Ravensburger Perplexing Puzzles no.11 - Make It Medley 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle

I was returning home this morning, after taking Eddie to school, and almost bouncing on the way like a middle-aged Tigger. I thought to myself that I have several favourite things waiting for me at home: a puzzle to finish, a new episode of Shetland to catch up on BBC iplayer (I confess I have a big crush on Jimmy Perez) and a cup of coffee.

Make It Medley 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle from Ravensburger is no.11 in the Perplexing Puzzles series.
It's an absolute treat for any puzzle fan.
I adore this kind of puzzles, with lots of details and challenging patterns and designs.

The photo taken by Devon-based photographer Greg Shepherd shows what I would call a creative chaos. It is a paradise for crafters.
Greg is brilliant at arranging complex, challenging still life images. This is the third  puzzle from the series which I worked on, and I loved every minute of it.

There are all kinds of crafting accessories and materials, from fabrics to ribbons, from colourful thread spools to beads of all possible colours and designs.

All the crafting stash is artfully arranged, inviting you to a visual feast.

The finished puzzle measures 70x50cm when complete. It is suitable for ages 12+ and is made from strong premium grade cardboard, with linen finish print to minimise glare on puzzle image.

This weekend we will be celebrating Mother's day. This splendid puzzle could be a lovely gift for any Mum who loves puzzles as much as I do.

If you like the sound of this puzzle, you might want to check out some other puzzles from this series - No.8 Glittering Gemstones or No.9 Retro Revelry.

Disclosure: I received the puzzle for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are my own.

Last minute Mother's Day gift ideas

I have no great expectations for Mother's day. It's not something we celebrated, when I was growing up in the Soviet Union. The 8th of March was the day when the womenfolk of all ages and creeds were feted, and it is still a big celebration in Russia. I'm not going to bemoan the lack of gifts, or breakfast in bed.
In fact, when my younger son mentioned that he was going to serve me breakfast in bed on Sunday, I got alarmed and told him to reconsider.
I'm sure I will have cards my boys made for me at school, and that will be lovely. As for my dear husband, him being an absent-minded professor, he wouldn't even remember when his own birthday is.

Have you left your Mother's Day gift buying to the last minute? Or perhaps - like the Five from Enid Blyton's spoof book - you've forgotten all about it?

Wandering around town today, you couldn't escape all the Mother's day displays and paraphernalia, so I indulged myself in thinking which gifts I would choose for myself.

This little gift guide is based purely on my own likes. I'm sure some Mums would love nothing better than being spoilt by a spa day. I can't think of anything more boring than sitting wrapped in a towel, having your nails painted. Just the idea makes me shudder. Nope, spa days and nail salons are a definite No for me. I don't care for cars, or luxury boutiques, diamonds or the latest gadgets...
This is a short guide on what you might find right now on the High Street, as it's too late by now to order anything online, unless you pay exorbitant prices for the next day delivery or you are an Amazon Prime subscriber.

Bookshops are a magnet to me. Our local little Waterstone's has very friendly staff, and they create imaginative window displays, often hand-painted, or chalked on blackboards. I love it that they sell not just books, but beautiful stationery, plus pretty china and some novelty gifts.

I nearly bought Virgins by Diana Gabaldon, but remembered I had some book gift card at home, so might get it the next time I visit the bookshop. That, and a splendid-looking "Isabella of Castile".

WHSmith has the latest installment of Poirot mystery by Sophie Hannah at half price this week. I'd be very happy to receive it as a gift for Mother's Day, as I love Poirot.

Gin and prosecco seem to appear in almost all gift guides for Mother's Day. As much as I enjoy a glass of prosecco, I'd be much happier with prosecco-flavoured gummies (found in Lakeland).

Whittard's is a shop I'm trying actively to avoid, as I end up buying yet another novelty tea from them. I love their range of teas, and china, and for me, anything from Whittard's would be a super present.

White Stuff shop is another "danger zone" for me. Their tops and scarves are feminine and stylish. This silk scarf is perfect for spring, with its delicate pattern.

Marks and Spencer runs a 20% off offer on Roger & Gallet products this week. Le Soin Aura Mirabilis Legendary Cream is made with 18 natural essences, officinal plants and distilled plants. Apparently this formula was patented in 1727. Usually priced at £35, it is £28 at the moment, and that's what I bought myself as a gift for Mother's Day. I love the smell, and how silky the skin feels after the application.

As for flowers, I'm very easy to please. Give me a bunch of tulips, and I'd be eternally grateful.
This bunch is actually from Sainsbury's and costs a princely sum of £2.50.

Are you still looking for the perfect Mother's Day gift? If you are a Mum yourself, what would you fancy on Sunday?

The True Tea Club

"There is no problem on earth that can't be ameliorated by a hot bath and a cup of tea" (Jasper Fforde, Shades of Grey)

Amen to that. Where would I be without a cup of tea, or two or five? Self-confessed teaholic, I am always delighted to try new brands and flavours of tea. 

If like me you enjoy discovering new teas, how about a tea subscription box? 

The True Tea Club subscription box is a company based in York. They specialise in seven loose teas - white, green, black, oolong, chai, rooibos and herbal tea - to satisfy every taste and preference.

New subscription boxes are released on the 20th every month, but the boxes are also sent out all the time in between these dates.

How does it work?

You choose between three different levels of subscription:

1. Standard (40 cups of tea) at £10 per month

2. Premium (60 cups) at £15 per month

3. Deluxe (80 cups) at £20 per month.

Delivery is free in the UK, while international customers will pay £3.75 delivery fee.

What will you receive?

- 4 different loose leaf tea (new every month)

- 4 empty tea bags

- welcome card

- business card

- tailor card

If there is a certain type of tea you don't like, you need to let The True Tea Club know by leaving a note at the checkout.

All subscribers also receive an exclusive 15% off the online shop. 

Customers can cancel any time, there are no long standing commitments.

I was happy to receive a sample box from The True Tea Club (please note that your packages will be bigger in size. The samples I got were for a couple cups of tea for each flavour).

There were four different flavours to choose from.

Mighty Mango, is decsribed as "mellow like a Californian beach, the sencha basis is surrounded by bright sunflower blossoms which relaxes in harmony with the fruity mango flavour".
ingredients: green tea, flavouring, sunflower blossoms
origin S.E.Asia

It is a lovely, aromatic tea, with fruity taste.

Earl Grey Rebel is "a rebel in its own right. This loose tea provides a rich taste of assam leaves with bergamot and adroitly joint forces with orange flavouring".
Ingredients include Assam tea, lemon peel, orange peel, cornflower petals and natural flavouring.

Earl Grey is my favourite tea. I am happy to drink it every day. Earl Grey has a distinct flavour and aroma, it is a beautiful tea, both in rich colour and taste.

Rainbow Chaser is "a magical concoction of apple pieces, blackberry leaves, peppermint and orange peel".
Ingredients: apple pieces. blackberry leaves, sultanas, orange peel, safflower, peppermint, lemon-myrtle, lemon peel, stinging nettle leaves, freeze-dried strawberry pieces, blue cornflower blossoms, marigold blossoms and rose petals.

Light refreshing brew, floral and fruity, it will be a good base for cool iced tea drinks in summer. And it does look so colourful, a true rainbow.

Vanilla Cupcake is "an exotic and smooth vanilla rooibos which provides a velvet mouth-feel. An added dash of banana chips amplifies this infusion into heavenly status".
Rooibos tea always makes me think of Mma Ramotswe from the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency. She cannot live without her favourite brew. I think she would give thumbs up to this floral tea.
It looks so pretty, with bright blue specks of cornflower.

If you like the sound of a tea subscription box and would like to try it yourselves, receive 50% off your first subscription box by using code LOVE at the checkout.

Disclosure: I received a box of samples from the latest tea subscription box for the purposes of testing and reviewing.

My Haven no.1 - The Craft Shed jigsaw puzzle from Ravensburger

My Mum doesn't do jigsaw puzzles. It's just not something she has interest in. I, on the other hand, love this quiet hobby. If anything, I'm a bit of a jigsaw puzzle addict. As soon as I finish one, I am ready to start on a new one. For Mums like me, this activity is a kind of relaxation. If you know a Mum or Grandma who enjoys puzzles as much as I do, Ravensburger has a perfect gift for Mother's Day - My Haven No. 1 - The Craft Shed jigsaw puzzle.

This beautiful puzzle comes in a sturdy box. It depicts the scene inside a craft shed. Wouldn't many of want of one of those? A place to escape and be immersed in your hobby, while admiring the garden view (and they probably have a gardener too).
Our shed at the end of the garden is an old stone building with a beaten earth floor, dark and uninviting, a ghost house, according to my younger son, and I think he has a point.

The ideal shed in the puzzle is equipped well with all the crafting and scrapbooking delights. It is a treasure trove for any crafter. Just look at those shelves with buttons in jars and a massive selection of ribbons (some serious crafter there!).

The scene is highly detailed and colourful, and a real pleasure to play with.
I've finished the puzzle the other day, and will pass it onto a friend, who's as addicted to puzzles as me.

As I mentioned before, this puzzle would make a lovely gift for Mother's Day (except my Mum that is - insert a smilie!).

Disclosure: I received this puzzle for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are mine.

Ceramic Heart Dip Set

Mother's day is almost upon us... Are you still looking for the perfect gift? Special Mums deserve special gifts. Whatever you decide to do, a personalised gift will surely make it a special occasion. As a foodie, I'm happy to receive any kitchen or food and drink-related gifts. As you might know, I love pretty china, both patterned and plain, classic or fancy-shaped, and was thrilled with a personalised Ceramic Heart Dip Set from Treat Republic.

This stylish set comes in a sturdy box, and consists of 3 heart-shaped dip server bowls and a solid base made of bamboo. Not only that, it is personalised.
My guys and I love dips and what my men call "snacky things": hummus, guacamole, salsa, soured cream and herbs, olives of all sizes and kinds, sun-dried tomatoes etc etc. And though I have a nice little selection of bowls for dips, none of them are heart-shaped.

It's a perfect set for dips or nibbles. The board is sturdy and smooth, and of course bamboo is an environmentally friendly material. The board has carved grooves for the bowls (I've been singing all day "Groove is in the heart...").

Ceramic dishes are deep and durable. Just imagine how good they will look when you are entertaining. And the personalised message is just the icing on the cake. Needless to say, I love it.

For other gift ideas for Mother's day or any other occasion, have a good browse at Treat Republic.

And if you for one reason or another cannot afford a purchased gift, don't worry. Us Mums are easily pleased with a big hug from our loved ones, a cup of tea in the morning, a homemade card and a mini posie of flowers picked in the garden


Disclosure: I received a dip set for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are mine.

Personalised chocolate bars from Chocolat Chocolat

Independent chocolatier Chocolat Chocolat was opened in Cambridge in 1999, and though I visited Cambridge that year for the conference Russia before Millennium, to which my husband was invited, I missed the chocolate shop. More's the pity! I would have loved a good browsing and tasting session.
It was voted Cambridge's favourite chocolate shop, and seeing the images online, I can well believe it. The shop is famous for its handmade sheet chocolate, which is produced with the finest Belgian chocolate according to the French traditions of chocolate-making.
Chocolatier Isabelle has learnt her craft in Paris and Belgium, which she often visits, looking for more exciting flavours and ingredients.
As someone who is addicted to chocolate, I rejoiced at the chance of testing and reviewing three personalised chocolate bars from Chocolat Chocolat.

How does it work? To create your own bar, first you need to choose a chocolate type from 5 options: dark (70%), dark (55%), milk (34%), caramel (34%) or white (28%).
Then you choose toppings. If you are not sure what to pick from a big list of ingredients, you press the button "Show me" and get a few suggested combinations. Or you could create your own ingredients' combination from a big selection of fruit (candied lemon or orange peel, raisins, freeze dried raspberries and more), nuts (flaked or whole almonds, praline, pecans, pistachios etc), spices herbs, flowers (cinnamon, cardamom, cocoa nibs, coffee grains, lavender, fennel etc),  confectionery (chocolate buttons, honeycomb, fudge, meringue etc), decoration (gold and silver flakes).
You can also add some wording if you like.
I was amazed to read that with the whole range of toppings and bases you can create up to 200,000 different combinations. That is very impressive. Cannot complain about the choice.
Placing an order is an easy process.

My first choice was a white chocolate bar with sea salt, chopped pistachio and whole hazelnuts. Over a year ago we bought some Italian chocolate bar from Venchi, with whole hazelnuts, pistachios and almonds, and though usually I am not very keen on white chocolate, it was delicious. My husband prefers white chocolate, and my little man loves it too. So, my choice was inspired by the Italian flavours.
What did we think of it? It looked very pretty and stylish. The chocolate is a solid thick block, covered with nuts. Sea salt adds a savoury touch to the sweet chocolate. Each bar comes in a stylish brown card sleeve.
I would have liked more than four hazelnuts and slightly less sweet chocolate. But overall, I was pleased with my choice of toppings to go with the base.

If you read my blog regularly, you know how much I love Earl Grey tea. It was natural that I would choose Earl Grey as one of the ingredients for the dark chocolate bar (though I confess, I expected it to be a flavour rather than the actual tea leaves). Candied orange peel and lavender flowers were the other two toppings. Both of these ingredients work well with the dark chocolate. And it looked gorgeous too.

A beautiful bar, which I enjoyed, but yet again, I would have liked a less sweet dark chocolate base. I like my dark chocolate almost bitter. All three bars which I have ordered were a tad too sweet for me.
It is a matter of personal taste, of course, but maybe something to add to the initial choice of bars? Something like choose the sweetness level.

My top favourite bar was dark chocolate with rose and violet petals and gold flakes. It looked glorious, like a 19C shawl. Flower petals were candied and added a splash of colour to the dark background.

As my birthday is coming later this month, I asked for a Happy birthday message on the bar.

I love the idea of customised personalised chocolate, where you can choose any toppings you like.

Personalised chocolate bars from Chocolat Chocolat will make beautiful gifts for any occasion - birthday, Mother's day, Easter.

Disclosure: I received three chocolate bars for the purposes of testing and reviewing. All opinions are mine.

Mum's the word: Mother's day gifts

As always with my gift suggestions, I lay no claims to encompassing all tastes and ideas. I merely write a list of things that I have bought and happy to recommend or like the sound of and would be a happy recipient of (not that it's going to happen, as my dear husband doesn't read my blog). I don't intentionally do it all as girlie but it reflects my personality and my tastes. So apologies to all Mummies who love cars and gaming gadgets, as I am not going to include these things on my list. If you read my blog, you know how much I love books, tea, chocolate, pretty china, my garden among other things...

Tins and jars are my not so secret passion. I collect tea tins and have lots of jars where I keep dried rose petals, pulses, tea, short pasta etc etc. If you share my passion for tea and jars, I found just the right bundle for you. Teapigs have obviously had me in mind when they released a Tea and Jar Bundle: a storage jar and 2 packs of tea (which is available in everyday brew, peppermint leaves and as a limited edition for Mother’s Day – chamomile flowers and jasmine pearls). I have tried quite a few of Teapigs teas, and they are all excellent quality. The tea temples are see-through mesh tea bags which are bio-degradable. Put a tea temple in a cup, pour the freshly boiled water and watch how the tea leaves unfurl, it is truly a mini-miracle.

Photo of Teapigs tea & jar bundle is reproduced with kind permission from Teapigs

I love making gingerbread, and have been admiring the art of Biscuiteers for a long time. Every season they come up with new novelty ginger people. Their craftsmanship is superior, and their gingerbread creatures are adorable. Just look at this pretty Fleur Jolly Ginger with an intricately piped bouquet. Simply gorgeous!
And if you were a lucky recipient of Biscuiteers tin of biccies in the past and kept a tin, there is a lovely competition What's In Your Tin, inviting you to submit the photos of how you reuse your Biscuiteers tin. You could win a stunning Venice Collection with the carnival mask, gondola, Lion of St Mark and other iconic Venetian images, all as tasty biscuits, of course.

Photo of Fleur Jolly Ginger is reproduced with kind permission from Biscuiteers

We have tea, we have gingerbread, but if you are a Mum of boys who are always happy to graze, then we need a serious stash of biscuits. Every time we stay in Italy, we buy Mulino Bianco Galletti and Cuore di Mela. On a few occasions we brought them back home with us, but they don't endure the bouncy trips in suitcases easily, and often end up as crumbs. Imagine my delight when I discovered there is a shop called Nife is Life which sells all our favourite Italian cookies and other sweet treats among many other Italian food products here, in the UK. I would stalk them if they start selling the Italian chocolate brand Venchi as well.

From the other foodie gifts, I will never say No to a jar of jam or marmalade from The Artisan Kitchen. I have tried a few of the award-winning The Artisan Kitchen products, and they are all excellent. Believe me, once you finish your toast with Italian Peach & Wild Elderflower Jam, you will lick your fingers and reach for more jam. This delicate sweet jam will make your toast sing. And will transform a plain croissant into a food of gods. That's what the Olympic gods must have been eating.

Talking of beautiful aromas, I recently received a gift of Cocoa Juvenate Revive Hand Cream. Until wonderful Choclette from Chocolate Log Blog nominated me as a blogging Mum to receive a gift from Hotel Chocolat, I didn't know they had a range of cosmetics made with cocoa. I am a firm believer in the moisturising properties of the cocoa butter. When I was pregnant, I used the cocoa butter stick on my tummy religiously. Both of my boys were ten-pounders at birth, yet I didn't get a single stretchmark. I think the cocoa butter helped a lot. I am not keen on very strong-smelling cocoa products, that's why I loved the cocoa butter hand cream from Hotel Chocolat. It has a subtle delicate aroma, and it does a great job of moisturising. The cream absorbs at once and leaves my hands all soft, smooth and nourished. And if you think about it, it's chocolate without the calories. Hosanna!

I have recently come across Premurosa on Twitter, and liked their idea of sending thoughtful letterbox gifts. That sounds marvellous. Who doesn't love nice things coming through their letterbox? As a busy Mum, a proper bath is a bit of a luxury for me (typically I am lucky if nobody knocks on the bathroom door when I have my quick shower). But if I treat myself to a bath, when kids are at school and nursery, then I would love nice smellies like these Lavender bath melts and heart shaped soaps. They are made with organic ingredients. And they would look lovely in any bathroom.

Photo of Lavender bath melts and heart shaped soaps is courtesy of Premurosa

Latest in Beauty is a perfect solution for ladies like me, who love trying new cosmetics and are wary of buying full size products in case they are not to our liking. For Mother's day LiB has released an Ultimate Pampering Beauty Kit which is bursting with gloriously tempting goodies. There is a Face Stockholm lipstick (full size) which will transform you into a Hollywood diva like Liz Taylor, L'Occitane repairing shampoo and conditioner to boost your hair's health, Maddi Alexander bath oil which looks very posh and luxurious, among beauty goodies. The kit is very reasonably priced at £14.95 plus postage.

Photo of Mother's day Ultimate Pampering Beauty Kit is reproduced with kind permission from Latest in Beauty

Books have always been my first love, since a very early age. Books tend to breed in our house, there are so many, we have overflowing book shelves in every room of the house. The Book People is often my first port of call, when I consider buying new books. Their prices are very competitive, and for cook books, for example, are unsurpassable (they often beat the amazon prices). If you subscribe to their newsletter, they have offers of free delivery regularly, and their selection caters to every taste and age. These are some of my recent acquisitions:
When Fraser Met Billy by Louise Booth is a mother's account of the bond between her son Billy who has autism and the rescue cat Fraser.
Delia Smith doesn't need an introduction. This book, Delia's Cakes is simply splendid. You will be licking the pages with photos of stupendous cakes.
I am a big fan of Philippa Gregory, and have most of her books. Her historical fiction is pure escapism. Fools' Gold combines mystery and romance.

Charity shops are another excellent source of books. Just the other day I got Delia' How to Cheat at Cooking for £3.49 (hush, don't tell my husband, I have to hide my cooks books, as he thinks I don't need any more. He's right, of course.)

Many little flower shops and big supermarkets sell potted hyacinths in spring. Once in bloom, the flowers last for a couple of weeks and add so much colour to the house. And the delicate perfume is exquisite. You can plant them in the garden afterwards and be rewarded with the lovely bloom each new spring. I know you are supposed to dig the bulbs out for winter and keep in a dry space, but I haven't done it, yet my hyacinths never fail to reappear in March for the last few years. So, spend three pounds or so, and have your gift give you pleasure for years to come.

Of course, you don't have to spend a penny to make your Mum feel special. Make a card, offer her a cup of her favourite tea or coffee, bake some biscuits, call her if she lives far from you, or help with the house chores if you live together... I will be just as happy with hugs and kisses from my boys.