Raspberry red art adds bold on-trend 2023 colour to walls Claude & Leighton

Just right for Christmas gifting, Claude & Leighton® has launched Seize the Day, a new fine art print by British artist Jayne Leighton Herd. 

This striking abstract art offers an easy way to bring rich colour and dramatic interest to home and office walls.

The custom-made art print is from an original mixed media artwork by Jayne, who is also a co-founder of Claude & Leighton.

With warm raspberry reds and peach, accents in turquoise and black, and layers and layers of details, the artwork is bold and really makes an impression. Whilst inviting you to take a closer look into its depths.

Seize the Day is available in 3 sizes, and prices start at £30 for an unframed A4 open edition print.

The art is printed with high quality, fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free, archival quality, heavyweight 100% cotton rag paper, to ensure it will last you, or the fortunate recipient, a lifetime.

A spokesperson said: "Claude & Leighton is proud of its British design credentials. All art prints are created and custom-produced to the highest quality from its Berkshire art studio, and carefully packed in gift-ready, British-made, eco-friendly, reusable packaging."

Claude & Leighton® is the online home of high-quality, contemporary fine art prints by British artist Jayne Leighton Herd. Stunning abstracts, beautiful landscapes and gorgeous seascapes, and intriguing figurative art are available in either open or limited editions. It's art to enable people to enhance their homes and offices with expressions of emotion, style and joy.

Founded in 2020 by Jayne and her husband Laurent Stadelmann, Claude & Leighton is based in Berkshire. 

Jayne is a professional artist and designer with over 17 years of experience in selling her statement original paintings, and Laurent is an experienced businessman. Together, they created Claude & Leighton to be the online art destination for reproductions of Jayne’s original fine art, as well as her original digital artwork.

Proud of its “made in Britain” credentials, all art prints are created and custom-produced to the highest quality from Claude & Leighton’s own Berkshire print studio. Then carefully packed in gift-ready, British-made, eco-friendly packaging.

www.claudeandleighton.com

Time Team archaeology and gardening gifts for Christmas Time (Team)

Time Team, the much loved archaeology series which broadcast on television from 1994 is back after a 10 year hiatus!

This iconic television series broadcast in excess of 35 countries worldwide. Across 20 series and countless specials, conducting over 220 archaeological digs from back gardens to Buckingham Palace.

Time Team relaunched in 2021 exclusively on Patreon and YouTube and has developed a range of stunning merchandise to compliment the relaunch.

For archaeology or gardening buffs, there is a huge range of merchandise available online from the Time Team Shop.

From Travel Accessories, Men's and Women's Clothing, Bags, Hats, Books, Jewellery, Tools and much more, besides.

(As a former archaeologist back in the 1980s (who actually worked on digs with a member of the original Time Team) I think these gifts are great! I still have my own archaeology trowel, somewhere.)

https://shop.timeteamdigital.com

Time Team Limited Edition Trowel - RRP £44.95

https://shop.timeteamdigital.com/collections/tools-1/products/time-team-limited-edition-trowel

Limited Edition Time Team Archaeology Trowel. The hand finished, forged steel trowel is the must have tool for delicate but exacting excavation work.

The tempered carbon steel blade is laser engraved with the classic Time Team logo. The natural wood handle is laser engraved on one side with your unique Limited Edition trowel number (eg 'TIME TEAM 001'), and 'THE ONCE AND FUTURE TEAM' on the other so no one will be able to mistake your trowel for theirs! (A good trowel is a 'must have' for any archaeologist. 

Finished with the Time Team enamelled inset badge at the end of the wooden handle, and packaged in a printed cotton drawstring bag, this really is a one-off collectors item that is both practical and unique!

Time Team Gold Foil Notebook - RRP £12.95

https://shop.timeteamdigital.com/collections/stationery-1/products/time-team-gold-foil-notebook

Keep your notes and reminders all in one place with our Time Team Gold Foil Notebook. The gold logo adds a wonderful finish to this luxury soft-touch outer cover, making this the ideal gift or keep-sake for any Time Team fan! (Actually, a notebook is ideal for when you are working on an archaeological dig.)

Time Team Mens Wax Jacket - RRP £135

https://shop.timeteamdigital.com/products/time-team-wax-field-jacket-dark-khaki?_pos=1&_sid=c4f5e1841&_ss=r

Their premium Time Team Wax Field Jacket is engineered to keep you warm and dry, and protected against the elements. This new addition to their collection is the ideal tran-seasonal layer and perfect for country walks or the daily commute making it a wardrobe staple. 

Comfortable and insulated country vibes. The jacket is perfect for getting the job done in style. It's a great all-weather garment for both work and adventures whatever the weather!

The wax jacket features 100% Coolweave cotton, soft cotton check lining, and a Corduroy trim on the collar for a comfortable wear. There’s a classic natural wax finish too for those country casual vibes.

The full length antique gold zip and popper buttons add a practical closer and stylish detailing. The warming Thermoguard quilted insulation provides that extra warmth and comfort on colder days. Made in England by world renowned outdoor and adventure brand Regatta.

Time Team Threaded Digging Spade - RRP £69.95

https://shop.timeteamdigital.com/collections/tools-1/products/time-team-treaded-digging-spade

They are absolutely thrilled to launch their new premium Time Team Treaded Digging Spade. This spade features forged carbon steel head and sockets, and proven 'Spear & Jackson Professional Quality' with hammer finished powder coated head for improved resistance to rust, scratches, humidity and alkalis in the soil.

Weatherproofed natural hardwood handle for greater durability is beautifully hand finished with the Time Team name and logo laser engraved on the front making this the must have tool for any excavation work, or just digging in your garden or allotment.

This really is a one-off collectors item that is both practical and unique and would make the perfect statement gift to any keen archaeologist or gardener, that would likely be passed on to generations to come!

Time Team Gold Mug - RRP £10.00

https://shop.timeteamdigital.com/products/time-team-gold-mug?_pos=2&_sid=57bb15bde&_ss=r

Being one of their most popular Time Team designs, they are certain there’s no better way to enjoy a brew than in their Time Team mug. This recently updated and improved navy blue ceramic mug features our classic gold Time Team logo on both sides. So stick the kettle on and put on your favourite episode of Time Team Teatime! 

Personalised Christmas Dog Stocking from Ruff And Tumble

One of the key family points about Christmas is the Christmas Stocking isn't it? If your kids are going to have Christmas stockings, why not get one for the doggies of your family?

Even better, have their name embroidered on it, too!

Ruff and Tumble's new Brick Red and Bottle Green Stocking has a velvet trim for extra gorgeousness and can be hung up right next to yours, too.

Pick and mix little gifts from the Ruff and Tumble Christmas Shop and you'll have the dog's Christmas pressies sorted in no time at all. 

With prices starting from a mere Fiver, you can choose from treats to toys, mitts, shampoo, breed specific decorations, key rings, leads, mitts and more besides.

Everything in the Ruff and Tumble Christmas Shop oozes practicality, style and class.

We've chosen original, quirky and useful gifts from companies we know and love and added our own stylish must-have accessories too. 

Your Dog Stocking will cost £19.95

Burgundy Thick Slip Lead, £16.95

Ruff Wash Shampoo and Ruff Fresh Spritz, £10 each, UK only

Bottle Green Mitts, £21.95 per pair

www.ruffandtumbledogcoats.com.

Sustainable Lokta Christmas Gift Wrap from Paper High

I must admit I was unaware that 227,000 miles of wrapping paper is thrown away every year. And that's exactly what happens!

And that's like travelling around the entire world a total of nine times and then finishing it off with a trip across America. The long way! 

This Christmas, Paper High are encouraging all of their customers to choose sustainable gift wrapping options.

Paper High’s gift wrap is handmade from lokta, which a shrub that it is found in the foothills of the Himalayas. Lokta is a highly sustainable plant as it grows quickly and is in abundant supply all across Nepal.

Known for its durability and resistance to tearing and humidity, lokta paper makes an excellent eco-friendly choice for gift wrap, as it can be reused many times over so long as it’s looked after properly.

The plant harvesting and paper creation provides employment opportunities for women in Nepal's rural villages.

Paper High work directly with an incredible socially aware cooperative which provide employment and training opportunities for their Fair Trade artisans.

The charity work they do in their local areas has earnt them many awards, from their support of people affected by HIV and Aids, to establishing schools to support the education of underprivileged children, etc.

After being harvested, it’s boiled, cleaned, and beaten with wooden mallets to produce a fibrous pulp. It’s then mixed with water and poured into a shallow frame made of bamboo poles and canvas, before being sun dried.

Finally, natural dyes and details like petals and sun-bleached leaf patterns are added to the paper to create the beautiful designs it is well known for.

The gift wrap is available in sets of three or five sheets and each sheet comes with matching gift tags for each sheet. 

The gift boxes are crafted from a mixture of lokta and recycled paper, and are available in two sizes and three vibrant colours, as well as the cute Christmas pattern.

Find sustainable gift wrap and a huge range of expertly crafted, Fair Trade stationery and homeware gifts at https://www.paperhigh.com.

 

Get creative this Christmas: Give Pott'd, the kit with everything you need to get started in the world of clay

Get creative this Christmas: Give Pott'd, the kit with everything you need to get started in the world of clay.

Pott’d's Air Dry Clay Pottery Kit (RRP £30) is a perfect Christmas gift for beginners, having already inspired a generation of creators on TikTok. 

It comes complete with all the tools and paints needed to create your first clay creation, including air-dry clay, tools, paintbrushes, and varnish. 

The kit aims to bring clay to more people and is designed so there is no need for a pottery wheel, kiln, or studio. Everything is packaged into a beautifully designed gift box, making it the thoughtful choice for the creative in your life this Christmas. 

The kit can be used to make mugs, plant pots, trinket dishes, vases, candle holders, incense burners, and more, which can all air-dry at home without the need for a pottery wheel or kiln. Each kit can be used to make up to 10 unique creations. 

For those who are just at the start of their pottery journey, fear not, the Pott’d kit includes lots of handy how-to guides for each of the above, talking through how to make them step by step, with even more available on their website.

Pott’d is a great bonding activity for date night with a partner, families looking to spend some relaxing time together or those looking to discover their inner artist. 

If that isn’t enough to convince you to Pott, recent research has also shown that working with your hands can also benefit mental health, by producing endorphins and reducing stress and anxiety levels.

Available on Pottdpeople.com or Amazon, Pott’d is a great gift to inspire this Christmas, and could mean you end up gifting someone a hobby that will last long after the 25th December.  

https://pottdpeople.com.

Start your clay journey today! New and improved Pott'd kits include everything you need to create your own unique clay creations at home. The perfect creative, mental health-enhancing gift for yourself or a loved one.

That's Food and Drink: Sandford Orchards Celebrates 20th Anniversary of '...

That's Food and Drink: Sandford Orchards Celebrates 20th Anniversary of '...: Back in 2002 Barny Butterfield began making cider in a shed.  Two decades later and Barry is Chief Cidermaker and owner of Sandford Orchards...

Is your Christmas beauty Advent calendar damaging the environment?

Over the past decade, the beauty industry has created some truly spectacular Christmas Advent calendars which have gained a cult following as consumers rush to purchase them. 

But! With sustainability a growing key trend driving our purchasing decisions, how sustainable are these products which often have layers of excess packaging and no responsible instructions or advice for disposal?

With only 61 days until Christmas, the search term "Beauty Advent Calendars 2022" is  up by 170% on Google Trends over the last 30 days. 

Sustainable accreditation organisation and consumer shopping guide app ethy is looking at the importance of ‘clean beauty’ and sharing how customers can make better choices when it comes to their beauty Advent calendars this year. 

So, what should customers be looking out for when purchasing beauty-based Advent calendars?  

ethy’s Co-Founder Kaisa points out: "Customers should look for calendars from verified sustainable and responsible brands because they're more likely to have considered the impact of the product on the planet and taken steps to make it as sustainable as possible. 

"Look for Advent calendars made from sustainable, recycled, or recyclable materials. Avoid plastic where you possibly can. As an ideal, advent calendars will display plastic-free or reduced plastic labels. 

" Or alternatively, why not make your own 12-day Advent calendar with products from verified sustainable and clean beauty and vegan brands to be sure the products and packaging will be kinder to the skin as well as the environment?"

What is clean beauty? 

Kaisa explains: "Clean beauty is all about acknowledging there are ingredients in our everyday beauty products that we may perceive to be harmless. But we're seeing that some of these are actually problematic and for consumers, it's really quite hard to always know the difference. 

"Like with the whole topic of sustainability, the beauty industry is complex and even the sheer amount of info and ingredients can be bewildering and confusing to anyone who doesn't work with it on a daily basis.

"We wanted to get brands and consumers to define clean beauty products and to be able to buy with confidence. Yes. it is complicated, but we're doing our very best to keep really high standards on the ingredients."

We at That's Christmas have noticed that on some products the ingredients list is so long and complicated that the print is so tiny that we often need to reach for a magnifying glass to try and see what the manufacturer wants us to put on our skin! 

How can a brand be accredited with the Clean Beauty Standard by ethy? 

It mustn't use aggressive ingredients, synthetic scents or fragrances, or colourants (and this includes animal-derived dyes) in any of its products. 

To learn more about ethy and to start using it to help you make your purchasing decisions, please visit them here https://ethy.co.uk.