Just a week to go and it is going to be Mother’s Day! Have you thought of what to treat your mother on this special day? Will you go to the effort of getting them something or do you prefer to treat her to some lovely flowers or a meal? If you are running out of ideas, I have a few gift ideas under my sleeves that I would like to show you today!
- Goodmans Oxford DAB Digital Radio with Bluetooth, RRP £69.99 Available from goodmans.co.uk
This is a contemporary interpretation of an iconic radio design. It captures the style of the sixties with its faithful design, chrome detailing and vintage colour scheme (available in Porcelain White, Berry Red, Sky Blue, Bonbon Pink, Mustard Yellow and Moss Green). It comes with a leather handle and can be mains or battery powered (takes six C batteries – found at the bottom of the radio) which makes it portable. The smart extra features of Oxford is that you can stream music directly from any Bluetooth enabled device or by NFC, providing the ultimate in an old school cool combined with new wave technology. You can also connect other devices such as mobile phones or MP3 players directly via the 3.5mm line-in socket, so you can playback audio from other sources, not just radio.
I like the vintage yet stylish design. We tried connecting using a Samsung phone and was able to do so easily via Bluetooth and then we also tried NFC which works well. Touch the side of the radio with your phone where the NFC sensor shows and the Bluetooth will activate and pair. It is lightweight and portable so we can use it around the house or out and about. It’s a fairly low powered sound but the vocals are clear and there is only very slight distortion at the max volume. This is not a boom box but an elegant looking radio with added features and we love the overall quality and design!
- Snapshot Message Board, RRP £24.95 Available from redcandy.co.uk
This message board is designed to look like a Polaroid photograph which is a brilliant blend of form and functionality. You can attach your memos on the corkboard or write on the wipe-able magnetic memo board. It measures 39.5 cm by 45.7 cm and includes 8 red pushpins, 8 red magnets and a black magnetic dry-erase marker. It also comes with two screws and wall plugs for you to secure on a wall.
The material is well made and I love the idea of the blend of corkboard and white board. This definitely looks great on any wall especially in the kitchen!
- Purple Matcha Williamson Tea, Available from www.williamsontea.com
Matcha was introduced by Buddhist monks at the beginning of the first millennium and has been part of Japanese culture ever since. One of the key features and reasons for Matcha’s popularity is its ability to provide sustained focus and alertness through the extended release of caffeine and prolonged energy rather than the quick burst and subsequent crash often associated with coffee and energy drinks. By consuming the ground tea leaves, unlike a conventional brew, the high levels of polyphenols found in tea leaves are absorbed by the body and can help with an improved feeling of health and wellbeing.
To make the Purple Matcha in the traditional way, you will need a bowl and small bamboo whisk, which are also available from their website.
Pouring freshly boiled water into the bowl, allowing the bowl to warm, then throwing away the water and drying the bowl. Next add three grams (1/2 teaspoon) of Purple Matcha to the bowl and pour on more freshly boiled water. Then using the whisk, break up the powder with the whisk for a few seconds, then whisk vigorously in an ‘L’ shape to leave a fine liquor coated in small uniform bubbles. Your Purple Matcha is now ready to drink.
This powdered tea comes in a foil packet in a purple tin container decorated with an elephant. The tea is very light and crisp. It give a cleansing and dry aftertaste. It is so easy to drink. I would recommend trying this unique tea experience.
- AeroPress Coffee Maker, coffeeteaclub.co.uk
Recently, I came across this interesting site called CoffeeTeaClub which is a blog that shares all the interesting articles about coffee and tea, of course! We were sent this AeroPress, which is a device for brewing coffee that was invented in 2005 and has become very popular amongst coffee lovers. It is a manual brewing method that produces espresso of a great quality, comparable to espressos brewed by the best professional coffee machines.
In this box, it comes with 350 filter papers, filter cap, filter storage, plunger & chamber, coffee scoop, stirrer, funnel and instructions.
To make the coffee, you place a filter in the cap and twist the cap onto the chamber. Stand chamber on a mug and put the grind coffee in chamber (using the funnel or scoop). Add hot water into the chamber and stir for 10 seconds. Insert the plunger and press gently for 20 to 60 seconds. Then quickly eject the used coffee right after brewing and give a quick wash and store it away.
The coffee maker is very easy to use and importantly, it makes great coffee! This is a quick and easy way of making your favourite brew without the need to fire up the coffee machine. This would make a great gift especially for mum!
- WD My Passport Ultra
Need more storage space or have you forgotten to back up your data? WD My Passport Ultra safeguards your files with automatic backup software, 256-bit hardware encryption and the reliability of WD.
In addition to the WD My Passport Ultra, a USB cable and instructions are included. It is so easy to set it up and it will link easily. This can be protected by password. I like that this hard drive is very small and portable. The WD will automatically backup when it is connected to the device and now I can delete and make some space on my camera or PC! Click here to check out the full review and you can win one too! This is great if your partner/wife loves taking photos and they need more storage!
These are my pick for this Mother’s Day and I hope this list will inspire you!
Disclosure: We received the samples for the purposes of writing this review however all thoughts and opinions remain our own.