Smiggle opens it’s 100th UK Store

Smiggle an Australian stationery brand has hit the UK by storm over the last year or so, with it’s 100th store opening last weekend at the Drake Circus shopping centre in Plymouth.  I was invited along to take a look around and see what exciting goodies the store has to offer as although I’ve heard and seen glimpses of the store online I’ve never actually visited one in person.

The first thing you can’t fail to notice as you enter the store are the neatly lined rows of brightly coloured goods, almost so many you don’t know where to look first.  It’s like being a kid in a sweet shop as you eye up the rows of treats wondering which one to choose first.  The shop is very pleasing on the eye and although similar items are spread across the store they are displayed in a colour coded manner.

Whether you want pink, purple, blue or aqua, Smiggle has it all but not only are their products colourful, they are oozing with fun designs and unusual features that stand out from traditional stationery products.  The range of pencil cases is vast and they are packed with cute details that it’s hard to choose between them.  I thought the range of drinks bottles were particularly fun and quirky being made of squeezy silicone that can be rolled up when empty to save space!

Not only do they have lots of bright and pastel colours but they also have a vast range of blues, greens and blacks so there really is something to suit everyone’s tastes. They had a good selection of lunch bags that looked really cool and perfect for keeping your food protected ready for lunchtimes.

Something I haven’t mentioned is that a lot of the products are actually scented with fun fruity fragrances,  you can’t fail to pick up something without having a sniff, making it that much more appealing to drop into your basket to buy.  Of the more unusual products that I spotted were some fun glittery silicone digital watches that display the time when you press them and some funky headphones that kids will love.  There were also some fun animal shaped water spray fans to keep you cool in the Summer, I really liked these as did my children.

A new range to hit Smiggle shops is ‘besties’, a collection of six limited edition character pencil cases and key rings in pastel shades with cute faces.  We tried out a key ring below which was scented in strawberry and we can’t stop sniffing it!

A really different style of pencil case which will really keep you organised is the one above, a small carry style bag with a handle and zip up pocket on the back.  You can unzip three sizes to reveal a fold out section with four sides to slot all of your pens and pencils into – no more searching around in the deep depths of a traditional pencil case for your favourite pen.  We also tried the Neon scented gel pens which as you can imagine smell very fruity.  Each come in a different shade and fruit scent and they also come in a handy snap close case.  They also work incredibly well giving a really vibrant shade to write with.

Overall I’m really impressed with Smiggle, not only for the amazingly bright and scented range of products available but also the quality seems to be good, the pens are lovely to write with, the pencil cases are well thought out with lots of zips and pockets and the keyrings among other things smell delicious.

Whether you are young or a little bit older and love stationery then be sure to check out your nearest Smiggle store for a really fun stationery experience that can’t fail to make you smile with it’s bright, happy vibe.

All reviews are my own and my family’s opinions and we received the product in order to write an honest review.

Robinsons Fruit Shoot Smencils – Review

I think nearly all children love to draw, write and colour so Smencils – the new gourmet scented pencils from Learning Resources were sure to be a hit with Miss M when we received a pack to try.  The amazing thing with these pencils is not only their scent but the fact that they are made from 100% recycled newspaper!!

We received a pack of the new Robinson’s Fruit Shoot Smencils which contained 5 graphite pencils in the 5 popular Fruit Shoot flavours – Orange, Tropical Fruit, Apple, Summer Fruits and Blackcurrant & Apple.  They each come individually cased in a plastic tube to preserve the scent but this also adds to the appeal for children as they love things in little containers to open and close.

When I gave the Smencils to Miss M to try her eyes lit up.  She carefully opened each tube and had a sniff, then tried to guess the flavour – in fact she found it quite fascinating that each pencil smelt differently.  After opening each tube and sniffing each pencil about three times and getting mummy and daddy to have a sniff she proceeded to do some drawing.  What fascinated me whilst watching her was that although each pencil had the same graphite lead in it, she would draw a little then put the pencil back in the tube, open another tube, have a sniff then draw bit more and so on.

We’ve loved trying Smencils and Miss M loves trying to get people to guess the different scents.  A great novelty pencil idea but eco-friendly being made with 100% recycled newspaper.

If you fancy trying some then why not join the Learning Resources Facebook page where you can enter a competition for your chance to win a pack of Robinson’s Fruit shoot Smencils.  The competition ends on Friday 7th September so get your entries in now!!

All reviews are my own and my family’s opinions. We are not paid for reviews although we do receive the product to try out and enable us to write the review.