TODDLER ACTIVITY: Personalised Canvas Painting

This craft activity would be ideal as a special gift for any family member or friend and luckily it is simple, effective and takes minutes to make. There's also minimal mess made in the process. What's not to like? By using stickers you can create an image or word/phrase that will stand out once your child has done some painting. I've used a similar method before to create a daffodil out of masking tape, which worked really well.

TODDLER: Le Toy Van Lilys Cottage

As toddler's get older they begin to enter the world of play in the small world. It's a fun and imaginative world where lots can be learnt! A doll's house is perfect for supporting children in entering and enjoying small world play because it provides them with a house more suited to their size.

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE: For Foodies

 

If I'm honest this Christmas Gift Guide is my absolute favourite, receiving food related gifts probably excites me the most and I tend to be drawn to them to give others too. There are lots of interesting, unique food gifts that would appeal to people of all ages included in this gift guide, so let's get on with it...

GIFT INSPIRATION: Becky Bettesworth Vintage Seaside Posters

Becky Bettesworth lives in South Devon, where she creates the most beautiful posters inspired by the classic railway posters of the 1930's. The posters are mostly based around various seaside towns around the United Kingdom, with some feel good quote posters added in for good measure. There's something so nostalgic about seaside towns, with their cute beach huts, well loved landmarks, fresh fish and chips, rickety old piers and rustic beaches. Becky's posters encapsulate all of these attributes so cleverly, taking you back to a much simpler time before technology and our every busy lives took over.

GIFT INSPIRATION: Lucy Sheeran Bespoke Illustrations

 

 We're well and truly approaching the gift giving month of December and the ever challenging task of finding personal, thoughtful gifts your loved ones will treasure. A completely bespoke illustration of something, somewhere or someone special is sure to be cherished by whoever the lucky recipient is. Lucy Sheeran is an incredibly talented illustrator who can bring to life a photo that's special. 

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE: For Him

 

It's November so it's time to step up the Christmas shopping and introduce the first Christmas Gift Guide of 2015. I thought I'd begin with those hard to buy for men. Most of the people I buy for are male, so this year I started keeping notes of products, experiences and ideas for gifts with the hope it would make Christmas shopping easier. It has done to some extent though I'm certainly not finished shopping for my Dad or husband quite yet. If you have a gift guide for men then please link it below, as I'm still in need of more inspiration.

FATHERS DAY: Wrappz Personalised Photo Gifts (+ free skin code)

I can't believe Father's Day is quickly approaching, it will be the first one for my husband! I'm therefore determined to make it something special, one he can remember. The fact that we've been snapping away for the past two months has meant we have accumulated a large number of beautiful photographs of our daughter, with the odd appearance of us. As I'm sure is the case for new and well established parents alike! Photographing and capturing all of the special moments that happen is something a lot of us do, especially as it's so easy now with phones, tablets, Instagram, Facebook etc. So I was trying to think of what I could do with all those photographs and I came across Wrappz. A company that offer a wide range of personalised photograph products, perfect for Father's Day!

Wrappz offer such a plethora of personalised products it was really difficult to decide on what to get, they have canvases, pillows, mugs, skins, phone cases, aprons, tea towels, jewellery boxes and jigsaws. The website is the easiest thing to navigate around, with clear imagery and pricing. Too many of the personalised photo gift websites have hidden prices that almost double when you get to check out, which is so annoying. Wrappz is up front, with no hidden charges, a refreshing change.

I finally decided on getting a personalised glass cutting board* (£17.95), usually a pretty boring item in the kitchen...until you can personalise it! As you may know, we are currently renovating our house and the kitchen is heading in the direction of being finished. The wooden surfaces we now have in there can get damaged easily, so we needed a glass cutting board to protect the surface.

The process of adding your own photographs is so easy on the Wrappz website, you can link up to your Facebook or Instagram. Or you can always choose photos from your computer/tablet/phone. They also have a range of preloaded designs you can use, as well as adding whatever text you like. You can select the photo then resize it, move it, edit it or delete it if you're not happy. It was honestly so easy, I personalised this glass cutting board in less than 10 minutes. Perfect as time is limited with a little baby! The delivery was just as quick, with the finished product arriving two days after I had ordered it.

I was intrigued to see what the quality of the photo's would be like, especially as I took them on either my phone or iPad. I was not disappointed, none of the images were fuzzy or pixilated. In fact the cutting board is incredible quality, as you can see from these photos.

If you want to have a go yourself then Wrappz have kindly given me a code for you to get a free phone or ipod skin, all you have to do is pay for postage. Such an amazing offer and one not to be missed! Why not get it for your Dad ready for Father's Day?

The code is: 

freeskin

Which photo gift do you think your Dad would like? 

Feel free to leave me a comment :) 

Helen x 

BODY: The Body Shop Glazed Apple Body Butter

I am obsessed with anything scented or flavoured with apple, I just love it! So when I saw that The Body Shop had bought out a new range called Glazed Apple I had to get down to my local Body Shop to check the range out. I certainly wasn't disappointed, it smells divine, so divine in fact I never used a body butter up so quickly! The Glazed Apple Body Butter* has all of the loveliness of the usual Body Shop body butter ranges - thick, rich body cream that is just the most moisturising - especially welcome at this time of year. 

I would be so happy if I received anything from the Body Shop Glazed Apple range this Christmas, it makes for such a 'treaty' gift! Also, The Body Shop have always got various offers on to take advantage of, at the time of writing this they are offering a massive 40% off plus free standard delivery on orders over £5. So there's definitely always a bargain to be had, without compromising on the quality at all.

Which is your favourite range from The Body Shop?

Feel free to leave me a comment :)

Helen x

GIFTS FOR MEN: Ted Baker Mens Mini Hanging Christmas Gift Set

I have some more inspiration for those hard to buy for men today because let's be honest, any inspiration is always welcomed when it comes to buying gifts for men! This time we're talking scents again but mini versions, perfect for hanging on the Christmas tree or as stocking fillers. The Ted Baker Men's Mini Hanging Christmas Set (£22 from Debenhams) is a set of four different mini fragrances, which are individually boxed in the most stylish of packaging. Due to the fact that each fragrance is beautifully packaged you can easily separate the four fragrances and give them to four different people - ideal stocking fillers!

A bit more about the four fragrances:

'XO: Fresh, Green and Woody

Designed for men who have a passion for the finer things in life. Fresh green top notes lead to a heart of aromatic woods, red berries and ginger roots, mixed with base notes of pink pepper and warm, sensual spices.'

'Skinwear: Enticingly Aromatic

Fresh, zingy extracts of Lime, Bergamot and Lemon are blended with notes of Rosemary, Cypress and Juniper with an enticing base of Sandalwood, Amber and Musk.'

'X2O: Spicy and Intense

Top notes of Tangerine, Tea and Cardamom with Lavender, Rosemary Spices and Violet Leaves and a base of Black Pepper, Sandalwood and Amber.'

'M: Understated Sophistication

Top notes of Tonka Bean, Musk and Vetiver are combined with Coriander, Amber and a rich, woody base.'

How's your Christmas shopping going?

(Mine is slow progress but it's more mustering the energy to go, rather than anything else).

Feel free to leave me a comment :)

Helen x

GIFTS FOR WOMEN: Cocoa Brown Bronzed and Beautiful Gift Set

Cocoa Brown 1-Hour Instant Tan hasn't been on our beauty shelves for all that long but it's taken the fake tan market by storm. I remember winning a bottle from Ireland ages ago, when it wasn't easily available in England, but now you can pick a bottle up in Superdrug, feelunique.com and Primark to name a few. The Cocoa Brown range has also expanded, including 1-Hour Tan Dark, Gentle Bronze Gradual Tan, Lovely Legs Spray Tanning Make-Up, Tough Stuff Body Scrub, Chocolate Whip Oil-Free Body Moisturiser, Tanning Mitts and Gift Sets.

You can read my first review of Cocoa Brown 1-Hour Instant Tan here, written back in February 2013! Since then I've been an avid user and am constantly recommending it and being recommended it too. So when I saw that Cocoa Brown were doing gift sets I knew they would make the most perfect gift for women who love self tanning.

The Cocoa Brown Bronzed and Beautiful Gift Set (£7.95) contains everything a good self tanning gift set should - 

Cocoa Brown 1-Hour Tan

Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze Gradual Tanner

Sachet of the Award Winning Cocoa Brown Tough Stuff Body Scrub

I can't believe you get all of that for £7.95 and the quality is simply outstanding!

Have you tried the wonders of Cocoa Brown?

Feel free to leave a comment :)

Helen x 

GIFTS FOR MEN: Ted Baker Claim to Flame Gift Set

Oh men - why do you have to be so hard to buy for? As someone who is mostly surrounded by men (Dad, brothers, husband etc.) I am constantly battling to draw gift ideas out of them and it's not easy. As Christmas is approaching I've been trying to think of any inspiration of what to get the men in my life, my husband being one of the hardest. Every present giving event all I get is "I don't want anything". Helpful. So when I was thinking about the things Tom likes, it came to me - a manly scented candle. As a candle lover myself, I'm constantly burning sweet smelling candles around our house. Tom also loves candles but not always the same scents as me. He also loves to take a long bath, reading GQ magazine and listening to music. Where better to burn a manly scented candle but when having a long bath?!



When I came across the Ted Baker Claim to Fame Gift Set (£18 from Boots) I knew it would make the perfect present for any man who loves a more manly scent, just like my husband. I think the packaging for this gift set is so sophisticated and looks a lot more expensive than it is. In fact this gift set is part of the infamous Boots 3 for 2 offer, so it would work out at less than £18 for the set. Bonus!

The candle is in a stylish ceramic black container and the size of the candle is really generous. Sometimes you find that in gift sets the size of each item is quite small compared to the same product being bought outside of a gift set, but not this set!

I'm not great at describing scents but I'll give it my best shot - bare with me. So the Ted Baker Cologne Step 4 is slightly citrusy yet spicy, with a hint of ginger. It's really awakening and vibrant, perfect for these colder winter days. This product is actually full size, buying it on its own from Boots would cost £15, so you're getting a really good deal with this gift set.


Do you struggle with buying gifts for men?


Feel free to leave me a comment :)


Helen x 

GIFT INSPIRATION: Baby Girl's Birthday

I haven't written about my niece, Daisy, for a while on my blog and I'm not sure why! She's now a couple of months off 1 years old - where has the time gone?! She's such a lovely age at the moment, she's got such a personality and is always so smiley (showing all of her teeth!). It's been such an honour to be part of Daisy growing up and every moment we all spend together is invaluable, as babies become children very very quickly! Recently I noticed I hadn't really had time to look for cute baby things for Daisy and with her birthday quickly approaching I thought I'd put together some ideas for a baby girl who's turning one!

^Personalised Wooden Children's Chair from My 1st Years £35. How cute is this little chair and the fact that it can be personalised is always a winner with me! ^

^ Rose Cottage and Tea Shop Playhouse by Kiddiewinkles £195. I love how this can be personalised with the child's name and it's a two in one playhouse. There's a tea shop on the other side of this Rose Cottage. Kiddiewinkles have other designs too.^

^ Personalised Girls Hanger by Clouds and Currents £17.50. I love these and really want one for myself so that I can hang my wedding dress on it!^

^ Noah's Ark in a Wooden Gift Box from Ella James £26^

^ Little Girl's Pink Floral Print Wigwam from Ella James £79^

^ Skipper Ride 'n' Roll Ladybird from Harmony at Home Children's Boutique £59^

^Chunky Safari Puzzle by Nubie Modern Kids Boutique £11.99^

I could spend all day browsing for children's toys - they're all so adorable!

Do you have any other recommendations for a 1 year olds birthday?

Feel free to leave me a comment :)

GIFT: Cake in a Can

I first came across this concept on notonthehighstreet website, a cake in a can. It's pretty self explanatory and I think it's simply genius, it's so much more than a cake. The Food Ministry have created a Cake in a Can range that are ideal gifts for loved ones. They have a Valentine's Day, Christmas, Wedding and general range of Cake in a Can - which are available on notonthehighstreet website for £4.99 here.

When I received the Valentine's Day Cake in a Can* (£4.99) I couldn't believe how cute the packaging is. I chose the 'Romantic Pink' design but there is also 'Raunchy Red' and Mysterious Black and Red' designs. When you open the ring pull of the can you get a bag of cake mix, all you have to do is add 2 tbsp of water and mix. Pour the mixture back into the oiled can and bake for 15 minutes. You then have a freshly baked spicy fruit cake baked in a tin - I love the fact it's in a can, so unique!

The Valentine's Day Cake in a Can is a spicy fruit cake but they also have a Chocolate Cake in a Can and a Lemon Cake in a Can as well.

This is the perfect gift for any occasion but especially birthday's. My brother lives a couple of hours away from me at the moment but it doesn't mean I don't want to give him a birthday cake. Instead of trying to send a homemade cake through the post for a small fortune, only for it to sit there for a couple of weeks (I know what my brother is like, such a student!) and then not be eaten. Cake in a Can is perfect to send someone who lives further away from you, they can make the cake up when they want to and enjoy a freshly baked cake in less than 20 minutes!

The spicy cake was so deliciously moist and I now have a cute can to keep!

Have you come across Cake in a Can before?

Feel free to leave me a comment :)

REVIEW: Mylah Rose

You may all know by now but I have such a love for unique, small businesses - what they have to offer is more often than not underestimated. Recently I came across a website I hadn't come across before, which combines my love for small businesses and unique, luxury gifts - Mylah Rose. They offer luxury gifts that are made in England, perfect for those environmentally friendly people out there. Supporting British companies needs to be done more often in my opinion, they help create jobs and keep our traditional values alive!

There is a luxurious feel about browsing the Mylah Rose website - there's even a 'personal shopper' section! If your looking for an extra special gift for someone - Valentine's Day is quickly approaching (along with my birthday if your reading this Tom!) - then Mylah Rose is ideal. I've put together my favourite items from there...

Artisan Gift Box - £19

Melting Moments Gift Box £28

Flower Spots Gift Set £38



Balmoral Check Tweed Donut Bed £90



Balmoral Check Tweed Coat £50




Which is your favourite item off the Mylah Rose website?




Feel free to comment :)

CHRISTMAS: I feel so lucky to have every single one of these presents!

This Christmas I have spent all of it feeling so incredibly lucky - lucky to have such amazing family and friends, lucky that I received the thoughtful presents I got this year but most of all lucky to feel the love from around me. Christmas is about spending time with loved ones and reminding those people we love how much we actually care. One of the things I most look forward to on Christmas Day is everyone opening their presents from me, I get so much enjoyment from making others happy!

I received such an incredible number of lovely gifts this year, every single one made my smile grow even bigger and my heart melt.

^ The perfume I've been lusting over for ages, my first 'proper' make up brush, the only concealer that hides my dark circles, a hairbrush that creates volume like you wouldn't believe, Bio-Oil as I've heard it's amazing and a rather cute little bubble bar. ^ 

^ The sweetest smelling lip balm set and one of the best chocolates out there. ^

^ A Mason Jar travel mug for hot and cold drinks that's ideal for work, reusable cupcake cases to save the planet and the prettiest Moroccan lantern as I love lanterns. ^

^ I chose the 'bits & bobs' jar from B&M Bargains for only £2.49 and spices from around this wonderful world. ^

^ A contemporary red candle that's already proudly sitting on our dining room table, the most interesting range of chilli jams, pumpkin as I made a pumpkin pie in America and it was so yummy and shimmery sugar for when nothing else will do. ^

^ Chocolate heaven and a kitchen timer as I have been known to get in all of a tiss when cooking. ^

^ A sturdy wooden chopping board to protect the ever so delicate kitchen surfaces we have now. ^

^ I am very messy in the kitchen so this apron will definitely come in handy, a Le Creuset surface protector once again for those delicate kitchen surfaces and the prettiest bowl I've ever seen. It's the way the light reflects off it that makes it so beautiful. ^

^ My main present from my family was a bread maker - a piece of kitchen technology both Tom and I have wanted since my uncle cooked us the most amazing bread in his bread maker. This cookbook makes me want to stay at home baking bread all day. ^

^ To keep all that homemade bread in. ^

^ I already can't wait for next Christmas just so that I can make some of the fantastic items in this lovely book. ^

^ You can never have too many pretty tins. ^

^ I shall be even more organised in 2014 with this calendar and post holder there's no excuse. ^

^ A cosy cushion for our cosy living room. ^

^ The elephant scarf I showed in an OOTD on my blog a while ago has been worn so very much. These gorgeous new scarves will I'm sure get just as much wear. ^

^ My brother chose this all by himself. I for one am seriously impressed. ^

^ Next clothes are such a treat as I'd very rarely buy them myself. ^

^ This style Primark dress has been a staple in my wardrobe this year. I now have 5 different patterns, these were the latest two to join the collection that I love dearly. ^

^ A luxurious shower cream for those hard days, Benefit eyeshadow set so I can start experimenting with my wedding make up (oh gosh.) and the cutest reindeer scarf I ever did see. ^

^ Our initials. ^

^ Tom gave me the most amazing selection of presents this year. He saved one till last, that he had hidden at the back of the Christmas tree. Look what I found in it! I almost cried with excitement. ^

^ More sweet treats I'm sure Tom and I will devour pretty early on into January. ^

^ A microwavable container that will be just perfect for lunches at work and wooden hearts I'm going to paint to label my many kilner jars. ^

^ Such a pretty way of not losing my keys. ^

^ A joint present to Tom and I - read it and believe it. ^

^ 2014 is the year I will grow herbs and they won't all die. ^

^ These taste so delicious both hot and cold. ^

^ Vintage inspired scales for the baker in me. ^

What did you get for Christmas?

Feel free to leave me a comment :)