• competition - crafts - giveaway - Royal crafts - wedding

    Sew, Mama, Sew fabric giveaway

    May 22, 2011 - By 

    I thought I would participate in the Sew, Mama, Sew May Giveaway Day 2011. Up for grabs I have one metre of Royal Wedding fabric which I bought from my favourite department store, John Lewis. The fabric was produced to commemorate the wedding of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton on Friday 29th 2011. I was going to make something commemorative for the Royal Wedding but never got round to it. Rather than leave it sitting in my fabric drawer I thought I would offer it to someone who might actually use it! It would make lovely summery bunting, a…

  • baby products - eating - reviews

    Review: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

    May 20, 2011 - By 

    Every parent had heard and read The Very Hungry Caterpillar books with their children. It was one of the first books we bought when we knew we were expecting and Edward loves the story. Portmeirion have produced a range inspired by the children’s classic, the range includes both child friendly ceramics and adorable keepsakes. We were sent a melamine three piece set, consisting of plate, bowl and cup, to try. Each item features some of the colourful illustrations of Eric Carle. Edward has his own set of plates and bowls so I wasn’t worried about his using this set. After…

  • baking - handmade

    Chocolate cupcakes

    May 19, 2011 - By 

    Look away if you’re on a diet because I made something really naughty! Chocolate cupcakes from one of my favourite recipe books, the hummingbird bakery cookbook. I can confirm they taste absolutely divine but are probably not good for your waistline 🙂 I’m linking up with Handmade Thursday. Why don’t you go and see what everyone else has been up to.

  • motherhood - NCT - playing

    Playgroups and cliques

    May 18, 2011 - By 

    Yesterday I ventured to our local NCT playgroup for the first time. I’ve been meaning to go for ages but never got round to it. The playgroup was held in a lovely building with plenty of outdoor space. Indoors, the room was split into different play zones with space for soft play, art and crafts, musical toys, a pretend kitchen, a jigsaw table and dressing up clothes. We paid £1.50 for the play session which lasted 90 minutes and ended up with a singing session. I was really disappointed with it. It was our first time there and no-one spoke…

  • CyberMummy 2011 - CyberMummy11

    I’m going to Cybermummy!

    May 17, 2011 - By 

    I’m very excited to tell you that I’ve been sponsored to attend Cybermummy by     Nursery Value is the e-commerce trading arm of Petite Star, a long standing developer of Pushchairs, Strollers, Travel Systems, rockers, high chairs and other baby nursery products and furniture. I’m so happy to be attending my first Cybermummy and even more excited to be sponsored by a brand which offers quality, affordable products. If you want to find out a bit more about NurseryValue then why not head over to their Facebook page, or stop and ask me at Cybermummy!

  • Gingerbread house finds - Paisley Road - vintage

    Hidden treasures

    May 15, 2011 - By 

    I thought I would share a secret treasure trove we found in our own house. Our lovely terrace house was built in 1912. The layout is completely original except for the loft conversion. We recently renovated the void under the stairs to give us some much needed storage. When the builder was pulling off the old tongue and groove wooden boards he uncovered a time capsule of ancient household items which had been boarded up and forgotten. The contents were seemingly quite random. The largest item was an old tin trunk but there were also picture frames, food tins and…

  • reviews

    The Making of Us by Lisa Jewell: a review

    May 15, 2011 - By 

    In a hospice in Bury St Edmunds, a man called Daniel is slowly fading away. His friend Maggie sits with him every day; she holds his hand and she listens to the story of his life, to his regrets and to his secrets. And then he tells her about the children he has never met and never will, conceived with women he never even touched. For of them, apparently, two boys, two girls. His legacy, he calls them. Lydia, Dean and Robyn don’t know each other. Yet. And they are all facing difficult changes. Lydia is still wearing the scars…