• book review - Christmas

    Festive reads for kids

    A couple of weeks ago I smugly told you about our annual Book Advent. I thought we had our book list sorted, everything was wrapped and ready for December 1st. Then I received some lovely festive books in the post to review. They are all serious contenders for our festive book list and now I’m not sure what to do. So, let me tell you a little more about them. The first one is Socks for Santa by Adam & Charlotte Guillain, illustrated by Lee Wildish. This is the fifth instalment of the adventures of George, you may remember be shared…

  • Baker Ross Blogger Network - Christmas - gingerbread - Kids crafts - tutorial

    Paper plate gingerbread wreath

    Yesterday I told you about some of the crafts we had been making with some lovely Christmas craft kits from Baker Ross. They make some great gingerbread products and I couldn’t resist buying more craft supplies for the children. Today Little Sis wanted to make something. Mornings are our time and after we had read books and played My Little Pony we were able to sit down and make something together. Much as I love to think about the things I want to make and take my time over them, my children are happy with quick and easy crafts. I…

  • Baker Ross Blogger Network - Christmas - Kids crafts - Winter

    Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

    Both my children enjoy crafting and as they get a little older they are able to craft independently of me. My 5 year old loves to craft and often asks me for a craft to do between getting home from school and dinner. He’s been steadily working his way through a pile of Christmas craft kits from Baker Ross and I’m going to share the end results with you. We love making sun catchers and my 3 and 5 year old enjoyed the Penguin Stained Glass Effect Hanging Decorations. I don’t think penguins are particularly Christmassy but the decorations were…

  • Christmas - days out - London - swap

    Monday happy things

    I’m sure I’m not the only one finding life exceptionally busy at the moment. In the next couple of weeks I have two birthdays, two weekends away and the school Christmas Fair which I’m helping to organise. It’s time for my weekly Monday happy things post before I face the week. On Saturday I enjoyed a trip into London for the 4th annual Mumsnet Blogfest. I missed last year but went to the first Blogfest in 2012 and the second one in 2013. I have never hung out on the Mumsnet forums but Blogfest is amazing. It’s more about good…

  • Advent crafts - Christmas - Crafts for kids

    Homemade Christmas Countdown for kids

    One thing I love about my children is they have no concept of time yet. My 3 year old struggles with the concept of more than one day in the past or the future. My 5 year old has a better understanding, thanks to monthly calendars which we have around the house. My children are really excited about Christmas, and keep asking how many sleeps, so I thought it was about time we made our own Christmas Countdown. Visual is perfect for their age so we made a simple and colourful countdown. Supplies to make a Homemade Christmas Countdown for…

  • Christmas - Playmobil Playologist

    Playmobil Advent Calendar Fire Rescue Operation with Card Game

    Over the last few years we’ve been the lucky receipents of a Playmobil Advent calendar thanks to our role as a #PlaymobilPlayologist. My favourite was the Playmobil Santa’s Workshop Advent Calendar although my 5 year old loved the Playmobil Pirates Treasure Cove advent calendar. I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas so I admit I was a tiny bit disappointed when we received the Playmobil Advent Calendar Fire Rescue Operation with Card Game 5495 to review. image credit Playmobil Advent Calendar Fire Rescue Operation with Card Game There’s a fire in the motorcycle workshop (diorama)! Every…

  • Christmas - sewing - upcycling

    Monday Happy Things

    Happy Monday everyone, hope you had a great weekend. Yesterday I went clothes shopping with my 3 year old which is always an adventure. She has a huge appetite for trying on clothes. All we needed was a new winter coat but it ended up taking hours. She tried on every one we saw and we went back and bought the first one we tried! I see lots more shopping fun in the future! I got the boxes of Christmas decorations out of the loft so I could sort through them and make an early start on my Christmas crafting.…

  • Christmas - gingerbread - Handmade gifts

    Christmas ideas from Hobbycraft

    As an avid crafter I love to see which crafts are going to be big at Christmas. On a very hot day in the summer holidays I went into London for the Hobbycraft Autumn/Winter press show which featured ideas for Halloween and Christmas. There were so many lovely things to see and I’ve been patiently waiting for the items to hit the shelves of my local Hobbycraft for weeks! Christmas ideas from Hobbycraft I’m going to share some of the many photos I snapped at the press show. First there was a large area dedicated to Advent calendars. Hobbycraft sell…

  • Christmas - competition - days out - eating

    Celebrating those special Christmas moments with Waitrose

    Christmas came early for me this year thanks to a special invitation to celebrate those special Christmas moments with Waitrose at the Waitrose Cookery School in Finchley Road, London. The evening was hosted by Phillip Schofield and I learnt how to make cocktails and cupcakes as well as sample the most amazing Christmas dinner, courtesy of the very talented Cookery School chefs. You may be asking why I was invited to Christmas dinner in November. Well, throughout November and December, Waitrose are celebrating all of the different moments that symbolise Christmas – whether it’s decorating the Christmas tree, enjoying the first…