• competition

    Win amazing prizes with the uni-ball Snow Globe

    December 12, 2017 - By 

    Get your hands on one of 250 packs of uni-ball pens for absolutely FREE in uni-ball’s Snow Globe competition. Head over to the uni-ball Facebook page and play their Snow Globe competition to get involved and be in with a chance of winning! You can enter each day in December to be one of the lucky instant winners, plus each time you shake the snowball it will give you another entry into a sweepstake draw to win a huge £300 Amazon vouchers. How amazing is that? To enter, click the link now to take you to the uni-ball Facebook page where…

  • Dinner sorted with Box’d Fresh
    Family Life - subscription box

    Dinner sorted with Box’d Fresh

    December 11, 2017 - By 

    As a stay at home mum it’s a sad truth that mealtimes fall to me. Breakfast and packed lunches aren’t too bad but by the time it comes to the evening meal I have often run out of ideas – especially after the school run, after school clubs and homework are sorted. The children are easy to feed but I often fall into cooking the same uninspired meals for me and my husband – sorry hubby. Last week I was sent a complimentary box from Box’d Fresh to try out at home. This is an exciting new recipe box delivery service created…

  • Family Life - Monday Happy List

    Monday mindfulness – 5 happy things

    December 11, 2017 - By 

    I hope you all had a great weekend. We had planned a quiet weekend and were really glad we didn’t have to go anywhere yesterday as we woke up to snow! It hasn’t snowed in London for a few years so the children had a blast playing outside in it. Monday mindfulness – 5 happy things I was delighted to be names as one of the Top 10 Craft Blog by Vuelio in 2017. I love crafting and it is always lovely to be recognised for something I enjoy doing. My 7 year old was awarded The Chief Scout’s Bronze…

  • Crafts for adults - gingerbread house

    Our 2017 Gingerbread House {Witch’s Cottage}

    December 9, 2017 - By 

    We love gingerbread houses – but you know that, right? Over the last few weeks I bought a few gingerbread house kits which I couldn’t wait to make with the family. But then I came across the BKD Mini Bakers Club and found out that the December theme was a gingerbread house – so of course I went and subscribed. I actually found a 50% off code which made the price of the box very reasonable. A few days later there was a knock on the door and the Postman handed me our box. I’ve tried a few products from…

  • Personalised Christmas Letter Bunting
    Adobe Partner - homestyle - Photoshop Elements 2018

    Personalised Christmas Letter Bunting {using Photoshop Elements 2018}

    December 8, 2017 - By 

    Now that the countdown to Christmas has begun (we only start celebrating from the 1st of December!) today seemed like the perfect day to share a tutorial on how to make personalised Christmas letter bunting using Photoshop Elements 2018. I love making handmade decorations and this is a great way to use some of your favourite seasonal photographs at Christmas time. This is a sponsored post on behalf of Adobe Photoshop Elements 2018 We don’t put our Christmas tree up until the middle of the month, but smaller decorations make an appearance, along with our advent calendars. This year I…

  • Sashiko stitching kit
    crafts

    Looking forward to 2018 {and finishing off my WIPs}

    December 8, 2017 - By 

    This year has whizzed past for me. I can’t believe my children are now in Year 3 and Year 1, progressing through karate lessons and gaining new Beaver badges every week. Life is very full with two young children. Next year I have decided to focus a little more on myself. I say it every year but I don’t give myself as much time as I want to spend on my own hobbies. I love blogging but I also love paper cutting and sewing. I bought a few things this year which I never got round to making so I’m…

  • parenting

    Writing letters to Father Christmas {2017 edition!}

    December 7, 2017 - By 

    Every year my mum organises for the children to receive the NSPCC Letters from Father Christmas. These are sweet personalised letters, and the money goes to a great charity. This year she was super organised and the letters arrived before we had written ours! So yesterday I sat the children down to write their letters to Father Christmas. Writing letters to Father Christmas I would love to tell you I was super organised but I’m not. I had to do a quick search on Pinterest to find a suitable free printable. I really wanted one which included “something I want,…

  • 10 Homemade gifts to give teachers
    crafts - Handmade gifts - Kids crafts - tutorial

    10 Homemade gifts to give teachers

    December 7, 2017 - By 

    Ah, that time of year when we have to give grateful thanks to teachers, Teaching Assistants, karate teachers, Beaver Scout leaders and every other adult who comes into contact with your child. I’m not a huge fan of donating money to every Christmas present fund doing the rounds at Christmas. In fact this year our emphasis is on giving handmade gifts. I’m not sure how teachers feel about receiving gift vouchers or boxes of chocolate at this time of the year. My mum was a teacher and I remember her coming home with a stack of gift-wrapped soaps and chocolates…

  • DisneyStore magic
    Christmas - parenting

    Giving #GiftMagic this Christmas with the Disney Store

    December 5, 2017 - By 

    My children are so excited for Christmas. I feel a huge amount of responsibility to make it truly magical for them, without making them into spoilt children along the way. I thought this year might be the year that my son discovered that Father Christmas wasn’t real. Thankfully he is still a 100% believer and has been so excited to come downstairs every day, open his Advent calendars and see where our naughty Elf has moved to. Of course Christmas can be magical whether you believe in Father Christmas or not. Christmas is my most favourite time of the year,…