Oriflame Feet Up Products

As a busy mum I am always on the go and find that most of my day is spent up on my feet, either doing school runs or cleaning up after the boys, by the end of the day my feet ache so when I was asked if I'd like to try some Oriflame products specially designed with foot care in mind i jumped at the chance. I was sent three products from the Feet Up range.

The range includes the usual feet up products; a foot scrub, foot spray and foot cream with the added extra of Neroli and Frangipani scents. A matching orange foot file is also available to complete the range. Neroli is an oil produced from the blossom of the bitter orange tree. It has a faint citrus scent with a mild flowery note. Frangipani is a tropical plant and has uplifting, relaxing and soothing properties. It has a soft sweet floral scent.

The first product I tried was the Foot Scrub, it deeply cleans your feet. Ingredients include Walnut Shell to scrub away dead skin cells, moisturising Glycerin, soothing Sweet Almond oil and Menthol. The end result is lovely smooth feet that feel clean and refreshed. The foot scrub is available in a 75 ml tube and is priced at£2.95.

The second product I tried was the Foot Cream, it has Glycerin in it which helps to nourish and soften skin, it also has Eucalyptus oil, which leaves feet feeling cool, refreshed and soothed.  The cream is lightly scented with Neroli and Frangipani. It is also comes in a 75 ml tube and is also priced at £2.95.

Lastly I tried the Foot Spray it combines stimulating Peppermint essential oil and ingredients with antiseptic and deodorising benefits to help keep feet feeling fresh and odour-free. It comes in a 150 ml can and is priced at £3.95.

I love these products and would highly recommend them to others, they are affordable and great quality. If your looking for these or other Oriflame products check out this great page on Facebook for more information and offers.

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Shrimp salad on rye appetizers

Christmas and New Year, although just a scant week apart, seem to be different seasons altogether for our little family here in Estonia. Throughout December and until Christmas, we eat black pudding and sauerkraut and pork roasts - the traditional Christmas fare - a lot. We'll start eating Christmassy food early, weeks before Christmas. You see, you need to identify the best brand of black pudding (aka blood sausages) at the market each year, so you start sampling in mid-November already. Sauerkraut, on the other hand, is the seasonal vegetable at this time of the year, so we eat a lot of that as well. When the Christmas comes, we still eat the traditional Christmas fare and enjoy it.

And then, suddenly, I've had enough. For the New Year's Eve I want to hear nothing about the heavy winter stuff, and am serving various elegant and light canapés instead (and even if there is some black pudding on the table, it's hidden in puff pastry pinwheels or black pudding profiteroles).

Here's a little and light and elegant canapé I'm planning to serve this time*. Not so dissimilar to Toast Skagen or this Swedish shrimp salad, but being served on small crisp dark rye bread slices, it's a a great and festive mouthful. Oh, and once we are talking about rye bread appetizers - these smoked salmon mousse canapés are wonderful, too!

* And yes, of course we are hosting a big New Year's Eve bash this year as well. The logistics of getting three kids to a party at a friends' house is too much to bear just now, so we are being lazy and staying at home, asking dear friends to come over instead :))

Shrimp salad on rye bread
(Krevetisalat rukkileivaviiludel)
Makes about 16

 


250 grams cooked and peeled shrimps
2 Tbsp finely chopped red onion
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
100 g good-quality mayonnaise
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
lemon juice, to taste

To serve:
8 slices of dark rye bread

If using frozen shrimps, defrost them and drain thoroughly (I prefer those in brine, which are more expensive but easier to use). If you wish, chop them coarsely. Mix with onion and dill, then add the mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Toast the rye bread slices, then cut into triangles or squares or small rounds. Spoon shrimp salad on top.
Garnish with some dill and serve.

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Puff pastry pinwheels with black pudding and lingonberry jam

Black pudding (aka blood sausages) with lingonberry jam are one of the staples on Estonian Christmas table and I like using these two elements in other dishes as well. Here's a small pastry that I've been baking for 5 years already. The initial idea isn't mine. Back in November 2008 I took part at a two-day cooking course ("Modern Christmas menu") at one of the vocational training schools here in Tallinn, and we had a brain-storming session with other participants trying to come up with new twists of old favourites. One of the other participants mentioned using black pudding and lingonberries for making small pastries - I cannot remember any longer, if she was talking about something she has made already or something that could be made, neither can I remember if she was talking about the idea in general or making puff pastry pinwheels in particular. In any case, I've been rolling puff pastry sheets with crumbled black pudding and lingonberry jam and some dried marjoram ever since (here's a photo evidence from November 2008, another one from December 2008 and here's one from October 2010).

So if you've got some black pudding and lingonberry jam left over after the Christmas feast, then you can use these two to make some delightful puff pastry pinwheels. And let your guests guess what's inside - most of them seem to think it's raisins ;)

Puff pastry pinwheels with black pudding and lingonberries
(Lehttainarullid verivorsti ja pohlamoosiga)



puff pastry - either regular or yeasted puff pastry
lingonberry jam
dried marjoram (oregano will do as well)
black pudding

For brushing:
egg, whisked with some water

Roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle about 3-4 mm thick.
Spread with a thin layer of lingonberry jam, then scatter the crumbled black pudding on top. Sprinkle with some dried marjoram.
Roll tightly, starting from the longer end, into a long "sausage". Cut into 2 cm lengths. Place into paper muffin cups and transfer onto a cooking sheet.
Brush with eggwash and bake in a pre-heated 225C/435F for 10-15 minutes, until the pinwheels are nicely golden brown.

Serve either warm or at room temperature.

This recipe was also included in my latest cookbook, Jõulud kodus ("Christmas at Home"), published in Estonian in November 2011. 

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Traditional Christmas roast (oven-baked pork shoulder with honey, mustard and rosemary)

Photo by Juta Kübarsepp for the December issue of Kodu ja Aed magazine, 2012 

What's your traditional Christmas roast (assuming you're eating meat)? Turkey? Goose? Duck?

In Estonia it's definitely pork, though roast poultry has become more popular during recent years. I've been flirting with roast goose and actually served duck leg confit on Christmas Eve this year. It was delicious.

However, for years I've been serving pork roast - a pork shoulder (kaelakarbonaad in Estonian) in a mustard-honey-garlic-rosemary marinade, to be more precise. I love that it's a pretty fool-proof recipe, simple to make, with lots of flavour. And - as an added bonus - any leftovers are excellent on top of rye bread on the days after the party, or as part of a salad. So if you're not making it for a big family feast, you can still make the same amount and simply make several meals out of it.

So here you go. Nami-Nami's traditional Christmas roast. On the photo above, it's accompanied by black pudding ('blood sausages') - another traditional Christmas dish.

Wish you all a lovely festive season!!!

Traditional Christmas roast
(Ahjupraad karbonaadist)
Serves about 10

2 kg boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt)
3-4 Tbsp honey
3-4 Tbsp Dijon mustard or Estonian Põltsamaa mustard
2-3 fresh rosemary sprigs (leaves only)
3 large garlic cloves
2 tsp sea salt

Finely chop garlic cloves and rosemary leaves, then mix with honey and mustard until combined.
Season the meat generously with salt, then spread the mustard-honey mixture all over the pork shoulder and massage into the meat.
Place the pork shoulder into a large ovenproof dish, cover with foil and place into a fridge or cold larder for 1-2 days.
Bring back to the room temperature about an hour before you plan to cook the meat.
If you have a meat thermometer, then stick it into the thickest part of the meat (you can do this through the kitchen foil).
Roast the meat in a pre-heated 160 C / 320 F oven for about 2,5 hours or until the meat thermometer has reached 82-85 C/ 180-185 F.
If you plan to serve gravy with your meat, then pour a cup of hot water into the baking tray half-way through the cooking. 
When the meat is cooked, remove the foil, season the meat once more lightly with salt and then bake for another 10-15 minutes at about 200-220 C/ 390-425 F, just to brown the meat  a little.

Remove the roast pork from the oven, cover again with a kitchen foil and leave to rest for 20-30 minutes before carving into thin slices.

This recipe was also included in my latest cookbook, Jõulud kodus ("Christmas at Home"), published in Estonian in November 2011. 
I also included the recipe in the December 2012 issue of Kodu & Aed magazine. 

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Kung Fu Panda - Po's Winter Wonderland

Prepare for out-of-this-world fun with the DVD premiere of a new heart-warming winter adventure from DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. arriving just in time for Christmas. PO’S WINTER WONDERLAND is the perfect centrepiece for festive family fun! 

In PO’S WINTER WONDERLAND, Po (voiced by Jack Black) is preparing for a traditional Winter Festival with his dad when Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) reminds him that his duties as Dragon Warrior include hosting the formal Winter Feast for the Kung Fu masters. Po is torn between his responsibilities to his position and his desire to carry on his family traditions, but in his own unique way, he manages to strike a balance that gives everyone a happy holiday. 

My 3 boys are huge fans of Po, they love the Kung Fu Panda films so when they were asked to review Po's latest installment they jumped at the chance and weren't disappointed. They sat glued to the screen throughout and have asked to watch it everyday since it arrived. It has a running time of 25 minutes so is ideal to keep them busy for a short period of time especially if like me you've still little things to wrap up or organise. As will all the Kung Fu Panda films and shorts Po's Winter Wonderland has a U rating meaning it is suitable for all.

You can purchase Po's Winter Wonderland exclusively from Sainsburys for £5. It would make a great stocking filler.

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Pigs in Blankets Pom Bears Snacks

The boys were asked if we would like to review the new Winter limited edition Pigs in Blankets flavour Pom-Bears.

The snacks are gluten free and contain no artificial flavourings or colours so us mums can rest easy. They are also suitable for vegetarians. I love the fact that because these snacks are a winter edition they are shaped like snowmen instead of their usual teddy bear shape.

The boys really liked them, Callum said they were really yummy and tasted great and even Matthew was seen eating a packet too. You can purchase these Limited edition Pom Bears from all good supermarkets priced around £1.39 for a 6 bag. multipack. We will certainly be stocking up on them over the Christmas season, they will look great when we have our family party on Christmas Eve.

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Wonderful Pistachios and Wonderful Almonds

With Christmas fast approaching we have started to think about the ways in which we will be spending the festive season, for us it is mainly seeing family and friends especially those we don't get to see that often, two of the days that I look forward to most is our Christmas Eve and New Years Eve get togethers, the Christmas Eve on is all about the children and having them get all excited for Father Christmas coming, however New Year is all about the adults and getting ready to see in the New Year. This year we will certainly be adding some Wonderful additions to our buffets.

We were recently sent some snacks to try out these were Wonderful Pistachios and Wonderful Almonds.

We were sent some Wonderful Pistachios Sweet Chili and Wonderful Pistachios Salt ‘n’ Pepper to try, it isn't something i would normally pick up as I'm not a huge fan of eating nuts, but i was pleasantly surprised by their taste. are packed full of warming seasonal spice to get your taste buds tingling. They have enough flavouring for you to taste the spices but not too much so that it is over powering.

Wonderful Pistachios have only three calories a nut so are an ideal tasty snack especially if your conscious of losing weight or trying not to put too much on over the festive period. Studies have shown that pistachios in their shells may have an added benefit for weight management as the empty shells act as a reminder of how many we have already eaten.  They are ideal  for sharing or as a treat for enjoying alone. So perfect for parties over the festive period.

Wonderful Almonds are roasted without oil and lightly salted, Wonderful Almonds are really crunchy and flavoured to perfection. With a distinctive long, flat kernel and blonde colour, Wonderful Almonds are renowned for their mild taste and crunch.

Wonderful Pistachios are available from Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Ocado in 3 different flavours Roasted & Salted, Salt & Pepper and Sweet Chili. They have an RRP from £1.99. The Wonderful Almonds are available from Tesco and Waitrose. They have an RRP of £2.95.

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Saffron buns with marzipan and almonds

These were immensely popular with our kids as well. The photo is from December 2011, when our son, Aksel, was 11 months old. Look at those cheeks!

It's Saint Lucia's Day today, the festival of light, which is especially popular in Sweden. Trust me, it's pit dark outside by 4 pm, so we need any extra light we can get here up North, even if it's in the form of candles on top of a lingonberry branch wreath balanced precariously on some little girls head :)) It's common to eat saffron buns - lussekatter - on Lucia's Day - ideally, first thing in the morning with your breakfast coffee or tea, but these are also wonderful in the afternoon, of course.

Lussekatter or Lucia buns are usually shaped like S, but I've opted for the more simple roll and enriched the buns with marzipan filling and slivered almonds. kokblog has an excellent overview of the various lussekatter-shapes, check them out.

Saffron buns with marzipan and almonds
(Tõeliselt mõnusad safranisaiad)
Makes a lot!

 
Yeast dough:
500 ml lukewarm milk (2 cups)
a generous pinch of saffron threads*
50 g fresh yeast (or use 2 sachets of instant yeast)
0.5 tsp salt
150 g caster sugar
150 g unsalted butter, softened
200 g cream cheese, softened
1 kg of all-purpose flour

Filling:
100 g unsalted butter, softened
200 g marzipan, grated
3 Tbsp brandy or cognac
a generous pinch of saffron threads

To finish:
egg-wash made with 1 egg and 1 Tbsp water
50 g sliced almonds
sugar pearls

 

Heat the milk, pour into a large mixing bowl. Add the saffron and let it infuse and cool for a while. The milk should be 37 C/98 F at the end.
Crumble the yeast into the milk. Add salt, sugar and most of the flour. Then knead in the soft butter and cream cheese and the rest of the flour. Knead until the dough doesn't stick to the bowl any longer. Cover and let rise until doubled in size - you need to do that in a warm and draught-free place.

(Meanwhile, cover the baking sheet with a parchment paper and pre-heat the oven to 220 C/430 F).

Prepare the filling. Grate the marzipan coarsely. Mix saffron strands with the cognac and let infuse for 5-10 minutes. Melt butter in a small saucepan, add the marzipan and then the saffron-infused cognac. Heat gently, stirring, until combined. Remove from the heat.

Gently knead the yeast dough and divide into two. Roll both on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, about 5 mm (1/4''). Spread half of the marzipan mixture onto the dough and roll tightly, starting from the longer edge.

Repeat with the other dough.

Cut into 3-4 cm rolls (about 1,5 inches) and place onto a baking sheet. (If you wish, you can let them rise again for 20-30 minutes). Brush with the egg-wash and sprinkle with slivered almonds and pearl sugar.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until lovely golden brown. Let cool under a clean kitchen towel - this helps them stay soft.

* A note about using saffron. Saffron is water-soluble, not fat-soluble. I am surprised how many recipes ask you to simply add the saffron threads in with the rest of the ingredients (the oil or the flour), without infusing it with the liquid (NOT oil!) beforehand. You can extract so much more flavour and colour by the simple infusion process, and given the price of good-quality saffron, you can use much less of that precious spice and get much more out of it. 

More recipes for lussekatter or Lucia buns:
Nami-Nami, 2011
A Cat in the Kitchen, 2006
Anne's Food, 2007
Joe Pastry, 2012
Eat Drink One Woman, 2009
Good. Food. Stories. 2009
Eat, Live, Run, 2012
pPod's Kitchen, 2010
One Perfect Bite, 2009

More recipes using saffron: 
Saffron buns (lussekatter)
Roasted aubergines/eggplant with saffron yoghurt dressing by Ottolenghi
Saffron carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
Golden saffron pancakes

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Mulled sea-buckthorn drink

A glass of warming sea-buckthorn drink. If you're unfamiliar with the name "sea-buckthorn", then it's also known as sandthorn, sallowthorn or seaberry, and tyrni in Finnish, Sanddorn in German (as well as Seedorn, Sandbeere, Weidendorn and so on), havtorn in Danish and Swedish, duindoorn in Dutch, Hippophae rhamnoides in Latin, argousier in French.

Are you a fan of Pinterest? I am. I hopped on the Pinterest-bandwagon quite late, but have grown to love it for the ease of identifying and saving various inspirational dishes. It's a great way to spot gorgeous drink and food ideas, and that's where I came across Sandy's sea-buckthorn punch. Sea-buckthorn, the wonderful superberry, has been featured quite often here on Nami-Nami (see below for numerous recipe links), and I try to use it quite regularly in my kitchen as well. This mulled hot drink using a mixture of sea-buckthorn juice, orange juice and black tea, was a great discovery.

Mulled sea-buckthorn drink
(Kuum astelpajujook)
Adapted from Confiture de Vivre
Serves 6 to 8

1 litre of brewed tea (I used Early Grey)
500 ml (2 cups) sea-buckthorn juice
250 ml (1 cup) good-quality orange juice
4 cloves
4 star anise
1 cinnamon stick/bark
5-6 Tbsp soft brown sugar

Optional (for the alcoholic version):
vodka and/or sea-buckthorn liqueur

Mix tea, sea-buckthorn and orange juice, spices and the sugar in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring into a gentre simmer, then leave to infuse for 15-20 minutes on a very low heat.
Remove from the heat, ladle into heatproof glasses and serve.

For an alcoholic version, add 2 cl of vodka and/or sea-buckthorn liqueur per glass.

More sea-buckthorn recipes:
Sea-buckthorn jelly with kama mascarpone mousse @ Nami-Nami
Sea-buckthorn and Amaretto cheesecake @ Nami-Nami
Sea-buckthorn and apple tart @ Nami-Nami
Sea-buckthorn sorbet @ Nami-Nami
Cardamom panna-cotta with sea-buckthorn and apricot compote @ Nami-Nami
Sea-buckthorn juice @ Russian Season
Sea-buckthorn @ Real Epicurean
Gelbe grütze @ Küchenlatein
Coconut cream custard on sanddorn mirror @ Vegalicious Recipes
Sea buckthorn curd with raspberries @ Swedish Food
Sea-buckthorn cheesecake @ Bumpkin Mag
Sea-buckthorn mousse @ Andie's Veggies
Sea-buckthorn kissel with Greek yoghurt @ Suvi sur le vif

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12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas - For Younger Children

As part of our 12 Days of Christmas (you already know we've been running some lovely competitions and giveaways) we thought we would also try to give you a helping hand with some gift ideas suitable for children of all ages. I have written three posts, one for gift ideas suitable for older children, one suitable for younger children and one full of crafty gift ideas for children of all ages.

Here are some gift ideas suitable for children aged 3 and younger. 

The HABA Bobbing Bunny and Quacking Frog have to be the most adorable wooden toys I have ever seen. They are suitable for children aged 10 months plus and are just the right size for little hands. 

These toys would be a huge hit with older babies who are just finding their way around playing with toys, they are designed to stimulate the senses of your child. They are made from beech wood with threaded cord , are brightly coloured and rattle when shaken. They are priced around £11.99 and can be bought from stockists like Amazon.

My boys are huge fans of Bananas in Pyjamas. They love watching the TV show and have even been known  to pretend to be one of the twin Banana brothers B1 and B2. The toys are really soft and cuddly and would be lots of fun for any child. The B1 and B2 talking soft toys are so cute and if you squeeze their tummy you can hear one of five fun phrases. The B2 toy we were sent says things like "Are you thinking what I'm thinking B1" 

The Bananas are suitable for children aged 10 months and over. Each Banana is sold separately for around £9.99, they can be bought for most good toy stores. I think this toy would make a great stocking filler for any Bananas in Pyjamas fan or smaller child.  Golden Bear also have lots of other Bananas in Pyjamas toys available.

Lastly I think any little boy who loves cars would love the Go Mini Freestyler Bulldog, he also comes with a hidden surprise! If you press a button it reveals a hidden British Bulldog figure and it even barks. The Go MINI Freestyler Bulldog has a personalised number plate and is uniquely decorated for the ultimate in individual style. It is suitable for children aged 3+. This toy has an RRP of £9.99. The Go MINI collection represents one of the finest and most exciting launches for the younger boys this Christmas. With four ranges and 17 cars to collect, each with its own name, fun features, and unique decoration there’s a Go MINI for everybody. We reviewed the GO MINI Stunt Launcher in summer and James, our littlest trouble maker absolutely loves it. We highly recommend these toys.

Any of these toys mentioned above would be great stocking fillers for younger children.

*We were sent the above toys for our Christmas feature piece*

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12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas - Creative Gifts

As part of our 12 Days of Christmas (you already know we've been running some lovely competitions and giveaways) we thought we would also try to give you a helping hand with some gift ideas suitable for children of all ages. I have written three posts, one for gift ideas suitable for older children, one suitable for younger children and one full of creative gift ideas for children of all ages.

myStyle Deluxe Charm Bracelets

The myStyle collection is a must-have amongst girls looking to design and create professional quality accessories whilst keeping true to their own individual style. myStyle Deluxe Charm Bracelets do just that, allowing girls to design and make beautiful silver charm bracelets, almost identical to leading designer brands, but at a fraction of the price., This set has a RRP of £19.99.



Rivetz

Boys who love to build, will be captivated by these new Rivetz kits as they learn how to snap and fix pieces of the pre-cut, decorated card together to create giant sculptures such as a superb Dragon, a Giant Hornet or an awesome red, black and white Racer, each set has an RRP of £12.99. 

Each Rivetz kit contains coloured, glossy card, the patented Rivetz Gun and the all-important Rivetz that once fitted together, make giant models that can be displayed on a shelf, desk or hung from the ceiling. The unique feature about these kits is that the Rivetz Gun can also remove the Rivetz without damaging the card, so the sculptures can be taken apart and rebuilt with friends whenever they wish.

Gelarti

Gelarti is the cool craft kit that lets kids create cool colourful and totally reusable gel stickers. Using the gel to create their own designs, the stickers can be used to decorate any surface from notebooks, cards and even walls and windows and this year they can even express their style with the Moshi Monsters or Hello Kitty Gelarti. Sets are priced from £9.99.



Ravensburger 3D Puzzles

As our regular readers will know we are members of the Ravensburger Puzzle Club and every month we are sent a puzle to review. The boys have had lots of fun this year with the puzzles that they have been sent. 

For older jigsaw puzzle fans Ravensburger have a number of 3D puzzles available. You can construct a famous landmark with this new technology in interlocking puzzle pieces. With uniquely curved, hinged and flat plastic pieces, you can create stunning 3D replicas of well-known structures around the world. It’s different to any other 3D puzzling experience, sturdy when completed, easy-clean surface, no delaminating, no peeling and best of all no glue is required. 3D puzzling taken to a new dimension. The 216 plastic pieces fit together to form a perfectly smooth surface. The finished building is a "picture-perfect" decoration for every room.

Ben 10 Kevin's Car Construction Set

For Ben 10 fans Character Building have a range of toys available to buy. I think that the Ben 10 Kevin's Car Construction Set is an ideal stocking filler and any fan will be guaranteed lots of  fun when building and playing with the replica of Kevin's car which first appeared in Ben 10: Alien Force. The car bonnet opens and the Ben 10 micro-figure fits inside. The toy is suitable for children aged 5 years+. It is priced around £9.99 depending on where you purchase. 

Green Rocket

Lastly we have the Green Rocket by Green Science. This gift would be a great choice for any budding scientist. The gift is environmentally friendly. They will enjoy making their rocket fun by recycling two drink bottles and a few magazine pages,To launch the rocket simply stamp on the empty bottle and watch it fly up to 25 metres (80ft). They will be able to learn the underlying physics. It really is a cool green science project. The Kit contains everything you need - 1 Stand Arm. 1 Launch Tube, 1 Flexible Pipe, 2 Bottle Connector Halves, 2 Pipe Clamp Halves, 2 Foam Rocket Heads, 12 Fin Templates, 2 Rocket Templates, 3 Screws, 1 Set Small Nuts and Bolts, 1 Set Large Nuts, Bolts, Washer and Split Washer, 1 Double Sided Adhesive Tape, a full instruction guide with fun facts. It is suitable for children ages 8 years + and priced around £12.99 depending on where purchased.

We hope we have given you some inspiration for some gift ideas, as the mum of 3 boys I know exactly how hard choosing the right gifts and stocking fillers can be.

*We were sent the above toys for our Christmas feature piece*

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12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas - For Older Children

As part of our 12 Days of Christmas (you already know we've been running some lovely competitions and giveaways) we thought we would also try to give you a helping hand with some gift ideas suitable for children of all ages. I have written three posts, one for gift ideas suitable for older children, one suitable for younger children and one full of crafty gift ideas for children of all ages.

Here are some gift ideas suitable for children aged 3 and over.

Trash Pack - Trashie Street Sweeper

First up for boys who love all things gross is the Trashie Street Sweeper, it has been tipped as a must have toy for this Christmas. The sweeper with its rotten rollers rotate and sweep your Trashies into the waste catcher! Crash your sweeper and watch as the waste catcher ejects freeing your Trashies! The Trashie Street Sweeper comes with two exclusive Trashies and their bins! In the summer we reviewed the The Trash Pack Scum Drum and my boys thought it was great, the Trashie Street Sweeper makes a great accompaniment to this.

The Trashie Street Sweeper has a RRP of £19.99 and can be bought from most toy stockists. The Trash Pack launched in December 2011 and is proving to be extremely popular with over 3 million individual Trashies have been collected. Series 3 Trashies will be available before Christmas, and will include loads more gross characters to discover.

 Scatterbrainz

The Scatter brainz are designed with boys in mind, especially if your boys are like mine and like anything gory and disgusting. You only have to mention the words "fart" or "blood and guts" in my house and all 3 boys fall about laughing and making jokes. The Scatterbrainz are a dart shaped toy, each dart has a unique character. The darts have a sticky squashed brain tip. You fire them and try to hit the target board. They would make an excellent stocking filler for any boy who likes gory and grewsome things. The darts come in two size packs - a 3 dart or 8 dart pack with prices starting from as little as £4.99. There are other Scatterbrainz toys available to buy too.

Schleich Dinosaurs

Any little boy who loves dinosaurs will love these life like models from Schleich.  They would make a fab little stocking filler for any dinosaur fan. James my youngest is a huge dinosaur fan and loves these figures, I love these figures as they are really quite well made and are designed to withstand rough play as they are quite sturdy and I think they would have trouble breaking them. My boys make the dinosaurs fight with each, run across the floor and have also been known to fly through the air. The dinosaurs from Schleich start from £9.99 but this is dependent on  where you buy them from.

Doctor Who Quantum Lokk Device

Lastly we have the Doctor Who Quantum Lokk , this offers the ultimate Doctor Who gaming experience; the Cleric Wars App and Q.L.A. Device is an immersive, Augmented Reality (AR) first-person mobile application game for iPhone and Android smart phones.

The devise enables players to battle enemies in their own room! Dalek, Cybermen and Angels appear as if real, on the screen via Augmented Reality (AR). 

It requires 2 x AAA batteries and either a iOS: iPhone 4 and above; iPod Touch 4th generation or one of elected phones running Google Android 2.3.3, 1GHz processor, 512MB, with back-facing camera. Note: Phones must support iPhone-compatible headphones with built-in microphone unless otherwise specified on the support site: www.appgear.com/devices. This would be an awesome present for any Dr Who fan. 

*We were sent the above toys for our Christmas feature piece*

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