MUMMY TO THE MAX

This Halloween there is a hero to capture all those nasty spooky monsters... Say hello to Maxwell the superhero dressed up in his stylish silver Swoopercape.

Maxwell was sent has brand new Swoopercape from a company called Miioon that allows children to design their own clothes and accessories. The idea is simple but easy for your little ones to get involved in. Children are able to design clothing and accessories, choose colours, logos, characters and even wording. The website is safe and easy to use.

Here you are able to choose what item you would like to make.  We choose a Swoopercape.

Once choosing a Swoopercape, you are able to choose what shape you would like on the cape. We choose the circle which came up with a lightning design.

You are able to go on to choose what colour you would like to make the logo on the back of your Swoopercape. We choose red.

Finally you are able to choose what letter you would like on your Swoopercape. We choose M for Max.

Making the Swoppercape was easy and fun. It was great to spend some quality time with Maxwell doing a fun activity which would see his design in something he could wear. The process of making the Swoopercape was fairly quick and it was not time consuming.


Our Swoopercape came quickly, we waited just 3 days for its arrival and as soon as we got it we were impressed. The Swoopercape came with a matching mask and wrist bands for just £12.50 I thought the cape was a real bargain.

The Swoopercape can be used this Halloween, for fancy dress days at school or it can be used for imagery play. As one size fits all, it can be used as your child grows and even siblings could go on to use the Swoopercape.


Just in time for Christmas Miioon are offering customers the chance to pick up Miioon giftcards in Asda, you are also able to buy the gift cards online. I think Miioon is a perfect Christmas present as it will allow children to get creative as well as have fun with parents and siblings over the Christmas period. It is also a great present as there are many different ideas for children to choose form over at Miioon.

For more information please visit there website.

As many of my readers know, I love to grab a bargain. This Halloween is not an exception. When we were told about Home Bargains Halloween Products we were keen to see what they were like and put them through their paces. I was impressed at the wide range of products Home Bargains had to offer.

Devil Costume – £3.99

Maxwell was sent a Devil Costume aged 1-2. At just £3.99 I thought this was great price for Halloween dress up. The costume itself is simple but fun. It does not come with trousers but it is easy to team the top with some black trousers, jogging bottoms or even some tights. The costume fitted Maxwell well and he enjoyed wearing it.

Witch Hat, 89p

This Witch Hat could complete any costume. It is well made, decorated with style and one size can fit many. At just 89p you could buy a few to give to your guests at a Halloween party to make the night that extra bit spooky. The design stands out and the material it is made of is hard wearing. 

I love dressing Maxwell up and this Halloween is not an exception! Maxwell and I were delighted when Sainsburys sent us out 2 of there spooky Halloween costumes for Maxwell to try this year. Having not ever tried Sainsburys Halloween range, we were really excited to see what the costumes looked like.

Sainsburys sent us over a toddler spider costume and a pumpkin costume. The spider costume was our favourite. The costume came with a hat, top and trousers. The costume comes in a red and black theme. The top is fun and features a spider with six stripy legs and on the top there is a happy-looking spider face on the front. I decided to put a black long sleeved t-shirt under the top of the costume to keep Maxwell warm as the top is a vest top.

The Pumpkin costume we were sent comes with just a top and trousers. The costume is a bright orange colour and a lot of fun. The costume has a pumpkin face on which is actually a pocket. The pocket allows your child to put there treats in when going trick or treating. Again the top is vest style so I simply added a orange top under the costume to keep Maxwell warm. If Maxwell was a little older I think it would be fun to paint Maxwell's face orange so he would look like a giant pumpkin.


The only issue I had with the costumes was the hat that came with the spider costume. It was a little large and kept going over Maxwell's eyes so in the end he did not wear it as it irritated him however overall we found the costumes to be fantastic.

Sainsburys costumes are brilliantly made. They are a low price which makes them affordable for all. Sainsburys cater for all the family and offer a large range of costumes.

For more Halloween costumes and Halloween ideas please visit Sainsburys website.

Maxwell is a huge fan of food and loves to eat anything, however this Halloween I thought I would make him something special and creative. I came up with the idea of making a "Halloween Monster" for him.

You will need:
Apple
Skewers
Raisins
Large Marshmallows
Smarties
Red Food Colouring
Sweetie Teeth

1. Cut your apple in half's around the core, I used the larger sides to get a wider area to work with.
2. Cut one of your apple pieces bottoms off so it sits flat when on a surface.
3. Place the 2 pieces of apple together by using skewers.
4. Get 2 large marshmallows and attach these on top of the skewers, push 2 raisins into the marshmallows to make the eyes. 
5. Use the end of a skewer and decorate the apple and the eyes with with red food colouring.
6. Add smarties in the apple to make a funky looking affect and add the teeth/fangs to complete your Halloween Monster.

On Sunday Maxwell, A.Rachel and I are going to a bonfire night at our local recreation ground. I am really looking forward to it as it is the first time Maxwell will have seen any type of fireworks however I have been a little scared about what he will be wearing.

I was finding it hard to come up with a outfit suitable for Maxwell to wear. I was looking for something which would keep him warm and snug however I also wanted something which would keep him looking trendy. Katheleen came to my rescue when she emailed me asking would Maxwell like to try some Slugs and Snail boys tights.


We were sent a pair of Spooked tights in age 2-3. The tights arrived in a small box with a transparent plastic window showing off there bright design. They looked fantastic, featuring brightly coloured monsters on a dark backing they defiantly stood out. I was excited to get them on Maxwell and see what he thought of them.

The tights were easy to get on and off Maxwell, I simply was able to roll them on to his feet and pull them up his legs, it took a matter of seconds which I was happy about as Maxwell loves to wriggle.

The tights themselves were soft to touch and also quite thick which is fantastic in the cold weather. They feature anti slip soles which are useful for Maxwell as he is forever sliding around in just socks as we have laminate flooring. The tights are extremely hard wearing due to being stitched well which means they do not go out of shape after washing. I also found they do not bubble after washing.


For bonfire night Maxwell will be wearing his slug and snail tights to keep himself warm. Although I could add some jeans or other trousers over the top of the tights for extra warmth I have found that most other trousers do not fit well into Maxwell's Wellington boots which will cause him to be uncomfortable. I can not wait for people to see Maxwell's tights.

Slugs and Snails is the first company in the UK and Ireland to design and produce tights just for boys. The designs are great and the idea behind them is fantastic. I can not wait for some more designs to come out and get a few more pairs of tights for Maxwell this winter.
You are able to purchase the tights from the Slugs & Snails website.

This week saw a brand new Scooby Doo! DVD hit our shelves, Scooby Doo! Adventures - The Mystery Map. Maxwell loves to watch Scooby Doo on CBBC however the new DVD is in a all new cute puppet format which appeals to Maxwell's age a little more than the cartoon version. 

Perfect for Halloween Loubilou have given me the chance to offer my readers a very cute spooky prize.
The spooky prize consists of a pair of Ivor Spider tights. These are perfect for Halloween or just to add that burst of colour and fun to any outfit. The tights are suitable for children ages 0-4 years old.


The Ivor Spider tights feature: New improved anti-slip soles and new improved stretch giving more room after washing and yarn tightening.
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1. Carve your Pumpkin, make sure a adult is around to help if you need it. Once carved remember to save the insides of the pumpkin to create the sick affect.
2. Get a bin bag and lay it flat on the floor. Places the pumpkins insides which you have dug out of both pumpkins inside the pumpkin and out so it creates a sick affect.
3. Insert a knife into the sick pumpkin and add a lot of food colouring to create the blood affect. 
4. Get a box and place the 2nd carved pumpkin you have on it. A Halloween themed box is best. 
5. Get a rubber glove and fill it with material. I used packaging material. Fill the glove up so it has a 3D affect and simply add some food colouring on it so it looks like blood.
6. Place the second pumpkin on the box near the murdered pumpkin and add the glove carefully so it looks like the pumpkin has a hand. Ensure the hand looks like it is digging the knife into the murdered pumpkin.
7. You have your creative Halloween pumpkin!

It was the night before Halloween and the house seemed cold and spooky. There was a thud and a thump and the lights flickered and went out, Maxwell screamed from under the covers. Was there a monster under the bed or was it the friendly ghost in the attic? Maxwell sat up sharply and took his new friend out from the pillow. His friend glowed with joy as he helped Maxwell identify the noise. Maxwell found a small box had fallen from his wardrobe and his box of plastic spiders had escaped! Pabobo Savanna had once again saved the day and made Maxwell feel safe.


With its moveable legs and arms, Lumilove lion will become your little one’s best friend and he will always be up for an adventure. If its day or night the Lumilove lion will be there for your little one. With 4 different designs there is something to suit everyone's taste.

The Lumilove lion lights up for up to 8 hours and changes through a variety of LED colours which make up  the colours of the rainbow. The Lumilove is fully rechargeable and comes with a separate charger which simply plugs into the bottom of the light. This is a great feature as it means I do not have to constantly visit the shops to get new batteries and I can simply charge the light from home which saves me not only money but time.


Children are able to use the Lumilove lion with ease as it come with a ‘tap on/tap off’ mode. This enables your child to choose their favourite colour by lightly tapping the lion. This feature could also help children later on in life to learn colours. This light could double up as a learning toy.

Overall Maxwell has made a great friend out of the Lumilove and we have enjoyed using it. We found the product to be 100% safe as it never got to hot when in use and it is built to last. It is a great product which has been designed to help children get a better nights sleep and even help them not be scared of the dark however I also think that it could help children with their development, especially when it comes to learning colours.

Did you see our latest review on the new Spookley the Square Pumpkin DVD? Would you like to get your hands on a copy?
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I have always adored dressing Maxwell up and Halloween is not a exception! Last year Maxwell dressed up as a pumpkin, a skeleton and even a spider but this year I wanted to go the extra mile. Even though Maxwell is small, I am always on the look out for unique ideas to make Maxwell's outfit that little bit more special. I was recently contacted by Inch Blue and they were able to offer me just the right thing I was looking for.


Maxwell and I were sent some lovely spider themed leather shoes from Inch Blue. As soon as we set eyes on them I knew they would be perfect to wear for Halloween, not only round the house to keep his feet warm but also out and about.

The shoes were presented in a lovely gift bag which was clear. The bag had handles which made the shoes easier to carry around and made it easier to attach to our changing bag. Once removing the shoes out of the gift bag we were very impressed.


The shoes are very soft, I am normally a worrier about what I am putting on Maxwell's feet but I felt happy that these would fit Maxwell's feet well. All the shoes come in different sizes which gives you the option to get the perfect fit for your child. We choose size 18-24 months and the measured well on Maxwell.

The shoes are made from soft natural leather and they have non slip suede soles which makes them perfect for our house as we have wooden floors. They are very easy to get on and off and they are secure on Maxwell's feet as he walks around.


I love the unique designs Inch Blue offer, they have come up with many designs to suit many children's ages. The spider shoes we were sent are in red and blue but you are also able to choose them in a Turquoise colour. I am excited to see what Inch Blue come up with for Christmas!

Overall I highly recommend Inch Blue, whatever occasion you are looking for shoes for I am sure you can find them over on Inch Blue's website.

1. Gather your items you are wanting to use form around your house, they can be found at a cheap bits and bob shop or a craft store.
2. Type up a list of the items. Cut it out for your guests to identify objects easily.
3. Grab your jar and fill it with pasta, then add a few of the items at a time. You can dig the items down or keep them near the top, you can make it as difficult as you like for your guests. 

Make your own costume - If you think about how long a costume for Halloween is worn, it doesn't make sense to spend a lot of money especially on children's costume. The costume will normally be only worn once as your child will grow out of them by next year so why not make a costume yourself? Don’t buy pumpkin carving templates or tools - You can download  free templates all over the internet  to create a unique face for your pumpkin this year. Last year I managed to create a spooky face by downloading a template and many people commented on how good it looked.  You also do not need the fancy knives or scoops in order to clean and create your pumpkin. You can just use the tools in your own kitchen. Last year we used a bread knife, a large spoon and a drill. I personally thing the most touches you put on a pumkin yourself, the more unique it will be.  Shop ahead - Last year when all the Halloween stuff went on sale after Halloween I managed to pick a few bits up. Halloween decorations and even napkins and plates never go out of date so it is fantastic to buy and store when you are able to buy at a low price. Before Halloween also hits why not take a look over on eBay or a local selling site and see if anyone is selling anything Halloween related. Last week I saw someone selling lots of Halloween blow up figures as new for just £10, if bought new they would have cost over £40!

Swizzels Matlow is the UK’s largest family-owned independent sugar confectionery business and one of the few confectionery companies to still manufacture sweets in the UK. They have been trading in the confectionery sector for over 80 years and they make a range of well known products