Wow what a week!

Hello everyone. I hope you're well. I just wanted to say a huge hello to let you know that although I've been off doing other things and talking to anyone who would listen about rubbish, I hadn't forgotten my origins and 21st Century Mummy is still here, live and kicking!

What a bizarre week last week was. First there was the Woman's Hour column, quickly followed by a live interview on Ireland's Newstalk. Then there was Radio Suffolk and a half page spread in the East Anglian Daily Times....and a quick appearance on Radio Suffolk again this morning.

But the great news is, that after all my efforts I did manage to reduce our landfill waste to virtually nothing and have sent through my results to the council like a good girl.

The hero of the hour was my 3 year old. You know who he is...he's the one who has decorated my house with purple paint, spilled milk all over the floor and who loves rearranging the furniture.

So I called upon his talents and put him in charge of a junk art project, for him to use up the few things that were going to be put in the black bin. He did a fabulous job and definitely played his own part in our Zero Waste Week.

The problem is...he's now bellowing from his craft table...

"Mummy, I want more Rubbish"

And I am getting more frustrated because I haven't got any!

Can you tell what it is yet?

Tonight I am showcasing this wonderful piece of junk modelling as engineered by none other than my little 3 year old.

He loves nothing better than having a whole load of waste paper to shred and gluing it onto any surface in his sight and at times like this I find it works better if his attentions are directed towards cardboard tubes and boxes rather than the walls and doors.

Where he has excelled on this occasion is in the creation of something that is not just an ornament, but an object that has a specific use. In fact, I know I am biased but I think it's genius.

So, can you tell what it is yet?

Go on have a go, before I reveal all.

...and remember it actually does have a real use and you don't have to stretch your imagination too far.

Perhaps, the next photo will give you a clue.....


Yes on this occasion he has invented his very own money box. In fact, it goes one step further...it is indeed a coin sorter, with sufficient space to manage 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2 coins

It looks like we might have a mini Clive Sinclair or James Dyson in the making and I just wonder whether he can now push the boundaries a little further and convert all the loose change into nice, crisp notes! ahhhh there's an idea...all we need is a couple of circuit boards and a lick of paint and he'll be there.

Anyway, as well as showing off my little one's talents, I've also got some other interesting news. As part of its promotion of Zero Waste Week, the Waste Development team at St Edmundsbury Borough Council is also promoting my brand new blog The Rubbish Diet. This is very exciting but it does mean that the pressure is now on in an "eek" kind of way...so any extra tips will be most welcome, such as Grumpy Old Woman's fantastic top-tip on pizza cartons and fresh fish.

In the meantime, I am more than happy to take bids for the unique 8-funnelled money manager as featured above. With a reserve price of £20, it's a bargain for anyone with a growing interest in financial management and as an early product of an inventor with a prosperous future ahead, it's sure to be a real investment as well as a talking point.....mmmm, I wonder if I would get away with that on eBay!