I love the Summer holidays because it feels like I finally get to tackle the stash of books next to my bed. This week I have devoured the Hiding Game. This is the gripping third novel by Naomi Wood, author of the award-winning Mrs. Hemingway. The Hiding Game by Naomi Wood In 1922, Paul Beckermann arrives at the Bauhaus art school and is immediately seduced by both the charismatic teaching and his fellow students. Eccentric and alluring, the more time Paul spends with his new friends the closer they become, and the deeper he falls in love with the mesmerising Charlotte.…
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Have you watched the film Missing Link yet? We took part in a fun Viewing Party at home on Monday and we all really enjoyed watching it again. It’s a lovely family film full of great characters with a fun plot. Tired of living a solitary life in the Pacific Northwest, Mr Link, who is 8 feet tall and covered in fur, recruits explorer Sir Lionel Frost to help find his long-lost relatives in the fabled valley of Shangri-La. Along with adventurer Adelina Fortnight, this trio of explorers travels the world to help their new friend. Through it all, they…
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I know the Summer holidays have only just begun but us mums just can’t rest for a moment. Yes, the uniform is bought, we have new water bottles and lunch bags and fully stocked pencil cases, we’re all ready for September! My children both love school and are excited about starting the new school year in September. Today I wanted to share a fun free chatterbox printable which is just perfect for going back to school. Free printable Back to School Chatterbox Now I call them a chatterbox but I know everyone calls them different things. I’ve also heard them…
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I love to start the week by writing Five Happy Things. 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 first week of the Summer holidays has flown by and, thanks to the London heatwave, things got a bit sticky last week with not much sleep. Five Happy Things {Week 251} We started the week with a trip into London, exploring around the new developments behind Kings Cross Station,…
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Can you believe it’s been 6 years since we moved into our home? We all lead busy lives and it’s only when we seem to have a significant break from work that we start to notice things that need doing around the home. We’ve already done quite a lot to make our house feel like home and this summer we will be changing the floor in our open plan lounge/dining room. It’s the room we all spend the most time in and the flooring just isn’t hard wearing enough for our needs. Perhaps that’s not surprising with two children but…
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You all know I love a challenge. I’ve been wanting to try mosaic making for a while but just haven’t found any suitable mosaic courses in London. I really admire the work of Teignmouth artist, Michelle Greenwood Brown, so was delighted when I found she was running a course when we would be in Devon. The Mosaic workshop was called Creative with Crockery and promised it was suitable for beginners or those with some experience. In it we would learn to cut and shape recycled ceramic plates and tiles with tile nippers and make your own mosaic owl, chicken or…
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A while ago now I bought myself a cheap pad of watercolour paper and paint set from Flying Tiger. I’ve wanted to experiment with watercolour for a while, but there never seems to be enough time to do so. Fortunately for me, Michael O’Mara Books gifted me a copy of a new book they are brining out next month, Paint Play: 21 Easy Watercolour Techniques to Explore. Through a series of 21 simple, achievable activities, artist Katie Rose Johnston demonstrates different ways of mixing colours, experiments with textures using salt and cling film, makes spatter art, animal print patterns and much…
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We’re a few days into our Summer holidays and the kids are really enjoying the freedom to rest and play. We’re currently enjoying a few days away from home and I packed a few things to keep them busy in case they got bored. Over the last few months we’ve been trying out the new STEM kits from National Geographic. They are a great range for inquisitive kids and I was pleased to see they have a mini version of some of their kits. These are a great size for tucking inside a case for a weekend away. We received…
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Now that our summer holidays have started I’m on a mission to keep my children fed and hydrated – especially in this warm weather. I pride myself on keeping a pretty full food cupboard but sometimes it can be hard to provide healthy snacks that my children will eat. Thankfully Mr Kipling have come to the rescue as they have recently launched new slices with Exceedingly Less Sugar. Yes you read that right, our tea-time favourites now have 30% less sugar. What’s more the Angel Slice and Chocolate Slice are only 100 calories per slice. We were delighted to receive…
