• vintage Christmas at Hughenden
    Buckinghamshire - Family Life - National Trust

    Celebrating Christmas at Hughenden

    December 14, 2019 - By 

    Before anyone gets excited I should perhaps clarify the title of this blog post. No, we haven’t been invited to spend Christmas Day at Hughenden Manor, but we visited last weekend to meet Father Christmas and enjoy their winter activities. Hughenden Manor is our favourite National Trust property and we try to visit at least once during the seasons. You might think a visit in winter would be a little dull but we love it as the staff and volunteers make sure they pull all the stops out. Having visited Father Christmas there a few years ago, we knew we…

  • Festive Elf painted rocks
    Crafts for kids - Elf on the Shelf

    Festive Elf painted rocks

    December 12, 2019 - By 

    This year we have been having lots of fun with our Elf on the Shelf. My children still believe in their magic and we love finding something for them to do each day. So far this festive season the elves have been cutting snowflakes out of toilet roll, helping my daughter with her epic jigsaw puzzle, leaving notes in the children’s lunch boxes and setting up a rock painting station. We love making painted rocks so thought this was a great opportunity to create some new festive elf painted rocks. We used: Bag of smooth pebbles or rocks Selection of…

  • Felt Festive Pup
    Crafts for adults - Mollie Makes crafts

    My hands making: Felt Festive Pup kit

    December 11, 2019 - By 

    Regular readers will know that every month I challenge myself to make the Mollie Makes magazine cover gift. I’ve subscribed since it first came out and have had a drawer full of unopened kits – but no more! I’ve been making more time for grown up crafting and I love to make the kits and hopefully try something new. To say I’m a bit behind would be an understatement. Issue 108 contained a paper flower wall hanging kit which you would have thought would be right up my street. I started but never finished it. Issue 109 was the Felt Dandy Lion which…

  • A visit to The Museum of Architecture's Gingerbread City 2019
    Family Life

    A visit to The Museum of Architecture’s Gingerbread City 2019

    December 11, 2019 - By 

    On Monday I was lucky to visit to The Museum of Architecture’s Gingerbread City 2019 at Somerset House. I stumbled across this a few years ago and couldn’t wait to visit. Gingerbread City is an annual exhibition, now in its fourth year, organised by the Museum of Architecture. It aims to connect the public with architecture in an exciting way, and spark important conversations around cities and how we live in them. And yes, everything is made of gingerbread – an absolute dream for me! A visit to The Museum of Architecture’s Gingerbread City 2019 The Museum of Architecture challenges…

  • Win a Playmobil: The Movie bundle
    competition - Family Life

    Win a Playmobil: The Movie bundle

    December 10, 2019 - By 

    It seems ages since we were invited to watch Playmobil: The Movie in London back before the Summer holidays started. We’ve always been fans of Playmobil so were excited to watch the first motion picture inspired by the popular brand of toys. We thought it was a hilarious adventure through the fantastic universe of Playmobil, and loved the different Playmobil worlds, from Pirates to the Romans, the City and Dinosaurs! Playmobil: The Movie Just in case you haven’t seen it let me tell you a little about the film. Marla and Charlie are two ordinary children with Marla finishing school…

  • Happy New Year 2020 colouring page
    Crafts for kids - free printables - New Year crafts

    Free printable Happy New Year 2020 colouring page

    December 10, 2019 - By 

    Although we’re very much in Christmas mode I’ve been looking forward to 2020. I know that the Christmas holidays will soon be upon us and I want to have some activities to do with the children. Today I’m sharing our free printable Happy New Year 2020 colouring page for kids. I love to share our resources with you and this free online print out Happy New Year 2020 colouring page for kids will surely keep them busy. There are lots of New Year activities and worksheets but I thought I would share my free printable Happy New Year 2020 colouring page…

  • Tatty Devine Black Friday bargains
    Family Life - Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy List {Week 269}

    December 9, 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. Monday Happy List {Week 269} We are embracing Christmas in our house this week. The children spent all their money at the Christmas Fair at school. Over the weekend we put up our Christmas tree, decorated the house, posted our Christmas cards and baked Christmas tree brownies. Somehow we’re managing…

  • Harry Potter Lex-GO! word game {review}
    Family Life

    Harry Potter Lex-GO! word game {review}

    December 8, 2019 - By 

    I’m a huge fan of word games. I have my own two children and also work in a Secondary School, so I’m always on the look out for a game which is both fun and educational. We have quite a few letter based games and we often get them out of home, as I love to encourage my own children with their home learning. Harry Potter Lex-Go word game! We recently received the special Harry Potter Edition of Lex-Go! to try out at home. This is based on the classic word game Lexicon and the popular Lex-Go! which uses letter…

  • Tutankhamum: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh at the Saatchi Gallery
    days out - Family Life - London

    Tutankhamum: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh at the Saatchi Gallery

    December 8, 2019 - By 

    On Saturday we were fortunate to be invited to see ‘TUTANKHAMUN: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh at the Saatchi Gallery. It had been a while since our last visit to the Saatchi Gallery and we really wanted to go and see this exhibition so jumped at the chance! It was an early start but we jumped on the underground and were soon at Sloane Square for a quick walk to the Saatchi Gallery. Tutankhamum: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh The touring exhibition opened last month (it’s already been to Los Angeles and Paris) and is open until Sunday 3rd May…