Shimmer 'n Sparkle Sew Crazy Machine

If your little ones fancy taking up a new hobby to kick start the year, sewing is a great way to get their creative juices flowing. It's ideal for anyone that likes fashion or art in particular too, just like Minxy and I.

We've been putting the Shimmer n Sparkle Sew Crazy Machine to the test recently and we've had plenty of fun with fabric, making a variety of items.

Aimed at children aged 8+ this is an ideal stater machine for tweens and teens that want to give sewing a go, without parents breaking the bank in the process on equipment, and before buying a costly professional/adult alternative. The set comes with 2 small pieces of material, patterns, thread, needles and a useful storage caddy to pop all of the bits and pieces in to. All of the essentials that you require although it would've been nice to have more or larger pieces of cloth for additional projects.

The machine is also pre-threaded for convenience and has two speed settings which can be altered via the pedal or machine itself. It doesn't however come with the 4 AA batteries that are needed to operate it or an mains adapter (we would recommend getting one as it can be frustrating when turning the machine upside-down to remove batteries mid project). 

Nutella Cookie Cups {Creative Summer 11}

Thick smooth chocolate and warm chewy cookies - is there a more satisfying combo for your sweet tooth? What's even better is these delicious puds are incredibly easy to make and they can go from mixture to mouth in around 20 minutes flat.

Jam Tarts {Creative Summer 9}

These are quite a classic afternoon treat and one we hadn't made in some time so we decided to change that by making a batch at the weekend. The pastry on these is crisp on the outside with a nice crumbly centre and they are deeply filled with sticky raspberry jam - you could even make your own if you have been out picking berries this summer.

Cress Heads {Creative Summer 6}

One of the things I love about the summer holiday is the lazy mornings. There are no alarms to set so I can go at whatever pace I like and enjoy a relaxed breakfast without any rush. When we have more time on our hands the Mini Mes often request pancakes or waffles when they get up, instead of cereal and toast, so with lots of egg shells available I thought that we could use a few for a nice little activity - especially as we received some cress seeds in the children's packs from Harvester during our recent review visit!

These cress heads are not only fun to create but they teach little ones about growing food at home.

DIY Phone Holder {Creative Summer 3}

The Mini Mes are now both tweens and it seems to get harder to keep them entertained and away from technology each summer. Finding activities that they will enjoy and appreciate can be tricky but as they both have mobile phones this craft is ideal for keeping them off their handsets to be creative by making something they will both find useful!

There are two different versions that you can try; one to hold your mobile while it's on charge, the instructions for which follow later this summer, and one to display your mobile on a bedside table or desk, which is below. Both use items you will probably have in your recycling tubs already so you won't need to pay out a penny either - it's frugal!

Card Roll Fairy Homes

I've been putting a few kitchen and wrapping paper rolls to one side, especially for half term, as they are always come in handy for rainy day crafts and keeping the kids entertained for free. There are so many things you can create with them from animals and vehicles to these cute little houses that will go well in your gardens for outdoor play! 

When plastic tealights are added they look really magical in the summer evenings but your little ones could always leave their teeth inside ready for the tooth fairy to collect from their rooms too.

Equipment

Card tubes

Coloured paper

Scissors

Pen

Glue

Tealights (battery powered, optional)

World Book Day Costume Ideas with Duck Tape

When the letters come home from school about World Book Day I generally look online and purchase a costume for the Mini Mes and we've had some great ones over the years. But this time, to save money and to have a little fun in the process, we decided to create our own. After all, nothing beats a little imagination and effort for a home made design.

It gives us all a great sense of achievement too.

What the Ladybird Heard is a lovely rhyming tale by Julia Donaldson. The illustrations are bold and bright and the glitter adds even more magic to the pages. Ladybirds have always been a favourite creature of Minxy's so she has dressed as one quite a few times.

To create this Ladybird costume we just used a large cardboard box, red and black Duck Tape - it really is that simple!