Currently viewing the category: "Mind and body"

10 things that are good for me

· Leave a Comment · In Happiness, Mind and body, My life

Recently I’ve been struggling a little with motivation. Motivation to write my blog, motivation to tidy up, motivation to get into action… In all fairness I am pretty tough on myself and do set myself quite high standards but anyway I’ve found myself in a bit of a slump. Maybe it is because the more »

hammockpic

Recently I’ve been struggling a little with motivation. Motivation to write my blog, motivation to tidy up, motivation to get into action… In all fairness I am pretty tough on myself and do set myself quite high standards but anyway I’ve found myself in a bit of a slump. Maybe it is because the sunshine disappeared, maybe its because I am having trouble focusing, who knows? Yesterday I went to do a yoga class for the first time in ages and you know what? It made me feel fantastic. It got me thinking about the things that make me feel good and give me a sense of wellbeing. May it serve as a reminder to myself but also perhaps inspire some others out there :)

1. Yoga

Joining my old yoga class yesterday felt great. I felt empowered, calm and centered.

2. Classical music

After leaving my yoga class I turned on the radio. Being in such a serene state meant no other radio station was listenable besides classic fm. Classical music really does something to me, to my brain. It’s especially wonderful when driving in the sunshine I find.

3. Sunshine

The sunshine makes me feel revived, it gives me energy and motivation. If only I could control the weather!

4. Being outdoors

Fresh air and nature makes me feel alive. It clears my head and helps me to relax.

5. Being kind

Doing kind deeds for others makes me feel good. Simple as that.

6. Spreading love

Sharing my joy, smiles and chat with even complete strangers makes me feel warm and reminds me we all thrive of love and togetherness.

7. One on one time

I treasure my one on one time with my daughter, our little conversations about everything and anything in the world. You also cannot beat one on one time with a good friend or partner, this makes me happy.

8. Fun time

Making time to do fun things, have fun and laugh. It could be as simple as a picnic in the park with Littlelish or going to a concert or gig with friends. These good times are what it is all about.

9. Making things with my hands

As a creative I love to make things and get a real satisfaction and sense of purpose when I work to create something with my hands.

10. Making love

Make love not war people ;)

What are the things that do YOU good?

 

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Through the eyes of a child #12 – Soul child

· 1 Comment · In Family, Mind and body, Parenting, Through the eyes of a child

Image: www.soulcolour.com

Littlelish: Mummy, what colour is your soul?

Mummylish: Oh good question, I don’t really know!

Littlelish: (Thinks a while and then says) It’s white. Souls are white and they get greyer and greyer the older you get.

x

Image: www.soulcolour.com

Littlelish: Mummy, what colour is your soul?

Mummylish: Oh good question, I don’t really know!

Littlelish: (Thinks a while and then says) It’s white. Souls are white and they get greyer and greyer the older you get.

x

 

One of the most important books I ever read.

· Leave a Comment · In Family, Love, Mind and body, My life, My reviews, Parenting

They fuck you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to, but they do. They fill you with the faults they had And add some extra, just for you.

 

But they were fucked up in their turn By fools in old-style hats and coats, Who half the time were soppy-stern And half more »

They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you.

 

But they were fucked up in their turn
By fools in old-style hats and coats,
Who half the time were soppy-stern
And half at one another’s throats.

During the latter days of my pregnancy I spent a lot of time resting and reading. It was summer time and I’d lie on my bed with the sunlight streaming in, reading. I didn’t read any conventional “what to expect when you are expecting”, “attachment parenting” “how to be the perfect mummy” books.

I read a book called “They **** you up” by clinical psychologist, Oliver James.

They **** you up is a brilliant book that basically explains that the way we are cared for in the first six years of our life has a crucial effect on who we are and how we behave. Nurture, in effect, shapes our very nature. The book really isn’t meant to be a pregnancy book but I can’t help thinking that actually it is one of the most important books to read when bringing life into the world. Sure it won’t tell you what to do, how to deal with sleepless nights and tantrums etc but what it will tell you is what NOT to do. It’s a real insight into just how important it is to offer a loving, stable, secure home life to children. I mean if what we do as parents forms the foundation for the rest of our children’s lives, how they view themselves and how they form  relationships with others, we owe it to them to try to make it as secure as possible. I’m sure this is something we are all aware of just perhaps not something we always want to remember. It’s hard when you have such a realisation because the responsibility is enormous and at the end of the day we are only human ourselves.

Still it made me stop and think. Think about what I wanted to ‘equip’ my daughter with for the rest of her life. And when the beautiful Littlelish was born it made me stop and think about how I was handling a situation and what effect this could be having later on down the line. I know, I know that sounds very over analytical but for those of you that know me will know that I am actually quite a relaxed, go with the flow person. It didn’t make me anxious rather served as a good reminder of just how important my job as a mummy was. For example James explains the reasons for insecurity in most adults is down to a less responsive parent in the first year of life. Basically attachment is everything.

Yet I didn’t read any attachment parenting books either. Although I’m pretty sure we adopted many of the key concepts of attachment parenting. I’m an intuitive kind of person and being a mum came naturally to me. Littlelish and I had a very strong bond and I knew what she needed and I always gave it to her whether this was breastfeeding, responsiveness, cosleeping or wearing her in a baby sling. We never, ever let her cry it out or forced her to fit into our adult routine. This meant putting her first almost every time but at the end of the day that is what being parents is all about.

On further research I see that Oliver James has more books on parenting out, one interestingly titled “How NOT to  f**k them up” and “Love bombing – reseting your child’s emotional thermostat”. Haven’t read these ones but if they are anywhere near as good as this one I’d say go forth and purchase.

It may just be the most important book you’ll ever read.

 

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Olive’s Army

· 3 Comments · In charity, Family, Love, Mind and body

I look back on memories of Littlelish age 12 months with a heart that swells with pride and love. She started walking 1 week after her first birthday, she could already say many words, feed herself and was a real little character. I observed and admired her every move, her development fascinated me. This more »

I look back on memories of Littlelish age 12 months with a heart that swells with pride and love. She started walking 1 week after her first birthday, she could already say many words, feed herself and was a real little character. I observed and admired her every move, her development fascinated me. This is a feeling I expect all mothers can relate to. But imagine one minute listening to your pride and joy saying bye… and then no longer being able to talk? This was Olive’s last word to her family. Olive is a beautiful little 2 year old with a neurological disorder known as Rett Syndrome.


Rett Syndrome is a debilitating disorder which most often strikes previously healthy little girls just after they have learned to walk and say a few words and begins to drag their development backwards.

As the cascade of Rett symptoms descends, girls lose acquired skills, normal movement and speech. Girls are left unable to communicate or use their hands to hold, carry or manipulate objects.

Over time, girls who have learned to walk often lose that ability as well. Loss of motor control sets in, essentially locking these girls into bodies that won’t work, leaving them without the ability to make purposeful movements.

Parents who discover that their daughters have this condition have no real treatment options. They are impotent in the face of this disease, as their little girl begins to fall, as her spine bends, as her body is racked with violent seizures.

Most girls with Rett Syndrome survive into adulthood, becoming increasingly more disabled over time. Invariably, they need one to one, 24 hour a day care for the rest of their lives.

I had never heard of Rett Syndrome, despite the fact it is the most common cause of profound disability in females around the world and 17 girls a day are born with this debilitating condition.

On learning all about this cruel disorder my heart fills with empathy for this family and for Olive. I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult it must be to watch your daughter, the one you watched so intently grow before you eyes now move backwards in terms of development, unable to talk, walk, feed herself or use her hands. But mostly, I cannot begin to imagine being trapped in a body and mind that doesn’t respond to what you want it to do. Rett Syndrome doesn’t affect the brain itself, the girls are not brain damaged, the neurons simply don’t fire and connect as they should. And this means Olive is trapped inside herself, perhaps the most painful thing of all.

Olive’s mother writes a blog over at http://olivesrettjourney.blogspot.co.uk/. It’s an incredibly inspirational read.  The post when Janie is describing just how her daughter tries to communicate with her really affected me the most. It made it all just so real to me, that this beautiful, healthy little girl is trapped desperately trying to communicate. Ugh, it seems so cruel, so frustrating… and yet this family have real hope and so much love and patience. They are fighting for Olive in every single way they can. But their hope it not in vain. Rett Syndrome is potentially the first curable brain disease, it has already been reversed in laboratory mice. The belief is that, treatment is well on the way, whilst successful gene therapy is a bit further away.

Reverse Rett UK is a charity set up to raise awareness and funds to work towards treatments and a cure and has raised over $1million in the last 2 years. Around 95% of all monies raised goes towards developing research into reversing Rett Syndrome.

If, like me you are moved by Olive’s story and you would like to do something to help here’s what you can do:

  • Tweet this post with the hashtag #olivesarmy and #reverserett to help raise awareness
  • Donate on the Reverse Rett website – http://www.reverserett.org.uk/donate
  • Share this post on Facebook or Google+ or simply tell your friends about this dreadful condition and its possible cure.

October is Rett Syndrome Awareness Month so I (along with other East Midland bloggers and hopefully you!) am doing all I can to help Olive and all the other beautiful girls with Rett Syndrome.

Janie talks about how much Olive has taught them and how Olive can teach people “how to recognise & find real love, how to appreciate & nurture it & how to  see many of lives little treasures that so many of us take for granted”.

Please show some love for beautiful Olive and make people aware of Rett Syndrome.

 

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Kindness is power – International Day of the Girl

· Leave a Comment · In Family, Happiness, Love, Mind and body, Parenting

Today is United Nations International Day of the Girl – promoting gender equality and advocating for girl’s rights all around the world.

“History shows that it hasn’t ever been easy to be a girl, and, despite awesome changes in the status and perception of women and girls, herstory is still a complicated and more »

Today is United Nations International Day of the Girl – promoting gender equality and advocating for girl’s rights all around the world.

“History shows that it hasn’t ever been easy to be a girl, and, despite awesome changes in the status and perception of women and girls, herstory is still a complicated and challenging one.”

Here are just some of the reasons why we need the Day of the Girl:

ILLITERACY – By 2015, females will make up 64% of the world’s (adult) population who cannot read.

SCHOOL DROPOUT – Only 30% of girls in the world are enrolled in secondary school.

FORCED MARRIAGE – One in seven girls in developing countries is married off before age 15.

VIOLENCE – In the US more than half (54%) of all rapes of females happen before age 18. One in 5 high school girls has been physically or sexually abused by a dating partner.Worldwide children as young as age 11 are forced to work as prostitutes. Some estimates have as many as 1.2 million children being trafficked every year.

BODY IMAGE – More than half (54%) of 3rd-5th grade girls worry about their appearance and 37% worry about their weight. More than half (57%) of music videos feature a female portrayed exclusively as a decorative, sexual object.

Support the movement by visiting dayofthegirl.org/ and PLAN UK

Today’s society often undervalues the feminine traits of gentleness, empathy, sensitivity, compassion and tolerance. We need to embrace our strengths, our gifts and empower our young girls to do the same.

And so to quote Disney – I am a princess

“I believe compassion makes me strong”

“Kindness is power”

“Family is the tightest bond of all”

I am so proud of my intelligent, kind, compassionate, brave, funny little Princess and encourage her every day to dream big, love herself and be kind to others.

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Moodboard Monday – The colour Purple

· 3 Comments · In Colour lish, Inspiration, Interiors, Mind and body, Moodboard Monday, Style, Style spotter

This weeks Monday Moodboard theme is “The colour purple“. Purple is such an Autumnal colour, I thought it would make a great Moodboard theme but actually personally speaking, I am not a huge fan. Many years ago it was my favourite colour but I think I may have over done it somewhat and these days more »

This weeks Monday Moodboard theme is “The colour purple“. Purple is such an Autumnal colour, I thought it would make a great Moodboard theme but actually personally speaking, I am not a huge fan. Many years ago it was my favourite colour but I think I may have over done it somewhat and these days I tend to avoid it…

So when it came to making a purple inspired moodboard I wanted to do something to reignite my love of purple and its many shades. I started off by looking for images that I could be inspired by and found this one. I loved the soft tones of purple, the peaceful, tranquil nature of the photograph. I found it inviting and warm despite the cool shades…

I decided to initially create a simple moodboard just using this one image as it set the mood perfectly. But what I also wanted to show you was how one moodboard, one simple image can inspire a whole interior. I went on to translate the colour palette and feelings evoked by this picture into an interior. The first thing you will often work with when translating an interior from a moodboard is colours. You will see I haven’t used all the colours from the moodboard in this particular interior but it can be really useful to have a palette of colours to work with so you know when adding items such as furniture and accessories, what will fit with your theme.

I also wanted to show you how you can recreate the mood of the board in the interior. By using warm wooden pieces and soft texture like the velvet chairs and cushions you can create an inviting, welcoming space. Balancing the cool shades but still with an overall feeling of warmth (just like in the image) this would make a lovely peaceful space to read in. I absolutely need a room like this in my life, a tranquil, soothing place to escape to! What about you?

Would you like to link up a moodboard to Moodboard Monday? Great! Check below for more details about linking up. Can’t wait to see your boards too :)

Moodboard Monday is a fortnightly feature where we create a moodboard inspired by a certain theme. The linky is also run by Jen over at LoveChicLiving. But that’s not all…. Moodboard Monday is also open to you! 

  • Create your own Moodboard by either following the theme this week or using your own ideas. The Linky will be open for 2 weeks.
  • You can create your Moodboard any way you like, with an actual magazine collage scanned in or photographed or using the computer ie. photoshop, picmonkey, olioboard or Polyvore. You could even use a selection of photos/images in your blog post separately to create your Moodboard.
  • You may want to focus on interiors one week and fashion the next, you may want to use your own photography or images – anything goes, feel free!
  • If you would like some ideas about how to create your moodboards check out my tutorial on How to create the perfect moodboard.
  • Post your Moodboard on your own blog and then link up below.
  • You can also link up at the LoveChicLiving Moodboard Monday feature too.
  • Grab the Moodboard Monday button from the sidebar and include it in your blogpost.
  • Comment on others that have linked up and share some Moodboard Monday love!



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Old ladies, family and the slow life…

· 2 Comments · In Family, Happiness, Love, Mind and body, My life, Parenting, Through the eyes of a child

These past 2 weeks I’ve been experiencing life as a single mother, working more than 1 job (my new day job and my freelance job), while my husband has been away for 2 weeks on a business trip. It’s been rather emotional. I’m a well balanced, happy, relaxed type of person and I enjoy more »

These past 2 weeks I’ve been experiencing life as a single mother, working more than 1 job (my new day job and my freelance job), while my husband has been away for 2 weeks on a business trip. It’s been rather emotional. I’m a well balanced, happy, relaxed type of person and I enjoy life at my own pace. I stop and take the time to chat with Littlelish, to admire the cloud formations and refresh myself by gazing out over sunny fields (yes I’m a dreamer!). I like to enjoy the little moments, moments of stillness, moments of reflection and moments of togetherness. This gives me peace in my heart and undoubtedly make me a happier, more pleasant person.

I do not manage very well when life runs away with me, when I have to motor at an incredible speed through the day just to get places on time and everything ticked off my checklist. Then my days are fast paced, hectic and not that enjoyable. I’m sure for many of you this is normal every day life and I really admire you for being able to manage it all. After having Littlelish I was introduced to a whole new world, a slower one where you can really be in the moment and not thinking about all the things still to do on your checklist, what next? To me this is a beautiful way to live and it has helped me grow and become much happier for it. I am complete when I have more time to be the person I want to be rather than some stressed out, scatty, maniac women….

So this week I’ve learnt what is good for me and what is not. I know my limits. Down time at some point in the day is important  to me and working during the day and during the evening is not ideal. Mostly I’ve learnt to absolutely savour my moments with Littlelish and push everything to the back of my mind when she is talking so I can be in the moment with her :)

One of those such moments this week, Littlelish and I were in the bath together. She turned to me and said “Mummy I am scared of dying. I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die alone, will you die with me, Mummy? I won’t be able to remember anything and who will have my stuff?” Pretty heavy conversation to have with a 3 year old I think you’ll agree so I just assured her there was nothing to be afraid of and she would grow to be an old lady with a family of her own and she would have children to pass her things onto. This made her happier and she repeated that she did indeed want to be an old lady and have children.  I tried to remain strong and matter of fact for her so as not to leave a trace of fear but all this talk of mortality did leave me a bit wobbly.

Only this evening, after paying a visit to my grandma, who together with my mum did something very sweet for me (a real gesture of kindness) did I realise something. When I thanked her for her kindness she said to me “But that’s what I’ve been put on this earth to do, take care of all of you” and I realised that she was right.  And so while we might have jobs to do, bills to pay, houses to clean, dreams and aspirations, we’ve all been put here on this earth to be first and foremost mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers to each other. Family is everything.  And taking a line from one of my favourite songs (I’m Yours) simply because it was playing when I was giving birth to Littlelish: “We’re just one big family.”

Love you Littlelish, Nanny, Mum, Dad, Daddylish, J and G and the rest of my wonderful family (you are all included here!)

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Award winning products – Green People

· 71 Comments · In Competition, Family, Green dream, Mind and body, Parenting

It is no secret that I am a fan of Green People. We love organic products in our house and I am especially pleased with their range of children’s toiletries. But it seems I am not the only one! We are only half way through the year and the lovely team at Green People more »

My yoghurt skincare regime

It is no secret that I am a fan of Green People. We love organic products in our house and I am especially pleased with their range of children’s toiletries. But it seems I am not the only one! We are only half way through the year and the lovely team at Green People already have 2 awards under their belt.

Firstly their Dry Skin baby lotion, a wonderfully gentle and calming lotion perfect for everyday use was awarded the Bizzie Baby Silver Award. It contains no perfume, parabens, lanolin or other yucky chemicals and created purely from organically certified ingredients (94.4%) such as hemp seed, aloe vera, marigold and apricot oil (sound good enough to eat!). As statistics for babies with sensitive skin continue to rise, many parents are seeking alternatives to chemically filled skincare. The price per 150ml is £9.45.

The other product to be awarded was the mum & baby rescue balm. A versatile, multi-purpose product that is perfect for use during and after breastfeeding. It can also be used to soften the perineum, on cradle cap and generally on all dry skin both for mummy and baby. Made from organic shea butter, hemp and calendula it contains absolutely no nasties and is certified 95.9% organic. It is so mild it is even suitable for those with Eczema and skin allergies. They were awarded “Must Have” Breast Treatment by Tips Awards put to the test by real mums in real life situations. The price per 100ml is £9.70. Pricey but worth it.

Green People are celebrating National Breastfeeding Week from the 24th – 30th June 2012 by giving £3 off our Mum & Baby Rescue Balm, the organic product of choice for breastfeeding mothers everywhere.

Check out my review below and you will see that we found it very useful too!

We were sent the mum and baby rescue balm by Green People to try out. It was a great consistency, you could see a little would go a long, long way. But what would we use it for? We are long past the days of cracked nipples and stretchy perineums and we have our odd outbreak of dry skin but normally only in the winter months. I rubbed some on my dry elbows and put it on the shelf… then Littlelish came into the bathroom. Her beautiful little face had a rather large blemish on it by her mouth. Hmmmm…. She had had it for weeks, it developed when she was suffering from a cold. I wasn’t sure if it was chapped skin or a coldsore? Whatever it was it was rather unsightly, poor baby and it made her look unwell, even though she was feeling right as rain.

Like I said she’d had this thing for weeks, kept on licking it which seemed to make it worse and it wouldn’t go away. So I put the rescue balm to the test and I’m pleased to say it passed with flying colours. By the next day it had almost entirely dried up, the skin was now a little flakey so I applied some more. The following day the unsightly sore had vanished, literally without a trace. I was chuffed to bits! I can now definitely recommend this as an excellent product for what appears to be a multitude of purposes. Fantastic to know this is on my shelf when we need a miracle cure for dry, chapped skin or for when number 2 is on his/her way. Oh and my elbows? They are soft as silk ;)

Green People are very kindly offering 2 sets of the 2 award winning products as a giveaway for you and your little one. Entries below via the Rafflecopter please. The winners will be drawn at random.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions

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Win tickets to Wilderness Festival!

· 20 Comments · In Competition, Family, Green dream, Happiness, Inspiration, Mind and body

I’ve got some exciting news! Something that I’ve been desperate to share with you all these past weeks. The amazing team at Wilderness are offering a family ticket to their award winning art and outdoors festival to one of my lucky readers (you!).

The Wilderness festival is the quintessential weekend for more »

I’ve got some exciting news! Something that I’ve been desperate to share with you all these past weeks. The amazing team at Wilderness are offering a family ticket to their award winning art and outdoors festival to one of my lucky readers (you!).

The Wilderness festival is the quintessential weekend for the free-spirited festival lover and is held at Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire on the 10-12th August 2012 . You’re free? Oh great!

The festival brings together music, food, theatre, talks and debates, cinematic happenings, late night parties, wellbeing and the great outdoors. Have you seen how utterly gorgeous and magical it looks?

I know, I know! It is inspired. Here is the official musical line up:

RODRIGO Y GABRIELA performing with C.U.B.A, WILCO, SPIRITUALIZED, SHARON JONES AND THE DAP-KINGS, THE TEMPER TRAP, CRYSTAL FIGHTERS, STORNOWAY, BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH, LIANNE LA HAVAS, CLOUD CONTROL, GIANT GIANT SAND, GRANT LEE BUFFALO, JENNY O, FIELD MUSIC, FATOUMATA DIAWARA, MILAGRES, TO KILL A KING, JAKE BUGG, LONDON FOLK GUILD. Eeeeeek!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can find out everything Wilderness has to offer over at their gorgeous site www.wildernessfestival.com (how stunning illustrations are those illustrations btw?)

This competition is to win a family ticket (2 adults, 2 children and camping worth £260!) and they’ve got some absolutely amazing things on for families. In fact it’s been hailed as the ultimate children’s festival experience, so let’s find out what’s happening for the little loves of our lives shall we?

The team at Wilderness explain “We want to ensure that everyone attending Wilderness, no matter what age, can enjoy the unique offerings we have across the weekend. Our curators have raised the bar this year to create the phenomenal ‘Little Wild Ones’ area that will have all kinds of activities for kids. Wilderness will have opportunities for everyone to take part in something that they wouldn’t normally have the chance to experience, and for us that’s key.” Sounds good!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Embracing the Wilderness spirit, the ‘Little Wild Ones’ area will be a hive of inspired children’s activity. The Flying Seagull Project returns with a range of entertainment based in a beautiful gypsy-esque, open-sided pavilion tent, complete with vintage horsebox and Willy Wonka style stage. Kids can also discover the magic of nature with a rainbow trail led by the Fairyland Trust. Families will embark on a fascinating journey as they enter a wonderful land of fairy folklore and natural history.

Let their imaginations run wild with a host of spectacular activities and workshops including jewellery making with Amy Surman, a Socktopus puppet workshop, which promotes creative recycling and will hold a dancing parade on the final day, and Witchwood School of Rock – the biggest little rock school in the world. The ‘Little Wild Ones’ also welcomes Hartbeeps – a unique blend of original music workshops and mini productions in this interactive experience.

The fabulous Bushcraft Company will be delivering their outdoor adventures influenced by nature, where children will be able to learn bushcraft skills from lighting fires to woodland playing games, shelter building and carving techniques. They’ll also be offering a twist on babysitting with an exclusive kids-only overnight camp where parents can drop their children off at 5pm for them to enjoy a night of walks, games, campfires and cooking with experienced Bushcraft staff. They’ll be back to meet their parents by 11am the next morning – a treat for both children and mums and dads.

Are you sitting comfortably? The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre will take adults and children on a trip to the author’s mythical world with poems from ‘Revolting Rhymes’ and ‘Dirty Beasts’, and continuing with the literary theme, enjoy  live storytelling music, arts and crafts and yoga from Barefoot Books.

The ‘Pop-up Garden’ will ensure all the family get green-fingered with hands-on knowledge of gardening, the Kite Studio will offer creative clay and print making workshops and Meet the Species returns to Wilderness to engage children with the environment around them, as they identify species in and around the site.

Wilderness is also pleased to welcome Tea Potty Shed with the T Potty ladies and their old-fashioned sweet shop. Children can learn how to weigh out sweets and count out pennies in return for some tasty treats. Also across the festival weekend families can spend some time together and take part in drumming, storytelling, face painting, fairy crown making, cinema, pottery and hula-hooping.

As you would expect at a festival, the fun doesn’t stop when the sun goes down! Let the stars guide you on an enchanting woodland fairy trail, filled with beautiful secret fairy houses and the mesmerising Fairy Queen, who will tell old tales of ancient folk law about the nature that surrounds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And if this isn’t enough for you there will be family friendly entertainment from the Suitcase Cabaret who will host an army of brilliance from comedy to music and activities including, horse riding, fly-fishing, Zumba! classes and Guerilla Geography available across the festival site. Wilderness also welcomes back The Bearded Kittens to host the famous ‘Not Your Average’ cricket match on the lawn, complete with lashings of Pimms and piles of cucumber sandwiches (ooooh Pimms!), and Future Cinema make their Wilderness debut with a Bugsy Malone takeover complete with a massive splurge fight.

Ok so let’s recap, we have fairy queens, splurge fights, horse riding, old fashioned sweets, art activities, bushcraft skills, Roal Dahl stories, rock workshops. I totally agree this does sounds like the Ultimate festival for children and who am I kidding… for me too!

Imaginative,  enchanting, creative, fun and wild. We want to go! What are you waiting for? All you need to do to enter is follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter below! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions

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We are going to SHAMBALA! Are you coming too?

· 5 Comments · In Activities, Family, Green dream, Happiness, Inspiration, Love, Mind and body

As the eternal optimist I am still waiting for summer to come… it is coming, isn’t it? I’m holding out for the fact we’ve still got July and August to get our fill of fun in the sun… bbq’s with friends, strawberry picking and summer festivals!!

This year we are heading off to more »

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As the eternal optimist I am still waiting for summer to come… it is coming, isn’t it? I’m holding out for the fact we’ve still got July and August to get our fill of fun in the sun… bbq’s with friends, strawberry picking and summer festivals!!

This year we are heading off to Shambala festival (23 – 27th August bank holiday) as a family and we cannot wait. We are really keen now that Littlelish is nearly 3 to take her to family friendly festival, to soak up some music, culture and community vibes and after a little research it seems Shambala is the perfect festival for us.

Originally created as “a place to party, free your mind, lose your heart, learn, discuss and be inspired and see what is achievable as a community” it has the hippy in me screaming “Yes!”. Set in a secret rural location in Northamptonshire the festival is independent with a focus on sustainability, community and creativity!

“Pioneering, intimate and truly innovative Shambala Festival has perfectly blended creativity and participation for well over a decade. Shambala is a special place where you play, revitalise, make lots of new friends and return to the world fuelled-up on the beauty of being alive. As well as being known as a “legendary party”, it is also a haven for cutting edge theatrics and performance, a think-tank of ideas, and an award winning green event.”

Well I was sold at that, what about you? No, well there is more, much more…

In fact there is so much going on I can barely contain my excitement. I am going to get my whole years culture fix! With over 200 bands performing (all genres of music from Reggae to Folk), comedy, theatre, circus, film, open air art, dance and craft workshops I don’t think we are going to struggle for something to do! We are going to be well and truly spoiled for choice.

And all of this set in the most beautiful natural surroundings with compost toilets, free showers and a special family friendly campsite!

As this will be our first ever festival with Littlelish we are happy that the people at Shambala really seem to have thought about families. According to their website (which is fantastic and full of information btw) they have there very own kids field full of excitement for  little monkeys. Art activities, action packed fun – circus skills, trampolines etc and entertainment in the form of music, circus shows and comedy for kids.

As well as this they even have an early years workshop tent tailored to the 3-5yr olds, a special kids cafe and sandpits and climbing areas throughout the festival ground. Plus when you’ve had a busy day exhausting every possibility Shambala has to offer you can settle down for a bedtime story in the Family Camping Yurt – I love it! It really sounds like they have thought of everything and we cannot wait to put it to the test.

So if you hadn’t heard of Shambala what are you waiting for? There are still some tickets left and they have extended the deal to pay 50% now and 50% on August the 1st until June 14th (not long now folks!). Tickets cost £119 for adults for the weekend, teens (15,16,17 ) £79, Children (5-14) £29 and children under 4 – FREE!

We cannot wait to report back to you on just how much fun it was but why not come and see for yourselves? Let us know if you are planning on visiting Shambala :)

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