Countdown to Christmas

Anyone else counting down the sleeps? I know am! Mainly because I'm asked every morning (afternoon, evening) to count on my fingers how many sleeps it is.

I am SUPER excited to be launching a special little maldod Christmas countdown today (the 12th of the 12th), to share the excitement, help with any last minute shopping and sprinkle a little festive fun along the way.

Each day for the next 12 days on social media I will be sharing a different special offer, free gift or giveaway. Starting today!

To kick things off for day 1 you can enjoy ONE WEEKEND OF FREE DELIVERY! Yes, that's free delivery on ALL orders all weekend when you use the code 'LITTLECOUNTDOWN1'. Pop over to the shop here to put it to good use.

If you signed up to our newsletter you'll have received details of this in your inbox today along with an exclusive 'first newsletter' discount code. If you haven't already signed up, you can do so here to make sure you don't miss out on future special offers and news.

Have a wonderful festive weekend all.

Lowri x

December Edit

It goes without saying that my edit for this month is leaning strongly towards Christmas gifts. I'm sure you don't mind a little help with your shopping do you?!

So, in the interests of keeping this post succinct and, ahem, edited, here it is (as usual, you can click through to the shop on all items).

1. Poppifleur Handmade Liberty Bow £4.95

These bows are so sweet, they're beautifully handmade and the fabric is spot on for Winter. Available in this deep winter blue print called Anderson or a classic floral Liberty print called Danjo. They make ideal stocking fillers and also make a perfect clip on dickie bow for any little Mr with a party to go to this month.

2. Frost Ho Ho Ho Plate from Buddy + Bear £7

Perfect for all your festive snacks! I absolutely love the design of these plates (across the whole B+B range). They are unbelievably sturdy, as my two put to the test on a daily basis. As I hear them crash to the tile floor I'm always amazed they haven't broken in half! A total winner in my book.

3. Fable Heart Pink Sapphire Crown £20

A pop of colour if ever I saw one! This is a brand new crown in the fantastic Fable Heart range. It is bound to catch the eye and whether you're young or old and wearing it, compliments will be flying your way! Silver and Gold crowns  are also available, what's your colour of choice?

4. Knitted Dinosaur Rattle £8.95

I'm such a fan of this stripy T-Rex, who I'm yet to name. This is a great stocking filler, the bright colours and tactile felt spikes will keep little ones entertained for hours. 

It is also a fairtrade toy so you can feel even better about your purchase.

Fable Heart Pink Sapphire Crown £20

A pop of colour if ever I saw one! This is a brand new crown in the fantastic Fable Heart range. It is bound to catch the eye and whether you're young or old and wearing it, compliments will be flying your way! Silver and Gold crowns  are also available, what's your colour of choice?

5.Wooden Build a Helicopter Set £12.99

This wooden helicopter is a fantastic gift for a little one who likes to sit and carefully take things apart, fiddle with screws or play with Daddy's tools. The set contains 13 separate pieces and a sweet wooden hand tool which is great for developing those fine motor skills. It's also a great size to pop in a bag for on-the-go entertainment.

So there we are, some great present ideas and just a tiny edit from this year's Christmas Shop. As it's Friday AND Christmas is only weeks away, I'll be including a surprise free gift with every order including any of the above items, for today only. A Secret Santa if you like!

Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday and I'll be celebrating all things independent with some other great offers. Check back here and on little maldod social media for more details tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by and happy shopping! 

Lowri x

Refuge - An Important Christmas Story

On Saturday, whilst away with friends, I stood in an independent bookshop with the following book in my hands and goosebumps on my arms.

The cover of the book, a clear nativity scene but with an unusual title, caught my eye from outside the window. By the third page I was drawn in to the most beautifully told, human depiction of a very well known story.

It tells the nativity story from the perspective of the donkey, focusing on the plight of a refugee couple who, with their newborn baby, depend on the kindness of strangers in a foreign land.

Touchingly written and absolutely relevant to the story of today, I knew straight away I was going to buy it and mentally ticked off another three names on my Christmas list. With £5 from each book going to War Child, a charity supporting children affected by the horrors of war, there was even more of a reason to buy it.

As a Christian, the nativity story is central to how we, as a family, celebrate Christmas. Although it still makes me smile everytime my three year old asks "when is it going to be Father Christmas Day?"... on a daily basis. I know that this book will become a treasured read but also know that it will help to explain some more present issues to my questioning son. Questions such as "why we are sending teddies to children who don't have any? "Why have they had to leave their homes?" and "why are Penny and Pip (our Kindess Elves) here to teach us to be kind?"

I realised that this book is an important read not just for those that hold the nativity story close to their hearts but for anyone, young or old.  So I set about contacting the publishers, Nosy Crow, and by Tuesday had placed an order for as many books as they could spare (their warehouse was completely sold out!)

All 20 copies are now available in the little maldod shop. Due to the nature of the book I've decided to offer free delivery and as a result won't be making any profit on it at all. It somehow seemed wrong and I felt it was more important to me that people buy and read it. You can find it in the shop here.

If you're interested in reading the fascinating account of how the book came to publication, in an astonishingly short space of time, you can find an account on Nosy Crow's blog here.

I really can't recommend this book enough and feel priviledged to be able to send it off to people's homes this Christmas.

Thanks for stopping by.
Lowri x

Falling Leaves and Friendship Bracelets

Well, it's finally here! The twinkliest, most magical month of the year. I love December! As I type this in my living room, I am surrounded by boxes of Christmas decorations, broken fairy light strings (how do they stop working tucked up in a box in the attic?!) and festive treasures I'd forgotten about.

As much as I love December I have equally adored the season we have just left behind. Autumn seemed extra beautiful this year and I wanted to savour every red and golden leaf, for in a blink they had fallen.

Which is probably why I kept coming back to this beautiful image in the #mythursdaybreaktime gallery this month.

I love how Hannah (@hannahruthking) has captured the fleeting sunshine shining through these gathered leaves, hanging as if they're gliding down from a tree.

It captures the beauty of the season wonderfully and I'm delighted to pick it as the winning post for November's #mythursdaybreaktime giveaway. Hannah will recieve a £50 voucher to spend at the Secret Linen Store, lucky thing! There's a whole host of beautiful linen to choose from which you can find here. Congratulations Hannah, please drop me a line with your details.

As a special treat this month I'm teaming up with the lovely Bare Atlantic who are generously giving away one of their stunning friendship bracelets. Made with precious silver beads and luxurious silk, they're simply stunning. There's a great range of colours available to suit all tastes too, why not pop over for a look here.

As usual, simply tag in me and @bareatlantic along with the hashtag to enter your posts into the giveaway.
With all the busyness of this twinkly month, the parties, preparations, shopping and feasting, don't forget to take time out for yourself to rest, put your feet up and savour it.

Thank you as always to everyone who joins in each week, I can't wait to see your posts this month.

With love,
Lowri  x