We’re approaching the finish line of Plastic Free July. In 34 degrees heat at 9.30pm I’ll try to break down the plastic we’ve found pretty easy to get rid of so far. Or at least, I will do if I don’t melt first. 5 plastic products that are easy to ditch 1. Squash bottles We […]
Read MoreKids are messy. About 60% of the time I spend have with the kids is spent tidying up after them. More stuff means more mess. So in an attempt to claw some time back from the never-ending cycle of tidying up, I went full Marie Kondo on the kids’ toys. When I’ve got rid of […]
Read MoreI’ve jumped on the bandwagon and am now a Marie Kondo obsessive. Marie Kondo is a tidying expert from Japan who’s books have sold millions of copies and who now has her own show on Netflix. Her approach to decluttering involves keeping only what sparks joy. There’s no need to buy fancy storage or indeed […]
Read MoreThe short answer is no. We’ve recently tried to limit the amount we spend after reading Your Money Or Your Life by Vicki Robin. Although we’ve not officially started her nine steps to financial freedom, we’ve certainly made a start in cutting down our spending. The ethos of the book is that by spending less […]
Read MoreWhen you think of kids’ crafts, you might think of houses made from cereal boxes or rockets made from washing up bottles. But this Blue Peter fuelled utopia is no more. Now 99% of children’s craft products seem to be made of foam. Foam stickers in particular are prolific if every craft set, kids party […]
Read MoreAh, Fuzzy Felt, perhaps the most simple toy every made. It’s basically tiny bits of flimsy material that stick onto other flimsy bits of material to make a picture that resembles nothing like what’s on the front of the box. Back in the 80s I had a couple of Fuzzy Felt sets, and, partially because […]
Read MoreI’ve always loved Christmas. The cheesy songs, the actual cheese (though not this year again, sadly), the presents, the sense of magic. What I don’t like about Christmas is the mass consumerism and the near-desperation of brands that go all out the make you buy more stuff. This year we’ve made a decision to have […]
Read MoreI grew up in the 1980s in Bridlington, a North East seaside town full of amusements, tat shops and fish and chip shops. Amongst these seaside staples was Kirby’s Toyshop. Located on Chapel Street, a trip to this wonderful toy shop was a special event saved only for birthdays. The toys – Barbie, Lego, Sylvanian […]
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