Possibly the best £1.25 I have spent this year...

Introducing Goldie (original I know - but the only name unanimously agreed by a 10, 6 and 3 year old). I had my heart set on 'Blueberry' as proposed by my daughter but the boys wouldn't go for it.

Onto the aesthetics......I insisted on using a traditional goldfish bowl that I already had (usually use it as a tulip vase), the kids insisted on the addition of the Spongebob squarepants pineapple house.

I have had 5 minute interval updates of Goldie's actions since his arrival, so for sheer value for money on the entertainment front, this really could be the best £1.25 I've spent on the kids this year.

We do not see things as they are

'We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are'. A good friend shared this quote with me recently to explain how our perceptions of situations stem from how we are feeling at the time.

I remembered this today, when on my (relentless!) tidying up travels I saw a spoon with a pipecleaner wrapped around it, however my daughter reliably informed me it is a magic fairy wand.

A reminder I think for me to step back and see the magic.

Cheap(ish) Art

I know the Keep Calm prints seem to be *everywhere* at the mo, and I have wanted one for a while. I also saw a very cool eye chart looking picture in this month's Ideal Home like the one below which led me to browse on Keep Calm Gallery....


Upon investigation the above was £16 plus a frame (which I think may be a non-standard size - even more £££) so I decided against it. Before clicking away though I found these lovelies below.


15 (!) postcards for £7. They arrived this morning and are really good quality and I think in white Ikea frames will look fab. Could even do a montage of them. The colours are a bit more muted in real life than above. My favourites are the 'Every Cloud has a Silver Lining' and 'Be Optimistic' - a really nice mustard yellow in reality.

Now in order to be really thrifty just need to purchase frames from Ikea without picking up anything else........

Bye Bye Summer

School begins tomorrow and amongst the frenzy of labelling school clothes, finding book bags and guilt over uncompleted homework, I am remembering our summer.

I won't pretend that painting in the garden is an everyday occurence, but on this day the creation of a green car (with blue side panel) took priority. A long time was spent mixing more paint, adding glitter, carving doors and handles.....and then the long wait for it to eventually dry. Needless to say once complete it was played in for a minute, promptly split and then we spent weeks trying to smuggle it out of the bedroom and into the recycling bin. But then it is *all* in the creating.

Please note my attempt to disguise the kids paint in a vintage bread bin.

The tale of the green shoes.....

I can't afford them. That's the honest truth. Also they are too high for me and pinch kind of on the toes.

But I love them. I'm thinking if I send them back I will never find another pair of shoes like this. Ever.