A Christmas gift guide - day four, men

Ok, so socks are NOT a very original gift idea. A pair and a spare though? That's a brilliant idea. Makes you wonder why they're not all sold in threes!

Buy here

It appears we now live in a world where To Instagram is now a verb. If you know someone who's a fan of the dreamy, retro style shots (is there anyone who isn't?!) then this makes a great gift.

Buy here

Love the look of a mounted animal head on your wall but want a humane alternative? Look no further. We have Bucky the deer on our wall at home and it's always a conversation piece (not to mention a great place to hang some Christmas baubles!).

Buy here

A classic messenger bag for those on the go. This one's also on sale, quick!

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Some may say that scented candles are a teensy bit girly (not us!) but this one smells of bourbon and brown sugar. To be precise, Double Oaked Bourbon and Salted Brown Sugar Caramel. Very manly. 

Buy here (US only I'm afraid)

This one isn't particularly cheap but Etsy is an amazing source of mens watches, old and new. The tricky part is buying gifts without getting distracted by all the vintage fabric for sale....

Buy here

A Christmas gift guide - day three, magazines

Magazines for me are a real luxury and I don't think there's anything better than an unread magazine and an hour to yourself (that's a mother of two small children talking!). I've been given subscriptions as a present before and it was the gift that kept giving - quite literally, every month. You can get subscriptions to most of these but even one issue would make an amazing present. 

Apartamento

Wrap

Frankie

Another

Lula

Oh Comely

Selvedge

A Christmas gift guide - day two, children

Since having children, Christmas has taken on a whole new meaning. There's slightly fewer festive cocktails and slightly more noise.... but shopping for presents is lots more fun!

These lovely hand printed blocks are made from environmentally friendly rubber wood. There are masses of different faces and patterns to make so this might buy you an hour or two of peace while you get the turkey on. 

Buy here

For those cosmopolitan children who've grown up drinking babyccinos! Their very own coffee machine so they can host their own coffee mornings. 

Buy here

Teeny weeny cherry red DMs - possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen! For all those mini punks out there. 

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Some great stocking fillers, albeit noisy ones. 

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This set of t shirts might be a bit summery but they're brilliant for confusing the grandparents over the course of Christmas day...

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This pillow case is so perfect for those that can't sleep without their precious bear. 

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A Christmas Gift Guide - day one, cosmetics.

Remember when Christmas smellies meant a Body Shop basket with Dewberry scented bath salts? Well those days are long gone. We're now obsessing over luxe, grown up skincare and make up with extravagant packaging. 

This is my absolute favourite product at the moment and it's amazing value for money. It feels divine and makes my skin look smoother. All for under a tenner!

Buy here

These Chantecaille palettes are not cheap but HELLO? Wild horses! Coral Reefs! What's more, a percentage of the proceeds from each one go to specific conservation charities. So not only are you looking gorgeous but you're helping to save the planet. What's not to love.

Buy here (Elephants, sharks, horses) or you can buy the full range here (US only)

Giving soap at Christmas time is a given really but this one is so delicious you'll want to keep it.

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Tromborg is a brand new Danish make up and skincare line which uses organic essential oils and plant extracts. I love the sound of a Recover Mist, could be an essential for after the Christmas party….

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This is my favourite and most Christmassy set from Butter London. It includes The Full Monty which is worth it for the name alone.

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Presents for Isla

There was a bit of excitement at Gather HQ last week as we both became aunties again! Isla Lily finally made her appearance last Friday - is there a better reason than a new baby to get crafting? No.

I made a pair of rain clouds for the nursery (at the request of the new mama - I made similar for my first son) to hang over the cot.

Sandra made this adorable bear (she's a pretty mean knitter, I'm in awe - my knitting skills extend to squares or rectangles in garter stitch...). You can find the pattern in this book.

Both the clouds and the teddy were made over a long period of time - grabbing a few minutes here and there in order to finish in time. They'll be off to their new owner shortly where I'm sure they'll be cherished! There's something so lovely about making baby gifts and there are endless patterns and ideas out there and on pinterest to inspire (which is lucky as I've got three more baby gifts to make before the year is out. Maybe it's time I improved my knitting...!)

A list for Santa

Really? Is it that time of year AGAIN? It seems like no time ago at all that we were prepping for last Christmas. Not that I'm complaining - I absolutely adore the festive season. And as we're feeling pretty smug, with most of the xmas shopping complete, it's time to think about what's going on our xmas wishlists. You know, just in case anybody feels the need to buy us armfuls of presents...

Some might say that the ombre trend has had its day, but these tights by Virivee are AH-MAZ-ING. In my naivety I tried to make myself a pair of these in the summer, only to discover that lycra doesn't dye that well...

A sweet acorn necklace by Antonia Ross, to wear on wintery walks in the woods with loved ones.

Obviously not for me (although if they came in bigger sizes I would be tempted - even if I'd look mad), this lobster hat and mittens would make any little dude in your life look more adorable than they already are.

It's pretty chilly out there and apparently it's going to be the coldest winter for years, so wrap up in one of Bless the Weather's cosy cowls. The lady who makes these also has a wonderful blog featuring
beautiful photography of London life - a lot of it South London based (whoop!)

Oh, I do love the V&A. I could spend HOURS in there. Ok ok, so a lot of that time of it would likely be in the shop, but when I'd managed to prise myself away from the retail therapy, the Hollywood exhibition looks sumptuously amazing.

So, that's what we're wishing for this Christmas - what's on your wishlist?

A few me-made presents

Seeing as it's coming round to 'that' time of year again (I can't quite bring myself to say the big C word...) I thought I'd get cracking early with some little me-made pressies for some of the little people in my family!

You can't get simpler and easier than some pretty name bunting for nurseries or bedrooms and this is a great way of using up some of those larger scraps of fabric. All you need is some triangles of fabric - I double sided mine but you can easily use just one piece and cut out with pinking shears. I cut the letters out from felt and stuck down with fabric glue. So easy! If you wanted something a bit more detailed you could appliqué the letters on to the flags.

The recipients have obviously not yet seen these so here is just a sneaky peek!

I decided to make some bags to present them in as well as I've been wanting to try out some transfer paper that I bought a while ago. I'm starting to see a lot of these calico bags in the shops now with initials or pictures printed on and so whipped up my own version for a fraction of the cost. I used Lesley Riley Transfer Artist Paper which is brilliant and can be used for printing on to lots of different surfaces, not just fabrics. Again, these bags were very quick and easy to make but add an extra touch which makes the whole present look really special.

Sandra's also been crafting and has made a tote bag from the Cath Kidston 'Sew' book as a present for a certain someone - we won't mention who just in case she's reading!

So, the Christmas crafting has begun! Are you making any of your presents this year? Or is all your sewing time devoted to yourself?!