Max Louis Creative personalised prints review

Tomorrow is Madhouse Daddy's birthday. He would have been 47 and I'd have teased him about the fact that, for a couple of months at least, he was officially two years older than me. Next week is also Fathers' Day so, obviously, he is even more in our thoughts at the moment. When Max Louis Creative got in touch with news of their personalised prints, this sounded like the ideal tribute to him. They specialise in handmade prints that are made specifically to the gifter's requirements, so they are unique, completely personalised, special gifts for loved ones.

There are 3 different styles to choose from: personalised word photo, personalised oil effect print and personalised word wall.

I liked the idea of the personalised word photo, but the kids didn't want (and I quote) a picture that looked like someone had scribbled all over dad's face. Fair enough ! We opted for the personalised oil effect print and, after discussing with the kids, decided not to add any text at all - we could have put Dad or his name or any other short text of our choice.

This is the photo we decided to use - a family portrait from our holiday to Fethiye in Turkey last year. I put through the order, replied to the email giving a few precisions about what we wanted (you will be asked for details including the photo, font, colours and words) then sat back and wait for the postie. It's very straightforward and only took a couple of minutes. A few days later, a rigid cardboard tube was delivered with our print inside.

And here we are in oil effect.

From a distance, you can't really see the oil effect, so here is a close up of the background. You can see that it adds texture to the landscape so the waves and the bushes on the islands really stand out.

The downside to this is that it extends to faces too, so it makes skin tone look quite uneven and wrinkly, with visible swirls on some areas of skin.

This is particularly visible on Sophie's chin and forehead, for example. She made me laugh because she complained that she looked like one of the Identikit pictures where they have aged a kidnap victim by ten or fifteen years so you can imagine how they look now ! From a distance, it does look good though, so the knack is finding the perfect place to set it off where you won't be looking at it from too close up. For us, it's at pride of place at the top of the stairs, above eye level so you look up to it and your eyes don't zoom in on on the swirly effect. 

If you look back at the photo from their website, and look closely at the faces, you'll get another example of what I mean. It's all about finding the right photo for this effect - I think it would look fantastic with landscapes or a pet, but could be a bit hit and miss with portraits.

The prints are printed on high-quality paper in A2, A3 or A4 and, if you want one in time for Father's Day, you need to get your skates on because the last day to order a print in time for Father's Day is 12th June 2018. There is currently a 15% off discount code for Father's Day - FD2018 - which expires on 11th June 2018. (I've just noticed that it expires at midnight on 10th June in fact, so you've only got about an hour left to use the code !)

for more information :  https://maxlouiscreative.com/personalised-prints/

Disclosure : We received the product in order to write an honest review.

#MySundayphoto #SundaySnap 29/4/18

Since Madhouse Daddy died, various people have told Pierre he's the man of the house now. From offering to get rid of an enormous spider (he hates spiders) to wanting to go up the step-ladder, he's obviously taken this to heart. This both makes me very proud and also breaks my heart a little bit. I keep reminding him he's only 8 years old and he doesn't have to look after us - that's my job ! On the positive side, we've given this little office area a complete makeover and it's turned into a very cosy little reading/homework area now.

#NAPPYHACKS - A frank and honest guide to changing nappies from ALDI Mamia & DadBlogUK

First-time parenting is a total minefield for new mums and dads and one of the daily tasks that can go most spectacularly wrong, especially in the early days, is nappy changing. All parents have horror stories to tell (with unconcealed glee !) of explosive nappies that burst through three layers of clothing, rogue wees all over your clothes just as you're about to head out of the door to work and poo leakages that smeared all over baby's back and head after removing a particularly soiled baby-gro ! But never fear - help is at hand. Aldi Mamia has partnered with Dad Blog UK to create the ultimate  guide to #NAPPYHACKS.

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A FRANK AND HONEST GUIDE TO CHANGING NAPPIES FROM ALDI MAMIA AND DADBLOG UK

Congratulations, you’re a new Dad! Welcome to the world of varying sleep patterns, the intricacies of car seats and cot building, and the one task that can truly be described as Herculean… nappy changing. With 25% of a family’s weekly child care now carried out by Dad, gone are the days when the nappy change fell solely to mum.

To get you through the twelve (yes, twelve) changes you’ll be making per day, Aldi Mamia has partnered with Dad Blog UK to provide the essential #NappyHacks:

“First and foremost, distraction is key when it comes to making nappy-changes as quick and pain-free as possible. Get your baby’s attention away from...down there, by donning some snazzy, dangly headgear to act as a visual aid. No, you may not look your best, but it will make baby happy and might buy you 30 seconds less wriggle time, even if you do look like a muppet.

Here’s something that unwittingly catches out many first-time parents and makes baby scream… COLD HANDS! Whilst it might be tempting to wear your thermal gloves, it’s probably more sensible to run your hands under hot water before you start. Remember – warm hands = happy baby.

Do you have a son? Be warned that as soon as a nappy is removed, the rush of cold air is often enough to encourage them to pee themselves. Brace yourself and have a spare paper cup handy to shield the area AND deflect-and-collect said liquid! That or consider wearing goggles.

Can’t believe how much your tiny tot has grown? Believe me, you soon will if your baby isn’t wearing the right size nappy. Too tight and baby will be uncomfortable and potentially popping out the flaps. Too loose and you’re going to have one hell of a clean-up job (quite literally) on your hands. Fret not though and put away the measuring tape…to make sure you’re using the correct nappy for your baby’s age and weight, consult Aldi Mamia’s helpful guide which outlines the different sizes available.

You’ll soon come to realise that nappy rash cream is an essential friend to your baby’s bottom – but a total foe to yourself and your clothes (which it will probably end up smeared all over). Consider donning a pair of Marigolds to avoid it becoming a fashion accessory or worse still, an unwanted condiment in your lunch...or alternatively have a pack of Mamia Sensitive Baby Wipes to hand.

Baby done an absolute honker? Try applying a peg to your nose to keep out the fumes. Your partner will love your dedication to the cause, or you could just bag the problem with Aldi’s Nappy Sacks and dispose of it as far away as physically possible.

At some point, your baby WILL do a ‘poonami’ of epic proportions. Few new parents realise it, but baby grows are designed to be rolled down over the shoulders (as well as pulled up over the head) to help prevent muck spreading all over your child’s back, head and hair. #yourewelcome”

Mind. Blown? If you’re a total nappy novice, you’ll be glad to know that Aldi Mamia nappies contain super stretchy sides and flexible leg cuffs to help prevent leaks. They also have overlapping resealable fasteners to fit small and big babies snug and securely. Aldi’s Award winning Mamia nappy range is suitable for newborns and babies of all ages and sizes but if you’re not sure which size you should be using, see the appendix for a handy guide.

Aldi Mamia nappies cost as little as 5p per nappy, and they don’t just come with a great price tag, they’ve also secured Gold for four consecutive years at the Mother & Baby Awards in the Best Disposable Nappy category and were awarded 10 accolades at the Prima Baby Awards 2016, with the Newborn and Ultra Dry Nappies taking Gold in the nappy categories. And if that wasn’t enough the entire range of nappies has been endorsed by the Good Housekeeping Institute

Goggles at the go, pegs on nose and hat on head? Good luck you’re ready to go!

For more information, head over to www.aldi.co.uk/c/groceries/baby/nappies-and-wipes

Disclosure : Post in collaboration with Aldi.

It's Movember, time to CHECK your ‘Meat and Two Veg’ !

It's Movember and once again, thousands of men (and women !) across the world are forgoing the razors and getting hairy for a good cause - promoting men's health, in particular prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. All things that men often don't like to talk about - more a case of Dad's the word than Mum's the word !

A survey of 2,000 people has discovered the true extent of the taboo subject, with 82% of men unwilling to talk to their doctor about any issues with their genitals. The worrying results were commissioned by HECK – a Yorkshire-based sausage brand which is working alongside the world-leading men’s health charity The Movember Foundation. In the name of men’s health, HECK have renamed themselves CHECK for the duration of November, in order to encourage men to search for lumps on their scrotum and for women to CHECK their partners too!

Commenting on the poll findings, a spokesperson for The Movember Foundation said: 'Unfortunately this latest polling from HECK is accurate. Too many men are not checking themselves, not knowing what to look for and being too embarrassed to discuss the subject. Tackling these taboos head on, getting more men educated on the health risks they face, taking action when needed and talking when things get tough, is exactly why The Movember Foundation exists.’

The survey also showed that almost one in 10 (9.8%) of men between the ages of 18 and 24 would do nothing if they felt a lump on their testicle. By contrast, just 3% of women would do nothing if they felt a lump on a breast.

Testicular cancer is often described as a small pea-like lump on one testicle, but many men are unaware of this. Two thirds of men had no idea this was a sign of the deadly cancer. One in five blokes (18.4%) of men incorrectly assumed that a cancerous lump feels ‘like a flat coin’. The research also found that three-quarters of women (76%) would have no idea what a cancerous lump would feel like on their partner’s testicles. In contrast, slightly less than half of men (46.6%) said they’d know when to be concerned about a lump on their partner’s breast.

The research was carried out by the brands founder, Jamie Keeble, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer two years ago. He said, “If men don’t know what testicular cancer might feel like, how can they possibly check themselves? Testicular cancer is on the rise and men can reduce their chances of dying simply by knowing what to feel for. Too many men are dying young from ignorance and lack of quick action. This disease needs to be openly discussed so that more guys will check themselves and feel they can talk to someone if something doesn’t feel right."

To help spread the word, Heck sent us through some of their delicious sausages and invited us to  join in with the CHECK Sausages ‘Meat and Two Veg’challenge. For my two veg, I opted for some thinly sliced leeks and carrots, which I sauteed in butter before adding some single cream. They were a big hit with the kids and went really well with the sausages.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words so hopefully this one will make you giggle and remind you of what the campaign is all about ! I thought the unkempt "hair" on the leeks was very in-keeping with Movember !

The CHECK products will be available in ASDA, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Tesco and Waitrose throughout November, costing £2.99.

Disclosure : I received the sausages in order to take part in the challenge.

Giveaway #651 : Master Builder Roller Coaster Marble Run book - closed - winner Jake Casey

We'll soon be putting the clocks back and I find that the nights really start drawing in quickly from then on, so if you're looking for a new family project to replace outdoor adventures during the colder weather and gloomy afternoons, look no further than Carlton Kids' fabulous new Marble Run Book.

Amazingly, the book contains everything you need to create your very own 3D Roller Coaster Marble Run. (Except for the marble, as Pierre quite rightly pointed out !)

There are LOTS of pieces to press out and fold into shape, so if assembling flat pack furniture does your head in, this may not be one for you ! But the step-by-step instructions make it all quite simple and even explain some of the science and technology behind the design.

The finished structure gives you two starting points so you can set off two marbles at the same time and see which one comes out first. Great news if you have more than one child !

RRP : £12.99

Mixed media

44 pages

304 x 266mm

Published Oct 2017

ISBN 9781783122684

for more information : https://www.carltonbooks.co.uk/master-builder-roller-coaster-marble-run.html

Carlton Kids have kindly offered to send a copy of the book to a lucky Madhouse Family Reviews reader. Fill in your entries via the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

UK only. Closing date : 23/10/17

T & C's : Entries close at midnight on the closing date. Winners will be selected with a random number generator and announced on facebook and in the giveaway post subject line. Please note, you will be contacted by email and/or twitter and if I haven't heard from you after 28 days, I'll have to pick another winner. Prizes will be sent out by the companies or their PR directly to winners. Madhouse Family Reviews cannot be held responsible for any prizes that go astray !

You may also like to enter my other giveaways :

Giveaway #649 : Win tickets to The Baby Show at London Olympia: 20th-22nd October - closing date 13/10

Giveaway #650 : One-Sheet Sculpture: Amazing Creatures book - closing date 19/10

Check out these beardy-weirdies ! (Braun S3 #Shave&Style review)

Braun sent a lovely surprise in the post for Madhouse Daddy recently - their S3 Shave&Style, which is a 3-in-1 Electric Cordless Wet and Dry Shaver with Precision Trimmer and 5 Comb Attachments.

These allow you to choose between clean shaving or your desired stubble length for precision beard trimming and styling so that you can get the exact look you want. To give us some inspiration, they included a pack of beard cards in the box and the extended Madhouse family were in fits of giggles trying out some new looks.

I give you ... Madhouse Grandad. This actually quite suits him, in a weird sort of way.

My sister Emily - this is just freaky !

Her boyfriend Jordan, doing a good impression of David Bellamy "in the shwubbery".

This is my favourite - my mum looks like an honorary member of the Hairy Bikers !

But she could also get a bit in Planet of the Apes or a dodgy western !

All Jordan needs is a bit of designer stubble and he could perfect the wannabe boys band look.

Emily looks ready to jump on a Harley Davidson and go vrooming off into the sunset.

Er no, that just killed that one !

All he needs is a parrot on his shoulder - Johnny Depp, eat your heart out !

If this motley crew haven't put you off beards for life, check out @Braun_Grooming and the #Shave&Style hashtag to see how everyone else is styling it out.

Disclosure : We were gifted a Braun Shave&Stye and a pack of beard cards.

Madhouse recipe : A Breakfast Wrap for Father's Day

When the kids wanted to make a special breakfast for Madhouse Daddy for Father's Day at the weekend, I had visions of burnt toast and cold coffee, but with a bit of careful thought (and peeking in the fridge for inspiration), I found a simple, tasty and totally foolproof recipe that they could put together within minutes.

 A Breakfast Wrap for Father's Day (or any other day of the year !)

ingredients :

1 flour wrap

2 eggs

knob of butter

salt, pepper

2 hot dog sausages

a drizzle of HP sauce

Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan. Crack the eggs into the pan (or in a pint glass first if you're worried that they may need to fish out bits of shell !) and push them about with a wooden spoon, breaking up lumps, until they resemble scrambled eggs. Add a couple of chopped hot dog sausages for the last couple of minutes.Turn off the heat, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the wrap on a plate and heat it in the microwave for a few seconds. Scrape the eggs and sausages into the wrap, drizzle with brown sauce, fold it up and serve immediately to a happy smiling dad (or mum !).

To make it even more special, we received a personalised HP Sauce bottle for Madhouse Daddy, which was the perfect finishing touch. Unbelievably, HP Sauce has been the original and best brown sauce since 1899. I've recently picked up my family history research again and it's crazy to think that my great-great grandfathers may well have been adding HP Sauce to their dinners all those years ago !

Disclosure : We received a personalised bottle of HP Sauce in honour of Father's Day.

Still looking for a gift for Father's Day? (review roundup)

In case it's slipped your attention, this Sunday is Father's Day in the UK and if you're still wondering what to buy for the special man in your life, whether that be your own dad or your husband if you need a present from the kids, here's a little roundup of gifts for all budgets to give you some ideas.

Baylis and Harding have a lovely selection of toiletries for men, including the Sport Ultimate Luxury Grooming Set (RRP £25). It contains 300ml Hair & Body Wash, 150g Soap, 130ml Aftershave Balm, 130ml Shower Gel and a Toiletry Bag. It all has a lovely refreshing, invigorating, citrus scent which combines notes of Zesty Lime, Verbena and Mint. It's perfect for taking to the gym or packing in the suitcase this summer when you go on holiday. They also have a Retro Record Player Gift Set (RRP £25) with Black Pepper & Ginseng fragranced toiletries, which also looks very cool. 

If your husband is always getting his hands dirty, tinkering under the bonnet of the car, playing rugby or working in the garden, you might also like to opt for some of Baylis & Hardings England hand washes. We've been trying the Jasmine & Apple Blossom anti-bacterial luxury hand wash and Sweet Mandarine & Grapefruit Cleansing Hand Wash. They both smell lovely, look great on the side of the sink and have a very reasonable £2.15 price tag.

I've reviewed Sugru mouldable glue in the past and shared some DIY hacks for using it around the house - I used it to repair everything from a cracked remote control to a flappy shoe sole and a drawer knob that kept falling off. It looks like modelling clay but sets hard so it can be shaped and used in a multitude of ways. It even comes in a variety of colours. The Sugru Rebel Tech Kit (RRP £10) contains four 5g packs of Sugru, a storage tin, some new Sugru remover and a guide suggesting 14 fun and useful projects for around the home, customising and improving your tech, including cables, tablets, TVs, phones and cameras. For more information, head over to the Sugru website.

You can never have enough pens, whether it's for signing off important documents, writing cheques or jotting down a shopping list on the back of an envelope, and  the Sheaffer Ion has been designed as a small pen that's ideal to take with you anywhere. It only measures three and a half inches and it has a loop on the end so that you can attach it to your keys or a lanyard. Available in six trend-setting colours, from understated classic black to head-turning green, it features a retractable mechanism and a refillable gel barrel that can be used alongside four ink colours. (RRP £12.99)

Dad always tend to like gadgets, so I'm sure this Easiyo Yogurt Maker would get a warm reception.  It is fun and easy for the family to make together, there are no artificial colours or flavours and the product is gluten free. The starter kit includes a sleek, compact yogurt maker, big enough to make a litre of yogurt, as well as two best selling Yogurt Sachets - Strawberry and Greek Style. I'll be back with a full review very soon to show you how we got on. (RRP £16.49). For more information, head over to the Easiyo website.

Haynes Build Your Own FM Radio is the perfect present for creative, music loving dads. It actually creates a working FM radio with no soldering or complicated assembly, just simple and safe parts that fit together, so the kids can help too for a special bonding session. You can learn about each new component with 24 daily tasks and experiments, as well as countless circuit variations to implement different ideas and build a unique FM receiver. You can even cut out the back of pack and make a retro style radio box. RRP £14.99 from online retailers including Amazon.

For a bit of fun, there are some great free apps that will appeal to dads, including The Simpsons: Tapped Out (Make Springfield just like you want it! From the writers of The Simpsons comes the city building game that lets you create your own living, breathing Springfield! When Homer accidentally causes a meltdown that wipes out Springfield, it’s up to you to clean up his mess… we mean, help him rebuild it!) and Toilet Time (a range of amusing and entertaining games to keep you occupied when nature calls! Play thrilling and challenging mini games to accomplish missions and unlock special keys that you can use to unlock items of the world famous Toilet Museum. Amazing treasures such as the Robin Hood’s Potty and the Time Machine Toilet are waiting to be revealed!). Available from amazon appstore.

And finally, you can't go wrong with chocolate. Cadbury Dairy Milk Big Taste Peanut Caramel Crisp is a whopping great bar of chunky chocolate, gooey caramel and large peanut pieces that will satisfy the biggest appetites. It's a lovely combination of flavours and textures in every mouthful and the generous filling is very decadent. RRP £3.49 for a 278g bar.

Have you already found a father's day gift? What did you buy? 

Disclosure : We received the products in order to write an honest review.