wow.

Sometimes it feels like someone has all of a sudden switched on a light. Things become clear. You know where you stand and you know what to do in life. It's a strange one. Sometimes we get so caught up, we don't stop to think about what really matters.

Lately I've been up for a lot of adventure. I always think, if tomorrow was my last day, what should I be doing today? It's true, it really does put things into perspective.

Hope you like the images. My future cousin in law adores photography and she is really good at it. She is hoping to pursue it later on in life. I hope she does.

Happy Sunday!

french bench.

This bench is a special bench. My granddad built it from scratch. My Dad now looks after it. There is something about it. It has character. It fits in perfectly to the front of our French home. It's rusty and fragile, but it works.

Do you have a piece of furniture that just looks right and means something to you?

out in the water.

I love being out at sea. This past week I went away to a Greek island, Zakinthos. It really was beautiful and as I sat with my legs dangling off the side of the boat, I could feel the warm evening sun and summer breeze against my face as I watched the island landscape in the distance.

No worries. No troubles. Just fresh air and space.

today I'm all about the orange.

warm.

fresh.

crisp.

humble.

light.

the street i hope to live.

Gorgeous white roses.

Quaint English life.

Happy Thursday!

hello new cook book.

I love cakes, love them. I'm home now and ready for a real break. Or should I say real bake?

Back!

where is it??

Are you one of those people who seems to always be searching through their handbag trying to find that one thing that can't be found? I am.

I do it all the time. In fact, I think I have probably spent a good week of my life looking for things in my handbag.

It stunts me, because honestly I'm quite an organised person. Yet my bag tends to get filled the longer I'm out the house - throw in some receipts (I'll sort those out later) - bottle of juice while out (half empty so can't throw it away just yet) - and then there's just all the other 'necessities.' How can you possibly find anything among all this? Well usually, I can't.

You can really get worked up trying to find that one thing. I often have to get down on the pavement with my bag so I can properly get stuck in (and often remove everything else to eventually find what I'm looking for) or rest my bag on something (often a willing friend) to find what I'm looking for. However when you do find that one thing, it is the most amazing feeling. You almost believe that this could never happen to you again. But it does. Daily. (well for me anyways!)

Do you also suffer from handbag disappearances?!

Have a great weekend!

a speckle of freckle.

Sat in the sun today and out came some freckles. Freckles in the summertime - ah I just love them. I think no makeup and a dusting of freckles makes for a very natural look.

Do you get freckles this time of year, or are you lucky to get them all year round?

Happy Thursday!

library love.

I love libraries. Especially the Faculty of Education library here in Cambridge. It has cute little warm lamps on each desk, even lit during daylight. I'm hoping to get some pictures of it soon. It really is an amazing building in itself.

What I love most about libraries is the smell of old books. I'm sure I would never read half of these old books, let alone two, but there is something about them that just seems so ideal. Their crispy tea stained looking pages, and their rigid bold looking skin. hmm.

It's actually kind of nice sitting in a quiet space. There are not too many places in the world where you can be with other people, making no noise, no noise at all. It's almost as if there is this huge room of calm where everyone is respectful of each other. When you step out, you're back in the real world. buzzing.

Maybe this all sounds like nonsense. Maybe this was me day dreaming today in the library instead of doing my school work... hmm perhaps!?

start now.

I was talking to a friend the other day and it got me thinking about life. In particular, about all those things that they say you should do while you're still young. I don't really know who 'they' are or what these things you should do before it's too late really are either. The way I see it; if you stay ambitious throughout life, then you're going to be able to do pretty much anything you want to at any age.

I still thought it was worth considering what I hope to do while I'm still 'young.' Whether it be for a goal purpose, or simply just a bit of fun!

(in no particular order..)

1) Travel. Travel everywhere. Travel anywhere.

2) Sing on stage in front of a live audience

2) Do at least one 'crazy' activity (sky-dive, bungy jump)

3) Make love in places I'm really not supposed to

4) Go to a loud concert of a young and upcoming hip star, where dancing is a MUST

5) Go on a blind date, or two

6) Run a marathon or do something physically adventurous

7) Dress up at all opportunities - in particular fancy dress

8) Volunteer - wherever or whatever it may be, just get the experience and help others while I can

9) Live in a cool place - something different, somewhere I could live in my 20's but not later in life. The strangest and funniest places have the best memories

10) Get my own cat

I'm sure I'll change my mind on this list, but it's a start.

What's on your list of things to do while you're still young? Or even things to do in life in general? I'd love to hear!

these are the parts of england i love.

I just LOVE these little houses. Quaint and captivating.

Often we try to be different in our choices, but doesn't a little bit of repetition look so good?!

pick me! pick me! pick me!

Why do magazine make us content? Most of the time we skim through and hardly read the text anyway. Yet, there is something about holding a magazine. It's pleasing, makes you feel good.

Maybe it's the texture, the glossy/matt pages, or even that 'magazine smell' (which I must say I love) Perhaps it's the pricey cost that makes you feel like you have really gone and treated yourself? Or maybe it's the time we choose to buy a magazine? I often buy a magazine when I know I have the time to really relax and read it (and we know those times are rare!) An evening when I can curl up in my pyjamas and enjoy it with a hot drink. Or often I will read a magazine on a journey, which I think goes for most of us.

There are many different types of magazine readers. You've got the general 'pick ups' who will buy a magazine or two to fill in the time, often when traveling. You've got the adorable magazine nerds who just can't get enough of their one passion (gardening, fashion, motorbikes, you name it) and who will without a doubt HAVE A SUBSCRIPTION. Let's not forget the 'magazine exhibitionists' who just think it looks good to have a magazine alongside their Starbucks coffee.

I got a parcel from a close friend this week. Inside was Real Simple. I find the magazine really enjoyable to read, because it covers all areas - fashion, health, home, life, money, food. It's an extra special treat for me, because I can't get this magazine here in the UK. I've been saving it all week. I'm looking forward to a long and lazy lie in tomorrow, waking up to a cup of tea and Real Simple.

What type of magazine reader are you?

as time goes by.

Some time has gone by since I last blogged. I'd like to think that it's due to having the lack of time, bur really, I think it's lack of effort. If I wanted to blog, I could blog. So why am I holding back?

There are many things I would have liked to have posted about, but they never seemed to fit with the theme of my blog. The result, I didn't post.

It's time for a change around. Here's to a new blog, no constraints and lots of uncertainty.

Happy Friday!

to be or not to be.

I read an article today. Book shelves at home taken over now by DVDs.

Reading with children shows that adults are devoting their time. Can the same be said about sitting beside a child with the TV set on? Does watching TV mean children are spending less contact time with their family?

I'm very traditional in my thinking. I almost wish for technology to stop advancing so quickly to give children the chance to catch up with what's already out there.

Once the book is made into a film, the book often gets forgotten.

So why is reading so important? Well.. imagination. You have to allow for children to develop their own thoughts.

We want to feed the imagination rather than starve it.

This is not to say that I don't think children should watch TV, of course they should.

However, because of the new, we often forget the old.

Due to the lack of reading done at home, children are simply reading now only when they are required (usually by school) to and do not often read for pleasure. Conclusion = reading is a burden and therefore a negative activity.

We need to demonstrate reading to children - by picking up a newspaper to read, a magazine, a leaflet - we are creating an encouraging reading environment.

What do you think?

TV? Books? One? None?

spring.

Spring is such a lovely time. Spring is such a busy time.

Back to blogging, here we go.

holiday time.

It is holiday time for me. I'm not going to lie, I'm SUPER excited! A journey, a new culture to discover and let's not forget, some very much needed sunshine!

Does mean no blogging for a week or so though.

See you soon!

harris.

Ok. Easter weekend is over, but I found this little gem, about, well, a rabbit. I had to share.

Harris Finds His Feet by Catherine Rayner tells the little tale about Harris who, well, finds his feet! His Grandpa shows him how he can use his big, BIG feet. Seeing any links here with Daley B?!

I just love the pictures in this story book. They really do make you fall in love with Harris. I think I have a bit of a thing for books that make you fall in love with their characters simply by taking a glimpse at one of their images!

Hope you all had a great Easter weekend!

Easter time.

Going away for the long weekend.

Family to see.

Chocolate to be eaten.

What have you got planned?

Happy Easter!

be you.

I went to see The Blind Side yesterday at the movies. It was a cute movie, and I can for sure see why Sandra Bullock won her Oscar.

Without giving too much away, the story of Ferdinand the bull was mentioned in the movie. Of course it was deliberate to the story line, and when you watch the movie, you will know why.

Ferdinand is a bull who, as you all may know, was created by Munro Leaf and illustrated by Robert Lawson. Ferdinand would rather smell flowers than be involved in bullfights. The story demonstrates a clear message, that even though Ferdinand is a bull, it doesn't mean he has to act like one.

The story has a message, which for children is important. Every person has the freedom to define who they are and what they want to be. This would be a great story to use as a stimulus for learning about aspirations or any PSHE lesson with children.

Happy Monday! Have a good week ahead!

a little shimmer.

Last night I watched P.J. Hogan's Peter Pan. The dvd has been sitting on my book case for longer than I can remember. Judging by the cover, I didn't think it was going to be anything great and hence why I put it off for so long. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining it was and just goes to show, don't judge by the cover!

The movie got me thinking about fairies. Every young girl wants to be the fairy at the birthday party and the fairy in the school play. After this movie, I can see why.

Although, to be honest, I often found Tinker bell quite annoying, there were points in this movie where the fairies were all together quite good. These moments I loved. Their golden beings lit up the night sky. As an adult I find the image of a typical fairy pretty ugly and quite frankly a little bit scary! For the child, it's more about what the fairy does than what it looks like. What child wouldn't want to have magical powers?

Do you remember being a fairy as a child? I'd love to hear!

laugh a little.

Take everything with a pinch of salt. laugh.

It's what they do.

Do you have any laughter that could pop out to say hello this weekend?!

I do. A skype chat with a good friend. Tonight!

Happy Friday!

a little bit of magic.

I was working in a Year 1 class today (5 year olds mainly). They were doing a phonics worksheet. Learning about the oa, ow, o _ e sound.

Phonics is always a funny one to engage children in.

Introducing... the magic pencil.

I made a 'c' shape first and then...

My body shook and I made a few exciting sounds as this simple pencil become something wonderful. It was magical.

The c became an o. The c became an e. The w was made up of two v's.

They thought these transformations were down to the magic pencil.

Of course they were...

meet a boy.

There was a boy. There was a Martian. They became friends.

The Way Back Home comes from Oliver Jeffers, the same author who wrote The Incredible Book Eating Boy (a previous blog post). Funny I didn't notice that until after I got home and looked inside the book.

I do love an author and an illustrator tied into one. I would love to be able to illustrate my own children's book but at the moment I can only create the words. Illustrating is a lot harder than it looks. Maybe I can do a collaboration some day.

What a darling little story this really is. A boy finds a plane in his cupboard and ends up landing on the moon after running out of petrol. He meets a Martian who also lands on the moon after his space ship engine breaks. It really is comical. They help each other out and the story unfolds..

A good story to use with children to problem solve. How will the boy and Martian fix their dilemmas? Can they help each other, how? Children can come up with the most imaginative and often unthinkable solutions!

Don't you just love the illustration?

There is something about the fine detail and the colours in these images that make them really stand out.

nothing no more.

This is the sweetest little story.

Nothing by Mick Inkpen is a story about a little cat teddy that thinks he is called ‘Nothing.’ He is called Nothing, because he does not know who he is. (I can see links here with Daley B by Jon Blake). As the story unfolds, we realise Nothing is actually known as Toby and belongs to a lovely little grandpa. Toby was the grandpa’s childhood teddy and over the years has lost his ears, nose, whiskers, stripes and tail.

It has to be said – this book really won me over for its cuteness. Most of them do. I love little Toby and the illustrations that portray his naïve nature. In fact, I prefer Toby as a little tatty old toy instead of how he was bought new. There is often something attractive about imperfection.

In terms of education. I think this could be a great book to ease young children into the issues of bullying. You can explore how Toby feels and why, and what change is made to make him feel a different way. (he makes friends, is helped to find his owner..etc)

At one point in the book, the grandpa shows Toby being held in an old photograph. Toby was brand new and looked very different to how he looks now. You could use this idea as a stimulus to look at black and white photography with children. Ask them about a particular object in a photograph and see if they can either research and follow the story of the object or make up their own story. A good one for History, or simply creative writing.

Do you have a teddy or toy that seems to become more cherished as the years go on and the more bedraggled it gets?

I do.

Happy Monday!

the surprise daffodil day.

Every year I get what I like to call 'the surprise daffodil day.' As if out of nowhere, sunny clumps of yellow appear everywhere. This day was yesterday.

One school I worked at planted daffodil bulbs with the children towards the end of the year. The following spring they were able to take them home just in time for Mother's Day. The children followed the whole process patiently until their surprise daffodil day came along. Product represents a sense of achievement, but process is the real deal and where learning progresses the most.

A little late blooming this year but I knew they would make it.