Strawberry Party for Emmy

As much as I love truck parties, fish parties, airplane parties and the like, there is always going to be a special place in my heart for pretty girly themed parties. It's so satisfying to not have to worry if anything I'm making is too pretty or frilly.

Last weekend my sister mentioned that we would be having a bbq in the park for Emmy's third birthday, but that she was flat out at work and didn't have time to put together anything fancier than a sausage sizzle. You can work out what happened next... I promised not to go overboard or spend too much money and Jen gave me full licence to do whatever I wanted for Emmy's party. Love her!!

Once I decided on the strawberry theme it all came together really quickly.

We had the party down at the park yesterday and luckily I'd set everything up at home and snapped some photos first because it was crazy windy once we got down there! Plus it was super hot and the cake melted in the middle and started to collapse! It wasn't a drama though, we just ate cake first before we cooked the bbq. No-one has ever complained about getting to eat cake first!

  

Loving All Things Handmade

I love handmade, it's my thing. My dream is to have a home filled with all things handmade and locally crafted. I realise that probably makes me sound like a complete hippy with a house full of wonky clay coffee mugs and crocheted place mats (at least that's the image that pops into my mind!).

But the reality is that handmade has evolved dramatically in the last few years. Now handmade (or locally purchased) means so much more. I love that I can buy high quality, gorgeously designed homewares, linens, art and actually get to know the person behind the goods. Knowing that you're buying something right from the source is such a great thing!

Lately I've been spending (way too much) time shopping at local markets and online at places like Etsy and Down That Little Lane. I am so in love with the people I've been meeting and the things I've been finding and thought I would share some of the gorgeous bits and pieces I've bought or that I'm lusting over.

Are these Billy and Scarlet prints not some of the most gorgeous prints you've ever seen!! I am so in love with the entire range. I've just bought the 'shine like the stars' one to go in Link's room and if I ever have a girl I I know for sure these other two will be making there way into her room. Jillian has also just released the most gorgeous range of nautical prints that are so perfect for a little boys room. Like I said, madly in love!!

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Lincoln, my adorable little monster is a dribbler!! I don't remember needing bibs as much with Max, but they are an absolute must for this little guy. I found these Monkey and Poppet bibs at a local handmade market and they are perfect. I've only bought these two so far, but am planning on stocking up big next time I go to Handmade Redcliffe. Gorgeous patterns and really well made :).

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For just about ever I have been in love with the gorgeous jewelry shop Bip and Bop and the other day I was lucky enough to win a $25 voucher to their etsy store. There was absolutely no way that I was going to be able to stick to $25, so I went ahead and ordered the pieces I have been wanting for ages. I normally spend any spare money on the boys so it was so nice to treat myself! Cannot wait until the package arrives!!

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Is there anything better than receiving a gorgeously wrapped gift? I don't think so :). The other day at my first market stall I was lucky enough to be right next to the creative genius behind Nice Package and I fell head over heels in love (with the wrapping paper.. not her gorgeous husband, because that would just be awkward!). Anyway, go check them out you won't be sorry!!

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When I talk about how much I love buying handmade this is exactly what I'm talking about. I met Clare from Small Green Leaf at a twilight market at my nieces school. I chatted with her for ages about all things handmade and while I was there fell madly in love with her gorgeous range of handmade silver jewelry. Not only do I now have the most stunning custom made silver pendent, I also got to meet the person who made it. Win, win!!

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Katherine from The Print Press Studio is another gorgeous and lovely person that I met at the Twilight Markets. Her range of greeting cards, prints and custom artwork are absolute perfection. I'm notorious for forgetting to give a card with gifts so I'm planning on stocking up on some from her adorable range so that I never forget again!!


There are are about a million more stores that I could mention right now, but I figure I need to stop somewhere or there is a big chance my kitchen will never get clean! I hope you love these little shops as much as I do!!

xx Tamsyn

Mummy Diaries

** Mummy Diaries - sponsored by Bepanthen and Nuffnang - All poo stories and opinions are 100% my own **

A little over a month ago you might have seen a photo on Instagram of me and two of my girlfriends sitting in my lounge room having a chat with Em Rusciano. I'm kind of a closet fan girl, so it was totally surreal! In fact the whole experience was completely crazy, in one moment I went from having a coffee with my neighbour Andrea while our boys played, to having a house filled with a film crew, producers, a make-up artist and a super star presenter. Crazy, but completely fun as well! 

(Long live the mummy uniform of jeans, ballet flats and a cardigan – Em must have missed the memo!)

The point of having everyone there was to film a segment for the Mummy Diaries, which have been put together by Bepanthen Ointment for nappy rash. They’ve been catching up with groups of mums all around the country to talk about all those things that you never really think about until you’re a mum. Andrea, Jacqui and I decided to talk about nappy rash, poo and all the fun that comes with that stuff, and considering that between us we have 6 boys it was quite fitting. I don’t have girls, so I don’t know for sure, but it sure seems like boys and all things messy and gross definitely go hand in hand.

The whole thing was so much fun to be a part of and I want to send a huge thank you to the team at Bepanthen for thinking up such a great idea. I’ve been using Bepanthen Ointment for quite a few months now and I absolutely love it. Lincoln tends to get really bad nappy rash and it’s so perfect for his delicate baby skin. It contains pro-vitamin B5 to gently soothe and actively heal, so I find that if he wakes up with a really red bottom I can have it cleared up by lunchtime. My hands down favourite thing about it though is that while it still forms a waterproof barrier, it doesn’t have that yucky zinc-like look and feel that some other creams have. I love it and definitely recommend it, in fact if I was going to rate it out of ten I would give it an eleven, that’s how well it works on Link.

Anyway back to the poo (because really, what could be more riveting!), I have had some epic poo moments with both of my boys… I will never, ever in all my years forget the time I went into Max’s room when he was about 14 months old to find that he had pooed, then taken off his nappy and smeared it all over himself and his cot. Lincoln helped me get payback a couple of months ago though, both boys were in the bath and Link let loose one of those huge yellow breast milk poos all through the bath and Max absolutely lost it. He was so cross at his baby brother!

Although those were seriously gross moments, Andrea tells a story in the video that is a serious contender for the grossest poo moment trophy! But then I think we probably all have at least one poo moment that was epically disgusting don’t we?

Anyway here’s the video, I would love for you to watch it even if it’s just to laugh at my ability to completely embarrass myself on a regular basis! (Oh and watch out for the Cooper cameos, he’s had his fair share of disgusting poo moments too, but I’ll save those for another day!)

xx Tamsyn

Max & Me Giveaway

I'm so excited to share with you that I have just taken my 100th order through my online stores, so excited!!

I still remember loading up my first few items to Etsy and wondering if I was absolutely fooling myself to think that I would get a sale. That feels like forever ago!

To celebrate this little milestone I've decided to hold a giveaway over on Instagram. Head on over there and find me - @tamsyn_maxandme - to enter.

Good luck and thanks for being here to share in my good new!!

xx Tamsyn

Vintage Style Tea Party

It's no secret that I absolutely love all things girly and pretty. But with a house full of boys I rarely get the chance to embrace all things pink. So when my niece turned 8 earlier in the month I jumped at the chance to throw her a little afternoon tea.

I decided to go with a simple, pretty, vintage style afternoon tea and absolutely love how it turned out!

The other thing that I loved about this little party is that it was completely stress free. Normally when I throw a party (no matter how prepared I am) I end up yelling orders at my poor family members as we rush around getting last minute jobs done on the day of the party, before turning on my party face as the guests arrive. This time I did it all with an absolute minimum of fuss and it was a nice change!

To kick things off I made this sweet little invite for Ava. I just threw it together in picmonkey and then wrapped it in a doily and some bakers twine. Ava was so excited when she saw it for the first time!!

The main feature for the table was these tissue paper poms. I used pale pink, peach, cream and white and made them in various sizes, then used bluetac to stick them to the wall.

To complete the table I added an old birdcage that I spray painted white a few years back, a cloche with a sweet white ceramic bunny sitting on a pedestal (which was actually just an upside down egg cup and pretty pink and gold saucer), and some silver teaspoons with pretty bows tied on them.

The food elements I used were a two tier cake (gluten free and iced with fresh whipped cream), milk in vintage style milk bottles with pretty pink paper straws and fresh strawberries on a pink and gold cake plate.

To finish it all off I included chocolate bars wrapped in pink and silver paper and take home bags (brown paper bags topped with white doilies).

{How much do you love their tutus!! My very clever sister made them.}

Ava's face when she saw it all set up was priceless!! She was so excited to be the guest of honor :).

We had one little activity at the afternoon tea party - cupcake decorating, which the three kids absolutely loved. Ava showed elegant restraint when decorating her cupcake, while Max and Emmy went nuts with the sprinkles! I cheated on the cupcakes and made the worlds easiest cakes, I'll share the details on them later in the week. You will be amazed at how simple they were!

After they decorated (and ate) their cupcakes we sat down down with the grandparents for milk (and tea and coffee) and cake.

A sweet afternoon for a very sweet little lady :).

 
xx Tamsyn

Bunting Gift Tags

Today you can find me over at Hubby Made Me, sharing a quick and easy DIY for these adorable bunting gift tags.

Happy Thursday :)

xx Tamsyn

The Sleeping Saga

Lincoln is now 7 months old and still waking to feed 3 times a night. Nine times out of ten the reaction I get when I tell people this is shock and horror.

But is it really that uncommon for babies to still wake in the night at 7 months?

I've been given lots of advice, everyone from my real life and online friends (who's advice is always appreciated), to my hairdresser, beautician, shop assistants, the ladies at the post office, childless men (always my fave!) and complete strangers.

Most of the advice we've happily ignored - like starting solids early (this has been suggested to me by at least a dozen people starting when he was only 4 weeks old), supplementing his night feeds with formula (I have no problems with formula, Max drank it from 5 months but a lack of milk is not the problem) adding a few drops of rum to a bottle for him, and ignoring him outright when he cries during the night.

Some of it we've tried - waking him up to feed at 10pm before I go to bed, giving him solids at 6 months, moving him into his own room (which we did a couple of days ago) and picking him up when he cries, hugging him and then putting him back down.

It doesn't matter what we do he still wakes up in the night and wants to be fed.

The thing is, I'm totally ok with it. Sure I complain sometimes, especially after a night where he's decided to feed five times, but generally I don't mind.

I love breastfeeding Lincoln and those night feeds are so special to me. It's just me and him. During those feeds I am the only thing in the entire world that matters to him. And there is something so amazingly wonderful about that.

So next time someone asks me if he's sleeping through yet, I'm not going to let them offer me any more advice. I'll let them know that he doesn't sleep through the night, but that I don't mind at all. I'm sure he'll do it when he's ready.

xx Tamsyn