Once Upon a Week: Cousins

It's been wonderful to see the cousins growing together over the summer, playing in Granny's garden and enjoying the special bond that cousins have. Stripping off and paddling on the hottest days, out in wellies and macs in the rain - or escaping with just soggy socks on without a care in the world.

'Come on Gabe' says Oona, the youngest but secretly the leader.  Gabe giggling as 'Oona is soooo funny.'  Sessi, being the eldest, dutifully reporting back to the grown-ups about what mischief they are up to!  They remind us to make the most of each moment, to feel free and relaxed, to let them get mucky and stay up late under the stars.

We captured many moments on camera but we hope each of them have their own bank of memories of cousins time at Granny's.

'When it's sunny in Granny's garden it feels like we can do things forever' Gabe

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This is a new series - Once Upon a Week - where we give you a glimpse into the lives and times behind the scenes of Sisters Guild.

We also publish other series in our blog including our Monday Makery, Tuesday brings the closing of our series 'The  Story Behind Our Collections' inviting you to take a closer look at the designers we house and the beginning of a new series 'Tell Us Its Tuesday'.  Wednesday we show you our favourite seasonal pieces and Thursdays is dedicated to the 'Art of Living' in which we share ideas and inspiration from places to visit, things to see and articles about things that enrich our lives.


www.sistersguild.co.uk

The Art Of Living: Dulwich Picture Gallery

Dulwich Picture Gallery nestled in the beautiful leafy Dulwich village feels as though you've stepped out of London and into the countryside. The peaceful gardens are a living art in their own right. A picture of play with children skipping around, of tranquility where you can shade under the trees. The gardens are used for open air film, art lessons, Dulwich players amateur dramatics, Opera in the garden and even the occasional wedding too.

The Picture Gallery opens its arms and its heart and invites you to become involved. There are courses for adults and children, family drop-in workshops and perhaps my favourite thing; on the first and last Sunday of every month they give us 'artplay' a creative workshop for families. Each session runs from 2pm -3.30pm and the art activities are different each time. Here you can make 'everything and anything from bunting to block printing and all things in between', and you know we can't resist a makery!

I've got the date for the Puppet Making Family Workshop heavily underlined on my calendar. This is part of their Make Station programme taking place Friday 28th October with artist Sally Cutler. Perfectly timed for half term and coinciding with the what looks set to be a wonderful performance of Thumbelina by the banyan Theatre Company. I know we'll all enjoy the performance and revel in the making of our own puppets to take home!

Set the date in your calender too - we'll see you there, I'll be the one elbow deep in PVA glue and fabric!

Friday 28th October 11.20 am - 12.20 pm and 1.20pm - 3.30pm

If you can't make this one do keep an eye on other events and dates. None will disappoint.

The Gallery itself  houses 'one of the world's most important collections of European old master paintings of the 1600s and 1700s.'

The paintings are housed in the first purpose built art gallery in the country. Designed by Sir John Soane in 1812 the collection you'll discover inside is one of the oldest in Great Britain.

There are free gallery tours each Saturday and Sunday and are well worth timing you visit for their 3pm start.

This year the Dulwich Picture Gallery celebrates its 200th year bringing us an impressive international loan exhibition with 'Masterpiece A Month: Presiding Genius'. Each Month a masterpiece will be loaned to the gallery and given pride of place in the galleries enfilade.

For the month of October John Constable, RA, The Leaping Horse will be on display. 

John Constable, RA, The Leaping Horse

If you've ever thought about having a go at creating your own masterpieces you can look into the courses available. There are courses for children to adults, covering all abilities and interests. The award winning Education Department will guide you through the programme and brings 'the understanding and enjoyment of fine art for everyone.'

Children's classes begin at age 7 so I've got a couple of years to wait until my eldest Sophia is able to give any a go. I'm hoping the years of our visits to the gallery will inspire her creative side and encourage her to let this side of her personality explore and enjoy and express her own ideas.

I mean painting with mud, drawing with leaves and sculpting from recycled plastic sounds like creative heaven and I can't begin to imagine how brilliant the designs children would come with creating their own costumes.

'Art for Young People' - We'll see you in the summer of '13!

This is how art galleries should be. Encouraging people to come savour, feel, try, hear, look and absorb themselves in art. To learn not to be afraid of it. To unleash their own creativity and discover something new.

Dulwich Picture Gallery makes art approachable, adventurous and fun.

A perfect place for all the family to enjoy again and again.

Perhaps we'll see you there!

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This is part of the Art of Living series of posts that bring you all the things we are passionate about and the things we discover in our lives as mamas.

In our Wednesday Woo blog post series we present a selection of things from the Sisters Guild Boutique.

We also have a Monday Makery with ideas for things to make yourself.

And for a glimpse behind the scenes of Sisters Guild we have the A-Z of Sisters Guild here 

www.sistersguild.co.uk

Wednesday Woo: Let's Create

As promised when we launched Sisters Guild nearly a year ago we have been gathering many unique and amazing things for you and your children to get creative with.  There's now a whole new section on the Sisters Guild Boutique called Let's Create, and I must say it's one of my favourite parts of the shop.   Here you will find wood, paper and card (no plastic here!) turned into wonderful pieces to spark the imagination.  For little artists and designers with big visions!

Awaiting discovery is a house with a beautiful green printed image. It has windows, doors and different levels to place creatures, characters and furnishings.  Plus a carry handle to take it from room to room, or to Granny's house of course! Mobile Home Recycle by kidsonroof, £19.

The elegant sail boat is part of the Totem City set which includes 130 pieces to make 4 models - a church, a vessel, an airplane and a 'yak' - or any of your own fantasy creations! Totem City Set by kidsonroof, £21.50

The wooden tree has a stand and comes blank ready for decoration.  It is also magnetic for extra adornments.
For little artists to create a masterpiece. Ki by kiko+, £33

In the Rosie Flo collection there is now Johnny Joe and this set of postcards has some fantastic line drawings for creative minds to colour and add legs, arms and heads.  Johnny Joe Postcards by Rosie Flo, £4.99

We haven't seen anything like this Crepe Shop Set.  Made with fabric, wood and card, there's a hot plate and a spreader, along with all the ingredients to rustle up some delicious crepes.  A wonderful toy to get creative with at home for some quite sophisticated shop play. Crepe Shop Play set by gg*, £33

The Shapemaker is a set of 25 blocks that can be combined to create fantastic faces, creatures and patterns. These blocks are very absorbing and will spark the imagination of young and old minds alike.  ShapeMaker Rubberwood block by Miller Goodman, £29.95

This very unusual 'landscape' set has 2 magnetic chalk boards for exciting play potential.  The magnetic trees, signals, mountains and houses can be placed along the boards, while the chalk can define the roads, rivers and paths and any detail of your imaginary place.  With a car for exploring the world you create. A really clever design from the Japanese team Kukkia. Machi Landscape Set by Kiko+, £27

View the Let's Create section of the boutique here

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This is part of our Wednesday Woo blog post series where we present a selection of our favourite things from the Sisters Guild Boutique.

We also have a Monday Makery with ideas for things to make yourself.

The Art of Living posts bring you all the things we are passionate about and the things we discover in our lives as mamas.

www.sistersguild.co.uk

Sign up for future news & offers:

Tell Us it's Tuesday: Kat of Housewife Confidential

Today's 'Tell Us' is a special one for us as we have the wonder that is Kat aka @thatkat, blogger of Housewife Confidential , editor for Bambino Goodies, Mum of three and a whole lot more.  Her twitter feed alone is noteworthy as she has a lot of love to give - the definition of 'surfing powers for good'. We were 2 uncertain sisters at the start and Kat embraced us like our true sister mentor.  That's something we will not forget.

Kat herself is incredible - you can see this from her blog Housewife Confidential.  It is an honest and beautiful blog about family life with stunning photos (making Kat a Mad Blog Finalist), delicious recipes, stories and insights that are often very moving and heart-warming.  Kat is someone who inspires, who makes people stop and think and you'll always come away from her blog feeling lifted.  We think Kat's a little bit magic.  She knows a lot of things. We wanted to know a bit more about her.  Here she is...

Photo by Kat's son Monty

On waking the first 3 things I do are…. try to go back to sleep, check the time and pick up my phone to checkout blogs/instagram/twitter

If I had a superpower it would be…. endless energy – I never seem to have enough to do everything I dream up


If I could trade places for a day with someone it would be… Jane Foster – I would love to rifle through her fabric collection


If someone wrote a story about me the title would be… greed: a tale of many meals


When I was seven years old… I had a lot of rabbits


If you open my fridge you will see…. (I went to look) piles of vegetables, lots of eggs, cheeses, trout fillets, sausages, a big tub of yoghurt, chorizo, chilles and a lot of condiments.


My favourite view is… looking across Beer beach at the cliff top allotments


The 3 things I will tell my children are… look after each other, do what makes you proud, dream big


The song or musical piece for the theme tune of my life is… Mushaboom by Feist

 

I used to be… a scientist

My biggest guilty pleasures are… I don’t do guilt!

My wardrobe is… practically empty – I never manage to put anything away these days.

Never have I ever… eaten a tomato

My children taught me… to trust myself

Life is like a… never ending series of surprises

My earliest memory is…. sneakily drinking a Cinzano & lemonade and then later falling off my stool during Christmas dinner. I was 17 months old.

My underwear drawer … is filled with beautiful bras from my pre-breast feeding days (I miss them)

I feel like running for the hills when…. I see the thousands of unread emails in my inbox

On my teenage bedroom wall there was… horse and band posters

My ideal partner would have the mind of /  skills of  / body of… Mr Kat and I are so well suited that I can’t think of a single thing I would change.

Kat, your passion for life really is contagious. I'm going to be listening to 'your' song all day.  Your fridge reflects a true cook - when's lunch?  Enjoy life's surprises - guilt-free, yes, that's the best way. Thank you Kat. x

Monday Makery: Flower Planting & Pressing

This is one of our first garden 'makeries.' It's nothing new, just simple things to do with kids at this time of year.  As autumn creeps in (though with this heatwave it doesn't feel like it!) the flowers are nearly over and it's time to think ahead for what flowers will appear next year.  A carpet of crocuses, a bank of tulips or some early snowdrops?

It's a really good time of year to learn about seasons, change and growing.  We spent the autumn equinox weekend at Granny's house and were able to witness the changes and rituals in the garden at this time of year.

Flowers can be gathered for drying and pressing.  You could tie and hang flower bunches or garlands in a suitable dry place or if you have a flower press it's a lovely hobby to introduce flower pressing.  I found my old flower press at Granny's and Gabe was quite fascinated.  You don't really need me to tell you how to press flowers, but I took a few pics of Gabe in action:

Without a flower press it's fine to use a thick, heavy book.  I remember putting flowers between the leaves of many books and discovering them later - with stains on the pages - ooops!  Best to put some sugar paper layers either side of the flowers to absorb the flower 'juice.'

Another good gardening event at this time of year is bulb planting - inside and out.  We dug some tulip bulbs straight into the lawn. It's a case of placing them about 3 times their own depth and about 2 bulb widths apart.  The other thing to remember is to wash hands immediately as bulbs can be a skin irritant- child-sized gardening gloves are the ideal thing to use.

Gabe was really excited that we were 'hiding' the bulbs which would pop up in the spring and surprise us.

Growing bulbs inside the house allows children to witness the growth - to see the roots reaching down and the bulb sprouting green shoots and eventually a flower.  Hyacinth bulbs are my favourite as I love their heady scent and deep colour.  You can use the special bulb vases for the purpose. The water should reach just below the base of the bulb.  Then they should be kept in a cool dark place until growth is about 4 inches tall.  We shall check them each time we visit Granny.

There's still plenty of time to get pressing and planting. It does feel like quite a purposeful project and very satisfying. Not sure when the bulb planting 'deadline' is but it still feels like the first frost is a very long way off!

Enjoy some gardening time - and do let us know any more tips and ideas as we're clearly at beginners stage with our garden!

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This is part of our Monday Makery series, where each week we bring craft and recipe ideas and inspiration.

Each week we bring new ideas to our blog through different blog series; Tuesday has previously brought the 'story behind our collections' and now brings 'tell us its tuesday' a fun interview with our favourite creators, designers, bloggers and imaginative extraordinaire's. Wednesday we woo you with new treats in the collection of our boutique. Thursday will leave you inspired through the 'art of living' and Friday we finish with 'once upon a week' where you can see what's happening in the lives of the sisters of Sisters Guild.
For more behind the scenes photos of Sisters Guild we have the gallery of the A-Z of Sisters Guild here.

If you would like to share some ideas as a guest blogger on the Monday Makery we would be very excited to hear from you. Use the contact form on our main website here.
www.sistersguild.co.uk

Once Upon a Week: Rapture

Sometimes beauty sneaks up on you and makes you feel that rare feeling of pure rapture.  This week there has been an unusual low tide on Brighton beach that revealed a vast expanse of sand with wide seawater pools.  The beach was full of people parading the sand at sunset, like an exodus to witness this Indian Summers' final offering of warmth.  People were shedding layers of clothes and splashing into the sea, lost in the moment of joy.

There were many families out late, like us, forgetting the routine of dinner, bath and bed, forgetting calls of duty and domesticity.  We saw many faces glowing with smiles as the sun went down - parents looking at their children with a new serenity.

Gabe splashed, paddled, whooped, giggled and felt free.  I stood and held my pregnant belly, breathing in this beautiful moment.

Thank you Brighton for such magic.

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This is a new series - Once Upon a Week - where we give you a glimpse into the lives and times behind the scenes of Sisters Guild.

We also publish other series in our blog including our Monday Makery, Tuesday brings the closing of our series 'The  Story Behind Our Collections' inviting you to take a closer look at the designers we house and the beginning of a new series 'Tell Us Its Tuesday'.  Wednesday we show you our favourite seasonal pieces and Thursdays is dedicated to the 'Art of Living' in which we share ideas and inspiration from places to visit, things to see and articles about things that enrich our lives.


www.sistersguild.co.uk

The Art of Living: Bath Stone Bowls

I recently discovered an old Bath acquaintance of mine is the maker of some rather beautiful bowls. Actually, they are not just bowls, they are fine vessels to marvel at.   Hand-made by Warwick Borsay in distinctive Bath stone these are unique pieces to grace the modern home.

The ellipse is such an evocative shape - combine that with the weight of Bath stone and something quite stunning is created.  This is a collection that reflects the heritage of Bath.  Below are the Egg Cups, Small Ellipse and Lunar (my favourite). 

Discover the Warwick Borsay collection here

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This is part of the Art of Living series of posts that bring you all the things that spark our passion for people, places, travel, food, design and home.

We also have a Monday Makery with ideas for things to make yourself.

And for a glimpse behind the scenes of Sisters Guild we have the A-Z of Sisters Guild here 

Our new Tell Us it's Tuesday series is our way of finding out more about bloggers and mamas we've met along the way.  In fact, Bekka went first, and Carla is next!

www.sistersguild.co.uk

Wednesday Woo: 30% off soft baby collections

Even though we may be experiencing an Indian Summer, the nights are getting colder and it's time to be wrapped up in some beautiful soft and sumptuous fabrics.

The breathable muslin of Aden+Anais is the ideal winter layer for babies and toddlers.  The cosy sleeping bags have 4 layers of muslin which makes it the perfect autumn and winter weight for ensuring a good nights sleep.  The collection of Aden+Anais includes, bibs, blankets, washcloths and the most amazing swaddle wraps that are 120cm x 120cm square - for bathtime, bedtime and comfort.

Aden+Anais collection

A baby blanket is a wonderful gift to treasure and we have searched out what we believe is a beautiful example of a traditional hand-made lambswool blanket with a contemporary feel.  The Mini McGhee blankets are made in Scotland from 100% lambswool. In teal stripe with green border, grey stripe with pink border, or a cream design that comes with a vintage fabric bag. A lust-have for the new season.

Discover the Aden+Anais and Mini McGhee collections here and use code BEDTIME at the checkout to receive 30% off*

*Offer valid until Wednesday 5th October 2011

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This is part of our Wednesday Woo blog post series where we present a selection of our favourite things from the Sisters Guild Boutique.

We also have a Monday Makery with ideas for things to make yourself.

The Art of Living posts bring you all the things we are passionate about and the things we discover in our lives as mamas.

www.sistersguild.co.uk

Sign up for future news & offers:

Tell Us it's Tuesday: Poppy of Baby Style File

This week we are rather excited to be able to reveal the gorgeous mama behind Baby Style File.  Poppy is a creative mama who really does know about good design, with more than 10 years experience of being a stylist for big clients.  Tally that with a few years of motherhood and you know you're going to be introduced to some great stuff on her site.  Poppy became one of our 'twitter sisters' from the start and we've always been curious to know more about this talented figure!

Baby Style File is such a super slick site bringing us design finds in the world of baby and child..... yet, apart from the obvious good taste this blogger shows we can't glean much about who exactly is behind it.
Until now...

On waking the first 3 things I do are….mutter something about getting up, roll over, go back to sleep for another 5 minutes

If I had a superpower it would be….like a Miss World wish list: world peace; save dolphins and make people happy.

If I could trade places for a day with someone it would be… my son...it would be nice to see the world through a toddlers eyes!

If someone wrote a story about me the title would be… Tea and Marmite

When I was seven years old…I had straight hair!

If you open my fridge you will see….milk, cheese, and a collection of jars that may have been there some time.

My favourite view is… of my family playing and laughing in the garden (corny but true)

The 3 things I will tell my children are… be nice to people (no hitting!), being happy is more important than being rich, they can do anything they set their mind to.

The song or musical piece for the theme tune of my life is…'We could have been anything that we wanted to be' (from Bugsy Malone)

I used to be…able to wear dry clean only clothes and high heels.

My biggest guilty pleasures is…trash telly...X factor, Strictly Come Dancing, Big Brother (made even better with twitter commentary!)

My wardrobe is… more practical than it used to be

Never have I ever…liked coconut

My kids taught me… work isn't the be all and end all/ sleep is for losers.

Life is like a… great big adventure

My earliest memory is…. Father Christmas telling me I wasn't allowed to eat the sausage rolls at the nursery Christmas party.

My underwear drawer … is in an old wooden filing cabinet

I feel like running for the hills when…. my toddler hits another child (I know it's just a phase and they all do it, but it's still mighty embarrassing!)

On my teenage bedroom wall there were… quite a few Levi's posters

My ideal partner would have the mind of /  skills of  / body of…  my husband obviously!

Thank you Poppy.  It's been a joy to catch a glimpse into your world. I would absolutely love to read a book called 'Tea and Marmite' - you really must be our sister! And your favourite view is just beautiful. Oh, and I shall defnitely be joining you for Twitter + Strictly soon! x

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This is part of our new series of Tuesday blog posts where we ask you to tell us all. We wanted a fun way way to get to know the people behind the blogs and businesses we follow.  We have more people lined up to reveal themselves and may be asking you too!

We also publish other series in our blog including our Monday Makery,  Wednesday we show you our favourite seasonal pieces and Thursdays is dedicated to the 'Art of Living' in which we share ideas and inspiration from places to visit, things to see and articles about things that enrich our lives.

www.sistersguild.co.uk

Monday Makery - Illustrations and Illusions: The Magic of Thaumatropes

Roll up! Roll up! Come see the bird land in the tree!

I think all children like to believe in magic. The magic shows in our house are brilliant attempts at making objects disappear and reappear within the 15-20 seconds we have our eyes closed! Trying to make a rabbit appear from a hat is quite a difficult feat for a five year old and there aren't many rabbits who understand the idea of staying still and out of sight.
Sophia is convinced she has magic powers ever since she changed the colour of her watery potion with petals leaves and twigs from yellow, to orange, to red and then finally to black. It seemed that every time she turned around to reach for something the potion in the bowl would take some of the colour from what she was wearing, her yellow mac, her orange scarf, and her red jumper, until the potion was as black as the night sky. We still to this day have no idea of how it happened, only that it did!
Oona has a slightly confused idea of what magic is, having watched her big sister attempt it on many occasions and not doing as she should have and kept her eyes closed, she now thinks a magic trick is simply throwing something over your shoulder, hiding it under a cushion whilst shouting 'abracadabra', to which of course she gets roars of laughter and grand applause!
I am no magician, I'm far too clumsy for any magic tricks but I do remember being shown an optical illusion when I was young and thought it the most magical thing I'd ever seen.
Perhaps the most delightful thing about this is that its something young children can grasp an understanding of and delight everyone with.
Thaumatropes are easier to make then they are to pronounce and once your child understands the concept the images they can create are brilliant. Sophia came up with so many different ideas that we spent hours making them all!

A thaumatrope meaning 'wonder turner' is a mechanical toy that uses persistence of vision. Made using two images it merges the two together by spinning the pictures to create one new image. Our eyes hold an image for roughly 1/20 of a second after an object or picture has left our view, so by spinning the two pictures rapidly the images seen in quick flashes are then perceived as one united image. The most popular images seen on thaumatropes show a bird and a cage which when spun creates an image of the bird inside the cage, though there are thousands of images you can create by merging two separate images together.

here's what you'll need:

• card
• pencil
• colouring pens, pencils or crayons
• scissors
• sticky tape or PVA glue
• skewers - we chose to swivel the sticks as they were easier for little hands than winding and twisting string, however traditionally these are made with string either side of the disc.

Here's how:

1. Begin with your imagination. Imagine a scene you would like to create, a bird sitting on a branch or in a cage, a big puddle and some falling rain. Then undo the picture; separate how it happened. The bird and then the cage, the puddle and then the rain-cloud with its falling raindrops.
2. Now draw 2 circles, one for each part of the picture. You can draw around an eggcup, or teacup or a cookie cutter.
3. Then draw the parts of your picture one on one circle and the other part on the other.
4. Cut them out.
5. Using PVA glue or double sided sticky tape stick the two circles to either side of the top of your stick so the pictures are showing on both sides.
6. You now have a picture divided into two separate images. 
7. Now with a quick motion swivel the stick between your hands and see what happens!

Its magic!

from left to right: a rabbit in a hat, flowers in a vase, a bear in a cave

You can even create stories with the pictures too. Sophia naturally started to tell stories about the images turning the thaumatrope slowly at first then building up to a quicker speed.  Each thaumatrope became a short animated story and took on a world of their own; Once upon a time there was a little bird. She flew high up into the sky looking down for the branch she called home. She began to realise she was lost and thought she would never find her way home. Then, there it was the beautiful blue flowers she remembered. See her now perched on her branch happily singing with the spring. Aha! Now she has flown away again, perhaps in search of a worm. Shall we call her back to her branch?

from left to right: raindrops falling on an umbrella, bird on a branch, bird in cage

Oona although too young, at 2, to be able to understand the concept of the illusion loved this toy. When we stopped the twirling she would shout with glee "It's gone. The bird's gone! Say Abracadabra mummy 1.2.3." 

When Sophia saw her rabbit inside the hat she hugged me with such excitement and said "You really ARE magic mummy." "No" I said 'YOU made it Sessi. YOU are the one with the magic!"

These really are such fun to make and so worthwhile. They are great for teaching the art of animation in its first stages and great for story-telling too. The magician in the child will love the deception of it and those who are older will enjoy the trickery of our eyes and the wonder of their remembering.

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This is part of our Monday Makery series, where each week we bring craft and recipe ideas and inspiration.

Each week we bring new ideas to our blog through different blog series; Tuesday has previously brought the 'story behind our collections' and now brings 'tell us its tuesday' a fun interview with our favourite creators, designers, bloggers and imaginative extraordinaire's. Wednesday we woo you with new treats in the collection of our boutique. Thursday will leave you inspired through the 'art of living' and Friday we finish with 'once upon a week' where you can see what's happening in the lives of the sisters of Sisters Guild.
For more behind the scenes photos of Sisters Guild we have the gallery of the A-Z of Sisters Guild here.

If you would like to share some ideas as a guest blogger on the Monday Makery we would be very excited to hear from you. Use the contact form on our main website here.
www.sistersguild.co.uk

Once Upon a Week - The Kiss

Circus performers
Sophia on her 5th birthday with little sister Oona 

It was a Wednesday, an ordinary day or so it seemed until the walk home from school. The sun was shining and Sophia had met me at the classroom as usual, bag heavy with the day, cardigan slung over her shoulder, hair disheveled no doubt from a day of racing around the playground and enjoying the freedom from the classroom. We walked home Oona singing in the buggy "the more we get together, together, together. The more we get together the happier we'll be. Because my friends are your friends....." and so on. Only repeating it before it ended and of course with all the actions that accompany it too.
Sophia was asked all the usual questions; " How was your day?", "Did you have a nice lunch?", hoping lunch was not the same as the supper I had planned! There was a pause in our conversation followed by a "mu-um", the kind "mu-um" which usually precedes a request for something extraordinary like a treat or a telltale story of some happening at school whereby so and so did this and so and so is going here. I was ready for the auto response of "It's not treat day today...." and "Well, so and so probably shouldn't have done that (insert appropriate response)." But, no, today the walk home was discovering soemthing completely different than so and so is off to disneyland for the weekend.
I was not expecting, for some time I might add, my only-just-turned-5-year-old daughter to say:


S: _____ kissed me!

M: Really!?! Where did he kiss you?

S: Well, (she raises a hand out palm to the sky, one hand still cruising the scooter) first he kissed me on the hand, then he asked me to marry him, and.....then he kissed me on the lips.

M: How did it feel?

S: Kinda, well, a bit yucky. (looks confused/disappointed)

M: It gets better. (immediately realising that perhaps that wasn't the right thing to say)

S: I hope so.

There's another pause, both of us digesting what it all means.

M: So where were you when you kissed? (trying to get a picture of it all, surely it was part of some game or just a silly thing whilst getting a reading book)

S: Well, (I can't believe she's starting conversations with 'well' as though she's 18 and chatting to her girlfriends) he tricked me!..... He came over and said 'I've got a really good game" and I was tired from all the other games so I just said 'ok'. Then he kissed me!

M: So you didn't know he was going to kiss you! It was a complete surpirse!

S: Yeah! It was in the corner of the playground you know that bit by the side of the building.

M: Did your friends see you? (trying to ascertain if they were alone)

S: No, but we told _____ and _______ .

M: what did they say?

S: They laughed and said 'yuck' and ran off!
I think _____ and I will get married. Can I wear your wedding dress?

M: Of course you can. Though you might not be tall enough for it now. You know that a boy has to ask the father if he can marry his daughter? So ______ will have to ask daddy if he wants to marry you.

S: Why does he have to ask daddy?

M: Well I guess it's important to daddy's to know that their daughters will be happy with who they get married to, and daddy has to 'give you away', if he's going to give you to someone he wants to know that he is good enough.

S: I think he is good and we can live next to you.

M: Well I'm not sure if daddy is ready to give you away yet.

We walk in silence a bit more. I've got a million questions running round my head and Sophia is scooting home as though she has wings powering her along. There is suddenly a different feeling to her and I realise she is in love.
She is far off in front of me now and yet seems so much taller than she did when I dropped her off at school. And, she is. She's taller, she's that little bit more grown up she is very much a young girl. No longer my 'baby'. I think to myself 'This will be the first love of her life' and smile.

Though I don't think we'll be inviting ________ over to play!

Who remembers their first love, their first kiss?

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This is the third in a new series where we give you an insight into the lives and times behind the scenes of Sisters Guild.

We also publish other series in our blog including our Monday Makery, Tuesday brings the closing of our series 'The  Story Behind Our Collections' inviting you to take a closer look at the designers we house and the beginning of a new series 'Tell Us Its Tuesday'.  Wednesday we show you our favourite seasonal pieces and Thursdays is dedicated to the 'Art of Living' in which we share ideas and inspiration from places to visit, things to see and articles about things that enrich our lives.


www.sistersguild.co.uk

The Art of Living: Autumn Equinox

Tomorrow, Friday 23rd September is the Autumn Equinox.  It is a time when day and night are supposed to be of equal length before the nights become longer. The summer has passed, the air becomes crisp and there's a sense of starting afresh - it certainly feels like an auspicious occasion.

last days of summer

I know that I am already feeling like I need to sleep more and eat more (though that may be the pregnancy!) - there's that familiar hibernation instinct and a feeling of the need to gather provisions. If I had my own vegetable patch I would feel very proud to be gathering up my home-grown produce.  We are lucky enough to all be gathering at Granny's this weekend for the Bath Baby Show and the Bath Children's Literature Festival so the cousins will be able to gather the squash from Granny's garden to add to a family feast.(I have used gather a lot in that paragraph haven't I - I DO like the word!)

Over at our fave blog Housewife Confidential I know Kat and her family will be celebrating the Autumn Equinox and I also know she has an enviable veggie patch as well as the ability to conjour up some amazing looking food.  I think I'm going to give Kat's Spicy Butternut Squash Soup a go.

Kat's Spicy Butternut Squash Soup at Housewife Confidential

I'm also looking forward to a good stomp in the woods too - to get muddy and collect conkers and feel the sense of change in the trees and the air.  It will feel good to embrace the new season and the West Country is a good place to do so.

Back in London there's the Realfood Harvest Festival on the Southbank. An event that celebrates the abundance of British autumnal produce.  So if you're in the area, show your support for the amazing producers in this country.

Enjoy welcoming in the new season!

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This is part of the Art of Living series of posts that bring you all the things we are passionate about and the things we discover in our lives as mamas.

In our Wednesday Woo blog post series we present a selection of things from the Sisters Guild Boutique.

We also have a Monday Makery with ideas for things to make yourself.

And for a glimpse behind the scenes of Sisters Guild we have the A-Z of Sisters Guild here 

www.sistersguild.co.uk

Wednesday Woo: New things from Belle & Boo!

Belle & Boo have once again made us giddy with some new beautiful pieces using some of Mandy Sutcliffe's well-loved illustrations - Ava's Tea Party, The Reading Group, Pirate Party and Club House.  There's a wonderful Melamine Set which includes a plate, bowl, cup and cutlery.  The vintage style Lunch Box and the traditional tin Money Box have been cleverly designed with the illustrations wrapping all around.  The detail is lovely and the images conjour up a time of wonder and play - climbing trees, swinging from branches, lolling on the grass and making tea parties.

Ava's Tea Party Melamine Set, £18.00
Ava's Tea Party Lunch Box, £9.50
Ava's Tea Party Money Box, £3.50
Pirate Party Melamine Set, £18.00
Pirate Party Lunch Box, £9.50
Pirate Party Money Box, £3.50

Discover the full Belle & Boo collection here

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This is part of our Wednesday Woo blog post series where we present a selection of our favourite things from the Sisters Guild Boutique.

We also have a Monday Makery with ideas for things to make yourself.

The Art of Living posts bring you all the things we are passionate about and the things we discover in our lives as mamas.

www.sistersguild.co.uk

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Tell Us It's Tuesday: Chloe of Olli Ella

This week it is with pleasure that we bring you the fabulous Chloe - mama, gallery owner, founder and director of Olli Ella.  Chloe & her sister (yes, another super sister team) have modernised the nursery for our generation of design-conscious mamas.  With their stunning nursing chairs and now a beautiful range of baby bedding, it is clear that these sisters know about style for the modern home. We are inspired by the fact that the Olli Ella collection is Made in England, but we also know that whilst Chloe grew up in Sydney & LA she was in fact born in England - now that makes for a glamorous combination for sure!  Now coveted from all corners of the globe, Olli Ella is a wonderful vision turned into a very desirable and recognised style.

Our first encounter with Chloe was on Twitter where talk turned to shoes and shopping, as well as giggles about gliding!  We simply had to know more about the style savvy mama behind Olli Ella....

On waking the first 3 things I do are….Kiss my hubby, listen for sounds of toddler waking, and check emails.

If I had a superpower it would be….Extendable, multiple arms!

If I could trade places for a day with someone it would be…That's a hard one! After watching 'Big' as a kid this has always scared me! What if we didn't switch back?!

If someone wrote a story about me the title would be…Misadventures of the Slightly Adventurous.

When I was seven years old…I developed the biggest crush on a boy who loved Hulk Hogan and Nike Airs. I made it a mission to be as informed as he was on both subjects. It was an age that I am not proud of...

If you open my fridge you will see….Well I am pregnant and so things have changed up a bit: A lot of olives, cheeses of all sorts (this regrettably includes 'Laughing Cow'), peaches and strawberries, and a lot of juice.

My favourite view is…One where you can see the whole sky, uninterrupted.

The 3 things I will tell my children are…To have integrity, to not wait on hold for more than 10 minutes, and to listen to your mama!

The song or musical piece for the theme tune of my life is…Billy Joel - Vienna

I used to be…Even goofier than I am now.

My biggest guilty pleasures are…My bed. Nutella on toast and Alexander McCall Smith. Simultaneously if possible.

My wardrobe is… Looking up!

Never have I ever… not had a dog!

My kids taught me… To slow down. To let go. To be so grateful.

Life is like a… An Oreo cookie - the beginning looks great, the middle tastes the best, and the rest leaves a sweet taste in your mouth.

My earliest memory is….Is visiting our mum in hospital to see my new baby sister (I was about 2.5)

My underwear drawer … Pass.

I feel like running for the hills when….It has rained all August with no sunshine...

On my teenage bedroom wall there was…A collage of photos of friends and family, a poster of Gavin Rossdale, and a Kimono.

My ideal partner would have the mind of /  skills of  / body of… I have him :)

Thank you Chloe. I do believe we've caught a glimpse of quite a romantic side to you.  You have a very lucky hubby ( I hope he reads the last answer with a big smile) and I hope you get plenty of time for your guilty pleasures of Nutella on toast and Alexander McCall Smith, especially whilst you're pregnant. Enjoy x

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This is part of our new series of Tuesday blog posts where we ask you to tell us all. We wanted a fun way way to get to know the people behind the blogs and businesses we follow.  We have more people lined up to reveal themselves and may be asking you too!

We also publish other series in our blog including our Monday Makery,  Wednesday we show you our favourite seasonal pieces and Thursdays is dedicated to the 'Art of Living' in which we share ideas and inspiration from places to visit, things to see and articles about things that enrich our lives.

www.sistersguild.co.uk

The Story Behind our Collections: En Gry & Sif

Sessi was coming up to her first birthday and I was at the stage where a mama needs to carry a busy bag of bits to keep her little one entertained whilst on the move. Those little books that come out while sitting in a cafe waiting for lunch to arrive, the little toys you  take to the park to keep little hands busy whilst you sit under a tree shading from the summer sun. I was on the search for a bag that would be Sessi's 'bag of...'

I had seen these felt house bags with a Danish name that I had thought were pretty perfect. A beautiful plaything with handles so it could also become a bag for your little one to proudly carry all those favourites things, and completely practical for mama too.  They were created by En Gry & Sif - a name I wanted to discover more about.

The bag did indeed become the bag we took to the cafe, on the train, to the park and held Sessi's important things to take to Granny's for the weekend. Since then, it has been the first house her little dolls moved into, the gingerbread house in stories re-enacted, a nappy bag when Oona arrived, the bag we take on plane flights and so much more. My girls now have one each in different colours - the bright and playful design means it stands out to them and they recognise it as 'theirs.'

I know they are pieces they will own for years to come, changing their use as they grow older and they'll last too.  When beginning the collection for Sisters Guild I knew they would sit perfectly amongst our other collections and wanted to house them in the boutique. It wasn't until  learning about the story behind the collection that it suddenly felt even more important to showcase the range in Sisters Guild. Sometimes it's what's behind the scenes that make us fall in love even more, and now I know a little more about the En Gry story I want to celebrate them.

This is the strory of 2 sisters; Gry and Sif. bored in their own lives they ventured out into the world to travel. One day they came across a village in Nepal where women were making felt and crafting beautiful pieces from it. They saw this and knew they should try to encourage it and harness their skill and their creativity. The two sisters set to find a way in which they could do it and designed a collection for children and for home. Together they create beautifully crafted wonderful pieces for children and home.

The sisters still visit the village as much as they can where it all began and where the local people are blossoming from the work provided.

En Gry & Sif has been given the medal for fair trade standards which symbolises not only thieir success in building a a business encouraging fair trade and conditions but also a stamp of 'thank you', 'well done' from all of us to you.

Even the name of company is a symbol of their original flair and the unique feel. 'En' literally means 'one', There is one Gry, there is one Sif and together they create one incredibly beautiful story, one amazing collection and many more than one persons life is enriched through their work.

I think the thing that makes this collection feel so genuinely heartfelt and completely compelling to tell others about is that it was born of curiosity, nutured with admiration and love and grown with a desire to share with others what they have found.

In En Gry & Sif you'll find playful pieces that fulfill the imaginings of the children that play with them, with the soft feel of felt that is such a tactile material and wonderful  for little hands to hold along with a sentiment of care and respect that shows through its skillfully crafted and beautifully designed pieces.

The collection carries wonderful play pieces that encourage imagination with a Noahs ark, a Gingerbread House, a Mushroom House, a Strawberry House, a Bee House and a farmhouse complete with felt animals and a rather handsome farmer too. En Gry & Sif also design around the festive season with stockings for christmas and decorations for the tree. Kepp an eye ouit for the Christmas collection oming soon

Here at Sisters Guild we search for those pieces that are designed with an idea that they can be handed down from one generation to the next and perhaps become the classics of this new blossoming generation. We believe that imagination is contagious and we hope these unique pieces spark wonder in you and your children.


Discover the En Gry & Sif collection here

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This is part of our series of blogs where we share the story behind our collections; because the collections and their creators mean so much to us here at Sisters Guild we want to pass the story on.

We bring a new blog each day; other series of blogs include our 'Monday Makery' with ideas and 'how to's'  to make and bake with all the family, Wednesday we woo you with our favourite pieces from the boutique and its new arrivals, Thursday is all about the art of living; discovering places and sharing new treasures and Friday we bring you the 'A-Z of Sisters Guild' a collection of pictures that convey the life behind the boutique

You can Follow us on Twitter here ,like us on Facebook here and visit our rather marvellous boutique here
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