Catching fire - a guest post by Erika

I would like to introduce you and welcome a blogger friend of mine, Erika. 

Erika has kindly written a guest post for me on the subject - Catching fire.  

View Erika's blog here - and her jewellery shop here

she is an inspirational jewellery designer, blogger, and an all round marvelous friend. 

When I read The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins I could not put down the books.  They were engaging, exciting and most of all took me to a world I had never visited before!  With the release of the films, I was unsure as to how or indeed if, the vivid imagery and incredible storyline would translate to the big and little screens. 

source 

The second part of the trilogy is Catching Fire and the book is as big and bold as the first.  I was overwhelmed by the first film, I found the characters were as colourful and had just as much of a life force as they did in the book, but could the second one measure up?

The answer is yes! 

Catching Fire follows Katniss Everdean and Peta Melark as they battle once again in The Hunger Games.  The stakes are higher and the characters a fueled by fear, love and an intense feeling of responsibility for those around them. 

The 75^th Hunger Games are a special event, every 25 years there is a Quarter Quell, where the rules of the games change to give the Capital a show like never seen before.  This quell is no different and gives President snow the opportunity he desires to get revenge on the two teenagers that seemed to have outsmarted him so incredibly well the previous year.  President Snow is still enraged that Katniss and Peta both survived and needs a way to subdue the people in the 12 districts of Panam, who now have hope.

Every single character is played flawlessly, the actors embody the characters from the page and inject a life into them that I thought impossible.  The visual impact that the Capital and it’s inhabitants make, is amazing.  The film is a feast for the eyes and the colours and styles created by Collins, are lifted from the book and the world of Panam, from the glory of the Capital to the destiution of District 12 is laid bare, in such stark contrast, for all to see.

Without giving away the story itself, I can not recommend this film highly enough and indeed the books!  If you want to go on a journey that is incredibly emotional and intense, a journey of fighting for what you believe in, a journey where reluctant, frightened heroes are made and fight for a world where children aren’t killed for entertainment, then this dystopian epic is one you need to take, whether from the written page or moving picture. 

 What do you think of the hunger games? Have you read the books or seen the films? 

I am yet to see the second film but I am very excited when it arrives on Netflix. 

Nasal Guard Allergie Block - how I overcome my allergies when riding.

For the past 2 weeks or so I have been using a product called NasalGuard, Allergie block, I use to take anti-histamine drugs but I’m not very keen on having to take tablets all the time for everything. The nasal guard is the perfect way to let me do what I love doing the most.

I was having issues at the stables where I ride with sneezing from either some of the horses with long fur and malting coats or the hay and the little floaty bits that go up your nose, in your mouth and in your eyes. This was getting worse over the last few months with a warm winter it didn't help either, I love riding as you all know and didn't want this to become a problem for me, I was so glad to be offered the chance to try the Nasal Guard to see if this would help me.

Key benefits: Drug -free, Clinically proven, suitable if you are pregnant and for children. 

How does it work? 

It can be used by anyone suffering from allergy symptoms such as pet fur, hay-fever and dust. Nasal Guard blocks these things called airborne. 

It instantly leaves a tingly sensation just under your nose, like when you put something cold and minty on, although the smell is not very minty, it has a very strange smell, but you get use to this and forget it straight away.

How do you apply it? – this is very easy, just squeeze a drop onto your finger and apply a layer around your nose just above your lip. It dries very quickly and doesn't leave a sticky spot, however the tingling feeling is strange for a second. This does need applying every 4 hours or so, this was my mistake, it wore off and the sneezing fits came back. I have used this 4 times while riding and finding it very useful, my only problem now is with this weather, the flies are back!

My boyfriend (Charlie) also tried this gel when cleaning up the horrible mold spores that keep appearing in our flat, he suffers from asthma and when he is cleaning his chest gets tight and he sneezes constantly, too, this gel really helped him when cleaning, he still had a tight chest which he uses his inhaler for, but he was able to clean away without sneezing too much. (he also swept the stairs too) this must be working. 

My review – I believe this gel can work when used correctly, enough is spread onto the upper area between nose and lip and it is re-applied. I found it very useful when riding I have not had any sneezing fits but still do have itchy eyes, Charlie also found it useful when cleaning. It does feel odd having something on your face, but you soon forget about it anyway. 

I recommend this product if you are allergic to something and it causes you to sneeze, this will really help!

Let me know if you have used this before, I would love to see your review 

Where can you buy it?  It is available in most Boots stores nationwide and online at boots.com RRP £11.99

For more information please go to www.allergieblock.co.uk

Disclosure: this is my honest review of the gel

CanvasDesign Prints - Dreaming with horses

You may have noticed by I have a huge obsession, passion and desire to be with horses and be active in horse riding. I want to start expressing this in my home, currently a small flat, but still you have to start somewhere. I was kindly given the chance to send in a photo and have it printed onto a canvas for me to go up on my wall in my bedroom. While waiting for this canvas to arrive I have been so so excited to see the final product. 

please excuse the fact is it on the bed, it is hopefully going up on the wall at the weekend.

It arrived yesterday afternoon and was waiting for me when I got home. It was the first thing I went to, not even a kiss to Charlie to say hi!  

The speed of delivery is fantastic. My canvas size was 20 x 14. It came with a little set to hang it up with and some nails, all I need now is to find my hammer! 

It was marked with fragile on the side and wrapped really well, 

Tigger enjoyed the bubble wrap all night too! 

I LOVE IT, I absolutely love it, I can not express this enough, the fact 1 of my favourite photos will be on my wall in a gorgeous frame and so big makes me very happy. Charlie will hopefully help me over the weekend with this going up on my wall, but I wanted to give you a sneak preview now anyway. 

I am also looking into buying more in the next few days, just want to find the perfect pictures to go with this one. 

The canvas prints come in lots of difference sizes to suit you. check their website for a full list. 

The ordering system is so simple and only takes a few seconds, make sure your photo is a high resolution though as this can affect the quality of the image just like with any print. 

I love my canvas, and I love this company, I can not recommend them enough. They are cheap and the quality is of high standard. 

so it is a win win situation.

Have you ordered one? Please let me know.

Please use the discount code BLOG15 when you place your order for 15% off 

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Follow  on twitter! @canvasdesignUK

*PR sample 

Redbush News - Read all about it

I was kindly sent a Redbush News update leaflet and 2 sample tea-bags in the post. 

Redbush offer naturally caffeine free tea, their teas contain less than half the tannin of regular black tea; No chemicals, coloring's, additives or preservatives ever come near it. 

As a huge fan of tea of all sorts and flavours I just had to try these samples out.  

They offer original flavour, Citrus and Chai flavours. 

I wasn't send the Chai sample 

I wasn't so keen on the original flavour, the reason being probably is because I like sugar in my tea, unless very sweet tasting, in all honesty I drank about 5 mouthfuls and threw the rest away, not saying it is horrible my work colleague tried some and loved it, she has had them before and was excited to try my samples out too, so we both had half a cup each using the same tea bags. 

she rates this 7/10

depending if you like this probably depends what other teas you like, they seem to have a very specific flavour to them and someone with a sweet tooth probably won't find them great. 

So next I tried the Citrus sample I was sent, this was a little better, although I did end up adding sugar in anyway, probably spoiled it all together but I managed to drink the whole cup! 

It smells awesome, the orange tangy flavour goes straight up your nose and clears your airways, the taste takes a little adjusting to. 

I would rate these samples 5/10, purely because I prefer sweeter tasting tea myself. 

have you ever tried Redbush? what is your favourite tea?

This is not a sponsored post