Country Living Magazine Christmas Fair London!

IMG_4464Last week I was lucky enough to attend the Country Living Magazine press tea celebrating the launch of their Christmas Fair in London. The fair always showcases some amazing creative talent and really gets you in the festive mood.IMG_4465

If you missed the London fair or it’s too far to travel then fear not as the fair is moving first to Glasgow and then onto Harrogate. Full details can be found on the Country Living Fair website. Today I thought I’d showcase some of my favourite stalls, in fact it’s almost a Christmas Wish List as I loved them all so much!IMG_4467

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Whinberry & Antler

The first stall that caught my eye was the wonderful Whinberry & Antler. Inspired by the British countryside Whinberry & Antler design and print textiles by hand to create sumptuous furnishings and homeware. As the proud owner of two seriously cute Hedgehogs I immediately fell in love with the Hedgehog print, it’s going on my wish list post haste!

My Aunt Agatha

My Aunt Agatha

My next discovery was My Aunt Agatha. A wonderful stall full of quirky and delightful handmade homeware products. This draft excluder reminds me of my own dog.

Willow Gromit

Willow Gromit

I couldn’t resist a photo of this fabulous willow Gromit by Fon Cosens, I usually think of Willow as such a traditional material but Fon proved that it’s also incredibly versatile in the right hands.

Lotus Blossom Textiles

Lotus Blossom Textiles

I don’t need a needle case (believe me I have many) and yet strangely I need one of these needle cases from Lotus Blossom Textiles! Or one of her beautiful textile pictures.

Laura Rose Textiles

Laura Rose Textiles

Keeping with textile artistry I also loved these gorgeous fabric pictures from Laura Rose Textiles, Laura can make custom pictures of your favourite memories or scenes and they are fabulous!

Godminster Cheese

Godminster Cheese

I like Cheese at the best of times but this amazing Vintage Organic Cheddar from Godminster was simply heavenly and even better it’s available in a heart shaped piece!

Benji Bennett

Benji Bennett

Next I met the lovely Benji Bennett who is the author of a fabulous range of childrens books inspired by the sudden passing of his 4 year old son Adam. Each book promotes love, laughter and play within families and makes perfect bedtime reading for parents to share with their little ones. I was so impressed with Benji’s books and his use of rhythm and language, I can’t wait to get one to read to my own little peeps.

Santa Claus Book

Santa Claus Book

On the subject of books I also came across this amazing display (it snowed!) of books called ‘Santa Claus: The Book of Secrets’. Perhaps a book for slightly older children as it’s chock full of writing and information, my eldest son is an avid reader and he would adore it.

Twool

Twool

Twine with a twist! This fabulous Twool garden twine is a British wool alternative to imported Jute, you can craft with it, knit with it, use it for gardening, floristry or gift wrapping and best of all it’s made from Whiteface Dartmoor Sheep wool! It actually makes me quite sad to write about this stall as I fully intended to buy some of their festive coloured twine and completely forgot to go back after I’d finished taking photos (it was a long day!) 🙁

London International Silver Company

London International Silver Company

Tucked away on the Mezzanine level was one of my favourite stalls the London International Silver Company  who made amazing antique handled goods such as magnifying glasses, paper knives, bottle openers and much more. They were so well crafted and unusual, a gift to treasure for years and years!

Daisy's Dog Deli

Daisy’s Dog Deli

Finally I can’t forget Mr Dog this Christmas and I loved the Christmas offerings from Daisy’s Dog Deli.

Boujies Royal Pomander Candle Review

Boujies Royal Pomander Candle

Boujies Royal Pomander Candle

A good quality scented candle can give off ambient lighting whilst setting the tone and mood of a room, particularly on special occasions such as Christmas. Unfortunately not all candles are created equal and many that smell devine on the shelf seem to barely muster up a whiff of scent when lit at home. So when I was introduced to Boujies, an independent British perfumer and modern alchemist I was very eager to put their candles to the test!

With the festive season rapidly approaching Boujies sent me their Royal Pomander Candle to try out. Billed as an indulgent fragrance bathed in sweet orange top notes punctuated by a base of cinnamon, clove and fine spices, all sounds wonderful so far. Boujies

Packaging

When buying candles packaging may not always be your first consideration, however it is the first thing you will notice about the Boujies range. Many of their candles come in their signature polished steel container inside a lovely round box. If you have gifting in mind then I think your recipient couldn’t fail to be impressed. The styling looks equally good in a modern or traditional setting and it oozes class and sophistication. Even when your candle isn’t lit it looks rather fine sat on the shelf.

Initial Scent

Some scented candles can be overly sweet to the nose and give off headachey vibes as soon as you lift the lid, but the Boujies candle was like dipping my nose into December! I left it in my lounge with the lid off and despite being unlit I could still smell a faint fragrance, perfect if you’re looking for a gentle daytime scent.

BoujiesBurning

Tunneling and uneven burns are the bane of my candle life! Put simply I like a candle to burn evenly right across the surface inside of tunnelling down the middle at pace, leaving the sides unused and disappointing. The first time I lit the Royal Pomander Candle I left it on for two hours and it melted evenly right across the surface. This gives you a much higher scent yield and better value for money.

BoujiesRoom Fragrance

Where so many candles fall down the Royal Pomander rose to the challenge, shortly after lighting my lounge smelled truly festive and decadent. Although as my husband mentioned it was so authentic that we both began to crave mulled wine and nibbles! The scent was not overpowering like an air freshener but just infused the air to create the right mood. I was thoroughly impressed by the fragrance yield.

Could the candle be improved in anyway?

At first glance this candle from Boujies may seem expensive at £36, however they really are worth the price in comparison to their cheaper (and naming no names more expensive) cousins from other brands. They make the perfect gift and don’t let down on any of their promises. Several of their fragrances are available in smaller versions costing £12-£14 which is a great way to test them out.

If I had to come up with any recommendation, I would love to see a mini gift set with miniature versions of several candles to test out fragrances, but that’s more of a wish than an improvement on my part.

Would I recommend them?

I can and I will, they’re stylish, fragrant and live up to their claims. Plus they’re a British company who manufacture right here in the UK, I believe wholeheartedly in supporting our homegrown companies and creatives.

Details

For more information on Boujies and their entire range visit their website here.

Find Boujies on Twitter.

Find Boujies on Facebook.

 

My Christmas Wish List!

Christmas CountdownI hate to say it but it’s that time of year folks, Christmas is on the horizon! My kids are already telling me their marvellously long present lists while I secretly hope they’ll forget most of it. Christmas visit negotiations are in full swing, who is going where and at what time, it’s like a jolly festive puzzle where everyone feels it must be…. Perfect!

Present choices aside Christmas always causes major furniture reorganisation in our house, the chair in the corner has to go so the tree can stand there, then the table has to move for the chair etc etc. Plus I have a dog who possesses an uncanny knack of shedding fur all over the place just when visitors come to call! Obviously Christmas shouldn’t be this stressful, it should be a time of peace spent with your loved ones. But unless you’re some kind of zen master (if you are I salute you and can I have some tips?) then the festive season is going to cause a few emotional ripples. So this year I’ve decided to change the format, I’m going to write a Christmas Wish List, all those little pieces that might make my life a little simpler if I could but fit them in the loft.

Abi’s Christmas Wish List

  • Some kind of house expansion tool so that I can expand all the rooms just a little to accommodate extra festive paraphernalia (this is a wish list after all!)
  • A new sofa. Something comfortable, easy to clean and capable of seating several people at once. I’m a bit in love with these striped ones (Trafalgar) from Duresta. Rodgers of York
  • In fact I want that whole room complete with a self cleaning chandelier and robot hoover!
  • A butler, he’d have to be called Jeeves and solve all my last minute emergencies like fictional butlers of the past always do.
  • A chef to cook the meal while I eat gourmet chocolates and macaroons.
  • Crackers that actually contain something worth having (I think this is almost as far fetched as the room expanding device!)
  • Some kind of machine to gather up the wrapping paper and check that no one has put their brand new toy car under the pile.
  • A temporary car park for guests.
  • Taps containing mulled wine, eggnog and spiced berry punch.

Just these small and easily achievable details 😛 would make my Christmas perfect!