A little foxy felt hat

Foxy Little Felt Hat http://www.etsy.com/shop/vaivanat/

Is this not the most gorgeous thing?  I just found this hat on etsy and I have to admit I have bought one for one of my little foxes.

I went to the Craft Council's Origin - The Contemporary Craft Fair in the autumn last year and nearly bought a fox hat for myself, I loved it. The inspired work of Barbara Keal 

big fox felt hat http://www.barbarakeal.com/

I ended up buying a felted stoat and mole finger puppet, for the children. Do you begin to notice a pattern here?  When I decide that I can't justify buying something for myself, I buy it for the children instead.  

By the way that description "a felted stoat and mole finger puppet" really doesn't do these little "puppets" justice.  They are perfect little hand felted heads, and so beautifully alive.  i will have to put a picture of them up on the blog tomorrow. 

POSTED 6th July 2012

The children's felt hat arrived today and is gorgeous!

And here are little mole and stoat, are they not gorgeous too?

Barbara Keal felted animals, stoat and mole
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In Praise of Walks 2 - Hedgehogs

Una makes a hedgehog

My little girl fox Una made this little hedgehog.  From a spiky seed pod we found on our walk yesterday, she decided she wanted to make a hedgey-hog (Our name for this woodland critter born of our love of Charlie & Lola).  

We looked at some pictures of hedgehogs, then she drew one for herself.  Then with fabric scraps, a button and a pipe cleaner she fashioned this rather fabulous little guy.
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In Praise of Walks

Mrs Fox's terriers on their walkWell, we are all foxes... and one of our favourite things to do is go for long country walks. We are lucky to live in semi-rural Hertfordshire and we have two dogs so walks are a necessity. But even without the canine excuse, come rain or shine, we don our walking clothes and head for the woods, or lakes, or fields.


a walk in the woods
I think the key to a fun walk in the UK with children is old clothes, good wellies and warm coats.  So that they are comfortable and you're not constantly telling them to avoid the mud.  If it's a cold day the kids wear tights under their trousers and that goes for my son too.  He does love his sister's pink cast offs!  And we are a two pairs of wellies family, so that if they are completely sodden and not had time to dry out there is another pair to wear on the next day's walk.

We carry a bottle of water and a treat to refresh and motivate with all that healthy outdoorsy air.  Sometimes the treat  is  healthy, but, sometimes I'm afraid it's not. Sometimes it's a combination of the drink and the treat in the form of "special juice" as we call those juice drinks that I don't allow the kids at any other time.

The other rule is the kids get to do what they like (as long as they are safe obviously). We go at their speed, we stop and look for hours it seems at a fallen tree stump or muddy ditch. If they want to twirl sticks around, "great"; climb trees, or  more scarily jump out of them, "wonderful"; make mud pies, "that's fine"; dig goo out of tree stumps, "lovely!"

In the car we leave a change of socks, and if it is a really rotten day spare trousers, and often another treat to keep them quiet on the drive home. We always have a bottle of water in the boot of the car for the dogs, this also usually gets used to rinse hands.

a walk in the woods

Along with the exercise and the blowing away of the cobwebs, walks are an inspiration for craft ideas. Today Una wants to make hedgehogs when we get home. (I'll post the results later.)  The children make daisy chains, leaf sculptures and will take a liking to a leaf or stick that is then carried with us for the rest of the walk.  There is blackberry picking in the autumn, we also have plums, damsons, apples and sloes on our regular walk.  And this year I've made elderflower cordial with the children and am attempting sparkling elderflower wine for mummy and daddy.

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A Sunny Afternoon

Mrs Fox's Classic Party Bag

And our photoshoot for Mrs Fox's Party Bags went really well.  We have a Classic Party Bag, a Party Bag for Girls and a Party Bag for Boys, all three of which should be up on the website for sale by the end of the week.  We are offering a very SPECIAL OFFER via our Facebook page on the Classic Party Bag pictured above.  Until 4th July 2012 we are selling them in packs of 4 for only £20. And if you buy two packs of 4 we will include a FREE set of 10 birthday candles. 
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To help you get organised - FREE downloads

We've been in this party business for a while now and it's amazing what you learn.

On the one hand holding a child's birthday party is the easiest thing ever.  Your child will love the idea of a party, will live for the party for weeks in advance, excitement mounting.  And they will not care how organised, professional, or perfectly managed it is or is not.  

You, on the other hand, will probably worry and fret and feel like there are a thousand things that could go disasterously wrong.  The truth, of course, is somewhere in between.  But it is always worth remembering that no matter what, your son or daughter will think that any party you throw them is the best EVER!

To help you along with the organisation of your event we have put together two documents for you to download.  The first is Mrs Fox's Party Masterplan.  It helps you get organised from one month out and is a geat aid memoir when planning your party.

Download the party masterplan

The second is Mrs Fox's Party Planning Worksheet and this will help you define the party and keep a top level list of guests, menu, activities & music etc.



Download party worksheet

Of course the best way to get organised is to order a Mrs Fox's Party Box.  Our themed party boxes include everything you need to run your party; invites, tableware, games, crafts, decorations, filled party bags and thank you cards.  All delivered straight to your door. What could be easier?




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