Zoe and Beans - A Review

Zoe and Beans 

How many pets? & Look at me!

By Chloë Inkpen and Mick Inkpen 

Both published 9^th May 2013, £5.99 Board Books

The much-loved Zoe and Beans series is now available 

in two brand new board books - perfect for little hands!

How many pets? - Learn to count with Zoe and Beans! 

How many pets can you see? Join Zoe and Beans and their friend Oscar as they count the animals, from one to ten. There’s a hungry rabbit, a kitten, a duck, a puppy and even a cow! But will there be enough room for them all? 

Look at me! - Dress up and play with Zoe and Beans!

Zoe and Beans and their new best friend Oscar have found a dressing-up box. But what will they be today? Join them as they become robots, doctors, bumble bees – even pirates! 

The start of a brilliant new series of board books featuring the adorable Zoe and Beans and all of their friends. With its gentle rhyming text and irresistible illustrations, these books are perfect for sharing with toddlers and young children. 

Chloë Inkpen grew up surrounded by picture books and has a natural gift for storytelling. A love of language and art saw her swap an English Literature course for a degree in Visual Communication at Glasgow School of Art. She spent her final year specializing in children's book illustration and was awarded second place in the Macmillan Prize for Illustration in 2008.

Mick Inkpen is one of today's most popular picture book author/illustrators and the famous creator of both Kipper and Wibbly Pig. Mick has won the Children's Book Award for Threadbear and the British Book Award twice, for Penguin Small and Lullabyhullaballoo. Kipper won a BAFTA for Best Animated Film in 1998. In 2012 Mick Inkpen was one of the top 10 most borrowed children’s authors in libraries. It wasn't until Mick became a father that he began his career in children's books.

Meet Oscar, the new next-door neighbour and a brand new friend for Zoe and Beans! Zoe has found a guinea pig at the bottom of the garden . . . and a tortoise, and a chameleon, and now there’s a noisy parrot! Where on earth have they all come from? The hole in the fence could be a clue, but who lives on the other side?

Hello Oscar! is Chloё and Mick Inkpen’s fifth title in the exceptional Zoe and Beans series. Once again they have produced a beautifully designed and touching, yet comic, tale with bubbly characters and colourful illustrations. The combination of father and daughter come together beautifully for a unique and exciting picture book partnership.

Mick Inkpen is one of today's most popular picture book author/illustrators and the famous creator of both Kipper and Wibbly Pig. Mick has won the Children's Book Award for Threadbear and the British Book Award twice, for Penguin Small and Lullabyhullaballoo. Kipper won a BAFTA for Best Animated Film in 1998. In 2012 Mick Inkpen was one of the top 10 most borrowed children’s authors in libraries. It wasn't until Mick became a father that he began his career in children's books. 

Chloë Inkpen grew up surrounded by picture books and has a natural gift for storytelling. A love of language and art saw her swap an English Literature course for a degree in Visual Communication at Glasgow School of Art. She spent her final year specialising in children's book illustration and was awarded second place in the Macmillan Prize for Illustration in 2008.

My youngest, Zoe, is 3 and absolutly adored these books the minute they came out of the bag, especially with the main character being called Zoe they instantly became HER books and has carried them around with her for weeks!

They stories are fun and easy for children of all ages to relate to, the art work is beautiful with its washed out tones and full pages illustrations.

My eldest who's 9 enjoyed reading these to our youngest two who admittedly spent more time talking about the animals and which ones we had than listening to what she was saying.

I believe these will be firm favourites even after they are old enough to read to themselves.

And that was just the board books, Meet Oscar has to be one of my favourite children's book's i have ever read and we read a lot!

Its witty and funny and beautiful all at the same time, the narrative is great for young children to understand and it does all this whilst being beautiful to look at.

I literally cannot say a bad word about this serious and now im off to find the rest to go with these, i cant wait to see what other cheekiness Zoe and Beans gets up to next!!

And its not just me that thinks so have a read what some other people had to say about Zoe and Beans..

‘A heart-warming, comic tale with bubbly characters and colourful illustrations!’

Parent Talk

‘The Inkpens, a talented father and daughter due, deliver another stunningly beautiful picture book… Exquisite drawings, the cutest little heroine and a fun story are sure to cast a warm glow over bedtime reading.’ Lancashire Evening Post

‘Absolutely wonderful illustrations’ Chopsy Baby

‘A fun story full of fun and friendship that children will enjoy.’ Early Years Educator

‘Hello Oscar! is a lovely read with beautiful pictures.’ Monsters Fun House

‘The story is engaging and amusing. The artwork is lovely again and we’re really getting into the characters.’ Wham Bahm 

 ‘This book is a lovely, easy to follow read…. It is perfect for toddler and young children in its use of language and is full of beautiful illustrations.’ Mum Reinvented

 ‘The illustrations are so cute and child friendly….. A formidable father/daughter team who produce tales which capture the heart of the children and hold their imagination.’

Mummy Matters

‘Once again we love the simplicity of the images in the Zoe and Beans book and I find the story easy to read…it is great to meet new animals and new characters’  Mellow Mummy

‘Hello Oscar!’ is a playful story that really lends to re-telling.’ Damson Lane 

‘I love the illustrations in the book, they are so bright and really stand out on the page.’

One Blue One Pink

I hope you'll agree these are ones for the book shelf.

L xx

Allotment.. 2 week update

So we took on our allotment two weeks ago now but with the yoyoing weather i haven't had chance to spend a whole day there but in the two days i have actually managed to get up and spend a few hours digging through the jungle its slowly but surely coming together and is almost ready to start planting out, albeit with plug and not from seed but I'm playing major catch up here!!

I'm here with the large child making our first start, as you can see jungle wasn't an over exaggeration!

Day two without the child, managed to clear almost all the jungly bits in the bottom half which means i can begin plating on Sunday weather permitting.

It's really exciting watching something grow this way, we have a small patch at home and a couple of chickens but a transformation in such a small space doesn't have the same amount of impact.

Regular updates will continue throughout the summer, cant wait to show you our first batch of goodies.

L xx

Upcycling? new trend or are we all just broke?

There has always being many reasons why people make do and mend, from simply not having any money to being more Eco friendly with how we live but with this new trend on the increase do we do it out of necessity or simply to keep up with the Jones'?
Personally its been a mixture of both for many years starting back when my husband lost his job, we went from a full time wage to nothing in what seemed like over night so all the luxuries of eating out and new clothes whenever i felt like a pick me up where the first things to go but as time went on i fell in love with all aspects of making do with what we already had from re purposing furniture or old towels and bedding to passing down clothes through our daughters and the excitement they got from getting something new.
Now its become more of a hobby for me and in the back of my mind a business opportunity as everything i find stuffed in the back of a cupboard or abandoned on a shelf i find myself imagining all sorts of alternative uses for it.
The girls love seeing mine or even their unloved clothes turned into something fun and individual as they are clothing and almost worn out shoes turned into sparkly creations and the scraps whipped into dolls/ teddies new clothes, who doesn't see the fun in that and with the millions of people all over the world loosing days perusing Pinterest there is no end of inspiration for that old table you've been putting off taking to the charity shop for three months and knowing something that has gone unloved for so long is now something that has become a firm favourite around your home is real good for the soul not to mention the wallet!

So here is a little look at what I've been upto recently..

I found a tutorial on pinterest about upcycling tshirts, this one i split up the back and inserted some floaty fabric, instead of being a body hugging jersey t its a more relaxed look.

 Sadly my fave doctor who t had shrunk in the wash *yeah I'm sticking with that reason* so i split the side seams and inserted a 6 inch wide band of star fabric which is taken from a pair of old pj bottoms and bobs ya uncle its a loose fitting t.

 This gorge river island cardi that i had never worn because i didn't like the neck is now wearable as I've added a cream crocheted collar, again which i had never used.

 Same again with my fave etsy bought tshirt it had suddenly got a bit on the tight side, its now more comfy and i can get back to wearing it after adding a 4 inch side band

 Surprisingly this cute jersey pencil skirt, started life as an old pair of pj bottoms, who'd have thunk it eh!

 We have all seen the epic tutorials on pinterest for upcycling a pair of old cowboy boots, i simply adapted it to do my old tan boots, added some fabric scraps, old belts and some other bits and bobs!

There is also a converse boot upcycle coming soooooon!!!

So tell me... why do you upcycle or make do and mend??

L x

Macmillan Children's Book Raffle in aid of Farms For City Children

Axel Scheffler donates original artwork to Farms for City Children “digital raffle”

In 2013, Macmillan Children’s Books celebrates twenty years of publishing the no.1 best-selling picture book duo in the UK.  Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler are the creators of one of the nation’s best-loved characters, The Gruffalo. Since the publication of their first book together, A Squash and a Squeeze, they have written and illustrated over twenty books in twenty years.

To mark the occasion, Axel Scheffler has created a piece of 20^th Anniversary artwork, which has been used across commemorative material. Macmillan Children’s Books has donated the original artwork to Farms for City Children, who are running a “digital raffle” to raise money to support their on-going work.  

Axel says:

“I’m pleased that as part of the anniversary celebrations for A Squash and a Squeeze we can help support such an appropriate charity (for those who know the book!). My artwork has been included in many charity auctions over the past twenty years, but I do like the idea that a child could win this very special piece with just £2 pocket money, rather than it going to the highest bidder.”

To enter the raffle, entrants must pay a £2 entry fee to Farms for City Children  through their MyDonate page .  The raffle closes on Monday 3^rd June 2013. Full details on entering can be found  on Farms for City Children’s official website:

http://www.farmsforcitychildren.org/raffle.htm

Farms for City Children already has a strong literary connection, author and former Children’s Laureate, Michael Morpurgo, founded the charity in 1976 with his wife Clare.

Michael says:

“I am delighted that Macmillan Children’s Books has chosen Farms for City Children to benefit from this wonderful competition celebrating the 20th anniversary of Julia Donaldson’s book, A Squash and a Squeeze. It is a delightful children’s story and it is enhanced further by the wonderful drawings of Axel Scheffler.  Any child would be so pleased – and so lucky – to win a piece of Axel’s original artwork.”

About the raffle:

The raffle is open to residents of the UK and Eire only. The closing date for entries is Monday 3^rd June 2013. Entrants must pay an entry fee  of £2 to Farms for City Children via  their MyDonate page.

About Macmillan Children’s Books:

Macmillan Children’s Books is one of the UK’s leading children’s publishers. A division of Pan Macmillan, Macmillan Children’s Books publishes over 300 books a year for all age groups and is the publisher of bestselling titles by Julia Donaldson, Rod Campbell, Frank Cottrell Boyce and Eva Ibbotson. Macmillan Children’s Books has won many major awards such as the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals, the Nestlé Children’s Book Prize and the Blue Peter and Red House Book Awards.

About Farms for City Children:

Farms for City Children is a registered charity, founded in 1976. Its aim is to enrich the lives and develop the potential of children from cities and towns all over the country by giving them the opportunity to spend a week in the countryside on a working farm. Around 3,000 children each year live and work together for a whole seven days on one of three real farms in Devon, Gloucestershire and Pembrokeshire. They range in age from 8-14 years old.

A truly amazing prize in aid of a most worthy cause, will you be donating? 

L x

Cook with Organix Challenge

With having 3 young( ish) children and it only seeming like five minutes ago i was weening my now 9 year old I'd like to think I have a fair grasp on the 'baby food' market, or not.
When these amazing base's where offered to us to trial I couldn't say yes fast enough. They sounded like an amazing idea, they give you the oppertunity to make quick and nutritious meals for the little folk, introducing them to new tastes and knowing they are good for their tiny insides too.
We have bought and enjoyed Organix goodies before, they haven't always gone down well, like most children we have some things they are really picky about and the 3 year old is currently on a chicken binge which means she refuses to eat anything that doesn't look like garlic bread or clucks!
We are still very much in 'trial mode' and are experimenting with the stuff we received, also whilst trying to find the time to get them involved in the cooking process and making them aware of where their food comes from and how other children in different countries eat or don't as the case may be.
We tried the Mexican rice and sweetcorn the other night with tea, I was stuck for something to give them as i was sick of offering the same thing over and over all because we have a fussy eater *glares at the 3 yr old*.

It smelt delicious whilst whizzing around the microwave, and i have to hold my hands up to having a crafty taste before dishing up and surprisingly , YUM! , I was slightly envious I wasn't getting it for tea!
It was a massive hit with Emma, our 6 yr old, she didn't leave a scrap on her plate, Zoe our 'I'm allergic to anything that isn't chicken' 3 yr old refused bluntly to even give it a taste but as she is open to pasta from time to time I'm hoping the Herby Vegetable Pasta will go down well with her, the ' I was once as picky as Zoe' 9 yr old ate about half then made up some elaborate tale of how she didn't like it because.... I zoned out at this point.
This was no surprise to me to be honest as it was in a mild Mexican sauce, she doesn't eat anything in sauce (rolls eyes) and contained veg (also something she seems suddenly allergic to) but she gave it a try and a good one at that so that's a start.
The portions where definitely generous, the pots say 2 portions and it was still more than enough for the 2 of them, I could of easily made it go an extra meal with no problems at all.
I did nothing fancy with it this time, just some cooked chicken, and it made a lovely healthy meal for them.
I am now writing the bases into a couple of recipes for our meal planner for next week to give them a good old try out, when I'm a little less pulled thin with garden laying and school work!
I will admit though that they make a great addition to the kitchen cupboard when you know you are in a rush but still want to provide a healthy and very tasty meal with little fuss and a lot less time!
Have a pop on over to the Organix website and check out their list of recipe's you can try and not just with their bases, there are also hits and tips on feeding advice, a meal planner and an online shop so you don't even have to change out of your PJ's to give them a try!!! (in fact why didn't I think of this??!)
I'd love to know what you think about organix bases, baby weening and I'd love to see your pics of your creations, send in a pic of your tiny folk enjoying your creations and you could win a sample pot of Organix base to try yourself, send your pics to lizipants@yahoo.co.uk and I'll add a showcase of all your tiny folk, right here.
If you have been knee deep in dirty nappies or just reaching weening age and havent heard about Organix and what they do, here's a little background for you straight from the horses mouth..

Organix, number one in Organic babyfood*, today launches Cook with Organix, a new home cooking range set to revolutionise the babyfood aisle.

Cook with Organix has been developed to help meet the growing desire amongst parents to cook their children’s food from scratch. Cook with Organix Recipe Bases provide the starting point for a meal, to which you can simply add the finishing touches and Cook with Organix Paste Pots allow you to create a meal from your own choice of ingredients, using a wide range of available recipes.

Recipe Bases and Paste Pots have been created in the Organix kitchen to give parents a helping hand to create a variety of nutritious and healthy dishes at home that will help develop their baby’s taste for real, good food.

Lucy Jackson at Organix comments: “Cooking from scratch means different things to different people, from preparing beans on toast, to cooking entirely from fresh ingredients. At Organix we understand that parents want to be able to create their little one’s meals at home using fresh ingredients, because they believe that home-cooking is best for their baby. We also understand that time can be tight and it’s not always easy to come up with different recipes every night – not to mention feeling confident in what is suitable for young children.”

For those tight on time, Recipe Bases (RRP £2.49, 200g) allow parents to add their choice of finishing touches to the recipe and cook in just 5 minutes. With a choice of Tomatoey Spaghetti, Herby Vegetable Pasta and Mexican Rice and Sweetcorn, Recipe Bases are suitable from 10 months to 3 years plus and contain two portions per tray, so parents can cook for two children, or store a portion to create a totally different meal another day.

Paste Pots (RRP £2.49, 2x48g) are a creative cooking aid for parents who have a little more time. Each pack has two different Paste Pots (each making 3-5 portions) and two simple recipes to follow, which use ingredients easily available in supermarkets. A wide range of Cook with Organix recipes are also available on the Organix website, each taking around 30 minutes to cook. Suitable from 7 months to 3 years plus, Paste Pots are available in Mild Green & Red Thai Curry, Mild Tikka & Korma and Tomatoey Red & Herby Green.

Lucy Jackson continues: “Meals for little ones should help inspire a lifelong love of good food and here at Organix we always strive to innovate and set new standards in baby food. In contrast to the limited range of a few stir-in pasta sauces usually available in supermarkets, our Cook with Organix Recipe Bases and Paste Pots offer parents more freedom and confidence to get creative in the kitchen and experiment with their little one’s cooking, as well as giving them the reassurance that they are providing the very best nutrition for their child.”

The Cook with Organix range is available in selected Tesco stores across the UK and is coming soon to other major retailers.

Thanks for stopping by..

L x

Roosterbank and children's pocket money

Having three kids, pocket money is something that regularly crosses my mind as I'm a little on the soft side and cave in the minute they want something. However, the older they get the more i realise that they need to take charge of their own money and learn to budget what they get, also so they will appreciate what they are bought that much more than they do already.
Roosterbank is a fun a educational way to let your child budget their pocket money online. Along side this there are educational games and learning.
Here's a little more about Roosterbank...

Pocket money experts, Roosterbank, have announced a surprising change in tradition for youngsters in Britain today.

It appears that warnings on childhood obesity may be getting through because a study by the website, which helps families develop regular pocket money routines, has found that children will be more likely to ask for cash over chocolate this Easter as they endeavour to build their own nest eggs.

Ben Edwards, CEO of Roosterbank, says, "Easter eggs will always be popular. After all, who can resist a sweet treat? But we are also noticing an emerging trend whereby children prefer to receive cash to boost savings rather than chocolate."

Roosterbank, which currently helps over 1,000 children keep track of their pocket money, has noticed a trend towards children saving up for a larger purchase rather than immediately spending their earnings.

Ben continues, "We know children are picking up on how the economic situation is affecting the household budget and they are reflecting their parents’ attitudes by putting saving before spending. Kids are taking a stronger interest in money management and through studying the young users on Roosterbank, we have seen a clear preference for saving."

Roosterbank enables children to track, manage and choose how to use their own pocket money, whether that is creating a nest egg for the future, saving for a desired item or donating to charity.

"I absolutely believe children should learn financial life skills from an early age and managing their own pocket money gives them the opportunity build their skills before the time comes to open their own bank account," concludes Ben.

Ruby Robertson, 8, from Harpenden, regularly saves on Roosterbank.

"I definitely prefer to receive pocket money over chocolate. I like saving most of my money, but every now and then I will spend small amounts and buy things like Moshi Monsters toys and books. My dream is to save enough to go to University," says Ruby.

"My Dad and I talk about money more now. When we go to the shops and I want something, we discuss if it’s worth it or if I should save my money for something else. Since using Roosterbank, I have been more sensible with my money."

Case studies of families with children who use Roosterbank to manage the pocket money they earn by helping out around the house are available upon request.

Roosterbank was established in 2012 and is a free-to-use website that has reinvented the way families manage pocket money. The website makes it easy for parents to develop a regular pocket money routine and helps children to learn about day-to-day saving and spending from an early age via simple tools and fun games.

Roosterbank encourages children to take responsibility for their own money, preparing them for the day when they open their own bank accounts.

Pocket money on Roosterbank is virtual so no real cash deposits are required. Parents use the site to keep track of pocket money transactions, set up regular weekly pocket money payments, make ad hoc 'boosts' and approve spending. Children can use their pocket money online, in the carefully-curated Rooster Shop that is designed with them in mind, or in traditional retail environments.

Via a personal online account, children can view their balance and make decisions about what to do with their pocket money. That may be building a nest egg for the future, for which they are rewarded, donating to charity or saving up to pay for a favourite treat. Roosterbank also provides exclusive access to educational games and two safe communities designed for especially for young savers.

I had a sneaky peak myself and signed all my girls up, sounds like something that we can really work into our daily routine and educate them with the value of money all in a fun way that they can understand and take control of, i hope you choose to sign up too!

L x

New Year, New Outlook

Last year and the year before I decided to follow a make do and mend ethos, buying nothing new that wasn't necessary and it has really changed how i look at not just material goods but life in general.
We as a whole generation tend to take things for granted, we always have a warm bed and food in our bellies when there are thousands homeless and cold each day in Britain and all over the world and to tell you the truth I'm more than grateful for the comfortable life we have.
We can eat when hungry and sleep soundly in our beds, our children are happy and being educated in a way that suits them as well as us and i couldn't really ask for more.
So this year i wanted to step it up a little and try to refine the steps we have already taken. I plan to grow more than ever this year, i already have some lettuce planted in doors and some other bits that will have a great start indoors before the spring. I plan to sew more and not just for me this time but for the hubby as well as the kids, the nothing new for a year challenge really made me see that I'm a little like a magpie, i get distracted by pretty things and tend to just buy them whether we need them or not but now I've learnt a certain level of restraint and make sure i really need or want it before handing over my pennies and i will always make sure i cant purchase it cheaper second hand first as i feel recycling is more important than ever.
I don't even remember the last item of clothing that was brand new i bought!
The chickens are laying great so this year i plan to extend the space they have and maybe get a couple more birds and sell the excess eggs to friends and neighbours to cover their feed and up keep, nothing like providing for yourself eh ladies! ;)
I'm also hoping the new bunnies we have will breed so we can sell the babies, just for a short space of time anyway, to pay for a bigger hutch for them and keep them in the life of which they have become accustomed! you cant say my furry friends aren't spoilt lol!
then next on the list is getting a cold frame on the porch at the front, it has full sun all year and i want to maximise growing time for things like tomatoes and lettuce that we tend to eat all year that doesn't take a lot of space to grow then onto planning in the back to get the tops of the animals hutches edged and sealed and get things growing in them, cant grow anything low level this year due to the animals having free run of the garden, the bunnies demolished what was left of my plants within a fortnight of having free reign!
Then finally i think it will be to replace the grass, as the soil isn't deep enough for lush grass so it goes patchy :( with faux grass so the girls can use the space that's left to play out all year round, we get a little rain and the back is like a bog as it gets no sun over the winter months.
And of course i plan to do all this for as little as humanly possible so if you if have any of the things afore mentioned that you need reviewing or your replacing then please do get in touch, this is gonna be a year long project with continual up dates (shameless plug there i know!!)
So here's to a new year and new challenges, i hope you all are working on something rewarding for 2013.
L x