Tattoo Trends: Christmas Tats

Festive Themed Body Ink

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and are gearing up for a fun New Year.

I thought I'd do a Tattoo Trends post as I haven't done one for a while and I've recently found out about a strange range of tattoos that are fitting for this time of year; Christmas tattoos.

by Teresa Sharpe

I'm not sure what makes a person want to brand themselves with a permanent reminder of the festive season; maybe they want to continue the warm and fuzzy season all year round, or maybe they're a little strange and sickly. Whatever the reason, this seems to be a fairly popular if obscure tattoo trend.

A lot of the tattoos feature typical Christmassy items, such as holly...

Image via Odd Stuff Magazine

Christmas trees...

Image via Unique Interesting Facts

and snowflakes.

Image via Pinterest

There are also a lot of tattoos that feature characters from festive films or books, especially Dr Seuss' The Grinch.

Image via Tattoo Book Reviews

Image Source

Plus, there's a very large percentage of people with The Nightmare Before Christmas tattoos.

Image via She Planet

Image via She Planet

This is really a whole trend in itself.


Many people have tattoos that feature Old Saint Nick himself; I still can't decide if these people should be classed as young-at-heart or dangerously naive.

Image via Your Tattoos

Image via Your Tattoos

Finally, there are quite a few anti-Santa tattoos out there.

Image via Fun Cage

Image via She Planet

I'm sure these tattoos are making a very deep statement about Father Christmas and the whole festive season, but frankly they just freak me out.


Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone!

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If I Were A Rich (Wo)Man: Christmas Party Dresses

A Wishlist of Festive Frocks

So, this was supposed to be Friday's wishlist. Again, I'm very late, sorry. I'll get back to normal after Christmas.

This week I'm drooling over a selection of dresses that are ideal for the Christmas season.

The Pencil Dress

I love this Miss Selfridge Beaded Lace Pencil Dress from John Lewis; it's elegant but also ethereal, I'd feel like a snow queen wearing it. It's a very pale shade of purple and features flower embellishments. The silhouette has a vintage look yet it will always be fresh.

Price: £195

The Little Black Dress

Every woman needs a little black dress and this Sunray Embellished T-shirt Dress from Asos adds a boho twist to a classic style. It's got enough sparkle for the Christmas office party or New Year's Eve do, but it also has a relaxed feel. Plus, it's got a flattering cut that will hide a tummy that's had one too many mince pies.

I particularly love the open back and ribbon tie on this dress.

Price: £150

The Red Dress

Red is a bold and sexy colour, plus it's associated with Christmas, which means that this Agnes Lace Dress by Joseph is ideal for the festive season. The all-over lace is very pretty and the dress has a fit and flare style, which is flattering on any figure. However, it is the most expensive on my list.

Price: £695

The Flapper Dress

A 20s style dress always has a feeling of frivolity and freedom that flapper girls embodied. That's why a flapper dress is always a great choice around the fun festive season. This Frock and Frill Diamond Sequin Dress from Joy comes in a lovely nude shade and features sparkle and a chiffon skirt. It also has a great cut-out at the back.

Price: £120

The Quirky Dress

This fun and colourful dress is part of the collection that Zandra Rhodes produced for People Tree this year. The Purple Zandra Rhodes Pencil Dress does not have the traditional sparkles that seem to be obligatory on Christmas dresses. Nor is it red, black or gold, which seem to be the main shades you see at Christmas parties, but that's why I like it. The bold purple will make a statement on New Year's Eve and the shell print will remind you of the far off summer. Teamed with black tights and courts, this would make a great festive outfit.

Price: £150


That's all folks.

Happy Christmas Eve and have a great Christmas Day and New Year.

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If I Were A Rich (Wo)Man: Christmas Decorations

I know, I'm sorry. I promised another wishlist for Friday and I let you down again.

A combination of work, wisdom tooth pain and a restless dog conspired against me and I didn't have time.

It's a bit late but here is this week's wishlist of expensive goodies themed, fittingly, around festive decorations.

The Bauble

This Chinese Hand-Painted Cranes Glass Bauble from the V&A Shop is beautiful and delicate. I love the colours and the Oriental theme, which I wouldn't normally associate with Christmas, but that I think works.

This would look lovely on the tree, but any more than one and I'll be bankrupting myself.

Price: £25

The Candle Holder

This pair of Leaping Reindeer Tealight Holders has a rustic look that would work with a minimalist Christmas décor scheme as well as a traditional one. I love that even though they are simple, they are also beautiful.

Price: £31.60

The Wreath

This Christmas Berry Wreath from Velvet Brown has a classic feel. I'm not a fan of the really modern wreaths that are made from lights, bits of metal or fur (I did see a fur one once, why would you put that on your door?). I like to see a wreath with a bit of greenery.

This one features festive greens and reds, plus the traditional pine cones, berries and cinnamon.

Price: from £59

The...Octopus?

These little guys caught my eye. They're not exactly traditional but I think these Octopus Christmas Decorations would brighten up a tree.

Price: £14.99 for one.


That's all folks.

I really will try and post on time next week.

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The Pantone Colour of the Year is...

Radiant Orchid

Described as "an enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones," the 2014 Pantone colour of the year is a light purple shade.

Personally I preferred 2013's colour of the year, Emerald; Radiant Orchid is a touch too girlie for me. However, it is a vibrant colour that I predict will be popular in weddings and interiors. It also goes with most skin-tones, so will look great when worn in an outfit.

Here are a few Radiant Orchid inspired images.

Orchid image by Dorotron via Flikr

Purple Dress image via Jtiny on Wheretoget.it

Sunset image by ilaurens via Tumblr

Emma Watson

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If I Were A Rich (Wo)Man: Festive Food

I'm Embracing Christmas, the Time for Eating, with a Food-Themed Wishlist 

This is the first If I Were A Rich (Wo)Man wishlist I've done in a while, apologies for that. I will be back to writing one every Friday from now on.

As it is now December and we are closely approaching Christmas, this week's theme is one of the most important aspects of Christmas, food!

This is a collection of pricey food and food-related items that will have your mouth watering this festive season.

The Fancy Cakes

Aren't these cupcakes beautiful? The Marie Antoinette Collection Couture Cupcakes by Rosalind Miller Cakes come in a pack of six and are delicately decorated for a vintage theme.

When they're so pretty I don't much care what they look like, but they are supposed to be delicious too, they're Madagascan vanilla with buttercream and fondant.

They're delectable, but a pricey £48.

The Tea Dress

Not a normal tea dress, but a dress with actual tea-cups on it. The B+AB I.T Tea-Cup Print Dress from Selfridges is made from jersey, so it's warm and ideal for Christmas. The cute tea print is typically British, and I love the cut and the black and beige colour.

At £70 it's reasonably priced for a well-made garment, but still too much for me!

The Harrods Hamper

A Christmas hamper is a classic for the festive season, but Harrods always outdo the competitors. Called The Ultimate, this Harrods hamper has a fitting name as it is full of the most delicious, and expensive, drinks and food. Included is cognac, several wines, biscuits, cheese, meats and Christmas pudding. Faint-making.

A ridiculous £5,000!

The Fruit Necklace

I've included Alex Monroe's jewellery in a wishlist before. I love this man's jewellery, it's delicate yet full of character. I particularly like the Split Peach Necklace from Alex Monroe's new collection, Banquet. A fitting name for this wishlist. The detail is amazing and it's an unusual piece.

At £150 I can't afford it, but if anyone wants to get it for me for Christmas then I'd be very happy to accept it!

That's it for this week. Check back next Friday for more unaffordable goodness.

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Important News

Apologies, I dropped off the face of the planet a bit there. I've been pretty busy doing real-life things, see my actual real-life blog for more information.

But I have returned to make a very important announcement.

CatDog is on LoveFilm!

This is very exciting news.

I mainly remembered the theme tune, of which I could only sing the CatDog chorus. The rest I sung like Peter Griffin.





It's always dangerous to watch something you liked when you were little; often it doesn't turn out to be as good as you remember. However, CatDog is just as good if not better as I actually understand a lot of the jokes now.

The only thing is that I still don't know the answer to the ultimate question as posed by Peter Griffin...

Where does the poop go?


I'll be back with some more serious and ground-breaking posts soon.


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If I Were A Rich (Wo)Man: Luxury Cushions

Park your posterior on these pricey cushions

Have you noticed how cushions are getting more and more expensive? I definitely have. I've wanted to buy a few recently but every time I see a cushion I like, I check the price tag and it's an extortionate price.

Yet, I'm still drawn to them. So this week's If I Were A Rich (Wo)Man Wishlist is made up of expensive cushions.

The Owl Cushion

Twin Owls Cushion by Kristjana S Williams - Rume

There's something strange about these owls, they've suddenly sprouted horns. I love the surreal aspect of the Twin Owls Cushion by Kristjana S Williams from Rume. It's got a woodland theme, which is very on-trend at the moment. The blues and purples make it stand out from the usual greens and browns.

It's a pricey £125!

The Marmite Cushion

Upcycled Marmite Cushion - Little Mill House

Love it or hate it. I love the Upcycled Marmite Cushion from Little Mill House. It's a retro take on the iconic Marmite jar. The red background makes it pop.

£45

The Willow Pattern Cushion

Willow Pattern Cushion - Jan Constantine

The Willow Pattern Cushion from Jan Constantine features a classic Oriental pattern. Jan Constantine is an expert stitcher, so the cushion is beautifully hand-embroidered.

It's a cool £120.

The Pug Cushion

Pug Cushion - Fenella Smith

As dogs go, I prefer larger breeds. But this Pug Cushion from Fenella Smith caught my attention. I think it's the expression of the Pug with the monocle. The cushion's got three pugs on the front and a repeat pug pattern on the back and it's made from 100% Scottish linen.

£40


That's all for this week. Come back next Friday for another wishlist.

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People Tree Spring Summer 2014 Atelier Collection

Fair Trade Fashion from People Tree for 2014

I caught a sneak peak of ethical clothing company People Tree's Spring Summer 2014 collection

People Tree's ethical clothes always tend to have clean lines and a slightly vintage feel. This has been carried on in the Atelier collection, the garments are designed to be modern classics.

The collection manages to be modern, almost minimalistic, but still carries an air of timeless style. The colour palette is a simple monochrome, freshened up with additions of light pink.

I can imagine a silver screen film icon, like Grace Kelly, wearing this pink belted dress, but can also picture a contemporary style icon like Marion Cotillard looking fabulous in it.

I particularly like this black evening dress.

It's got a 1930s silhouette but the black colour and simple cut brings it up to date.

People Tree is well known for its ethical stance on Fair Trade fashion. The Atelier collection continues the green clothing brief; the garments are made from 100% Fair Trade fabric, including hand-woven silks and cotton. The embellishments are also all hand-stitched.

The range won't be available for a while yet, but it's nice to plan ahead!

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Autumn Fires

First wood fire of the season

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The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole

I recently revisited Adrian Mole...

A few days ago I realised that during a couple of house moves and clear outs I had lost most of my Adrian Mole books. This was a tragedy. So, I popped on eBay and Amazon and bought all the ones I needed.

The other day, this package arrived.

Adrian Mole Books

Needless to say, I have not moved much from the sofa since the books arrived, except to occasionally feed myself and perform necessary bodily functions. I've dedicated as much time as I can to reading them.

Having said that, I did have to take occasional breaks from Adrian. He'd become too clueless, too apathetic or sanctimonious and I'd have to leave him alone for a bit as I felt myself getting increasingly frustrated with him. But that's the beauty of Sue Townsend's creation; a lot of the time you want to slap him, yet even when he becomes unbearable, you still route for him.

I've got to say, I much prefer the younger diaries of Adrian Mole to the later ones. I feel more warmth towards him at thirteen and three quarters; his over-inflated sense of self, coupled with his inbuilt apathy, sits better on a teenager than it does on a thirty year old. I found myself wanting to tell him to grow up and pull himself together, but then if he did that there would be nothing to read.

The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4

The first Adrian Mole book is really perfect, Sue Townsend captures teenage awkwardness and family dynamics so well. Plus, it's Mole's naivety that drives the book; the reader knows what's happening with his mum and the next-door neighbour, even if he doesn't.

Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years

The last book, The Prostrate Years, left so many questions unanswered; will Adrian beat his illness, will he ever get together with Pandora, where the hell is his son William? Will there be another book? Sue Townsend is now blind. She used to write with a large marker pen but now she can't see a thing. So it's unlikely that we'll hear any more of Adrian. And maybe that's the best way.

If you've never read Adrian Mole, go and do it now. If you have, then revisit him, he hasn't changed.

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