Five little ducks went swimming one day...

An open day and charity fundraising event took place today at Mini Magpie's Nursery. Lots of activities to do and things to buy. All in aid of a fabulous cause, all monies go to "Great Ormond Street Hospital".

This was the one activity I could not drag Mini Magpie away from...brings back good memories. It was my favourite game as a child too. Seem to remember winning goldfish though swimming around in clear plastic bags, thank goodness that's not the case anymore, (sorry fish, I fear for your lives with "The KitKats" around) MM's prize was a shiny gold plastic medal and after all that hooking, she didn't want to wear.


All seemed to be going well so touch wood, the nursery has raised fair old amount for a very worthy cause today.

xx


P.S Miss Mischief's winning medal. Miffy rabbit had to wear it. xx

Be Hold! Treasures (part 1)

Discovering forgotten treasures has been something I've found myself doing a lot of  recently. Charity shops just seem to draw me in. What can I say! I'm just so nosey, can't resist a peek inside to see what I can find. 
To see what people think they have no use for any more. Well, what is it they say?  "One mans loss is another mans gain"


Here are a few I'd like to share:

Wit-woo! Fab additions to my growing chintzy china collection. 5 gorgeous soup bowls. I could curse Ikea for persuading the ladies in my family to dispose of all things as beautiful as these lovelies.

And this beautifully illustrated children's book by Mabel Lucie Attwell. I fell in love with these chubby little cherubs. I knew of the British illustrator Lucie Attwell but never before come across any of her books. Simply wonderful and all based on her daughter Peggy, so cute!.  Kinda reminded me of how Mini Magpie is right now, all cute and squidgy. It has that really old but sweet smelling paper smell about it too. Couldn't resist!!

Love this! They have built a "Bird Scarer Man" to help protect daddy's plants.

My favourite type of books growing up were the ones that rhymed and this one is doesn't disappoint. It had to come home with me.

And in amongst some papers on the book shelf, another Lucie Attwell made an appearance. This little bathing beauty titled " I like it here!" well,I'm glad you do as I like you here too, at my house. 

xx

"When everything has gone...

...only love remains"

Just touching base after a very hard couple of weeks but I think the title of my post contains everything I can express at this moment in time. 


Our family lost a very special lady in our lives at the beginning of this month. Such a beautiful person and we all adored her. A mother, Grandmother, Great Grandma and most of all a very good friend. When I sit here and think about it, I sit here with a huge, warming smile on my face, remembering all the fun times we shared as I grew up (I was very close to my gran) and that makes me think what a very lucky girl I am to have been blessed to know someone as wonderful as you, Grandma. I will treasure all those very happy memories. Thank you!! I will miss you so much.


God bless you!
xx

Time Flies When Your Having Fun...

...Oh My! How it does indeed!


I'm sitting here wondering where to start. I have so much to fill you in on our shenanigans of the last six weeks. It has been none stop and a celebration around every corner.


I thought, being as it's the start of a brand new month, and I have some free time on my hands (that has been a rarity lately) I would fill you in with pictures rather than bore you with words, that will come at a later date, haha!


Here's why I have been so absent recently................

We took a family holiday to the very beautiful Southern tip of the UK... I fell in L- O - V - E!!

What an inspirational place! I have never been before and now I can not wait to return. For anyone looking to holiday in the UK, here is a place most definitely worth your time to visit. 

I have a lot to fill you in on my finds but for now, here we are in crystal clear waters.

On our return, Mr Magpie celebrated a birthday, as did I. 

Totally spoilt with many wonderful books and crafty things (thank you so much!!) but my favourite present has to be from Mr Magpie and the Mini One. Mr Magpie has paid for me to attend a screen printing course, (something I have always wanted to try and not had the chance to do until now) at the West Yorkshire Print Workshop in September. A whole weekend of arting about fun!! 


OMG!! I can not wait and what makes it even more appealing is that the fabulous Clare Caulfield is introducing us to this fantastic medium, as she will be taking our course!! I feel such a lucky lady right now, I could burst!!




Next, Mini Magpie turned two on the 23rd of June...

...together with 3 of her little friends, Abbie, Oliver and Oscar (who all turned two with in days of one another)...

...so we mummies decided to throw one big '2 Year Olds' party instead of us all having to visit four separate ones. I offered to create the invites for us all.

We decided that the girlies would have princess fairies...

and the boys would have pirates...

Here's how they turned out...

What fun we all had!! 


Deciding to hire one big room that came with an enormous bouncy castle and huge soft play shapes was a fantastic idea. Then a good old game of Pass the Parcel, followed by lunch and they more play. The best bit for us though, was 'yeah their smiley faces', but most of all no clearing up to do!!


 The four of us 'mummies' met at our local children's centre when the children were a few months old. Since then, we meet once or twice a week and we chat while the 'kidney beans' play to their little hearts are content. Well, until it's feeding time anyways.

What's next, ah! yes the 'Olympic Torch' has been through our area. I spotted this little bus on the M62 earlier last week...

and later that week, this special mention goes out here to our friend Anita, who had the great honour of bearing the torch near where we live. Congratulations!!! How exciting?? One to tell the gran kids!! History in the making! 

Through all of these celebrations, Sara over at Bichinhos na Cabeça awarded me with 

The 

both of which I gratefully accept, thank you Sara and over this week (my next post) will pass them on to share the joy. In the mean time, please pop over to see Sara and see her crafty magic. Say Hi, your won't be disappointed. She has a fabulous blog, to which I am not surprised in the least that she was awarded these two awards, totally well deserved and a very lovely lady as well.

And last, for tonight anyway and by no means least. Looksey here what has come to live at my house!! The very lovely ladies over at Busy Little Sweet Peas made me my very own apple door stop as a thank you, totally no need as it was my pleasure in the first place but I'm absolutely over the moon with it, so thank you sooooo much!!! Please follow the link and pay them a visit.

Well, I won't keep you any longer, but does anyone know where June went??

Sweet dreams

xx