A Few of My Favorite Things

I love the holiday season and what better time to share with you some of my favorite things. I hope these can sparke some additions to your wishlist I have been very happy with all of these items.

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Christmas: Seasons Greetings!

Here's my little Seasons greetings to you all. Here's wishing that your Christmas is filled with good food, family, friends and plenty of laughter.

This is a special Christmas card that I created just for my readers. I fell in love with this scenic image taken from JOY's Christmas collection look book. JOY is a brilliant boutique chain featuring quirky, eclectic fashion and accessories, there are four branches in London and several dotted around the UK so visit the website; www.joythestore.com to find your nearest store.

I hope that you've enjoyed my series of festive posts and I'll be back shortly with all your favourite things; Fashion, Beauty, What's on, and of course more fabulous giveaways to kick-start the new year.

Until then, don't forget to check out my first ever podcast! Giving you some food for thought on the best restaurants to see the fireworks in London town this New Year's Eve. Would love to know what you think about it! If you like it, I'll continue to do more in 2010, so please leave a comment and give me your feedback.

What's On: The London Designer Makers Sale

Date: Saturday 19th December
Time: 12pm - 6pm

Location:
St Aloysius Social Club,
Phoneix Road,
London, NW1 1TA

Admission: Free

The London Designer Makers sale is on this weekend featuring 30 stalls of unique handmade goodies and gifts.

From jewellery to homeware, you'll find some of the best work from London designer makers on display. The lineup includes UglyLovely, Natasha Salkey and Ting Low.

If you get a chance to head over to the sale, you may find some last minute gifts or be tempted to treat yourself. Further information about the event and the designers can be found on the Designer Makers blog.

Email: londondesignermakers@googlemail.com
Web: www.designermakers.blogspot.com

Millinary design by UglyLovely

What's On: The Very Merry 'Kiss'mass

Date: Monday 21st December
Time: Shhhh! Top secret (read more for details)
Location: Piazza, Covent Garden, London WC2
Admission: Free

Pucker up for what essentially could be London's largest mistletoe gathering. The time will be announced at some point over the weekend, exclusively on twitter.

The mass mistletoe kiss-off on Piazza, Covent Garden may be just the place to get yourself and loved one in the festive mood, or perhaps you'll find your Christmas angel? There will be complimentary mulled wine to warm the cockles, so tell friends, make an event of it and above all have fun. Mwah x

Web: www.twitter.com/CoventGardenLDN

Giveaway: WIN! A Kipling Clutch Bag and Limited Edition Keoki Pouch

Here's the perfect way to add some festive sparkle to your Christmas wardrobe this year: Super cool accessories brand Kipling have recently launched their holiday collection, featuring a range of clutch and shoulder bags.

I'm sure you'll agree that they are all divine, but the style that stands out above the rest is the new G*rilla Girlz sequin Limit range; priced at £52.00. It comes in bright pink and green for that added pop of colour, or classic silver and black.

Kipling have also joined forces with nail lacquer brand OPI to bring you a glitzy pouch gift set in similar sequin style, containing three of this season's must-have OPI shades. At £35.00 it's a gift that is practical as it is luxurious. To see the entire holiday collection visit www.kipling.com.

Pretty Stylish London is excited to announce that Kipling will treat one lucky winner to both the Limit Clutch in green and a fabulous Keoki Pouch packed with a trio of OPI colours.*

To enter this festive fashion giveaway, you must be following the blog. So if you haven't already, please follow via blogger, or subscribe via the mailing list.

Next: Leave a comment below and tell us what your coveted party outfit will be this year; Are you wearing a little black dress? Will you be draped in a splash of colour? Or perhaps your ensemble is simple and understated?

Good luck darlings!

Terms and Conditions:
*Keoki Pouch colour may vary.
Entrants must be 16 years of age or over.
The promoter reserves the right to re-draw the prize if the prize winner cannot be contacted within a reasonable period of time.
The competition will close on 21st December 2009.
All entries received after this date will be excluded from the competition.
The winner of the competition will be chosen at random and contacted via email.

What's On: Carol Nights at the Jazz Café

Image source: www.electrovoice.com

Dates: 21st - 24th December
Time: From 7pm
Admission: £18 (in advance)

Get your carol fest on at the Jazz Café and join The London Community Gospel Choir (LCGC) who will be performing soulful renditions of Christmas gospel favourites.

The choir has been dubbed 'the nation's favourite' and was formed in 1982 by Rev. Bazil Meade, who still leads the choir today. LCGC have performed with some great recording artists to date including Maria Carey, Madonna, Elton John and the late James Brown.

Jazz Cafe
5, Parkway
Camden
London, NW1 7PG

Booking lines:
Ticketmaster: 0844 847 2514
See Tickets: 0870 060 3777

Web: www.jazzcafe.co.uk

Christmas Shopping: Thomas Lyte Leather Envelopes

If you love leather luxuries and the likes of Smythson, then feast your eyes on these classic yet quirky purses from Thomas Lyte.

In case you're not familiar with the name, Thomas Lyte is a modern, ethical, English luxury brand with an obsession for fine craftsmanship. The swish collection of accessories and gifts are oh-so elegant and display a real attention to detail.

This week, I've been swooning over the Leather Envelopes featuring fun little messages to keep you smiling. These make fabulous gift ideas for the girl who pretty much has it all. Starting at £78.00, it's an investment in quality and longevity; the price reflecting an accessory that is timeless as it is charming. I'll be dropping hints to hubby - it's on my wish list!

Web: www.thomaslyte.com

Get FREE UK Delivery on all orders

Style Note: Handmade Happiness

This week's style note is dedicated to the craft of handmade products. I've been inspired by fellow blogger Muhsine of Bubblegarm who impressed me with her handmade shabby chic travel brush roll, and it got me thinking about cute gifts that make ideal stocking fillers this Christmas.

I've headed over to ESTY and ethical shop Love Eco in pursuit of handmade happiness, and of course I couldn't leave out Muhsine's fabulous travel brush roll (which I've made an order for already). I think you'll love these too:

1. Mini Soapsicle Set - £3.03 (converted from $5.00)
Oh so cute soaps shaped like popsicles. Comes in four fragrances; cherry, blueberry, watermelon and pineapple. Mmm.
www.etsy.com

2. Handmade Magnets by Inkjet Design - £4.00
These will look so pretty on the fridge!
www.etsy.com

3. Chicken Doorstops from Love Eco - £13.00 each
Simply fill up these lil' chickens with rice, zip up and away you go, your very own unique doorstop made from vintage fabric remnants.
www.love-eco.co.uk

4. Travel Brush Roll - Price available on request
With 9 pockets for your key brushes, it rolls up and ties with a cute bow. This is the prototype and hopefully the finished product will be ready soon. Pre-order yours!
www.bubblegarm.blogspot.com

What's On: Ice skating at Somerset House

Somerset House © Gideon Mendel

Dates: Until 24th January 2010
Times: Daily 10am-10.15pm (closed Dec 25th)
Admission: Adults from £10.50, children from £7.50

The new home of London Fashion Week has been transformed into the capital's coveted ice rink locations for another festive season.

Somerset house with its grand surroundings is complete with classical music and a fairy tale-like Christmas tree. Children will love it and if you're feeling a bit bar humbug about the lead up to festivities, a trip to the rink may be just the ticket to get you in the yuletide mood.

The rink is sponsored by jewellers Tiffany & Co, who have a pop-up store on-site. Those with cash to splurge can spend a pretty penny on the selection of signature pieces available. For the rest of us who are watching the pennies, at least there's yummy Tiffany cupcakes at £2.50. Here's a video of what to expect, it looks like great fun!




Somerset House
The Strand,
London,
WC2R 1LA
Web: www.somersethouse.org.uk

Giveaway: WIN! £100 Wahanda Vouchers

Another fabulous giveaway readers! This time Christmas has come early. The health and beauty mecca that is Wahanda have teamed up with Pretty Stylish London to giveaway a luxurious £100 worth of pampering vouchers to spend anyway you like!

If you don't already know, Wahanda is the most comprehensive wellness site around. With more than 10,000 spas, salons, studios, gyms and therapists from the UK and beyond; honest reviews; and seriously good deals on offer everyday.

In the run up to Christmas you'll find some fantastic inspirations, including pamper packages discounted up to 50% off from spas and salons across London and UK, including Hydrohealing in Notting Hill, SFC Mobile Spa; the spa that comes to you, and gifts from Aromatherapy Associates.

For your chance to win you must be following the blog. So if you haven't already, please click the follow button to the right, or subscribe via the mailing list on feed burner further down.

Next: Leave a comment below and answer the following question "What Wahanda Listed spa/salon would you spend the vouchers at and why". Be sure to include a link back to the Wahanda listing!

Visit: www.wahanda.com and start browsing the wealth of listings online to pick your favourite.

Good luck darlings!

Terms and Conditions:
This free prize draw is open to UK residents only.
Entrants must be 18 years of age or over.
No purchase necessary.
The promoter reserves the right to re-draw the prize if the prize winner cannot be contacted within a reasonable period of time.
The competition is closed on 31st December 2009.
All entries received after this date will be excluded from the competition.
The winner of the competition will be chosen at random and contacted via email.

Christmas Shopping: The Filofax Beauty Gift Box

Yes, it's that time of year again, the Christmas rush has officially begun. Thankfully, I've been scouring the high-street and online to bring you rich pickings for the festive season, including some fabulous gift ideas and sweet treats for yourself too.

Every week until Christmas day, I'll be selecting one thing you really need to know about, and this week's post goes to The Filofax Beauty Giftbox.

How ingenious is this? It's a Filofax Organiser complete with a handy Mirror, Perfume Pen Atomiser and a Beauty Gift Voucher. When I recently attended a press day for this new launch, I could tell most of us where thinking the same thing; where has this been all our lives? Clearly the team behind this new Filofax product know what we busy women want. Personally I've never seen anything quite as adorable and practical as this. It costs a surprisingly affordable £40.

Picture the scene: You're running late for work, you've applied you're makeup in record time and now you're sitting on the train. Suddenly you have a sinking feeling your makeup is a little too heavy on one eye... out pops your Filofax; everyone around you thinks you're simply checking today's to-do list, whilst you're safe in the knowledge (thanks to the in-organiser mirror) that your makeup is just fine. And there was no need to worry about carrying a full size bottle of perfume in your handbag - out pops the Perfume Pen Atomiser and voila! You've got an instant spritz of your favourite scent with no fuss.

I love the choice of design, there's three options to choose from; a hot pink leather-look, an oatmeal 'snakeskin' design and the trendy kitsch 'Fresco' fabric. I'm particularly smitten with the uber sophisticated Oatmeal, I love classic looking stationary so this is my favourite.

The Filofax Beauty Gift Box makes a brilliant gift idea for the girl-on-the-go. But I get the inkling you may well want to treat yourself with this... just as well that it comes with a Beauty Voucher worth up to £100. The voucher is redeemable against either a free treatment, a haircut and finish or a fashion makeover session. So you can indulge yourself with the Organiser and pamper a friend or family too. Result!

To buy visit www.filofaxgifts.co.uk or call 08705 143702. Be quick, it's a limited edition release and only available via the website so when it's gone, it's gone.