Merry Christmas!

After weeks of counting down the days, shopping for gifts, wrapping presents, decking the halls, baking and eating tasty festive foods, crafting, and sharing lots of festive content on the blog, the big day is finally here! It's Christmaaaaaassssss! (Sorry, I couldn't resist)!

I've been so busy preparing for Christmas these last few weeks, so I'm looking forward to finally having some time to switch off, relax, and enjoy the festivities with my family over the next few days. I'll be spending the holidays at home with my immediate family, including my older sister and brother-in-law who are home from Germany for a few days with their dog, Mia, and I'm looking forward to every minute of it. Chilled Christmases at home are my favourite way to spend the holidays.

I'm planning to spend the day opening presents with my family, watching a few Christmas movies, eating lots of delicious festive food, falling in to a food coma sometime around mid-afternoon, dressing my dog up in a Christmas jumper, and maybe even playing a board game or two and enjoying a few drinks before I fall back in bed in the evening to recover. I can't wait!

I'll be back to tell you all about it in a couple of days, but for now, I'm going to sign off, and just enjoy the day with my family.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends, get spoiled rotten with presents, indulge in lots of delicious festive food and drink, and most importantly, enjoy yourselves. You deserve it!

Merry Christmas!

What's In My Christmas Eve Box 2019

Happy Christmas Eve, everyone!

I can't believe it's only more sleep 'til Christmas! Where has this month gone?!

I love Christmas Eve. In some ways I find it more fun and festive than Christmas Day itself. This year, I'll be spending it popping in to town with the sister and brother-in-law for last minute shopping, baking and making my trifle for Christmas Day, munching on a buffet of delicious goodies and watching Christmas films with the family, and hopefully finding the time to make my Christmas crackers because I'm so disorganised this year. I suspect I'm going to run out of spoons by lunch time and spend most of it in bed, though. Haha!

I'm also looking forward to enjoying some of the contents of my Christmas Eve box tonight, and I thought it would be fun to show you what I've put in it this year... but before I do, let's back up for a sec... If you're unfamiliar with the Christmas Eve box (where have you been?), a Christmas Eve box is basically a hamper of goodies to enjoy as you wind down on Christmas Eve and get excited for Christmas morning. Think cosy new pyjamas, slippers, Christmas movies, hot chocolate, tasty snacks, scented candles, a festive-themed book, a face mask... and anything else you might need for the perfect festive night in. 

You could make one for the whole family, for your kids, to enjoy with your partner, or even just for yourself. There are no rules to conform to here; the beauty of the Christmas Eve box is you can personalise it for your needs, and use it however you like. Gift it, share it, or make one for yourself; it's completely up to you! 

The Christmas Eve box is a lovely tradition to add to your Christmas Eve rituals, particularly if you have young kids or have just got married, and are looking to implement some new family traditions you can look forward to every year. It's the perfect way to enjoy a quiet Christmas Eve evening at home, and having a box full of treats to discover should help distract children (or big kids at heart!) from that unbearable longing to open all the presents under the tree during that millenia-long wait for Christmas morning. 

As I'm single and don't have kids, I've just put one together for myself again, but added in plenty of goodies to share with my family, like chocolates, soaps, and Christmas movies. I've been putting the finishes touches to it this week, and now I'm done, I can finally reveal what's inside.

So what have I put in my Christmas Eve Box this year?

♥ A couple of Christmas movies on DVD. I bought a copy of The Nutcracker and the Four Realms as I've never seen it before, and have also added in some old favourites like The Muppets Christmas Carol and Santa Claus The Movie.

♥ A beautiful copy of A Literary Christmas: An Anthology, which is filled with festive prose and poems.

♥ A gingerbread man Christmas cross stitch kit from The Make Arcade to sew in front of the TV.

♥ A cosy pair of Christmas pyjamas. I couldn't afford a new pair this year, so I've just added in an old pair from my collection.

♥ A new Christmas brooch from Erstwilder.

♥ A pair of red heart earrings from Erstwilder to wear over Christmas.

♥ Some Juicy Pear shower gel and body yoghurt from The Body Shop's festive range and a peppermint shower gel from Bath and Body Works so I can smell nice for Christmas.

♥ A couple of Lush Christmas soaps to put by the bathroom sinks to use this Christmas.

♥ A face mask to give my skin a treat.

♥ A couple of Essie nail polishes in festive colours (red and gold glitter) so I can do my nails for Christmas Day.

♥ A couple of Yankee Candle votive candles to make the house smell delicious and feel super cosy.

♥ Some Ferrero Rochers, Lindor Mint Chocolate Truffles and candy canes to enjoy with the family.

♥ A bag of salted popcorn for snacking on while watching Christmas movies.

♥ A Cath Kidston Christmas mug to drink hot chocolates from. (I would've added in hot chocolate, too, but we've ran out so I need to go buy some today).

♥ A pack of pastel film for my Instax mini 9 camera so I can take some fun photos on Christmas Eve / Day.

Here are a few more ideas for things you could include:

♥ Slippers.

♥ Novelty Christmas socks.

♥ A hot water bottle. (And heat patches may be handy if you have a chronic illness or injury!)

♥ Little Christmas craft kits- such as a mini cross stitch kit or felt ornament kit.

♥ A Christmas colouring book and coloured pencils.

♥ Festive stationery.

♥ Christmas false nails or nail wraps.

♥ Seasonal-scented bubble bath.

♥ A Christmas bath bomb.

♥ Hand cream or body lotion.

♥ A cute soft toy.

♥ A Netflix / Amazon Prime gift card / subscription for Christmas movie watching.

♥ A Christmas scratch card.

♥ Something alcoholic.

♥ Marshmallows.

♥ Favourite edible treats.

♥ Mince pies, stollen, panettone, cake, biscuits, cheese boards, etc.

♥ A new Christmas dress / top / shirt etc.

♥ A new ornament to hang on the tree.

♥ A Christmas stocking so you can hang it up ready for Santa.

♥ A bag of reindeer food.

♥ A selection of Christmas books (for younger readers), a novel for adults.

♥ Little toys.

♥ A special plate for Santa's mince pie.



I wasn't able to source a pretty Christmas Eve box this year as I'm on a tight budget this Christmas, so once again I've just presented everything in a slightly-festive-looking storage box I already owned. If you have got the means for buying the perfect Christmas Eve box, you could use a box, wicker basket, gift bag, Christmas stocking, crate, festive tote bag, or any container you like. If you're giving it as a gift, I'd recommend wrapping everything up in festive wrapping paper or tissue to make it look pretty and add to the fun and excitement, but you can leave everything unwrapped if the thought of wrapping any more presents is making you shudder. 



If you want to go all out, there are so many ways you could then decorate your Christmas Eve box, from adding the recipient's name using stamps or individual letters, to embellishing it with pom poms, garlands, or little decorations. The possibilities are endless. I haven't decorated mine as the box I've used is actually my memory box and needs to be refilled after Christmas, but one of these days I'm going to have to try something more creative.

I have to say, I'm really looking forward to enjoying the contents of my Christmas Eve box tonight. I always find these boxes make my Christmas Eve evenings so lovely and relaxing, which is always welcome after such a hectic month. I'm looking forward to changing in to my festive PJs, watching a few Christmas movies with my family, indulging in a few treats, and snuggling up with my book before I fall off to sleep in the early hours of Christmas morning. Ah, I can't wait!

Whether you have your own Christmas Eve Box to enjoy tonight or not, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas Eve with your family and friends whatever you have planned, and an even happier Christmas Day! Merry Christmas, everyone!

Have you made a Christmas Eve Box for anyone this year? What goodies would make up your perfect box?

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Erstwilder All Wrapped Up Christmas Brooches

As a brooch addict and self-confessed Christmas enthusiast, I look forward to Erstwilder's Christmas jewellery collections every year, and I sure wasn't disappointed by this year's cutesy, kitsch offerings from the new collection, All Wrapped Up. You'd better believe I was up before sunrise when the range launched last month, shopping my favourites from the twenty-piece collection of brooches, necklaces, and earrings. I treated myself to three of my favourites, but I put them on lay-buy for a month and paid in instalments so I could concentrate on Christmas shopping before spending on myself. The wait was torture, but my order finally arrived last week, and I'm so happy with my choices I just have to tell you all about them.

My first pick and probably my favourite piece from the whole collection, is the Season's Greetings brooch which has been redesigned for Christmas 2019 in the prettiest pastel colours. Season's Greetings is an adorable snowglobe brooch with a festive scene inside, including a sweet little marbled resin gingerbread house sitting on a snow covered hill, with lilac glitter Christmas trees and a snowy pastel blue sky behind it. It's framed with a scalloped border of glittery white resin, and sits on a caramel-coloured base with white detailing. It's absolutely perfect, and easily one of the cutest Christmas brooches I've ever seen. I can't stop wearing it!

Another pastel piece I was powerless to resist was the Past Midnight brooch, a cuckoo clock brooch which has also received a new look for the collection, transforming from the original chocolate brown and red colour-way, to pastel pink and glittery lilac, ice blue, and white. It's so pretty with all those sugary sweet pastel colours, and I think it's utterly adorable. I'm so pleased to have this brooch in my collection after missing out on the original in 2017, and as it's not a particularly festive design, it's one I can see myself wearing from winter through til spring for many years to come.

For my third choice, I stepped away from the pastel colours, and went with something a little more traditional to add a little variety to my Christmas jewellery box. I adopted Miss Mistletoe, a sweet little Australian robin sitting amongst some holly. With her grey textured feathers, and an amazing glittery coral breast, she's different to the European robins which are often featured in Christmas paraphernalia in England, but I think she's adorable and really festive-looking. The holly leaves and berries surrounding her are made from the most gorgeous marbled green and red resins, and the colours make it the ideal brooch to wear with classic Christmas colours like red and green, which I wear a lot of at this time of year.

I also received a free red and green Christmas present brooch called Under The Tree Tradition for purchasing three pieces from the collection! I wasn't sure if I would qualify for the freebie since I put my order on lay-buy, so it was a lovely surprise to find in my parcel when it landed on my doorstep last week. The present is quite simple in comparison to the other designs in the range, but it's crafted from a stunning marbled red resin (which I'm a little obsessed with right now), and the glitteriest, sparkliest lime and emerald green resins for the ribbons. It's beautiful, and will be perfect for wearing on Christmas morning for opening presents with my family. Sadly, this brooch isn't available to buy individually, as it was a free gift for purchasing three or more pieces from the All Wrapped Up collection. There were only a limited number available, so I think it's unlikely that you'll find one in your parcel if you choose to order three pieces from it now. Sorry, guys.

Alongside the All Wrapped Up collection, Erstwilder also released a range of Essentials drop earrings on the same day that can be worn with the Christmas brooches and necklaces. I was drawn to several pairs, but after spending so much on brooches, I could only justify purchasing one pair, and choose the ripple resin hearts. They're big red hearts with a heart cut out in the centre, and are made from a stunning dark red ripple resin. I hadn't worn drop earrings in years, but I've found them light and comfortable, and they don't annoy me at all, which is great. They match so many of my Erstwilder brooches, and the colour is so festive. I'm planning to wear them over Christmas paired with a Christmas brooch and a pretty dress. At just £5.75 a pair, these drop earrings are so inexpensive, and I'm hoping to collect some more designs and colours as time goes on. The quality is fantastic for the price!

And those are the pieces I bought from Erstwilder's new Christmas collections.

There are so many other amazing designs in both the All Wrapped Up and Essential Drop Earrings collections, and if you want to check them out, you can find them on Erstwilder here, or via their stockists around the world here if you're outside Australia.

Have you bought anything from this year's Christmas collections?

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Sunday Favourites Christmas Special #394

I've got my fourth and final Christmas-themed Sunday Favourites of 2019 for you today, and I've packed it full of festive crafts, recipes, home decor, and more to give you some last minute inspiration. I hope it helps get you in to the Christmas spirit!

Lovely Indeed can teach you how to make these festive 3D gingerbread Christmas trees with their easy tutorial.

I love The Make Arcade's Christmas cross stitch kits; they're perfect for stitching in front of the TV after eating too many roast potatoes and Cadbury Roses over Christmas. I made the gingerbread house and the Christmas tree last year, and have picked up the gingerbread man to make in the next few days.

Oh Joy's festive stocking DIY is rather pretty.

How cute is Aycan's DIY festive hand embroidery wall hanging?! I really want to try this project.

I'm also loving Little White Socks' DIY reindeer pom pom shaker cards. Maybe next year I will actually find the time to make my own?

And another of Aycan's posts because her DIYs are amazing and never fail to inspire me... this time some adorable festive happy mail ideas to inspire some last minute letter writing this Christmas.

Handmade Charlotte's DIY snowman cupcake toppers are too cute.

Looking to make some fun Christmas photo props? Damask Love has a great tutorial for giant Christmas candles.

I love A Kailo Chic Life's DIY iridescent gold splatter painted ornaments. So pretty!

Oh Joy's DIY for ombre bottle brush holiday trees is ideal for anyone who loves colourful, mid-century style Christmas decor.

Still haven't got your Christmas stockings sorted? Lovely Indeed can show you how to make a lined Christmas stocking with a knit cuff.

Studio DIY's pastel Christmas houses are so lovely.

Damask Love's retro Christmas decorations are perfect for any mid-century fan, and if you have a Cricut Access Subscription, their collection is  available to download from the Cricut Design Space.

I'm loving A Kailo Chic Life's DIY glittery galaxy Christmas tree and garland. The colour scheme is so different to anything you usually see at Christmas.

And last but not least, if you need a last minute Christmas jumper, Tilly and the Buttons can show you how to make this gorgeous Christmas confetti sweater.

For more festive inspiration, be sure to check out my Christmas boards on Pinterest- I have a whole bunch of them and they're all full of inspiring festive images. You can also find all previous Sunday Favourites Christmas Specials here.

Be sure to pop back next Sunday for this year's New-Year's-themed Sunday Favourites post!

Thanks for reading!

Any favourites this week?

My Favourite Things About Christmas

Christmas has always been my favourite time of year. I love everything about it from the pretty Christmas lights to the music, and trawling the Christmas markets to the festive cheer, and so much more. Even though I'm in my thirties now, I still find the festive season so fun and magical (at least when my crazy to do list isn't stressing me out), and I like to enjoy as much of it as possible.

Sadly, it's been a long time since I last got to do any of the fun Christmas activities like going to Christmas markets, having fun at Christmas parties, heading to the theatre to see something festive, or even going to the Christmas lights switch on. In fact, I've only left the house once this month, and that was just to go to the supermarket for last minute supplies. (Can you hear those tiny violins??) I'll admit I'm feeling a little bit sorry for myself for missing out on so much festive fun this year as I've been dying to do it all, but I've been trying to enjoy the little festive things at home like watching Christmas movies and wrapping presents. It's got me thinking about what some of my favourite things about Christmas really are, so I thought I'd talk about some of them today.

Here are some of my favourite things about Christmas.

Decorating The Tree With My Family

Decorating the tree and the living room with my family has always been one of my absolute favourite parts of the festive season. It always signifies the beginning of Christmas in our house, and even though we're getting later and later putting up the decorations downstairs these days and I have my own up in my bedroom, it doesn't truly feel like Christmas until we begin. (We haven't managed it yet this year because I've not been up to it, so that probably explains why I don't feel that festive yet). We put on some Christmas music (including a Christmas compilation CD called 100% Christmas, we've been playing every year since 1994!), share a few chocolates, and spend an evening getting to work. I love going through our old boxes of decorations, rediscovering all my old favourites, and getting all nostalgic about all the childhood Christmases most of them are attached to. I'm sentimental all the way when it comes to Christmas decorations.

Decorating My Bedroom For Christmas
I also love to decorate my bedroom for Christmas, and turn it in to my own winter wonderland so that I don't have to miss out on the pretty decorations when I'm in too much pain to get out of bed. I put up so many that my bedroom looks like Christmas threw up on it, but I love it! I have a little tree, fairy lights, and so many decorations, which are mostly colourful and mid-century style at the moment. I haven't managed to take photos yet this year, but here's how I decorated my room for Christmas last year.

Wrapping Presents

Even though wrapping presents inflicts a lot of back pain on me now, I'm still one of those weird people who actually enjoys wrapping gifts. I've always put a lot of effort in to making the gifts I give look as pretty as I can, and will spend hours wrapping everything in pretty paper, ribbons, and decorations. I just like to put the extra effort in, and make things look beautiful- even though I doubt anybody actually notices!

Driving Around to Spot Christmas Lights

I love going for a drive around my hometown or further afield around the pretty little Cotswold villages and the next town over to spot Christmas lights. My older sister and I like to drive around to spot them every year (or we did before she moved to Germany), and growing up, our parents always took us on a drive to spot the lights each Christmas, too. Seeing everywhere lit up like the Blackpool Illuminations while listening to Christmas tunes on the radio always feels really festive, and I look forward to seeing my favourites every year. There's a couple of houses just around the corner from mine that always look spectacular.

Watching Christmas Movies

One of the Christmas activities I most look forward to is watching my favourite Christmas movies at every opportunity. You just can't beat a good Christmas movie, and they never fail to get me in to the festive spirit. I love watching them when I'm wrapping presents, writing cards, crafting, or just relaxing in the evenings, and I especially love those lazy days when only a Christmas movie marathon and some festive snacks will do. I have so many Christmas films in my DVD collection that I love, but Santa Claus The Movie, and The Muppets Christmas Carol are my ultimate favourites.

Christmas Crafting
I enjoy crafting all year round, but there's something extra fun and enjoyable about making things that are Christmas themed, isn't there? I love spending the cold, dark December evenings crafting away while watching some festive TV, and usually have several projects on the go. I always like to cross stitch and make my own Christmas crackers, and you'll often also find me attempting other projects like wreath-making, and creating hand-painted Advent houses.

Christmas Music
I love a good Christmas song, and listen to them throughout December to soundtrack most of my festive activities. I must have about 200 different Christmas songs in my iTunes library! I especially love the classics I grew up on in the 80s and 90s from Wham and Elton John, to Paul McCartney and The Pogues, as well as the real oldies from people like Bing Crosby and Andy Williams. The old ones are the best! (Though I am partial to Ronan Keating's Winter Songs album, too).

Beauty Advent Calendars
I'm sure you've noticed by now that I love a good beauty Advent calendar. I just love waking up to a different beauty treat every morning in the run up to Christmas- it feels like Christmas every day! I never splurge much on beauty products throughout the year, so I always allow myself a calendar as a Christmas treat. It's always great to try out lots of new products and pamper myself a little during a stressful month. This year, I went with both the Essie and Ciaté nail polish Advent calendars.

Baking on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve morning is usually spent baking and making desserts for Christmas in my family, whether at home or at my sister's (before she moved, anyway), and it's something I've always enjoyed. I always make my blackberry and apple trifle ready for Christmas Day and sometimes another dessert like a cheesecake, and then I'll go help my sister do some baking while my Mum gets to work making flans (quiches), home made cheese scones, and other delicious treats for my Auntie's Christmas Eve party or our own Christmas Eve buffet. It's really festive with the Christmas tunes blaring out, and the house always smells delicious.

Driving Home on Christmas Eve
Ever since I was about ten, my family have spent most Christmas Eves going to my Auntie's Christmas Eve party in Worcester (although I haven't been in several years because of my chronic pain). If I'm honest, as a shy awkward introvert, I spent most of my younger years trying to bargain my way out of going (it never worked), and would be counting down the hours until we could leave again. My favourite part was always the drive home for Christmas. We'd leave early evening and by then we'd be feeling the Christmas Eve excitement as Christmas Day was just hours away. We'd spend the hour and a half hour drive home singing along to Christmas songs and looking out for Christmas lights on all the houses and towns we passed by. Pershore and Evesham always had such beautiful lights in their town centres. The drive home was always super festive, and then we'd get home to put presents our family had given us under the tree, and leave our stockings out for Santa / Mum (always draped on the sofas, never hung over the fireplace) before heading off to bed. It was a Christmas ritual for so long and now I can't go, I actually miss it.

Opening Presents With My Family On Christmas Morning
Christmas isn't about the presents for me, but I've always loved opening presents with my family on Christmas morning. I love giving my family their presents and seeing their faces when they open the gifts I've bought for them. The living room is always a shambles, but I love it and the happy, upbeat atmosphere that fills the house from that Christmas morning excitement and a festive playlist. It's not quite as exciting as when we were kids, but you just can't beat Christmas morning, can you?

Seeing My Dog Open Her Presents

One of my favourite parts of the past few Christmases has been giving my Tibetan terrier, Rosie, her presents, and watching her open them. She loves ripping open the paper, and gets so excited when she discovers a new toy inside, It's so cute to watch, and I'm already looking forward to seeing how she reacts this year. Last year she tunnelled head first in to the giant gift bag I put her presents in to get to them! It was so cute.

Setting the Christmas Dinner Table
This is a weird one, but I love setting the table for Christmas dinner! It's been my job since I was about six or seven, and I oddly enjoy setting it and making the table look pretty for our Christmas meal. I know it's a strange thing to enjoy, but I guess I just like making things look pretty. I put some Christmas music or a Christmas movie on in the background, and can easily lose an hour or two of Christmas morning putting it all together. I actually find it really hard now with my chronic pain, but I'm stubborn and try to do it anyway.

Christmas Dinner With the Family

Christmas dinner is without a doubt my favourite meal of the entire year- and not just because the food is delicious. My family and I only sit down around a table for a meal together two or three times a year, so it makes Christmas dinner extra special. It's lovely to enjoy a meal with my family and have a good catch up. We always end up laughing until our sides hurt, and someone starts choking on a Brussels sprout. I'm really looking forward to it this year (the meal, not the choking). I'm so going to eat my body weight in roast potatoes!

Christmas Food
I don't often focus on food when I'm thinking about favourites, but let's face it, the food is one of the best things about Christmas. I mean, when else is it socially acceptable to drink before midday, eat cake for breakfast, and consume a month's calories in one day?? You just can't beat a few days of over indulging on Christmas dinner and turkey sandwiches, cake, and a metric ton of chocolates. I've never been a fan of mince pies and Christmas cake, but give me some Cadbury Roses, mint Matchmakers, and a slice of my sister's 'squidgy chocolate log' and I'm happy.

So, those are some of my favourite things about Christmas.

What are some of yours?

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My Christmas List 2019

As it's almost Christmas, this week I thought I'd share my Christmas list in lieu of my usual Wednesday Wish List.

I haven't actually compiled a Christmas list to share with someone since I was a teenager, but I like to blog a Christmas list of my most-wanted items every Christmas just for fun. My Mum and sister actually both asked me for ideas this year, though, so I created a Pinterest board full of things I have my eye on at the moment, and pointed them in its direction, and then picked some of my favourites to build this year's Christmas list.

This year, my list is mostly made up of Erstwilder jewellery, pretty books, Lady Vintage dresses, and a variety of beauty palettes and gift sets. (No change there, then!) I don't expect to receive anything from it for Christmas, but I might treat myself to one or two pieces if I'm lucky enough to receive any Christmas money, or if I get the urge to shop after Christmas. It's mostly just a fantasy wish list, but I hope it gives you some last minute gift ideas just the same.

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12 // 13 // 14 // 15 // 16 // 17 // 18 // 19 // 20 // 21 // 22 // 23 // 24 // 25 // 26 // 27 // 28 // 29 // 30

1. This matryoshka scarf is so cute, and would go perfectly with my matching matryoshka brooch.

2. I love a good polka dot dress, and this multicolour Party Polka Dot Lyra Dress from Lady V looks beautiful.

3. How pretty is the Puffin Classics' edition of The Secret Garden?!

4. I'm still gutted that the koala brooch from the Erstwilder x Pete Cromer collection sold out before I could hit check out, so I would love to somehow hunt one down this Christmas.

5. I bought a pair of the Erstwilder Essentials drop earrings in red ripple red on release day, and now I want to go back for these gorgeous chunky red glitter heart drop earrings.

6. These purple glitter star studs would also be a nice addition to my ever-growing collection.

7. I'm obsessed with all of the Erstwilder x Pete Cromer designs, and would love to get my hands on the colourful Rowdy Rosella brooch to add to my collection. The resins are so pretty.

8. I also adore the vibrant design of The Comical Cockatoo brooch.

9. I would love a Zatchels large Sugarcube bag in my life. There are so many colours to choose from, but I think the classic red is currently my favourite- at least for winter.

10. I've always wanted to read Dracula, and I'm in love with the new clothbound edition from Puffin Classics.

11. These blue marbled resin moon studs from Erstwilder are absolutely dreamy.

12. The Too Faced 'Let it Snow, Girl!' Christmas make up set is one of the best gift sets I've seen in ages. The eyeshadow palette looks particularly amazing.

13. Every brooch collection needs a kangaroo, and Pete Cromer's Kinetic Kangaroo brooch has so much character.

14. I've been living in my short-sleeved black polka dot Lyra dress this autumn / winter, and I'd love the 3/4 length sleeve version of the Lyra dress for keeping warm in the winter months.

15. I'm still loving the Raven Mad Brooch from Erstwilder's Halloween collection, and would happily wear it all year round.

16. This clothbound classics edition of War of the Worlds is stunning.

17. You can never have too many notebooks, and this set of three Gardener's Club hedgehog print notebooks from Cath Kidston are adorable.

18. I don't really need any new nail polishes right now, but I love the look of this Mavala nail polish set.

19. This YSL Touche Eclat Radiance gift set looks fabulous. I'm addicted to the Blur Primer after getting a mini bottle in my Advent calendar last Christmas.

20. I would never receive this in a million years, but Cath Kidston's Provence Rose print Monty DAB Radio and Speaker is one of the prettiest gadgets I've ever seen.

21. Too Faced's Christmas Cookie House Party gift set is too cute for words. I love the look of the green shade in the eyeshadow palette.

22. Yet another Erstwilder brooch I'm lusting after is the Take a Bite Serpent Brooch. I would also wear it all year round.

23. I can't get over how beautiful this Wizard of Oz book cover is.

24. I would never spent £69 on one beauty gift set for myself, but I really want to try L'Occitane's rhubarb range. It smells divine.

25. Lady Vintage's navy lip print Lyra dress is really fun.

26. This OPI Hello Kitty gift set looks like such a lovely collection, with some really gorgeous nail shades.

27. After enjoying The Handmaid's Tale last year, I really want to read its new sequel, The Testaments by Margaret Atwood.

28. These purple glitter crescent moon earrings from Erstwilder are so beautiful.

29. This dreamy Gingerbread Spice Eyeshadow Palette from Too Faced has been on my wish list for years!

30. And I'd love to try more of The Body Shop's new festive Juicy Pear range, and the Juicy Pear Festive Sack seems like a great set for value for money. I don't think the scent is festive at all, but it is lovely- so sweet and fresh.

If you'd like to see more of the items on my Christmas list, why not check out my Christmas Wish List board on Pinterest? You can also find all previous Wednesday Wish List posts here.

What's on your Christmas list this year?

A Literary Christmas: An Anthology Book Review

Last Christmas, I bought myself the most beautiful hardback Christmas anthology by the British Library called A Literary Christmas: An Anthology. In the chaos of the festive season, I never did find the time to finish reading it or a spare moment to review it for you guys last year, but having returned to it again this Christmas, I wanted to make time to review it for you today.

A Literary Christmas is a beautifully curated Christmas anthology, filled with festive poems, extracts from novels, and even diary entries from a wide variety of great writers like Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, D.H. Lawrence, the Brontë sisters, George Eliot, Thomas Hardy, Louisa May Alcott, and many more.

As you read on through the book, you'll discover extracts from beloved novels and plays like A Christmas Carol, Little Women, Wuthering Heights, As You Like It, and The Wind in the Willows; poems including Clement Clarke Moore's infamous 'A Visit From Saint Nicholas', Christina Rossetti's 'A Christmas Carol', Anne Brontë 's 'Music On Christmas Morning', and Thomas Hardy's 'A Christmas Ghost Story'; and festive musings from the diaries of Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn. Of course, that is only a handful of what this 151 page anthology has to offer, but I'll leave it up to you to discover the rest!

This festive collection of literature has been arranged in to eight sections relating to a different topic or period of the Christmas season, from Before Christmas and The Nativity, to Christmas Day and Christmas at War, and beyond. This helps the writing in the book to flow easily, and also allows you to read different sections at different points in the festive season which will help you get in to the Christmas spirit in no time.

As well as quality writing, the book also showcases beautiful illustrations in a variety of styles, and a mixture of colour and black and white. I'm not sure if the illustrations were designed especially for the anthology, or whether they were taken from the original books of the authors, but they are beautiful just the same. They really add something special to the book, and will also help interest younger readers if you want to share some stories or poems with your children as you count down the days 'til Christmas.

One of my favourite things about the book is the cover. Not the book itself- the book is just a plain but festive burgundy hardback; no, it's the dust-jacket that's the show-stopper here. Just look at that stunning silver cover! It features a pretty wintry woodland illustration by Sinem Erkas made up of woodland animals like deer, a fox, hare, and turkey; winter foliage including holly and mistletoe, and Mary and baby Jesus seated on a stool under a simple canopy. The design is absolutely beautiful, and it's what caught my attention and led me to this book in the first place. I know we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but I'm a sucker for a pretty book cover.

Besides the fantastic collection of literature and art, the great thing about this anthology is that the short stories and poems don't take long to read, so it is the perfect book to read over Christmas. I don't know about you, but I never have as much time to read during December with so many other things to do like present wrapping and decorating the house for Christmas, so I rarely make much progress on any novels I start. I may only find time for a few pages before bed, so this anthology has been ideal. I've been able to read a short story or two, or a few poems each night or whenever I've had a spare second to myself, and it's been a lovely way to relax and unwind after a busy day preparing for Christmas. I've discovered literary works from authors I've never tried before, and many great poems and prose I'd yet to experience, and reading through them has left me feeling super festive. I still have more left to read, but I'm doing my best to savour a little each night this Christmas, and I'm really enjoying it.

Overall, I'm very impressed with A Literary Christmas: An Anthology, and I know I'll be returning to this book each Christmas for many years to come to help get me in the Christmas spirit. 

If you're looking to read more quality festive works, I would highly recommend A Literary Christmas and encourage you to get yourself a copy ASAP! Find it on Amazon here.

What is your favourite book to read at Christmas time?

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My Christmas Cross Stitch Makes

It's been a while since I last shared photos of my cross stitch makes- mostly as I haven't done a lot this year thanks to worsening arthritis in my hands. I am currently working on a colourful Christmas cross stitch from Satsuma Street (this one, but on white aida), but as I have a long way to go until that one's finished, I thought I'd show you some of the pieces I stitched during the previous two Christmases. I don't think I ever got around to sharing photos of them online.

Last Christmas, I made three modern little cross stitch ornaments from a British brand called The Make Arcade- a Christmas tree, a gingerbread house, and a reindeer. I bought these little kits to stitch while I was relaxing in front of the TV with my family over Christmas, and they were perfect for keeping me busy while we watched Christmas movies from Christmas Eve through to Boxing Day. They were really fun to make, and as they're only little three inch hoops, they didn't take too long to complete- I think they took about five or six hours worth of stitching, each, completed over a couple of evenings. Once each one was done, I then used a hot glue gun to attach felt circles to the backs, and pom pom trims around the hoops. All the materials you need to make them are included in the kits- aida, embroidery hoop, DMC threads, ribbon, pom pom trim, felt, and I think even a needle. You just need a pair of scissors, a hot glue gun and glue so you can attach the pom poms.

They're great little kits for getting your craft on over the festive season, and would make ideal stocking fillers or Secret Santa gifts for any cross stitcher this Christmas. I particularly love the gingerbread house design, but the Christmas tree is a close second. I've picked up the gingerbread man kit to make this year, and am tempted to go back for the penguin and the snowflake. I'd love to make the entire collection so I can hang them all up on my Christmas trees for future Christmases. With several cross stitchers in the family, we've always had cross stitch ornaments on the tree- albeit, more traditional ones- so it's satisfying to add some of my own work to the ornament collection, and in a different, more modern style.

Two years ago, during Christmas 2017, I made two cross stitch Christmas cards from two different card kits from a Cornish brand called Riverdrift House. The Fa La La card is from the Jolly Holly Card Kit and the Silent Night card was part of the Christmas Carols Kit, which doesn't appear to be available anymore- although, there is a similar Christmas Carol Card Kit with colourful threads. I still haven't got around to making any of the others from either kit, but these two were fun to make and only took about half a day of work each.  Each kit has everything you need to make six cards, including the cards and envelopes, but when I eventually get around to making the rest, I'm planning to either turn them in to tree ornaments or frame the sets together because I'd rather keep them.

Back in 2017, I also stitched a Scandi-style red and grey Christmas sampler from Riverdrift House with a Glad Tidings We Bring design. This was another easy project with lots of simple little motifs to stitch like snowflakes, snowmen, robins, and Christmas trees, plus a cute little house, some hearts, and borders using just two shades of red and two shades of grey threads. It took me about two months to sew, putting in just an hour or two a night, and I'm really pleased with the end result... even if I still haven't got it framed! This is another kit that doesn't appear to be available anymore, but they do still stock a similar Happy Christmas design.

I also stitched this Riverdrift House Christmas Alphabet sampler in 2017, y'know, just in case I need to remember my ABC's at Christmas time or something. It could happen! Especially with my brain fog! Haha! This sampler is much bigger than it looks- I think the fabric is at least A3 size- so it involved a lot of cross stitching and took several months to complete. Even though it was big and time-consuming, it was pretty simple to sew, with no complicated patterns or stitches; just simple shapes and cross stitches in Riverdrift's signature Scandi style and seven shades of threads. Despite the simplicity, I think it came out pretty well. I think this may be another discontinued cross stitch kit as I can't find it online anymore, but if you like the style and can't track it down on eBay, Riverdrift House has lots of other Christmas cross stitch kits which you can find here.

So, those are some of my Christmas cross stitch makes from the last two years. If you'd like to see more of my cross stitching, you can find all of my cross stitch posts here.

Have you cross stitched anything this Christmas?

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