets. Overall it took less than 4 hours to build, and I believe it will create countless hours of fun because there is so much left to the imagination whilst ensuring you have everything you need to start off with. A great first LEGO City set for any budding building I think, and a wonderful addition to a growing city of play. My son’s favourite aspects are the bicycle and the shop. As a parent I loved the design for its rearrange ability which will keep my son entertained for longer because after a week we can swap things around and it’s like having a different set then. Great for the imagination for those of any age.
Summary
Overall this LEGO City Set has hours of replay ability because of the fact it’s a modular construction, it’s so cool! By moving the rooms around you can create an entirely different layout, even move them every other day if you wanted to change it up. I feel like if my son was getting tired of the set I would simply reconfigure the layout and create a new look of the apartment for him. More LEGO should be made like this to give users more choices on how they want the end result of the build to look like. As LEGO say “rebuild the world” and you can certainly do that with this box of bricks, and really easily too! Whoever designed it is ace! I also loved the diversity in the LEGO figures, with different ages and jobs and many various faces, they are great new additions to the LEGO world. And the hair styles too, brilliant to see new ones! I have nothing bad to say about this set, I give it 5✩ across the board. I would actually love to see more modular LEGO so that sets could be rearranged with ease and built on a similar scale.
Thank you for reading this product review today, I hope you have enjoyed seeing what we thought of this set. I have no doubt that we will have many hours of fun creating LEGO scenarios with the figures and the apartment block.
If you have any questions about this set then please leave me a comment below or on my social media posts and I will do my best to answer them with the knowledge that I have gained from reviewing this product.For anything else please refer to the Argos website the link I posted above.
And what a lovely few weeks of sunshine we have had here in the United Kingdom. We have been very lucky lately, though I think we could do with some rain now.
It’s time to Review the Treatbox for June, and I must say I really enjoyed unboxing this one. If you’d like to see my video then click on any of the Social Media links at the end of my blog post to find it.
The theme this month was Self Care amidst the chaos of Summer Life, with lots of Tropical Paradise images of Palm Trees used throughout the Treatbox originals and icons of sunshine too.
Let’s take a look at all of the items contained in the June box, there was certainly a pink theme going on as well as the palm trees. The pink makes me think of flamingos!
What was inside the June 2023 Box?
June Calendar Print Treatbox Original Keyring “You Got This” Treatbox Original Notebook “have a nice day” blank Treatbox Original Socks “Good Vibes” in Pink treatme Coconut Lip Balm Handbag Size 10ml Gardners Cookie Biscuit with a Tropical Palm design Miss Patisserie Shower Steam Block with Aromatherapy Scents 120g Treatbox Original Adult Colouring Pages x 2 A4 “good vibes” & “one day at a time”
This month we received the Calendar Print, 6 items and 2 A4 Colouring Pages. I think we had a nice mixture of things in different categories.
What is my honest opinion of the contents in this box?
Overall I think this is an excellent box with a good theme that was balanced throughout. I probably sound like a broken record with always loving the socks and the positive vibes that the boxes are known for. But I really love how this month we did indeed get a bit of everything. Something to eat, something to wear, something to use, something to do, something for our self care and something to give us a boost.
When Treatbox has a mixture of items like what I’ve mentioned above, the box flows well and the theme can easily be established. By having a wide range of things which include enjoying, using and doing, there is something for everybody. This month I am happy because I can enjoy every single item within the box and I have no need to gift away anything.
My favourite items this month are… everything! There hasn’t been an item I didn’t like. I think the lip balm is lovely, I’ve been using it while the sun has been out and it made my lips soft. The socks have also been worn already when it was cold the other evening, so comfy! I am planning to enjoy the cookie biscuit this coming weekend so I will pop that on my social media when I tuck into that one!
I have put the notepad into my spares collection for now because I started a new journal a few weeks ago so it’s not needed at present but it will get used eventually. I really like the shower block, it smells lovely and I only opened it a little bit, I feel like it will go a long way actually, and although it says break it in half, I think quarters or even smaller would suffice.
I have coloured in one of the two adult colouring sheets so far, and I enjoyed doing it. And although I didn’t need another keyring in my life I do love this quote, and my son has sort of claimed it now anyway and has hung it in his bedroom currently.
Without a doubt one of the best boxes of the year so far, I look forward to trying out the remainder of the products as the weeks of June progress. Don’t forget to follow me on social media as I post product updates on there all the time too when I wear and use or finish an item. What item is your favourite this month?
Time for some more of my photography!
Thank you for joining me for this unboxing and review today! Anddon’t forget to follow me across my social media for more updates.
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 or just to see what boxes the team have been creating lately then click the link I’ve attached here for their website TreatboxUK
Have a great June and I hope I see you here again soon!
I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t watch at least something on their television or stream it on their device at home even if it’s just a couple of times a week. And what with so many ground breaking TV series that have been on over the last ten years or so, I decided that I would start to watch things that perhaps not everyone else was seeing. So let me tell you about a few series that I have watched as Winter ended and Springtime began, and these are ones that I would highly recommend.
Look out for the Trigger sections and Themes that I outline in each section, and also the genres to decide if a series if right for you or not. I also rated each series I watched.
The Rising
When I saw this program advertised on my SKY TV Box I was instantly drawn in by its synopsis. This series left me itching to watch the next episode, and with a cast of people who are mainly British and Irish, you will see some familiar faces, as well as a few rising stars for sure. Superb acting and storytelling that far surpasses some of what is on the tele at the moment, The Rising is a relatively short series that I can recommend to anyone who likes thrillers, murder mystery and the supernatural.
I don’t want to give out any spoilers, that isn’t why I’m writing a review, what I will do is give you no more detail than the synopsis does, and tell you in my own words why I think you should give this one a go.
Neve Kelly is furious that someone has murdered her, for the 8 hours of this incredible series we watch her get angry and scared, before vowing for justice. Neve refuses to be somebody’s victim and she starts to slowly piece together what happened that night. The twists and turns will have you binge watching this show episode after episode wanting to find out who killed her, will the family ever get closure?
If you like a good “whodunit” murder mystery, if you like British Drama, if you enjoy something supernatural and/or ghosts and spirits, then this show will be right up your street. I found myself rooting for the main character after the first episode had finished and I was looking for the clues just like she was. A brilliant and somewhat uplifting drama despite its genre, I was also compelled by several actors and their performances and would recommend this show to anyone.
Themes: Death, Drugs, Drowning, Alcoholism, Murder, Death of a Child, Depression Genre: Murder Mystery, Thriller, Supernatural Drama Episodes: 8 Average Episode Time: 1 Hour Where to Watch: Sky Boxsets or Sky Go My Rating 5✩
Pretty Little Liars Original Sin
If, like me, you watched the Pretty Little Liars series back in the early 2010’s you’ll know it was a huge deal. I personally loved the show, acting and storyline was fabulous. So when I heard that they were revisiting that area of state with a new series dedicated to the same principle I was intrigued. Set years after the events in Rosewood in a town not too far down the road called Millwood. A group of young women in high school start to become terrorised by a masked figure who calls himself A. Their worlds crumble around them one by one and with tons of references to the original PLL but without trying to out do them, this series had me gripped from start to finish. It’s also been left open to continue on to series two which I really hope they do. I was very impressed by the five young actresses, two of which I had seen before in other shows. They each embodied their characters flawlessly and on screen chemistry of the group was excellent too.
There are plenty of hard hitting themes within PLL, even more so than there were ten years ago in the original series. So if you have suffered trauma and are subjective to trigger warnings, I would like to outline the themes so you can make a decision on whether you should watch this or not. Although some are hard hitting, the show did very well in regards getting justice for people who had been wronged within the storyline, and some lines were done very tactfully as well.
Themes Include; Teenage Pregnancy, Rape, Blood, Torture, Death of a Parent, Horror and Gore, Drugs, Suicide, Bullying, Death, Serial Killer.
If you can get past all those triggers it’s actually a fantastic series. It has even more adult themes compared to the original Pretty Little Liars which made it more hard hitting than just teen drama. Many references to the original and some of its characters too made it very nostalgic watching for me. If you liked the original PLL, high school teen drama, adult drama with them having flashbacks, twists and murder mystery with serial killer vibes then this is the show for you.
Genre: Teen / Young Adult Drama, Serial Killer, Revenge Episodes: 10 Average Episode Time: 51 mins Where to Watch: I watched it on BBC1 but it’s still available on BBC iPlayer at the moment. My Rating 5✩
Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?
I loved this! The Agatha Christie novel adapted by Hugh Laurie, who also stars, so what’s not to love?! Will Poulter and Lucy Boynton have fantastic onscreen chemistry and I thought she was just fantastic with all her mannerisms and quirks! The story was gripping and intriguing and moved on at a pace that you simply couldn’t be bored if you tried. Will Poulter is excellent and I was really rooting for him after only a few minutes of this. I grant that this genre isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I would suggest giving it a chance. Watch out for lots of guest stars too with the likes of Game of Thrones legend Conleth Hill and the brilliant Emma Thompson as well as Jim Broadbent to name but a few.
Brief Overview The vicar’s son Bobby (Poulter) is working as a golf caddy on the welsh coast when he discovers a body at the bottom of the cliffs, upon climbing down to the man he speaks his final words to him “Why didn’t they ask Evans?” before passing away. The bond and this question then leads Bobby on an intriguing murder mystery all over the UK. Frankie (Boynton) is Bobby’s childhood socialite friend who agrees to help him on his quest for the truth. Several twists and amazing characters later and the pair finally start to unravel the mystery.
You could watch this in an evening because there are only 3 episodes totally a time of 3 hours. Highly recommend it for anyone aged mid teenage years and above (due to the blood at the cliff and several other serious scenes including a beating, torture, mental illness and the use of guns and a bit of smoking). Check it out, you won’t be disappointed.
Genre: Murder Mystery, Period Drama, Thriller Episodes: 3 Average Episode Time: 55 mins Where to Watch: Currently on ITV X. My Rating 5✩
You and Me
This series caught my eye on an advert one night, and after viewing that it was only 3 episodes I decided it was worth a go. I was pleasantly surprised by excellent acting, brilliant on screen chemistry and a story that sadly a lot of people might be able to relate to. Have a tissue at the ready! (No Spoilers!)
If you’re a fan of an unconventional love story, this will definitely be a show for you. It’s really well cast throughout the families involved with a few famous faces as well! There are several triggering parts of this series including death and cancer and sudden loss, but don’t let that put you off viewing this beautiful story. Me and You taught me that you should never give up hope of finding happiness, to be grateful for all that you have right in this moment and to always seize the day and take that photo, because you don’t know if it could be the last you take of that person. It is a romantic comedy and there were times that I laughed, but also times I cried. It’s beautifully directed though.
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Drama Episodes: 3 Average Episode Time: 45 mins Where to Watch: ITV X My Rating: 4✩
What else am I currently watching?
NCIS Season 19 – the original and in my opinion the best, love this team and all their navy drama and thrilling crime busting shenanigans! Currently airing on Channel 5 USA once a week.
Savage River – murder mystery in a small town called Savage River in rural Victoria (AUS). Miki returns after ten years in prison and all she wants to do is move on with her life. Half the town seem happy for her to do just that, but the other half won’t let her forget the past. As a new murder rocks the town to the core, Miki must clear her name and help find the culprit, uncovering town secrets at every turn. Airing once a week on Channel 5 Star.
I will review these and anything else I end up watching once the seasons have finished.
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Thank you for reading this blog post today, I hope you’ve liked this new content that I’m bringing to the website. If you would love to see more posts like this please leave me a comment letting me know.
Have you already seen any of the programs I have reviewed?
Wishing you a great day and thanks for visiting Severn Wishes Blog.
✩ Sabrina ✩
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Please Note:
✩ Programs were still available to view as of June 5th 2023. ✩✩ All the words are my own including the synopsis’ that I’ve written after viewing the programs. ✩✩✩ I have screenshot the images for reference from BBC, ITVX and IMBD.
Today I am reviewing the back pack that I found Amazon that changed my life! If you’re like me and you are always having to put up with an adequate bag or whatever you can find, especially when it comes to a hand bag, then this article is for you. I was fed up of going down my local high street stores and not finding exactly what I wanted. Bags that were the right size but not secure because they didn’t have zips, or bags that weren’t rain proof, or even bags that didn’t have enough space or pockets. I needed something that was better, and now I finally found it!
Firstly I decided to give up on the regular hand bag or shoulder bag style, I couldn’t get what I wanted in them anyway, and so I started researching what I thought was the next best thing, turned out they are way more versatile, they are back packs. I found high street ones but they were always too big or too small. I needed it to be just right considering bags aren’t cheap it’s an investment. That’s when I found this one and on Amazon of all places!
The Yoelike Mini Back Packs come in lots of colours but I chose Red. (I may even get another one soon for when I want a different colour as a back up). Let me show you a couple of pictures of it.
Let me tell you more about this awesome bag!
Bag Information
Colour: Red (Available as of May 2023: Black, Navy, Tartan, Red and Purple). Size: 29cm High when stood up, 26cm Wide across the Bottom (30cm if a bottle present in the side pocket). 18cm from the front to the back, side width is 13cm. Material: Nylon. Pockets: 4 Outer Pockets and 2 Additional Inner Pockets Details: Adjustable Straps, Soft Nylon Fabric, Splash Proof, Top Strap, Strong Zips. Price: £17 – £22 (Estimate as of May 2023 but bound to fluctuate as an Amazon product). Amazon: Product Link
My Honest Opinion
Overall I would like to rate the bag 5✩.
Quality 5✩ Features 5✩ Design 5✩ Durability 5✩
The quality of this bag is excellent, overall I love that it is durable in all weathers and I have worn it in the rain, ice and sunshine without it altering the fabric. The pockets are a huge plus and a wonderful bonus to what is already a great product. To get so many internal spaces and pockets that are zipped, as well as the outer ones is wonderful. An amazing bag for anyone in need of the space and security that this particular item brings.
I would rate it very highly due to using it for several months on an almost daily basis, and item still looks brand new with very little wear to it. I have recommended it to friends who have already purchased one for themselves after seeing the quality of mine. There are no downsides to this bag whatsoever. The straps are adjustable, the colour choice means that there is something for everyone, and the size means it’s ideal for many people.
Some uses include Parenting, Days Out, Travelling Abroad, Weekends Away from home, Beach Trip, Students, Work Needs and Shopping. It’s also ideal for a wide range of age ranges from a student at school to an adult taking it to work.
As someone who has a chronic illness I have to carry lots of things with me sometimes. This bag allows me to do just that and it has many pockets so I’m able to allocate things according to my needs.
If I’m going out for a day I even have enough space to put some of my sons items inside which helps me by not needing to take another bag along.
My favourite parts of the bag are how soft and comfortable it is to wear and how many amazing pockets there are, and with them being multiple sizes with strong zips it’s a bonus too!
I would recommend this back pack to anyone, anyone looking for a great bag or to replace a current bag that is on its way out due to wear and tear, or if you’re going away and need a travelling bag this is great because some of the pockets are really secure for your valuables.
If you would like to watch a video of me using the bag then please head on over to my YouTube channel where you can find my vlog and product review…
Thank you so much for visiting Severn Wishes Blog today, I hope you enjoyed this review and have a wonderful day!
You can see my latest product reviews by following me on social media Search #SevernWishesBlog on Google or #SevernSabrina or please click here to follow me on Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / YouTube
Hello! I hope the sun is shining where you are! It’s me Sabrina, I’m here with the latest TreatboxUK unboxing and to bring you all my Reveal and Review for May 2023! How are we May already? April went past in a blur and I really hope the entire summer doesn’t go this fast!
Let’s get stuck in with what was inside this month!And don’t forget if you want to see my video of me unboxing this for the first time then head over to my social media (link is at the end!)
What was Inside the May 2023 Box
May Calendar Print Sodalite Stone Star in Organza Bag Treatbox Original Print “Important Reminders, you are loved, you are…” Treatbox Original Print “I hope you are okay and being gentle with yourself…” 100% Cotton Zip lock Bag featuring the quote “Finding the Calm in the Chaos” Made by Coopers Bath Salts bag Eucalyptus, Rosemary & Lavender – Vegan Timeless Aromas Soy Wax Melts “breathe” Blue Bow Spa Headband
1 Calendar Print, 5 items and 2 A5 Prints
My Honest Opinion of the May 2023 Box
I really liked the Calming theme of this box, overall it was executed well and I thought the products matched up nicely. I would have liked an edible or drinkable treat in here, but that’s me being picky. My personal self care involves an edible treat as well as doing things like a face mask or taking a long bath.
I really loved the Sodalite Star it’s beautiful and the properties of it are excellent. The bag is 100% cotton and from a source which is ethically produced so that’s great! I do like the positive quote cards and look forward to displaying them at home and putting them on my socials to keep spreading that positivity around for all who see them. Love the spa band as it’s soft and pretty with the bow.
I haven’t had the time to have a bath with the salts yet so watch this space and I will review that when I get round to it, and I will wear the spa band, I will put it on my social media when I do! I can’t use the wax melts sadly due to my son being very allergic to soya products, so they will go into my “gifts to friends” box to be passed on at some point in the coming months.
Overall it’s a lovely theme and a nice box of mixed calming treats for us to enjoy. Here is a photograph of my favourite items this month.
Thanks so much for joining me for this unboxing and review today!Anddon’t forget to follow me across social media for more updates.
Search #SevernWishesBlog on Google or #SevernSabrina on Instagram, Alternatively click here to follow me on Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / YouTube
If you’re thinking of subscribing to Treatbox or just to see what boxes the team have been creating lately then click the link I’ve attached here for their website TreatboxUK
Have a great May and enjoy those Bank Holidays! See you here again soon!
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