Movie Night Gift Hamper Ideas

Way back in the January sales, I bought a load of these retro popcorn buckets and I've been saving them up in the gift cupboard.  You can get these on Amazon (image affiliate link at the end of the post) or, use a brightly coloured plastic serving bowl to both hold the selection of gifts and to use to serve the popcorn.

A DVD is a fairly standard present idea - lots of people I'm sure will have at least one to buy for someone, but by making a movie night hamper, you're taking the gift up a level and giving not just the film, but the whole experience. Some thoughtful additions and your recipient will have a lovely evening to remember.

It doesn't need to cost you a lot of money, you can re-package some popping corn in a pretty cellophane bag with a ribbon and that's much cheaper than the microwave variety. Add some homemade cookies, or some individual sachets of hot chocolate which only cost around 40p each.  There's no reason why you can't thrift some of these items too.  The mugs I've included cost me £1.99 the pair in a charity shop, and you can re-gift your favourite films too - just be sure to check that they play ok first!

Disney Fairies Movie hamper (for my 5 year old daughter)

Great for a Christmas or birthday gift. Theme it around their favourite film or characters.

Contains:

• Tinkerbell DVD
• Tinkerbell magazine with free gift
• Popping corn
• Pink onesie
• Disney pink candy canes
• Sparkly bracelet

Romantic Movie Night idea (for a couple)

Great for Christmas or an anniversary gift.

Contains:

• Romantic film
• Gourmet popcorn
• Bottle of wine
• Small box of chocolates
• Scented candle - ooh-la-la!

Teen/Tween Girl idea

Great to double-up some of these items for a sleepover hamper.

Contains:

• Girly movie
• Microwave popcorn
• Jelly beans
• Face pack
• Nail varnish
• Fluffy socks
• Mug with hot chocolate and marshmallows

I asked some of my fellow bloggers to suggest some themes too:

Kids Chaos suggested one for her mum which would have a Downton box set; a bottle of sherry and a box of Turkish delight.

Love Chic Living wanted one for herself and her best friend which would have a bottle of Cava, a Chinese Takeout (you could add a Just-Eat voucher), a Bridget Jones movie and lots of liqueur chocolates.

The Ana Mum Diary thought it would be nice to make one for her blogging friends with Julie and Julia DVD, some post-it notes, an ipad cover and a personalised mug with their blog logo on it.

Mummy Never Sleeps suggested one for the guys - DVD box set of The Sopranos or The Wire, some beer, Empire Magazine, a take-out voucher and some pyjama bottoms.

Cheetahs in My Shoes fancies a guilty pleasures one for herself - boxed set of New Tricks, roasted veg and goat's cheese pizza and cookie dough ice cream (not sure how you'd wrap that!) and some gin in a tin.

Maris World has suggested one for Aly from Plus 2.4 - any film with a beardy guy in and some bottles of real ale.

Kiddy Charts thinks that Dad would love this - A detective series like Morse on DVD, a bottle of whiskey, a classical music CD and some fish and chips (a Just-Eat voucher again maybe?)

Cakes Photos Life has suggested one for a mum and grown-up daughter - Champers, chick flicks, hot chocolate, a blanket to share and some gourmet popcorn.

Thrifty Home has come up with a lovely one for grandparents - some shortbread biscuits, hot water bottles, White Christmas DVD, a Nat King Cole Christmas CD, Turkish Delights, homemade marmalade, a photo album full of pics of the grandchildren and a rose named after them.

2 large popcorn buckets - £2.49

What movie night hamper ideas would you come up with?  What would be your favourite to receive?

Magpie Monday in Matlock

We've been enjoying a weekend away in Derbyshire, and visited the beautiful former spa town of Matlock.

The town is heavily influenced by John Smedley (in fact I'm pretty sure this is the main reason my Old Man wanted to go).  Smedley introduced the hydrotherapy spa to the town and also built Riber Castle as his family home.  The impressive gothic structure still looks over the town from aloft the hill.

Matlock remains a quaint and upmarket town, full of antiques shops and vintage showrooms.  I could have spent many happy hours trawling these, but unfortunately we were on a deadline to get to the Smedley factory outlet to stock up on knitwear at half-price.  So it resulted in a rather crazed second-hand supermarket sweep style assault on the charity shops the town had to offer - of which there were many!

The trouble with so many retro shops in a town, is that is does drive up the prices in the charity shops.  Partly because I suspect the best items are cherry-picked, the decimal point is moved along on the price tag and they are re-sold in the swankier shops.  Partly also because the canny charity shops get their items accurately valued and priced, and also because of simple economics - lots of vintage-lovers are attracted to the town by the antique shops so there's plenty of custom around.

So sadly, the bric-a-brac shelves were fairly bare (or too expensive for my tastes).  There was however, plenty for Ruby to get excited over.  Much to my annoyance, she picked out yet another soft toy - I swear, our house is FULL of them.  But she fell in love with her monkey, so I let her spend her pocket money on him.

At the next shop, she found another monkey, and it did seem that monkey number one should have a little pal, so we bought him also.  She's clung onto them ever since - I need to prise them off her to put them in the washing machine still!

They have been named ooo-ooo and blue-ooo.  Obvs.

I also managed to get her some nice clothes, including this muted yellow and grey long-sleeved top from Next for £1.99

...these super-soft floral cotton PJs from Marks and Spencer for £2.49

...and this rainbow-striped jumper from Matthew Williamson for £2.09.

So all in all, not a bad dash round the shops!  I'd love to go back and spend some more time there, exploring the beautiful independent shops and enjoying afternoon tea overlooking the magnificent river.

How about you?  Have you got any second-hand bargains lately?  I'd love you to grab the badge and link up.

 
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The Black Dog Delicatessen

If you're looking for a stylish gift for a foodie friend, or perhaps some delicious treats to put in a Christmas hamper, then I may have found the brand for you.

Not only does The Black Dog Delicatessen produce tasty gourmet continental delights, but they donate proceeds of each sale to the Labrador Rescue Trust.  The charity is celebrating it's 25th anniversary this year and has re-homed over 10,000 rescue Labradors.

"We wanted to create a signature brand that people could trust. Black Dog combines authentic provenance at an affordable price. What's more, given the fact that the British are such a nation of dog lovers, I'm sure the rescue dog element will prove popular too." 

~ James Tyler, foodhq MD

The brand's Managing Director, owns two rescue Bailey and Blue who provided the inspiration for Black Dog Delicatessen and their distinctive packaging.

We are a Labrador household here too (although we have a chocolate flavour one not a black one), so I fully support this initiative to raise funds.

Here's the puppy-dog eyes shot!  This is James' dog, but it looks so much like ours it's uncanny!  She sneaks on the sofa too.

Anyway, enough of the gratuitous cute hounds, the food's pretty darned good too.  The range includes:

FIVE PASTA CHOICES

Linguina (Great Taste Award) • Penne Rigata • Orzo • Spaghetti Al Nero • Vermicelloni

FOUR RISOTTO MIX CHOICES (£2.49 per 300g pack)

Porcini Mushroom • Tomato • Lemon • Asparagus

FIVE OLIVE CHOICES

Mixes Pitted Olives with Garlice, Chili & Basil (Great Taste Award) • Pitted Green Olives with Dukkah Spices & Orange 

Pitted Green Olives with Garlic & Basil • Pitted Green Olives with Thyme, Basil, Parsley & Chives • Pitted Kalamata with Thyme, Basil, Parsley, & Chives

BALSAMIC VINEGAR

10-year-old Cask Aged from Modena

TWO OLIVE OILS ~ BOTH WINNERS OF GREAT TASTE AWARDS

Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil • Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I was sent a couple of samples to try, and we enjoyed the tomato risotto and a jar of green olives with garlic and basil.

The whole family enjoyed the olives.  Ruby who adores black or green ones is highly suspicious of anything that may be stuffed inside (a traumatic earlier incident involving anchovy I think!) so it was lovely that these were merely in flavoured oil rather than having chunks of garlic inside. They were nice big, juicy olives, perfect to serve as a pre-drinks snack or to use in your cooking.

The risotto did wonders to liven up some leftover pheasant for supper.  The sun dried tomatoes and black olives re-hydrated beautifully.  It tasted fresh, vibrant and had a luxuriously creamy texture.  It would be perfect actually, just on it's own with some Parmesan and fresh herbs.  Definitely a great addition to the larder.

Do check out the Black Dog Delicatessen range online at Food HQ.  I've been really impressed. The branding and packaging is gorgeous, but it's not just style over substance, the food inside is a treat too!

Disclosure: I was sent some samples as outlined above.  All opinions are my own and I received no financial reward for writing this review.

Upcycled kitchenalia bird feeders

My passion for salvaging things is well known.  I'm never happier than when I'm up to my elbows rooting around in boxes of old junk outside a house clearance shop; at a jumble sale or in a charity shop.  My absolute favourite purchases are always those that I've unearthed from the bottom of a random box of 10p bits and pieces - a pretty little china teacup who's lost it's saucer, an enamel teapot missing it's lid; a floral plate with a tiny chip on the back that nobody wants anymore.

But what to DO with all this stuff?  I want to love it and look at it and keep it from the jaws of the crusher, but let's be honest, my cupboards are groaning under the weight.

So what can you do with these adorable mis-matched odds and sods?  Well, of course you can make candles in them, and very lovely they are too.  But there's also only so many candles a home can have.

Inspired by the bird feeders I made a while back in vintage clay plant post, I decided to share the prettiness of this kitchenalia with my garden birds.  They need all the energy they can get at this time of the year, so a tasty treat of fat and seeds will give them the warmth they need.

I'm not entirely sure how my bone china cup will fare in the depths of winter when the temperature plummets, but the enamel teapot will be just fine I'm sure.

To make, simply melt some solid vegetable fat gently in a pan.  Pour dried bird seed mix into your cup or whatever receptacle you're using.  Pour over the hot fat and leave to cool and set.  Tie some garden twine off the handle to make a hanging loop and you're done.

If you're giving this as a gift (and what a lovely thoughtful gift it would make!), decorate with a ribbon, some berries and foliage from the garden and seal the top with one of those cellophane jam pot covers and an elastic band. Pop into a gift box and voila, a gorgeous vintage gift that's cost pennies and will give hours of enjoyment watching the birds visit the garden.

Are you feeding the birdies this winter?

Finest Foods from Tesco

Supermarket giant Tesco have relaunched their Finest range with 400 new products being introduced and 1,500 of the existing products are being improved further.

Interestingly, speaking to the team at the re-launch event, far from being negatively hit by the economic downturn, they are finding they have retained their loyal customers and it seems that maybe the 'lipstick' economic effect also applies to luxury food with people choosing to treat themselves with great quality food to eat at home, rather than going out for a meal.

And with so many gorgeous products to choose from in the range, it's easy to see how a treat from your grocery shopping could perk you up.

Their glorious bouquets for example, have been repackaged to look less like supermarket flowers, and more like blooms from a high-end florist.  Using layers of tissue and die-cut paper, the best quality stems are hand-tied into beautiful bouquets you'd be thrilled to receive.  They've removed the sticky labels and instead used a stick tag, allowing you to easily de-brand it if giving as a gift.  They've also embarked on training staff in-store how to keep them in tip-top condition - news I was very pleased to hear!

Speaking to the buyers, it was clear their passion for quality shines through. Their sole mission is to source the best ingredients, with excellent provenance, from the most skillful suppliers around the world.  So whether that's the sea salt from Anglesey; smoked haddock from a third-generation Grimsby firm still producing their goods in the traditional way, or the stunning wild mushrooms hand picked in Scotland by expert foragers.

I'm very excited by some of the new products in the range and really enjoying the #loveeverymouthful campaign and website.  It's full of interesting facts, great recipes and inspiration.

Now, what should I try first - the salted caramel drinking chocolate?  The butterbean and roast garlic houmous? Or perhaps the wild-caught Canadian scallops?

Disclosure: I attended the preview event at my own expense and received a goody bag for attending.  All views are my own.

Tuesday Treats to Remember

It's my turn to host Tuesday Treats, a round-up of memorable reads hosted by Chris and Thinly Spread; Ruth at Dorky Mum and Becky at Baby Budgeting.

Well, it's been quite a week in blogland.  All kinds of contentious and emotive issues discussed at length. Arguments from both sides of the fence.  We're seen the feminism issue hotly debated; freedom of speech vs a very controversial book; and now the debate about the latest proposal to promote breastfeeding.  

I think it's amazing that with social media and free blogging platforms, everybody can now have a voice and share their opinion.  But this post from A Place of My Own reminded me that we need to be mindful of how we use it, and remember to not (inadvertently or otherwise) cause upset or offence, and not to judge others for how they chose to live their lives.  

On a lighter note, the lovely Bear Blue Wood has been creating some memories with her family down at the beach this week.  I adore going to the coast at this time of year, the isolation of a beach out of season is very contemplative for me, and gives me time to think and just be.  Take a look at the stunning photos, and you'll see how you can easily by moved by the powerful force of nature, and the calm that prevails.

Of course, it's been Remembrance week, and lots of us have been thinking of loved ones who have been involved in conflicts.  It's put into perspective for me what's worth fighting for, what's important and how lucky we are to be able to express our opinions and to live in a tolerant society where we able to respect different perspectives.  

The beautifully simple words of White Lily Green's daughter remind me of a conversation I had with my own daughter a couple of years ago, and conversations we've had this week about her grandfathers who she never got to meet.

Finally, I was touched by a tweet I saw shared which concerned a 99 year old veteran who had passed away leaving no family or friends.  There was a call for someone to attend his funeral, for him to be respected and remembered with dignity.  It saddens me deeply that in this hugely populated world in which we live, there are still those who live alone, with no contact or friendship from another human being.  What happened next was truly remarkable and a testament to so many people's kindness. If this story has moved you, Age UK have a befriending service, and they are looking for volunteers to pair up with an older person to offer companionship and support.

Those have been some of the memorable posts I've read this week, what have been yours?  

Magpie Monday - The need for tweed

Apologies for the slack and somewhat haphazard posting of Magpie Monday of late.  We've been on half term holiday and with a teacher training day tagged on the end it wiped out two Mondays (that and the horrendous hangover I had on the first one).

We spent the week in glorious North Wales, and had a blast.  There was much yomping up mountains; scanning for lakes for the Old Man to dip into; rampaging round old castles; windswept walks on deserted beaches and huddling round flasks of hot coffee.

But what there wasn't, was much in the way of second-hand booty.  Now, I love the rugged outdoors as much as the next man, but I can't be too far away from civilisation for too long.  By 'civilisation' I mean the odd charity shop; a sniff of a car boot or perhaps a tatty house clearance sale.

On the drive there we drove past a sign which read "Tweed Mill - Factory Outlet". My heart skipped a beat at the thought of rolls and rolls of beautiful Welsh wool tweed, a bit of cushion action and maybe some snuggly blankets.  But we whipped straight on past, with assurances that we'd call in on the way home at the end of the week.

To be honest, I became a bit fixated with this promise.  In my mind the Tweed Mill shop became an Aladdin's cave of sheep-derived goods; glorious dyed woollen clothing at mucho-cheapo prices, and this thought kept me going on many a rainy day.

So, on the return leg, I (repeatedly and doggedly) reminded him of his promise and kept my eagle eye out for the sign again.  Turning off the motorway, it was soon apparent that this was going to be quite a diversion and we meandered about 20 miles off-route, through tiny towns and strange estates, until at last we reached it.

But. This was no 19th century industrial brickwork mill with towering chimneys. There was not a water wheel in sight.  No looms or shuttles.  Not a sniff of tweed.

No.  It was a carbuncle of a 1990's retail unit, set out of town, surrounded by a giant car park.  There were hoardings advertising Yankee candles and Farah trousers. This was not a wool mill, but a factory outlet industrial unit akin to Cheshire Oaks or Bicester Village - but on a smaller and even naffer scale. I was furious.  I'd let my love of tweed cloud my vision and got completely carried away.

So I sulked.  Pretty much all the way home.

I finally got over myself and this weekend headed off to the local jumble sale. Well, it seems the thrifting fairies were feeling pretty guilty for their cruel trick, and guess what the first thing I spied was?

Only a genuine, vintage Welsh wool tapestry granny purse.  You can go all the way to Wales and not a sausage, come back to Bedfordshire, and here you find it.

This will now become my jumbling purse, stuffed full of loose change.  Maybe it will be my lucky purse?

I also managed to get this tweed jacket for £1.  It's got a few small holes in it so it's no longer wearable, but it will be just perfect for knocking out a few more door stops (just in case you were cursing me for cutting up perfectly good clothes).  I love the colours on this, they're just beautiful.

So, all's well that ends well.

Have you found any great preloved items lately?  I'd love you to grab the badge and link up. 
 
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