Review - Nine to Three Thirty

Stamptastic Review and Competition #Ad

Stamptastic

I first came across Stamptastic a few years ago when I worked with them as an ambassador. But, I didn’t stop using their stamps when I finished being an ambassador and I use their stamp pretty much every time I need to label something for H. It’s so easy really, you just stamp the ink pad and stamp the item you want to label. It works well for almost all items of clothing, as even on darker items there is usually a white or lighter label you can use to mark it.

More recently I’ve discovered their white marker pen which means you can mark the few things that were difficult before. The white shows up very easily on darker colours and you can just quickly write the name on. For most things though I use the stamp, I find that is great especially if you are preparing for something like a school residential trip and you need to label a lot more than just school uniform. I find the stamp ink is hardwearing and that I don’t need to restamp items.

Recently Stamptastic got in touch and asked me to try out some more of their products. So I’ve been trying out their address stamps. I’ve had one in the past and it’s really useful for when you move house or change name (I’ve used the name and address stamp on the Christmas cards I send for instance) or if you are having a party or event maybe. It’s a great way to save a bit of time and it looks good too. I love the fact that you can choose from a range of coloured stamp pads, or even have a few so you can mix and match.

I’ve teamed up Stamptastic to give away some labelling products to one lucky reader. You’ll get a voucher that you can swap for an ink pad, 2 name stamps and a white fabric pen, so you will be ready to cope with back to school (as we all know that will come around sooner than we’d like). Enter via the Gleam widget below.

Competition Terms and Conditions

1. No bulk, third-party or automated entries.

2. Entrants must be aged 18 years or older and resident in the UK.

3. The winner or winners will be chosen by a random draw.

4. Promoter is responsible for fulfilling the prize and full contact details of the winner will be passed onto the promoter to enable prize fulfillment.

5. The winner’s name may be published on this site.

6. Competition closes on 9th June 2019.
Stamptastic

Brio Labyrinth Game Review

We were recently sent the Brio Labyrinth Game to review. It’s been a while since H had any new Brio toys – there was a whole Brio era when he was younger and into wooden train tracks and the like. In fact, I hadn’t realised that Brio had anything in their range for older children (or indeed in the case of this game adults). This game has been very addictive since it arrived. I have been struggling to get past the third hole for ages and H was too and then he suddenly pushed ahead and made it to the 6th hole. I am going to have to seriously up my game or I will be badly outclassed. I think this one is going to run and run.

labyrinth game of skill It’s a game of skill as you carefully balance the ball and try to manoeuvre it without it falling down any of the many holes. There are two knobs on the sides: one for to till the board in one direction and the other a different one. With the game come two small metal marbles to move around and they are returned to you when you fail. It’s a very addictive game. You can play the Brio Labyrinth game on your own or with a number of players and take in turns to see who can make it the furthest around the board. It requires perseverance, control and a bit of luck.

Enjoying The Weather With Sandals From Strive

bare feet and sandals

I got sent these sandals weeks ago by Strive Footwear and have been waiting for the chance to put them to the test for a review. We had a day or so of summer a few weekends ago, but I didn’t get the chance to wear them for long before it got cold again, but I did manage to take a few pictures. Thankfully we have had a longer burst of warmer weather and I’ve been able to try out my Java Sandals out more extensively now.

Strive footwear using Biomechanical Footbed Technology to support your feet in their natural position and many wearers say that the arch contour feels prominent or the footbed feels firm to start with. I’ve certainly been aware of the extra support for my arch. My arches are on the higher side of normal and whilst it felt a bit strange to start with, it was strange in a good way. I’m not sure if it comes across in the pictures that well, but the footbed does support your foot in a three-dimensional way. It’s designed to provide comfort through support rather than cushioning so it can feel a little more solid under your feet if you aren’t used to that.

sandals

Whilst it’s recommended that you walk your sandals in gradually, I’ve found them quite easy to wear from the outset. I haven’t been wearing them all day, but I’ve been gradually working up to that and I’m nearly there.

strive footwear

I’ve had some compliments about these sandals since I started wearing them on the school run in the nicer weather. They are very striking and the colour goes with just about everything. They have a real quality feel to them and I can see them lasting for ages. I’m found them very comfortable to wear and I love slipping them on in the mornings. They don’t have a back strap, but my feet feel very secure in them and I have no problem walking briskly wearing them. I think these will be my ‘go-to’ sandals for the school run this summer – let’s hope the weather gives me plenty of opportunity to wear them.

Keeping Dry with Susino Umbrellas

red and black umbrellas

Well April was certainly a month for showers and it looks like May might be going the same way if today is anything to go by. So it seemed the perfect time to be trying out our new umbrellas from Susino, which we were sent to review.

H is sadly getting a bit too old for children’s brollies and whilst they look fun, I wanted something that he could take to secondary school without being teased. So we went for a classic black one for H. It’s a really good quality umbrella with a wooden handle. It has an automatic opening function which is fun, although it does make the umbrella become a bit of a toy for an eager 11-year-old. The handle is easy to hold and the umbrella feels fairly sturdy, so I can see this one lasting a long time (as long as it doesn’t get lost, which is entirely possible for a 11-year-old navigating public transport alone for the first time). There’s a carry strap on the cover too, which could be handy for picking it up on the bus or whatever.

susino umbrella with selfie stick I decided to go for an umbrella that fulfilled two functions: a selfie stick and an umbrella. Now I don’t take a huge number of selfies, but as a blogger it’s sometimes necessary. H isn’t always around to take a picture of me when it suits. Also, a selfie stick can be useful sometimes when you want to get a better angle or need to be a bit taller and you don’t fancy climbing up a tree to get the shot you want. I figured if my umbrella was a selfie stick too, I’d be more likely to have it with me because I don’t generally pop a selfie stick in my handbag, but I would carry an umbrella. There’s a remote control on the umbrella cover and the selfie device is part of the umbrella handle, which is a really convenient arrangement. The selfie stick doesn’t make for as comfortable a handle as on H’s umbrella and that would be the downside of this. I think I’ll be using it on days out and when I’m at events, rather than on the school run. I love the colour though and it’s a lightweight umbrella to carry.