19TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS WITH CROYDE YOGA
December has been manic. And November. And October. Yeah - its been a crazy year.
Weeks go by and if I’m not careful I feel myself hunched over my desk, spine compacted, miserable - I basically turn into the hunchback of Notre Dame. Its a pretty site, but one I’m sure most of you are very aware of yourselves. I tried a few things - buying an expensive office chair, getting a stand up desk, fitting myself out with super supportive shoes for the stand up desk. Yeah they all helped a little, but they didn’t really get to the bottom of it all. Only movement can do that for you. And for me, its yoga that really sorts me out. And I’m lucky enough to count Tiffany from Croyde Yoga as a good friend (and client!).
From the minute I walk in with the room lit by fairy lights and candles, aromatherapy oils wafting around me and friendly faces, I know I’ve made the right decision to finish work on time and get to a class.
Her style of teaching is relaxed, welcoming and inclusive. She gives lots of options and builds up to an energetic practice with an amazing relaxation element too. She even wraps you up in a blanket and places an eye pillow over your face at the end of the class for some serious relaxation. Vinyasa Flow classes keep my core in check, build strength and flexibility - and more amazingly improve my terrible balance. It gives me an awareness of my body that I’ve not had before and I feel so much better for it.
Rather unsurprisingly then, todays gift guide encourages you to give the gift of balance, strength, relaxation and time - because aren’t they the some of the most precious gifts that the three wise men would deliver today? Buy a block of 8 yoga classes for friends in North Devon and you would be giving them 8 hours of time for themselves, an amazing stretch, focus and relaxation. It's sure to be a winner.
Yesterday I posted about beautiful, healthy cookbooks. Three days ago it was yoga. You may think thats because I’m some kind of health nut. You’re so wrong. But I do think in life we all need balance. And so as a balancing act for yesterdays health, today we have chocolate truffles.
As people are starting to think about New Years Resolutions (or not in my case!) I thought a few beautifully designed cookbooks with gorgeous recipes would go down well. I own each one of these and have cooked plenty from each - and hands down they’ve been a success every time!
Unless you’ve been on Mars for the whole of 2015 you can’t have escaped the rise of the adult colouring book. A popular form of meditation in the busy lives we lead, adults all over the world are picking up their colouring pencils and scribbling like crazy. Buy a loved one a colouring in book and help them find some mindfulness and relaxation
From the minute I walk in with the room lit by fairy lights and candles, aromatherapy oils wafting around me and friendly faces, I know I’ve made the right decision to finish work on time and get to a class. Give Croyde Yoga Vouchers to show someone how much you really care.
Everybody has a favourite beach - somewhere where they feel at home as soon as they arrive (I reckon even landlocked city dwellers must experience this!). Today's gift guide introduces you to artist Laurie McCall and some of his surfscapes of Cornwall's favourite beaches.
2015 has certainly been the year of gold, slabs of marble and pineapples (actually I think pineapple has been the fruit of the century). I’m ready for fresh imagery and new textures to fill my instagram and pinterest feeds - and I think I may have found the company for it. Introducing Copper & Solder
Don’t forget to treat your business. Yeah - thats right, I said business. It may suck all your time, have you working all the hours that god sends and treats you like a slave at times - but it still needs a little treat too.
My name’s Jennie Lewis and I’m a design geek. It comes with the territory of being a designer. It sees me buying boxes of cereal or bars of soap based on the packaging alone - even if it tastes like cardboard! I’ll hold my hands up to the fact this sometimes makes me a little tricky to buy for. Now though I just send out the Tom Pigeon link and know I’ll be happy whatever the outcome (no i’m not that nightmare friend that takes things back - I just love some gifts more than others!).
Witty, bold, beautiful cards and prints from the fantastically talented Kerry Wheeler. If you've left your cards as late as me now could be your chance to sort that out!
A group of kids that have come together to write and record a song to support Surfers Against Sewage ‘Seas for Life’ campaign. Spend a tiddly 79p this christmas - send it as a gift and know you're doing something to make the planet better and our seas cleaner.
Picking up pieces of sea glass and wondering where they have come from has got to be an all time favourite for walks on the beach. It always has been for me, but even more so for Vikki Worthington of Croyde Sea Glass.
Todays gifts are very much for the nautical men and women in your life. Those that love the sea and all it holds. Witty cards, carefully crafted keyrings and ship stopping pieces of art.
Gifts can be so much more than a present under the tree - and for so much more than your friends and family. The #2minutebeachclean encourages you to give a gift every time you head to the beach - to take away litter, leaving our seas slightly cleaner, wildlife less in danger and the beach a more pleasant place to be.
Until this year I've really struggled knowing what to buy for babies at Christmas. They're not very good at telling you what they want. Then I started working with Sleepytot and all my baby gift dilemmas were sorted.
Give the gift of health - Bay Fitness vouchers cover personal training, massage therapy, yoga and bootcamp sessions. Supporting someone with their goals and improving their lives has got to be the best gift of their lives.
Offshore Blooms stock gorgeous homewares for those annoying effortlessly cool friends we all have. And if homewares isn't their thing, who doesn't love a gorgeous bunch of flowers?!
Rustic furniture designed especially for you - furniture doesn't get much more homely than this and thats exactly what we all want at Christmas! Having designed their website and worked on all their print collateral, I can safely say I've not seen a single piece of furniture that I wouldn't have in my own home.
Day 4 - and its another one for the ladies in your life. Rose Choules shoes and accessories actually make me swoon - out loud!
Wanderlust Life is a understated, minimal jewellery brand that I wear every. single. day! Take a look at some selected pieces from the new collection that are sure to get you out of a present buying pickle.
Christmas Gift Guide December 2nd | Teeki UK with their leggings made from recycled plastic bottles and unique, colourful designs are today's present buying must for the ladies (or gents) in your life.
Reflecting on the past year I've decided upon a Christmas countdown gift guide showcasing some of the brilliant people I've worked with or bought from in the past year. First up - Jon Curtis and his incredible ceramics.
The final day of the countdown isn’t a gift as such, but a pretty special guest for your Christmas Eve. Father Christmas will be crossing our UK skies at around 5:20pm for around 5 minutes. As long as the sky is clear you should be able to see him.