The Baby’s Catalogue by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

This is one of my daughter’s favourite books to flick through in the mornings when she is waiting for me to prepare her porridge. I usually give her about 4 books to flick through whilst she waits in her bed for me to come and fetch her and this is the one she always seems to be reading when I come in the room.

There’s a lot of detailand variation in the pictures and the illustrations leave so much scope for making up stories and asking questions. The colours and bright and cheerful and the illustrations are quite funny too.

I think this will be one of those books that is a favourite for a long time.

this moment……….

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo (I couldn’t decide which photo so added 3 this week)– no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. – soulemama

(feel free to add a link to your own ‘this moment’ in the comment section below)

Handmade doll and felt food swap

Do you remember a while I go I did a post about a swap I was going to be doing with Laura from Under Rainbows? In November I noticed that Laura ‘liked’ some of the felt fruit and veg in my Etsy store, so I contacted her and thanked her and had a look at her shop too and noticed that she made the most beautiful Waldorf dolls, I left a note saying I would like one some day for ‘T’ though couldn’t afford one at the moment and then she wrote back with the fantastic idea of doing a swap. I was delighted!!!

I quickly got to work making the food for Laura’s children for their Christmas present. I made:

• a fish
• a pumpkin
• a carrot
• 2 x mushrooms
• 2 x strawberries
• a pepper
• an onion
• an apple half
• an egg
• a lemon
• an apple
• a tomato
• a turnip
• 

to swap with THIS beautiful doll! :

I am SO pleased wih her, I cannot wait to give her to ‘T’ for her Birthday at the end of March – I think she fits in well at home don’t you?! Laura was so kind as she even made an extra dress out of the same material that I made ‘T”s first Birthday dress from as well as her little dungarees, blouse, knitted cardigan, hat and socks.

It has been so nice to take part in this swap, it feels much nicer to trade in this way and to really make something and think of other children opening them on Christmas day – has anyone else taken part in a swap? Oh and we need a name for dolly too – so if anyone has any names then do let me know!

Thank-you Laura for your amazing talent and for making such a beautiful dolly, it will be treasured, looked after and cared for for years to come. x

(PS – I’m hosting 2 x FAB giveaways at the moment – the one here is to win some adorable Japanese fabric and the other one here is to win some Japanese craft books of your choice!)

……………and of course, don’t forget to head over to another week of ‘Handmade Monday’ over at 1st Unique Gifts xx

Christmas at East Farm

We are lucky enough to live close by to East Farm – it’s tucked away little Winter Wonderland; complete with Nativity animals, Santas Grotto, a Vintage tea-room, children’s play area and the most beautiful Christmas shop in a converted barn complete with log burner, Christmas music and the smell of cinamon. It is Christmas Heaven!

I have already visited there 3 times and we are going there again tomorrow to colelct our Christmas tree!! It’s so lovely to see ‘T’ there – she doesn;t know where to look as all of the decorations and gifts are everywhere, she must have exclaimed ‘WOW!’ and ‘Christmas!!’ about 50 times. So cute!

Anyway, here are some photos, and if you’re nearby do stop by, it’s really worth the visit!

 

In the Christmas stocking……….

I’m such a believer in children having good quality toys that are chosen for the right reasons. I’m also a strong believer of not going over the top with toys for children at Christmas for a number of reasons (but then that’s a whole other blog post!) So I have carefully thought about the toys that ‘T’ will be getting this year.

She will hang her stocking at the end of her bed on Christmas Eve and Father Christmas will deliver the following: (so his elves have told me)

• Ostheimer owl
• Ostheimer stag
• Ostheimer doe
• Ostheimer chicken
• Ostheimer hedgehog
• Ostheimer cockerel
• Lyra ferby pencils
• Mini Maisy Mouse Christmas book
• Wooden ladybird necklace and bracelet
• A torch
• Belle and Boo tin
• Belle and boo cookie cutter
• A tub of play doh
• Some slipper socks
• Miniature Cath Kidston bag
• Chocolate coins (T’s first ever bit of chocolate!!!!!)

I can’t wait to snuggle up in our bed on Christmas morning and watch ‘T’ as she unwraps her presents. Apart from the stocking she also has a wooden tool box to keep all of her art things in and a play-frame and some silks, but we’ll save them for after her lunchtime nap. It’s going to be a busy and fun-packed day. (YEY!)

Seasonal book basket: Winter

I’ve been looking forward to getting the Winter book collection out – they have to be my favourite!

Here are some of the books in our Winter book collection:

It seems the best season for snuggling indoors with T and reading a Winter story whilst keeping warm indoors.

I really love the illustrations in Shirley Hughes’ book – ‘Lucy and Tom’s Christmas’ – but then I love all of Shirley Hughes’ books.

Let the Christmas season commence!

A rule in our house (set by my husband) is that Christmas songs, wrapping presents, eating mince pies or anything else to do with Christmas is not allowed to start until 1st December.

I’ve already broken that rule and visited East Farm (twice!) – it’s a little Winter Wonderland in a tiny village in Codford, Wiltshire; it’s hidden away but just wonderful (I’ll tell you about that another day!)

Anyway. I thought I’d start the Christmas season with some of my recent festive Pinterest findings, to find the source of the pins, head over to my Pinterest boards here and click on the ‘Santa’s Coming!’ section

Oh how I LOVE Christmas!!!!!

GIVEAWAY! : ‘Sew Sweet Patterns’

We have on offer today a giveaway from ‘Sew Sweet Patterns’

It’s such an adorable shop with loads of sweet outfits, dresses, tops, dolly clothes and more and today I am offering to giveaway a 3 pack of patterns!

They are really simple and easy to follow patterns – all you have to do is print them, stick them together and cut them out, no measuring required!

Here are some of the adorable patterns available in the Etsy shop:

3 easy ways to enter:

1 – leave a comment below

2 – ‘like’ my facebook page (over there on the right) and let me know you have done so

3 – choose a pattern from ‘Sew Sweet Patterns’ and let me know your favourite in the comments section below.

The winner will be drawn during the 2nd week of December so a nice little Christmas treat!! The patterns will be emailed over you.

 

WINNER! : Bubba Boom ‘Rockin Robin T-shirt’

I have used random.org to randomly generate a winner for the adorable little Bubba Boom Baby ‘Rockin robin Christmas T-shirt and the winner is ‘domestic diva!’

Don’t forget to head over to take a look at the other gorgeous T-shirts and goodies they have for sale……….

Here are  just a few of the adorable designs they have (plus the are all made of super soft great quality fair trade organic cotton) ……………

Pumpkin and pepper

I’ve been busy making more vegetables! I’ve completed a pumpkin and pepper for the doll swap (here) this week, the pumpkin took a lot longer than the others as it is a lot bigger so more sewing but was good to complete. I’m really going to have to make one for ‘T’ now as it is one of my favourites!

It’s also going to be in my Etsy shop for sale too so take a look here PLUS if you’d like 30% off enter code XMAS when going to the checkout for your discount (think Christmas coming up!)

Don’t forget to head over to Handmade Monday to catch up with all of the other crafters!

Have you entered the giveaway yet for the gorgeous Bubba Boom ‘Rockin Robin’ T-shirt? No???? then click here!