It’s only 99 sleeps until Christmas! And you know how fast those days go. So I thought I would share a quick blog post about saving money for Christmas 2020, and how you can make some extra cash to add to the piggy bank…
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Has your Christmas jumper shrunk in the machine? Has your Fair Isle knit got a hole in it? Did that gravy stain never wash out? Don’t worry – before you take your festive pullover to the recycling bank, here’s a quick and easy way to turn your favourite seasonal jumper into a cosy cushion for your bed or sofa…
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I love listening to festive music at this time of year. In the car, on the radio and via YouTube playlists when I’m in the bath. But most of all I love listening to music on a record player. I have countless Christmas compilation LPs, from carols to contemporary, and there’s nothing better than listening […]
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Over the years I’ve lived in some rather small homes and it’s been difficult to decorate for Christmas in such a compact space. However, that’s never stopped me from filling my home with festive decor each December and, in fact, I’ve quite enjoyed the challenge of making my own DIY space-saving Christmas trees. Here are three ways to upcycle pallets, pipes and paint to create your own unique festive decor that doesn’t take up too much space…
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Today’s DIY is all about LED candles and how you can decorate them with mini foliage wreathes to create a table centrepiece or decorations for a shelf or mantelpiece – here’s how…
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If you’re wondering what to get your youngsters for Christmas this year, or are planning to donate to a charity Christmas gift appeal, I’ve put together a wonderful collection of fun and educational gifts for all ages – from toddlers to teens. Plus, you can win a kids’ microscope kit in my festive giveaway so read on to enter…
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Do you enjoy making things? Do you love to save money? Do you want unique decorations that no-one else has? Then it’s time to make your own! I’m getting a head start on my Christmas preparations this month and have made three scandi-style decor projects that you can easily replicate at home. Or you could use these ideas as a starting point for your own designs – it might be the inspiration you need to get you started on crafting your own festive decor…
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Ever wanted your home to look like Buddy the Elf has decorated it for Santa’s arrival? Here’s 14 low-cost and easy DIY projects to help you spread Christmas cheer throughout your rooms (using things you already have) in time for the big day…
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Fancy making your own neon snowflake light to decorate your home for Christmas? I’ve shared the full DIY project along with photos of my own minimalist snowy white festive bedroom…
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Christmas trees? Nah! Santa? Who? We all know that the real star of Christmas is the sprout. Whether you love them or loathe them, they’re the most hotly anticipated visitors on the 25th December and I think they deserve to be celebrated. So I’ve DIYed my own stalk of sprouts, with fluffy green pom-poms and a big stick. Here’s how to make this most-festive-of-all-decorations for yourself…
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If you haven’t got a Christmas tree or simply can’t fit one into your home, this DIY copper-pipe tree is a great slimline option. You can make it yourself using offcuts from your plumbing project, a broom handle and a piece of pallet wood, so it’s practically free!
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Here’s some of the personalised and retro gifts I’ve picked up for my husband this year, and I hope they’ll help you get your gift list in order too…
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Who needs shop-bought Christmas lights when you can make your own, eh? This wall-mounted Christmas tree project uses electroluminescent wire to DIY a light-up neon Christmas tree using pallet wood…
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Christmas is about so much more than materialism but it’s also nice to buy or create something that lets people know you are thinking about them at this time of year and that you enjoy having them in your friendship circle. Sometimes all it takes is a Christmas card so here are some ideas to give you a new take on this traditional festive greeting…
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If you’re looking for a truly unique gift this Christmas, you’ve got to go handmade. Etsy is a great marketplace to find items that have been crafted by artisans and creatives so that’s where I’ve been shopping this year. Here are some festive gift ideas for all members of the family…
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Christmas is a popular time for proposals and I can’t think of anything more romantic than a snowy backdrop when you’re popping the question. An engagement ring is a Christmas gift she’ll never forget and I’ve come up with some top tips for buying the ideal jewellery that she’ll be overwhelmed to open on Christmas morning…
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Have you given any thought to your table setting? Whether you’re someone that likes to keep the table set all year around or a procrastinator that only thinks about the number of place settings required on the day, I’ve got some festive inspiration to give your table settings the wow-factor this season…
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I’ve made my own Christmas jumpers this year! What do you think? After a quick rummage in my local charity shop I found three different types of jumpers just calling out to be upcycled, so I thought I’d share this heat-transfer vinyl project with you so that you too can make your own festive jumper this Christmas…
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Last week, we went for a rummage in the local charity shops and found two boxes of glass baubles to add to our collection. So, for the first time in a long time, our tree has a colour scheme! I decorated my tree on Sunday so I thought I’d share some snaps of it with you today…
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December is here and if you haven’t already jumped at the chance to put up your tree and make your home look as festive as possible, you might be looking for some more affordable and creative ways to decorate your space for the Christmas period. There are so many amazing ways to put your own creative spin on Christmas decorations and decor, but to give you a few ideas, here are a select few festive arts and crafts you should try this season…
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If you’re thinking of taking a break over the festive season, I’ve come up with some ideas for a Christmas getaway that you’ll never forget…
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If you’re planning to entertain over Christmas and New Year, it’s a great idea to have a cocktail cabinet ass a place to serve delicious drinks to your guests. Here’s how to make your own DIY retro bar from an old display cabinet…
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I’m feeling super-festive right now and it’s because the Christmas issue of Reclaim magazine is out now! And my Design Icon article this month is vintage baubles, including how to spot the genuine article…
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If you’re planning to have a real Christmas tree in your home this year, why not choose the eco-friendly and sustainable option of buying local? I took a tour of a Suffolk tree plantation on Friday so here’s why you should consider getting your festive tree from a local producer…
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If you’re not a big fan of fairy lights but still want to illuminate your rooms for Christmas, here are some slightly more subtle ways to get a touch of twinkling light into the space without going over the top…
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Sustainable present ideas to help you stay eco-friendly this Christmas while shopping for gifts and stocking fillers…
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Christmas is just around the corner and if you have a special someone in your life, it’s never too early to start thinking about gifts for her. Here’s how to make shopping for the ideal Christmas gift, stress-free…
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When you’re self-employed, the office Christmas party becomes a thing of the past. That’s why I planned my own Christmas party this year at the Cosy Club – here’s why you should do the same…
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Fancy making an advent calendar that you can reuse to help you countdown to Christmas every year? Check out my a step-by-step video tutorial to DIY your own refillable festive calendar…
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If you’ve slightly outgrown chocolate advent calendars (I mean, it could happen…) these are the alternatives for you. Make the count down to Christmas fun and bloomin’ delicious at the same time. These two calendars are just screaming out to be opened first thing in the morning so you definitely won’t loose keep track of the date this December…
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Remember the shoebox appeal when you were younger? Packing up small gifts and essentials for someone who really needed it? I really wanted to get involved in a campaign like this in the run up to Christmas so I searched online to find a local charity. And I found a fantastic Christmas gift campaign…
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With old traction engines, quaint village shops, Santa’s grotto and a magical wonderland, Thursford Christmas Spectacular is so much more than just a show. Here’s what you can expect from a visit to Thursford this festive season…
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Did you know that the average cost of a Christmas stocking adds up to over £70? Sounds like a lot doesn’t it? That’s why I jumped at the chance to cut this cost by half and share the results of my Christmas stocking haul with you today. Plus, you can win all the items in my retro stocking in my giveaway below so read on to enter the competition…
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Are you ready for Christmas? (Yes, I said it!) All the food, the indulgence and the mulled wine? I’m looking forward to it already, although the health-conscious me is already feeling a little wary. So I thought I’d share some ways that you can get ready for the festive season by cutting back now, to ensure a healthier, happier new year.
Read MoreThere are certain tools no kitchen should be without, especially when cooking hearty meals during the colder months – do you have them in your cupboards?? Read on to find out which kitchen essentials you’ll need to create healthy dinners this autumn…
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The decorations and mince pies are already on sale in many shops around the UK now and, with the nights starting to draw in, thoughts turn to Christmas. And also to the expense associated with the festive season, which for some is a stressful time of year. Here’s how to plan your budget ahead and keep yourself feeling happy about ‘the most wonderful time of the year’…
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If you’re a blogger, vlogger, photographer or independent business, you’ll no doubt already be planning for Christmas. I know – too soon, right? But we’ve already had plenty of ‘Christmas in July’ events and product previews and, in terms of content creation, it’s fast approaching! So, today I thought I’d help you be prepared and share some essential things you’re going to need in advance of the festive season…
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Here’s to a fantastic 2018 for all!
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Great news – my project on prettifying glassware for New Year’s Eve was published in Reloved magazine this month! Check out Issue 50 for the step-by-step guide to creating these decorated cocktail glasses.
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Everyone loves a hot mulled drink at Christmas, am I right? Wrapping your hands around a steaming cup of mulled cider, wine or apple juice is just what you need after coming in from a cold winters walk.
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Now, I really can’t take credit for today’s festive recipe. In fact, the only input I had was telling my husband that we had a bottle of maple syrup in the cupboard. Yes, really, that’s it! Hubby created this festive ham recipe all by himself and I arrived at the end of the process to […]
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Yes, you may have been rather disorganised and got into the Christmas spirit too early this year – but even if you haven’t done all your present shopping, there’s no need to panic. The Christmas countdown is well and truly on, and with just a couple more shopping days until the big day itself, there’s […]
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It can be difficult to fit a big bushy Christmas tree into your home, can’t it? Especially if you’re living in a flat (how do you even get it up the stairs?!) or a cosy terrace with Victorian proportions. If you’re lacking in space but still want to feel festive, how about making my Christmas […]
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I’ve been DIYing again, and this time I’m making Christmas gifts. After the fun I had making my Christmas jumper bunting for Emmaus, I jumped at the chance to join in with their Second Hand Santa Challenge again during gift week. I decided to made gift boxes and frames that could be the ‘wrapping’ for […]
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Today I’m sharing some expert advice from i heart Wines to get your guests ‘rioja-ing’ around the Christmas tree (excuse the awesome pun!) I’ve already shared my favourite mulled wine recipe using i heart Rosé earlier this week so that’s one warming festive drink you can tick off your ‘to do’ list! Read on to find out […]
Read MoreChristmas is a magical time. Youngsters eagerly await the arrival of Santa Claus while the adults spend months planning the perfect family Christmas. As the kids count the hours until it’s time to open the pile of presents under the tree, parents worldwide are busy making sure homes are warm, the cupboards are full, refrigerators […]
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At the weekend a few of my friends came round for a pre-Christmas get-together. I like to have a hot festive drink bubbling away to warm them up as they come in from the cold (and, as it turned out, snowy) night air. So I pulled out my trusty slow cooker and concocted this recipe […]
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Okay, I admit it. I’ve not bought a single Christmas gift for my husband yet. I’m guessing that next week will be a busy one for me as I scramble around to fill that stocking. You would imagine your husband is one of the easiest persons to shop for, but it might take longer to decide […]
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I always think to myself, ‘this year I’m going to be so prepared, and get all my Christmas and gifts in the post during the first week of December’. Does it ever happen? Nope! Honestly, I don’t know where the days go. From as early as November, I already feel like I’m playing catch-up and […]
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How are you decorating your dining table this Christmas? Will you be adding crackers? Have you got a beautiful floral display planned? Are you decorating the entire dining room with a theme? I’ve been thinking about my festive table and have been doing some much-needed research (good ol’ Pinterest!) into festive tablescapes. Here’s just a […]
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Is there anything more magical than a winter wedding? Especially if it happens to snow on the big day too – ahh, so dreamy! Even though I got married in the summer, I ‘d probably go for a winter wedding if I were to do it all over again now. Just imagine all those fairy […]
Read MoreChristmas is almost here, and for some people, that means travelling somewhere to celebrate the festive season. Last year, it was predicted that 4.5 million Brits travelled abroad for Christmas and New Year, and it is likely that even more people will be travelling this year along with their family, friends, or pets. With a third of British […]
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This week has been an incredibly crafty one for me – first it was the wreath-making workshop and today’s blog post is all about my latest sewing project: Christmas jumper bunting. Scroll down to see my step-by-step guide to making this fun festive project – I hope you’ll give it a go yourself!In the lead […]
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Yesterday I had one of the most festive days of my life. So much so, that I wanted to come home and tell you all about it straight away! You see, I’d just spent the whole day with my husband at Blackthorpe Barn – already one of the most Christmassy places in Suffolk – and […]
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When you’re decorating your home for Christmas it’s tempting to drape tinsel over every picture frame and add flashing fairy lights in every room. But that means you don’t really ever get a ‘rest’ from the chaos of Christmas, and I think that the bedroom is the one space that you really do need to […]
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When you think of a cosy home at Christmas, what do you imagine? I expect whatever you’re seeing in your mind’s eye is rather similar to while I’m thinking of. There’s the glow of low lighting, lots of soft textures, a roaring fire and steaming cups of hot chocolate on the coffee table. Am I […]
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Remember your childhood Christmas tree – I bet it had an angel on the top, didn’t it? Over the years I’ve spotted more and more stars adorning the tops of our festive trees, but I love the traditional look that an angel adds when sitting at the very top of the tree. So today, here’s […]
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While it’s nice to look lovely for special occasions over the festive period, there’s no sense in buying an outfit that you’re only going to wear once. Surely you want to be able to wear your new clothes to that new years party, or for Saturday nights out and weekends away throughout the rest of […]
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Compared to most bloggers, I feel like I’m really behind on decorating my home for Christmas. Yes, I know it’s not even December yet, but I’ve been spotting gorgeous photos of bloggers’ trees and homes for weeks now and feel like I’m the only one not to have put up any decorations. So today, I thought […]
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I’ve been daydreaming again, and this time it’s about my perfect lottery-winner’s Christmas. Indulge me for a moment. I’m not saying that I want to win the lottery, nor that I need to have £££s to create a gorgeous home and wonderful Christmas, but I’ve let my mind winder and simply imagine what Christmas would […]
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With December 1st fast approaching, I’ve come up with a quick and easy DIY advent calendar that you can make as a family. Plus, it’s reusable so you can refill it with treats every year and will never need to buy a chocolate calendar again! Here’s what you’ll need to make this Christmas tree advent […]
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I know it might feel a little early to be putting up the decorations but I wanted to share this project with you asap, as I’m not just showing you how to make snowy letters – I’m giving my own project away to one lucky reader! The giveaway is running for the next couple of […]
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Gingerbread. It’s the taste of Christmas. If it’s not in a latte, it’s in your biscuit tin. That sweet, spiced, scent-of-the-season is everywhere at this time of year and I love it. I that know many of you have long-awaited the arrival of those gingerbread lattes in the coffee shops and I’ve already munched my […]
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Struggling to buy for someone special this year? How about creating a super-personal Christmas hamper? If you plan a few weeks in advance and shop around, it’s likely that you’ll pick up some good bargains, too. You don’t have to be overly crafty to make the hamper look good either. Read on for my step-by-step […]
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I’ve done something a little different for today’s recipe blog post: I’ve instastory’d it! You may have spotted a couple of quick and easy DIY projects on my instastories in the run up to Halloween (you can find my ghost lanterns and no-carve pumpkin decorating project on my Cassiefairy YouTube channel if you need inspiration […]
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This year, I’m planning to treat my family and friends to some meaningful gifts. Sure, I could head out onto the high street and get sucked into all the hustle and bustle of buying presents on a grand scale. But often this results in me not quite finding the ideal gifts for the people I […]
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Do you have a lovely Christmas jumper that you’ve shrunk in the wash? Did the moths nibble their way through your favourite festive pullover? Don’t bin them – you can turn your old knits into Christmas cushions! All it takes is some straight lines of stitching to make cute throw pillows to dress up your […]
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There’s nothing I love more at this time of year than filling up my weekends with festive fun. There are so many fantastic events taking place around East Anglia this year that I could easily double- and triple-book myself on most dates in November and December. That said, I’ve come up with a ‘must do’ […]
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The arrival of autumn and the festive season has got me thinking about making a few tweaks to my living space to create cosy interior. So, while you’re putting up Christmas decorations all over your home, make sure you’re being sensible budget-wise about decorating your home for the holidays. You actually don’t need to spend money […]
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