Monday, 22 September 2014

Waste Less Live More Week 2014

September 22nd to 28th is Waste Less Live More week #wllm14 and with a little encouragement from the lovely people at Sugru - to celebrate they launched this brilliant video and inspired me to do a little repair job i'd been putting off! 

My daughter has the most beautiful little wooden dolls pram which she's had for almost two years - we bought it for her first Christmas, however it was climbed in a few too many times by both Meg and her big brother and the obvious happened - it broke but I was surprised at how much and how dangerously it broke for a kids toy and I'm pleased to say nobody (child or dolly) was hurt! It's been hiding in the garage for months waiting for a little TLC!
Moover broken wooden toy pram repair - Sugru #wllm14

The Moover (comes in red or natural) at £70 it's not really one you can pop out and replace, I didn't really want to see it in a landfill and so I decided to have a go at fixing it - it's got to be worth trying hasn't it!
Moover broken wooden toy pram repair - Sugru #wllm14


I used lots of wood glue and gently eased as much of the wood back into the grooves as possible and left it to set. I used a good old wet wipe to clean up the excess glue.
Moover broken wooden toy pram repair - Sugru #wllm14


Then I used wood glue to try and stick the cracks back together - this was tricky so I used a bit of duct tape to help hold it.
Moover broken wooden toy pram repair - Sugru #wllm14


I used decoupage glue and wrapping paper to cover the whole of the pram base to try and disguise and strengthen the cracks, I broke the rules and did not cut my paper into small pieces - instead I used large pieces of the wrapping paper because Meg wanted to use the woodland animals paper she'd found in the shop. 

Moover broken wooden toy pram repair - Sugru #wllm14

Needless to say, the paper area is massively creased and messy - it bugs me, but Maegan loves it! For a neater finish I'd suggest either plain, polka dot or gingham paper and decopatch it properly. I turned the direction of the print so that it was the correct way up when looking from the front or back. 

Moover broken wooden toy pram repair - Sugru #wllm14

I also stuck a layer of the same wrapping paper inside the pram with decopauge glue.
Moover broken wooden toy pram repair - Sugru #wllm14

I coated both sides in a layer of decopauge glue as well as a final "varnish" layer in wood glue for strength,
Moover broken wooden toy pram repair - Sugru #wllm14

Leave the whole lot to set for at least 24hours then enjoy!
Moover broken wooden toy pram repair - Sugru #wllm14


What did I buy? Wood glue from Wilko's for £2.50. Woodland animal wrapping paper £1 from Wilko's and decoupage glue £3 from Tiger Stores. 
Moover broken wooden toy pram repair - Sugru #wllm14
Moover broken wooden toy pram repair - Sugru #wllm14


One of my favourite "fix it" items has to be Sugru - it's like playdoh for parents ha ha - it's helped me to fix quite a few toys and is now one of my tool kit items.

Sugru have a lovely video for #wllm14 celebrating everyday stuff!  - 60% of household appliances thrown away could have been saved - so how about a little bit of TLC, reimagining or fixing! Check out the Sugru - Love your stuff page for some brilliant ideas - don't throw it away, throw a party instead! http://loveyourstuff.sugru.com

Waste less, Live more Week (22-28 Sept) is Keep Britain Tidy’s annual awareness week which this year will bring together people and organisations who plan to host a week of events around the 2014 theme - Be Resourceful.


Moover broken wooden toy pram repair - Sugru #wllm14
Emma in Bromley x

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Emma x