Time Out : Christmas Decor : An Elegant & Homely Christmas Mantle

The weekend after Thanksgiving is the perfect time to start decorating for the holidays and a comforting tradition. I made a start with the mantle, creating a traditional feel with a centrepiece that will be focal right up to Christmas Day. I will add more Christmas decorations to this up until Christmas Day.

This colourful advent calendar demands attention, so I kept the rest of the mantle decor low-key, I will add some greenery to the Grecian pots over the coming weeks. The bushy green garland brings warmth to all the hard edges, classic silver candle sticks are the perfect subtle lighting (re-purposed from my dining table).

Wooden advent calendar £70 - £125 at Fortnum & Mason.

Essential dinner candles £3.45 for 10 at Waitrose.

I wanted the daily opening of each advent window to reveal not only delicious chocolates but also something a little more fun than plain sweets. Little Lindt chocolate Santas, reindeer, snowmen, bears and truffle balls look perfect and offer a different delight each day.

Lindt truffles (box) £7.50 at Waitrose.

Lindt chocolate figures 2 packs for £4 at Waitrose.

Nutcracker £2 at Matalan.

These Nordic knitted stockings add a modern feel to a heritage look. A simple handwritten tag for each adds a personalised look. The stocking hooks are genius, they are weighted under the star so there is no need to drill holes, just rest the them on the mantle shelf and hang a stocking from the hook.

Nordic knitted stockings £6 at Matalan.

Stocking hooks with star tops £18 at Fortnum & Mason.

The other accessories: mirror, candle sticks and pots are handed down over the years and very welcome. I have slowly added beautiful decorations and accents each year from gifts, carefully selected buys and hand me downs, this has built a sentimental and special collection to unpack each year.

Wallpaper: Wilton in dark linen £36 per roll at Laura Ashley.

Time Out: The Best Loyalty Cards: Waitrose (UK)

I am singing the praises of Waitrose (UK Supermarket) again. I can't help it, they do everything right... quality, ethics, benefits for customers, the list goes on. I just like it there!

The myWaitrose loyalty card is pretty good too. Apart from the usual accumulating of points each time you shop either online or instore you also get a range of other lovely things.

1. Free Tea or Coffee every day if your local Waitrose serves hot drinks. Choose from freshly made Americano, Capuccino, Latte, Espresso, Mocha or Tea with Decaf available on request. Particularly nice relief as it is often blustery and raining in the UK.

2. Free Waitrose Kitchen Magazine worth £1.20 each month, it's ideal left on the table for a browse with a coffee. Lots of delicious recipes, healthy options and seductive food photography. Even available when you shop online, they think of everything!

3. Newspaper Moneyback. When you spend £5 on shopping you can get the cost of selected newspapers of your shopping. I like the Telegraph, thats £1.20 off the shopping and a good read too!

4. Waitrose do not inundate you with junk mail, I am pretty sure I only hear from them via the post every three months. Brilliant.

5. This quarter they sent me three £4 off vouchers when spending £40 of more in store. And a voucher for 5p off per litre when filling up at Shell. A while ago Waitrose were contacted by Greenpeace asking them not to work with Shell whilst Shell were drilling in the arctic, I did not receive any fuel vouchers from Waitrose until it was announced that Shell had stopped their attempts to drill. Which makes me smile.

6. There are other 10% off benefits too, such as 10% off their Waitrose Cookery School Courses and 10% off selected everyday items instore when you swipe your card at the till.

7. If you sign up for emails, they arrive looking good and full of only nice things, their especially good in the summer and at Christmas. No terrible bulk buy junk food offers - gosh I sound mean!

And aside from the loyalty card benefits...

8. When I have shopped online with Waitrose.com on two occasions they have given me items free of charge as the use by dates were short. On the last shop it was organic mushrooms and brocolli. Previously it's been chicken. I will add that the shopping arrives intact and as ordered, hardly any substitutions.

9. I also noticed that the Waitrose staff are able to speak clearly, properly and pleasantly. Take note other retailers in the UK who allow their staff to grunt at customers.

10. Their own brand meat and poultry products are from their higher welfare select farms.

11. All Waitrose products are very high quality and the choice for chemical free products and organic produce is excellent.

10. Last but not least, every time you shop whether online or instore you have the chance to vote for which Charity you would like the monthly donation to go to. In-store, each month every Waitrose branch donates £1,000 (£500 in Convenience shops) between three local good causes that you choose.
Online, every three months, Waitrose.com shares a donation of £25,000 between three national causes.

Sign up for myWaitrose here.

And if all that wasn't enough.. They are offering a free 400g Toblerone to myWaitrose customers while stocks last!

Completely off topic... Looking at old stuff again! There are lots of historical images at WaitroseMemoryStore.org.uk

Time Out: Simple Pre-Christmas Dinner Table Setting

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I will be on a flight. Today I am hosting a pre-Christmas dinner for a few friends. Getting a group together for chat and smiles is one of the big bonuses of the festive season, everyone feels jolly enough to make the time in their hectic schedules.

Knowing I would be here today, gone tomorrow! I wanted to set up an attractive but Christmas-sy table setting trying to use as much tableware I already had, to avoid waste of perishable items.

All I purchased for the table setting was:
1. A Bag of Fresh Cranberries £2.49
2. 6 Giant Gold Chocolate Coins @ £1.49 each
All from Waitrose.com

I strategically only used Italian glass tumblers on the table, leaving the wine glasses in the kitchen to serve wine as the guests arrived.

I used ribbon as napkin rings around starched linen napkins and garnished the "whiteness" of the plate setting with a gold bauble.

I like layering up a table setting, 1. Red raffia mat, 2, Gold Charger,  3.White bone china dinner late, 4. Porcelain heart shaped bowl all finished off with softer looking gold touches.

I decorated the desk in the dining room with a very large, chunky, porcelain bowl filled with fur cones (usually meant for the fire!) and red nutmegs.

The cake is a celebration cake ordered in advance from Waitrose.com Entertaining, Vanilla Sponge Celebration Cake 25cm £16.00 (a light sponge sandwich with a buttercream and jam centre, covered with smooth white icing). The Christmas decorations are from my store cupboard purchased a few years ago and re-used each year. The other items (Liberty snow globe, crystal jug, glass ice bucket etc. were gifts given to me in years gone by that I love and re-use each Christmas.

Giant gold chocolate coins are fun as coasters and party favours for guests to take home.
I purchased these fab hallmark crackers in the sale last year with 75% off!

The centre piece layered from the bottom up 1. A piece of slate, 2. A red raffia mat, 3. Lots of gold baubles, 4. A hurricane lamp, 5. A candle & 6. A bag of fresh cranberries.

I love to combine red and white at Christmas. This raisied white porcelain dish looks very festive with Lindor shiney red truffles in an enticing pile.

And by candlelight...

Including gold glittery elements to the table setting added a glisten here and there when the candles were lit.

I kept the food simple too, I wanted to spend time with my guests. I roasted a turkey crown - made easy by Waitrose.com - I ordered it online a couple of weeks ago, it was £23.19. Not only was the collection in-store seamless from handing over my order number to seeing the bird arrive on a tray in the lift! for me to take away, but I was overjoyed to see the turkey crown had been pre-weighed, the cooking time calculated and printed on the front, and it was supplied in a handy roasting bag! I proudly made Delia Smith's Pork, Sage & Onion Stuffing, with roast potatoes, a selection steamed vegetables and gravy of course.

Knowing that all guests would be pretty stuffed after the main course, we spent some time chatting. Then I then served a small piece of cake with coffee and cream instead of a rich Christmas pudding.

Waitrose.com

Time Out: Couturenet Picks... Another 12 stylish gifts under £20

A while ago I blogged my favourite 12 quality gifts for £20 or less. The popularity and positive feedback from said post has prompted me to jot down some notes to share about other lovely gifts I gave discovered, been given of bought for others.

1. Fortnum & Mason Terracotta Wine Cooler £15.50.
A glass of white wine tastes best when slightly chilled, so place your pre-chilled bottle in this terracotta wine cooler and enjoy the results. It has the added advantage of looking elegant on the table, thanks to the rustic terracotta and Fortnum’s logo. From fortnumandmason.com. UK based, delivery worldwide.

2. Alessi Black Gianni Storage Jars £12 - £13.50
Fun glass storage jar which features a plastic lid with a little man hanging on for dear life on the underside. Designed by Mattia Di Rossa. From johnlewis.com

3. Classic Eye Test Chart Tea Towel by Luckies £12.50
Natural cotton eye chart tea towel for an original gift or a compliment to the kitchen. From Liberty.co.uk, UK based, worldwide delivery.

4. Pair of Teacup and Saucer Egg Cups by Jansen £14.95
Two small white egg cups in the shape of a teacup and saucer. From Liberty.co.uk, UK based, worldwide delivery.

5.Lanvin Dresses Notebook £20
Small note book with elastic closure and original Alber Elbaz Miss Lanvin 'dresses' sketch. Something beautiful to hold in your hands from lanvin.com. Delivery worldwide.

6. Diane von Furstenberg Roxie Tassel Key Ring £19.75
This key ring features a print leather band and zipper trim at the faux-leather tassel. Spring-lock clasp. Tassel is 4" (10 cm) long. From ShopBop.com. US based, delivery worldwide.

7. adara Organic Virgin Coconut Oil $12.00
100% extract of organic coconut milk. Available in a range of scents. Couturenet loves the Jasmine. From b-glowing.com. US based, delivery worldwide.

8. Weleda Lavander Duo £15.99
Large size relaxing body wash and a relaxing body oil. From Garlands Organic Berkshire UK. The Weleda brand is also sold in good chemists and Waitrose.com.

9. Dents Charcoal Grey Leather Gloves £19.99
Stylish charcoal ladies gloves with animal print faux fur and soft lining. From TXMaxx.co.uk UK.

10. Prestat Jewel Box £15.98
Best-selling Chocolate Gift Box designed by artist Kitty Arden to conjure up the great stages of London’s West End where Prestat lovers like Sir John Gielgud and Dame Peggy Ashcroft filled the theatres of their days. Filled with 16 chocolates. Worldwide Delivery from Prestat.co.uk. Also available from Waitrose UK.

11. The Guide to Natural Housekeeping £19.99

Enjoy a chemical free home with this great book from Cabbages & Roses UK. Ships worldwide.

12. The Little Dictionary of Fashion by Christian Dior £12.90 / $19.95

Christian Dior reveals the secrets of style in this handbook that covers everything from what to wear to a wedding and how to tie a scarf to how to walk with grace. Illustrated with photographs and drawings, this classic is the perfect gift for stylish women. From ShopBop.com. US based, delivery worldwide.