Our Shopkins Collection

We were out shopping and Emmett found these at the counter. The little shopping basket series 3 came in were so cute. This was a while ago, before Shopkins became the biggest selling new toy line in the USA. A quick look on Instagram will show you queues round blocks for the release of series 4.

I'm a big fan of anthropomorphic toys (basically anything inanimate with a face) Shopkins tick all the boxes for cute and the collectable factor is very addictive. I feel they are definitely going to be a collectable for the future. Already some of the rare figures command huge prices on ebay. Also, anything that promotes community with children is a good thing - there are various Shopkin swapping parties advertised online and I also really like the nod to the collectibles of the 1980's like bubblegum cards and Lil' Babies figures that you could trade with your friends.

Series 4 is definitely the best series so far with the addition of super cute Petkins with animal faces. Also a first for this series are the Shoppies dolls. They're really cute too and have already been a big crossover hit with doll collectors. I think the prices are reasonable. The smallest set for this series has two random figures in blind bags in a stackable crate (the crate is available in white, pink and fuschia) This retails for around £2.49 in most shops. I think this was our favourite set as the stackable crates add a lot of play value. We bought the bigger pack so that we knew we'd get some of the Petkins. The paint job on the cabbage sold us too!

I painted up this thimble shelf to display them in my office when we're not playing. Cute, huh?

Skip Diving - 1980s Fanta Orangeade Can

There was a time in my life where I was unable to walk past a pile of rubbish on the street or a skip without having a nosey. These days I'm not as bad - but maybe that's because most of my home is full of found furniture and I have no more space?

I found this old can (check out the old ring pull hole!) on a skip at a house they're renovating down the street. I love the colour orange and the graphics are great. After a clean up it looks quite at home on the shelf in my office, don't you think?

Merry Kitschmas - my vintage Christmas decorations collection

I've been collecting vintage decorations for years now while on my buying trips for work. So much so that now the majority of our decorations date from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. An obvious but good point to mention is that almost all of them have been bought during the summer month for less than £1 as people are just keen to get rid of them. I put everything in a box throughout the year and enjoy the surprise of looking them over when we decorate.

As tonight is the Twelfth Night and everything gets taken down I thought I'd document some of my favourites before they're all put away

Yes, I am the overly sentimental Mum that saves all the handmade Christmas cards and crafts Emmett makes. I'm already looking forward to getting everything out again this year - 10 months to go!

Party Baby Bunting

Our littlest, baby Rudie turned 1 last week. We've all been ill so we kept the day low key and just had cake with family.

I like to decorate the mantelpiece in the living room for Birthdays and celebrations so came up with this simple idea for party hat bunting. I don't think it's complicated enough to write a tutorial, but if you're curious I just enlarged four of our favourite pictures onto an A4 sheet and used some scrap booking paper I had leftover from doing the boys baby books to make the party hats. I had some pink and red bakers twine from my recent trip to Fred Aldous which worked perfectly. I think my husband is going to have it up on his desk at work after we take it down. I think it might be a new family Birthday tradition.

Holy moly

Well, after a rather long enforced blog hiatus I'm back. The house we were buying took a whole year. A WHOLE YEAR! This was every bit as miserable as it sounds. We're in now though, and I'm just about over my bitterness about it :-)

Baby E is not such a baby anymore. He'll be 2 next month. I'm currently 4 months pregnant with his baby brother or sister. New house, new baby really is true :-)

13 Things For 2013

Source

As a busy self employed new Mum of a baby boy and small dog, a grand goal of 100 Things I'd Like To Do could be both a bit too ambitious and end up being a bit depressing. In attempt to avoid this, I'm proposing a rather more sensible and hopefully more achievable 13 in 2013.

2012 has been amazing, mainly due to the long awaited arrival of our beautiful baby E in May. I'm excited for what 2013 holds.

1) Move House

2) Buy A New Car

3) Set Up New Business

4) Visit Whitstable

5) Make Something For Baby E's First Birthday

6) Bake Macrons

7) Visit Ardingly Antiques Fair

8) Replace Our Record Player

9) Paint A Picture For Our New House

10) Be Brave And Go To A Baby Group

11) Crochet / Quilt A Blanket For The New House

12) Make At least 1 Christmas Present

13) Help Alex Make The Perfect Study

E's Nursery Tour



This is a bit of a cheat, as baby E still sleeps in a travel cot in our room, but all of his things live here in his nursery. Most of the items in there are thrifted from Carboot sales and Charity shops. The cowboy pictures are from some original 1950s wallpaper I rescued from a drawer lining of a chest of drawers being thrown away! Just because he's a little boy it doesn't mean every item he owns has to be blue :-)

 

 

Attic24 Ripple Blanket Pattern

Red Eames Style Rocking Chair - Ebay

Painted House Shelves - Carboot Sale

 

 

 

Lusy Blom Rug

Vintage Disney Jungle Book Curtains - Carboot Sale