Author: brightblueballoon

I am a Mum of two gorgeous, inquisitive, energetic boys. We love to read and play. I have have a passion for reading and writing, which is often inspired by my little people. brightblueballoon.com is a place to share the books we love, favourite quotes, poems and stories.
Posted in eBook

Book Release: Edinburgh City Festivity

Posted on by brightblueballoon

Edinburgh is a fascinating place. It’s history and creativity accompany journeys along its cobbled streets, and with every step I can’t help but feel inspired.

It’s is here in this city where I have rediscovered my passion for writing and art. .

Over the past year I have come to understand the age old saying “You can do anything you put your mind to”.

Last year I wrote three children’s stories inspired by my boys. Deep down I knew they needed to be illustrated. At first I didn’t believe it could be done but slowly over time I started to believe that maybe it could.

Many, many late nights later I am so excited to say that if you believe in yourself you can!!!

Even if the deadline you gave yourself for the beginning of December turns into the end of December and even if you end up staying up too late. You can!

My latest book was inspired by the Edinburgh Christmas Markets and the joy it brings.

Edinburgh City Festivity is available exclusively on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. It will be on promotion tomorrow for FREE download.

A Wonderful Thing to Win and Hoo at the Zoo are also available exclusively on Amazon.

As you enjoy the rest of the holiday season remember “You can do anything you put your mind to”.

Happy page turning x

#edinburghcityfestivity #inspiration #youcan #newbook #childrensbook

©️Lisa Moralee McLardy

Posted in Uncategorized

Craft: how we made our tree for play

Posted on by brightblueballoon

The tree is up and the boys just love it! The decorations to don’t seem to stay in the same place though… 

Carson (age 2) has been particularly fascinated with the tree and keeps taking the decorations on and off resulting in a few swaying moments for the tree. Enter the Christmas tree craft. We had fun making a tree dedicated for play and putting decorations on and off, on and off, on and off. You get the idea. I am pretty happy with how this turned out and the boys are enjoying it, which was the purpose of the craft.
This is how we made our tree for play.

Materials

    Cardboard
    Pen
    Scissors
    Green paint
    Paint brush
    Clothes pegs
    String
    Festive decorations/any kind of decoration (stickers, coloured paper etc).
Directions
  • After the cardboard was folded in half I drew half a tree and then cut it out.
  • A little elf helped to paint both sides of the tree using green paint.

  • We chose to paint the pegs green to blend in with the tree but other colours but other colours would work too!
  • Once the tree and pegs were dry the pegs were attached around the tree.
  • I added sting to one peg and attached to the top of the tree to hang up.
  • Lastly the boys were invited to decorate, decorate, decorate then take everything off and repeat! Owen and Carson also stuck twigs on that had fallen off the real tree. Stickers and glitter can also be added. Battery operated lights and a star we added to finish off the tree.
Let us know of you make your own tree and send a picture too if you wish.
Happy page turning and tree making x
©️Lisa Moralee McLardy
Posted in Uncategorized

Christmas baking, crafts and reading have commenced!

Posted on by brightblueballoon

While Owen and Daddy spent Sunday morning at the cinema, Carson and I made the first batch of sugar cookies (gluten, egg and dairy free). I always like to bake a batch as early as possible in the season, a few trial and errors so to speak. Pretty happy with how these turned out though. We divided the dough into three to make different flavours (plain, cranberry & cinnamon and chocolate chip).

A few years ago just before Owen’s first Christmas just we took a trip to Berlin, Germany where they have the famous Ampelmann traffic lights. We bought Ampelmann shaped cookie cutters and it has become a tradition to use these during the festive season. Cant believe that the first batch of cookies is almost finished!

In the afternoon the boys did some Christmas crafts. I cut out tree and snowman shapes out of coloured paper and they decorated them using small round stickers. We attached them to cotton and stuck them up. Owen and Carson had great fun decorating their trees and snowmen and there wasn’t a lot of mess to clean up afterwards!

After dinner we retrieved the Christmas books from storage and had a read and reread.

What festive crafts, baking or reading have you been up to?

Happy page turning x

©️ Lisa Moralee McLardy 2018

Posted in Quotes

More today means less stress tomorrow!

Posted on by brightblueballoon

We are striving to be more organised and tick the list. During this process I am learning more and more that sometimes just one more thing can make a big difference, even if it is tidying the toys before bed or organising breakfast the night before. It doesn’t have to be a big thing just something.

More today means less stress tomorrow!

Happy page turning x

©️ Lisa Moralee McLardy

Posted in Poems

If you could only use one hashtag what would it be? #hashtagpoetry

Posted on by brightblueballoon

If you could only use one hashtag what would it be?

#Am free

#Wanna be

#Am writing

#Designing

#Maybe more

#Explore

#Go try it

#Seek to find

#Grow

#Be inspired

#Mama bear is tired

#Sleep required

#Doughnuts are the best

#Our nest

#Have a look

#You will find

#One of a kind

#A world away

#A word a day

#A place to unwind

#Kind community

#WordPress community

#Join me

#Hashtagpoem

#Poetry

Happy page turning x

©️ Lisa Moralee McLardy

Posted in Poems

How to make your dream a wish come true

Posted on by brightblueballoon

Last night my five year old, Owen, asked if he could go to space. I said yes, yes you can. Anything you want, anything you dream. If you believe it you can achieve it but it takes hard work and focus. I felt inspired to write the poem below.

How to make your dream a wish come true

Wish a dream

Make it big

Make it high

Anything above 

Or below the sky

Take one step,

Take many

Believe it,

You can achieve it

A word of caution though my child,

Something you should know

To make your dream a wish come true

It needs a bit of reality

It’s not enough to wish a dream

Just wish and you may just miss

It takes more,

So go explore

Read

Learn

Design

Question

Set goals both big and small

Be proud

Stand tall

Be humble

Accept help

Take a break

Get back to it

Be positive

Focus your energy

Make a list

Tick the list

Have fun

Remember it’s a journey…


Design a rocket

Build a rocket

Test the rocket 

Strategise

Evaluate

Implement

Reflect

Perfect.

Launch the rocket

Blast off…

Arrive in space

Float around

Look up and down

Take a moment

Smile

Breath

You’ve achieved,

And you dreamed it for a while.

High five

You did it

I knew you could and would!

Wish a new dream

Make it big,

Make it high,

Anything above or under the sky.

Happy page turning x

©️ Lisa Moralee McLardy

Posted in Poems

Hello – this is me

Posted on by brightblueballoon

Hello – this is me

I like to drink tea

(And the occasional coffee)

I live with my two sons

And best friend – hubby,

Always trying to find the balance

Between chaos and creativity

The corner of the home I call my own

Is a rediscovery,

A journey,

A passion not lost but put on hold

Here I explore through

Writing, drawing and photography

Here I am, this is me

©️ Lisa Moralee McLardy

Posted in eBook

New book release: Hoo at the Zoo

Posted on by brightblueballoon

Halloween seems to have continued in our house. The crafts and stories have not lost their charm, and they probably will continue until we start Christmas crafts, stories and baking.

Sticking with the Halloween theme and fun I am happy to announce that my new book Hoo at the Zoo is now available on Amazon. It’s a rhyming story aimed at young children but can be enjoyed by all ages.

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Owen and Carson take a special trip to the zoo on Halloween night for a picnic and treasure trail too! They are dressed as pirates, ready to find treasure.

“Hat, eye-patch and a pouch for loot,
Stripy top, bandana and boots”

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“The zoo has everything you can imagine. Ghosts, ghouls, pumpkins and candy. Witches with cauldrons cooking up spells. Frankenstein and Dracula have goodies to sell.”

I wrote the story a year ago and have been working on the illustrations over the past couple of months. Illustrating Hoo at the Zoo was a lot different to illustrating A Wonderful Thing to Win as I had the opportunity to use Procreate. It helped make the illustration process a bit faster (not fast enough to make it in time for Halloween, but faster nonetheless).

If you and your little ones are still in the mood for something Halloweeny follow the link below.

Happy page turning x

©️ Lisa Moralee McLardy