Wednesday 14 December 2011
That's Beauty and Living: New Year’s Eve sophistication with Pure Collection...
That's Beauty and Living: New Year’s Eve sophistication with Pure Collection...: Pure Collection provides the ultimate in sophisticated New Year’s Eve partywear with a selection of feminine looks in classic re...
That's Travel: Seek inspiration for your own Egyptian adventure s...
That's Travel: Seek inspiration for your own Egyptian adventure s...: Seek inspiration for your own Egyptian adventure and visit the new galleries of Ancient Egypt & Nubia open at the Ashmolean Boo...
The Nike Mercurial Vapor Superfly CR7 Football Boots at SportsDirect.com
The latest offering from legendary footballer Cristiano Ronaldo comes with a unique and seamless design to help control your speed and accuracy on the pitch.
The boots sport a lightweight and supportive Flywire system, designed for stability around the ankle so you can keep up the pace and ball control without encountering discomfort. The boots also benefit from the Nike Sense stud technology, which optimises your grip based upon underfoot pressure along the blade.
Not only will these boots help perfect you loved ones game, but they come with the MYiD personalisation option at SportsDirect.com. For just £9.99 you can create a completely unique pair of football boots by adding initials, numbers or even an encrypted message! Whatever you want to say, it will be there on the pitch and in training.
If you’re on a budget this Christmas, you can also order personalised classic Nike Mercurial Vapor CR7s for £109.99 delivered. The popular boot has a lightweight structure which encourages better ball control and speed thanks to the traditional lacing system. This boot also features EVA sockliner padding for a more comfortable fit.
Whichever pair you choose, get them from SportsDirect.com for less this Christmas. You can log onto www.sportsdirect.com and order online now to receive your presents in time for Christmas! Make sure you keep up with all the super deals over the festive period on Facebook and Twitter too.
(EDITOR: That reminds me. Must get a decent pair of trainers, so a trip to our local Sports Direct is on the cards!)
That's Food and Drink: Good with Christmas and the New Year, Sauvignon Bl...
That's Food and Drink: Good with Christmas and the New Year, Sauvignon Bl...: This delicious white wine, Sauvignon Blanc, is a wine of the Western Cape of South Africa. It is a modern wine which although proud of its...
Tuesday 13 December 2011
That's Food and Drink: Winners of the Cook Vegetarian Veggie Awards Annou...
That's Food and Drink: Winners of the Cook Vegetarian Veggie Awards Annou...: Cook Vegetarian magazine is delighted to announce the winners of The Veggie Awards 2012, celebrating flavour, versatility and innovation in ...
Find all your perfect Christmas gifts at Rudell the Jewellers in Birmingham and Wolverhampton
Rudells ensure that they are always up to the minute on the latest trends for the year ahead. They pay careful attention to the key jewellery and fashion looks for the upcoming seasons, but always ensure that each piece they select has longevity, making sure that it is a design classic that you will be able to wear for a lifetime.
Scintillation is the word of the party season, with dropper and chandelier earrings featuring heavily. These shimmering versatile pieces span the day to night look easily, adding glitz to your casual wear and drama to your cocktail dress.
The recent London fashion week featured exciting upcoming collections for Spring/Summer and Rudells have the perfect choice of jewellery that will complement any of these gorgeous styles. Spring is all about bright colours for 2012. Bold colours and statement jewellery are the perfect way to welcome in the new season. Rodney Rayner have a beautiful and striking collection in-store that features fabulous tzavorites, amethysts and sapphires mounted in precious metals, the perfect way to add dramatic colour.
For those of you looking for a softer touch of colour, Rudells versatile ropes of coloured pearls come in many beautiful shades and can be worn in a variety of several different styles, adding instant lustre and glamour to any outfit.
Layering your jewellery will continue to be a statement look for the year ahead. The easiest way to wear this look is on the wrist, so stack your Links of London friendship bracelets together for an on trend cuff effect and then add a stylish George Jenson silver bangle to complete the look.
Larger watches will continue their popularity in 2012 and everyone is talking about the Rolex Explorer II. Compared to its predecessor the new model had a increased case diameter of 42mm and in a stylish nod to its origins the second time zone hand has reverted to the cover and shape of the original 1971 model.
Rudells jewellery manager Amy Wilkes said “we choose our jewellery and watches very carefully. We not only consider the trends of the industry but also the tastes of our clientèle this ensures that Rudells always have the most desirable and wearable selection of jewellery.
From Diamond Rings to Necklaces, Earrings, Watches and Engagement Rings in Wolverhampton - Rudells currently have two showrooms, one in Wolverhampton and the other in Harborne, Birmingham. Please visit them for a warm, friendly service and to view their quality jewellery ranges, prestigious watch brands and giftware.
Scintillation is the word of the party season, with dropper and chandelier earrings featuring heavily. These shimmering versatile pieces span the day to night look easily, adding glitz to your casual wear and drama to your cocktail dress.
The recent London fashion week featured exciting upcoming collections for Spring/Summer and Rudells have the perfect choice of jewellery that will complement any of these gorgeous styles. Spring is all about bright colours for 2012. Bold colours and statement jewellery are the perfect way to welcome in the new season. Rodney Rayner have a beautiful and striking collection in-store that features fabulous tzavorites, amethysts and sapphires mounted in precious metals, the perfect way to add dramatic colour.
For those of you looking for a softer touch of colour, Rudells versatile ropes of coloured pearls come in many beautiful shades and can be worn in a variety of several different styles, adding instant lustre and glamour to any outfit.
Layering your jewellery will continue to be a statement look for the year ahead. The easiest way to wear this look is on the wrist, so stack your Links of London friendship bracelets together for an on trend cuff effect and then add a stylish George Jenson silver bangle to complete the look.
Larger watches will continue their popularity in 2012 and everyone is talking about the Rolex Explorer II. Compared to its predecessor the new model had a increased case diameter of 42mm and in a stylish nod to its origins the second time zone hand has reverted to the cover and shape of the original 1971 model.
Rudells jewellery manager Amy Wilkes said “we choose our jewellery and watches very carefully. We not only consider the trends of the industry but also the tastes of our clientèle this ensures that Rudells always have the most desirable and wearable selection of jewellery.
From Diamond Rings to Necklaces, Earrings, Watches and Engagement Rings in Wolverhampton - Rudells currently have two showrooms, one in Wolverhampton and the other in Harborne, Birmingham. Please visit them for a warm, friendly service and to view their quality jewellery ranges, prestigious watch brands and giftware.
Monday 12 December 2011
Go Bananas for Christmas! Five great games to banish Boxing Day boredom
If you’re monkeying around seeking last minute gifts and stocking fillers this December, look no further than the range of award-winning games from BANANAGRAMS INC. No matter who you’re buying for, you’ll find there’s a game to suit every age:
BANANAGRAMS® (RRP £14.99) – the global word-play phenomenon is the ideal gift for kids aged seven to 107: a fast and fun anagram game that’s perfect for bringing the family together and banishing Boxing Day boredom. Requiring no pencil, paper or board, Bananagrams comes in a small portable banana-shaped pouch and was named Toy Fair 2009’s “Game of the Year”. Created by the word game-obsessed Nathanson family of three generations, ranging in age from seven to 75 years old, Bananagrams is a labour of love that that has quickly become an international hit, selling millions of copies worldwide and attracting celebrity fans including Scarlett Johansson, Kelly Clarkson and Cindy Crawford.
FRUITOMINOES® (RRP £14.99) – for players aged 5+, it features 28 beautifully crafted fruit-emblazoned dominoes in a compact pouch. It’s a fresh, fruity and colourful twist to the classic game of dominoes.
ZIP-IT® (RRP £14.99) – the perfect gift for the jet-setter in your life, Zip-It is a two-player crossword race that can be played anytime, anywhere in as little as 20 seconds. For players aged seven and up, Zip-It features 24 high-quality letter cubes packaged in a unique cloth pouch with scoring zippers. The ability to play compactly on an airplane or train tray make Zip-It the ultimate travel game.
APPLETTERS® (RRP £15.99) – originally designed with younger players in mind and features three levels of play to amuse children and challenge adults. The game comes in an apple-shaped cloth pouch containing 110 ivory-like tiles. In addition to the version for a younger audience, the game also includes instructions for more adult play - APPLE TURNOVER™ for an extra challenge and APPLESCORE™ for word lovers who like to have fun with palindromes and semi-palindromes.
PAIRSinPEARS® (£15.99) – a word construction game for children aged 6+, where players race to make pairs of connecting words in matching patterns. The pear-shaped cloth pouch contains four full alphabet sets in four distinct designs and the game provides a great way for children to develop memory and cognitive skills while learning the alphabet, pattern recognition, vowels, vocabulary, rhyming and more.
The games are available to buy from all good book and toy stores on the High Street or online from www.bananagrams.com.
FACTFILE:
Bananagrams®, Inc., is the family-owned Rhode Island company behind a range of innovative word games, including the international phenomenon BANANAGRAMS - the fast, fun anagram game that will “drive you bananas!”
BANANAGRAMS® (RRP £14.99) – the global word-play phenomenon is the ideal gift for kids aged seven to 107: a fast and fun anagram game that’s perfect for bringing the family together and banishing Boxing Day boredom. Requiring no pencil, paper or board, Bananagrams comes in a small portable banana-shaped pouch and was named Toy Fair 2009’s “Game of the Year”. Created by the word game-obsessed Nathanson family of three generations, ranging in age from seven to 75 years old, Bananagrams is a labour of love that that has quickly become an international hit, selling millions of copies worldwide and attracting celebrity fans including Scarlett Johansson, Kelly Clarkson and Cindy Crawford.
FRUITOMINOES® (RRP £14.99) – for players aged 5+, it features 28 beautifully crafted fruit-emblazoned dominoes in a compact pouch. It’s a fresh, fruity and colourful twist to the classic game of dominoes.
ZIP-IT® (RRP £14.99) – the perfect gift for the jet-setter in your life, Zip-It is a two-player crossword race that can be played anytime, anywhere in as little as 20 seconds. For players aged seven and up, Zip-It features 24 high-quality letter cubes packaged in a unique cloth pouch with scoring zippers. The ability to play compactly on an airplane or train tray make Zip-It the ultimate travel game.
APPLETTERS® (RRP £15.99) – originally designed with younger players in mind and features three levels of play to amuse children and challenge adults. The game comes in an apple-shaped cloth pouch containing 110 ivory-like tiles. In addition to the version for a younger audience, the game also includes instructions for more adult play - APPLE TURNOVER™ for an extra challenge and APPLESCORE™ for word lovers who like to have fun with palindromes and semi-palindromes.
PAIRSinPEARS® (£15.99) – a word construction game for children aged 6+, where players race to make pairs of connecting words in matching patterns. The pear-shaped cloth pouch contains four full alphabet sets in four distinct designs and the game provides a great way for children to develop memory and cognitive skills while learning the alphabet, pattern recognition, vowels, vocabulary, rhyming and more.
The games are available to buy from all good book and toy stores on the High Street or online from www.bananagrams.com.
FACTFILE:
Bananagrams®, Inc., is the family-owned Rhode Island company behind a range of innovative word games, including the international phenomenon BANANAGRAMS - the fast, fun anagram game that will “drive you bananas!”
Currently available in 31 countries and multiple languages, original Bananagrams has spawned digital versions on Facebook, the iPad™, iPhone™ and iTouch™ and a series of books. Bananagrams, Inc. also offers the award-winning Appletters®, Pairs in Pears® and brand-new ZIP-IT® and Fruitominoes®. All the games feature attractive cloth pouches and need no board, pencil or paper - ideal for children and adults aged seven to 107 who enjoy witty word play, at home or on the go.
For more information visit: www.bananagrams.com
Check out our all-new Bananagrams blog @ www.bananagrams.com/peels
Like us on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/bananagrams
Follow us on Twitter @ www.twitter.com/bananagrams_uk
For more information visit: www.bananagrams.com
Check out our all-new Bananagrams blog @ www.bananagrams.com/peels
Like us on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/bananagrams
Follow us on Twitter @ www.twitter.com/bananagrams_uk
That's Business: Synovate reports early Christmas cheer on the high...
That's Business: Synovate reports early Christmas cheer on the high...: Latest data released by Synovate Retail Performance show that retail footfall in the UK is...
That's Health: Treat Tired Party Season Eyes with Gingerlily’s Su...
That's Health: Treat Tired Party Season Eyes with Gingerlily’s Su...: Gingerlily , designers of luxury silk bedding and bedroom accessories, has created a beaut...
Be That Writer: Be organised with colourful notebooks from Leuchtt...
Be That Writer: Be organised with colourful notebooks from Leuchtt...: Whether it's for yourself or to give as presents (if you can bear to part with them) these notebooks from German family firm Leu...
Sunday 11 December 2011
Don't forget the Frankfurt German Christmas Market in Birmingham!
Yes, please don't forget the Frankfurt German Chirstmas Market in Birmingham!
You can get a flavour of what it is like here
You can get a flavour of what it is like here
Saturday 10 December 2011
That's Books: Who Said That First?
That's Books: Who Said That First?: Subtitled 'the curious origins of common words and phrases', this book by Max Cryer is a must buy present for just about anyone, this Christ...
Ideal Christmas gift! Homework For Grown-ups Quiz Book - Everything You Learnt At School And Then Promptly Forgot!
Who is Senuna? Where would you find the islets of Langerhans? Mr Deasy, Gabriel Conroy and Robert Hand are all characters from works by which author? Which of the following is larger: 0.00099 or 0.001? ...and many, many more fiendishly fun questions to test your old-school knowledge
Do the simplest questions have you scratching your head? Or are you happiest shouting out the answers to Mastermind and QI? The Homework for Grown-ups Quiz Book will provide hours of fun for the whole family. Test your knowledge and remind yourself of everything you learnt at school and promptly forgot.
The book accompanies the bestselling Homework for Grown-ups series of books by E. Foley and B. Coates, described by the Daily Telegraph as "An obvious candidate to take to a desert island, along with Shakespeare and the Bible."
Published by Random House.
Do the simplest questions have you scratching your head? Or are you happiest shouting out the answers to Mastermind and QI? The Homework for Grown-ups Quiz Book will provide hours of fun for the whole family. Test your knowledge and remind yourself of everything you learnt at school and promptly forgot.
The book accompanies the bestselling Homework for Grown-ups series of books by E. Foley and B. Coates, described by the Daily Telegraph as "An obvious candidate to take to a desert island, along with Shakespeare and the Bible."
Published by Random House.
That's Books: Fire Bubbles & Exploding Toothpaste: More Unforget...
That's Books: Fire Bubbles & Exploding Toothpaste: More Unforget...: Parents and children who enjoyed the entertaining science in "Naked Eggs & Flying Potatoes" will love this spectacular second volume of thri...
That's Books: Rockford's Rock Opera
That's Books: Rockford's Rock Opera: Rockford's Rock Opera, the best selling App story series for children, is now available on DVD. You may not have heard of Rockford's Rock ...
How To Survive Your First Christmas Alone
Your first Christmas alone doesn't have to be terrible. Make sure that you plan what you are going to do well in advance and that you arrange to keep busy over the holiday period.
Be organised and don't leave any spare time when you might brood. Don't worry about what your ex partner is doing or who they are spending it with; make sure that you are so busy having a good time that it doesn't matter what they are doing. Don't let any negative feelings (anger, jealousy) about your ex get in the way of enjoying yourself.
Prior to the Christmas break take advantage of all the parties you are invited to. If you haven't got a company party or a networking 'do' to go to then why not throw your own party? You can even throw themed parties - there are various pamper, chocolate and jewellery parties available. If everyone brings a bottle and a plate of food hosting a party doesn't have to be too expensive.
One of the options available is to go away on holiday. Why not fly to the Canary Islands with a friend. Have champagne by the swimming pool on Christmas Day and on New Years Eve thoroughly enjoy the party atmosphere. If you don't know anyone who is single why not try Buddies4Travel (www.buddies4travel.co.uk) who can help you find a suitable travelling companion.
Alternatively, if you lead a hectic life, you could decide to spend the time on your own and have some quiet 'me' time. Stock up on your favourite foods, a good book and some classic DVDs and relax.
Don't forget to buy yourself a self-indulgent present such as a beauty treatment, a massage or a new outfit.
If you have other single friends who are going to be on their own over Christmas you could get together and have a house party. Why not play some board games such as Scrabble, Scattergories, Trivial Pursuit or a Murder Mystery? You don't have to be a child to play games! If money is an issue make a pact not to buy each other presents or limit the cost of presents for each other and share the cost of the food and drink.
Another option is to volunteer to work for a charity over Christmas. Why not help provide lunch for the homeless or visit a lonely elderly person? These websites provide some ideas about how you can hel:-
www.timebank.org.uk/volunteer_christmas/
www.do-it.org.uk
If you have children you should communicate with your ex about the arrangements for the holiday well in advance. Reassure the children that you will be OK while they are spending time with your ex, that you have plans and will not be sad or upset. Ensure that they are happy with the arrangements that have been made for them.
Have a very Merry Christmas!
Sue Atkins is a Parenting Expert, Broadcaster, Speaker and Author of the Amazon best selling book "Raising Happy Children for Dummies" one of the famous black and yellow series and the highly acclaimed Parenting Made Easy CDs. She has also just launched her 1st Parenting Made Easy app for iPhones and iPads.
She is currently writing a new book for Random House called "Parenting Made Easy" which will be available in April 2012.
Sue offers practical guidance for bringing up happy, confident, well behaved children from toddler to teen.
She regularly appears on BBC Breakfast and The Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2 and is the parenting expert for many BBC Radio Stations around the UK. She has a regular monthly parenting phone-in on BBC Radio Surrey & Sussex and her parenting articles are published all over the world.
To receive Sue's free ebook bursting with practical tips and helpful advice from toddler to teen log on to www.theSueAtkins.com and download it instantly today.
Be organised and don't leave any spare time when you might brood. Don't worry about what your ex partner is doing or who they are spending it with; make sure that you are so busy having a good time that it doesn't matter what they are doing. Don't let any negative feelings (anger, jealousy) about your ex get in the way of enjoying yourself.
Prior to the Christmas break take advantage of all the parties you are invited to. If you haven't got a company party or a networking 'do' to go to then why not throw your own party? You can even throw themed parties - there are various pamper, chocolate and jewellery parties available. If everyone brings a bottle and a plate of food hosting a party doesn't have to be too expensive.
One of the options available is to go away on holiday. Why not fly to the Canary Islands with a friend. Have champagne by the swimming pool on Christmas Day and on New Years Eve thoroughly enjoy the party atmosphere. If you don't know anyone who is single why not try Buddies4Travel (www.buddies4travel.co.uk) who can help you find a suitable travelling companion.
Alternatively, if you lead a hectic life, you could decide to spend the time on your own and have some quiet 'me' time. Stock up on your favourite foods, a good book and some classic DVDs and relax.
Don't forget to buy yourself a self-indulgent present such as a beauty treatment, a massage or a new outfit.
If you have other single friends who are going to be on their own over Christmas you could get together and have a house party. Why not play some board games such as Scrabble, Scattergories, Trivial Pursuit or a Murder Mystery? You don't have to be a child to play games! If money is an issue make a pact not to buy each other presents or limit the cost of presents for each other and share the cost of the food and drink.
Another option is to volunteer to work for a charity over Christmas. Why not help provide lunch for the homeless or visit a lonely elderly person? These websites provide some ideas about how you can hel:-
www.timebank.org.uk/volunteer_christmas/
www.do-it.org.uk
If you have children you should communicate with your ex about the arrangements for the holiday well in advance. Reassure the children that you will be OK while they are spending time with your ex, that you have plans and will not be sad or upset. Ensure that they are happy with the arrangements that have been made for them.
Have a very Merry Christmas!
Sue Atkins is a Parenting Expert, Broadcaster, Speaker and Author of the Amazon best selling book "Raising Happy Children for Dummies" one of the famous black and yellow series and the highly acclaimed Parenting Made Easy CDs. She has also just launched her 1st Parenting Made Easy app for iPhones and iPads.
She is currently writing a new book for Random House called "Parenting Made Easy" which will be available in April 2012.
Sue offers practical guidance for bringing up happy, confident, well behaved children from toddler to teen.
She regularly appears on BBC Breakfast and The Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2 and is the parenting expert for many BBC Radio Stations around the UK. She has a regular monthly parenting phone-in on BBC Radio Surrey & Sussex and her parenting articles are published all over the world.
To receive Sue's free ebook bursting with practical tips and helpful advice from toddler to teen log on to www.theSueAtkins.com and download it instantly today.
That's Christmas: Magic Memories Of Christmas
That's Christmas: Magic Memories Of Christmas: Sue Atkins gives half a dozen tips to make this year's family Christmas something to remember for all the right reasons. A friend of mine ...(Plus! Free ebook!)
Magic Memories Of Christmas
Sue Atkins gives half a dozen tips to make this year's family Christmas something to remember for all the right reasons.
A friend of mine is having trouble sorting out the arrangements over Christmas Dinner with her ex. I thought that maybe I should encourage her to refocus her priorities, by reminding her of something important. Right now she is creating a blueprint of how she handles this magical time for her kids - and she is in the process of making and creating memories for them that will last for their lifetimes.
So often people focus on the stress of Christmas but I like to focus on the positive things in life. You can leave creating a great time and wonderful memories to chance, or you can weave the magic tapestry of a wonderful experience of Christmas with your family through great design and planning.
Here are six ideas to conjure up that extra bit of magic in your Christmas, or holiday time:
IDEA 1: Imagine it
Just take a little time now to close your eyes, take in a couple of deep relaxing breaths and visualise in a perfect world how you'd like your Christmas to look... and sound.. and feel... make the picture really colourful, brighter and really up close to you... and perhaps you could imagine just stepping into the picture or film that you have running in your head and really imagine being in there. Imagine I have waved a magic wand and have made things just as you would really want... and do this over and over again until it feels real. You'll start to notice the difference in how much more relaxed you immediately feel and you'll start to notice what seems to unfold as if by magic from now on!
IDEA 2: Capture the Memories
Take lots of digital photos during family get-togethers. Upload the photos to a family photo-sharing site (I recommend: www.DropShots.com; it's safe and secure, and photos are not shared publicly or indexed by search engines) and send the link to everyone.
During your get-togethers have family pictures and albums available from previous holidays. They can stimulate conversations and warm memories of Christmases past and - of important people who might no longer be around anymore.
IDEA 3: The Sound of Music
Get the music cranked up and blaring in your house! From Christmas Carols to Slade or Leona Lewis! And ask everyone in your family what their favourite songs are and go online to i-tunes, find the songs, download them, make a copy for everyone to keep as a great memory and a personal little pressie to give to them. Everyone's favourite Christmas holiday music all captured on one CD - what a special gift and memory!
IDEA 4: Box O' Wishes
This idea comes from Oprah Winfrey... place a small box at everyone's place setting containing an index card for each person. Ask everyone to answer one or more of these questions about each person there and put the answers into their box.
Example questions are:
• What I love about you is...
• Thank you for...
• My Christmas wish for you is...
Everyone will leave with perhaps the most meaningful gift they have ever received—a box of love and good wishes from everyone at the party. This is really a lovely moment as it also sets the tone and frame of mind for your entire time together!
IDEA 5: Box O' Questions
Everyone thinks up and writes down 2 to 3 questions on topics they would like to know about each other or, as host, you can create a list of questions. The questions need to be general enough so they can be answered by anyone.
Put all the questions in a box and pass it around to each person to select and answer.
Example questions are:
• What is your favourite childhood memory?
• What is the most important life lesson you learned from your parents?
• Who was your childhood best friend and what made them so special?
• What was school like for you as a child? What were your best and worst subjects?
• Who were your childhood heroes and why?
• What accomplishments are you the most proud of?
• What is your most important goal for the next 3 to 5 years?
IDEA 6: Time Versus Trinket
For your close family and friends, instead of marching through the shopping centres to find the "perfect gift," the most meaningful gift you can give is your time. Along with a card filled with thoughtful sentiments, enclose half-a-dozen experiences you are giving for them for the coming year.
Examples are:
• A picnic at a special place.
• A trip to the beach or the snowy mountains or a lovely river.
• A football game, a local fair, a film, a special lunch outing at their favourite restaurant, etc.
• An entire day when you will do anything they want you to do or accompany them anywhere—without complaint!
Explore, get creative and relax and I really wish you and your family a warm, wonderful and especially meaningful Christmas holiday!
Have a magical time!
Sue Atkins is a Parenting Expert, Broadcaster, Speaker and Author of the Amazon best selling book "Raising Happy Children for Dummies" one of the famous black and yellow series and the highly acclaimed Parenting Made Easy CDs. She has also just launched her 1st Parenting Made Easy app for iPhones and iPads.
She is currently writing a new book for Random House called "Parenting Made Easy" which will be available in April 2012.
Sue offers practical guidance for bringing up happy, confident, well behaved children from toddler to teen.
She regularly appears on BBC Breakfast and The Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2 and is the parenting expert for many BBC Radio Stations around the UK. She has a regular monthly parenting phone-in on BBC Radio Surrey & Sussex and her parenting articles are published all over the world.
To receive Sue's free ebook bursting with practical tips and helpful advice from toddler to teen log on to www.theSueAtkins.com and download it instantly today.
A friend of mine is having trouble sorting out the arrangements over Christmas Dinner with her ex. I thought that maybe I should encourage her to refocus her priorities, by reminding her of something important. Right now she is creating a blueprint of how she handles this magical time for her kids - and she is in the process of making and creating memories for them that will last for their lifetimes.
So often people focus on the stress of Christmas but I like to focus on the positive things in life. You can leave creating a great time and wonderful memories to chance, or you can weave the magic tapestry of a wonderful experience of Christmas with your family through great design and planning.
Here are six ideas to conjure up that extra bit of magic in your Christmas, or holiday time:
IDEA 1: Imagine it
Just take a little time now to close your eyes, take in a couple of deep relaxing breaths and visualise in a perfect world how you'd like your Christmas to look... and sound.. and feel... make the picture really colourful, brighter and really up close to you... and perhaps you could imagine just stepping into the picture or film that you have running in your head and really imagine being in there. Imagine I have waved a magic wand and have made things just as you would really want... and do this over and over again until it feels real. You'll start to notice the difference in how much more relaxed you immediately feel and you'll start to notice what seems to unfold as if by magic from now on!
IDEA 2: Capture the Memories
Take lots of digital photos during family get-togethers. Upload the photos to a family photo-sharing site (I recommend: www.DropShots.com; it's safe and secure, and photos are not shared publicly or indexed by search engines) and send the link to everyone.
During your get-togethers have family pictures and albums available from previous holidays. They can stimulate conversations and warm memories of Christmases past and - of important people who might no longer be around anymore.
IDEA 3: The Sound of Music
Get the music cranked up and blaring in your house! From Christmas Carols to Slade or Leona Lewis! And ask everyone in your family what their favourite songs are and go online to i-tunes, find the songs, download them, make a copy for everyone to keep as a great memory and a personal little pressie to give to them. Everyone's favourite Christmas holiday music all captured on one CD - what a special gift and memory!
IDEA 4: Box O' Wishes
This idea comes from Oprah Winfrey... place a small box at everyone's place setting containing an index card for each person. Ask everyone to answer one or more of these questions about each person there and put the answers into their box.
Example questions are:
• What I love about you is...
• Thank you for...
• My Christmas wish for you is...
Everyone will leave with perhaps the most meaningful gift they have ever received—a box of love and good wishes from everyone at the party. This is really a lovely moment as it also sets the tone and frame of mind for your entire time together!
IDEA 5: Box O' Questions
Everyone thinks up and writes down 2 to 3 questions on topics they would like to know about each other or, as host, you can create a list of questions. The questions need to be general enough so they can be answered by anyone.
Put all the questions in a box and pass it around to each person to select and answer.
Example questions are:
• What is your favourite childhood memory?
• What is the most important life lesson you learned from your parents?
• Who was your childhood best friend and what made them so special?
• What was school like for you as a child? What were your best and worst subjects?
• Who were your childhood heroes and why?
• What accomplishments are you the most proud of?
• What is your most important goal for the next 3 to 5 years?
IDEA 6: Time Versus Trinket
For your close family and friends, instead of marching through the shopping centres to find the "perfect gift," the most meaningful gift you can give is your time. Along with a card filled with thoughtful sentiments, enclose half-a-dozen experiences you are giving for them for the coming year.
Examples are:
• A picnic at a special place.
• A trip to the beach or the snowy mountains or a lovely river.
• A football game, a local fair, a film, a special lunch outing at their favourite restaurant, etc.
• An entire day when you will do anything they want you to do or accompany them anywhere—without complaint!
Explore, get creative and relax and I really wish you and your family a warm, wonderful and especially meaningful Christmas holiday!
Have a magical time!
Sue Atkins is a Parenting Expert, Broadcaster, Speaker and Author of the Amazon best selling book "Raising Happy Children for Dummies" one of the famous black and yellow series and the highly acclaimed Parenting Made Easy CDs. She has also just launched her 1st Parenting Made Easy app for iPhones and iPads.
She is currently writing a new book for Random House called "Parenting Made Easy" which will be available in April 2012.
Sue offers practical guidance for bringing up happy, confident, well behaved children from toddler to teen.
She regularly appears on BBC Breakfast and The Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2 and is the parenting expert for many BBC Radio Stations around the UK. She has a regular monthly parenting phone-in on BBC Radio Surrey & Sussex and her parenting articles are published all over the world.
To receive Sue's free ebook bursting with practical tips and helpful advice from toddler to teen log on to www.theSueAtkins.com and download it instantly today.
Friday 9 December 2011
That's Food and Drink: Morrisons To Stock Monastery Cheese From Shepherds...
That's Food and Drink: Morrisons To Stock Monastery Cheese From Shepherds...: A traditional mould rinded, soft cow's milk cheese originating from Middle Age monks has been reproduced by artisan Yorkshire cheese makers ...
That's Food and Drink: Need a dairy free Christmas? Then indulge yoursel...
That's Food and Drink: Need a dairy free Christmas? Then indulge yoursel...: As the festive season fast approaches, households across the UK will be stocking up on seasonal treats to indulge in over the Christmas ho...
Aldi for Christmas
Over the next several days, That's Christmas and sister site That's Food and Drink will be writing articles about the special seasonal foods and drinks (including speciality spirits, liquors, wines and beers) that are available from Aldi.
The quality is far higher than some 'nationally known' food brands and all at far keener prices, too.
Please keep an eye out for these articles. Because they'll tell you how with Aldi you will be able to host the perfect Chirstmas and New year and all at prices that you might think went out of fashion, years ago!
The quality is far higher than some 'nationally known' food brands and all at far keener prices, too.
Please keep an eye out for these articles. Because they'll tell you how with Aldi you will be able to host the perfect Chirstmas and New year and all at prices that you might think went out of fashion, years ago!
Thursday 8 December 2011
That's Food and Drink: Take a Butchers this Christmas!
That's Food and Drink: Take a Butchers this Christmas!: Research published today reveals that three quarters of the great British public suffer stress as a result of buying and preparing Christm...
That's Business: UK small businesses party on this Christmas
That's Business: UK small businesses party on this Christmas: Eight out of ten micro businesses maintain Christmas party despite economic slow-down Res...
Are YOU Sudocrem’s 2011 Christmas Superchef?
Sudocrem launch their Christmas Facebook competition – to crown their ‘2011 Christmas Superchef’ - the grand prize being a 3 day trip to one of France’s top cookery schools for two people.
Sudocrem are getting stuck into the Christmas spirit this year by asking the nation’s parents to grab their cooking utensils, chef’s hats and create and share their best Christmas themed recipes on their Facebook page. Entrants will be judged by Channel 4s ‘How Clean Is Your House’ hostess, Aggie Mackenzie (who has just released ‘Aggie’s Family Cookbook’), who will select three winners who will win (first prize) a 3 day cookery course in France for 2, (second prize) a £150 Selfridges Christmas hamper and (third prize) £75 Marks & Spencer’s vouchers.
How to enter:
Step 1 - Prepare, bake, fry, steam, boil or stew your own Christmas themed recipe then take a picture of your creation
Step 2 – Visit and ‘Like’ the Sudocrem Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Sudocrem)
Step 3 - Follow the competition page instructions: Enter your name, upload your picture and paste your recipe into the text box provided
Step 4 - Keep your fingers crossed that Aggie takes a shine to your creation!
Competition Start Date - 7.12.2011
Competition Finish Date – 4.1.2012
Competition winners announced – 5.1.2012
The Prizes:
1st Prize: 3 day cookery course for 2 in France and £200 contribution towards travel
2nd Prize: £150 Christmas Hamper from Selfridges
3rd Prize: £75 Marks & Spencer’s vouchers
FACTFILE:
Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream has been helping to soothe sore skin for almost 80 years. The market leader nappy rash cream, it’s used by mums, dads and healthcare professionals everywhere.
Unlike some nappy rash products on the market, Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream is a licensed medicine, which means we’ve had to submit clinical data proving that Sudocrem is an effective and safe treatment and of consistent high quality.
It has proved itself as a product that can be trusted to soothe, heal and protect a baby’s delicate skin and works in three ways:
• It contains an emollient that soothes sore or inflamed skin.
• It works as a mild local anaesthetic to help ease pain and irritation.
• A water-repellent base forms a protective barrier, helping to stop any irritants (urine and faeces) coming into contact with the skin.
Sudocrem asks that you always read the label. That's Christmas asks that you remember to have some in your Christmas first aid kit.
Sudocrem are getting stuck into the Christmas spirit this year by asking the nation’s parents to grab their cooking utensils, chef’s hats and create and share their best Christmas themed recipes on their Facebook page. Entrants will be judged by Channel 4s ‘How Clean Is Your House’ hostess, Aggie Mackenzie (who has just released ‘Aggie’s Family Cookbook’), who will select three winners who will win (first prize) a 3 day cookery course in France for 2, (second prize) a £150 Selfridges Christmas hamper and (third prize) £75 Marks & Spencer’s vouchers.
How to enter:
Step 1 - Prepare, bake, fry, steam, boil or stew your own Christmas themed recipe then take a picture of your creation
Step 2 – Visit and ‘Like’ the Sudocrem Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Sudocrem)
Step 3 - Follow the competition page instructions: Enter your name, upload your picture and paste your recipe into the text box provided
Step 4 - Keep your fingers crossed that Aggie takes a shine to your creation!
Competition Start Date - 7.12.2011
Competition Finish Date – 4.1.2012
Competition winners announced – 5.1.2012
The Prizes:
1st Prize: 3 day cookery course for 2 in France and £200 contribution towards travel
2nd Prize: £150 Christmas Hamper from Selfridges
3rd Prize: £75 Marks & Spencer’s vouchers
FACTFILE:
Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream has been helping to soothe sore skin for almost 80 years. The market leader nappy rash cream, it’s used by mums, dads and healthcare professionals everywhere.
Unlike some nappy rash products on the market, Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream is a licensed medicine, which means we’ve had to submit clinical data proving that Sudocrem is an effective and safe treatment and of consistent high quality.
It has proved itself as a product that can be trusted to soothe, heal and protect a baby’s delicate skin and works in three ways:
• It contains an emollient that soothes sore or inflamed skin.
• It works as a mild local anaesthetic to help ease pain and irritation.
• A water-repellent base forms a protective barrier, helping to stop any irritants (urine and faeces) coming into contact with the skin.
Sudocrem asks that you always read the label. That's Christmas asks that you remember to have some in your Christmas first aid kit.
Wednesday 7 December 2011
That's Gardening: Great Christmas gift idea for the gardener in your...
That's Gardening: Great Christmas gift idea for the gardener in your...: A Christmas gift of a gardening course with some of the world’s best gardeners is just a click away as MyGardenSchool launches a unique on...
That's Business: We don't like Mondays? Yes, we do! Mega Monday Dou...
That's Business: We don't like Mondays? Yes, we do! Mega Monday Dou...: Industry hype around Mega Monday confuses most people at this time of year, pundits included. So when does the biggest online shopping day...
That's Health: Top 10 Christmas Season Weight Management Tips fro...
That's Health: Top 10 Christmas Season Weight Management Tips fro...: 1. Keep up with physical activity; this helps to tone and keep the metabolic rate going and also h...
Tuesday 6 December 2011
3 in 4 men can’t remember what gift they received last Christmas
Women fare slightly better, but 63% still struggle to recall what they received from their other half.
Over 500 people took part in the survey from experience day company Best Experience Days, and they were asked them what Christmas presents they received over the last two years. Even worse, only 7% of people could remember any presents they received two Christmases ago.
With an estimated £17 billion to be spent by Britons on Christmas presents this year, this means over £12 billion worth of gifts will be forgotten about in just 12 months.
Sarah Firmin from www.bestexperience.co.uk commissioned the survey: ‘Rather than spending money on gifts that no-one will remember, a real experience will live with people for ages. We’ve found unusual experience days ranging from fighting zombies to hovercraft racing. If you fight zombies for three hours and then can’t remember it, there’s something wrong with you!’
The survey also found that price didn’t directly affect how memorable a gift was. Of the people who could remember their gifts, almost a quarter received experience day gifts, but only 14% remembered an expensive or luxury gift such as jewellery.
“It just goes to show that you don’t need to fork out a fortune”, continues Sarah Firmin. “However there were some notable exceptions. One lady told us that her husband bought her a brand new Ferrari. That’s obviously better than an experience day, so if you can afford a Ferrari, just buy them a Ferrari!”
The team at www.bestexperience.co.uk compare and review the best experience days in the UK. The site is famous for impartial reviews and ratings, and information on all the UK’s biggest experience day providers.
Save Our Singers - Helpline launched in Bid to Save Britain’s Carol Singers
Fisherman's Friend Original Extra Strong Britain’s Christmas carol season is in crisis as record numbers of Britons battle to keep mid-winter coughs, colds and flu at bay.But Fisherman’s Friend is here to rescue our carol singers, and ensure Christmas songs will be heard all over the country.
The company is offering a FREE packet of Fisherman’s Friend Extra Strong Original lozenges to carol singers across the UK. It is well known in the singing community that sucking on a Fisherman’s Friend lozenge can help to keep voices in tune. In fact, even tenor Pavarotti used them to help keep his airwaves clear.
By regularly sucking on a Fisherman’s Friend, the strong menthol and eucalyptus will help keep the symptoms away, and with more menthol than many of its rivals, it really is the strongest there is! In fact, Fisherman’s Friend has been invigorating Britain since 1865.
With 1.3 million carols singers set hit the streets in the run up to the Christmas festivities to spread seasonal cheer and raise funds for charities the folk at Fisherman’s Friend are determined to help spread a bit of festive cheer.
If your vocal cords are in need of some help simply call the dedicated SOS (save our singers) telephone helpline on 020 7554 4496 or email at saveoursingers@rt-com.com clearly leaving your name and address. Fisherman’s Friend will despatch a free pack immediately, while stocks last, to help get you back in tune on time for your carol singing.
Fisherman’s Friend retail at 69p for a 25g pack (approx. 20 lozenges) and are available from all leading independent and multiple grocers, pharmacies, newsagents, convenience stores and forecourts.
That's Food and Drink: Luxury Spelt Producer Sharpham Park Launches New A...
That's Food and Drink: Luxury Spelt Producer Sharpham Park Launches New A...: Sharpham Park, pioneers of growing organic spelt in the UK, have added to their ever-expanding luxury spelt food range with the launch of a ...
Monday 5 December 2011
That's Food and Drink: Chestnuts From Porter Foods: Adding Flavour All Ye...
That's Food and Drink: Chestnuts From Porter Foods: Adding Flavour All Ye...: Renowned purveyors of fine food, Porter Foods, bring flavoursome chestnuts that can be used in cooking and baking all year round, not just a...
That's Health: Fall For The Comforting Flavours Of Dr Stuart's Be...
That's Health: Fall For The Comforting Flavours Of Dr Stuart's Be...: If you're thinking of stocking up ready to fight off those winter ailments and ensure your immune system is firing on all cylinders during t...
That's Food and Drink: Go nuts with Dormen. And fruity and... get all you...
That's Food and Drink: Go nuts with Dormen. And fruity and... get all you...: This Christmas, The Dormen Food Company has created two special festive fruit and nut blends to help get the holiday season off to a crackin...
That's Food and Drink: Get a taste of Cornwall to your Christmas table
That's Food and Drink: Get a taste of Cornwall to your Christmas table: Banbury's Cornish Turkeys certainly live the rural idyll, raised by three generations of the same farming family outside Padstow on the Nort...
That's Food and Drink: Hand-Made Australian Christmas Puddings From Puddi...
That's Food and Drink: Hand-Made Australian Christmas Puddings From Puddi...: From an inherited prize-winning family recipe, Pudding Lane award-winning Christmas puddings are proudly hand-made in Australia with the fi...
That's Food and Drink: Ambrette Dreaming Of A White Vine Christmas
That's Food and Drink: Ambrette Dreaming Of A White Vine Christmas: The Ambrette Restaurant at Rye announces Christmas menus The Ambrette Restaurant at Rye recently opened the historic White Vine House, whic...
That's Food and Drink: Eddie Gilbert's £35 Christmas Menu
That's Food and Drink: Eddie Gilbert's £35 Christmas Menu: Ramsgate's award-winning Eddie Gilbert's seafood restaurant has announced its Christmas Menu. The £35 menu, that includes a glass of mull...
That's Food and Drink: Last Minute Christmas Shopping With Teddington Che...
That's Food and Drink: Last Minute Christmas Shopping With Teddington Che...: Panicking about your Christmas shopping? Not sure what to give? A 'cheesy gift' from Teddington Cheese is always welcome. What's more, you ...
Sunday 4 December 2011
That's Books: The Archers an Unofficial Companion
That's Books: The Archers an Unofficial Companion: The Archers an Unofficial Companion is by Rosie Dillon and it is a must have Christmas present for anyone who is even vaguely interested in ...
That's Books: Political Wit Quips and Quotes from the Back Bench...
That's Books: Political Wit Quips and Quotes from the Back Bench...: Political Wit Quips and Quotes from the Back Benches and Beyond is a new collection of witty remarks, devastating come-backs and quick retor...
That's Books: Badger the Mystical Mutt
That's Books: Badger the Mystical Mutt: Badger the Mystical Mutt is a special dog. A very special dog indeed. He is magical, though his magic doesn't always work out in quite the w...
That's Books: Historical Tweets
That's Books: Historical Tweets: What if Tweets had been available to our ancestors? What if famous people of long ago had been able to send messages of no more than 140 cha...
Beat the Christmas Postal Rush This Year With ParcelsPlease
The festive season is almost upon us, and with so much to do in time for Christmas day, the UK parcel delivery company, ParcelsPlease have released their collection dates for Christmas and New Year, so that consumers can be extra organised and most importantly, have more time to spare so that they can sit back, relax and finally, enjoy Christmas 2011.
A spokesperson for ParcelsPlease comments: “Christmas is a fantastic time of year, but it's also one of the busiest seasons for the postal service, and we know that if customers are kept up to date on the final posting dates before Christmas, it helps them be more organised with what gifts and cards they need to post. So on the ParcelsPlease website, we've made it so much easier for our customers to arrange their Christmas deliveries by allowing them to make bookings up to three weeks before the day of collection, which means that they can plan ahead and beat the horrible winter weather, simply by using ParcelsPlease.”
The collection dates for Christmas and new year can be accessed on the ParcelsPlease Christmas Parcel Deliveries page where customers can quickly and easily find the company's parcel collection dates for this period, depending on the date, and most importantly, the location of the customer. Which means that all their customers will be able to find out when their parcel can be collected, and most importantly, when it will arrive.
The spokesperson for ParcelsPlease continues: “With Christmas fast approaching, to a lot of people there is nothing more important than insuring that Christmas presents reach their loved ones in plenty of time for the 25th December. Instead of waiting in queues to post your parcel, we encourage customers to use use the ParcelsPlease website and benefit from our vast experience in shipping Christmas presents around the world. Whether it’s to send a present to an aunt in France or a friend in Australia, ParcelsPlease is a cost effective and reliable parcel delivery company to trust with Christmas deliveries.”
FACTFILE:
ParcelsPlease is the online trading name of Consolidated Carriers Ltd, known as CCL, which offers reliable mail delivery in the UK, Europe and worldwide. CCL – a complete logistics supermarket – has been operating in the logistics industry since 1999, and has moved over 10 million parcels to date.
Booking deliveries with ParcelsPlease and CCL means dealing with a company that knows the logistics industry inside out, and which shares contracts with the world's most reliable and competitive parcel carriers.
ParcelsPlease and CCL value everything from quality to responsibility, including the environment; ParcelsPlease not only has ISO 14001 (the internationally accepted standard outlining an effective Environmental Management System (EMS) Standard) but is also carbon neutral as well.
For more information about CCL, please visit our corporate website at http://www.ccl-logistics.com/
X Bingo Launches Christmas Themed Promotions for December
X Bingo launched its first Christmas theme promotion at the start of November much to the delight of the brigade of X Bingo fans. The game offered players £2,000 worth of gadgets in the form of games consoles and televisions. The doors opened on 30th November and katding walked away with the prize. With the start of yet another month comes the introduction of yet more festive games to excite players and attract new ones.
Tickle me Santa and Xmas Bingo are the latest promotions to be launched at X Bingo. Each offering festive gifts and unique game play. Bingo bonuses, TVs, games consoles and shopping vouchers are up for grabs amongst other prizes.
The monthly Out of this World promotion has been aptly named New Year Out of this World and will reward one loyal player with £2,500 in real cash to be spent on whatever is desired. The game will play on New Year’s Eve at 9.30pm and tickets will cost just 10p – the perfect start to a 2012.
To learn more about each of these promotions and the many more which will be launched over the month, simply visit Mad About Bingo where an abundance of information and reviews can be found.
‘Have-a-go’ Teenager Embodies the ‘Spirit of Christmas’
• “17 year old Piyush represents all that’s good about the youth of today” says store owner
17 year old Piyush Gohil chased a would-be criminal and retrieved £2,000 of children’s clothing following a dramatic shop theft and chase through Gerrards Cross, Bucks.
He said: “Gerrards Cross is thought of as posh, but teenagers do get stopped by the police here, so it’s nice to do something to show there are good young people out there.”
"It made me feel good."
Piyush was going home on Tuesday 19th November when he spotted a woman running out of Boy Meets Girl, a baby and children’s clothing shop on Packhorse Road, Gerrards Cross at 2pm.
He said: "I’d just finished work at a care home in Harrow and I was walking along the street listening to some music on my headphones. I spotted the woman running out of the shop, which I thought was strange, so I passed my bag to the shop worker and chased after her."
He continued: "When I caught up with her near the train station I asked her what she was doing. She said she needed presents for her children at Christmas and I said it wasn’t alright to steal them, I managed to get the clothes off her before she ran away."
The teenager then returned the girls' dresses, baby clothes and a teddy bear to the grateful shop manager.
Boy Meets Girl shop-owner Clare King said: "He's a local hero. He’s a lovely young man and, to my mind, embodies the spirit of Christmas – he’s caring, considerate and selfless} I’ve two young boys myself and work hard to encourage that sort of attitude and behaviour."
Boy Meets Girl retails designer baby and childrens clothes and is available online at http://www.boymeetsgirlonline.co.uk
17 year old Piyush Gohil chased a would-be criminal and retrieved £2,000 of children’s clothing following a dramatic shop theft and chase through Gerrards Cross, Bucks.
He said: “Gerrards Cross is thought of as posh, but teenagers do get stopped by the police here, so it’s nice to do something to show there are good young people out there.”
"It made me feel good."
Piyush was going home on Tuesday 19th November when he spotted a woman running out of Boy Meets Girl, a baby and children’s clothing shop on Packhorse Road, Gerrards Cross at 2pm.
He said: "I’d just finished work at a care home in Harrow and I was walking along the street listening to some music on my headphones. I spotted the woman running out of the shop, which I thought was strange, so I passed my bag to the shop worker and chased after her."
He continued: "When I caught up with her near the train station I asked her what she was doing. She said she needed presents for her children at Christmas and I said it wasn’t alright to steal them, I managed to get the clothes off her before she ran away."
The teenager then returned the girls' dresses, baby clothes and a teddy bear to the grateful shop manager.
Boy Meets Girl shop-owner Clare King said: "He's a local hero. He’s a lovely young man and, to my mind, embodies the spirit of Christmas – he’s caring, considerate and selfless} I’ve two young boys myself and work hard to encourage that sort of attitude and behaviour."
Boy Meets Girl retails designer baby and childrens clothes and is available online at http://www.boymeetsgirlonline.co.uk
Chance to win £1600 of goodies every week until Christmas thanks to Shopcade on Facebook
Shopcade, a new social shopping application on Facebook, has announced the winners of its Christmas “Wish & Win” competition for the week 22 – 29 November. The Wish & Win campaign awards Christmas gift wishes to six lucky Shopcade users, as well as one grand prize winner that will win prizes up to the value of £600.
This week’s grand prize winner, Kobi Hensley, will win £600 ($1000) of wished products. The 10 Christmas gift wish winners will win a prize from one of the retail partners including:
• Two tickets for breakfast with Santa at Hamleys in London (value £100)
• £100 exclusive Style Bop voucher
• £100 gift voucher from Totally Funky
• An exclusive gift from Swarovski (value £100)
The Wish and Win campaign was launched on 22 November, users simply click the “Wish & Win” button on products they want on their Shopcade and each week the winners will be announced on a Tuesday via Shopcade’s blog.
Shopcade is free and open to the public. To find out more or to enter the "Wish & Win" competition join the Shopcade community on Facebook now at https://apps.facebook.com/shopcade.
This week’s grand prize winner, Kobi Hensley, will win £600 ($1000) of wished products. The 10 Christmas gift wish winners will win a prize from one of the retail partners including:
• Two tickets for breakfast with Santa at Hamleys in London (value £100)
• £100 exclusive Style Bop voucher
• £100 gift voucher from Totally Funky
• An exclusive gift from Swarovski (value £100)
The Wish and Win campaign was launched on 22 November, users simply click the “Wish & Win” button on products they want on their Shopcade and each week the winners will be announced on a Tuesday via Shopcade’s blog.
Shopcade is free and open to the public. To find out more or to enter the "Wish & Win" competition join the Shopcade community on Facebook now at https://apps.facebook.com/shopcade.
“Hard to buy for” Gift Recipients? Not Any More, Courtesy of Nelson & Forbes
Nelson & Forbes has the solution for those people that everyone struggles to buy for, particularly those who have a habit of seeing something they like and buying it for themselves – the week before Christmas.
Nelson & Forbes create exclusively designed bronze sculptures, in strictly limited editions, using British artisan craftsmanship techniques. These sculptures make a high quality, unusual and thoughtful gift for the person who has everything.
Most women are keen followers of fashion, which can make keeping up with their constantly evolving wish-lists an impossible challenge. Solve this problem with Sue Maclaurin’s Listening Hare £160.00; the timeless heritage trend echoed in this piece is one she is sure to never tire of.
For the man who has everything, Jonathan Sanders’ graceful Running Cheetah £210.00, in a worldwide limited edition of just 250 may be the perfect gift. Sleek, powerful, athletic and dangerous; many men may think they have much in common with this wild animal.
For cat-lovers who prefer the household variety, then present them with a beautifully intelligent Seated Cat £115.00. One of three cat sculptures by Sue Maclaurin in the 2011/12 collection, this one is sure to melt the heart of anyone who is fond of their feline friend.
Grandfathers are notoriously tricky to buy for, unless of course they really do love Cliff Richard or need new socks. If he is a bastion of good taste and loves the outdoor life, Sue MacLaurin’s Large Pig Head Left £115.00 could be the obvious choice.
Buying for these difficult to choose for people can be a recurring problem year after year. However, many collectors of bronze sculpture start their hobby after receiving their first piece as a gift, so a Nelson & Forbes piece for Christmas could signal the end of this struggle.
Nelson & Forbes bronzes are designed exclusively for the company by sought-after British sculptors Jonathan Sanders and Sue Maclaurin. Every piece is hand cast in a limited edition in the UK and comes in a sumptuous gift box, handmade in the Midlands, complete with a certificate of authenticity, hand printed from a copper engraving plate and signed by the artist.
Every piece made by Nelson & Forbes is created in bronze using the ancient art of lost wax casting, which can be traced back over 6000 years and remains largely unchanged from its original form. It is the same process that was used to create famous sculptures across the globe including the Trafalgar Square Lions and the doors of the Bank of England. This process allows every intricate detail of a sculptor’s original but often fragile work to be perfectly recreated in a beautiful material and ensures that their sculpture will last a lifetime.
These sculptures are just a small selection of 37 exclusive pieces in the Nelson & Forbes 2011/12 collection. Available in galleries nationwide, they can also be bought from www.nelsonandforbes.co.uk. The final order date for Christmas 2011 is Monday 19th December. Prices range from £60 - £2,000. For stockist information please call 01442 256290.
The Florin Street Band to support ITV’s Text Santa appeal
Music Video Filmed at Blists Hill Victorian Town
The spectacular Victorian-themed Christmas song; My Favourite Time of Year by The Florin Street Band, whose music video was filmed at Blists Hill Victorian Town in the Ironbridge Gorge, is set to benefit numerous charities this Christmas as it becomes the theme to ITV’s Text Santa appeal.
The YouTube hit recently caused a stir across the pond when the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” requested permission to perform it at their high profile concerts in Washington D.C. – an honour rarely bestowed upon modern-day Christmas songs.
Originally released in 2010, My Favourite Time of Year, written and performed by British composer Leigh Haggerwood, has become an internet sensation gaining legions of passionate supporters and celebrity fans including Jamie Oliver and Ryan Seacrest. The project was created without record company backing and funded entirely with Leigh Haggerwood’s life savings.
The traditional-style Christmas song was recorded at Trevor Horn’s Sarm studios, and features performances by 36 musicians including The English Chamber Choir. The acclaimed Victorian music video, shot at Blists Hill Victorian Town at Ironbridge in Shropshire, was directed by Nick Bartleet and Hollywood Cinematographer John Perez – known for his work on Coldplay’s Viva La Vida and video’s by Beyoncé and Rihanna amongst others. Leigh Haggerwood was approached by producers of the new ITV Text Santa appeal earlier this year, he said; “The ITV producers really liked the song and felt it would be a great match for Text Santa, so they asked if I’d consider letting them use it as the theme music for the appeal.
"When they explained the project I was really impressed by the idea and the nine fantastic charities it’s supporting, so of course I said yes! Since the song will undoubtedly become synonymous with Text Santa, and they’re such great causes, I think it’s only fair that the charities benefit from the success of the song too, so I have decided to donate all of this year’s UK download recording profits to the Text Santa charities along with Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust – an amazing educational charity whose Victorian town was the location for our beautiful music video.”
Leigh Haggerwood is now writing a Florin Street album for release in 2012, and is currently discussing the possibility of turning Florin Street into a musical animation. The Text Santa launch show hosted by Philip Schofield and Christine Bleakley will be broadcast on ITV1 on Sunday 11th December with its live finale hosted by Ant and Dec and later Holly Willoughby taking place on Christmas Eve. My Favourite Time of Year is released on December 5th 2011 and will be available at iTunes, Amazon and most other online stores. All UK download recording profits will be shared between the following charities:
6/7 to go to the Text Santa Charities: Carers UK, Crisis, Help the Hospices, Samaritans, WRVS, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Noah’s Ark Appeal, Helping Hand, Yorkhill Children’s Foundation.
And 1/7 to: Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust
To view the music video visit www.florinstreet.com
The spectacular Victorian-themed Christmas song; My Favourite Time of Year by The Florin Street Band, whose music video was filmed at Blists Hill Victorian Town in the Ironbridge Gorge, is set to benefit numerous charities this Christmas as it becomes the theme to ITV’s Text Santa appeal.
The YouTube hit recently caused a stir across the pond when the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” requested permission to perform it at their high profile concerts in Washington D.C. – an honour rarely bestowed upon modern-day Christmas songs.
Originally released in 2010, My Favourite Time of Year, written and performed by British composer Leigh Haggerwood, has become an internet sensation gaining legions of passionate supporters and celebrity fans including Jamie Oliver and Ryan Seacrest. The project was created without record company backing and funded entirely with Leigh Haggerwood’s life savings.
The traditional-style Christmas song was recorded at Trevor Horn’s Sarm studios, and features performances by 36 musicians including The English Chamber Choir. The acclaimed Victorian music video, shot at Blists Hill Victorian Town at Ironbridge in Shropshire, was directed by Nick Bartleet and Hollywood Cinematographer John Perez – known for his work on Coldplay’s Viva La Vida and video’s by Beyoncé and Rihanna amongst others. Leigh Haggerwood was approached by producers of the new ITV Text Santa appeal earlier this year, he said; “The ITV producers really liked the song and felt it would be a great match for Text Santa, so they asked if I’d consider letting them use it as the theme music for the appeal.
"When they explained the project I was really impressed by the idea and the nine fantastic charities it’s supporting, so of course I said yes! Since the song will undoubtedly become synonymous with Text Santa, and they’re such great causes, I think it’s only fair that the charities benefit from the success of the song too, so I have decided to donate all of this year’s UK download recording profits to the Text Santa charities along with Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust – an amazing educational charity whose Victorian town was the location for our beautiful music video.”
Leigh Haggerwood is now writing a Florin Street album for release in 2012, and is currently discussing the possibility of turning Florin Street into a musical animation. The Text Santa launch show hosted by Philip Schofield and Christine Bleakley will be broadcast on ITV1 on Sunday 11th December with its live finale hosted by Ant and Dec and later Holly Willoughby taking place on Christmas Eve. My Favourite Time of Year is released on December 5th 2011 and will be available at iTunes, Amazon and most other online stores. All UK download recording profits will be shared between the following charities:
6/7 to go to the Text Santa Charities: Carers UK, Crisis, Help the Hospices, Samaritans, WRVS, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Noah’s Ark Appeal, Helping Hand, Yorkhill Children’s Foundation.
And 1/7 to: Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust
To view the music video visit www.florinstreet.com
Friday 2 December 2011
That's Health: Scrap All Drink Driving Laws, argues Libertarian b...
That's Health: Scrap All Drink Driving Laws, argues Libertarian b...: The Libertarian Alliance, the radical free market and civil liberties think tank and pressure group, today calls on the British Government t...
Get creative this Christmas Original festive recipe ideas
Festive Starters
Brussels Sprouts with Hazelnuts, Potatoes and Ham, served on Sourdough Toasted Bread - Surprise guests with this fresh take on Brussels Sprouts. Boiled until just soft and served on top of toast with ham, Brussels make a wonderful light starter.
Xanthe Clay’s Beetroot-stained Smoked Salmon with beetroot and walnuts – this modern alternative to the traditional smoked salmon starter is great for adding a splash of colour on the festive table
Japanese style Radish and Rare Beef Roll-ups - Featuring ruby red radishes and bright green water cress, these delicious canapés are the perfect colours for a Christmas party spread.
Seasonal Sides
Creamed Brussels sprouts with nutmeg – creamy and full of flavour, this delicious side dish will have even the most adamant Brussels haters begging for more
Tenderstem® with Hazelnut & Orange Butter – Christmas memories are filled with bowls of nuts by the fire and oranges in the bottom of your stocking and this recipe uses both these flavours to create a delicious modern side dish
Jo Pratt’s Tenderstem®, Chantenay Carrot and Brussel Sauté - mix the Brussels up a bit this year with this yummy vegetable sauté
Just desserts
Pink Lady® Apple and Mincemeat Tarts - A lighter alternative to traditional mice pies, these simple tarts combine melt in the mouth pastry filled with fresh apples and mincemeat to give a really fresh twist to a Christmas classic.
Beetroot, Raisin & Stem Ginger Pudding – This is a fabulous wintery pudding for those looking for an alternative to the traditional Christmas pud, and with a bit of custard drizzled on top, looks almost exactly the same.
Love your leftovers
Brussels Sprout and Chopin Potato Croquettes – these tasty croquettes are a great way to use up leftover sprouts
Shallot and Sprout Bubble and Squeak Cakes – use up left over roast potatoes and sprouts with these tasty bubble and squeak cakes. Great with cold turkey and cranberry sauce!
Diana Henry’s Tenderstem® Nasi Goreng - Spice up Boxing Day and beyond with Diana Henry’s Tenderstem® Nasi Goreng. This recipe is guaranteed to be a family favourite and can be easily adapted to suit what you already have in the house i.e. a lot of left over turkey!
Recipes provided by:
Beetroot – www.lovebeetroot.co.uk
Love Your Greens (sprouts) – www.loveyourgreens.co.uk
Pink Lady® apples – www.pinkladyapples.co.uk
Radish – www.loveradish.co.uk
Tenderstem® broccoli – www.tenderstem.co.uk
UK Shallots – www.ukshallot.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)