If you’re looking for a personal touch and something a little different for gifts this Christmas, the Gallery Thea might just be the place to shop! Gallery Thea is a studio and ceramics shop in the Suffolk coastal town of Southwold. They create hand-painted ceramics to celebrate a range of special occasions. Be it for weddings, christenings, anniversaries or any other event, a personal touch from Gallery Thea could be right up the recipients’ street!
Gallery Thea produces beautiful and unique hand designed ceramics and recent commissions include a dinner service for a customer in New York as well as producing orders for returning customers from all over the world. They are becoming increasingly popular, and only in their own right!
For a small snippet into what they offer, is this cute little Tea Bag Dish (£12). It’s small, bright and very useful indeed! I am sure anyone would like this dish in their kitchen for the practicality of it. You know what’s it’s like when you put your teabag in the bin, and there is a trail of drip marks left on the floor, or (if your like me) leave them in the sink for the upmost ease – yes annoying and lazy! Well, simply purchase a cute little dish and hey presto, no more drip marks!
If you look at http://www.gallerythea.co.uk, you will see the array of wonderful gifts they have to offer. Christmas shopping could be completed in only a few clicks – now that’s the style of shopping I like!
We all know that Christmas is a time for giving! But giving a gift with more meaning to it should be something we should all be doing! Why not visit Oxfam today and do your bit for charity this Christmas 2011. They do much more than charity shops and second hand clothes, oh yes; Oxfam has an array of new gifts available that could fill all your nearest and dearest needs. The products are really lovely and you know that when you buy a gift from there, you will also be helping those in need. Oxfam say:-
“Oxfam is a vibrant global movement of passionate, dedicated people fighting poverty together. Doing amazing work, together. People power drives everything we do. From saving lives and developing projects that put poor people in charge of their lives and livelihoods, to campaigning for change that lasts. That’s Oxfam in action.”
Here are some amazing gifts from their shop that I think would make wonderful gifts.
There is an array of craft kits available, which would make any craft enthusiast happy. From making your own bunting to letter embellishments, all craft projects are well and truly covered with Oxfam’s help. The Heart decorations craft kit (£11.99) would make a great sewing project for both young and old. Well, they say that home is where the heart is, and with these gorgeous little hearts, it certainly is that! This craft kit will give you the opportunity to make five fabric hearts to hang around the home or give away to someone special. The kit contains everything needed to create wonderful heart decorations in a mixture of corduroy, felt and patterned materials. You could even try stuffing the hearts with dried lavender for a fragrant treat. The box contains fabric, ribbon, stuffing, buttons, thread, needle, patterns and instructions.
Another crafty gift could be this Vintage buttons craft kit (£14.99). Now people who love their haberdashery as much as Gok Wan does will appreciate this kit! It makes for a fabulous creative project for grown-ups to make accessories out of vintage buttons. You have everything you need to make one long necklace or a shorter necklace and bracelet, as well as a brooch. The pot contains 150 buttons in a variety of sizes and styles in shades of green. The recycled bit and bobs are from old garments and factory waste – very clever indeed! This pot contains buttons, ribbon, embroidery thread and a needle kit.
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I have reviewed ‘Green People’ products before, and have genuinely recommended them to my friends. Green People is a forward-thinking company which specialises in organic body care products. There is an extensive range of natural products available, which caters for the whole body for all the seasons of the year. Green People are one of the biggest names in organic beauty in the UK – they are by far the experts in Organic personal and skin care!
Everything is made from exquisite organic essential oils, plant extracts and fairly traded ingredients. Charlotte Vøhtz, Founder says; “We use - 100% gentle, 100% vegetarian, 100% cruelty-free ingredients. Certified Organic plant oils, herbal infusions, essential oils and fair trade ingredients.”
With the festive season drawing nearer, Green People have created a range of luxurious gift packages that include their very best products. They would without a doubt make beautiful gifts for Mums, Partners, Sisters, Friends, Neighbours or Colleagues and even for a Secret Santa – all being a great ethical choice! Here are some of my favourites:-
The Winter Wonders gift set (£20.00) includes two deliciously rich and pampering lotions for face and hands. The Help at Hand is a soothing non-greasy hand cream, containing Rose Geranium, Lavender and Hemp. There is no better way to keep your hands soft and subtle this winter. The Vita Min Fix is a vitamin rich nourishing 24-hour cream containing Evening Primrose, Avocado and Seaweed. This is a simple way to regenerate and nourish dry and tired skin – it works a treat!
The Merry Moisture Kit (£22.00) includes two gorgeous Aloe Vera products. A wonderful Aloe Vera Hand & body Lotion which not only soothes chapped skin, but leaves your hands soft and completely nourished and moisturised. It contains Aloe Vera, Berrywax and Coconut. The Aloe Vera Shower Gel is a fabulous gentle wash to purify the skin for the whole family, and can be doubled up as a face wash. Packed with all the goodness of Aloe Vera, this shower and cream duo work as a treat for dry winter skin.
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Bubbles and the festive season seem to go hand in hand for me! There is nothing I like more than having a glass of splendid wine on Christmas morning whilst opening presents – it’s tradition in my family! After sampling the Yellow Label Sparkling Rosé, I know that this is what I will be tantalising my taste buds with this Christmas – it’s delicious and very easy to swig. This sparkling wine is perfect for everyday celebrations or for a weekend treat for those who deserve it!
Wolf Blass Yellow Label Sparkling Rosé is made with Pinot Noir grapes, the same blend that is used in traditional champagnes. Wolf Blass say:-
“Pale strawberry in colour with a delicate and persistent bead. The bouquet offers lifted aromas of blossom, freshly cut strawberries and underlying musk. Strawberry and red berry fruits are round with gentle citrus flavours on the palate. With a fine and persistent bead, the flavours are accompanied by a soft creaminess which provides a delicate mouth feel, finishing with refreshing, cleansing acidity.”
For a very affordable price of £12.99, you will be able to bring glamour and sparkle to your party effortlessly. The Wolf Blass Yellow Label Collection is available now from branches of Tesco, Sainsbury’s and The Co-operative. For more details on sumptuous wines and further collections, please check out http://www.wolfblasswines.com.
For those ‘hard to buy for’ individuals, and yes we all have them, Paperblanks may just have the products that could save you from excruciating Christmas shopping! Paperblanks have been producing superb writing journals for nearly twenty years. With a belief that the written word matters, they have produced a wonderful array of journals, address books, guest books and day planners (all also fully recyclable) that would make a great gift for anyone!
Paperblanks’ products are available in many sizes, including Mini, Midi, Slim, Maxi, Grande, and Ultra. Personally, I think all their products are absolutely stunning! With many different and unique journals, matching one up to the recipient’s individuality is easy – they are sure to adore it. The styles of Paperblanks products are influenced by great artists, writers and textiles from the past and present – here are some of my favourites.
Leonardo’s sketches – Sun and Moonlight collection is extremely pleasing to the eye, looks luxurious and would make a terrific gift. Leonardo was a skilful draftsman and sketch artist, and carefully recorded his world and the travels of his mind in mirror-image cursive. His work is showcased wonderfully in this spectacular journal. Prices of these journals start at £11.99 for the mini, and increase in price as it increases in size.
I absolutely adore the range of address books. They look very sleek and would be an impressive addition next to your telephone, work desk or wherever you keep your address book! Paperblank’s address books have been created in a variety of formats – Micro, Mini, Midi Slim, and Ultra. They combine convenience and good looks and feature popular cover designs. These books are a joy to carry with you and will make even the messiest desk look good. With uniquely shaped “thumb cut” pages angled to make turning the page part of the fun, they also feature a memento pouch that completes the package. Address book prices start from £6.99, also increasing with the size of book.
I could mention every style of book that I love from Paperblanks, but honestly, that could take a long time! They are all stunning in there own unique way. Many will adore these, and they truly will make the perfect gift for any occasion, giving the recipient the opportunity to record thoughts, ideas, stories, poems or any other craft.
To view the full collection please visit http://www.paperblanks.com/uk - Your Christmas shopping could be completed in just a few clicks!
