Now this seems to be a bit of a strange gift ideas to put here, but with the dark nights drawing in, and the mornings getting darker when we all get up, it seems a good time to say that thermal vests can be a great way to help keep warm over winter.

I've always worn them - I find as an asthmatic that they really help keep the chill out and give me an extra layer to protect me from the chill.  I haven't put mine on yet, but I don't think it will be long, the way the nights are drawing in!

Marks & Spencer have got a selection of thermal underwear, and you could treat yourself to give yourself an extra layer this winter.  We always wore them as kids, and the habit stuck.   I wouldn't be without mine now!

I adore the M&S thermal vests - they make such a difference in winter!
These are the 2pk Medium Warmth Pointelle Thermal Long Sleeve Tops
for £25.00.   I wouldn't be without them!   I prefer the white ones to the black,
but that's just a personal preference.   Take a look at all the thermal vests at M&S here.
They have different levels of heat rating to choose from, from light to medium and maximum warmth.

Another thing I like to do to keep warm is to put a hot water bottle behind my back, or one under my feet (no shoes on, but I do have my socks on to protect my feet, and I test it before I put my feet on it) - great for when you get in from outside!  Please remember to check your hot water bottle regularly for signs of wear - and make sure you put the top on properly after you've filled it.  But they are great for taking the chill off you!  

 Paper High have these very colourful Woollen Rainbow Socks
for £19.95

How about Woollen Fairisle Socks?
There are different patterns available.  £24.95 from Paper High

Paper High also have a fun range of woollen animal hats to keep your head warm!
Leopards, polar bears, giraffes, chickens, owls, cows, 
lions, cat, monkeys and koalas!
Find out more here.

Or how about some comforting hot chocolate? 
The RSPB has some great goodies to help you stay warm this winter...

There are these Puffin wool handwarmers by Pachamama Knitwear 
for £20.00.   They've got a 100% wool outer and fleece lining.
Not only that, there's a Puffin wool bobble hat too, also by Pachamama Knitwear, for £20.00.
And a Merino wool fisherman beanie in spruce, ideal for outdoor activities, for £20.00

MeetHazel, the Highland Cow Long Hot Water Bottle (£10.00). 
Great for those colder evenings or when you're just feeling a bit chilly!
and there's another one here to take a look at:
 Snuggle up!

Natural Collection list this gorgeous Booja Booja Hot Chocolate (200g)
for £4.99 - it could make a great Secret Santa or a stocking filler as a gift
for a chocolate lover!  

Twinnings have a Winter Indulgence Hot Chocolate Gift Bag
for £16.50.  Enjoy a Swiss Hot Chocolate Drink and Monin Hazelnut Syrup,
and yummy chocolate crisp truffle bites.  It also includes a hedgehog mug. 
Devour more information here. 

Keep warm!

Many of us want to do our bit for our feathered friends at home, and help nature there.  

One way to do this is to feed them and put food out.   Actually, this is also a great way to give yourself your own nature show!   You can relax as you watch the birds fly in and feast, and try to identify who's visiting your garden.   It's also a great family activity as well!   We love watching the birds in our garden and trying to identify who's who.   My other half also loves taking photos of them, and I like trying to draw them (using a bird book).  

Those lovely folk at Garden Wildlife Direct have a great range of products for both our feathered friends and wildlife. And I've included three below...

This is the High Energy Autumn & Winter Mix from £7.99.
It's specially made to support wild birds through the colder months of the year
and to boost their health ready for the next breeding season!
It will encourage birds such as Blackbird, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Robin,
Song Thrush, Starling, Wren and others!
Discover more here.

These Premium Sunflower Heart Kernels are enjoyed by many different species of bird.
They're nutritious and Garden Wildlife Direct have advice
about other sunflowers you could feed your birds at various times of the year.
Find out more here. 

These Wild Bird Peanuts (Aflatoxin Tested)
are a great source of fat, fibre and protein for your wild birds.
Garden Wildlife Direct say that they will encourage a number of different species - 
sit back and relax as you watch them!
Find out more here. 

Garden Wildlife Direct have lots more goodies for your birds, including dried mealworms, which birds love - ours devoured them with great speed.  They've also got fat balls, too.  Not only that, they have goodies for your wildlife (not the feathered variety) and pets and they often have great offers to help your money go further.    Fly away to Garden Wildlife Direct here.

Are you looking to do some early Christmas card shopping?   

Take a look at the RSPB!  They've got a range of lovely Christmas cards, featuring a variety of wildlife - and some traditional Christmas scenes as well.   I particularly like the ones below, but there are other cards with robins, a sunset murmuration, curlews, puffins, hedgehogs, wrens, blackbirds, winter waders, bullfinches, owls, lapwings and donkeys!  Oh, I forgot there are also cards with doves on, and gorgeous harvest mice!  

This is the Midwinter dusk Barn Owl Christmas cards, pack of 10.
The artist is Jo Grundy, and the message inside reads:
Wishing you a Merry Christmas.
Normally £5.00, but on offer for £4.25 

I love this fun Decorating the burrow Christmas cards, pack of 10.
The artist is Molly Brett and the message inside reads: 
Seasons Greetings.  
Normally £5.00, but on offer for £4.25.

This is the Bethlehem Christmas cards, pack of 10.
The artist is Caroline Armstrong, and the message inside reads:
With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
Normally £5.00, now £4.25.

The other thing to mention about the RSPB Christmas cards is that there's a special offer on at the moment until Sunday, 27 September 2026 at 11:59pm.  T&Cs apply, but this is a great way to do some early Christmas card shopping and support nature whilst you shop! Click here to fly away to see the range of Christmas cards they have. 

The RSPB has everything you need for Christmas, in terms of Christmas decorations, wrapping paper, crackers, gift ideas, and then they've also got calendars and diaries for 2027, so that you can get planning!   Fly off to the RSPB Christmas shop here. 

Do you enjoy a good read?  Well, there's great news from Hive.co.uk!

They have some great new key releases available, and offers too.  This means you should be able to find something you fancy reading as the darker evenings draw in.  Autumn is a lovely time to start snuggling up with a good book, a warm drink and perhaps a furry friend by your side!

Just the thing for history lovers, 
this is Lucy Worsley's Queens and Kings, an Unusually Personal History
I can't wait for this to arrive!  I love Lucy Worsley's programmes and 
am looking forward to reading her latest book. 
Save 20% - the RRP is £25.00, it's now £19.99.

Get cooking fast with Jamie Oliver's 20 Minute Meals Real Fast Food.
The 120 recipes are designed to be on the table in 20 minutes or less.
There are 10 ingredients in each recipe max, and easy meat-reduced 
and meat-free options, and 70% hitting daily nutritional targets. 
The RRP is £30.00, it's on offer for £22.09.

This is an exciting new arrival: 
Gruffalo Granny by Julia Donaldson and Illustrated by Axel Scheffler. 
Gruffalo Granny is coming to stay!  
For £10.99 instead of £14.99

By the way, Hive have lots of other offers  as well this September,
including 20% off craft kits, 25% off new biographies, 
30% off new recipes, 30% off Oxford dictionaries, 20% off Japanese translated fiction, and up to a third off popular poetry books! 

Take a look here.

Whohoo!   I’m wagging my tail and purring away!

As you may know, Emma Bridgewater and the amazing artist Jenny Bloomfield are working together and have produced some VERY exciting new designs for mugs and plates.

Walkies!  This is a great mug for dog lovers! 
They are all raring to go!  For £28.00 from Emma Bridgewater. 

They would be GREAT for cat and dog lovers.

The way that Jenny captures the very essence of cats and dogs in her designs is amazing.   I especially love The Usual Suspects mugs, because every dog owner knows that their dog is very good at looking terribly innocent when they’ve actually been really quite naughty!   (We still love them, of course we do!!) 

The Usual Suspects mug (half pint) - just the thing for dog lovers! 
And I love the way Jenny has included lots of different breeds
in her design.  £28.00 from Emma Bridgewater

The Walkies mug shows dogs having a wonderful time, full of joy and being in the moment, which dogs do so well.  Its even got tennis balls hand-painted on the inside.   Perfect for dog walkers as a gift, perhaps, or for you for when you get back from having taken your dog for a walk and want to collapse in a heap with a hot brew.  (Your dog, needless to say, needs a few minutes’ sit down and then many of them will be ready to play or go for another walk again.) 

This is the Jenny Bloomfield Cat Tangle 1/2 Pint Mug - 
I can just see my cat batting a piece of wool!  
For £28.00 from Emma Bridgewater 

The cats have a mug called Bath Time, so called because cats love grooming themselves.  And there’s also the Cat Tangle design (see the photo above) – we know how cats love to play with wool, string and so forth.   (And cardboard boxes, although those don’t feature on the mugs.)

The new designs arrive at the end of August but here’s a preview, which I hope, will get your tail wagging too! 

As well as half pint mugs, there are a couple of 8.5 inch plates, one featuring cats and one with dogs.  

Emma Bridgewater asked Jenny Bloomfield how she gets inspiration to create her designs and you can find out what she says here.

Woof  and miaow for now!  

 
Oooh!  By the way.....

I just had an email from Emma Bridgewater to say you can buy 2 mugs and save 15%** on some mugs!  There's a selection of mugs, and at the time of writing, they were including some with a Halloween theme, Diddly Squat Farm,  some flowers and animals such as sheep and dogs.   Find out more here.  


**Only applies to items marked with Buy Two 1/2 Pt Mugs - Save 15%. Excludes Personalised, Seconds, Club Exclusives, Made to Order items and discounted mugs. Cannot combine with any other offer.