From the monthly archives: December 2011
Well that’s it, 2012 is fast approaching. It’s time I take a look back over a great year at some of the things I’ve / we’ve done.
sitting on a dock of a bay (wow that sunshine seems a long time ago!)
- I started a blog (albeit a little late in the year) and here you are reading it!
- We moved house to a lovely village in the countryside with a village hall, shop and very own duck pond. It is incredibly picturesque and I’m happy.
- I enjoyed my D days. Singing, dancing, silliness, rhyming, imagining and watching her grow beautifully into a little (she would argue BIG) girl.
- D started her Montessori preschool with ease (this time) hooooray!
- I became an aunty for the first time and will never forget holding that beautiful boy in my arms. Can’t wait to watch you grow little one.
- I have made some fantastic new friends who are great to have around. Still miss the ones who aren’t so close (geographically) though.
- I said goodbye to some old ‘friends’ who were sucking the positive energy out of me. Try it some time, it feels very liberating.
- I delved into the art of reiki healing and started to heal myself (and the occasional friend in need).
- I picked apples from our very own apple tree this year (embracing the country life) and made some delicious appley treats.
- I finally got a piano. I had wanted one for ages. It was free and even delivered for free which brings me nicely to my next point…
- I read “Ask and it will be given”. The best book I’ve read in a long time. Must read again, and again, and again.
- I helped my dad to move closer to his beloved family. It’s good to have you around Dad.
- I opened an online shop (I managed to squeeze that achievement into 2011 too didn’t I?) I’m only selling a few creations right now but this is going to be an exciting project for 2012.
- I started a business (poppies and pirates). Don’t worry I haven’t forgotten about you ;)
- I started running.
- I stopped running (I lasted about a week). 2012? Hmmm we will see.
And a whole lot of other awesome things (too many to list) but looking back it’s been quite a year! Wonder what 2012 will have in store? Running? Meh…. I’m thinking zumba this year ;)
Oooh it’s late and I know i’ll be regretting this when I hear at little ‘muuuuummmy’ at 6am. But i’m so excited I just can’t stop… I’ve launched my new shop. There are only a few creations on there right now but lots more to follow shortly (when I have the time to put them online). Vintage prints, jewellery, my own artwork and craft work! Now that is a good start to the New Year! Cheers! x
Sometimes I am a great cook. This normally involves an excellent recipe from the likes of Jamie, Nigella or Delia and quite a lot of sweat and tears (most likely my husbands as I am the worlds MESSIEST cook). On an average day I like to make a quick dish that is nutritious, fresh and yummy. Pasta is a staple in our house, ask D on any given day what she wants to eat and I can guarantee you that will be the answer. Tonight we had this delicious pasta dish created from, well just what we had in the fridge (luckily we always have lots of nice veg in stock!) and I thought I would share it with you.
To feed 2 and a 1/2 people I used:
- 2 Chicken breasts (chopped)
- Asparagus tips (chopped to about 1 inch pieces)
- 1 Pepper (chopped)
- A few strips of Parma ham (chopped)
- Pasta
- Milk
- Flour (1 tbsp)
- Parmesan (fresh)
First pan fry and season the chicken for a few minutes until it has turned white (not too long) then throw in your chopped up pepper, cook for a further 5 mins. You will then need to add your asparagus to the pan and cook for another 5 mins. Pour some milk into the pan to make the base of the sauce, not too much just enough to create the right amount of sauce you desire. To thicken this up you need to add 1 tbsp of flour, keeping stirring until all the flour is dissolved and your sauce is thickened to the right consistency. You then need to grate in some fresh Parmesan to taste, normally a handful is enough. In a separate pan quickly dry fry your Parma ham until it goes crispy. Dish up the pasta, followed by the sauce and sprinkle on the Parma ham and enjoy!
This Christmas was one of firsts. The first in our new house, the first as aunty and uncle, the first we didn’t eat at my mums. It was also our first Christmas as parents of a child.
D is no longer a baby and at 2 years 4 months old she is growing up. This year she learnt about Santa, the nativity (her baby JoJo was rechristened, Jesus) and what Christmas is all about. Christmas as a mummy then took on a whole new perspective. My number one job was to make sure the magic of Christmas, the magic I have always felt at Christmas time was passed on to her. This was a tall order.
Christmas has always been my favourite time of the year. For me it was never about the presents but the warmth, the family time, the cosiness, the lights and the pretty decorations (I have always been a sucker for anything sparkly). All these things come free don’t they? (well minus the pretty decorations, especially if you love the Gisela Graham ones as much as I do!) It can’t be hard to recreate, can it?
Within a week of moving house, we had decorated the tree together. I say together, little D decorated the bottom layer and I the rest. In among the moving boxes stood a perfect little tree, glistening. We lit the open fire and hung the stockings strategically over the fireplace. That was as far as our decorating would stretch this year. But it felt just a little bit magical. Ok the decoration bit came easy, now for the rest.
And here was where I began to struggle. Santa. How to present the magical man? Tricky stuff. It all started when we saw 2 santas at the bus stop. Try explaining to a curious 2 year old why Santa is taking the bus instead of his magical sleigh and why there are 2 of them. Ugh. I did my best uttering something about some people dressing up as Santa. Was that the right thing to say? God this was hard!
Her first face to face encounter with Santa was eagerly anticipated (I’d obviously done a good job of painting him in a favourable light.) We went to the village party where surely enough Santa appeared through the chimney to deliver presents to the good girls and boys. Little D spent the entire time saying “Santa is it my turn? I’ve been such a good girl” and I spent the entire time worrying they hadn’t added her name to the list as we had just moved in to the village and her dream of Santa would be shattered when he didn’t have a present for her. Luckily he did. Phew. She was thrilled and a huge smile of joy spread all over her little face.
It went a little pear shaped when Santa had finished his work and she wanted to ask him a question. He didn’t hear her and walked away. Disappointed she turned back to me ”Mummy, he didn’t hear me”. I could tell she was thinking, hmmm this Santa doesn’t seem so magical after all. Deaf bastard (that was me thinking that!) Note to self: Do not swear in your blog or insult deaf people (I really didn’t mean it like that, mum) or your hard of hearing mother will complain. When I suggested we could see Santa again the following week she declined the offer, she wasn’t that bothered.
And then there was the presents and my well meaning family asking what we wanted for Christmas, what I was getting for so and so for Christmas, every day in December. Honestly by the 25th I got so sick of my own voice saying “shhhhhhhh you mean SANTA”, “what is SANTA bringing?”, “thank you S.A.N.T.A.” If my parents were as crap at keeping this Santa malarky under wraps as they are now we must have been really, really stupid as kids.
Anyway I think I might have tried too hard. She wasn’t that bothered about Santa. He wasn’t much to write home about. She wasn’t even that bothered that he had bought her lots of presents. It was pretty much a day like every other. As long as she had her family around her, playing with her, chatting with her, cuddling with her and she had something to eat, she was happy. Just like every other day. So I guess the lesson is love, family time and magic is for life, not just for Christmas :)
It’s been a busy few weeks. Actually that is a major understatement. We’ve moved house, welcomed a beautiful new baby (my sisters) all while organising Christmas (wouldn’t it be great if Santa were real?) and keeping life and routines carrying along as normal (ish). This year I decided I’d like to craft some homemade presents too, I don’t like to make it easy for myself, do I? To honour our first baby boy in the family, Levi Jack Turner, I decided to make a word frame for him full of things that little boys love! What do you think?
This is one of my girly word frames that I made for my daughter a little while ago. I custom make these for little boys and little girls, complete with all the things that they love! A very personalised, fun addition to their room. For more information feel free to send me an email or check out my shop in 2012!
she'd drive herself if i'd let her
Our beautiful little baby is growing up. At 28 months old she is well and truly expressing her independence from us and has been for quite some time. The words “I want to do it, on me own” have become somewhat of a catch phrase in our house. The range of tasks she wants to do on her own gets longer every week. This currently spans walking down stairs, going to the toilet, washing her hands, carrying her own things, opening her own things, the list goes on and on. God forbid you should try to help her do any of this and you WILL know about it. I have learnt my lesson after several red faced tantrums only solved by me carrying her back up to the top of the stairs so she could come down them “on me own”.
After 2 or 3 of these epic tantrums I’ve learnt to accommodate this desire for independence by giving her control where I can, listening to her requests, respecting her desire to be a big girl. I’m sure to some outsiders it looks ridiculous (I feel like they are thinking but she is a child and you are the adult) but she has always been strong willed, independent and I find the best way is to work with her and to listen to her. She might look little but she’s got BIG plans.
We sometimes have frustration when she realises she cannot do it all on her own and of course accidents, when she can’t quite get down those awkward leggings in time or spilling her water because she wants to carry it down the step, on her own! but mostly it works. She knows what she can and can’t do and we let her do the things that she can that present no danger. Sure they might make a mess, they might not be how WE would do it but its boosting her self esteem just trying, especially if we follow it with some words of encouragement.
I have found doing small things to accommodate her search for independence really help build her confidence.
- A few months ago we went out and bought two sets of small steps so she can reach the sinks herself to wash her hands (one of her favourite past times).
- We have just created a cupboard in the new kitchen completely for her with her own cutlery (all metal like ours), her own plates, glasses and she now likes to get her own plate for dinner, every time.
- She helps out in some way preparing the meal for dinner. Mums will know that this is not always easy when she wants to chop all the vegetables, just like you mummy. I’ve taken to giving her the blunt knives, the ones she uses for eating and setting her on the mushrooms or the peppers or something else that is possible to chop with a ridiculously blunt knife. She is happy, I am happy :)
- I get her to help me make sandwiches, spread the butter on the bread, ok they may not be the most beautifully spread sandwiches but they taste just the same.
- And then there is the Montessori way to put on a coat! This is her little party trick :)
It’s all a lesson, for her but also for us. We are learning to let go, learning to slow down, learning that everything doesn’t need to be done on our terms. It isn’t always easy but giving her room to be herself and do it herself gives her so much, it is worth it.
Much to my husbands dismay I am a hoarder. This is one of the major problems that comes with being crafty, I think I have a use for everything… and most times, eventually, I do! For those of you who read about me moving house recently I have good news, we are finally making headway with the moving boxes (oh and the neck is totally healed!) which means I have found my craft things and even my – one day i will find a way to recycle / upcycle you things – box. Today I came up with an extremely fun and super cute way to recycle my little girls playdough pot lids.
My little one is crazy about playdough, only problem is she leaves it everywhere and it dries out. This means we have plenty of spare little playdough pots. Too useful to throw away (or recycle) I decided that I was going to make some cool little magnet frames out of them. Best part was it was super easy, you don’t even have to be crafty to be able to do this, it is for everyone! Hooray! I’ve put together a little step by step guide into how to make them so you can all have a go!
1. I took various colour and size playdough lids (just what we have used up recently) and attached some magnets strips to the back of them using a hot glue gun. I didn’t cut them into neat circles but you could.
I printed off some photos I like of my lovely family approximately guessing the size I would need them to be. I drew around the lid on top of the part of the photo I wanted in the frame and then cut about 5mm inside the line so it would fit.
I glued the photo inside the circle and my magnets were finished. I told you it was easy! I think they look really fun. I’m thinking I could definitely expand on these and already have a few ideas up my sleeve for next time!
My daughter loves reading. If it was up to her we would read books all day long and quite often she requests them on repeat. With Christmas fast approaching we will no doubt be adding to her library. It got me thinking, what makes a good book in the eyes of a child? Is more »
My daughter loves reading. If it was up to her we would read books all day long and quite often she requests them on repeat. With Christmas fast approaching we will no doubt be adding to her library. It got me thinking, what makes a good book in the eyes of a child? Is it the story, the adventure, the excitement? Is it the pictures, the colours, the detail? I’m guessing just like adults, children are attracted to different books depending on their character. In my little ones case (imaginative, funny, observant) I think it is the combination of detailed illustrations that she can muse over for hours, rhyming text and a good helping of humour that make a perfect book. This is her top 10 books of all time (so far!)
1. The gruffalo – A clever tale about a little mouse and a big gruffalo. It’s the humour, imagination and catchy rhymes that she enjoys, oh and mummy’s funny voices!
2. The gruffalos child – A follow up story, with the same clever mouse and this time, the gruffalo’s child. It uses the same winning recipe as the gruffalo.
3. The tiger who came for tea – A classic about a tiger that comes to a little girls house and eats all their food. My little one loves the humour and the fact that it is about food (she looooves food!)
4. Mog the Forgetful Cat - One of a whole series of Mog books. Written with brilliant humour and best of all its about a silly, fat cat. I love the illustrations of Judith Kerr.
5. Don’t wake the bear, hare! – This was one we took out of the library which had to be purchased immediately after! A story of a tea party and a big scary bear, who turns out of course not to be so scary :) A firm favourite and great to read outloud.
6. Tiddler – My daughter adores this story about Tiddler, the fish with a big imagination who tells tall tales. I have to say this is probably MY favourite book to read to her. I love that she points out all the different types of fish to me!
7. The tale of Mrs Tittlemouse – A Beatrix Potter classic about a houseproud little mouse who keeps getting unwelcome visitors! I’m suprised she loves these stories as much as she does as the originals are written in quite old fashioned English. But she does!
8. The tale of Mrs Tigglewinkle – Another Beatrix Potter classic about a hedgehog who does all the other animal’s washing. The house in the side of the hill and the talking animals really capture her imagination.
9. We all went on Safari - This counting book looks at all the animals on safari. She loves the African names and guessing who might be Mwambe or Akeyla and I love the beautiful illustrations in this book.
10. Rosie’s hat – Another gem by Julia Donaldson. A different style to her normal stories, it is a lovely little story about a girl who looses her hat. Its the great rhyme and rhythm that make this one such a hit!
I’m a freelancer in creative marketing with a background in design and styling but when I'm not working I'm doing the most important job in the world, being mummy to my beautiful little girl! I love to create and craft and have a passion for colour and beautiful detail. This blog is all about my life, my amazing daughter, my inspirations and creations!
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