Hints for Papa X

Just in case Father Christmas needs a helping hand in your house...... here are a few ideas for that list.....

1. Wind up Snail - £8 2. Carrot Pen - £3 3. Bird Hair Clips - £9.50 4. You are my Happy banner - £14 5. The Super Book for Super Heroes - £9 6. Fox Knee Socks - £9 7. Adventurers Mask - £5 8. Marine Paper Animals - £7 9. Gandhi t shirt - £20 10. Ram'ino Game - £9 11. Liberty Print Hairband - £14 12. Squirty Joke Camera - £4 13. Flower Press - £6 14. Kids Nail Varnish - £7 15. Bamboo Plate - £6 16. Cap Gun - £9 17. A Book to Illustrate - £8

Lunchbox Loveliness

I know I am not alone when I say I HATE making packed lunches. Is there anything less appealing that peeling open a can of tuna at 7am through slit eyes before realising you have run out of bread meaning either a trip to Waitrose to get a loaf of organic wholemeal or padding out the lunchbox with strictly forbidden Hula Hoops and Frubes. I bet you can guess which I choose.... However, I may loathe the shopping/ prep/ negotiations of the lunchbox but I love the kit. We have a whole cupbaord dedicated to snack pots, water bottles, melamine, bento boxes, lunch bags... you name it odds are we have it. So my kids may have a lunch of every additive, preservative and e number out there but it looks fabulous!!

1. Bobble Water Bottle - filters your water while you drink
2. The Wrapper - a reusuable plastic and material sandwich wrapper keeps your sarnie fresh as a daisy and nasty cling film. Just wipe clean and every now and then pop in the washing machine. Ours last about 1 year each! Brilliant.
3. Lunchbots - stylish metal bento box with various compartment configurations. Small but perfectky formed. I use this for my lunch and it's plenty big enough. Maybe a little wee for strapping lads.
4. Blafre lunchbox - perfect scandi retro design.
5. Wooden fork and spoon.
6. Kids Conserve Insulated Food Jar - allows you to give kids hot food in their lunchbox
7. Boon Snack Ball - sturdy snack pot that will keep crunchy foods from crushing
8. Yumbox - Lenny's favourite lunch. Bento filled with his 'picky' bits and pieces and no leaks!
9. Melamine Cup - designed by the great Helen Dardik

Friday Fancies

Thought I would share some of my top 'love, want, need' finds over the last few weeks..... some I have, and some I am saving the pennies in the jar for but all fabulous.....

Clockwise from top:

The Handmade Doll Company - these unique dolls are adorable. They are all individually created with love and great skill. Hope has a mermaid which takes pride of place in her cot. Lucky girl. There are lots of designs and even some wonderful ones for boys! At last!

Mahabis slippers. You know that irritation when you are slopping around the house on a rainy day in your slippers but have to pop out to the car to get your phone meaning an annoying change into proper shoes - an irritation no more. These are very stylish slippers with removable rubber soles. Lots of cute colour combos too.

Mother sweatshirt. Well, what can I say? It is simply a must.

Soothed by Nature cream - I have suffered from eczema all my life. I have tried 100's of creams, ointments and oils. Some work, some don't, some soothe and some make it worse. This all natural blend of shea butter, almond oil and essential oils is magic. I promise. If you have eczema please invest it some it will not disappoint! Thank you Bec!

Persiana - I want to learn how to cooked more persian food. Out of my kitchen comfort zone but very much in my taste zone. Starting with this book.

All terrain pull along wagon. 3 children under 4 = too much gubbins. Our beach trips have become a military operation to manoevre everyone from the carpark to the sand to set up camp for the day. No sooner has the blanket gone down than someone yells "I have left my ****** in the car". It's maddening. This is my solution. I know people generally use them from pulling kids around festivals but with their all terrain wheels it will make the beach a breeze...... in theory..... The original retro ones are made by Radio Flyer but they are a little £££ so think I will go for a slightly cheaper version the Tuff Terrain.

Father Christmas Preview

A few people have asked me what I think Lenny and Maurice will be getting from Father Christmas this year. Well, if today's behaviour is anything to go by then the answer is not a lot! However, I have been in touch with the North Pole and if they miraculously learn to share and stop snatching from one another then I think Father Christmas has these treats in store.....

LENNY

1. Recorder 2. Melamine Cup 3. Chocolate Money - from Sainsburys 4. Felt Mouse Slippers 5. Johnny Morris Bedtime Stories 6. The Wind in the Willows 7. Lollipops 8. Puzzle - from TKmax 9. Lion Plate 10. Spiderman Electric Toothbrush and Punch and Judy Toothpaste - from Superdrug 11. Classic Jokes - whoopee cushion, snapping gum and fake dog poo 12. Colouring Pencils - from TKmax 13. Shadow Puppets

MAURICE

1. Chocoltae Money - from Sainsburys 2. The Tale of Jeremy Fisher 3. Mr Men Stories 4. Harmonica 5. Mouse Felt Slippers 6. Humzingers - from Waitrose or any health food shop 7. Brambly Hedge 8. Mustela Multi Sensory Bubble Bath 9. Tiger Plate 10. Train Puzzle 11. Lollipop Sponge - from Primark 12. Rainbow Blocks - from Sainsburys

For girls that need spoiling this Christmas.....

1. Clothbound Classics - Amazon 2. Reid Coffee Table - Swoon Editions 3. Leather Satchel - Asos 4. Lily Lolo Eyeshadow - Feel Unique 5. Pipe Ring - Hattie Rickards 6. Cotton Cushion - French Connection 7. Wall Mounted Oak Flower Pot Holder - Made in Design 8. Cashmere Jumper - Chinti and Parker 9. Knotted Blanket - Zara Home 10. Magazine Basket - Zara Home 11. Art Print - Art Finder 12. Cable Knit Socks - H+M 13. Kitchen Aid Mixer - John Lewis 14. Underwater Camera - Amazon 15. Avocado and Jojoba Day Cream - Pai 16. Cup and Saucer - Toast 17. Penhaligans Earl Grey Candle - Feel Unique 18. Enamel Coffee Pot - Workshop Living

An Alternative Advent

With doting godparents and grandparents around ever ready to lavish chocolate and treats on my children I have decided to take a rather more high-brow approach to advent this year (don't you know...!) Forget the sweet treat calendar, this year it is a countdown of adventures. Throughout the year I have collected books from second hand shops and bought those we have borrowed time and time again from the library to make a collection of 24 'advent' tales. The boys will take turns to open one each morning and we will read it after bath that evening - although something tells me we wont wait that long. It may be too late to collect 24 books in time for Dec1st this year without blowing the Christmas budget out of the water and ordering them all from Amazon in one hit but you could borrow them from the library? After all it's the excitement of opening a new story each day isn't it? Here are the ones I chose:

1. A Home for Bird - Philip C Stead

2 .Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day - Judith Viorst

3 .Cars and Trucks and Things That Go - Richard Scarry

4. Desmond the Dinosaur - Althea

5. Miffy at the Seaside - Dick Bruna

6. This is London - M Sasek

7. The Selfish Giant - Oscar Wilde

8. The Not So Scary Snorklum - Paul Bright + Jane Chapman

9. My Green Day - Melanie Walsh

10. The Yellow House - Blake Morrison

11. Ferocious Wild Beasts - Chris Wormell

12. The Thorn in the Lions Paw - Louise Maxwell

13. Good Little Wolf - Nadia Shireen

14. Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs - Giles Andeae + Russell Ayto

15. Jack and the Flum Flum Tree - Julia Donaldson

16. Sir Scallywag and the Deadly Dragon Poo - Giles Andeae + Korky Paul

17. Solomon Crocodile - Catherine Rayner

18. The Little Engine that Could - Watty Piper

19. Best Storybook Ever - Richard Scarry

20. Imogene's Antlers - David Small

21. Penguin in Peril - Helen Hancock

22. Wild About Books - Judy Sierra

23. Farmer Duck - Martin Waddell + Helen Oxenbury

24. The Night Before Christmas - Clement C Moore + Eric Puybaret

Funky Legs

Most of my kids clothes are from either Primark or H+M both of which I think do fab clothes for smalls that are very reasonably priced. However, I do also splash out on a couple of things each season and more often than not this splurge will be on leggings. Yes, I have 2 boys but why on earth should girls get all the funky clothes? There is limited years I will get away with this I know but for now Lenny asks to wear them most days be it his snake pair or his toucan print or the most recent favourite his pugs! Maurice of course looks just as cute just doesnt know it yet! Here is my pick of lovely leggings for all sexes.....

1. Foxes - Tobias and the Bear, £15  2. Bows and Arrows - Beau Loves, £31 3. Frenchies - Polarn o Pyret, £18 4. Pugs - Mini Rodini, £23 5. Brown bears - Tobias and the Bear, £15 6. Zebras - Mini Rodini, £23 7. Pandas - Tootsa Macginty, £19 8. Tigers - Kidsen, £28

Wish List - 1 year olds

I cannot believe Maurice has his first birthday in a month - ahhhhh slow down......

My picks for 1 year olds:

1. Brio Daschund - £10 - Amazon 2. Gummy Bear Night Light - £26 - Amazon 3. Bubble Machine - £15 - ELC 4. I am a Bunny - £4 - Amazon 5. Playmobile 123 - £7 - Amazon 6. Vegetable Rattles - £10 - Sisters Guild  7. Baby Blanket - £34 - Not on the High St  8. Elephant Wellies - £26 - Kidsen 9. Rib Jumper - £26 - Waddler

A new era - the one piece

Pic Credit - Vogue

I have to be frank. Unless something very odd happens (like I get a lobotomy and manage to quit the wine and cake for the gym) I think my days of the itsy bitsy teeny weeny string bikini are over. I really cannot inflict anyone with my post pregnant wibble wobble. However, I am not down in the mouth - once upon a time the only option would have been a frumpy speedo which casts up horrendous memories of PE class in my teens (the stuff of nightmares) but now the one piece is a whole new story. Glamorous, classy and revealing just enough flesh to be oh so sexy - bring on the new era!

(Clockwise from the left) 1) Seafolly Desert Springs - £109 - Simply Beach 2) Cutout Maillot Suit by Mara Hoffman - £147 - Revolve Clothing 3) Printed Swimsuit - £30 - Next 4) Gloria Swimsuit - £39 - Monsoon 5) Kore Swim Flora - £198 - Free People 6) One Shoulder Swimsuit - £14.99 - H+M 7) Indigo Boat - £49.94 - Joules 8) Margate Swimsuit - £39.50 - Jack Wills 9) Motel Tutti Frutti - £40 - Asos 10) Mikoh Cloudbreak One - £168 - Free People 11) Reflective Palm Print - £32 - Asos 12) Tiled Waters by Nanette Lepore - £118 - Anthropologie

Beautiful Bits and Bobs for the Bubs

1. Collegien Slippers - £22 - Collegien 2. DIY word Banner - £10 - The Kid Who 3. Blanca Gomez poster - £23 - 1965 Kids 4. Rabbit printed magnetic wallpaper - £57 - Sisters Guild 5. Clara dress - £44 - La Coqueta Kids 6. Balloon power boat - £6 - Niddle Noddle 7. Elle Elephant Cushion - £28 - Ferm Living

GRRRRR Manly Tights

My boys are boys boys. As much as I have tried to steer Lenny down a gender neutral path he always veers towards the cars, trucks, dinosaurs and when we have a cuddle it always escalates into a rough and tumble. Turns out it is nature not nurture. I am not putting every child into a category this is just my experience with my own children. One day I hope to have a girl - I am dreaming of quiet hair brushing, doll house creation, hair clips and smocked dresses.... Oh OK, I am gender stereo typing, sorry.  But how cute are girls in pretty heart or flower print tights under a dungaree dress?! With boys I miss out on tights.... or so I thought...... Slugs and Snails is an incredible company that makes super cute and very manly tights specifically for boys (of course girls can wear them too - why can girls wear boys clothes but not vica versa? Unfair.) Forget lost socks and restricting chinos boys tights are the way forward.

Eat Them Up

These plates by Ingela Arrhenius are so darned cute I simply must have them. Non toxic melamine so breakages not a problem and dishwasher safe so eeeezy peeezy - surely even the fussy eaters couldn't refuse anything presented on such prettiness?!!?

£6.50 from The Kid Who

Home Wish List - if only I won the lottery!

1. Glass Pendant Lights from £225 - Curiosa and Curiosa 2. Phaedra Brody Print £360 - Yellow Korner 3. Nakashima chair £878 - Skandium 4. Jonah sofa £599 - Made 5. Line Blanket by Eleanor Pritchard £226 - Haus 6. Kobenstyle enamel pot £78 - Dansk 7. Air kitchen design (price on demand) - Devol Kitchens 8. Round Bowl £15 and Chopsticks £6 - Nom Living

Kick ass Kicks

When I was 14 my mum and I went shopping before the school year started and after we had ticked off the airtex shirts, white socks and other DULL items we turned to footwear and THERE. THEY. WERE. Black Nike Air Max with green and purple ticks. The exact same pair the coolest girl in school slouched about in and she was in the Upper Sixth. I begged my mum with the usual, "they will be perfect for hockey" nonsense but the sales assistant sucked her teeth and told us there was only 1 pair left - it was a size 36. HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!! My size. It was fate. I LOVED those trainers for the next 4 years until they had one rip too many and fell apart. I am not lying or exaggerating when I say I think of them often, sad though it is. Nowadays I do not wear trainers. My cupboard is all boots, flip flops, sandals and ugg styley things but I am feeling the urge to revisit the humble runner and try to revive those Nike's who were loved and not forgotten. These have all caught my eye:

1. Bolivar £55 - Le Coq Sportif 2. Nike Air Vortex £67 - Office 3. Oniksuka Tiger Colorado Eighty Five £39 Asos 4. Hummel Stadion £43 Rubber Sole 5. 420 £65 - New Balance

Sneaky Stocking preview.....

Quite a few people have been asking me what I think Father Christmas is putting in my boys stockings. Given that they are 2 years old and 5 months the answer should be a cardboard box and a tangerine but I fear festive madness has had a hand and some toys may be on the cards. Obviously I have no idea what Father Christmas has planned, we will have to wait and see, but if I had to hazard a guess here is what I think they will be getting.

Note: This is NOT a sponsored post but as you will see St Nick has favoured a certain online retailer named after a rainforest in South America (I think he was a little pushed for time). You will definately be able to source all these toys from smaller independent retailers.

MAURICE

1. Luigi the frog - £34 Bla Bla Dolls - this was in fact a birth present but he got so many lovely things it was saved for Christmas.
2. Bubbles - 50p our corner shop
3. Rainbow Stacker - £6 Sainsburys
4. Honks the Goose - £3 Amazon
5. Crocodile clacker - £1 Wilkinsons
6. Books (see below)
7. Alphabet Abacus - £4.95 charity shop

LENNY

1. Kaleideoscope - £9 Amazon
2. Bouncy Balls - 10p our corner shop
3. Chocolate money - £1 our corner shop
4. Swallow toy with real bird call - £7.25 Amazon - these are lovely they have most birds and when you press their tummy they sound their song.
5. Vintage Fisher Price drill - £8 Ebay
6. Chuppa Chup - 10p our corner shop
7. Bubbles - 50p our corner shop
8. Mr Potato Head - £15 Amazon
9. Grunting Pig - £6 Amazon - this is meant for a dog (!!) but they are brilliant and Lenny thinks they are hysterical!
10. Tangerine - 6p Sainsburys
11. Recycling Truck - £3.50 Early Learning Centre
12. Glockenspiel - £15 Amazon
13. Train Whistle - £4 Amazon
14. Books - (see below)

BOOKS

Our books wishlist this year, as always, is big but I hear Father Christmas favours them as they are so everlasting and educational (?!) so here is our Christmas hit list:

Animal Gym
The Saggy Baggy Elephant
Petunia
The Very Helpful Hedgehog
The Happy Lion
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
Lost and Found
The Dot
Bear Has a Story to Tell
Those Darn Squirrels

Dear Father Christmas, I have been a very good girl.......

1. Tribal Boots - £80 Toms 2. L'ombre dans L'eau wau de parfum - £85 Diptyque 3. Frances bag - £224 Ally Capellino 4. Owl iphone Case - £12 Magpie 5. Korres wild rose lip butter - £8 Feel Unique 6. Selma sweater - £145 Toast 7. Knit Mittens - £35 Hush 8. Dart Cuff - £89 The 2 Bandits

ART = the perfect present.

The perfect present to give (or receive hint hint!!) this Christmas is not diamonds, silk scarfs, shiny shoes or cashmere (although all rather nice) It is, in fact, art. Nothing says I love you this Christmas more than a beautiful picture for the wall - far more everlasting than chocolates. The problem arises in art being, in general, rather £££££ for the average budget. However, signed prints are more affordable and nearly as special. I am a huge fan of illustration of any kind and have collected a few prints over the years that I would grab in a fire almost before the children (joke!) Here are few very talented ladies that adorn my walls.

From left to right: Laura Stoddart, Emma Cowlam, Jessie Brennan, Claudia Schmid

Wish List..... pressies for under £20

1. Girl and a Godzilla flip doll - £18 Miszkomaszko 2. Les Animaux Magiques collage book - £12.50 Sisters Guild 3. Squirrel Night Light - £10 I love Retro 4. Wooden Doorbell House - £19.99 Little Butterfly Toys 5. Acorn Spinning Tops - £17 Shak-Shuka 6. Deer Books Ends - £14.40 The Modern Baby 7. Fisher Price Musical Teaching Clock - £19.99 Rowdy Roddy Vintage

Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails..... Boys Wish List

1. Kanken Mini rucksack - £45 i love my kanken 2. Darma Sheepskin Jacket - £38 Tootsa MacGinty 3. Personalised Knight's Sword - £15.50 Wooden Toy Gallery 4. Caribou Boots - £85 Sorel 5. Ride on Racing Car - £77 Oskar and Catie 6. Catapult with Foam Balls - £3.99 Doodlebugz 7. Schoenhut Piano - £125 Wood Thats Good 

Girls Wish List.... Sugar and spice and all things nice....

1. Palle Nulle by Lucky Boy Sunday - £68 Lapin and Me 2. Carousel Dress £44 - Belle and Boo 3. Mongolian Boots - £65 Celtic Sheepskin 4. Honey Bunny Coat by Little Goodall - £96 Etsy 5. Felt Elephant Bag with baby elephants - £42 Sisters Guild 6. Fold away Play Tent - £129 Nubie 7. Chevron tights by Bobo Chooses - £18.99 Kidsen