Laura Crichton

BoConcept Comes to Edinburgh

As with everyone with an interest in design, I’m always looking for ways to bring new ideas into my home. It follows that I was therefore delighted to find that BoConcept had opened a store in Edinburgh, featuring their beautiful designer furniture.

I headed along to the store on Rose Street to check out what they had in way of inspiration. We’ve recently repainted our living room and redesigned our playroom; and I’ve been working on finding things to finish off these rooms. I was keen to spy some accessories and gain some insight as to what I could do to make these spaces work better. Although my house may not be full of designer furniture, visiting the store was a great place to get some ideas.Read More »BoConcept Comes to Edinburgh

Edinburgh Family life in a Ford EcoSport

FORD ECO SPORT PEOPLES EDINBURGH

We were recently asked to test drive the Ford EcoSport to see how it stood up to family life in Edinburgh. I don’t cover a massive amount of mileage a year around Edinburgh but equally I wouldn’t survive long without a car. A car is crucial for our school-run and getting the kids to all their various activities throughout the week. So, I have three key features that I look for in cars – safety, comfort, and coffee cup holders – the more the better.

Early on Saturday morning, I took Katie and Ben off to Peoples Ford Edinburgh to pick up the Ford EcoSport. We had arranged to meet Marc Jacobs who would show us round the car and get all the tech sorted.

For fear of looking like I knew nothing, I had swotted up in advance. But on being shown round the car, I quickly realised that the main thing I had noticed was the colour availability. There was a lot more than I realised.Read More »Edinburgh Family life in a Ford EcoSport

3 tops tips for using Real Nappies at Nursery

A common question I see on Real Nappy Groups is about using Real Nappies at Nursery. Or more specifically whether nurseries are willing to use reusable nappies, and the best brand to avoid problems.

On the whole, our experience of having Thomas at nursery in real nappies has been very positive. The nursery were willing to use them from the outset and have done their best to get things right.

I would however, add the caveat that we have put a few pre-emptive measures in place to prevent problems. When we first mentioned cloth nappies, there were a few puzzled faces and lots of questions. I thought it would be quite useful to share what we’ve done!Read More »3 tops tips for using Real Nappies at Nursery

Museum of Flight

If you’re looking for an activity to entertain the kids, the National Museum of Flight should not be ruled out. Granted, it may attract a number of plane spotter types but it actually is a great day out and the kids love it.

Occupying an old air field, numerous hangers provide hours of entertainment. The kids have space to run and there is little fear of them ‘touching’ things.

Our last visit began in the civil aviation hanger, which is full of planes for the kids to gaze upon. Whilst they can’t climb over the planes, there is nothing to request them not getting up close. Read More »Museum of Flight

The Royal Yacht Britannia

This week I FINALLY got round to visiting the Royal Yacht Britannia and actually had the nicest time with Katie. Despite hearing about it from my Mum, I had never fully appreciated how much there was to see and do. I had wrongly assumed it would be like a museum and not that suitable for young children. But it actually made for a brilliant day out.

We started off being greeted by an incredibly welcoming guide. He took lots of time to chat to Katie (and encouraged her to put her coat back on!). Katie was instantly beaming at the extra attention and was raring to get going with her audio handset. She was given a specific one for children and received an explanation of exactly how to use it. The guide also explained that a number of Corgis were hidden around the yacht for Katie to count. Read More »The Royal Yacht Britannia

Top ideas for Edinburgh when it’s cold outside

Every time Summer arrives I think to myself isn’t life wonderful: life is a whirlwind of picnics, visits to the park or beach, and lots of time is spent chasing the kids on their scooters. I always promise myself that things won’t change in Winter: we’ll just bundle up warm and all the kids will play out. A bit of ice won’t stop us!

Obviously, my promise has been broken. As the temperate is hovering around 5 degrees – we are happily snug at home with bikes left neglected in the garage.

Edinburgh ‘outside’ over Christmas is pretty fabulous – the Christmas lights are always worth a gander, the market is manic but magical in it’s way, and you can always stalk Santa at the Botanics. But as January rolls by, these activities disappear and sometimes staying home just doesn’t quite cut it. With that in mind, I give you ideas for Edinburgh in bad weather:Read More »Top ideas for Edinburgh when it’s cold outside