• housekeeping

    Top Tips for housework

    Today I thought I’d share with your my Top Tips for housework as you know I am a housewife extraoardinaire – juggling two young children, a husband who selfishly works from home, two cats and four fish. I love to blog, which means the housework may suffer a tiny bit, but never mind. My Top Tip is – pay someone else to do it. Seriously. I hope that doesn’t come across as terribly middle-class but it’s what we did whilst we could afford it. Unfortunately, we had a run of awful cleaners. I don’t believe any of them were actually…

  • competition - reviews

    Lalaloopsy Dolls review and giveaway

    To be honest I hadn’t heard of the Lalaloopsy but when I heard it was perfect for any young girl, especially one interested in craft, fabric, sewing and friendship, I leaped at the chance to review it with my family. If you haven’t heard of them before, Lalaloopsy are magical ragdolls who come to life when their last stitch is sewn. Each doll has their own individual personality created by the fabrics used to make them. They live in a colourful, whimsical world full of fun and surprises. Sew magical. Sew cute. We really enjoyed watching Adventures in Lalaloopsy Land:…

  • Gingerbread house finds - shopping - vintage

    Gingerbread house finds

    Amongst the piles of Thomas the Tank Engine and Bob the Builder puzzles I managed to sneak in this lovely vintage puzzle on my latest shopping trip. I absolutely love it, it shows the traditional independent shops you’d expect to see on your high street before the big supermarkets wiped them out – the baker, grocer, toy shop, greengrocer, chemist, Post Office, butcher and bank. The pieces are made from chunky board and when you remove them they reveal the inside of the shop! It’s made in England by G J Hayter & Co Ltd., Bournemouth, a member of the…

  • reviews

    The Little Green Sheep sleeping bag review

    Like many mothers I would love to clothe my children in organic clothes. Both suffer from eczema so we are really careful about the clothes we buy, the washing powder we use and cleaning products used around the house. I was offered some baby sleepwear from organic baby and bedding company The Little Green Sheep to try with Little Sis. Apparently their babygros are all organic and even the poppers are nickel free so I was happy to. We were sent one of their lovely organic sleeping bags, which contain no nasties and are made from certified organic cotton. We…

  • reviews

    Elimination Communication?

    I was reading the latest issue of Mother & Baby and there was an intriguing article about Elimination Communication. Basically it means not using nappies and just knowing when your child needs the toilet. Despite being a stay at home mum I just can’t imagine having the time to do this on top of everything else. Sorry but I love nappies – reuseable and disposable – I’m happy to use both on my children, but they will wear nappies until they’re potty trained! We were sent the latest bumGenius freetime to review. You may remember some time go we tried…

  • reviews

    Nippaz With Attitude review

    Do you have a trendy toddler? I don’t. He seems happiest when he’s wearing head to toe Thomas the Tank Engine clothing which is why I was delighted to hear about Nippaz With Attitude. This is an online clothing store selling cool unique baby clothing, music and gifts for funky street cred kids and babies. Nippaz With Attitude review Big Brother refused to wear the skinny jeans I bought him so daddy chose a tshirt for him, hoping that he would wear something chosen by him for a change. He picked this radical red thsirt, printed with the words Fight…

  • blogging - Cath Kidston - crafts - handmade - Orla Kiely - vintage

    A grand day out

    Today was my birthday! It’s very strange having a birthday when you have children – no lie in and no leisurely opening of presents for me! However, I enjoyed opening my gifts with the little people and their infectious smiles and giggles. My son may have even opened a present or two for me. A grand day out I had a lovely day. This morning we headed to Covent Garden for a lovely crafty blogging event to learn more about Stampin’ Up. I really enjoyed learning about paper craft and was able to make two beautiful cards whilst the children…

  • book review - competition

    Children’s books from HarperCollins giveaway

    I have a wonderful giveaway for anyone who loves books today. HarperCollins Children’s Books have generously given me 4 of the latest titles to offer as a giveaway to one lucky reader of the gingerbread house. My Henry Through charming verse and glowing illustrations, Judith Kerr takes us on a magical and moving journey that proves love really does conquer everything. A truly special picture book destined to be loved and treasured by children and adults alike for years to come. “It’s things we’ve never tried before That are the greatest fun, Like riding on a dinosaur, Which I had…

  • days out - exploring - holidays

    Fun for all the family with Easter Egg Trails

    Looking for something fun for all the family this Easter? Cadbury and National Trust are once again teaming up to bring the magic back to the Easter weekend (6th – 9th April) by offering enchanting Easter Egg Trails across 245 spectacular National Trust places throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Cadbury’s Easter Egg Trails Set in the grounds of some of the UK’s most beautiful and prestigious locations, Easter Egg Trails are a Cadbury twist on the classic Easter egg hunt. Follow the clues, answer the questions and complete the challenges to find your way to a special Cadbury prize.…