11-12-13 - Hubby Christmas

Today is 11 - 12 - 13 yippee how cool is that! And what a cool birthday to be born on - so to all mummy's having babies today - good luck xxx

Its Wednesday which means Present ideas!!!

So i've done all of my Christmas Shopping except for Nick!!! I find him really hard to buy for - so heres my top 10 list of presents for husbands hope theres some good tips for you!!

1. Golf Lessons - Nick is golf obsessed at the moment! So i think it would be nice for him to get some time out practicing and getting some tips from a pro!

2.  Clothes - Nick loves clothes so i was thinking about getting him a really nice jumper, he's mentioned a few bits in Abercrombie that he likes but i love this from Lyle and Scott £90 www.lyleandscott.com

3. Mousemat - I thought i would get Nick a mousemat with an up to date picture of the children on for his desk at work! Vistaprint do them for something silly like £4 

4. Shoes - You can't go wrong with shoes - either going out, work or new Converse! Always a great mens gift in my opinion!! 

5. Wall Calendar - I really like the idea (i hope he's not reading this and any friends of Nicks don't tell him!) but i like the idea of a wall calendar - but once month at the weekend setting aside a saturday or sunday for Nick to play golf! - So this idea basically costs nothing but it means i won't plan for us to do things on those weekends as they are a present to nick! And i might throw in a couple of vouchers for a round of golf too! - This is £22 from www.notonthehighstreet.com - Nice to do with Nicks friends wives too so they all get to play! maybe not once month but atleast a  couple of times they have a day arranged without having to ask us wife's for a golf pass haha! 

6. Chocolate or Wine - Nick has specifically asked for a selection box in his stocking so thats easy!! But he also loves red wine - so maybe a nice bottle of vino! He also has started drinking scotch like an old man so i was thinking of something along those lines with a nice scotch crystal glass! 

7. Its cold on the commute to town and a nice new scarf is always welcomed!!! Along with pants and socks haha! I really like this Ted Baker scarf £49 www.tedbaker.com

8. A Massage!!! I know most women don't think about getting their men massage's but i think its a nice treat! A time out from work and family! A bit of a relax and pamper for them is just what the Doctor ordered! There are so many deals on Groupon!!! 

9. A new wallet or man bag - Nicks wallet he's had for 6 years now and he deco needs a new one! I love Paul Smith wallets! Prada and Gucci do lovely wallets to and they are miles cheaper at Bicester Village! They last for ages and they are a really lovely present!!! 

10. Number 10 - so many choices from golf clothes, blazer, shirts, aftershave, kiehls moisturizer  etc but i'm going to go with ……. da da daaaaaa - Magazine subscription! no shock its going to be Golf haha - I think Nick would really enjoy reading a golf magazine once a month on the train - with tips and new products etc…. there are so many different magazines out there with loads of good deals!! Its the gift that keeps on giving!!! 

Happy shopping for the man in your life

D.I.Y Christmas Gifts

Most of you are probably thinking about Christmas presents by now, if your not well underway with your shopping or nearly finished if your like a certain other magic mummy (yes thats Jade).

Christmas can be a very stressful time for a lot of people on a tight budget so here are some of my fave DIY gift ideas that won't break the bank!

These are a sweet idea, Sharpie mugs! 

You could get the kids to draw a picture on them for relatives, or right a funny message specifically for the recipient! 

You can find the tutorial on how to make them here

This a neat little way to present a CD. You could put a CD with pictures of your children throughout the year for grandparents or you could make a modern day mixtape for your love!

I would LOVE this gift! 

A box full of ice cream treats, just add a little note saying 'just add ice cream'

Heaven in a box!

This photo collage doesn't have to just be for Fathers day, this would make a lovely present for any occasion. You can find the tutorial here, or with all the cool photo apps available now you could make your own and get it printed!

This Frame is from Handpickedcollection.com but you could easily make this yourself! Just get a large ikea Ribba frame some string and a few pegs glue them in place and you have a lovely presentation frame! You could peg pictures of your children if its a gift for grandparents and then send them pictures throughout the year so its constantly being updated! I'm going to make one for myself so i'll do a tutorial if anyone would like help on how to make it?

If theres any keen photographers on your list to buy for this would be a lovely present! A camera strap! You can find the tutorial for this one here and Jade made a fabulous sequin one a while back she could also do a tutorial on how to make them!

These coasters are a sweet little gift and you can get the kids to help make them! The tutorial is here or you could even mod podge some photo's onto them (who thinks I'm photo obsessed?)

I hope you found these ideas useful, i will post some more in the run up to christmas! Its always nice to receive something handmade i think. 

Don't forget if your struggling for present ideas for someone email alittlemummymagic.com and we would love to help you with some ideas!

Have a magic Wish for Wednesday

Communication ...

Our Wedding Days and what amazing days they were! The days we married our soul mates! 

However even soul mates need help with communication! 

Nick isn't great talking face to face - he just doesn't listen, don't get me wrong he tries but it just doesn't go in. 

yep just like that! 

My biggest piece advice is if you want something you have to ask for it! Its that simple!!!  Men just don't think like us! They don't have the same brain as us and therefore its impossible for them to understand why we get upset if they haven't read our minds and organised a date night at your favourite restaurant! 

Girls get it! Like if i was to say to Lee "I said on the phone to Nick i loved Pink Peonies and he didn't bring me Pink Peonies home" I know she would understand - however Nick will walk in sans peonies non the wiser to my disappointment and just be thinking wow she's crazy.

So as its the present buying season if there is something you are really wishing for from Santa then you have to tell him or if thats too forward get your friend to give him hints! Theres no point in leaving a magazine open on the exact bracelet you would love and then when no bracelet arrives on Christmas or Birthday morning you are upset and think he doesn't know you or doesn't love you enough to care!  The truth is he either last minute dashed and got anything or more truthful in Nicks case he would of put lots of thought and effort in and really thought i wanted a juicer! (which i do haha) 

This honesty of just telling your partner what you want done can work in a plethora of scenarios! Just ask - if he says no he says no at least your not sitting there wondering why he isn't working out your evil eyes mean can you have a cup of tea! 

So throughout the year really - Lee and I send things we love to each other! They vary from the dream kitchen to the dream shoes to the best lipstick! We do a monthly i love and send all the pictures we have saved to our phone that month! We don't just send expensive things we send pictures of stationary and food etc... 

Then come Birthday, Anniversary and Christmas i know i can let Chris know some of the things Lee loves and would really like! Its a win win! Lee still doesn't know what shes getting and Chris knows shes going to love it and doesn't have to put all the effort in to thinking of the perfect present! And Lee does the same for Nick! 

My mum does the same with all of the grandchilren and us - shes gives us a budget and asks what we would like and then we choose and we get some stocking fillers too!! Its so much easier for her and also we all know we are getting something we really want! 

Don't get us wrong theres something special about your husband picking your present and being excited to give it to you! And i love those presents that hes taken the time to think about - and i never want that to end.  We know we have good men who provide and love us and our wonderful babies - but sometimes we need to give them a helping hand too! 

Happy Magic Monday 

Remember in the words of the Beatles "All you need is love, love is all you need"

Gifts in a Jar

Hey Hey! Its Wish for Wednesday again and today we are bringing you gifts in a jar!

Cute little DIY gifts you can make that don't cost the earth but will still impress with the effort you have made!

Here are some of our fave gift in a jar ideas!

Christmas Cookies, a fab little present and activity in one! Fun for kids and would make nice teacher gifts for the end of term too! You could put any sort of recipe ingredients in a jar (as long as it fits) Hot chocolate ingredients would be nice too! Tutorial here

If measuring out a recipe is too much effort you could bake some cookies or cheat and buy some and pop them in a jar! Everything looks cuter in a jar! Recipe here

I love this Spa in a jar! I'd love this as a gift to myself, what woman doesnt love a little pamper session? This would be a fab little gift for female relative's, or even your other half if you have beauty loving hubbys like me and Jade haha! Tutorial here

How fab is this! A wedding day emergency kit! Filled with everything you need to avoid a crisis! A perfect thoughtful gift! Tutorial here

These are brilliant! Homemade candles in a jar. How expensive are candles? Here is a fab tutorial on how to do them yourself, i'm deffo going to try and make some of these!

Last up is a sewing kit. Everyone needs a sewing kit in their life! This would make a nice little present for someone who is leaving home for the first time! Tutorial here

You can pick up Kilner jars in lots of places but i have bought mine in the past from Amazon.

Let us know if you decide to make any of our suggestions or if you have any cool suggestions of your own!

Have a lovely Wednesday

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Waterstones

I've decided Waterstones is one of my favourite places!!! 

Many book shops have closed down due to internet shopping / kindles etc which is so sad! I order my books online when i have to for convenience but actually going to a book shop is so much fun.

There is a big Waterstones near us and we went there the other day.  Granted we went in for specific items the feel of a book shop is lovely! There were children sat in the childrens corner reading books and playing and mums browsing the shelves for anything from cookbooks to how to get your toddler to sleep to 50 shades of grey.  

I love giving books for presents - for young and old - they are the present thats last long after the book has been read! 

Some great bookshops have little coffee shops in them which is just heaven! 

I am planning to go to Waterstones one Sunday when my hubby will have the children just to escape the world and be in this magical bubble! Thousands of books filled with secrets and history and love and magic - the world is literally your oyster. 

I really wanted The Great Gatsby (i loved the film but i want to read it).  They had one by the till and i asked "do you have any other covers?" hahaha writing that down makes me feel a little crazy! I mean a books a book isn't it?? NO it isn't he showed me to a plethora of different covers! Of course i went for the Tiffany designed one and it is now in pride of place on my bedside table! 

They also do some fabulous little gifts and stationary! 

They had some pads called Knock Knock

I've found a selection at Utility Design - some of them are really useful others hilarious!!! 

The other books i found were called Listography Journals - they do Film, Music, Friends.  My favourite is My Future Listography 

This is a fabulous book to plan and keep all your future dreams! 

They also have the most amazing Childrens books - books you don't know about - books you didn't think about - books you didn't know you needed! 

I'm going to plan to take Honey to a bookshop for a mummy honey date every few months - just us two.  I want her to love the magic of books like i do.

So todays something cool in a nut shell is book shops!!! A free place to escape avec enfants!!! And a fabulous place to buy fabulous books that last a lifetime!! 

Happy Reading

J xxx

Perfect Gift

Happy Wednesday!!! 

So i was going to do a post on Godparents presents today as it was my Godsons 8th birthday yesterday but i thought i would save that until my next huge proud moment of being Godmother!!! 

So i wanted to introduce DaisyCottageDesign to you!!! 

I have just had my first Daisy Cottage Design delivered and wow i can't wait to order more! 

How beautiful is this Birthday frame for my mum from Honey!! This is what Honey says to my mum when my mum asks her how much she loves her! 

I just can't stop coming up with who these would make perfect presents for!!! 

Fabulous to have made with your children's funny quotes! Happy Birthdays, Wedding Vows, Favourite things, teacher gifts, fathers day prints, christening's - literally the world is your oyster!!! 

I can't wait for Honey to give my mum her's and for it to be pride of place in the kitchen to be remembered forever! Quotes and sayings all go too quickly and are soon forgotten! Honey has recently started watching the Care Bears but calls them Caramels - and also she says Huggle which is a hug and cuddle in one! All these little funnies are so cute and would look so lovely in these wonderful wooden cut out frames! 

So if you need a present for any occasion look no further than DaisyCottageDesign

Lots of love

J x

Presents for birthday parties

Party season is fast approaching here at a little mummy magic as our little girls and their friends turn the big 4! So this means we need to find presents for their little friends to take to their parties.

I dont know about you but i always feel a bit stressed about party presents. The average i would spend is about £10-£15 which to be honest doesn't stretch amazingly far these days and you don't want to buy something thats a bit rubbish and going to end up in the bin in a months time broken!

So here are my top picks for party presents...

Le Toy Van Biscuit and Plate Set £12.00 

Melissa and Doug Animal Stamp Set £9.99

BigJigs English Breakfast Set £10.95

John Crane Tildo Magnetic Numbers £11.95

Melissa and Doug Shape Sorting Clock £10.00

Melissa and Doug Lacing Shoe £6.99

Orchard Toys Alphabet Lotto £7.60

Guess Who? Game £9.49

I hope this helps if you were struggling for ideas! I think a classic game is always a good shout if your in a dash to buy something! You cant beat playing games with your family!

Love 

L xx

My Favourite Presents Ever!!!

Its Wednesday which means Presents Presents Presents!!

I thought i would put together a collection of my favourite presents!! Top Ten!!

Every Year my Sister in Law and Brother (well Sister in law really) get me a magazine subscription! The last two years its been to Red Magazine!! Have you ever read Red Magazine? I think its the perfect magazine for me - its like made for me! Its the best magazine ever!! If you haven't read it try it!! Its fashiony but not too fashion, got lovely recipes in, diet, fitness, makeup - just everything! Its my guilty pleasure!! There are always good subscription deals!! Subscriptions make such good presents as its the gift that keeps on giving and you get a notice the following year so you can just renew!!

This next present is a great gift for a wedding, a birth, a birthday, an anniversary, a new chapter in life!
Rocco was bought one for his Christening and i have it on his wall and i think its kind of magical!
The website is called www.thedaythat.co.uk
They photograph the dawn skies each day - you can search by date and year of a permanent reminder of that day! They can also write a hand written inscription of your choice.  Rocco's says
"May every day be as special"

As you know Nick has recently just had his birthday! Men are so hard to buy for i find!! I actually think Nick would like a Golf Magazine subscription (mental note to self for Christmas) but one thing he does love are Green Fee vouchers.  Groupon do lots of golf deals - like a round for 2 with a bacon sandwich etc.. Nick plays alot of golf so this way he gets to play for free!!! Just type in Golf Vouchers Groupon into google and lots of great deals pop up!!

I love the idea of saving stories of my life for my grandchildren and great great grandchildren to read! I think this is a fab present to get anyone - with a nice pen and bobs your uncle its a fab present and only £9.65 on Amazon at the moment

I love a cup to drink my tea from!! And i love Big Tomato Mugs! www.bigtomatocompany.com you can customise your mug to say what you like! In pink, green, blue, red or black! They cost £16.95 each but would make lovely wedding gifts saying "Mrs (new surname) and Mr (surname)" Perfect for a new mummy saying "New mummy to Honey" or china anniversary gift - perfect for nannys, granddads too!

My favourite picture frame at the moment is from Marks and Spencers www.marksandspencer.com it costs £19.50 and i think its magnificent! Would make a great present with a lovely picture in! My family love getting new pics of Honey and Rocco and so this makes a good present!!

I'm not a big flowers fan! I love Peonies the best! and also Marks and Spencers Roses but other than that i'm not a girl who wishes for flowers! Don't get me wrong when Nick comes home with a bunch every few months a love them but for birthdays etc i'd just rather cake! That probably sounds really ungrateful but i just find them a waste of money!! However ...... i do flowers in the garden! Ikea have these wonderful plant holders at the moment and they are only £2!! www.ikea.com i think 3 of these with little plants in would look amazing on my kitchen window sill! A lot of bloggers are using them as make up brush holders/pen holders etc! fabulous!! 

In this house we love Lulu Guiness!! And we love her Zip Pouches!! i use mine for my cheque book, receipts, cards etc all that doesn't fit in my bag.  My mum uses hers for her handbag makeup, my mother in law uses hers as a purse.  www.luluguinness.com They are £55 and make great gifts.  There are new styles each season and i just think they are so useful !! This one is my fave! 

I love Champagne and I love Pink so Pink Champagne is a favourite of mine!!! I love this foldable champagne bucket with the Veuve Cliquot Rose Champagne.  It costs £41.50 and its a great gift!  I also love champagne with the matching glasses! www.thechampagnecompany.com

Ok so we are at number 10!!! ooooh the pressure hahaha! My final favourite present would have to be Tickets.  Tickets anywhere - for a weekend away, to a spa, to a show, to a concert, to a sporting event! Just the idea of having something to look forward to after your birthday/ christmas is brilliant!! I am dying to see A Midsummer Night's Dream with David Walliams and Sheridan Smith later this year.  I have booked Nick tickets to watch the NBA when they are in Manchester in October - we can go out for dinner, stay in a hotel etc and its a nice thing to look forward to!! For one of our wedding presents we got a Theatre voucher from Red Letter Day - They have lots of great ideas!!! and prices to suit all www.redletterdays.co.uk

Hope you've found some present inspiration!! Happy Shopping 

Love

J x