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Christmas Decorating Tips from Norcutts

MAKE YOUR HOME MAGICAL THIS CHRISTMAS
Notcutts present step by step video guides for simple festive style

This festive season, Notcutts, one of the UK's leading garden centre groups, has teamed up with top interior stylist, Pippa Jameson, to bring you the latest Christmas colour trends and secret decorating tips, ensuring you make your home stand out from the crowd.

Famed for their opulent displays and magical decorations, Notcutts present special ‘Secret Styling’ films - a series of videos showing how you can make the most of this year’s Christmas colour themes, including cream and green ‘Frosted Mistletoe’, and bright teal ‘Cool Yule’, using simple stylistic steps.

For those of you who your love your traditional decorations, but just want to add that extra sparkle and splash of colour, why not try the following top five tips from expert stylist, Pippa Jameson:

1. Christmas Wreath
Save time and buy a ready-made wreath, then add on festive touches such as cinnamon sticks, dried oranges, berries and lots of other foliage. Hook it on to your front door or suspend it with ribbon to hang in front of the window.

2. Festive foliage for the stairs
Add pretty foliage to your stairs to make your home feel warm and Christmassy. Use a combination of fern, ivy, and pine cones and then add some clear glass baubles to create some sparkle. Finally, finish off the look with some bright red berries (Ilex aquifolium are a great option).

3. Fairy lights
Fairy lights are a simple and effective way to add Christmas sparkle to your home. They can be hung in a multitude of places but our favourites are above a mirror, on the banister, or over a doorway. If you are buying lights suitable for outdoor use, then hang them along a fence, in a tree or over the porch.

4. Table centrepiece
This is a must for the ultimate Christmas dining experience. The type of centrepiece you opt for should depend on the rest of your table accessories. Below are three of our favourites:
- Bright coloured baubles in a glass vase
- Single fern stem in three or four tall votives
- Berries and twigs in glass vase

5. Decorate the mantelpiece
Christmas mantelpiece garlands are really simple and effective. Choose your favourite foliage and tie the end with string first, then ribbon. Place them flat on your mantle, and then add your berries for a Christmas feel. The use of flowers can also give the garland a real injection of colour and elegance.

Notcutts stock the very best in Christmas products, from exquisite ornaments and luxury hanging decorations, to beautiful baubles and Christmas trees. Products featured in the ‘Secret Styling’ films are available both in-store, and online at http://www.notcutts.co.uk/.

Wordless Wednesday

Chillax

I've talked before about how I have problems sleeping part of which stems from not being able to just relax and shut off at night so when I got the chance to trial the Chill Pod I figured it was worth a shot!

The ChillPod helps you control stress, relax and forget your worries as when times are tough you need to chill. This Chillpod, The Ultimate Relaxer, created by Thinking Slimmer's team of Harley Street experts, can be used at any time to reduce stress and improve your sense of well-being and raise your confidence level.

I have to say I was skeptical, but Trevor (he's the wee guy in your iPod talking to you) had a really calming and soothing voice. I listened to my ChillPod in bed after I'd done my bedtime routine, but before I settled in to try and sleep. The more you listen the better you get at getting your body to relax.

Now I have no idea if this is psychosomatic or if suggestive thought is just that, but I certainly went to sleep easier on the nights I listened than those I did not for whatever reason. I'm hopefully going to try out the SlimPod for New Moms to try and help me kick-start my get fit campaign, too!

The ChillPod is available to download or on CD for £14.99.

Transatlantic Blonde was provided this product to review.

Muddy Buddies

Some people call them Muddy Buddies, some call it Puppy Chow, but I call it yummy! This is a super easy snack to have out for people to munch on during the holidays. It involves peanut butter, chocolate and sugar so needless to say it's not baby friendly :)


I don't like missing out on American recipes just because we don't get the ingredients here in the UK so I was super happy that this recipe worked with my little substitution! If you want to make this just for yourself and not a party then half the recipe!

Muddy Buddies from Betty Crocker.com



9 cups Chex® or Shreddies cereal
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar


1) In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth.


2) Stir in vanilla.


3) Add cereal into mixture stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.

4) Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Where oh where has Blondie Boy gone?

Blondie Boy and I have taken our first trip together (without NotBlondeHusband), but can you guess where we are for the next three days? Here are some clues:

-While this is BB's first time in this country, it is my fifth trip.

-I am conversationally fluent in the language.

-EasyJet fly here direct from Scotland.

Can you guess where we are?

Blondie Boy was a star on the plane and made friends with the people sitting behind us. I managed to snag us an extra seat so the two of us had plenty of room.

The only two complaints I have is that while I gate checked the stroller my friend Deb leant us in Scotland, I had to pick it up at baggage claim when I arrived! What's the point in that? Also Blondie Boy's passport didn't get stamped which makes me sad.

I got a few posts set to autopublish and we'll see y'all when we're back!

Shock Therapy

I'll spare you the specifics of my c-section tummy, but needless to say I don't have a muffin top, but more of a muffin-overflow. I've been given the opportunity to try out the Slendertone Ab Toner and after a false start I've begun my 30-day trial.

You might be thinking, "Who the F tries to get in shape during the holidays?" I totally agree with you, but if I don't start now when will I? Blondie Boy is almost a year old and while I've shifted some of the baby weight, I'm certainly nowhere near being in shape.

The Slendertone System Abs is Slendertone's most powerful abs belt with advanced technical features to deliver results in just 4 weeks. It delivers a complete abdominal workout to the rectus, oblique and transversus abdominis muscles. Used 5 times a week for 4 weeks it gives you firmer, flatter, more defined abs.

Independent clinical trials showed:

•100% of users reporting firmer more toned abs
•80% reported a flatter stomach
•49% increase in abdominal strength
•72% increase in abdominal endurance
•Average of 1.4 inch waist reduction
•3 times more effective than its nearest competitor


I expected Slendertoning to hurt, but actually it just sort of tickles and tingles. I'm too early in to see any results but hopefully in 30 days I'll be that little bit closer to have a normalish stomach again!



Twenty-minutes of Slendertoning is the equivalent of 120 crunches so let's see where I am 2,400 "crunches" later!

Transatlantic Blonde was provided this product to review.