$400 Christmas Giveaway!

That's right, I've teamed up with some very awesome bloggers to give away a $400 visa gift card this holiday season (as well as two $20 visa gift cards as runner-up prizes)!! I hope you're as excited as I am :)


To enter you just need to leave a comment below (and then use the rafflecopter widget to validate it, sometimes it does take a few seconds to load so please give it a moment), plus you will earn a bonus entry each time you follow one of the blogs listed below on either facebook or pinterest (or both!). It's such an easy way to earn extra entries and you'll be able to check out some fabulous blogs along the way! (Please note if you enter via a bonus entry, they will be verified should you win.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
   


Entry is open to anyone in Australia, the USA and Canada.  Good luck and Happy Holidays!!

Journelling Calendar

This week I am *officially* on maternity leave (39 weeks, 3 days and counting!), so I'll be re-posting a couple of DIYs from my archives. I also have a HUGE giveaway coming up soon, make sure you check back for that tomorrow!

Side note - today is the day my c-section was booked for. If I hadn't decided to try for a vbac and cancelled it, I would well and truly have my little baby in my arms by now. To be honest I wasn't sure how I would feel today, but I'm doing ok. As much as I am desperate to meet the little guy, I know that he will arrive when the time is right.

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Onto the DIY! I'm sharing this one because now is the perfect time to start planning for next year. I've loved using my journelling calendar this year and am thinking I might make a few for my family as Christmas gifts.

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A while back I was inspired by this calendar journal that I spotted on Design Sponge. You've probably seen it before too, it's been round the blogosphere a few times over. Anyway, I pinned it to my 'must DIY this' board and then promptly forgot about it.

I was reminded of it a couple of weeks ago when Laura blogged about the version she made.

Gorgeous huh!!

I finally got my butt into gear on the weekend and made myself one too.

Now all I need to do is remember to write something down each day :)

Prettying up those Mason Jars

This week I am *officially* on maternity leave (39 weeks, 2 days and counting!), so I'll be re-posting a couple of DIYs from my archives. I also have a HUGE giveaway coming up later in the week, make sure you check back for that soon!

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Recently my sister and her two beautiful girls shifted to Brisbane and moved in with us. From the moment I found out they were coming to stay, all I could think about was that I would finally get the chance to decorate a girls room!

My oldest niece Ava is 6 years old and loves all things girly. Which, when it comes to designing a room is pretty much my dream come true!!

The plan is to start out small, to stick to a very tight budget and to create things that can easily be moved to a new room when they get their own place.

We got started this week and made a little stationary station for Ava to keep her colouring pens and crayons in.

We decided on a tray (which was an old photo frame spray painted white), with a collection of jars to hold her things.

Here's what we came up with...

1. Place strips of double sided tape around the jar up to the height that you want the glitter.
2. Cover all the tape with glitter!
3. *Optional - I went back later and covered the clear glass with painters tape and then sprayed a coat of clear gloss over the top of the glitter. That glitter is definitely staying put!

1. Using puff paint draw your faux bois pattern all over the jar.
2. Once dry spray with several thin coats of white spray paint, letting each coat dry in between.

1. Add double sided tape to the back of a ribbon and attach to the glass.
2. Hot glue a pretty bow to the ribbon.

1. Wrap strips of double sided tape around the jar and then coat with glitter.
2. I did the three gold strips first and then came back and did the two pink ones.

The best part? Ava absolutely loves it!

(First posted January 2012)

Toddler Tuesday - Paper Plate Apples

This weeks Toddler Tuesday project is another one that I first saw over at One Craftee Mumma. I pinned it ages back and have been waiting for the perfect moment to do it with Max. This week with me being 39 weeks pregnant and too huge to do much of anything I thought it was the perfect time to give it a go.

It's a super simple craft project - paper plate apples.

Supplies:
   - Paper plate (non coated)
   - green (or red) paper torn up into squares
   - glue and paint brush
   - brown paper stem
   - green paper leaf

My only involvement in this one was showing Max what to do at the start and then helping glue the stem and leaf in the right spot at the end. Other than that I just sat back and took photos :).

Obligatory eating shot - this kid is so much like his Daddy :)

Easy and fun, the perfect toddler craft!

39 Weeks

I am so very very pregnant! That's all I really have to say about that... I'm thrilled that I got to experience pregnancy a second time around and am quite ready to have this baby thank you very much.

I've been trying out a few old wives tales to try and get things moving...

On Saturday my sister and I did a whole lot of walking at the Finders Keepers markets in Brisbane. Hands down best markets I have ever been too! There were so many amazingly talented designers and creators there. I picked up a print each for the boys' rooms from etsy seller Penelope and Pip.

The owl one that I purchased is a little bit different to this one and is for Max's room. When I showed it too him he said, 'that's so funny Mumma, owls don't wear hats' and then started to laugh. So cute!! When I asked for it back he refused to give it to me saying that it was his now :).

I also picked up this adorable monster bib from Columbian trio Amor Amor. I can't wait to get creative and colour it in!

While we were at the markets I also ate the best paella I've ever tasted and a ridiculously decadent strawberry sundae.

I didn't go into labour though...

On Sunday we had Max's bff and her parents over for lunch. I post about the two of them regularly (here and here most recently) and they really are just the cutest pair on the planet!

By that evening I was completely over being pregnant and soooooo uncomfortable so we tried out a few more 'labour inducing techniques', we went for a walk and I ate a really spicy indian curry (which was dumb because I hate spicy food).

I woke up this morning still very very pregnant and have resigned myself to the fact that the baby will probably come out when it's ready regardless of what I do...

Although if you have any suggestions for me I'm all ears.....

Halloween

This year for Halloween my sister and I decided to through a little mini party for Max, Emmy and Ava. Nothing big or fancy, just a few crafts, cute costumes, yummy snacks and an evening of handing out goodies to the trick or treaters.

When we started planning it I figured Max would go as a cowboy because he'd worn a cowboy costume to his friend Kate's birthday last week and I'm cheap like that... But then a couple of weeks before Halloween Max developed a love for all things Mickey Mouse. So much so that when we are out and about and people ask him his name he says 'I'm Mickey!', I tell them his name is actually Max and he says 'no, I'm Mickey!'. Adorable :)

On the morning of Halloween I finished off his Mickey costume and went to try it on him and he decided that under no circumstances would he be wearing it. There were lots of tears and dramatics (all from me - I blame the pregnancy hormones...), but eventually I managed to bribe him with enough chocolate to try it on. Once he saw himself in the mirror he was sold!

(That last photo is him about to tell me off for taking too many photos. Got to love toddlers!!)

Once Jenny finished work for the day she brought her adorable girls around and we got started with the Halloween fun.

(Emily in costume number 2)

(true to form - Max lining up to take a swing at Emmy)

We started with some yummy (and healthy) snacks and then made some fun crafts.

We were so impressed with Max and Emmy's (and Ava's, but that's a given because she's 7) ghost making skills. They barely needed our help at all to make these spooky little creations. I love that when given a choice the little ones choose smiley faces for their ghosts rather than scary faces. So sweet :).

Later on in the night we all made our own pizzas and started handing out treats. The trick or treaters were definitely the highlight for the kids. Each time we got a knock on the door they would go running down the hall, collecting their treat buckets on the way and then hold them out for the neighbour kids to help themselves. Emmy would keep dipping into the bucket trying to hand out more and more to each kid, Max would say 'help yourself' and Ava would have a little chat with each kid. They really are the sweetest :).

All in all it was such a fun night and the kids had heaps of fun. I'm looking forward to next year already!