Style Blog

A lot of husbands and boyfriends complain about having to buy their spouse a birthday present. ‘I just don’t know what you like,’ they moan. ‘I really don’t want to end up getting something you won’t want.’ Then there’s that old chestnut – ‘I don’t know what to buy for a woman.’ The only thing that will calm them down is a handwritten list, detailing what gifts you’d like and where he can find them. There, a simple job made even simpler.

Ladies - let’s keep this between us, but it can be a right palaver working out what birthday present to buy for the man in your life. You’d never admit it of course, but it’s true. Men can be tricky creatures at the best of times. They might seem straightforward but how can you really know whether he’ll like those personalised cuff links or that mug with ‘World’s Best Lover’ printed on the front? Maybe it’d be easier to get him an Xbox game. Is that cheating?

Picking a present your husband, boyfriend or fiancé doesn’t have to be a chore. Here are some of the best gifts on the market right now. Cassette Playlist Print, Betsy Benn £38

This is actually a super cool idea. You simply give the retailer a list of 16 song titles that mean a lot to your partner – they could be songs from your wedding day, songs from his childhood or just tracks that he really loves. A font expert will then lovingly scribe these song titles onto an attractive black and white canvas, featuring 16 different cassette designs, says NotOnTheHighStreet.com.The result is an extremely beautiful, retro canvas print with a very special message.

X-Lpase £19.99

If your guy fancies himself as a bit of a filmmaker – why not get give him the opportunity to create his own time lapse films? It’s not like you really have to think that they’re ‘just as good as David Attenborough’s’ – just nod, smile and be encouraging. The X-Lapse camera mount is a rotating tripod that’s suitable for everything from the smallest digital camera, to the largest SLR device. It even works with mobile phones. It does exactly what it says on the tin. Your boyfriend or husband attaches his camera to the X-Lapse mount and sets it to time lapse mode – the gadget will do the rest. At just £19.99, it won’t break the bank either. According to International Business Times journalist Reissa Su, gadgets are some of the best gifts to give to men.

Wacky Racers Driving Experience £100

This gift might require you to splash out a little more but it’ll be worth it to see the smile on his face, say the experts at IWantOneOfThose.com. Your man will be taken to a top secret race track to try out some of Britain’s craziest vehicles. There are cars made from toilets, sofas, office chairs, dining room tables and even double beds. The leopard print sofa car that appeared on TV show Top Gear is here too. Refreshments are provided throughout the day and your man will leave with a special Wacky Racers goodie bag. Go on – indulge the child in him.

Hammock In A Bag £15.99

What a perfect gift for summer! If you’ve got two trees with low hanging branches in your garden – stick a hammock on them. Even better, set up the hammock on a hot sunny afternoon or evening before your man comes home. Then lead him mysteriously outside where there’s a cold beer and a newspaper waiting right next to his brand new hammock. Plus, it folds neatly away so it won’t get under your feet when summer disappears and it has to come inside.

One more thing – don’t forget to send your man a birthday card this year. It doesn’t have to be a staid piece of paper with a boring message on the front. Why not pick and personalise your very own e-card instead? The funnier, the better. He’ll love it if you get a little wicked on him.

Author Bio: Jane is editor of a women’s magazine. She recommends Katie’s Cards for a great selection of birthday e-cards and messages. She can be found blogging about family life.

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Every girl should have a capsule wardrobe of the key items needed to go on holiday. Read through this checklist before you go away to make sure you have everything you need to enjoy your break in style.

Sunglasses:

Hopefully, you are heading to a hot destination, where they have something called the sun. I know this sounds crazy, as we seem to have lived in perpetual darkness for around nine months, but in some parts of the world it is actually rather warm. As such, ensuring you pack a good pair of sunnies to protect your blinkers from the UV rays of the sun is a sensible idea. Plus, it means you can read on the beach or go for long walks in direct sunlight without getting a headache.

Bikini:

We all know how difficult it can be to choose a great gift for someone else. Whether it is a birthday or a wedding gift, we ponder long and hard over our choice and then worry about it afterwards. One solution to this problem is to choose a practical gift that is still a very special one.

Wedding gift lists often include a number of items from a high end pottery range, such as Denby. However, buying quality china need not be limited to a wedding present. In fact, beautiful pottery makes a perfect gift for just about any occasion.

Practical and Useful

There are a number of different reasons for choosing china or pottery as a gift. It is a practical and useful present, especially if you know that the person is an avid collector of a certain range or style. It is something that will last and that will act as a memento for the recipient, too. High quality china brands, such as Denby pottery, are extremely collectible. Whether for everyday use or just to present them in a display cabinet for decoration, Denby pieces are a wonderful investment. Their value can only increase with age and there are many retailers that can offer Denby china with excellent discounts.

Giving pottery as a wedding gift is a long standing tradition, of course. Whilst it is true to say that most modern couples probably already have a lot of the items necessary for starting up a home, it is also the case that these may not include quality china. Couples tend to buy everyday china from budget department stores and some may even see pottery brands such as Denby as a little old fashioned.

Contemporary designs

However, pottery ranges these days are more than a match for the contemporary items available at High Street retailers. With classic styles and modern patterns and colours, investing in a full range of high quality china is a wise choice. The beauty of choosing to collect a full set of matching china items is that you will never be short of tableware for unexpected guests or for a formal dinner party. Family and friends will also never be short of gift ideas for you.

With such a beautiful range of pottery items available, it seems a shame to reserve them only for special occasions. Brands such as Denby have some lovely pieces that are sturdy and practical enough for everyday use. Besides, eating off beautiful china somehow makes the food taste better! The benefit of owning a matching set from a quality brand is that they can be easily replaced if they are damaged or broken during use.

Exquisite china makes a wonderful gift for friends and family visiting from abroad, too. Brands such as Denby china are very well respected and collectible in many other countries. Buying a tea set as a welcome home gift or even just to say 'thank you' is a fantastic way to show you care.

Designer Kitchen Stool

Anyone can create a beautiful home, but designing a home which is original, inspirational and incredible all at the same time can be a little bit trickier. Thankfully though, there are dozens of great ideas out there, which will help homeowners create a unique and unusual home. Here are 10 ideas that will give homeowners a head-start and a head's up when it comes to finding the best innovative interior design items.

1) Funky Storage Boxes

Plain, plastic boxes are a thing of the past! With a range of funky and unusual shaped storage boxes now available, homeowners don't need to find a place to hide away containers. In addition to serving a practical purpose, boxes can act as a stylish accessory, creating a fun, funky and fabulous mood.

2) Antique Furniture

Unusual, old and quirky, antique furniture is a great way for homeowners to make their home stand out from the crowd. From grand, mahogany wardrobes to framed, golden mirrors, there is a variety of spectacular antique furniture available. With items from all eras, those who want to set a classic and elegant tone can do so with the help of antiques. Check Antique Style Mirror Coffee Tables for example.

Making the outdoor area of a property looks cared for and stylish whether commercial or domestic, means creating a good first impression on people whether they're passing by or visiting. A well laid driveway not only looks the part, but can add value to a property as well. Outdoor spaces also need to be safe to use and walk on, which means choosing a paving material that's not only affordable but easy maintenance and long lasting too.

There is a great choice of paving ideas and materials on the market today, one of which offers an easy to solution to creating a stylish outdoor space and it's one that's made of durable resin. Whether it's a driveway, patio, pathway for a private home or for a commercial setting, this resin based material is easy to lay, easy maintenance and extremely durable too. It also offers a great alternative to other paving materials which includes gravel, tarmac or paving stones, all of which can be high maintenance if they have to cope with high volumes of traffic over a period of time.

A Good Solution both Outdoors & Indoors

The paving material is resin bound and boasts being a great solution for outdoor spaces and indoor areas too, namely wet rooms, bathrooms, conservatories as well as kitchen areas. Choosing indoor flooring that's easy to clean with the minimum amount of fuss means making life simpler all round, and it's a great alternative to tiles, carpets or even laminate flooring.

Great Designer Ideas