Yoga at home

I'm not going to make out that I am some kind of expert, super flexible, yoga bunny - I don't know my ashtanga from my vinyasa - but I want to say how much I am loving Yoga and highly recommend it. I find it to be a great de-stressing and relaxing tool as well as improving my flexibility and ultimately my fitness.
I have dipped into it for over a year now but recently I have ramped up the amount I am doing, partly due to a running injury that has kept me off the pavements but also due to the relaxtion time it gives me - perfect at the end of a manic day. I am also hoping the Yoga will strengthen the muscles needed to return to running.
I currently aim for a daily session and try to do a minimum of twenty minutes.
Yoga is fantastic to do at home as it requires minimum space - ideal for my cosy lounge - and minimum equipment.
A mat is ideal and a block and towel are additional extras for certain stretches and moves.
I find it best to do my Yoga practise when the children are at school, on my days off, or when they are asleep - it is best to practise without interruption and in a peaceful environment!

As a keen beginner I followed Erin Motz's 30 Day Yoga Challenge, which can be found on YouTube, and more recently her Yoga Challenge at erinmotz.com.
The latter challenge increased my ability and I found myself moving around a lot with a definite increase in blood flow and heart rate.
I follow the tutorials on an iPad, initially propping it up on the cushions on the sofa - this works ok but is restrictive when you're hanging upside down and not really 100% sure about how your downward dog should be looking.

Recently I was sent the Logitech Hinge for the iPad Air to try out with my Yoga practise in mind.
The hinge means the iPad can be tilted at different angles so I can position the iPad in a more user friendly place and see it better from the different angles my body gets itself into.
The protective cover is a stylish durable fabric and allows full use of the camera, microphone and charger.
The iPad automatically turns off when the cover is closed.
Here's how it looks:

When opened, the smooth gliding Hinge can be positioned to an angle within a 50 degree range and holds firmly in place.
Here it is positioned for my Yoga practise:

 

This stand has definitely been a great extra addition in my Yoga practise as it enables me to check the poses. As I move around the mat I move the stand around safe in the knowledge the iPad isn't going to slip and I can maintain concentration with my Yoga.

 

I'm now off to perfect my double pigeon - a great hip opener and supposedly good for strengthening the important muscles for running.

Hopefully I'll be back pounding the pavements sometime soon but I know I will definitely keep the Yoga practise up.

 

Do you practise Yoga at home? Do you have any top tips for Yoga practise?

 

x x x

 

 

Disclaimer: I was sent the Logitech Hinge for iPad Air cover for review purposes and also received a Yoga package for my at-home practise. As always, the words and opinions expressed in this post are my own.

"It can protect the Galaxy!" {TabZoo Review}

Modern day life has definitely infiltrated the 76sunflowers household.
I used to be one of those new parents that always said my children wouldn't watch television.
I had dreams of them curling up on the sofa with their little heads buried in books 24/7.
Or running around the garden all day long playing with their imaginations like I did as a 7 year old.
I was brought up in a TV free household so didn't have any distractions.
Now though life has changed.
They are growing up in the 'internet, mobile phone, tablets as the norm' generation. And it's scary.
I'm not stupid though. My head isn't buried in the sand. I look around now as I type and I can see an iPad, Galaxy tablet, Samsung mobile, iPhone, DS and two laptops. The children know how to use the majority of them.

My girl in particular uses the Galaxy tablet and up until now it has been kept in a fabric cover. It needed something more substantial so we were very happy to be asked to review the TabZoo Protective Tablet Sleeve from Lazerbuilt.

These are clearly aimed at the fast growing child market and come in two sizes, 8" and 11", designed to be compatible with many devices.

The seven year old has been practising her Word skills. Here's what she thought....

Tab Zoo

1.          I really like it because I like the stand on it.

2.        It can protect the Galaxy.

3.        I like it because it is very good how they made the stand.

4.        I like the animal pattern.

5.        I would like to have the hippo one as well.

The covers come in a variety of eye catching animal designs providing protection with anti-shock EVA padding and a rather cleverly designed viewing stand - I'm rather tempted to get a bigger one for myself.
The complete range is available online.

For more information you can follow Lazerbuilt on Twitter or see the TabZoo Facebook page.

x x x

Disclaimer: We were sent a free TabZoo Panda 8" Tablet Cover for review purposes. As always, words and opinions are our own.

Things that I'm liking...

As we march into November my thoughts turn to Christmas.
I love to make a list of those things I would love to receive but more enjoyably those things that I would love to give.
Keeping a sensible price in mind I have come across these lovely things in the past few weeks whilst browsing online...

1. Vintage Ivy Cake Tins dotcomgiftshop £12.95
2. Papar iPad Cover  Beatrix New York £29.95
3. 'Eat, Drink & Be Hairy' Mug  Bread & Jam £8.50
4. 'Stuff I'm Likely to Forget' Notebook Bread & Jam £6.50
5. 'Today is the Day' Print Bread & Jam £18.00

The notebook would be perfect for home or work - and being a stationery obsessive I believe you can never have enough notebooks.
The mug would suit the hubs perfectly.
The print would hang just nicely in the hallway giving me a positive push out of the door every morning.
The iPad cover is already keeping my precious tablet safe from the prying hands of the children
and the Vintage Ivy tins are full of cakes and sweets sitting in the kitchen as I type.

So, what's on your lists this year?

x x x

 

Disclaimer: I came across Bread & Jam online and simply love their products. I received the Beatrix New York iPad cover and dotcomgiftshop tins for review purposes on this blog. As always my thoughts and opinions are honest and are my own.

Papar iPad Cover from Beatrix New York {review}

Meet Papar - a bird who is fond of getting her own way with quite specific demands and a need for 8 hours sleep.
She sounds very familiar.

Papar has arrived at a very good time. My current much loved - handmade by me - iPad cover has seen better days and the fact it is more of a dust cover, rather than giving my device any real protection, it is time to move on. It is time to accept the children will be increasingly borrowing my iPad, carrying it carefully running manically with it around the house. It is time to accept that without proper protection there will be tears and tantrums if my beloved iPad gets damaged. Mostly from me.

So step up Papar - one of four designs from Beatrix New York - an iPad cover that is water resistant, padded and lined for kid-proof protection.

 

Don't fancy a feisty bird? Then choose from Pixel, JuJu and Percival...

   

Also in the Beatrix New York product range are Backpacks,  Lunchboxes and Trollies...

 

 

So, if like me, you have a love of all things owl and want to have the iPad cover for your own device there are plenty of other fantastic products to keep the children happy and looking rather fantastically accessorised!

 

x x x



Disclaimer: I was sent the Papar Beatrix New York iPad cover for review purposes. As always words and opinions are my own and are honest.



#pinaddicts challenge no. 3 - iPad cover



It's month 3 of the #pinaddicts challenge and April sees the lovely Sew Scrumptious hosting the linky.

The #pinaddicts challenge works as follows:

Pin to your #pinaddicts board on Pinterest.

Choose something to make for the challenge.

In your post put the original image with original links.

Post your fantastic effort at recreating.

Link up and go and check out the other #pinaddicts!

#pinaddicts challenge no.3 - iPad cover

This month I returned to my sewing machine to make a cover for my iPad.

I was inspired by the following two pins on my #pinaddicts board.

http://oneshabbychick.typepad.com

http://teaginnydesigns.blogspot.com

I really liked the zipper on the above design but my basic sewing machine does not have a zipper foot - time for an upgrade I think! So I took the elements from each tutorial that I could do and mashed them together.

I found some gorgeous fabric from www.fabricrehab.co.uk and set to work.

For the outer sleeve I used two pieces of fabric cut to 10.5" x 8.5" and interfacing the same size.

For the inner sleeve the fabric was cut to the same dimensions.

For the flap I used two pieces of fabric and one piece of interfacing 3" x 3".

All the parts were made by placing right sides together with interfacing pressed inside. The two long sides and one short side were sewn on the flap and the outer sleeve. For the inner sleeve a 3" opening was left at the bottom.

A piece of velcro was attached to the outer sleeve and the flap pinned to the opposite side:

This piece was then put inside the inner sleeve - inner sleeve is inside out at this point.

The seams were pinned and the sleeves sewn together around the top opening.

Then the outer sleeve was pulled through the opening in the inner sleeve like so:

The opening in the inner sleeve was sewn up and the sleeve was tucked into the outer sleeve. Then the top opening was sewn around again and a final piece of velcro attached to the flap:

And it was all done!

What do you think?

x x x