Snuggledown Back Sleeper Pillow Review

Did you know that a quarter of us prefer to sleep on our backs and find this the most comfortable position to be asleep? Snuggledown the experts in sleep found this is their recent sleep survey. The benefits of a good night's sleep are too numerous to mention, we all know what we feel like after a particularly disrupted night sleep. Did you also know that whilst we are snuggled up in bed our bodies renew cells, fight infection and our brains recharge for the day ahead?

Have you heard of Snuggledown? Since their beginnings in Scandinavia in 1901, the birthplace of the continental quilt, they have been leading the design and manufacture of quality duvets and pillows around the world. They sell a range of duvets and specialist pillows including the side sleeper pillow, the orthopaedic pillow and king size pillow.


Did you know that sleeping on your back with arms by your sides keeps the spine well aligned? Snuggledown have now created the Snuggledown Back Sleeper pillow, especially designed to support the shoulders and nape of the neck.

Well I was sent this back pillow to try, and was curious how it would make me feel any different. I do actually prefer to sleep on my back, my husband on his front.

With the warm nights recently I have been having difficulty sleeping, I keep waking up and I don't feel rested after a night's sleep. So I used this pillow to see if my sleep pattern could be improved. I was hopeful but also didn't want to get my hopes up too.

Well I can now say that, yes, it made a big difference to my night's sleep, I was susceptible I don't mind telling you but WOW it certainly did help.

How did it help you may wonder? The pillow felt like it was supporting my neck and top of my spine comfortably all night. It is a very 'full' pillow with deeper sides than the average pillow, which in turn provide fullness right to the edge. The 100 % cotton cover lets your skin breathe and you will be pleased to know it's also fully washable. If you like to sleep on your back I would certainly recommend this. Often pillows loose their 'bounce' but I feel this one will last a long time. My pillows in the house are old and thin and the difference to my sleep in using this back sleeper pillow was really amazing.

If you want to buy this pillow it's available from BHS, Amazon and Very amongst other stockists.

*PR sample

Recent Wins

I have a great hobby and it is entering competitions. I have won some lovely things in the last few years including hotel stays, an ipad mini, laptop, racing days and lots of vouchers.

Recently I was very lucky to go on a fabulous holiday (paid for myself unfortunately) and while I was away I won some lovely prizes too. 

Firstly I was lucky enough to win a large box of chocolates from Cocoa Boutique on Pinterest  They were delicious, very luxurious I must admit.

Then I was picked to be a Linwoods Food ambassador - still not sure what this involves but it all sounds very exciting. 

Next I was lucky enough to win GOSH cosmetics from The All Baby Advice Blog. This includes a lovely selection and I do love my makeup.

Lastly I had a winning email from Paul Brook mindreader to say I won his latest RT competition on twitter. A £20 voucher to spend on food. Here is a photo of the food I bought with the money.



My goal in the next year is to win a holiday abroad with spending money, this is still elusive to me. 

Do you enter competitions? What prizes would you love to win?

Stunning Dresses From Coast at John Lewis

With the summer coming up on us thick and fast, so do the occasions  - weddings, a visit to the races, christenings, graduations, that special prom, meals out and family get togethers, and so do the fashion dilemmas - what to wear on that special day?

I know I can always rely on Coast to provide some stunning dresses, with a touch of glamour, elegance and drama, perfect for when you wish to make an entrance.



Did you know that John Lewis is a stockist of this fab occasionware brand and they have a particularly good section of smart dresses?

I have two Coast dresses myself, one is a stunning black dress that has simple styling and will take me from a summer party to a Christmas party. The other is a beautiful Coast Maxi dress in Coral perfect for a wedding on the beach or a visit to Ascot. 

I love shopping and I am always looking for my next party dress. Whilst I was browsing the Coast Dresses, a few of these beautiful dresses caught my eye.

Coast Botanica Print Dress in Multi

This dress is perfect for a summer garden party, graduation or a day at the races. It's pretty, feminine and very summery.

Coast Tiegan Maxi Dress

This stunning blue maxi dress is perfect for a wedding, or a special evening out and is on special offer at the moment too! The beautiful floaty fabric is very forgiving, perfect for ladies of all shapes.

Coast Lori Short Dress

Another dress that caught my eye was this sophisticated feminine dress in grey with faux gems. How floaty and totally gorgeous does this look? A perfect bridesmaid dress perhaps or a dress for the prom?



Claudia Black Dress

My final dress is this stunning black jersey dress perfect for so many special occasions.  Black never goes out of fashion and this dress will be a staple in your wardrobe for years to come. I would wear this out for a hot date with my hubby.

We must also remember that Coast make glamorous bags to match their dresses as well as separates, and other accessories. 

So when you are shopping for that next special dress take a look at Coast dresses at John Lewis, and with their Price Matching Guarantee you know you are shopping for the best, with the best, at a price that is the best.

Do you like Coast? Let me know your favourite pieces from their range.


This is a sponsored post

Planning A Holiday to Vegas

I love travelling. I don't like flying, but I love travelling! The whole process of planning a holiday can be almost as exciting as going on the holiday itself to me, sad I know :)

Last year I decided I wanted to go on a big holiday to celebrate my son passing his GCSEs and we decided on California and Vegas. Most people think of Las Vegas as an adult resort, but there is plenty for children, in particular, older children to do.

I thought I would share some of my planning tips with you, my readers. Planning such a large holiday was complicated on times as we moved around and I did all the planning myself, without using a travel agent. The Vegas part was relatively simple, however.

1. When are you planning to go? Vegas can be extremely hot in the summer. The hotels can also be cheaper. Everywhere has air conditioning so this can be a great time to go if you don't plan on sunbathing! School holidays can bump up the prices, however, also Vegas is known for big conferences, so the hotel prices can be bumped up when these are on. Hotels in Vegas can be much cheaper than a similar standard of hotel elsewhere as they keep the prices artificially low as they want you to spend in their casinos!

2. Think of using a comparison site for flights such as www.kayak.com or www.skyscanner.net. These sites can be very useful to source great prices on flights. 

3. Consider the length of the flight. From London Gatwick, it is approximately 10 to 10 and a half hours. Are you happy in economy with limited leg room or would you prefer premium economy, business or even first class? You can also book extra legroom seats and exit row seats if like me you would appreciate the extra space, or you are particularly tall. These often come at a price though, gone are the free upgrades. Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Delta and American Airlines all run flights to Vegas amongst others. Sign up for their newsletters via email for advance notice of any sales. 



The Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace

4. What sort of hotel do you want to stay in? Does it have to be family friendly? If so you may want to stay in one with a large pool complex, with activities for children and a food court. The MGM Grand is a great hotel for families. it is also one of the largest in the world! Prices are reasonable depending on when you want to go I paid around £85 a night for a large suite. Circus Circus hotel and casino is another family-friendly hotel. Children cannot gamble in Vegas and you have to be 21 to drink, most hotels do have a casino, as long as your children do not wait around the gambling area there isn't a problem if they do they will be politely asked to move on.  Compare hotel prices with Trivago and consider staying off the strip if cost is an issue.

5. Most hotels allow smoking in the casinos, however, there are a number of smoke-free hotels you could stay in, such as the Vdara hotel, if this was a major issue for you. I thought it would have been more of a problem for me than it actually was, as the hotels have good air conditioning and I didn't notice the smoke as much as I thought I would.  

6. Don't forget the resort fee. Almost all the major hotels on the Las Vegas Strip charge a fee usually between $15 to $30 a night for wi-fi, newspapers and so on.

7. Don't forget to put the suncream on whilst walking around, you can still get burnt. With temperatures in the summer over 100 degrees F /38 degrees, C sun cream is essential. Check out the weather in Las Vegas here 

8. Consider a pre-paid card such as the Post Office Travel Money card when you are abroad, these cards do not charge for foreign purchases abroad. The Post Office travel card works as a Mastercard but is loaded with money in advance of using it.  Some benefits of using a prepaid card are here

9. Use planning sites such as Vegas.com to help you plan your stay. I am a great fan of Tripadvisor, for hotel and restaurant reviews, especially the forums, which can help with queries and give advice too.



The Ceiling Of The Venetian

10. Go and see a show! I still regret not going to see one. Many big stars play Vegas such as Celine Dion, Lady GaGa, Madonna and Justin Bieber was in my hotel when I was there. It's not all about singers though, there are musicals, magicians, comedians and burlesque shows playing amongst others. 

11. If you are going to gamble, set yourself a limit and do not go over it. Teach yourself how to play games beforehand, Facebook has many good poker sites for example. You can gamble from 5c on machines. If you do sit and play for a while, hostesses will come around and ask you if you want a drink. These are free as long as you continue playing they do expect a 1 to 2 dollar tip each drink though.

12. Ask for iced water wherever you go, you don't need to pay for bottled water in cafes and restaurants. Starbucks and other cafes will give it to you for free to take out.

13. Use vouchers for money off meals and attractions, they all do in America. Sign up for Groupon.com or Goldstar for great Vegas deals.

14. If you are thinking of planning a special meal when away, consider booking in advance especially on the weekend. I use opentable.com with great success.

A List of Activities For a Family Friendly Vegas Holiday

Ride the rollercoaster at New York New York
Go see a show, a particularly good one for kids is The Blue Man Group
Go to the cinema
Eat at the Rainforest Cafe at the MGM Grand
Spend time in the pools (but slap on the High SPF ) 
Go on a gondola at The Venetian
Visit the Grand Canyon
Visit the Ethel M chocolate factory outside of Vegas
Visit Madame Tussauds at The Venetian
Go to the top of The Stratosphere and go on on the rides (if you're brave!)
Visit the Observation deck at the top of The Stratosphere.
Do a Cirque du Soleil show such as Mystere, Ka or O
Watch the fountain show at The Bellagio
Take a helicopter tour over the strip
Visit The Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay


A List of Adult Activities For a Vegas Holiday

Do some gambling but be careful with your money
Shoot a gun at one of the many gun ranges, such as Battlefield Vegas
Have cocktails at one of the slick cocktail bars such as The Chandelier bar at the Cosmopolitan
Visit a nightclub such as Tao at the Venetian
Go to an adult orientated show (no not that type!) such as Evil Dead the Musical
Drive a fast car into the desert
Get married or have your vows renewed (Elvis optional)
Drive a digger at Dig This Vegas
Visit The Bodies exhibition at The Luxor (suitable for teenagers and over )
Go Skydiving over Vegas
Go to an adult pool party such as Wet Republic at MGM Grand
Visit the CSI experience (suitable for teenagers and over)
Drive through the desert to LA. Visit Calico Ghost Town or Death Valley on the way.

Have you been to Las Vegas? Do you have any planning tips you would like to share?

Slumberdown Travel Pillow Review

I have recently come back from holiday to the USA. The flight was SOOO long and I never got comfortable especially on the long journey back at night. I could have done with the Slumberdown travel pillow then I can tell you!

Slumberdown are a great company that produces duvets and pillows. They have been manufacturing & selling these items for over 40 years and use a UK factory to produce their products. 

They have also produced a very useful travel pillow, and not any old travel pillow either - a memory foam travel pillow.




This travel pillow would be very useful for flying or for use when you are a passenger in a car on a long journey. The memory foam moulds to your neck to make it a very comfortable fit. It's super support too when you want to catch 40 winks.... 
The car cushions for driving provide tailbone pain relief, offer back support, and allow cooling airflow to reach your backside.

The cover is removable for washing which is a good idea, and it is very light in weight, great to pack in your hand luggage for a plane journey. It also comes in black or red.






Soon the memory foam travel pillow by Slumberdown is to go on very special offer at larger Tesco stores at a bargain price of £5! The dates for this special offer is 29 July to 7 August. Normally this would retail at £10 which is still a super price for this quality, but at £5 you can't go wrong. Just in time for those summer trips. If you have children why not buy more than one so you know they will be comfortable on the journey and not grumpy when they get there. The pillow is adult size but would also be suitable for children although perhaps too big for the youngest toddlers and babies.

So if you want to try a travel pillow or want to replace one of those uncomfortable blowup pillows for your travel plans, why don't you check out the Slumberdown memory foam pillow today.


* I was given the pillow to review but the opinions are entirely my own

Slumberdown For Suggly Soft Comfort Whatever The Weather

Have you ever had that dilemma when the weather gets lovely and warm but you still want to be cosy in bed? Most people I know these days have duvets on their bed and often feel one duvet is enough for all weathers. But Slumberdown have come up with a great idea. Their all weather duvet is actually two duvets for all seasons - how cool is that!

Have you heard of Slumberdown? Slumberdown have been manufacturing & selling high-quality bedding, pillows, duvets and mattress protectors for over 40 years. Slumberdown also have the latest innovation in its production facility, and over £1 million per annum is invested back into its UK-based factory, with the aim of increasing efficiencies and improving product quality for its customers.

Slumberdown focus on all aspects of performance, from quality, comfort and just as importantly the affordability of their products. They have an assortment of ranges including Ultrabounce, Anti-Allergy, and All Seasons. 

The All Seasons duvet is perfect for all weathers. The two duvets are 4.5 tog and 9 tog. 4.5 is perfect for Summer and 9.0 is perfect for Spring or Autumn. But what happens if it is cold outside you maybe wondering? Well, the 
'All Seasons' duvet pack allows you to attach the both duvets together with a simple popper button system so you have the perfect warmth for winter.



I tested the duvets recently and found the 4.5 duvet lovely and soft and yet very light and thin. I attached the 9.0 duvet via the popper system and found it easy to do and appreciated the cosiness on a cooler night.  I can see how this would be so warm in the winter. One thing I noticed was that the poppers didn't come undone when I used the duvets together.

If you need more information about Tog levels here is a handy chart.



This duvet is also machine washable at 40 degrees C and suitable for tumble drying too. No longer do you need to take a duvet to be dry cleaned!

If you want to find out more about this duvet check out Argos for some great deals, this July this duvet is now half price! Slumberdown duvets can also be bought in Asda, Sainsbury's and Tesco too.

Slumberdown have recently launched a blog and social media channels recently. Their Facebook page has lots of information too. When you are there why don't you check out the competition they are running at the moment especially suitable for those with little ones.

* I have been given this duvet to review but the opinions are entirely my own

Lumie Light Therapy for Problem Skin

I have a teenage son, and when I was given the opportunity to blog about the Lumie Clear therapy pod in conjunction with him I jumped at the chance. My son has typical teenage skin, with white spots, hard lumps and red areas. He was keen to try the Lumie Clear.

About Lumie
The company has been making medical devices since 1991 and are suppliers to the NHS as well as major retailers such as Boots and John Lewis.  They are well known for researching and developing light therapy pods for Seasonal Affective Disorder

The Lumie Clear is certified to the medical device directive and was developed with leading dermatologists as a new treatment for mild-moderate acne. It offers an alternative to acne creams and prescriptions. Using blue and red LEDs, Lumie Clear emits blue light to kill the bacteria that cause acne and red light to soothe inflammation and heal the skin. In clinical trials, this made a real difference to the skin within four weeks and, after 12 weeks, the skin was 76% less inflamed and 56% clearer.

The Lumie Clear can be used to treat your face, back, arms, or any areas affected with acne. 

my son J 
 I would say he has mild acne.

The instructions to use the Lumie are very straightforward. Most people either hold it close to the area they are treating or use it on a stand. It has an in-built timer, which stops after 15 minutes so there is no worry of having a longer dose than is needed. Goggles are supplied with the unit and you must use them if you are using the product near your face. You can still read, listen to music and do other things when using the device and J listens to his iPod. It advises you to stop using the device if you have an adverse reaction. J did not report any issues with using the machine, and no irritation was noted. 

My son has so far used the pod for two weeks. In this time he has seen an improvement in his skin but I feel a greater improvement can be seen if the pod is used for at least 4 weeks. The improvement he has seen includes less inflammation and redness of his skin, particularly around his nose and forehead.  

It does take a time commitment to use the unit every day, but I feel if you have acne then the Lumie Clear can help and is certainly worth the commitment in time and money. 

I have been given a Lumie Clear to trial for this post ( (in conjunction with my son) but the opinions are entirely my own and his.