Valentine's Day: Love Bug Pom Pom Craft

Minxy received lots of beautifully coloured yarn at Christmas so we decided to use some for a themed craft activity while it was wet at the weekend. Valentine's Day is just around the corner and these cute and lovable pom poms are actually really simple to create - we made some as key rings and bag accessories too.

Materials

My Sunday Photo

Beautiful birthday flowers from friends 💕 #capturingcolour

A photo posted by Emma (@theminimesandme) on May 1, 2016 at 4:58am PDT

Valentine's Day Gift Guide

Cupid is out in full force this week as Valentine's Day approaches, and whether you're looking for some tasty treats or pampering products our gift guide should help to put a smile on your loved one's face. 

Timeless Truth Rejuvenating Bio Cellulose Eye Mask - £3.70

If you're planning on having a night in with your partner this Sunday then a little r&r will certainly go a long way. Created to reduce lines and wrinkles these masks leave skin feeling soft and refreshed while also moisturising a delicate area. With a formulation of active ingredients - including Olea Europaea Husk Oil, an extract from the olive fruit rich in antioxidants, anti-pollutants, and lactic acid to provide excellent results, it's not surprised they are so well loved by celebrities too.

The Mini Mes' Favourite Christmas Gifts - Minxy

Minxy's presents were mostly pink and purple this year as my little tom boy is fast becoming a feminine tween that loves fashion and beauty.

She had a huge haul of goodies but these are her top 5 gifts this Christmas...

Doh Vinci Jewellery Tree and Flower Frame Kits

Minxy loves being creative so these are ideal for her. She first discovered this range last year and she has loved collecting the various sets ever since. We picked these two up from House of Fraser and at £15 or under they are reasonably low cost to purchase - they make great gift ideas for her friend's birthdays too.

Snowycone Maker

I always wanted a Mr Frosty and was disappointed year after year not receiving one so when Minxy added this to her wish list I knew it was a must have! You tip ice into the bowl and it churns it down and ejects it into the cones. You then pour on your flavouring for a homemade slushy. Delicious and really easy to do.

Christmas Gift Giveaway #29 - WIN a VQ Radio

Whether you like retro gadgets or stylish tech, VQ's range of radios provide sound quality in a variety of colours to suit your taste.

We received the Christie model in the shade Orchid, a pretty pink/purple, and it matches Minxy's room perfectly. She is really into music as a tween so this was ideal for her to enjoy and it became a 'starting secondary school' treat. She now has it on in the background while doing her homework or turned up for a bit of a sing and dance before bed with Jamster, who has now requested one for when he starts year 7 too!

Engineered in Britain, VQ understand the importance of design and the entire collection, although unique, all look fantastic. The Christie can be powered via battery or electric and it can be used horizontally or vertically to fit any space required. I've never known another product of this kind to have a rotating display and control panel but it's so handy.

Christmas Gift Giveaway #28 - WIN a HP Stream 7 Tablet

Technology is top of wishlists for many this Christmas so this wonderful HP tablet is bound to put a smile on someone's face!

• 7.00-inch display
• Processor 1.8GHz
• Front Camera 0.3-megapixel 
• Resolution 1280x800 pixels
• RAM  1GB
• OS Windows 8.1
• Storage 32GB
• Rear Camera 2-megapixel

Christmas Gift Giveaway #26 - WIN a Wooden Kitchen

Whether your budding chefs are hoping to rustle up a family feast or prepare a picnic for their bears, this beautiful wooden kitchen from George is great for imaginative play!

This deluxe kitchen has an oven, cupboard, drawer, sink with tap, 4 hobs, microwave and a window complete with gingham curtain. There is a clock with movable hands, 4 utensils and 3 dials on the cooker which click when turned. The top can also be used as a shelf to store little pots and pans which is handy. Little ones will adore this set and I would definitely recommend it, especially at just £40!

It's suitable for children aged 3+ and it is painted (child safe) in red and blue with cherry detailing for a vintage style finish. It also means that it's unisex and both boys and girls will be happy to get cooking with this. It coordinates with the rest of the products in the range so if you want to purchase further accessories they will all match nicely.

There are lovely tea and cooking sets available for lots of role play.

Made from a combination of wood and MDF it is a really strong toy and it's certainly going to last if passed down to siblings over the years. There is something about wooden products that I really like, they just seem to be far better quality than plastic alternatives and this kitchen is proof of that. 

It's quite heavy in weight as well which makes it stable.

Assembly only took the Mr 20 minutes and he found the instructions easy to follow - there is a video tutorial on how to put it together on the website though which is really useful too! Once constructed it measures 89 x 60 x 30cm in size so although it's perfectly proportional for pre-schoolers, it should be relatively easy to find a corner to place it out of the way when required also. 

Christmas Gift Giveaway #20 - WIN a Collection of Nature Themed Goodies

Our little ones often love to explore gardens and woodland but with these four products you can bring the great outdoors inside thanks to the Natural History Museum Shop!

This pretty Butterfly Mobile Making craft set (£8) is the perfect activity for rainy days and it will bring plenty of colour into your home. It features 20 different butterfly designs along with an identification card so your child can learn while having fun being creative!

The Butterfly Protector Lottie Doll (£20) is a great item, one that we have received ourselves previously, and teamed with Fossil Hunter Lottie (£20) there will be plenty of adventures and role play fun!

Each is an age appropriate shape and comes with lots of little accessories to enjoy.

These Butterfly Lace Wings give your trainers or boots a boost with their vibrant patterns. They are a great stocking filler at just £2.50 a pair!

Christmas Gift Giveaway #19 - WIN Family Games from Drumond Park

Here’s your chance to win two great new games from Drumond Park. Both of  these titles are for the little ones – Barbecue Party (rrp £19.99, age 4+) and Og on the Bog (rrp £22.99, age 5+) will keep your smaller family members and their friends happily occupied for hours and hours over the festive period... and older siblings and the adults can join in too, of course!

The simple and characterful Barbecue Party is a terrific mix of anticipation and nerve as the younger members of the family test their dexterity, doing their best to oh-so-carefully place different foods on the BBQ grill.  They choose a card and place the matching bug-eyed plastic item onto the grill - using either their fingers or the tongs supplied.  Or if it’s there already, they take it off and win that card. Sounds easy?  Maybe… but when the grill is inadvertently shaken or the load gets too heavy under the weight of all that food, the rack dramatically catapults everything off into the air and the player forfeits a card.

The first person to collect three or four (depending on age) different cards wins the game and is crowned the official Master Chef!

Definitely tongue-in-cheek, the award-winning OG ON THE BOG is a  completely outrageous new electronic action game.  Adventurous kids are creeping up on Og while he sits on his bog in the forest, trying to steal his loo rolls… stand by for the most disgraceful farts and gruesome grunts!  They carefully lift a roll from the gnarled stick outside, but wait for it – if the bog explodes, they have to give back one of the rolls they have collected… and start all over again!

Christmas Gift Giveaway #3 - WIN a Ragdale Hall Experience Day for Two

Win a Ragdale Experience Day for two people at award winning Ragdale Hall Health Hydro and Thermal Spa (worth £180 – valid Monday to Friday).

Ragdale Hall, located in the rolling Leicestershire countryside, combines state-of-the-art facilities with the charm of traditional Victorian architecture to create one of the most luxurious and relaxing health spas in the country.

Whether you are looking for total relaxation, me-time and pampering or to kick-start a healthier lifestyle, Ragdale Hall is the perfect choice. The great selection of spa days and spa breaks include something for everyone, so if you're seeking a romantic getaway, a day out with girlfriends or some time-out with your nearest and dearest, Ragdale Hall really is the spa to visit.