Hotel Chocolat - The Christmas Goody Bag review

Hotel Chocolat is not usually the first one i'd head to for chocolate, i haven't ever really seen much about the brand so when i was contacted by them regarding their Christmas Range i was very excited to explore what they had in store!

The Christmas Goody Bag

This is one of the most ingenious chocolate gift products i have ever come across! Perfect for any woman that loves chocolate and handbags! It looks so cute in it's monochrome colours and stuffed full of chocolatey goodness. If you wanted to, you could even separate the four goodies inside into stocking fillers or smaller gifts if you preferred.

Inside the goody bag:

Christmas Mess chocolates

£3.75

"Fabulously fruity cranberry ganache and strawberry mousse with meringue sprinkles"

These look absolutely stunning, gorgeously designed mini desserts in little cups just waiting to be devoured! They sound amazing and taste even nicer! They definitely are fabulously fruity and mixed with the meringue provides a balanced strong-sweet treat - perfect for sharing at christmas too!

Ho Ho Ho Santas

£2.50

"Containing three irresistibly cute milk chocolate Santas – perfect for pockets, stockings and Christmas nibbling"

These are such a cute little stocking filler! The box contains a trio of festive milk chocolate santas which definitely get you in the mood for christmas and are a perfect treat for munching whilst watching a christmas film! The detail of them is amazing too! (i've actually already invested in another of these to go in a little hamper i'm putting together for a friend!) 

Treacle Tarts

£3.75

"A marriage of molasses and runny caramel crowned with a crunchy shortbread biscuit."

These look so yummy they are the first thing i got my hands on in the bag! They are so cute to look at and would make the perfect mini chocolate gift for anyone that loves caramel shortbread! (although they are very moreish!) They are crunchy with a surround of velvety chocolate that is filled with caramel and provides a very sweet treat!

Small Chocolate Wreath

£7.50

"Inspired by one of the absolute classic flavour combinations of mellow 50% cocoa milk chocolate working in perfect harmony with nibbly cookies and hand cut florentines that beautifully balance the sweetness of the chocolate. Perfect for slicing and sharing with family and friends"

I think the description pretty much sums this up! It looks beautiful but be warned, it is a little tricky to 'slice' because of it's thickness! (just over an inch thick!) Although it is great for sharing but it is not for the faint hearted.. it is a very rich chocolate with cocoa cookie pieces that will be perfect for the lovers of stronger chocolate among us!

It is also suitable for vegetarians!

This Christmas Goody Bag can be bought via the Hotel Chocolat website or within various stores for the price of £18.00! I think for normal gifts this may be a little bit pricey but it's Christmas.. i think people deserve a treat and i definitely hope to find something under the tree from these this christmas.. I think the rest of the family are too!

(if you order by 6pm they also do Next Day Delivery!)

*I was sent this product by Hotel Chocolat free of charge but all above opinions are my own

Christmas Wishlist

Asos Candy Knee High Boots
River Island Leather Look Skinny Trousers
Asda George Contrast Collar Jumper Dress
Bowling For Soup Baseball Tee

The above are my fashion wishes for Christmas!
Firstly, i have been after some knee high black boots for ages but haven't ever really found any that i Loved that weren't over £100 (which is a little out of my budget) so these beauties are amazing! They're usually £45 but right now they are part of the ASOS 50% off sale!

The leather trousers are sort of the same story and at £35 are a steal in my opinion! I have seen some good reviews from other bloggers of them in the past so am very welcome to trying them out!

I love jumper dresses in winter as you can just throw on some leggings and one of these and you're ready to go, this one is simple but stunning and at only £14 it's a real bargain!

I finally saw Bowling For Soup this year and they are one of my favourite bands! I love band tees as they are so easy to wear and they show some personality and this one is one of my personal favourites..

I hope everyone is looking forward to Christmas!
I'm not very organised this year.. i only bought my last present online today..

Clothes Show Live 2013

So i was lucky enough to actually Win 2 tickets for the Clothes Show Live 2013 including ones to the fashion theatre so me and my sister got up early and got stuck in to a day of Fashion, Shopping and Fun!

So we arrived at around 10:30am and headed straight for the Fashion Theatre!
We thought this would be the best option as we were fresh and excited, best time to see the fashion show and actually remember it all!

It was absolutely Fabulous and they had so many amazing outfits and dancers i could've stayed there All day! The lighting and effects were also pretty awesome! The lucky girl in the row in-front of us got the goody bag for 'screaming the loudest' which included an Alcatel One Touch mobile phone!!
We headed over to the Alcatel One Touch phone stand later that day where they were interviewing one of the dance choreographer's and they had 3 'scanning points' that you had to Scan with your smartphone after accessing their Facebook page and you could win instant prizes! I got lucky and managed to win a HD Brows Bronzer worth £19.96!

After that we grabbed a sandwich (that we ate pretty quickly i might add!) then onwards towards the giant shopping market that had been laid out for us to enjoy!

There were quite a good mix of both designer and average-cost brands and of course loads of Sale's and discounted items. Quite a few of the make up stands such as Barry M and Models Own were giving away goodie bags for only £10 which included 12 Items from the range which was pretty amazing value.

My sister bought a dress and a playsuit majorly discounted from the Amy Child's range (she payed only £35 for Both!) and we queued up alter in the day to get our bags signed by her and our picture taken too
I tried one of the dresses on too - it felt amazing but i didn't take too much money with me - big mistake!

Afterwards we each grabbed a Company/Cosmopolitan goodie bag (which was only £2!) it was filled with mini goodies plus an issue of each magazine and a free drink which was very needed!

I bought my sisters christmas presents and also some little treats for myself:

2 dresses at top: Sister's presents

Mine: Freak of Nature Dress

Ciate' Nail Polish Advent Calendar - ONLY £10!!

After this we headed to the Benefit Cosmetics Car which we had our photo taken in and were told to post to their Facebook page and then ask people to vote for us to win a £200 Benefit Cosmetics Goodie Bag! Please vote for us using the link here! (we're the one in the top left corner - sorry it's a bit dark!)

Lastly we headed to the Girl Guides stall that were promoting the things that women can do other than with their looks! They are promoting to younger girls and women that we can do anything we put our minds to, even though we can be judged on our looks a lot! I think it's a fab message to send, they made a row of 'tiles' on the floor using pieces of card that each woman had written on stating the things they can do and everyone was allowed free photos from a photo booth where they encouraged you to put of silly hats and accessories and to just have fun! Which We Did!

We then did a bit more shopping and then we headed off around 4:30pm by which time the trains were manic!

We both had a really fun day and it was great to spend some Sister-Sister time together..

And to do lots of shopping!!

THANKYOU CLOTHES SHOW LIVE 2013!

Tesco Clubcard Boost Wishlist - double your vouchers for Christmas!

I was contacted by the lovely people at Tesco and informed about their new amazing scheme called Clubcard Boost!

In my opinion it couldn't have come at a better time - in the run up to christmas, saving some money is what i think Everyone is looking for!

Basically how it works is that every £5 of Clubcard vouchers you have can be 'boosted' up to £10 to spend on your choice of categories! So you realistically double your money!  (just look out for the clubcard boost icon to ensure you can use it)

If you are shopping on Tesco direct, your vouchers will be available when you checkout so you can choose whether to boost them or not when you make your purchase.

Exchange your vouchers into Boost tokens either in store or online at tesco.com/clubcard/boost. If you are exchanging vouchers for in store tokens, you need to first select the departments you wish to spend them in. 

If you are spending them in store we will email you a link to My Clubcard Account so you can print your tokens and take them into store.

I personally have a Wishlist of products to share with you to show you just how i may be using Clubcard Boost this season!

Skylanders Swap Force Starter Pack - Wii

I think everyone knows that this is a big thing for christmas and i think it's brilliant for all the family - especially at christmas time! Priced at only £49 too!

Furby Boom Sweet Waves

I remember these being around when i was growing up and my niece would Love to get her hands on one! Although they work with a smartphone app now, i still think they have the childhood charm they used to! Reduced to £49.99

Star Wars Scalectrix Battle of Endor Set

For as long as i can remember i have wanted a Scalectrix set and the boyfriend joins me in this (as well as being a huge Star Wars fan!) so this may be the perfect present for him! - quick it's been reduced to only £49.99!

Ghost Deep Night Eau de Toilette Spray 30ml

I was ggiven this as a birthday present a few years back and it has remained one of my favourite everyday perfumes! It is feminine, fruity and floral with apricot, vanilla & peach! Perfect for the lady in your life - or yourself of course! Only £24!

Remington S8590 Keratin Therapy Pro Straightener

I have had my eye on this for quite some time and so has my sister! It looks like such an amazing product and i've been meaning to buy some new ones! Grab these quick - great reviews and reduced to only £45! That's Half Price!

Philips Senseo HD7863/80 Coffee POD
This looks so impressive on the picture and it has some great reviews! I've always been interested in owning a coffee machine and this is a complete bargain! Would be perfect for after-dinner coffee at Christmas too. Reduced to £49!

Don't forget that Clubcard boost is available on such a wide range of categories there is something for everyone! What better way to spend your Clubcard vouchers when you can double your money? So get down to Tesco! or Log On atleast!

Clubcard Boost runs all the way up until 20th December so don't miss out!

The Internet Gift Store

I recently came across the Internet Gift Store whilst browsing online and honestly, i expected it to be another of those 'all-round' websites that all seem to stock the same kind of thing..

I was very much mistaken i'm glad to say!

They have such a wide array of gifts suitable for everyone imaginable!

They've also got Free UK Delivery until the end of October - so only 2 days left!

My Christmas Stocking Filler List - Sale

For my Niece i have picked out these 2 Hello Kitty Pink Hi-Ball Tumblers that have been reduced to only £1.99!!

For my Sister i have picked out this Large Overnight Bag that will definitely make her laugh! It's definitely big enough for her weekend's away and it being pink just makes it a winner! This is also in the sale for an amazing £2.99!

For my Dad (who is usually incredibly difficult to buy for) i picked out i thought these Personalised Socks were perfect! I wouldn't usually go for this kind of thing but they seem good quality and it's something i can make different than a normal plain pair of socks even if just to make him giggle for a while. These are only £1.99!

For my Mom i have picked out this sweet little photo frame! It made me giggle and it will be a lovely present once a personal photo has been placed inside and something she can display in her room for her to look at to her heart's content: for only £2.99 too!

And lastly for my Boyfriend i picked out this Desk Space Shuttle that he can play with at work when he's bored! And for only £4.99 it's such a cute little item!

As you can see they have such a variety of gifts available and things really aren't too expensive either!

If you want to check out more of their sale then just click here for the Homepage and please take a look at the 'Special Offers' section

Happy Christmas Shopping!

*I wrote this blogpost of my own behalf and paid for the items specified myself,in no way was i compensated for this post

A new blog..

As you are all aware i have been quiet on the posting-side of my blog for the past month or so.

My new business is pulling forward and i am getting myself ready for the run up to Christmas and all the fairs i am attending to sell my yummy cupcakes and treats!

Find me on: Facebook and Twitter!

Because of me having to devote so much time to my baking passion i have decided to start up a New food/baking blog!

Please follow here!

There you will be able to find what i'm getting up to, new bakes and makes, events and also new products i have been using and reviewing!

So if you love cake, sweet treats and a bargain for christmas please follow me on Twitter, Facebook and on my blog!

I'll see you over there!

Swizzells Matlow Drumstick Lolly Survey & Competition!!

I have been contacted by Swizzells Matlow to let all my followers know about a new promotion that is going on Right Now!

As we all know Swizzells matlow make yummy Drumstick Lollies and also mixed lolly bags and they are looking for Your opinion to help improve their products!

As a thankyou for entering, they are giving 10 Lucky people the chance to win:

A Sweetie Hamper courtesy of Swizzells Matlow!

This includes: Squashies bags x4, Large Squashies bags x4, Big bag of Chew Crew, Big  Bumper Bag, Big Bag of Lots of Lollies and also 2 big bags of One Direction Love Hearts!

How To Enter

Simply fill in the survey and leave your details by using the link below!

(Then cross your fingers!!)

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/angiescupcakes

Good Luck Everyone!

I've been away Baking.. Offers & Discounts on my new business venture!

As you are all probably aware, i have been very quiet on my blog for the past few weeks and this is because i am setting up my own business from home and really trying to make a go of my dream.

So, this is my venture!

Cupcakes, Cookies and Gifts for all occasions!

I am available to cater for dietary needs such as; Gluten Free and Vegetarian

I can work to specification on themes, whether it be Birthdays, Weddings or any other Celebrations!

I also do various Fairs and Events within the west Midlands so keep a look out for updates of where i'm going to be!
Follow me on Facebook at The Baking Dame for updates!!

Some pictures of my recent bakes...

Cupcakes: My orders come in a minimum of 12 cupcakes and go up in 6's

Cookies: My specialty is Gooey Rolo Cookies but i can also do a variety of other flavours eg. Reese's Peanut, White Choc Chip and Nutella all of which are the Gooey variety!

Gifts: My gifts range is currently expanding and will be updated by 1st October to ensure time fot Christmas!

It is also the beginning of National Cupcake Week tomorrow! They aim to try and get as many people as possible to be eating 1 cupcake a day, all week long! So as a commitment to this national week i will be offering Discounts and Offers on all orders this coming week!

From 6pm Tonight (15/09/2013) until those placed at 8pm Sunday (22/09/2013)

PLEASE NOTE: Orders will need to be placed a minimum of 24 hours in advance!

Walkers Mighty Lights review!

I was lucky enough to be contacted by Walkers recently and when they asked if I’d like to try their new range of snacks – I couldn’t say Yes quick enough!

The new range is called Mighty Lights! It’s fun, catchy and easy to remember too!

When the box landed on the doorstep we couldn’t wait to open it up and take a peek inside.. I was excited to see that we’d been sent 3 lots of six-pack multipacks of the crisps! One in each flavour and we just couldn’t wait to dig in! Even the dog didn’t look like he could resist! (Although he wasn’t allowed to try any)

The packets are brightly coloured and instantly recognisable as Walkers. The bright colours, bold lettering and simple design.. they have even included a potato man pulling silly faces too!

Walkers have always been a family favourite within our house and these definitely didn’t disappoint. The flavours we were sent were: Lightly Salted, Roast Chicken and Cheese & Onion. I automatically went for the Lightly Salted first as I’m not usually a big fan of the other 2 flavours. I naively presumed as they were lightly salted that they wouldn’t have much flavour – I was completely wrong! The saltiness of the crisps was just the right amount to tickle your taste-buds, they are quite filling too which I thought was brilliant.

I was also surprised by the flavours of the other two. The Cheese & Onion had quite a natural full-of-flavour taste without being too strong which is the thing I don’t usually like about them. Although having said that, Sonic loves Cheese & Onion crisps and he absolutely loved these too so it’s obviously the best of both! The kids also loved them! I have Natalia asking for them to put into her lunchbox when she starts school again this week and she’s made it clear to me that she’s going t tell all her friends ‘how amazing they are so they will buy them too!’

The chicken flavour was a pretty strange sensation for me as I actually thought they tasted a bit like proper chicken! That may sound strange but when compared to other brands I could tell they just didn’t taste as artificial and I could relate them to Sunday dinner – well almost!

Walkers have this to say about their new product: ‘With 30% less fat than standard crisps, Mighty Lights are perfect for kids' lunchboxes. They are tasty, ridged crisps that come in three flavours - roast chicken, cheese and onion and lightly salted. All the flavours are suitable for vegetarians, and are available in shops nationwide. They're made from real potatoes with no artificial colours of preservatives-  and they're a source of fibre’. To find out more information, visit this link for Mighty Lights.

For me personally, these pretty much sum up the perfect crisps for our household and all the family! Perfect for kids lunchboxes, great as a light guilt-free snack, suitable for vegetarians and with no artificial colours or preservatives you can’t really argue that they are suitable for those of any age! I think it’s absolutely fabulous that Walkers have made a product lower in fat and with a more healthy attitude that is perfect for children as I would definitely say that it’s what a large amount of parents want!

What I love about them is that you can really taste the potatoes in them – I know that may sound strange, but I think you can taste just how natural they are and it is so much more satisfying to munch on a bag of crisps with a natural snap! I will definitely be buying these again – as you can see, they’ve all disappeared because we loved them so much!

My New Business!

So the past couple of weeks has been a very exciting time for me as i have been re-living my love of baking and after doing a stall at quite a big event last weekend i have realised that i now feel strong enough to 'set up on my own'.

So after the stall totally selling out of 120 cupcakes at the event last weekend, i realised just how passionate i am about baking and that i would happily bake for 7 hours a day if i had to! Normal office hours could be happily spent in my kitchen producing cakes and bakes!

My last post indicated that we were under a different name but now because of some personal reasons, i have changed the name and have myself booked into some fairs around Staffordshire & the West Midlands too!

So introducing..

The Baking Dame

Right now, i feel that i can offer for order:

• Cupcakes in multiples of 6 or 12 with a theme of your choice - boxed
• (these can be flavoured if desired)
• Lemon & Lime Drizzle Loaves with seasonal decoration
• Coffee & walnut cake
• Cookie Gift Jars filled with Gooey Rolo Cookies (medium or large)

All items can be boxed and gift wrapped with a colour scheme or your choosing!

Please have a look at and Like my Facebook page here.

More images will be added over the next week or so, so keep  an eye out!

All contact details are available on there and any queries - please just ask!