0 Halloween with Baker Ross

Baker Ross is a well known, online arts and crafts business started up by Patti Baker in 1974. The company sells over 4000 items through their catalogues and online website including pocket money toys, educational supplies, party bag items and thousands of art and crafts products.

I've seen quite a few Baker Ross post on other blogs, and must admit I was a little envious of the people being so lucky to work with them. I've mentioned arts and crafts on here a few times before, and if you're a friend or family member, or even a fellow blogger who's on my Facebook, you'll know how much me and Spud love a good arts and crafts session.

When Baker Ross got in touch sending me some images of their fantastic Halloween range, which is impressively quite large, I just knew I had to get them involved in this year's Halloween feature and was delighted when they sent me some of their Halloween bath ducks and party bag fillers to try out.

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Halloween Rubber Ducks

Cost for pack of 6: £3.96

Cost for pack of 18: £11.34

I thought these Halloween themed rubber ducks would go down well as not only party bag/Trick or Treat items but also as a fun water themed activity! Each duck is approximately 5cm and are suitable for ages 3+, costing just 63p per duck if brought in a pack of 18, and 66p if brought in a pack of six these ducks went down in the Unique Young Mum household.

Each pack of six features six different designs which are a mummy duck, a witch duck, a vampire duck, a ghost duck, a pumpkin duck and monster/Frankenstein duck. We received twelve ducks, of which we gave one each to the six other children who attended our Halloween press bash, and kept the other six at home for Spud to play with.

Decorating our bathroom sink with Halloween tinsel and some Halloween light accessories, I filled the sink with warm water, the six ducks and a spooky hand salad server for Spud to play with whilst we waited for his bath to run. I then took the hand away and told Spud to close his eyes, picking one duck each time and asked him to try to identify the duck he had selected, it was a great little activity and game, and took a minute to set up, and just minutes to play!

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Halloween Toy Pack

Cost for pack of 6: £1.98 

Cost for pack of 30: £9.00

Party bag fillers are sold all year round, but when it comes to Halloween, it's not often you come across a good selection of Hallowen party bag fillers. This Halloween toy pack is just one of the many sets of Halloween fillers that Baker Ross sell.

Included in each bag of six is two hand drums; one a black colour with a ghost, the other a orange colour with a pumpkin, two magic springs; one a black colour with a skull, the other a orange colour with a pumpkin and two whistles with attached cord to be worn around the neck in a purple or green skull design and a green or purple pumpkin design.

These fillers cost as little as 30p each when brought in a bundle of 30, or just 33p each when purchased in a packet of six, suitable for ages 3+ they make great tricks to give Halloween knockers, make fabulous favours for party guest, or can even be a treat for the children who celebrate Halloween at home.

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The two Halloween items I've mentioned above are just a few of many Halloween themed items Baker Ross sell. To give you a rough idea of the other items the company sell, I've made this little collage below featuring make your own witch and wizard hats, a pack of four Halloween mugs, a pack of six colour in mini Halloween bags and witch broomstick kits.

Baker Ross have a number of delivery options available, ensuring your desired products reach you on time. They ship to the UK, Channel Islands and B.F.P.O with next day delivery available on UK mainland orders, as well as international shipping to many countries.

To view not only the full Halloween range, but thousands of other products too, check out the official Baker Ross website.

Detail: Halloween with Baker Ross

0 Halloween with Choc on Choc

Messing around with chocolate in the kitchen one day in 2003, talented inventor Kerr Dunlop and his then recently graduated daughter Flo Broughton was filling rubber moulds shaped as noughts and crosses. The idea was small, that the chocolate used in the moulds would create nice presents for the family. The pair soon devised a business plan and made enough chocolates to take to a trade show in Birmingham, to their surprise several shops made orders for their beautiful looking chocolate.

To stand out from other competitors, Flo and Kerr came up with the original, and now patented idea of layering chocolate on top of chocolate, creating unique and beautiful chocolate designs. It was then Choc on Choc was born.

In time for my Halloween press feature, I was kindly sent both bars of their Halloween themed chocolate the company sell, a spider bar and a ghost bar. Both bars weigh 120 grams and are gluten free, the bars also hold a shelf life of up to one year, but I can't imagine chocolate ever lasting that long, and my thoughts was only stronger when I sat down to review these bars myself.

I had received one bar of each design, and made the decision to not take these bars along to our press party. It may seem selfish, but I know the design would of caught the eyes of everyone, and just like a ghost, both bars would of vanished, leaving me clueless to what the chocolate tasted like!

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The Ghost Bar

Cost: £3.99 per 120g bar.

On first thoughts, the ghost bar looked more appealing to me, my favourite chocolate of all the kinds is white chocolate, and noticing a large area (the ghost itself) being white chocolate, I could only mentally taste the chocolate until I had time to try it out myself. Spud himself is not a keen chocolate fan at all, but does however enjoy a small amount of white chocolate every so often.

Overall, taste wise, this bar was both mine and Spud's favourite, with no dark chocolate in site, and no eight legged freaks it won hands down in our chocolate tasting evening.

Milk chocolate: 33.5% minimum. 

White chocolate: 28% minimum. 

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The Spider Bar

Cost: £3.99 per 120g bar.

Initially, I opened the box and tried to avoid looking at this bar, telling myself I'd try to eat a piece to sample with my eyes closed. It was only on closer inspection when I sat down to review the bars I noticed how cleverly designed it had been made. The web itself lays quite flat upon the solid background, however the spider gives off a 3D appearance making the spider look real, but just covered in chocolate.

I'm not a fan of dark chocolate what so ever, and try to avoid it at all cost, however with the main area of the chocolate bar being milk chocolate, I was pleasantly surprised to not have a overpowering taste of dark chocolate, but indeed a blend of the three main chocolates out there.

Dark chocolate: 53% minimum.

Milk chocolate: 33.5% minimum.

White chocolate: 28% minimum.

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The back of the both bars consist of imprinted square blocks, making it easier for you to break off pieces of chocolate, and it's also a great way to monitor a child's daily/weekly allowance. After all, the fantastic 12 month shelf life makes it possible for the bar to be consumed by eating just two squares a month! Not that chocolate would ever last that long in this household!

The Choc on Choc range is stocked in selected retailers including John Lewis, Boots, Harrods and Selfridges.

The complete range is available to view and purchase online with nationwide delivery from the official Choc on Choc website.

Detail: Halloween with Choc on Choc

0 Choosing the Right Sports Costume for Halloween.

For most women, Halloween isn't just a time to dress up – it's a time to look good doing it. No matter what costume you wear, from the spooky to the glamorous to something sports-themed, you want to look sexy in it. With a cat costume or a devil outfit that's easy, but when it comes to sports costumes for women it can be tricky. Don't worry though! With a little planning and the right knowledge, you can get a sports costume that will wow everyone.

The key to a sexy sports costume for women is making sure you don't come across as too masculine. While there are many female athletes who are heroes to many of us, a sports costume for Halloween is less about looking like one of the players and more about making a fantasy out of it.

Here are four sports costumes ideas that do just that, helping you look great while also injecting the fun and excitement of sports. Just add fake blood, some fake wound scars and maybe a spider web or two and away you go!

Referee A football player has a pretty masculine outfit. So what should you do if you want to rock a football-inspired costume? Go for a referee costume instead. Being a referee has endless potential. The black and white stripes are instantly recognizable, and they have a slimming effect and look great style-wise.

Then there's the fact that referees get to pass judgment on the players and whether a play was legal or not. You can have a lot of fun calling foul on your friends or on that cute guy you meet at the party. The perfect referee outfit includes a black and white top, black short skirt or short shorts, and knee high baseball socks. Don't forget your whistle!

Cheerleader Cheerleaders are athletes too, and they are perhaps the most timeless female sports figure of all. Even better, cheerleaders are the stuff of men's dreams. Every boy grew up with a crush on one of the cheerleaders at his school. Plus, cheerleader outfits really are fabulous!

Cheerleader Halloween costumes tend to be even better, often with a lot of tummy showing and a very small top, but there are more traditional options available as well. Match a pair of fuzzy boots with your pom-poms and you're ready to go. 

Race car driver A race car driver is one of the hottest sports costumes for women. That's because most race car driver costumes come with a full bodysuit that hugs your curves and shows off your best assets—while also being surprisingly comfortable. These suits are sleek and eye-catching. You can pair the outfit with a helmet (carried, not worn) or a checkered flag.

Baseball outfit Okay, we said the key is to not look too masculine, so why are we recommending a baseball costume? The answer is simple: because a baseball tee looks amazing on a woman's body. Every man thinks it's sexy to see a woman wearing one of his shirts, and the same goes for a baseball uniform. It should look a little big on you and you can pair it with shorts so it looks like the tee is all you're wearing.

Do you have other ideas for great sports-themed costumes for women?

Detail: Choosing the Right Sports Costume for Halloween.

0 The Original Candy Company Horror Pops

Based in Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, The Original Candy Company is a respected old hand in top-notch confectionery, from timeless classics like natural ingredient candy canes, candy sticks and round pops through to bespoke personalised treats. 

The Original Candy Company dispatches direct to it's customers within 3-5 days of receipt of order, the company is close knit with a real eye for detail and a proud reputation for exemplary customer service.

Often found on display stands nationwide, these blackcurrant flavoured Halloween themed lollies only contain natural colours, sugar, glucose syrup and natural flavouring. They have a good shelf life lasting approximately around 12 months and have the texture of a hard boiled sweet.

Available in three different designs; a skeleton, spider and skull priced at just £1.25 each, these lollies are great gifts for trick or treaters, or as a gift for children who stay at home celebrating Halloween. With each lolly having an approximate net weight of 50g and tasting delicious with it's natural ingredient these lollies will go down a right treat with Halloween candy fans of all ages.

As well as being sold online, these three Horror Pops are sold in farm shops and deli's nationwide. 

To view the full product range, visit The Original Candy Company website.

Detail: The Original Candy Company Horror Pops