The Power of Play, IKEA Ideas Festival : Smix Brix's Mysterious Delivery

IKEA  Ideas Festival is this month, encouraging families to 'play everyday'. One of the fun events is the Toy Design Competition. Kids can enter by drawing their dream soft toy and the winning designs are made into real toys to be sold in IKEA stores nationwide.

Here are last year's winners. For every soft toy sold, IKEA donates €1 to Save the Children.

One of last year's toys made its way to Smix in a mysterious parcel, his first time receiving cool things to vlog about on his YouTube channel, I'm a proud first generation blogger! 

Check out his video to see what awesome items he was sent. Thank you, IKEA Belfast! 

Dr. Martens: Do You Remember Your First Time?

Last week, Dr. Martens got in touch and wanted to offer Michael his first ever pair of DMs. They currently have an  Adventure Time themed collection, in kids' and adult sizes.

Fans of the quirky cartoon will love these, and you can even wear your Adventure Time fandom subtlety with the Marceline design in black & white. 

So as it was half term, Michael and I took a trip up to the Belfast Doc Shop so he could choose a pair, and of course pop into Yo Sushi, it would have been rude not to. 

The Cornmarket sited store is packed with designs for all the family, right down to newborn sized booties. 

Belfast Dr. Martens store downstairs.

Belfast Dr. Martens store upstairs

Also blue patent on the top shelf out of shot

So Michael had a lot to choose from, but after looking at the designs online when we got inside, he just threw a bit of a strop and wouldn't even try them on. I think he was dying to get to Yo Sushi, so instead the staff suggested I pick myself a pair. I know, blogging is tough sometimes ;-)

 I was pretty peeved off that Michael wouldn't choose a pair, as it's a really great quality boot to have, and go only has trainers really. But what can you do? I wasn't going to force a pair on him. Although when he found out later his best friend Connie has a shiny black pair, I think he wished he hadn't thrown a strop?

I actually am 'well stocked' in Dr. Marten's boots myself. I have mid-calf high zip up boots in black, which still are as new despite being worn for three winters of icy school runs and coastal path danders. Before them I owned the same design in brown.

My newest pair I wore along to the store visit. I got them last October and chose a design with a little more height, ox blood, matt, knee-heigh zip ups. That's them below.

The leather used in these casual, daily wear style boots, is a lot softer than the classic Dr. Marten eyelet boot. There's no 'breaking them in' process, and they keep their shape and don't slouch, even on matchstick legs like I have (spindly legs yet still have a double chin in this photo!) 

In the store's flash sale they had this ankle boot, Gayle, down from £95 to £65. I think for the quality and longevity of a pair of Doc Martens, that's a very decent price. You could look at it this way; they last so well that in 7 years time when you are still using them for Autumn and winter, you'll have paid less than £10 a year. It's simple, shopping mall mathematics, or rather any excuse to buy some lovely boots.

The tweed print is what drew me to this pair, which is also available in black. The buckles are adjustable, but with my tiny ankles I don't need to undo them to put them on. I'm not a huge fan of ankle boots, but these I like.

Detail on the Gayle boot in brown

And to keep them looking new every autumn, they included this water & stain spray, which I can use to liven up my existing pairs, and even leather handbags, or suede, or nubuck.

So I was disappointed that Michael didn't want to play along and receive his first ever Dr. Martens, but it made me remember MY first pair. I was about 13 or 14, so it must have been the early 90s.

EVERYONE had Dr. Marten boots. I remember one non-uniform day at Sullivan Upper, my schoo, and at least half the class proudly sporting the cherry red, ox blood red, or black boots. I really, REALLY wanted a pair. 

It wasn't the price that was the problem, my Mum didn't mind paying that sort of price for winter boots, but my parents really didn't want their little 13 year old girl, stomping around in big boots that they were used to seeing punks wearing. 

My first Dr. Marten's, bought around 1993 when I was 13

Finally they gave in, but I couldn't get leather, or black, or loads of height. My first pair were suede, green, six eyelet boots and I LOVED them. 

So, thinking Michael was supposed to get his first ever pair, and thinking about my green, suede wonders, I decided to ask Twitter did they remember their first pair of Dr. Martens.

So many people replied, with fond stories about them at that age, or what they got up to in their first pair. Many, like me, had to convince their middle class, church-going, Northern Irish parents, that Dr. Martens weren't just for punks or naughty boys & girls. Now we would think nothing of getting a child a pair, there's even newborn baby size!

So it's clear Dr. Martens as a brand means more than just fashion, when people have such clear memories of their first pair. Signing off, here's a selection of the replies. 

Introducing Michael's Own YouTube Channel 'Smix Brix'

I can hardly believe it, but may I introduce my son's own vlog  Smix Brix. 'Brix' because following in the footsteps of Stampy & that Squid fella, Smix started making his own Minecraft videos about a month ago, which I edited a bit and uploaded to my own channel.

The viewership so far has mostly just been his school mates, so to save him having to direct them to his embarrassing mum's channel, I set up his own. I've always been too mortified to make the leap from blogging to vlogging, but with millions of kids tuning into daily videos from Stampy & friends, talking to camera seems to come much more naturally.

The man himself in action

Michael usually gives me an 8-10 minute video which I crudely chop and cut down to about 3 mins. It's not a professional job, but it sort of works enough for what he wants it to look like. 

It would really make his day if you clicked through and add to his views or even subscribe! If it doesn't interest you, it certainly might be a winner with your kids. As well as Minecraft he has showed us his Playmobil Fun Fair waltzer his Granny got him for his birthday. 

His  latest video is about more birthday gifts he received, including Minecraft Lego, a replica torch, red stone ore lamp, Minecraft Hints & Cheats annual, and finally Stampy's Lovely Book.

Surprise Kitsch Birthday Dinner

It was Michael's 8th birthday yesterday and my whole family went to Wolfes in Dundonald. It does giant amounts of food, so I ordered a starter for my main, nachos.

And look how they showed up!  

I now feel a total lack of nacho donkey in my home, everyone should own one! 

Half-term Cool Looks for Cool Kids at Heatons

I do enjoy a wee browse in Heatons' Bangor store every so often. Their clothing section for women can often have some fab items like the royal blue & white striped sailoresque jumper which is on special offer right now.

They are also a good place to stock up on jeggings, they often have them in bright colours too, not just blue or black denim. I'm after a bottle green pair myself, so I'm keeping an eye out. 

But it's the kids who take centre stage this half-term with trendy floral dresses at £10 and little boys’ casual tops from £4. Timeless denim staples like the boys’ denim jeans range and a cute denim dress will kit the kids out for a fun-filled week of activities from just £10. Theres Heatons’ stylish outerwear like the little girls’ longline parka (from £15) and boy’s puffa jacket (£14) that will keep them trendy as we transition to the colder months!

Shop these looks online at www.heatonsstores.com with free shipping on orders over £30.

Lily Pink Bakery Makes Smix's Birthday Mega With Minecraft Cupcakes for his Class!

Little baby Smickles

Bigger Smix

Yo Sushi did a random Blue Thursday, so we called in

Smix turns eight on Monday, and this year Claire at the Lily Pink Bakery made his whole class super cool green frosted cupcakes, with rainbow sprinkles & glitter.

The toppers are Minecraft characters printed on rice paper which I picked up on eBay last month. 

It was also Michael's teacher's birthday actually today, so she told us they were having a Halloween party in the classroom today anyway! 

If you'd like to get some Lily Pink Cupcakes yourself, use the contact details on Claire's business site.

Watch for more Birthday fun this weekend. 

My little baby

The Freddy Krueger Knitted Toilet Roll Holder Dolly

No description needed. 

Ridgway Homemaker Inspired Treehouse of Terror Simpsons' Mugs- From Poundland!

It may just be my Ridgway Homemaker obsessed eye, but doesn't this mug from Poundland in Bloomfields have a bit of a nod to the classic black & white striped background 50s' design? 

Simpsons' fans should call in and get the set, a steal at £1 a mug.