Enjoy Thomas the Tank Engine Books, DVDs and Toys

Who is Thomas the Tank Engine?

Are you a Thomas the Tank Engine fan? We all have treasured memories from childhood; memories of our favourite toys and favourite characters from books. One of these fictional characters that remains a perennial favourite with kids is the lovable blue railway engine Thomas the Tank Engine. This popular character was the creation of the Reverend W Awdry in the 1940s who started inventing the stories about railway engines with human faces and human personalities to entertain his son Christopher while he was recovering from scarlet fever. Christopher apparently begged to have these stories retold so many times that the Reverend Awdry started writing them down on scraps of paper and started to sketch pictures of  the various locomotive characters with their different faces and expressions.  The Reverend Awdry’s wife convinced him that his railway engine tales deserved to be read by a wider audience, so he sent them to a distant relative who was a publisher. The result was that his first book ‘The Three Railway Engines’ containing three different stories and illustrations was published in 1945.

Thomas the Tank Engine

However, the iconic Thomas the Tank Engine did not appear on the scene until the second book was published in 1946.  These gentle tales of the life and trials of the railway engines and their friends were so popular that a new book was published every year.  The original illustrations in the early books were all executed by C. Reginald Dalby who adapted the Reverend Awdry’s hastily scribbled drawings into the locomotive characters and based them on real designs of British steam engines of the time.  The railway engine used for the character of Thomas was a little known 0-6-0T Class E2 shunting engine from Victorian times, while the illustrations of Gordon were based on the engine class that contained the altogether more dashing ‘Flying Scotsman’. The family of railway engines grew over time as more characters were added, forever trundling over the railway tracks of the mythical Island of Sodor and being overseen by the imposing Fat Controller.

Thomas the Tank Engine Books

The Rev. W Awdry continued to write books about the adventures of Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends in his Railway Series until 1972.  All of these books were beautifully illustrated and designed so that they could comfortably fit into small children’s hands, be easy to read and be simple to turn the pages over.  The Rev. Awdry’s son Christopher took over from his father and started writing new tales in 1983. To add to these children’s books there are now Thomas the Tank Engine Annuals published yearly and other Thomas and Friends picture and pop-up books that have been published.  This lovable train even features in his very own comic.  The books are just as popular with kids today as they were in the 1940s and 50s and one of the easiest ways to find them is online. There are collections of the Thomas the Tank Engine stories, the individual railway tales, special anniversary editions, ABC books and many more.  These kids books make great gifts and if you know a child who is collecting them, why not get them the next one in the series for their birthday or Christmas present?  Also, little girls love Thomas the Tank Engine as much as the boys do, so one of these books makes the perfect stocking filler for your daughters and young relatives.

Thomas the Tank Engine on TV and Thomas & Friends DVDs

As the fame and popularity of Thomas the Tank Engine grew, it was almost inevitable that he would end up starring in his very own TV show. Originally called Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, this new TV show for kids was first aired in Britain on ITV in 1984. The name of the TV show was changed for Series 7 in 2003 to Thomas & Friends.  The TV show also proved popular in the United States, and both in the US and in the UK has attracted some high profile celebrity narrators including Ringo Starr, Alec Baldwin, Michael Angelis and Pierce Brosnan. He also starred on the big screen when his movie ‘Thomas and the Magic Railroad’ was released in 2000.  Inevitably, Thomas’s adventures on screen have migrated onto video and DVD and you can now watch the tales of Thomas and Friends with your kids at home.  These DVDs make great gifts and if your kids get bored in the school holidays or on long journeys, why not get some to while away the time? Online is a good place to look for, so have a browse today and find your child’s favourite story on DVD.

Thomas & Friends Toys, Games and Puzzles

The huge popularity of the books and the Thomas & Friends TV showed, led to an explosion in merchandise of all kinds.  For kids there is now literally hundreds of toys, games and puzzles featuring your favourite train that you can buy. One of the best selling toys is the Thomas the Tank Engine Wooden Railway.  This is a toy that is especially recommended for very young children as it is very easy to put together and the wooden railway engine moves smoothly round the tracks. It is also sturdily built, so it is not easy to break.  You can get all of the railway locomotive characters separately, including Thomas, Percy, Salty, Gordon and Toby the Tram Engine and also wooden train tracks and accessories packs. Everything you need, in fact, to have your very own Thomas the Tank Engine railway network.  As for other toys, you can get play vehicles, Sit and Rides, jigsaw puzzles, backpacks, stuffed toys, games, fork and spoon sets and even tents.  If your child has been nagging you for a Thomas the Tank Engine themed bedroom it could not be simpler, as you can buy bedding, drapes, pictures and rugs on online. Your kids can even dress-up as Thomas the Tank Engine this Halloween, if they are looking for a more unusual dress-up costume.

So if your kids love Thomas the Tank Engine, you will be able to find them everything that they could want online.  You will find a huge selection of books, DVDs and merchandise, so have a look today and ensure that you order everything Thomas that you want for upcoming birthdays and Christmas presents.

Thomas the Tank Engine image Gemma Longman Wikimedia Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic 

What is Ice Cream - The History of Gelato

What is Ice Cream?

One of my earliest memories is waiting to hear the chimes of the ice cream van on a hot summer afternoon and impatiently watching it trundle around the corner and pull to a stop near our house.  Clutching my money in my little sweaty paw, I would run over to the brightly painted van and weigh up my choices.  Would it be a cone filled with soft, whippy ice cream with a chocolate flake stuck in it to make it a ‘99’? Or maybe an ice lolly or a biscuit oyster shell filled with ice cream and topped with clotted cream?  This has always been my favourite treat and it makes the perfect dessert for any occasion.  So what is ice cream?  It is a frozen dessert that is usually made from milk or cream, with fruit, flavourings, colourings and sugar being added to give it taste.  Nowadays, for those who are intolerant of dairy products, it can also be made from soy milk or rice milk. It comes in many different flavours, with the most popular probably being vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.

Strawberry Ice Cream

The History of Ice Cream

Humans have enjoyed eating frozen desserts for thousands of years.  The Chinese were eating a dish made of frozen milk and rice as long ago as 200BC, and it is said that Marco Polo brought the secret of making ice cream to Europe in the 13^th century from his travels in China. The Ancient Persians were fond of syrups and sherbets cooled with mountain snow and around 400BC created a frozen treat made from rose water and vermicelli. The Ancient Persians used structures called yakchals for refrigeration that stored the ice and snow that they needed for their frozen desserts and kept the storage rooms at freezing point by using tall windcatchers. The Roman emperor Nero had snow transported down from the Appenine Mountains, and used to eat it smothered in fruit. The Arabs were the first to use milk and sugar in order to make ice cream, and they flavoured their frozen desserts with rosewater, nuts and dried fruits.

During the 16^th century Moghul Emperors in India used to employ relays of fast horseman to bring ice back from the Hindu Kush, and Catherine de Medici’s Italian chefs introduced ices and sorbets into France. The first French recipe for flavoured ice cream dates to 1674 and then English and American recipes started appearing from the 18^th century. In Georgian England, high society ate their ices in the famous Gunter’s Tea Shop in Berkeley Square while they traded gossip and eyed up eligible bachelors.  From the late 19^th century onwards, the uses of ice cream became more innovative, and treats like ice cream sundaes and ice cream sodas were introduced.  In the US, soda fountains and ice cream parlours became widespread, especially with the introduction of Prohibition.  It started to be sold from stalls and from the mobile vans, with their distinctive chimes that alerted people to their arrival. The first ice cream bicycles were seen on the streets of London in the early 1920s, with Walls Ice Cream using the slogan ‘Stop Me and Buy One’.

How Ice Cream Was Made Before Refrigeration

These days we tend to take it for granted that we have a fridge and freezer in our home and that making our own ice cream or storing shop-bought frozen desserts will not be a problem.  But before the days of refrigeration, it was a luxury reserved only for the wealthy.  Those who could afford it built ice houses in their grounds, which consisted of either a pit dug into the ground and lined with straw and covered or a brick or wooden structure also insulated with straw and covered.  During the winter months, ice would be chopped from frozen ponds and lakes and carefully stored in the ice houses to be used in the hot summer months to make ice cream and cool drinks. A man from Boston called Frederic Tudor turned this process into a business, by collecting ice in New England and exporting it all around the world.

How they made ice cream before the days of refrigeration and electrically powered ice cream makers was by placing a large bowl in a tub that was filled with ice and salt, which was known as the pot-freezer method.  All the different ingredients were placed in the bowl, where the combination of the ice and salt brought the temperature of the mixed ingredients to below freezing, thus creating the ice cream. A variation of this method was practised by the French who used a covered bucket with a handle attached to the lid that was called a sorbetiere.  The pot-freezer method was replaced by a hand-cranked churn in around 1843, which also employed salt and ice to lower the temperature of the ingredients enough to freeze them. This method produced the ice cream a lot faster and the resulting frozen dessert was also a lot smoother and creamier.

During the 19^th century it was mainly produced and sold by confectioners, caterers and cafes.   The first ice cream factory wasn’t built until 1851 in Pennsylvania, when Jacob Fussell frequently had a surplus of cream and needed to do something with it. Fussell went on to open several factories and taught his ice cream making methods to others, who also opened factories.  With ice cream becoming produced in larger quantities, it brought the price down and for the first time you did not need to be rich to enjoy this frozen treat.  The invention of industrial refrigeration in the 1870s, made the cutting of ice and the old ice houses obsolete, and modern ice cream production was born in 1926 with the invention of the continuous-process freezer. Soft ice cream was invented later in the 20^th century, where the amount of air in the product was doubled which reduced the costs of production for manufacturers as less ingredients needed to be used.  This soft ice cream is usually served in a cone that is filled from a spigot in an ice cream parlour or from a van on the street.

Making Ice Cream Today

Making ice cream is actually a fairly simple process.  Once all the ingredients have been mixed together, they are then stirred slowly while being cooled.  This stirring stops large ice crystals from forming, and ensures that the ensuing dessert is smooth and creamy. The easiest way to make your own today is to use an ice cream maker that is powered by electricity and churns the ingredients until they are smooth and then either cools them inside a freezer, uses a solution of pre-frozen salt and water which melts to freeze it or the more expensive ice cream makers have a freezing element incorporated into them. One of the latest methods for making your own at home is to stir liquid nitrogen into your ingredients in order to freeze them.

Where Does The Best Ice Cream Come From?

Where the best ice cream in the world is made is a hotly contested issue.  Many believe that the gelato made in Italy is the very best that you will ever taste. Italian gelato typically contains less fat than ice cream and much of it is still made in individual shops called gelaterias.  The US has a huge market and is the home of companies such as Baskin Robbins that have a huge range flavours for sale, where you can choose different flavours for double and triple scoops.. Australians and New Zealanders are also very large consumers of ice cream, and the distinctive hokey pokey flavour, which is vanilla containing lumps of honeycomb toffee, was created in New Zealand.

So whether you like making your own ice cream at home or buy it at the store or from a van, you can now enjoy ice cream or gelato as an everyday treat.  If you want to try your hand at making your own, you can now buy an amazing range of recipe books, ice cream makers, scoops, glasses and spoons online.  So whether your favourite flavour is vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, pistachio, tutti frutti or toffee, enjoy your favourite treat and appreciate the fact that all you have to do these days is get the tub out of the freezer!

Strawberry Ice Cream Image Lotus Head Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Pick the Perfect Picnic Basket

Do you have a great picnic basket? Once spring is on the way, we can once again look forward to spending more time in the great outdoors. And if we are going to be spending more time outside in the sunshine, it means that we need to be prepared to take our food with us. The great picnic season has begun! Is there any greater pleasure in the summertime than putting together some delicious food and maybe a bottle of wine, packing it all into a picnic basket and taking off for the day? Whether you like hanging out at the beach, hiking through the hills, or finding a shady spot to lounge in the shade beside a stream in a meadow somewhere, you are going to need that perfect picnic basket to take with you. They also make wonderful gifts. What better present than a picnic hamper full of scrumptious food and drink? Or for the bride and groom who seem to have everything, why not get them a fantastic picnic basket as a gift for that summer wedding?

The Picnic

How Do You Choose Your Perfect Picnic Basket? 

There are many questions that you need to ask before you make that all-important picnic basket decision. For a start, how many people do you need to cater for? Do you usually go out for a romantic picnic for two or is a bigger basket needed for a large family day out? Do you want to pack a traditional wicker picnic basket for your trip, or do you need something more utilitarian and easier to carry like a backpack? Another important question is do you want to get an empty picnic basket or one that comes complete with all the plates, glasses and cutlery you need already inside it? Of course, an important consideration is budget. Do you want to spend a lot of money on a luxury picnic basket or are you looking for one that is relatively inexpensive? A lot will, of course, depend on how much use you intend to get from your hamper, how you plan to transport it, and where you are going to take it.

Traditional Wicker Picnic Baskets 

Nothing can be more luxurious and take you back in time than packing a traditional wicker picnic basket. Often lined with gingham cloth, you can take a traditional wicker hamper with you anywhere. Whether you are going on a very posh picnic at an alfresco evening concert, having a day at the races or finding a secluded spot in nature for a romantic lunch, a traditional wicker picnic basket will never let you down. Again, you can get them empty, or you can choose one with all the accessories that you need included. Decide on how many people you need to cater for before you purchase your picnic hamper and then choose what delicious food you are going to take on your outing. Sandwiches, grapes, smoked salmon, cheese, scones, strawberries, pies and so many more goodies can all be safely packed into your traditional wicker picnic basket.

Insulated Picnic Baskets 

If you going for a trip on a very hot day, or you are taking food out with you that may spoil easily or you just want to keep that bottle of wine or the juice nice and cold, you might want to think about getting an insulated picnic basket. You can find insulated picnic baskets in various different sizes and in many different colours. Some are just wine and cheese coolers, or you can get an insulated picnic tote or an insulated picnic hamper large enough for all the family. You can get them with separate compartments for keeping bottles cool and you can also find them in different sizes depending on how many you are catering for. If carrying weight is a problem, you can even get insulated rolling picnic totes that are on wheels and that you can pull behind you. If space is an issue in your home, you can choose a collapsible one that just folds up neatly when you want to store it. These are also perfect if you want to keep it stored in your car or maybe your caravan or motor home.

Backpack Picnic Baskets 

If you need to take a picnic with you when you are hiking, riding, cycling or skiing, maybe a backpack picnic basket is what you need to choose? They are easy to carry as they can be slung over your shoulders and carried on your back, and can be bought in a wide range of sizes and colours. You can get an empty backpack if you want to use accessories that you already have, or you can select one that already come complete with cups, plates and cutlery. Some even come with picnic rugs and napkins included.

So whatever type of alfresco meal that you are planning, there is the perfect picnic basket for you out there. There is a great range available in the stores and you can also find a wonderful selection online – so go and have a look today and make sure you are fully prepared for a fantastic summer.

The Picnic Image Wiliamart Wikimedia Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported

Why Not Have A Gumball Machine At Home?

The History of Gumballs

There was always something fascinating when I was a child about being given a coin to put into a vending machine, and gumball machines were my favourites.  I would put my money in the gumball machine and pray that my favourite colour gumball would arrive in the tray.  So why are we so attracted to gumball machines? Is it the gumballs themselves or the bright colours or is it because we associate gumball machines with sweet shops, ice cream parlours, amusement arcades, malls and seaside resorts?  So what is a gumball?  A gumball is a sphere of gum that is coated in brightly coloured hard candy, and the different colours of gumball may also have different flavours.  Here in Britain, gumballs are sometimes called Screwballs because there is a gumball to be found at the bottom of each Screwball ice cream. People have been chewing on forms of gum since ancient times, mainly as a method of cleaning their teeth and to help keep their breath fresh.  Neolithic man was chewing birch bark tar around 5000 years ago, and the Ancient Greeks chewed a gum made from the resin of the mastic tree. Native Americans chewed resin from the sap of the spruce tree, and this practice was adopted by the early European settlers.  This led to the development, in 1848, of the very first commercially produced chewing gum in the US, when John B Curtis started selling The State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum. Chewing gum as we know it came about in the 1860s when chicle, a form of latex, started to be imported into the US from Mexico and was found to be a good base for chewing gum. These days most chewing gum and gumball manufacturers use synthetic latex to make their gum, as it is cheaper and easier to get hold of.

Gumball Machines

What is a Gumball Machine?

So what exactly is a gumball machine? A gumball machine is a vending machine that dispenses candy gumballs when a coin is put into a slot.  Gumball machines range in size from mini gumball machines through to full size gumball vending machines, and can be used as toys, novelty gifts or as part of a vending machine business. Gumball machines were first introduced into the United States in around 1907, and in 1923 the Norris Manufacturing Company patented their ‘Master’ range of chrome gumball machines that were so popular during the 1930s.  Another company who manufactured gumball machines in the 1930s was the Ford Gum and Machine Company, who made the distinctive coloured chrome gumball machines where the money from the gumball sales went to local charitable organisations. In 1994 the Wizard Spiral Gumball Machine was introduced, and these soon gained popularity as toys and novelty gifts, as you can spend hours pushing down the top of the gumball machine and watching the gumball rolling down the spiral inside the machine.

Where To Find Great Toy Gumball Machines

One of the best places to buy gumball machines is online, and Amazon offers a huge selection for you to browse through.  Kids love playing with them, so a toy gumball machine makes a perfect Christmas or birthday gift.  They are also a great attraction at kid’s parties; just ensure that they are well supervised and that there is no chance of the younger children choking on the gumballs. There is a huge selection of different styles and colours to choose from.  You can get mini gumball machine that can sit on a shelf or you can get gumball machines on stands.  The thing you must look out for when you are buying them is whether the gumballs are included with the gumball dispenser.  It would be very disappointing to open your gumball machine up at Christmas or on the night of that special party only to find that you had no candy!  There are also lots of novelty ones to choose from.  There are Hello Kitty gumball machines, gumball machines in the shape of retro petrol pumps, antique style gumball machines and spiral gumball machine toys. They are made in a variety of bright colours to appeal to your little ones, with bright red and vivid blue being the most popular, although you can also get pink ones for your little princess.  There is no need to despair when the last piece of candy is dispensed from your machine, as you can also get a good selection of gumball refill packs online.

Coin Operated Gumball Machines

Of course you may want to invest in a coin operated gumball machine online for your business.  Again, there is a great selection available on Amazon and you can choose from models that sit on the shelf or gumball machines on stands. These tend to be more expensive than the toy ones as they are more robust and designed to take some potentially rough handling.  You can also buy bulk candy vending machines, with containers for gumballs, different types of candy and nuts. You may well decide to have a coin operated gumball machine at home, so that the kids have to use their pocket money for their candy or you could give your kids coins to put in the machine as a reward for good behaviour or completion of their chores.

So have a look online today for a great gumball machine!  They make great novelty presents for adults as well as great toys for children, and there is a gumball machine to suit every budget.  Stuck for ideas for Secret Santa this year? Well if the person that you have been given to get a gift for loves candy and gum, why not get them a gumball machine? They are great fun to have, so go online and choose a great gumball machine today.

Why Choose Baby Walker Toys and Push Toys for Babies and Toddlers

Different Types of Baby Walkers and Push Toys

The first year of a baby’s life is the most important one when it comes to developing the many skills that they will need in life and learning new things. One of the most important things that an infant learns in that all important first year is how to crawl and then walk.  Most parents are keen to do all they can to encourage their baby’s mobility and an infant’s first steps are a time for celebration and joy. Some of the most popular toys that parents buy to help their little ones improve their walking skills and balance are baby walkers and push toys.  There is a wide variety of baby walkers and push toys available, so it is important that you take the time to choose the right walker for your child.  Do you want a baby walker that your infant sits in and, if so, do you want the walker to be a moveable one or stationary and do you want your baby walker to have an activity centre incorporated in it? Or do you want a baby walker that your young child can push around, but not sit in, like the traditional wooden wagons or push along activity centres?  There are also lots of simple push toys in fun shapes like animals or insects that you can buy for your child.

Are There Any Benefits from Sit In Baby Walkers?

The kinds of baby walkers that a baby sits in and which allows them to move around the room are very popular with parents, but are they good for your child?  This type of baby walker has been subject to a lot of debate, and before purchasing one you need to check that it meets all of the current safety standards and that it is always used under strict supervision. There have been a lot of babies that have been injured using sit in baby walkers, as they can move with astonishing speed, reach objects that they could not get at before and potentially fall down steps or bump themselves on door frames and furniture. You can now buy baby walkers that have special brakes or gripping mechanisms that activate if part of the walker goes off the ground, and that also have safety friction strips fitted that stops the baby walker from skidding.  Most baby walkers are also now made with bases that are too wide to fit through an average doorframe, so that your infant is confined to one room, but also check how stable the base is as you do not want the baby walker to topple over and injure your precious baby. With small babies learning to walk you cannot be too careful, so if you are putting your baby in a walker make sure that you are watching them all of the time, that there are no fragile or sharp objects that can be knocked over or grabbed by small fingers, and that there is adequate protection from the walker toppling your infant into a fire, against a hot oven or into a pond, filled bath or tub of hot water. It is also helpful if the baby walker folds down flat, so that it is easier for you to store away.

It has also been questioned as to whether baby walkers do actually help your infant when they are learning to walk.  Baby walkers should never be used before the age of six months or before a baby can sit up independently, as putting your baby in a walker before this could potentially lead to posture problems when they are older. There has also been research that shows that using a baby walker for long periods of time can cause problems with the development of a child’s leg muscles and hip joints, so it is wise to restrict the time your baby is in a walker to around 15-20 minutes a session. To address these concerns, toy manufacturers are now producing stationary baby walkers which do not move across the floor, but allow your infant to rock, bounce or spin in the walker. Most of these stationary baby walkers also come with activity centres to keep your little one well entertained.  The activity centre should comprise of toys and activities that help your baby to develop their motor skills and hand to eye co-ordination, start them off learning their colours, letters and numbers and if there are components that make lots of noise or plays tunes then that just adds to the fun.  Again check that the stationary walker has a wide and stable base and has a height adjustment feature that allows for your baby to grow.

Push Along Baby Walkers

You can also get a wide range of push along baby walkers.  These are toys that have a handle that lets your child push it around the room.  These push along walker toys encourage your baby to walk more and also they help them with their balance and their confidence in walking.  You can choose from traditional wooden push along toddler wagons that can come with blocks or other toys, and can be used by your infant to push their teddies or dolls around the room. Or there is a great range of baby walkers that have activity centres with entertaining toys, lights and sound effects.  These are most often made from plastic and are in bright and cheerful colours that are very attractive to young children.  They are easy to wipe clean and provide hours of fun for your little one.

Push Toys

Much simpler than baby walkers, but just as much fun for your baby is a push toy. These are toys that have wheels and a handle to push them along. They also help your toddler with their balance and encourage mobility, and can be in the shape of animals, birds, caterpillars, trucks or can have a roller containing musical chimes that turns and plays music when it is pushed.

Where to Find Baby Walkers and Push Toys

One of the best places to find a huge selection of baby walkers and push toys is online.  Amazon has a great range, including the big brand names like Vtech, Fisher Price and Melissa & Doug, so go and have a look today.  Baby walker toys make great gifts at Christmas or for early years birthdays, and you will find that there is a baby walker or push toy available in every price range.

Why Choose Winnie the Pooh Books and Toys?

Who is Winnie the Pooh?

Original Winnie The Pooh Toys

Winnie the Pooh is probably the most famous stuffed bear that the world has ever known.  Along with his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood, these lovable characters have been firm favourites with generations of children.  So how did the worldwide phenomenon that is Winnie the Pooh come about? It all started back in the First World War, when some Canadian soldiers were travelling across Canada on their way to Europe and the Western Front.  During a train stop, Lieutenant Harry Colebourn bought a small black female bear cub for $20 from a hunter who had just shot her mother. Lieutenant Colebourn took the tiny bear cub to Europe with him and she became the Brigade mascot.  He called her after his home town of Winnipeg, and she became known as ‘Winnie’.  Lieutenant Colebourn could not take Winnie to the battlefields with the Brigade, so he arranged for her to stay at London Zoo and when the war was over in 1919, Winnie became a permanent London Zoo resident. 

She lived until 1934 and was a very popular attraction at the zoo.  One of her particular admirers was a young gentleman called Christopher Robin, who was the young son of the author A.A Milne. Winnie the bear and Christopher Robin became firm friends, and Christopher Robin even spent time in her cage with her.  He was also so taken with Winnie, that he changed the name of his teddy bear from Edward Bear to Winnie the Pooh. The friendship between Winnie and Christopher Robin inspired A.A Milne to start writing stories about his son Christopher Robin,  a teddy bear called Winnie the Pooh and their adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood.  Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh were joined in their adventures by other friends such as Piglet, Owl, Eeyore, Rabbit, Tigger, Kanga and Roo, again all inspired by other stuffed animals owned by Christopher Robin.  You can still see the original stuffed toys that belonged to Christopher Robin in the Children’s Centre in the New York Public Library.  The original stories were published by Methuen, with ‘Winnie the Pooh’ appearing in 1926, ‘Now We Are Six’ in 1927, and ‘The House at Pooh Corner’ in 1928.  One of the things that made these books so special was the enchanting illustrations of lovable stuffed bear and his friends that were drawn by E.H Shepard.  These books, including ‘When We Were Young’, became worldwide bestsellers and sold millions of copies.

Winnie the Pooh DVDs

Winnie the Pooh then went on to catch the eye of the great Walt Disney.  The books had been firm favourites with his young daughters and so he brought the magic of Winnie the Pooh to the silver screen in 1966.  The first feature-length animated film starring Winnie the Pooh was ‘The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh’ released in 1977 and was followed twenty years later in 1997 by ‘Pooh’s Grand Adventure’.  The Bear of Little Brain had become a worldwide movie star, and Disney acknowledged that he had probably came second only to Mickey Mouse as their most loved animated character. His animated adventures have also now been released on DVD, so you can catch up on all of the stories from the Hundred Acre Wood in the comfort of your own home.  His friends also get to star in their own movies and there is a Tigger movie and a Piglet movie that you can find on DVD. There are also quite a few other Winnie the Pooh DVDs now that you can get both in the shops and  online, including new stories and adventures and Disney has a series of Pooh learning DVDs that introduce numbers, words and shapes and sizes.

Winnie the Pooh Books

You can still buy the original books by A.A Milne, ‘Winnie the Pooh’, ‘The House at Pooh Corner’ and ‘Now We Are Six’, with the original E. H. Shepard illustrations.  The stories are such classics that I think that they should form an integral part of every child’s book collection.  You can also get some very beautiful compilations of the original Winnie the Pooh stories and also boxed sets of all the books.  Of course, there have also now been many other stories telling of the adventures in The Hundred Acre Wood published which range from colourful picture books and pop-up books for very young children to longer stories for older children.  If the child you are buying for is creative, you can also get colouring books and sticker books that will provide hours of interest and fun. You can also find the Winnie the Pooh Books on audio CD, so your children can listen to the adventures of the stuffed animals of the Hundred Acre Woods at home or in the car.

Winnie the Pooh Stuffed Bears

Of course, we must not forget that Winnie the Pooh is a teddy bear, and a famous one at that, so it is only right that there is a huge range of cuddly Winnie the Pooh stuffed bears for you to choose from.  There are stuffed bears in all sizes and in lots of different outfits, although most of them are made of soft golden plush and are wearing his signature red shirt.  There are cuddly toys especially designed for new babies and for older children, so your baby’s very first teddy bear could be the one and only Winnie the Pooh.  You can also get ones that can be programmed to know your name and say around 1,000 phrases.

Winnie the Pooh Toys

If your children are big fans of Winnie the Pooh, there are so many toys that you can choose for them today.  Play is a very important way of learning for children and there is a wide range of Winnie the Pooh learning toys available. The toy company Vtech produce a good selection of learning toys, including Pooh’s Picture Computer, Winnie the Pooh Sort ‘n Learn Cart and Winnie the Pooh Teach ‘n Lights Phone. You can also get play sets of figurines, lot of different games and stacker toys for very young children.  In fact, our favourite bear of little brain is fairly ubiquitous, so he appears on everything from nursery bed linen, to balloons, picnic cups and napkins.

He has become so popular that you can now find a huge range of Winnie the Pooh books, stuffed bears, toys, nursery furniture, clocks, games and clothes, which can all easily be bought either in ths shop or online.  Winnie the Pooh toys and books make great gifts for kids at Christmas and birthdays, and there are ranges of books and toys that are suitable for all ages. It also doesn’t matter what your budget is, because there is Winnie the Pooh merchandise out there that can be bought with pocket money all the way through to unique collectibles that cost that little bit more.

 

Good Value Designer Handbags From Hilary Radley

Hilary Radley Handbags

Is the latest designer handbag something that you would ever think of buying online?  We women love getting new handbags and, unfortunately for us, the latest style by a famous designer tends to retail for a very large sum of money. While you may not have several thousand dollars to splurge on the latest designer handbag, there are some very good designers out there who have ranges of that are a lot more affordable and can be bought easily online.

Hilary Radley is one of North America’s fashion success stories.  She was born in England and did a BA Degree in Textiles before going to work in television as a costume designer and lecturing in fashion.  She then emigrated to Canada where she began working on building her empire in fashion design. She is now based in Montreal and has been successfully designing iconic outerwear for twenty five years and markets a full range of ‘Hilary Radley’ branded coats, shoes and those all important handbags.

But if you do not have a retail outlet near where you live that stock Hilary Radley coats or accessories do not worry as a wide range of Hilary Radley outerwear, shoes and handbags can now easily be bought online.

Hilary Radley Jump It Parachute Bags – Cross Body and Tote

If you are looking for the perfect purse for casual occasions that still looks effortlessly chic, look no further than the Hilary Radley Jump It Parachute Handbags.  They have a quilted fabric body, faux leather straps and trimming and have plenty of pockets to keep your things safe in.  They also have an adjustable strap, so that you can wear your handbag in any style that you choose. By contrast, the Hilary Radley Jump It Parachute Tote is designed to be carried in your hands, but still has the convenience of having an adjustable add-on strap.   These great designer purses come in a delicious range of colours including pretty pastel pink, smart black, cool beige, rusty red with a brown trimming and pale grey.  So there is a colour you could choose that is perfect for every season and a handbag to go with all of your favourite outfits!

Hilary Radley Canvas Totes

All women know that their handbag can never be big enough!  Mine is a bit like a tardis and once something goes in it may never be seen again.  So if you are one of those women who need to carry nearly all their worldly possessions with them whenever they go out for the day, a tote handbag is the ideal choice for you.  If you need a purse that can fit in your entire make up collection, the book you are reading, your glasses case, wallet etc etc but still look great, why not think of getting a Hilary Radley Canvas Tote online?

The Hilary Radley Coated Canvas Tote is made from coated canvas and is lined with twill. It has a zip fastener and contrasting snake-skin trim and handles.  It is the perfect size to carry all the belongings that you will need during the day, and still let you look stylish and trendy.  It  comes in a gorgeous range of colours, that include a wonderfully bright coral, green citrus, mocha brown and natural, so there is bound to be a colour that is perfect for you.

If you did want a smaller, daintier tote handbag, the Hilary Radley Coated Canvas Mini Tote could be just what you are looking for.  This handbag is identical in all respects to the Hilary Radley Coated Canvas Tote except for its smaller size.

If you wanted a slightly more casual look for your tote handbag, but still want a stylish yet practical bag, have a look at the Hilary Radley Coast Bucket Tote.  Made of the same coated canvas as the other Hilary Radley tote bags with a twill lining, and the snake-print trim and handles, the Hilary Radley Coast Bucket Tote has a magnetic fastening at the top.

Hilary Radley Hobo Handbags

A hobo style handbag is one that is fairly large, crescent shaped, made of some sort of soft, flexible material with a long strap designed to be worn over the shoulder and squash up a bit when it is put down.  This popular style of handbag is named after the shape of the bundle on the stick that hobos are pictured carrying over their shoulder in cartoons and drawings.

If you have set your heart on a new, designer hobo handbag, there may just be one in the Hilary Radley range that has been produced with you in mind.  The Hilary Radley Taylor Coated Canvas Hobo is a casual, yet elegant bag, which is big enough to fit in everything that you might need.  It is made of coated canvas with a twill lining, and has a snake-skin effect trim and strap.  The bag comes in citrus, mocha, natural or vibrant coral.

If you are looking for a hobo handbag that is a bit fancier, take a peek at the Hilary Radley Button Up Hobo. This hobo handbag has plaited handles, and is decorated with covered buttons, studs and stitching in circular patterns. The Hilary Radley Button Up Hobo has a cotton blend lining and is fastened with a zip at the top.  This versatile handbag comes in cognac, burgundy or navy.  If you prefer a more modern look to your hobo, choose the Hilary Radley Studded Ways Hobo, which combines a soft leather-like body with patterns picked out with studs and stitching.  Or if you like your handbags to be a bit edgier choose the Hilary Radley Kats Staple Hobo with staple accents, stitching and some angled zip pockets.

Hilary Radley Satchels

If you are looking for a handbag that is a bit more formal and elegant, something that you could take to a smart meeting but still has enough space for all your things, why not look at a Hilary Radley Satchel? The Hilary Radley Woven E/W Satchel is smart and elegant, and is such a classic shape that you could be wearing it season after season and it would still look fashionable. It is a very capacious handbag, with an interior that is divided with pockets that keeps all your things well organised and easy to find.   The Hilary Radley Woven E/W Satchel has a zip fastening and comes in the timeless, elegant colours black or brown.  For a twist on the classic satchel design, try the Hilary Radley Tab Square Satchel, which has a chunky over-the-top tab fastener with some metal accents and an attachable, adjustable strap.

So whatever you are looking for in a handbag, you will be able to find the perfect Hilary Radley handbag for you.  Whether you are looking for casual chic or a timeless classic, you cannot go wrong buying Hilary Radley Handbags online.  And if you find one that you fall totally in love with – then why not get it in all the different colours!