• 21 new Elf on the Shelf ideas
    Elf on the Shelf - Family Life - Toilet roll crafts

    21 new Elf on the Shelf ideas

    December 29, 2019 - By 

    December whizzes by pretty quickly for any family but especially for parents who are trying to hide an Elf on the Shelf. My children still believe in the magic of Christmas so we were excited to bring out our Elf on the Shelf to bring some extra magic throughout December. This year I bought a few books and extra accessories to help me as there’s nothing worse than remembering you haven’t moved your Elf when you’re off to bed. I bought an Elf on the Shelf Gingerbread Activity Set, and two books – Elf On The Shelf Scout Elves at Play…

  • Blogger Board Game Club: Catan
    Blogger Board Game Club - Family Life

    Blogger Board Game Club: Catan

    December 29, 2019 - By 

    We love being part of Asmodee’s Blogger Board Game club and were delighted to receive Catan, the famous board game by Klaus Teuber to play and review. This is a game my husband has wanted to play for ages so we were excited to have some time over the Christmas holidays to learn how to play it. Catan: Trade, Build, Settle Picture yourself in the era of discoveries: after a long voyage of great deprivation, your ships have finally reached the coast of an uncharted island. Its name shall be Catan! But you are not the only discoverer. Other fearless…

  • Win a cute Kawaii Box subscription box
    competition - subscription box

    Win a cute Kawaii Box subscription box

    December 27, 2019 - By 

    As soon as the postman handed me a Kawaii Box the children were really excited. The packaging is so bright and distinctive that they knew exactly what the box was. We’ve reviewed a Kawaii Box before and loved it. In case you haven’t heard of it, it’s a monthly subscription box from Japan filled with cute treats. They believe that a tiny dose of cuteness can provide a huge boost of positivity to our life – and we agree! What’s inside the December Kawaii Box? It’s been a while since we reviewed the Kawaii Box subscription box but we were so…

  • Book Advent books for an 8 year old
    Family Life - What I'm reading

    Book Advent books for an 8 year old

    December 27, 2019 - By 

    Last year my daughter ended up with her very own Book Advent (a different festive book to enjoy in the run up to Christmas). My son decided he wanted to read The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher so read the one book during December (this year he read The Creakers by Tom Fletcher and A Notchmas Carol). So my daughter got to enjoy the Book Advent all to herself, alongside the handmade Advent calendar I made her, and her chocolate one! I’ve always loved putting together a selection of festive books for kids, this year my daughter helped me! What is…

  • How to spend Boxing Day?
    Family Life

    How to spend Boxing Day?

    December 26, 2019 - By 

    The run up to Christmas is busy but I found this year that everything was been done by the weekend which meant we were able to slow down and relax. With school finished we could enjoy the end of Advent with our Advent calendars, and actually read our Advent books and enjoy the stories. It felt good to have a slower Christmas this year. I even found we were able to drop some of our family traditions, such as making reindeer food, without the children noticing. Sometimes it feels like there are so many things you have to do to…

  • ELf on the Shelf in the washing machine
    Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy List {Week 271}

    December 23, 2019 - 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 always enjoy writing. The children have nearly finished opening their handmade advent calendars and I’m running out of ideas for our Elf on the Shelf which must mean it’s nearly Christmas. Monday Happy List {Week 271} Last week was pretty hectic and it feels like we fitted in a lot with work and…

  • DIY Orla Kiely inspired wrapping paper
    Crafts for adults - upcycling

    DIY Orla Kiely inspired wrapping paper

    December 22, 2019 - By 

    My favourite Orla Kiely print is stem print. I recently bought myself a new stem print handbag for work, I just love it! The print is a classic and I wanted to use this print around the home, so tried my hand at cutting my own Orla Kiely inspired stamp. DIY Orla Kiely inspired stamp I already had a DIY stamp craft kit from Flying Tiger which contained the rubber sheet and carving tool. I photocopied a sheet of stem print paper which I then cut out to make my template. I placed this over the top of the stamp…

  • Aladdin at Harrow Arts Centre
    Family Life - Local Review - London

    Aladdin at Harrow Arts Centre, London

    December 20, 2019 - By 

    It’s just not Christmas without panto and this year we were delighted to be invited along to Harrow Arts Centre (HAC) in Harrow, London to watch Aladdin. Following the success of Immersion Theatre’s The Wizard of Oz (2017) and Beauty and the Beast (2018), Harrow Arts Centre are delighted to welcome Prime Pantomimes, a partnership between Immersion Theatre and Selladoor Worldwide to HAC this Christmas. Aladdin at Harrow Arts Centre, London Prime Pantomimes make bespoke, high-energy visual feasts packed with audience participation, call and response, music, and West End-standard performances to create unforgettable shared family experiences. With heaps of audience…

  • Cricut made personalised dog gifts
    Crafts for adults - Cricut Maker - Handmade gifts

    Cricut made personalised dog gifts

    December 19, 2019 - By 

    My sister recently adopted a very sweet dog and I couldn’t wait to make him something special for Christmas. Obviously I wanted to use my Cricut Maker so had a good look on Pinterest for Cricut dog ideas. I decided to make him a stocking filled with treats and really enjoyed putting everything together. Cricut made personalised dog gifts I made two Cricut dog projects, I personalised a DIY dog bib and the stocking too. As I was short of time I used a ready made stocking and bib but these would both have been easy to make from scratch.…