Etsy House - London Pop-Up Event

Still working on your Christmas shopping? There's no need to panic just yet! We here at The Amazing Blog have discovered the perfect event to find items from all over the world and finally get that Christmas shopping taken care of.

After a successful pop-up shop in Soho, New York last year, Etsy.com, the world’s most vibrant handmade and vintage online marketplace, has announced its first UK pop-up shop in Covent Garden this weekend.

Etsy House will be open for three days, selling a selection of the best handmade and vintage gifts from over 100 independent creative businesses across the UK. With handmade presents, home decorations, jewellery, stationery and more for sale, Etsy House will provide customers with a convenient online shopping experience mixed with the fun and surprise of discovering something new in person.

Visitors will be able to watch live crafting by Etsy artisans, take part in workshops led by Etsy designers and have gifts customised by makers in store. It's the perfect place to shop for those 'hard to buy for' friends and relatives, who seem to already have everything.

Etsy House will open in London from 5th -7th December at 5 Great Newport Street, London, WC2H 7HY (nearest tube Leicester Square) from 10am - 8pm on Friday and Saturday and from 12pm - 6pm on Sunday. So if you're looking for a little inspiration this Christmas, pop down to the pop-up event. You're bound to find a unique gift for your loved ones.

Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair This Weekend

Still trying to figure out when you’ll have the time to go Christmas shopping? Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair is here to help. The last fair of the year takes place just in time for everyone at The Amazing Blog offices and all of you to check off some names on your Christmas shopping list.

The vision behind Clerkenwell was a vintage ‘experience’ with traders from all over the globe. They also offer on-the-spot alterations, a vintage salon, personal shoppers, vintage style experts, resident artists, a florist and live music.

You’ll find a huge variety of products with over 50 stall holders containing designers dresses, pearl earrings, men’s silk ties, suits and pocket squares to vintage sewing patterns, haberdashery and more.

All of the traders are handpicked for selling top quality, authentic vintage, which will increase in value as time goes on; and when we say authentic vintage, we are talking about garments and accessories dating back to the 1800s. The newest accessories you will find are from the 1980s so trust us when we say that shopping at a vintage wonderland fair is the perfect way to find something that's one-of-a-kind. 

Plus, if you get tired of carrying around all of those shopping bags, you can sit down, relax and enjoy delicious food and refreshments in the English tea room.

It's about time you getting that Christmas shopping taken care of so make sure you attend Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair's last fair of the year on Sunday 23rd November between 11am – 5pm. It's £4 entry or £2 with an NUS card.

Beauty Shortlist Awards 2015

Calling all beauty lovers! The prestigious Beauty Shortlist will hold its fourth annual awards next year on the first day of spring, Friday 20 March, 2015.

For the first time, the awards will include Men’s Grooming as well as expanded Health Supplement categories.

Don’t forget! The deadline to enter your products for the awards will close much earlier this year, at midnight on Friday 12 December.

The new Men’s categories include:

Best Grooming Product

Best Skincare Brand for Men

Best Skincare Product for Men

Best Fragrance

Best Cleanser

Best Shaving Product

Best Body Wash    

The new Health categories include: 

Best Health Supplement  - Overall Wellbeing (tablet form)

Best Health Supplement  - Overall Wellbeing (powder or drink)

Best Health Supplement – Targeted (e.g. skin/hair/digestive system, etc.) – tablet form

Best Health Supplement – Targeted (e.g. skin/hair/digestive system, etc.) – powder or drink

Best Supergreen Powder Superfood

Best Healthy Snack or Food Bar

Best Health/Herbal Tea (single infusion)

Best Health/Herbal Tea (blend)

For full details and the complete category listings, please visit The Beauty Shortlist here.

For more information contact Fiona Klonarides, Editor, The Beauty Shortlist.

The Draycott Nursing & Care Carol Service In Aid Of Canine Partners

The festive season is fast approaching, and with it comes the planning of one’s Christmas calendar. If you’re looking to do your good deed this Christmas, then join Draycott Nursing & Care Charity Carol Service to raise monies for Canine Partners.

This year’s celebrity readers joining the event are ITV’s Brideshead Revisited star Anthony Andrews, BBC’s eminent journalist Esther Rantzen and applauded opera singer Constance Novis.

The Carol Service this year will be held in the heart of Chelsea, at the Holy Trinity Church in Sloane Square, SW1X, London on Monday 15th December at 6.30pm.

The beautiful place of worship is an excellent example of the Arts and Crafts Movement. The former Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman called Holy Trinity church the ‘Cathedral of the Arts and Crafts movement’ and that indeed is what it is, containing treasures by William Morris, Edward Burne Jones, Christopher Whall, Henry Hugh Armstead, Frederick William Pomeroy among many other skilled artists of the Arts and Crafts movement.

All the funds raised during the evening will go directly to help train the assistant dogs for Canine Partners. These highly skilled dogs help a disabled person with everyday tasks and maintain their independence. These amazing dogs bring greater independence and a better quality of life by performing tasks that are difficult, painful or even impossible for their partners, such as opening and shutting doors, unloading the washing machine, picking up dropped items, pressing buttons and emergency response.

Of course, the adorable dogs will be attending the event, handing out programmes and helping people to their seats. Take a look at our video, and see if you can resist the cuddly canine companions.

It’s sure to be a wonderful Christmas celebration with everyone’s favourite carols and readings, whilst raising money for an incredibly worthy cause.

Tickets are £20 (adults), £10 (children – 12 years and under) and include festive refreshments and canapés after the service. You can buy your tickets now through the Canine Partners website. Alternatively, if you need more information, want to book tickets or make a donation, please contact at Paula Dagger on carolservice@draycottnursing.co.uk at Draycott Nursing & Care or call 0207 351 7171.

Maison Dog

A dog is a man’s best friend! We at The Amazing Blog love to spoil our pets, and we believe that The Maison Dog is the perfect shop for furry fanatics of all kinds. The Maison Dog just opened its first store in East Dulwich on October 4th. Their website is split into two stores that you can access through the two front doors- ‘Antique Dog’ and ‘Retro Dog’, depending on which you prefer. ‘Antique Dog’ specialises in canine collectibles sourced from all around the globe, while the concept behind ‘Retro Dog’ is that of eco awareness and sustainability. Not really a dog person? Well, for you cat people out there, ‘Maison Kitten’ provides a small range of feline inspired collectibles and antiques as well.

Aside from their gorgeous canine antiques and collectibles, the shop also sells their own range of top quality leashes and collars, all made in England by a top saddlery maker in the finest leather and brass. They will also have luxury dog beds and blankets, toys and other accessories available for purchase.

Finally, the shop offers a fun feature called “Dog of the Week,” starring photographs of real pets sent in by people like you. In order to have a chance at getting your pet featured, send photos of your dog to maisondoglondon@gmail.com and tell the Maison Dog staff all about your little friend. If you are interested in having your pet become “Dog of the Week,” please include the name, sex, likes, dislikes, their favourite food and their favourite toy.

No matter what kind of animal you love or what kind of pet you may have, there is a little something for everyone who genuinely loves their pet. Visit the Maison Dog’s new store at 20 Northcross Road, London SE22 9EU or give them a call at 020 8299 3390.

Take a look at Maison Dog and everything they have to offer here.