Does Looking at these 1980s' School Lunch Boxes Get You as Giddy as it Gets Me?

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In the 80s, choosing your lunchbox was one of the more pleasant parts of doing the back-to-school supply shop. American kids seemed to have metal lunch boxes, but in the UK we had plastic ones, which sometimes came with a matching flask. Did you have any of these beauties?

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Now we have our own kids, it's their turn to choose their character lunch box. I find the school supplies from George at Asda are priced well. I've seen some shops' lunch boxes creep up to almost £15 in places, but Asda have all their lunch bags under £10, including the Minion print bag for £6 which my son has his eye on.

This Turtles lunch pot is only £1. Super for sending in sliced fruit and preventing it's squashedness by noon. 

 

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While you're there, remember to take advantage of the well priced school uniform pieces which come with a 100 day guarantee.

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Lots and lots of cheaply priced school bags too.

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The History of The Magic Eight Ball

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I'd imagined the Magic 8 Ball, in some incarnation, would have been around for quite some time. In fact it first made an appearance in a 1940's Three Stooges short, as a comical fortune telling device called a Magic Ball. 

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The ball we recognise today, with the answer popping up in a floaty, blue pool of disappointment, was invented by Albert C Carter, inspired by his clairvoyant mother. Back then in the late 1940s & early 1950s it was called a Syco-Seer, and had a clear casing. It was Chicago's Brunswick Billiards who commissioned a black & white eight ball version to be made, and it's popularity ensured the design remained.

Whilst most Eight Ball toys on the market are the regular black & white variety, there are some interesting themed versions. I wonder did the Hannah Montana Eight Ball see Miley 2013 coming? 

 

Your teenage years were not complete without an afternoon sitting shaking a Magic 8 Ball asking it would you marry your latest crush, and reshaking until you got the answer you actually wanted. 

If you're an online bingo player, answers are more straight forward with a visit to BingoFind.com  

With the dozens upon dozens of sites to choose from, Bingo Find lays out the options for you to compare sites, offers and free credit to play deals. 

Hot Pink, Flamingo Coloured Cars- What would you buy if you won big with Wink Bingo?

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The open road beckons; freedom is purring under the hood. Destination: anywhere you want to go. With a souped-up ride, the tarmac is your runway as the speedometer rapidly goes into overdrive. With the wind in your hair, plenty of horsepower to boot and electrifying energy coursing through your veins – it's time to get on the winning team at Wink Bingo.

As the premier online bingo destination, Wink certainly knows a thing or two about translating dreams into realities. Scores of winners pepper the landscape, and self-expression is always the order of the day. Some of our players really do believe that everything is pretty in pink – even their vehicles. Players can enjoy a fantastic selection of mesmerizing games from Fluffy Favourites to 75 and 90 ball bingo. We'll help you to make your dreams come true – whatever they may be!

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Hand painted Kitchen Mixers, A Worktop Work of Art

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Check out these fantastic hand painted, customised Kitchen Aid mixers. Enough to make me want to start cake making.​

For the best offer online to get your stand mixer, try Groupon, who have long term great deals as well as daily bargains and great deals in Dublin and beyond.

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Charity Shopping For Christmas Gifts? Not Just for Scrooges & Weirdos- I Promise

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Even I feel slightly dubious about the ideal of gifting something from a charity shop. It's okay spending an hour hoking through my local haunts to find myself something to wear or adorn the already strange looking home I have, but it's not my first choice for gifts to give to others.

NOW Pensions have asked bloggers to think of ways their readers could save money this Christmas, and I thought maybe a trip to your local Hospice Shop could be the answer. 
I visited my local stores in Bangor, Northern Ireland & found some lovely bits and pieces. A vintage picnic basket, a classic Paddington Bear and many new items that could be perfect for teacher gifts.

Charity Shops also stock new goods, and you would be surprised by the quality & style of the items they have in their online stores. Not just goats! The prices are very reasonable too.

This post is part of a project with pensions provider and auto-enrolment expert NOW: Pensions and Best British Bloggers, encouraging us to think of how to save money now, and for the future.

The Finest Retro Styled DAB Radios from John Lewis

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It’s rumoured that the Queen, Prince Charles and Madonna all have one and design legend Cath Kidston even created a printed floral version. When it comes to radios, you won’t find anything more kitsch than a Roberts.

 

As quintessentially British as listening to The Archers over a cup of tea, Roberts has been making radios in Yorkshire since 1932. But while the Roberts Revival models looks as authentically vintage as your great grandparents’ gramophone, they still boast all the top spec features and cutting-edge technology you’d see in any of the highest quality DAB radios on the market. With so much choice, which look would you go for?

 

Wartime wireless

 

 

These Roberts Revival DAB radios look so authentically ‘wartime‘ you almost expect to hear the crackly voice of Neville Chamberlain instead of the crystal clear tones of Jeremy Vine. Available in the sombre, muted tones you’d expect from a nation at war such asburgundy, glossy black and bottle green, these models would look great with dark wood furniture.

 

Fifties pastels

 

 

This newfound optimism of the post-war decade is reflected in the fun and frivolous colours of the Fifties-style Roberts Revival radios, which include powder pink, duck egg blue and pastel green.  But while it may look beautifully old-fashioned, the technology is anything but, featuring a text display, station presets and USB sockets to hook up with your iPod.

 

Best of British

 

 

What with the Olympics, the Queen’s Jubilee and a certain Royal wedding last year, it’s never been so fashionable to wear our national colours with pride. And there’s no reason for that to stop just because the bunting’s come down. The Roberts Revival radio also comes in gloss red, gloss blue and, most patriotic of all, Union Jack colours. Just remember to stand up should the National Anthem come on…


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