Tuesday 4 October 2022

Magical Mulled Wine Jam Trifle

Using Cottage Delight Magical Mulled Wine Jam

Prep: 40 minutes Cook: 6 hours chill Serves: 8

Recipe:

For the trifle:

1 x 340g jar Cottage Delight Magical Mulled Wine Jam

2 oranges, peeled and sliced in halves

420g sponge swiss roll

480ml custard

360ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks

500ml mulled wine (ready-made or using recipe below)

135g pack raspberry jelly

Fresh/frozen berries, to decorate

Ground cinnamon, to decorate

For the mulled wine jelly:

Option - make your own mulled wine using the recipe below or use ready-made mulled wine.  

For home-made mulled wine: 

500ml red wine

2 bay leaves

1 star anise

1 orange, thinly sliced

8 cloves, whole

2tbsp sugar 

2 cinnamon sticks

1 packet raspberry jelly

Method for mulled wine jelly:

Combine all ingredients (not including raspberry jelly) in saucepan and heat gently. Do not boil. Hold at gentle simmer for at least 10 minutes. 

Remove from heat and strain the liquid.

Return liquid to pan and dissolve in jelly cubes (if jelly cubes do not dissolve, put some gentle heat underneath).

If using bottled mulled wine, heat according to bottle instructions before dissolving in the jelly cubes. 

To assemble the trifle: 

1. Make your mulled wine jelly in advance, using recipe and method stated above. Pour jelly mixture into a small rectangle or square baking tin, so it’s roughly 1 inch high. Leave it in the fridge to set (approx. 3 hours)

2. To assemble, line the bottom of a trifle bowl with half of your cake slices. Press slices half way up along the sides of the bowl. 

3. Arrange halved orange slices around side of bowl.

4. Arrange half of the jelly squares over the cake mixture. 

5. Pour over half of the custard. 

6. Spoon over half of the Magical Mulled Wine Jam evenly.

7. Repeat steps 2 to 6.

8. Cover the top with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours or even better, overnight.

9. When you’re ready to serve, add whipped cream and fresh or frozen berries to decorate before dusting with cinnamon. 

To learn more about the Cottage Delight range or to make your purchases please visit https://www.cottagedelight.co.uk.

Some more Christmas goodies from That's Christmas!

I'd like to thank Louise for her help in putting this particular list of Chirstmas presents together! They all look mightily good and eminently Christmassy!  

Slingsby (Gin & Vodka) – 70cl bottle  (RRP £30.00)

Slingsby Gin (www.spiritofharrogate.co.uk) is an award-winning Yorkshire gin brand inspired by its spa town heritage and enjoyed around the world, Slingsby’s premium spirits range is crafted with pure spring water and real fruits to create the finest, award-winning British gin and vodka. 

The range includes: London Dry Gin, Rhubarb Gin, Gooseberry Gin, Marmalade Gin,  Blackberry Gin, Old Tom Gin, Navy Strength and Slingsby Vodka

RRP: £30.00 for a 70cl bottle

Stockist: www.spiritofharrogate.co.uk

Powderhound Christmas Bauble Gift Set, £64 (single bauble £17 with gift box)

Add a bit of Alpine magic to your Christmas Tree with this exquisite fine bone china Christmas bauble featuring the Powderhound classic skier design. Available as a single bauble or in a set of 4 in a luxury gift box. 

RRP: £17 for a single bauble or £64 for a set

Stockist: www.powderhound.london


Uhuru – Rum (RRP £39.99)

A XO Golden Rum from the Caribbean. After soaking up the tropical heat, the cask was transported to the Youngs Spirits bottling house to end the maturation process at 44%. This bottle of Uhuru Rum is filled with flavours of buttery toffee and fruity sweetness, balanced with unfolding oaky notes.

RRP: £39.99 for a bottle

Stockist: www.uhuruspirits.co.uk


Uhuru – Whisky (RRP £44.99)

Uhuru’s first release is a 10 year-old blended malt Scotch Whisky. This cask was chosen for it’s perfect balance of sweet vs. smoke. It’s the first whisky to have an analysed measurement of sweetness identified through a revolutionary process! The whisky is defined as having 019 SPPM within it, which gives it the perfect balance of peat vs sweet!

RRP: £44.99 for a bottle

Stockist: www.uhuruspirits.co.uk


Tea Heritage – Tea Advent Calendar (RRP £33.00)

The Tea Heritage Christmas Advent Calendar is beautifully illustrated and packed with 25 hand-stitched, organic loose leaf tea bags. 

This year’s calendar features an assortment of 22 tea bags and 3 chocolates from the French chocolate maker, Louis Simart, making it the perfect gift for tea lovers this Christmas.

RRP: £33.00

Stockist: www.teaheritage.fr/en

Ferg & Harris – Luxury Whisky - Speyside 12-year-old (RRP 69.99)

Speyside 12-year-old is light and fruity with a gorgeous umber colour, scents of toffee, baked figs and rich raisins. A quick hit of sherry sweetness on the palate with lighter fruity notes to follow. It finishes in a warm, smooth fashion.

RRP: £69.99 for a bottle

Stockist: www.fergandharris.co.uk



Tea Heritage – Christmas House Tea Bags (RRP £13.00)

The Tea Heritage Christmas House Tea Bag includes x10 hand-stitched, organic loose leaf tea bags with x5 of Organic Earl Grey Tea and x5 of Organic Christmas Black Tea. Tea Heritage’s Christmas House Tea Bag can be hung on your Christmas tree and used as a Christmas decoration, making it the perfect gift for the holidays.

RRP: £13.00

Stockist: www.teaheritage.fr/en


Powderhound – Alphabet Ski Mug (RRP £17.99)

Brighten up a tea break with a personalised Alphabet Ski Mug. Featuring miniature skiers spelling out the chosen initial on the front and back.

The perfect gift for any skier, snowboarder or alpine lover, this mug will bring memories of the mountain straight to the kitchen.

RRP: £17.99

Stockist: www.powderhound.london

Make a big Splash this Christmas with Splash soap

Splash Foaming Hand Soap is the new way to buy hand soap which is so much kinder to our planet! And will make an utterly superb Christmas present this year, especially for people who are keen on their impact on the environment.

Introducing SPLASH which is an innovative and totally new way to purchase hand soap that will help you reduce plastic waste, carbon footprints, save money and still look attractive as it sits on your bathroom shelf!

SPLASH is a zero plastic-waste SOAP DISPENSER FOR LIFE - made from recycled materials and designed to last an entire lifetime.

Its simple, elegant design will look stylish in any home, no matter what the décor. 

The Starter Pack RRP £4.99 contains one 250ml reusable and refillable foaming soap dispenser and one plastic-free, foaming hand soap tablet in either Tropical Coconut or Juicy Orange.

This helps to save the waste of single use plastic bottles and is super easy to use, fill the dispenser with warm tap water, drop in the hand soap tablet and watch the magical fizz as it transforms into soap.

Each soap tablet makes 250ml foaming hand soap to cleanse and moisturise your hands.

PLASTIC-FREE HAND SOAP TABLETS - Be kind to your skin and the planet with zero plastic-waste, dissolvable hand soap tablets. Re-use a bottle, add warm water, drop in the tablet and watch the magic happen. Buying these hand soap refills will prevent the waste of single use plastic bottles. And, of course, the minimal wrapping is fully recyclable.

POWERFULLY EFFECTIVE & BEAUTIFULLY FRAGRANCED – Splash is clinically proven, and lab tested, washing away all of the yucky stuff with proven natural surfactants for exceptionally clean hands. Delicately scented with tropical coconut or uplifting juicy orange, they are made from all natural, vegan-friendly ingredients.

And the ‘for life’ bottle, included with the starter pack (RRP £4.99) is all you need as the specially designed pump creates the foam as you pump. What’s more, the pump is guaranteed for life, so if it breaks, you will get a replacement free of charge.

That means you never have to buy another plastic soap bottle again – and our beaches will thank you for that!

Replacement tablets can be bought in packs of one RRP £2.99, three £4.99, or five £6.99.

Available from Amazon and High St health food stores.

Starter pack orange - https://amzn.eu/d/0hB8wal

Starter pack coconut - https://amzn.eu/d/0XtKsJW

Pack 3 refill orange - https://amzn.eu/d/9ffhXB3

Pack 3 refill coconut https://amzn.eu/d/21LkgmV

A father and son team, Antony and Sam Haase, the company wanted to find a way to cut back on our reliance on disposable plastic bottles plus create a product that looked good in situ, and was fun, fresh and effective. And that’s how SPLASH was born.

It’s all about empowering consumers to make a seamless but hugely planet positive change, without comprising on style or performance, all at accessible price points.

Sam Haase said: “We were frustrated and disappointed at the lack of solutions to single use plastic in personal care.

Personal care is ready for change, it needs change. It is estimated that some 20% to 40% of all plastic waste comes from personal care products.

“But at the same time, we didn’t want to compromise on quality, so it was important to us to use vegan ingredients, that are cruelty-free and natural.”

www.splash-care.com.

Splash is available online from Amazon and also from independent retailers.

Need more reasons to buy Splash?

According to the UN Environment report only a mere 9% of the 9 billion tons of global plastic has been recycled so far. (Yikes!)

The rest of this ends up in landfills, protected conservation areas, or in the ocean forming massive trash islands such as The Great Pacific Garbage Patch which spans 1.6 million square kms and is the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world, located between Hawaii and California.

Still, need more reasons to ditch the single-use plastic for good? Here are some shocking facts about the impact single-use plastic has on our world.

People use approximately 1.2 million plastic bottles per minute in total.

Five trillion plastic bags are produced every year globally, with it taking up to 1,000 years for a bag to disintegrate completely.

At least 14 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans annually.

Roughly five million tonnes of plastic are used every year in the UK alone, nearly half of which is for packaging purposes.

32% of all plastic packaging produced finds its way to our oceans every year.

73% of beach litter worldwide is plastic.

There could be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050.

Ingestion of plastic kills an estimated 1 million marine birds and 100,000 marine animals each year.

90% of all sea birds and fish are believed to have plastic particles in their stomach.

The average person eats 70,000 microplastics each year.

Over the past 50 years, world plastic production has doubled.

https://theoceancleanup.com/great-pacific-garbage-patch/

Pens and more for Christmas from Manuscript Pens

If there's someone in your life who is interested in penmanship, drawing or calligraphy, it's time to consider purchasing them a really good and decent pen for this Christmas.

And where should you get them such pens? The Manuscript Pen Company! 

You and they should be able to have a very merry Manuscript Christmas this year!

Anyone looking to treat their loved ones or very good friends on Christmas morning should look no further than the UKs top stationery brand, the Manuscript Pen Company. 

This utterly iconic British brand manufactures and stocks a wide range of products that are eminently perfect for any age. 

From eye catching stationery sets to games for the entire family, there’s something for everyone. Learn a new skill or perhaps expand your expertise, there’s something that's sure to trigger that creative spark and let creative minds explore.

Check out the range at www.calligraphy.co.uk.

Lego Dots Gel Pens 6 pack (RRP £17.99)

The LEGO DOTS gel pen 6 pack offers the variety of colours you need to accelerate your writing to the next level. 25 colourful tiles are included for you to add your own decorative flair to these innovative writing utensils.

Each pen measures approximately 6.25" long and comes with 2-1x4 genuine LEGO plates which have been hand glued with precision and placed systematically so you can also build on or around them.

The unique square design won't roll away from you and the comfort grip and gel ink make writing effortless. A perfect birthday or holiday gift for any home, office or classroom. Printworks sketch box emerging artist (RRP £60.00)

Look no further! A beautiful Emerging Artist Essentials sketch set by Printworks. Complete with the 'tools you need to take your art to the next level.' This set has everything needed to bring your art ambition to the next level. Housed in a beautiful quality grey board, the set is the place to begin or rekindle the artist in you. Complete with a stunning array of art tools and a wooden mannequin to help draw the human anatomy and to balance proportions and shapes. The kit includes - 1 Wooden mannequin with podium - 2 sharpeners - 2 Erasers - 2 Crayons - 3 pastel pencils - 3 charcoal pencils - 2 graphite pencils - 10 sketch pencils. Enjoy!

Class hand lettering kit – teach yourself (RRP £34.99)

Teach Yourself Hand Lettering with the Manuscript Class Hand Lettering Kit! This set has been developed to be the complete kit to get started in Hand Lettering. Produced in partnership with world renowned calligrapher, Nico Ng this kit is the perfect set to aid you in your creative journey.

Their Hand Lettering Kit includes a comprehensive 40-page handbook. It guides you through the complete journey from the tools needed to hints and tips on getting started and all the key drills required to learn hand lettering. This handbook contains dedicated teaching sections to learn the following styles of hand lettering: start with the basics including Serif and Sans Serif and learn how to develop these to create Vintage, Bubble and 3D Lettering. Test your skills you’ve learnt with a task at the end of each section.

Get started straight away with a selection of specially selected pens ideal for practicing each style from the hand book.

Lego 2.0 Duck Build Recruitment Bag Stationery Set (RRP £20.99)

The LEGO 2.0 Duck Build Recruitment Stationery Set is a perfect starter kit to get those creative LEGO ideas flowing. 'If you only had 10 bricks' - what would you create?

This set includes 10 LEGO bricks that can be built into many different animal designs (including a duck, camel and turtle) with ideas to inspire on the packaging.

Further your creative LEGO thinking with the included LEGO 192 page Notebook, complete with an embedded 4x4 red LEGO brick.

With a hard back and ruled (FSC certified) notebook you have got the perfect place for all your creative ideas, as well as an integrated LEGO brick bookmark to easily find your latest notes.

Also included is a black gel pen with embedded brick based LEGO technology that can snap onto the notebook for ease of use.

Personalise your notebook by attaching your own LEGO bricks or minifigures. The creative possibilities are limitless!


Campo Marzio Mipo fountain pen – hot pink (RRP £30.99) The Campo Marzio Mipo Fountain pen is a playful and colourful mini pen. An ideal companion for those who love to dedicate a moment to writing and who love colour. The small size of the Mipo and the steel clip allow you to always carry this beautifully bold pen with you. Make a statement with MIPO's polka dot pattern and stylishly clashing body colour. 

Thanks to the bright coloured lacquer body with polka dot decoration - MIPO pens won’t go unnoticed. The body and components are made of brass, whilst the gold-coloured finishes give a touch of refinement and elegance. Campo Marzio Mipo pens use standard ink cartridges.


SET OF 12 GRAPHITE PENCILS 8B-2H (RRP £11.99)

KOH-I-NOOR'S famous pencils in a desirable natural finish. A lovely set for art students and budding artists wanting a wide range of pencil classes. These art pencils range from 8B to 2H which are made precisely according to the grade by expert manufacturer Koh-I-Noor. These pencils are intended for use by artists and graphic designers for drawing and sketching. These natural graphite pencils are hexagonal in shape and perfect for a comfortable grip when sketching, drawing and illustrating. Koh-I-Noor's pencils are in a natural wooden cedar envelope and are well sought after by artists and budding artists.

Printworks puzzle – Subway art rainbow (RRP £30.00)

It is said to be the world’s largest art exhibit, 110 kilometres and 94 stations which are decorated by some 200 artists. Welcome to a 1000-pieces art tour in the Stockholm’s subway system by Printworks. Enjoy a mindful activity with this stunning jigsaw design.

 


Motif: Stadion Station

The design from 1973 celebrates the 1912 Summer Olympics which took place in Stockholm at a stadium not far from this station. The rainbow colours represent the five rings of the Olympic movement and is a reoccurring theme throughout the station. Modern calligraphy oblique set (RRP £18.50)



Calligraphy has made a huge comeback in 21st Century and is the ideal hobby for men, women and children of all ages. The Manuscript Modern Calligraphy range is the most stylish way to get started. With three options available, you can begin to create your own style. This Oblique Modern Calligraphy Set features everything you need to master this style of calligraphy. With a classic black pen holder with gold extruded clip, three nibs and a bottle of black ink, there's no more fashionable way to make a start in art! The set also includes a beautifully compiled instruction manual from popular calligrapher Artsynibs!


What is Manuscript? Actually, a more appropriate question would be who is Manuscript? Because Manuscript is a family owned and operated company which is now in its fifth generation and has a long history of producing quality products right in the heart of Britain, for creatives living throughout the world. 

From historic nibs to its popular CalliCreative collection, the company has over 150 years of very valuable experience in the pen manufacturing industry.

Starting as a small company in Birmingham, Manuscript has grown into the world’s largest calligraphy brand, exporting to over 70 countries globally. (As an aside, Birmingham was once pretty much the British home of high quality pen manufacturers and it's good (as someone from Birmingham) that Manuscript Pens are still a thriving and growing family owned concern. And still 'just down the road' from their birthplace, in the historic town of Bridgnorth in Shropshire!) 

Today, Manuscript distributes its own brand calligraphy products across the world as well as operating in the capacity of UK distributor for a number of revered brands in the luxury pen, gift and stationery industry. 

These brands include Centropen, Chameleon, Conklin, Diplomat, Lego Stationery, Karin, Koh-I-Noor, Monteverde, Original Crown, Mill, Pineider, Pininfarina, Printworks, Stipula, Visconti, William Penn and Yookers. 

Follow Manuscript Pen Company on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

For further information visit https://manuscriptpen.com/ 


Top Trumps for a Top Christmas

Because Top Trumps has it covered this Christmas!

Top Trumps has been a very strong, firm family favourite card game for over 40 years and has always been infamous for it's car titles.

Here are some of their latest packs...

007 James Bond Vehicles & Gadgets Top Trumps

Familiarise yourself with thirty vehicles and gadgets that are closely associated with the double-O agent known as James Bond. Pick from iconic weapons and tools like the wrist dart gun, Dentonite explosives and the Parker pen, as well as vehicles like the Q Boat and the Aston Martin Vanquish. 

This pack of Top Trumps Limited Editions celebrates some of Q Branch's most incredible gadgets, Bond's spontaneity and resourcefulness when it comes to their usage, and some of 007's foes’ most fiendish devices. 

Find out which car has the best Technology rating, which gadget is the best disguised, and which is Bond’s most recent piece of kit.

RRP £10

Available on Amazon

Super Cars Top Trumps

Strap yourself in and put your foot down on the accelerator - it’s time to take to the racetracks with this extraordinary new edition of Top Trumps: Supercars! 

Get to grips with 30 of the world’s fiercest, fastest and most powerful vehicles as you race for the title of Top Trump. Pick from iconic cars including the 2018 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, the 2018 McLaren Senna, the 2019 Bugatti Chiron and the 2013 Porsche 918 Spyder. Discover each car’s power, top speed, acceleration speed and total produced as you battle it out to pick your best stat from each card and defeat your opponents. 

Each card comes with high quality imagery and a custom bio that tells you everything you need to know about these incredible feats of engineering: find out which car uses separate electric motors for each wheel, which debuted as the MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix safety car, and which car offers a steampunk interior! Time to start your engines and compete for first place, with Top Trumps: Supercars.

RRP £6

Also available on Amazon

Sports Cars Top Trumps

Learn about the biggest and fastest sports car road legends of all time: from the stylish NSX and the brutal F40, to the glamorous Veyron and the ground-breaking Huayra, they are all in this Sports Cars edition of Top Trumps. Find out the top speed of the Pagani Huayra, engine size of LaFerrari and the year Bac Mono was launched.

RRP £6

Available on Amazon, too.

Check out Top Trumps at https://toptrumps.com.

Get in the Christmas Spirit With New Gift Sets from in the Welsh Wind

Top award-winning distillery In The Welsh Wind has launched its first series of gift sets in time for Christmas 2022, featuring its prized gins, new vodka and a dark rum.

The Cardigan-based spirits producer has the perfect Christmas solutions with its new trio of 'miniature' offerings with price points at £15, £20, and £25.

Featuring Masters and Gold winning spirits, options include its Signature Gin duo, or try one of the two combinations from its Eccentric Spirits range, which features six gins, a dark rum and also its newly-launched vanilla and coconut infused vodka, which has already won over the judges.

The Welsh Wind Collection Gift Box

Enjoy a taste of Christmas with the award-winning In The Welsh Wind Signature Style gin and limited-edition Palo Cortado gin. The gift box features a 5cl bottle of each spirit.

Price: £15

Buy online: https://inthewelshwind.co.uk/collections/gift-boxes/products/the-welsh-wind-collection-signature-style-and-palo-cortado-gin-miniatures-gift-box

Eccentric Collection Gift Box

This gift box features four 5cl bottles of spirits all with a Welsh theme.

Dewi Sant, Cardiff Dry, Pembrokeshire Pinky and the new Cardi Bay Vodka. Each gift box also comes with a signature Eccentric Spirits Co dog tag.

The Eccentric collection is a quirky and alluring assortment of spirits with such an incredible array of botanicals across the range.

Price: £20

Buy online: https://inthewelshwind.co.uk/collections/gift-boxes/products/the-eccentric-collection-eccentric-gin-miniatures

Mavericks Collection Gift Box

This gift box features four 5cl bottles of the premium spirits from the Eccentric Collection. It includes Young Tom (Master award winner at the 2022 Global Gin Awards), Limbeck, Madam Geneva and Black Batch Rum. Each gift box also comes with a signature Eccentric Spirits Co dog tag.

The Eccentric collection is a quirky and alluring assortment of spirits with such an incredible array of botanicals across the range.

Price: £25

Buy online: https://inthewelshwind.co.uk/collections/gift-boxes/products/eccentric-gift-box

Tasting notes:

Welsh Wind Collection

Signature Style: a botanical profile inspired by cargoes imported into New Quay and flavours synonymous with Wales – oranges, cinnamon, clove, ginger and tea-soaked currants

Palo Cortado: A beautiful marriage of our award-winning Signature Style, rested in Palo Cortado barrels. Almonds, dried stone fruit and wood spice from the cask perfectly complement the underlying warmth of the original gin's botanical profile.

Eccentric Gift Box

Dewi Sant: A sea spray inspired, coastal infusion of aromatic rich herbs, fennel and spritzy citrus.

Cardiff Dry: This dry gin offers juniper with big citrus character, best served with mint and black pepper. 

Pembrokeshire Pinky: Named after the Pink Thrift, the flower of Pembrokeshire, it is a blend of cherry and lemongrass creating a crisp, refreshing flavour with a beautifully smooth finish. 

Cardi Bay Vodka: This deliciously smooth vodka is infused with hints of vanilla and coconut.

Maverick Gift Box

Young Tom: Sweet, floral and malty rich flavours from this distilled IPA, then rested for six weeks with fennel, sunflower root and star anise. 

Limbeck: A gorgeously heady mix of blue ginger, citrus and tarragon, Seville orange and orris. It is rested in French burgundy casks leaving the gin a subtle peach colour. 

Madam Geneva: A real classic London Dry Gin. A combination of angelica, wild sunflower and a range of fresh citrus. 

Black Batch Rum: Black Batch takes its colour from a heavily charred cask of American oak. Lightly spiced with orange, cinnamon & cloves, it celebrates natural colours and flavours.

That's Christmas would like to suggest that you buy two of these gifts, one for your lucky recipient and one for yourself. That way you will both have a very good Christmas indeed!

And as my Welsh grandmother (who also came from Pembrokeshire) would say: "Nadolig Llawen!"


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Monday 3 October 2022

Free LEGO Foil Pack Set

The Minifigure Store are giving away a free LEGO foil pack set for the first 500 customers who claim their LEGO gift.

This October The Minifigure Store are giving away a free LEGO foil pack set for the first 500 customers who claim their LEGO gift. Simply visit the link below to claim your free LEGO set.

Many of us are currently feeling the pinch with the increasing cost of everything, The Minifigure Store are here to add a little extra joy into your life.

Just add 1 of the selected LEGO sets to your cart, use the promotion code: FREELEGO at the cart or checkout and you will only have to pay for postage!

Free LEGO gifts available with this promotion

Select your preferred free LEGO foil pack set from the 5 below:

- DC Super Heroes Robin Copter Minifigure 212221

- Ninjago Kai Minifigure 892177

- Star Wars AT-AT 912282

- Jurassic World Raptor with Nest 122221

- City Diver Minifigure and Crab 952107

Click here to claim your free LEGO set

Standard UK postage costs for this promotion is just £0.99. This offer is open worldwide and you only have to cover the applicable postage charge for your order.

Fancy adding some extra LEGO to your collection? Spend over £20 and receive free UK delivery as standard.

The Minifigure Store is rated 4.9/5 on Trustpilot, offering an unbeatable shopping experience. 

A little bit about The Minifigure Store:

The Minifigure Store is a partnership between Ramon, Adam, Martin and their wonderful team! Starting in 2017 with LEGO Minifigures, they have expanded to stock a huge range of new, rare + retired LEGO sets, promos + individual pieces. As one of LEGO’s fastest-growing independent retailers, The Minifigure Store is a haven for all lovers of LEGO!

Terms & Conditions of this offer:

This offer is open to customers worldwide

Claim your free LEGO set and only pay for postage

Use promo code: FREELEGO at the cart or checkout to receive you’re selected LEGO set for free

Only 1 free LEGO set per household (multiple purchases will be cancelled and refunded)

Free LEGO set can be ordered alone or purchased along with other items in an order

This offer is limited to 500 free LEGO foil packs (5 to choose from, 100 of each choice available)

Offer expires 31st October 2022 23:59

All orders containing the free LEGO foil pack will be despatched before 4th November 2022

Select your preferred free LEGO foil pack set from the 5 below:

DC Super Heroes Robin Copter Minifigure 212221, Ninjago Kai Minifigure 892177, Star Wars AT-AT 912282, Jurassic World Raptor with Nest 122221, City Diver Minifigure and Crab 952107

Click here to claim your free LEGO set https://www.theminifigurestore.uk/shop/free-lego-foil-pack-lego-set-promotion/

An ideal extra gift for the Lego fan in your life!

Cards For Good Causes charity opens 100 Christmas pop-up shops in October

Cards For Good Causes are opening 100 pop-up shops around the UK, 20 more than last year, starting this October.

Christmas pop-up shops throughout the UK aim to raise £500,000 for charity.

Christmas isn’t Christmas without receiving a card or gift from Cards For Good Causes! 

This Christmas, Cards For Good Causes are delighted to announce that they’ll be opening up even more shops around the country for your festive needs this year!

Cards For Good Causes are opening 100 pop-up shops around the UK, 20 more than last year, starting this October. Doors will open at 10am on Saturday 8th October at the first shop in Chelsea, London, and this will be followed by the opening of pop-up shops all over the country throughout the rest of the month. The Chelsea shop's doors will be open every Monday - Sunday until 22nd December. Cards For Good Causes are hoping to raise over £500,000 for charities through their pop-ups this year.

Every year, in what is now becoming a Christmas tradition of its very own after raising some £40 million in the last ten years, Cards For Good Causes open shops across the country, selling a wide range of Christmas cards and gifts, all of which raise money for local and national charities. Buzzing with festive good cheer, the pop-up shops invite local residents, visitors, and tourists to shop for good causes and explore the selection of cards, beautiful seasonal gifts, stocking fillers, wrap, decorations and tableware.

Their card selection this year features an amazing mix of traditional religious cards, gorgeous old masters, beautiful landscapes, as well as festive favourites and cute animals, there’s something for everyone! The full list of pop-up shops can be found here: https://www.cardsforcharity.co.uk/look-for-a-card-shop With the help of supporters, the festive shops aim to raise 500,000 pounds this Christmas season in aid of over 70 local and national charities. They’re the cards and gifts that give back!

Cards For Good Causes is a charity, operating for over 60 years with a sole aim of raising funds for other UK charities by being a one-stop-shop for gifts and cards. In the last 10 years alone over £40 million has been raised for charitable causes. Some of the charities Cards for Good Causes will be supporting this year include: Diabetes UK, RNLI, British Heart Foundation, Alzheimer's Society, Epilepsy Action, and MS Society UK, along with many more local charities.

Jeremy Lune, CEO Cards For Good Causes says: “We can’t wait to meet everyone this year in our shops! Please come volunteer with us, or come and get your Christmas gifts whilst supporting the charities of your choice. I wish everyone a very festive Christmas and hope to see you soon!”

cardsforcharity.co.uk

(Image courtesy of lu_lettering and Pixabay)

Dark Chocolate & Marmalade Truffles

Using Cottage Delight Bucks Fizz Thin Cut Marmalade

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 5 minutes Servings: 30

Ingredients

150ml double cream

200g dark chocolate chips

25g unsalted butter

1 zest of an orange

1 x 340g jar Cottage Delight Bucks Fizz Thin Cut Marmalade (5 tbsp)

1tbsp light brown sugar


For the toppings:

Bucks Fizz Marmalade

15g cocoa powder, sifted

100g roasted, chopped hazelnuts

Method 

In a small saucepan, bring the cream, butter and sugar to just below boiling point, stirring over a gentle heat. Add Bucks Fizz Marmalade and stir through until melted. Zest the orange into the mixture.

Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate chips and stir gently until melted and smooth. Pour into a shallow dish or tray to cool, then cover and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or until firmed up.

Put the marmalade, cocoa powder, and hazelnuts in separate bowls. 

Remove truffle mixture from the fridge. Using a spoon, scrape from the dish, then use your hands to shape the chocolate into small balls.

Starting with the marmalade, then the cocoa powder and lastly the hazelnuts, roll the truffles in the different toppings until evenly coated. Chill again to firm up. Pop into mini paper cases, if you like.

To learn more and for extra recipes visit https://www.cottagedelight.co.uk.


ILLUMINATURE - fall under nature's spell at London's unique light trail this Christmas

Live within reach of Barnes, south-west London and want to do something different for the Christmas period?

From next month, November, until early January, why not wrap up warm and come and experience the wonder of wildlife at night at the award-winning WWT London Wetland Centre in Barnes, which is in south-west London?

On Fridays to Sundays from 18th November 2022 until 8th January 2023 between 4.30pm and 9.00pm, ILLUMINATURE offers visitors an immersive and unique seasonal experience under the stars. 

Hot chocolate in hand, visitors can follow the twinkling lights and celebrate nature in an immersive light trail of glowing larger-than-life sculptures and stunning installations. 

They can enjoy glimpses of real animal magic through night vision goggles, spotting several species of birds and beautiful plant life. They can also visit the resident family of otters tucked up in bed, while also learning about phases of the moon and how they impact our environment.

Hosted by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) and Lumagica, this captivating experience is a real seasonal treat for all ages to spend an hour or so reconnecting with nature beneath the moonlight.

Lisa Woodward, Centre Manager at London Wetland Centre, said: “2022 will be ILLUMINATURE’s second year at WWT and we are very excited to showcase our amazing wildlife in a unique way, once again. Following last year’s success, the trail has new installations and the addition of the new Twilight Tweatery, full of treats and space to stop and catch up with your loved ones.

“We’re particularly excited to offer visitors the chance not just to delight in the wonderful light show but also discover the London Wetland Centre at night, and see some of the wildlife, including through our new night vision binoculars.

“We hope to welcome both old and new faces into the Centre this year, create excitement surrounding the light trail and encourage visitors to learn more about how special the London Wetland Centre is and the importance of wetlands to our planet.”

Tickets for the enchanting experience are now on sale, priced at GBP18.50 for adults, GBP14.50 for children (under 4s free), with family tickets at GBP60.00. They can be purchased at http://www.wwt.org.uk/illuminature.

The London Wetland Centre has plenty of car parking and is served by local bus services.


Let's go Nintendo this Christmas

Nintendo, even though it's not just for Christmas, Nintendo is really very good for Christmas presents for people of all ages, from young to the not-so-young!


Nintendo Switch OLED – RRP: £309.99 (also available in White)

The newest addition to the Nintendo Switch family of consoles featuring a 7-inch vibrant OLED screen.


Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en_gb/nintendo-switch-oled-model-neon-blueneon-red-000000000010007457.html


Nintendo Switch Lite – RRP: £199.99 (available in Coral, Blue, Turquoise, Yellow, Grey)

The console for gamers on the go, the Nintendo Switch Lite is a compact, lightweight addition to the Nintendo Switch family, with integrated controls.


Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en/nintendo-switch-lite-coral-000000000010004132



Nintendo Switch Sports – RRP: £39.99 

Combining gaming and sports, Nintendo Switch Sports allows the whole family to release their inner sports star as the much-loved successor to Wii Sports.

Link: https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-games/Nintendo-Switch-Sports-2168292.html


 

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football – RRP: £49.99

For anyone who is a football fan but tired of all the rules, Mario Strikers is the perfect game to entertain the whole family with no rules, no referee and no fouls, anything goes!

Link: https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-games/Mario-Strikers-Battle-League-Football-2169139.html


 

Nintendo Switch Online Membership (+ Expansion Pass) – RRP: £34.99-£59.99

Enhance your Nintendo Switch gaming experience allowing you to enjoy competitive and co-operative online gaming with friends and rivals from all around the world.

Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en_gb/nintendo-switch-online-expansion-pack-membership-P00079.html


Mario Kart 8 Deluxe + Booster Course Pass – RRP: £49.99 + £22.49

Enjoy the biggest Mario Kart yet and race anytime, anywhere, with anyone in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en_gb/mario-kart-8-deluxe.html


 



Ring Fit Adventure – RRP: £69.99

Real-world movements turn into in-game actions to enable players to explore and battle in the game world using the power of real-world exercise.

Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en_gb/ring-fit-adventure-000000000010001992.html


 

Mario Party Superstars – RRP: £49.99

Enjoy 5 classic boards from the Nintendo 64 era and 100 minigames from across the series.

Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en_gb/mario-party-superstars.html




Animal Crossing: New Horizons – RRP: £49.99

New friends, discoveries and opportunities are waiting for you as paradise is what you make it in Animal Crossing: New Horizon

Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en_gb/animal-crossing-new-horizons-70010000027620.html


 


Splatoon 3 – RRP: £49.99

The next adventure for the  battle-hardened Inklings and Octolings in brand new desolate environment, the Splatlands.

Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en_gb/splatoon-3-70010000046396.html





Pokémon Scarlet – RRP: £49.99 and Pokémon Violet – RRP: £49.99 (Released on Friday 18thNovember 2022)

The first open-world RPGs in the Pokémon series allowing you to team up, battle, train and trade Pokémon and fully immerse yourself in a newly evolved adventure.

Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en_gb/pokemon-scarlet-pokemon-violet.html




LEGO Super Mario Adventures with Mario Starter Course – RRP: £49.99

Fans can begin exploring the fun-packed LEGO Super Mario universe featuring 7 action bricks for different interactives with the LEGO Mario figure.

Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en/lego-super-mario-adventures-with-mario-starter-course-71360-000000000010005366



Super Mario Monopoly – RRP: £34.99

The Super Mario Celebration edition of the Monopoly game offers action-packed excitement along with nostalgia.

Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en/super-mario-monopoly-000000000010005643


Pikachu Aluminium Eco Bottle – RRP: £19.99

Bring your drink everywhere in sustainable style

Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en/pikachu-aluminium-eco-bottle-000000000010008804


Tom Nook Soft Toy – RRP: £14.99

Take Tom Nook with you on all your adventures.

Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en/tom-nook-soft-toy-000000000010005487





Pokémon Poké Ball Mug – RRP: £7.99

For all the Pokémon fans out there!

Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en/pokemon-poke-ball-mug-000000000003453666


 



Super Mario Cap – RRP: £14.99

Channel your inner Super Mario with the red Mario cap.

Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en/super-mario-cap-000000000003384466



Mario Soft Toy – RRP: £14.99

Now you can take Mario with you on all of your adventures! With incredible detail that looks like it has jumped right from the Super Mario world, this Mario soft toy is the perfect gift.

Link: https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en/mario-soft-toy-000000000010004185


 


 


 


Double Dutch Premium Quality Mixers

Joyce and Raissa de Haas
No matter the quality of the spirt drinks you have in your Christmas drink cabinet, be they cheap, cheaper, or of high quality, they can all be improved by the addition of Double Dutch premium quality mixers.

Incidentally, Double Dutch mixers go very well with Everleaf non-alcoholic drinks, too.

What mixers are available? Cucumber and Watermelon, Bloody Mary Soda, Cranberry and Ginger, Ginger Ale, Double Lemmon, Ginger Beer, Indian Tonic Water, Skinny Tonic Water, Soda Water, Cucumber Margarita with Chilli Soda and, of course, Cucumber & Watermelon and Pomegranate & Basil.

Incidentally, Double Dutch was founded by Dutch twins, Joyce and Raissa de Haas in 2015 when they launched their first two mixers, Cucumber & Watermelon and Pomegranate & Basil.

What Christmas-related magical drink can you mix up? This is a good one, I find.

Ginger Spice

INGREDIENTS

50ml Spiced Rum

Lime

Blackberries

Double Dutch Cranberry & Ginger Tonic

ACCESSORIES

Long spoon

Highball or rocks glass 

Spirits jigger

METHOD

Fill your glass with ice.

Pour your rum over ice. 

Squeeze in fresh lime juice.

Top with Double Dutch Cranberry & Ginger

Stir carefully until evenly mixed.

Garnish with fresh blackberries. 

To order your own bottles of Double Dutch mixers and to find even more nifty Christmas and New Year cocktails, visit them at https://doubledutchdrinks.com,


Slow Cooked Turkey & Cranberry Wellington

Using Cottage Delight Classic Cranberry Sauce

Prep: 30 minutes Cook : 30 minutes (more if slow cooking) Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

For slow cooked turkey: 

600g turkey crown 

1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges

4 bay leaves

2tbsp cider vinegar

60g butter 

1 large bunch fresh thyme, leaves picked

For the wellington: 

1 x 225g jar Cottage Delight Classic Cranberry Sauce

1 free range egg yolk, beaten

3tbsp olive oil

640g pre-rolled puff pastry

170g stuffing mix - made to packet instructions

Flour, for dusting

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

olive oil

Method

To slow cook the turkey, place onions on the bottom of slow cooker. Layer on thyme and bay leaves and place turkey on top. Rub butter on top side and, spoon over cider vinegar and a splash of water. Cook on high for 6 hours, or low for 

8. Once cooked and slightly cooled, shred turkey. 

Alternatively, use leftover pre-cooked and shredded turkey. 

Pre-heat oven to 180°C fan/200°C/gas 6 

To assemble the wellington, place one sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly greased baking sheet and spoon on a layer of stuffing evenly in the centre. Ensure you leave 5cm from short edges and roughly 8cm at long edges. 

Layer shredded turkey then finish with Classic Cranberry Sauce on top. Do not press into turkey. 

Brush round the outside of pastry layer with egg. 

Lift the second piece of pastry and place on top of the turkey, pressing the pastry over the sides. Trim the pastry joins to about 4cm and seal the edges with the back of a fork. Brush all over with the remaining beaten egg. Use a sharp knife and carefully make diagonal slits into the pastry, ensuring not to cut through.

Cook for 30-35 minutes. The pastry should be golden and crisp. Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

For more recipes or to buy online visit https://www.cottagedelight.co.uk.

Enjoy a Babingtons Blends Christmas Tea

Curated by Chiara Bedini, the debut UK collection is available in loose, refill & filter (tea bag) formats. 

Join them in celebrating this unique fusion of aroma, taste, style, eccentricity, wit, and independent behaviour.

All Babingtons Blends teas are sustainably sourced, hand blended and are 100% natural with no artificial colourings or flavourings. All packaging is biodegradable, so it's eco-friendly, too!

Taste: aromatic and spicy

Predominant Hints: cinnamon, ginger, cloves, apple, vanilla 

Goes well with spicy dishes, curries, chicken, and bacon sandwiches 

Sweets: Christmas cake, plum puddings, mince pies and carrot cake 

Time of day: ideal morning and afternoon

Babingtons Blends Individual Teas, from £6.99

Hero teas in the debut collection include Earl Grey Imperial, Breakfast Special Blend, Karha Chai, Moroccan Secret, Forest Fruits, and Sweet Dreams.

Blends are available in loose leaf and tea bag format.

Available to pre-order online now

www.babingtonsblends.com


 

Make it a CLCKR Christmas!

The most useful gift you can send this Christmas - CLCKR phone case stand and grip This phone case with stand or universal grip is absolutely a gadget you don’t know you need until you use one. And it makes a pretty neat Christmas gift, too!

It stands your device in landscape, portrait or telco mode. It allows you to video call handsfree, watch Netflix, see your favourite movie or workout at home without propping your phone up against a water bottle!

https://www.clckr.com/uk from £29.99 

CLCKR car mount: the CLCKR car mount is a unique product which allows you to store your smartphone whilst in your car. The 2-part mount comes with a small magnetic silver clip which slides onto your CLCKR Stand & Grip allowing it to magnetically connect to the air vent attachment. https://clckr.co.uk/products/car-mount-air-vent £14.99 rrp

CLCKR Wallet: The CLCKR Wallet with built in Stand and Grip is the perfect all-round accessory for your device. The Wallet slides down providing space for up to 3 cards and closes securely so you know your cards aren’t going anywhere. The built-in patented Stand & Grip enables you to use your phone in multiple modes including, portrait, landscape or conference mode. 

https://clckr.co.uk/products/stand-wallet £19.99 

High performance Air Wearables - AirPop - Face masks have quickly become an everyday essential that we can't leave the house without.

AirPop have a range of high-performance air wearables available in multi-use disposable masks, washable masks with disposable filters and masks for children. https://www.airpophealth.com/uk/ From £7.99. An ideal gift for family members who need a bit of air filtration.

Gifts for Tea Lovers: Ahmad Tea Unveils New 2022 Christmas Collection

Give some (tea) love this Christmas with a tea gift from Ahmad Tea's all 2022 Christmas collection.

 Featuring a New! 24 days of Tea Advent Calendar to surprise and delight tea lovers with a different tea every each and everyday in the Christmas run-up, and New! Kew loose leaf tea Christmas baubles from the brand's Great Taste Award winning collection with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the collection has been carefully curated to cater for tea gifts big and small. 

 Tracey Wakelin, who has the enviable job of Global Head of Marketing at Ahmad Tea, says: “As one of the finest tea brands in the world, we want to give tea lovers the chance to spread a little joy this Christmas.

 “From crop to cup, a lot of love goes into producing our tea to ensure every sip is worth it, from hand plucking the best leaves in the world's finest tea gardens, to tasting the tea at each stage in its journey.

 “Beyond great tasting tea, an Ahmad Tea gift is also one that gives back - as a brand we put people and planet first, and we donate 20% of our profit to local grassroots projects to help communities in need, from working with Children In Need India to support women and infants in Assam (which produces half of India's tea) to delivering clean water to hundreds of thousands in Niger affected by soaring temperatures.”

 The 2022 Christmas collection from Ahmad Tea includes:

 NEW! 24 days of Christmas Advent Calendar: What better way for tea lovers to count down to Christmas than with this fun NEW! calendar from the fine tea experts at Ahamd Tea? Featuring 24 foil fresh teabags, there is a tasty blend to try each day, from classics such as Darjeeling, Earl Grey, Cardamon, Ceylon and English Tea No.1, to more exotic flavours such as Mango & Lychee Green Tea, Apple Refresh, Cinnamon Haze, Camomile & Lemongrass, Honey & Vanilla, Rooibos & Cinnamon, and Berries & Hibiscus. RRP £13.99.

 Kew 'Beyond the Leaf' Loose Leaf Tea Caddies: An exciting Great Taste Award winning collection from two iconic British brands, balancing Ahmad Tea's beautifully blended teas with the natural beauty and heritage of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Four classic blends (Majestic Breakfast, Splendid Ceylon, Garden Afternoon and Elegant Earl Grey) are available in 100g loose leaf tea caddies - the perfect gift for tea lovers. RRP £7.99.

 NEW! Kew 'Beyond the Leaf' Bauble Caddies: NEW! for Christmas 2022! The Great Taste Award winning loose leaf teas from Ahmad Tea and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, are now available in a stylish Christmas bauble! Choose from Majestic Breakfast, Splendid Ceylon, and Elegant Earl Grey. 25g loose leaf tea bauble caddy. RRP £3.99.

 Kew 'Beyond the Leaf' Teabag Selection: The same Great Taste Award winning collection from Ahmad Tea in collaboration with Royal Botanic Gardens, also available in a convenient teabag selection caddy! Choose from Majestic Breakfast, Splendid Ceylon, Elegant Earl Grey, and Garden Afternoon. 4 x 10 foil fresh teabags. RRP £11.99.

 Diamond Teabag Selection: A deluxe, gold selection caddy featuring some of Ahmad Tea's bestselling classic blends including English Breakfast, Chai Spice, Cinnamon Haze (3 x 10 selection box, RRP £3.99) plus Earl Grey, English Tea No.1, and Cardamom Tea (6 x 10 teabag selection, RRP £9.99.)

The 2022 Christmas gift collection from Ahmad Tea is available to buy from uk.ahmadtea.com and Amazon from October 2022.

Sunday 2 October 2022

Plastic-Free vegan-friendly Shaving Brush. The ideal eco-friendly Christmas gift

A massive advantage of using a shaving brush is the absolutely luxurious feel.

Plus they will help you get a closer shave, cutting down on pesky skin irritation, and fewer ingrown hairs! (Thank goodness!) Once you switch, you'll never look back! It's perfect for the green-minded Christmas gift recipients in your life.

The bristles are made from sisal bristles, which is a type of grass.

But the problem is that, even for some people who aren't vegetarians or vegans, they don't actually like the idea of using a real bristle brush on their skin. 

And as for those of us who are vegetarians for vegans? They'll have to avoid the luxury of a bristle brush shave with real, foaming soap.

But not now! Because now you can buy them the perfect stocking filler, a Plastic-Free Vegan Shaving Brush!

Not only is it totally plastic-free, it's also vegan friendly and completely cruelty free, offering them an improved shave performance using a perfect shaving brush, with a stylish wooden handle.

It costs £14.97 and is available from Clear Confidence.

https://www.clearconfidence.co/product/plastic-free-shaving-brush.