I have a few random things I want to show you and chat about.
The Swap-O-Matic Vending Machine...
Have you seen it? I love all things cool and kitchy. Well click this link and take a look! Or this link for a little demonstration video. I love it!! And want one right here in my city! I could see this in the local libraries and cool arty shops.
Super Cheap Haircut.
So my fringe was touching the middle of my nose and I was feeling blah about my hair. But wanting to not spend time or money at the hairdressers I grabbed my small sewing scissors and snipped snipped away in less then 5 minutes. It's a bit crooked, but I like quirky so now I'm quirky.
By the way, if you live in Darwin I noticed the hairdressers in Karama Shopping Centre are looking for models for creative haircuts. So if your feeling groovy give them a call and see if you can get a FREE cut.
 |
| Crookedly Quirky and Free. |
Bad Book Purchase Turned into a Win.
I purchased a 2nd hand book for $4 thinking it had a photograph The Rambling Expat had taken. It didn't. However it had eight, 55 cent postal stamps that I can use. Value $4.40, that's a 40 cent win. Book off to the op shop, stamps in my wallet. Yeah for small wins.
 |
| Not the Right Book. |
 |
| Happy Discovery of Stamps. |
Birthday Goodie Bags.
Dolly prepared her goodie bags for her birthday party. I was inspired by this Blog Post. We used a 50 cent Art op shop book we had lying around gathering dust and lunch bags from last years birthday party. I am trying to instill a love and knowledge of Art to Dolly. So she chose Art Nouveau pictures that looked like Princesses, Princes, Queens and Kings.
 |
| Working Hard |
 |
| 10 Bags Completed - Ready To Be Filled With Treats. |
Tiny Frog.
As I blog tonight the rain is sprinkling it's much wanted moisture giving us some relief from the humid heat. I can hear frogs singing from every direction and I saw this tiny creature on the fly screen catching insects attracted by my light. I dashed out in the rain to take a photo of him on the window and as I did so, he jumped on my head. As I eased him off gently, I took a quick pic for you. So small and beautiful.
 |
| The Rambling Expat in the Background, Inside Out Of The Rain. |
 |
| Exquisite. |
Thanks for reading and if you're lucky enough to get a Swap-O-Matic near you let me know :-)
PS: My Rambling Expat has a Fishing Lure Giveaway if you enjoy fishing.
Oh, I am loving the updates about Dolly's party and how creative you are all being.
ReplyDeleteYou are a fantastic inspiration for all Mums out there.
And the fringe looks great, because you wear it with confidence.
Sft x
beautiful frog
ReplyDeleteHi SFT. Thank you for your kind words. I keep my daughter occupied otherwise she is easily frustrated and lonely. There are no other children in our block of units and no siblings or cousins to play with. Most of our family is in France.
ReplyDeleteHey Frugal Highness, The frog is so gorgeous - I'm not sure if it's a baby green frog or something else. Dolly was
I usually get my Mum/housemate to cut my hair. My housemate in particular was so nervous about doing it, but she did a much better job than the university hairdresser I went to the time before that!!
DeleteDolly's bags are looking ace. Also, loooove tiny frog! You have the coolest nature!
Hi Bryallen, I used to get The Rambling Expat to cut my hair 15 years ago but we seem to have stopped that. I still cut his though. My last hairdresser haircut at a budget salon was shocking. $30 badly spent.
ReplyDeleteMy girl is proud of her bags. Our next project is preparing pass the parcel. She wants a pass the parcel. I'm over them - they are always full of plastic junk toys. I'll need to see what I can find in op shops, make or reuse. Hopefully I can get away from buying new stuff.
Our garden has got some lovely animals. I should take a pic of a possum next. I like to leave fruit out for them.
I'm loving the party updates! And I really love pass the parcel, I just remember how exciting it was to open them. I'm looking forward to see what you put inside! Thanks for all the frugal inspiration (I linked you in a blog post today).
ReplyDeleteYour fringe looks great!! Well done, you are brave, I wouldn't feel confident cutting my hair.
ReplyDeleteDolly's bags are wonderful, what a great idea! Pass the parcel with op shop toys would be great. Please do continue to send photos of your garden animals
*sorry that should have said #post photos of your garden animals
ReplyDeleteAt last I came to the video of the Swap O Matic! It is is my daughter's neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteI read the goody bags at children's parties were on the way out, so maybe that will be a relief in a few years. Those are cute and teach her not to go shopping for all she wants.
My bangs and front of hair are easy to cut, often I get it a bit gapped or crooked. It looks better than before, so it saves me money, and I just don't care.
Yay for stamps in books. I have found lots of those in my day. Your find was more than any of mine. Maybe you can resell the book.
Before I became a SAHM I was a hairdresser. It's an awesome trade and I save myself loads. If you need any tips let me know:)
ReplyDeleteThe little party bags are super cute and unique. What a great way to personalise them.
\
I love froggies...he is super cute!!
Glad you had a nice week:)
xx Debb
Hi Clare, Pity weddings don't have pass the parcel.. Or maybe it could :-) Thank you for the link up.
ReplyDeleteHi Erica, If my hair had looked really bad I would have just put on a headband for a few months. I love and was inspired by the song by Gossip Dimestore Diamond and the lyrics: "Everybody knows, But no one can tell, A homemade haircut, But she wears it well, She's a dimestore diamond." My inspiration for being frugal and taking risks comes from every direction :-)
Practical that is so cool! Has your daughter used it or gone to look at it? Goodies back not on the way out here. We bought very inexpensive lollies from the Christmas stock, last week.
Hey Thriftmumma, that's a great bartering skill you have. You could use it for cleaning help, babysitting, sewing and so much more!!! What a great skill you have.
Years ago when I was a teacher of small children, one family had a fabulous low cost birthday party. It was held at the weekend in the school playground. Mum brought everything in eskies and boxes. The children played a couple of organised games and then simply played on the play equipment. Then it was time to wash hands at the bubblers and eat. Everyone sat on the grass in the shade on some old sheets. Cake, hot dogs, half frozen treats in plastic lunch bags. More play. The only hard part was having the key to the toilets. A few parents stayed and helped with supervision. Everyone picked up the litter at the end - school habits. No photos, no music. Same containers to carry home as to bring everything. The children were very comfortable in the school setting.
ReplyDeleteHi Stephanie, I like how you are instilling a creative nature within your child, and I also read your latest comments on Frugal Queen's blog. In response to that I think you would enjoy watching this TED talk on education and creativity. Its an amazing speech of around 20 minutes on why our education system kills creativity. Well worth a watch. And its another form of free entertainment!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
xxx Eve
Hi Louise,
ReplyDeleteI hope to have mine in the botanical gardens. Just near my home, access to space, tables, toilets, taps and a fridge. However the problem is that it's monsoonal weather. Makes it very hard to plan her party and it's too small in our flat. Her 3rd birthday rained so heavily with lightening I had to call everyone in the morning and postpone to another week.
Thanks for that Eve, He's an interesting man and funny. I wasn't brought up with creativity but creative people have always intrigued me. Since having my daughter, going frugal and looking at the world environmental problems I have discovered being creative is VERY Important and Happiness is extremely important and has a strong link to being creative.