9 November , 201621 November , 2016 - Sarah 52 Comments

Win a Clangers toy bundle with #ClangersForKindness

I vaguely remember watching the Clangers when I was young so when the series was revived on CBeebies last year we waited eagerly for the first episode. It quickly became a favourite with Toby and after the first series had aired we regularly watched it again and again on iPlayer – at one point Toby insisted on watching the Eggbots episode every day!

When I was at Britmums last year I was lucky enough to meet Tiny Clanger in person, and bring home a few Clangers goodies for Toby too. He still loves watching the programme and for us it signals the start of the wind down to bedtime every night. I think even Gabe is starting to enjoy it too.

The great thing about the Clangers is that every episode is about how the little pink creatures are kind to one another and the other characters they meet on the Blue Planet. The lovely people behind the Clangers want to spread the message and are encouraging everyone to join in with #ClangersForKindness – you can see what some young Clangers fans think kindness means in this video.

Toby is only three and still learning about kindness – he’s getting there though and occasionally will do something lovely that really surprises me, whether that’s a surprise cuddle or sharing his chocolate raisins (that one doesn’t happen very often to be fair!). He has started to be much kinder to Gabe recently too – the other day I had to tell him off a little bit for trying to take away a stacking toy that Gabe was playing with. Toby likes things to be done the ‘right’ way so gets annoyed if Gabe isn’t putting the pieces on in the right order. I popped out of the room after I’d spoken to Toby and when I looked back through the door he was finding the right pieces but then giving them to Gabe to let him stack them on the stick – it’s so lovely to see him being kind to his brother and them playing nicely together.

We were recently sent a Tickle ‘n’ Whistle Tiny Clanger and Clangers Astronomy Set which includes a build your own planet mobile. We were also sent a copy of the Clangers magazine and a whistle to recreate the Clangers sound all on our own!

Toby absolutely loves Tiny Clanger – he has carried her around everywhere since he got her and even had to take her to nursery this week. The toy whistles just like the real Tiny, and even plays the Clangers theme tune. Gabe has enjoyed listening to Tiny and moving her arms and ears around too – when Toby has let him get a look in that is!

We haven’t made the mobile from the astronomy set yet – I think Toby would need a lot of help to do it and we’ve not had the chance to sit with him to do it what with all the new kitchen chaos we’ve got going on at the moment. I think it would be great for an older to child to make on their own though, it comes with everything you need, and I love the cute little tin too.

We have a Tickle ‘n’ Whistle Tiny Clanger, and a Clangers Astronomy Set to giveaway – all you have to do is complete the Rafflecopter below – and make sure you share an act of kindness from your child in the comments for extra entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends midnight 4th December 2016
UK entrants aged 18 and over only
Winner will be contacted by email within 24 hours of giveaway end

**Disclosure: We were sent the featured products in return for this post. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links

26 October , 201625 September , 2018 - Sarah 88 Comments

What Toby Wore // Rockin’ Baby

Back in April we were sent some lovely clothes for Toby and Gabe from the Rockin’ Baby Spring/ Summer collection so when they launched the Autumn/ Winter collection and asked if would like to feature something I jumped at the chance.

Toby is very happy with his new Rockin' Baby coat

This time Toby was sent this brilliant Bug Print rain mac. I love the colours of this coat – mustard is one of my absolute favourites at the moment. The bug print is fabulous – it met with Toby’s approval too which is more important now he’s three and has plenty of his own opinions about his clothes!

Rockin' Baby rain mac

Bug Print rain mac

We decided to head out into the garden for a photoshoot and to see if we could have our own mini-beast adventure.

Toby looking for mini beasts in his Rockin' Baby bug print rain mac

The Rockin' Baby bug print rain mac is great for exploring

toby-and-his-camera

exploring-the-garden-in-the-rockin-baby-rain-mac

Toby is wearing age 4-5 and I would say it’s pretty true to size – it fits him well and he is a big three year old. The rain mac is really well made – it’s fully fleece lined, even the sleeves, which I really like.

cosy-fleece-lining-in-the-rockin-baby-bug-print-rain-mac

the-rockin-baby-rain-mac-is-perfect-for-garden-adventures

The seams are all bound to make them really comfy, and the hood is a sensible size and stays up easily. I can’t comment on the waterproof-ness of the rain mac as we haven’t had any rain since we got it but it certainly kept Toby toasty out in the garden. We haven’t used our garden much since we moved but Toby really enjoyed exploring – even if we didn’t actually find any mini-beasts! He did have a go at practising his ‘feelers out, what’s about?’ pose from the CBeebies Mini-Beast Adventure programme.

feelers-out-whats-about

The really great thing about all Rockin’ Baby clothing is that for every item that is bought another is given to a child in China or West Africa.

Toby loves his new bug print rain mac and so do I – I’m actually very tempted to get him the matching wellies too!

toby-keeping-warm-in-the-last-of-the-sunlight-in-his-new-bug-print-coat

We also have one Rockin’ Baby Blue Stripe rain mac in age 3-4 to give away.

rockin-baby-blue-stripe-rain-mac

To enter just complete the Rafflecopter below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Disclosure: We were sent the featured clothing for the purposes of this post but all opinions are my own.

Linking up with Hannah for Funky Kid Friday

30 January , 20152 August , 2017 - Sarah 82 Comments

Review & Giveaway: Wallcreate photo canvas

Considering how many photographs I seem to take every week we don’t actually have that many on display in our house. So when Wallcreate got in touch and asked if we’d like a photo canvas I was very happy to accept. We’ve got a big canvas of Toby that we got a while ago so I decided this time we would have one of our wedding pictures. Our wedding photos were taken by my very talented sister-in-law and we have a beautiful book of them all but only a few are on display.

The canvas we received is 30 x 40 cm which I think is a great size for the picture – I don’t think I’d want my head any bigger on the living room wall! The canvas is great quality and securely fastened to the frame. It also came with some hooks for hanging it on the wall. Our canvas has a white edge, I think I prefer a wrapped edge (when the picture is extended around the outside of the frame), and this is available, along with a few other wrapping options at no extra cost. Standard delivery is £3.97 and our canvas arrived very quickly and well packaged.

The size of canvas we received is currently on sale at £18.97 (50% off the RRP) which I think is a really good price. Wallcreate do canvases of all different shapes and sizes and you can either choose to upload your own photo on their website or email it to them. You can also send a physical photograph if you don’t have a digital copy and this can be made into a canvas too! Wallcreate also have a massive selection of canvas art if you would rather get a print than one of your own photos.

The lovely people at Wallcreate have given me the opportunity to give away one 30 x 40 cm canvas here on Toby Goes Bananas and all you need to do to enter is complete the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends midnight 22nd February 2015

UK residents aged 18 and over only

**Disclosure: I was sent a photo canvas in return for this review. All opinions are my own.

12 January , 201530 January , 2017 - Sarah 87 Comments

The New You Weight Loss Plan

It’s that time of year when lots of us are thinking about getting healthier and perhaps losing some weight in the new year. Maybe you just want to shed a few of those festive pounds that seem to creep on over the holidays or perhaps you’ve got a lot of weight to lose. Whichever of these it might be then a meal replacement diet could help you on your way. Now I know this kind of diet isn’t for everyone, and there are some that argue it’s just a quick fix and doesn’t help you improve your diet in the long run. However, there is no doubting that this kind of diet does work (and I speak from experience here). It can be beneficial to choose a meal replacement diet if you find it difficult to make healthy choices as all the decisions about what to eat are taken away from you.

There are lots of different meal replacement diets on the market, some, like Lighter Life where you have to attend weekly group meetings, or others like the Cambridge diet where you have a personal consultant. If you would prefer to buy your meal replacement products online then there are a few options available too; The New You Plan is one of these options.

The New You Plan is a very low calorie diet (VLCD) which offers soups, shakes, hot meals, bars and snacks. They also provide 24 hour online support to their customers, along with an active Facebook community. There are a few things to consider before starting a VLCD and you should always check with your doctor that it is safe for you to use this kind of diet. If you are unsure if this is the diet for you there are some FAQs here.

If you would like to try The New You Plan then you can win a one week ‘Get Started’ bundle by completing the Rafflecopter below. The bundle contains 30 products and is currently retailing at a sale price of £41.99. The winner will be contacted by a member of The New You Plan customer services team who will help you choose the right products for you.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends midnight Sunday 8th February.

UK entrants aged 18 or over only

**Disclosure: I have not been compensated in any way for running this giveaway.

23 November , 20145 December , 2017 - Sarah 32 Comments

Win £50 to spend at Konfidence

We were delighted when we were asked to be Konfidence Swimologists earlier in the year and Toby has loved trying out the Konfidence Babywarma along with his NeoNappy and AquaNappy. We also put the Sun Protection Suit and hat to good use this summer too! After four blocks of Turtle Tots lessons we are giving weekly swimming a bit of a break for the moment. Toby has been having a bit of a wobble lately and has had so many coughs and colds since starting nursery that we’ve had to miss quite a few classes. I’ve really enjoyed taking Toby swimming though, and it has definitely given me much more confidence to take him in the pool by myself. We’re definitely going to keep swimming as often as we can manage and hopefully get Toby back into lessons when he’s a bit bigger.

Along with a break from swimming lessons our time as Konfidence Swimologists is also coming to an end. Konfidence are already looking for some new Swimologists for 2015 and we’d really like to thank everyone at Konfidence for giving us the chance to work with them and try out their fantastic products this year.

And because the people at Konfidence are just plain lovely they’ve also given me a £50 voucher to give away so you can get your hands on some of their lovely swimming gear too!

To enter just complete the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Entries close at midnight on Sunday 14th December.

All entrants must be 18 or over and UK residents.

The winner will be contacted by email.

22 May , 20142 August , 2017 - Sarah 114 Comments

Review: Joe Browns clothing (plus £50 voucher giveaway)

Most of my clothes these days seem to come from the supermarket – just bits and pieces I pick up alongside the weekly shop! Added to which I’m still trying to lose my baby weight so I’m trying not to buy too many new clothes at the moment. We’ve got our holidays coming up in a few weeks though and I really did need some summery clothes to wear so I was very pleased when Joe Browns got in touch and offered me the chance to review some items from their range. Joe Browns is an online retailer of men and women’s clothes, shoes, accessories and gifts.

The Details

I hadn’t heard of Joe Browns until recently but on browsing their website I really liked the style of their clothing. I found it really difficult to choose which items I wanted to review. I originally ordered these Beach to Bar Shorts (£29.95) and the Seaside Camisole (£19.95). Unfortunately the shorts were too big but due to the cut of them (they have quite a low waist) and my big bum I had a feeling that the smaller size wouldn’t fit either. Luckily it was very easy to send the shorts back using the free returns label included in the packing and I was able to exchange them for this Beautiful Bouquet Tunic (£29.95) instead.

The Pros

There is a large selection of clothes to choose from online. So many that I found it hard to choose!
The clothes are very well made – the camisole is fully lined and the jersey of the tunic is a lovely heavy weight so it hangs very well.
Sizing seems to be accurate based on the size charts on the website. (I was between sizes with the shorts so ordered the bigger size hoping they would be comfortably loose but they were a bit too big to get away with).
I like how on the website it gives details of length measurements but also tells you how tall the model is. The tunic top is long enough to be a dress on me as I’m quite short but I like this as it means I can wear it with leggings.
Prices are good and comparable to other high street brands.
Delivery was very quick and is a reasonable £4. Next day delivery is available for an extra fee. Joe Browns also offer international shipping.
Returns are very easy, and free, using the return shipping label included in the packaging. It is also possible to exchange items without having to pay any additional delivery charges.

The Cons

The only problem, as with all online clothes shopping, is that you can’t be sure how something will look on until you get it. Of course with Joe Browns free returns you could always order two sizes if you aren’t sure and then send one back.

The Verdict

I love my new Joe Browns clothes. I think they are very flattering and I’m looking forward to wearing them on my holidays! There’s so much to choose from on the Joe Browns website that whatever your style you’re bound to find something you like.

The nice people at Joe Browns are offering one of you lucky readers a chance to win a £50 voucher to spend on their site. All you need to do is complete the Rafflecopter below.

Open to UK residents over 18 only.
Giveaway closes midnight Monday 16th June

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Disclosure: I was sent two tops from Joe Browns in return for this review. All opinions are my own.

29 March , 201427 March , 2015 - Sarah Leave a comment

Giveaway: Win tickets to the Baby & Toddler Show at Bluewater [ENDED]

Since Toby was born there have been a few Baby & Toddler Shows and I’m always so jealous when I see people tweeting and blogging about them – they always sound like such a great place to visit with so many brands all under one roof. There is another Baby & Toddler show on 25-27 April at Bluewater in Kent, and although I can’t go to that one either the lovely people behind the show have offered me a pair of tickets to giveaway.

There are 150 exhibitors at the show, plus expert advice workshops on a whole host of baby related topics. Kids go free to the show and the whole thing is completely baby friendly so you don’t need to worry if you want to take your little ones along – there is a baby changing area, a feeding area and there is even a baby carrier library where you can leave your buggy in their secure area and try out a baby carrier whilst browsing the show.

To enter this giveaway just complete the Rafflecopter below.

The competition will close at 12am on 14th April 2014.

Tickets will be sent to the winner directly from The Baby & Toddler Show organisers.

In order for tickets to be sent in time for the show the winner must respond within 3 days of receiving the notification email or another winner will be drawn.

And if you don’t win the tickets then you can use discount code BWB31 to get 33% off tickets when you book online at http://babyandtoddlershow.co.uk/bluewater/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post in any way.
Win competitions at ThePrizeFinder.com

24 February , 201426 May , 2014 - Sarah 84 Comments

Review and Giveaway: Canvas Design photo canvas (Giveaway ended)

Despite having taken hundreds if not thousands of photos of Toby since he was born we are yet to have any printed and up on our walls. I’ve always liked the look of a photo canvas but we don’t have any of those either. So when Canvas Design were looking for bloggers to review their products how could I refuse?