I’m excited about the various guides and tutorials that I get to share with you this week.
Toddler in Tow has lots of information on fun things to do with your children. They mainly cater to Porirua parents, but quite often they list events in other areas. Their school holiday listings, for example, covered activities in Wellington through to Upper Hutt.
Skip to My Lou has created a great resource for those homemade-present-makers out there.
I have now added crochet ripple blanket, Rapunzel hair, and yummy bread bowl to my ‘things I want to try’ list. (Which is growing at a rapid rate!)
This makes a great gift for Grandparents and loved ones. I made one for my dad last year, and filled it with photos of the kids…he mentioned this year how much he liked it (and he’s not one to gush about presents).
Big Huge Labs
This is the one that I used last year. Once you are on their site, you basically upload the photo of your choice, choose the month and year and then it produces a picture file for you to save. One month done. Super easy!
I love the fonts used in this calendar template. It says that it costs $4.99, but go down to the bottom where it says “Downloads” where you will find the zip file that you can download for free.
Pumpkin Patch is offering another 20% off ALL online purchases….including sale items!! There are some amazing deals. Free delivery as well. Sale ends this Friday.
NZ Post has recently launched a new service called iTRY. All you need to do is sign up and then select which freebie you would like to try, and then it will be delivered to you.
I have been on a look out for a new apron, and so this tutorial caught my eye at Martha Stewart [via Skip to My Lou]. I am a fan of Ink & Spindle‘s hand printed textiles and I just love the simple lines of this apron.
Are you feeling a tad overwhelmed with Christmas preparations? Jenn from My Delicious Ambiguity has listed a bunch of Free Christmas Organisers that you can print out!
Simple Mom has Robin Dance of Pensieve doing a couple of guest posts about parenting teenagers.
As my daughter approaches double digits early next year, I can relate to this quote in the post where Robin’s friend said this about her 10 year old daughter “She’s already lived half the amount of time she’s going to be with you….” YIKES!
If you do not have teenagers, you can still put into practice some of the advice, but I would also bookmark it for future reference.
SELLING CLOTHES WITH A DIFFERENCE (FOR NEW ZEALANDERS)
iswish is an interesting way to de-clutter your family’s wardrobe. You sell your clothes for credits, and then use those credits to make purchases from the range of clothes, bag etc on their website. Niceeee!
I just found a couple of unused curtains that I was wondering what to do with. The Sustainability Trust has set up aCurtain Bank, so that low income residents and those with chronic health conditions have access to free curtains to keep warm during the winter and keep heating costs down. They even accept curtain rails and fabric to make curtains too!
(I emailed them to see if there was anywhere I could drop off the curtains locally, and they said they were doing work in my area and came and picked up the curtains from my house!)
I just love all videos that Cheri from I am Momma Hear Me Roar does! She has done a few video tutorials to show you how to style your hair in different ways.
I’ve been trying them out in my hair, and have felt quite “glam” after the transformation!
I am constantly amazed at how many balls we can juggle as mothers.
I stumbled across Oyako Designs which produce quality baby carriers.
Emily is an amazing mother who is juggling 4 children under 8 years old.
After years of experimenting and adjustments she came up with two designs which she believes is the most comfortable and convenient carriers possible. (Hmmmm…..Shall I have another baby just so I can get one of these?????)
She recently received her first wholesale order from “Organic Baby”, 127 Jackson Street, Petone. So you can check out some of her products there, or on her website. Congrats Emily!
Amberlee from Giver’s Log shared this fun and easy idea of making “glow cones”. This would make a treat for the family a little bit more special and memorable!
I heard about Mindy Gledhill through CJane’s blog. She is releasing her new album “Anchor” and it’s great! If you are lucky you can listen to a preview of her album on her blog until her album is released (Post Edit: 4 Aug in America)
I loved the words to the song “Hourglass”, totally made me think of my son…
“Little boy, when you speak, I can’t help but kiss your cheeks, I love the way you grab my hands, tell me all about your plans.”
And check out this lovely video to the song “All about your heart”. The dancing by the little girl is so enchanting! Check out the words too…
“I don’t mind your odd behaviour, it’s the very thing I love, if you were an ice cream flavour, you would be my favourite one”
“I’ve loved you from the start, in every single way, and more each passing day, you are brighter than the stars, believe me when I say, it’s not about your scars, it’s all about your heart”
I am loving this post by Simone from Greatfun4kids. She reminds us that it is important to step out from behind the camera and be in the photo with our children. She has been able to put into words, what I have been feeling lately. I really need more photos with the kids.Getting a smaller camera that the kids can operate, has been my first step. The next step is, as Simone says “Get over myself”.
We have to remember that our children love us, just the way we are (no make up, holey jeans and uncontrollable hair), that is how they see us every day.
Giver’s Log is a great blog anyway, but now they have teamed up with Carrie Butler and have started a Shoot Along. They are trying to get us to be more purposeful in our photography. They will be including great tips, like last weeks post on “Telling the Story”.
Who wouldn’t want to receive a thank you gift with these labels on it?! You can give these away too, because the girls over at eighteen25 have made some downloadable labels for us to use. Score!
I can’t wait to try the monster bubbles like Valerie from Frugal Family Fun! My kids would love this! She got the idea from Childhood Magic, where they also have link to a good bubble mixture.
I’m not sure if is the sun streaming in to the room, the beautiful flowers, the gorgeous colours of the wool, or the pretty crochet patterns…but I am loving the crochet table-cloth that Elizabeth Cat has made [via whipup.net].
Suzanne from A New Creation is documenting all the things she is making. From Crafts to Yummy Recipes. She recently made this box pouch that turned out really well! She got the pattern from Indie House.
This article by Digital Photography School is jam-packed with great advice for your budding photographer, or even adults who want to learn a bit more about photography! I’m excited to try some of their ideas!
You can spend $2 and travel on the Hutt Valley line, Paraparaumu line and Johnsonville line between 9am and 3pm on Tuesday 13 July, Wednesday 14 July, Thursday 15 July! Thanks Tranz Metro! (and thank you Nancy for letting me know!)
Jill from Homemade from Jill walks us through the free Picnik programme to make these lovely printables. Picnik can be used for photo storage and manipulation as well. This looks like fun!
Alicia from A Magical Childhood has taken the time to collate a list of books recommended by children! I can see that this wonderful list is going to keep us busy at the library for a long time to come! Thanks Alicia!
Today’s “5 Great Finds” is a bit different. I am dedicated this post to 5 amazing ladies (or groups of ladies).
They have taken an idea and with A LOT of hard work, they have transformed a dream into reality. (Totally inspiring!)
Each group is special because they saw a need in their community and decided to fill it. By doing this they have helped many mothers become better informed, and helped them to connect with other mothers as well.
What makes them even more amazing is that most of them are stay at home mothers to young children!
These passionate ladies saw the need for additional information and support for pregnant woman who wanted to know more about breastfeeding.
My friend Cara (on the very right) and her colleagues have developed breastfeeding courses for pregnant woman to ensure that mother and baby have the best possible breastfeeding experience. (Partners are encouraged to come along for support as well!)
When I first started blogging, I had no idea that there were so many Kiwi Mummy Bloggers out there!
Sarah also found it hard to find the kiwi blogs amongst the international blogs. So she developed “Kiwi Mummy Blogs” which provides a comprehensive list of kiwi mummy blogs and teasers to their current posts. She always seems to have a good giveaway going on too!
When you have a look around Kapiti Kids Connect you will soon appreciate how much time and effort that Maryanne puts in to keeping the Kapiti Coast families informed of all the wonderful facilities, events, and businesses available in their area. I’m sure your efforts are appreciated!
We are lucky enough in Wellington that a group of wonderful women have seen that there may be mothers who want to get out of the house, try something new, and meet new people.
Zoe and her crew put together fun events like the upcoming Hip Hop class and a Pamper Evening at a Salon.
If you thought we were lucky with one group…guess what, I found another group which put on wonderful events so mothers can have some ME time!
Although Lisa calls this her hobby, with her committee’s help, I think they do a pretty good job at coming up with interesting and varied topics ranging from workshops on Money and Prosperity to Glamour Photo Shoots!
So when I saw that Jena from Modish had managed to get a free downloadable to do list, exclusively for her blog by Stephanie I was excited! (And impressed at her skills of recruiting talented artists!) Check it out!
I love the kind of kids activities that you can do with the things that are already in your house! All you need is self-raising flour, food colouring, water and a microwave! My friend showed this to me once, and I thought it was such a great idea! Melissa from One Crafty Mama provides an easy to follow guide on how you can do this at home! [via Skip to My Lou]
When you see the photo of the beautiful paper rose, you may think (like I did) that is sooo pretty, but I would never be able to do that! Well, let me tell you my friend, Little Birdie Secrets has put together a video tutorial, which is super easy to follow! So give it a go, you may surprise yourself!
Well it turns out there are MANY ways you can make your own cloth labels. kojodesigns has posted a comprehensive list of cloth label tutorials. Yay! Such a great list!
I am into to do lists at the moment! So this one caught my eye! Gorgeous colours!! eighteen25 has provided a great tutorial on how to put this beauty together. They also include a free downloadable header for it!
If you are like me and are currently trying to keep your toes warm during winter…you may want to consider making your own winter list. My friend posted her list up on facebook and inspired us to follow her example.
Some of things she included:
Going puddle-stomping in our gumboots.
Having a pajama day with lots of snuggling in bed with my littles and reading my favourite old books to them, creating worlds with the hills of our knees under the blankets and populating them with duplo animals.
Winter walking on the Waikanae beach, rugged up warm and toasty, but knowing by the end of the trip we’ll be stripped down for paddling and chilly but delighted!
BIG bubble baths…
Snuggling on the couch with popcorn and fun movies.
Making home made bread and big pots of yummy soup.
Getting some cute new WARM winter pjs.
Wherever you are in the world, why not put a list together (even if it is on a spare piece of paper, stuck on the fridge door) of fun things to do with the kids and enjoy the season you are in
Alissa from 33 Shades of Green shares a really easy tutorial to showcase your jewellery (or jewelry as the American’s spell it). I can’t help thinking that after making these lovely organisers, I would feel I would have permission to go out and buy lots of gorgeous pieces of jewellery! (Thanks to Jane from Finding Fabulous for finding this gem of a post!)
Where do you put your child’s tooth after it comes out of their mouth? Ohdeedoh featured Brooke from Inchmark who made these cute and functional bunnies to house the treasures while they wait for the tooth fairy to arrive!
I LOVE these two examples of clustered artwork displays by two talented bloggers:
Diane from The Perfectly Imperfect Life has made a lovely art display in their play room. I love that she has included baby pictures in the display, and the white frames go nicely with the softer coloured art work.
Angie from Echoes of Laughter has created this gorgeous art gallery wall in her family room. I love all the bright art work, which seem to really compliment the different array of frames on display.
You may be familiar with the Berenstain Book series that handle such issues like going to the dentist for the first time or about having a messy room (sooo many great titles). Their TV series has returned to New Zealand television on Kidszone at every day at 9.35am, 1.35pm and 5.35pm. This is a great show to sit down with your children because it all about helping your child learn life lessons through the experiences that brother and sister bear have on the show. I remember recalling to my children one of the episodes to do with swearing when they asked me why people swear. (I think I even borrowed a few explanations that mama and papa bear used!)
Alison from HowDoesShe features a tutorial to make your very own bubble blower by using every day supplies that you could probably find around the house – plastic bottle, a rag or sock, rubber band and dishwashing liquid. I can not wait to try making nice long bubble snakes with the kids!
How about scanning a page from your favourite children’s book?
Or a scanned page from your favourite page in the Bible?
How about your own family pillow? Love it!
The possibilities are endless!
FREE KIDS PARTY INVITATIONS
The talented Simone from Greatfun4kids has set up a separate blog where you can print off some wonderful children’s birthday invitations that she designed for FREE!
How to make Homemade Yoghurt. Rachel from “Small Notebook” shares with us her simple recipe on how to make your very own yoghurt! (Be sure to make time to scroll the comments where people share what they put in with their yoghurt to make it extra yummy!) http://smallnotebook.org/2010/03/29/how-to-make-homemade-yogurt/
Original ceramics. Melissa from “Tiny Happy” shows us how she decorates ceramic cups in her own unique style using a special pen for ceramics and porcelain. I love the idea of making use of the white cups and plates that you find at second hand stores to put your design on. Just imagine the kids having a go, and making some memorable art! http://tinyhappy.typepad.com/tiny_happy/2010/01/ceramics.html
Loads of Crock pot/Slow Cooker Recipes. Stephanie from “A Year of Slow cooking”, made a New Year’s resolution to use the slow cooker every day in 2008, and she has shared all her recipes on this blog. My favourite part is “the verdict” where she tells us how it turned out. http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
Videos series aimed at the Beginner Sewer. Threads Magazine has provided a few short informative videos for those who are starting out sewing. My daughter and I watched it together. Although I know a little bit about sewing, it was good to get a refresher, and to get some advice on what materials would be handy to buy. http://www.threadsmagazine.com/teach-yourself-to-sew
You have to try this!!!!! I stumbed upon thefind.com the other day. You basically put in a description of what you want to buy (I was looking for a poppy painting) and it searches the online stores, and quickly gives you a list with thumbnail photos of potential items that are available to buy online. WOW! http://www.thefind.com/
I love how you can frame children’s art work like this! Ellen from The Long Thread, did this amazing auction project for her child’s school. http://thelongthread.com/?p=5846
This lady is amazingly talented! She comes up with plans so you can make your own furniture. Whenever I look at the photos, I start dreaming of my house filled with beautiful unique furniture….dreams are free right! http://knockoffwood.blogspot.com/
Go and have a read of Simple Mom’s “20 Tips for Finding Your Routine with Kids”. They are simple and practical. I feel like printing it out and sticking it where I can see it, to help me stay focused throughout the day!http://simplemom.net/20-tips-for-finding-your-routine-with-kids-2/
Have you even taken a personality test? I did! And I was ISFP – the artist/composer! Why not take the test and come back and tell me what you are! http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
“ISFP: Quiet, serious, sensitive and kind. Do not like conflict, and not likely to do things which may generate conflict. Loyal and faithful. Extremely well-developed senses, and aesthetic appreciation for beauty. Not interested in leading or controlling others. Flexible and open-minded. Likely to be original and creative. Enjoy the present moment.“
Want to take a trip down memory lane. Here are some New Zealand ads that were on the TV in the 60′s, 70′s, 80′s and 90′s! http://www.filmarchive.org.nz/sellebration/ (thanks Jen for finding this site!)
A new blog that gives you ideas about dates with your spouse. I love their quote: “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, and always with the same person.”http://thedahlingdatingdivas.blogspot.com/
Excellent tips on how to get your email inbox under control! (I cleared my inbox not too long ago, but it has quickly filled up again, so I need a better system!) http://zenhabits.net/2010/02/email-sanity/
