Roses

The Magic Flower Company

We know you might not want to hear this, but, winter is well and truly coming. Although this resonates with dark early evenings, and dreary and grey days, we at The Amazing Blog try to marry up the cosiness of hygge, and brightness of limited daylight. When we came upon the Magic Flower Company, you can’t imagine our excitement at discovering that their fresh flowers last for up to one year! What better way to brighten up your home than with freshly cut flowers that don’t require water, remaining hassle-free all year round. We were more than rather impressed with their Magic Roses, Magic Foliage and Magic Flower Arrangements.

Based in a small village in Suffolk, The Magic Flower Company was founded by entrepeneur Jack Hinshelwood. His company harvests flowers at their peak, preserving them with a unique biodegradable preservation formula. On the website, there is a plethora of floral arrangements which are regularly updated on a seasonal basis. We received 12 Antique Cream Premium Magic Roses, which were delivered in a stylish black box through the post. As you can see from the photo (above), they are the perfect ‘winter white’ and 9 months on, still have pride of place in our office. We cannot urge you strongly enough to invest in these beautiful long-lasting roses - frankly for us, gone are the days of receiving half dead and wilted flowers from a florist’s delivery van!

The designs come in different sizes and prices, which are adapted to meet popular trends and styles, and we rather like the statement flowers of the Cream Hatbox Design. Furthermore, on their website, they offer different gifting options, such as the Mini Present Box or Presentation Rose, which offer more simplistic arrangements. The flowers are available here in different styles, all of which are updated on a monthly basis. To purchase your own Antique Cream Magic Rose, then click here. A single rose is £8.95, or treat yourself to a magic 12 for £94.95.

Alteya Organics - Rose Face Wash & Organic Bulgarian Rose Water

Alteya Organics If there’s a topic that we love talking about at The Amazing Blog’s HQ is skincare – we all have grown into loving and taking care of our skin since we’re surrounded by beauty products 24/7. Our Executive Editor Edwina is very hot on using the right brands, looking up ingredients and using the best of the best for your skin. Having her wide skincare knowledge at our disposal on an everyday basis has definitely changed our mind set for good when it comes to taking care of our pretty faces.

Edwina herself and the girls at The Amazing Blog got overly excited when Alteya Organics products arrived to the office; Certified Organic Skincare with Roses as the main ingredient? Yes, please.

I have been using the Alteya Organics Rose Face Wash for a while now and I just love it. I was quite weary of using a gel cleanser of my skin, as previous experiences involving this consistency have been fatal, leading to overly dry skin. So before giving this face wash a go, I firstly read through its list of ingredients and immediately thought “this is beautiful”… and the very first use didn’t disappoint at all. The texture is something in between a gel and a liquid that when mixed with water, lathers up into this velvety and gentle foam. I massage this for a couple of minutes on my face and neck every morning and evening, take a flannel soaked in lukewarm water and rinse it. My skin feels hydrated and very clean after each use.

I pat dry my skin and I follow my regime with their Organic Rose Water. This water can be used after cleansing or having a shower, after sun exposure and working out too. I personally love multipurpose products; and this Rose Water has worked wonders as a toner. I spray in on my skin directly and let it soak in for a couple of minutes and then pat it dry with a cotton pad. After this step I apply my serums, treatments and moisturiser as usual.

My overview on Alteya Organics’ products is really positive. The products are Certified Organic, they are made from the most beautiful ingredients and they just work. I am really looking forward into trying more products by them!

The Rose Face Wash retails at £14.50 and the Organic Bulgarian Rose Water at £7.95. You can purchase these skincare gems from Amazon.

Valentine's Day

At The Amazing Blog, what could bring us more joy than Valentine’s Day. The day filled entirely with love, chocolates, and presents. Here at The Amazing Blog we have sorted out through different chocolates, beauty items, home accessories, and events going on in London to help you pick out the best gifts and nightly activities for that special someone. 3 heart boxesLe Creuset have just come out with a stylish three piece mini heart set right in time for Valentine’s Day! These new pint-sized heart shaped dishes have a cute appeal to them. They come in three complementary colours, Cerise, Cassis, and Rose. These mini heart shaped dishes are ideal for three small dessert puddings to share with each other. You don't have to look any further than these mini heart shaped boxes to give a great impression. This is a perfect gift to give someone very special and watch their face light up when you reveal your special desserts inside each of these dishes! The Le Creuset of 3 Stoneware Heart Mini’s can be purchased on-line and in stores for a reasonable £32.

love hand

Give the gift that will help spruce up your house and also give back to others! With Fine Cell Work cushions you are not only getting a hand made cushion but you are also helping others in prison. Approximately 100 hours of work goes into each handmade product. Fine Cell Work has all different types of cushions for Valentine’s Day that could become a new asset in your home. We love the Daisy De Villeneuve – Love Hand in particular. With the bright and funky styles that this cushion is designed with, it’s a great way to add some colour in the room. These designs were hand-drawn by illustrator Daisy De Villeneuve. When you purchase these cushions, it helps rehabilitate inmates in prison because they are given the opportunity to earn money and stay out of trouble. This cushion can be purchased in stores and on line for £45, not bad if you ask me!

Hold Me Tight

Always have your hands around her heart when you give her the Dia Boutique Hold Me Tight” Necklace. This necklace is the perfect symbol of your love. With the two hands clenching onto her heart it's a romantic gesture and something she will always wear. This necklace combines a touch of humour with a romantic spin. This Valentine’s Day, give her the perfect “I Love You” necklace with the "Hold Me Tight” by Dia Boutique. You can purchase “Hold Me Tight” online or in stores for £91.37.

Petali di Rose HR 2

The smell of roses is all around on Valentine’s Day, but why does that have to end so soon? Give you loved one a gift of an exotic blend of rose petals that can last long after the roses have faded. With Senti’s Petali di Rose home fragrance, the smells of the exotic Turkish rose gives off a sense of rich elegance. The women can pamper their significant other with the delightful Cuoio e Radica that gives off a subtle Leather and Wood scent. Dr. Vranjes considered the scents that would please give off a feminine scent and a masculine scent. The Petali di Rose for ‘her’ and the Cuoio e Radica for ‘him’ is available in the Senti store or online for £49.50 for a 250ml size diffuser.rose garden boxJohn Bell & Croyden hand selected some great Valentine’s Day gift sets for both him and her. We love the Rose Garden gift box that has four fabulous beauty items wrapped up in one box. The Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater Body Lotion moisturizes the skin with the perfect blend of Shea butter, rose, evening primrose, almond, and coconut oils. With the Marny’s Rose Hip Oil it keeps your skin, nails, and hair healthy while helping with signs of anti-aging. The Woods of Windsor Rose scented draw liners, give off an elegant scent of true rose petals. The last part of this gift set is the Le Petit Oliver Rose soap that will make your body soft and give off a fresh smell. You can purchase this lovely gift set for £48 online or from the John Bell & Croyden store.

V-Day Gift Set

We have always loved Korres products and found out they were featuring a Valentine’s Day gift set that is a ‘must-have’! The Korres Roses and Love 3-piece collection lets your body be lavished with rose scents. This gift set includes a Japanese Rose Shower Gel, Japanese Rose Body Butter, and Wild Rose Lip Butter. These three separate items provides an aromatic bathing experience while soothing the skin. The Japanese Rose Body Butter maintains the skin’s natural moisture level and releases a subtle scent of roses that linger on. With the spring around the corner, this 3-piece Korres collection will have your skin feeling fresh and smelling amazing! Korres products are available from a number of retailers such as ASOS and Look Fantastic for £20, which is a great price for these full sized products.

truffles

Chocolate is the key to everyone’s heart, especially ours. Charbonnel et Walker have been providing Britain with their handmade chocolates since 1875 and are still chocolate lover’s heaven. Their Valentine feature chocolate is their Strawberry White Truffles. These truffles make your mouth water before you even pop one in! They have a hard outside layer of white chocolate followed by a creamy chocolate and strawberry inside, topped off with a piece of real strawberry. The Strawberry White Truffle certainly got everyone in a happy mood! This piece of delicate chocolate provides the perfect mix of creamy goodness in each bite. The Charbonnel et Walker Strawberry White Truffle can be purchased for £11.95 in stores or on-line.

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On Patisserie has provided their customers with a Valentine’s Day treat! The beautifully hand decorated macarons aren’t only for show but they are delicious with every bite! These are very light cookies made with a very flavorful icing filling. The Valentine’s Day box comes with 12 glittered and decorated macarons. This is the perfect night night-cap snack after spending the holiday with each other. They will be available from the On Patisserie's stall at Real Food Market Southbank for £16.50 a gift box of 12 or £10 for a gift bag of 6 pieces. You can also purchase On Patisserie's Valentine's Day Macarons on-line for £18.50.

tea dance2

Want to sweep your loved one right off her feet? Canary Wharf group has the perfect arrangement for a romantic and eventful night out on the town. The Valentine’s Tea Dance includes an array of vintage teas, cakes, finger sandwiches and professional instructors to teach you some dance moves to impress one another. These dances will include the waltz, tango, and cha-cha. Upon arrival there will be a complimentary glass of bubbly and a full cash bar. Dance the night away alongside with the Berkeley Square Society Band for only £12. You can purchase tickets here or call 0871 220 0260.

 

Roses are red, violets are blue...

Alas, Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and with it comes the influx of the biggest advertising push of the year so far, with flowers, romantic meals and bubble baths-a-plenty on every platform going. From heart-shaped cupcakes, to pink champagne and a dozen red roses, it’s hard to avoid the overload of clichés that the most romantic day of the year brings.

Thus, as always, we at The Amazing Blog set ourselves the challenge of finding an alternative way to celebrate Valentine’s Day – particularly for those single gals among us! Not wanting to gate-crash a candle-lit restaurant, nor being thrilled at the prospect of a one-off special Valentine's Day viewing of Baz Lurman’s Romeo & Juliet - bound to be chock-full with canoodling couples - we decided to look further afield.

Happily, it wasn't long before we stumbled across the London Jewellery School, the UK's largest independent jewellery training centre based in london's most famous jewellery quarter - Hatton Garden. They have a huge spectrum of classes to chose from including both day workshops and evening classes, and with over 20 world-class jewellery tutors and two fully-equipped jewellery studios, there's something for everyone at London Jewellery School.

And getting in the mood for all things love-themed, the London Jewellery School is putting on a three hour-long workshop this Sunday, perfect for anyone wanting to make their loved-one, or indeed, themselves, a timeless trinket. For just £45 + VAT participants will be guided by a professional jeweller in how to make a solid silver 'Love Heart' style charm using a fantastic material called metal clay. At the end of the session all those taking part will receive a finished silver charm to take away in a lovely gift bag all ready to present to your Valentine. or, in the case of a singleton, yourself!

For full details and booking please visit their website.