• The Rose book cover 
    book review - What I'm reading

    The Rose: The History of the World’s Favourite Flower

    April 19, 2020 - By 

    Us Brits love our green spaces. We’re lucky to have a little garden and we love pottering round in it, filling it with colour every year. Our back wall is a sun trap and covered with climbing roses. We’ve always enjoyed roses, they seem such an essentially English plant. Which is why I was keen to review The Rose: The History of the World’s Favourite Flower told through 40 extraordinary roses which has recently been published by Welbeck Publishing. The Rose: The History of the World’s Favourite Flower told through 40 extraordinary roses The Rose has been published in collaboration…

  • TATE: Project Print (30 projects to spark your creativity)
    book review - What I'm reading

    TATE: Project Print (30 projects to spark your creativity)

    April 14, 2020 - By 

    I don’t know about you but I love a new craft book for a bit of inspiration or to challenge me to try something new. The lovely people at Octopus Books recently got in touch, asking if I would like to see a copy of TATE: Project Print 30 projects to spark your creativity by Colette Whittington, the next wonderful addition to their list in collaboration with TATE. TATE: Project Print (30 projects to spark your creativity) With this book you can explore the versatile art form of printmaking and develop your skills with 30 eye-catching projects. Whether you are…

  • Ravensburger's Dog's Delight
    Family Life - screen-free activities

    Positively puzzling with Ravensburger’s Dog’s Delight

    March 19, 2020 - By 

    If you’re looking for a screen-free activity to keep the kids busy then look no further than a jigsaw puzzle. We’ve always enjoyed an activity that the whole family can enjoy together and puzzles tick all the boxes for us. The dining room table is the heart of our home and the perfect place to sit and puzzle. The history of the jigsaw puzzle Did you know that John Spilsbury, an engraver and mapmaker, is credited with inventing the first jigsaw puzzle in 1767? He used a map, and since then, pretty much anything has been made into a puzzle,…

  • Win a cute Kawaii Box subscription box
    competition - subscription box

    Win a cute Kawaii Box subscription box

    December 27, 2019 - By 

    As soon as the postman handed me a Kawaii Box the children were really excited. The packaging is so bright and distinctive that they knew exactly what the box was. We’ve reviewed a Kawaii Box before and loved it. In case you haven’t heard of it, it’s a monthly subscription box from Japan filled with cute treats. They believe that a tiny dose of cuteness can provide a huge boost of positivity to our life – and we agree! What’s inside the December Kawaii Box? It’s been a while since we reviewed the Kawaii Box subscription box but we were so…

  • Harry Potter Lex-GO! word game {review}
    Family Life

    Harry Potter Lex-GO! word game {review}

    December 8, 2019 - By 

    I’m a huge fan of word games. I have my own two children and also work in a Secondary School, so I’m always on the look out for a game which is both fun and educational. We have quite a few letter based games and we often get them out of home, as I love to encourage my own children with their home learning. Harry Potter Lex-Go word game! We recently received the special Harry Potter Edition of Lex-Go! to try out at home. This is based on the classic word game Lexicon and the popular Lex-Go! which uses letter…

  • tea tree oil australian bodycare review
    Family Life

    tea tree oil australian bodycare review

    December 4, 2019 - By 

    Disclosure – australian bodycare gifted me these products for the purpose of this post. I remember first discovering tea tree oil when I was at school. Back then I was pretty limited to the products in my local pharmacy, but regularly stocked up on small bottles of tea tree oil as it’s such a miracle product and really helped my skin. Did you know that tea tree oil was used over one hundred years ago in Australia, due to its antiseptic purposes? In the last few decades, this natural medicinal oil has gained worldwide recognition for its beneficial properties. Research…

  • gingerbread house mug from Asda
    Family Life - Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy List {Week 265}

    November 11, 2019 - By 

    I love to start the week by writing the Monday Happy List. 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 enjoy writing. Monday Happy List {Week 265} After a busy week we decided to have a quiet weekend at home. We actually went to view a house near where we live which I immediately fell in love with, but unfortunately I don’t think the house is practical for our family right now.…

  • The Photographer of the Lost by Caroline Scott
    What I'm reading

    The Photographer of the Lost by Caroline Scott

    November 10, 2019 - By 

    Today seems like the perfect day to share my latest book recommendation with you. It is Remembrance Sunday here in the UK and today I have been thinking a lot about the Great Uncle I lost in the First World War. His name was Alfred Young, he was only 21 when he died and he has no known grave. Last week I finished reading The Photographer of the Lost by Caroline Scott which is my favourite book of the year, it was both heart breaking and poignant. The Photographer of the Lost by Caroline Scott Until she knows her husband’s fate, she…

  • Craftfulness - mend yourself by making things
    Craft book review - Crafts for adults

    Crafts books to add to your Christmas list

    November 1, 2019 - By 

    I’ve been sent some lovely books to review recently. I always love to share books as we are a family of bookworms. Hopefully the books I feature on my blog will inspire some of your Christmas wishlists or even purchases for family and friends! Craftfulness – mend yourself by making things The first book was Craftfulness – mend yourself by making things by Arzu Tahsin and Rosemary Davidson. What is that unique feeling that goes hand-in-hand with making something from scratch? Do you ever wonder where the time goes when you’re lost in drawing or working with clay? Are you happiest when…