Category Archives: Crafts

Dec 6 2015

Win this Christmas with Sky Movies #SproutChristmas Competition

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Although my tree isn’t up yet and I still haven’t bought a single present, the advent calendars were rolled out a few mornings ago and the kids have seen Father Christmas at Dexter’s school fete. At 3 years old, this is the first year he’s understood the significance of Christmas and he’s very excited.

Helping us set the scene for Christmas and build up the excitement are, as ever, Christmas ads. You’re sat there engrossed in the grim theatre of I’m a Celebrity when Ant and Dec guide us through to a break and our hearts melt as the big boys trawl out their lavish productions.

Among those who have surpassed themselves this year are Sky Movies. Their fun-filled extravaganza is definitely a contender for Christmas ad of the year and taps into some of our much-loved family movie favourites. It follows the story of Rosie who sulkily nabs the Brussel Sprouts off her Christmas dinner plate and disappears under the table after being told to eat them. In her sneaky endeavours she meets many a child’s idol as she flicks between film scenes trying to get rid. She swans through Cinderella’s ballroom casually tossing sprouts in champagne flutes, fends off a hostile dinosaur with a sprout as she helps the characters from Night at the Museum, and manages to dump another during an animated exchange with Baymax from Big Hero 6 - all films that are available over the festive period on Sky Movies.

So capitalising on the theme of the much maligned brussel sprout, Sky Movies invited a few bloggers to recreate a movie using the green version of Marmite. It just so happened, I was one of them. I chose Titanic, and well… this is how I managed to offend James Cameron on more levels than I’d care to mention.

Not alone in my efforts, here are some of my fellow bloggers giving it a go: The Oliver’s Madhouse, What the Redhead Said, The Mini Mes and Me (sit tight for this one), Henry’s Blog and The Yorkshire Dad (not long to wait)… Yes we all spent hours putting these beauties together. Well worth popping a few popcorn kernels ey?

Sooooo…. Given we all made wallys of ourselves, how do you fancy doing the same? … No?

What I said you could Win Sky TV* for a year or £100 vouchers?

If you fancy yourself as the next JJ Abrams, enter the Sky Movies #SproutChristmas Competition and and win big in time for Christmas. Just rip open a packet of sprouts and film a 2-3 min movie and you’ve sorted Christmas dinner or your partner’s or your kids’ pressies!

Sound too much like hard work? Well my movie took a few hours in total. They’re not asking for the new Wallace & Gromit, just a quicky Smartphone-made movie uploaded to their Facebook page. Pop on over to Sky Movies Facebook page for the lowdown and some rather hilarious entries!

Twitter fan? off you pop then - @SkyMovies!

Don’t want to enter but want to see all these great movies whilst supping Moët & Chandon and nicking the Snickers out of your child’s selection box - check out Sky Movies!

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Oct 23 2015

Pumpkin Carving - Free Stencils!

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Pumpkins

This year will be Dexter’s first ever attempt at trick or treating. The costume is ready, we’ve gathered a band of kiddies together and are all set to hunt down those sweets. Until now he’s been a bit scared of ghosts and ghouls and would cry if they appeared in any of his programmes, but having worked out it is entirely plausible that he might see a few Spider-Mans or Captain Americas on All Saints’ Eve, he’s quickly come around to the idea - ghosts or no ghosts!

So not only is this Dexter’s first real Halloween, it’ll be mine too. I used to draw the curtains, turn off the lights and ignore the door-knocking before now. I’ve seen Scream one too many times to appreciate strangers beating down my door with ski masks on. However, this year we’ve got bunting, cobweb spray and fake blood at the ready to make a real occasion of it. I’ll also be popping a pumpkin on my doorstep to let the local kids know I have bucket loads of Haribo for them to plunder.

Luckily for me, Ladbrokes Bingo have commissioned a leading artist to create some easy-to-use Halloween-themed stencils for pumpkin carving. These are free to download and perfect for beginners like me. Given I haven’t wielded a pumpkin knife before now, I can’t say I’ve been looking forward to this bit. I’ve heard it’s right fiddly to do and I’m hardly Kirstie Allsopp’s estranged cousin - you won’t find Pritt Stick or a sewing machine in this house.

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I won’t be alone either. According to Mintel, retail sales of Halloween products in the UK are expected to reach £240m this year, a 4% growth from last year’s £230m. With major companies like Starbucks moving in on pumpkin mania with drinks like their spiced latte and the growing popularity of horror related TV shows like (the absolutely awesome) American Horror Story, Ladbrokes have shared these stencils just in time to save hundreds of adults like me from inevitable failure.

Those wishing to see pumpkins carved by experts Sand in Your Eye and download the easy-to-use stencils can do so at the Ladbrokes site. Happy carving & do feel free to leave me a comment with your own pumpkin creations!

Ladbrokes Bingo Pumpkin 2 (2)

 

 

 

Jun 1 2015

Win Dad a Hamper this Father’s Day with Cadbury’s Gifts Direct

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Dads. They’re too often overlooked for all the hard work they do. Many are breadwinners, most are lumped with taxi duties, and almost all are tapped up continually for the latest trainers, computer games and other bits and pieces. I know this is the case for my Craig - he’s out the door at 6am every weekday and comes back some 13 hours later. When he arrives through the door he’s greeted by chaos; half-eaten dinners, over-tired kids and a stressed-out girlfriend.

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We don’t show him often enough how much we love him. I’m the first to shove ketchup-covered children in his face every evening and run upstairs for some me-time. Craig is then on dessert-duty and has to deal with the fallout when the kids fight over the last strawberry-flavoured Petit Filous.

Bedtime is also his domain, and the protests over teeth-cleaning make me wince from the sofa downstairs. I honestly don’t know how single mums cope as I’m shattered at 6.30pm and couldn’t manage a second more without checking myself into an asylum.

So Father’s Day is the perfect opportunity to show dads everywhere that they’re the real superheroes. How better to show them than winning them an awesome Cadbury’s hamper worth £50 stuffed with all his favourites?

(… there’s also a cheeky chocolate and wine option if dad likes a tipple).

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To enter, kids can send in a drawing, sketch, or craft image of their dad as a superhero to david [dot] cook [at] digitaslbi [dot] com, and guest judge – craft blogger and seller Vicki Evans – will pick a winner!

Closing date for entries is Tuesday 9th June 12pm - so it’s time to get cracking!

My babies might be a too little too tiny for painting, drawing and the like (I wouldn’t even trust them with a Pritt Stick), but I have had a little search about for some ideas if you wanted to take part. I love these superhero loo rolls by GeekMom.com, they’re just crying out for a Polaroid image of daddy’s face.

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And here’s a selection of drawings (from kids of all ages) as found on Pinterest. Goes to show superheroes come in all shapes and sizes (… even balding dads and dads dressed in pink dresses make the grade!).

So go on then, get the crayons out and draw daddy a cape! Good luck everyone

Superhero20

Terms and Conditions
This competition is open to UK entrants only
The prize is one Father’s Day Gift Hamper from Cadbury Gifts Direct, up to the value of £50
To enter, your child must create a drawing, painting or craft image of their dad as a superhero, and email it to david [dot] cook [at] digitaslbi [dot] com
Only one entry per child will be accepted
The closing date is Tuesday, June 9th 12pm. No entries will be accepted after this date
The contest will be judged by craft blogger Vicki Evans after the closing date
The judge’s decision is final. The prize will be mailed out after the winner has been notified
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