Gift Inspiration: Going for Gold with Filofax

If there’s one brand I’ve always had a soft spot for then it’s Filofax (see here) so when they got in touch to tell me about their amazing selection of Rose Gold organisers not only was I smitten I also knew that they’d make for the perfect gift guide post…can you think of a better gift for anyone who loves stationery, rose gold or both? Actually, there are some utterly divine gold pieces by Filofax too which I’ve popped in for good measure- what can a say? I’m a total magpie!

A5 Saffiano Organiser, special edition | Saffiano gold wrap iPad case (various sizes available) | Saffiano Rose Gold personal organiser, special edition | Saffiano zip gold tablet case (various sizes available)

Is this not the chicest set of lifestyle accessories you’ve ever seen? I was lucky enough to be sent a gold wrap case for my iPad which if you keep an eye on my social media you’ll be seeing plenty of and it is every bit as gorgeous in the flesh as you’d expect. I don’t expect any of these products to hang around long so make sure you act fast if you want to snag one- treat yourself or a loved on ASAP, I urge you.

If metallics aren’t your thing then of course there are plenty of other highly covetable products on the Filofax website. If you’re picking out presents then do feel free to drop one of these for me- thanks!

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Christmas Cheers with Cracker Drinks

Somehow it’s almost December, the month where even I ditch my anti-social tendencies and join in with the many festive get togethers. I do love a good party as much as the next person- any excuse to dress up and go wild, but at the same time I think nothing beats a more intimate get together at a friend’s place where you can really sit down and catch up on the year just gone (because somehow we only manage to meet up in December every year and I bet I’m not alone in this!)

I might not be hosting in my flat this year but I’m all for improving my hostess skills ready for next Christmas when I’m determined I will be so when The Cracker Drinks Co. sent over some of their no added sugar fruit drinks and some cocktail/mocktail recipes I was quick off of the mark to get practising.

The Cracker Drinks Co. are experts are creating delicious fruity drinks with no added sugar meaning that the range is naturally lower in calories, averaging around 30% less calories per 100ml than 100% orange juice or added sugar juice drinks. It remains high in fruit content offering the added benefit of 1 of your 5 a day. The range is completely natural and free from any artificial sweeteners, with just Stevia to add a little extra sweetness.

The drinks come in five flavours, of which I was sent the three you can see above. Perfect for drinking alone or using to spice up your Christmas cocktails (with a mocktail recipe thrown in for the non-drinkers out there).

Flowers n Spice

Ingredients
35ml St Germain Liqueur
15ml Vanilla vodka
100ml Still and Cloudy Lemonade
25ml Soda Water

Method
Add all ingredients to an ice filled glass and briefly stir
Garnish
Lemon wedge and twist

Light and Spicy

Ingredients
35ml Vanilla Vodka
100ml Mango & Passion Fruit
25ml Ginger Beer

Method
Fill a glass with cubed ice then add all the ingredients, stir briefly then cap with crushed ice
Garnish
Lime Wedge

Nojito

Take 200ml Cracker Apple, Mint and Lime
Top up with a little sugar free soda water
Add some mint leaves and a squeeze of lime
Serve over ice
Garnish with mint and lime

All three of these drinks were so quick and easy to make, even if I did fail to remember to make up some ice cubes prior to making the drinks- fail! They were all delicious though, the Nojito was my favourite I think- the combination of flavours was just lovely and I’m a big fan of the alcoholic Mojito anyway…serve this up to any drivers/non-drinkers at a part and they’ll love you forever! It’s almost impossible to pick a favourite out of the two cocktails though- both were so different to each other and so unlike any drinks I’ve had before thanks to the unique combination of flavours in the mixers…both big hits with me and new staples on my party drinks menu (you know, if I held parties and had a drinks menu!)

Let me know what your favourite cocktails and mocktails are in the comments- I’d love to try them out, all in the name of research of course

I won’t lie, drinking these at 2pm was definitely a highlight of my especially dull and dreary day!

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Juices provided by The Cracker Drinks Co. to create this post, all other ingredients came from me (hence the lack of ice!)

The Red Velvet Boots

I bought my red velvet boots long before velvet became a big thing again. It was in fact three years ago when I saw this pair by Bertie in T.K.Maxx and decided they just had to be mine. This was despite the fact I could only try one shoe on thanks to a broken foot and the struggle to get them to the checkout whilst on crutches provided amusement for many a passer by.

Still, I’m glad I bought them because I loved them then and I love them now. It’s a happy bonus that they are suddenly “on trend” leaving me feel smug that for once I was ahead of the fashion game.

Dress: Urban Outfitters | Boots: Bertie (similar here) | Cat Beret: H&M

I have a bit of a thing for hats at the moment, I don’t seem to be able to stop buying them and although bobble hats are my main object of desire when I saw this cute cat beret on the h&m website I couldn’t resist. I think the look I was going for with this outfit was a kind of sophisticated one but I don’t think I pull it off well. Instead you have your usual mish-mash of items that I pile together until I am vaguely satisfied. I like it though- the dress which I picked up really cheaply in the UO sale in the Spring is a great piece for feeling more put together whilst staying comfortable and I love the charcoal grey with the deep red of my beloved boots.

We won’t talk (much) about how long it took me to take these photos. It’s been a while since I last dusted off my tripod and camera remote and it took me a shamefully long time to remember how to operate the remote. About half an hour. Then the same again to get some photos I was vaguely happy with. It’s all trial and error though and in the end it came good and it should be easier the next time. I don’t think I’ll be taking to a public place with my set up any time soon though…Oh to have an actual photographer in my life. Someone that can make me look kinda cool and kind of edgy just by knowing how to get the right light in the right location.

Anyway, are there any items that you bought ages ago only to find they come back in to fashion again? I’ll be holding on to these boots for the next time around too.

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Handmade Gift Guide: Quaint Charms Jewelery

I love discovering a new place to shop for quirky jewellery and Etsy certainly has no shortage of it- particularly handy at this time of year when looking to shop for gifts that stand out from the crowd. I’ve only recently been introduced to Quaint Charms Jewelery but it really made an impact- specialising in handcrafted luxurious yet affordable pieces I was really taken with, well, most of the shop if I’m honest. I was very kindly sent a beautiful necklace and matching earrings so I could see just how well executed the products are but I thought I’d also turn this post in to a bit of a wish list/gift guide too…
How striking are these pieces? Although quite simple in themselves the combination of the beautifully coloured stones against the gold settings really captured my imagination. I’d say these are definitely on the more subtle side of what Quaint Charms has to offer yet they still manage to make a real statement. Both pieces are incredibly well made and just look “quality” (for want of a better word, what I mean is they don’t look like bog standard cheap costume jewellery) and I can see them standing up to the test of time.
As you can see from the selection above there is definitely something to cater for all tastes- there are personalised options available, the ability to request custom pieces and some really gorgeous birth stone necklaces as well…I could have quite easily have popped the whole shop in to this post but then that would leave nothing to the imagination would it?

Pop yourselves over to Quaint Charms Jewelery and let me know which piece most catches your eye. Next on my list are these amazing gold flower and jet earrings.

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Items gifted for blog post consideration, opinions are all my own.

Gift Inspiration: Hello Harriet

Today’s gifting inspiration post is one that combines some of my very favourite things- accessories, supporting a small business and CATS! I you’ve all been wondering when a purely cat themed gift guide would crop up…well, it’s here and it’s a good one!
Hello Harriet belongs to artist Harriet Gray and was set up in 2012 mainly as an excuse to create cute accessories for herself! Harriet’s products are inspired by the internet, half hearted feelings and all things cute- something I can really get behind! I first found Hello Harriet via Instagram, wonderful platform that it is for enabling endless wish lists and my interest peaked further when I found out it was also a fairly local brand to me (all of Harriet’s work comes direct from her home studio in Bath). Actually, after writing this post I’ve since popped along to a Bristol Etsy sellers pop-up shop where Hello Harriet products were for sale. I can confirm they are every bit as covetable in real life and I couldn’t resist a cheeky purchase of a rather sweet cat pin.

I’ve popped together just a small selection of some of my favourite wares in the image above (and they all feature cats, of course) but even if felines aren’t your thing then be sure to check out her shop for cuteness and sass galore!

A couple of my favourite products from Hello Harriet have to be the advent calendar (although you must order it this weekend to get it in time for December 1st) and the super quirky cat collar tags and matching necklaces. I’ve asked Santa for a necklace for myself and I did briefly consider getting a tag for Mae until she lost her second collar in the space of a fortnight, complete with tags and I realised she just couldn’t be trusted with something so cool!

Price wise you’ll find everything very purse friendly and the temporary tattoos and nail decals especially would make amazing stocking fillers for any cat lady (dog ladies too for that matter).

I strongly suggest dropping some serious hints by leaving laptop screens open on the Hello Harriet shop, I don’t think there’s anything on the site that I wouldn’t be delighted to receive and I know I won’t be the only one who feels that way…

Which items have caught your eye?

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