The Lady’s Maid has been off-line for a little while…tending to the the never-ending needs of her employer…but with Christmas just around the corner she is taking a well-deserved break for the festive season and has time, at last, to put her dainty feet up for a few days and pen a new entry for her blog!
There’s nothing the Lady’s Maid likes to do more than indulge in a bit of retail therapy; even shopping for someone else, it is still possible to get a kick by proxy (especially upon realising, once the post-purchase high fades, that her bank account remains undented). Errand running for her boss means that she gets to shop and be paid for it with the added bonus of being able to do a quick spot of cheeky browsing for herself 😉 So with just a few days of Christmas shopping left, the Lady’s Maid has chosen to share with you her recommendations for a few last-minute Christmas stocking fillers. Merry Christmas!
Ted Baker Travel Laundry Bags, set of 3, £35
Top of the Lady’s Maid’s Christmas list this year is these stylish travel laundry bags from Ted Baker – the perfect gift for jet setters who like a place for everything and everything in its place. Available from John Lewis.
Aroma Home Printed Owl Freshener, £15
The Lady’s Maid loves lavender – the best natural ingredient for keeping your wardrobe smelling fresh and keeping moths at bay. This cute wintery themed lavender hanger would make a perfect stocking filler this Christmas for those who care for their clothes! Available from John Lewis.
British Birds Frame Washbag, £20
The Lady’s Maid is a big fan of the new Cath Kidston frame wash bags – the sturdy metal frame at the top retains the opened shape once unzipped, ensuring you can easily locate the contents when propped open on your dressing table, making them perfect for home and on the go. The Lady’s Maid’s favourite is the new British Birds design – no Lady, or Lady’s Maid, for that matter, should be without one!
2016 Filigree Floral Ebony Diary, £12.99
One thing that is vital for The Lady’s Maid, when it comes to maintaining her air of serene calm when faced with all manner of problems from every direction, is organisation. She may be forced to succumb to the technology of the 21st Century and use her iPhone calender to record appointments, but deep down she secretly loves writing them in her paper diary also. For 2016 she has chosen this Paperblanks A6 Diary with a Filigree Floral Ebony cover, which brings to mind the stylish refinement of a nineteenth-century drawing room. Available online and from bookshops, e.g. Waterstones.
Morris & Co. Hand Cream Collection Gift Set, £9
The Lady’s Maid’s hands have to withstand the perils that come with the constant hand-washing of her employer’s delicate smalls, so wouldn’t be without a good hand cream. One of her favourites is Morris & Co’s Golden Lily Shea butter hand cream. The hand cream is composed of fresh citrus scents of tangerine and bergamot, blended with cinnamon and nutmeg spices on an earthy base of cedar wood. Elegantly presented in William Morris inspired packaging. Available in miniature size in a boxed trio – the perfect stocking filler.
Available from Heathcote & Ivory and John Lewis.
Charbonnel & Walker Milk Chocolate Handbag & Heels Set, £6.50
The Handbags and Shoes don’t have to stay in the wardrobe on this occasion – The Lady’s Maid couldn’t resist including these adorable edible shoes from Charbonnel & Walker. The ideal little gift for shoe and chocolate connoisseurs. Available from John Lewis.
The Duties of a Lady’s Maid, £12.99
This fascinating book published this year by Chawton House Press is a reproduction of the 1825 original “The Duties of a Lady’s Maid” [London: Printed for James Bullock, 163, Strand, 1825] and was, in its day, the go-to manual for all aspiring Lady’s Maids.
If you ever wondered what the actual duties of a Lady’s Maid were in the 1800s, then this book reveals all, bringing to life the unique and challenging role of a 19th-century Lady’s Maid.
available online at www.chawtonhouselibrary.org
Merry Christmas!
The Lady's Maid 