Mums Make The World Go Round

Mums really do make the world go round!  If I ever have a problem, or need advice my mum is the first person I turn to, and she always knows what's best.  I can appreciate this even more now that I'm a mum too, it really is a 24 hour job no matter what age your child is!

For this you will need:

1 A4 piece of paper

A circular stencil

Letter stamps

1 picture frame

Pencil and eraser

Firstly choose the size you want your circle to be.  I improvised and drew around a tea cup as I didn't have a compass, but this worked just as well!  Then, spacing the letters generously, begin stamping your message, turning the page as you go to ensure even wording.   Add a heart, or whatever else you'd like in the centre in a contrasting colour, and erase the stencil lines, taking care not to smudge the ink.

Lastly, cut down to size and frame to finish.

Simple, cheap yet thoughtful :)

Much love,

Michelle x

Upcycled - Jars into Tea Lights

There are tons of old baby food jars lying around our home.  Some are now vases, others store buttons, ribbon, pens and a whole assortment of other odds and ends.  I think I have a problem with throwing things away.

Now I've found yet another use; shabbychic tea lights!

You will need:
1 glass jar
2 or more roles of Washi Tape
1 tea light

Firstly clean the jar and remove any labels and glue.  Then using the Washi Tape, simply wind the tape around the jar to decorate.  

Lastly, pop in a candle and enjoy your new upcycled shabbychic tea light!  Use one on its own, or group three or four different sizes together to create a display.

Great for your own home or for an extra Mothers Day gift :)

The vanilla scented candle smells delicious

Much love,

Michelle x 

The Butterfly House

Noah and Nana at Ashton Memorial

It's days like these that are why I love being a stay at home mum.   At 19 months Noah is at such a great age; he's learning and accomplishing new things every day.  My time with him is now more rewarding than ever, and our days varied and exciting.  From exploring the park, to family hikes and afternoons at the train station watching the 'Choo Choo's', both he and I are eager for any new experiences.

This week, our best adventure was at Lancaster's Butterfly House.  Lancaster has a long history and we even have Roman ruins here, but architecturally speaking it's predominantly an Edwardian city.  Ashton Memorial dominates the city skyline, and at its base stands the Butterfly House.

The Butterfly House, picture courtesy of Lancaster Council

One of the many species of Butterfly to be found within the house.

Its light-filled entrance was striking, as was the humidity.  At only £3.50 per adult, we will be frequent visitors on cold or rainy days! Noah ran off excess energy along the leafy paths and even recognised the butterflies from one of his favourite books; 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' - Though admittedly he was more fascinated with the Koi Carp!  Included in the centre is also a Mini Beast House (although these are less photogenic) and both an Avery and Mammal House.  

I've fallen in love with the high ceiling and spiral stairs, the storey high windows, the rain forest canopy and the creeping vines.  The best adventures are always those that provide a little escapism, and discovering a rainforest in the centre of a city was exactly this!  It was as though we had stepped suddenly into another world. (I don't think I'll ever outgrow my imagination!)

It was a fantastic day out, and yet another reason why I love Lancaster.

Much love,

Michelle x

Thrifted Treasure

I just had to share this freshly thrifted treasure! I found this vintage oil painting today in a second hand shop just a few doors away from my home, and fell in love with it instantly!

I love everything about it; the frame, the flowers, the lines of the paint and the muted pastel tones.  

As far as I can tell, the artists name was Y. Beauly.  It is not dated and unfortunately the shop owner could not offer me any more information, but I would love to know more about its history and to find more work by this beautifully talented artist...

Until then I shall simply enjoy daydreaming about these flowers...

Much love,

Michelle x

Mothers Day Inspiration

With Mothers Day just around the corner, my mind has been racing with ideas and inspiration for special handmade treats.

I'm imagining cupcakes, bunting, hand sewn hearts and flowers; all with an abundance of polka dots of course!

Today I began drafting this years cards, and hope to share the final designs very shortly.  For now here is a picture of my progress so far, and of some gorgeous dried petals that could make some equally gorgeous potpourri.

Watch this space for Mothers Day gift inspiration, and tutorials for if you should want to create something yourself...

Much love,

Michelle x

Sheepish Heart Bomb

I must have been feeling the Valentines cheer this year, because when I came across the Sheepish Heart Bomb event taking place over Valentines weekend, I thought it was a fantastic idea.  The event was hosted by the very talented Meredith of One Sheepish Girl, and the idea was to 'spread some love' by hanging handmade hearts and messages about your town or city.  I'd seen yarn bomb events before and due to my lack of knitting/crocheting talent, I'd not been able to participate.  But The Sheepish Heart Bomb event was open for any style, so I got straight to work!

The night before, I made four fabric hearts and attached messages like 'Life is good', and 'Have a nice day!' along with the hashtag to the event.  I excitedly packed them along with Noah's essentials in preparation for our trip the next day.

On Saturday morning Noah and I headed on up to Williamson's Park.  I envisioned the two of us strolling through the park on a quiet morning. Perhaps due to baby brain, or maybe to the fact that a stay at home mum doesn't really keep track of what day it is, I had completely overlooked the fact that today was SATURDAY.  And not any old Saturday, but Valentines weekend, and the weekend of 'Bark in the Park'; the canine equivalent of a town fete. 

I did eventually manage to dodge the crowds however, and after much loitering I also eventually mustered the courage to hang my hearts and take the following pictures :) 

The first I planted in a tree overhanging the path and the second on a bridge.  The third I planted on some ruins within the park, took my pictures, and then was startled by some fellow park goers so snatched it back up and made a quick exit, planting it again further down the path.  I don't know why.  

For the fourth and final heart, I just knew I had to involve Ashton Memorial in some way.  The monument was built in the early 1900's by Lord Ashton of Lancaster, in tribute to his late wife, and dominates the city skyline.  This heart's message read 'You are loved', and it was the perfect way to end my heart bomb.

Once Noah finally awoke from his nap, we enjoyed the rest of our afternoon in the park, feeding the ducks and playing on the playground.  It really was a lovely day, and all of my hearts have since been taken, which makes me quite happy! Three of them were posted onto Instagram, which makes me even happier :)

If you want to read more about the Sheepish Heart Bomb event or other lovely things, visit Meredith's blog page One Sheepish Girl

Much love,

Michelle x

Feeling the Love

Happy Valentines Day!

I thought I would share a few handmade Valentines treats.  Yes, it is a massively commercial holiday, but there are any number of ways to make it a more personal occasion.  I believe that handmade gifts are made all the more special by their imperfections (at least that's what I tell myself!)

I stayed up late into the night yesterday to decorate cupcakes in preparation for this morning, and was quite pleasantly surprised with the results.  As this was my first time (my husband is the cook in our family, and for good reason) I kept them very simple; vanilla cupcakes and buttercream, with strawberry sprinkles to give them a Valentines feel.  I enjoyed making these so much I think I may have found another hobby...

The rest of my gifts were made simply with watercolour paper, a typewriter stamp set and some Washi tape.  '52 Reasons why I Love you' took the most amount of time to make, as I wanted this to be a gift that would last for some time.  After seeing the idea being done by a few different people on Instagram, I thought I would give it a go.  Making your partner feel loved and appreciated is what Valentines Day is about after all :)

I hope everyone has enjoyed a fantastic Valentines Day!

Much love,

Michelle x