• How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue
    competition

    {Giveaway} How Beautiful We Were

    September 14, 2022 - By 

    Now the children have gone back to school I’m hoping to have time to read more. Each year I set myself a target to read a certain number of books and it feels like the year is running away from me! I love to share the books I read with you and share the odd book giveaway too. Today I am delighted to have a copy of Imbolo Mbue’s powerful second novel, How Beautiful We Were to giveaway. How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue We should have known the end was near. So begins Imbolo Mbue’s powerful second novel, How Beautiful We…

  • tapestry kit
    Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy Things {Week 413}

    September 12, 2022 - By 

    Starting the week by writing the Monday Happy List is something I’ve been doing for a while. 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 love to sit down and write. Monday Happy Things {Week 413} I’m sure I can’t be the only person who felt unsettled last week. Not only did my children start their new school year but we had a change of Prime Minister followed by the death of the Queen.…

  • {Cricut made} Hocus Pocus Mason Jar Craft
    Crafts for adults - Cricut Maker - Halloween crafts

    {Cricut made} Hocus Pocus Mason Jar Craft

    September 10, 2022 - By 

    We are so excited to celebrate Halloween next month. The shops are full of Halloween decor and we have been busy planning a Halloween costume for our pup to wear when we go Trick or Treating. I am excited to start watching Halloween films with the kids, especially Hocus Pocus 2 which comes out soon. We recently re-watched Hocus Pocus which inspired our Hocus Pocus Mason Jar Craft which features the quotation “Oh look, another glorious morning, makes me sick”. Time: 45 Minutes Materials: 1 sheet white vinyl oracal 1 sheet transfer tape Cricut machine Blue Cricut mat Cricut weeding…

  • The Mega Complicated Crushes of Lottie Brooks by Katie Kirby
    What I'm reading

    The Mega Complicated Crushes of Lottie Brooks by Katie Kirby

    September 7, 2022 - By 

    My daughter came home from her first day in Year 6 with a new badge, that of Librarian! She is a real book-worm and I’m always finding her asleep next to her latest book. She reads a lot which I couldn’t be happier about and we love to read together. We were recently gifted a copy of The Mega Complicated Crushes of Lottie Brooks by Katie Kirby. I love Katie Kirby’s cartoons but I had no idea she had written books for children. The Mega Complicated Crushes of Lottie Brooks The Mega Complicated Crushes of Lottie Brooks is the third…

  • Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy Things {Week 412}

    September 5, 2022 - By 

    Starting the week by writing the Monday Happy List is something I’ve been doing for a while. 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 love to sit down and write. Monday Happy Things {Week 412} I can’t believe the last week of the school holidays is over and my children went back to school this morning. We spent last week camping at Parkdean Resort Thorness Bay on the Isle of Wight and visited…

  • Sunflower Meadow and Maize Maze at Tapnell Farm
    Isle of Wight

    Exploring the Maize Maze at Tapnell Farm

    September 4, 2022 - By 

    Originally a dairy farm, Tapnell has become the Isle of Wight’s leading eco-tourism business where sustainability is at the heart of everything they do. It’s been top of our list of family-friendly places to visit for a while and we finally managed it last week. Tapnell Farm is on the west side of the island, near Yarmouth. They are open all year and it’s a fun place to visit whatever the weather. We love a maize maze and couldn’t wait to walk through the sunflower meadow and maize maze at Tapnell Farm. Sunflower Meadow and Maize Maze at Tapnell Farm…

  • {book review} A Loom of One's Own
    What I'm reading

    {book review} A Loom of One’s Own

    September 3, 2022 - By 

    I love browsing craft books for inspiration and was recently gifted a copy of A Loom of One’s Own: Crafts for Book Lovers by Virginia Wool. This book is the perfect gift for fans of classic novels, crafting and puns. A Loom of One’s Own “Take old, damaged or under-loved books and give them a new reason to be – a new purpose.” – Virginia Wool A Loom of One’s Own is a crafting celebration of literary classics. Packed full of designs, these crafts are all uniquely created by cutting, painting and slicing those old, under-loved books you have lying…

  • Thorness Bay at sunset
    Isle of Wight

    Camping at Parkdean Resorts Thorness Bay Isle of Wight

    September 2, 2022 - By 

    We’ve been lucky to have two holidays on the Isle of Wight this year. Earlier in the year we stayed in a lovely Airbnb in Gurnard and we decided to go back to the island for a camping break during the school holidays. A few years ago we camped at Parkdean Resorts Nodes Point and this time we opted for another Park Dean site, Thorness Bay Holiday Park on the north side of the Isle of Wight. Camping at Parkdean Resorts Thorness Bay Isle of Wight Can you believe we hadn’t camped since 2019, although both the children have with…

  • gingerbread house cross stitch
    Crafts for adults - gingerbread house

    Cross stitch gingerbread house

    September 1, 2022 - By 

    I’m not the biggest fan of the art of cross stitch. Cross stitch is a form of counted thread embroidery which involves an x stitch on fabric with an even and open weave like Aida. Some people think it’s the simplest form of embroidery, but I actually find it quite hard to find the right place for my needle! Thankfully it is easy to see where you’ve gone wrong and unpick a stitch or two. Anyway, when I saw that Cotton Clara had produced a gingerbread house cross stitch kit I bought myself one. I love anything related to gingerbread…