• days out - mindfulness - Orla Kiely

    Monday Happy List – Week 87

    May 23, 2016 - By 

    Last week was one of those really busy weeks with lots of mundane things. We had an after-school Doctor’s appointment, every member of the family had a hair cut and there were 2 trips to the Dentist. Thank goodness for fun things too though, my 6 year old received a new badge from Beavers and both kids tried karate for the first time. I love the fact they get to try new things, although I noticed there was an adult karate class too…. I sent and received a parcel for the Nana Company swap I recently took part in. My…

  • queens tea party invitation
    days out - mindfulness

    Monday happy list – week 86

    May 16, 2016 - By 

    One of my favourite things about blogging is the chance to sit down and look through my pictures, seeing what we’ve been up to and writing about them. It’s such a cliche but true – the days are long but the years are short. Looking through photos of the past week there are lots of pictures from school as I was involved in the annual School Fair at the weekend. The day went really well, everyone seemed to have fun and hopefully we raised lots of money for school. The second biggest number of photos was crafty photos as we…

  • The One and Only elephant parade Colouring Book
    book review - crafts - mindfulness - What I'm reading

    Adult colouring reinvented in postcard form

    May 10, 2016 - By 

    You all know how much I love my adult colouring books. I now have 2 shelves full of them from Orla Kiely to Vogue covers and everything in between. They are my favourite thing to pick up when I need some quiet time away from a screen. I’m always Instagram-ming my latest title and my only teeny tiny complaint is the size of them. I think my friends would tell you I’m a tiny bit impatient to fill in a hugely intricate design on an A4 sheet. Which is why I’m really enjoying the fact that the adult colouring book…

  • mindfulness - parenting - sewing

    Monday happy list – week 85

    May 9, 2016 - By 

    It’s been such a busy week but as usual I’m happy to sit down and share the 5 things that have made me happy in the last 7 days. I started the week by buying a new car. It’s only my third ever car but definitely a step up from old, much-loved one. My new-to-me car has a (working!) radio, two sun roofs and central locking. I’m still getting used to it but it feels so good to have a decent car. I’ve made a real effort to catch up on some sewing projects this week which has been lovely.…

  • english paper pieced diamonds
    days out - family - homestyle - mindfulness - National Trust - sewing

    Monday happy list – week 83

    April 25, 2016 - By 

    I’m not sure why but I haven’t felt in the mood for sewing recently. I have lots of things to make, such as my Shipping Forecast quilt and a fun Nana Company swap deadline looming. The only thing I have been stitching are pretty yellow English Paper Pieced diamonds from the last issue of Mollie Makes. Normally I love to make the cover gifts so something is definitely wrong with me if I’m still making it (the new issue landed on my doorstep today!). The yellow EPP diamonds will eventually make a Starburst Sampler which I’m going to hang on my…

  • Lego Friends Emma's Creative Workshop
    book review - family - mindfulness - parenting

    Monday Happy List – week 82

    April 18, 2016 - By 

    Last week I had a job interview. It felt good to put some nice clothes on and talk about my career pre-children. Unfortunately I didn’t get the job but the interview experience was really useful so I’m feeling positive about getting a job soon. With my youngest starting Reception in September I really feel like it is time to get my working life back on track. I love this time of year. The sun actually has some heat to it and I’ve been wearing sandals 🙂 The children have been enjoying the longer days and have both been in shorts…

  • outdoor mud kitchen
    mindfulness - parenting

    Monday happy list – week 81

    April 11, 2016 - By 

    I was really happy that my choir started again last week, I missed it over the holidays. This term we’re singing a concert arrangement of My Fair Lady based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. The book and lyrics are by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe and it’s fun learning something new. It also makes me want to watch the film and Pretty Woman too! I’ve started the Minimalsim Game with my sister. Our house is in desperate need of decluttering and this is a fun way to do it. I wrote a little more about it on…

  • holidays - mindfulness

    Monday Happy List – week 79

    March 28, 2016 - By 

    I’ve really struggled with what to post today. I love my weekly feature of writing about my 5 favourite things from the previous week. However for once I felt stuck. We’re currently away on holiday in Devon and I’ve been enjoying relaxing so much more than writing on my blog. We usually stay in an amazing little fisherman’s cottage on the beach. We all love it and it’s come to feel like a second home (how I wish it was!). So this week’s Monday Happy List is all about the things we’re enjoying whilst we’re away from home. I love how…

  • mindfulness - sewing

    Monday happy list – week 77

    March 14, 2016 - By 

    Happy Monday everyone, hope you had a great weekend. Time for my weekly post about all the things which have made me really happy over the last 7 days. Sometimes I struggle to find 5 things, other days I have more than 5 and have a hard job picking my favourite 5. The idea is to remind myself of all the good things which happen and be more mindful. I got my Shipping Forecast quilt out, albeit briefly. Life is just crazy at the moment and I need to spend more time doing the things I enjoy. So far I…