Wartski – The First 150 Years by Geoffrey Munn Review by Tracy Baines

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Margaret Graham

The book is available by ACC, but also at the V&A, where Wartski are sponsoring the jewellery exhibition opening at the end of November.

Whether you have a passion for jewellery or not this book is a fascinating insight into one of the most famous jewellers in the world today. It was the Wartski goldsmith’s who made Catherine Middleton’s wedding ring for her marriage to the Duke of Cambridge.

Finely researched and containing immense detail this book is written by Wartski Managing Director and Antiques Roadshow expert Geoffrey Munn, who started at the firm in 1972 after answering an advert for an assistant in The Daily Telegraph.

This unique family business, centring on a small shop in the West End of London, is famous for its association with masterpieces of goldsmith’s work, antique jewellery and most especially those of Carl Fabergé.

The book is full of beautiful photographs and illustrations not just of jewellery and objets d’art but of the great and the good who visited the store over the years. Every page has something to delight the eye whether that be necklaces, Fabergé eggs or movie stars from a bygone age.

Morris Wartski, a Polish émigré and multilingual extrovert, came to North Wales and due to a chance meeting with the Marquess of Anglesey was able to open his first retail shop in Bangnor in 1895

What follows is a testament to hard work, ingenuity and salesmanship. It’s a story of chance meetings, philanthropy and business acumen that has set firmly in place the foundations for Wartski’s longevity. The book is worth reading for this chapter alone – I found it absolutely riveting. A true tale of rags to riches.

What follows is not just about the jewels but the people who bought and collected them. There is everything a good blockbuster needs – tenacity, intrigue, the fabulously rich and the weirdly eccentric. I found it hugely enjoyable and interesting but winced a bit at the hefty price tag. However, a fabulous book for the coffee table and a delight for those interested in the finer things in life.
“Wartski – The First 150 years” is not only the history of a firm but also the biography of a
scintillating society. It gives the reader new insight into the jewellery trade, the fascination of
collecting and the lives of the rich and famous. The lavishly illustrated text opens a window on to
an otherwise private world.

Christmas Gift List For Baby

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Frostie

Not much is more adorable than a baby. Okay, they can’t talk properly, or do much of anything, but that doesn’t mean they don’t get a cute present. It may be more for mummy and daddy, but here are some great ideas.

Reindeer Hooded Towel From www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk

An adorable towel, ideal for post-bath cuddles this Christmas. A supersoft Christmas hooded towel with fun antlers and a reindeer face, perfect for wrapping up after a bath. 100% Cotton, £14.00. We absolutely love this. It feels super soft and is so cute. Top marks.

Illustries Baby Books

We absolutely adore these baby books from Illustries are an innovative company that creates a unique collection of luxury and bespoke coffee table books and artwork to capture every important detail of milestone life moments through interviews, photography, story-telling and design-led creativity. Reflecting the Illustries’ ethos of designing and delivering beautifully collated individualised keepsakes with a style-savvy twist, the ‘Hey Baby!’ journals offer a contemporary take on traditional baby books to capture the early years of parenthood. In addition and destined to become a stylish must-have accessory for proud parents and grandparents alike, the soon to be launched ‘Hey Baby Brag Book’ is equally as charming and cute as its baby journal sibling.

Small enough to fit snugly into a handbag, man-bag or pocket, the brag book is a cute and convenient baby album to share baby snaps on the go. Designed in the iconic Illustries contemporary style and matching it’s bigger brothers and sisters, the Baby Books, the perfectly petite albums hold up to seven classic 4×6” photographs (or additional smaller photos) alongside beautifully-designed pages dedicated to the all-important little person details, including birthdate. The Baby Brag Book is available as a portrait, hardcover album with accordion-style pages printed on heavy matt uncoated paper and finished with an elegant ribbon tie. In a choice of two on-trend colours; coral pink for girls and duck-egg blue for boys.The Baby Book by Illustries is available here.and Mini Baby Photo Album and Brag Book.

Little Butterfly Dewdrops at Dawn Body Lotion.

This body lotion for baby smells amazing and is 100% certified organic ingredients. Suitable for newborns and those with sensitive and eczema prone skin. With cucumber seed oil, cocoa butter and oat kernel extract, it is hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested. Free of mineral oil, paraffin, paragons, silicones, SLS, DEA, TEA, PEGs or artificial fragrance. Great for baby and for mum to borrow. From notonthehighstreet.com

Reindeer Onesie From www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk

This is so cute and adorable we can barely take it. A great alternative to a dressing gown, this adorable reindeer onesie has a fleecy outer and is lined in soft cotton jersey. Sizes up to and including 18-24 months have popper leg opening for easy nappy changing. Sizes over 18-24 months have zip opening. It is machine washable and is super cosy. http://www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/sp+reindeer-onesie-in-pyjamas-robes-and-slippers+d2626

Blade & Rose Leggings.

We love these Blade & Rose Robot leggings.So cute. Britain’s iconic children’s clothing brand, Blade & Rose has a new Autumn/Winter collection of adorable trendsetting leggings and accessories for babies and toddlers. Made from top quality fabric that is durable, these precious leggings are perfect for mini fashionistas whilst kind to their delicate skin. All leggings can be paired with matching socks, bibs and hats. Available in sizes 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 1-2 years, 3-4 years, RRP £10.00 http://www.bladeandrose.co.uk/ and here.

Comotomo Baby Bottle

This is hugely popular with our babies and mums. It makes a great gift. The award winning and revolutionary Comotomo baby bottle is the ultimate practical gift for new parents this Christmas. Specifically designed to provide the closest thing to breastfeeding in a bottle, the unique design features two essential antic-colic vents. The ‘mummy inspired and baby approved’ Comotomo bottle range is dishwasher, microwave, boiling water and steriliser safe making it easy use. Comotomo Natural Feel Baby Bottle is available here.

Wishbone Baby Thermometer

Smart and easy-to-use, this is a brilliant little gadget. The brand new Wishbone Baby Thermometer makes a great gift stocking filler for new parents. It is the first non-contact thermometer that works with smart phones;. Wishbone Baby Thermometer’s has a unique Y-shape which provides the perfect angle for digital temperature reading, and it’s compact design is the ideal size for travelling or keeping on you at all times. It’s the only smart thermometer that is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. RRP £34.99 available on Mothercare.co.uk

Babybjorn Baby Carrier WE

A great gift for any parent, giving them freedom to carry baby around without hassle. No new parent’s kit is complete without a BabyBjörn Baby Carrier We, and this new baby carrier it is perfect ‘treat gift’ for a new mum or dad this Christmas.The BabyBjörn Baby Carrier We is one of a “new generation of baby carriers” and is suitable from birth all the way to three years old; carry your baby on your front close to your heart, and when they are one year old you can carry them on your back , turning the carrier with one simple movement. BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier WE is available here.

Reindeer Mittens From Jojo Maman Bébé

These reindeer mittens are just adorable. Perfect for the festive season. Machine washable with a flexible fit, there is also a matching hat. From jojomamanbebe.co.uk

Comotomo Teether

This teether was a huge hit with Frostie babies. Easy for them to hold and chew on. It has a smart, unique design that babies love. Mimics baby fingers perfectly, and we know how babies love to chew on fingers. Just long enough to reach the back molars, but short enough to prevent choking. They are easy to grab and hold. Made them with a medical grade silicone and heat resistant, so when it comes to cleaning time, just sterilising them in boiling water and you’re good to go!

Comotomo Silicone Baby Teether is available here.

Christmas PLAYMOBIL Advent Calendars to Warm the Heart of Any Child

Posted on November 12, 2015 by Margaret Graham

PLAY 8947 1 #

Forget chocolates, children can open the doors on this PLAYMOBIL advent calendar and find toys to stimulate their creativity, but not just that, these they can keep, whereas chocolate is gone in a few melting seconds.

Frost loved it, because there are a variety of scenes: a wintry woodland, or festive family Christmas, or what about giving our little heroes a chance to fight fiery infernos?

Healthy and fun. What’s not to like?

Find out more at http/bit.ly/PLAYMOBIL

A day in the life of Fiona Joseph (Author and Speaker)

Posted on November 12, 2015 by Margaret Graham

I wake between 6 and 6.30 AM. My partner Peter brings me an early morning cup of tea and then it’s all systems go: helping our younger daughter get ready for school (Have you had breakfast? Brushed your teeth? Where’s your PE kit? What do you mean you’ve got cookery today?) or waving our elder daughter off to a university lecture. I’m one of those mums who stand waving on the doorstep until my children have disappeared from sight.

8.15 to 12.15 PM

Ideally I’m at my desk for 8 AM. My most productive time for writing is early in the morning.

My office is in a room upstairs at home and I do the majority of my writing on an iMac. I switch between different software depending on what I’m writing: Pages and Storyist for writing prose fiction and non-fiction, and Final Draft for screenwriting. (I’m currently writing a dramatisation of my biography of Beatrice Cadbury and Final Draft is the industry standard.)

Writing a screenplay for the life of Beatrice Cadbury.

At about 10 AM I’m ready for a break, a cuppa and a catch-up chat with Peter, who works downstairs in the dining room. Sometimes we’ll do our unofficial ‘meeting’ in our local Costa. And then it’s back to our work domains for both of us until lunch.

If I fancy a change of writing scene I go to my local church where I have an arrangement to use one of their meeting rooms. I take a portable word-processing device with me – my AlphaSmart NEO – along with a flask of tea and a blanket to avoid chills.

12.15 – 1.15 PM

Lunchtime is my favourite part of the working day. At about 12.15 PM our dog Bonnie butts her nose against the stair-gate to tell me it’s time for her walk. (She has three walks a day – talk about spoiled) Exercise is vital for both of us. The walk takes about 20-25 minutes, sometimes longer if we stop for a chat with doggy friends and their owners. Bonnie was a rescue dog, and sadly ill-treated, so she needs oodles of love and patience. We live in a leafy suburb of Birmingham but holiday a lot in Weymouth, and this picture shows Bonnie happily at the seaside.

On our walk I daydream, or listen to music or a BAFTA GURU screenwriting podcast on my wireless headphones. Lunch will be quick, such as a sandwich or soup, or in summer months, some sautéed courgettes or roasted beetroot from our allotment.

1.15 to 4 PM

I like to be back at my desk for 1.15 PM. My afternoon can be made up of any of the following activities:

more writing or editing
working on my website
archive research
replying to emails, e.g. invitations to speak
going out to give a talk to a group
speaking on the phone with my biographee, Godric Bader, the subject of my current work-in-progress
visiting my local primary school where I’m privileged to be a community governor

Sometimes my research will take me into town to the Library of Birmingham or to the Bournville Archives. For my latest novel, Comforts For The Troops, I wove true facts and details of the Cadbury workplace into the story.

Visiting the Bournville Archives to research Cadbury women workers.

4 to 7 PM

This period is break-time and family time. Peter or I prepare dinner. I’m very strict on home-cooked food and eating round the dinner table. It’s the time of the day when we can share news, air grievances(!) and generally have a laugh. Mobiles are banned. If one of us has had a particularly noteworthy day I’ll serve dinner on the Plate of Accomplishment. We occasionally play cards afterwards – 10 card rummy, Old Maid and Sevens are old favourites.

7 to 10 PM

Sometimes I’ll be out giving a talk at a local society like the WI, the U3A , a local history group or a book group. It’s very satisfying to talk about the research and themes underlying my Cadbury books and I really enjoy chatting with people over a cup of tea afterwards.

If I’m at home I’ll flake out with some telly. I’m an ardent fan of Corrie and Holby City and I enjoy a good UK drama, preferably nothing with violence in it though. By 10 o’clock I’m fit to drop, but if necessary I’ll do an hour’s more writing before bed!

Fiona Joseph is the author of the acclaimed biography, ‘BEATRICE The Cadbury Heiress Who Gave Away Her Fortune’, and a novel inspired by women working at Cadbury in World War One, ‘Comforts For The Troops’. For more details visit www.fionajoseph.com

Christmas Gift List: Stocking Fillers

Posted on November 12, 2015 by Frostie

Ah, the Christmas stocking. It may be filled with satsumas but that is all part of the charm. Along with a dose of vitamin C, add these great gifts.

Milk_Shake Daily Duo Gift Set.

A bestselling environmentally conscious brand. Professional hair products which combine the benefits of milk and fruit. From www.milkshakehaircare.co.uk

Dearest Margarita: An Edwardian Love Story in Postcards

Smart and original. This is a great present with hours of fun to be had. In 1900, aged twenty and travelling from Havana to Europe, Margarita Johnson met and fell in love with the dashing gold prospector Charles Lumb. Her father disapproved, and after three years of secret postcards, the couple eloped to London. Cut out of her father’s will, Margarita was never welcomed again in Havana.

Margarita treasured her postcards from Charles, her family and friends, who wrote from England America and Europe. They remained with her until she died in 1959. Years later they were found by her granddaughter, tucked away in a cubby hole, and are here seen for the first time.

Dearest Margarita: An Edwardian Love Story in Postcards is available here.

Billington’s & Paul A Young’s Golden Sugar-Coated Caramel Bombs

So delicious, so amazing they might actually be worth diabetes. Okay, maybe not. But these exclusive truffles are definitely something to look forward to. If you really love someone, slip them into their stocking. £15.50 at Paul A Young’s stores.

Sugru Home Hacks Made Easy Guides.

The guides are as great as the Sugru. Okay, maybe not: it would be hard to match up to what Time Magazine listed as no. 22 in their Top 50 inventions list in 2010 (the iPad was no. 34). For mums who love to mend, dads who like to organise or colleagues who like to be up on the latest trends, the Sugru Home Hacks Made Easy guides designed to help with everything from misplaced keys and fraying cables to broken parts and even some genius shoe storage ideas. It’s the perfect gift for anybody who loves a good idea.Compiled by mouldable glue Sugru (often described as the love child between Play-doh and superglue), the guide comes complete with booklet, dinky storage tin and five mini packs of Sugru to get you started – all for £10.00 and available exclusively at Sugru.com.

Accentuate.

This rather cool game got funding from Peter Jones on Dragon’s Den. You guess movie quotes, accents and the year the film was released for triple points. A great game to make boxing day more fun. Accentuate Party Game is available here.

Wine For Dummies

Wine For Dummies, 6th Edition by Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan

Wine For Dummies, is essential reading for anyone who enjoys drinking wine and wants to stay up to date with today’s wine scene. This easy-to-follow guide will help readers understand different grape varieties and varying wine styles, decipher wine lists and labels, and understand how to use them to make the right purchases. It also explains how to match food with wines that will bring out the best in both and how to select, store, open, pour, and enjoy wine. Wine For Dummies is available here. . A great book that tells you all you need to know about wine.

The Gourmet Chocolate Pizza Company Belgian Chocolate Pizza Slice

Belgian Chocolate Pizza Slice – £2.99 from family run thepresentfinder.co.uk

Delicious pizza slice made with a thick base of chocolate, topped with vanilla fudge pieces, chunks of chocolate brownie cookie and white chocolate curls.

Walk Mill Botanics

Naturally beautiful handmade products. Walk Mill Botanics do homegrown, handmade products for body and home. Their products are unique. Their handmade soap comes in recycled cloth embedded in flower seeds. You tear it, plant it and then watch it grow. Smart, unique and innovative. These natural products are amazing and smell divine. They are also SLS and paraben free. We tried there Blackcurrant & Honey With Ginger Handmade soap and Lavender bath bomb and loved them. Available from http://walkmillbotanics.com

One4all Remote

Great, easy-to-use universal remotes. Perfect for those who are technically challenged. The new One For All TV Zapper is a simplified, easy TV remote featuring only the keys you actually need but still performs the functions of a universal remote control. And it has a really comfortable grip and guaranteed stability on your or your loved one’s side table – so it’s easy to pick up and use. For something a little more advanced, the Zapper + has the ability to use One For All SimpleSet for advanced functionality, including menu navigation and number keys for direct Channel selection. With big buttons for channel and volume controls, these remotes have been twinned with an optional wrist strap so it doesn’t go missing down the side or back of the easy chair or sofa.

At very affordable prices, the One For All TV Zapper (URC 6810) retails at £12.99 and the Zapper + (URC 6820) at £17.99 from electrical retailers, selected grocery multiples including Currys (URC 6820) and online from the One ForAll web shop and Amazon.

Gin & Tonic flavoured Lip Balm

Gin & Tonic flavoured Lip Balm – £4.99 from family run thepresentfinder.co.uk

A great idea and beautifully packaged. This luxury Gin and Tonic flavoured lip balm is simply gorgeous. Made in the UK, by Bath house, the moisture-rich shea and cocoa butter balm, made with natural butters and extracts, will leave your lips feeling smooth and soothed.

Eat 17 Bacon Jam

Eat 17 Bacon Jam .Set of Four – £14.99 from family run thepresentfinder.co.uk

Delicious and something a bit different. The set of four is a great gift for a foodie friend or as a stocking filler! Each of the jams go well with a huge range of dishes and can be eaten as a spread so there is a place for Eat 17 Jam on the table all the time! Included are Bacon, Onion, Bacon Chilli and Chorizo Jams.

More Mindfulness Colouring.

Adult colouring books are huge at the moment and More Mindfullness Colouring is perfect for relaxing and taking care of your mental health, something that can definitely be tested at Christmas.

More Mindfulness Colouring: More anti-stress art therapy for busy people is available here.

Raisthorpe Manor’s Sloe Gin and Damson Port.

Dreaming of a white Christmas? If the weather doesn’t oblige, you can create your own sloe-storm with a gift of Raisthorpe Manor’s Sloe Gin – a Great Taste gold winner. Carefully matured for eight months on the Raisthorpe Estate in the heart of Hockney’s Yorkshire Wolds to an old (and secret) family recipe, Raisthorpe’s Sloe Gin offers that unmistakably complex combination of bitter-sweet London Gin and the tart tang of sloes, and is at home in the flute as it is in the hip flask.

Damson Port, hand crafted in Yorkshire, is one of the UK’s most unique bottled liqueurs and was rated top of its class for taste, winning three gold stars from the Great Taste judges in 2014.Only the finest hand -picked local damsons go into each bottle and are gently steeped in Port with a dash of sugar to a secret family recipe. Its wonderful balance of sweetness, luscious fruit and hint of damson stone is the perfect foil for a cheeseboard, turkey and all the trimmings, or on its own after dinner. It’s sure to leave any recipient in good spirits. Available in 5cl, 35cl or 70cl bottles: £3.95/£16.95/£24.95

We tried both of these delicious liqueurs and were very impressed. Delicious beyond words and a truly brilliant present. Frost loves.

Raisthorpe Manor Liqueur is available here.

Grumpy Cat No-it-All Book

Fun and hilarious. We loved this. It really puts a smile on the face. Grumpy Cat: No-it-All: Everything You Need to No is available here.

Heir & Grace Mulled Oranges Candle.

Created just for Christmas but can be used all year round. This is beautiful, just absolutely stunning. It smells divine and is just so christmassy it can’t help but make you smile. The ideal gift for anyone. Has warming noted of nutmeg, cinnamon and clove, a glazed orange heart underpins the festivity. This is a Christmas classic.

http://heirandgrace.co.uk

Nightingales Under the Mistletoe by Donna Douglas Reviewed: Tracy Baines

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Christmas 1941 and the nurses at the Nightingale are facing their toughest winter yet.

With shortages everywhere, and every news bulletin announcing more defeats and losses, the British people are weary and demoralised and The Nightgale Hospital is suffering too.Millie is recently widowed and dealing with the demands of her family’s estate. It’s not long before her old world of The Nightingale begins to beckon, along with a long lost love…

Jess is struggling with her move from East London to the quiet of the countryside.Effie finds herself exiled to a quiet village, but the quiet doesn’t last for long as she soon finds excitement in the shape of a smooth talking GI. As Christmas approaches, even the shelter of the countryside can’t protect the girls from heartache.

This is the first book I’ve read about the nurses at the Nightingale Hospital and it won’t be the last. Even though I came new to the series (this is book seven) it was easy to read as a stand alone and was at no point confusing.

It was a perfect winter read as I sat in front of a roaring fire, mug of tea and a box of choccies to hand. I was soon deep in the world of nurses and country living. The characters are likeable and realistic and the author strikes a perfect balance between the hard, grudging work that nurses do and the camaraderie that comes from pulling together. It doesn’t shy away from the awfulness of war but deals with it in a way that’s informative without being too upsetting and certainly made me wonder at the bravery of people during those trying times. That said there is humour and warmth on every page.

An absolutely perfect read for those who love Call the Midwife.

To be published 11^th November by Cornerstone Publishing

Love You Better by Natalie K Martin Reviewed By Frances Colville

Posted on November 10, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Natalie K Martin’s second book Love You Better is about domestic violence. Set in London, Thailand and Ibiza with links to other parts of the world, the story is fast paced with well-drawn characters and a good if somewhat predicable story line. We all know that domestic violence can occur in all sorts of households and relationships, and any book which reinforces this and flags up some of the telltale warning signs is welcome. The author has done her research well. And her love of travel shines through too.

However, the ending of the book was clearly signposted from the early pages and for me this detracted from the impact of the story as it evolved. It’s hard to care enough about the development of a character – even one you empathise with as much as Effie – if you’ve already worked out what is going to happen to her. There were a few other things which pulled me up short. Is the character Oliver intended to be the same age as the other main characters (that is, mid twenties) and if so, how can he possibly be one of the most sought-after lawyers in London? A three storey whitewashed Georgian house in a quiet street in Clapham for £500,000? I don’t think so. Nitpicking? Yes. But why not get it right?

This book is still a good read though. It flows well, it’s interesting and I did actually want to know if I guessed the right ending. And I liked the play on words in the title. A book worth reading in fact. I’m going to search out the author’s first book Together Apart and look forward to future offerings as well.

Love You Better is published by Lake Union Publishing and will be available in the UK in paperback and ebook versions from 8^th October 2015.

Excellent Christmas Ideas: Adult Colouring Books

Posted on November 10, 2015 by Frostie

Adult colouring books are not just a trend, they are a phenomenon. They were everywhere in 2015 and the trend to de-stress by colouring in shows no sign of abating. Here are our suggestions for a colouring Christmas.

Winter Wonderland Patterns. Creative Colouring For Grown-Ups

From snowflakes and robins to Scandinavian prints and reindeer, this is a beautiful wintry colouring book. From Michael O’Mara Books. Winter Wonderland Patterns: Creative Colouring for Grown-ups is available here.

Crap Colouring In: Mindless Art Therapy For Modern Life Joe Sumner.

A hilarious parody on the trend. This age-appropriate book has all of life’s little annoyances to brighten yourself up. From speed bumps to shopping trolleys. Brighten them up and vent with your pencil. Smart with classic British humour. Crap Colouring In: Mindless Art Therapy for Modern Life is available here.

The Gold Collection. The Gift of Colouring For Grown-ups.

Luxurious and lavish, This sophisticated colouring book helps you find your inner-calm. It has a beautiful gold-foiled cover. The Gold Collection: The Gift of Colouring for Grown-Ups is available here.

Creative Colouring For Grown-Ups Christmas Patterns.

Over 100 pages of festive cheer. Wonderful patterns. Out 1st December. The above and below adult colouring books are from the publishers of ‘Creative Colouring For Grown-ups’. Christmas Patterns: Creative Colouring for Grown-ups is available here.

Creative Christmas. The Gift of Colouring for Grown-ups.

Has a gorgeous foil cover and the flaps give inspiration for Christmas wrapping. Hours of de-stressing fun. Creative Christmas: The Gift of Colouring for Grown-ups is available here.

Lost Ocean. An Inky Adventure & Colouring Book Johanna Basford.

This is a stunning book from the creator of Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest, Johanna Basford. Johanna has sold millions of copies of her colouring books and lives in Dundee. Lost Ocean has over 60 hand-inked, black-lined illustrations. This gorgeous marine-themed colouring book is the perfect gift for the colouring fan. Lost Ocean: An Inky Adventure & Colouring Book is available here.

Which one will you buy?

Frost Magazine

Books and Lifestyle