Jikana Damaru

Nursery in a box!

Have you/ did you ever wish you could just order your gorgeously stylish nursery in a box? You know, just hand over your trust and credit card to someone with impeccable taste who would transform your white box into a beautiful and functional space for your babe-to-be? On a -- gulp -- budget?

Well, now you can!

Many of us would love to create a stylish, modern, cohesive nursery space... but not all of us have the vision or know-how to pull it all together. The magazines make it look so easy, but there is a reason interior designers are paid to do what they do! And not all of us can afford to hire our own personal interior designer...

There are tons of baby stores out there of course, but not all of us are excited by the Winnie the Pooh matching duvet/ wall decals/ lamp set or the Fisher Price musical mobile and its hard to know where to go for something both unique, affordable and stylish!

Well, look no further than Little Maison. I stumbled upon founder Leah via her blog a long while back; we're both mumtrepeneurs with young kids and I really adore her style. Her 'Nursery in a Box' concept makes nursery design a cinch! Simply pick your gender and budget and Leah does the rest! Gorgeous furniture (LOVE those egg chairs!), unique linen and decorative pieces make your nursery the perfect space for your tot. Here are some images from Leah's site; do pop over for the breakdowns and pricing etc -- I really wish I'd known about this when I was struggling to put Fern's room together! Have fun looking xx

Do I really want to 'do' Easter?

I'm a sucker for a celebration. I like to throw myself into these things with abandon and go large. Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, sometimes Australia Day, sometimes not.

Easter has always been, well, Easter. Little old Easter. If you're not religious (and if you were, I'm guessing Easter is big), Easter is the most relaxing holiday of them all. Start with a few chockies left by the rabbit in any old hat, throw in bunch of flowers, a croissant breakfast and a disorganised backyard hunt complete with melting eggs and lots of fights. Easter.

Now Pinterest has come along and I'm seeing that Easter can be so much more than that. There's this whole random Spring-themed, chicken-birthing, egg-painting thing going on in many homes.

Do I want to deck the house with a pastel themed tree like Martha recommends?

Or add a sweet little wreath to the door to add a touch of Springy humour to Autumn?

Am I going to make egg candles with Martha (please, Martha, do go away)?

Gulp. Do I want to do the Every Kid In The Class thing?

Do I really want to do Easter? Another seasonal celebration that we're kinda in the wrong season for?

Do I? Do you?

[Main image: Easter craft and image by Kim at Retro Mama]

Organizing my sewing threads

When I saw this cute "I love sewing" spool holder on The Makery Emporium, I fell in love. A great way to organize my sewing threads and a pretty piece of art for my craft room wall...

Have a sweet day!

fresh...

is newness

an ocean breeze

starting over

ready to eat

a clear memory

..always feels good.

Embroidery threads organized

Last week I showed you how I have been organizing my craft room. Well, since then I have been wrapping my embroidery threads around mini wooden spools and love how they look. I have just ordered some more mini wooden spools from Rapid, they come in a pack of 60 for under £12! That way I can get all my embroidery threads organized! Then I can completely fill my apothecary glass jar with them ...

Have a sweet day!

52 weeks of Grateful: Nature

I'm generally a big fan of nature. There isn't a problem in the world that toes-in-the-sand can't solve. Or the smell of gum leaves. Or cold mountain air. A valley view.

I really don't like a lot of it, though. The random things that bite. Great wads of leaves just flying everywhere. Things pooing with abandon, spiders lurking. And don't get me started on getting sand out of the car - the laborious cost of those wonderful toes-in-the-sand moments.

Yeah, I'm really more of a patio kind of girl.

But throw my Tsunamis into our backyard, let them climb and run and dig, swing them on the tree swing and I could never, ever go back to city living. And boy am I'm grateful for that.

Now gals, I've noticed a distinct drop in Grateful link-ups lately. Sob.

Are you over linkies / me / being grateful / life?

Do let me know what I can do to win you back again.

Come visit me at Kidspot today!

So, what's making you smile today? Add your post to the list below (and please, we love you, but it really does matter that your post is a Grateful one and not just a random) and pretty-please add a link back to this linky or to Kidspot. Then pop over to visit other bloggers who are spreading a little sunshine.

[Collage of my backyard made using my new best friend: Photovisi]

5 months old

Oh, baby girl. Your personality is beginning to show! It was the best month yet. You laugh much more- at silly things, like putting your hand in daddy's mouth, mommy or daddy blowing on your belly, your cousin Hayden making silly faces, peek-a-boo, or just about anything you think is funny enough! You continue to find funny faces and noises to make. Your little voice is adorable. I love when you 'talk'.
You grab onto everything now. My hair being the main victim. But you're really starting to 'play' with toys. Reaching out, grasping, and shaking them.
You're still loving those fingers and you drool like crazy. I would not be surprised if a tooth popped through soon.

You love to roll yourself to your side real fast but have not yet rolled from back to tummy, just tummy to back! You're pretty good at tummy time. Though it's not your preferred position.
You are in size 3-6 and 6 month outfits. Wearing size 2 diapers. 15lbs even- according to our scale at home.

You eat 4oz every 3 hours. And we started on foods! Besides rice and cereal you have eaten carrots (you hated), baby yogurt (hated), apple sauce (not too bad), and sweet potatoes (you liked). I can tell you are going to be a picky little girl!

Nighttime has been going GREAT. Thank goodness. You are so easy to put to bed- never a fuss about it. Still sleeping in the bassinet. One day very soon we will be trying out your crib. We have to... you're outgrowing the bassinet. I will be sad. I love having you next to me.
You still lovvvee Goodnight Moon so we read that every night. You go to bed around 8:30-9pm and lately won't wake up until 4am! Then you go back to sleep until 7-7:30. Mommy loves this new schedule.

5 month photos....

*To get yourself (well your baby- unless you want one I'm sure she can make bigger sizes ;)) one of these cute hat/diaper cover sets see Caterpillar Family! She also make scarves and headbands!

You are such a sweet girl. I can't ever imagine life without you now. I love your beautiful eyes, goofy smile, and crazy tongue. You are absolutely gorgeous. And I don't think I'm just being biased by saying that ;)
Happy 5 Months Addison Mae.