Top 5 gifts for you to leave hints about to your nearest & dearest! Most of these run in the lead-up to the big 'Ho-Ho-Ho' but some run into 2025 as well.
It is my official 50th birthday on the 14th November (Do we think she's dropping any hints here by any chance?? Emma) which has led me to mull over perfect gifts. I appreciate it should be making me mull over what have I done with the last 50 years and how did I get to be soooooooo old, but that's just not my style!
I love being the perfect gift buyer - OK that time I bought a a football-style laundry basket for my nephew I might have gone a bit left field, but totally redeemed myself with the gifted appointment for my Father-in-law to go see our chiropractor, which has just led to successful hip replacement surgery, which was well overdue. Yay me!
So without further ado, here is the Larkswold gift guide curated by moi:
1) For the dog lover: Leather dog collar and lead workshop
If you don't have a friend with a dog then I think you really need to look at your social group - something's not right. I mean you can get tablets for the allergic reactions and you also can't really live in the Cotswolds without a dog - I am pretty sure it's in the by-laws. Emma and I both love our dogs - well Em likes one of her dogs and tolerates the other one. I like our dog Kanga for about 2-3 minutes a day when she is not trying to gnaw my arm off, steal brushes for her secret brush collection (she currently has a nail brush, washing up brush and the dustpan brush hidden behind the armchair) or trying to eat my ducks.
Back to the present buying - We have worked with Tracy from Cotswold Hipster for a number of years now and have seen many stunning ensembles created in this superb leather workshop:
*Learn how to add the hardware to the collar & add the buckle using a tool called a crew
*Discover how to cut, burn and cap off the end of the dog leash rope which you will stitch securely before adding the handle and the hardware (trigger/O-ring).
*Learn how to do the ‘whipping’ with the coloured paracord threads, which you choose on the day, to compliment the set & make it truly unique
Tracy also brings brass embossing letters so leather elements can be personalised and you can add cute flowers charms - who knew! Your pooch will be the talk of the town in their bespoke leather gear.
2024 Dates:
2025 Dates
2) For those overly excited about Christmas - Mini Deer workshop
Ok - I appreciate that this one does also require the recipient to actually prefer home made over shop-bought decorations - but the pride that comes along with making one of these deer cannot be bought!
Christmas at Larkswold (if I do say so myself) is pretty awesome. Homemade mince-pies and Christmas cake with warm spiced apple or mulled wine. The 'new for this year' Mini Deer workshop is a full day so you get to indulge in a little me time which includes lunch and as much festive cheer from myself and Em that leaves most people asking why we haven't got a comedy channel on YouTube yet!
Dates
3) For the the indulgent: Day of Loveliness
This is the one you definitely need to leave a subtle hint to your partner for. You're reading this blog which means there is a high chance you love a bit of crafting and an even higher chance that you have been to Larskwold and now we treat you like a goddess when you are here. The Day of Loveliness basically means you walk in the studio and we spend a day chatting, laughing, eating, drinking (just the one alcoholic beverage mind you) oh yes - and a full schedule of block printing and wreath making.
Dates
4) For the novice painter - Fruity Jugs
So we have some exciting new watercolour workshops coming in the spring next year but in the meantime our Fruity Jug Workshop seems to be a very rewarding make. Using pre-drawn paper templates, an easy paper-painting technique and your choice of colour palette you gradually build up your design and colour depth. Emma and I spent a good while being smutty choosing the name for these Fruity Jugs which had many workshop names before we got to the demure Fruity Jugs!
5) For the one that has everything: Gift experience vouchers
I used to be a bit sniffy about giftcards - but now you can buy experiences to do literally anything from driving a tank to herding ducks I am totally sold on them. I also quite like the Secret Santa concept where you buy one really good present for one person in your family or group, rather than a load of pants ones.
Our gift experiences range from as little as £25 and you can choose the amount you wish to gift. Equally handy when
a) you have no idea what the gift receiver wants but you know they love Larkswold
b) you left it to the last minute and need it to arrive in less that 24hrs (our Gift Experience Vouchers are delivered by email)
c) You secretly know they will want you to come too
I know I know I just saved your bacon and made gift buying ridiculously easy for you x
Other gifts I would personally love would be a dozen baby ducklings or chicks - preferably already sexed so I don't get loads of cockerels or drakes ....oh and another puppy (you are completely mad! - Emma) beginners guide to bee keeping plus beehive and a years supply of Cadburys chocolate or a Cotswold Gin subscription.
Enjoy your weekend and we look forward to seeing you all soon,
Melinda x
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