Pretty Things

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Sparkling Stars - easy kiddo DIY

Lola and Kiki pulled their art kits out this morning, for some craft time. Miss Baya likes to join in, so I came up with this simple craft activity for her to do :) (kept her fingers out of her sisters paints!!)

Cut an even number of squares of book covering film. Peel the backing off one square, and lay it sticky side up. Cut a long piece of thread and lay it across the film.

Stick your chosen decorations onto the film leaving spaces in bewtween them, and sprinkle some glitter in between.

Peel the backing off a second square, and press it over the decorated piece. 

Add more squares of book film, leaving a  little thread showing between the squares.

Voila! They look super pretty hanging in a sunny window! Perfect toddler craft, not too messy as long as you don't mind glitter EVERYWHERE!!!

Sponsor Love - Oh Erin

Hey!

I'm Erin. I'm a 20 year old pierced, tattooed, crazy-haired, nature loving crafter from North Wales. I live in the beautiful countryside and am somewhat new to the world of blogging (well disciplined blogging anyway)! I have recently set up and Etsy and Folksy shop selling handmade clay jewellery and small textiles - i'm hoping to pursue a full time crafty career but with so much competition it's proving rather difficult!

 You can find my shops at:

www.erinydwi.etsy.com
www.folksy.com/shops/erinydwi

 My ultimate goal is to branch out into vintage clothing and to get a vintage caravan and turn it into a mobile vintage shop travelling all round the country. That's still a little way off though. :)

holiday snaps (image heavy)

snaps from the first couple of days at Center Parcs... somehow I never got my camera out while we were visiting family :( Too busy having fun! (and drinking sambuca on the saturday night :O )

1 & 2 - Lola and Kiki running in the woods behind our villa
3 & 4 - feeding the ducks!
5 - chilling
6 - squirrel!!
7 - coffee, book and an hour to myself :)
8 - the squirrel that came right into the villa!
9 to 15 - fun at the park

more to come.....!!!

Sponsor Shoutout

I'm a bit later than planned putting this out! I'm struggling to get back into 'normal' life after our holiday!

I'm changing sponsors up a little - I don't want to spend as much time as I have sorting it all out, SO - all sponsors will be one standard size. More button swapping, if you want to write a guestpost , or offer a giveaway that's great - but not compulsory!

So - all that said, if you want to advertise your blog/small business - here are the details:

• group intro post
• ad's rotated weekly for maximum exposure
• mid-month catch-up
• optional giveaway or a guestpost (or both if you want!) 

EMAIL ME if you are interested in advertising or button swapping :)

Living Life Your Way.... Interview with Thursday from My Girl Thursday

I've been working hard the last few months at overcoming my fears and following my dreams. So I'm running a series of interview with inspiring people to see what part fear has played in their life and how they've overcome it to live life their way...

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*Hey! Tell us a little about yourself.

Hello friend. My name is Thursday. I'm a compulsive crafter, lifelong thrifter, hideaway hermit, baker extraordinaire and mama to a seriously blissed out one year old. I own and operate a handmade business and blog by the name of My Girl Thursday.

*Is the life you lead now the life you've always dreamt of?

Well, I guess that would depend on which dream we're talking about. I can't flap my wings and fly so I guess some of my dreams are a bust, but for the most part I live a very blessed life. My partner and I both work from home. He runs a Chinese medicine practice and I have my blog and shop. We have a hilarious daughter, Georgia, and she is the best part of every single day. Yes, I would say our life is pretty dreamy!

*When you have faced difficulties, what has been your inspiration to keep going?

For sure I have! Actually, most often my biggest difficulty is overcoming all the nonsense that I've created in my mind. When it comes to my creative life I sometimes catch myself comparing myself to other creative ladies. I'll get bummed out that my stuff doesn't look like theirs, my writing doesn't sound like my photos aren't as pretty as theirs. Instead of admiring their work and finding inspiration from their story I fall into a pit of envy. That sort of thinking can spiral out of control rather quickly and end in rash decisions. Now when I find myself doing this I take a step back and take a break from what I'm doing. Often times it stems from frustration - from working too much or not being able to get through a new project. The truth is that I love the things I make, I love my style and I've worked very hard to get where I'm at now.

 

*Fear affects us all at some point. What part has fear played in your life and how have you overcome it?

Unfortunately fear has played a leading role in my life. I have been dealing with social anxiety since my first handshake (okay, earlier). For a very long time I allowed it dictate my life. No social events, very few friends, and definitely nothing that could possibly be judged harshly by others. It was horrible. As soon as I would step into a social situation I would hear people thinking terrible things about me - "she is so stupid." "what is she wearing?" "why would she say that?" All these things may as well have been said aloud, because I was hearing them so clearly they felt real.


A couple years ago I took part in a social anxiety support group (yea, I know the idea is kind of funny) and I found that to be really helpful. I was also on a range of anxiety and depression medications for many years as well. But what has helped me the most is actively seeking out happiness - not settling for what is easy or good enough. So while I happily spend some of my time dreaming of a better life, I also spend a great deal of time setting goals and taking action. It's incredibly satisfying setting aside self doubt and just making your dreams happen.




*What advice would you offer on following your heart and living your dreams?

First you have you decide what it is that you really want in life. Remember, just because anything is possible doesn't mean that everything is possible (or even necessary). Once you've decided your goals I find it helpful to create smaller steps that will help you move towards your main objective. I have found that this make the process a lot less intimidating, more measurable and it totally helps me keep my head in the game.

If you blog and you're comfortable sharing this process with your readers I would totally suggest doing so. Once I announce a goal to my audience I can't get it out of my head. For me it brings a whole new degree of accountability.

And perhaps the most important part is to be realistic when you are deciding on your goals. Do you want an uber-successful handmade business that will rake in hundreds of thousands? Then keep it real and understand that that level of success is not going to happen immediately. This may sound like common sense but it's probably the part I struggle with the most. Success is not an overnight thing. I believe it comes from building meaningful connections one by one.

*What do you think are the three most important things you need to lead a happy and radiant life?

Lists - they make my world go round.
Rituals. Something to keep you sane, something to look forward to.
A laughing family. It's always a good sign.

apple pressing

 

 

 

we had a fun time at our BBQ on saturday - though I'd forgotten to charge my camera and so didn't get any photos :( the rain held off all afternoon, and whilst it wasn't sunny - it was nice to sit and chill in the garden, catch up with friends and just have fun!

sunday was spent pressing apples to make our own cider.... it's something we've done for the last few years, and whilst hard work, results in free booze ;) we collect windfall, and apples we get given, so the cost is minimal.

the girls all helped with some chopping, milling and pressing - and had a try of the apple juice too

today we're trying to get back into the swing of 'normal life' after our holiday - back to 'school work' and the girls groups! Kiki's excited to go back to Rainbows tonight, and I'm on the hunt for a drama group for the bigger two to join!

home sweet home

source

we're back home after a week away. exhausted but happy! we all had a great time, and none of us wanted to come home :( our journey home was pretty stressful, our car broke down and we were stuck at the side of the road for 2 hours waiting for the recovery man to come rescue us! I'll post some photos next week when I've had chance to upload them... (and gotten caught up on my laundry mountain!!)

today we're having friends round for a BBQ this afternoon - a perfect start to being back home!!

i've got so much catching up to do - please stick with me while I get sorted out :)

xxx

Guest Post: Gillian from Craftzilla Conquers the World

I’m off this weekend to a folk festival in my hometown of Peterborough, Canada this weekend, so I thought I’d share with you my list of essentials I try to remember to bring when I go to an all day festival!

• Water bottle—for water refills 
• My trusty vinyl backed picnic blanket  

• Crafts—I always have to have something to do while I sit and enjoy some music! 
• Camera 
• Sunscreen—no one’s having fun if you look like a lobster! 
• Hand sanitizer –in case I encounter grossness or lack of water 
• A garbage bag—let’s face it, sometimes a gal needs a raincoat in a hurry!

 ♥ Craftzilla

Guest Post: Bakes-a-lot Lady

Hi everyone. Polly has asked me to write a blog post while she has a well-deserved holiday. This recipe is incredibly quick and easy, and perfect for those – I need chocolate cake right NOW moments. There is no longer any need for a 10pm dash to the shop when you have this recipe up your sleeve.

Roxanne's Cake in a Mug 

What you will need:

A large coffee mug (a standard Starbucks mug is the perfect size)

2 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp caster sugar

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1½ tbsp milk

1½ tbsp sunflower oil

1 small egg

½ tsp vanilla extract

Mix together the flour, sugar and cocoa. Add the milk, oil, egg and vanilla and stir until all combined. Pour in a large mug and put in the microwave for 3 minutes.

And that’s it! Instant cake. Simple get a spoon and dig in. If you are in need of something extra chocolaty add a spoonful of chocolate chips to the mixture.

PS. Don’t be alarmed if the cake rises over the top of the mug, this is totally normal and it gives it a slightly top-hat look

This recipe has been a real life-saver on those dark cake-craved evenings...

Roxanne blogs over at bakes-a-lot-lady and today just happens to be her birthday!!!! So head on over and say hi!!

Happy Birthday Mr G!

It's my Mr's birthday today!!! 

We'll be celebrating whilst we're on holiday (I snuck the gifts and a cake in the bags!!) I made this print of one of our favourite poems by ee cummings, and thought I'd share it with you (if you click on it, it'll take you to a larger, printable version )

x x

Guest Post: Kelly from eTa

Hello darlings!

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I don't know if all of you know me or have seen my other guest posts on Pixie Mama, but I'm Pocky from embrace the apockylypse. The best way to describe eTa is a geek-loving perfectionist's guide to take little AHA! moments & bring creativity to everyday life. If you love crafts, life, or geekery...please come for a visit! I love making new friends...it's a big part of why I blog. Before I share one of my all-time favorite things with you, I just have to say a huge THANK YOU to the adorable Polly. I feel so very honored to be asked to guest post on Pixie Mama again. Hope you have a wonderful vacation sweet lady! Since I'm not in school anymore, summers don't really do a thing for me...but I live for Autumn! I am so excited that we are only days away from the beginning of my all-time favorite season. I know that Spring is supposed to be the new beginnings season, but not for me. Autumn marks the beginning of my ultimate crafting time & is home to my most favorite holidays (Halloween & Thanksgiving). It marks the time of year when I bring my sweaters & hoodies (love them!) out of hiding. In honor of this wonderful & colorful season, I'll share a few fun projects that I dream of working on this Autumn (if my busy schedule will allow):

 

{Fall Wreath Redo via Tatertots & Jello}

 

{Caramel Apple Cider Recipe via Family Fun Magazine}

 

{First Fall Hat Pattern via Lion Brand Yarns}

Let's enjoy this Autumn in a fun & crafty way!

Living Life Your Way.... Interview with Stephanie Violet

I've been working hard the last few months at overcoming my fears and following my dreams. So I'm running a series of interview with inspiring people to see what part fear has played in their life and how they've overcome it to live life their way...

******************** 

 

Hey! Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi! I’m Stephanie Violet and I have a little blog called The Quiet Lifeof Violet. I’m 26 years old, married to my dreamy high school sweetheart and I’m Mom to our first child. I’m currently building a company that hand-makes good-for you bath products, with an emphasis on organic ingredients and pregnancy-safe products. We live in Northern California, about 50 minutes from our hometown where we met 10 years ago. We’re so in love!

Is the life you lead now the life you've always dreamt of?

Growing up, I never really dreamed of a certain type of life. I have always had artistic inclinations and love being surrounded by creative people, so in that sense, yup! I knew I’d be married, but I never really knew what “being married” meant and boy, it’s amazing. Getting to see the person who makes me feel whole everyday is just such a treat and I’m so, so thankful!

When you have faced difficulties, what has been your inspiration to keep going?

I have face difficulties in my life. I’ve had cancer four times, lost my right leg, my right lung, part of my left lung and a part of my digestive system. It’s been rough and so very hard on my poor little heart, but my soul is strong and I’m still here!

Honestly, when I had cancer the first time at age 11, I didn’t understand it. If you’ve never been around death or suffering, you just don’t understand it at that age. I knew that my parents were upset and that just killed me inside, so I tried to do whatever they told me to do.

When you’re an adult, cancer is MUCH different. It’s a total mind-swirl, LETTING yourself get so sick and making yourself go back to the place where you know you will feel like total crap. Everyone around you is sad and hurting and you know that it’s because of you and that a heavy burden to carry, even though you know you didn’t do anything to carry such weight. I had a really hard time getting myself to keep going during second bout with cancer and chemo, at age 21. I knew that I didn’t want to die, but I certainly didn’t enjoy the surgery, doctor’s visits and chemo. My family got me through again… and my future child. My Mom and I had a serious talk one day and I told her that I would do it for my boy. I even named him. When ever I was thinking of quitting, she would remind me that it was about more than just me. I had to fight for him.

I’m so glad that I did.

Fear affects us all at some point. What part has fear played in your life and how have you overcome it?

Fear is in my life constantly. I worry about every little cough or ache. I worry hard-core before each scan. The time after getting a scan and before the doctor reveals the results is kind of like standing at a fork in the road. THE road. What ever the results say, which I have no control over, will form and shape the rest of my life I’ve been VERY lucky for the past (almost!) three years. And now, I’ve got this beautiful boy, MY boy, THE boy, growing inside of me, who ads a whole ‘nother layer of worry and fear to my world.

How do I deal with it?

It’s a delicate balance of accepting, embracing and calming the fear. I never deny the fact (to others or myself) that I’m scared, never push it away. It’s there, it’s a part of me and this life that I love and want to continue living so much. After accepting it, I really cherish the fact that the fear lets me live so deeply! Without this fear, these trials that I’ve been put through, a whole layer of my appreciation for life would be missing. When you realize just how amazing, beautiful and special everything is, only then can you really appreciate it all.

What advice would you offer on following your heart and living your dreams?

Accept your life! Acknowledge the hard things and learn to work with them. Don’t be afraid to be different. Be respectful of others. Remind yourself that you ARE worth it and that you ARE good enough. Don’t be afraid to tell someone that you love them. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. Pause each day and pick out three things that you’re thankful for – if one of the three includes a person, don’t hesitate to tell them. Love hard. 

Saturday Sun

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AND..... we're off!! Heading home to visit family this weekend, then on to Centre Parcs on Monday! I am so happy to be going on holiday :) Plus I get to go home and see my daddy! I've some fun posts scheduled for you next week, and I'll be back in a week to catch up - have fun!! x x

Pretty Things

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