Starting the week by writing the Happy List is something I’ve been doing for the last few years. It’s my chance to sit down and reflect on the things that made me happy in the previous week, as well as to record some of the adventures we have as a family.

Five Happy Things {Week 12/2025}

My son turned 15! This year there was a definite F1 theme and he received some of the new Lego Formula 1 sets, Formula 1 iced biscuits, wireless racing wheel and a DriveCrate amongst other things. He was very excited to receive these. We went out for dinner and he also chose a really delicious birthday cake from our local Greek bakery.

It was my birthday too and I took a day off work to attend The Stitch Festival. I booked a couple of workshops and browsed the stalls for craft supplies. I love walking along Upper Street to the Design Centre and it was the perfect weather for a Spring day out.

My husband baked me a batch of Bourbon Biscuits, we had spotted the recipe in a food magazine, for my birthday. They tasted really good and only lasted one day! Good job it’s not my birthday very often.

Over the weekend we visited Painshill Park in Surrey. This is a place we’ve wanted to go for a long time and it was worth the wait. It’s an award-winning 18th century landscape garden with ornamental lake, grottoes and follies dotted around the landscape.

Last week I finished stitching the front cover of my Liberty Cottage Garden Huswif kit. I think I must have received this as a present a few years ago (!) and will be making it this year.