Pumpkin Picking and Halloween Activities in Exeter
It looks like Halloween is back on this year with lots of places to choose from Pumpkin Picking and Halloween Activities in Exeter and the surrounding area. It does look like everything is on a pre-booked basis so if you find something you fancy make sure you snap up some tickets.
I definitely want to take the kid’s pumpkin picking this year. We haven’t done it before and last year the place we were supposed to go was rained off on the day we’d booked and then cancelled for the remainder of the dates due to flooding which was a shame.
Here are some of the great activities and places to go this Halloween.
Halloween Pumpkin Trail – Devon Railway Centre
Running from 23rd – 31st October, the Devon Railway Centre. Follow the Pumpkins to find the Halloween Treasure. Find out more via the Devon Railway Centre Facebook Page.
Halloween Party – The Creedy Centre, Crediton – Sunday 31st October
Run by Unique Sweets and Treats and Paint Pots of Devon there are two sessions running on the day. The Admission Price includes sweets from the Trunk & Treat attraction, unlimited squash from the Café, free access to all the games & attractions. For more details and to book tickets head to the Facebook Event.
Spook Fest – Crealy – 23rd – 31st October
Featuring NEW spook-tacular attractions, creepily good live shows and entertainment and the return of some of your favourite Halloween attractions! The fang-tastic Halloween event includes…
The Creaky Hotel (Under New Management)
The Haunting Of The Wilderness
Scarecrow Scare Maze
Book Of Spells Live Show
Buddy & Blossom’s Halloween Bash
Pumpkin Patch’s Plot (Includes FREE pumpkin)
Jolly Pumpkin – Pick your own – Silverton – 15th – 31st October
Pick from 50 different varieties of pumpkin, Squash, and Gourd starting at just £1. Ticket booking is essential but no time scale on how long you stay. Put your wellies on and grab one of their colourful wheelbarrows. Refreshments are available. For more information and to book tickets head to the Jolly Pumpkin Facebook Page.
Halloween Spooktacular Train Play – Topsham – 31st October 10am – 4pm
Fancy dress is optional but there will be prizes every session for the best dressed.
Pre-booking only via their website www.trainplaydevon.co.uk
Halloween Half-Term Party – Ullacombe Farm Shop – 26th October 10.30 – 12.30
Held at the fabulous Ullacombe Farm in Bovey, there will be lots of spooky party games with prizes, decorating Halloween decs, learning dance, and singing a song from some Halloween-themed musicals! Suitable for ages 5+ and just £15 to join in for the 2-hour workshop. There is a £5 non-refundable deposit to pay upon booking. This is a drop-off session with parents returning at the end for a mini-performance from the young spooks! For more information and to book a ticket head to the Ullacombe Farm Shop Facebook Page.
Halloween Walk – Exton – 31st October 5pm
A thrilling and super scary, sweet-filled Halloween walk on 31st October. It will start at Copper Beech House (with the chimpanzee!), will pass by a number of our generous hosts, and end at the puffing billy for snacks. Get your costumes and dramatic makeup at the ready! Head to the Exton Village Facebook Page for more info.
Pick your own Pumpkin and Charity Scarecrow Train – Crediton – 28th – 30th October 10am – 4pm
Pick Your Own Pumpkin festival with the added bonus of a charity scarecrow trail around the farm. Great for all ages. Bag of sweets for completed trail finds. Fancy dress is optional. For more details head to Thorne’s Farm Shop Facebook Page.
Fright Night Shaldon Zoo – Saturday 30th October 3.30pm – 5.30pm
A fun filled evening for all the family. Come dressed in your favourite costumes and enter the fancy dress competition. Do a spooky walk around the zoo and see the animals who love to be awake after hours. To book tickets head to the Shaldon Zoo website.
Pick Your Own Pumpkin – Days Pottle Lane, Exminster – 16th & 17th Oct and 23rd – 31st October
Pick your own pumpkins straight from the field, prices start at £1. No booking is required. Homemade food and drinks are available. Carve them onsite. Thre are is also an electric bike track, inflatable obstacles, face painting and archery. For more details head to the Facebook page.
Whatever you do this Halloween – Have a Spooktacular time!
See what we get up to in the next Family Life post.
This weekend we had the pleasure of visiting Paulos Circus at Darts Farm in Topsham. it’s a fantastic setting with plenty of parking and the appeal of coffee, cake, and ice cream afterwards.
We visited when they were there back in 2017 so we knew we were in for a treat – Paulos Circus 2017.
Paulos Circus has been entertaining the nation since 1816. Isabelle’s Tour is a mixture of traditional circus acts presented with a 21st-century twist.
The excitement builds once the Big Top is insight. The walk there today was a soggy one, but it definitely didn’t put a dampener on the experience.
I went with my sister and her daughter. As well as my two. I wasn’t sure if Freddie was going to sit still but he was mesmerised throughout the show as there are so many different acts to see as well as all the lighting and effects.
We wore masks until we were seated. As we were seated ringside, there were plastic partitions between each family group and a one-way system in and out of the tent. There were also hand sanitisers at the entrance and in the toilets.
What to Expect
The show was Go….Go…..Go throughout with act after act providing non-stop entertainment.
The acts included:
Juggling Balancing Aerial Gymnastics Aerial Cube Gymnastics Ladder walking (not sure if that’s the technical term, but you’ll know what I mean) Trapeze Artist A Fairy on a tightrope A Robot and a Spaceship
And not forgetting Poroto the clown who we saw in between each act – he was absolutely hilarious.
There were refreshments available on a cash-only basis so don’t forget to take some cash on the day.
The show lasted around 75 minutes and it went by really quickly.
It is loud in the big top and there are a lot of flashing lights. I did notice a couple of children wearing ear defenders, but my three-year-old and ten-year-old were absolutely fine without.
How much are the tickets?
Isabelle’s Tour is at Dart’s Farm until the 25th July with plenty of shows available and then on to Newquay for the rest of the Summer.
The tickets are £8 per person which is a very reasonable price. Under 2’s are FREE.
These can be prebooked or bought on the gate, but personally, I’m not sure I would risk the disappointment of being turned away. You can book your Paulos Circus Tickets Here.
For all updates, it’s best to follow their Facebook Page.
Our Thoughts
Right from the beginning, I thought it was well thought out with a one-way system and hand sanitisers available on arrival. The Big Top wasn’t packed full of people, there was plenty of room and in terms of COVID and social distancing, I felt that we didn’t have any issues at all.
The show was fantastic. There was something going on all of the time which just keeps the excitement going throughout. I wasn’t sure if Freddie was going to sit still as he has no experience of sitting in this kind of setting as he was only 18 months old when the pandemic hit. However, he was mesmerised by the lights and the acts. He joined in with the clapping and laughed throughout. My daughter and niece enjoyed it so much and again joined in wholeheartedly.
I love the circus and the atmosphere was brilliant. Everybody was clapping along and laughing the whole time. The performers give 100% to their acts and it shines throughout the acts.
To see more of the acts have a look at our Day’s Out Highlights over on our Instagram account.
*We were gifted tickets to attend the Paulos Circus to enable us to provide an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are our own.
Estée Lauder the new range has recently launched, and Freddie and I were lucky enough to be invited to see the range in action at Princesshay Debenhams.
I really like make-up and wear it every day including the days my babies were born. Wearing make-up makes me feel like me and is essential for me as putting on underwear.
I don’t wear a lot and don’t have an extensive routine every day, but it does make me feel like ‘me’.
I am a bit of a magpie, so I like nicely packaged make-up but what I like and what I can justify buying are two different things.
I first used Estée Lauder double wear foundation about three years ago on the recommendation of a work colleague, and I’m not sure that I would go back to anything else now.
The Event
We all sat within the Estée Laude Counter and watched Laura transform Ellie from barefaced to looking pretty stunning with a dewy but polished natural look.
We were shown the Advanced night Repair Serum which works to replenish the skin by hydrating and tackling signs of ageing. I’ve tried face oils previously and these were always very oily and made my skin quite spotty. This serum absorbed into the skin almost like water on my hand, not leaving any residue at all and didn’t have an overpowering smell.
An eye cream was recommended which I’ve never really bothered with but as I’m older with a small baby, maybe I should start to consider this.
My first want was the primer which was a shimmery pearlescent colour which is applied after you moisturise, underneath your foundation.
I’ve been wearing the Double Wear Foundation for a while now and can honestly say that at this point I’m not sure I would even consider using anything else.
I was quite intrigued by the Perfecting Loose Powder which I can only describe as feeling like ‘fairy dust’. Mentally my shopping list was growing with each and every product that was used on the model.
The magpie within my came out when Laura showed us the Bronze Goddess Summer Look Palette which looks so pretty inside and out. It includes eye shadows, a highlighter and blusher and looks too pretty to use.
The end result was a gorgeous glowy but natural look, something that I’m not sure I could achieve myself.
As I’ve just had a baby my skin is particularly dull and I have dark circles under my eyes from the lack of sleep. Here are Laura’s five top products to get your mum face sorted in the morning without spending a decade in front of the mirror.
5 Top Products to achieve your ‘Mum Face’
Advanced Night Repair Serum – This is applied before you go to bed and works it’s magic as you sleep. This helps to hydrate your skin and helps give you a smoother looking skin whilst reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Double Wear Foundation – This lightweight formula is easy to apply and comes in a ridiculous amount of shades to suit your complexion. This foundation really does last the day and gives you a flawless but finished look.
Pure Colour Envy Lash Mascara – Open up your tired eyes with this mascara which adds volume and length to your lashes whilst conditioning.
Bronze Goddess Palette – Bronzer can instantly give you a more wide awake and alive appearance even when you’re living on coffee and doughnuts.
Pure Colour Envy Lipstick – Available in loads of gorgeous colours these lipsticks stay put as well as giving your lips some much needed moisture. I either wear lipstick or put on lip balm and then add in a bit just for a bit of colour.
We had a lovely time looking at all the different products and stocked up on some more foundation and we also got a tip-off that Black Friday is a good day to pop into your local Estee Lauder counter to pick up a few treats.
What top five products are your go-to products in the morning?
Whilst the Estée Laude brand is quite expensive, they do have a lot of offers that you just have to keep an eye out for.
Whether you take the kids Trick or Treating, organising your own events or have booked into an organised event there’s loads of Halloween Activities in the South West to take part in.
We went Trick or Treating for the first time last year. It’s not something that I would usually do but we were invited along with one of our neighbours and Isabelle had a lovely time. We stayed close to home and only went to houses with a pumpkin outside which seems to be an unwritten rule.
There’s loads of stuff on offer when West Town Farm opens it’s gates to the public. Poco Drom will be performing, Tractor Trailer rides, Pumpkin Carving, Fireside Story Telling, Apple Pressing, Feeding the Animals, Straw Bale den and much more. They also have a BBQ on the go where you can buy some scrummy food (vegetarian options as well). Child £3 Adult £4 Family £12 Under 3’s FREE!
Halloween Fun Run – Cowick Barton Playing Fields, Exeter.
Thursday 26th October. The Toddler run starts at 5pm and the under 16’s at 6pm.
Dress up in your scariest halloween outfit and head to Cowick Barton for a spooky fun-run. With storytelling, BBQ food, hot and cold drinks, and two Family Fun Runs. All monies raised go to Age UK Exeter.
The fun-packed evening will include art activities as well as food and music and coordinates with the gallery’s exhibition Frances Hatch : Red Earth Under My Nails. Families are invited to make their own spooky animation. Kids can also get up close to lizards, snakes and spiders! Add to your Halloween outfit with some scary face painting and glitter tattoos. Delicious local food will be on offer including wood-fired pizzas and Caribbean food, hot chocolate for little trick-or-treaters and there will be music to dance to and a bar. This event is FREE entry and crafts but there is food and drink available to buy.
Halloween Fright Night – Shaldon Zoo, Shaldon.
Friday 27th October 2017.
Get dressed up in your best Halloween Costume and head to Shaldon Zoo to meet the nocturnal animals and feed them some goulish treats. There will be spooky stories and a weird woodland walk. Woooooooo………
Halloween Party – The Twisted Oak, Ide.
Saturday 28th October 2017. Starts at 4pm.
A fun family Halloween Party where everybody can dress up and have a boogie. There will be a prize for the best costume and if you take your carved pumpkin along you can enter it into the Pumpkin Competition. Food and drink available.
There are loads of great things happening at Crealy for Halloween. Meet Scooby Doo (24th – 28th Oct) who will appear throughout the day, take a look around The Creaky Hotel (over 8’s), head into the Wilderness to find the Treehouse Trolls, meet creepy crawlies at Patch’s Bug Show, try your luck at the Trick or Treat Station – will you get a treat or be tricked? Carve your own pumpkin (all kids get a FREE pumpkin) and watch the Jolly-Ween Singing Pumpkin Show. To top it all off there will be firework displays on 28th and 29th October. Usual ticket prices apply.
Halloween Horrors – Paignton Zoo, Paignton.
21st October – 31st October 2017.
Take part in the Trick or Treat trail for a prize at the end. You can hop aboard the Ghost Train and take part of in the Crocodile Swamp Discovery, Bug Talks with bug eating challenges and a Maned Wolf talk. You can also take part in making your own slime. Normal ticket prices apply + £1.50 for the Trick or Treat map.
Killerton is a great place to take the kids. Follow the Pumpkin Trail whilst discovering all the great things at Killerton. Swish through the leaves, explore the bear house, walk through the woodlands and take a tour around the house. Don’t forget to finish off with a nice slice of cake! Normal admission prices apply.
There are various things happening at A La Ronde including the Fang-tastic Family Trail (21st – 29th Oct 10.30 – 4pm) as well as a House Trail where you can spot spooky creatures and on 24th October there lots of family Halloween activities for all the family to take part in. Normal admission applies + £2 for some activities.
Head to Bicton for Halloween crafts and visit the Witches Grotto. On the 26th October there will be a Halloween Train Ride (Over 2’s Only) for a spooky train ride in the dark which will finish off with hot chocolate and spooky muffins.
As well as all the usual things to do there will be loads of fun activities including pumpkin carving, the Hallowe’en treasure trail, spooky arts & crafts. Don’t miss the Family Halloween Show in the Barnyard Theatre on Friday 27th, Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th October featuring Angus and the witch.
Enter into a world of spookiness in the Old Riding School, where children can enjoy face painting and glitter tattoos, pumpkins crafts and ghostly games. Meet the weird and wonderful characters at the potion making shows at 12pm and 2pm. Collect your ticket on arrival, £3 per child to take part. Open from 11am to 4pm, whatever the weather. Hot drinks and snacks available. This has been marked for 4 – 11 year olds but suitable for all. There is also a child friendly ghost tour where you may see some creepy crawlies along the way. There are also some after dark activities for the adults.
Why not visit the scariest house in Devon and dare to knock at the door for your TRICK or TREAT? Meet the ‘Vampfylde’ family if they dare to join us and then enjoy some ‘ghoulish food’ in the cafe. There are areas for ALL ages including small children. There is a caution of strobe lighting for this event.
This half term discover the Halloween Horrors that have invaded Torquay’s Dinosaur World. Save the dinosaurs from the wicked witch and the ghastly ghosts and ghouls, and take the Halloween Horrors Hunt to win a Dinosaur Expert Certificate and a FREE 160-million-year-old fossil. From 3.30pm everyday visit the ‘Lights Out Torch Tour’ to explore the exhibition in the dark, listen to a scary ghost story, and meet Terry the baby T Rex.
Halloween Tram of Terror – Seaton Tramway, Seaton.
23rd – 29th October 2017.
Travel on the “Tram of Terror” with our gruesome tram drivers to Colyton Station where there will be spooky entertainment. Fancy dress is optional. Take part in spooky entertainment and activities and Halloween games at Colyton Station. Revolting refreshments are also available. Ticket prices Adult £14.95, Child £12.95 and Under 3’s FREE.
There’s 15 great things for you to do with your little ones.
If you live in the South West and find any other great nuggets, do let me know in the comments.
As we live in Exeter this post is based on what’s on offer in Exeter Central Library but I’m sure that your local library is running something similar so do pop in or head on over to their website to see what they’re up to. Click here to find your local library.
The main library in Exeter City Centre is pretty awesome. It has a huge children’s section with cool squishy seating areas and a rocking horse. They of course have oodles and oodles of books that you can borrow as well as audio books (great for travelling) and a massive selection of DVD’s that you can borrow as well.
Our library also has computers which can be used with parental supervision.
What is there to do?
Summer Reading Challenge – This FREE event is taking place all the way through the summer holidays. Pop into the library where you can sign up for the challenge pack and investigation kit. This is great for getting the kids reading and rewards are given along the way. The suggested age for this is 4 – 11 years.
Animal Agents Craft Session – Monday 7th August + Monday 21st August – 10.00am – 3.00pm – Animal themed craft sessions on a drop-in basis and FREE.
Willow Puppet Workshop – 3rd August 10.00am – The PaddleBoat Theatre Company have packed a very big suitcase full of exciting theatre shows and creative workshops for all the family to enjoy this summer. Come and weave willow into beautiful mini puppets that you can take home! Learn this ancient craft and get to see how some of the props have been made in PaddleBoat Theatre Company’s brand new show Rustle. This is suitable for ages 6 years + and needs to be booked in advance via The Phoenix.
Above Bounds Theatre Collective Staging Adaptions Workshop – Friday 4th August – The PaddleBoat Theatre Company have packed a very big suitcase full of exciting theatre shows and creative workshops for all the family to enjoy this summer. This storytelling workshop is inspired by Hans Christian Anderson fairytales. Suitable from 4 – 7 years and is £4.00 for the session which can be booked via The Phoenix.
Sharp Teeth Theatre Storytelling Workshop – Friday 4th August 2.00pm – PaddleBoat Theatre Company have packed a very big suitcase full of exciting theatre shows and creative workshops for all the family to enjoy this summer. This session is an adventure with terrifying magic and beautiful music. Suitable from 7 – 12 years which can be booked via The Pheonix.
Free Shadow Puppetry Workshops – The Ugly Duckling & Other Tales – Monday 14th August – 11.00am + 2.00pm – Above Bounds will be waiting for you to join them in creating your very own shadow puppet inspired by the traditional art of Wayang Kulit. This workshop will delight the senses whilst introducing you to the rich world of fairy-tales. Suitable for all ages and FREE. Tickets available from the library.
Storytime with Loreley Amiti – The Moon Lantern – Friday 18th August – 2.00pm – 2.30pm – Pop along to meet Loreley Amiti where she will be reading The Moon Lantern. Under 5’s only FREE drop-in session.
Boo to a Goose Theatre Presents: The Magic Garden – Tuesday 29th August – 2.30pm – Join Auntie Mimi and Mr Forget-me-not for a picnic in their Magic Garden. This enchanting, multi-sensory show with puppets and music, is sure to delight the whole family. Bring your teddy along for this session. Suitable for under 5’s. £4.00 per child. Tickets available from the library.
These are just a few of the events and sessions that are available at Exeter Central Library this summer. Do have a look at the library website for further details.
As well as the library, there is also a lovely cafe area where you can have a nice cuppa and a piece of cake. AND if it ever stops raining there’s a lovely space to sit outside.
Have fun!
Lisa x
Don’t forget to check out our other suggestions all listed on the #SchoolHols2017 page.
Yey we’ve ticked another one off the Family Bucket List as we visited The Orange Elephant today.
The kids have both been before but with grandparents so this was a first for both Chris and I and it definitely won’t be the last.
It wasn’t a long journey for us and excitement got the better of Isabelle as the signposts signalled our closeness.
Pulling in there was plenty of parking which is always a bonus.
The view of the entrance and the Meadow was lovely, and then the smell of the pig, cow and sheep pooh took over confirming that we were indeed on a working farm.
What is there to do?
Isabelle wasn’t interested in having a look around at all. All she was interested in finding was the ice cream selection, all the while wondering what toppings and sauces they had!
She wasn’t disappointed.
There were loads to choose from including Lemon Pavlova, Muddy Green Wellies (you’ll have to visit to find out what that one is) and Mango just to name a few. There was a choice of cones, toppings, sauces, and an impressive selection of ice cream sundaes.
With all the amazing flavours and the time she took to choose, she chose a plain cone with vanilla ice cream, strawberry sauce and marshmallows.
Admission to The Orange Elephant are extremely reasonable and we decided to get a season pass for £12.00 which admits five people (adults or children). The season ends at the end of September, but I’ve got a feeling that we will be making use of the pass.
After paying we were given our orange stickers and our maze map and off we went to find the Summer Meadow.
We encountered sheep, pigs, chickens, and cows. The sheep weren’t really bothered with us, but the pigs were quite nosy and we got a great snout picture. A calf came to greet us and the chickens were very friendly.
If you look in the chicken pen, you can see that these are special chickens that lay green eggs!!
We went around the Maize Maze with Isabelle’s excellent map reading skills and then headed for a play in the park.
There were plenty of picnic tables and grassy areas to sit for a picnic.
There were plenty of swings and slides to go on, and an assault course which Isabelle really loves to do.
When she’d finished playing we headed back to the cafe as us parents hadn’t had a chance to taste the ice cream!
The Ice Cream
We chose the (Award-Winning) Lemon Pavlova and the Chocolate Brownie Sundaes which we shared and little cheeky minx managed to wangle another ice cream.
I didn’t take a picture but I loved the signs on the toilet doors – Heifers (ladies) and Bulls (Gents).
After finishing our sundaes (very filling indeed) we had another go in the park to round the trip off.
But not before asking about the possibility of having Isabelle’s birthday party there.
What we thought
So in summary The Orange Elephant is definitely worth a visit. It gets both adult and kid thumbs up, and I would recommend a season pass as it’s somewhere that you can nip to if you have a spare couple of hours to let the kids let off some steam and finish it off with a cheeky ice-cream.
It’s a given that we’ll be heading to the Orange Elephant Ice Cream Parlour this school holidays.
We had Isabelle’s 6th Birthday Party there last September. We took a huge picnic, played and then finished off with some scrummy ice cream with a selection of toppings.
If you haven’t already paid a visit to the Orange Elephant then here are a few bits and bobs.
You must have seen the actual Orange Elephant if you’ve driven towards Torquay or Plymouth before you get to Telegraph Hill (we always look out for it).
Info
Opening Times Every day 10 am – 5 pm until September
Entrance is £2 for adults and £1 for kids. Under 3’s are free.
A family pass is £12.
Baby changing facilities are available.
Summer Meadow and Play area – There are animals to see such as cows, pigs, and sheep as well as the Play area which has lots of wooden play apparatus as well as sandpits and open spaces (perfect for a picnic).
The Maize Maze – Find your way around the Maize Maze which is in the shape of an elephant. Split up into teams and see who finds their way around first.
The Ice Cream – The Ice Cream is amazing. There’s a huge selection. Last year we tried a Lemon Sundae and a Chocolate Brownie Sundae. It was total heaven in a glass. For Isabelle’s birthday, we had a little girl who was dairy-free, but she had a choice of several sorbets which was nice.
Is it worth a visit?
Definitely!
We would recommend getting the annual pass so that you can visit any time that you like. You would only have to visit a couple of times before you would have paid for it. You could meet up with friends and spend the day and take a picnic or you could pop along for a coffee and an ice cream treat.
How to get there
This is part of our #SchoolHols2017 series for things to do and places to go in the South West. We’d love to know of any great places you take your family to. Do drop us an email if you have any gems to share.
To kick off our #SchoolHols2017 series we thought we’d stay close to home and head for the Summer Eats at Princesshay on Thursday 27th July 2017.
If you haven’t been into Exeter town centre recently then you’re missing out. There are regular events that pop up with the next one focusing on the restaurants and food available within Princesshay.
From 11.00am – 3.00pm there will be samples to try, live cooking demos, music and outdoor games.
Take the kids along, watch a demo or two by local chefs whilst they play games on the turf.
To add to the outdoor Summer theme there will be live music and face painting available. You can of course do a spot of shopping as well.
Pull up a deck chair and get involved.
Our top two places to eat in Princesshay are Carluccio’s and Cafe Rouge and on the odd child-free occasion, I do love a cocktail two at Coal.
Here are some fab Summer Holiday Offers for family’s.
It’s Easter Holiday time and definitely time to get out and about with the kids. The weather should be a lot better, although Saturday was definitely a cinema day with torrential rain. Here are 11 Easter Activities in the South West that I’ve found.
We have a half work, half time off Easter Holiday’s this year but here are some great ideas to get out and about with the kids in the South West.
£1 for a clue sheet – Just complete the trail and claim your prize!
Easter Egg Hunt – The Miniature Pony Centre 14th, 16th and 17th April
As well as all the usual fun stuff to do at the pony centre including pony rides, indoor and outdoor play they are holding an Easter Egg Hunt with a fancy dress theme and entertainment from Dan the Hat and Jack’s Zoo.
There’s loads of stuff going on at the World of Country Life including Easter themed arts and crafts, meet the Easter Bunny, Ferret racing, an Easter Egg Hunt and The Chicken Run (which is a surprise event).
Join in the Giant Easter Egg Hunt, Egg Rolling, Egg Tossing and guess the weight of the Easter Egg as well as meeting and feeding the animals. If you go on Good Friday before 11am you may be lucky enough to get a free hot cross bun with your cuppa.
Join in the Easter Egg trail and receive a chocolaty treat from Chococo!
Various Kids Activities in Exeter City Centre 11th – 14th April
Join in with Easter Crafts, street food, face painting and balloons at various places including Sidwell Street, McCoys Arcade and Harlequins Shopping Centre. Many of these are FREE as well.
Easter Egg Hunt at Poltimore House – 9th April
Enjoy walking round the grounds, hot cross buns and let the children go and look for the chicken’s and eggs.
Cadbury’s Easter Egg Hunt at Killerton House – 1st – 20th April
Search the grounds for the eggs and collect your Cadbury treat at the end. Don’t forget to visit the cool bear house!
Easter inspired crafts at Bunyipbeads – 4th – 13th April
Enjoy some Easter inspired decoupage, cross stitch and bracelet making. Booking is required and recommended age group is 6 – 16 years.
Bespoke Children’s Illustrations from Scarlett, Tulip & Co.
Bespoke Children’s Illustrations from Scarlett, Tulip & Co. It was only the other day whilst attempting a bit of decluttering that I wondered what I could or would do with the ever-growing masses of drawings and artwork that Isabelle produces. She draws every single day, and I’m completely loathed to throw them away, especially now that she puts so much detail into them.
Mermaids are the thing that she’s drawing at the moment, with lovely long tails with amazingly detailed scales and big booby shells!
Anyway, the purpose of the post is to highlight this amazing new business that was featured in our local paper where local Artist, Sim Dagger inspired by daughter Scarlett recreates your child’s drawings into a bespoke watercolour painting or pen and ink drawing which can be treasured forever. I think you’ll agree that these are pretty special.
Over to Sim, Helen, and Scarlett……
Who are you and where can we find you?
Hello, We are Scarlett, Tulip & Co, a small family business based in Exeter run by Sim Dagger, an Illustrator and Graphic Designer, and his partner Helen Kidney. They are joined on board by Scarlett-Ivy their 5-year-old daughter and Tulip the family cat. You can find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/scarletttulipandco/ and on Instagram @scarlett_and_co or by emailing us at scarlett@simdagger.co.uk
What gave you the inspiration to start your business?
Sim came up with the idea one day when he found a monster drawing that Scarlett had created in one of his sketchbooks, he decided to draw his version of her monster next to it. He didn’t think too much about it but when he showed it to Scarlett she was so excited by it, he decided to share it on his FB and IG accounts. People loved the idea and asked if he could do some for their children. He offered a few to Scarlett’s friends and shared these on FB again the children and parents were so excited by this we decided to set up a business offering this service.
We called it Scarlett, Tulip & Co as a thanks to Scarlett for inspiring us, and she thought it would be a great idea to include her pet cat Tulip in the name too. Sim and I are the Co J.
When did you start the business?
We are a very young business, We started the business on the 12th January this year, Sim has been an illustrator and a designer for over 10 years and has a particular interest in children’s illustration and design.
What do you offer?
We offer families a chance to turn a favourite piece of their children’s artwork into a treasured piece of art that can be kept forever.
We create gorgeous bespoke artwork for families to keep forever based on their children’s drawings. We create “one-off” watercolour paintings and pen and ink drawings that are supplied professionally mounted and framed in a choice of wooden frames. We also offer an unframed option for those who wish to frame the artwork themselves.
We take a child’s picture and Sim reimagines them using watercolour paints or simple pen and inks to give them his own twist, whilst ensuring that the artwork still retains the childlike essence of the original picture. We explain it as not being an attempt to improve the already talented artwork a child has created; it’s a collaboration between the unfiltered creativity of the child’s mind and then reimagined in the equally childlike mind of the illustrator. Sim begins by sketching his imaginations, and sends photographs of the process at each stage to ensure people are happy with the direction of the artwork, when he has approval from the family, he adds the paints and inks to complete the painting or drawing.
We can work with any image, from any age, our youngest artist so far was 2 years old, and we have created a vast range of paintings and drawings so far, including a dinosaur world, fairyland, a maniacal princess, family portraits, and even a zombie with fire coming out of his head. One painting had a more poignant reason behind it such as a drawing a boy did of his granny who had just passed away.
We can also create bespoke artworks as presents for children based on their interests. For example, we created an illustration of a car for a little boy who loved cars, Sim was able to add a picture of the little boy driving the car, personalising it by adding his initials to the number plate. If you have an idea get in touch and we can chat about what we could create for you!
As you can see, they are pretty amazing.
I may have to choose one of Isabelle’s mermaids to be painted for our Family Wall.
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