Articles by Anna Clare on ArticleSnatch.com

Talk Like a Pirate Day: Essential Accessories for the Perfect Pirate Party

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Every year on 19 September, all around the world ordinary people become pirates for 24 hours in honour of Talk Like a Pirate Day. Talk Like a Pirate Day began unofficially in 1995, when two friends - John Baur and Mark Summers - were playing racquetball and quite randomly began encouraging each other using pirate slang. After some discussion, Baur and Summers - or Ol' Chumbucket and Cap'n Slappy, as they're now known - decided it would be a good idea to dedicate a special day every year to speaking like pirates. They settled on 19 September, and for seven years they and a few friends would dedicate this day every year to speaking in pirate slang. Then in 2002, after Ol' Chumbucket and Cap'n Slappy enlisted the help of journalist Dave Berry, Talk Like a Pirate Day went global. Since then, this silly but fun holiday has gained popularity all over the world, with a growing number of people each year pledging to talk like a pirate for the day, either to raise money for charity or just for the pure joy of saying "arrrr" at the beginning of every sentence. **End Summary** Topics: pirates]]> talk like a pirate day]]> pirate party]]> pirate theme]]> pirate costume]]> pirate accessories]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> 'Anna Clare is Website Manager at ShinyShack.com, a leading UK supplier of cool gifts and other great gift ideas .'

Outdoor Fun: Enjoy the Summer at Home and Away

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Everyone's favourite time of year is finally here! After what feels like an eternity of cold, wet, gloomy weather, the sun has finally put in an appearance - a bit of a novelty, here in the UK - so make sure you make the most of the warm weather by spending some time in the great outdoors! Even if you're not planning to go away on holiday, there's no need to stay cooped up indoors this summer. A trip to the park, or the seaside, or a day in the countryside, are all great ways to enjoy the warmth and sunshine. And summer evenings in the garden, with dinner cooked on the barbecue and a refreshing glass of something cold and wet, are one of life's simplest pleasures. But sunbathing and relaxing aren't everyone's cup of tea... so here's a selection of our favourite outdoor toys - for children and adults - to help you enjoy a summer of fun, whether you're going on holiday or spending the summer at home. **End Summary** Topics: outdoor fun]]> outdoor toys]]> garden toys]]> water fight]]> summer toys]]> summer fun]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> 'Anna Clare is Website Manager at ShinyShack.com, one of the UK's leading suppliers of unusual gifts and outdoor fun .'

Essential Camping Gear for a Happy Holiday under Canvas

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

There's something quite magical about sleeping under canvas. Closeness to nature, seeing the moon shining through the tent, hearing owls hooting in the trees and breathing nature's earthy scentâ€¦ these small things which we take for granted in our everyday lives are somehow more appreciated on a camping holiday. But there are also practical reasons for choosing a camping holiday. The cost, for one; despite an initial outlay for a tent, sleeping bags and other gear, equipment will usually last for many years without needing replacement, so camping holidays will typically be reasonably priced. A night at a campsite can cost as little as Â£5, while a room in even a modest hotel can cost ten times as much. Then there's the flexibility and freedom of packing up and moving to another location, and deciding whether it's a survival-style trip with only the bare minimum of equipment, or an altogether more luxurious holiday with a huge tent, inflatable beds and anything else that can be squeezed into the boot of the car. Who can deny that there's something extremely appealing about following your own schedule and experiencing more of the great outdoors? **End Summary** Topics: camping]]> camping holidays]]> outdoors]]> outdoor gear]]> camping gear]]> camping equipment]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> 'Anna Clare is Website Manager at ShinyShack.com, a leading UK supplier of cool gifts and stockists of an excellent selection of camping gear .'

Edward Monkton Gifts and Greetings Cards: Cute Characters with Funny Philosophies

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Edward Monkton is a persona created by British poet Giles Andreae, whose Purple Ronnie cartoon character a stick-man figure who recites daft limericks has for many years entertained the UK with his cheeky greetings cards. Purple Ronnie, whose poems often featured mild taboo subjects and language, also famously appeared in a TV advertisement for a well known soft drink. Andreae's Edward Monkton series features a range of characters with unusual and amusing personality traits, philosophies and stories, and these characters share their wisdom from a wide range of greetings cards, gifts and collectables. The greetings cards in the Edward Monkton series are illustrated in a minimalist and almost childlike style, usually in black ink on a white background, and provide a witty and insightful commentary on life, love, happiness and the things in life that bring joy (for example chocolate, shoes and frocks). Many of the greetings cards are left blank inside, so they can be used for a variety of occasions. Several Edward Monkton characters also feature in full colour as gifts and collectables, including a range of striking little lapel pins, cute cuddly toys and shaped, scented soaps. **End Summary** Topics: Edward Monkton]]> Edward Monkton Gifts]]> Edward Monkton Greetings Cards]]> character gifts]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> 'Anna Clare is Website Manager at ShinyShack.com, a leading UK supplier of Edward Monkton gifts and greetings cards, and other great gift ideas .'

Gifts for Cat Lovers: Purr-fect Presents for Feline Fans

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Devotion to cats is not a new phenomenon. The ancient Egyptians were so fond of their feline friends, some went as far as worshipping the cat-goddess Bast and mummifying their pet cats so that they could join their devoted owners in the afterlife. Thousands of years later we're still worshipping cats, though perhaps not to the same degree as the ancient Egyptians did. Cats make excellent pets because they're fairly self-sufficient, intelligent and often very affectionate it's no surprise that the cat is such a popular pet, and there are over seven million of them in the UK alone. If there's a cat lover in your life and you're looking for a great gift idea with a cat theme, here are a few products that make purr-fect gifts for cat lovers, all of which are available to buy online. Cat Lovers Kit The Cat Lovers Kit is a gift for the cat itself, as much as it is a gift for the owner! The kit contains an assortment of items that both cat and owner can enjoy, including a laser pointer, catnip, mouse toy, collar and bell. **End Summary** Topics: cats]]> cat lovers]]> cat gifts]]> cat presents]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> 'Anna Clare is Website Manager at ShinyShack.com, one of the UK's leading suppliers of unusual gifts and cool stuff .'

Indoor Gardening: Things to Grow Without Needing a Garden

Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Many of us have to live wherever the work is and that's often in a city. But if you do live in a big city, there's a good possibility you won't have the luxury of a garden especially if you live in a flat or apartment. However, living without a garden doesn't have to mean living without plantsâ€¦ these days, there are many indoor seed kits and other things to grow which are perfect for homes without gardens. Here are some of our favourite things to grow if you don't have a garden, or if you would just like to brighten up your home with some indoor plants. Chillies Seed Pod With the Chillies Seed Pod, not only do you not need a garden to grow your own chilliesâ€¦ you don't even need a pot! Once you've opened the Chillies Seed Pod pack, the packaging can be used as a pot for growing delicious spicy chillies on your window sill simply place the supplied compost into the pod, sow the seeds, and ensure the plant has access to water and light. Before long you'll be cooking up delicious spicy food with your own home-grown chillies. **End Summary** Topics: things to grow]]> indoor plants]]> indoor gardening]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> 'Anna Clare is Website Manager at ShinyShack.com, one of the UK's leading online suppliers of fun gifts and unusual things to grow .'

Designer Home: Funky yet Functional Homeware for an Affordably Stylish Home

Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Creating a stylish, modern home with funky yet functional home accessories has never been so affordable. Gone are the days when kitting out your home with chic household items meant spending a fortune these days there's a wealth of choice available on the Internet, at prices that everyone can afford. Designer homewares also make thoughtful gifts for all occasions, so here are a few of our favourite stylish home accessories that are just perfect for giving as gifts. PictureBook Turn your favourite book into a work of art by framing it with a PictureBook frame. The PictureBook frame is available in charcoal and ivory colours which will suit any room decor, and it can be hung on the wall or stand freely on a desk or sideboard. The PictureBook will display books up to 2cm thick and from 11cm x 18cm to 12.2cm x 19cm, and the box includes screws and wall plugs for wall mounting so it's a complete kit for preserving your favourite book as a picture. Keypad Magnetic Key Holder Why do keys never seem to stay where you left them? And why do they always seem to hide when you're in a hurry? **End Summary** Topics: designer home]]> designer homeware]]> funky homeware]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> 'Anna Clare is Website Manager at ShinyShack.com, one of the UK"'s leading suppliers of cool gifts and designer home accessories.'

Travel Gadgets: Handy Gizmos for Stress-Free Travelling

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

There are so many things about travelling that can cause stress, that sometimes we wonder why we bother leaving the house at all. For one thing, there's the packing. Stressing about whether or not thereâ€™s room in your suitcase for everything you need on your trip can be a real headache and if you go over your baggage weight limit, you'll either have to pay the airline an excess baggage fee, or leave a few things behind. But we say: Stress not! There are some excellent travel gadgets and accessories that can significantly reduce the stress of going on a trip, and weâ€™ve selected a few of our favourites that can help you have a happier holiday. Trace Me Luggage Tag One of the things most likely to spoil your holiday is losing your luggage. Spending your entire trip wearing just the clothes you arrived in is painful enough, but knowing youâ€™ll never see your precious suitcase contents again is deeply distressing. With the Trace Me Luggage Tag you can greatly reduce the chances of losing your luggage forever. **End Summary** Topics: travel gadgets]]> travelling]]> holiday]]> vacation]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> 'Anna Clare is Website Manager at ShinyShack.com, one of the UK's leading sources of unusual gift ideas and suppliers of travel gadgets .'

Cool Stuff: Icy Novelties for Really Cool Parties

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Ice is funny old stuff. Who'd have thought that a bit of frozen water could make such a difference to a party? But it's not just for plopping into drinks. Crushed ice can be used in buckets to cool bottles of champagne, or in cones with a splash of something sweet as a lower-calorie alternative to ice cream on a hot day. Ice can be moulded, it can be sculpted it can even be made into buildings, like the famous Ice Hotel in Sweden which melts back into the nearby river every spring. Making a party venue entirely from ice is not an option for the majority of us. But we can still have a bit of fun on a smaller scale by creating unusually shaped pieces of ice for drinks, and ice sculptures as table decorations. Here are a few of our favourite novelty ice products to help you throw the coolest party in town. Gin and Titonic Ice Mould Create frozen miniature ocean liners with icebergs and watch them collide in your glass. Each Gin and Titonic Ice Mould will turn out four ships at a time, and an iceberg to go with each. **End Summary** Topics: ice cubes]]> party ice]]> ice tray]]> ice mould]]> ice sculpture]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> 'Anna Clare is Website Manager at ShinyShack.com, one of the UK's leading online suppliers of fun gifts and cool stuff .'

American Candy: Celebrate Halloween the American Way

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The Halloween tradition of costumed children knocking on neighbours' doors and calling out "trick or treat?" is relatively new to the UK. Until a couple of decades ago, at the end of every October and beginning of November British children were more likely to be found on busy high streets with a home-made life-sized dummy of a man often stuffed into a pram or a trolley asking shoppers for "a penny for the Guy" (Guy, of course, being Guy Fawkes, whose effigy is traditionally burnt on bonfires on 5th November, as a punishment for almost blowing up the Houses of Parliament in the 17th century). The pennies collected would usually be given to parents who would buy fireworks, to be set off on Bonfire Night. However, in recent years the Halloween festival, celebrated the American way, has become increasingly popular in Britain, and 'penny for the Guy' has all but disappeared. **End Summary** Topics: American candy]]> American sweets]]> Halloween]]> trick or treat]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> 'Anna Clare is Website Manager at ShinyShack.com, one of the UK's top sources of unusual gift ideas and suppliers of American candy .'

Comedy Gifts: Presents for People with a Sense of Humour

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

There's nothing more satisfying than seeing someone's face light up with pleasure and amusement when you give them a really unusual gift. And finding comedy gifts for people with a sense of humour has never been easier, so ditch the flowers, boxes of chocolates and other predictable gifts, and give the gift of laughter instead. Here are our favourite comedy gifts for people with a sense of humour. But be warned: some of these comedy gifts are very, very silly in the best possible way, of courseâ€¦ Comedy Notepads You'd be amazed how much fun can be had with a pre-printed comedy notepad. Take the Apology Notepad, for example. Tick a number of boxes to explain your bad behaviour including "I was being selfish", "I forgot" and "it just happened" - and then hand the note to the victim of your misdeeds. Even if you're not instantly forgiven, a note from the Apology Notepad is funny enough to ease the tension. **End Summary** Topics: comedy gifts]]> silly gifts]]> funny gifts]]> comedy presents]]> silly presents]]> funny presents]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> 'Anna Clare is Website Manager at ShinyShack.com, one of the UK's leading suppliers of unusual gifts and comedy gifts .'

Retro Sweets: Ten Delicious Favourites from Childhood

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

In the 1970s, when sweets were at their best, the highlight of the week was taking our pocket money to the local sweet shop, pointing at a gigantic jar filled to the brim with delicious sweets, and saying "a quarter of those, please". Our mums never seemed to mind; a quarter of cola cubes would last a good few days and keep us pretty quietâ€¦ I mean, have you ever tried to speak with a mouthful of cola cubes? Itâ€™s not easy! If you yearn for the sweets of your childhood, or wonder if itâ€™s still possible to buy Refreshers or Parma Violets (it is), then read on for our top ten list of retro sweets and be prepared for some serious dribblingâ€¦ 1. Fizz Wiz Pop Rocks Formerly known as Space Dust, Fizz Wiz Pop Rocks are little nugget-like pieces of candy which, when they make contact with your tongue, explode with a very satisfying crackling and popping sound. Fizz Wiz Pop Rocks are just about the most fun you can have with sweets, and they come in a variety of delicious flavours including strawberry and cola. 2. **End Summary** Topics: retro sweets]]> 1970s sweets]]> retro candy]]> 1970s candy]]> nostal]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> 'Anna Clare is Website Manager at ShinyShack.com, one of the UK's leading suppliers of unusual gifts and retro sweets .'

Birthday Party Fun: Ten Essential Birthday Party Accessories for All Ages

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

There are three ways to look at birthdays. First, you can treat them as any other day, and just do whatever you always do. Second, you can groan inwardly at the thought of being another year older, and hide away from the world until the dreaded day has passed. And then thereâ€™s the third way, which is our favourite: have a big olâ€™ birthday party and celebrate another year of living life to the full. If youâ€™re planning to celebrate your big day with a birthday party or if youâ€™re organising a birthday party for someone else itâ€™s important to get the right supplies well in advance, to ensure everything goes smoothly. Here are our top ten accessories to help you throw the perfect birthday party for birthday boys and girls of all ages. 1. Birthday Boy/Girl Badge Let there be no doubt about who is the birthday boy or girl wear a birthday badge and be proud! The birthday boy badge is blue, while the birthday girl badge is pink theyâ€™re made in the style of old school badges, and both come mounted on an 8cm square old school report card in a clear cellophane wrap. 2. **End Summary** Topics: birthday party]]> birthday presents]]> birthday gifts]]> unusual gifts]]> unique gifts]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> 'Anna Clare is Website Manager at ShinyShack.com, one of the UK"'s leading suppliers of unusual gifts and birthday gifts .'

Science Toys: Encourage Your Child's Natural Curiosity and Make Education Fun

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Keeping children interested in their education is a struggle thatâ€™s faced parents for generations. While some children love going to school and have a genuine thirst for knowledge, others see learning as something theyâ€™re forced to do when theyâ€™d rather be playing. Science toys are a great way to stimulate childrenâ€™s natural curiosity, and to keep them entertained while learning about science and nature. In fact, with science toys, children can have so much fun, they may not even realise theyâ€™re learning something new. Classic Newtonâ€™s Cradle This addictive toy has been a favourite of bored executives for many years. Gently raising then releasing one of the end pendulums will cause energy to travel through the three static centre pendulums, before pushing the final pendulum outwards. When the final pendulum comes back, the process is repeated over and over, teaching children about the conservation of momentum and energy. Drinking Bird Dip the Drinking Birdâ€™s beak into a glass of water, and heâ€™ll carry on drinking for hours. **End Summary** Topics: science toys]]> educational toys]]> educational gifts]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> 'Anna Clare is Website Manager at ShinyShack.com, one of the UK's leading suppliers of unusual gifts and science toys including the Newton's Cradle .'

Unusual Gifts and Unique Presents: Shopping For Someone Who Seems To Have Everything

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Before Internet shopping, buying gifts was a pain. It was fine if you were shopping for Granny (embroidered hankies or a box of chocolates) because as we all know, grannies have impeccable manners and believe itâ€™s the thought that counts. But there was always that one person who seemed to eye unimaginative gifts with disinterest at best, and utter disdain at worst. When it came to buying a birthday present for this person youâ€™d break into a sweat, knowing that youâ€™d spend weeks traipsing round crowded shops to find an affordable gift that this person didnâ€™t already own. Then the Internet came along and changed our lives. In the gift-buying sense, at leastâ€¦ These days, if youâ€™re looking for an unusual gift for a gadget-obsessed brother or a unique present for a has-it-all friend or even an alternative to the hankies Grannyâ€™s usually so grateful for all you need to do is shop online. The vast array of innovative gadgets, executive toys and nostalgic gifts thatâ€™s available on the Internet is staggering. **End Summary** Topics: unusual gifts]]> unique gifts]]> unusual presents]]> unique presents]]> office gifts]]> nostalgic gifts]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> 'Anna Clare is Website Manager at ShinyShack.com , one of the UK's leading online suppliers of unusual gifts and unique presents.'