• Westwood Manor Wiltshire
    days out - National Trust - parenting - Wiltshire

    Westwood Manor {a National Trust day out}

    September 3, 2016 - By 

    Last week we had a few days with my mum in Wiltshire. We’ve always wanted to visit Westwood Manor, a small National Trust property near Bradford on Avon. Although owned by the NT it has live in tenants so is only open for a few days in the year. We usually travel home on Sundays but thanks to the Bank Holiday we were staying for the long weekend so could visit! With two youngish children I have to admit that this year we haven’t renewed our National Trust membership for the first time in about 10 years. We usually visit Hughenden…

  • Lego - National Trust - vintage

    Monday happy things

    August 17, 2015 - By 

    We’re now halfway through our summer holidays. The days are flying by and we’ve had lots of fun this week. My Monday happy things are: I went to a fun workshop to celebrate the launch of Furniture Hacks by Hesta Van Overbeek at West Elm. Her book is lovely, packed full of ways to upcycle and update your home, and I will be reviewing it here shortly. I made a clock using a plate from West Elm which is one of the projects in the book. My 3 year old went to her first ballet class. She sulked a lot…

  • days out

    Monday happy things

    November 3, 2014 - By 

    Half term has meant a welcome break from the normal routine. My mum came to visit and we spent a lovely few days at her house in Wiltshire too. My son’s new bed was delivered. He was so excited about swapping his cot bed for a proper big boy bed. His enthusiasm didn’t last long when he fell out of bed on his first night but we’ve now put a bed guard up and he’s much happier. We spent a day at Hughenden Manor, one of my favourite local National Trust places. The rain stopped as we arrived so we…

  • days out - Handmade gifts - National Trust - Orla Kiely

    Monday happy things

    September 29, 2014 - By 

    So it’s only the second time I have written my Monday happy post but already it’s making me happy just thinking about what to write about. I’ve decided to pick 5 things which have made me happy over the last week but I could easily have written more: On Saturday we booked ourselves on a tour of the beautiful Red House, the only house commissioned, created and lived in by William Morris, founder of the Arts & Crafts movement. He only lived in it for 5 years but it still retains some pieces of furniture, wall paintings and decorations that…

  • days out

    Fluffy pillows and sweet dreams

    September 1, 2013 - By 

    We had a really lovely couple of days in Cambridge, mainly thanks to Travelodge who have just opened its largest hotel to date in Cambridge on Newmarket Road, and invited us to visit. Cambridge is the perfect distance from London, about an hour by car, so we jumped at the chance. We always stay at a Travelodge when we visit my sister so I was intrigued by the new look Travelodge rooms. Before we got to Cambridge we stopped off and visited Wimpole Hall which is a fabulous National Trust property on the outskirts of Cambridge. When we had spent…

  • days out - holidays - Wiltshire

    Family fun at Lacock Abbey

    July 28, 2013 - By 

    I’m very proud to say that today is Day 2 of our holiday and we’ve used our National Trust membership on two consecutive days! We’ve been members for years but have found the children never really enjoyed our trips – until now! Yesterday we had a lovely walk around Avebury stone circle and today we were at Lacock Abbey. Family fun at Lacock Abbey It’s been a while since I last visited and is now laid out through the memories of the last resident, Matilda Talbot. The children enjoyed following the children’s trail, watching the Zoetrope go round and spotting…