47/52 Yeah I Made It.... actually I wrote a book

Since I’ve had babies I’ve wanted to build traditions around Christmas. I’ve dreamed about the sense of holy wonder in our home as we contemplate together the rough stable, those young parents, the scrappy shepherds, the choirs of angels.

I’ve wanted a Christmas build up that has felt like Christ-mas. God with us.

It seems that little kids are offered all sorts of tinsly, glowing, baubly bits but there hasn’t been much for wondering on. So I wrote a book for families with children who are aged 3-7 years old.

A book where each day is based on a word like – chosen, generous, myrrh and each day includes a Bible verse and a very simple activity and a reflection and a prayer.

A book where the information is sound and meaningful.

A book where the activities are actually achievable.

A book that works when you miss some days because the grandparents came to stay and the cat vomited on the carpet and we all had a meltdown.

I wrote this book for every family that’s wanted something more than tinsel and jingle bells.

I wrote it for busy parents who want to do something well but don’t have time to do all the thinking.

I wrote it for children, my children, and for so many little ones who are very dear to me and to whom I want to give the gift of wonder, delight, depth and meaning.

This book is currently free as a kindle e-book, just for a few days. Then it will be about the price of a good hot chocolate.

When I pray for this book I pray it will bless you. I pray it will encourage you and I pray that you will find it practical, Biblical and tradition building.

If you want your own copy you can go here. Here’s the official description:

24 opportunities to reflect on an element of the arrival of Jesus 
• Simple and inspiring activities and reflections 
• Assistance to build a Biblical understanding for children aged 3-7 about the arrival of Jesus 
• Create a wonder-filled and worshipful attitude in your home as you lead up to Christmas

Written by teacher, speaker and communicator Miriam Fisher. Motivated by a desire to provide theologically sound, simple, and meaningful ways to celebrate and anticipate Christmas together.

Meaningful, Achievable, Biblical, Joyful

This is my Christmas gift to you. Wrapped in my love for the honour and glory of Jesus.

x Miriam x

Merry Christmas

Today may you feel a genuine welcome into the ancient stable

May you hear the tidings of invitation to you

and may your heart have Hope 

because the Prince of Peace came for you

Merry Christmas dear one - you are so precious xxx

What Moving At Christmas Time 2 Years in a Row Teaches You

Strictly we haven't actually moved at actual Christmas time - but for the last 2 years we have moved in early Dec (this year) and early Jan (last year).

So.... this is what I have learnt:

1. Christmas Newsletter - which I love and see as an essential record for my children - gone by the wayside

2. Christmas Cards - which I have never been good at but aspire to - not a one written

3. Adventing Well - which I long to do - kind of disappeared in a flurry of packing and unpacking

4. Baking for the neighbours and friends - pipe dream!

5. Time with my boys - always achievable

The thing is I love the building of Christmas traditions, of things for the boys to look back on and feel nostalgic about but it's not always achievable. You know what? It doesn't matter to them. Time together watching a movie (from the library or our own collection), or playing Cluedo, or getting to the park, or just listening to carols on you tube, or spending time watching them at the beach, these things make it feel special.

I can, in the midst of chaos and mess, still spend time with my boys - I can do so many free things that don't necessarily make me feel like I am creating 'Christmas atmosphere' but are significant for the boys.

I want my boys to become adults and think of December as a time of love and family not stress, unmet expectations and consumerism, and that my friends, can be achieved no matter what state your house is in or whether you are still looking for the camera charger.

Sometimes less is less but it's okay.

Also I have learnt moving sucks and if you can afford it at all having cleaners in to do the really crappy jobs will make me a much nicer wife and mother. - cleaning? not my favourite.

May your Christmas Eve be fun, festive and family-ish. Us? We're having a family over for afternoon tea and playing minute-to-win-it Christmas themed activities - it is the pinnacle of my organisation, I just managed to get it in the day before Christmas actually arrives!

love you more than a Christmas newsletter xxxx

The Things Art Says

I am a great believer in the ability of art and the arts, to tell us stories, to lead us into new depths of understanding and to challenge us.

A good piece of 'art' (and by that I mean anything in the arts - poetry, drama, dance, visual art...) draws us in, it makes us drop our defences and then it sucker punches us with some golden nugget of truth.

Also good art encounters people in different ways depending on where they are at and what they are ready for. Two people can go to the same film, read the same book, see the same photograph and it will speak to them in different ways about different things.

Art connects us to one another - it builds invisible bridges where we experience solidarity of experience, hope, validation.

Art is important in the world.

The makers of art give something of themselves in everything they produce - they struggle to reflect both beauty and despair, hopefulness and disappointment.

When school finished last week Bounce brought home a family portrait. In the family portrait one character is a different colour, they are bigger, they are the feature. That character? is his brother. One of Bounce's first words when he was very small was 'my brother'. Before he called Flip by his real name he called him 'my brother' for a long time, such is his love and affection for his brother and the importance of their connectedness.

As Christmas dawns on us we look towards our families and the characters that loom large in the family portrait of our minds may be villains or heroes..... maybe this Christmas it's time to re-callibrate the villains and re-celebrate the heroes.

This Christmas I remember that because of Christmas, because of the birth in the stable I can call Jesus my brother and I can know my lineage in a royal line is secure.

love you more than new and moving artworks for the wall xxxx

New On Our Stack - Children's Books - Christmas Ideas

So as you can imagine we are always open to new books and I still find picture books scratch an itch for me that others don't. I'm sure I'll do some more recommendations coming up to Christmas but here are some, mostly new, books that are getting a workout on our book pile at the moment. If you have little book lovers in your family I though you might enjoy some recommendations for new treasures.

Some of these books we were graciously sent for reviewing and others we've received for birthday gifts or bought:

Whale in the Bath by Kylie Westaway - this is one of those cute stories where a little person is telling the truth but everyone assumes it's their great imagination. There is something about the illustrations that is almost comic book in style. Perfect read for any little one who likes to have the last laugh and would be captured by the idea of finding a whale (who'd prefer krill scented bubble bath) in their bathroom.
Details - Allen and Unwin, Sept 2014 RRP $19.99 HB

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt - this was Bounce's choice from the Scholastic catalogue. Paired with Oliver Jeffers illustration, Duncan receives a series of letters from each of the crayons in his crayon box. Some are supremely frustrated by their overuse or the way they have been overlooked. There are arguments between yellow and orange who both believe that they are the 'true' colour of the sun and a few happy crayons too. This book is cute and funny and perfect for any little reader who also loves to draw and who likes 'attitude' given to inanimate objects.
Details - Harper Collins Children July 2014 RRP $24.99 HB

The Wombats At the Zoo by Roland Harvey. This is the kind of book I would use with upper primary children. There are all sorts of cute hidden details in the illustrations and the narrative is driven by different characters as they report on their favourite animals. This is one I would choose for the child who likes to linger over pages, find out strange facts about animals and engage with characters. Would be a fun start for a writing unit following a class trip.
Details - Allen and Unwin, Sept 2014 RRP $24.99 HB

SHH... We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton - we came across this one at the art gallery shop story time session. In NZ we have his other book Lost and Found. Bounce loved this (and so did I) and so I went back and bought it for his birthday. The language is very simple and sparse but the gorgeous collage illustrations hold the narrative perfectly. Four little hunters have a plan, except that number four's plan is quite different from the first three. Filled with the best kind of suspense and punch and judy - we can see what's going to happen - humour it is readable for an early reader but delightful to read aloud together. Suitable for anyone who loves a good kindness will triumph tale.
Details - Walker Books, March 2014 RRP $24.95 HB

Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen - this is a classic that I have read the boys in the past and that I bought to give away recently. Bounce spotted it on the gift pile and started telling me how much he loved that book so when a friend asked for a birthday recommendation for him I suggested this one. A lion visits the library and people aren't sure what to do with that - there are no rules about lions in the library. The lion loves the library - he becomes a special part of the furniture until one day he is faced with a terrible dilemma - break the rules to help a friend if it means you can't come to the library anymore? This story is text heavy but the characters are sublime. It ultimately tells the tale of friendship, sacrifice and redemption. Beautiful and one to enjoy for many years.
Details - Walker Books, August 2006 $32.95 HB

Mix It Up by Herve Tullet - if you have read his best seller Press Here you won't need any convincing to have this one on your wish list. What I love about Tullet is his supreme creativity when approaching illustration and interaction with the reader. This book teaches about the way colours are used to make other colours but it is unlike any other instructional colour book you'll have experienced before. It's just so clever and innovative and perfect for little people who hold the sense of magic and awe and are prepared to interact with a text, even as an adult on my own I still follow the instructions! Colours that do what you tell them to? Yes indeed. Magical, colourful, a whole new way to experience a text.
Details - Allen and Unwin, Oct 2014 RRP $19.99 HB

The Smallest Turtle by Lynley Dodd - I found this at the oxfam bookshop and snapped it up remembering how much someone loved it when we got it out of the library some time ago. How can you not love a story about a little turtle struggling to make it to the sea - so cute! Someone little was very excited to see this one come home.
Details - Penguin Group NZ 1982 RRP $14.99

You Can Do It Bert by Ole Konnekke - we absolutely love Anton and the Battle and I actually use it quite a lot with teachers and students when I am teaching drama and dance, so I was thrilled to receive this one from Gecko. What I adore about this book is that it achieves what a good adult novel does - it leads you to think that you know where the story is going - and then you are wrong! Love it. I like the illustrative style they are simple but full of personality - again the illustrations are doing a lot of the narrative work. This is a joyful piece of writing. Great for any little people probably 2-7 ish.
Details - Gecko Press, 2014 RRP $19.99 PB

Come Count With Me by Marika Wilson - this is another in the emerging indigenous writer series of books. It's a gorgeous conversation between little chick who can count to five and granny chick who is struggling. Some cute rhymes and a lovely relationship. Perfect for anyone learning to count to 5.
Details - Allen and Unwin, Oct 2014 RRP $19.99 HB

The Giant Jam Sandwich by - another one we had to leave in NZ but I found a gorgeous original copy in the Oxfam bookshop the other day for 50c! This is a classic book that I remember as a child. The rhyme scheme is perfect and the illustrations are highly 60s/70s stylised which really appeals to me. One hot summer in Itching Down four million wasps flew into town.... We gave this to a gift to one of our favourite little people at 2 and by 3 she could tell the story verbatim but we still love it at primary school and adulthood. Maybe it's the giant loaf of bread or the crazy flying tractor?
Details - Houghton Mifflin, April 1987 RRP $6.95 US

Possum Magic by Mem Fox - we haven't strictly got this one yet it's going under the tree - shhhh! Mem Fox wrote Where Is the Green Sheep which is one of my absolute favourite books for early reading (from about 18months) and Bounce has had and loved this one at school. Obviously with a possum in the lead role it's an Australian rather than Kiwi approach (we kill ours, they protect theirs!).
Details - HMH Books, Sept 1991 RRP $15.99

Phew!! Hopefully you've got some inspiration in there for your Christmas List.

What's on your Christmas reading list? What is your go-to book for children?

love you more than a stack of wonderful and an afternoon to snuggle together xxx

The Best and Most Beautiful

Even if I had a hundred Christmas decorations here (we currently have 4 that we have made and no others) I still would have bought this at oxfam today.

I especially love it when Christmas decorations like nativities and angels are portrayed in the culture of the maker. Of course a Zimbabwean angel would look like this and have beautiful dark skin. Because Jesus is a gift to us all, he meets us in a way we relate to - he takes on our flesh and understands the journey we walk.

Also look at the message about who made it, it was all I could do not to cry in the store.

One mother (me) partnering with Mai Stanley (Stanley's mother) helping each other to celebrate the most wonderful gift of all.

love you more than an angel on the tree xxxx

Little Things to Ease the Christmas Rush

So I think we've talked about Christmas stockings before.

The Atlas had them as child and wanted to continue the tradition. I quite like the idea of them but I don't want to a) spend a lot on filling them or b) buy 'land fill' (you know that plastic junk from the cheapie shops?) so my solution?

1. Make small stockings - much easier to fill especially once there is a compulsory piece of fruit and random vegetable (The Atlas insists on that!).

2. Try to find small cheap things that I am happy for the boys to have and I think will delight them on Christmas morning.

So over the next 10 weeks or so I will buy one of these each time I shop at the supermarket (for the ones I can get there). This means an extra $5 or so each week instead of $50 just before Christmas. I will probably also buy an extra one of each thing so we can do an Operation Christmas Child box or something similar, which is an important part of our Christmas Tradition.

These are my ideas - I'd love to hear some of yours.

1. Novelty plasters - major hit last year. This year I have found Mr Bump and 'Cars' ones and some under the sea themed ones. All for about $2.50 a box.

2. Large Stick of Chalk - the other day Flip was given one of these and walked all the way home from town drawing the most random and hilarious things like 'look up' with an arrow and 'lifes hard' (so random, especially as he was drawing smiley faces everywhere!). Worth about 50c

3. Cake baubles - I quite like a bit of baking bling but I hardly ever buy it so I know the boys will love decorating the cakes to go with them. About $2-3

4. Paper Straws - I like that they are biodegradable (more so than the plastic ones anyway). These can be more pricey but sometimes the cheapie shops get them too so you can snap them up for $2-3.

5. Bubble Mix - they are, finally, old enough to be reasonably trustworthy to not spill the entire contents of these on the first attempt to blow bubbles. Approx $1

6. Handmade decoration - fun and festive and something for their growing collections and the fact that we have no Christmas decorations here with us. free-ish

7. Washi tape - we can never have too much of that. I buy mine in Australia here and they often have rolls reduced to $2 plus free postage for 10 or more rolls so I should see if anyone wants to go in together?? (I also have a discount code if you want one).

8. Cookie Cutter - makes a fun summer project and I figure you can't have too many, right? Anywhere from $2-5

9. A nice bookmark - I am thinking of making some with little photos of them on and laminating them. free-ish

10. 'Pass it On' cards - these are a blast from my past I discovered in the Christian bookshop the other day - they are business style cards with cute/encouraging messages on the front and the back is blank for you to write a little message of love. 25c each.

So that's my top 10. If I get one every week from now I will be well sorted before Christmas and it should mean I don't end up in a frenzied over spend of land fill inducing nastiness.

What is an essential stocking item in your book?

love you more than a peaceful week before school ends xxxx

B.M.W.B - Advent-ure

This year I want Advent to have more of a sense of the anticipation of 'coming'.

So we'll still be doing a range of activities (and of course I'll be unwrapping treats everyday from my marvelous advent partner - more about that tomorrow) but in all of them I want to engage with more meaningful conversation and thoughtfulness around the season.

Here are our advent activities for this season:

1. Decorate the Tree and do Faith for Families Advent Family Night

Also read and talk about - Dean, Faculty of Theology in Catalonia
“This tree shows that even in the heart of winter, when everything is dry and the trees have no leaves, it is still green and so a tree which symbolizes life. And this life has a name - Jesus Christ."

The Christmas tree is a symbol of life and hope, that is decorated with ornaments and lights around the world. The decoration shows the importance of the birth of Jesus.

2. Unwrap Decoration (handmade ceramic star - they always get a handmade decoration each year)- Read  Matthew 2 v1-12 Talk about what the star might have looked like?

3. Book – Song of Stars - Talk about the sense of anticipation and coming

4. Make Washi Candles - read - Read John 8 v 12

5. Christmas book reading marathon

6. Watch The Nativity Movie - read Read Luke 1v 46-56

7. Book - 'Twas the Night Before Christmas - Why do you think giving presents is important at Christmas?

8. Make Reindeer Noses for friends - can you remember the reindeer’s names? Who do you want to give these to and why? Read – Proverbs 27v18. Why is honour important? (CEV)

9. Book -  Simone's Book, Do an 'angel hunt' through the Biblical accounts of the birth of Jesus - Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds etc

10. Hang Bunting (thanks Nin!) and talk about why we celebrate

11. Attend and help with a community carols evening

12.  Book - The Nativity by Julie Vivas - What is your favourite page? What does it tell you about the arrival of Jesus?

13. Make Crowns for the Kings

14. Watch Shrek the Halls

15. Do a Nativity show for Mum and Dad using the nativity magnet set (thanks Leonie)

16. Listen to carols and have fondue - What do you think is special about Christmas and Advent?

 17. Make cookies for people we love and pray for them

18. Book - The 3 Trees - which tree got the most special job? Why do you think that?

19. Read Luke 1v26-33 The Message version. How might Mary have felt?

20. Do a mini-chocolate bar drop in the letter boxes on our street on the way to school.

21. Watch Arthur Christmas and have friends to stay

22. Read and Act Luke 2

23. Fill in a map of Jesus' life

24. Open Christmas PJs - Read – Psalm 4 v7-8

Becoming the Mama I want to be is about taking time to enjoy the journey of parenting, to honour it's value and to hopefully inspire and encourage each other. 

Simple. Achievable. Intentional: becoming the mama I want to be

Button code on the right if you want it

Love you more than a well planned list xxx

We Recommend - For Baking Babes (and a giveaway my honeys!)

Now a baking babe may be a smoking hot mama who knows her brownies from her blondies ( I don't like white chocolate so you're getting no blondies from me!)

or... a baking babe could be a littler person who loves the chance to get let loose in the kitchen.

Anyway, this week I'm recommending something we've had a huge amount of pleasure from Edible Ink Pens. Basically they are like felt pens that you can use to write on food with and the food is still edible. The gift that goes on giving all year round.

Now and again I use these to smuggle a marshmallow into the boys' lunchboxes with a love note on them.

We've used them to make snow men

they are also super fun for adding features to faces

I imagine the fondant icing artist types could have an absolute field day designing things.

or you could draw on lickable tattoos! (that comment isn't supposed to be R18 either!)

and we used them recently for the party - little people drew their own teddies on a fondant cup cake topper.

My friend also used these to make this amazing cake for her wee one.
She said: The americolor pen I had was one of the blue ones, it was great for colouring the larger areas, had plenty of ink/good ink flow and kept working!!

Of course you could always buy a 10 pack separate them out and give them to friends with a packet of marshmallows or cupcake cases. Perfect for the food loving friend or the kind of present I'd actually be stoked to get in those 'bring a $5 gift' Christmas parties. (Which I know I should roll my eyes about but I totally love. Last year The Atlas had one at his work where you take other people's presents - you know the one? - and he felt so bad about taking something someone wanted the next day he took it into work and gave it back to them, so they got 2 gifts and he got none!)

Now I know these things aren't the easiest to locate - believe me I have tried.  So I am very excited I found a fab place to buy these and they post so if you think Santa would like to sneak some of these into your stocking then send him this way. (Or if you live in Hawkes Bay they have a store as well).

or...... you could win a pack of 10!!! I know, busting your gumdrop-buttons right??? Right here. Because Cake Stuff are awesome, yes, yes they are.

Now I know you are really thinking of how much your children would love a set of these for biscuits and cupcakes and marshmallow snow men making, and you're not thinking at all of how much fun you are going to have planning your next party and never sharing them....I have mine hidden in a secret place in the pantry and I'm not telling you where!

So you could win a pack of 10 Americolor food pens - as featured in the photos above, usually $34.95.

How you ask me? Well here are your 4 chances:

1. Visit Cake Stuff and tell me something you'd like Santa to put in your stocking (don't get lost over there okay there is a lot to look at and you may need a tissue for the drooling!).
2. Link up a recommendation post this week
3. If you follow me some how (email, RSS, Bloglovin...whatever) then I want to give you another chance because I appreciate your company for the journey.
4. Tell me a way you would use these - go on inspire me.

Separate comment for each please :o) you know you want to make it easy to be picked.

I will draw the winner on Nov 20th and send them out to you in the mail. I have also drawn the winners for the Sami's giveaway - congrats to Therese T, Jackie, Louana, Alex, lil Abs and Sunshine Leonie. Holly won (and has received) the cufflinks from Linkz. If you are a winner please flick me an email with your address and I'll do my best to get them in the post this week.

We Recommend for Christmas 

our posts about genuinely lovely things

If you'd like the code you can find it on the right.

Love you more than a chocolate and marshmallow hangover 
(the only kind of hangover I've ever had!) xxx

We Recommend - For the Grandies and the Inspirational Types

Grandies (by which I mean grandparents or other 'older' family members) are a tricky bunch..... they are (often) at a stage of life where the kind of stuff they'd really like is somewhat out of the price range of the mortgage and small kids brigade.

I find with grandies that the personalised kid gifts seem to be best, but I still want to give them something they'll actually want so I try to go for things they will hopefully like and keep the gigantic cardboard kindy sculptures and unusual I'm-not-quite-sure-what-this-is pottery for home (or the skip bin if I am entirely honest!). 

Also, for many of us we don't have all our grandies nearby - sob! (We love it when grandies live nearby). So postable is another important consideration. 

With this in mind, I stumbled across the perfect gift recently. Uber cute Polaroid style fridge magnets. You simply go into the website, upload 8 photos, pay your money and hey-presto you have durable (we've had ours for quite a while and they've had a lot! of play), professional, easy to send, just like a brag-book for your fridge, gifts.

The site is very user friendly and mine were in my itchy hands within a week of the order! Yay :o) As you can see in the photo above they come in a group of 4 (you get 8 in an order) and you pop them out of the frame. The whole thing is as thin as a letter and about the size of a CD case - so postage should be pretty reasonable too.

If you are generous you can do a whole set for each set of grandies (we have 3 sets), or you can get a set and split them up. Make an envelope from a piece of kindy art and you have the ultimate grandy gift. 

But I also think these could have a further reach:

I'm going to put one or 2 in the boys stockings - which I know they will love. 

If you have a bit of fun in a site like picmonkey (which is mainly free and simple enough for my limited skills) you can also create some cool gifts for the 'inspirational types'. I made these ones entirely from photos I had taken (except the pencil one, which is on the picmonkey site) and quotes I love. 

These would be really cool if you had a few of those 'bring a small gift - remember you can split them - parties', gifts for quote loving teachers, or something to keep in the present box for that last minute, we forgot they were coming, guest.

Love them right? So I also have a little discount code to offer you too! The lovely Casey at magnapix said you can have 30% off if you want to order some too. Just add mag30off in the voucher code area and you are good to go. Aren't they lovely?

some on the fridge

I can see these are going to be the kind of things I order again and again. In fact I kind of wish I ordered a double set of the quote ones already. Also, if you love any of my quote ones I am more than happy to email you the files so you can make your own and be inspired too. 

We Recommend for Christmas 

our posts about genuinely lovely things

instead of buying landfill let's make considered purchases that go the distance and are still being enjoyed next Christmas

Thanks so much for linking in code is on the right if you'd like a button.

Love you more than an inspiring quote xxx

(and you know I love those I have 2 pinterest boards dedicated to them!)

We Recommend - Card Games

Often board games can be expensive - too expensive for me to recommend to most people - but card games are not so bad.

This year Flip turned 7 and his Aunty/Uncles gave him UNO and Monopoly Deal Millionaire. Both games are worth about $10-20 and they have been played and played and played.

Flip is a total maths lover but I know UNO is a very popular game in his year 2 class at school too. I think it would be a worthwhile choice for any game loving families with children from 6+.

Monopoly Deal Millionaire and Monopoly Deal (slightly different but similar concepts) are games that require a little more strategy, great for children that like strategy and numbers.They are also quicker than a traditional board game.

My bug-bare with both games is the cardboard packaging that requires you to ruin the box trying to get them in and out. Solution? I picked up some cheap ($2-3) sistema click-clack style boxes at the supermarket. If you are buying these for a present and your budget extends I think it would be very appreciated by the parent of the receiver.

Both games can be played by 2 or more players which is great for the UNO champs the men/boys in our family did recently.

Another card game that Flip is just starting to pick up but we have played with adults at dinner parties is Pit. Fast, loud, very little skill required it is a lot of fun. I think this would be a great game for families with older children who like a game that doesn't require a whole night but creates some good family laughs along the way.

For smaller people we have fish card game that is basically 'happy families' (4 of each type of card) that Bounce loves. It's simple enough to play as a pair but still fun for Flip to join in on too. I really like the different types of fish in this one and Bounce has pretty quickly got a handle on each one even though he can't read them. (and it came in good sturdy packaging!)

Are there card games you love that get played again and again at your place?

I think these types of games are also worth watching out for second hand too. Our family thinks second hand gifts are great - you'll know how that would go down at your place :o)

We Recommend for Christmas 

our posts about genuinely lovely things

instead of buying landfill let's make considered purchases that go the distance 

Thanks for linking in your inspiration too. If you want to code for the button it's on the right.

Love you more than a 'wish-come-true, happy-family' xxxx

We Recommend - for the suit wearing man and giveaway

The Atlas and I have an unspoken arrangement when we go out - I am allowed to wear whatever crazy ensemble I feel like and he can wear whatever t-shirt and jeans ensemble he wants. He does not have my crazy taste. So, we pretty much never 'match' and we really don't care.

At heart The Atlas is a casual dresser. Jeans and a funky t-shirt are his non-work uniform. He wears a shirt to work every day, and from time to time (when required), a tie. So he doesn't really have need of ties for Christmas... so where does one go for small, practical (he likes practical) but still fun and funky?

shhh.... I'm going to slip in some super cute cufflinks into his stocking.

I bought him some R2D2 ones earlier in the year, when he was bemoaning the inability to wear his nice double cuff shirt, and they are right up his alley. Not too 'hipster' but not too 'gold with a small diamond to match my tie pin' either.

I bought these from Linkz and I was really impressed with the kind of range they have. Lots of heroes and villains and star wars and Lego... (and some sensible ones too if that's more your mans style). They came in a gift box and they were delivered quickly. And they have stayed in one piece... unlike a pair I bought him from somewhere else another time....

So when I asked them if they wanted to be part of the we recommend series they sent me a pair for you too :o) Is there a star wars lover you love that would like a set of storm trooper cufflinks? Course there is!!

Like some cufflinks to put in someones stocking? Here's 3 chances to enter:
1. Pop over and tell me which set you like best from their range
2. Link in your own recommendation post this week - linky is open for a week - please do I'd love your recommendations too!
3. Tell me a wardrobe fail you've had recently... in the interests of sharing, The Atlas came home the other night and I was standing at the stove cooking (I know, he is so lucky!) and he pointed out the fact I had 2 big tears right in the buttocks area of my dress. Not sure how many other people enjoyed that during the day.

Separate comment for each please. Winner drawn next week and I'll send them to you in time for Christmas.

We Recommend for Christmas 

our posts about genuinely lovely things

instead of buying landfill let's make considered purchases that go the distance 

Code on the right. Thanks for your company and for helping out with new ideas for me. :o)

Love you more than The Atlas loves Star Wars xxxx