The competitions just keep rolling in here at Slummy single mummy!

Today, following our recent review of the LEGO Wear range at www.miniwardrobe.com, I am able to give you the chance to win a Giokit of your choice.

Giokit is a new idea in children’s wear, where each piece becomes a creative opportunity. The kits contain everything that kids need to colour, decorate and customize their own t-shirt. Pretty cool, huh?

After a 40° wash, all the colours and decorations disappear and the t-shirt will be ready for another new art session. Hours of fun for those kids who prefer to draw on a wall/random object rather than paper. I quite wish they did them in grown up sizes, that way you could just buy the one t-shirt and draw a different design on it every day to look like you have a whole wardrobe full of t-shirts. That’s how it works, right? View Post

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Today I am feeling Not Very Well and I don’t like it.

I don’t like it because I know that I am really not very ill at all, but still I can’t help complaining and making little moany noises to myself.

When it comes to other members of the family being ill, I am just about the least sympathetic person you have ever met – I just can’t be doing with it. When I am ill though, I put on this annoyingly feeble voice and make a sad face that irritates even me, and I can’t even see it.

“Put I am pooooorrrrlllllyyyy,” I will say, sounding like a whiney three year old.  View Post

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Festival season is upon us.

(You can tell because it has been raining a lot lately.)

We’ve been to quite a few festivals over the years, and there are a few essentials that all families need at a festival. Wipes and wellies obviously are a must, as is a wallet bulging with twenty pound notes to pay for overpriced pies and chai teas, but one thing you absolutely cannot do without is a tutu.

Honestly, if I had a pound for every tutu I had seen at a festival – on everyone from babies to large bare-chested men in pink wigs – I’d have almost enough to pay for churros and chocolate for the whole family. (If I could be bothered to stand in the queue for half a day). View Post

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I’m not great at buying clothes for Belle. She has what a fashion magazine would call a ‘capsule wardrobe’, and doesn’t really like to dress outside her slightly too small skinny jeans and favourite jumpers, worn over and over. When the people at www.miniwardrobe.com gave Belle the opportunity to try something from their LEGO Wear range then, I was hopeful of expanding her clothing horizons.

Now I’m sure you are thinking, ‘LEGO Wear? Clothes made out of LEGO? Clothes for the little LEGO Characters?’ View Post

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Facebook hacking

I was out for dinner with a couple of friends earlier this week. We were having a conversation about how scary it is nowadays that children are online so much, with access to goodness knows what, and how so much of their social lives revolve around social media. View Post

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“Can you blog about it please Mummy?” is not something I hear a lot. “Nooo! Don’t blog about it Mummy!” is more like it. When Belle asked then if I could blog about the present she made me this week, I had to oblige, especially as when she checked my blog later in the day and I hadn’t immediately run to my laptop to write a post she looked very sad.

“I haven’t had time!” I protested.

“So why has this post about a breastpump appeared then?” she asked accusingly.

“It was scheduled!” I said.

You can see the pressure I’m under.  View Post

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This may seem a bit of an odd one, but bear with me. I have a bit of a soft spot for ARDO as when Belle was born, (and they were called something else), we lived about two minutes walk from their head offices in Taunton and I was always popping in for much needed nipple cream.

Ah, the stories I could tell you about my cracked nipples.

When Belle was a few months old and the cracks were healing nicely, I started training as a breastfeeding counsellor, and breastfeeding became a big part of my live for a long time. I won’t bore you with the details, but you can read a bit more of my story over on the ARDO blog if you feel so inclined. View Post

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I had some friends to stay this weekend.

“What’s with all the posts you’ve been writing lately?” one asked, referring to the rather extensive range of blogging tips I’ve been sharing lately. “I couldn’t even understand half the words.”

“Ah yes,” I explained, “it’s all to do with this new job with Collective Bias you see, supporting my blogger community and all that.”

I can see though that it would be a bit dull for those of you who aren’t especially interested in wordpress plugins. So how about this – today I weighed myself for the first time in about six months.

Dum dum dum!! View Post

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You know how Jamie Oliver chucks stuff about and whazzes things up and then at the end has this amazing looking meal all laid out casually yet beautifully on a piece of driftwood?

That could be you!

Cookery classes

OK, I can’t guarantee it will turn out quite like that, but you can have a good go at it if you win this competition. I’ve got £40 of vouchers to spend on any workshop you like at Recipease, Jamie’s food and kitchen shop where ‘anyone can learn to cook and make great food.’ View Post

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When I moved my blog to self-hosted recently, I was totally agog at the number of wordpress plugins available. Seriously, I didn’t know where to start. What plugins does wordpress even need??

After much muddling along, I’ve picked out my five favourites to get you started…

Five must have wordpress plugins

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You know those people who, no matter what, can’t resist sticking their hand up and saying ‘meeeee!’

I am one of those people, which is why on June 29th I will be abseiling down the Avon Gorge to raise money for Home-Start Bristol. Just to put that into a little bit of perspective for you, this is the Avon Gorge: View Post

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This isn’t a competition exclusive to me, but as someone who has had her fair share of terrible first dates, (like that man I met for lunch who bought his excitable dog with him), I was very happy to share.

We’ve all been there with friends, either asking for dating advice or offering it, but this way you get to potentially swap your dating expertise for £400 of vouchers to spend on the experience of your choice with Virgin experiences. There are two runners up prizes too of £200 each, so well worth a go!

All you have to do is click on the image below or the link here to be taken to the competition. You’ll then be able to watch a short video from John, and be asked to give him advice on three key questions ready for his date this weekend. On Monday, you can check back and here from John how it went! View Post

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