Small Town Mamma

Laundry Little Step - purge purge purge!

2010-05-25T19:57:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right... today is the day for chucking out all the 'stuff' that has gathered in your laundry area. Empty boxes, bottles, fluff from the lint filters, crumpled tissues, treasures taken from pockets before washing... I have just removed the following from my laundry area -

1 coathanger
3 mismatched socks
5 safety pins
1 'dead' scourer
A large pile of lint fluff; and
A partridge in a pear tree.

OK, maybe not the last one, but you get the drift.... purge the 'stuff', ladies, and feel better for doing it!

Laundry Little Step - Into the depths...

2010-05-24T19:47:00.000-07:00

If your washing basket is anything like mine, you do a load most days, taken from the top of the basket. Do you have clothes that you can't find? Sure you had a pink top but now it is nowhere to be find? It is time to reach into the depths of the laundry basket, and empty it out.

This might seem like a very BIG little step, but believe me, the sense of satisfaction at seeing the bottom of the laundry basket will be worth it. So today's task is empty out the basket, sort it and start doing the loads. My problem usually is that delicates, woollens etc sit in the bottom for ages, because they take extra effort to wash. Well, put your woollies in to soak first, while you do a main load.

This is worth 1 point for each load of washing that you do today, and a bonus 5 points if you do manage to get to the bottom of the basket!

Laundry Little Step - Around the tub...

2010-05-23T04:24:00.000-07:00

How does a week slip by me so quickly? After an unscheduled week off, I am right back into Little Stepping my way to some housekeeping harmony ;-).

In the laundry this week, a quick job to start the week... all we are going to do is swish a cloth around the rim of the tub, and on any surfaces that you can easily do... for me, that is the top of the washing machine, and around the dryer. Wipe off the stray fluff, and general gunk that gathers around the laundry tub... and then you are done!

I was very lucky to meet a lovely blog follower on the weekend - so thank you to everyone for reading! I am going to give away one of my pretty little cosmetic bags to one lucky person who turns in their 'points' at the end of May... you don't have to have the most points, just send me an email with your total, and you will be in the draw to win!

Bathroom Step - Down the sink...

2010-05-13T05:01:00.000-07:00

Every morning and evening, I brush my teeth, rinse in the sink and shudder at the sight of the plug hole. Ick... how did it get in such a grimy state? Well, today's the day I change all that!

I am going to pull out the little grid thing (most modern plastic-type bathroom sinks have a removable grate over the drain hole). If you get your finger in and give a sharp tug you will soon know if it will come out. Now be very careful not to drop anything down there, while the grid is out! (Take your rings off before doing this job).

Grab an old toothbrush and give it a good scrub. Then just scrub around the pipe hole as well - just the top, let's not go crazy and clean the whole drain! Return the grid (it should just clip back in), then give the whole sink a quick wipe down with a cloth. Done!

This is worth 1 point for each bathroom sink that you do, and an extra point if you shout yourself a new toothbrush after using your current one to do the cleaning!

Bathroom Step - Shelve It

2010-05-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

I am too embarrassed to show you a photo of the shelf in our shower. It is cluttered with empty shampoo bottles, dead razors and nearly-dead soap bits. And because it is glass, it is grimy with soap scum too.

But today is the day that it gets a face-lift! Take a look at the shelf, shower caddy, or those handy corners of your bath tub that get cluttered with 'stuff'. Cull the empty bottles, ditch the soap scraps, dispose of dead razors and give the whole lot a wipe down.

Then smile when you next have a shower and enjoy the tidy shelf!

This is worth 1 point for each bathroom that you do - go next door and do your neighbour's if you only have one bathroom yourself! ;-)

Bathroom Step - Out the Window

2010-05-09T15:16:00.000-07:00

We are in the bathroom this week - a room that I sadly neglect far too much. And one of the things that I rarely do in here? Dust. So today the challenge is just to wipe the window sill in your bathroom, and the one in the toilet, and dust any little knick knacks or things that are sitting on them.

Quick and easy - and you can admire the view out the window, while you are there!

And on the subject of quick - here is a quick question for you... do you like the 'one week in each room' format for the Little Steps challenges? Do you have a room or area that you would like to focus on?

Little Step - Make a Mother's Day...

2010-05-06T05:35:00.000-07:00

Mums are amazing people. I realise each day, just how amazing my Mum is - to have raised 4 children, while working full time, and now gone on to achieve her dream of studying and qualifying as a Registered Nurse.

But it is in the day to day grind that we can totally lose sight of what an amazing job we are all doing. And all it takes is an acknowledgement, or recognition, by someone else of what it is that we are achieving each day, to make that day special.

I was doing the grocery shopping last week (with my list - although Ryan was enjoying chewing on it, at times), when I noticed another mum, with a little girl about the same age as Naomi. They were choosing something from a shelf. Then she walked back to a double stroller - she also had twin boys, who looked to be about 9 months old. The thought struck me that she faced a far greater challenge in doing something as simple as the shopping, than I did. She can't use any of the trolleys, so had to hold everything in a basket, while pushing the stroller and controlling a toddler.

I sent up a grateful prayer for my 2 little cherubs, and continued on. I spotted her later, in the carpark, quite close to our car. I couldn't help but smile and say "Wow, I thought I had it tough - you are doing a fantastic job!". And do you know what? She smiled back at me. A tired, frustrated, "I just need a few minutes peace" type smile... but nevertheless, she smiled. And said "Thanks".

I hope that she got as much enjoyment out of the simple exchange of sympathies over the frustrations of daily life with kids, as I did. Anyway, the challenge for this weekend is to make a Mother's Day. It doesn't have to be big, or complicated. It doesn't have to be your own mum - any mum will appreciate it! Just a word acknowledging what a great job they are doing.

Happy Mother's Day.

Kitchen Steps - I would rather be here....

2010-05-05T14:15:00.000-07:00

Isn't this an awesome house? It is on Lake Huron. I bet that you would have the most amazing views out, even when doing the housework!

Today's Little Step is about making another awful kitchen job much easier. I reckon that cleaning the oven is just about the worst job in the world. Most of all because I usually put it off for a year or 2! Now don't worry, we are not going to clean the whole oven today. BUT we can make the racks and trays positively shine, with hardly any effort at all.

The secret is laundry bleach. Yep, good old Napisan. Tonight, before bed, take out the racks and trays from your oven, put them in the laundry sink and add a good shake of laundry stain removal powder - Napisan is just fine. Fill the tub with warm water, so the racks are completely covered. Then just leave it overnight, and wait for the cleaning fairies to come!

In the morning, you should be able to just wipe down most of the gunge off the racks and trays, and have them shining like new. How hard is that?

Now, if only I could work out a way to soak the entire oven in Napisan overnight.....

Kitchen Steps - Kick up a stink!

2010-05-04T19:24:00.000-07:00

If there is one job that I don't like in the kitchen it is cleaning out the bin. I don't mind taking the rubbish bag out, but for some reason I just don't like wiping out the bin ... and yet I HATE when the lid of the bin (ours is a swing-top lid) gets gunk and dirt all over it.

So I have come up with a method that makes me feel a bit better. When I use disposable Chux-style cloths, I wait until the cloth is on its last legs, then the last thing before it goes in the bin is to wipe down the lid and exterior of the kitchen bin. Then chuck it straight away and not have to think about it again!

I also use old face washers for my kitchen cleaning cloths, and wash them every 2second day. So when I am just about to put the cloth in the laundry, again, last thing I do is swish it across the top of the bin.

Alternatively, you could use paper towel and dispose of it immediately. Whichever method you use, you get 1 point for wiping down the lid and exterior of your kitchen bin today!

Kitchen Steps - Kettle overload

2010-05-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

As I stood staring vacantly at the calendar that hangs in our kitchen this morning, while waiting for the kettle to boil for my wake-up cup of tea, I happened to glance down into the depths of the kettle, after filling it with water.

Eeek! Bad mistake.... it's not quite scary enough to stop me from drinking my tea. Frankly, there would have to be something swimming in it for that to happen. BUT it is enough to make me think that I cannot remember ever cleaning out our kettle. The poor thing gets used many times a day, and taken for granted.

So today the Little Step challenge is to clean out your kettle. Tip out the water, use a clean cloth and wipe out all the general gunge that is accumulating on the sides, and even the element. Then give it a good clean and polish for the outside - if you are enthusiastic, you can even wipe down the electric base part.

This is worth 1 point for the cleaning, and an extra point if you then sit down and have a celebratory cup of tea or coffee, from your shining clean kettle!

PS - isn't the duck stove-top kettle just the most gorgeous thing you have ever seen? I think it would make a great Mother's Day gift - hint hint!!

Little Step - Shopping List!

2010-04-29T05:46:00.000-07:00

OK, this is the last part of the Monthly Menu Planning challenge...

Now that you have your calender chart with a meal for each day of May pencilled in, just look across the row for the first week, and jot down ingredients for each meal in that week. Remember to include side dishes, vegetables etc.

Then, go to your kitchen cupboards and cross off anything on your list that you already have... just be sure to check the quantities on hand, before crossing it off.

Add your "other items" (garbage bags, toiletries, paper towel, drinks, lunch items etc) and there you have it - a comprehensive shopping list, ready to take on your next grocery trip.

If you are feeling totally inspired, you could rough out your shopping list for the next fortnight, or even the whole month.... but only if you are on a roll.

Otherwise, let's Little Step our way to an easy shopping trip this coming week. Don't forget to keep a note of how much you spend, and how that compares to your usual weekly amount... did you make a saving? I'd love to hear how your shopping trip goes!

Have a great weekend - Monday is a public holiday here in Queensland, and we are off camping, so I will see you all for May, next Tuesday. I have lots of ideas for Little Steps - and if you have any ideas, or areas of the house that you want to work on, let me know so that we can all do them together.

And finally, you can email me your 'points' balance for April, if you want to... email to sashasews (@) y7mail.com

Little Step - Monthly Menu Planning (Part 2)

2010-04-27T16:17:00.000-07:00

It is a rainy day here, and the kids are at their Daycare mum's house... bliss!

So, taking up from where we left off yesterday, we have a sheet of paper, ruled into a grid that has 7 columns across and 5 rows down. Each column has a 'category' of cooking across the top.

As next month is May, and starts on Saturday, number the last box in your top row with a 1. Then number each box consecutively along, up to 31. So now you have a menu calendar for May.

Today's REAL challenge is to fill in a meal idea for each day, following the category of the relevant column.

So I need to come up with 4 roasts, 4 soups, 4 slow cooker meals, 4 oven meals, 4 cook book recipes, etc...

Don't stress about this - remember it's not a menu plan that is set in stone. It is just something that you can use as a guide - a fall back, so that we know that each day, we have the ingredients to cook SOMETHING for dinner that night. If you change plans, skip a day or whatever, this is no drama.

Have fun with this - make a cuppa and sit down with your favourite cookbooks (I have a crush on Nigella). Just pencil things we - you can move them around, change ideas and even change column categories if you want.

Tomorrow we are going to draft a shopping plan for each week.

Little Step - Menu Plan (Part 1)

2010-04-26T15:10:00.001-07:00

It is getting towards the end of the month, and there is a larger challenge that I want to try, but I am going to break it down into bite-sized pieces (ha ha - pun intended!). I want to try a system I have developed for monthly menu planning.

I think we all realise that if you go shopping with a plan, and a list, you are far more likely to stay on budget, and save those impulse buys for truly important things... like chocolate.

One of the things that I struggle with the most is having healthy, easy to prepare meals ready for my family at least 6 nights a week. And yet, when it is all going well, it is one of the best Little Steps you can take, towards bringing some peace into your life.

So here is my monthly menu plan challenge. Today we are going to take a piece of paper, and rule it into 7 columns, and 5 rows - 35 boxes, in all. Then I want you to think about 7 different 'categories' of food that you cook - as an idea, I am thinking of

Sunday - Roast
Monday - Soup / leftovers
Tuesday - Slow Cooker
Wednesday - Cook book
Thursday - Homemade Takeaway
Friday - Oven baked
Saturday - Homemade Pizza

Write each category across a column in your grid.... and voi'la - you have a menu plan template!

And that's it for today!

Friday Little Step - Changing Seasons

2010-04-22T15:30:00.001-07:00

No matter which hemisphere you live in, the seasons are changing. (Turn turn turn..). So we are pulling out the winter woollies, and those of you in the North are putting them away.

Do you have a system for switching over your kids clothes to suit their size and the season (or the adults' for that matter!)? I have a very simple system. I keep a spare laundry basket in the area that I fold clean clothes. As clothes come through the wash system, clean and dry, if they are really getting too small, or no longer seasonally appropriate, I just quietly drop them in the 'other' basket. When it has a few things in it, I sort them and either store for next year, or bag them up to go to a local charity.

As Naomi has a bit of a thing about her clothes, I do keep the basket tucked up the back of the laundry room, out of her line of sight - thus avoiding tantrums about clothes she wants to wear, but doesn't fit anymore!

Then about once a month I do a quick trawl through the drawers & cupboards, for clothes that I might have missed, or that haven't come through the wash cycle.

Your challenge for today is to either - think about a system that will work for your family, for sorting out seasonal clothes, OR to just grab a container, put it where you fold clothes and see if my system will work for you.

Caveat - my system works for 2 little kids & 2 adults. If you have older kids, they could join in with the general cupboard clean-out!

This doesn't have to be a perfect system - but having some sort of a plan in place will be better than being totally haphazard... don't you think?

Have a great long weekend!

Little Step - First Impressions

2010-04-21T15:40:00.000-07:00

As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. We may remember this when we meet people - smile, make eye contact, appropriate small talk etc... but what about the house?

Even if you don't get a lot of visitors, your front door can make your own impression of your house a whole lot nicer. Imagine staggering in with the groceries, and seeing a door that has shiny glass and clean paintwork? OK, so if you are like me, you usually shove your way in bottom-first, when carrying a load of shopping... but you know what I mean!

Today's Little Step is to take a cloth and clean your front door, inside and out. Wash down the grime and dirt, polish any glass... even give your street number a buff, if you are feeling keen! Let's improve the way we feel about the place we live.. starting from the very first impression.

1 point for doing your front door... and a bonus point if you clean down your back door / patio door / laundry door as well. Tell me how many external doors there are at your place!

Little Step - In search of pampering...

2010-04-20T17:34:00.000-07:00

Please don't think that I stopped after just one week! In fact, I was whisked away for a fun few days with Brad and the kids and actually enjoyed a few days break from my computer. But I have come back home to deal with Mt Washmore and the mouldy loaf of bread that was accidentally left out on the bench when we left...

So I am feeling in need of some pampering today! This is quick and easy pampering. Challenge today is to grab some moisturising cream, of any description. Sit down for 5 minutes and give your hands and feet a soothing massage with moisturiser. Close your eyes and take some deep breaths... enjoy soft skin and soothed muscles... for a couple of minutes, at least!

And now that you are lovely and de-stressed, can I ask you to come over and help with the washing? It is a rainy day today... 4 piles of washing to do... oh, joy!

Friday Little Step - A Trail of Crumbs...

2010-04-15T04:22:00.000-07:00

Fridays are for quick and easy things, that make you start the weekend with a smile!

Do you have a trail of crumbs that leads you out of the woods, and into the kitchen? Or at least to your toaster?

Today's quick and easy Little Step challenge is to lift up your toaster... give it some loving! Pull out the crumb tray (if it has something that flash, which mine doesn't!), dust it out, and wipe the bench underneath. If you are really feeling the toaster love, then wipe it all over and say 'thanks for making breakfast easy'!

OK, that last bit might be a bit over the top.... but what the heck - is there a genie in your toaster? :-)

This is worth 1 point for the cleaning, and a bonus point if a genie really does come out of your toaster!

PS - the photo is from www.toasters.com Yes. There really is such a website!

Little Step - Saying 'Yes'!

2010-04-14T06:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was definitely a tough Little Step. I wasn't entirely successful at it -- I have put off my big commitment, but somehow couldn't quite say 'no' altogether.

But today's is going to be much more fun... if we let it. Today's challenge is to say 'Yes' to something that you may normally not make the effort for. I think that today I am going to say Yes when Naomi asks to go to the park... I know she will ask. She asks most days. And I usually say no - it just seems like too much effort.

But today I am going to see her beautiful face light up, and the excitement bubble over, for a simple outing, and the joy of sliding down the slippery slide... just because I said 'Yes'.

Take a deep breath, let go of the negative thoughts and just say 'yes' when someone suggests something fun, or out of the ordinary today... and enjoy it!

Little Step - Saying 'No' or 'Help'

2010-04-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

I have this habit of saying 'yes' and 'no' at all the wrong times. I say 'yes' to commitments that I am not really sure I want to do, and 'no' to doing fun things with the kids.

I have a meeting this morning, of the Mother's Union church group. I love this group - they are supportive, encouraging and committed to charity work that helps mums and families. But, once agan, my habit of agreeing to things too quickly has me stretched thin. I have to tell the meeting this morning that I simply can't do one of the major commitments that I took on. I think I will have to ask for help, or that a committee be formed, to make sure that the job gets done.

Is it something to do with being a Stay at Home Mum? Do I feel that I SHOULD have the time to take on commitments, because I am not working outside the home? I don't know, but I do know that I feel far more at peace when I am able to comfortably fit my commitments into my family life - rather than being overwhelmed by things I have agreed to do.

So today's challenge for me, and all of us, is to consider your commitments.... are you over-stretched? Do you feel obliged to carry out things you have agreed to (or things people just expect you to do), without saying 'no', or asking for help?

Ask for help, with one thing today. It doesn't have to be a big thing - just ask the kids to help set the table, or for someone to help with the washing up, folding clothes, or whatever. Or you can set about really de-cluttering your life, and politely say 'no' to a commitment that is hanging over your head.... like I have to.

You get a point for each time you ask someone for help, or politely decline something that you don't want to do, or don't feel that you can fully commit to.

Little Step - Behind Open Doors

2010-04-12T14:51:00.000-07:00

What happens behind closed doors is no-one's business, but what is happening behind my open doors is downright scary!

I sweep the living areas and kitchen every day. But it is a "get the crumbs up before Ryan starts eating them" type sweep, rather than in-depth cleaning. I certainly don't get right into corners... or move doors to sweep behind them. It is astounding what collects behind those open doors! Dust bunnies, old tissues, play blocks, kids' pencils... you name it, it's back there!

So our challenge today is to close the doors that usually stay open, and clean in behind them. You don't have to go crazy - just sweep or vacuum, and perhaps swipe any cobwebs that you might see.

You get 1 point for doing doors that need sweeping and 2 points if you go one step further, get the vacuum cleaner out and clean behind doors with carpet, too!

Have fun and DON'T tell me what is going on behind your closed doors - but I would love to hear how many open doors you have Little Step-ped!

Little Steps

2010-04-11T19:12:00.001-07:00

I often find myself thinking that the key to feeling that I am keeping on top of things - family, friends, Church commitments, work, housework, clutter, and my own general happiness - is taking little steps.

If I try to do too much, or make a huge list, it just all seems overwhelming and I more often than not throw my hands in the air and give it up as "just too big to get done". So I have been thinking... would you like to play along with some Little Steps challenges with me?

Every day, Monday to Friday, I am going to post a Little Step challenge on the blog. It will be something around the house, or just a little personal challenge (nothing too scary, I promise - I am a rather shy person, so I will not be challenging you to be doing anything out there!). Something that might bring us one Little Step closer to a feeling of general happiness - at peace with our families, houses, and the world.

Do you want to play along? If you do, then all you have to do is check back each day and see what our challenge is for that day! Schedule it in to your day or evening. None of the tasks will take any more than 15 minutes, at the absolute most. Keep a tally of how many of the challenges you have completed, and at the end of the month I will ask you all to email me with your total number (if you want to). Anyone who does, goes into a draw for a sweet little prize!

So, what is today's Little Step?

I find that the one thing which makes me smile in the morning is walking into a tidy kitchen. I don't mind if the rest of the house looks like a cyclone has passed by... as long as the bench tops are clean and the dinner dishes dealt with. It starts the day off on the right foot....

So the challenge for this evening is to do 2 things, right before bedtime -

Deal with the dinner dishes, if you haven't already done so. Stack them in the dishwasher, or wash in the sink and leave them to dry in the rack. (Leave the pots to soak if you want to); and
Wipe down the kitchen benchtops.

That's it. You don't have to put everything away, or have it all spotless. Just wash dishes and wipe benches. Then go to bed, anticipating the enjoyment of seeing a tidy kitchen, when you wake up!

Cheap thrills...

2010-04-09T03:14:00.000-07:00

I have said it before, and I will say it again... the front load washing machine has been the best investment we have made in a long time. It is worth it's (considerable) weight in gold. Not only does it wash well, take a large load, and use far less water....

the entertainment value is priceless!

But do be sure to get one with a child-proof setting for all the buttons....

Winner - Congratulations!

2010-04-06T21:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone for entering the giveaway for a voucher from Buyster Lighting!

Random.org chose comment number 6 as the winner, which was left by Alanna at Bobishi! Congratulations Alanna, and we would love to see photos of your new lighting, in your new house... or in the current one!

Manic Monday - Bottle It Up

2010-04-05T16:51:00.001-07:00

My Monday was yesterday. And it wasn't too manic. In fact it was rather lazy - hence this post being up on a Tuesday! But I hope everyone had a lovely Easter with your families...

My tip for this week is about something that used to drive me crazy. Do the kids cups seem to multiply in your house? Turn your back and suddenly there are 7 of them, with various levels of various drinks still in them, littering around on every surface - and just waiting to be spilled?

I used to feel that unless I was constantly 'patrolling' the house, the cups got out of hand within minutes! But who was filling up the cups and giving them to Naomi and Ryan? Umm.... me! Enter behaviour modification, exit crazy cup explosions, multiple types of drink and regular spills.

Each of my children now has a drink bottle (Ryan's has a baby sipper top on it, rather than the sports type top). That drink bottle is all they get during the day, filled with cold water (I don't mind doing this - I don't like tepid water either). Naomi also gets a proper cup for meal times. One cup, which is rinsed out after each meal, and then used for her bedtime milk.

What are the benefits of using drink bottles?

No more cups scattered around the house, for me to collect, so reduced washing up.
I know how much each child has drunk, just by checking the level in their bottles... I don't have to guess how much they drunk from each different cup.
Greatly reduced the requests for drinks other than water. Only water goes in drink bottles! Naomi has watered down apple juice in a cup, when she is sitting at the table for meals. Otherwise, it is water all day. This is saving us money too.
In a family with several children, no more arguments over whose drink it is - write their names on their bottles and that is it.
And my all-time favourite --- no more spills of sticky juice, or water, or milk... With Ryan cruising around the furniture and reaching for everything, this was driving me crazy!

The photos of drink bottles are examples I found at The Kids Store - how cute are they?!

Manic Monday is my way of sharing tips that are helping me to survive this parenting journey. Feel free to join in - just leave a comment to your own blog post, in the comments below!

Giveaway! Lighting Up!

2010-03-29T16:34:00.000-07:00

Do you remember how I was saying that I liked working in my office a whole lot more after I got a desk lamp to brighten it up? Well, I am so excited to be able to help someone else light up their life!

I have a $60 voucher for Buyster Lighting to give away! Buyster Lighting are an Australian based online shopping service, specialising in... you guessed it, lighting (and fans, too).

How cute is this nautical themed lamp, for a little boy's room?

And I love the simple classic style of this table lamp.

You can choose any product from Buyster Lighting, to the value of $60 (including shipping), and it will be delivered right to your door! (This giveaway is open to Australian residents only).

To enter this competition, all you have to do is:

1. Leave a comment, telling me which room or area in your house could do with some brightening up!

2. For extra entries you can also -

Follow my blog;
Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/SashaSews);
Blog or tweet about this giveaway;
Grab my blog button (in the right hand column) and add it to your blog / site.

* Leave an extra comment for each entry *

* Winner will be randomly drawn from the entries, next Wednesday, 6 April *

Manic Monday - Saving on a small scale

2010-03-28T16:56:00.001-07:00

From little things, big things grow... but it can be hard to know how to start saving. Here is my method of small savings, made easy. It is amazing how quickly the loose change in your purse will add up to useful savings!

Step 1 - Decide where the savings are going. I have 4 groups - one each for the kids', one for charity and one that is 'Mum's Sanity Money'.

Step 2 - Find a container for each category ... (I use 2 little money boxes and 2 pretty tea cups. I have a tea cup fetish. You could use any basket / box / cannister, but not too big - you want it to fill up fairly quickly.)

Step 3 - Choose your frequency. Are you going to clean out the coins in your purse every day? Twice a week? Weekly? The more frequently you do it, the faster the savings will add up.

Step 4 - Sort your coins. I do this as follows -

Gold coins (our $1 and $2 coins) in one tea cup. This is my sanity stash.

Regular silver coinage is divided between the 2 money boxes, one for each child.

Finally, the smallest coins (5c pieces) are put in the other tea cup. This is a collection for charity, organised by our church.

The 'Sanity Stash' is my spending money. If I am having a crazy day and want to get take-away for dinner, I can do so without any spending guilt. Or if I just need to get out of the house for a while, I can take the kids for a milkshake, without dipping into weekly funds. There is no guilt attached to this money - do whatever you like with it, because it is not in the regular budget.

I take the kids' money boxes to the bank, when they are just about full. Naomi loves to watch the teller count the money in the machine, write it in her bank book and stamp the entry. I think it is a valuable lesson for her in saving.

The charity collection gets taken to church, when the tea-cup is full.

I feel like I am achieving 3 very important goals, with this system - teaching the kids about good money management, contributing even a small amount to charity, AND giving myself a little nest egg for small treats. All from coinage that I don't really miss from my purse, anyway.

Manic Monday is my little way of sharing tips that help me survive this mothering journey. Feel free to join in, leave a link to your own blog post in the comments below!

Happy Birthday Ryan

2010-03-23T20:11:00.001-07:00

A year ago today I was enjoying a 'mini break' holiday... in hospital, while gazing at our sweet newborn boy.

Happy Birthday, Ryan! I don't know where time flies to, but we love you more every day.

A car-shaped cake and plenty of presents (courtesy of grandparents!), made our little boy the happiest kid on the block. And Naomi very kindly offered to help him with all the eating and unwrapping that NEEDED to be done...

Manic Monday - Shedding some light....

2010-03-21T21:22:00.001-07:00

I very grandly call my little office room "the workroom", or "the fabric warehouse". Or "the craziness that I try to get some work done in".

It is a small room, with dark corners - which just never felt particularly inspirational. But all it took was some new lighting! The addition of a simple desk lamp really improved how I felt about the room... now I just have to work on the clutter! (LOL - oops, did I just admit that?!)

My Manic Monday tip is to make a list of quick, easy, inexpensive ways that you could bring some order, or peace, to just 1 area of the house or office.

Some random ideas -

Add a basket, to collect bits and pieces together.

Get a paper tray, to organise receipts.

Tidy a space and move a pot plant to it, so that you can't put 'stuff' back there!

Add a lamp, or light to brighten a corner or work space.

Use rubber bands to tidy up electric cords (you know, fold them up into a bunch and put the band around to hold it together).

If you just make the list today, then you can start thinking about which ideas you might like to put into action. One little step at a time - today, just make the list.

Oh, and I have to tell you, because I am very excited... If you want to shed some light into a dark corner of your house, come back on Wednesday for some exciting news about a great way to get lighting, online at http://www.buysterlighting.com.au/ !

Sharing...

2010-03-20T02:49:00.000-07:00

At the end of the day, parenting is hard work. Little kids are tiring, physically, mentally, emotionally. But then they go and say something which makes you think... maybe I am getting something right here, after all.....

Conversation today, after we told Naomi that she and Daddy are going to the Hi-5 concert next weekend...

Naomi - "Wow! That is great! Who is coming?"

Daddy - "Just you and me, Blossom - a special day out together."

Naomi - "But what about Ryan?"

Daddy - "We don't have a ticket for Ryan, honey - just one for me, and one for you."

Naomi - "But... I could share my ticket with Ryan... then he could come too!"

Bloggy Deliciousness - A Beautiful Ripple Effect

2010-03-17T15:54:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post today, as we are off to playgroup soon.

Have you ever found a blog, and loved it so much that you read as many posts as you could, that first time? And added it to your favourites list within minutes of finding it? This happened to me today, when I found A Beautiful Ripple Effect, by Carolyn Rubinstein.

Inspiring, funny, sweet, and a great place to focus on what is important. I feel that it is a place for me to let go of my 'mummy-ness' for a few minutes, and enjoy being a fabric and organising entrepreneur! (LOL - as Brad calls me!).

I am very honoured to have been mentioned in Carolyn's Tuesday Treasures post on organising for spring.

I have become an avid reader, and Twitter follower, and just had to share this beautiful place of inspiration with you.

Manic Monday - Maximising Nap time

2010-03-14T05:12:00.000-07:00

Aaahhhh... the peaceful bliss of nap time, or quiet time. There really is nothing like it - but I somehow find myself with a long list of things I want to achieve ... "Oh, I'll do it at naptime" ... but never get everything done, don't have time, or don't make time to just relax by myself for a few minutes.

So my Manic Monday tip for today is to maximise nap time, (or 'quiet time' play, for older kids). I try to do this by:

Eating lunch with the kids, at around 11.30 am. At first this seemed just too early for me. But I think it sets a good example to sit down and eat a proper lunch with the kids, and it is also one less thing that I have to do (or forget to do!) during nap time.

Do as much as of the work as you can with the kids, before nap time. Some jobs I can't get done while the kids are awake... like computer work. But I can sweep the floor (Ryan loves chasing the dust balls while I sweep), wipe the kitchen benches, dust, put the laundry on, etc. I can also usually get fabric cut at the table, while the kids play nearby - one less thing to do at nap time.

List down the things that you want to do at nap time, in order of priority. Custom orders to make? First. Computer work for the shops? Second. Quiet time cup of tea and reading a book? Third. General creativity, playing around with new ideas etc? Fourth.

Set a timer for doing non-essential things. I ALWAYS get sucked in to surfing around my favourite blogs, chatting on Twitter, or in the Etsy forums. Fun to do, but when the kids wake up, I feel like I haven't actually achieved anything. So set a timer (with a quiet alarm ring!), if you are doing stuff that you enjoy, but which isn't on your priority list. At the end of the allotted time (I usually allow 15 minutes), just stop and think about it - do you want to keep playing (which is fine), or do you really want to get something else done?

I have had an uphill battle with Naomi (now 3), trying to get her to accept that if she chooses not to have a sleep, she must still play quietly in her room for a while. She is not good at entertaining herself.

But usually, if I firmly explain that Ryan and Mummy both need to have a rest, and that she can play quietly with any of the toys or books in her room, she will play happily for around 20 minutes. After another firm explanation that this has not been long enough I can generally eke it out for another 20 minutes.

Frankly, that is all I feel can be expected of a 3 year old who is not good at being by herself anyway. But I do persist with quiet time, because I think it is important that we all have a break from each other in the middle of the day, so that the afternoon can be more pleasant for everyone.

What do you do to make best use of your time, when the kids are asleep? Leave a comment, or a link to your blog post, playing along with Manic Mondays!

Save Our Sanity!

2010-03-11T04:33:00.000-08:00

Yes, it has definitely been manic in our house. After cutting those 4 top teeth, and having a cold, Ryan has now been diagnosed with bronchiolitis, and is on antibiotics. Hopefully we have caught it earlier enough that we can head off pneumonia.

BUT I have been working on a new line for Sasha Sews. Whilst not exactly sewn, they do have some very pretty paper prints, which is satisfying my fabric print addiction! The new line is called 'Sanity Savers'. The first in the range is a dead-easy checklist that has certainly saved me from total craziness this week.

7 easy little chores that, when you tick them off, will help you to feel like you are at least keeping your head above water! There is also a column for writing appointments on each day of the week, and an area for notes /shopping list etc. Best of all, the whole thing is compact, and laminated - so you can write on it with a dry erase whiteboard marker, then wipe it off to start again tomorrow!

Coming soon - Sanity Saver's 100 quick & easy activities for entertaining toddlers, including recipes, instructions and 'equipment' lists!

Manic Weeks!

2010-03-08T03:50:00.000-08:00

Well, things are certainly never dull around here.

In the last week -

* Both children have had the 'flu. Brad now has a sore throat too.
* Ryan has cut 4 teeth
* We are dog-sitting for my Mum, who has travelled to Brisbane to be with Nan; and
* my Nan (who is 90) is currently in hospital awaiting test results.

So sorry for the interruption to your regularly scheduled programs! I have a couple of great organising tips that are planned to blog about soon.... when I can organise the kids to both have a nap at the same time and let me do some blogging!

Hope your homes are a bit less crazy than mine, at the moment.

Market re-vamp!

2010-02-23T21:17:00.000-08:00

My market stall has kind of morphed from mostly my handmade items, to a lovely little fabric and haby supply stall... which is really my dream of having a crafty & handmade shop, just on a miniature scale at the moment!

This month I have some patterns for sweet projects, and a few ribbons and trims, to add to the stall. But I couldn't figure out how best to display them, as things are a bit crowded already on my allotted table.

Then I came up with this... luckily Brad provided some of the engineering expertise (although he was very frustrated that I sent him to the hardware store without even a sketch of what I had in mind... oops!).

I am rather pleased with the results, but I did learn that those spray can paint colours are harder to use than I thought!

Wishlist Wednesday - Little Boys!

2010-02-23T16:18:00.000-08:00

Our little man is growing up - we can't believe he turns 1 in March, where did that time go? Seems like just a few days ago that I was enjoying 3 days in hospital after his birth, not having to cook, clean or tidy up after Naomi! LOL!

Poor Ryan has pretty much been sleeping in the spare room, since we moved in to this house when he was 5 weeks old. We have finally decided that it is time to take the musty old double bed out, and do something to make it clear that this is a little boy's room now. So my Wishlist Wednesday is all about decorating for boys.... hope you enjoy!

Set of handpainted closet / drawer knobs by Leila's Loft

Personalised 1st birthday t-shirt by LittleOneBoutique

Tug boat lamp by AstroLathe2

Zoo animals vinyl wall decal by WowWall

Manic Monday - Oven is not a dirty word!

2010-02-22T03:33:00.001-08:00

Well, my Monday has definitely been a little crazy (here I am at 9.40pm doing this blog post!) -- but I did get dinner on the table at the regularly scheduled time. And why? Because I am very very good friends with my Oven!

I love the oven. I used to pan-fry most of our dinner meats - time consuming, hot, spitting oil and difficult to do when holding a child. Even the griller requires frequent checking, and turning, of whatever you are cooking.

Instead, my tip is to invest in a good quality roasting dish, preferably with a rack tray insert, so everything is up off the bottom of the dish. I oven cook all the usual casseroles and roasts, but also sausages, chops, chicken legs, even fish (sprinkle with your favourite herbs & spices, then wrap in foil). I can't remember the last time I pan fried meat for dinner.

I can concentrate on veges, side dishes, and trying to get Ryan to eat his dinner instead of smearing it in his hair, without having to also constantly check on whatever is in the pan!

Oven baking most of our meats is certainly making for a happier Mum in our house, at 5.30pm!

Do you have anything that you love to oven bake? Want to leave a tip to help us all make Mondays (and every other day) a bit less manic? I love to read comments and links!

Wishlist Wednesday - So much craft, so little time!

2010-02-16T15:01:00.000-08:00

I have recently joined the Etsy Supply Street Team (Team Esst), through my fabric and haberdashery supply shop, Fabric Fusion. What a fantastic welcoming group they are, and full of shops with the most glorious crafting supplies (just search for 'Team ESST' under Supplies, at Etsy).

As today is my first child-free day in over 3 years, I am having an attack of mummy guilt. I should be sewing up a storm, to justify having 1 day a week with both kids in Family Daycare. Instead I am sitting here dreaming about all these wonderful supplies, and the crafts I could try with them! So here is my Wishlist Wednesday, featuring supply shops from Team ESST.

Assorted ribbon embellisments by BusyBeading.

Artisan made butterfly pendant by CathyDailey.

Vintage 1960's A-Line dress pattern by Sandritocat.

Assorted altered art scrapbooking embellisment by MyBrokenArt.

PS - Team ESST are having a huge team-wide sale later in February... more details to come, so browse now and then check out the huge savings and special deals that will be available!

Manic Monday - What's for Dinner?

2010-02-14T18:06:00.000-08:00

"Just another Manic Monday.... "

Now, as much as I would like kissing Valentino by a crystal blue Italian stream, I am not a big fan of Mondays. Kissing goodbye to hubby, as he goes off for another long week at work, and realising that it is just me and 2 lovely, but sometimes crazy, kids, for the next 11 hours... and the next 5 days!

I am not the queen of organisation, and I am certainly not a model parent! But I would like to devote Mondays on the blog to sharing one small tip that just might help to make your Mondays, and every other day, slightly less manic.

Menu Planning on the run....

Menu planning is fantastic, I always feel so much more in control when I have a menu plan, for the week. BUT if this is too much trouble, (and for me it frequently is!), the best tip I have learned is to at least menu plan for the day. This involves 1 simple thing --

Decide what you are doing for dinner, by 10.00am at the latest.

Write it down if you want, or just keep it in your head, but either way mentally decide on your evening meal, before you sit down for your morning cuppa. That way, you have time to defrost meat, time to fit in a trip to the shop for extra ingredients, time to do that long slow-cooked casserole, or whatever it is. And you avoid the 5pm - "Oh, Lord, what I am going to do about dinner?" prayer that I used to frequently cast to the heavens.

Anything you can do to make the end of the day 'Arsenic Hour' more bearable is well worth it, in my humble opinion!

Please feel free to join in with my Manic Mondays - leave a link to your own blog post or tweet of an organising tip. Together lets make Monday more about kissing Valentino, and less about craziness!

Incidentally, if you do want to give weekly menu planning a go, check out this fantastic pre-printed planner and shopping list, available from Paper By Forget-Me-Not!

But Why????

2010-02-12T14:48:00.000-08:00

You know you have a 3 year old when....... 'Why?' is the response you hear to absolutely anything you say!

Recent conversation -

"I'm hungry, Mummy"

"Yes, dear, we will have lunch soon."

"Why, Mum?"

"Because you are hungry, Naomi"

"Yes, but why?"

"Because the gastro-intestinal acids in your stomach have finished digesting everything you had for breakfast and morning tea, and are now sending hunger impulses to your brain, telling you to eat something."

Dazed look, thinks for a minute....

"Oh. But Why, Mummy?"

Aaarrrrgggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am seriously in need of parenting suggestions.... how do you deal with 'why?'. I am ok to answer it reasonably most of the time, but when it is the response to every single statement! (Daddy says this morning, Naomi I have to go to the toilet. Response 'why, daddy?')

Is there a recommended method of maintaining your sanity for the next year or 2, until this obsession with 'but, why?' passes?

Bloggy Deliciousness

2010-02-11T15:22:00.000-08:00

I love surfing the net for delicious blogs. And particularly blogs that remind me of beautiful places in the world, that I love.

So my first in the Bloggy Deliciousness series is from the beautiful Highlands in the far North of Scotland. Tracey writes about her crofting farm, craftiness, and everyday life, at Cupcakes At Home.

Tracey makes everyday things come to life... but the real treasure of her blog are the beautiful photos - of the Highlands, her animals, and such sweet sweet photos of crafty things.

Incidentally, Tracey also collects vintage and handmade deliciousness to sell in her online shop, Cupcakes Direct.

All of these photos are from the Cupcakes At Home blog - all credit goes to Tracey! I hope you enjoy reading her blog as much as I do!

Wishlist Wednesday

2010-02-09T15:26:00.000-08:00

This is my first Wishlist Wednesday post, and I must say that I love the concept! I mean, who wouldn't want to spend time browsing delicious shops, and feel entirely justified in doing it!

What I am really wishing (and hoping, and yes, praying) for is some calm. Ryan seems to be teething for weeks, with no new teeth coming through - just lots of crying, broken sleep and clinginess. So the theme for this collection is calm and peace!

Sleep Angel (lavender scented) by LaPomme.

I need this poster as my slogan at the moment! By PrintSpot.

A luscious soothing eye pillow from my the lovely Christine, at BonTons.

Lavender scented bird by Edward and Lilly.

So there is my Wishlist for this week - what are you wishing for, today?

Winner!

2010-02-02T20:05:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much to all who entered the caption competition - I had lots of laughs reading your very creative entries (which was exactly what I needed this week!).

I used random.org to select a winner, and the lucky comment is no. 7, which was left by Del!

DELiciousDesignz said...
Such cute pics Sasha - well we all know that boys need their "man cave"
.1. Ahhhh I have found my quiet little man cave.
2. Oh no, I guess I should have shut the door.
3. Oh well, looks like my time is done "Hi Mum"

I think Ryan likes his 'man cave' a lot! And I hope Del has fun choosing products to the value of $30, from Sasha Sews!

Coq au Riesling - Nigella style

2010-01-31T02:32:00.000-08:00

My family know that I love books. Devour them. And I was lucky enough to be given 2 fantastic new cookbooks, for Christmas. Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson (thanks Emma), and 4 Ingredients, which is a cookbook written by 2 Australian mums, and every recipe has 4 ingredients or less - what a great concept!

Both books focus on delicious food, which is easy and fast to make. Now, as one of my posting categories is "Domestic Goddess", how could I go past starting off with a scrummy recipe by Nigella Lawson, for a French chicken casserole, Coq au Riesling.

Please excuse me, as I am typing this without the benefit of the recipe book in front of me. But it was so easy, that I can remember, I am sure!

Ingredients -

* 1 leek, chopped (do you have leeks in the US? Do you call them leeks?)
* 10 chicken thighs (either bone in or fillets, but either way, skin off)
* approx 1/2 cup chopped bacon
* oil for frying
* thickened or double cream
* 1 bottle Riesling
* 2 bay leaves

Method -

Heat oil in a deep saucepan / casserole dish. Saute bacon and leek, until soft and fragrant. Remove bacon & leek from pan, then add the chicken pieces to the pan and brown them. When chicken is browned, return bacon & leek to the pan, and add 2 bay leaves and about 3/4 of the bottle of wine (seriously - the left over bit is the 'cook's privilege'!).

Cover the pan with a lid, or tin foil, and simmer on low for about 45 minutes. Stir, remove bay leaves and add a good dollop of cream, to thicken the casserole mixture. Serve with mashed potato and green beans. Yummmm!!

Thank you Nigella, you are going to transform my family's eating habits... into decadent food, fast!

Competition!

2010-01-29T16:04:00.000-08:00

I love this series of photos - they make me smile every time I see them! Another example of how raising this boy is going to be very different to raising Miss Naomi!

Now the competition .... leave a comment with a caption or title for one, or all, of these photos, and you are entered to win a $30 voucher from Sasha Sews! There is a new range of diary organisers, cosmetics / craft carry bags, car organisers and beautiful fabric baskets, to choose from.

For extra entries you can -

* Tweet and/or blog this giveaway;

* Follow this blog;

* Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/SashaSews) for extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry).

A winner will be announced from your creative comments, on Wednesday, 3 February (Australian time).

Deliveries...

2010-01-28T20:05:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr Postman... is it just because of the floods that have cut off the main highway, that I am not getting ANY parcels delivered -- because it is certainly not that I haven't been buying things for delivery. Quite the opposite, I have been buying up a storm, from....

www.Giggleberry.etsy.com and www.innerearthsoaps.etsy.com , oh and not to mention www.milocreativestudios.etsy.com

So where are they??!?!

Speaking of new deliveries - there is a sweet new baby, over at my friend Nikki's place! Welcome Rachel Nicole. Mum & bub doing well.

Focus... and some fun

2010-01-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

New Year turns our minds to focussing on the important things - the things that we want to do more of, the things that we enjoy the most.

So over at Sasha Sews, I have been putting into place some focus, on the things I love to sew, the fabrics that I love to play with, and items that I hope will help other people to achieve their organisational goals! I have been dabbling in lots of different styles of bags, but the thing I like to do most are simple, functional tote bags, that really let the beautiful fabrics take the centre stage.

I have introduced a new medium shoulder tote bag, that looks like this....

A classic tote shape, with beautiful eco-friendly unbleached linen panels, offset by some beautiful designer fabrics (these fabrics are by Amy Butler).

There are other fabric prints in the shop, and plenty more still to come. I will also be making a larger, beach size tote, and a small, handbag size tote.... when I get the time to play around with sizes!

AND as a celebration of my New Year's organisational resolutions - I am including a free matching pouch, made from the feature fabric, with every tote bag purchased in January.

www.SashaSews.etsy.com

Raising Boys

2010-01-05T16:32:00.000-08:00

I am new at this boy thing. Over the past 3 years I have become an expert at dressing up like a princess, twirling, being a ballerina, adding glitter to every craft project, etc etc.... but Ryan is totally new territory for this Mamma....

Out by the sandpit yesterday, Naomi is making castles for her princess. I sit Ryan (now nearly 10 months!) beside the sandpit, and he reaches in to feel the sand in his hands for the first time. I think ... awwww... cuuuttteeee.... I don't get enough photos of stuff like this. And race inside to get the camera.

When I get back, I am greeted by this sight....

I didn't get a photo of the front view of his jumpsuit, when I eventually picked him up... suffice to say we had an early bath yesterday!!

Is it true? Are boys just naturally messier than girls??!?! His clothes are constantly dirty! Should I just get used to this?!

Oh poor neglected little blog...

2010-01-02T17:19:00.000-08:00

You are one of my New Year's resolutions... I promise!

I had such a crazy November and December. Many other Etsy sellers talk about the 'holiday rush'. I was gently sceptical.

Well, I rushed! Not huge in volume of sales, but I got a couple of large orders for children's clothes for shops in my local area, and aprons for corporate Christmas gifts... and quite a few handbags, as well as busy busy markets! So, for me, it was a definite rush!

We had a couple of weeks off, visited Brad's parents in Sydney for Christmas, and I am now very enthusiastic to start a new year in life, in love, in my relationship with God, and in my little businesses..... yes, there is another one! Eeek! Ideas just keep popping into my head, and I can't NOT follow them through! Then Brad says... wow, that turned out well... why don't you put it in the 'shop'?!? And so yet another business begins!

Will tell all in the next few weeks... but watch out tomorrow for a great January deal at Sasha Sews!

Sweet Dreams!

2009-11-03T16:23:00.000-08:00

I am doing a happy dance today -- Ryan slept through from 7.30pm to 6.30am last night! That is the first time either of my children has ever achieved the 'sleeping through' goal, which I was beginning to think was just a myth!

It is totally unreasonable of me to expect that this might become a regular occurrence, or even "the norm". But I have been working towards it....

* shortening night feeds - slowly down to a 5 minute feed, quick burp and back down in the cot while he is awake.

* using a heater - because Ryan is starting to crawl, he squirms out from under the blanket and was waking up cold. A small fan heater in the corner of his room, which runs intermittently through the night has worked really well for this.

* prayer and more prayer! Actually, I have also been praying for Naomi to start to learn better sleep habits, but so far no joy there. But thank you to the Lord for His goodness!

No doubt I will be back to bleary-eyed tomorrow after getting up to Ryan several times during the night, but it sure is nice to day-dream that this might become a habit!

Saving my sanity

2009-11-02T19:32:00.001-08:00

There are 2 things that are currently helping greatly in the daily struggle to maintain a few shreds of sanity, and even help me to get slightly organised (shock, horror!).

Motivated Moms is a printable jobs list for around the house. My bloggy friend Nikki at Nikki's Notes mentioned it to me a few months ago, and it has since become my lifeline. It is a series of weekly check-lists, that help to get daily, weekly and occasional chores, all scheduled in.

I feel like it is a safety net, for jobs that I know I should do, but never really get around to scheduling. I never think to clean out my car. But about once every 6 weeks or so, my Motivated Moms list tells me to do it, so I do -- and I get to tick it off the list! My car has never been cleaner!

I never thought that having a check list would give me such a feeling of satisfaction, to have something to look at and feel like I HAVE achieved something that day.

Oh, and I bought the version that has a schedule of daily Bible readings as well - I have always wanted to be more organised about reading my bible. Now I have a set reading each day, which will get me through the Bible in a year. And, you guessed it - each day I get to tick it off the list!

For the princely sum of US$4.00, this has been the best investment I have made in a long time.

The second thing that is helping me out is my Hands On Homeschooling folder, for 2 year olds. I am sure I have mentioned Terri at Hands On Homeschooling before. She has fanastic 'curriculum' folders for ages 2, 3, 4 and 5. The folder is packed full of fun learning activities - 3 activities per day, 5 days a week, for a whole year, in fact!

I don't pretend that Naomi isn't in a tough stage -- she is such a busy-minded child, but socially and emotionally very dependent - not good at entertaining herself for any length of time.

This morning she was really acting up. Naomi just wanted to watch a dvd - again. I needed to get some things done. We were at an impasse - until I remembered Hands On Homeschooling. The activity for today was to cut out and colour in a star shape, in any yellow colour. Naomi loved doing that. Then she asked what else we could do with it. So we used it as a template, to colour around for other stars. Next, she asked what else was in the sky with the stars - so we talked about (and drew) moons, the sun, clouds - even birds, planes and kites! Before I knew it, we had passed a very pleasant hour of time, with not one whinge, or request for the tv to be turned on.

And this afternoon we are going to tie a string on our star and hang it up in her drawing corner, to show Daddy when he gets home from work.

I can't recommend these 2 products highly enough. They are certainly saving my sanity -- which is a very impressive feat!

Do you have anything that you feel is a great aid, whether in organisation, child teaching / entertaining or any other area?

Mmm.... cookies!

2009-10-28T22:34:00.000-07:00

Wow, the last couple of posts have been heavy going! So here is something lighter... cookies!

This is our favourite basic biscuit recipe:

Ingredients -

120 gms unsalted butter

1/2 cup castor sugar

1 egg

2 cups self-raising flour

Vanilla essence (just a tiny splash).

Preheat oven to 170 C (a moderate oven). Beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer, until light and creamy. Add the egg, and mix until combined. Add the flour and vanilla essence.

Knead the mixture, in the bowl, to form a ball. Wrap the dough in glad wrap (cling film) and refrigerate for about 20 mins.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured bench (this is easiest if you do it in 2 smaller batches). Use biscuit cutters to cut out cookes and put them on greased oven trays.

Bake for approx 8 - 10 mins, until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack.

This is a great basic mixture, which can then be played around with - I add in a handful of dessicated coconut, or a large glob of peanut butter. or a squeeze of lemon juice and some zest ...

And of course, I bake wearing one of the delicous new aprons available at Sasha Sews!

Having a plan

2009-10-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

I am not too great at having a plan and following it. I would love to be more organised, and really MUST get my shoebox of receipts in better order before the accountant has an apoplexy.

But Brad and I have decided that we must have a plan. He works crazy long hours in a high stress job (engineering on large construction jobs). He is well paid, and this allows me the luxury of staying at home to be with our children and dabble in delicious fabrics. But all the stress he has, is for the company's benefit!

There is also Brad's health to consider. He is Type 1 diabetic (the genetic kind). His eyesight isn't so great, blood sugar levels need constant monitoring (stress creates hormones that block the insulin from working). At some point in time, we know that this job is not going to be the right thing for his health.

So we need a Grand Plan - something that will help us get to the point where we can choose what we really want to do with our lives. Should we sell the investment property (not the greatest time to be selling real estate, though)? We are seriously thinking of our own business, which would give Brad much greater flexibility with regard to his health needs. But we know that we need to work hard in the next 5 or so years, to save the kind of cash that will be needed, before he can chuck in construction engineering for good!

I am seeing a financial planner this afternoon, which I hope will be beneficial in setting a budget, some goals, and getting a clearer idea of how to move forward.

On a small scale, I am also trying to get firm about budgeting our household expenses. The internet and phone bills have been switched to a significantly cheaper company. I am also trying to shop fortnightly, in greater quantity. I have read that the more often you go to the supermarket, the more you spend, above what you intended. This makes sense - less temptation, equals less spending, right?

So my real challenge for this afternoon is to go to the great butcher we have in our Small Town, choose a bulk pack of meat and then figure out how to fit it all into our tiny freezer space!!

I also plan to start a notebook of our monthly expenses. Now I just need to remember to write in it!!

Do you have a Grand Plan, or even just a rough idea of where you want to be, as a family, in X years time? I would love to know that we are not alone in this!

Teaching every day

2009-10-26T21:38:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought about what you are teaching your children? I don't just mean teaching them right from wrong, to use good manners, and how to tie their shoes (although those things are of course all important). I mean actually teaching them things that will be in their schooling curriculum.

My father was a teacher, and a wonderful one. He was also the principal of many rural primary schools, but because they were always small schools (I started in a school with around 25 children), he always had a class to teach as well. Dad was my teacher for grades 5, 6 and 7.

So maybe, now that I am a parent, that makes me think a bit more deeply about the different aspects of learning?

Anyway, the point of this ramble is that we did the grocery shopping yesterday. It helps to keep Naomi entertained if she can hand me the eco bags that we have, for our fresh produce. As we get each fruit and vegetable, we talk about what it is, how we can cook it (home economics!). Then Naomi gives me a bag, and we name the colour of the bag (art!). We also discuss which size bag she needs to give me, to fit each product (spatial concepts, problem solving). We count out each item, and how many bags she has left at the end (subtraction, mathematics).

I only really thought about this yesterday - so many grown up concepts, packed into one simple and entertaining activity, for our Miss Nearly 3.

What do you do, to teach your little children daily, either formally or informally?

October Competition.... name my new design!

2009-10-16T04:43:00.000-07:00

To see the October competition, you will have to duck over to my other blog, www.FusionFabric.blogspot.com

I need a name for my new original design handbag! Winner will be announced on Monday, so be quick!

AND the prize..... is your choice of either 50% off the price of this purse, OR the pdf pattern to create it yourself!

Can't wait to hear your creative thoughts.....

We had to get out of the house....

2009-10-11T23:57:00.000-07:00

because 2 year old squealing and whinging sounds less offensive in the fresh air.

So we packed up our sausages and bread rolls, and headed for Lake Tinaroo. This is actually the dam that provides irrigation to most of our regional area. And it has been re-developed, so now has a very nice foreshore, complete with playground and barbeque areas.

The sounds of grumpy Miss 2 (who had refused to have her afternoon nap) were ALMOST swallowed up by those of native birds, gently splashing water and the birthday party going on at the bbq table next to ours!

Now if only we could stay in this pleasant place all night!

Well, maybe not. It got cool and windy. And there were ants.

September winner!

2009-10-02T15:30:00.000-07:00

Random.org spat out the number 3, and comment 3 was left by Deb at Two Cheeky Monkeys, so congratulations Deb, and now I am afraid that you will have to make a decision on what colour eco produce bags you want!

For anyone who didn't win, check all those bags (and real napkins!), out again at Love For Earth. They really are a great idea.

I am thinking October's giveaway will be in conjunction with my new blog, Fabric Fusion, so if you love fabric and free craft projects come over and check it out!

September giveaway (oops!)

2009-09-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

September has seriously gotten away from me.... how can it be nearly October already??

Anyway, this has given me time to find a really really really great product to show you, and to feature as my September giveaway.

We are all using our re-usable shopping tote bags, right?? RIGHT?? LOL. Well, when I remember to take them out of the boot of the car, I am. But what about all those little plastic bags that you put your fresh fruit and veges in? What do you do when you get home? Put the fresh produce in the crisper and throw out the bags. Ick, what a waste.

Well, Kara at Love For Earth has the perfect solution -- re-usable drawstring net bags, to put your produce in at the supermarket!

Have you ever seen fruit and veges looking so snazzy as this? And these are just my photos... wait till you see the ones on her site!

I bought the full set, in rainbow colours (because I couldn't choose from all the lovely colour options!). There are 7 bags, of varying sizes, that are great for every kind of fruit or veg.

I get comments every time I use them, and best of all, Miss Naomi (who can be difficult to keep entertained while shopping) loves to hold the free little tote bag that comes with them, and dish me out a bag for each fresh item that we choose. So while helping the environment, these bags also keep the kids entertained!).

Now the giveaway - I love them so much that I am giving away 1 full set of eco produce bags! Just go and visit Kara's shop at www.loveforearth.net and come back to tell me what colour bags you would like to win! This giveaway is open until this Friday evening (Australian time), when a winner will be announced.

Extra entries are available if you blog, twitter or facebook about this giveaway - just leave a separate comment for each entry. Oh, and if you buy something from Kara that is worth 5 entries, so let me know about that too!

Happy Anniversary, sweetheart

2009-09-27T16:29:00.001-07:00

Happy Anniversary, Brad. Love you.

Even more after sleepless baby nights. xxx

Fabric Fusion frenzy!

2009-09-20T16:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, as mentioned, I am officially loopy - and obsessed with fabric! So to legitimise my obsession, I have opened a yummy new shop called Fabric Fusion!

You can currently find me in 2 places on the web - www.FabricFusion.etsy.com and www.zibbet.com/FabricFusion . AND I am doing a giveaway, to celebrate opening!

If you purchase anything from either store, before midnight on Saturday, 26 September, you will be in the running to win a bundle of 4 fat quarters of delicious quilting quality fabrics!

One of the things I love about having Fabric Fusion is that if you like any of the styles of handbag at Sasha Sews you can now browse the full range of fabrics at Fabric Fusion, and have your bag custom made in your favourite colour and print!

So if you have a secret fabric addiction, (or if you have come out of the fabric stash closet!), browse the range at Fabric Fusion. And more fabrics are being added all the time, as my shipments arrive.

Random Friday Thoughts...

2009-09-17T21:44:00.000-07:00

What is Vitamin B12, and why isn't Ryan absorbing it? Is this in some way linked to the increased risk of Type 1 diabetes that our kids have? Sigh. This and many other questions will hopefully be answered by the paediatrician next week.

************

Why won't my adult frame fit into the cubby house that Naomi has built? Perhaps because it is made of a disposable nappy box, a baby blanket and a single child-size plastic chair. Sigh. Guess I will be drinking my pretend cup of tea outside the house.

************

Am I entirely crazy? This one I can resoundingly answer - YES! I have opened a 2nd Etsy shop!! I am ordering fabric for bags in wholesale quantities, so decided to share the fabricky love, by opening www.FabricFusion.etsy.com . If you, or anyone you know, wants to feed their own fabric addiction, all are welcome, and more fabric will be listed as soon as my shipments arrive!

************

Happy 90th Birthday to my Nan!

Small Girl, Big Bike!

2009-09-12T03:39:00.000-07:00

Another milestone reached in our little family. The first 'real' bicycle. Sweet Hubby and I discussed it - Naomi's birthday is nearly 5 months away, and we are planning to be away for Christmas. Her little plastic ride-on has been too small for her for a few months now. So we decided to get a new 'bike' now.

As the nearest toy store is in Cairns, over an hour's drive away, Hubby and Naomi took a trip together today, leaving Mamma and Ryan at home for a few hours. We talked about what kind to get - something that was very stable (preferably a tricycle), something with pedals that her feet can easily reach, and with pedals that are very smooth and easy to push down on. Maybe even one of those long handles, so I can push her on it while carrying Ryan.

Instead, she has a big bike, with training wheels that wobble along, pedals that her toes can barely stretch down to and that are very heavy to push along. And no handle. But it is pink, and has ribbon streamers. So Naomi loves it, and Daddy is very proud of himself for getting a bike that his little girl adores.

I very generously offered to go to the chiropractor and pick up a back brace, to help with the pain of all the hours spent bent over pushing the bike along.

Oh, and there is also no helmet. But I think that I will handle the expedition to get that. Who knows what Daddy and Naomi would come back with, if I let them loose on their own again!!

Welcome Lily!

2009-09-10T04:46:00.000-07:00

A sweet little bundle of joy entered the world on Sunday, 6 September. My real life and bloggy friend, Melody, had her second baby, a girl - Lily Venice.

Happy Birth Day Lily, congratulations to the whole family, and all my love and prayers to Melody. Vist her at www.biglittlesister.blogspot.com to see the very cute photos!

Sasha? Sasha who??

2009-09-08T03:59:00.000-07:00

What a week! I received my first wholesale order for handbags and totes, from a beautiful shabby-chic style gift shop here in town... and have been madly sewing ever since! I will (hopefully) deliver the whole order tomorrow afternoon.... provided Ryan has a good long nap tomorrow morning!

My laptop has also been out of service for the past 2 days - in an effort to get organised, so my accountant isn't horrified by a shoe-box full of scruffy receipts, I went out and bought an MYOB accounting package. Which my laptop refused to load - wouldn't even recognise that there was a disk in the drive. So my friendly computer tech had my laptop overnight, and has loaded it all on for me.

Now if only I could remember my high school accounting classes!

The Sticky Beak Series Part 2 - Welcome to the house!

2009-09-01T04:16:00.001-07:00

I like this house - it really seems to me to have a welcoming entrance.

Every home and decorating magazine I have read suggests making your entry somewhere that people don't just pass through. I like the front paved area, because it has room for a nice chair (we often sit here to wait for Daddy to come home). The timber shutters (louvres as we Aussies call them), make it feel 'warmer' and a bit different to any other house on the block. And then there is my triumphant pot of lavender (which is actually a bit too far left to have made it into this shot!).

I am sure you are too polite to even glance at the very dead pot of basil and parsley in the front right of the picture.

But inside the front door lurked a trap for unwary visitors. Enter at your own risk! The pile of shoes inside the front door was getting ridiculous. I hesitated to take a 'before' photo, in case you began to think that Sweet Hubby is akin to Imelda Marcos (was it 6000 pairs of shoes she owned??). Yes, they were mostly his (I will confess to 2 pairs).

So today we tidied them. The pairs that are rarely worn went back into our walk-in cupboard. The regularly used pairs went into this plastic tub, just inside the door. This is only a temporary measure, but at least the trip hazard has been removed, and I can now sweep the floor!

To everything there is a season

2009-08-27T06:27:00.000-07:00

... and now is not the season for my patchwork stitching group. Soon after we moved to this lovely small town, I heard of a dedicated group of ladies who meet each Thursday, to stitch, sew, knit, crochet and generally enjoy their mutual craftiness. I have been wanting to find a group like this - and all these ladies are so talented, that you can just sit and soak up their combined knowledge (like osmosis!).

We have been going each Thursday for a couple of months now. I am the only member with kids in tow. I am the only member this side of 60! But to their credit, these ladies have been very accommodating to Ryan and Naomi.

Unfortunately, I have decided not to keep going each week. Naomi's Playgroup also meets on Thursday mornings, so we have been shuttling from one group to the other. Also, as Ryan is growing up he needs more attention and entertainment - he is no longer content to sit in his capsule with a toy to suck on, er, I mean, play with. And heaven help me when he starts crawling!

I am going to miss what Naomi calls "Mummy's Stitching Group". It has been wonderful to feel part of an adult group, and share my craft interests. Some of the beautiful quilts I have seen are very inspiring!

But to everything there is a season (turn, turn, turn). And this is not the season for me to be in a stitching group. Perhaps in a few years, when the kids are in school / kindy. Or perhaps it is just something to look forward to, for when I am a grandmother!

I am trying to be philosophical, and not to be frustrated with having to drop the one thing that I really feel I did that was totally for my own pleasure. Because I would rather have the nice memories, than be frustrated and cranky at the kids every week, and not getting any enjoyment out of it at all.

Anyone for seconds?

2009-08-25T03:19:00.000-07:00

Remember that tiny newborn baby I introduced to you 5 months ago? Just look at him now!

This is his first 'dinner' - mmmm.... sweet potato and cauliflower, all mushed up. He devoured it! I hadn't intended starting solids until Ryan is 6 months old, but as usual I am being pressured by the medical fraternity because he is not putting on weight to match their charts. (Hello ... his parents barely reach 5'3", on a tall day!)

Anyway, rather than start comp feeding on formula, we have started solid meals a bit early. Oh, that and the fact that he was just about to take a bite out of whoever was holding him at meal times!

First day back....

2009-08-24T02:37:00.000-07:00

was a real hum-dinger. Oh Boy. (No, I should say, "Oh Girl").

In just 8 days of his being on holidays with us, how on earth can I possibly have come to rely so heavily on Sweet Hubby entertaining Naomi, and playing with / carrying Ryan during the day?

I write this as peace has descended on our house. Finally. Ryan is asleep, Brad has taken Naomi for a looooooong drive (he left something in the office that he needs tonight). And I have just set a new world record for fastest time to devour a choc-mint Aero bar. Next is a glass of wine.

It can only be better tomorrow, right? And age 3 IS better than age 2, right??? PLEASE!!!!!

And the Winner Is.....

2009-08-23T14:33:00.000-07:00

Random.org spat out the number 6, and comment number 6 was left by Deb. Congratulations Deb, I will contact you to send out your prize!

Deb also has a beautiful Etsy shop, selling her handcrafted jewellery. Check her out at www.dspdavey.etsy.com . I love love love her English Rose bracelet.

Thank you for your patience, everyone. We had a great holiday, although after 4 days in the car with the kids (2 down, 2 back), we felt like we had come home to have a rest! And yes, I will assault you all with our holiday snaps, in due course!

August Giveaway - Travel Pack

2009-08-12T17:32:00.000-07:00

In honour of our upcoming holiday (woo hoo!! - I just discovered that the resort has a KIDS CLUB!! And they take children from 6 weeks up!), the August giveaway has a travel theme.

You can win yourself a sweet little make-up travel pouch, which has a zip closure and is made from lovely fresh pink poppies fabric.

And to make it really useful, I am adding a travel size tube of "Relax" scented moisturising cream, and 2 handy dandy travel-size liquids containers (perfect for shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, washing liquid, shower gel etc). They come with a set of labels, so you won't forget what the goo inside actually is! (Don't want you washing your hair with the sunscreen).

Of course, if you don't think you'll win this give-away, you can always acquire your own zip make-up travel pouch, over at Sasha Sews!

You know the deal - leave a comment, tweet / blog / FB about this give-away, and leave a comment for each extra entry. Oh, and anyone who buys something from Sasha Sews will get 5 free entries to this giveaway too!

Random.org will draw a winner next Wednesday, 19 August - while lazing on a beach with a cocktail. Mmmmm.... strawberry daiquiri. Yum!

And speaking of give-aways, you see this here handy craft tote?? I WON IT!!!! Yes, I entered a bloggy give-away over at Life of Lyssie and I won! Oh, I have such big plans for this tote. It is going to be toted to my patchwork group every single week........ But I am going to have to keep it under lock and key. Brad wants to 'tote' his drinks and snacks to work in it, and Naomi has already started 'toting' her hair ribbons, clips and brush around in it!

The Sticky Beak Series - Part 1 - My Sewing Room

2009-08-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

I love posts where people open up a part of their homes to their readers. It always makes me feel connected - like, it's ok that my kitchen benches are sticky from spilled juice, because other people have little kids too!

So I have decided to do a "Sticky Beak" series, where you all get to see into the wonderful world of this Small Town Mamma, and her family. And because I spend so much time sewing, thinking about sewing, yearning for delicious fabrics, playing with crafty things etc..... I have decided to start with the Sewing Room / Office.

This is the first house we have lived in that I can really say I have a room to keep all my craft and sewing together in. I still do most of my cutting out on the dining table, because as you can see, there is no large workspace here. And yes, those are packing boxes holding up the shelf, and the end of my sewing table. They are full of books. If I feel the urge to read one, I have to dismantle the shelf!

I love this room. If we owned the house, I would have the walls covered in hooks, to display cross-stitch and quilts. As it is, I have been very naughty and put some hooks in under the wall shelf, to hold up the organiser. The pockets make a great place to keep all my mailing things together - customs labels, envelopes, thank-you cards, airmail stickers etc. It is actually an over-door shoe holder thing that I got at Howards Storage World.

And because this is the room where I create all the lovely things for sale over at Sasha Sews, here is a pic of the new little purse that I have designed. I call it the "Naomi Purse". Ironically, I got the design finished and bag sewed on a day she was at her Family Daycare house! But I did think fondly of her, when it was finished!!

Feel free to indulge my nosiness and show us a room of your house! If you do, leave me a link in the comments so that I can come and visit your place -- I will bring home-baked muffins, I promise!

Delicious!

2009-08-08T21:46:00.000-07:00

Here is a beautiful, luscious, delicious giveaway for you to put your name in for.

Erin at Inner Earth Soaps is giving away 2 -- yes, not 1, but 2! -- bars of luscious handmade soap. In flavours of Choc-Mint and Blackberry Oatmeal. Sounds good enough to eat!

I don't know why I am telling you this. I don't want you to win - or even to enter, as that will diminish my chance of winning!! But if you feel so inclined, go to Inner Earth Soaps for your chance to win!

Oh, and I will be announcing my own August give-away tomorrow (when the light is good enough to take a photo!).

My Gardening Triumph!

2009-08-05T21:01:00.000-07:00

I love lavender. The perfume, the pretty blue flowers, the soft grey/green leaves. I love lavender.

Can't grow it, though. I have lost count of the number of poor little lavender plants that have come to a sad ending, under my brown thumb.

Until now! See, all I had to do was move to a less humid, cooler climate, and remember to actually water it once every couple of days -- and...........................

There are flowers on my lavender plant (calling it a 'bush' at this stage would be just a bit too ambitious, I think!).

I knew I loved small town living!! Now I had better go and water the lavender plant. It was looking a bit seedy when I walked past it this morning.

Are you a Bag Lady yet??

2009-07-31T05:57:00.001-07:00

If not, come and join the Club!

Yes, I have started a Bag Ladies Club, over at the official Sasha Sews Facebook page. All you have to do is visit the page (the widget link is over there in the right column of this page), and click on "become a fan".

When you do you become a member of a very exclusive group. Every month, I will feature a different bag, purse, tote, make-up pouch, and maybe even some aprons for both the littles and bigs. My lovely Bag Ladies will receive an exclusive deal on that item, for the whole month!

The feature bag for August is this hand-embroidered shopping tote bag (medium size, so it won't get too heavy to carry). Because anything so useful should also be lovely to look at! And the Bag Ladies Club deal is..... Buy one, get one free! That's 2 shopping totes for only $12.50 (plus shipping).

So if you want to have the prettiest eco-friendly shopping bags (and save a fortune not having to pay for the shop ones every week), come and be a Bag Lady with us!

Click HERE to sign your life away... I mean join up! Honest!

Market fun!

2009-07-27T20:52:00.000-07:00

For all of you who live too far away to come to Yungaburra, here is a quick photo of my stall. I am going to streamline for next month, and just focus on some beautiful bags that I have in the pipeline, together with the children's aprons and bibs.

It was a bad weather day, overcast, then sunny, then raining, then windy! But still good fun. And yes, that lovely lady in the photo with me is my dedicated Mum -- I know she looks like a sister, and she has a far more active social life than I do!!

Technical Issues...

2009-07-22T20:21:00.001-07:00

My printer was making funny noises when I tried to print this morning. I went to investigate. Do you think this will be covered under warranty?

More to the point - what's for dinner? What can I whip up with a tomato, a hamburger bun and a whole chicken ... all of the plastic varierty!

Great is thy Faithfulness.

2009-07-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

Just a random thought, for Monday morning.

At church yesterday morning, we sang this hymn...

"Great is thy faithfulness, Great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning, new mercies I see.
All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided.
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me."

The words and tune are going around in my head. Which I quite enjoy - the old hymns are my favourites. It's simplicity and faith are echoing through my busy day.

I love to sing. If I was technically minded enough, you would all have heard my tuneful exuberance by now! Do you have a song that is going round and round in your head today (or is it just me??)? What is it, and why do you think you have latched onto it??

Little ones have big ears...

2009-07-17T05:36:00.000-07:00

Never underestimate the size of those ears, or what their owners comprehend.

Sweet Hubby is diabetic (type 1 - the genetic kind). Every meal requires him to calculate the carbohydrate portions, and take insulin accordingly. Every dinner involves this conversation:

SH - "So what do you think the carbs are?".
Me - "Well, you have a cup of rice, which is 42 ... " etc.

Last night, Naomi announced to us that "The rice is the carbs, Mum".

And tonight: "How much carbs do you think, Mum?". (before anyone had mentioned it).

Sweet Hubby and I had totally different reactions. I was rather amazed at her understanding, and use of new words.

Sweet Hubby was troubled.

There is a 10% chance that either one, or both, of our children will be type 1 diabetic. He is horrified at the thought that he may have passed it on to them. It is such an all-encompassing condition that affects every single thing you do - exercise (reduce insulin), food (calculate carbs, increase insulin), travel and outings (always have juice & sugar with us), eating out (take blood test kit, select meal by what carbs are likely to be in it). etc etc. And never ever ever forget that it is life-threatening. I have had to make 2 separate emergency ambulance calls with Brad in a diabetic seizure in the bed beside me, in the 6 years that I have known him.

He is desperately hoping that neither of our children will ever have to deal with such a life.

Satay Chicken

2009-07-16T00:46:00.000-07:00

While shopping in a variety store a few weeks ago, my eye was caught by a series of cook books, which were well-priced at A$10 each. There were about 7 different titles, but the one I bought is simply called "chicken". It is published by Murdoch Books, here in Australia.

We eat a lot of chicken - it is reasonably cheap, and easy for a 2 year old to eat. So the idea of having 75 new recipes for chicken appealled to me!

Here is the one we tried last night, for Satay Chicken:

1 1/2 tbsps oil
6 spring onions (scallions), cut into 3cm lengths (I actually used eschallots)
800 gms (1lb 12oz) of chicken strips / pieces
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
4 tbsps crunch peanut butter
270ml (9 1/2 fl oz) coconut milk
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsps lime juice

Method:

Heat pan to very hot, add some oil and spring onion, stir fry for 30 seconds. Remove from pan. Add extra oil and brown the chicken. Remove chicken from pan.

Add more oil to pan, and curry paste. Fry paste for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add peanut butter, coconut milk, sugar and 250ml (1 cup) water and stir well. Bring to the boil, and boil for 3 - 4 minutes or until thickened. Return chicken and spring onions to the pan, stir in and cook for 2 minutes, until heated through. Stir in the lime juice, and season with salt / pepper to taste. Serve with steamed rice.

I actually skewered the chicken into kebabs, with some red capsicums (bell peppers), grilled them in the oven and just poured the satay sauce over the top. Naomi had fun skewering the meat, so it was a good child-entertainer as well!!

And the verdict? In Naomi's words .... "Mmmm.... 'licious".

Our neighbourhood

2009-07-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

Our neighbours over the back fence are really good. They don't have late night parties, and, on the whole, they are a pretty productive mob.

But, boy.... they get up with the crack of dawn!

Tea Party - Small Town style!

2009-07-11T22:44:00.000-07:00

We have had a very busy few days - first a family dinner in The Big Smoke (mmm... night away in luxury room at affordable price... more about that later!).

Then, being a country gal, I couldn't miss the Mareeba Rodeo, which is on this weekend. I didn't get any great shots of the rodeo events, but we DID take Naomi on her first ever show ride... the spinning tea cups. She looked very serious most of the time, but when I got her to wave to Daddy as we went round, she waved and gave him a big grin! Afterwards she declared that it was fun, and has been asking me all day if she can have another ride on the Teapot Machine.

And because I am an equal opportunity Mamma, here is a shot of Ryan, laughing at his Mummy and sister spinning around in a large blue teacup.

July give-away Winner!

2009-07-11T17:27:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Johanna of Joyous Treasures for winning the gift voucher from Right As Rain Creations!

I hope you enjoy Megan's delicious products!

Any ideas for what you would like in the August give-away? I have some thoughts, but would love to hear what you want.

Or if anyone wants me to give-away one of their creations - I will look into anything (anything that I am happy for my 2 year old to see, that is!).

Something to ponder...

2009-07-08T22:16:00.000-07:00

"When women thrive, all of society benefits, and succeeding generations are given a better start in life."

This is a quote from Kofi Annan, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and former Secretary-General of the United Nations.

It is on a bookmark that I am using in the novel I am reading at the moment (which is late back to the library... oops!). Every time my eye rests on this quote, I start thinking, and pondering, on how lucky I am to live in a developed nation, where my husband has a job, my children are free to play, and I have freedom of expression, access to education, health care... etc.

How different life is for those women who must physically labour from dawn until dusk, just to keep their family in a meager amount of food, to clothe their children, and for whom education and proper health care, for themselves or their children, is a far-off dream.

Many years ago my sister Megan, who is a wonderful midwife, brought to my attention the efforts of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, or "The Hospital By the River" as it is known to the women of Ethiopia. This women's hospital was set up by 2 Australian gynaecologists (Drs Reginald and Catherine Hamlin), in 1974. They specifically treat the awful trauma of fistulas.

What is a fistula? Well, it is something almost unheard of in developed nations. When a woman labours for many hours, or days, and the baby is not delivered, the pressure of the baby's head may cause ruptures between the walls of her birth canal, and urethra, or even through to the bowel. There are many cases in rural Ethiopia of women labouring for 3, 4 or even 5 days. Tragically, the baby dies, and when it is finally delivered, the woman is left incontinent as a result of the fistula injuries.

She is then considered unclean and often outcast by her village, family and even her husband. Left to live alone with her incontinence, and the tragic death of her baby, without even the support of loved ones.

Amazingly, these injuries can often be cured with a simple operation. All it takes is a skilled gynaecologist, and the funds to operate the necessary operating theatre and recovery ward. Ethiopian women often save their money for years, walk for days and spend months away from their rural families, in order to have their fistula injuries cured at the Hospital By the River.

It only costs $450 to change a woman's life - "from despair to dignity", as the Hospital's motto says, and the hospital is entirely privately funded.

The website has several great ideas for ways to help. It is a big step to take, but imagine if you were one of those women..... Can we help them thrive?

Definitely something to ponder.

Tuesday Tips for Mum - making clean up fun

2009-07-07T04:21:00.000-07:00

By the end of the day, the last thing I feel like doing is cleaning up the toys... again. But, our play area is right inside the front door (hmmm.... talk about poor planning!), and I do like to give Sweet Hubby a clear run through from the front door to the living area, when he gets home from work!

So my tip on getting little kids to help with cleaning / tidying up is to make it fun (sorry, that is so obvious it sounds silly, doesn't it?). Some of the best ways I have found to do this are:

* Have spare cleaning equipment for them. Naomi is thrilled at the thought of sweeping. So she happily picks up her toys, if she can then get to swish a broom around, while I am actually sweeping the floor. I also keep a spray bottle filled with water, and clean cloth, for her to "wipe" with, while I am doing bench tops, wiping down cupboards, dusting etc. She loves to spray!

* Make it a race. Against Mummy, against a timer, before Daddy gets home, or just to see who can hold the most toys in their arms at once. Whatever you can think of!

* Incorporate something they love. Naomi adores having her picture taken. So I like to take a 'before' photo, and then tell her we can take another one after, when the room is tidy and the floor swept. I did this today, and it worked a charm --

Before:

After:

and not a single complaint - she actively picked up toys, tidied up books, and helped me shake out the floor mat.

For more great parenting tips and idea, go over to see Kimberly at Raising Olives.

July Give-away - Right as Rain

2009-07-06T17:10:00.000-07:00

Here it is - believe me, the July give-away is worth the wait!

In the spirit of the huge Christmas In July sale that is on at Etsy for the next 2 weeks, I am featuring a delicious Etsy store, for the July give-away.

Did you miss out on the Total Pamper Box? Feel like you could do with some pampering of the yummy products kind? Well, look no further. Right As Rain Creations is the store with all your body products catered for.

I love the sound of the Chai bath soap
Lavender skin salve, perfect for gardeners and those of us with very dry skin (like me).

And who can resist Strawberry Cheesecake flavoured lip balm?!?

All of the products are handmade by Megan, with love. And I am giving away a $10 gift certificate for her store!

All you have to do to enter is to head on over to Etsy, have a browse, and come back here to tell me the name of a store that you love. I am always on the look-out for other beautiful handcrafting stores, so tell me which ones you have found - and what it sells.

Extra entries will be given for blogging, facebooking or twittering about this give-away (stop back here to leave a separate comment for each time you do one of these).

Have fun! The prize will be drawn on Sunday, 12 July (Australian time), and the winner announced that day. Happy browsing - I hope you find something lovely!

What a Twit..(ter)

2009-07-06T17:01:00.001-07:00

Now I am feeling VERY technologically challenged (this from the person who used to set up all my boss's crazy techno-gadgets and actually get them to work).

I searched Twitter and can't even find myself!! (story of my life!). BUT here is my Twitter homepage: http://twitter.com/SashaSews

I promise that if you click on that link, you will find me tweeting away. I hope. Unless I am asleep. Although, sleep is becoming a bit of a fantasy for me, thanks to Naomi.

So come and tweet with me - I have some followers, but I suspect most of them are Eastern-European spammers. But if they want to listen to me tweet, then who am I to complain?? I have booted off the x-rated ones though.

Christmas In July Sale

2009-07-05T17:59:00.001-07:00

I hope all my US readers enjoyed 4th of July!

Here is something else to celebrate in July -- CHRISTMAS! Yep, that's right. Christmas in July!

Etsy is having a site-wide sale, for Christmas In July. Thousands of stores, and thousands of items discounted. Each store decides its own discounts, and the items are not just Christmas themed.

For example (hint hint), I have taken 15% off the price of all items in my store, AND I am offering free shipping on orders over $40. That means that all my purses, totes, coffee cozies and sweet kids' aprons are under $21.00!

The best way to browse all of the discounted items, is to go to the Etsy home page, and do a search for "CIJ" or "ChristmasInJuly" (no spaces), also add the terms for anything you specifically want to look at - eg "CIJ purple purse".

This is a great way to get your gift shopping done early, stock up on little gifts for the rest of the year, or just to treat yourself to something delicious, and that you know has been made with love.

Oh, and I will be posting about the prize for the July give-away tomorrow.... it is utterly delicious, so make sure you come back tomorrow, to enter!

More twittering

2009-07-04T21:16:00.000-07:00

OK, so I am slightly technically challenged. Not sure why, but perhaps try searching for Sasha Fowler (**gasp** - my real name revealed!), if you want to hear me Tweet?? And my avatar is a cute picture of a pink handbag, so you will know me from all the millions of other Sasha Fowlers out there...

Do you Tweet?

2009-07-02T04:18:00.000-07:00

I have heard a lot about Twitter, but never thought I would have the time to check it out. But I have. And I really like it. It is kind of fun to see what my cyber-friends are up to, through the day.

So if you Twitter, come searching for me - my user name is SashaSews. I would love to link up with you all -- the time difference makes things a bit strange, but I do like the short and sweet catch-up aspect.

AND ... Twitterers (I think I may have just discovered a new word!) just might hear about EXCLUSIVE stuff happening over at Sasha Sews! Ha ha ha. More of that shameless self-promotion again!

I received a lovely comment from a purchaser of one of my bags, the other day ... "I got the purse, and its adorable and beautifully made." Thanks for the feedback, Olivia - I am glad you liked it.

Drumroll...................................

2009-06-30T21:32:00.000-07:00

Wow, is it just me or was June a long month?? I have had so much fun picking the things to go into the Total Pamper Box, and thank you all so much for entering! I numbered all the entries in order, and random.org tells me that the winning number is 24.

And comment number 24 was left by ................ Nikki at Nikki's Notes! Congratulations Nikki - email me your address so I can post your goodies out to you! (through my profile).

The July giveaway prize will be announced soon!

It's my Birthday - and you are getting the presents!

2009-06-28T21:02:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your lovely happy birthday wishes. In fact, the actual day is today - 29 June. We celebrated yesterday, though, as Sweet Hubby leaves for work at an unbearable hour of the morning, and I wasn't going to do present opening with my eyes still gritty with sleep!

But today I turn the big 3-2. Yep, my twenties is fast receding over the horizon in the rear-vision mirror. Sigh. I have a good friend who describes himself as being "29G". He has been 29, 29A, 29B, 29C ....

However, I recently read that a survey showed women in their 30's to be the happiest, most self-assured, and content, of all the age groups surveyed.

So today I have happily, with great assurance and supreme contentment added the FINAL ITEM to this month's Total Pamper Box giveaway.

A delicious tube of bath and shower gel, from Maddigan Australia. Even the design on the tube looks gorgeous!

So the Total Pampering Box now looks like this. This is the last item to be added to the box. A winner will be chosen on 1 July (Australian time), by random.org, from all of the entries received this month. So you only have a couple of days to get those last entries in, for the chance to win it all!

My Daybook entry - the birthday edition

2009-06-27T22:39:00.000-07:00

For Today, 28 June 2009 ...

Outside my window... A warm afternoon - almost like spring is here already!

I am thinking... How did I get to 32? All of the amazing experiences I have had, and people I have met, to get to this place in my life.

I am thankful for... My Sweet Hubby. He is so supportive of everything I do - even the wilder ideas!

From the kitchen... Roast lamb and veges for dinner tonight - my choice for birthday dinner.

I am wearing... short sleeves and cargo pants - makes a nice change to thick jumpers!

I am creating... the final proto-type for my new cozy coffee collars, which will be posted on Sasha Sews.

I am going... Nowhere. We are having a lovely quiet Sunday at home, after a VERY busy Saturday.

I am reading... "Dublin: The Foundation" by Edward Rutherford.

I am hoping... that my meeting with a potential wholesale buyer of my sewing on Tuesday, will go well.

I am hearing... Enya's "And Winter Came" album. Beautiful.

Around the house... Naomi is looking at books with Daddy. Ryan is sleeping in his big cot.

One of my favorite things... Lazy afternoons with Enya, a cup of tea and my sewing machine.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Tuesday I am meeting with the owner of a local cafe / gallery who may want to take some of my purses and cozy coffee collars, to sell in her gallery. I will be madly sewing, and praying, until then!

The Bloggy Daybook is the brainchild of The Simple Woman's Daybook. The linking up will start again in September.

Note to self ...

2009-06-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

Don't turn your back on the sweet-natured baby when he is happily sitting in his bouncer. Not even to peel and chop veges for dinner.

He is likely to be 'raided' by his very cheeky 2-year old sister.

And definitely don't take photos, if you are trying to convince the 2-year old not to put mini traffic cones on her brother's head.

Tuesday Tip for Mum - clean toys

2009-06-22T20:00:00.000-07:00

Toys get dirty. We all know that. They get chewed on, dragged around, buried in the sandpit, fed at tea parties....

The quickest, easiest and best way I know of keeping toys clean, in bulk, comes in 2 parts.

First, I run all the hard plastic toys through my dishwasher, every couple of weeks. I do this more often with little baby toys that are in the mouth all the time. Set onto the hottest setting your machine will do, use a little bit of powder (or not, if you don't want to with the baby toys), and come back later to take them out. The heat and steam does a good job of killing off any stray germs.

Secondly, I put soft toys that are washable through a slightly more rigorous process.

Put a few of them in a pillowcase, fold it over and place in your freezer. Yes, in the freezer. Leave them there overnight. This is what the low-allergy toy manufacturers recommend that you do to kill off any dust mites that might be inside the toys.

The next day, leave them in the pillow case and throw the whole lot into the washing machine. Again, run on a hot gentle cycle, with perhaps just a little bit of powder.

The important thing is to get them dry fairly quickly. If they are all fabric, then a quick tumble dry is good. If they have plastic parts, then spread out to dry on a towel in the blazing hot sun is the best place for them. Remember to baste and turn regularly. Er, I mean, just turn them over to dry both sides thoroughly.

For more parenting survival techniques, head over to Kimberly at Raising Olives.

Pampering is ... a good book

2009-06-21T19:42:00.000-07:00

Total pampering requires quiet time with a hot cup of tea, chai or latte and a good book. Maybe it's just the thought of the peace, quiet and time to myself that makes this sound so appealing.

This book combines two of my favourite treats - reading, and chocolate. And why not read about it, while eating it?

I have added my very gently used copy of Chocolat by Joanne Harris, to the pamper box today, so leave your comments to rack up some more entries. Only 1 more Monday in June left!

Coconut Ice

2009-06-20T23:40:00.000-07:00

When I was a child, my mum had a stash of cans of condensed milk. It was left over from when we lived on a remote island and she had to order food for 8 weeks at a time, to come in by barge. Somehow they just sat in the back of the cupboard for years, after we moved back to the mainland. When we finally opened a can, we discovered that it had turned to caramel all by itself, over the course of time. So if you have a spare decade, this is an easy way to make caramel!

In my opinion, condensed milk should be a food group all of its own - rich, creamy, sweet - and yet I can pass it off as dairy, and therefore good for us, right??

Coconut ice is a great recipe to make for your next church fete. Or just because it is yummy!

Ingredients:

5 1/2 cups icing sugar

2 1/2 cups dessicated coconut

1 can condensed milk

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Method:

Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl. I squish mine through a sieve, to get the lumps out. This is quite important, to get a smooth consistency. If you use the icing mixture (with cornstarch in it), instead of pure icing sugar, this step is a whole lot quicker!

Then, add the coconut to the sugar and stir together.

Tip in the condensed milk and egg white, mix well together. The mixture will be very thick and sticky. Yum.

Press half the mixture into a tray lined with baking paper. Then add pink food colouring to the other half, and press it in on top.

Refrigerate for 3 - 4 hours, until completely set. Slice into small pieces and enjoy!

This is a good recipe for kids, as it is just measuring, mixing and squishing into a tray. However, it does require some patience, waiting for it to set. I make it before nap time, and then take Naomi off to bed for a while, to pass the time.

Peter Rabbit's new friend

2009-06-18T03:40:00.000-07:00

Naomi has an amazing grasp of vocabulary. Well, we think so anyway! She chats away to herself while looking for things ... "Not this one. No, not this one either...". It amazes me that a 2 year old knows what the word 'either' means, and how to use it in a sentence.

But she does slip up sometimes....

As Naomi was telling me about the rabbit design at the bottom of her Beatrix Potter bunny bowl, she exclaimed "Look Mummy - there's Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottonbud!"

For the record, yes, I have a thing about clean ears.

WIP Wednesday - scarves & bags

2009-06-17T03:52:00.000-07:00

So, I recently revealed to the world that I am painstakingly learning to crochet. I quite enjoy it. However, I suspect that it would be extremely painful for someone who is good at crocheting to watch me do it. The kind of thing that would make you wince, and your fingers itch to take the hook and turn out a beautifully uniform work that doesn't even know the meaning of 'tension issues'. Because let me tell you, I am tense. Well I must be, if the quality of my crocheting is anything to go by!

But here is the ongoing product. Current length is around 27 inches. Note that I haven't photographed the portion that is narrow, then wide, then narrow again. I am still having to count each line to make sure I have done the right number of 'stitches'. (Is that what they are called?)

Something that I am far more proficient at (thankfully), is sewing. And here is a photo of my latest purse creation. I have had this idea in my head for a week or so - it has taken several days to get it together, thanks to the Awful Gastro Week that we had last week. I have just posted it up for sale at Sasha Sews. You know, if you happen to have fallen in love with it and decided that your next outfit ensemble won't be complete unless it is swinging from your hand. Sorry. Enough shameless self-promotion (which you are all no doubt sick of by now)!

I think that the next one I make will be a larger purse size, rather than the little bag-ette.

Now head on over t0 The Place of H to see some far more talented crochet-ers than me!

Cute bums!

2009-06-16T22:21:00.000-07:00

Y'all know that I love cloth nappies - I find a strange sense of peace and accomplishment in seeing a row of cloth nappies on the washing line, drying in the sun. My mind seems to gloss over the fact that they are just going to be pooped on again.

I just used terry towel flat nappies and pilcher covers with Naomi. These worked fine, but I got a bit over the plastic pilchers.

When it came time to swaddle Ryan's little behind, I splurged. I bought this kit of Bummi's prefold nappies, that included 24 cotton nappies, 4 covers and 100 flushable liners. I love them already! The cotton is so soft, I am sure it will be wonderful for that ultra-soft baby skin.

And the covers are so cute - and very convenient. You just place the nappy in the cover, insert baby and wrap it all up in a sweet waterproof parcel, sealed with velcro!

I bought the 7 - 14kgs size (15 - 30 lbs), so hopefully these should do us just about through to toilet training. And all for A$200 (about US$160)! This is going to ease the budget significantly - with Naomi just about toilet trained (for daytime), and Ryan in cloths, the cost of disposable nappies for 2 kids should just about disappear.

But seriously, isn't this the cutest way to wrap a bottom??

Tuesday Tips for Mum - avoiding tantrums

2009-06-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

I had a couple of practical tips that I was going to write about today, and link up to Kimberly at Raising Olives. But as I was hanging out cloth nappies this afternoon, one particular thought kept running through my head, and it was about poor behaviour in young children - and mine, in particular!

It occurred to me that I have been seeing Naomi in one particular position recently - flat on her back, making whingey noises, crying. **Lightbulb moment** These are classic tantrums!

One of the best pieces of advice that I can give to mums of young children is to remember that MOST bad behaviour stems from a few basic issues. The child is usually one (or more) of:

Tired;

Hungry;

Out of their usual routine; or

Out of their comfort zone.

I find it helps me to keep my patience with the whining, crying, disobedience etc, if I remind myself to look for the cause, instead of just getting frustrated with the result.

If Naomi misses her nap, or has an early sleep, you can bet that by 3pm she would try the patience of a saint (and, as you know, patience is not a virtue that I possess in great quantities).

If she is hungry, there is the constant nagging and nagging and nagging (...) for something that she knows is a treat, or that I have already said 'no' to.... a million times.

I also found that, when we had daycare children coming into our home, Naomi needed to have regular intervals during the day when she could play by herself for 10 minutes. If she was constantly crowded, or having toys taken away, games interrupted by other children, etc, that was when she started biting (gulp. Yep, she was a biter. Thankfully, no longer an issue).

So my real tip here is to figure out the things that CAUSE the difficult behaviour in your kids, and try to avoid those situations. Do your best to encourage sufficient sleep, at the right time of day. Schedule regular meals and snacks, and try to get them to eat enough at meal times to avoid the hunger pains in between times (at least until they are old enough to open the cupboard door and get their snacks themselves!!).

With the coming of our sweet Ryan, (now 12 weeks old!), our home routine has been thrown out the window. The consequence has been a serious back-slide in Naomi's behaviour. But tomorrow is a new day - heck, the next hour is a new hour! If I try to get back to basics and have regular meals and naptime, hopefully we can pull things back together around here, too.

Pampering by candlelight

2009-06-15T03:12:00.001-07:00

Here we are at Week 3 of the Total Pamper Box giveaway. Now, I can understand that not everyone likes lavender soap. But there is chocolate in there too, people! For now. Until I have a bad day.

When I pamper, I like to do it with attitude. Erm, I mean, mood. Mood lighting that is. I love candles. Sweet Hubby knows if I am having a good day, as there is a candle burning somewhere in the house when he gets home. Perhaps I should turn that around, and light a softly scented candle when I am having a tough day, instead. Something to pick up my attitude. I mean, mood.

We have a shop in Australia called Dusk. It is on my all-time favourites list. You know the kind - they play beautiful soft music, have delicious faux (because these are better than just 'fake') flowers, and the staff all wear very simple but classy black aprons. Oh, and they sell divine candles, oil melts, candleholders etc. Luckily for my credit card, we now live over an hour away from the nearest Dusk store.

But today, for your scented candlelit pleasure, I have added a very delicate vanilla and spice-scented candle to the Total Pamper Box. Leave your comments to enter, and don't forget to link back here, for extra entries. The Total Pamper Box giveaway will be drawn on 1 July.

And after all, everything looks better by candlelight.