IN MY younger days, I tried to grow my hair long enough to sit on. At one point, if I threw my head back far enough, it was actually possible. Yes, what an achievement! OK, so what does this all have to do with Tangled? Well, it’s a Disney animation based on the classic fairytale Rapunzel– the one with the super long hair.
In this modern twist on the classic fable, Princess Rapunzel is born with golden locks featuring magical abilities – eternal youth, beauty and healing. You may scoff at pop princess Mandy Moore as the lead, but she honestly provides real personality and a bit of spunk to long-haired lass, Rapunzel.
The evil Mother Gothel kidnaps her, hiding her in a tower for 18 years. She raises her as her daughter, all the while using the hair’s power to keep herself young and beautiful. Each year on Rapunzel’s birthday, she becomes mesmerised by the “floating lights’’ seen through the tower window. She longs to see them. And her wish is soon made possible when the kingdom’s handsome outlaw Flynn Rider (voiced by Zachary Levi) stumbles across the tower and Rapunzel.
And so begins the “hair’’-raising, and often hilarious, adventure. You can probably predict what happens in the end – yep, evil woman dies, couple fall in love, live happily ever after. It is a fairytale, after all. However, don’t disregard it. This one – a film with real heart – is certainly worth the ride.
I laughed out loud at the physical comedy and witty script and I sobbed uncontrollably (oh, that lantern scene). It’s a captivating storyline immersed with uplifting songs sung beautifully by Moore. And to think, such a successful formula, yet it’s not part of the Pixar line-up. Finally, Disney is back! Stellar.
There’s a host of great bonus features, including a 50th animated feature countdown, which Ella watched on repeat. Tangled is Disney’s 50th animated release and is out May 11 on 3D Blu-ray Pack ($54.95), Blu-ray Value Pack ($39.95) and DVD ($24.95).
So you want to win a copy? Well, to go in the draw, simply tell us what special power you would love. Me? I’d love to be invisible. Imagine the fun! The giveaway is open to Australian residents only and will be drawn randomly on Tuesday, May 10 at 9am
Want more entries? Then here’s how you can up your chances in the draw. Each task is worth one extra entry, but must be included as a separate comment.
Click the Facebook button below and share this giveaway with your Facebook friends. Then leave a separate comment saying something along the lines of “I’ve shared this on Facebook’’.
Click the Twitter button below and share this giveaway with your Twitter followers (Twitter handle is @ThreeLil). Then leave a separate comment saying something along the lines of “I’ve shared this on Twitter’’
Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of the DVD courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment via Aussie Mummy Bloggers. No financial payment was offered nor accepted for this post. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
MUMS supporting mums is the theme behind this gorgeous giveaway in the lead up to the day when soggy toast and snotty kisses reign supreme. Of course, we all know its mum’s day every day. But who are we kidding? We still want to be spoilt, right?
How do these take your fancy? Read each review, discover what the mummy businesses are offering in the giveaway, visit their sites and then abide by our easy entry details to score the lot.
Chai Station's Plunger Chai
CHAI STATION
Chai Stovetop
I’ve long been a fan of India’s answer to the latte – chai tea. Since Chai Station sent through some of its divine hand blended chai teas, I’ve been in heaven. Finally, I don’t have to head out to enjoy a decent cup. You have no idea how great that is. And these chais are as good, if not better, than anything I’ve tasted in quite a while.
The beauty of these chai blends is you can brew them on the stovetop, in a modern plunger or a teapot. The Stove Top would be my favourite, with a real sweet spicy taste that takes you directly to India, thanks to the simple blends of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger and Ceylon tea.
I allowed the Plunger Chai Tea to sit in the plunger for quite a while and it created such a heady brew, thanks to the additions of peppercorn and liquorice root. The surprise among its range is the Green Tea Chai, which provides all the antioxidant and health benefits of green tea, with the spicy taste of chai. Here it’s hard to mistake the additions of jasmine.
The biggest issue was allowing three-year-old Ella a taste – she now insists on her own “chai’’. Although, it does mean 10 minutes of peace as we both indulge in the flavours from this Melbourne company’s range.
GIVEAWAY: Chai Station is giving away Value Pack 12 (valued at $74.95), which includes four 100g packs of each of the Stovetop, Plunger and Green chai teas – that’s plenty of chai for yourself and enough to share among family and friends.
The BellyCo belly wraps are still making their way in the post, so I’ll give you a good review of the BellyCo original once it arrives. In the meantime, I have to say I’m rather impressed with the idea behind this creation.
In those weeks and months after first popping out Baby Holly, I was so conscious of everything “coming back together’’. We’re so willing to look after ourselves during pregnancy, we sometimes become a little lax afterwards. This can result in body and back ache.
According to the site, belly wrapping is an ancient practice for restoring the stomach to pre-pregnancy shape and size and has also been shown to provide additional support to the legs and back. For breastfeeding mums, like me, it also helps posture during feeding to avoid that all too common back and shoulder pain by keeping your back straight. Other benefits include minimising swelling, reducing discomfort, assisting in accelerating the healing process, especially for women after a c-section and may help minimise postnatal stretch marks.
As well as the original BellyCo ($49.95), it’s also released the BellyCo ECO belly wrap (RRP: $59.95), which feels similar to cashmere thanks to the bamboo fabric. It’s highly durable and odour resistant, not to mention keeping you cool in summer and warm in winter. All materials are bio-degradable, non-toxic, medical grade and non-allergenic – good for the environment and good for you.
GIVEAWAY: BellyCo is giving away a BellyCo ECO belly wrap (RRP: $59.95), for women recovering after giving birth or breastfeeding mums. If you can’t use it yourself, you’re sure to know a friend or family member who would benefit.
There’s nothing I love more than slipping into beautiful sleepwear. But, if truth be told, once the girls came along, the standard of my sleepwear slid. Hello, puppy dog flannel pyjamas! So I felt all feminine and beautiful again when I slipped into Skirties Sleepwear’s chic Tracy lace top and matching shorts.
This set is truly stunning. The jersey knit fabric (95% cotton, 5% spandex) feels so soft and light against the skin and the soft pink colour further adds to that feeling of beauty. There’s a comfy elastic waistband, tie on waist and matching pink stretch lace trim. The lace trim is just so sweet. Both top and bottoms are loose fitting, so there’s an element of freedom, but they also have plenty of stretch.
What I love most about the top is the shape – it’s cut high at the sides and hangs low at the back and front. And, according to Ella, I look beautiful. What more of a recommendation do you need?
I’m also eyeing off a couple of the others in this Australian designed and owned range to snuggle up in of a night. The Kylie nightie is gorgeous, while the Kim ¾ tee would be ideal for the cooler nights. There are also plenty of other nighties, PJ shorts, pyjama pants and tops to choose from.
GIVEAWAY: Skirties Sleepwear is giving away a Tracy lace top with pink shorts (RRP: $55). Note, these can be purchased separately. The set will be in size M.
EVEN on days when I don’t manage much makeup, I still make an effort with a bit of lipstick. However, there’s long been frustration with wax lipsticks not lasting long enough and you wonder why you bother. When I stumbled across SeneGence’s LipSense Collection I became rather excited.
When I was sent the Pink Champagne, I couldn’t help but think “this is MY colour”. The idea with SenGence’s premier product, LipSense, is that it’s not only long lasting – between four and 18 hours – but non drying. It attests to being smudge proof, waterproof and kiss proof – I tried out the latter and believe me, it’s true! There’s also no lead or wax.
And sure, Christina Aguilera might be a big fan, but don’t trust her word. I’m telling you ladies, this is semi permanent colour that lives up to its word. It’s nice to find something that doesn’t smear, fade, feather or transfer onto your coffee cup while drinking with friends. Always a good look, right?
This is how it works. You make sure your lips are perfectly clean (not even foundation), then apply the lip colour in one sweep. If you go over the lines (yes, even us adults can manage that), then there’s LipSense Ooops Remover. Genius. Then, before doing the all-important lip smacking, pop LipSense Glossy Gloss over the top, which helps your colour’s longevity. SeneGence is a party plan company and Sharryn is always looking for distributors nationally.
GIVEAWAY: SenGence is giving away its premier product, LipSense Collection (RRP: 66). It includes a LipSense shade in Pink Champagne, LipSense Oops Remover and LipSense Glossy Gloss. The items can be purchased separately, but work best together.
So, to go in the draw to win ALL FOUR prizes from our wonderful mummy businesses, simply leave a comment telling us what your wish is for Mother’s Day (it can be simple or elaborate, we don’t mind!). The giveaway is open to Australian residents only and will be drawn randomly on Monday, May 3 at 9am.
If you’re still on the hunt for something for your own Mum this Mother’s Day, consider supporting one of these mummy businesses. I highly recommend them.
Want more entries? Then here’s how you can up your chances in the draw. Each task is worth one extra entry.
Click the Facebook button below and share this giveaway with your Facebook friends. Then leave a separate comment saying something along the lines of “I’ve shared this on Facebook’’.
Click the Twitter button below and share this giveaway with your Twitter followers (Twitter handle is @ThreeLil). Then leave a separate comment saying something along the lines of “I’ve shared this on Twitter’’.
PICTURE it: me in puppy dog PJs, a fluffy dressing gown and the most gorgeous pair of black strappy leather ECCO shoes. Before you shake your head at this fashion faux pas, read on.
You see, I’ve just spent the entire day in these stunning new shoes, despite not going anywhere and seeing anyone. But boy, did I feel special. The dainty Pearl shoes (RRP: $229.95) were supplied by Danish company ECCO. I know. It’s days like these I’m extra glad I got into blogging.
I’m writing this at 7pm, kids are in bed and I decided to slip my feet back into them for a bit of inspiration as I write. The majority of the heels I own get ripped off my feet as soon as I walk in the door, but these are incredibly comfy and so very light. Not one blister in sight. It could be attributed to the fact each shoe is designed to follow the foot, so they’re practical (tick) and sensible (tick), without compromising style (big tick).
You could also put it down to the quality of the leather. The family owned company owns its own tanneries and its leather is of such high quality it sells to luxury designer brands like Louis Vuitton, Coach and Porsche. Now that’s impressive.
When asked to pick a pair of shoes from its extensive Autumn-Winter range, I struggled. There was so many I loved. So I didn’t stop at one – I picked three. This is a much better photo of the gorgeous pair that got delivered.
Ecco Pearl
Two other people have fallen in love with them too.
Ella and Holly eyeing off my shoes.
Eyes off, girls. Thank goodness they’re not my shoe size just yet or I might have lost them.
Mind you, the company does produce children’s shoes, along with outdoor shoes and men’s shoes. Oh, and I forgot, handbags as well. Its inspiration comes from everything from art to fashion and even the car industry.
Here’s just a sample of ECCOs Autumn-Winter 2011 catalogue:
The Bootie
Ideally teamed with trousers and a coat, party dress or even shorts, I’m thinking any of these would be perfect with my favourite pair of casual trousers. The bootie is experiencing a revival, with it set to be hot during this year’s cooler months. The range includes chick, sleek and sophisticated, military and retro.
ECCO Jaffna (RRP: $279.95)
ECCO Jaffna
City Classic
Set for the office, these go beyond just the basic work shoe. You can judge for yourself, but I think they’re really stylish, while still giving you that classic look. This, personally, is my favourite style (despite having resigned).
ECCO Jamestown (RRP: $199.95)
ECCO Jamestown
Worker’s Uniform
If there’s a shoe that was born to be teamed with a great pair of jeans, it would be this range. Worker’s Uniform is a tribute to honest, old-fashioned labour. You’ve got to love that.
ECCO Hobart (RRP: $329.95)
ECCO Hobart
Now, I couldn’t write such a tempting post and then leave it at that. No, you get to share in the spoils too. The good people at ECCO have given us a $250 ECCO gift voucher for one lucky reader.
To go in the draw, simply visit ECCO and then come back and tell us which pair of shoes you would spend the voucher on (feel free to ask if you want to know prices). The giveaway is open to Australian residents only and will be drawn randomly on Friday, April 29 at 9am. Visit the site to find your nearest stockist.
Want more entries? Then here’s how you can up your chances in the draw. Each task is worth one extra entry.
Click the Facebook button below and share this giveaway with your Facebook friends. Then leave a comment saying something along the lines of “I’ve shared this on Facebook’’.
Click the Twitter button below and share this giveaway with your Twitter followers (Twitter handle is @ThreeLil). Then leave a comment saying something along the lines of “I’ve shared this on Twitter’’.
Subscribe to this page. To subscribe, enter your email address in the box in the top right corner of the screen. Then leave a comment telling us you’re “a subscriber”.
Lastly, vote in this week’s poll on what you want to read more of on TLP. That’s the poll to the side there. Then, again, leave us a comment telling us you’ve “voted in the poll”.
SUNDAY afternoons in our house are movie afternoons. They include the whole family, freshly popped popcorn and a movie-length DVD. While Princess Ella’s still only three, her attention span has improved enough that she can sit through a full movie now.
This week we brought movie afternoon forward a few days to review Handy Manny: Motorcycle Adventure, due for release April 6. The tool-toting Hispanic, who has taught my daughter the odd bit of Spanish (see Our kids give us a sign to learn about her language learning skills), is now in his first full-length adventure.
However, it wasn’t just Ella excited about this one, after discovering it celebrated what Sunday afternoon means to us: family. The story follows Manny and his talking tools as they head out on a road trip to Manny’s family reunion.
Along the way they encounter the usual road trip obstacles – fixing motorbikes, running out of fuel, flat tyres, cows blocking roads and large ravines. However, it’s screwdriver Pat veering off in search of his own family which causes their plans to take the biggest turn of all.
Favourite parts:
The strong message of family values and the definition of family being more than simply blood relatives.
As always with Handy Manny, the importance of working together as a team to achieve their goals.
A toe tapping soundtrack with fantastic melody and rhyme that wasn’t long picked up by our singing diva.
Getting out of neutral-coloured Sheetrock Hills and using some incredibly lush countryside settings.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Goofy’s Magical Mix-up as the bonus feature – Mickey is a favourite in this house.
In all, this is another great edition to Disney’s full length releases. It will sustain the attention of little viewers, while warming the hearts of parents through its wondeful message.
To go in the draw to win a copy of Handy Manny: Motorcycle Adventure, simply:
Leave a comment telling us your child’s favourite Disney character
The giveaway ends April 8, 2011. Winner will be announced on this site. Open to Australian residents only.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of the DVD courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment via Aussie Mummy Bloggers. No financial payment was offered nor accepted for this post. All opinions expressed are purely my own
AFTER 15 minutes of pampering, courtesy of the good people at miniOrganics, this tired, sleep-deprived body is feeling totally refreshed. Ahhh. Not to mention, my skin feels as smooth and soft as a baby’s bottom. My baby’s bot, anyway.
I’ve always been sceptical of products branded “organic’’, but closer inspection of miniOrganics reveals these guys are the real deal. In fact, it can boast the world’s first fully certified organic skincare range for babies and new mums. If only I’d know about it back when I was pregnant with Princess Ella.
I could go on about the award-winning products using the purest ingredients and it being developed by a mum, but what’s grabbed my attention most is each product’s multiple uses.
Here’s what I’ve been lucky enough to try:
SUPERFINE JOJOBA: Sprinkling this in the li’l princesses’ bath left their skin so silky. OTHER USE: It can also be used to relieve dry, itchy skin; as baby massage oil; nail treatment; shaving balm for men; moisturiser for teenagers with acne prone skin; and wait for it, an eye make-up remover for Mum. Genius!
CALMING AND HYDRATING MIST: Baby Holly’s had this one sprayed on her bot more than a few times now. OTHER USE: You can spritz it in the air to calm a cranky baby (hello, over this way) and as a soothing stress relief for mum (again, in this direction!).
INFANT MOISTURISER: After bath-time, I’ve been massaging Holly with this one, primarily because it’s infused with lavender and chamomile. Ah, sleep. OTHER USE: For anyone with sensitive skin.
NOURISHING BODY OIL: I was fortunate to score a massage from the bloke in The Shed using this oil. He, who doesn’t really know one product from the next, commented on it being the first oil to not leave his hands greasy. OTHER USE: Ideal for conditioning and supporting the skin during the demanding later months of pregnancy, helping to minimise the appearance of stretch marks.
NIPPLE BALM: I’ve now been blessed with my second problem-free breastfeeder, so haven’t had to try this one for its primary purpose. OTHER USE: Cleverly, this one doubles as a super moisturising lip balm, so it’s definitely not going to waste.
There’s also the 3-Step Prescription (combining Calming Mist, Superfine Jojoba and Infant Moisturiser), which is an all-natural, non-steroidal approach to easing discomfort from dry skin conditions such as eczema. Baby Holly had quite dry skin on the tops of her toes and this combination got rid of it instantly.
The range also includes Gentle Baby Wash, Gentle Baby Soap and Soothing Nappy Balm for bub and Enriched Moisturiser for mums and mums-to-be.
We’re giving away $115.70 worth of miniOrganics products. The prize includes a Nourishing Body Oil ($55), Nipple Balm ($32.75) and Calming & Hydrating Mist ($27.95).
To go in the draw:
