Off To BlytheConUK

Tomorrow is BlytheCon day, its also the start of Betty's birthday weekend. 

We are ditching the boys and heading off to London to spend the day shopping, knitting, dress making and staring in awe at all the other beautiful Blythe dolls gathered for this second UK Blythe fest. There will be pictures, quite possibly way too many of them and I will attempt to restrict them to my Instagram feed but I know that Biba will be snapping too!

The big decision that I still have to make is who gets to come with me??? (I'm talking Blythe doll here...)

I think it has to be Amy Lee, she's hit a 'dark phase' since she was photographed for my blog header back in January 2009. Perhaps its time for a new look for my blog too? Maybe its time to say goodbye to Mummy-Tips? Stay tuned...

The eBay Challenge is on!

Some days really cool things happen. Just little things. but they bring a sense of excitement, happiness and warmth. Today is one of those days.....

Today the eBay Christmas blogger challenge begins!

I love eBay. I've been buying and selling since October 2000 and I've picked up some really cool things - including all of my Blythe dolls! So can you imagine how excited I was when they asked me if I'd like to take part in their challenge??!!

So, this is it....

Five bloggers, each with £250 to spend on eBay in the run up to Christmas. We need to spend wisely, bag some bargains and pull in all the help we can from fellow eBayers in order to win the challenge.

Of course there's something in it for you too. We each get to pick our most helpful supporter who will then be rewarded with a £100 PayPal credit to spend how they please!

The challenge runs until 12th December, so if you want to be in the running for that £100 just before Christmas I need your votes and I need your gift suggestions.

1. FunnyGirl 7 - likes dancing, fashion, drawing, painting, pandas and playing on her DSi. Really wants a Netbook. Isn't getting a NetBook.
2. ModelGirl 8 - likes photography, drawing, fashion, shoes, the Simpsons, Sonic and Mario. Really wants a Canon SLR and a mobile phone. Isn't getting a Canon SLR or a mobile phone.
3. TotallySonny 10 - likes Lego, MegaBloks, XBox, the Simpsons, Pokemon and swimming. Really wants a supersize Lego / MegaBloks kit - lets see what we can do.
4. No1 son 19 - likes photography, Star Wars, movies in general, cooking and sleep. Really wants an iMac and a car. Needs to get a job if he's ever going to afford anything.
5. Hubby likes - clothes, shoes, bags and beating me at Bust a Move. Really wants an iPhone 4. Sadly I don't think the budget is going to stretch that far.
6. Cheryl 1 - likes stealing socks, snuggling in someones jumper and attacking the poor dog. Really wants a heated bed to keep her warm. Will always get whatever she wants.

So that's my list. If you've seen anything on eBay that you'd like to suggest to me simply click on the 'Suggest a Gift' tab over on the app.

The rules state that we can sell things to top up our pressie fund too, so watch the page as I will be listing loads of things over the next couple of weeks. Looks like I need to if I'm going to manage to buy for everyone!

I guess that I should add that two of the other bloggers taking the challenge are my CyberMummy partners Jen and Susanna. Head over to the Facebook App to get voting and suggesting ideas. You never know it could land you that £100!

For the love of Blythe

I'm not even really sure how we met, Blythe and I. I think I stumbled upon her online around the same time that Yan sent me an email entitled 'Some freaky dolls you will love'....
You see - I don't really like dolls. In fact those old Victorian china dolls completely and utterly F-R-E-A-K me out.
But not Blythe. I'm not sure what it is about her that drew me in but from the moment I set my eyes on her I was hooked. Perhaps her individuality, her freakiness or just that she came from 1972?
But one thing is for sure - and that's that I was hooked.
Amy Lee sits on my blog header, a Christmas gift from my hubby. The second best thing that he has bought me - EVER (I had my kitty Cheryl for my birthday last year and even though I did actually technically buy her myself..... it's a close cut thing).

Then our Blythe family began to grow - my girls who have never been ones for playing with dolls got in on the act too. They treat their dolls with the upmost respect. No dodgy outfits or being left out for the dog to chew. Their girls are loved, dressed, photographed and put away safely in their cabinet at night. Our collection grew to 13 full size Blythe's and 4 Petit Blythe's.

Then a few weeks ago I discovered that Hasbro (who own the Blythe trademark) had launched a collection of Littlest Pet Shop Blythe's. I have to say I was slightly dubious but they are totally on a par with the Petit dolls that Takara produce. I don't think that anyone but a hardened Blythe nut would be able to tell them apart.

Takara Blythe left, Littlest Pet Shop right.
There are four Littlest Pet Shop Blythe set's to collect and at £9.72 from ToysRus they are an absolute steal and a perfect addition to a girls (or her mummy's) Christmas stocking.
Anna (all Blythe's need a name you know), now resides in nick-nack corner on my desk!

Thank you once again to Toys R Us for choosing us to be TRU Toyologists. We love it!
I will be holding a Mega Toys R Us giveaway next week - so stay tuned!

Here Come the Girls.... The Gallery

I missed Tara's Gallery last week for the first time ever..... I hope she didn't notice. I just couldn't get a food vibe going that could get any place near my good pal @cosmicgirlie but give me theme of the girls in my life and I am all over it.
Enjoy.

My girls. ModelGirl left and FunnyGirl right.

Cheryl - my baby girl. xx

Purdy Wurdy - my puppy dog, completely stupid but we love her all the same.

Apple - my latest Blythe

Amy Lee - My first Blythe. My Christmas pressie from my hubby this year. She continues to be my most photographed girl. She is stunning.

Rosie of Scribble... named after my adopted blogging sister @rosiescribble. She is beautiful inside and out, just like her namesake. If you haven't stopped by her blog lately then do it now. She's been on her own adventure of late - to Cameroon with Pampers UNICEF. You can help save a life by reading about her trip. Rosie - you rock. xx

If you haven't seen my comp round up post get over there now.... you can win all kinds of things including a Maclaren pushchair worth nearly £600. So you don't have a baby - so what.... win it and give it away to a fab charity - or a children's ward. They will really appreciate it.

Chocco Tastic

Never one to turn down the offer of free chocolate I was more than pleased to be offered a preview of the new Wheetabix Chocolate cereal, especially as we are not big on family breakfasts due to the fact that we have all fallen into a pattern of getting up at totally different times.
FunnyGirl - always first to rise (usually at 5 something) heads straight for the kitchen as food is her primary goal in life.
She's followed by Sonny - who is woken by her plate clattering. Thankfully they have fallen into a joint habit of not waking us as soon as they get up but in reality what that means is that we are woken by the first major screaming match of the day as Sonny tries to switch the channel on to Pokemon something or other when Funny Girl is tucking into her xx bowl of cereal.
Yan is next up,  then ModelGirl and me are usually dragged forcefully from our slumber. She gets her breakfast and I hit the shower so we never actually sit down for a family breakfast.
The Wheetabix was a surprise for my crew and I was amazed at their excitement and eagerness to tuck in to it.
If you follow my blog you'll already know that I have two very fussy eaters and a third that is all too easily influenced by her older siblings.
They all polished off their first bowl and all asked for a second and I have to say that we are now well into our third box. So thank you Wheetabix for banishing the coco pops and getting a bit of fibre into my children in the morning.
New chocolate Wheetabix  £2.59 for 24.

So that was breakfast. Then the post arrived and to my utter delight I received a beautifully packaged bot of chocolate brownies from to try out.
Soft, moist and totally delish your box of Hill Cottage Bakery yumminess (OK so I know that's not a real word) contains twelve chunky squares of brownie delight gift wrapped in a way that I only dream of.
I'm not good at gift wrapping but that's only because I'm busy and getting excited about more exciting things like getting through the next round on Angry Birds... Anyway, that really is another post.
So. If you are looking for an amazing gift at the £15 mark, look no further that Hill Cottage Bakery. No1 son is trying to talk me into a monthly goodie package to uni.... as much as I like the idea - I am thinking he has a long way to go!

My expanding Blythe family...

Lots of people have been asking about my expanding Blythe family - so here they are for you to enjoy in all their glory!

1. Amy Lee

2. Tess

3. Boo

  4. Bunny Lee (she belongs to ModelGirl)

5. Loola Lee

6. Rosie of Scribble

7. Patty

8. Mia (belongs to FunnyGirl) pictured with Bunny Lee


I would like to say that's it...... but I haven't added my mini petite family...... eek

The one where the public made me feel like a blogging tweeting freak...

This week I led a Twitter workshop at a clients conference. The aim was simply to teach the basics of how to sign up, find some peeps to tweet with and then to let them loose.

I was prepared. I had slides and everything. 

They listened, asked sensible questions, asked not so sensible questions - but that was the point... right?

Then I lost them...

Someone asked how you can be sure that the people you are tweeting with aren't crazy axe murderers....

"Well...." I answered... "obviously there are a certain amount of nutters out there but I feel that personally I have found an amazing group of people, with whom I have become very good friends."

Silence...

Then someone at the back piped up.... "What you have actually met them?"

"Oh, yes - lots of times, I 'speak' to them everyday and I had some of them come to stay over the holidays..."

Stoney silence...

I looked around and it was that point that I realised that the whole room thought that I was a total and utter freak.

The lesson to be learned here people is that the general population clearly pitch blogging and tweeting on the same scale as internet dating (not that there is anything wrong with that - before someone attacks me!).

Not surprisingly the workshop kind of wrapped itself up pretty quickly after that.

Was it me? Did I imagine their narrow minded response? 

I came away feeling a little odd. I questioned myself and my feelings but I'm confident that I've found a pretty amazing group of  friends online. Yes there are spats between bloggers - but we are all very opinionated and we do spend a lot of time talking to each other!

Have you had similar experiences when talking about your blogging or tweeting? 

Can you imagine what they would have said if I'd told them that all my buddies are turning into Blythe dolls? Straight jackets for sure!
SR2K6367529T

Introducing Rosie of Scribble..

Firstly this is where I apologise to all of my readers and Twitter followers that have become Blythe obsessed since I started going on and on and on about her....Only in the last hour there have been two new additions to the sisterhood in @WivesDaughters who is complaining that first I turned her into a Stokke freak and now a Blythe freak too... 

And if you could rely on anyone to jump on the bandwagon well that would be @lolas_mum who is simply not content with laughing at my daily misfortunes..

I do have to say though - that if ever a Blythe looked like her owner (want to say dog but..) well hello - they really are twins.

So without getting side tracked even more - here she is... my beautiful new girl... 
Big Blythe respect to whoever can tell me which original Blythe she was before her customisation! 

I have named her Rosie of Scribble, after the original BMB Blythe babe @RosieScribble who is currently sporting blonde locks with pink glasses!

How ever will Liz @Livingwithkids and Karin @cafebebe cope with so many of us looking the same?!

In a show of solidarity to her 1972 roots, Rosie has commissioned her very own Stokke® Tripp Trapp® - and boy does it rock!

I Got the Shiny Happy People meme....

Which is of course ironic - since I am THE most grumpy person that I know. So firstly thanks to Nickie at Typecast for well... typecasting me and secondly to my pink haired soul sister Rosie Scribble for having too much time on her hands and coming up with the meme in the first place.

The rules are..

1. Name a song that makes you happy - a song you would listen to if you needed a sudden injection of happiness;

2. Post an image that makes you smile. It can be anything - a silly photo, an image taken from the internet, anything that puts a smile on your face (and isn't too rude!).

So... being such a miserable cow is not all Morrissey and Portishead you know.... I have thought, pondered and wracked my brain searching for a tune so cool and intelligent - that would blow you all away - but the cold honest truth is that High School Musical is where it's at in my stereo (and every one in the house) right now!

FunnyGirl loves this song and we have re-created Troy and Gabriella's roof top dalliance around my bedroom on many occasions. This simple interlude and the memory from it that is etched inside me will never stop lifting the darkness.

'High School Musical 3' Can I Have This Dance? @ Yahoo! Video">

'High School Musical 3' Can I Have This Dance? @ Yahoo! Video

And if you can't stand that - then it really has to be a spot of The Smiths. 

I challenge anyone to find a place that HSM and Morrissey are referenced in the same edit but here I go! Even though I cried myself to sleep every night through my sixteenth year listening to the extended 12" version of this master piece in it's full orchestrated misery, it now offers me great comfort and warmth.... enjoy!

">
And as for an image.....

A girl and her daddy and the sheer love that I captured in this kiss. How could this image fail to melt my heart. My FunnyGirl and her daddy... every time I look at this image I wish that that kiss was shared with me..

I tag @lolas_mum @ilovemonty @20somethingmum @That_Kat  and @swhittle

Happy Birthday. xx

I know that I have written about the challenges of a working mum many times before but today has been hard for me but even harder for ModelGirl. You see - today is her birthday and instead of being tucked up at home with her I'm in Barcelona.

I feel awful. I'm tired, worn out from the three days of meetings and the three nights of socialising with my colleagues from around the world. I feel as though I have let her down by not being there for her even though she is celebrating today with her friends, with me tomorrow and at her party on Saturday.

Who ever said that being a mum was easy?

At least the Blythe outfit that i had made for her in America arrived in time!

My 2010 mood board

I have been pulling together my review of the year post for the last couple of days.... but I'm still only at May! So when I saw this post from Rosie Scribble my Blythe sister, who had nicked the idea from Not Super Mum who nicked it from ThatGirl, I thought - what the hell.....

So please enjoy my personal mood board of inspiration for 2010.

From top left we have.... 

1. My hubby, the amazing Yan To - having just launched his first womenswear collection he will be showing at On/Off in Feb.

2. My new kitty Cheryl... she is a super oft Cornish Rex and my new baby! Did you know that she has her own kitty blog at TotallyKitty?

second line from left....

3. FunnyGirl.. the funniest kid in my life - she brings light and joy to every path she meets.

4. TotallySonny, my no2 son - a geeky scorpio blogger just like me!

5. No1 son.... now off at uni and who would have guessed that he would be planning a career in the media too?

third line from left

6. My new addiction, Blythe. The amazing doll who was originally produced for just one year in 1972 ( the year I was born). Alas she was ahead of her time. I love her style and in all honesty she's as photogenic as ModelGirl!

7. My no1 daughter - ModelGirl (in pic with me). She inspires me and challenges me in equal measure. I love her with all my heart after longing for a daughter for so many years.

8. The dress... I love this dress. My hubby made it for me and it makes me look and feel like a total princess.

fourth line from left

9. ModelGirl in her full modelling glory. She has the ability to be totally amazing.

10. TotallySonny was so excited by my blog that he started blogging himself. Amazing for an eight year old boy.

11. My beautiful custom Blythe once again... this one is for RosieScribble.

last line from left

12. My other new addiction... Big Eye Art. I have loads of pics and if you ever see any at car boot sales or thrift sales, please buy them for me! This is my fav... and why wouldn't it be? Those big sad eyes are so me!

13. My babies.... say no more. xx

I got my first Blythe

I blogged a few weeks ago about my new obsession with Blythe and look what santa brough me.....

She is an Ichigo Heaven customised by Jaszmade and I love her..

Thank you to the very special man who bought her for me...

Slight issue around our house now is that the girls have fallen in love with Blythe too. I can see that this might be the beginning of a very expensive habit....