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Just you and me enjoying the farm.

Toadstool toys review- Haba sevilla blocks

We recently entered a competition to become 'toy testers' for the UK based company 'The Toadstool', we were unsuccessful  however we did get a lovely surprise in the form of a 25% discount code as a consolation prize. The website is really lovely, easy to navigate and stuffed full of beautiful ethically made toys. I loved the ideas for special occasions and the list of 15 toys for babies and children of each age.

Haba Sevilla blocks- this construction lasted for all of 5 seconds!

 It was really hard to chose what to order, in the end I went for two sets of Haba blocks one as a gift for a friend  and one for Little B- the Sevilla set.They looked so beautiful I couldn't resist them and I thought they would be a lovely addition to Little B's basket of construction toys.

Ooh, what's in here?

The blocks arrived quickly and well packaged, Little B really enjoyed ripping open the tissue packaging. I added the blocks to his basket and then let him get busy exploring them.

Listen Mumma!

There are 25 blocks in the Sevilla set including a rattle blocks, bell, prisms magnifiers and peepholes. The blocks are all sorts of shapes and colours and beautifully decorated. They feel really well made and chunky.  The Sevilla blocks are made from beechwood and stained with non-toxic water based paints.

Haba make sustainable and ethically produced products in Germany with an emphasis on quality and durability, for more information on their ethical and environmental policies check out their website.

Little B really enjoyed exploring the blocks- he gave them a good chew, turned them slowly round in his hands and then shook them- a few make a lovely noise whilst others were good for looking through. The two coloured minaret shapes seemed to be particular favourites and were carried about for a while before being put into his truck and pushed about. They were just the right size for little hands!

I like this one the best!

Little B is probably a little bit young for these blocks- although he loved knocking them down, shaking and exploring them and giving them a good chewing. However I can imagine them being a core part of his growing collection of construction blocks, the bright colours and unusual designs and shapes would really spark a childs' imagination. Whilst the set isn't cheap you could easily add to it with cheaper plain blocks and use the Haba blocks to give and extra imaginative boost!

Mum

Once you were young
And you're hair was dark
You sang to me, read to me
Cuddled me tight

Slowly so slowly
We all grew up
And suddenly, suddenly
I was too old for all that

I left, moved out
Moved on and moved up
I was older, wiser
and all grown up

Then along came my baby
Who needed me so
And I needed someone
Who loved me still

Your hair is silver
And you're smaller than me
You sing to him, read to him
And cuddle him tight.

But when he is sleeping
And I'm oh, oh so tired
You help me, talk to me
And cuddle me tight

For my Mum on her birthday!

advices and queries 2- forgiveness

Bring the whole of your life under the ordering of the spirit of Christ. Are you open to the healing power of God's love? Cherish that of God within you, so that this love may grow in you and guide you. Let your worship and your daily life enrich each other. Treasure your experience of God, however it comes to you. Remember that Christianity is not a notion but a way.


I'm not, by nature a forgiving person. I don't find it easy to forgive others, I struggle to find that peace and acceptance, but I don't want to slide into bitterness and I realise that just as I would want other to forgive me so I have to forgive them. What does this have to do with 'that of God within'? Well I think that hoarding old hurts and stewing over them is one sure fire way to dampen down the light of God. Quaker worship brings to me a sense of deep and lasting peace and I would like to be able to nurture that sense so that it lasts throughout my daily life. Christianity is described as 'a way' and again if I am not burdened with old hurts surely that leaves me more time to live out a good life? How do I make space for God in a busy life? How do I ensure that I am not so busy that I miss the small clear voice that calls to me? Worship, silence and space are, for me, the answer. 

Quakers are called to bring the whole of their lives under the ordering spirit of God, therefore every task I do or leave undone, ever conversation I have with friends, colleagues and family, every word I type should all be done in the knowledge of the light that shines within every individual, and examined as to whether it increases or diminishes that light. 

Messy play- splish, splash, splosh!

Splish, Splash, splosh!

I recently decided to take the plunge and order a 'tuff spot'- basically a plastic tray used for mixing concrete. They're also perfect for messy play as they contain the mess, are easy to clean, light and easy to store and relatively cheap.

I decided to make the most of the nice weather and give the tuff spot it's maiden 'voyage' outside. I filled it with left over herbal tea (raspberry leaf!) which I left to cool in the sun and then threw in a few spoons, a funnel and a baby. Then just sat back on the rug and watched him explore! The tea smelt really nice and Little B loved pouring it over himself, splashing in it and drinking some too. After half an hour I decided to bring him is as he was looking a little chilly and I was worried he might wash off the sun-cream. After a quick wash and reapplication of sun-cream we went back out, and he immediately crawled over to the now empty tuff spot and sat in it looking most put out that it was empty! Clearly a success!

Mix mix mix

Pouring and drinking!

I'm linking this post up to 'Messy Play for Matilda Mae' Thankyou to all the lovely people who've posted their own messy play- so many ideas to try!

Advices and Queries 1. The work that love can do.

"Advices and Queries" is a slim red volume of 42 suggestions to help Quakers evolve spiritually. It forms a small but very important part of the larger book "Quaker faith and practice" they're short and deceptively simple little bits of text which seek to gently prompt friends to look at their own life and practice  And once you start to think about them what initially seems simple can become more complex than you could possibly imagine!
Every day when I wake up I read one of these before I get out of bed, and all day long whenever I get a chance I think about it, it pops in and out of my mind as I go about my life and then in the evening I spend a bit of time just collecting all those thoughts and ideas that have swilled around in my head. I try to keep the same advice or query for a few days as I find that the second, third or fourth day may bring new and deeper understandings.
So I thought, why not document that here? Why not collect a few of those ideas and share them on the blog? So, here goes- Advices and Queries number 1!

1. Take heed, dear Friends, to the promptings of love and truth in your hearts. Trust them as the leadings of God whose Light shows us our darkness and brings us to new life.

Do I take heed of these promptings? Do I make space and take time to hear these promptings or am I too busy rushing around to hear them? And when I hear them do I act on them or do I dismiss them as 'too hard' or put them off till later? I think I am guilty of this, I try and take a little time but there are a few things I feel drawn too at the moment that I'm 'putting off' because they seem too hard or might take up too much time. But I need to follow these promptings and if time is an issue perhaps it's time to re-evaluate what I spend my time on?

Trust, do I trust these leadings? Sometimes I start to pull them apart looking for problems or negatives, I doubt myself and them and instead I need to be more open and if I am in doubt take these ideas to other Friends and ask for their help in discernment.

Inspiring crafters and makers- meet Helen aka all at sea

 

Are you looking for a unique piece of jewelry perhaps with nautical twist? Or do you love poetry and prose? Then meet todays inspiring crafter/maker : the lovely and very talented Helen Braid from all at sea. Helen made the gorgeous necklace and earrings I bought to wear on my first day back at work, as well as making jewelry inspired by the Scottish coast Helen also writes very poignant and moving poetry on her blog, I would highly recommend you check it out, it's one of only a few blogs that I have to read the minute I get notification of a new post! Be warned though, you might need tissues for some of the posts! I particularly love this poem about getting older and this one about when your children don't look like you, reading these poems has inspired me to have a little go myself (although not in any way in the same league!) Helen is one very talented lady who's been involved in the Matilda Mae Memorial auction, designing the lovely badge and she also has a pair of ridiculously cute kids! (I admit it, I'm jealous!)

Without further ado meet Helen!

Where can we find you on the web?

Website

Blog

Facebook

How long have you been crafting/making for?

10 months

What made you start crafting/making? 

I love lighthouses and had been looking for a lighthouse necklace for years. Having never found one that I liked I decided to make my own!

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I live on the beautiful West Coast of Scotland and it’s easy to be inspired by the beaches, cliffs, islands and beautiful sea views.

Faith Hope and Love necklace

If you could master any other craft what would it be? 

Writing! That is my current passion.

What would your top tips for new crafter be? 

Believe in your own product and shout about it. Knock on doors, I approached several local shop keepers as soon as I had a small collection and was amazed when 4 out of 5 agreed to take the jewellery! Locally designed and made produce is very sellable for shopkeepers so believe in yourself – the worst they can do is say no! I also had business cards printed and launched a small website which seemed to help people take me seriously.

North Star necklace

What food keep you going for a long making session?

Coffee and cake!

Do you have any favourite crafters/bloggers/websites you could share?

www.facebook.com/ByMyOwnFairHandAyrshire is the community page for an art and craft event I am organising this September in conjunction with Craft Town Scotland.

Anything else you'd like to share?

One thing that I think trips up many independent designers/makers is the pricing issue. Don’t undersell yourself. Work out your price based on your materials but don’t forget to include your time! It’s very easy to become a ‘busy fool’ - set your prices too low initially and it’s very hard to put them up!

Seahorse necklace