Operation Christmas Child

It's been a horrible weekend news wise with what seems like World War 3 about to begin along with natural disasters in other corners of the world. It can leave us feeling helpless & thinking whatever next! 

Operation Christmas child is something that we can do to give back to areas of the world that are disadvantaged or in turmoil on a daily basis. A simple gift can bring so much joy to children in these areas of the world. Have you seen the videos on Facebook showing how happy these boxes make the children?! It's amazing. 

My Stepson Riley's school is taking part so Riley bought one home for us to make. You can either decorate a standard shoe box or buy a "go box" which is pre-decorated as below: 

All you have to do then is fill with items. Guidance asks you to include something the child will take to straight away like a cuddly toy, other items can be games or things the child will need such as stationary or hygiene items such as a toothbrush. You can find step by step instructions here: https://www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/how-to-pack-a-shoebox/

Here's what we included in ours:

It really doesn't take much to put a smile on a child's face. You can then stick on a label which states whether it's for a boy or a girl and the relevant age category. 

The closing date for these boxes is Friday 20th so you still have just under a week for this! There are also a number of drop

Off points which you can find on the website by entering your postcode. 

Go for it :)

Saffron xox

Blackpool Illuminations

This weekend my little family & I headed to Blackpool to see the Illuminations. I absolutely LOVE this time of year! To anyone who doesn't know, the Illuminations are basically lots of lights along the promenade & you can look at them.. Go on the beach.. Go in the penny arcades... Eat chippy chips & lots of sweet things like candy floss!

One of my favourite things to do is be at the seaside in the fresh air & with no worries! This is us loving life!

This is my favourite arcade game!

Blackpool is literally the windiest place in the world but it immediately makes you feel happy! Family time is the best time. 

Saff xoxo

Vegan Toolkit class

On Sunday, my Sister & I had the pleasure of going to The Vegetarian Society in Altrincham for a "Vegan Toolkit" class. 

As you may be aware, we have been Vegetarians all our lives & are recently looking into becoming Vegan after reading & educating ourselves what happens in the Dairy industries too.. It just doesn't sit right with us so are learning a Vegan diet. 

This class is designed to teach you basics of what plant based products can replace Dairy products in every day ingredients such as Mayonnaise or a base of a cake mix. The class was so valuable & taught you every day skills unlike some courses which teach you really tricky recipes that just aren't maintainable day to day! 

Here's some of what we made:

Very briefly, the spread includes things like Lentil cakes, Broad Bean Strogannof, Pesto Pasta, Spicy Brocolli tart, Tofu Meatball Lasagne & Mushroom pate. It was delicious! We also made pudding of Gooseberry mousse, Almond Creme & fresh fruits & also Lemon Cheesecake. 

We also learnt that not all wines are Vegetarian as they have ingredients such as Fish swim bladders used in the fermenting process. The things people use in our foods are gross!

I'm not someone who usually enjoys cooking, but I felt so relaxed and chilled after, I felt like I had spent the day at the spa! So I am keen to continue to experiment with different dishes as I went away feeling inspired & with some good tricks under my belt to help me make the Vegan transition.

 Saffron xoxo