Gingerbread men, gingerbread houses. Typically Christmas!

There's something that is really redolent of the true, Continental Christmas, the gingerbread house and the gingerbread man construction kits. I remember that, as children, the first time we came across such a Continental delight was when my father came back from a tour of duty in Germany. We had such fun in building and decorating the house and decorating the gingerbread man that Christmas, so many years ago!

Now, the delightful fun of this Continental Christmas tradition is brought very much alive by those clever folks at Bespoke Foods. Their new Gingerbread House and Gingerbread Man kits are available and are safe fun for the entire family.

There is absolutely no baking or cooking, so they are ideal for the children, and everything is there for them to set to to build the house and decorate the giant gingerbread man! Everything is there, the ready-made icing, the buttons. But why let the kids have all the fun? This is an ideal project for creative and nostalgic adults (if they have children or not!) over a glass of German Gluehwein, too!

To find out more please visit www.bespoke-foods.co.uk

Yellow gold jewellery in abundance at Goldsmiths' Fair

Innovative yellow gold jewellery by designer-makers in abundance at Goldsmiths’ Fair 2011

At Goldsmiths’ Hall
Week One - Monday, September 26 to Sunday, October 2
Week Two - Tuesday, October 4 to Sunday, October 9

A visit to Goldsmiths’ Fair 2011 at Goldsmiths’ Hall in the City of London which opens on Monday September 26 will leave you in no doubt that gold, particularly yellow gold, remains a firm favourite with jewellers. In fact Goldsmiths’ Fair is the place to go if you are looking for stylish, innovative and original gold jewellery.

Not only has gold been hitting the headlines recently with its rise in price, it has also been making a come-back on the fashion runways and yellow gold jewellery is back in vogue as the ultimate luxury accessory.

Several jewellers at Goldsmiths’ Fair make no excuses for working purely in rich yellow gold. First time exhibitor Sheila Teague of jewellery duo Wright and Teague, says: “I try not to be inhibited by the cost and think only in terms of the sculptural beauty, tactility and versatility that gold allows.”

Other jewellers who share her viewpoint are Polly Gasston who works exclusively in 22 carat gold to create her bold strong confident jewellery which is influenced by ancient goldsmiths but still totally contemporary and relevant in style.

Disa Allsopp, whose latest collection is dominated by yellow gold jewellery said: “I am finding that my clients regard gold as an investment. They admire the precious quality of the material and find it even more desirable when combined with innovative design and craftsmanship.”

David Lamb, Managing Director, Jewellery at the World Gold Council, commented: "{{The upcoming Goldsmiths Fair will highlight how the craftsman's oldest and most precious metal is continuing to inspire the jewellers of today and tomorrow. Gold's unique properties enable innovative jewellery design and the goldsmiths who will be showing at the Fair this year, will demonstrate that high manufacturing standards and craftsmanship are alive and well."

In fact the World Gold Council has recently observed various trends in yellow gold jewellery, many of which are much in evidence at Goldsmiths’ Fair. Texture and colour for example play a key part. The former can be achieved through various techniques such as hammering, forging and reticulation. Tina Engell for instance uses the ancient technique of cuttlefish bone casting to create rings which are left with a rich grainy finish made by the mould which she feels accentuates the natural beauty and warmth of the gold.

In contrast braided gold wire is taken to extraordinary lengths in the hands of Catherine Martin who has adapted traditional Japanese silk braiding textile techniques which she learnt in Japan to make her exquisite jewellery. Each of her jewels is meticulously hand-braided using the finest gold wire. Catherine sometimes weaves platinum wire in with the gold and occasionally incorporates tiny twinkling diamonds to heighten the effect. Likewise Andrew Lamb uses precious gold and silver wires in his jewellery, creating pieces by layering, twisting and overlapping these ‘threads’ to create rippling textures and subtle colour variations, playfully drawing in the viewer and creating a moment of surprise.

Falling in the trend of precious and delicate, new exhibitor to the Fair Beth Gilmour makes highly attractive gold jewellery which is often described as intricate and elegant and it is no surprise that she is influenced by organic leaf patterns and vintage lace.

Gold as the new jewel is also much in evidence at the Fair with many jewellers using yellow gold as a design feature or ornamentation. Katherine Baird for example uses gold detailing in combination with silver to highlight the importance of 'the line' in her work, as do Olivia Schlevogt and Shivani Patel. Award winning jeweller Jacqueline Cullen has developed a unique technique to enable her to add gold granulation to her fabulous jewellery made from inky black Whitby Jet. Her effective use of 18 carat gold granulation emulates the flow of molten gold lava from crevices of a volcano.

The high price of gold has also forced jewellers to become more resourceful and creative in finding new ways of getting the “gold” look but still keeping costs down. For instance Melissa Rigby uses her own technique of fusing fine coloured gold and silver leaf with vitreous enamel (ground glass), while Jane Adam uses an unusual material for some of her pieces – bimetal, which comprises a thick layer of 18 carat gold fused to sterling silver. Like Melissa, Jane has developed her own unique method of scribing through the gold and oxidising the exposed silver lines to create a fascinating, textured surface.

Come and be seduced by the great variety of dazzling gold jewellery on sale at Goldsmiths’ Fair 2011

FACTFILE:

Week One - Monday, September 26 to Sunday, October 2
Week Two - Tuesday, October 4 to Sunday, October 9
Closed Monday October 3 for change over of exhibitors
11am to 7.00pm Monday to Friday (last entry 6.30pm)
10am to 6.00pm Saturday and Sunday (last entry 5.30pm)
Entrance by catalogue purchasable on the door (£7 for one week, £12 for two weeks)

• The 29th annual Goldsmiths’ Fair (first Fair took place in 1983)
• A selling exhibition open to the public and trade.
• 90 exhibitors each week (107 jewellers and 61 silversmiths)
• All the exhibitors are vetted by the Goldsmiths’ Company
• 10 recent graduates have been granted a stand, a loan and a bursary by the Goldsmiths’ Company
• Prices range from £60 upwards to £16,000
• All the silver and precious metal jewellery is hallmarked by one of the four UK Assay Offices.

WHERE?
Goldsmiths’ Hall,
Foster Lane,
London EC2V 6BN
Tel: 020 7606 7010
www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk
Licensed Café on site offering drinks and refreshments throughout the day.

NEAREST UNDERGROUND STATIONS:
St Paul’s, Mansion House, Barbican, Bank
BUSES:
8, 11, 25, 100, 242, 56, 521

www.whoswhoingoldandsilver.com
The Goldsmiths’ Company’s on-line directory for jewellery, silver and works of art enables the public to browse on line to make contact with the maker of their choice. With more than 300 craftsmen, all approved by the Goldsmiths’ Company, the website is the ultimate resource for any requirement in precious metal.

Enjoy Drinking Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte this Christmas

There is something that links Christmas and the festive season with Champagne, and it is true that almost nothing nothing puts you in the festive mood better than a glass of Champagne. A glass of good quality Champagne, that is.

Because you must make your selection carefully. Some Champagnes that are big on name and reputation are not so big when it comes to taste.

But this is, thankfully, not the case when it comes to Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte. And this year is a very special year for Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte and its many fans, for Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte is celebrating its 35th Anniversary this year and has released a limited edition bottle of Champagne to mark the occasion that will be perfect to toast with or to put under the tree this Christmas.

The festive look of the bottle alone makes this Champagne a perfect fit for the party season. Decorated with colourful stripes on a black background, the bottle is striking and could even make an exquisite collector’s item.

Inside the bottle is one of Nicolas Feuillatte’s most delicious Champagnes yet. Cellar Master Jean Pierre Vincent has created an elegant Champagne. In this limited edition bottle he has crafted a blend of three varietals: Pinot Noir (30%), Pinot Meunier (30%) and Chardonnay (40%), all aged for 5 years. The Champagne is straw-coloured in appearance revealing tremendous clarity and brightness.

To accompany the bottle, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte has also released a one of a kind canister and ice bag – the perfect trio to be delivered down your chimney this Christmas. 35th Anniversary products available at John Lewis and Vinopolis London. Bottle RRP: £29

The taste is exquisite and Cellar Master Jean Pierre Vincent has crafted a Champagne that will stand the test of time. We tried the Pinot Noir and it had a taste that is essential Champagne. It was clean and bright on the tongue, it had just the right amount of fizz and makes an ideal accompaniment for almost any type of food or a superb 'stand alone' Champagne for that special occasion party drink when one desires something special to celebrate Christmas, New Year, a special birthday or anniversary, or some other time that needs to be marked with something that tastes remarkably good and can help enliven the spirits.

If you only get one Champagne this year, you must make it Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte.

Kids want Gadgets for Christmas!

A new Shopzilla poll reveals what 6-12 year-olds want this Christmas. Santa is not taking austerity measures this Christmas judging by the poll which reveals that electronic pets, laptops, tablets, digital cameras and games consoles are likely to be piled up under the tree this year. On average children in the UK are expecting £167 to be spent on them by their parents, which may not be enough for some of the more costly toys in the list.

£167 is the average amount that 6-12 year olds expect their parents to spend on them in total with more than half anticipating their gifts will cost under £150 in total. The ‘gender pay gap’ may start at a very young age if this Shopzilla survey is any indicator – boys aged 6-12 expect an average of £183 spent on them by their parents this Christmas while the girls are expecting a total of £155 on average – 18% less than the boys. However, Cars 2 toys are just as popular with girls as boys, reaching number five on both male and female Christmas lists.

Kids want to be just like their parents with ‘grown-up’ items such as digital cameras, laptops, iPads and smart phones making the top ten. 14% of the children surveyed no longer play with or use last year’s top gift any more and 12% can’t remember the best gift they received last year.

Neil McCarthy, Sales and Marketing Director at Shopzilla said: “The sheer newness of a must-have item is what attracts many of these young shoppers. It’s not just about getting the right item, it often has to be a certain colour and a particular model. Retailers who anticipate these trends and are able to meet demand will be able to tap into the tech-savvy young market.”

Top 10 most-wanted GIRLS’ toys and gifts:

1. Laptop/tablet
2. Digital camera
3. Nintendo 3DS
4. Electronic Pet
5. Cars 2 Toy
6. A real pet (not a toy)
7. Mobile phone/smartphone
8. Games for a computer console
9. Lego
10. Games Console

Top 10 most-wanted BOYS’ toys and gifts:

1. Laptop/tablet
2. Electronic Pet
3. Nintendo 3DS
4. Digital camera
5. Cars 2 Toy
6. Games for a computer console
7. Lego
8. Mobile phone/smartphone
9. Games Console
10. Moshi Monsters

www.shopzillasolutions.co.uk

(EDITOR: Parents! Just bookmark That's Chirstmas and visit us regularly to check for stories about discounted gifts. I think parents will need all the help they can get, this Christmas!)

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Your child stars in a Personalised Book and meets Father Christmas!

Get your kids involved in reading this Christmas – Star in a Personalised Book and meet Santa!

Personalised books are great for getting kids involved in reading and with this Christmas we’re helping you encourage your kids to read with this Christmassy adventure where your child meets Santa and saves Christmas!

Penwizard’s best selling personalised Christmas book is truly unique and ideal for any child this Christmas! Helping Santa save Christmas is any child’s dream and here at Penwizard we make all dreams come true!

Our best selling Christmas book includes your child on every page in the words and pictures. Simply personalise the character to look like your child and add their name – you can even add a personal message which is printed on the first page!

Make someone very happy this Christmas and visit www.penwizard.co.uk. All books delivered within 5 working days.

Personalisation:
- First name & Surname
- Hairstyle, colour & skin tone
- Town name
- Two best friends or relations
- Two adults

Book Specification
- Full colour gloss cover
- 24 Full colour pages
- Perfect bound paperback
- Size: 21 x 28 cm

Free P&P on all orders using code 251210 on the Penwizard site, terms ans conditions apply.

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