Noticing: Spring

Spring is in the air (singing to the tune of love is in the air!)

Noticing new life everywhere just makes me smile...from early spring lambs to the late spring bluebells, I think spring is my favourite season...but then summer will arrive and then that will be (so fickle).

Thousands upon thousands of bilberry flowers on our Sunday morning family walk...

 also gained 3 tadpoles to care for...

 magnifying glasses at the ready...

look what I found mummy! can we keep it? Nope let it go (ugh heard enough of that song yet?)...

 

Noticing the blossom on our little apple tree...

  Noticing the confused tree outside playgroup has half pink and half white blossom???...

 Noticing and can't help smelling the wild garlic in the woods...

the beautiful sprinklings of wood sorrel with their delicate pink veined white flowers carpeting the mossy rocks along our woodland walk...

 the bracken unfurling...

 and bluebells aplenty (although the photo doesn't match the memory)...

what a wonderful world we live in...Nx

Disney Frozen Queen Elsa Cape

After wasting half a day trawling the shops for an Elsa costume for M...I thought I'll just have a go at making one.  Pinterest is a favourite for inspiration and it didn't let me down, I found this cape tutorial to follow.  My cape is loosely based on that one.

Bought 1.5m of blue organza fabric from Boyes in Skipton and picked up some Dylon 3D Pearl fabric paint and off I went...Right where do I start?..Fold...

 draw half way round a dish...

check it fits around gorgeous girl's neck.  When I did this she stuck her arms out to the side and it was perfect sleeve length so I sewed in some sleeves.  Added some velcro to the front and finished it off with a sparkly felt snowflake.

All the while Miss M is busy designing accessories...

 next comes the scary bit...burn the edges to stop it fraying...

and breathe! then the fun part, tracing snowflakes.  Please do not do as I did and leave it to dry on paper, the paper will stay stuck! It comes away easily from greaseproof paper and the oil cloth tablecloth I was working on...

 Little lady had to wait until morning to try it on...

 and straight outside to see it fly...

borrowed Ro's Merida dress (right colour) to complete the outfit and I attempted one of Elsa's hairstyles...

Watching Frozen on dvd with her brother...both acting out the scenes and singing along... 

It's funny listening to them acting out the scenes with their fake american accents.  We've all been singing our way through life today like we live in a Disney film...Nx

Rags to curls

M wanted curly hair for a party she was attending...I washed and almost dried her hair, then we put in rags (a ripped up old sheet).  My Mum used to do this with my Sister and I when we were little and my Granny before her with my Mum and my Aunt.  M loves the finished look and pretends to be a sheep, baaaa!

You sleep with the rags in place.  In the morning, remove the rags and voila...curly hair...

A rags to curls how to:  Take sections of almost dry hair and twist, then place your strip of rag at the end and roll up towards the scalp, tie in a knot to secure.  Use smaller sections of hair and more rags if you want even curlier curls!..Nx

Our little one is 4...let's eat cake

Our little one turned 4 this week.  A cake must be made to mark the occasion...a number 4 cake this year.  It began with a square sponge cake, cut into thirds and sliced to form the number 4...

The table prepared...chocolate buttercream, smarties, candles... 

A glorious spectrum of colours on my boy's number 4 cake (ok nearly, smarties don't come in indigo and violet)...Ta-dah!

I made little individual trifles with the leftover bits of cake...yum...Nx

Easy pocket beanbags

The Easter holidays started today; I've been trying to think of some games to play. Something we can do outside and in (you never know with the great British weather). 

Beanbags! I have lots of denim (old jeans) as I've been making denim toy containers...here's one I finished yesterday...

So, back to the beanbags...Jean pockets, t-shirt pockets, both great as they're backed with fabric and you only need to fill them with beans and sew the tops closed.  I had some out of date lentils etc in the back of a cupboard...

M helped to fill some little plastic bags (wasn't sure what would happen to the contents if they ended up in a puddle)...

Tie a knot in the top and pop it in your pocket...

 sew the top and there you have it, a cute pile of beanbags...

I just need to make my list of games now...Nx

No April fools for us

April is here already...what a glorious sunny blue skied day to start the month...and warm, really warm...

Ro suggested a trip to the park, the one with sand...of course...

An after school walk with friends to Lunds Tower and Cowling Pinnacle, aka salt and pepper pot, aka the princess tower.  Sheep jam...

 M laying on a rock on a cliff edge (heart in mouth moment)...

 Little Ro standing next to the pinnacle...

 Taking in the view...

 Lunds tower...

 Can you see Ro and his mate at the top? and that clear blue sky...

 Baa...

 I'll go this way...

 M found treasure, made us giggle...

Nx