Munchy Seeds

Now, if our science lessons had begun with the kind of information and all around yumminess The Munchy Team provide, there is an enormous chance that we at The Amazing Blog wouldn’t have doodled quite so much and actually learned something. We’re fans of Munchy Seeds and in the dim and distant past, have written about some of their other products here. What we particularly like about ‘seeds’ is that they’re both nutritious and delicious. Whilst we don’t want to get preachy about the benefits of zinc and magnesium, we all know that the benefits of ‘munching’ on seeds compared to the equally beguiling pear-drop are manifold and preferable.

The rich nutrient content of these nuggets of nature is why they are an effortless source of all those vitamins our bodies need to boost our levels, especially as we get older. More energy, higher brain function and an effective metabolism all go to keeping every part of us performing. In this day and age, when many of the essentials are stripped out of a processed diet, we need to be keeping up the levels … and what better way than through the consumption of these delicious alternatives?

The Choccy Ginger seeds had to be tried - although we’re particularly fond of dark chocolate and ginger, so it was already a win-win situation. The revelation, therefore, came in the form of how good the Omega Sprinkles tasted - and the knowledge that we were topping up those fatty acids, essential in keeping arteries clear and the heart pumping.

The Salted Caramel and Choccy Apricot offerings need little marketing here, suffice to say they didn’t disappoint and were consumed in an indecently fast period. But of course, each little bag of goodness leads us directly to researching and tasting more and more. This, of course, can be done through the easily accessible website of The Munchy Seeds, run by Mrs Munchy (Lucinda) and her husband Crispin who we are presuming is known as Mr Munchy.

If you prefer to work the cardiovascular system a little more effectively, with a higher intensity trolley dash, then why not hit the supermarket aisles where the whole range is widely available. They come in handy packed lunch size bags, or larger sized tubs when the need requires a bigger scratch! Pricewise you are looking at around £6 for a Snack Pack of 12, or around £5 for a 475ml tub from the Munchy Seeds Website, with similar prices for the relevant sizes through supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Ocado.

Williams Handmade - Leatherwork Clutch Bag/iPad Case Course

We like to shake it up a bit on our activity weekends. After all, we can’t let those precious free days go to waste. This is when The Amazing Blog discovered Williams Handmade, a company who specialises in craft leather goods.  They offer several leather-working workshops, like the Half Day Clutch Bag/iPad Case Course.

Designer Sarah Williams founded Williams Handmade in 2010. As award winners of the Accessories Collection of the Year Award at ITS#NINE, The Accessory Award from Absolut Vodka, and taking part of the “Power of Craft” exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum, Williams Handmade truly deserves the description of high-quality craftsmanship. The company has also been shortlisted for the Ketel One Modern Craftsman Award and was nominated by Selfridges as one of their Bright Young Things.

From glasses cases to bags, Sarah Williams creates each of these items herself in the Williams Handmade Workshop in Bircher, Leominster which is located on the Hereford/Shropshire borders. If you love to support local artisans as we do, you should also know that the products are made from English Bridle leather coming from Northamptonshire.

We’re particularly excited about their Half Day Clutch Bag/iPad Case Course. By the end of the day, you’ll have your own clutch bag or iPad case to bring home and put to use.  Our team members have never worked with leather before, but luckily there’s no need for prior experience to take this course. The day entails learning the basics of leatherwork (i.e. how to cut and prepare leather), the traditional saddle stitch, and learning how to finish the edges. You also get to choose your preferred colour and pattern combination, so your lovely bag or case is just to your liking!

The Williams Handmade Half Day Clutch Bag/iPad Case Course runs from 9am-1pm on the 20th of October for £65. Tea, coffee, and cake are included. If you’d like to spice up your Saturday with this fabulous course, click here. If you’re interested in finding out about their other classes, click here.

Ancient + Brave with their True Collagen and Cacao + Collagen

It's rare to find a brand with such a passion for inspiring healthy living. Ancient + Brave have captured our attention at The Amazing Blog, encouraging us to take control of our lifestyle choices, no matter the amount of time we have to do so. We're in no doubt that their ethos has had a similar impact on others - by combining naturopathy and cutting-edge innovation, the company's ambition of creating delicious and nutritious products certainly will inspire others to look into their lifestyle choices more deeply. We were also fascinated by the Brave Method, combining intermittent fasting and Ancient + Brave products, to create a simple lifestyle strategy that draws back to the eating patterns of our ancestors.

Conceptualising the Brave Method, founders Annelie Whitfield and Kate Prince used their combined knowledge of naturopathy and entrepreneurial techniques to redefine the fasting regime. No longer must we only drink water to avoid calorific beverages, as Ancient + Brave's products are suitable to consume during the fasting period, providing optimal fat burning, while ensuring that we ourselves, do not burn out. Annelie's story is particularly interesting, as a former stunt woman, who suffered a life-threating injury, she began her nature quest after receiving healing treatment from bone mending monks in Sri Lanka. She chose to develop her newfound knowledge, by spending five years in a back-to-nature barefoot existence, studying indigenous medicine in Costa Rica. It is here that she unearthed the medicinal benefits of coffee and cacao - hence the introductions into her product lines. Upon her return, she teamed up with Kate Prince, who used her entrepreneurial nouse to help innovate a new lifestyle brand, to fuel health and performance simultaneously.

As you can imagine, we were excited to try their products, especially those of us who were collagen novices. The True Collagen powder proved to be a simple way of easing us into the collagen world, a product packed with 100% hydrolysed grass-fed bovine collagen (a welcome addition in comparison with many other products), and high in crucial nutrients to replace proteins. Like all of the Ancient + Brave products, True Collagen is also suitable for those following a paleo diet. True Collagen is both odourless and tasteless, meaning that we can boost our level of amino acids by drinking it on its own, or within a beverage of our choice. Ancient + Brave recommend using 2-4 teaspoons for a potent amount of collagen and suggest adding it to a smoothie of your choice.

Secondly, we tried their Cacao+ Collagen product, a delicious hot chocolate alternative that is antioxidant rich thanks to the use of organic Peruvian cacao. Other ingredients include cocoa, grass-fed bovine collagen, beetroot, cinnamon, carob, Siberian ginseng and baobab (all of which are organic), and a touch of pink Himalayan salt. Together, these ingredients act as a potent delivery system of collagen, that still tastes delicious. In one serving, you can expect 2000mg of nourishing True Collagen for a fat burning and energising hot drink. We recommend mixing it with hot plant-based milk, or it can be made using hot water too. What more could we ask for on a cold Autumn morning?

If you too would like to give collagen a go, purchase Ancient + Brave’s True Collagen 200g for £27 here and the Cacao + Collagen 250g for £22 here.

Fellowstead’s Fig, Fern & Moss Reed Diffuser

Coming into autumn, you notice that rooms feel stuffy, and the air becomes stale with closed windows and central heating. Luckily, we at The Amazing Blog have found a simple solution with Fellowstead’s Fig, Fern & Moss Reed Diffuser. Fellowstead, founded in 2015 in Peckham, London, began as a modest start-up in a kitchen. This candle company has now since expanded its brand into lifestyle, home fragrance, and beauty. Fellowstead focuses on natural, pure products with a blend of earthy tones as they say: “An ode to all things leafy, herby and green.”

The Fig, Fern & Moss Reed Diffuser allows for the tangle of sweet and earthy scents to gently warm a room. The fern and moss fragrances are cooling, reminiscent of a springtime forest walk. These scents also prevent the aroma from becoming overwhelming. What is particularly unusual about this blend is the incorporation of fig. The overtone of the fig brightens the fresh scent and gives the fragrance its delicate fruity aroma. Did we mention that the amber of the glass bottle would look darling on a window sill? Activate the fragrance by sticking the fibre reeds into the bottle. Soon that stale, stagnant air will dissipate. The scent should last up to twelve weeks, but Fellowstead recommends flipping the reeds once a month. Fellowstead’s Fig, Fern & Moss Reed Diffuser comes in a 150ml bottle gift boxed for £24.00. Click here to order yours.

Pretty Little Palette - The Sassy One Eyeshadow

We try to keep upbeat as the cool weather closes in, with the wind getting brisker and grey skies appearing. However, we all agree here at The Amazing Blog that a fantastic way to raise our spirits is by discovering a new seasonal line of make-up to play around with. And what could be better than an affordable eyeshadow palette to help us do so. Pretty Little Palettes is a UK line of globally distributed make-up. They are an environmentally conscious, 100% cruelty-free and a vegan friendly company that strives to inspire their customers with their creative collections of bold colours. They also offer matte liquid lipsticks and lipglosses, as well as eyeshadow palettes and contour palettes, all to help you create your desired look.

They sent us one of their luscious Pretty Little Palettes, which all come in designer illustrated recyclable cardboard containers. We tried the eyeshadow palette ‘The Sassy One’ and found that the mixture of bright, earthy tones was perfect for achieving an autumnal look. The palette contains eight eyeshadow colours: LOL, Nah, Never, Seriously Tho, Bitch, Physically, Bad One, and K. We think you’ll agree; that these are a selection of very unusual of names! We were pleased to find that the eyeshadow applied with ease and lasted throughout the day. We have to say that our favourite colour out of the eight was Seriously Tho because of its glorious auburn and copper shimmer. Seriously Tho, is great applied by itself or we liked to mix it with the colours Never or Nah, to make it even more vibrant!

You can purchase your Pretty Little Palettes, ‘The Sassy One’ for £24.00 here. Plus, you’ll get a free Matte Liquid Lip Kit when you buy any palette from the Pretty Little Palettes range. The lip kit contains a matte liquid lipstick and a lip liner. Now there’s no excuse not to make autumn even more colourful.