A couple of weeks ago I went to the launch of the Finish Quantumatic and scored a free sample to try at home. Well, I’ve tried it, and I’m sold!

The truth is, I have never been a massive fan of dishwashers. I always felt that it was more work to rinse off dishes and then put them in the dishwasher than to just wash them. However, we’ve moved into a new flat with a new (to us) dishwasher so we decided to give the Quantumatic a go.

The result? The dishes are coming out STUNNING! And I keep testing it by putting in really dirty dishes, but so far it has worked every time. E seems to love it even more than I do now that I’m cooking more in the new (to us) kitchen and he’s stuck with more washing up (that’s how we try to divide it–if one does the cooking, the other does the washing up!)

So it gives me sparkling dishes and there is no fiddling about with loading the dishwasher every time we use it. Well done, Finish.

Laura Ashley’s massive home sale is on through the end of the month.

In additional to storewide offers of up to 50% off, Laura Ashley are offering an extra 10% off all made to order products including furniture, sofas and chairs, beds and curtains. And on top of that free shipping!

To see all home offers, click here.

Birdcage Tealight Holder on Stand – £12.96

String of Daisy Flower Lights – £11.34

Rebecca Bedspread – £108

Last night I went to a really fun event to celebrate the launch of Finish QuantuMatic, a time-saving device that stays in your dishwasher and dispenses detergent for 12 washes!

In addition to being one of the first to see the cool new product, we were treated to a live cooking demonstration by James Martin and some entertaining tips from Good Housekeeping. Plus we were given a QuantuMatic to try at home (stay tuned) and an autographed cookbook from James!

The lovely people at Finish have given me an extra to give away, so if you’d like to be one of the first to try it, be the first to comment on this post!

Here is the official info about the product:

Finish QuantuMatic is a revolutionary new detergent dispenser system that automatically releases detergent for 12 washes. Simply clip the dispenser on to the rack of your dishwasher and after 12 washes, replace the refill.

Finish QuantuMatic. The Diamond Standard.

The revolutionary advantages:

• Amazing shine – on all dishes
• Powerful cleaning – even on baked-on stains
• 12 washes automatically – without refilling
• Intelligent counter – shows the number of washes left

QuantuMatic is available in Regular and Lemon as a starter set: dispenser and refill with 12 washes, and a refill twin pack (24 washes).

The latest published offers on at B&Q.

Dulux Paint Pod Compact
was £34.98, now £17.49
(valid until 29th January)

Selected Wellington Boots—Floral, Stripey and Spotty
were £12.98, now £7.50
(while stocks last)

Garden Power tools
MAC 3 pressure washer – was £149.98, now £74.99 (½ price)
Karcher K5.14 pressure washer – was £299.98, now £199.98 (save £100)
(while stocks last)

The latest published offers on at B&Q.

15% off all greenhouses
valid from 4th December until 17th December

Garden Power tools
valid from 4th December, while stocks last

• MAC 1 pressure washer – was £44.04, now £22.02 (½ price)
• Ryobi 40cc chainsaw – was £184.98, now £149.98
• B&Q 2100W Impact Shredder – was £89.98, now £74.98
• Black &Decker Alligator 600w – was £99.98, now £79.98

20% off all bird tables and feeding stations
valid from 4th December until 17th December

The latest published offers on at B&Q.

Half price on selected artificial trees, lights and decorations for Christmas

15% off All Interior and Exterior Doors
Until 3^rd December

15% off all Radiator Cabinets
Until 17^th December

Buy one get one free 200mm Knauf Space Blanket now £7.76 (£3.88 per roll)
Until 10^th December

Buy one get on free B&Q Aluminium Thermal Foil now £19.78 (£9.89 each)
Until 10^th December

Bouf is a brilliant home design store – its not exactly budget-friendly but their products are gorgeous! I mean just look at these dandelion wall stickers!

This month they are giving away a fabulous Peony Shade by designer Meiha Tsang worth £245. To enter you’ve got to subscribe to receive the weekly Bouf newsletter. The winner will be chosen at random on Friday 20th November.

The shade is made from black cotton and synthetic fabric on black PVC and measures 60 cm diameter and 25 cm high.

Enter to win here!

Domestic Sluttery might be my new favourite blog! The tagline is ‘a home and lifestyle blog for women with better things to do’ and it is written by ‘women who cook, decorate and design (usually with a glass of wine close to hand) without giving up our lives.’

I found it because I often come across posts by Domestic Sluttery’s editor Sian Meades on WalletPop UK, so I started following her on Twitter and she tweeted about Domestic Sluttery, and now I’m absolutely HOOKED.

The posts are so fun and I want to buy, cook or drink pretty much everything they recommend (not ideal when you’re watching your budget, true, but you can still look!)

It is hard to pick out just a few favourite posts for this one, but I’ll do my best:

When I grow up…

Design Porn: Single flower arrangements

Shop in the spotlight: Mums who bake

Sluttishly easy: Honeycomb

Cupboard lust: The giant cupcake tin

Robot cake plate

In the spotlight: Love from Random

Lovely lovely tea towels for lovely lovely ladies

Baking for beginners: Macaroni and cheese with bacon

Other sites I’ve been loving include Make and Takes and Old School.

Thursday, 12th November through Monday, 16th November B&Q are offering 15% off everything in the store for friends and family (that means you!)

You’ll need a voucher, and you can download one right here.

Check out the fun Christmas decor section while you’re on the site!

moneymagpie published a brilliant article recently called 10 Miracle Products Every Home Should Have. As I’ve stated previously, I quite like lists, so this caught my eye immediately.

Did you know tin foil can help cut your heating costs?

If you’ve read our easy ways to cut your heating costs you’ll already be aware that putting tin foil behind your radiators will make them more efficient. Just tape a sheet of foil to a piece of carboard and slide it behind a radiator, shiny side facing out and you’ll prevent heat being absorbed by the wall – instead it will reflect it back into the room. It really works!

That Aspirin can make your cut flowers last longer?

Make your flowers last longer by sticking a crushed aspirin in water before you put the flowers in a vase. When plants are cut they produce a substance which causes the plant to wilt. Aspirin inhibits the effects of this substance which means your flowers will last longer.  Works every time.

Or that hairspray can remove stains?

You can also use hairspray to remove marks from clothes. Give the mark a good spray and leave it for a minute. Then wipe it off and the stain should come of with it.

I didn’t! Check out the full list here.