Stumped for a Present for the Person who has Everything? Why not Consider Treating them to the Removal of Their Old, Now Unwanted Tattoo?

Giving the gift of laser tattoo removal may not seem like the most romantic Christmas present, but if your partner has a regrettable inking from their youth that they hate the sight of, this Christmas you could be giving them a body & life changing experience.

I have many tattoos that I love, but I've always disliked the look of the tiny star on my ring finger I had done ten years ago. Not only is it wonky, but I just don't like hand tattoos on myself, and am embarrassed by having it sometimes. 

Now even though I can recommend you the best tattoo parlours in Belfast City (White Dragon, Skullduggery) and even though I once had a monthly column in a national Tattoo magazine, Things & Ink, when it came to tattoo removal, I actually had no idea who to go to, or how it really goes down.

So, I just Googled laser tattoo removal and found a Lisburn beauty salon Indulgence by Susan, offering the treatment.

Susan's salon is based at her home, but stepping inside it doesn't feel like that. There are several rooms in the large, suburban home dedicated to Susan's beauty craft. She has ten years experience in the industry, with teeth whitening, slimming treatments, waxing, makeup and the whole works available and performed with expertise.

Over the coming while I'll share more of Susan's treatments with you, but today I'm concentrating on the laser tattoo removal specifically. 

The purple machine on the left is the laser, you can see the little gun in a holster, and it really is as straightforward a process as that- shooting the tattoo all over with little blasts of red light that help break down the ink and let it absorb into the body. 

Susan tipped me off to buy some skin numbing cream, over the counter at a chemist and apply that to the area about an hour before my appointment. It costs just under £5 in Boots.

Having the laser treatment does involve some pain, but not as bad as waxing pain, and certainly not as sore as it was GETTING my finger tattooed. The healing process was painless, but that might be as my tattoo is so small. 

This is a before shot of my star.

This is thirty seconds after the treatment.

As you can see, that's a pretty big difference. However the treatment will require return visits, as tattoos ARE supposed to be for life, and the ink is terribly stubborn and doesn't just break down after one attempt. The age of the tattoo also is a factor in how easily it can be removed.

Here is the star now after two weeks. 

You can see the top, right lines have faded a lot, but as Susan had told me, it will take a couple more sessions to fade the entire tattoo. She recommends leaving three months between sessions, which feels like a lifetime, but it limits the scarring and Susan has been doing this treatment for years, so I'm taking her advice and holding off, rather than rushing back up after a month for more blasting.

So, are you tempted? Rid yourself of that regrettable dolphin ankle tattoo from that crazy fortnight in Ibiza in 2001? Why not contact Susan herself via her website, and she can advise a treatment plan for you. 

Ikea Sprida Projection Lamp is a Spotlight for Your Little Showbiz Kid in Training

The Ikea Sprida is a chunky, fun spotlight from Ikea. It can be used as a spotlight, or a projector and it includes slides of different colours to play with & set different mood lighting. The 'legs' are movable. There is a slide section which you pull out to load the colour palettes, or your own old fashioned photograph slides, should you wish.

My son, being DJ light & lamp obsessed rates it five out of five!  

Make Your Garden a Winter Wonderland

Christmas is just around the corner now folks and it’s the same question on the tip of everyone’s tongue; will we have a white Christmas? The chances of snowfall this year may not have us all shopping for sleds just yet. But snowfall or no-fall, your garden can still be a magical winter wonderland.

If you have young children who dream of Santa and the North Pole, or you are a keen gardener who would appreciate a winter lawn, here are some tips to create an enchanting garden no matter the weather.

Plant Some Winter Flowers

Winter Jasmine

Whilst the rest of your garden goes to rest during the winter season, winter bloomers such as Helleborus Niger or Helleborus x Hybridus only come to life when the weather turns cold. These stunning flowers are irresistible when they open up in winter and their pinkish white hues really add to the magical feel of your white Christmas garden. Add a splash of festive red with seasonal Poinsettia planters and you won’t believe how easy the transformation is.

Use Outdoor Christmas Decorations

If you want a true winter wonderland, you simply cannot forget the outdoor decorations. Transform your garden as well as your home to create a truly enchanting festive atmosphere for the whole family. If you have a fir tree, decorate it with outdoor lights and make sure you make your front and back door welcoming with wreaths, hanging planters and garlands.

Turn Your Shed into a Grotto

For a true flavour of the North Pole (this is great for kids!), a grotto is a must. Anyone with a shed can transform a basic wooden structure into something spectacular. All you will need is some artificial snow and some pretty Christmas lights. 

Artificial snow comes in either sheet, spray or a powder form; use the sheet to decorate the roof / floor of the shed and dust off any nearby plants and trees with the powder or spray. Add some holly and ivy garlands to the front, along with some Poinsettia planters and you can make the grotto a welcoming place for the little ones.

Bring the Outside In

For anyone looking for a long term solution for enjoying their garden in winter, use frameless glass curtains to bring the outside in. Let the indoor and outdoor festive decorations come together to create a fantastic winter wonderland feel for the entire family. You can enjoy a white Christmas (fingers crossed) from the warmth and comfort of the indoors – or you can enjoy unobstructed views of the spring bloom come 2015. Whatever the season, frameless glass doors are a great investment if you want to enjoy your beautiful garden all year round. Visit FGC Frameless Glass Curtains Ltd to find out more.

Christmas News from the Pony Cycle Stables

"The final Christmas countdown is truly on.

This has been a fantastic year for Pony Cycles, stock has truly galloped out the stables door.

With the last shopping days amongst us, we want to give a heads up of final order and delivery dates:

If you are interested in any models we do not have in stock, the final day for placing orders is Wesnesday 10th Dec, to allow time for delivery in time for Christmas.

For all available stock, final day for Christmas orders is Friday 19th December.

Don’t leave it too late, contact the team today and order yours!

Pony Cycles would like to thank all their customers for their ongoing support.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Pony Cycle Team."

Retro Futurism ArtPrint Takeaway in Bangor

One of my favourite, local artists Neal McCullough will be taking part in the art pop up shop at Bangor starting this week. Stuck for a present for an awkward to buy for someone? Come see Neal!

Marks & Spencers Winter Warmers to See You Through to Christmas Party Food Season.

Your local M&S is no doubt bulging with Christmas treats. Serving sizes for more than just your nearest and dearest, but to feed granny, the little cousins & your chatterbox Uncle who will turn up on Boxing Day expecting a feast! That's a situation you can take care of with Marks and Spencer's three for the price of two over the entire party food range.

My Sprucefild visit this month was to pick up some winter warmers, rather than festive themed novelties. Hearty, rich food for the shortening days. 

Yet, I couldn't resist these party foods. Who's child wouldn't be excited about tiny hotdogs for a Tuesday tea time?

M&S also do a range of min burgers. This includes brioche baplets, a tomato salsa, cheese slices and the burgers. We added in our own pepperoni and plum tomatoes.

The third party item I tried this week were these Sticky Lollipops. If you are from Northern Ireland I can tell you these are as delicious as something you'd get from Zen.

These smoked salmon pâté snacks are part of the range that donates a preparation of profit to Shelter.

Finally, I couldn't resist trying out their Turkeh sandwich either.

And Santa's grotto at Sprucefield looks beautiful.

What Advent Calendar Do You Have This Year?

Its a real sign that we are the generation that never really grew up, that we now can buy advent calendars to hang aside our children's calendars. I have a Yankee Candle Tealight one this year, which means I can light one each evening to add extra special festive scent to my living room.

If you visit the Yankee Candle UK webstore, they have daily deals on the countdown until the 25th. Check out what bargains they have today.

Jump Into Christmas Jumper Day for Save the Children, With Sweaters for Everyone at George at Asda.

This year marks the very first, fund-raising event for Save the Children. You wear a snazzy, tacky Christmas sweater to the office and raise money for needy kids. A great one-stop-shop for jumpers for the entire family is George at Asda.

This is my choice to weta for Christmas Jumper Day, very 1970s!

Asda even have a range to choose from includes an extra donation from them to boot.

"Help us raise at least £750,000 for Save the Children. By purchasing this jumper you will help give disadvantaged children living in the UK the chance to fulfil their potential. 6% from the sale of this jumper will be donated to Save the Children. Why not celebrate Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day in style on Friday 12th December."

Prices range from £7 to £18. Here are my top picks.