A few weeks ago we went to see the SmileyWorld art trail at Battersea Power Station. Battersea Power Station is a fun destination and we enjoyed grabbing a map and trying to locate the sculptures. SmileyWorld art trail at Battersea Power Station The SmileyWorld art trail is a self-guided trail featuring 15 different sculptures. On one side is a Smiley, the other side features a unique art work. We picked up a trail map from the information desk (but you can also download one to your phone). The sculptures were placed around the outside of Battersea Power Station and inside too, on all levels ..read more

Starting the week by writing the Happy List is something I’ve been doing for a while over the last few years. It is my chance to sit down and reflect on the things that made me happy in the previous week, as well as to record some of the adventures we have as a family. Five Happy Things {Week 499} Last week I finished reading Greenbanks by Dorothy Whipple. This was the third book I have read by her, all published by Persephone Books with their lovely light grey paperback covers. I loved the story of the grandmother Louisa, her relationship with her grown up children, and h ..read more

Spring has sprung…eventually. Living in the UK is never easy (unless you love the long winters), and this year was slightly more challenging. Did anyone else feel like the winter was longer than ever? Still, spring has sprung right before summer. And if you’re anything like us, June 20th (the start of summer in the UK) can’t cope quickly enough. You’ll also be delighted to know we have some warmer weather on the way, with the 10-day forecast looking good. Read on to learn how we think you can transition your home from spring to summer. Revamp Your Living Space As the days get longer and more ..read more

Starting the week by writing the Happy List is something I’ve been doing for a while over the last few years. It is my chance to sit down and reflect on the things that made me happy in the previous week, as well as to record some of the adventures we have as a family. Five Happy Things {Week 498} My daughter tried a new after school art class. She has struggled to find any after school clubs she enjoys but she tried a local art class and got on really well. It’s a mixed age group but she said she would like to go again. Over the weekend we went and visited the Accidentall ..read more

April passed me by so quickly, probably due to the kids being off of school for 2 weeks. They really enjoyed the break, and I managed to take a few days off too to spend with them. A lot of my sewing was related to them, but I also made plenty of things for me too. What I made in April 2024 The children have both shot up in the last few months. My daughter needed a new Scout shirt for our local St George’s Day parade so I had a deadline to move all her badges from her old to her new Scout shirt.  My husband kept telling me to buy some fabric glue but this is a job I actually love to do ..read more

My daughter loves history and can often be found with her head in a history book. She loves to learn about the events which have shaped the world we live in. Time Travellers: Adventure Calling When adventure calls – the Time Travellers answer! Suhana, Mia and Ayaan are thrown together on a trip to Parliament, where they are fascinated by all the history that happened there. Little do they suspect that they’ll be LIVING that history when they are transported back to 1911! Finding themselves in the middle of a women’s suffrage demonstration, they are amazed to see people from all over the world ..read more

Children love traveling, but, in addition to fun, it is also about preparation. As kids may have many more requirements, they should be considered just as carefully as you plan and prepare the details of your trips to cover your own needs. But, at the same time, such travels are much more fun! So let’s discuss how to have the best trip together with your kids, and what are the best places in the world for travelling with kids. The Specifics of Traveling with Your Kids Traveling with kids requires better safety, better preparation, and better organisation. But also, you need to choose a suitab ..read more

Starting the week by writing the Happy List is something I’ve been doing for a while over the last few years. It is my chance to sit down and reflect on the things that made me happy in the previous week, as well as to record some of the adventures we have as a family. Five Happy Things {Week 497} Over the weekend we finished watching Constellation on Apple TV+. I’m not usually a big fan of thrillers but this was pretty good for some escapism in the evenings. My son had his Duke of Edinburgh expedition this weekend. We were glad the weather was dry for him, if a little col ..read more

Over the Easter holidays we enjoyed a few days away in Ironbridge, a pretty village in Ironbridge Gorge which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We planned some fun days out including, the Cat Cafe in Shrewsbury, a trip to the Emma Bridgwater Decorating Studio and the Boardroom Gaming Cafe in Telford. If there is any kind of board game cafe when we go away, we will always try and visit. The kids are constantly hungry so a Board Game Cafe is usually a good bet to keep them amused whilst we stop for drinks and snacks. Boardroom Gaming Cafe The Boardroom Gaming Cafe was easy to find with a car par ..read more

It’s been a while since I’ve received a subscription box from Cotton Clara. You can opt out of the box if you don’t want it, so it feels like a few months since a box landed on my doormat. I actually didn’t want the Goldwork heart brooch kit but I didn’t cancel in time! Goldwork heart brooch Goldwork is embroidery using metal threads. When I received my box I was surprised as it contained two pieces of felt, an embroidery hoop, some threads and two envelopes. Nothing really screamed goldwork at me! However the envelopes contained red pearl purl and gold pearl purl, the other on contained red r ..read more