The Pixie’s Fashionista Party
Well my big girl turned 8 last week and it cerainly feels like quite a threshold…a definite ‘tweenie’ twixt little girl and teen. We bought her a very grown up present – an itouch – which has caused no end of squabbles with the punk who simply doesn’t understand that it isn’t jointly owned. In fact, he’s even more into scrolling through the albums to play Mika or the Ting Tings and boogy around the house. The Pixie, as ever, is patient and generous with him and I think we’re entering a stage where their 3 year age gap will show. I dread the time when she’s a sophisticated grown up 15 and he’s a pesky pre-pubescent 12 year old.
Anyway, the great party was duly thrown for 12 budding junior fashion designers – nearly thrwarted by power cuts but the electricity fairy smiled on us for the precious 2 1/2 hours of the party. The girls had a hilarious time dressing up in crazy costumes, making accessories and then parading in their newspaper fashion designs down the conservatory catwalk. I was impressed by their inventiveness and not a little astonished at the precociousness self-confidence of some! It was interesting to see how very grown up some 7 and 8 year olds are and then the contrast to the sweet little ones who still come to a party in a proper party dress. The Pixie doesn’t even own a dress at the minute. (note to self: Get the girl a dress.)
It was a lot of work and great fun and exhausted though I was, I did wistfully think that this may be the last BIG house party we throw for her (until her 18th!!!***???). Next year it will be a sleepover no doubt….
The Punk’s Birthday
Today is our own little Punk’s 5th birthday. He didn’t wake up tooo early – in fact he promised last night that he might have a lie-in – ‘Not a Lion- Grrrrrr! -I mean I will sleep in in my bed,’ he told me. This year the most successful present has been an Action Man…hopefully the best way to raise a pacifist is to give them all the toy guns and role play they want when young! He’ll be home from school soon to open a few more parcels which mercifully made it through the strike (Well done to the Godfather for choosing special Delivery). I always have to resist the urge to wrap up clothes as presents because they aren’t that exciting when you’re five. Notwithstanding this, I have given him a new Pirate Long Sleeve to replace the loved-so-much-it’s-really-far-too-small short sleeve pirate top and a very groovy pair of Pirate PJs.
Speaking of the Postal Strike (through gritted teeth) at Peter and Jane we’re going to go Special Delivery all the way which we are told will be priotised and guaranteed. Let’s hope they sort out their differences soon!
Bring on the conker fights!
We’re getting pretty excited about Autumn here at Peter and Jane….even if it is a beautiful warm sunny September day we just know that a delicious cold snap is just around the corner. I love the changing of the seasons, especially this time of year with so much to look forward to. In our house we have the Punk and the Pixie’s birthdays coming up plus Halloween and Bonfire Night of course. They’re not really old enough (or, mercifully, agressive enough) to get properly into conker fights but with a huge Horse Chestnut dominating our garden we have to have to at everything conker related. At the minute the Pixie and the Punk like making huge snaky strings of them and pretending they are pets to be fed and put to bed endlessly.
At Peter and Jane we are busy with Autumn orders. Customers are loving the new Katvig ribbed cotton wear. It’s well priced and provides staple wardrobe basics as we enter the long sleeves season. Another big seller lately has been the Lip Fish 3D dresses with Zebras and Lions on them. Gorgeous fun.
We’re also excited to introduce Fancy Dress Costumes for the first time. Our range inlcudes a gorgeous Gladiator suit. I think the Punk definitely has the legs for it!
Back to school
Well the day finally had to come…my little man went off to school for the first time. He looked like Just William in long grey shorts and clunky black shoes with the sand scrubbed away from between his toes. The only tears were mine of course, pathetically hidden behind enormous Jackie O glasses on a particualry dull September monring. Still, The Punk loved it all and rushed out grinning, a delicious whirl of keen boyness. The Pixie started a new school school too and was very demure and sensible about it all. She’s been persuaded to join choir and cooking club…..nothing we said was going to persuade her but then she discovered how many of her little friends had already joined up. One oughtn’t to vicariously live through one’s children but I am horribly pushy when it comes to joining clubs – “We didn’t have anything like this when I was at school…blah blah blah….”. She’ll thank me one day.
Getting them back to school has allowed time to get back to work, thank goodness. The site is spruced up for autumn winter, new stock photographed and uploaded and all the work nicely rewarded with a very satisfying flurry of orders. It’s amazing how quickly we all go ‘Back to School’ at the start of September – they say that mentally, it’s more of a ‘New Year’ for many of us than January 1st. We never escape that new shoes feeling and can’t help feeling ready for winter boots and coats well before the temperatures drop sufficiently.
So far the bestsellers in the autumn winter collection have been the Molo Babushka range ( a truly stunning print) and the new Katvig ribbed cottonwear. Check out the simple A line dresses in blue, pink or green. http://www.peterandjanestore.com/katvig-cotton-rib-dress-in-green-6947-p.asp
Peter and Jane’s new blog
Well it’s absolutely pouring down outside…boo hoo! Peter and Jane are off to the seaside this weekend for a camping trip…hmmmm. It’s not looking promising for weather but we will make our own fun I am sure. The Pixie and The Prince will love every aspect of it whatever the weather – even visiting the eco loos at our favoured ‘Green’ Campsite Stubcroft Farm in East Wittering. In actual fact, the loos aren’t too bad provided it’s cooler weather so every cloud and all that. In case the sun does come out I will need to order The Prince a new shorty wetsuit today. He has totally outgrown his old one. The Pixie on the other hand gets taller but never any wider so hers will do for quite some time. I get wider so will have to have a private trying on session of my own…
Great news for us this weekend was a milestone in The Prince’s life: Riding a bike. My little man just got on and rode like an absolute natural. We were sooo proud. I can’t recommend using a balance bike enough – I positively evangelise about the things. Both The Pixie and The Prince got balancing way before the complication of pedalling and then when pedal were introduced…wheeeeeee, off we go!
