• paper cutting in progress
    Christmas - Monday Happy List - Paper craft

    Monday Happy List – Week 112

    November 14, 2016 - By 

    This week we sat down and wrote letters to Father Christmas. I don’t think we’ve ever done this before but the children always receive the NSPCC personalised letters from Santa (which my mum organises for them). I found a free printable via Pinterest and they both enjoyed writing their letters. My son took it a little too seriously and started looking up everything he wanted on Amazon so he could be sure to get the name right. As we’ve now finished our kitchen renovations we’ve started on the living room. As if this time of year isn’t busy enough we’re…

  • Win a bundle of Fat Quarter festive fabrics
    Christmas - competition - crafts - sewing

    Win a bundle of Fat Quarter festive fabrics

    November 11, 2016 - By 

    Have you started your Christmas crafting yet? I’ve been planning some projects for a while and find November is the perfect month to start sewing. Overdale Fabrics recently got in touch and asked if I would like to try some of their Christmas range. They sell some lovely festive Fat Quarter bundles, so of course I said yes please! I’ve always enjoyed the Scandi influence. I have no idea why the colours red and white are known as Scandi but they go so well together, especially at this time of year. We honeymooned across Denmark, Sweden and Norway so we’re…

  • Paper plate gingerbread man
    Bostik Family Craft Bloggers Network - Christmas - crafts - gingerbread

    Paper plate gingerbread man

    November 11, 2016 - By 

    This year we’ve been working with Bostik who make some great craft products such as the Fine and Wide Glu Pen, White Glu, Glu Dots and Glu & Fix Fabric Glu. We’ve received a few packs of the Glitter Pens but I’ve always hidden them away as I was worried about the mess! This months theme was Christmas so I thought it was about time we tried out the Glitter Pens which made my children very happy. We’re all about gingerbread about the money so used them to decorate a paper plate gingerbread man. This is how we did it. Paper plate…

  • fabric gingerbread cookies for kids to play with
    Christmas - gingerbread - handmade - playing - sewing

    Cookies for Santa {Wild Olive fabric cookies}

    November 9, 2016 - By 

    You know how much I love anything gingerbread so I’m warning you that I have a few more posts planned over the next few weeks. Last year I bought some gorgeous fabric from Spoonflower. I’ve mentioned Spoonflower before, it’s a great place to discover fabric, wall paper and gift wrap. I knew that my children weren’t going to be short of toys last year but I couldn’t resist making them a plate of pretend cookies for their play kitchen. Wild Olive fabric cookies {Cookies for Santa Ornament Panel} I’m made a few Wild Olive patterns before so when Mollie mentioned she had…

  • Wooden Fairy Lights Wreath from create gift love
    Christmas - handmade - homestyle

    Wooden Fairy Lights Wreath from create gift love

    November 8, 2016 - By 

    I love picking up a few special decorations every year to add to our Christmas box. The children pretty much dictate the decorations and the tree but I like to add a few grown up pieces too. I love planning the colour scheme and can spend hours looking around shops as well as online to find new things I love. Wooden Fairy Lights Wreath Wooden decorations also appeal to me so I was delighted to discover Create Gift Love, who make personalised, beautiful and unique gifts for every occasion. All their products are handmade for your loved-ones in the New Forest,…

  • Reindeer nose ornaments for kids to make
    Christmas - crafts - handmade - Uncategorized

    Reindeer nose ornaments for kids to make

    November 8, 2016 - By 

    My children have all kinds of fun ideas for Christmas crafts at the moment. I am trying to rein them back a little as we still have a few weeks to go but I love the fact they are excited for Christmas (I am too!). We picked up some really fun fillable baubles from our local craft shop and I knew they would be perfect for making our own hanging ornaments. We used them for Reindeer nose ornaments! Equipment to make Reindeer nose ornaments: Fillable baubles, ours are from Hobbycraft Chocolate malt calls Bostik Glu Dots Red pom poms Googly…

  • Win a bundle of Christmas Picture Books from Oxford Children’s Books
    book review - Christmas

    Win a bundle of Christmas Picture Books from Oxford Children’s Books

    November 6, 2016 - By 

    This year I’ve totally been spoilt for choice with what books to include in our annual Book Advent. Every year I pick a selection of 24 books, wrap them up and put them under the tree as part of our Advent celebrations. The children choose one at random each day as our book of the day. Oxford Children’s Books kindly sent us a selection of their new Christmas titles which we were so excited to read together. Read to the bottom of the post for your chance to win the exact same bundle of Christmas picture books! Greatest Animal Stories,…

  • Easy washi tape baubles {kid-made Christmas cards}
    Christmas - crafts - handmade - Handmade gifts

    Easy washi tape baubles {kid-made Christmas cards}

    November 5, 2016 - By 

    I have the biggest stash of washi tape. A few years ago I was obsessively collecting it and using it for all sorts of crafts but I haven’t used it for a while. I thought it was about time we tried to use it up and came up with some fun washi tape baubles which are perfect for adding to Christmas cards for the perfect kid-made Christmas cards. Equipment used to make washi tape baubles Washi tapes Piece of A4 card Something round to draw around, like a roll of Duck Tape Scissors Bakers twine How to make washi tape…

  • DIY gingerbread body scrub (easy kid-made gifts)
    Christmas - gingerbread - Handmade gifts

    DIY gingerbread body scrub (easy kid-made gifts)

    November 4, 2016 - By 

    I love making gifts to give at Christmas. Picking up something in the shops or adding a product to my online shopping basket is too easy. Homemade gifts require thought and time and are usually quite fun to make. I encourage my children to plan and make their own gifts too. My 6 year old son is already pretty good at making things, his speciality is sewing, so this craft is one I helped my 4 year old to make. We made a delicious gingerbread body scrub – it’s relatively cheap to make and perfect for little hands. Ingredients to…