Jikana Damaru

In glossy print

You can imagine my surprise when Melinda called me up to say we had been included in the recent Handmade magazine publication! It was a feature on the amazing Yarraville Market that we have been so excited to be apart of. Copies are available at all good newsagencies!

the photo of us is bottom left @ our first Loopy Love market stall!

The 6th Day Of Christmas

One of the surprises of 2009 was my trip to Singapore, my daughter's blog Childhood 101 was nominated and then became a finalist of the Nuffnang Asia Pacific Blog Awards for best parenting blog. She asked me if I was able to come to help with my youngest grand-daughter as her hubby was unable to take time off work.

While I initially said yes without even thinking, when I stopped and thought about it, it was a little daunting, see my menopausal mumma blog entry here for more info.

It ended up being an amazing journey, I really enjoyed spending time travelling with my daughter and my little munchkin. We met some amazing people, got to experience a different country and to top it off my daughter won the award.

Sometimes things are put before you, you can either choose to jump or stand back and not try - this time I chose to jump and free-falling was awesome.

3 Reasons Why I love This Week

They say good things come in threes... perhaps 'they' are right!:

1. Over the last 4-or-so months, my husband and I have battled sleep deprivation as our gorgeous but determined daughter pushed us to the brink of insanity by waking up once... twice... three times and more, EACH AND EVERY NIGHT. No breaks. No nights off. No reprieve. After fruitlessly trying every tactic and technique under the sun, I finally discovered the Australian Baby Whisperer Sheyne Rowley's Dream Baby Guide. The book is over 800 pages long and I am still working my way through it, but I have found the holistic approach so completely refreshing and after putting into practice a few of her recommended strategies we have had our first full nights of sleep in many months. I am so excited about finishing the rest of the book and am confident we have found the solution to this sleep-blip once and for all!!

2. A while ago I sent some before/ after courtyard pics into Real Living magazine. I received the January edition in the mail this week (I subscribe) and there it was, on page 17! And the best part is, I win a $500 food and wine hamper for my troubles! Yayee!

3. I won a blog award! Amanda from Homely One awarded me this award today -- I am so flattered, thanks so much! Check out her lovely blog here...

What loveliness have you encountered this week? Have a great weekend....

TGIF!!

belleandboo

Its nearly here .... are you ready? I have wrapped most of our presents and just sent out the last of the Christmas cards (a bit late - I know). Now I just have to work out what I'm cooking and wearing :) The later will probably given no thought until Christmas morning of course.

Lulufroufrou's fab new snap clips were featured in an article for Kid Style File this week alongside some other stunning handmade items. That was pretty exciting!! Check it out here.

Hope you all have wonderful things planned this weekend.

~ Christmas Concert No 2 ~

My big girls final pre-school Christmas concert was wonderful - Sienna is such a performer and was so excited about her concert. We had a slight hicup in the first song when the boy next to her accidently bumped her dingo ears off her head and she couldn't find them on the ground - I thought she might not recover as the tears welled up - thankfully she moved on to the next song and in true Sienna form made her way to the front of the group and sang and danced the loudest.

She even entertained the crowd with some impromptu break dancing and cartwheels at the end - what a star!

I can't believe she has finished pre-school and is off to big school next year!

Handmade with Love - Rabbit Softie

It was my niece's birthday last week, and I realised this... a couple of days ago. I am a bit hopeless like that. If you WANT me to remember your birthday people, please do me a favour and send me a courtesy SMS a week or so before hand. I am then more than happy to bestow birthday love upon you! Anyway, things are a touch hectic at the moment, and I had absolutely no time to get to the shops and buy her a present. So yesterday whilst Fern was sleeping I found some scrap material, dusted off the sewing machine and whipped up this little rabbit softie!

It is sort of meant to be a sort of cushion that I picture sitting on my niece's bed. It is a tad smaller than intended, but with no pattern and a quick naptime window to complete the task it was the best I could come up with at short notice! I have made a few softies before, but this one is the first I've made on a whim, with no real plan of how it will turn out. Do you think she'll like it???

We Interrupt This Transmission

Did you know the Salvation Army is having a Christmas Appeal. You can donate online here.

Any amount is worth heaps, it all adds up. I've donated for the past 2 years as I feel I am in a position to share with others less fortunate at Christmas time. Can you help to?

By the way, I don't work for or follow the Salvation Army, this is not sponsored in any way, I just wanted to remind people the Appeal was on. There are also many other worthwhile volunteer organisations that could use your help - whoever you prefer, please give something to one of them this Christmas - Let Share The Joy.