• Halloween Q-Tip painting templates
    Crafts for kids - Halloween crafts

    Free Halloween Q-Tip painting templates

    October 9, 2021 - By 

    Yesterday we stocked up on Halloween sweets for any Trick or Treaters who come calling this month. My children love celebrating Halloween and I think it’s a really fun time of year. Today I wanted to share our free Halloween Q-Tip painting templates. Painting with Q-tips (also known as cotton swabs or buds here in the UK) and watercolour paint is a classic process art project for kids This art activity is perfect for toddlers, preschoolers, and children. As well as being a fun Halloween activity, this is also a great way to introduce children to the concept of Pointillism. The first pioneer…

  • Picking pumpkins at the Pop Up Farm
    Family Life

    Picking pumpkins at the Pop Up Farm

    October 7, 2021 - By 

    As soon as October comes I am ready to go pumpkin picking. This year our street is having a pumpkin carving competition and I wanted to make sure we had the best pumpkins. There was only one place to go to get them so we went pumpkin picking at the Pop Up Farm. Picking pumpkins at the Pop Up Farm The Pop Up Farm is just outside London and a great trip for the family. It only seems like a few weeks ago we went to pick sunflowers but we were happy to go back to buy some pumpkins. We…

  • ow to encourage kids to love reading
    Family Life

    AD/How to encourage kids to love reading

    October 5, 2021 - By 

    Disclosure – post in collaboration with Very As an avid book reader I knew I always wanted my kids to love reading too. My husband is not a reader and although he loves watching films, he’s just never been the kind of person to lose himself in a book. Reading has always been a passion, I loved my trips to our local library with my Dad, and looked forward to my birthday or Christmas when I always received more books to devour. Reading is powerful. Not only does it stretch your vocabulary it also helps stretch your imagination. Fact or…

  • Pop Up Farm pumpkin patch
    Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy Things {Week 364}

    October 4, 2021 - By 

    Starting the week by writing the Monday Happy List  is something I’ve been doing for a while. It’s a chance for me to sit down and 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 love to write. Monday Happy Things {Week 364} Last week we celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary, and lace is the traditional gift. I found a fun and quirky card for my husband and bought a personalised planter to celebrate. I’m so excited that I’ve been offered a new job!…

  • Halloween Cricut Farmhouse Signs
    Crafts for adults - Cricut Maker - Halloween crafts

    Halloween Cricut Farmhouse Signs

    September 30, 2021 - By 

    We are off to the pumpkin patch this week and I can’t wait to kick off our Halloween celebrations. I know Halloween doesn’t fall until the end of the month but Halloween gives us a much needed colour boost at this time of year. I love adding to our Halloween decorations each year and couldn’t resist getting my Maker out to make these Halloween Cricut Farmhouse signs. I’ve added the free Halloween png files so why not try the craft for yourself. Materials: Black acrylic paint White acrylic paint Paint brushes Wooden square shadow boxes Cricut black vinyl Cricut Transfer…

  • Lore of the Wild by Claire Cock-Starkey
    What I'm reading

    Lore of the Wild by Claire Cock-Starkey

    September 29, 2021 - By 

    Reading is something I’m passionate about and I’m always happy to add books to our library at home. We were recently gifted a copy of Lore of the Wild: Folklore & Wisdom from Nature by Claire Cock-Starkey, illustrated by Aitch. The cover just blew me away and I was excited to look inside the book. Lore of the Wild by Claire Cock-Starkey Did you know that people used to believe that corgis were ridden by fairies? That dreaming about onions is good luck? And that taking dandelions into the house would make you wet the bed?   In Lore of…

  • Embroidered felt Desert Moth banner
    Crafts for adults

    Embroidered felt Desert Moth banner

    September 28, 2021 - By 

    It feels like it’s been a while since I shared one of my sewing projects. Over the weekend I finished a gorgeous embroidered moth banner which is just perfect now that Autumn has set in. Embroidered felt Desert Moth banner I bought the pattern from an Etsy shop (Sewn By Sandeep) and the felt banner features a gorgeous Desert Moth. First I needed to gather my supplies – DMC embroidery threads, a piece of russet felt, and Sulky Sticky Fabri-Solvy water soluble stabiliser. I wanted to try printing the pattern onto the Sulky water soluble stabiliser. I really dislike transferring…

  • child's rubber collection
    Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy Things {Week 363}

    September 27, 2021 - By 

    Starting the week by writing the Monday Happy List  is something I’ve been doing for a while. It’s a chance for me to sit down and 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 love to write. Monday Happy Things {Week 363} Last week was busy. It was only the third week the children had been back at school but it felt like it had been much longer. My son volunteered to be a tour guide at his new school on open evening,…

  • Solve Your Own Mystery: The Monster Maker
    competition

    {Giveaway} Solve Your Own Mystery: The Monster Maker

    September 26, 2021 - By 

    Spooky season is upon us – nearly. I’m a huge fan of Halloween and little pumpkins, Halloween sweets and the colour orange have been creeping into our seasonal decor for a few weeks. I’m really hoping that this year will see the return of Trick or Treating with my kids and I am looking forward to creepyfying our house next month (is that even a word?). We recently received a copy of Solve Your Own Mystery: The Monster Maker published by Little Tiger and I thought this would make a great giveaway for my readers who seem to love reading…