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.

Affordable Festive Finds

We are almost done with the first week of December, so if you haven’t already started helping Santa out with filling stockings then you best get cracking. Our day five of Festive Finds is inspired by the most exciting part of Christmas for a lot of children…opening stockings at 4am and leaving all the wrapping paper for Mum and Dad to clear up. The Amazing Blog knows how tricky it can be to get that stocking (or pillowcase) filled to the brim with lots of little goodies, so here are some suggestions that will go down a treat with the kids.

Fickle Tattoos are perfect for adding even more entertainment into Christmas morning and will keep the young ones quiet for a while. There are hundreds of designs of temporary tattoos, ranging in colours, size and theme so that you can choose something tailored to the personality and interests of your child. Something I find more special about these temporary tattoos than others is how they are designed by a handful of unique and creative illustrators who regularly create new drawings. You can read about each of them on the webpage, it makes the tattoo gift a little more personal and sweet. It’s a great little stocking filler to keep the kids happy whilst breakfast is being prepared, so have a browse here and discover their variety of quirky designs.

Another low-priced, petite stocking filler which also has the benefit of engaging kids for hours is the In a Matchbox White Christmas. Every year there is anticipation over whether there will be snow or not. There are kids lining up at the door or peering out the window with hats and gloves on ready to enjoy the snow. However, recently nature hasn’t been so reliable and snow either melts right away or doesn’t fall at all. White Christmas in a match box will help avoid disappointment in case we are left snowless this year because…it’s fake snow! All you need to do is freeze the snow for a few hours and then you’re ready to decorate your house and garden with snow that is guaranteed to stay put. I’ll be covering plants indoors and window stills to add a little festivity into my home this month. Maybe you have teenagers and need to fill their stockings with more grown-up gifts which can sometimes be a bit trickier as a sparkly pencil or toy car just won’t cut it this year. We suggest the Save the Blow Dry Cap for young ladies to enjoy. Did you know we spend over two hours a week blow-drying our hair? Save the Blow Dry has come up with a solution to do just that, save your blow dry! The cap is waterproof and made with absorbent micro-weave towelling so that it leaves your hair fabulously soft and bouncy. It’s a smart gift for girls as I’m sure lots of Christmas and New Year parties have been planned. We all want to say goodbye to 2013 looking our best. This gift is guaranteed to please your teen and leave them without reason to moan or complain on the special festive day. It’s only £14.95 and can be found here.

This gift is the epitome of ‘best of both worlds’ in terms of presents. Which two gifts are always a safe choice for everyone and will never be a let down? Chocolate and Flowers... However, flowers don’t make the best stocking filler as they are fragile and demand a lot of attention, and well, we guess you’ve probably bought a fair bit of chocolate already. So, these Chocolate Scented Grow Your Own Flowers found on Prezzybox and in Tesco, combine both the two to make charming stocking fillers. The flowers are for you to grow, so no squashing goes on in the stocking. Everybody loves growing flowers, and there is always a huge excitement when they completely develop, especially as these are daisies which are always lovely. You are given chocolate daisy seeds and lovely looking coconut husk starter pots to begin with, so move aside Alan Titchmarsh, because we have chocolate scented flowers.

All stockings need something edible amongst the wrapping paper, be it chocolate coins or tangerines, it’s a crucial part because there is no better guilty pleasure than stuffing your face in the early hours of the day when you should really be sleeping. If your children are messy with chocolate and leave wrapper trails as if they are re-enacting Hansel and Gretel, then worry no more... Pots & Co has a tasty selection of desserts in wonderfully designed pots to make things a little less untidy. Some of our favourite flavours are the Chocolate & Orange Pot, Caramelised Apple Crumble and the Sticky Toffee Pudding but there are also lots more to choose from. We do realise that this may not be the classic stocking filler food, but we also know lots of families like to do something a little different to surprise their children. These gorgeously creamy puddings will do just that. Even the photographs of them look edible, so that must be a good thing!  Have a look here at the delicious collection of puds for your nearest stockist.

A more familiar brand at Christmas is Lush as they always have beautiful bath and shower gifts to give away. Some items come out every year and we get to look forward to seeing them on the shelves. However, other products are new and exciting and never disappoint those loyal Lush users because they always put the same passion into all the products. The Lush Christmas Fun is made up of Red Fun, Green Fun and Gold Fun, too much ‘fun’ in one sentence? These are a lovely blend of four products in one which you can use as a soap, bubble bath, shampoo and play. There is a refreshing citrus included in the ingredients for the Red Fun and Green Fun and a comforting honey in the Gold Fun. I know I would definitely be happy to receive this for Christmas! Lush are a great brand that have a huge amount of reliable and wonderful products for everyone to enjoy.This little multipurpose trio is £6.50 and found here.

Tweezers are always a good shout if you’re stuck on present ideas. It’s the kind of thing everyone needs, male or female, so is a safe idea to fill that stocking a bit more. The Vintage Cosmetic Company have a sweet selection of tweezers which includes their festive pair, the Limited Edition Christmas Tweezers. These £8 tweezers are very cute and inspired by the 1950’s. The colour makes them look a bit more attractive than your every day tweezers, so definitely something you will find yourself keeping for a long time. Usually we want to keep our tweezers tucked away in our wash bag but with these they will be out on display for all to see. The colour is lovely and you can have a look here.

Last but not least, the most colourful and practical present for The Amazing Blog stocking suggestions, the Happy Jackson Lovely Things Wash Bag. It’s so simple and endearing, and the sort of present you can’t wait to start filling with all the cosmetics you accumulate over Christmas. It’s the perfect material to prevent stains and water damage and is also sized just right for travel. Depending on the age of your children though it could be anything, maybe even a pencil case? There is no use specification so would suit any age and gender as a stocking filler. I would have loved to get one of these in my stocking when I was younger, especially because you gather a lot of extra wash stuff across the season so end up buying a new one anyway. It’s bought for £11.66 here, there are lots of other stunning gifts from Happy Jackson worth taking a look at too.

 

Cats & Dogs Festive Finds

Day 2 of our festive finds week and we think it’s important to show our four-legged friends how much we appreciate their company all year round. Here at The Amazing Blog we are huge animal lovers and when it comes to Christmas we cannot help but spoil our pets with some Christmas presents too. So here are some of our favourite pet gifts this year we are sure you will love as much as we do.

Top Pooch is the place to go for stylish and patterned collars for your dog. We love their wide range of vintage inspired fabric collars made with bright and bold patterns that are perfect for any fashion conscious pooch. One of our favourites is a unisex option, the Classic Houndstooth Collar, it is simple yet stylish. Not only can you have a gorgeous patterned collar, you can also buy a matching lead, and the best part: Collar accessories. We love the doggy Bow Ties as they simply slide onto the collar to complete your dog’s sophisticated look. There is a large range of patterns on offer, including a London and Royal themed collection. You can also get hold of matching bows and bandanas. These wonderful collars and accessories can be purchased from the Top Pooch website. Collars retail from £11, and accessories from £5.

Just like children, all dogs want to open up a toy on Christmas day, and we have found the perfect toy for dogs who love… technology, and you would be surprised at how appealing an iPhone style toy can be to your canine friends. Now your dog can be as tech-savvy as you, with the Anything Dogz iBone Phone Toy.  This plush dog toy looks just like a smart phone complete with dog apps carefully embroidered onto the fabric. The material used to make the toy is very durable so it is long lasting and there are also no small parts for your dog to swallow. We think that this toy is just right for dogs on the move a lot and very excitable as it is small enough to take out and about with you. If you want to treat your pet to the latest addition to dog gadgetry, you can get the iBone Phone Toy from Anything Dogz for £11.50.

While we all know that a dog is for life and not just for Christmas, some of our very lucky readers may be getting a new puppy in time for Christmas. What better way to welcome them to your family than with the Hair of The Dog Puppy Starter Kit Hampers. The kits come in two varieties depending on the sex of your puppy to make sure you get treats perfectly suited to the puppy’s gender. The hamper gifts come in a beautiful vintage looking suitcase either in pink or blue. Inside the hampers are a beautiful selection of handpicked products that are perfect to get you started and treat your new puppy too. Every hamper includes some Lily’s Biscuits or Treats, a chew toy, a red and ruby edible greetings card or a teething toy, a training clicker and a towel or grooming product. We think this hamper makes the perfect gift for any new addition to the family as it is full of all the essentials your puppy will need. The Puppy Starter Kits are priced at £36.50 for a girl and £34.30 for a boy and can be purchased from the Hair Of The Dog website, where there is also a version especially for kittens.

Most cats often need something to get their claws into, and instead of your furniture being ripped to shreds, there is an alternative. This Christmas we think your kitty would love to be treated to The Pampered Pet Great and Small Hammock Playground. Not only does it feature scratching posts, but it is a three tiered kingdom for your cat to rule. The Playground features play balls hanging from the upper tier that are sure to keep cats of any age amused. There is also a hammock where your cat can snooze the afternoon away. The Hammock Playground is made of soft fabric to ensure your fury friend is always comfy, but underneath lies hardwearing sisal to prevent damage from claws. It’s a far more exciting present for your cat than those ordinary scratching posts that all the cats in the neighbourhood have…It will keep your pet entertained for hours. You can get the Great and Small Hammock Playground from The Pampered Pet for just £44.99.

Cats old or young are very playful, and if they aren’t clawing at their scratching post (or your curtains if you’re not so lucky) then they are keeping themselves busy with cat toys. We have found these gorgeous Viva Le Chat Catnip Mice from Hair of the Dog. These lovely little mice are hand knitted in the USA and stuffed with Cosmic Catnip. It is a very potent form of catnip that your kitty will go mad for too. The wool is knitted very tightly to make sure that even with the roughest play the catnip will stay secure inside the mouse. As the mice are hand-made they come in a whole variety of colours and patterns. The Viva Le Chat Catnip Mice can be bought from the Hair of the Dog website for £8.50, and we will definitely adding this to our pets stocking this year.

If your pets like the finer things in life, maybe it is time to update their bowl to something a bit classier that the average plastic bowl. We love this beautiful ceramic Cat Bowl Meow from Mungo & Maud. They have a chic and classic design with gorgeous fish bone illustrations, and your cat will be sure to love dining from it. There is also another version of the design featuring a fish bowl illustration. As the bowl is ceramic, it will be heavier and less likely to move as your cat eats so there is less mess to clean up. Even better, the bowl is dishwasher safe so just pop it in every now and then like you do with your own dishes and it’ll be spotless and ready to use again in no time. You can treat your cat to one of the Mungo & Maud bowls from their website where they retail at £28. Hashtagdogtag is a unique brand bought together by two artists with a love for animals and especially their dogs. The concept is about showing off a dog’s personality through their own hash tag. The ladies behind these wonderful creations artistically make one off pieces with details to emphasise what your pup loves. The tags are worn on collars and give a bit of animal individuality, they are bound to cause some jealously in the park. This Christmas you can treat your dog to one of these customised tags which use the finest quality materials. There are many sizes, styles and combinations to choose from so you can really summarise your dog’s character. We think these tags are very sweet and definitely worth a purchase. They add a little style to your dogs attire whilst also storing necessary information on it. They are found here and vary in price depending on how much your dogs deserves!

Oggi’s Oven has designed the perfect treat for your pups this Christmas. The Christmas Gift Pack allows you to enjoy your pups present just as much as they will. You get to do some fun baking whilst your dog sits watching desperately with puppy eyes before eventually devouring them, there’s enjoyment for everyone. One thing we really like about this brand is their products are completely additive and preservative free, making it a pleasant and healthy alternative to some of that fattening and unhealthy processed rubbish you can find in supermarkets. Oggi launched with 2 objectives, to help tackle animal obesity and to encourage children to get involved in caring for the family pet. The brand values and the concept behind the products are very admirable and appealing. There’s lots of fun to be had with these kits and a great way to get everyone together in this festive season. Now your pets don’t need to be eating your roast and pudding leftovers on Christmas day, they are part of the family after all. It really is the perfect gift idea this Christmas for everyone to enjoy together.  You can browse the stockists of the products here

 Tomorrow we have some exciting Christmas beauty gifts to share with you  for Festive Finds day three so make sure you have a read!

Foodie Festive Finds Week

We thought we would start December off with 5 days of festive finds to get you in the Christmas spirit. Today is day one and what better way to start than with food. It’s December, which means it’s nearly Christmas, which also means it’s time… It’s time to stuff our faces with everything and anything edible and bad for us in sight. Here at The Amazing Blog, we are very considerate of our readers so forced ourselves to test out flavoured marshmallows, creative chocolates, and biscuits, just for you. Ok, I’m lying, we very much enjoyed trying out all these wonderful treats and have found a bunch of great foods that you should definitely have around this Christmas. It’s fine because calories don’t count during the Christmas holidays, do they?

The Marshmallowists are challenging our traditional views of marshmallows as in the past they haven’t had a reputation for being full of flavour. However, that is soon to change as The Marshmallowists have flavours like Turkey and Cranberry, Christmas Pudding and Mulled Wine. These Christmas inspired ingredients are probably more appealing to the adult population, I know when I was little I wouldn’t have been brave enough to try them.  At first glance they may look a little strange but they really aren’t. They are interesting which is something a lot of people tend to look for with food because we are always able to eat the same old flavours, so why not mix it up a little? You can enjoy them by the fire on a cold, wintery evening and team them with a hot drink. They have plenty of flavours if these Christmassy ones don’t look too appetising to you, and you can browse them here. They are £6 for a box and certainly worth a try. They would be a great, quirky little gift to intrigue your friends and family this year as they are interesting and great for sharing.

Chocolate is the one thing most of us can’t say no to this month. There are temptations everywhere. Advent calendars in the kitchen to make us think of chocolate as soon as we wake up and gifts at work, there's no escape. We might as well give in and enjoy some of the tastiest chocolate around and Kingdom has a flavoursome collection of melt in the mouth chocolate for you to get your teeth into. Try and have a read of these delectable flavours without getting chocolate cravings, there is Double Choc Dark Mousse, Dark Chocolate & Orange with a Marmalade Centre, Milk Choc & Cappuccino, Milk Choc & Peanut Butter Centre, Dark Choc with Lemon & Lime and then the Milk Choc Rhubarb & Vanilla Centre. We genuinely took no longer than a day to demolish the lot in the office. The inviting and unique flavours made it so difficult to decide which to open first, so obviously we concluded that the fairest thing to do was open them all at once. We just won’t step on the weighing scales for a while…  They are all delicious, definitely a stocking filler that won’t disappoint. They are available in store or online at www.waitrose.com, you can even find them on Amazon.

If white chocolate is more your thing then don’t worry, we have found something for you as well.  The Montezuma White Chocolate Snowmen are packaged in a sweet little box which would look great as a stocking gift or under the tree to add a little extra excitement for Christmas morning. These Snowmen are delicious and the perfect size to nibble at throughout the holidays without making yourself sick. With these there are the Montezuma White Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls, yes, they do exist and yes they are as incredible as they sound. You may have noticed I am very fond of peanut butter chocolate, but it’s not just me, we all are, so they are bound to be popular with your family. They are described as ‘milk chocolate salted peanut butter truffle wrapped in a white chocolate shell’, that’s all I need to say… If you want to trick your subconscious into thinking that you’re having a healthy Christmas then try the Montezuma Christmas Mixed Fruitswhich are filled with flavour. We found them so tasty that they soon became the ultimate procrastination food in the office, with lots of ‘oh what flavour have you got there?’ and ‘That sounds nice, maybe I’ll try one’. You can find their prices and lots of other tasty things here.

Our last chocolate favourites are from Demarquette and we are very excited to introduce you to their festive collection this year as they never disappoint. The festive chocolates are plentiful and there’s no shortage of mouth-watering selection boxes to share around the house or buy as gifts for friends and family. They are packaged beautifully and with care so again they would be great presents. One of my personal favourites is the Chocolate Christmas Tree Gift Set, for £25 you can purchase this chocolaty and colourful treat. It comes with a chocolate tree and flavoured caramel baubles. To make this even more of a pleasant experience, some of the baubles are Cornish Sea Salt Caramel which is a scrumptious addition to the flavour.

The East India Company is the perfect 'go to' this Christmas if your looking for entertainment snacks. If we aren’t spoiling our taste buds rotten with chocolate then you will find us munching on biscuits elsewhere. Biscuits are great to have around in December as you never know who will be popping round to wish you a merry one. These can be to nibble on in the evening after a gigantic roast, or to have as party treats for all to enjoy.  Interesting biscuits are bound to be a crowd pleaser and the East India Company has some really brilliant flavours. The Cherry, Choc Chip & Chilli flavour is delicious, an infusion of exciting seasonings will no doubt impress your guests. Similarly with the Sea Salt & Caramel, which we absolutely devoured. Last but not least, something to satisfy our British food cravings is the English Stilton Cheese filled biscuits. Cheese and biscuits come out every Christmas, and these have to be in the mix, they are delightfully creamy and bursting with flavour. There are dozens of different biscuits, each as stimulating for our taste buds as the next. Take a look on their website where you can purchase them also, prices starting from £4.95. They all have a huge range of other delicious products so take a look.

Finally we have something a little different, still on the topic of food but not edible itself. For £10 you can get hold of this Meri Meri Jingle All The Way Cupcake Kit from Cotswold Trading. This is a very sweet little kit, ideal for the little ones (and adults as I’m definitely getting one of these) this Christmas. It comes with cupcake holders, and Christmassy decorations filled with glitter and fun. Just seeing the box has made my excitement for this festive month step up a notch. I love cupcakes and decorations, it’s the perfect combination. It is just the kit, so no ingredients involved, but that means you can pick whichever cupcakes are a success in your household and decorate those. They look great on a cupcake tower in the kitchen, even if they are only there for 5 minutes before being devoured. It’s time to put on some Christmas music, get the kids in the kitchen and get creative.

 Tomorrow we will have some presents to treat your four-legged friends this Christmas.

Friday Favourites - Christmas Alcohol

The end of November has arrived and the festive season is upon us. Glittery decorations are taking over the streets and various Santa Claus impersonators can be spotted walking around your local town. We have put together some of our favourite Christmassy alcohol treats so that everyone can enjoy them this month. We girls at The Amazing Blog won't deny that we do like to indulge in various flavoursome alcoholic beverages at Christmas so have some exciting drinks to tell you about. We have treats from BrewDog, Ophir, Baileys, Stoli,  Dows, and Demijohn.

First up on our alcohol likes this month is BrewDog, and their Watt Dickie. This is available in BrewDog Bars and Ales By Mail. Described as a ‘liquid science fiction’, this is definitely an interesting new beverage worth paying attention to. It’s also a great gift for any friends with an interest in weird and wonderful inventions. This is a faux spirit, originating as an India Pale Ale. Watt Dickie has undergone a secret transformation, turning into an abundance of extravagant and unusual flavours. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the Watt Dickie, be it as a spirit or blended into a mysterious cocktail. Christmas is filled with resolution and promise, we often tell ourselves to try new things and become a ‘yes man’ for a bit. Don’t be afraid of this curious drink this Christmas, you may be surprised by how much you enjoy it.

The Ophir Oriental Spiced Gin is one of the most Christmassy sounding drinks we have in our collection. The spice in the gin induces an immediate excitement for Christmas as all the smells remind you of those that come out this time of year. I find it inspires a sense of nostalgia, thinking about parties and previous Christmas festivities. The bottle is great for display with its oriental design, there are no holiday season restrictions with this drink as the smell, taste and design are perfect for holidays throughout the year. This is one of our favourite bottles as you want it on your shelf so that its displayed for the world to see. The gin encorporates flavours from around the globe to add something a bit different to this December. Why not welcome in the New Year by treating your tastebuds to a flavour inspired by global spices. This drink is great for cocktails and showing off at those Christmas parties you've fallen into hosting. You can buy the gin in Harvey Nichols for £30.

Now, Baileys is a household treat at Christmas for a lot of you I’m sure, but what about Chocolate Baileys? This beauty is the new addition to the family. Luckily, it doesn’t wander away from Baileys established ingredients, because that is after all, what we love about the brand. It merely blends an additional complimentary ingredient that we Brits just can’t seem to get enough of this time of the year, Chocolate. Irish Whiskey, Cream and Chocolate, is there really anything not to enjoy about that perfect union of flavours?  Lead scientist Anthony Wilson has travelled the world to discover the finest chocolates, as Baileys deserves only the finest of ingredients of course. You can buy this drink at all your local big supermarkets and prices start from as little as £15.

Something a little different but just as sweet is the Stoli Salted Karamel Vodka. This is a great drink for making creative and flavoursome blends and ideal for impressing your friends and family at parties. The sweet and savoury mix makes it a very enjoyable treat. A gorgeous combination of sweet caramelised sugar and English toffee, levelled out with a light saltines. Delicious! It's always nice to have a more interesting drink at Christmas because the bog standard choices are available to you all year which makes them a bit dull. This Salted Karamel Vodka would make a great little extra to your chocolate selection whilst you're playing charades after that big roast dinner. You can find this vodka for around £20 and from many online stockists so have a read on Stoli to find out more.

Now for something which may appeal more to mature taste buds, Dows Port. The name Dow has been associated with the finest ports for over 200 years. They have a stunning collection of Port including a selection of luxury vintage ports. Along with this they have also won two of the most prestigious wine competitions around and this is due to the company’s genuine passion for creating excellent tastes. You can visit Dows website to read about the wine and the family history which just adds heritage and more interest to the brand. The inspirational journey surrounding the development of these ports is told here where you can also browse their variety of products.

Last but not least is a drink that comes in an attractive and unique bottle which is further complimented by the exciting and modern liquor flavouring. It’s the DemiJohn Brandy Tower, in which you can choose from a delightful selection of liquors. We have been spoilt with Butterscotch Cream, Apricot Brandy, and Somerset Pomona. The blend of different colours stacked upon one another is very stylish and creates a beautiful display piece for your home this Christmas. This alcohol would definitely be a conversation starter for dinners and parties this month.  The choice of liquors means that you can fill the tower with flavours to suit the whole family. There’s nothing to fault as this alcohol both looks and tastes great so is a welcomed addition to the drinks cabinet. We might as well treat ourselves this year to an alcohol tower tailored specifically to our likes, right? If you visit the DemiJohn website, you can explore the different mixtures and create your own invention for the brandy tower.