Off on our jollies...

Well we're packing our bags and heading off to the land of sunshine (yes that's totally rain free! which seems to be unheard of in Yorkshire in the month of August!!) golden sands and ice creams.

Here's a few fab Friday things to end on...

Hello Monkey

Travel Stories Lola's Room

The Noisettes cover of the Killers 'When you were young' in the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge

Sail away with me Blackoutwell

Harbor life Zebedee

The XX  - Islands

I made Printsy this week, yay! Pear-fect!

( My Etsy shop and Folksy shop close this Sunday and will open their doors again on the 1st September)

Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyed BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge

Here's where we'll be this time next week! eeeee Can't wait!! I'm sooooo giddy and ready for a holiday!

we heart the beach!

Wishing everyone absolutely fabulous holidays filled with ice cream and belly 'laffs'

see you in a couple of weeks!x

Lil Sonny Sky's book of the week...

I've become a big fan of Nathalie Lete's work, so I was thrilled to bits to receive this book for my birthday, 'Tacalogue De Jouets' filled with Nathalie Lete's beautiful paintings, all of toys.

Sonny especially loved looking through this book with me the other day. It's safe to say that my french is  ridiculously rusty...to say the least! So it's been fun learning the various french words for different toys.

Sonny found it hilarious that the french word for doll is  'Poupee' and couldn't stop laughing every time I said it... I don't think the thick Yorkshire accent helps!

Here are some of the gorgeous images in this book...

The loveliness of this book is enhanced by the thick Matt quality paper all the paintings are printed on. 

A must for Nathalie Lete fans and a beautiful book to have in your collection. Very inspirational!

raspberry picking with Sky

14 years ago today...

we tied the knot!

Happy anniversary gorgeous xx

weekend walk

I feel really lucky sometimes to live in a very scenic and beautiful part of the world.

We nipped out for a quick walk before tea on Saturday for some fresh air.

We saw some lucky heather and wonderful weeds! and wild roses.

it was great fun!...the kids had a great time too!

I had a great birthday yesterday! and now I embark on my final year in my 30's!

wooo!  fab and scary all at the same time!

I'd like to think after becoming a year older I'm now more wiser, experienced, windswept and interesting in a worldly wise clever person type of way, and I'll hang onto the comment from Sonny 

"Mummy I still love you even though your old now"

mmmmmm, 

time for this 'ole bird-day girl to kick back spend a little birthday money and live this weekend to the full!! 

Hope you do the same, have a fab one!

guess who...

moi!

Look at those knobbly knees!

I'm about 8, I remember that garden well, it had a coal bunker that we planted potatoes in just out of shot behind me. And I remember that pudding bowl page boy cut ( although I try to forget!)

I can't believe that tomorrow I celebrate my last year in my 30's....where has that gone?!

I'm planning on having a picnic in one of my fave places YSP with the kids and friends, fingers crossed it doesn't rain!x

my creative space...

It's been my only 'child free' day today in two and a half weeks! 

So it's been one of those really busy doing nothing days, catching up and meeting yourself coming backwards days! Desperately trying to be organised .... in a fashion!

I did draw an artwork up I plan to screen print at the end of the month and the above sketch inspired by our visit to Runswick bay and Lil's determination to find fossils.

lovely surprise!

Wow! 

I've been included in the 'What's Hot' article in the online magazine Babiekins, by the lovely Deborah who does the brilliant Kickcan & conkers blog (sooo inspirational! along with the fab kickcan & Conkers Tumblr, brilliant!)

Babiekins is a free online magazine full of wonderful photographs, shops, illustrations and inspiration for your little ones! have a read here.

What lovely news to start the day with on this very wet Wednesday! Thank you Deborah!

The Shape game...

The shape Game by Anthony Browne is a wonderful picture book which introduces the shape game through a family's visit to an art gallery.

Here's the Author explaining a bit about the book.

We've had this book a long time and often play the shape game when we need to pass the time.

We love Anthony Browne's wonderful picture books, this one being our fave, along with Willy the wimp and Silly Billy.

The illustrations are imaginative, inspiring and full of humour,

This weekend we bought another Shape game book,

The shape on the front cover, that has been made into a gorilla in his PJ's by Anthony Browne has been given to other artists and celebrities to create something new, here are a few of my faves...

Quentin Blake

Axel Scheffler

Rob Ryan

Shirley Hughes

Lucy Cousins

All the profits from the sale of the book go to Rainbow Trust Children' Charity.

On the oposite page of every celebritiy drawing is a shape for you to fill in and create your own image!

We're taking our copy on holiday with us for the airplane and the beach!

It's a great game to encourage children to be imaginative and inventive and the books are wonderful.

Here's Anthony Browne in action at a children's workshop.

Hope this inspires you to play the shape game!