Vurchoo Ghana Malachite Drop Bar Earrings in Silver

 In my last blog post  I wrote about the history and philanthropic ethos behind the Vurchoo jewellery brand. In this post I am going to review the Ghana Malachite Drop Bar Earrings in Sterling Silver  (£36). As they are sold out in the Vurchoo website I purchased these earrings from CollenandClaire. 

 The Ghana Malachite Drop Bar Earrings are minimalistic in style and each earring features a beautifully cut malachite column, showing the stone to its best advantage. The earrings aren’t heavy to wear and don’t pull at the ear lobes. They measure 24mm in height and 3mm in width. Malachite is supposed to encourage risk taking and change so I will see if that happens when I wear them! 

 I purchased the earrings from CollenandClare. the customer service was great and I received my package within 2 working days which is  great delivery time, especially in the run up to Christmas!

I would and will continue to buy these earrings. They support an excellent cause, the designs  are unique and minimalistic and are well made. 

             

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own 

Vurchoo Studs of Hope Mandala Earrings

 Alex Angel-Benscher, the founder and designer for Vurchoo, an ethical jewellery company, started his artistic journey as a graffiti artist. He travelled the world for just over a year in 2009 volunteering and working in various countries. During this time he realised he could help people through his artistry and creativity. Whilst in Cambodia he saw the street children having to use their ingenuity and determination to survive and so he was inspired to create Vurchoo. He decided to work with children and schools across the world asking them to draw pictures of what meant the most to them. He used theses drawings as inspiration for his jewellery designs.  He launched Vurchoo in 2015 with funds received from the Prince’s Trust.  

Vurchoo donates between 10-25% of profits from each sale to charities both in the U.K. and overseas via their charity partnership with the charity Teach a man to Fish. The initiative not only helps and empowers students but also their communities, helping to improve and change all their lives. 

 I chose to purchase and review two sets of earrings from the Studs of Hope range. Each pair of earrings sold supporting schools around the world to help children get off the streets and into education and hopefully build a better life for themselves. The earrings are reasonably priced (around £36) and made from silver and gold plate. 

 The mixed metal (sterling silver and 18k gold plated) Floral Mandala studs  are £36 and support Children in India. They measure 7x7mm. The mandala earrings represent meditation, guidance and focus. They an elegant and minimalistic pair of stud earrings which look comfortable to wear. I bought these as a gift so don’t want to put them in my own ears. They came packaged in a Studs of Hope branded white cardboard box accompanied with a Vurchoo card. 

 These earrings make a lovely ethical gift for yourself or someone else. The earrings are beautifully designed and made but they also have a purpose - to help children back into education, something that most of us in the Western world take for granted. I will continue to purchase these earrings both for me and as gifts as I appreciate and admire both the design of the earrings and the purpose behind them. 

I purchased the earrings myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own. 

 

Review: Disneyland Paris Mickey Mouse & Train Hanging Ornament and Anacompany.co.uk

Last year I was looking for a Sketchbook Disney hanging ornament which I had missed out on and I came across anacompany.co.uk (Ana & Co.), a reseller company that specialises in Disney ShopDisney and Disney Parks’ merchandise. In this blog I am going to review a hanging ornament which I purchased from them and review the company themselves. 

 The Disneyland Paris Mickey Mouse and train hanging ornament is a sparkly red and pastel coloured train with Mickey driving it. The ornament is part of the Fantasyland Once Upon a Time series which is exclusive to DLP. The train is inspired by the Casey Jr Le Petit Train du Cirque Ride. As it isn’t particularly Christmassy/ festive it would look great displayed throughout the year. The ornament measures 6.5x7x3cm and can be either free standing or hung from its chiffon ribbon. It is a cute ornament with lots of detailing. 

I have used Ana & Co. on several occasions and have been pleased with my items. Their website doesn’t look particularly inspiring. It is clunky and hard to navigate but there are lots of items to see/buy. The first time I used them I purchased several items and was concerned I wouldn’t receive my parcel. I did, each item wrapped in copious amounts of bubble wrap and none broken (unlike shopDisney). The online payment system doesn’t look great but there is a phone number you can ring if you feel iffy about using it. The My Accounts section is also temperamental. They are a reseller so you will pay more than if you had bought the product direct, but in some cases it is still cheaper than eBay and shipping is free over £100. 

I enjoy looking at the Disney Parks items - it is fun to seee what is new now that it is so much harder to visit Mickey. Despite the draw backs to the website I will continue to use it and would recommend it. 

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own. 

Stand4Socks Blue Optical Office Socks

I always purchase some charity gifts as Christmas presents for close friends. As I am still shielding I needed gifts which could easily fit through letter boxes. These socks come in a flat envelope so they certainly will. I first saw the Stand4Socks charity advertised on my Instagram feed. The brightly coloured Manchester skyline option caught my attention and I was intrigued by the concept so clicked on the link.

The charity’s idea is simple yet effective. For each pair of socks they sell, they will donate a pair to a homeless person. The donated socks aren’t just any old socks. These socks have been designed by the charity. Socks are the most requested item by homeless shelters. Socks wear out quickly, especially if the wearer is on their feet a lot. They are very rarely donated as they wear out or become smelly/ holey. Who wants to wear or donate a second hand pair of socks that could infect feet with verrucas or athletes foot etc. The socks designed by S4S are thick and durable, so will keep feet toasty warm in cold Winter months and antibacterial so less chance of foot infections or potential  foot issues.  They have a seamless toe closure so the sock won’t rub the toes creating blisters, infections which could lead to bigger health problems. 

The socks I purchased are the suitable for the office blue optical office sock (£11.99). There are lots of fun vibrant designs but I know the recipient will get the most use out of these. They are pricey compared to some chain store brands, but these use ethically sourced materials, have unusual designs, are a one for one charity and although I haven’t tried the socks on they do feel warm and as though they will hug your feet!

I will buy some more pairs of these socks to use as presents throughout the year. There are bundles of socks available to purchase and it does look as though new designs are regularly added to their website.  I have already mentioned this charity on a mumsnet charity gift discussion thread and it would be great even if you don’t purchase a pair yourself if you would mention this charity to friends or leave a link on discussion forums. 

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own 

Accessorize Vermeil Constellation Capricorn Necklace

The Z Gold Vermeil is a relatively new range to be stocked/ sold at Accessorize. It is an off shoot of their Z for Accessorize range, which created gold plated/ semi precious stone jewellery at reasonable prices. This new range has taken the jewellery game one step further and uses vermeil as its base metal. Sterling silver coated with 14k gold. Prices range from £25-£50ish. The items are packaged in embossed drawer gift boxes with matching cleaning clothes. 

 I chose the Capricorn Constellation pendant (£50 reduced to £15). The stones marking out the constellation pattern are tiny topaz chips. The clasp is a lobster fastening and their is a extender on the chain. It is a nice pendant, one that could be worn all the time. As someone who wears fentanyl patches I found I couldn’t wear gold plated jewellery as the fentanyl comes back through my skin and kept discolouring my jewellery very quickly. This doesn’t happen as quickly with vermeil jewellery. I do, however, feel their vermeil jewellery is overpriced for what it is. Looking at comparable prices/ pieces at Monica Vinader etc their pieces are more unusual, use larger semi precious stones and don’t seem as generic in design. The Accessorize pieces don’t stand out, constellation pieces have Glenn done over and over. I already have the Capricorn vermeil design in the gold plate Z for Accessorize version from several years ago. 

 To conclude: I love the packaging but the jewellery design needs to be more innovative and different as the vermeil jewellery market is saturated with similar designs. 

I purchased the item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own.

ShopDisney: Tinkerbell Hanging Ornament

 

I’m not a fan of Tinkerbell or Peter Pan. I bought this Tinkerbell Hanging Ornament to use as a Twitter Competition prize. Designed exclusively for ShopDisney, tiny Tink is lying back against a map of Neverland. Her wings do glitter in a bright light and there is a lot of detail, the pom poms on her shoes are cute. The ornament is made from resin and measures 10x7x6cm. It can be hung from the chiffon tie or free standing. It’s not particularly Christmassy or festive so could be displayed all the year round. 

Review: Little Silver Hedgehog, Sterling Silver Hedgehog Necklace

Continuing my charity giveaways, this month’s prize can be found on my Twitter account @susan1375. This month I chose a sterling silver hedgehog necklace (£42) from Little Silver Hedgehog an Etsy seller. She designs and makes all her jewellery in her tiny design studio in York. All her jewellery is inspired by nature and wildlife but most importantly of all at least 10% of all profits is donated to helping preserve and save hedgehogs. She also runs a hedgehog rescue. 

The hedgehog population is in decline thanks to humans encroaching on their turf and it is estimated there will be none left in the U.K. within 20 years! It is important to support rescues as a lot of them are self financing and ill hedgehogs or rescued baby hedgehogs are expensive in terms of medication, food and accommodation! 

 

So on to the necklace. Beautifully packaged (and the outer packaging is designed to fit through letterboxes) the pendant measures 1.3 cm in with and the chain is a 16” snake chain. The pendant is very discreet and elegant, perfect to wear all the time.  I’m sure any nature lover or hoggie supporter would love it or any other of her hand made beautiful items. 

She also runs online wildlife/ hedgehog care courses and COVID permitting jewellery courses at her York studio. I’m planning to go and do a 1 day course hopefully next year. If you want to find out more the Twitter, which is the easiest way to access her blog, Etsy, Facebook is Littlesilverhedgehog. 

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own. 

#Win Jana Reinhardt Sterling Silver Baby Elephant Necklace

This month’s blog prize is another piece of Jana Reinhardt’s beautiful animal themed jewellery- the teeny tiny sterling silver elephant necklace. Made out of sterling silver the baby elephant measures 8x10mm and is hung from a 16-18inch trace chain which fastens with a 5mm spring chain. He is so detailed, especially his trunk and eyes. He is 3D, I just didn’t want to remove him from his packaging and risk tangling the chain. 

 The eagle eyed amongst you will notice that the packaging has now changed! The box is now plastic free and made from recyclable cardboard. The pouch and pad are made from decomposable cotton. The ribbon from the gift wrap is now made from bamboo rather than polyester. I love the forest green jewellery drawer with the gold embossed Jana Reinhardt signature across the top, it is so elegant.

Enter here: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Competition Rules:

Competition opens on 02 Dec and closes on 31 Dec 12AM 2021.

Entrants must complete the mandatory Rafflecopter option:

Competition is open internationally;

This competition is not affiliated in any way with Jana Reinhardt Jewellery.  

Tada & Toy Chantecaille Butterfly Charm Bracelet

Tada & Toy have created some new, exclusive animal charm bracelets, sold exclusively through and supporting a variety of Chantecaille’s philanthropic projects. I have blogged about these bracelets in several posts as I enjoy wearing my evergrowing collection - sometimes I have virtual safari on my wrist! My most recent addition is the beautiful butterfly charm bracelet (£52).

The butterfly charm bracelet supports the  Xerxes Society. This is a international non profit organisation which supports conservation through the protection and support of non invertebrate animals and their habitats. Their projects include: encouraging the use of less pesticides, pollinator conservation and endangered species conservation. 

 The charm bracelet is made from peridot dyed agate beads. The charm itself is a tiny butterfly plated in 18k gold. It fastens with a sliding knot closure so can be adjusted to fit a wide variety of wrist sizes. It is packaged in a little gift bag with both the Chantecaille and Tada & Toy logos on it, as does the bracelet tag.

I love these bracelets because not only are they dainty and timeless in their appeal but they bring awareness to animal charities and organisations that otherwise might go unnoticed. 

I will continue to save up and purchase these philanthropic bracelets- I am saving for the tiger version. I would recommend these as a gift for anyone of any ages who loves animals and conservation. 

I purchased the item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own 

Review: Pixi Rose Cream Cleanser

The Pixi Rose Cream Cleanser is 135 ml for £18. I purchased this cream cleanser as I haven’t used this type of cleanser before - I have always used balms - and I wanted to see if it would be gentler on my skin which is suffering with Winter damage.

This cleaner is a gentle nourishing cleanser, combining avocado and Rose to nourish and condition and chamomile and aloe vera to calm and smooth the skin, leaving it looking fresh and feeling comfortable. 

The cream cleanser is easy to dispense out of a hygienic squeezy tube. I applied a 10p size amount to my face and massaged it in. I then removed the cleanser with a warm damp face cloth and the used my hands dipped in water for a final rinse. I found that it did gently remove makeup and impurities. I did not have to do a double cleanse for my skin to look and feel clean. The Rose smell, just as with the cream, smells very relaxing and Spa like. My skin didn’t feel tight after using the cleanser and I noticed that after a few uses the redness around my nose wasn’t as glaringly Rudolph like! 

I enjoyed using the cleanser and will continue to do so. 

I purchased the item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own. 

Review: Pixi Rose Ceramide Cream

My skin is normally combination/greasy but during a cold and wet Autumn I suddenly developed dry patches around my nose. I wanted a richer cream than my normal one so I went to look at the Pixi web site as I enjoy using their Glow tonic when my skin needs refreshing. 

The Rose Ceramide Cream is £24 (50 ml) which isn’t particularly cheap but if you want to try the Rose range out there is a set, Pixi Rose Beauty in a Bag (£20 on Look Fantastic), which consists of makeup melting cloths, Rose Cream Cleanser (10 ml), Rose Tonic (40 ml) and Rose Ceramide Cream (15 ml). 

The Ceramide Cream is an ultra rich cream which is is infused with Ceramides to time release moisture and Rose Oil to replenish, nourish and hydrate the skin, making it feel more supple and look healthier. Probiotics protect and balance the skin whilst Antioxidant botanicals help to improve skin elasticity and protect it against environmental aggressors. 

I like using this cream because most importantly it isn’t tested on animals and it quickly sinks into the skin. The cream doesn’t leave a greasy film on the skin or any residue which could interfere with any makeup I apply afterwards. The Rose scent isn’t overpowering but is a gentle relaxing aroma. I found the cream calmed and hydrated my skin, solving my Winter skin issues.  The cream is in a hygienic squeezy tube so the product is easy to dispense with no worry that it will break or leak. 

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own 

The.Craft.Crystals Amethyst Bundle

 The Craft Crystals is based in Sheffield and is an Instagram seller who specialises in ethically sourced semi precious stones, hand made teas, spell jars etc. 

 

I was lucky enough to win her amethyst bundle competition. My prize included all these lovely ethically sourced amethyst stones. The different cuts of stones shows how different a raw stone can look compared to a polished one! I love the earthy rawness of the largest piece whilst the round one is very smooth and tactile. 

I love all of the pieces and would purchase from her in the future. The stones arrived beautifully packaged - my cat loved the string, and if they were to be presents, no need to wrap!

Link: the.craft.crystals 

Review: Rocks and Copper Pendant

I was lucky enough to win an Instagram competition run by RocksandCopperJC, run by Emily Livsey, a local Etsy seller who specialises in one of a kind handmade electroform crystal  and copper jewellery. I have followed her IG account for several years as she sells at local markets that are quite close to where I live. 

 I got to choose which stones I wanted in my pendant. I chose amethyst and Rose quartz,a traditional complimentary combination of stones. The pendant is made of brass. She kept updated during the jewellery making process and I received a beautiful, unique piece within a few days. 

I love my necklace. It is unique and one of a kind, not over the top but can be worn with so many outfits. The other items on her Etsy store are equally as stunning and she has since branched out into using silver plate as well as copper. 

I would recommend this seller and plan on visiting her stall when the (hopefully) more markets open up. At the moment she has a stall at Market Street Social Preston Markets. Check her IG for dates she will be there.

Bookmask Face Coverings

Although face masks are no longer mandatory in England, as a clinically vulnerable person I still wear one when I go out. I have amassed quite a collection but I decided I wanted a grown up non Disney one and of course a few more Disney ones as well. 

 

I purchased all three masks from Bookmasks, an Etsy seller. The sky blue and white peacock face covering is my grown up mask. The ear elastic has a plastic toggle so it is easy to adjust and comfortable to wear. The material is soft and doesn’t rub under my glasses. I also purchased a Toy Story and a Care Bear mask. They both have the same toggles as the peacock one and the material has  been carefully cut so the design isn’t spoilt. All three cost £4.99 each.  They are available in either standard or child size. 

I purchased these items myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own 

Review: Disney Princess Yellow Gold-Plated Beauty & the Beast Belle Message Bangle

I got the Disney Belle 14k yellow gold plated message bangle as a GWP with an order I made at CoutureKingdom.com.  I recently was looking through my jewellery box to sort out what hadn’t been worn and would be used as part of my Disney jewellery/ hanging ornament competitions that I will be running over Christmas on both my Instagram and Twitter accounts and I realised that I hadn’t worn this bangle. 

 The bangle is very beautiful. It is a high shine, bright yellow 14k gold plate. It has Belle’s signature engraved on the inside of the bangle and “adventure is waiting for you” on the outside. It is presented in a Disney/Couture Kingdom gift box and is part their Princess Collection. It has a hinge clasp and the width of the bangle is 55mm. 

 I love the inspirational message and the look of the bangle but I find the hinge clasp very difficult to open close. I found it got easy to do as I was taking it on and off for photos but the struggle I had with the closure puts me off from wearing it. 

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own. 

Making #Disney #winniepooh ear cuffs

 

I stupidly stood on a pair of my Essential Winnie the Pooh Couture Kingdom stud earrings and bent the ear posts back so they were unwearable. To try and salvage the cute Winnie cabs I decided to make them into ear cuffs (and I liked the finished cuff so much that I made Eeyore and piglet cuffs as well).

To make the ear cuffs I used double lines ear cuffs (£10 for 1 or £17.50 for 2), 5 minute epoxy resin, a cuticle stick to apply the mixed resin and pliers if you want to remove the ear posts your self. 

First I removed the ear posts (I did 2 sets myself and took the other one to my local jeweller as they were too well made for me to remove myself with my puny pliers) and held the cabs (Winnie, Eeyore and Piglet) against the cuffs whilst they were on my ear to decide which would be the best position for them to be glued on. 

I then mixed the glue, equal parts from each tube. You have to work fast as epoxy resin dries quickly and smells awful. 

Using an orange stick I put a line of glue along the back of the cab and positioned it against the cuff  holding it in place for a few minutes. I then left it for 24 hours to make sure the glue had totally dried. I did try to make an ear cuff with a single line cuff but there wasn’t enough support to hold the  cab in place. Even when the glue was dry the cab fell off when I tried to put the cuff on. 

Once the glue is dry they are ready to wear! To take the overall aesthetic up a notch you could take the cuff and cab to a Jewellers and get them to silver solder them together and cut off the double lines that are still visible through, for example, Piglet’s ears and back, but overall I think my repurposed Disney ear cuffs are cute. 

Review: Disney Store Beauty and the Beast Legacy Hanging Ornament

I was shocked to see that the original Beauty and the Beast animated film is 30 years old this year. I remember going to see it at the Cinema when it was released and loving Chip and Mrs Potts. Naturally Disney have released a 30 year celebration legacy sketchbook hanging pin celebration of this milestone and I was lucky enough to purchase one (they sold out quickly and have only come back in stock once).

The Beauty and the Beast Legacy Hanging Ornament costs £20 and can be purchased from the ShopDisney websites. The ornament features Belle and the Beast dancing within a glass globe/ dome/bell jar. The glass jar isn’t removable and has a rose engraved on it. I wish the glass was plastic as it will be very easy to smash it if it knocks against another ornament or if it is dropped. The ornament can be either free standing (which I prefer) or hing from the red ribbon which also has a 30 year medallion suspended from it.  The figures are a sculpted design with painted details. The ornament measures 11x7x7cm and is made from glass and resin. The little hearts surrounding the base are a lovely touch and show a great attention to detail. The ornament is part of the Sketchbook Legacy Film Anniversary Collection.  looking at my photos of the ornament I noticed that the Beast’s hand brown paint had sploged a tiny bit on to Belle’s dress, but it doesn’t spoil the overall aesthetic of the piece. 

I love this hanging ornament: Belle’s dress is so vibrant and detailed whilst the Beast’s tortured yet besotted expression has been captured perfectly. The ornament came packaged in styrofoam and a cardboard box so hopefully Disney has fixed the shipping issues which resulted in lots of damaged ornaments last year. 

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own.

#win Jana Reinhardt Sterling Silver Piglet Necklace

 

I have followed Jana Reinhardt Jewellery on Instagram for several years and bought several pieces of her jewellery. I purchased the sterling silver piglet necklace as £20 is donated to PETA U.K. and as I mentioned last month each monthly competition prize during the run up to Christmas would focus upon an animal charity of rescue.

I like Jana Reinhardt pieces as she catches the essence and cheekiness of the animal she is recreating. She doesn’t make the piece look cute or cartoonish but catches the innate intelligence and sensitivity  of the animal. The piglet is no exception. Available in sterling silver (£95), he has a curly tail, an adorable little snout, pot belly and for fans intelligent face, just like the real life version!  He measure 15x12mm and the chain 16-18 inches. Both are sterling silver. He comes in a gift box and pouch. 

The piglet was made to highlight the inhumane conditions pigs and piglets are kept in order to provide cheap meat. £20 of each purchase of or each piglet necklace goes to PETA so they can continue to advocate for better welfare condition. 

Jana Reinhardt creates a variety of animal themed jewellery at a variety of price points and a donation is made from each sale to that specific charity. This is one of the main reasons I always go back to her website because not only do I get a gorgeous, beautifully made piece of jewellery but a charity benefits as well. 

Enter the competition here >>> a Rafflecopter giveaway

Competition rules:

Entrants must complete the mandatory Rafflecopter option,

Competition is open worldwide, 

Closing date 1 Dec 2021 11.59pm

Competition is not affiliated with Jana Reinhardt Jewellery, Blogger or Instagram. I purchased the item myself.

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own. 

Review: Disney Store Lock, Shock and Barrel Hanging Ornament

I’m not really a fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas, I prefer my Disney merchandise to be cute and cuddly! I purchased the Lock, Stock and Barrel Hanging Ornament to use as one of my Christmas ornament prizes, so here are my thoughts on it.

The ornament is beautifully made and very detailed. It can be hung up or displayed as a free standing piece. At £15 it is now one of the cheaper hanging ornaments so if you are looking for a reasonably priced gift this may fit your budget. It measures 13x8x8cm so it would look great sat on the mantel piece or windowsill all the year round. It is made from resin so it is slightly more substantial than the glass ornaments although the hat or tail could get broken if it gets knocked or dropped.

The Nightmare Before Christmas ornaments aren’t for me, I prefer the musical ones, the aristocats etc. I do see why this film has a cult following and this ornament would make a great gift for anyone who collects this merchandise. 

I purchased the item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own 

Hedgehog Feeding Station/ Advice For Winter

I have been feeding several wild hedgehogs who live in my garden for several years. I recently upgraded their living accommodation and decided I would also buy them a predator proof feeding station as I noticed that several cats had started to eat the hedgehog food. After searching Etsy/ EBay and Amazon I found the one I liked the most (£49.99 & £8 postage).

Before I start my review I would like to point out that whilst I was researching feeding stations I came across several blogs that said there was no need to leave food and water out as hedgehogs hibernate throughout winter.  They Do Not! My hedgies don’t hibernate at all - I have seen them stomping through the snow to get to their food and water. Also if a hedgehog is a late October birth it may well be underweight and need to come out of hibernation every so often to boost his/her calories. Anyway if you do feed hedgies thankyou so much and please continue to do so over Winter and if you don’t please consider doing so. I will leave links at the base of this post linking reputable rescues with details of suitable food, dishes and how to make cheap/ safe hedgehog houses and feeding stations. 

I purchased my new feeding station from llar01. He no longer sells via EBay but you can message him through there and he will give you his Facebook details. I chose this feeder because it isn’t varnished. Certain varnishes can kill hedgehogs so most houses/ feeders are either plain wood or coated with a water based animal safe varnish. I also liked that the main living room/ feeding area has a wooden base (some don’t). This means hedgies can curl up for a snooze in between eating if they want without getting a chill. The lid is water proof and has two locks which will help prevent nosy humans from taking a look inside. There are entrances on either side of the feeder. Hedgehogs are solitary animals so two of these means that is easier for them to avoid each other if they so wish. The baffles- the walls inside the feeder help prevent predators entering the main part of the feeder. The measurements are 75x 36.5x 24cm. 

Hedgehog Rescues/Reputable Sources of Information 

Little Silver Hedgehog

@HedgehogCabin (Twitter) 

Not the Hedgehog Society as they recently advised leaving out pumpkin out as a treat. Hedgehogs can’t digest it and it will make them ill. 

I purchased the item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own 

Disney Store Hocus Pocus Book Bag Charm

As Halloween approaches Hocus Pocus is one of the most watched films. Disney, naturally, have lots of related merchandise so as an avid reader I chose this book bag charm (£10). 

The Hocus Pocus book bag charm has “Eye” put a spell on you on the front of the charm/book. It is supposed to be a spell book but the pages are empty. It has a lobster link clasp chain and the book measures 11.5x5.5cm. It can be wiped clean. That’s it really, this is one of the few items I have been disappointed with. It had potential but by leaving the pages blank and not utilising the concept more I don’t really feel it is worth £10.

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own 

Disney Store Gargoyle Light-Up Hanging Ornament, The Haunted Mansion

 ShopDisneyUK now sell hanging ornaments all the year round. So as Halloween is nearly upon us I have decided  to review the light up gargoyle hanging ornament (£18).  

Inspired by the Haunted Mansion, this detailed gargoyle holds a light up candle in each hand (the switch is on the base). The ornament can be either free standing or hung from a ribbon loop which can be easily removed and refastened using the clasp. The gargoyle measures 10.7x7x7cm and batteries for the light up function (LR41) are included. He is made from resin and stone powder with very detailed painted features and he does have a very stony/ granite like appearance.  I use mine as a free standing night light as he does give a bright glow. I do like him, but the packing he came in wasn’t great and a few of the other ornaments were broken due to insufficient packaging. I do feel that Disney are pushing up the prices of the hanging ornaments, even though all the stores bar Oxford Street have recently closed. 

I purchased the item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own 

 

Book Review: Our Trespasses: A Paranormal Thriller by Michael Cordell

Our Trespasses: A Paranormal Thriller by Michael Cordell is published by TCK Publishing. I was sent/emailed this book to review but the fact that it was gifted to me will not affect my thoughts on the book. 

The psychic connection between identical twins can be a strong one and this was certainly the case for Jake and Matthew Davis. Since childhood Matt had known when Jake was in trouble and even though Matt was now trudging through a mundane life, working in a no-star Brooklyn diner, turning burgers for a living. Whilst eating his burger at Buzz and getting his dating profile checked by Esther he knows when his twin, Jake is viciously murdered. He immediately feels a great flash of pain in his head as the murder happens and instinctively knows his twin has died a horrifying death as he tellls Esther “My brother, Jake, someone just killed him”. 

 Matt immediately travels to their hometown, aptly named, Hatchett, Nebraska for the funeral. Whilst filling up gas on the edge of his old home town he his accosted by Teddy, who mistakes him for Jake and threatens to “bust him up good” if he ever saw him sniffing round his sister again. He quickly realises that as Teddy aptly points out Jake is the evil twin. He treated his sister, Lorraine,  very poorly, is a meth dealer and never says sorry when he is in the wrong.  

Normally  the twin connection would now be severed, as Jake is dead, but not in Jake and Matts’ case. If anything whilst Matt stays at Jake’s house the connection has intensified. As Jake lives and suffers in the Afterlife, Matt continues to live the same agonies.

In an attempt to understand and break the connection he goes to visit Skiz/Walter. He tells him Jake is currently in Hell and to break the connection Matt needs to get him out advising him that he needs to gain forgiveness for his brother’s sins. Walter then tries to kill him as apparently Jake cannot be let back in. 

Matt attempts to atone for his brother’s sins but a demon infects the connection between the brothers.  He must find a way to break the connection before he too is drawn into hell. 

Michael Cordell is a novelist, screenwriter and playwright.  His first novel is Contempt which reached the Top 10 Legal Thrillers and is also an Amazon bestseller. He also wrote the screenplay for Beeper. The methodological fast paced storyline shows the skills of all three combined to create an excellent novel with two storylines that combine into a fascinating ending with a twist.  

I enjoyed this book immensely. Our Trespasses: A Paranormal Thriller, as it indicates in the title fits into the paranormal book category alongside The Outsider by Stephen King and The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty. The suspense and correlation between Jake’s death and Mathew’s collapse plus the build up of paranormal forces as he continues to suffer because the twin bond is not broken but has become stronger as Jake is in the afterlife is clearly well thought out and grips the reader’s attention.  The meth storyline both complements the main paranormal storyline and helps bring the novel to a spectacular conclusion. I will read other novels by Cordell, not just paranormal novels but also legal as the execution of his writing is so clear and enjoyable to read. 

I was sent a free copy of this book to review but this has not influenced my review of the book. 

Amazon US:

Our Trespasses: A Paranormal Thriller

Amazon U.K. 

Our Trespasses 

TCK Publishing website link:

https://www.tckpublishing.com/

author's website:

https://michaeljcordell.com/

Review: Erstwilder Grumpy Bear Good Morning Brooch

 

 

As a child of the late 70s to mid 90s I loved the Care Bears. I had the cloud car, lots of bears and the soft toys, I thought they were magical. Erstwilder has recently brought out a second collection of Erstwilder x Care Bear jewellery, pins and scarfs. I have already reviewed the Trick or Sweet Care Bear Enamel Pin. This review will look at the Good Morning Grumpy Bear Brooch (£24.28). This brooch is sold out on the Erstwilder website, but is still available via EBay. The Grumpy Bear earrings are still available on their and other Erstwilder stockist websites. 

 Erstwilder brooches are all made from resin and the Grumpy brooch is no exception. He is made from blue bubble resin, hand assembled with detailed hand painted features. He measures 60mmx4mm and is presented in a beautiful Erstwilder x Care Bear heart shaped box.  The pin fastening is made from silver plated steel. Erstwilder sell both a magnapin which is a magnet that clips on to the brooch so you don’t have to pin the brooch through clothing and risk snagging material and a brooch converter which converts your brooch into a pendant. The brooch is quite heavy so the magnet is a great idea. I actually prefer wearing my Grumpy Bear as a pendant as it really is an eye catching statement piece which seems to get more notice when I wear it as a pendant. Grumpy is quite a tactile piece. I have a family friend who is completely blind, so even though she watched the care bees cartoons she never knew what they looked like. By feeling the brooch she now knows! 

The brooch is lovely and well made. I bought mine directly from Erstwilder which is based on Australia but the shipping was very quick and the costs very reasonable and free if you spend over a certain amount. I also received a free gift - a pair of earrings which I thought was a lovely touch. 

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own