crafts, create, halloween

HOW TO make paper pom-poms

We posted a link to one of our most popular instagram pictures a few month’s ago – these crepe paper pom-pom clouds, with button raindrops which had everybody gasping with delight – and didn’t get around to actually posting a full how to, so here we go… (you can see why it took so long to post a ‘how to’ – LOTS of photos!)

1, 2) Concertina fold 8-10 sheets of tissue paper
3) Tie a length of string to the centre of the folded paper
4, 5) Trim the two ends of the folded concertina paper in a curve (keep the off-cuts, you never know when you might need them!)

6) Fan the pom-pom out flat as it will go
7) Pull up one thin sheet of tissue paper at 90 degrees
8) Pull out the opposite sheet of tissue paper, at 90 degrees

9) Rotate the tissue paper pom-pom and pull out opposite sheets of the paper
10) Keep pulling and fluffing the single sheets of tissue paper to create the paper pompom.

and that’s it! – to see how you can create something quite amazing to hang in your bedroom, click here to see our crepe paper version, with raindrops!

If you fancy having a go yourself click here, alternative you can purchase them here at Delights in packs of three!

Ali also blogs over on aGreenerLifeforus.com and is a new lover of Instagram too… pop over and say hello!

crafts, create, education, key stage 2, kids

Papier Mache Disaster Meteorite

So, we decided to make some Papier-mâché hot air balloons… that’s how it started out, all good intentions.

So 7yo being the possibly more crafty of the two (yep, the 5yo is crafty in other ways, say no more) got stuck right in….

1) We made the glue: mixed one cup of flour, and two cups of water, and a teaspoon of cinammon (that way it smells nice too)

2) We ripped the newspaper into strips

3) 7yo took off his brand new hoodie as he didn’t want to get it mucky

4) We pulled each strip through the ‘glue’ and let it drip back into the bowl (AND all over the garden too, much to SAHD’s delight)
5) We layered and layered until the balloon (Oh, I didn’t mention that bit did I? – blow up a balloon, and balance it on a bowl to stop it blowing or rolling away) was covered in paper mache.

Then we had to leave it to dry for a day (which is where 5yo lost interest, so I’d say stick with one layer if you’re not bothered about keeping the masterpiece for ever!)

We learnt an important lesson here, on Day 2 when we went back to add another layer, 7yo’s balloon had shrivelled, but we layered on some more paper mache…. MISTAKE, with no balloon inside to hold it’s shape this happened…

Not to be out-witted by the wilted balloon, 7yo spun it round (phew, was waiting for a tantrum) and said he would make it into a meteorite – which is what he did! Job done…

Thanks to Maggy at RedTedArt for continuing to encourage us to ‘get crafty!’

For a more successful foray into papermache check out our post here on Paper mache seed pots – using the blender! and using pulp from cereal boxes … this time it worked!

Follow Ali on twitter as @incredibusymum and twitter.com/MoreKidsChaos for more posts like this one… Erm, and funnily enough on Google+, Facebook and Pinterest! Pop over to say hello x Like it? Pin it! and come say hello at instagram.com/incredibusy too x

Ali also writes over on AGreenerLifeforus.com

cooking, cooking with kids, food, kids

Quick Pizza with Beans Garlic Rosemary

Quick Pizza with White Beans, Garlic and Rosemary

We do like a quick pizza on a Friday, or a playdate night at our house!

When we make our pizza base mixture in the bread maker, we always make double quantity and freeze them in small balled portions…

Perfect – so this morning, I took four of these portions out of the freezer, popped some flour onto a plate and place each of the frozen balls onto the plate to defrost for the afternoon.

Both boys like a different pizza topping, this is 11yo’s as he’s not so keen on cheese and tomato (what?!) – you’ll see he’s moved the mozzarella into one slice size just for me!

Ingredients (for two)

2 pizza bases (either buy them ready made, use flatbreads, or follow the instructions for the pizza setting on your breadmaker)
Slosh of olive oil
2 large garlic cloves
400ml water
2 tins of beans – we used chick peas, although very nice with cannellini beans
Couple of sprigs of rosemary
1 ball of mozzarella
Handful of olives and capers
Salt and pepper

Directions for this quick pizza

Heat oven to 240ºC.
Chop the garlic, and fry gently for about a minute in the olive oil, adding the white beans, and the water, turning up the heat and simmering. Pour the beans, garlic and water into a small blender and whizz up, leaving some beans (or chick peas in this case) partially whole. Add a little water, and stir, seasoning this puree with salt and pepper and spread.

Spread the puree over both pizza bases, chop up the olives in half, and sprinkle them with the capers over the pizzas (not too many, as they are both super salty).

Rip up the mozzarella and drop onto the pizza bases (not essential, tastes good without if you’re not fond of cheese!)

Drizzle over the olive oil, and scatter the torn rosemary and pop in the hot oven for 10 minutes. Enjoy your ‘quick pizza’… 🙂

Ali also writes over on AGreenerLifeforus.com

crafts, create, gardening, kids

Pineapple pinecone

A quick blog post to share with you the wonder that is camping… and the sort of crafts you can do whilst you are stuck in a Pine Forest in #FrenchFrance and the boy’s pineapple pinecone.

We go on holiday every year with some lovely family friends, and as the kids get older, they get more and more feral, and tend to take themselves off in packs, doing their own thing, whether it comes to popping to the camp playground to make new friends, or getting crafty with the paints and pencils we still take with us every year… So it was with much delight that I found this Pine Cone Pineapple creation by our eldest, he liked it so much he posted it onto his new ‘now I am going into Year 7 please may I have an Instagram account?’ instagram feed….

It was a very visually inspiring place it has to be said… with the largest sand dunes in the World on our doorstep in a pine forest at the foot of the Dune de Pyla. You just had to look UP and the view was pretty awesome too… Look at those leaves!

Ali also writes over on AGreenerLifeforus.com

crafts, create

Frozen Crown Craft – paper cup craft

Frozen Crown – paper cup craft

We’ve said it before, paper cups are a great asset to a store cupboard…And for no other reason that they can be VERY handy to have around for that impromptu Frozen Crown making session – what better way to spend an afternoon, making paper cup crowns, and then sitting down to watch the Frozen film on DVD!

You will need:

Paper cups
Scissors
Pom-poms
Glue
Alice band

Instructions:

1) Cut a series of triangles around the rim of the paper cup.

2) Turn the cup to sit on it’s base, and glue the pom-poms onto each point of the triangles.

3) Using the scissors, push two holes into either side of the base of the paper cup.

4) Thread the Alice band through the holes, and WEAR with pride! (seen here modelled by our Italian student Marta!)

For more quick and simple paper cup ideas, check out our W is for Whale and Red Ted Art’s pom pom party poppers!

Follow Ali on twitter as @incredibusy and twitter.com/MoreKidsChaos for more posts like this one… Erm, and funnily enough on Google+, Facebook and Pinterest! Pop over to say hello x Like it? Pin it! and come say hello at instagram.com/incredibusy too x

Ali also writes over on incredibusy.com

Uncategorized

Kid’s Birthday Presents: Top Budget Ideas

Kid’s Birthday Presents: Top Budget Ideas

It’s easy to get a little carried away when it comes to buying presents for kids, particularly when you’re their parents! It’s bad enough when it’s somebody else’s child that you’re buying for, let alone when it’s your own flesh and blood that you’d love nothing more than to spoil rotten. However, our finances don’t always mean we can do that and, when we have a budget to stick to, we have to be that little bit more careful about where our money is going. From boy’s pyjamas to hair clips and slides, here are some budget ideas for when you’d like your money to go as far as possible.

Books

Can kids ever have too many books? The answer is…no! Books are a great way to encourage reading at home – whether it’s reading by themselves, or sitting with you for a bedtime story. You can enjoy all manner of books for a few pounds, from authors including Julia Donaldson, Jacqueline Wilson and the like. Take a look at the book charts and pick a book or two that is suitable for the child’s age.

DVDs

Children’s DVDs are cheap as chips these days, and the variety on offer is out of this world. Help the child in question to build their film collection with one of the latest releases, such as Frozen, Turbo or the latest in the Tinkerbell franchise, The Pirate Fairy.

Pyjamas

Every kid needs a few sets of cool pyjamas, no matter what season we are in. George’s boys pyjamas are a great example of affordable, but funky, sleepwear and the girl’s range is fabulous too! Choose your child’s favourite character PJs, such as Skylanders, TMNT or Adventuretime, and who wouldn’t fall in love with Tatty Teddy, Doc McStuffins or timeless fave, Hello Kitty.

Arts & Crafts

Any parent of school-age children will know that the latest craze to hit the schoolyard is Loom Bands, and what better way to fuel this addiction than with a couple of sets of them? Perfect for any girl, or boy, who loves to loom, you can choose from a range of coloured sets, as well as glow in the dark, scented and glitter bands.

Alternatively, arts and crafts including paint sets, ceramics, kits and even flower presses are great ways to peel the kids away from computer games and into something that is engaging, fun and creative.

Jewellery & Hair Accessories

Beads, jewellery and hair accessories are great ways to bulk out a birthday present without spending a fortune. Headbands, bobbles, bows, slides, bracelets, necklaces – great gift ideas, the kids will be chuffed with any of these and they cost next to nothing!

Sticker Books

Sticker and activity books provide a perfect present idea for kids, and they don’t cost a lot either. From Marvel inspired to princess handbags, sticker and activity books help to keep them busy on rainy days while also encouraging them to use their knowledge to solve puzzles.

Here are a few ideas to help inspire you – if you’re still not sure what you wish to buy the birthday girl or boy, head to the high street or your local ASDA to see what great value goodies are available for you to splash your cash on.

This is a sponsored post

crafts, create, google+ hangouts, kids, Uncategorized

W is for Whale paper cup craft

W is for Whale – paper cup craft

Paper cups are a great asset to a store cupboard… you never know when the post school playdates may descend on you, and for this time of year, paper plates and cups are often safer in the garden for the al fresco dining that may take place!

They are also VERY handy for a last minute craft session, particularly if you are practicing your alphabet crafts – and all you need for this W is for Whale paper cup craft, is two paper cups, some parcel tape and a couple of googly eyes!

You will need:

Two paper cups
Parcel Tape
Googly eyes
Pipe cleaner (white or blue)
Hama or Perler Beads in an array of blues and white!

Instructions:

1) Using the parcel tape, stick the two cups together facing each other to create the body shape of the whale.

2) Wrap the parcel tape all over the body of the whale to cover it.

3) Fashion the whale’s tail from more parcel tape and attach to one end of the paper cup whale.

4) Do the same with the two front flippers, and attach just below the position on the eyes.

5) Add the googly eyes, essential in any paper cup craft!.

6) Pierce a small slit where the blow hole on the top of the whale’s body will be.

7) Push the pipe cleaners, or wires, into the hole, and add some Hama or Perler beads to look like water drops and you are DONE!

For more quick and simple paper cup ideas, check out our Paper Cup Frozen Crown and Red Ted Art’s pom pom party poppers!

Ali also writes over on AGreenerLifeforus.com

charity, kids, life, theatre reviews

Moomins Review 2014 – Polka Theatre

We do love Wimbledon’s Polka Theatre, and as the boys get bigger, I fear I may be toddling up there on my own to watch shows without them! We took them to see The Moomins ‘Moominssummer Madness’ at the weekend, and we are all in agreement that it was a most delightful show. We were enchanted by the characterisation of Snorkmaiden and Moomintroll, of Moomimmamma, Snufkin and Little My (the youngest boys’ favourite character by far – see handwritten review below!) of course, Misabelle was absolutely fabulous too.

The show is based on Tove Jansson’s 1964 book Moominsummer Madness and as the boys and their Dad have read MOST of Tove Jansson’s Moomins Books they were chuckling along and all said that it was a great adaption.

Tove Jansson’s much-loved Moomins are brought to life on stage with the ensemble’s fabulous puppetry, songs and and great humour. Moominsummer Madness is part of Tove100, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Tove Jansson.

To book at the Polka Theatre, SW19 click here.
Follow them on twitter here @polkatheatre.

Ali also writes over on AGreenerLifeforus.com

crafts, gardening

What I wore to Britmums Live 2014

What I wore to Britmums Live 2014

Yes… I know, you know what I wore to #Britmumslive 2014. So many people asked – and I told sooo many people! A couple of rather lovely frocks from the wonderful Palava.co – Honestly, Bryony at Palava.co (previously Poppy England and Bryonyandco) has some beautiful dresses for women size 8 to size 16 and for little girls, from 6months, to 10years! (we ask the question again… why did I have two boys?!!) Maggy from Red Ted Art and I loved wearing the dresses – we are both a #PoppyFrockLover 🙂 I warn you… there will now be a LOT of Britmumslive photos…! #MakeitBritish

The parcels arrived, and the tweets started (look at that packaging with the giraffe!)

And then we got DRESSED – and following the tiara theme, the lovely Georgie at Common Farm Flowers down in Somerset popped a beautiful floral tiara in the post arriving safely and in time to adorn the quiff…

If you would like your own Palava.co frock at 15% OFF, use the code BOATSANDFLOATS15 before the 12th July 2014… And failing that, for a chance to win a limited edition 2014 Boats Print reversible washbag, follow Poppy England on twitter and tweet I’m in it to win it with @poppyengland #poppyfrocklover.

Loved my three fabulous rings from another #PoppyFrockLover TreasuredBouquets – they just HAPPENED to coordinate perfectly! 🙂 For more thoughts on Britmums Live click here.

Ali also writes for Britmums here: GreenRoundUps and over on AGreenerLifeforus.com

key stage 2

Nokia Lumia 520 Cyan for ‘Big School’

For as long as I can remember, our eldest son has been pestering us for a mobile ‘phone.

We have resisted by telling him that he cannot have one, in fact does not need one…until AT LEAST he is at secondary school….

Well, that came around quickly… September was looming, so we started to look around for an affordable ‘phone for him. And found this Pay as you go on Three and a rather funky Nokia Lumia 520 Cyan perfect for ‘Big School’ (I’m guessing I will not be allowed to refer to it as big school anymore right?) So the plan is to get that for him for September as promised.

Anyway, end of Year 6, and the school takes the class of 28 children off to France for a week, and what does 11yo do a month before he is due to board a ferry? He leaves his MP3 player in his jeans’ pocket and ummm, I washed them, in the washing machine…And, yes, it no longer works.

And the poor thing was beside himself! “How can I listen to music on the coach trip to France?”.

So we checked with the teacher, and without the SIM card, he has been permitted to take the mobile phone away to France with him… Fingers crossed it comes back in one piece, and YES, he WILL be ceremoniously emptying every pocket before ANYTHING goes into the washing machine this weekend! And watch this space for a new Instagrammer – he can’t wait to get started 🙂

Ali also writes over on AGreenerLifeforus.com