Fun with the PhotoBox app #shop!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CollectiveBias 

PhotoBox App

PhotoBox App

I love taking photos of my adventures with my family, often returning home with hundreds of lovely memories to look through on the computer. Digital cameras and quickly advancing technology mean that photography is no longer the preserve of the professional. Amateurs can also indulge their hobby while creating some lasting mementoes. However the act of uploading, cropping, printing etc. is often lengthy and somewhat boring. I would much rather just grab my iPad and click through an app. With this in mind I spent the weekend testing out the PhotoBox app downloaded for free from the Apple app store.

Photobox Sign in

PhotoBox Sign in

Having used PhotoBox on the computer some years ago I did manage to sign into my account to view past orders and any uploaded images. IMG_8485I wanted to print this lovely photo of my son taken a few weekends ago. From the beginning I found the app really easy to navigate.

Photobox Products

PhotoBox Products

The app offers a wide selection of product types and gifts as well as the more standard prints, I can imagine its popularity will increase near Christmas time.

Canvas Lite

Canvas Lite

I chose to order a Canvas Lite which is PhotoBox’s cheapest canvas option. The size I picked was 30.5cm X 20.3cm and cost just £10 (before P&P).

IMG_0304

I pressed ‘Customise’ to choose my image and check the orientation and quality of my picture. There is also the option to wrap the image completely around the edges of the canvas. I chose the normal wrap option as the app indicated that the bottom of my son’s shoes were too low down for a full wrap, plus the unhappy smiley face suggested the quality would have been reduced.

IMG_0305

Ordering was a doddle, I simply selected my payment method and off whooshed my order.

Photobox Checkout

PhotoBox Checkout

The canvas arrived really quickly. It appears to be very good quality and not lacking anything considering this was the ‘Lite’ option.  However some kind of miscommunication occurred between the app and the printing process. It had converted my image to landscape and caused bad stretching and an image that I couldn’t display.

IMG_9231

It was a shame that no quality control checks picked up on this mistake. However when I contacted PhotoBox they were very apologetic and immediately reordered the canvas for free in the correct portrait mode. Their technicians are going to look into the issue so hopefully it shouldn’t happen again. For this reason I can’t fault their customer service, they provided a polite and speedy fix to the problem and I wouldn’t hesitate to order from them again.

I also wouldn’t hesitate to use the app again. The process was so quick and simple it’s almost too easy, I may end up with walls completely covered!!

Tikkers Watches for Kids

Tikkers Watches

Tikkers Watches

When I was a small there was always something extra special about receiving a brand new watch. They looked beautiful, came in a case and made me feel so much more grown up than I really was. I was eager to pass on this tradition to my own children with the help of Tikkers watches.

Tikkers white stone set tiara watch

Tikkers white stone set tiara watch

For my daughter

For my daughter I chose this extremely girly Tikkers white stone set tiara watch (no. TK0049 RRP £17.99). Covered in sparkly stones and emblazed with the word ‘Princess’ there’s no denying that this watch is the epitome of girly styling. Ordinarily I might choose a less saccharinely sweet design but this one actually resembles one of my own watches which my daughter adores. Plus you can never really have enough sparkles!

From a practical point of view I was concerned that the rubber bracelet might be less durable than leather but so far it’s holding up very well. The rubber is also significantly more comfortable than a traditional strap. It is a little large on my daughter’s wrist but she assures me this is of no consequence.

Tikkers black skull watch

Tikkers black skull watch

For my eldest son

As my son leaves behind early childhood and enters the age of video games he needed a watch that better fits this transition, being ‘cool’ is of the upmost importance. We found the answer in the Tikkers black skull watch (no. TK0047 RRP £14.99). Black and green colours make this watch bright enough to still be childish and yet cool enough to be a respectable piece of wrist jewellery. It also has the added bonus of being really easy to tell the time on.

The watch strap is a little thinner than on my daughters and once again made from the same comfortable rubber material. It fits his wrist perfectly and he’s loved it since the day it arrived.

Tikkers Blue Rocket Ship

Tikkers Blue Rocket Ship

For my youngest son

Ever since we visited the National Space Centre my youngest has spoken of rockets, planets and space dinosaurs! That made the Tikkers Blue Rocket Ship (no. TK0045 RRP £14.99) the obvious choice for him.

The colours are fabulously bright, the numbers are easy to read and it’s really encouraged him to learn to tell the time, you can’t really ask for more. As with the other watches the strap is made of rubber and fits his teeny wrist beautifully.

Overall Thoughts

Each of these watches came packaged inside a lovely plastic case with a 1 year warranty which I think makes them both a thoughtful and practical present. They’re comfortable and stylish which encourages kids to wear them and tell the time. I can’t comment on longevity as we have only had them a few weeks but I have no concerns as of yet in terms of durability.

Details

Tikkers watches are available at a huge number of retailers nationwide including John Lewis, H Samuel, Debenhams, Fenwick Newcastle and Bentalls Kingston.

They can also be purchased online from Watchshop.com and watches2u.com.

 

 

Boujies Royal Pomander Candle Review

Boujies Royal Pomander Candle

Boujies Royal Pomander Candle

A good quality scented candle can give off ambient lighting whilst setting the tone and mood of a room, particularly on special occasions such as Christmas. Unfortunately not all candles are created equal and many that smell devine on the shelf seem to barely muster up a whiff of scent when lit at home. So when I was introduced to Boujies, an independent British perfumer and modern alchemist I was very eager to put their candles to the test!

With the festive season rapidly approaching Boujies sent me their Royal Pomander Candle to try out. Billed as an indulgent fragrance bathed in sweet orange top notes punctuated by a base of cinnamon, clove and fine spices, all sounds wonderful so far. Boujies

Packaging

When buying candles packaging may not always be your first consideration, however it is the first thing you will notice about the Boujies range. Many of their candles come in their signature polished steel container inside a lovely round box. If you have gifting in mind then I think your recipient couldn’t fail to be impressed. The styling looks equally good in a modern or traditional setting and it oozes class and sophistication. Even when your candle isn’t lit it looks rather fine sat on the shelf.

Initial Scent

Some scented candles can be overly sweet to the nose and give off headachey vibes as soon as you lift the lid, but the Boujies candle was like dipping my nose into December! I left it in my lounge with the lid off and despite being unlit I could still smell a faint fragrance, perfect if you’re looking for a gentle daytime scent.

BoujiesBurning

Tunneling and uneven burns are the bane of my candle life! Put simply I like a candle to burn evenly right across the surface inside of tunnelling down the middle at pace, leaving the sides unused and disappointing. The first time I lit the Royal Pomander Candle I left it on for two hours and it melted evenly right across the surface. This gives you a much higher scent yield and better value for money.

BoujiesRoom Fragrance

Where so many candles fall down the Royal Pomander rose to the challenge, shortly after lighting my lounge smelled truly festive and decadent. Although as my husband mentioned it was so authentic that we both began to crave mulled wine and nibbles! The scent was not overpowering like an air freshener but just infused the air to create the right mood. I was thoroughly impressed by the fragrance yield.

Could the candle be improved in anyway?

At first glance this candle from Boujies may seem expensive at £36, however they really are worth the price in comparison to their cheaper (and naming no names more expensive) cousins from other brands. They make the perfect gift and don’t let down on any of their promises. Several of their fragrances are available in smaller versions costing £12-£14 which is a great way to test them out.

If I had to come up with any recommendation, I would love to see a mini gift set with miniature versions of several candles to test out fragrances, but that’s more of a wish than an improvement on my part.

Would I recommend them?

I can and I will, they’re stylish, fragrant and live up to their claims. Plus they’re a British company who manufacture right here in the UK, I believe wholeheartedly in supporting our homegrown companies and creatives.

Details

For more information on Boujies and their entire range visit their website here.

Find Boujies on Twitter.

Find Boujies on Facebook.