It’s always time for a refreshing drink, or a yummy popsicle and Alchemy Cordial is on the menu!

Alchemy’s tagline is ‘Transforming Refreshment’ and you can taste it in their Classic Cordial range This summer we’ve been having iceblocks to cool off in the heat, and I’d begun to tire of the same flavours you find ordinarily in the supermarket. When I was asked to try out their cordial range – I could not pass it up.

From a Sunday market stall to an internationally distributed range of gourmet cordials and syrups, Alchemy is still proudly family owned and operated. They operate out of Cleveland on Brisbane’s bayside and their products can be found in all the best stores and cafés across Australia and online.

Alchemy’s Classic Cordials contain -

• NO Artificial Colours
• NO Artificial Flavours
• NO Artificial Preservatives
• NO Emulsifiers

They are also Gluten Free, contain no Genetically Modified Organisms and once you dilute them with water, they have about half the sugar content of soft drinks. Fantastic for sugar-conscious mum’s like me who don’t want to load their kids (and themselves) with more sugar than you want.

We tested Mambo (yummy Mango & Lime), Dewdrops (my new favourite – Honeydew melon, lime and bitters) and Love (gorgeous Rose Petal & Lime) in the Popsicle Mould that’s also available via the Alchemy website. After pouring the mixtures into the moulds, we popped them into the freezer for around 5 hours and out came our refreshing & tasty treats for the afternoon.

Yum! The other flavours Hula (pineapple and coconut) and Heat (chilli!!) were perfect after dinner drinks served cold with lots of crushed ice. Heat was unusual, definately one to try if you’re looking for something different.

Alchemy Cordial is perfect for families with kids – I love that it’s free from artificial preservatives, colours and flavours and is made with the best all-natural ingredients. The flavours are fun and unique, and it doesn’t leave your mouth & head with that fuzzy ‘too much sugar’ feeling. As a family, we all enjoyed their cordial together and it’s become our favourite treat to grab when it’s getting hot!

I’m very happy to announce our next competition. Up for grabs is an Alchemy prize pack worth over $100!

To win, just leave a comment below telling me which Alchemy Classic Cordial syrup flavour is (or could be) your favourite!

The competition closes Wednesday 8th February midnight and the winner will be drawn at random. Please read the T&C below for more info.

The Competition has now closed! No more entries will be accepted as of this message.

Alchemy are also giving away a free gift with every Classic Cordial purchase when you use the code BLOGGERPOP during the checkout. You’ll receive a free set of popsicle moulds whenever you purchase any of the Classic Cordials online.

So go on – enter the competition or go straight to the source and purchase your next favourite cordial today and score an awesome popsicle mould!

For more information about Alchemy Cordial, please check out their website
www.alchemycordial.com.au

Terms and Conditions
Competition is open to Australian residents only and winner must have an Australian postal address.
Winner must reply via email to accept prize within 5 days of notification or competition will be redrawn.
The winner will be announced on my Facebook page after the 9th February 2012.

As part of this review, I was sent a Alchemy Cordial Intro Kit. My opinions remain strictly & deliciously my own.

Having a cool lunch packed is essential in Australia – whether your little one goes to big school, or you’re off for a playdate with friends. An insulated lunch bag means the end of warm & questionable sandwiches, banana’s and cheese sticks.

My favourite insulated lunch bag is the Log Cabin by Jane Jenni ($25). We have this for our 2 year old to take to playgroup and it’s just enough to fit a sandwich, fruit and her drink bottle, together with a frozen ice block to keep everything nice and cool.

Made590 also have the Insulated Lunch Bag – Diner and Birds. They’re all Lead free, PVC free, Phthalate free – and not to mention is super cute!

I received our Log Cabin lunch bag very quickly from made590 so I can definately recommend them to you if you’re looking for a new lunch bag that’s both functional and cool

Made590 also have a range of great gifts & homeware, including plates & cups & clothing for everyone in the family. Check them out!

made590
www.made590.com.au

In a perfect world, all children would love their fruit and always ask for more water with their steamed salmon and vegetables and then insist on finishing their plate without even being asked to. After soccer, they would rush to their gym bag and pull out their carrot sticks to share with their friends.

But as a parent, you know that’s never the norm! Kids want flavour, they want to taste their food and we want the food to still be as healthy as possible.

I was fortunate to taste test some of the kids snacks from Organix, a great range of healthy kids snacks that is now available in Australia.

What I love about Organix the most, is their ‘No Junk Promise‘.

Our three pillars of SAFE, PURE and NUTRITIOUS is our promise to you that we will only give you the best food your baby deserves…

And you know what? You can taste it and it’s all good!

The first Organix snack that I had to try was the super cute Organic Gingerbread Men cookies. Sweetened only with grape juice, they are authentic in every way, using real ingredients and cuts out alot of the unnecessary sugars that the kids don’t need. Perfect for the Christmas table this year!

Next up were the Organic Soft Oaty Bars – Apple & Organic, Blackcurrant and Raspberry & Apple. The kids didn’t seem to like it much (they are fussy!) but I finished them myself and would like to the kids to try it again when school starts up next year. They’d be great for lunchboxes and contain no added sugar, no preservatives and are wholegrain. What more can you ask for as a parent?

The Organic Alphabet Biscuits went down well – they were tasty and small enough for a snack and perfect for a 4 year old who is all about letters lately!

Organix Squeezies were my daughter’s favourite – each Organix Squeezy is a blend of organic fruit pur­ee in a handy pouch  — and counts as one of your daily fruit servings. We tried the organic Mango, Pear and Peach squeezy and she gobbled that up in no time! Having snuck in a taste myself, I can see why – full of flavour and it tastes like you’re getting a treat

Last but not least were the Finger Foods range – we popped open the Organic Raspberry & Blueberry Rice Cakes and Organic Apple Rice Cakes one afternoon and they’re definate winners!

Suitable for babies from 7 months old, these organic Rice Cakes fit straight into little hands and were my favourite out of the range. The gorgeous colour of the Organic Raspberry & Blueberry Rice Cakes caught my eye as soon as we opened the packet – and then the taste got me! The Organic Apple Rice Cakes have a hint of cinamon are were a hit with the kids because they, again, tasted like a treat.

Organix Kids Snacks would be a welcomed addition to your pantry or snack drawer. With every product in the range, you can be assured that someone at Organix has given thought to what is going into their food and in turn into your kids tummies.

Reading my review back, I’ve mentioned ‘taste’ alot to describe the products – and that’s what kids want. Let us mums and dads read the labels and check out the ingredients, but in the end if it doesn’t taste great then it won’t be eaten. Our Organix products were gone over 2 days and that’s a review you can’t ignore!

For more information, please give Organic Traders a call on (02) 8399 0122 and they will find your nearest stockist.

You can also check out the Organix UK site for more info!
www.organix.com

One of our lovely playgroups moves outdoors when the weather is good, it’s a great opportunity to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air while we play. However, when it’s 30 degrees at 10am and morning tea is around the corner, then you better make sure you’ve properly insulated that sandwich and that a cool drink is on hand! I was caught out last week when I just threw the lunch box in my handbag together with a bottle. Everything was still edible and safe, but my instincts told me to get out the cooler bag next time because you never know what the weather will do!

I’ve had a look around the usual department stores, but haven’t found anything as cute as these lunch bags I’ve found online today –

one. spaceboy lunch bag by rex $10.95
two. Insulated Lunch Bag – Diner $24.95
three. Insulated Lunch Bags – Cat $20.00
four. Tiger Tribe Insulated Kids Lunch Bag $24.95
five. Penny Scanlan Kinder Lunch Box $39.95
six. Skip Hop Zoo Lunchies – insulated lunch bags $20.95
seven. Munchler Insulated Lunch Bag $19.95

Too cute – I think I’ve have one of each for every day of the week please

The trick with an insulated lunch box or bag is to not only go for style, go for budget, durability, how easy it is to clean and of course how much it holds. If it’s too small, you’ll find you need another! It also might be a good idea to have your child chose which lunch bag they want, and then get them to pick what goes inside. Another way to promote healthy habits and get them excited for school.

Stay cool everyone!

If you haven’t heard of Dymples yet, make sure you check out this best buy.

It’s a simple one, but I wanted to share it with you today – the Dymples 20 Pack Fork and Spoon Set which is available at Big W. Made in Australia using premium food grade materials, the spoons and forks are all BPA free. Buying them in a pack of 20 means it lasts a long time, and if we lose one, we have more!

For only $10, this colourful set of forks & spoons makes this Aussie mum very happy.

Check them out at Big W or click here to buy them online.

one. Fresco Loft Highchair – Rock Red $629.95
two. Klean Kanteen (12oz) 355ml stainless steel baby bottle $34.45
three. Cupcake Stand – Red $14.95
four. Storksak Bottle Holder $36
five. Incy Arm Chair $129.00
six. Annabel Karmel – Place Setting $45.95

Constructed with cocoa rice krispies and spearmint leaves & yellow frosting as mustard, this is sure to be a fantastic surprise for any kid’s (or big kid’s!) birthday. All the candy & cake would make it a sugar overload, special occasion kind of dessert, but it looks so much fun that you’ve got to be impressed with the creativity

You can find the recipe over at Parenting.com – click here.

A. Eeni Meeni Miini Moh Bib & Burp cloth Haze – A beautiful bib & burb cloth set – AU$39.00
B. French Bull Princess Bowl Yellow – The perfect sized bowl for kids! – AU$12.95
C. DwellStudio Lunch Box (Owls) – Super cute insulated lunch box – AU$49.50 (sorry, out of stock!)
D. iiamo Go Baby Self Warming Bottle – Self warming, anti-colic and BPA free! – AU$49.95
E. iiamo Warm 6pk – designed for the iiamo Go Baby bottle, pack of 6 warmers ready to go – AU$14.95

Check out the other sections of Olifant, including what’s new and specials!

Olifant
www.olifant.com.au

Aren’t they cute? For a baking novice like me, baking the perfect cupcake either for a birthday party or as a treat is one thing – decorating it is another…

Sure, I can make basic icing and sprinkle on some decorations, but cupcake wrappers take the cake a little bit further

Baking Pleasures is a fantastic online store featuring cake decorating supplies. I’ve purchased cupcake wrappers from them recently – their range of cupcake wrappers had me impressed! There’s not only cupcake wrappers for mums, but also great ones for kids birthdays.

Pictured above are the Wilton Big Top Cupcake Wraps & Picks, Wilton Jungle Pals Cupcake Wraps & Picks, Wilton Wheels Cupcake Wraps & Picks and the Wilton Princess Cupcake Wraps & Picks. Each set contains 12 cupcake wrappers & 24 matching picks for only $9.95 at Baking Pleasures.

I love that with these Wilton packs, you get decorative picks as well as the wrappers – it completes the cupcake even more and turns the most amateur cupcakes into something to talk about.

If you’re looking to jazz up your cupcakes with something simple but cute – grab a pack of cupcake wrappers and get wrapping!

Baking Pleasures also have a tonne of other cake decorating stuff, so be aware that you might just fall in love with their other products too

Baking Pleasures
www.bakingpleasures.com.au

Something that I recommend to try on a fussy toddler, is getting them their own special bowl & plate set. Make mealtimes fun and exciting for them – make them want to participate in breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and give them a bit of independence!

The plates & bowls by Skip Hop are not only adorable but they are also BPA Free, PVC Free and dishwasher safe. They are made of durable melamine so they’ll stay in great condition after many meals.

You can buy the Skip Hop plates and bowls seperately (they coordinate with entire ZOO tableware collection) or you can buy them as a set (set includes cup, divided plate and stripey cup)

Pictured above is the –
Skip Hop Melamine Zoo Bowl Bee $6.95 from The Hip Infant
Skip Hop Melamine Zoo Divided Plate Monkey $10.95 from The Hip Infant
Skip Hop Melamine Zoo Set Owl $19.95 from The Hip Infant

I love that you can get different animals and design your own zoo – mix and match the Dog with the Bee, or the Monkey and the Owl – there’s a Skip Hop dinnerset for every kid!

For more info on the Skip Hop feeding range, please visit The Hip Infant
www.thehipinfant.com.au