Oloves are the 50 calorie snack pack that you might have nibbled on mid-flight on a plane, or spotted as an alternative to spicy nuts at a wine bar. Oloves sent me some packs to try, as I am found of popping the odd olive now and then. I ended up eating all three packs in one go. Whoops. Still, that's only 150 calories.
They have got me hooked on olives again. These are soft and slightly tangy and very tasty.
The Build-a-Bear Workshop experience is far more than just shopping for a cuddly toy. You bring your new furry friend to life, customise its sounds and even smells, as well as choosing a very special outfit. We visited the Belfast Build-a-Bear Store at Victoria Square to make a Smyth family Christmas friend. The idea is that we bring out our unique plush friend every December to sit under the tree, a new tradition that our son will remember fondly when he's a grown up.
Yesterday was the first step in starting the tradition, creating the bear, or in this case reindeer, with help from Jonathan from the Build-a-Bear Workshop Store.
As well as the regular range of bears, pups, kittens and My Little Ponies, there are a selection of holiday themed bears to choose from. Rudolph with his light up nose, his sister with a light up heart, snowmen, snow dogs and even Santa himself.
The light up nose option quickly swung the decision for my son, and I don't blame him, look how cute Rudolph is!
After you've chosen the bear, the next step is deciding which sounds you'd like your friend to make. There's a fun sound board for your child to try all the options. We picked Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer for one hoof, and pressing the other hoof makes him say one of five phrases.
Next, Jonathan helped us choose a scent for Rudolph. This is very unique part of the Build-a-Bear Workshop creative process. Little scent pods are stowed safely inside the plush toy, with smells like strawberry, bubblegum and blueberry to choose from. There are two exclusive Christmas scents, Christmas Cake Icing and the one we picked, peppermint.
Then it's time to stuff Rudolph! Your child gets to help by pressing the foot plate to feed the fluff into their bear.
Now it's heart adding time! There's a special little routine you have to do before putting the heart into the bear, and even though Michael is a 'big, grown up six' now, he still loves acting out this part.
It's then bath time for Rudolph, blowing off all the loose fluff and brushing up his fur before the gets beautified in front of the dressing room mirror, choosing his clothes.
There is an exclusive Christmas clothing department for all bears. Elf suits, Christmas jammies, Rudolph slippers and Santa suits to fit any existing Build-a-Bear toy.
The final step is printing a birth certificate for your new pal. Choosing the name and officially adopting your new Build-a-Bear. We now have the perfect Christmas mascot for the whole family, and a little gingerbread house to take him home in. Thank you to Jonathan who helped us bring Rudolph to life. If you would like to create your own friend, but you don't live near a store, the website has the Build-a-Bear Workshop Christmas range to browse and buy right now.
The happiest boy in Belfast
Don't forget Build-a-Bear Workshop as a Christmas gift idea. As well as the Christmas outfits you could buy from your child, or grandchild's existing bears, you can also purchase gift vouchers for them to come along in the new year and make a bear in the process like Michael did. I promise it will make you the most popular of all the grannies/uncles/aunties/neighbours/godparents! So says Michael!
Mini bears available also
Send me a picture of your Build-a-Bear. I love seeing what other people have made. I'm @rudedoodle on Twitter.
I first saw the words, 'Elf on the Shelf' when an ex-school chum, fellow mum was discussing Christmas traditions. The Elf on the Shelf describes itself as a tradition, but it's still a budding one, especially in the UK where I hadn't heard of it at all. All good traditions have to start somewhere though, and whilst I recognise the sneakiness of trying to sell a specific toy and book set (£29.99 on Amazon), the Elf on the Shelf concept in itself is pretty magical, and can be done super cheap (I picked up an elf in Card Factory for 99p today).
Our son has just turned six, so I fear this game might only work for him this year, so I plan to make the most of it.
As the rules go, the Elf appears the day after Thanksgiving, and watches on behalf of Santa for naughty or nice behaviour, reporting back to the North Pole each night. In the morning the Elf is back, in a new mystery location within your home. The fun comes from finding comical or clever situations for Elf to be found in each morning. As the UK is a good couple of years behind on this, there's already a wealth of ideas online thanks to America's Mummy Bloggers sharing their creativity and Elf gimmick ideas.
So, anyone else fancy giving the Elf entrance this Christmas 2013? Let me know on Twitter, I'm @rudedoodle. Click the link to my Instagram beside my blog header to follow me and watch where I place our Elf every morning.
Some how, even when I don't buy new clothes, my wardrobe space seems to get more & more bunged. Every six months I do a clear out. I'm pretty ruthless too, and then I'm left with just what I actually wear; which somehow expands itself over another six months until it's time to clear out again.
It's not the worst household chore, I can think of many more tedious ways to spend a morning, plus you often come across a dress or jumper you've totally forgotten buying. Like a summer skirt you've bought in the sales thinking you're the bee's knees and bargain savvy. Then you do a clear out in September & find the floaty skirt, labels still attached and summer fleeting fast. Not so clever. So a clear out is sometimes as good as a mini shopping spree.
Here is another plus point for you. You can get cash for your clothes on Music Magpie. You don't pay postage to send them the items either. And your reward payment? Well, you can spend it on clothes of course.
How do you fancy these insane cat sweatshirts? Tie dye, sea punk, lightning bolts and pastels. I think my cat would run away if she saw me coming in one of these.
It's been a quiet week on here, due to me ending up in hospital dehydrated from norovirus. Not the most fun time. Needless to say I'm too tired to be blogging right now, so in the meantime please enjoy this guest post with some pre-party season tips.
The news may be gloomy, but BBC Breakfast presenter Susanna Reid brightened up the red carpet with this bold outfit. Susanna has recently been strutting her stuff in the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing, and although she's said she finds the moves tricky to pick up, her sunny personality, can-do attitude and fancy footwork have won her plenty of fans.
Viewers familiar with her professional television persona have come to see that there’s more to this reporter than current affairs. Even away from the dance floor, Susanna's fun and quirky nature shine through in this turquoise outfit accented with glitzy silver accessories.
Pick a colour
Susanna leaves the little black dress behind and makes a strong style statement with her bright colour choice. This outfit is not for the wallflowers, as it draws the eye from tip to toe. The aqua dress beautifully emphasises Susanna’s golden tan and brunette locks, while the simple cut and sparse accessories keep her looking bubbly rather than tacky. Channel Susanna's bold style with this v-neck drape dress. Not quite as bright as her turquoise number but still certain to grab attention, the gentle powder blue and draped design make this a fun and flattering alternative to the LBD for party season.
Twinkle toes
These sparkly silver peep-toe courts are an excellent match for Susanna’s killer platforms and the perfect accompaniment to a statement dress in any colour. If you’re looking for a little less twinkle or a lower heel, check out the range of court shoes from Isme, with shades and styles to complement any outfit including this season’s pastels and tartans.
Perfect pins
Susanna opts for a bare-legged look to show off her flawless tan and well-defined calf muscles. If you’re brave enough to bare your pins for a party, consider using a tinted body lotion or getting a light spray tan to even up your skin tone. Even if you decide to cover up with skin-coloured tights, exfoliate daily with a body brush using long strokes towards the heart, and put plenty of moisturiser on your legs at night to keep them looking smooth and soft. If you don't have time to hit the exercise bike every day, your high heels will make your legs look longer and slimmer, no workout required.
Accessorise wisely
Follow Susanna’s lead and choose a belt that matches your shoes, finishing with sparkly but subtle jewellery to keep the look simple but perfectly coordinated,
Fresh-faced, tanned and beaming, Susanna’s bright look has an air of the holiday feel about it. It might not be possible to squeeze in a relaxing spa break or even just a day off before dressing up for your special occasion, but a dash of bronzer and a bright smile are just the ticket for completing this chic and confident ensemble.
This underwater light show from IWantOneofThose.com is a nice stocking filler at £7.99 It can be set to cycle colours, or remain on one relaxing shade.
It's one of the gifts in IWOOT's huge 3 for £20 offer, a handy way to get lots of the fiddly presents out of the way in one swoop.
The Stellar Rudolph Nutcracker. Leave it out as a threat to Santa to show what you'll do if he doesn't bring the right gift! Get yours from Amazon or Palmers' Stores.
As heard on BBC Radio 6's Lauren Laverne Show.
