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Good Morning Lovelies, 

Having been brought up in a house full of boys, Top Gun was the epitome of cool. Tom Cruise has never made a film quite like it since. The action hasn’t ever matched it. And the soundtrack is fantastic. All things that I have been heard over the years about it in fact. Therefore, I was intrigued to see the much-anticipated sequel, Top Gun Maverick. 

With many five star reviews and a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the return of Cruise as Test Pilot Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell, is one wild ride. Having avoided advancing his career since the sad death of his friend, Pete is brought back into the team, by an old enemy who believes he can teach a strong team to take out the ultimate enemy.

Yet, when faced with the son of his tragic friend Goose, played by Miles Teller, he finds that his emotional side may be affected more than he thought. Creating a storyline that beats the original one in many ways.

With strong ties to the original, including an opening sequence that matches the 1986 classic, director Joseph Kosinski, has used his action based background to breathe life into the feature. Something that Cruise reflects and Teller introduces. The film is courageous, cunning and exciting throughout. 

There isn’t a moment where it doesn’t feel like the audience is up in the air and flying along with the characters. Every little detail, camera sequences and close up edits make the thrills come thick and fast. The character interactions and scripts are strong, presenting a team that simply works. One that feels like it has never been apart. Even with all the new faces. 

However, something that is new and very refreshing is the personal element to the whole feature. Maverick is more approachable, with his personal relationships highlighted for the first time and the open emotions he has for the losses he has faced. His father like figure over Teller’s Rooster is much appreciated and makes the chances of a third feature very much wanted. 

36 years on from the first film, Top Gun Maverick soars above and beyond to avoid the danger zone. It is a sequel that will stand out amongst others. Any classic film that wishes to present its own one will now have to live up to this. It is a thrill and a half! 

5 Stars

Joey X

Good Morning Lovelies, 

October is the time when you can get cosy and stay inside with a good book. For me, the winter months mean that romantic love stories, with twists and turns can be devoured. I am a huge romance fan at heart, but I adore all sorts when it comes to my books. I mean it only seemed right to read a bit of a spooky find with it being October. 

Here are the books that I have been reading this month that I cannot get enough off. Honestly, someone may need to buy me a library by the end of the year, especially Christmas coming this way. For now though, I am celebrating these new reads on my shelf…

• Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson
• Broken Throne by Victoria Aveyard
• Parenting Hell by Rob Beckett and Josh Widdecombe
• We Are The Beaker Girls by Jacqueline Wilson
• The Worst Thing About My Sister by Jacqueline Wilson
• The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling
• Under The Christmas Tree by Heidi Swain

What books did you pick up during October lovelies? Were you a horror fan this month or did you find a new type of genre to love? Let me know your favourite finds, as I am always looking for suggestions. 

Joey X

Good Morning Lovelies,

What did you always want for Christmas when you were little lovelies? For me, I always wanted the Cadbury’s chocolate dispenser and the Playdough Dentist set. However, I never got them. 

Yet, it didn’t make the toys I got at Christmas any less special. In fact, it was the surprises that made the gift giving so special. Luckily, brands are on hand to help make those surprises easier, including Amazon, who have announced their top ten toys for 2022. 

From hair braiding dolls to squishy friends, they have truly got everything to make present buying easy this year. Having taken a look at them, these are my top five picks that even at 27 I want: 

Pictionary Air Star Wars Edition, £19.99: May the force be with the teams who play this. Much like Pictionary Air, this new version has a stylish pen that makes drawing key characters from the film easy. It may lead to lightsaber battles though, so so be careful with who you play against.

CRAYOLA Colour 'n' Style Mermaid Friends: Hair Braiding Salon Playset, £21.95: The mermaid trend is going nowhere lovelies, especially with this new toy from Crayola. Children will be able to style, colour in and makeover their own mermaid over and over again, with this never ending designer toy.

PLAYMOBIL City Life Recycling Truck, £24.99: Teach the little ones in your life the importance of recycling early, with this inventive truck. Including dolls, bins and key mechanics, they will be cleaning up more than a parent with a bag collecting wrapping paper on Christmas Day.

Melissa & Doug Super Smile Dentist Kit, £34.29: The child in me who never got the Playdough dentist kit wants this badly. Made to help educate children, this set has everything a dentist may need. From toothbrushes to braces, they will be a budding dental worker before you know it.

LEGO Friends Horse Show, £89.99: Many if you know that when it comes to LEGO I love it. It is dotted all around my home. There are no themes, which makes me want this mega set even more. Perfect to play with or to display, it will definitely have you building the week between Christmas and New Year away.

Which toy do you want lovelies? To find out more of what Amazon have to offer, head on over and take a browse. I know that LEGO section is going to be raided. The LEGO set is super dreamy to me! 

Joey X 

Good Morning Lovelies,

When I went to The Big Christmas Press Show a few months ago, I was awe at the brilliant collections that Paperchase were showcasing on the day. Created with a number of makers, the brand have collaborated with those involved to make stationary for every occasion and season. 

Including the brilliant Folk Art range. Designed by Laura Bertinelli and Meagan Wells, the pair used trends and mood boards to build a woodland based collection, perfect for autumn and Christmas. Kindly, the team gifted me a few items to sample and upon opening the box they were in, I fell in love. 

Covered in forestry and animal prints, the range has subtle pastel colours all over them to bring out a bold but simple design. One that stands out in any room or pencil case. 

After looking at the whole range, I chose a few pieces. These included the twist ballpoint pens with charms, a 365 day happiness journal, beautiful coasters, a pack of eight dual end fineliners and a gorgeous 2023 diary. 

With gorgeous added details, such as a gold trim on the journal, soft leaf patterns on the fineliners and little illustrations in the diary that make your days better, this is a collection to invest in. I mean it lovelies. 

With prices starting from £6, the Paperchase store and website have loads more within the collection to build a whole new office with. Yet, you don’t need one to enjoy it. I now use the journal and pens, which I keep next to my bed, every night. Helping me to unwind, I like that each day is different. 

Some days you write down what has made you smile, others you draw. This is where the pens come in handy. The colours are beautiful and make any page they are used on pop. 

As for the diary, I am yet to start it, but I am already kind of wishing the year away to be able to. I love to use a diary to dump all my thoughts into and this is definitely going to be the one I go to next year. However, the coasters aren’t being held back until the new year. 

Placed out in our living room, they have gone so well with our autumn based decorations. Whilst we will keep them out all year round, they are great if you want seasonal additions to add to your home. We have all claimed an animal when using them. The fox had to be mine aha! 

Overall, I was incredibly impressed with the whole look, feel and ease of using these products. The Folk Art collection is definitely everything I want and the range is perfectly filling my heart with happiness. Watch out Paperchase, I will be back to get even more of it. Will you be buying the range lovelies? You will honestly love it! 

Joey X

Good Morning Lovelies, 

Good Morning Lovelies,

Whilst we are all basking in the wonders of the new foods on our shelves. Especially in the lead up to the big festivities. It is easy to forget about our furry friends. Not this year though. Oh no! 

The pet friends in your life can join in this year, thanks to the new ready meals range, from Hug Pet Food. Made from completely fresh foods, including whole meats and protein, the human grade ingredients must be frozen until your pet is ready to eat them. 

Then in a complete turn of events, the meals must be microwaved, before given to your furry love. Taking just six minutes, there are three meals to choose from, including pork and apple, beef with sweet potato and chicken with carrots. The perfect roast dinner dishes. Great for breaking out on a Sunday or as mentioned Christmas Day.Hug Pet Food 

Kindly, the team at Hug Pet Food sent my lovely pets six meals to try. Handing a few out to my neighbours for their animals too, I awaited to hear their feedback. A few days and meals later, I got it. 

With two spaniels, the meals went down a treat. After leaving the meals to defrost in the fridge for 24 hours, they simply popped them into their microwaveable bowls and after the set cooking time, allowed the animals to dig in. Something they truly did. 

Priced at £19.86 for six mixed meals, my neighbours stated that they would probably keep or buy the meals as a treat for their animals, instead of having them as a main meal all the time. 

Yet, they were really happy with the way that their dogs reacted to the meals overall. It left their pets full and happy, which is all you can really hope for when it comes to pet food! 

Definitely one to buy when treating your animals, the Hug Pet Food company know exactly how to make the whole family happy. From early puppy stages to adult dogs, there is literally food suitable for all types, which can be found on their website. It’s a barking good deal to be had! 

Joey X

Good Morning Lovelies,

Food is one, if not the biggest thing, about Christmas. Whether it is a huge turkey dinner with all the trimmings or the classic chocolate tubs that come out, you can’t beat it. Over the last few years, I have been trying to make small achievable goals that my mum and family have helped me with, due to my condition. This has included a lot of home baking and cooking. 

Yet, it can be a long time thing and when the festive period strikes, you don’t always have the hours or minutes to do them. Thankfully, the team at B&M are on hand to help, with their new treat based cooking and baking range. 

Great as either a present or as a new appliance to make the Christmas period a lot easier, they have released waffle makers, churro creators and much more. All allowing for a lot of fun to be had. Kindly, I was given a few items to try and I can honestly say they were perfect. 

However, there was a whole host that I am not keeping my eye out for to make my family’s time in the kitchen a whole lot easier and fun. These include the following: 

Heat & Eat Waffle Maker, £15: Waffles are a huge staple product in our house. Whether they are coated in golden syrup, thick amounts of sugar or chocolate, my mum loves them. Small but impactful, this mini maker is going to be her dream gift, meaning she will make endless amounts. 2023 will be the year of the waffle in our house. 

Heat & Eat Churros Maker, £20: Since becoming a huge thing over the last few years, everyone now wants a Churros maker. This is great as a gift and as a pudding or breakfast delight maker. Just make sure to stock up on the Nutella to go with it.

Heat & Eat Treats Maker, £15: Whether it be cookies, eggs or even waffles, this treat maker does it all. And in little to no time at all! Great for using when in a rush but you fancy something different. Perfect for those busy Christmas and New Year mornings.

Heat & Eat Crepe Maker, £20: Fancy delicious crepes on Christmas morning? Or for the rest of the year? Give the gift that the pancake lover in your family will adore with this crepe maker. Simply pour the batter on and you will have a feast on your hands in no time. 

Heat & Eat Chocolate Fountain, £20: Imagine your Christmas or New Year’s Eve buffet table. In the centre, a flowing fountain of chocolate, surrounded by gorgeous snacks to put it in. Sounds good doesn’t it? Plus, at such a great price, it is a dream worth investing in. 

With many more handy food based gifts and electronics to enjoy, there is no denying that B&M have thought long and hard about what people want this year. Especially when it comes down to the foodie in your life or even you. Definitely take a look at their website to see all on offer lovelies, you will not be disappointed! 

Joey X

Good Morning Lovelies, 

With the colder months coming in thick and fast, lots of us are staying in and sorting out home based projects. Whether it be decorating, cleaning out or adding new editions in time for the big celebrations, our homes are becoming our heavens. 

Luckily, with amazing brands available online, Amazon have safely gathered two to help us. Umi and Eono. Lots of amazing products feature on their websites and I was grateful enough to receive a few to review. 

However, I spotted a number of others that I wanted to share with you all too. I honestly can’t get enough of them. I hope to light up my home with these soon: 

Umi Foil Printed Golden Line Blackout Curtains, £35.99: Created in a number of different sizes and colours, these gorgeous curtains help to keep the heat in, making them perfect for those cold mornings and nights in bed. Plus, with blackout features, you can safely say that you can cocoon well this winter.

Eono Farmhouse Round Wall Mirror, £72: Fit for any room in your house, this great mirror is perfect to decorate with additional features. Whether it be winter or spring, you can make this mirror your own. 

Umi Constellation Effect Eyelets Sheer Curtains, £13.99: Perfect for summer or to light up a room a bit more during the winter months, this thin but beautiful curtains feature a gorgeous colourful constellation based design. I might just have to add these to my sky based room asap!

Eono Laundry Basket on Wheels, £14: Ever struggled to move your laundry basket around? Well, no longer will you need to. This slim based hamper is able to collapse, whilst also being moved around on wheels easily. Plus, with helpful waterproof features and a breathable mesh lid cover, there are no fears of your clothing getting ruined in the process.

Eono Pack of 4 Tea Towels, £14.99: Super absorbent, these tea towels add a touch of class to the room. With a slash of colour, these quick drying cloths make cleaning up easy.

Eono Place Mats (Set of 6), £15.99: Made from PVC, these place mats are great for those upcoming celebrations and big meals. Non-slip and washable, all tables that feature these will look stylish and slick. 

Are you planning on redesigning or getting creative at home? Umi and Eono are two fabulous brands on Amazon, who have loads of home improvement items at affordable prices. I’ve learnt a lot more about them by doing this feature and will be looking out for more items about them in the future. 

What are you currently doing to your home or planning to do in the future? 

Joey X

Good Morning Lovelies, 

The lead up to and during the festive Christmas period is the perfect time to get creative. I love getting my pom pom makers out and creating wreaths. Baking up a storm and using my Hama Beads to create little ironed decorations. 

However, I am always on the lookout for ways to get artistic. Especially ways that I don’t normally think of. Therefore, when I heard about some of the amazing arty gifts that Spin Master Toys have coming out this Christmas, I got very excited. 

Kindly, the team gifted me a few pieces to try. Including the brilliant Kinetic Sand Swirl N Surprise set and the Pixobitz Studio. Upon pulling out each item, I felt an inner problem. Which one did I start with? 

Deciding on the Kinetic Sand kit, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of tools and coloured sands it featured. With four useful tools and 907 grams of sand, in colours, red, blue, yellow and green, the creative hands on juices got flowing straight away. Unlike the stuff you find at the beach, the sand can be modelled and placed into shapes of your choosing, without all of the mess. 

Using the sand swirler tool, the fluffy sand can be placed inside, turned and then cut into even more shapes with the other tools on offer. When the colours get boring, the sand can go back in the machine to be swirled again to make something new. Meaning hours of endless fun and creativity. 

As someone who had used Kinetic Sand in therapy before, I was familiar with the feel and shapes made from it. Yet, this kit made me realise that there was so much more that could be done with it. Anyone who wants to get creative in a different way will love the pottery like dynamic that this kit brings. Plus, with the availability of different tools, it never gets boring. Perfect for that time between Christmas and New Year, when no one really knows what to do with themselves. 

Moving onto the Pixobitz Studio, I was instantly interested. Hama Beads are a firm favourite in my home. Whilst I have played around with Aqua Beads, I haven’t found them as easy. But, I was ready to have my head turned by the new Pixobitz Studio. Something that definitely happened. 

Priced at £34.99, the studio comes with everything you need to make 3D and 2D pixel shapes and creations. All that bond together with just water. A bit like an Aqua Bead, but more advanced. With 500 different coloured beads included, as well as two trays, 14 accessories and tools, everything that is needed is within it. 

Following the instructions, all I had to do was place a template under one of the trays. Then following the design, I had to stack the blocks before spraying the finished design. They can then be styled in different ways, such as a keyring or a little statued. Unlike Aqua Beads, the blocks were easier to handle, didn’t move around and when the item was complete, they stood up and didn’t feel like they would break. 

Young and old can enjoy these and if you were to use it before Christmas, you could make an advent calendar yourself, making the small gifts for each day. If my mum or someone I know had done this for me, I would have lost my mind. 

Overall, Spin Master Toys have worked hard with some amazing brands to make Christmas even more creative this year. Perfect as gift makers, presents themselves or as a simple way to get more artistic, you can’t go wrong. For me, I will definitely be looking into getting more of the Pixobitz range. It was so easy to do I could do it from bed. 

I would definitely recommend keeping an eye out for them, when out this November and December, preparing your gifts. You will love them and so will the person who gets them (including you!). 

Joey X

Good Morning Lovelies, 

Mummies are one of the easiest ways to make a house feel spooky. Whether it be from wrapping toilet rolls around yourself to make a costume to getting creative in the kitchen, they are the easiest costumes and delights to make. As this two-ingredient recipe shows. 

Get ready to be making these hot dog mummies for the rest of this month and beyond…

Ingredients

• Ready Rolled Shortcrust Pastry
• Tinned Hot Dog Sausages

Tools

• Baking Tray
• Scissors
• Baking Paper
• Saucepan
• Tongs

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180(C) or 350(F) and line your baking tray with baking paper. Leave to one side. 
2. Pour the water and sausages into your saucepan and cook for the correct time stated on the tin.Whilst they are cooking, roll out the ready rolled shortcrust pastry and cut the pastry into thin strips with a knife. 
3. Remove the sausages from the heat and leave to cool for a short amount of time. Once cool enough to touch, remove each one with the tongs and place onto one strip of pastry. Then using your hands, wrap the strip of pastry around the sausage in a mummy-like fashion and place onto the baking tin. Repeat until all the pastry and sausages have been used up. 
4. Place into the oven for 10 minutes when ready and allow to bake. The pastry should be a golden colour when ready. 
5. When the mummies are ready, take them out of the oven and leave them on the side to cool. Once ready, use a small out of mustard if desired to make eyes on each mummy. 

The mummies are then ready to enjoy this Halloween, especially with the perfect tomato bloody ketchup around! 

Joey X

Good Morning Lovelies,

Halloween is truly affecting my home. I have pumpkins everywhere. I’ve got an outfit for the big day all ready. The trick or treat bowl is filled. Yet, I can never have enough. 

When I see a vampire themed gonk or a spooky sign that makes my heart smile, I have to have it. Therefore, when I saw these gorgeous homemade items from Amazon Handmade, I had to share them with you all. 

From small details to big statement pieces, I believe that everyone home deserves at least one of these beautiful finds: 

Amazon Handmade Personalised Halloween Bag, £9.90: Kindly, I was gifted this bag and I am obsessed. I now have a gorgeous Tamburello’s Treat bat shaped trick or treat bag that I will be using to hand out sweets on the big night. Perfect for having at home or to use whilst knocking on doors, these are one of a kind this year.

Amazon Handmade Hanging Felt Orange Pumpkins, £15.99: Cute as a button, you will not be able to resist these super small but sweet pumpkins. Great for hanging up or filling a festive bowl with, there is nothing for spooky about this perfect pumpkins.

Amazon Handmade Personalised Halloween Popcorn Bowl, £20: Having a film night in? Make it extra special with this personalised bowl. Whether you fill it with popcorn or sweets, it will help you hide away when the scary stuff on screen gets too much.

Amazon Handmade Pumpkin Cross Stitch Kit, £9.50: Fancy getting creative this Halloween? This cute cross stitch will bring you endless hours of fun, which you can then use as a decoration when complete. Two Halloween treats for the price of one.

Amazon Handmade 100% Recycled Happy Halloween Cards, £6: Why not use these cards and bring some spooky fun to your loved ones homes? Fill them with fun Halloween wishes or scary stories that will make this years occasion even better. 

I hope that you all like these decorations lovely and that they brighten up your spooky season! What are you doing to decorate your home this Halloween?

Joey X

Good Morning Lovelies,

Toys are a must at Christmas. No matter what age you are, you deserve a toy. At 27, I always ask for one. Whether it be LEGO or as my mum has done for me this year, a Bluey surprise. It doesn’t have to be a big one, it can be a little one. It doesn’t have to even cost the earth. It can be a pound shop special. Bringing you or the person you give it to some joy is the most important thing.

So, when I discovered the world of Funrise toys, at The Big Christmas Press Show, I was amazed at the range they had to offer. From perfect stocking fillers to big presents, they had it all. Kindly, they gifted me a few to true, meaning I could give you all an early rundown of some of the best toys on the market. All in a fun gift guide…

Fart Ninjas (Series 5), £5.99: Having seen these before in The Entertainer, they always made our family laugh for lots of reasons. When you walk past them or play with them, they let off a farting noise. Something that we all look around at and point at someone in our family when we have experienced them in store. Gifted the brilliantly named Scentsei Oh Dor and Kung Fumes, the same thing happened. Perfect for my nephew’s stocking, I know he is going to have hours of fun with these. 

CAT Construction Little Machines Mega Set, £24.99: Great for all, this little construction set is super cute. As soon as I opened it, I could imagine it being great in a sand pit or on a car mat. However, they would also work great for creative minds to play with as they build their own LEGO homes or sets. Fit for every job, they will go down a treat this Christmas as a main gift or a stocking filler. Just watch out for a digger in the mash potato. 

Bright Fairy Friends Dolls, £12.99: The Funrise team kindly gifted me two of these and as I was unwrapping them from the box, the lights from their wings were glowing. In a brand new series, the fairies live within a home that can also be used as a night light. However, when out of the glowing house, they can also light up with the simplest of button presses on their necklaces. The fairy on top of the tree has nothing on the 36 dolls now out and ready to be collected. 

Light Show Bubble Wand, £12: Perfect to give this Christmas in preparation for next summer, this light up wand will bring a touch of magic to the garden. The handheld wand can be filled up with bubble solution, before being turned on for the ultimate bubble experience. Lighting up to ten different effects, the wand provides endless amounts of fun, for big and little kids. 

Incredibubble Wand, £10: Another perfect gift for the hotter weather, this bubble wand makes humongous bubbles that little ones could even fit inside. Using a handheld wand, the bubble solution is poured into a tray, which the wand sits in and gathers, before swiping its way through the air. Catching this bubbles is a big task, yet, one the whole family will love when the sun is shining. 

Funrise have endless amounts of gifts and these have already brought a lot of joy into our home. My favourites have to be the fairies, who are super cute and very adaptable. However, I know my little nephew in our house is going to love the Fart Ninjas. Explore their range now lovelies to find great gifts for Christmas 2022. I won’t judge if you pick something for you too! I know I will be! 

Joey X