• I’m Wrecked, This Is My Journal
    baby products - book review - competition

    Win a copy of I’m Wrecked, This Is My Journal

    March 4, 2017 - By 

    Even though my children are young, there are some lovely products around that we seem to have just missed. I would have loved a set of baby milestone cards and a copy of I’m Wrecked, This Is My Journal by Shannon Cullen. Forget the twee baby books that document every detail you didn’t know you needed to remember in a blaze of pastel colours and bunnies. The reality is that most new parents are simply feeling their way through those early months with a new baby. When Shannon Cullen had her first baby, she found herself scribbling random notes at…

  • Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses by Carole Matthews cover
    book review

    Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses by Carole Matthews

    March 2, 2017 - By 

    I’m really enjoying reading books at the moment and the latest good read is the lovely Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses by Carole Matthews. I haven’t read anything by this author before but it’s her 29th book so I’m not sure which rock I’ve been hiding under! A heart-warming and poignant novel of romance, family and second chances, Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses is Sunday Times bestselling Carole Matthews at her outstanding best. Perfect for fans of Jill Mansell and Milly Johnson. Christie Chapman is a single working mother who spends her days commuting to her secretarial job in London…

  • Win a copy of the new picture book from Sophy Henn
    book review - competition

    Win a copy of the new picture book from Sophy Henn

    February 22, 2017 - By 

    It’s been a while since I featured any children’s picture books on my blog. With World Book Day coming up we have been thinking about our favourite books and characters. So it seemed like the perfect time to share a lovely new picture book with you. Read on for your chance to win a copy. Edie by Sophy Henn Hello! My name is Edie. I am EVER so helpful. In fact, I think helping is one of the things I am best at… Edie is certainly a very good helper, whether it’s helping mummy wake bright and early, helping Daddy…

  • Before the Rains by Dinah Jefferies
    book review

    Before the Rains by Dinah Jefferies

    February 21, 2017 - By 

    I’ve always enjoyed reading historical fiction so was excited to hear about the latest book by Dinah Jefferies, Before the Rains, which was set in India. Today I’m sharing my thoughts and taking part in the blog tour. Look for the #BeforeTheRains to find the other reviews. Before The Rains 1930, Rajputana, India. Since her husband’s death, 28-year-old photojournalist Eliza’s only companion has been her camera. When the British Government send her to an Indian princely state to photograph the royal family, she’s determined to make a name for herself. But when Eliza arrives at the palace she meets Jay, the…

  • book review - crafts - handmade - Patchwork & Quilting - quilt

    Wise Craft Quilts by Blair Stocker

    February 19, 2017 - By 

    I’ve been reading craft blogs for a long time and one of the first I discovered was Wise Craft. The author, Blair Stocker, has followed her very successful book with a second, called Wise Craft Quilts: A Guide to Turning Beloved Fabrics into Meaningful Patchwork. Quilts are stories we compose with fabric and thread, providing physical and metaphorical warmth, and Wise Craft Quilts is about creating these stories. Whether making a quilt from baby’s first clothes or from a collection of Tyvek race numbers stored away in a box, sewing pieces like these into quilt form creates a new level of appreciation…

  • The Big Comic Relief Crafternoon magazine cover
    book review - crafts - handmade - Mollie Makes crafts

    The Big Comic Relief Crafternoon

    February 17, 2017 - By 

    I regularly write about books and magazines I’ve been enjoying. I’ve read quite a few books lately but since finishing my last one, review coming soon …. I couldn’t resist picking up a copy of The Big Comic Relief Crafternoon to read. I’m a big fan of Mollie Makes and am still enjoying the Mollie Makes Creativity I told you about here. The Big Comic Relief Crafternoon I picked up a copy in Sainsbury’s along with the weekly shop. It cost £8.99 with £5 of that going directly to Comic Relief projects. The magazine/bookazine contains over 50 crafty makes for Red Nose Day…

  • Getting creative with The Wild Garden
    book review - Craft book review - crafts - Mother's Day crafts

    Getting creative with The Wild Garden {a rub-down transfer book}

    February 9, 2017 - By 

    I love my adult colouring book collection but was recently introduced to something a little different. The Wild Garden from Usborne Publishing is a rub-down transfer book which is the perfect gift for Mother’s Day and a creative and therapeutic experience for children and adults alike.  The Wild Garden rub-down transfer book, is brimming with eleven exquisite gardens. Each ‘garden’ has a delicate line drawing to colour in and a colourful picture to fill with beautiful rub-down transfers of flowers, butterflies, birds, frogs and fish, which are stored in a handy envelope at the front of the book. There is something…

  • Win a copy of the Champions League Fact
    book review - competition

    Win a copy of the Champions League Fact File

    February 8, 2017 - By 

    My 6 year old has really surprised me with his love of football. I have never been sporty but my son attends a weekly football club and recently watched Chelsea play at Stamford Bridge. So I knew he would love the new Champions League Fact File. Just in case you didn’t know, the UEFA Champions League makes headlines from August to May every year. This action-packed book is bursting with eye-popping stats about the greatest teams and players in world football. Read all about the early years of the European Cup, discover what it takes to progress through the rounds to…

  • Making Concrete Pots, Bowls, and Platters by Hester van Overbeek
    book review - crafts - handmade - What I'm reading

    Making Concrete Pots, Bowls, and Platters by Hester van Overbeek

    February 7, 2017 - By 

    Making Concrete Pots, Bowls, and Platters is the third book by Hester van Overbeek, you can read my review of Furniture Hacks here. In this book, you will find everything you need to make a range of unique concrete projects. The comprehensive techniques section explains what type of concrete to buy, how to use it and how to decorate it. You will also learn how to mix, cast and mould concrete. From there you can put this knowledge into action to make chic home accessories such as upside-down plant pots, a concrete bowl with a wooden base, serving platters, a letter-shaped…