Competition: Meccano Build and Play

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Both my husband and I are fortunate enough that our mums saved our most favourite and timeless toys, which are currently residing in boxes in the attic. For hubby it was because his mother passed over the decision about what he wanted to get rid of or keep, from my mum it was because she wanted me to be able to pass them on to my children to play with.

Hmm, do you think The Boy will want daddy's Meccano or mummy's Flower Fairies?

The Boy's daddy is looking forward to the age when he is old enough to play with Meccano (so am I secretly, because I was always more of a tomboy) but that day is stil a year or two off in all honesty. Meccano do a fabulous range of 5+ Meccano including Build and Play, Construction and Rescue Team, and offered to send a set out to me for review. I was only too happy to accept as I have a five year old nephew who loves making things but hasn't encountered Meccano yet.

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Canvas Windbreaker

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Knowing how much time we spend on the beach, the lovely people over at EcoFriendlyBag have recently sent me a stunning canvas windbreaker to review.

It really is quite gorgeous and far nicer than the other options that I've either seen on display on the beach or in the shops! All too often they are made of horrible nylon, more akin to an old woman's shopping bag on wheels. Not this one, it is bright, colourful, attractive and made from 100% environmentally friendly cotton material. When we'd toddled off to have a splash in the sea, it was also very distinctive on the beach. The material works just as well as the manmade fibres at blocking out the wind, and allows for the added bonus of being able to go in the washing machine!

I was able to press the poles in with minimal force. Possibly, I was a little too forceful at first as the whole thing fell over. In my defense, I'd like to add that I've never put a windbreak up before, let alone whilst watching an almost 2yr old not fall over in the sand. Having picked it up along with my dignity, the windbreaker was in the ground within a minute or two, and before The Boy had got his foot stuck in the bucket for the second time. At the top of each pole is a hook to loop the canvas onto it, and the whole thing rolls up into a nifty carrycase which has a decent-sized shoulder strap.

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SIGG EcoBottles

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A little over a month ago I was chosen to be the first mummy reviewer for SIGG EcoBottles.

I know some of you maybe wondering who SIGG are, and that's kind of the point of this post isn't it? Ok, so SIGG was founded in 1908 in Switzerland and today is the leading brand of reusable water bottle in the world. SIGG bottles are made from a single piece of pure aluminium and use modern and very funky designs, trendsetters like Vivienne Westwood, Sienna Miller, Julia Roberts, Ashton Kutcher, Zac Efron and Cameron Diaz know what they're talking about don't they? There is even one in permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

This video of how the bottles are made is actually really fascinating, please take a few minutes to watch it.

Since The Boy and I (see, I can do grammar) have taken charge of our SIGG EcoBottles, we've found them invaulable. The Boy had a few drinks bottles, mostly well known brands of tippy cups and made of plastic, which of course we never left the house without. However, I would often forget my own water bottle. Mainly because I didn't have one! Or I'd end up fishing out a battered plastic one from the recycling and trying to wash it in a hurry to refill, making myself stressed and late. Although being honest here, I'd forget and end up having to buy yet another plastic bottle that gets binned or recycled. In the UK alone 250,000 plastic bottles are dumped every hour.

This is not good. I pride myself on being a little bit of an eco-warrier, in areas that I can be. We recycle everything that we can, and I am always amazed at how much plastic there is, but really we should make more of an effort to prevent the need for this. As a primary school teacher who has taught the theme of environmental impact for several years, I know the importance of teaching about the four 'R's: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Really they should come in that order. Refuse to accept that extra packaging in the first place. Reduce the amount of waste that you are creating by reusing and recycling (Plastic bottles constitute close to 50% of recyclable waste in landfill sites). However, recycling should really come last of all in order to reduce the impact on the world's resources by having to use a process to create another product.

This is where the SIGG EcoBottles come in to adjust an area of my life which impacts on the world in which we live. By cleaning and resuing my SIGG EcoBottle I haven't bought a single plastic bottle of spring water in over a month. I would normally have bought, maybe fifteen? That's fifteen less items of plastic that need a process happening to them in order to be reused. There is of course another issue here. We live in Britain. We have good, clean and healthy tap water and there is no need whatsoever to have to buy spring water.

The reasons why I love my SIGG EcoBottle in a nutshell:

  • it is environmentally responsible to reuse a bottle rather than recycle (and saves money!)
  • it is funky and pretty with a nifty little design on it (all the girls in school admire it)
  • because it's made of metal, it keeps the water cool for ages
  • it is lightweight yet very robust
  • it has a variety of accessories, like a fliptop lid to suit your needs.

This is where you can get your mitts on a SIGG EcoBottle and be one of the cool people that is frugal and environmentally conscious.

Competition

I have teamed up with SIGG EcoBottles UK to offer one lucky reader the chance to win this Barnyard Fun bottle for their child. They normally retail for £14.00 so this is a treat indeed and one that your little one will adore.

In order to be in with a chance to win this funky bottle we would like to know how you would make the world a better place! It can be comical or serious, it can be as simple as teaching children to say 'thank you’ or as complex as ‘building clean water fountains across the world’. This is our example.

TheBoyandMe would make the world a better place by cheering people up with our silly and funny antics.

Comment below completing the phrase: "I would make the world a better place by…"

  • One more entry can be gained by tweeting:

I want to win a @SIGGEcoBottleUK with @TheBoyandMe's blog https://www.theboyandme.co.uk/?p=2868

Again please leave an additional comment for this.

T&C

Competition closes Saturday 18th June 2011 at 8pm. I will draw the winner using random.org and notify them that evening. If they have not replied by Monday 20th June 2011 I will redraw. UK entrants only. Facebook and twitter are not affiliated with the running of this competition and have no responsibility for it.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.

Thank you so much for all your entries into the SIGG EcoBottle competition. There were some fantastic thoughts on how to make the world a better place, from ensuring that everyone was allowed to have at least 3 duvet days a year to by smiling at random strangers.

But of course, in true Highlander style, there can be only one. So using my faithful companion www.random.org I have a winner:

Congratulations Helen Jessup from The Crazy Kitchen! You've won a fabulous Barnyard Fun SIGG EcoBottle for your little one. He's going to love it! And who says being the first to enter doesn't pay off?

Thanks to everyone for entering, please check out my other competitions over here.

By Carla Long Sleeve Bib and Splash Mat

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We have recently been sent a By Carla Bib and Splash Mat to review.

By Carla is a range of products launched in 2009, which includes products for use throughout pregnancy and with babies and toddlers. These stylish and contemporary products include:

  • support pillows
  • blankets
  • changing mats
  • sleeping bags
  • bed protectors

The product which interested us was the waterproof bib and splash mat. Now it just so happens that The Boy is actually quite a tidy eater; he's never really been one to smear his food everywhere, something that my father has often commented on. He (The Boy, not my dad) tends not to miss his mouth, doesn't like dirty fingers and asks to be cleaned if he does get a little mucky (unlike his grandad).

However he does like his craft activities, including painting, water play and cooking. Therefore we decided to test the bib and splashmat out in these situations, as well as at tea-time, which just goes to show the versatility of them.

As you can see he's been kept clean and dry throughout, which makes me happy (less washing) and him happy (not mucky). The splash-mat we used under the easel to save the floor.

There are two other really good features about this bib; there is a fold under crumb catcher (brilliant for younger babies who sometimes miss) and because it's waterproof it can go straight into the sink and be washed up like the dishes! Excellent!

Competition:

I have a By Carla Bib and Splash Mat Set (worth £12.99) in either nougat or playtime to give away to one lucky reader.

To enter please do the following things:

I've entered to win a @ByCarla_uk bib on @TheBoyandMe's blog https://www.theboyandme.co.uk/?p=2106

  • Leave one comment below to tell me that you've done both

For an extra entry please 'Like' By Carla on Facebook. You'll need to leave a separate comment to tell me that you've done that one.

T&C

Competition closes on Friday 17th June 2011 at 8pm. I will draw and notify the winner that evening and they need to respond by Sunday 19th June or I will redraw. Facebook or twitter cannot be held responsible for this competition. Open to UK addresses only.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.

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