Tag Archives: Christmas

Creating Memories From Scratch: Christmas Craft Ideas for the Whole Family

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GarlandIt’s not easy finding the perfect Christmas decoration. Most people either spend too much money and aren’t totally satisfied with their purchase or they don’t spend enough, and lament over the near non-existence of decorations. Here’s how to make the perfect gifts from scratch and get everything you’ve ever wanted without spending a fortune.

The Softball Ornament

This one is easy. Go down to a sporting goods store and pick up a softball. Now, wrap it up in leftover fabric to make a unique ornament. The best ornaments will be wrapped in brightly-colored, Christmas-themed, fabrics. Use crafter’s glue to hold the fabric in place.

Attach a string to one side of the ball, preferably where the fabric comes together. Tie it off with a bow or get some ribbon to make it look pretty.

Now you have something you can hang on your tree or give to a friend or loved one.

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Welcome Guests to Your Home

If you’re struggling with ideas on how to decorate your home, start with the hallway. It’s the first thing people see when they come to your home.

You can give your guests a dramatic welcome by placing a pair of inexpensive plastic urns at the front door. You can pick these urns up at most garden centres, and dress them up with miniature Christmas trees. And, if you don’t want to purchase miniature trees, break off a few branches from a pine or similar tree.

Decorate it, and they will become quaint little “Charlie Brown Christmas trees”.

Easy Table Toppers

You have two choices here:

  1. Go out to a Black Friday event and pick up pine cone Christmas decorations. Or;
  2. Make them yourself. Most people can find pine cones out in the front garden or in a local park.

Once you gather up a few cones, you can dry them out, spritz them with cinnamon essential oils, and then glue them together. Put a decorative garland underneath each cone and it becomes a pro-grade table topper.

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Splurge On Raw Materials and Snake Ideas from Boutique Stores

OK, there are times when you just have to attend in-store events for ideas. It might even be a good idea to splurge and buy some decorations – especially if you find something that’s way beyond your crafting abilities.

But, really, the reason to go to a Black Friday event or pick up some Black Friday deals is to get ideas, and maybe some raw materials for your decorations.

Example: Let’s say you waltz into a high end department store. You know you’re not going to buy anything because a wooden apple costs £20, and a hand towel will set you back at least £50.

But, you see a centerpiece that’s basically a serving dish with fruit in it. The arrangement is pretty unique. Is it something that could inspire you to make something similar? Probably. If you make some time and with a bit of planning, you could probably even come up with something better, unique and something that compliments your style

 

Deena Nelson has been running local craft workshops for years and likes to share her tips and ideas with an online audience as well. She is frequent contributor for a number of craft and lifestyle websites.

Portable North Pole spreads Christmas Cheer

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One of the most magical things about having a child is their belief in Father Christmas. I have always been a lover of all things Christmassy, but my joy in the festive season changed completely when I was once again able to see if through a child’s eyes. My Joe is almost 11, m not entirely sure he still believes in Santa, when he receives a message from the man himself through Portable North Pole,he still gets really excited, although trying to act cool. It is a real magical moment.

Portable North Pole is a brilliant concept which delivers a personal message to your child from Santa, direct from the North Pole.  Very easy to create, you can upload all the things that make the message personalized, from photographs of your child on special occasions, a picture of your house so Santa can show he knows exactly where you live, and also information about what your child would like as a gift, any special achievements this year, and even the names of friends which are added to Santa’s library. The attention to detail is unique and impressive, and the video are also funny, this year they have added more, from The Magic Carousel, The wrapping machine and the elves magic door. There are also calls from the Man in red himself that can be added to your package.

This year, Christmas Eve will be even more magical than ever thanks to the brand new special multi-device scenario straight from Santa’s sleigh delivered on Christmas Eve! Children will join Santa as he reviews his flight plan for the big night in a personalised video message for an excited child or children – the perfect way to get them to go to bed early too! 

Here’s a full list of what’s new this year:

  • A brand new special multi-device scenario straight from Santa’s sleigh on Christmas eve with a personalised video message from Santa on one device (desktop, smartphone, or tablet) and integrated into the video message is a call from Santa to your phone during the video message. This message can be made for one child or the whole family. * 
  • 2019 kids and grown-up editions of our free personalised cinematic video messages from Santa with amazing outdoor shots featuring husky dogs and reindeers.
  • Download messages in 1080 HD.*
  • An all-new Premium personalised birthday message from Santa that can be enjoyed all year long. *
  • A total of five new Premium personalised videos with even more ways to personalise the message. *
  • Another new multi-device Premium video scenario with a group option. This is great for parents looking to encourage good behaviour from their children in the days leading up to Christmas.*
  • Two new Premium personalised video calls. *
  • Six new Premium personalised voice calls. *
  • The Reaction Recorder is now available on Google Chrome for desktop and laptop, as well as on the PNP mobile app to capture the moment your little one realises it’s Santa speaking to them directly on one of our Premium videos to create a lifetime keepsake.*
  • Fun games in the Kid’s Corner section on the PNP mobile app for year-round play.
  • New personalisation options. Santa will know even more about your loved one, than ever before.*

This is such a wonderful idea that adds a little more Christmas sparkle to the most wonderful time of the year.

Check out all the products offered by PNP by clicking here.

How to Dress to Impress This Christmas

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 Christmas is a season for love, joy, and peace, and the season to let your hair down, get glam, and dress to impress. It is party season, a time when you have every excuse to get your glam on. Most work environments have an office Christmas party where the food and drink is generous,and then there are family occasions, nights out with friends, and a movie date night with the hubby. The time is right for getting out and about, even if you live in pyjamas for the majority of the year. 

If you want to stand out from the crowd, you may need to invest in your wardrobe. Relying on a dress that has been in your closet for five years might not be the fit of current fashion today, so a fashion investment for your Christmas party may be necessary. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to look good, you can find perfect vintage styles and preloved clothing that you can customise, or just wear as it is in a retro look. If you are buying clothes online, you certainly shouldn’t just but the first thing you see without checking you can get it cheaper, you need to look for voucher codes, special offers, free delivery offers, literally everything you can that will save you money. Dontpayfull has some great deals for clothing and fashion, these may help you to get the shoes and the bag as well as the killer dress.
christmas-and-new-years-eve-party-looks-inspiration-31Feel Good Look Good
What you choose to wear to a Christmas party can say a lot about your personality and how you feel about yourself. Dress for yourself and your outfit will display your confidence, but try to impress wearing something that you feel uncomfortable in and this can be counterproductive. You don’t have to opt for something revealing or too clingy, you will feel more confident if you are comfortable and love your look. Try a midi dress if you have a curvaceous body, or a crop top with high waisted trousers if you are naturally slim with a boyish figure. Long sleeves are also fine, it is Winter after all, and, as Lydia Bright proves, they can look amazing on the right dress.60e9e928457f9105cd3f2ac39b0ccde6rexfeatures_6908342ao-v2-745x1024abbey-clancy-1135807_h113606_l_w650Try Quirky and Different
If fast fashion is not on your radar, you might be interested in quirky or vintage fashion. Vintage fashion is not for everyone, but if you can carry off this look wear it with pride. Vintage items are about finding your own fashion style and era. Think polka dots, sixties style dresses, mini or maxi skirts, and colourful short fitted jackets. This look relies on a confident individual who will be complimented numerous times on the outfit. Difference is good with fashion. You might not always be the latest trendsetter, but a colourful outfit quirky or vintage outfit makes a statement about who you are and your signature style.floral-appliques-lovely-way-add-texture-charmDitch the Black
Black is the classic colour when it comes to style, Coco Chanel and many others that have followed know the allure of the Little Black Dress. Nothing beats the little black dress when it comes to elegance, and it can also be slimming’ which can add to your confidence, particularly if you don’t usually wear dresses. But whilst black can be slimming and elegant, it can also boring, especially at Christmas time. If you choose to wear black, you could opt for a sequined effort, or glamorous lace, or you could choose to add an item of clothing in a bright  shade to wear with your black jacket or trousers/skirt.
cbb_emmaWEST HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 28: Actress Kate Upton attends Michael Sugar, Doug Wald, and Steve Golin's Pre-Oscar Party hosted by GREY GOOSE Vodka at Sunset Tower on February 28, 2016 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Grey Goose)