• iced gingerbread biscuits
    baking - Christmas - gingerbread

    Gingerbread house biscuits

    December 17, 2012 - By 

    We’ve been busy making gingerbread house biscuits. You can never make too many gingerbread men but sometimes it’s good to make something different. As the toddler was helping we used Sainsbury’s gingerbread dough which we tried earlier this year. This time we rolled it out even thinner and squeezed 10 biscuits from the dough. I used one of the vintage cutters I recently purchased to make cute little gingerbread houses. When they were cool I iced them (not brave enough to let the toddler loose with an icing pen just yet). I think they look cute and I can safely…

  • baking - Christmas - vintage

    Vintage cookie cutter decorations

    December 16, 2012 - By 

    I’ve been on a bit of a splurge recently, buying vintage cookie cutters from a well known internet auction site. Most seem to come from the US and the range is huge compared to the ones I’ve found here in the UK. This week my little collection grew and I have some great seasonal cutters, including candy canes, gingerbread houses, drums, candles, trees, holly leaves, Father Christmas and even reindeer. As much as I love to use my cutters when baking biscuits there are lots of other things they can be used for. I used some cutters as gift tags…

  • crafts - reviews - sewing - toy review

    Review – Emily Button

    December 16, 2012 - By 

    Little Sis was totally spoilt and sent some of the products from the new Emily Button range from Hallmark to try.  Emily Button is a real live ragdoll and she has two friends called Mousey and Bobble, they have been created especially for pre schoolers. Exclusive to M&S, the traditional range of gorgeous soft toys, stationery and crafts aims to enhance imagination and creativity. According to her website – Emily Button is a real live ragdoll made from vintage style fabrics, buttons and ribbons. She loves to collect little things which she puts in her pocket, from a piece of…

  • reviews

    Muddy Puddles!

    December 16, 2012 - By 

    It’s been a long time coming but I finally got the toddler to jump in a puddle! Endless episodes of Peppa Pig (who loves to jump in puddles) and talking about how it would be great to jump in puddles *if* we had wellies on, the toddler finally decided to jump in a puddle. The only problem of course, was that he was wearing shoes! He refused to wear his latest pair of wellies so when Barratts got in touch asking if we’d like to review a pair of kids shoes or kids wellies I jumped at the chance. Barratts…

  • Christmas - handmade

    Felt Mistletoe Kissing Ball

    December 15, 2012 - By 

    My project last weekend was cutting out felt mistletoe leaves to make a Mistletoe Kissing Ball. I love working with felt and couldn’t resist this adorable felt decoration to add to our collection. My mum always decorated the house with mistletoe by the front door and I thought I would recreate the tradition in my home, but with a modern twist. It was the perfect project for long periods spent in the car, and as we’d just returned from a 48 hours round trip to Devon (from London) you can imagine I had plenty of hours to craft! The pattern…

  • birthday

    A special present for my daughter

    December 14, 2012 - By 

    My daughter turned 1 a couple of weeks ago. We didn’t make a huge fuss as she’s only 1 but we did a couple of things: We visited London Zoo We  baked and ate Peppa Pig biscuits We went shopping and bought lots of new pink clothes (no more blue hand me downs from her older brother) We opened piles of presents, one of which was the Blurb photo book I made of her first year. I really love the idea of a photo book. I think I’m a late convert because everyone I’ve spoken to has been making them…

  • baking - Christmas - housekeeping

    Christmas Day count down

    December 13, 2012 - By 

    Not long now until the big day so I’m beginning to draw up a mental check list for what to do next. The personalised cards have been signed and sent, the presents wrapped and delivered, the decorations taken out of the loft and we’ve all come down with colds and a stomach bug. Bah humbug! I have to admit my Christmas spirit is flagging slightly but I’m hoping we’ll all be feeling better soon as there’s still so much to do. Top of my list (when I feel like it) is the Christmas food shop. It always fills me with…

  • competition - days out - toddler - toy review

    Elefun & Friends giveaway

    December 12, 2012 - By 

    A couple of weeks ago the children and I were invited along to the Rainforest Cafe to find out more about four new toys in the Elefun & Friends range aimed at preschoolers from Hasbro. The toddler had his face painted like a giraffe (his favourite animal) and they both had a lovely time, playing with the toys and making lots of new friends. The motorised Elefun blows colourful butterflies through his trunk and kids have to use their catching skills to grab them with a special butterfly net. The toddler absolutely adored this game and has been having lots of…

  • film review

    Film review: Ice Age 4: Continental Drift

    December 12, 2012 - By 

    The world’s most beloved prehistoric herd is back and this time they’re setting off on a hilarious high seas adventure!  ICE AGE 4: CONTINENTAL DRIFT sailed into stores on the 10th December, available in Triple Play, Blu-ray 3D & DVD from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. We love the Ice Age films and this all-new chapter reconnects families with herd favourites Manny, Sid, and Diego, plus a band of pirates led by the fearsome orangutan Captain Gutt. The toddler loved this film as he is really into pirates at the moment. This is a great family film and the Blu-ray…