• sweet embroidered violets
    sewing - subscription box

    Spring stitching with the Spring Craftpod 2022 box

    May 12, 2022 - By 

    Spring is my favourite season, along with Autumn. I love watching my garden come to life after the winter months and this year I have reaped the rewards of all the planting I did last year. Spring stitching with the Spring Craftpod 2022 box My garden is full of wild violets which I can never bear to pull up. I’m glad I didn’t as one of the projects in my latest subscription box was a sweet embroidered glasses case featuring violets. I do love my crafty subscription boxes and the Spring Craftpod box was full of treats. I especially loved…

  • Buying Cars: New vs Second-Hand
    Family Life

    Buying Cars: New vs Second-Hand

    May 10, 2022 - By 

    Disclosure – this is a sponsored post When it comes to shoes, buy new. When it comes to furniture, second-hand is fine if it’s in good condition, especially if it’s an antique. And when it comes to cars many people think, erroneously, that new is the only way to go. Now there are benefits to buying new cars – that gorgeous new car smell, for a start! – but there are equal, if not superior, benefits to buying second-hand too! Let’s take a look. Buying Cars: New vs Second-Hand No Recall Risk New cars are fresh off the assembly line,…

  • embroidered violets case
    Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy Things {Week 395}

    May 9, 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 write. Monday Happy Things {Week 395} I love a four day working week! It went super quickly and was pretty busy. We have a house full of Star Wars fans so baked some special Jar Jar Binks shortbread biscuits for Star Wars Day! Have you…

  • Church Gardens
    days out - Hillingdon

    Re-visiting Church Gardens, Harefield

    May 8, 2022 - By 

    A few weeks ago we had the chance to re-visit Church Gardens, Harefield. This is a private garden but open on certain days throughout the year. It’s in a lovely part of north Hillingdon, well worth a visit with kids as there’s always something new to see. Re-visiting Church Gardens, Harefield Our last visit was six months ago so we were looking forward to seeing the gardens in a different season. Our first stop was the walled garden. As it was the beginning of Spring the daffodils were in full bloom. The greenhouse was full of seedlings and it was…

  • Hoop Quilts for Beginners {book review}
    What I'm reading

    Hoop Quilts for Beginners {book review}

    May 7, 2022 - By 

    I love reading craft books, I find them so inspiring especially when I want to try something new. I was recently gifted a copy of Hoop Quilts for Beginners by Anne Marie Chany via NetGalley. I loved the cover of the book – I know you should never judge a book by its cover – which was bright and colourful! Hoop Quilts for Beginners by Anne Marie Chany Hoop Quilts for Beginners: 15 Designs Using Easy Patchwork and Embroidery is by Anne Marie Chany. The craft of hoop quilts combine simple quilting techniques with embroidery, patchwork, and other favourite fabric…

  • Walpole Park Ealing
    Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy Things {Week 394}

    May 2, 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 write. Monday Happy Things {Week 394} I finished the sweetest little embroidered banner which came with Love Embroidery magazine over the weekend. I love a small project which I know I can finish in a few days and it got me back into the mood…

  • How to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee in London with kids
    days out - Local Review - London - Royal crafts

    How to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee in London with kids

    April 29, 2022 - By 

    In June, Her Majesty The Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee (a whopping 70 years of service). The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend takes place between 2nd – 5th June with events taking place all around the country. How to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee in London with kids Trooping the Colour (Saturday 2nd June) Trooping the Colour takes place annually to celebrate the Queen’s birthday . More than 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians will come together in the traditional Parade to mark The Queen’s official birthday. Platinum Party at the Palace…

  • Win a copy of Smile Out Loud: 25 happy poems
    competition

    Win a copy of Smile Out Loud: 25 happy poems

    April 28, 2022 - By 

    From the fantastic duo behind poems aloud comes another compendium of poetry to read out loud and make you smile. Tackle tongue twisters, confound your classmates with riddles, make your friends laugh and transform into a ball of slime as you bring to life 25 poems from award-winning poet Joseph Coelho! Some are odes, some can be said as personal mantras or are just full of words that you can’t help but smile when you hear them. They are designed to be read aloud to project confidence, conjure happiness, make you laugh or cheer others up. This is a book…

  • Love Embroidery pennant stitch kit
    Crafts for adults

    Love Embroidery pennant stitch kit

    April 27, 2022 - By 

    Recently I’ve felt like I’ve lost my crafting mojo. The Easter holidays were busy and we had some lovely days out but the kids stayed up late which left no time for crafting. I have a few projects on the go but none were really grabbing my attention. So I was happy when the May issue of Love Embroidery magazine arrived because it included a lovely free embroidery project. Love Embroidery pennant stitch kit I embroider a lot of hoops so I liked the thought of stitching something a little different. The stitch kit was designed by Jessie Doe and …