I like quirky and some readers have described my writing and blog as quirky which I take as a huge compliment. So it’s not unusual that I like other quirky things, from crafts and cupcakes to tv adverts! One such advert is the new Honda campaign, sponsoring Channel 4 documentaries, as the quirky stars of the show are Honda-owners themselves!

Oh yes, Honda owners are a quirky bunch who use their Hondas for lots of different activities. My favourite is Philippa, an alpaca breeder in Oxfordshire, who tends to the animals on her farm using her trusty Honda ATV.

Who knew that a career as an alpaca breeder was possible, and in Oxfordshire of all places?!

Throughout 2011, Honda will be releasing a series of mini-documentaries, an online hub, and sponsorship idents for Channel 4. This is a next phase of its sponsorship for Channel 4 Documentaries which continues to use the strapline “Documentaries on 4, sponsored by Honda”. The new adverts feature four real life Honda-owners starring in their own mini-documentaries, created by Wieden + Kennedy London, and have been broadcast since 2^nd June.

Honda owners can participate in the campaign by taking a look at the online hub at www.honda.co.uk/stories where the documentaries will be available in full. There’s also a ‘Take Part’ section, where Honda-owners can upload stories and photographs, documenting the unusual ways in which they use their Honda products. The favourite – chosen by  W+K – will be turned into the final mini-documentary and turned into idents for TV.

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Top of my Day Zero list is learning to drive. I had my first lessons when I was 17 and now I’m *cough* slightly older I have no excuse! Fiat have also tempted me with their new 500byGucci, a special edition of the iconic Italian car, the Fiat 500. The Fiat 500 has been reimagined to celebrate both the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy and Gucci’s 90th anniversary, customised by Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini in partnership with Fiat’s Centro Stile

I’m not much of a petrol head but the new 500byGucci isn’t just in black and white. The unique eye-catching glossy pearl glass paint complement one another: black – with detailing in shiny chrome paired with interiors that contrast sharp black and white – for a contemporary and racy feel; white – with satin chrome detailing and ivory and black interiors – for a softer, sophisticated look.

The Fiat 500 by Gucci will be available in the UK with two brilliant engines: the nimble yet economical 1.2 litre (costing £14,565 OTR), and the award-winning 0.9 litre TwinAir (costing £15,765 OTR).

I love the design, it’s both stylish and understated and represents the brand perfectly. I can imagine cruising around London with Edward in the back – once I’ve passed my test of course! I think it’s great when brands collaborate, especially on everyday products. I’ve seen it increasingly with nursery brands, such as Cath Kidston for Maclaren, and look forward to it bringing more style to everyday items in the future.

Don’t forget to visit fiat.co.uk/500bygucci and register to be kept in the know!

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So there were 95 entries, 2 of which were duplicate entries and were discarded.

All the valid entries were placed in a hat and the winner chosen at random by my little helper.

And the winner is

ERICA

congratulations Erica, I’ll drop you an email!

Someone didn’t want to pose with the cake he helped bake if he wasn’t allowed to have a piece!

Posted for Week 47 of The Gallery Week: expressions

A key feature of this monitor is its unique sensor pad, designed to sit under the baby’s cot mattress. This monitors and sounds an alarm if no movement has been detected after 20 seconds.  I had heard of these sensor pads but never bought one and unfortunately Edward is now too old to try it. However, this monitor has been designed so that the sensor pad can be removed when your child starts to move around the cot and you can purchase and use the monitor as a stand-alone model.

The parent unit has an easy to read LCD display, showing the room temperature, rechargeable docking station, auto-channel select and sound level indicator.

Things we love:

the design is modern and sleek

the display is easy to read

auto-channel select so no tuning

good length of cable on both units

interference free

out of range indicator

room temperature guage

night light

two way talk back so you can speak to your baby

range of up to 300 metres with no interference

Things we didn’t like:

one addition we would have liked was the ability to play music

As you can see, we both thought there were lots of great features with the monitor. It’s simple to use and does exactly what it says on the box. It’s easy to set up and competitively priced.

The Tommee Tippee Digital Movement and Sound Monitor retails for £99.99, while the Sound Monitor on its own costs £64.99, and is available from Argos, Boots and Mothercare, or directly from www.tommeetippee.co.uk.

When the buggysnuggle arrived I ripped the packaging off and set about putting it on our Maclaren. The first thing I noticed was how easy it was to attach to the buggy. The design means it doesn’t have to be tied to the buggy, it just slips over the top of the seat, but comes with ties which can be looped over the handles if necessary. It’s incredibly easy to fit and uses velcro so there’s no need to thread your straps through small holes (an issue I have with other footmuffs).

As you can see Edward is very snug and comfortable. However it’s not just designed for the colder months. The top can be zipped off for use in warmer weather and used as a buggy liner. You can tell it’s been designed by mums as the zips open at the bottom allowing muddy feet to stick out!

Essential facts:

The Buggysnuggle is 100cms long and 48cms wide, and fits most kids up to at least age 3 and a half years old!

My top points:

fits almost all pushchairs

2 positions for 5-point harness shoulder straps

front pocket to keep a favourite toy

machine washable

comes in 40+ fabric designs so you can stand out from the crowd

very easy to fit

We were recently offered the chance to review an iPad app called This Place is a Zoo. Edward is drawn to all our electronic gadgets and is particularly attracted to my iPhone and iPad so we were very happy to try it out. The app features Captain Wallace and you join him on a guided visit through the Alphabet Zoo.

This Place is a Zoo has been designed to help children learn their alphabet and animals through sights and sounds designed to spark dialogue between parent and child. Edward is only 11 months but is drawn to moving pictures and sounds so this app keeps him entertained.

The app is populated with animations of animals and letters which my little one loves. The design is beautiful and the sounds are just right for my son. Books with similar animal sounds have made him cry but I was pleased that this app makes him giggle. The app is simple to use and I know Edward will be able to enjoy it for years. A great and fun way to help your little one learn the alphabet!

The app is available from the iTunes app store for £1.79

I was surprised how hard the whole process was (and continues to be) for myself and Edward. When it started we had just begun to get into a night time sleeping routine. Teething pain has often resulted in disrupted nights for all of us. Instead of the long nights of uninterrupted sleep we all need, I’m up a couple of times a night, administering drugs if necessary and soothing Edward back to sleep.

I find it easier to cope during the day as it’s possible to distract Edward from the pain with an activity, walk or snack. During the day we rely on teething powders as a natural pain relief and I only give infant Nurofen at night.

Looking through my photographs makes me realise how he’s often captured chewing on a toy or whatever is close to hand. His bright red cheeks stand out on his pale face. Other effects of teething are heat from his poor red cheeks, being tired/sleepy, diarrhoea, occasional loss of appetite and grumpy too.

At 11 months Edward has two bottom teeth and over the last few months I have definitely found it easier to deal with. Two lovely positive things are his lovely toothy grins and the fact he can begin to chew food!

Pampers kindly sent us tickets to attend The Baby Show, so this morning we headed down to the Excel Centre. We had a great time and managed to purchase a snooze shade which is the only item I really went looking for. The show seemed smaller than the one held at Olympia but this was a good thing as it seemed much more manageable to get round.

The show was well set out and the aisles between the stalls were wide enough to accommodate buggies galore! We made good use of the Pampers changing station and found out we were using the wrong kind of nappy! We were given samples of the correct size of nappy to take home so I’ll be trying them out.

There were load of lovely products to look at and it was difficult not buying much but Edward has no need for a new pram, highchair or cot or a lot of the products on sale. I did buy a set of Cheeky Wipes which are reuseable baby wipes as I’ve wanted to try them (and save money) for a while.

Everyone was really friendly and we collected a stash of leaflets and samples. One of our favourite brands is Ella’s Kitchen and when we visited we were given a sample of Caribbean Chicken to take home and try. Edward loves Ella’s Kitchen so we were very happy to pop it in our bag.

We both enjoyed The Baby Show and Edward was happy to be pushed around and admired by all

Did you know:

One medium sun -dried tomato can provide 40% of your daily requirement of Vitamin C

Sun- dried tomatoes are low in fat, calories & sodium, and free from saturated fat & cholesterol

Sun- dried tomatoes are high in vitamin A and a good source of potassium
We ate our pesto with simple fresh pasta and garlic bread last night. It was delicious, full of flavour and I’d recommend it as an alternative to traditional pesto. However you may want to try the recipe below as recommended by Sacla.

 
Fusilli with Sacla’ Sun-dried Tomato Pesto & Crispy Pancetta

Ingredients
450g fusilli
75g frozen petits pois
70g thinly sliced pancetta
300ml crème fraîche
4 rounded tblsp Sacla’ Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
1 heaped tblsp roughly chopped Italian parsley
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
Put a large pan of salted water on to boil for the pasta and cook the fusilli according to the pack instructions, throwing the peas in for the last couple of minutes.
Dice and fry the pancetta in a pan until really crispy. Then remove from the pan and leave to drain on kitchen paper to remove any excess oil.
Then, to make the sauce, combine the crème frâiche and pesto in a small pan and gently heat through for a few moments, stirring to mix well. Add 4 tablespoons of water and season, stir again until hot.
Drain the pasta and peas in a colander. Transfer to a warm serving dish, stir the sauce through the pasta, scatter over the pancetta and parsley and serve straightaway for a super speedy supper.