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.
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!
Wow! How many great shows have been on this Summer? I couldn’t believe my luck when I started a few new series and found out they were all good to great, it meant I had a wide range of things to watch. Plus there were some returning shows too, with second series’ and I had looked forward to those. So! Let me go into what I’ve been watching and how I rate them, if you missed them there might be ones you like the look of and can check out for yourselves!
The Time Traveller’s Wife Image from IMDB via HBO
The Time Traveller’s Wife Sky Atlantic
So total honesty, I have always loved Theo James (Divergent, Sanditon) and when he was cast for this I was ecstatic. I feel like unless you’ve seen him in several varied roles people think he’s a one sided actor, which he certainly is not, and everything I’ve watched him in he is totally different. They cast the wonderful Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones) as Clare and boy was it a fantastic choice. Their chemistry was excellent and I feel like that the entire casting for this show was actually brilliant. Anyone who saw the Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams version (I loved that one too) or has read the book, this series is a mixture between the two. Set over six episodes it focuses more so on Clare which is how it’s supposed to be, after all it’s called “The Time Traveller’s WIFE”, right? Even the opening credits are beautifully created, with Clare ageing as she’s running through the fields below her family house. As the episodes progress so does the age of Clare. After a rocky start when they first meet when Clare is a young adult studying, the relationship blossoms and you get a series of flashbacks and stories told between them which fill in the blanks in both of the characters’ pasts as they continue on this love affair. Between Clare talking about the older Henry, and the younger Henry trying to remember what his older self did, there are several beautiful moments where things align and either character is sparing the feelings of the other or trying to get them to open up about the past. The way that they made Theo look different in age was superbly done, and the acting was excellent. I would say that episodes five and six felt a little rushed in the script and I would have liked to have seen eight episodes instead of the six. But that could be me wanting to see more of Theo James naked (though his body double did all the stunt type shots) but I am unapologetic for wanting to see more of this very handsome man. Rose Leslie did a fantastic job overall considering she had most of the air time, and she had some very difficult scenes to film as well, and I thought she did brilliantly, such as the way she used mannerisms to convey her younger self was very clever too. There was both good directing and good acting that made this series so good. I’m not sure if there will be a series two, I would hope so! I would suggest a watch, if you aren’t gripped after the end of episode two then you can take it or leave it, but it’s really a beautiful bit of acting and there are some poignant scenes that are still in my mind now even weeks after watching it.
5✩/5✩
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Queen Charlotte Netflix
Wow… If you haven’t seen Bridgerton (have you been living under a rock?) then watch this first, because this series features the characters who will appear in those later series as time goes by. If you have seen Bridgerton and not Queen Charlotte then I have to say I enjoyed it even more than I did Bridgerton. The show features the future Queen Charlotte on how she came to be in Great Britain and married off to King George. The series follows their lives for the next few years over six episodes. The acting is superb and they have been cast so perfectly that I almost shed a tear at times with how amazing the chemistry was on screen. India Amarteifio (Young Queen Charlotte) and Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte) are incredible as Charlotte and the way that India learned some of the mannerisms she had used during the Bridgerton series’ and integrated them into her portrayal of the younger Queen was impeccable. You should give this show a go simply for the amount of effort that everyone has made to create it, from the set designs, to the incredible costumes, to the delightful period touches of the era it is set and the acting which across the board is such a high standard. There are not just new names in this show but there will also be seasoned actors you will notice who once again bring their years of skills to this series.
Don’t just take my word for it, watch the first two episodes, I promise you’ll be hooked. Every person I have recommended to watch it has said they have loved it.
I rate this (of course) a 5✩/5✩
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Savage River 5 Star
As I mentioned in my previous post about Tele Watching, Savage River was a show I was currently watching. I have now finished it and I have to say I enjoyed the twists towards the final episodes and I did manage to work it out before they told us. Overall an excellent series and the way that they left it open could mean it would return in the future. Very good if you enjoy Australian Drama, Thrillers and Murder Mystery! Some hard hitting themes so do take care, definitely one for adults.
4✩/5✩
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NCIS Season 19 5 Star
I realise the UK is a little behind on the NCIS front because season 19 has only just finished on Channel 5’s channel 5 star this summer. I believe more of it is available on Disney Plus though. Having been a fan of NCIS all my life it occurred to me that I may or may not like the changes with Mark Harmon choosing to take a back seat now and only appearing every so many episodes. However I love NCIS so much and the rest of the team of actors, I wasn’t about to not watch it. I was more than pleasantly surprised; I loved how they transitioned into welcoming the new team members. It feels a little different but the same at the same time, which is odd but NCIS regulars will know what I mean. I am in awe of the three leads Sean Murray, Katrina Law and Wilmer Valderrama because they have remained the staple this season holding everything together as their new boss played by Gary Cole enters as a regular. I cannot wait to see what happens next season and I take my hat off to the producers and writers and directors for continuing to bring new and exciting episodes forward with my favourite crime fighting and investigating team! Go NCIS! Here’s to many more seasons ahead.
It has to be 5✩/5✩ and it will always be in my eyes.
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Heat Channel 5
I saw this advertised for a while and I do usually enjoy the Channel 5 thrillers, so I thought why not, it was only 4 episodes long so not taxing on time and the pace moved on nicely. Great to see some Australian wilderness I had not encountered on other shows, spectacular scenery. Several well known actors in it including some Neighbours regulars and a few British all rounders like Danny Dyer. The story progresses quite quickly into a series of lies and betrayals and several twists too! The acting was great and at times the two families had great chemistry. My quick synopsis for this (without giving too much away) is that two families who have always vacationed together meet up at the newly built secluded home of Danny Dyer’s university best friend. He hosts them all for what is meant to be the trip of a lifetime, a chance for everyone to unwind and relax. However with a multitude of secrets bubbling between many of the characters things quickly start to unravel. To make matters worse the bush fires and getting closer, who will make it out alive? The only thing I will say was that for me it was quite predictable, but then again I watch a lot of dramas so that could be why and it didn’t take away from the acting which was very good.
3.5✩/5✩
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Image owned by IMDB via ITV.
The Confessions of Frannie Langton ITV / ITVX
I decided to watch this one weekend when I was home alone and had finished a load of other things already, I wanted something gritty and short to watch. With only a few episodes it was perfect. If you enjoy period dramas and thrillers this is ideal for you. If you have already seen Sanditon or Bridgerton then it’s a very similar time period. With only 4 episodes that are of decent pace this show can be watched in one weekend. It is adapted from a novel by Sara Collins and tells the life of Frannie Langton as she confesses the sins of her short life as the storyline unfolds. I do not wish to spoil any of the plot, so I won’t divulge, all I will say is that the acting by the two lead women is superb.
4 episodes around 49 minutes each. Several well known actors and some new comers too. Aged 15 years and above due to many adult themes. Trigger Warnings: Drug Use, Miscarriage, Racial Language and Discrimination.
4✩/5✩
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Departure 5 Star Series 3
Gosh I love this show! I’m a lover of mystery and who-done-it’s and this ticks all the boxes for me. With a strong female lead who is tiny but mighty and boy does she know what she’s doing. The brave and smart Kendra Malley is the lead in the show (played by Emmy award winning Archie Panjabi), she is an investigator from London who travels all around the world solving mysteries regarding vehicular disasters. Series one featured a plane crash, and series two was a train. This time we are faced with a ferry sinking and the thriller gains pace within minutes of starting. If you enjoy a crime thriller you should give this a go for sure. Featuring a wide range of Actors from the UK, Canada and the USA, this show has a bit of everything and the scale of the series should be commended.
5✩/5✩
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Young Sheldon E4 Series 6
As someone who loved The Big Bang Theory I started watching Young Sheldon when it came out on Channel 4’s additional channel E4. Over the last five (almost six) years we have watched the child actors really grow into their roles and I have to say I laugh every single week at this show. I sometimes learn something new too which is always fun! The storyline is really progressing at the moment, and I feel like Series 7 will feature some pivotal moments in Sheldon’s life, one’s that were mentioned during The Big Bang Theory, that fans will know about. They have been slowly building up to this and I am both looking forward to seeing it but am also somewhat apprehensive due to the nature of it being a characters exit.
I rate Young Sheldon a 4✩/5✩
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The Ark Sky Sci-fi
Brand new science fiction show set in the not too distant future. As Earth fails to survive climate changes and natural disasters a scientist builds a series of spaceships called Arks. Training up thousands of engineers, pilots and science experts the plan was to send teams into space to a new planet similar to Earth outside of our solar system. This first series follows Ark 1 as they journey through space, when the crew are suddenly woken up in their cryo-pods far too early because of an accident. The surviving crew members have to band together to survive and help their struggling ship stay on course to their destination. There are many twists and turns and unexpected revelations in this series and I really enjoyed it. The diversity of actors is also something to be commended, some I had seen before but others are definitely rising stars in regards European acting. It took a few episodes to get in to but now I can’t wait to find out what happens!
If you have ever seen Stargate, The 100 or any Star Trek and enjoyed those then this is a series you should check out for certain. Ideally suited for people aged at teenagers and above due to injury detail, adult themes and several examples of harrowing death.
I would give this show 4✩/5✩!
Image owned by IMDB via SyFy Channel
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The Tower Series 2 ITV
I loved series 1 of The Tower, so when I heard it was returning this August I couldn’t wait. The second series starts off almost immediately where the previous one ended, and the characters have their own lives intertwining as well as their on going police investigations. I have to say I enjoyed this set of episodes just as much as the first series. The pace is always good and you aren’t waiting for something to develop, and despite the hard hitting storylines it was excellent tele to watch. I think the acting was great from all the leads and I really hope we get a series 3 (if not more) to come!
I give The Tower 4✩/5✩
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My Mum, Your Dad ITV
✩ CURRENTLY ON NOW ✩ I gave this show a go on a whim, but I’m actually really enjoying it! Think of it as the camera set up and team from Love Island so you can see everything except the toilets! Plus the sweet kindness of Davina McCall giving everyone advice and guidance. If you haven’t seen this then give it a go, the countryside retreat they had them all staying at is just stunning!
4✩/5✩
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Thanks for reading this blog post today! If you watch anything after my recommendation please let me know I would love to hear what you think. Have you seen any of these? What have you been watching? Have a great day!
Hello! Thanks for visiting Severn Wishes Blog today. I am reviewing the products I had inside my subscription box for Treatbox UK this September 2023.
When I unboxed this I found several delightful items including the monthly planner which is a Treatbox Original (TrOr) product, and the delicious Divine fairtrade chocolate. I liked the pink and black theme as well as the flowers throughout. So let’s talk about the entire box now and go through every single item.
What was inside the box this September?
September Calendar Print Monthly Planner TrOr Divine Chocolate Bar – White the Little Coffee Bag co England Hanging Ceramic Trinket “everything always works out…” TrOr Black Velvet Scrunchie White Bullet Biro Pen It’s Me Time – Magic Makeup Remover Cloth
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Let’s take a look at my photography now of every item.
My Honest Opinion
I really liked this box for September, the quality of the items is excellent.
As someone who has long hair a nice scrunchie is always great to have. I don’t wear makeup every day, and when I do I plan to try out the new remover cloth.
The usual calendar print is useful and the monthly planner is a wonderful asset to a busy lifestyle that most of us do have. Treatbox originals are always made to a high standard and are unique to the Treatbox brand. I always use my TrOr planners and notepads. We even got a pen to use with it too! Fabulous!
Finally we have the edible items, coffee to drink and chocolate to devour. It’s great when the Treatbox has a bit of everything within it, something to eat, something to drink, something to use, something to keep, something for our self care and something to help us to stay organised. This box ticked all those boxes for me.
I actually don’t drink coffee but I’m going to make it up for my mother the next time that she visits me and she can enjoy it and let me know what it’s like! Overall a great box with a fabulous variety of products inside it.
Thank you for reading this unboxing post and review with today. Don’t forget to follow me across my social media for more updates on the products as I use them through 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 attached a link to their websiteTreatboxUK
When it comes to shopping small business related most of us find somewhere that has great reviews and customer service that is top notch! The little touches such as presentation and delivery all add up when ordering products online too. If you’re after Crystals, Jewellery and Stationery this coming Autumn I highly recommend Willow Rose Designs – based in the United Kingdom.
I recently ordered some bits for myself as well as some gifts for family birthdays too. The items were all wrapped individually and especially with crystal based jewellery it’s super important things like that don’t get damaged in transit, so going this extra mile of wrapping all the items makes the presentation look amazing as well as keeping all products safe during their postage.
All the products have been made and distributed to a high standard, every item I have received has been excellent and I’m very happy with the quality of everything I’ve had from Willow Rose Designs. I can think of nothing that could be improved on, and as you will see in my pictures, there are lots of unique and special pieces to be found here. The use of organza bags to separate items is also lovely because they can be reused for something else.
The items I purchased here included; Crystal Filled Rose Gold Pens Crystal Towers Aura Quartz Necklace
Overall I would like to give my Product Review scores as 5 stars.
Quality of Products 5✩ Choices at Purchase 4✩ Packaging and Presentation 5✩ Originality 5✩ Delivery 5✩
Thank you for reading this product review today, I will now post a link if you would like to visit the Willow Rose Designs website and take a look at anything. But also, I have a referral code you can use to get yourself a lovely £5 off your first order too!
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 LEGO sets.
#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 DREAMZzz Set Number: 71457 RRP: £47.00 Product Details: 482 Pieces including specialised Mini Figures. Ages 8 and up. Fantasy Creatures and Characters are based on the LEGO DREAMZzz television show. Pegasus stands at 20cm tall once assembled. 2 building options for one character included (a bird or a butterfly). Argos Website:LINK to Product
LEGO Set Ideal for Fantasy Fans and Artistic Builders
Examining this incredible LEGO set I was amazed at all the details and interesting ways that certain LEGO pieces were used to create something that looked entirely different. I’m no stranger to LEGO and its nice part usage, but this is my first ever DDREAMZzz set and it definitely had the wow factor from the moment I started to build it. It is a pretty complex set and designed for ages 8 up to adults, and I would say that it took around 3.5 hours to complete. The stickers really help add to the depth of the LEGO pieces. Overall I think it’s a much organised set and the builder also has the option on whether they want to build different aspects for the characters included. For example you could choose to build a bird or a butterfly; I chose the bird because I thought it looked amazing in the picture art included in the instructions. Talking of Art, it really added to the story for me, it’s not often that you get the LEGO imagined into picture scenarios so this was really cool. You have to concentrate a fair bit when building this set due to all of the posable sections of the Pegasus, the limbs all need to be correctly aligned in order for the LEGO to stand up properly and it was much heavier than I realised. The characters are also unique and have great facial expressions and hair and costume details too. The final look of the Pegasus is amazing, and I hope my accompanying pictures portray that. I wouldn’t change anything about this set, it’s unique, fun and I love anything to do with fantasy which is why I chose this one. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a fantasy genre or horses. If you’re building this to play it has tons of appeal with so much movement in every part of the set, but it also makes a great addition to any LEGO collector’s artistic display.
My Honest Opinion
Overall I would like to rate the 5 stars.
Quality 5✩ Features 5✩ Design 4✩ Playability 5✩
As with all LEGO the quality is always brilliant, but this set is like nothing I have ever built before. It was complex but it was very artistic which was fabulous. It has great parts usage and I loved how the build came together to make such an iconic piece; the Pegasus. I wasn’t aware that these DREAMZzz sets were based upon a television show, and I am sure when my son is older I can introduce him to the shows because they sound great. The playability and the imagination of this set is astounding, even if you love the concept and want to keep it as an artistic LEGO build. There was only one piece that caused me some concern which was the seat part of the nightmare character, it was not secure on the Pegasus due to only two contact studs. I used a spare piece of my own LEGO, a 4×4 studs in a square to increase the surface area so that the piece would sit and be better secured. This did not distract from the set as it’s hidden beneath. Overall it’s a set that has a wonderful theme, fun and unique characters, bright and vibrant colours of bricks and a set which looks incredible once it’s all built and displayed.
Thank you for reading this product review today, if you have any questions about the product please let me know, I’m happy to answer them if I can.For anything else please refer to the Argos website which you can find on the link I posted above in the Product Details.
Thank you for visiting my blog today, have a great day.
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!
July has come around with its sunshine and floral blooms, the days are longer and warmer and everything seems brighter. I had eagerly waited for my delivery of a fabulous Treatbox filled with Beach themed goodies so I guessed from the Treatbox socials! As I open the box and remove the calendar print it tells me it’s time to relax with coastal bliss and carefree beach vibes. A mixture of treats and beach day items are inside including some Treatbox originals and items we have never seen before in the monthly boxes.
Thank you for joining me for this unboxing review today. If you would prefer to watch my unboxing video or would like to see it after this article then please head to any of my social media (links at the end).
What is inside the box for July 2023
July Calendar Print with a Shells Design Treatbox Originals Packing List Card Treatbox Originals Notepad Shell Design Cotton Mini Bag “She Sells Sea Shells By The Sea Shore” Gold Plated Starfish and Shell Anklet White Leather-Look Sunglasses Case Shell A6 Card / Print “Shell We Dance” Shell A6 Postcard Print “Soul Full of Sunshine” Shells on Cord Anklet / Bracelet Craftmix Passionfruit Paloma Cocktail Mix 7g
My Opinion on this Box
What a beautiful box this month, the overall theme has been well executed throughout and every product is to a high standard, be it branded or a Treatbox original. There are also several items not yet seen before in the monthly Treatbox and this got me all excited, especially to receive items I had not yet reviewed.
My favourite items are definitely the Treatbox Original Shell design items such as the Notepad, A6 Cards and the Packing List. The shells are beautiful and really stand out across the range. Continuing on with the beach theme are the items associated with such, the anklets are both stunning in entirely different ways, a delicate gold plated chain with a starfish versus the natural shells on a cord. Very pretty and unusual too, ideal to wear during these summer months, and both to different tastes.
A glasses case is always useful to have, whether you plan to use it for regular glasses or sunglasses. Ideal for keeping in a day out bag for the summer or in your hand bag for general use.
There isn’t an item I don’t like, and I feel like we definitely got value for money in this July box. Hopefully the majority of people would have been excited by this months items like I was. With new products and a great theme it made for a well rounded box with positive beach vibes.
I look forward to making up my cocktail one evening so you’ll have to watch on my social media for that. Also keep your eyes peeled for social media updates featuring all the products from this July box.
I am now going to show you some more of my product photography that I did of each item.
Thank you for joining me for this unboxing and review today! Anddon’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 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 July and I hope that I see you here again soon! Best wishes!
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