Freddy's Avenger's Bedroom Makeover using Dulux Bedroom In A Box #asifbymagic

Dulux have a fantastic new concept in home decorating, the Bedroom-in-a-Box.  We were sent one to use in Freddy's bedroom, as part of a fantastic Avengers themed makeover.  The Bedroom-in-a-Box contains the matte emulsion paint for the walls, the quick dry satinwood paint for the woodwork, wallpaper adhesive and a wallpaper mural.  You just need the brushes and you are good to go!

The mural consists of 12 panels of top quality, thick, glossy paper, that is hung to create an amazing Avengers themed feature wall, transforming a bedroom into something really special.

Freddy is a huge superhero fan.  He loves dressing up as a superhero, playing with superhero toys, playing Marvel games on the XBox and watching his favourite superhero  movies.  So I was in no doubt at all that this bedroom makeover would make him happy!

We set aside a weekend to do the work and Ian and I double-teamed it to get the job done.  The painting was easy as the walls were a very similar shade of light blue, but a quick coat freshened them up.  We were impressed that the satinwood paint was water soluble so was easy to wash from the brush.  Gloss paint that has to be cleaned using turps was always such a pain to use. Satinwood is a much nicer way to paint the skirting boards and windowsills.  

 The mural hanging was something very new to us, as we have never used wallpaper in our decorating. But working together we were able to piece the panels together and trim the excess from the bottom edge quite successfully.   The Maximum Strength Wallpaper Adhesive was easy to make up and held the paper to the walls really well.  It was sticky enough to stop it from slipping, but had enough give in it to slide the pieces to match the pattern. Using a step ladder to hang the top half of the mural and using a soft cloth to gently work out any air bubbles and creases, we managed to achieve a smooth, crinkle-free end result, with the pattern pretty well aligned. We were impressed with the markings on each of the panels that made lining the pieces up much easier.  As total wallpaper beginners, I think we did a great job and we had a lot of fun working together! 

As with most houses, our walls and ceilings are not 100% straight and perpendicular to each other, which meant we had to trim some edges to make the mural fit at the corner of the room and this resulted in a very slight discrepancy when it came to aligning the last two panels, meaning Captain America's leg is not 100% lined up.  But it is very slight and doesn't show unless you look for it. It is only the perfectionist in me that notices it.  However, the overall quality and the finish of the mural looks amazing and it was very straightforward to do as a two man job.

The finished mural is vibrantly coloured and features Thor, Iron man, the Hulk, Captain America, Hawk Eye and the Falcon.  Unfortunately as Freddy's walls were a bit too small, we lost the Black Widow and Samuel L. Jackson's character who appear on the final piece of the mural, but that didn't distract from the finished wall at all. 

With the addition of a new Avengers duvet cover and with the placement of some of Freddy's superhero toys and books, we themed the room to match the mural and it looked brilliant.  The life size characters bursting into Freddy's room look so impressive.  Everyone who has seen it has thought it is brilliant!  It's a big improvement on his old room, which was looking a bit tired and a bit babyish for Freddy.

As for Freddy he was over the moon and used words such as 'awesome' and 'I love it'. The design features in imaginative games and he loves making up stories with his favourite characters in.  He knows who they all are and Captain America is his favourite. It is lovely for him to have a proper 'big boy's bedroom' in time for his 5th birthday.

Here is our video review of the Dulux Avengers Bedroom-in-a-Box featuring before and after scenes, tips on hanging the mural and Freddy's reaction to seeing his new room.  He was a little bit subdued, as he is ofetn is when confronted with something new, but ironically once the camera was switched off, he started jumping on the bed, cheering and shouting about how awesome his new room was.  (As you can see in the comic strip picture above!)

          

"We were provided with a Bedroom in a Box for the purposes of this review by Dulux and Tots100. You can find out more about the Bedroom in a Box range on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest." 

Freddy's birthday party with four generations of our family!

Freddy's birthday is next week, but as his big brother will be on holiday and his big cousin Tom will be emigrating to America, we had an early family birthday barbecue to celebrate last Sunday.  My guest list included all the family - meaning that all four generations (aged between 1 and 81) would be together for the first time ever.  I was so happy to be able to pull this off, especially as this was Tom's final visit before he heads off to make a life for himself in Georgia with his lovely American fiance. I will miss him so much but am so proud of him for achieving his dream.  It was a nice opportunity for everyone to say their goodbyes.  He stayed with us for four days around the barbecue and I cherished every moment and may have drank a few too many beers and shed a few tears!

Freddy's party had a construction theme.  His birthday cake was going to be a three tiered chocolate cake with diggers on top, digging up the top layer of sponge, but Freddy was adamant that he wanted a vanilla tray bake!  So I put my thinking cap on and topped the vanilla frosting with crushed Oreos and decorated the cake using Playmobil construction workers.  Cadbury's Pebbles made good rocks for the wheelbarrow and bucket! It was a very easy birthday cake and I'll use the idea of making a tray bake as a base for a themed scene again.

I bought some sand toys; buckets, spades, a wheelbarrow and a big truck, which were used to hold crisps, biscuits and sweets.  The little ones loved digging for the goodies with the spades!  A tool box made a good holder for some of the snacks and I used tin cans decorated with a construction themed label to hold cutlery.  We had a veggie barbecue served with an assortment of salads and bread.  We had construction themed plates, cups and napkins, and we had balloons with diggers and trucks on them to decorate the gazebo. Freddy's JCB toys, die cast vehicles and toy trucks were dotted around.  The theme worked well and I was pleased that everything came together.

My parents are now both in their eighties.  They have a total of 13 grandchildren and two great grandsons.  It's been years since they have had all their grandchildren in one place at the same time and the great grandsons had never met before.  Ted is my eldest son Joe's little boy who is 18 months old.  My adorable great nephew Baby Michael is my niece's son and has just turned one.  These newest additions to our family mean we have four living generations, which is a great honour. Seeing everyone together made my mum and dad's day.

With everyone together we had to try and take a family photo of my parents with the grandchildren and great grandchildren.  One of my nieces had left by this point, but 12 out of 13 wasn't bad going!  Unfortunately Freddy decided not to pose and little Ted was not going to cooperate and run off half way through.  However, this is my favourite shot of our slightly chaotic family - it really tells a story! 

The kids loved playing in the newly refilled sandpit, blowing bubbles and bashing the pinata. I had ordered a truck pinata but it was out of stock, so I got a fire engine instead. It was well and truly bashed and eventually spilled its contents of sweeties to the delight of the little ones.  Thankfully, bar a little shower, the sun shone.  It was a lovely day and I loved having my children Joe, Megan, Ella, Kizzy and Freddy all together at home.  It makes me feel whole again.

Once most of the guests had left, I remembered that I hadn't cut the birthday cake!  So Freddy blew out his candles watched by his Nana and Grandad, his sisters, a couple of Ella's friends (who Fred adores and wanted to invite), two cousins Tom and Kate and Baby Michael. (At least it meant more cake to go round!)  He had a wonderful day!

We'll be celebrating some more next week for Freddy's actual birthday.  He's a lucky little boy!

PS. Thank you to Freddy's Auntie Debbie for the fantastic Angry Birds onesie that Freddy wore all day long!

Oreo and Peanut Butter Cupcake Recipe

Having received a pot of Duerr's Smooth Peanut Butter to try out, my girls were adamant that they wanted to pair it with Oreos - their all time favourite flavour combination - in a cupcake recipe. 

So Ella and Kizzy set to work to make a batch of cupcakes, stuffed with two whole Oreos sandwiched and topped with peanut butter.  They are very indulgent...but ever so yummy.  They look fabulous too, with layers of sponge cake, Oreo biscuit, cream and peanut butter.

Oreo and Peanut Butter Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients

(makes 12)

4 oz margarine or butter

4 oz golden caster sugar

4 oz self raising flour

2 free range eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

splash of milk

24 Oreo biscuits

1-2 tablespoons Duerr's Smooth Peanut Butter

Method

Cream together the marg and the sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs and vanilla essence.

Fold in flour.

Add a splash of milk to form a soft batter.

Meanwhile take two Oreos and sandwich together with peanut butter.

Spread peanut butter on top of them.

Put one dessertspoonful of batter into a cupcake case.

Put the prepared Oreos on top.

Put another spoonful of batter on top to cover them.

Spread the batter to cover the sides of the Oreos.

Cook at GM6 for 15 minutes.

Best served warm!

Peanut butter is a staple in our kitchen cupboards.  It's great on bread or as an ingredient in satays or desserts.  My girls also use it to make Oreo and Peanut Butter Milkshakes! The Duerr's Smooth Peanut Butter was lovely and thick, super smooth and very easy to spread.  It is 91% roasted peanuts, making it a deliciously nutty spread.

Just imagine a sculpture made out of Cadbury Chocolate...

What brings joy to your life?  A pair of Jimmy Choo shoes?  A favourite book? Your pet chihuahua? Thoughts of Thierry Henri's torso?  Well - whatever it is that brings you joy could now be transformed into a chocolate sculpture thanks to an exciting new promotion from Cadbury.

Promotional bars of chocolate, including Dairy Milk, Crunchies and Twirls, are available in stores now and you have a 1 in 8 chance of winning a chocolatey treat. Thirty lucky people will win a beautifully hand crafted chocolate sculpture made by renowned food artist Prudence Staite.  Imagine sinking your teeth into your favourite thing in chocolate form!

In addition to this, the lucky winners will also win a joyful surprise valued at £5000 to fulfill their most joyous dreams. So if a shiny pair of shoes makes you happy, you could receive a pair made from chocolate and then jet off to Milan to buy a pair of real ones too!

This joyous promotion will be bringing happiness to some very fortunate folk.  Personally, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for winning Thierry Henri's torso sculpted out of Cadbury chocolate... but good luck for whatever you wish for too!

Find out more at www.facebook.com/CadburyUK

A Summer Dessert with Jordans Country Crisp

Jordans have enlisted Edd Kimber to create a series of foraged food recipes inspired by The Jordans Wildlife Garden. This garden will be unveiled at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show, which runs from 8 - 13 July, and showcases the British countryside and the natural larder it provides. Edd's recipes utilise a selection of foods that can be found in nature's larder such as berries, cobnuts, strawberries and plums.

Inspired by Edd's vision and Jordans' commitment to the British countryside, I came up with a quick and easy way to make a cheat's Strawberry Fool using strawberries foraged from our own garden and Jordans Country Crisp with Strawberries.

For a very simple dairy free dessert, layer chopped strawberries and Swedish Glace iced non-dairy dessert into a serving glass, sprinkle over the Country Crisp and top with a big, ripe strawberry.  You can enjoy all the goodness of oats and fresh strawberries in a yummy, summery pudding!

You can keep up with all the news on the Jordans Wildlife Garden by following the hashtag #jordansgoeswild on Twitter and Facebook.

Freddy the Weatherman - Bigjigs Play Patrol Mission #1

My little Play Patrol Agent Freddy was delighted to be picked by Bigjigs to carry out a series of secret missions over the coming months, where he will be trying out a selection of their toys and putting the fun to the test!

His first mission was to test out the Bigjigs Magnetic Weather Board. On Sunday we had a wonderful family barbecue to celebrate Freddy's 5th birthday, which is next week.  Once everyone had left, Freddy put his new toy to the test in the garden.  Donning his new uniform of baseball cap and T-shirt he took on his Play Patrol Agent role very seriously. Being outdoors was the perfect location to see exactly what the weather was doing.

The Bigjig Magnetic Weather Board is a lovely, educational toy, perfect for the bedroom, playroom or classroom.  The large wooden framed structure helps children to learn about the seasons, the weather, time and dates, all within the context of a yearly calendar.  The wooden magnetic pieces can be positioned into the relevant spaces, allowing children to record what they did, when they did it and what the weather was like.  A clock face with moveable hands also allows little ones to record the time.

Each of the date, year, season, day, month, activity and weather pieces are made of wood with a magnetic back allowing them to be stuck onto the board.  The colours and designs are appealing making this a fun activity for children to enjoy.  The clock face has words as well as numbers to assist the learning of terms such as half past, quarter to and o'clock. Freddy has always enjoyed playing with toy clocks and seeing how the hands go round.  This will hopefully help him to take his time-telling to a new level!

Being magnetic allows little ones the chance to be creative and explore the different combinations of dates and times through play.  They can learn letter and number recognition, practice counting skills, enjoy colour matching and also learn the spellings of the days, months and seasons of the year.  Older children will enjoy filling out the daily record, making them more aware of time, the weather, seasonal changes and the calendar.

It is a great starting point for discussions about weather and time related things.  For example it prompts children to think about why it rains or what causes the wind to blow, sparking their quest for scientific knowledge.  It also gives them an opportunity to understand how days, months and seasons fit together within a year.  

Freddy has been enjoying having his Weather Board to record his days on.  It is a lovely toy to go alongside his enquiring mind. It has the potential to last for years (and as it includes pieces for the years up to 2020 it will literally last until then!)  It will grow with him as his ability to tell the time and read the words improves. 

                            

The handle allows the Weather Board to be easily carried, while the magnetic pieces stay safely attached to the board.  So Freddy had some fun in the garden putting the fun to the test up the slide, on his climbing frame and on the grass.  This proves that Bigjigs Play Patrol agents can have fun anywhere!!

Using his Weather Board up the slide!!

I love the traditional and highly educational toy.  It aids concentration and dexterity in children aged 3 and over.  It's a real classic piece with lots of play value.  As with all Bigjigs toys it is made using responsibly sourced materials and conforms to EU safety standards.

Telling the time out on the lawn!

I'm sure that Freddy will enjoy this for years to come in lots of different ways.  He has already invented his own game which involves throwing the pieces at the board to try and make them stick.  He thinks it's a great laugh...but what he doesn't realise is that he is learning all about magnetism too!!

Carrying his new toy on his climbing frame!

Filling in the 'Today' section on the Board together is a chance to chat about the child's day with them, which is a lovely way for them to recount what happened and consolidate memories.  Communicating with children is vital for their language development, and boosts their self-confidence too. It's a lovely activity to share at the end of a busy day.

You can find out more from the other Play Patrol Agents on the Bigjigs Facebook page and browse their beautiful range of toys at www.bigjigstoys.co.uk.

Recipe Ideas for Pilgrims Choice Mature Cheddar Crumbles

Pilgrims Choice have a new range of Cheddar Crumbles, 4mm cubes of diced cheese designed for the perfect melt.  With three varieties: Mature, Mature with Black Pepper and Extra Mature with Breadcrumbs and Herbs, they can transform fridge staples into a tasty meal.

I was challenged to give the Crumbles a try and come up with some recipe ideas using everyday ingredients.  The Crumbles with Black Pepper or with Breadcrumbs and Herbs add a twist to meals, while the convenient ready to use cheese pieces save time and effort in the kitchen.

Mushroom and Spinach Pie with Cheesy Crumb Topping

Ingredients

1 sheet of puff pastry

olive oil

1 red onion chopped

1 clove garlic

8 oz button mushroom sliced

160 g of  fresh baby spinach

3 tablespoons Hummus

Half a pack of Pilgrims Choice Crumbles with Breadcrumbs and Herbs

Method

Fry the onions in a little oil until softened.

Add the crushed garlic, spinach and mushrooms until cooked through.

Put the puff pastry sheet on a baking tray.

Spread the hummus over the base.

Spoon the filling on top.

Fold the edges of the pastry over.

Glaze with a little milk or egg.

Sprinkle Crumbles on the top.

Cook at GM6 for approx. 20-25 minutes.

You can also use the same filling to stuff large open cup mushrooms (just whizz through a food processor along with 2 slices of wholemeal bread processed into crumbs) and top with Crumbles.  Cook for about 20 minutes at GM6.

Check out the Pilgrims Choice Facebook Page for lots of cheesy fun!