Review: Order Blinds Online

Marianna's bedroom window looks out - and is looked upon - by lots of neighbours, so I've been meaning to get a net or something for it ever since we moved in. It's one of those thousands of things I hadn't got around to, for all I remembered why I wanted one every time I wandered in with bed hair and bleary eyes...

So, when Order Blinds Online contacted me to ask if I would like to review a set of made to measure blinds, I knew just the window to try them out on!

About Order Blinds

Order Blinds was founded in 2009, in Bottesford, Leiscestershire, and employs three awesome members of full time staff. (I know they're awesome because my experience with them has been first class!) They offer a free sample service, free UK delivery on orders over £99, and the website is super easy to navigate.

The range itself is huge, with all kinds of blinds from roller to venetian to skylight. We went for vertical blinds, and even here there are so many options, from waterproof to sloping. The colour choices are extensive too; I wanted baby pink, but Anthony successfully argued for baby blue to match her walls.

Marianna's bedroom.
Once you have settled on a design, the first thing you need to do is measure your window. You need to choose between 'blind size', which would make the blind cover the whole of the window including frame, or 'recess size' which fits inside the window frame. We went for the latter. I was a little nervous about measuring it, and kept checking the instructions which say to measure exactly as they'll make any necessary deductions themselves.

(This is completely true. The blinds fit perfectly when they arrived!)

With that out of the way, you can then fill in the online form with your preferences. For example, you can choose between white plastic or nickel link chain for the bottom of your blinds, which way the vanes are stacked, and whether you want the blinds to be controlled by a cord and chain, or a wand. If the blinds are destined for a young child's room, the wand is a must because a number of children have accidentally strangled themselves with blind cords. It's better to be safe than sorry.

The Finished Product

I placed my order on June 16th. It was dispatched on June 17th, and was with me on June 21st! I unpacked the box and spent about half hour inserting all the plastic hangers and weights, and attaching the link chain, then my dad did the actual DIY bit of installing them when he came around on Saturday morning. It took him about three minutes, if that, so I felt suitably embarrassed I hadn't just done it myself.


I'm so happy with the way they look - and they've already made a big difference to Marianna's daytime naps thanks to all that extra light being blocked. The quality of the blinds is great, and the order process was quick and hassle free.

To purchase your own made to measure blinds, check out the website - www.orderblinds.co.uk.

Review: Wingz Sleeves

I came across Wingz on Facebook  recently and wondered where they had been all my life. After mentioning them in my weekly overview post last Sunday, Wingz got in touch and asked me if I'd like to review a set. You can be sure I jumped at the chance!

The Wingz concept is so cool: they're arm covers that go under rather than over your outfit. I've always loved the layered look of sleeves under a dress or short sleeved top but, come the summer - or a tight fitting outfit - and they're not particularly practical. Wingz solves the problem of bulk, while also providing a new option for those looking for modest clothing, ways to make their existing wardrobe more versatile, or just a simple arm cover-up.

This video explains what Wingz are all about - check it out on the website too for further info.

After much umming and ahhing I went for the White Chiffon Flare Wingz (£14.99). The floaty style is perfect for summer! Wingz come in four different sizes: 0 (UK 6-10), 1 (12-16), 2 (18-22), 3 (24-28). I'm wearing a size 22 at the moment but went for the 4, on the basis that it's easier to put a few stitches in and make something smaller than it is to have something digging in under the bust. In the event, I needn't have worried as they're true to size, though the stretchiness means you can easily go up or down if you're on the borders like me.

They arrived in super quick time, so after confirming the review on Monday I found them waiting for me when I got in from work on Tuesday. I was really pleased with how little bulk they created - the band sits with your bra so it's really comfy. Anthony liked the way they looked but asked why I couldn't just wear a top with longer sleeves... Men. *sigh*

On Thursday I decided to try them out properly as I was going to Cwmbran High's prize evening in my role as deputy mayor. The dress I was planning on wearing is sleeveless, and I knew I'd feel self-conscious having my arms on display. Usually I'd wear a thin cardigan or a shrug, but it can get really hot and uncomfortable with the chain on over the top of them.


The Wingz were so much more comfortable to wear, and I felt a lot more confident having that bit of a sleeve. I'm already thinking about which pair to get next!

Take a look at the websiteand let me know which Wingz is your favourite. :)

Digital Inclusion for Bloggers

What is Digital Inclusion?

Digital Inclusion is an umbrella term for the ability to access and use information and communication technologies. This can be something as fundamental as ensuring people have the basic literacy skills to read a web page, or something as specific as using alt tags on your images so people using screen readers know what is in the picture.

What Does Digital Inclusion Mean for Bloggers?

When you consider that a third of small to medium businesses in the UK don't even have a website, and some 9% of the UK adult population (c. 5.9 million people) has never used the internet, bloggers are already doing their bit for inclusion. We're online, we're web literate, and, between us, we're churning out oceans of useful and / or entertaining content for people to access.

But, in truth, many of us could be doing more to make that content accessible - even after all the promo work that accompanies your average blog post!

Blogging for Web Accessibility

Web Accessibility, as Wikipedia helpfully tells us, "refers to the inclusive practice of removing barriers that prevent interaction with, or access to websites, by people with disabilities. When sites are correctly designed, developed and edited, all users have equal access to information and functionality."

Under UK law (Equality Act 2010) websites must be accessible to disabled users, and the general consensus is that this means hitting at least Level A of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0. Don't worry - so long as your HTML is correct, and you're not stuck in the '90s with autoplay music you can't switch off, or manically flashing images, you're at Level A.

Going further is well worth considering though. Because making your blog more accessible isn't just a nice thing to do, it will help you attract - and keep! - readers.

How Can I Make My Blog Accessible?

One of the easiest things you can do is check out how accessible your blog already is. WAVE, the Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool, will give you a run down of the problems. The likelihood is that you will not be able to fix every single one, but just making a few small changes could make a big difference to people visiting your blog.


Here are 10 tips to get you started:

#10. You want good contrast between your text and its background; in other words, darker text on a light background, or lighter on a dark background. Whichever one you go for, some people will prefer the other way. If you're on Wordpress, you can get the accessibility plugin which will provide a toolbar to toggle between contrast and adjust font size. If you're not, don't worry too much as this can be done via the browser.

#9. Don't put text over a busy background, it will be difficult for everyone to read.

#8. Try to avoid underlining, italics ,and ALL CAPS where possible, and use bold instead. Highlighting keywords in bold has also been proven to increase reading comprehension, so it's a win-win.

#7. Research suggests that the actual font style isn't all that important, though sans serif fonts (e.g. calibi, arial, tahoma) generally come out slightly ahead on the readability scale. Just don't make your main body font too fancy - if you want to use something a bit different, save it for titles and headings. The recommended minimum font size is 12pts.

#6. Text is easiest to read when it is left aligned; centered text makes paragraph beginnings irregular, while justified text creates variable character spacing. Both can make your post more difficult to read.

#5. Major factors which impact on the readability of text are the character and line spacing. It's the same as handwriting - cramped, tightly packed writing is more difficult to read. The optimal range for line spacing, otherwise known as line height, is 1.3 to 1.7. (I'm using 1.4) Another thing you might consider is slightly increasing your character spacing, i.e. the distance between each of your letters.


#4. Images are wonderful, but not everyone will be able to see them. Alt tags are not just another place to put SEO keywords, they should explain what the image is. Sometimes you are going to want to present text in image format - infographics, for example - so use your alt tags to tell people what you're doing. If possible, have a text version. Similarly, try and include a transcript or summary of audio and video content. The latter can also benefit from closed captions.

#3. Links are an important part of any blog, but think about your anchor text. I'm so guilty of using 'click here' and the like, but really I should be using text which gives people some idea of where the link is about to take them.

#2. Another thing to consider is your 'target' attribute. If your page automatically opens in a new tab it can be disorientating. One solution might be to include 'opens in a new tab' in your anchor text or link title. If the link is internal, you could consider adding a 'skip link' to the top of the page, allowing people using screen readers or keyboard navigation to avoid your navigation bar and get straight to the main content. WebAIM has a guide to this, though it's something I still need to do! CSS positioning elements are slowly eliminating the need for skip links, but it depends on how your page is structured.

#1. If at all possible, avoid CAPTCHA in your comment section. If you do need it, check out some of these sweet alternatives.

Review: Karma Cola

I don't think it's over exaggerating to say that Anthony is addicted to coke - but at least it's the carbonated variety! He can easily get through two big bottles a day so we long ago switched from the usual names to Aldi's own for everyday consumption, but we still splurge a little on branded soft drinks at the weekend. Mostly because that's when I have a glass or two. ;)

It goes without saying that we were both psyched to be given the opportunity to review Karma Cola.

Karma Cola - #DrinkNoEvil

Based in New Zealand, the first batch of Karma Cola was bottled back in 2012 and has been available in the UK since 2015. They sum their approach up as:

LEAVE A BETTER TASTE IN YOUR MOUTH.

We believe what you drink should not only taste good, it should be good for the land, good for the people who grown the ingredients and as good for you as a fizzy drink can be.

Lofty aims for a soft drinks company, but Karma Cola really do put their money where their mouth is. As winner of the 2014 World's Fairest Trader award, they pump funding back into the communities they source their organic ingredients (all passed by The Soil Association) from, either directly or through ethical sourcing. In Sierra Leone, the home of Karma Cola's cola nuts, the people of Boma have been able to make improvements to local infrastructure, education and sanitation as a result of the 3p given from the sale of every bottle - some £50,000 between 2012 and 2015.

In addition to being better for your conscience, Karma Cola is better for your body. Their full list of ingredients is printed on the label of every bottle, and the absence of typical fizzy drink ingredients like phosphoric acid and high fructose corn syrup is really refreshing to see.

Karma Cola - Taste the Justice

Karma Cola comes in 330ml glass bottles with a screw cap which is a little thing, but... The label designs - in fact, all the graphic design associated with the brand - are really cool, so I was pleased I would be able to reuse the bottles before they made their way into the recycling. With the eco and cool credentials covered , it was time to move on to the taste test! First up was the flagship Karma Cola.


The cola was very sweet, and reminded me more of Pepsi than Coca Cola. For the diet conscious, it did fine on the calorie front; 141 to 140 in the same serving of Coca Cola. It was nice, but we both agreed it needed to be served chilled - and would probably have been better with ice to help dilute the sweetness a little. Our verdict: 4/5.


The lemonade was lovely, not too sweet - and not too sharp either. Calorie wise it performed well too, at 132kcal compared to c. 155kcal in a can of Ben Shaws Cloudy Lemonade. We gave this one 5/5.


I absolutely love the design on this bottle and, as Anthony doesn't like ginger ale, I got it all to myself. I didn't feel too guilty either; at 139kcal per bottle it's a little more calorific than say, Schweppes, but not by much. This one was just beautiful, really refreshing and, although we're scoring out of five, my verdict was 6/5!

Karma Cola - Check it Out!

Karma Cola is available from various ethical online stores, and on the shelves at Waitrose for £1.59 a bottle. Find out more about the brand at www.karmacola.co.uk.

Review: Nom Nom Kids Reusable Pouches

Somebody said to me the other day that my reviews are always glowing and positive. Well, that's because I pretty much only review things I am 100% glowing and positive about! The Nom Nom Kids Reusable Food Pouches are no exception to this rule - they are easy to use, kind to both the bank balance and the eco conscience and, most importantly, very popular with a baby named Marianna.

I was super impressed with these, and they also got a seal of approval from Nanny Wendy when we tried them out at my parents' house. We even let Marianna have one in the car which, given Marianna's ability to make mess, is really saying something!

What are Nom Nom Kids Reusable Pouches?

Created by mum of two, Suzanne Moore, Nom Nom Kids came into being when Suzanne was unable to find a reasonably priced - and decently sized - reusable food pouch for her own kids. Most of the ones on the market were either single use, or needed a bulky filling station to get the food into the pouch.

Nom Nom Kids pouches are made of dishwasher and freezer safe plastic, are super easy to fill, and are completely reusable.

How do they work?

The pouches are so straightforward even a kitchen-phobe like myself can use them. There is a zip lock opening running along one side of the pouch - you just open that and pour / spoon in the food. Simple! If you blow into the spout first to fully open the pouch the process is even easier.

Once the pouch is full, just press the opening closed. It has a double zip lock closure and, in spite of my fears, there is no way anything is going to seep out or leak once you've closed it.

Our Experience

I was curious to find out how Marianna would get on with them, as we had never given her anything in a pouch before. She looked at me quizzically for a moment while I demonstrated what she should do with it, and that was that. There was a container full of spaghetti bits in her hands, and she didn't need my help to get it into her mouth!

The Nom Nom Kids pouches are perfect for weaning - you can use it with a spoon attachment, or older babies can hold it themselves - and as they're freezer safe, you can make up a whole batch of them in advance. They're also perfect for on the go snacks, lunchbox essentials (yogurts and suchlike), and allowing kids who have yet to master a spoon to feed gooey foods to themselves.

Marianna's spoon control is almost non-existent, something not helped by the fact she refuses to let me feed her with a spoon, and loses her temper big style after a few attempts to get it in herself. We're still practicing with the spoon, of course, but I've been using these alongside to prevent meltdowns, and to be sure she is eating.

As close as I was allowed to get!

Anything else I should know?

Nom Nom Kids Reusable Pouches come in two different sizes, 140 ml / 4.5floz (jungle animal design) and 200 ml / 7 floz (monster design). They'll both hold a full yoghurt! You can see the difference in size in this pic:


The clear window on the back of the pouch lets you see how much food is left in it, and I love the space on the back for you to write in details about the food - such as what it is, who it belongs to, and when it went in. As that last suggests, Nom Nom Kids pouches are all about safety. The red caps are large enough not to be a choking hazard, while the pouches are BPA, PVC and Phthalate free.

The other great thing about these is that they are compatible with all the existing pouch accessories - like spoons, caps, handles, and spouts - on the market. For more info on what is available, check out the Nom Nom Kids pouch compatibility page. I think the only other thing to be aware of is that you can't microwave them, just heat them in a bowl of water instead.

Where can I buy Nom Nom Kids Reusable Pouches?

In the UK you can purchase them from Amazon, or directly from nomnomkids.co.uk.

The pouches come individually (£2.95 for the smaller or £3.25 for the larger), packs of three (£6.95 vs £7.95), a pack of eight larger pouches for £20, or a weaning starter pack of ten pouches, spare caps, and a non-permanent pen for £20. When you think that each pouch will last around 40 uses - or eight weeks of school packed lunches - that's really good value! You can also get packs of three replacement caps for £1.

Shipping is a flat rate of £2, or free if you spend over £30.

Out and About: Tredegar House

My parents used to take my brother and I to Tredegar House in Newport a lot as children, and it has so many happy memories for us all. So when I was offered a day pass to use as part of the #NTFirst promotion, I jumped at the chance. It's a new National Trust campaign to get people out and about, and enjoying some of our native wildlife.

We hadn't been able to use it over the Easter holidays, as planned, so when the sun came out on Wednesday we decided to grab the opportunity. Marianna, me, Bracken the dog, and my parents all piled into the car for a trip down memory lane...

My brother taking the first step on his future path of bodybuilding and powerlifting at Tredegar House, c. 1994.
Tredegar House

The house is really a mansion. Some parts date back to the 15th century, but most of it is an extravagant 17th century rebuild by William Morgan. It stayed in the Morgan / Tredegar family for centuries, until it was bought by the Catholic Church and converted into a school in 1951, later serving as the first site of St. Joseph's Comprehensive. It was bought by Newport Council in 1974 and finally came into National Trust ownership in 2012. You can read more about the history of the estate at Friends of Tredegar House.

It's a beautiful place to visit, and I love that they have restored different rooms to reflect different periods. There are gilt edged 17th century rooms full of art, glamorous art deco 1930s bedrooms, and somewhat less glamorous servants' areas below stairs. The house is so child friendly, with dress up clothes, activities, and just a really welcoming atmosphere. Outside there are some gorgeous formal gardens too, laid out in 18th century style.

Admission to the actual house is £7.20 per adult, £3.60 per child, or £18 for a family pass. Find out more about the opening times and other details at the National Trust Website. Don't forget to check out the What's On Page for some of the cool activities you can take part in, from 'Meet the Gardeners' sessions to the annual Folk Festival.

Beyond the gardens is the parkland. It's open to everyone, free of charge, and the car park charge is a reasonable £2. (Or free to blue badge holders.) We went to feed the ducks - though they were completely disinterested in our special seed and grain duck mix - and walked down the ancient oak avenue.


Dogs are totally welcome in the parkland, with dog poop bags and bins plentifully provided, so we let Bracken have a run around while we sat in the sun next to rows of daffodils. I dreamed of perfect photos of Marianna against a backdrop of sunny daffs. This the best we could manage:


All the exploring had built up an appetite, so our next stop was the Brewhouse cafe. It serves hot and cold food, but in the end we went for tea and carrot cake - made with organic carrots from the estate's gardens, according to the website. There is a little gift shop next door and, as I've always been addicted to gift shops, we had to have a look around. My mum, exhibiting way more eagerness to get her purse open than I remember from childhood gift shop trips, bought Marianna a little wooden wriggly worm. It's now her new favourite toy.

Marianna was getting a bit grouchy by this point, so we gave in while the going was good and went home for naptime. It was a lovely day though, and I'm sure it will be the first of many many trips there!

Review: The Journey & Flying Eye Books

One of the greatest things about having a child, is having an excuse to read lots and lots of kids' books. The only problem is that I get fussy about the illustration - I want things to either be completely twee and lifted out of an Edwardian nursery, or retro cool and oozing with the design vibe of the 1970s. This is why I've become a fan of Flying Eye Books, the children's imprint of the awesome Nobrow Press.

I love the bold colour palette, and the striking graphics. But FEB don't just look good, they have compelling stories too. (And fab titles - I can't wait for My Dad Used to be So Cool!)

We were sent The Journey by Francesca Sanna to review, and I was really intrigued to see how a book aimed at young children would tackle an issue which so many of us adults find difficult to comprehend - the plight of refugees attempting to reach safety.

The answer: brilliantly.

The art is beautiful, bold and powerful, but still whimsical. The words are carefully chosen, and always feel just right. Marianna is still too young to understand, but I was so moved I cried.

My parents were surprised when they visited and flicked through, drawn in by the gorgeous cover art. They had never really associated picture books with serious messages, but they agreed that it worked well. Because you don't need oceans of text to explain something that impacts on all of us.

We all feel alone and afraid sometimes. We all want to feel safe.

We're all human.

This is an excellent book for starting discussion with children, and helping them to understand stories they hear in the media. You can get it from the Flying Eye Books website for £12.99.

Marianna reading The Journey all by herself. Kind of...
Flying Eye Books also sent us two extra books for Marianna. It was a lovely touch, and we have had great fun reading the counting book Clap, Clap! by Madalena Madoso.

Anthony was especially taken by At the Beach: First Words by Katja Spitzer. In his own words, it was like if 'Ikea did Ladybird', which I think ties into what I so like about Flying Eye Books - they're a modern company, dealing with modern issues, but they haven't lost sight of the traditional values of children's publishing. Learning should be fun, and there is no reason why any book should ever be dull!