Our Week That Was: Christmas 2014

Well there's another Christmas done and dusted! I really enjoyed our family Christmas this year and the countdown to it more than I think I have before actually. On the Monday we made homemade lanterns and had a super lazy day. It was just my little ones and me because Jay had to work until 9pm. I do hate Mondays but you can't always sulk can you! We also sat down and wrote our letters to Father Christmas. Midge took great care with her letter, Little A did a nice big scribble having not mastered any writing skills whatsoever just yet, even I had to write a letter to Father Christmas and I've not done that in years! I'm glad I did because it showed Midge how you should write a letter, not just dive in asking for this, that and the other!

Tuesday was what we in the Cupcake House refer to as 'Christmas Eve, Eve.' My Mum came over which the children loved. We did some shopping for food in the morning, just grabbing a few bits then again in the afternoon when Grandma arrived we added the bits we couldn't find locally. All stocked up we went home for a picky tea and then pulled on all our warm clothes for our traditional neighbourhood walk, where we look at all the pretty Christmas lights that our neighbours put up every year. Snowmen that light up, trains in windows, outdoor trees and roofs covered in lights- just amazing!

Homemade lanterns// writing to Father Christmas// Hanging out with a snowman// Lights in a neighbours window

Wednesday was Christmas Eve and it was actually a very calm affair! The previous night I had placed the teddy elves from our small tree underneath our larger tree and sat behind them were 2 gift bags. I love doing Christmas Eve gift bags because the children are occupied whilst I get on with things. They had a craft, some pajamas, a new Christmas DVD, a treat box and an activity book (all from poundland bar the pj's!) I sat with them and made the Christmas trees because Little A found them a little difficult but I really didn't mind. Hubby finished work at 1.00pm and family arrived at 2.00pm, by which time I had laid out a spread on the dinner table, including fondue set with strawberries and marshmallows!

Snowman part 2// Little A's Christmas tree// Midges tree//Mummy's sweets!

Christmas Eve spread// Fondue with treats// Resisting temptation (not)// My Mummy!// Strawberry covered in chocolate

Christmas Day was an unusual one and not the one I expected. The morning was fantastic with all of us opening our stockings in my bedroom followed by the children finding Father Christmas's footprints in our front room (actually from the front door to his mince pies to be exact!) We opened our presents and had a yummy breakfast before different members of the family arrived here and there. My parents and sister arrived which was lovely but as the day went on it wasn't very festive. Dinner was incredibly late and Little A gave me a few anxious hours with his croup, which just came out of no where. We did have a delicious dinner and went to bed very full and exhausted! 

Gift bags under the tree// Santas footprints// Very full tree// Presents having a break// Pudding// Playing Nicely

Queen Elsa visits on Christmas Day// Cheeky couple photo for Instagram// Power Ranger A!// Up later with the family after waking poorly// Hot chocolates have been popular// Catching up with my favourite wizard

We've spent the time since then playing with new toys, dressing up and going nuts on scooters (the little ones) eating a lot of chocolate of the American variety (Hubby) and reading, drinking hot chocolate and catching up with my penpals ready for the New Year (me). Phew, what a week! I hope it was a good one for you too lovely readers. Next week, I'm celebrating New Years with my parents and babies. It'll be odd not being with Hubby...I don't have any other plans because I'll be mentally preparing for those blasted school runs!!

Cupcake Mumma

Dennis the Menace Beano Annual 2015!

Yes! The two craziest and most unruly original rule breakers are back and this year they're making it big by hopping on the Beano town Express to London's St.Pancras station to create some fun and mischief throughout Autumn to get us excited for their fab new 2015 annual.

Dont miss out!

As a child I spent many a day watching Dennis the Menace with my brother and just like many others we loved it a lot. This year, The Beano Annual features all of your favourite characters from Dennis and Gnasher as well as The Numskulls, The Bash Street kids and Minnie the Minx all creating havoc in cartoon sketches, quizzes, puzzles and more.

Little A can enjoy these more simple cartoon strips with less writing featured.

One of our favourite pages so far

Enjoy the 75 years of Beano fun at one of our most iconic London Stations or enjoy it right now at home with your very own wacky, cheeky, full of fun Beano 2015 Annual. Priced at £7.99 I'm thinking this is a fantastic annual to get under the Christmas tree this year.

I was sent a free copy of  the Dennis the Menace Beano Annual 2015 in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and photos are, as usual, my own (unless specified)

Cupcake Mumma

Reasons to be Cheerful

I've had some real lows lately, so low that really only other peoples' happiness was keeping me feeling okay. Like a friend who just got married last weekend, family having a lovely birthday, online friends moving home and moving forward in their lives for some good things to come their way at last. Still, there is always good to be found and this week I have found my good!

1) Yesterday I was dreading toddler group. I've been way, way too hard on myself in regard to Little A's tantrums, I realise that now. The sinking feeling of an oncoming meltdown doesn't ever make you feel good but toddlers tantrum, they don't really 'do' sharing and that's that. Toddler group was great though! A was fantastic, not one scream or meltdown. He loved the puzzles and the ride on cars at the end. I even spoke to two fellow mums who were just so nice. Mostly I was just so proud of my boy and then myself for not giving in to my anxiety. It helped it was at the Salvation Army, the church setting was a comfort to me in a time I needed the push to go through those doors!

2) Surprises! I got a huge box in the mail last week from my ever beautiful friend Kat. I was only expecting curtains and a left behind hoody but I had a whole box of treats for the family. I was a ruddy mess when I found the card:

Kat, you have no idea what this means to me xx

Another surprise was dinner out on Tuesday evening- Jason's treat! He also booked two days off, today and tomorrow which is lovely!

3) Books. I'm a bookworm right now, devouring them! Nothing beats being lost in a good novel and it's making me very cheerful to get the peace I need.

Please link up with Jo at Ojos World for this weeks R2BC!

Cupcake Mumma

Mug Swap Link Up!

Hey! As it's now June i'm writing this post to show off my lovely mug and goodies I received from my swap partner Lucy from LeopardPrintMommy. At the bottom of this post there is a linky where you can link up your post all about the mugs you received and posted in May.

I was out on Saturday so missed the postie but hubby was kind enough to venture out to the post office yesterday morning and collect my parcel. My mug! Here's what the lovely Lucy sent me:

My beautiful mug!

The perfect card, oven glove and some cupcake wrappers :)

Miss Muffin! I love her!

Here is a quick photo of what I posted off to Lucy. You can see more on her blog shortly! 

Paddington went home from his Cornish holiday with some Cornish fudge, some tasty biscuits and i'm told by Lucy he looked after her mug very well. Look out for a post from Paddington's holiday here on the blog soon!

Thanks to everyone who signed up and sent their mugs. I hope you enjoyed the swap. Depending on how successful this one is, i'll get another one up and running same time next year.

CupcakeMumma

The 2012 Handmade Winter Craft Swap!

Here is the second craft swap I've participated in this winter. It took me a long time to make something for my swap partner Tamsin. I just wasn't sure what to make. Unfortunately this made me a bit late for posting but luckily Tamsin was in the same boat so I didn't feel too bad!

I made Tamsin a simple Christmas card then started making her a lovely cushion to pop on a chair or on her sofa/bed. I like cushions so I can't help but make them for others too.

I purchased this very festive yet not 'in your face festive' fabric online and sewed it by hand (damn sewing machine) resembling a Christmas present. I used ribbon and a charm to finish off the cushion as I felt it was 'missing' something. I used some tinsel to give it a bit of festive cheer!

Tamsin sent me some lovely items including this very well made fabric bag. As I collect notebooks, Tamsin thought I could use it to store them all in which I think is a superb idea. At the moment though I've been using it as my daughters' ballet uniform bag! The uniform is light and needs to be kept clean so this bag is ideal. Besides, I get to show it off by taking it outside!

Tamsin also made me this gorgeous heart and twine card hanger- perfect for this year! There are a few cards already up and I'm sure more to follow! The thing I really love about this make is the lovely wooden hearts and animals stuck to craft pegs. So cute and unique.

I really enjoyed this swap and hope Tamsin liked her gifts as much as I like mine.

CupcakeMumma

Popular Crafts Letter Swap

I recently took part in a few swaps with 2 still on going. The first swap I took part in was a Letter Swap with the craft magazine Popular Crafts.

I really wanted to think outside of the box with this swap so it took me a while to think of something good enough to send my partner.

Eventually I had a brainwave and reused an old box to pop in some lovely note paper with matching envelopes, a handful of pencils and a nice new pen to write with. I also used some scrap fabric, ribbon and some fabric paint to make a cute heart with an 'S' on for my partner Samantha. To go with this letter theme, I purchased a lovely ring from Claire of Claireabellemakes

I really hope Samantha liked her gifts. I personally love writing letters and feel its a dying art so I like to encourage it where possible.

Now to show you what Samantha made for me!

I got this adorable pink bunny wrapped in some tissue paper. I love the colour pink and love cute little crafts like this. I've hung her up on the bunting in my front room.

Samantha also made me this lovely purse with a crochet flower and the letter 'H' pinned to the front. I've been using this to carry my vouchers and stamps so my purse isn't full of random bits and pieces!

Thank you to Samantha for my wonderful gifts and thanks again to Popular crafts for another Craft Swap. I hope I can join in some more next year.

CupcakeMumma

Birthday Post!

It's Birthday Time!!

Ah finally I get a chance to blog about my birthday. I turned 23 on Monday and had such a wonderful day. I was all recovered from whatever horrible illness I had a few days previous (much to my joy!) I had nothing planned, just a nice, normal day with my family to start half term.

I was woken up at half 6 by Midge. This is too early for me and she knows it by now! I felt her snuggle up beside me, then half an hour later Daddy brought up some presents. I had lots of help from both Midge and Little Man that morning. Here's Midge showing off the lovely cushions she helped Daddy find just for me.

I opened one other present before breakfast which was a really, really pretty necklace I had spotted when out shopping in a local charity store. Now, some people may pull a face at a thrifty find being given as a gift, but I could not have been happier. It smells so old, it's from Spain and is also a locket. Thank-you Dearest!

After we all had breakfast and watched a bit of TV my Husband was desperate to show off the cake he had made me. I was very pleased indeed! He bought some candles, made a lovely chocolate icing and the children refrained from poking their fingers in (long enough for this photo to taken anyway!)

In the above photo is: 

My lovely birthday cake.

A really, gorgeously soft pink blanket covered in cupcakes and 2 cupcake note pads from the lovely Kat who blogs at Kat A Pillar. Thank you so much Kat, my gifts are fab!

My Hello Kitty balloon that Midge insisted Daddy bought for me...I'm thinking it was more for somebody else though!

I received a lovely cook book from Husband as well as a Florence and the Machine CD with our wedding song on and the prettiest wellies I have ever seen. Seriously, pink polka dotted wellies with ribbons on!

Husbands' parents got me a great little kit to make some lavender hearts and I also got some other craft bits and a handy little notebook (I love making notes)

I was seriously spoiled this year. To add to my list I received: some rather tasty smelling bath bombs, a new sewing machine (thank you family!!), chocolate, a lovely onesie from my sister so now I have 2 which is ace, a lovely new jumper with some new pajama bottoms and my sister-in-law bought me this great little kit to make your own purse. I'm half way through and can't wait to finish it so I can show it off!

I had such a wonderful day and I got even more than I have written. I do love a birthday! 

Look out for my new blog post on our rather awesome Halloween party that we've literally just finished and also my Mug Swap link up party!

CupcakeMumma

Strawberry Gift Swap

Another month gone, another crafting swap down. This time with Popular Crafts the theme was 'Strawberries' which did get my brain going until I browsed Ebay and came across some lovely strawberry fabric.
It didn't take me to long to sit down for the night and make a little something for my fellow crafter. I started off with hand-sewing a small heart. It looked pretty plain so I went through my slightly dwindling button selection and picked out the oddest one I could fine (not sure why just felt right!) I then attached some ribbon to the top, so this lovely little heart can be hung up somewhere nice.

I have recently bought a mini sewing machine but unfortunately it appears be faulty. I managed to sew this cute little cushion for my swap partner although it took forever with machine problems! Thankfully it's nearly birthday time and my parents are hunting out a suitable one for me!

Finally, when you sign up to a crafting swap with Popular crafts, as well as making some lovely homemade goodies you also get to pop to the shops and find a little extra something for your swap partner for under £3. I know I already made a cushion but when I saw this one in The Works and knew my partner would be moving home soon, I thought it would be perfect. Hopefully she doesn't mind having two of the same thing but as a new crafter I get a bit stuck on things to make and cushions appear to be my signature item right now!

I'm looking forward to next months Letters swap now and also my Mug Swap that has started as of today! Happy Swapping!

CupcakeMumma

Making A Start

We made a start on our bucket list yesterday by having a baking day! We picked up a girls baking book from our local library and had a good look through. Little Miss chose some cupcakes and I chose whoopie pies (they were a disaster so i'm not even going to blog about them any more than this!) The cupcakes however were the best I have ever made, icing included.

We baked vanilla cupcakes in my new heart shaped silicon cake cases The Man bought in a closing down sale and added some strawberries to match this summery weather. Little Miss was really hands on and to my surprise our baking day was completely stress free!

We managed to go on a family walk this week as well which was really nice! We went to Wetherspoons for a late breakfast, very tasty and at just under ten pounds it was a nice treat which didn't totally break the bank!
Here's a lovely photo of The Man with his babies. Makes me smile every time!

Today Little Miss had her cousin over to have their wedding dress fittings. They look so adorable and will totally steal the show in that church (fine by me- they look adorable!) My Mum is taking in their dresses to save money and they are very happy with their outfits which is the most important thing to me. My Mum stayed a bit to help me finish the service booklets my mother in law to be has kindly made for us. They're looking great. Maybe I'll tweet a sneak preview?

I got a surprise in the post today. Recently I subscribed to a crafting magazine and wasn't expecting my welcome gift until the end of August so I was really pleased to have the gift arrive out of the blue! Just waiting on my swap gift and my new stroller now!

I can't wait to get my hands on this soap making kit! I might save it for
Christmas though?

Finally, I took part in a Twitter party tonight. I don't join in very often with these things as they do clog up time lines but StoryOfMum does such good work, especially this month getting Mums to love their post baby bodies. We had to make a little model of an area of our body we'd perhaps like to improve, submit it online and wait for others to see our real bodies or our crafty mummy makes!

Yep, here's my play dough version of me! The arrows show where I'd like to improve things mainly my under arms and my tummy/under bust area. In general though I'm a happy post baby body Mummy. I'm pleased with my skills here though, I tried to detail my wobbly tummy and stretch marks with mild success!

Hope you're all having a great week, enjoying the sunshine and if you took part tonight on Twitter hope you had as much fun as me!

CupcakeMumma

Project 366 19th-25th

March 19th 2012
79/366

Mums Mothers Day gift. I didn't get to see her on Sunday so had to make do with Monday.

March 20th 2012
80/366

Little Man trying to work my Blackberry!

March 21st 2012
81/366

My wedding shoes! Arrived in the afternoon very happy bride to be!

March 22nd 2012
82/366

My gorgeous man's little feet. I have ordered this in a large print that i am going to frame and proudly display.

March 23rd 2012

83/366

We had lunch at Wetherspoons which was really nice. Little Miss was in nursery which was a shame but Other Half and I got some quality time with Little Man which is also nice.

March 24th 2012
84/366

My Mums hair trial for the wedding went well. It looks promising so far!

March 25th 2012
85/366

A and Grandma