Review: Hallmark Collectable Christmas Decorations

I am running my yearly Christmas competitions onTwitter this year, as a way to keep in touch with people like myself who are on their own with not much company etc. I decided to expand my prizes and also run a few competitions on Instagram as well. I decided to purchase some cheaper options than the Disney sketchbook hanging ornaments. I will still be using them as prizes as they are beautifully made and well thought out but they are expensive. I normally wait until they are on offer then splurge!  I decided to go for the Hallmark range as I went in their stores when I was in New York years ago and thought then that their hanging ornaments are reasonably priced and cute. I purchased these items when there was a 30% discount. They do seem to have regular offers so I have never purchased at the full price. I also bought several via Amazon as there often deals to be had there as well (but also lots of copies).

The first ornament I chose was the Harry Potter Chocolate Box and Frog. It is made from a tough resin and measures 8x8cm. It is very realistic to the one in the film and it would look great hanging on a tree: the back is a bit blah as it’s just purple but that doesn’t really spoil the overall item. 

Gizmo the Mogwai with a Candy Cane is adorable. Very cute and photogenic. I hated the movie but he is adorable. He measures 5.7 x 7.6cm and is made from a tough resin. 

The Snoopy on a Doghouse brought back memories as I loved him and the Peanuts gang when I was a child! Made from resin the ornament measures 7.2 x 6 cm it is fun and festive, giving a flash back to childhood!

The final ornament in my first purchase is the Harry Potter with Trolley, Trunk and Hedwig. Again, made from a tough resin and measures 7.8x7.2 cm. The owl doesn’t look twee but like an owl should do. There is a little Howart’s sticker on the trunk and 93/4 on the back of the trolley. My mum adored Harry Potter and I think his would have been her favourite. 

All ornaments cost just under £8 each and are boxed so would make great gifts. They are sturdy and not as likely to break as the Disney ones.  Unlike the Disney ones the hanging ribbon isn’t detachable which is a shame, they also seem more Christmassy- I keep my Sketchbook ornaments out all year but some of these are definitely Christmas only ornaments. Disney Sketchbook ornaments have something about them (apart from the price) which sets them apart from every other ornament I have seen, maybe it’s the attention to detail or the fact that every time you pick an ornament up you notice something new. The Hallmark ornaments, however, are a close second, have a much larger selection of categories such as gremlins, Harry Potter etc and would make a great base or stocking filler if you were just starting a collection: 

I purchased these items myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own. 

#Win Harry Potter Hedwig Crossbody Bag & Purse

             

Primark have a range of officially licenced Harry Potter products.  Recent additions to this s range include these glitter faux leather Hedwig purse and crossbody bag.  The purse measures 10x11.8cm and costs £3, the bag 22.5x18.5cm and costs £6. The front is glittery whilst the back is an ivory faux leather with "Harry Potter" emblazoned across it.  The purse does not fit in the bag. There are also quite a few sellers on EBay who have these items at reasonable prices. To win your own Hedwig set just follow these instructions:

1 follow @susan1375 on Twitter 

2 retweet the post with the photo of the items on it here

3 open internationally
4 For an extra entry follow this blog by bloglovin, email or follow and leave a comment below, 

C/d 1 March 11.59pm GMT

#Review & #Win #Harry Potter #Primark Clutch Bag

                  

Primark have produced this gorgeous Hogwarts book clutch bag as part of their official Harry Potter merchandise line.  It costs £12.99 and is currently sold out, but some of the Ebay resellers have it for around £15.99 upwards. 

This clutch looks as though it costs a lot more than it actually does.  It is not flimsy and is really well made and thought out.  The outer shell is faux leather with little stars and the Hogwarts crest embossed in a goldish colour.  It fastens with a clasp mechanism (also gold) and measures 8"x6" in size.  It has a gold chain shoulder strap that ingeniously doesn't get detached (and then lost) but fits inside the bag making it a clutch.  

                 

This is a gorgeous clutch that looks like a journal.  It would be a great gift for any Harry Potter fan! My mum intends to take hers to the Harry Potter Tour London for her 80th birthday.

I bought an extra one to use as a competition prize. 

Rules:

This is open internationally but as I have left it so late I cannot guarantee it will arrive before Christmas.

Complete the Rafflecopter requirements, the only mandatory option is to follow my blog, the rest are optional.

Competition runs from 12 Nov-19 Nov 11.59 GMT.

Rafflecopter Entry: >>>>    a Rafflecopter giveaway

#Win #HarryPotter #Primark #jewellery

                            

                                                   

These Harry Potter jewellery items were sold recently  in Primark, you can still find them on Ebay.  They are gold toned and nicely made. They don't look cheap and they are very detailed.  If you want to enter my rafflecopter competition to win them just enter by filling in; completing as any options ar you want. This competition is open internationally. It opens on 20 September 2017 and closes 4 October 2017.  Good Luck!!!!! 

follow the link >>>>> 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jewellery for Literary Lovers

Ever had a relationship with a book or series that you couldn't put down, empathised with or just counted down the months until the next one in the series was published, or know someone who is all/ any of the above. Then what about some book related jewellery? 

Recently my mum had to get rid of some treasured books and as a compromise I found on Etsy (where else) a seller, MalteseMagpie who converted the front cover of books in to chunky acrylic bracelets. The buyer can choose 8 pictures which she the pits into acrylic. The buyer can choose a silver or gold background. She ships from the USA so you have to take into account customs charges but altogether including shipping the final price was around £54 for a piece that is unique and means a lot to my mum. The whole process including delivery time took about 3 weeks.

If you want to buy just one book themed piece of jewellery on Etsy there are lots of sellers who sell the Harry Potter series as pendants so it always worth searching for the cheapest, always factoring in shipping and customs. My pendants cost between £6 - £10 each depending on the seller and what the front cover is. Beatrix Potter was the most expensive.

The Literarygiftcompany.com do a range of book related jewellery which aims to recycle as much as possible. Want an Aslan brooch made out of paper, Your own mini Harry Potter bookcase pendant or a pair of Too Kill a Mockingbird book and typewriter earrings? These and much more can be found at this great shop. 

Enchanted Leaves do a huge range of book/film related jewellery. Your own hobbit door necklace, pet dragon, golden snitch or labyrinth door knocker earrings can all be found in this Etsy store. 

The choice is endless, especially when there are so many innovative, enthusiastic sellers on Etsy, EBay and Notonthehofhstreet.com.  Happy browsing!

All views expressed in this post are my own and the photos have either been taken by me or I have obtained permission to use stock photos.

Links:

Maltese Magpie: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MalteseMagpie

Literary Gift Company: https://www.theliterarygiftcompany.com/collections/new

Enchanted Leaves: https://www.etsy.com/shop/EnchantedLeaves