sorry...i forgot the day !

I'm having a little crazy week, orders have been high and lots of time has been spent packing up myself, family life has not ran to 'routine' and I forgot yesterday was Transformer Tuesday, rather than do a TT on the wrong day I'll get my days right and resume TT next week.

  flowers to say i'm sorry

paper shades we love

Almost as much as I love chairs I love lighting, these likes have all escalated since my mini1's arrived by the way so we can thank them for my hunting and foraging even more so than usual of some really gorgeous happy finds. A very recent such find are these fabulous paper hanging shades and those who are fans of Helen Dardik's illustration work you will be doubly excited, Helen is a truly fabulous original illustrator and her works are inspiring and happy so we're very excited with this post, hope you are too.

You can see some other wonders from where we found these at Raw Space.

childhood memories #3

Somy playhouse type toy I cherished and hold fond memories of was The Family Treehouse as shared last week (and thanks for all the DM's and your memories too.)
This week childhood memory is really my sisters, as she is a little younger she got the 80's version of a Family Treehouse which was the Big Yellow Teapot by Bluebird.
Just like the Treehouse we have the Teapot back at my parents house too complete with car, people, furniture, even box.
Oooh our littlies are so lucky to have all these retro vintage toys at hand at Nanna & Grandpa's.

fab find #7

This leads straight on from fab find #6 really as it is from the same online store as we featured earlier this week when we brought you the fantastic apple and pear shelves over from Candy Stripe Cloud.

Wooden bird and branch hook for all that hanging and hooking.

childhood memories #2

So, who out there had/has one of these, The Family Tree House.

The Family Tree House is a classic, simply fabulous and whenever we are at my folks out it comes and generates as much fun as it did back in the late 70's early 80's so luckily for me and my Mini1's the girls in my family are not as the men might call us 'hoarders' but 'collectors' and keepers of those special memory items.

The memories and nostalgia these toys hold is warming and not only do I love watching my Mini1's enjoy imaginative play but it's also the recalling of the memories of what The Family Tree House holds for me. It's like that game when someone says a word and you then say a 'linking' word. For me if I was to play that game thinking of The Family Treehouse it would build a whole chapter or two of my childhood and those very special friends and family, some of who are not with us today but they are there in The Family Tree House.

Enjoy those toys of the past, bring them out, dust them down and let the happy times play.

transformer tuesday #13

There has been lots of collage designs recently being designed cut and stuck recently and as the Mini1 always see what I'm up to in the studio Mini1 has been enjoying it so much and wanting to do her own, it's such a lovely way to create new creatures and friends, buildings and cities....
Yes there is another big plus as this cutting and sticking involves recycling again, so get your boxes, papers, and ideas at the ready to cut, stick and create some jolly wall art....

We used:

- recycled boxes, cut into shapes

- patterned papers

- gluppy glue

- scissors

This is what we had when we stuck our long panels together and they transformed a plain wall into Mini1's 'come alive jungle'
Our next collage is a big one to contrast with some of our favourite little framed ones, woohoo lets get cutting and transforming .......

fab find #6

Candy Stripe Cloud is filled with delights and fabness!
These wonderful fruityy shaped miniature shelves are our fab find for the wall. Mini1 just loves little things and how cute would her little treasures look on either the pear or apple shelf.

Transformer Tuesday #12

Todays transformation is not only a little late in the day but also it is not one of ours but of Martha Stewart especially for my sister!

We have oodles of plastic creatures and the kids love them when they're playing on their adventures, i do however think if a few could go missing it would be good and more aesthetic to do this to them!

Not only glitter I'd love to get the fluo paint on them, when we get round to our we'll share.

Martha used:

- plastic deer

- small paint brush

- white glue

- powder glitter

- bowl

cosy up 'blabla' cushions

I do have a soft spot for cushions and there is such great choice out there so we have quite a few in our rooms, on sofas, floors, playhouses, chairs....

As well as the many "add to basket" cushions! I make too, ranging from the cloud shaped to the traditional square, they're fun and can transform a setting in an afternoon and at not a huge cost.

Today though i have these lovely knit ones by blabla to share with you.....

Trays have lots and lots of uses, we use ours for snacks, drinks, play-doh rolling, sledging!
Being super slim they can stack and then there is room for more! So the next tray I'd like to add to our tray supply is one of these gorgeous 'Alabasta' trays from Ary at Hus & Hem.
The other thing about this tray, it has got me hunting for our old spirograph, I sense some spirograph fun with the mini1 coming on!

transformer tuesday #11

Halloween week is upon us so we thought we'd make this week a transformer 2sday with double the crafting and making.
We are using some of our favourites; paper, gluppy glue, card and some garden finds.
For our halloween party we're focusing on the orange rather than the black so we've been making orange paper garlands, twiggy spider garlands and cardboard twig spiders.

we used:

- patterned papers

- gluppy glue

- scissors for cutting shapes

- thread

we used:
- garden twigs
- gluppy glue
- scissors for cutting shapes; round bodies and doughnut ring
- bakers twine
- clear nylon thread for hanging

Both of these cloud cuckoo crafty projects can be adapted for many occasion, birthdays, christmas and simply to just decorate, enjoy x

Jane Muir & open studios

Living pretty much around the corner from Jane Muir's studio was a treat, a happy place filled with the most delightful and original ceramic figures some of which we are fortunate enough to have in our own home and of course Jane herself with her warm welcome and happy red hair that matches my mini1's.
The Arches in Peckham Rye is fabulous, Jane's is the cheeriest and such a joy to visit, all studios there are opening their studio doors the last Friday of September and October, so get yourselves ready this Friday. If you miss it don't worry as they'll have a studio open weekend pre christmas.
Here are some of Jane's ceramics, I'll be sharing our own on a later 'our house' post...

I bet you're smiling, and I hope you can make the open studio x

cosy houses

I've been thinking of a tent/hide-out/play/wendy house equivalent for the minimini1. On my search I got hooked into knit and I feel a project coming on (to fill in that spare time!)
As I was aware with the more recent knitted pieces in this post I was not familiar with this first knitters story, excellent job Alison.....

Back in 2007 knitting enthusiast Alison Murray went in, round, through and off to the max and created this fabulous knitted wonder house complete with knitted contents raising thousands for charity.The millions of stitches were made by hundreds of knitters from around the world. click to read full story

More recently designer makers / artist knitters have come up with some amazing knitted houses that are loved by parents and filled with adventure and play for little ones; Donna Wilson has the delightful house blanket.


 Lucky Boy Sunday have their fabulous quirky knitted playhouse (on my wish list!)

And as for me and the minimini1 the project has started and I look forward to posting more in the near (as possible) future.

national apple day

From our first apple tree we planted this spring we had the most delicious apple.
They looked beautiful too...

Looking forward to next years pickings and crunchings!

And as it's apple day our print is still available and is one of your favourites so it seems.

planting for spring colour

Yesterday we had a lovely time in the garden planting our bulbs ready for some springtime colour.
We made our name sticks as I know I will forget (but the onlooking squirrel will not!)
and mini1 very much enjoyed the stamper.

We soon got to the fun part digging 40 plus holes between 5 and 15cm deep dependending on what each bulbs person requirements were.
Mini1 was most happy as she said when 'taking off their jackets' I explained they needed to keep the crispy dry layer to keep them snug, she was warm enough and thought they'd be just fine too!

We picked the spots and look forward to spring time.....

Tall alliums against an original stone wall will be so pretty and the hyacinths is a pot will smell divine, chionodoxa coming up from the base of the tree will look so dainty and pretty and crocus around the large stones will be a happy contrast.

transformer tuesday #10

i spy with my little eye(s)....

bird spotting was carried out by transforming the following items into brilliant binoculars for the mini1's

we used
- cardboard tubes
- scissors
- gluppy glue
- tape
- fabric squares
- fabric trims
- ribbon

got to dash i can see something far away......

holding-on

sisters having october sun fun at the park. 

i love the dress yourself look a mix of stripes, spots, sparkle and fur, as for minimini1 a great auntie knit is always adorable.

sleeping with which light on...

The minimini1 has started to wake at some awful hour, we keep a lamp on out side of her room and she has the fantastic Thorsten van Elten wall pigeons in her room but I'm on the hunt for a softer light to keep on in her room that is light enough for her to settle herself but not too strong to take away the night time calm feeling. I'm edging toward the fabulous Lapin&me vintage bunny, however there is then the growing range of LED lights they're a great price, good selection and we haven't got to worry about the plug sockets either.

Lapin & Me £62 for the signature Lapin & Me vintage bunny finished by hand in 'vintage granny-green' finish, looking adorable when lit and not.
Little Baby Company superb range of lighting with a good range of prices too, I love the LED bunny and toadstools starting at £7.50
notonthehighstreet ranging from £14 to £69
nubie £65 cat & dachshund (other cols available)

toddler plus bedding

i know i'm biased on the baby bedding front as we have our own organic collection which of course i use and test! and yes as mini1 is 3 and the owl print is not too young and fits her converted cotbed perfectly I can't help but shop around as I'm feeling a little pre christmas change in the air.
So I hear you say, what did we pick, what did we find... well I must admit I've yet to finalise our decision, but here is where we are and some of our finding

Mini1 does not want pink with or without fairies, her natural tug was for bold, clean lines, I'm not sure whether this is because of the clean silouette of her current owls? but she did like the clean silouette of Anoraks red rabbits, I'm not too worried it's in single size rather than toddler because once we make the move we will go from converted cotbed to single and miss the toddler bed out anyway.
I was however thrilled to find Little Auggie 'Rabbit Patch' this was with thanks to coos and ahhs.
Designers Guild had the wonderful Best Friends range and mini1 very much liked the owl rug!
Although not one particular design stood out for us Zara Kids have a good offering.
So mini1 which is it to be?

transformer tuesday #9

There are so many things to do outside this time of year with the gathering of lovely leaves, acorns, conkers and twigs. Here is just one of the things we did we leaves....

Leaf birds, 

before &

 after.....

We used;

- some leaves

- paint

- glitter

- washi tape

Monday is Wash(i)Day

My nanna had 'jobs' to do on specific days, and I always remember her saying as she left on a sunday well tomorrow is was day. From what I remember this was pretty much how her week went...

Monday was wash day
Tuesday was ironing
Wednesday a trip into the big town or city
Thursday food shopping
Friday fish super
Saturday treat
Sunday family

Well as it's monday, here is my take on Wash day, just so happens mine has an 'i' at the end of it... today my Monday was washi day

© 2011 cloud cuckoo designs ltd

© 2011 cloud cuckoo designs ltd

© 2011 cloud cuckoo designs ltd

© 2011 cloud cuckoo designs ltd

fab find #5

Little Odd Forest is todays fab find and from this super site I'm picking these super cute indoor cosy gnomes.


and look what they're busy working on, we love these woodland animals bags.