Five minutes of Christmas Eve .....

I'm grabbing 5 mins to sit and write a post......

Before I start many wishes and joy to you all. 

So, here we are or rather here I am!!! In the kitchen.....radio 4 on......goose sizzling away in the aga (big thank you to my sis-in-law for Jamie Oliver's day before goose recipe), oranges sliced, cinnamon and herbs crushed and then the distant background noise of the children giggling and dancing to Christmas tunes whilst Mr Loveliness lounges feeling the need to rest.

I have another companion here with me in the form of a Giant African Land Snail.....an early christmas gift! he is munching through the banana and cucumber the girls gave him and seems in good festive spirit, I wonder what he thinks of all the sounds and aromas that fill the room.

The children have made some creative festive treasures and I thought I'd share this one and hope you've all been especially good this year and he visits you later tonight....merry Christmas xx

stOry stiCkS & tWiggY taLes

Our French retreat is in 'the sticks' just outside of Faucon near Vaison la Romaine.

The pool provides entertainment, the woodland adventure and the wildlife great excitement.

Yesterday we gathered sticks and twigs and made up our stories and tales through pictures. The girls found it great fun sitting in the shade of the olive trees retelling the pictures into story form.

The favourite one was about a butterfly who lived in a magnificent castle but when she ventured out she discovered the outside natural world of flowers and more butterflies even more beautiful!

Look at my jewels

Following on from a week of indoor craft and makery fun, the sun arrived friday and has continued to shine so today we enjoyed taking our makery tools outside and minimini1 got busy making pipe cleaner and bead bracelets.
This is a really lovely little makery project as it helps concentration, colour picking, coordination, portable, no mess and a lovely piece of jewellery afterwards.
Here's what we used, minimini1's pieces and a bit of the action too....