Me and my shadow

Are we nearly there yet? Book review and giveaway

2012-01-27T08:08:00.000-08:00

The term 'Laugh out Loud' is oft overused these days. It's lost it's meaning. But in the true sense of the expression, it can be applied to Ben Hatch's book by the bucket-load.

Not only did I laugh, but I laughed til there were tears rolling down my face. Til my sides were aching. Til my other half poked his head round the door and asked "what's going on?".

Are we nearly there yet tells of the journey of Ben, his wife and their two pre-school children, who embark on an epic round Britain trip reviewing child-friendly visitor attractions for a guide book. There are moments of madness, where I've secretly planned a similar kind of last yahoo before Ruby starts school. However, one short trip in the car to the supermarket usually brings me back to my senses.

Apart from the obvious hilarity, I warmed to this book instantly because the family were so familiar. Phoebe is exactly the same age as my own daughter, and has much the same personality. As the grown ups, Ben and his wife clearly love each other deeply (you'd have to to be with someone 24/7 for 6 months). The relationship between Ben and his wife Dinah is clearly one of a couple who fit like a comfy worn in pair of slippers. I mean that in the nicest possible way. They share a history, they know what each other is thinking, they are capable of insane arguments about the most meaningless issues, and their not averse to a bit of good old-fashioned affectionate name calling - just like me and the old man.

For a male author (sweeping generalisation alert) I was quite un-nerved by Ben's insightful writing about his wife. After a disagreement and a bit of sulking, he reflects how Dinah does that barely noticeable slightly slower walk to make it look like he's storming off. How she lowers her voice ever so slightly to make it appear that he's the one shouting. Hell, I didn't even realise I did that, but I do!

As well as the car journey, Ben embarks on an emotional voyage. His father falls ill at the beginning of the trip and this leads to a battle of emotions - pride; resentment; rebellion; admiration; love; and regret. The descriptions of his father on his sick bed moved me to tears as much as the comic scenes.

There are so many passages I could recount for you, but I don't want to spoil the read. If you've got young kids, had young kids or know young kids, this is a must read. Seek it out. Its available on Kindle too at only 99p currently.

I have one paperback copy to give away so read on.

Ben is a big fan of Twitter, so it's great to be able to chat to him there. After reading this book I feel like I know him. There's certainly much 'sharing' going on in the novel and i feel as though I know him a little too well. He was also kind enough to give me an interview...

It was clearly a massive leap of faith to pack up your home and leave your friends and extended family behind for 6 months. What were you most nervous about before setting off?

Ben: The kids were 3 and 1. Charlie was in nappies, still having formula and we’d set ourselves this incredibly ambitious target of visiting almost 1000 family-friendly attractions. We’d have to stay in a different hotel almost every night and we were visiting every single town and city in the country. To be honest if I’d known we’d be driving 8,000 miles we’d never have gone. Neither my wife nor I slept the night before. I’d have been less scared if we’d going on an Apollo mission. It was also the fact we’d rented out the house. If we hadn’t done that I’m sure we’d have given up. My brother predicted that either my wife or I would come home chopped up in a bin-bag in the roof-box. We did have arguments along the way. We even managed a big one about which type of owl was best – tawny or barn. But I think I was most worried the kids would hate it. But they didn’t. To them it was a great adventure.

I'm often guilty of over-sharing on Twitter and my blog. Hilarious as it was, do you think the toothbrush incident was a step too far? Is nothing sacred?

Ben: It was not in the original manuscript actually. I only included it at the last moment during the rushed editing process. I think if I had included at the outset it would have cut. I knew it was massively embarrassing but I thought it was funny as well, so I included it. For some people it’s a bridge too far on taste grounds. For others it’s their favourite sequence of the book. I don’t have a problem with writing about it because in my mind I have a sort of switch that I flick when I write something compromising. The switch means I can tell myself I didn’t really say that and that nobody really read that. I’m pressing it right now as I’m talking to you. This isn’t happening. We aren’t talking about this. I have no idea what toothbrush you’re not talking about. He stuck it where?.....

Do you think Phoebe and Charlie absorbed any of the history, science and geography of Britain on the trip, or did they learn other life lessons?

Ben: They learned nothing at all as far as I can tell. We imagined before we set off they’d come back so steeped in culture that one of them would probably end up the chairman of the Arts Council or something. We held that viewed up until the night when Phoebe wet herself in the Shakespeare Birthplace Museum, the same day and I lost the key to the roof-box containing Charlie’s nappy changing stuff meaning we had to change him on a bench in the rain outside Anne Hathaway’s cottage using 3 KFC Lemonfresh wipes. If they learnt anything though it was to be good friends with each other. They spent all that time with each other and as a result came to rely on each other’s company. They’re very, very close now. Much closer than other siblings we know with children the same age.

How did the kids settle in back once you got back home?

Ben: Well they don’t like driving much. They hate all long trips. Our daughter has also unexpectedly, or perhaps as defensive measure against future trips, developed car sickness. She vomits now during any journey over 20 miles on any non-straight road. We’ll probably hear about the other affects through their therapists in 20 years time.

I can't wait to catch up on what you've all been up to. When's the next book out?

Ben: I am in the process of writing it now. Not sure when it’ll be out. But thanks for asking. Next year, I hope. It’s set in France. I need a good title. Any ideas anyone?

You're clearly a big fan of Twitter. What benefits does it bring you as an author?

Ben: It’s a fantastic tool for authors, I think, because it allows you direct access to your readers. Normally authors meet readers at book signings. That’s a slightly intimidating atmosphere where the author sits at a table in a bookshop and signs. It’s a little hierarchical. You’re sort of setting yourself apart just by being there with your pen poised. On twitter everyone’s equal. People are much more free with their thoughts. There’s no barrier. My favourite book growing up was Catcher in the Rye. In it the main character Holden Caulfied,l a hero of mine as kid, rues the fact that he can’t call up say F Scott Fitzgerald, I think it is, and tell him what great book he’s written. Now you can do that on twitter. Holden Caulfield would definitively have been on twitter.

Finally, I have to ask. Is your wife really that scared of those creatures that shall remain nameless?

Ben: She is indeed. If anything, as every year goes by she is worse. The other day I was going to follow back someone on twitter. Their twitpic was of three tortoises. Dinah wouldn’t let me follow them back in case she looked over my shoulder and saw the picture. I tried to explain to the person why I couldn’t follow them back. They didn’t understand. The person thought I was crazy and blocked me. Cheloniaphobia. Fear of all tortoises and things that like tortoises ie turtles. If we go anywhere risky – zoos, safari parks, butterfly farms are particular bad – I have to guide her through enclosures while she holds a brochure up to the side of her face I’ve earmarked as the “tortoisey one.” The kids all know about it and warn her if ever they see one. “Mum, close your eyes. My hold out your hand.” I blame my wife for all the strange fears my kids have. My daughter was scared of the moon and steam for a long time and my son until recently was scared of all manikins particularly, for some reason, Victorian ones. He would fasten himself to my leg like a shin-pad whenever he saw one.

Massive thanks to Ben for taking the time to answer my questions, but mostly for writing such a fantastic book. If you'd like to win a copy of the book, simply leave a comment below saying why you'd like to read it. For an additional entry please tweet "I'm entering @missielizzieb's blog competition to win a copy of Ben Hatch's Are we Nearly There Yet http://bit.ly/wLt65E". Please leave an additional comment to say you've tweeted and remember to leave a method of contact.

The winner will be chosen at random after 5pm on 06 February 2012.

This is not a sponsored post, all views expressed are my own and the prize is supplied by myself.

Add Bio Oil to your daily routine

2012-01-27T03:15:00.000-08:00

I'm sure most of us mums will be familiar with Bio Oil - it seems to be the universally recognised cure for stretch marks. I know I used it during and post pregnancy and never seemed to be afflicted with stretch marks, and I've also used it successfully on a scar.

However, I'd never really thought of it as an everyday beauty product, more something to use as a drastic repair! When I was contacted and asked if I'd like to try some for general use, I was intrigued.

I was sent some suggestions of other uses for the oil - I have to say I'd never thought of using it to soften cuticles or hard skin. There's so many ways in which Bio Oil can benefit your skin. Take a look.

Now, don't laugh. I thought I'd put it to the test on my butt. By pure chance I read something recently about the condition Keratosis Pilaris - or 'Chicken Skin'. It was a revelation to me. I've suffered from this bumpy skin for as long as I can remember, and I never knew it had a name! It started in my teens and just affected my buttocks - no big deal, they're not exactly on display. But as I've got older its slowly crept down to the backs of my thighs as far as the back of my knees, and also on the backs of my upper arms. Whilst it's reassuring to discover that 40% of adults suffer from this (I'm not as much of a freak as I thought) it's not great to hear there's no real cure for it. Its does affect my everyday life. You'll almost never see me in a skirt, and certainly not with bare legs. I hate to go swimming, and if I do I wear a swimsuit with shorts legs.

So, nothing ventured, nothing gained, I started applying Bio Oil daily to these areas. Don't panic, there aren't any before and after shots of my backside coming.

If you've not used it before, then let me talk a bit about the oil. It has a lovely light scent (that'll be the calendula; lavender, chamomile and rosemary oil). Although it's an oil, it's not greasy. I apply it after a shower and then get dressed - I've not had any problems with it getting on my clothes (I might be a bit more careful if I was wearing something delicate like silk though!).

A little goes a long way too. I've been using a 60ml bottle which retails at around £8.95 (you can purchase from all good chemists and cosmetic departments) for 10 days and I've used about 1/10th of the bottle.

So, after 10 days, I asked the old man to do the touch test. Well, after feeling my butt and my thighs, he gave me his verdict. Whilst flattering after nearly 9 years together, most of his remarks were unprintable. When I asked him for a sensible opinion that I could write, he said there was a 'radical and remarkable difference'. After telling him "not now dear, I'm in the middle of a blog post", I have to agree.

Both the visual appearance and the texture of my skin is massively improved. No longer does it feel like I have permanent goose-bumps, but my skin feels smooth and soft for the first time in years. Normal moisturiser simply isn't this effective. I'm so pleased with the improvement, and will continue this routine.

I've also used the Bio Oil as an 'emergency repair' for dry, chapped skin on my face and lips after being out in the cold wintry wind, and I've been sneaking up at night to pop a little dab on Ruby's chicken pox scar on her nose. Is that wrong? Well, I know when I reached my teens, I HATE my chicken pox scar on my face.

So there you have it. Huge thumbs up for Bio Oil from me and my butt.

How do you use yours?

Disclosure: I was sent a bottle of Bio Oil free of charge for the purposes of this review. However, all opinions are my own and are honest and accurate.

Papier-mâché Magnets

2012-01-24T06:53:00.000-08:00

I was searching my brain trying to think up something we could make for Daddy for Valentine's Day. I spotted some heart shaped silicone moulds in Poundland and an idea was born! You can pick up all sorts of different shaped silicone moulds in discount stores such as Ikea, pound shops and Wilkinson's. Ice cube trays and small cake cases work well.

You'll need:

Silicone moulds
Newspaper
Flour
Water
Bowl
Paint & brushes
Glue
Magnets (I bought a cheap set from Wilkinson's and prised them out of their uninspiring casing)

Mix up a paste of one part white plain flour to two parts water. You can add a squeeze of PVA glue if you like, but it's not necessary.

Tear the newspaper into small pieces. The smaller the better.

Dip pieces of paper into the paste and squeeze out the excess. This is a VERY messy job, and Ruby didn't quite get the squeezing off the excess part! I found what worked best was to use some gloopy pieces, then add dry to soak up the excess. Keep building up the layers, pressing down firmly every now and again to compress and make sure you're filling every part of the mould.

I found this quite cathartic, and carried on doing it long after Ruby had gone to bed!

In hindsight, it may have been better to do this in two stages - half filling then allowing to dry out overnight, before continuing, but I'm not known for my patience!

Find a nice warm spot for them to dry out, like near a radiator. Ours took 2 days to fully dry.

Carefully peel back the mould and pop your shape out. If it's still a bit wet at the bottom, you can re-shape any bits that have come loose and leave to dry for a bit longer.

Paint with your favourite colours. You'll need several coats and I was surprised how well Ruby did at this craft. There's a lot of processes and waiting time, but she was happy to do a bit, leave it and come back to it.

Ruby used poster paints for hers, and I used gold acrylic on mine for more grown up magnets for my study!

When you're happy with the amount of coats of paint, and they're fully dry, glue a magnet onto the back. You'll need to use strong glue like superglue or a glue gun.

Stand back and admire your work, and use them to leave soppy love notes to each other.

Linking up with Red Ted Art. and White Lily Green.

Loose yourself in the Land Of Sometimes

2012-01-24T05:41:00.000-08:00

Every now and again, something comes along which is quite simply, perfect. The Land of Sometimes CD is just that. You'll forgive my effusing about it, but I honestly can't find a single criticism of it. I want every child and parent to enjoy this magical journey.

Young twins, Alfie and Elise wander off in their imaginations to the Land Of Sometimes, encountering fantastical characters along the way. Each character has their own story which is told in song. Each style is different from the last, some upbeat poppy tunes, others tranquil soothing melodies.

Ruby's favourite is Little Twink, an up tempo disco song about a cheeky naughty fairy who messes up bedrooms while you're asleep - don't we all have one of them?

My favourite is either the very first song "dare make a wish" or the sublimely brilliant "Mrs Blip", a belter of a song, it's soul but with a hint of the east and sung my none other than Ruby Turner.

In fact, the credentials of this production are immense. The words, lyrics and original concept are by Francesca Longrigg, an accomplished actress, musician and singer. The producer Chicky Reeves has worked with talent as diverse as Ray Charles, Johnny Cash and Radiohead.

The narrator Nicholas Jones has a gentle but commanding voice, and the storytelling seamlessly joins the songs together coherently. The narration is minimal, so there's no danger of boredom, and equally the music can be enjoyed in it's own right. If for example you have it on in the background as we do when we're baking or crafting at home, you can dip in and out of it. But played in the car or at bedtime, we're totally entranced.

Even the artwork on the packaging is enticing. The cover itself moves away from the traditional plastic type, and instead is a book which can be viewed to enhance the story. The website is one of the best I've seen for children in a long time. You can listen to clips of the songs, download the lyrics so you can sing along, explore the map of the Land of Sometimes, learn more about the characters and use their fun activity section.

Due for release on 6th February 2012 priced at £8.99 you can pre-order with Amazon here now.

I implore you, if you buy one music CD for your kids this year, make it this one. I only wish it was out now, I know a pair of twins with a birthday coming up who would adore this!

Disclosure: I was sent a preview copy of this CD for the purposes of this review free of charge. However, the views and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

What will uDraw?

2012-01-23T03:28:00.000-08:00

Some time ago I wrote about the uDraw tablet for Wii.

Since then, I'm very pleased to say we've now joined the 21st century, and thanks to my brother, we have a Wii - hooray. Not only that, but the lovely people at the world of uDraw, sent us a tablet to play with. The tablet comes complete with uDraw studio instant artist, which is full of great features.

It took Ruby a little while to get the hang of, but being more computer literate that her Mummy, she soon sussed it and was quickly scribbling away. Her artistic skills at aged 3 and a half aren't exactly developed, but I can see her getting more and more use out of the features and functions as she grows. I also think it's going to be great to help her practise her writing and letters. It's a mess free way of creating masses and masses of art, and sharing it with others.

The tablet is sturdy and robust and the stylus chunky enough for even little hands to master. Ruby has great fun 'painting' on different 'surfaces' like cardboard, paper, chalkboard etc with different effects and techniques - you can even create 'graffiti' on a concrete background! ("Graffiti's naughty Mummy").

I tried to get some photos of her creating, but she kept throwing an artistic wobbly because I was disturbing her concentration!!

Artist at work

Take a look at the online gallery to see some of the amazing creations that are possible with the uDraw.

I have to say, that as a left-hander I found it slightly difficult to use. The stylus can be used to draw with either the left or right hand, but the Wii remote contoller docks on the left hand side of the tablet, so I found myself crossing my hands over so I could draw with my left hand and press menu keys with my right. The righties in my house had no trouble though. Also, we don't have the slimline Wii remote, so although ours works fine, it didn't slot in neatly as it's supposed to.

We were also sent a copy of Pictionary which was ace. I love the traditional Pictionary game anyway, and this seemed more fun using the tablet than pen and paper. The game suits my basic stick man style of drawing, and I'm pretty good at Pictionary. I can see this becoming a firm favourite when we have friends round.

The uDraw tablet is available online and in store from all good games retailers.

Disclosure: We were sent a uDraw tablet and games to try for the purposes of this review. However, no financial reward was paid and any views expressed are my own and are honest.

Magpie Monday - cushioning the blow

2012-01-23T02:25:00.000-08:00

There's a car boot sale that runs every Sunday approximately 10 minutes walk from my house. I'd never yet managed to haul my sorry ass out of bed before 10am at the weekend - given the choice of a lie-in in a warm bed and walking around stalls in the freezing cold, my bed will win every time.

However, this weekend I was up in time, so I pootled off down the road, enjoying some time to myself. The old man's farewell of "don't come home with tonnes of crap" and Ruby's plea of "bring me a present back" ringing in my ears.

It's an 'indoor' car boot sale, housed in a giant and dimly lit warehouse. I'm informed at the door that this is the last week, so at least I know I won't have to get up next weekend. There's a brazier outside, billowing out acrid smoke, so it feels more like I'm crossing a picket line than looking for bargains.

Inside there's lots of stalls over overpriced, rusty old 'antique' tools and several people selling off their entire collections of porcelain shoes. Inexplicably there's also a stall which seems to be selling nothing but pack of pot noodles.

Amongst the filthy tat, I manage to find a stall selling lots of sewing ephemera, and pick up a couple of wooden cotton reels to add to my collection and a card with miniature mother of pearl buttons which will be prefect for some craft or other.

She also sells me a vintage pair of pinking shears for £3. My current pinking shears are totally blunt and after asking around it appears they can't be re-sharpened and a decent new pair will cost me £40 minimum.

On the next stall I spot this beautiful old handmade cushion for £2. The tassels are a bit ratty and I expect will soon be having an appointment with my scissors, but apart from that I love it. Even the old man agrees I did well.

What second-hand treasures have you found? Please grab the badge and link up below.

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Baking Day

2012-01-19T11:43:00.000-08:00

We get two whole days a week where it's just me and Ruby. It's 'our special weekend'. Just us, nobody else.

Today the weather was miserable, and we'd had a busy day yesterday, so we declared it 'Baking Day'. Hurrah!

Ruby was very keen to make some olive bread. I have to admit that whilst I do make bread at home, I tend to use the bread maker. But there's not exactly much toddler participation opportunity in that is there?

So, here's the ingredients:

275g strong white flour
50g wholemeal flour
6g sachet of easy yeast
1/2 tsp salt (I left this out)
210ml lukewarm water
1tbsp olive oil
115g black olives

Weigh out the dry ingredients and add to a bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm water and oil.

Next, bring the dough together then turn out onto a floured surface (that's a LIGHTLY floured surface Ruby!). Knead for about 10 minutes. This was hard work so we took it in turns, but she did perfect the technique.

Next she oiled the bowl with some olive oil on a piece of kitchen roll, and we popped the dough in to rise. Cover with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for an hour to double in size.

Ruby got a bit bored - an hour is ages in Toddler time, so we used the lull to make some blueberry muffins - read on for that.

She was thrilled to see how much the dough had risen and that the yeast had done it's job.

We removed the dough, 'knocked it back' - which to Ruby meant punch it!

Next, to chop the olives. Because we were using olives from a jar, we strained off first and patted dry with kitchen towel.

For the first time ever, I allowed Ruby to use a sharp knife and do the cutting. I think my being a bit more chilled out and giving her more responsibility allowed us to have a much better time in the kitchen today.

We flattened out the dough, sprinkled on the chopped olives before rolling it up and kneading to distribute them throughout the bread.

Then, oil a baking sheet, shape the dough into an oval and place it on the tray. Mark some deep cuts on the top, then cover with cling film and leave again for 30 mins - yawn.

Finally, pop into oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 35 minutes.

Whilst all that waiting and baking was going on, I knocked up a lasagna and Ruby helped grate (eat) the Parmesan.

So, that's main course taken care of. Pudding? Oh yes, the mini blueberry muffins. Here's what you need:

100g blueberries (I used a jar)
50g caster sugar
50g butter
150g self raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
75ml milk

We put everything except the blueberries into a bowl and whisked! Again, the first time I've let her use the electric mixer on her own - without me clinging onto either the bowl or the mixer! She was fine.

Then we stirred in the blueberries carefully. Spoon the mixture into mini muffin tins/cases. Tip: leave one empty so it's easier to get a grip and remove from the oven!

Bake for 30 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius.

Our final flourish was to use the juice from the jar of blueberries in a cream.

We mixed two large tablespoons of soft cheese with two tablespoons of double cream, the juice and two tablespoons of icing sugar to make purple cream!

That was dinner complete! I have to say, for once Ruby ate EVERYTHING on her plate AND sat down for the entire meal - a miracle.

Pudding was a triumph too. Daddy has now declared every Thursday 'Baking Day'!

What have I learnt? Less stress = more fun.

I'm linking this up with Red Ted Art who are running a kid's cookery contest with Appliances online and this is my entry to Appliances Online Messy Kids Cooking Competition with Baby Budgeting. Go check them out!

Win Flowers Every Day

2012-01-19T04:53:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves to recieve flowers - whether it's for your birthday, Valentine's Day, when you're poorly, or better still 'just because'.

Funny How Flowers Do That have been giving away bouquets of flowers every day since 3rd November, and they are continuing to spread the love for 100 days. That's a total of 1,000 bunches of flowers!

They sent me a beautiful bouquet which certainly lifted my mood and made me smile. Full of spring flowers, I've split them up and filled our rooms with them.

Why not enter each day? Take part here and follow the prompts. You could brighten someone's day - or even your own!

Wedding Fund Plan

2012-01-19T02:03:00.000-08:00

Did I mention we're finally going to tie the knot? Of course I did (prepare to be bored to tears with the minute details...) for now, I need to come up with a radical saving/money making plan. From now on, I shall be couponing like a good 'un; I shall compare car insurance and energy bills to get the best deals; I shall clear out my junk on eBay and I will open a savings account. I’ve made a start by advertising our driveway parking space for rent, and I’m religiously following money-saving blogs and reading newsletters.

Although I consider myself thrifty in some areas, my money saving is totally unorganised. While I'll save pennies in some areas, we splash out frivolously in others - I shall be sad to see our regular Friday night bite the dust. But I guess I could make my own instead?

I've never really saved up for a specific purpose, so I'm telling myself it's quite exciting actually. For years I've lived by the mantra that saving is for losers - and this has been borne out with the paltry interest rates on offer of late. But no, my mindset has to change.

With the cost of an average wedding reported to be over £15,000 there are a lot of pennies to be saved. Apparently the average spend on a wedding has dropped by £5,000 in the past few years. I doubt that's because things are getting cheaper, more likely that couples are cutting back.

So I'm asking for your help. Besides the things I've mentioned above, what else do you suggest to cut back and save up? Should I set us a target amount or will that only depress me? Where is the best place to open a savings account – is anyone offering any interest at the moment?

Disclaimer: Sponsored post.

Magpie Monday - Bowled Over

2012-01-16T01:39:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's Magpie Monday again!

If you're new round these parts, then welcome, welcome. So, what's it all about then? Magpie Monday is my weekly link-up party where you are all invited to share your second-hand purchases. To show that you can give a new home or a new lease of life to something pre-loved. To prove that we don't always have to buy brand new. This way, we can save a few quid, and by recycling and reusing, do our bit for the planet too.

So grab a cuppa, put your feet up and have a slightly voyeuristic peep at the treasures people have been rescuing.

Most of the items I've shared with you recently have been 'raw materials' to get crafty with. This week I couldn't resist the temptation of this bag of leather scraps I spotted in a charity shop. It's full of nice, sizeable pieces of buttery tan coloured leather and I can't wait to get cracking with it.

Trouble is, I've never made anything from leather before. I really fancy making some flowers for brooches, but there's a bit more googling to do yet I think.

It was a bit of a quiet week shopping wise. I intended to check out my local car boot sale yesterday but as it was 10am by the time I finally surfaced I well and truly missed that boat.

I did manage to get my hands on this lovely wooden bowl though, and I'm over the moon with it. It was in the window of a charity shop and I couldn't quite make out the price sticker. I thought it said £12.50 so when I went in and enquired and was told £2.50 I was delighted.

It's very rustic, a bit wonky but full of character. It's also HUGE, and sits proudly now on our dining table filled with apples. The added bonus being that Ruby can reach this bowl (unlike the fruit bowl in the kitchen) and it fills my heart to see her helping herself and munching away on apples.

What have you been rescuing this week? Grab the badge and link up. x

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Simple Felt Hair Clip - Valentine's Heart

2012-01-15T09:46:00.000-08:00

This is such a simple and versatile little handmade item, but I thought it would be fun to do with red hearts - perfect for Valentine's. Of course, you can adapt it and make flowers or other simple shapes, and use different colours to compliment favourite outfits. While Ruby helped out with a bit of sewing, she wasn't fully comfortable with it. But as it's only a couple of stitches, and older child could do it themselves easily.

You will need:

Coloured felt
Matching or contrasting button
Needle and matching or contrasting thread
Scissors
A suitable hair clip or slide - I used a crocodile clip (tip you can pick up a pack of 4 in Poundland!)

Begin by cutting 3 felt shapes of graduating size. The largest needs to be approximately as wide as your clip. You can use a template, or cut them free-hand.

In your largest shape, snip two slits either side of the centre for your clip to slide through. The style of clip I used needs one to be larger than the other as shown.

Layer your shapes, with the largest at the bottom, and finally hold your button in the centre. Tie a knot in the end of your thread and with one stitch, go through all three layers and the button hole. Take the thread back down the other button hole and through the three layers again. Repeat with about five or six stitches, or until you feel it is secure. To finish, tie a knot at the back close to the fabric.

Slide your clip through the slits at the back.

Enjoy!

Featured on Red Ted Art.

Train your kids about rail safety

2012-01-14T14:21:00.000-08:00

We all teach our kids about road safety. Even now it seems the Green Cross Code is embedded into our psyche and we pass these essential personal safety skills on to our children.

But how many of us teach our children about the dangers on the railway? With the demise of the TV public information films and headteachers facing ever more pressure to meet targets and deliver curriculum, are our children getting taught these messages? A recent survey showed that two thirds of parents hadn't discussed rail safety with their children.

This week, there was a tragic fatality on my rail line. It's opened up some old memories. Ones that I'd prefer to forget. I've seen things that I can't unsee, heard stories that I wish weren't true.

I worked for over 10 years on the railway, joining at the tail end of what was British Rail. The things I learnt in my training are ingrained. But how many members of the general public know these facts?

Did you know for instance, that the overhead power cables can carry over 25,000 volts of electricity? Did you know that this silent and invisible killer can jump and arc by up to 9ft? Did you know that the electricity (both overhead and on third rails) is ALWAYS on - not just when a train passes through as some people alarmingly think.

I'll never forget the time I saw a (very tall) man walking along a platform. He had his young daughter up on his shoulders. In her hand she was holding the ribbon to a foil, helium filled balloon. He thought I was totally crazy when I asked him to put his child down. Until I explained.

Photo credit: www.trackoff.org

Or the time I was waiting on a platform and saw a group of boys playing dares with each other. They were early teens, and were egging each other on to see who could stand closest to the edge of the platform for the longest while a train came in. They were stood, toes on the edge, chests puffed out as a train pulled in, inches from them. I got a load of verbal and a karate style kick in the back as thanks for giving them a rollicking. I got my own back though. I took the CCTV footage of them into their headmaster and it was shown to the entire school assembly. They were also shown some rather graphic photos by the British Transport Police. Weren't so cocky after that.

One of my many roles on the railway was in HR. Part of that role included delivering training and induction courses to new entrants. During the safety session we'd show CCTV of a student on a platform. She leaves her suitcase by the edge of the platform and wonders off to check the departure board. In that moment a high speed train passes through, the turbulence whisks the suitcase off with the train and her entire year's work is spread for miles. Paper blowing in the wind. If the video elicited giggles, we'd simply say: imagine if that wasn't a suitcase, but a buggy with a child in it. That normally turned them green.

You see, the yellow lines are there for a reason. Trains can travel at 125mph. The turbulence they can cause is powerful and you can be pulled under with the slipstream if you are standing too close.

© Copyright Thomas Nugent and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Up to 60 people are killed each year in this country crossing the tracks. Of course, unlike a car, a train can't swerve out of your way. Nor can it stop quickly - it can take up to a mile and a half to come to a complete standstill.

OK, OK, I know it's a fine line between teaching your kids to be safe and sensible and scaring the hell out of them. For this reason, I'm not the person to do it!

There is a wealth of information and resources available to parents and teachers. Schools can arrange safety talks and visits from the British Transport Police. The information is tailored and age appropriate, so please, please take a look at some of these useful links and spend some time talking to your children about how to enjoy the rail network and stay safe. Why not encourage your nursery or school to cover it too.

Please.

http://www.trackoff.org/Dangers.aspx

http://www.trackoff.org/ResourceList.aspx

http://www.teachingzone.org/transport/index.htm

http://www.teachingzone.org/railway/index.htm

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/Safety_myths_mean_parents_put_children_at_risk.aspx

http://www.btp.police.uk/

Win the official Roald Dahl stamps – Gloriumptiously collectable

2012-01-13T04:09:00.000-08:00

EDIT: This competition is now closed. Congratulations to the winners @christinemosler and @piperanddaisy Please contact me with you addresses. Thanks to all for entering.

Royal Mail are thrilling children and adults alike with their first stamp launch of the year, featuring Roald Dahl's best loved characters.

Each Special issue stamp features original illustrations by Roald Dahl’s long-time friend and collaborator, Quentin Blake – a splendid celebration for collectors and fans alike.

The stamps and sets can be purchased from Post Offices; online and from Royal Mail's official eBay store.





I have two presentation packs to give away to lucky readers here.

Simply leave a comment below telling me you'd like to enter.

For an extra entry, please tweet "I'm entering @missielizzieb 's blog #competition to win scrumdiddlyumptious stamps from @royalmailstamps here http://bit.ly/zf0Krx" Leave an extra comment below to say you have done so.

I will draw two winners at random after the closing date of Monday 23 January 2012 at 12:00.

Open to UK entrants only.

But that's not all. To spread the word about these scrumdiddlyumptious stamps, Royal Mail are running a competition over on their Facebook page to win a Roald Dahl story collection, a pop-up edition of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and a stamp presentation pack, so head on over there.

Caravan of Love

2012-01-12T07:49:00.000-08:00

For some time I've had a little dream. A fantasy world where me and my family pack up our troubles and head for the hills. Lately it's become something of an obsession, and I've started pinning like crazy on Pinterest and even looked into caravan insurance quotes. I suspect it won't be long before I start pouring over the classified ads looking for a suitable mini home to tow.

It's true, caravan holidays of my childhood weren't always perfect. Like the time it took us three days to drive to North Wales due to the car radiator overheating repeatedly. But looking on the bright side, we'd never have got to stay in that Brummie pub car park for the night, or witnessed the delights of the farmers field and limited toilet facilities in Telford the following night, after we pitifully limped north-west.

But recently, I've had some fabulous caravan holidays, staying in statics on campsites. Ruby loves the excitement of having a mini home, and I'm seriously tempted to invest in a tourer.

We're not a two-weeks-in-the-sun type family. We prefer to take lots of mini-breaks throughout the year, exploring our great isle. What could be more perfect than chucking your bags in the car on a Friday night and hitting the open road? I imagine it might work out more cost effective in the long run than staying in self-catering or hotels.

Picture from Cath Kidston Magazine

Caravanning is cool. Just look at my pinterest pins if you don't believe me! Tempted?

Disclaimer: Sponsored post.

Making Shapes with Haba from Toy Jeanius

2012-01-09T11:29:00.000-08:00

For my latest Toy Genius mission I was sent a Pattern Mosaic Game by Haba.

Well known for their high quality traditional toys, this didn't disappoint. Each polished wooden tile is a beautiful colour, bright and appealing for little hands. The toy is suitable from ages 3 and upwards and Ruby enjoyed some thoughtful time copying the patterns on the six included cards.

We started with some of the easier ones such as the boat and the bird,

before she graduated to the butterfly.

Ruby is really beginning to enjoy spotting patterns and repeats around her and this game encourages that even further and supports her Early Years Foundation learning. You're never too young for tessellation I say!

I'm looking forward to some free-style pattern making. She loves to create things out of blocks, so this has the capacity to expand her creativity and allow her to make beautiful shapes and pictures.

So there you have it. A toy that is beautiful to look at, long lasting, offers hours of play, is educational and requires no batteries!

Check out the Toy Jeanius site for more toys that tick all the boxes.

Sponsored post: Thanks to Toy Jeanius for sending this toy free of charge for the purposes of this review. All views expressed are my own.

Magpie Monday - Frugal Fabrics

2012-01-09T02:36:00.000-08:00

Morning my little Magpies! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. After a couple of festive weeks off, Magpie Monday is back and raring to go. I hope you'll join me in sharing your second-hand finds.

This is a great time of year to visit charity shops, eBay, car boot sales etc as lots of people are getting rid of unwanted presents, duplicate items or simply having a clear out. Don't forget to take your donations in too.

I don't have a great deal to show you this week, there hasn't been much time for shopping.

I did manage to sneak a quick whizz round my favourite house clearance shop the other day after taking Ruby to the dentist - imagine how thrilled she was!

I pacified her with a huge pencil case full of pens and pencils, then got rummaging in the linen boxes.

I'm still a learner on the sewing front, so I find this a great way to get hold of stashes of fabric for very little money. If you re-use old duvet covers, sheets, table cloths and curtains, you can get yards and yards of good quality fabric for a fraction of the price you'd pay in a department store or haberdashery.

I got some pretty pillowcases.

Some flower-power retro pillowcases.

I plan to use these to make more pyjama bottoms for Ruby. They are really quick and simple to make, and teamed with a plain Tshirt, that's been appliqued to match, I think they look brilliant. Check out my earlier blog post to see how I made these.

I also grabbed this pretty pair of vintage curtains. Much too small for most modern windows, I had intended to make a cover for one of Ruby's small bed quilts. Or I may have a go at making an adult pair of PJs for myself!

Please do take a look back through the blog. I've finally got settled in our new home and unpacked all my crafty bits, so you may spot a few 'makes' and 'upcycling' projects on the blog from items I've shown in previous Magpie Mondays. Also, check out my 'Take one Jumper' challenge, and join in with an upcycled project of your own.

What have you been rescuing this week? Grab the badge and link up. x

Grab my button
and link to my blog

Burn Baby Burn - Acriflex to the Rescue!

2012-01-05T05:40:00.000-08:00

Some time ago I was sent some Burn gel called Acriflex to review.

A tough one really - what should I do...follow people around expectantly with the tube hoping some scalding calamity will occur? Deliberately put my hand in the fire so I can test out the product? No. Thankfully, it has sat, unopened for some time.

Recently however, we have had cause to use it a couple of times. The old man foolishly touched his drill bit after drilling holes in the wall - ironically to put up the medicine cabinet in the bathroom! Thankfully the burns gel was to hand, so we rubbed some on. The swearing ceased almost immediately!

The other day I managed to burn my finger quite badly while taking out a tray of baked potatoes from the oven. Our dog seems to have reverted to puppy hood and started chewing the tea towels. Consequently when I assume one is quadruple folded and suitable for removing items from a 200 degree oven, I often find that due to large dog mouth shaped holes, there is in fact only a double layer - or on this occasion, a single layer!

This really was the most painful burn I'd had in a very long time. After running it under the cold tap (I am haunted by being told that your skin carries on cooking after a burn), I applied some of the gel to the burn. The relief was instant. Better still, I never developed a blister.

I can honestly say this product really works. Acriflex uses the principle of osmosis to cool and rehydrate your skin. Were you paying attention at the back of your science lessons?

I'm keeping this product in my first aid kit, and recommend you do too. There's also Acriflex Cream which can be used to treat burns; scalds, sunburn and blisters and minor cuts and abrasions.

Acriflex is available from all good chemists. The cooling gel is suitable for adults and children from 6 months old, but of course, you should always seek medical advice for serious injuries or burns.

Sponsored post: Thanks to manufacturers Thornton and Ross for providing me with the samples free of charge. All views expressed are my own.

Gym Slip-Up

2012-01-04T13:10:00.000-08:00

After having Ruby's name down for trampoline lessons since moving into the area 4 months ago, finally today is the day of the first session.

She mutters under her breath all morning that she doesn't like trampolining anymore, but I remind her how much she actually does, while silently cursing the leisure centre for debiting my card a full term's worth of fees and an annual gym membership. Why on earth does a three year old need a gym membership? Hell, I've survived nearly 40 years without one.

It's a pretty sneaky trick I reckon. These places should offer taster sessions or pay-as-you-go rates. Most three year olds are just as likely to announce the following week that they HATE trampolining and what they really want to do is judo/street dance/tambourine lessons...

We arrive somewhere early for once. Although, to be fair this is only because I bundled her into a taxi from the rail station. Somewhat counterproductive as one of the main reasons I was so keen to give in to this bouncing obsession was the exercise she'd get from it - that and the hope that it might save our bed springs.

But it was raining hard, she'd already had a full-on day with dentist appointment, cousin's birthday party and a 2 mile walk, so I wasn't risking meltdown halfway up the road.

At the main desk we're met by a surly receptionist - is it in the job description that to sit on a front desk you must be brusque, sullen and have a face like you're licking piss off a nettle? Why does the look they give you make me feel the urge to check the soles of my shoes to make sure I haven't trod in a giant dog shit?

"We're here for the trampolining lesson" I inform her.

"Yes?" She barely raises her head.

"It's our first week, so I'm not really sure where to go or what to do."

"Go through the double doors and the gymnasium is straight in front of you. Go right in".

Gymnasium. The word strikes fear into my heart. Memories of shamefacedly wearing gym shorts at school, being forced to climb those ridiculous wooden frames like ship's rigging, the smell of rubber plimsolls and sweaty feet.

There's a gaggle of small children and parents - all of whom clearly know each other. Kid's are frantically discarding socks and shoes, and Ruby sits down and does likewise. A friendlier lady at the door asks her name, checks her list and declares she's not on it. No matter she says, come in, come in.

All the girls (for it's predominantly girls) are kitted out in leotards and leggings, and I feel slightly embarrassed on behalf of Ruby who's standing there expectantly in a pair of tatty tracksuit trousers and a long sleeved top. I think my discomfort rubs off, because she begins to cling like a limpet to me and buries her head in my chest, refusing to join the circle. I look round and notice there are no other parents in the room, but offer to come and sit with her anyway. Looking like a sore thumb in my coat and boots, I enthusiastically try and join in with the warm up, hoping Ruby will follow suit. She starts to cry.

The lady with the list comes to check our name again and asks how we booked. After recounting the tale of the telephone booking I'd made a few days earlier, she disappears again.

I try to get Ruby to join in with the game of tag that everyone else is playing, but she's having none of it.

Eventually, 15 minutes into the half hour lesson, the lady returns with clipboard.

"I see what's happened" she says. "You've been booked for trampoline lessons".

"That's right I reply".

"You want trampoline lessons?"

What is this mad woman talking about? "Yes" I tell her.

"Oh. This is the gymnastic class" she explains patiently, as though to an imbecile.

Good God. Is it possible to feel more socially inept? More gauche and stupid.

"Oh" I stutter. "This is where the receptionist sent us".

The nice lady draws back a screen to reveal 3 massive trampolines and a small group of children similarly attired as Ruby. We slope off muttering apologies.

Thankfully I am redeemed as Ruby spots the boinging, and she agrees to allow me to go and get a coffee and watch from upstairs.

Praying that none of the other mums had witnessed this total parenting fail, I order a coffee and watch through the window, waving maniacally and doing double thumbs up every time she jumps/falls over.

No sooner had I finished my coffee, I noticed all the mums shuffling back downstairs to collect their offspring. Ruby was still bouncing, so I returned my empty coffee cup to the counter and made my way back.

As I pass the counter, a suited man decides that this is the very moment to turn abruptly with is over-full Americano Grande, elbows me on the right boob and slops scalding hot coffee all over himself. I apologise profusely (although strictly speaking he walked into me and wasn't looking where he was going), and he gives me a look of disdain worthy of a receptionist. The lady behind the counter then rushes over (rather over-dramatically if you ask me), and frets about whether anyone's injured? Should she get the first aid box?

Coffee guy replies that he thinks we're all ok, and glowers through his eyebrows at me.

I make a hasty retreat, shove Ruby's boots back on, pour her into her coat and whisk her away.

"That was great" she says. "Can we do it again tomorrow?"

Take One Jumper Challenge!

2012-01-02T13:12:00.000-08:00

As you know, I love to thrift and I love to craft, so turning something old into something new has all the excitement of pure alchemy for me. I don't profess to be good at making things, in fact my new mantra is "it's not perfect, it's handmade". Anyway, it adds to the charm I think!

Quite a lot of my Magpie Monday posts have shown items that I've bought with the intention of upcycling, so now it's time to show you some of the outcomes - if only to prove that they don't sit languishing in my cupboards forever (well, not all of them).

Before Christmas I bought a wool jumper with the specific intention of making Christmas stockings from it as inspired by Maggy at Red Ted Art.

Well, ever the tightwad, I thought I'd try to get two stockings from the body of the jumper (sorry, it's the only picture I've got of them!) .

Fitting two was remarkably easily, and thrilled with my frugal cutting, I though I'd see how far that jumper would stretch (metaphorically speaking - after felting it on a hot wash, that jumper wasn't stretching anywhere!).

Next up, I made a cover for a mini hot water bottle which was given as a Christmas gift. I love the thought that when the recipient is feeling cold or poorly, this present will be there to give them a hug from me.

With the cuffs and lower arms I made a cute pair of leg warmers for Ruby.

They are remarkably easy to make. If you hot wash your jumper first to felt it, then cutting is simple and the wool won't fray or unravel. You can simply cut off the desired length of arm to suit the height of your child and turn and hem the unfinished ends. I decided to use some of the ribbed V-neck part of the jumper to trim the other end.

I love these, in fact if you spot a mad woman in a charity shop trying to put her feet through the arms of a jumper, that will be me in the hope of finding a jumper I can make a pair of leg warmers for myself from.

Since my new coat thoughtfully has a special pocket for handwarmers, I thought I'd have a go at making a pair. I filled them with rice and lavender. It seemed like a good idea, but alas I hadn't thought it through properly. That pretty glittery thread running through the wool is obviously metallic as it sent my microwave into exploding spasms. Ruby has now commandeered these as mini scented pillows for her teddies instead!

Finally, based on the padded hearts I made with School of Craft, I managed to make six tree decorations of varying sizes.

I still have a bit of the jumper left! No bad for a couple-of-quid-slightly-mis-shapen charity shop jumper.

So, here's my challenge to you...

I'd like you to take one jumper - it could be old; moth-eaten, accidentally shrunk, no longer fits or a second-hand buy - and turn it into something else. Blog about it and link back to this post, and join up below. You can recycle an old post if you've already done a project, or write something new. If you're stuck for inspiration, give me a follow on Pinterest and check out my Upcycled Stuff board.

There's a lovely juicy carrot to encourage you to get stuck in to this challenge, in the form of some gorgeous Jennie Maizels Clothes Plasters. I will select one entry from those linked up here by Monday 30th January at 5pm, to win these three sets of clothes plasters. Perfect for embellishing or extending the life of your/your kid's clothes.

I've selected the following designs which I think are fairly unisex. They are simple to use - just iron on for instant pzazz as featured in the Telegraph, Grazia and Easy Living.

One lucky person will win all 5 of these gorgeous plasters.

So come on, take one jumper...and show me what you can do!

Silent Sunday

2012-01-01T04:58:00.000-08:00

Concept by Mocha Beanie Mummy

Mocha Beanie Mummy.

Happy New Year - look out for each other

2011-12-31T09:25:00.000-08:00

I want to wish you all a very happy new year.

I'm not one for resolutions really, but I know 2012 is going to be a very special year for me and my family, and I hope it will be for you too.

Whatever you're up to tonight, have fun and I hope you're with the ones you love.

I'm not big on New Year's Eve. Somehow it always makes me a bit maudlin. I'm lucky that I have friends and family around me to pick me up, but not everyone is so fortunate.

If you're feeling low, the festive season can seem like a sad and lonely time. If you're missing loved ones, suffered a break-up or bad fortune, you are not alone. There's always someone to talk to.

If it helps just one single person, then please pass this around.

MIND

www.mind.org.uk

0300 123 3393

Samaritans

www.samaritans.org

08457 90 90 90

Alcoholics Anonymous

www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/newcomers

0845 769 7555

Stonewall

www.stonewall.org.uk

Info line 08000 50 20 20

London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard

0207 837 7324

SANELine

www.sane.org.uk

0845 767 8000

Preventing young suicide

www.papyrus-uk.org

For people in Northern Ireland

www.lifeline.info

0808 808 8000

Childline

www.childline.org.uk

0800 1111

Depressionalliance

www.depressionalliance.org

Refuge

www.refuge.org.uk

0808 2000 247

Eating Disorders Association

www.edauk.com

0845 634 1414

Shelter

www.shelter.org.uk

0808 800 4444

NHS Direct

www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

0845 4647

No Panic

www.no-panic.co.uk

0808 808 0545

Stay safe and look out for each other. xx

List compiled by the lovely Big Fashionista.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T00:46:00.000-08:00

After last year's offering, I think I'll make this something of a tradition.

So here, to wish all my lovely readers, supporters and twitter friends a wonderful Christmas, is my perfect angel.

Wishing you an yours a magical Christmas and a new year full of good health and happiness. xx

My Ultimate Christmas Song

2011-12-21T13:35:00.000-08:00

The year is 1994. I am 20.

The preparation to a night out begins with shaving my (then) boyfriend's head and helping him lace up his 18 hole Doc Martens, before pouring myself into skin tight black jeans and a body hugging crushed velvet black body, applying WAY too much scarlet lipstick and dousing myself in Body Shop Dewberry oil. Then the backcombing of my hair begins, followed by a can of Silvikrin hairspray. Given my penchant for smoking Rothmans and drinking Jack Daniels, I am a walking fire hazard.

Every Friday and Saturday night (and pretty much most weekday nights) is spent in the town's 'alternative' nightclub. The air is filled with Patchouli oil, visibility is virtually zero due to the cigarette/spliff smoke, and walking to the bar is like wading through treacle due to the snakebite and black sodden carpet.

In order to dance here you have to fight for your space. You either join the shoe gazers shuffling to the Jesus and Mary Chain, else you violently pogo with the punks and the skinheads to Sham 69. Nirvana unites everyone. A bit of Madness, Nightboat to Cairo tests your mettle, and here is where I perfected my somewhat 'confrontational' dance style which does not go down well at family weddings.

Then, something monumental happens. This song comes on. The moshing stops. Harmony reigns. There are arms held aloft. A head appears behind me and between my legs and I am raised aloft, 6 ft in the air. When I look down, I see a shaved head, completely covered in a spiderweb of tattoos and we gently sway. Everyone gently sways. When the song's over, I am returned to terra ferma. The mans does not utter a word, and I don't see him again. Even my (then) boyfriend doesn't kick off.

It's a beautiful moment.

I was tagged by the beautiful Nicki for Claire's meme: My Ultimate Christmas Song. I am now tagging:

Christine at Thinly Spread
Tim at Bringing up Charlie
Fi at Childcare is Fun

How to make Peppermint Snowflakes

2011-12-20T09:53:00.000-08:00

After much Twitter debate the other week about whether or not to get presents for Ruby's Nursery teachers (opinion was split about 50/50), I decided I'd make them each a token handmade gift.

I devised this alternative method of making peppermint creams because I'd bought a fancy-pants icing cutter/plunger thingie and was determined to get some use out of it! I'd tried it with no success on air drying clay for my tree decorations, and regular peppermint cream mix (icing sugar and water). Perhaps it was because it was designed to cut royal icing?

So, instead of mixing icing sugar, I simply added a few drops if peppermint to the ready made icing and kneaded it in. It's a great way of being able to cut out intricate shapes that the normal icing made from powder doesn't seem able to cope with.

You will need:

250g ready made royal icing
50g 70% cocoa chocolate
few drops of peppermint oil
edible glitter (optional)
cookie/icing cutters

Makes approx 35 snowflakes. I costed this up from my local supermarket and reckon it costs about £1.50 not including the wrapping or edible glitter. Incidentally, I couldn't get hold of edible glitter in my local baking shop, only lustre powder. They said they'd taken it off the shelves because imported glitter was labelled 'non-toxic' rather than 'edible' and they were seeking reassurances it was safe. Eek!

Add a few drops of the peppermint oil to the icing and knead in (the ready made icing seems to take more than the powdered version, so I added about 4 drops). Roll out with a rolling pin having 'floured' your surface with icing sugar. Try not to roll too thin as it makes the cut shapes too fragile. About 50-75mm worked well for me.

Cut out your shapes and place on a tray covered with grease-proof paper. Pop in the fridge to harden a little.

Melt your chocolate over a saucepan of water, taking care not to boil or get water in the chocolate. The easiest way I found to coat my snowflakes, was painting the melted chocolate on with a brush. They were simply too tricky to handle for dipping and I wanted one side white and the other chocolate coated.

Put a blob of chocolate in the middle of the shape with your brush, then gentle draw it out to cover the points of the snowflake. Try and work quickly, and if your chocolate starts to harden in the bowl, re-heat it. Don't worry too much if it looks messy - it will dry neater and anyway, this will be the underside. If it's really messy, just tell the recipient your child made them!

Pop back in the fridge once the chocolate has hardened. The addition of a chocolate coating really makes the delicate shape more sturdy.

If you're using edible glitter or lustre powder, add this to the bare side once the chocolate is firm. Again, I used a clean, dry paintbrush for this.

Place into little polythene gift bags, add a label and tie with a bow - voila!

Are you giving your child's teacher a gift for Christmas?

BritMums Video - Does Father Christmas Visit your House?

2011-12-20T01:26:00.000-08:00

I'm joining in for the first time!!

Apologies, but it seems at the moment there's always at least one person in this house with a snotty nose and unbrushed hair!

As I've totally lost my voice due to tonsillitis, I thought I'd post this taken a few days ago - when I could talk. Ahh yes, talking...I miss that!

Christmas Photocrafts Challenge

2011-12-19T06:45:00.000-08:00

Oh dear. I so wanted to have a completed make to share for the Kodak Britmums photocraft Christmas Challenge. I've managed to assemble all the equipment I need and found a photo I want to use, I'm just lacking the energy and fitness to do it.

It's been one virus after another here and I feel like I've been under house arrest for weeks.

So instead, I'll have to show you what I want to do, and hopefully update once it's complete.

We always leave a treat out for Father Christmas and this year I want to make ~~her~~ his own special plate. ~~She~~ He's specifically told me that a mingy mince pie and a glass of milk won't cut it this year - ~~she~~ he wants a huge chunk of Stollen and a large glass of port.

So, I'm going to make a special plate for this purpose, using one of my favourite photo's of Ruby. I've chose this one because it has just the right mix of 'butter wouldn't melt' and devilment in her eye!

I've sourced some specialist paper online that will turn your prints into water-slide decals, and I'm going to print this picture and transfer onto a china plate. I've also downloaded a child-like writing font, so I can add the message "Santa, I've been a good girl'. I'm not sure that's true, but I think the piece of stollen will look nice sitting on that!

If you want an easier, cheaper, and more child-friendly craft, you could do this with your kids by cutting and gluing a photo onto a paper plate and getting them to write their own message to Santa.

Hopefully I'll be able to show the finished product soon.

Visiting the Nick Jr TV studio

2011-12-15T03:21:00.000-08:00

As a blogger I get some truly amazing opportunities for which I'm hugely grateful. Ruby is also a very lucky girl because we get invited to places most little girls don't get to see.

None more so than our recent behind the scenes visit to the Nick Jr studio in London. Such a special day was it, we even got to take 'school ted' with us so he could write about it in his diary and Ruby got to stand up at nursery for 'show and tell' and thoroughly enjoyed telling all her little friends where we'd been and who we met.

Myself, Louise, Carol and Pippa and our kids were all invited to a tour of the set and a special meet and greet with The Bopps.

The Bopps are a regular feature to our morning routine, showing on Nick Jr at 7.35 each morning. Ruby loves them so much and hearing her howl with laughter at their antics is a great start to the day. If you're not familiar with the programme, well, how can I describe it? I guess I'd say they are a bit like the 60's show The Monkees meets traditional British panto. Lots of singing, dancing and slapstick comedy. Take a look at some of the clips here.

Keith and Stan are such genuinely lovely guys and had so much time for the children, chatting and joking around with them. Give them a follow on twitter, they'd love to say hi, or check out their Facebook page.

We're really happy to hear that they are going to be performing at Wychwood Festival next year - we must get tickets!

While we were at the studio, we watched them filming some special Christmas links for Wake Up World which will be broadcast all next week. It was fascinating to see behind the scenes and we can't wait to see the finished result on the telly.

We met the insanely beautiful and talented Helena Dowling, presenter of Wake Up World, and Ruby was totally starstruck - she even gave Helena a little kiss!

I can't believe how well behaved Ruby was. She kept completely quiet throughout the filming, and managed to resist the temptation to press any buttons!

Make sure you tune in to Nick Jr in the mornings to catch The Bopps on Wake Up World.

We want to say a huge thank you to Nick Jr for organising this special trip and to Keith, Stan, Helena and crew for taking time out of their busy schedules to welcome us.

Me and my shopping are famous (a little bit!)

2011-12-14T06:02:00.000-08:00

After being on the lovely Weekend Kitchen show with Nick Coffer the other week, I got a phone call from the producer of BBC 3 counties radio's breakfast show. It seems I am getting a name for myself as a bit of a rent-a-gob!

Anyway, they wanted to run a piece this week about how the current economic climate is affecting families and if/how they are changing their shopping habits.

I agreed to meet the interviewer at my house on Monday and he did a quick recorded chat, and then walked down with my to my local supermarket to see me in action!

I can't begin to tell you how odd it was in my local shop, walking around with a young man shoving his dictaphone in my face. I got some strange looks, and Lord knows what the staff thought - permission to record was sought beforehand so they knew we were coming!

The old man was a bit worried when I told him what I'd agreed to - he didn't want people thinking we were struggling! I found this quite interesting - I mean, you don't have to be on the breadline to cut back or watch the pennies do you? What do you think?

Equally, I was then worried and didn't want to come across as one of those infuriating "poor me, poor me we can't afford our second ski holiday this year and our Christmas hamper will have to be Waitrose not Fortnum and Masons".

Anyhow, here's the recording, there was loads more I wanted to/could have/forgot to say.

Click the picture to hear my 3 minutes of fame!

So I'm curious, have you changed your food shopping habits recently? What are your tips to save money on your food bills?

Fabulous Fabric Crafts with Dylon Paints

2011-12-13T13:29:00.000-08:00

I don't need to remind you what a HUGE fan of Dylon products I am. I'd happily play with them all day long.

I was recently offered some fabric paints for Christmas crafting, and although I'd used them before when Ruby created her own TShirts, I was keen to try something a bit more grown up this time.*

*read: I wasn't sharing.

I wanted to try and be as creative as possible, so let me know what you think. Here are some decorations I made for Ruby's tree using the Dylon 3D paint to add texture and interest (silver glitter paint and deep pink pearl paint).

I made them using felt table mats, and simply cut out the pieces with scissors. I managed to get a set of 2 placemats at a knock down price - these were in all the department stores this year, but clearly didn't sell well so you can get them very cheaply (who'd have thought that place mats you can't wash or wipe would be a flop?!). I bought mine in BHS but I've seen them in John Lewis and Debenhams. Of course you could use ordinary felt and cut shapes yourself, but I like the thickness and firmness of this felt, plus it's a whole lot easier to cut out shapes that are already there.

The paint is incredibly simple to use. Just squeeze it out just above the surface of the fabric - a bit like icing a cake. After a while of doing these my hands did begin to shake though!

Once dried I threaded some clear nylon thread to hang (my weapon of choice for tree decorations as it's very strong and almost invisible).

I love the way they move gently on the tree, and by adding detail on the front and back, you get a real 3D feel.

Myself and Ruby LOVE the tree in her room. I know she's lucky to have one, but every single decoration is either handmade or from a charity shop.

Next I tried out the liquid fabric paint. I was sent a gorgeous shade of turquoise and wanted to incorporate it into my living room decorations. However, being hopeless with a paintbrush, and having no artistic ability whatsoever, I decided the best way to go would be stamping!

I cut a simple heart shape from a dish sponge, and stamped onto some hessian.

A triangle piece of sponge created little Christmas trees. These have now been incorporated into bunting and tree decorations and some will be stuck to luggage labels as gift tags.

Here it is in the bunting - this is from a School of Craft kit that I adapted.

And made into tree ornaments. Two squares simply stitched together, use a frayed length of hessian stitched between the two pieces for a hanging loop. I like the rustic handmade look of these.

You could use this paint on all sorts of fabrics and if it's an item which will be laundered like clothing or soft furnishings, you can fix the colour by simply ironing with a hot iron.

There are no end of possibilities for Dylon fabric paints - you could decorate your Christmas table linen and napkins, personalise shopping bags and cushions, add names to Christmas stockings - the only limit is your imagination.

I've done one more thing with the paint to show you, but I should point out that Dylon customer services quite clearly advised me not to! I didn't listen though (does that make me a craft rebel).

I've been upcycling a jumper into lots of different things (more on that later) and wanted to make a hot water bottle cover as a Christmas present. I thought it would be nice to put a motto on the front, and as you just squeeze the paint out, it's easy to hand write, just as though you were using a pen.

Of course, it makes sense that as the 3D paint is only washable at 30 degrees, you shouldn't really use it with a hot water bottle that contains water at nearly 100 degrees. Just so you know.

I did a trial run before stitching together and laid my fabrics on top of a filled hot water bottle, to see if there were any untoward effects. There weren't, but bear in mind that I have 3 thick layers of wool material between the bottle and the paint.

Anyway, I think it was worth the risk - I love it!

Dylon fabric paints are available from all good haberdashery stores and branches of John Lewis, or check here for your nearest stockists.

What do you think? Have I inspired you?

Sponsored post: I was sent a selection of fabric paints to sample however no other reward was given. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Giveaway: Chocolate with a heart from Chocadores

2011-12-13T07:49:00.002-08:00

It's time to bring you another competition from my wonderful friends and sponsors, Chocadores.

They are passionate about the quality of the chocolate they stock, and about the ethics and credentials of the makers and chocolatiers they promote.

If you ever needed an excuse to eat delicious, rare, organic dark chocolate, then how about this. Original Beans will plant a tree for every bar purchased and each chocolate bar comes with it's own tracking number so you can trace the tree you've funded.

"Buy a bar - Plant a tree: Each bar contains a certificate with a lot number, which designates the location of a new tree so that customers can track their contribution. The people and partners behind Original Beans have come together across countries and backgrounds, drawn by a shared passion for farming, a love for the sweet delicacies of the Tropics, and a desire to foster innovation to conserve threatened rain forests."

Chocadores are giving away a bar of Porcelana chocolate by Original Beans to one lucky reader.

Need more persuasion?

"Discovered by Original Beans in 2006 in the foothills of the Andes, this “forgotten” white cacao, or “Porcelana”, in its original state is ultra-rare and appreciated for its exceptionally vibrant, fruity flavours. With tasting notes of Kumqat, lime, apricot, raspberry flavours and notes of toasted pecan. Silver medal winner at this year's Academy of Chocolate Awards."

If you'd like the chance to win, simply pop over to the Chocadores website, and take a look at the chocolate bars. Then I'd like you to leave a comment here saying which is your favourite bar wrapper/packaging and why. Chocadores will pick their favourite answer and one winner will be sent the bar in time for Christmas (depending on the mail!).

While you're there, why not check out all the amazing chocolate and coffee range if you're still looking for Christmas presents.

For extra entries you can do any of the following and leave a separate comment:

1. Follow Chocadores on Twitter
2. Follow me on Twitter
3. Tweet "I'm entering @missielizzieb's blog competition to win luxury chocolate with @chocadores. You can too here: http://bit.ly/tXrnHA"

This competition will end at 5pm on Sunday 18th December 2011. The judges decision is final. Entrants must leave a method of contact with their entry.

Make a Dancing Penguin

2011-12-13T02:27:00.000-08:00

The world's gone penguin crazy!

There's Happy Feet, Club Penguin - hell even David Attenborough's getting in on the action.

So I thought it might be fun to make our own, and it the spirit of recycling, I'm basing it on the Easter Chick we made earlier in the year. I was hoping Ruby wouldn't notice the glaring similarities, but she did. *note to self: must be a more creative and imaginative mummy.

You'll need:

Card
Poster paints in black, white and orange (or use coloured card)
4 split pin paper clips
Glue
Googly eyes and small piece of orange felt or card (optional)

We cut out the pieces from a template I made onto card. We used an old cereal box, but I think these would make nice Christmas cards, so next time we'll do it on 'good' card.

Feel free to click and print this template if you wish, or you'll need a circle for the head, 2 oval shapes for the body - one slightly smaller than the other, 2 feet and 2 wings.

Ruby then painted the shapes.

Once dry, assemble. Glue the white chest and black head to the black body, then use the split pins to attach the wings and feet. Add detail for the face, and your penguin is ready to boogie.

I did the cutting and making the holes for the pins, but Ruby managed the rest all by herself. I think she's made a great job of it!

Christmas Cupcakes

2011-12-12T09:54:00.000-08:00

The Fabulous Bakin' Boys have launched a new range of treats for the festive season.

The boxes of six cupcakes are available in either mint chocolate or orange chocolate, and we were sent some minty ones to try. Each box contains two each of milk; dark and white chocolate flavour topped cakes.

Each cake is individually wrapped so they suggest maybe popping one in your Christmas stocking - I'm sure Ruby would be more thankful of that than a satsuma or a walnut!

If you can get past the dinner lady mafia, maybe you could pop one in the lunchbox as a festive treat.

Don't get me wrong - these aren't what I'd call 'gourmet' cupcakes, but nor are they pretending to be. They are not what I would bring out for my poshest guests, but they're worthwhile having in the cupboard for unexpected visitors who seem to drop by, and they make a welcome change from the ubiquitous mince pie.

The cupcakes are available from supermarkets nationwide.

While I've got you, can I also tell you about a cool competition the Bakin' Boys are running at the moment. They are looking for a mini baker, so if you have a child aged under 12 years, and they have a passion for cooking, get them to enter their new cupcake suggestion here for a chance to win a trip to the bakery and see their cake being created.

Sponsored post: I received one box to sample and review however, no other reward was received. Any views expressed are my own.

Magpie Monday - Gimme the Drugs!*

2011-12-12T00:14:00.000-08:00

...by which I mean Lemsip and Throaties. Please also send chicken soup, hot water bottles and my new favourite tipple of choice - Port.

*not the hard stuff -don't do it kids it never ends well.

Yes, I'm laid up with flu - cue lots of ahhhs and sympathy.

This has however prompted my only thrifted purchase of the week... a new bathroom cabinet.

Since we left our cavernously huge cabinet behind when we moved house, our toiletries and stash of lotions, potions and ointments which rivals Boots the chemist has been variously stored in drawers and boxes around the house, so a new cabinet was very much on our to-do-list.

On Saturday we set off for a happy family outing to the DIY store (as you do), and happened to drive past a charity shop. One of those 'proper' charity shops where the stock spills out onto the pavement. And there stood a lovely mirrored, double door cabinet.

I made the old man pull up while I dragged my achey bones over to have a closer look. It was clean, neat and tidy and only £6.50. It looked just the ticket to me.

I could see him sat in the car shaking his head in a rather annoying fashion (this is why I shop alone), so I left it. When I got back in the car, he said it was clearly too small.

Oh yes, clearly. I mean you have a much better vantage parked the other side of the road, looking at it in your rear view mirror, than me, who is standing right next to it...

Anyway, off we continued to the DIY store. They had lots of choice of cabinets, but they were all much of a muchness size-wise. All pretty much like this. The EXACT same cabinet at £61.50.

Well, guess what? He decided that perhaps it was big enough after all so we went back to the charity shop to buy it.

We paid practically a tenth of the price, we re-used something that someone else no longer needed, and more importantly I scored a moral victory.

What have you been rescuing this week? Grab the badge and link up. x

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Handmade Christmas - Plant Pot Bird Feeder

2011-12-08T04:18:00.002-08:00

I thought it was about time I showed some tat-to-treasure posts, from some of my Magpie Monday hauls.

A couple of weeks back I picked up this lovely little stash of old terracotta tom pots for not very much money at all (as they're going to turn into gifts, I won't let on quite how tight I've been!).

The same day, I visited the Bedford Pop-Up shop which is showcasing and selling lovely wares from local artists and crafters. I bought these gorgeous tags from Scarlett Rebecca and I knew somehow I wanted to marry the two together.

So, based on the old favourite 'yoghurt-pot-bird-feeder' which I'm sure you've all made in the past, I made these lovely upcycled beauties. I hope they will be received as a thoughtful gift for someone who loves eco or vintage-style.

Here's what you need:

Vintage terracotta plant pots (you can buy modern ones in garden centres if you can't find old ones)
Bird seed
Strong string or twine
Beads or buttons larger than the drainage hole in the pot
Solid fat - vegetable, lard or dripping (from experience though, lard stinks, so better to use dripping or Pura)

If you're using recycled pots, first give them a quick wash and brush to remove any debris.

Loop and knot your string with a bead or button - it looks nice to have one inside the pot and one outside but bear in mind this will mean it won't stand upright, so may affect how you wrap the gift.

Ensure your hole is 'water-tight' whilst at the liquid fat stage by squashing some tin foil around it - there's nothing worse than liquid lard everywhere believe me!

Stand your pots upright in a cup or mug and fill with bird seed. Melt the fat gently in a saucepan until liquid and pour over until it is filled.

Refrigerate until solid and then it is ready for the birds to enjoy.

I've wrapped mine as gifts with tissue paper, cellophane, coloured raffia and of course, Scarlett's lovely tags. So much more grown up than a yoghurt pot I think, and the pot and be used to grow seedlings in come the spring!

If you like it, put a pin in it!

Pin It

Linking up with Handmade Thursday.

Wrap up for Winter with Lands' End

2011-12-06T05:14:00.000-08:00

I've reviewed clothing for Lands' End before, and so impressed was I with it, I placed orders myself, so it was really nice that they asked me to review a snugly winter coat - for me this time!

I chose the Diamond Down Jacket, which is shown beautifully by their lovely model on the site.

But for here, you'll have to make do with this second-rate model.

Matchey-matchey

The coat is available in Angel Blue, Deep Amethyst or Pink Begonia which I opted for. Super warm due to it's down filling it also has a water-resistant finish to keep you dry in that horrid drizzly mizzly weather we seem to be having.

I never remember to put a hat on so the hood with faux fur trim is a welcome addition when the winter winds pick up.

Say Hello Eskimo

Perfect for the nursery run; shopping and of course

Walking the dog

What do I like most about it? Well, apart from the undeniable warmth it gives, I love the shape and inner draw-cord which means you still have a waist and unlike some coats you're not left like some shapeless Michelin man.

The pocket linings are so incredibly soft, it's like slipping your hands into little pillows. They are lined with the softest fleece I've ever felt and there's also a little internal pocket for a handwarmer which is a nice touch.

It's very easy to move in and feels light unlike other winter coats. See how versatile it is!

I can do this

and this

and for the boys

Negatives? To be honest I'd have preferred it a teensy bit longer to cover my derriere, but I have that problem with a lot of jackets and jumpers - guess I have a long body. There is some feather loss as they do occasionally work their way to the surface and poke through the fabric - like you get on a duvet. I have to be careful not to wear it with leggings and Uggs and big gold hoop earrings or I'd end up looking a bit Bianca Jackson.

But overall, I do love this coat. The temperature has dropped here over the last couple of days and I'm already feeling the benefit of the down filling. I think it's going to keep me snug through whatever the great British weather throws at me.

Sponsored post: I was sent this coat free of charge for the purpose of this review, however any opinions expressed are my own and are honest.

On the radio

2011-12-05T04:18:00.000-08:00

Did I mention I was on the radio this weekend?

No, actually I probably didn't. So terrified was I of screwing up and humiliating myself that I tried not to let on. The idea being, if it went well I could let people listen on iplayer, and if it didn't I'd keep my trap shut.

Well, guess what - it did go well. Considering.

Considering that speaking in public is one of my biggest phobias. That I was freaking out I'd blurt out a tourettes style string of expletives and blasphemy. That I was nervous one of my family would ring in and out me as a take-away lovin' fraud. That I was in the same studio as amazing cooks and chefs who would make my pile-it-high food look like something from a pig's trough...

Bricking it

Nick Coffer (aka My Daddy Cooks) has been trying to get me to guest on his BBC 3 Counties Weekend Kitchen radio show for a while now. I've always managed to slopey-shoulder it, but eventually his producer pinned me down, and Saturday was the day.

I had to produce a main and a dessert, so after much deliberation I decided to use up some of the marmalade I've been making and stock-piling, and came up with Sticky Spicy Pork Belly

and Orange Panettone Pudding.

You can download the free fact sheet with the recipes here.

and listen to the show here - but be quick it's only available until the end of the week.

Listen to James Perry talking about his amazingly perfect food

and Katie Khakpour-Smith from The Charming Cupcake Company explains how to make beautiful chocolate ganache at home to give as Christmas gifts.

My food seemed to go down fairly well. Everyone's still alive as far as I can make out, and Nick cleared his plate.

Do try the pork belly recipe. It's a great budget family dish (a £2.50 piece of pork belly feeds us three), and it's a lovely one to make when you're home all day and can enjoy the lovely aromas that fill the house.

What a great experience! I loved it. My poor old man got a ribbing about still not proposing after 8 1/2 years, and my mother-in-law was mortified that I'd told everyone I was wearing second-hand jeans, but apart from that I think everyone was proud of little old me.

Huge thanks to Nick and his producer Emma for having me along. Thanks to James for his amazing food, and to Katie for her scrumptious choccies and master class, and good luck with her imminent arrival. x

Magpie Monday - On the tiles and in my drawers

2011-12-05T02:21:00.000-08:00

There are a few characteristics I think you need to be a successful second-hand shopper.

One of the most important ones to me is foresight - long foresight! When you see something in a charity shop or at a boot sale, you need to be able to think how you can use it and incorporate it into your home - if not now, at some point in the future. You need to seize the moment and grab it while you can, because chances are it won't be there the next day, the next week and certainly not the next month.

You need patience. Things on your 'want list' don't always turn up straight away, and equally you may buy something that waits in the shadows for some time before it can fully shine.

It also helps if you have an understanding other half/plenty of storage space/no desire for an uncluttered house, but we wont dwell on those points.

Take my box of old tiles I bought. About 4 years ago, I spotted a box of beautiful ceramic tiles hiding in a crate under a table in the Red Cross shop. They were priced at 50p each, but I asked if I could take the whole box. I got them for £10, pretty good because there were two designs, some border tiles and certainly way more than 20 individual tiles.

I couldn't find a use for them in our house at the time, so they sat biding their time in the shed. When we recently moved house I knew instantly that they'd be perfect for the living room hearth, so when we re-decorated I asked the old man to take out the existing tiles from the fireplace.

I've never seen him move so quick, and he'd got them out before I had chance to take a picture, but here they are chucked in our garden awaiting a new fate.

There was nothing particularly wrong with them, they were just plain old utilitarian quarry tiles, and certainly nothing special to look at.

Unlike these:

He's done a fantastic job, and the 'new' tiles totally transform the whole room. They look like they were meant to be. It makes me happy that they have been given a new life and will be enjoyed for many years to come.

We still have the other design, and I'm hoping after this successful mission, I can persuade him indoors to make a splash back for the bathroom sink.

Oh, I promised you a look inside my drawers too didn't I?

Well (adopts husky M&S voice), these are not just any drawers...

Not only are they special because I managed to get them for the knock-down price of a tenner on eBay, they are special because they do this:

I am not one to worship at the alter of HD, and don't like the over-riding feature in a room to be the telly. In our previous house the TV was kept hidden away in original built-in cupboards, and we really found it was a case of 'out of sight, out of mind'. We switched on the telly much less, because it wasn't in your face, so I was on the hunt for a TV cabinet.

To be honest, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind. I wanted a white painted one, or one I could paint myself, but when this came up I thought it was so unusual I put a bid in. Now I guess I'll have to re-think what other furniture we'll get, because I can't paint this!

What second-hand gems have you found? What do you think are the traits needed for great charity shopping?

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Christmas Craft Kits

2011-12-04T10:12:00.000-08:00

If you've been reading the blog these past few months, you'll know I've loved attending School of Craft's sewing lessons.

I've re-kindled my love affair with my machine and realised how relaxing hand sewing can be. I've stitched and made gifts that I'd have never have thought possible, so I want to say a HUGE thanks to Jo for this.

My last School of Craft event was a few weeks ago, when I went to one of their 'Crafternoons'. What a lovely way to spend a Saturday! In a nice hotel, with lots of lovely new friends, chatting, munching cake, drinking coffee and making Christmas decorations.

We each chose one of the new, specially designed kits, and set to. The beautifully packaged boxes contain everything you need for each project - right down to the pins and a needle. So if you're a new sewer, or looking for something you can pop in your bag and do on the go, these are perfect. The materials used are natural fibres and excellent quality.

At the Crafternoon, I chose the little padded hanging hearts. They were simple to make and have a lovely rustic homemade feel about them. The kit contains enough material, thread and padding to make five hearts (of course, I'm know for my tightness when cutting out, so I managed to squeeze six out!)

I heart hearts

Since I had the pattern, once back home, I raided my cupboards, and have made more. I'm stitching some blue ones without hangers to pop in a glass jar in the bedroom.

and some diddy pink ones for Ruby's tree

I also bought a Christmas bunting kit, which I've yet to do, and Jo kindly sent me a stocking kit for me to review here. I loved making the stockings. Her template designs are perfect - I can never seem to draw a decent stocking! The toe detail with contrasting fabric really makes them special.

Look at my stockings!

Because I'm slightly OCD about decorating the tree, I've made colour co-ordinated ones for our living room!

The kits probably take about 2 hours to complete, and as it's hand stitching, it's perfect for doing in front of weekend trashy TV!

The kits are available to buy in the We are Bedford pop-up shop, and online at School of Craft's new Folksy shop for £12.50 each. They are great value, as literally the only thing you need to supply yourself is a pair of scissors.

Grab while you can - the kits were featured in The Telegraph magazine this weekend, which is an amazing achievement - well done Jo! x

Featured in a proper newspaper -how cool is that?

Disclosure: I was sent one kit to review free of charge, however I've purchased two more myself and am a regular customer.

Extreme Housewifery

2011-11-29T09:04:00.000-08:00

So they reckon that an average housewife is worth over £30,000 if they were paid a professional wage for all the tasks they carry out... Childcare; cleaning; laundry; cooking and grocery shopping all add up if you were to pay an outsider to do these roles. Add to that, the PA role shopping around for car insurance, taking messages; waiting in for deliveries; trips to the dry cleaners and organising holidays...the list is endless.

Well, I say we need danger money too!

Fortunately I haven't been as unlucky as the poor soul who recently died following a freak accident, after tripping over and landing on the knives in the cutlery basket of the open dishwasher. This made my blood run cold when I read about it, and it has convinced me to make sure all my cutlery is pointing downwards in the dishwasher!

Still, this past month, I have managed to:

nearly knock out my front teeth and (I suspect) break my nose after the hose came off the end of the vacuum cleaner and the metal pipe flicked up and whacked me full on in the face. For days on end I'd wake up and rush to the mirror to check my teeth hadn't started going black. My nose still hurts now nearly 4 weeks later.

suffer agony when I accidentally squirted dishwasher rinse aid in my eye whilst opening the sachet. Even after pouring water to flush it out of my eye for about half an hour, I was convinced I was going to go blind.

no sooner had my eye recovered that I suffered a freak laundry accident. Pulling one end of a pair of my tights out of the wash bin, it suddenly came loose flicking back directly into my open eye and whacking me on the eyeball!

Seriously, this housework lark is fraught with danger - be careful out there!

What's the weirdest household injury you've suffered?

Sponsored post.

Angel Wings Pillowcase Pyjamas

2011-11-29T06:26:00.000-08:00

I've recently become quite addicted to following Domestic Goddesque's pillowcase PJ tutorial, making PJ trousers out of old pillowcase - go check it out, it's fabulously easy and you can knock up a pair of pj trousers for your little one in about half an hour - 1 hour.

I do a lot of charity shop buying, so it's great to finally have another use for all the pretty, but lonely single pillowcases I've accumulated ( there's also Domestic Goddesque's pillowcase skirt tutorial, and a dress tutorial on Red Ted Art).

After making the pyjama trousers. I've been using some of the leftover fabric to applique onto a plain T Shirt to make a co-ordinating top. But this time, I wanted to do something a little bit different, so I came up with the angel wings PJs.

Perhaps a little pair of horns and a trident would be more appropriate, but I'm hoping some of the angelic vibe will rub off on Ruby - particularly at bedtime!

First, make your trousers as per the tutorial linked above.

You should be left with a piece of fabric which looks something like this:

I'm very ~~tight~~ frugal with my fabric, and try to get as much out of it as possible. Draw a basic angel wing template on paper (keep it simple as you'll be machine zig-zagging around it!).

Choose a plain T Shirt, that's a good fit for your child, to turn into your PJ top. Judge the size of your wings by placing your paper template against the shoulder/back area of the T Shirt.

Next, you'll need some Bondaweb. This can be bought quite reasonably by the 1/4 metre from haberdashery stores. Transfer your design onto the smooth, paper side of the Bondaweb. Flip the template over so you have a 2nd wing in reverse.

Roughly cut out each shape leaving a cm or two all the way around. Place your shape with your drawing side uppermost, onto the WRONG side of your fabric. Hold a hot iron onto the paper for about 20 seconds, until it has fully bonded.

Now cut out accurately around the outline. Peel off the paper backing and place onto your T Shirt (remember, these are wings, so you're ironing these on the back of the T Shirt!).

When you're happy with the positioning, again press with a hot iron for 20 seconds or so until the fabric is fully adhered to the T Shirt.

Set your sewing machine to a short, close zig-zag setting and stitch all the way around the outline. Once that is complete, you can go back and add detail.

That leftover piece of fabric was bugging me, and looking at it I thought it would make a perfect pyjama case.

Now Ruby has a pair of angel wing PJs and their own little pouch, perfect for overnight stays! And if you decide to make these as a Christmas gift, they'll be ready wrapped!

I think these would look so pretty made from a crisp, white cotton pillowcase, with a bright contrasting stitch to applique the wings on. What do you think?

Pop over to Red Ted Art to see more Santa and Angel craftiness!

Magpie Monday - Chicken in a Bucket

2011-11-28T02:19:00.000-08:00

Not much thrifting for me this week I'm afraid.

We've been working hell for leather to get the house decorated for Christmas - not decorated as in 'hang up a few baubles and holly' more the 'ripping wallpaper down, re-painting and sanding floors' kind of decorating.

Yesterday we grabbed a few hours off, and after the vile chicken I bought for Sunday dinner from the local supermarket the other week, we decided to drive to the next village and go to the posh supermarket in search of a poulet who hadn't been pumped full of water and goodness knows what else.

A quaint, Georgian market village, much like Midsomer without the crime rate, there was clearly a hullabaloo going on there as we arrived. The supermarket car park was full, and part of it had been sectioned off to accommodate a Christmas fete of some sort.

Every member of the population here seems to be in either the WI or the Lions, so there were plenty of mulled wine and home-baked cakes on offer. The scouts were roasting their nuts, and the Morris dancers jangling their bells.

Never to miss an opportunity to sniff out a bric-a-brac possibility, we ambled over, and sure enough there was a local charity stand selling all manner of wares.

Under the table I spotted a wooden bucket, which the stall-holder authoritatively told me was for putting my Christmas tree in. For 50p I couldn't refuse it.

I may beg to differ. It might well be planted up with spring bulbs and then hold host to some herbs in the summer. For now I'm deciding whether to paint it or leave it au naturel. What do you think?

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Win a family ticket to London Dungeons

2011-11-25T02:47:00.000-08:00

It doesn't seem five minutes since the last half term and before we know it the kid's will be breaking up for Christmas.

If you're looking for a fun day out, or things to do in London to reward the kids for trailing around the sales, why not treat them to a trip with a spooky insight into 1,000 years of London's darkest history.

One of the top London attractions, this has surely got to be on most kids to-do list.

Find out about the Great Fire of London; the plague; Jack the Ripper and loads more in the most terrifying history lesson you'll ever experience!

You can win a family entrance ticket for 2 adults and 2 children right here. The ticket is also valid for Blackpool, York or Edinburgh if you cannot get to London.

To enter, simply leave me a comment below to let me know you wish to enter. Please remember to leave a method of contact.

You can gain an extra entry by tweeting "I'm entering @missielizzieb's blog competition to win a family ticket to the London dungeons here: http://bit.ly/vpTNze Mwah ha ha." Leave a separate comment to say you have done so.

The winner will be drawn at random after the closing date of Wednesday 30th November 2011 at 7pm. UK entrants only.

Sponsored Post: We received a complimentary ticket for hosting this competition and the prize is fulfilled by London Dungeon's PR company.

Sylvanian Families have sucked us in!

2011-11-25T02:20:00.000-08:00

A lovely PR lady contacted me to see if we'd like to review some of the best selling ranges of Sylvanian Families sets of the year.

Launched in 1985 these little critters passed my by as a child so I wasn't entirely sure what we were letting ourselves in for.

A very clever piece of PR has taken myself and Ruby by the hand and sucked us into a vortex, where we spend our days happily skipping around Sylvania pretending to be little fuzzy mammals, dressing up and playing house. I'm not sure there's any escape.

We were sent the motorcycle and sidecar, complete with George and Mildred raccoon who go on lovely raccoon OAP day-trips. George wears his vintage helmet and goggles, while Mildred wraps up under her shawl, giving directions to George, who presumably is too stuck in his ways to invest in a sat-nav.

The biggest thing to happen in (the real world) 2011 was of course the Royal Wedding, so it's no surprise that the Wedding Celebration Set did very well. The whole party is here including bridesmaids and pageboys, all ready for a Sylvanian wedding breakfast.

I loved the fact that the press release suggested using William and Catherine Balmoral bunnies as wedding cake toppers. If I do ever manage to persuade Ruby's Daddy to tie the knot, I suspect she'd like nothing more than a Sylvanian themed wedding. We'd hold it in the Regency Hotel, and she'd presumably have me and Grandad arriving on the motorcycle and sidecar. I do fear however, that this would have Daddy running for the hills...

It is very easy to lose yourself in the world of Sylvanian Families. The attention to detail on all the figures and accessories is incredible and the play sets literally cover every aspect of life in Sylvania you could possibly imagine.

Check out Flair Plc's website for more inspiration. Also available from major toy retailers.

Now, if you'll excuse me, George is taking me for a day trip on the bike so I must away...

Sponsored post: We were sent the two sets to sample free of charge, however all views expressed are my own and I expect to see Flair Plc's profits soar if Ruby's Christmas list is anything to go by.

Handmade Advent Calendar

2011-11-24T02:27:00.000-08:00

This week I whiled away a happy couple of hours making this advent for Ruby. I'm pretty pleased with the results.

Made from covered matchboxes it really can be made for pennies. I bought the matches in bulk and they worked out about 7p each (of course, I still have the matches...and ideas for this little lot? Crafting...large bonfire...)

I've not really done papercraft before, but enjoyed wielding a craft knife. I used decorative papers that came free with a magazine and some old magazines and maps. First cut out a cardboard template then cut your papers to size. Cover the matchbox outer using Pritt stick or similar, then add your numbers. I used silver stickers for the numbering but you could print and cut numbers.

Finally, I filled each box with a little treat for Ruby - hair bobbles and slides, rubbers and pencil sharpener, mini candy canes...

I saw a similar idea on the interweb and now I'm damned if I can find it again (Pinterest - hurry up and send me an invite!), so thanks to whoever I borrowed this from.

What I like most about it is you can adapt it to fit any look - use magazines, comics, wallpaper etc. You can also adapt the advent gifts to match the person.

I can't wait for the 1st of December now.

Stick 'em up! A Giveaway from Scotch

2011-11-22T12:38:00.000-08:00

Every now and then, a product comes along that sounds just perfect.

I was offered the chance to try some Scotch Restickable Tabs, and I have to say, these tick a lot of boxes for me:

They are perfect for craft activities
They are re-usable - once the stickiness is lost, wash them in soapy water and they can be used again
They are transparent so can be used on glass 'invisibly'
They remove cleanly (although not recommended for use on wallpaper, delicate surfaces or 'flat' paint)

Each tab is capable of holding up to a quarter of a pound in weight, so I thought I'd give them a go. I tried them out to hang fairy lights in Ruby's room. Although I used quite a lot of tabs to evenly distribute the weight, so far so good!

Sadly I didn't find them terribly effective at holding fabrics - they don't hold up my bunting (sob). However, I'm looking forward to using these to stick up our Christmas cards this year, and may even use them to make some cards myself - they'd be ideal for getting a slight 3D effect on paper crafts.

Scotch Restickable Tabs are available from Rymans, Staples http://www.3mselect.co.uk/ and other outlets, but I have 5 packs to give away...

If you'd like to get your sticky mitts on a pack, simply leave a comment below telling me what you'd stick with them.

For an additional entry (leave a separate comment) please tweet: "I want to get my sticky mitts on Scotch Restickable Tabs with @missielizzieb http://bit.ly/ubH73S"

This competition is open to UK entrants only. Please ensure you leave contact details eg Twitter ID or email. The five winners will be chosen at random. Entries close at 5pm on Wednesday 30th December 2011.

Sponsored post: I was kindly sent a sample of the tabs and the giveaway prizes are sponsored by Scotch Tape.

Magpie Monday - Yet more crafty finds!

2011-11-21T02:19:00.000-08:00

I was so happy (more happy than is probably within the bounds of 'normal' behaviour if I'm honest) with the results of my upcycled granny blanket, that this week I've been on the hunt for more trash that I can turn into treasure.

The worst thing about moving out to the sticks is the fact that I now only have one local charity shop to peruse on a regular basis. To be truthful, I don't like it much. It's run by an army of women-of-a-certain-age who tend to look most affronted if you enter the shop part way through their important ~~gossiping~~ conversations. They also stock the shop in the most minimal manner possible, I suspect only offering things that they would personally give house-room to. Suffice to say, my taste is not their taste.

So, I've rediscovered the joy of eBay! I'd forgotten how much I love having toot delivered to my door.

I purchased these old keys for a song (I won't reveal prices this week as I'm planning on turning everything into something else and they may well end up being given as gifts). So, the question is, what on earth am I going to do with a bunch of rusty old keys?

On Saturday I was back in my old town attending my first School of Craft Crafternoon. More on that later, but I spent a blissful 3 hours stitching, drinking coffee and eating cake, so it doesn't get much better than that.

I couldn't be in the vicinity of my favourite house clearance shop without popping in for a mooch - it would be rude not to. I picked up these pretty old terracotta tom pots, again for a brilliant price.

I've already worked out exactly what I'm going to make with these, so I just hope it turns out as it is in my head. I love the old markings on the pots - according to Google these are possibly Victorian. Two of them are marked as being produced in Nottingham, so if my plan turns out there may be a couple of Twitter friends up that way getting a crafty Christmas present in the post! Any ideas what I'm plotting?

This pretty little pillowcase is also destined for other things, and that will feature on the blog soon. I love the yellow cabbage roses on it, but a single pillowcase is not much use on it's own.

Finally, I bought a wooden box of dominoes. I'm sure these have brilliant crafting possibilities, I just can't think of them right now. I remember Faith Hope and Charity Shopping made a cool domino brooch, so maybe that. Or does anyone have any other bright ideas?

So, what (most likely, more sensible) second-hand purchases have you made lately?

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The No-Crochet Crocheted Poncho!

2011-11-16T11:30:00.000-08:00

A little while ago I was mooching around a craft market. I spotted some beautiful crocheted kid's ponchos. They really were lovely, but at around £15 each they were a bit pricey for my budget. Don't get me wrong, I'm not begrudging the price, I'm sure they took hours and hours to make and when you take that into account, £15 was actually very reasonable.

However, I know I can pick up hand crocheted granny blankets for a couple of quid in almost any charity shop I go in, and these were essentially little crocheted granny blankets with a hole in the middle...

(did you hear the penny drop then?)

I present to you, the cheat's crochet poncho...

First you need to find a suitable granny blanket. We have loads of these, I can't resist buying them, but to be honest apart from letting Ruby use them to make little beds for her dolls all over the house, I was never entirely sure what to do with them!

Search in charity shops, you can usually find them for £3-4 or less depending on size. The animal rescue shelter shops seem to be a good place to look. They must have an army of crocheters making blankets to chilly canines and cold cats.

So, you'll need a blanket with a central square. Once found, fold in half diagonally into a triangle to gauge the size - chase your small child around the shop in an attempt to see if it will be the right size - fend off disapproving looks from shop staff.

Once back home, gather your supplies. You'll need your blanket, some matching or contrasting wool and scissors. A large needle will also help.

Real crocheters should probably look away now. You'll either be horrified at what I'm about to do, or you'll be wetting yourself laughing at my total lack of understanding of the mechanics of crochet.

So, check your central square will fit over the head. You can just do this by eye, but Ruby thought it was funny for me to measure her head (as well as making little beds everywhere, she's also obsessed with measuring things). For the record, her head measures 52 cm.

You'll need a length of yarn about twice the length of the circumference of the square (do squares have circumferences? Or is that just circles? Oh, you get what I mean!).

I wanted my yarn thicker than a strand of wool, so I took three lengths and plaited them together. If you can't find matching wool, you could always use ribbon instead.

Fold your blanket in half into a triangle again, and starting at the bottom point of the internal square, thread your yarn through the last loops of the preceding square (see what I mean about lack of crocheting technical ability? I have absolutely no idea of the terminology, so why don't you look at the picture instead).

Continue threading all the way around. In hindsight, when I realised that it wouldn't actually unravel before my eyes, you could do the cutting first, then threading. This would give you a bit more room to manoeuvre, but I was too scared!

Now comes the scary part. Start cutting the middle square away from the rest of the blanket, careful not to cut through the other colour or your yarn you've just threaded.

Keep cutting all the way around, until you have completely removed the interior square.

I'm sure there's probably a thriftier way of doing this so you can re-use the wool from the centre, but hey, I'm just a snippy snappy happy kinda girl.

Your poncho is now basically complete. I made some pompoms to add to the ends of the ties, but you could thread on beads or tassels - anything really to decorate the ends and stop them from pulling back through.

Hey presto! I'm not sure if I should admit this, but although I made it for Ruby, I've actually been wearing this around the house myself! It's lovely and cosy and the old man is pleased because he's muttering something about turning the central heating down.

Hope you liked this little tutorial, and apologies to real crocheters out there!

Linking up here:

and here:

also featured on the Thrifty Families Blog Carnival

Hands Up for Justin Fletcher

2011-11-16T04:18:00.000-08:00

If having Justin Fletcher on your telly-box and your DVD player is just not enough for you and yours, fear not. You will soon be able to get the uber talented fella on your ipod, in your car, singing in your ears while you get tea ready...

Yes! Justin Fletcher is set for pop stardom and is aiming for that coveted Christmas No 1 spot.

Frankly, I think he'll do it too.

We've been boogieing to this in the car and around the house for a couple of weeks now since we had a sneaky preview copy - I'll spare you the vlog of me dancing, that's just not pleasant.

Instead, here's the great man himself.

I defy you not to sing along!

Add it to your Christmas list (single out 20th November), and you can now follow Justin on Twitter and Facebook so he'll never be far away.

Sponsored post: We were sent a sample copy of the CD for the purposes of this review, however and views expressed are my own.

If you see a crocodile... Orchard Toys Review

2011-11-15T08:42:00.000-08:00

We were very excited to get this new board game to review from Orchard Toys.

We've worked playing a game together as a family into our nightly routine, so after dinner, Ruby gets chance to sit down with myself and daddy and spend some time together before bath and bed.

In all my reviews I am always honest. If there's something I don't like about a product I'll say so. Equally, if I do like a product or a company, then I'm happy to shout it from the rafters.

Never let it be said that this house only runs on freebies and blagged products.

Check out one of our toy cupboards to see what we think of Orchard Toys games...

The Alphabet Lotto was one we reviewed, but all the others are ones we've bought for Ruby or asked for as birthday gifts. See- we love Orchard Toys!

If you see a crocodile (don't forget to scream) is a great addition to our collection of family games. Suitable for 2-4 players aged 3 plus, it's a really fun, action-packed (and noisy!) game. Because of this, it might not be best suited to winding-down bedtime - in fact Ruby got so excited that shortly after this video was taken she knocked the table, tipped over my tea and soaked the whole thing - it's currently drying out on the radiator - oh well!

Please excuse the background detritus and the fact that Ruby is in her dressing gown (rolls eyes).

She absolutely loved it, and played with much enthusiasm (read noise). I can see this being a great Christmas day game for all the family to join in.

All Orchard Toys games are educational, and whilst some like Greedy Gorilla teach about healthy eating, and What's Rubbish teach about recycling, this one helps youngsters learn and recognise colours. This is something Ruby has mastered now, but as with any board game, there are plenty of other learning opportunities - like communication skills; taking turns and losing graciously (we're working on that one!).

Overall, I'd say this game is hugely fun and lively and would make an excellent Christmas gift. This game retails at £11.50. check out the website for loads more great titles - you can NEVER have enough Orchard Toys board games!

What's more, I'm giving you a chance to 'blag' your very own If you see a crocodile game.

To enter, simply pop over to the Orchard Toys website and leave a comment here saying which game you like the look of best.

For an additional entry please tweet: " I'm entering @missielizzieb 's competition to win an @OrchardToys game. you can too here: http://bit.ly/vvLxsH" Leave a seperate comment saying you have done so.

Competition closes at 5pm on Friday 25th November. Don't forget to leave a twitter ID or email so I can contact you.

Sponsored post: We received this game free of charge for the purposes of this review. However, as stated above, all the views expressed are my own and are accurate and honest. Orchard Toys are kindly also providing another game as a giveaway prize.

Magpie Monday - Some Crafty Buys

2011-11-13T23:33:00.000-08:00

The happiness of buying from second-hand shops doesn't just come when you find something worthy of the Antiques Roadshow.

For me, I'm just as pleased when I find something useful, practical or something that's on my shopping list, and I can manage to save it from ending up in landfill.

Last weekend I went on another brilliant School of Craft workshop. This time we were learning to make bunting. Although we were taught how to make our own bias binding, well frankly if I can save the hassle and buy it, then I will!

I was stupid happy to find a stash of vintage binding in the first charity shop I went in. They cost me 10p and 20p each - my haberdashery shop sells binding for 45p per metre so I didn't save a fortune, but at least these old school Wollies purchases will finally get used.

At the class, Jo showed us how to make super-cute tiny-tiny bunting from men's shirts. I loved how something so masculine could be turned into something so pretty.

So far, I've resisted the urge to take a pair of scissors to the old man's work shirts and cut tiny triangles from them, but I have retrieved a couple of his old ones out of the charity bag!

I was on the look out for more to add to my stash, and managed to find 3 lovely ones on the sale rail in the Salvation Army shop - oh yes my friends, I'm not to proud to go through the reduced rails in charity shops!

Do I feel bad about hacking up Savile Row shirts? I do not. They have already had a life with their first owner. Then, they've been sitting on the rail in the charity shop for a fortnight waiting for someone with the neck size of a heavy-weight boxer to come along and buy them. Finally, they were left languishing, forlornly on the pound rail, until I rescued them!

I picked up a woolly pully for £2 which I've already boiled the hell out of in the washing machine ready to turn into some Christmas Stockings using Red Ted's tutorial. It's only Florence & Fred, but its such a pretty colour and has a pleasingly Christmassy sparkle to it. It didn't shrink hugely (perhaps because it was only 80% pure wool), but it does have that nice, thick felted feel to it now. Hopefully I'll be showing you my stockings in a future blog post (wink wink).

I also managed to grab a bundle of crocheted granny blankets for £3 each. I have crafty plans for these too...

A rummage through the odds n' sods box looking for more bias binding, brought up these beauties which will go in my Christmas craft stash. Some silver metallic thread - maybe I can get it to take on my machine and run up a Kirstie Allsop-esque stitched paper Christmas card?

There was also a huge roll of this red and white, sold by the metre for 50p. First of all I thought it would be great for Christmas wrapping - like baker's twine, but on closer inspection I realised it was actually elastic! I'm not entirely sure what I'll use it for, but I'm sure something will come up. I resisted the urge to ask 'how much for the whole lot?' - least til I figure out what I can use it for!

And finally, something for myself and Ruby to do together. Two packs of air drying clay for £2 each and a dinky little vintage wooden rolling pin for a quid. Once I find my Angel Gabriel cookie cutter, the Christmas tree will be decorated in no time!

So, what have you been unearthing? I'd love for you to grab the badge and link up. I shan't be around much today, so if you could tweet #MagpieMonday a bit for me that would be fab. Promise to catch up on all the posts this evening - I know you won't disappoint. x

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John Crane and Sevi - a perfect partnership

2011-11-12T10:34:00.000-08:00

John Crane Ltd, synonymous with high quality, beautifully designed wooden toys, has now teamed with Sevi - Europe's oldest brand of wooden toys and accessories.

Sevi - Founded in 1831

This is fantastic news for lovers of stylish and long-lasting toys. The partnership will see John Crane as UK distributor, bringing European toys direct to your door at affordable prices.

Who can resist their adorable range of Christmas decorations, nativities and advent displays?

Head on over to John Crane to see more.

Sponsored post: I received a token gift as a thank you for writing about this news in conjunction with Blog Match.

Nick Junior Pumpkin Carving Results

2011-11-12T08:02:00.000-08:00

Firstly, thank you to all those of you who sent me links and emailed pictures of your amazing Nick Jr inspired pumpkins.

I really enjoyed seeing them all, and I hope your families had fun making them and showing them off to the trick or treaters!

As promised, The Bopps have been hard at work judging them, and it was a toughie.

They did however, settle on a winner, and I'm pleased to announce that Leslie Jorbin scoops the prize, for exceeding the brief by carving not one but two Nick Jr Pumpkins!

We loved these Dora and Diego pumpkins and Keith Bopp said:

"The level of skill in capturing the likenesses of these two stalwarts of Nick Jnr is astonishing and I have nothing but admiration for the patience and carving skill this entry must have required."

An honourable mention also goes to Ian Graham with his fabulous Blues Clues pumpkin.

Thanks so much to everyone who took part, and Leslie, please could you get in touch with your email so we can organise your personalised recording, and your postal address so we can send your goody bag.

Special thanks to The Bopps for their judging.

A Perfect Christmas - New Barbie DVD review

2011-11-10T12:25:00.000-08:00

After three years of trains, planes and automobiles, my little girl is finally getting into pink!!

What could be more girlie and pink than Barbie? So when we were asked to review the new DVD - Barbie's Perfect Christmas, she was over the moon.

She was enthralled, and I have to admit it's started to get us in the mood for yuletide.

A heart-warming story of the real values of Christmas and the joy of being with friends and family at this special time of the year.

The full length, animated musical film is out now on DVD, and would make a great stocking filler. Perfect for the family to watch together.

"Join Barbie™ and her sisters, Skipper™, Stacie™ and Chelsea™, as their Christmas holiday plans turn into a most unexpected adventure. After their plane to New-York is diverted by a snowstorm, the girls find themselves stranded far from their destination and their holiday dreams.

Ending up at a remote inn in the tiny town of Tannebaum, the sisters soon discover new friends and magical experiences in their new-found Winter Wonderland. To thank everyone for their heart-warming welcome and hospitality, they use their musical talents to put on a stunning performance for the whole town. Barbie™ and her sisters realise that the true joy of being together is what really makes ‘A Perfect Christmas.’"

RRP: £14.99

Certification: U

Sponsored post: The Pre-view DVD was sent free of charge for the purposes of this review.

BigJigs Hobby Horse from the Wooden Toy Shop

2011-11-09T12:45:00.000-08:00

The Wooden Toy Shop has sent us a gorgeous toy by BigJigs to review.

We are so lucky to be sent products to test and give opinions on - some are practical, some are fun and some are simply stunning.

This floral hobby horse, definitely falls into the 'stunning' category - although Ruby would also agree that it's a lot of fun!

The pink floral fabric, finished with pink gingham fabric reigns and soft woolly mane means it's a toy I'm happy and proud to have on show.

Traditionally fashioned with a sturdy wooden pole, two small wheels and wooden handles, it's stable and sturdy for little ones to yee-haa around to their heart's content.

This really does look like an 'heirloom' toy - one which hopefully will last for years and years - but without the heirloom price tag!

The pink hobby horse is only £16.79 and if pink's not your bag, there's a brown cord version (even greater value at £14.79).

My only minor problem, is that the handles and wheels make it a bit tricky for little ones to stand up against the wall after play (unlike our other one which is just a plain pole), but having said that its the wheels that make it more fun to ride!

If you're looking for a fun and aesthetically pleasing pre-school toy, one which both the child and their parents will thank you for, then I don't think you could go far wrong with one of these.

Sponsored post: Thanks to the Wooden Toy Shop for providing the horse pictured for the purposes of this review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Are your children 'deprived'?

2011-11-09T03:15:00.000-08:00

We all know that there is terrible injustice and poverty in the world, and indeed within our own society.

So, I was actually quite disturbed to read the new report commissioned by The Children's Society about children's perception of their own happiness.

Whilst many of the write-ups I've read this morning try to point out that actually, some of the measures that children have indicated impacting on their well-being are focused on family togetherness and days out, there is still an alarming weight placed on material possessions.

The University of York surveyed 5,500 boys and girls for the Children Society research, and concluded that children who lack more than 5 out of the 10 items on their new 'deprivation index' are over 5 times more likely to suffer low levels of well-being than children who have all 10 indicators.

So, what are these 'items of deprivation'?

1. Some pocket money each week to spend on yourself
2. Some money that you can save each month, either in a bank or at home
3. A pair of designer or brand name trainers (like Nike or Vans)
4. An iPod or other personal music player
5. Cable or satellite TV at home
6. A garden at home, or somewhere nearby like a park where you can safely spend time with your friends
7. A family car for transport when you need it
8. The right kind of clothes to fit in with other people your age
9. At least one family holiday away from home each year
10. Family trips or days out at least once a month

Will my child really feel deprived without the latest pair of sneakers or an ipod?

What message does this report send out to parents? Parents who are already placed under pressure and feel guilt laid on from every direction. Parents who are trying to make ends meet in these austere times.

Will it make us try to instill other values in our children. To show that they are safe; loved and wanted in ways other than material possessions you can buy? Or will it make us rush out to JD Sports?

What do you think?

You can read the full report here:

Missing out: a child centred analysis of material deprivation and subjective well-being

Dora's Enchanted Forest Adventures

2011-11-08T01:52:00.000-08:00

My little Dora fan is very excited. She'll be rushing home from nursery today to catch Dora's biggest adventure yet on Nick Jr this afternoon at 4.30pm.

We're lucky, as Nick Jr bloggers we have already had a sneaky peak of this, but nothing quite beats seeing it on the TV!

The magical three part special is a tale of elves, fairies and unicorns, with Dora and Diego on an exciting quest to restore calm and happiness to the Enchanted Forest.

The adventure starts today at 4.30 pm on Nick Jr with 'The Tale of the Unicorn King' (Sky 615, Virgin 715 and TalkTalk 318). It continues tomorrow at 4.30 with 'the Secret of Atlantis' and then concludes with an exciting hour-long special on Thursday at 4.30 called 'Dora saves King Unicornio'.

The full trilogy is also repeated on Nick Jr:

Friday 11 November at 4.30pm
Saturday 12 November at 11am and 4pm
Sunday 13 November at 12pm and 3pm
Saturday 19 November at 1pm
Sunday 20 November at 9am and 5pm
Friday 25 November at 4pm
Sunday 27 November at 12pm

So there's really no excuse to miss it!

Make sure you also check out the website for lots of fun and games, and there's also a brand new competition where you can win one of ten special Enchanted Forest Dora goody bags.

Magpie Monday - Best Laid Plans

2011-11-07T02:55:00.000-08:00

This week I bought the most fabulous vintage coat. Perfect for keeping me snuggley all winter long. To show if off to it's full vintage glory, I had planned on getting the old man to take some arty-farty shots of me wearing it, kicking through the autumn leaves, hot breath clouds blowing from my mouth, chocolate ladbrador obediently set by my gorgeous new Charlotte & Co mock crock wellies....

Well, that was the plan.

To be fair it was only myself and the dawg who seemed keen on a brisk countryside family walk yesterday - but being a dog she's not very hot with a camera, so I dragged the rest of the clan out too. We negotiated the monstrous, filthy muddy puddle at the start of the footpath into the woods - the dog drawn to foul water like a magnet. Ditto Ruby.

Both dog and Ruby were told in no uncertain terms, that wading through that particular puddle was not an option.

I'm all for jumping up and down in muddy puddles. Just not muddy puddles the size of Lake Windermere, and especially not 2 minutes into a family walk.

Just as I thought we were safely past the black, viscous puddle, Ruby slipped my hand, turned on her heel and pegged it like Usain Bolt. I was left standing there, screaming fishwife style "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...".

She took one final look over her shoulder, threw her head back in defiant and triumphant cackle...and flew, spectacularly, face down, full on belly flop into the mire.

I was furious beyond belief. Daddy ran over and peeled her out of the mud, and there she stood, like a bog monster, covered from head to toe, coughing and spluttering mud.

On another day, I may have found this funny. Yesterday I did not. I was raging.

She had ruined her brand new dress; obliterated a pair of tights; poor Charlie (the 2 day old Steiff teddy that Daddy had brought back from Germany as a present) was also in a very sorry state; her school coat looked like she'd been on an army assault course; Daddy hastily pulled his shirt out from his belt to wipe her face and promptly tore it seam from seam, and finally the dog was not best pleased at having her walk prematurely cut short.

We trudged home (well, they trudged, I stormed), stripped her off, put her in the bath with me muttering something about 'when is that girl ever going to listen and do as she's told'.

And that was the end of that.

Instead, I shall have to show you my coat on it's hanger.

A Windsmoor bouclé (is that the right word?) beauty. I love the shape of it, the buttons, the collar, the little turned back cuffs... everything. And it only cost £8.

It's now smelling much fresher than when I bought it in the charity shop too. I took it straight to the dry cleaners because it smelt particularly fusty-musty. They informed me that dry cleaning does not get rid of odours.

Seriously, I can't be the only one who is convinced that dry cleaners simply hang your garment on a clothes hanger, pop a plastic wrapper on it and charge you a tenner.

So the coat was £8, dry cleaning cost £8.50 and I used half a bottle of Fabreze followed by two days airing outside on the washing line. Still, £16.50 for a vintage Windsmoor is not bad methinks. Let's hope it has better luck on it's next outing.

What second-hand beauties have you unearthed this week? I'd love you to grab the badge and link-up. x

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and link to my blog

Thrillaxing with iExplore

2011-11-03T14:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the most extraordinary day.

I was invited to the launch of new travel site iExplore and their new concept of 'thrillaxing' holidays. How did they choose to share this news? Well, they got a group of bloggers down to London, dressed us up in unfeasibley large yellow jackets, strapped us into lifejackets then popped us on a speedboat and sent us down the Thames!

Thrilling it certainly was! We had an amazing time, seeing sights that you don't normally glimpse and literally blowing the cobwebs away. I took a little video, but please bear in mind that a) it felt like a gale force wind b) I feared for the contents of Ruby's stomach and c) I'm a rubbish camerawoman.

Scream if you wanna go faster - we did, and they did! Try tilting this photo so the skyline is horizontal and you'll get a better idea of the angle we were at!

It was exhilarating and hugely fun, but more than that, it illustrated the point of 'thrillaxing' trips perfectly. Think about it (if you can remember that far back)...when was the last time you laid on the beach or sat by the pool and totally switched off? Notwithstanding the fact that once littlies come along, that's nigh on impossible, for me sitting still and doing nothing only leaves my mind time to mull, stress and worry.

Far far better to have something totally absorbing to completely relax and refresh you.

iExplore's research backs this up. 75% of the people they asked said that keeping active abroad takes their minds off their day-to-day lives, with 80% of parents surveyed saying an active holiday banishes home-related worries.

So, whether you fancy a winter activity break building igloos and going on dog-sled rides, or a trip to Borneo to see orangutans, check out iExplore who will find your perfect holidays. There are trips tailored to families with young children, teenagers and even single parents.

If you're smart, you'll also head over to their Facebook page and try and win yourself a £5,000 trip of a lifetime.

Oh. Did I mention we also had lunch with globe-trotting TV presenter totty Craig Doyle?

He said some stuff too, but to be perfectly honest I wasn't listening *swoon*.

Sponsored post: Many thanks to iExplore for allowing me to be a Bond girl for the day.

Any views or opinions expressed in this post are my own - apart from the swooning at Craig bit if my OH is reading.

Sew Ethical

2011-11-03T01:18:00.000-07:00

Last week, whilst mooching around my favourite charity shops, I noticed that Oxfam already had some of their Christmas collection on sale.

I spotted this lovely little sew-on patch. It's fairly traded from India, and for £3.49 I thought it would be a cute little project for me to applique on to a plain t-shirt for Ruby.

Notwithstanding my sewing machine needing a little tinker, and then my iron conked out, it only took about 10 minutes to come up with a unique design top for her. Simply machine stitched with zig zag stitching.

Yes, I know its not perfect - to be honest the shape was a bit fiddly for a beginner like me, but it shows it's handcrafted right?

Perhaps I should have started with this humming bird patch instead?

I'm planning on getting these cute pirate patches to embellish some plain items for my nephew for Christmas.

I also am quite taken with this book of iron-on transfers (when I get round to buying a new iron that is!). I think this might appear on my Christmas wish list.

They also have gorgeous fair trade wool and accessories for knitters, like this lush knitting bag.

If you're looking for some craft with a conscience Christmas pressies, check out the Oxfam Ethical Collection, either in store or online.

Linking up with Handmade Thursday.

NB This is NOT a sponsored post. I was not asked to promote Oxfam's range, but do so of my own free will. Go take a look!

BIC® Kids Art Gallery

2011-11-02T14:04:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much to Maggy from Red Ted Art who had the tough job of judging, but we're pleased to announce the three winners are:

David aged 9
Eleanor aged 3
Cecily aged 3

Well done all of you. I have David and Elenor's addresses so the prizes will be heading your way soon. Cecily's mum, please contact me with your address.

Thank you all so much for sending in your beautiful, creative entries. We really enjoyed seeing them and it certainly cheered up the grey days.

Keeeeeeeeep crafting!

_____________________________________________

Forgive me for coming over all Tony Hart! This is the space where all the beautiful entries to the 'Autumn' competition will be posted.

If you'd love for your little one's work to be displayed here to, check out the previous post for full details on how to enter. They might even win a BIC® Kids goody bag.

I'll be adding pictures as they come through to me, so please do pop back and admire the creativity. Please do leave a comment and words of encouragement too!

Martha aged 6 painted a tree in acrylics

4 year old Lois used computer art to create her 'falling leaves' picture

Wow! Such a lot going on in this Autumn night scene by David aged 9

Charley aged 12 and her autumn model

Danny aged 6 is wearing his hedgehog mask he made from autumn leaves

Sydney aged 3 has sent in a picture of her pine cone fairy

'My favourite park in autumn' by Andrew aged 7

Peter age 3 and his autumn artwork and candle holder

He's also rightly proud of his little oak tree he's growing from a sprouting acorn found on a woodland walk

Daniel is 3 1/2 and has sent in his Autumn collages

Chester age 3 with his spooky spider and bat

Eleanor aged 3 - London on Bonfire Night

Fireworks painted with cotton buds by Cecily aged 3

Boo aged 3 used Tissue Paper and lots of glue to create: A Man at the Bonfire looking at fireworks

Kaleigh is just turned 3 and has sent in her firework painting

Brooke has sent in a beautiful autumn poem

Ruby aged 8 and her cousin made this adorable elf house in the woods, complete with front door and pine cones and stones for the garden

Charlie aged 7 has made a beach castle - for the crabs to shelter in when it gets dark

Jake aged 6 has made a cosy Autumn Hedgehog House

Molly is 4 and has sent in a spectacular splatter painted fireworks picture

4 year old Lee has sent in a picture of himself and his Mummy watching the fireworks

Zack aged 3 has sent in his leafy artwork

4 year old Raiden sent in these super-sparkly firework pictures

Want to see your entry here? Get arty and send it in!

Get your craft on and win with BIC® Kids

2011-11-02T01:16:00.000-07:00

We were sent some cool BIC® Kids products to try, including pens; felt tips, crayons; pencils and a drywipe board. Ruby loves to draw and colour, and I particularly appreciated some of the innovative design features - like felt tips which don't dry out even if you leave the lids off, and ergonomically designed crayons for little hands.

We love to spend time 'crafting' and it's wonderful to see Ruby developing her creative side. I guarantee now, when we're out and about, she will pick something up (a feather; a pebble; some leaves or a stick) and say " Mummy, we could make *such and such* out of this". She's even started keeping wrappers and empty packets, seeing the potential in turning them into something else - that's my girl!

Research commissioned by BIC® Kids has shown that more than a third (34 per cent) of British parents believe electronic gaming is having a negative impact on child creativity, followed by concern over what their what friends think (28 per cent).

The research also revealed that in today’s hectic lifestyle, parents can find it hard to find time doing activities with their children – one of the simplest ways to inspire creativity. From the 2,000 parents surveyed, just 10 per cent spend time each day doing creative activities with their children. Under a third of parents (28 per cent) set time aside to be creative once a week, with two per cent of parents admitting to never doing this.

Angela Anning, Professor of Early Childhood Education, University of Leeds, who is working with BIC® Kids said, “... the ability for creativity to fire the imagination and boost their development can’t be underestimated. Creativity, even the simple pleasures if drawing and colouring, instills confidence and helps develop a sense and understanding of our surroundings. It also plays a central part in many careers, so encouraging children to get creative while they’re young will put them in good stead for their future.”

Angela Anning offers parents her top five tips to boost kids’ creativity:

Be interested in your children's creativity and join in on the playfulness
Create the time and space for children to be creative - at the kitchen table, in front of the tv, in the bath...wherever.
Vary the resources your children have to play creatively according to their ages – paint, felt tips, puppets, small figures, boxes, fabrics, wooden spoons, etc.
Tune into your children's individual stories and interests and talk about them - animals, monsters, fairies, engines, cars, etc.
Have fun together exploring music, dancing, painting, drawing, stories and playing.

In an effort to encourage kids to be more creative, I'm running an art competition to win a set of BIC® Kids art materials.

I'd like you to send in your child's artwork, with the theme "Autumn". This can be anything they put their mind to - maybe a leaf collage, or a wax crayon drawing of fireworks on bonfire night, even a model or sculpture.

I'm really honoured that the fabulous Maggy from Red Ted Art is going to be judging this contest for me - she might regret offering when she sees all your beautiful creations! If you're stuck for inspiration, head over to her incredible blog for great ideas on kid's craft. A huge thanks to Maggy for helping me with this. x

There will be 3 winners - one chosen at random, and one judged from each of the age categories - 3* - 6 years, and 7 - 12 year olds.

*The prizes are not recommended for use by children aged under 3, hence the age restriction.

To enter: please email me your artwork to: missielizzieandmyshadow @ ymail.com including your name and contact details, your child's name and age.

All entries will be uploaded to a gallery here on the blog (personal details will not be shared, only the child's first name or initials and their age).

The prize: Each winner will receive a BIC® Kids goody bag, comprising of a Velleda Dry Erase Board; pack of 12 Visa non-drying felt pens; pack of 12 Plastidecor extra clean crayons; pack of 12 Plastidecor Triangle easy grip extra clean crayons; pack of 12 Evolution extra stong pencils; pack of 12 Evolution extra strong easy grip crayons.

Please note, not all items are suitable for all age groups.

The closing date will be 5pm on Sunday 20th November 2011. UK entries only please. Each child may enter only once.

Please use the share buttons below to tell your friends on Twitter or Facebook about this contest. x

Sponsored post: We were sent some sample products free of charge and the prizes are supplied by Bic Kids.

Country Kids - Trick or Treating

2011-10-31T13:35:00.000-07:00

We were so excited about Halloween this year. At three and a half, it was the first year we'd decided to take Ruby out trick or treating.

Last year she absolutely loved it when the kids came knocking, and dutifully held out the basket for them to fill up on chocolates.

However, we've moved to a new area and I really wasn't sure whether trick or treating was de rigueur here or not. On my trips to and fro to nursery and out and about I hadn't spotted one single house decorated for Halloween, however, the supermarket had completely sold out of trick or treat sweets - so they must do it, right?

We braved the cold, and all dressed up. What a scary bunch!

We wrestled with our unfeasibly large pumpkin lantern...

We stuck to the quieter back streets and only called on those houses with pumpkin lanterns on the doorstep. There were some incredibly well decorated houses.

It was a lovely evening, walking in the fresh air and talking about our day. We looked at the moon and talked about the stars. Ruby did really well and it was great to see her confidence increasing with each door we knocked on (we were standing right next to her, but even saying 'trick or treat' was hard for her the first few times).

She absolutely loved it - and not just because she got treats! She loved seeing all the other children dressed up, loved spending time outdoors at night, and loved her extended time with Daddy - she normally goes to bed pretty much as he gets in from work.

I know a lot of people don't approve of trick or treating. But as long as children are accompanied, not harassing vulnerable people or playing pranks on people, where's the harm...

*waits for everyone to tell me it's begging and celebrating the black arts yadda yadda...*

Tiny Who? Tiny Me!

2011-10-31T09:26:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back I was invited by Blog Match to a presentation by Australian company Tiny Me, producers of designer personalised kids products.

Spend the evening in a swanky hotel; night off from being a mum; get to meet lots of other lovely bloggers - yes please!

We were treated to a lovely talk and overview of the company by Mike and Ben. I really warmed to these guys straight away. Their passion and enthusiasm for their products and business was infectious, and I loved the way their children and families were integral to everything they do. How many British businessmen do you know who would include snaps of their kids in a business presentation? It's a shame, but I guess we're just too uptight here!

The business has been running sucessfully in Australia for the past 5 years, and in July 2011 they launched in the UK. Selling cool personalised kids products, their eye for design is clear.

Tiny Me takes immense pride in their designs, and the attention to detail shows - bags are lined with their distinctive ticking stripe and even the zipper pull is branded.

They go the extra mile in their manufacturing process too. For example, their sticky name labels are scratch resistant dishwasher-proof, freezer-proof and microwave-proof.

The website is a joy to use, and it's simple to design your own individual order. There's a huge array of personalised items to choose from - iron clothes labels, height charts, books and stationery; bags and wall art.

To get a flavour of their cool designs, why not sign up for the newsletter and get immediate access to their free downloadables.

I reckon you'll be hooked!

Sponsored post: Many thanks to Blog Match and Tiny Me for hosting the presentation evening. All views expressed here are my own.

Magpie Monday - The Halloween Edition!

2011-10-31T02:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween spooksters!

Welcome to Magpie Monday. For those of you who've not visited before (where have you been?) just a quick reminder of what this is all about.

Magpie Monday is your chance to share your second-hand finds. I set it up as a way of showing that we don't have to buy in to the consumerism taking over the world, and that it's perfectly possible to stylishly clothe yourself; dress your home; feed your literary appetite and entertain your kids with items that have been pre-loved. Championing the Three Rs philosophy - Reduce; Recycle and Reuse.

If you've been reading my blog, it will come as no surprise that I love Halloween! However, I don't love the throwaway tatty decorations you buy in the shops and supermarkets. So, as well as making my own, I've also been on the hunt in my favourite charity shops and car boot sales.

I found this gorgeous little orange enamel teapot. After retrieving it from Ruby's playhouse - she's commandeered it - I attempted a little seasonal flower arrangement with bits and bobs from the garden - Jane Packer I aint!

In the same charity shop, I found this little applique decorative cushion. I'm not sure if it's handmade, but it certainly has that feel about it.

I'm very happy with these two little items, as I can re-use them year after year, and they cost me the princely sum of £2.50 in total.

If you've bought anything second-hand recently that you'd like to show off, please grab the badge and link up.

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and link to my blog

Christmas Crafts! Tree Table Place Markers

2011-10-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

This is a really simple craft to do with young children, but equally, you could do slightly more refined 'grown up' trees for a more sophisticated table decoration!

You will need:

Thin card (you can use cereal boxes etc as you will only see one side)
Glue
Glitter
Gold/Silver Card (optional)

Cut out your template to make the cones - this is effectively a semi-circle, but if you wish you can use this template.

You will also need to cut out a star shape - this is the name marker so make sure it's big enough to write on! I thought it looked better in foil effect card as you will see both the front and rear.

Curve your semi circle into a cone and glue in place. You could use double-sided sticky tape concealed inside, or masking tape on the exterior, but it won't look as neat.

Cover your cone in glue.

Liberally sprinkle with glitter. We made green trees, but you could colour co-ordinate them to your room or decorations if that's your thing!

I came up with this ingenious stand to hold them whilst the trees dried - a pencil stuck in some blu-tak or modelling clay!

Once fully dried, write your names on the stars, cut out a little nick in the star so it will slot on top of the cone tree.

We thought these would be nice with a little treat hidden underneath on the dinner table instead of a cracker.

Halloween Spooky Spider Sweetcorn Fritters

2011-10-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

This was one of those happy accidents!

While I was knocking up a batch of sweetcorn fritters for lunch today, I used the griddle pan instead of the frying pan and noticed how the batter ran into the grooves.

The purists amongst us will note that they don't have eight legs, but who cares! If it bothers you that much you can pour the batter on more carefully to make the correct number for an arachnid.

This is a great recipe to make with your kids. Ruby loves to help weigh out the ingredients, crack the eggs and whisk the batter.

100g self-raising Flour

150ml semi-skimmed milk

2 eggs

Small tin of sweetcorn (or large handful of thawed, frozen sweetcorn)

2 spring onions very finely chopped

4 tsp sunflower oil, for frying or squirts of low-cal Fry oil

Black olives for decoration

Small pinch salt

Whisk together the milk, flour, eggs and salt until there are no lumps. Add the finely chopped spring onion and sweetcorn and stir together. Ideally leave to stand for 30 mins.

Oil your grooved griddle pan, and pour a small amount of batter onto the hot griddle. Cook in small batches of 3 or 4 at a time, cooking for about 3-4 minutes each side, until brown.

Decorate your spiders with olives for eyes. Great for a spooky supper, snack or brunch.

Happy Halloween!

Linking up with:

Exclusive Nick Jr Halloween Competition

2011-10-27T04:58:00.000-07:00

I had a little idea which I thought would be fun for all you creative mums and dads out there with little Nick Jr fans.

We're asking you to get carving on your pumpkins this Halloween and come up with your best Nick Jr themed effort.

Ruby was very keen for a Peppa Pig Pumpkin, and she was pretty pleased with my attempt - although she has now requested that we paint it pink!

We'd love you to share or send in your pumpkin creations of your favourite Nick Jr characters. Maybe you'll pick Dora; Olive the Ostrich; Ben and Holly or Fifi - it's entirely up to you.

You can use whatever method you like to decorate your pumpkin: carving; painting; sticking or anything else you come up with!

The winning entry will get a fantastic Nick Jr Goody bag, crammed full of exciting things for your Nick Jr fan. In addition, the winner will also get a totally unique, money-can't-buy exclusive message video from The Bopps. We'll liaise with the winner to discuss who you want the personalised message for, so enter for your kids, your grandchildren, your nieces and nephews or maybe for the whole nursery! The Bopps have kindly agreed to record a special message for the winner - maybe you have a birthday coming up, or you'd like them to make a special Christmas recording just for you.

How to enter:

Take a photo of your Nick Jr pumpkin and share the link here in the comments section - a twitpic url or Flickr url for example. Alternatively, you can email me the picture to missielizzieandmyshadow@ymail.com with the title Nick Jr Pumpkin Competition. Include your name and contact details.

For a second, bonus entry, please follow Keith Bopp on Twitter and tweet the following: "I'm entering @missielizzieb's blog comp to win a Nick Jr Goody Bag & special @KeithBopp recording here: http://bit.ly/ss4RaD #NickJrPumpkin". Leave a separate comment below to say you have done this.

Terms:

The competition closes at 5pm on Tuesday 01 November 2011. Entries received after that time will not be counted. The entries will be judged by The Bopps themselves, and they will choose the final winner. The winner must provide an email address after being notified so we can discuss your personal requirements and send the final video file electronically.

The competition is open worldwide.

By submitting your photos, you give permission for your images to be used by myself.

Attack of the Veg Monster!!!

2011-10-26T11:46:00.000-07:00

The lovely people at Innocent sent us a rather spooky looking parcel yesterday.

Once I unwrapped the black ribbon and peaked inside the orange box, we were confronted with our ghoulish task...to make a hideous monster from innocent fruit and vegetables!

We spent a little time going through the contents and I'm happy to report that Ruby knew them all (she won't EAT them all, but that's another story). Then she decided what would make the best body parts. The comedy potato for example, was ear-marked as a warty nose, and the brussels sprouts were clearly ghastly green eyes.

Ruby took delight in stabbing the various components with toothpicks to attach limbs. She had the inspired idea of using raisins for pupils and a slice of apple for the mouth, and so was born Mrs Bat - because of her pet bat obviously.

After a little coaxing, Ruby agreed that it would be a waste not to eat her, so after a few more poses for the camera, Mrs Bat met the casserole pot.

At dinner tonight, Daddy asked about our day. Ruby gleefully told him we made a vegetable monster then cut it up and cooked it. "Oh wow, can I see it" he asked. "Err we're EATING it!"

You can join in the spooky vegetable fun with Innocent too, and upload a photo to win prizes! The first 1,000 entries will win a limited edition set of spooky glow in the dark number magnets. Use your letter magnets (which you've all been collecting free with your smoothies yes?) to come up with a name for your fruity freak.

Here's what you need to do:

1) Make your fruity freak or vegetable monster from the spookiest looking fruit or veg you can find.

2) Give it a name and use your innocent magnets to spell it out (how about 'Terry Able' or 'Aaaaaaaaaalan')

3) Take a picture of your spooky creation and post it in our scary Halloween gallery www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/fruityfreaks and email myfruitandvegmonster@innocentdrinks.co.uk with your flickr name and a postal address.

4) The first 1,000 entries win a set of limited edition glow-in-the-dark Halloween 0-9 number magnets (the perfect addition to our alphabet set)

5) When you're done with your monster why not use any leftover veg to make a soup or whizz any fruit up into a smoothie?

Sponsored post: We were sent a vegetable box to participate and spread the word about this promotion.