we'd love your vote : )

"Mum, can we please have a trampoline... mum, can we please have a trampoline, muuuuuummm...."  and so it goes on.

Family Times magazine are running a blogging competition. I decided to enter as I thought it would be a great way to increase my readership ( and share the love) but also because there are two Spring Free trampolines up for grabs! If you're a blogger ( and most of you are) you should consider entering, and while your there can you please vote for us!

Voters go into prize draws too : )

VOTING FORM for familytimes springfree trampoline competition

 

imagination invasion

I am so in love with this dinovember idea. These pictures were taken by a couple of very clever American parents have dedicated the month of November to convincing our children that their plastic dinosaurs come to life while they sleep.

Why do we do this? Because in the age of iPads and Netflix, we don’t want our kids to lose their sense of wonder and imagination. In a time when the answers to all the world’s questions are a web-search away, we want our kids to experience a little mystery. All it takes is some time and energy, creativity, and a few plastic dinosaurs.

 dinovember on facebook
 
dinovember

Another fun idea is: 

The Elf on the Shelf® is a special scout elf sent from the North Pole to help Santa Claus manage his naughty and nice lists. When a family adopts an elf and gives it a name, the elf receives its Christmas magic and can fly to the North Pole each night to tell Santa Claus about all of the day's adventures. Each morning, the elf returns to its family and perches in a different place to watch the fun. Children love to wake up and race around the house looking for their elf each morning.

http://www.elfontheshelf.com/ 

So I have an idea up my sleeve, watch this space : )

the boy loves to paint

On Wednesdays when T and I are at home together, he often asks to paint. He loves it and I get massive amounts of pleasure from seeing what he creates.

He's nearly out of paints and I need to teach both children how to look after their brushes- so both are on their Christmas wishlists.

A monkey and sloth in a tree, an ostrich and an elephant, spraying water- of course!

unicorn terrariums

For her birthday this year, M is having the girls in her class over for a unicorn themed cr-afternoon tea. We'll have some cake, popcorn, drink and fruit and I've set up everything they'll need to make one of these terrariums each.

I wanted to do something a little different and also wanted the girls to have something to take home with them. Once they've made the jars up all ready for... the surprise. I'll ask them to go and look for a teeny tiny unicorn each. I'll hide in them in the garden in some little organza bags I've bought.

The cute moccona coffee jars are from my mum who collected them for a one day purpose, I spied them when we were in Wellington last year and carried 14 of them in a box on the plane, not easy but I'm glad I did it. The buntings I made using pink string and washi tape. The faux grass and toadstools I bought off trade me. I got the unicorns from a friend that was selling imported things on facebook- she's since closed the business- and my bank account is grateful!

I'm hoping these will spark their imaginations and that they'll have some fun putting them together. I'll post some pictures of the other party details later.

one excited wee boy!

These gorgeous invites arrived in our inbox today. Stella from the golden adventures of a very dark horse ( you really need to go see her blog) kindly agreed to draw them for us. I believe we got a great deal - I mean he has a little blue bird sitting on his shoulder- and there's an elephant- and a crocodile!

The invite we're sending out has the party details printed on it in the space beside T's head and along the bottom. Stella also sent us a version without text and my sister in law suggested having it printed as a canvas for his bedroom wall- which I've already ordered ( snapfish had a super special- they must've known!).

We love them. They couldn't be more perfect for our animal loving wee man x.

things I'm loving

 I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something you can be thankful for..no matter how simple it is.

I was able to make a 'I'm thinking of you' flower arrangement for someone yesterday with flowers from our garden.

That my girl is still LOVING school

This yummy cider, I'm slowly trying some of the new ones out- looking for my preferred Summer beverage!

That my mum was in Christchurch recently. While she was here she fixed some holes in T's special blanket. She originally crocheted it for me in 1974 x

 

 That we have another market coming up that we're busy making treats for.

That the kids recently tried candyfloss for the first time, one loved it- one handed me hers x

That the kids are in bed all tired out from a day spent at the ChCh A&P show.

And lastly, I love that although I didn't get a job I went for an interview for on Monday ( one I reeeally wanted and am still a bit sad about), I'm still also able to see how good, happy and full my life is and that things will be ok.

Joining in with Meghan of MNMs

snail scones

I made these Gary the snails last weekend for a wee friend's Sponge Bob 5th birthday party. They were easy, fun and yummy so I thought I'd share.

They are marmite and cheese pinwheel scones. I rolled them not quite all the way and put an extra bit of scone on the not rolled up bit. The antenae are straight pretzels that I poked in while the snails were still warm.

I thought afterwards some mini marshmellows on top of the pretzels might have been fun.

halloween treats

I know Halloween has been and gone but I thought I'd share this easy peasy snack of ' eyes' we made for a friend's party. They would be fun for a monster themed party or you could file it away for next year. They taste yum.

1) Squash a white marsh mellow ( for the white of the eye)
2) Use a round food cutter to cut a circle out of a slice of kiwifruit and place it on the marshmellow ( for the iris)
3) Put a chocolate button on top ( for the pupil) 

some songs I'm liking

 

 

 

command strips

These are awesome! A marketing company sent me some packs of these Command 3M picture strips to trial. I was really impressed at how one medium sized strip could hold each of the picture frames. I had to move one too and they made no marks or damage at all- a big whew for my newly painted walls!

I used some of them to put a print and some of M's art work up in her bedroom. Chuffed to get some for free but will happily pay for more the next time we need to put up pictures : )

more market makings

We've also made some necklaces and hair clip holders for the up coming market days. The hair clip holders have a pocket at the top for hair ties and a loop at the bottom for hanging headbands.

I bought the felt, beads and ribbon off www.aliexpress.com for not very much so we'll be selling them for not very much too : )