The Handpicked Collection’s Top Presents for a First ‘Paper’ Anniversary

Spineless Classics Fine Art Print The smart way to enjoy a famously good read. An entire novel is printed on high quality art paper ready to be framed and enjoyed.

Travel Journal The royal couple share a love of travel, and it’s just as well given how frequently the day job takes them out of the country. Here’s how to keep everything organised, while giving plenty of space to record everything they see and do.

Paper Potter Though possibly better suited to the green-fingered Prince Charles, our bestselling Paper Potter is a thrifty reminder that in austerity Britain it’s all about grow your own.

The Ginger Pig Meat Book Wills & Kate famously do all their own cooking. If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, Kate couldn’t do better than adding this epic recipe book to her culinary library.

Coloured Chinese Flying Lanterns Chinese tradition dictates that the year’s problems disappear with these beautiful lanterns. Should the happy couple have already argued over whose turn it is to take out the bins, this could provide the perfect uplifting experience.

Paint Your Own Watercolour Postcards The couple met while studying History of Art at university. Here’s a lovely way for them to recreate some of their favourite works.

Carolyn Sheffield Elephant Wastepaper Bin This is a slam dunk when it comes to a smart household essential. Plus the couple love elephants. We don’t exactly know that, but who doesn’t like elephants?

My Life Story While the royal couple lives aren’t exactly short of documentary evidence, how nice for them to create their own history in their own words. This book allows just that with spaces for achievements, special events, likes (hint, hint) and dislikes in a tome bound to last a lifetime.

One Line a Day Diary Let’s face it, the Royal couple don’t have time to write more than a sentence. And if that proves beyond them after a day hoisting casualties into helicopters or opening museum wings they should go for our new arrival One Word a Day.

We’ve got a selection of wedding anniversary gifts to suit pretty much any couple, royal or otherwise.

Our gorgeous Pearl Tag Bracelet is this week’s Deal of the Week. Normally £29.95, at huge 25% off, it is now £22.46, and a perfect Mother’s Day Gift. Be sure to get yours quickly, the offer is only valid until midnight this Sunday and only whilst stocks last.

Pearl Tag Bracelet

Special Offer: Now £22.46

Extracted from The Virgin Gardener by Laetitia Maklouf

This not just for the realm of the ultra-organised. Wreaths are deliciously easy to make and welcome you in to your own home after a long day at work, which is delightfully self-respecting and cheery

TIMING: Winter

YOU WILL NEED: A good armful of evergreen foliage. This could, of course, be holly, but pine, cedar, fir, juniper, box, bay, eucalyptus, sage and even magnolia or camellia are all possibilities. Either get this from a flower market or your own garden, or beg from a kind neighbour.

Strong scissors or secateurs

A roll of thin wire – like copper but preferably black or green.

A wreath form – available from some florists, markets and art or DIY stores – or you could make your own, like I do, using think wire, fastening the ends with thin wire.

Wire cutters

METHOD: First you have to make lots of little sprigs our of your greenery. Snap off small pieces of foliage – 10-15cm long and wire them together into a think little bundle. Make lots of these bundles and then begin adding them to your wreath by laying each bundle along the length of the wreath from and tightly wrapping it with wire from halfway up its length to the bottom. Don’t cut the wire, but add another bundle, using the top of this second bundle to hide the bottom half of the previous one, and carry on winding the wire around this bundle until you reach the bottom of it, at which pint add another and so on until you have covered everything. This is your basic wreath and you can either adulterate if with whatever turns you on or leave it as it is.

MY FAVOURITE ADORNMENTS: Obviously berries are a must for some, and you can go down the classic route with holly or pyracantha berries, or use something else, such as rosehips. If you want to branch out a little, I suggest glass beads threaded onto wire, fruit such as dried citrus or pomegranates, kumquats, flowers poked into the foliage such as amaryllis, or anything blowsy that you can get from the garage, or nuts and acorns – either au naturel or sprayed gold or silver (bore holes in these with a very fine drill bit, and thread the wire through before attaching to the wreath) … You get the idea: once you have the basic wreath, the sky’s the limit.

Lastly, it’s sometimes nice to spray the whole thing white or silver with some florists spray to give it a snowy feel.

AND MORE: You can create garlands and swags in exactly the same way, either by making a frame out of the wire or – much simpler – by wiring your foliage to a length of rope that you’ve swagged around you fireplace or wherever. It’s lovely to do this with a aromatic foliage like bay, to get a nice heady fug going.

Buy the Virgin Gardener>>

The Virgin Gardener is wonderful inspiration for novice gardeners and those who’ve never really considered the delights of growing plants. It’s full of ideas, tips and ‘recipes’ for things to grow and ways to display flowers and plants. A truly delightful book will work as well as a hard working reference book as a bath-time inspirational read. We highly recommend it. Laetitia Maklouf is our newest Expert Panel member and we’re delighted to welcome her to Handpicked. An accidental gardener who discovered her passion when encountering an old seed packet at the back of a cupboard, Laetitia went on to write The Virgin Gardener and co-present Love Your Garden with Alan Titchmarsh.

Buy the Gold Wilbur & Gussie Clutch from The Handpicked Collection>>

1. First impressions count…

Welcome family and neighbours by lighting pathways with tealight garden lanterns, LED light sticks and fairy lights wrapped round tree trunks or branches. Meet guests with a beautiful red berry wreath and windows decorated with silver snowflake cut-outs, reindeers and Christmas trees using snow spray. Then as they enter inside beautiful displays of cross stitch Christmas paper chains fill all the empty spaces and fairy lights brighten the fireplace.

2. Sprucing up the tree …

A tree full of glistening lights and an array of colourful decorations heightens wonder and expectation around Christmas. Colourful red decorations will stand out against dark green trees. Pick out timeless and unusual decorations with a nostalgic touch, and add a few edible chocolate treats and candy cane sticks to keep younger members of the family happy. Save any spare fir branches from the tree for napkin decorations or to add above the fireplace. Look out for make your own angel or Christmas decoration kits for a fun weekend activity to do with children and a perfect creative accessory for the top of the tree.

3. ‘Tis the season to be baking …

Cookies and biscuits are great additions to a family Christmas and children will love helping you make them. Look out for shaped cookie cutter sets in stars, reindeer, snowflake or Christmas tree designs. Store your baked treats in tins and hand them out to friends who drop by, served with a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Hang biscuits on the tree by piercing a hole and threading pretty ribbons through them, or wrap in cellophane, tie with curling ribbon and hand out as end of term gifts.

Other wonderful festive treats include Christmas popcorn (caramelized and dusted with cinnamon) chocolate snowball truffles (coated in desiccated coconut) or chunks of gooey marshmallow-filled rocky road. Hand these out as end of term gifts or to family members in festive Christmas party boxes.

4. A gingerbread house …

Create a Scandinavian fairytale gingerbread house that’s literally good enough to eat. Not only will it look and smell appealing, it will bring out everyone’s inner child. Get your children to help build and decorate it, then put it on a windowsill or use as a table centrepiece, adorned with hundreds of sweets.

5. All dressed up …

Christmas themed tablecloths do all the ‘dressing’ aspect for you, and with so much colour in the print you just need to add a centrepiece. When opting for a more traditional table setting with plain red partyware, greens and whites, then choose decorative cotton napkins, fun placemats and novelty place card holders. Fill bowls with colourful treats such as candy cane, peppermints and other shiny wrapped treats (Roses or Quality Streets look fabulous).

Alternatively, arrange festive baubles in vases or on tiered cake stands alongside delicious treats. You can then arrange candles and nightlights at differing heights to create a dramatic and cosy atmosphere. Red crystal gems and snowflake confetti scattered in blank spaces on the table will glisten and catch the light, evoking a sense of enchantment.  And don’t forget rocking Rudolph party poppers, chocolates and make-your-own party crackers – a few essentials that make a big difference.

6. Winter brews …

Hot chocolate ganache sticks stirred into mugs of warm milk are wonderful seasonal treats for the family. Then top your steamy brews with frothy cream or mini marshmallows – heaven on a cold wintry night. Yet nothing fills a house with festive aroma faster than mulled apple simmering on top of the stove. Children will love drinking this too (without the alcohol) and can help prepare the apples, studding them with cloves.

7. A flicker of an idea …

At this time of year everything seems to gleam, so fill your house with lots of tiny lights such as green Christmas fairy lights. Fairy lights play an essential part and can be draped from beams, twisted round staircases and hung around door frames for a winter sparkle. Rustic rattan reindeers nestled in a corner and wrapped with fairy lights look stunning and magical. Light your Yule log or homemade cupcakes with angel flames – candles with a party piece of their own! When lit their flames burn red, blue and green creating a magical effect that children will go crazy about!

Tie star LED illoom balloons (filled with helium) onto the backs of chairs using curling ribbon or tie them in clusters around the room.

8. Shop online …

Make life easy and buy your children’s Christmas presents online. This will eliminate aimless shopping trips and mean you won’t have problems trying to hide their gifts while you’re out shopping with them. Write a gift list and a budget before you shop online, otherwise it’s easy to get carried away.

9. Wrap, tie & tag …

Try to wrap all your gifts as far in advance as possible, this will make you feel more organised. Look out for Christmas tissue paper, perfect for wrapping stocking-fillers and use red curling ribbon for a special touch. You can add ribbons, tags and bows later on, but label with sticky notes so you don’t forget what’s what. Chic satin ribbon can add colour to the simplest wrapping paper and can be used to tie around napkins or to hang decorations. Run out of gift tags? Cut up old Christmas cards into gift-size tags and use them instead.

10. Don’t leave it to the last minute …

Brainstorm all the jobs you need to do in preparation for Christmas and put them up on your pinboard at home. Mark off the jobs as you do them and give yourself an extra day to get everything done. Think what food you can prepare in advance (things like sauces, brandy butter etc), what you can freeze, and try to avoid the supermarkets during the weekday evening rush and at weekends. It’s always useful to update your address book in preparation for sending out Christmas cards. You could always get your computer-savvy child to help you type out all the addresses to avoid having to use your scribbled out address book.

A few special touches …

Buy a few small things that will make your Christmas celebrations extra special. Things like edible glitter will add sparkle and shimmer to cupcakes, biscuits and festive popcorn, and children will love the magical element it brings. A pack of sky lanterns and a wonderball party favour game or snowball splatter game hidden away and brought out on Christmas day will add a special touch, and if you don’t use them they’ll be perfect for New Year parties too. Shaped sugar lumps in fun festive shapes such as mistletoe, fir branch and pinecone are thoughtful additions for after-dinner coffee and guests will love them.

Last but not least …

Fill Santa treat bags with little surprises as going home gifts. Arrange the gifts on a tray and keep them hidden before going home time! Have a few spare for siblings and helpers.

Fan of the movement is the team at Hawksmoor who use Ginger Pig produce in their restaurants in Seven Dails and Spitalfields. Claimed in many notable places as The Best Steak In London, the company is opening its third branch at Moorgate.

Hawksmoor Guildhall, a British Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar, will open on Monday 31^st October and will be open daily from 7am to cater not only to carnivorous (and beautifully reared) Ginger Pig lovers, but also to early morning breakfast goers. Included on the menu are bourbon-infused cornflake milkshakes and marmalade martinis.

We quite fancy one, but if you’d rather see how to make the meat yourself, The Ginger Pig comes highly recommended from us (and The Best Steak In London).

Hawksmoor Guildhall
10-12 Basinghall Street
Moorgate
The City
London
020 7397 8120
EC2V 5BQ

http://www.thehawksmoor.co.uk

The Ongoing Old Timers

Glastonbury
Arguably the biggest, and some would say the best, Glasto is set in beautiful, rural and typically muddy Somerset. It’s expecting yet another record-breaking year for attendees, a whopping 200 000! This year a report was published stating that Glastonbury contributes £100 million annually to the British economy. Impressive stats, but what matters to the festival-goers is that everyone is guarenteed the ultimate festival experience. Glastonbury is the original, and what all festivals that exist today have ultimately modeled themselves on.
Massive headliners are always booked. This year U2 and Coldplay return to top the bill at the Pyramid stage on Friday and Saturday nights. Beyonce has been interviewed saying that she is nervous to have the coveted Sunday night headlining spot.
Glastonbury prides itself on its capacity for a huge variety of people; families are welcome and you’ll find kids, teenagers as well as old timers who’ve been going every year since the festival began in the 70’s.
A truly unmissable experience, Glastonbury has a reputation for being fairly safe as festivals go, and they’ve been doing it for over thirty years; these guys know how to put on a good show.

Reading Festival
Reading is predominately a rock festival. From a starting point, this doesn’t give it the best reputation for a safety. Not quite so family-friendly (though of course you’ll find parents who would never think of children as a barrier to their favourite bands, and enjoy it families surely do) this is more of a grimy, mosh pit kind of weekend. Held over the August bank holiday and, due to links via the major sponsor Carling, it’s always had huge rivalry with Leeds Festival.
At Reading you can expect to find incredible line-ups; Muse are back for another surely massive night on the Sunday, whilst My Chemical Romance and The Strokes headline Reading Festival on Friday and Saturday respectively. A highlight is the ingenious collaboration on the NME and Radio 1 stage, all the acts look phenomenal (that’s where I’ll be most of the weekend!).
If you’re in to it, Reading is the place to be everything Rock and all that there is inbetween. Expect silent discos until the wee hours of the morning, overpriced burgers and LOT of people not scared to get a bit sweaty.
What we’d take from Handpicked: Pump-Up Animal Torch
Handpicked because: No need to panic about running out of batteries when you’ve lost your tent in the dark.
http://www.handpickedcollection.com/pump-up-torch.html

Set To Be Big

Wyndstock
Also this weekend is the first out-of-London experience for highly-reputable London events company, The Last Tuesday Society. Their balls are usually held in either the romantic, narrow-staircased Adam Street private club near Embankment, at London Bridge or until recently Stone Horse Paper Cow at Liverpool Street. Their events herald masks, corsets, top hats and tails, chocolate fountains, naked people, fruit and rather a lot of merriment.
This is their first event which they have asked their followers to follow them outside of London (who says we’re Zone 1 snobs?) to Pylewell Park in Lymington to a beautiful country house where the same fun is to be had, just with a lot more space and better air quality.
Expect beautiful costumes, a carniverous feast and to stay up all night.
What we’d take from Handpicked: Pearl Stud Earrings £9.95
Handpicked because: Yes it is a festival, but we think a pair of 1920’s-esque pearl earrings will fit right in here.
http://www.handpickedcollection.com/gifts-for-her/jewellery/pearl-stud-earrings.html

Farr Festival
Only in its second year, Farr Festival is all about the amazing line-up of djs that they’ve got coming; mostly organic British talent with a few big overseas names chucked in for good measure, these kids are equally about keeping the whole thing as homegrown and as much about the boutique experience as they can. Set in beautiful woods less than an hour outside London by train, they’re also going to upping the ante with plane rides over the site, but are still keeping it as good-doing roots with a large proportion of profits going to charity.
What to expect for Farr Festival? Can’t say for sure, I haven’t been yet, but I think it’ll be a lot of fun, dancing in a wood with some Londoners who appreciate 13 hours out of town.

Shambala Festival
The thing that really ignites curiosity with this festival (with me anyway) was that I read that they don’t disclose the location of the event until you’ve bought your ticket. It’s the oldest trick in the book to create intrigue, but apparently it still works for me! You could have an educated guess at whereabouts it might be from the equally entertaining idea of Shambala’s cycling scheme; it takes one day from London and up to three days from other destinations. The bicycle idea is all in support of their Sustainable Transport Initiative and what a brilliant way to meet a load of people who you’ll be spending a couple of incredible days with.
Expect a festival full of secret stages dotted around magical woods and little known bands and dance acts to have raves to all night long.

What we’d take from Handpicked: Space Hopper Bouncer £14.95
Handpicked because: It’s funny.
http://www.handpickedcollection.com/giant-space-hopper-bouncer.html

The Ones Who’ve Made it Big

Secret Garden Party
Secret Garden has grown hugely popular over the last few years; last year it doubled it’s capacity. There are big headline acts; last year Marina and the Diamonds hit the Main Stage when she was bang in the middle of her prime, I Blame Coco on the mainstage during the day and Gorillaz were another fantastic headlining act. Mystery Jets and Blondie are set to appear this year.
This festival has beautifully thought out attractions, the helter skelter, Where the Wild Things Are stage, the Collisillyum and Pagoda are all brilliant fun during the day and then the lights and art dotted throughout the grounds are magical at night. Every second of this festival is planned to create the best experience possible for everyone who goes.
Expect cardboard mazes, bells, hay bales, mud-wrestling, incredible fireworks, flying lanterns, dancing on the water as well as peaceful chillout areas with tea, comfy seats and bands hanging out of trees playing trumpets. Camping areas are comfortably near the music grounds. Costume themes are suggested but are not taken quite as seriously as the costumes themselves. Anything goes.

Latitude Festival
Latitude is truly a feast of culture. Though the music should definitely not go without a mention, Paolo Nutini, Paloma Faith and Suede, this festival is just as much about all the various other themes of stages, names have been made big in the industry with the Comedy Stage. Literature readings are a brilliant place to go, have a sit down and a soak up.
Latitude has a good reputation for being family-friendly and also for access to clean showers – though to be honest, the queues are pretty big.

What we’d take from Handpicked:
Hammamas Towels
Handpicked because: Easy to squish into the corner of rucksacks; good to take advantage of the rare festival shower luxury; alternatively a scarf or extra layer.
http://www.handpickedcollection.com/gardening-gifts/outdoor-fun/adult-hammamas-towel.html

If you’re going to a party instead of throwing one, don’t forget to check out our range of fabulous birthday gifts.

Here are some of our favourite ideas to help get you started…