So What is The Elf on the Shelf? The Latest Christmas Tradition to Spring from The States.

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I first saw the words, 'Elf on the Shelf' when an ex-school chum, fellow mum was discussing Christmas traditions. The Elf on the Shelf describes itself as a tradition, but it's still a budding one, especially in the UK where I hadn't heard of it at all. All good traditions have to start somewhere though, and whilst I recognise the sneakiness of trying to sell a specific toy and book set (£29.99 on Amazon), the Elf on the Shelf concept in itself is pretty magical, and can be done super cheap (I picked up an elf in Card Factory for 99p today).

 

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Our son has just turned six, so I fear this game might only work for him this year, so I plan to make the most of it.

As the rules go, the Elf appears the day after Thanksgiving, and watches on behalf of Santa for naughty or nice behaviour, reporting back to the North Pole each night. In the morning the Elf is back, in a new mystery location within your home. The fun comes from finding comical or clever situations for Elf to be found in each morning. As the UK is a good couple of years behind on this, there's already a wealth of ideas online thanks to America's Mummy Bloggers sharing their creativity and Elf gimmick ideas.

So, anyone else fancy giving the Elf entrance this Christmas 2013? Let me know on Twitter, I'm @rudedoodle. Click the link to my Instagram beside my blog header to follow me and watch where I place our Elf every morning.

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a) Clear Out Wardrobe b) Get Cash for Clothes at MusicMagpie.co.uk c) Purchase Tremendous Cat Print Sweatshirt

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Some how, even when I don't buy new clothes, my wardrobe space seems to get more & more bunged. Every six months I do a clear out. I'm pretty ruthless too, and then I'm left with just what I actually wear; which somehow expands itself over another six months until it's time to clear out again.

It's not the worst household chore, I can think of many more tedious ways to spend a morning, plus you often come across a dress or jumper you've totally forgotten buying. Like a summer skirt you've bought in the sales thinking you're the bee's knees and bargain savvy. Then you do a clear out in September & find the floaty skirt, labels still attached and summer fleeting fast. Not so clever. So a clear out is sometimes as good as a mini shopping spree.

Here is another plus point for you. You can get cash for your clothes on Music Magpie. You don't pay postage to send them the items either. And your reward payment? Well, you can spend it on clothes of course.

How do you fancy these insane cat sweatshirts? Tie dye, sea punk, lightning bolts and pastels. I think my cat would run away if she saw me coming in one of these.

Do You Love Elf Enough to Get a Giant Buddy the Elf Tattoo?

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Wow.

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Oh.

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 Think I'll stick to a nice t-shirt instead.

Beat the blues: get bright and beautiful with Susanna Reid’s terrific turquoise look

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It's been a quiet week on here, due to me ending up in hospital dehydrated from norovirus. Not the most fun time. Needless to say I'm too tired to be blogging right now, so in the meantime please enjoy this guest post with some pre-party season tips.

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The news may be gloomy, but BBC Breakfast presenter Susanna Reid brightened up the red carpet with this bold outfit. Susanna has recently been strutting her stuff in the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing, and although she's said she finds the moves tricky to pick up, her sunny personality, can-do attitude and fancy footwork have won her plenty of fans.
Viewers familiar with her professional television persona have come to see that there’s more to this reporter than current affairs. Even away from the dance floor, Susanna's fun and quirky nature shine through in this turquoise outfit accented with glitzy silver accessories.


Pick a colour
Susanna leaves the little black dress behind and makes a strong style statement with her bright colour choice. This outfit is not for the wallflowers, as it draws the eye from tip to toe. The aqua dress beautifully emphasises Susanna’s golden tan and brunette locks, while the simple cut and sparse accessories keep her looking bubbly rather than tacky. Channel Susanna's bold style with this v-neck drape dress. Not quite as bright as her turquoise number but still certain to grab attention, the gentle powder blue and draped design make this a fun and flattering alternative to the LBD for party season.


Twinkle toes
These sparkly silver peep-toe courts are an excellent match for Susanna’s killer platforms and the perfect accompaniment to a statement dress in any colour. If you’re looking for a little less twinkle or a lower heel, check out the range of court shoes from Isme, with shades and styles to complement any outfit including this season’s pastels and tartans.


Perfect pins
Susanna opts for a bare-legged look to show off her flawless tan and well-defined calf muscles. If you’re brave enough to bare your pins for a party, consider using a tinted body lotion or getting a light spray tan to even up your skin tone. Even if you decide to cover up with skin-coloured tights, exfoliate daily with a body brush using long strokes towards the heart, and put plenty of moisturiser on your legs at night to keep them looking smooth and soft. If you don't have time to hit the exercise bike every day, your high heels will make your legs look longer and slimmer, no workout required.


Accessorise wisely
Follow Susanna’s lead and choose a belt that matches your shoes, finishing with sparkly but subtle jewellery to keep the look simple but perfectly coordinated, 
Fresh-faced, tanned and beaming, Susanna’s bright look has an air of the holiday feel about it. It might not be possible to squeeze in a relaxing spa break or even just a day off before dressing up for your special occasion, but a dash of bronzer and a bright smile are just the ticket for completing this chic and confident ensemble.

Turn Your Kid's Bath Into a Disco & They Splash the Dirt Away

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This underwater light show from IWantOneofThose.com is a nice stocking filler at £7.99 It can be set to cycle colours, or remain on one relaxing shade.

It's one of the gifts in IWOOT's huge 3 for £20 offer, a handy way to get lots of the fiddly presents out of the way in one swoop.

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A Lidl Bit of Christmas Magic

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Last night my boys and I attended a Lidl Christmas launch event in James Streer South, Belfast. Lidl's top chef Ian Orr supplied us with a savoury and sweet buffet of delights, all straight from the supermarket shelves. He also served up a starter of crab claws, and a main meal with traditional turkey with roasted chestnuts.

The desserts all got a definitive thumbs up from little Michael. I've already a mental shopping list of the delights we tried made. The deluxe collection arrives in store around 25th November.

Do You Like Glitter? What about Taxidermy? How about Both Combined at a bargain price?

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Spotted in B&M Springhill, Bangor store. A cherry red, glitter encrusted stag's head, as part of their Christmas range. Also available in gold glitter or silver sparkle. The best part is the price, only £7.99 and it's the kind of decoration I would keep up all year, as my house is a zoo of real taxidermy.

It isn't available to buy through the B&M website just yet, but pop into your nearest store or email them to stock it if you love it like I do.

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