The Story Behind Our Collections: Belle & Boo

Belle & Boo is a collection we fell completely in love with and knew we had to have in the Sisters Guild Boutique from the very beginning.  It is British design that we feel so proud to house.  Our passion for Belle & Boo grows each time a new illustration is created and when we see new things appearing that are adorned with Belle, Boo and friends, we are full of excitement.

There is something that is both familiar and utterly enchanting in the illustrations of Mandy Sutcliffe.  For Carla and I the images take us back to our childhood days in the Somerset countryside, where our home backed onto meadows and woodland and we spent all our time outside...in all seasons!

Belle & Boo expresses a childhood that is full of imagination, a place where you can escape into stories, absorb yourself in nature and play with creatures and friends.  Since becoming mothers the collection of Belle & Boo has even more resonance for us as we seek to bring beauty and wonder into our home for our children.  We know that there is a growing following that share this love for Belle & Boo and all the art prints, cushions, clothing, wall stickers...and now a quilt (oh yes!) that make our home space charming and enchanting.

Behind Belle & Boo is someone who must have quite a magical imagination, someone who can easily be taken back to a childhood time full of wonder and daydreams. That person is Mandy Sutcliffe.  Mandy has based Belle & Boo on elements of herself as a child and has been influenced by the work of children's storybook illustrators she grew up with, including Milly Molly Mandy, E. H. Shephard and Cicely Mary Barker.  Mandy studied illustration at Leeds Metropolitan University and part of her study involved a trip to France.  It was in the Parisian parks that Mandy’s love for illustrating children truly blossomed as she spent time drawing the beautiful French children.

The style and gestures of the children Mandy draws are so beautiful.  Belle and her rabbit Boo are depicted in friendship and discovery:

Other girls called Mia and Evie, play and explore:

And boys in gentle reveries:

The Belle & Boo collection is full of celebration, parties, picnics, play and adventure:

With Mandy's work you get a feeling that the illustrations should be accompanied by a poem or a story.
There are some scenes that I look at and get lost in, creating my own dialogue or daydream. There's a sense of romance in the collection, especially with the illustrations Lost, Found, Let's Hug and Meet me at Mike's.  This is another reason why we were so drawn to the Belle & Boo collection - there's a girlhood romance in the some of the images that conjours up memories of a boys hand first held, or walking in the woods and feeling a flutter of all the possibilities that lie before you.

It is not a surprise to discover that Mandy has had three books published, one of which she wrote as well as illustrated : Evie’s Seaside Lullaby and Goodnight Me, Goodnight You published by Orchard Books and Night Ride To Nanna’s published by Walker Books.  AND there is to be a Belle & Boo book.  We are so excited to know that we will be able to read and share a Belle & Boo story with our children and immerse ourselves in Mandy's beautiful illustrations even more.

For Carla & I, the magical memories that stay with us from childhood are from the storybooks, the pictures, prints and patterns that surrounded us. There are favourite things that have been preserved and carried with us from our childhood homes to our adult ones.  With Belle & Boo we feel that it will be the same.  These will be the pieces that will be adored and handed-down.  The objects our own childen will treasure and keep when they make their adult homes. They are the things that will carry memories and reminders of a place and time in childhood.

Enjoy browsing the Belle & Boo collection and the wonder Mandy Sutcliffe has created

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This is part of our series of blog posts that reveal the story behind the collections and why we chose them for the Sisters Guild Boutique.  Read about The Story Behind ilovegorgeous here

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Monday Makery - Chandelier of colours

I'm a huge fan of decorating rooms and tables as part of celebrations. I have a huge collection of bunting which I love to pull out whenever the occasion arrives. A table will proudly house my favourite cake stands piled high with sandwiches and delicious cakes and slices of scrummies. Colourful plates and napkins add more colour and this chandelier made with seam binding is a beautiful touch to add colour simply by itself or amidst the bunting. Hang the chandelier above the table and adapt it according to occasion. Use sticky tape to temporarily fix paper cut butterflies or flowers to some of the strands to make it more fun, though simply with just a few alternating colours its a colourful elegant crown. For a bigger impact you could make two or three and hang them the length of the table. We hung ours above the table for Oona's birthday tea party and hopefully it'll be hung again for mothers day too.Though I'm quite reluctant to take it down as it adds such beautiful colour above our kitchen table.

 You'll need:

• scissors
• seam binding
• a wire coat hanger
• sticky tape 

 

Here's how:

1. Take your wire coat hanger and unwind the twisted hook. Pull open the hanger and bend and shape it into a hoop. I used a metal tray to stretch and curve it round. The shape doesn't have to be perfectly smooth. I don't have the patience to get it perfect with no bumps and it doesn't show. 
2. Using a strong piece of sticky tape to fix the ends so they slightly overlap.
3. Cut your seam binding into double the length you desire the drop to be.
4. Take a length of one of the cuts and tie it at the midpoint of the binding into a knot.
5. Repeat, alternating the colours as go.
6. To hang: take four equal lengths of the binding and tie, with equal distnace between them, knot together at the top and hang. 

There are more inspring things to make in our ideas and inspiration pages. This idea was inspired from here.

An A-Z of Sisters Guild - D

  discover /dih-skuhv-ə/ verb trans (discovered, discovering) 1 to find (something) by searching or by chance. 2 to be the first to see, find, get knowledge of, or know about (something). 3 to realize or find out (a fact). archaic to make known; reveal; disclose. 

C: What do you think the word discover means?

S: It means going to other countries and seeing how the animals live......... and when you find me on a chair getting the treats from the high cupboard. 

see also: 

A is for adventure, B is for bedtime and C is for colour.

Wednesday: Wooing Mama!

Mama needs some wooing, not just for Mother's Day but always.
Here are some gifts for Mum, Mummy, Mother, Mama.
Mama loves...

Beautiful gifts for Mama to make her feel adored.  Jewellery by hop hop hop and Renaissance Life has so much charm - necklaces and bracelets to make Mama gasp with delight. Mama loves pretty....

Hand-painted metal candle holders by Rice DK £21.50
Mini nuage bracelet in powder pink by hop hop hop £39
Fabric photo frame by Rice DK £6.50
Year 1983 Swedish Russian Doll Necklace by Renaissance Life £119
Mini Mcghee Blanket with Vintage Bag £56
Fabric Flower Embroidered Box £44.50
My Favourite Spot in Spring Cushion by Belle & Boo £42

Home is surely the domain of Mama, a sanctuary, an expression of herself and her family.
Home is a place to make your nest, a place to gather friends and entertain, a place to surround yourself with favourite things that inspire and bring joy. Some gifts for a home-loving Mama...

Bureaux a la maison (home offices), book by PAUMES £20.40
Children's Rooms Paris, book by PAUMES £20.40
Ava's Tea Party mounted print by Belle & Boo £61.50
Tea Time Wall Sticker by Love Mae £55.00
Favourite Place Pillow by Lucky Boy Sunday £43
Leila Lou Linen Vintage-Inspired Dolls £18.50 each
Embroidered Napkins by Rice DK £5.30 each

We all have a creative side, or at least a desire to make. These are things for a mama who love to make, whether that's baking, knitting, sewing or other absorbing crafts.

Fabric Embroidered Box - for keeping craft hobby bits! - by Rice DK £44.50

Heart-Shaped Cookie Cutters £3

Butterfly-Shaped Cookie Cutters £3

Colourful set of plates by Rice DK £7.80

Dove & Cherries Pinny Sewing Kit in Jade by Clothkits £19

Melamine Mixing Bowls with Lids - set of 4 by Rice DK £34

A colourful piece, especially by our favourite homeware designers Rice DK, really does make us smile and sing.  A cushion to entice you to your armchair, a blanket to spread out, sprawl and read upon, a candelabra to make a enchanting centerpiece, clothes hangers that add even more colour to your wardrobe space, a bright and happy purse....and a velvet bird that is actually a clutch bag, in Turquoise, divine!  Mama loves colour...

Painted Candelabra with Birds by Rice DK £44

Painted Wooden Clothes Hangers by Rice DK £3.30 each

Velvet Bird Clutch Bag - Turquoise - by Rice DK £34.30

Fringy Flower Cushion Cover by Rice DK £29

LOVE Applique Double Quilt by Rice DK £110

Yellow Spot Make-Up Purse/Bag by Rice DK £13

There's so many things that Mama loves...

Pass this on with a hint to those that need to know!

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The Story Behind Our Collections

Sisters Guild was born from inspiration given to us by our children and admiration for all the creators we have brought together in our boutique. A place of creativity and beauty whereby you are invited to discover along with us what we believe to be the classics of the new blossoming generation. With pieces to spark the imagination through enchanting creations, colour and shape for children and home. 

 We would like to introduce you to the designers and their collections. The reason we have so lovingly selected those we house. Above all it is the story of how we came to be.

 Fabulous, British and Feminine

Famed for their use of unique printed textiles and their signature flattering cut the wonderful designs of ilovegorgeous are playful and exquisite. These are clothes made to flow with a childs movement. Clothes for those with a love of fabric and detail: splashes of net, exquisite with sari fabric, retro with ric-rac. Classic, traditional, flattering silhouettes are made interesting with their trim or embroidery where a piece of silver vintage 70’s trim may be paired with white cheesecloth to make a funky sundress. They also use cotton voile, sheer viscose chiffon, nets and lace to produce their pretty delicate and feminine collections.

There is also a perfectly pretty knitwear range of classic cardi’s and fine jumpers….cotton for summer, cashmere for winter.

These are the designs you’ll see on the wonderfully dressed Notting Hillbilly girls. The clothing is girlie yet quirky, feminine and with a hint of vintage style. Each piece is a creation designed to make children feel gorgeous.

ilovegorgeous began in 2006 following an inspirational trip to India. A marriage was made between the two designers, Lucy Enfield and Sophie Worthington, and their love of hand blocked prints, silks and cottons and pretty trims. Fulfilling a dream to create clothing the two of them began by selling their designs out of their Notting Hill kitchen to friends. Though with the likes of Sam Taylor-Wood, Claudia Schiffer and Stella Tennant buying bundles of your clothing designs whilst sipping tea I guess with friends like these adoring your designs you get an inkling that it wouldn’t take much more to impress others too.

Having decided to take on the adventure a step further in 2007, Selfridges snapped up two thirds of their first collection and with other boutiques following in hot pursuit ilovegorgeous was fast becoming widely available to all of those who didn’t get an invite to their kitchen!

With my first daughter being born the same year (following an inspirational trip to an island in the Indian Ocean) my marriage had just begun and a new love of all things petite, feminine, fresh, delicate and down-right gorgeous had started. It wasn’t long before I fell head over heels with the ilovegorgeous collections. My discovery of the collection came just in time too. I was growing bored of the small variety of clothing for girls. There was a lot of pink but not much in the way of truly feminine pieces. There were bright colours with brash modern designs that disunited the girls with their most base of characteristics, I found it hard to find pieces that would wrap my daughter in the soft hues and delicate fabrics I wished for her.

Girls fashion is quite often the dictate of predictable stereotyped colours and cuts. I found that the clothing designs offered an array of pink in stiff fabrics and unflattering cuts with dedications to their love and adoration of daddy and fairies sprinkled upon them. Whilst of course pink comes in beautiful shades and whilst I agree that almost every girl I have ever met and known loves pink, and my goodness how much we love daddy and fairies. It is an inherent characteristic already heard loud and clear by our actions. Girls will always love their daddies, that’s what we do, we will believe in fairies but above all let us be girls and express it in our own indivdual way.

Girls are by nature beautiful creatures with whimsical dreams, charming grace and allured by fairytale magic, who love to skip and dance whose clothes should celebrate their femininity. Girls like the theatre of getting dressed, the transformation that can be felt through wearing particular colours or styles. The designers and founders of ilovegorgeous Sophie and Lucy understand that femininity is more than a colour. Femininity is about movement and grace.  We are rainbows of colour: we are petrol blue, we are mauve, we are emerald, we are sugar pink and rose, we are turquoise and gold and all those hues in between.

With ethereal chiffon and shirred bodices for ease of fit, sleeves are fluted or fluttery, straps are satin, dresses are adorned with delicate piping, hems are embellished with golden ric-rac, deep contrasting pockets all fuse together to create playful, pretty clothing that are a wonderful way for little girls to express themselves. They are symbols of their blossoming youth. A time of blissful innocence, fun and whimsical dreams.

Lucy and Sophie have been friends since they were 16 so when it comes to the two of them getting their beautifully creative minds together they are in sync. With six children between them they know what it takes to please a childs aesthetics and still be able to withstand the rigour of what a child will put her clothing through. Through a shared life and its experiences and through an understanding not just of fashion but of a childs femininity and flair, born from a passion to create beautiful clothing, these two have got it perfected.

My daughter Sophia has a love for clothes. Since she has been able to talk or pull on her own skirt she has enjoyed dressing herself and putting together her own style. I love that she has this connection to the way she feels and the way she dresses. Her wardrobe is very much her own, her own collections of wonderful pieces that allow her to express herself. She will frolic in the park wearing a Marie Antoinette dress with wellies or layer two skirts together and match with a delicate cardigan. I can see that she puts a lot of thought into it and by letting her decide what to wear she has a sense of freedom in who she is and she has an appreciation of fabric and tone. I want my girls to embrace their femininity. To celebrate it. To escape into it and enjoy all that it means to be a girl. I shall be sure to save some pieces too perhaps one day they will pass them onto their own girls. Sure to be classics of their generation and heirlooms celebrating femininity and youth.

 Thank heaven for little girls and thank heaven for ilovegorgeous.

Ilovegorgeous can count among its customer base fashion leaders such as Stella McCartney, Kate Moss, Claudia Schiffer, Stella Tennant, Sam Taylor-Wood, Elle Macpherson and Thandie Newton as well as many stylish mums who want their kids to look and feel Gorgeous.

You can view the collection here and be sure not to miss out on any offers too by signing up for our newsletters here.

Monday Makery - Glovelies

A pair of gloves don't always make it through the winter together. Even if they do manage to survive the winter in a pair and have not been forgotton on a bus or dropped in the park, some have become rather tatty and holey. These loveable woolly creatures are born from those lonely, outgrown and tatty gloves. They make such quirky fun and fabulous creatures and are easy to create. Fill them with stuffing and add a face by sewing on buttons, felt, ric-rac and scraps of fabric. Little ones will love to create these rather odd looking cuddlies and the best part is the creatures look all the better for imperfection.

Materials:

• Old gloves
• Stuffing
• Needle - a needle used for wool is best as they're larger and less sharp
• Thread
• Buttons, beads, ric-rac, ribbons, felt, pom poms -whatever you can find

Here's how:

1. Once you've decided what shape you'd like your creature to take (you can use the fingers as antenaes, ears or turn the glove the other way and use the fingers as legs or tentacles) Fold in the thumb and fingers that are not needed and stitch across the openings.
2. Stuff the glove to give your creature its shape choosing to fill the ears (fingers) or leave them empty so they are 'floppy'.
3. Sew the last seam together so that the opening for the hand is closed.
4. Finish off the creature by giving it button eyes and noses, add sequins for sparkle and ric-rac smiles. Sew a bow on an ear for a girly touch, fold down one of the ears and fix it with a stitch for a playful pup.

* You can use glue rather than sewing if you prefer. There are some good fabric glues available in department stores and craft shops.

Colour picks

The Sisters Guild Boutique is full of different hues of...

Blue:
Mini Oiseau Bracelet by hop hop hop, 46
Hand painted metal candle holder by Rice DK £21.50
Bow Collar Top by Hucklebones £36
Aden & Anais Brilliant Blue Star Swaddling Wrap £12.95
LUCKY Sweatshirt by Dandy Star £35
Blue Bunny Cradle by Maileg £17.50
Flap Ear Rattle by Lucky Boy Sunday £32

Yellow:
Save the Whale T-Shirt by Dandy Star, £20
Favourite Place Pillow by Lucky Boy Sunday, £43
Peacock Coin Purse by Rice DK, £11.50
Hand painted Candelabra with birds by Rice DK, £44
Hand painted yellow metal candle holder by Rice DK, £21.50

Green:
Velvet Peacock Tea Cosy by Rice DK £38
Large Velvet Floor Cushion in Dove Print by Rice DK £69.50
Acrylic Memo Board by Rice DK £27
Dragonfly T-Shirt by Dandy Star £20
My Paper Boat, Mounted Print by Belle & Boo £32.80
Hand painted metal candle holder by Rice DK £21.50

 

Pink:

Fabric Covered Box by Rice DK £44.50

Easter Goodies Tin by Maileg, £8.00

Sad Joe Pillow by Lucky Boy Sunday £50

Cotton Voile Gathered Skirt in peony by Hucklebones £48

Donut Wall Sticker by Belle & Boo from £14.99

Felt House with Girl & Cat by En Gry & Sif £36.50

Red:

Quiet Kid Pillow by Lucky Boy Sunday £43

Miss White by Lucky Boy Sunday £37

Hobby Horse by Rice DK £25

Red Poplin Shirt by Little Duckling £34.50

Red First Aid Box by En Gry & Sif £24

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A song for saturday

This is so beautiful.  Louis Armstrong singing Bare Necessities.  One of the favourite songs in our family.  Amazing to find such a great version.  We love...




Look for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife
I mean the bare necessities
Old Mother Nature's recipes
That brings the bare necessities of life

Wherever I wander, wherever I roam
I couldn't be fonder of my big home
The bees are buzzin' in the tree
To make some honey just for me
When you look under the rocks and plants
And take a glance at the fancy ants
Then maybe try a few

The bare necessities of life will come to you
They'll come to you!

Look for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife
I mean the bare necessities
That's why a bear can rest at ease
With just the bare necessities of life

Now when you pick a pawpaw
Or a prickly pear
And you prick a raw paw
Next time beware
Don't pick the prickly pear by the paw
When you pick a pear
Try to use the claw
But you don't need to use the claw
When you pick a pear of the big pawpaw
Have I given you a clue ?

The bare necessities of life will come to you
They'll come to you!

So just try and relax, yeah cool it
Fall apart in my backyard
'Cause let me tell you something little britches
If you act like that bee acts, uh uh
You're working too hard

And don't spend your time lookin' around
For something you want that can't be found
When you find out you can live without it
And go along not thinkin' about it
I'll tell you something true

The bare necessities of life will come to you

Happy saturday singing

x

An A-Z of Sisters Guild - C

colour (NAmer color) /'kulə/ noun 1 a visual sensation, eg of redness, blueness, etc, caused by the wavelength of preceived light. 2 a hue, e.g. red or blue, or such hues in general, esp as opposed to black, white, and grey.

colour (NAmer color) verb trans 1a to give colour to (something). b to change the colour of (something). 2a to misrepresent or distort (something). b to influence or effect (something).

Sessi: Imagine if all the world was pink. It wouldn't be very interesting would it.

C: Oona what colour are your wellies?

Oona: Red!

C: What colour is the sky?

Oona: Red!

C: What colour is the moon?

Oona: Red!

B: I remember learning to read the crayola colour names as a child - Aquamarine, Dandelion and Shocking Pink - and later became fascinated by oil paint colour names too - Cadmium Yellow, Cobalt Blue, Cerulean Blue, Viridian.  I just love the way they sound.

Wednesday Woo - Lucky Boy Sunday

Lucky Boy Sunday spring / summer 2011 collection is here! Sisters Guild is so proud to house these unique and beautiful pieces that can be enjoyed generation after generation. This beguiling collection, brought together by the talented Danish designers Camilla and Camilla, will undoubtedly become the sought-after classic of the new generation that blossoms today.

Lucky Boy Sunday was established on a sunny sunday afternoon. Their creators Camilla and Camilla made a promise to eachother: to create their very own version of a child's reality. Their workspace was built around the framework of the words 'silly,' 'seriously,' 'joyful,' 'graphics,' and 'dreams.' Their entire collection speaks this promise in a language of design that is enjoyed by both child and grown up alike.

Each quirky little piece is made in Bolivia from 100% baby alpaca and non-toxic dyes. We are grateful too that they are all machine washable on a gentle wool cycle. So no matter how much they are hugged, cuddled with sticky fingers or journeyed around whilst bumping on the ground, you'll always be able to give them a clean!

There's nulle, jealous baby, kiddo doll, blib blob, jazzman, bow jovi, miss white, bad eye lily, ready to become part of the family.  Some pillows to share a hug and a secret with: sad joe pillow, quiet kid pillow, favourite place pillow - they surely belong in grown-up spaces too! Plus some flap ear rattles who are looking for nothing more than a good shake!

View the Lucky Boy Sunday collection in the Sisters Guild Boutique here

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Monday Makery - The Land of Me

The Land of Me is an interactive and educational programme for ages 2-6, which we shall be reviewing in full forthwith!  In the meantime we can show you all the crafts and activities which are part of each section of the DVD-Rom, and have been the main 'makery' of the weekend.

Both London & Brighton households of Sisters Guild have been gripped by the charm of the 3 adventurers Buddy Boo, Eric & Willow who are now officially part of our family!

The Land of Me has been Gabriel's first encounter with a computer and he was very excited to discover that we could print out Buddy Boo (his favourite) and 'all kinds of things' (jumping up and down).

I feel that the printable side of The Land of Me is very important as it provides something physical to create and play with beyond the screen.

Using all the printables means the story of Buddy Boo, Eric, Willow and friends can be taken to another level as they are introduced to a whole array of other playthings and new adventures ensue.

Gabe's imagination was truly sparked and he led the way with acting out lots of stories. It was great to watch and hear all the scenarios and conversations Gabe created with the characters and creatures.

All you need are scissors, colouring-in pens, pencils or paint, and some glue.  There's finger puppets of all the characters and creatures, a Buddy Boo Windmill, an Eric Castle, aWillow Teepee, vehicles, a matching pairs game, hats, masks, dioramas, story dice, flick books...and a map. Every child (and adult) loves a map!

The Land of Me provides great materials for creating and learning with your child, and it's fun too! Gabe's Dad had to go to work today in character - 'be Buddy Boo Daddy' - and we have used the map around the home this morning to discover new lands. We all know how a chair, a sofa plus a big sheet can become something amazing - it's all about the imagination!

Tip: Print all the Land of Me things onto thick paper - they will be played with a lot!

Take a look at the Made in Me blog for posts about further creative & educational possibilities with The Land of Me:

Learning with Me: Create a Sensory Environment
Learning with Me: Small World Play
Learning with Me: Language Development

Beautiful bedtime

We chose these pieces with beautiful bedtimes in mind.  It's all about fine cotton, pretty florals, soft muslin and some favourite things to play with in those moments before sweet slumber.

Clockwise from top:

Boo Cot Bed Quilt by Belle & Boo £45

KISS Cushion Cover by Rice DK £21.50
Single Layer Sleeping Bag, Star Light, by Aden & Anais £22
Princess & the Pea Bed Set by Maileg £59.95

Spring Patchwork Double Quily by Rice DK £120

Cornelia Rabbit by Maileg £34

Single Swaddling Muslin, Blue Star by Aden & Anais £12.95

Bubbles Before Bed Book by Belle & Boo £6.99

Lambswool Handknitted Baby Blanket by Mini Mcghee £56

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An A -Z of Sisters Guild - B

bedtime: [ˈbɛdˌtaɪm] noun 1 the time at which one goes to bed. 2 a bedtime story

Carla: Did you have a nice nap?

Sessi (at 2): I wasn't sleeping I was just resting my eyes.

Gabriel (3): 'Mummy, they paint pictures in my bed at night-time' (an interesting decsription of dreams!)

Bekka remembers: ' Muuuum, Carla won't stop singing and I'm trying to go to sleep' (we shared a bedroom. Carla would wake up singing too!)

Wednesday Woo!

Mae wall decals, Hucklebones SS11 collection, Belle & Boo collection

The Hucklebones and Belle & Boo new SS11 collections carry us to an English garden where we can have picnics and sprawl on the grass, and when the warm days feel like they go on forever (can't wait for that feeling!). The crisp cottons, fine voiles, seersucker and silks are the perfect fabrics for spring and summer days.

Both Hucklebones and Belle & Boo have many international fans and we can see why. This is clothing that harks back to previous decades when childrens' clothes were carefully tailored and maintained an innocence and integrity. There's an old-fashioned English romantic feel to the Hucklebones collection with Wedgwood blue being a key colour, A-line shapes complimented by penny collar blouses, big bows and the new print for SS11, the oversized Dahlia.

And, one last 'Wow'...the Mae wall decals are such a great discovery. They are scrunchable and re-usable which means thay are not only a decoration but a plaything too. The spring dress-up doll is fabulous and comes with different hairstyles and accessories, oh yes!

Now, let it really be spring, so we can start playing spring dress-up for real...and find us a perfect lawn somewhere!

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Monday Makery - Money Bags

The joy of cooking with children, for them, is the apothecary of mixing, the mess, the getting your fingers sticky and creating from a few ingredients something incredibly delicious that will disappear from the plate as soon as it's been presented. This recipe* ticks all the boxes and once you realise how easy and thrown together it is you'll be adding it to your repertoire of yummy recipes. You can adapt the ingredients to suit your taste and your whats-left-in-the-fridge-availabilty. You can make them sweet with frozen fruit  (easily available at most supermarkets) and dip them into yoghurt. Sophia suggested we use some mince meat, the kind you use for making Christmas mince pies, and others with apples and cinnamon. As well as the recipe below we've been experimenting with other flavours too.

You'll need:

• 2 tablespoons of cooking oil
• 250g filo pastry
• 100g feta cheese
• 100g cherry tomatoes
• bunch of basil, parsley or chives
• plain flour for dusting

 
Here's how:

1. Take a sheet of baking paper / greaseproof paper and let the mess begin by getting your child to smear a few drops of oil onto it.
2. Chop the feta and tomatoes into small piece.
3. Chop your chosen herbs and mix together in a bowl with the cheese and tomatoes.
4. Sprinkle a little plain flour onto your table and peel off two sheets of filo pastry and place one on top of the other. Using a knife or a pizza cutter cut into 12cm squares.
5. Brush the squares with a little oil. A small cup makes a 'paint pot'. Stack one square on the other making an 8 pointed star (the recipe we used for this suggested using 3 squares but I think this is a little too much).
6. Spoon a little of your feta and tomato mix into the middle.
7. This next step is a little tricky for little hands at first but once you've shown them how to do it they'll be able to do it. Perfection is in the practise!
8. Place each parcel onto your greased baking sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes or until crisp and golden.
9. Let them cool on the baking sheet enough that little hands will be able to hold them. 
10. Devour! Nom Nom.

We're now trying different fillings and a minced beef version 'burek' has been added to our list of favourites now. The girls love to dip these into a dish of plain yoghurt whilst my husband loves his with yoghurt/ sauce (similar to raita or tzatziki ) I make which has finely chopped cucumber, lots of chopped fresh mint, crushed garlic and a few pinches of salt. This dip goes amazingly well with homemade beef burgers too; one of our favourite summer barbeque faves.
I love how versatile this money bag trick is. I shall now always keep a stash of filo in the freezer.


*this recipe was discovered in 'Baking with tiny tots' by Becky Johnson

An A-Z of Sisters Guild - A

adventure:  /ad ven′c̸hər, əd-/  noun 1a an undertaking involving danger, risks, and uncertainty of outcome. b an exciting or remarkable experience.

adventure: verb trans to venture or risk > verb intrans 1 (usu + into/on/upon) to dare to go, undertake, or enter. 2 to take a risk.

because everyday is an advenrture

B: Hey sis remember when we used to go on expeditions and how we thought we could walk for miles and get to other lands.

C: Yeh, and then only make it to the next field and start on our jam sandwiches already...

B: And then get distracted by butterflies.

C: Or boys!

We ask our children: What kind of adventure would you like to go on?

Sophia : I'd like to go all the way to the moon and when we get there we can collect moon aliens.

Oona: Scooter. Moooooon.

Gabe: In a really big boat to find some monkeys.

What kind of adventure would you like?