What? No Gift List.

On Saturday I shall be attending the wedding of a couple who have opted not to have a giftlist. This is highly unusual. A card containing details of a couple's gift list is as common to the invitation envelope as an RSVP postcard nowadays. It's more practical than anything else. Not doing so means you run the risk of some duplication amongst your wedding presents (it's another fondu set darling!) or worse, receiving nothing at all ; ). I'm always slightly put off by couples who ask for money to put towards something like a house deposit or the honeymoon but I do think that emerging modern alternatives can be both innovative and meaningful such as asking people to donate to a charity the couple support or to give wine or champagne to build a stable of bottles with which to launch a hundred celebrations in the future. So what to give? Especially when the couple in question seemingly have 'everything'. I've been window shopping to find some present ideas that will help push your name right to the top of the thank you card list.

1. Bespoke Sienna Bowl from Jojo Glass Design £140.00

Stylish, elegant and timeless. A total no-brainer.

2. "Nice" Biscuit Cheese Platter by Square Pear Furniture at notonthehighstreet.com £34.95

Apart from anything else, the design of this is utterly edible and the humour clear but not tacky.

3. Plans Chest Metal Top Coffee Table from The Old Cinema £595.00

Check out this site for a wealth of original, vintage and upcycled pieces in many different styles.

4. A Gourmet Chocolate Company Pizza from £7.00

Food: the second thing every couple wants when they get back to the Honeymoon Suite ; ).

5. Citrus Orange Tree from Trees Direct £49.00

Orange blossom is associated with love and commitment so you score points for originality and depth of meaning. 

Here Comes The Bride...Again!

Yet another member of my close family has announced their engagement about which I am of course completely thrilled. It's time to find another engagement present and I've been avoiding the shops a bit recently for various reasons so let's get stuck in...and I'm striving for originality as well as desirability here.

1. Handmade ceramic fridge magnets from Jo Heckett £22.00. 

2. Sterling Silver Mussel Eaters from Gorgeous Gifts  £26.99

3. Pink Tweed De Ruig Dutch Tea Cosy £57.00

4. Bronte Spot Throw Grey/Duck Egg 135 x 185cm £79.00

5. Sun Shelter from The Glam Camping Company £240.00

6. Distortion Candlesticks from Rume.co.uk £24.00ea

Engagement Album

Congratulations to my little brother and his beautiful fiancee on their engagement announced today. I wish you a long and happy life together. A gift will be on the way shortly but what to choose? Here are some ideas...

1. Forever In Love Personalised Art Print £20.00

Celebrate the occasion with a timeless and enduring framed art print, designed and personalised for the recipients by Letter Fest. The prints are available in a range of phrases, either framed or unframed and, for that unique touch, they even offer the option of using your own choice of phrase for a truly bespoke gift. 

2. Kiss Me Goodnight Paperweight £20.00

I love glass paperweights. I don't ever actually use them for their intended purpose because I think they look best scattered amongst ornaments on surfaces and sparkling in sunlight on windowsills. The Ebury Home & Garden Shop has this lovely satisfyingly plump one illustrated with a bird on a branch and bearing the legend "Kiss Me Goodnight". Very romantic and something for the bottom drawer.

3. Orwell & Good Too Deer Cushion £49.50

This large (18" x 18") silk cushion with printed with two elegant deer from Rockett St. George is a subtle and clever way to celebrate an engagement. The neutral palate means it would fit neatly into most colour schemes and the sumptuous sheen of the silk would make it particularly suitable for a cosy boudoir.

4. Shetland Throw in Duck Egg, Rose & Pearl £78.00

Something to snuggle in. I once had a boyfriend who lived on Shetland. I've seen their sheep and they really, really need their wool. It's extremely cold and windy. So, I imagine that this lovely throw/blanket from Susie Watson Designs is great for keeping things toasty on cold winter nights by the fire. As a personal touch for the engagement, I might have a present like this monogrammed with the couple's initials neatly entwined.

5. Love Letters Tea Light Holders £48.00

I love the simple design and warm glow from these beautiful hand-thrown porcelain votives by Luna Lighting that I found at the Tilly & Rose online boutique. I can just see them flickering away on a fireplace or hearth or dazzling in the dark through a window in the evenings. In fact, quite a few of their designs would make ideal engagement presents but I like this one because the set presents letters that only make sense when put together side by side.....Awww...I'd better go and lie down. I've gone into loved up overdrive. Hehe!

A Grateful Cuppa

I love to give mugs as thank you presents. And I don't mean the big chunky mass-produced kind with daft cartoons and slogans. I like to find exquisite little pieces that look like works of art, wrap them up in generous amounts of soft tissue paper and present them snuggly nestled in mini gift bags with ribbon handles. The days of matching crockery are long gone. Modern style dicatates that we collect things for our home that we find beautiful and that 'complement' rather than 'match' eachother. The more eclectic, the better. Personally, I always choose my mug according to what I fancy to drink and for a rare afternoon's feet up with the papers and a pot of fresh loose leaf Earl Grey, I would have to choose something like this (above). The small Love Birds Red/ Pink Stipe Senseo Mug £6.95 is just one of a range of beautiful designs by Pip Studio. Delicate and vibrant, I love the little robin and the subtle gilding. They are definitely available in Selfridges because I bought a few as thank you gifts for some friends who helped us out with a project we had to deliver recently but I have seen them in other independent gift shops. Pack two different ones together as a great thank you present for a couple.   Decorative, eye-catching and practical, they make a great impact when you really want to let someone know how much you appreciate them.

A Place For Everyone

Now this is something I'd be thrilled to receive. A great Christmas gift for anyone you know with a busy life...and that's pretty much everyone in my address book. Normally, I'm not a fan of those little crowded flip calendars that look tacky and force you to write so small you need a magnifying glass to read back what you've put. But these calendars not only look great, they have more than enough space for everyone to table their own commitments without jostling for supremacy. I found them on the excellent Strawberry Fool gift website. I'll definitely be getting the Couple's Calendar £8.99 for my brother and his girlfriend this year as I've noticed that she has taken to highlighting his and her appointments on their calendar with different coloured neon markers so this would definitely make that job easier for her. Also, they're about to emigrate so it will be something easy to slip into their luggage as they leave. No doubt I will find more than one recipient for the Family Calendar £9.99 too. We've had so many new babies this year, it's hard to keep track. Additional features of both products include a deep storage pocket for bits and pieces and extra column space for notes or extra reminders. Beautiful and practical.