Less Work, More Passion

by steve 5/26/2008 6:11:00 PM

Take a load off your lover's back and you will likely rediscover your loving (and passionate!) partner underneath. These tips, fresh from our latest fortnightly romantic tips email, Fish's Bicycle, tell you how.

Reduce her workload, increase the passion

Feeling sexy -- or like being sociable, even -- is a tall order when you're knackered the whole time. A partner weighed down by chores, is more likely to feel like a 'domestic slave' than a 'goddess'. If she never has a moment for you, the best thing you can do is make some for her - by reducing her workload.

1. Step in, so she can chill out. Take-over the washing up, the hovering or supervising the kids. She'll love you for it and will have more time and energy for you later on.

2. Halve the chore. If she's washing, you dry. Apart from saving her time, it's more fun. You can chat while you get the job done.

3. Give yourselves more time. Outsource! Hire a cleaner. Get a child minder for a few hours a week. Rope the in-laws or grandparents in. Yes, it may cost you a few pounds, but what price would you put on the time you could enjoy together in return? 

4. Give her something better to do. Imagine her joy (and adoration) when she arrives home expecting to have to do the cleaning, only to find it's all but done - by you. Better still when you thrust a gin and tonic in her hand and direct her to her candlelit bath!

5. Help her feel like a goddess. You do your best to help out, but still she has a busy time of it. All the same, you can help make her feel less 'slave' and more 'goddess'. Simply indulge her your time and undivided attention. A 'no strings' massage is a great place to start.

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Gifts to Get a Gemini

by steve 5/16/2008 11:44:00 AM

Got a Gemini's birthday coming up? Then how about turning to the stars for gift inspiration?!

First of all, a bit about Gemini...

Gemini - The Twins - runs from 21 May to 20 June.

What are they like? Well, fickle Geminis are lively and entertaining, but easily bored and can change mood in a moment. Relentless talkers, they love gossiping and channel their energy into numerous activities at once, tending to flit between them as boredom strikes. Their defining aspect is "I think".

Summary keywords: Communicators, Moody, Fickle, Lively, Entertaining, Talk, Chat, Gossip, Witty, Funny, Flit, Chatty.

What gift to buy Gemini then?

You can appeal to their witty/ funny side, by choosing a humorous gift here

They like to entertain, so how about dinner party accessories or a party game?

As big talkers, you could always buy them a phone or a drink to wet their throats, or perhaps something to drink out of?!

If she's loves gossip, how about a subscription to Closer or Heat magazine?

Maybe a few ideas...

Hand-making Heroes Handmade Gift Competition Winner

by steve 5/10/2008 5:54:00 PM
Handcrafted Necklace by Felicity Gail that won this year's Hand-making HeroesHandcrafted Necklace by Felicity Gail that won this year's Hand-making Heroes

Felicity Gail jewellery has won this year's Hand-making Heroes New Handmade Gift Competition.  Short-listed by the judges in February, along with 7 other entries of handmade gifts,  Felicity Gail 's Silver, Onyx and Jade Handcrafted Necklace won the online vote here at pressies4princesses.

Voting took place through March and April, and well over 2000 valid votes were cast. In the end, Felicity Gail's handmade necklace pipped Steph Littlechild's handcrafted collage portraits to the post in what became a two contestant race.

Steph Littlechild's Personalised Portraits in a Fabric CollageSteph Littlechild's Personalised Portraits in a Fabric Collage

Felicity Gail is the brand name under which Jackie Durrans and Debbie Brenner produce and sell their design-led handmade jewellery. Their jewellery is inspired by modern design, taking style clues from modern art sculpture and furniture. The striking handcrafted jewellery that results is sold at all the Tate galleries. In fact, the Tate has commissioned this talented duo to craft jewellery for several exhibitions, including Oiticica, Millais and Klimt.

As winners, Jackie and Debbie will receive £500 to invest in their hand-making business, as well as the opportunity to supply pressies4princesses with their exciting handcrafted jewellery - to the tune of at least £1000. We are looking forward to bringing some fantastic products from their range to you soon.

Handmaking Heroes was conceived to encourage and support UK hand-making enterprise in the UK. All UK designer/hand-makers were elligible to enter a handmade gift. Currently, over 25% of the gift range here at pressies4princesses is made by hand in the UK. UK hand-making is something everybody here at pressies' is passionate about - so much so that we're going to run Hand-making Heroes again next year, only bigger and better! Anyone, thinking of entering should keep an eye on my free business advice for hand-makers blog at pretty-somethings.co.uk for details.

Green Gift Giving - How to Give Eco-friendly Gifts

by steve 5/7/2008 2:28:00 PM

Giving gifts could be seen as an unnecessary environmental expense. Gifts, after all, are hardly essential purchases. But, concerns over the planet needn't stop you giving. You can be a eco-friendly and still be a good friend (or son or mother or aunt or daughter for that matter).  By following these simple tips, you can minimise the environmental impact your gift giving has - and still leave the lucky recipient feeling overjoyed!

1. Choose 'Useful' Gifts

Gifts don't have to be utterly pointless. To be eco-friendly, you should avoid any that are. A gift that goes straight into a dusty cupboard or the bin, is a waste of the earth resources.

2. Choose Gifts Wisely

Buy something that is not appreciated and it is either going to be returned (if you are lucky), binned or shoved in a drawer. And that means that the negative environmental impact of producing it, is not offset by any positive  outcome - like use and enjoyment.

3. Go for Recycled or Recyclable Gifts

The best choice would be made from recycled materials and can be recycled again. Next best is something made from recycled materials - unless the recipient to recycles religiously. Finally, something that can be recycled is better than landfill fodder.

Gifts made from natural materials are more eco-friendlyNatural materials can have a positive impact upon the environment during growth

4. Pick Gifts Made From Natural Materials

The production of man-made materials generally consume resources and lots of energy. But, a natural material like wood or leather often has a positive impact upon the environment. Trees, for example, consume CO2 - a greenhouse gas - during growth. Using trees as a resource places an economic value on forests which ensures there survival and management for sustainability.

5. Choose Locally Produced Gifts

Shipping goods across the seas from China and India has a major environmental impact. Local production reduces this transporation impact.

Handmade gifts are often produced using more eco-friendly methodsHandmade gifts are often produced using more eco-friendly methods

6. Choose Handmade Gifts

Handmade gifts are generally produced using more eco-friendly processes. While, human power is cleaner than machine. Likewise, handmade gifts often use fewer plastics and other man-made materials and more naturally produced ones.

7. Buy Your Gifts Online

This is more efficient than going out to the shops, because it saves on transport emissions and reduces congestion. Your parcel travels with hundreds or thousands of others through out its journey, reducing the environmental cost per parcel. And, a website consumes far less energy than heating or cooling and lighting retail space. While mail order storage and distribution facilities are largely unheated or cooled and are more efficient due to economies of scale.  The constant re-fitting and merchandising of shops consumes real resources. Whereas, the virtual space of a website is redesigned by shifting pixels on your screen. Finally, the web is on demand - switch your pc off and you've stopped consuming resources. But, shops have to be maintained and powered even when there are no customers.

8. Use Eco-friendly Gift Wrap

Gift wrap is a frivolity, environmentally-speaking. Yet the papers get more and more glitzy with heavier, chemically-enhanced coatings. Add ribbon and you are likely adding nylon - another man-made substance - to their refuse. Use eco-friendly gift wrap instead - it is available at specialist stores. Try paper ribbon or raffia, instead of nylon. Reuse your old gift wrap. Or how about using simple brown kraft paper decorated by hand?

 

Shopping at pressies4princess can help you reduce the environmental impact of your gift giving. You can buy locally produced handmade gifts and UK handmade jewellery here. We also stock a range of eco-friendly, Fair Trade gifts And, we also offer an eco-friendly gift wrapping alternative.

Girlfriends' Favourite Glasses

by steve 5/5/2008 10:05:00 AM
Glamour-tini Lolita Martini glass

Arriving hot on our shores, like the latest US hit TV show, these fabulous hand-decorated Martini glasses are the latest must-have gift. In style and attitude, they're right up the Sex and the City/ OC/ Gossip Girl generation's alley.

Brand new to the UK - having already taken the US by storm - they seem just perfect for girlfriends. New to the UK, here's your chance to 'discover' a gift that's going to be huge by Christmas, making you a trend-setter. Who knows, your gift might even be the start of her new collection?!

Each glass is spectularly packaged in a gift box and, each has a fab. cocktail recipe on the bottom to match the motto in the design. There are dozens in the range and we've added four of the best, with more coming soon.

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