Christmas time in Disneyland Paris

Hi guys,
Apologies for the huge break in posting over the festive period: working for yourself, having a toddler and organizing Christmas simply doesn't work well with being a good blogger, i'm afraid. Not to mention that we spent the first week of January on holiday to Disneyland Paris. This was Wilbur's third trip to Disneyland Paris and he, as well as the both of us, are completely hooked! Here is an unashamedly self- indulgent look at our trip, but I will follow it with some useful tips:

Tips
-Winter in Disneyland Paris is cold. Much colder than at home, and this feeling of being cold is emphasised by the fact that you're outside for most of the day. We all wore thermals (both long johns and long sleeved vests) under our regular winter clothes and wrapped up as much as possible: this kept us warm and ensured we were able to focus on having fun, not on whether or not we could feel our toes!

-Do make use of the photopass service. For just 59.99E you can have professional photos from all of the rides and at all of the character meets and greets added to your photopass card, so that you can print them and see them when you get home. All of the above are from our photopass card, and it took the pressure off me to make sure i'd captured the moment, so I could just focus on having fun.

-Meet as many characters as possible! During the Christmas season they all wear special Christmas costumes, so if you visit the park regularly during the rest of the year this is a great draw and something that will bring a new dimension to your photographs. Also look out for special seasonal meet and greets, such as our meeting with Jack Skellington in his Santa suit.

-See the parades. The Christmas parades are something else! Not as long as the regular 'Magic on Parade' parade but with an amazing festive atmosphere that will have both big kids and little kids completely enchanted. Wilbur is still talking about the fact he saw Santa in the parade and that he was sitting in the same sleigh as goofy (his favourite character). Without sounding too soppy, it's things like this that will create memories they'll never forget.

The 2015 Christmas season at Disneyland Paris runs from the beginning of November to the end of the first week in January. The earlier and later in the season you go, the quieter the parks will be. If you're tempted, you can already book this right now. 

Love Tor xx

Very Merry Christmas hat!

Pom pom Christmas hat, Primark, £3

Christmas eve used to be about getting all dressed up and heading into town for a big night out. Now it's about visits to Santa and making cakes - and there's nothing more perfect for that than a Christmas jumper and a new Christmas hat (Santa doesn't really care much for mums trying out their new LBD's!) I've been wearing this hat from Primark all month: I love this hat. In fact, I will take serious persuasion not to keep wearing it once Christmas is over! And it will be over far too soon.....

I hope you all have a lovely day tomorrow - I'm off to play elf and fill our living room with presents! The hat and jumper have been replaced with Christmas pyjamas (red ones featuring French bulldogs wearing Santa hats, if you're interested) but they will be making a comeback tomorrow. Ho ho ho!!

Love Tor x

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

Hi guys,
The Christmas decorations are up and we are officially ready to enjoy my favourite time of the year! With just twelve days to go, we are breaking out the Christmas films, snuggling under our Christmas blankets and the seal on the Quality Street tin has been broken. The plan for tomorrow is to take a walk around the dinosaur park, make mince pies and then head to Waitrose to do the big Christmas shop. All normal routine is out of the window, and all things Christmas are the order of the next twelve days.

I love putting up our Christmas decorations and making the house look all festive. I love remembering where each ornament came from and the look on Wilbur's face when he first saw the tree was a picture. He can sit and look at it for an age, touching all the ornaments and watching the lights twinkle. It's awesome! And don't even get me started on how he feels about the bowls of sweets everywhere....


I finished wrapping all of our Christmas presents this afternoon and I have only 6 days left of work before I am very generously giving myself two weeks off: The stack of Christmas DVDs is primed and ready, and the board games have been dusted off. It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

How are your preparations for the big day coming on? Have you got your Christmas tree up yet? Don't forget to head over to my twitter page to enter my Christmas competition, in conjunction with Shelter and Monster Slippers: there are two pairs of slippers of your choice to be won! 

Love Tor x

Competition: Win Two Pairs of Monster Slippers With #SlippersforShelter

Hi guys,
We're now less than two weeks away from Christmas and as I write is post I am sitting all snug and cosy looking at my Christmas tree twinkle in my Christmas pudding print onesie and my fluffy pnk slipper socks (don't judge it 'til you've tried it, my friends, for this is my definition of comfort). Mike is upstairs giving Wilbur his bath and I can hear giggling and splashing coming down the stairs. Soon he will be scooped out of the water and wrapped in a big fluffy towel before being dressed all cosy in his pajamas and slippers to come downstairs for a story and a bedtime cuddle with his mummy. We might even build a train track together, if there's time before bed. All of these things make me so happy.

So why am I painting you this picture of domestic bliss? Because I know how lucky I am to have it. Because so many mummies don't know where they'll be putting their babies to sleep tonight, or are having to put them to bed in hostels or temporary accomodation that they don't feel safe in. Because 90,000 children in the UK are homeless right now. And at all times of the year, but especially at this time of the year, that makes me really sad.

Christmas is a time for family, and a time for being comfortable. For putting on your slippers, for snuggling under your tree, for eating too much chocolate. But mostly for knowing that you have a roof over your head where you can keep your children safe and warm. That's what Shelter's brilliant new Slippers for Shelter (#slippersforshelter) campaign is all about. Nothing says warmth and comfort more than your favourite slippers: putting them on is the sign that your finally home after a long day. So what better way to raise money for people without homes this Christmas than by wearing that ultimate symbol of home?


And Now For the Competition!! Because this is all about all things slippers, I'm giving away two pairs of Monster Slippers: that can either be an adult and child pair (family matching is so hot right now) or two children's pairs if you'd prefer.I would choose Dick van Dyke-style penguins for myself and cheeky monkeys for Wilbur (as shown above) but you can choose any design you please: If you love oversized novelty slippers (and what's not to love) then the world is your oyster!

To enter all you have to do is head over to my twitter feed @torbrierley where you will find my slippers for Shelter competition tweet! Simply RT that tweet and follow @shelterslippers on twitter and your competition entry will be complete: it's that easy! I will announce the winner shortly after the competition closes on the 18th December.

Oh, and as well as entering the competition you can also take part in #SlippersforShelter day on the 18th December. All you have to do is wear those comfortable slippers that you love and donate £2 to Shelter. It's amazing the difference this will make to those 90,000 children who won't be waking up in a bed of their own this Christmas morning.

Love Tor x

And now for the science bit! Here are the Competiton Terms and Conditions:

1. No purchase necessary. 2. The closing date of this competition is 18 December 2014. 3. Only entries from 11 December to 18 December 2014 will be counted as eligible for this competition. No new RT made after this time will be considered. 4. The winner will be picked at random by Tor Brierley and will be announced on Twitter and Fab Frocks. The prize is 2 pairs of slippers from Monster Slippers 5. No cash alternative will be available and the donation is non-transferable. 6. Entrants must be aged 13 years or over and resident in England, Scotland or Wales. 7. We reserve the right to amend these rules at any time. Entry in this competition implies acceptance of these rules. 8. Fab Frocks reserves the right to remove comments which may be deemed inappropriate or offensive. 9. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Twitter or Blogger. By participating in this promotion you agree to a complete release of Twitter and Blogger from any claims 10. By entering this draw you agree your personal data will be used by Shelter in accordance with our data protection policy. 11. Fab Frock's interpretation of the rules and decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered in to. 12. These terms and conditions shall be governed by English law and the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction.​ 13. The employees and family of Fab Frocks, Monster Slippers and Shelter are not eligible for this competition.

Days Out: Drayton Manor's Thomas Land at Christmas

Hi guys,
Last weekend was a big deal in my house: Mike turned 30 on Saturday and then Wilbur turned two on Sunday (I can't believe my baby boy is already two!) To celebrate these momentous occasions we loaded up the car with presents and headed off to Thomas land, which is in Drayton Manor in Staffordshire. There seemed no better place to celebrate the birthday of my Thomas mad little boy!

Because Wilbur has a December birthday, we were there for the Magical Christmas event and the whole park was beautifully festive, with lights and garlands everywhere and Christmas music being constantly piped out. It snowed several times a day and we saw the most wonderful Santa I have ever seen: he was so gentle and patient with a very shy Wilbur, who knew he wanted a present but most definitely didn't want to get too close to the big bearded man!


We all loved Thomasland: it looks just how you imagine the Island of Sodor would look, and every detail is accurate, from the station to the 'sodor ironworks' markings on all the tracks: I love aesthetics and attention to detail, so it really impressed me that everything was just right. Although Thomasland was the main draw for us, the park offered so much more: there was a zoo full of animals, a small dinosaur park, and plenty of other more 'grown up' rides if you're travelling with bigger kids or adrenalin seeking adults. For us though, riding Wilbur's favourite four rides in Thomas land over and over again was the order of the day! The only downside? The food. If you're travelling in the summer months though do consider packing a picnic: we had burgers that, whilst cheap, were definitely not very tasty. My husband will eat pretty much anything, and even he couldn't manage more than a couple of mouthfuls!

We stayed in the Drayton Manor hotel which is wonderfully Thomas themed: everywhere you turned there was another fantastically Thomas-y touch. They even had huge wooden Thomas train tables in the breakfast room and restaurant so that the little ones could play whilst they were waiting for their food to arrive (take your own wooden trains for these though, as they aren't provided). We knew this so we wrapped up a couple of wooden trains as extra birthday presents and he didn't let go of them all day, just in case another opportunity to play presented itself! As it was Wilbur's birthday we also paid a supplement (of £7.99 per person) to have a special VIP breakfast with the Fat Controller, and an extra £5.99 to have birthday balloons waiting for him in the bedroom when he arrived.


I think the hotel must have a lot of young people travelling to see them for their birthdays as they were really geared up for it and offered lots of nice little touches to make the small birthday people feel special: the fat controller even wished Wilbur a happy birthday with a friendly 'toot toot'!

Overall it was an incredible experience, and one we will definitely do again: we're already planning a day trip next Easter where we can take Wilbur's equally Thomas crazy cousin with us for double the trouble and double the fun!It was a very cold weekend in December and even when wrapped up like Eskimos we felt cold to our bones by the end of each day. But the festive atmosphere and the look on Wilbur's face when he got to meet all his favourite trains was simply priceless.

Love Tor x

Happy New Year: December 2013 according to my iPhone

Hi guys,
Happy New Year! I'm hoping 2014 is going to be a good one, and I've already made a couple of New Year's Resolutions: I won't be divulging what they all are though, in case I fail like I do every year! But one of them is to make more effort to post here more frequently: that's one I think I will keep! If 2013 is anything like 2014, it won't be a bad year at all! But what did the end of 2013 bring? Here's my obligatory round up of the month:

Christmas

We spent Christmas at my parents, and it was one of the best so far! The kids saw Mrs Claus and Santa came to the house (or, as I call him, Dad!) And Mike and I took Wilbur on a Christmas light safari looking for some of the best decorated houses in Norfolk: we weren't disappointed. December was pretty much the month of Christmas: we did something Christmassy every weekend, and Wilbur and I did loads of fun Christmas crafts and activities.


Wilbur's Birthday

As I think I've already mentioned, Wilbur turned one at the beginning of the month. To celebrate we threw a Very Hungry Caterpillar party for our families and all of his little friends at a local soft play centre (then I did a lunch at home). It was a massive success and the little man had a great day. And I was really impressed with my first attempt at a two tiered cake too!

Other Fun! 

December is an especially busy month in our house! Mike also had a birthday, we had a couple of fun nights out, and endless trips to farms, parks, and other fun stuff with Wilbur. Finally, we spent New Year drinking champagne and playing cards with my in-laws. Did you have fun celebrating the new year last night? And are you expecting exciting things from 2014?

Love Tor x

Shoes: Glitzy Pretty Ballerinas

Hi guys,
I love a ballerina pump as much as the next girl: they're pretty, easy to wear, practical, and they go with just about everything. But when I saw these stunning glittery pumps from Pretty Ballerinas my tummy flipped over a little. Ok, so they're a little girly: but it's Christmas! When else can you wear ballet pumps covered in glitter and topped off with a big pink bow?

Pretty Ballerinas have a great selection of pumps including a pair of leopard print ones topped with a big black cord bow, which normally would be my first choice. But as it's the season of glitter (and as I'm planning on avoiding wearing heels as much as possible this Christmas) it's these little girl-style pink ones that are calling my name.

If you want to get your hands on a pair of these in time for the holiday season then they can be yours for the princely sum of £87.19 (they currently have 20% off in the Spartoo pre-Christmas sale).

Love Tor x

*Post written as part of a partnership with Spartoo shoes

Christmas Gift Idea: Jord Wooden Watches

Hi guys,
Christmas Eve (and the last shopping day before Christmas) is just two weeks away. I've been ploughing through my Christmas shopping, and only have two people left to buy presents for! But if you're still looking for Christmas gift ideas then I am going to spend this week bringing you some inspiration. First up are a range of wooden watches from Jord: No, you didn't read that wrong. These are watches made of wood, which makes them incredibly lightweight and easy to wear. And I like them so much I'm recommending them to you guys!

When I first read about the idea of wooden watches I was sceptical. As a watch addict (and owner of nearly a dozen high quality watches) I wasn't sure a watch made of wood would stand up to the test of time: to the daily battering I seem to give my watches when I'm baking, painting with the baby or banging about doing DIY, for example. But actually I was wrong, as this watch is incredibly hardy. It also looks much sleeker than I had expected: it's smooth and sleek rather than coarse and textured, though of course you can see immediately that its made of wood. And I love the coarser more textured wood used in the watch face: it really drives the 'wooden watch' message home without chaffing your arm whilst you wear it!


Another thing that impressed me about this watch was the speed at which it was delivered (important for last minute Christmas shopping). This watch was shipped all the way from America, and yet it arrived in just four days: that's faster than the Amazon order I placed at the same time!

So who am I recommending these watches as Christmas gifts for? Well I think they would make a great unusual gift for the man in your life (I know my husband and my dad would both love these) and perfect presents for any eco-conscious, environmentally friendly family members too.

There are lots of different styles, colours and models available: so whether you want something streamlined or chunky you'll find your pick. I opted for the Fieldcrest model in Black. You can get your own for $120 right here.

Love Tor x

*I received a watch for the purpose of this review but all thoughts are my own

Christmas Wishlist: Who's That Girl?

Hi guys,
Christmas is coming, the geese are fattening up, and I am starting to think about what I'll be finding in my Christmas stocking.

The new series of New Girl is starting soon, so the complete second series on DVD is going to be one of the gifts on my wishlist. And because it's been 12 months since I've been to the cinema there are a dozen other DVDs I'd be glad to unwrap on the big day too. Mostly though, I'll be asking for things for our new house and fashion-y things for myself. Now to decide exactly what bits and bobs I'll be asking Santa Claus to pop under my tree. To give him a helping hand I've created my perfect Christmas wishlist from the Zalando website: I've covered a range of price points from stocking filler to 'wow that's expensive'.

1.Ted Baker classic blue wool coat, £245
2. Pad purple cushion cover, £21
3. Michael Kors brown and leopard print boots, £190
4. StyleR by Post turquoise necklace, £38
5. Vivienne Westwood purse, £80
6. Set of two stag decorations, £14
7. Rosantica ring, £130

What do you think of my picks? And what will you be asking Santa for? I'll be making gift guides and wishlists from lots of other stores over the next couple of weeks: here's hoping Santa is watching!

Love Tor x

Sponsored Post: I'm adding a compact camera to my Christmas list

Hi guys,
We got back from our trip to Disneyland Paris on Friday evening, and whilst we were there I managed to take 300 photos, spend hundreds of pounds on Disney toys for my little man, and give him the best holiday ever. I'll be writing a full review of tackling the park with a ten month old baby on my family blog later. But it's the photos I will always treasure.

On the way home, Mike said to me that photos are memories noone can ever take away; which in turn made me think about how glad I am to have my camera and be able to capture everything. BUT (isn't there always a but!) my DSLR camera is bulky and massive, which means I always have it when I'm on holiday, or for big events, but never seem to have it for capturing those little spur of the moment things, or taking outfit posts on those rare occasions when I think "hey, this outfit looks good today!". Which is why I've added a Compact system camera small enough to fit in my handbag to my Christmas list! Need some reasons why? Here are several:

Infographic Source

If I could pick any compact system camera, it would have to be one from the Sony NEX range: because although they're small, they have all the functionality I would look for in a camera (let's face it, why get a low quality point and shoot, when your iphone already has that quality of camera built in). And they look great too: because I'm far too vain to put anything that isn't sleek and great-looking in my handbag!

What do you think about the merits of choosing a compact camera, or will you still be carrying your DSLR around with you everywhere? And have you started thinking about what you'll be putting on your Christmas list yet? It's closer than you think: and it won't be long 'til I'm posting near-constant suggestions for Christmas gift ideas. So if you don't have any ideas now, you will soon!

Love Tor x

*This is a Sponsored Post

Yes, it's Time! I'm going to mention the 'C' Word!

Hi guys,
When I was out shopping today I popped into Primark, where I was confronted with a stand full of Christmas jumpers. Then I went into Mamas and Papas, where the stand closest to the door is covered in tiny Santa costumes. And every card shop on the high street has festive wrapping paper in the window. It may only be September, but the X Factor is on the TV, there are Quality Street in the supermarket, and it's time to count down to Christmas.

So thanks to all of this and a timely email from Duo, unveiling their new Christmas collections, I've decided it's time to show you my dream Christmas party outfit. I already have a couple of Christmas parties booked in for this December, and hubby and little man's birthday's both fall in that month too. So having a couple of Christmas party outfits in my armoury is essential: and the sooner the better! 1. French Connection Daisy Maze Dress, £150
2. Phase Eight clutch bag, £44 
3. Angelica black suede shoes, Duo, £125
4. River Island brown vintage shrug/jacket,£30
5. Marni gold plated cocktail ring, £120
6. Hervé Van der Straeten gold earrings, £130

I love anything with a vintage feel, so this slouchy dusty pink dress caught my eye as soon as I saw it. It would be perfect for hiding my mummy tummy and showing off my legs (which will look much longer thanks to those killer heels) instead. I kept the jewellery simple (for me anyway) and rejected my trademark bangles and lockets because of all the sequins on the dress: a simple pair of earrings and a cocktail ring seemed like enough accessories. And because I'm far too old to queue outside a night club without a jacket on in the middle of winter, I've added a little vintage shrug into the mix to keep me toasty and warm.

Have you started thinking about your Christmas party looks yet? And what trends do you think you'll be channelling? Believe me, this is just the first of plenty of Christmas posts you've got coming your way over the next couple of months!

Love Tor x

The cutest Christmas message (guaranteed!)

Merry Christmas guys!
I hope you all have a wonderful time and that Santa is fashionably good to you. I will be spending my Christmas with my two favourite guys, and can't wait to help Wilbur open his very first Christmas present. Next stop: the January sales! My second favourite thing about Christmas.... prepare for a month of sales reviews and shopping tips!

Lots of love,
Tor (And Mike. And of course, Wilbur!) xx

Christmas crafty Saturday: Almond snowflake biscuits

Hi guys,
I love getting crafty, and Christmas is the perfect time to exercise my love of all thing craft with a real purpose. So I thought that every Saturday during December I would share one of my seasonal crafts with you guys.

Well, Christmas is almost upon us (just three more sleeps to go!) So I thought that rather than give you guys another sewing project you won't have the time to complete, I would give you my favourite Christmas biscuit recipe. It's my favourite because they taste delicious and it's so so simple to make: even for a not especially proficient baker like me! (I'm not being modest: you can see how unproficient I am by how messy the icing is!)

Ingredients
250g softened butter
150g caster sugar
300g plain flour
3 tbspoons almond extract
250g icing sugar
Icing pens/embellishment for decoration

-These really are so simple to make that there are surprisingly few instructions! First pre-heat your oven to 180oC
-Using a large mixing bowl mix together the butter, caster sugar, and 2 tablespoons of almond oil
-Gradually add the flour until you have a large ball of pastry with a doughy consistency
-Roll out the biscuit pastry and cut out biscuit shapes with a cookie cutter (I used a simple round one)
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the biscuits are starting to turn very lightly brown.
-Leave the biscuits to cool whilst making the icing: mix the icing sugar with the final tablespoon full of almond oil then add water until you have a thick paste consistency.
-Now it's time to decorate! Obviously you can decorate these however you want, but I like this easy to execute snowflake design: I just drew it on using an icing pen.

Mary Berry wouldn't be particularly impressed with my decorating skills, but this plateful of biscuits was so well received that it was munched down by my hubby in just one afternoon! Just three more sleeps to go until Christmas: I hope you all have a wonderful time!

Love Tor

The perfect seasonal shop window from Next

Hi guys,
In the latest in their series of festive themed competitions, Next are asking bloggers to create their perfect Christmassy shop window display. This time the competition is being hosted by the wonderful Jess over at Feeling Stylish.

I love shop window dressings (going to see the Selfridges Christmas windows is something of an annual tradition for me) so I couldn't resist throwing my hat into the ring and creating an entry. I've gone for a festive homespun-style window, complete with bunting, natural decorations, and cozy outfits perfect for snuggling up in under the Christmas tree. No constrictive party dresses and trousers that don't allow a second helping of turkey for me on Christmas day!!

Decorative robin, £10
Hand knit pattern cardigan, £75
Set of 2 bark Christmas trees, £12
Snowflake sequin sweater, £32
Fairisle pattern sweater, £20
Bell heart decorations, £10 for a set of three
Knitted slipper boots, £16
Button ballerina slippers, £10

The competition actually closes today (cutting it close to the wire I know!) but if you'd like to create your own entry, just head over to the Feeling Stylish blog for more info!

Are you ready for Christmas yet? And have you finished your Christmas shopping? We're all done here in the fabfrocks household, and already holed up at my mother in laws, ready to enjoy the festivities!

Love Tor x

Sponsored video: You can still get your presents from Next in time for Christmas!

Hi guys,
As you can probably tell by all my posts about them this month, I have a bit of a soft spot for Next. Fashion-wise they are an unsung high street brand, as far as I'm concerned. And don't even get me started on their baby clothes: I'm obsessed! I'm also slightly in love with my leopard print Next coat, which I've worn constantly for the past month. Basically, I'm a secret Next addict!

But at this time of year they also come into their own as a great place to pick up Christmas presents. And to celebrate this they've produced a fab video with Wallace and Gromit creators (it wouldn't be Christmas without them!) Aardman Animations. Here it is:

Cute huh? What's not to love about shoes that look good and dance better than I do, all by themselves?! I love Aardman Animations, and they really are as much a part as Christmas as turkey, mince pies, and the Eastenders Christmas special!

So why should you do your Christmas shopping with Next? Well frankly, because you can! If you place an order on next.co.uk before 9pm you'll get next day delivery to ensure all your presents arrive before Christmas. (At no extra charge: just the standard £3.99 delivery cost) Be quick though! The last order date for Christmas delivery is Friday 21st December.

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? Or do you tend to leave everything to the last minute? And what do you prefer for your last minute Christmas shopping: surfing from your sofa or hitting the shops?

Love Tor

*This post is sponsored by Next

Christmas crafty Saturday: Make the gift wrap part of the present.

Hi guys,
I love getting crafty, and Christmas is the perfect time to exercise my love of all thing craft with a real purpose. So I thought that every Saturday during December I would share one of my seasonal crafts with you guys.

In case you haven't noticed over previous years, I'm going to let you into a little secret. I really really love Christmas. Like I'm obsessed with Christmas! I love decorating our house, buying special presents for everyone I love, I even like writing Christmas cards - I know! I'm crazy! But another one of the things I love (and something I've gotten from my mum) is wrapping my presents, so that they look amazing and leave people excited to open them.

Over the years I've decorated my presents with personalised keyrings, christmas tree ornaments, and candy canes. I've seen gorgeous presents that have been decorated with lollypops, cookie cutters, and even homemade jewellery. When you add something to the top of the present, however small, the wrapping becomes part of the gift.

This year I'm decorating my presents with candy cane mice: felt mice which I'm made by hand and added candy canes to make their tails. You can find the Martha Stewart tutorial on how to make the mice here: note that I stitched mine together rather than using fabric glue recommended by Martha (who knew she was so lazy?!) and they looked much better for it.


For the wrapping paper I've opted for plain metallics or red: I always think if you're going to embellish then the embellishment shows up so much better against the background of plain paper. I also experimented a little with polka dots for that Cath Kidston feel. Other unusual wrapping paper options are to use brown parcel paper and even newspaper: both guaranteed to make your presents stand out when they're underneath the tree!

How do you wrap your Christmas presents? Do you like to make the wrapping into something special, or do you prefer to spend more time on getting the right gift? I wonder if it's part of being a blogger than means I like literally everything I do (even giving a present) to be something that's aesthetically pleasing!

Love Tor xx

PS - Don't forget to enter my Christmas giveaway: there is a great selection of little prizes to be won!! 

Create Christmas glamour with House of Fraser

Hi guys,
I don't know about you, but nothing fills me with more dread than the thought of a formal Christmas party. Especially one where you don't really know anyone well enough to ask them what they're wearing (I'm thinking of husband's/boyfriend's work Christmas parties in particular). You don't want to go too formal, and be the most overdressed person in the room. But you also don't want to just throw on a little black dress and be the most underdressed person in the room if everyone else is in floorlength gowns. Frankly, it's a sartorial minefield!!

So when I saw these images from House of Fraser I both immediately fell in love with them, and then sighed a sigh of relief. House of Fraser have gone for all-out glamour when it comes to their Christmas campaign. And if you have a formal Christmas party to go to, there's something for everyone:




It's like the heyday of the 1920s come to life again. I really like the opulence of it, and suddenly have an urge to head out and buy pearls! I particularly love the beaded dress in the top picture, and the floorlength dress in the second: it's knot detail at the waist means it will be especially flattering on not-so-perfect tummies: just what I'm looking for!

You'll find all of the House of Fraser dresses here.

How many Christmas parties do you have to go to this year? They sometimes feel never-ending, don't they! Have you decided what you're wearing yet? I'd love to know and steal some of your inspiration!!

Love Tor xx

PS - Don't forget to enter my Christmas giveaway: there is a great selection of little prizes to be won!! 

Christmas crafty Saturday: How to make Christmas stockings

Hi guys,
I love getting crafty, and Christmas is the perfect time to exercise my love of all thing craft with a real purpose. So I thought that every Saturday during December I would share one of my seasonal crafts with you guys.

I like to create my own little presents for people, as well as decorations for the house: this year, for the first time, I tried my hand at making a Christmas stocking. It turned out so well that I'm going to show you how I made it so that, if you're feeling so inclined, you can try your hand at making your own:

I kept this really simple and used just two different cotton fabrics, cut out a felt letter, and then ribbons and buttons for the trim. But obviously the only limit to what you can make is your imagination: use velvet, add flowers, diamante, write your name on it with fabric paint. It really is up to you!

You will need:
2 sheets A4 paper to cut the pattern
1/2 meter patterned fabric
1/2 meter plain coloured fabric
Coordinating cotton
Embellishments (I used felt, ribbon, and buttons)

1. Cut out a stocking template pattern onto your sheets of A4 paper: this will be the template you use to cut your fabric. I drew and redrew mine by hand until I had the shape I wanted.
2. Cut the template 4 times; twice on each of your fabrics. Remember to turn the template around when doing the back panel of the patterned fabric, so the pattern will still show when the stocking is assembled.
3. Place the fabric with the patttern to the inside and the lining to the outside and then stitch the four pieces of fabric together: I used a simple running stitch. If you want to create this even quicker, you could use a sewing machine. Turn inside out and voila: you have your very own simple-to-sew Christmas stocking!
4. Embellish away to your hearts content! And don't forget that if you want to hang your stocking you'll need to add a ribbon loop to the corner.

Obviously this one is entirely for my own satisfaction, as the baby will be far too young to appreciate Christmas or stockings. But he'll only get one first Christmas, and I intend to suck as much joy and fun out of it as possible!

So what do you think? Do you think you'll have a go at making your own? If you do, I would LOVE to see how it turns out; email me a picture!

Love Tor x

PS - Don't forget to enter my Christmas giveaway: there is a great selection of little prizes to be won!! 

Christmas gift ideas from TK Maxx

Hi guys,
I've just made my annual Christmas trip to TK Maxx, and I just had to share what bargainous bargains I picked up whilst I was there! I always make a trip to TK Maxx at Christmas, because they have a great gift range. It's also the perfect place to pick up little designer bits (perfect for Christmas stockings) at massively reduced prices. If you think I might be buying you a gift this Christmas, it's probably best you turn away now! For everyone else, here's what I picked up:

Edible gifts 

Is there anything nicer than being gifted something yummy? Maybe that's just a sign that I'm greedy, but I do love an edible gift: and they're perfect for secret santas, aunts and uncles, and even the next door neighbour! This selection that I picked up ranged in price from £3.99 for the Christmas tree tin full of chocolates to £12.99 for the ceramic biscuit jar filled with ginger bread men! The best thing about these ones from TK Maxx is that the tins are so lovely, they can be saved and used again!

Stocking filler socks

Call me predictable (I am!) but every man in my life gets socks in their stocking at Christmas. I think they're a great, useful stocking stuffer! TK Maxx have some really great boxes of socks instore at the moment, from brands such as Calvin Klein, Original Penguin, French Connection, Ted Baker etc and all the ones I saw were £9.99 per box: considerably less than RRP!!

The ubiquitous Christmas jumpers

Another predictable one I'm afraid, but jumpers do make great gifts! As always, TK Maxx have a great selection of great labels instore, but at high street (and sometimes less than high street) prices. I managed to pick up 2 lovely knitted jumpers, one from Original Penguin and one from Superdry. Both were £24.99 each.

Make up, perfume, and smellies
I didn't actually buy any (I just didn't need them) but I was massively impressed by the range of make up, smellies, and perfume in store. There were Nails Inc gift sets for £12.99, and Calvin Klein make up sets for £9.99. There were also lovely boxed and hampered bath sets, perfumes, and an unlimited range of make up bags and wash bags: it was like girly gift heaven!!

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? And have you had any bargains from TK Maxx lately? I'm delighted that I managed to combine both: and proud of myself for spending over an hour in my local store looking at pretty things without actually buying a single thing for myself! Here's hoping that means extra brownie points from Santa....

Love Tor x

PS - Don't forget to enter my Christmas giveaway: there is a great selection of little prizes to be won!! 

My Christmas wishlist from Notonthehighstreet.com

Hi guys,
I am completely in love with notonthehighstreet.com: Its my go-to website when I'm looking for a present, or something quirky and unusual for myself. It brings together all of those boutique independent brands I love in one convenient, easy-to-search place.

So when I started thinking about a Christmas wishlist for myself, I knew it would be my first stop! Here's what I will be hoping to find in my stocking when the big day arrives. And because I wanted to look at stocking filler prices, everything I've picked costs less than £25:




Rob Ryan initial tote bags for Alphabet Bags, £16, Clicky link
Four teatime cupcakes in jars, G Desserts, £14.40, Clicky link 
Wish I was there make up purse, Rosie's Armoire, £24, Clicky link
Sandcastle bowls - blue, yellow, or white, Caroline McGrath, £25, Clicky link
Personalised leather hoops bracelets, Soremi, £22, Clicky link

Have you started thinking about what you want in your Christmas stocking yet? And the scarier question, have you started your shopping? I've done some of mine but the panic is no doubt going to start shortly: there's not long to go!

Love Tor xx

PS - Don't forget to enter my Christmas giveaway: there is a great selection of little prizes to be won!!