Elf on the Shelf - Poundland Ideas

I thought as it is the 'eve' of December, and the Elf on the Shelf time of year, that I would let you see what I picked up in PoundLand for this years antics.

Just in case you don't know the story behind the Elf on the Shelf, the Elf turns up on 1st December and is there to watch your little one(s) to see if they are being naughty or nice.

Each night he flies off back to the North Pole to report to Father Christmas. He returns to your house each morning. He is a very mischeivious Elf, and on his return he usually doing something funny or naughty, for your children to find. On Christmas Eve he returns back to the North Pole to assist Father Christmas with his present dropping and then won't be seen till the following December.

So here is what I got for our Elf on the Shelf shenanigans this year!

Elf House Stickers 

These are perfect for sticking on to the skirting board or a wardrobe door. Magical for children to find he has built his own house whilst they've been sleeping. There's even a little washing line to hang out his clothes.

The Postman Elf - Message in a Bottle

I loved this little bottle, and I think little ones will too. It has a little message inside from the Elf too..so cute!

Elf Swing Seat

For some naughty pranks in the middle of the night - I am thinking of putting the swing on the curtain rail for Ella to find one morning.

The Christmas Countdown 

This is pretty self explanatory, but nice for a bit of excitement - and a good way of learning numbers in a Christmassy way.

Candy Canes

I am going to use these as a little treats from our Elf throughout the month, around the house.

Gingerbread Decoration Kit - Christmas Trees

I picked these up for a little gift to be left by the Elf on Christmas Eve, and something fun and crafty  for Ella to do the night before Christmas.

If you want to do something fun with your children in the run up to Christmas then Poundland is definitely the place to go and get some Elf on the Shelf goodies and props.

I will be posting some of the mischief our little Elf gets up to over the next month on my Instagram, so make sure you are following me for some updates. 

xxx

The Ultimate Christmas Gift That Keeps on Giving!

It's safe to say I don't find it easy when it comes to finding the perfect Christmas gift for the man in my life.

Its not that he is fussy, its the fact that he doesn't ever really ask or want for anything. So when it comes to finding a gift that's perfect for him, I struggle most years.

I don't know about your other half, but my husband has a busy life. He works in an office, plays different sports throughout the week, and is a Daddy too, so he is always doing different things throughout the week.

When I was asked by Daniel Wellington if I'd like to take a look at  their range, there were so many beautiful watches to choose from.

I found the perfect gift idea! I decided on the Dapper Durham 38mm. I loved the timeless look, the genuine leather strap, the roman numerals, along with the added date feature to give it a little more added sophistication.

I personally love that one of the perks of Daniel Wellington watches is the versatility to change the style of one watch by adding another strap. When you have an ever changing lifestyle it has the ability to compliment any style of outfit, and a gift that keeps on giving. Fantastic!!

I am completely obsessed with how the watch is packaged. It is just the most perfectly presented gift for anyone.

Over the Black Friday weekend (23-27 NOV), Daniel Wellington are offering all my readers 25% off the Dapper Collection and a free strap of your choice (free straps are offered with any watch from DW's collection between 23-27 Nov), PLUS by using my discount code MICHELLEANNA you will receive an extra 15% off of that too!

And if you thought it couldn't get any better - they're offering free delivery and returns too.

If you too are hunting for a bit of luxury in a gift this Christmas, then look no further than Daniel Wellington. 

Disclaimer: This is a collaboration with Daniel Wellington but all opinions are honest and my own.

 

Say Hello to Hello Fresh - Special Offer

I don't know about you, but I get really bored of the same meals every single week.

We buy the same stuff and never really mix it up.

So when I saw HelloFresh boxes, I was really curious to see one for myself and ordered one for the following week to try.

How it works?
The idea around HelloFresh is you are given all the fresh ingredients to make a dinner within around 30-40 mins, from preparation to plate.

There is nothing you will need to leave the house for ingredients wise, because it is ALL provided in the box. You are provided with step by step cooking instructions for each meal, which are thorough and easy to follow. And everything is colour coded to the meal, so for example a bag with the purple label will have all the ingredients needed for the cooking instructions with the purple tab on it. 

My HELLOFRESH Experience

ORDERING

I downloaded the app, signed up and found the menu options.

You pick between 3/5 meals for the week ahead, and then all the meal options are then listed, you can make choices like, meals for two, a family etc and also choose vegetarian options too. Pick your meals and then make your way to checkout.You are asked for delivery instructions, so if you are not going to be at home on the day of delivery they will leave the box in a safe place or with a neighbour. They also text you on the morning of the delivery with a two hour time slot which I bloody loved!!

One ASPECT I liked about the whole experience was menu choices can be changed within a certain time frame (cut off a week before delivery), you are not tied into the meal choices religiously until the cut off date, which meant if needed it could be amended really easily.

DELIVERY and PACKAGING
I really didn't know what to expect from a 'deliver to door' food subscription as I hadn't ever used that sort of service previously, but, I was overly impressed with not only the delivery administration (ie: the text messages with a time slot) but also the packaging. It was fantastic.

Perishable goods, (chicken, chorizo, cream, etc) came packed in an insulated bag stuffed with large ice blocks to keep them fresh on the delivery.

And as I mentioned before all the ingredients for the meals are contained in a brown paper bag, colour coded to the cooking instructions. 

All the ingredients are packed in a rather large cardboard box, which is fine by me, as it can be recycled. 

Hello Fresh Cooking instructions

Meal Prep
Preparation of the meals were simple and easy. The instructions are so clear and easy to follow that it makes it a pleasant experience, and both myself and my husband enjoyed making the dinners together. 

We both were impressed that  the ingredients were for a meal for two, but the amount given was really generous and could have probably fed 3 (so maybe good for a family of 3). 

The Taste Test
All of the meals we cooked actually tasted so fresh, which was good as it lived up to its name. 

The ingredients were all high quality and tasted so flavoursome.

Overall
I think that the concept of HelloFresh is a great one. It is great for busy people.  It is a fab way to explore new foods and ingredients, and improve on your culinary skills.

One of my tips is to make sure you have plenty of room in your fridge for the day of delivery, and then enjoy the flavours! 

If you would like to try HelloFresh for yourselves you can use my discount code MICHEL799 to get £20 off your first order. 

Thanks for reading and let me know if you have tried HelloFresh.

Michelle xx

Quick and Easy WEEKEND Meals with Aldi UK

I believe that weekends are for enjoying time together. When there are only two precious days a week to have quality time together as a family, I like to have quick and easy meals that don't make too much of an intrusion on our day. 

With that in mind I have shared two of my 'go to' meals.

All ingredients are from Aldi, which means they're affordable, yet very tasty to feed a family of 4. 

Firstly, I have made a quick and easy 'Stuffed Pepper Chilli Con Carne'. I've listed everything you need below.

Super Easy Stuffed Pepper Chilli Con Carne

Ingredients

• 250G Ashfield 5% Lean Beef Mince
• Fiesta Mild Chilli Cooking Sauce
• 4 Red Peppers
• Mushrooms
• Red onion 
• Champion Sweet Potato Wedges
• Cheese
• Onion & Garlic Dip

Method

Oven 200 degrees.

Put the peppers in the oven whole, with the tops on, for half an hour or until they are starting to brown. After ten mins put the sweet potatoe wedges in the oven for twenty mins.

Then in a pan, put the chopped mushrooms and onion and cook for five mins. 

Add in the beef mince and cook till brown. Put in the cooking sauce and cook for a further ten minutes. Let it simmer.

Once the peppers are ready, slice off the top, cut out the seeds.

The add in your Chilli Con Carne, sprinkle with cheese, and add some onion and garlic dip on the side, and there you have it.

Next up are homemade pizzas. They take five minutes to prepare and 8 minutes to cook. If you would like to make them too, I've listed all you need below. 

Easy Peasy Pitta Pizza

Ingredients

• Sunnyhills White Pitta Breads (pk of 6)
• Cucina Tomato Puree
• 1 Red Onion
• 3 Mushrooms
• Sweetcorn
• Olives
• Grated Cheese 




Wild Rocket (to serve)

Method

Oven 180 degrees. 

Squeeze out two desert spoonful's of tomato puree onto the pitta, spread evenly.

Cut up the mushrooms, olives & onion, sprinkle on top. Add the sweetcorn and cheese. 

Put in the oven for 8 minutes. 

Once cooked sprinkle over some wild rocket.

And that's it, the most easy pizza for a busy weekend.

Thanks for reading and let me know if you try out any of these ideas yourself.

Michelle xxx

The Primark Edit - AUTUMN 17

I am a lover all things high street, but nothing pleases me more than being able to walk into Primark and buy a lot of what I had already seen in more expensive high street shops for a fraction of the price.

We are all trying to save money these days, so why splash out when you can look good on a small budget?  

Here's my top picks from Primark this Autumn 2017.

The Boots 

I always reach for a tan pair of boots in Autumn/Winter.

This year I wanted a little bit more than a plain pair of boots. I found these little gems in Primark. I love the gold stud detail to add a little more to an outfit. They're perfect for wearing smart or casual, and look fab with a pair of skinny jeans or a little skater style skirt and a roll neck. £14 

The Knit

I have fallen in love with mustard knitwear over the past few months. 

There was something about this jumper that caught my eye. I like its simplicity but also the nod to a smarter option with its bronze button hardware. It was a bargain at £6 - in fact I picked up two! 

 

The Jacket 

I have always wanted a wax Barbour jacket, so when I saw this jacket on the rails I had to pick one up. I use mine most days, I find its especially good for walking the dog. Its got big pockets, perfect for your phone and keys. Its a steal at £25.

The Bag

When I saw this little beauty I couldn't resist. It immediately said designer handbag to me. The gold bees and stud hardware work perfectly against the black faux leather. The strap is the perfect length for wearing cross body. I have also used it as an evening bag, and tucked the strap inside, it really looked pretty. It's a versatile accessory to have in your wardrobe this season and for £8 it's a really cute addition for the season. 

These are the Primark editions to my wardrobe for Autumn, what are yours? 

xxx