Barbie/Disney Doll holder.

As a Mum finding your Daughters collection of Disney/Barbies like this not uncommon. Which is a shame after spending all that money on them, you can't see them, also their hair goes crazy. After this picture was taken I spent 20 minutes combing Rapunzels hair and it's still all matted.

 So I came up with a plan, I'm sure I'm not the first to think of this but I bought a over the door shoe holder from Dunelm £3.99, and a fabric pen. I liked the plain colour but they did have bright blue and pink too.

 I wrote the names of the dolls Maisie already has, leaving gaps for future dolls, I kept them even at each side so the holder didn't lean. I used the last row for shoes, clothes and accessories.

 Then I got some glue, flowers and buttons out.

This a job your child could do themselves, and could be a great way to spend their day.

 Ta da, a completed doll holder.

 No tangle dolls, and you can see them all and know they're all safe.

A good way to help a 5 year learn how to look after her treasures.

Hope this was helpful

Amanda.x.

The best things in life are free.

Well it's that time of year again The School Holidays are upon us, well not me to be truthful as my eldest doesn't start school till September, so I just notice as there are more children in the usually quite places.  

But what I do notice at this time of year is the amount of events staged for children to suck the cash from your pockets & that's before you get to the gift shops, so I was pleasantly surprised at the great things we've been to this month that cost minimal amounts but gave maximum fun.

Hammond Pond/Upperby Gala. This is a free family friendly event that the City Council run to show off their lovely parks, they happen in different areas of the town, however they normally involve a funfair & plenty of food stalls to such your cash. We stuck to quieter pursuits of a homemade picnic, the wonderful children's tents with free workshops, stick play fighting & in Lucas' case tree hugging. 

Cost=£3.50 for ice cream.

Bitts Park. The main park in Carlisle Centre has a great play area and during the Summer months a fabulous water park which is free for all. 

Cost=0

We Built This City, Carlisle. A free event in a purpose built arena filled with hundreds of cardboard boxes you build into anything you can think of, as tall or as wide as you like.throughout the day, buildings will go up, be pulled down, be redesigned, extended, walked through and jumped on, and reconstructed. Lucas & I had great fun playing in the baby section which had smaller boxes. Cost = 0

So when looking for places to take your children on these holiday days take a bit of time to find out what is going on, on your own door step you may be pleasantly surprised because most young children don't want expensive days out they just want to do something with their parents that's fun.

Amanda.x.