Alex Monroe Sample Sale Review & #Win An Alex Monroe Butterfly Pendant

I have always loved Alex Monroe's jewellery and the emphasis he places upon nature and animals as part of his design aesthetic. Until now, however, his sample sales have been held in London, mostly at his studio in Clerkenwell. As this is too far for me to travel I haven't been able to go. He held his first sample sale on Manchester Foundation Coffee Shop on 2-3 December 2017 as part of his 30th Anniversary Celebrations.  As I don't live very far away I was able to attend. The prices started at £25. There were both discontinued and also slightly faulty items that haven't made it through their stringent quality control. 1st quality stock had 20% off.  The faults were clearly marked - my elephant pendant, for example, has a hole in his leg but when I looked for it I couldn't see it. My 22ct gold plate elephant pendant was £60 as were my rose gold bee and silver fox pendants. The silver bird and butterfly pendants and ring were £30 each. Some items - the ring, butterfly and bird pendants  had been discontinued.  Some of the Alex Monroe tags had "s" stamped on them.  All sales were final. Alex Monroe pouches were available to buy for £2 each.  The sample prices represented a great reduction - my elephant pendant, for example, would retail at £145 at the full price.



The staff were very helpful and would help you rifle through the boxes if there was a certain design or item you were looking for.  The items were all clearly marked as seconds or samples with the prices and separated into boxes depending upon material and whether they were rings, pendants etc. I enjoyed searching through the boxes but I went when it was quiet - I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if it had been a busy period.





The 22ct gold plate butterfly pendant and pouch can be won by entering my rafflecopter competition.
The competition is open worldwide and starts on 1 Jan 2018 and ends 14 Jan 11.59 GMT 2018.  This competition is in no way associated with Alex Monroe Jewellery. I purchased the item myself.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chili Cinema - Watch Films & TV Shows From The Comfort Of Your Own Home!

Chili Cinema  has arrived in the UK! It is an innovative concept allowing the user to rent movies  that are Farley newly released in the cinema and thousands of TV shows and access them through their laptop, console, tablet, smart TV and smart phone. The user's account can be linked to 5 different devices which can be watched at the same time.  There are over 3,000 films/shows available to rent.  Access to the films etc is through the purchase of credits rather than a subscription service so you are not locked in to a service for a certain amount of time. Once the App is downloaded whatever has been downloaded can be accessed/watched from the comfort of your own home or on the go!!

As someone who cannot get out of the house very much due to long term illness and cannot sit through a full length film at the cinema, Chili Cinema is great for me! Normally by the time I can buy a film, the buzz arose no it has gone and I have lost interest in watching it. Now I can download it a few weeks after its cinematic release.  I am looking forwards to downloading Olaf's Frozen Adventure and Despicable Me 3 over Christmas. TV wise I am going to download Family Guy season 16.

Chili Cinema credits would also make a great gift for anyone who is in hospital and has access to WIFI.  My hospital charges £10 a day for a very poor tv system and quite old films so with this you could choose what to watch.

The website is easy to navigate. There are both film and TV catalogues and the search function actually works! The credits are reasonable in value - films are around £3.49 (which is certainly cheaper than a family trip to the cinema) and box sets £16.99. As an account can be linked to 5 different devices it will be great to be able to watch a film on the go or at a hotel (and not have to pay their extortionate prices to access old films etc).  This isn't a subscription service, the user purchases credits.  Films etc are rented and can be viewed for 28 days after purchase.

Chili Cinema
FB: ChiliCinemaUK
Twitter: ChiliCinemaUK

#ChiliCinema #nosubscription #liveyourmovie #ad #sponsored

Book Review: Gnomon by Nick Harkaway

Gnomon is writtten by Nick Harkaway and was published by Digital Cornerstone on 2 November  2017.  Gnomon is set in the late 21 Century post Brexit Britain.  Democracy is direct.  Everyone votes on everything all the time, which certainly keeps them busy.  The downside of this supposedly perfect  system is the constant electronic surveillance which is total and omnipresent. AI - the Witness is all seeing and all knowing, is, of course, for the good of society! Even within this perfectly controlled yet participatory society there are dissenters, refuseniks who live off the grid and don't participate in or conform to the restrictive societal norms.  Such dissenters are subject to involuntarily interrogations  using mind reading technology by the Witness police.  One such dissenter is  Diana Hunter, she has been cult novelist who lives in a house which is off the grid, no electronic signals and its own Faraday cage. She runs a lending library through a barter system.   Unfortunately Diana dies whilst undergoing interrogation.

Witness investigator Mielikki Neith is sent to investigate Diana's death.  She is a committed believer of the panopticon utopia of the System.  When Neith plays back a recording of the interior she doesn't  find Diana's thought but 4 different people's Minds.  Helped by Regno Lonnrot, Neith has to put together the puzzles of all these minds. Diana has left her message within all these thoughts but will she find it in time? Who is trying to stop the investigation and as the secrets, puzzles and encryptions of the Gnomon are discovered who will survive?


As an ex politics student who despises Brexit and the culture or cultish nature that surrounds it I loved the premise of this book. The execution of it, however, wasn't up to my expectation and anticipation.  It could have been condensed into a much shorter novel and not lost anything, in fact a cull of the repetitious, overly long explanations may well have improved the final draft.  The book reads like a first draft, the ideas are there but in need of an edit.  The book tries to be too "clever" and ends up being a convoluted and exhausting read.  The rambling, repeated explanations and break always to the heroine looking back etc do not add anything to the novel which is a rambling read but instead detract from what could have been an excellent, concise novel, relevant to today.

I received this book via Netgalley and Cornerstone Digital in exchange for a honest review, 

Book Review: The Innocent Wife by Amy Lloyd

Winner of The Daily Mail Best Seller Competition, The Innocent Wife by Amy Lloyd was published by Cornerstone Digital on 6th October 2017.  This psychological suspense/crime fiction novel is based upon obsession, lies and manipulation.

Two decades ago Dennis Danson was incarcerated for the brutal murder of a young girl, Holly Michaels,  in Red River County, Florida.  A true crime documentary coupled with a frenzy of online support/campaign to free a wrongly evicted man is successful.   Across the Atlantic in the UK, Samantha is following Dennis's story.  Believing his innocence she enters into correspondence with him, She leaves her life in the UK in order to move to the US to be part of his campaign and marries him.   Once he is freed, however, little snippets emerge that suggest to Sam that he is not as innocent as he may profess.

Written from Sam's perspective, this novel gives an insight in to why someone gives up their life to support someone on death row.  Sam had been mistreated and cheated upon by previous partners.  Lonely, she was charmed/ sucked in by Dennis's letters.  This is a book I couldn't put down and it has a twist at the end!

received this book via Netgalley and Cornerstone Digital in exchange for a honest review,  #Netgalley #theinnocentwife

Book Review: A Virgin For a Vow by Melanie Milburne (M&B)

A Virgin for a Vow by Melanie  Milburne is published on 28 December 2017 by Mills and Boon Modern.    Abby Hart is a relationship journalist/blogger who has become famous for her "perfect" life with Mr Right. Unfortunately for her this life and her fiancé are fictitutious. A father who was jailed for being a drug dealer and assault and her deceased mother a prostitute and drug addict, Abby was brought up in  a series of foster homes and so wants the perfect rose tinted love life. Her lies, howerver, are about to come crashing down as she is supposed to bring her fiancé to a London Spring Ball to be introduced to her boss, readership  etc.

Luke Shelverton is her best friend's big brother. A rich biomedical robotics engineer who is still getting  no over his fiancées death (she committed suicide 5 years ago after they split up), doesn't date and is extremely cynical.  She wants him to pretend to be her fiancé.  She convinces him to come to the Ball with her and he wins a trip abroad. They agree to a no strings romance but as their relationship moves from list to love can Luke overcome his antipathy and fear of relationships?

This is Melanie Milburnes's 75th book and it does not disappoint.  

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review,  I am a #MillsandBooninsider. #NetGalley #avirginforavow

Available here:
Mills & Boon

Amazon UK

Arty Pax The Snowdog Figurine

The Snowdog Figurine is inspired by Raymond Briggs and is part of the Arty Pax Signature collection. He comes either painted or in a set which includes paints and a brush so you can paint it yourself. There is also a version of The Snowman available. Painted he costs £8.99 and £3.25 p&p, unpainted £7.99 plus £3.25 p&p. The painted Snowman is £10.99 plus P&P, the paint your own kit costs £9.49 plus £3.25 P&P. There are other kits including Nemo, unicorns and a car money box available. The Snowdog measures 5.5cm (h), 8cm (w), 4.5 cm (d). I purchased him via their EBay shop and he came in a cute little brown Arty Pax brown bag with a lolly, so would not need wrapping if intended as a gift! 

I love the idea that they can be purchased ready painted. I lack both hand/eye coordination and the patience to paint one myself but like the look of the finished piece. This way I get to keep my patience and get a nice Christmas decoration! I think I will buy the Snowman for next year and claim that I painted him myself! 

I purchased this item myself. 

Available from Arty Pax 

Website

Ebay shop

Painted Snowdog 

Painted Snowman

Paint Your Own Snowman

Paint Your Own Snowdog

John Lewis In To The Woods Terranium Tree Decoration

 The John Lewis In To The Woods terranium tree decoration (£7 down to £4.90) is not just a Christmas decoration. Whilst I shall use it as a tree decoration and put some Christmas jewellery gifts in it, I shall also use it as a jewellery box and hang it on a hook next to my dressing table.

It measures 13cm(h), the widest part of the terrarium measures 7cm across and the base 4cm. It is made from glass and brass.  It represents great value - terraniums and insta-friendly props are nortoriously expensive! It is also well made and is a fun way to display  and give out small presents, and eco friendly as the terranium can be used again. It is not longer available online but I have seen it then instore. 

Restyle Your Walking Stick

I have now had to use a walking stick for several years and what strikes me most is the lack of choice. Yes,  there are thousands for sale on Amazon UK but the majority are very similar (floral) in style. I started off with the heavy silver NHS one, then wanted one that was more me. I remember going on the Switch Sticks Facebook page when they were asking for ideas and the answer was generally fun, cute graphics with examples of paperchase prints and cute animals. They came out with a line of sticks with colourful swirls, which were okay but not what their potential customers wanted or were asking for.

There are lots of floral walking sticks about but I don't always want that particular graphic. Classic Canes have got a cute fish walking stick that looks a bit like Nemo, a parrot  and a horse walking stick whilst Charles Buyers has a gorgeous British Birds walking stick, but they are the few that I could find.
I decided to restyle a walking stick so it suited me. I bought these 2 walking sticks. The leaves one is from walkingsticksonline.co.uk, the purple and black ones are from the stick and cane shop.
 I bought several packs of cute stickers from eBay and Amazon UK and some book backing plastic.
I placed  them where I wanted on my sticks.I cut the plastic backing into smaller squares and placed them over the stickers to prevent them peeling off or me picking them off. I think they turned out quite well.  Obviously they don't look as professionally done as if they had been created by Classic Canes etc but they are fun, different and fit my personality!

   Woodland stick:
Floral Garden Party Derby Cane 
Woodland creature stickers 

The Snowman walking Stick
Handbag folding stick - black
The snowman and the Snowdog foiled stickers 

Metallic bird walking stick
Handbag walking stick - black 
Birds and flowers 

Butterfly walking stick
Handbag sized metallic purple walking stick
Butterfly glitter stickers 
Metallic butterfly stickers


Backing film for books

The Snowman and the Snowdog, Raymond Briggs, LED Colour Changing Minature Figurine.

This miniature LED colour changing snowman ornament was inspired by The Snowman story written by Raymond Briggs.  He doesn't have glitter and water swirling inside him, but changes through more colour combinations via a single LED light in the base.  He stands 8cm tall, so he is quite dinky but still very bright when switched on.  He comes fitted with the LR44 batteries needed to make him work. I purchased mine online for £5 from John Lewis, but they have sold out.  They were still for sale onsite there and at The Range. Online I saw them for sale through   Ebay UK    (£2.95 & £3.95 p&p) and from Christmastreesandlights.co.uk for £9.99 including P&P.

He looks great as a nightlight or sat on a window sill and will definitely be brought out year after year!

I purchased this item myself and all views are my own.

The Snowman and The Snowdog, Raymond Briggs, Colour Changing Water Figure Ornament

The Snowman and the Snowdog colour changing by water figure is £9.99 from The Range.  Inspired by the book The Snowman from Raymond Briggs, he is 22cm in height and needs 4x AAA batteries for the LED lights inside his tummy to work.  The colours change,  glitter and water swirl around inside him.  It is so relaxing to watch! He is bright and eye catching and still looks impresssive when he is not lit up. The only disappointing aspect is the lack of the Snowdog!

I purchased this myself from The Range UK. Original RRP £15, now £9,99.
Available Here

Wilko Encapsulated Dome with White Reindeer

If you want a dome/reindeer themed decoration that is not as expensive as the M&S light up woodland dome, then this £3 alternative from Wilko is great. Part of the frosted collection, the ornament measures 6.5cm (w)x6.5cm(d)x17.5cm (h) and has a white reindeer in the centre of the dome.  There is fake snow which swirls around when it is shaken. It is made of glass.  It does not look cheap. It isn't twee but looks like a realistic reindeer.  It looks etherealistic and magical, icy and wintery.  I purchased mine in store.  

                             

I purchased this item myself.
Available here:Wilko

Gisela Graham LED Light Up Church Decoration

This LED Light Up Church Decoration is from the Gisela Graham range of decorations and costs £8.95. I purchased from Liberty London.  It has a silver tone base, glittery roof and base, and is made from acrylic. It measures 11cm(h) x 7.5cm(w).  It has very glacial, gothic, Lord of the Rings feel to it and the details are amazing. The clock, window arches, bell tower are all intricately designed and the decoration looks like an ice sculpture! The LED light is very bright and glowy.

Available: Liberty

M&S Mini Light Up House Decoration

This light up dome mini house decoration is from M&S and is £6.  It is in the 3 for 2 promotion and measures 10cm (h) and 5cm (w).  It is tiny but gives a warm glow.  The switch is on the base of the ornament. It is no longer available online. I purchased mine in store. 

Book Review: Royals Claimed By The Prince (M&B) K Lawrence, P Jordan, L Monroe

Royals: Claimed by the Prince is a 3in1 book published by Mills and Boon. All three books have been previously published as single books, but these collection books work out cheaper (£6.99 Kindle ) or cheaper if Amazon etc are having a sale.  They are great to take on holiday or as an option ntroductipn to the M&B genre and specific authors.  This collection combines three well known M&B authors - Kim Lawrence, Penny Jordan and Lucy Monroe. 

The Heatbreaker Prince by Kim Lawrence tells the story of spoilt socialite Hannah Latimer attempting to become an aid worker, getting captured and being accused of drug smuggling.  Prince Kamal has to rescue and consequently marry her.  She comes accross as a misunderstood well meaning klutz, whilst he is very proper, will their passion be enough to make a future together. 

Passion and the Prince is by Penny Jordan.  Prince Marco di Lucchesi first encounters Lily Wrightington at a photo shoot taking less than salubrious pictures of his nephew.  She took the job of photographer as a favour to her half brother, but Marco does not know this.  They later meet in Italy when Marco has been told to escort her around and photograph some Palazzos his family own there.  She bumps in to Anton - someone who has tried to abuse her as a young girl and he threatens to try again.  Marco helps her overcome her abuser.  I did not enjoy this book, it was disjointed and dated.

Prince of Secrets by Lucy Monroe tells the story of Prince Demyan Zaretsky marrying the unsuspecting Chanel Tanner in order to protect his country's wealth. Hiding his princely identity Demyan courts Chanel but his conscience is piqued when he realised she is a virgin. This is an update on the Cinderella theme and an enjoyable read. 

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review,  I am a #MillsandBooninsider

Available from: 

Amazon UKt

M&S Paddington Bear Resin Gold Bauble

 

The Paddington Bear Resin Bear is available in both gold and traditional colours from Marks and Spencers.  He is available in store and online. He costs £4 and is part of the 3for2 offer.  He measures 10ck(h)x5.3xm(w).  His face is adorable and the detail is amazing. He would make a great gift for a Paddy Byron Bear lover of any age!

I purchased my Paddington Bear myself. 

Available here: 

Gold Version of Paddington

Traditional Version of Paddington Bear

Snowdog Christmas Tree Decoration

The Snowdog  Christmas tree decoration is available from Wild in Art for £7.80 plus p&p.  The decorations come in four colour ways, original (inspired by the Snowdog in the Snowman and the Snowdog, sparkly red, sparkly silver and sparkly gold.  The sparkly versions give a twist to the original and are inspired by the original Snowdog figurine. Each one costs £7.80 but you can save £5.20 if you buy the set of four. There are larger versions available for £35 each. 

They are made from earthenware and measure 7.5cm tall, 4.5 cm wide and 8.5cm long, the gold thread measure 4cm. He has an adorable face and would make a great gift for a Snowman/Snowdog fan of any age. 

Wild in Art bring The Snowman and the Snowdog to life, creating Snowdog trails.  Working with local charities they do not only bring awareness to these causes, but also raise vital funds and contribute to the local economy as well. Great North Snowdog, the first of these trails boosted the local North East economy by £16.5 million pounds.  More than 676,000  people visited the trail. The Snowdogs were then auctioned off for charity. During the Snowdog Art Trails 7.5% of the purchase price goes to a charity chosen by Wild in Art. In 2016 they worked with charity partners St. Oswald’s Hospice in Newcastle for ‘Great North Snowdogs’, and Martlets Hospice in Brighton for ‘Snowdogs by the Sea’. In 2017 they worked with Tŷ Hafan, the Children’s Hospice in Cardiff for ‘Snowdogs: Tails in Wales.  

I purchased this item myself.

Available online from Snowdogarttrails.co.uk
Information about their charitable endeavers Here

M&S Decorations: Light Up Forest Scene In A Bell Jar

This Light Up Forest Scene In A Bell Jar is currently £25 and on the 3 for 2 decorations offer at Marks and Spencer. It would make a great winter table decoration as it features a tree surrounded and sat on by lots of woodland animals. A squirrel, bird and owl sit in the trees' branches whilst a deer, with a squirrel sat on it's bottom, and fox stand next to the tree itself. The pin wire lights that are intertwined in the tree add a warm gentle glow to the scene. The bell jar is glass and cannot be removed from the base.

The lights are powered by 3xAAA batteries which come with the jar.  The switch is on the bottom so the switch is very discrete.  It doesn't come with a box so make sure the customer service assistant wraps it carefully as although it isn't fragile, the jar would probably crack if dropped. It measures 13cm(h) 13cm(depth) and 13 cm (width).

This is a different type of Christmas decoration.  It isn't glittery, sparkly or colourful blown glass.  It is understated and elegant, it looks like there is another world looking out from under that glass jar.  I think it is a winter rather than just a Christmas decoration and it won't be packed away in January but will stay on the table until Spring.

I purchased this item myself.  It is available online and in store.