This Winter we are working with Blackpool based art supplier ARTdiscount. They sell quality brands, including their own range of products, at great prices. They have put together an awesome bundle of goodies for anyone who does a little art at home, or fancies trying.

Being creative is fantastic for your mental health, it's relaxing and rewarding, can lower your blood pressure, ease tension and you can end up with a piece of work you are really proud of! As Bob Ross said, “I really believe that if you practice enough you could paint the 'Mona Lisa' with a two-inch brush.”


Included in the ARTdiscount Art Beginner's bundle are:

Docrafts Artiste x12 fineliner pen set
Derwent Academy 19 piece sketching set
ARTdiscount own brand Watercolour brush set
Staedtler Noris x12 Colour pencil set
Watercolour tin with brush, 12 colours

We've been to Coral Island in Blackpool more times than I can possibly remember. A very popular spot for us, up between the tower and central pier, and an ideal place to escape the sun, wind or rain for half an hour, or stop in to have lunch. We reviewed 18 months ago, we loved our day out, and they invited us back again this year as guests, to check they haven't changed...


Coral Island is Blackpool's biggest free admission attraction and it's all indoor. I love Blackpool, and it can be hot and sunny at times, but often it's bracing and Northern. An indoor drop-in attraction is a great thing. You can find my 2018 Coral Island Blackpool review here - where we spent £20 per person for the entire day, including meals. Prices were roughly the same then, as they were this year...

We might love books and theatre and kitchen science, but we also love a good traditional day off. Last Tuesday we had an awesome stress-free fun day off in Blackpool courtesy of Coral Island. Right by the pier, the tower and the best parking spots behind SeaLife, Coral Island is Blackpool's largest indoor free-admission family-friendly attraction.


I had no idea just how much Coral Island had to offer until this week, but the claw prize machines are just the start. They have a huge selection of arcade machines from brand new through to those which bring back memories from my SEGA days, 3 rides and 4 restaurants with freshly cooked food and staff who really care about their guests. We spent almost 6 hours there - by sheer fluke getting back to the van 3 minutes before the parking ran out!

Just before the Summer holidays we took a trip to Blackpool as part of the Blackpool Has It All campaign with Visit Blackpool, Merlin Entertainments and Blackpool Pleasure Beach. We rode on the trams and reviewed 3 of the seafront attractions. Although we really enjoyed both Sandcastle Waterpark and Sealife Blackpool, the highlight of our day was probably Madame Tussauds.


We've been to Madame Tussauds before, so we thought we knew what to expect, but it was so different from our visit 4 years ago that it really was a completely different day out and we saw so much that was new - and got nostalgic about old favourites too..

The second of my 3 posts from our day in Blackpool is Sandcastle Waterpark - the UK's largest indoor waterpark. We were guests for the Blackpool Has It All campaign with Visit Blackpool, Merlin Entertainments and Blackpool Pleasure Beach. We've been intending to go for ages, but never quite managed it before...


Sandcastle is really easy to find, a huge building on the seafront just South of the South Pier. There is a busy car park nearby, the tram stop is very close and it's a nice 1 mile walk from SEA LIFE Blackpool and Madame Tussauds, the two other attractions we reviewed. We went by tram, included with our Blackpool Resort Passes.

Last weekend we spent a full day as guests in Blackpool as part of the Blackpool Has It All campaign with Visit Blackpool, Merlins Entertainments and Blackpool Pleasure Beach. We rode on the trams and reviewed 3 of the seafront attractions - Sandcastle Water Park, Madame Tussauds and SEA LIFE.


We're very familiar with SEA LIFE Manchester, we've visited many times, but SEA LIFE Blackpool is different. Whereas Manchester have Turtles and Octopus and more Tropical creatures, Blackpool have more Sharks, Jellyfish and Rainforest creatures. (Click on any image to make it bigger).

We've had the most awesome day today reviewing a special event at The Blackpool Tower, so I am anxious to spread the word because it would be a shame if they didn't sell out! Only for the next 3 Saturday mornings can you experience Tall Tales at The Blackpool Tower - and what you get is exactly the same as what we experienced...and it's a fantastic morning out...


For Tall Tales you have to arrive at 9am, an hour before The Blackpool Tower opens to the general public. This in itself is really special. Being inside when this amazing old building is virtually empty is something else...my youngest certainly felt it.

It's not every day you can see a giant pair of wellies on Blackpool beach, but Madame Tussauds have taken a pair onto the sand to promote their newest area inside the attraction - Festival Fields. They didn't only have giant yellow wellies braving the elements - Olly Murs, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran were there too, as the festival headliners...


We are a house full of music fans, and most of my lot are no stranger to festivals either, so Festival Fields sounds right up our street. It's also got it's very own camper van to go with the wellies - throw in the wet wipes and you've got my 3 festival essentials!