Wish we were there

Since I last blogged I have got a job (Joel calls it "Clever Mummys little job") we had a family holiday for a whole ten days and also have an allotment opposite our house awaiting some crops. How exciting eh!
The holiday was one of those where you feel like you need another holiday straight after, I think its always like that when you have children, theres no sign of any rest or relaxation when little folk are around. The change of scene and time together as a family was most welcome though.

We stayed in sunny Dorset and managed to hook up with our good pals Lisa and Margot for the first three days of our stay. We visited Swanage and went on a windswept playground by the sea

Took a trip on a steam train (choo choo) to Corfe Castle

Where we found a model village, of Corfe itself! One day I would love to make a model village of where I live.

The extensive gardens were great for children and adults with nooks and corners to explore, garden games and picnic spots.

Another day we visited Peppa Pig World, for those of you who don't know Peppa is an annoying, bossy pig with mass appeal to toddlers. It was a very well thought out theme park and it felt like you were actually in one of the cartoons while you were there.

However trauma struck at the front of a long queue when Joel was unable to go on a Dinosaur ride due to height restrictions. Its bothered him since and he has shed many a tear over it (we all did actually) The designated height is now marked on the kitchen wall with a dinosaur along with the promise of a go on it when he is tall enough.
Despite this we had a fantastic time and Joel got to meet Peppa herself! Que dodgy photo taken in a mum scrum...

From one world to another; Monkey World was another great outing. We had visited before but in winter and when Joel was tiny. Its the most amazing animal sanctuary. All their monkeys are rescued from sad lives, usually mistreated as pets (a trade which is not illegal) leaving them with lasting mental and physical damage. In the sanctuary they can live out their days in a fantastic purpose built environment. Check out the baby Orangutan, she was supposed to be hidden under the sheet with her Mum but kept dashing out to say hello to the onlookers and play with the other adults. Every now and then an extra long arm would come out of the sheet and pull her back under.

Joel loved it, especially the amount of outdoor climbing available. At the far end of the sanctuary it opened out into huge playing/picnic fields with an enormous climbing area, like nothing we'd seen before. Super high and pretty difficult Joel made short work of it with his chimp like moves (and a bit of Daddy help) All worth it for a go in a super fast bendy slide! I wonder what the monkeys made of them?

Climbing was somewhat of a theme, every time we went back to the flat (in an uber cool 1960s apartment block) Joel 'had' to climb up the ornate balustrade, shouting up the stairs "just leave the door open for me".

Hot pebbles under our feet on Lyme Regis beach.

I love the architecture there, check out the hexagonal slate tiles on the front of this house!

Love is................. The Donkey Sanctuary at Sidmouth.

The highlight of Lulworth Castle for Joel was this Postman Pat charity box, no really it was.

That and playing quoits in the castle gardens. Check out the views of Lulworth cove in the background, it was the most idyllic setting.

Hide and Seek ruled as the new game to play at any time

There were two of these lions in Bournemouth gardens, we told Joel they were sleeping and to be very careful not to wake them, however, Joels philosophy is that you haven't seen something unless you've climbed it.

A hunting we will go

Not since I was a child have the Easter holidays meant so much as I feel they do this year. Joel is at an age now where he can fully appreciate what's happening and so far there has been plenty.

We started the holidays at our good friends Easter party. Fresh air, digging, chasing, watching horses go by, moving with the sun, making baskets, eating butties and buns and (of course) hunting for eggs kept a gaggle of little'uns and big'uns happy.

That same weekend we met our great nephew for the first time. I'd forgotten how to hold a tiny baby so let Mr B hold him for our picture. Joel wasn't feeling very sociable and tried his hardest to sabotage the picture by blowing a raspberry, it was taken just as he laughed at his own joke so smiles all round.

A brilliant Easter parcel arrived from MD (Cuncle) which brought about the arrival, and fascination with, Lego in the form of a mega sticker book (Joel loves "ticking")

It was fascinating watching him stick people in line with the perspective of the images and where there were shadows denoting where the stickers should go he attempted sticking it face down, really carefully. It was cool. He's cool.

Gagga bought him a new trike, an early birthday present as if the weather is anything like last years waiting until his actual birthday would mean no triking. He spent most of the day carefully stacking items in the back of it, so proud of the results he said "Mummy take my picture"

Joel and I caught up with an old pal, who I hadn't seen since getting married. We visited Canopy The Woollen Woods, a woodland art installation of wildlife made from wool and felt.

It was great fun exploring the woods looking for critters. The work had been made by people from all over, they are still taking submissions so its a constantly evolving and growing piece.

Joel was obsessed with who might live through this door. He shouted "Hello. Are you in?" through it and said he could hear someone coming down the stairs inside.

I said that maybe an owl lived there but had got too fat to use his front door, Joel found that a plausible answer and low and behold if there wasn't a big fat owl sat in the branches!!

Weirdly seeing this little door tied into an idea I had just the day before, confirming to me it was a good one. I will keep you posted on it.

Oh and I got a new job which I start on Tuesday, eeek first job in three years. Excited, nervous, tired...all of the above. Again I'll keep you posted!

Make do and mend

I bought three pairs of jeans almost two years ago, two skinnys and one straight leg. They are all a great fit but something I do in my everyday life has meant that each pair has got a hole in the left knee. The mystery remains as to why the left knee goes and not the right but the hole is no more as I patched it using some Liberty print canvas.

Here's how I did it....

You will need;
Fabric (has to be fabric of equal thickness to garment or you'll just end up patching the patch)
Threads (one that matches the garment and also one, or more, for the patch-in contrasting or matching colours)
Bondaweb
Card
Pencil
Unpicker
Iron and board
Sewing Machine (optional)

1) Using an unpicker carefully unpick the jeans down the outside edge (that's where there is just single stitching) from five inches above to five inches below the area to be patched. This gives you the ability to work on a sewing machine. If you are happy hand stitching then this step isn't necessary but could still make the job easier.
2) Make a template of your patch shape using card, I chose a circle but traditionally they are square, ensure it is bigger than the hole you are patching. Draw round this template on the paper side of the Bondaweb. Then follow Bondawebs simple instructions on pack to end up with bonded patch.
3) Iron bonded patch onto garment.
4) Carefully run through sewing machine, or hand stitch, over edges of patch (this will ensure it doesn't lift) I chose a zig zag stitch in contrasting colour.
5) Optional- Then either by hand or machine work more stitching onto the patch. This gives decorative effect but also means patch is well secured.
6) Carefully stitch the garment back together (remember to change your thread!)

Back of patching when complete

Front of patching when complete

It seemed wrong to throw them out just because of a little wear and tear, so hey presto one pair of jeans with no draughts! I wonder if the patch will out live the right knee???

The Day Aquatic

This weekend MD, or 'Cuncle' as Joel likes to call him, came to visit. We are experiencing some rather strange Spring weather with snow drops and snow flakes out in equal quantities, bitter winds have made outdoor activities face stingily enduring so indoor fun was called for.
We headed out to Lakes Aquarium, another local attraction which we've never been to. The Aquarium has its own steam railway station and is on the edge of Lake Windermere, we admired the views from the warmth of the upstairs cafe whilst tucking into afternoon tea, yum.
The Aquarium was ace with every type of sea life imaginable, including Otters, baby Crocodiles and Starfish (which wriggle around like worms!) There was lots to look at, or run past in Joels case.

Joel loved it apart from when he got scared of the giant tortoises, he thought they weren't real and then one moved which gave him a start. He even managed to drop some Lego (a police mans torso) in one of the displays so we had to call a man with a big scooping net to come and get it! By the end of our visit Joel was getting pretty tired, we had a brilliant time though and I think this picture says it all.

Scary Beary Museum

Yesterday we had an animal blast. The week had got off to a shaky start when Joel took a tumble on a play ground, climbing as usual, and managed to split his head open. We were playing on our own but two lovely mums dashed over to help us back to the car (it was obvious hospital attention was needed). I'm pretty squeamish but did well to remain vaguely calm and collected. After some crazy driving and even crazier singing (to keep him awake) and a long wait at the hospital our brave little rascal was glued back together again. 'Quiet Activities' were suggested on the head injurys leaflet, not an easy feat with Joel.
Racking my brains for what to do I was chuffed to find that Kendal Museum (just down the road) was offering free entry at the moment so yesterday morning we headed over and met our good pals there. Its a really old style museum, rammed full of lots of weird and wonderful things. It offers, amongst other things, an enormous collection of Taxidermied species, many displayed in antique cases. Its very dimly lit giving it an eery feel, great!

Soon after arriving I could hear Joel (toddlers do leg it off in places like this) shouting "Hedgehog, Hedgehog!"I just thought he'd seen one in a case and carried on looking at stuff when there he appeared carrying a stuffed one! Here he is posing next to it with his "ouchy finger"(prickled)

This moose head was mounted high up above a stairwell so I was unable to photograph with any scale reference but it was massive. Just like the one in Return to Oz.

They had a lot of free childrens activities too, these exploratory boxes were great with fossils, butterflies and even a dragonfly inside.

The John Hamer collection of minerals had a staggering 2000+ examples. This reclusive character spent his time potholing and collecting minerals, the entire collection was catalogued and moved from his house when he passed away. Its great to see someones lifes work giving so much pleasure.

Minerals displayed in a Victorian lamp table 

A hand drawn diary of his finds

Raaaaaah! Downstairs we found this guy, teeth and claws at the ready! Joel posed for a picture with him, just after I snapped this he stepped back onto the bears mount and it rocked forward a few inches over him....

..this would have been the view! No wonder he shrieked and ran to my legs saying "Mummy I scared of the bear!!"