Tag Archives: Honest Posts

Product Review of Yoelike Back Pack, the Bag you never knew you needed until now

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Today I am reviewing the back pack that I found Amazon that changed my life! If you’re like me and you are always having to put up with an adequate bag or whatever you can find, especially when it comes to a hand bag, then this article is for you. I was fed up of going down my local high street stores and not finding exactly what I wanted. Bags that were the right size but not secure because they didn’t have zips, or bags that weren’t rain proof, or even bags that didn’t have enough space or pockets. I needed something that was better, and now I finally found it!

Firstly I decided to give up on the regular hand bag or shoulder bag style, I couldn’t get what I wanted in them anyway, and so I started researching what I thought was the next best thing, turned out they are way more versatile, they are back packs. I found high street ones but they were always too big or too small. I needed it to be just right considering bags aren’t cheap it’s an investment. That’s when I found this one and on Amazon of all places!

The Yoelike Mini Back Packs come in lots of colours but I chose Red. (I may even get another one soon for when I want a different colour as a back up). Let me show you a couple of pictures of it.

Let me tell you more about this awesome bag!

Bag Information

Colour: Red (Available as of May 2023: Black, Navy, Tartan, Red and Purple).
Size: 29cm High when stood up, 26cm Wide across the Bottom (30cm if a bottle present in the side pocket). 18cm from the front to the back, side width is 13cm.
Material: Nylon.
Pockets: 4 Outer Pockets and 2 Additional Inner Pockets
Details: Adjustable Straps, Soft Nylon Fabric, Splash Proof, Top Strap, Strong Zips.
Price: £17 – £22 (Estimate as of May 2023 but bound to fluctuate as an Amazon product).
Amazon: Product Link

My Honest Opinion

Overall I would like to rate the bag 5✩.

Quality 5✩
Features 5✩
Design 5✩
Durability 5✩

The quality of this bag is excellent, overall I love that it is durable in all weathers and I have worn it in the rain, ice and sunshine without it altering the fabric. The pockets are a huge plus and a wonderful bonus to what is already a great product. To get so many internal spaces and pockets that are zipped, as well as the outer ones is wonderful. An amazing bag for anyone in need of the space and security that this particular item brings.

I would rate it very highly due to using it for several months on an almost daily basis, and item still looks brand new with very little wear to it. I have recommended it to friends who have already purchased one for themselves after seeing the quality of mine. There are no downsides to this bag whatsoever. The straps are adjustable, the colour choice means that there is something for everyone, and the size means it’s ideal for many people.

Some uses include Parenting, Days Out, Travelling Abroad, Weekends Away from home, Beach Trip, Students, Work Needs and Shopping. It’s also ideal for a wide range of age ranges from a student at school to an adult taking it to work.

As someone who has a chronic illness I have to carry lots of things with me sometimes. This bag allows me to do just that and it has many pockets so I’m able to allocate things according to my needs.

If I’m going out for a day I even have enough space to put some of my sons items inside which helps me by not needing to take another bag along.

My favourite parts of the bag are how soft and comfortable it is to wear and how many amazing pockets there are, and with them being multiple sizes with strong zips it’s a bonus too!

I would recommend this back pack to anyone, anyone looking for a great bag or to replace a current bag that is on its way out due to wear and tear, or if you’re going away and need a travelling bag this is great because some of the pockets are really secure for your valuables.

If you would like to watch a video of me using the bag then please head on over to my YouTube channel where you can find my vlog and product review…

VLOG and Product Review Video

Thank you so much for visiting Severn Wishes Blog today, I hope you enjoyed this review and have a wonderful day!

You can see my latest product reviews by following me on social media
Search #SevernWishesBlog on Google or #SevernSabrina or please click here to follow me on Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / YouTube

✩ Sabrina ✩

#SevernWishesBlog #BackPack #ProductPhotographer #ProductReviewer #ProductReview
#AmazonFinds #AmazonProducts #BackPackBag #RedBag

Spend a few minutes a week wisely online by using Free Websites to Win Cash and Prizes.

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Screenshot from PMP website

Hello everyone! It’s the final few days of February, lets end it on a positive note!

Have you ever wondered how you could be more productive with that time you spend scrolling on your phone? Would you also love the chance to win some free money? And no this is not a scam.

Well today I am going to show you two websites, give you my referrals for them so you can join up too, and show you how to make some free money if you get lucky.

Website number one for you to check out is all about your Postcode. Every day I spend less than five minutes checking my phone on a website called PickMyPostcode or PMP for short. Here you sign up with the postcode at your home address, and if your postcode comes up in one of their many draws then you get the free cash! I won £10 a few years ago and I am hoping that it won’t be long before I win again. There are more than 15 UK postcodes drawn every day across the draws so it can happen.

There are draws at 9am and 9pm called Stackpot. There is also a range of draws at Midday and one at 6pm which is a cheeky additional draw that’s right at the bottom of the page. It takes seconds to check each one, and if it’s a match to your postcode it will say CLAIM / COLLECT next to it. Then you can withdraw it to your PayPal account.

Here is a photo of today’s (27th February) draws and amounts.

Screenshot of the PMP Website

I must mention as well that you accumulate a bonus with this website, a penny for every single draw page you check. It soon adds up let me tell you. I am up to £65 now, and what happens is your bonus gets paid out to you when your postcode comes up. That’s double reasons to check it I think.

Amounts for draws vary but are usually from £5 to £100, but if they roll over for a few days when people don’t claim then you could see prize amounts in the region of £1000! So it’s important that you do check it every single day in case it’s your postcode that’s been drawn.

If this interests you then please click the link below this sentence and it will take you to the site where you can sign up. All you need is an email address and your postcode and it’s free to do.

PICK MY POSTCODE

Screenshot of the ITV Win website

So another awesome website that gives out free cash and prizes once a week on a Wednesday is ITV WIN. I only joined ITV Win at the end of last year, but I already won tokens to enter other competitions and £5 in Cash. This one is slightly more time consuming, but you sign up for ITV Win with your details including mobile number, email address and name, and you receive a profile where you can then pay to enter ITV competitions online, enter the free competitions when they are available, and also access WINSDAY. And it’s the Winsday section that you want.

Winsday occurs every Wednesday, and any tickets you’ve accumulated get drawn at random. If your ticket number matches you could win Prizes, Cash or Tokens. How you get the tickets is fairly straight forward too. Once you’ve made your account you go from the top of your profile and scroll down and you’ll see the Winsday graphic on the website. Clicking on it takes you to a video stream. You simply watch a few ITV adverts for things like Masked Singer, This Morning, Ant & Dec, Reality TV and Dramas, and as you watch the Ad’s tickets pop up and you tap them to collect. It keeps a tally for you bottom right of the video stream and your maximum is 30 a week. On average a ticket pops every 1-2 minutes, so I usually watch this a few nights a week while I am stirring the dinner or waiting for the veg in the oven say. Within 20 minutes I’ve got myself a few tickets for free, and they are drawn on a Wednesday afternoon. Just check your profile from Wednesday evening onwards to see if you have won anything.

Screenshot of when a ticket popped up for me today on Winsday video stream.
Screenshot of my account on ITV WIN showing I have 6 tickets so far this week.

When I won £5 a few weeks ago it was easy to withdraw it from my profile as well.

ITV WIN is a great way to try and win things for free and it’s certainly worth it when they draw hundreds of prizes for free every week for its members. Why not give it a try and see how easy it is to (hopefully) win some free money.

Below this sentence is the link to the ITV Win website through my referral and it’s free to sign up.

ITV WIN

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I hope that you have found this blog post interesting today, I would love to hear from you if you do either of these already or if you’re going to sign up now that I have brought them to your attention. Remember that signs ups are only for people living in the United Kingdom.

Thank you and have a really lovely day! Good luck if you sign up!

✩ Sabrina ✩


N.B I am not endorsed or sponsored by either of these companies I am simply trying to give people the opportunity to win things for free, this is what I do myself every week. This post is not a sponsored and I am not getting anything for bringing these websites to your attention, I am just being a good citizen!
Good luck and thanks for visiting Severn Wishes Blog today.

Great Apps and Websites for those who are Expecting or are New Parents

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We live in an age where so much is readily accessible to us, but there can be so much information out there that it can often be overwhelming, especially for first time parents. With so many websites, forums and blogs that can sometimes be opinionated and not necessarily filled with the facts. Every person knows where they would prefer to get their information from, some of us like books and others like the world wide web!

Sometimes you can have a baby that is completely different to any before it or any you have known, and you may need additional help or advice. During these times you should always turn to a Midwife, Doctor or Paediatrician if you have concerns of any kind.

There were things I wished I had known more about before I had my son, and that was despite me reading both books and websites for hours at night when I had terribly painful SPD. I found lots of the websites and apps that I have listed below extremely useful at one point or another during the last four years. So I thought a blog post might help other expectant parents to see what information is available to them.

As a parenting blogger I often get asked about my personal opinion of which apps and websites have helped me since I became a mother. So in order to achieve this post I have gone back over four years of my browsing and researching and screenshot history, to bring you an alphabetical list of all the things that I have found the most useful. I have only included websites and apps that I used more than once and found them beneficial long term.

A Aptaclub Pregnancy and Birth
B Bounty App
B Baby Centre Apps and Email Newsletter and Website
B Baby Names App
B Baby and Child (British Red Cross First Aid)

D Duo ABC
E Ella’s Kitchen
E Emma’s Diary
F Free Prints (Photos and FP Cards)

G Get Creative (CBeebies)
G Go Explore (CBeebies)
K Kicks Count Website

N NHS Website
O Online 4 Baby Website

P Pokémon Smile (Teaching Toddler Teeth Brushing)
P PooGoesHomeToPooland (Teaching How To Use The Toilet)

S Storytime (CBeebies)
S Snapfish (Photo Printing)

Y Your Baby Club Website and Social Media

Let me now elaborate on a few of these now and the reasons why I found them so useful. Some of them are of course self explanatory, but others are really handy for tips and tricks. Some offer you freebies and others offer key medical advice or milestone information.

Bounty App
The app gives you information on the progress of your baby whilst in the womb, and then after the birth it gives you key advice on milestones and growth. An app that I found generally fascinating to look at every week as my pregnancy progressed. Now that my son is older he is still on the app as a 48 month old! And the app offers me developmental advice and articles to read. The articles can be read at any time of your pregnancy and usually the app updates what is relevant to you at the time you need it. There are also useful check lists on it too.
I score this app a 5✩.

Baby and Child (British Red Cross First Aid)
First Aid is such an important part of human life, however most people go through their entire pregnancy without knowing how to do life saving procedures on babies or young children such as, choking, allergic reactions and dealing with illness. The Baby and Child App gives advice as well as videos that people can watch at their leisure for a variety of situations. Just some of what they cover include; Asthma, Bleeding, Burns, Choking, Epileptic Seizure, Fever, Head Injury, Meningitis, Vomiting etc.
This app is one that I believe every single person should have on their phone, just in case.
I score this app a 5✩.

Duo ABC
I found this app while researching after my son had to start Speech and Language therapy. Due to the support being so sporadic due to the pandemic I did my own research, started my own lessons with my child at home, and created my own flash cards. But this app came up on a results search, and despite it being American my son found aspects of it to be beneficial. Writing the letters on the phone screen with his finger, sounding out letters and recognising upper and lowercase letters all helped on our journey. I did just 20 minutes with him a day for 3 months, alongside my other teaching and he soon knew his alphabet and could say all but 5 of the letters properly. If anyone is struggling with their child and they seem distanced from paper methods, try this app, just ten minutes a day with you, you may just see a difference as I did.
I score this app 4✩.

Ella’s Kitchen
Once your little one reaches the 6 month milestone and you consider starting to wean them alongside their daily milk amount, you may want some advice. Ella’s Kitchen App provide you with advice, recipes and you can sign up for a free pack with a journey poster, stickers and some vouchers for their snacks. It was fun when my son was little, but when he developed lots of food allergies I made my own recipes up.
I score this app 4✩.

Emma’s Diary
Emma’s Diary is a fun app where you can create all sorts of fun things to keep throughout your pregnancy, it also offers some information and it gives away bags of goodies at certain points of your pregnancy. It’s worth signing up to this as soon as you find out you’re pregnant to take advantage of all the items on offer.
I score this app 4✩.

Free Prints (Photos and FP Cards)
Free Prints have two useful apps, the first one is Photo’s and you get some free prints every month just pay the postage. And the second one is Cards where you get one free card a month like a postcard, just pay postage. Upgrade to proper cards for pennies and they offer lots of other fun affordable products throughout the year. The more you order the more deals you’ll get.
I score these apps 4✩.

Get Creative (CBeebies) and Go Explore (CBeebies)
Apps that I don’t know what I would have done without! When I became a single parent even taking a shower was tricky. Sitting my son on the bathroom floor safely on a bean bag when he was a toddler, my phone playing CBeebies programs and videos off the app were a godsend! Now he is older he is using the various parts of the app to learn all sorts of things like shape sorting, mathematics, role play like shopping and problem solving. The Creative app allows freedom in Art and expression using some of the CBeebies favourite characters, and the Go Explore is more about learning and fun, again with the usual friendly faces. Love these apps! In moderation of course.
I score these apps 5✩.

Kicks Count Website
Kicks Count is something that is really important, and all pregnant women should visit the website and learn about the importance of kick counting and the work this group do. It’s worth following them on social media too.
I score this 5✩.

NHS Website
When you have questions in the small hours of the morning the NHS website can have useful information or point you in the direction of help if you need it.
I score this 5✩.

Online 4 Baby Website
An excellent website for affordable baby items such as changing mats and muslin cloths. Worth a look when they have a sale on for certain!
I score this website 4✩.

Pokémon Smile (Teaching Toddler Teeth Brushing)
Whether you like Pokémon or loathe it, if you have a child that refuses to brush their teeth you will try literally ANYTHING to make that time of the day and night less stressful. For us it was this app that allowed my son to turn a corner! There is an icon of the mouth that follows them while they brush and indicates where to go next so they don’t miss any teeth.
I score this app 5✩.

PooGoesHomeToPooland (Teaching How To Use The Toilet)
Another app that is a little annoying but if it helps your child to understand that poo goes down the toilet and not on the floor then so be it! My son watched it every day for about a month and then got bored of it, but it certainly helped him realise that
I score this app 3✩.

Storytime (CBeebies)
Another CBeebies app and this one is all about books and stories. The app can read to your child or they can try and read themselves. The stories are often interactive as well, lots of fun.
I score this app 5✩.

Snapfish (Photo Printing)
Free photo’s every month just pay the postage, a great way to keep family up to date with how little one changes and you can make an album of their first year for less than £20.
I score this app 4✩.

Your Baby Club Website and Social Media
As a Blogger Writer for Your Baby Club I often provide them with useful articles surrounding parenting. These first hand experiences from parents go alongside their informative articles on the websites and on their social media platforms too.
I score this 5✩.

Thank you for reading this blog post today, I do hope that you have found it useful. Please pass the link to my website on to family or friends who are expecting so that you can share these excellent websites and apps with them. Hopefully they will be just as happy with them as you were today! (I hope).

Keep on visiting Severn Wishes Blog for Parenting related blogging, Product Reviews and general Lifestyle Posts! Thank you! Have a lovely day!

✩ Sabrina ✩

Sabrina’s Top Twelve Ways to Save Money, Spend Less and Use Less Energy Around the Home

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Welcome to todays lifestyle blogging article “Sabrina’s Top Twelve Ways to Save Money, Spend Less on Electric and Use Less Energy Around the Home”. With the rising cost of living and lots of other prices changing, I figured I would share the ways in which I, Sabrina, a single parent, save money on a daily basis. And by drilling some of these into your head and completing them daily, you will soon see how great they are and hopefully I can help save you some money! Lets begin!

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✩ Close Your Curtains – either to keep the heat inside during colder months or to keep the heat out and keep your home cool during hot days. I often see people not closing their curtains in an evening and I wonder if they know how much energy they’re losing. As for the summer it works the same way, don’t open them in a morning to let the heat in, just leave them shut and return to a much cooler room than if you had opened them.

✩ Time your Showers – We can all be guilty of letting the hot water run over us and our minds drift off into a tangent of thoughts and procrastinations. However by either setting alarms or by playing a timed playlist on your phone while you shower, you will be saving yourself water and electricity and even time! I personally have a selection of 30 minute music playlists, and I know that when I reach the final song my half an hour of bathroom ablutions time is up! Give it a go yourself and see how you get on.

✩ Close Your Doors – even by pushing your doors within an inch or twos gap of the frame will prevent lots of heat escaping in the winter. I usually pop a door stopper on the other side of said door once we are in (for example) the lounge with no intention of moving for an hour or two. This stops children or pets pushing the door open too far and letting your heat escape into a hallway for example.

✩ Invest in some USB Chargeable Lights – So I have several of these around my home and various types. I have bars in the hallways so I don’t have to bother turning any lights on, they have sensors so when you walk within range they just pop on. Useful for saving money on electricity! Also great if you forget to turn lights off because these USB ones turn off after 30 seconds to 1 minute (depending on brand). Other chargeable lights include ones that are freestanding and you simply charge them up and then turn them on and let them drain down. One that I have takes about an hour to charge but lasts up to six hours – great in an evening if I don’t need much light.

USB Chargeable Motion Sensor Light Bars

✩ Light Bulbs – one weekend or day off pop around your home with another person. One goes up a ladder and checks bulbs and the other writes down on a piece of paper what types and if they are energy saving and how many watts are the maximum. Then, next time you’re out shopping go and buy the bulbs that are energy saving and cost less to run. These bulbs usually last for ten years or up to 10,000 hours – whichever comes first!

✩ Watering a Garden – if you spend water from inside your home to water your garden it will slowly start to become a lot of expense. Instead buy one or two black dustbin type plastic barrels (roughly £14 each) and they come with a lid too! Use a watering can to dip into them and remove water as and when you need it. Set them up in a part of your garden where rain water can easily fill them up. You’ll be surprised how fast they fill on a rainy day! Use the water from the butts for your garden plants before turning your home taps on! It will save you money on your water bill especially if you’re on a meter.

✩ Buy or Make Draught Excluders – I have one on the inside of each door of my home, they keep draughts out and stop your heat escaping through holes under doors. If you cannot afford one because they often retail at around £15 these days, and you are good at seeing! Then you could always try and make one out of some old clothes and some stuffing. Might be fun to do with your children!

Draught Excluders for Doors

✩ Buy Thicker Curtains or Lined Curtains ready for Winter – I bought lined curtains for £15 in the fabulous Dunelm sale last year. And I also built a pole above my front door and put two curtains up there as well. One reason was to keep the heat inside during the winter because doors easily let your heat escape. Two is also from a security aspect, if you have a window next to your front door then people may be able to look inside easily, a curtain across prevents them from seeing anything.

✩ Invest in Fleece Throws – I love a nice comfortable throw, but by putting a couple where you frequently sit down will also save you money. I have one folded up across the bottom of my bed, I have two on my sofa. If I’m cold in an evening I will put that over me or around me and not touch the thermostat on the heating. Maintaining an optimum temperature for your heating is also a great start, then use other things such as wearing another layer of clothing or by covering yourself up with a throw while sitting down to help save the pennies. Fleece Throws can start from as little as £4 each in places like Tesco and Dunelm, I bought 3 at £6 each last year. They are large ones and one covers both mine and my sons legs when we sit and watch television in an evening. Fleece throws are also easy to wash and fast to dry due to the material.

✩ Clothes Airers and Camping Pegs – no I’m not mad! I’m letting you in on my clothes drying secrets! So for £20 or less you can buy a large freestanding clothing airer at a supermarket and a packet of camping peg hooks from a local do it all shop. You’ll be able to dry more clothes outside this way and in more weather types simply by pinning the airer down to your lawn with the pegs. This way it doesn’t blow over, but you can easily pull up the pegs and pick up the whole thing to move it indoors if the weather takes a turn. I regularly do this with small thinner items all year round if it’s windy and the sunshine is out. Any reason to not use the tumble drier I will surely take it! You can save lots of money by drying even half a load of washing outdoors.

✩ Turning it OFF! – I’m a big believer in “if you aren’t using it then turn it off” and this goes for lights, appliances and electronics. There are only 6 things that are always on, either because they are constantly running or on standby in my home, they are the Broadband Box, the Sky TV Box, the Boiler, the Washing Machine, my electronic Doorbell and the Fridge/Freezer. Everything else is off, I only put the oven or microwave or drier on when they are actually going to be used. It saves me a ton of electricity by turning things off at the socket and not leaving them standing idle – plus with a small child you don’t want them turning on appliances that might get hot! So there are double reasons for clicking that off switch on the wall. It’s the same with main lights, if you leave a room just turn it off. Finished cooking dinner and done with that Oven? Just turn it off.

✩ Grow Your Own – Every year I try and grow things but this year I am pulling out all the stops to try and grow more fruit and vegetables. Combining my rain catching water tubs with a watering can, I can easily water the tubs I have created. Follow me on my social media for updates on this because I will be documenting photographically just how well we do through the Summer and into the Autumn. Even if you have a balcony not a garden, you can get vertical planters nowadays where you can grow things such as herbs, raspberries or strawberries, tomatoes and chill peppers. I don’t have a patch that I am able to dig up, so I am simply using pots to grow everything. Check out my Instagram for more photographs on how I am managing to do this. Also, teaching your children (if you have any) about the importance of nurturing something while it grows is an excellent life lesson.

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Thanks for reading this blog post today. I would love it if you would get in touch, write a comment below if you found any of this useful or you liked some of my ideas. Do you have any awesome ideas yourself for saving money?

If you implement any of my hacks yourself I would love to hear from you on here or on social media. You can tag me #SevernSabrina if you want me to see it too.

Have a great remainder of June!

✩ Sabrina ✩

September 2020 Treatbox Reveal and Review

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Welcome one and all to the
September Treatbox Reveal and Review!


My apologies for this post being so late in the month, there was a mix up with my box so I have only just received it! But what a fabulous box of treats it is!

Read on to find out exactly what! With pictures too!


SO WHAT IS INSIDE THE SEPTEMBER BOX?


An awesome and very cute Calendar Print (Yay!)

A beautiful Scarf, blush Pink with patterns of Hearts or Chevrons (Picked at Random) (It’s so soft!)

Daily Concepts Daily Lip Scrubber

Tray Bakes Honeycomb Crunch Bar (Mmm!)

the Little Coffee Bag Co. Black or White Coffee Bag

Treatbox Unique Key Ring with Inspirational Quotes

Paper Bag of Treatbox Special Daily Affirmation Cards


What Do I Love Most In This Box?

I cannot express how happy I was to see the Calendar Print! I love it too being a Cat related image! It has gone straight on to my Fridge. I do hope this will be a regular occurrence again! If so, then fab!

I adore the scarf it is both pretty and soft, and the pattern is versatile enough to go with anything in my wardrobe.

The Lip Scrubber is really useful and a very handy product considering we are now entering into Autumn and Winter. A good idea to have in your bathroom in case of dry lips!

I haven’t eaten the Treat Bar yet, but it sounds delicious! And I have gifted the Coffee Bag to my Mother who adores her Coffee, I am not fond of it in all honesty. I’m sure she will enjoy it!

The Affirmation Cards are wonderful! Just when you need a pick me up they are right there. Wonderful quaint designs and they say all the right things. I have popped two of them on my fridge along with my calendar, because as someone who is currently working through a low self esteem, it’s really nice to have reminders such as, “I am enough” and “I am strong” etc.

I love the pink theme this month, to be honest the whole box is well thought out. I am also ecstatic because there isn’t a face or eye mask in sight! Hurrah! *Dances* I really hope this is a good move and a turning point, because if it is then I am happy to continue my subscription. I want (as I’m sure many of you do) a Treat to eat or drink, something to cherish or wear, something to do and enjoy and something to inspire. The calendar print I would love to see return, as I would also love to see A5 prints perhaps. I have a few of the A4 ones from the last 3 years of boxes framed around my home and I still adore them.

I am very much looking forward to my October box now, I hope it is full of inspiring things and perhaps an Autumnal theme…

If you want to read any of my reviews on previous boxes then please click the category Treatbox.


Thank you for visiting Severn Wishes today, I hope you have enjoyed the Review of this September Treatbox. I hope to see you here again soon for another one of my Reviews.

In these uncertain times it’s nice to have a box of joy arrive on my doorstep, I very much love how Treatbox does that.

✩ Sabrina ✩


Check out my previous Treatbox unboxing posts in this unique category of mine called ‘Treatbox’ it is specifically for these box reviews and reveals – Severn Wishes Treatbox.

Argos Tester Review of the Haden Highclere 4 Slice Toaster

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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.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Matalan Memory Foam Pumps Review – Are they as comfortable as they look?

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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 ✩

Glossybox Reviews for the March Mystery and April Blossom Boxes

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As a birthday present from March I have received a couple of boxes from Glossybox and I wanted to review their contents for you. Because I had a Mystery box at the end of March followed swiftly by the April Blossom box, I figured I would combine the two unboxing reviews instead of bring you too many beauty posts within a short time frame.

I made the choice to head into isolation quite early, it was the week of my birthday, and following that only weeks later it was Mother’s Day. I didn’t do a lot for either of then and it left me feeling pretty low as the prospect of now not seeing family for months dawned upon me. So I made the decision to order a Glossybox on a deal which saw me receive a Mystery Box for the end of March and a week later I got the April Blossom Box. They were little pick-me-ups at a time when I needed some distraction from everything going on.

In the early morning light, I was ready to test these beauties!

I had never had a Glossybox before but having followed them on social media for a long time, I knew about their concepts for the box and hoped I would find the products inside useful. Well I wasn’t wrong!

March Mystery Box

I’m first going to talk about the March Mystery Glossybox, which I have tested several of items from that box which appealed to me the most. This box was my first impression of Glossybox as a brand. I liked how neatly everything arrived and it was a nice gift to unwrap surprises.

Here are the five items that arrived in the March Mystery Box.

Maria Nila 1 Shampoo and 1 Conditioner Bottles 1 of each 100ml
Mitchell and Peach Eau de Parfum 15ml
Kandi Skin Work Out Mask
Bang Beauty Black Felt Tip Eyeliner 1.8g

I was interested in the Shampoo and Conditioner, as someone with naturally curly hair, Sulphate Free Shampoo usually works for me.

Maria Nila True Soft Shampoo and Conditioner
100ml Bottles x 2 (one of each)
Produced in Sweden
with a Colour Guard Complex and Softening Argan Oil
Vegan, Cruelty Free, Sulphate Free, Paraben Free

These Shampoo and Conditioner smelt lovely and were lovely and soft in my hands. As for my hair, they made it soft and lightweight and helped with my unruly curly frizz. I did find that my hair required washing a day earlier than I would usually do so though. Otherwise a lovely product I will happily continue to use until they are all gone.

Mitchell and Peach
Flora no.1 Fine Edition
Eau de Parfum
15ml

The Mitchell and Peach perfume smells nice, it isn’t the type of scent I would normally wear, however it is nice and spring-like. The bottle size is ideal for a handbag or travel bag. It says it is created in England using essential oils from the Mitchell Estate, which is very interesting, and I like to support British business where I can.

Now I am going to talk about the April “Blossom” Glossybox which honestly I was really impressed by. My first proper Glossybox containing the handpicked products that they had chosen for this month as opposed to the mystery box I received initially. They did well to stick with the Blossom theme within the products and even the box smelt nice when I opened it.

The products that I had inside my “Blossom” box for April were the following:

Nails INC Nail Polish – Pink – “Blossom Kisses” 14ml
Avant Face Exfoliant “Gentle Rose Beautifying” 50ml
The Ritual of Sakura Cherry Blossom Rice Body Scrub 70ml
Sanctuary Spa Nourishing Rose Petal Face Mask 30g
Sport FX Raspberry + Rhubarb Recovery Lip Balm SPF15 8g

I have tested everything except for the Mask as I haven’t had time to do it. Three products stood out for me in quality, the lip balm smells really lovely and was nice when worn, but it is not the best balm I have tested. I would give it a 4/5.

It’s hard for me to pick a true favourite item in this box because I have three that I loved and would rate all three of these 5/5. So I’m going to tell you about each of them now and why.

Firstly the Nails INC Nail Polish was such good quality, one coat lasted ten days with minor chipping, that includes daily chores, washing my hands tons of extra times a day and playing and bathing my toddler! It’s an excellent brand of polish and a lovely shade of pink as well, you can see photos of me wearing this polish on my social media. The quality and ease of application with the nicely shaped brush are why I give it 5/5.

My second favourite is the Ritual Cherry Blossom Body Scrub. It made my skin smell lovely and feel soft. It was a nice product for a bit of much needed self care, I used mine in the shower as I have little time for a bath these days! Cherry Blossoms are some of my favourite flowering trees. For how it made my skin feel, with no reactions and a little of it went a long way too, that’s why it gets 5/5.

Finally my third item of choice is the Avant Face Exfoliant. I often use a face cleanser and scrub so it was nice to try a new brand of one. It smells strongly of the Rose and was incredibly soft between my fingers. You can barely feel the scrub aspect, it’s gentle on your skin but very effective. I now use it three times a week to remove dead skin. This face exfoliant worked well with my skin, I had no reactions which is something I’m always wary of having sensitive skin. I have used it for two weeks now and would recommend it to others, I’m not even a quarter down the tube after multiple uses, for its quality I’d definitely like to give it a 5/5.

Thank you for joining me for this beauty review today, I know that it’s been a while since I shared any of my self care on my blog, that is mainly due to the fact I haven’t tried any new products for a while, plus my self care and skin routine has kind of gone out the window recently. I rectified this when I realised that I need to start taking better care of myself. I was putting all of my energy into being a good mother and it left me with very little time nor energy to do the little extras for myself. But do you know what? Trialing these products made me realise that I do deserve to do more than just cleanse and moisturise once a day. I have thoroughly enjoyed reviewing these items and noticed my skin improved too. Plus I have made time for skin care in my life through buying these boxes and that cannot be a bad thing! I just now need to maintain that time!

Would I recommend Glossybox to a friend? Or even any of you?
Yes I would. If you like to try and find new beauty and makeup products and enjoy the testing aspects, I would say go for it. It’s a box of treats and self care is so important.

If you would like to use my referral to get 20% off your first box then please click here.

See you around here soon I hope! Stay Safe!

✩ Sabrina ✩

December 2019 Treatbox Reveal

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Hello everyone!
Welcome to the December 2019 Treatbox Reveal and Review.

It’s time to open the Treatbox for the month and we know that this box shall have a partial Christmas theme or treat inside!

This box has a lovely festive red tissue paper wrapping all the lovely treats inside. I can smell something wonderful as I open the cardboard lid and find the calendar print…

… inside the December box I find…

Calendar Print December 2019
Heart Shaped “Merry Christmas” Hang-able Christmas Decoration
Desk Calendar for 2020
East of India Page of Beautiful Stickers
Sass & Belle Re-usable Fold-able Shopping Bag Christmas Pudding
Korean Beauty Radiant Skin Pearl Hydrogel Mask
Recipe Card for Chocolate Log
Festive Smelling Soap Slice – Snowberry – Vegan & Handmade

December 2019 Treatbox

Don’t forget you can follow my social media such as Instagram for more Treatbox photos and updates throughout the month including me using items! @SevernSabrina

My Honest Opinion

Overall this box is great! I love the Christmas themed items such as the recipe which is a great to my recipe box. The decoration is well made and the bag is useful to carry presents to give out during the festive season.
The stickers are of nice quality and I look forward to using them during the next year.
I am a little disappointed to receive yet another Korean Beauty item, because I haven’t had the time to try the last mask yet!
However the Calendar for a desk or table is excellent and I like to be organised and use this sort of thing.

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

Check out my previous Treatbox unboxing posts in this unique category of mine called ‘Treatbox’ it is specifically for these box reviews and reveals – Severn Wishes Treatbox.

Thank you for visiting Severn Wishes, I hope you enjoyed this Review. See you again soon. Have a great Festive Season!

✩ Sabrina ✩

Six Tips for New Parents – the things that everyone forgets to mention!

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These are my Six Tips for New Parents – but they are the things that everyone forgets to mention!

So despite being post birth and genuinely exhausted, most mum’s will admit to that feeling of pride that comes with the arrival of a child. Be it your first or fifth baby, they are all special and all little miracles. Just look what you have achieved!

However there are things people forget to mention to you and I thought I would share some of my tips in this blog post for getting passed these… we will call them the six newborn phases!

When you become a mum you look at your bundle of joy and you feel incredible, that rush of emotions and pride… you just grew and birthed (in whichever way you did) a small human being. Go you! Own it!

But, while trapped in a chair under said small human, (in fear of waking them up if you were to even clear your throat!), you can’t help but wonder why your amazing body didn’t also develop the ability of telekinesis while it was doing this awe shattering feat! How amazing and useful would that be?! So here are my six phases… I guarantee you’ll laugh before the end of this article…

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Phase 1. The “I Can’t Put The Baby Down Because We Are Bonding Or Cluster Feeding” Phase.

Always keep the essentials close by, as in within an arms stretch! This goes for the TV remote, your phone, at least one snack, your phone charger or a charging device, iPad or a book, and definitely a glass of water. If you have a little one who won’t sleep very much then life saving materials can be what get you through those afternoons, as you cradle your small bundle who is finally napping but you dare not put them down. Instead you settle in to an afternoon of Netflix binge watching and you have a whole packet of biscuits with your name on.

Personally I had a lunch bag size cool bag next to where I sat with my son. Inside it were snacks, a reusable bottle of water and piece of fruit. I kept a table to one side of me with the remotes and my phone on, and a box of tissues. On the other side within a stretch away was the cool bag, my iPad and a portable USB charger. Life savers for me on several afternoons!

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Phase 2. The “Where’s The Flipping Muslin Cloth” Phase.

Buy Extra Cloths! So cloths for a newborn are a given, but have you considered you may need to wipe all sorts of things off your baby and multiple times in one day. I couldn’t believe how many cloths I went through a day at first. The tip for this is to keep a folded clean pile of muslin’s somewhere in every main room of your home. Also buy similar colours of cloth so that you can just throw them all in the wash together. Because Muslin cloths are thin they don’t take a lot to wash and also dry, but you won’t want to wait a few hours when you’re down to your last one and baby is due for a feed…

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Phase 3. The “What Time Is It? Oh My Days, I Forgot To Stop For Lunch, Again” Phase.

Nobody tells you how fast the time goes. This isn’t a lie, time actually goes faster and you will forget what time of day it is and then realise you haven’t had a drink for hours! Make sure you always get nourished every time you journey into the kitchen, keep snacks and fruit handy, things you can eat one handed, and keep a reusable water bottle by your favourite seat. Keeping hydrated is most important especially if you’re breastfeeding and recovering from birth too. If baby is having something to drink then you should be too!

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Phase 4. The “I’m Too Tired To Cook, Let’s Open Up The Fast Food App” Phase.

Every parent will admit to ordering fast food in those first few weeks with a newborn baby. But if you can organise yourselves in the weeks running up to their arrival, you’ll feel better for it, both stomach and bank balance!

The answer is this, Bulk Cook your favourite Foods! Keep some of those previous takeaway Tupperware tubs, check how many you can stack in a drawer in your freezer. Then bulk cook a few of your favourite dishes using fresh ingredients. Then you can freeze them in tubs and in portions. Throw in Veg too if you like, at least then you’re getting healthy food inside you. Chicken Curry with added Veg or Spaghetti Bolognese made with a few Veg to bulk it out are both easy to reheat.

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Phase 5. “I Managed To Put The Baby Down, Shall I Pop On That New Series On Netflix Or Go To Sleep?”

It’s really tough when Social Media blows up with the latest Netflix series, and you’re surviving on maybe 4 hours of sleep and only scrolling on your phone in order to stay awake during the 5am feed… But there will come a day when things get easier, your baby won’t need feeding every two hours forever. And then you’ll sleep a little more… (does 6 hours or less sound good to you?). Plus you’ll get used to the lack of sleep and gradually be able to do more, like managing to watch half an episode of something… once a week… then forget what happened and watch it again… and so it goes on…

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Phase 6. “We haven’t had any us time for a long time…”

This phase is a serious one and more to do with you as parents, it’s brand new, it’s exhilarating and exhausting but remember you have become two different people. You are still you, and what time you spend together is still important. You might not get a date night in weeks, if not months after baby is born. But if you have the support of family and you trust them, then there will come a time where you can leave your baby with that person and get back to being you “both” again.
People don’t tell you how hard it is, not being able to go out just the pair of you, you won’t get to watch television or a film without interruption or pausing it every now and then. This is the new normal and it’s okay to find it a difficult transition. Especially if you’re used to going out for a meal once a week or pop off to the cinema at an hours notice…
My tip to get through this phase is this, plan, plan and plan some more. Make timetables and plan ahead with a calendar and try your best to stick to it. Change the usual cinema outings to a Netflix movie and a meal at home, with a big bag of popcorn and sweets from the supermarket as a great and cheaper alternative to the cinema treats…

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Thank you for visiting Severn Wishes today, I hope that I see you here again soon for more parenting posts.

✩ Sabrina ✩