I came across Ellen when we were put in the same Comments Group by BritMums. Despite her harking from some country that is very far North of here, she still manages to make me laugh with her brilliant insights into life, parenthood and everything in between as she and the Panther of News (and I do actually imagine her being married to a Panther- I assume it to be a Scottish thing, like Neeps and square sausages) raise their three boys. She … [Read more...]
Typecast on Remembrance Day
I am not a little bit excited to welcome my Guest Blogger to the stage, so-to-speak. Although if I'm being accurate with the analogy, I should say the 'outer stage', since she is more likely to be found on the Centre Stage. But when she isn't dancing, she is a veritable force to be reckoned with in the world of blogging. If you don't know her, then you should get to know her. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Nickie of … [Read more...]
Poppy Wreath for Remembrance Day
As Halloween grows to be a bigger and bigger event in this country, I can't help worrying that Remembrance Day will become less and less significant. I suppose the traditional view is that it exists specifically to remember those who fought and gave their lives in the two World Wars, and as the generation that lived and fought through those wars are lost to us, so too is the connection with those event, and their significance. And yet … [Read more...]
How to paint fireworks
I recall as a child that a painting of fireworks was de-rigeur for this time of year, along with the Public Safety adverts that put the fear of God into me as far as spending time with actual fireworks. Even now I am happy to watch from the safety of my own home, pick up the detritus from others' fireworks that has landed in my garden (man that stuff travels) and teach LBG how to make a fireworks painting with a cotton bud (that's Q-tip to you … [Read more...]
Didn’t we have a lovely time: half-term week one
LBG is 'writing' a holiday diary during half-term fortnight: my sneaky way of encouraging her to keep going with her sound practice (like Mocha Beanie Mummy, we have 'homework') and a good way of charting the days. It's also helpful for me to have a plan for each day, since I thrive on routine and have been struggling with my PND of late: if things are in place, it helps me to keep going too. This is what we have been up … [Read more...]
Crispy Crunchy Chewy Gooey Easy Peasy Rice Krispie Snowballs
These babies went down so well at Pumpkinfest 2011 that I thought I'd use the same idea for a child-centric home-made Christmas gift: an ideal alternative to the hands-off-they-are-mine-Christmas-Pudding-Truffles that I shall soon be making. There are a lot of children in LBG's class so we'll need to start early. These snowballs are really just a reworked version of that party favourite, the rice crispie cake, for which you need: 3 Mars … [Read more...]
How to make saltdough Diwas for Diwali
Today is Diwali, the Hindu celebration of truth and light. Having time on our Half-term hands, LB and I thought we'd have a go at making some Diwas from salt-dough. I've been meaning to try Thinly Spread's super-white-cornflour dough for some time so was delighted when LBG decided she wanted to make pretty lights after watching them being made on CBeebies. Half an hour later, and we had a small 'dispute' about the shaping of the … [Read more...]
