Raise your baby like a royal!

To celebrate the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s new baby boy, Persil Non Bio and Comfort Pure have been working with royal etiquette expert, Jean Broke Smith, to create a ‘Guide to Raising Your Baby Like a Royal’ which includes advice on communication etiquette, bath time, bedtime and feeding time, along with some adorable stories that will make you smile. 

You can find out more and download the guide here on the Persil website. You can also buy limited edition packs of Persil Non-Bio and Comfort Pure in stores now! 

I use Persil all the time and found this to be a gorgeous scent as always and the little pictures on the packaging just made it all the more cuter!   Whos not going to love this for their little Prince or Princess! 

TTFN

Debbie

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Booking up quickly!!

I am always on the look out for new fairs and the books are filling up nicely in the run up to Christmas!   

This was my set up for the fair at Seaton Holme on bank holiday weekend....I had two tables this time.  One for my shabby chic homeware goodies.....

...and another for homemade cupcakes and bakes etc :) 

 Im back at Seaton Holme (Easington Village) for the next fair too which is on the 28th of September - see you there?!

 Unfortunately this giant cupcake didnt sell so we had to eat it ourselves!! lol  Darn shame since it was filled with Jelly Tots too! 

Tomorrow night is Ladies night at City Attic in Durham and Im taking masses of cupcakes for the ladies to try out some new flavours!

TTFN

Debbie

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Creative HeART & Soul retreat - November 15/16/17 2013

Did you know we have day delegate rates for our November retreat which is taking place at Ansty Hall Hotel nr Coventry. 

The teachers include the owners/design team/creative team of 

Simple Stories

Bo Bunny

Carta Bella

Heidi Swapp

Pink Paislee

Lots of classes, make and takes, raffle, goodie bags, treats throughout the weekend. All meals and accommodation included and a chance to win a spot at the next retreat! 

This is going to be a weekend you wont forget! Book now and split the payments! 

email me at debbie@countryheartandhome.com

Special offers from my store - Deborah Nicholas Designs!

I have lots of new ideas for things i want to make for the store but cant get the space until I sell the last few pieces from the shop!  

Special offer and once they are gone theyre gone - I wont be remaking them as i have some fabulous new ideas! 

Lipbalms in Very Vanilla or Tutti Fruiti £1.00 each plus 50p postage

or  

Buy 5 and get FREE POSTAGE!

 Large box frame picture - 52x52cm  Beautiful heart pattern and can be personalised

 £45 including postage! 

Large 14 inch rag wreath - ideal decor for bedrooms or nurseries!  Stand out from the crowd with something no one else will have!  (see the one below for true representation of colours!)

£15.00 including postage

Large 14 inch rag wreath - ideal decor for bedrooms or nurseries!  Stand out from the crowd with something no one else will have! 

£15.00 including postage

Small handmade door signs.  £2.50 inc postage (werewolves one sold!) 

Large box frame picture - 52x52cm  Beautiful elephants, ideal for nursery or boys room decor.  Fabulous - BE YOU message!  Can be personalised too!

 £45 including postage! 

 Large 14 inch rag wreath - ideal decor for bedrooms or nurseries!  Stand out from the crowd with something no one else will have! 

£15.00 including postage

Silver lid candles.  White is Baby Powder and Red is Spiced Apple!

£12 each including postage.

Small box frame picture - 25x25cm  Beautiful heart pattern and can be personalised

 £18 including postage! 

Large box frame picture - 52x52cm  Beautiful heart pattern and can be personalised

 £45 including postage! 

I also have some hexagon jam jar candles for £6 inc postage in various scents!  Tea cup candles in either pink or white for £12 each including postage.  

Please comment here or email me on debbie@countryheartandhome.com if you would like any of these and i can get them out in the post this week! 

TTFN

Debbie

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Cakey update!

I have a fair coming up at the weekend where im selling cupcakes and displaying some of the larger cakes!  So exciting but nerve racking too! 

I recently made this cake for my cousins little one - Alexander - who turned a year old and is obsessed with Hungry Henry. 

Henry is made from Fimo so able to be kept as a reminder too!  The cake was neapolitan inside - chocolate, vanilla and cherry and very yummy if i do say so myself! lol

This was my very first attempt at a shoe cake and i am really pleased with how it turned out.  The whole vanilla and strawberry jam sponge cake is edible - no dowels or anything. 

Edible glue to hold it all together and a little bit of luck meant it turned out just as i pictured.  I really hope the young girl turning 13 likes it - her mum loves it and said she wont want to cut it which makes me smile! :)  

(forgot to take a pic until we were in the car on teh way to drop it off!)

TTFN

Debbie

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Busy Busy!!

We visited Alnmouth beach on Tuesday when we dropped Jake off at his Nana Sues for the week.

Thankfully both Nina and Flash got along well, they sniffed each other, cased their own space and decided that both were happy as long as they got on with their own thing! 

They were like chalk and cheese on the beach though - Flash was running non stop and chasing balls etc....Nina was frightened of the water and stayed by our sides most of the time!  She will come around im sure! 

The beach is beautiful - so clean and rock free!  The water was so clear too - and warm! 

I have been baking this past couple of days and here is my latest effort which was picked up today by my cousin for her little ones birthday tomorrow.  Alexander is 1 already!! I cant believe how quickly this year has flown over!!  He has a love for Hungry Henry, a little Mexican cat who has to go food shopping for his meals.....

....the cake inside is Neapolitan.  Dark chocolate, vanilla and morello cherry! Kiddy on the outside - grown up on the inside ;) 

I have a Converse trainer cake to make for next week so wish me luck with that one!! lol 

TTFN

Debbie

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A little pooch update!

How well does she look now!

I have so much to say but so little time lately!  I have lots of piccies to share too so will make some time to update over the coming week!

Busy busy busy!

TTFN

Debbie

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Range Cookers Cupcake Creative Competition!

P B & J Cupcakes

Bang goes the diet again...well would you take a cupcake from someone who doesnt try their own recipes! No, didnt think so, thats my excuse and im sticking to it! ;)

I followed the same recipe as for my other basic vanilla cupcakes and added 2tsp of peanut butter into the cake mix before baking, it doesnt need much so its just the slightest hint of taste youre after.

After cooling i injected approx 5mls of jam into the centre of each cake. You know to stop injecting when it starts oozing back out of the top! lol

The peanut butter icing was made with 1part icing sugar, 2 parts peanut butter and 4 parts cream cheese (i used philly but marscapone would work just as well) - add more peanut butter if you prefer a strong taste and you can add additional spoonfulls of icing sugar to keep it sweet.

Grind up some peanuts and sprinkle on top.

Once these have gone im starting on the orange flower cupcakes with dark chocolate ganache topping....mmmmmm!

This is my entry into the Range Cookers Competition - go on give it a go too!! :)

Center Parcs July Challenge - A Childs Nature Checklist!

As you know, Center Parc villages are set in acre upon acre of natural landscape and they each village has their own team of Conservation Rangers to look after all of the flora and fauna!

One of the most popular activities the Conservation Rangers run for families staying at Center Parcs is the Rangers Ramble. One of our experts leads families through the forest, helping them spot and learn about animals and plants in the forest.

This month’s challenge is all about nature and helping your kids to learn more by getting to know the animals and plants that surround them every day. By taking part in this month’s challenge you could be in with a chance of becoming a Center Parcs Family Blogger.

With that in mind we set out to discover our surroundings - we have lived here almost 6 years and still havent been on a lot of the country walks close to home!  Now that we have Nina thought things are changing!

We noted down the items we were meant to find for the challenge but the kids were getting disheartened when we couldnt find one thing.....so mummy to the rescue quickly kept eagle eyes open and shouted out what they should find as i saw it first! lol  

 Snails hiding....

 A long haired animal! lol

 Hungry bugs! 

 ...lots of bugs in the water! 

 A snake - its ok we didnt find that one!! lol

 Pretty flowers...

We will definitely be creating more check lists while we are out, it kept the kids entertained and amused for ages ...  we walked twice as far as usual which is even better! 

This is my entry into this month’s  Tots100 and Center Parcs July challenge. 

Beautiful Day!

I love the summer!

Thats all!

TTFN

Debbie

x

Summer Days!

Another day, another visit to the beach!  

This time though we took Nina! 

Ive never known a dog be so scared of the water!

 She went as far as Evie then turned and ran back, we were sitting a couple of feet behind but she still wouldnt leave our side! lol

Evie as ever was enjoying herself and loves nothing more than throwing stones into the water - i swear if she could have been in there perfecting her mermaid style she would have!

 Nina looks like she had a good day non the less and im sure the freedom and space of the beach was a little intimidating as she sat beside us on her lead most of the time.  Other dogs were splashing in the water and wandering round - she didnt even flicker! lol

 

Evangeline has developed a little winning streak (i think shes taken mine as im not winning anything at the minute!) 

She won a giant colouring set with a Tiny Pop colouring competition...

and a summer buggy parasol with Clair de Lune...she doesnt have a buggy anymore but we needed one for the chair in the garden as shes a little monster for keeping her sun hat on - this way shes still covered and its her own little shaded chair!  

TTFN

Debbie

x

Evies new blanket!

I can knit, I can crochet, put a batch of fabrics in front of me and i can make something out of it......but ask me to make a quilt where it requires lots of pieces of fabric the same size then I hope youre ready for a laugh!!

I cant cut patterns to save my life (yes even squares!!)  So when my Mother In Law (Sue) started making on her sewing machine I was hoping we would be the lucky recipients of said gorgeousness!

I neednt have worried, Sue is a dab hand at sewing and this is her first attempt at quilting! Isnt it fab!!   I love the fact its backed with spotty fabric and its not too light coloured either which means Evie can take it with her in the car etc and we dont have to worry about little hands being spotless!

After coming down to visit us yesterday we spent most of the morning in the garden chatting about everything and anything.  We hung the blanket on the washing line to have the beautiful summer sky backdrop and i managed to get some great close up shots! 

Thank you so much Sue it truly is beautiful! 

TTFN

Debbie

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Daniel Footwear Competition!

There is a fabulous competition over on the etailPR blog to win £150 worth of vouchers to spend at the equally fabulous Daniel Footwear! 

I created this little wishlist of goodies that would keep any shoe addict happy - now i just need to convince hubby i need 8 new pairs of shoes!! 

Starting from the large white pic and working in a clockwork direction my wishlist shoes are....

Daniel Gold Smize Womens Platform Peep Toe Shoe - £119.00

Melissa Black Harmonic Heart Sandal - £23.99

Daniel Blue Falco Womens Toe Post Sandal - £17.00

Michael Kors Black Quilted Ballet Pump - £84.99

Hunter Original Brit Womens Wellington Boot - £75.00

Daniel Silver Sling back Shoe - £17.00

Vivienne Westwood Smoke Ultragirl pumps - £84.99

Sam Edelman Nude Lorissa Spiked Peep Toe Shoe - £59.00

As you can see, there is something for everyone and every occasion - whether its glamming it up at the festivals, walking the red carpet or picking the kids up from school!  

A girl can never have too many shoes! 

TTFN

Debbie

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