Back in the game....

Yessirreeee, I am back now.  My computer is fixed (yay! 1500 malware, spyware and adware files later.....) and is working better than ever.  So, how did I celebrate?  I dragged my family to a thrift store for a spot of fun trawling of course!

This is most of my bounty.  I bought a few of those old decorative tins as my Mum collects them so I can use them as gift boxes for a double gift.  I always find it hard to pass up cane and wicker baskets (so I don't!) especially when they are all less than 90 cents.  I like to do basic embroidery with my kids so I am always on the lookout for hoops and I was thrilled to find these little packs of vintage buttons for 20 cents.  I got these hand knitted mittens for Lord A.  I am assuming that one of the volunteers knits them up to help with raising money.  I also got a cute striped runner that is the exact length of our dining table for $2.80, a couple of board games for the kids for less than $1 ea (and all the pieces are there) and a small basketball that fits Lord A's new hoop perfectly.  I did also pick up some owl ornaments that I was going to spray paint white as a gift but the kids nabbed them for their rooms.

So, I will have to show you what I do with the cane baskets and tins.  I am thinking the larger basket will be my greeting card one stop organising centre.  Anyway, I will show you what I come up with later.

Oh, and Happy Halloween everyone for this Sunday!  (by the way, what is with the adult female costumes for sale???  does every adult woman want to look like she is in a very questionable dinner theatre production at the local 'gentleman's club'??  harumph..)

Sound matching game

Woo hoo!  I am managing to do a quick post.  I still haven't had any luck getting my computer fixed and I have a bunch of comments waiting for moderation but I can't access that page right now.  I am just happy I can do this quick post.

Here is a very quick idea and one that I am surprised with the popularity of it with Lord A (he just turned 5).  I made these awhile ago but forgot to mention them.  They are the little plastic 'eggs' that Kinder Surprise toys come in.  I kept a bunch of them, thinking they could be useful, and came up with this classic sound matching game.  Lord A and I gathered a bunch of items to put inside (in pairs) and then we just sealed them up with some hardware store tape.  We have them sitting in a cleaned out ice cream container although I am keeping an eye out for a nice little wicker basket from a thrift shop.  I think that would look nicer. And that is very important of course.  ha ha.  Lord A goes back to this again and again.  They just pick up one of the eggs, shake it and then try to find the other one that sounds the same.

If you are interested in some ideas, here is a list of the items we used.  Well, the ones I can remember anyway.

- sand
- little tubular beads (from those large Ikea bead jars)
- coins
- rice
- tiny metal nuts (from nuts and bolts)

It was a little tricky with the last couple to get different enough sounds to distinguish from the others.  These would be fun to have a bunch of them just filled with the beads or sand as little maracas also.  Those items make a lovely sound.

Computer problems

I will write this quick (before the page disappears!!).  I have been trying to post for the last week and have to finally admit my computer must have a virus of some sort.  I will be sorting that out and then back with a vengeance!  I have some great projects coming up!  See you all soon.