Christmas Shopping

I have to say I have had an absolutely depressing time Christmas shopping this year.  The budget is tight and the choice of Christmas gifts available in the shops is darn right dismal.  I am not looking for the conventional toys like Barbie, Furby, Lala Loopsy or Leap Pads (crikey who could afford one anyway) or even Fisher Price or Lego.  I did however succumb to a Pillow Pet, which Coral has been collecting for sometime now - but I still don't feel entirely right about it. 
I don't really have any desire to add mountains of toys to our already sufficient collection, and I certainly don't want to spoil the kids silly but I do want it to be a fun and happy occasion for the family and one where the kids don't feel short changed or let down.  So I am trying to find a balance between quantity and quality, less expensive and more expensive, popular and the less well advertised options.
It is a real struggle to find stores that sell interesting or functional toys, games, instruments, costumes or art /craft supplies at reasonable prices.  I have turned to online shopping for a few items, but the little speciality stores that don't charge like a wounded bull have been hard to find.
I have also done a few rounds of shopping at the local Gold Coin shop for a few novelty items which I felt were not too shamefully of poor quality - items which seem to pop up in the larger chain stores like Farmers and The Warehouse at three times the price in the exact same packaging.
I wish there were some kind of magic gift guide or store available that more closely matched the type of presents and budget I have in mind for Christmas.  The type of Christmas that has been thrust upon us these days is just not realistic or frankly fair to most families. 

Christmas Craft

So proud of my Christmas door hanging.  Not quite as neon as I'd like, but bright enough.  $3 worth of pom poms stuck onto some thick card.  I traced the letter A onto baking paper directly from the laptop screen and then taped it onto the card and cut out with a craft knife.  I already had the ribbon laying around - took me about 45 minutes of prep and to glue it together. 

The awesome thing about it is that I can use it whenever I want all year round - it's not themed traditionally for Christmas so it can go on the wall in the play room, dining room or even above the bed in the master.  Might even be tempted to do some different letters to go up in the kids rooms.   

I'm Dreaming of a Fluro Christmas...

My little fluro decorated tree - decorations are pom poms I made from fluro wool, candy canes made from twisted together pipe cleaners, spinning tops I brought in a pack of ten party favours and a pair of neon shoe laces as the ribbon - total spend, about $8 from the local Gold Coin shop.  It's bright, fun and although the photo really doesn't do it justice it is fluro-tastic!

Christmas Wish List?

While I was out on the weekend I spotted these awesome tee pees on sale at Fishing Camping Outdoors - I really, really want to get one each for the kids - can I please, please add them to the list? 

The pink one is an elephant, the green crocodile, orange giraffe and blue monkey - hmmmm... think I'll take one pink, one green and one orange please!

Labels

 

My kitchen cupboard organising success!

 



A few weeks ago I started the process of organising my kitchen.  After sorting all my plastic containers into a basket, I liked the idea so much I made another basket for the food processor and all it's attachments.  The hooks I put up a while ago, but they are much more useful now that the basket contains the clutter and leaves enough space at the front of the shelf to allow me to hang my measuring cups and spoons and still shut the cupboard door properly.
The labels are just pegged on with bright clothes pegs.  I have used the same labelling idea for my hutch dresser in the lounge and I'm really happy with the result.

Hit a Speed Bump

Oh dear - went and pinched a nerve in my back on the weekend and it has slowed me down on the organising and housework front this week.
I have had great support from hubby, family and friends, so the twins have been well looked after and the basics getting done.  I have been physically unable to do much, but I have managed however to get a few sitting down jobs done - a collage project, a thinking chair (instead of a time-out chair) and updating my CV.

I have to say it was great to get them out of the way, but I am itching to get going with the cleaning and sorting again.  Been to the Oesteopath today and have already had some relief, but it will be another few days before I am able to move more freely and without pain.
What can you do - life happens, but it's only a speed bump and I'll be on the highway again soon :-)

Spring-speration, Loving the bright colours!

Here are some of my inspirations for Spring / Summer - the colours are so vibrant and zingy, I can't get enough of the crisp citrus and neon hues.  I have totally overspent on the household budget by indulging my obsession this week, well except on the flowers which are wild flowers in our garden. 

The mat reminds me of licorice allsorts and was $9.90 from Bed, Bath and Beyond, the bracelet was a splurge from Postie for $16.99, the Table I've had lurking around forever which was bought cheap second-hand (formerly dark brown), I gave it a lick of paint (untinted yellow) which cost me $14 in a large size test pot.

The baskets and containers on my hutch in the lounge (previous post) were from the warehouse - top shelf, green fold-out cubes $4.99 each.  The small pink shopping style basket in the centre was $5, The oblong clip-top green containers in the centre were $6 ea, the large pink shopping style basket down the bottom was $8 and the planter pots in pink and green on the bottom shelf were $6.99 each and are made in NZ - fab!  I also picked up a large coral-fleece throw in raspberry (not pictured) reduced to $6.97 from the Warehouse which is so soft and the kids love cuddling up under it.

Procrastination Paid Off

My procrastinating cleaning out the fridge this week had an unexpected pay off.  It got so bad that hubby decided to tackle it on my behalf.  He did a fab job, no wiping down of surfaces took place, but at least all the leftovers which were past 4 days old were thown out and the like food items put with like so that all in all the fridge looks 100% tidier and organised.   It actually shows how little food we have at the moment - yikes!  The cleaning part will have to come a little later, but before our next big shop when it gets filled up again.
The medicine / glassware cabinet has had a quick sort out too.  I have re-housed the medicines in their own storage box on the top shelf of the hutch in the lounge.  It is still a bit of an odd place to store them, but they are at least all together now (separate from the glassware) and still up high out of reach of the kids. There is also a bit more space in the glassware cabinet now which is great as it was  on the full side and the glasses were constantly getting bumped and shuffled around in those mad dashes for the pamol or a band aid.
The hutch is also almost complete (see my pic) and I have to say is it looking much improved.  Still some finishing touches to go, but keen to see how it works and live with it for a while before I make more improvements.  I have sorted bins or sections for craft, journals / scrap books / folders, parenting books / motivation stickers, art work, scrap paper, pens, Coral's treasure box, Coral's reading books, mail-in tray and family medicines.
I have yet to label the bins and I'm still thinking about how I'd like to do this, any suggestions would be welcome.

One thing I have learnt during this process or re-organising is that you have to do what works for you.  It makes sense for me to have a basket with nappies and wipes in the lounge because that is where I change nappies (and I change a lot with twins).  It also makes sense for me to have our hairbrushes and medicines in the lounge as that is where we seem use them.  It may not be conventional but it is how we do things and it is more efficient for me to go with the flow than fight it.