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Easy peasy KOO Cape Malay curry homemade pie (can feed a family of very many people)
Friends, I’m not the best cook in the world. In fact, I’m downright unimpressive when it comes to kitchen stuff. (I just referred to cooking as “kitchen stuff”… point and case). So, when I find a recipe that is quick, easy and tastes delicious, best know that I’m going to brag about it on this here blog and basically make it whenever you invite me over for a bring and share.
At our blogger event, the kind people over at KOO gave us a hamper filled with some of their yummy tinned veggies and I knew I had to do something with it (I mean, besides for give them to a family member with the hint of “here, cook for us.”)
I was kinda excited because I spotted some of the new KOO iconic curry sauce flavours in the press drop. Dude, you need to check this out! KOO – the country’s fave canned food brand – introduced a range of curried mixed veggies to the shelf, in Durban Curry and Cape Malay Curry sauces! And believe me (because it’s food, I don’t joke about food) these flavors are legit! I mean, I had to try them out in a dish!I visited the KOO website for ideas and spotted an easy homemade pie recipe. I mean, it seemed simple enough. The recipe was for individual pies though, and as you know, my family (filled with very many people) are usually ravenous come supper time. So I decided to adapt the recipe a bit to make a large oven pie instead. I am absolutely, without a doubt, impressed with myself. Here’s my recipe:
Disclaimer: Now, friends, if you’re like me (a very undomesticated goddess who wonders why her husband hasn’t tried to trade her in for a Martha Stewart type) then this recipe is for you. It’s easy, doesn’t require any cooking skill at all (obviously) and is one of those quick meal ideas. If you’re looking for something a bit more fancier, look away, my friend. You will not find that here.
Easy peasy homemade pie (can feed a family of very many people)Ingredients:
1kg minced beef
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 egg (beaten)
2 medium onions, chopped
3 cans (410g) KOO MIXED VEGETABLES in CAPE MALAY Curry Sauce
2 rolls of Puff Pastry
You can add cheese (I like it cheesy)
Fresh herbs to garnish if you’re that person. (I’m not that person)
Method:
Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees C.In a large pot, brown your chopped onions (I usually add garlic and ginger, because that’s what my mother does) and eventually add in your mince. Season with some salt and pepper and cook until brown.
Add your KOO Cape Malay curried mixed veggies to the pot and allow to cook through. (You’re welcome to add salt and seasoning to taste, but I found that it needed very little to no extra salt… all the flavor is there already!) Allow your concoction to cool.Roll out one package of Puff Pastry and press into your oven dish, making sure it overlaps the sides nicely. (Please note, I definitely used Spray And Cook in my oven dish before I pressed my pastry in. Maybe you should too.) Stick your pastry into the oven for a couple of minutes. You want it to be a golden brown.
When it’s ready, remove from oven and scoop your cooled Cape Malay stew into the baked pastry base, adding the second (raw) layer of pastry on top, like a lid.
Brush egg on to the top of your pastry. Stick it in the oven and give yourself a high five because you just made a whole pie without using Google.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (or until it’s nice and golden).And that’s that. I wish I had more to share, or could tell you guys how I discovered an easy way to do something, but nope. It’s that plain and simple. I’ve never baked with a KOO product before and I must say, this experiment was pretty darn delish!
If you want to try out the original KOO Crusty Homemade Pie with Curried Mixed Vegetables recipe that this was adapted from you can find it here.The KOO curried mixed vegetable range, retailing for approximately R17.99, is available from retailers and supermarkets across the country. For meal inspiration and delicious recipes visit – www.koo.co.za.
Header image: KOO
Disclaimer: Also, KOO sent me this product to try out. -
Netflorist’s personalised lunchboxes made me geek out
When it comes to giving gifts, I’m the type who loves to make it personal. I mean, fancy expensive gifts are totally amazing, but those low-cost, well thought out ones are pretty spectacular too. There’s nothing more special than knowing that some brain juice went into putting a gift together.
And that’s why I spent like, two hours on Netflorist the other day. I mean, you can pretty much personalise almost anything on the online gifting website! My brain was short circuiting, you guys. There were just so many cool personalised gifting options… I needed to have them all! I mean, I didn’t have any specific reason as to why I was shopping for gifts. But I don’t need one, okay? That’s my story and I’m semi-sticking to it.
Anyways, there I was, innocently minding my own business while cyber window shopping and then I spotted an email from Netflorist in my inbox introducing me to the funky Netflorist personalised lunchboxes. I totally spazzed out, you guys. No seriously, I broke out in manic twitches because, get this, it’s a funky lunchbox AND it can be a cool gift idea AND it’s practical… score! My inner Martha Stewart started break-dancing while beat-boxing all at the same time.
A gazillion ideas popped into my head… I could do SO MUCH with a personalised lunchbox and none of these ideas have anything to do with lunch. Guys, if I had a personalised lunchbox, the world would be my oyster! Here’s what I would do with it:
These would make for an excellent alternative to a boring ol’ gift bag or wrapping paper. I would totally fill a personalised lunchbox with trinkets and keepsakes, for an extra quirky and thoughtful birthday/Christmas gift idea.
It would also double as a really cute festive treat box! Moms who put together “night before Christmas” gift boxes, how about filling one of these with all your favorite festive season snacks? Or how about a “Exams Prep Box” filled with energy gummies and snacks that will get your kid through those long study nights?
My kids would love a personalised lunchbox filled with cool gel markers, felt tip pens and colour in pencils! This would make for a cool “back to school” gift or, hey, if you’re simply looking to make your kid’s day! (Oh and Father’s Day gift idea anyone?)What you need to know
These personalised Netflorist lunchboxes come in a variety of different designs. You simply pick your design and type in the name of the person that the gift is intended for. I appreciate that it’s a sturdy Addis lunchbox, which means it’s BPA free.
The dimensions of the lunchbox is 20cm x 15cm x 6cm which is perfect for safely and neatly storing lunch and snacks for a typical school day.
Order your personalised lunchbox online from NetFlorist at only R129,95 and have it delivered nationwide.
Okay, real talk, and this is a serious question: what would you put into your personalised lunchbox?
Disclaimer: these lunchboxes were a gift from Netflorist. And yes, I’m legit crazy about them!
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Great Mother’s Day gifts because she’s worth it! {Giveaway!}
So, I’m not sure if you guys know, but I love Mother’s Day! I mean, it took me a long time to get to this place (teen mom syndrome) but when I eventually realised what a blessing it is to be a mom to my kids, I could finally enjoy the Mother’s Day celebrations. Also, gifts are my love language, so it’s a win-win situation (I win, and then I win again.)
Because the day is so special to me, when it comes to purchasing Mother’s Day gifts, I’m usually pretty pedantic with the type of love offerings I present to the moms in my life. I mean, I want it to be sentimental and meaningful and not just a “I had to do it because everyone in the country is doing it today, so here.”
This is why I love taking a stroll through Cum Books ‘round about this time of the year. They usually have a lovely selection of gift ideas for that special mom in your life. I mean, I would buy them all, if I could! Looking for a special gift for your mom that shows how much you value her? Check out this list of great Mother’s Day gift ideas:
Life Lists for Women/MothersYou guys, I instantly fell inlove with the Lift Lists for Women and Life Lists for Mothers ranges! These beautifully designed books and cards are designed to encourage your special person to live an abundant, faith-filled life. Think: scrap booking made easy!
The Life Lists for Women paperback and Life Lists for Mothers hardcover comprises of 101 practical lists to help women become the beautiful, strong, purpose filled individuals that God has called them to be. It has awesome journaling prompts, inspirational quotes and scriptures and pages for your mom to jot down her life goals and lists.
In the Life Lists for Women book, expect to find topics related to staying positive, finding peace, building confidence and becoming a prayer warrior. I especially love the topics covered in the Life Lists for Mothers book. These include praying for your children, simplifying your life, speaking kind words and prioritizing.
If reading a whole book is not your gal’s thing, you could gift her with the Life Lists for Women or Life Lists for Mothers boxed card set. Both comprises of 44 beautifully designed double-sided cards, containing short lists and scripture that help you to stay God focused and goal-driven. The box set aimed at moms, focuses on the specific needs of mothers. This is such a great gift and is perfect for that busy mom who may not have the time to sit down and read (so that’s like, all of us.)
Pick up the Life Lists for Women Paperback for R180 and the Life Lists for Women Boxed Cards for R89. The Life Lists for Mothers Hardcover retails for R180 and the Life Lists for Mothers Boxed Cards for R89.
My Prayer Journal
I fell inlove with the gorgeous My Prayer Journal diary. You guys, this is a 120-day journal for women of all ages (so not just moms, but wow, what a wonderful Mother’s Day gift it would make!) that prompts you to have a more intentional prayer life. I love that it teaches you the ACTS method of praying which is: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication.
The journal has enough space to record your daily scripture verse, prayers lists and even specific requests. You can also jot down your list of prayers of thanksgiving to God.
The My Prayer Journal retails for R89.
Prayers to Strengthen Your FaithIf you’re all about that boxed card life, you’ll be pleased to know that there is a whole range of really stunning boxed card sets available! The Prayers to Strengthen Your Faith set comprises of 50 double-sided cards, that features scripture based prayers that will definitely help your mom to start her day off right. I especially love that there is space provided at the back of each card, so that she can write down her own prayers.
Pick up the Prayers to Strengthen Your Faith Boxed Cards for only R90.
Promises to Bless Your Soul
This 50 double-sided card set features Biblical promises to bless and encourage that special woman in your life. There is also space provided behind each card, which she could use to jot down daily reminders from God or even use to pen a personal message to share with loved ones and friends. Love this!
The Promises to Bless Your Soul Boxed Cards retails for R90.
199 Favorite Bible Verses for Women/Mothers These paperbacks are filled with best-loved scripture verses, on beautifully designed pages. This is the perfect set up for the mother who is keen to memorise scripture, or simply wants to get into the word of God. It also serves as a daily reading, and is a great way to start or end the day.
The 199 Favorite Bible Verses for Women and 199 Favorite Bible Verses for Mothers paperback books retails for R49 each
A Womans Battle for Grace
Popular speaker and ministry leader, Cheryl Brodersen’s fantastic new offering, A Womans Battle for Grace, tackles the topic of self-condemnation. In this fascinating read, Brodersen talks about the daily battle we face, as women and mother’s, and helps us to pinpoint the real enemy behind it all. I loved this excerpt, describing the book: “God wants His daughters to live moment by moment in His victory, but first we have to see whats at stake when we go our own way. The truth about grace is simpler and deeper than you may realize.”
A Womans Battle for Grace retails for R230.
The Better Mom DevotionalThe Better Mom Devotional is filled with 100 devotions power packed with scripture, prayers and reflection questions to help every mom discover just how God uses parenting and motherhood to deepen your relationship with Him. How amazing?! I love that it tackles hot topics, such as mom guilt and trying to be the perfect parent (hello, this is so for me!) and it helps you to view motherhood as a challenging and rewarding adventure. Some of the lessons you’ll learn as you delve into each beautifully designed page includes:
- How God uses motherhood to change you from the inside out
- Intentional ways to deepen your faith in any season of parenting
- The true calling of motherhood: training, disciplining and loving your children well
- The life-giving impact of honest, loving friendships.
The Better Mom Devotional and all the other items in this post are available at any Cum Books retail store or from their online store.
GIVEAWAY!Want to spoil your mom this Mother’s Day? Or are you a mom, desperately in need of some lovin’? Well, I’ve partnered with Cum Books to give 2 of you an amazing Mother’s Day hamper, compliments of Cum Books. You can enter either on Instagram or Facebook (or both, to increase your chances of winning!) Both entry prompts will require you to:
- Follow me and Cum Books on the various channels. You can find the handles on these specially marked posts on Instagram and Facebook.
- On those specially marked posts, also tag a mom that you feel deserves a win! (You can tag as many moms as you’d like)
Each platform and comment will count as an individual entry. Giveaway ends on 11 May. Giveaway not open to readers outside of RSA.
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Book review: The Masterpiece – 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!
Francine Rivers knows just how to speak straight to my heart. And this is not me being dramatic. (Okay, maybe a teeny tiny little bit dramatic.) When I got into her latest novel, titled The Masterpiece, I was immediately struck with all the single mommy feelings, as I read about Grace Moore’s struggle to provide for her baby boy Samuel.
The plot revolves around Grace and her new employer, Roman Velasco, a famous artist. Both Grace and Roman are wrestling with ghosts of the past, trying to figure their lives out on the down low, while building up walls that would prevent anyone from getting too close.
Roman is a successful LA artist, who seemingly has it all – the money, the fame, the girls. He employs Grace as his personal assistant and she soon discovers that her new boss is secretly battling with demons of his past, and it affects every area of his lonely life.
As I mentioned, Grace is a single mom, left in the lurch by a cheating ex-husband who made her give up everything to support his selfish needs. Once her baby boy is born – she realizes that she is unable to give him up for adoption, as she had planned – and vows to do everything possible to build a life for the two of them. And this includes making sure that no man would ever steal her dreams again.
Both Roman and Grace try to do life on their own (yep – that was me), not wanting help or even comfort from anyone else. And then, one day an unexpected event changes everything!
The story is definitely one of romance and unspoken passion, but it also incorporates strong messages of faith, hope, redemption and the plan and purposes of God.
You can pick up your copy of The Masterpiece 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 The Masterpiece. 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 favorite 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.
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Book review: Bridge to Haven – 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 thing that I love the most about Francine River’s writing style is that she is able to draw you into a story, hit you with enough emotion to weaken those walls that you put up on the daily and then, when you’re completely invested in the narrative, you’re served a huge dose of reality check as you find yourself relating with some of what the character is going through.
Such was the case when I found myself deeply engrossed in one of her heart wrenching novels, Bridge to Haven.
Set in the 1950’s, the story is centered around young Lena Scott – a Hollywood sweetheart and one of the biggest stars to hit the silver screen. But Lena’s story starts a lot differently than most know. Lena, whose real name is Abra, was found abandoned underneath a bridge when she was a few minutes old.
This spirit of orphan – a deep rooted sense of abandonment – trickles into every area of her life, ultimately affecting every single decision she makes. Sound familiar? Well, it did to me. I could relate with Lena on so many levels. My story is different to hers but I know all about that spirit of abandonment and rejection and how it can control (and ruin) your life.
Anyways, Lena believes that she was never wanted, even though she was adopted by a kind Christian family and is pretty much loved and doted on by all the people in her family’s circle. She ends up believing the lies in her head and rejects her closest friends and adoptive parents.
Hopping into bed with one wrong guy after the other, Lena finds herself looking for love in all the wrong places. I could relate on some level – not that I ended up in many beds – but I remember jumping from one terrible relationship to another… looking for love and acceptance, I guess, and not finding it where I expected it to be. But, like Lena, I discovered unconditional love from the most unlikely source.
This story is filled with lessons about grace, temptation, wisdom and that unconditional love that breaks chains and has the ability to change lives at the blink of an eye.
You can pick up your copy of Bridge to Haven 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 Bridge to Haven. 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.
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The big chocolate covered marshmallow egg comparison
If your family is anything like my family, you’ve probably eaten your way through many a box of marshmallow eggs by now. And it’s not even Easter yet. I mean, I’m not complaining… I LOVE marshmallow eggs, you guys! Maybe its the chocolaty goodness on the outside… or the gooey mallow on the inside… or a combo of both. Who knows! We’ve learnt not to question these things, unless the question is: “Can I have another mallow egg please?”
But guys, I had found myself in a weird predicament the other day, when I popped into the store to purchase (yet another) box of mallow eggs. There were just so many to choose from! I mean, how does one wrap one’s brain around such things?
A big marshmallow egg comparison had to be done! So I enlisted the taste buds of my family members, who acted as independent auditors. After some investigating, they decided that the following were in the running for marshmallow egg champion of 2019:
(left to right: Checkers Eggs Galore, Woolworths Marshmallow Egg, SPAR Marshmallow Egg, Cadbury Fluffies Mallow Egg, Beacon Marshmallow Egg)We grabbed a couple of strings of each of these from a few of our favorite retailers. Everyone had their own idea of which one would come out on top.
It was decided that, when it comes to judging, a bunch of different factors would come into play. I mean, if you’re a frugal mom like me, you’d want more bang for your buck, for sure. So price is important. But if you’re after quality, you’d want to make sure that the chocolate actually tastes like chocolate and that the marshmallow is just the right texture.
I mean, these things are important. My independent taste auditors (Hubstopher, Seth and Karis) were ready for action! They started by comparing the size of each egg. Because, hello, when it comes to chocolate, size matters.Result: It seems that the Beacon and Fluffies eggs were slightly bigger than the rest. The SPAR brand chocolate seemed a bit darker than the rest. Oh and Karis says that they all smell the same, so that’s probably worth nothing too.
We then compared things like, how chocolaty the chocolate is and how marshmallow-y the marshmallow is. Both the chocolate factor and marshmallow quality were given a mark out of 10 each. Seth also insisted that we consider the “over all eating experience”.
Result:
According to our auditors, the Cadbury Fluffies won the taste challenge. The Beacon, a firm favorite in many households, was a close second.
If your kids are okay with any type of marshmallow egg and you’re looking to save on dollar bill, you should probably consider that you’ll be spending the following per egg, per box:
Eggs Galore: R1.67 per egg (R50 for a box of 30 eggs)
Woolworths Marsmallow Egg: R2.30 per egg (R55 for a box of 24)
SPAR Marshmallow Egg: R1.25 per egg (R60 for a box of 48)
Cadbury Fluffies: R2.33 per egg (R70 for a box of 30)
Beacon Egg: R1.67 per egg (R80 for a box of 48)
(Please note: prices may vary)So there you have it! What is your favorite chocolate mallow egg?
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
