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

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

Organising your Kitchen Drawers has never been easier with the Joseph Joseph DrawerStore Organiser

Today I am bringing you a brand new product review, my first purchase of 2023!

Featuring the DrawerStore Organiser from Joseph Joseph.
Purchased on Amazon for £26.39.
(Price Correct as of January 21st 2023).

Product Information: Available in Grey, Blue, White/Green.
Product Details: Only suitable for Drawers with a depth of 8cm or more.
Dimensions: 38.4cm Length by 39.7cm Wide and 5.3cm Deep.
Additonal Information: There are several of these DrawerStore items in
different sizes and for different uses such
as cutlery, whole drawer, knives only etc.

Sabrina’s Top Tips!

Always measure your own drawers and cupboards and work out the cost for the product versus how many centimetres of product you are paying for. This product was worth it for my drawer because I am not wasting any space. However there are many similar products on the market that may suit your space better, plus Joseph Joseph do smaller organiser trays as well! So always weigh up all your options before you buy and get out that ruler or tape measure.

Picture from Amazon

This was the situation in my kitchen drawer before I made the purchase. It was full of baby spoons and a copious amount of medicine spoons and syringes. I needed a clear out and to reorganise because types of items were all mixed together, like my sons cutlery with the adult cutlery, and so on.

My Drawer set up prior to this Joseph Joseph product purchase.

For a while now I have been reorganising my kitchen and the space within it. The issue is that I live in a small cottage which only has three rooms downstairs. I have no utility area, so my kitchen is three things in one room. It is my food prep area, my utility and my storage room for everything from food and drink, and cat food to cleaning products. I also only have 3 drawers in the room too, so maximising the space that I do have in those areas is vital.

I’m someone who loves to cook and often bulk cooks too. So I have plenty of different knives and utensils, as well as my usual cutlery. My Jamie Oliver cutlery set is my absolute favourite and I use them every single day.

I had a voucher for Christmas for Amazon, and I had been looking at getting something from Joseph Joseph. This brand is incredible for their sturdy and space saving gadgets and kitchen utensil related products. I already own two other useful items from their range, and I had seen the drawer organiser and hoped it would fit my old fashioned kitchen. Success for me because the measurements I had done worked out, so I went ahead and ordered it.


When I removed it from the Amazon box just two days later I was happy with the quality, the plastic is very strong and durable which is what I needed. I took off the packaging to recycle it and be able to give the organiser a good clean with some antibacterial spray. Once that was done I looked it over and decided where I wanted to put some of the items from my drawer, although the organiser does suggest cutlery in some spaces which are allocated with little icons.

After cleaning out my current drawer space I slotted in the Joseph Joseph piece and I got to work with the organising of it. Pleased that I was able to fit every single item from my previous draw tray and even have room to spare. I also allowed me to see just how many things I could recycle, like the fact I had managed to accumulate 17 medicine spoons, 7 Calpol syringes and several baby spoons that my son no longer needs. I kept a couple of each and tossed the rest into my plastics recycling tub.

Allocating the items was simple and they slotted into the cutlery spaces with ease, all except for the Table Spoons, the larger ones did take a little manoeuvring but I got there in the end and I was pleased with the end results. It didn’t take me more than twenty minutes to do my drawer change over, and I am left with a more organised space that is much easier to find what any of us want.

I decided to place the things that my son uses (and often helps himself to) at the front in the right corner so that he could reach them easy enough. Placing the things I use least often such as Soup Spoons, Dessert Spoons and Dessert Forks at the back corner. The drawer is designed for Table Spoons, Forks, Knives and Tea Spoons in that ascending order on the left moving towards the back of the organiser tray. I would personally and usually like to have my tea spoons at the front, so this is my only bug bear with the tray. Otherwise it has been a fantastic addition to my kitchen whilst I remain vigilant on how to save space and create better organisation in other parts of the room.

My completely reorganised drawer with Joseph Joseph organiser.

Overall I would like to rate the item 4/5✩

Would I buy it again? Yes

Would I recommend it? Yes

Overall the item is strong, durable and it fits the dimensions of my relatively small drawer which is excellent. I think the icons for the items should be slightly different on the left of this tray however. One of the main items we use in the United Kingdom is a tea spoon, it doesn’t make sense for these to be in the very back slot of the tray. Other than this I highly rate this organiser tray. You may have a larger kitchen and larger drawer than I have, in which case accessing the final part of the try might not be an issue for you. If you have a smaller drawer like me please check the depth of your drawer before buying, luckily mine was 8cm, but anything under 7cm will likely cause the cutlery to become stuck due to the angle of which they are laid out in the left side of the organiser. If you look at my photograph below you will see what I mean, and about the tea spoons disappearing at the back of the drawer. I actually may end up putting some with my sons cutlery at the bottom right corner for ease of access. I thought the cost was a little expensive but you are getting a branded item and it is of high quality in a manufacturing sense. The features are also good regarding the icons and the shape in which the tray is designed in which to maximise efficient use of space.

My Final Scores

Durability 5✩
Product Design 4✩
Product Cost 4✩
Features 5✩
Product Quality 5✩

My son can now safely help himself to anything in his designated section of the organiser.

Thank you for reading this product review today.

I hope you have a great rest of your week!

If you have questions about the product then please leave me
a comment and I will do my best to answer them.


See you again soon I hope!

✩ Sabrina ✩

Argos Testers Review of the Breville VBL248 Blend Active Personal Blender in Pink

Hello! I’m Sabrina! And I am an Argos Tester, this means that I often get items sent to me for the purpose of an online review. I thoroughly test products and take photographs of them before submitting my findings and honest thoughts over to Argos. This latest campaign was to test a brand new Breville Blender and I jumped at the chance to do so, mainly because I hadn’t replaced an old blender when it broke around three years ago.

#ArgosTester #ArgosTesters #ArgosTestersCommunity


I have written this article about a product that I have been supplied for free, in order to test and then review it. This is my experience with said product and it is my honest review about the product listed below. I have already submitted my review to the Argos Website, and it has been accepted on to live public view when this blog post has been published. Please see my review on this screengrab below from the Argos website. All words and photography below this screengrab are my own.

Product Name: Breville VBL248 Blend Active Personal Blender in Pink (also available in Green)
Product Price: £23.00
Product Link: Argos Website

Product Information: Two 600ml Plastic Bottles BPA Free. Two Super-Seal Leak Preventing Lids with Carry Straps. 350W Blender Unit. Stainless Steel Bladed Bottle Base (Screw on Top), Blades Suitable to Crush Ice and Frozen Fruit. Only Suitable for Cold Liquids and Food Stuffs. One Touch Easy Blending. Bottles are Marked with ml for Ease of Use. Base Unit also available in Green. 0.6 Litre Capacity. Base requires Mains Electricity Supply.

Description from Argos:

Enjoy smoothies, juices, protein shakes and more on the go with the Breville Blend Active. This single-serve blender features a powerful 350W motor that smoothly blends frozen berries and ice with juice and other liquids. The blending occurs in the top of the bottle so nothing gathers in the base, while the one-touch action delivers perfect results in seconds; ideal for busy weekday mornings before you head out to work, school or the gym.

Make healthy, delicious smoothies, frozen juices, protein drinks and more.

One-touch blending action delivers perfect results in seconds; a quick and easy way to your 5-a-day.

My Honest Opinion

I have really enjoyed testing this gadget, and as someone who eats a lot of fruit anyway, it was nice to consume my five a day in a different way for a change. I enjoyed coming up with various smoothies and shakes over the several days of testing this product. I only had one minor issue with it and that was the electric cable from the base unit was a little short, but that’s also my bugbear due to the fact I don’t have many plugs in my kitchen as is. So I have since rearranged my counter top now so that my Blend Active can remain at easy reach. I did my first go on the top of my oven hob which wasn’t going to be practical, so I moved things around. I have used the Breville Active every day so far since I received it. It wasn’t as noisy as I thought it might be, and it was so quick to set up and easy to use too.


The bottles are really nice to hold, and the ml on the sides allows for ease of preparation of the smoothie and also tells you how much you’ve created and drank respectively. You could divide one full smoothie of 600ml into three 200ml glasses and give them to your children in a morning. Or you may wish to consume the entire bottle yourself at home or on the go, the decision is totally up to you.


Due to getting a limited word count when I submit my Argos Review I always like to elaborate some more on my blog. So to answer some of the questions other people have had online; yes the device is only mains powered so you will need access to a plug in order to use it. The blending button needs to be held down in order to blend or to pulse your chosen ingredients, however it also doesn’t take very long at all to blend those items, I think the longest that I did one smoothie (with Vegetables in) was for around 45-50 seconds. Usually 30 seconds was plenty enough time for the fruit I was using to become smooth. If you don’t like fruit seeds you could strain your smoothie through a sieve, into a jug and then pour it back into your (rinsed bottle or spare second) bottle, however it is convenient to simply smoothie up and drink. Finally yes it is going to have some noise to it being a mechanical device, but I have a mini food processor half the size and that is way louder than this Breville blender, so overall the noise for me wasn’t an issue, plus if you’re only making noise for a single minute tops, it’s not going to disrupt the neighbours is it.

Overall I would like to rate the Breville Blend Active 5 stars.

Performance 5✩
Features 5✩
Noise 4✩
Design 5✩
Additional 5✩


Performance is excellent and the quality of the end result is consistently very good.
Features are great such as the leak proof lids and the ml on ergonomic large bottles.
Noise is very good for a loud gadget, it’s not quiet but it’s speed makes up for the noise.

Design is great, a compact base unit and everything fits so well with arrow indicators to help.
Additional star is for BPA Free Plastic and the Recipes in the Booklet to get you started.

Thank you for reading this review, I hope you have enjoyed it. You can purchase this product or read more about it by looking online from Argos, I have left the link in the product description above.

If you have any questions about this Personal Breville Blender then please leave me a comment below or on my social media posts and I will do my best to answer with the knowledge I have gained from reviewing this product.

Don’t forget to check out my social media to see this in action too!

Thank you.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Are You Looking for Personalised Stickers? Do you want High Quality and a Unique Style? Then you should consider Sticker Market UK

Sticker Market is an online custom sticker printing provider in the UK. We are a one-stop-shop for stickers, labels, postcards, business cards, magnets, swing tags and many more.”

This month I am collaborating with the UK business Sticker Market UK. I was approached by them due to my honest reviews and already having worked with many UK based businesses. Thank you for choosing and trusting me to give your business the shout out that it so definitely deserves.

I have been really looking forward to bringing you this blog post, I have had lots of fun designing, and then testing and photographing this particular unique product. As someone who likes to stay organised I am always using stickers, be it on my wall planner, journal, calendar, reward chart for my son (the list goes on), but to be able to design and have printed my very own sticker, now that was something I had never done before.

Sticker Market provides printing for your own custom designs and can print a wide range of sizes and shapes to suit your needs. I chose Circle stickers for my set, however Rectangle and Square are available too.

Some of the types of stickers available include Art Paper Stickers (in Gloss/Matte/Uncoated). Kraft Paper Stickers. Standard Vinyl Stickers. Bumper Stickers (available in PVC Gloss/PVC Matte/Transparent Gloss/Hologram).

Sticker Market pride themselves on offering Cheap Personalised Sticker Printing in the UK and offer competitive prices. They also do Business Cards.

What Did I Design and Why?

I have designed my own personal Sticker so that I can easily organise my sons school items, water bottle, lunch box, snack box etc. It’s so much faster than writing out a label and sticking it on, it’s neater and far more legible too! Plus my son chose stars on my design so he knows that it is “his” sticker. I have also used them around my home for items that only my son uses such as his nature pot which houses all the rocks we find on walks and days out. As well as his lunch items I labelled his tray that we use for school paperwork every week.


Stickers are a fun and easy way to keep things organised and in this case so that people know what item belongs to whom etc. I chose to use this collaboration for my sons benefit, but during the product photography I found myself dreaming up all sorts of ways you could utilise this type of product.

So my final design reads “This belongs to Arlo” and my son chose stars as a symbol to make it his own.

When I realised I was able to design my own sticker it took me a few hours to consider that I was better off designing one to make my life easier. And that’s why I chose to make one to label all of my sons belongings that will be heading to school with him in September!

It took me a couple of hours to nail the design that I wanted, and then another hour to knock it out on my Photoshop software – bearing in mind I had to Google how to do a few things because I only ever use the basic editing tools for my photography like the brightness! – but making my own sticker was lots of fun!

I showed my son the final product and he read his name out loud before giving me the thumbs up. It was a simple yet effective design that I hoped he would soon learn was just for his items. After emailing it in and receiving the final proof from Sticker Market, I was very happy to go ahead and they got to printing. The whole start to finish was slick and I was well informed of the progress right up to when they shipped the box out to me.

Products in Use and Product Testing

Once the stickers were in my possession I found it really useful that they were cut individually, and not in sheets. This saves so much time and also storage space by having them in a neat little stack this way. Sheets take up so much more room I think (and yes I’m a parent with many sticker sheets and reward charts!). The Sticker is printed Bright and Bold and Sharp. My Sticker design looked just like it did on my screen from when I created it, I was very happy.

Now the time had come to get peeling and get sticking!

I gathered all of the items that I wanted to place stickers on to, and began to photograph them as well as test out the stickers durability by handling the items the stickers were attached to. I was impressed with how sticky they were on the variety of surfaces that I chose to use them on.

As you can see in my photography the Stickers I created stand out on a variety of different coloured surfaces and I was happy with their overall look. I chose my background colour so that it would stand out against many things. Knowing the lunch boxes were all blue, I didn’t want anything that would get lost against their vibrant colour. People need to bear these things in mind when designing their own stickers and think, what am I going to use them on. You might also consider whether or not you will need waterproof stickers and other aspects too.

My Overall Opinion

From start to finish this collaboration has been smooth and the customer service has been excellent. During the design process every question that I had was answered and my needs met.
Delivery was fast and I was kept up to date with regards my stickers being printed and posted. I was also sent an email with a proof of what my sticker would be like which was an excellent feature.

The quality of the Art Stickers that I chose are excellent, they are sharp and the colour is bold, the text is easy to read and the sticker itself is printed smoothly, there are no definitive lines from the printing process. I would definitely use Sticker Market UK in the future if I wanted any stickers printing.

As I mentioned earlier I was imagining lots of ways these Stickers could be utilised in daily life, so here are nine ways I have come up with, in which you could use Sticker Market products.

1. Weddings – Personalised Stickers for Wedding Favour Bags or Gifts or even sealing Invitations
2. Birthday Party – Design your own Stickers for a special birthday party or for Party Invitations
3. School – Whether you’re a teacher or a parent you could design a personalised set of stickers for your child/children or for saying “Great Work” to your class.
4. Keeping Belongings in Check – you might have several children with similar items, by designing their own stickers that they can attach to various items, nobody will argue again over what is there’s.
5. Holiday – Going on Holiday? It’s a good idea to mark up personal items and stickers are a fast way to do just that.
6. Small Business – Do you send out products as a small business? You could get business cards or seal packaging with your own unique stickers printed by Sticker Market UK.
7. Journals / Planners – You could design yourself a motivational sticker “You’ve Got This” and stick them where you need extra motivation to achieve, you can design many possible combinations.
8. Calendars – Need Stickers with peoples names on OR activities such as Swimming or Music Lesson, to save time writing it all out you could use stickers to keep track of your busy schedule.
9. Work Space – People in the office always stealing your stapler or holepunch? Not anymore because you can get your name put on some unique stickers and then put them on everything.

My Product Testing Ratings

Overall Appearance When in Use 5✩
Overall Product Quality 5✩
Customer Service 5✩
Delivery 5✩

I have based these ratings over a week worth of product testing including the sticker holding in place while objects are used and handled. I am satisfied with the durability and overall look of the stickers and rate this service as a 5/5.

Where Can You Find Sticker Market UK

If you want to find out more and browse products and current prices for yourself then please visit any of the following links I have supplied below. The website is your first port of call, because you can see exactly what is currently trending and any offers available. You can also contact Sticker Market directly from the website for any queries you might have.

The Sticker Market UK Website is Available HERE
The Sticker Market UK Facebook Page HERE
The Sticker Market UK Twitter Feed HERE
The Sticker Market UK Instagram Reel HERE


Below are some examples of the types and styles of Stickers available at Sticker Market UK.

Sticker Market Quote “Premium Experts in sticker printing with endless product labelling possibilities. Premium quality custom stickers at the cheapest price.”

How I Created This Review

I have been provided with a sample of Stickers in order to provide this Review. Product Testing and Honest Reviews are what I pride myself in giving my readers. Compared to other collaborations this blog post is slightly different, I was first asked to design the sticker that I wanted. That way it was more personal to me, as if I were an actual customer. So I did this, emailed it over and then this design was printed and sent out to me in order for me to test it. I got to keep the product (stickers) in exchange for this honest blog post and the product photography. The company outlined below contacted me directly for the purpose of this review.

Sticker Market, 8 St James’s Square, London, SW1Y 4JU.

Thank you for choosing to read Severn Wishes Blog today, I hope that you have found this review interesting and insightful. I certainly learned a lot more about the types of stickers that were available nowadays through exploring what Sticker Market UK had to offer.

I hope to see you again soon for my next product review, you never know what I might be asked to test next! How exciting!

Have a wonderful final few days of June 2022!

✩ Sabrina ✩

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

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 ✩

Product Review of the Maybelline Skin Perfector 4 in 1 Matte Makeup

Hello and Welcome to my Product Review today!

This Spring I became part of the UK Maybelline Team of Bloggers who Review products that are brand new out in the country. Maybelline New York is one of the leading brands worldwide for make up. I have been reviewing a few items, and today it’s the turn of the Vegan Instant Skin Perfector 4 in 1 Whipped Matte Makeup to go up on my blog.


To see my other Maybelline Reviews after you’ve read this one, please click the Maybelline Category on the homepage of my blog.

I have been sent this sample for free for the purpose of providing a written review and photography across my social media platforms. I am always honest in my critique and review a product solely upon my own personal experience of using it.

You can see Video content of my Reviews on my Facebook or Instagram

I was pleasantly surprised with this makeup because a little of it on your finger or brush goes a long way. It was so soft and easy to apply to my skin with a great match! Light was the colour I was matched with online, and it blended in well and minimised the look of redness, blemishes and even my dark circles somewhat too.

I highly recommended this product if (like me) you don’t have much time in your morning routine for applying makeup, As a single mum I need something that I can apply fast but without compromising on its effectiveness. With having a 4 in 1 application this cream saves me lots of time in a morning, and since the initial review I have frequently used it and applied it after my daily SPF moisturiser. I feel like there is barely anything on my skin, and I found my skin felt breathable compared to some makeup which can feel physically heavy set in the pores of the face. The Vegan formula is also something I can really get behind and I’m always trying to go Vegan friendly when it comes to makeup.


The 4 in 1 Matte Makeup was also easy to remove, I use a Garnier Face Wash and then a Garnier Micellar Water to remove any makeup that I apply.


I would recommend for people to at least try this makeup for themselves and see if they get as good a match, it has true to skin shades and self adjusts to fit your unique tone. I have sensitive skin, and I had no reaction to this makeup.

BEFORE
&
AFTER

As you can see in my images, before I had quite a lot of redness in my skin, and afterwards that redness is reduced and so are my pores.

Overall Appearance in Use 4✩
Overall Product Quality 5✩
Skin-True Match 5✩
Staying Power 4✩

Now that I have used this product for a few weeks I will say it is excellent, easy and fast to apply, saving me lots of time, and a great match to my skin, no reactions and a good staying power. It did go a little cakey one time when I was outside a lot of the day and I think that may have been the wind drying out my skin. Other than that one occasion its been a fantastic product. I would recommend people still applying their usual SPF face cream about 15 minutes prior to putting on this matte makeup. SPF is so important and the extra moisture will undoubtedly increase the makeups staying power.

About the Skin Perfector Matte Makeup

Vegan

Whipped Matte Makeup
Available in 6 Self-Adjusting and Skin-True Colours
Contains a 4 in 1 formula of Primer, Pigment, BB Cream and Powder
4 Benefits in 1 of Blurring, Concealing, Evening the Skin Tone & Mattifying the Finished Look

Wishing all who have read this review a happy and healthy remainder of April!

Thank you for visiting Severn Wishes Blog today, I hope to see you again soon!

✩ Sabrina ✩

19 Uses I Have Found for the Must Have Ideas SUPER SCRAPER

When you have tough cleaning jobs to do you often want something that can give you a helping hand. Look no further than the Must Have Ideas SUPER SCRAPER.

This fantastic tool comes with a thumb space for easy grip and is ergonomically designed to aid you in a variety of “around the home” scenarios. It’s made of tough Nylon and won’t scratch the surfaces you are using it on, plus it’s so handy you’ll wonder how you ever managed to do these things without one! They are currently available for £9.99 as a buy one scraper get one free.
(Price correct as of 19th March 2022 and does not include Postage). These Super Scrapers are so durable that Must Have Ideas state they should last a lifetime.

Let me go into my very own list now, of the 19 ways that I have personally used my Super Scraper around my home. – so far! Here is my “How To Use the Super Scraper” in your life!

  1. Aiding in the Removal of Batteries in kids toys
  2. Scraping off burnt on food off oven trays without removing the metallic surface beneath
  3. Removing dried limescale from around the kitchen sink area
  4. Opening Packaging, Letters and Sealed Boxes
  5. Removing Mud from Shoe Grooves
  6. Removing Small Stones from inside Wellie Boot grooves
  7. Getting burnt off food and stains off of Hob Ring Surfaces
  8. Aiding in Lifting and Scraping Dried on Food off plates
  9. Removing Dried on Paint off Kitchen or Bathroom Tiles or a Ceramic Bath
  10. Removing Stickers that children have used and are stuck on flat surfaces
  11. Removing dried stray Silicone Filler lumps from off Bathroom tiles
  12. Remove Dirt from down the sides and edges of built in kitchen Appliances
  13. Aiding the smooth Removal of a Cracked Screen Protector on a Mobile Phone
  14. Aiding in the removal of dirt around the edges of seals inside my Car
  15. Removing trapped dust and dirt from along a window ledge

16. Helping to Remove Sticky Tack or Chewing Gum from Shoes
17. Easily Open Tins or Cans with Ring-Pulls by using the Super Scraper to Life the Pull Up for you
18. Gently Scratch off Gambling Ticket foils with ease
19. Price Labels can be really tricky to ease off surfaces but the Super Scraper makes it a breeze

My Thoughts on the Product

I never imagined coming up with so many ways in order to use one simple little product! But this tool is something else! And every time I have a situation where I’m not sure of how to get past it, I now turn to the Super Scraper to help me. Overall I am so pleased to have had the chance to review this product for Must Have Ideas and it has been an excellent and useful tool in my life for the last few months. I think every home should have one, it saves you time and effort and sometimes even the hassle of removing or cleaning or dislodging items that would otherwise have eaten up more of your precious time resolving the issue in question.

If my review has not yet convinced you that you need one of these, then why not head over to the Must Have Ideas Instagram page where they often share videos of bloggers and testers like myself, using their products so that customers can see them in use.

About the Super Scraper

Made from toughened Nylon
Ergonomic Design for Ease of Use
It Won’t Scratch Surfaces You Clean
Able to get to Hard to Reach Areas due to Long Thin Design
Sharpened Corners allow you to open packaging or slide along corners to remove dirt


Small but Mighty Super Scraper!

Thank you for reading this blog post today, I hope you have enjoyed it. If you want to know more about the awesome products available from Must Have Ideas please click the link at the bottom of my post and visit their website. They have many wonderful and innovative products for your home and garden to help make life a little easier.

If you have any questions relating to this product please leave me a comment either here or on social media and I will be happy to answer it to the best of my knowledge.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and thank you for visiting Severn Wishes Blog!

✩ Sabrina ✩

MUST HAVE IDEAS WEBSITE
MUST HAVE IDEAS FACEBOOK
MUST HAVE IDEAS INSTAGRAM
MUST HAVE IDEAS TWITTER

5 Healthy Choices Everyone Can Get Behind This New Year

Hello everyone, I hope this latest blog piece finds you all well.

Today I am discussing the 5 healthy choices that I do all the time, that are easy enough so that anyone can get behind them! You’ll feel better if you accomplish even one of these this new year, because they are not only good for your body but also your mind, let us all have a healthy year ahead.

  1. Drink More Water

    I cannot stress enough how so many people don’t drink enough water every day. Women and Men need at least two litres of water a day to aid blood pressure and digestion and to help cell renewal in the skin. I personally aim for 2.5 litres a day and use my reusable water bottles. You will also find that by drinking more water your organs and joints will be cushioned and hydrated. Water contains minerals too, such as Calcium, Magnesium, Chloride and Sodium to name but a few. Water is essential for good kidney and bladder health and helps them by removing toxins that have built up. If these aren’t enough reasons for drinking more water then how about this, by drinking a glass of water when you first wake up it stabilises your blood pressure and kick starts your digestive system, meaning when you start your day your breakfast is ready to be harvested for all its nutrients. To top it off your brain can also respond with regular and consistent water in take, including by improving your mood and memory. So why not try and drink more water this year, once you get into the habit of it and you feel the improvements for yourself your body will ask you for more. That is why a reusable water bottle is great, I carry one everywhere I go.

2. Swap to some Dairy Free food items

You may not believe me now, but making a few swaps to things such as Dairy Free Butter (which is delicious by the way) can help with things such as cholesterol and get you to eat less salt too. You can still bake and cook with Dairy Free Butter and because it’s so tasty you wouldn’t know the difference. I would never go back now to a dairy based butter or spread. I love the Vitalite spread! Perfect in Mashed Potatoes and fab for baking too!

One reason to go dairy free is the choice you have, wow what a range! Plant based or nut based milks are healthier options for you and most alternative milks are fortified with vitamins and minerals too. You may also find that some have lower calories and are better for your body because they are hydrating.
Some people (like my family) use alternatives due to allergies and medical conditions. However you can still make the change to a healthier alternative for both your body and the climate.
Most people find they have more energy and are less bloated and have less digestive issues by swapping from dairy to the alternatives out there, finding one that you like might be hard because there is a massive choice. However my Doctor recommended unsweetened Soya Milk in small amounts or Oat Milk because they are both filled with Vitamins and Minerals necessary to maintain a healthy body such as Calcium.

Dairy Free Cheeses are getting better every year! When I first went Dairy Free there were two choices on the shelf in the chilled isle, now there is a whole fridge dedicated to various types and varieties of dairy free cheese, be it grated, hard, soft or even something in between them all! The only way you can know is to try it for yourself one day. I do recommend the Violife range though!

3. Taking a 15 to 30 Minute Break for Fresh Air Every Day

Fresh Air is so important and a lot of us don’t get enough of it, so if you make one new year resolution this year make sure it’s to get more of it. Even if the weather is bad, standing in your garden under an umbrella still counts. You could walk and that would be even better because it would be light exercise too!

Fresh Air is vital for blood pressure and heart rate by providing clean oxygen for your body, it also aids digestion by increasing oxygen flow through your organs. Fresh Air also improves your mood and can make your happier. Oxygen is vital for good brain health and mood so the more fresh oxygen you can get every day the more you’ll feel the benefit of it.

Breathing in fresh air can also help to reduce the risk of getting air born illnesses and infections by clearing the sinuses. People are more likely to lose weight and stay fit by going for a daily walk and getting both their heart rate up a little and by breathing in plenty of fresh air. Even if you live in the city search on local maps for parks and green spaces. You never know what you might see on your walk either, make it fun for children and play a game like eye spy or pick a letter every day and each person has to spot five things beginning with that letter.

As the weather improves into Spring this will be a much easier one to do every day.

Find Somewhere Local, Green and Full of Nature and Enjoy

4. Do Something You Love for Half an Hour a Day – For Your Mental Health

Most of us prioritise lots of things above our mental health, including housework and other chores, when we should be either resting or doing something for ourselves. Try to make a list of what needs to be done that day and what can be put off until tomorrow. It’s important to get through your every day necessities at home without feeling guilty about wanting to do something for you. And when you’re a parent you get even less time to yourself so it’s very important to take that half an hour, just to fit it in somewhere if you can. I usually have my half an hour before bed, gaming, reading, writing, catching up on a television program I have recorded…

Choose Happy and Healthy

5. Eat a Rainbow of Coloured Foods Every Week

This may sound like a simple one, but I have read many studies that suggest eating a variety of fruit and vegetables over the course of a week, and not just the same four or five every day, gives our bodies the varied vitamins and minerals that it needs to stay healthy. So why not try adding a different lunch and a different evening meal to your routine this week, start to experiment more and try that piece of fruit that you always see in the supermarket but never buy! The more colour the better. Check out my recipes on my blog for some inspiration to start with!

You can get your five or more a day through fruit juice, fruit pieces that are fresh, frozen or tinned, frozen veggies or fresh ones, they all count towards your total. My photograph below shows a typical dinner for myself, and I usually get one of my five during the cooking of my evening meal, I regularly eat a whole raw Carrot while I cook!

If you find that you’re struggling to get your 5 fruit and veg a day (for whatever reason) and feel like you’re lacking something in your diet, perhaps consider taking a multivitamin to give your body a boost, even if just through the winter. Most people lack Vitamin C and D during the colder months.

Eating More Colour Is Better For Your Health

Thank you for reading this blog post today and I do hope that you enjoyed it. If you do take me up on any of my healthy suggestions do comment and let me know how you’re getting on.

Have a wonderful last few days of January! Best wishes!


✩ Sabrina ✩

The Transition of moving my son from a Cot to a Toddler Bed, my Tips and First Hand Experiences plus Reviews of the Purchases I made.

If you’re reading my blog today you might be in the same boat that I was last summer, which is wondering if it were time to make the move for your little one. The transition to a toddler bed is not one to be taken lightly, it is a huge step for our little person, and they deserve lots of time, patience and assistance from us (as their parent/s) to help them feel safe and secure in their new upgraded space.

Hopefully this article that I have combined with my review of the toddler bed that I bought, can help you to make informed decisions on what is best for you and your child/ren. Is it time? Only you will know by the actions and dependence your child currently has.

When the bed was finally in place…

When my son turned two I wanted him to start using a toddler bed and there were several reasons why I thought this needed to happen now. The first reason was that it was difficult to lower him inside his cot when he had fallen asleep in my arms, and he was now tall enough to consider trying to climb over. I didn’t want that to happen, so I purchased his first toddler bed after measuring up the space that I had in his bedroom.

I bought the Argos “Ellis Toddler Bed” in Grey, to match my sons furniture, and then bought a mattress online. I had chosen this bed for three reasons, the first being its height from the floor, the second was that it came with a drawer for under bed storage, and the final reason was because of the three quarter sides.

My son moves frequently in his sleep and I knew that it would be quite a while before he could sleep safely without any sides to his bed. This bed was a great size for the price and I would hope it to last him two years at least due to the length. The handy draw keeps tidy all of the towels and bedding I use for my sons room and it is easy enough to slide in and out on its rolling caster wheels.

Bed Frame size L144, W75, H57cm.
Required Mattress size L140, W70cm.
Clearance between floor and underside of bed 19.5cm.
Drawer size H18.5, W139, D73.5cm.

There are now limited stock on this bed but it does also come in different colours. Here is what I would give it on my review scores having used it now for a whole year.


Quality of Paintwork 4✩
Quality of Manufacturing 4✩
Quality of Finished Product 5✩
Correct Specifications 5✩
Product Design 5✩



Overall this product is excellent quality and although it was difficult to put together, overall we have been very happy with it. A fantastic size for toddlers and small children and my son hasn’t fallen out of it due to the great design with those side bars. Although he is average height for his age (at 3) he still has plenty of room left to grow into this bed.

The Transition from a Cot to a Bed – My Tips and Tricks

The biggest thing about change for toddlers is that it can be unnerving to them. They get anxious and have to get used to something over time, so don’t worry if this alteration in routine and sleeping area takes a few weeks for them to get used to. The best thing that you can do for the first few nights is to keep the routine the same, but just place them in the new bed. If you have a routine that ends with them being placed into bed keep doing that.
Then on the second week add one new thing now that the child is older such as, can they now get into bed themselves because they are old enough to do so? It will make them feel bigger if they do it themselves and gives them confidence, but only when they are willing to get into bed on their own.
Don’t forget to use positive reinforcement when they are on the bed or in the bed so that the praise gives them positive ideals of being in the furniture.
Saying things as “What a lovely new bed you have!” and “Now that you are two/three you can sleep in this special big kids bed” and remember to let them know that this is a good thing, a positive step and not one away from you. Definitely praise little one when they get into bed without you having to prompt them too!

Getting the child to stay in bed is another matter though. Don’t worry if they frequently get out of bed or even tumble out of bed half asleep for the first few weeks, wondering where you are (especially if you have had them sleeping in your room up until this point). And the beauty of the toddler bed is its distance to the floor. They usually are only between 15 and 20cm from the floor.
Make sure to implement rules in their new bedroom, such as no toys after bed time. The child is not too young at this age to be putting their own toys back into a box or tub or basket, so why not start them off if you haven’t already done so (good practice for preschool).
I have found that it’s also a good idea to introduce a clock or show the time to a child at this age, and tell them that at “7 o’clock” (or whatever your bedtime is) their toys are put away and your bedtime routine begins.
Personally we are in the room for 7.30pm but it can take up to an hour to settle my three year old, some nights a story or two is enough and other nights I’m still reading at the hour mark. But it’s just imperative that you keep the routine the same, even if the time differs slightly, it’s still the act of doing things in the order that they are used to, and the act of then getting them into their own bed.


Talk About Their Safe Space

I tell my son every single night that he is “safe in his bed” and he is “safe at home with mummy” and this has reinforced him to stay in his bed. For the first few weeks if he woke in the night he would come and find me because he wasn’t sure on things. Now he’s more than happy to climb into his bed and choose the stories he wants at bedtime. He knows that I’m never far away now, but his bedroom is a safe place for him to be. He doesn’t always come and find me now that he is older either. He often wakes (and I hear him) but he presses his singing toy and lays back down or he will have a sip of water from his bottle and then turn over and go back to sleep.
Again positive reinforcement is key when organising their safe space. When little one wakes up they want to recognise where they are and that it is home or safe, favourite toys or items around the room will help.

If you find your little one is struggling initially with the bed transition then you could choose to sleep on the floor in their room for a few nights. Whenever they wake up in the night make sure they know that you aren’t far away and they are safe. It is totally normal for most children to find their new surroundings daunting, but remember to just keep praising and comforting, they will soon get there. All children are different and it could take a few weeks of patience to achieve the end goal, but everyone should sleep better once that is over with.


Ensure Comfort

Make sure that they are comfortable on a firm but soft mattress and that the room is an optimum temperature. I still use our Gro-Egg from when he was a baby to tell me the room temp! My son had sleeping bags until he was two and a half, he was happy to sleep in them until he got older then he kept trying to take them off. I gave him his own thin pillow at three years of age, and I now put him in Pyjamas and a blanket over him. I have bought a toddler duvet this summer ready for the colder winter months, now that he is old enough to be able to push it away from his own face.


Keep Stories Gentle at Bedtime

I have found that stories that talk about bedtime or going to sleep are best at bedtime, other books can just excite little ones too much. My son has an absolute favourite book about a bear and a baby bear and he’s on his way to going to sleep, and we read it every night. I can now recite it from memory while he falls asleep in my arms (that is how many hundreds of times I have read it). But it’s such a lovely and gentle book that talks about how much mummy bear loves little bear and she is never far away no matter what he is getting up to. Consider what you are doing during your bedtime routine and make sure that there is nothing that is causing your little one to become more awake as opposed to be falling asleep. The best books we have found come from The Works.

My sons favourite book that I highly recommend, we found it at The Works.

Thank you so much for reading this blog post that I have written today, I do hope that you have found it informative and if my lifestyle experience with my son can help you in some way then I am more than happy to share it.

✩ Sabrina ✩