PEEKABOO

That face. So happy, so full of life, love and beauty. Bringing so much light to our lives, always. 

Nearly one year after this photograph was taken, and still so much joy in hiding in the garden room :) 

WHAT PHINEY WORE: joules

WHAT PHINEY WORE: Raincoat c/o joules // Leggings c/o joules // Cardigan homemade // Wellies second hand 

For the first time in what like seems like forever, Josephine and I headed out into the garden for an hour last week and our girl couldn't have been happier about it. She adores the garden. From sweeping the leaves to digging the soil, watching the birds and smelling the flowers. 

The sun even shone on us for a moment or two. 

And what more could you want in spring gardening clothes, than beautiful floral prints and homemade knits?

No matter what the season, wellies and a raincoat is a must in the UK, and this Joules jacket is ideal. It's sometimes so difficult to find pieces like this in anything but pink or emblazoned with carton characters, so both Josephine and I love this one. Super sweet and feminine, but not sickly and not a Peppa Pig in sight. 

The girl's clothing section of Joules has some really lovely pieces in. Unusual colourways and classic designs, and I love the muted tones of these leggings (they hide a multitude of muddy knee stains!)

I've written here before about my Mum's expert knitting skills, and her latest handiwork is one of my favourites ever. Josephine looks like she's stepped right out of the 1940s when she wears this cardigan, with her ringlets tumbling down her back, which is pretty much my main aim when I dress her! 

Roll on springtime and more fun in the garden...can't believe they'll be a tiny baby hanging out with us by then.

9/52

"A portrait of Josephine, once a week every week in 2014".

Her wild hair and those curious, mischievous eyes. Taking in every detail of the world around her. 

Taking part in Jodi's 52 Project.

NEWPHEWS

These two. Practically impossible to get them looking at the camera, smiling nicely. As is the way with all 6 and 8 year old boys, I guess. My Nan asked me to snap a picture of them last weekend for a frame on her wall, and this was the best I could get. 

I love it. It's sums them up completely and perfectly. 

Today is Coby's birthday (well, his faux birthday, he was born on February 29th) and tomorrow is Tyler's. Tonight it's party time and their presents have literally just been delivered by the postman. Phew. 

We love you boys, especially a certain two year old who thinks you're both the bee's knees and the coolest cousins around xxx

8/52

"A portrait of Josephine, once a week every week in 2014".

Josephine and her bestie, Oliver. I think we must spend half our week at the meadow watching them run around together. These two kiddos are so awesome; the games they play, the laughter they share. I'm so happy he, and all his beautiful family, are in our lives.

I (not-so-secretly) joke that one day he'll be our son-in-law! 

Taking part in Jodi's 52 Project.

^^^

While sweet cotton rompers are at the top of my list clothes-wise, warm knits are a must when you live in the UK. In the middle of summer you can wake up to pouring rain and cold temperatures, so snuggly jumpers and cardigans really are essential.

British clothing company Joules recently sent us some amazing pieces for both Baby and Josephine to road test, and this sweet cable knit cardigan is perfect for a boy or girl. I'm really drawn to muted, earthy tones for this baby, so this is ideal. 

I could have chosen so many things from the baby section of the shop; sweet welly boots for girls and classic dungarees for boys, plus i'd actually already got these booties in store (and adore the delicate floral print of the girl's version too), which are so lovely. 

With quality fabrics and quirky details and prints, Joules has something for everyone, and I was pretty tempted by this dress and this blouse for when the bump has gone and Baby has arrived. Stay tuned for possibly my favourite ever skirt on Josephine, plus a raincoat she wore indoors for hours on the day it arrived in the post. Great pieces from a lovely shop :) 

DREAMY ARTWORK

A few weeks ago, Josephine and Ben got messy in the bathroom (our painting room of choice...it's huge and has easy to wipe clean laminate floors!) and created some amazing pieces of artwork. One is hanging in her bedroom and the other is still taped to our living room wall while we find a frame big enough to house it forever.

Phiney got so many amazing crafty bits and bobs for Christmas and her birthday, she created this piece using some foam stamps and to begin with we just loved the colours. Then, after we taped it to the wall, we realised it looked like a tree on the left. A few days later, it occurred to us that the bit on the right hand side looked remarkably like a man and woman, flying away from the tree; her wearing a bonnet with a trailing skirt, and him in a suit, both wearing sunglasses. Fairies, in the forest; Titania and Oberon.

Can you see it? I hope so! It's such an amazing piece. We will cherish it forever.

WHAT PHINEY WORE: birthday girl

WHAT PHINEY WORE: Dress c/o the little plum // Hair Bow h&m // Tights la coqueta // Necklace two little vikings // Bag italian market circa early 1990s

Nearly a month after her birthday, I'm finally getting round to posting the pictures of What Phiney Wore, the party edition. Every little girl needs the perfect vintage dress to wear on her big day, and this adorable one came from lovely Etsy shop, The Little Plum. Josephine wore it on Christmas Day too (because tartan is a must at Christmas time!) and I can't get over the sweet lace cuffs and collar. 

Her amazing lion necklace was our birthday present to Josephine, which I managed to score at one of Two Little Vikings' sales of the #pray4trax necklace. I've tried to buy one before but they all sold out in just a few minutes. Second time around I was determined to get one, and Ben and I loved the colours of this design. As soon as Phiney opened it on her birthday, she put it on and hasn't really taken it off since. It's worn with PJs in the morning, every new outfit and not much else before bath time. The cause is an amazing one (raising money for a little boy in America with Cystic Fibrosis) and the necklaces are made my a very clever Mama and her little boy. Make sure you check out her Insta account (mrs_paulie_) for details of the next sale - I'm so tempted by the matching Mama/child versions...

Teamed with our favourite tights (I don't think i'll ever buy tights from anywhere else again), her red velvet hair bow and my old little bag, and Josephine was most definitely the belle of the ball :) 

7/52

"A portrait of Josephine, once a week every week in 2014".

Our little woodland pixie, forever playing hide and seek in the trees. 

At the beginning of this project for 2014 it was my aim to post pictures of Josephine with the special people in her life, but it's occurred to me that sometimes I just don't get those shots and that sometimes I get pictures of Phiney by herself that are just too good to ignore. So, going forward, it will be a mix. I hope. 

Taking part in Jodi's 52 Project.

^^^

 

Second time around, the list of baby essentials is very different to when we were pregnant with Josephine. We have the pram, cot, reusable nappies and hoards of white babygros. Second time around, I feel the list is a little more frivolous; things we really want, not just need. And over the next few months I'll be revealing my top baby essentials, from big buys to vintage goodness.

Today, it's all about my current favourite piece of baby clothing...the romper. While I was pregnant with Josephine, due in the depths of a very cold and snowy winter, it was all about knits; jumpers, cardigans, leggings and dungarees. Baby number two is due in the midst of spring, so light cotton rompers and bloomers are topping my list of must haves. These vintage beauties are treasures found on eBay and at The Apple Bopper, one of my favourite Etsy stores - so many sweet rompers on offer, as well as a whole bunch of other goodies. 

I've also found a vintage pattern to start whipping up a few of my own. I'm determined to make more of Josephine and Baby's clothes this year, and I love Talia's In Stitches project for 2014 and hope to take part as much as I can. 

As we sit here, freezing cold and wrapped in a hundred layers of knits, the thought of summer time, my babies in the garden and tiny rompers are making this Mama pretty happy. 

ps. Happy Valentine's Day to you all. Hope it's filled with a whole lot of love xx