Very, very occasionally I do something that’s not half bad. That happened this week. And I’m so damned chuffed, I’m sharing it with you on here because it’s a brilliant idea and it’s what we’re doing from now on.

With three birthdays this weekend, we’d already got the presents sorted but not the wrapping paper. Thanks to funny tummies, we skipped on swimming and spent the morning snuggling up under a blanket instead. By lunch, I was feeling like a guilty lazy mum so thought I’d be brave and set up some painting. But what? Then it hit me;

We’d make our own wrapping paper. We had everything we needed – paints, bib, huge roll of paper from Ikea. So this is how it went down;

Having set stuff up in the kitchen, I drew three themed pictures; butterflies, jungle and under the sea. These matched the presents.

Because I’m lazy, I can’t be doing with paint pallets. Instead, I splurged the paint directly on to the picture tactically. That way Little L could schmoosh it around as she wished.

When I say schmoosh, I mean it literally. Having been taught to do so at nursery, Little L automatically started painting and using her hands. It’s all good – I still didn’t have to clean paint pallets so I was happy.

And so, to the finished article. Cheap (free!), entertained Little L, and end-of-painting-time-tantrums were avoided by the golden phrase ‘this is the last one now, okay?’

I was really rather impressed at what happened next. I put the rag on the table to clean it and Little L took over to do it herself. A child who paints then cleans up after herself. I know, I have no idea either. Blooming well done Busy Bees nursery for training her up, that’s all I say.

And that’s your lot. 15 minutes worth of me being impressed at what a mess it wasn’t. Time where Little L was impressively focused. A result that meant funkily wrapped presents. So if you invite Little L to a party, expect a one-of-a-kind wrapping on the gift.

“my pokemon brings all the geeks to the yard
and their like
do ya wanna trade cards
and im like
yeah i wanna trade cards
pikachu
for electric charge”

Here’s a mix of characters and titles that might spark some ideas.

Aladdin – Traditional (Aladdin, the Princess, Genie)
Alice In Wonderland – Lewis Carroll (Alice, Mad Hatter, Tweedledum/Tweedledee, the White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, Cheshire Cat)
Aliens Love Underpants – an alien in some underpants, obviously! **new!**
Angelina Ballerina – Helen Craig and Katherine Holabird
Asterix – Asterix, Obelisk **new!**
The BFG – Roald Dahl (a giant or Sophie? or even The Queen?)
Bob the Builder
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas – John Boyne (thanks Beccy!)
Burglar Bill – Allan Ahlberg
The Cat In the Hat – The Cat, the children, Thing 1, Thing 2
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl (Charlie, Willy Wonka, Grandpa or an Oompa Loompa?)
Dictionary – wear all one colour and stick words/definitions over yourself?
Fantastic Mr Fox – Roald Dahl
Funny Bones
Gansta Granny – Granny! 
Goldilocks – Goldie, a bear
The Gruffalo – The Gruffalo, his child, the fox, the owl, the snake, the mouse, the BIG bad mouse! **new!**
Harry Potter and the … – Harry, Hermione, Ron, Snape, Dumbledore, Voldemort, Hagrid, Luna Lovegood, Professor Lupin
His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman (Take a cuddly toy animal as your Daemon)
Horrid Henry – Francesca Simon
Jack and the Beanstalk – Jack, Daisy the cow, the Giant, the beanstalk itself
James and the Giant Peach – James, the Peach, the Centipede and numerous others
The Jolly Postman – Allen Ahlberg (Why not go as someone on his round?)
The Jungle Book – Rudyard Kipling
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe - one of the children, Aslan, the White Queen, Mr Tumnus
Little Miss… – Sunshine, Naughty, Trouble, Chatterbox
Little Red Riding Hood – Traditional. (Little Red, the Wolf, or Grandma?)
Lord of the Rings – JR Tolkien (Where to start! Frodo, Bilbo, Legolas, Gollum, Gandalf)
Mary Poppins – Mary herself, Jane, Michael, Burt the Chimney Sweep
Meg and Mog – Helen Nicoll
Mr Men – Happy, Tickle, Topsy Turvy, Tall, Loud
Noddy – Enid Blyton (Noddy, Big Ears)
Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens (Oliver, Nancy, Fagin, the Artful Dodger)
Percy the Park Keeper – Nick Butterworth (thanks Sarah!)
Peter Pan – JM Barrie (Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain Hook, Smee, Tinkerbell)
Peter Rabbit – Beatrix Potter
Pinocchio - Pinocchio, Gepetto, Jiminy Cricket
Pippi Longstocking
Pocahontas – Joseph Bruchac
Puss In Boots – Traditional
Robin Hood
Room On The Broom – The Witch and the others!
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves – Snow White, dwarf, wicked queen
The Snow Dog - The Snowman, the boy, the dog
The Snowman – The Snowman, the boy
Spot – Eric Carle
There’s a Viking In My Bed – Jeremy Strong
Thomas the Tank Engine – The Fat Controller, plus cardboar dboxes to make yourself into an engine **new!**
The Three Mustakeers – Alexandre Dumas
Tin Tin – Herge
Tracey Beaker – Jacqueline Wilson
The Twits – Roald Dahl
The Very Hungry Caterpillar – A caterpillar, a butterfly, a leaf, a piece of fruit, a piece of junk food!
Twilight – Stephanie Meyer (Pale up, fang up and look a little off kilt!)
Watership Down – Richard Adams (Here’s some inspiration!)
Where the Wild Things Are – Maurice Sendak (I saw the best Max costume from a paper-thin all in one boiler suit and some card claws and ears!)
Where’s Wally – Martin Handford (Wally or Waldorf?)
The Wind In the Willows – (Moley, Ratty, Badger, Mr Toad)?
Winnie The Witch
Where’s Wally – not just Wally! There’s Waldo, and the Wizard and lots of other recurring characters!
Winnie The Pooh – Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin, Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Owl and the rest!
The Wizard of Oz – Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, Professor Marvel, the Wicked Witch, Glinda the Good Witch
101 Dalmations – Dodie Smith (Cruella, a dalmation)? **updated!**

Andy Pandy
Animaniacs – Yakko, Wacko or Dot?
Art Attack
Astrix / Oblix
Bagpuss
Basil Brush
Bertha
Bill and Ben plus Little Weed
Bugs Bunny
Byker Grove
Care Bears
Chip and Dale? **new**
Daffy Duck
Dangermouse? **new**
Dogtanian
Duck Tales – Huey, Louis, Duey or Scroodge McDuck?? **new**
Dungeons and Dragons? **new**
Ed the Duck
Elmer Fudd
Fireman Sam
Fraggle Rock
Fun House contestant / Pat Sharp
Gordon the Gopher
Grange Hill pupil
Grotbags
He-Man / She-Ra
Henry’s Cat? **new**
In the Night Garden
Inspector Gadget
Knightmare (This would be my choice)
Maid Marion / Sheriff of Nottingham
Marvin the Martian
Paddington Bear
Penny Crayon
Phantom Flan Flinger
Pink Panther
Pob
Poddington Peas
Pokemon (I didn’t want to include this but Alex said I had to)
Postman Pat / Jess
Rainbow Brite
Rentaghost
Rod Hull and Emu (get yer puppet for only ?20 in the shops!)
Roland Rat
Sesame Street – Yip Yip Yips, Oscar the Grouch, Bert and Ernie
Shoe People
Spit the Dog
Spongebob Squarepants *new 22/1
Taz the Tasmanian Devil
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teletubbies
The Raccoons
Thomas the Tank Engine
Thunderbirds / Lady Penelope / Parker
Timmy Mallett
Tin Tin / Snowy
Transformers? **new**
Tweenies
Wizbit
Worzel Hummidge /Aunt Sally
Yogi Bear

Standing at the bus stop today I overheard a 7? year old talking with her mum. Do remember -?it was overcast but quite warm.
Kid: “Cor, we just had summer, and now it’s here again!”
Mum: “Well, we didn’t really have a summer.”
Kid: “Yeah, we had a summer….?”

Sometimes it takes a little person to remind us big people of the big things we perceive as little.