• Devon - Family Life

    Pick your own sunflowers at Darts Farm

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Each year, Darts Farm grow fields of beautiful sunflowers and ask for donations to raise money for Hospicecare. We have been eagerly looking for somewhere to pick our own sunflowers. Last year we visited the Pop Up Farm in Hertfordshire but they sadly announced that they wouldn’t be open for sunflowers this year. Happily for us we were near to Dart’s Farm at just the right time to go sunflower picking today. A morning at Darts Farm It’s been a few years since our last visit to Dart’s Farm which is just outside Exeter in south Devon. On our visit…

  • Easy homemade sidewalk chalk
    Crafts for adults

    Easy homemade sidewalk chalk

    August 11, 2020 - By 

    I wanted to make chalk for a long time. At the start of lockdown I couldn’t buy chalk anywhere. All the shops had sold out or the price was just out of this world. So I decided to make my own. It’s surprisingly easy to make your own coloured chalk and you only need 3 ingredients – Plaster of Paris, water and food colouring. Easy homemade sidewalk chalk supplies: Plaster of Paris Food colouring Water Old bowl to mix ingredients Cardboard tubes Duck Tape Baking parchment How to make easy homemade sidewalk chalk It couldn’t be easier to make your…

  • Bichon puppy walking
    Monday Happy List

    Summer Holidays edit {Week 304}

    August 10, 2020 - By 

    I love to start the week by writing the Monday Happy List. 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 love to write. We love the Summer holidays but they are not usually quite so quiet as this year! We are still trying to have as much fun as possible. Summer Holidays edit {Week 304} When I sit down to write this post I usually look through the photos on my phone first. There…

  • Countryside & Walking Contemplations books {giveaway}
    competition

    Walking & Countryside Contemplations books {giveaway}

    August 9, 2020 - By 

    One thing I’ve loved over the last few months has been the chance to explore where we live. We live on the edge of London which is the best of both worlds – a fast train into London and countryside at the end of our road. We’ve loved exploring our local area and have walked through ancient woodlands, discovered country parks and old country estates during the lockdown period. I’ve loved the slower pace of life. Contemplation Series from Trigger Publishing I was recently gifted two books from the Contemplation Series from Trigger Publishing. These pocket sized books are beautifully packaged…

  • 2020 The Year We All Stayed At Home
    Family Life

    2020 The Year We All Stayed At Home

    August 7, 2020 - By 

    I know that for many people 2020 will not be a year they want to remember. However amongst the stress and disruption there are many positives I want to remember. These include the special family time we have enjoyed, the chance to get to know our neighbours and explore our local area, all whilst keeping safe at home. We will have a few special souvenirs of this special year. As well as my blog posts detailing what we got up to each week we have the Coronavirus scrapbooks the children kept, photos from our Door Step photography shoot, and the…

  • How to solve a Rubik’s Cube
    Family Life

    How to solve a Rubik’s Cube

    August 6, 2020 - By 

    I don’t know about you, but I’ve never managed to solve a classic Rubik’s Cube. My husband loved the challenge and taught himself a few years ago, but I just never had the patience. We have a few different Rubik’s puzzles and they are great for popping into a handbag if we’re going out for dinner or on a car journey. They are a really fun challenge for kids (and adults too!). Can you learn to solve the Cube this summer? Rubik’s 40th anniversary This year Rubik’s are celebrating their 40th year this year and kindly gifted us a selection…

  • DIY recycled bottle animal plant pots
    Crafts for kids - Recycled crafts

    DIY recycled bottle animal plant pots

    August 5, 2020 - By 

    We love to recycle and although our plastic bottle useage has gone down dramatically over the lockdown period our recycling bin still has bottles. The children wanted to re-use the plastic bottles so we lined them up, removed the plastic caps and labels. We’ve filled our house with plants lately so we thought we could recycle the bottles into animal plant pots or planters. Recycled bottle animal plant pots equipment: selection of empty bottles with labels removed acrylic paint googly eyes Posca pens How to make recycled bottle animal flower pots First we trimmed the bottles to the size we…

  • a trip to Ray Mill Island and Boulter's Lock
    Berkshire - days out - Local Review

    Ray Mill Island and Boulter’s Lock, Maidenhead

    August 4, 2020 - By 

    Last weekend we were looking for somewhere new to take the children and the puppy. We ventured a little further afield than normal, yet still only 30 minutes from where we live, and found the delightful Ray Mill Island and Boulter’s Lock, Maidenhead, Berkshire. A pretty place on the Thames with a little cafe, perfect for a picnic and a little boat watching. Ray Mill Island and Boulter’s Lock This little island in the Thames is in Maidenhead. The island’s name dates from when the Ray family managed a flour mill there. There is no car park on Ray Mill…

  • Draw with Rob art tutorial
    Monday Happy List

    Summer Holidays edit {Week 303}

    August 3, 2020 - By 

    I love to start the week by writing the Monday Happy List. 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 love to write. We love the Summer holidays but they are not usually quite so quiet as this year! We are still trying to have as much fun as possible. Summer Holidays edit {Week 303} Like most people we have spent a lot of time on our house over lockdown. We’ve had a massive…