The move is on…

PhotoCredit:jcbonbon's photostream on Flickr

So I’m going to move to my own domain.  I have the server space, version 2.7 of WordPress is installed (thanks Paul!). So does anyone have any tips, good plugins or themes they’d like to share with me?

Let me know what you’ve tried and tested, it may just save my marriage   I can just see Paul’s face if I keep asking him to install plugin’s because ‘I fancy trying it’ – LOL!

Hopefully I’ll have the move complete by next week, so I’ll let you all know how it goes.

Something to Share

For those of you on Blogger, the wonderfully talented Eight Crazy Designs is giving away festive backgrounds.  They only work on Blogger but they are amazing and I almost wish I was back on Blogger again for the Christmas Chic one!

Check them out here

Making your own Christmas Wreath

I’ve just been to the garden centre to pick up a wreath for the front door.  Now we’re on bit of a budget this year, but I didn’t want a Holly wreath – I *always* manage to hurt myself on them!.

The garden centre had some really nice fir wreaths, with cinnamon sticks and dried oranges, ribbon etc and they were £35, a little on the expensive side.  Then I noticed the ‘blank’ fir wreaths that were £10 and thought, well I have ribbon and baubles at home.  So I bought that one.

I decided that as I’ve gotten a little obsessed with Modern Country that I’d do a ‘nordic’ inspired wreath.

I rummaged around in the Christmas wrapping bag and in the decorations left over from the tree, got some garden wire from the shed and got crafty.

First up the ribbon.  I tied a basic bow and then attached it with the garden wire to the wreath

Then I added bells and a white wood reindeer

Popped it on the front door and it doesn’t look that bad.  I might add some silver baubles on it tomorrow as well, but that’s the joy I can change the colours and add what I like, as many times as I like and I’ve saved £25!

I’m sooo happy

Look what I’ve won!

The lovely Anne over at The City Sage had a giveaway for this fabulous book and I was chosen!  We are huge fans of American Food in our house, and especially desserts   So I can’t wait to read it and get cooking.

Thank you Anne, you’ve made my day!  Go check out her blog it really is one of the best about

Early Christmas Present

I love my husband.

Look what I had waiting for me as an early Christmas present when I got home from work today.

It’s been really cold here and snowy, so finally my feet are warm!

Thanks Love xx

Oh my…

If you want to feel decadent and drool over just the most gorgeous food blog check out

cannelle-vanille

I want to make eat everything on there!

Activities for Children During the Holidays

Photo Credit: Martha Stewart

I have 4 weeks, yes 4 weeks of Christmas Holidays looming on the horizon as Lily breaks up from school next week.  Normally she’s in holiday club having lots of fun with the carers and her friends, but I’m only working 2 days now and it’s £45 a day, so she’s hanging out with Paul and I over the holidays this year.  She’s very, VERY disappointed

So being a good mummy I’ve scoped out the local bowling alley and they have a half price period in which to go and there is an ice rink opened in Cambridge for the holidays.  So that’s at least 4-5 days covered!  To cover the rest I’m scouring for ideas of things to do with her that are crafty, thrifty and fun and here’s what I’ve found.

Hot Chocolate Cones from A Simply Divine Christmas are just wonderful and will make lovely presents for cousins and friends.

I have some red felt material left over from Lily’s Christmas play outfit so I thought we could make some mini Christmas stockings for the hallway decorations, as she’s just getting into sewing.

My favourite thing from being a kid, making peppermint cream sweets – they rock!

Martha Stewart as always has some great things to do (seriously her staff must never sleep!).

youcanmakethis.com has some lovely projects and the instructions are easy to follow.

Salt Dough Tree Decorations Lily loves making these at holiday club so I thought we’d have a go at home, dough and glitter making a giant mess – what’s not to love?

And of course the most important thing to make over the holidays, A Gingerbread House!

Here’s a great recipe/instructions for a Gingerbread House, but I’m nowhere near that good at cooking or craft so I’m going to buy a kit from Tesco. Here’s the terrible effort from last year, we had lots of fun making it but it looked terrible.  At least it tasted pretty good

Gingerbread House Christmas 2007

If you have any ideas or tips, please post me a message – I’d love to read them!

First Tree 2008

First Christmas Tree 2008

I know it’s not December yet, but we got our Christmas Decorations down from the attic today so we were ready for Monday.  As you can imagine there was no stopping Lily from putting up her pink Christmas tree in her bedroom.   As you can see she was doing the decoration in a ’slightly’ daredevil way, but she managed not fall off and the tree looks lovely.

I’m not putting up our main tree until Monday as I have to move a ton of furniture and clean to get it in – bah humbug

Happy Thanksgiving

Photo Credit:lapstrake's photostream on Flickr

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends.

Childrens tax allowance 2002-2003 – DEADLINE 31 Jan 09!

For all my British readers please pass this onto anyone you think maybe eligible.

In 2002 – 2003 tax year there was an allowance that the tax office didn’t publicise that well and most people didn’t apply for and most importantly it wasn’t means tested like the current Child and Working Tax Allowance.  It could be worth £520, and I guess it’s worth a phone call to find out if you are eligible.

So here’s what you do:

It is called Childrens Tax Allowance for the year 2002/03

You can still claim but the deadline for allowance is before deadline 31st January 2009.

You are eligible to claim £520 allowance if:-

Have a child born between 6th April 1986 – 5th April 2003
Child lived with you for all or part of 2002/03
You worked and paid tax for all or part of 2002/03
You or your partner earned £6000 plus in the year 2002/03 tax year

You are eligble for the £1040 allowance if you can answer yes to all four above
One of your children was born between 6th April 02 and 5th April 03

If you call the HMRC on 0845 302 1437 and ask if you have received this allowance and they will let you know what to do if you haven’t.  You’ll need your NI number when you call.