Teva Terra Fi 2, solid but smelly!

During summertime I always wear sandals. My Karnelli wraptors broke down so I needed a new pair. I'm used to wear Teva sandals so I wanted the same mark, i visited numerous shops but could not find the Karnelli wraptors I was used to so I bought the Terra Fi 2 sandals.

Mark: Teva
Product: Terra Fi 2 sandals
Price: £ 40 @ amazon.co.uk
Website manufacturer: www.teva.com

The sandals
The sandals can be bought in several colors, Black, Drew brown, Drew navy, Relic olive, Thena olive,... They also come in lost of different sizes, as well for woman as for men. I bought the Thena olive which have a green and black color. The sandals have a black outsole with a green logo. The outsole is made out of spider rubber, spider rubber makes the outsole have a great grip on all kinds of surfaces. The spider rubber lasts longer then normal rubber outsoles. The midsoles have a green shock pad located underneath the heels, this absorbs shocks while walking. The Microban antibacterial system has been build into the topsole, this should make sure bacteria don't build up quickly in the sole. The top sole has small circles in them I have no idea what use these have. The outsole is slightly bend and the sandal has 3 Velcro nylon straps. These straps can be fully adjusted to the size of the foot so everything fits perfectly. They also have soft black pads in them so they never hurt while wearing.

My opinion
I've used these sandals for 2 years now, they fit my foots perfectly. I use them to walk every day on the street, on a vacation I use them to walk in the rivers or in the woods. The grip of the soles is really amazing! They don't weigh a lot, I can hardly feel I'm wearing them. The spiderrubber does what the manufacturer promises! The bottomsoles have only small marks of wear and tear and during summertime I wear them every day. The only real problem with these sandals is the Microban system, this really sucks! I never have smelly feet but when wearing these sandals for 3 days, they started to smell really badly. The small circles in the topsole build up a lot of dirt so maybe that's why they smell so horrible. To get rid of the smell I have to soak the sandals from time to time. Overall I am very happy with the build quality but because of the smell I will never buy any sandals with this kind of topsoles.

Advantages: Spider rubber bottomsole, Adjustable straps, Durable sandals
Disadvantages: Sandals smell terrible after a few days

Summary: Teva Terra FI 2, solid build quality but smelly feet

---This review has also been posted on dooyoo---

Primapore non-woven sterile adhesive wound dressing

As I have classic type of Ehlers Danlos - a group of disorders that affects connective tissue - my skin is hyper extensible and very fragile. It can rip open with minor trauma. When having an open wound, it needs to be stitched by a doctor. In the past doctors would cover my wounds with old-fashion adhesive plaster. That resulted in quite some skin damage and pain when removing them. One day I needed to have stitches - sigh... again - and the doctor came up with Primapore. I've never been happier about wound dressings.

The company & product characteristics
Primapore is manufactured by the British Smith&Nephew. They produce materials for the medical world. They have 3 main tasks: endoscopy, orthopedics and advanced wound management The Primapore adhesive wound-dressings are part of this last category. The wound dressings come in a cardboard box. There are different sizes available on the market.
Website: http://global.smith-nephew.com
Item number: #7135
Size: 8,3 X 6CM = 3 1/4 inch X 3 3/8 inch
Material: Non-woven adhesive wound dressing
Sterile: Yes: oxide sterilised

Usage and looks
Clean the wound thorough. The wound dresses come in a plastic coated package. This package has an arrow on them, package needs to be opened at that side. Make sure not too touch the wound dressing too much it is sterile. The outside of the wound dressing consist of a white non-woven breathable flexible low allergy acrylic adhesive. The central part is made of a absorbent non-adherent pad. Pick up the wound dressing and remove the protector papers, make sure you do not touch the pad. Put the pad on the wound and stick the adhesive part on the skin. The bandage breaths but it does absorb blood, so wounds can heal in a good environment. The wound dressing is not waterproof so don't go swimming with them. To remove the dressing, simply pull a corner of the skin, the wound dressing will come of easily.

My experience
I have used these wound dressings a lot. The package is easy to open, it opens in a way I do not have to touch the wound dressing. The wound dressing sticks well on my skin. The inside pad is soft and protects the wounds. When wearing the wound dressing, my skin does not sweat at all. The wound dressing is flexible and comfortable to wear. The wound dressing can loosen a bit on the edges when wearing long pants because of the friction between them. Every day I need to remove it. Removing goes fast and does not hurt a lot. When having a wound, the first day it does stick a bit in the central pad but not as much as the old fashion compresses. A bit of oxygenated water loosens it. The adhesive part can leave some traces, they come of easily with some baby oil, salad oil or alcohol. These wound dressings do not damage my fragile skin quickly. Only after wearing them for a week, my skin becomes red and a bit raw. They would probably not damage normal skin. I would recommend these wound dressings to everyone who want comfortable wound healing.

These wound dressings can be bought on Amazon, a 50-pack costs £ 12.99. They can be bought at the local pharmacy as well.

Advantages: Sterile, Comfortable
Disadvantages: Adhesive part leaves minor traces

Summary: Looking for comfortable elastic sterile wound dressings? These are the best!

---This review has also been posted on dooyoo---

Cool down on a hot summer day with the splash pod

Heatwave, every year we get a few. Those warm days are welcome but it's sometimes hard to find a way too cool down. As kids, we use to take a swim or play with water balloons. We used to toss the balloon around until it would fall and break. That was grate fun but making water balloons was lot's of work. After playing it required some effort to find those tiny pieces of plastic. A few months ago, it was my nephews birthday and he got a splash pod as a gift from a friend. They played with it and enjoyed themselves. 2 weeks ago I walked trough the toy shop and bought one of these.

The idea and use of the product
The ball consists off 2 soft rubber halves. The 2 halves match. Each half has an arrow on top. The 2 half's need to be filled in a bucket of water. Close the halves and make sure the arrows on top point to the same direction. Push on the top of the smallest half, it creates a vacuum. Now toss the ball around, when the vacuum brakes, someone get's wet. The ball can be filled up again.

Technical information and price
This ball can be bought in 6 different colors. It's measurements are: 4.5 x 2.2 x 7 inches. The manufacturer has it own site, it can be found on: www.basicconcepttoys.com.
I bought this toy in a toy shop as a bargain, it cost me € 6 which is about £ 5. The splash pod can be found on Amazon.com, or at Ebay. At Ebay search for splash pod, splash ball or splash it. It can probably be bought in a toy shop but I'm not a resident of the UK so I don't know for sure.

My opinion
When I got to the shop to buy this, there was only 1 piece left. I didn't like the color but it was hot outside so I could use some cooling down. It was not expensive considering the fact it van be endlessly reused. When I came home I read the instructions on the package. I filled up the toy but when squeezing a half, it would not create a vacuum. Every time the ball was thrown, it would fall apart. Not quite how it was supposed to be. I started surfing the Internet to find out if I did anything wrong. I found a commercial where I saw them squeezing one half into the other to create the vacuum.So I tried it like this. It still would not work. The next day my nephew was playing in his swimming pool so I gave him the ball. In the evening when emptying the pool, I wanted to show my sister how it did not work. Surprise surprise! The ball created a vacuum and ever since that afternoon it works how it's supposed too. Now we play throw and catch with it a lot. It is easy to fill the ball and fun to throw and see someone get wet. The ball does not hurt when it flies against my body ,that's because it's soft. If someone would throw hard, it would probably hurt. It does not leave any mess so no cleaning after playing. The toy's isn't to big so it can easily be taken on vacation, to friends or to a swimming pool. I even took it to a theme park. When I know it's going to be a hot day, I just put it in my backpack, it can't brake. I would recommend this toy, it is suitable for anyone who can throw and catch.

Toy website and commercial can be found on: http://www.basicconcepttoys.com/splash_pod.html

Advantages: Reusable, lots of fun
Disadvantages: Did not work immediately

Summary: A reusable fun water toy for hot days


---This review has also been posted on dooyoo---

Oko cat's best cat litter

This might not be the most thrilling subject to write or read a review about. But as I surf around the net in search of information about pets, I often bump into questions about cat litter. As I am the proud owner of a tortoiseshell cat that takes a shits and pees like any other living creature, I needed to find some good cat litter. I've tried a lot of marks but found Oko cat the best one.

Genral
Mark: Okö Cat's Best
Product: Clumping Wood Pellet Litter
Contents: 10, 20 or 40 liter
Price at Zooplus:£ 7,50; £ 14 or £26

The looks and feels of the bag
The litter is packed in a big thick papered bag, it feels like thin cardboard. On the front there's a picture of cats and some product information. The bag has a grip so it is easy to transfer. The biggest bag has 40 liters in it but it only weighs 18 kilo.

The litter and it's use
The cat-litter consists of 100% biodegradable vegetable material. After removing the dirt, it can be used to make compost. The dirt can be flushed trough the toilet but personally I would not recommend that. The cat litter has a light brown color and consists of small irregular pieces that are about 0,3 - 0,5 cm. When pouring down the litter in the cat's box it does not create dust. The smell of it is slight woody but neutral. When a cat pees on it, it absorbs everything and clumps well, The smell of urine does not come trough quickly.

My opinion
I've used this litter for 2 years now. The big bags are a bit heavy for me but they are manageable. Opening the bag is easy because the packaging has a rope to draw it open. My cat is very picky and uses 2 closed cat's boxes. One to pee and one to poop. When filling a cat's box I pour 5 centimeter of litter in it. My cat uses it daily and every evening I pick up the dirt to avoid smells. The pee makes it clump well so the clumps are easy to pick up. I have however forgotten to clean the dirt when I was sick and the cat litter only begins to smell after a week. At the end of every other week, I pour out some fresh litter on the old. The other week I clean the cat's box completely. Refuse bags are quite expensive so the cat litter ends up on my compost container.  A 40 liter bag lasts 2 - 3 months.
The only thing that bothers me is the fact it tracks a lot. To avoid cat litter trough every room of the house, I put down a fake carpet of grass. That manages to capture most of those little pieces. The price of the cat liter is somewhat high when being compared with other marks. But other marks smell quickly and are rarely biodegradable. My cat seems to like this litter so I'll keep using it as long as it does not get any more expensive.

Advantages: Clumps well, No smell, Biodegradable
Disadvantages: Expensive, Tracks a lot

Summary: If you're looking for a biodegradable,, well absorbing, neutral smelling cat litter, buy this!

---This review has also been posted on dooyoo--- 

Siku back hoe loader scale 1:50

General
Manufacturer: Siku
Type: 3531 Back hoe loader
Scale: 1:50
Price: £ 14 on Ebay an Amazon, it can be bought in several online shops and on truck fairs.
Year: 2005
Approximate dimensions: 17 x 6 x 5 cm

The company
Siku is a company that was founded in 1921 by Richard Sieper. At first they produced consumer materials such as ashtrays. 29 years later they introduced their first toys to the public. Nowadays, they produce scale models and accessories of various vehicles. Trough the years they gained a big public, they love these scaled models. Siku has it's own website where information about the models can be found. This site can be found on http://www.siku.de/ .

The package
The scale model comes in a cardboard package, the front of the package has some transparent plastic on it so the model can bee seen from the outside. The package contains valuable information about the product. It mentions company contact information, information about the product and a warning. The warning mentions this toy is not suitable for small children as it contains small parts. The package also mentions the model is PVC-free.

The model
This model is a 1:50 scale of a back hoe loader. The dimensions are approximately 17 x 6 x 5cm. The model itself is quite heavy, it weighs about 210 grams. The body is made of painted metal and some plastics. It has 3 main colors, black, dark grey and creamy white. The vehicle is some kind of tractor. On its the front it has a black shovel which can moved up and down. At the back of the vehicle there is a excavator. The excavator can not only move up and down, it also moves left and right. The back hoe loader can move forward and back worth with it's rubber wheels.
The detail of the back hoe loader is nice. On the outside there are numerous details. For instance, the top of the cabin contains 2 small orange warning lights, the windows have 2 wing mirrors,... The inside contains a drivers chair, a steering wheel and even some of the electronics. The whole interior is made of grey plastic.

My opinion
I bought this toy because my nephew had amazing results in school. He loves vehicles and was happy with his present. I took it out of the package, because it was packaged quite solid in its plastic. I notices the vehicle is quite heavy so I really hope he never throws this on the wooden floor, it would probably result in a damaged floor. When he played at first, he had some problems moving the different parts. There was quite some resistance in those joints. After a while the joints became more flexible. My nephews likes to put figures inside of vehicles. This one has no door so that was a bit disappointing. But then again, no doors mean they can not break down. He plays a lot with this toy and it does not break down, the small plastic alike parts however can brake off easily. With his imagination he builds complete towns with it. This car is one of his favorites although the bus stays number 1. As playing cars do not come dirty they don't need cleaning. If it would get dirty I recommend you use a wet cloth to clean it. I recommend this toy for kids who have reached the age of 6, it can also be bought for older kids. Older kids can put it on their cupboard as decoration.

Advantages: Heavy, Nice detail
Disadvantages: None so far

Summary: A durable toy for young kids, nice decoration for older kids.

---This review has also been posted on my own personal blog---

Jabra BT2040 Bleutooth headset, talk on the way.

General information
Mark: Jabra
Product: Bleutooth headset
Productnumber: BT2040
Price: £ 6 - £ 14
Website: www.jabra.com

The company
Jabra is a Danish company which has been founded in 1983. Their main task is making hand free devices for the worldwide market. Jabra develops wireless an wired product, these are uses in an office environment as well as in cellphones and cars. With their headsets and technology they won lots of prices. In the year 2000 they brought the first Bluetooth headset on the market. The Jabra BT2040 is one of the many successors.

Product detail
Battery: AAAA
Automatic sleep mode
Maximum talk time: 8 hours
Maximum stand-by time: 6 month
Weight: 16 grams
Bleutooth version 2.0
PIN-code: 0000
Range: 10 meter
Size: L5,3 cm x W1,9 cm x H1,5 cm
Led warning
EDR and eSCO support for a good sound quality

What's in the box
The headset arrives in a simple blister package. The contents is the following:
*The headset
*Ear hook
*1 AAAA battery
*Quick start manual
*Extended manual

The looks of the headset
The headset is built from black and mat grey plastic. The shape is somewhat rectangular but it has somewhat round looks. The front has a grey speaker which has a rubber coating around. Beneath the speaker the battery compartment can be found, this is ribbed so it can be opened easily. The ear hook can be attached behind the speaker. The back of the device looks mat grey. In the middle there runs a black line with a circle. In the black line a blue warning led has been built in. The round button is the control button of the headset.

Use of the headset
When using the Jabra for the first time, the battery's need to be put in the battery compartment. The ear hook needs to be attached for right ear users. Left ear users can use the headset without it. Put the Bluetooth of the other device on. Push the black button on the headset for about 3 seconds. The other device now finds the Jabra headset and ask for a code, this is 0000. The 2 devices have now been paired and can now be used together. When getting a call, all that need to be done is push the round button on the headset to have the conversation. To end conversation push it again. When making an outgoing conversation from your cellphone, the headset will automatic connect.

The blue led has different functions. If it lights up slowly, the phone is connected and waits in standby modus. When the led lights up double and slow, then there is no device connected to the headset. Quick flickering means there's an active conversation. Double quick flickering warns for an incoming or outgoing conversation. When the led flickers triple and quick, it means the battery needs to be changed. After a minute the Jabra headset automatic goes to sleep mode. No led will light up to save the battery. The device will however stay connected. The modus of the headset can become visual by pressing the round button once.

Extra information
The headset makes 2 short beeps when battery has 25 talking minutes left.
To have an optimal connection result, keep the cellphone at the same side of the body as the headset.
To call the last used number, press the round button quickly 2 times.
A conversation can be put in hold.
Volume control needs to be don on the cellphone, not the headphone.
Look out when walking in the rain, the device is not waterproof.

The manual
The quick start manual gives a clear explanation about the different steps needed to install the product. The manual has images to clarify text. The extended manual has 15 pages and is written in English. The manual is chronologically build and gives information about installation, use of the headset and troubleshooting.

My opinion

I was looking for a gift for the family to be able to call hands-free in the car. Because we have numerous cellphones a car kit was not that self-evident. I chose this one because I had heard and read some positive reviews about Jabra. The device looked modern and with it's £ 16 it was not expensive compared to other devices. Installation was a piece of cake. The manual was clear and I could find all information I needed. The only things I really had to look up were the code and the amount of seconds I needed to push the button to pair the device. The headset is easy to use and does not need a lot of foreknowledge. When wearing the Jabra, it does not weigh a lot so it's quite comfortable. The only minor point is the size of the speaker, it's too large for my ears and hurts after a while. The quality of the sound is good and the receiver never talks about noise. I only use this headset for short range. The further the headset is moved from the paired device, the worse the quality of the sound.I find the talking time way too short, 8 hours fly by quickly when being used daily. This is not the headset I needed for my family so eventually I bought a radio car kit. It is however a perfect headset for people who won't use it a lot. The standby time is fabulous! 

Advantages: Cheap, Good sound Quality
Disadvantages: Earphone is too big, Not water resistance

Summary: Looking for a good headphone for sporadic use, buy this!


---This review has also been posted on Dooyoo---

Palmolive vitality shower gel, the smell of orange, grapefruit and cedar wood

General
Mark: Palmolive
Concern: Colgate-Palmolive
Product name: Douche gel Aroma Therapy Vitality
Content: 250 ml
Refractory life: 12 months after opening the bottle
Price: £ 1,20

The company
Colgate-Palmolive has been know for their production of dental hygiene products and shower products. Not many people know they also produce dog food(Hills). The company was founded in the year 1806 but then they only made soap and candles. Nowadays, the company is active in more as 200 country's where they distribute their products.

The bottle
The transparent bottle has a somewhat broad oval shape. In the shop it looks orange but that's just the color of the shower gel. The bottle has a transparent orange flip top. The labels that are stick to the front and back of the bottle are made from plastic. On the front there is a product description and the logo. At the back there is product information in different European languages. Contact information, contents, refractory life and ingredients can also be found there.

The shower gel, it's scent and it's color
The shower gel has a transparent orange color. Its neither thick or extremely liquid. When opening the bottle, a soft citrus smell comes up. When washing, it creates a small amount of soft foam. The smell of grapefruit and orange gives it a fresh smell. The package mentions cedar wood although I can not smell this in the product. The foam can be easily rinsed of the skin. The smell does not stay long, when the skin is dry the smell slightly noticeable.

My opinion
I bought this shower gel in a hurry, I didn't have much time too choose because I needed to catch a bus. The first time I showered I was happy with it's soft grapefruit smell. This shower gel is part of there 'aroma therapy' range which stimulate sensory organs. However my sensory organs get no stimulations. After a few weeks of use, I did not like the smell that much, it bored me. This showering gel contains essential oils, this makes sure it does not make a lot of foam. These essential oils do not leave a greasy feeling on my skin. The product easily rinses of my skin. After my skin dries it does not feel as soft as I would have imagined when reading the product description. Considering the price, this is a good shower gel. The smell however bored me very quickly. So if you're looking for something special, don't buy this!

Advantages: Does it's job, good price-quality
Disadvantages: Smell gets boring quite quickly
Summary: An average shower gel with the scent of orange, grapefruit and cedar wood.

---This review has also been posted on dooyoo---

Trust 9760C, nice looking ergonomically shaped mouse

Basic information
Mark: Trust
Product: Laser mouse
DPI: 800 or 1600
Number of buttons: 8
Website: www.trust.com/15864
Price: £ 16 on amazon.com
Wireless: No
Connection: USB
Guarantee: 2 years manufacturers guarantee, beginning on the day the product is bought.
Recommended requirements: Windows XP, Vista or 7. This mouse works on Linux but Trust does not give any guarantee for that.

What did the package contain
Laser mouse
CD-Rom with software
User manual

The manufacturer
Trust is an electronics manufacturer, the headquarters lays in Dordrecht Holland. Trust is mainly known for producing hardware. They deliver product for computers, Laptops, Ipods,... There product range varies from Webcams to sound installations but above all mouses.

The looks of the mouse
The laser mouse has an ergonomically shape. At the sides there are in rubber covered grooves for an excellent grip. The top of the mouse has a carbon look. The 2 click buttons also have small grooves in them. On top between the 2 click buttons, there is a scroll wheel. This wheel contains a rubber coated wheel on the inside. The wheel can not only be moved back and forward but also sideways. Clicking down is also an option. Beneath the scroll wheel there is a small button which has DPI printed on it. DPI stands for dots per inch, with this setting the sensitivity from the mouse can be changed. It can switch between 800 and 1600 DPI. At the left side of the mouse, just above the thumb grip, there are 2 rubber buttons, they have small arrows printed on them. The bottom of the mouse contains the laser, the laser does not give any light.

How does it work?
The short manual tell how to install the mouse. It has some text and drawings in it to make everything clear. In the option screen on the computer, there's the possibility too change the functions from the buttons. These settings can easily be changed, even by a computer stranger.
The way the mouse works depends on its DPI and software settings. When DPI is set to 1600 the mouse will react way more sensitive then on the 800 DPI setting.
If the mouse gets dirty, clean it with a slightly wet cloth. Do not use any cleaning products which contain solvents, these could damage the surface of the mouse.

My opinion
I got this mouse as a gift because I mentioned my former mouse did not have an USB connection. The mouse came in a solid cardboard and blistered package. Trough the blister the mouse could be seen. The mouse looks tough and modern with it's carbon look. To install the mouse I did not need the manual, it was easy. I work with my computer every day, mostly I use a Wacom tablet but for gaming a mouse is needed, so then I use this mouse. Its ergonomically shape makes sure I do not get painful hands. It also lowers the risk of RSI(repetitive strain injury). The buttons and scroll wheel sit on a tactical place so they can be used in its fullest potential. A small disadvantage is the long cable, it's about 1 meter. Because I use it on my laptop it falls on the floor a lot. The falling does however prove the mouse is strongly build. The long cable could be an advantage for desktop users. The DPI button is a nice option, this makes it usable for gaming and precise work. Considering the price and quality this is one of the best mouses you could buy.

Advantages: Lot's of buttons, DPI setting

Disadvantages: None so far

Summary: Price/Quality and looks from the Trust 9760 laser mousse are great!

---This review has also been posted on dooyoo---

Let creativity on the loose with SES creative iron on beads.

Kids have lots of spare time and need to find way's to fill this up. By messing around a child can learn a lot. With iron on beads a kids can explore there own creativity and make whatever colorful figures they want.

What are they, how to use them?
Iron on beads are little cylindric plastic-alike pearls. They come in lots of colors, some even have glitters in them. There even are 'light in the dark' pearls on the market which can be used in children's bedrooms. The pearls need to be put on a pegboard, pegboards come in various shapes and sizes. When enough beads have been put next to each other, the beads can be ironed together. To iron these little pearls, they need to be covered with iron paper, mostly this has been provided by the manufacturer of the pearls but if there's no paper around, baking paper will do just fine! Put the flatiron on its highest temperature. Put the paper over the pearls and iron them. Don't iron too long and neither too short. Either the pegboard will melt or the bead pearl figure will fall apart. Counting to 10 when ironing is a good lead of time. Take the figure of the pegboard and put the board aside. Turn the figure around and put the iron paper on it, iron again for 10 seconds. Look out! The figure will be hot. Put in on a cold surface and put some weight on it so it wont curl. Keep in mind not to let little children play unattended, they might think the pearls are eatable.

The companies
There are 2 major known company's who produce these pearls. Hema and Creative, these can both be found in toy story's. I've tried both marks and find them of equal quality. It should be taken in mind that pearls from different manufacturers can not be combined. When ironed together, they might just fall apart. Personally I stick with Creative, because these beads are PVC-free, they also have a nice website: http://www.ses-creative.com/ .

What do I do with these pearls?
A have a few little nephews who needs some entertaining when the grown ups are having a cup of tea and a boring conversation. I saw these pearls in the shop and at first I thought it would really give a big mess with those little monsters. Anyway, I needed something and the kids were already bored with painting, coloring and claying around so I picked these. A box of 9000 pearls costed me about Euro14, that's about £ 11,5. I thought if the kids don't play with them, there's always something I can do with them. When one of my nephews saw them he was exited. He did however not really understand what to should do with them, but at that time he was barely 4 years old. So as a good aunt I sat next to him and made him a car, he found that brilliant but he also got a bit frustrated because he could not make such thing. Nevertheless, he kept trying so we made an Easter egg together. That really did it, he kept playing with those pearls 4 hours long, amazing for a 4 year old. What wondered me the most is the fact he would only lose a couple of pearls on the floor when playing. At first didn't make the most beautiful things but it kept him amused. Every time his pegboard was filled up, he asked me to iron it, that was the excellent timing to learn him irons are hot and dangerous. In the beginning I broke a pegboard because I ironed way too long. Once the pearls are ironed together and cooled down, they are pretty robust, however kid's hands can brake everything apart. Now he's almost 5 and starts to build solid houses with those pearls.They are his personal favorite.
The box I bought still has half of the pearls in it but some colors are becoming seldom. Good thing to know some of the colors can be bought separate, so you don't have to buy a big box. Although I'm sure I'll soon buy a new one :) .

For anyone who ran out of ideas, there is a website with numerous examples. It can be found http://www.eksuccessbrands.com/perlerbeads/ and if that is not sufficient, you could always use cross-stitch patterns.


---This review has also been posted on dooyoo--- 

Advantages: Uses imagination, Trains concentration, fun to play with.
Disadvantages: Contains small parts
Summary: SES creativity iron on beads, a colorful and fun toy.

Make some fresh healthy yogurt every day with the Salton YM7 yogurt maker.

Yogurt, it's healthy, it's fresh and tasty. I used to go to the supermarket to get my portion of yogurt, but it always gives me excessive gastric acid secretion. I started searching on the net what the cause of that could be. I found out most supermarket yogurts only ferment the milk for a short amount of time so lots of lactose stays behind. To make them thick and tasty they add citric acid and more rubbish. Most of the yogurt's sold in the supermarket suddenly were not that attractive to buy anymore. I remembered my grandmother used to make her own batch of yogurt every week. So I asked her how she did that. She makes it with a yogurt maker... So that was the device I would need. After some searching i bumped into a yogurt maker which has the mark Primo YM1 on it. I googled the device and found the Salton YM7 to be identical. It can be bought at amazon.com for the price of $ 32 which equals £ 22. The machine has an electric consumption of 14 W and that's not much!

The yogurt maker
When opening the box following items are inside: The yogurt maker and its transparent lid, 7 glasses with white lids and a manual. The yogurt maker is round and has a transparent lid on it. On top of the lid there is a flower shaped button which can be turned. Around the button there are numbers from 0 to 12, this is made to remember when the yogurt is ready. In the machine there is room for 7 6-ounce glasses. At the front of the machine there is an on- off switch which has a red led light.
After yogurt maker has finished, there will be condense on the lid. Make sure it is cleaned properly. The machine can not be put in the dishwasher, it needs to be cleaned with a wet cloth. The glasses however are dishwasher proof.
The manual contains valuable information about the yogurt maker. It tells how to set it up, how to make yogurt and how to maintain the machine. The manual also contains some nice yogurt recipes.

What's yogurt and how to make it?
Yogurt is a fermented milk product, this means bacteria are added to milk, the bacteria 'eat' lactose and make lactic acid from it. Those bacteria grow best with temperatures around 30°. The milk gradually becomes sour and thick until it's yogurt. Back in the old days, people would cook milk, make it cool down until 45° and then they would add the bacteria. They would then wrap the pan of milk in blankets to keep it at a good temperature. If temperatures stayed at a good range, after a half day they would have yogurt. Nowadays technology made it a lot easier to contain a constant temperature in a yogurt maker. Make sure the glasses are cleaned thorough, dirty glass will disturb fermentation process. To make yogurt use full or half full UHT, or cooked and cooled down milk.Raw milk will not work because the bacteria would fight. Take 1 liter milk and add freeze dried bacteria or 100 grams of high quality supermarket yogurt into the milk. Stir everything up and fill up the cups in the yogurt machine. Put the yogurt maker on a steady underground, any vibration will ruin the fermentation process. Push the button and go to sleep. After 8 to 10 hours you have some nice thick yogurt. Do not yet eat it, the yogurt needs too cool down, during cool down the state of the bacteria changes. Add lids to the glasses and put them in the refrigerator. When yogurt is cool enough, it's ready too eat. Add fresh fruit, sugar, jam or syrup to give it a fruity taste. Keep 1 glass of the yogurt in the fridge so it can be used for the next batch. After a while quality of yogurt will go down, startup the culture with supermarket or freeze dried bacteria.

My opinion
I love this machine, with it i can create healthy tasty yogurt. The machine is easy to use and even a child can understand the manual. The machine does not need a lot of cleaning but when it's being cleaned, it need to be done thorough. I'm having fresh yogurt in my fridge every day and everyone in my family loves it. The whole process is a lot cheaper than buying yogurt at a store and i don't have that annoying acid reflux anymore.
Sometimes my yogurt fails, but every time there seems to be a reason for it. For instance: glasses or not clean enough, pets disturbed fermenting process, milk had been opened for a day so contained other bacteria,... If you want fresh yogurt every day, buy one of these, you won't regret it. 

Advantages: Fresh yogurt, Healthy, Cheap
Disadvantages: Condense, Needs thorough cleaning
Summary: Makes healthy and fresh yogurt!

---This review has also been posted on dooyoo--- 

Save your shoes, buy a Kong

Ever came home after a hard day of work and found your favourite shoes wrecked in 1000 pieces? Behind the leftovers of your shoes, your lovely dog is still drooling over them. You're about to get really mad but... Just in time you realise it's you're own stupid fault. You neglected to give the dog something to keep him busy, the dog got bored and found himself a lovely toy. You can't blame him, he has a good taste! However that was not you're idea of a dog toy so now you really should go looking for a descent dog toy.

What's a Kong?
A Kong Extreme is the Toughest dog toy around. It's made of black rubber. The Kong is hollow on the inside. That hollow space can be filled up with some nice dog treats. The rubber runs around the cylinder in a blobby shape. The top of the toy is Small, at the bottom it's broader. This odd shape makes the Kong bounce in unpredictable ways. The Kong can handle many temperatures, it can be put in the microwave or in the freezer so it can be stuffed with anything the dog likes.

What can you do with it and how to use it?
The Kong can be used to keep the dog busy with some treats or to chew when being bored. There are a lot of possibilities to fill it up but keep the dogs health in mind so don't go stuffing it with greasy food. When giving a Kong, give him a bit less food that day, you don't want to get a fat dog!
As a quick treat just put some dog biscuits or even his daily dry food. The dog will play with the Kong to get those nice bits out.
On a hot day the Kong can be stuffed with some wet dog food, fresh meat or fresh chicken bouillon. Put the toy in the freezer for a couple of hours until the inside has frozen. Before giving the Kong to the dog, first rinse it with some water so it won't stick to the dog's tongue. This refreshing treat can become somewhat messy so I prefer to give this one outside.
Dogs love cheese, dough I personally never give it because it's way too salty. Put some cheese in the Kong and put it in the microwave for 90 seconds. Let it cool down so the the dog won't burn himself.
After using the toy it's best to clean it to avoid bacteria and mould. The Kong is dishwasher safe.
The manufacturer also sells its own stuffing, which I find way too expensive. For anyone who wants to know more about Kong, they have a website: http://www.kongcompany.com/

Warning!
A warning for dog owners! Do not put chocolate, raisins or nuts in the Kong, they are poison for your pet! Be careful with peanut butter, dogs can get anaphylactic response if they are allergic to them. Never ever give raw pig meat, dogs can get Aujeszki virus, witch is lethal! Be careful with sugar containing foods. The packaging says to never leave the dog unattended when playing. When choosing a Kong, keep in mind to choose it big enough, otherwise your dog will brake it or might swallow it! If the Kong should brake down in the first 6 months, you get a brand new one!

My dog
My dog came out of a kennel, he is extremely scared. I've had him for 6 months now and he does not want to play with people yet. Because he's somewhat depressed and sleeps all day I decided to get him some toys. I tried different things but nothing really drew his attention, until I bought a Kong. I bought it in the local pet store and it cost me Euro 14 which is about £ 11,5. Because my dog was neglected and had lack of food, he's always in for a treat. I stuff the Kong with whatever I find healthy and tasty enough for the dog. Once I gave the Kong it does not need my personal interference so he can play however he want. The dogs finds it interesting and plays with it until it's empty. Because of the enormous possibility's, the toy never becomes boring. Although the dog prefers a real bone, he sometimes uses the toy just to chew it. I can imagine this toy could also be used as a throw and catch item, however my dog is not yet ready for that. I would recommend this toy to any dog owner but it does need some creativity to stuff it up with different things so it does not get boring for the dog.

Summary: Kong extreme, a though and interesting dog toy
Advantages: Tough toys, Enormous possibilities
Disadvantages: Nothing


---This review has also been posted on dooyoo---

Boy A, does he deserve a second chance?

The story
Jack is a 24-year old boy who spent more then half of his life in prison. The story begins when Jack is about to start a new life, social worker Terry has to help him with that. To start his new life, he needs a new identity. He chooses the name Jack, with that new name comes a pair of brand new sneakers. Jack gets a small room in a house. From there he starts too look for a job. His new life is starting to get successful, he finds a job, he finds himself a girlfriend and he has friends. But the press is looking for him and his past...
During the movie there are some flashbacks, these return to Jacks childhood. He's walking down a street and 3 bully's are getting at him. Boy B, also known as Philip Craig beats the hell out of those bullies. Philip and Jack soon become friends. They hang out together and skip school a lot. What first seems as some naughtiness soon becomes a shocking crime...

The actors
Andrew Garfield plays the young man Jack Burridge. At first he's a shy and somewhat nervous character. As the movie goes on, he grows more confidence. Jack plays a realistic character who knows how to keep the viewers attention.
Peter Mullan also known from the movie 'Trainspotting', is named Terry in this movie, plays the role of a social worker. His character is proud of his achievements but at the same time it struggles trough daily life. He knows how to bring over this ambivalence in an adult character. The strongest part of his character is the intonation he puts in his voice.
Shaun Evans play's Jacks best friend Chris. This self-assured you man takes care of Jack. He takes him t parties and helps him with his work. His acting skills are good but sometimes a bit overacted.
If anyone would like some more information about the actors or director, the movie can be found over here in the IMDB

Image, sound and Extra's
The images used in the movie are a bit vague. The movie has realistic soft colours and is a bit dark. Sounds are good and clear, the dialogues are easy to follow. The actors articulate fine and they are easy to understand. This DVD has a scene-selection and some trailers. Apart from that there are no extra's.
The movie is suitable for children who are 12 years and older. This movie contains fear and swearing. The length of the film is 97 minutes and is spoken in English. The sound is Dolby digital 5.1 or 2.0. The image aspect ratio is anamorphic 16:9.


Soundtracks
With Every Heartbeat - Kleerup feat. Robyn
Drop the Pressure - Mylo
Sexiest Man In Jamaica - Mint Royale
Floor Basics - Mint Royale
Princess - Mint Royale
The Warning - Hot Chip

Information about the movie
Runtime: 106 minutes
Sound: Dolby digital
MPAA:Rated R
Director: John Crowley
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance

My opinion
I chose this movie because I had seen a trailer on another DVD. The images are somewhat vague, sometimes I had problems reading the subtitles. It does give the movie it's own natural character. The soundtracks were somewhat familiar, especially 'With every heartbeat', it fits in the setting of the movie. Boy A has a strong story but it lags a bit. The actors did a great job making the story realistic and interesting. I will not tell how the movie ends because I don't want to spoil it but it's definitely surprising. After seeing the movie, I kept thinking of the story. The movie made quite an impression.

Wesc Oboe, trendy, quality build headphones

Wesc is the abbreviation for 'We are the superlative conspiracy', which is an underground Swedish clothing brand name. The company was founded in 1999 and since then hey have established shops and distribution points around the world. They do not only produce underground clothing, they also produce trendy headphones. In there headphones there are numerous series such as Bongo, Conga, Maraca, Oboe,... The Headphones I got are part of the Oboe series.

Specifications of the headphones
Type: 30 mm power drivers
1Khz sensitivity: 120 DB
Impedance = internal electric resistance: 20 ohm
Frequency reach: 20 – 20 001 Herz
Length cable: 0,5 meter + one extension cable from 1 meter
Connection: 3,5 mm mini-jack
Weight: 143 gram
Guarantee: 1 year
This headphone can be bought in numerous color designs.
Price: £35.99 on amazon.co.uk
What's in the box?
Personally I love getting new things out of the box, it smells like fabric and has never been used before. In this box there were only 3 things, The headphones, the extension cable and a mini-poster with different models.
Website: http://wesc.com/

The headphones
The headphone exists out of 2 earschells which hang together with a yellow headband. On the earschells there is a piece of round plastic, in this peace of plastic a metal bridge-piece can be found. With this peace the earphones can be adjusted to the size of the head. The earshells can be turned slightly left and right, which makes sure these phones fit well to the shape of the ears. The speakers have black foam pads in it. The yellow earshells have a metal mesh-like ornament running in the middle of them. On the side there is also a silkscreen printed WESC logo. This has no further use except for the looks of the phone.
The cable has been made of braided black fabric, at the end of the cable there is a 3,5mm cable jack. This jack fits in most of the modern MP3 players, this makes the WESC Oboe to have a enormous device compatibility. The cable on the headphones has a length of 0,5 meters, if this is not sufficient, there is a 1 meter extension cable in the package.

Quality
About the quality of the sound there is nothing negative to tell. With the first-time use of the headphones the clear and pure sound came to my attention. The quality is a lot better then the sometimes expensive in-ear phones I usually use. To understand the full range of the quality I had to search more information about the technical specifications. I will try and explain it.
The impedance of this phone equalises 20 ohm. A standard headphone normally has a range between 2, and with the more expensive models 32 ohm. The maximum impedance of portable headphones is 64 ohm. Professional models have an electric resistance which can be as high as 600 ohm. The higher the resistance, the clearer the sound with higher volumes. The lower the resistance, the more the sound gets out of shape but the less energy is needed to transport sound to the speakers.
A second important factor is the frequency range. Humans can hear sounds between 20 and 20001 Herz. Anything below or above that range can not be heard. When a person gets older, the lower the number of the ceiling Value. Anything in the hearing area is determinative for the different noises the headphone can deliver.
The sound pressure of these headphones is 120Db. This is the pain barrier for human ears so I would not suggest these earphones for kids.

How do I use these phones?
The building quality of these phones is solid. I've been using these for about 6 months now. I use them daily to go and take a walk with my dog. They way 143 grams so i can barely feel I'm wearing them. The phones are getting a bit dirty but they work just fine. The cable is attached strongly to these phones, as I walk I use the extension cable as the attached cable is a bit too short too put my mp3-player in my pocket. I've been tripping over those cables numerous times. When I go traveling, the headphones take the trip in my backpack. They have to tolerate quite a bit.

Overall these headphones are made for a young public. The design, price and quality are the biggest proof. They can be adjusted to the size of the head and fit on any ear. The extension really gives a person the freedom to put the music player anywhere. A little disadvantage is it gives me sweaty ears. I also think they should have made hearing-saving function for these phones. I can imagine youngsters wrecking there hearing with this kind of noise. Considering the few disadvantages and the numerous positive points, I would surely say this is the ideal gadget gift for youngsters.

Pro: Good price-quality
Contra: No volume control, High soundpressure

---This review has also been posted on dooyoo---

Dove Go Fresh, the smell of cucomber and green tea.

Dove fresh with cucumber and green tea is a face- and hand soap which comes in a handy dispenser. The cream-soap contains 1/4th hydrating cream. Dove found it's name and logo in its name. Dove is a part of the Unilever concern. They sell there products worldwide in more then 80 countries. they do not only distribute soaps, the also sell deodorants, cremes, shampoo's,...

General information
Product: Hand- and facial soap
Smell: Green tea an cucumber
Mark: Dove
Concern: Unilever
Website: http://www.dove.com/

The soap
When using the soap, the smell of green tea and cucumber comes to life. I must say i can smell the cucumber but i have a hard time smelling the green tea, as i do not know the smell of it. The soap has a light green and shining appearance. The soap is not very thick but neither runs like water. When appealed to the skin it forms a nice amount of foam. The foam is easy to wash of. After washing with the soap, the smell lags around a bit, eventually it disappears. The soap is ideal for normal day to day use but it has some difficulties for cleaning thick oil. After washing my face or hands, they feel soft and hydrated. The soap does not irritate my skin. Overall this is a nice smelling hydrating soap which can be used for face and hands.

The bottle
The 250 ml containing bottle has a soft green look. On the top of the bottle there is a soap dispenser. The plunger is quite handy, it makes sure not too much soap is taken form the bottle. When the bottle is not used, the dispenser can be closed by turning it left. The front of the bottle contains some basic information about the product. The back of the bottle has more detailed information. The product won't spoil for 12 months when it has been opened. Overall the bottle is handy and modern looking.

My opinion
The bottle looks nice and modern. The soap feels soft, makes a decent amount of foam and cleans my skin without irritating it. The smell is nice and refreshing. The dispenser can be closed so i can take it with me on a trip. The soap does not cost a great amount of money so I would say give this soap a try.

Advantages: Nice smell, Does not irritate my skin
Disadvantages: None so far

Summary: A good smelling soap in a nice dispenser

---This review has also been posted on dooyoo---