The start of a new year has worked it’s magic on my gardening enthusiasm, as it always does. I’ve replaced the frenzy of Christmas with a gentler form of excitement, and my mind is buzzing with ideas for the garden and allotment this spring and summer. We may be still in the depths of winter but I do love a good bit of looking forward, don’t you?My problem is getting beyond that looking forward. This is what normally happens in our ...
Natural Christmas decorations: pine cone trees
My kitchen is covered in glitter, but that's all part of crafting at this time of year isn't it?!We've already started our Christmas crafting with cute Pom Pom Pine Cones, and these gorgeous sparkly pine cone trees are our latest natural Christmas decorations project.This is absolutely ideal for children of all ages; there are no fiddly bits and it's a pretty simple craft.We started off by choosing a nice selection of pine ...
Homemade Christmas ornaments using baking soda dough
I do love christmas crafting. At this hectic time of year, it's so lovely to spend some calm time with the kids, creating crafty masterpieces to add to our growing collection of homemade christmas ornaments.We've already made some cute pom pom pine cones and mini christmas trees, and our latest fun project is these fab tree decorations made from baking soda dough.These homemade christmas ornaments were simple and ...
Tips for stress-free homemade Christmas cards
When it comes to festive craft, homemade Christmas cards are a great option to make with the kids. Mine make them every year for grandparents and daddy; we always have fun getting crafty with the glitter, paint and pens, and their homemade creations are really treasured by the recipients. With the big day so close, I think it’s a good idea to keep crafts as laid-back as possible, so I thought I’d share some of the tips I’ve picked up over the ...
Homemade Christmas decorations: Pom Pom Pine Cones
Well it's official: the Christmas prep has started in our house :)We've been having fun with some Christmas-themed nature craft, making these natural Christmas decorations from pine cones and pom poms. Is there any limit to the crafting potential of pine cones?!I do love homemade Christmas decorations; they're so full of personal meaning, and a great way to spend some fun time crafting with the kids. Every year our ...
Tips for choosing a real Christmas tree
Are you opting for a real Christmas tree this year? It’s hard to beat the impact of a real tree laden with all your treasured family decorations - even if those decorations are all in one small area thanks to the kids’ creative efforts!A real Christmas tree isn’t a cheap option, so naturally we all want to choose a really good one - but it can be quite bewildering knowing what to look out for and what to avoid when you make your ...
Festive reading: A Christmas Tale from Joules
One of my favourite things about the lead-up to Christmas is sharing festive books with my children. We've built up a little collection over the years, and it's always lovely to rediscover our old favourites each year. The build-up to Christmas is inevitably hectic and exciting for kids, and I always find that sharing a lovely Christmassy story is a brilliant way to help them (and me!) unwind and spend some cosy quiet time together.This year ...
Indoor gardening gifts from Baby Bio plus giveaway
Are you buying gifts for gardeners this Christmas? If the gardeners in your life are anything like me, they’ll always be happy with a present that encourages them to indulge in their hobby. I know I’ve got a few gardening-related items on my wish list every year! If there are indoor gardening fans on your present list, I've got some great gift ideas to share with you from houseplant experts Baby Bio®. There's also a lovely giveaway with two ...
Review & Giveaway: GardenSite LED Christmas Reindeer
When do the Christmas decorations go up in your home? You've probably got a few weeks to go yet, but this review and giveaway will certainly get you in the mood for decking the halls!We've been checking out the range of LED Christmas reindeer decorations from online gardening supplier GardenSite. They sent us a Twinkling Standing Reindeer to review, and I've also got a gorgeous Premier Crystal Reindeer worth £84.99 to give away to a lucky ...
2. The 10 minute gardener: Midwinter gardening jobs
If ever there was a week on the calendar where you need to cut back the garden jobs, it’s this one! Frankly the garden and allotment are nowhere near the top of my to do list; our house is awash with wrapping paper, teacher presents, half-finished festive jobs and crazed children, and I feel like I’m clinging on by my fingernails. Yes, it’s all lovely fun stuff, but hectic nonetheless.But surely I can reclaim 10 minutes from somewhere for ...