This day I love.......: lights

We have had such a festive and busy weekend, and we haven't seen Father Christmas once! The girls and Little Man have experienced so much this weekend, and we have all learnt loads too. Our weekend started a little earlier on the Thursday when we were invited to the press opening of Enchanted Christmas at Brodsworth Hall and Garden.

Last year the girls were treated to an evening at Brodsworth Hall and Garden and they had been asking to go again this year. Last year [and the year before] they met Father Christmas, and it is still one of our favourite places to meet him, but unfortunately this year we were unable to. Not to worry as we were still in for a real treat.

Having been for the past two years, I was a little worried the girls might feel like they had seen it all before but there were so many wonderful new additions this year. The girls favourite was the fairy garden.

It was certainly clear to see why too. Such amazing attention to detail.

It was a real challenge to try and get any half decent photos given how dark it was, but I am hoping these at least show just a little of how beautiful the fairy garden is.

The girls were simply captivated and at one point it was the quietest I have ever seen them as they stood and took in all the sights surrounding them.

Whilst I still cannot pronounce the word, the illumaphonium was magical. A large structure which you could play music on. The melody would travel up the 6ft structure and the lights change as it went.

All around the gardens you could hear the sounds of the illumaphonium. It was so magical. Such a wonderful addition.

The girls loved walking through the gardens. Following the lights, and seeing where they lead us.

Finding magical fairy doors to knock on, before entering the dell.

Warming hands on the opening fire, which we were told was also for toasting marshmallows on.

The glittering disco ball casting patterns or light on the woodland floor.

The whole experience was magical and a great way to start our festive weekend.

The girls have been wanting to make slime for some time so on Friday we too inspiration from ex Blue Peter presenter and craft queen Konnie Huq, as she has partnered with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) to create the homemade STEM toys of Christmas, rivalling some of the must-have toys on the market. This is a more economical way of creating some of the must have toys this Christmas, and it is also a lot of fun to do too. I have included the video in case you would like to have a go as well.

It would not be Christmas without a trip to a Christmas market. Saturday was a trip to York to visit the Christmas market and do some last minute shopping. The girls love the chocolate pancakes and they always work well as a treat during our visit to the market.

Whilst in York we visited Fairfax house. It took us just over an hour to walk around and was a rather interesting visit. Fairfax House is laid out in the traditional décor of 17th century life, with a whole host of treasures waiting to be discovered. There are a range of family friendly activities to encourage children to learn about life in the 17th century. This includes following the tail of the town house mouse Gregory.

The house was decorated in traditional Georgian Christmas style and so in some rooms Gregory had been moved to make space for Christmas, this also meant that some of the quiz we were unable to complete too, but we did our best. My youngest daughter at 5 found some of the questions quite tricky and instead counted the clocks throughout the house and spotted Gregory, my 7 year old managed the downstairs questions and a few upstairs.

There are no photos or videos allowed inside the house, so I could not take any as we were walking round. The girls enjoyed looking round but would have preferred much more hands on activities. Perhaps some Georgian dressing up, or baking in the Georgian kitchen. There was an event later that day at 5pm, but it would have made it too late for Little Man as he would want his dinner. It was still a nice way to spend an hour, especially getting out of the cold and breaking up the shopping trip too. We did learn a lot about Christmas in the Georgian period and we were astonished to learn about their 30 course dinners!

Having done shopping, learnt about Christmas past, made Christmas crafts, visited Christmas fairies and elves, there could be only one festive activity left for Sunday a festive show!

We headed over to Cast in Doncaster to watch 'The Great Christmas Dig' by Handmade theatre. Last year we saw the 12 birds of Christmas and absolutely loved it so we were very excited to see the performance this year.

Whilst last year we were sat in nests, this year we were on an exciting archaeological dig in Egypt and so we were sat on rugs and benches. We were greeted to our seats by a camel, which set the tone and got the girls giggling from the start. Christmas spirit came to introduce herself too, which was nice.

As is always the case with Handmade productions their shows are incredibly interactive and also lots of fun, which makes them perfect for the whole family to enjoy. The Great Christmas Dig did not disappoint. There was singing and dancing, and audience participation. The girls loved digging to discover Christmas decorations and getting the chance to decorate the tree. Each cast member should be congratulated in ensuring that no one was forgotten about or left out and that every child got to participate if they wanted to.

50 minutes just flew by once again but it is safe to say the dig was successful and we all left full of Christmas Spirit! We all thoroughly enjoyed the performance and would highly recommend it.

It has been such a wonderful festive weekend, I am not sure we could have fitted anything else in! The final week of school to go and a week full of Christmas productions and carol singing lies ahead.

This day I love a festive weekend

Enchanted Brodsworth - Fri 15 - Sat 23 Dec 2017

Fairfax House - Check website for events

The Great Christmas Dig - 9th - 31st Dec 2017

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Your kitchen is probably the most used room in your house. It’s a place where you can entertain, cook and bond with your family. Yet one of the most overlooked aspects of a kitchen design is the lighting. Not only can the right lighting create a pleasant tone and ambience in your kitchen space, but it can also make it a safer environment. The key is utilising your available space and getting creative with your placements.

Use adjustable lights over task areas

The task areas in your kitchen are the sink, the cooker and your work top areas. These are where your food preparation and cleaning are carried out and where you need the most light, why not try some adjustable pendant fittings. These counterweighted lights can be positioned above your task areas to provide additional light. The counterweight feature means you can pull the fitting closer as and when you need to. They can also create some interesting lighting effects when you’re entertaining and come in a variety of styles to choose from. For a dramatic effect, line identical pendants in a row above your island top or sink.

Under cabinet lighting

Under cabinet lighting is fantastic as it is versatile enough to be placed anywhere. You can use it under one of your cabinets or all of them, depending on the vibe you want to create. You can use a G4 LED bulb or an LED light bar to create this effect successfully. Positioning is key so always place the bulb at the front edge of the cabinet. This will give you the most even and thorough distribution of light onto your work surfaces or floor. If you want to create that professional look, you also need to make sure that you cannot see the bulb from standing height. Try not to choose a colour that is too artificial as it can make your food and your décor look harsh and unnatural. Accent lights could also be another option you try to bring some interest and intrigue to your kitchen cabinets.

Bring in some colour and interest

Your light fixtures are essential for brightening up your kitchen, but they can also bring some much-needed colour into the room. You could use oversized, bold lampshades or antique chandeliers for some splashes of personality within the space. You could also use patterns and clashing colours which can also create a unique feel. Kitchen remodels can be expensive. Instead of changing your worktops and cabinets, you can just alter the colour of your light fittings when you feel like a change.

These lighting tips will change the entire mood of your kitchen and could even add some value onto your home, what tips do you have?

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When designing a child bedroom we often think carefully about every aspect of the room except from the lighting. The placement of the bed, furniture and other items are all usually carefully thought out and planned. Along with the soft furnishings.

We seem to spend ages making sure items co-ordinate and sometimes even that the room has a theme. The light in the room should have as much consideration. One of my children suffers to sleep if it is too light and the other if it is too dark. There is therefore a balancing act to be had.

Natural light

During the day it is wonderful to have as much natural light in a child's bedroom as possible. Some Children tend to spend a large proportion of their time in their bedrooms, and allowing natural light to filter in through the windows can often reduce the need to turn on lights and give children the chance to play in sunlight.

At night however blackout blinds can be an essential item for those children who wake easily with the light. Blackout blinds come in a variety of styles so there is something to suit all tastes and interior design styles.

Safety

It goes without saying that safety should be a high priority for lighting in a child’s bedroom. Standard and halogen light bulbs will give you a bright light during the darker hours, but, they are better kept as the primary lighting source, rather than lamps. They get scorching hot, and, as everyone knows, kids tend to be attracted to bright lights and want to touch them. Instead, try some LED bulbs that give off very little heat, and are safer if touched.

Fear of the dark

Some children don’t like the dark, and those fears are usually formed at an early stage. For children who are afraid of the dark invest in some night lights that will give off a soft and warm glow and help them relax, rather than dazzle them and keep them awake. There are plenty of great designs out there, so take a look around your favourite home-ware shop for some inspiration. You can even find them in the shape of their favourite characters. Most do not give off heat and some can even be taken into bed with them.

Spotlights

I love spotlights anywhere in the home, and they are great for kids bedrooms, too. They can highlight any feature of the room that your child likes - so they can always see their favourite toys, for example.

Desk lights

Finally, as your child gets older, they will start to read books while they are in bed. It’s important for them to be able to see properly, without dazzling themselves at the same time. Try getting a small desk light for them, and putting it either next to their bed, or clipping it on the frame. It will give them enough light to read, and stop them from straining to see the words and pictures.

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