Features
-
Book review: Redeeming Love – Francine Rivers (GIVEAWAY!)
I'm a Francine Rivers fiend! I love her writing style and her story telling ability, but more than that, I love that her stories are Bible based. You're able to relate with the lesson in the plot, while totally being swept away by the picture she paints with words as you get to know the characters as if they are your own best friends. Meg from By Megan Kelly and I have collaborated with Cum Books to give the gift of Francine to 2 of you! Follow our Francine Rivers' book reviews, over the next month, and stand a chance to score a super cool Francine Rivers hamper!
The first time I picked up Redeeming Love, I honestly didn’t expect the story to unravel me the way it did. I mean, the cover was pretty enough, and the synopsis speaks about a prodigal son/runaway bride type of vibe, but I honestly didn’t think that the story would draw me closer to God or move me in any way.
And boy was I wrong.
Set in the 1850’s, amidst the Calfornia Gold Rush, unwilling prostitute, Angel, survives abuse, rape and human trafficking. She was sold into prostitution as a little girl and basically grows up knowing no other way. In her eyes, men are evil, she is unworthy of love and God probably doesn’t exist, or if He does, then He is a sick and hate-filled God.
In the meantime, farmer Michael Hosea, a man after God’s own heart, receives word from God to go and find his wife in the city. The wife turns out to be Angel, and Hosea is floored that God would expect him to marry a seemingly cold-hearted (but very beautiful) prostitute. BUT this Hosea is such an obedient man, you guys, and He knows that God would not give him instruction if there wasn’t a reason for it, so he begins to pursue Angel. After a lot of back and forth, Angel and Hosea end up married (much to her dismay) and living on Hosea’s farm out in the bundu’s.
Hosea is a patient man and is obedient to God’s call and is willing to wait it out, as Angel journey’s through feelings of depression, unworthiness, fear, anger and shame. She doesn’t understand why this man would want to marry her and she is so annoyed that he speaks about this God all the time.
Guys, no matter how good Hosea is to her, Angel keeps running away from him. Like, physically, leaving him to go back to the life of abuse and prostitution, because she feels that this is the type of life she deserves. She is stubborn, foolish and spiteful (uhm, I can relate) and even when she eventually falls in love with him and grows to love their life together, she still feels that she is not good enough for him.
God instructs Hosea to let her go, because at the end of the day God is the only one who is able to heal her brokenness, and she needs to come to that realization all on her own.The story hit home for me because I too felt that worthlessness at one point in my life. The “why would anyone love me?” syndrome. It causes you to make the worst decisions (because surely nothing good can come from me) and it chips away at your ability to give and receive love.
I also completely admired Michael Hosea’s obedience to God. It made me feel like, wow, God is speaking to us, like that, every day… are we even listening?! Am I listening? Am I willing to be that obedient? When Angel kept running away from him, back to prostitution, Hosea put his pride aside and went after his wife, because God said so! Would you put your pride aside, if God told you to?
The way River’s unpacks the story, going into detail about the Gold Rush, the farm and the way life was lived back then, it totally helps you to step into the pages of the book – it’s as if you’re there! I couldn’t help but sob as I read about Angel’s experiences as a little girl and every physical attack thereafter. You want to climb into the book to console ‘little girl Angel’ when she loses loved ones and you want to shake the shoulders of ‘grown up Angel’ with each stubborn retort.
This book is probably one of the best reads of my life! (And that’s not me being dramatic) I’ve reread it a few times now and each time I find a new lesson to apply to my life. If you’re looking for one of those types of books that you just can’t put down – this is probably the one for you! There’s romance, there’s drama, there’s intrigue and there is a beautiful story about the unwavering, unfaltering love of God that overlooks even the dirtiest of sins you’ve committed and promises to love you just the same.
You can pick up your copy of Redeeming Love at any Cum Books store or check out their online store for more!
GIVEAWAY!Megan from By Megan Kelly and I have partnered with Cum Books to give away 2 book hampers comprising of 3 Francine Rivers books, including Redeeming Love. All you have to do is
- Make sure you’re following @luchae and @bymegankelly on Instagram
- Find the corresponding post on Instagram and let us know which of these 3 books are your favourite or which one you’re most looking forward to reading.
- Gain a bonus entry by letting me know what your Instagram handle is in the comments section below
Giveaway ends on 3 May. Follow our weekly Francine Rivers reviews to gain that bonus entry on each post! Check out Megan’s post to score another bonus entry. Giveaway not open to readers outside of RSA.
-
Bath Time with Purity & Elizabeth Annes
We take bath time really seriously in our home. Okay, correction. I do. I take bath time seriously. Whaaat? It’s the only time I get to cuddle and love on my babies without them wanting to ditch me for their dad or play things. Part of our routine involves me telling them little stories, making up songs about the amount of fingers and toes they have and I obviously love that I get to rub them up with lotions and nice smelling potions, while they stare at me, enamored.
Over the past week we tried out some of the cool products from Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s mild and gentle range. I was so pleased when I received the press drop, because I’m old now and things like bath products excites me, apparently. But also because the names Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s is synonymous with quality and safety. We know the brand, we love the product, we buy copious amounts of the stuff to add to our baby shower gift bags. What’s not to love?The Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s Special Baby Shampoo is formulated without soap and is gentle on your baby’s eyes. I love the travel size bottle (great for that hospital bag and over night kit). We’ve used it as an all-over body wash (yep, including hair, yo!) It cleanses skin gently and leaves baby feeling fresh and all baby-smellin’! You guys know that well-known, Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s rose fragrance… I simply love it!
We also tried the Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s Fresh range. The Head to Toe wash has a fun, fresh fragrance (can a fragrance be fun?! why, yes it can!) with a tear free formulation. The Fresh Aqueous cream bar is perfectly PH balanced to be mild & gentle. For those who believe in chamomile (because, it’s like, a thing) you’ll be pleased to know that the Fresh Baby Powder has chamomile to help soothe and calm skinYou guys, the thing that most excited me was the laundry range! The amazing smelling Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s Laundry Wash is suitable for both hand and machine wash. The Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s Stain Remover comes in a really convenient ‘roll on’ tube, making it easy to apply to smaller garments. I mean, hello green poop stains! Those are a bummer (pun intended) to get out!
You can pick up the Purity and Elizabeth Anne’s ranges from all leading retailers. For more deets on these products, check out the website.
-
Jislaaik! Want a Jislaain SOS Tee?
If you follow me on Instagram then you would know that I recently hosted a hamper giveaway on my grid, comprising of a host of proudly SA and environmentally lekker goodies, compliments of Jislaaik and a bunch of other fabulous brands. (If you’re not following me on Instagram, seriously, you’re missing out on candid shots of my feet and video clips of my kids telling me that they prefer their dad over me. Seriously awkward and entertaining stuff.)
Anyways, I got involved with the initiative after learning more about Jislaaik and the flippen fantastic concept around the online store. I mean, for starters, who doesn’t love the name JISLAAIK? Because jislaaikit, it’s so lekker to say! The word is 100% South African and is basically a way to express astonishment. And this is exactly what this brand strives to do. Jislaaik says that their pursuit is to “help local designers & artisans to broaden their horizons on the South African market.” Amazing.
More from the brand: “We are determined to find hidden gems and discover local heroes. WE LEAD WITH LOCAL. These are our heroes! These people create the most amazing things and work so hard to achieve their dreams! Our mission is to help local designers, craftsmen and woman become more and more known to South Africa.”Jislaaik – Jislaain!
As if that isn’t enough, Jislaaik officially launches their Jislaain SOS (Save our Seas) Tees today! The name, Jislaain, is a play on words since the specially designed tshirts will feature one line drawings done by Olive & Arrow Creative.
Yep, that’s right. One Line. One Line is used for the whole illustration!
How rad, Brad?! Minimalistic, simple and absolutely gorgeous. These designs are the signature of the Jislaain range and can be seen on each and every item available. The shirts in this range are all ethically sourced and made locally.
The range focuses on saving our environment, aiming to raise awareness and getting people to think differently about their consumption and the impact they have on our planet. I mean, more than 8 million tons of plastic is dumped into the ocean and a whopping 30kg to 50kg of plastic is used by South Africans alone, per year!
The Jislaain range sells for R250 (introductory price) and a percentage of the sale will be donated to various charities who share the same view and passion and who are actively making a difference in our world. What’s more, YOU get to vote for your favorite charity, with the same passion, to receive the donation proceeds.
Place your preorder now!Preorders are finally open and, if you’re one of the first to purchase your tee, you stand a chance to score yourself a free gift from one of the amazing sponsors: The Bamboo Project, The Refillery SA, Bundu Beard, Sili Straw and Bert 3000. You can choose between black, white and grey shirts in 3 different styles.
Book your preorders by emailing ello@jislaaikshop.co.za.
For more information or to check out more on offer from this cool brand, check out the online store or give them a follow on Instagram!
-
Office politics is not always a bad thing, right?
Office politics. Come on, we’re all familiar with it. It’s there… like a ninja… stealthily hiding away, ready to strike, as soon as Susan is away for an extra 10 minutes during her lunch break.
You can literally cut it with a knife during staff meetings (especially when Mike tries to be Head Boy again, brown nosing the manager every chance he gets) and you can even catch a whiff of it when someone does something that goes against the grain of the office. (Yes, I’m looking at you and your boiled eggs, Frank.)
Office Politics. You can’t escape it.
And, I mean, you could be employed at the best company in the whole entire world and you’ll probably STILL be inflicted by some sort of office drama. Why? Well, because we human beings are a fickle folk. And when you chuck a hodge podge of personalities into one mixing bowl, chances are everyone won’t always get along. The political nature of the office means that there will always be some sort of conflict to manage and road blocks to work around.
But is office politics ALL bad? Well, I think it’s not.
I mean, sure, we’ve all had our fair share of backstabbing, manipulation, favoritism and (dare I say it… yes I do!) even sexism or racism, in an office environment. People can be pretty crude when there is an opportunity for advancement or a better income. But if you’re really out to WIN (and not in the financial way, Tina) you would use office tension to better your communication and conflict handling skills.
In fact, an article in Forbes magazine, basically pushes you to engage in office politics. The article says: “If you are not currently engaging in office politics, it’s time to get started and here’s why: Being politically savvy is a crucial ingredient in your career success. Forging good relationships up and down the org chart is a sure way to get yourself promoted, and a key to becoming a respected leader.”
It speaks about staying true to who YOU are, while maintaining transparency, as you deal with the various personalities in your office. You can totally use conflict to help build trust and create clearer lines of communication in that temperamental environment.
You can deal with office politics by:1. Not being a jerk, man. I mean, it’s lekker to be recognized by your boss but it’s even better to make sure you display integrity and honor, even when Pete next door does not. You don’t always have to have the upper hand to … you know… have the upper hand. (Hey, that’s good, I should tweet that!)
2. Getting off the grapevine! Yep, gossiping will probably not be a good idea if you’re looking to build healthy relationship AND create a self-image of maturity and stability. No one trusts the office gossip. Build your reputation as someone who can be trusted and someone who turns a negative into a positive. I want to be around that person, don’t you?
3. Doing your job. It’s as simple as that. You’re employed to do a job, so do it. Hey, do a little bit extra if you have the time. Who cares what Penny is up to. Penny is not your responsibility. You were not employed to keep tabs on her. Stop being an Aunty Mildred, step away from your dining room curtain, and focus on your own work!
4. Speaking up! Okay, honestly Bob, if you don’t like the fact that Sindi is subjecting the whole office to her extensive Cher collection, simply tell her… politely! But walking around like a grump, muttering all sorts of negative things to whoever has an ear, probably won’t get Sindi to turn her music down.
5. Guarding your heart and staying free of offense. I get it, doing the “right thing” sometimes feels like an injustice (because Linda needs to know what a terrible person she is!) but consciously deciding how you will respond to office politics, and how you will allow it to affect your heart, could go a long way towards choosing joy and peace, over turmoil. And anyways, taking the burden of office politics home with you is not part of your job description.
Have you ever had to deal with politics in the office? How do you handle it? Share your advice with us below.
-
Easy homemade wet wipes
It’s no secret – wet wipes make the world go round. Well, okay, maybe not “go round” but they sure do make life a lot less stickier! I have my favorite brands and we buy copious amounts of the stuff, because it’s just so darn convenient! But, imagine a day, my friends, when – GASP – you’ve run out of wet wipes and you have no way to get to the shops to purchase more! Well, that was me last week Saturday. A plan had to be made!
Now, yes people, I do have a spreadsheet brain, but I’m not your average crafty mom. I mean, I’m not out here wanting to sow my own shoes and grow my own vegetables. But after watching a couple of Youtube tuts on how to make your own wipes, I figured that this is easy enough for even me to make. (So you must know it’s super easy.)
Easy homemade wet wipesTo make your own wipes, you will need:
A cylinder shaped container – The taller, the better, in my opinion.
A roll of extra thick paper towel – The thicker, the better, in my opinion.
Baby wash – Using baby wash is the super easy way. I love the smell of the JOHNSONS top-to-toe baby wash so I chose that.
Baby oil – Again, you can be as fancy as you want.
About 2 cups of water – I boiled mine first and left it to cool
Method: Start off by measuring your paper roll to your container, and using a sharp knife, cutting it down to size. You want your paper towel to fit into your cylinder container neatly, once the lid is on tightly.
Mix together your water, 2 tablespoons of baby wash and 1 tablespoon of baby oil. Pour the contents over your paper towel, seal the container and turn it upside down, to ensure that the entire roll is seeped in the mixture.
Now, the big challenge for me was to gauge how much of the mixture I was going to add to my paper towel. You don’t want it to be to wet or soggy. I’ve played around with 1 and a half to 2 cups of mixture to find the consistency that I like. You can do that too – find what works best for you!After about 15 minutes, open your container, and remove the inside cardboard of your paper towel roll. It should slide out quite easily by now. And ta daaaa your wet wipes are ready to go!
Disclaimer:You’ll notice that I kept it super easy, because, honestly I get tired when I see recipes on the internet that requires me to find leaves from a tree only found on a hill in Timbuktwo or essence of pomegranate that grows on the outskirts of Jamaica. Like, I’m not here to be fancy right now. But you can be as fancy and as all-natural as you want. No judgies. Other moms have included things like drops of lavender and other essential oils and sometimes substitute the baby oil for coconut oil or aloe vera.
So what do you think, friends? Will you try this at home? If you do, hit me up in the comments section and let me know how it goes!
-
Gift ideas for the practical girl
I’m an expert gift receiver and I have many years of gift giving experience under my belt. So one would say that I’m a pro of sorts (self proclaimed). And today, dear friends, I thought to share my gift giving wisdom with you! (And the crowd goes wild.) Truth be told, the topic came up when I was chatting to a friend who is a Practical Penny like I am. I mean, us Sensible Sarahs are quite difficult to shop for, I’m sure. I apologize on behalf of all of us.
But, good news, I come with tips and tricks! If you’re looking to spoil your practical friend (who probably won’t be swooning over a box of chocolates or another bath and body set), look no further. Here is a list of practical gift ideas, you know, for that functional girl who probably gets excited about a desk organizer more than a tub of body lotion.
Gift ideas for the practical girl
Vouchers and Experiences
Vouchers to your girl’s favorite stores are always a winner! Plus, if she’s a practical girl, I’m sure she’ll probably be more excited that can shop at her own leisure, purchasing goodies that may not come in a gift bag (i.e. underwear, socks or even work attire). If you’re looking for something a bit more exciting, how about a pamper voucher or an experience voucher that could have homegirl enjoying their birthday while experiencing the adventure of a game drive, chartering a yacht for a sunset cruise or even enjoying a wine tasting tour.
Luxe homewareWant to know what your functional girl gets excited about? Fresh towels! New bedding! Beautiful storage kitchen containers! Matching photo frames! Luxe bathrobes and slippers! Pretty oven mits and kitchen sets! Excuse the exclamation marks, I don’t know why I’m shouting. I guess I’m just excited to tell you that the Sensible Sarahs of this world would appreciate anything that would last for a very long time. A practical girl is always on that useful trip, and would probably only spend a ton of cash on a homeware item, if it’s something that she could probably use until she’s like, 80.
Stuff she actually uses
I’m here for all the lovely smelling bath and body stuff. But sometimes your homegirl is allergic to specific products and ingredients. If you’re going to purchase creams and treatments, rather try to find out what she uses. Your practical girl would go gaga if she unwraps her gift and finds out that she doesn’t have to spend her hard earned moola on her favorite face cream or perfume, this month, because someone has thoughtfully gifted her with it. We’re a frugal, easy-to-please bunch.
Hobbies and interests
We all have that favorite thing to do. For some of us (me, I’m pointing at me) it probably involves listening to Tori Kelly and, you know, binge watching The Voice. For others it might be nail art or crafting or hey, I’m not judging, exercising. (Exercising has become a thing, you guys, I don’t understand it but I support it.) My point is that your friend probably has hobbies and interests and if ever you’re stumped and not sure what type of gift to buy her, how about gifting her with something related to this hobby. I know, genius. Clue: Books are always a good idea, if she has a favorite author!
Shoes and bagsI feel like shoes and hand bags are, like, the unspoken “best birthday gift idea” of the female world. Right? We’re female and we love shoes and hand bags. There, I said it. Not sure what type of bag or style of shoe to get Practical Penny? Here’s a tip for free: simply check out the style of hand bag and shoe she wears on a regular basis, and base your pick around that. Penny isn’t your “I need an orange Armani bag because I have one in every color” kind of girl. Stick to neutral colors or basic black. Penny will be overjoyed.
Keep it classy
When you think practical or sensible, you might be thinking “uhh boring!” But your practical chick is none of the above. She’s not bland or boring. She just prefers to keep it classy… think: CLASSIC, stylish and elegant. She knows what she likes and is not easily moved by the latest trends and fads. She also values her friendships and relationships and probably only has a handful of you (because she’s very old school like that) so I’m sure she’s going to love whatever you end up gifting her!
Do you have any practical gift ideas? Drop them in the comments section below.
Pics: “towels” designed by jcomp; “shoes and bags” designed by senivpetro
-
Nailing those New Year’s resolutions with Uber Eats
If you’re anything like me, you probably have a host of unfulfilled New Year’s resolutions under your belt. You know, the ones that you are not proud of. Like “get into shape” or “get out of debt” or, let’s be honest, “get out of that toxic relationship.” Resolutions are a fickle thing. We make ‘em, we break ‘em, we allow ourselves to feel like a failure because of ‘em. Who came up with this concept?! I need to speak to his manager!
The truth is this: reaching your goals is a journey… not a destination. Rushing to get there won’t help you to fulfill them, you guys. With this in mind, I decided to break down my 2019 resolutions, into easy steps, so that I don’t end up feeling like I want to drown in a bag of Niknaks when December hits. Here are my resolutions for 2019:
Healthy Mind
In 2019, I want to be less stressed and more focused on the important things. But instead of just hoping that I’m all of a sudden going to “feel less stressed”, I’ve decided to make monthly goals for myself, that include things like going for a full body massage and eliminating unnecessary commitments. It gets easier when you break it down into bite sized chunks, I promise. I also want to try to minimalize my daily to do lists… so that means less frantic cleaning of the house and more chill time on the couch and ordering meals via Uber Eats! The Uber Eats app has 100s of restaurants listed… so there’s something for everyone! Winning already.
Healthy Relationships
I really want to focus on establishing a deeper bond with my kids and my Hubstopher this year. As you guys may know, hubby and I do regular #dateyourspouse updates and I have so enjoyed getting to know him again, through our monthly date nights. I was thinking of doing the same for my kids. I mean, there are four of them, so it can get a bit difficult to keep track of who is going through what. Regular quality time dates, with each of our kids could help with that. And it all starts with being intentional every month! I’m talking about an after work rendezvous while the rest of the family orders in via Uber Eats. The cool thing is that I can schedule their orders and pay beforehand, or get them to pay cash. So everyone feels loved and taken care of. I’ve got this mom thing waxed.
Healthy BodyI’ve let go of the “be as skinny as possible” dream because it makes me break out into hives. Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to have rock hard abs?! Instead, I’ve decided to focus on being healthy. This includes fitting some form of physical activity into my weekly routine and yep, eating better. Thankfully, Uber Eats has partnered with Kauai… I mean, how amazing is that? Freshly prepared, healthy meals, delivered to my office. It kinda takes the pressure of it all off my back. Uber Eats also allows you to save your home or work address, for quick and easy food deliveries. You can also stay in contact with your Uber Eats driver, via the chat function, on the app. So no “food getting lost” scenarios. Super helpful when you’re starving at the office!
Do you have any resolutions for 2019? Have you tried out Uber Eats yet? Let me know in the comments section below.
Disclaimer: This post was written in collaboration with Uber Eats
-
5 Tips for a Fun Family Game Night with Uber Eats
So if you have as many children as I do, you pretty much run out of ideas on how to keep them all happy at the same time. I mean, they don’t all have the same taste in movies, or food and believe me when I say, they don’t find the same things entertaining. Luckily for me, with Uber Eats on my side, I am able to cater to a variety of tastes, while saving some time to spend on deciding which fun games I can play (and win at!) on a family game night.
We love family game night! I usually throw one of these in the mix when I feel that we need some unscheduled family time. A family game night is a great way to bond with your kids and, if you pick the right games, everyone is bound to have fun! Here are some of my (tried and tested) tips for a fun family game night:
Each one pick oneA clever way to get a nice mix of games and activities, for the entire family to enjoy, is to have each member of the family suggest at least one or two games they would like to play. The result: a bullet proof, hodge-podge of interesting games, as recommended by the players themselves. It’s genius, really. Less brain work for you and a lot more (guaranteed) fun for them!
Mix it up
Instead of creating set teams for the whole night, why not mix it up and create new teams with each game. This will encourage team spirit and a chance for everyone to bond with – well – everyone else. Also, I’m the “Obnoxious Police” and I don’t allow obnoxious boasting to put a damper on our game night. It’s a teaching moment, you guys… teach your children to encourage each other!
Set the rules
So once we have a list of games, I make sure to have the rules for all games, displayed visibly for all to see. The “rules chart” is as detailed as possible, so that if a dispute arises, the “rules chart” will offer a resolution. But hey, conflict management is important and family game night is a great way to help your family figure out how to resolve conflicts without, you know, someone being grounded FOR LIFE. (That’s just one example, but you get the jist.)
Prizes are importantOkay, this statement is not true. Prizes aren’t important. Spending time together is. But prizes sure do make things a lot more exciting! Our games night prizes are made up of sweet treats and trinkets bought at the R10 store. Hint: you want to wrap them up in impressive looking boxes, to create an air of excitement. We also have a super cool floating trophy that I made using a large tin and foil. How impressive am I?
No hard work
I’m a firm believer that a happy mama is a mama who doesn’t have to wash the dishes. Well, something along those lines. So my ideal family game night will include ordering in food via Uber Eats. The cool thing is that the app has partnered with all our favourite restaurants and for a fee of R10 per delivery, we can order in everyone’s favourite meals and we don’t even need to leave home. Or wash the dishes afterwards. Did you know that Uber Eats has hundreds of restaurants to choose from? The app is so simple, even my kids know how to use it – provided they are supervised by me or hubby. It also allows you to track your food in real time, from the restaurant straight to your door! How cool is that? Oh and did I mention that the delivery fee is ONLY R10?! Double score!
And that’s that, friends! What do you think? Will you be throwing a family game night anytime soon? Have you tried out Uber Eats yet? Let me know in the comments section below.
Disclaimer: This post was written in collaboration with Uber Eats
-
Cookie Creative makes cookie decorating festive this Christmas! {Giveaway!}
When it comes to being the mom of a kid (so yeah, basically all of us) there’s literally only so much we can do before we start feeling like we know all the words to Moana. They say no man is an island (“the island gives us what we neeeed”) and all of that, and so I always welcome fresh ideas and interesting activities that will encourage some creativity and quality time with my little ones. So I was so chuffed when Cookie Creative sent Kari and I a christmas cookie decorating kit. Ahhh, finally, a crafty project that I can eat! Winning already!
Cookie Creative is the brain child of Rowena, founder and owner, who has been baking for more than 30 years, you guys! That’s 30 years of cookies and cakes. Let me just leave that thought right here. (hmmm caaaake)Cookie Creative supplies moms and aspiring cookie decorators with themed packs, icing and basically all that you would need to get your cookie decorating skills on! I mean, how brilliant is a cookie decorating birthday party? Rowena can even put together cookie decorating gift boxes (party packs, yo!) for your guests. I love how creative and fresh this idea is.
The kit we received is called the ‘Ice Your Own Christmas Cookie Kit” and it costs a low R150 … and man, it’s worth every cent! The kit contains:12 Un-iced Gingerbread Cookies (Tree, Snowflake, Star, Stocking, Snowman, Sleigh, Baubles, Christmas Pudding, Present, Gingerbread Man and Holly Leaf )
4 Royal Icing Bags (Red, White, Green and Black)
2 Tubs of Sprinkles.
Karicurls thoroughly enjoyed trying out every single thing (yes, I meant she licked everything first) and we both had our hand at icing the cookies. The Christmas 2018 kits are so cute, friends! I mean you can even order edible gift tags (R120), edible Christmas cracker place names – love! (R80) and even Christmas cookie gift boxes that contain beautifully decorated cookies.If you’re looking for a fun activity for the kids to do on Christmas eve or Christmas morning, do check out the Cookie Creative website for fun ideas. (BTW, everything on this site is SO Instagram worthy… do it for the gram!)
WIN a COOKIE CREATIVE cookie decorating kit!
Want to win a Cookie Creative cookie decorating kit? To enter, simply follow the prompts below:
1. Find the specially marked post on Instagram and follow instruction to grab 1 entry.
2. Find the specially marked post on Facebook and follow instruction to grab 1 entry.Giveaway open to SA residents only. Winner announced on 21 December and has 24 hours to claim prize.
-
Festive season fun from Hasbro (Giveaway!)
If you love your kids as much as I love mine, then you’re probably wondering how on earth you’re going to score those cool mom points, this Christmas. I mean, cool mom points are totally necessary. Cool mom points are what keeps us young. Well, my friend, I bring you glad tidings of great joy! Our pals over at Hasbro has guaranteed us a ton of festive season fun – and cool mom points – and we don’t even have to bake anyone cookies to get ’em! Plus we’re giving a whole hamper away! Aaack! Here are some of my favorite Hasbro Christmas gift ideas and a chance for you to win!
TransformersYour little boy would give you an endless supply of hugs and kisses if you make sure that Santa (cough) drops off some Transformers merch under your Christmas tree. Plus, it would be a total score if you included tickets to the latest movie in the Transformers franchise, Bumblebee, that will be launching in December. The cool gear on offer includes the:
Bumblebee Showcase Helmet that captures the cool swagger of the loyal Autobot scout.
Power Charge Bumblebee action figure that converts from robot mode to classic Volkswagen Beetle mode in 17 steps so kids can amp up the power in 2 modes.
Bumblebee DJ Stryker figure that brings a whole new beat to the game by interacting with fans and allowing them to create their own original tunes.
NerfMy older boys are going to freak out when they learn about the much-anticipated nerf Rival range. Designed for kids older than 14, these high-powered blasters are durable, and its battle-tested accessories enhances the action-packed NERF experience. Some of the cool gadgets you’ll find in stores are:
Nerf Rival Apollo XV-700 blaster, known for accuracy.
Nerf Rival Artemis XVII-3000 blaster or Nerf Rival Nemesis MXVII-10K blaster, which offers a massive 100-which offers a massive 100-round capacity to outlast the competition.
Nerf Zombie Strike Survival System Scavenger Blaster keeps battlers ready for any zombifying challenge that comes their way.
Nerf Nitro Double clutch Inferno Blaster is a 2-barrel blaster allowing kids to launch two cars at the same time.
YelliesIf you’re looking for a unique Christmas gift for your kid, you need to check out Hasbro’s Yellies – the cutest, fuzziest collectible pets that respond to your voice. Each Yellies! pet has its own unique look and personality and is full of fun surprises. Voice and sound-activated, they respond to talking, yelling, clapping, singing, or even music. Look out for the first wave of Yellies! spider collectables. Find your favorite and remember the louder you yell, the faster they go!
My Little PonyMy Little Pony is always a winner with my girl and it helps that the range has a variety of toys and activities available – all well priced! Some great gift ideas include:
The My Little Pony Equestria Girls fashion dolls, each dressed in a stylish outfit, complete with fashion accessories that match their character personalities.
Singing Rainbow Dash has cool movable sunglasses and a microphone attached. Press her Cutie Mark to hear her sing “Time to Be Awesome” from My Little Pony: The Movie and more including 15 entertainment-inspired phrases.
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Plush Figures – the larger-sized soft and floppy plush pony figure is a huggable friend perfect for bedtime snuggles.
Hasbro GamingMy teenage sons love a good board game, and to be honest it’s sometimes the only way I can get all of us to do something fun together! I love the new Hasbro board games. These include the popular Speak Out Showdown version, Hearing Things, Don’t Lose Your Cool as well as Trivial Pursuit Family Edition. Kids will love Pie Face Cannon and Don’t Step In It as well as a new take on an older classic with Blindfolded Twister. Keep your piece of Mzansi with you over the holidays with Monopoly Mzansi, the local version of Monopoly. Hasbro Gaming also offers a series of preschool Mensa approved learning games from Mousetrap to Downfall Machine to Cranium Sculpt-It and more keep kids entertained while developing their sensory and motor skills
Hasbro CollectablesScore those cool mom points by filling those Christmas stockings with some of Hasbro’s super cool collectables. I’m talking mini toys such as:
Lock Stars – the collectable lock accessory lets you hold the key to unlock your collection.
Lost Kitties – an adorable collection of mischievous little kitties, who always seem to end up hiding in a carton, where it’s up to you to find them.
The Littlest Pet Shop – the littlest pets with the biggest personalities!Hasbro products are available from leading retailers including: Toys R Us, Toy Kingdom, Toy Zone, Toy Adventures, Lilliputs Toys, Hamleys, Checkers and Checkers Hypers, Game, Makro A and online at Takealot.com
WIN a TOY hamper compliments of Hasbro!Hasbro is committed to creating memorable experiences for your family. From toys and games to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive lifestyle licensing program, Hasbro fulfils the fundamental need for play and connection for children and families around the world.
But hey, I know why you’re here! You want to win an amazing toy hamper, compliments of Hasbro! To enter, simply follow the prompts below:
1. Find the specially marked post on Instagram and follow instruction to grab 1 entry.
2. Find the specially marked post on Facebook and follow instruction to grab 1 entry.
3. Comment below and let me know which gift idea your kid would appreciate, to grab 1 entry.Giveaway open to SA residents only. Winner announced on 21 December and has 24 hours to claim prize.
