Cute!

Sharing a bedroom ...

I enjoy popping over to the US magazine site http://www.cookiemag.co/, every now and then. This story on a couple with 6 kids under 9 caught my eye: http://www.cookiemag.com/homefront/2006/11/flipartists

I love this quote: "Instead of breaking it up into little rooms, the Novogratzes turned the third floor into a boys' dorm, lining up the beds and cribs one right next to the other. "Kids don't need as much private space as we think they do," says Cortney. "Anyone who wants privacy can find it in another part of the house. Our kids know they're part of a team and a family."

OK, they have a HUGE house so there is plenty of space (there is even a basketball court on the roof) - but I like the sentiments ...

Q & A with Kasia from Laikonik

For the next few weeks, we will be running a series of Q & A's with our fabulous (and talented!)Australian designers. I am looking forward to hearing their responses! I hope you enjoy it and get a glimpse into how lucky I am to have a business relationship with these gorgeous people!

1. How long have you been running your business? 4 years

2. What were you doing prior to your current venture? Working long hours as a graphic designer for a very large architectural firm.

3. If you had to choose your favourite product from your range, what would it be & why? Oh that's a hard one but I'd have to say the Once-A-Year books. I expected that after such a long time hand making each one I would have grown tired of them or at least indifferent to how they look. But somehow each time I fill an order and I see them all finished and ready to go I feel a great deal of satisfaction and I do love how they look! And even after all this time I still think they're a great idea!

4. What do you do to relax? I meditate as often as I can and some evenings I sit on the back porch with the children and we watch the birds "flying back home for dinner".

5. If you were able to go wherever you wanted to this weekend, where would it be? A day spa!!

6. What was the last thing that you purchased? A bunch of flowers for a friends 80th birthday.

7. Who lives at your place? My partner Mark, our children Isabelle (5) and Stanley (4) and Stanley's pet caterpillar.

Loving ...

How cute is this photo! I love everything about it. Oh to be the owner of those socks, sitting on that chair, with that pouf ... GORGEOUS!!!
It is from http://makingitlovely.com/ Thanks for sharing, Nicole!

Not any old soap ...

This month is the MOR month in our bathroom. A treat is opening up one of these delicious emporium soaps. They are much more than a beautiful, creamy soap. Not only do they leave your hands feeling lovely rather than the dry feeling most pump packs can, but the opening of the package is an exciting experience. First it is the feel of the paper (velvety), then comes the fragrance (delicate yet strong), then the feel of the soap and the sophisticated look they bring to the bathroom. They release a beautiful scent in the bathroom and they come gift wrapped in such beautifully embossed paper, you won't want to part with it! I am trying to think of ways that I can use it afterwards as the ribbon and branding comes away completely, leaving the paper intact.

A lovely weekend ...

We had a great weekend with family and friends. It began on Friday afternoon, celebrating our special friend Cass' 30th! Family popped over that night on route to Mudgee to collect a wedding present and the weekend continued to have lovely highlights as well as some quiet family time.

I took some time out with the camera capturing some glimpses of our garden that seems to be starting to recover from the heat of summer. The Saturday night downpour definitely helped!

I love lying under this tree with Kirk and the kids. We call it The Magic Faraway Tree!

Hungry ants on a high from the nectar in the flowers on our grafted gum tree

Tamarillos that are almost ready to eat!

Geraniums that Milly picked from the garden

Star Wars Magnolia (of course!)

Elena

Gorgeous Crepe Myrtle

Flapjacks

The sun catches the clivias under the oak

The kids cubby house is nestled amongst the branches of the jacaranda

Doesn't belong here - but couldn't resist including these cute little feet!

One lone lavender flower...

Love this! I have a sparkly pink car :) It looked like pink popcorn!

Thank you Real Living Magazine ...

Came across this post today on the Real Living magazine website in their Sites We're Loving page ...

Mummy's Favourite http://www.mummyfavourite.com.au/
This online kids shopping mecca might be titled mummy's favourite, but the items are chosen for a reason: they'll also become the child's favourite too. Pretty, practical, whimsical, good quality - the range of everything and anything baby-and-child related is the place to shop for a special gift for your family, a friend's child or even yourself in the homewares section!

A Martha Moment ...

Today I had a Martha moment. I noticed how badly stained our tea cups were. How did I not notice before? Weird because as soon as I did 'notice', I couldn't do anything without thinking about the cups. Had to scrub them & scrub them I did. I now have a set of 16 cups that are clean. Oh, and I love google. Type in "how to get tea stains out of cups" and up comes an answer. How lucky are we to live in 2009 :)

Oh, and what worked? Bicarb soda on a cloth and elbow grease. I now have them soaking in vinegar ... I think it might make them extra sparkly :)

2 Week Challenge ...

After eating an entire packet of Oreo biscuits during the course of today, I have signed myself up to Special K's two week challenge. I HAVE to be accountable to someone! My fridge has a note that looks a little like this one: so does my pantry. I need to find a way to put one on my wallet...

I have no idea what the two week challenge entails. I do know that my gym membership hasn't been used all year and that I don't fit into much of my wardrobe. I don't want to buy bigger clothes. So here goes. Here is a link : http://www.specialk.com.au/. There is a body mass index thingy (I am overweight. 176cm and 84kg) Two weeks ....

I must start getting into some good habits.

Belle and Boo ...

They have arrived. No need to write anything - the pictures speak for themselves. BEAUTIFUL!! Click here to start shopping