Oops, it’s been a while!

So, maybe I haven’t quite got the hang of this blogging malarkey. However I’m going to give it another go and see if I can be disciplined enough to keep it up. First things first though. On Thursday we’re going to be at a Christmas Fair in Pollokshields Burgh Hall for Macmillan Cancer Support – a worthy cause if ever there was one. This is, I think, the second year for the event and hopefully there will be a good turnout. Macmillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer by providing practical, medical and financial support. Find out more at http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Home.aspx

I’ll be back later with a more detailed post but I’ve got a lot to do before Thursday so I’d best get moving. I’m out tomorrow from 12pm ‘til 12am so I need to get organised now as I also have an appointment at 10am tomorrow. I have a feeling it’ll be a late night.

Last minute stocking fillers

Being a bit disorganised I tend to do my Christmas shopping at the last minute. This year I was determined to start earlier and though this may seem late for many people it’s pretty early for me. I still have a lot of shopping to do – I’m waiting for inspiration for a few and it had better come soon.  Tonight I plan to start knitting a scarf – nice and easy and suited to my knitting skills. I’m going to practice and try for some socks next year like the ones here. These are perfect stocking fillers for the more crafty and talented among you but for others here are a few shop bought ideas.

1 An orange – it wouldn’t be Christmas without an orange or tangerine in the Christmas stocking – at a real push it could be replaced by a Terry’s chocolate orange.

2 A bag of chocolate money – always a good idea to have some chocolate at Christmas just in case there’s not enough going around.

3 Scarf, socks or a belt – either shop bought or homemade. You can’t go wrong with accessories.

4 A book – at least one in the stocking and for the booklovers another pile under the tree.

From our site you can pick up

5 Tube kits: Nature or Games or a Knitting Nancy.

6 Worry Sheep or Worry Dolls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 A little something musical – harmonica, tambourine, snap clap crocodile, maraca

8 A Make Your Own Craft kit

Good luck with the rest of your shopping. I’m off to cast on some stiches for my scarf. Lets hope I get it finished by Christmas Eve!

Christmas is coming…: Our top 10 gifts for children

December is upon us so I thought I’d return to blogland with a list of our top ten children’s gifts. For those of you looking for inspiration please read on and for those of you who have already finished your Christmas shopping, feel free to sit there, smugly, with your feet up and ignore this post.

1. How about  a fair trade ragdoll made in Sri Lanka,  plus a spare set of clothes?  A great gift for any young doll lover and if you buy it with a spare set of clothes there’s all the fun of dressing up dolly too.  

 

2.  The Melody Mix Kiddy Tune Bench  This is a sure favourite with children and as it’s reversible it fits in 10 musical instruments. Your child can be a band all by his/herself. Recommended age: 3 years+.

 

3.  Radio Receiver Kit  This fantastic kit will keep any child busy constructing their very own radio. It doesn’t require electricity or batteries just a bit of time, effort and a radiator to earth it to. In no time at all the sounds of am(MW) radio will be filtering through the house. Recommended age: 10 years+.

4.  Luxury Card Making Kit  For your arty, crafty child this kit provides everything required to make 3 luxury cards – perfect for sending to special friends and relatives. Is there a better way to say thank you for a christmas present? Recommended age: 6 years+.

 5.  Wigwam and 10 Indians  This soft fabric wigwam with its 10 numbered indians will keep your little one amused for hours – play around the totem pole, paddle the canoe, ride the horse or get warm by the campfire. In addition this provides a fun and relaxed introduction to numbers. Recommended age: 9 months+. 

6.  Breakfast Menu Set  Your budding chef can make and serve you breakfast with this pretend play set. Recommended age 3 years+.

7.  Activity Work Bench  Most children just love helping out and with this workbench they can fix just about anything… and it comes with a writing desk on the reverse side so they can even invoice you for the work – family rates, of course! Recommended age 3 years+.

8.  Paddie Ride-On Calffy  A recent addition to our range. I just love that little face – the soft ears and horns, the patch round the eye and the big, smiling mouth – just so cute and sure to be loved by any child. Recommended age 19 months – 3 years.

 9.  Three Little Pigs Read and Play Set  This set brings the classic story to life. Complete with a soft fabric story book you can read the story and then act it out. Recommended age 18 months+.

 

10. Pamper Pack  Young and Pure gift sets contain natural skincare products  without the toxins and chemicals normally found in these everyday products. Designed specifically for girls age 10 to teens this pamper pack includes a luxurious soft toilet bag, 100ml face mask and 100ml body scrub.

Did you play a musical instrument as a child?

Do you still play now? Did you love your music lessons or were they just torture? Are your children already music lovers or are you trying to develop that at the moment?

My earliest memory of musical instruments is a little tambourine with multi-coloured ribbons attached to it plus a superb little drum. My sisters and I added to this using pots and pans for more drums with the lids acting as cymbals. What a racket we must have made. 

How things have changed! Young children just love music and there are many music groups springing up for pre-schoolers where children can have fun, make a lot of noise with percussion instruments, sing action songs and the like. But you don’t need a pre-school group – you can jam with your children in the comfort of your own home. There are such a variety of musical toys out there to choose from and who knows, they might encourage your son or daughter to move onto proper lessons, whether it’s piano, guitar, clarinet, violin… You can check out our selection of musical toys at http://www.megglypeggly.co.uk/acatalog/Musical_Toys.html. My nephew loves the drum set – he had a play on our display model and didn’t want to give it back.

 

 

According to an article on the BBC’s Parents’ Music Room, research has shown that music helps the development of speech, helps children to learn maths, enhances social skills and intellectual development and encourages self-expression and self-confidence. So, music’s got quite a lot going for it then. You can read the full article here.

And for all you adults out there remember that it’s never too late to learn a new instrument. I had guitar lessons as a child and I still have a guitar but would struggle to play it. As an adult I wanted to be able to play piano and some years ago I started lessons. I got as far as grade one and then moved house. It took me over two years to get round to finding a new teacher but finally I’m playing again (albeit pretty badly!). So if you want to play an instrument go for it. It doesn’t have to be expensive – buy a tin whistle, recorder or harmonica for a few pounds and follow lessons on YouTube. Maybe all those benefits for children work for adults too.

A Problem Shared …

Do you have children who worry, can’t get to sleep or have nightmares? If so then maybe our worry doll or worry sheep kits can help a little.

Worry Dolls

Worry dolls were originally made in Guatemala. According to tradition you share your worry with the doll and put it under your pillow where the doll worries for you whilst you have a sound sleep. The theory is that the doll will eventually take your worry away completely.

Our worry dolls are extra special as you first have the fun of making your own. We supply two kits – worry dolls and worry sheep. So your little ones make their own dolls or sheep, then at bedtime troubles are shared and the dolls put in their little bag and under the pillow where they worry the night away.

Worry Sheep

Maybe in these troublesome times it’s the mums and dads who would benefit most from these dolls – a perfect secret Santa gift for someone at the office. Unfortunately we can’t provide any guarantee that this will work.

Our kits are handmade in Yorkshire and you can find out more at

http://www.megglypeggly.co.uk/acatalog/wooden_worry_doll_kit.html

and

http://www.megglypeggly.co.uk/acatalog/wooden_worry_sheep_kit.html

Is it too early to talk about Christmas?

I know that we’ve not got Hallowe’en out of the way yet but this is just a little advance warning so don’t panic you’ve still got 66 shopping days to go.

On Wednesday 5^th November we’ll be attending the Duntreath Castle Christmas Fair. Duntreath Castle, situated just outside Blanefield (approximately 11 miles north of Glasgow), is the ancestral home of the Edmonstone family and the current Lady Edmonstone holds a Christmas Fair every year with entrance fees and a proportion of the profits going to charity.

The castle itself retains a 15^th century keep and the stunning gardens are part of the Scotland’s Gardens Scheme so it’s well worth a visit.

The fair will be held from 10am to 5pm and is in aid of the Camphill Village Trust, a national charity which supports adults with learning difficulties, mental health problem and special needs. Entrance is £5 so please, if you’re in the area, come along and support this worthwhile event. There will be a number of stalls selling a variety of gifts so it will be a good way to kick start your Christmas shopping if you haven’t already done so!

Anyone for breakfast?

Welcome to the world of MegglyPeggly. It’s such a dreich* Friday to be writing our very first blog post but the stove is roaring away here keeping us warm and cosy inside whilst the wind and rain howl about outside.  

I’ve just uploaded a new product onto our website. It’s a Breakfast Menu Set from PlanToys, ideal for the little ones to bring you breakfast in bed without burning the house down. No calories too – what more could you ask for!

http://www.megglypeggly.co.uk/acatalog/plan_toy_breakfast_menu_tray.html

PlanToys vision is to create toys that inspire childrens’ imaginations as well as promoting their physical and intellectual development. They also aim to maintain superior quality standards whilst following a path of environmental and social responsibility. As for their green credentials, they use environmentally friendly materials, all toys are made from rubberwood from trees no longer able to produce latex. Three years before the wood is used, no fertiliser is added to keep the wood chemical free, the rubberwood is then kiln-dried instead of chemically treated and the toys are assembled using E-zero, a non-formaldehyde glue, dyes which are non-toxic, water based and contain no heavy metal elements. PlanToys place a high value on quality and safety and are certified ISO 9001 (Quality Management); ISO 14001 (Environmental Management); OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management); SA 8000 (Social Accountability Management);  ASTM & EN71 (Toy Safety Standards).

* According to www.urbandictionary.com driech is defined as follows:

 Dreich (Old Scots origin) - A combination of dull, overcast, drizzly, cold, misty and miserable weather. At least 4 of the above adjectives must apply before the weather is truly dreich.

Definitely truly dreich here today!