March 2018 Treatbox Reveal

Posted on March 4, 2018 by Sabrina

Hello and Welcome to the March 2018 Treatbox Reveal
with Sabrina of Severn Wishes.

Happy Treat Box Day Everyone! I’m not sure where February went but it certainly was fast for me, and it’s time for another Reveal and Review…

This month we see a Treatbox theme of relaxation and pampering.

As I open the print and read about the contents of this box, I can see several items I look forward to investigating, I unpeeled the sticker that reads “You Matter” and I begin to part the light blue tissue paper…

Here are all of the items in the March 2018 Treatbox. There are always slight variations in the types and the colours, everyone gets a slightly different combination inside their box. This month there are 9 main items in this Treatbox plus the calendar print…

Calendar Print for March 2018 – Enjoy
Mini Print – Be Kind To Yourself
Hanging Door Decoration –“Shh Now It’s Me Time”
Optiat Coffee Face Scrubs x 2
Eye Mask “Dreamer”
Charismatic Cat – Marshmallow Flavour Wax Melt Pot
Makeup Bag – “Contents – My Face”
Nails Inc Nail Varnish – Cotton Candy
Tea Huggers Teabags – Good Night Blend of Lavender and Fruit

Here is a selection of my photographs showing the items from this month’s box, I hope you enjoy seeing the items up close and if you have any questions then please leave me a comment at the end of the post.

My Favourites

My favourite pieces from this box are the makeup bag, the nail varnish and the tea.

The Nails Inc Nail Varnish that I have gotten is a gorgeous colour, a sea green almost and I adore any shades of turquoise so I was very happy with it. I will pop a photograph on Instagram once I’ve painted my nails with it.

The makeup bag is of excellent quality and is rather large too, ideal for housing your makeup for going away overnight or on a short holiday for example.

The teabags sound excellent and I will be sharing them with my husband so that we can both have a well rested night hopefully! I am having a lot of broken sleep at the moment and hopefully these will be rather relaxing.

My Overall Opinion

I like the theme this month, to be relaxed is very important to me at the moment while I’m expecting. I was impressed to see an item included this month that was ethically sourced and cruelty free too, and also from a company that I hadn’t heard of.

Unfortunately I won’t be testing the face scrubs due to a nut allergy because of the ingredients listed in both of the scrubs I received. However I will be passing them on to a member of my family and I’m sure she will give me an honest review.

Some of the items are very good quality and I’m looking forward to trying some of them out in the coming days of March.

I liked how thought out the theme was this month and the majority of items I will be keeping, and if not I will be gifting them on to family who I know will certainly enjoy them.

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Are you thinking of ordering a TreatBox for yourself or for a gift for someone?
Then you can find Treatbox subscriptions and build your own box at their website https://treatboxuk.com/

If you aren’t sure on whether to try a TreatBox for yourself or not I would say order a one off box, and then if you’re happy with it you can always subscribe afterwards. Check out my previous posts on the Treat Boxes I have received so far, in this unique category of my website called ‘Treatbox’ especially for these box reviews and reveals – Severn Wishes – TREATBOX

Thanks for reading this months box reveal today, if you have any thoughts you would like to share or if you have purchased a box after reading one of my reviews then I would love to hear your from you, why not leave me a little comment in the section below.

Also if you have any questions about any of the items from this month’s Treatbox then please get in touch I am more than happy to answer them if I can.

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If you enjoyed this post then why not check out my Reveal Video that I always record when opening the Treatbox every single month that I get one, click the link to see this latest one on my channel here.

Thank you for joining me for this reveal today, and I hope you have appreciated my honest opinions on the March box. Have a great March!

✩ Sabrina ✩

Clothing That Is Comfortable During Pregnancy, Maternity Wear Reviews and My General Clothing Hacks and Tips

Posted on February 11, 2018 by Sabrina

╰☆╮Today It’s Time For A Pregnancy Clothing Post! ╰☆╮

I want to discuss my general clothing hacks I use to make pregnancy in the second trimester more bearable, and I want to talk about the clothing that I am finding most comfortable during these colder months of the year. Finally I will conclude with some Maternity Wear Reviews on items that I have purchased during January and have now thoroughly tested.

So I am now getting to that stage of my pregnancy where I need to consider what I am wearing. My regular jeans no longer do up and I am finding other clothing honestly pretty uncomfortable to wear, especially while seated. There are some things I can still get away with such as my Tunics, Long Jumpers, Jumper Dresses and stretchy Leggings. But there are other things that I have now decided it’s time to invest in, and I thought I would share my thoughts and experiences in case there’s anyone out there who needs some advice as they too get to this stage of their pregnancy journey.

Sabrina’s Top Tips

You might be looking at your wardrobe and thinking, baby is due then, I won’t be fitting into these items this year. Well fear not, because a few weeks ago I was feeling exactly the same. Get an old suitcase or a storage box and place everything that you love but you know you won’t fit into, inside it. You can always come back to them once you’ve lost some of the baby weight. Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you can’t look good and be comfortable while doing so. Here are some of my shopping tips.

Always try your usual size in maternity wear before the larger size you think you might be. It may come as a surprise, but especially before getting to the third trimester many of us won’t be putting on all that much weight. Your baby grows steadily so you have plenty of time to make small adjustments to your wardrobe. I have still purchased Size 8 trousers for example, just Maternity ones with the added “Over Bump” material. Plus another tip is to always check the sale rails, at the end of line and end of season sales, you may just pick up some bargains. I managed to do just that and will be reviewing those items below.

One shop that I regularly rely on for Leggings is Primark. And the beauty of the sizes of their brand, it seems to me that you can often fit into more than one size. I am a size 8 usually, but I have just bought some size 10 and size 12 leggings that I find fit comfortably over my growing bump. Let me explain why I have chosen these, not only are they are much cheaper than the Maternity ones available online, but also if you aren’t very tall like me then you can usually buy a regular length or a long length style, and find that they will fit just like high waisted leggings – perfect! And they also wash well too being made of cotton or polyester! Mine only cost £3.50 a pair and I got 4 different colours as well. They are great for layering when heading out and for comfort when staying at home.

New Look

When I first began looking at Maternity wear I had recalled friends telling me they had shopped in New Look. I like the brand and I didn’t want to spend a fortune on these first few items just in case I grew out of them. But the weather is so cold in the UK at the moment I really needed to find a decent pair of Skinny Jeans or Jeggings that I could wear out and about, shopping and such.

After a few moments around my local store I realised there was barely any choices, and a lot of it was available online only now. So I settled for the only pair in the shop that I did like, they were soft to touch and also skinny as I had wanted.

They were called Emilee Under Bump Maternity Jeggings at £19.99. Soft material for both the legs and the bump section was why I purchased this pair. They are great on, and the bump part still has enough room for me to grow a little more into them. I was happy with them and hope once the weather is warmer I won’t need them as much. They washed well though too. The leg part was definitely true to size because I chose my regular UK size 8 and a 30″ leg and they were a perfect fit. Highly recommend them, there is way more choice online and I may invest in a blue pair of Over Bump at some point in time too.

Dorothy Perkins

During the January sales I was looking at certain tops but I didn’t want to invest in too many that branded themselves as just Maternity wear. I bought some Jumper Dresses from Dorothy Perkins that have enough give in the middle for a second trimester baby bump. They are soft and will keep me warm in these colder months. I have no doubt that they will also be perfect next Winter while I’m (hopefully) still loosing the baby weight. I have bought many Tunic style jumpers from DP’s over the past few years and find that the plain ones are great for the home and the bling ones are great for going out. I will review these items below and give any links still available.

BooHoo

I did however purchase a couple of Maternity jumpers from BooHoo in their January sale, these looked like regular tunic jumpers until you looked closer, but they had the slits either side to give room for a bump. I feel like I will be able to grow with these, but I could still wear them after I have had my baby as well. To be honest if I wear them right now they don’t look like they are specifically Maternity wear but I know they will become very useful the larger I grow. I was happy with what I paid and if they continue to wash as well as this first fortnight of having them, I assume they will last me through my pregnancy and beyond. I will review these items below and include photos and links where possible.

George at Asda

My final Maternity Wear order came from George at Asda. I really needed some work wear trousers, because I got to the point where any other sort was digging in to my tummy and making me rather uncomfortable. I work full time and I spend a lot of hours on my feet too, so I required something hard wearing, soft and easy to wear but also the correct material for my job role. Our uniform is specific and I needed to rely on the item to be washed several times and worn a minimum of 5 days a week.

I finally found the best looking, most positively reviewed and the best price online, maternity work trousers on the Asda website. George at Asda do have a fantastic maternity range, but most stores don’t stock the items, they are only available online. I had reservations at first because I always like to touch the material and try the items on, this time I just had to trust in my choices. I also had to pay a delivery charge which I thought was expensive, just for the convenience of receiving my items. A click and collect service available 9 days later would not have been suitable for me, I needed them within a day or two because I found I was growing overnight.

My order arrived by courier and was good in that sense, I was updated by email and by text which was very useful. The items themselves were all sealed individually so I knew that the contents were brand new, and I could tell by unpacking them they hadn’t been handled before. I had to guess what sizes I would need, and luckily everything fitted me and I haven’t needed to return anything. I went for my normal size, a size 8, because reviews on the website said most things fitted true to size. The maternity trousers were the items I was most impressed by. The main reason was because of how soft the material was that went over the bump. It was not only comfortable to wear but it was lightweight too and caused me no issues between sitting and standing.

I also purchased some over the bump leggings in a two pack and a two pack of short sleeved t-shirts for comfort around the house when I get a little bigger. I thought these were okay value for money, the materials used made the items soft and they washed well too.

╰☆╮ Reviews ╰☆╮

New Look

New Look: Maternity Under Bump Jeggings in Black (Emilee on Tag)
Materials: 71% Cotton, 25% Polyester, 4% Elastane. Trim: 95% Cotton, 5% Elastane.
Colours Available: Black.
Price: £19.99.
LINK

Very soft material and comfortable to wear, the bump part still gives me room to grow into them. Purchased at 13 weeks pregnant and at 17 weeks they already fit way better and room for bump because they are lightly elasticated. Perfectly the right size for both my buttocks and my leg length, I chose my pre-pregnant trouser size and they are a great all round fit. Ideal for the colder weather days and the black looks great when paired with a bright top.

New Look Overall Scores

Appearance 5/5

Quality 5/5
Value for Money 4/5

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BooHoo

BooHoo: Maternity Mia Side Split Jumper.
Materials: Polyester 95% and Elastane 5%.
Colours Available: Camel, Khaki, Berry, Black or Grey LINK
Price: £15.00

Soft to touch with side splits in the fabric to accommodate a growing bump. I’m a UK size 8 and ordered a UK size 10 of each item. They fitted true to size on my shoulders with the arms ending at wrist length. I thought the overall length of the fabric was good, it will allow me to grow into them but is suitable for this stage and in weeks to come. Both items washed easily and were comfortable to wear all day. The material is quite thin but ideal for Winter layering by wearing a long sleeved thin tee beneath the jumper. I purchased these BooHoo jumpers in both black and in khaki green.

Although the jumpers are very nice and are comfortable to wear they are also very plain in appearance. Wearing a long necklace or a scarf to brighten the outfit up is ideal for days out. Where as I have purchased these for both inside and outside my house, wanting myself and bump to be warm and comfy throughout the next couple of months.

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BooHoo: Maternity Sarah Side Split Ribbed Jumper.
Materials: Polyester 95% and Elastane 5%.
Colours Available: Berry, Black or Blush
Price: £7.00 (On Sale Price Correct As Of 11th February).
LINK

A very nice jumper and overall it is both soft and comfortable to wear. It is more of a Spring colour and length compared to the Tunic style jumpers I purchased (review above) but it is one I could wear around the house now and look forward to wearing in the warmer months to come. I believe there is still plenty of growing room to be had due to the side splits in the fabric, and the length of the arms were perfect for me. I purchased this in a UK size 10.

BooHoo Items Overall Scores

Appearance 4/5
Delivery 5/5

Quality 4/5
Value for Money 4/5

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Dorothy Perkins

Dorothy Perkins: Zip Hem Knitted Tunic Jumpers.
Materials: Viscose 71% and Nylon 29%.
Colours Available: Burgundy or Black.
Price: £17.00 (Price correct as of February 11th).
Burgundy LINK
Black LINK

I have purchased some items from Dorothy Perkins in the January sale which I believe will double up as maternity items. These are all jumpers and in varying lengths. The tunics both have a nice zip detail in the lowest sixth of the material and are fitting on me true to size. I bought size 10’s in order to grow into them slightly but they were already fine around my shoulders. I am lucky enough to fit into the majority of brands clothes UK sizes of 8 and 10.

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Dorothy Perkins: Yellow Striped Frill Sleeve Jumper.
Materials: 100% Polyamide.
Colours Available: Yellow with Black Stripes.
Price: £7.00 (On Sale – Price Correct As Of 11th February).
LINK

The yellow and black striped jumper was an impulse buy, I liked the pattern as well as the ruffled sleeves. It’s style reminded me of Peplum and it was a good quality material too. I thought I could wear it for the first few months of my second trimester, before my bump gets too big. It’s a stylish looking item that I would happily wear out with a pair of my maternity trousers. It was in the sale so there are limited sizes left, but it’s comfortable to wear and I would recommend it, the sleeves are a bit different and a nice change and addition to my wardrobe for Spring.

Dorothy Perkins Items Overall Scores

Appearance 5/5
Delivery 5/5

Quality 5/5
Value for Money 4/5

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George at Asda

Asda: Work Wear Maternity Trousers – Over Bump Tapered Trousers
Materials: Body 100% Polyester and Trim 95% Viscose with 5% Elastane
Colours Available: Black
Price: £8.00
LINK

I looked into a variety of trousers that I could wear to my day job, but the place that I kept coming back to was George at Asda. Online they have a range of Maternity clothing at quite affordable prices too. I was drawn in by the price and the good reviews beneath the item. I wanted a pair of trousers that would be comfortable to wear at work all day, that would wash and wear well, and an item that would grow with me in the coming weeks. I decided it was best that I order two sizes, one my current size 8 and the other a size 10 that I could grow into if need be. Better to have both than to order a second delivery so soon.

I was impressed with the quality for the price, and they might be of thin material but they certainly are comfortable to wear, and it means that they dry quickly after washing too.

George at Asda Items Overall Scores

Appearance 4/5
Delivery 4/5

Quality 4/5
Value for Money 5/5

╰☆╮Thank you for reading this review post today, I hope you have liked it or found it useful. Feel free to pass the link on to any friends who you feel may benefit from my reviews or tips. Have a lovely day!

✩ Sabrina ✩

February 2018 Treatbox Reveal

Posted on February 4, 2018 by Sabrina

Hello and Welcome to the February 2018 Treatbox Reveal with Sabrina of Severn Wishes.

Happy Treatbox Day!

I find lilac coloured tissue paper inside the February box and the usual Calendar Print stares up at me with a beautiful floral print. As well as this there is another Print that reads “Think Happy”.

The sticker holding the box together this month reads “You’re Doing Great”…

With this box I really like how the A5 Print and the Calendar Print have the same vibrant Floral Design. They are nicely symmetrical so as to go together for the month.

Here is my list of all the items available in the February Treatbox! Remember there will be slight variations in the types and the colours, this is so every box is not the same…

✩ There are only 6 items in this Treatbox plus one A5 Print and the Calendar Print, that is 8 things in total. As usual there are several variations for some of the products which gives you a greater chance of having a mixture of items. ✩

Calendar Print for February 2018 – Floral Design – “Smile”
A5 Print – “Think Happy” with Floral Design
A5 Lined Notebook – “Shine Bright” 2 Variations
Dove Intensive Hand Treatment Cream – 75ml
Polka Dot Golden Ribbon Garland – 3 yards
Constellations Star Struck “Sparkle & Shine” Ring Trinket Dish
Candy Kittens – Sour Watermelon Sweets – Gluten Free – 52g
Star Design Lovely Lanyard with Clip End

Here is a selection of my photographs of this month’s box, I hope you enjoy seeing the items up close and if you have any questions then please leave a comment.

✩ My Favourites ✩

My favourite items from this month’s box were the Hand Cream, The Prints, and the Ring Dish.

The hand cream is lovely for this time of year and rather useful for those of us who have dry skin. Dove is also a very good brand and it smelt nice, I have yet to use it but have previously tried Dove creams and products and liked them a lot, I hope this is the same.

I loved that there were two matching types of Prints for the February box. Although I would have liked to see the Floral A5 Print to be in A4 size to match previous nice prints that we have received. The design is intricate and bright and a nice font was used too.

The Ring Dish runs on a Constellation theme that we have seen previously in another box, but it was nice to see the theme return, and with the Notebook as well. It was nice that these items were thought about, the theme joins everything together in a nice way. The quality of the items was good and although it is another dish to add to my collection, I have preferred the design of this one to some of the others.

(Jewellery shown was my own and not included, simply used as a prop to show the products purpose).

✩ My Overall Opinion ✩

Treatbox always has an interesting theme and this month is no exception. I was happy to see some of the items to be new in type such as the Lanyard, although we got yet another Ring Dish! Really? We do not need anymore of these things! And I think if I were to get just one more in the near future it would make me consider my subscription. I must have had 6 or more now (In almost 2 years of worth of boxes though).

With this box I was also disappointed to see so few items inside. There were only 6 main items along with the A5 Print and the Calendar Print. As with the most recent boxes we have received either 7 or 8 items plus the Calendar and sometimes the Print is A4 too. I’m not sure why this box has less inside it, I know it could be down to individual item cost, but looking at two of the items in detail I wasn’t so sure that would be the case. I feel after having so many boxes you expect a standard to be maintained and that doesn’t just include the quality it also includes the amount of things that you receive.

To conclude on this month’s Treatbox, I would say it was a good box with a good theme. Half of the items have decent or even very good quality, and despite the repetition of yet another Trinket Dish the quality and design of this item is very good. However I cannot ignore the fact that we have duplicate things once again. Another notebook, another dish and another stringed decoration. I certainly don’t use a notebook in just a month, and we received some in the January box.

I’m beginning to think you could have one out of every three boxes and not miss out on a great deal. In light of the past six months of box contents, I am going to consider the next box or two very carefully and then make a decision about the future that I have in reviewing the Treatbox on a monthly basis. There is only so many of the same thing you can have before the items get monotonous.

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Are you thinking of ordering a TreatBox for yourself or for a gift for someone?
Then you can find Treatbox subscriptions and build your own box at their website https://treatboxuk.com/

Also if you have any questions about any of the items from this month’s Treatbox then please get in touch I am more than happy to answer them if I can.

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Thank you for joining me for this reveal today, and I hope you have appreciated my honest opinions on the February box. Have a great February!

✩ Sabrina ✩

Toni & Guy Salon Professional Glamour Jumbo Curling Tong Review

Posted on January 23, 2018 by Sabrina

Toni & Guy Salon Professional Glamour Jumbo Curling Tong Review

Today as part of my most recent Argos Testers review piece I am reviewing the Jumbo Curling Tong from Toni & Guy.

This Jumbo Curling Tong is certainly ideal to curl long hair. The barrel is considerably larger than most curlers on the market at 38mm. It is best used to create large loose curls on longer hair lengths. The barrel is made of Tourmaline which ensures you achieve a smooth and shiny finish to your hair style.

Another great feature is the 3m salon length cord which is rather useful if you don’t have many plugs in a room. With a 210’c variable heat and several settings for different types of hair such as fine or thick, it’s got a range to suit all hair. You would need to test the product out to see what setting curls your hair best. Because of these settings this tong is ideal for both fine and thick hair.

Personally I would only recommend this tong for people with long hair, because those with shorter length hair may struggle with the barrel width. I usually prefer more spiral curls than loose, but this product would certainly be ideal for a more casual wave look. I found it quite difficult to manipulate my hair to curl an entire length and did some in two parts. The tong has a lift-able section which holds the hair in place but I never managed to get all of my hair strands to stay inside. I think it was partially because my hair was soft but also due to the smoothness of the barrel.

The photograph below shows my natural hair on the left, washed and dried but not brushed, VS the left hand side which was washed and dried, then brushed and curled using the Toni & Guy Jumbo Tong. As you can see it gives a lovely shiny finish and the curls are loose.

Overall Review Scores

Ease of Use 3/5
Quality of End Result 4/5
Overall Appearance of End Result 3/5

Final Score 3.5/5

I own several curlers and have to say the types I rate the best are the ones that are called “Wands” that are slimmer than barrel ones, but not as thin as the “Chopstick” curlers. These Wand types can be used to do spiral or corkscrew curls. The chopstick ones tend to reveal tighter and more defined curls that will give more volume.

If you need any more advice on curling please leave me a comment, I’m always happy to give my opinion. I do have naturally curly hair, but it doesn’t always have a “good day” and that’s why I have a few curlers of my own. If you want to read anymore about my other hair products click the category on the list on my homepage.

Thanks for visiting Severn Wishes today! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this review and hair related product post!

✩ Sabrina ✩

BooHoo Jessica Flat Over The Knee Boot Review

Posted on January 12, 2018 by Sabrina

BooHoo “Jessica” Flat Over The Knee Boot Review

Today I am reviewing some lovely boots that I got in the January Sale over at BooHoo.com. I was lucky enough to buy on a day they gave 20% off, so it made these usually £35.00 boots just £28.00.

For the material and good quality of it at first inspection, I was satisfied with the price that I paid. I usually go for a low heel or generally flat boots, I always prefer to walk than take a bus for example, and I just can’t do that in Boots that have 4″ heels! Ha! Ha!

I was a little disappointed there was very little grip on the base of the shoes, you would assume a Winter boot would have something to allow you to be more stable on your feet. That said I have bought these boots to wear indoors, shopping and meeting friends etc. I don’t plan to walk any long distances outside in them.

Those of you who know me and know how I blog, know that I don’t just wear something for an hour and then review it. I like to test the products fully and give my honest opinions. I would usually wear and wash with all new clothing I test, where as with shoes I like to wear them for a good distance, check the wear and tear of the sole both inside and out.

I will now outline some details about the Boots themselves, before giving more information on the scores I have given them and why.

Product: BooHoo “Jessica” Over The Knee Boot
Colour: Black
Heel: 2cm / 1.5″
Height: 63cm / 24″
Materials: Synthetic – Feels like Suede
Price: £35.00
Sizes Available: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8
Link: BooHoo Website

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Overall Thoughts, Scores and Outfit Ideas

My first thoughts when I put the Boots on were how comfortable they were. The soft suede like material on the outside is replicated on the inside with another smooth material which feels like a polyester or similar, that allows them to glide on and off your legs with ease, but they also didn’t fall down while walking which is another bonus.

You can wear these boots with a versatile array of wardrobe favourites. Skinny Jeans, Skirts, Short Dresses and even Leggings and a Tunic would work well too. Because the style is Black they go with a majority of Fashion. I love to wear long boots and long tops, dress this style up with a scarf and some jewellery on your arms. You can even dress them up for a night out by wearing a sparkly top, dress or jumper.

Appearance 5/5
A nicely patterned, sown together pieces that have various panels of the fabric that can be seen. I also love how the fabric is cut at the top of the boots, there is a length shorter that sits along the back of your knee, it means the boot is comfortable whether you’re sitting or standing. The shapes of the sown parts are flattering to the leg too. When I first got them out the box and photographed them they almost seem ruched because of where they had been folded, but the creases soon fell out while I wore them.

Delivery 5/5
I had them delivered next day and it was less than twenty four hours, I am nearly always impressed with the BooHoo delivery service. These boots were delivered in their own box and also each boot was inside a slip. Suede boots should be stored in thin cotton bags or a similar material so the fabric is able to breathe. Then stored somewhere at room temperature and no where near damp. The box however is very handy for things like Summer Shoes that can be stored away for the next couple of months now.

General Wear 5/5
I’m impressed with how the Boots felt when walking, they were rather comfortable. This is down to soft material through the entire boot and I only wore one pair of socks with these boots, and found that they fitted my feet true to size. The sole of the boot is designed with a smooth curve at the front which didn’t squash my toes. The cut design at the top of the boot allows them to be well fitting when sitting or standing.

Quality 4/5
The overall quality of the Boots I have scored at a 4. When I choose new shoes or boots I’m looking for several things to tick in my boxes. These boots get points for the feel when wearing, the softness of material used, the unusual stitched pattern and they also fit true to size.
However it did loose an overall one point for quality. The point loss comes from the lack of grips on what is meant to be a Winter Boot, I wouldn’t feel safe wearing these on an icy morning to work.

Value for Money 4/5
I purchased these Boots for £35.00 (discounted to £28.00 on an offer) and believe they are good value for money, if only they had a better sole attached then it would be a full house. I am hoping the Quality and Value will remain for the time that I continue to wear them, I know that only time will tell.

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Pro: Soft Material and ideal for keeping warm in Winter due to their long length up to the knee. Comfortable to wear due to the soft material inside and outside of the boots.

Con: You need to spray them before wearing them outdoors and don’t ever wear them outside in very wet weather. Most shoe shops sell the water and suede protecting spray for a few pounds. Another con is the lack of grips on the sole of the shoes.

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I hope you have enjoyed reading this review and you have enjoyed reading about these particular style of Boots. If you aren’t sure about this style here are a few other £35.00 Black Boots that BooHoo currently have in stock. Just click the link on this image to go over to their Boot section of their website. They do Calf High Boots if the Knee High aren’t your thing!

Thanks for reading! See you next review!

✩ Sabrina ✩

January 2018 Treatbox Reveal

Posted on January 8, 2018 by Sabrina

Hello and Welcome to the first Treatbox of 2018!
Here is my Reveal of the January 2018 Treatbox.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Upon opening this first box of the new year I find baby pink coloured tissue paper. Inside the usual Calendar Print stares up at me, along with the list of contents we will find variations of inside.

The sticker holding the items together reads “You’re A Whole Lot Of Lovely”…

As I open up the calendar print I see several useful items and am intrigued by the rest.

Here is my list of all the items available in the January Treatbox! Remember there will be slight variations in the types and the colours, this is so every box is not the same…

✩ There are 8 items in this Treatbox plus the Calendar Print. There are several variations for many of the products for January which gives you a greater chance of having a mixture of pieces. ✩

Calendar Print for January 2018 – Happy New Year
Page A Day 2018 Diary – 3 Variations
Drawstring Wash Bag or Shoe Bag – 2 Variations
A4 Print – “This Year 2018” – Resolutions Sheet
Mini Print – “You Got This!”
Keyring “KEYS” Pastel Shades – 4 Variations
Ballpoint Pen – Blue Ink – 4 Variations
Sticky Notes Memo Booklet – 2 Variations
Stickers – Round with Golden Heart Glitter Details – 1 Pack (4 Sheets)

Here is a selection of my photographs of this month’s box, I hope you enjoy seeing the items up close and if you have any questions then please leave a comment.

✩ My Favourites ✩

My favourite items from this month’s box were the Page A Day Diary, the New Year’s Resolutions Sheet, the Stickers and the Memo Notes.

All of these items are useful for the year ahead, they can be used for multiple things both at home and in the workplace (if they suit your needs there too). And I just love to be organised, these items will definitely help me to do that.

I loved that there were so many variations this month in content, it’s nice to read the booklet and guess what could have been chosen for you inside… although I was a tiny bit gutted that I didn’t get the Cherry Blossom Memo Book because I just adore them so much! But never mind though, as they will all be used up at some point in 2018 I have absolutely no doubt!

✩ My Overall Opinion ✩

Treatbox has a way of making you use the items that are sent to you, which is good otherwise it would be a waste of money. Sometimes I have felt obligated to use a few of the items and other times I love them, they can often be unique and rather useful.

With this box in particular you could guess what some of the items would be before it arrived. This would be due to the time of year and the fact that I already received a Treatbox last January for good inspiration.

It is always handy to have a good Diary around the house or in your bag or desk. So many of us have moved on to using our electronic devices however, and some people won’t use a pen and paper. I am one of those people who still enjoys writing letters and notes, and I often find a therapeutic aspect to writing things down. My memory is not what it used to be, so having a very good Diary around will be very useful to me.

As most of my followers know, I am hugely into Art, Craft and Scrap-booking. Things like Stickers and Memo Notes are very useful to me, though I would hope not to receive anymore of these type of items in the boxes in the near future. We need time to use up the items we are receiving and I hope that every box this year will have more variety from some of the items duplicated within 2017.

Finally I speak about the items that I was happy to have gotten but not exactly wowed by. A nice pen yes, granted it glides well when being used, but it’s just a pen. And the Key Ring with “Keys” is not something I would have bought myself if it had been a separate entity in a shop for example. The Drawstring bag is not something we have seen before, though we have seen many many cotton bags, so it’s not that different. My husband has said he will use it for gym shoes so I am happy that it will get some use.

To conclude on this month’s Treatbox, I would say it was a good box, on the whole the items are both useful and of decent quality. I have just one observation, and that is the quality of the diary. At first it seemed excellent, the pages are thick and its well bound, but having used it now for only a couple of times, the elastic attachment is already threading away and will soon break off. This is a huge disappointment and if it needs to be held together to remain flat I will soon need to resort in using an old hair band or something of the like to secure the diary.

✩✩✩

Are you thinking of ordering a TreatBox for yourself or for a gift for someone?
Then you can find Treatbox subscriptions and build your own box at their website https://treatboxuk.com/

Also if you have any questions about any of the items from this month’s Treatbox then please get in touch I am more than happy to answer them if I can.

✩✩✩

Thank you for joining me for this reveal today, and I hope you have all enjoyed it. I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year!

✩ Sabrina ✩

The Crafty Giraffe Christmas Tree Decorations Review

Posted on January 3, 2018 by Sabrina

Just before Christmas I saw a post from a page that I follow on Facebook, they were advertising their Wooden Christmas Tree Decorations. These wooden shapes were based on your pets, and could be personalised with the pets name if you so wished.

I decided to purchase some Cat Decorations for myself and my family as gifts for Christmas 2017. Every year I buy one new decoration for our Christmas Tree. Having not done so yet, I thought these well made and personal gifts would be puurrrrfect! (I couldn’t resist please forgive me!).

Here’s the Crafty Giraffe advert that I saw that attracted me to buying these decorations.

I was very happy with the delivery time considering it was November when I ordered. And I purchased one Gift Box with them, to keep mine inside until the next Christmas too. The professionalism of The Crafty Giraffe was excellent, and I was also impressed with the quality of the wood used and the finish with the name engraving.

Here is a close up image of what I purchased. You can see the nice details on the eyes and the little scarf too.

Their page can be found here The Crafty Giraffe – Personalised Engraved Gifts, if you wanted to take a look to see if you like anything. They of course don’t just do Christmas Gifts, but engraved gifts of all kinds. Go and check them out, you won’t be disappointed!

My Overall Review Scores.

Appearance 5/5
Quality 5/5
Value for Money 5/5

Thank you very much for reading this review today, I realise I’m talking about Christmas Decorations and it’s now of course over with for another 11 months! But do remember this company specialise in so many different types of gifts, it is worth checking them out. Or bear them in mind for the Autumn if you want Decorations like these later this year for your own tree. They did a variety of dog breeds as well as cats too.

Have a wonderful first week of January, and Happy New Year!

✩ Sabrina ✩

Gift Company Butterfly Plate Review – Ideal Gift

Posted on December 21, 2017 by Sabrina

Gift Company “Butterfly Plate” Review – An Ideal Gift Item

Once again I am lucky enough to be working with Gift Company this Autumn to bring you a selection of items throughout November and December. All of these items would all make excellent gifts for people this Christmas. Check out my “Gifts” section of my blog for more examples of reviewed products.

Gift Company is a wonderful UK based and family run company that prides itself on providing unique and quality giftware, homeware and furniture, to the people of the United Kingdom.

They also have a huge range of Christmas related stock and a wide range of items that would make awesome gifts too. Available both in stores and on their website. But that is not all they do, and if you haven’t heard of them before today I think you should check out their information at the end of this review…

Dimensions and Product Information

Item Description: A Blue, Beige, Black and Silver Butterfly Detail Square Plate.

Item Dimensions: Small Plate 19.3cm by 19.3cm (Square) and depth is 2mm.

Item Details: This plate has some nice details of silver highlighting and is made up of twenty thin layers of paint. The picture is gradually built up over time and each layer hand painted, making it a unique item. Its main colours are beige, blue, black and silver.

Item Price: £5.00 (RRP £10.00).

Item Delivery: Wrapped up to ensure no breakages and came in a box.

Item Link Gift Company Website

What Makes This A Great Gift

✩ A beautiful plate that stands out in any room.
✩ It’s well made and can be used as a decoration or carefully used for a serving plate.
✩ This set is a great gift for people who love butterflies as well as the colours used.

Things To Be Aware Of

✩ This plate is made of glass so needs to be handled carefully by adults.
✩ Keep the item away from children and pets due to its delicate nature.
✩ It’s hand painted so the plate needs to be handled with care, no dishwasher!

✩✩✩

What Could You Use This Gift For? Who Is It Ideal To Give To?

This beautiful type of gift is ideal for adults who perhaps collect plates or glass, it is also ideal for those who love the theme of the plate. This one is of course a Butterfly, however Gift Company stock a large range of plates, some animal and bug related and some flowers.
Here is a link to the Gift Company page if you want to see all of the current plates they have available. PLATES
Remember there is still time to visit a Gift Company shop if you have one local to you! The list of areas for stores is below this final part of my review.

✩✩✩

My Review Scores

Appearance of Product 5/5
Design of Product 5/5
Quality of Product 5/5
Value for Money 5/5
Delivery 5/5

Overall Review Scores Elaborated

Overall I am happy with the scores I have given this plate. The 5/5 may seem a bit extravagant but it’s a hand painted item, for a great price. You’re getting a unique piece that is well made and has several uses. As a decorative piece you could lay it flat or purchase a plate stand (Gift Company also sell these). If you were using it to serve things on just remember that it is hand painted and therefore needs to be used with care. There are twenty layers of paint on this plate, it is built up to create the finished scene. It does have foam feet on the underside so it can be safely lain flat.

Plate Stand

If you require a plate stand for the item you’re buying then Gift Company also sells them. You can buy the small or large version depending on the dimensions of your plate. I was sent the Small version for my Butterfly plate.
Here are the dimensions and the image of the stand itself.
Small Plate Stand 19cm H by 14cm D and 14.5 W.
Price £3.00 (small) and £5.00 (large).

Thank you for reading this product review today, I hope that you have enjoyed reading about these great gifts. You can see more information about Gift Company stores and links to their online pages below. Have a great day and a wonderful Christmas!

✩ Sabrina ✩

Gift Company approached me again this festive season after we collaborated last year, and I was more than happy to do some more product reviews for them. Every time we work together I am sent these items to review for free, in return for my honest opinions and photography. For this service I do get to keep the products. I personally use and test the items and through my own experience is how I write my review. I do not work for Gift Company, neither do I get paid any commission that is generated from any sales that may occur from my work.

There Are Currently 36 Gift Company Stores Nationwide

Banbury: Banbury Gateway Shopping Park, Oxfordshire, OX16 3AB – 01295 272636
Bideford: Atlantic Village, Bideford, Devon, EX39 3QU – 01237 472446
Birmingham: Resort World, Pendigo Way, Birmingham, B40 1PU – 1217675933
Brighton: Octagon , Marina Square, Brighton, BN2 5UF – 01273 695109
Braintree: Freeport Braintree, Essex, CM77 8YH – 01376 348472
Bridgend: McArthurGlen Outlet Village, CF32 9SU – 0165 6661066
Carlisle: 84 English Street, Carlisle, CA3 8HP – 01228 818488
Castleford: Junction 32 Outlet Village, WF10 4FR – 01977 552 728
Chatham: Unit 9, Dockside Outlet Centre, Kent, ME4 3ED – 01634 892 483
Chester: 19 Newgate Row, Chester, CH11ER – 01244 343456
Cheshire Colliseum: Coliseum Retail Park,Ellesmere Port, PE12 6EU – 01513554 830
Dalton Park: Dalton Park Shopping Outlet, Seaham, SR7 9HU – 0191 520 9543
Derby: Unit 118, Intu Derby Shopping Centre, Derby DE1 2PQ – 0133 220 8747
Doncaster: Unit 22 Lakeside Village, White Rose Way, DN4 5PJ – 01302 730670
Durham: 24 High Street, Princes Bishops Centre, Durham, DH1 3HJ – 0191 384 7946
Fleetwood: Unit 1, Freeport Village, Fleetwood, Lancashire, FY7 6AE – 01253 779 592
Gloucester: Unit 52, Gloucester Quays, Gloucester, GL1 5SH – 01452 524222
Gretna: Unit 16, Gretna Gateway Outlet Village, DG16 5GG – 01461 338772
Hatfield: 26 The Galleria, Hatfield, AL10 OXR – 1707261330
Hornsea: 13 Hornsea Freeport, Rolston Road, Hornsea, HU18 1UT, – 01964 533541
Hull: Princess Quay.
Llandudno: 10 Victoria Centre, Llandudno, North Wales, LL30 2NG – 01492 873111
Lowry: Salford Quays – 0161 877 7233
Livingston: Livingston Designer Outlet, Livingston, EH54 6QX – 01506 462186
Mansfield: Unit 12A East Midlands Designer Outlet, DE55 2JW – 01773 545375
North Wales: North Wales Garden World at Kinmel Bay – 01745 338222
Peak Village: U11 Peak Village, Chatsworth Road, Rowlsey, DE4 2JE – 01629 735076
Royal Quays: 32 Coble Dean, North Shields, NE29 6DW – 0191 258 2819
Scarborough: Unit 17, Brunswick Shopping Centre, YO11 1UE – 01723 371845
Southport: 193 Lord Street, Southport, PR8 1PF – 01704 884522
Spalding: Unit 13, Springfields Outlet, PE12 6EU – 01775 711 736
Talke: 48 Talke Retail Park, Stoke On Trent, ST7 1XD – 01782 786662
Telford: 53 Southwater, Telford Shopping Centre, Telford, TF3 4DE – 01952 200826
Torquay: 87 Union Street, Torquay, TQ1 3DG – 01803 212129
Trentham: Trentham Estate, Stone Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 8AX – 01782642954
Worcester: 22 Chapel Walks, Crowngate Shopping Centre, WR1 3LD – 01905 619882

Gift Company Online
My Other Gift Company Reviews

Excellent Places To Order From In The Run Up To Christmas

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Sabrina

Excellent Places To Order From In The Run Up To Christmas

With a busy schedule that is “LIFE” a lot of us turn to ordering items online for our loved ones. And so many things these days are safe bets, what you see is what you’ll get. But what about ordering things when you’re not sure of the site, this is where people’s online reviews come in extremely handy. Reading reviews on items, products and companies can really help someone to decide if the order is right for them. I always try and make time to review the things that I buy if the website or the brand has this service available.

Having ordered 75% of this years presents online, I’m now going to outline where I have purchased things from and rate them on the usual aspects too. I hope that if you’re still in need of some gifts you will consider these places to order from.

Amazon
A Massive Range Of Items Of All Sorts, Just Search On The Website…
Item/s I Bought: Books and Technology.
Was The Item As Described: Yes Exactly As Described.
Value for Money: Excellent Value for Money when Shopping Around and Comparing.
Delivery: Despite Choosing Free Delivery (Up To 7 days) It Arrived In 4 Days – Great.

BooHoo
Women’s Clothing and Shoes and Accessories Online.
Item I Bought: Pair of Boots.
Was The Item As Described: As Shown, Fitted True To Size and Nice Details.
Value for Money: Great Value for Money, I had a 20% off voucher that day too.
Delivery: Excellent Delivery Time but I paid £3.99 for the Delivery.

Jewellery Box UK
Massive Range Of Beautiful and Unique Jewellery Online.
Item/s I Bought: Sterling Silver Necklace and Necklace Chain.
Was The Item As Described: Yes Very Accurate Description and Photo on the Site.
Value for Money: Excellent Quality and Value for Money. I had a 20% voucher too.
Delivery: Delivery is Advertised as 1st Class Next Day for orders over £10 (Mine was 3 days late but I think it was due to bad weather as it stated it was dispatched).

Snapfish / Bonusprint
Photo Gifts including Calendars, Prints and Photo Books.
Item/s I Bought: Prints / Photo Book / Calendar.
Was The Item/s As Described: Yes And You Can Personalize Many Items Too
Value For Money: Excellent Value – Look Out For Website and Email Deals.
Delivery: Standard Delivery 3-5 Working Days or 5-7 Days – Both Were Good.

The Perfume Shop
Perfume and Fragrance Shop Online.
Item/s I Bought: Perfume and A Free Gift.
Was The Item As Described: Yes As Described, Excellent Gift too.
Value for Money: Great Value as it included a free gift too.
Delivery: Excellent Free Delivery, Arrived In 3 days when they stated 5 days.

Topman
Men’s Clothing and Shoes and Accessories Online.
Item/s I Bought: Various Clothing Items.
Was The Item As Described: Yes, As Pictured On The Website.
Value for Money: There was a discount of 20% off available that day and the clothing is of excellent quality too.
Delivery: Excellent Delivery Time and Free Standard Delivery with what I spent.

✩✩✩

Sabrina’s Top Tips For Christmas Ordering

TIP 1. If There Are Reviews On An Item You’re Browsing Then Read Them.
TIP 2. Shop Around On Different Websites For Similar Items And Compare.
TIP 3. Sign Up For Email Newsletters, They Often Send Vouchers Or Codes.
TIP 4. Consider The Website Parameters For Free Delivery And Attempt To Reach It.
TIP 5. Always Make Sure You Are Buying On An Authentic Website (Padlock In Search Bar).

Have You Seen My Post About How To Make Your Own Christmas Boxes?
Check It Out Here

Thank you for reading this post today, I hope that you have enjoyed reading about these great companies and websites. It is almost Christmas time! If you’re still doing some shopping I hope my reviews have helped! Have a great day!

✩ Sabrina ✩

Gift Company Wooden World Map Boxes Set Review – Ideal Gift

Posted on December 13, 2017 by Sabrina

Gift Company “World Map Boxes Set of Three” Review – Ideal Gift Item

Gift Company is a wonderful UK based and family run company that prides itself on providing unique and quality giftware, homeware and furniture, to the people of the United Kingdom.

Dimensions and Product Information

Item Description: A Set of three World Map Boxes. The lids are decorated with maps of our world, the smaller details include island names, ships and oceans. They make a perfect gift for an avid traveler. Inside each box is a secured and tough black fabric. The boxes are wooden, and painted white except for the map on each lid. The lids maps appear to be printed and stuck down to the wood.

Item Dimensions:
Box 1 (Largest) 23.5cm L x 17cm W x 8.7cm D (5.9cm Inner Depth)
Box 2 (Medium) 20.5cm L x 14.1cm W x 7.5cm D (5cm Inner Depth)
Box 3 (Smallest) 18cm L x 10.5cm W x 6cm D (3.5cm Inner Depth)

Item Details: Ideal items to hold travel cards, tickets, passports old and new, plane tickets, boat tickets, holiday snaps, holiday keepsakes. Possibilities are huge for these boxes. You could keep anything inside it though, not just travel items. Someone could be a fan of the Earth but wants to use it as a jewellery box!

Item Price: £15.00 (RRP £25.00).

Item Delivery: The item was delivered within its own box and carefully wrapped.

Item Link Gift Company Website

What Makes This A Great Gift

✩ An excellent gift set with lots of detail to the pictures on the lids.
✩ It is well made and the wood is painted for a professional finish that is made to look shabby chic and old fashioned.
✩ This set is a great gift because the use of them can be personalised to the recipient.

Things To Be Aware Of

✩ This set is made of wood & should be kept far away from any flames or heat sources
✩ Keep the wood away from any moisture that could warp the wood over time.

✩✩✩

What Could You Use This Gift For? Who Is It Ideal To Give To?

In my opinion a gift set such as this is ideal for anyone who loves travel, geography or history. These boxes are produced to a high standard, and although you could put anything you wanted inside them, a great idea would be to keep any travel tickets or memorable holiday pieces inside. On the website it suggests as a gift “for him” but I strongly disagree, there is nothing significantly masculine about the boxes, therefore any person who shares an interest in the world should love these items.

Having received three boxes in this set, you could choose to keep them together or separate them for different people. If you have a family member who enjoys sightseeing or travel, or someone who loves the geography of the Earth and wants to go around the world one day, these pieces would be perfect for them.

✩✩✩

My Review Scores

Appearance of Product 5/5
Design of Product 4/5
Quality of Product 4/5
Value for Money 5/5
Delivery 5/5

Overall Review Scores Elaborated

Overall I am happy with the scores I have given these items. I believe that receiving three boxes for the price is excellent value for your money, and the quality of them has been good throughout.
I only have a very tiny observation, and that is when you buy, if you buy in a store, inspect that all hinges are straight and all corners are aligned. Everything is flush and fits together well and that no corners of the printed pattern are curling up.
They were delivered in their own box and there were sheets of paper in between them to help prevent any damage to the paintwork.

✩ Sabrina ✩

There Are Currently 36 Gift Company Stores Nationwide

Banbury: Banbury Gateway Shopping Park, Oxfordshire, OX16 3AB – 01295 272636
Bideford: Atlantic Village, Bideford, Devon, EX39 3QU – 01237 472446
Birmingham: Resort World, Pendigo Way, Birmingham, B40 1PU – 1217675933
Brighton: Octagon , Marina Square, Brighton, BN2 5UF – 01273 695109
Braintree: Freeport Braintree, Essex, CM77 8YH – 01376 348472
Bridgend: McArthurGlen Outlet Village, CF32 9SU – 0165 6661066
Carlisle: 84 English Street, Carlisle, CA3 8HP – 01228 818488
Castleford: Junction 32 Outlet Village, WF10 4FR – 01977 552 728
Chatham: Unit 9, Dockside Outlet Centre, Kent, ME4 3ED – 01634 892 483
Chester: 19 Newgate Row, Chester, CH11ER – 01244 343456
Cheshire Colliseum: Coliseum Retail Park, Ellesmere Port, PE12 6EU – 01513554 830
Dalton Park: Dalton Park Shopping Outlet, Seaham, SR7 9HU – 0191 520 9543
Derby: Unit 118, Intu Derby Shopping Centre, Derby DE1 2PQ – 0133 220 8747
Doncaster: Unit 22 Lakeside Village, White Rose Way, DN4 5PJ – 01302 730670
Durham: 24 High Street, Princes Bishops Centre, Durham, DH1 3HJ – 0191 384 7946
Fleetwood: Unit 1, Freeport Village, Fleetwood, Lancashire, FY7 6AE – 01253 779 592
Gloucester: Unit 52, Gloucester Quays, Gloucester, GL1 5SH – 01452 524222
Gretna: Unit 16, Gretna Gateway Outlet Village, DG16 5GG – 01461 338772
Hatfield: 26 The Galleria, Hatfield, AL10 OXR – 1707261330
Hornsea: 13 Hornsea Freeport, Rolston Road, Hornsea, HU18 1UT, – 01964 533541
Hull: Princess Quay.
Llandudno: 10 Victoria Centre, Llandudno, North Wales, LL30 2NG – 01492 873111
Lowry: Salford Quays – 0161 877 7233
Livingston: Livingston Designer Outlet, Livingston, EH54 6QX – 01506 462186
Mansfield: Unit 12A East Midlands Designer Outlet, DE55 2JW – 01773 545375
North Wales: North Wales Garden World at Kinmel Bay – 01745 338222
Peak Village: U11 Peak Village, Chatsworth Road, Rowlsey, DE4 2JE – 01629 735076
Royal Quays: 32 Coble Dean, North Shields, NE29 6DW – 0191 258 2819
Scarborough: Unit 17, Brunswick Shopping Centre, YO11 1UE – 01723 371845
Southport: 193 Lord Street, Southport, PR8 1PF – 01704 884522
Spalding: Unit 13, Springfields Outlet, PE12 6EU – 01775 711 736
Talke: 48 Talke Retail Park, Stoke On Trent, ST7 1XD – 01782 786662
Telford: 53 Southwater, Telford Shopping Centre, Telford, TF3 4DE – 01952 200826
Torquay: 87 Union Street, Torquay, TQ1 3DG – 01803 212129
Trentham: Trentham Estate, Stone Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 8AX – 01782642954
Worcester: 22 Chapel Walks, Crowngate Shopping Centre, WR1 3LD – 01905 619882

Gift Company Online
My Other Gift Company Reviews