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This July we are going to be celebrating Christmas in July every day and it’s going to be so much fun!

If you want to join in the fun you can find us on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest so choose your favourite Social Media platform and follow us (or follow us on all of them, that would be amazing) and join in with us. After all why should we only celebrate in December?

The reason why I love Christmas in July is because I grew up in the UK and loved Christmas as it was a bright spot in the middle of winter, but when I was 19 I headed down under and now celebrate Christmas in summer. I have celebrated more summer Christmas’ than winter ones, but I just think a winter Christmas is a ‘proper’ one 😀

July in Brisbane (where I currently live) is during our winter so I can enjoy my hot chocolates (yes I prefer hot chocolate over eggnog at Christmas) and it just feels like a more Christmasy atmosphere. I am really looking forward to celebrating this year as I actually went back to the UK for Christmas last year and it was even more festive than I remembered!

Let me know your favourite part of Christmas on the social links and I will be adding more to this post as we travel through July. The links again are Facebook | Instagram |Pinterest – see you there!

Christmas Gift Giveaway

Will be given away 10 July 2023

This giveaway is running in both my Facebook and Instagram, there is only the one gift and it’s really to get the month up and running so how do you get your name into the draw?

Well as it says above it’s all about interacting so you can earn 1 entry by interacting on the posts – commenting, liking, tagging, sharing etc

You can also earn 5 entries if you purchase anything from our links, simply make your purchase and then message me to tell me what you have purchased.

If you want to earn 10 entries in one go then you can join to become a Preferred Client through my Arbonne business.

Good luck everyone and remember you can participate on both Facebook and Instagram (double the chances of winning).

Christmas Throw Pillows

Christmas Decor

Check out our range of Christmas Throw Pillows, a lovely way to add some festive cheer to your home.

Christmas Gift Ideas

Check out some of the amazing gift ideas collated on this next post, 20 gift ideas for women.

The image below shows up some of the gift ideas we shared in the 4th July gift posts on social media. The links to purchase are below and remember if you purchase anything to message Louanne on the SM platform that you are participating on for Christmas in July in order to qualify for some extra entries into the draw 😀

Googly Eyes Eye Pads | Dinosaur Cable Bites | Funny Socks | Lego Flowers

More Gift Ideas

These gift ideas are available through Arbonne. Arbonne is a vegan company so if you have any vegans on your Christmas list anything from the company is 100% vegan. You can get any of them through my link louannecox.arbonne.com

The Shea Butter hand wash and hand cream both feel really luxurious and either would make a great gift on their own. This set though comes with its own bamboo caddy and is great to have in the kitchen or the bathroom.

If you’ve got a sporty person on your Christmas list then they might want some supplements. Getting the TrueSports range for them to try is a great idea, if they are after a protein powder you could also get them that as well.

If you know someone that likes to party and spends Sundays with a hangover here’s a little tip – get them a box of TrueSport hydration as well as a box of Energy Fizz Sticks and if they put one stick of each in a litre of water and drink that the next day I have it on very good authority that it is the BEST hangover cure 😀

Christmas Recipes

There are lots of different recipes to enjoy so let’s have a look at a few that we have shared:

Fudge Recipe

Gingerbread Recipe

The Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate Recipe

Christmas Cards

Let’s check out the range of Christmas cards that are available to purchase, including this fun one from Zazzle.

And We’re Live!

In our live chat on 18th July we talked about Christmas Snow Globes and Bottle Fairy Lights. If you’re interested in checking out the selection we mentioned in our live then click on the links above.

Shea Butter Gift Ideas

I love Shea Butter and have used it for years.  My daughter’s generation is all about the coconut oil for their skin, well when I was her age the Body Shop had an amazing Shea Butter body cream and I was sold on it – did I know what it was?  No, but it felt beautiful!

I do know what Shea Butter is now and I still love it, in this post I’m going to give you a few ideas for giving people the luxury of Shea Butter and let me tell you they will thank you for it!

Take me straight to the gift ideas!

What is Shea Butter?

Shea Butter is actually the fat that comes from the nut of the Shea tree.  It is a very thick and rich substance that is high in vitamins A & E as well as essential fatty acids.  It is essentially a superfood for your skin that feels just divine.

My favorite Shea Butter products these days comes from Arbonne as I know they are not just based on this beautiful product but are also free from all the nasties that I try to avoid in my skincare.

Shea Butter Gift Sets

There is actually a great little gift set that you can buy as is and would be perfect for your mother in law, a work colleague or as a housewarming gift.

I love the fact that this duo comes on a water resistant bamboo holder as I just think it looks really neat. The duo consists of a rich, creamy and moisturizing hand wash and hand lotion.

I’ll be honest I’d love this in my own bathroom let alone to give as a gift! It is something that you can give just as it is which is great and it’s bound to be appreciated.

Other gift ideas I have with the Shea Butter are to add to other things, let me explain …

Shea Butter Hand Cream – Gift Ideas

The Shea Butter hand cream is something that I love and so does my teenage daughter and my mother so it really is a cross generational gift idea.

Now a hand cream might be okay for a Kris Kringle office gift or as a stocking filler, but by itself it doesn’t look like much of a gift does it?

For a teen I think a Shea Butter hand cream in a basket along with some nail files and a few fun nail polish shades would be perfect.

For an aunt, mom or grandmother you could look at buying a pair of gloves and a beautiful Shea Butter hand cream (of course if they like doing their own nails then you could give them nail polish too) or alternatively a gift voucher for a manicure with the Shea Butter hand cream as well because a voucher by itself seems a little impersonal.

Shea Butter Lip Balm – Gift Ideas

Now the lip balm is to die for so I really wanted to find a way to incorporate this as a gift.

Depending on what time of the year it is you could go for a scarf and hat set with the lip balm.   You can even go for a fun bearded beanie like the one below if they have a great sense of humor (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases).

 Beard Head – The Original Barbarian Vagabond Knit Beard Hat (Brown)

If it’s summer then you could look at a sun hat, beach cover-up, lightweight scarf or something similar and pop in the lip balm as well.

There really are lots of ways of incorporating a little luxurious Shea Butter into gifts for anyone special in your life.

NOTE: The products mentioned are all available through Arbonne. I am an Arbonne Consultant so if you purchase through my shop – louannecox.arbonne.com I will be compensated (at NO cost to you). Message me through Facebook or Instagram with any questions

Reminder: In case you’re new here all Arbonne products are available with a 45 day money back guarantee so if you don’t like them you can send them back for a full refund – you literally have nothing to lose, it’s basically a free trial!

When you’re shopping for a fashionista it’s hard to think of what to get them without worrying about whether it’s the right ‘look’ for them or if they already have it! I think the best thing to do is to go with accessories and let them pick their own clothing pieces. This works extremely well when looking for stocking stuffers for the fashionista.

This year it’s all about velvet, faux fur, marble and rose gold, let’s look at some of the items I have featured in the introduction image, links to ‘shop these goodies’ are all underneath this picture which I would love for you to pin 🙂

Shop these goodies

Faux Fur Mini Pouch (available in a range of colors)| Holiday Candle (everyone loves a candle!)| Stars Aligned String Lights | Ring Gift Box Set | Velvet Scrunchie (this on-trend scrunchie comes in lots of different colors) | Meaningful Studs in a Bottle (available in 4 different colors/meanings)

 

NOTE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases – more information below

 

Other ideas include ……

Velvet is very in this year so why not incorporate some velvet in accessories for a perfect stocking stuffer? We incorporated a velvet scrunchie above and below we have a headband, hat and bag, any of which I’m sure would be a big hit.

   

Click on image to find what colors these products come in and the prices

Hats and headgear make great stocking stuffers. They enable us to stay warm while being fashionable so what’s not to like – check out these next few ideas for some fashion fun…

    

Click on the image for more information on the product including price

If you’re looking for something smaller then keychains, keyrings, whatever you call them make a cool stocking stuffer that can also be a great fashion accessory. This season the big pompom style are still in vogue the same as they were last year. One thing to note, however, is that if you’re in a warmer climate these pompoms can mat quite easily when constantly handled with warm/hot hands. In that case you might want the fun unicorn style of keyring because if you have to choose between being anyone you want or a unicorn you should always choose a unicorn!

   

Want to know they price? Simply click on the item you’ve fallen in love with

Bags are another great accessory to give a fashionista and at the moment crossbody bags have never been more popular. There are lots of styles from pearl looking bags to velvet crossbody bags and more. I’ve included a round crossbody bag below and two that are just plain fun because sometimes fashion can be fun and this is the season to get away with combining fun and fashion!

   

Want to know how many colors the round bag comes in – click on the image!

There are lots of other gift ideas that you can give a fashionista for a stocking filler, some include fashion accessories such as phone cases, watches etc and some don’t such as perfume, coffee mugs etc. I’ve selected just a few more for you to look at below –

      

For prices and details of products please click on the image

Do you wonder why I keep telling you to click on the product for the price, color and size availability? It’s because at this time of the year (especially) there are so many sales that prices are constantly changing and I don’t want to mislead you because I can’t keep up with it! Sizes and colors available are also constantly changing as people are buying so getting you to click through to the actual site from which you can buy seems to be the best solution to keep everyone happy 🙂

I hope you’ve found a few cool gift ideas to pop in your fashionista’s stocking this holiday season.

You Might Also be Interested in These Posts

 Red Scarves Women will Love Gorgeous Purple Scarves Hot Pink Scarves

Hi I’m Louanne aka Lou16, welcome to my blog! I just wanted to let you know that this post may contain affiliate links which means, at no cost to YOU, that I might receive compensation if you purchase something through a link on my site. In the online world this is called ‘affiliate marketing’ and is a very common way that bloggers make their money, if you want to find out more then check out this post to find out what is affiliate marketing and how we make money on this site,  If you want to see my full affiliate disclosure and the other ‘legal stuff’ then click here.

Well we’re nearly halfway through January which means that Valentine’s Day isn’t that far away.   If you’re a romantic at heart (or even if you just love someone who is) then you’ll be thinking about how to celebrate your Valentine’s Day this year.

There are lots of cool ways to celebrate from breakfast in bed to a romantic picnic lunch, cocktails for two in the evening or even a trip away.   The thing I love most about this holiday is that you can go all out or very low key and still have a fantastic time.   Did you know even Zombies can enjoy Valentine’s Day?   It’s all about how well you know your partner really.

There are a few things which I think are important to observe and one of them is the time honored Valentine’s Day card, a card is something that the most romantic of us will keep and look at in years to come to recall a particular Valentine’s.

NOTE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases – more information below

Valentine’s Day Cards

Here are a few cute Valentine’s Day Cards, but there are lots of alternatives if these aren’t your ‘style’.   Personally I love many of the themed Valentine’s Day cards like – Zombie Valentine’s Day cards or Geeky Valentine’s Day cards etc.

 

Be Mine Greeting CardBears Valentines Day CardTwo Hearts Card

Of course after the card comes the rest of the day and what that involves is going to be different for everyone….

Creating Valentine’s Day Memories

Some people like to send flowers, others prefer gifts that will last (and some do both!).   Then there’s the day itself – spending the whole day together can be wonderful, although not always possible.

A romantic breakfast in bed is a great way to start your day, but if you’re both rushing off to work a leisurely breakfast may not be possible – there are a few things you can do though.   Make your partner some toast and cut it into a heart shape for them – very cute!

If they’re racing out the door to catch the train then make them a tea/coffee in a new travel mug, you could even throw a breakfast muffin or something in a bag for them to eat…….add in a little love note if you like as well.

If you’re apart for the day then a romantic dinner is a great way to come together.   Dinner out might be nice, but if you have a young family and/or a tight budget you can always make dinner in a romantic destination at your place.   When the kids are in bed mix up a romantic cocktail or two and prepare their favorite dinner.   Turn off the lights and eat by candlelight and just enjoy each other’s company.

Of course if you both love movies you could just curl up on the sofa together and eat popcorn while you watch a movie together, if the weather is cool where you are even better because there’s nothing more romantic than curling up on the sofa together under a cosy rug.

Valentine’s Day Gifts

Not everyone gives gifts on Valentine’s Day, but any that are received are usually appreciated.   I find that some of the best gifts actually don’t have to be the most expensive either.   There are some great gift ideas for Valentine’s Day on this page – Romantic Gift Ideas.

For me you can’t go past chocolate, although I did love my heart shaped mug as well (I love my cup of tea almost as much as chocolate!).   My hubby is happy to get a massage or a back scratch so a book of vouchers for these is a great idea.

Sometimes the most romantic gifts aren’t roses, chocolates or jewelry, but things that show that you’ve been listening and/or know their loves and desires – zombie themed gifts, superhero themed gifts, lego themed gifts or something that they have really wanted for ages, but you weren’t able to get them for Christmas.

However you celebrate February 14th I hope it’s a great day for you and your loved ones.

Hi I’m Louanne aka Lou16, welcome to my blog! I just wanted to let you know that this post may contain affiliate links which means, at no cost to YOU, that I might receive compensation if you purchase something through a link on my site. In the online world this is called ‘affiliate marketing’ and is a very common way that bloggers make their money, if you want to find out more then check out this post to find out what is affiliate marketing and how we make money on this site,  If you want to see my full affiliate disclosure and the other ‘legal stuff’ then click here.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article – more information below.

Lou16 is a name that I have written under for over a decade online.  Many of the sites that I used to write on under this moniker have closed down.   Lou16.com was set up as a signpost pointing people to where they could find me as one content site after another closed their doors.   If you haven’t yet heard about Lou16 and are thinking who is this person then check out the Who is Lou16? page.

If you were looking then you’ll want to check out the full list of her sites, blogs and Zazzle sites on the Lou16 Index page.

I’ll be blogging about a range of things on this blog because as you can see from my index page I do like a variety of different things!   You might find me profiling a t-shirt, sharing a cool gift idea I’ve come across or even sharing tips on blogging, make sure you stay in touch so that you don’t miss anything!

I’m going to try and stick to just writing about a few things on this site and they are gifts (I love finding the perfect gift for someone), zombies (any other zombie fans out there?), dolls and earning money online.

How did I come up with these subjects?  Well I love compiling gift guides and I also love looking at different websites and ‘discovering’ cool things which I think would be an awesome gift.   I do have a blogger based blog on gifts which I’ve had for a number of years – Unique & Funky Gift Ideas – I do prefer to write on my own domain these days however.

Zombies fascinate me – I have always kept an eye out for zombie gift ideas as I have a brother that has loved zombies for years.  A few years ago (about halfway through season 4) I was loaned a dvd of the first season of The Walking Dead.  It’s safe to say that I became a little zombie obsessed after that!

Why I write about dolls I’m not really sure.  I kinda stumbled on collectible dolls when I was doing a gift article and I kept discovering more and more cool dolls and action figures and before you know it I had written several pages which were very successful.   That was on a now defunct site.   I don’t have another site for dolls or action figures so I thought why not add them to this site and that’s what happened!

As far as earning money online – there are just so many people writing about it, why should you pay any attention to my two cents worth?  Way back in 2009 I was having a discussion in a ning group (are these still around?) and I realized that I was earning a lot more than the others in the discussion.  I shared what worked for me and what I had assumed everyone else would know (I’d only found things out through reading articles/blogs online and trying different things out myself) and what do you know not everyone knew what I knew!

I think there’s plenty of room online for everyone to be a success so I thought I’d share some of my tips for earning money and if they help someone else then that’s good.  Do I think you should do everything I tell you?  Not at all, what works for one person’s niche may not work for someone elses which is why I read a lot and take different courses and find what actually works for ME.  Even the way I do things is different for different sites as I find that not one system is a one size fits all system.

Anyway here’s a few of my popular posts from some of my various different sites at the moment

 

 Steampunk Corsets Jabbawockeez Halloween Costume Steampunk Apothecary Bottles & Printable Apothecary Labels Doctor Who Christmas Tree Decorations Laughing Kookaburra Pictures New Orleans Saints Christmas Ornaments 80s Costume Ideas for Women Steampunk Jackets for Men Graphic T-Shirt Dresses

As you can see I really do have a lot of different websites already, because let’s face it no one is about just one thing so why only write about one thing? Once again welcome to Lou16 and enjoy your stay, if you’re not sure where to start here are some of our popular posts at the moment –

Popular Posts on Lou16.com

The popular posts are often changing and at the moment Agatha Christie is popular, last week it was red scarves and the week before that it was rubber duckies! The Doctor Who Funko Pop Figures has been popular since it was published….

 Agatha Christie Booklist The Big Resource Page Doctor Who Funko Pop Figures

Hi I’m Louanne aka Lou16, welcome to my blog! I just wanted to let you know that this post may contain affiliate links which means, at no cost to YOU, that I might receive compensation if you purchase something through a link on my site. In the online world this is called ‘affiliate marketing’ and is a very common way that bloggers make their money, if you want to find out more then check out What is Affiliate Marketing? If you want to see my full affiliate disclosure and the other ‘legal stuff’ then click here.