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.
I have been supplied this book for the purpose of a review. I have not paid for this product, it was a competition win in order to keep but review it. Thank you to Search Press Art for giving me this opportunity to review this great book.
My First Attempts
A great book for beginners! It certainly is just that. I was impressed by the simplicity of the book but with excellent results. This book would make an ideal Birthday or Christmas gift for people of all ages, providing they liked drawing or were a fan of animals.
Here are some of my attempts at drawing, my Racoon isn’t half bad!
Product: Book on Drawing Book Title: How To Draw Kawaii Animals in Simple Steps By Yishan Li Publisher: Search Press Pages: 28 Animals across the pages, each drawn with 8 steps
Awesome Pages Included in this Book
Back Cover
I am someone who really and honestly cannot draw! I mean everyone can draw in some capacity but I draw most things badly, so I jumped at the chance to use these simple steps to improve my drawing abilities.
The book is so easy to follow, with 8 simple steps to the general shape of the animals. And then you are free to add your own details. They give you inspiration with one coloured in and completely detailed animal per page, so you can attempt a similar end result.
The steps are easy, you need a pencil, and I would recommend a rubber, so that you can erase any lines that you don’t need when you complete the finer details. Some lines are there to build shape but not needed at the end.
There are all sorts of animals, fish and birds in this book, something for everyone’s tastes.
(Left) My Fox (2nd Attempt) Side by Side with the Book version and original (Right).
I would and have given this Book a 5 Star Review. It has something for everyone, with a variety of animals, easy steps to follow and it also gives people the freedom to add their own details, as well as getting great results.
Thank you reading this review today. You can find this book on Amazon by typing the title into their search bar.
Owl and Brolly Stickers are Unique, Colourful and Imaginative
Hello Severn Wishes followers. Today I have the pleasure of bringing a special review to you all. Owl and Brolly is a company who specialise in Wall Stickers, mainly for children’s bedrooms and play rooms. I have known Sue at Owl and Brolly for several years now, we bonded through an Endometriosis group and found we had mutual things in common. When I found out she was an incredible artist and saw her beautiful work, I wanted to shout about her talent.
Sue knew that I had just moved house into a rental property, and I couldn’t take the chance of ruining the paintwork in my son’s bedroom. So the plan was to do some tester stickers, an hour, twenty four hours and finally seven days. And luckily for me there was nothing wrong with the paint and I tried the stickers on several walls just to make certain. I can guarantee that it is a good idea to do the Tester Sticker when you may not know the condition of the walls in your home.
Delightful Christmas Bear
This lovely Bear is for my son’s bedroom, he hasn’t given him a name just yet, ha, ha! But the quality of this sticker just amazed me. Not just the printing of the sticker itself but the design. Owl and Brolly stickers are all drawn and designed by hand. What a talented woman behind such a wonderful creative business.
What I love about the Owl and Brolly range is the creativity and the infinite imagination that stems from items like these stickers. Any child would be lucky to have some of them on their walls.
Here are some examples of the beautiful Wall Stickers Owl and Brolly currently offers. I will be providing links to social media and the website itself at the end of this article. Check out these incredible works of art!
I will now give you some background about the company and how it all came about. As a small British Business they are always looking for support from fellow UK citizens who appreciate all the talented people in this country, and especially now during the pandemic, it’s a great idea to think about purchasing locally for Christmas this year. Perhaps my blog post will inspire you to buy from Owl and Brolly.
Sue studied a HND in Natural History Illustration specialising in watercolour, she enjoyed a creative career until Endometriosis forced her to change her way of working. In order to move with the times she made the decision to become more of a digital based artist than making art with traditional paintings. Her drawings are incredibly detailed and she has a unique style.
It was after helping a start-up company with their designing that Sue went on to illustrate her own range of wall stickers for nursery walls and kids rooms. She began combining her own special watercolour techniques and using some digital media to create the sticker designs. It was a decision that brought out her artistic skills and she is doing what she loves every single day. It was at this time that she started her company, and Owl and Brolly was born.
The stickers are all printed on a high quality removable and reusable fabric wall sticker, rather than a single use PVC vinyl. This allows them to be used more than once and are easily removed (gently) and then repositioned. Sue has a passion for wanting to create illustrations that will help to inspire children’s imaginations. Her beautiful watercolour designs are not only highly detailed but they look unique. They are printed to such a high quality that they look good on any wall space and have already made so many children (and their parents) happy with the designs.
The Stickers are thin but excellent quality, printed onto removable and reusable fabric.
Please visit Sue over on Owl and Brolly to see all of the wonderful things that she has to offer. There are so many beautiful stickers on the website I couldn’t possibly show you all of them on here. You’ll have to pop over to the page or website and become even more inspired.
I highly recommend the customer service, the quality of the items and the overall finish of the products available. Sue will also work on special designs if you have something in mind, just send her a message on her social media and see if her commission’s books are currently open. She is working hard every day to accommodate people’s orders despite the pandemic and she is a very talented woman who deserves so much success.
You can find Owl and Brolly across these links below:
I am very fortunate to be an Argos Tester, this means that I often get items sent to me for the purpose of a review. This month I was offered an item that I jumped at a chance to own. It is a beautiful 4 Slice Toaster made by the UK based brand Haden.
#ArgosTester #ArgosTesters #ArgosTestersCommunity
This post has been written by myself 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 my honest review about the product that is listed below. I have already submitted my product review to the Argos Website when this post has been published.
The Haden Highclere Toaster is a great example of British Quality. It has been manufactured to a high standard with clean lines and a beautiful steel look to compliment the metal elements of a toaster. The addition of the Cream colour casing makes it a perfect appliance to slot into any kitchen. It is also available in a pale cyan blue colour but from Haden direct at the moment.
This fantastic 4 slice toaster has wider slots than most other brands meaning it’s perfect if you love a tasty fat crumpet or a tasty thick wedge of toast. Your products won’t get stuck when popping up out of this well designed appliance. I love how it has smooth rounded edges; everything I have had previously is very square. I think it’s a rather feminine looking Toaster, and I really like that about it. The whole piece is beautiful with the steel having reflection of the area surrounding the toaster. I have the cream version and it compliments it very well.
I am most impressed by the look of the piece and the width of the toasting slots. Now I can enjoy tasty crumpets without waiting for them to get stuck! And it goes well in my kitchen because of its very stylish design. Cream goes with everything doesn’t it? The toaster doesn’t take up loads of room on your counter top either, which is great news, so you get the wide toasting slots and a compact design. What more could you want? I know I am extremely satisfied with this product and I will always enjoy using it.
Product Name: Haden 197252 Highclere Toaster 4 Slice – Cream Product Information: 4 Slice Toaster, Available in Cream or Blue, Haden was Established in England in 1958. This Toaster has two removable Crumb Trays, Reheat and Defrost Settings, Cancel and 6 Browning Settings. Product Price: £44.99 (Correct as of 30th August 2020) Product Link:Argos Website
Argos Tester Submission
The Haden Toaster is beautiful, I love that its rounded design has some great features. With wider toasting slots it means my crumpets never get stuck now! I like the easy functionality of it with Reheat & Defrost buttons. Overall it’s a Toaster that will go beautifully in any kitchen with its stylish metallic & cream finish. I found that toast was crisp & golden in no time. I’m really happy with the excellent quality of this Haden appliance and I hope it lasts me a very long time.
My Favourite Aspects of the Product
✩ Wide Toasting Slots ✩ Superb Manufacturing Quality ✩ Sleek and Smooth Design with Curved Sides
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If you have any questions about this product and you would like to ask me about it then please do! Either leave me a comment or ask me on one of my social media posts, and I would be happy to help you out.
Have a great bank holiday weekend! And thanks for visiting my blog Severn Wishes today.
I am very fortunate to be an Argos Tester, this means that I often get items sent to me for the purpose of a review. This month I was offered an item that I jumped at a chance to own. It is a Wireless Portable Speaker developed by the company Marshall.
#ArgosTester #ArgosTesters #ArgosTestersCommunity
This post has been written by myself 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 my honest review about the product that is listed below. I have already submitted my product review to the Argos Website when this post has been published.
My thoughts on the Marshall Emberton – Portable Loudspeaker
I am using the Marshall Emberton with my iPhone to make my music portable around my home. So far I am very impressed with the clarity of sound, the ease of use and the quickness of setting up its Bluetooth capabilities.
Playing a wide range of different music on the portable loudspeaker including pop music, rock music, soundtracks and themes as well as vocal pieces, I have to say I’m very happy with how the Marshall Emberton sounds. The Emberton boasts two amazing speakers, one either side of it, so no matter where you are in a room you can clearly hear the music.
The Loudspeaker weighs 0.7kg and sits sturdily on a flat surface whenever you wish to play your music. With over 20 hours of battery life this portable speaker also has a multi-functional control button in the centre which feels very nice to push. The overall look and feel of this Marshall Emberton speaker is one of quality and sophistication.
The design is in black with its red and white details along with the copper button in the centre. The word Marshall is written across the front with a metallic mesh speaker look. The leather exterior is water resistant and when that rich sound comes out from this loudspeaker you can hear every note and beat clearly.
I’m very impressed with this portable device, I feel confident in its design and the quality. Because it’s so easy to charge up using a USB attachment, you can then take it anywhere you like.
After using the Marshall Emberton now for over two weeks, I couldn’t help but think that Marshall could have developed this portable speaker to appeal to gamers, like myself. If they had also allowed for an auxiliary cable attachment, then the speaker could have been attached to a television. This would have given an incredible dimension to gaming using the rich sound that the speaker can produce. Maybe this is something they could consider for a future model.
Overall I have been delighted with this speaker. It’s good that it’s waterproof casing is so durable, because I have a toddler, and also that it is wipe clean because it can become quite static and attracts dust and hairs. But that is easily wiped off so it’s not a problem for me. I very much look forward to taking it outside of my home when we go for walks and things like that, the battery has been amazing, I have only had to charge it once so far and it’s still going! The little red lights (as seen below) go down as the battery does so it is easy to see what charge you’ve got remaining.
Once again thank you for Argos Testers and Marshall for this wonderful opportunity. I really love the item.
Details on the Product as Described on the Argos Website
Product Name: Marshall Emberton Portable Wireless Speaker – Black
Product Details: 2 Internal Speakers, Bluetooth Compatible, USB Charging Cable included, 20+ Hours of Battery Life, Tough Resilient Design featuring a waterproof covering.
Product Description: Emberton is a compact portable speaker with the loud and vibrant sound only Marshall can deliver. With 20+ hours of playtime, you can enjoy the superior sound of Marshall for hours on end. This lightweight speaker is tough and resilient, boasting an extremely durable and easy to use design that make it a must for any occasion. A solid metal grille and the iconic Marshall script adorn the front of the speaker, echoing the legacy of rock ‘n’ roll that you know and love.
Superior Signature Sound. By separating out the spatial content of stereo recordings, Emberton produces a sound much larger than its size and outperforms most speakers in its class. Its custom-tuned audio components enhance the multi-directional sound by providing brilliantly powerful and clear sound throughout the entire frequency range.
Roadworthy Design Rated IPX7. Emberton is tough and resilient. With its silicone exterior and solid metal grille, it boasts an extremely durable and easy to use design. Its IPX7 water-resistant rating means you can submerge Emberton in 1m of water for a period of up to 30 minutes.
Emberton is simple and easy to use. Control it with the multi-directional control knob. You can play, pause, skip tracks and adjust the volume of your speaker, as well as turn it on or off.
Product Price: £129.99 (Correct as of 29th July 2020) Product Link:Argos Website
If you have any questions about this product and you would like to ask me about it please do! Either leave me a comment or ask on one of my social media and I would be happy to help.
Have a great weekend! Thanks for visiting Severn Wishes today.
I am very fortunate to be an Argos Tester, this means that I often get items sent to me for the purpose of a review. This month I was offered an item that I jumped at a chance to own. It is a very useful kitchen appliance and a new version of the well known brand that most people have heard of, George Foreman.
This post has been written by myself about a product that I have been supplied in order to review it and test it.This is my experience and honest review about the product listed below.I have already submitted my product review to the Argos Website when this post has been published.
Product Name: George Foreman ¦ Fit Grill ¦ Small
Product Description: Whether you are short on time to cook or short on space in your kitchen, this speedy to heat up Fit Grill can help you to cook up your favourites, without them sticking thanks to the non-stick coated plates! It has a slim space saving design too!
Product Details: All in one Electric Grill with solid plates. Wipe clean only (non removable) and features a tilting base and a hinged lid for ease of cooking and cleaning. Can be stored flat or along one side.
Product Information:The Worlds No.1 Electric Grill Brand. 30% Space Saving on the previous grills of this type and size. It heats up 160% faster than its previous models and is also two times easier to clean.
(Please be aware that when I submitted my Review of this product this brand new type of Grill was not yet available, some Argos stores were still selling the old version. This one shown in my images is the brand new type of Small “Fit” Grill and will be widely available very soon).
My Review was done during the first week of July 2020.
My Product Review
My latest review is a kitchen appliance one. I was excited to try the brand new George Foreman Fit Grill. With only a small kitchen I chose the small version of the grill, because I want to be able to use it regularly even after my Review is complete. It doesn’t take up much room at all and this new version is slimmer than the previous version, easier to store away in a cupboard between uses.
What is Inside the Box?
George Foreman Fit Grill – Small (Power Cable Attached) Plastic Drip Tray Instruction Manual and Recipes Book
How to Use and Maintain this Grill?
This Grill is firmly attached to all its main parts except for the washable Drip Tray. Everything else needs to be kept away from water and other heat sources. Your Grill does not have detachable plates and therefore needs to be wiped clean after every use. You can adjust the grill using the feet situated beneath it, do this before you start cooking. This is so that fat and juices from your food run down and into the drip tray, which you slide underneath the front end of the Grill. I used a damp cloth to clean mine.
My Experience using the Grill
It isn’t often that I would grill in the way you would do on a BBQ for example, I would usually do burgers and sausages in my oven. But when I opened the manual of this George Foreman I was surprised to find out just how many items you can safely cook on this awesome little grill.
From your usual meats and meat free alternatives like Chicken Breasts, various types of Burgers, various types of Sausages, Steaks, Bacon Rashers and Pork Chops! The George Foreman Fit Grill also allows you to cook things like halved Peppers, Whole Flat Mushrooms and Sandwiches. Other items you can cook include Fish, Asparagus, Haloumi and Lamb Chops. Almost anything goes so long as you follow the cooking guidelines for your food.
I was eager to try the cooking of these products out for myself and so I began with meats and went on from there. Of course because the Grill was new I needed to gently and carefully wipe the plates inside it with warm water and dry with a nonabrasive cloth afterwards. Once clean I plugged it in and let it heat up. It is a very simple appliance to use.
I was impressed with how quick the grill heated up to the optimum temperature. The thermostat light is Green and is situated on the top and lid of the grill informs you that it is ready to use when the light goes out. They recommend always wearing an oven glove or mitten around your hand which you use to open up the grill, and using tongs in order to place your food down on the plates. This is because the whole appliance gets very hot and it is better to be cautious. You should also use tongs and nothing that is metallic so you don’t scratch and damage the grill plates.
There are handy cooking times and food safety practices inside the instruction manual which was great to know, and also a few recipes to get your started. The guide is just that, a guide, and you should always look at the packaging your food comes in and compare it with the George Foreman manual times.
I can see me using this Grill regularly; I have so far cooked Beef Burgers, Pork Chops, Bacon Rashers, Onions and Peppers on it. I have to say that all of which cooked well, some quicker than if I had used my oven, and they tasted good too. You do need to be in attendance with a grill like this, you cannot leave the room. What I did was prepare other aspects of my meal while keeping an eye on the meat. Because they don’t take very long, you also might need to flip them over half way into the cooking, plus don’t forget the drip tray! Just in case it was getting a bit full up of fat.
Overall I’m very happy that I chose to Review this George Foreman Fit Grill. It is slim and compact which is ideal for single people or those with a small kitchen. The plates are fast reacting and it heats up in no time ready for use. It is also easy to clean and maintain so long as you deal with it soon after cooking your food. I managed to fit two burgers and two chops side by side, so there is more than enough room on the plates to cook food for two people if you wished to.
My Argos Tester Review Piece for the Website
This grill is excellent for those who want a healthier way to cook food fast. It is a slim & compact appliance that heats up in no time. It has more than enough space on its plates to cook two burgers or small steaks at a time. Easy to clean & maintain & with adjustable features like its hinge & the angle of cooking. It is versatile with what you can grill & for most things is faster than using a preheated oven. I look forward to experimenting & grilling a variety of foods in the future.
Thank you for reading this review piece today. If you have any questions about this product leave me a comment and I will answer them if I can. If you are interested in this item please click the link above that I gave in the Product Description, they will take you directly to the Argos website.
At the start of Lockdown it dawned on me that I didn’t have any comfortable footwear for walking in, that wasn’t a heavy walking boot or an uncomfortable flat shoe. None of what I had was suitable for the hot weather that was forecast either, so one afternoon while my son took a nap, I scoured the internet looking for something to suit me. I have awkward feet, let’s say that!
Not only were there so many different pumps and trainers out there to choose from, but I also couldn’t afford to spend a lot either. So I looked for a shoe with a gripped base and comfortable inside, ideal enough for my wide foot but a shape that would also grip my tiny ankles (I told you I was awkward!).
Usually I wouldn’t even consider buying shoes online, I would normally wait and do it all in store, so little fits me properly, but it was the end of April and with no sign of the virus easing I decided to take the risk and order online for home delivery.
In the end I chose a Matalan pump, it had Memory Foam inside and a gripped sole on the base. It contours to your feet and allows a good grip too.
Product Name: Black Memory Foam Slip On Pumps Product Price: £12.00 Product Information: Also available in Grey. Sink your feet into maximum comfort with these sumptuously soft slip-ons. Constructed with a plush memory foam insock, which contours to your feet, additional features include a black marl outer, alongside a contrasting white chunky cleated sole for added grip and sturdiness. Product Link:Matalan
As you can see the pumps fitted me well, I chose a Size 4 despite having one foot slightly larger. My reason behind this was because I read the online reviews people had written on the Matalan website, and many people had said these particular style of pumps were a little on the large size and not true to size for some wearers.
So I tried walking in them on warm days, with and without wearing socks. I found that my feet sweated far more in the memory foam without the barrier of a sock between my skin and the memory foam. I decided that after that day I would always wear socks with them, and they were incredibly comfortable.
Easy to walk in and light and gentle on your feet. The shoes themselves are so lightweight it gives you no additional effort to walking.
Over all I am very happy with these pumps, the purchase price was very good for something so versatile and comfortable. It is annoying that my feet sweat so much and that I will have to wear socks with them when out walking for more than a few minutes, however for the price, I don’t mind that and have plenty of trainer socks to pair with them.
Are they as comfortable as they look? Yes! Even more so. The material is super soft, they are lightweight to lift your feet and they are well made and sturdy too. They are well sewn up together, very neatly over all and the soles have got plenty of grip for any outdoor wear. I wore these on grass and pavement and stone paths, and the grip was excellent throughout the various terrain.
I can definitely recommend these pump shoes, I would even be tempted to get another colour in the future when these begin to wear out. They currently do them in Black and Grey. I wonder if Matalan will release any other colours too? Perhaps a question to ask…
My Final Review Scores
Quality of Product 5/5 Product Price 5/5 Design of Product 5/5 Comfort During Use 4/5
I have walked around 5 miles in these pumps now over the last few weeks, and the soles have barely worn, so I hope they last me a long time.
I hope you enjoyed reading this review today, if you have any questions about the product then please leave me a comment below. Thank you for visiting Severn Wishes.
✩ Sabrina ✩
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