insideemmasattic

New Home

2014-02-24T13:11:00.003+00:00

I have moved on over to Wordress. You can now find me at http://mamabettys.wordpress.com

This message will appear for 1 week after which this blog will be closed down.

Thank you all for your time and support and I hope you will continue to follow me at my new home!

Thanks!

Liz x

winter wish list

2014-02-12T16:30:00.001+00:00

winter wish list by immamabetty showing how to wear black shoes

Cherry necklace
anthropologie.com

River Island jacket
$99 - riverisland.com

House of Harlow 1960 black shoes
houseofharlow1960.com

Wood bracelet
maurices.com

Fanny crown

2014-02-12T11:14:00.001+00:00

Fanny crown by immamabetty showing how to wear buckle jewelry

Oasis round cap
$57 - oasis-stores.com

Guess by marciano purse
guessbymarciano.guess.com

Topshop buckle jewelry
$120 - topshop.com

2b stone jewellery
2bstores.com

Wedding flower hair accessory
etsy.com

Lampshade Tutorial Part 1

2014-02-10T14:48:00.000+00:00

This is part 1 of 2 Lampshade Upcycle Tutorial. I would of made it one big post, however, both are entirely different and deserve the recognition alone.

This tutorial is for covering a large shade for a floor lamp or ceiling shade that you simply no longer like.

I'm making over a plain cream shade that I bought as a tall floor lamp from Dunelm Mill several years ago, the stand is beautiful but the shade had seen better days and well I couldn't find a replacement so I decided to make it over.

What you'll need:

Fabric. Enough to cover the shade you want to re-cover. I used fabric samples from John Lewis that I had collected over the years. I wanted a cosy yet masculine feel so I chose similar fabrics but mixed up the patterns for texture and well I love the patchwork look! Just make sure you have more than enough fabric to cover the shade, always better to big than not big enough!

An old shade. Luckily my shade was plain but in all honesty it doesn't really matter either way, well until you switch it on, see Part 2 for an explanation!

Glue. I used carpet tile spray glue, this stuff is great from being able to peel it back if you get a crease or need to start over. It dries pretty quick and is inexpensive for the quantity. I got a can from B & M for £3.99.

I was having a moment when I decided to take on this make over, I wanted time to relax whilst I was still being productive so I decided to hand stitch the panels together instead of using the sewing machine. A machine would take a few mins to sew all the panels together large enough to cover the shade, hand sewing meant it took me a whole day just to get it large enough. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and you don't have to worry to much if your hand sewing isn't tip top, once its glued on you will never know.
I then ironed the panels to get them nice and smooth ready to adhere to the shade.

Now this can be the tricky part, I ended up covered in spray glue! Lay your fabric wrong side up and lay the shade on top starting at the seam.

Now spray the glue and smooth out, keep going in small sections making sure its all covered in glue and is nice and smooth, now make your way around the shade.

When you get back to the seam, fold over the fabric to give a nice clean edge and glue down well.

Trim the excess fabric and glue around the top and bottom, and voila... your shade is complete!

I adhered mine at an angle and you will too as with the shape it doesn't allow for a straight finish, see part 2 for more info!

Allow to dry and add back to the stand.

Stand back and admire your work, you made that, feel proud!!

Dreamcatcher DIY

2014-02-08T09:13:00.000+00:00

Materials:

Anything round to the size you require.
Embroidery floss
Charms
Cotton
Lace
Crochet doily

1: Stretch the doily to cover whatever you are using. I found this ring at the local haberdashery, I'm not sure what its used for but anything that can be circular, like a wire coat hanger can work.

2: I then began to stitch it onto the fame by wrapping the embroidery floss around the frame and through the doily. This part is a little time consuming but it's well worth it for the over all look.

3: Once you've cover that entire frame you can get creative and stitch on anything you want really, I used some lace and wool and some old semi precious stones and pearls I had left over from something else.

4: When you are happy with how it looks, sew something that can be used to hang it, put it in place and have sweet dreams!

This is the second one I've made with two different styles, this one now lives in my daughter's bedroom.

I'd love to see what your creativity creates!

L x

Seasonal flu and feeling sorry for yourself

2014-02-06T14:12:00.002+00:00

I haven't wrote a ' personal' post in some time, I don't know if it's been a lack of motivation and inspiration or just that well things haven't been epically shit enough to have a moan about.

I have the flu! It's that seasonal type flu people go on about, its swept through the rest of the family like some plague and as a head count goes we are now up for 5 of 5. I feel like death and I'm only on day 1, middle child is into day 7, she's still snot filled, the out look doesn't look promising.

I feel slightly lacking as a person, this is not flu related, this is people related. Again, even at 31 I've fallen prey to the 'sure I wanna be your friend' * actually read, *I'll pretend to be your friend whilst it benefits me then I'll be mean in an indirect way, enough to emotionally whip yourself so you naff off and I don't have to be associated with you again* trap of "friendship", actually "FRIENDSHIP" you can officially C*CK OFF!

So this is me, moaning, craving cake and wondering why men can't take a sickie to nurse their poorly, emotionally damaged wives?

L xx

DIY Bedroom Makeover Done in a Day!

2014-01-27T14:34:00.000+00:00

After how well my stairs makeover went ( you can find it here ) I seem to have caught the decorating bug and next on my list was our bedroom.
Its not a massive space and often ends up being a dumping ground for bedding I have no storage for or unwanted toys (at least that part never lasts!)
So this makeover is just the first part to transforming our bedroom from glorified closet to master bedroom of joy!
I'm attempting to over haul the whole house on a teeny tiny budget, and this makeover is something we can all do for literally nothing, I have used wallpaper samples collected over a few months from online stores like Farrow and Ball and John Lewis or you can simply pop on down to B and Q or any other store that sells wallpaper and collect some samples of all the paper you like. Don't worry if there is no theme, if the colours clash or you have mixed bold patterns with muted florals, who cares!
This is all about just going with what you like and the fun is in not having to live with just one pattern or colour until you decorate again and who can afford £55 per roll of paper for something you may stop loving within the year.
I already had the white paint and wallpaper paste. I always use the premixed tubs ( £1.99 from B and M Bargains) so i don't have to mix up a massive batch to find I don't need it all.

So here's how it went..

The walls where boring old magnolia still from when we moved in, it really has been neglected!
They where pretty dirty now and needed refreshing so I've just painted them all white, can't beat it to lift a room and fill it with natural light.

Here is my stash of wallpaper samples, scrapbooking paper and those cute papers you sometimes get for free in craft magazines. Anything like this is suitable to use really just be careful when applying to the wall in case you rip the paper.

So I got itchy feet waiting for the paint to dry so i started papering.

It progresses quickly and you would be surprised how quickly you can fill a whole wall like this. I didn't follow a theme or anything but I did find when I was putting them up I had a lot of similar colours so I tried to mix it up as much as possible.

I stopped at half way for a brew break, this took about an hour and gave the paint on the other walls to dry from they first coat.

2 hours later and I'd filled the wall and given the walls another coat. I just love it, even more than the one I did in the kitchen last year! I do believe it's the kids room next!!!

It really is a wallet friendly style statement, I have had so many compliments just from posting to Instagram yesterday and our bedroom finally feels like somewhere I can lay and relax after a long day ( that is if you ignore the pile of boxes in the corner ear marked to live in the loft!)

If you decide to give this a go, do tweet me your gorgeous pics! @immamabetty

Happy Monday folks ;)

L x

DIY stairs make over

2014-01-25T09:30:00.000+00:00

When we moved into this house, 4 years ago now, the stair case had been stained in a horrendous red mahogany that did nothing for the small small, it was imposing and frankly it had been done by a blind man!

So last year I made a start on doing them over, I painted all the sides white and the banister and painted the spindles a variety of colours just to add something new to the space, I LOVED it and we then replaced the tatty cream carpet with a lovely Berber, however, the cat took an instant dislike to it and over several months scratched out nearly all the loops he could get his swanky little paws on, I wasn't best pleased but this spurred me to take the giant step id been pinning over since I started painting them and that was to pull up the carpet and paint the stairs completely.

I lost many an hr over several months looking for inspiration, trouble was I had to much and I basically couldn't choose a style I loved most so in the name of frugality i had a rummage in my wallpaper storage ( read the loft!) and found something i thought would work.

Id picked up this paper at home base about 2 yrs previous for £1 for 2 rolls in their massive end of season sale.

Basically this is what i started with, bare boards. The house being only 8 yrs old and not being build by the most capable of builders is a little rough around the edges but this really gives you the perfect opportunity to work with something you wouldn't normally attempt because basically, it couldn't get any worse!

The bottom step had already been painted after the cat ruined the carpet so this was the first coat of gloss paint, I used satin so it wouldn't be as shiny.

3 coats in and I didn't really feel like i was making much progress in all honesty.

Approx 7 coats of paint, 48 hrs and a coat of varnish and they look the shizzle, here is the paper in all its glory. surprisingly it only took about 2 and a half hours to cut and paper all the steps, I still hate wallpapering!

And... drum roll please.... The finished article! I seriously couldn't be happier, and totally on a budget, it didn't cost a penny! I used everything we already had around the house. Finally I have a stairway to be proud of!!

If you where making over your stairs, how would you do it? I'd love to hear your ideas.

L x

GameBlast Games Marathon Weekend

2014-01-17T11:33:00.001+00:00

Disability charity launches UK-wide 24-hour video game marathon weekend

SpecialEffect, a charity who help people with disabilities to benefit from the fun and inclusion of video games, is running a GameBlast marathon weekend on 21-23 February 2014. People of all ages across the UK are invited to play video game marathons with friends or family to raise money for the charity.

The sponsorship raised from the GameBlast marathons will provide funds to modify and provide technology and gaming equipment that will enable more people with disabilities to enjoy video games with their friends.

The charity is calling for teams to set themselves a fundraising target, register on the website, and undertake their own sponsored marathons, which can last anything up to 24 hours during the weekend. Every team that registers will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win gaming goodies.

Mark Saville, SpecialEffect Communications Officer said, “Many children across the UK can only watch their friends and family play video games because their disabilities prevent them from using a controller. We want to change this and the money raised will enable the Special Effect team to create bespoke gaming equipment to bring joy to many families across the UK.”

SpecialEffect will be running its own marathon from the Gameblast HQ, and will keep the world up to date with their progress through Facebook and Twitter.

For more information visit: www.specialeffect.org.uk/gameblast

Kids Bee Happy Sand Art - Review

2014-01-17T11:26:00.001+00:00

I have to admit it, I have crafty kids, I don't know if this is entirely my doing or not but any opportunity to A) make a mess or B) create something wonderful and they are there!

When I was given the opportunity to review some of the Kids Bee Happy Sand Art I was over the moon! The girls have been trying new things, the Moshi Monster Hamma Beads where a roaring success and I crossed my fingers this would be too.

Being slightly neurotic with OCD about mess, yeah I know I have a cat, dog and 3 kids and its always a mess but hey i dream of an immaculate home! I was a little worried about hoovering up sand from every nook and cranny of my tiny kitchen but i have to admit there was barely a mess at all much to the girls disappointment .

Being able to peel off small sections as you go gives even the youngest of children the skill not to randomly sprinkle sand on every surface in view and makes for a very lovely and precise finish. Even Emma who has some special needs found the kits easy peasy and having such a beautiful finished picture really made her day.

My girls LOVED making these and their little smiling faces prove just that..

Emma age 7 with her finished Snowman picture.

Zoe aged 4 with her wild Alien picture.

With the wide range of coloured sand provided you can really make some special and unique pictures as you can see from Zoe's finished picture. The larger sticky areas once peeled off really allowed for her to go with her imagination and create this multicoloured landscape.

They loved the little plastic wallets that you can slip your finished art work into to keep them in tip top condition. They grace the playroom walls and its regularly a point of conversation, especially " Muuummm when can we do these again?" That alone says it all about these wonderful kits.

If you would like to try them yourself you can find a massive range here at http://sandartcrafts.co.uk

My girls give them a massive thumbs up and thats OK with me!

L x

Poundland Santa Blogger challenge

2013-12-19T12:06:00.000+00:00

Poundland Blogger Challenge.

When I was asked if I would like to take part in the Poundland blogger Challenge, I was really excited to see what goodies I could find, as I'm sure we all do, I love a good browse around our local Poundland as you can stumble across some really lovely items, not just toys and gifts but homewards as well.

So with £20 in my pocket, which in fact I honestly thought I'd struggle to spend, i braved the cold and headed to town, was like Christmas Day!!

I came back stocked to the brim with stocking fillers, craft items, chocolate, wrapping paper and the like!

I got the girls each a polly pocket doll for their stocking, they collect these and the little animals that go with them and they have so much fun with them, and because of their size you can take them anywhere!

The crayons where from making handmade candles at our community centre group, the outcome of that is not to be repeated!

I literally couldn't resist this gorgeous wool and 3 balls for £2 is a steal! Thats next years scarfs sorted for gifts.

The window clings, snow flakes and scandi stars are just beautiful and have really topped off our christmas decorations!

The fake snow was for making snow globes, also at our community group which now sit pride of place on our fireplace.

I couldn't resist some goodies to munch on, the bakewells where for my hubby, they where inhaled in less than a day and the Toffifee where a birthday present to myself!

I also bought 3 giant sacks for the girls christmas presents and a roll of matching wrapping paper, 2 bottles of bleach, some glitter and some printer paper.

I had so much fun taking part in this challenge and will defiantly not miss out on checking Poundland for some gifts when birthdays come back around.

Adam The Doddles Man and his trusty pooch Rover

2013-12-18T11:55:00.000+00:00

I've always been fascinated by drawing forms, they aren't just an artists tool but are art all by themselves, Adam The Doodles Man and his very lovely dog Rover are no exception! I couldn't wait to free them from their very modest packaging and if I'm honest, have a little play with them!

They soon found their pride of place upon my fire place, they have already welcomed in two birthdays and the beginning of Christmas and never look out of place.
I will often catch the girls playing and chatting with them and we have a lesson planned in the new year for our community group on Famous Artists so these will be coming along for a drawing workshop with some very lovely children.

Adam the Doodles Man is the perfect companion to help you with your figure drawing. Made of stainless steel wire connected at the joints with aluminium rivets, his fully adjustable joints and limbs will hold any pose for as long as you need. He never rusts, never rests, never eats and never sleeps, so will always be on hand whenever you need him!

The Doodles range also includes Rover the Doodles Dog, together the pair make an ideal gift for any budding artist!

If men and dogs aren't really your drawing thing then fear not, Homerama have robins and reindeers in their online store, who doesn't want little moveable, metal animals dotted all over their house whether they are artists or not?!

After browsing the web I also found some snowmen, SNOWMEN!!!
These have to be the coolest gift for artists, lovers of finer things and general weirdos like myself!

I can't wait to build a collection of my own, and i plan to create some gorgeous line drawn images for gifts next year, Thanks Adam The Doodle's Man for inspiring me to create something new!

Autumn Cool outfit post via Polyvore

2013-11-20T10:53:00.000+00:00

Autumn Cool by immamabetty featuring a flight jacket

Adidas sweater
adidas.com

Forever 21 flight jacket
forever21.com

TOMS sneaker
yoox.com

Disney backpacks bag
hottopic.com

Watch available from http://www.thewatchgallery.com/shop/exclusive-88-rue-du-rhone-steel-rose-gold-plated-watch-87wa120057.html?___SID=U
Jeans available from ARITZIA.COM

*Rushes off to buy this entire outfit!*

Psychologies Magazine - A Review

2013-11-11T12:07:00.001+00:00

I had never come across Psychologies magazine before i was approached to review the new look copy. Sure I had seen it on the shelves before but i had never gave it much thought.

Mainly because i had no idea of the content but it just never screamed at me from the shelf, well i tell ya, if like me you have been passing it by, you are missing out.

It is crammed full of news, reviews, books, film, art, ideas ... the list is almost endless! It isn't stuffed full of adverts like many popular magazines, which to me is a massive selling point, there is nothing worse than flicking through half a magazine before you actually find something suitable to actually read.

As i have never read an issue before it had a face lift its hard to say what in fact they have fixed but in my opinion they have struck a home run. Its informative, it reads great, the interviews are relevant, even to me and i aint no fashion mag reader, give me a cup of tea and a craft mag any day!

Its one of those that you take to your comfy chair, with a brew and a cheeky biscuit when no one is looking and simply loose yourself for an hour, taking in all the beautiful photography and gripping stories, there is even recipes nestled away near the back!

If you want to try a copy for yourself they are currently offering a fab deal for 3 issues for £3, yeah 3 for £3!!! Especially at £3.90 a copy this is one of those deals where you would be mad not to!

You can find it here 3 for £3 offer available at www.kelseyshop.co.uk/psy/c101

I hope, like me you will never pass by a copy of Psychologies mag again! * Adds to shopping list*

L xx

Save the Blow Dry - Review

2013-11-08T06:43:00.001+00:00

Have you every had your hair done, or spent hrs hunched over the bathroom sink attempting to pull off some extravagant hair do before a big night out only to realise, after you are finally happy with your creation and you've lost 3 hrs of your life and you are now officially running late, that you need to shower! Yeah i hear you all scream in sheer panic! Well fear not, there is a new item on the market that claims to save you from yourself, Save the Blow Dry.

When i was asked to review this i have to admit i was a little excited, i have short hair and with 3 young children finding the time to style or straighten my hair each day is a real pain in the proverbial so this was something secretly i had been praying to the ethos for.

I shower (well if you can call it a shower when you have a line of small voices on the other side of the bathroom door asking where this is, can i eat this, can the dog go out... you get the jist!) So as a mother I'm fairly time strapped.

But honestly, with this i can style my hair at 5am (yeah we have a puppy, its like having a baby all over again!) then shower at 8 when everyone is up and i know i won't end up with crazy mum hair.

Its a beautifully soft micro weave inner that sucks away any moisture inside the cap allowing for frizz free locks and its an epic pink colour with a vintage flower design protective outer, granted with not much hair and a tiny head it did feel a little on the large side for me but for all you girls with long luscious locks there is plenty of space to tuck it all away and to top it all off it lived up to expectations. It didn't ruin or flatten my hair and it kept it super dry and just as it was when i put it on.

I can see this really taking hold in bathrooms all over the world, i mean who has the time these days to waste in front of the mirror, girls there's a world out there to take over, put down the straighteners and don the Save the Blow Dry!

And not just here to make you look fabulous, Save the Blow Dry support Khandle Light, a charity supporting communities in India, providing safe drinking water, each Save the Blow Dry sold through their website directly funds two weeks, yes TWO WEEKS worth of safe drinking water for a family.

Whats not to love?

You can find more about Save the Blow Dry here http://savetheblowdry.com

Or about Khandle Light here http://www.khandel-light.co.uk

Until next time..

L x

Project Wild Thing

2013-11-02T06:13:00.002+00:00

As a mum of 3 that home educates i think I'm fair in saying that as a mum whatever your situation you are time strapped, there's an endless tirade of cooking, cleaning, tidying, making and unmaking appointments, food shopping, pet care, bath time, homework (i think you get the point!) So where do you fit in the time to just simply down tools, act like the child you really are and get outside, and get dirty?
Well that's the point, something has to give! We as families cannot go on with using technology to replace the sheer wonderousness of outdoor play, yes its scary allowing our little angles (when they aren't trying to murder each other that is!) to go outside alone, or even to have our eyes taken off them for 30 secs, i get it i really do, having a child manage to get out of your house and wander off down the street is enough to put the fear of god in you, i don't think i actually breathed for the whole 3mins it took me to find her! But this cotton wool world we have all created out of our own insecurities is taking away the one thing children yearn the most and that's the ability to learn from their surroundings, there is really only so many times you can play angry birds after all!

So anyway after receiving a Little Dish email i discovered this new project, Project Wild Thing, and this is what they do..

Project Wild Thing is a film led movement to get more kids (and their folks!) outside and reconnecting with nature. The film is an ambitious, feature-length documentary that takes a funny and revealing look at a complex issue, the increasingly disparate connection between children and nature.

And Project Wild Thing is much more than a film, this is a growing movement of organisations and individuals who care deeply about the need for nature connected, free-range, roaming and outdoor playing kids in the 21st century. Hundreds of people have already committed huge amounts of time, energy, resources and money to help get the project where it is today. Which is really just the beginning.

The journey started in late 2010 with film-makers Green Lions exploring a film approach to an emerging issue coined ‘nature deficit disorder’ in kids. A collaboration formed with the National Trust who were also looking at the issue and through the Britdoc Foundation support for the development of the film and movement has gathered along the way from RSPB, Play England, Play Scotland, Play Wales, NHS Sustainable Development Unit, TFT, Woodland Trusts, AMV BBDO and Arla foods.

In summer 2012 Greenlions formed a collaboration with Good for Nothing, helping co-create the foundation of David Bond's nature marketing program, this was supported by generous contributions from the Do Lectures, TYF Adventures, Eden Project and Al Kennedy.

In the autumn of 2012 the Natural Childhood Summit hosted by the National Trust brought together hundreds of organisations to explore the challenges and issues more widely and collaboratively.

Project Wild Thing emerged and thousands of people have pledged to support the project a year before the film has launched. A Kickstarter campaign raised further funding from hundreds of awesome individuals around the world to finish the film production.

In January 2013 Swarm Partnership came on board with support from the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and The Wild Network was hatched. The network is an open, growing collaborative group of organisations big and small seeking to tackle the many issues raised in the film and champion the wonders of being outside. An advisory group was established with the WildLife Trusts currently heading that up.

Phew!

Project Wild Thing and The Wild Network is a people powered movement, it's success will be down to the actions and the energy of this growing community.

If you want nature, wildness and free-range living for kids and adults to exist alongside an increasingly industrialised and technological society then join us and get involved in making that happen.

See you on the outside.

So sign up https://projectwildthing.com and pledge as little as 10 mins per day where you swap screen time for outside time and enjoy what nature has to offer yourself and your children. Nothing combats those stress levels than a lovely walk through the park or a dog walk to the local lake or even as simply as walking home from school instead of taking the bus or car... whatever gets you all out of the house and enjoying each other if we don't make the change, who will?!!

Get the kids warm and snuggly this season with Next

2013-11-01T06:45:00.000+00:00

With the turn in the weather, it is now time to bring out the Winter wardrobe! This is no excuse for frumpy jumpers and oversized coats.. Dress your little one fashionably this season, and take your pick from the new collection of Winter coats and jazzy jumpers at Next!

Keep it casual with their collection of cosy jumpers for him or her! I absolutely LOVE this cute cotton patterned jumper for him (3 months- 6 years, £13-14 http://www.next.co.uk/x522838s8#854104x52). Team it with a shirt underneath for the ultimate preppy look, or simply wear it on it’s own.

For her I also LOVE this striped Sweater (3-16 years, £16-22,http://www.next.co.uk/g742738s1#884774g74 ). Style it with a pair of black skinny jeans for a cool monochrome look.

Who says warm can’t look good! This Navy and Tan Stripe Coat with cute bow detail is the perfect item to keep her warm, whilst still looking adorably smart (3-16 years, £32-38http://www.next.co.uk/g749744s1#870819g74).

However, if you don’t quite think it’s coat season yet, try their selection of Gilets, perfect to go over virtually any outfit! I especially love this Cream Faux Fur Gilet (3-16 years, £26-32,http://www.next.co.uk/G49428s6#877155G49), which will look fab over a cute dress and a pair of tights!

Don’t worry, there’s a great selection of Gilets for boys too that come in all different colours! This Navy Gilet (3-16 years, £16-21,http://www.next.co.uk/g492520s6#854386g49) is one of my favourites! Throw it on with a pair of jeans and a sweater for the perfect Autumnal look!

I love Gilets! What would you pair yours with?

Fund raise with Mr Tumble for Children in Need

2013-10-30T14:40:00.001+00:00

BBC SOMETHING SPECIAL MAGAZINE NEED KIDS’ HELP TO CREATE A 10 METRE MR TUMBLE AND RAISE £2,500 FOR BBC CHILDREN IN NEED

Thousands of children encouraged to fundraise together by building a giant piece of art of their favourite TV character, Mr Tumble

BBC Something Special magazine, an inclusive title created to be accessible for children with learning disabilities, has launched an inclusive art event called the Big Tumble Art Project to raise £2,500 for ‘BBC Children in Need’. The national campaign asks readers, pupils of mainstream schools and schools for children with varying levels of disabilities to decorate stars and spots in the magazine using an art technique of their choice. The magazine will then pledge £1 to ‘BBC Children in Need’ for each one they receive by the deadline of 30^th October.*

The pieces will be collected together to build a giant, 10 metre high collage of Mr Tumble from 11 November 2013 by pupils at Jack Tizard School in London, a school for pupils aged 2-19 years with a range of severe learning difficulties. Art consultant Emma Middleton from The Foundling Museum advised the BBC Something Special magazine team on the types of art techniques to use and how to make the project inclusive. They also helped plan an art session with Jack Tizard School creating Mr Tumble’s giant bowtie, which is available to view on BBC Something Special magazine’s Facebook page.

The spots and stars are available in issue 33, on sale now and Issue 34, on sale from 16 October until 12 November 2013. Schools can choose from a range of art techniques, making the activity suitable for a wide range of abilities with techniques including stamping, printing, glittering, scrunching, sponging and finger painting. A special worksheet is also available on BBC Something Special magazine’s Facebook page.

Sara Oldham, Editor of BBC Something Special magazine said “We urge kids to get creative with us and contribute to this fantastic collaborative art project which allows children to work together andraise money for a great cause- I can’t wait to see the finished result!”

Emma Middleton, Curator of Projects at the Foundling Museum said: “It’s a fantastic project for children to be involved in. Not only will they discover a new art technique, use a variety of listening, communication and coordination skills and learn about shape and colour - they will also be part of an empowering experience that will make a lot of people feel very proud.”

Sarah Monteith, Director of Marketing and Fundraising at BBC Children in Need said: “It’s great to have the support of BBC Something Special magazine to encourage children across the UK to join together to fundraise for BBC Children in Need.”

*capped at £2500

Room Revival - The play room

2013-10-29T05:57:00.000+00:00

Autumn for me is like Spring, it creates a sense of calm and i shift down a gear and float through the next few months simply enjoying the weather, the cosy nights and the comfort food and dare i even say it be the whole lead up to Christmas.
Watching my daughters become over whelmed with excitement at the prospect of a fat, hairy man, entering our home and leaving behind a mountain (they wish!) of presents they have be removing and adding to a list for a good three months prior.
Its also a time of year that i begin to nest build, i get this overwhelming urge to strip every room of unnecessary 'clutter' and redecorate it within an inch of its life, is that just me???? ( you must all think I'm mental!)
High up on my list of, 'Seriously must get done before the fat hairy man arrives' was the playroom. It used to be my office as with having 3 daughters no one ever wants to sleep alone so we have always had a 'spare' room.
I had painted it light pink and wallpapered a few years ago but after the girls had been using the room it looked tired and kinda MEH!
So i whipped out the rollers and some white paint and i got to work.

Sadly, like an idiot i had forgotten to take any before photos. But here in all its glory is the new room..

Its not the biggest room so the space had to work for us. The wall unit is from ikea and it comes with two sets of 2 drawers and 2 cupboards plus 12 squares that are large enough for storage baskets.

Even with all the toys they have there is a spare square and i used the spaces to display their things instead of hiding them away. Behind the cupboards are their books as well, children never put books away tidily. And in the drawers is Lego as that's another thing that literally gets EVERYWHERE! The unit is surprisingly sturdy and the best quality unit i think i have ever bought in this type of style.

The plastic table and chairs is also from ikea, i was surprised how large they are in all honesty as children's furniture tends to be on the smaller size which is a pain for our eldest.

They where really easy to put together and a really fab price.

This little corner is behind the door and not a very large space but i put their rolling storage box from Vertbaudet, it looks like a pram so it holds all their build a bear and doll clothes and accessories and i made them this cute dolls house from an old bookcase as most dolls houses aren't big enough to get 3 in front of. i plan to use some wash tape to create a background and a roof for it also.

You can find all the furniture here

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/20099496/

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/70169533/#/00168650

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S89000964/

http://www.vertbaudet.co.uk/storage-chest-white.htm?ProductId=705023055&FiltreCouleur=0019&t=6 This isn't the same one as we have as its old stock but there are some lovely new designs to choose from, i especially like the one I've added the link to

L x

Doctor Who inspired Converse Upcycle Tutorial

2013-10-27T06:27:00.000+00:00

We all have a pair of Converse kicking around the place, usually that are at least 5 years old. Ive owned a pink ankle boot pair for almost 10 years now and to be honest (i did wear them everyday for almost 3 years!) still look like they have at least another 10 years in them but in all honesty, i was sick of the sight of them!
And after lusting after these babies for almost 6 months

And after the success of my Dorothy inspired brogues a few birthdays ago.. ( you can find that post here http://insideemmasattic.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/tutorial-dorothy-inspired-shoes.html )

I knew there was some way i could create my own, unique pair of Doctor Who inspired converse but without breaking the bank!

And voila... I did! It was a lengthy process but here's how it went!!

Supplies:

Blue glitter glue

Old converse

paint brushes

Method:

I basically took out the laces, they had seem better days even with Hello Kitty on them! And grabbed a small paint brush about began around the sole and any other areas i didn't want to get paint on.

(i chose glitter glue as apposed to glue and glitter and the issues i had with the Dorothy ones was that after wearing they would crack, i had my fingers crossed that this wouldn't happen with the glitter glue)

As you can see this was going to be a LOOOOOONG process as it didn't really cover well.

I continued to be careful around the sole but gave in and just painted over the eyelets, with them being metal it didn't adhere well so it does simply peel off, however if you are not as impatient as me then do take care around them.

A few more days and layers later, they began to look a little more like what i had in mind. Do bare in mind it took well over a week for me to complete the painting as with them being canvas they needed the full 24 hrs between layers to allow for full drying or you end up just spreading the glue and glitter around and that's not really what you are going for!

As you can see they are starting to cover well but the colour clumps in areas, don't worry it does all fill in in time.

This is near the end of the painting, i think i put on an extra 2 or 3 coats just to make sure no pink was showing anywhere. they do go stiff but are still comfy to wear, they do move and give they just aren't as 'soft' as they where before the glue but you cant expect them to be.

And finally after a week of painting and drying and some 1" wide blue ribbon they are finally finished!!

Yeah i squeed a bit when i had finished them!!!

You don't have to do your blue, they could be rainbows, or pink or whatever your imagination tells you they should be!

Go, have fun, be glittery!!

L x

Reasons My Kid is Crying Competition and Review

2013-10-27T05:54:00.000+00:00

If you haven't heard of Greg Pembroke's blog, Reason's my Son is Crying you are missing out, it is seriously laugh a minute and as a parent you can relate with the images as you are probably witnessing one as you scroll through his blog page.
And now the good people at Boxtree have turned this internet phenomemom into a hardback book, so everyone can have a good old chortle into their tea on a rainy afternoon while the mini people are having a nap/terrorising the dog/planning an escape route/crying because its a Sunday!

Here's a little more about it...

REASONS MY KID IS CRYING
Greg Pembroke Published by Boxtree on 10 Oct 2013;
£9.99 hardback
THE BOOK OF THE MOST POPULAR TUMBLR PAGE, REASONS MY SON IS CRYING.
It all started when busy father Greg Pembroke posted a few pictures online of his three- year-old son, mid-tantrum, alongside the reason his son was crying:
He had broken his bit of cheese in half.

Within a week the blog had featured on countless news, radio and television websites around the world, including The Daily Mail, Buzzfeed,
ABC News, Yahoo, MSN, The Huffington Post, USA Today, Good Morning America and The Today Show.
This book collects together photos sent to Greg from parents across the globe, documenting the many, completely logical reasons why small children cry. (‘I let him play on the grass’ . . . ‘We told him the pig says “oink”’ . . . ‘The neighbour’s dog isn’t outside’).
Together, they are both a fond portrait of the universal, baffling logic of toddlers – and a reminder for burned- out parents everywhere that they are not alone.

Greg Pembroke lives in Rochester, New York with his wife and two young sons. He divides his time between working as a radio advertising copywriter, and looking after his sons at home.

http://reasonsmysoniscrying.tumblr.com/

As a coffee table book it seriously is laugh a minute, all the images are large and bright and you cant help but chuckle along on each page for the weird reasons that toddlers suddenly have a melt down.
I suspect that many if not all of you will relate to at least one reason per page, i know i did! However don't expect any details about the people who submitted the images or about Greg himself, apart from a few lines on the inner page, however i suspect that's the whole point.
The book has clear 'chapters' under headings like ' Domestic Bliss' and Sibling Rivalry' to categorise the images into easily found areas if you just have to show you friend/mother/neighbour the funniest thing you ever did see!
All in all its a delightful book that's a real eye opener to those that have long since forgotten what its like to share your home with a toddler or those who are yet to reach those delightful years.

Now you have the chance to WIN this book with our very own 'Reason's My Kid is Crying' Comp!
Simply follow and RT this comp on twitter any time today sat 16th nov 2013. You will then be placed into a draw to win this book and a xmas book bundle. Ends 9pm tonight, Winner announced Sunday
good luck guys!!

Star Paws Sticker Book Series - A Review

2013-10-12T07:17:00.004+01:00

Brand new titles in the amazing STAR PAWS sticker book series!

STAR PAWS is back, and it’s better than ever! This brilliantly funny, silly and utterly addictive sticker book series is taking the world by storm! Perfect for all ages, all animal lovers, and anyone with a sense of humour! STAR PAWS is packed with over 250 stickers and more daft jokes than you can count, for dressing your animals up ready for fashion shows, medieval battles, festive fun or even a mission to the moon!

Get ready for work everyone! It’s time to pick some exciting careers and dress up a whole host of animals in STAR PAWS: AMAZING JOBS. There are plenty of outfits to choose from, including doctor, gardener, spaceman, film director, dentist, pop star and wrestler – you’ll be completely spoilt for choice!

ISBN 9781447241461

£3.99 | PB | Age 3+

Step into a medieval world of chivalry, heraldry, dramatic battles and revolting peasants with STAR PAWS: KNIGHTS. Meet and dress the dashing Sir Arthur Sixpence and join the Knights of the Hound Table as they joust and feast and attend Knight School! Design shields for the brave, apply pustules to the poor and enjoy dressing up dogs, cats, guinea pigs and rabbits in some truly amazing medieval outfits!

ISBN 9781447236924

£3.99 PB Age 3+

Enjoy the complete retail experience, animal dress-up style, in the fabulous STAR PAWS: SHOPPING! Choose hats in Bears Accessories, help out in the changing rooms, become a stylist, a beautician, or simply shop until you drop! There’s so much to try on and so much to buy – everything from smelly perfumes and crazy fingernails to nice new pants.

ISBN 9781447241478

£3.99 | PB | Age 3+

There are presents to wrap, feasts to prepare, snowballs to throw, halls to ‘deck’ and Christmas jumpers galore!

Help spread some Christmas cheer with bells, bows, snow-white beards and jazzy winter knitwear. And look out for the mistletoe...!

The PUURFECT Christmas gift for anyone and everyone!

ISBN 9781447236917

£3.99 | PB | Age 3+

I had never heard of Star Paws before I was asked to review it and i have a sticker book addict in Emma. She usually goes for the really expensive ones by Osborne from Waterstones and she simply adores them, well i say adores as she has defiantly found a new love in these gorgeous sticker books.

They are fun and easy to do for all ages, my youngest is 4 and had THE best time with her Amazing Jobs book and even our eldest at 9 with the Shopping book really enjoyed it.

They are fun and educational all at the same time whilst allowing the child to use its own imagination to create something that sparks interest in them and we all know how hard that is right now with TV and computers dominating their life.

The images are delightful and if you are a bit of an animal lover like myself, you will spend as much time just admiring the pictures inside ;) .

They are of excellent quality and well worth the £3.99 retail price and i think these will be taking the place of our regular Osborne sticker book as they get the thumbs up from me as well as all three of my daughters!

We have squirrelled away the Knights book for a family member for Christmas, I know he is going to be delighted with it! But ssshhhh don't tell the kids or I'll have a riot on my hands!

I'm seriously looking forward to getting my hands on the Pirate and Super Hero's ones!!

L xx

My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish - A Guest Post Review

2013-09-01T10:05:00.000+01:00

My eldest is a avid reader and, like me, will literally read anything. When she was asked to review the big summer reads by Macmillan Children's Books she was so excited so couldn't wait to get started.
The first book that caught her eye was My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish by Mo O'Hara and heres what she had to say about it...

Age Group: I would say 8-12, I'm 9 and i loved it!
Characters: There were pretty good but there is quite a few so at times it was a bit confusing.
Why I liked it: It was really funny and I laughed a lot!
If there is a sequel i would read it, I would also try the other authors books as they might be funny too.
What I didn't like: Just to many characters for me, sorry.
Illustrations: They where really good so I would of liked to have seen more.
It was stuffed full of comedy, it even has a funny like flip cartoon on all the pages, so it makes me laugh even when I'm not reading it.

I would recommend this to my friends and anyone else that likes to read, it took me less than a day as it really caught my imagination as it was really funny. If I was stuck for something else to read I would read it again.
Thank you for reading

Elissa

If, like me, you have never heard of it here's a little about it to wet your appetite,

SYNOPSIS

Finding Nemo meets Shaun of the Dead - two laugh-out-loud stories about an evil big brother, a best friend to the rescue and one big fat zombie goldfish! ‘Sami was still holding the goldfish. “Swishy little fishy,” she whispered, over and over. Frankie stared at her with his big, bulging, glowing eyes. Suddenly a little light bulb went on . . . Frankie was a Big Fat Zombie Goldfish and somehow he’d hypnotized my best friend’s sister!’ Tom’s big brother is an Evil Scientist who wants to experiment on Tom's new goldfish, Frankie. Can Tom save his fish from being dunked in radioactive gunge? Er, no. In an act of desperation Tom zaps Frankie with a battery, bringing him back to life! But there’s something weird about the new Frankie – he’s now a zombie goldfish with hypnotic powers, and he wants revenge . . . Tom has a difficult choice to make - save his evil brother, or save his fishy friend?

Squirrel and Tiffin craft events 2013

2013-08-02T09:32:00.000+01:00

We attended a Squirrel and Tiffin silk screen printing tea party last month and me and the girls had a whale of a time! It was fun and very hands on, there was cake which is always a winner and we met some very lovely people. Linzi is extraordinarily like able and really welcoming to people of all ages, she was great with the kids and it was long enough for them not to get bored, they had ideas on having more than one go! So if you love a project or just want to meet other like minded folk then drop her a call and book onto one of these amazing events shes running. We already have are spots and are particularly looking forward to the Halloween tote bag one!!!

Hope to see some of you there!

Liz xx

Parents and Pocket Money - Are we cutting back?

2013-08-02T08:29:00.000+01:00

PARENTS’ POCKETS GETTING TIGHTER

Quarterly Pocket Money Index highlights decreases in pocket money

The results of the latest quarterly Pocket Money Index (PMI) have indicated that pocket money has decreased for children aged 3 to 13.

The PMI, which reveals the habits of families across the UK, has identified that average pocket money now stands at £3.74 per week, compared to £3.81 last quarter.

The Index data is compiled by pocket money website, Roosterbank.com, from a sample of 1000 members during Q2 (1 April – 1 July 2013).

6 – 9 year olds have lost the most, with average pocket money for this age group down from £3.48 to £3.15.

The data shows that even the Tooth Fairy has tightened her pockets - the amount given per tooth has decreased by 14.7% (from £1.70 per tooth to £1.45).

Day to day jobs have also seen reduced pay, with hoovering dropping 20% to an average £1.08 each time and gardening down 8% (£3.23 to £2.96).

It also appears mum and dad have strayed away from stashing cash down the sofa. The average amount found around the house has shrunk by 69% to just £0.82 (from £2.67).

Roosterbank suggests the decrease in pocket money could be attributed to the uncertainty in fuel prices and the arrival of winter fuel bills from the cold winter period.

Financial pressures of upcoming summer holidays may also mean less disposable income for parents.

Whilst rewards for individual jobs have decreased, parents are getting cannier, choosing instead to pay out for chores lumped together. Kids putting their hand to general household cleaning are getting rewarded with an average pay out of £2.42 each time.

The sunshine has meant mum and dad are also more keen on a clean car – raising pay from £1.17 to a giant £4.25 on average (up 263%).

But the Easter and half term periods took their toll on parents’ pockets. Lucky older brothers and sisters received an average of £9.10 per time for looking after younger siblings - the best paying pocket money job according to the PMI.

Despite receiving reduced pocket money, children are still spending:

Apps have overtaken books as the most popular product to buy with pocket money, with Minecraft in at number one
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is the most popular book bought with pocket money
The most popular DVD bought with pocket money is Rise of the Guardians
The average spend on a mobile top-up has dropped by 39% (to £4) while kids are spending an average of 50% more on magazines
Skylanders Giants is the most popular video game purchase – it clearly has staying power remaining at the top of the list for 6 months running

Ben Edwards, CEO of Roosterbank comments, “The latest Pocket Money Index shows that whilst parents’ pockets are being squeezed, rewarding children is still important to them. Children are also doing their bit in the household to help mum and dad while earning some extra pennies, either via day to day activities like cleaning, or simply by looking after younger siblings during the holiday periods”.

“Pocket money doesn’t need to be expensive. Small amounts given regularly and managed in a fun, easy way will make a difference to every child’s attitude to money. Structured pocket money routines, linked to tasks and goals, will result in children having a better appreciation of the value of money and saving.”

The Roosterbank Pocket Money Index (PMI) is a snapshot of how families manage pocket money and is distributed on a quarterly basis. The PMI measures pocket money averages, spending and saving habits and age and gender breakdowns.