Silent Sunday

Owlfit of the Week

Little Owl has been out and about enjoying the sun this week and this playsuit from Monsoon has been perfect!  I don't know how, but I have only just discovered the fantastic children's clothes in Monsoon's range.  I think I always thought they only did posh frocks and that maybe they were a bit pricey but this gorgeous playsuit was only £18.  I'm also really impressed with the quality.  The playsuit does up under the legs which makes it easy for changing nappies or toilet visits.  The poppers feel very sturdy and they are also discreetly hidden behind a fold in the fabric.

The sunnies are also from Monsoon and Little Owl really loves them (and so do I!).  And just in case you aren't a regular reader of Owlfit of the Week, her gorgeous sandals are from Livie and Luca.

Water Painting

Little Owl loves to paint.

But its messy.

She doesn't care what she paints.

But she loves to dip the brush in the paint.

And then use up the paint on the brush.

And start all over again.

She mixes the colours.

And gets paint everywhere!

This is why I have only let her paint at home a couple of times.

Mainly I wait until she is at a group

Such as the adventure playground

Where someone else can help clear up.

Then a friend of mine shared this ingenious idea!

Water painting!

Outdoors in the sunshine!

Its brilliant.

Little Owl loves it.

She can paint as much as she likes.

We don't run out of water.

And the sunshine dries it off so she can't paint things again and again!

Little Owl loved doing hand prints

And foot prints too!

It doesn't even matter if she paints her face!

Water painting is our new favourite thing to do!

Cross Monday Week 17

Progress is slow but steady at the moment.  Papa Owl has been away which usually gives me extra time to stitch, but the world cup has meant a lack of decent telly to watch which essential to stitching!  The plant I am working on at the moment has three flowers on, you can see I have completed the first.  Unlike the bottom section, where I worked from the outside in, this time I am stitching from left to right.  This does pose the risk that I might get bored once I have passed half way, however  I am still hoping to finish this section before my target date of 15th September!

The good news is that I have finished exam marking so hopefully I can get my head back into blogging - been struggling to compose just one sentence some evenings!

Silent Sunday

Owlfit of the Week

I like to think of this Owlfit as Little Owl's surfette beach outfit!  Its a bit of a mis-mash but I love it!  The hat you have seen before and is from H&M as are the shorts - although really they are trousers aged 12 months!  

The t-shirt is from Me&i and features different coloured peace buses.  I really love this t-shirt - I'm a fan of yellow anyway but with the retro buses (which look remarkably similar to a certain popular campervan) and the brown trim round the neck this is just super cool.  However, I have noticed that if I don't pair it up with something obviously girly, then people do mistake Little Owl for a boy!  Hence the pink hoody which was a hand-me-down.  It isn't something I would have bought but actually I think it compliments this outfit beautifully.

And then we have the Livie and Luca sandals! 

With the recent hot weather, Little Owl has been living in these.  As well as looking beautiful, they are super practical too.  They are sturdy enough for Little Owl to go on the beach, or to climb up muddy banks, and although I was a little precious about them when I first got them, they really can handle getting dirty or even wet without showing any signs of wear!  If you haven't already tried Livie and Luca then do so - although I warn you - once you have bought a pair - there's no going back!

Cross Monday Week 16

I'm really pleased with progress this week.  I've had a couple of evenings this week where I closed the laptop and just watched telly and stitched.  It was lovely and it means that I have completed a whole tree that was rather complicated (it has 4 colours in it).

I have also made the effort to use up the threads that I had hanging loose.  Some were used on the tree but this has also meant that the red chain on the left hand side has filled out a bit, the vine that makes the top of this section has begun to grow too, as well as a plant beginning to sprout out of one of the central pots.  I've actually really enjoyed working like this and so will continue for at least the time being.  

Papa Owl is away for a couple of nights this week so I hope to have some good progress to show next week too!

Silent Sunday

Owlfit of the Week

I love this sunny dress from Me&i.  Papa Owl actually chose this one, I wasn't sure at first but it is simply stunning on.  It just hangs so beautifully and doesn't need ironing either.  If you haven't come across Me&i, go check them out!  They are a Swedish company and their clothes can only be bought through one of their sales representatives either directly or at a party.  I recently hosted one of their parties and it was great fun.  I was a little bit worried that my friends would feel pressured to buy, but they assured me that they didn't feel that at all.  Their summer season has closed now, but their new winter range is due to be released on 13th August - I can't wait!

Little Owl's hat comes from H&M and her gorgeous sandals come from our favourite shoe shop Livie and Luca.

The Adventure Playground

We've just discovered the most wonderful place in the world!  No take that back, its like another world!  Little Owl and I have been looking for new groups to join, having grown out of our baby groups, we had yet to find a place we felt happy where Little Owl could play with kids her age and older.  We really wanted a place for Little Owl to play outside too, but thinking that was too much to ask for, I had even started to look at some local nurseries that offered regular outdoor adventures.

But then I discovered THE ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND!  The adventure playground is aimed at 8-13 year olds "to experience play opportunities that are often difficult to find elsewhere in the town.
Adventure and taking risks is an important part of growing up and it is through play that children learn about themselves and the world around them". 

When I first heard about the adventure playground, I thought Little Owl was far too young, but then I heard that they also ran toddler and pre-school sessions there too!  Its hard to describe, but I feel a bit like I've stepped into Biker Grove, while other parents have said it reminds them of Why Don't You?!

 

The playground is set in a valley, right by the railway line which all the kids love, stopping whatever they are doing to wave at passing trains.  There's a large industrial building and lots of outside space to explore.  I love the rough and ready appearance of the playground, and the wooden climbing frame.

We did a bit of exploring and found this secret garden that looks like its been forgotten for a while.

Tucked in the corner of the playground is a sandpit.  Its not the beautiful play sand that you find in modern playgrounds or sandpits, but, well, normal dirty sand!  Bits of grass growing in it, stones that have migrated that way.  But there's toys to play with and tyres to sit on - what more could you want?

  

A slide at the edge of the playground takes you down into the woods.  The slide is one of those steep metal ones that I remember from my childhood, but as it goes down the bank, you don't need to worry about toddlers climbing up steep ladders - Little Owl has fallen off the top of a slide so I am a little nervous.  In the wood, you can find swings and tree houses and Little Owl's favourite - a zip wire!  I was really surprised she was able to do it on her own, although she does need a hand to get on it!

 

Further into the woods and Little Owl finds her own little house, which she loves, but she never gets to stay for long as its usually snack time. All the kids get a drink of squash (or water) and there's a platter of chopped up fruit for them to help themselves to.  Meanwhile the mums get a big mug of tea!

Inside there is plenty to explore.  I didn't capture all of it (and was trying to keep other kids out of the photos).  There's a huge pile of dressing up clothes, a piece of gym equipment to climb onto and jump off onto crash mats, a piano to play, a table set up for painting (including covers for the children) and various toy kitchens and work benches dotted around the place.  There's probably loads I missed out on too.

Back outside the building to where we came in and there's a covered outside area which I can imagine is a blessing in the winter.  All sorts of different activities are put out here including my favourite - the muddy messy play!  Little Owl loved it too, and it was great to be somewhere where she really could just play and no one minded if she dropped mud on the floor.

Can you believe we packed all of this in to just two hours?!!  For only £2.50 too!  The adventure playground has fast become one of our favourite places to go, and with it open on 3 mornings including a Saturday, we can always fit it into our week somewhere!