To boldly go... into a space themed child's bedroom!

It's always great fun decorating a child's bedroom - it's a time when you get the opportunity to do something adventurous and daring that you probably wouldn't do in any other part of your home!

One of the hottest trends at the moment is all things space themed: think retro rockets, moons and stars, with colours in deep blue, teal, muted soft dusky purple - offset with neutral grey, taupe and white. In fact, if you fancy delving into the theme for some inspiration I've created a board on Pinterest for you!

I thought I'd pick some items from the PhotoFairytales site with the space and astronaut theme for you, starting with a brand new item: this cool wooden photo holder in the shape of a rocket!

Wooden Memory Photo Rocket
- personalised with your chosen name, available at PhotoFairytales

Created from solid birch wood, the photo holder is personalised with your chosen name and can take 5 photos of your gorgeous little boy or girl. Find the new Wooden Memory Photo Rocket at PhotoFairytales by clicking here.

Here are some more fun space-inspired finishing touches for your child's bedroom...

1: 'Space Man' fantasy photo portrait, created from your own photo - from £24.50

2: 'Space Adventure' personalised canvas print - from £18.50

3: 'When I grow up... astronaut' personalised canvas print - from £18.50

4: 'Retro Spaceship' personalised canvas print - from £18.50

The retro 1950's and 1960's space theme is very on trend too: think The Jetsons, Cath Kidston-type pyjamas, the Festival of Britain... do take a browse through my board on Pinterest for more inspiration!

Sarah x

They're here!! The 2016 personalised Santa Letters are now on sale...

Now that Halloween and Bonfire Night have been and gone, I think it's OK to talk Christmas don't you? Let's face it, it isn't that far away now... so, light, baubles, action!!

The 2016 personalised Santa Letter Gift Packs are now on sale - and they've been joined by the brand new Santa Telegrams this year too!

This is the eighth year in a row that Father Christmas has used PhotoFairytales as his official supplier for his extremely special (and very rare) personalised Letters. Plus, to satisfy demand, this year he has also introduced fabulous new Telegrams too.

As with previous years, the Santa Letters are limited edition which means that only a limited number are available. They are so popular it is advised that you reserve yours now before they all go. Each letter is created individually (no computer generated nonsense here!), and is packed with detail so your child will know for sure that Father Christmas truly exists. Santa also personally signs each and every one, and the letters are printed on lovely parchment style paper. 

Remember, if you get a PhotoFairytales Santa Letter you'll know that Santa has actually handled it himself and written it himself. Forget those cheap horrible ten-a-penny fake letters: they're fed into a database, someone hits the 'print' button, and every letter comes out exactly the same as the last. But not these - oh no, these are genuine!

The Letters also come complete with a high quality personalised Nice Certificate, and 3 mystery craft gifts that will keep your youngster busy in the lead up to Christmas. Each letter is sent (with a pinch of genuine North Pole sprinkles) in a big jolly red envelope which is labelled with a 'special delivery' North Pole sticker and the Elf Quality Stamp of approval. The letters are only £7.50 including UK delivery (overseas orders are also welcome), so they certainly are a bargain! And remember, if you ordered a Letter from Santa last year it won't be the same this year - and if you order letters for siblings they will always be different (Santa never repeats himself!). 

The new personalised Santa Telegrams are fabulous value at just £6.50 including UK delivery - and each one is also personalised and hand signed by Santa too!

The Telegrams are printed on lovely quality kraft-style card and are hand stamped and signed by Santa (yes, the same Santa who signs the Letters - because there is only one official Santa!!). There are 3 versions to choose from: the Nice Telegram, the Baby's 1st Christmas Telegram, and the Naughty Telegram (perfect for adults who need a little reminding about being better behaved!). They come with a Nice Certificate just like the Santa Letters - except the Naughty Telegrams which don't (for obvious reasons). They come with something else instead...!

For every Letter and Telegram you buy, I'll also be making a donation to a fabulous UK charity; STEPS. They are a national charity working for all those whose lives are affected by childhood lower limb conditions. I'm so pleased to be fundraising for them this year, so every time you make a purchase you'll be helping their great work too.

The Letters and Telegrams are on sale until December 16th, so be quick and reserve yours now. All orders will be sent out during the first week of December (when everyone is seriously in the Christmas mood!), and orders from the beginning of December onwards will be sent within 2-3 working days. 

Ho, ho, ho!

Sarah x

Sugar-Free Chocolate Truffles Recipe

Fruit packed sugar free chocolate truffles

It was good news today when Public Health England announced that tooth decay in five year olds has dropped to its lowest level in almost a decade.

As a mum, I’m aware of how much we have to keep an eye on sugar consumption, especially as so much of it isn’t always easy to spot. But it’s important to strike a middle balance I think in the battle to keep sugar at bay - some would say swinging too far in the other direction makes sugar even more tempting!

I know we’re supposed to stop thinking of certain foods as ‘treats’ - or if we must, to term healthy options as ‘treats’ too. But it’s hard to persuade your child (especially as they get older) that some carrot sticks or an apple are a treat in quite the same way as a biscuit! Unless you start with that ethos from the moment your baby is born - and get everyone they’re ever likely to meet out of the home on board too - you might be setting the bar too high!

So, to maybe help a little bit, I thought I’d share my sugar-free chocolate truffle recipe with you - my daughter loves these, and certainly looks on them as a treat! I think part of the reason why they work so well is because they tick all the sweet treat boxes:

1. They’re sweet
2. They look and taste chocolatey
3. They’re ‘picky’ sized - so you can get that “ooh a treat”/finger food type feeling you’d get from chocolates or sweets!

Now, I’ll be honest here: they’re not 100% sugar free - but they’re as near as dammit! And if you wanted to make them completely free of sugar it wouldn’t be too tricky. They take about 10-15 minutes to make, there’s no baking, they are more filling and satisfying than sweets, and they’ll keep for a good few days (in theory, although the ones I make never seem to last much longer than about 24 hours!). Here’s the recipe:

Sugar Free Chocolate Truffles

200g stoned dates (chopped or whole, doesn’t matter)
1 dessert spoon cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g rolled oats
1.5 tbsp peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
1 tbsp chocolate chips (optional)
1 dessert spoon water

A note about ingredients:

• Cacao: I use cacao powder in my recipe rather than cocoa powder. The reason being cacao is a purer version of chocolate - there’s no added sugar and it hasn’t been highly processed. It’s basically chocolate in its pure form. It is more expensive than cocoa powder, and harder to find in the supermarket - but a little goes a long way as it has a more powerful chocolate punch. If you can’t find cacao you could use sugar free cocoa powder instead.
• Vanilla Extract: The vanilla extract I use (Tesco Madagascan Vanilla Extract) does have sugar in it - the ingredients are listed as: Water, Ethanol, Sugar, Vanilla Extract. But as I’m only using a teaspoon I kind of figure that it won’t really break the sugar bank (if you see what I mean)!
• Peanut Butter: The peanut butter I use is whole peanut butter - ie, it’s 100% peanuts and nothing else. I buy mine from Tesco and use either the Meridian or Whole Earth (whichever is cheaper at the time I buy it).  If you don’t want to use peanut butter you could probably substitute it with perhaps some ground almonds, although you might need to add more water and maybe a small dash of honey to the mix as the peanut butter acts as a kind of ‘glue’ to the mixture.
• Chocolate Chips: Again, I have to admit that these do have sugar in them, but I'm only adding in a tablespoon of them so... - but you could substitute them with a sugar-free chocolate if you wanted to, or you could leave them out entirely if you prefer.

1. Add all the ingredients, except the water, into a food processor and whizz it up until it’s crumbly. This will probably take 1-2 minutes. 
2. Add in the water and blend for a few more seconds. 
3. Transfer the crumbly mixture to a food bag and squish it up into one big ball. Then simply break off pieces, roll them into balls, and you’re done!
4. The mixture should make about 15/16, depending on the size of your balls [insert own joke here]. The mixture will feel a little bit crumbly when you’re rolling the balls, but it does firm up - I put mine in the fridge for half an hour and they go firm with a nice non-fall-apart consistency!

I hope you enjoy them - if you have a go at making these I’d love you to come back and let me know what you think! And if you have any recipes or healthy sweet treat ideas, please leave a comment and share :)

Sarah x

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Put that light out! Living with an eco warrior child...

• Put that light out!
• Do you need the heating on that high?
• Have you thought about working in your coat?
• Have you heard of global warming..?
• It is actually possible to type with fingerless gloves on, you know.
• If you go without a bath or shower, it saves water and energy and money AND the planet…

These are just a few pearls of wisdom that fall regularly from my daughter’s mouth… And to be honest, although her nagging is a bit boring it does make me feel like a teenager again, so there’s an upside!

When I was her age the boot was very much on the other foot (see here for all the gory details about my childhood...) - and my parents were the ones with all those catchphrases. Now, as an adult, I’m hearing them all over again! I don’t mind really - I’m pleased she’s aware of these things - I just wish she didn’t turn out ALL the lights while I’m still in the room so that I end up walking around Scooby Doo style with my arms out in front of me.

And no, I’m not going to start working in my coat (call me a wastrel) - I shall stick with my little teeny-tiny fan heater, coupled with getting the dog to lay across my feet, and hope the planet survives.

Sarah x

Pining for Peddles: bike lust, pure and simple

OK, it’s not big, and it’s not clever - but I feel like I’m 7 years old again and want to have a good old whine - you see, I have bike envy. Quite bad bike envy. Put it this way…

I WANNA NEW BIKE!!!!

I haven’t really given bikes that much thought since I was a schoolgirl. I used to ride mine every day backwards and forwards to school, riding around town to visit mates or go to the park. Then of course, becoming a parent you inevitably get back into bikes to a degree - having a daughter has meant owning bikes with glittery tassels on the handlebars, a basket on the front for dolls (or the cat if she sits still long enough), beads on the wheels that clatter. You know the type of thing.

But our gorgeous and incredibly lanky daughter has now outgrown her bike and the time has arrived for her first proper, grown up sized bike. After much debate over BMX style versus traditional style, colours, basket/no basket (no basket, apparently they’re not cool unless you’re a *little* girl or a mum), etc, etc, she has finally got her clutches on her shiny new bike. And boy it’s a beauty! (Hence my jealousy).

It’s a Raleigh - traditional style, but a hybrid so good for a bit of bumpy off-roading. It’s a lovely pale blue. With silver mudguards. It’s got 18 gears (18! mine only used to have 3…) And spokes that glitter in the sunshine as she peddles. It’s got lovely chunky grips on the handlebars, and a nice squishy seat. And it’s so shiny…. So very, very shiny….

After visiting a couple of bike shops at the weekend I have decided that if money were no object I would most definitely have a bike for every day of the week. Seriously, there are some GORGEOUS bikes to be had out there. I must admit I do rather like the traditional style - and I’m a mum, so it’s OK for me to lust after a basket! There’s the lovely lavender coloured one, with colour coded mudguards. Or the green and orange one with a cupholder (perfect for peddling along the prom, very seaside-y). And there’s the lovely grown up blue one with a brown leather saddle and matching handle grips. Or the bright red one with white tyres (white tyres!) and a ‘Miss Marple’ style wicker basket on the front. Oh, and a proper bell. Ting ting!!

My husband confessed to me that as a child he used to go into the local bike shops to look at the brake blocks. Just, you know, look at them. Not to buy (he didn't actually own a bike). Just look. And one of my earliest memories is sitting in the child bike seat strapped behind my mum watching her back go from side to side as we peddled to the shops. So I guess bikes get under our skin pretty early on. It's our first chance of freedom that comes long before the first car. 

What’s the opposite of being a Petrol Head? Because I think I’m that now. I used to turn my head when we drove past car dealers - but I think that may be about to change….

So biking with a basket: cool or uncool? Leave a comment, and tell me what you think!

Sarah :)

World Book Day - easy costume solved!

If you have a child at primary school, from time to time you will get sprung with 'dressing up' days - and to be honest, you might not always get as much notice as you could wish for (eg: "Mum, it's Dress as an Insect Day at school soon!" - When? - "Tomorrow" - gulp!). It's not always easy, especially if you don't want to go to any or too much expense - but at least with World Book Day you do get a bit of time to think about costume ideas.

This year Amy had two ideas: Toto (the dog from Wizard of Oz) or Pippi Longstocking. Up until this weekend, it was all leaning more towards Toto (black leggings, black boots, black jumper, black tail from a Halloween costume, homemade ears, and a collar and tag - sorted!). But at the last minute a change of mind was made and it had to be Pippi. Which wasn't too bad actually - slightly crazy clothes, long over the knee socks, and plaits (thank goodness for Amy's long hair!). We tried threading wire through her plaits but her hair was just too heavy and we couldn't get it to work - but I think we did a pretty good job of creating suitably 'sticky-outy' plaits, don't you?!

What did your child dress as this year?

Sarah :)

The best school shoes: a mum's review

Toughees 'Pearl' school shoes

Like most children, my daughter Amy can be tough on shoes - particularly school shoes. Plus she grows so fast you can practically hear her stretching (a bit like rhubarb!). So buying shoes for school is a regular occurrence for us, and one that’s often a bit, well, fraught!

Girls of course, have an extra agenda: fashion/style/heel height. Oh, the battles over high heels, flimsy thin souls, patent leather, and slip on versus strap… So, this is my list of what I need from a decent school shoe:

• Mustn’t cost the earth (I hate the fact that most ‘decent’ children’s school shoes are now in the £35-£45 bracket - kids grow so fast you are often in that frustrating spot of having shoes that still look absolutely fine but no longer fit.)
• Mustn’t be too cheap either (because at the end of the day, you often get what you pay for)
• Must be leather (so they can be polished when they get scuffed, and they will breathe a bit too)
• No stupid high heels (she’s 10, she still wants to climb in the park and I also don’t want her tottering about - you’re a long time an adult, a short time a child, and I’ll be keeping her that way for a little while yet thank you shoe manufacturers!)
• No thin souls - they wear away too quickly and you get wet socks all the time

So, basically all I want when I go shopping is a good mid-priced leather school shoe that is more practical than fashionable. Doesn't seem like that much to ask, but it often is. Here are the shoes we've tried and tested:

• Cheap end: ie, supermarket shoes or cheaper high-street shoes (eg Stead & Simpson) - price around £15

Result: It’s rare to find leather shoes in the supermarket, they’re usually plastic or occasionally ‘coated leather’ (don’t be fooled, this isn’t proper leather and basically means they will scuff and wear like mad). We’ve found leather shoes in the high street for around this price, but the leather is low quality - it stretches and goes very baggy after a short amount of time (around 4-6 weeks we found) and ended up actually being too big. They usually need polishing every day to keep them looking good. The straps/fastenings don’t seem to hold up and tend to snap, fray and generally give up the ghost. We found they only last a couple of months before you end up thinking of buying new shoes again.

My rating: 2/5 (I’m being generous…)

• Expensive end: ie, Clarks, Hush Puppies, etc - price around £35-£45

Result: The leather quality on this type of shoes is always much better - when they get scuffed they can be polished effectively, and will look really good. The Clarks shoes we’ve had (admittedly, only a couple) have been a bit, well ‘meh’. Not great, not bad. One gripe I do have about Clarks is that we go to the shop, see lots of shoes on the shelf, then they only have one (or two, if you’re lucky) style in the size you need. And invariably they’re not the style that you and/or your child want. We do really like Hush Puppies though. They seem to be a little bit chunkier, and they come with a selection of insoles to help adjust the fitting so you get a great fit. The ones we’ve had have lasted brilliantly (months, rather than weeks), and they polish up beautifully.

My rating: 4/5 (would have been 5/5 but they are so expensive!)

• Middle End: ie, priced around £20-£25

Last September (approx 5.5 months ago) I wanted to find shoes that were more in this mid-price range - something good quality that might last. It was tricky, took a bit of scouring! But I think I may just have found the holy grail of school shoes… Toughees. This is a range of shoes that are made from extremely hard wearing leather, and are designed to go through the mill. They are made in non-polish leather, so a wipe with a damp cloth is often enough to bring them back to shine. You can polish them if you really need to though. We bought the “Pearl” design (which was a winner for Amy because it has a heel - high enough to excite her, low and wide enough for me!). It has a proper buckle rather than Velcro, and although this means it takes 5 seconds longer to put on, it does mean that you don’t end up with fastenings that have lost their stick (anyone who’s ever spent half an hour picking grass and fluff out of Velcro so that it sticks again will know what I mean!). Amy has been wearing hers to school every day, and they lasted brilliantly. She has only just worn them out (good timing as she's gone up a size again!), and the uppers still look almost as good as when we bought them (it was the sole that gave up in the end - just on one shoe, and probably due to riding her scooter and dragging her foot on the ground!). We paid £20 including delivery for hers from Amazon (in a junior size 5), and I think that’s pretty good value!

My rating: 5/5 (the winner!)

As her shoes have just given up I was really hoping that it would be a simple case of buying the exact same shoes again to see her through to the summer holidays. Alas I hadn't remembered that I was dealing with an aforementioned fussy little girl and it seems having the same shoes twice is not the done thing! So we've plumped for Hush Puppies again - but at least they were a half price bargain this time!

What shoes have you found to be the best for school? And which ones would you avoid like the plague (please name and shame!)? I’d love to hear about your own experience, so do please leave a comment and let me know.

Sarah :)

Edit - May 2016: I just wanted to let you know, in case you were wondering, that this post is entirely my own opinion based on my own experiences. It hasn't been sponsored in any way. And 3 years on, I still stand by Toughees - they're bloomin' good! Oh, and a little tip for you: if you get on their mailing list you'll often receive special offers ;) x

Letters from Santa - 'the best by far'

You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why:

Santa Claus is coming to town!

- and he'll be writing to the very best behaved children again this year, so you better take a look at his fabulous personalised letters quick!

Once again this year, Father Christmas is going to be sending some truly magical letters to just a few lucky children - he only sends a limited number, so if you know a youngster who would love to receive one it's time to act! Head on over to PhotoFairytales and reserve one now - and for every one he writes, I will make a donation to a fabulous UK charity too!

As before, each letter is prepared individually and is packed with details that will help children to really understand the spirit of Christmas and the magic of Santa. He will sign each letter personally, and also sends a personalised quality card certificate awarded for excellent behaviour throughout 2012. Plus, he will be popping 4 fabulous little gifts in too which will keep little fingers busy during the exciting wait for Christmas Day. Everything is packaged up in a big jolly red envelope, and delivered to your little boy or girl during December.

If you would like Father Christmas to send letters to siblings each letter will be slightly different. And if he wrote to you last year don't worry - the letter this year will be different (Santa doesn't like to repeat himself!).

Every letter will raise money for Rainbow Trust - a UK charity providing emotional and practical support to families who have a child with life threatening or terminal illness. So when you reserve a letter I will make a 50p donation and you will be helping me to support a very worthwhile charity.

But hurry - as ever, there are only a limited number of letters available and every year they sell out. So don't be disappointed - click here now and reserve yours!

Praise for last years' letters:

My granddaughter, Lia, was very excited to receive not just a letter from Santa but a certificate and gifts too! Highly recommended and Lia's mum was even more delighted that Santa told Lia to go to bed early on Christmas Eve! ...you have made one little girl (and mum and granny) very happy!

Simply wonderful - the children adored them!

A HUGE thank you for Scarlett's letter from Santa! I have never seen her eyes so big and her smile so wide! She has told everyone about her certificate for being on the nice list!!!

I just wanted to thank you for my girls Letters from Santa - the look of awe on their faces was amazing, they couldn't believe that Santa actually knew what they wanted for Christmas and who their best friends were, they got to work instantly colouring in their cards and decorating the finger puppets and bookmarks - you definitely made their day...

Ho, ho, ho!
Sarah :)

Should adults act more like children..?

I just wanted to share this little moment I had at the start of my day today:

I had just dropped Amy off at school, and Freddy Dog and I were walking home. A little girl and her mummy were walking towards us on the opposite side of the road when the little girl suddenly called out "hello" and waved to us. I called out "hello" back and she said "I've got on a dress!".

"Yes", I said "and you look beautiful."

"So do you!" was the reply - wasn't that lovely? Never seen her before in my life, but we both swapped spontaneous compliments that made us both grin at one another. What a shame as adults we don't just approach strangers and tell them we like their hat, or ask them to admire our new shoes! Imagine that world!!

Of course, on the other side, it could also be a world where we occasionally point blank tell friends that are getting on our nerves that we don't want to talk to them today - or we point at someone fat and say loudly "look, they're fat!" - or we go round to a friends' house and proclaim that it "smells funny" and then ask for a biscuit...

So perhaps its just as well we grow out of it after all.

Sarah x

An important message for all mums...

This is for all mums: mums-to-be, new mums, experienced mums, old mums, working mums, stay-at-home mums, yummy mums and stressed mums...

• For always being the one who eats the broken biscuits at the bottom of the tin that nobody else will touch;


• For being able to wake up from a deep sleep in the middle of the night to attend to nappies/wet beds/trips to the loo/nightmares/projectile vomiting when everyone else seems unable to;


• For always having food in the cupboard, loo roll in the bathroom, and the knowledge to cook a dinner out of nothing;


• For carrying on when you sometimes REALLY don't want to;


• For teaching your child how to walk, talk, use the potty/toilet, eat with a knife and fork, hold a pen and write, count, learn colours and a million other things;


• For sorting out the bills (because you probably do, don't you?);


• For remembering X's birthday/anniversary, etc and sending a card - on time;


• For feeding the pets every day - and changing their water too;


• For doing the school run every day, rain or shine;


• For having that magic touch that rubs away pain and kisses tears dry;


• For not being too shy to sing and dance in public when it means you can avoid tantrums;


• For putting on all the voices when you read the bedtime story;


• For checking for nits (and dealing with them if you find them);


• For sitting in the park when you really want to be sitting by a pool with a glass of wine;


• For being the secret Sock Fairy who can wash, match and put away endless not-quite-identical black or white socks without breaking down;


• For making sure the family get their 5 portions a day;


• For having an answer at the ready when you are asked where babies come from;


• For being the only one who cleans the bathroom properly and knows where dirty washing belongs;


• For saying "no" to those high heeled shoes/freakishly expensive trainers even if "all their friends have them";


• For having the best cuddles, end of story;

I just want to say "thank you" - because I don't think mums are thanked anywhere near enough. What we do may not necessarily have a £60k salary or a swanky office, but we do an amazing job shaping and nurturing these human beings under our care (even before they are born). It may seem like a grind (and worse some days), but all those big and little things we all do every day keep the world turning and life flowing. Without mums in the world it would be a grim place (not to mention an untidy one with everyone wearing odd socks and never getting anywhere on time!).

I salute you/me!
Sarah x

PS: and if I've missed anything off, please feel free to add it below!

" Sexy" - am I being overly sensitive..?

I'm developing a serious problem with the word "sexy", and I think I'm going to have to vent my spleen here a bit - tell me what you think...

It seems totally acceptable now to use this word in mainstream situations: tv, magazines, etc. Now, I'm not talking about this from the point of view of an adult - I'm talking about it from the point of view of a mum to a 7 year old. Should I be getting upset when she puts on a new top, looks at herself in the mirror, strikes a silly pose and asks "d'ya think I'm seeexy?!". Now, she's doing it in a fun, jokey way - but, it makes me feel so uncomfortable. This word gets bantered around even on children's telly - and don't even get me started on pop videos/singers...

My daughter is clever, smart, funny, beautiful and a fabulous little character - she is NOT sexy.

So, when she asked if I thought she was "seeexy", I just smiled and said, "no sweetheart, you're not, you're my little girl and I love you." But she still wasn't sure if I was being mean or not. And what to say when she turns round (like she did the other day) and asks me what the word means? Well poppet, it means you're sexually attractive to other people...I think not!!!

I don't remember this word being in use when I was a kid. I might sound like a total old prude, but I'm not sure I'm getting upset for no reason am I? I don't even feel comfortable letting her watch pop videos - I'm so sick of seeing women with their bums on show grinding like a lap dancer. And then there's the Playboy range in Argos - Amy loves looking at those pages in the catalogue: they're all PINK! Oh, and it seems that once your child gets past the age 5/6 years clothing sizes, she's suddenly expected to dress like a psuedo teenager in black t-shirts with words like "Bitch" picked out in glitter. You're kidding me right...?

Tell me what you think...