Little Lockdown Lifts

Lockdown treats by British brand NEOM Organics (left to right) - Calming Hand Balm, Great Day Hand & Body Wash, Great Day Hand & Body Lotion, Clean & Happy Hand Sanitiser Spray

When each day can currently feel a little like groundhog, the little treats or ‘lockdown lifts’ make all the difference. A little gift or thoughtful card can really brighten a bitterly cold grey day.

I opened the door early and bleary-eyed a few weeks ago to be greeted with a delivery of the most incredible looking and tasting fresh doughnuts from Crosstown. A kind friend wanted to help us celebrate my youngest daughter’s birthday and organised this generous surprise.

In our house we have also been working our way through the various choices of letterbox brownies. When we settled on our favourites (Gower Cottage Brownies) we have passed on the love by sending them to others for Christmas, birthdays or just to cheer up those at home.

It feels like the strangest thing not to be able to just pop into a shop and buy a little treat right now. On the other hand, maybe a little more thought has gone into where I shop. Less of the mass market/superstores and a definite focus on smaller and often British brands.

So with birthdays coming up and Mother’s Day on the horizon, here are a few of my favourites which make great gifts for either yourself or someone else. 2020 and the start of 2021 has been tough; we all deserve a little treat!

The Completist - Stationery

From their Peckham studio, The Completist has your stationery needs covered from daily planners, to journals, gift wrap and bold, bright, colourful cards. As an obsessive list-maker (hello fellow Virgos) I wouldn’t be without my daily planner as I use it write down everything from school admin to medication reminders and food lists.

NEOM Organics - Wellbeing gifts

I distinctly remember unwrapping my first gift from NEOM 10 years ago. It was a perfect little set of bath oils, beautifully presented in a white gift box and it felt like such a wonderful treat. Since then NEOM has become a go-to brand for treats and gifts. The brand’s signature perfume with Grapefruit, Lemon & Rosemary is so fresh and instantly uplifting - I wear it everyday. There’s now the perfect handbag or pocket sized hand sanitiser spray and calming hand balm - much needed after washing my hands what feels 100+ times a day. A British brand with 100% natural fragrances, no harsh chemicals and no artificial colours. Available from NEOM.

Jellycat Amuseables - soft toys

Jellycat has been designing quirky soft toys in London since 1999. The humourous Amuseables range includes everything from a three scoop ice-cream, croissant, cup of coffee, watermelon and lots more. We treated our girls to a Jellycat each for Christmas and they quickly became their toys of choice at bedtime and to provide a bit of fun and comfort during these strange times.

Azuni - jewellery

Taking inspiration from his global travels, Ashley Marshall founded Azuni London in 1995. I bought my first pair of gold hoop Azuni earrings from Lark London, a gift shop close to my house. The earrings make lovely gifts and can jazz up any outfit. I now have three pairs. Available from Azuni London and Lark London.

Candy Kittens - sweet treats

Developed in London, these gelatine-free, vegan sweets are pretty moreish. As a Type 1 diabetic, I head to my pot of Candy Kittens when my blood sugar is low. For Valentine’s day my husband treated me to a personalised Candy Kittens pot (my ‘hypo’ pot - see above). They do also come in smaller bags, in a range of fun flavours and you can pop them in your basket in many supermarkets or online at Candy Kittens direct.

7 Valentine gift ideas

Buying for Valentine's Day - it's a tricky one. 

Some couples will happily spend a fortune lavishing gifts on one another, others will ignore it all together and refuse to be drawn into the commercialism of the day.

I think I'm somewhere in-between. A small gift and a home-cooked meal - maybe an episode of Black Mirror thrown in - that's probably my perfect Feb 14th.

If you're stuck for ideas I've put together a few suggestions for this Valentine's. 

From £5 to £100+, there's ideas whatever your budget:

1. Sheepskin slippers by The Small Home - £38

You'll feel like you're stepping on clouds wearing these little beauties. They are handmade using techniques passed down through generations of a Polish Family. There are men's, women's and children's styles and sizes available. If you are a half size when it comes to shoes I would size down as they do give a little as you wear them (I am a 3.5 and the size 3 is a perfect fit for me).

2. Nuclear Launch Codes notebook - £5 - ZeebenDry on Etsy

Making notebooks that little bit more unique and interesting is the shop ZeebenDry on Etsy. I had a good laugh scrolling through the different titles on offer which include My List of Bodies Buried in the Woods, List of Purloined Super Powers, The Art of Cultivating a Beguiling Resting Bitch Face and Ex-Lovers In My Freezer. I bought the notebook (above) for my husband for Christmas - it now sits on his desk at work and has become a bit of a talking point!

3. Quarterly Indoor plant subscription £35 - Bloombox Club 

I put my hands up; I'm a sucker for a subscription box. After visiting our nearest (very underwhelming) homeware and plant shop (a big store with lots of withering and dessicated plants), I decided to try Bloombox Club. I'd seen lots of lovely Instagram pictures of exotic looking greenery and was keen to give it a whirl. A £10 off Facebook code made it even more appealing. Within a week of placing my order a courier was delivering a large box with this beautiful Aechmea Tayoensis plant (which comes all the way from Ecuador) in a gorgeous, rustic pot. 

4. Nokia Activity & Sleep Watch - £119.99 - John Lewis

This just looks like a regular watch when you first glance at it. But if you take a closer you'll notice the small circle is actually monitoring your steps and activity - 100% equals 10,000 steps. If you then head to the app on your phone, you can see more detailed data for your daily activity and sleep. You can even put your finger up against the camera and it measures your heart rate. All very clever. 

5. Large Felt Letter Board - £50 by gingersnap *

Letter Boards are perfect for brightening up your home and adding your own special message or to-do list. These from gingersnap come in a range of colours - my favourite is this burnt orange colour (above), there's also mint green, midnight blue, sunshine yellow and hot pink. There's also a smaller size available for £30. www.getgingersnap.com

6. Photostrips - £12.99 for 10 - Inkifi

My new favourite photo printing company is Inkifi. Based in Manchester, the company produces these fun, retro Photostrips and plenty of other products from posters to photo books, square prints to calendars. I always think photo prints make the best gifts and these will not disappoint. If you're looking for photo frames, Oliver Bonas have a beautiful range right now.

7. Personalised Gift Wrap - £7.95 from Pretty Gifted *

Film quotes, song lyrics, pet names - this Cheshire based brand have got it covered with their personalised giftwrap. You get to choose from a range of colours, the foil, the font and even an icon. Delivery is within 3 working days and the giftwrap is fully recyclable which is great news (did you know that most types of wrapping paper cannot be recycled?). I've been lucky to try this great product and if you fancy giving it a whirl, I have an exclusive 10% off voucher code. Just use the code katie18val here when ordering (valid until midday on Friday 9th Feb).

Items marked with a * are gifted items or collaborations with brands. All views are my own.