• Crafts for adults - sewing

    My 2018 Craft Goals {6 month update}

    At the start of this year I had huge plans to tidy up my craft stash. My 2018 Craft Goals included sorting out my craft books, fabric stash and pile of WIP’s which were out of control and needed reining in. We’re almost half way through the year so it seems like a good time to write a little update here on my blog. My 2018 Craft Goals {6 month update} I have stitched a few of my WIPs, not as many as I wanted to, but still. At least I have been sewing more. I finished the sashiko stitching…

  • book review - Family Life - London

    How the Light Gets In {book review}

    How the Light Gets In is the exciting new book from award winning short story writer and novelist, Clare Fisher. You may remember that I reviewed her debut novel All the Good Things last year. From the publishers that brought you Attrib and Other Stories by Eley Williams, How the Light Gets In is another spellbinding short story collection. How the Light Gets In by Clare Fisher A book of very short stories that explores the spaces between light and dark and how we find our way from one to the other. From buffering Skype chats and the truth about beards, to fried chicken shops and the…

  • Family Life - Local Review - London

    Places for outdoor swimming or water play in west London

    With the Summer holidays looming here in the UK I have everything crossed for lots of sunny days. I like my children to get plenty of fresh air as it really helps to tire them out. Nothing beats water play in the open air but there are actually very few places you can go near where we live in West London. I thought I would share our favourite places for outdoor swimming or water play in west London. Places for outdoor swimming or water play in west London Ruislip Lido Our favourite place was water play is Ruislip Lido in the London Borough…

  • Family Life - mindfulness - Monday Happy List

    Monday mindfulness – 5 happy things

    Happy Monday everyone. Hope you had a great weekend. It was our first weekend at home for a month and so lovely to relax and just go out for lunch and to the park. I love starting off each week by writing my Monday mindfulness – 5 happy things blog post. It’s a great chance to reflect on the things that made me happy in the previous week, as well as to record some of our family adventures – it’s a post I always enjoy writing. Monday mindfulness – 5 happy things My poor Year 3 son survived Assessment Week. He…

  • Crafts for kids - Nature crafts - subscription box

    Mud and Bloom: a nature and gardening subscription box for kids

    The other day I mentioned that I’ve been trying out subscription boxes for my children. As much as I enjoy crafting at home I also love a subscription box, which does all the hard work for you! Both my children love to make and create so as I bought my daughter the Unicorns & Rainbows box, I sent off for a Mud and Bloom box for my son. Mud and Bloom: a nature and gardening subscription box for kids My 8 year old is really creative and loves the garden which is why I picked the Mud and Bloom box.…

  • competition - Family Life - Friends of Sylvanian Families

    Win a We Love Sylvanian Families Town magazine

    Fans of Sylvanian Families will love the latest magazine – We Love Sylvanian Families Town. It comes with 7 free gifts and is packed full of puzzles, colouring and quizzes. My daughter loves playing with her Sylvanian Families but there is a distinct lack of toys and books from the range apart from the ones which come with membership of the Fan Club. Thankfully she loved reading the last issue of We Love Sylvanian Families which came out last year and was excited to get her hands on this new magazine celebrating the Sylvanian Families Town range. We Love Sylvanian…

  • Family Life - Hasbro Toy Tribe - Star Wars crafts - toy review

    Star Wars Force Link 2.0 Kessel Run Millennium Falcon with Han Solo Figure

    Have you watched Solo: A Star Wars Story yet? The idea behind Solo: A Star Wars Story is that through a series of daring escapades, young Han Solo meets his future co-pilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian. We had a rare date night and were able to go and watch it *without* the children. They are both huge Star Wars fans so I know we will go and see it again with them soon. It was a great film, so much fun, and we loved finding out more about how Han Solo got the Millennium Falcon! Hasbro kindly…

  • Crafts for kids - subscription box

    Unicorns and rainbows {Squidgydoodle subscription box}

    It’s been a while since we’ve tried any kids subscription boxes. My 6 year old loves unicorns and rainbows so I was pretty pleased to find a box all about, you’ve guessed it, unicorns and rainbows from Squidgydoodle. They make all sorts of subscription boxes for kids. Unicorns and rainbows {Squidgydoodle subscription box} I ordered one for my daughter and it arrived super quickly. I couldn’t wait to show it to her and see what was inside. We waited until after school when we had a free evening to open it up. I paid £12 for the Unicorns and rainbows box.…

  • Crafts for kids - garden crafts - Toilet roll crafts

    How to make your own bird feeder

    This month we’re taking part in the 30 Days Wild challenge. My children are pretty wild and outdoorsy so this seemed like a great challenge for them. This week we had the added bonus of taking part in a family litter pick to mark Blue Peter’s 60th birthday. Be Plastic Clever 60 or #BPC60 is the brain child of Kids Against Plastic who are running a competition to find the best litter pick photos. CBBC presenter Naomi Wilkinson came along to my daughter’s school to talk to them about the impact on the environment and our health caused by continued use of single use plastic. My daughter…