Things I learned this week including that you should at least know what you're procrastinating about


My head is spinning from new stuff this week. I've had to cull lots of things too keep it short(ish). Hope you stick with me...

1. The wedding photo booth created by Sasha Souza Events and featured above is easily the cleverest, cutest, covetest thing I've seen all week. Guests could pose in vintage frames surrounded by the wedding photos of the bride and groom's families. Unique and special.


2. “The more you have; the more you have to worry about what you have.” I learned this food for thought on Eastlyn's thoughtful site Wilburn-White News.


3. A fantabulous site for anyone into party planning (me! me!). I could get lost here for days... and did. Please send aesthetically pleasing nibbles immediately.


4. While combating a virus, your white cells create mucus in the lining of your nose; the more active the white cells, the more likely you are to get green snot. So green snot is actually a sign of good health (in a weird, roundabout kind of way). It doesn't mean that a child is more contagious or has an infection. {Ref}


5. You should plant herbs according to whether they are 'Wet and Hungry' (basil, dill, coriander, parsley and chives) or 'Dry and Miserly' (marjoram, oregano, rosemary, thyme, sage and French tarragon). Keep mint on its own in a pot (poor old invasive mint). Feed and water the 'Hungries' regularly and very occasionally for the 'Miserlies'.


6. Some parents are just determined to wallow in their child's lack of discipline. "We tried everything to get X to do Y, but he's too independent / challenging / stubborn / amazing," they say somewhat smugly.  Smug away, people. Feel free to continue to boast that your child is too clever for discipline that works on just about every other child all you like. But don't complain about your child's unruly behaviour when really it's your own inability to set the boundaries and really follow through, okay?*


7. It's not okay to use the 'f' word, but apparently it seems to be okay to be a gloating, smug winner. A poor example of sportsmanship from a top sportswoman, whatever you call it.


8. If you read my post last night, you'll know that I found myself in quite a pickle for not knowing exactly what it was that I was putting off until the last minute. While I'd be kidding myself if I told you I'd learnt not to procrastinate, I can definitely assure you that I've learnt to find out all I can about something before I decide to put it off until the last minute. Thanks for all your support... I managed to pull something out of my ample arse and emailed it off with a laugh last night.

9. Clearly I am very late to this one, but Yarn bombing caught my eye. I'd heard whispers of people decorating the landscape with their crafty stuff, but I didn't know it was a full-on movement called a cute thing like 'yarn bombing' until this week. Go clever clogs!

10. Sourcebottle is the go-to place if you're a journo or researcher and you want to find sources for articles. Life in a Pink Fibro who is actually a journalist who could use such a thing taught me this.


That's it for the week for me. How about you - did you learn anything new this week?


*  My first class of the Positive Parenting Programme (Triple P) going well then. The only thing more irritating than OPC (Other People's Chidlren) are OCP (Other Children's People)...

PS - I'm flogging, yeah flogging, with Lori,  I'm flogging, come join in, for flogging....

Birthday Girl


Today was Miss 7 Miss 8's birthday!

Celebrations all round at work today! I didn't get to see her before she went to school and I told her to ring me if she had a spare minute, but didn't get the call so she was obviously very busy with special pancakes for brekkie and opening up all of her birthday presents! Thursday's all the kids are at school so it was my job day so I had a little bit of extra time to set up a hunt for her birthday present and make her favourite afternoon tea - avocado dip with crackers! 


The 'crystal mining' present was a HUGE HIT! Miss 7 Miss 8 is totally obsessed with crystals and gems at the moment and has a big collection. This pack has a big large rock and they get archeological tools and they have to chip and cut away at the rock to reveal the gems! Awesome! She loved it and sat for an hour playing it after school! I searched through toy stores and the toy aisles at the big stores but all of the toys these days are so generic and just didn't grab my attention! She is very mature for a 8 year old and barbie just didn't cut it this year! So after searching through the usual shops I went straight to the Australian Geographic Store. I don't know why I didn't go there first! Whenever I need a present this will be my first stop! The 'toys' and presents in there are so much more educational and fun! I enjoyed shopping for the kids there! I also got Mr 5 who is turning 6 in 2 weeks a similar present except instead of gems they are dinosaur bones and at the end they make a dinosaur! Perfect!

Being the birthday girl Miss 8 got to choose where she wanted to go for dinner! of course she chose the most amazing restaurant SONO which is a Japanese restaurant down at the port side. She asked me especially if I would join them for dinner as part of the family! How could I say no! oh my goodness the restaurant was so divine. I wish I could have taken photos for you all! The table and decor and atmosphere was amazing and the food was to die for! We had Teppanyaki and it was so much fun! A wonderful night was had by all...especially the birthday girl! 

Tomorrow I am off to her school to make pizzas with 40 grade 2's for 4 hours! Can't wait! I have my apron and kneading hands ready :) 

~ Have a lovely Friday everyone ~

x S.K.K x

Mint packaging

My very own Gruen Transfer moment



I've mentioned before that I'm doing an AdSchool copywriting course for work. My final assignment, worth 50% of my mark, is due tomorrow. I left it until today, of course.

Today I'm feeling rather under the weather and this morning I commented to LOML that the downside to leaving things until the last minute is you risk having to perform when you're not at your best. I'm not at my best.

There's another risk. Whether you do your best work under pressure (like me) or whether you just like to procrastinate (also like me), you really need to read the assignment topic earlier than the last minute. Because, if I'd have done that I wouldn't have been faced with this the day before due date:

Brief for major copywriting assignment (taken from “The Impossible Brief”)
Due Friday 10th September 2010


Product:
Peace between Israel and Palestine

What’s required:

60” tvc, 30” radio, double page spread, magazine and press, outdoor billboard, any other support items/media you feel will add to your campaign.


So excuse me while I just go to the nearest ledge and jump.


Have you ever left something major until the last minute only to wish you hadn't? And, more importantly, what do you know about achieving peace in the Israeli-Palestine conflict?

[Image]
A little twine and beautiful paper...



I purchased this beautiful Cavallini & Co paper awhile back...finally I got around to making some bunting with it today. I used a hole punch, twine and carefully cut the paper into squares. Once the paper was cut I simply threaded the twine through the holes to create a rather cheap and cheerful ABC bunting. I really love this paper...it has such a nostalgic and happy feel to it. I have a second piece which I think I will make into magnetic cards for the new magnetic easel. This was a quick and easy craft activity that took approximately 25 minutes...and that is with my lovely little helper assisting me.



You can never have to much bunting...x

Support for a Wonderful Cause

As some of you may know if you have visited before our first daughter Laura was stillborn 7 and a half years ago. Through the wonderful support network the hospital offered me I was fortunate enough to meet some wonderful girls - together we had a vision to create a charity that was there for the purpose of raising money for research to prevent this from happening to others - there are lots of wonderful charities that offer support to bereaved families so we wanted to focus our efforts on funding research.

5 Years ago we launched the Stillbirth Foundation Australia and I am so proud to report that we are growing bigger and stronger every day - we are now approaching our 5th Birthday and it is time to celebrate with a Birthday Party (and you know how I love a party!).

If you are in Sydney or have friends in Sydney that may be interested in supporting this wonderful charity I would love for you to forward on the details. Please visit the website www.stillbirthfoundation.org.au for more information. Also if you are interested in donating any goods or services as part of our silent auction items please email me.

Here are the current stillbirth statistics that you may find interesting.



Leanne

The Glitz & Glamour of Motherhood

Motherhood really is the epitome of glamour. At least, Posh Spice would have you believe so. The woman wears Gucci to Coles, for Chrissake. And sometimes, I would have you believe it also.

But let me tell you, the reality can be (and is) somewhat different. I wear Cotton On to Coles, for starters. On a good day. Sometimes, I'm not even that glam!

Yes folks, motherhood aint no Vogue covergirl. Case in point. Over the weekend, the fam and I decided to take a little road trip up the mountain to buy a box of herbs to plant in the garden. A simple task, I thought.

But when we got just far enough from home that it was past the point of return, Fern did a car-poo. I knew immediately that she'd done it, and despite it being about 3 degrees and raining, I opened all the windows. Then we stopped the car. Got out in the rain. Opened the boot and deposited Fern inside. Peeled off her tights. And Oh.My.God. A blow-out of epic proportions.

Fern is 20 months old, and we're long past the point of packing auxiliary outfits. So we did the best we could. Used every wipe we had, and eventually bundled her back in the car. Naked from the waist down. Nice.

We got to the nursery. Got out of the car, and carried poor pant-less Fern inside. The baby started screaming. I went back to the car and got my nipples out. Afterward, I rested boy-o on my lap for a second while I readjusted my bra.

And then it happened. A projectile vomit. I watched it in slow motion, as it raised from my lap up and over my shoulder, depositing itself on its journey inside the neck of my shirt and inside my bra. I mean, there was that much baby-vomit inside my shirt I needed a spade to hoist it out.

And that's the reality of motherhood, really.

Vomit.
Poo.
Tears at 2am.
And 3am.
Tantrums.
Food all over the floor.
And the suede lounge.
Sleep deprivation.
Constant worry.

And love. Don't forget the love.

I want to tell it like it is, because there are a lot of smoke and mirrors about motherhood! People often ask me, "how do you manage to have kids AND keep a blog?" or "How do you find time for all that crafting?" or "wow, you make it all look so easy and your house is so tidy!" But its all a facade, my friends. I am a master at the art of cover up. And finicky enough to obsess about tidiness when my eyeballs are screaming for sleep and it's 10am and I havn't even had a shower yet.

And, while I love my full time job at home there are days (like yesterday!) where I find myself in a tearful heap with a newborn baby and toddler both screaming and draped over me - no idea about dinner, no milk in the fridge staring at 18 loads of washing in various states of wet/dry/dirty piled on every surface wishing to god I was anywhere else but there right at that moment.

Why am I telling you this? Because today I want to dispel the motherly myth of perfection. Nobody is perfect, my friends... but some are better at hiding it than others! And, if you ever find yourself marvelling at somebody elses life and their seeming ease at keeping it together, know that they too probably have a laundry full of dirty washing awaiting attention whilst they browse the latest online Oobi catalogue and blog their picks for the new season.

Celebrate your imperfection, dear friends -- you are not alone! xo