Tag Archives: Fun

The Family Gingerbread House #Christmas #Fun

You all know how much I love the Christmas season. And so do my kids. I’m turning them into regular anti-Grinches! Last weekend, we made a Gingerbread house together. And before you think I’m some kind of domestic goddess (which, of course, I am–just not all of the time!), I confess: we bought a build-your-own-kit. I suppose we could have made the lot from scratch, but I deemed it safer to have some sturdy ingredients. Nonetheless, huge amounts of fun were had by all. We’re planning to demolish the house on Christmas Eve… if we can convince ourselves to tear it down!

All the right pieces... all present and correct. Ready for the build!

All the right pieces… all present and correct. Ready for the build!

Assembling the base. Tooth picks are a critical accessory here, or so we discovered.

Assembling the base. Tooth picks are a critical accessory here, or so we discovered.

Putting the roof on. See all that white squishy stuff? That's royal icing. Never made that before; it was a real education. It's ready to use when it's got the consistency of cement, and it dries just as hard. Tastes better though!

Putting the roof on. See all that white squishy stuff? That’s royal icing. Never made that before; it was a real education. It’s ready to use when it’s got the consistency of wet cement, and it dries just as hard. Tastes better though!

Ooops! Nearly forgot the chimney!

Ooops! Nearly forgot the chimney!

One Gingerbread House, all done and dusted. Literally and liberally dusted with icing sugar. That wasn't in the instructions, but we like to improvise. We're very proud of our little gingerbread house!

Ta-da! One gingerbread house, all done and dusted. Literally and liberally dusted… with lots and lots of icing sugar. That part wasn’t in the instructions, but we like to improvise. We’re very proud of our little gingerbread house!

Ho Ho ho! Have you built yours yet? What’s your favourite Christmas ‘craft’ activity?

Conker Craft!

Happy half term! I thought I’d bring you a little photo post today about a classic German autumn pastime: making conker models. If you like getting crafty yourself, or if you need to entertain the kids, this is a fast, relatively un-messy, and intensely satisfying activity.  Be sure to help the kids with making the holes, and if you want your models to last while the conkers begin to dry out, you might want to apply a little glue to the sticks.

You need: a pile of conkers; a pair of scissors or a little screwdriver for making holes; toothpicks or matchsticks for making limbs

You need: a pile of conkers; a pair of scissors or a little screwdriver for making holes; toothpicks or matchsticks for making limbs

Carefully pierce the conker with your scissors or screwdriver. You might want to swivel your implement around for a nice round hole. Be sure to supervise or help young kids because those conkers are slippy and you don't want any holes in fingers or tables! :-)

Carefully pierce the conker with your scissors or screwdriver. You might want to swivel your implement around for a nice round hole. Be sure to supervise or help young kids because those conkers are slippery, and you don’t want any holes in fingers or tables! 🙂

Here's a body with four legs...

Here’s a body with four legs…

...now add feet...

…now add feet…

...a neck, and a head...

…a neck, and a head…

...nose and ears....

…a nose and ears. You can paint on eyes and a mouth if you like… Nice doggie!

If your model doesn't balance properly, just wiggle the sticks until you get everything even. Easy!

If your model doesn’t balance properly, just wiggle the sticks until you get everything even. Easy!

Model gallery: a dog, a snake, a giraffe and a hedgehog. Child's play!

Model gallery: a dog, a snake, a giraffe and a hedgehog. Child’s play!

If you happen to really enjoy yourself, there’s no limit to your imagination here! You can also incorporate acorns and their little acorn hats, leaves, or any other autumnal delight that captures your interest. Happy modelling!

Village May Fair

It’s been nearly a year since this here rock-loving city girl moved to a small and entirely lovely village just outside Lincoln. So of course, I’m still finding out new things all the time about what this more… country-fied style of life really has to offer. This weekend, I discovered the Village May Fair. I have to confess, I didn’t expect too much. But it was fabulous!

Intrigued! No idea what to expect...

Intrigued! No idea what to expect…

Wow. They take the party seriously here! (This is the main road through the village!)

Wow. They take the party seriously here! (This is the main road through the village!)

Cake stall!

Cake stall!

Home made jams and chutneys. (Not by me, you gather) We bought some Whisky Marmalade...yum!

Home made jams and chutneys. (Not by me, you gather) We bought some Whisky Marmalade…yum!

Not just a fair... and international fair! #loveitalianfood

Not just a fair… an international fair! #loveitalianfood

Oh. I think I might fancy some of that. *cheers*

Oh. I think I might fancy some of that. *cheers*

Bring on the entertainment! The local majorettes offer a stunning show.

Bring on the entertainment! The local majorettes offer a stunning show.

Band! Love me a good band!

Band! Love me a good band!

Juggling clown ~ it's a 'yes' from me!

Juggling clown ~ it’s a ‘yes’ from me!

Morris dancing!!! Bring it on!

Morris dancing!!! Bring it on!

Yes, with hankies, too! I'm loving this!

Yes, with hankies, too! I’m loving this!

And the ladies, too. (But no, I won't be joining any time soon. Sorry!)

And the ladies, too. (But no, I won’t be joining any time soon. Sorry!)

So we missed the actual dancing around the May Pole but we *did* see it, touch it...and think about it. Next year?

So we missed the actual dancing around the May Pole but we *did* see it, touch it…and think about it. Next year?

I tried to convince OH to have a go but... he refused.

I tried to convince OH to have a go but… he refused.

YES! Boat swings! Quick, quick, let's have a go....

YES! Boat swings! Quick, quick, let’s have a go….

Me. On Swing. "Tonight... I am young!!" LOL

Me. On Swing. “Tonight… I am young!!” LOL

It's a bit small, but I reckon Sophie and Dan would have had a go.

It’s a bit small, but I reckon Sophie and Dan would have had a go.

The boys particularly loved this slide. Alas, I wasn't allowed... #notsoyoungafterall

The boys particularly loved this slide. Alas, I wasn’t allowed… #notsoyoungafterall

Glorious village fair. Well, I'm sold!

Glorious village fair. Well, I’m sold!

And there you have it. The weather was glorious ~ this must have been the hottest Bank Holiday Monday for decades ~ and the fair was fantastic. I’ll look forward to next year.

How about you ~ how did you spend your weekend or Bank Holiday Monday?

Just Give Me A Reason

It’s Music Monday!

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Today I’m sharing a song that’s captivated me this past week. The lyrics are quite fascinating and seem to capture the essence of misunderstanding between woman and man. I totally love the juxtaposition of her and his viewpoint. Not to mention that the voices work beautifully together. Plus, of course, I’m a sucker for ballads that are heavy on the piano and feature strong, clear voices. Perfect song all round, as far as I’m concerned.

 

What’s your favourite duet?

Nicky’s Top Tunes of 2012

It’s Music Monday!
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I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas! Today is the last day of 2012, and the last Monday at that! So what better day to post my favourite tunes of 2012? Sit back and relax!

(Oh… here’s a little quiz for you! ONE of these songs was contributed by my children, at their express insistence. I wonder if you can spot which one it is?)

That’s quite a mix, huh? It’s certainly been an interesting musical year. We have rock, pop and… other stuff. Awesome!

I’d love to hear your top tunes of 2012 ~ as always, keep it official! Rock on! 🙂

How do you #Voodoo? The Spellbindingly Fun Blog Party with @JaniceHorton

It’s Janice Horton’s Spellbindingly Fun Blog Party!

Congratulations to Janice as she celebrates the launch of her Halloween novella, How Do You Vodoo!

Loveless fashion model Nola Nichols thinks being beautiful is a curse; that is
until she is cursed and her looks begin to fade just a week before the most
important photo shoot of her career.

Nola rejects all rational explanation on what might be causing her lost looks and decides she has to find a way to get uncursed. This imaginative quest takes her from the Caribbean to Glasgow’s own City of the Dead. Along the way, she finds herself taking part in a rather unconventional funeral, involved in a voodoo ritual, reveals one or two unrests in her own past and falls madly in love with a doctor. Erm, that would be a witch doctor, right…?

How Do You Vodoo is out now ~ and it’s FREE today (26 October), what are you waiting for?

To honour the occasion, I’m taking part in the Spellbindingly Fun Blog Party so here goes…

Nicky’s Rocking-Ever-After Spell

Banish the worry, dry the tears, do away with your deepest fears
Welcome the love, the light, and the precious one
I’ve touched the stone and I will rock on

To banish the worry, dry the tears, do away with your deepest fears
~
Collect one worry stone on a new moon at midnight and put in the freezer until the next full moon
~Climb the highest Scottish mountain to collect thirteen dragon tears; put in the freezer next to the worry stone until the next full moon
~Write a list of your deepest fears and add them to the worry stone and dragon tears in the freezer (remember to use waterproof ink!)

To welcome the light, the love, the precious one
~Gather stardust and summon Northern lights on the next night of the next full moon
~Pick a single white rose by the light of the next full moon
~Collect a moonstone by the light of the next full moon

BY THE LIGHT OF THE NEXT FULL MOON…

Remove the worry stone and dragon tears and list of your deepest fears from the freezer. Crush with the biggest hammer you can find while reciting the first line of the spell, and place resulting worry, tear and fear dust in cauldron.

Sprinkle the worry, tear and fear dust liberally with Northern lights and stardust. Stir well using the single white rose while reciting the second line of the spell.

Touch the moonstone and throw it high in the air, aiming to land in cauldron. Aim carefully. If you miss, your spell is void.

After (and only after) the moonstone has landed safely in the cauldron, recite the third and final line of the spell. You are now allowed to turn up the music. Congratulations: you will rock ever after!

About Janice Horton

Janice Horton lives in Scotland and writes contemporary romance with  humour. Her novels ‘Bagpipes & Bullshot’ and ‘Reaching for the Stars’ are  both Amazon Kindle bestsellers. Her latest title ‘How Do You Voodoo?’ is a  romantic and humorous novella for Halloween and out now!

Visit Janice’s Author  Blog; Follow her on Twitter @JaniceHorton; or Like  her Author Facebook Page

Janice is a Featured Author & Associate Editor at Loveahappyending.com

Find her ebooks on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

Now it’s your turn to party and make up spells ~ Join Janice on Twitter, be part of the action with #voodoo

We Are Young. #FUN

It’s Music Monday!

Today, I want to share with you my summer-moving-to-Lincoln memory song. I didn’t realise that this was my theme song for this particular event in my life until a recent family holiday in Wales, where the local radio station woefully neglected to play this song even ONCE in a week.

Upon hitting Lincolnshire, the lovely Lincs FM thankfully obliged almost immediately, and it was that moment that sparked the recognition that not only were we coming home, but that also this song had somehow become the theme song for the Wells family move and the start of a new era in our lives.

It’s a bit happy-go-lucky and I leave you to make your mind up about the video and the lyrics… But the chorus, boy, doesn’t it make you want to sing along at the top of your voice?

Happy Monday. And remember: We are young. Always!

**The official video has been suspended at some point since this post went live, and it is no longer available via YouTube. Apologies.**
Do you have any special theme songs for moments in your life?