Superman - Justice League 7" Stretch Figure

The Justice League is big news at the moment with the release of the latest film this month. Superhero fans young and old will no doubt be clamoring to see the movie and would definitely love to get their hands on their own Justice League stretch character.

The 7" Justice League stretch characters include Flash, Batman and Superman. They can be stretched and twisted and will always return back to their normal state. There is something so fun about playing with stretchy toys. My husband, eldest son and future son-in-laws always make a beeline for Freddy's stretch toys! Being superheroes, these new 7" Justice League toys from Character Options will definitely become firm favourites.

The seven inch stretch figure has classic Superman styling and comes with a red cloth cape and yellow belt. He has his iconic Superman logo on his chest and his abs and other muscles are well defined. His head is well detailed and made of firm plastic. The body itself has very rubbery feeling hands and feet, while his legs, arms and torso feel more solid and stretch really far when pulled. In fact you can stretch him up to five times his original size.

After he has been stretched, he will retract back to his normal size without any loss of definition. Freddy stretched the arms and legs really far and he still went back to his original shape and size. It is strong and robust as long as it doesn't get punctured, knotted or exposed to extreme temperatures.

The stretchy Superman toy is definitely proving a lot of fun. The fact that it is a superhero adds that extra element of play value and Freddy has enjoyed incorporating his new super stretchy Superman toy into his games.

The Justice League 7" Stretch Figures are recommended for ages 5 and over and are £12.99 each. They are a great Christmas gift idea for superhero fans - even the grown up ones!

Find out more and buy your own 7" Justice League Stretch Figure at www.character-online.com.

Valentine's Gifts in Unusual Places

This Valentine's Day, if you are looking for some cute, quirky and great value gifts to treat the man in your life, then it's time to defy convention.  Forget about looking for tacky toys or novelty presents in expensive gift shops, florists or jewellers...check out Sports Direct.  With hundreds of products available online or in store, you'll find perfect presents for your other half...even if he isn't that sporty!  Many of the items are under £20 so you'll find some top bargains too.

Here are my five fab finds that Ian would love to receive on Valentine's Day.


Lee Cooper Hi-Top Trainers £12.99

I love a man in a pair of canvas hi-tops.  They are playful and bring back memories of being young and carefree.  They remind me of summers spent having fun, being impressed by him doing tricks on his skateboard whilst looking casually and effortlessly cool.  You're never too old to embody the inner skater boy! Give these to a guy to let him know that you love him heart and 'sole'!!

Superman Classic Folded Wallet  £14.99

Let him know that he is your superhero with this fun take on a sensible gift.  Wallets are always a really acceptable present because, after all, we always need somewhere to keep our cash and cards safe!  This one is perfect for fans of comic books, embellished with classic comic strip artwork and bearing the Superman logo.  With the resurgence of DC and Marvel, many man have a secret (or not so secret) hankering to be a superhero...and this Valentine's Day, I'll happily be Lois Lane to Ian's Superman!

Arsenal Mini-Football Table £17.00

Whether he supports Chelsea, Man Utd, Spurs, Liverpool or Arsenal, re-enacting on pitch action with a mini-football table can be most cathartic.  The near misses, the great saves and the goals will never be as much fun than when played out together through the medium of table soccer.  It's a chance to embody the Premier League players and get a bit competitive.  What's not to love?

 DC 3 Pack of Pyjama Bottoms £11.00

I love lounging around, snuggling on the sofa and watching a good film together.  In fact that would be my ideal way to spend Valentine's Day evening, after enjoying a delicious meal for two.  Cracking open a bottle of red and settling down with a movie, feeling all comfy and cosy is a wonderfully relaxing way to round of the evening.  If you throw these super cool DC PJ bottoms into that mix, the night just gets even more chilled.  I love the Iron Man, Thor and Hulk, Spidey & Captain America designs.  And as previously mentioned, many men love the whole superhero thing, making these a fantastic gift idea.  Perfect to cuddle up in!

Calvin Klein Two Pack boxers £19.99

They are classic, sexy, snug fitting and something that every man should have in his pants' drawer.  The hot pink trimmed CK's are the perfect Valentine's Day underwear.  The waistband peeking out over the top of his jeans is a designer fashion statement boldly declaring that this guy is confident, smooth and isn't afraid to flash his pants in public. A great gift that is practical, while still be a little frivolous and cheeky!

Find these gifts and more at SportsDirect.com.

A Superhero Birthday Party

Freddy is four years old tomorrow.  My baby boy is growing up fast!  To celebrate, we had a family party yesterday with a Superhero theme. Superheroes are one of Freddy's favourite things and he can regularly be seen wearing his Superman cape and zapping baddies with his powers. We were blessed with glorious sunshine that made a most welcome appearance and Andy Murray was kind enough to add to our entertainment by winning Wimbledon, but my own little superhero Freddy was the star of the show!

We had a lovely day with a veggie barbecue cooked up by Superdad Ian, served with an assortment of salads and plenty of cakes including my Captain America birthday cake.  I had been torturing myself by looking at the most amazing birthday cakes on Pinterest featuring the Avengers, but I put my feelings of inadequacy aside and designed something that was within my capabilities.  I created a three tiered cake with red, yellow and blue layers and decorated it using frosting and ready made coloured sugar paste. Seeing Freddy's face as he saw his cake (finished off with an impressive giant sparkler) made all my hard work worthwhile!

Ian and his sister made a pinata using a lidded box which had been filled with goodies, taped up,  then decorated using tissue paper and some printed Superman logos.  It was a big "hit"!!  Freddy and his cousin Addy took turns in beating it with sticks until they managed to get to the sweets inside.

We had photo booth props that were a lot of fun and provided a lot of photo opportunities!

The little ones had loads of fun and particularly loved all the bubble making toys that we had. Freddy received a giant bubble making set from his Auntie Paula and the kids made some huge bubbles!  They also made their own superhero eye masks and tested out their super skills bouncing on the trampoline.

We really had a great day which Freddy absolutely loved.  We rounded off the day with a 3D viewing of Wreck It Ralph which was a present from his Nanny Margaret and he played with his new garage and cars that he received from his Auntie Debbie and his Nanny and Grandad from the Isle of Man.

Freddy had a superb day and the Superhero theme worked really well.  It was fun to make bowls of Kryponite (lime jelly), Superhero Swords (grape kebabs), Power Up Pills (M & M's) and jugs of Superhero Juice.  I decorated the gazebo with balloons, an inflatable bat, an Iron Man mask (Freddy's present from Ella's friend Jake) and other themed accessories to make our own Superhero Hide Out.  We did some pavement art on the patio to make some Super Freddy symbols and strung bunting on the fence.

I may not be able to make the world's most amazing seven tier avengers cake...but I know how to throw my little lad a party that he absolutely loved!!!

Fabric Flavours T-Shirts For Grown-Ups!

Fabric Flavours is renowned for its amazing premium quality children's T-shirts featuring best loved characters and childhood favourites such as Yoda and the Cookie Monster.  Inspired by retro and vintage designs they have a nostalgic charm which parents will love.  Featuring techniques such as embroidery, flocking, applique, foil printing, contrast stitching and raw seams, the clothing will make your child stand out from the crowd!

Now for the first time, Fabric Flavours have a range of T-Shirts especially for grown-ups!  With the same outstanding quality and exceptional designs as the children's garments, the men's T-shirts feature
designs from Marvel and Warner Bros.  Available in S, M, L and XL they cost £20.


The quality is of a really high standard and the designs featuring the Spiderman, Superman and Batman logos are really cool.  The T-Shirts match the children's collection of babygros and tees for 0-8 year olds.  So now dads and their little sidekicks can save the world together in their matching tees!


Ian was sent a Superman T-Shirt in XL to try out.  It came well packaged and with a cool care label.

Superman T-Shirt XL

Cool Care Label

He was so impressed with his new T-Shirt!  The muted coloured, retro style logo is in a distressed style.  The pre-washed soft, cotton shirt has been marble washed for a vintage look.  It has a ribbed neck and contrasting red neck tape and red stitching on the edges.


It was a good, comfortable fit and felt very soft against the skin.  Ian felt like a proper Superman!

My Superman

Retro Logo

It is a really fabulous T-shirt with a great twist on an iconic design.  I loved the retro look and the snuggly soft feel of the T-shirt.  I would recommend keeping it well away from your teenagers though because if they are like our daughter Ella, they will definitely try to steal it!!

Ella Models the Superman T-Shirt

To view and purchase from the full adult collection and the full range of children's garments take a look at the website:

www.fabricflavours.com

LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes

Our Review Of Lego Batman 2 For The XBox 360

Batman and Robin return in LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes, the highly-anticipated sequel to the best-selling LEGO® videogame of all time, which to date has sold more than 11 million units worldwide.  This time the Dynamic Duo join forces with other famous DC super heroes including Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern to stop the notorious villains Lex Luthor and The Joker from destroying Gotham City.   Batman fans of all ages will enjoy a new and original story filled with classic LEGO videogame action and humour as players fight to put the bad guys back behind bars.

We were sent a copy of Lego Batman 2 for the XBox 360 to try out.  I was particularly excited about this as I had had a sneak peek of the game at the Warner Bros Blogger Event earlier in the year where it was demonstrated on a cinema sized screen.

The most exciting development in this title is that for the first time the characters can speak, allowing for plot progression using dialogue.  Favourite characters are beautifully portrayed in Lego form and you can get to play as some other iconic comic heroes such as Superman, who can even fly!

A whole host of vehicles such as the Batmobile and Batwing can be used in the game, and new suits and gadgets allow the characters to solve certain tasks along the way.  There are super powers to be discovered such as Superman's heat vision and superbreath, making this the most exciting Lego game to date!

Gameplay is solo or co-op which allows for some real family fun as players adopt the roles of the Dynamic Duo et al!  An amazing Gotham City hub can be fully explored which is absolutely breathtaking.  It includes all the famous landmarks such as Wayne Manor. You can the city and interact with the landscape collecting items and discovering mini-games.  Once you complete the game, free-play is unlocked and you can even get to fly over the city as Superman, which I witnessed at the Warner Bros. event.  The addition of the John Williams' Superman theme tune is nothing short of pure genius.

Ian and the kids have been playing Lego Batman 2 and are enjoying the challenge of solving puzzles and completing levels.  The co-op experience is always an enjoyable aspect of the Lego games which my family loves.  The game leads you through the levels quite nicely giving hints along the way making it great for novice gamers and younger players alike.  The use of the suits is an interesting way of solving certain problems.  Robin's Acrobat Suit helps him climb to inaccessible areas and the Invisibility Suit helps Batman to sneak past the security systems.

This game is pure entertainment.  Beautifully made with superb graphics, this game is a joy.  The soundtrack is very movie-like and the voice talents add an extra element of fun.  My family adored the Lego characters, The Joker being our favourite!  The familiar Lego gameplay of building things and bashing things and collecting things remains the same and is fondly carried out.  The humour is simply brilliant and includes a great deal of slapstick that the little ones giggled at.

There is so much to do in Lego Batman 2.  For instance there are 250 gold bricks to find (we have about 3!!)  Characters and items can be unlocked and levels replayed extending the longevity of this title. It really is fun for everyone, and equally fun to sit and watch being played which is a real bonus for those of us who don't get a go on the XBox very often! 

Lego Batman 2 is currently available to buy from GAME for £34.99.

Warner Bros Welcomes Bloggers

Batman, Ultra Violet and Blinkbox With Warner Bros!

Yesterday I ventured into the big smoke with my blogging buddies Lou and Helen to attend the Warner Bros Bloggers Event at their head office in Central London.  Upon arrival, we were greeted by a lifesize Batman and a six foot tall Happy Feet Mumbles penguin model.  My love of movies was instantly re-ignited!

We were given the opportunity to find out more about the latest technologies in film viewing including Ultra Violet, blinkbox, Rovi, Flixster, X Box Live and PSN.  We also had a sneaky peek of a brand new WB game due for release in Summer.  There was a plethora of knowledgeable young men eager to chat about their areas of specialism, plus a constant supply of food and drink.  I was set for a good couple of hours of being immersed in the Warner Bros. experience.

Here Inside the Wendy House, we love films.  I was really interested to discover the new ways to watch them, utilising games consoles, tablets, laptops, iphones and PCs.  The world of digital technology is opening up our viewing options allowing us to have movie experiences wherever, however and whenever we want them.  With options to stream or download films, this is the future of movie entertainment.

I was particularly impressed with blinkbox which is a simple and easy to use, non-subscription based service enabling you to pay for the things that you want to watch and view them instantly.  With a huge library of over 10,000 titles from all genres of movie and TV, blinkbox lets you watch movies on your Smart TV, games consoles (such as via XBox Live), PC or tablet.  New films become available on the same day as they are released on DVD making your choices totally up to date.  Films can be rented for 48 hours or purchased and remain on your account indefinitely. Excitingly, blinkbox has just become part of Tesco.  Anytime you buy a new DVD release  from Tesco and swipe your Clubcard, you will get a digital copy stored on your blinkbox account to watch anytime you like. I have made an account and am really impressed with the range of free films and shows available to watch and the special offer rentals which start at just 99p.  I've already watched Battle Royale  for free on my laptop!  I was very pleased to see the series of Alcatraz on blinkbox as I missed the first two episodes...I'll be catching up tomorrow!

Ultra Violet seems to be the next step in flexible film viewing.  Blu-Ray Triple Play Packs include a UV digital copy allowing you to watch your film on the go.  The movies are stored in a free online personal library so they can be viewed on laptops, tablets or smart phones, anytime, anywhere.  It adds another dimension to your choice when it comes to buying and watching films.  Warner Bros are at the forefront of this, being the first studio to launch Ultra Violet enabled titles last year.

The real appeal of having 'virtual' copies of films as well as the original discs, is the fact that I will no longer have to deal with the unholy combination of kids and DVDs.  I like my children having the independence of watching a film on their own terms, but hate the aftermath of sticky finger prints, scratches and lost discs.  Letting them choose from a virtual library online will keep my discs safe and sound.  Especially now when we are venturing into ugrading our collection to Blu-Ray and 3D Blu-Ray, the discs are more expensive and I'd hate to see them damaged by my over eager film buffs.  I wonder how long it will be before hard copies become obselete?

The highlight of the day for me was watching some of the yet to released game Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, being played by the supreme gamer Dan on a cinema size screen!  I know it's a bit geeky but I thought it was totally awesome!  We are big fans of the Lego videogame franchise having the Harry Potter, Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Batman titles.  I love the combination of humour, action, puzzles and animation that make up the games.  They are sheer genius.  The latest title takes the genre a step further with some amazing  new features.  The Dynamic Duo join forces with other DC super heroes to stop the notorious super villains from destroying Gotham City.  The new and original story sees players fighting to get the bad guys back behind bars.  The co-operative play is intuitive and entertaining, and the unlockable characters are a joy to behold!  I won't give away too much as it is all a bit hush hush at the moment...but this is definitely going to be on my wishlist this summer!

A range of Lego toys:  The Super Heroes DC Universe collection have just been released and include sets such as the Batcave and three buildable action figures.  Well worth checking out!  The Lego Joker was fantastic.

We were given a fantastic bundle of goodies to take home with us including some 3D Blu-Ray titles.  My husband has now got the excuse he has been waiting for to invest in a 55" 3D TV.  He has started Googling them already!   On our way out, me and Lou took a look at an amazing display of genuine Harry Potter props including the Nimbus 2000 and a Death Eater mask.  We got a bit over excited truth be told!  Unfortunately the tight security did not allow photos to be taken, but trust me when I say it was quite incredible.

I left the event, very excited about the future of film, gaming and their associated technologies...thank you Warner Bros!