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31 May 2015

Black & White Photo Project Week 47


I absolutely love these letters, they look great in the day or at night and equally as amazing in black and white.

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30 May 2015

An Evening Stroll

I have mentioned the fields of gold behind our house before, they are slowly fading, but we have managed to get out and walk through them a few times.

A familiar sight we had seen driving in the car, but one we had never really got to explore. In our new home that has changed and we get to see the beautiful fields behind us as they grow and change.


We got to stop and look at the seed pods, it was great to see the actual part of the plant they make into the oil.


I love the fields they look so beautiful, especially when the sun is shining on them.


We carried on walking to see what was further round the corner and if we could get to Bestwood Country Park from the top of the hill. We couldn't but it did mean that we got to play with our shadows, I love how these two can be at each other one minute and the best of friends playing nicely the next.


From the top of the hill you can see for miles, we could see planes coming in to land at East Midlands  Airport and the cooling towers at Radcliffe on Soar, which are about 12 miles away.


There are more fields beyond these and we can't wait to see what they've got growing in them, we know we can get in to Bestwood Country Park from just a bit further down the road, so once the weather gets nicer we will take a long walk over there.

Linking up to Country Kids on Coombe Mill

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

28 May 2015

Marquee Love Letters from One Stop Craft Shop

I was recently approached by the One Stop Craft Shop, to see if I would be interested in reviewing some of their new range of Marquee Love letters.

As we have just moved house, our new home is a blank canvas in most rooms. In the kitchen however, we are almost there, we have chosen colours and some new furniture and it is really starting to come together.

Firstly, I had to choose a word to have displayed in lights, EAT seemed very appropriate for the kitchen! So, with my word chosen I was sent some letters and coloured papers to get me started, craft is something I love doing but sometimes it's very difficult to find the time, so this was the perfect excuse and opportunity for me to get crafty.


The letters themselves are made from cardboard, they come with the lights and bulbs which slot onto the front, as well as a template to make it easy to cut the paper.


First of all you need to draw around the template and carefully cut it out, I found you need to cut exactly on the line otherwise it doesn't quite fit in into the letter.


Once you have cut out the shape you need to fit it into the letter and then using a pencil I poked the holes into the front to place the lights and bulbs onto the front.


With the paper being slightly thick, it meant the bulbs didn't slot into holes as easily as they could, I certainly had sore fingers at the end of it all. Be careful not too push too hard onto the cardboard and if need be, put a little pressure on the other side to stop it from putting any strain on the cardboard.

Once I had completed the first letter, the following ones were a breeze.


I absolutely love the finished look though, its fabulous and so effective,  they look perfect on top of my kitchen unit in both the day and at night.


I can't wait for evenings in the garden, to be able to put these on and see them through the window, they are really bright so perfect for an alternative to lamps. They are battery operated by two AAA batteries, so don't need to be need a plug either.


These fabulous letters mean that you can swap and change the colour scheme as much as you like, to suit your rooms, whether it be for children's rooms, kitchen or lounge or even parties and weddings. You can even get additional bulbs in blue and pink, the options are endless and if you hop on over to One Stop Craft Shop there is plenty more inspiration from their huge range of stock.

Plus if you feel like a change you can always swap the letters round....



So, what word would you create? Family, Love, Home???

The paper used in this project were, Mini Dots Gold Foiled Paper and Confetti Gold Foiled Paper.

NB: I was sent the letters and papers to create this post, all words and opinions are my own.

27 May 2015

The Fabulous Bakers Review

We were recently offered some of the new natural range from The Fabulous Bakers, I was looking forward to receiving these, as I knew they would make a fun addition to lunch boxes and a great mid morning snack.

From the fabulous mango and pineapple bars, to the more traditional golden oat flapjacks there is something in the range to suit all tastes.

My son definitely preferred the chip off the old choc flapjacks but I think that may be to do with the fact it has chocolate in, a close second were the raspberry and white chocolatey popcorn bars, although my husband did mention the popcorn tasted a little strange as it was soft.



After checking they were nut free, which they all were, expect the bars of berry good things. I popped one in my sons packed lunch. I love oats as they are a great slow release energy which means they are perfect for the afternoon.


The fruity ones, although they still got eaten were probably not as much liked, possibly they'd suit older children or adults. The bars are packed with honey rather than sugars and sweeteners which are a big no-no in this house, so these bars are something I don't mind the children having as a snack.

For my tastes, they are a little too sweet, although I did like the berry bar so maybe it is a good job the children didn't enjoy them as much.

The packs of four bars are priced at £1.50 and are currently available from Asda, they are a little more than I would normally pay for something like this, however for snacks I can just keep in the  cupboard and that the children will eat and are not full of rubbish, it's a price i'd be willing to pay. The children have been asking to find them when we've in the shop so I don't think this will be the last time we have them.

NB: We were sent these bars for review, all opinions are my own.

Visiting Edinburgh

When you mention Edinburgh to people, it’s often one of those places that they would love to go to and visit.

Whether it is to see the beautiful Edinburgh Castle or to visit the National Museum of Scotland and soak up some of the most beautiful treasures of the world, there is a bit of something for everyone.

Photo from http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk 
If you enjoy a bit of retail therapy, then the Royal Mile is host to many shops and restaurants as well as plenty more places to visit including the Palace of Holyrood and the Scottish Story Telling Center.

For those visiting with children and for animal lovers of all ages, there is Edinburgh Zoo, home to the only Giant Pandas in the UK, as well as monkeys, rhinos, lions and the world-renowned Bundongo trail.
Photo from http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk

The zoo is perfectly situated next to the newly refurbished Holiday Inn Edinburgh, this also offers easy access to and from the airport for those who are visiting via the city by plane.

With so much to see and do it’s a great place to make a visit for a weekend  or even longer, whether with children,  as a couple or with friends.

NB: This is a collaborative post.

26 May 2015

In the Night Garden Party at Alton Towers

On Sunday, we were invited to a party, this was a very special party in honour of some long standing favourites of our children. Who? You ask, well, it was Iggle Piggle and Upsy Daisy from In the Night Garden and they had invited us to celebrate not one, but two fabulous milestones.

Firstly, the In the Night Garden ride at CBeebies land just turned one, a momentous occasion which meant it was only right this was the first ride we went on. We saw all our favourite characters as we sat in the little boat and floated around.


After we'd seen our friends, we headed to the party room, straight away we saw the two party hosts and my super excited daughter ran over to go and see them. I think her face says it all, but they were absolutely wonderful and took the time to give her hugs and have their pictures taken. 


My son, who is a little older, went and took part in some of the fabulous craft projects they had going on, so he definitely didn't feel left out. There were Macca Pacca's stone and Iggle Piggle's rattle to decorate, face painting, some fantastic balloon modelling and of course, lots of singing and dancing. It was by far one of the best children's parties we have ever been to.


Once we had filled up on party food, including some really scrummy cake, we said goodbye to Iggle Piggle and Upsy Daisy, picked up our goodie bags (thanks for those guys, they were a hit) we headed out to the park.

Daddy went on lots of exciting looking rides, whilst Mummy and the children watched, if you are going with children the single rider queue is a great way to get on the rides quickly. We all got wet and foamy on the Ice Age 4D ride and went to see lots of fish in the Shark Bait Reef Sealife Centre, it was a really varied and fun filled afternoon.

Finally, before we went home we went back to CBeebies land, as the queues had died down a little we headed to the fabulous new Octonauts ride, it took a while to get on but the kids haven't stopped talking about it, so i'd say it was a hit. The queues in CBeebies land are long so be prepared, there are lots of activities in the queues but that only helps so much.


Everything was interactive and Mr Blooms Nursery was really fabulous, the staff couldn't have been more helpful, a lot better than I remember from several years ago, so well done to Alton Towers for getting it right and making sure that as a family everything was just perfect.

Oh and I forgot to mention the second reason for celebration, we all know Iggle Piggle loves his blanket, well they made a super duper big one which is now in the Guinness Book of Records.


Thank you for inviting us to celebrate with you Iggle Piggle and Upsy Daisy, we had a great time.

NB: We were invited to Alton Towers for the purpose of the party, we were given complimentary tickets to use on the day.

24 May 2015

Black & White Photo Project Week 46



My daughter, she loves pink, mermaids, princesses and tutus but she also loves water fights, getting dirty and climbing. It's not the clothes or the colour that define the child, but the person in them!


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22 May 2015

I'm Going to BritMums Live




Name: Ellie

Blog: The Mummy Diary


Twitter ID: themummydiaryuk

Height: 5'10

Hair: Short and shades of brown and blonde.  I had it cut off for charity 20 months ago and I've kept it short ever since (much easier in the morning rush)

Eyes: Blue

Is this your first blogging conference?: Yes, I am kinda nervous as it's my first time but I know lots of great bloggers from Nottingham already and have the lovely Jaime from The Olivers Madhouse to take me under her wing. Although once i've had a glass of wine there is usually no stopping me from chatting!!

Are you attending both days?: Yes, got me a day off work for this bad boy ;)

What are you most looking forward to at BritMums Live 2015?: Putting names to faces, socialising with lots of like minded people and finding some great brands to talk too. A weekend away is also a bonus!

What are you wearing?: What right now???? On the day I have no idea, hopefully weather permitting at least some Sun Jellies on my feet for comfort and then probably skirt or jeans and whatever is clean and ironed!

What do you hope to gain from BritMums Live 2015?: I've been blogging a while now but I am still kind of a newbie, having only 'come out' about my blog about 20 months ago, before then I was just writing about me and not really shouting about it. So I am looking forward to hearing from the experts and finding out how I can make my blog better.


I am still looking for sponsorship for Britmums. I have a few packages available so if you are interested and would like more information then drop me an email at ellie@themummydiary.co.uk for a virtual cuppa and a chat.

18 May 2015

Ivy Cabin Review & Giveaway

A few weeks ago I was approached by the lovely people at Ivy Cabin to see if I would like to review one of their products. A quick look round their beautiful website and it wasn't hard for me to find several gorgeous items to choose from that I knew would fit in my home.

My daughters room currently lacks pretty storage, so I chose this beautiful bear drawstring bag for her dressing up clothes.


Arriving beautifully wrapped I was excited to open it, it was a lot bigger than I was expecting which is good and is great quality. It has a drawstring across the top and a hook so you can hang on a on the back of the door.

The perfect size for all my daughters dress up clothes and easy for her to open too.


I think it fits perfectly with the mixed vintage and modern styling we have in her room, and I am a huge fan of the bear print on the bag. It is well worth the money and I think £10 is great value for such a huge bag!


And finally the lovely people over at Ivy Cabin have given me one of these fabulous sacks to giveaway, just enter via the Rafflecopter widget below (T&Cs apply and can be found on the entry options). Plus if you can't wait to see if you win or see something you fancy over on Ivy Cabin's website then you can get 10% off until the end of May with code MUMMYDIARY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

17 May 2015

Black & White Photo Project Week 45


Swirling, twirling in the fields of gold behind our house!

11 May 2015

A Walk Amongst The Bluebells

The last Bank Holiday weekend was, in traditional British style, a bit rubbish on the weather front. With on and off rain over most of the weekend, so when we saw that Monday would be brighter, we took advantage of this and went out to walk amongst the bluebells.

Bunny Wood is in the top 10 bluebell woods in the country, it's not too far from us and is somewhere I remember visiting with my mum and dad when I was younger.

We started off down the path and found a pond, it was teeming with tadpoles and pond skaters so we spent a few minutes looking for them all, then off we went to find the bluebells.


The floor was carpeted with bluebells, it was as far as the eye could see and just stunning!


With lots of different paths to follow, we were spoilt for choice, there were also little bridges and some hills, so it was an exciting walk. My daughter had chosen to dress as a fairy so there were lots of comments from other walkers, which was lovely.


With so many other flowers and blossoms out there were lots to see, and with so many birds tweeting it was a lovely sensory experience.


If you are local to Nottingham I can highly recommend a trip here before the bluebells disappear for the year, mixed in with so many other wildflowers like these buttercups it was so very pretty.


We had an absolutely wonderful time exploring the woods, looking for bugs and birds, there were even butterflies flying around, it was fantastic.


Linking up to Magic Moments over on The Olivers Madhouse

10 May 2015

Black & White Photo Project Week 44


If you go to the woods today you might very well see this beautiful little fairy, on our trip to Bunny woods to see the beautiful bluebells I snapped this one.

9 May 2015

Disney on Ice - Magical Ice Festival Review

Last week, we went to see the magic that is Disney on Ice. It's the first time we have taken the children to see anything on ice and it won't be the last, the magic, speed and atmosphere was just amazing and we all had a fantastic time.


Starting off with The Little Mermaid, the songs and theatrics dazzled, with Ariel spinning from a rope in the centre of the ice. I had forgotten how moving the songs from The Little Mermaid are and I have to admit I had a tear in my eye as I sang along to the songs (sorry to anyone next to me)


Next up was Rapunzle from Tangled, we love this film, it is beautifully sweet and the characters they chose to use had something for everyone, including my seven year old son. It wasn't completely princess related and with Maximus the horse and the the pub thugs playing a huge part it really was great fun.


After the break, we went on to Beauty and the Beast, a beautiful classic which I was looking forward to, with some wonderful characters including Lumiere, Cogsworth and Mrs Pots it was sure to be a visual delight and we weren't disappointed.

I expected the children to be a little scared of the Beast but they weren't, instead with the excitement of the ice skating they were in awe.


And finally, on to the moment we had all been waiting for, you could almost feel the anticipation for this part of the show, especially with so many Anna's and Elsa's in the audience.

Frozen was as exciting as I'd hoped it would be, with my daughter not quite sure where to put herself with all the excitement, Elsa's ice skating skills were brilliant and it was amazing that just one person on the ice could bring such magic.


The much loved Olaf brought the biggest cheer of the evening as well as some colour and magic to the ice, absolutely brilliant!


Sven and Kristoff were so lovely, quite how the ice skaters inside managed to make Sven act so real is beyond me, but they were great.


Now that we know both children love something like this, we will definitely be back to watch another, I was worried that the dark arena would be a little scary for my four year old daughter and when she'd seen other pictures she said the same but in the end it was fine.


My daughter said that she like 'everything' apart from the part with Prince Hans was about to kill Elsa, which I think is fair.

My one gripe about the show was the cost of the merchandise, £8 for a small Disney bag and some popcorn is a little much, but it's the same wherever you go so was expected.

There is still time to see this magical show as it is playing at Leeds First Direct Arena from 13-17th May, for more information check out the Disney website.

NB: We were given tickets to attend the show, all pictures and words are my own.