Blog : Little Lilypad Co

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The Little Lilypad is a lifestyle blog mostly written by a mum to two beautiful, cheeky and entertaining daughters. It is sometimes written by the Man on the Pad or by one of our baby bloggers. Occasionally we accept guest posts too. There is frequently talk of sustainable living, saving money, lifestyle and travel. It is hopefully helpful, sometimes funny and always honest.

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Category: Competitions

  1. SodaStream from SaveMoneyCutCarbon | Review

    Posted on

    As a child, a SodaStream was the thing of legend. It was something that everyone else had but we never did. It was coveted and whilst my mum has always been ahead of her time with recycling and sustainability but we could never convince her to swap our plastic fizzy drinks bottles for the elusive SodaStream.

    So my inner child was more than a little excited when SaveMoneyCutCarbon recently asked if they could send us a SodaStream Spirit to put through its paces. The blurb tells us that SodaStream is the easy way to reduce your single use plastic waste and make sparkling water and your favourite fizzy drink, with just a touch of a button. So is that really true?

    PIN - Can a SodaStream Save Us Money

     

    What does it cost?

    Cost is always the big question people have when thinking about buying a SodaStream. How much do they cost and is it worth it? First and foremost, you don’t need to go to their official website to buy one! You can buy your SodaStream from SaveMoneyCutCarbon and if you are a member of the Home Club, you get unbeatable pricing, guaranteed. Their Club Price Promise means that if a Club member finds it cheaper, they will refund the difference. It’s as if you’re buying direct from the manufacturer.

    The basic price is £99.00, plus £24.95 for the gas cannister and if you add one syrup in, that is bringing your total basic startup cost to £130.00. I set about working out how much we spend on fizzy drinks, so that includes all the soft drinks we buy per month and not to mention the tonic water for the husbands gin. I was a little horrified to realise this was costing us approx £72.00 per month. So we would start seeing savings by month two if this little machine lived up to the hype!!

    PIN - Can a SodaStream Save Us Money (2)

    What did we think?

    From the moment you begin unboxing the Sodastream its clear that along with cost saving and waste reduction, simplicity and usability are at the heart of the brand. The latter continues to be the case with the actual set up and usage of the product. The inside of the box is compartmentalised and designed for safe transit and easy access to the unit, the gas canister and the supplied syrups.

    Once unwrapped, the tall, sleek and modern design of the unit fits well in any contemporary kitchen. The accompanying basic diagrammatical instruction leaflet easily demonstrates the simple ‘click to open’ and ‘screw in to fit’ nature of the unit and the gas canister.

    Once put together the supplied water bottle is so easy to fit in place that our 9 year old could easily manage and was thrilled at the satisfying woooooosh and bubbling that comes from pressing the big button on the top the advised number of times (3 for fizzy and 5 for extra fizzy). Delving in to the range of syrups they are all easy to use, again with simple guidance on the side of the bottle and a handy lid that doubles as the advised measure. Once added to the bottle of now carbonated water the results are delicious! We tried the Cola, Lemon and Lime (both containing sugar) and also the Tonic mix and Zero calorie Lime that were sugar free. Thinking back to when we were children in the 80’s our memory was always of a beverage that had the hallmarks of ‘own brand’ cheaper drinks however these mixes are far from that – very much a premium tasting drink!

    Will it help reduce our plastic waste?

    One of the big benefits of a SodaStream is that it allows you to enjoy fizzy drinks and water without having to continue buying plastic bottles. What’s more, SodaStream PET bottles can be reused for up to 3 years, each one helping to eliminate as many as 1,282 single-use plastic bottles.

    So if you are looking to save money and your plastic consumption, the SodaStream from SaveMoneyCutCarbon might just be the answer to the question you didn't know you were asking!

    PIN - Can a SodaStream Save Us Money (1)

    Disclaimer : We were sent the SodaStream to review but all thoughts and fizzy fun are our own!

  2. Finding the perfect baby gift with Baby to Love this Christmas

    Posted on

    I love buying for new babies. I have a tendancy to get carried away with all of the cuteness, however finding the perfect gift for a baby especially at Christmas time can be a challenge.

    Most parents will be inundated with cute and cuddly Christmas toys or gorgeous outfits but new mums are eternally grateful for the practical and useful gifts that they can use long after Santa has left the building.

    This year, we have teamed up with BabytoLove to bring you a baby bundle of delights this Christmas time. This bundle doesn't include cuddly or plastic toys but gifts that mums will love all year round,

    BCLIP - MAGNETIC SOFT SILICONE BIB - £9.95

    What is better than a multi purpose product? This clip is perfect for meal time, painting, playing with clay, and other messy activities. 100% Waterproof food-grade rubber, easy to wash and stays clean. The bclip transforms any fabric or paper napkin to a bib thanks to its two clips - what is not to love?

    301347 AMBIANCE

    FULL BODY – LONG SLEEVE WATERPROOF SMOCK – PINK HEART - RRP £15.95

    A smock needs no introduction, other than this one is totally adorable and perfectly practical for messy little ones.

    301996 302009 AMBIANCE

    BABY PINK WHALE MEAL SET - £14.95

    We have saved our favourite till last. This small meal set is ideal for weaning little ones. It is cute, practical and a great price. It would make a brilliant baby shower or new baby gift and at £14.95 it won't break the bank either! 

    701903 AMBIANCE 2

    So whilst we adore all of these gift ideas, we are even more excited to be able to give our readers the opportunity to win the set of three just in time for Christmas. All you need to do is enter below! 

     Baby to Love Festive Gift Bundle

    Good luck! 

    For more gift inspiration, take a look at the 2019 Christmas Gift Guide round up from Family Budgeting.

     

     

    Terms & Conditions
    The Prize: Baby to Love Prize bundle
    The winners will be chosen at random by the random winner generator on Gleam and notified within 7 working days by email
    There is no monetary equivalent.
    Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes
    If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.
    UK Entrants Only
    End Date 08/12/2019 at 12am 
    This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Twitter, Instagram or Facebook

  3. Jake Shoes : Review

    Posted on

    The summer holidays are a great way to wind down, however there is nothing than can wind parents up more than school shoe shopping. 

    Buying school shoes online (1) 

    Recent research has revealed, 87% of parents wished they could spend more time with their children while parents say that less than half (45%) of the time they spend with their child is quality time. However in the interests of honesty, spending time shoe shopping isn't really on my quality time wish list.

    It is no secret that I love online shopping and shoe shopping is no different. I think that we all believe children need to have their shoes fitted in a shoe shop and whilst a proper shoe fitting for children is essential, buying the shoes in the fitting store isn't obligatory.

    This year, we have had feet measured in a well known high street store but didn't actually love any of the shoe designs. This is where Jake Shoes have the advantage. They have all the well known brands such as Lelli Kelly, Ugg, Converse and Vans but they also stock some of the lesser known brands that you won't necessarily find on the high street and more importantly won't find the same shoes on every child in the classroom. Most parents have experienced the "joy" of having the wrong shoes or pumps come home and the uneviable task of tracking down the right ones, thats why having an extensive range to choose from online has multiple benefits.

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    Once I had determined that my youngest daughter had gone up a whole shoe size over the summer (eek), we sat and browsed our way through the range online at Jake Shoes. We chose the Lelli Kelly Tracey Bow Bar Shoes in black patent because they have the great name and quality of Lelli Kelly and looked sturdy enough to take all the playground running around! 

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    We will update this post once the shoes have been put through their paces but our first impressions are good, we are happy with the style, the fit and the beautiful little socks that come with a pair of Lelli Kelly shoes!

    We were gifted the shoes for the purpose of this feature, however our experience of Jake Shoes online shopping has been brilliant. So to those parents getting hot under the collar in shoe shops all over the country in preparation for back to school ..... there is another way!

    Finally and whilst we know that it won't be in time for September 2019 but we are delighted to be able to give our readers the chance to win a £20 voucher to spend at Jake Shoes. (And it doesn't need to be spent on school shoes!) All you need to do is enter below!

    Good luck!

    Jakes Shoes £20 Voucher

    Terms & Conditions

    The Prize: Jake Shoes £20 voucher
    The winners will be chosen at random by the random winner generator on Gleam and notified within 7 working days by email
    There is no monetary equivalent.
    Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes
    If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.
    UK Entrants Only
    End Date 06/10/2019 at 12am 
    This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Twitter, Instagram or Facebook

  4. Green People Organic Babies Newborn Collection Giveaway

    Posted on

    Before I met my husband and had our daughter, I have to admit I was a little ignorant to allergies, eczema and asthma. I had never really been around anyone that suffered with allergies but amazingly, one in every five children in the UK is affected by eczema at some stage, and although Allergy  Awareness Week (29 April – 3 May 2019) is this week, we all know that skin allergies can cause all-year-round problems.  Finding the right products to soothe babies suffering from eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and cradle cap is key to protecting and healing dry, sore and irritated skin.

    We have collaborated with Organic Babies to help raise awareness and what makes their products so special is that all the ingredients are carefully selected to protect, soothe, nourish and calm even the most sensitive skin.  Using ingredients that are certified organic means they cannot contain any harsh synthetic chemicals, which is why they are especially suited to allergy prone skin. The calendula, chamomile, rosehip oil and shea butter found in Organic Babies products have been specifically sourced and help ease the symptoms of skin allergies in babies and toddlers. 

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    They have a range of products such as:

    Soothing Baby Salve - RRP £11.50

    Nourishing shea butter is rich in vitamins A & E and essential fatty acids to provide protective, healing properties for use on dry, sore skin affected by eczema or psoriasis.  

    Baby Wash & Shampoo - RRP £8.50

    This wash and shampoo product is SLS-free and contains natural key plant actives aloe vera, chamomile and yucca to heal, soothe and moisturise.  

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    Calming Nappy Cream - £11.00

    Containing 95% certified organic plant ingredients including hemp, calendula, and chamomile to soothe skin, the cream, rich in zinc oxide and Omega-3 & 6 fatty acids, aids healing.  

    Softening Baby Lotion – RRP £11.50

    This lovely light scent free lotion nourishes and moisturises your baby’s skin and helps protect against dryness and irritation. 

    Mum & Baby Rescue Balm £11.50

    Perfect for soothing eczema, nappy rash and inflamed skin, the Mum & Baby Rescue Balm provides all the nourishment and care your baby needs for their skin 

    Nurturing Baby Oil - RRP 12.00

    This silky soft oil is ideal for baby massage while the extract of pomegranate oil soothes and calms due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

    Baby Massage

    We (and some eczema prone friends) have been testing out the range and it has got a big thumbs up. The products are easy to apply, feel great on your skin and mess free. The bonus is that my hands feel less dry too!

    So we are delighted to be able to give our readers the chance to win the Organic Babies Newborn Collection from Green People. All you need to do is enter below. 

     Organic Babies Newborn Gift Set

    The Prize: Organic Babies Newborn Collection Set
    The winners will be chosen at random by the random winner generator on Gleam and notified within 7 working days by email
    There is no monetary equivalent.
    Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes
    If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.
    UK Entrants Only
    End Date 05/05/2019 at 12am
    This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram or Facebook.