The Great Sunflower Race 2013!

April 18, 2013 By Kate in Green Fingers, Making Tags: diy, family, Flowers, gardening, Kids, outdoors, sunflower, sunflower competition 29 Comments

This time last year, we launched our inaugural Great Sunflower Race, pitting our horticultural skills against family, friends, neighbours – and you. We painted our pots, googled top tips, and Harry and I then watched in glee as our seeds germinated seemingly overnight, sending out perky shoots and promising great things. We tut-tutted over my husband’s barren soil - his seedling eventually grew about a foot before peaking and retiring – whilst watching our stems shoot heavenward.

…They were eaten as an appetiser by a passing deer the following week.

But there’s something about the British spirit of perseverance against all odds; a relentless optimism combined with a constitutional patience that causes us to quietly join queues and wait in line even if we have no idea what we are waiting for. Some argue that it is this spirit which has won wars; it’s certainly the same dogged optimism that compels us to try again this year – and with such passion and fervour!

Once more Harry and I have had a fun time packaging up seeds into tiny envelopes to give away to old friends and new, so that the race can begin in earnest;

And once again we’d love you to join us, if you have a patch of soil or even just a doorstep – the beauty of sunflowers is that they need very little space. Choose your seeds, fill a pot and throw your virtual hat into the ring via the comments below, and we’ll have regular progress checks on sunflower growth spurts around the world. Let the great sunflower race begin!

An Easter welcome…

March 28, 2013 By Kate in Green Fingers, Homing Instinct Tags: diy, easter, easter banner, easter eggs, egg hunt, Kids, march hare graphic, paper placemats, papercraft, sennelier, wallpaper tablecloth, watercolour painting 33 Comments

Easter approaches, but not the vibrantly green Easter of sudden unseasonal heatwaves, spring picnics and al fresco fun. Instead, Easter in our small corner of the world promises to be sprinkled with snow flurries, with only the hardiest early apple blossom and narcissi spikes braving the chill. We don’t care; at Easter each year the house fills with family and friends, and we’ve been adding some decorative touches to spruce things up for their arrival. Let’s start with lunch…

I wanted to create an interesting Easter table that will see us through a number of meals and provide some distractions for little hands; I used a leftover piece of wallpaper for a simple, natural table runner. It’s wipe-proof, unlikely to tear and means there’s no need for a tablecloth beneath. I love using wallpaper for table runners – our local DIY store lets you cut sample lengths and I have a bundle of offcuts from when we were decorating bedrooms; some vibrant and some, like this, more subtle. Simple brown kraft paper looks great too, or you could use a roll of black paper to mimic a chalkboard; I’ve done this for informal dinners with friends and it looks gorgeous when decorated with white chalk pens (leave some on the table for guests to doodle with..)

I made these seasonal napkin rings by cutting toilet rolls in half and glueing a length of fabric around each. I sourced the archive image of the spring hare from here; it was once a bookplate in a dictionary… I printed it out several times on a sheet of white paper and cut into strips before glueing around each ring.

I used the same image for placemats, printing onto A3 recycled paper, and creating a set of hares racing around the table…

For the centre of the table, I trailed a variety of spring elements to create a narrow but interesting feature, that can stay in place throughout the long weekend…

We dragged a mossy log back from the park and this, when dried out, provided the backbone (n.b. if you do this, I’d suggest leaving it in the porch overnight for any existing many-legged residents to seek alternative accommodation, thus avoiding a mass exodus across the lunch table). Homemade nests were placed at each end, with smaller ones tucked along the log. Old terracotta pots planted with narcissi are scattered at intervals, and should come into bloom at just about the right time…

Hard-boiled white duck eggs sit alongside faux eggs and blown quails eggs, filling bowls and egg cups, and even a tiny vintage silver tea pot from Harry’s play kitchen.

I wandered around the house collecting any small vases or bowls of the right sort of palette, like this duck-egg blue vase which normally sits on a mantel but looks just right here…

I decided to make a decorative banner for the fireplace in the kitchen, so set about painting some eggs in fantasy colours and designs (don’t try looking these up in any bird book; accuracy was never my strong point). These beautiful paints are from legendary Parisian art store Sennelier, and were a gift from my father; I don’t break them out very often but when I do they’re a joy to use.

I painted my eggs onto watercolour postcard paper, then scanned them in so I could cut out enough for a banner; I like how they turned out, and think I’ll use them as individual place cards, or maybe transfer print them onto a plain tea towel in the future; if you want to use them for anything seasonal I’ve attached my file as a PDF below, which looks like this when you open it;

If the weather-man is right, we’ll be lighting the log fire more than once and it will be the centre of attention, so I’ve arranged the folded books from a couple of weeks ago to add a spark of humour and interest…

And as a final touch, on the large cook’s table sits a vase filled with plastic eggs and a fallen cherry-tree branch, a victim of the recent storms; we rescued it, trimmed just a little and then decked the branches sparingly with speckled eggs. To do this, I placed a drinking glass inside the vase, filled it with water and inserted the branch, before carefully dropping the plastic eggs all around, filling up the space between the glass and the vase.

Elsewhere, a collection of wicker baskets which we’ve collected over the years sits waiting in the hall for the small hands of eager egg-hunters on Easter Monday. We’re all ready to lay out the hunt (below), but are waiting till the very last minute to decide whether this is a bracing outdoor escapade calling for wellies, scarves and hot chocolate, or whether instead we’ll be placing eggs in nooks and crannies around the house before unleashing indoor chaos…

Our next task is a spot of seasonal baking; these baby chick cupcakes went down well last year so a newly hatched batch is top of the list. If you click on the picture below you can find the details of how we made them.

Have a wonderful Easter weekend, wherever you are and whomever you’re with; may spring sunshine and good chocolate find their way to your door…

March hare tablemat

Six Speckled Eggs by Kate

Dream Home Restoration Part III: The Playroom and Book Nook

March 7, 2013 By Kate in Homing Instinct Tags: decorating, design, diy, family, home, interiors, Kids, playroom, renovation, restoration 31 Comments

I’ve talked before about the life’s-work that is our home restoration project (if you’re a newish visitor, you can read about it here and here). We’re probably about 10% through our list of projects, having tackled the kitchen and the more pressing – and depressing – stuff like turfing out the mouse population and reducing the bracing fresh air which gusts through every seemingly-closed window.

Next on our list was a play space for Harry; we’re lucky enough to have a perfect room for this, sandwiched between the kitchen and Snug, and featuring an ancient but very cool wrought-iron spiral staircase which leads straight upto his bedroom. When the last owners lived here, the playroom was used as a games zone by their sons, complete with black walls, slightly crusty green carpets (let’s not consider that further), a myriad of sockets and cables, and wall-to-wall posters. What little natural light there was had been blocked with heavy curtains, gloom being the preferred natural habitat of the teenage male.

Painting walls and replacing the carpet was an immediate priority, but the rest we’ve done gradually, adding homemade furniture and toys here and there, and evolving the space as Harry’s grown from a wobbly toddler into a little boy.

The original fireplace appears to have had its legs sawn off at some point in the last 300yrs, but we decorate it nonetheless with string ball lights, garlands and bunting, depending on the season; at Christmas it had a curtain of cotton wool snowballs, and a vintage glitter ball currently sits in the grate waiting for us to find a new home for it (though I think it’s pretty settled at this point).

Nooks and crannies are used for storage; these sturdy chairs fit around the art table when we’re painting, but then retire, Shaker-style, to the peg rail to free up floor space

A giant bookcase found on Ebay houses toyboxes, Lego and other treasures like the animals from Harry’s Ark and his collection of fireman helmets (one for each of us; teamwork is everything).

A ratty sofa allows shoppers to queue in comfort when waiting to be served at Harry’s store, and doubles up as a boat, life-raft, island, den or car depending on what game we’re playing. One of the first things I ever made for Harry, his family tree, hangs on the wall and is regularly updated when family members are matched or hatched.

My favourite part of the playroom is the newest; a former cloakroom was awkwardly squeezed into a corner of the room and hoarded the only precious direct natural light. We knocked down the wall and ripped it out to extend the main room and create a small reading area with books and cushions.

The ‘book of the week’ corner utilises the boxed-in plumbing for the former faucet, and holds a rotating series of Harry’s favourite books, accessorised with paintings and pictures we’ve made, or things from the Dressing Up box, like this Halloween Hat and Broom.

Scattered around are some folded books, which I made one evening last week in front of the television, inspired by this amazing window display from US store Anthropologie.

I played around with folding a couple of charity shop books which we won’t read again, and had a lot of fun. Next time I’ll work my way through the whole book and make some over-sized hanging pendants, perhaps at Christmastime.

I added a junk store vintage sofa which I painted in off-white chalk paint and reupholstered in faux (wipe-clean!) suede; it was previously unfashionable mahogany so I bought it for a song and spent a couple of days overhauling it. It adds a touch of grace to the playroom and shows you don’t have to be surrounded by plastic-fantastic ‘kids furniture’ all the time.

Elsewhere paper stars & Harry’s artwork adorn the twisting staircase, acting as a height warning for unwitting grown-ups. The Jeeves & Wooster pendant light is made from a gilded bowler hat and is one of the few light fittings we’ve managed to reuse from our former, very modern house. Two squeezable trumpet horns are used in the summer for garden games and races, and frighten the life out of newcomers with their ear-splitting exuberance.

Old favourites like the cardboard rocket have miraculously managed to survive months of heavy-handed play; the rocket currently houses Harry’s most precious treasures and anything else which catches his eye around the house (car keys, watches, bananas… it’s an eclectic and hazardous mix).

We’re lucky to have a dedicated playroom, and one which sits so perfectly at the heart of the home, close to the rest of the action. Its layout and palette gives space for Harry to grow and for his tastes – and stuff – to evolve. I know that one day I too may be painting the walls in dark and manly teenage colours and shuddering as I peel up the once-oat coloured carpet, but till then we’ll enjoy the space, light and fun of a room filled with the passions of a 3yr old, who I hope will take as long to grow up as is humanly possible…

Nesting

March 1, 2013 By Kate in Green Fingers, Making Tags: bird nest, diy, duck eggs, easter craft, easter nest, egg dye, Kids, quail eggs, seagrass, speckled eggs, weekend fun 26 Comments

Bird nests; one of nature’s most abidingly beautiful things, evocative of spring & new life. Did you know that birds make on average 500 trips to build a nest, working with barely a pause for several days on end? And that if you’re a poor male Weaver bird, your nest is the dating equivalent of a statement of your net worth, your DIY skills and your general domesticity and attention-to-detail all in one? Frankly, if your nest doesn’t cut it, you’re destined to remain the eternal bachelor. And that’s a lot of pressure, I’m sure you’ll agree.

Fortunately these homemade nests (above and below) take about 30 minutes and require only a good rummage under the hedgerows, a small amount of dexterity and creativity, and a dab of glue. Oh, and a few well-placed hair grips. They may not attract exotic winged wildlife to take up residence, but they will look very pretty as an Easter table centrepiece, or strewn around the house decoratively through Spring. Mine are currently perched on the kitchen windowsill and tucked into bookshelf corners, and make me smile in the morning.

A tiny nest has even found its way into the pocket of Harry’s waistcoat, watched over by a territorial pheasant (a lingering Christmas tree decoration).

The fabulous thing about bird nests – in real life and here – is that each and every one is different. You can use different materials to construct it, and weave all manner of things into the basic structure. Through trial and error I’ve found that there are three main good things to build your basic shape with;

Salim, or seagrass, is perfect. I got a huge bundle from my local garden centre / florist for a few pounds, and it’s a (messy) delight to work with as it naturally binds itself together

Raffia is very widely available and comes in many different colours. It’s great for kids to work with and also good for building nests that will house chocolate or candy eggs

Handfuls of reeds, creepers, living willow or other garden plantstuff also work well; you want a good thick handful of whatever you choose, at least 12-18 inches in length. Green willow will become brown and stiff as it dries out, but is very malleable when freshly cut.

Once I’d bought my seagrass, we went to the park to gather up bits and pieces to adorn the nests. Harry loved this bit, racing back to us with carefully cupped handfuls of treasures including feathers, bits of string and pebbles, interestingly shaped twigs… we threw it all in to our collecting sack. Duck feathers are particularly beautiful as they tend to be very small and speckled, sometimes with hints of blue and green which look gorgeous when you add in eggs to the finished nest. Whilst Harry and I fearlessly waded amongst mounds of duck poo to collect tiny, crusty feathers, my husband grew restless; ‘Would it speed things up if I just kidnap a duck for you to pluck later?’ he enquired, through chattering, gritted teeth.

Once you’ve assembled everything (in a clear, sweepable space; don’t do this on a carpet, trust me..), find some clothes pegs, craft glue and simply hair grips like these which you’ll use to hold the nest together. Now, we begin..!

Step 1: Take a thick handful of your seagrass (or raffia, etc), about 12-18 inches long (like a bundle of spaghetti). Bend it into a tight tyre or wreath shape and secure it in place. You can do this by tying it with string or wire, or by clipping it temporarily with clothes pegs and then using a glue gun, removing the pegs when dry. You should end up with a messy but firm hoop like this below; don’t worry that it has no ‘bottom’; we’ll fill this in later.

Step 2: trim off all of the bits that stick out (decide whether you want a very neat, trimmed nest to impress the neighbours, or a more random, scruffy one; I like both in different ways). Tuck a loose ball of seagrass and offcuts into the hoop to make a base. This will hold blown eggs very easily, but if you’re planning on putting anything heavier in the nest you might want to place it in a bowl or on a plate at this stage. Place it on its ‘bottom’ and make sure it is stable, neatening up where necessary.

Step 3; Now you can start to accessorise your nest. You can add moss (real of faux) by dotting it around the edges and securing with either hair pins (pushed straight in), or by wrapping around with brown or invisible thread. Strands of leafy ivy are a great alternative. Then tuck feathers in around the sides and top edges, along with any other treasures that you’ve gathered along the way;

Your nest is now ready for eggs!

I’ve used a mixture of hand-blown quail and duck eggs in my nests, some of which I’ve dyed and speckled using a dry-bristled paintbrush dipped in paint, and some shop-bought ones too. For a step-by-step tutorial on how to dye and speckle eggs, have a look at this post I wrote last year by clicking on the picture below;

Now, I must leave you in order to go sweep up in the aftermath of our nest-building frenzy, but first a quick but heartfelt ‘thank you’ for all of the lovely comments, likes and for those of you who have signed up for more, week after week; it puts a spring in my already-bouncy step and makes it all very worthwhile…

Have a lovely weekend!

Behind the Blog: Design Elements

February 17, 2013 By Kate in Making, Paper Paper!, Uncategorized Tags: blogging, chalkboard, craft, diy, fonts, graphics, photo backdrops, photography 16 Comments

Are you having a good weekend? We’ve had a lovely one; revelling in the afterglow of Valentine’s Day (a year’s supply of marmalade for him; an amazing vintage Imperial typewriter for me – I can’t stop stroking it..), enjoying a rare glimpse of Spring with brilliant sunshine and mild weather, baking crunchy, syrupy lemon drizzle cake (only crumbs left now, and a vague sense of remorse at our lack of self-control..), and the conversion of a cheerful little corner of Harry’s playroom into a Book Nook… but more on all of that next time.

As promised, this week I’m going to answer a few of the questions I get asked most often about how I design and style both the blog and the projects which feature on it. Fonts, graphics, layouts; it’ll be something of a geek-peek behind the blog for those who are interested. If you simply enjoy the projects and posts themselves (thank you!), then turn a blind eye and join me again next time, but otherwise let’s start by talking about fonts, fonts, glorious fonts….

I love browsing for fonts on the fabulous site dafont.com. There are a myriad of fonts available to download for free, which takes seconds. You can also choose to donate to the author who created each, which I think is a great thing to do, and important for communities like dafont to continue to flourish and offer such loveliness (I’m like a kid in a sweet shop when I browse).

You can find all three of these fonts by simply Googling the name, and will be able to download them all for free for private use from various sites (if you’re thinking of using them for other purposes or commercially, check the licence details; the terms are often different).

The next most common question is about how I make the labels, signs, graphics and photo montages that I use, so let’s tackle that…

I do all of my graphics and montages in – wait for it – Powerpoint (I blush slightly at this revelation; I know it is seen as the slightly stale tool of jaded business execs the world over, but I love it, and more importantly, I know it intimately) … so no sexy Adobe tools and wizardry here. And hence this post, I hasten to add, is just about what I do, rather than what other bloggers would suggest, or what might work best for you.. You can download Powerpoint in a format to suit your computer and have a month’s free trial before you have to commit to buying; worth it if you have the time and motivation to dabble a little and explore.

I work on an iMac desktop and use the in-built iPhoto software for simple photo-editing – usually cropping, and adjusting light (gloom & overcast skies being a perennial British problem), before importing photos into Powerpoint to create montages or add text. Before I had my Mac I downloaded the free Picasa photo-editing software onto my ancient Windows laptop and used that very happily instead. Toys and signs I’ve made for Harry like those below were all created in this way, as were the ‘font’ montages shown above.

For backgrounds and backdrops I tend to take photos of interesting textures, walls, surfaces and so on, and upload these for use in projects. I also use books of art papers like these, often scanning them so I can play with them and use them repeatedly. The one investment I did make last year which I love is in two polypaper photo backdrops from here, one of chalkboard and one of a faux wood-pannelled barn wall (see both below)… the chalkboard in particular I use all the time as it’s so versatile. Often though, I just wander around the house following the light, and shoot against walls and on the wooden floor; it’s simple and instant.

So, no magic; just a little bit of knowledge and a lot of experimentation and practice. If you’re making crafty projects at home and printing out graphics, labels and the like, my final tip would be to purchase and use photo-quality matt inkjet paper (HP make some; I’m sure others do too). This gives a great intensity of colour and the closest approximation to what you actually see on the screen. As a dabbling amateur, I find buying great paper like this is more important – and much cheaper – than buying a world-class printer.

A final word on graphics; most of my pictures and graphics are ‘homemade’, but if you’re in search of general inspiration then Pinterest is a great source; search for free printables or graphics and you’ll often find lists of resources that others have created. One other gem, particularly for those who like vintage ephemera, is the Graphics Fairy, which has a treasure trove of free-to-download goodies.

See you in a few days for more crafting and projects; have a great week, whatever you’re doing…

A Pocketful of Hearts

February 12, 2013 By Kate in Baking, Making, Paper Paper! Tags: card making, craft, diy, Kids, meringues, recipes, romance, rubber stamping, sprinkles, valentines 24 Comments

We’ve briefly come over all romantic this week, felled at last by the growing global momentum of Valentine preparations and the rosy hue of shopfronts as the world turns red for a week. Valentine’s day here in the UK is still predominantly about celebrating grown-up, romantic love, but is gradually broadening to be a general celebration of love in all its forms. Harry proudly – and very carefully – brought us home a large envelope containing a card he had made us at nursery which we are not allowed to open until Thursday (though Harry is adamant, in a moment of 3yr old confusion, that in fact we have to wait until Christmas); he has red glitter in his hair and heart-shaped paint splats on his jeans, so I think we are safe to assume that Thursday is the day.

In turn, Harry and I have been busy crafting a Valentine card for his cool fairy Godmother; she’s the person in his life who brings him books about farting dogs and lollipops as large as his head, and believes that pyjamas should absolutely be worn all day if possible, thus earning his unwavering affection.

To decorate the envelope, I drew a tiny heart shape on the tip of a pencil eraser and carved away the edges (do this in good lighting and when free of caffeine, red wine, or anything else that might cause your hand to twitch..). It’s soooo simple but looks great, and makes the perfect rubber stamp for kids (or adults) to push into an ink pad and stamp randomly over any available surface. We used this ink, which I fished out of my old stamping supplies, and discovered as an added bonus that the colour turns from deep red to light pink as the pigment wears out, giving a lovely ombre effect.

It’s been a while since we were active in the kitchen so we also knocked up some little meringue kisses to give to friends. I used this recipe, which seems to produce drier, crispy meringues and allows you to whip them out of the oven sooner than usual, which is great for coloured meringues where you don’t want any browning or colour fade. For the kisses, I stirred rose food colouring in just before the icing sugar stage, piped imperfect rosettes to fill a silicon baking sheet, and then when the meringues were baked and cool, I brushed edible glue around the base of each and rolled them in rainbow sprinkles before setting to dry on a cooling rack…

With the leftover meringue, I spooned out dollops onto a baking sheet and then used a wooden skewer to swirl raspberry coulis through the peaks, giving this raspberry-ripple effect; as a treat we’ll have them with whipped cream, fresh raspberries and a glass of champagne on Thursday (after all, if you’re staying in you can afford to be a little decadent…)

So, a giddy pink day to celebrate all things romantic. Little does Mr B expect that Valentine’s Day itself will bring him the gift of 12 jars of marmalade in a vintage garden trug; I’m having to blow the dust off my Tracy Anderson bicep-building DVD before I can even contemplate lifting it…

Next time, by the way, I’m going to focus on answering some of the questions I’ve had of late about the fonts, graphics, camera and other tools and techniques I use here; if there’s anything you’re keen to know more about, please do shout and I’ll endeavour to cover it. I should preface this by saying that those seeking technological enlightenment and cutting-edge wizardry should hastily look elsewhere; my secrets lie more in the artistic draping of bedsheets as backdrops, the procurement of free graphics, and in providing life support to an ancient entry-level printer – but that at least makes everything I do very accessible and highly replicable!

Have a lovely week..

The Rainy Day Explorer’s Kit

February 7, 2013 By Kate in Homing Instinct, Making Tags: build a den, diy, explorers, fort, games, indoor adventures, Kids, play, rainy day fun, tent 34 Comments

Hello again at last, after an uncharacteristic hiatus; we’ve been a plague house this last couple of weeks, with both my husband and I felled by seasonal ‘flu. Harry miraculously escaped, and observed our symptoms and progress with great interest; he immediately and opportunistically whipped out his Melissa & Doug Veterinary Dress-Up Bag, and proceeded to administer bandages, injections and chilly plastic stethscopes to whichever of us was too slow to evade his latex gloved-clutches.

Still, the fevers have at last abated, leaving us feeling a little stir-crazy and restless, particularly as last month’s glorious snowfalls have been replaced by driving rain and an all-pervading damp chilliness. It was time for some indoor adventuring, in the style of a housebound Indiana Jones, so last night whilst Harry was asleep I hastily constructed the Rainy Day Indoor Expedition Kit…

I used this old cardboard laundry box (below) which I found at a local junk shop. A vintage suitcase would also be brilliant for this, but equally a large shoebox or bag would do the job. I designed a suitably enticing picture for the front (you can download mine below), and pasted it on before filling it with a collection of bits and bobs from around the house that would spark Harry’s imagination and get us started on a truly exciting and brave indoor adventure.

Almost all of the items can be sourced within minutes – and quickly returned to their usual homes afterwards. A quick raid of the laundry cupboard, fridge, and Harry’s toybox generated most of the contents. I’ve highlighted below what I included and why; you can customise this for the age(s) of your kids, and also get them to join in the planning; when Harry’s a bit older I’ll get him to decide most the things we need.

In our rainy-day expedition case you’ll find:

A field trip notebook and pen for recording what we see
A torch (you can teach morse code to older kids). We had battery-powered fairy lights too for our den
Toy walkie-talkies so we can communicate when out adventuring; real ones would be even cooler
A large white sheet to use as a tent for our den, with pegs to hold it in place.
Books to read in our tent, when eating our snacks
Juice and crackers. We ate these before we even started, so one of our first expeditions was back to the fridge
A simple point-and-shoot camera for Harry to take endless blurry photos of our trip
Hat and goggles, in the manner of all true explorers
A sword, because you never know when you’ll meet a pirate or a baddie
Handcuffs; see above.
A rubber snake, for instant atmosphere; throwing this around (Harry) and screaming in faux-terror (me) took up quite a lot of the day and caused endless delight
Marvin, Harry’s right-hand mouse and inseparable companion, and finally..
A strong rope; we used a waxed washing line rope, mostly as a lasso for wild animals, but also to tie around our waists when climbing the stairs / dangerous mountain.

I placed the expedition suitcase on a stool for Harry to discover it at breakfast time, when we usually make our plans for the day. Once he wrestled the top off the box, he also found this mysterious ribbon-tied scroll in the case, which outlines exactly what you need to do to qualify as a proper Adventurer; this provided the basic plan for our morning…

Our den-building took quite a bit of time and was lots of fun; pondering the exact location, and discussing what we needed to consider; (ability to see pirates coming from afar, easy access to food and toys, and a multitude of other specifics). We strung, hung and pegged and bundled cushions and suitcase into the finished den, stringing up fairy lights for added atmosphere..

Harry’s toy dog Digby nobly agreed to play the role of wild animal and was duly captured and tethered to the kitchen table, with some crackers as a reward for his co-operation and acting skills.

We fended off attacks from a troop of Lego City Robbers and some Playmobil pirates before settling down to stories and juice. After lunch we discovered the promised treasure; leftover chocolate gold coins from Christmas, secreted in an old wooden box at the top of the stairs.

It was the best kind of day; just enough planning to spark Harry’s imagination, and then much adventuring, rescuing, wrestling, construction, destruction and finally chocolate, which seems to me to be the formula for little boy heaven. I’m sure versions of this game are played in homes the world over, but if you want to download our Expedition Case label and Adventurer Instructions, you can find both below.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to just go untether a dog before retiring to my den with a fistful of chocolate coins (who says you have to grow up?).

The Adventurers Challenge

Expedition Kit

The Memory Library

January 24, 2013 By Kate in Homing Instinct, Making, Paper Paper! Tags: bookplates, bookplates.library, crafting, diy, family, kids books, library, memories, play house, snow, snowball, winter 28 Comments

I come from a bookish family, enjoying an upbringing where reading was considered to be the ultimate sporting pursuit, and where every household nook and cranny was crammed with a life-history of books, from the trashiest novel to the most highbrow doctrines of Greek philosophy (our shelves were nothing if not egalitarian, and we relished them all).

Thus I learned the facts of life mostly from Judy Blume novels, and yet was extremely well-read about world history from our travelling-salesman set of Encyclopedia Britannica, the 90′s print forerunner of Wikipedia. Sadly, volume 12 vanished without trace at some point meaning that anything listed under ‘M: Malachite – Mycenae’ will forever be a gap in my knowledge.

It’s perhaps no surprise that Harry is showing signs of being a book-lover, who delights in being read to (and in pretend-reading to us). At 3yrs old he already has a small but precious handful of books which have marked the various stages in his life and which have been transient obsessions, and I wanted to capture those memories before they fade and get swallowed up into the general joyous mayhem of childhood. I designed some simple bookplates to stick in the cover papers of his favourite books, recording the memories associated with them, so that he (and we) can look back on these in the years to come…

Harry’s first ever book was a picture book by the inimitable Emily Grevatte, whose simply rhyming and repetition tickled the then 6-month old Harry and produced a chortle which turned into a full belly-laugh, and culminated in such hysteria that in time I only had to pick up the book for H to start giggling. Any new mum will tell you that whoever can make their babies laugh is a friend for life, so Grevatte’s books will always have a special place in my heart. The Gruffalo was another hands-down favourite..

The bookplates themselves were printed onto standard white paper and I then used a glue stick to paste them into the dog-eared and well-loved books. If you want to do this and don’t have the time or inclination to make your own, there’s a downloadable version below which you can simply print out and fill in (minus the picture of Harry, of course!)

Download by clicking on the attachment; I’ve saved this a PDF with 6 labels per sheet; these should fit most books.

Printable Bookplates

As I pack Harry’s old baby books into the loft for the next generation, it’s lovely to think that the family stories behind the storybooks themselves are captured and waiting to be rediscovered.

Other things… it’s been a snowy week here in Britain, with a huge blanket of snow falling thickly for several days. Nurseries and schools closed, fires were lit, and we took to the fields and hills to make the most of it. We decided to go to the local park (Windsor Great Park; home to the Queen and some stunning landscapes) just as dusk was falling, and we had the place to ourselves; it was indescribably beautiful..

We came across this couple, absorbed in the beauty of the winter landscape…

..and obviously in the early stages of a great romance…

We taught Harry the art of the snowball fight – something I’m sure we’ll regret before long – before heading home for crumpets, tea and to admire how beautiful everything looks in our snowy garden, including Harry’s new playhouse – a secondhand one which I spruced up with curtains, carpet and a weather vane; it was Harry’s 3rd birthday present and he’s very house-proud; even delivery men get invited in for a cup of tea and a story…

Welcome to Harry’s Hardware!

January 6, 2013 By Kate in Making, Reinvention & Renovation Tags: diy, dress up, gardening, gas, gas station, hardware store, Kids, petrol pump, pretend play, recycling, renovation, toys, upcycling 71 Comments

Well welcome to the grand opening of Harry’s Hardware, Gas & Auto! I’m sure you’ll agree it’s about time this small e-neighbourhood had a one-stop shop where you can refuel, choose a can of flamingo-pink paint for your kitchen and have a cup of the kind of coffee that makes your hair stand on end. We thought so, anyway….

This was Harry’s main Christmas present, and is based on an old bookcase I found on ebay for a few pounds. Like many 3yr old boys, Harry is a devoted petrol-head and delights in all things auto. Given the domestic backdrop of our home renovation, he’s also a big fan of power tools, screwdrivers, hammers and all other dangerous hardware. Thus, a hardware store and garage seemed like a good idea, and is proving a hit so far. I was lucky enough to find a second-hand wooden kids’ cupboard in the style of a gas pump, but everything else is customised and made from household junk and recycled bits and bobs. So park at the rear, would you, and come on inside for the tour. Let’s start you with a cup of coffee…

Not just any coffee, but Harry’s Coffee, the brand that knocked Starbucks out of town and became a rapid hit with truckers. The coffee ‘machine’ is an black cardboard jewellery box that housed my Christmas necklace (thank you, Santa!), with two cheap pump dispensers glued onto it (from pound-store pump bottles). I made branded signage for the coffee machine and cups on my home printer, and then simply glued a sheet of black card stock behind to form the back and tray. Because the jewellery box is hollow, the pumps do actually press in and out, making for some convincing pretend play and the addition of so many caffeine shots that you’ll be bouncing off the ceiling if Harry has his way. Tiny wooden donuts appropriated from Harry’s play kitchen offer an additional hazard to your teeth.

Whilst you drink your coffee – carefully – come browse our paint selection, made from portion-sized bean cans covered in a paper wrapper. Some of these are empty cans, used and washed out, others are still full; my domestic skills are haphazard so it’s quite foreseeable that I’ll be visiting Harry’s hardware store for dinner ingredients before the month is out..

Alongside the paints are cans of brushes and ‘wallpaper’ – rolled up offcuts of gift wrap and decorative paper. Whilst it’s fun to look at, it’s also helping with naming colours, identifying letters and words, and counting. I fear that Harry is not born to be a customer services professional though; dithering over your choices is not encouraged, and if Harry disapproves of what you’ve chosen, you’ll be given something else entirely and sent on your way. Such is life.

Crime can be a problem in any neighbourhood, even one as lovely as ours, so there’s a section of the store dedicated to discouraging robbers. Harry is passionate about law enforcement, having recently fallen under the spell of Lego City, so most of our games involve Policeman and Naughty Men. I’m quick to assure callers to the house that the various sets of handcuffs left lying around are all from Harry’s toy box and absolutely nothing to do with me or the global phenomenon of Fifty Shades of Grey. The store offers sliding locks to try out, and a set of devilishly small padlocks and keys that test Harry’s dexterity and patience to their limit and beyond. They do also bounce, when hurled to the floor dismissively. The glued-on keys come from an embarrassingly large bowl in our house which stores all unidentifiable keys from our last 5 house moves and the myriad of lost bicycle locks and chains – no doubt one of them will prove to be crucial, and I will have to chip it off from the board – but until then, they serve a more decorative purpose.

I used a jumble of small cardboard boxes to make these faux wooden draws – most are boxes from candles or the lids of various things. I found a graphic of an old shop chest and simply printed and glued the images to the front of each box, adding text for the contents. Once again, the contents have simply been borrowed from elsewhere in our house, but are satisfying to play with and count out. A small set of nesting zinc boxes from our shed completes the selection of handyman bits ‘n bobs.

In other parts of the store you can buy birdseed, choosing amongst varieties depending on which birds you want to attract to your garden, and even find pocket-sized birdhouses to house them (these came straight from the Christmas tree…).

Budding gardeners can choose real seeds from our store list, and Harry’s own tools hang alongside. Pint-sized bundles of firewood and a couple of Halloween-costume prop brooms complete the outdoor maintenance section.

The ‘Parking’ sign rests on two miniature tyres which are actually dog chew toys, found cheap at our local DIY store – we’ll use these in all kinds of projects come the Summertime, I’m sure.

I made the main store sign using off-cuts of skirting board and pasting on home-printed signs. If you look closely, you can see the joins where I’ve pasted pieces of regular-sized paper together to make the super-sized storefront sign.

And finally of course, you can fill up with gas from the pump. Harry’s pedal car has been regularly topped up, as has everything that moves in the household, and many things which do not.

So, a Christmas hit, for now at least, appealing to all of Harry’s manly instincts and providing lots of opportunity for play and interaction – and when the attraction begins to fade, I can simply return the bookcase to its component parts and reinvent it again. Or maybe – and here’s a novel thought – actually place some books on it, who knows?

If you’re new-ish to the blog and like this project, you might also enjoy Harry’s kitchen and shop (note to self: stop buying junk furniture on ebay…).

A hundred different words for snow

December 20, 2012 By Kate in Homing Instinct, Making Tags: christmas crafts, christmas tree, craft, diy, eskimo, family, Kids, message in a bottle, miniature bottle, nostalgia, snow, snow globe, snowball curtain, table decoration 8 Comments

It’s said that eskimos have over a hundred different words for snow, to capture the manifold ways it arrives; drifting snow, falling snow, powdery snow – a word for each and every one. Such claims may be the stuff of mythology, but it somehow captures the magic of snowfall and fits with the science of every single snowflake being unique. We’ve had no real snow this season, despite Harry’s feverish anticipation and enough cold snaps to make even the Inuit consider double-glazing. Still, we are nothing if not self-starters, so have decided to make our own snow for Christmas.

I’ved used glass cloches to cover simple white dining plates and scattered with faux snow and some Christmassy miniature trees from the local garden centre to create this snowscape which will adorn our Christmas table. I glued little star-shaped buttons to the top of each tree for a splash of bright festive colour. Harry saw me make this one (above) and was intrigued, but hasn’t yet seen the others, for which I recruited some of his favourite toys… (I’ve taken the glass covers off to photo these, but details of what I’m using are below)

Buzz Lightyear has his perennial expression of mild confusion as he struggles with these trees and directions to the North Pole…

Peppa Pig and friend sing carols around the village tree whilst trying not to fall in this mirror-glass pond..

And finally a bright red London bus transports a Christmas tree on its top deck..

To cover these I’ve used; a glass cake dome, a clear dessert bowl and (for the miniature London bus and tree) an upturned wine glass. They can be constructed and taken apart in minutes so make for a good table decoration – and one which can be played with as well as just admired!

We’ve also created our own snowy landscape inside by threading a variety of different white pompoms onto lengths of cotton and tying them onto a slim branch; at the moment it decorates the (disused) playroom fireplace but these also look beautiful strung over windows and doorways. I measured a length of cotton, threaded it with a needle and then pushed the needle through the pompoms, before spacing them out at intervals and hanging. Harry chose the pompoms and acted as chief helper; school-age kids can do this all themselves using a thick darning needle with not too sharp a point. If you find your pompoms slide together, just knot the thread at intervals and the pompoms will ‘sit’ on the knots and stay in place.

And finally to our twist on snow globes; I’ve used these miniature bottles (also great for messages-in-a-bottle for Valentines or pirate games), and filled each with a teaspoon of white glitter, water and just a dash of glycerin to top up. Shake vigorously to disperse all the glycerin and glitter, and then add a little tag (and a bell, if you have them). I’ll be using them as part of my festive place-settings, but they’d also make beautiful stocking-fillers if places in a tiny box and nestled in shredded tissue, or even looped with cord for a necklace (these bottles really are tiny; a necklace would obviously be a little less practical if you’re using actual milk bottles).

If you’re anticipating particularly vigorous shaking, I’d suggest glueing the cork in place to avoid the kind of dramatic glitter-in-eye-and-ruined-silk-blouse moments that will turn into great anecdotes in the years to come but may test a friendship in the immediate short-term..

So, a handful of snowy crafts with just the right amount of mess and fun. Hopefully they’ll keep us going until the real thing arrives…

Kate's Creative Space

ideas, projects and beautiful things

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