• Personalised blackboard labels
    crafts - die cutting - homestyle - Sizzix crafts

    Personalised chalkboard labels

    June 3, 2016 - By 

    I love to personalise items around the house and today I’m sharing a tutorial for these personalised chalkboard labels. We’re trying to help our children save for our next holiday by filling these glass jars with our loose change. I’m hoping that once the money has been taken out they will fill them with souvenirs from our holiday. You can find the tutorial over on the Sizzix blog. Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 28PK – Delicate Letters (661040) You may be interested in my other Sizzix makes: Embellished oversized peg craft  Father’s Day Rosette Simple dream catcher tote bag Easy felt flamingo…

  • Biscuiteers biscuit tin
    baking - Father's Day - Handmade gifts

    Biscuiteers biscuits for Fathers Day {Classic Car Show Biscuit Collection review}

    June 2, 2016 - By 

    So it’s not so long ago that I wrote a post about getting a gift for the man who has everything. I always find Father’s Day a little bittersweet as I lost my own Dad a few years ago. However I am lucky to be married to the most amazing man and love to treat him when I can. I’ve already told you about the little personalised gifts the children have made for him but I thought he might like something a little more grown up too from Biscuiteers. My wonderful husband bought me my first and only (so far!)…

  • Fireman Sam and friends
    playing - Summer

    Fireman Sam’s Top Ten Summer Safety Tips

    June 1, 2016 - By 

    We’re enjoying half term but I have to be honest and say we’re already thinking about the wonderfully long Summer holidays. Fireman Sam, the ultimate Hero Next Door, has recently launched a nationwide campaign to highlight the importance of keeping safe this summer, in partnership with Child Safety Week which runs from 6th– 12th June. This is an annual initiative run by the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) to raise awareness of child-related accidents and how they can be prevented. The campaign is aimed at teaching children and parents about summer safety including how to be safe around water while…

  • patchwork pouch
    crafts - sewing - swap

    Being brave and trying new things {NanaCompany swap}

    May 31, 2016 - By 

    Regular readers will know that I love to craft and purchase an insane amount of craft books. Sewing is my favourite thing to do in my limited free time but often I’m struck by the fear of failure which holds me back from trying new things. So when I saw a new swap on Instagram I bravely signed up. The swap was quite specific to those who were fans of the NanaCompany style. I’ve had Amy Sinibaldi’s book for a while, I love her blog and her style but never got round to making anything from the book. I knew…

  • The Wonderful Adventure of Nils Holgersson
    book review - What I'm reading

    What I’m reading: The Wonderful Adventure of Nils Holgersson

    May 30, 2016 - By 

    I love reading so was very happy to receive a copy of The Wonderful Adventure of Nils Holgersson by Selma Lagerlof to review. They say don’t judge a book by its cover, but I was blown away by the book cover designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith, the award-winning designed and creator of Waterstones Book of the Year (2015), The Fox and the Star. The Wonderful Adventure of Nils Holgersson by Selma Lagerlof was first published in 1906. The author was a teacher, feminist, suffragette and the first woman to win the Nobel Prize. It was originally intended as a school geography book but…

  • Flakey McFlake Face ice cream van
    days out - holidays - vintage

    Monday Happy List – Week 88

    May 30, 2016 - By 

    Not only are we celebrating our second Bank Holiday in May but it’s also half term! We’re so happy to be enjoying a few days away from home. The weather has been beautiful so we’ve made the most of being out all day long. I love re-visiting places I enjoyed as a child and we had a great day at Carisbrooke Castle. Due to the school holidays they were celebrating the Cavaliers and Roundheads all week and there were loads of events we could join in with. Our favourites were taking part in the Pike Drill and learning about the Battle of…

  • Hot Wheels Split Speeders Trackset
    competition - playing - STEM activity

    Win a Hot Wheels Split Speeders track set

    May 29, 2016 - By 

    My children are really enjoying the school holidays. They’ve been exploring all their toy boxes and it’s lovely to see them having time to play properly. You may remember a few months ago we reviewed the Split Speeders Blade Raid Track set. We have a few Hot Wheels sets and they provide great value and entertainment. So I’m pretty pleased to be able to offer a Split Speeders Blade Raid Track set to one of my amazing readers. Find fast-paced splitting and racing madness with the Blade Raid Track set, where insane spinning “saw blades” are waiting to split your cars…

  • playing with air drying clay
    crafts - Father's Day - Kids crafts - tutorial

    Father’s Day handmade clay dish

    May 28, 2016 - By 

    We had some left over air drying clay from a recent craft project which I set aside for my 6 year old. He loves playing with clay, it’s very tactile, easy to use and can be used for some fun craft projects. When he came home from school one day he said he knew how he wanted to use it. He rolled the clay in his hands to warm it up slightly, then started rolling it out with a small rolling pin. When he had a small circle, about 5mm thick, he gradually brought up the edges to form a shallow dish.…

  • button fairies craft
    crafts - Fairy garden crafts - Kids crafts - Recycled crafts

    Button fairy wings craft for kids

    May 27, 2016 - By 

    I can’t believe another month has gone since our last post for the Project: recycle & create series. This month the theme was buttons of which we have plenty. I obviously use them a lot in sewing projects but I never really think of letting my children use them. This was a great opportunity! I grabbed the button box and let my 4 year old pick out her favourite ones. Then we gathered the rest of our supplies – air drying clay and craft sticks. We wanted to use the colourful buttons to decorate fairy wings so first of all…