Summer holiday fun - 1

1. Planned our away days. We book ended our month of June with a holiday to Kota Kinabalu at the beginning and a trip to Hong Kong next week. We are incredibly lucky to be able to do this. 

2. In this in-between two weeks we are prepping for a massive birthday party for someone who is turning FOUR in July. FOUR. I'm not sure how we got to four but here we are. And apparently the simplicity of last years party of 8 kids tamely painting birdhouses and canvas handprints cannot be repeated. 

3. My nephew had a full blown superhero party in February. Ever since this is the conversation on lather-rinse-repeat at our house:

3 year old: is it my birthday yet/ today?

Me/ V: Not yet/ today. It's in July.

3 year old: Is it July yet/ today?

4. So 45 invitations have gone out - it is a train/ Thomas themed party and after devouring pintrest I had tickets printed up. About 25 yes-es I imagine as its international school vacations and many of his classmates (local timetable so back to school on the 1st of July) will still be on holiday with their siblings. 

5. We are wisely spending our time making props and games and thank you tags. Two pictures to give you a flavour of our days:

These are a set of solid wooden trains made by somebody's dad for him as a child. After his own kids played with and outgrew them he sold me the lot for $10. They were a bit run down and had a few chips, but essentially in brilliant vintage condition. We acrylic painted them one morning and they look fabulous. Prop for table.

This is a Troublesome Truck (for those unfamiliar with Thomas and his many many friends). It's a printer box donated by a friend, top flaps cut off and the whole thing painted grey. We loved making grey by mixing vast quantities of black and white - not grey enough, too dark and just right. Made the face with paper, stuck on googly eyes and a lick of black paint while Kid was occupied in the next project. Wheels still being sorted out. Game involving lumps of tissue coal.

So far, so much fun.