Miss Marshmellow - Gourmet Marshmallows!

I love marshmallows and I've tried a few different "gourmet" brands but none have come close to these!!

 

The ones I've tried before were really airy and the flavours weren't that great, but these ones have a good bit of chew to them!

The company "Miss Marshmellow" is a small family run business based in Dorset. The have around 10 different flavours to choose from of which I chose Belgian Chocolate, Madagascan Vanilla, Real Lemon, Blackcurrent and Coconut. They were all delicious but I have a soft spot the most for the coconut!

The other thing that I really like about this little company is their prices. I got these five packs for £10 plus free delivery! (Free delivery over £9.99) Other companies charge anything around a fiver for one batch!

Please give these a try folks, if you have a sweet tooth, they are really yummy!!!

❤️

Pencil Sketch Quote Art

I love Secret Santa! Doesn't even have to be reserved for the actual 'Santa' time of year either! I've done them at Christmas, summer and now Mother's Day (and even a Secret Desires swap in April!).

So this 'Secret Santa' is the Mother's Day one and it stems from Baby Centre on the single mums forum. Some mums won't be expecting to receive any Mother's Day gifts so we thought it would be nice to do a swap so that everyone who isn't attached will still receive a nice gift. 

I got drawn (well actually, I asked the organiser very nicely if I could 'have' this person!) a lovely lady who has a little one already, but sadly experienced a late pregnancy loss recently and is going through a very tough time. I thought it would be nice to give her something personal and just for her.

So I searched online for quotes and such and came across this lovely one that was very fitting.

"A mother is not defined by the number of children you can see, but by the love she holds in her heart."

I though it was such a beautiful quote, and something that saddling rings true to me too, after losing my own little one a few months before Brodie was conceived.

So off I trotted to get a frame to put this artwork in and sat with pencil in hand an paper on lap. The writing is actually my handwriting (I've been blessed to carry almost the same handwriting down from my gran, then my mum), plus some elaborate capitals at the start. It lacked something though, so knowing that the lady liked butterflies, I sketched one in the background with some branches and cherry blossom. Finished off with some blue ribbon round the border, little rhinestones to dot the 'i's and some more on the corners, then a papercut butterfly glued into the bottom corner. And it's done!

Now I just need to find a way to package and post it without any breakages! 

A Wee Bit Sketchy

I haven't put pencil to paper in years and I don't really know what desire I had to do it recently, but I did, and I was pleasantly surprised with the results!

My mum once told me a story about when I was a wee girl. She laid out a whole load of crayons and tried to get me to name the colours. She picked one and said "blue" and I said "no, that's 'light' blue". I was still quite young for even knowing what colours were, so she was amazed.

I remember drawing countless disney characters, copying them off my VHS covers. My primary 4 teacher at school, Miss Brown, used to get me to paint the freezes for her classroom walls during my lunch breaks (I had no problem with this whatsoever). It all continued on through high school, then it just went stale.

I went through a phase of drawing anime a lot. I love the facial expressions, flowing hairstyles and the magical clothing. 

So I decided to get out my box of 'art stuff' and put pencil to paper. Started off with a Disney character (Elsa from Frozen) and then I had the idea that I would try and sketch a picture of Brodie! 

After posting my pictures on my Birth club forum, suddenly I had a steady stream of mums asking to have sketches done of their baby's! Maybe one day....

Here's my stuff, hope you like (the portrait isn't finished yet, I'll get back to it one day!)

Hello Again!

Hello everyone,

It's been a loooong time since I last posted, life has been a bit 'tough' to say the least, but I'm slowly getting back on track again. So I think it's time to make a blogging appearance and come out from under the rocks!

What's new?

Well, I've been crafting like a boss! I've tried my hand a needle felting and papercutting. I've been crocheting lots, but my knitting and sewing has been on the back burner for a while now. I've also started drawing and sketching again, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I think I may have just fallen in love with hand dyed yarn. Yummy! It's just beautiful, soft, squishy! I wish I had money to buy lots, but unfortunately, being a single mum has serious financial limitations :(

I've been focusing a lot on getting back into Uni next year. Watch this space...

And Brodie... Well he is just doing dandy! He turned one last weekend! How the hell did that happen?? It seems like just a few months ago we welcomed him into the world. I keep seeing all these wee squishes looking super tiny in their huge care seat prams, getting pushed about shopping centres and my ovaries ache!! Broody much? Yes! Reality check - immaculate conception isn't real! *sigh*

Short but sweet for my first entry in over 6 months I think! More craft posts to come...

❤️

Babywearing Bag

I had look at some babywearing bags online to go with my baby wraps/carriers, but they all seemed to be quite expensive (well, for my budget anyway). So, being the crafty person that I am, I decided to make my own.

I looked online for tutorials and patterns, but they all either required too long a piece of fabric, or I couldn't understand the pattern itself!

Bugger it, I'll make it up as I go along!

So I did. 

I free balled the whole way and cut out various lengths of fabric. 4 bits for the straps, 2 big bits for the main bag, 2 for the poppered flap and 1 for the internal pocket. I used cotton for the outer, waterproof fabric for the inside of the straps and flap (because it seemed a bit more durable) and some polar fleece for the lining and pocket.

This is the end product. I road tester it yesterday when I took the little one swimming and it was very strong, yet comfortable. Managed to hold all our swimming gear and essentials. 

Things I'd do differently next time? Probably put a couple of pockets on the front and draw out a pattern instead of just free balling! Maybe attempt it in a nice (but expensive *sigh*) Cath Kidston fabric! 

Keep Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'...

And we're off!

No longer can I make a cup of tea, wash a dish or even go to the bathroom without wondering what this little dude is up to. He started rolling, and when he had done it once, they just kept on coming. He makes huge thuds and I run in thinking he's rolled over, but no, he's just battering his heels on the floor. Then I turn my back for literally 5 seconds and the little blighter is on his front, silent as a mouse!

Next he'll be crawling, oh no. How am I going to keep up with that one?!

Can't wait till he can master the art of rolling back over the other way, then he wouldn't need rescued every two seconds!

.....and this is what happens when I turn my back!!

Whitespace Kids (Mount Florida, Glasgow)

Apart from craft shops, I think I've found my new Mecca!

What a charming and extremely inviting little store this is. Based on Sinclair Drive in Mount Florida (round the corner from my wee home) this little shop offers wonderful gifts, toys and clothes for babies and children that you wouldn't find in your run of the mill kids stores! It's a retro/vintage lovers paradise. The staff are very friendly very welcoming. 

If I had a bob or two I would spend a fortune! I couldn't leave without buying something, so I got Brodie this lovely little comforter called a Flat Out Bear. It's mad from 100% Australian sheepskin and has to be one of the softest things I've ever touched. Brodie likes it too!