This week I booked my tickets to The Handmade Fair. I went last year with my sister and we had a brilliant day out so I can’t wait for it this year. Last year I tried some new crafts but also went shopping! We’re both big fans of Annie Sloan Chalk Paints and there was quite a big Annie Sloan stand where I picked up some pots of paint as well as a stencil. My sister and Annie Sloan! I had read a lot about the stencils and really wanted one to finish off a little project. Years ago we…
I’m sure everyone has the Moppe mini chest of drawers from Ikea. It’s not cheap but we’ve had ours for years as they are perfect for storing my smaller sewing notions. The only problem I have with things from Ikea, is that everyone has them, so I love to add a personal touch. As an Orla Kiely fan I knew they would look amazing covered with my favourite stem paper, so that’s what I did! image from Ikea I love quick and easy DIY projects but I have to admit – this isn’t one of them. The easy option was…
I love to personalise items around the house and today I’m sharing a tutorial for these personalised chalkboard labels. We’re trying to help our children save for our next holiday by filling these glass jars with our loose change. I’m hoping that once the money has been taken out they will fill them with souvenirs from our holiday. You can find the tutorial over on the Sizzix blog. Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 28PK – Delicate Letters (661040) You may be interested in my other Sizzix makes: Embellished oversized peg craft Father’s Day Rosette Simple dream catcher tote bag Easy felt flamingo…
The children love spending time outdoors. Our small garden is home to their mud kitchen, sand pit, water table and little flower patches. A few years ago we were given a second hand trampoline which they loved, especially my 4 year old. We were kindly offered a brand new Rebo UK Ltd trampoline from Outdoor Toys to review. The trampoline is available in pink and blue, in sizes 4.5ft and 7ft. We chose the 7ft trampoline in blue. It arrived in a really slim box, I was quite surprised that it contained everything we needed to build the trampoline and enclosure. We…
At the moment we’re saving up to re-do our kitchen and this is hopefully something we will be able to do next year. The kitchen is the heart of our home so it’s important it is functional and looks good too. We were recently offered the Stack range of recycling containers from Joseph Joseph to review. They are an ingenious way to neatly store away all your different types of recycling, letting you separate it into different compartments, while decluttering your kitchen space. Although we had a bin to house our recycling it was always overflowing onto the floor. So…
I’m not sure why but I haven’t felt in the mood for sewing recently. I have lots of things to make, such as my Shipping Forecast quilt and a fun Nana Company swap deadline looming. The only thing I have been stitching are pretty yellow English Paper Pieced diamonds from the last issue of Mollie Makes. Normally I love to make the cover gifts so something is definitely wrong with me if I’m still making it (the new issue landed on my doorstep today!). The yellow EPP diamonds will eventually make a Starburst Sampler which I’m going to hang on my…
If you are just beginning to find your green fingers this year and the warmer weather is encouraging you to get outside and really start to give gardening a go, then you are probably wondering what to plant. Well, where better to start than with the summery magnolia shrub? Plant them in spring and they will then flower right through the summer until the autumn. If you are already looking through these pretty plants on You Garden, but still not convinced whether to purchase them or not, then here are six reasons why magnolia shrubs are the perfect summer plant…
How important is sleep to you? Earlier today I was reading an article about Prince over on the BBC website. Apparently he used to boast no one could last as long as him without sleep. I’m not sure that can be good for your health but I doubt you can be a musical genius without sacrificing something. I love my sleep and pretty much the only thing that stops me having a good nights sleep is my husband. Before your mind jumps to the wrong conclusion let me state that his snoring keeps me awake, nothing else. Monday 25th April will…
In our house gingerbread is a treat all year round. There’s something about the smell and taste which I find very comforting. I’m always happy to mix up some dough and spend a happy afternoon cutting out shapes, I think gingerbread makes the best after school treat! Ages ago I discovered Gingerbread Wonderland by Mima Sinclair. I’ve tried a few of the recipes and the light and dark gingerbread doughs are lovely. I used the light gingerbread dough to make Clangers and Iron Golem biscuits, both of which were a success. The book contains many more ideas than two different…