Quirky Christmas Cards

I love finding special cards for the people I care about, and my favourite type of cards are cute and fun cards that you don't often find on the high-street. Made With Love Designs sell a range of different handmade Christmas cards that are unlike any others I have seen.

The adorable Fan(tash)tic and Christ(moose) cards are simple and quirky, and would look really cool in a frame for next Christmas. I have a few friends that are Twitter and Instagram mad so I know this #christmascash card is one that will make that social media addict in your life smile.
The Modfather card is brilliant if you know someone that loves their music, you can personalise this card and add a name which always makes a card a lot more special to the recipient. Again this simple yet effective style is one that you won't find on the highstreet and looks like you have made a lot of effort in picking the perfect card.
Have you checked out Made With Love Designs yet?

*PR samples*

Fathers Day Gift Ideas

With Fathers Day so very close now, I thought I would compile together a little gift ideas post as they always seem well received and to be honest, I love doing them! I love reading these types of posts myself to get ideas for gifts, so I hope this gives you a little inspiration. I've been looking online a lot myself for some Fathers Day inspiration, and I've found House of Frasers gift guide hub pretty useful!

Bulldog Man`S Best Friend Duo Tin | Stripe Socks | Personalised Hammer | Mens Grooming Gift Set | Paul Smith London Extreme EDT

A great gift idea is a fragrance - aftershave is always a good gift to give to a male, I've picked the Paul Smith Extreme EDT Spray as it a scent which is woody and spicy and I know my Dad would like. Personalised gifts are usually a good idea too, I really like this Personalized hammer as it a really useful gift and I know the thought put into the gift will be appreciated. The Bulldog gift set is ideal as it contains a few essentials in a nice tin which can be used again. Socks - an obvious choice but Dad's can never have too many can they?! The Men's Grooming Gift Set Box* from House of Fraser is jam packed with luxury grooming products which i'm sure will be well appreciated by dad, and it is such a good deal. 

The set includes: Elemis Spa Home Sharp Shower Body Wash, 2x Fuzzy Logic Strengthening Shampoo, Recipe for Men Ultra-Sensitive Shaving Foam,  Hanz de Fuko Hybridized Wax, Scaramouche & Fandango Hydrator, and a  Molton Brown Black Peppercorn Body Wash. 

If you spend over £10 on any beauty purchase online at House Of Fraser, you can purchase the Men's Grooming Box for just £20! So that means you could treat yourself, or even buy Dad something from the Beauty section online (maybe that aftershave he loves) and purchase the grooming box which is worth over £95 for just £20!

Special Mothers Day Cards

As Mothers Day will be here this Weekend coming, I thought I would share with you a beautiful card perfect for the occasion. You may have seen me feature Made With Love Designs in my Valentines Gift and Date Ideas, and so I am back again with a lovely card from their Mothers Day collection.

This card is the Flutter Pink Butterfly Mothers Day Card, costing £4.50. I'm sure you will agree with me that it is a beautiful card, made even more special as it is handmade. I am not the crafty type so being able to buy a handmade card like this is great. I love the design and the 3D butterfly, I know this will go down a treat on Mothers Day - that too with it being personalised; which is very thoughtful and makes the card so very personal to the recipient. I love a personalised touch, and think it is really thoughtful that you are able to choose the colour of the ribbon used on your card.

You can check out the Made With Love Designs entire range of Mothers Day cards on their website here.

*Post includes a PR sample. All views my own*

Valentines Ideas ❤ Gifts and Dates!

Love it or hate it, Valentines Day is just around the corner. I know it is one of those things that some people celebrate and some people don't. I personally don't mind Valentines Day, but I also think its important to show those you love and care for how much they mean to you every single day, not just on Valentines! You don't have to be in a relationship to celebrate Valentines Day either, why not treat your parents to a take away, exchange gifts with your Sister, or have a girly night in with your best friend? 

I have put together this blog post initially to share some gift inspiration and also some general ideas of reasonably priced, yet lovely things to do to spend the day. 

Ideas for great and simple Valentines gifts

Pampering
If you are thinking of treating your loved one to some little pampering treats this Valentines, why not try a little gift set from I Love. This set is the I Love... Coconut and Cream Mini Box, which includes a body lotion, shower cream and body puff. A hand cream is always a good gift for any lady in your life, so this Yes! Nurse Hand Cream and Super Sleeve would make a perfect pamper product because we all love a good cream, right? This hand cream comes with a super cute sleeve, as Yes! Nurse are in partnership with Breast Cancer Care, whcih helps spread the message. If you are thinking of treating him this Valentines Day, The Bluebeards Revenge is always a great brand as they sell a variety of mens body, skin and shave care products; such as the shaving cream, post - shave balm, and the doubloon brush. Bluebeards Revenge products smell amazing and work really well; I know my boyfriend has tried a few of their products before and loves them. I think a bundle of products like these shaving themed ones would make great gifts in a bundle or you could even pick up a gift set.

Underwear
Underwear is always a winner for any occasion in my eyes - who doesn't love receiving new underwear for Valentines? This set of men's boxers are from Da Da Underwear; a brand which creates comfortable underwear for men from sustainable and soft materials which are all ethically produced in Sri Lanka. The fabrics Da Da Underwear use are made using bamboo rayon and organic cotton. As you can see, they look pretty cool, and they are insanely soft! This set is called the retro white - white - red, a really simple, yet classic design. DaDa also have a subscription service available, where you can sign up to get a pair of underwear through your letterbox every 3 Months - I think this is a great gift idea, as the gifts keep on coming!

Fragrance
Fragrance is a perfect gift for any girl in your life. Why not treat her to her favourite perfume? One of my favourites is Britney Spears Circus Fantasy, which smells very sweet and is really reasonably priced.

Cards
A card is usually the first thing on my list to pick up for Valentines Day. I think its important to sit down and write a sweet message in a card; we must not forget to importance of writing - I think it is a great sentiment and something you can look back on in Years to come. These beautiful Valentines Cards are from handmade retailers Made With Love Designs. I love the cute and unique designs of these cards, they are nothing like I have seen before. You can use the discount code zoelianne at the checkout for a generous 30% off your order; valid until the 13th February.

Food
Making a meal together at home is something I think is a classic for a low-key Valentines date, and I thought this Valentines sandwich recipe was too cute not to share! It is super easy to create, and a very unique taste which I am sure will be a hit! And look - they are heart shaped, whats not to love?! You can check out the full recipe for the Robert's Bakery Strawberries and Cream Valentines Sandwich in my previous post here. Chocolate is always a winner for a small token gift on Valentines, these Lindt Lindor Strawberries and Cream chocolates are delicious and are a limited edition flavour so if you fancy a treat, grab them while you can!

Here are a few more gift ideas I have put together in this collage which I think would make fab gifts; whether you are spending the day with a partner, friends or family. 

Floral Love Letters  Living Nature Lipstick in Bloom Wooden Spice Box    Clare O 'Neill Artwork Lily O Brien's Honeycomb Hearts Cut Throat Shavette Kit LED Colour Changing Mosaic Candle Light Personalised Train Ticket
Astridelle Watch Oysters and Absinthe Date Colourful Valentines Roses Bryt Gift Set 

Candle, artwork and decor to set the mood, a shaving kit to prepare for the date, a pretty lipstick set to impress, a spice box to get you cooking together, a personalised gift to keep forever, a date with a difference - Oysters and Absinthe at the ,a pretty bunch of bright roses, a gift box full of pamper treats, a beautiful watch to remind you to enjoy every minute, and of-course some tasty chocolates to indulge in. Sounds like a great Valentines Day to me.

Ideas for a great, yet simple date

❤ Order takeaway and watch a load of your favourite films
❤ Go for a walk to your local park and feed the ducks
❤ Ditch going out for a meal, make a dish together at home and experiment with new cooking ideas
❤ Write down all the things you love about that person and tell them!
❤ Do something small but effective - the little things count too
❤ Get the train and visit a town you have never been to before
❤ Buy a disposable camera and take lots of photographs
❤ Go swimming/go to the library/go rollerblading/play mini-golf/do something you haven't done in Years
❤ Bake cakes for each other
❤ Host an indoor picnic with all your favourite treats
❤ Visit your local nature reserve and take a moment to appreciate the beautiful environment
❤ Take a walk in the country with a blanket and a flask of hot chocolate
❤ Watch a movie at the cinema that you haven't heard of
❤ Go for a hike in the country
❤  Meet for a coffee in an independent cafe


Thanks to Frankie , Ree Ree , Chloe, Erin , Kate and Lauren for all of your ideas!

❤
What are your plans for Valentines Day?

*This post includes PR samples*