Book Review: Little Sew & Sew

I have just been reading a beautifully inspiring craft book which I thought that I would share with you.

Little Sew and Sew by Christine Leech (Quadrille 2013) is a sewing and embroidery book with more than 30 projects in most of which are simple enough for beginners, and in any case, are described well with lovely illustrations and diagrams. I love the styling and fresh yet classic approach, it's just a lovely lovely book.

Christine is a busy busy woman, being an art director in the magazine industry as well as craft book author, and blogging her many makes over at Sew Yeah!

As I found this book at the library (love my library - it's all craft books and murder mystery here in the sticks) it will definately be on my Santa List. There are too many cute projects in the book, I can't do them all before they will want me to return it! I can't even decide which to start first, the Kissing Children Tote, the Alphabet Wall Hanging (sneak peak below right) or the Birdcage Tea Cosy. If you want to make someone something gorgeous for Christmas, take a look!

Here's the Amazon link. 

Note: I wasn't asked to do this review, I just did it because I LOVE the book. Thanks for reading and Happy Sewing X 

Product Review: Feed those Cheeky Monkeys With Walkers Hoops and Crosses

This weekend we were sent a some new crisps from Walkers to try. Hooray! If we have one guilty pleasure in our lunch boxes, then it has to be crisps. I get in a rut sooo quickly with packed lunches, trying to find foods that are 1) healthy 2) indestructable (is it only my kids who are so rough on their lunch boxes?) 3) contain no nuts. Basically, it's sandwiches all the way, yawn.

I generally find the new generation of baked crisps and other 'healthier' kids snacks a better option than normal crisps. Walkers Hoops and Crosses are baked,  have 85 calories per bag and are made from wholegrain with no artificial colours or preservatives, so clearly aiming for that healthier lunchbox demographic.

So, what did we think of these new Hoops and Crosses? Firstly, as ours came with a lovely monkey toy, they were instantly popular. But unfortunately I think the monkey was a reviewers perk!

My three year old enjoyed them on our picnic lunch today. She loves anything that can be worn as a ring, so at least half the crisps in the packet were 'my best'. The crosses also disappeared pretty quickly into her tummy though.... The crisps come in three flavours, we were sent the Roast Beef ones, but you can also get Salt and Vinegar or Prawn Cocktail.

I tasted them too, and I thought the flavour was pleasant. The choice of flavour and texture very much puts them, in my opinion, in the food for the kids section of my pantry, but that's the idea eh? I guess if they were designed to go with a nice glass of white they would not have been sent with a monkey toy!

My older daughter is more likely to get these in her lunch box then the younger one, but I probably will buy this product again when I am buying crisps for family packed lunches and picnics. Apparently you can also play Tic Tac Toe with them, but will they stick around that long?

Update: My eldest has now returned home and announced that they were delicious. You heard it here first folks!

We received the monkey toy, crisps and actual money payment for undertaking this review. Opinions are my own, additional facts supplied by Walkers Crisps.