While I’d love to buy a drink for each and every single of the one hundred bloggers heading to the Zoo this Sunday, I don’t think it’s fair on those of you that can’t make it.

How about I make you all some cake? Yes, that photo is me in the kitchen, rustling up something tasty, wonderful and celebratory – but oh, what rotten luck, with our low-tech social networking, you can’t even taste it!

Well fear not, I’ve managed to magic up with a bit of blagging and barefaced cheek blogging goodness some cracking goodies for everyone to have a shot at bagging.

And here they are and they could be yours, just drop me a comment on this post, or a tweet @nixdminx and I’ll pick the winners of these darling goodies by December 10. I’ll be adding a few more over the coming week too, so keep your eyes peeled lovelies x

Karaoke Golden Ticket

I’ve got a Lucky Voice Golden Ticket on offer. That means two hours free singing in this most glamorous of establishments with cocktails and microphones galore!  It’s so much fun, you’ll want to say longer…I ended up staying an extra three hours on my Birthday last year.

If you can work out what this song is below, will you let me know…the lyrics aren’t recognisable but I think we sang it more than once!

Super Lush Sweet and Dreamy Box

This gorgeous Sweet and Dreamy Lush briar box of rosy dreams and sugar candy baths (quite tempted to keep it actually) could be winging it’s way to you ahead of the Christmas Party Season and could help you get over all those dreadful hangovers feel fresh as a winter daisy.

Festive Fun: Peter Pan tickets

This is one hot show this Christmas – I have two tickets to see the Peter Pan show at the 02 from lastminute.com*.  It’s also a little known fact that my birthday falls on the same day that the original book was published (Peter Pan by J M Barrie)

Kitchen Goodies from Simple Human

Thanks to Simple Human for the Sinky Caddy & Drainer – I would hate for you all to be scrubbing pots and pan without some kind of stylish kit…

Tickets to SeaLife

Here’s one to fill the days after Christmas when you simply have to get out of the house, two tickets to Sea Life – take your pick which one you want to go to

Transformers DVDs

Blockbuster movies are always great for rainy days and I know this one is a goodie. I have four, yes four!, DVDs of Transformers 2 Revenge of The Fallen

I really enjoyed the first film, so please let me know what you think of it – but remember it has a 12 rating.

Thanks to Lush, lastminute.com, Simple Human, Lucky Voice and Paramount DVD for their generous offer of prizes – it always helps to keep the readers happy! x

*valid for performances Monday to Thursday before December 17 2009

These Pandas are not just cute, they’re endangered and very limited edition and exclusive, so it’s nice to see some creative campaigning.

And also a touch of the Tim Burton-gothic style in the realisation of it. Even better, half the shop windows were given over to the installation and it definitely made an impact on me.

Throughout the Summer I had great plans to overhaul my life – to really make the back bedroom a fabulous walk in wardrobe instead of a dumping ground, to go through all my paperwork and get on top of things. But I confess, there was rose to be drunk – barbecues to be cooked, Summer was just too much fun and sadly, being the child of chaos that I am, I’ve obviously not done it at all. .

After two days of enforced rest with suspected wine swine flu, I decided it was high time to streamline a few things, be a bit more orderly and grow up….

In fact, I have surpassed myself and outsourced the whole lot. I kid you not.

I had to – I mean really had to. You see there is nothing worse than having no food in the house is there, especially when you have a growing child who is constantly hungry – I mean hollow legs is her middle name. Or waking up to no milk for the essential morning cuppa (I can’t function without at least two massive mugs of tea before I leave the house) and the bowl or five of cereal that Miniminx quaffs.

Then, while trying to get myself ready for work, even worse, finding not only the cupboards and fridge bare, but also the wardrobe and I’m rummaging around to find something in a reasonable state to wear when most of my clothes have been hung up on the floor. It just can’t go on.

Yes, I’m a slacker, and that’s why I work. I would make such a bad, bad housewife that it terrifies me and everyone else around me at just the thought. People have seen me hoover and taken the damned thing off me – they even shout ‘You don’t know what you’re doing!’ Imagine that would you? Do you know how it feels to be so perplexing without even trying? It’s embarrassing. And as for washing up, my friends who have seen me in action just smile glibly when I offer to muck in at their houses – as if I’ve offered to straighten their teeth manually.

I’m the kind of person that uses every pot and pan in the house to cook a meal and takes childish delight in moving me and my delightful mess around with me everywhere I go. A total and utter clutter nutter. It’s just the way I am and I decided to get professional help.

So here goes, here’s my 4 Step Programme for Nomestic Godesses and believe you me, it’s working:

Step 1 Fresh Food
Abel&Cole are now taking care of fruit and veg intake (oh and nice organic wine and lots of other sumptuous things) and delivering to my front door weekly – all packaging recycled weekly (no plastic either)

Step 2 Milk, Milk, Milk
Who would have thought that I would find a man called Dean who would drop by my house every so often and make sure I could have a nice cuppa every day. Well I have, by some chance google search, I found Dairy Crest online so now have a milkman who delivers organic milk three times a week and juice too. And no packaging – just give it all back when it’s finished and the bin stays empty!

Step 3 Clean Clothes and Bed Linen
No more dragging sacks of clothes around or wrestling with king size duvet covers and sheets – there’s a new and very reasonably priced laundry and dry cleaning company Wilton Green which picks up and delivers. They even did loads of stuff for free on my first order. I absolutely love them – they even put my clothes on my favourite wooden hangers so none of that annoying dry cleaner hanger stuff any more (and the bin stays empty again).

Step 4 Clean House
I hate mess, it depresses me, and once every few months I go into a zen like trance and clean the house from top to bottom but it’s only for the novelty. Imagine my delight when I got a text from my cleaner. Oh yippe yay she is back in business after a stint selling kitchens that didn’t quite work out…so I’m making use of her as much as I can and the house is clean and sparkly.

And what’s next? Ooh, lets have a declutter. Or maybe I’ll just bag everything up and shove it in the back bedroom…

Yay, I survived a night in the wild.
Here is my 5* accommodation, complete with ensuite field.

With all thoughts of glamping, and umbrellas at the ready, it was time to do some serious shopping in the country.

This I could not resist. If you want your raspberries fresh – well how about this gorgeous punnet – handpicked by my own fair hands in a lovely PYO farm. I did pick a lot more but they were scoffed on the way round the raspberry canes. Everyone was at it actually, one of the great PYO perks. And I was totally transported back to long forgotten memories of childhood when we could take plastics boxes (usually old icecream ones) and go bramble picking. With fruit-stained fingers and vampiric mouths we would return home with pound upon pound of blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, loganberries if lucky, and then it would be time to make jam. So this lovely lot is going to end up potted shortly…I can’t wait.

Can you spot the wasp in this picture?
I promise it’s for real – they were everywhere this weekend – probably drawn out by the sweet smell of Summer fruits. It didn’t cost a thing and was kindly thrown in by the camp site.
This gorgeous punnet of organic redcurrants cost £1 at the campsite and they’re like jewels and taste beautifully tart. Oh and of course don’t forget the freshly laid organic eggs for £1.20.

Last but not least, this gorgeous shop in Sissinghurst was a treasure trove and I spotted an antique watering can that I just had to have.

You can see it somewhere in the picture…a bargain at £15.

You will not believe what the last week or so have involved – it’s been AMAZING! YesterdayLast SundayThe Sunday before last Sunday morning I woke up early and had a wardrobe crisis.
Yesterday Last Sunday Last Sunday before last Sunday lunchtime, I was in a jungle thunderstorm replete with jugs of squash and jelly.

Then I crossed a Protest March at Piccadilly Circus.

Miniminx fooled around in Waterstone’s (that fabulous old Bauhaus building on Piccadilly with hand dryers in the toilets that sound like a wind tunnel but very helpful staff all the same) while I tried to find the new Monica Ali book – I did and it was signed by the author – woo hoo.

Then, when I got home, I found a photo on my camera of a gorilla with moobs.

It can only mean one thing.

The British Mummy Bloggers lunch. Well who’da thought we’d finally get together in such great numbers AND children, partners too.

13 or so Mummy Bloggers and their entourage is no mean feat to herd into one place, at the same time and keep entertained, fed and watered for a couple of hours, and of course, educated about the ‘new’ Silver Cross range.

Well gold stars all round to everyone including Miniminx who made loads of new friends. I am only sad that I didn’t get the chance to chat to everyone who turned up but I managed to gabble nonstop and giggle non stop (sorry, it was me snickering at Larry and his paper plane throwing during the presentation speech).

I’m going to spend a lot of time reading over the next few weeks. But the thing is I don’t seem to have a moment to spare these days.

But saying that, I will definitely be going on the Butlins trip so hope to see a few of you all there. I was anticipating our lunch with glee and was by no means disappointed. Being who I am, I spent most of my time nattering in the corner and I loved talking to Part Mummy Part Me, Potty Mummy, Maternal Tales and Coding Mama – you’re all brilliant!

Arriving at Pisa airport, we grabbed our luggage and then I spotted two armed security men opening up the suitcase of a seemingly disinterested man.  I couldn’t help it, I should have just walked off,  but I was entranced by the event unfolding in front of my eyes. The suitcase was opened up delicately as if by a surgeon performing an intricate surgery. From its innards was born a plastic bag. It was sliced open and unfurled to reveal another bag inside full of white powder. Oh my god, DRUGS, this was a drugs bust. By now totally transfixed, I’d lost track of time and space and was gawping. Another small parcel wrapped in brown paper…unravelled…MORE DRUGS. Eyes on stalks at this point, I couldn’t believe the nonchalance of the traveller in the face of such big big trouble.

A small tap on my arm and I span round – Miniminx was desperate to get out of the place and I had no idea where the exit was. Oh, hang on a minute, right by the drugs bust. We walked past. Welcome to Italia!

We sauntered over the to foreign exchange till and I asked for 100 Euro.
‘Ciao.’
‘Ciao, how can I help?’
’100 Euros please’
‘Ok’
‘Thanks’
‘You buy 100 Euro and we take 21 Euro’
‘I’m sorry?’
‘We take 21 Euro from you’
Blimey I thought, what a rip off.
‘It’s ok, I will leave it, thanks’

We found an ATM and headed to get the train to Florence. There was no child option on the machine so I paid for two full price adult tickets and waited for the train, desperate to reach the end of our journey and hoping that our first 10 minutes in the country would not set the tone for the rest of the trip.

It had, and it did. Having left the welcoming arms of myhotel in Brighton – our space age rooms with iPod surround system, and general mollycoddling, that no sane person would turn their nose up at – we arrived tired, hot, sweaty and hungry at the wrong train station and then managed to get to Firenze SMN and into a cab. It was only 10 Euros to the hotel which seemed okay, but then as we walked around town the next day, we realised the journey was a short walk and that we had been driven around town on a long detour to make up the cab fare. Rotten luck.

We checked into our hotel, set within an old Palace with many original features (ie. nearly but not quite on the verge of falling down). The room was fantastic with double height ceilings and a view over the River Arno. It was decidedly low tech. I have to admit I was by now in the throes of culture shock.

Having settled in, it was time to go and get some proper Italian food and see some sights. The food was awful – Miniminx had a watery pizza and I had a tuna salad all for the princely sum of 35 Euros. Oh well, I thought, we’re here so let’s enjoy.

I was stunned by the orgy of ancient art on display and was keen to get stuck into a few museums. I certainly hadn’t banked up on the sniggering and tittering that would be bubbling up just below shoulder height. The ‘sights’ garnered quite a reaction from Miniminx, in fact a total gigglefest. A city of wall to wall statues of naked men – how dumb could I be? It soon became obvious this trip of enlightenment and study of Renaissance art was not going to go quite the way I planned it.

we did manage to find the only fully dressed statue in Florence

Light relief soon came in the shape of a horse and cart tour.
‘Mummymummymummymummy’
‘Yes?’
‘Canwecanwecanwecanwe’
‘Yes?’
‘Go on one of those?’
‘Better check how much first’ I walked over to a man in charge who sent me to someone else.
‘It’s 50 Euro for fifteen minutes’ she said.
’50 darling is too much’
‘No Mum it’s fiffff teeeeen’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yessssssssssss’
We hopped in. It was great and we enjoyed it. The sun was shining and the lady driver gave a quick history lesson as we clip clopped through the cobbled streets and along the river. All too soon it came to an end and yes, the fare was 50 Euros.

horse goes shopping at Chanel - no wonder it's 50 Euros a ride

Unperturbed by the continual empyting of my purse, we dawdled around and gorged ourselves on Italian fare. Miniminx was in her element – pasta, pizza, icecream in no particular order.

Our last day was really sunny and I’d promised Miniminx pizza in a piazza in Pisa. So we went and mooched, munched and meandered around. We were approached by street sellers with fake designer watches and plastic jewels draped on their arms. ‘Ciao bling bling’ was their mantra.

After some last minute shopping, we headed out for dinner and giggled our way through three courses. Back at the hotel it was time to pack. We had an early flight and a 5.30 start. I began to realise my dream of Florence that I’d nurtured for years had become a bizarre reality. The romantic vision of the Merchant Ivory classic Room with a View was long gone.

Instead it was replaced by a memorable experience and characteristic of our lives and noone else’s. Our first night in Florence was spent applying Hedrin (at least I got it duty free) and then I had a cheese induced nightmare about Jamie Oliver – I woke up screaming (and probably scared the living daylights out of the other hotel guests). I lost my bankcard so had to get money wired over, that was a bit hairy but we pulled through. The romantic street life I’d imagined was in reality teeming with hordes of tourists. Huge groups of them were wearing yellow or blue or red baseball caps according to their tour party and were herded around like cattle. Most of the food was pure cliche and the market stalls full of tat. People were very arrogant, often pushing us off the pavement and unceremoniously into the gutter. My shopping fantasy (Prada, Prada, Prada) transmuted into a trip to a pharmacy for facewash and bubblebath and as you know my culture vulture ambition collapsed into a fit of giggles. Amid this hubbub of chaos, a Mother and Daughter had a whale of a time and as you can see from the picture, a pretty nice view too.

our own spectacular room with a view

Then began the journey back. We arrived at the airport for sunrise and after several coffees boarded the plane. And then home to a pristine house and all order replaced with chaos within five minutes; suitcases strewn around the place, bizarre purchases unwrapped and tossed aside, a doormat full of mail rifled through, yes, messiness is our middle name.

Time to wake up the house to our friendly chatter and din. Music on, kettle on, tv very loud, shoes off and then the big post flight, slump on the sofa….

Now it’s the eve of the new school term, there’s a year’s supply of Easter eggs waiting to be eaten. A freshly filled fridge, a roast dinner demolished, skimmed through Sunday papers are folded untidily. The slosh and whir of the dishwasher and washing machine says we’re back in the business of domesticity.

Sunshine has been streaming through the windows today, the blossoms are shedding their petals while the lush greenery unfurls itself.

High energy kids called across the garden fences…
‘Hey’
‘Hey you’
‘When did you get back?’
‘Where did you go?’
‘When are you coming to play?’
‘See you at schooool!’

Oh boo hoo. It’s over, the Easter holidays are at an end and already it feels like Summer is here. And in the words of Miniminx ‘There will be no pizza, pasta or icecream for a very long time…’

Piddle.

The thought of making a mad dash to grab a new one left me on the verge of passing out. I’ve spent the last month trying to perfect the recipe for my gorgeous breakfast treats. But there’s pain, and there’s PAIN.

I am still suffering from a 1,000 yard dash in very high heels down the Kings Road two nights ago.  My feet are in ribbons. If that wasn’t bad enough, after a full day in the office in four inch heels yesterday, I went to meet my very fast-on-her-feet sister for dinner and a movie last night. I must have walked two miles from the station to restaurant to cinema to car park, and the soles of my feet were screaming.   And so was I inside.

Today I have found solace in my Minnetonka moccasin boots, call me Pocahontas, I don’t care, comfort is what I’m craving.

So back to the checkout.

In bleeding heart style, I meekly held up the offending sugar bag to show the lovely man on the check out that it had sprung a miniscule but meaningful leak.

‘I’m sorry,’ I choked the words out. ‘But there’s a hole in the bag, I am not going to take it’

‘You can change it you know.’
I yawned (how embrassing at 6.45pm) and rather comically raised my tired and deflated eyebrows (yes I can, no botox). Please ring the bell and ask some wonderful person to save my feet and get it for me, I was thinking.  He opened his mouth as if to say the magic words, but…out came
‘Yes, you can’
My eyes narrowed. I did not need a Barack Obama-ism to spur me on to do another marathon around our supersized not so super market.
‘I’m. Too. Tired.’ I gasped.

But after two days back at work and a marathon shop, that’s the easy bit out of the way. My Easter holidays are just beginning. I’ve got to head to North, South, East and West London, there’s an Easter Egg Hunt to prepare, a massive Sunday feast to produce and packing for a holiday and that’s all before the back to school mayhem, and then work. Compared to what’s coming, this was a bloody picnic!

Honestly, I’m really looking forward to it all. But there always needs to be a Plan B. At times like these, my hero Pedro Almodovar springs to mind. I’m a real fan of his early movies and especially this Gazpacho recipe. It’s an evil twin to my Bloody Mary Mix which I’ll begin marinading tomorrow for Sunday.

Ladies and gents, if your Easter Sunday gets too much don’t worry. When everyone hits the chocolate high from too many eggs, you may start to feel the exasperation of being chained to the kitchen and that irksome feeling when the champagne runs dry. Fear not, just remember this clip from Women on the Verge of A Nervous Breakdown. It’s an all time family favourite among the women in my family. Give them a bowl of this special gazpacho and I guarantee you’ll have a peaceful day and no arguments over what crap to watch on telly.

picture credit James Mosingo

No darlings, no typo, I’m far too considered for that. I suppose it’s more of a wardrobe misfunction. Or really a malfunction. Actually, it’s a nonfunction. No, no, sorry. It’s a gone-function.

‘Wasdrobe’ is my new name for what was my work wardrobe. It came to me as I opened up the white doors to find something to wear for my child-free bout of weekend socialising. I rifled through the rails marvelling at all this smart stuff I haven’t worn for months and had a small but perfectly formed revelation. A very obvious and great divide had evolved….

You see, while I’ve had time on my hands, I’ve put it to good use. I’ve done what every good girl should, but no frazzled full-time-working-bread-winner-plate-spinning Mum can do, I’ve colour coded my wardrobe (yep, I bet you’re jealous).

I know, it’s not exactly ground breaking, but it’s my own kind of Hong Kong Shoey Feng Shui. Starting on the left with a winter white Prada waterproof jacket that’s definitely seen a few adventures…moving towards chocolate browns including a very neat suede biker cut jacket, a D&G striped knit with olive sleeves and a few choice khaki items; linen trousers etc, then on to my blue clothes, and ending at my DVF purple satin wrap blouse. Then strangely, a gap. Well not quite a gap, it’s filled with empty wooden hangers. And towards the right, it’s all gone a bit Johny Painter – see vid if you’re not a Fast Show aficionado…

So there it is.
A preCredit Crunch collection of expensively tailored, extensively searched for, very exquisite and very defunct clothing.

Black cacherel 50s style jacket, my prized Armani cinched waist rosette jacket, DKNY nipped waist dress, Miu Miu capri pants, black merino jersey t-shirt, black stretch cotton tank, black biker jacket, black Maggie Wonka net skirt, some eco friendly black wrap dress. And there’s a whole lot more languishing at the dry cleaners.

But who cares about the designers – it’s all just black – and a sign of things now past. Like they say, consigned to the back of the cupboard. And how the world has changed…

Funny isn’t it when you see a little capsule collection, or rather a time capsule, like that?

A few months back, I posted a recipe which I love to use, Grandma’s Groovy Flapjack. It has proved very popular, not least because it’s simple, cheap and nutritious.

This week, while browsing my mumsnet weekly email, I jumped out of my seat. I reached the bottom of the newsletter and discovered Recipe of the Week is mine – what a great thing to happen.

So much as I’d like to say the pleasure is all mine, I can’t take the credit, I’m not the originator of this recipe, although I have tweaked it a little and will continue to fine tune it, the honour goes to Miniminx’s Grandma, so well done you!

Now, I’m foraging around the kitchen to get cracking on a new version with pumpkin seeds and Red Leicester, with touch of smoked paprika. Miniminx loves hers with pine nuts, and hold the carrot and Worcestershire sauce…

In fact, I reckon we’ve got more choices than Starbucks here…

If you’ve tried this at home, please send me your tweaks and tips, and I’ll be sure to try them out!

This surely is frugaletarianism at it’s absolute best, happy reading.

Bin there…
First I bring you The Rubbish Diet , better than a bogof (‘buy one get one free’ for the uninitiated), it has a great round up of eight or so ways to keep your bin empty, your belly full and change in your purse.

Charity Begins at Home

Shoestring Alley is a great take on living for less and putting aside money for the future. So the lucky girl will be having a great holiday and a cushy Christmas in 2009.

I really like Potty Mummy’s new frugal ways – I’ve been taking a few notes, especially on the meal planning side…and you can save yourself a thousand quid or so, not bad eh?

Violet Posy shares her shabby chic style and tells us about her chair make over.

London for Free

The lovely Susanna at A Modern Mother sent me this post which makes me proud to be a Londoner. Our melting pot metropolis is possibly the most expensive city in the world, yet we still manage throw open the doors of our great institutions for free. Find out how you can have a free workshop at The National Gallery.

For Frugal Fashionistas

Bargain hunters will be delighted to discover Recessionista Sister who is up on all the latest high street deals so check out her posts, and keep yourself plush and lush for less.

Buying Designer Clothes has tips on customising your wardrobe and keeping on trend for just a few quid.

Sharon Rose has a fabulous Fashion Thrifting blog and waxes lyrical about her designer bargains.

Effing Had Enough of this Crunchy thang

Writeonmum bucks the trend of hiding behind the sofa when the bailiffs arrive and shares her peace love and crunchiness to solve our financial woes.

From Across the Pond

Mom Most Travelled gives a tutorial on how to make colourful play silks for the kids – just swap food colouring for Kool Aid and it’s a winner.

Almost Frugal has some reading tips – The Tightwad Gazette and Your Money or Your Life for a start – and asks what unlikely reads are helping to shape your journey towards frugality as she shares her own – and there are a few surpises.

Tighten Your Belt is happy to share advice with regular tweets on making every cent count. Sign up to the updates and check out the first top 20 tips here.

Nixdminx

My top tip? It’s a state of mind.   ! I’m getting on a cheap flight and heading to the sunshine for a few days to stay with some very good friends and spend time rather than cash…who knows, I may have a job soon and my lady of leisure lifestyle will be over.

Thanks everyone, please send us your top tips too, I hope you all enjoy new and interesting ways to live more for less!

And let’s not forget

“Take care of the luxuries and the necessities will take care of themselves.”

- Dorothy Parker