2 Stars and a Swirl

Outside influences shape our bodies

Posted by 2 Stars and a Swirl on 26 April , 2012 None comments

This is a Guest Sponsored Post

The amount of pressure from society to be thin is overwhelming and the overriding opinion that thin equals beautiful is unavoidable so being a plus size takes huge confidence or it results in a feeling of inadequacy – in all but size!

There are a few larger people who are very happy the way they are and, aside from the risks associated with being overweight, these folks are to be admired. To resist the constant bombardment from magazines, television and the internet and the plethora of articles, advertisements and opinions on weight loss takes some determination of spirit. It is unthinkable that an individual will remain unaffected by the entreaties to look and feel fabulous by being a size 10.

From faddy diets endorsed by thin celebrities to healthy eating plans that a GP or nutritionist will recommend as the sensible way to lose weight while getting all the nutrients your body needs – the methods for losing weight range from simple to seriously extreme. Some people can just tweak their diet and just cut out the sugary drinks and fatty foods to get results but there are gastric bands for the seriously obese, whose very lives are in danger; the need for a complete lifestyle change for those whose excessive lager and beer consumption has resulted in more than a little bit of a gut; and there is weight loss hypnosis for those that have a relationship with food and eating that is unhealthy. Anyone who is serious about weight loss can start with their GP, but can also do a lot of investigation themselves. The internet is a great source of information when used properly, and good advice from conventional medical professionals or alternative therapists such as The Therapy Lounge hypnotherapy practitioners.

Whatever your body shape and size, and whatever the media says, a healthy attitude to food, and some basic knowledge of food and nutrition is essential for all. Parents and schools alike are responsible for educating children in the importance of a healthy, well-balanced diet. Food that is freshly prepared over processed ready-meals is preferable and basing a meal around the vegetables is a good start to eating well and reducing fat or heavy carbohydrate intake.

This is a sponsored post

Are you getting a fair deal from your mechanic?

How to cut energy and secure great family finance

What do you do with free money?

Try, test, and then to rest…

Can you change a tyre?

Try, test, and then to rest…

Posted by 2 Stars and a Swirl on 22 April , 2012 None comments

This is a Guest Sponsored Post

Apart from banning all animals and children from your house, or keeping them out of the sitting room, it is impossible to keep any family seating immaculate. In fairness to the children and pets, it is sometimes the evening glass of red wine that goes all over the lap and sofa – and even into the cushion foam itself.

For general maintenance, it is important to vacuum your sofa, including under the cushions and along the arm-rest and backs, as often as you vacuum the floor. Fabric can be cleaned of most every-day stains, but it is wise in the first place to invest in easily cleanable fabric and scotch-guard it with some kind of liquid repellent. Cotton covers can sometimes be removed and will go straight in the washing machine for air-drying afterwards. Be careful not to dry them in direct sunlight as you may over time end up with faded patches on your sofas and chairs.

Should you need to spot clean, first check the manufacturer’s instructions and make sure you use the right cleaning product. Some are way too harsh for delicate materials such as silks and wools. If you do have children and pets, you should seriously think about cotton covers as cotton is durable and easily cleaned. Check that you can spot-clean as some recommend not to in case of noticeable spots of bleached fabric. You can use other detergents mixed with a little water to make a thin paste but make sure that you patch test on a part of the sofa that is not visible before you get started to ensure no damage can be seen. White vinegar and warm water will do the trick on light staining – rub gently with a soft cloth and wait for it to dry. Otherwise there are a wide range of upholstery cleaners available in the supermarket or even the local pound shop or similar. Vacuum the sofa or chair again after cleaning to get rid of any residue from the detergents.

For severe damage that may need more drastic action such as replacing the cushions, a simple search online will help you find companies that offer repair services such as cutfoam. Cutfoam’s foam cut to size service will help you add extra years of life to your favourite chair or sofa – perhaps until the children grow up and stop spilling. Training the adults out of spilling red wine is another story!

This is a sponsored post

What are your must have kitchen gadgets?

Are you getting a fair deal from your mechanic?

How to cut energy and secure great family finance

What do you do with free money?

Can you change a tyre?

Whiskas goodies from Monster Pet Supplies reviewed

Posted by 2 Stars and a Swirl on 21 April , 2012 2 comments

When I read a tweet asking if any bloggers with cats would like to review some of the new Whiskas Tasty Textures pouches I was replying as fast as my fingers would type. With fat cat Charger, evil cat Dodge and now the new stray kitty to feed I need all the help I can get!

A few days later a gorgeous parcel arrived from Monster Pet Supplies as soon as I had it opened Charger was over and well the video below says it all

Inside were some of the Whiskas Tasty Textures pouches, some Whiskas cat milk and some Dreamies cat treats.

If you ever look down the cat food aisle of the supermarket or pet shop you will see at least one owner desperately searching for the food their cat will eat (this week) Cats are so fussy, I probably have to swap foods every couple of months as even fat cat Charger goes off different foods. My 2 (or 3 really I guess) won’t eat food in chunks, they just lick the jelly/gravy off and leave the meat, so I have to buy the pate style food.

When I gave them the Whiskas Tasty Textures pouches the texture is not totally smooth but not in fake little square lumps either, both ate it no problem, with the usual poor Dodge eating half his bowl before fatso shoves him out the way to finish it for him.

I treated them to some cat milk later and well, see below for how much they love that!

The Dreamies also went down a storm with Charger biting through the packet in the first video – these are very useful for removing them both from my bed as opposed to the usual potentially losing a foot or finger from evil kitty refusing to move.

I have 2 very happy satisfied kitties (and don’t worry, poor little stray kitty didn’t miss out!)

I was sent the items for free to review, but the opinions, fat cat, evil cat, stray cat and words are all my own

Bumblejums Book&CD Review

Baggie Aggie Too - Wrist Keyring Review

Octonauts Fan? You need this!

Gro-Clock Review

Review of Chelmsford Giraffe Restaurant

When to start giving pocket money?

Posted by 2 Stars and a Swirl on 20 April , 2012 2 comments

Ben was given £5 last week by his Grandad and I put it in a money box for him, later we were at the shops and he NEEEEEEDED a Chuggington set, it was reduced from £26.99 to £6.99, so a bargain and he had been a good boy (fill in here with more reasons why I felt it was ok to buy it)

Anyway…

I told him if he wanted to spend the money that had been given to him on it that was ok, but that was it, no Finn McMissile with wings (from Car 2… obviously) that he had NEEEEEEDED 2 days before.

This has led me to thinking should I start giving him pocket money, even £1 a week that he can save up to buy things, either the magazine with plastic crap on the front that never gets opened once the toy is ripped off as there are not enough hours/days in the week at the moment, or the next Cars 2 car that he manages to find that he doesn’t have.

I am not the best in the world with money and I would love to install better ideas in him.

So is giving pocket money the way to go to give a sense he has to save up and wait for things?

What age did you start giving pocket money? How much did you give and was it dependent on their behaviour?

Toys Recommendations

Silent Sunday 15th May 2011

Remember I was looking for a use for these...?

The great currant buns in a baker's shop debate of 2012

When you dress them the same as you

What do you do with free money?

Posted by 2 Stars and a Swirl on 20 April , 2012 None comments

This is a sponsored post

I call money that I save from just spending a bit of time online looking for good deals ‘free money’ and I then use that free money to buy the treat stuff in life. It may be my latest trip to the hairdressers (lets not discuss how I’ve spent more in the hairdressers in the last 5 months than I have in the last 5 years) or those shoes that were calling out to me that needed a new home.

The easiest and best way to get free money is from sitting with your laptop on the sofa and doing a few clicks on a site like MoneySupermarket you can save enough money to go buy the shoes (and get your hair done.) 20% of people who use the site save £200 on their bills.

For checking your gas and electricity if you have an old bill to hand (or sign into your online account) then it will give a more accurate result as you will be able to put in your usage. You can do this each year or 18 months depending on your current terms and contract but it really is as simple as a few clicks.

It is also quite a smug way of knowing you are saving money (even if it goes out of your purse in the shoe shop!)

What are your must have kitchen gadgets?

Are you getting a fair deal from your mechanic?

How to cut energy and secure great family finance

Outside influences shape our bodies

Can you change a tyre?

Review of the TV Screen Protector

Posted by 2 Stars and a Swirl on 19 April , 2012 None comments

I have blogged about the incidents of Ben versus my TV, the first incident back in September 2011 that left a little chip out of the screen and then the finale in December 2012 when Ben threw a Chuggington train at the TV and left me with 1/3 of the screen black. The screen had smashed a bit inside making the TV useless.

I had bought the TV with a combination of vouchers from leaving present from my old job and funds from selling all my baby stuff, I was so angry and debated not replacing it or going back to an old CRT set until Ben has left home.

My insurance company decided to replace the screen on the TV and in January the TV arrived back.

I decided to not make a big deal of telling (threatening) Ben to not touch it etc as it just made it more of a bad thing to do if he needed to push that button. But it also meant that I was never totally comfortable leaving Ben alone in that room, his behaviour has been so much better, the toddler tantrums are in the past and he will talk and tell me he is sad or cross rather than lob stuff BUT he is 4, he has bad moments where he is 4 and his arm goes out before he remembers not to do it.

And this is where one very simple idea has made me relax again.

Emma Sands who came up with the idea for the Screen Protector explains ”The idea for a TV screen protector was conceived after a damaging collision between a Nintendo Wii remote and a 42″ LCD television”

I tweeted about the incident with my TV and had lots of replies of people who it has happened to or knew people who had TVs broken by their darling children.

So the solution…

The Screen Protector Company heard about my plight and kindly sent me a screen protector to try out and review.

The box arrived the next day, it is obviously a big box but it is very light so I had no bother carrying it in. Inside are clear instructions and tips on how to unpack and put on the protector.

You order one to fit the size of your TV and have a choice of original or anti-glare. Once out of the box you need to remove the film from both sides (very satisfying!) and as advised not on the carpet as it is static.

You stick on 4 little rubber dots (supplied) inside as per the instructions and diagram and them place it on the TV and secure with the straps. It took me about 10 minutes to put on and most of that was the removing the films. It is secured to the TV with 2 velcro straps.

I know for a lot of people the look of the TV is almost as important as what you are watching, and even though I am not really aware, when there was a 2mm chip out of the screen that is ALL I could see. But I can’t see any difference with the protector on, the colours and clarity of the screen is as good as it was. The protector itself merges into the tv, it stops short of the speakers too.

I really rate this product, it is a simple solution but one if you have children, trains, wii remotes or just life around you then it works and will save an expensive replacement or insurance excess payment.

The screens of modern TVs really aren’t strong and a stray little car or train, or even pens from children adding to the colours on screen can damage it for good.

Here is what it looks like on my TV