Get Crafty this Christmas with Thorndown's Christmas craft packs

Learn why Thorndown’s Christmas craft packs are the ultimate in bespoke Christmas décor for 2023.

Arty homeowners who want to create their own bespoke window decorations this Christmas need look no further than Thorndown Paints’ Christmas craft pack.

The pack, available now for just £20, contains four tins of Thorndown’s special Peelable Glass Paint, plus six nifty festive stencils and an art brush.

Together, the pieces can be employed to create some truly stunning festive window scenes, personalised presents and one-of-a-kind decorations.

Caroline Thornborough, who is Thornborough's Design Director, said: “Christmas is a fantastic time to get stuck into crafting. It’s something the whole family can do together to create something really personal to them and the family. Plus, it’s a great way of making sure your festive window displays are really, genuinely and truly unique.”

The craft packs are also fantastic and ideal for those who are looking to create their own Christmas presents and decorations. 

From tealight holders to sweet jars, they'll all add a personal touch wherever they are used.

The Christmas Craft Packs are available now from thorndown.co.uk priced at £20 each.

For ideas and inspiration, visit: https://thorndown.co.uk/project-category/arts-crafts

Jan Constantine launches new cushions for Christmas 2023

Highly-skilled artisanal textile designer Jan Constantine has revealed her Christmas Cushion Collection for Christmas 2023.

Inspired by Alpine dreams, snowy mountains and edelweiss flowers, the collection is made from felt wool, before being appliqued and then hand-embroidered.

The collection features vibrant and stunning shades of crimson, duck egg and classic white and is adorned with robins, doves and wreaths. All exude that signature Jan Constantine charm for which she is justifiably renowned.

Jan Constantine, who is the founder of the eponymous textile brand, said: “I love creating new designs for the festive period and this year’s cushion collection is really special.

“It brings together traditional festive colours with a smattering of duck egg blue to add a contemporary feel, while florals, birds and other woodland creatures all add character, too.

“Cushions are a great way to add festive feels throughout the home, including the bedroom and living areas. You can also use them to style occasional seating and office furniture to give the entire home a subtle Christmas update.”

Shop the collection now at janconstantine.com

Prices start at £132.

Handmade in Britain for ideal Christmas gifts

Everyone wants to be able to gift their loved ones something interesting, something different, quirky, homemade and of high quality, especially at Christmas time.

One such supplier of these type of special gifts is Handmade in Britain. Which retails a wide range of eclectic and very special gifts that are, as they state, handmade in Britain.

Why was Handmade in Britain launched? A spokesperson explained: "Handmade in Britain was established to challenge today’s throwaway culture and encourages slow living and quiet luxury through its curated range of unique products."

Established by skilled textile designer Piyush Suri back in 2007, Handmade in Britain showcases the work of independent British artists and creators, plus emerging artists and creators, who specialise in handmade homewares, jewellery and gifts. 

Clearly fiercely passionate about British artistry, every piece within the Handmade in Britain’s eclectic range is handpicked and selected to ensure each piece is of the highest quality and also principled. 

And equally all its designers, creators and producers boast a genuine and heartfelt commitment to using only sustainable practices and offering support to British industry.

Apart from retailing products online, Handmade in Britain operates two crafts fairs during the year: Handmade Chelsea and Handmade Oxford.

To join in the pleasure of purchasing gifts that really are Handmade in Britain please visit https://www.handmadeinbritain.co.uk

The Coast of Christmas Present with XV Stripes

Always one for a clever pun, I appreciate the tagline employed by XV Stripes, as it harks back to the Ghost of Christmas Present in the Charles Dickens classic tale of Christmas time, A Christmas Carol. 

Are you looking for Christmas gifts that draws their inspiration from the coast? Then XV Stripes, the luxury interiors retailer, will have you covered in more ways than one. 

No matter what you're looking to purchase for spouses, friends, family members or for something for a little bit of indulgent self-gifting, from accessory bags and candles to cushions and delightful lamps, XV Stripes (very carefully) specially curated collection of homeware products are perfect for those who love life by the sea. Whether they live 70 metres or 70 miles from the coast. 

Izzey Hung, who is the founder of XV Stripes, said: "These pieces bring a touch of coastal charm and we believe they are absolutely perfect for those whose happy place is by the sea."

Inspired by life on and off the water, XV Stripes' collection of gifts offers a taste of sustainable luxe, with each piece created to not only appeal on an aesthetic level but on an environmental level, too.

XV Stripes Christmas gifts are available now from xvstripes.com

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Wow! The perfect Christmas gift! Milky Plant

Milky Plant is a stunning and utterly brand new kitchen gadget. What does it do? It allows people to make plant based milk at home from nuts, seeds, cereals and just some water.

 It's an absolutely ideal gift for anyone who follows a plant based diet for allergy, health or lifestyle based reasons. And who wants a bit more out of life than mere shop-bought dairy alternatives.

The Milky Plant machine costs £290 (RRP) and it takes something like 180 uses to recoup the costs of the machine, depending which ingredients are used to make the milk. Making plant based milk at home saves approximately 30-90% per serving compared to buying it ready as made.

You can buy it at https://milkyplant.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/MilkyPlant/page/E09A263C-9DF6-4D3E-AD63-1C33C041AA6B?ref_=ast_bln

Selfridges London: https://www.selfridges.com/GB/en/cat/smartech-plant-milk-maker_R04161140/#colour=WHITE%20%26%20GREY

Users just add their chosen ingredients to the blender, fill the water tank and within three minutes a litre of plant based milk will be produced. 

It works by automatically grinding the raw ingredients super fine and then automatically blended with water. The mixture is then passed through a special filtration system which strains the milk and keeps the pulp in a separate compartment. 

But there's more! Because the pulp is nearly dry and the pulp can be used in recipes to make homemade granola or smoothie bowls, or even for composting.

As a result the lucky recipient of this machine has no more messy blenders or squeezing cheese cloths or nut bags, thus making it far simpler and easier to make your own plant based milk at home.

It's a fantastic and highly sustainable Christmas gift as making plant based milk at home also reduces the volume of Tetra Pak containers ending up in landfill (as these can't, as yet, be recyclable) nearly a300k per year. If placed end -to-end the line would stretch all the way from central London to Milton Keynes!

And what's even better, for every Milky Plant purchased, five tree are planted and 61kg of C02 is removed from the atmosphere annually.

Milky Plant milk is an even healthier alternative to supermarket bought non-dairy milks which contain preservatives, emulsifiers, seed oils and gums.

The machine achieves the exact right texture and consistency by automatically adjusting the water level by employing special in-built sensors. 

But the recipients can experiment with a thicker texture or different flavours by adding a teaspoon of coconut flakes, dates or rose water for a delicately sweet milk.

Christmas time is Dobies' time!

Dobies' Garden Centres are a fine place when you are thinking of your Christmas time requirements. 

Thinking of new plants to gift to the dedicated gardeners in your life? You could go take a look yourself to check out what is available, but the truth is you'll probably be better off just browsing around a little bit, treating yourself to a cream tea and then buying them a Dobies' Gift Card.

This is because it's quite possible that you might (for example) inadvertently purchase them a bush, plant or tree that would not cope with the type of soil they have in their garden. If, like me, you haven't a clue what 'ericaceous' soil is, you really should stick with the Dobies' Gift Card option. My wife, however, as a RHA qualified gardener knows what 'ericaceous' soil is, which is why I leave all gardening matters in her more than capable hands!

However, although Dobies' have a good and well-deserved reputation as plant and gardening experts (since 1865) they also have a great reputation as purveyors of fine interior decorating items, including spectacular Christmas decorations.

Dobbies' has the perfect Christmas solution.

Many people who are looking for sustainable ways to decorate for the festive season, and noting the trend for creating a homely, welcoming feel, Dobbies’ very own stylist, Abbie McCann shares her top tips for making an eco swag, which also presents the chance for people to get creative at home.

Abbie said: “This beautiful eco swag can be made using foraged greenery or collected stems from your garden, this not only looks stunning but it’s really easy to create. It’s a fresh, modern take on a traditional Christmas wreath, and while just about everyone loves a wreath, this is a great, fantastic option for those of us who prefer a more naturalistic vibe."

She went on to say: “You can get your whole family involved in foraging and you can even add new dried elements to it every year. going forward. 

"We’ve created ours using ivy, eucalyptus and a mix of evergreens. You could even spray a few sprigs of eucalyptus to match your colour scheme.”

Step 1

First, form the back of the swag using the ivy and evergreens as the base. Decide the length of the swag and trim it accordingly. Wrap twine around the ends to hold it firmly in place.

Step 2

Treat your swag like it is a bouquet of flowers and evenly place the more delicate foliage throughout your display and secure with twine.

Step 3

Finish your swag by wrapping some ribbon around the ends, making sure to cover the twine. Place it on your doorway to enjoy throughout the festive period. 

For more festive inspiration and to explore Dobbies’ collections for Christmas 2023, visit www.dobbies.com.

(Welcome strip doormat 75x45cm, £9.99; Round grey drypot 32cm, £19.99; Orange stripe cushion 70x25cm, £24.99; LED lantern 30cm, £9.99; Black Arzilla lantern 34cm, £19.99; Black Arzilla lantern 45cm, £29.99)

(That's Christmas will be making our regular pre-Christmas pilgrimage to our local Dobies' branch to check out their Christmas grotto section to check out the Christmas trees (real and artificial) Christmas decorations both inside and outside, plus Christmas lights for the garden, our conservatory and our lounge and kitchen. Plus, obviously, having a coffee and a minced pie in the restaurant!)