• vintage playing card bookmarks
    crafts - Kids crafts - Paper craft - Recycled crafts - tutorial

    DIY paper clip bookmarks

    July 29, 2016 - By 

    We really enjoy taking part in the monthly Project: recycle and create blog hop as it gives us the chance to try different things. This month the theme was Scrap Paper and we decided to make bookmarks. Both children are taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge so this was a fun craft for them to make their own bookmarks. Equipment to make DIY paper clip bookmarks: Large paper clips Scrap paper Scissors Sticky tape How to make DIY paper clip bookmarks: We have lots of scrap paper from magazines, old games as well as vintage papers I’ve found in…

  • I Can Make My Own Accessories book
    book review - crafts - sewing - What I'm reading

    I Can Make My Own Accessories review

    July 28, 2016 - By 

    I love craft books and it seems my enthusiasm has passed to my children too. Every time they hear the sound of the postman dropping a book through the letterbox they rush to open it.  Next month sees the publication of I Can Make My Own Accessories, a follow-on from the popular I Can Make Dolls’ Clothes – both from Thames & Hudson. Written by former head of Children’s Wear Design at Liberty of London Louise Scott-Smith, and graphic designer Georgia Vaux, I Can Make My Own Accessories features on-trend pieces such as a festival garland and brooch. With easy-to-follow guides, this creative book teaches children aged…

  • DIY gold winners trophies craft
    crafts - Olympics - Sports crafts

    DIY gold winners trophies

    July 27, 2016 - By 

    My children are so sporty and I really don’t know where they get it from (clearly not me!). This week they are having fun at Super Camp and it sounds like they are playing all sorts of different games which have inspired me to make these DIY gold winners trophies. I’m really hoping they will want to sit and watch some of the Olympics with me when it starts. I enjoy watching sports and I’m quite enjoying the summer of sports and it’s definitely influencing our crafting. The warm weather has been perfect for our latest craft which I wanted…

  • Mollie Makes Cacti & Succulent Mini Hoop Art
    crafts - Mollie Makes crafts - sewing

    Jenny Makes Mollie Makes Cacti & Succulent Mini Hoop Art

    July 23, 2016 - By 

    Every month I challenge myself to make the Mollie Makes magazine cover gift. I’ve subscribed since it first came out and have a drawer full of unopened kits – but no more! I’ve been making more time for crafting and I love to make the kits and hopefully try something new with each of the cover gifts. Issue 68 included the Mollie Makes Cacti & Succulent Mini Hoop Art kit. It contained everything needed – 2 mini wooden hoops, grey cotton fabric, embroidery threads and a needle. Inside the magazine was a page of 8 patterns for cacti and succulents.…

  • 7 mud kitchen essentials
    crafts - garden crafts - Kids crafts

    7 mud kitchen essentials

    July 14, 2016 - By 

    Our outdoor kitchen has been a big success. Our garden isn’t huge but the children love to be outside so we’ve given them several areas where they can play, explore nature and grow things. I think I enjoyed putting the mud kitchen together just as much as my children enjoy spending time with it. Today I’m sharing some of the mud kitchen essential items which we use the most. 7 mud kitchen essentials 1 A mud kitchen can be as simple or complicated as you like. Before we built our mud kitchen from old pallets the children were happy to…

  • paper weaving at West Elm
    crafts - days out - London - Paper craft

    Paper Party at West Elm ({Blogtacular Part II}

    July 8, 2016 - By 

    It’s time for me to finally sit down and write my second post about Blogtacular and the opening night Paper Party at West Elm. Last year I didn’t go to the Paper Party as I was just too tired from being up at 5 to go on the Photowalk before the conference. I was so envious of all the pictures being posted that I knew I wanted to go this year. The venue was West Elm, an interiors shop on Tottenham Court Road. Paper Makers took over West Elm to bring you hand lettering, paper flower making, colouring, origami, weaving…

  • Easy teacher appreciation card with badge
    crafts - die cutting - Paper craft - Sizzix crafts

    Easy teacher appreciation card with badge

    July 8, 2016 - By 

    Yesterday I shared the hama bead apple my son made. This is a sweet little handmade gift he’ll be giving to his teacher on his last day. Today I’m sharing our Teacher Appreciation card we made using two of my favourite dies – the Sizzix Bigz Die Award and Sizzix Thinlits Die Set Delicate Letters. The card is made in two parts – a separate rosette and card. We made the rosette into a badge which means it can be taken off and worn. You’ll find the full tutorial over on the Sizzix blog now! You may be interested in…

  • Hama bead apple for teacher craft
    Apple Day crafts - crafts - school - tutorial

    Hama bead apple for teacher craft

    July 7, 2016 - By 

    If you’re a parent like me then it can’t have escaped your notice that the end of term is rapidly approaching. Today we had our second Sports Day of the week and we are counting down the days until school is out for the Summer! We have a few weeks left to organise gifts and cards for teachers. This year we’ve had a couple of ideas and today I am going to share the first one with you. Hama bead apple for teacher craft This is a craft which my 6 year old came up with all on his own.…

  • group of Blogtacular attendees in front of a stripey wall
    crafts - days out - London

    Yellow coats and a Photowalk around Notting Hill {Blogtacular Part I}

    July 5, 2016 - By 

    Life has been busy lately which is why it’s taken me a while to get my thoughts written down about Blogtacular. Blogtacular describes itself as “the place for bloggers whose hearts beat with creativity to come together to meet, share and inspire.” I’m not sure that really sounds like me but I went in 2015 and had a great time. Last year I went on the Photowalk with Xanthe Berkeley, enjoyed the talks at the conference and took home an amazing goody bag. When tickets came up for sale this year I bought another one, even though I don’t really…