DIGITAL BLOOMS DECEMBER 2021 | DECEMBER DIGITAL BLOOMS ROUNDUP | 11 FREE DESKTOP WALLPAPERS | The Best of Justine Celina’s December Digital Blooms | Best 2021 Free Tech Wallpapers | Best Holiday Desktop Backgrounds | Desktop backgrounds December 2021 | Floral Wallpaper Blog | Free Computer Wallpapers | December Flower Wallpaper | Holiday Flower Wallpaper | Free Floral Wallpapers | Free Winter Flower and Foliage Wallpapers | Calgary Creative Lifestyle Blogger // JustineCelina.com
Create, Digital Blooms, Dwell, Fall, Flowers, Living Room, Roundups

DECEMBER DIGITAL BLOOMS ROUNDUP | 11 FREE TECH WALLPAPERS FOR THE HOLIDAYS + MY 500TH POST!


With the festive season officially upon us, I’m thrilled to be back with my December Digital Blooms Roundup — featuring 11 free wallpapers for your computer, tablet or phone! I invite you to join me in welcoming winter with a fresh selection of seasonal flowers and whimsical, holiday inspired designs. The final DIGITAL BLOOMS roundup of 2021 showcases a beautifully curated collection of my all time favourite December tech wallpapers created to infuse a bit of holiday spirit onto the background of your computer, tablet or phone — all month long! 

Deck your tech with a joyful touch this holiday season with a seasonal tech wallpaper featuring a festive medley of classic and unconventional winter blooms, greenery and foliage — including Anenomies, Asclepias, Astilbe, Astrantia, Blushing Bride Proteas, Brunia, Carolina Saphire, Cedar, Delano Chrysanthemums, Eucalyptus pods, Grevillea, Hypericum, Knifeblade Acacia, Liqustrom, Magnolia Leaves, Pampas Grass, Photina, Pine, Privet Berries, Ranunculus, Red Ironbark Eucalyptus, Ruby Silk Grass, Sedum, Star Anise and Spray Roses, along with foraged vines and twigs. Wishing you all a healthy, happy and joyous holiday season!

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My Top 5 Red Lipsticks for the Holidays | JustineCelina’s favourite red lipsticks | The best Red Lipsticks for Christmas | Clove + Hallow Lip Velvet in Fiesta | Lancôme Matte Shaker High Pigment Liquid Lipstick in Red’y In 5 | SEPHORA COLLECTION Cream Lip Stain in 01 Always Red | FENTY BEAUTY by Rihanna Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Color in Uncensored | Lancôme Matte Shaker High Pigment Liquid Lipstick in Kiss Me Chérie | Calgary Beauty Blogger // JustineCelina.com
Beauty, Cruelty Free, Luxury, Makeup, My Top 5, Natural Products, Occasions, Reviews, Winter

MY TOP 5 RED LIPSTICKS FOR THE HOLIDAYS


‘Tis the for a festive pout — and as a self proclaimed red lip aficionado (I’m not ashamed to admit I own 30+ red lipsticks!) I’m thrilled to share My Top 5 Red Lipsticks for the Holidays with you! Although I don’t incorporate red into my holiday decor, it’s a colour I love to wear, as well as translate into my BEAUTY routine during this festive time of year. A gorgeous red lip is the perfect way to make a casual look feel more festive — but it’s also a sophisticated compliment to your holiday party attire! I firmly believe red lips give you superpowers — and in December, I find myself reaching for my favourite red shades almost on the daily. After years of trying and testing an absurd amount of red lipsticks across an expansive range of shades, undertones, formulas and price points, I’ve curated the absolute crème de la crème this holiday season!

My Top 5 Red Lipsticks for the Holidays feature my all time favourite, festive red lipsticks — the true gems of my collection that I look forward to pulling out each holiday season! As always, I’ve included a variety of products ranging from traditional, long wearing (and mask friendly!) liquid lipsticks, to natural, vegan products to elegant, hybrid formulas. This dedicated review post in my recently introduced MY TOP 5 series is brimming with try-on photos, swatches and application tips — plus lip liner recommendations to pair with each shade to create a full, defined pout that can withstand all the eating, drinking and being merry you’ll be doing this holiday season! If you’re ready to add a bold, seasonal dose of colour to your holiday beauty wardrobe but have never been able to find a shade that works for you, you’ve come to the right place! Pour yourself a juicy glass of red and get ready for a serious dose of holiday glam, coupled with an introduction to colour theory and my best tips and tricks to find your perfect, festive red lip. My Top 5 Red Lipsticks for the Holidays also make marvellous gifts for the beauty lover in your life!

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Ultimate Holiday Inspiration Roundup | 30 creative, fun and easy fashion, beauty, fragrance, entertaining, food, cocktail, decor and DIY ideas to inspire your 2021 holiday season | Holiday Ideas 2021 | Holiday Ideas 2021 | Quarantine Christmas Ideas | 2021 Christmas Crafts | Holiday Beauty 2021 | Holiday 2021 Recipes | Holiday 2021 Cocktails | Christmas 2021 Outfit Ideas | Creative 2021 Christmas Ideas | Best Holiday Ideas Blog | Calgary Lifestyle Blogger // JustineCelina.com
Beauty, DIY, Dwell, Entertain, Fashion, Flowers, Food, Fragrance, Makeup, Occasions, Roundups, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

ULTIMATE HOLIDAY INSPIRATION ROUNDUP


In preparation for the holidays each year, I relish in the process of pouring over all the festive content I’ve created here at JustineCelina over the course of my blogging career to get inspired (now 30 posts and counting!). With each year that passes, it seems holiday content begins trending earlier than ever — so I thought it was the perfect time to compile this Ultimate Holiday Inspiration Roundup post, featuring a collection of my favourite holiday-themed posts across categories, for easy browsing reference! I’m committed to finding joy, continuing to create and make things beautiful, embracing new traditions and making new memories — and I hope I can inspire you to do the same. If you’re looking for creative, fun and attainable ideas to inspire you to eat, drink, DIY, decorate, entertain, dress and glam in style this holiday season, you’ve come to the right place!

Whether you’re in search of modern decor ideas, casual holiday-at-home outfit ideas, how to choose the perfect red lip, gift ideas for the ladies in your life, easy cocktails or plant-based festive recipes, simple DIY projects, flower arranging tips, or entertaining inspiration for 2 – 4, I’ve got you covered! You know the drill — put on your coziest robe, pour yourself a delicious glass of your favourite festive libation (may I suggest my Homemade Dairy Free Coconut Rum Eggnog?) and cozy up with me to celebrate the holidays JustineCelina style. Cheers to a happy, healthy and joyous holiday season!

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Mid Century Meets Boho Holiday Decor | Brunette woman wearing a taupe chiffon maxi dress hanging stockings in a bright and airy bohemian living room decorating for Christmas | Flocked Christmas Tree with Wood Garland, Metallic and Wood Ornaments | Bohemian Holiday Home Tour 2020 | Boho Chic Christmas Decor | DIY boho dried orange garland | Glam neutral holiday decor | Pampas Grass holiday decor | Pampas Grass Garland | Boho Christmas Tree | Canadian Tire CANVAS Ornaments // JustineCelina.com
Create, DIY, Dwell, Fashion, Inspiration, Living Room, Occasions, Plants, Vintage, Winter

MID CENTURY MEETS BOHO HOLIDAY DECOR


Happy holidays, friends! Can you believe we’ve nearly made it to the end of another year? What a year it’s been. Despite everything that’s happened and how different this season looks, it always brings me great joy to prepare our home for the holidays — and tonight I’m thrilled to share our Mid Century Meets Boho Holiday Decor! Even though it will just be the two of us this Christmas, I knew I wanted to keep things fun, fresh and festive this holiday season. This is our third year decorating our recently refreshed inner city Calgary apartment for the holidays — although our holiday decor went up much later than I originally intended, we love the way it came together. In fact, I think this year’s holiday decor may just be my favourite yet! As always, I mixed high, low, old and new to infuse the apartment with Christmas spirit — and today I’m detailing exactly how I pulled it all together!

Whether you’ve been with me here at JustineCelina for years or have just recently joined (welcome!), you’ll know I’m all about finding creative ways to make my favourite pieces feel fresh again — be it in my home or in your wardrobe. That said, given the state of the world (and in light of the current restrictions here in Alberta), I knew didn’t want to rely on having to shop in person for our holiday tree this year. So, instead of purchasing fresh tree as we’ve done in years past, I decided to have some fun with it and ordered a flocked artificial tree — and I adore the effect! Other than our tree and a few small decor pieces, everything else we’ve owned for years. As we live in an apartment with limited storage, it’s simply not practical for us to purchase entirely new decor each season (but to be honest, I don’t think that’s practical for anyone!). If you’re in search of some creative holiday DIYs and boho Christmas decorating ideas, you’ve come to the right place — join me for a glass of bubbly as I share how I created a warm, modern and inviting holiday atmosphere in our home this season! 

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Apartment Friendly Modern Holiday Decor | Real Christmas Tree with Wood Garland, Metallic and Wood Ornaments and Pampas Grass | Premium Nova Scotia Balsam Fir Tree | Bohemian, Mid Century Modern Holiday Decor | Bohemian Holiday Home Tour 2018 | Caramel Mid Century Modern Leather Couches | Canadian Tire CANVAS Ornaments // JustineCelina.com
Create, DIY, Dwell, Flowers, Inspiration, Living Room, Occasions, Plants, Winter

APARTMENT FRIENDLY MODERN HOLIDAY DECOR


Friends, I’m elated to finally share our Apartment Friendly Modern Holiday Decor with you today! If you’ve been following along with JustineCelina this past year, you’ll know we began refreshing our inner city Calgary apartment to create our dream home. We started from scratch with a fresh coat of paint, new furniture and new decor — and this year, I was so excited to decorate for the holidays for the first time in 6 years (we decorated fully for our first Christmas here… and never again!). Since we’re always out of town for the holidays (we split our time between our families homes in rural Alberta), I usually just save myself the extra time and effort and keep our holiday decor super minimal. Because we live in an apartment and have limited storage, the thought of hauling down a huge artificial tree from recesses of our entrance way closet and sorting through boxes of decor was simply never a priority during this busy month! But this year, I decided to sell all the old decor that no longer worked of us and start fresh (literally!) with our first real Christmas tree, tons of greenery and festive DIYs, plus all new holiday decor — and tonight I’m sharing every detail about how I pulled it all together!

If you’re a fan of mid century modern or more natural, earthy, bohemian elements, I’m sure you’ll agree that traditional holiday decor leaves a lot to be desired. I knew I wanted the look and feel of our holiday decor to be cohesive with our space and bring in lots of living greenery, warm neutrals, natural wood and stone textures, mixed metallic accents and free spirited, whimsical textures. I also wanted to incorporate a nod to vintage, mid-century inspired design while keeping a mixture of traditional and contemporary elements and cozy up the space with layers of faux fur, wool and chunky knits. After many HomeSense, Canadian Tire and plant / flower shop runs, I’m so pleased with the way our holiday home has come together and can’t wait to spend some downtime here as the year draws to a close! Pour yourself a juicy glass of red wine and come join me on our leather sofa as I walk you through our Apartment Friendly Modern Holiday Decor!

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DIY | Asymmetrical Holiday Wreath | How to Make an Asymmetrical Holiday Wreaths for Christmas with Pine, Cedar, Brunia, Eucalyptus pods, Red Ironbark Eucalyptus and Magnolia | Christmas Wreath DIY | Modern Christmas Wreath DIY // JustineCelina.com
Create, DIY, Dwell, Flower Arranging, Flowers, Living Room, Occasions, Pantone, Winter

DIY | HOW TO MAKE AN ASYMMETRICAL HOLIDAY WREATH


To kick off December, I had the pleasure of attending a wreath making workshop with the lovely and talented Rebecca Dawn Design. The wine and holiday cheer were flowing — and between all the eating, drinking and being merry, I created this Asymmetrical Holiday Wreath! I took you along via Insta Stories and after lots of questions and comments about the process, I finally had some time to photograph the wreath and publish a DIY post for you (better late than never, right?!). If you have an hour to spare, you too can create this modern, Scandinavian style holiday wreath with a handful of inexpensive, easy to source materials! They also make a lovely hostess gift if you’re looking for last minute ideas with a handmade, personal touch.

This year, I’ve definitely taken a more minimalistic approach to the holidays and decorating. Since my main focus these past few months has been refreshing our living room (stay tuned for the reveal in the New Year!) and we’re out of town visiting family for the holidays, we didn’t even set up a tree! Instead we decorated our new Bird of Paradise plant with a few twinkling lights, added some cotton stems to our vases and hung this Asymmetrical Holiday Wreath! If you’re looking for a simple DIY to add a festive touch to your minimalistic decor this holiday season, a fresh wreath is the perfect addition. Our home is brimming with greenery and lots of natural wood textures with a mid century modern vibe — so I selected Cedar, Pine, Brunia, Eucalyptus pods, Red Ironbark Eucalyptus and Magnolia Leaves for our wreath (it’s also makes the living room smell amazing — no tree required!). If you’d like to learn how to make an Asymmetrical Holiday Wreath of your own, throw on your favourite Christmas playlist, settle in with a glass of your favourite festive beverage (may I suggest Classic Winter Citrus Red Sangria?) and let’s get started!

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5 Cozy Fall Cocktail and Sangria Recipes | The Best Fall Cocktail and Sangria Recipes | Dairy, Gluten and Refined Sugar Free Cocktail and Sangria Recipes | Fall Cocktail Ideas | Fall Bourbon Cocktails | Easy Fall Cocktails | Fall Batch Cocktails | Warm Cocktails for Fall | Fall Inspired Cocktails | Fall Champagne Cocktails | Fall Party Drinks | Easy Fall Sangria Recipe | Fall Sangria with Apple Cider | Best Fall Sangria | Calgary Cocktail and Lifestyle Blogger // JustineCelina.com
Dairy Free, Entertain, Fall, Gluten Free, Roundups, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wine & Cocktails

5 COZY FALL COCKTAIL, SANGRIA & MULLED WINE RECIPES


There’s something about the changing seasons that makes me want to create new memories with a delicious beverage in hand — whether I’m spending a quiet night in, hosting family and friends or attending an autumn gathering. Today I’m thrilled to share 5 Cozy Fall Cocktail, Sangria & Mulled Wine Recipes that celebrate my favourite season in libation form with warm, crisp, comforting flavours and a mosaic of seasonal ingredients! This spirited collection of delicious fall COCKTAILS, SANGRIAS and MULLED WINES are not only staples in my repertoire, but they’re also your favourites as well — having been featured across various high profile media outlets and signature cocktails at reader wedding receptions!

As always, my alcoholic beverages are simple, seasonal, free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar and and packed full of fresh, healthier ingredients — because I truly believe in balance in every area of life. Each of these carefully crafted cocktails and sangria recipes feature my favourite fall ingredients including fig, rosemary, pomegranate, cranberry, vanilla, apples, clementines, berries and honey spiced with cloves, star anise and nutmeg — expertly combined with classic autumn spirits of Prosecco, apple Brandy, Japanese whisky, Chambord, Crème de Violette, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. Whether you’re entertaining and looking for large batch fall cocktails, sangrias or mulled wines you can prep in advance, enjoying an elevated autumn date night in front of a roaring fire, or simply in the mood to shake yourself up a fabulous cocktail in your coziest loungewear, I have just the recipe! From my home bar to yours, I hope this roundup of tested-till-perfect, better-for-you fall cocktail and sangria recipes inspires you to get creative with your sips this season!

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Plant Based Pumpkin Recipes to Try This Fall {Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free} | Recipe Roundup featuring Pumpkin Spice Steel Cut Oat Breakfast Bowls, Plant Based Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites, Gluten Free Pumpkin Turmeric Muffins, Gluten Free Mapled Pumpkin Chai Bread and a Spicy Pumpkin Persimmon Smoothie | Easy Vegan Pumpkin Recipes | Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Recipes | Vegan Pumpkin Snacks | The best plant based pumpkin recipes | Calgary Plant Based Food Blogger // JustineCelina.com
Baking, Breakfast, Dairy Free, Dessert & Treats, Fall, Food, Garden, Gluten Free, Roundups, Smoothies & Juices, Vegan, Vegetarian

5 PLANT BASED PUMPKIN RECIPES TO TRY THIS FALL {Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free}


Who else is totally pumpkin obsessed? With the height of pumpkin season upon us, I’m excited to bring you a roundup of 5 Plant Based Pumpkin Recipes to Try This Fall! Each October here at JustineCelina, my pumpkin recipes begin trending — so I thought it was the perfect time to round them all up in one post for easy browsing reference (complete with a Pinterest friendly graphic!). This year our Country Garden produced a whopping 55 pumpkins of all shapes, sizes and varieties — and you can bet I’ve been cooking, baking and recipe making with the abundance. If you love pumpkin as much as I do and you’re looking for some fresh, delicious, plant based recipe ideas, you’ve come to the right place! Whether you’re making pumpkin purée from scratch (I have a post explaining exactly how I do it!), using a quality canned variety or roasting it up to use in savoury applications — I’ve got you covered! 

With Canadian Thanksgiving and Halloween just around the corner, this versatile gourd abounds at every patch, local grocer and farmers market as we eagerly bring them into our homes. If you’ve got some extra pumpkin to use up or are simply in search of healthy, easy and nourishing recipes, this roundup is for you! Inside, you’ll find all sorts of pumpkin-laden goodness in the form of Pumpkin Spice Steel Cut Oat Breakfast Bowls, Plant Based Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites, Gluten Free Pumpkin Turmeric Muffins, Gluten Free Mapled Pumpkin Chai Bread and a Spicy Pumpkin Persimmon Smoothie. Of course, I’m always working on something new (I may or may not have 12 pumpkin recipes currently in development!) — so this post will be updated periodically as new content publishes. As always, each recipe featured is free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar for those of us with allergies and intolerances (along with ingredient substitution suggestions if you don’t have these dietary requirements). I invite you to slip into a cozy sweater, preheat your oven and join me for some quintessentially October pumpkin recipe inspiration! 

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My Haircare Routine for Long Thick Colour Treated Hair | Brunette woman with long, thick wavy hair in a silk robe standing in front of a circular mirror in a sunny boho living room | MoroccanOil haircare routine | BeautySense review | Gentle Haircare Routine | Color-safe, sulphate free, phosphate free and paragon free haircare routine | JustineCelina haircare routine | JustineCelina Hair | Hair growth tips | Hair growth products | Long Hair Secrets | Calgary Beauty Blogger // JustineCelina.com
Beauty, Hair, Local Love, Luxury, Reviews, Sponsored

MY HAIRCARE ROUTINE FOR LONG, THICK, COLOUR TREATED HAIR


Can you believe it’s been 6 years since I’ve published a Haircare Routine?! While a lot has changed, my passion for maintaining healthy hair at home with a simple but effective routine (and thoughtfully formulated products) remains. Today, in partnership with Canadian retailer BeautySense.ca, I’m elated to bring you my updated Haircare Routine for Long, Thick Colour Treated Hair — featuring my all-time-favourite Moroccanoil products and how I use them.

My hair is one of the things I’m complimented on (and asked about!) most — and it’s something I take great pride in. Despite my wild haircolour and style past, over the course of my 7 year blogging career here at JustineCelina, both have remained fairly consistent (with a couple rounds of bangs thrown in for good measure!). While I truly enjoyed my natural haircolour for as long as possible, as I’ve ventured into my 30’s, I’ve begun colouring my hair once again (this time to disguise those pesky greys!) and adjusted my routine accordingly. At present day I’m pleased to say that my hair has never been stronger, longer or healthier — and today I’m sharing my best kept hair secrets!

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Cinnamon Raisin Zucchini Bread {Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free} | Freshly baked, sliced Zucchini Bread on a wooden serving board surrounded by squash blossoms, cinnamon sticks and cloves | Moist Zucchini Bread Recipe | Easy Cinnamon Raisin Loaf | Best Baking Recipes for Overgrown Garden Zucchini | Zucchini Bread Cake | Healthy Cinnamon Zucchini Bread | What to do with large zucchini | Zucchini Bread with Crispy Top | Calgary Plant Based Food Blogger // JustineCelina.com
Baking, Breakfast, Dairy Free, Dessert & Treats, Food, Garden, Gluten Free, Summer, Vegetarian

CINNAMON RAISIN ZUCCHINI BREAD {Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free}


Friends, I’m absolutely thrilled to bring you my first recipe incorporating produce from our very own Country Garden today! While I took a hiatus from publishing new recipes here at JustineCelina, you better believe I continued my testing and development process offline — and I’m returning to these pages more inspired than ever. You see, back in 2020 my amazing Mom and I embarked on the journey of planting our first (pandemic) garden — something we’d always wanted to do, but seemingly never had time for. Fast forward to summer 2022 and we’ve been fortunate to experience 3 successful gardening seasons full of getting our hands dirty, growing food from seed, enjoying abundant harvests, cooking, baking and recipe making! It brings me great joy to to begin sharing scenes and snippets from our idillic Alberta garden — along with a plethora of fresh, thoroughly tested, plant based, garden-to-table recipes!

Naturally, I wanted my introductory garden-inspired recipe to be a cherished family favourite that I’ve completely revamped to be free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar for those of us with allergies and intolerances — Cinnamon Raisin Zucchini Bread! Deceptively decadent and ultra moist, this comforting, veggie-centric, gently spiced loaf incorporates 2 full cups of zucchini — my absolute favourite way to put overgrown garden goodies to good use. Elevated pantry staples of gluten free flour, golden cane sugar, free range eggs, extra virgin olive oil, oat milk and pure vanilla extract combine with shredded (fresh or frozen) zucchini, sultana raisins, a kiss of cinnamon and a dash of cloves to create a rich, caramelly loaf with a streuselly top. Enjoy a slice with your morning coffee for a nourishing breakfast, or as a satiating afternoon snack alongside herbal tea to fuel your day with plant powered energy! 

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5 Sparkling Prosecco Cocktails for New Years Eve | The Best Prosecco, Champagne, Cava and Sparkling Wine Cocktails for New Years | Big Batch New Years Eve Cocktails | New Years Eve Cocktails for a Crowd | New Years Eve at Home Ideas | NYE Cocktail Recipes | Winter cocktails | New Years Day Cocktails | New Years Eve Cocktails 2021 | Elegant NYE Cocktails | Calgary Cocktail and Lifestyle Blogger // JustineCelina.com
Entertain, Flowers, Food, Occasions, Roundups, Vegetarian, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

5 SPARKLING PROSECCO COCKTAILS FOR NEW YEARS EVE


Each holiday season as New Years Eve approaches, all of the Prosecco, Champagne, Cava and Sparkling Wine cocktails I’ve created over the years here at JustineCelina begin trending.  So, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to publish this 5 Sparkling Prosecco Cocktails for New Years Eve roundup and organize them all for you in one convenient location, for easy browsing reference! If you’re staying in this New Years Eve, it doesn’t mean your celebrations need to be any less glamorous or special — in fact, quite the opposite. Whether you’re entertaining an intimate group and looking for large batch prosecco cocktails you can prep in advance, ringing in the new year with someone special or hosting a bubbly New Years Day brunch for your closest friends, you better believe I have a cocktail for that! 

To send the year off in style, I’m thrilled to bring you this spirited roundup of my most made, reviewed and featured sparkling cocktails — my all-time-favourite New Year libations featuring an array of Prosecco, Champagne, Cava and Sparkling Wine from around the globe. As always, these festive, sparkly sips are extensively tested, made with fresh, seasonal, better-for-you ingredients and free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar — because I believe in balance in every area of life. I invite you to slip into something fabulous, pop a bottle of your favourite sparkly beverage and join me for a serious dose of NYE cocktail inspiration. Wishing you all a very happy New Year filled with love, laughter and lots of prosecco — and all the best in the new year!

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