Turn pebbles into fun monsters – friendly or scary. Let your imagination run riot. Paint them all over first, one side at a time, leaving them to dry thoroughly. Then paint on details using a fine paintbrush or artline pen. Use acrylic paints or tester pots of household paints. Glue on goggle eyes to complete the faces. Courtesy of cocoa bean uk.
Every year at this time, my business is quiet and a very dear friend’s Event Management company is super dooper busy. Event Management and Incentive Travel is part of my background in my Old World, my “before babies” world. So I don my heels and corporate frocks and shimmy into their office and happily soak up the dynamic buzz their team creates. I love to dip my toes into that Old World and this week I belly flopped right on into the deep end, with a 5 day interstate conference. Yep, as in another state. On a plane. Away from my babies.
But before you get too concerned for my welfare, I need to point out I was staying at Palazzo Versace Hotel.
You see, the Old World is all about fancy hotels and terribly special events where, whilst I help look after clients checking every little thing is in order to ensure they enjoy an amazing and memorable experience, someone else makes MY bed each day, cooks my meals and even washes the dishes. Um, yay!
If I play my cards right someone will even take care of the teeny tiny little pile of laundry I accumulate in this world where I temporarily live alone.
I love this world and I do often miss it. I choose not to go back there permanently as I have a new life now. A life in my New World.
The New World is all about our suburban home which is bursting at the seams with chaos and love, and more sibling arguments than I care to acknowledge. It’s also decidedly unpolished.
No-one makes my bed in the New World. I have to make it myself. As a bonus, I also get to make three others.
I make my own dinner, rarely 3 courses but often with wine, and sometimes I feel I’m running an open all hours a-la-carte restaurant. Oh, and I set up the breakfast buffet every morning. Guests can have Weetbix, Weetbix or Weetbix. Don’t get me started about the lunches.
Instead of the long, hot, uninterrupted baths I enjoyed in the Old World, I run bubble baths for others, and wrangle slippery little bodies that never want that bath to end.
No-one turns down our bed here in the New World, and our sheets no longer boast high thread counts. Instead, I tuck tired little bodies into beds, snuggling them under crochet rugs made by their grand grandmother.
The teeny, tiny laundry pile I create on my own is dwarfed within minutes by a mountain of muddy rugby socks, school uniforms and towels that never seem to find their own way off the floor.
As I flew home from the Old World to the New World yesterday I couldn’t help but reflect on how much I love them both. I think I am terribly lucky to literally enjoy the best of both worlds.
But for now, our Middle Size is turning 6 and because his Mum was busy in the Old World she hasn’t had time to bake so I am off to add smarties to the tops of 25 store bought cupcakes for him to take into his class.
I am also going to do reading groups with him and his Kindy buddies. Do you think anyone would mind me wearing my Versace slippers?
Do your old and new world ever collide?
Most kids love a squirty bottle. Whether it’s in the bath full of bubbles, at the table full of sauce or, in this case, outside and full of chalk paint!
The recipe for paint is right here. For an extra dash of excitement, the kids can add vinegar and watch it FIZZ! This activity is great fun for kids of all ages.
She’s a mama of 3 boys. She loves online shopping and vodka. Her writing is interesting, honest and funny as a circus. Meet Sonia…
Tell us a bit about you, fabulous you!
Hi I’m Sonia but I also respond to Son, Bon, Mum, Darling and hey you. I’m very flexible like that.
I blog over at Life Love and Hiccups and I’m an accidental blogger who writes about life, love and everything in between. Actually truth be told I blog about pretty much what ever tickles my fancy and that could be my latest parenting fail, a room makeover attempt or weak pelvic floor muscles.
How did I come to write a blog? Well …. I’d like to say it was because I had a strong desire to put my words out to universe, but the reality is somewhat different.
One night after entertaining friends and a few too many vodkas under the unbuttoned waist band, I was playing around on the interwebs and reading a website (I Heart Organizing). I spied this little button up in the top right hand corner that said create blog. I had no idea what a blog was (clearly I was an internet novice) and the word ‘blog’ completely cracked me up., so I did what any curious little sticky beak would do… I clicked on it.
And so my blog was born.
As for what I do, well apart from fall over my own feet a lot, constantly humiliate myself and spend way too much money shopping online, I’m a mum to 3 beautiful boys and wife to one very patient, understanding (and totally hot) husband. We live out our crazy life on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. As for work, I have been a National Business Development Manager for Huggies nappies for the past 13 years, but I have recently walked away from the responsibility of that role (and sadly the income too) in favour of getting back to basics and living a simpler life.
Who inspires you?
What’s funny about that question is that if you asked me a couple of months ago, my answer would have been very different to what it is today. I used to be inspired by the highflyers who were juggling it all, doing it all and achieving it all.
Now I look at the mums and dads who walk their kids into school in the morning, the parents who are actually playing with their kids at the park rather than sitting on a computer or a phone under a tree and occasionally waving, and the mums who take the time to sit on the edge of the bath with her feet dangling in the water and chatting to her kids as they wash – THEY are the people that inspire me.
I am also inspired by those who have made the leap from working for someone else to making their own dreams and ideas come true without spending the majority of their waking hours away from their loved ones.
What can’t you live without?
Vodka and lime, Glasshouse candles, a good diary and a fluffy hot water bottle. They are my four essentials.
Actually on second thoughts I really should be saying my kids and my husband shouldn’t I? OK totally them too!
Do you have a favourite blog/s?
I have many many favourite blogs and I find a new one to fall in love with every week.
I have a real weak spot for home décor blogs and blogs that share their creative projects.
Two of my current faves are Dreamy Whites and Oh Happy Day.
How do you like to spend your spare time?
Oooo doing many things, too many things, and all at once.
I have a zillion and one projects on the go at any given time, but if I had all the time in the world to do whatever I wanted – I would be spending my days writing, crafting, shopping and lying next to my hubby by the pool sipping on caprioskas and pouring over home magazines while the kids happily play together.
What? You didn’t say anywhere that it had to be a realistic way I like to spend my spare time.
Best time saving or sanity saving idea/tip for mamas?
Keep all the paperwork and notes you need to fill out, along with your to do lists, in your notebook or diary in your hand bag. That way if you ever find yourself with time to spare, like for example when you are waiting for over an hour for your appointment at the Drs, waiting in your car yet again for one of the kids to finish sports practice, OR if you are lucky enough to find yourself sitting alone in a coffee shop with 15 minutes to spare (oh come on it COULD happen), you can get things done and cross a couple of lines of your to do list.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hopefully healthy and relaxed, spending my days enjoying time with my family and friends and realising my dream of writing for a living.
What is your favourite quote?
I have two actually “Make today and every day ridiculously amazing” and “life is too short to be anonymous”.
Where can we find you?
Hiding in the bath room with a vodka and lime and my iPad.
Ohhhhh sorry you mean on the computer? You can find me over on the blog or on my blog’s facebook page.
I’d love it if you dropped by and say hi – I like to share a laugh and I tend to snort a lot, but if you can deal with that we will get on like a house on fire.
The autumn leaves are turning into amazing colours and falling rapidly here now. I am loving this idea to use leaves of all shapes and colours to create animals and any other creature your little one’s imagination can come up with. Simply collect, arrange then stick! Voila!
Image courtesy of
http://atelierpourenfants.blogspot.com.au
It has been a while since I’ve shared a loo roll idea with you all so you must have quite the collection waiting for action.
How about these gorgeous Japanese carp fish? LOVE them! Everything you need to know is right here.
Every mama (or grandmama) loves flowers so we’ve tracked down three easy ways for the kids to deliver some this Mama’s Day, without the crazy expense.
Let’s start with this one, voted most likely for THIS mama to receive this Sunday morning!
These hand print paper lillies are so cute! Trace and cut out the kids’ hand prints for the petals, cut out some leaves then attach all to a pipe-cleaner. If you want to be extra fancy, add a yellow pipe-cleaner to the centre.
These beautiful felt flowers were inspired by Valentine’s Day but can easily be adapted to Mama’s Day. See the tutorial here.
If you love these ideas but dont have time to start from scratch, you might just love these paper flowers over in our little store.
Happy, happy. x
You know we have a long history with loo rolls and here is another fab idea!
If you have left over rolls from baking paper or foil, even better. The longer the better and faster (looking) the rocket!
You can use your imagination based on the picture above, or follow this tutorial. Either way, enjoy!
I come across some terribly clever and creative mamas in my line of business. Jen is one of them. Meet her here then check out her amazing creations at Pikelet Workshop – you are sure to be inspired.
Tell us a bit about you, fabulous you!
I was born in Perth, Western Australia and grew up dreaming of Shakespeare and being an actor. A combination of stagefright and bossiness quickly turned my passion to working behind the scenes and I eventually became a director.
Just when I was about to pursue this career with more intensity I met my future husband, and then we did the settling-down-and-starting-a-family thing.
With one kid in the bag (and deciding most definitely that one was enough for us!), we jumped upon the opportunity to live in Brazil for a year and discovered a love for expat life. Neither of us had been into travelling much before this point, but to actually live in a place and really immerse yourself in another culture is fascinating and invigorating. (Of course, it’s also incredibly challenging and frustrating and expensive!)
Shortly after our stint in Brazil we moved to Toronto and fell in love with the place. Unfortunately the GFC came along and the expats found themselves packed up and sent home immediately (one of the risks of this sort of life) so we resumed our ‘normal’ life in Perth instead. Our kid started school, and I found myself with enough time to start playing with the craft ideas I’d had in my head for years but had been unable to tease out or find the time to act upon. Pikelet Workshop was born, and I was incredibly lucky to find myself with a busy little craft business and a wonderful craft community to boot. But we were unable to get Toronto out of our hearts and minds and two years ago another opportunity presented itself.
So, here we are. Living in Toronto, enjoying four seasons and lapping up the culture that this city has to offer. We go to a lot of gigs (many late ones, to which the bags under my eyes can attest) and the film festivals, not to mention the myriad of fabulous and affordable restaurants. We walk everywhere, or catch the streetcar and subway and find ourselves happily living in a busy city and a quiet family neighbourhood simultaneously.
We are also blessedly close to New York, another city we have become addicted to, and manage to spend at least one holiday there each year.
Our hope is to stay in Toronto for some time to come, but many influencing factors remain outside of our control so we are just making damn sure we enjoy it regardless. Poppet (the name I use for my daughter in public forums) is now in Grade 2 at the local school and if we are still here for Grade 4 she’ll do half of her school day in French. Pretty cool.
I’ve finally begun the lengthy process of re-establishing my business, albeit in a new country which is going to take some time and an enormous amount of effort. Thankfully, I still have a wonderful customer base Down Under who continue to purchase from me. Thanks guys!
Who inspires you?
So many people, naturally. Most anyone on TedTalks. I am an enormous fan of David Attenborough and Stephen Fry both. There’s something incredibly reassuring in their intellect and demeanour, and I listen to their audiobooks often. I love children’s illustrators and find a lot of inspiration in their work. Axel Sheffler, Lydia Monks and Oliver Jeffers come to mind.
My daughter inspires me constantly. She has travelled and lived in a fairly wide part of the world by age 8, and has made friends easily and loved every minute of it. We wouldn’t do any of this expatting if she didn’t want to. Thank goodness she’s on board.
What can’t you live without?
Apart from the obvious friends and family thing, my Ipod is constantly being updated, listened to and recharged. It’s my best best friend.
Audiobooks and podcasts and music, oh my!
Do you have a favourite blog?
Hmmm. I subscribe to many. Probably my favourite is Meet Me at Mikes. Pip Lincolne should actually be up there in my list of inspirational people. She’s really turned her crafty passions into a career, worked relentlessly at it and stepped on nobody’s toes in the process. I love her quirky personality and her integrity. She keeps it real.
How do you like to spend your spare time?
Galleries and museums, a walk in the park, going out for breakfast. And magazines. I am a magazine addict. Thank goodness so many are available digitally now, my house would be bursting at the seams otherwise.
Best time/sanity saving tips?
I’m a pretty good procrastinator where work is concerned but also incredibly organised when it comes to my house. I’m a neat freak and hate too much clutter. I tidy up every night before going to bed, in fact I’m probably in a constant state of tidying. I would really like to be more organised when it comes to meal planning but that seems to be up there with blog planning. A fabulous idea but not really my personality type to act on it. Work in progress…
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I honestly don’t look that far ahead. Other than seeing my family unit as tight as ever, after so much living abroad and moving about I have learned to live in the moment and find satisfaction in the here and now.
That’s been very good for me as I’m a control freak by nature. Hence the tidiness!
Obviously more travel would be great, and I’d love to still be living in Toronto. I’d like to still be working on my little business and making it more viable. But anything can happen between now and then. I’ll just take things as they come for now.
Favourite quote?
Tricky, I don’t really remember quotes. But Holly Hobby was on my sister’s wall when we were kids. “Start each day in a happy way” has stuck with me. Thanks Holly!
Where can we find you?
website
blog
facebook
instagram and twitter @pikeletjen
We LOVE good food.
We know YOU love good food.
You’ve all heard me prattling on about Crave Good Food in the past. Lovely Martha, the owner, is wanting to give one of you gorgeous lot one of their Tasting Boxes (RRP $49.95) for Mother’s Day. As it happens, the May tasting box up for grabs is full of sweet stuff for mamas and a bonus lip nourish (RRP $24.95) from our gorgeous friend Cindy at Luk Beautifood. What’s not to love about THAT?
So, who is in?
All you have to do is like the Crave Good Food and Luk Beautifood facebook pages then comment below (25 words or less) telling us your favourite sweet goodie.
My favourite sweet indulgence is caramel slice. Hands down.
OK. GO!
Total prize value is $74.90. Open to Australian residents only. Winner will be drawn and announced here on Monday 6th May 2013 at 8pm EST.
