July 2021
We're so excited to share another monthly journal written by the lovely Lola Jones, also known as @pocketfullofbuttercupson Instagram. Lola is a wonderful photographer and all round creator of beautiful content, raising her twin daughters Maya and Chloe from her house near the Peak District. Each month she will give us a small glimpse into her world, inspiring you with activity ideas, recipes and more.
July has been an incredibly busy month for us. With only a few weeks to go until our little bundle of joy arrives, we have been focusing on renovating the itty bitty tiny bedroom, wrapping-up a number of ongoing photography projects and also spending as much time as possible with Maya and Coco doing their favourite things.
This month’s activities are all about enjoying the time outdoors - playing in the stream with a homemade raft, styling and enjoying a midsummers picnic and going on a summer scavenger hunt.
DIY Mini Raft
Who doesn’t like to dip their toes in a cool stream on a hot summer’s day? Even better when you have a perfect toy to accompany you.
For this simple craft you will need:
- Twigs
- Secateurs
- A piece of fabric - Bakers twine
- Hot glue gun
To make the raft:
Step 1:
Start by selecting the twigs that are more or less straight and similar in thickness and cut them to be roughly the same length. We completed this step whilst we were out collecting the twigs in the woods. You can make the raft whatever size you like. Ours has 15 twigs all together and they are roughly 20cm long.
Step 2:
Take a twig, tie on the twine at one end and knot it. Wind the twine around the other twigs one by one, securing them all together to create the base for the raft. Once both ends are tied together, attach a base twig at each end, running in the opposite direction to the other twigs.
Step 3:
Stand a single twig in the middle of the raft as a flagpole. Using a hot glue gun, attach it with a generous amount of glue.
Step 4:
Decorate your flagpole using a piece of fabric. Bon voyage!
How to style a perfect midsummer picnic
As a family we love our picnics. We don’t have a big garden at home, so we do our al fresco dining on our adventures: in the meadows, on the beach, in the woods, by the stream. It is always new and exciting.
Over the past couple of years we have invested in some picnic gear that we use regularly. It is practical and also kind on our environment, but from time to time we like to make a special occasion out of it, using crockery and pretty glassware.
Here is how you can style your own picture-perfect picnic. Start with a pretty location, somewhere with good views and plenty of space. We picked a local meadow overlooking the rolling hills of
Cheshire. A park with swishy grass, under the shade of an oak tree or near a pond, would be equally good.
Essential things to pack:
- Picnic basket
- Picnic blanket or a tablecloth
- Knife with safety cover
- Small chopping board
- Plates
- Glassware
- Napkins
- Cooler bag for those especially hot days - Ice packs
Food-wise we opted for a light menu on this occasion. Fresh baguette from our favourite local bakery, cheese from a local cheesemongers, a selection of fruits and cool summery drinks.
I added a few decorative touches with a straw hat and some flowers. Wouldn’t this be a lovely treat for someone? Children finishing their school year? Add some fun games and this could turn into a lovely little celebration.
Summer scavenger hunt
This is the summery version of the scavenger hunt we shared earlier this year. There is an
abundance of things to look out for outdoors at the moment. This activity can teach little ones,
bigger kids and even adults to slow down, find beauty in the simple things and appreciate
changes in every season.
Encourage the little ones to not just look with their eyes, but also listen out for sounds (wind,
crickets, bees, frogs, etc). Throw in a few facts and this could turn into a great forest school
lesson.
