MAKE YOUR OWN SCRABBLE KEEP SAKE

This mothers day (although late, thanks ebay seller) I finally put the frames I bought a little while a go to make some kind of scrabble frame into use and made the girls Grandma one from the girls.

I was originally going to have the word GRANDMA with a number of different words of how the girls would describe her coming off the odd one -  four letters, then I realised each of her grand children's names would fit perfectly.

For the background I was going to buy some scrap book paper but struggled to find any the right size for my chosen frame then came the idea of a map of where she grew up and where her mum lived to add even more hidden meaning but after speaking to Andy I decided against that idea so while in my local Wilkos I took a look at their wallpaper display and chose one Andy liked. 

Before starting anything I put together a number of different ways the names could go, once I'd decided on one I was happy with I laid them all out in the frame to be sure they would fit and which way would be best. 

Then out came the glue, I'd originally set out to do the frame the opposite way but it really wouldn't have looked right without any spaces either side of the frame and names, It's not until writing up this post I realise how much I dislike it with the wallpaper running the other way so it's tempting to re-do it again with the wallpaper flowing the right way instead. 

Something I'd recommend is to double check your lettering lay out with the frame on as it wasn't until I put mine in its frame that I noticed some of my letters are slightly off at first glance it's fine but the longer you look at it the more obvious it becomes.

If I don't re-do it I plan to use the excuse of their Grandmas wall being wonky ;) 

She once had a HUGE map which was wonky but she always said her map isn't wonky the world is so that excuse should work just fine.
Now I've done one I've got the bug to make another and will be making one ready for the girls new room.

Scrabble pieces pack of 100 - £2.99 eBay

Glue - £1.99 eBay can also be purchased in wilkos

Frame - £1.75 in Asda sale 

Wallpaper sample free from wilkos or any other store with a wallpaper selection.

MY FAVOURITE PLACES TO SHOP FOR EASTER BASKET FILLERS

For the past few years I've put together a little Easter basket each for the girls full of crafty bits to keep them busy, along with some easter goodies.

Each year since living in our current house we've also had a little easter egg hunt, last year I filled mini eggs with clues on where to find each egg which you can read about 'here'

Whenever easter is upon us and they start bringing out the easter stock in shops, I go on a mad hunt for anything crafty and different to previous years I always check out three main shops.

Card Factory

Card factory is amazing when it comes to seasonal events they always have some cute little bits for the girls Easter and Christmas eve boxes. 

They always have something different other shops don't have too last year I got the girls easter finger tattoos for 79p this year I got them a nail kit for 79p with 4 easter nail files and a set of nail stickers.

Poundland

Poundland is another of my top faves when it comes to seasonal buys, they always have a hidden gem somewhere be it cute chocolates or crafty stuff it's another store that has something new each year. 

This year I've got the girls an easter block tech and bead set like the hama bead range.

Asda

Asda has always been pretty hit and miss for Easter items but this year they have a really good range of easter crafts and fillable eggs.

This year I got some large fillable eggs although I'm tempted to go back and get the cute ones because they are really cute, an easter colouring book and a sun catcher painting set. 

LUSH HAUL

It's been awhile since I've had a good lush splurge, so it was only right to have a little spend up when my local LUSH had their valentines, mothers day stock in! I was given the heads up of the easter range coming within the next week so I made sure I returned as soon as I could and got my hands on the famous fluffy egg.

I'll be honest I'm not one to go into lush and even read whats in or what a bath bomb/bubble bar does if it's cute I'm having it and we shall live happily ever after well until I use it and it is no longer.

This haul seems so much bigger when I lift and look in the bag, now I've got pictures of it seems like such a pathetic haul.

Mothers Day Range

Ladybird Bubble bar - How cute is this little guy! He's almost way to cute to break up and use.

Rose Bombshell - This is another bath bomb I picked up simply because look how beautiful it is!

The little hints of colour peeking out leave me full of excitement of what sort of colour my bath is going to end up!

Valentines Day range 

Lover Lamp - This purchase was simply because I needed to get my hands on something from the valentines range, being white it's not usually a bath bomb I'd go for because I'm a huge kid at heart and the more colourful the better, but looking at those random bits of red hearts I know I'm going to be impressed.

I picked up Fizzbanger and Yoga bath bomb because of their colours, Look how bright they are! 

The colours alone I just know I won't be disappointed with them.

Think Pink is one of the girls favourite bath bombs so it's a must have if I ever nip into LUSH. They get as excited as the first time they had this one when the hearts start making an appearance. 

Easter Range 

Fluffy egg - It just wouldn't be easter without it really would it?

Which came first? - I picked this up as a joint gift for the girls easter baskets this year, In previous years I've always thought £6.95 was a little steep for a bath bomb but this isn't just A bath bomb, you can easily get 3 baths out of this maybe even 5 if you don't want to use a whole half of one side of the egg and could split each side into twos and still have plenty left to enjoy later.

I'm dying to get my hands on the bouncy bunny shower jelly for the girls but I totally forgot to look for it, I'm hoping to get back over there before Easter and get my hands on it!

Have you got anything from LUSH recently?

MY FIRST KIKO PURCHASES

After spending way to much of my time browsing the KIKO website filling up my basket just to laugh and close the tab again, I finally got my hands on some products from my local store.

I popped in before but felt way to overwhelmed and walked back out again empty handed, this time I didn't leave with everything on my list as I forgot it but I also noticed some price differences from what I'd seen on the websitre for example the Smart lip pencils I had my eye on are £1.20 online but £2.50 in store not a major difference but I'm all for a saving no matter how small.

They did however have a deal on of 5 products for £10 and that's a deal I can't say no to!

If this hadn't have been the first store I went in I'd have easily got double the amount I did and after not buying much more after leaving Kiko, I'm gutted I didn't go back and buy more of the eyeshadows in the offer.

KIKO packaging reminds me a lot of MAC but at fraction of the price, I love how simple the packaging is I'm not sure if I'm actually going to unpackage anything because it all looks so posh in the black boxes.

I picked up a bottle of the Brush Cleanser 50ml for £5.90 looking at the picture of this online I expected the bottle to be double the size but couldn't bring myself to put it back when I realised how small it was compared to my H&M one, even tho I've also recently purchased a bottle of baby shampoo to clean my brushes with too.

I also picked up a Smart lipstick in 925 hazelnut.

In the 5 for £10 offer I picked up three of their Infinity eyeshadows in 210 Satin Brick, 239 Mat Gray Taupe and 271 Pearly Gray.

Two automatic precision lip liners in 501 salmon pink and 502 deep pink which both retail at £5.90 each on the website!

After doing the swatches (which just looked pants nothing to do with the products but my dodgy photography lol) I have really high hopes for the lipstick and lip liners they took quite some scrubbing to get off my arm, there's nothing worse than applying lippy before leaving home and being left with just the lining of your lips by midday and realising you left your lippy at home so can't even reapply.
My basket is already full of lipsticks and lip liners ready to order, Did you know kiko have a reward card scheme? I totally forgot to download the app and missed out on my 1O% off these purchases but you can even earn points for engaging with them on social media, how cool is that!

Have you purchased anything from kiko recently?

NETHERMINED NEWCASTLE EVENT

You may have noticed not so long ago the world of Minecraft took most of our little people into a world of pixel looking objects that look like they came from something from the 80's.

I often lose my mini human to the world of Minecraft and get asked questions about nether dragons, portals all sorts of things I'm totally clueless about, luckily Andy is quite the wizz at it and can assist her when needed, she has recently how ever taken to youtube (parental lock is on) to find out information and inspiration on new builds she can do within the game. 

Nethermined is a two day event taking place at Northumbria University on 5th and 6th March at £15 a ticket per day and is perfect for any Minecraft fan, with a large selection of youtubers attending just that alone would have made Issy's day she often comes out with fancy youtube usernames and has been known to ask me if I can leave a comment on videos with her say on things they've asked in videos, I know just getting a reply would have made her day but to get up close and actually be able to speak to one? That would be the dream for my fast growing 8 year old who would love to one day have a youtube channel of her own.

Sadly we are unable to attend the event as we are to far away but if it was to ever come to London without a doubt I'd be snapping up a ticket as soon as I could, Minecraft is one of the only things Issy shows a real passion for everything else comes and goes like Zelfs for instance she LOVED them for all of about a week, Minecraft however has stuck and seems to show no signs of going anywhere soon, if she had her way she would play or watch youtube videos on it all day, only ever leaving her computer for food requests and going to the toilet if I'd let her get away with it.

The creations she comes out with on the game amaze me I gave the game ago once and I totally sucked at it!

(photo credit - Nicholas Gray) 

This event would have been amazing for not only Issy but for me too, It would have been great to have a little more of an understanding of the game she enjoys so much because not only is the event for fans but for parents too, there will be 3 Minecraft EDU educators who will be giving talks about Mincraft and it's educational value, as well as the Parents Zone where parents can ask questions and learn to play Minecraft. Along with the Youtubers too there will be live gaming and youtuber panels, 4 retro gaming machines, 2 Oculus Rifts, an art zone, face painters, Minecraft and geeky merchandise so there really is something for everyone!

You can purchase tickets 'HERE'

OUR TRIP TO KENT LIFE

Yesterday we made the most of the girls week off school coming to an end by going along to Kent Life in Maidstone for the day.

Neither me or Andy drive so trips like this don't happen as often as we'd like but we are very lucky to have good friends that treat the girls as if they are family and often take them out on lots of amazing adventures that we are unable to, This time I tagged along for the day.

Kent Life is the perfect day out for any family theres something for all ages, The girls enjoyed cuddles with the smaller animals in the cuddle corner, feeding the bigger ones, a play in the play park, bouncy castle, soft play and a tractor ride all of which were completely FREE. 

You had to buy a bag of animal food for £1 when paying your entrance (£19.95 for a family of 4) but that's a small price to pay for a day full of fun. 

One of the activities Kent Life offers is a crafty corner where you can paint a pot of your choice with prices ranging from £3 up to £7.50, £3 being for a small figure and £7.50 for a very nicely sized figure well worth the price I'm gutted I couldn't really stretch the extra £5 for the girls to have painted one of the bigger ones but they love their £5 bunny and dragon figures.

Issy's sits proudly on her desk and Daisies sits snuggly in her bed despite warnings of if he falls he will break, which I did in fact hear him fall in the night and was called in at 4am when she could no longer find him in her bed BUT he survived the fall and is now snug between two pillows and on the wall side of her bed.

As well as being able to get up close with the animals there is also buildings such as a WWII Cottage from nearby Lenham, Victorian Petts Farmhouse and the blacksmiths forge which are set up exactly how they would have been back in their time, I now regret not going in for a peek as it would have been lovely to see but theres always next time.

There was also a classroom set up with the old wooden desks with the lift up tops really taking you back to what school life would have been like back in the day. Also in the school was a black board listing Honours gained by Lady Boswell's girls school, I went over to have a peek and see if any of my family surnames were listed anywhere and there in the middle column was two names with the same surname as my dads birth surname.

Whether they are part of my family tree I don't know but it's always fun to find a name you could possibly be linked to in some way!

We didn't come prepared with lunch as we were unsure if we would be allowed to eat our own lunches on the grounds so half way through the day we stopped off at Dotty's tea room a 1950's inspired tea room serving a delicious range of home made cakes.

The girls went for cheese on toast with chocolate milkshake and I went for a baguette and apple juice, I also couldn't leave without trying their macaroni cheese so was a little piggy and ordered that too something I planned to share with the girls as they were undecided on that or their cheese on toast but Daisie had a few mouthfuls and Issy wasn't keen so I was left to shovel it in on my own.

My camera kept misbehaving throughout the day so I saved the moments it did behave for shots of the girls feeding the animals rather than lunch and a few of the other things we got up to which really sucks but Andy the tech will hopefully be with us next time and be on hand to help with any problems I may have.

Through out the year Kent Life holds all kinds of events from Half term fun & frolics, May day celebrations, Peppa pig days, Classic vehicle shows right up to the usual seasonal events Easter eggstravaganza and easter egg hunt, Halloween spooktacular, Firework spectacular and meeting Santa.

You can get yourself an Annual membership for £95 lasting 12 months which gets you free entry to the grounds and buildings for the whole year.

NEW LOOK | PERFUMES

 (please excuse the photo quality)

On one of my many random strolls around New Look looking at what I'd buy when I next have money, You know the ones I mean the ones where you wander around aimlessly with no where near enough money once bills are paid to even be considering spending money right now.

(and I wonder why the security guards follow me every time I enter my local primark)

The truth is I'm not only window shopping its the best place to get a wifi signal when I'm on my lunch! I'm stuck in the 90's of pay as you go and haven't topped up since December.

Anyway enough of my yabbering back to the point of this post, during one of my many strolls I came across New looks fragrance collection after a wiff of one I instantly fell in love and promised myself I'll go back and get myself the £7.99 bottle of heaven, but in true me fashion I never did go back and get it until this week I was in a different store and headed straight to the beauty section but again to tight to treat myself to the £7.99 bottle which I'm now regretting. I grabbed myself two bottles of their 10ml perfumes for £2.99 BARGAIN or what!

I grabbed them in the scent I fell in love with previously which was Pure Blush and a second scent I loved as soon as I smelt it Pure Dusk.

There was a set of all 4 scents they do for £9.99 but I had Andy with me and he doesn't get the whole 4 for £9.99 taking my total up by £4 and getting every scent they do but instead just getting the two I love and saving £4 which is no doubt going to leave me whinging about it until I go back again, He may well be right but wheres the fun in sensible thinking while shopping?

Each scent smells amazing, I've worn Pure Dusk since I purchased it and you'll often catch me sniffing myself, the staying power for £2.99 is unreal, I have more expensive perfumes I can barely smell once I've reached the school but the bottles are way to heavy to carry around in my handbag to top up through out the day which makes these 10ml bottles even more amazing as they fit perfectly in your handbag! I've not needed to top up while out yet but I always take it with me just in case.

The fragrance range is available in a number of different sizes all at very reasonable prices the most expensive being £12.99 for a 100ml bottle.

Next time I'm near a New Look I'm not even going to think about it, I'm going to grab a 50ml bottle of one of these scents for at home and will be keeping one of these ones as a permanent fixture to my handbag.

Have you tried any New Look fragrances?